05062019 - APC CRISIS LATEST: Impunity marked your era, APC blasts Oyegun

MINIMUM WAGE: Nigeria’s Sallah: I'll secure 

How states under attack, Abuja residents, 

can avert 

42 says Cardinal 

8 

despite voting 

9 

40 

trouble —NGIGE Okogie against me —BUHARI 

Shareholders condemn SEC's actions against Oando 

Admission of 

infant/underage 

geniuses into 

universities 

9 

VOL. 26: NO. 63825 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

APC CRISIS LATEST: 

Impunity marked your era, 

APC blasts Oyegun 

•Feel free to join PDP, APC scribe tells aggrieved members 

•Be humble, ask for secret of my success — OYEGUN 

•Face your self-inflicted woes, PDP replies APC 

EMIR SANUSI AND GANDUJE... 

By Omeiza Ajayi & 

Dirisu Yakubu 

ABUJA— The ruling 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

yesterday in Abuja, 

attacked its former 

National Chairman, 

Chief John Odigie- 

Oyegun, saying his era 

personified impunity 

and indiscipline. 

The party also asked 

any of its aggrieved 

members who no longer 

feel comfortable with its 

style of operations and 

political engagements to 

feel free to exit and join 

the opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP. 

Chief Odigie-Oyegun 

had last week, described 

National Chairman of 

the party, Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole, as 

lacking the capacity to 

drive a national party 

like the APC in the 21st 

century. 

The APC also formally 

reacted to issues raised 

by its Deputy National 

Chairman, North, 

Senator Lawali Shuaibu, 

particularly as they 

related to the fortunes of 

the party under Comrade 

Continues on Page 5 

Mr & Mrs 

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje (right) greeting the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II at the Eid praying ground, 

outside the Kano city, yesterday. Photo: Abdulmumin Murtala. SEE STORY ON PAGE 13. 

Why Buhari 

attended 

OIC 8 

meeting 

—PRESIDENCY 

COLUMNISTS 

IBB confident 

Nigeria’ll 

overcome 

8 

security 

challenges soon 

Nigeria’s 

Bande elected 

UNGA 

president 

PRINCEWILL 17 FASAN 31 DEAR BUNMI 32 

37 

UK seizes 

N82bn 

Abacha loot 

35 

SEE 

INSIDE

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 — 3


vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

EMEFIELE PAYS SALLAH HOMAGE—President Muhammadu Buhari 

receiving the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, while Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo (l) looks on as FCT Residents paid homage to the 

President after the Eid Prayers to end the 2019 Ramadan Fasting Season at 

the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

Impunity marked your era, 

APC blasts Oyegun 

Continues from page 1 

Oshiomhole. 

Oyegun lacked 

discipline, 

encouraged 

impunity 

National Publicity 

Secretary of the party, 

Mallam Lanre Issa- 

Onilu, noted in a 

statement yesterday that 

the immediate-past NWC, 

led by Chief John Odigie- 

Oyegun, as national 

chairman, lacked the 

courage required to 

confront the pockets of 

political despots who 

could not operate by the 

party’s rules. 

The resultant effect, he 

said, was widespread 

indiscipline across party 

ranks, lack of respect for 

party supremacy as 

witnessed in the 8th 

National Assembly 

leadership and its overall 

inability to align the 

varying interests of the 

legacy parties that came 

together to form the APC 

in 2014. 

He said: “Let me agree 

that the NWC that led the 

party into the 2015 

elections and continued 

till June 2018 did nothing 

different from what you 

would find in PDP. It was 

a period the party was 

seen as a mere vehicle to 

attain political office. 

‘’The system 

accommodated impunity 

as certain members 

appeared to be superior to 

the party. Their interests 

were far more important 

than the collective 

interests of the APC, even 

when most times, such 

interests are at variance 

with the ideals the party 

stand for. 

“You would recall that it 

was under that leadership 

that some impudent 

members of APC called 

the bluff of the party by 

imposing themselves on 

the National Assembly as 

leaders, contrary to the 

position of the party. 

‘’Where was the party? 

Where was the discipline 

when this happened? It 

would be difficult to 

calculate what lack of 

courage to assert the 

party supremacy cost APC 

over that period. The 

consequences of the 

inaction of the party were 

unimaginable. 

‘’We all saw the 

consequences on 

governance as the 

National Assembly 

practically held our 

government to ransom. 

The impunity, which 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari has rightly 

described as lack of 

patriotism, constituted an 

unfortunate hindrance to 

the smooth running of 

government. 

“The leadership under 

Chief Oyegun, with due 

respect to him, condoned 

all sorts of acts of 

indiscipline from certain 

members. It is not 

surprising that the current 

National Working 

Committee, NWC, 

inherited such a huge 

mess, where the party was 

struggling to differentiate 

itself from the delinquent 

PDP. 

‘’We all know that PDP 

was practically dead, 

following the devastating 

defeat of 2015. The PDP 

bounced back not 

because the party has 

changed its insidious way 

or did anything different, 

but because APC did not 

live up to expectations. 

“It goes without saying 

that when an organisation 

is unable to enforce its 

own rules, it would suffer 

the consequences sooner 

than later. We should not 

be ashamed to say that 

our party’s leadership 

under Chief Oyegun 

lacked the courage 

required to confront the 

pockets of political 

despots who could not 

operate by the party’s 

rules.’’ 

Be humble, ask 

for the secret of 

my success 

— Oyegun 

But the former National 

Chairman of the party, 


Oyegun, again yesterday, 

launched another attack 

on his successor, 

Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole, accusing 

him of looking for 

scapegoats rather than 

focusing on his personal 

failings as the current 

party chair. 

“Oshiomhole should not 

destroy what others had 

laboured to build. If he 

needs tutorial on how to 

run a party, he should ask 

for it in a civil manner. 

John Oyegun will be 

more than happy to help,” 

the former chairman said 

yesterday in a statement 

issued by his Public 

Affairs Adviser, Ray 

Morphy. 

Chief Odigie-Oyegun 

was reacting to an earlier 

statement by the National 

Publicity Secretary of the 

party, Mallam Lanre Issa- 

Onilu which described 

the erstwhile chairman’s 

era as a replica of the 

indisciplined and 

iniquitous style of Peoples 

Democratic Party PDP. 

Noting that his 

principal’s era was the 

golden era of the APC, 

Morphy said: “The 

Oshiomhole executive is 

about a year in office, why 

does he find it hard to 

function without looking 

for excuses and scape 

goats? 

‘’It is common 

knowledge that 

Oshiomhole ran the most 

questionable primaries in 

the history of politics in 

Nigeria. Recall that INEC 

said so when it adjudged 

Oshiomhole primaries as 

the worst so far. 

‘’The courts are saying 

the same thing today by 

upturning many APC 

primaries for being 

undemocratic and less 

than fair. Was it Oyegun 

who ran the primaries?” 

He described Chief 

Odigie-Oyegun as “an 

accomplished technocrat, 

a super permanent 

secretary, a former 

governor, a man without 

blemish working with 

others, cobbled together 

creditably the legacy 

parties, and held them 

together with tact, 

diplomacy and finesse 

until Oshiomhole came 

along. To his credit, 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja,Dickson Omobola, 

Tolulope Oke, Chiamaka Uba, 

Erinfolami Abdulkudus& Janet 

Somoye 

INSECURITY: Cancellation of Sallah celebration in Katsina (3) 

Sallah is a religious 

ceremony and people 

should be left to decide 

but they should be 

advised to avoid 

gatherings. The 

Federal Government 

should beef up security 

not only in Katsina but in 

the entire country. 

Miss Mercy Ashibogwu 

Businesswoman 

I 

am totally in support 

of cancelling Sallah 

celebration in President 

M u h a m m a d u 

Buhari’s home state. 

Affected families of kidnap 

and brutal killings should 

be visited. Also village 

heads were asked to 

organise themselves in 

cenacles to offer prayers to 

avert further occurrence of 

these unfortunate 

incidents. 

Lady Vickie Onyekuru 

Health Advocate 

Sallah in the North- 

West should be done 

celebrated. We have been 

witnessing increased 

incidences of kidnapping 

and banditry in Zamfara 

and Katsina states. It is a 

fact that these criminals 

tend to take advantage of 

celebrations that will 

attract huge turn out of 

persons to inflict pain on 

the unsuspecting public. 

Ms. Uzoma Aneto 

Analyst 

He shouldn’t cancel 

Sallah because it’s a 

worldwide celebration. 

Many other states in 

many 

other 

countries are also 

experiencing insecurity 

and would still go ahead 

with the celebration. 

Security should be further 

tightened as it would be 

unfair to them not to 

participate in the 

celebration after 

observing the fast. 

Mr. Oluwatumininu 

Adetoro 

Student 

I 

think the safety of 

Nigerians, especially 

that of the people of 

Katsina State is what all 

the stakeholders 

in the state put into 

consideration before 

taking the decision. 

Everybody knows that the 

celebration is very 

important being an annual 

event after the fasting but 

I believe we will celebrate 

many more Sallahs. 

Mr. Shokoya John 

Health practitioner 

The cancellation of 

Ramadan celebration 

in Katsina which is the 

President’s state, is 

not right as it shows 

lack of confidence in the 

security system of the 

country. If the President 

cannot assure the people 

of his state of adequate 

security, what is the fate 

of other states? 

Prince Dapo Adeyemi 

Accountant

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

Man walks into Police station, steals policewoman’s phone 

By Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI—THERE was a 

mild drama, yesterday, at 

the Ughelli ‘A’ Division Police 

Station after a man with no 

business at the station, walked 

Sick Enugu 

pensioner 

cries out 

for 

payment 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU—A retired 

primary school teacher 

in Enugu State, Mr. 

Onyekachi Okolie, has 

called on the state 

government to pay him 

about 36 months pension 

arrears owed him, so as to 

take care of his health. 

Okolie, in a petition, said 

he is terminally sick and 

needed the money to solve 

his health challenges. 

According to him, his 

pension backlog 

accumulated from 2010 to 

March 2012 which has not 

been paid, while another 

backlog stretched from 

July 2018, when he said 

was the last month 

pensioners received 

payment in the state. 

However, the State 

Executive Secretary of 

Local Government 

Pensions Board, Mr. Nana 

Ogbodo, described 

Okolie’s claim as 

outrageous. 

Ogbodo said “It is 

curious, I can’t imagine any 

teacher being owed as 

much as three years except 

he is among the old 

teachers that were 

previously paid by Cabinet 

office. We inherited so 

much backlog arrears of 

pension but the Governor 

reduced it with Paris club 

refund.” 

Okolie, the sick 

pensioner, in his petition 

said “Iam aware that the 

huge debts involved was 

not accumulated by the 

present government of the 

state alone, but Enugu 

state is in the hands of God 

and God does not tolerate 

oppression or denial in any 

form or guise. 

“This is a desperate cry 

of a helpless man, who has 

problems money can solve 

but none is available. This 

has nothing to do with 

opposition. 

“Since these debts are 

owed, I have never cried 

out like this. I am this 

desperate because I am 

sick. My blood sugar is 

high, same as my blood 

pressure and my prostrate 

is enlarged.” 

into the charge room and stole a 

mobile phone belonging to one of the 

female officers on duty. 

The man, who is in his mid 40s and 

simply identified as Moses, slumped 

and allegedly fainted after he was 

apprehended in what was described 

as a ploy to evade arrest. 

Though efforts to speak with 

Delta State Police Public 

Relations Officer, Onome 

Onowakpoyeya, was fruitless at 

press time, a security source 

from Ughelli Police Area 

A commercial bus number plates Kaduna, KRA-254-XA (above right), 

boarded by children's from Ikorodu en route Johnson, Jakande, Tinubu, 

JJT, Park Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, to celebrate Eid el-fitr, was involved in an 

accident, yesterday. PHOTOS: Bunmi Azeez. 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THREE suspected 

student cult members of 

Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba 

Akoko have been arrested by police 

detectives in Ondo State over the 

death of a 21 year old undergraduate, 

Daniel Paul, during initiation. 

The suspected cultists include 19- 

year-old- Ifedayo Oluwaseun , Nafiu 

Akani David, 22, and Ajibola Philips 

aged 22. 

The state Police Commissioner 

Undie Adie, said: “On the 20/4/2019 

at about 1300hrs, one Kabiru Rasak 

‘M’ of Achiever University Road 

Idase, Owo came to the station and 

reported that his cousin one Daniel 

Paul ‘m’, aged 21yrs, who was a 

student of Adekunle Ajasin 

University Akungba Akoko, was 

murdered by unknown person(s). 

“On the strength of this information, 

detectives from the Special Anti- 

Cultism Squad Akure swung into 

action and made the arrest. 

“Upon interrogation, the suspects 

confessed to be members of ‘Aiye’ 

secret cult confraternity; they also 

stated that on 20/4/2019 at about 

4a.m., they took the deceased to the 

bush at Akungba Akoko town where 

he was murdered during initiation. 

“The suspects mentioned other 

members of the group who are still at 

large. 

Meanwhile, the Police have 

arrested one Funmilade Busayo for 

using his wife, Funmilayo, for money 

rituals. 

The suspect allegedly stole the wife 

pants, sponge and wrapper for ritual 

purposes. 

The Police Commissioner said that 

“one Funmilayo Ayoola of Orita- 

Obele Estate, Akure, reported 

that sometime her panties, 

sponge and wrapper got 

missing in their threebedroom 

apartment. 

“She subsequently informed 

her husband, Funmilade 

Busayo, who denied 

knowledge of the missing 

Command confirmed the 

incident to Vanguard. 

The source, who spoke on 

condition of anonymity, 

disclosed that the suspect stole 

the phone from where it was 

kept at the charge room. 

items. 

“However, she became sick 

afterwards and her health 

deteriorated with attendant 

loss of weight. She was taken 

to various healing homes 

without success. 

“Her family was 

consequently involved and 

the incident was reported to 

One year after, woman cries 

out over missing daughter 

“He had walked into the station 

under the pretence of wanting to 

lodge a complaint, only to steal a 

Techno A2 mobile phone 

belonging to the female 

policewoman on duty,” the source 

stated. 

3 students of Ondo varsity 

arrested over colleague's death 

•... as man uses wife for money ritual 

By Bose Adelaja 

A 

mother of three, Mrs 

Kehinde Igwe, whose fouryear-old-daughter, 

Goodness 

Igwe, got missing during a 

church service a year ago, said 

she has not lost hope of seeing 

her. 

Kehinde told Vanguard in a 

chat that the loss of her daughter 

has left a vacuum in her family. 

According to her, the girl got 

missing on June 3rd, 2018, after 

a Sunday service at the family 

church (The Latter Rain 

Assembly, Akilo Road, Ogba, 

Lagos), and all efforts to trace 

her have proved abortive. 

In an emotion-laden voice, 

Kehinde explained the efforts of 

her pastor, Tunde Bakare, in 

ensuring that the girl returned 

home, but this had not yield any 

result till date. 

Recalling the fateful Sunday, 

Kehinde a commercial tricyclist 

in Ajao Estate, said she rode 

to the church with other 

members of the family in her 

commercial tricycle. 

Unfortunately, the last child 

of the family did not return 

home with them, saying, “she 

was playing with her doll in 

company of her siblings and 

some other children while my 

husband and I were in a 

meeting but I was monitoring 

the children afar. 

“When I sensed she was no 

longer in their midst, I tried to 

inquire about her 

whereabouts, but was pacified 

by one of the children that she 

was playing with her doll 

within the premises. 

“However, this was not so as 

we combed everywhere in vain 

except that her doll with a pair 

of slippers were found in the 

tricycle.” 

It will be recalled that 

Sunday Vanguard published 

the Police. 

“The husband, however, 

confessed that he 

masterminded the removal of 

the panties, sponge and 

wrapper from their home, for the 

purpose of money ritual with the 

help of a herbalist called Baba 

Ojo in Ijare, Ondo State, who 

died in January.” 

her ordeal in February, but the 

whereabouts of the girl remains a 

mystery still. 

It was gathered that few days 

after the girl was declared 

missing, three people were 

arrested and prosecuted by the 

Police for swindling her family. 

Kehinde said the child’s loss is 

so painful to her family: “Who am 

I to query Almighty God? To be 

honest with you, it is painful and 

tough.” 

She advised Nigerians not to 

entrust their children with 

strangers, adding “Nigerians 

should not entrust their little ones 

with strangers because you don’t 

know who the enemy is. Keep 

your children safe and don’t trust 

the strangers who is pretending 

to be friends.” 

She commended her church for 

its unflinching support, noting “I 

appreciate my church for standing 

by us and being a source of 

encouragement.”


Why we kill our victims—Suspects 

By Esther Onyegbula & 

Oladimeji Kehinde 

SOME of the suspects 

paraded by the Lagos State 

Police Command, yesterday, 

held many spell bound as they 

gave reasons for killing their 

victims. 

For 38-year-old Kofoworola 

Olaonipekun arrested for his 

role in the death of one Sakiru 

Bashiru, a commercial tricycle 

rider, shot dead at Mosalashi 

Bus Stop in Alagbado area of 

Lagos, the victim was killed 

because they wanted to take 

over the garage, while Jimoh 

Nasiru said they kidnapped and 

killed a businessman, Musibau 

Saheed, over a land dispute. 

Speaking during a parade at 

the Police Zone 2 Command, 38- 

year-old Oladipupo Kehinde, 

said: “My Olori was fighting to 

take over a keke marwa (tricycle 

) garage. When I got to the park 

that day, I met so many people 

there and I saw that there were 

a lot of marwa. 

“Olori said we had work to do. 

He later asked me to meet him 

at Odo Pako. Before I went to 

meet him at Odo Pako, I received 

a call from a customer. So before 

I returned they had finished 

fighting. 

“But I heard that Terror was 

dead. I was still with my boss 

Olori, and colleagues Adigun, 

Sikiru and White when police 

arrived the scene, arrested us 

and collected four guns from me. 

“We use the guns for security 

work. The guns were used at the 

garage. We killed Terror. We are 

six that have been arrested, but 

our boss is yet to be arrested.” 

Also speaking, Jimoh Nasiru 

said: “We attacked and killed 

Musibau Saheed at Ido-Lehin 

By Daud Olatunji 

ABEOKUTA—TWO suspected 

pipeline vandals, Tunde 

Ramoni, 45, and Yinka Olufowobi, 

33, have been arrested by 

operatives of the Ogun State Police 

command, along Simawa road. 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, 

disclosed in Abeokuta , yesterday, 

that the two suspects were 

arrested by policemen attached to 

Redeem Camp Police Divisional 

headquarters, who were on 

routine patrol. 

“Two suspects were sighted in a 

blue Toyota Camry car with 

number plates RC 862 AAA loaded 

with petroleum product in sacks. 

“On sighting the Police, they 

made an attempt to escape, but, 

they were hotly chased and 

apprehended. 

“On interrogation, the two 

suspects confessed that they were 

coming from Oloparun Village via 

Ogijo were they used to get the 

product from vandalised pipeline 

in the area in collaboration with 

their other accomplices living in 

Ilara area of Ogijo. 

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner 

village in Ado Odo Ota local 

Government Area over land 

issues. 

“We were sent by our leader, 

Chief Ajose Owoyale alias Navy 

to forcibly take the land and 

kidnap the victim, who had been 

preventing us from gaining 

access into the community. 

“When we got there, some boys 

from the community attacked us. 

When they were attacking us, I 

tried to put a call across to our 

leader. As this was going on, I 

noticed that my colleague, 

Kazeem, and others had 

abducted the victim, placed him 

on motorbike and zoomed off.” 

Nasiru explained that “the 

youths of the community 

overpowered us, and we had 

been instructed not to shot. But 

the only person that was 

blocking us from entering the 

village was our target. 

Sincerely, I didn’t know they 

wanted to kill him. My thought 

was just that they would kidnap, 

torture and release him. 

“Unfortunately, it was when I 

Jimoh Nasiru and Kazeem Abiodun. 

of Police, CP Bashir Makama, has 

ordered the transfer of the suspects 

and exhibit to Special Anti-Robbery 

was arrested by the Police 

that I knew the man had 

been killed.” 

Recounting his role in the 

victim’s abduction, another 

suspect Kazeem Abiodun 

said when he saw Musibau 

escaping from the scene of 

the clash “I went to him 

under the pretence that I 

wanted to rescue him with 

my motorbike and took him 

away from the scene of the 

clash. 

“When we were going, I 

saw Owoyale and one other 

person in his car and there 

was nothing Musibau could 

do at that particular time. 

“I handed him over to them 

and went away because that 

was what I was contracted to 

do. I regretted my action, I was 

promised N100,00 if was able 

to deliver the businessman. 

“I had not even collected the 

money before I was arrested 

by the Police at my hideout. 

God should please forgive me 

for my sin.” 

2 suspected pipeline vandals nabbed in Ogun 

Squad, SARS, for further 

investigation with the view of 

apprehending other suspects.” 

Police arrest 2 in Enugu 

over possession of firearms 

THE Police Command in Enugu 

State said, yesterday, that two 

people were arrested for alleged 

unlawful possession of firearms 

within Enugu metropolis. 

The command’s Public Relations 

Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, stated 

this in a statement in Enugu, 

adding that the two suspects were 

arrested in different locations on 

May 31. 

Amaraizu said the Command 

also recovered two locally-made 

pistols from the suspects. 

He said the arrests were made 

by policemen attached to the 

Mobile Police 3 Squadron in 

Enugu on a stop-and-search 

duty. 

He gave the names of the 

suspects as Musa Damoru, 32, a 

native of Song Local Government 

Area of Adamawa State and 

Abbas Adam, 24, of Quapaan 

Local Government Area of 

Plateau State. 

According to Amaraizu, 

“Damoru was arrested at 

about 4:40p.m. by mobile 

policemen on stop-andsearch 

duty around Thinkers 

Corner axis of the metropolis 

with the locally-made gun and 

two fully charged torchlights. 

“Adam was arrested at about 

7:15p.m. as a passenger in a 

commercial Hiace bus with 

number plates GME 747 ZUA 

with one locally-made pistol 

by mobile policemen on stopand-search.” 

Amaraizu said the suspects 

were helping the operatives of 

the command in their 

investigations. 

He said they would be 

charged to court after 

investigations were concluded. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Nedu! What are you licking? 

My guy, make the money for 

your family, because some 

blows can relocate you 

Please, Correct Pikin, ask Wazobia's 

Nedu o. He likes standing a lot


Why Buhari attended OIC 

meeting —Presidency 

THE Presidency said, 

yesterday, that President 

Muhammadu Buhari acted 

in the national interest, 

attending the recent meeting 

of Organisation of Islamic 

Cooperation, OIC, in Saudi 

Arabia. 

The president’s attendance 

of the meeting has generated 

criticisms from many 

Nigerians, who argued that 

the country had no business 

attending the meeting, 

Nigeria being a secular state. 

But Senior Special 

Assistant to the President on 

Media and Publicity, 

Mallam Garba Shehu, said 

in a statement that the 

President acted in “the 

overall national interest,” 

and “preferred not to worry 

about the storms” generated 

by his critics. 

The statement read: ‘’On 

Friday, President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

delivered the address of 16 

African nations who are 

members of Organisation of 

Islamic Cooperation, OIC, 

making it the third time a 

Nigerian leader will speak 

at the OIC. Late President 

of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru 

Yar’Adua and his successor, 

Dr Goodluck Jonathan had 

attended previous meetings. 

"The just concluded 2019 

meeting held in Makka, 

Saudi Arabia, is significant 

as it marked the 50th 

anniversary of the 

organisation. 

"As with most issues in 

Nigeria, there will always be 

individuals and groups who 

will disagree with the 

president. For some, there 

IBB confident Nigeria’ll 

overcome security challenges 

soon 

M INNA—FORMER 

Military President, 

General Ibrahim 

Babangida (retd), has 

expressed confidence that 

Nigeria would soon 

overcome its security 

challenges. 

Babangida, who spoke 

with newsmen, yesterday, 

in Minna, expressed 

optimism that President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

administration would tackle 

and end the skirmishes in 

some parts of the country 

“very soon.” 

He said: “What is 

required now is for 

Nigerians to rally round the 

president to enable him 

provide adequate security 

and good leadership. 

“The people’s support 

will help the president to 

succeed; he needs 

everyone’s cooperation to 

trudge on to success.” 

He stressed the need for 

Nigerians to remain 

peaceful and pray for peace 

to reign in the country, 

noting that no meaningful 

development could take 

place in a chaotic 

environment. 

are good reasons for doing 

this while for others it is like 

sports; they enjoy going the 

opposite direction. And for 

another set, it is personal. No 

matter what President 

Buhari does, they will never 

be pleased with him. 

"When the President 

decided to attend the OIC 

meeting, he knew some 

people will raise dust. But 

guided by the overall 

national interest, which 

always governs his actions, 

he preferred not to worry 

about the storms. 

‘’The criticisms of his 

attendance by some, 

including cultural 

organisation, Ohanaeze and 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria are not new or 

unexpected. For those who 

know President Buhari, 

these tantrums don’t make 

him angry, in the full 

understanding that when the 

critics take time to read or see 

the outcomes, they too will 

be glad at the decision taken 

to be present at the key 

strategic gathering. 

‘’Interestingly, the major 

takeaways from this meeting 

were concerns expressed 

daily by church leaders and 

Imams. The issues deal 

directly with safety, peace 

and prosperity of the nation 

and its citizens. 

‘’It is noteworthy that 

President Buhari, leading 

other African leaders, got key 

support for many issues of 

concern or interest to Nigeria 

and African continent at the 

meeting. Top on the list is 

strong condemnation of 

terrorist acts." 

“Peace remains a prerequisite 

for any 

meaningful development. 

We must all seek it, crave 

for it and work for it,” he 

said. 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

yesterday, pleaded with 

political leaders and his 

supporters to stop 

complaining about his 

government to avoid 

making it unpopular, and 

jokingly described residents 

of the Federal Capital 

Territory, FCT, as necessary 

evil for voting Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in 

the last election. 

He, however, assured the 

FCT residents that his 

administration would do 

everything possible to 

protect them, despite the 

fact that they voted against 

him. 

Speaking while receiving 

residents of the FCT that 

paid him Sallah homage at 

the Presidential Villa, 

Abuja, Buhari said he 

would continue to protect 

the seat of power because 

any negative thing that 

happens to the place 

would also affect him and 

the entire residents. 

He said: “I want to 

appreciate the number two 

man of the country (Prof. 

Yemi Osinbajo) because he 

knows what we are going 

through very quietly. I am 

very pleased that you came 

with this very powerful 

constituency. 

"I appeal to you to remain 

exemplary so that those 

under you will know that 

the country is doing very 

well. If you break down and 

complain, the impact will 

reverberate all over and 

then, government will not 

be popular and whatever 

efforts we are making will 

Labour tasks FG on security, economy, 

poverty, others 

By Victor 

Ahiuma-Young 

NIGERIA 

Labour 

Congress, NLC, 

yesterday, urged the 

Federal Government to 

urgently find solutions to 

issues of insecurity, 

economy and poverty 

among others as Nigerians 

observe Eid-el-Fitr 

holidays. 

In a statement, entitled 

“Imbibe the spirit of Eid-el- 

Fitr,” NLC lamented that 

the nation had been 

confronted by rising 

incidents of insecurity, 

unemployment, poverty, 

instability and renewed 

separatists agitations. 

In the statement signed 

by its President, Ayuba 

Wabba, NLC also urged 

Nigerians to have faith in 

the country and do 

SALLAH HOMAGE: President Muhammadu Buhari (left) receiving Sallah greetings card from FCT 

Permanent Secretary, Mr Christian Oha, who led FCT residents on a Sallah homage to the President at the 

Presidential Villa, in Abuja, yesterday. With them are: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss 

Mustapha and Senator representing FCT, Sen Philip Aduda. Photo: NAN. 

Sallah: I'll protect Abuja residents 

despite voting against me —Buhari 

• Don’t make my govt unpopular by complaining, he 

tells leaders, supporters 

everything necessary to 

safeguard and promote its 

sovereignty, integrity and 

prosperity, in spite of the 

overwhelming challenges 

in the polity. 

It read: “We at the 

Nigeria Labour Congress 

wish to congratulate as well 

as celebrate with our 

Muslim brethren as they 

mark the Eid-el-Fitr. Eidel-Fitr 

. 

‘’Eid-el-Fitr, therefore, 

among other things, 

represents a magnificent 

celebration and showing of 

profound gratitude to Allah. 

“On the occasion of this 

Eid-el- Fitr, we urge all 

Muslims and non- 

Muslims to imbibe the 

spirit of Ramadan fast, 

which teaches us 

discipline, forgiveness, 

good neighbourliness, selfcontrol, 

and service to God 

and humanity. 

‘’This Eid-el-Fitr comes at 

a significant point in our 

national life when we are 

confronted by rising 

incidents of insecurity, 

unemployment, poverty, 

instability and renewed 

separatists agitations. 

“Accordingly, we would 

want to use the occasion of 

this Eid-el-Fitr to call on the 

government to rededicate 

itself in its service to the 

nation especially on the 

issues of security, stability, 

economy, justice, and 

confidence-building. 

‘’We similarly urge all 

Nigerians, in spite of the 

overwhelming challenges 

in the polity to continue to 

have faith in their country 

and to do all that is 

necessary to safeguard 

and promote its 

sovereignty, integrity and 

prosperity. We have no 

doubt, we shall over come, 

as one people with a 

common destiny.” 

not be appreciated. 

“I have just spoken to the 

senator on my left (Philip 

Aduda) and I told him that 

his constituency did not vote 

for me. So I was very 

pleased that when they 

made the arrangement they 

put him very far away from 

me. I have all the results of 

all constituencies. 

“I am not threatening 

FCT because to make FCT 

secure is to make myself 

secure and the vice 

president. I think they are 

are necessary evil that was 

why they decided to vote for 

PDP.” 

Nigeria on 

threshold of 

greatness 

—Osinbajo 

Also speaking, Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo 

said Nigeria was on the 

threshold of greatness, 

stressing that the security 

and religious challenges 

currently facing it were 

evidence that something 

great was coming. 

Osinbajo said: “First, let 

me congratulate you on this 

very solemn occasion that 

marks the end of Ramadan. 

“I want to say that God 

Almighty has been 

extremely good to you and 

to our government. I recall 

about two years ago when 

I had to host this particular 

event because you were 

away on medical leave at 

the time. 

“But God has been so 

good, not only did He bring 

you back healthier than 

when you left, but has also 

been gracious enough for 

you to have a second 

opportunity to lead our 

great nation. I thank the 

almighty God for you and 

for all of us who have been 

a part of your government 

and who have been a part 

of what God has done in 

our midst. 

“Our country as it is today, 

is at a threshold of 

greatness, you have said so 

many times. Any situation 

where something great and 

something important is 

about to happen, usually 

you will have very many 

negative opposing voices 

that want to keep that thing 

from happening. 

“I believe that our country 

is at a threshold of the 

breakthrough that we have 

been praying for and 

hoping for all these years. 

And this is why many 

challenges are going on. 

Challenges around 

security, religion, people 

who are stoking up embers 

of religious and ethnic 

divisions and all that." 

Roll call 

Those present at the 

homage were Prof. Shehu 

Umar Galadanci, Murshid 

Abuja Central Mosque who 

prayed for the Muslims; 

former governor of Imo 

State, Rochas Okorocha; 

Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, Boss 

Mustapha;Chief of Staff, 

Abba Kyari; Chief of 

Defence Staff, General 

Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief 

of Army Staff, Lieutenant 

General Tukur Buratai; 

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice 

Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and 

Chief of Air Staff, Air 

Marshal Sadique 

Abubakar. 

Others include Inspector- 

General of Police, 

Mohammed Adamu; 

National Security Adviser, 

Babagana Monguno; 

Director-General of 

Department of State 

Service, DSS, Yusuf Magaji 

Bichi; Civil Defence FCT 

Commandant; Permanent 

Secretary, State House, 

Jalal Arabi;Senator Philip 

Aduda; former Minister of 

Communication, Adebayo 

Shittu, and Governor of 

Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, Godwin Emefiele.


Stakeholders condemn SEC 

action against Oando 

STAKEHOLDERS in 

the nation’s capital 

market have condemned the 

move by the Securities and 

Exchange Commission, 

SEC, against Oando Plc. 

The commission last week 

indicted Group Chief 

Executive Officer of Onado, 

Wale Tinubu, and his 

deputy, Mofe Boyo, over 

misconduct in managing the 

company and directed them 

as well as other directors 

affected to resign. 

The commission has also 

announced an interim 

management to organise an 

Extra-ordinary General 

Meeting, EGM, to appoint 

a new board that would 

eventually appoint a new 

management team into 

place. 

But speaking to Vanguard, 

yesterday, shareholders as 

well as other stakeholders 

expressed displeasure with 

the action, saying SEC had 

gone beyond its power. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

Sokoto shareholders, Alhaji 

Kabiru Tambari, said: “We 

are not happy at all with what 

has happened. Wale Tinubu 

and his management team 

have suffered, they have put 

their resources, energy and 

time to keep this company 

moving forward and now the 

SEC wants to take it away 

from, not just them, but us 

the shareholders as well. 

"When the company was 

making losses, the SEC 

didn’t bring up all these 

infractions and sanctions, but 

now the company is doing 

well, and has returned to 

profit, they’ve come with 

such drastic actions. This will 

foil the company’s attempt to 

HEALTH TIPS 

By Sola Ogundipe 

Simple ways to reduce 

hair loss 

HAIR loss is one of the 

most common human 

problems. Everyone loses 

100 hair strands daily. 

It is a natural 

phenomenon but there are 

simple solutions to help 

reduce or deal with hair 

loss. 

Regularly wash your hair 

with mild shampoo. You 

may take vitamin 

supplements. Your diet 

also matters. Eating lean 

meats, fish or other proteins 

promotes hair health and in 

turn helps curb hair loss. 

Massage your scalp daily 

with essential oils to help 

your hair follicles remain 

active. 

Avoid brushing wet hair. 

Brush your hair when dry 

because wet hair breaks 

easily. You can comb wet 

hair using a very widetoothed 

comb. Avoid 

brushing or combing too 

frequently. Use your fingers 

to undo tangles, rather than 

using a comb or brush. 

pay us dividend at the end 

of the year. 

“It is clear that the SEC 

wants to kill the company. 

How else do you explain an 

action such as this that defies 

logic? We, the shareholders, 

who the SEC are meant to 

be protecting, are not 

satisfied with the way this 

has been handled. They 

should think of the effect 

their actions will have on the 

market, if this continues, the 

company will not be able to 

pay salaries, the shares will 

be devalued badly leaving 

us in a precarious position.” 

Mr. Patrick Ajudua, 

National Chairman, New 

Dimension Shareholders 

Association, said in his 

reaction: “The SEC’s 

findings on Oando speak 

volumes. As shareholders of 

the company, we are more 

interested in the protection 

of minority shareholders, the 

development and protection 

of the capital market. 

"The consequences of 

these far-reaching directives 

from the regulator will 

have an adverse effect on 

the share price of the 

company, market integrity, 

rule of law and expected 

returns on investment. 

“I believe that SEC, as 

presently constituted, has no 

power to issue such farreaching 

directives without 

the consent of a board. 

"The regulator has been 

operating without a board for 

more than four years and as 

such is like a car without a 

pilot, a human being with a 

body but no head. Even the 

USA SEC has not operated 

without a board since 1939." 

Rub garlic juice, onion 

juice or ginger juice on your 

scalp, leave it overnight 

and wash it out in the 

morning. Do this regularly 

for a week. 

Avoid rubbing your hair 

dry with a towel. Rather, let 

it dry naturally. 

If you are experiencing 

hair loss, reduce your 

alcohol intake and avoid 

smoking. Make time for 

physical activity every day 

to balance hormonal levels, 

reducing stress levels. 

Avoid constant heating 

and drying of your hair and 

keep your head sweat free. 

Using shampoos that 

contains aloe vera can keep 

the head cool and prevent 

dandruff. 

Take care of your health. 

Health problems are 

harbingers of hair loss. Treat 

chronic illnesses, high 

fevers and infections 

properly to ensure healthy 

hair. 

Certain medications may 

cause hair loss. Consult a 

doctor for more 

enlightenment. 

MEETING: From left, Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ghana, Rev. 

Daniel Tetteh; Director-General, West African Monetary Institute, Ghana, Dr Ngozi Egbuna; 

Commissioner, Industry and Private Sector Promotion, ECOWAS Commission, Mr Mamado Traore; 

acting Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms Mary Uduk, and Chief Executive 

Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Oscar Onyema, during an experts meeting to validate West 

Africa Securities Regulatory Agency, WASRA, and West Africa Capital Market Integration Council 

Rules and Regulations, WACMICRR, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

Nigeria under attack, says Okogie 

•Says country in the hands of bandits, herdsmen, kidnappers 

By Sam Eyoboka 

CATHOLIC Archbishop 

of Lagos Metropolitan 

See, Anthony Cardinal 

Okogie, has said Nigeria 

was under attack, following 

the high rate of insecurity in 

the country. 

Okogie’s statement came 

against the backdrop of 

former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo’s claim that Boko 

Haram and bandits’ activities 

were becoming tools to 

Fulanise Nigeria and 

Islamise Africa. 

Okogie, in a statement 

entitled “Nigeria is under 

attack,” said: “On a Monday 

in September 2015, former 

Finance Minister, Chief Olu 

Falae, was on his farm in 

Ilado, near Akure, when 

some armed men came 

looking for him. 

"At gunpoint, they 

abducted him and held him 

until the following Thursday. 

At the age of 77, he was 

made to walk several 

kilometres. He was made to 

sleep in the rain. 

"According to his account 

published in some national 

dailies, every half an hour, 

his armed abductors 

threatened: 'Baba, we are 

going to kill you. If you don’t 

give us money we are going 

to kill you.' 

"By 2018, herdsmen were 

wreaking havoc in the states 

of the Middle Belt of Nigeria. 

Then, a retired Chief of Army 

Staff, a veteran of military 

intervention in Nigerian 

politics, General Theophilus 

Danjuma, warned that there 

was ethnic cleansing in the 

Middle Belt. 

"Having lost confidence in 

the government’s 

willingness or ability to deal 

with the situation, General 

Danjuma called on the 

people of the Middle Belt to 

take responsibility for their 

own security. The reaction of 

aides to the President of the 

Federal Republic was to 

insult him and call him 

names he did not deserve to 

bear. 

"Recently, former President 

Obasanjo added his voice to 

those of Chief Falae, Gen. 

Danjuma and many others, 

voices warning us of 

heightened insecurity in our 

country. President Obasanjo 

spoke of ‘Fulanisation and 

Islamisation’. 

"But in what has become a 

typical reaction from aides to 

President Buhari, 

Obasanjo’s concerns were 

not addressed. What he 

received were gratuitous 

insults from President 

Buhari’s aides. 

"Nonetheless, it is highly 

significant that one of 

President Obasanjo’s most 

virulent critiques, Professor 

Wole Soyinka, urged the 


address the issues he raised. 

"The issue is neither the 

character nor the political 

affiliation of those who are 

speaking. The issue is 

insecurity and the 

government’s inability or 

unwillingness to address the 

issue. Nigeria in her 

vastness is within the firm 

grips of kidnappers, armed 

robbers, herdsmen, bandits 

and insurgents. 

On Boko Haram 

‘’Government officials tell 

us that Boko Haram has 

been ‘technically defeated’. 

But there is a wide abyss 

between government 

propaganda and the 

experience of the citizen. 

Despite government 

propaganda, Boko Haram, 

with frequent and 

convincing repetition, 

demonstrates that it has 

more firepower than the 

Nigerian military. 

"Our highways are unsafe. 

A major highway like the 

Abuja-Kaduna has become 

a theatre of operation for 

kidnappers. The 

northwestern states of 

Zamfara and Katsina have 

become utterly unsafe. They 

have been taken over by 

armed bandits. Yet, all that 

presidential aides have to 

offer concerning Nigerians is 

insolence. 

Berates 

presidential aides 

"Shortly after Chief Falae’s 

abduction, Nigerians woke 

up to hear of clandestine and 

illegal importation of arms 

into Nigeria. There were 

reports that arrests were 

made. But Nigerians no 

longer hear of any judicial 

process to which these 

importers are being 

subjected. The matter 

appears to have died. Little 

wonder we now live in a 

Nigeria saturated with 

ammunition. 

"How on earth can we 

claim to be living in a 

democratic polity when 

presidential aides forget or 

ignore the fact that the 

president was put in office 

by the votes of the people? 

For if they knew the 

principles of democracy, they 

would not be disrespectful to 

Nigerians who happen to 

hold views divergent from 

those of government on how 

affairs of state are to be 

handled. 

"One would have thought 

that, by now, four years since 

2015, presidential aides 

would have grasped the 

difference between insolence 

and competence. 

"One does not need to hold 

any brief for former President 

Obasanjo to know that his 

concerns on this matter are 

genuine. One only needs to 

read carefully the text of his 

intervention. One need not 

be his friend or political ally 

to observe that there are onesided 

actions on the part of 

the government in matters of 

security. 

On Leah Sharibu 

"Well-meaning Nigerians 

express concerns that 

herdsmen are treated with 

kid gloves and allowed to get 

away with murder, while 

some other agitators are 

called terrorists, proscribed 

and gunned down. 

"A ‘technically defeated’ 

Boko Haram continues to 

hold Leah Sharibu in 

captivity, while the Federal 

Government secured the 

release of her Muslim 

schoolmates and the release 

of Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim 

Abubakar from death row in 

Saudi Arabia. 

Synergy among 

Boko Haram, 

herdsmen, ISIS 

"Obasanjo is pointing to 

an open secret, and that is: 

there is a synergy among 

Boko Haram, herdsmen 

and ISIS. This synergy, 

leading to a gradual 

implementation of the 

Islamisation agenda of ISIS, 

is what is being referred to 

as ‘Fulanisation and 

Islamisation’. 

"It is about the imposition 

by ISIS of its own version of 

Islam. Whoever opposes it, 

be that person Christian or 

Muslim or Fulani, is 

eliminated. 

"The security situation in 

Nigeria has become worse 

than deplorable. Nigeria is 

being attacked. Is this how 

we all will be watching 

while our country becomes 

more inhabitable than it has 

ever been in her history? Is 

there leadership in this 

country? If so, what type of 

leadership do we have? 

"It is the responsibility of 

the president and his aides 

to address the situation in 

ways that are manifestly 

even-handed. There are 

fears that some people have 

taken over this country. We 

are held hostage on our 

land. 

‘’This country is in the 

hands of invaders, bandits, 

herdsmen and kidnappers. 

Nigeria is under attack. Will 

the President and 

Commander-in-Chief show 

leadership?”

10 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

INSECURITY: We’re battle 

ready for herdsmen in 

Lagos, Ogun — POLICE 

By Esther 

Onyegbula 

L AGOS—THE 

Assistant Inspector- 

General of Police Zone-2, in 

charge of Lagos and Ogun 

Commands, Shehu Lawal 

has said the Commands are 

battle ready for herdsmen 

in both states under his 

watch. 

Lawal, who spoke with 

newsmen while parading 

some suspects at the Zone- 

2 headquarters, Onikan 

Lagos, said that criminal 

activities by herdsmen was 

of a serious concern to 

everyone. 

Lawal said: “There is no 

place for criminal herdsmen 

in Lagos and Ogun states, 

FNSB to commercialise 

production, sale of arts and crafts 

By Cynthia Alo 

L 

A G O S — 

MANAGEMENT of 

the Federal Nigeria Society 

for the Blind, FNSB, has 

said work is under way to 

ensure sustainability of the 

funding of the society and 

the vocational training 

centre, VTC, of the society 

through 

a 

commercialisation plan 

that involves broadening its 

income streams. 

Chairman, executive 

council of FNSB, Folasade 

Adefisayo said this at the 

61st Annual General 

Meeting of the society held 

recently in Lagos. 

Adefisayo, who disclosed 

that a committee was put in 

place towards achieving the 

new goal by preparing a 

business plan, said 

HR People Magazine holds 

awards/gala tomorrow 

LAGOS—THE 

4th 

edition of HR People 

Magazine Awards and 

Gala will hold at the 

prestigious Lagos Oriental 

Hotel tomorrow. 

According to Awards’ 

Executive Director/Editor, 

HR People Magazine, Mr. 

Dapo Saheed, the event, 

which is for professionals in 

human resources is in 

conjuction with the 

magazine's international 

partners. 

''The main aim of the 

awards is to share and 

showcase successful 

experiences and initiatives 

of human resources 

as Operation Puff Adder 

will check all forms of 

criminality in the zone, 

recently some of them were 

arrested in Imeko area of 

Ogun State. 

“I am sounding a note of 

warning to herdsmen who 

want to commit any crime 

in Lagos and Ogun States 

to relocate. We are battle 

ready for them. The Puff 

Adder, which was recently 

launched by both Lagos 

and Ogun Command are 

aimed 

at 

fighting violent crimes, 

including the menace of 

herdsmen/farmers 

clashes, kidnapping, 

armed robbery, 

cultism, banditry, land 

grabbers, rape among 

others in both states.” 

“Development of a 5-year 

budget that would guide 

council’s operations and 

ensure short and long term 

focus and financial 

sustainability.” 

While speaking on the 

VTC, which is a flagship 

programme of the society, 

the FNSB boss said: “The 

board is working on the 

entrepreneurship 

curriculum in collaboration 

with an NGO – Fate 

Foundation. 

“They have also started 

engaging with the British 

Council in the 

modernisation of the 

curriculum and recently, 

two members of staff 

attended the British 

Council training 

programme on integrating 

essential 21st century skills 

into the curriculum.” 

professionals and 

organisations this year, and 

it is positioned to be bigger 

and better for those that 

deserve the crest in the 

Human Resources world. 

''Also on the night, a 

highly respected HR leader, 

Mrs. Amina Oyagbola will 

be honoured with a Lifetime 

Achievements Award for 

HR Development,'' Saheed 

said. 

Some of the participants 

expected at the awards 

include; Unilever, PZ 

Cussons Plc, AIICO 

Insurance Plc, PZ Cussons, 

Total Health Trust, SMILE 

and Sterling Bank Plc. 

FOR KUDIRAT ABIOLA: From left; Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise for Change Initiative 

with the wreath about to be laid; Hafsat Abiola-Costello, daughter of Late Kudirat Abiola; Rear Admiral Ndubuisi 

Kanu (retd), former Military Administrator, Lagos State; Dr Femi Aborisade, Human rights activist; Comrade 

Akanni Iromini, Founder, National Coordinator, Revolution Train; Comrade Adewale Ayodele, former Chairman, 

Amuwo Odofin LG, Lagos State and Jamiu Abiola during the remembrance anniversary of the death of Alhaja 

Kudirat Abiola held at Late MKO Abiola residence in Ikeja, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. 

APAPA GRIDLOCK: Gradual relief as task 

force enforces Buhari's order 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

L AGOS—THERE 

was partial sanity on 

Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway yesterday as 

the Presidential task force 

in collaboration with Lagos 

State Government 

commenced removal of all 

trucks and trailers on the 

road. 

Vanguard had reported 

the non enforcement of the 

Presidential directive along 

the Apapa-Oshodi 

Expressway, was 

responsible for the untold 

hardship motorists and 

residents experienced as a 

result of gridlock caused by 

truck drivers. 

Meanwhile, it was 

observed that the taskforce 

was able to keep a lane from 

the service lane, out of the 

five-lane road on the 

Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway. 

The usual gridlock from 

Ijesha to Berger Yard 

disappeared as truck 

drivers kept a lane free for 

other motorists. 

Also, men of the Lagos 

State Traffic Management 

Authority, LASTMA, and 

Mobile policemen and 

Federal Road Safety 

Corps, FRSC, were seen 

controlling traffic and 

preventing the truck drivers 

from 

parking 

indiscriminately on the 

road. 

However, trucks were still 

seen on the main 

expressway from Rainbow 

inward Tin-can Ports. 

Reacting to the 

development, 

Vice 

chairman of 

t h e 

Presidential 

taskforce, 

K a y o d e 

Opeifa said 

the feat to free 

the road was 

possible due 

to the gradual 

enforcement 

along 

axis. 

the 

Opeifa said: “We were 

able to stop influx of trucks 

from entering Otto Wharf by 

diverting them to various 

Okwuadigbo emerges 55th ICAN President, 

pledges support for govt 

By Providence 

Emmanuel 

L N AGOS—MAZI 

n a m d i 

Okwuadigbo has emerged 

the 55th president of the 

Institute of Chartered 

Accountants of Nigeria, 

ICAN, pledging to support 

government at all levels 

with recommendations that 

would facilitate the process 

of economic growth and 

development, especially in 

the management of public 

resources. 

Speaking at his 

investiture in Lagos, 

Okwuadigbo who until his 

appointment was the 

immediate past vice 

president of the association, 

said ICAN is a key player 

in the country’s economic 

value chain which is why it 

would not shy away from 

lending its voice to critical 

social, economic, 

educational and 

professional issues that 

would emerge in the 

country in the course of the 

year. 

He said: “We shall 

continue to provide robust 

contributions to various 

relevant bills from the 

National Assembly. We 

shall engage governments 

at all levels intensively on 

pertinent burning national 

issues. 

“As a profession and an 

institute, we will continue 

to offer constructive advice 

to all tiers of government in 

our efforts to promote the 

culture of professionalism 

in the management of 

public resources, thereby 

facilitating the process of 

economic growth and 

development. 

“However, as seasoned 

parks provided for them. 

We did not allow them to 

park on the road again. 

The ones you see are 

professionals who are relied 

upon by players in the 

economy in their business 

decision-making processes, 

we must raise the profile of 

our contributions to public 

policy processes beyond the 

submission of solicited or 

unsolicited memoranda to 

the various arms of 

government. 

“We shall sustain with 

vigour of the Accountability 

Index (AI) project. Initial 

those we are still flushing. 

“It is a continuous process, 

by the time we are done; I 

can assure you there will be 

no truck left on the road. 

Though, it’s a complex 

situation. 

feedback has shown the 

remarkable impact of the 

project to national 

governance. 

“As seasoned 

professionals, we must, in 

words and actions, remain 

the foe of deceits and 

champion of honesty. We 

must be prepared to 

support our members to 

ensure that they continually 

render value-laden services 

to clients, employers and 

the society at large in strict 

conformity with the ethics 

of our profession.'' 

CEPEJ partners LASG on war 

against air pollution 

LAGOS—THE Centre 

for Peace and 

Environmental Justice 

(CEPEJ), a nongovernmental, 

non-profit 

organisation, yesterday, 

joined efforts with Lagos 

State government to rid the 

state of environmental and 

air pollution. 

The initiative which the 

theme "Beat Air Pollution", 

was taken to Akodo 

community in Ibeju-Lekki 

area of the state. It featured 

a road walk involving 

CEPEJ officials, representatives 

of the state's Ministry 

of Environment, the 

host community, and the 

media. This was followed 

up with sensitisation talk 

on the dangers of air pollution, 

and presentation 

of waste bins to residents 

of the community. 

Speaking at the event, 

CEPEJ's Corporate Communication 

and Advocacy 

Manager, Mrs. Victoria 

Ajayi, expressed delight 

that the campaign which 

was meant to commemorate 

this year's World Environment 

Day coincided with 

Governor Babajide Sanwoolu 

administration's frantic 

move to end environmental 

abuses in the state. She reiterated 

the message of CE- 

PEJ's National Coordinator, 

Sheriff Mulade on the imperative 

for governments to 

partner with good-spirited 

individuals and organisations 

in the fight against environmental 

pollution. 

Addressing members of 

the community on the 

dangers of air pollution, 

Ajayi said 92% of world's 

population breathe in 

unwholesome air, advising 

youths to be mindful of the 

air they inhale and stop 

smoking of cigarettes and 

cannabis. 

She also cautioned 

members of National Union 

of Road Transport Workers 

(NURTW), and others 

against the use of vehicles 

with worn-out engines, 

noting that whether on the 

road or idle, such vehicles 

constitute health hazards 

because of the poisonous 

gases they emit.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 —11 

•Rihanna 

Weeks after a near gun 

shoot-out between 

Ghanaian dancehall music 

heavyweights, Shatta Wale 

and Stonebwoy, at the 

Vodafone Ghana Music 

Awards, the warring singers 

have finally reconciled their 

differences. 

According to Stonebwoy, 

while speaking at a press 

conference to announce the 

much anticipated 

reconciliation which held 

yesterday, in Accra, Ghana, he 

had craved for the peace 

meeting to happen a long time 

ago. 

“I wanted peace long ago 

because we musicians are 

more creative and are able to 

write good lyrics when there 

is peace of mind and I believe 

my brother, Shatta Wale also 

wanted Peace”, he said. 

How Rihanna created $600m fortune to 

become world’s richest female musician 

31-year-old international pop music singer, 

Robyn Rihanna Fenty, has since evolved into a 

style icon and makeup entrepreneur, and soon 

she’ll be the first black woman in charge of a 

major luxury fashion house. All those 

efforts add up to a $600 million fortune, 

making her the wealthiest female 

musician in the world, ahead of 

Madonna ($570 million), Céline Dion 

($450 million) and Beyoncé ($400 

million). 

Most of which comes not from 

music but from her partnership 

with LVMH, a French luxury 

goods giant, run by 

Media responsible for feud between 

Stonebwoy and I- Shatta Wale 

•As they reconcile their differences 

In his remarks, Shatta Wale 

urged the media to quit 

pitching entertainers 

against each other. 

According to him, the 

media was the major 

cause of their fight in the 

first place and would also 

be the major factor to 

sustain their 

reconciliation. 

“The media brings the 

division between us. For the 

peace to last between us, then 

the media also has a role to 

play in this. The media should 

push us like how other African 

countries are doing for their 

artistes. This guy is better than 

the other should stop. Our 

peace can only last if the 

media stop comparing us and 

pitching us against each other 

and rather push us. The media 

should also play their part”, 

he said. 

concert which is scheduled to 

hold on June 9, 2019, at Pistis 

Hub, Maryland, Lagos, will 

feature guest artistes including 

renowned gospel musician and 

evangelist, Tope Alabi, Frank 

Edwards, Eben, Beejay Sax, 

Kennyblaq, Mike Abdul, Woli 

Arole, Woli Agba, Asiri, Saco, 

music producer, ID Cabasa, 

Efe Nathan, Bukola Beke 

among others, 

According to the Economics 

graduate of University of 

Lagos, UNILAG, singer, the 

need to see his passion for 

music find expression in music 

that pleases God berthed the 

forthcoming concert. 

“I have passion for music. 

Simply put, I live for music 

which is the reason for the 

forthcoming concert. It’s the 

billionaire, Bernard 

Arnault. Rihanna and 

LVMH co-own the makeup 

brand Fenty Beauty. 

It launched in September 

2017 at Sephora, another 

LVMH brand, and online at 

FentyBeauty.com, quickly 

Tope Alabi, Kennyblaq, Bidemi Olaoba, 

others to light up Lagos 

As part of a conscious effort 

aimed at exerting his 

passion for music, gospel 

music singer, Bidemi Olaoba, 

is ready to light up the city of 

Lagos with ‘Bidemi Olaoba 

Live in Concert 1.0.’ 

Tagged ‘The Bible Says’, the 

•Bidemi 

Olaoba 

•Shatta 

Wale 

•Stonebwoy 

By Juliet Umeh 

Though he may be heavily 

criticized for his opinion, 

Nigerian-born Atlanta 

Georgia-based Percussionist 

and Afro Jazz artiste, Yemi 

need to see my passion for 

music find expression 

through God’s kind of music, 

in other to reach out to this 

generation and generations 

to come. This concert is set 

to bring believers from all 

around the globe under one 

roof to praise God in a 

different dimension”, he said 

in a chat with E-Daily. 

Speaking on what 

attendees should expect at the 

concert, he said; “They 

should expect to encounter 

God differently based on 

where they are, where they 

are coming from in 

alignment with where they 

are going to. It’s important 

everyone comes with a heart 

of expectation because every 

moment will count.” 

becoming a viral success. Fenty 

Beauty racked up a reported 

$100 million in sales in its first 

few weeks, propelled by 

Rihanna’s fame and 71 million 

Instagram followers. 

The entire personal care 

industry in America has grown 

huge in recent years. According 

to Grand View Research, it 

could swell to more than $200 

billion in sales by 2025, up from 

closer to $130 billion in 2016. 

The market saw a record 134 

M&A deals last year, including 

P&G’s $250 million purchase of 

10-year-old First Aid Beauty. 

Perhaps the most telling data 

point: 11 of the 80 women on 

Forbes‘ list of the Richest Self- 

Made Women made their 

money in beauty or skincare 

products. Many did what 

Rihanna did, turn to the lowcost 

marketing opportunity 

presented by social media. That 

works best for existing 

celebrities, as Kylie Jenner and 

her Kylie Cosmetics proved out, 

who can push their new 

products at their existing 

followers. 

Fenty Beauty has 

differentiated itself in another 

way, releasing 40 shades of 

foundation, far more than the 

handful of hues sold by other 

brands. “It challenged the 

standard convention that you 

only needed a much defined set 

of shades to satisfy a market,” 

says Stephanie Wissink, a 

Adebesi, a.k.a Yemi Conga 

believes many Nigerian artistes 

are yet to fully maximize the 

potentials of technology in 

pushing their works globally. 

According to the singer, the 

advent of technology has made 

music business easier, but it is 

a shock to him that some artistes 

are yet to leverage on the ease 

of technology because for him, 

his songs grace iTunes, Sound 

Cloud and other online 

streaming platforms straight 

from the studio and that has 

given him worldwide 

recognition. 

The Abeokuta-born musician 

says another area of worry in 

the Nigerian music industry is 

the way quacks and 

unprofessional artistes bestride 

the industry like a colossus even 

when they cannot properly 

articulate their brands or the 

genre of music they play. 

“Music in Nigeria is 

unbelievable. The industry is 

blossoming but there is a bit of 

charade. Some acclaimed 

musicians just manage to get 

money from anywhere, record 

a beat, and then start promoting 

on radio and television, and that 

affects some of us that make 

good, real, and meaningful 

music for a living, not just for 

money. I want money, but aside 

wanting money, music is who I 

am, and there are messages we 

pass with songs capable of 

transforming the society. This is 

what real music should be.” 

research analyst at Jefferies. 

“Not only did Fenty Beauty 

achieve meaningful sales, but 

it potentially changed the 

industry permanently.” 

Fenty Beauty generated an 

estimated $570 million in 

revenue last year, after only 15 

months in business. The entire 

operation is worth, 

conservatively, more than $3 

billion. Forbes estimates that 

LVMH owns an estimated 50% 

of it, while Rihanna has about 

15%, a figure a spokesperson for 

the artist disputed but wouldn’t 

clarify further. 

The Barbados native, who 

overcame hardships including 

an abusive addict father and a 

well-publicized assault by exboyfriend, 

Chris Brown, also coowns 

the Savage X Fenty 

lingerie line with Los Angelesbased 

online fashion firm, 

TechStyle Fashion Group and 

has millions in earnings from 

her career touring and as a 

singer, which make up the rest 

of her fortune. 

Just last month, LVMH and 

Rihanna announced Fenty, a 

new clothing house that will 

make high-end clothes, shoes, 

accessories and jewelry. “They 

extended the offer to me and it 

was a no-brainer because 

LVMH is a machine. Bernard 

Arnault was so enthusiastic; he 

trusted me and my vision”, 

Rihanna told The New York 

Times Style Magazine. (Culled 

from Forbes Africa) 

Technology makes music promotion easy, 

says Afro-Jazz artiste, Yemi Conga 

Although he is not so popular 

in Nigeria, Yemi Conga said he 

is hot cake in Johannesburg, 

South Africa, where his 

professional music carrier kickstarted, 

15-years ago and 

Atlanta Georgia, his current 

base. 

Yemi Conga who is currently 

in Nigeria to promote his new 

12-track album, ‘The Culture 

Experience’, claims to have 

worked with popular producers 

in South Africa, and 

collaborated with top artistes 

including Zounke-Dekana, 

Don-Laka, Lera, a Nigerian 

artiste, Kunle Ayo, as well as 

several other international 

artistes. 

•YemiConga


I'll not share public funds to few 

greedy individuals —Obaseki 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B ENIN—Governor 

Godwin Obaseki of 

Delta State has restated his 

commitment to serve Edo 

people, insisting that the 

time for sharing public 

funds to a few greedy 

politicians in Edo was over. 

The governor, who spoke, 

yesterday, in Benin City, 

when he received Muslim 

faithful, who were in 

Government House to 

celebrate the end of the 

Ramadan fast, noted that 

he would not be distracted 

from fulfilling his promises 

to the people, no matter the 

antics of detractors. 

He said: “Only God gives 

power. What is going on in 

Edo State is the handiwork 

of detractors, who want to 

frustrate the administration 

so we can fail in delivering 

the dividends of democracy 

to the people. But that will 

never happen. As a 

governor, I will continue to 

do my best and spend the 

state’s resources to ensure 

Edo people get the best.” 

He urged his guests to 

“continue to pray for this 

administration to succeed.” 

Insisting that he would 

not succumb to pressure to 

share the people’s money 

to a few greedy persons, he 

said: “The election is still a 

year ahead. What is 

playing out is a plan by 

very few greedy people 

who are concerned about 

only themselves. 

“We will continue to do 

our best in paying our 

workers and pensioners 

and will continue to 

develop the state as the 

time for sharing money is 

over. The resources of the 

state are meant for the 

people of the state.” 

Bayelsa, least indebted state 

in S-South —Iworiso-Markson 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—BAYELSA 

State Commissioner for 

Information, Mr. Daniel 

Iworiso-Markson, 

yesterday, said the state 

remains the least indebted 

among the states of the 

South South geopolitical 

zone. 

He said the state’s debt 

profile as released by the 

Debt Management Office, 

DMO, was moderate 

because of the frugality and 

judicious management of 

state resources on the part 

of Governor Seriake 

Dickson. 

The commissioner in a 

statement said the 

government inherited a 

bond of N120 billion from 

the Chief Timipre Sylva-led 

administration at inception 

in 2012 and would 

complete repayment in 

June. 

He recalled that the state 

government recently 

completed the Bayelsa 

International Cargo/ 

Passenger Airport at a cost 

of N65 billion aside from 

the multi billion projects in 

education, health and 

agricultural sectors. 

His words: “It is worthy 

of note that Bayelsa still 

remains the least indebted 

state in the whole of the 

South-South zone. This is 

despite project massive 

projection execution that 

had taken place since 2012 

when the Restoration 

Government took over. 

“The debt status of the 

state is modest because of 

the prudent and judicious 

management of state 

resources by the governor 

despite several completed 

development projects in the 

state. 

“By this month, we will 

finish paying Chief Sylva’s 

bonds, which is about N120 

billion which, of course, he 

didn’t use for anything. 

When such people make 

claims, they should be 

reminded that they have a 

duty to tell Bayelsans what 

they did with N120 billion 

they foisted on the state as 

debt.” 

Foundation makes case for 

Esan S-East flood victims 

By Prince Okafor 

E DO-IGALA 

Foundation, which 

represents the victims of 

September 2018 flood 

disaster in Wards 5, 8, 9 and 

10 of Esan South-East 


Edo State, has called for 

proper supervision of the 

relief materials donated to 

affected persons. 

The foundation also 

called for quick intervention 

in the alleged conspiracy 

and fraud in the list of 

names of beneficiaries of 

relief materials. 

A statement by its acting 

chairman, Mr. Akoje 

Joseph, commended the 

Federal Government and 

Edo State government for 

setting up Internally 

Displaced Persons, IDPs, 

camps at Ubiaja, Oloshi 

main town and Niger Bank 

Primary School, Ilushi, 

where the victims are 

camped. 

According to the 

statement, “while in the 

camps, officers of the 

agency took census of the 

victims, destroyed farms 

and property and the list of 

the victims was handed 

over while copies were 

retained for reference 

purposes. And the names 

were about 31,000 persons 

affected." 

EID-EL-FITR: Fun-seekers painting their faces during the 2019 Eid-el-Fitr celebration, in Lagos, 

yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

Gbaramatu communities under fresh 

siege by military, chiefs cry out 

By Emma 

Amaize, Regional 

Editor, South-South 

ASABA—CHIEFS of 

Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

Warri South-West Local 

Governmnt Area, Delta 

State, yesterday, raised the 

alarm that Nigerian military 

had laid a fresh siege to 

communities in the 

kingdom through water 

and air, terrorising and 

harassing the people. 

Fiyewei of Gbaramatu 

Kingdom, Chief 

Godspower Gbenekama, in 

a statement, yesterday, 

said: “The Gbaramatu 

Traditional Council of 

Chiefs had noticed the 

renewed siege, harassment 

and intimidation of 

communities and people of 

Gbaramatu Kingdom by 

Nigerian military through 

water and air." 

Noting that Gbaramatu 

Kingdom was today far 

safer than any part of the 

country, he said: “We do not 

Deputy Senate President: N-Delta group 

urges Buhari to support Omo-Agege 

By Onozure 

Dania 

AS the upper chamber of 

the National Assembly 

moves towards June 11, 

2019, to elect its principal 

officers who will pilot the 

affairs of the 9th Assembly, 

a non political organisation, 

Niger Delta Peace Initiative 

Group, NDPIG, has 

appealed to President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

throw his weight behind 

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege 

for the Deputy Senate 

President’s position. 

The group, which 

addressed newsmen on the 

need for President Buhari, 

National Chairman of All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, Mr Adams 

Oshiomhole, and other 

leaders to support Omo- 

Agege for the Deputy 

Senate President, said the 

call became necessary to 

ensure that the 9th 

Assembly works in unity 

with the president and the 

leadership of the party. 

In a communiqué in 

Warri, Delta State, 

Convener of the meeting, 

Mr. Frederick Kofoh, and 

the Coordinator of group, 

Mr. Maxwell Roodluck, 

said the group has a stake 

on who emerges the DSP, 

but that their interest came 

as Niger Deltans and the 

antecedent of Omo-Agege 

on his stand on the 

president’s election coming 

up first. 

The group pointed out 

the role Omo-Agege played 

during the election 

sequence controversy, 

noting that it was a 

manifestation of his 

steadfastness to his party 

and display that "party is 

supreme," adding that such 

person should be 

considered for a higher task 

to move the party to a 

greater height. 

The group, which 

appealed to President 

Buhari, Oshiomhole and 

others to do the needful by 

prevailing on other 

senators to vote massively 

for Omo-Agege, explained 

that only a legislator with 

legal background and 

experience of the legislative 

business be considered for 

such task such as that of the 

Deputy Senate President. 

The group expressed 

confidence that with the 

president throwing his 

weight behind Omo-Agege 

for the position of the 

Deputy Senate President, it 

would be a done deal and 

urged the president not to 

ignore their appeal as one 

good turn deserves another. 

Buhari urged to tackle 

insecurity, protect Nigeria 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

W 

A R R I — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

been urged to take steps to 

protect all parts of the 

country from insecurity. 

Primate of the African 

Church, His Grace Josiah 

Udofia, made the appeal in 

Warri, Delta State on the 

sideline of the 2nd biennial 

congress of Rivers Province 

of the church, stressing that 

the president should take 

security of all parts of the 

country as one of his major 

tasks. 

“President Buhari should 

address insecurity in all 

parts of the country. He 

should rise to the challenge 

as the head of the country. 

He should do everything to 

protect the country, to curtail 

the menace of the 

herdsmen as well,” he said. 

He called on the 

president, governors and 

others elected to serve the 

people to see themselves as 

servant-leaders, pleading 

that they should not 

disappoint the people. 

He said the people 

turned out to vote for them 

because of the confidence 

they had in them, adding 

that they should sustain the 

confidence by meeting the 

expectations of the people. 

deserve any military action 

as Gbaramatu Kingdom 

is yearning for human 

and infrastructural development 

as a part of the 

Nigerian state. Moreso, 

the kingdom contributes 

about 40 per cent of oil 

revenue to the country. 

“There is an urgent need 

for Mr President to 

investigate the activities of 

the military in Niger Delta 

as the military is not within 

the confines of the rules of 

engagement and this may 

lead to breakdown of law 

and order in the region as 

it is happening in 

Gbaramatu Kingdom. 

“It could be recalled that 

Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

which is along the Escravos 

River in Warri South West, 

received similar treatment 

from the Nigerian military 

between 2016 and 2018. 

“Since then, the people 

have been living in fears of 

possible military invasion 

like the one of May 2009, 

when the military overran 

a number of communities 

in Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

claiming hundreds of lives 

and the destruction of 

property worth billions of 

naira. 

“The kingdom sought 

redress in court and won 

the case against the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. The 

court awarded N99 billion 

in favour of the kingdom 

and the government is yet 

to pay the amount to 

Gbaramatu as 

compensation for the 

barbaric act of the military. 

“Our fear is that the 

military is trying to repeat 

same act to the peaceloving 

people of Gbaramatu 

Kingdom if urgent steps 

are not taking by the 

Federal Government to call 

the military to order. The 

recent action of the military 

could be described as a 

mischievous one as the 

kingdom is very peaceful 

and does not expect such 

military actions."


No rift between Ohinoyi and I — 

Gov Bello 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L Yahaya OKOJA—Governor 

Bello of Kogi 

State, yesterday dismissed 

insinuations of a rift between 

him and the paramount ruler 

of Ebiraland, Dr Ado Ibrahim, 

even as he urged the people 

of the state to desist from 

utterances capable of causing 

division among the leaders 

and the led. 

Dr. Ibrahim is the Paramount 

ruler of the governor’s ethnic 

group. 

Addressing a crowd of 

worshippers at the Eid 

praying ground in Okene, 

Kogi State, the governor who 

spoke in his local dialect, said 

he could never go against the 

wish and interest of the 

monarch, insisting that the 

Ohinoyi was his father who he 

had been enjoying his 

support. 

He said “I did not have any 

problem with my paramount 

ruler, he has been playing the 

role of a father to me even 

before I became the governor 

of the state. 

“There can never be peace 

and development in an 

atmosphere where there is 

rancour and crises, I am 

assuring that my 

administration will continue to 

provide dividend of 

democracy to the people of the 

state” 

Governor Bello who pointed 

out that he came to power 

when recession was very high 

in the country, noted that he 

was able to utilise the meagre 

resources accrued to the state 

prudently through 

transparency 

and 

accountability. 

While eulogizing the late 

Chief Imam of the Ebiraland, 

Sheik Musa Galadima for his 

selfless service to the people 

of Kogi central, the governor 

charged Muslims to live 

harmoniously with one 

another in the interest of peace 

and unity. 

On his part, Dr Ibrahim 

charged his subjects to engage 

in ventures that would add 

value to their lives and 

promote unity among the 

people of the land. 

In his sermon, the Acting 

Chief Imam of Ebiraland, 

Alhaji Salihu Abere charged 

Muslims to exhibit the lesson 

learnt during the holy month 

in order to enjoy God’s favour 

on earth and here after. 

Eid-el Fitr: Senator Wamakko frees 

45 prison inmates 

CHAIRMAN OF the 

Northern Senators 

Forum, Senator Aliyu 

Magatakarda Wamakko, has 

paid the debts, fines and 

compensations of 45 prison 

inmates , culminating in their 

immediate freedom. 

This is contained in a 

statement by the Special 

Assistant on Media and 

Publicity to Senator Aliyu 

Magatakarda Wamakko , 

Bashire Mani, in Sokoto. 

According to the statement, 

the annual gesture of Senator 

Wamakko was extended to the 

beneficiaries under the Aliyu 

Magatakarda Wamakko Free 

Legal Services Foundation. 

The Coordinator of the 

Foundation , Abdulhamid 

Zubairu, said out of the 45 

freed inmates , five were 

women , seven were juveniles 

, while the rest were from the 

Sokoto Central Prison . 

He said under the gesture 

which gulped millions of 

naira, the minimum fine 

settled was N60,000, while the 

maximum was N230,000. 

Zubairu further explained 

that , the gesture was aimed 

at enabling the beneficiaries to 

celebrate the Eid -el Fitr with 

their respective families. 

In the same vein, the 

gesture is aimed at further 

decongesting prisons , as well 

as bolstering the nation’s 

judiciary system . 

Zubairu admonished the 

beneficiaries to steer clear of 

any acts capable of taking them 

back to the prisons . 

Also addressing the freed 

inmates, a former Chairman of 

the Nigerian Bar Association 

( NBA), Sokoto State 

Chapter, Barrister Lema 

Wali, advised them to be of 

good conduct , be law abiding 

and respectful to their various 

families 

Barrister Wali commended 

Senator Wamakko for 

sustaining the annual gesture, 

and he appealed to other 

wealthy individuals to 

emulate him. 

Voice of Truth Mission to hold 

Prayer festival 

THE VOICE of Truth 

Mission Church, Iyana 

Ipaja, Lagos, holds its second 

prayer festival, Friday, June 7, 

2019. 

A statement from the church 

said the one-night festival with 

the theme “This Mountain 

Must Become Plain Ground 

(Zechariah 4: 6-7)”, will hold 

at the church’s auditorium at 

Plot 23, Victor Olaiya Avenue, 

behind Government College, 

Iyana Odo bus stop, Iyana 

Ipaja, Agege, Lagos State. 

The statement reads, "the 

festival which begins at 9.00 

p.m. will feature salvation, 

deliverance from oppression 

of the dark kingdom, breaking 

of generational curses, 

freedom from the stranglehold 

of financial difficulties and 

prophetic declarations." 

It added that Prophet Eno 

George, from Akwa Ibom 

State, will be the guest 

minister and will be supported 

by host pastors and prophets. 

COMMISSIONING: From left— Chief Executive Officer and founder of Eko 

Innovation Centre, Victor Afolabi; co-founder, Venture Garden Group, Kunmi 

Demuren; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu; General Manager, Microsoft, 

Akin Banuso; and Deputy Managing Director, Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni during 

the commissioning of Eko Innovation Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos. 

N3.4bn fraud: Sanusi, Ganduje shake hands 

as anti-graft commission recommends 

emir's suspension 

By Abdulmumin 

Murtala 

K Abdullahi ANO—GOVERNOR 

Ganduje, of Kano 

State and the embattled Emir of 

Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, 

yesterday met and shook hands 

less than 24 hours after the Kano 

State Public Complaints and Anticorruption 

Commission 

recommended the suspension of 

the emir over alleged 

misappropriation of N3.4 billion. 

They met at the Eid praying 

ground in the ancient town. 

Both men have not been seen 

together publicly since the 

governor split the Kano emirate 

into five. 

Meanwhile, Kano State 

Public Complaints and Anticorruption 

Commission 

Monday recommended the 

suspension of Sanusi 11 

following indictment over 

alleged misappropriation of 

funds meant for the emirate. 

The commission said during 

its investigation, it uncovered 

that N3.4 billion was misspent 

by the emirate under Sanusi. 

The amount was said to have 

been misappropriated 

between 2014 and 2017, 

according to a preliminary 

report of investigation 

conducted by the commission 

and signed by Muhuyi 

Magaji, its chairman. 

The interim report raised four 

cardinal issues bordering on 

indictment, amount involved, 

obstruction of investigation 

and recommendations. 

The report indicated that the 

Kano emirate council had 

spent over N1.4 billion in 

various expenditure believed 

to be fraudulent and 

Insurgency: Fight to finish, Air 

Chief tells special forces 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—CHIEF of Air Staff, 

CAS, Sadique Abubakar, has 

urged Special Forces personnel 

to tackle security challenges 

confronting the country with 

“rugged optimism and renewed 

determination.” 

He also urged the personnel to 

“fight the insurgents to the finish”, 

saying that they should not mind 

the propaganda of the terrorists 

and their “sympathizers.” 

Abubakar, spoke yesterday in 

Abuja in his Eid-el-Fitr message 

to Muslims, and expressed 

gratitude to Almighty God. 

“I wish to congratulate our 

Muslim faithful on the successful 

completion of the Ramadan 

fasting and pray that Almighty 

Allah accepts our worship and 

sacrifices. I pray that He guides 

us in our future endeavours as 

we strive to ensure the peace, 

security and development of our 

great nation,” he said. 

Abubakar also thanked all Air 

Force personnel for their 

patriotism, dedication and 

sacrifices, saying “Your valuable 

contributions have ensured that 

aircraft and ancillary equipment 

are available, logistics 

requirements are in place, 

administrative necessities are met 

and personnel are combat-ready 

to tackle the challenges 

confronting the nation. The 

commitment of commanders and 

supervisors at all levels has also 

facilitated higher standards of 

professionalism in the Service 

through robust, job-focused 

training, commitment to 

improving personnel welfare as 

well as result-oriented research 

and development. 

“I must also appreciate our 

dear families for their 

unquantifiable support and 

encouragement, which have 

enabled us to carry on with our 

constitutional responsibilities 

more effectively. 

“It is gratifying to note also that 

our gallant fighter and helicopter 

gunship pilots as well as our 

Regiment and Special Forces 

personnel are adapting creditably 

to the threats facing our nation 

and are making good progress. 

“This is critical to the NAF’s 

increasing capacity for projection 

as well as protection of Air Power, 

which are the core functions for 

which the Service is uniquely 

positioned. I therefore enjoin you 

all to redouble your efforts and 

engage the security challenges 

with rugged optimism and 

renewed determination, while 

remaining professional in the 

discharge of your constitutional 

duty,” he said. 

unappropriated. 

In addition, the emirate council 

was alleged to have spent over 

N1.9 billion unappropriated on 

seemingly personal expenditure, 

making the sum of the 

questionable expenditure. 

According to the report, the 

expenditure contravened the 

provisions of section 120 of the 

1999 constitution of Nigeria (as 

amended) and section 8 of the 

Kano state emirate council special 

fund law 2004. 

It said the expenditure had also 

violated section 314 of penal code 

as well as provisions of section 

26 of the Kano State Public 

Complaints and Anti-Corruption 

Commission Law 2008 (as 

amended). 

“It is also the opinion of this 

Commission, based on the 

available evidence, that Emir 

Muhammadu Sanusi II 

continued to undermine the 

investigation through various 

means which include giving 

instruction to all officers invited 

for clarification to shun the 

commission’s invitation,” the 

report read. 

“The act is seriously affecting 

the process of our statutory 

responsibility and offends the 

provisions of Section 25 of the 

Commission’s enabling Law 2008 

(as amended).” 

The report, therefore, 

recommended that the “principal 

suspect in the person of 

Muhammadu Sanusi II and all 

other suspects connected with the 

case be suspended, pending the 

final outcome of the 

investigations”. 

“This is a necessary 

administrative disciplinary action 

aimed at preventing the suspects 

from further interfering with the 

commission’s investigations,” it 

read. 

“The commission further 

recommends that the contract 

awarded to Tri-C Nigeria Limited 

for renovation of Babban Daki, 

Kofar Kudu and Gidan Sarki 

Dorayi should be revoked as the 

company belongs to one of the 

suspects in person of Alhaji 

Mannir Sanusi, (The Chief of 

Staff in the Emirate).” 

Meantime, the Emir led the Eid prayer 

that took place at the Eid prayer ground 

outside the Kano city. 

Praying directly behind the Emir was 

the governor, his deputy Nasiru Gawuna 

and other dignitaries from the state.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

EID-EL-FITR: More govs, PFN, 

TUC rejoice with Muslims, 

preach peaceful co-existence 

By Our Reporters 

MORE 

state 

governors, 

Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria, PFN, and Trade 

Union Congress of 

Nigeria, TUC, yesterday 

rejoiced with Nigerian 

Muslims for the successful 


fast. 

In Eid-el-Fitr messages, 

they also challenged 

Nigerians to imbibe 

religious tolerance and 

peaceful co-existence. 

Okowa 

In his message, Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, urged Muslims to 

pray for the unity and peace 

of the nation, urging 

Nigerians to promote 

religious tolerance. 

Okowa felicitated with 

the Muslim Community on 

the celebration of the Eidel-Fitri, 

saying that though 

Ramadan fast was over, it 

was important that the 

lessons of the season were 

sustained and replicated in 

their daily lives for the good 

of society. 

While congratulating all 

Muslims for successfully 

completing this year’s 

Ramadan Fast, the 

governor said: “I will like 

to remind Nigerians of the 

importance of respecting 

the faiths and beliefs of all 

and enjoin all Muslim 

faithful and Nigerians in 

general to use the occasion 

of the celebration for sober 

reflection and pray for 

peace, unity and progress 

of the nation. 

“As we celebrate Eid-el- 

Fitri, it is my hope and 

prayer that Ramadan’s 

spiritual lessons and the 

Holy Prophet’s teachings of 

piety, love, justice, fairness, 

equity, peaceful coexistence 

with others, 

tolerance, honesty and 

dedication to duty will 

remain with us all for the 

benefit and greater glory of 

our dear nation. 

“May the lessons and 

blessings of the Holy 

Month also permeate into 

us all, and positively 

influence our attitudes 

towards our fellow 

countrymen and women, 

irrespective of religion or 

place of origin; and promote 

greater commitment to the 

peace, unity and stability of 

the nation. It is my hope 

that today brings joy to all 

of your homes, both here in 

Delta State, Nigeria and 

around the world.” 

Ortom 

Similarly, Governor 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State, in a statement by 

his Chief Press 

Secretary, CPS, Terver 

Akase, acknowledged 

and appreciated the 

prayers by the Muslim 

community any time the 

state was confronted by 

challenges and urged 

them to sustain the spirit. 

“He also assured the 

people of the state that 

security of lives and 

property would remain the 

priority of the present 

administration in his 

second term in office,” 

Ortom was quoted as 

saying. 

While wishing all 

Muslims a joyful, peaceful 

and memorable Eid -el Fitri 

celebration, the Governor 

assured that necessary 

measures had been put in 

place to guarantee hitchfree 

celebration in the state. 

Sule 

Also, Governor Abdullahi 

Sule of Nasarawa State, 

urged the people of the 

state particularly Muslims 

to uphold peace and 

sustain the lessons of the 

holy month of Ramadan., 

noting that the sacrifices 

made during Ramadan 

should draw everyone 

closer to the Almighty God. 

The governor appealed to 

Muslim faithful to see 

beyond artificial divisions 

including ethnic and 

religious differences in the 

country, urging them to 

abide strictly by the 

teachings of the Holy 

Quran as propagated by 

the Holy Prophet 

Mohammed. 

He said: “Peace is 

essential to the 

development of any nation. 

We should continue to pray 

and work for the peace and 

unity of the nation. We 

should focus on the things 

that bind us together, and 

eschew the ones that are 

capable of dividing us.” 

Ishaku 

In the same vein, 

Governor Darius Ishaku 

of Taraba State, called on 

Muslim Ummah across 

the country to continue 

with intercessory prayers 

for the nation after the 

month of Ramadan, for 

the country to surmount its 

challenges. 

The governor in a 

message in a statement by 

his Senior Special Assistant 

on Media and Publicity, 

Bala Dan Abu, said “I am 

aware that throughout the 

period of fasting, the 

Muslim Ummah have 

also been engaged in 

fervent prayers for the 

State and Nation, selfexamination, 

religious 

revival, giving of alms to 

the poor in the society as 

well as focusing on the 

family and the community 

in which they live.” 

PFN 

Meanwhile, the 

Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria, PFN, has 

felicitated with the 

Nigerian Muslims as they 

mark Eid-el Fitr after the 

Ramadan fast. 

National President of 

PFN, Rev. Dr. Felix 

Omobude, in a statement 

in Benin City yesterday, 

congratulated the Muslims 

on the successful 


fast, saying: “The PFN 

rejoices with our Moslem 

brothers and sisters in 

Nigeria. We wish them the 

blessing of the almighty 

God, as they celebrate. 

However, the PFN urge the 

Moslems and indeed all 

Nigerians to always strive 

toward the promotion of 

peace, love, harmony and 

unity in the country for a 

better Nigeria. 

“The PFN is fully aware 

that no development can 

take place in any place or 

country devoid of peace, 

harmony, love and unity. 

Therefore, the PFN expects 

the Moslems to practice the 

lessons learnt during the 

Ramadan fasting period 

which also included love, 

forgiveness and sacrifices” 

TUC 

Similarly, Trade Union 

Congress of Nigeria, TUC, 

yesterday congratulated 

Muslim faithful for the 

successful completion of the 

Ramadan fast. 

TUC in a statement by its 

President and Secretary 

General, Bobboi Kiagama 

and Musa-Lawal Ozigi, 

respectively, “enjoins 

Nigerians to shun activities 

that can defile them and, 

also capable of throwing 

the country into a major 

crisis. One of such is hate 

speeches and other divisive 

tendencies. It is our 

belief that to achieve the 

next level of socio-economic 

development, we must as 

a country embrace peace. 

''The question is ‘what is 

the essence of fasting if it 

will not bring you closer 

to your Maker?’ We 

cannot be involved in 

unlawful activities and 

expect to have a close 

relationship with our 

creator. That is a false life. 

It is not enough to deny 

ourselves food, water and 

other activities that gratify 

the body for one month 

only to turn around to loot 

our collective wealth or 

sponsor communities 

against themselves. 

''Fasting should make us 

turn a new leaf. We cannot 

keep swearing by the 

Quran and Bible on 

assumption of office only 

to deny our fellow 

Nigerians the basic 

necessities of life. We must 

desist from such ungodly 

acts. 

''This is the time to focus 

on our creator. This is the 

time to be patient and 

yielding. Let the 

Ramadan remind us that 

as a country we need to 

be upright and honest to 

achieve the dream of a 

prosperous country. We 

must understand that our 

purpose in life is to live in 

obedience to our creator’s 

will and to make other 

people happy. If we do 

these Nigeria will regain 

her glory.”


We won't attack Sout-East 

over grazing land—Miyeti Allah 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—SOUTH-East 

branch of Miyetti Allah 

Cattle Breeders Association 

of Nigeria, MACBAN, 

yesterday, denied alleged 

plan by its members to 

attack the five South-East 

states over their governors’ 

refusal to allocate grazing 

land for herdsmen. 

In the said report, which 

was trending in the social 

media, Miyetti Allah was 

quoted as warning that 

since the South-East 

governors had refused to 

give them land for grazing, 

such land would be taken 

by force by herdsmen. 

Chairman of Miyetti 

Allah in the zone, Alhaji 

Gidado Sidikki, who 

addressed reporters in 

Awka, said there was no iota 

of truth in the report. 

The statement read: “Few 

days ago, we woke up to a 

malicious publication in the 

social media purporting a 

phantom statement in 

Abuja entitled South-East 

will boil any moment from 

now because of their 

stubbornness, ascribed to 

the leadership of Miyetti 

Allah Cattle Breeders 

Association of Nigeria, and 

erroneously ascribed to me. 

“While it is my wish to 

inform the public that 

Miyetti Allah did not make 

any statement to the effect 

of the content of the 

publication either in Abuja 

or anywhere for that matter, 

I humbly wish to correctly 

place my designation as the 

chairman of South-East 

zone of the association and 

not the leader of cattle 

breeders in Nigeria, as I 

was addressed in the 

publication. 

“Again, I wish to put it on 

record that the South-East 

zone of the Miyetti Allah 

Cattle Breeders Association 

of Nigeria and her cattle 

herder members, whom I 

serve as the zonal 

chairman, enjoy warm 

relationship with the 

governors, governments 

and people of South-East. 

“I wish to state that this 

warmth has not been 

completely devoid of 

flashes of momentary 

conflicts at few locations. 

Such instances were, 

however, promptly 

addressed by the 

authorities and warm 

communality restored 

amongst the people. 

“Given the increasing 

orientation and 

reorientation of our people 

and the local people who 

are our landlords, and 

given the strong 

commitment of the state 

governors towards 

peaceful relationship across 

board, one harbours no 

doubts that the relationship 

between our herders and 

their landlords can only be 

increasingly better as time 

progresses. 

“I thank the governors of 

the South-East states of 

Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, 

Enugu and Imo for their 

wonderful sense of 

accommodation, as I 

pledge our continued 

efforts towards greater 

harmonious environment 

for thriving economic 

activities." 

VISIT: The vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Peter Obi (middle), 

accompanied by Professor Chinyere Okunna, and students of El-Shalom Convent, New Heaven, Ogbaru, 

Anambra State, during Mr. Obi’s visit to the school, yesterday. 

Arewa youths back Kalu for Dep Senate President position 

AHEAD of the 

inauguration of the 

9th session of Nigeria’s 

National Assembly, the 

deputy senate presidency 

bid of former governor of 

Abia State and Senatorelect, 

Abia North, Dr. Orji 

Kalu, has been endorsed by 

Arewa youths. 

According to the leader of 

Arewa Youths Consultative 

Forum, Shettima Yerima, 

Kalu, who is also Mayaki 

of Katsina, is a pan- 

Nigerian, who has 

contributed immensely to 

the business and political 

circles. 

Describing Kalu as a 

friend of Nigerian youths, 

Yerima stressed that the 

former governor has the 

political dexterity and 

administrative acumen to 

work harmoniously with 

other principal officers of 

the National Assembly. 

While calling on 

returning senators and 

senators-elect to place the 

collective interest of 

Nigerians above selfish 

ambitions, Yerima 

admonished Kalu not to 

relent in his philanthropic 

gestures across the country. 

In a statement by Yerima 

in Kaduna yesterday, he 

called on members of the 

the yet-to-be-inaugurated 

9th National Assembly to 

live up to expectations, 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI—A 

consultant of 

obstetrics with Alex 

Ekwueme Federal 

University Teaching 

Hospital, Abakaliki, 

Professor Justice Eze, 

yesterday, stated that the 

implications of female 

genital mutilation and 

cutting, FGM/C, include 

death resulting from 

haemorrage, difficulty in 

having sex, obstructed 

stressing that all arms of 

government must work 

collectively for the sake of 

nation building. 

His words: “As we await 

the June 11 inauguration 

of the National Assembly, 

we believe that Senatorelect, 

Abia North 

Senatorial District, Dr. 

Orji Kalu, should be 

considered for the 

Expert lists ‘evil’ of circumcising females 

labour leading to rupturing 

of the uterus, frigidity, 

transfer of deadly 

organisms from the 

circumciser to the victim, 

irresolvable traumatic 

experiences, among others. 

The consultant, who 

stated this during a two-day 

media community 

campaign on End Female 

Genital Mutilation and 

Cutting, FGM/C, powered 

by Centre for Social Value 

and Early Childhood 

Development and Amplify 

position of Deputy Senate 

President. 

“We believe Kalu’s 

antecedents in the private 

and public sectors, 

alongside the Senate 

President, will sustain a 

healthy relationship with 

the executive and judicial 

arms of government in a 

bid to build a prosperous 

Nigeria.” 

Change in Abakaliki, 

described FGM/C as an act 

of distorting the natural 

arrangement of clitoris 

without any medical 

reason. 

According to him, “the 

practice is harmful, 

obnoxious and precarious. 

“The reasons for such act 

do not stand the test of time 

and should be discouraged 

in our communities, state 

and country. ” 

A facilitator, Mr. Victor 

Oton, said the NGOs 

Choose responsible role 

models, Obi to students 

THE vice presidential 

candidate of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Mr. Peter Obi, has 

advised students of El- 

Shalom Convent, New 

Heaven, Ogbaru, on the 

need to choose 

responsible people as 

their role models. 

Obi said this when he 

paid a visit to the school, 

yesterday . 

Advising the students 

on the secret of success, 

Obi said they should take 

their education serious 

and see it as sureties for 

their successes in the 

world. 

“Today’s world is 

defined by economic 

indices driven by the 

intellect; this is why 

emphasis is on 

knowledge and not 

baggage economy,” Obi 

said. 

Speaking on positive 

influences that would 

help them live successful 

lives, Obi, after recalling 

how former US President, 

Bill Clinton, said his 

encounter with Kennedy 

Imo community resorts 

to traditional method 

against killer-herdsmen 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—THE 

Indigenous Imo 

State Town Unions, IITU, 

has called on President 


act quickly in protecting 

the people against the 

incessant killings by 

herdsmen, or they 

would resort to 

traditional methods of 

defending themselves. 

The call came after the 

union's National 

Executive Council 

meeting in Owerri, 

presided over by the 

National President, 

Emeka Diwe, alongside 

other town union 

presidents from the 27 

partnered journalists in the 

fight against FGM/C 

because of their importance 

in information 

dissemination. 

He said: “The reasons for 

FGM, which include virginity, 

marriageability, social 

acceptance, fidelity, rape 

prevention, source of 

income for circumciser, 

history and cultural 

tradition, cleanliness and 

beauty, and religious 

requirements are null and 

void.” 

implanted in him the 

hunger to become 

President, advised them to 

see the likes of Dr. Okonjo 

Iweala, Professor Stella 

Okunna and 

Chimamanda Adichie as 

role models. 

“He also encouraged 

them to read about the 

lives of illustrious people 

such as Professor Dora 

Akunyili. 

The highlights of the 

visit was the tour of the 

facilities of the school and 

the presentation of one 

million Naira to the school 

by Obi for continued infrastructure 

development. 

The Proprietor of the 

school and the Anglican 

Bishop of Ogbaru, Most 

Rev. Prosper Amah, after 

revealing that the school 

still uses power generator, 

computers and other 

facilities they received 

when Obi was the 

governor, thanked him for 

the visit and assured him 

of their prayers. 

Obi was accompanied 

by Professor Okunna 

duirng the visit. 

local government areas of 

the state. 

They also said the 

Federal Government now 

has the responsibility of 

reassuring the Igbo of 

their safety in the country. 

According to them, “the 

Indigenous Imo Town 

Unions, IITU, and its 

President condemn the 

incessant attacks by Boko 

Haram insurgents and 

herdsmen, which are on 

the increase. 

“We call on the Federal 

Government to be 

proactive on security of 

lives and properties, as 

Igbo need to be reassured 

of their safety. 

“If the government fails 

to rise up to the situation, 

people will take to 

traditional self-defense 

mechanisms to avoid 

destruction of lives and 

properties by the invaders. 

“One of the primary 

duties and obligation a 

reasonable and caring 

government owes its 

people is protection of lives 

and properties. 

“It follows that where 

the government fails in this 

important duty, the 

citizens will be left with no 

other option than to 

reactivate traditional selfdefense 

approach to avoid 

being destroyed or 

exterminated.”

16—Vanguard, WEDNEDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

DONATION: From left—Lawrence Agbaegbu, National Donations In Kind Coordinator, SOS Children's 

Villages Isolo; Opemipo Kehinde ,Marketing Manager, Nigeria Bolt; Gboyega Fadowole-Aje, National 

Fund Development & Communication Coordinator SOS Children's Villages; Uche Okafor, Regional 

Manager, West Africa, Bolt; Mobolaji Akinkugbe, Youth Development Coordinator, SOS Children's 

Villages and Kenneth Anye, Regional Manager, Regulation and Public Policy,, Africa, during 

the donation of gifts to SOS Children's Village Isolo, Lagos by Bolt Nigeria. 

PDP House caucus to members: You're free to 

vote for Gbaja, Bago, others in national interest 

•Those convicted by S'Court of Georgia should answer their case—BCO 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—AS the nation 

counts down to the 

inauguration of the 9th National 

Assembly on Tuesday, 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, caucus in the House 

of Representatives has 

asked its members to work 

and vote any aspirant for 

position of the speaker. 

Specifically, the caucus 

said members were free to 

join Mohammed Bago, 

Femi Gbajabiamila or any 

other person contesting the 

position but with a caveat, 

‘’in the national interest.’’ 

The declaration is 

contained in the Sallah 

message to Nigerians 

signed by the minority 

leader of the House, Leo 

Ogor, yesterday. 

It will be recalled that 


Buhari has scheduled the 

proclamation of the 

Group to Buhari: Consider young campaigners for 

Next Level implementation 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—A coalition of 

the APC Presidential 

Campaign Council support 

groups has appealed to 


Buhari to consider their 

members in his new 

Lagos Club set to empower 200 widows 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

LAGOS—A social group, 

‘Waka Club 1945 of 

Lagos’ has concluded 

plans to empower no fewer 

than 200 indigent widows, 

aimed at giving them 

financial independence. 

The group stressed that 

empowering the indigent 

was a commandment of 

God to all human 

irrespective of their 

religion. 

Former Commissioner of 

Physical planning and 

incoming Assembly for next 

Tuesday. 

At least five lawmakers are 

in the contest for the top job 

but the major contenders 

are Bago, representing 

Chanchagi Federal 

Constituency of Niger 

State, for the North-East 

geopolitical zone and 

Gbajabiamila from 

Surulere 11 of Lagos State, 

from the South-West zone. 

Ogor stated in the 

statement: “While the 

nation looks forward to the 

inauguration of the 9th 

National Assembly, the PDP 

House caucus is leaving no 

stone unturned in 

furtherance of its resolute 

determination to proactively 

decide the final outcome of 

the ongoing contest for 

leadership of the House in 

ways that would ultimately 

ensure that the people’s will 

ultimately prevails. 

“While we further our 

unflinching commitment to 

appointments by looking 

into the 100 list of nominees 

already submitted to his 

office for consideration. 

In a communique jointly 

issued in Abuja by the 

group and coalition of 

Young Candidates 

CYCFGN support groups 

and signed by the national 

Urban Development, 

Francisco Abosede, who 

also doubled as Chairman 

of the Club, disclosed the 

plan at the Club’s annual 

Tasfir Lecture held in Lagos 

Island. 

Abosede explained that 

extending their hands of 

generosity to the indigent 

through empowerment was 

in conformity with both 

Biblical and Quranic 

injunctions, which the club 

has decided to observe despite 

being a social club. 

In his address, the 

chairman hinted that 

the principles and ethos of 

democracy, the PDP House 

caucus has endorsed its 

members’ decision to work 

with speakership aspirants 

from the ruling party, 

thereby allowing all who 

feel thus inclined the 

freedom to attend all 

meetings, participate in 

campaigns, strategy 

sessions and other activities 

of any aspirant of their 

choice.” 

Asking members not to be 

carried away by vain 

promises and individual 

interest, Ogor said: 

“While the PDP House 

caucus has taken the 

decision with clear focus on 

the national interest as well 

as the future strategic goals 

of our party, we are not 

unaware that a few may 

unfortunately feel inclined 

to go overboard, nibbling 

dangerously at carrots dangled 

before them without adequately 

heeding appropriate guidelines. 

Coordinator, Amb. Vincent 

Ubani, the group urged the 

President to be humane 

and considerate enough in 

approving the nominees’ 

lists already submitted to 

him for the incoming 

administration. 

By incorporating 

representatives of the 

various campaign groups 

empowerment of the 200 

widows would be held at 

the group's next Islamic 

lecture in the state. 

“It has been instructive to 

always abide by the tenets 

and commandments of 

Almighty Allah. Men 

should learn how to be 

sinless by obeying his 

commandments , for it is 

meaningful in the sight of 

Allah, it is on this note and 

strict obedience that we have 

decided to be empowering widows 

and the less –privileged people 

in the society ”, Abosede said 

“Nonetheless, such risks 

have to be taken occasionally 

as part of sacrifice for the 

national interest - an overriding 

consideration for us in our great 

party. 

“The PDP House caucus 

wishes all Muslims across 

Nigeria and the entire world, 

the infinite grace and enduring 

mercies of Almighty Allah on 

this joyous occasion of Eid El 

Fitri.” 

Meanwhile, the Campaign 

Organization of one of the 

aspirants for the position, 

Mohammed Bago, has asked 

another aspirant and House 

Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, to 

face his day in court to answer 

to charges of corruption filed 

against him, instead working 

clandestinely against its 

principal. 

The campaign organisation 

was reacting to a suit against 

its principal, Bago, by 

Gbajabiamila’s camp. 

that saw the President 

through to the second 

terms aspiration, the 

group argued that the 

fulfilment of the Next 

Level promises would be 

easily be realised. 

The group which 

e x p r e s s e d 

disappointment at the 

exclusion of its 

representatives in the 

May 29th Presidential 

inauguration questioned 

the rationale for the 

exclusion by the 

Inauguration Committee 

Council and urged for 

caution. 

While expressing its 

unreserved apologies to 

those who were 

aggrieved for not getting 

invitation to the 

inauguration of the 

President, the group 

condemned what it called 

bad attitude of the 

handlers of the 

inauguration, who they 

described as “Monkey 

De Work, Baboon Dey 

chop.’' 

China warns its companies in U.S, 

rebuffs trade criticism 

China warned its companies operating in the 

United States on Tuesday they could face 

harassment from U.S. law enforcement agencies, as 

it also rebuffed U.S. criticism of a trade white paper 

as "singing the same old tune". 

Relations between the world's two largest 

economies have nosedived in recent months due to 

a bitter trade war, U.S. sanctions against Chinese 

telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 

U.S. support for Chinese-claimed Taiwan. 

Tensions rose sharply in May after U.S. President 

Donald Trump's administration accused China of 

having "reneged" on its previous promises to make 

structural changes to its economic practices. 

Washington later slapped additional tariffs of up 

to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods, 

prompting Beijing to retaliate. 

Developers sue Apple over App 

Store practices 

Two app developers yesterday sued Apple Inc 

over its App Store practices, making claims similar 

to those in a lawsuit brought by consumers that the U.S. 

Supreme Court recently allowed to proceed. 

California-based app developer Donald R. Cameron 

and Illinois Pure Sweat Basketball alleged in federal court 

in San Jose, California that Apple engaged in anticompetitive 

conduct by only allowing the downloading of 

iPhone apps through Apple's official App Store. Apple 

also requires developers to price their apps in tiers ending 

in 99 cents and takes up to a 30 percent commission from 

developers on the sale of apps. 

"This practice is analogous to a monopsonist retailer 

paying artificially low wholesale prices to its suppliers," 

the developers said in their suit. "In both paradigms a 

competitive market would yield better post-commission 

or wholesale prices, and fairer profit, for developers' digital 

products." 

Azuri Technologies announces 

$26m equity investment 

Azuri Technologies, provider of pay-as-you-go solar 

home solutions to off-grid households across Africa has 

announced a strategic investment of $26 million to power 

Africans not connected to the national grid. 

This deal was led by Fortune Global 500 Company Marubeni 

Corporation with additional participation from existing 

shareholders, including FTSE 250 Company IP Group plc. 

This strategic investment will accelerate Azuri's market 

growth plans in both East and West Africa and open up new 

opportunities for the business. Azuri Technologies provides 

solar home systems to off-grid consumers in sub-Saharan 

Africa on a pay-as-you-go basis. 

These systems enable households without access to the grid 

to benefit from modern conveniences, from electric light to 

satellite TV and Internet access via Smart Phones. 

Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO of Azuri Technologies said: 

"We are delighted today to announce the equity investment 

by Marubeni Corporation and existing shareholders. The 

entry of a leading player in the international energy market 

into this sector demonstrates the increasing maturity of offgrid 

power and its role in serving the 600 million people in 

Africa that still lack access to electricity." 

Yoshiaki Yokota, Chief Operating Officer, Power Business 

Division at Marubeni Corporation, also said: "We believe that 

Azuri's unique business model will have a profound impact 

on the growing off-grid energy market in Africa. 

"The global energy market is evolving rapidly, with the introduction 

of new renewable technologies and energyefficient 

devices. We are delighted to be a strategic partner of 

Azuri as a market leader and see their solar home solutions 

and services as catalysts for change in the Africa energy sector 

and beyond." 

Marubeni Corporation was founded more than 150 years 

ago and is now one of Japan's largest trading firms with global 

interests across energy, manufacturing, trading and 

investment. 

U.S. manufacturing struggling as 

orders, shipments decline 

New orders for U.S.-made goods fell in April and ship 

ments dropped by the most in two years, indicating 

continued weakness in manufacturing activity that could undercut 

the broader economy. 

Factory goods orders declined 0.8 percent, pulled down 

by soft demand for transportation equipment, computers and 

electronic orders, and primary metals, the Commerce 

Department said on Tuesday. Data for March was revised 

down to show factory orders increasing 1.3 percent instead 

of surging 1.9 percent as previously reported. 

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast factory orders 

would fall -0.9 percent in April. Factory orders rose 1.6 percent 

compared to April 2018. 

Some stories credited to Reuters

ONE of the most 

disturbing, and 

historically inaccurate, 

statements one sees both on 

social and traditional media, 

is the belief that Nigeria is not 

a nation because it is made up 

of competing tribes which had 

neither knowledge nor 

interaction before the British 

colonial government’s 

decision to amalgamate the 

North and the South in 1914. 

Virtually every angry social 

media post by Biafran 

separatist groups begins with 

a rant about the supposedly 

innate differences that exist 

between the North and the 

South, not knowing that the 

origin of these invented 

stereotypes lies in colonial 

rule. 

The script politicians use to 

divide Nigerians is only an 

updated version of the 

writings of our early colonial 

masters who labelled 

Nigeria’s tribes based on their 

personal appreciation of their 

services to British rule. 

Most of our laws, including 

the ideas behind the settler 

and indigene dichotomy are 

invented divisions to curb preexisting 

relationships between 

groups and enhance 

opportunistic divisions based 

on a scarcity of resources: most 

Nigerian cities and towns are 

still planned like colonial 

cities. 

The 1917 township 

ordinance segregated 

Nigerian cities along ethnic 

and class lines: e.g. the 

Government Reserved Areas, 

GRA, for the European elite 

and the “native” areas for 

indigines and non-idigenes. 

Arbitrarily deciding who is 

an indigene of a state remains 

one of the most contentious 

issues of our politics today, yet 

these tools of division continue 

to structure the daily lives of 

millions of Nigerians who still 

access state services not based 

on universal ideas of 

CAN 

THE Christian Association 

of Nigeria criticized 


Buhari’s attendance of a 

meeting 

of 

the Organisation of Islamic 

Cooperation, OIC, which it 

called “unconstitutional”. We 

must be wary of all attempts 

to divide Nigerians on 

religious lines using 

misinformation or ‘fake 

news’. 

The President did not attend 

the OIC meeting simply to 

discuss “Islamic matters” (one 

wonders what that even 

means) nor did he attend 

because the OIC 

is Muslim and he is more 

comfortable with Muslims. 

These false arguments 

repeated by some dangerously 

misleading platforms online 

alienate and divide Nigerians 

and one must ask who 

benefits. A CAN statement 

read: “Is the government not 

heating up the polity? 

We wonder if the President 

is ready to attend the meeting 

of the World Council of 

Nigeria, a nation for all its citizens: The dream 

is still possible 

Nigeria's post colonial leaders 

citizenship but based on 

religion or tribe. 

Ironically, most of the precolonial 

empires our modern 

nation replaced were multiethnic. 

In fact, contrary to 

popular opinion (and to what 

Western imperialist arbiters 

would have us believe) 

Africans have been 

successfully managing interethnic 

relationships for 

thousands of years. 

The real tragedy is that we 

are yet to untangle and rethink 

the new direction taken 

during the colonial interlude. 

Similarly, we are also yet to 

interrogate the economic 

•President Buhari 

Churches or be asking the Vice 

President to represent him 

whenever the members 

meet”. 

The World Council of 

Churches does not provide 

any loans or economic benefits 

to member states. 

The OIC provides funds for 

capital projects and national 

development projects with 

positive impact for both 

Muslims and Christians in 

Nigeria. 

The media should also be 

more circumspect in its 

reporting and not make itself 

a tool for enmity amongst 

Nigerians. 

course imposed by Western 

institutions who mine our 

resources and repatriate all 

profits with no benefit to the 

host economy. 

Members of the elite who 

support this system actively 

support and encourage the 

“balkanisation” of Nigeria, 

because a nation thus 

weakened and split up is 

easier for their partners in 

Western corporations to deal 

with. 

Unfortunately, the 

unemployed youth furiously 

tapping away on their 

keyboards, wishing for civil 

war or the death of their fellow 

poor or marginalised youth 

from various parts of the 

country, does not understand 

the financial and political 

agendas at stake. 

He or she thinks Nigerian 

politicians mean what they say 

and that the restructuring they 

preach means something 

more than reviewing how the 

elite share money amongst 

Pastors 

A 

POPULAR singer, 

Timi Dakolo accused an 

A b u j a 

Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder of 

the Commonwealth of Zion 

A s s e m b l y , 

COZA, of allegedly “having 

exual relationships with 

female church members”. 

In a series of online posts, 

Mr. Dakolo asked COZA 

church members not 

to otracise the women who 

made the allegations and to 

listen to their stories. 

He also alleged they were 

being harassed by the pastor 

and his “criminal lawyers”. 

Some Nigerians reacted with 

the usual Bible verses 

many use to excuse or brush 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 —17 

themselves. 

columnists, analysts, etc, are 

To anyone who has bothered too busy regurgitating these 

to research or study Nigeria’s same divisive ideas to the 

pre-colonial history, these benefit of their pay masters. 

ideas about the supposed What 

are 

natural incompatibility 

between Nigeria’s 

ethnic groups, is maddening 

and obviously dangerous due 

to the obvious desire to 

separate us from one another 

based on misunderstandings 

and misgivings sponsored by 

politicians. Again, most of 

Unless Nigerians 

keep advocating for 

lasting means to end 

conflicts in our 

society, governments 

won’t have the 

courage to enact 

what in the long 

term is best for 

Nigerians even if it 

isn’t best for 

politicians 

the poor souls employed to 

spew hate online are unaware 

of the power games and 

machinations at play and 

there is no one to educate them 

because most of the wouldbe 

opinion leaders, 

off any allegation of 

misconduct such as “touch not 

my anointed and do my 

prophet no harm”. 

Mr. Dakolo rightly pointed 

out that most people who don’t 

know the context of such verses 

use them to ignorantly stop 

any investigation into any 

alleged crime. 

“They have used that line to 

scam us,” he said. The political 

and religious elite in Nigeria 

use all sorts of tricks, including 

“perpetual injunctions” to stop 

investigations into their 

conduct. 

If they have nothing to hide, 

why don’t they open 

themselves up to scrutiny? 

Nigeria’s founding principles 

and beliefs? Very few can 

say. The unpopular opinion is 

that things were unclear from 

the beginning. We were set up 

to fail because ethnic division, 

fear and suspicion were rooted 

into political interaction from 

the very moment we became a 

country. 

However, this does not, of 

course, mean that we are 

destined to fail. Far from it. As 


Buhari begins his second term 

in office, he must endeavour 

to leave an impactful 

legacy that cannot be undone 

once he leaves office: too 

many projects in Nigeria are 

overturned by jealous, 

competitive successors. 

He must leave us with at 

least 

one 

landmark development that 

serves to remake the social 

contract between Nigerians. 

It appears this government 

is mulling over the possibility 

of state police, which worries 

some observers because quite 

frankly, not all our governors 

have the maturity to be 

endowed with a force that 

answers only to them. 

Community policing 

and reform 

Either way, this is not 

enough. True, there are 

definitely economic issues at 

the route of the conflicts 

between herdsmen and 

farmers and it is also true that 

without serious community 

policing and reform, tackling 

insecurity will remain difficult. 

However, unless our laws 

reflect a new understanding of 

citizenship and we place 

merit, competence and our 

shared nationality as 

Nigerians at the heart of both 

government transactions with 

citizens, and our involvement 

with one another, rather than 

state of origin or federal 

character, Nigeria will forever 

remain ripe for manipulation 

on ethno-religious grounds. 

Politically, this is of course 

difficult to realise because 

most people in office are very 

comfortable with the idea of 

zoning, federal character, etc., 

which they can manipulate for 

their needs and use to 

influence their supporters 

through false cries of “we are 

being marginalised!” when 

what they mean is: “I want a 

place in this government!” 

But unless Nigerians keep 

advocating for lasting means 

to end conflicts in our society, 

governments won’t have the 

courage to enact what in the 

long term is best for Nigerians 

even if it isn’t best for 

politicians. 

Tabia Princewill is a 

strategic communications 

consultant and public policy 

analyst. She is also the cohost 

and executive producer 

of a talk show, WALK THE 

TALK which airs on 

Channels TV.


OVER the past 13 years or so when 

the negative effects of some port 

reforms, coupled with deregulation of 

the downstream oil sector, spilled 

thousands of trucks, trailers and 

tankers onto the Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway and adjoining 

communities in Apapa, the Federal and 

Lagos State governments have issued 

several ultimatums for their clearance 

to no avail. 

Apart from the futile efforts of 

previous regimes to deal with the 

problem, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo 

visited the theatre of national shame in 

July 2018 and ordered immediate 

removal of the trucks. The failure of 

that effort gave birth to yet another 72- 

hour fiat, this time by President 

Muhammadu Buhari on May 22, 2019, 

for the clearance of the gridlock mess. 

This time, the effort is being 

spearheaded by VP Osinbajo following 

Apapa gridlock: Beyond presidential fiats 

the sack of the military task forces which 

had, after initially helping out, turned 

it into a venture for self-gratification. 

Now, the job of removing the gridlock 

under Osinbajo’s watch has been 

restored to the core statutory agencies 

like the Federal Roads Safety Corps, 

FRSC and the Lagos State Traffic 

Management Authority, LASTMA, with 

Mr. Kayode Opeifa, a man with much 

experience dealing with Lagos 

transportation, in charge. 

So far, the progress has been slow, 

but most heavy-duty vehicles have been 

removed from the Ijora, Orile and Eko 

Bridge axis. Opeifa has assured that 

with the movement of efforts to the 

Oshodi-Apapa and Badagry Express 

axis, the mission will soon be 

accomplished. With the benefit of past 

experiences, we make bold to state that 

clearing the juggernauts from the roads 

and bridges is the easiest part, and this 

is not the first time it has been done 

over the years. Keeping them out 

permanently poses the real challenge. 

It is not as if the government does 

not know what to do. It is just the 

political and patriotic zeal to get it done 

that is missing. The Ogun State 

Government under former Governor 

Gbenga Daniel had constructed trailer 

parks along the Lagos - Ibadan 

corridor. The LASG has, for years, 

promised to complete and relocate the 

trucks to the Bola Tinubu Park, but till 

today it remains an unfulfilled promise. 

Even the Apapa Ports rail line which 

was supposed to have been 

rehabilitated to shift containers out of 

the ports has not been done. 

We are gratified to note that President 

Buhari placed the burden of clearing 

the Apapa gridlock on the shoulder of 

the Vice-President. If the problem 

remains unsolved in the next couple of 

weeks we know where to pin the failure 

on.The mission to clear the Apapa 

gridlock should be treated as a national 

economic emergency because of the 

importance of the Apapa Business 

District to the non-oil revenue resources 

of the country. 

We are keeping vigil on it. 

On one-sided governance 

By Sunny Ikhioya 

IN life, the good always prevails over the 

bad, no matter how long it takes. That is 

why we have to be careful with the foundation 

we lay. The way out of Nigeria’s problem is a 

focused, unbiased leadership. You must always 

remember that somebody from another tribe, 

religion will be in charge one day and if your 

foundation is not laid properly, it will be 

uprooted. 

In Nigeria today, some shortsighted people 

are playing god. Ex-President Olusegun 

Obasanjo is a man some love and hate, 

depending on what side of the prism you view 

him. When all is said and done, he has had his 

day in the Presidency, a big opportunity to do 

great things for the country, but he fell short of 

expectations. That is why the issue of Nigeria’s 

nationhood still confronts this country. 

But, life is like that; some people can criticise 

and find fault very quickly, but when given the 

opportunity, they cannot perform. 

Criticism is a very important aspect of 

governance; not everybody can see beyond the 

surface, not everybody has the boldness to 

speak out truthfully what they have seen; and 

when you do not see the flaws in the society 

you live in, how will you make progress? 

It is the critics that keep those in government 

on their toes and help to keep in check the 

vanities and hubris of men. So, whether you 

can criticise or can get things done, all is 

important for the society to move forward. In 

recent times, people are beginning to see 

genuine criticisms as affronts and sabotage to 

those in authority. Indeed they see criticism as 

“bad belle” induced. As a result, the cycle of 

bad governance has continues. 

I am not a fan of Obasanjo, but let us be 

honest: his criticisms often touch on the jugular 

of our nation’s democracy and because of that, 

those in government do not find it funny. He 

may no longer be in government, but nobody 

can deny the fact that, out of government, he 

has assumed the role of the conscience of the 

nation. Obasanjo has attacked every single 

government that he has not been part of and 

every time he attacks, there are always people 

on the sideline whose interest he is representing. 

When those presently in government were in 

the opposition, they saw him as a “navigator 

and pathfinder”. Now, they see him as a 

busybody, while the opposition sees him as 

God-sent, a voice for the oppressed and a 

prophet heralding the days of sorrows that are 

to come if changes are not carried out. 

Those who refuse to respond to criticism in 

good faith will never learn and if you do not 

learn, what will become of you? A government 

that is self-opinionated and do not allow 

contrary opinions will continue to operate in 

error. 

It is not a matter of sabotage, it is simply the 

refusal to open our minds to alternatives; we 

are set on doing it the same way, all the time 

and we expect different results. Nigeria 

belongs to over 400 ethnic nationalities, but 

presently, it now seems as if everything is being 

done for one to have superiority over others; it 

is as if a recolonisation is taking place, albeit 

subtly. 

There was a rumour that those in authority 

were trying to phase out Christian Religious 

Knowledge, CRK, from our school curricula. 

People thought it was a joke and there were 

pockets of resistance here and there. In the last 

JAMB examination, CRK was combined with 

other subjects to become one. 

You are phasing out CRK, a moral instruction 

subject from the syllabus and you want to wipe 

out cultism from our schools? Another vacancy 

for the top most position at the Federal airport 

authority of Nigeria, FAAN and guess who got 

the appointment? Another Hausa/Fulani 

Muslim. 

The top hierarchy of the NNPC management 

is now totally skewed towards one direction, 

OPINION 

same as the security and other Federal 

Government agencies. Herdsmen of the 

Fulani ethnic stock are still harassing the hell 

out of helpless citizens, yet some people are 

criticising Obasanjo for his “Fulanisation and 

Islamisation” comment? 

There is a common feeling in the land that, if 

you are Fulani you can get away with anything. 

That possibly explains the brazen disregard 

for constituted authority and promotion of 

violence by the Miyetti Allah and other 

itinerant Fulani groups spread over the 

country. 

They have left their stronghold in the North, 

penetrating into the South in droves, fully 

armed and occupying people’s farmlands. 

Nobody dares to say or do anything; even when 

their activities are brought to the knowledge 

of security agencies, no action is taken. That is 

It is unfortunate that people 

are marginalised in a 

country they call their home; 

killed, brutalised and 

rendered homeless without 

any action taken against the 

perpetrators 

why a Malian, Chadian or any foreigner of 

the Fulani stock, can come into the country 

without legal or valid papers and be involved 

in kidnapping and slaughtering of people at 

will. 

When the people decide to organise selfdefence 

groups to ward off these intruders, the 

vigilante groups are compromised and 

implicated. The security agencies even disarm 

them like it happened in Benue State. 

The IPOB, MASSOB, Niger Delta 

insurgents are being dealt with decisively; why 

is it that when it comes to the herdsmen our 

security agencies are powerless? Our security 

agencies are handicapped when it comes to 

dealing with the herdsmen and as a result, the 

group has become more daring. People say 

that the Boko Haram group has transformed 

into small units that have infiltrated the land. 

One of the victims of a recent kidnapping in 

the South West confirmed this in a video 

recording after his release. And that is the 

challenge of the Buhari administration. 

Unfortunately, people like the Kaduna State 

governor are worsening the situation through 

their extremely provocative policies and 

actions. 

That is why the crises in the state do not seem 

to be abating. There is no way progress can be 

made in a nation when government adopts a 

one-sided position. 

The nation-state is an agglomeration of 

multiethnic nations coming together willingly 

to pursue a common destiny, with the interest 

of all sides fully taken into consideration and 

respected. The situation is so bad now that 

even with top grades from reputable 

universities some people cannot get 

employment into some Federal Government 

agencies. 

And, you want to continue like this and think 

you can build a nation state? The APCcontrolled 

Federal Government with 

Muhammadu Buhari as president must take 

stock of its past performance as it begins its 

fresh tenure. 

Some officials, such as Lai Mohammed, 

have already given themselves a pass mark, 

but the people know what the real score is. It is 

unfortunate that people are so marginalised 

in a country that they call their home; killed, 

brutalised and rendered homeless without any 

action taken against the perpetrators. 

In this kind of situation, we can never be one 

and if we are not one, we can never make 

progress, that is the challenge for this 

administration in the next four years. 

•Ikhioya, www.southsouthecho.com, Twitter: 

@SunnyIkhioya

Q1’19: Value of e-payment transactions 

falls by 13% to N34trn 

•Credit to private sector records sluggish growth 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The value of electronic 

payment transactions 

fell by 13 percent, quarter-onquarter, 

to N34 trillion in the 

first quarter of 2019 (Q1’19), 

reflecting the impact of the 

general elections on economic 

activities during the quarter. 

Also reflecting lull in 

economic activities during the 

quarter, banks’ credit to the 

private sector recorded 

sluggish growth of 0.52 

percent to N15.21 trillion in 

Q1’19. 

National Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS) disclosed these in its 

Selected Banking Sector Data 

report for Q1’19. The report 

showed that the Nigerian 

Interbank Settlement System, 

NIBSS, Instant Payments 

(NIP) dominated the volume 

of transactions recorded in 

Q1’19 with a transaction 

volume of 232.8 million, 

valued at N24.17 trillion. 

On quarterly basis, the value 

of NIP transactions rose by 3.0 

percent during the quarter 

from N23.57 trillion in Q4’18. 

Further analysis showed that 

the value of cheque 

transactions declined by 8.0 

percent to N1.2 trillion from 

N1.3 trillion in Q4’18. 

Similarly, value of Automated 

Teller Machine (ATM) 

dropped by 12 percent to N1.5 

trillion from N1.7 trillion in 

Q4’18. 

In the same vein the value 

of Point of Sale (PoS) 

transactions fell by 11 percent 

to N634 billion in Q1’19 from 

N714 billion in Q4’18 while 

that of Mobile Payment 

dropped by 83 percent to N101 

billion in Q1’19 from N592 

billion in Q4’18. 

Following the same trend, 

the value of transactions made 

through Remita platform 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$105.35 1.60 

2,352.00 1.00 

$12.31 -0.12 

$61.63 0.35 

$53.49 0.24 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

386.3843 387.0157 387.6472 

342.664 343.224 343.784 

306.8091 307.3105 307.8119 

2.825 2.8296 2.8343 

0.501 0.511 0.521 

420.7962 421.4839 422.1716 

44.2909 44.3637 44.4366 

81.5823 81.7156 81.849 

421.4767 422.1655 422.8543 

45.8751 45.95 46.025 

. 21.0686 21.103 21.1375 

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/06/2019 

dropped by 99.6 percent to 

N19.3 billion from N5 trillion 

in Q4’18. Value of Web 

transactions also declined by 

51 percent to N108 billion from 

N221 billion in Q4’18. 

Meanwhile, bank’s credit to 

private sector of the economy 

rose by 0.52 percent to N15.21 

trillion during the quarter from 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 — 19 

N15.13 trillion in Q4’18. 

According to NBS, “Oil & 

Gas and Manufacturing 

sectors got credit allocation of 

N3.49 trillion and N2.23 trillion 

to record the highest credit 

allocation as at the period 

under review.” 

From left, Chairman Dantata Food Limited, Alhaji Tajudeen Dantata; Head, Agricultural 

Finance, Jaiz Bank, Abubaka Makinta; Project Manager, DDI Mr. Bello Haruna; Value Chain 

Advisor, Stella Longpoe; Group Head, Agricultural finance, Sterling Bank, Mrs. Bukola 

Awosanya at the Rice and Groundnut Stakeholders summit to stimulate establishment of 

innovation platforms and advance interstate food commodity value chains across seven project 

states in Abuja 

Alleged fraud: AfDB imposes 3yrs ban on Nigerian 

construction company 

By Babajide Komolafe 

The African Development 

Bank (AfDB) has 

imposed a 36 months (3 years) 

ban on Qualitrends Global 

Solutions Nigeria Limited, a 

Nigerian construction 

company. 

The bank disclosed this in a 

statement saying an 

investigation conducted by the 

bank’s Office of Integrity and 

Anti-Corruption established 

that the construction 

company allegedly 

engaged in numerous 

misdeeds in bidding for 

a construction contract. 

The office is 

responsible for 

preventing, deterring 

and investigating 

allegations of 

corruption, fraud and 

other sanctionable 

practices in bank’s 

financed operations. 

The AfDB further 

disclosed that the 

contract in this regard 

was under the 

Agricultural 

Transformation Agenda 

Support Programme 

Phase One in Nigeria 

(ATASP-1). 

The bank said: “While 

participating in a 

tender for the conduct 

of construction of social 

infrastructure in Niger 

state, the company 

misrepresented its 

experience in conducting such 

construction contracts and 

submitted false bid security. 

“The debarment, therefore, 

renders the company 

ineligible to participate in 

bank-financed projects during 

the debarment period. 

“The debarment qualifies for 

cross-debarment by other 

multilateral development 

banks under the Agreement for 

Mutual Recognition of 

Debarment Decisions, 

including the Asian 

Development Bank. 

“Others are the European 

Bank for Reconstruction and 

Development, the Inter- 

American Development Bank 

and the World Bank Group. 

“ATASP-1 is financed under 

the African Development Fund, 

an entity of the AfDB’s Group.” 

NEXIM bank’s Sealink project targets $1.2bn 

annual export revenue 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau 

Chief 

The Nigeria Export 

Import Bank (NEXIM) is 

targeting $1.2 billion annual 

exports through its Sealink 

project. 

The bank signed a Sealink 

Project Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU) in this 

regard with Transimex S.A. 

Cameroun through a Special 

Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the 

Sealink Promotional Company 

Ltd (SPCL) and National Inland 

Waterways Authority (NIWA) 

recently in Abuja. 

The MoU would promote 

waterway operations for 

hinterland, transit and coastal 

trade, especially for bulk cargo, 

NEXIM’s Managing Director, 

Mr. Abba Bello, said at the 

signing ceremony. 

He stated: “The effective 

implementation of the Sealink 

project and the safe utilization 

of the inland waterways would 

bridge logistics gaps that will 

attract and facilitate investment 

flows into the shipping and 

solid minerals sectors. 

“It will contribute to the 

realization of one of the broad 

strategic objectives of 

government’s Economic 

Recovery and Growth Plan 

(ERGP), which is building a 

globally competitive economy. 

“It will also contribute to 

improving Nigeria’s current 

World Bank Ease of Doing 

business and Logistics 

Performance Index (LPI) 

rankings.” 

Bello described the project 

as “a novel public-private 

partnership framework, which 

is primarily designed to attract 

private sector investments 

under government agencies 

facilitative support at no cost to 

government,” adding, “it is 

intended to bridge infrastructure 

gap that will promote and 

Internal auditors 

should deploy 

new mindset to 

cyber risks 

— Udoh 

Institute of Internal Auditors 

(Nigeria) have called for new 

mindsets among auditors in 

addressing the challenge of cyber 

risks. 

Chairman/President of the 

Institute of Internal Auditors 

(Nigeria), Uduak Udoh, made this 

call while speaking at the 6th 

Annual Conference of the African 

Federation of Institutes of Internal 

Auditors (AFIIA) organised in 

Gaborone, Botswana. 

The event was convened to 

promote and reinforce the role of 

Internal Audit as a fundamentally 

proactive field through its 

assurance and advisory roles with 

a view to helping management 

intervene before risks materialise. 

According to Udoh, who is also 

the Chief Audit Executive, First 

Bank of Nigeria Limited, “In 

today’s global age, fast driven by 

the momentous technological 

advancement, internal auditors 

while providing compliancerelated 

assurance over cyber risks, 

should also apply new mind-sets 

and methods - aided by 

technological approaches – to audit 

cyber risks. 

“Internal audit should develop 

sound understanding of 

upcoming events e.g. block chain, 

dynamic hedging, instant 

payment processing etc, and the 

position of regulators, in order to 

assist their organisations’ 

readiness.” 

Reinforcing Uduak’s position, 

Richard Chambers, CEO/ 

President, Institute of Internal 

Auditors (IIA) Global said; “The 

value of internal audit is not in 

looking in the past, but rather the 

value in internal audit is looking 

into the future”. 

The event had 600 participants 

from across Africa and the world; 

notably Margretmary Mushango, 

President of the Institute of Internal 

Auditors Botswana (IIAB); Eric 

Yankah, President, Africa 

Federation of Institutes of Internal 

Auditors; Femi Osinubi and 

Kikelomo Asuelime, both Board 

members of Institute of Internal 

Auditors (IIA) Nigeria and 

Humphrey Okorie, Chief 

Executive Officer, IIA Nigeria 

amongst others 

enhance trade connectivity as 

well as spur Nigeria’s regional 

and global trade 

competitiveness.” 

Also, speaking, the 

Chairperson of Sealink 

Implementation Committee, 

Mrs. Dabney Shallholma, 

noted that Sealink is being 

officially promoted by NEXIM, 

FEWACCI and Transimex S.A. 

Cameroun through a Special 

Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the 

Sealink Promotional Company 

Ltd (SPCL) with nominal 

promotional shareholding and 

sponsorship framework. 

According to her, the Sealink 

SPV “would soon transmute 

to a public commercial shipping 

company with regional and 

international shareholding 

structure, the operation of the 

SPV is being midwife by the 

Sealink Implementation 

Committee with strategic 

operational partnership support 

of the Sealink Consortium 

members who are collectively 

part of the MoU framework.”






25— Vanguard, Wednesday, JUNE 5, 2019 

Hitachi's Insight Day to help companies achieve intelligent data resource management 


Many 

corporate 

organisations lose 

substantial revenue because 

the data they generate are 

practically unstructured. 

They lack the capacity to 

store, enrich, analyse and 

monetise their data. 

Data Company, Hitachi 

Vantara, said it is set to 

empower organizations and 

individuals to achieve 

intelligent data resource 

management at its upcoming 

programme tagged: ‘Hitachi 

Insight Day’. 

The company’s Regional 

Managing Director, West 

Africa, Mr. Akinwale 

Awosokanre, said the event 

which is to hold on the 18th 

of June at the Eko Hotel 

Lagos, promises to help 

customers achieve smarter, 

faster insight with integrated 

data service and proven 

blueprints that would give 

profitable perspectives to most 

of their data. 

Awosokanre added that 

the Hitachi Insights Day has 

been programmed to help 

customers gain modern 

digital transformation using 

the right cloud strategy with 

the most flexible, open and 

trusted choices. “We also want 

to help our customers to 

achieve business outcomes 

and service levels with 

intelligent resource 

deployment that streamline 

their information technology 

at reduced cost and risk.” 

Hitachi Vantara targets 

existing and new clients to 

grace the event. 

By Morenike Taire 

In Nigeria, with a teeming popu 

lation of about 190 million people, 

it is no wonder that the Agric 

sector accounts for more than 20 

per cent of the nation’s gross domestic 

product, GDP. It also stands 

as the largest employer of labour 

in the country. While technologybased 

agro firms are embarking 

on radical approaches to revitalise 

the agriculture sector, a few of 

the companies are actively contributing 

to the growth and adoption 

of modern technologies in that 

sector. And one firm among the lot 

that is making a huge impact, technology-wise, 

challenging the agricultural 

status quo, is FarmGate 

Africa, FGA, an agro-commodity 

aggregator platform that is 

poised to bring solutions to market 

access challenges faced by 

farmers across Africa. 

The newly established firm has 

equally set a four-year 

agenda come 2023, to build agritech 

solutions that will enable the 

achievement of food security, sustainability 

and the growth of Agriculture 

in Africa. “Having 

looked inwards at the percentage 

of people living in extreme poverty 

in Africa, we are poised to 

change the narrative with swift 

approach in an attempt to increase 

patronage of local content 

through programs such as commodity 

purchasing and commodity 

trading,” says Kenneth Obiajulu, 

co-founder and Managing 

Director, Farmgate Africa at the 

unveiling of the platform held recently. 

Although, being relatively new 

and waxing to extend to a wider 

coverage, their main objective is 

to provide a platform for local 

farmers to trade their commodities 

to investors in exchange for 

cash which also helps farmers tremendously 

to have direct access 

to markets as well as control over 

their produce. 

Obiajulu also stressed that with 

the establishment of the platform 

and other projects streamlined, 

FGA has placed itself at the forefront 

of challenging the poverty 

problem in Nigeria head-on, saying 

for Farmgate Africa, the journey 

to eliminate global hunger by 

2030 has just been launched. 

With a vision to bring farmers 

closer to processors and international 

buyers, this curbs the loss 

caused by waste, among other factors, 

that farmers typically experience 

during agricultural transactions. 

That also, by extension, 

empowers 

farmers 

economically. However, the business 

of fighting global hunger is 

AGRITECH: How indigenous 

farmers now get international buyers 

•The Farmcrowdy experience, the food security promise 

such a huge task and achieving it 

eventually requires a collective 

effort. Government with its organ 

responsible for management and 

protection of agricultural produce 

cannot do it alone. The enormous 

challenge government agencies 

face in terms of fertiliser distribution 

and supply of farming equipment 

for farmers including livestock 

quarantine and healthcare, 

is such a huge one that often 

times, farmers lament. And this is 

where private firms and agro experts 

are leveraging, not only to 

proffer solution to such challenges 

with the up-to-date technology 

to bridge the gap, but also to impact 

the society with modern approaches 

to ease conventional 

farming methods and make food 

available for the people regularly. 

Looking at FGA’s entrance into 

the scene including other platforms 

with similar initiatives, the 

ray of hope for indigenous farmers 

brightens. Farmers in the poultry 

and cattle sector often lament 

on mass loss of their livestock either 

through infrastructure challenges 

in the course of movement 

of produce, low patronage or 

long-term storage 

facilities. But with the commodity 

aggregator’s intervention, a 

farmer has automatically willed 

any unforeseen challenge to the 

middle man whose job is to relieve 

the farmer of his produce without 

stress. 

It is also interesting to know that 

about 6000 cattle are slaughtered 

for consumption in Lagos State 

alone, says an agro expert, 

Livestock247.com. The firm’s boss, 

Ibrahim Maigari also stated 

that it is the largest consuming 

livestock market in sub-Saharan 

Africa. 

Veering into the economic perspective 

of the large number of 

cattle consumption in Nigeria 

alone, he was of the view that 

more needs to be done to get the 

animals well protected. He 

stressed that the firm’s target is to 

produce in excess of 24,000 bulls 

We have anchored 

a relationship that 

sees trading in 

excess of 20,000 

bulls in over 10 

abattoirs in Lagos 

for the fiscal year 

2019 

through 1,200 feedlot clusters in 

a year and the essence is to provide 

a platform for buyers of livestock 

to purchase traceable and 

fit-for- slaughter livestock from 

anywhere and at any time without 

inconveniences. 

He also stressed that it will give 

sellers of livestock a borderless 

reach and access to market while 

giving veterinary professionals access 

to livestock owners for disease 

surveillance and epidemiology, 

providing financial service 

providers with an opportunity to 

fund investments in the livestock 

sector. 

However, FGA and Livestock247 

having signed a partnership 

agreement, will deepen deployment 

of funds in the vital areas 

of production and marketing. 

Farmgate Africa sees this as a welcoming 

development in fostering 

seamless trading in livestock and 

farm produce between the distributing 

channels and consumers. 

“This partnership as a whole will 

deepen the offerings in the agricultural 

space in terms of proper 

organisation and profitable deployment 

of funds to key areas of 

production and trading. On the 

production end, it will also see the 

piloting of first ever cattle feedlot 

in Adamawa State. The initial 

phases have been quite successful 

and this sees the businesses scaling 

production to over 24,000 

bulls with about 1,200 feedlot clusters 

in the North-East, North-West 

and Southern parts of Nigeria operating 

through feedlot systems,” 

says Obiajulu. 

“Our goal has always been to 

collaborate with relevant partners 

in the agribusiness space to deliver 

value for both smallholder 

farmers and major processors/ 

buyers. With our livestock portfolio, 

we have received substantial 

orders from notable key accounts 

that require bulls which meet with 

specific criteria. We have anchored 

a relationship that sees 

trading in excess of 20,000 bulls 

in over 10 abattoirs in Lagos for 

the fiscal year 2019 and our vision 

is a shared one that sees us 

developing the marketing together 

both from a production and 

marketing point,” Obiajulu added. 

Meanwhile, such collaboration 

will empower livestock farmers 

through the feedlot programme, 

and also a response to the call by 

the Federal Government to key 

into the National Livestock Transformation 

Plan (NLTP) through 

intensification of livestock production. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

26—Vanguard, Wednesday, JUNE 5, 2019 


Children all over the 

world are still in the 

euphoria of celebration as 

Children’s Day was 

marked couple of days 

ago. 

For pupils of Dr Elias 

Model Primary and 

Nursery School, Isale 

Eko, Lagos, the memory 

may even last longer 

as pioneer e-payment 

provider in Nigeria, E- 

Tranzact, at the weekend, 

commemorated the day 

with the pupils with lots 

of goody bags as part of 

its Social Corporate Responsibility, 

CSR. 

Managing Director and 

Chief Executive Officer, 

eTranzact, Mr. Niyi Toluwalope 

said: “Our key 

reason of being here today 

is to celebrate and 

encourage the kids, because 

though they are in 

school today, they’re the 

future of this country. 

“We are taking inventory 

of what they lack including 

good infrastructure, 

writing materials 

and all other things that 

will make them enjoy 

school. We will see the 

extent we can go in providing 

these things because 

we know that providing 

them is a way of 

contributing to the 

growth of the economy. ” 

Also speaking, the company’s 

Deputy Managing 

Director, Mr. Hakeem 

Adeniji-Adele said the 

school was selected on 

the direction of the Lagos 

State Government. 

“We got in touch with 

the Lagos State Government 

and asked for a 


T echnology-focused 

oil and gas brand, 

Enyo Retail and Supply 

in partnership with Kids 

creativity play space, 

STEM Café, recently 

hosted 20 pupils across 

five public schools in Lagos 

at STEM Café’s office 

in Lekki, to a design 

challenge tagged: Invention 

to Entrepreneurship. 

The challenge where 

children were tasked to 

build a vending machine 

using cardboards had the 

overall winners go home 

with android tablets to 

further get them interested 

in Science, Technology, 

Engineering and 

Mathematics, STEM. 

The participating 

schools included Wesley 

Girls Secondary School, 

Sabo, Yaba; Mobolaji 

Bank-Anthony Junior 

High School, Sabo, Yaba; 

Aje Comprehensive Junior 

High School, Sabo, 

Yaba; Jibowu Junior High 

School, Yaba and Eletu- 

Odibi Junior High 

School, Abule-Oja, Yaba. 

CEO of Enyo, Mr. 

Awobokun Abayomi, said 

the company believes in 

empowering and advancing 

the lives of children 

and also supports the un- 

*Corporate Social Responsibility: Mr. Niyi Toluwalope, MD/CEO, eTranzact 

Int’l Plc (middle) with some of the pupils of Dr Elias Model Primary and 

Nursery School, Isale Eko. 

Children’s Day: eTranzact gives 

technology hope to school of 

less priviledged pupils 

school that we could empower 

as well as support 

the kids to have better 

education, and this 

school was recommended. 

“We have also discovered 

on getting here that 

parents of a lot of pupils 

here, are not well to do. 

This gives us the confidence 

to carry out our 

CSR project here, knowing 

it will touch the lives 

of a lot of families. 

“We believe that if we 

encourage these pupils, 

we may be creating Nigeria’s 

next generation 

The Chairman and Lead 

Consultant of a public 

relations firm, TPT International, 

Mr. Adetokunbo 

Modupe has said disruptive 

innovation remains the critical 

life support that will 

define the future of Public 

Relations, PR, practice in 

Nigeria. 

Modupe who spoke recently 

at the 2019 edition of 

Brandcommfest in Lagos 

on the topic: Digital Disruption 

and the Future of Public 

Relations Practice, noted 

that material possession 

will have a little significance 

in today's global 

market as real-time lending 

talents and key innovators 

of the future” he added. 

Reacting to the gesture, 

Manager of the 

school, Mrs. Nkem Okere, 

said eTranzact has 

lifted the spirit of the children. 

She said: “The children 

are so happy with 

the coming of eTranzact. 

They are also fascinated 

by the appearances of the 

tech company’s staff. 

Children learn by what 

they see and the memories 

last longer. They will 

now begin to realise that 

if they study well and 

work hard, they can also 

be and look like these 

role models today. 

She added: “The children 

here are less privileged. 

They are children 

of people living under 

the bridges, hawkers and 

truck pushers; those are 

the people that make up 

the population of the 

school, so they really 

need support from NGOs 

and corporate organisations. 

I thank e-Tranzact 

for this gesture and would 

still expect they do more 

because we actually need 

more.” 

Enyo lures children to innovation through STEM 

derprivileged, whose parents 

do not have the disposable 

income to sponsor 

to innovative activities. 

He said: “On this special 

day, the children experienced 

the amazing 

world of STEM in a fun 

and interactive way, displaying 

their designs and 

resource management 

skills, while learning how 

to monetise their invention. 

“Also, the children were 

treated to breakfast by 

Krispy Kreme and lunch 

by Kmac Grill. The overall 

winners of the challenge 

were given android 

tablets to further get 

the children interested in 

STEM. 

The role of children in 

every society is very essential 

and we must ensure 

that from a young 

age, they are provided 

with the tools they needed 

to succeed in an ever 

changing world. 

“Enyo is committed to 

providing innovative 

STEM education in Nigeria, 

and increasing 

awareness of science and 

tech career opportunities 

which abound for youth 

in the country. We are 

proud because we are 

building a technologydriven 

fuel retailing company 

and we need innovators 

who can disrupt 

the market. 

Through this partnership, 

we have shown we 

are more than a provider 

of fuel products, but also 

a company that brings 

value to all stakeholders 

by investing in the community.” 

‘Disruptive innovation key to future of PR practice’ 


equips us with the many 

benefits of ownership. 

He said: "Uber doesn't 

own any vehicle; Airbnb 

doesn't own any real estate. 

Facebook, as the world's 

most popular social platform, 

almost creates no 

content. Alibaba, as the 

world's most valuable retailer, 

has no inventory." 

Modupe also described 

disruptive innovation like a 

virus which does not happen 

suddenly, but surely will 

change the ways things are 

done 

He said: "An example is 

how the internet as a disruptive 

innovation has 

caused the remodeling of 

the book selling industry. 

All the big book selling 

chains market share have 

been swallowed by Amazon 

because without having to 

own brick and mortar 

stores, it can display its inventory," 

he said. 

He also pointed out other 

dimensions of disruptive 

innovation to include a process 

by which a product, service 

or culture takes root 

slowly and is sometimes ignored 

but relentlessly climb 

up to displace tradition. 

According to him, the future 

of Public Relations practice 

will be anchored on 

three C's of culture, concept 

and content, while emphasizing 

that the world is now 

divided into two - the physical 

and the digital. 

Western Digital offers 

reliable storage solutions 


Aglobal data infrastructure 

firm, 

Western Digital Corporation, 

has reinforced its 

commitment to the Nigerian 

market with the introduction 

of a range of 

data storage solutions. 

The company said its 

new products are poised 

to expand existing products’ 

portfolio in Nigeria 

and allow local consumers 

access to a wide range 

of products. 

Some of the new products 

include the SanDisk 

Extreme microSDXC 

UHS-I card, SanDisk Ultra 

Loop and the SanDisk 

Ultra Trek USB 3.0 

which are all said to enhance 

overall drive capacity 

and performance 

for customers across Nigeria. 

The company also said 

each product was specifically 

tailored to address 

capacity needs and provide 

convenient on-thego, 

reliable storage solutions 

for customers. 

The company also said 

its product line includes 

the SanDisk mobile storage 

solutions portfolio, 

with storage devices such 

as the iXpand flash drive, 

SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive 

m3.0, microSD and SD 

cards SanDisk Extreme 

and SanDisk Extreme 

PRO. The portfolio also 

encompasses a variety of 

By Dayo Adesulu 

Help desk solution 

provider, ManageEngine, 

has launched a 

ServiceDesk Plus solution 

which aims at enhancing 

productivity. 

The ServiceDesk Plus is 

built on Information Technology 

Infrastructure version 

4.0 framework and 

Information Security 

Management System, 

and is designed to deliver 

top of the range automated 

helpdesk services 

to organisations. 

Spokesperson for ManageEngine 

Suite, Karthik 

Ananda Rao said: “ServiceDesk 

Plus integrates 

with other ManageEngine 

solutions such 

as Desktop Central, Asset 

Explorer, AD360, Self 

Service amongst others. 

“Over 150 built in reports 

and analytics help 

organisations make informed 

decisions. The 

advanced integrations in 

SanDisk external SSD 

and WD internal SSDs, 

including the new addition 

to WD Blue solid 

state drive (SSD) portfolio, 

the WD Blue SN500 

NVMe SSD. With such a 

diverse portfolio, Western 

Digital strives to deliver 

a complete experience to 

its Nigerian customers 

through efficient aftersales 

services. 

The company’s Vice- 

President of Sales for 

EMEA, Mr. Nigel Edwards 

said: “Western Digital 

creates environments 

for data to thrive; we help 

our customers capture, 

preserve, access and 

transform data. As a country 

with a significant percentage 

of digital savvy 

individuals, Nigeria is an 

important country for us. 

We aim to create value 

to consumers and stakeholders 

by providing innovative 

storage solutions. 

The introduction of 

an extended product 

portfolio is a step in the 

right direction – as we 

continue to provide improved 

performance and 

efficiency for our customers. 

“We are offering new 

innovation to store and 

preserve data for today 

and beyond. With recent 

advancements in 3D 

NAND our journey of innovation 

continues to inspire 

those who dare to 

think big about the possibilities 

of data.” 

ManageEngine develops 

ServiceDesk Plus to boost 

helpdesk operations 

ManageEngine solutions 

allow for quick access to 

the service desk’s key performance 

indicators without 

writing complex database 

queries all from 

one console. 

“The new Artificial Intelligence 

feature of the 

cloud version of Service- 

Desk Plus is Zia, a customised 

virtual support 

agent which can be the 

first point of contact for 

the service desk. Zia 

helps perform simple service 

desk activities and 

fetch information, so customers 

do not have to rely 

on a technician. ‘’It allows 

the user access to the 

needed information to 

solve their own IT issues 

where needed. Thus, 

with access to a conversational 

virtual support 

agent, technicians in the 

field can now perform 

service desk tasks with 

simple hands-free voice 

commands.”

Vanguard, Wednesday, JUNE 5, 2019—27 

Communications ministry to spend N2.7bn 

on research in 2019 

*N50m on refreshment, miscellaneous 

..as NIPOST gets zero capital allocation 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

Things may be looking up 

for the Ministry of 

Communications in 2019 as 

the recently approved 

Appropriation Act makes sure 

every activity of the ministry 

receives handsome allocation. 

These include research and 

development, R&D which will 

gulp N2.7billion, Computer 

software acquisition which 

gets a handsome allocation of 

N35.99million out of the N5 

billion allocated to the 

ministry as capital expenditure 

in the 2019 budget. 

Interestingly, the ministry is 

also to spend N50,483,854 

million on miscellaneous, 

refreshment and meals. This 

one is out of the N1 billion 

allocated for the ministry’s 

recurrent expenditure for the 

year. 

These allocations were 

drawn from the N17.6billion 

budget approved for the 

ministry and two of its 

agencies, NIGCOMSAT and 

NIPOST, which has N5billion 

capital and N12.6billion for 

recurrent expenditure. 

According to the budget, the 

ministry will be spending 

N41.5m on miscellaneous and 

N8.9m on refreshment and 

meals. 

This is even as the sum of 

N47.5 million was also 

earmarked for travel, while 

N734.4 is to be spent on salary 

of workers. 

Similarly, the ministry is to 

spend the sum of N5.3million 

and N4.8million on sports 

activities. Monitoring and 

Lagos boosts Nigeria’s tech ecosystem with 

Eko Innovation centre 

By Prince Osuagwu 

Lagos State is set to take advantage 

of technology to drive 

a smart and fast-growing economy. 

To activate this desire, the state has 

connected to several technologydriven 

innovative solutions that 

could lead to creation of new jobs. 

The project includes the 

establishment of a new Eko 

Innovation centre, meant for 

incubating different start-ups from 

different sectors in the state. 

Although the centre is a private 

investment, which will run 

independent of any government 

funding, Governor of Lagos State, 

Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said: 

“Technology is the way to go, it is 

the way of the future and it is the 

way forward for the entire universe. 

We believe that from this centre, 

innovations around environment, 

education, transportation and health 

would be developed. 

“People from here would come and 

give us innovative ideas to solve our 

transport problem; ideas developed 

locally but can solve problems 

globally,” he added. 

Founder and developer of the new 

centre, Victor Afolabi, said the idea 

of a technology-driven Lagos 

economy is the key motivation for 

establishing it, adding that with this 

initiative, Lagos will not only become 

the model to be copied by other states 

•NIPOST.... Got zero capital vote 

evaluation of projects will gulp the 

sum of N38.7million and N66.5 

million for implementation of waste 

management data system in the FCT, 

while N65.3 million is earmarked for 

the ongoing construction of e- 

Government centres/kiosks. 

NIPOST 

However, the Nigerian Postal 

Service, NIPOST, was not as lucky. 

In its traditional style, NIPOST got 

zero allocation for capital 

expenditure for the year but will 

spend N8.9 billion on salary and 

other recurrent expenditure out of 

the same amount allocated to the 

agency as total allocation for the year. 

NIGCOMSAT 

The Nigeria Communications 

Satellite, NIGCOMSAT is to spend 

a total of N4.9billion as 2019 

allocation. Out of this, N.4billion will 

be capital expenditure while 

in governance but also in tech 

economy. 

He said: “Tech centres are a vital 

part of the entire start-up ecosystems 

because they provide platforms and 

opportunities for collaborations and 

building support structures that are 

important to the growth of any 

economy. 

“Lagos over the last few years has 

been one of Africa’s cities with a 

robust tech ecosystem; it is currently 

the city with the highest number of 

technology hubs on the continent. 

In keeping with this fast-growing 

paradigm of technology 

development, the new Eko 

Innovation centre was birthed. 

“Our aim is to discover, incubate 

Tech centres are a 

vital part of the entire 

start-up ecosystems 

because they provide 

platforms and 

opportunities for 

collaborations and 

building support 

structures that are 

important to the 

growth of any 

economy 

N2.7billion will go for recurrent 

expenditure. 

Out of the N2.7billion for recurrent, 

N2.4billion will be spent on salary. 

Part of the projects marked for 

execution in the year include: 

Insurance of NIGCOMSAT 1R and 

Upgrade which will gulp 

N195.5million; turn around 

maintenance of NIGCOMSAT 1R 

Ground station and upgrade 

N110.4million and Wifi 

implementation in Lagos which will 

cost N150 million also this year. 

From the approved budget, it was 

indicated that the agency will be 

spending N154.1million on 

NIGCOMSAT/Public Access Satellite 

TV Channel and N115.3million for 

NIG-KANET Network Expansion 

upgrade and frequency coordination. 

The sum of N169.8million will be 

spent on Frequency Coordination 

while improvement of security 

solutions for teleport will cost 

N100.7million. 

and curate new start-ups that will 

create new technologically driven 

solutions and add better value to an 

already growing tech ecosystem on 

the continent. 

Afolabi said the primary objective 

of the centre is to transform Nigeria’s 

tech and innovation landscape and 

by extension, Africa. 

He said he is motivated by the need 

to create an enabling environment 

for young people to develop 

innovative solutions and create 

employment while leveraging on 

technology. For him, Lagos provides 

the perfect setting to launch the idea. 

“We saw in the Lagos manifesto an 

agenda to make the State a 21st 

Century economy. The only way to 

create a 21st Century economy is to 

make sure you are creating 

businesses and solutions to problems 

that are driven by innovation and 

technology.” 

Afolabi said that most of the 

existing hubs primarily provide 

workspaces and basic facilities 

including power and internet 

services, with a few more providing 

support platforms for the growth of 

the start-ups operating within but Eko 

Innovation centre provides shared 

services including legal, finance, 

tech, marketing, and PR services 

among others. This means that startups 

admitted in the centre can have 

the time to focus on their businesses 

while the centre takes over most of 

the bureaucratic processes of 

commercialisation. 

Sophos reveals how 

cybercriminals discover 

soft targets 

….improves Intercept X to help 

businesses 

By Prince Osuagwu 

The technology laboratory of Frontline network 

and endpoint security provider, Sophos, has 

discovered how easy cybercriminals can leverage 

web robots, simply known as bots to know soft 

targets and launch a devastating attack on them. 

Report recently released by the lab explains 

that cybercriminals can deliver a wide range of 

malicious code to servers that, as a class, tend to 

lag behind normal update cycles. 

Meanwhile, the company has also improved 

on its detective solution, Intercept X for Server 

by adding endpoint detection and response, 

EDR. 

By adding EDR to Intercept X for Server, 

Sophos says IT managers can investigate cyber 

attacks against servers, to protect high value data 

stored in systems. 

Chief product officer, Sophos, Dan Schiappa 

said cybercriminals frequently evolve their 

methods and are now blending automation and 

human hacking skills to successfully carry out 

attacks on servers. 

This new type of blended attack combines the 

use of bots to identify potential victims with active 

adversaries making decisions about who and how 

to attack. 

However, the latest innovation allows IT 

managers at businesses of all sizes, visibility 

across an entire estate. This allows them to 

proactively detect stealthy attacks, better 

understand the impact of a security incident and 

quickly visualise the full attack history. 

Schiappa said: “When adversaries break into 

a network, they head straight for the server. 

Unfortunately, the mission critical nature of 

servers restrains many organisations from 

making changes, often significantly delaying 

patch deployment. 

“Cybercriminals are counting on this window 

of opportunity. If organisations do fall victim to 

an attack, they need to know the full context of 

what devices and servers were hit in order to 

improve security as well as answer questions 

based on stricter regulatory laws. Knowing this 

information accurately the first time can help 

businesses resolve issues much faster and 

prevent them from a repeat data breach.” 

He argued that if regulators rely on digital 

forensics as evidence of lost data, then businesses 

can rely on the same forensics to demonstrate 

their data has not been stolen, adding that Sophos' 

Intercept X for Server with EDR provides this 

required insight and security intelligence. 

Describing how blended cyber attacks happen, 

Schiappa said: “Once the bots identify potential 

targets, cybercriminals use their savvy to select 

victims based on an organisation’s scope of 

sensitive data or intellectual property, ability to 

pay a large ransom, or access to other servers 

and networks. 

“The final steps are cerebral and manual: break 

in, evade detection and move laterally to complete 

the mission. This could be to quietly sneak 

around to steal intelligence and exit unnoticed, 

disable backups and encrypt servers to demand 

high-roller ransoms, or use servers as launch 

pads to attack other companies. 

“Blended cyberattacks, once a page in the 

playbook of nation state attackers, are now 

becoming regular practice for everyday 

cybercriminals because they are profitable. The 

difference is that nation state attackers tend to 

persist inside networks for long lengths of time 

whereas common cybercriminals are after quickhit 

money-making opportunities. 

“Most malware is now automated, so it’s easy 

for attackers to 

f i n d 

organizations 

with weak 

security 

postures, 

evaluate their 

p a y d a y 

potential, and 

use hand-tokeyboard 

hacking 

techniques to 

do as much 

damage as 

possible.”


VOL. 2 NO. 50 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

Sit-at-home: IPOB, Catholic Church trade 

words over attack on Rev Father 

•Rev Fr. Eziamaka’s car after the attack by suspected IPOB members 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—IN the past, the 

confrontation usually 

witnessed during the annual 

May 30 remembrance day 

organised by the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, for 

those who died during the 

Nigerian civil war and in 

various prisons in parts of the 

country, was between the 

organisation and security 

operatives. In fact, scores of 

people who lost their lives 

during attempt by IPOB 

members to enforce the sitat-home 

order, particularly 

in cities considered to be the 

stronghold of the Biafra 

agitators, were as a result of 

clash between the security 

operatives and IPOB. 

However, realising the 

enormous risks involved in 

enforcing the sit-at-home 

order, IPOB decided to toe 

the path of propaganda and 

threats, even as its members 

do not carry arms. Out of 

fear, many people stay at 

home in the morning of every 

May 30, and go out for their 

business activities after midday. 

Last week’s anniversary 

was, however, different 

because it coincided with the 

Feast of Ascension observed 

as a holy day of obligation by 

the Catholic Church and 

services were held like it is 

done on Sundays. It was 

therefore not surprising that 

most Catholics trooped out 

on May 30, 2019 early to 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—WORRIED by the 

increasing level of cultism 

among youths, particularly in the 

secondary schools in parts of 

Anambra State, the leadership of 

Awka Development Union 

Nigeria, AUDN, has decided to 

tackle the problem headlong by 

assembling secondary school 

pupils in and around the Anambra 

State capital for lectures on the 

vices of cultism. 

Cultism among secondary 

school students had become such 

that the students operate in groups 

and attack opponents at the 

slightest provocation. Many lives 

had been lost in recent times and 

the anti-cult unit of the Nigeria 

Police Force had had to arrest 

many of them and charge them to 

court. It was, therefore, not 

surprising that the leadership of 

Awka Kingdom stepped in to find 

a solution to the problem. 

That was why, for several hours 

last week, AUDN brought together 

university teachers, ministry of 

education officials and other 

stakeholders to drum it into the 

ears of the students the evils of 

attend Mass scheduled for 

6.00am. It was in the course 

of attending the morning 

service that suspected 

members of IPOB confronted 

cultism. Apart from cultism, the 

lecturers also dwelt on drug 

abuse, teenage pregnancy, 

abortion, armed-banditry, 

examination malpractice, 

truancy, improper dressing, 

prostitution, among others. 

the Vicar of St. Jude’s Parish, 

Nnewi, Reverend Father 

Festus Eziamaka on his way 

to celebrate Mass in his 

parish. 

According to the lecturers, the 

negative vices were the reasons for 

the rise in criminal activities 

among youths in the country. 

In the words of AUDN 

President-General, Chief Amobi 

Nwokafor, a committee has been 

During the attack, Fr. 

Eziamaka was beaten 

mercilessly and his car was 

badly damaged with stones 

and other weapons. Angered 

by the development, 

parishioners of St. Jude’s 

Church challenged the 

attackers, resulting in freefor-all. 

The secretary of the 

Catholic Bishop of Nnewi 

Diocese, Rev. Fr. Celestine 

Okonkwo, in a statement 

said: “Our priest, Fr. Festus 

Eziamaka, parish vicar of St. 

Jude’s Parish, Nnewi, 

presently residing at the 

Bishop House, from where 

he shuttles every day to his 

duties for his parish, was 

attacked before 6am today 

(May 30) on his way to say 

the first Mass of Ascension 

for his parish. 

“He was attacked and shot 

by IPOB members who had 

declared no-movement for 

the day. They shot very close 

to his eyes and beat him up. 

His vehicle was badly 

damaged. Thank God he was 

rushed to the Teaching 

Hospital and the doctors 

immediately took him to the 

theatre.” 

But IPOB, through it media 

and publicity secretary, 

Comrade Emma Powerful 

denied the organisation’s 

involvement in the attack. 

He said: “IPOB remains the 

quietest association as there 

had never been any proof of 

its members using any 

firearm or any weapon to 

assault individuals, not to 

talk of Christians.” 

According to him, those who 

attacked the Reverend 

Father could not have been 

members of IPOB. 

Battle against cultism, other vices moves to Anambra 

•Officials of AUDN with students during the seminar against cultism in Awka. 

set up to handle security breaches 

in the area. Part of the programme, 

he said, include the setting up of 

skills acquisition programmes to 

engage the youths in meaningful 

Continues on page 29


Abia NEWMAP rescues 

communities from 

erosion menace 

By Anayo Okoli 

U MUAHIA—RELIEF 

has come the way of 

Abia communities devastated 

by erosion menace. One such 

community is Umuagu Ibeku 

in Umuahia North Council 

Area where erosion has been 

causing havoc, destroying 

homes and property of the 

members of the community. 

However, succour came the 

way of the people of Umuagu 

Ibeku following intervention by 

the Abia State Erosion and 

ENUGU-EZIKE KILLING: Royal father preaches peace, 

banks hope on inquiry panel 

By Chinenyeh Ozor 

The traditional ruler of Aji/ 

Essodo community in 

Igboeze North Local Government 

Area of Enugu State, Igwe Simeon 

Osisi Itodo, has condemned the 

recent killing of a popular 

medicine dealer in the area , 

Chibueze Uramah, by people 

suspected to be members of a 

neighbourhood watch. He 

commended the Governor of the 

state for his quick intervention by 

setting up an administrative panel 

of enquiry over the incident. 

Igwe Itodo who was speaking to 

newsmen in his palace stated that 

vigilante groups should not take 

laws into their hands by torturing 

suspected victims of any crime, 

adding that they can only 

apprehend and hand them over 

to the police for interrogation and 

prosecution. 

According to him, what could 

have culminated into an ugly 

situation was averted by the timely 

visit of the state police boss, 

Balarabe Suleiman to the scene and 

it helped in calming down frayed 

nerves in the community. “I must 

thank the state governor, Hon. 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for setting up 

the nine-man administrative panel 

of inquiry headed by a former 

THE TEAM 

SUPERVISING EDITOR: 

Chioma Gabriel, Lagos 

(08052201257) 

EDITOR: 

Emeka Mamah, Enugu 

email: 

emekemamah@yahoo.com 

Anayo Okoli, Umuahia 

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri 

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, 

Nnewi 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, 

Onitsha 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba 

Denis Agbo, Enugu 

Watershed Management 

Project, Abia NEWMAP which 

has effectively tackled the 

massive erosion gully site 

threatening the community. 

The intervention of the 

agency which collaborates with 

World Bank has saved houses 

from caving into the massive 

gully. 

Before the Abia NEWMAP’s 

intervention, many families 

had lived in fear, especially 

when it rained, as they never 

knew what their fate would 

be. 

Besides the Umuagu Ibeku 

Commissioner of Chieftaincy 

Matters in the state, Bar. Goddy 

Ogbo with Bala Ayogu, as Secretary. 

The Royal father expressed 

surprise over reports of serial 

killings in Aji Community stating 

that such reports are capable of 

creating unnecessary tension 

between Aji and Ogurute 

communities. “The governor’s 

intervention by setting up an 

administrative panel of inquiry that 

had capacity of unveiling the 

circumstances surrounding the 

killing and proffer solutions for 

everlasting peace in the entire 

Igboeze North, not just Aji and 

Ogurute, is timely and the best 

solution to the situation. The 

governor is a man of peace who 

applied the fatherly role to quench 

the situation by setting up the 

panel to look into the killing and 

report back to him.” 

Igwe Osisi Itodo. 

• An erosion-threatened house rescued through NEWMAP intervention. 

project, the agency had in the 

past rescued many houses on 

the verge of caving into 

massive and dangerous 

erosion gully in Umuda 

He said that he has warned 

members of Aji community to be law 

abiding and follow the dictates of 

the state governor and allow the 

panel of inquiry to carry out their 

assignment and called on any 

person or group of persons who have 

anything to say about the 

unfortunate incident to submit it to 

the panel than rushing to the media 

to trigger tension. “The unnecessary 

publication is not the way to find 

lasting solution to community 

issues. Both Aji and Ogurute 

communities should be law abiding 

and follow the instructions of the 

state governor.” 

Igwe Itodo warned both 

communities to stay away from 

recalling past issues pending in 

court of law or still under 

investigation by the police, adding 

that people should go about their 

normal businesses since the 

Ishingwu, the community of the 

Okonjo Iwealas. 

The agency under the 

supervision of Engr. 

Izuchukwu Onwughara, the 

governor has set up the panel of 

inquiry to look into the alleged 

killing in the area. He, however, 

praised the efforts of the state 

governor in community, human and 

resource development, adding that 

the payment of N5 million 

community development funds by 

the state governor was the first of its 

kind since the creation of Enugu 

State in 1992. 

“The three geo-political zones of 

the state have witnessed tremendous 

changes in infrastructure 

development, network of roads both 

in urban and rural areas of the state. 

Workers are paid regularly together 

with pensioners while over 4,000 

teachers were employed. What more 

could the public demand from a 

governor that believes in peace, 

security, transparency, 

accountability, equity and justice? I 

Battle against cultism, other 

vices moves to Anambra schools 

Continues from page28 

ventures. The exercise would also 

help the youths to identify and 

make career choices that would 

enable them become useful 

members of the society. 

Nwaokafor also said the idea 

was to disabuse the minds of 

youths in Awka from activities 

inimical and detrimental to their 

dreams and aspirations. 

To further promote the growth 

of education in the area, Chief 

Nwaokafor announced the 

establishment of youth education 

empowerment scheme by his 

administration. The programme 

is targeted at the children of the 

poor who cannot afford to 

sponsor their wards in school. 

He said: “There are worrisome 

issues in Awka which my 

administration intends to 

address. We have discovered that 

many youths in this town are 

dropping out of school, which is 

why they are getting involved in 

cult activities and drug abuse. 

AUDN has therefore taken a 

decision to correct the anomaly 

from the primary school level to 

State Project Coordinator, is 

also set to tackle some gully 

erosion sites in Isiukwuato, 

where virtually all 

communities are erosion prone. 

must also warn those fanning 

embers of discord to desist from it 

and queue into the state 

government's policy programmes 

for lasting development.” 

The royal father further noted that 

all cases in the recent past in Aji 

community were handed over to the 

police for investigation and 

prosecution, adding that the recent 

situation in the community has been 

taken over by state government and 

called on members of the public to 

express their grievances if any, to the 

panel of inquiry handling the issue. 

“Governor Ugwuanyi has called a 

meeting of stakeholders including 

traditional rulers and chairmen of 

neighbourhood watch groups from 

the communities and sued for peace. 

I must thank him for the timely 

intervention and setting up of the 

panel of inquiry,” he stated. 

the tertiary level. The various 

education programmes 

championed by AUDN will redirect 

the minds of youths to more noble 

causes.” 

According to him, the education 

empowerment programme, which 

took off last year with 50 persons 

benefiting from the scholarship 

scheme, has been increased to 100 

students for 2019 academic 

session, adding that the intention 

was that by the time his tenure 

would end, enough ground would 

have been covered. Details of this 

year’s scholarship award showed 

that two slots went to each of the 

33 villages in Awka, while the rest 

were on merit. Also the 

beneficiaries were handed cheques 

covering their school fees and outof-pocket 

allowances. 

Nwaokafor also hinted of a plan 

to set up a body to be known as 

‘Preservers of Awka Heritage 

Foundation’, which would take 

over the education empowerment 

scheme. He explained that the 

Foundation would be pivotal in the 

developmental plans for Awka 

town as the seat of government of 

Anambra State.

Local Governments in Nigeria’s Federal Democracy 


By Ladipo Adamolekun 

Preamble 

THE ongoing debate on 

local governments in 

the country could end 

in a cul de sac if the crucial 

dimensions of the subject are 

not explicated and addressed. 

The trigger for the current debate 

is the directive of the Nigerian 

Financial Intelligence 

Unit (NFIU) that, effective 

from June 1st, all funds from 

the Federation Account allocated 

to the 774 Local Government 

Areas (LGAs) be credited 

directly into each LGA’s ac- 

Prof.-Adamolekun 

count. According to reports in congruity of maintaining local 

newspapers, NFIU’s intervention 

seeks to put a stop to the tent with a unitary military 

governments that were consis- 

widespread practice of State government for the succeeding 

governments expected to 

governments hi-jacking the 

funds allocated to LGAs from operate within a federal democracy 

where federal and 

the centre through the States 

Joint Local Government Account 

(SJLGA) that they con- 

controlled by different politi- 

state governments could be 

trol. And blatant stealing of cal parties whose views on local 

governments could diverge 

LGA funds in a few cases have 

also been reported. 

in significant respects. 

Given the problem that has This inconsistency was the 

been highlighted, the intervention 

of NFIU appears senfused 

and convoluted attempts 

major explanation for the consible. 

However, as pointed of state governments to reform 

out in some newspaper editorials 

on the subject and in the civilian interlude from 1979 to 

local governments during the 

statement of the Nigeria Governors’ 

Forum (NGF) on May turned to power under Gener- 

1983. When the military re- 

19th, the directive is inconsistent 

with some provisions of months of civilian rule, the 

al Buhari after only forty 

the 1999 Constitution as Committee on the Review of 

amended. Furthermore, some Local Government Administration 

in Nigeria that he con- 

commentators have broadened 

the debate to include issues 

relating to local governmendations 

that sought to imstituted 

in 1984 made recomments 

in Nigeria’s federal democracy 

that have featured in within the framework of the 

prove the functioning of LGs 

discussions on constitutional restored unitary military government. 

(This is a first-hand 

amendments and in national 

political conferences since assertion because I served in 

2000. 

that Committee). 

I am of the considered opinion 

that NFIU’s planned inter- 

years of military rule that fol- 

However, during the fifteen 

vention should be put on hold lowed (that is, up to 1999), the 

and all key stakeholders changes to the 1976 LG reform 

should seize this opportunity undermined both its democratic 

and developmental orienta- 

to achieve a national consensus 

on local governments that tions. For the most part, LGs 

are appropriate in Nigeria’s became instruments of control 

federal democracy. Before proceeding 

to proffer suggestions itary governors/administra- 

in the hands of state-level mil- 

on desirable contents of the tors. Furthermore, successive 

emergent consensus, I will federal military leadership 

provide as background an groups increased the number 

overview of the evolution of of local governments from 301 

LGs from 1976 to 1999 and in 1985 to 774 by 1999, ostensibly 

in response to popular 

developments from 1999 to 

date. 

demands. In reality, there was 

always a not-so-hidden geopolitical 

arithmetic in the cre- 

Background 

The bold and innovative 1976 ation of new local governments. 

The result is a skewed 

Local Government reform was 

one of the rare measures of distribution of the current 774 

good governance during the LGs among states and geopolitical 

zones. 

decades of military misrule. 

Many opinion leaders in the Next, during two decades of 

country (including the writer) uninterrupted civilian rule 

praised the reform when it was (1999-2019), the fundamental 

introduced partly because of contradictions in LGs inspired 

the promise that it would be by successive unitary military 

the first step towards the return 

to democratic civilian rule cades emerged very clearly. 

governments over three de- 

and partly because of its emphasis 

on the promotion of rap- 

who ruled during the first 

However, president Obasanjo 

id socio-economic development 

at the local level. exacerbated the contradictions 

eight years (1999-2007) only 

Obviously, the promise of the because his military culture 

1976 LG reform mentioned made him comfortable with the 

above was the reason for enshrining 

provisions that were was a military ruler from 1976 

inherited features of LGs. (He 

considered essential for maintaining 

its essential features in included the following: (i) he 

to 1979). Available evidence 

the 1979 Constitution. But no sought to enforce primacy for 

attention was paid to the in- 

the central government in the 

C 

M 

Y 

creation of new local governments 

by seizing funds due to 

LGs in Lagos State because the 

state government had created 

37 Local Development Area 

Councils (LCDAs); (ii) he 

championed the Monitoring of 

Revenue Allocation to Local 

Governments Act 2005 that 

vested the authority in the 

Auditor General of the Federation; 

(iii) he expanded the 

role of the federal government 

in primary education from prescribing 

minimum standards 

(as stated in the 1999 Constitution) 

to include federal participation 

in primary education 

through the Universal Basic 

Education (UBE) Act that he 

championed; (iv) under his 

watch, the FG deducted from 

LGs’ funds at source to fund 

the buying of jeeps for the Police; 

and (v) in the twilight of 

his 8-year rule, the Federal 

Government (FG) awarded 

contracts for the building of 

one primary health clinic in 

each of the 774 LGs without 

consultation with either the 

state or local governments. 

Lagos State successfully 

challenged 

Obasanjo’s authoritarianism 

at the Supreme 

Court in 2004: 

the court affirmed the 

primacy of state governments 

in creating 

new local governments 

but added that 

the 1999 Constitution 

requires the law 

passed by a State 

House of Assembly 

(HA) to be passed by 

the National Assembly, 

NASS 

(Mercifully, his successor, 

Umaru Yar’Adua, terminated 

the contracts on the grounds 

that states and local governments 

had not been consulted). 

Lagos State successfully 

challenged Obasanjo’s authoritarianism 

at the Supreme 

Court in 2004: the court affirmed 

the primacy of state 

governments in creating new 

local governments but added 

that the 1999 Constitution requires 

the law passed by a 

State House of Assembly (HA) 

to be passed by the National 

Assembly, NASS. Furthermore, 

some like-minded states 

succeeded in getting the Monitoring 

of Revenue Allocation 

to Local Governments Act abrogated 

by the apex court in 

2006 on the ground that the 

Act amounted to an encroachment 

on state autonomy. Another 

notable intervention of 

the Supreme Court in LG matters 

was its decision in July 

2014 that no state governor 

has the power to remove a 

democratically elected local 

government official. 

In summary, the current situation 

is an extant constitution 

that has enshrined local governments 

which are incongruous 

in a federal democracy (a 

carry-over from 1979 Constitution) 

– made worse by the 

listing of 774 LGAs in the constitution. 

At the level of praxis, 

the Executive at the federal 

level between 1999 and 

2007 increased central government’s 

control on LGs while 

the Executive in some States 

abrogated the democratic essence 

of LGs. In both cases, 

the Supreme Court came to 

the rescue to check the excesses 

of the Executive. But the 

fundamental contradiction in 

the maintenance of LGs consistent 

with a unitary military 

government in a federal democracy 

is yet to be addressed. 

LGs in Nigeria’s 

Federal Democracy: 

Some Suggestions 

It is arguable that President 

Umaru Yar’Adua would have 

championed amendments to 

the provisions on LGs in the 

1999 Constitution to ensure 

consistency with a federal system 

of government if his tenure 

had not been abridged by 

ill-health and eventual death. 

In 2008, he had made the following 

commitment: “I have 

also directed that all laws be 

examined that go against the 

federal system so that they 

will be amended to be in conformity 

with the federal system 

of government” (published 

in various national newspapers 

on May 20th 2008). With 

the recent conversion of President 


(PMB) to “true” federalism – 

interpreted here as a conscious 

abandonment of a unitary 

system that aligned with 

his military culture - he could 

be the champion to adopt and 

ensure full implementation of 

his predecessor’s commitment. 

I would suggest that the desirable 

next step is for PMB to 

constitute a Technical (NOT 

consultative) Committee to 

draw on existing recommendations 

that relate to LGs to 

prepare an Executive Bill that 

would contain what would 

qualify as the national consensus 

on LGs in a federal democracy. 

The Bill should be submitted 

to the National Assembly 

(NASS) before the end of 

the third month of his second 

term, that is, by end August 

2019. And it would be a significant 

achievement if, before 

end December 2019, PMB 

were to sign a NASS Bill that 

spells out the necessary 

amendments relating to LGs 

in the 1999 Constitution with 

inappropriate provisions expunged 

and new desirable 

provisions incorporated. 

I would expect the constitutional 

amendments to be 

adopted to include the following: 

1. Affirmation that the States 

alone constitute the federating 

units of the Nigerian federation 

and that local governments 

are sub-jurisdictions of 

state governments. This was 

the consensus reached at the 

2014 National Political Conference 

and is shared by many 

opinion leaders who have expressed 

views on the subject 

since 1999. 

2. Flowing from (1), Section 

7 of the 1999 Constitution 

would be expunged with the 

exception of (a) the first part 

of 7, (1) The system of local 

government by democratically 

elected local government 

councils is under this Constitution 

guaranteed”. This 

would be consistent with the 

2014 decision of the Supreme 

Court already cited. An appropriate 

sanction for any 

State without a democratically 

elected local government 

should be added. (b) 7, (6) 

on allocation of public revenue 

to local government councils. 

3. Furthermore the list of 

Local Government Areas in 

“First Schedule, Part I, States 

of the Federation” should be 

expunged. 

4. Regarding public revenue 

allocation, the allocation for 

LGs from the Federation Account 

should be to the States 

as sensibly recommended by 

the 2014 National Political 

Conference. However, instead 

of the prevailing practice 

of sharing the percentage 

of the Federation Account due 

to LGs among 774 LGs, the 

amount should be shared 

among the 36 states and the 

Federal Capital Territory (considered 

as a state for this purpose). 

The formula for sharing 

could be based on the following 

criteria: equality, population 

and land area. 

Three Closing 

Observations 

First, accepting that LGs in 

Nigeria’s federal democracy 

would be sub-jurisdictions of 

State governments ought to 

mean that the prevailing nonsensical 

quasi-uniformity 

across LGs with respect to 

pay levels of political appointees 

(notably chairmen) 

would be abandoned: each 

State will henceforth pay according 

to what it considers 

appropriate based on both 

affordability and the performance 

of LGs, especially with 

respect to local revenue mobilisation. 

Normally, some 

LGs in a State should be more 

equal than others. 

Second, the very poor performance 

of LGs in “virtually 

all of Nigeria” as noted by 

one of the 774 LGAs in in 

March 2007 (Vanguard, 

March 30, 2007) is likely to 

be replaced by varying performance 

standards that 

would be broadly aligned 

with the performance of the 

different states. 

Third, and finally, I would 

like to recommend the re-establishment 

of a National Advisory 

Commission on Intergovernmental 

Relations 

(NACIR) whose mandate will 

be to systematically study 

and monitor federal/state, 

state/local, and federal-statelocal 

relations and advise all 

three spheres of government 

on how best to ensure cooperative 

and collaborative relationships 

while minimizing 

conflicts. (A NACIR-like institution 

existed briefly between 

the late 1980s and early 

1990s). 

NIGERIA NOTES (New Series).

Muhammadu Buhari is starting 

out on a scary note 

PERHAPS by the time you are 

reading this, President 

Muhammadu Buhari would have 

made key appointments, 

especially of ministers, into his 

administration. 

As I write this late night of 

Sunday, June 2, 2019, four clear 

days since the president was sworn 

in for his second four-year term, 

he is yet to make any 

announcement in that regard. 

This does not look right. In fact, 

it is scary, for what it tells us is 

that the president has probably 

forgotten everything or has not 

learned a thing from his first four 

years in office. 

Considering the many 

shortcomings of this 

administration, which many 

Nigerians, although very critical 

of the president, accepted was a 

demonstration of inexperience by 

a former soldier who was once a 

military ruler, it is shocking that 

Buhari is taking off on this note. 

Is this man reprising his first four 

years in office? 

Is he taking Nigerians through 

the slippery path that paved our 

way into recession in 2016 even if 

the journey to that disaster began 

under the Goodluck Jonathan 

administration? 

Need I remind Nigerians that 

since the mutual back-slapping 

that characterised the valedictory 

session of the former Federal 

Executive Council, FEC, time 

during which the president 

heaped praises on his ministers 

and they in return congratulated 

him for his sagacity in appointing 

them into office - since that 

session during which Buhari 

instructed his men and women to 

remain in office until the eve of 

his inauguration, the president 

has not returned to the issue of 

appointment again. 

The other time he said anything 

pertaining to it was when he 

responded to a question from 

reporters by declining to mention 

those he would appoint into his 

new administration. 

The impression one had then 

was that he already knew the 

make-up of his government and 

was only waiting for the right 

time, perhaps the dissolution of 

his former cabinet, to announce 

it. The media also fuelled 

discussion along this line with 

their speculations on the likely 

cabinet list. 

Five days since the swearing in 

ceremonies, we appear to be in a 

de javu situation, tracing our way 

back to May 2015 when after his 

“I belong to everybody and I 

belong to nobody” speech the 

president went to sleep without 

any mention of what he would be 

doing next or those he would need 

to achieve it. He named no names 

and made no appointments 

except for the couple of people 

that would directly serve him 

inside Aso Villa. The president did 

not look like somebody who came 

into office knowing he had 

pledged to serve Nigerians and 

not the other way round. 

But we did not realise it then - at 

least not those of us who had 

chosen to give him a benefit of 

the doubt. Unlike the “five per 

cent” who did not vote for him and 

would not at the very point of 

death see anything good in either 

Buhari, his administration or 

anything he is connected to. 

These opponents of the 

president were very quick to point 

out the lack of preparedness that 

his failure to constitute a cabinet 

There is 

nothing 

reassuring about 

this slowness 

and the 

president needs 

to step up to the 

occasion that his 

high office 

demands 

signposted. Others who were 

sympathetic asked for more time 

for him. But that time did not look 

like it would end. 

It took all of five months before 

the president would wake up from 

his slumber. That was 

unprecedented in the annals of the 

country. 

Many of the appointees, after 

all said and done, were wellknown 

faces and names. By 2016, 


just a year into his administration, 

the signs were too glaring to 

ignore that Buhari needed to send 

many of his ministers and other 

appointees back home for nonperformance. 

The president, however, would 

show how loyal he could be even 

as a boss by sticking to his 

appointees to the bitter end. 

Except for the odd one, Kemi 

Adeosun, who had the decency to 

resign after she was caught in the 

firestorm of a forgery scandal. 

As others who found themselves 

in the same situation like Adeosun 

remained in office without Buhari 

pretending not to notice, it is safe 

to conclude that Adeosun would 

have weathered the storm had she 

chosen to remain. 

Buhari would have 

accommodated her. Which is a 

plus for her own sense of integrity 

that she left rather than a thumbsup 

for Buhari who like Donald 

Trump can only hire but (in 

Buhari’s case at least) is 

notoriously slow, if not unable, to 

fire. 

Buhari has been a slow coach 

of a leader, earning for himself 

the moniker: "Baba-go-slow". His 

slow approach to the constitution 

of his cabinet in 2015 would be 

the hallmark of his activities in 

government. It provided the 

template for whatever mediocre 

goal he achieved thereafter. Yet 

things could have been far better 

if he had only been more in 

earnest. 

Buhari lives in a bubble where 

time is perpetually warped. He is 

hardly ever in hurry. For him, time 

is not of any essence and it could 

wait for as long as it would take 

him to wake up and do whatever 

his office demands. 

Yet that slow decision-making 

process has been damagingly 

costly for Nigeria and Nigerians. 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

It is not and cannot be a virtue in 

the desperate times in which we 

live presently. 

President Buhari needs to bestir 

himself and must set about his 

responsibilities without let or 

hindrance. Nigerians cannot 

afford, in his second term, the 

same phlegmatic attitude he 

brought to his job in the last four 

years that have seen him losing 

control and initiative to the power 

mongers that surround him. 

How can he explain his failure 

to appoint his ministers soon after 

he was sworn into office? Are we 

to understand that after four years 

Buhari still does not know enough 

Nigerians outside his kith and kin 

to appoint as ministers? Could 

Jonathan’s uncooperative ways be 

stalling his capacity to appoint his 

own ministers in 2019? 

This, I repeat, does not look 

right at all. It bodes nothing good 

for our country and is a warning 

that this government’s ways are 

of a kind with those of an 

“illiterate goat”. 

It is looking so early in the day 

like an incorrigible conclave of 

deaf Nigerians. That Buhari 

would commence his second term 

on the same tenor of 2015 bleakly 

foreshadows what we could 

expect from him in the next four 

years. This would be despite his 

promise to perform “wonders” 

this time around. 

There is nothing reassuring 

about this slowness and the 

president needs to step up to the 

occasion that his high office 

demands. He cannot continue in 

his second term in the smug, selfrighteous 

manner he has so far 

managed the affairs of this 

country. 

That Nigeria has not keeled 

over is by the grace of God. Buhari 

should not take this for granted. 

When a higher call to duty beckons 

By Jasper Uche 

BLACKMAIL, unfortunately, is one 

variant of the struggle for power. In 

Nkeiruka’s case, no dart was spared. 

Indeed, seemingly inescapable booby traps 

were lined up. 

Nobody gave her a chance, except the 

‘wretched of the earth’ who saw her 

emergence as their lifeline. Her traducers 

basked in euphoria of her anticipated 

eclipse from political limelight. They made 

jest of her, and swore by their ballooned 

ego - that she was a goner. Jaundiced 

political permutations confined her to an 

underdog, but they were dead wrong. 

God made nonsense of the wiles of mortal 

men and principalities, and rewarded her 

with an unassailable victory to consolidate 

her good representation of Isuikwuato/ 

Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the 

House of Representatives; to the chagrin 

of anti-democratic spin doctors. 

Though the ruling APC was not strongly 

rooted in her state, and in the entire South 

East, but her movement from PDP to APC 

brightened the fortunes of the party in the 

last election, and is turning to a launching 

pad for Ndigbo in the incoming ninth 

Assembly. 

At the present eigthAssembly, which 

would come to an end by early June 2019, 

not a few believed that she is eminently 

fitted, by ranking and cognate experience, 

to occupy the highest position slated for 

the South East (deputy minority leader), 

but she was denied the position. 

As a corollary, the South East zone lost a 

strong voice in the present leadership of 

House of Representatives. Be that as it may, 

the destiny of a daughter of Zion cannot be 

truncated. The offspring of a lioness (a cub) 

can never take grass for supper. So, she 

remained upbeat and undeterred. She 

moved on with exceptional gusto. She built 

bridges across party divides and geopolitical 

enclaves. Her re-election was a 

multi-party agenda. Empowerment of 

human capital became a defining stuff in 

her political trajectory. 

Her passion and capacity to take 

hundreds of youths out of the streets 

projected her as one with a Midas touch, 

in a nation where nearly 100 million people 

are living in extreme poverty, and where 

‘youth bulge’ is fast becoming an 

existential threat to democratic 

consolidation. Besides, thousands of 

women who take refuge in her works of 

charity, like the biblical Dorcas, turned to 

her prayer warriors. 

Progressively, her personification of the 

struggle for gender mainstreaming in a 

male-dominated environment has become 

a dosage for strategic fence mending and 

moderation of ethnocentric fault-line in the 

country. Hence, her support base is 

burgeoning beyond the traditional 

catchment areas. 

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha’s quest to operate 

from the driver’s seat in the ninth Assembly 

is turning into a silver lining for Ndigbo. 

She is filing out to demand, and interrogate 

the contrived exclusion of Ndigbo in the 

national political economy. The APC 

apparatchiks think that Ndigbo do not 

deserve a stake in official allotment of key 

national offices in the three arms of 

government. 

They are re-inventing the post-2015 97% 

vs 5% wheel, forgetting that the country, 

more than ever before, is in a great need of 

national solidarity and cohesion. Even the 

colonial masters did not lose sight of the 

tripod make-up of the country in all 

strategic calculations and horse-trading 

towards their disengagement. But our 

today’s victors want to gloss over the 

incendiary injustice against Ndigbo. 

Yes, Ndigbo largely voted for PDP, but 

what of those in APC that checkmated a 

massive harvest of votes against APC in 

the South East, which could have 

countered the gains from the far North? Is 

it just a fluke that APC did better in the 

2019 elections in the South East? 

Experienced politicians are aware that 

electoral victory is a factor of either 

amassing as many votes as possible or 

frustrating the opponents in their areas of 

strength and popularity. 

For me, it is an act of political 

shortsightedness, lack of sensitivity to 

national mood or outright impunity to 

deny Ndigbo the headship of any arm of 

government on account of poor electoral 

Nkeiruka’s 

political 

brinkmanship 

represents a brand 

for confronting the 

status quo 

output for the ruling APC from the zone. 

To think that APC can move on without 

accommodating the South East will 

engender ‘peace of the graveyard’, and 

strengthen alliances among the ever 

widening marginalized groups across the 

country. The expediency of sidestepping 

the South East in power balancing carries 

the seed of its own destruction. 

As exemplified in Zamfara’s political 

tsunami, erecting an aesthetic structure on 

a quicksand leads to an inevitable great 

fall. In many respects, Nkeiruka’s 

aspiration is a justified struggle 

(Oguejiofo). Her candidature is an Igbo 

project. Her ambition transcends party 

cleavages. Like an episodic amazon, she is 

suffused with the conviction that it is better 

to join the trenches, and engage those 

intending to reduce Ndigbo to second class 

citizens. 

Nkeiruka’s political brinkmanship 

represents a brand for confronting the 

status quo. She raises her voice for the 

oppressed. God raised her from a humbling 

background to intervene for those who 

suffer all forms of injustice. 

She is not among the class of those who 

would rather rule in hell than serve in 

paradise. She is campaigning for a pan- 

Nigerian mandate to enable her bring a 

feminine touch to the hydra-headed 

governance deficit in the country. She has 

the guts and masculine agility to fend off 

the pomp of power. 

She speaks her mind. She has a good 

education and comportment. She is 

seasoned, cosmopolitan in thinking, and 

parades the quality of a bridge between 

the old and young. 

Our country’s two decades of democratic 

experiment can be spiced up with a female 

speaker from Igbo extraction. That would 

be one of the greatest legacies of APC-led 

Federal Government. The nation cannot 

afford to be at odds with itself. The present 

crop of federal parliamentarians have a 

historic duty to give women a pride of place 

in public affairs. 

They need to keep the centrifugal forces 

at bay by ensuring political inclusiveness. 

Nkeiruka is an illustrious daughter of the 

South East. She will not let our country 

down. She is a pride to womanhood. The 

youths draw inspiration from her 

footprints. Let us give her a chance. That is 

the way to go. 

•Dr. Uche, a political analyst, wrote from 

Enugu 

C 

M 

Y 

K


His dad slapped my bum! 

How can I get pregnant with his 

poor performance? 

Dear Bunmi, 

I turned 40 a few weeks ago 

and would very much like to 

have a child before it’s too 

late. I got married to my 

husband less than three 

years ago, and initially, sex 

with him was great but in the 

last one year, he has not been 

performing properly. 

He gets an erection, but will 

lose it before we have sex or 

will come so quickly he 

doesn’t have time to get 

inside. 

I’ve tried to get him to seek 

medical help, but he says he's 

too embarrassed. I’m worried 

that unless he seeks help, I'll 

never get pregnant and my 

dream of being a mother 

would be lost. What can I do 

to help? 

Anita, by e-mail. 

Dear Anita, 

It can be very difficult to 

admit that you’re having 

problems with sex though it’s 

obvious all is not well in your 

bedroom! Erectile problem 

can be due to physical or 

psychological stresses, and 

often a mix of both. 

Assure your husband that 

his doctor will be able to 

examine him and reassure 

him physically, but you need 

professional help yourself in 

order to tackle the emotional 

problems that affect his 

performance. 

At 40, it is obvious why 

you’re desperate to have a 

baby. A woman’s natural 

fertility begins to decrease 

after 35 years and the success 

rates of fertility treatment fall 

as you grow older too. 

Do you think you might be 

putting so much pressure on 

your husband that he’s 

finding it difficult to perform? 

Imagine the stress of 

knowing your body can’t 

deliver what you both want 

so direly. The first step is to 

realise that as a couple, you 

need help. 

See your doctor as soon as 

you can, as tablets like Viagra, 

Cialis and Levitra, can 

improve his erection and help 

him last longer during sex too. 

Then seek help to explore 

how you can move forward 

together. In the meantime, 

you need to relax and hope 

for the best. 

Friends believe I deserve 

better 

Dear Bunmi, 

WHEN I met my current 

girlfriend, I already had a 

relationship going. But this 

other girl just left and went 

with one of my friends, 

leaving me with this new one 

who isn’t a match on my ex, 

as beauty goes. 

But she is kind, a good cook 

and the sex with her is better 

than with my ex. She washes 

my clothes and even my car! 

The problem with her is her 

plain looks. My ex always has 

a sneer on her face whenever 

we run into her and my 

friends say I could do better. 

This girl has grown on me. 

She has a good job and comes 

from a good background. 

Should I just ignore what 

others think of her and settle 

down with her? 

Chima, by e-mail. 

Dear Chima, 

You should really listen to 

your argument against your 

settling with this girl and see 

how vain you are. With all 

these attributes, you should 

be rushing her to the altar. 

What happened to the 

beauty you once dated — she 

ran off with your friend at the 

slightest opportunity! Beauty 

is in the eyes of the beholder, 

and at the end of the day, 

you’ll be the one living with 

your future wife, not your 

friends. 

You’re currently impressed 

by her attributes and in case 

you want to know, there is 

nothing like ugly. Even in the 

beast, says the adage, there 

is some beauty. 

How could a single mum turn down 

marriage? 

Dear Bunmi, 

THERE is this single 

mother of two around where 

I live and we get on well 

together. Her children are 

under 10. When I 

eventually summoned the 

courage to ask her out, she 

turned me down. When I 

asked if she fancied me, she 

said she did but that things 

are not as easy as they 

seemed. What should I do? 

John, by e-mail. 

Dear John, 

At 40, it is obvious why you’re 

desperate to have a baby; a 

woman’s natural fertility 

begins to decrease after 35 

years and the success rates of 

fertility treatment fall as you 

grow older too. Do you think 

you might be putting so much 

pressure on your husband 

that he’s finding it difficult to 

perform? 

Getting mixed messages 

from someone you like could 

be really tricky but, 

however much you want 

someone, if there is no real 

spark, forget it; though the 

fact you get on well with 

her means there is some 

hope. 

So explore the problem: 

what’s making the 

relationship “not easy” as 

she alleged? Would she be 

able to take things further if 

certain things were 

resolved? Ask what her 

difficulties are, then be 

prepared to change. 

If there are some things you 

can do to improve your 

chances, then ask her what 

she needs from you: is it to 

see that you will get on well 

with her children? Give her 

some space too. Occasionally, 

someone says no because the 

timing isn’t right but they will 

be glad to be asked later. 

Put the ball in her court, 

saying “if you ever feel 

differently, please tell me.” 

This gives her room to change 

her mind. If you have worked 

your way through all these 

and you are still getting a ‘no’, 

then it is time to call it a day. 

Dear Bunmi, 

I KNOW I get on well with 

my boyfriend’s family. We’ve 

been an item for a few years 

now, but at a recent party, his 

dad tried to kiss me after 

giving me a playful smack on 

the bum. 

We’d all had too much to 

drink but I told my boyfriend 

about it right away. In the 

morning, I didn’t make an 

issue of it as it looked as if 

both father and son had 

forgotten about the incident. 

Thinking it was a one-off, 

I put it all behind me but 

sometime later, he made 

another pass at me. This 

time, we were both sober and 

I was indignant. He 

apologised and promised it 

would never happen again. 

I was stunned by his 

behaviour to say the least. I 

know I should have 

mentioned it to my boyfriend 

but I was too shocked to think 

straight. How should I 

handle this? 

Uju, by e-mail. 

Dear Uju, 

Honesty might be the best 

policy but I don’t believe it 

applies here. Telling your 

boyfriend now would achieve 

nothing. He’s bound to be 

terribly hurt, leading to a 

full-scale warfare within the 

family, father versus son, 

husband versus wife; even 

boyfriend versus girlfriend. 

It must be horrible trying to 

fend off the advances of a 

drunken old leech and even 

though you should alert your 

boyfriend again that his dad 

is not to be trusted, the fact 

he did nothing the first time 

should be a restraint. 

For now, you should keep 

quiet and see if your 

boyfriend’s dad can keep his 

promise. If he can’t, you’ll 

have to say something - 

either to him or your 

boyfriend. 

Then again, if you tell your 

boyfriend, it may come down 

to being your word against 

his dad’s and who will be 

believed. No son likes to 

doubt his father. You need to 

confide in someone you 

know you can trust. 

Getting it off your chest 

might help you put it behind 

you and move on. Don’t 

forget, however, to give this 

old git a final warning. Tell 

him if he does it again, 

you’re going to tell his son 

and wife. 

My parents' lovemaking 

keeps me awake! 

Dear Bunmi, 

I am in my early 20s and live 

at home with my parents. My 

bedroom is next to theirs and 

I am kept awake some nights 

by the horrible sounds they 

make when they are having 

sex. 

I know things like that are 

normal, but I feel so 

embarrassed when I see them 

the next day. Nobody is 

against their having sex at 

their age, but shouldn’t they 

tone it down when there are 

children in the house? 

Nonye, by e-mail. 

Dear Nonye, 

When next this happens 

and you run into your smugly 

It must be 

horrible 

trying to fend 

off the 

advances of a 

drunken old 

leech and 

even though 

you should 

alert your 

boyfriend 

again that his 

dad is not to 

be trusted, 

the fact he 

did nothing 

the first time 

should be a 

restraint 

glowing parents over 

breakfast, face your mom and 

tell her “wow” that must have 

been a really terrible dream I 

had last night. I heard you 

screaming as if you were 

being harassed by armed 

robbers, and I was really 

scared, especially when you 

started panting. I almost 

rushed into your room, but I 

knew dad too must have 

heard the commotion! 

Assume an expression of 

innocent round-eyed horror as 

you say this, and watch as they 

develop exactly the same look. 

Your nights should be a lot 

more peaceful from then on! 

Share your problems and release your 

burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, 

Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, 

Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk


Buhari urged to develop 

ijaw communities 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

WARRI—IJAW ethnic 

nationality has 

called on President 


develop her communities in 

his second term, saying 

they were neglected in his 

first term. 

Flanked by other leaders, 

National Coordinator, Ijaw 

Interest Advocates, IIA, 

Izanzan Intellectual camp, 

Mr Arerebo Salaco said it 

would be unfair for the 


continue to neglect the Ijaw 

areas despite the huge oil 

resource from the area. 

“From the previous 

administration, no project 

was commissioned by 

President Buhari in Ijaw 

land. We are by this 

statement calling on 

‘No agreement on rotating 

governorship position in Bayelsa’ 

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

President Buhari to ensure 

that all coastal communities 

are connected with standard 

roads and electricity. 

“We urge President Buhari 

to appoint an Ijaw man as 

Chairman of board of 

NDDC. We wish to express 

our displeasure over the 

gross marginalisation of the 

Ijaw nation as regards 

federal appointments made 

by President Buhari during 

his first term. As the new 

government begins, we 

urge him to give the Ijaws 

more federal appointments 

than ever before.” 

The group said there was 

no justification for President 

Buhari to refuse to assent 

to the bill establishing the 

Nigerian Maritime 

University in Delta State, 

adding that the excuse of 

lack of funds was untenable. 

Don’t lobby me for appointments, 

Emmanuel warns office seekers 

By Harris-Okon 

Emmanuel & 

Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—AKWA Ibom 

State governor, Mr 

Udom Emmanuel has 

restated his resolve to 

promote excellence and 

merit in appointments, 

warning stakeholders and 

political leaders to refrain 

from putting pressure on 

him over political 

appointments. 

Speaking during the 

swearing in of new Head 

of Civil Service and 

Permanent Secretaries at 

the Banquet Hall of the 

Government House, 

Governor Emmanuel said 

he may retain most 

members of the immediate 

past Executive Council 

because of the numerous 

projects he needs to 

complete under their 

supervision. 

He said, “Don’t come to 

tell me that this person 

didn’t work during the 

election and should be 

dropped, because 

everybody worked and 

they all supported me. 

“If you attempt to 

blackmail anybody, that will 

even spur me to reappoint 

the person. Like I always 

said, nobody should send 

me text to lobby for any 

candidate because that is 

the surest route to the 

disqualification of such a 

person. 

“Once I receive a name 

of any director from a 

stakeholder, it means the 

person is not qualified and 

lacks self confidence.” 

He expressed his desire 

to spread the appointments 

across the local 

government areas of the 

state, but decried the 

absence of qualified 

personnel in some 

councils, an issue he said 

should be of serious 

concern to stakeholders in 

such areas. 

Congratulating the new 

appointees, the governor 

expressed optimism in their 

ability to deliver and further 

urged them to exhibit high 

level of professionalism and 

tolerance in the discharge 

of their responsibilities. 

He urged the new Head 

of Civil Service, Elder 

Effiong Essien to maintain 

a good relationship with the 

labour unions and 

government for a robust 

industrial harmony in the 

state. 

Governor Emmanuel said 

Mr Effiong Ekpenyong, Mr 

Inyang Jameson and Mr 

Imoh Inyang, the new 

Permanent Secretaries were 

selected on merit from 

among the various directors 

and deputy directors who he 

personally interviewed. 

He charged the newly 

sworn in Permanent 

Secretaries to abide by the 

oaths they took and 

ensure that their 

personal interest did not 

override the discharge of 

their official duties. 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y chieftain ENAGOA—A 

of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC in Bayelsa State and 

former member of the House 

of Representatives, Warman 

Ogoriba, has said that he 

has never participated in 

any meeting where zoning 

of the governorship position 

was agreed upon in the 

state. 

Ogoriba, who stated this 

in an interview in Yenagoa, 

challenged anyone with the 

records of such an 

agreement to make same 

public. 

Ogoriba who is the 

Director General of Senator 

Heineken Lokpbobiri 

Campaign Organisation, 

LCO, described as 

misplaced those criticising 

the aspiration of Lokpobiri, 

because he hails from 

Ekeremor in the same 

Bayelsa West senatorial 

How $18bn Nigerian crude was 

smuggled into US — REP 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

l a w m a k e r 

representing Ikpoba-Okha/ 

Egor, Edo State in the 

House of Representatives, 

Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma 

yesterday, said Nigeria lost 

over $81b worth of crude oil 

illegally taken out of the 

country, further alleging that 

millions of the nation's crude 

oil were diverted to 41 

countries without 

documentation. 

Agbonayinma stated this 

when he inaugurated a skill 

acquisition centre and an 

St Ambroses College Old 

Students Association meets 

THE Ughelli branch of 

St. Ambroses Old 

Students Association will 

host its national general 

meeting on Saturday, June 

8,2019. Venue is Eucharistic 

district with the incumbent 

Governor Seriake Dickson. 

He argued that there was 

no time Bayelsa 

stakeholders sat down to 

adopt a particular rotational 

method for the office of 

governor. 

Ogoriba said, “Many 

people talk about zoning 

and I laugh most times 

because I have been around 

the political scene for a 

while, precisely from 1989, 

1999 till today and I can tell 

you with all seriousness that 

there was no day Bayelsa 

politicians sat somewhere 

and agreed that we were 

going to zone. 

“Late Chief Diepreye 

Alamieyeiseigha won in 

1999 on the platform of the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP. So, the governorship 

started from the Central. 

Alamieyeiseigha left and Dr. 

Goodluck Jonathan came in 

from East and he handed 

over to another man from 

the East, Timipre Sylvia.'' 

Information and 

Communication 

Technology centre for the 

people of Egor Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State. 

He said, “I sponsored the 

Money Laundering bill, 

the NNPC motion on crude 

oil that left the shores of the 

country. Nigeria’s 

undeclared crude oil was 

taken to 41 countries. $18bn 

worth of crude oil was taken 

to the United States. I went 

to the US Customs and 

they 

provided 

comprehensive details of 

what came to their country 

through the back door.'' 

Heart of Jesus Schools 

annex on Ataverhe Street, 

Ekuigbo. (last street before 

St Theresa’s College 

roundabout), Ughelli. 

Time: 11.00am. 

SYNOD: From left; The Lay President Dioecese of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, Sir Olu Gbolahan Olayomi 

KJW, The Archbishop of Lagos, Most Revd Isaac Ayobami Olawuyi and the Guest Preacher at the 2019 Annual 

Synod Sunday Thanksgiving Service, Dioecese of Lagos, Rt. Revd Simeon Oluwole Onaleke, The Bishop, Diocese 

of Kwara at the event, held at The Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos. 

ERA seeks more oil, gas surveillance task force in more 

Bayelsa communities 

increased the revenue of 

By Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA— 

FOLLOWING the 

successes recorded by the 

Oil and Gas Surveillance 

Task Force in checking the 

activities of oil theft and 

pipeline vandalisation in 

some Bayelsa State 

communities, the 

Environmental Rights 

Action, ERA, has called for 

its duplication in more oil 

producing and bearing 

communities. 

Head of ERA Office in 

Bayelsa, Alagoa Morris, 

made the appeal at the 

Ekeremor Environmental 

Summit organised by 

Global Network for Positive 

Change and Development, 

at Ekeremor Local 

Government Area Town 

Hall, with the theme, 

Contending with 

Environmental 

Degradation. 

According to Morris, “We 

want the oil and gas task 

force to extend its activities 

to other local government 

areas by engaging the 

youths on pipeline 

surveillance so that 

whatsoever is coming out 

from the contract sum will 

benefit the people. 

“It will drastically reduce 

oil spill relating to bunkering 

and local refinery and 

incidents of third party oil 

spill in those areas, 

moreover, the presence of 

the task force has also 

Well developed maritime sector’ll boost Delta IGR 

— EKOTORO 

A SABA—ZONAL 

Chairman, Maritime 

Workers Union, Delta State 

chapter, Mr Boro Ekotoro, 

has called on Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State 

to have a well planned and 

organised policy for the 

maritime sector, adding that 

it will geometrically boost 

Delta State internally 

generated revenue. 

He reiterated the need for 

Governor Okowa to pay 

more attention in his second 

term to develop the riverine 

communities and put the 

right policies in place that 

would fast track economic 

growth in the state. 

the state government 

because 

some 

multinationals were almost 

pulling out of the swamp 

areas until the task force 

came into existence. 

“Almost all the local 

refinery points in Southern 

Ijaw Local Government 

Area are down and that is 

a plus for the task force, and 

Ekotoro who spoke to 

Journalists at Asaba during 

the Second term 

inauguration ceremony of 

Governor Okowa, noted 

that the coastal 

communities are in dire 

need of development. 

He opined that the state 

economic drive would 

receive rapid growth if the 

government diversifies its 

economic pursuit to the 

maritime sector which he 

said holds a lot of 

potentials. 

“We want government to 

provide adequate maritime 

security, provide boats both 

fast craft and luxury boats 

for easy movement of 

passengers, goods and 

so it should be extended to 

other local government 

areas so that the people will 

have an alternative means 

of being engaged instead 

of tampering with the oil 

facilities. They will help 

protect the oil facilities and 

help the state government 

have more oil revenue and 

derivation from the 

Federation Account.” 

service, build jetties and 

develop the natural 

beaches into tourist 

destinations to allow 

hospitality business strive.” 

Ekotoro assured that, the 

Union will give Okowa the 

needed cooperation, if the 

state government drives its 

policy towards the maritime 

sector. 

Lamenting that since, 

Chief James Ibori tenure as 

governor, successive 

administration have 

neglected the maritime 

sector, he appealed to 

Okowa to heed the 

yearning of the riverine 

dwellers just like their 

counterparts in road 

transport sector.


Police extra-judicial killing 

sparks protest in Abia 

By Anayo Okoli 

UMUAHIA— A case 

of police extrajudicial 

killing in Abia 

State, prompted youths of 

Umuizu, Okwulaka in 

Afara-Ukwu community of 

Umuahia North, to take to 

the streets in protest, 

yesterday. 

A member of the 

community, 21-year-old 

Chibuike Onuoha was 

reportedly killed by a 

policeman. 

The incident, it was 

learned, took place at 

9p.m. on Monday night 

where the policeman, now 

on the run, also resides. 

According to 

eyewitnesses, trouble 

started when the 

policeman drove into his 

compound and the 

deceased and his peers 

asked him to reduce the 

intensity of the car's 

headlights. 

He refused and one of 

them approached him, 

tapped him on the 

shoulder and appealed to 

him to reduce the intensity 

of the light on them. 

According to them, in a 

fit of anger, the policeman 

brought his gun and shot 

Chibuike on the arm, got 

down from the vehicle and 

shot him in the chest. 

The action infuriated the 

youths of the community, 

who were attracted to the 

Why Gbajabiamila 

speakership ambition’s 

garnering support—NYP 

HON 

Femi 

Gbajabiamila’s 

speakership ambition 

keeps receiving support 

daily across party lines 

and leaders of thought 

because of his leadership 

antecedents as well as his 

testimonials in the 

legislative business, 

Nigeria Youth Parliament, 

NYP, has said. 

A statement by Daniju 

Sultan of NYP noted that 

"over the years, 

Gbajabiamila has been 

known to be cerebral and 

welcoming to old and 

young, irrespective of 

religion; a nationalist with 

the vast experience 

needed to effectively steer 

the affairs of the House of 

Representatives, as 

evident from his days as 

lawmaker to being the 

Minority Leader and then 

Leader of the House." 

Sultan noted that for 

instance, if Gbajabiamila’s 

bill to abolish estimated 

billing had been passed 

and signed into law, it 

would have put an end to 

scene by the sounds of 

gunshots. They burnt the 

police van and 

vandalised the room 

where the run-away 

policeman resided. 

It was also learned that 

the slain Chibuike, with 

the other people in the 

community, attended the 

wedding of the 

policeman last month 

and the new wife is said 

to reside in Owerri, Imo 

State, where she works. 

Yesterday morning, 

the youths took to the 

streets, marched to the 

Government House to 

lay complaint from where 

they marched to the 

Central Police Station, 

where the situation 

turned unruly with 

policemen shooting 

canisters of teargas to 

disperse them. 

President-General of 

the community, Chief 

Emeka Ezebuiro, who 

described the slain boy 

as very quiet and a good 

footballer, condemned 

the action of the 

policeman and called on 

the relevant authorities 

to ensure that he was 

brought to book. 

When contacted, Abia 

State Police 

Commissioner, Ene 

Okon, condemned the 

action, saying he has 

dispatched a man-hunt 

team to fish him out. 

constant physical and 

legal clashes between 

electricity firms’ staff and 

citizens. 

According to Sultan, 

who is from Lagos 

Central senatorial 

district, “the assurance of 

an all-inclusive leadership 

from Gbajabiamila 

was re-affirmed from the 

confidence reposed in 

him by several political 

gladiators ahead of the 

elections. 

“This has also seen 

him endorsed by several 

governors and 

lawmakers across 

political parties, making 

his speakership ambition 

one of national unity. 

“Our legislative arm at 

this point does not need 

another religious leader. 

What we need is an 

experienced, 

nationalistic lawmaker 

per excellence such as 

Gbajabiamila,” calling 

on all well-meaning 

Nigerians to continue to 

support him as nation 

building is a joint task. 

SPAR/RTF CATCH THEM YOUNG: From left— Group Head, Marketing, SPAR, John 

Goldsmith; Folorunsho Suliton; Opeyemi Olagunju; Annabel Ajaegba; Oreoluwa Ayorinde; Hannah Adaja, 

all shortlisted kid actors, and Artistic Director, RealTime Film Festival, RTF, Stanlee Ohikhuare, at the 

auditioning for children actors during the SPAR Children’s Day celebration in partnership with RTF at 

SPAR Ilupeju, Lagos. 

Ihedioha’s blackmailing me 

—Okorocha 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—ROCHAS 

Okorocha, former 

governor of Imo State, has 

accused his successor, 

Emeka Ihedioha, of 

investing heavily in 

blackmailing him. 

In a statement on 

Monday, Sam 

Onwuemeodo, Okorocha’s 

media aide said the 

governor had avoided all 

meetings with the former 

administration, but decided 

to play pranks. 

This is just as Governor 

Ihedioha yesterday, vowed 

to write to security agencies 

about persons in possession 

of government property. 

The governor said this at 

Oguta Local Government 

Area of the state during his 

inaugural speech at a 

retreat for the incoming 


members. 

On Okorocha’s blackmail 

accusation credited to 

Ihedioha on Monday 

where he directed officials 

of the former administration 

to handover within 24 

hours, Onwuemeodo said: 

“We think the new 

governor came to power 

only to vilify Okorocha. 

Since May 29 when he was 

inaugurated, he has never 

said any other thing aside 

talking down on the former 

governor. 

“First, he went to 

demolish the Akachi Tower 

and Imo people cried foul. 

He said Okorocha had 

been arrested by EFCC, 

which was also false. He 

renamed the Imo Trade & 

Investment Centre 

Ahiajioku Centre and he 

must have discovered that 

he has no audience. 

“He has also said the 

brand new Government 

House Okorocha handed 

over to him was an eyesore 

with a photograph of a bad 

toilet they must have taken 

from Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, office in Owerri. 

He has equally denied that 

the former governor left 

N42.5 billion for him. Yet, 

the banks mentioned to that 

effect have never denied 

being in custody of the 

mentioned sums. 

“Today, it is the issue of 

handover. There was a joint 

inauguration committee 

with his Secretary to the 

State Government, Chief 

Chris Okewulonu as cochairman. 

“They were handed over 

both assets and liabilities 

and taken round the key 

projects. They were 

satisfied. And the Principal 

Secretary to the former 

governor was also there. 

He received the governor 

in Government House, took 

him round and also handed 

over to him any other thing 

left to be handed over.” 

Onwuemeodo urged the 

governor to face 

governance and make 

efforts to improve the lives 

of the people like his 

predecessor. 

He added: “Even before 

May 29, when he was 

sworn in as governor, he 

had made up his mind to 

invest heavily on 

blackmail against his 

predecessor. 

“Governor Ihedioha 

should tell his audience 

what he wants from the 

former governor. Let him 

mention those things so 

we can take off from there. 

Let him mention it so that 

his motive can be clearer. 

“Let him also know that 

• ...as Ihedioha vows to write security 

agencies over persons with govt property 

by July, we are going to 

challenge him for a road 

walk with Owelle 

Okorocha on the major 

streets of Owerri. As we 

have continued to allude, 

he has come to unveil the 

heroism of Owelle 

Okorocha. 

“In case he does not 

know, the only thing he 

can do to dwarf Okorocha 

is to work and achieve 

more than him. Where he 

fails to do that, he has lost 

the contest. 

“Aside from that, he 

should find other things 

to do or take the world as 

he sees it. Okorocha is the 

defending champion of 

Imo governorship based 

on his achievements. 

There is nothing anybody 

can do about that.” 

Ihedioha on 

govt property 


governor yesterday, 

vowed to write to the 

security agencies about 

persons with government 

property. He made this 

known during his 

inaugural speech at a 

retreat for the incoming 


members. 

He said: “I will formally 

write to the security 

agencies about the 

persons who think they 

can plunder the state 

resources. 

“I said this and I will do 

it. It is worrisome the kind 

of things we see in our 

dear state. I just need to 

have a hand-over note. 

Hand over note is very 

important because I need 

to also account for the 

resources of whatever 

money I expended to the 

person coming after me. 

“We will criminalise 

anybody who takes the 

property of the state.” 

Ihedioha also warned 

the members-elect that 

his government would not 

tolerate creation of new 

autonomous communities 

by the state House of 

Assembly, just as he 

promised to set up a 

committee that would look 

into the laws of the state 

with a view to review 

some of them to 

encourage development. 

The governor started by 

saying: “We will set up a 

small technical team to 

look into the laws of the 

state, based on the 

submissions of the Chief 

Judge of the state, Paschal 

Nnadi, in this retreat. 

Laws are made for human 

beings. 

“We will do this with the 

intention to grow the 

infrastructure and 

economic prosperity of 

our state. The team must 

find out the laws that 

must be reviewed for our 

state.” 

On the speakership 

race, Ihedioha said: 

“While you aspire to be 

the Speaker of the House, 

you have a lot of work to 

do because from the 

executive, we will be firing 

a lot of bills. So, whoever 

that will be a House 

Leader must do a lot of 

work. 

“I also learned that there 

is a bill set up for a 

particular person in this 

state and it is supposed to 

be a state law. When the 9th 

Assembly resumes, please 

rally round and repeal that 

law. What this means is that 

we are departing from ad 

hocism to proper 

legislation.”


UK seizes N82bn Abacha loot 

THE United Kingdom 

has seized 

£211,000,000 (about N81.9 

billion) from a Jersey bank 

account that belonged to 

the late General Sani 

Abacha. 

Abacha died on June 8, 

1998, after more than five 

years in office as military 

head of state. 

According to a report by 

UK Metro news medium, 

the money was put in 

accounts held in Jersey by 

Doraville Properties 

Corporation, a British 

Virgin Islands company. 

The report further stated 

that the money was now 

being held by the 

government until 

authorities in Jersey, the US 

and Nigeria agree on how 

it should be distributed. 

The report said: “Any 

money that Jersey does 

keep will be put into the 

Criminal Confiscation 

Fund, which is used to pay 

for a variety of projects. In 

the past, the fund has been 

used for new police station 

and developments at La 

Moye Prison. 

“It is expected that even 

more money held by 

Doraville is likely to be 

seized and paid into the 

Civil Asset Recovery Fund 

in the future.” 

In 2014, at the request of 

the US authorities, the 

Island’s Attorney-General 

applied for, and the Royal 

Court granted a restraining 

order over the Jersey bank 

account balance of 

Doraville. 

“The purpose of the 

restraining order was to 

preserve the money until a 

final civil asset recovery 

order could be registered in 

the Royal Court,’’ the report 

added. 

Doraville applied to the 

Royal Court for the 

restraining order to be 

discharged, but the Royal 

Court dismissed the 

application in 2016. 

Then in 2017, Doraville 

challenged the Royal 

Court’s decision, taking the 

case to Jersey’s Court of 

EID-EL-FITR PRAYER: Senator Kabir Marafa (left) and Senator 

Shehu Sani at Rimi College praying ground for Eid-el-Fitr prayer, 

in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi. 

Don’t kill yourselves because of 

Ogoni oil, royal father charges firm 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— 

Chairman, Supreme 

Council of Ogoni 

Traditional Rulers, King 

Godwin Gininwa, has 

charged a new oil company 

in the area not to ignite fight 

Okowa’s 2nd tenure'll 

accelerate economic boom 

in Delta —Babogha 

A 

BUSINESS consultant 

in Delta State, Chief 

Julius Babogha, has 

expressed optimism that the 

second term of Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State will accelerate 

economic boom in the state 

within the next four years 

and beyond. 

Speaking in Agbor, the 

administrative 

headquarters of Ika South 


the state, the business 

consultant said judging by 

the achievements of the 

governor during his first 

term in office, the business 

community in the state and 

indeed, the generality of 

Deltans would be happy 

they voted for the return of 

the governor in the general 

elections in the country. 

He explained that “with 

the over 21,000 persons 

trained and established in 

their various choice 

enterprises through the 

Youth Agricultural 

Entrepreneurs Programme, 

YAGEP, and Skills Training 

Entrepreneurs Programme, 

STEP, by the state 

government during the first 

tenure of the Okowa 

administration in the state, 

the over 100,000 private 

sector jobs created through 

programmes and activities 

of the various MDAs and, 

a promise by the state 

governor to triple the 

number in his second term, 

the state will soon become 

the economic hub of the 

nation. 

"I urge Okowa to uphold 

his promise to the people 

as he settles down for the 

second term in office. He 

should also be careful in the 

selection of those that will 

be part of his cabinet. The 

successes and otherwise 

may depend on those he 

appoints. 

"I praise him for the 

appointment of Mr. Chiedu 

Ebie, David Edevbie and 

Funkekeme Solomon as 

Secretary to the State 

Government, SSG; Chief of 

Staff and Senior Political 

Adviser respectively.” 

Appeal. 

“That challenge was again 

rejected. Finally, following 

the decision of Jersey’s 

Court of Appeal, Doraville 

made an application to 

appeal against the restraint 

order before the Privy 

Council – Jersey’s ultimate 

appellate court. 

or kill itself because of 

Ogoni oil. 

Gininwa also promised 

that he would privately 

meet with President 


inform him that the Ogoni 

people have formed their oil 

company to resume oil 

exploration. 

The royal father spoke at 

his home town in Korokoro 

community, Tai Local 

Government Area of Rivers 

State, when the newly 

established Ogoni 

Petroleum Company 

Limited, OPLC, led by its 

Managing Director, Mr 

Promise Wisdom, visited. 

Gininwa said: “The 

problem I have is that our 

people are not doing 

business. We should be 

business minded. We 

should also be united. 

Don’t go and kill 

yourselves because of 

Ogoni oil. 

“I support the formation 

of Ogoni oil company. My 

job is to stay as a father to 

the company and I will not 

regret it. If NDPC is looking 

for people to be their 

contractor, you should be 

the first. I am happy that 

Ogoni people have come 

into this business. 

“We have been in 

bondage. Our children 

have been going to other 

places for work, now that 

opportunity has come, what 

we want is good 

arrangement, so you will 

not fail. 

"Are we going to sit and 

see oil flowing and we are 

“In February 2018 the 

Privy Council announced its 

rejection of this final legal 

challenge. Last week, 

Solicitor General Mark 

Temple gave a presentation 

in Vienna, Austria, about 

Doraville at a UN 

conference on corruption,’’ 

it said. 

dying of hunger? This is 

what we are thinking 

about, not that we don’t 

want oil exploration. Are we 

going to drink the oil? 

“I will want to see 

President Buhari privately 

to inform him that Ogoni 

people have formed their 

own oil company. You have 

my support on this move.” 


Managing Director of 

OPLC, Wisdom, had 

solicited the cooperation, 

understanding and 

support of government, 

royal fathers of the area and 

other Ogonis for the 

success of the move to take 

over oil exploration in the 

area. 

Nigerian entrepreneur to launch Africa’s first 

audio-visual classroom app 

A 

Nigerian entrepreneur 

and the brain behind 

the popular Nigerian 

education technology 

Startup Company, Save-A- 

Lot Media Limited, Akeem 

Salami, is set to unveil 

African's first indigenous 

audio-visual classroom 

App designed to help 

students globally learn 

classroom based education 

with ease through audiovisual 

mechanism. This 

new scheme caters for 

students in Nigeria, other 

parts of the African 

continent and the entire 

world. 

The launch, which is 

scheduled for Wednesday, 

June 19 at the Academy 

Dickson lauds 5th Bayelsa 

Assembly's performance 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y GOVERNOR 

ENAGOA— 

Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa 

State has hailed the fifth 

state House of Assembly as 

the best in the country, 

saying it passed 105 bills. 

He also praised members 

for promoting good 

governance, peace, stability 

and development. 

Dickson in a statement by 

his Special Adviser, Media 

Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, 

described the out-going 

legislature as the most 

impactful, fruitful and 

productive House of 

Assembly in the country. 

He said: “In the last seven 

years and still counting, 

going towards eight years, 

all of you with the support 

from your constituents, have 

given us maximum 

support. 

“As a result of that support 

and collaboration, our state 

has seen unprecedented 

Halogen, Ikeja GRA in 

Lagos will mark the historic 

launch of Africa’s first 

indigenous education 

application to be introduced 

from Nigeria for global use. 

According to CEO of 

Save-A-Lot Media and the 

originator of the app, 

Akeem Salami, “We shall be 

launching Africa’s first 

indigenous classroom app 

designed to enable students 

in Nigeria, other African 

countries and globally learn 

classroom based education 

on the go using audiovisual 

and mobile 

technology. When it is 

launched, it will be 

available on popular mobile 

app stores. 

peace, stable development 

in all sectors— education, 

healthcare and 

investments— aimed at 

expanding the economy of 

our state. 

“Our state is regarded by 

all as one of the most 

peaceful and stable in the 

comity of states. A lot of the 

landmark achievements 

that our government will be 

known and remembered for 

came about as a result of 

the collaboration and 

encouragement that the 

executive arm under me 

received from you.” 

Also, Speaker of the 

dissolved state House of 

Assembly, Kombowei 

Benson, said the 

collaboration of the 5th 

Assembly with the 

executive arm was as a 

result of Governor 

Dickson’s desire to change 

the landscape of the state, 

focusing on education, 

health care and 

infrastructural 

development. 

Those calling Okowa ethnic 

bigot over appointments 

misled —Ikimi 

By Emma Amaize 

A SABA—EXECUTIVE 

Director, Centre for the 

Vulnerable and 

Underprivileged, 

CENTREP, in Delta State, 

Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, has 

described those portraying 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as 

a tribal bigot over his recent 

appointments as deluded. 

The activist in a statement, 

yesterday, condemning the 

proponents, said: “We in 

CENTREP do not agree 

with some of the state 

policies of Okowa, but we, 

however, believe that his 

recent political 

appointments of his 

personal staffers are in order 

as the said appointments cut 

across the three senatorial 

districts of the state. 

“Our position devoid of 

any primordial motive stems 

from the fact that the political 

equation in Delta State lies 

in the offices of the 

Governor (Delta North), 

Deputy Governor (Delta 

South) and Speaker of the 

Delta State House of 

Assembly (Delta Central) 

and not in the appointment 

by Okowa of his personal 

political staffers as in the 

instant case. 

“Without holding brief for 

the governor, we believe that 

as chief executive, the 

governor has the 

prerogative to appoint 

whomever he desires as his 

personal staff whether or not 

they are his relatives as long 

as the appointees are 

eminently qualified to 

occupy such positions. 

"It is, therefore, unfair and 

sarcastic for the proponents 

of the above theory to 

pontify that Okowa is a tribal 

bigot trying to Aniomalise 

the entire Delta State." 

“Our findings show that 

the problem of learning and 

retention is huge and is 

responsible for academic 

failures. As such, our 

design is a well thoughtout 

novel and interactive 

audio-visual learning 

solution aimed at helping 

students in secondary 

schools, higher institutions 

as well as professionals 

including candidates for 

international examination 

achieve seamless academic 

excellence." 

The proposed classroombased 

app will address 

learning and retention 

challenges prominent for 

causing massive 

examination failure among 

students.


WITH CHARLES KUMOLU 

midweekpersonality@gmail.com 

08052140865 (sms only) 

CHUMA ANAGBADO: 

From asking 

questions to 

relevance 

A remarkable Nigerian, who co-founded Nigeria's 

first multidisciplinary Design firm, Aziza Design, 

Mr. Chuma Anagbado, narrates how he created a 

thriving Design Hub, Mbari Uno, in Ikeja, GRA, 

Lagos. The story speaks to creativity and vision. 

Mbari Uno is a design hub and community-focused 

centre which is using design to make a social 

impact and drive economic growth. 

In the beginning: 

I asked too many questions 

about objects, plans, ideologies 

and anything one can question. 

Doing that earned me the title of 

'destroyer'. I had my first degree 

in Fine and Applied Arts 

(Sculpture Majors), after which I 

worked as an Art Director in 

different agencies across West 

Africa for almost a decade before 

heading to the UK to do a 

postgraduate degree in Design, 

Multi-Disciplinary. I came out 

with distinction. Shortly 

afterward, I returned home, 

teamed up with my close friend, 

Mr. Obinali Okoli to start Aziza 

Design which is the first of its 

kind in Nigeria and West Africa. 

On July 1, 2018, we formally 

opened the doors of Mbari Uno 

to the public. 

Enable success 

I am a designer with a deep 

interest in creating solutions 

through collaborations. I am a 

leader of thought and an 

influencer in the burgeoning 

African design industry. I am the 

Co-founder of Mbari Uno (House 

Of Collaboration). Mbari Uno is 

a design hub and communityfocused 

centre which is using 

design to make a social impact 

and drive economic growth. 

Through design research, 

education and development 

activities, we collaborate directly 

with communities and get them 

involved in innovating solutions 

to their peculiar problems. 

We are here to network the 

design industry, explore design 

opportunities and promote the 

''design practice'' in sub-Saharan 

Africa. We are set up to help 

emerging and established 

designers gain access to 

information, professional 

networks, innovative spaces, 

educational training and a 

support structure that would 

enable success. We would 

continuously curate and publish 

information about design 

professionals, design firms, 

design publications, design 

events, design schools, and 

designs activity hubs. Mbari Uno 

is a collaborative platform for the 

development of frameworks that 

would promote the culture of 

probing and innovation aimed at 

PERSONALITY ETHICS 

If you want to go fast, 

go alone 

If you want to go far, 

go with people 

Everyone has something 

to offer 

Design startups 

There are so many things to be 

achieved with Mbari Uno. The 

first is achieving increased 

collaborative relationships across 

communities or clusters through 

regular activities revolving 

around exhibitions, workshops 

and social impact projects. It will 

drive verifiable development of 

human capacity and put Nigeria 

on the path to becoming a 

leading design nation in Africa 

and as well see an increase in 

the number of successful Design 

startups originating from subcreating 

sustainable solutions, 

developing human capacity and 

improving the quality of lives. 

Thriving hub 

We started the platform as a 

website in July last year and 365 

days later, we now have a Hub 

in the thriving heart of 

Government Reserved Area, 

GRA, in Ikeja. The Hubs design 

mostly uses packing case wood 

which is a metaphor for recycling 

and as well connotes the return 

of what was taken away from 

Africa - The Human capital. 

Within the Hub, there are named 

spaces that offer different things. 

The Exhibition Space is a 

combination of a concept store, 

reading room, and a lounge. 

This malleable space can be used 

for product and art exhibitions. 

It can serve as a reading room 

and small fire culture events such 

as poetry reading and digital 

product presentations. There is 

Kol's Bistro which is a char-grill 

based serving locally inspired 

delicious cuisine, drink, and 

coffee among others. The Work 

Room is an open plan coworking 

space that is designed 

to inspire collaboration and 

innovation. There is a Learn 

Room which is an auditorium 

styled space that can sit up to 35 

persons and is used for seminars, 

meeting, and training among 

other things. For Multimedia, 

there is Sylvan Studio which is a 

photo, audio, and video 

recording and creating facility. 

Lastly, Aziza Design, a 

multidisciplinary design firm can 

all be found within the Mbari Uno 

House of Collaboration. The 

Nigerian Television 

Authority(NTA), funded by the 

Africa Union of Broadcasting, 

AUB, recently did a documentary 

of the Mbari Uno Hub and their 

entry won Nigeria the first gold 

award in the 2019 AUB Awards 

held in Marrakech, Morocco. 

Knowledge-based 

platforms 

Having started a full-fledged 

design firm in Nigeria, we 

quickly realised that we had little 

or no local reference or examples 

to benchmark our practice. There 

is also a clearly thought out 

ecosystem for the design practice 

for Nigeria and most of Africa. 

Therein lies the need for us to 

establish knowledge-based 

platforms that would bring a 

community together for the 

purpose of collaboration and 

impactful innovations. In the 

case of Mbari Uno, it is that 

platform for designers, design 

enthusiasts, sponsors, 

manufacturers, industries and 

the public under the auspices of 

design. This sets us on the part 

to do something and the name 

Mbari Uno which literarily 

translates to house of 

collaboration came tops. 

Life has taught me 

that anything is 

possible as long one 

set his mind to 

achieve a goal. I have 

learned that if you 

want to go fast, go 

alone and if you want 

to go far, go with 

people 

Quality of output 

Those that Mbari Uno is set to 

attract are generally design 

enthusiasts. These are people 

who understand and have an 

interest in Design. It would also 

attract the Design patrons, 

consultants, corporations, 

government, and the host 

community. Mbari Uno would 

bring together design 

professionals both formally and 

informally trained designers, as 

long as they are well established 

in the practice. It would also link 

up manufacturing and 

production companies, merge 

the gap between school and 

practice and formally establish 

the design practice in Nigeria 

and sub-Saharan Africa. This is 

important to ensure that the 

quality of our output competes 

globally. Naturally, Non- 

Governmental Organisations, 

NGOs, with design interests or 

needs would find Mbari Uno a 

viable ally in their work and we 

hope to partner with as many as 

may come. It is poised to attract 

and retain the patronage of 

governments through agencies 

charged with the responsibility 

of Design and Innovation. 

Saharan Africa. We are creating 

a framework for the establishment 

of an Mbari Uno Design hub in 

every city that matters across sub- 

Saharan Africa. These hubs 

would serve as the space that 

allows each host community to 

actively play a role in designing 

solutions and prototyping ideas 

that will benefit them. We wish 

to get to a point where we 

develop policies and sponsor 

legislation in government for the 

regulation of the Design practice 

in order to promote excellence. 

Something great 

Life has taught me that 

anything is possible as long one 

set his mind to achieve a goal. I 

have learned that if you want to 

go fast, go alone and if you want 

to go far, go with people. Hence 

the very ethos and founding 

ideology of Mbari Uno is based 

on effective collaboration and 

teamwork. Teamwork forces you 

to create a structure and 

structures are what we need to 

ensure sustainability. I have 

come to a realisation that each 

individual has a part and role to 

play in any scheme of things and 

theirs should not be overlooked 

or undermined. If we can adopt 

this approach, then we are well 

on our way to something great. 

There is hardly any African brand 

that has outlived more than one 

generation and this is something 

we want to achieve in life. 

We want to build a platform that 

allows anyone and any idea to 

find a space and expression 

within it. This ties back to the 

very core of our foundational 

principle. This is borne out of a 

belief that together we can do 

more and that has been the 

greatest lesson I learnt in life.

Nigeria’s Bande emerges UNGA President 

TIJJANI Muham 

mad-Bande, Nigeria’s 

permanent representative 

to the United 

Nations, has emerged 

president of the 74th 

UN General Assembly. 

Muhammad-Bande, 

sole candidate for the 

position, emerged 

through acclamation at 

the 87th plenary meeting 

of the Assembly in 

New York on Tuesday. 

He is the second Nigerian 

to hold the office 

after Joseph Garba, a 

retired military officer 

and diplomat, who led 

the organ between 1989 

and 1990. 

He will be inaugurated 

in September. President 


had appointed 

Muhammad- Bande as 

Nigeria’s representative 

to the UN on 

March 31, 2018. 

He was born on December 

7, 1957, in Zagga, 

present-day Kebbi 

State. 

He received a BSc in 

political science from 

Ahmadu Bello University, 

Zaria in 1979, MA 

in political science 

from Boston University, 

USA in 1981; and a 

Ph.D in political science 

from University of 

Toronto, Canada, in 

1987. 

He was the vicechancellor 

of Usmanu 

Danfodiyo University, 

Sokoto between 2004 

and 2009. He served 

as the director-general 

of National Institute 

for Policy and Strategic 

Studies NIPSS) from 

2010 to 2016. 

He served as the 

Trump promises Britain “phenomenal” 

post-Brexit trade deal 

US 

President 

Donald Trump on 

Tuesday promised 

Britain a “phenomenal” 

post-Brexit trade 

deal, dismissed differences 

over China’s 

Huawei and glossed 

over other disagreements 

as he heaped 

praise on the United 

States’ closest ally. 

Feted by Queen Elizabeth 

on the first day 

of his state visit to 

Britain, Trump was effusive 

about the “special 

relationship” between 

the two nations, 

dispelling concerns he 

might repeat criticism 

of Britain and outgoing 

Prime Minister 

Theresa May. 

vice-president of the 

general assembly 

during the 71st session. 

A recipient of the 

national honour of the 

Order of the Federal 

Republic (OFR), Tijjani 

Muhammad- 

Bande is married 

with four children. 

“It’s the greatest alliance 

the world has 

ever known,” Trump 

told reporters at a 

news conference beside 

May at Britain’s 

Foreign Office. 

Prior to his trip, the 

collapse of May’s premiership 

over her failure 

to secure Britain’s 

exit from the European 

Union had raised 

concerns that Trump 

could publicly humiliate 

her. 

Instead, Trump 

called May a “tremendous 

professional”, 

steered clear of 

rhetoric that could 

embarrass her and let 

pass contentious topics 

such as Huawei 

and Iran while making 

*Bande 

light of sensitive issues 

such as her possible 

succession. 

Trump mentioned 

Boris Johnson, who 

has said the United 

Kingdom should leave 

the EU on Oct. 31, deal 

or no deal, and Jeremy 

Hunt, Britain’s foreign 

minister who has 

warned against leaving 

without a deal. 

“I know Boris, I like 

him, I’ve liked him for 

a long time. I think he 

would do a very good 

job,” Trump told reporters 

at a news conference 

beside May at 

Britain’s Foreign Office. 

“I know Jeremy, I 

think he’d do a very 

good job,” he added. 

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 — 37 

Sudanese opposition rejects 

military’s transition plan 

SUDAN’s opposition on Tuesday rejected a plan 

by its military rulers to hold elections within nine 

months, a day after the worst bout of violence since 

Omar al-Bashir was ousted as president in April. 

At least 35 people were killed on Monday when 

security forces stormed a protest camp outside the 

Defence Ministry in central Khartoum, according to 

doctors linked to the opposition. 

The military council that has ruled since Bashir’s 

overthrow afterwards cancelled all agreements with 

the main opposition alliance. 

But Madani Abbas Madani, a leader of the Declaration 

of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) opposition 

alliance, said an open-ended civil disobedience 

campaign would continue to try to force the council 

from power. 

The opposition rejected all that Transitional Military 

Council (TMC) Head Lieutenant General Abdel 

Fattah al-Burhan said in his statement, Madani told 

Reuters. 

“What happened, killing protesters, wounding and 

humiliation, was a systematic and planned matter to 

impose repression on the Sudanese people,” he said. 

The atmosphere in the capital Khartoum was very 

tense on Tuesday as many roads were barricaded by 

protesters, many shops were shut and streets were 

mostly empty. Security forces were trying to clear the 

barricades, a Reuters witness said. 

Hong Kong holds Tiananmen vigil 

as Beijing goes into lockdown 

TENS of thousands joined a sombre candlelight 

vigil in Hong Kong on Tuesday to mark the 

30th anniversary of Chinese troops opening fire on 

student-led democracy protesters in and around Tiananmen 

Square, as authorities in Beijing went into 

lockdown. 

Demonstrators gathered in the financial hub’s 

Victoria Park, holding up candles and placards as 

others rallied next to a replica of the Goddess of 

Democracy statue, which was erected in Tiananmen 

Square during the 1989 demonstrations in 

Beijing. 

Nearby, a life-size replica of Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese 

Nobel Peace Prize-winning political dissident 

who died in 2017 while in custody, floated in a 

waterway adorned with flowers. 

DELE ADETIBA'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN LAGOS 

The celebrant, Dele Adetiba cutting the cake with a cross section of guests. They include; 

from left; Muyiwa Adetiba, Mac Ovbiagele, Bisi Olatilo, Mr and Mrs Ogunyemi, Lolu Akinwumi, 

Senator Akin Odunsi, Aremo Segun Osoba, celebrant, Biodun Sobanjo, Ron Ron Mg- 

Osoba (right) and Bolaji Mendes. 

Adetiba flanked by former Ogun State governor, Aremo Olusegun 

batogu, Omoba Yemisi Shyllon, Tunde Fagbenle and Segun Doherty. 

(LEFT): Dele 

Adetiba conferring 

with 

Chief Osoba, 

while others 

watch. 

(RIGHT): 

Adetiba with 

Vanguard columnist, 

Bunmi 

Sofola


EID-EL- FITR PRAYERS AND CELEBRATION ACROSS THE NATION 

Photos: Joe Akintola (Photo Editor), Abayomi Adeshida, Dare Fasube, Olu Ajayi, Lamidi Bamidele, Bunmi Azeez, Akeem Salau, Wunmi Akinola 

From right— Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun; Osun State Governor 

Adegboyega Oyetola; Senator-Elect for Osun Central, Dr.Ajibola Bashiru, 

Femi Oyetola and others during the Eid-El-Fitr prayers at the Osogbo 

Central Praying ground yesterday. 

Emir Sanusi II leads Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje 

in Eid prayers in Kano yesterday. 

From left—Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State Defence; Dr. 

Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Oba Riliwan 

Akiolu, Oba of Lagos; Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Head of Service; Sheik 

Abdul-Hafeez, Baba Adini of Lagos and Alh. Lateef Okunnu, former 

Federal Commissioner of Works, praying during the 2019 Eid-el-fitr prayers 

to end Ramadan at Dodan Barrack, Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos yesterday. 

From right—JAMB Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede, representative 

of the Governor of Ogun, Alhaji Shuaib Salisu; Head of Service 

Engr. Isiaka Bisiriyu and others at the praying ground in Abeokuta. 

Children offer their El-el-Fitr prayer at the 

Nigerian Defence Academy old site praying 

ground,Kaduna. 

From left— former Deputy Governors, Taofeek 

Arapaja and Hashim Gbolarunmi; Ahaji 

Lamidi Ajadi and Oyo State Deputy Governor 

Engr. Rauf Olaniyan. 

Governor Bala Mohamed of Bauchi State, 

during the prayers to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr 

in Bauchi Central Mosque yesterday. 

From left—Alhaji Muhammadu Gazali Akintunde; 

Chairman Iju Ishaga Central Mosque; HRH Oba Abass 

Amole Ajibode;Olu of Iju Ishaga; Alhaji Abdul Waheed 

Muhammadu Thani,Chief Imam Iju Ishaga Central The children at the 2019 Eid-El Fitr at the 

Mosque and Uztaz Sulaimon Anthonio,Financial Ile zik prayer ground In Ikeja, Yesterday. 

Secretary Iju Ishaga Central Mosque during the 2019 

Eid li Fitr celebration in Lagos. 

Alhaja Aishat Salami with her 

grandchildren singing and dancing 

shortly after the Eid prayers at 

Ansarudeen praying ground, Ojodu- 

Berger, Lagos.


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

Fayemi signs eight bills as 

Fifth Ekiti Assembly ends 

EKITI LAWS: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, flanked by the Speaker of the House of 

Assembly, Rt.Hon. Adeniran Alagbada (left); Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji 

(right) and members of the House of Assembly (standing behind), when the Governor assented to 

eight laws recently passed by the Assembly in Ado-Ekiti yesterday. 

MINIMUM WAGE IMPLEMENTATION: 

FG can’t scam workers —- LABOUR 


A KURE—THE 

Organised Labour, 

yesterday, dismissed 

insinuation that the Federal 

Government was not 

sincere enough to 

implement the newly 

approved minimum wage 

saying it is not a scam. 

President-General of the 

Trade Union Congress, 

TUC, Comrade Bobboi 

Kaigama, who said this, in 

Akure, during the 5th 

Triennial Delegates’ 

Conference in Ondo State, 

noted that “labour unions 

and their leaders were not 

sleeping.” 

The conference, however, 

saw Comrade Helen 

Odofin emerge as the new 

State Chairman. 

Other new officers 

include, Clement Fatuase 

(Vice Chairman); Soladoye 

Ekundayo (Ex-officio); 

Dayo Adebiyi (State 

Secretary); Tope Akinsola 

(Asst Sec); Taimiyu Olufemi 

(Treasurer); Ikechukwu 

Nneke (Fin Sec); Femi 

Owolabi (PRO); Olusegun 

Akinbolasere (Internal 

Auditor); Makinde Ayesoro 

(Chairman, TUC Women’s 

wing) and Mrs. Kazeem 

(Secretary, women’s wing.) 

Swearing-in the new 

officers, Kaigama who 

spoke through the 

Secretary-General of TUC, 

Mr. Musa Lawal said that 

a presidential technical 

committee to work out new 

salary templates had been 

set up and is expected to 

submit its report next week. 

He said: “We are 

following developments at 

the committee to ensure 

workers were not 

shortchanged with new 

minimum wage table. 

“We are not sleeping, the 

battle for the minimum 

wage is very straight and 

we are not sleeping on it. 

“What we are currently 

•Labour unions're not sleeping, says TUC 

doing is to create a template 

and that is why we are 

trying to appeal to those 

that are receiving more than 

N30, 000, it is not 

something you do by 

magic, it’s technical and 

that is why we 

(government and labour) 

set-up (Presidential) 

technical committee to look 

into the matter. 

“We don’t believe 

government can scam the 

workers because I believe 

in the welfare of everybody 

and I don’t have doubt in 


Buhari’s administration 

either to scam or not. 

“The welfare of workers 

must be taken care of. 

Nigerian workers have 

suffered a lot; they need to 

be encouraged. 

Government needs to do 

something on it quickly.” 

Eid-el-fitr: Sanwo-Olu, Fayemi, Ooni sue 

for peace •Say violence not part of Islam TUC 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela & 

Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Babjide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, his Ekiti 

State counterpart, Dr. 

Kayode Fayemi and the 

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye 

Ogunwusi, Ojaja II have 

urged Nigerians to desist 

from any act that could 

truncate the peace 

currently been 

experienced in the 

country. 

They made the appeal 

after observing the Eid-el- 

Fitri prayer, and Sallah, 

which marks the end of 

Ramadan fast. 

Speaking with 

newsmen, Sanwo-Olu, 

represented by his 

deputy, Dr. Obafemi 

Hamzat noted that any 

violence or acrimony 

embarked upon under the 

pretext of Islam was false 

because the religion 

preached peaceful 

coexistence and tolerance 

and kicks against 

hostilities. 

While frowning against 

any illicit act embarked 

upon under the pretext of 

religion, he noted that one 

of the essence of 

Ramadan was for 

everyone to eschew 

violence and embrace 

“peaceful coexistence 

because there is one God 

and no one can fight for 

God. He can fight for 

himself. 

“As we realize this, 

everyone must fear God in 

whatever act they are 

doing because any act 

performed by anyone 

often has effect on others. 

“We must use the Eidil-fitri 

to renew our lives 

and live in a peaceful way 

and realize that whatever 

we do has impact on 

others within the society. 

For instance, as residents 

of Lagos, we must not 

dispose waste 

indiscriminately because 

it will affect someone 

else’s health. So we must 

be considerate with other 

residents of the state,” he 

added. 

Put lessons of holy 

month into use — Fayemi 

Also felicitating with 

Muslim faithful in Ekiti 

State and in the country, 

Governor Fayemi said 

witnessing another Eidel-Fitri 

is a special 

privilege from the 

Almighty Allah and not by 

power or might. 

He said: “On behalf of 

the government and 

Ekitikete, I congratulate 

the Muslim Ummah on 

the Eid-el- Fitri 

celebration, and pray that 

God Almighty will accept 

our prayers and grant all 

our heart desires, even as 

he preserves our lives to 

witness many more 

celebrations.” 

Place national interest 

above personal gains 

—Ooni of Ife 

On his part, the Ooni of 

Ife urged Muslim faithful 

across the country to place 

national interest above 

personal gains. 

Oba Ogunwusi made 

the call in his Palace in Ile- 

Ife, when he received the 

Muslim Community in 

the area who paid him 

courtesy visit, after the two 

Rakat Ramadan prayer 

service. 

“Now that the period 

known for core worship 

and abstinence from sins 

is over, we must continue 

to live that good life and 

keep seeking the face of 

God Almighty for Nigeria 

to live in peace,” Ooni 

said. 

While commenting on 

the country’s current 

security challenges, the 

monarch prayed for the 

restoration of peace across 

Nigeria. 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A GOVERNOR 

DO-EKITI— 

Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State, yesterday, signed 

eight bills into law, with a 

pledge that his government 

will continue to 

demonstrate strong political 

will in the implementation 

of the existing laws in the 

state. 

Fayemi said this while 

signing the bills into law, 

marking the end of the 

legislative duties of the 5th 

Ekiti assembly in Ado-Ekiti. 

The bills are: Ekiti State 

Development and 

Investment Promotion 

Agency Law 2019, Ekiti 

State Administration 

of civil justice Law 2019, 

College of Agriculture and 

Technology Reenactment 

Law 2019. 

Others are: Ekiti State 

Logo Reenactment Law 

2019, Ekiti State Local 

G o v e r n m e n t 

Administration Law 

2019, Ekiti State property 

protection and anti Land 

Grabbing law 2019, Ekiti 

State Security Trust Fund 

Amendment Law 2019, 

Ekiti State Waste 

Management Authority 

Repeal Law 2019. 

The sixth assembly will 

be inaugurated 

tomorrow, June 6, by 

Condemn corruption, pray against 

suicide, Akeredolu tells clerics 


A KURE—GOVERNOR 

Rotimi Akeredolu of 

Ondo State, yesterday, 

tasked religious leaders in 

the country to speak up 

against corruption and 

pray against cases of 

suicide. 

Akeredolu, however, 

urged the clerics to “always 

live above board so as to 

earn the respect of the 

people.” 

He spoke at the 

Methodist Church of 

Nigeria 37th Council of 

Bishops official opening 

ceremony and the Wesley 

University, Ondo 10th 

Founder’s Day 

Celebration, held at the 

Wesley main campus, 

Ondo. 

Governor Fayemi. 

The governor assured 

that the laws will be 

implemented for the overall 

development of the state. 

On the robust 

relationship he enjoyed 

with the lawmakers, who 

are predominantly 

members of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Fayemi said: “History is 

made in different forms, but 

I consider our partnership 

as historic partnership not 

minding that many of you 

came from the PDP while 

the executive brand that 

took over October 16, 2018 

was from the APC.” 

In addition, he said: 

“Some believed that the two 

parties can’t have point of 

engagement, but this was 

not so. I always talked about 

belonging to Ekiti and that 

is what you have done. 

“I cannot recall any time 

in the last 20 years when 

eight bills were signed into 

laws, so this 

is significant and these are 

laws that are important to 

our state.” 

“As you have rounded off 

today, this is not the end of 

the road for you with the 

way you have 

demonstrated your love for 

this state. That culture of 

belonging to Ekiti party, 

you are all exemplars of it 

and I commend you.” 

Hygeia partners Rhythm FM 

on health talks 

LAGOS — TO improve 

awareness on health 

issues across, health 

maintenance organisation, 

Hygeia HMO, has 

partnered with Health 

Vibes on Rhythm 93.7FM, 

Lagos, to launch a weekly 

vox pop programme, 

‘Hygeia HMO Street Talk.’ 

A statement by Hygeia 

HMO CEO, Mr. Obinnia 

Abajue, said the project is 

driven by the company’s 

mission, “which is to help 

Nigerians access 

healthcare that is not only 

of good quality, but 

He charged the Bishops 

to assume the position of 

the prophets of the old who 

checkmated the political 

dynasty of the period. 

The Governor said: 

“Taking a closer look at the 

nature of our obligatory 

intervention, it has to be 

complimentary. We can’t 

continue to condemn each 

other. We are humans, we 

have our fallibility. All of us 

are human; we strive to be 

like Christ. 

“While the politicians are 

elected, the clergy must 

play the role of the servant 

of God and servant of the 

people. We are elected, but 

yours is clear that you can’t 

be afraid of any terrestrial 

interference. I know you are 

bold at all time to speak 

truth to power.” 

affordable.” 

He added that Hygeia 

HMO recently introduced 

monthly healthcare 

payment plans and that 

they are also showing 

commitment to continue 

providing innovative 

solutions that will better 

impact the society at large. 

Also speaking, co-host 

Health Vibes, Kemi 

Olawoye, said: “At Rhythm 

93.7FM, we are excited to 

introduce the ‘Street Talk’ 

segment on the show in 

partnership with Hygeia 

HMO. It will air every 

Tuesday, from 3:30-4p.m.”


Admission of infant/underage geniuses 

into universities 

Universities have inherent and 

statutory powers to admit infant/ 

geniuses 

PERHAPS the greatest 

controversy surrounding 

tertiary education in Nigeria 

borders on the age of university 

applicants and their denial of 

admission. More often than not, 

there had been cases of 

applicants who, having scaled all 

academic hurdles for admission, 

are eventually denied admission 

by virtue of the only element they 

cannot control: their age. 

The recent of them is Master 

Ekene Franklin Ezeunala who 

despite his score of 347 is to be 

denied admission on account of 

his young age of 15. This has 

understandably thrown up a 

debate as the propriety of 

universities adopting minimum 

ages for admission for 

prospective undergraduates. 

Age should not be a barrier 

While some have argued in 

favour of admitting under-aged 

or young applicants, some have 

maintained that admission of 

under-aged applicants into 

universities does more harm than 

good. 

While it has been argued that a 

child-prodigy should not be 

denied university admission 

simply because of his age, 

conversely, one cannot deny the 

all-important psychological and 

emotional demand of acquiring 

tertiary education in Nigeria and 

in some parts of the world, 

especially in certain disciplines. 

In the United States, law is not 

taken at an undergraduate level. 

Equally in Nigeria, time it was 

when students must acquire GCE 

Advanced Level or Higher School 

Certificate as a condition 

precedent to admission to a 

university. 

No constitutional 

age limit 

In Nigeria, no age restraint is 

provided by the Constitution, the 

National Universities 

Commission Act or the Joint 

Admissions and Matriculation 

Board Act for university 

applicants. However, the hurdles 

in the admission of underage 

applicants are those placed by the 

universities applied to. For 

instance, the University of Lagos 

Act, as well as legislations 

establishing other tertiary 

institutions in Nigeria, empowers 

the university Senate to make 

academic rules regarding 

admissions into the university, 

including determining cut-off 

marks, age requirements, fees, 

among others. 

Section 8(1) and 2(e) of the 

University of Lagos Act, Cap U9, 

Laws of the Federation of 

Nigeria, 2004 provides as 

follows: 

8(1) Subject to section 7 of this 

Act and subsections (3) and (4) of 

this section, and to the provisions 

of this Act relating to the Visitor, 

it shall be the general function of 

the Senate to organise and 

control the teaching of the 

University and the admission and 

discipline of students, and to 

promote research at the 

University. 

(2) Without prejudice to the 

generality of subsection (1) of this 

section as therein mentioned, it 

shall in particular be the function 

of the Senate to make provision 

for – 

(e) the selection of persons for 

admission as students of the 

University. 

The provision of Section 8(1) 

and 2(e) of the University of 

Lagos Act is similar to the 

provisions of Section 6(1) and 2(f) 

of the University of Ibadan Act, 

Cap U6, Laws of the Federation 

of Nigeria, 2004. 

From the foregoing provision, 

it is clear that the agerequirement 

of university 

applicants is determined by the 

Senate of the university applied 

to. 

The recent case of the 15-yearold 

candidate who scored the 

highest mark in the 2019 UTME 

but was denied admission by the 

University of Lagos puts this 

matter into proper perspective. 

Commenting on this denial, Prof. 

Ishaq Oloyede, the Executive 

Secretary of JAMB was on firm 

ground when he quoted the 

UNILAG policy that the 

candidate who scored the highest 

mark in the just released result 

of UTME might not be admitted 

into a university because he is less 

than sixteen (16) years. 

As a former Pro-Chancellor of 

University of Lagos, I am aware 

that the Senate of the University 

of Lagos had made laws that a 

candidate must be 16 years of 

age as at October 31 of the year 

of admission. 

The rationale behind the 

principle is that a university 

student must not be an infant 

when entering a university. This 

principle is founded on the fact 

that universities are for matured 

students. 

On the other hand, it is a 

notorious fact that there are 

extra-ordinarily brilliant people 

or geniuses whose intelligence 

quotient is higher than that of the 

average individual. I remember 

when I was in elementary school, 

I had a classmate who was so 

brilliant that in any examination 

meant for one hour, he would 

finish within 30 minutes and he 

•Master Ekene Franklin Ezeunala scored 347 in JAMB but denied 

university admission because of age considerations 

always scored 100 per cent. 

Based on the outstanding 

brilliance of some individuals, 

regardless of their age, highly 

respected and older universities 

all over the world do admit such 

students. Indeed, in spite of the 

bottle-neck university 

regulations affecting the 

entrance of underage applicants 

in tertiary institutions in Nigeria 

and in some countries of the 

world, geniuses had been and are 

still being admitted to the 

university even at the age of 10. 

Age maturity 

should not 

constitute a snag in 

acquiring tertiary 

education; rather, 

the important 

considerations 

should be whether 

the applicant 

possesses the 

requisite 

intellectual capacity 

to secure and 

sustain a university 

admission 

Australian Akshay Venkatesh 

attended the University of 

Western Australia at the age of 

13 and graduated with a First 

Class Honours in Mathematics 

in 1997. Erik Demaine was 

admitted to Dalhousie University 

in Halifas, Novas Cotia, Canada, 

at 12 and received his Bachelor 

Degree when he was 14. Indeed, 

he became a Professor at MIT at 

20, the youngest ever. 

Likewise, Juliet Beni obtained 

his Ph.D at 19 from the 

University of California. Sho 

Yano gained admission to 

Chicago’s Loyola University at 

Examples from abroad 

Illustratively, Indiannine 

and graduated at 12 with a 

First Class and received his Ph. 

D on Molecular Genetics at 18. 

Norbert Wiener earned a 

Bachelor’s Degree in 

Mathematics at 14 at Tufts 

University in the US and was 

awarded a Ph. D at 17. Ruth 

Lawrence graduated from 

Oxford University at the age of 

13 and got his Ph.D at 17 while 

Balamurali Ambati completed 

his First Degree at age of 13 and 

graduated from the School of 

Medicine at 17. 

From the example of the 

academic geniuses recorded 

above, is it still reasonable to 

conclude that an underage 

university applicant should be 

denied admission by virtue of his 

age? To me, age maturity should 

not constitute a snag in 

acquiring tertiary education. 

Rather, the important 

considerations should be 

whether the applicant possesses 

the requisite intellectual 

capacity to secure and sustain a 

university admission. 

There are specially gifted 

people, possibly like the young 

boy who scored the highest mark 

in UTME 2019. There is nothing 

you can do about it. He is a 

genius and should not be 

punished for being one. I do not 

agree that he should be denied 

the opportunity of going to the 

university because of his age. 

Inherent powers of 

university senates 

The Senate of universities in 

Nigeria has inherent powers in 

addition to statutory powers to 

make any regulation or amend 

its regulation to admit geniuses 

and prevent them from staying 

at home until they attain 17 

years of age. 

It will not be surprising if the 

boy in question can secure 

admission into some of the Ivy 

League schools abroad. Indeed 

a few day ago, it was reported 

that a private university in 

Ghana had offered him a 

scholarship valued at over 

$40,000. 

In conclusion, there ought to 

be no restraint whatsoever in the 

admission of anyone into 

Nigerian universities, so long as 

such individual has the capacity 

to understand the knowledge 

being imparted at the institution. 

I, therefore, recommend a 

review or total overhaul of all 

university policies denying gifted 

individuals in Nigeria the 

opportunity of acquiring tertiary 

knowledge due to their age. 

If the Constitution does not 

restrain an under-aged from 

applying to a university, it will, 

therefore, be unconstitutional to 

deny such person from being 

admitted into the university of 

his choice, having fulfilled all 

academic requirements for 

admission. 

Instructively, admitting a 

young and gifted Nigerian will 

accord more with the provisions 

of Section 11 of the Education 

(National Minimum Standards 

and Establishment of 

Institutions) Act, CAP. E3 Laws 

of the Federation of Nigeria 

2004 which in sub-paragraph g 

states one of the purposes of 

higher education in Nigeria to 

be: “the promotion and 

encouragement of scholarship 

and research”. 

Surely admitting Master 

Franklin cannot be said to be 

inimical to the promotion and 

encouragement of scholarship. 

Privatise 

refineries, 

remove 

subsidy now, 

BudgiT tells 

Buhari 

...hinges call on 

N159b loss in 2 years 

incurred by NNPC 

By Soni Daniel 

ABUJA—AN independent 

budget monitoring agency, 

BudgIT, has called on President 

Muhammadu Buhari to privatize 

all government-owned refineries 

to fully deregulate the petroleum 

downstream sector. 

The call, according to the agency, 

is based on its new policy brief 

entitled “Inside Nigeria’s Local 

Refineries”, which indicates that 

government-owned refineries in 

Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri 

incurred a cumulative loss of 

N32.8 billion in 2017 and N126.2 

billion in 2018, making a total loss 

of N159 billion in the two years 

alone. 

A statement made available to 

Vanguard by the Communications 

Associate of BudgiT, Shakir 

Akorede, pointed out that the 

combined refining capacity of the 

refineries was incapable of meeting 

Nigeria’s demand, thereby 

putting the country in a precarious 

situation that forces Nigeria 

to import more than 91 percent 

of its products consumed locally. 

The agency said: “It is instructive 

that only one private refinery, 

Niger Delta Petroleum Resources 

(NDPR), has commenced 

operation in Nigeria despite 

the country issuing over 44 

refinery licences to investors so 

far – some of them issued since 

2007. Of these licences, as issued 

by DPR, 15 are already expired. 

It is no coincidence that 

the only Modular Refinery that 

has commenced operation is the 

NDPR which produces AGO 

(diesel), one of the refined petroleum 

products that are fully deregulated. 

“On the heels of the foregoing, 

BudgIT is asking the Nigerian 

government to deregulate the 

downstream sector. This will 

make many stagnating privatesector 

refinery projects more attractive 

to investors, we maintain. 

“If the remaining 29 refinery 

projects with active licences 

come on stream, Nigeria will successfully 

unlock refining capacity 

of nearly 32.7billion litres of 

PMS per year, 19.6billion litres 

of Diesel per year and 6.5billion 

litres of Aviation fuel per year. 

This is sufficient to meet the country’s 

refined products needs and 

also supply the West African market,” 

noted Gabriel Okeowo, 

BudgIT’s Principal Lead. 

“A refinery industry as vibrant 

as this could generate product 

sales of nearly N13.1trillion per 

annum for investors and create 

additional 439,062 well-paying 

jobs for Nigerians across the entire 

value chain, the policy brief says. 

“The Nigerian government needs 

to invest at least 5% of its annual 

budget for the ministry of petroleum 

on research and development, especially 

concerning optimizing the local 

refining technology in Nigeria. As 

an example of local efforts, Prof. Ibrahim 

Mohammed-Dabo and his team 

from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) 

have developed an early prototype for 

local crude oil refining."

Continues from Page 5 

Oyegun did not lose one 

member of the party.” 

While he said the 

former chairman, being 

an elder, would not join 

issues with his successor, 

Morphy said it was 

absurd for the APC to 

have lost more states with 

all the resources at the 

disposal of Comrade 

Oshiomhole. 

“As an elder, as a leader, 


Oyegun will not join 

issues with those who 

apparently are looking 

for excuses for their 

inability to manage a 

ruling party successfully. 

Indeed, it is absurd to 

lose states with all the 

capacity at the disposal of 

the current chair. 

“Party members know 

that APC witnessed its 

golden years under the 

chairmanship of Oyegun 

and no one can change 

that bit of political history. 

“By the way, the vote 

increase to Mr President 

is a reflection of the 

confidence the people 

reposed in the President, 

despite the fumbles of 

Oshiomhole’s sole 

administratorship of the 

party! 

“It will be recalled that 


Oyegun just received 

The Zik award for 

Political Leadership, 

alongside John 

Mahama, the former 

President of Ghana. In 

the award citation, he 

was extolled for 

exemplary political 

leadership of APC. 

‘’Posterity has already 

given its verdict, Oyegun 

led the party to 

resounding victory. 

Oshiomhole should not 

destroy what others had 

laboured to build. If he 

needs tutorial on how to 

run a party, he should 

ask for it in a civil 

manner. 

‘’John Oyegun will be 

more than happy to help, 

after all, no man would 

like to see his son scatter 

what he had laboured to 

build,” he added. 

Aggrieved 

members can 

join PDP 

Replying the Deputy 

National Chairman of the 

party, North, Senator 

Lawal Shuaibu, Issa- 

Onilu said the next three 

years were very 

important as the APC 

under the leadership of 

Comrade Oshiomhole 

would continue to 

strengthen compliance 

with the rules, build 

support structures for 

democracy, ensure 

discipline across board, 

and deliver good 

governance for the 

benefit of all Nigerians. 

“We expect members 

who have different 

agenda to join their kind 

in PDP. We will welcome 

vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

Impunity marked your era, APC 

blasts Oyegun 

with open arms those 

who share our 

progressive ideals so 

that by 2022, we will 

have a party whose 

members are truly 

progressives,” he said. 

Issa-Onilu noted that 

in the aftermath of the 

2015 general elections, 

the APC had witnessed 

disputations among 

some party leaders on 

account of post-primary 

issues and some losses 

recorded in some states 

through the ballots or 

courts. 

According to him, if 

Oyo, Imo, Bauchi, 

Adamawa, and Zamfara 

states in the last 

elections were taken 

one after the other, it will 

be discovered that there 

were peculiar issues in 

the respective states 

that accounted for how 

the APC lost them, 

rather than the voters 

preferring the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP. 

“I would put the 

painful outcomes 

broadly under two 

reasons. One is 

indiscipline on the part 

of some members of our 

party in most of the 

states. 

‘’The second reason 

is that the party 

leadership did not do 

much between 2015 

and 2018 to move the 

party from being an 

amalgam of different 

political parties to 

become a truly blended 

progressive political 

party,” 

noted. 

Issa-Onilu 

Shuaibu’s 

letter in bad 

faith 

The 

APC 

spokesperson said 

Senator Lawali 

Shuaibu’s assertions in 

the letter to the National 

Chairman portrayed the 

NWC as a bunch of 

cowards looking for a 

scapegoat to pass on 

the blame, following 

undesired results in his 

home state, Zamfara. 

He said: “When he 

(Senator Lawali 

Shuaibu) alleged that 

the National Chairman 

is running the party 

like a sole 

administrator, does that 

mean the rest of us are 

incompetent? I doubt if 

he would have many 

members of the NWC 

supporting him on this. 

‘’The ability to rise up 

to challenges and to 

take responsibility for 

mistakes are important 

qualities of a leader. If 

the NWC had taken 

any action that did not 

produce the desired 

result, it would be plain 

cowardice to look for a 

scapegoat or pass on 

the blame to another 

person. 

“Since the Comrade 

Oshiomhole-led NWC 

came to office, we have 

been doing our best to 

institutionalise the best 

ideals of progressive 

politics. We understand 

that we must bring 

everyone under the fold 

of the party, where all of 

us would be subject to 

our party’s rules and 

conventions. 

‘’We understand that 

impunity can provide 

temporary advantage and 

even successes. But 

ultimately, those 

successes would be shortlived. 

PDP is a living 

example of the inherent 

calamity of impunity. 

‘’The PDP era brought 

calamity to the country 

and ultimately led to the 

loss of power. What I read 

from that letter is a call to 

continue along that trend. 

With due respect, that is 

not what APC stands for.’’ 

Enhanced 

fortunes 

He said despite some 

2019 election losses 

recorded in some states, 

the APC has improved 

significantly on the result 

of 2015 under the 

leadership 

of 

Oshiomhole, adding that 

the national chairman 

could not be blamed for 

the avoidable losses 

recorded in some states as 

some stakeholders failed 

to follow the party’s 

directives and ensure 

internal democracy. 

Issa-Onilu said: “Since 

we are comparing 2015 to 

what has happened now, 

we should remember that 

our President was elected 

in 2015 with over 15 

million votes, against the 

PDP’s 13 million plus. 

‘’There was about 2.5 

million votes difference. 

Under Oshiomhole, we 

have over 15 million 

votes against PDP’s 11 

million plus. There you 

have nearly four million 

votes difference. So for 

the Presidential election, 

our party has improved 

significantly on the result 

of 2015. 

“The situation was, as 

expected, different at the 

state level. The state 

players have the 

foremost responsibility to 

win elections in their 

states. What we can do at 

the national level is to 

provide the necessary 

support. 

‘’The support starts 

from conducting 

transparent primaries 

that ensure the party 

produces popular 

candidates. Of course, 

certain state players in 

our party expected 

business as usual where 

other players are 

subjugated for them so 

that their wishes are 

imposed on other APC 

members in their states. 

‘’This we could not do 

and I don’t think we need 

to apologise for doing 

the right thing. By now, 

the states that failed to 

follow the party’s 

directives are the ones 

that may be regretting. 

“We have examples of 

governors who are true 

progressives who 

worked with the NWC to 

ensure things were done 

right. Look at Kaduna, 

Plateau, Niger, Kano, 

Nasarawa, Katsina, 

Jigawa, Borno, Yobe, etc. 

‘’The governors and 

leaders of APC in these 

states worked according 

to the rules, in 

conjunction with the 

NWC and we all can see 

that the sweetest victory 

is the one achieved 

under a free and fair 

engagement with the 

opposition. 

“This is what our party 

wants to showcase. This 

is the example President 

Buhari has shown by 

ensuring that we had a 

presidential election in 

this country without 

seeking to award 

himself any advantage 

over his opponents. 

‘’The President has the 

instruments to use, but 

he rather subjected 

himself to the rules of 

the contest. If the 

President did not expect 

the party to manipulate 

his own election, why 

should anyone else 

expect that from the 

party? 

“These people who are 

looking for who to blame 

are not talking about 

Kwara and Gombe. 

These were PDP states 

that we won landslide. 

We won in these two 

states because the local 

players adjusted to the 

change agenda of the 

party. 

‘’I am from Kwara, we 

won 100 per cent in such 

a transparent manner 

that the PDP had 

nothing to complain 

about. Do not forget that 

the Senate President, 

Bukola Saraki, is from 

Kwara. 

‘’Kwara presented us 

the evidence that if we 

shun impunity and play 

by the rules, Nigerians 

would reward us with 

votes. The same is the 

situation in Gombe. Do 

these people want to give 

Oshiomhole credit for our 

victories in Kwara and 

Gombe states? Or they 

just believe APC must 

win by all means 

everywhere?” 


@vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

EID-EL FITR PRAYERS... President Muhammadu Buhari (3RD R), his son, 

Yusuf (M); Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari (R); Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- 

Gen Tukur Buratai (2ND L), praying with other Muslim faithful at the Mambilla 

Barracks Eid Praying Ground, during the Eid-El Fitr celebrations marking 

the end of Ramadan fast, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

Face your selfinflicted 

woes, 

PDP replies APC 

Reacting to APC’s 

directive to its aggrieved 

members last night, the 

PDP counselled the ruling 

party to deal with its own 

demons rather than 

dragging it into its 

internal affairs. 

The PDP said APC, by 

choosing to fight dirty in 

the public, “has again 

demonstrated its 

insensitivity and contempt 

towards the values and 

feelings of Nigerians. 

‘’How else can it justify 

its choice of fouling the 

national space at a time 

compatriots are observing 

the blessings of Eid-el- 

Fitri?” 

The party in a statement 

by the National Publicity 

Secretary, Kola 

Ologbondiyan, said it was 

most reprehensible that 

“after pushing Nigerians 

into anguish and 

economic misery, the 

crisis-ridden APC will not 

allow our people to 

celebrate the end of 

Ramadan in peace.” 

The statement read: “It 

is imperative to state that 

the PDP, as a responsible 

party, will not join the 

APC in its shameless 

dance, yet, the APC must 

know that it must answer 

for its failures, depravities 

and unrestrained 

mismanagement of our 

resources in the last four 

years. 

“This is the same APC, 

whose national chairman, 

Adams Oshiomhole, 

confirmed as a sanctuary 

of unpatriotic people 

when he declared that 

‘once you join the APC, 

your sins are forgiven.’ 

“It has also become clear 

to Nigerians that the APC 

is fixated on the PDP and 

has become feverish by 

the reinvention of the PDP 

to serve the interest of the 

people. This is in addition 

to the fact that majority of 

Nigerians now believe 

more in our party, the 

PDP, after seeing through 

the lies, deceit and 

failures of the APC and its 

government. 

“The APC must face the 

truism that having divided 

our people, wrecked our 

once robust economy, 

returned our nation to a 

debtor status and brought 

so much misery, to the 

extent that our 

compatriots now resort to 

suicide and slavery 

mission abroad as 

options, Nigerians cannot 

continue to lend it any 

support. 

“The determined 

optimism expressed by 

majority of Nigerians for 

the retrieval of our stolen 

Presidential mandate at 

the tribunal as well as the 

spontaneous jubilation 

across the country over the 

victory of the PDP in state 

governorship elections 

show that the people are 

eager to have the PDP 

back at the saddle of 

governance. 

“This is because while 

in office, the PDP, as a 

people-oriented party, 

remained dedicated to the 

well being of the people. 

“The 

PDP 

administration salvaged 

our nation from a pariah 

status, paid off our 

foreign debts, grew the 

economy to become one 

of the fastest growing 

economies on the world 

map, revolutionized our 

a v i a t i o n , 

telecommunication, 

automobile, education, 

agriculture, sports, 

entertainment, health, 

housing, railway, power 

and other critical sectors 

of our economy for the 

good of the people. 

“The PDP also 

strengthened our 

democratic institutions, 

created anti-graft 

agencies, equipped our 

security agencies, 

engendered equity and 

social justice, maintained 

a strict adherence to rule 

of law, respect for the 

rights of citizens and 

provided electoral reforms 

that guaranteed credible 

elections in our country. 

“Nigerians are 

saddened that the 

incompetent, divisive, 

vindictive and deceitful 

APC has reversed all the 

gains achieved by the 

PDP in a space of four 

years. If anything, the 

APC has only succeeded 

in bringing economic 

misery, escalated 

insecurity, piling foreign 

debts, dilapidated 

infrastructure and 

despondency in our 

country.”

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JUNE 5, 2019 

MINIMUM WAGE: How 

states can avert 

trouble – NGIGE 

Senator Chris Ngige, former Minister of Labour and 

Employment, midwifed the N30,000 Minimum 

Wage. He has concilliated many Labour disputes with 

government. He recently had a disagreement with Organised 

Labour on the choice of Chairman of the board of Nigeria Social 

Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF. But Ngige, stiint ended on May 29, 

2019 says he has done his best for the Labour Ministry. He also 

speaks on other Labour issues. 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

On his achievements as 

Labour Minister and the 

magic wand he used to manage 

industrial relations within the 

past four years. 

There is no real magic about it. 

The proactive stand of the Ministry 

under my care and bringing 

to bear my experience in life as a 

worker with the Federal Ministry 

of Health helped me. I worked in 

the clinic before coming to the 

headquarters to manage the 

federal staff clinic in the states 

under the Department of 

Hospital Services. 

So I gained some experience of 

what the expectations of a worker 

could be in managing his 

emoluments to satisfy his monthly 

needs. I managed a zone for my 

party and also acquired some 

experience there as Assistant 

Secretary of the party. By the 

grace of God, I became governor 

of Anambra State when there was 

turbulence and serious labour 

crisis between the unions in the 

state and the outgoing governor 

then, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju 

and decided to learn how to 

manage labour disputes from 

there. 

I came to the Senate and became 

a member of the Senate 

Committee on Health, Power, 

Metallurgy and Steel Development, 

Science and Technology 

and for a while, Committee on 

Education. These are areas 

where you have potential labour 

crisis. In the Senate Committee 

on Health, we were managing labour 

issues especially with the 

NMA, Resident Doctors and 

other health workers and finally, 

I found myself as Minister of 

Labour and Employment. 

His achievements as Labour 

minister 

I have always known that whatever 

I do or wherever I find myself 

as a public officer, I should do 

my best because history can be 

kind to you when you do your best 

and when you don’t do well, it will 

be unkind to you, record you 

badly and in most cases, you 

won't even have the opportunity 

to defend yourself. 

Summarising our achievements 

will be difficult. When I 

came, the economy of the country 

had nose-dived. The President 

inherited a broken economy. Oil 

prices moved from over $90 to 

about $30. 

There was insecurity in the 

Niger-Delta and the production 

of oil fell from 2.2 million barrels 

per day to about 1.2 million. It 

took the intervention of the Vice- 

President and the Minister of 

State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu 

to run to the Niger- Delta and 

start speaking to them and 

calming frayed nerves because 

Goodluck Jonathan had just lost 

an election and there was the 

feeling among Niger Delta 

youths that 'our brother has been 

pushed out'. 

He moved to introduce the 

Treasury Single Account. I was 

one of those who supported the 

introduction of the Treasury 

Single Account, having been in 

the Senate and seen the pillage 

and wastage of funds that was 

going on among the MDAs in the 

country. 

We also had our obligation to 

workers in the private sector and 

we had to dialogue with our social 

partners, NECA. Those who are 

not within the ambit of NECA like 

the oil companies, we brought 

them here and the then Minister 

of State, the late James Ocholi 

(SAN) and myself, addressed 

them and worked out a format of 

what could be done. 

There was the issue of shortfall 

in salaries and other allowances. 

One or two hospitals went on 

strike and we applied the principle 

of 'no work, no pay' and some 

doctors in Jos and FMC, Owerri 

became casualties and till today, 

we have not refunded their pay. 

After them came the JOHESU. 

They went on strike and we 

negotiated with them in the first 

instance and in 2018, they went 

on another round of strike and we 

had to invoke the 'no work, no 

pay' principle on them after two 

months. We had to do so because 

after two months, the ILO permits 

you to invoke it. In fact, the ILO 

permits you to invoke it 

immediately anybody on 

essential services embarks on 

strike. 

A government that inherited a 

battered economy tried to do its 

best. 

Don’t forget that this Ministry 

is called Ministry of Labour and 

Employment and even though 

there was no money and the personnel 

cost kept increasing, we 

said we must give employment to 

Nigerians. 

So, we did a double barrel approach 

to it. Government established 

the N-Power programme 

which was domiciled in the Vice- 

President’s office. We employed 

200,000 in the first batch in 2016/ 

2017 and in 2017/2018, we 

employed another batch of 

300,000 and placed them on a 

monthly pay of N30,000. We also 

had an N-power built for those 

without university degree, who 

needed to learn some craft in 

various fields. 

We categorised them into the 

northern and southern zones and 

employed about 80,000 persons. 

We trained them for about nine 

months and empowered them 

with work tools. We also increased 

recruitment in all sectors of 

government who were allowed to 

replace those leaving and 

promote others. 

We did not place embargo on 

employment and so, many 

Nigerians were employed. We 

might not have been able to satisfy 

everybody in terms of white 

collar jobs. But in terms of blue 

collar jobs, we did a lot there. 

We revitalised skills acquisition 

centres through the NDE and the 

Ministry. We had special skills 

acquisition centres being 

What this N30,000 

translates into is that 

there is a 67 per cent increase. 

If a state government 

applies the same 

67 per cent increase 

across board, there will 

be serious trouble, the 

same with the Federal 

Government and when 

there is that trouble, 

there will be trade dispute 

because the principle 

of ability to pay will 

come in and ILO encourages 

us to apply those 

principles in our discussions. 

manned by the Department of 

Skills Acquisitions in Lagos, 

Kaduna, Calabar, Bauchi, Kano 

and Warri among other places. 

We did not achieve all that we 

needed to achieve in that area 

because our original thinking 

was to be funded enough to revive 

all the skills acquisition 

programmes including those 

belonging to state governments 

and do a national programme for 

continuous training of people in 

these areas. 

One of the achievements is the 

minimum wage... 

Well, it is a big one. Minimum 

wage was one of the products of 

the technical committee that 

worked on the palliatives as a 

result of the increase in pump 

price of PMS. Here, we were the 

anchor ministry and I led the 

government delegation 

comprising about seven ministers, 

the Salaries and Wages Commission 

and the state government. 

It was a tortuous and excruciating 

discussion because of where 

we found ourselves and where we 

were coming from. About 27 

states were unable to pay the 

existing minimum wage of 

N18,000 and now, there is a 

demand, a genuine demand 

necessitated by the increase in 

pump price of PMS and the fact 

that inflation has eaten deep into 

the N18,000 and also by the fact 

that there was a big depreciation 

of the dollar, even though we 

were not computing everything 

about wages with the dollar. 

But we know that 40 to 50 per 

cent of the needs of every worker 

is foreign-based. The minimum 

wage encompasses transport and 

housing needs. The last 

minimum wage was last negotiated 

and passed into law in 2011 

and so, six, seven years down the 

line, there was need to touch it 

because even the constitution 

prescribes that you must adjust 

pension every five years or you 

adjust pay wages before the five 

years. 

You said it was a tortuous negotiation 

and now, there are 

governors who say they cannot 

pay the N30,000 agreed upon 

No, it is a national law and no 

governor can say he will not pay. 

Issue of national minimum wage 

is item 34 on the Exclusive Legislative 

list of the Third Schedule 

of the Nigerian Constitution. Issue 

of labour is also there and not 

on the concurrent list. If it is on 

the concurrent list, then they can 

make their own state Assembly 

laws on that. 

Every state government is now 

owing workers if they have not 

started paying N30,000. They are 

owing workers effective from April 

18, a new minimum wage. We are 

now in a committee working out 

a new template with which we will 

adjust upward the consequential 

adjustment for those already 

earning above N30,000. 

The minimum wage is for the 

most vulnerable down the ladder 

and that is the man on grade level 

one step one. So, you must 

consequentially adjust for the 

man on grade level two, grade 

level three, grade level four and 

five, because that man on GL 1 

step 1 has overtaken them with 

his new payment. 

That is what we refer to as 

consequential adjustment. This 

consequential adjustment 

touches more the people on the 

lower ladder and we are working 

it out. The negotiation is going to 

be with the Joint Negotiating 

Council in both the federal and 

at the state level. 

What we are trying to do now 

with the Salaries and Wages 

Commission is that we have a 

technical committee working out 

what the Federal Government 

will do for their workers and advise 

the state governments appropriately. 

In 2011, there was a mistake in 

the consequential adjustment in 

some states when they applied 

the principle of percentage increase 

across board and they ran 

into trouble and were not able to 

pay. 

What this N30,000 translates 

into is that there is a 67 per cent 

increase. If a state government 

applies the same 67 per cent increase 

across board, there will be 

serious trouble, the same with the 

Federal Government and when 

there is that trouble, there will be 

trade dispute because the 

principle of ability to pay will 

come in and ILO encourages us 

to apply those principles in our 

discussions. 

If I am unable to pay and my 

workers know that I am unable to 

pay, we will sit down and agree 

on what I am able to pay. So, 

there is a baseline now as no 

worker in Nigeria should earn 

anything less than N30,000 provided 

that the establishment has 

more than 25 workers.


Trustfund to pensioners: Your 

monthly pension continues even 

if you exhaust your RSA balance 

•Updates enrollees on new happenings 

Stories by Victor 

Ahiuma-Young 

TRUSTFUND Pensions 

L t d , 

a leading Pension Fund 

Administrator, PFA, in Nigeria, 

has carved a niche 

for itself as arguably the 

only PFA that has consistently 

organised a Pre-Retirement 

and Retiree Forum 

annually to sensitise 

its enrollees or clients including 

employers, 

among others, on current 

happenings in the pension 

industry. 

It also uses the forum to 

get feedback from retirees 

towards serving them better 

as well as disabuse 

their minds on false insinuations 

or anything agitating 

their minds. 

Specifically, Trustfund 

Pensions says the forum is 

very rewarding because it 

a necessary annual 

outreach that provides it 

the opportunity to meet 

prospective retirees and 

retirees to find out their 

challenges and give them 

the information that will 

guide them properly in 

making decisions on their 

pensions or contributions 

into the Contributory Pension 

Scheme, CPS. 

Because of the popularity 

of the forum among enrollees 

especially retirees, 

they look forward to it annually. 

It was not surprising that 

the Lagos edition of the forum 

for Mainland and Island 

enrollees few days 

ago, attracted very impressive 

participants. 

This year’s edition focused 

on issues around 

Programmed Withdrawal, 

PW, and Retiree Life Annuity, 

RLA, of the CPS among 

others, as usual. 

Speaking at the Toyin 

Street venue for enrollees 

in Lagos Mainland, Lagos 

Regional Manager, 

Trustfund Pensions, 

Obiora Ozoekwem, said 

the forum was an opportunity 

to eradicate fears from 

pensioners that monthly 

pensions would stop coming 

once they exhaust the 

balance in their Retirement 

Savings Accounts, 

RSA. 

According to him, 

retirees who are under the 

PW of the CPS, would continue 

to draw pensions 

from Pension Protection 

Fund, PPF, pending the 

implementation of the 

Minimum Pension Guarantee, 

MPG, as directed by 

the National Pension 

Commission, PenCom. 

He informed that unlike 

the RLA, the PW is guaranteed 

for life even while pensions 

are being paid on a 

*From left: Regional Manager, Trustfund Pension, 

Obiora Ozoekwem, retiree, Mrs. Popoola Mojoyinola; 

Business Manager, Amuwo Odofin, Trustfund Pension, 

Andrew Kassa; Business Manager, 

Onipanu, Trustfund Pension, Billy Osazuwa and 

retiree, Mrs. Ojogwu Roseline, during the Trustfund 

Pension Pre-Retirement and Retiree forum in Lagos. 

monthly or quarterly basis, 

the balance in RSAs are invested 

in line with PenCom 

investment guidelines. 

Ozoekwem said: “It was 

important that we held this 

event to educate retirees 

especially as PenCom 

passed a circular last year 

mandating every PFA to 

continue to pay pensions to 

retirees under the programmed 

withdrawal 

even when they run out of 

funds in their RSAs until 

the Minimum Pension 

Guarantee is fully implemented. 

“For some reasons, if 

someone was overpaid, or 

emoluments were not calculated 

properly before the 

Federal Government pays 

Pensioners at war over 

application for registration 

of new group 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

THE crisis of confidence 

rock-ing the pensioners’ 

body in the country appears 

unending as the Federal 

Parastatals and Private 

Sector Association of Nigeria, 

FEPPPAN, has told 

the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, 

NUP, that its application 

for registration was 

within the framework of the 

Trade Union Act. 

FEPPPAN had applied to 

the Ministry of Labour and 

Employment to be registered 

as an independent 

union outside NUP and the 

National Industrial Court, 

NIC, has in its recent judgement 

declared that the 

Minister of Labour can 

register it. 

But the NUP has described 

the association as 

an illegal body and advised 

the Supervising Minister, 

Dr. Chris Ngige not to register 

it. 

as this incident only happens 

with federal civil servants, 

PenCom requests us to 

do a refund. 

“When we do a refund, we 

are supposed to recalculate 

the person’s pension based 

on what is left so that the account 

does not run out. 

There have been omissions 

in the past where you see 

RSAs run out but if such occurs 

now, we will sustain such 

retirees.” 

The Lagos Regional Manager, 

explained that retirees 

on PW are entitled to getting 

pension enhancement following 

growth in their RSA 

balance as a result of returns 

on investments as stipulated 

in Section 82(2) and (3)(C) 

of the Pension Reform Act, 

Reacting to the NUP outburst, 

promoters of 

FEPPPAN said: “We are 

quick to assert that our application 

for registration of 

FEPPPAN is within the 

framework of the Trade 

Union Act as also confirmed 

by a court of competent 

jurisdiction. So it is 

preposterous for a union 

registered and supervised 

by the same Ministry of 

Labour & Employment to 

consider the Honourable 

Minister as practising illegality 

for exercising his 

statutory power to regroup 

any union.” 

A statement by the General 

Secretary of FEPPPAN, 

Mr. Franklin Enrinle, insisted 

that the group’s application 

for registration of 

a new pensioners’ centre 

was in conformity with 

Trade Union Act, TUA, as 

confirmed by a court of 

competent jurisdiction, to 

the effect that it was not an 

illegal body. 

Our partnership with global 

bodies adds value to Nigerian 

firms, — SERAs Chairman 

Stories by Princewill 

Ekwujuru 

In this interview, Ken 

Egbas, Chairman, 

TruCSR, organisers of the 

Social Enterprise Report and 

Awards, SERAs, highlights 

the benefits of partnering with 

Forbes and Global 100, and 

the impact of the partnership 

on firms taking part in the 

awards. Excerpt. 

TruCSR is partnering some 

global organisations to push 

the cause of SERAs, who 

are these organisations and 

what value would the 

partnership add to 

participating firms? 

Before now, we have had 

partnership with Forbes. We 

are also currently having 

partnership with Global 100, 

that’s the prime rating 

organisation in the world for 

organisations making a 

difference. 

They would be taking from 

Nigeria’s list of Top 50 

companies; pick the Top 10 

to include in the global 100 

to give them more social 

values. 

What impact would that 

make on Nigerian 

organisations? 

The impact is that it will add 

value to their work, amplify 

what they do, it is going to be 

seen from around the world, 

not just here anymore. 

Let me just give you an 

instance, there is an Africa 

sustainability documentary 

that we ran, when we put these 

together and went to BBC, 

they saw this story about 

Nigeria that it is not only 

about Boko Haram, that 

there are some positive 

NB flags off 2019 Maltina Teacher of The Year 

Nigerian Breweries, 

NB Plc, has 

announced entries for the fifth 

edition of the 2019 Maltina 

Teacher of the Year 

programme. 

Speaking at the flag-off 

ceremony in Lagos, the 

Corporate Affairs Director, 

Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. 

Sade Morgan disclosed that 

the Maltina Teacher of the Year 

is one of the initiatives through 

which the company contributes 

to the development of 

education in Nigeria in line 

with its corporate philosophy 

of Winning with Nigeria. 

Morgan explained that 

Maltina Teacher of the Year is 

an offshoot of the Nigerian 

Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei 

Education Trust fund. The 

trust fund, which was 

established by Nigerian 

Breweries in 1994 to facilitate 

its active contribution to the development 

of the education 

sector in Nigeria, is in line with 

things, and that there are some 

organisations that are behind 

the social changes, this helped 

to increase visibility of the 

organisations and it is a very 

good way to market and 

position their brand(s), and 

even the country. 

In the last 13 years, you have 

really brought CSR to the fore, 

and I believe more 

organisations are keying into 

this. Do you think that these 

organisations are really 

making impact on society? 

You see, when you start 

anything like this, it will grow 

gradually. I remember at the 

start of this programme, we 

had a meeting with Dr. 

Christopher Kolade while we 

were just doing a research, and 

he said: “If you don’t put this 

together to recognise the 

people that are doing these 

things, other people wouldn’t 

join, and we took that up, that 

actually gave birth to the 

SERAs awards. What you have 

are organisations especially 

those that play in the same 

market space with other 

organisations, you will see that 

the things they do become 

socially impactful, and 

become very key brand 

indicator, and everybody wants 

to play in that field. 

On a yearly basis we have so 

many of them coming to say 

come and look at our work, 

what is missing? It never used 

to be like that, and we sat down 

in our office from 2007 to last 

year to get organisations to 

answer to the question of how 

much they spend per year; and 

we are looking at over N50 

billion in the last 10 years that 

organisations have spent 

cumulatively with the highest 

investment coming from oil and 

the United Nations Sustainable 

Development Goal, 

SDG No.4. 

She noted that the 2019 edition 

of the initiative is symbolic 

because not only is this 

the fifth edition, but also because 

the company has 

added a new twist to the 

project with the introduction 

StarTimes ends promotion 

STARTimes has announced 

the completion 

of its Easter 2019 promotion 

which lasted for more than a 

month during which subscribers 

across the country 

were rewarded with a bouquet 

upgrade. 

Announcing the end of the 

campaign, the Public Relations 

Manager, Kunmi Balogun 

said in a statement that 

the company was satisfied 

with the positive response it 

got from subscribers who 

participated in the promotion. 

According to him, the 

•Ken Egbas 

gas, followed by 

telecommunications, which 

dropped in the last two years. 

What do you see going forward 

in CSR spend? 

We cannot develop our society 

depending only on government 

responsibilities, responsibility 

starts individually as a person, 

then into whatever space that 

you work, and then you take it 

from that space and you move 

into where you have more 

impact, and because it is 

something that you have 

imbibed as an individual, I must 

succeed as an individual, I must 

not survive alone and then it 

becomes an ethos that people 

will buy into. 

Now, the notion is that 

government collects taxes, and 

the argument that we have 

always put forward to people is 

this: If you wait for government 

alone, a time will come when 

you wouldn’t be able to run your 

business, that is why the United 

Nations looked at continents 

like Africa and South America 

where poverty is pervasive, and 

said the only way forward is 

strategic partnership, publicprivate 

sector partnership and 

that is what we want to see more 

at TruCSR. 

of the consumer engagement 

online contest tagged: That 

one teacher. 

“Maltina Teacher of the Year 

is one initiative that is very 

close to the hearts of our vibrant 

and dynamic management 

team who are passionate 

about education. 

subscribers who took advantage 

of the promotion are very 

happy about the initiative 

which gave a higher bouquet 

once payment was made for 

two months on their existing 

bouquet. 

“We are all about giving at 

StarTimes, we give way more 

for a lot less. Our subscribers 

can testify to the fact that all 

our promotions are beneficial 

to them. In the coming days, 

we will launch another promotion 

which will see more 

value given to our subscribers.”


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

GEMINI: The Moon and Neptune are at loggerheads, 

therefore, you’ve got to watch your step so that you don’t 

work against your own interest. 

CANCER: Those of you who are ambitious and hard 

working will have more to show for your efforts. However, 

if you fail to respect the law and its agents, you’ll be 

disappointed today. Be loving. 

LEO: Romantic Venus makes young-at-heart to crave 

for loving attention. Then all of you will need to guard 

against deception. 

VIRGO: Those of you who are moderately ambitious 

are in for a good day. As Neptune and the Moon are at 

loggerheads, it’s important you don’t take partners for 

granted. 

LIBRA: Even if there is minor misunderstanding within 

your working arena, the whole thing will work 

favourably for you. You just have to be your practical 

self. Watch what you eat, drink and the state of your 

health. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“No matter how it seem. There must be something to be 

thankful for. The endless possibilities of being alive brings 

so much for unfolding into something more” Take Heart 

Quotes- 

Whenever we experience a challenge, know too that this too 

shall pass away. Remember, you have made it this far, doors 

will open, pray or contemplate and trust in divine guidance. 

No matter how it seems, there’s always a rainbow in the sunset 

sky. Look through the clouds for it. Ella Randle 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Why they like an 

ugly person 

takes long for a 

beautiful person 

to know. ~African 

Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

SCORPIO: Some of you will start to see the result of 

your recent romantic escapade. Try your best to consolidate 

on success you have recorded yesterday. This is the 

wrong time to gamble at all. 

SAGITTARIUS: Much will depend on how willing you 

are to co-operate with others, especially those within 

your base of operation. Lovers may be in for a romantic 

day. Try to be more family-minded. 

CAPRICORN: Don’t believe that every information supplied 

to you is correct as there is the possibility of deception. 

Make sure you are as practical as possible at work. 

AQUARIUS: As the saying goes, ‘money is the root of 

all evils,’ you will need to watch carefully your financial 

transactions today so that costly misunderstanding’ll be 

averted. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

PISCES: Not everybody within your base of operation 

is honest with you today. Yet, success is your portion today. 

Those of you who are more financially ambitious 

will have a rewarding day. Be loving. 

ARIES: Your good days are closer to you more than you 

imagine now but you will need to be a little bit careful 

today who you repose confidence in. Lovers will smile. 

TAURUS: Not all friends can be trusted with money today 

when temptation to deceive you is very strong. The 

more secretive you are, the better for you. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

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

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGITTARIUS 

Mutable means changes and experimentation, while fire 

is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative and leadership 

ability. Thus, you are the type that will exhibit 

strong interest in an important project that catches your 

fancy and you will not mind to experiment with ideas just 

to achieve your objectives and aims. Sagittarius is the 

9th sign of the Zodiac that rules philosophy, RELIGION, 

law, foreign land, higher mind/higher institutions, lawyer, 

long (distance) travelling, in-laws, future, optimism 

and bluntness. Major problem or weak points of 

Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and sometimes 

fanatical approach to religion. 

Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration 

and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimist 

and ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others; 

you are not an exception. Honesty is truly in your 

inner self .You are a tolerant person but you are not ready 

to compromise your FREEDOM 

Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered 

person. Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius 

indicates dual (double) personalities known in different 

circle with different personalities. Yet, you are not a pretender. 

As the Archer aims arrow into the sky also 

Sagittarians have many lofty ideas and ambition. But 

sometimes their ideas and/or ideals are not practical 

enough for realisation. Many times, they start too many 

thing at a time only to either forget or lose view of their 

original target. 

Development of practical approach is more important 

for Sagittarians this is in order to make success of many 

of their brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become 

dreamers. 

In reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real 

dream many use to have at night) and many of their dreams 

usually come to pass. Sometimes their dreams are vividly 

prophetic. 

Sagittarians are born philosophers. That is why they have 

well developed minds indispensable to rare wisdom, Sagittarius 

is the Zodiacal constellation of WISDOM Then, 

you are humorous, lively, sports loving, out going, energetic, 

good hearted, in love with change/experimentation, 

ever willing to co-operate, socially inclined, enthusiastic 

and highly intelligent. As intelligent as you are, 

you can surprisingly appear fanatical about your conviction 

and/or views. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa

Man Utd 

eye Salah 

swoop 

Manchester United could 

reportedly make a 

move for Liverpool attacker 

Mohamed Salah in this 

summer’s transfer window. 

Real Madrid and Bayern 

Munich have both been 

credited with an interest in 

the 26-year-old, who has 

Juventus test 

the waters 

over Pogba 

Juventus 

have 

reportedly been in 

contact with 

Manchester United 

over Paul Pogba to 

test the waters before 

making a formal offer 

for the midfielder. 

The France 

international’s future 

beyond this summer is in 

doubt after being strongly 

linked with the Old Trafford 

exit over the past 12 months. 

Pogba has openly admitted 

that he would be keen on a 

switch to Madrid to play 

under compatriot Zinedine 

Zidane, while former club 

Juventus have also been 

tipped to make a move. 

According to Italian 

journalist Gianluca Di 

Marzio, Juve have 

made an initial enquiry 

to United over their 

chances of bringing the 

26-year-old back to 

Turin and are hoping for 

a swift decision from the 

Red Devils. 

Pogba, who won four 

Serie A titles and two 

Coppas Italia during his 

four-year spell with the 

Bianconeri, contributed 

13 goals and nine 

assists for United in 

the Premier League 

last season. 

scored 71 goals in 104 

appearances for Liverpool since 

arriving from Roma in 2017. 

Salah was on the scoresheet as 

Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Tottenham 

Hotspur in the Champions League final 

on Saturday night, but the Egyptian 

refused to commit his future to the Reds 

after the match. 

Madrid and Bayern were reportedly 

preparing to battle for the attacker’s 

services this summer. 

However, according to AS, 

United are also considering a 

spectacular bid for the 

former Chelsea forward 

ahead of the 2019-20 

campaign. 

•Pogba 

Real Madrid splash £62m 

on Luka Jovic 

Luka Jovic has signed for Real Madrid in a 

£62million deal. 

The striker will join the Spanish giants on a 

six-year contract, pending a medical, after the 

two clubs agreed terms on a transfer on 

Tuesday morning. 

The £62m fee is the largest amount Real 

have ever paid for a striker. He will 

also be their third mostexpensive 

signing ever, 

behind Cristiano 

Ronaldo and Gareth 

Bale. 

Eintracht 

Frankfurt’s 

sporting director 

Fredi Bobic said: 

‘Luka Jovic is a 

big loss for us. 

H i s 

explosiveness 

and scoring skills 

have impressed 

throughout Europe 

and we’ve benefited not 

only from his goals over 

•Jovic 

the past two years. 

‘But for us it was clear 

Lewis urges Joshua to SACK trainer 

McCracken after shock Ruiz defeat 

•Lewis 

Lennox Lewis has told Anthony Joshua 

to sack trainer Rob McCracken in the 

wake of his extraordinary defeat against 

Andy Ruiz. 

McCracken has overseen Joshua’s 

ascent to an Olympic gold medal and the 

IBF, WBA and WBO world titles, but 

Lewis believes a major change is 

necessary following the huge upset at 

Madison Square Garden on Saturday. 

Lewis, who switched trainers to 

Manny Steward after a shock defeat 

against Oliver McCall in 1994, said: ‘I 

say you can’t go to university with your 

third grade teacher. They won’t have the 

answers you need at that level. You need 

•Salah 


Konta become 

first British 

woman to reach 

French Open 

Semi 

Jo Konta, a 150-1 outsider to win 

the French Open a month ago, 

is two matches away from the 

title after a quite brilliant 

performance proved far too good 

for Sloane Stephens. 

•As he becomes most-expensive striker in Bernabeu history 

a professor by then. 

‘McCracken is A1 without question but 

maybe not the fit for the style AJ needs to 

fight. I switched to Manny Steward who 

understood how to leverage all of my 

physical attributes and skills and showed me 

everything I needed to know for success.’ 

Lewis added: ‘He (McCracken) may not 

be right for the type of style that AJ needs to 

master. Aside from that AJ was not prepared 

for anything Ruiz brought to table.’ 

It is a harsh assessment of McCracken 

who, in addition to steering Joshua to the 

summit in both the professional and amateur 

ranks, also trained Carl Froch at the highest 

level. There have not been any indications 

from the Joshua camp that such a drastic 

move is forthcoming. 

Lewis’s suggestions came as Eddie Hearn 

denied reports that Joshua was knocked out 

in sparring in the weeks before the fight. It 

has been claimed that he was dropped by 

Agit Kabayel, the European champion, 

which has also been held up as a reason why 

Joshua had marks on his face ahead of his 

knockout defeat by Ruiz. 

But Hearn said that Joshua was not decked 

by any of his partners and that Kabayel was 

never involved in sparring. 

that there is a financial threshold. For 

Eintracht Frankfurt this is a good and 

important transfer. We wish Luka only 

the best for his future. 

‘He has the best qualifications for a 

great career. And we are proud that we 

were able to support him along the 

way.’ 

•Konta 

The British No 1 hammered last year’s 

beaten finalist 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 

eleven minutes in what must have 

been the best match she has ever 

played under pressure. 

In windy and warm conditions 

she perfectly mixed up 

aggression and defence, with 

her serve demoralising the 

world No 7. In the second set 

Konta won 22 out of 23 points 

on serve, only dropping a 

point with a double fault in 

the final game. 

She was left awaiting the 

winner of 19 year-old 

unseeded Czech Marketa 

Vandrousova and No 31 

seed Petra Martic of 

Croatia. Having never won 

a match at Roland Garros 

before this year Konta is 

starting to look unstoppable. 

‘To play this tennis on my first 

time on the new Chatrier court 

and to play to the level I did, I 

feel really proud of myself,’ 

she said. 

‘I dealt with the conditions out 

here, it was super windy. She 

could hafe run away with it so 

I had to control the points as 

much as possible.’ 

Konta began before a halfempty 

stadium in the sunshine 

with the heavy air threatening 

thunder storms later on, and 

lunch being a powerful pull 

on the latecomers.


FIFA U20 W/Cup: 

Probe F/Eagles 

exit — Babayaro 

Olympic gold medalist, 

Emmanuel Babayaro has 

called on the Nigeria 

Football Federation (NFF) to 

launch an investigation into the 

exit of the Flying Eagles in the 

ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup in 

Poland. 

Despite starting the tournament 

impressively with a 4-0 

demolition of Qatar, the 2005 

runners-up failed to build on the 

fine start, losing 2-0 to United 

States before playing to a 1-1 

stalemate with Ukraine to qualify 

for the knockout stage as one of 

the best third-placed teams. 

The Paul Aigbogun’s men were 

then eliminated by Senegal in the 

Round of 16 of the tournament, 

losing 2-1 in Lodz on Monday. 

Babayaro has given a stern 

assessment of the Flying Eagles 

in the tournament. 

Rohr rules Ekong 

out of Zimbabwe 

friendly 

•Iwobi still expected 

Udinese of Italy 

defender William 

Troost-Ekong will play no 

part in the Super Eagles 

friendly game against 

Zimbabwe according to coach 

Gernot Rohr. 

Ekong will, according to 

reports arrive the camp today 

but he won’t be able to play 

as he is still recovering from 

the injury he suffered while 

on club duty. 

”He won’t make it for the 

friendly game against 

Zimbabwe. We expect him to 

arrive soon but he won’t be 

ready for the game on 

Saturday”, Rohr said in 

Asaba. 

Meanwhile Arsenal 

forward Alex Iwobi is yet to 

arrive the camp of the team 

as at the time of filing in this 

report following his 

involvement in the Europa 

League final, where he 

scored the lone goal for 

Arsenal in their 1-4 loss to 

Chelsea in the final. 

Iwobi was handed an 

extended break and he is due 

to join the team in Egypt for 

the Cup of Nations although 

fellow absentees like Ahmed 

Musa and Shehu Abdullahi 

will arrive camp tomorrow. 

“From the 

beginning, their 

performance has been poor. 

Our exit was expected, it was longcoming,” 

Babayaro said. 

“Look at how we qualified in the 

first instance, apart from the very 

first game we won and we won 

against a very poor side, we never 

beat any other team. 

“The technical team are not up 

to speed technically. It baffled me 

that we will be going for a World 

Cup without our best legs, it is a 

shame. 

“If we play well with the 

youngsters and we are eliminated 

in the group stage it’s cool, it is 

developmental. We need to go for 

the right lads for our own future. 

“The NFF should do the needful. 

Do your proper investigation into 

what happened with the Flying 

Eagles. How can we be taking 

mediocre players to the 

competition like the World Cup 

and then dropping the best 

players? 

“I think the team should be 

investigated and if the coaches are 

found wanting they should be 

sanctioned to serve as a lesson to 

others. 

“They are killing our future, the 

purpose of the tournament is to 

create room for the young kids 

who will graduate to U23 and then 

to the Super Eagles. 

Falcons have landed! 

Nigeria, the African 

champions, have 

arrived in France for the 8th 

FIFA Women’s World Cup 

finals. The delegation of the 

Super Falcons landed at the 

Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 

just before 5pm on Tuesday, 

three days to the kick-off of 

the tournament. 

Although their best 

performance till date has been 

a quarter final appearance at 

the third edition of the 

competition in the United 

States of America 20 years 

ago, the Super Falcons is one 

of only seven teams to have 

appeared in every edition of 

the championship since it was 

launched in China in 1991. The 

others are the senior women 

teams of Germany, Norway, 

•Aigbogun 

Brazil, USA, Sweden and 

Japan. 

In France, the nine –time 

African champions are up 

against host nation France, 

Norway and Korea Republic 

in Group A. They open their 

campaign against Norway on 

Saturday in Reims, before 

other matches against Korea 

Republic in Grenoble (12th 

June) and France in Rennes 

(17th June). 

Rohr: MIKEL committed to 

leading Nigeria 

Super Eagles manager Gernot 

Rohr has praised John Obi 

Mikel for his early arrival at the Super 

Eagles’ camp in Asaba. 

According to the German tactician, 

the former Chelsea man is showing 

AFCON: Nigerians can expect 

a fighting team — Rohr 

By Ochuko Akuopha in 

Warri 

SUPER Eagles coach, 

Gernot Rohr, 

yesterday, expressed 

optimism that his players 

would do well at the 

African Cup of Nations, 

saying Nigerians can 

expect a fighting team. 

Speaking at the Stephen 

Keshi Stadium, Asaba 

where 19 players 

participated in the 

evening training session, 

Rohr said the team was 

working very hard. 

He said "We have to be 

very fit because of high 

temperature in Egypt 

which is between 30 to 40 

degrees centigrade and it 

will be difficult to recover. 

That is why we have to 

prepare very well. 

"Our first match is 

against Burundi and we 

have to beat this team. We 

have in our group two 

teams who are newcomers 

because they have never 

been to the AFCON 

before. 

"It is not going to be easy 

playing against them 

because they will have 

enthusiasm. Guinea also 

has a very good team. 

"We have to come out of 

this group and try to be in 

the round of 16 and 

quarter finals. We have a 

lot of games to play and 

we are ready for that." 

Describing the 

integration of Super 

Eagles captain Mikel Obi 

into the team as "natural" 

he said "the players are 

happy to see him and he 

has been working very 

hard." 

•L-R: Immediate Past Chairman, Ikoyi Club 1938 Tennis Section,Oloye Esan 

Ogunleye; Head, Retail Banking Group, Zenith Bank Plc, Lanre Oladimeji; 

Chairman of the Tennis Section, Bimbo Okubena and Tennis Captain, Hilary 

Eledu at the just concluded Ikoyi Tennis Competition sponsored by the bank. 

Yobo backs Eagles for AFCON 

triumph 

Former Nigeria captain 

Joseph Yobo has backed the 

current Super Eagles team to 

enjoy a successful return to the 

Africa Cup of Nations finals. 

Yobo skippered Nigeria to glory 

at the 2013 AFCON in South 

Africa, but they have missed 

successive tournaments in 2015 

and 2017. 

Later this month, the Super 

Eagles will return to the Nations 

Cup when they take on Guinea, 

Madagascar and Burundi in 

Group B at the finals in Egypt. 

Critics of coach Gernot Rohr’s 

team claim they are too 

inexperienced, with only John Obi 

Mikel, Ahmed Musa and 

Kenneth Omeruo as surviving 

members of the class of 2013, but 

Yobo has dismissed this appraisal. 

"I've played with a squad full of 

talented and established players, 

yet we finished third on three 

occasions [2002, 2004 and 2006]," 

Yobo said. 

"Remember that in 2013 when 

we had a largely inexperienced 

squad we ended up as champions 

and it's kudos to our late coach 

Stephen Keshi for such a brave 

move. 

"Ours is a massive country and 

football easily generates differing 

opinions among the populace, 

because they all love the game. 

"Right now I think the coach has 

selected a squad he believes can 

his commitment to leading Nigeria at 

the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. 

The Super Eagles’ number 10 has 

not played for the team since their exit 

from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, 

almost a year ago. 

There were fears that Mikel would 

call time on his international career, 

but he appears hungry to help Nigeria 

challenge for glory at the Nations Cup 

finals, which begins later this month. 

“Mikel has at all times been a 

professional and the fact that he 

arrived here early means that he is 

very committed to do well and to lead 

us,” Rohr explained on Monday. 

''We expect 25 players here but some 

of them cannot come in today because 

they had games – like [Odion] Ighalo 

came yesterday from China — Alex 

Iwobi is also being expected. 

''So, the team will be complete in 

two days, but already 18 players have 

arrived here in Asaba. 

''Training will start immediately [on 

Monday] to get our players ready.” 

Nigeria will open their AFCON 

campaign in Alexandria against 

Group B rivals Burundi on June 22, 

followed by clashes with Guinea and 

Madagascar on June 26 and June 30 

respectively. 

•Mikel 

•Kalu 

do the business and as fans we 

can only support them. 

"They have fearless young 

players who are all doing well in 

top leagues around the world and 

they can look up to some old faces 

for motivation. 

"I've experienced it personally 

and I can say that anything is 

possible in Egypt." 

Yobo, the first man to reach 100 

appearances for Nigeria, is 

excited to see his team in action 

at the Nations Cup after a six-year 

absence. 

"It was disappointing to watch 

the last two editions without 

Nigeria and we now have a 

chance to make a strong 

statement," he added. 

"The excitement is real and I 

have a positive expectation about 

these boys because they represent 

a nation of almost 200 million 

people. 

"The young players need to enjoy 

their first Nations Cup without 

pressure and take in the whole 

experience." 

Enyimba 1-0 

Enugu Rangers: 

Super Six: 

Enyimba in 

winning start 

Enyimba made a winning 

start in the Nigeria 

Professional Football League 

(NPFL) season-ending play-offs 

yesterday as they pipped Enugu 

Rangers 1-0 at the Agege 

Stadium to give their title hopes 

a big boost. 

A solitary strike from Joseph 

Osadiaye in the 50th minute was 

enough to hand the People's 

Elephant the winning start they 

craved, in what was another 

installment of the Oriental derby. 

Ikechukwu Ibenegbu made his 

long-awaited return to the 

Enyimba starting line-up and the 

trio of Theophilus Afelokhai, 

Andrew Abalogu and Ogbonnaya 

also received Coach Usman 

Abd'Allah's nod for starting roles. 

On his part, coach Gbenga 

Ogunbote opted to have the trio 

of Michael Uchebo, Koffi Roland 

and Chidiebere Okoli lead his 

three-man attack. 

As expected in Oriental 

derbies, both teams started quite 

brightly though they were 

cautious in their approach to the 

game.


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Aid in crime (4) 

3 Tyrannical (8) 

9 Young dogs (7) 

10 Ravine (5) 

11 Synthetic fabric (5 

12 Religious festival in 

spring (6) 

14 Deposit that forms on 

teeth (6) 

16 Farm livestock (6) 

19 Loll (6) 

21 Dark brown fur (5) 

24 Motive (5) 

25 Songbird (7) 

26 Capsize (8) 

27 Autumn (4) 

DOWN 

1 Harshness of manner (8) 

2 Vacant (5) 

4 Simpler (6) 

5 Attendants (5) 

6 Torture (7) 

7 Head-cook (4) 

8 Austrian capital (6) 

13 Postponement (8) 

15 Ecstasy (7) 

17 Ludicrous (6) 

18 Not so fast (6) 

20 Stave off (5) 

22 Strong very light wood (5) 

23 Reverberation (4) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

08027767834; 01-4544821. Abuja office: 7, Dambata Close, Area 7, Garki, 09-2921024. Ikeja office: 73, Awolowo Way. V.I. Office: Murplus Plaza, 27, Sanusi Fafunwa Street. Asaba: 21, Anwai 

Road. Benin City: 4E, Arusa Street. Port Harcourt: 50, Ikwerre Road; Warri: 102, Efurun-Sapele Road. Advert: advertproduction@yahoo.com; E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, 

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

05062019 - APC CRISIS LATEST: Impunity marked your era, APC blasts Oyegun

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?