Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Stock market<br />
investors lose<br />
N78bn in<br />
bearish run<br />
ARTS 36<br />
Crossing the<br />
River Nun to<br />
bury Gabriel<br />
Okara<br />
SPORTS 43<br />
We were<br />
not<br />
ready<br />
—Dennerby<br />
ACF backs<br />
FG’s plan to<br />
overhaul<br />
Al-majiri<br />
system<br />
9<br />
VOL. 26: NO. 63838<br />
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
<strong>EDO</strong>: <strong>Oyegun</strong>, <strong>Oshiomhole</strong><br />
at each other's throats<br />
•<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> is Obaseki’s biggest distraction — OYEGUN<br />
•I don’t need short-cut to sustain my position — OSHIOMHOLE<br />
•Insists Edo gov must obey constitutional provision on proclamations<br />
STORY<br />
ON PAGE<br />
8<br />
<strong>Oyegun</strong>:<br />
‘’Obaseki is<br />
the executive<br />
governor of<br />
Edo State and<br />
he should be<br />
allowed to<br />
exercise the<br />
powers vested<br />
in him by the<br />
law. To what<br />
purpose is this<br />
idea of the<br />
APC<br />
chairman<br />
putting the<br />
state under<br />
tension?”<br />
Oshiomohle:<br />
“ Edo people<br />
know me and I<br />
know them. I<br />
don’t need<br />
short-cut to<br />
sustain my<br />
position in the<br />
system. But you<br />
know that there<br />
is nobody in<br />
Nigeria who is<br />
not open to<br />
accusations.<br />
The important<br />
thing is that he<br />
who accuses<br />
should give you<br />
proof.”<br />
Banditry, violent attacks ‘ll soon<br />
Mr & Mrs<br />
come to an end — BUHARI<br />
5<br />
Apapa gridlock<br />
crashes earnings<br />
in consumer<br />
goods sector<br />
COLUMNISTS<br />
Kano Emirate FG takes SERAP sues<br />
Council vows verification,<br />
CCB over claims<br />
to sue<br />
payment of<br />
ex-Nigeria<br />
anti-graft agency<br />
of privacy on<br />
Airways<br />
for contempt<br />
Buhari’s<br />
workers to<br />
19 9<br />
of court<br />
London<br />
9 assets 11<br />
SOBOWALE 29 HENRY BOYO 30 OWEI LAKEMFA 31
2—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—3
4—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—5<br />
POCKET CARTOON<br />
OSINBAJO IN NEW YORK CHURCH—From left: Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Mr<br />
Benayaogha Okoyen; Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Justice Sylvanus Nsofor; Vice President Yemi<br />
Osinbajo and Resident Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Morris Avenue, Bronx, New York,<br />
Pastor Daniel Ajayi-Adeniran, during service in New York, yesterday. Photo: NAN.<br />
Banditry, violent attacks ‘ll soon<br />
come to an end — BUHARI<br />
•Commiserates with Zamfara govt, people on Tsafe killings<br />
•Massive investments, job opportunities, panacea to kidnapping,<br />
banditry—AfDB President<br />
•Prelate seeks life imprisonment for kidnapping culprits<br />
By Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru & Rotimi<br />
Ojomoyela<br />
ABUJA — President<br />
Muhammadu<br />
Buhari has, for the<br />
umpteenth time, assured<br />
that cases of banditry and<br />
violent attacks on<br />
innocent Nigerians will<br />
soon be a thing of the<br />
past.<br />
The President also<br />
commiserated with the<br />
government and people<br />
of Zamfara State on the<br />
recent infiltration of<br />
bandits, who killed<br />
several innocent<br />
citizens in Tsafe Local<br />
Government Area of the<br />
state.<br />
Buhari’s assurance<br />
came as President of<br />
African Development<br />
Bank, AfDB, Dr<br />
Akinwunmi Adesina,<br />
said the menace of<br />
kidnapping and<br />
banditry in Nigeria<br />
could only be arrested<br />
with more investments<br />
and job opportunities for<br />
the youths.<br />
This is even as Prelate<br />
of Methodist Church<br />
Nigeria, His Eminence,<br />
Samuel Kanu, called for<br />
life imprisonment for<br />
persons found culpable<br />
for kidnapping in the<br />
country.<br />
Condemning the<br />
banditry attack on Tsafe,<br />
President Buhari in a<br />
statement by his Senior<br />
Special Assistant on<br />
Media and Publicity,<br />
Mallam Garba Shehu in<br />
Abuja yesterday,<br />
described the bandit<br />
attacks as callous and<br />
despicable, assuring the<br />
people of Zamfara and<br />
other Nigerians who<br />
have lost loved ones to<br />
violent attacks that the<br />
government, under his<br />
watch, would soon bring<br />
such dastardly acts to an<br />
end.<br />
Commending the new<br />
administration in the<br />
state for putting in place<br />
new security measures to<br />
curtail the activities of<br />
criminals and bandits,<br />
the President urged them<br />
not to despair but to see<br />
the latest attack as a<br />
challenge to step up<br />
collective actions to rout<br />
the enemy, in<br />
partnership with the<br />
federal government.<br />
He urged law<br />
enforcement agencies to<br />
take prompt and timely<br />
actions against the<br />
wicked attackers, and<br />
also appealed to citizens<br />
to have faith in the<br />
security agencies by<br />
giving them useful<br />
information on the plans<br />
and movements of<br />
bandits.<br />
Adesina on<br />
investments<br />
Reacting to the spate of<br />
banditry and kidnapping<br />
in the country, president<br />
of African Development<br />
Bank, AfDB, Dr<br />
Akinwunmi Adesina,<br />
said the menace could<br />
only be arrested with<br />
more investments and<br />
job opportunities for the<br />
youths.<br />
Adesina said<br />
government must find an<br />
ingenious way of<br />
creating jobs for the<br />
teeming population of<br />
unemployed youths, in<br />
order to secure the future<br />
of the country.<br />
The AfDB President<br />
said this during a high<br />
level meeting between<br />
the Ekiti State<br />
government team, led by<br />
Governor Kayode<br />
Fayemi and the AfDB<br />
management at the<br />
organisation’s<br />
headquarters in Abidjan,<br />
Cote d’Ivoire, at the<br />
weekend.<br />
Fayemi had gone there<br />
to solicit the support of<br />
the bank on the<br />
upgrading of the state’s<br />
infrastructure.<br />
Adesina expressed the<br />
readiness of the bank to<br />
provide technical and<br />
financial support for<br />
Ekiti State Government<br />
Continues on page 41<br />
IGP's statement: Is crime rate in Nigeria reducing? (2)<br />
By Bose Adelaja, Olayinka Latona,<br />
Dickson Omobola, Tolulope Oke,<br />
Chiamaka Uba, Janet Somoye<br />
& Anifowose Opeyemi<br />
I<br />
don’t agree with the<br />
Inspector-General of<br />
Police that crime rate is<br />
going down in Nigeria<br />
because it is so glaring<br />
that it is on the rise.<br />
There are killings,<br />
destruction of lives and<br />
property, kidnappings in<br />
virtually all the states of<br />
the federation.<br />
-Bukola Adeyemi.<br />
Teacher.<br />
I<br />
was surprised that<br />
such statement is coming<br />
from the Inspector-General<br />
of Police. Even a blind man<br />
can perceive that crime rate<br />
in most parts of Nigeria is<br />
at an alarming rate.<br />
Personally, I'm afraid to<br />
travel to my home town in<br />
Osun State, all because of<br />
disturbing news of killer<br />
herdsmen that have<br />
invaded some of the towns<br />
in the state.<br />
-Miss Eniola Ademola,<br />
Entrepreneur<br />
It all depends on the<br />
yardstick or parameters<br />
which the IGP used to<br />
measure the crime rate in<br />
the country.<br />
However, in my own<br />
opinion, I totally<br />
disagree with the IG.<br />
Few days ago, Borno State<br />
governor was in a<br />
meeting with President<br />
Buhari on security<br />
challenges in his state.<br />
-Mr. Abolore Alli<br />
Engineer<br />
I<br />
disagree with the<br />
Police boss. It however<br />
depends on which<br />
yardstick he used in<br />
arriving at such conclusion.<br />
But with the increased<br />
cases of rape, kidnapping,<br />
communal attacks and<br />
robbery, the IGP must be<br />
living in a different world.<br />
He should not be deceived<br />
by President Buhari’s<br />
satirical comment on his<br />
losing weight.<br />
-Olu Aluko<br />
Writer<br />
I<br />
do not agree. It’s<br />
visible even to the<br />
blind how fearful<br />
Nigerians are over cases<br />
of kidnapping or robbery.<br />
Several parts of the<br />
country are still under<br />
the siege of criminals.<br />
Few days ago, the UK<br />
listed 24 out of our 36<br />
states where their<br />
citizens should not visit.<br />
We have a long way to<br />
go. Unil we get it right,<br />
we cannot tackle crime.<br />
-Babawale Ifetobby<br />
Entrepreneur<br />
Crime in Nigeria has<br />
taken another level. It<br />
has never been this bad.<br />
Corruption is a form of<br />
crime. Reduction in crime<br />
rate in most developing<br />
nations means increase in<br />
opportunities for youths in<br />
all areas which presents<br />
alternatives to social vices.<br />
Maybe the IGP should<br />
check the unemployment<br />
rate before deceiving the<br />
gullible.<br />
We have a safety index of<br />
14.88 which places us as the<br />
124th most safe nation out<br />
of 128 nations. Is that to be<br />
applauded?<br />
-Ohanwe Emmanuel<br />
Founder, Rising African<br />
Ambassadors
6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
2-storey building under renovation collapses<br />
in Lagos, injures eight<br />
By Monsur Olowoopejo<br />
& Nicholas Esekhile<br />
ANOTHER<br />
two-storey<br />
building collapsed,<br />
yesterday, in Mafoluku area of<br />
Lagos State, leaving some<br />
persons injured.<br />
2 ATM<br />
customers'<br />
robbers<br />
nabbed in<br />
Ogun<br />
By Daud Olatunji<br />
ABEOKUTA—MEN of<br />
Ogun State Police<br />
Command have arrested two<br />
suspected members of a<br />
syndicate that specialised in<br />
robbing people of money<br />
withdrawn from Automated<br />
Teller Machines, ATM.<br />
The Police Public Relations<br />
Officer in the state, Abimbola<br />
Oyeyemi, stated yesterday<br />
that “their mode of operations<br />
is to lurk around banks,<br />
observe those who will<br />
withdraw substantial<br />
amounts of money, then trace<br />
such persons with their<br />
standby motorcycle to a<br />
convenient area and rob them.<br />
“Luck, however, ran against<br />
them when the area<br />
commander of Ota, Monday<br />
Agbonika, who was on routine<br />
patrol with the men of<br />
Operation PUFF ADDER<br />
sighted the three men on a<br />
motorcycle around First Bank<br />
area in Ota.<br />
“The Area Commander, who<br />
suspected their movement and<br />
outlook, asked his men to<br />
intercept and search them.<br />
“Having realised that the<br />
policemen were after them,<br />
they all jumped off the<br />
motorcycle and took to their<br />
heels, but they were hotly<br />
chased and two of them were<br />
apprehended, while the third<br />
escaped.<br />
“The arrested ones are<br />
Ebenezer Olubukola, 30, and<br />
Olajide Oladejo, 29.<br />
Recovered from them are one<br />
locally-made pistol with five<br />
live cartridges and a<br />
motorcycle with number<br />
plates AKM 490 WT.<br />
“Meanwhile, the<br />
Commissioner of Police,<br />
Bashir Makama, has ordered<br />
the transfer of the suspects to<br />
Special Anti-Robbery Squad,<br />
SARS, for discreet<br />
investigation.<br />
“He equally ordered a<br />
serious manhunt for the<br />
fleeing member of the gang<br />
with the view of getting him<br />
arrested within the shortest<br />
possible time.”<br />
There was, however, a<br />
contradictory figure on the exact<br />
number of persons that were<br />
affected, as eyewitnesses said<br />
eight persons were affected,<br />
while the Lagos State<br />
Government said only two<br />
persons sustained injury.<br />
The building, located on 36<br />
Adesanya Street, as gathered,<br />
had been marked for demolition,<br />
owing to visible cracks on it.<br />
Occupants were said to have<br />
vacated the building, not just<br />
because it had cracks which<br />
suggested an imminent<br />
collapse, but because of the<br />
contention between owners of<br />
the building on whether it<br />
should be sold or not.<br />
An eyewitness disclosed that<br />
A<br />
popular Ebonyi Statebased<br />
pastor, Rev. Simeon<br />
Ononogbu, has blamed<br />
“deceitful” spirit for the failed<br />
prediction that the Super Falcons<br />
will reach the semi-finals of the<br />
FIFA Women World Cup in<br />
France.<br />
Ononogbu, a self-acclaimed<br />
forecaster, predicted in an<br />
interview that the Falcons would<br />
reach the semi-finals of the<br />
tournament, while the hosts,<br />
France would place fifth (best<br />
placed quarter-finalists).<br />
The former Secretary of the<br />
Christian Association of Nigeria,<br />
CAN, Ebonyi branch, sought the<br />
understanding of Nigerians on<br />
the failed prophesy, noting that<br />
he will be more careful in future<br />
prophesies.<br />
His words: “It is a pity that the<br />
prediction on the Falcons failed,<br />
which means that it was not a<br />
revelation from God.<br />
“We have so many spirits that<br />
can deceive people and if we are<br />
not careful, we will make mistakes<br />
such as this.”<br />
the building caved in while<br />
renovation was ongoing. Some<br />
artisans hired by its owner,<br />
reportedly began work on it last<br />
Friday.<br />
Those injured were said to be<br />
the artisans.<br />
‘I escaped by the whiskers’<br />
A resident, who simply gave<br />
her name as Ope, said she<br />
narrowly escaped being buried<br />
under the rubbles, when the<br />
building caved in.<br />
She said: “As you can see, our<br />
building is behind the collapsed<br />
one. I was at the back of our<br />
compound, preparing to wash<br />
my clothes when I heard a<br />
deafening sound. By the time I<br />
turned to know where it was<br />
He said several spirits abound<br />
which behave like God’s spirit to<br />
talk and deceive men of God.<br />
According to him, “the Bible<br />
says some spirits at times,<br />
transform into angels of light to<br />
talk to us.<br />
“We have ‘fallen’ spirits that<br />
deceive the children of God<br />
because we are humans and<br />
weaker than the other spirits.”<br />
Ononogbu, however, revealed<br />
that the prophecy on the Super<br />
coming from, I saw the rubbles<br />
descending.<br />
“I immediately jumped to<br />
leave the direction it was<br />
coming from. I only sustained<br />
injury on my feet as a brick<br />
landed on it. If I had not turned<br />
on time, I would have been<br />
buried under the rubbles.”<br />
Another resident, Mr.<br />
Olowojoba Peter, said:<br />
“Immediately the building<br />
caved in, some residents rushed<br />
there to rescue two persons.<br />
Later, we saw about six <strong>others</strong><br />
coming from the other end.<br />
They were also injured. They<br />
confirmed to us that none of<br />
their colleagues was missing.<br />
“The building had been<br />
marked for demolition by the<br />
Lagos State Building Control<br />
Agency, LASBCA. But because<br />
its owners were unable to reach<br />
a decision on whether or not to<br />
Falcons could also have failed<br />
because he failed to interpret the<br />
revelation properly.<br />
He said: “At times when we<br />
don’t interpret properly, we will<br />
have problems out of it and this<br />
can also be seen as a wrong<br />
interpretation.”<br />
He, however, insisted that in<br />
spite of the failed prophesy, the<br />
revelation of France placing fifth<br />
in the tournament still stands<br />
because it is from God.<br />
“This particular interpretation<br />
was clearer than that of the<br />
sell it, it remained there, until<br />
renovation work started.<br />
“The plan was to renovate it<br />
so that it won’t be demolished<br />
by the state government. We<br />
are thankful because it caved in<br />
now. It would have been fatal<br />
had there been tenants there.”<br />
Lagos govt<br />
Public Affairs Officer, Lagos<br />
State Building Control Agency,<br />
LASBCA, Mrs. Titi Ajirotutu,<br />
who confirmed the collapse,<br />
told Vanguard that “the building<br />
caved in this morning<br />
(yesterday), while the labourers<br />
were doing some breaking at<br />
the site.”<br />
She disclosed that the state<br />
government, through Lagos<br />
State Emergency Management<br />
Agency, LASEMA, had pulled<br />
down the entire building to<br />
avoid another casualty.<br />
PZ 100-YEAR CLEANING: Workers of PZ Cussons, Aba, Abia State, cleaning the streets of Margaret Avenue,<br />
Aba, to mark 120 years anniversary of PZ Cussons in Nigeria.<br />
My failed prophesy on Super Falcons from deceitful<br />
spirit, says Ebonyi pastor<br />
55-yr-old man rapes 11-yr-old niece<br />
By Charles Agwam<br />
BAUCHI— A 55-year-old<br />
man, Isah Sule, and Bashar<br />
Haruna, 25, have been arrested<br />
by the Police in Bauchi for<br />
allegedly raping a primary four<br />
pupil, at different times.<br />
The Police Public Relations<br />
Officer, Bauchi Command, DSP<br />
Kamal Datti, confirmed the<br />
arrest yesterday, in Bauchi.<br />
He said the suspects, Bashar<br />
Haruna, 25, and a 55-year-old<br />
man, Isah Sule allegedly raped<br />
the victim(name withheld) a<br />
primary four pupil, at different<br />
times.<br />
He said: “I can confirm to you<br />
that the incident is true. On<br />
June 16 at about 13:55p.m., we<br />
received the information from a<br />
complainant, one Abubakar<br />
Haruna of Sabuwar Kasuwa<br />
area of Bauchi metropolis, that<br />
on said date at about 10a.m., he<br />
left his shop.<br />
“On reaching his house, he<br />
Falcons and we should wait till<br />
the end of the competition for<br />
its fulfillment,” he said.<br />
Ononogbu, urged Nigerians<br />
not to judge him with the<br />
failed prophesy as he had<br />
correctly made eightsignificant<br />
prophesies which<br />
were fulfilled.<br />
“I earlier predicted the visit<br />
of Rev Uma Ukpai to Ebonyi<br />
and those who refused to heed<br />
the directive on the venue saw<br />
the number of people that<br />
died,” he said.<br />
found out that his younger<br />
brother, Bashar Haruna, 25, and<br />
his niece were looking<br />
suspicious. Upon interrogation,<br />
he discovered that Bashar had<br />
sexually harassed and molested<br />
his niece. Upon receipt of the<br />
report, the Police swung into<br />
action and arrested Bashar.<br />
“Further investigations led to<br />
the arrest of 55 years old Isah<br />
Sule, of Sabuwar Kasuwa, who<br />
the girl alleged had sexually<br />
harassed her several times.”
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—7<br />
3 die as Akwa Ibom communities clash<br />
over woman’s extra-marital affair<br />
By Chioma Onuegbu<br />
UYO—NO fewer than three<br />
persons have been<br />
reportedly killed following a clash<br />
that erupted between Ikot Osute<br />
and Ikot Ukpong villages in Oruk<br />
Anam Local Government Area of<br />
Akwa Ibom State, yesterday.<br />
It was gathered that the two<br />
communities are located along the<br />
East-West Road axis of the<br />
council.<br />
According to a reliable source<br />
from the area, five persons who<br />
sustained various degrees of<br />
injury are currently receiving<br />
treatment at Immanuel General<br />
Hospital.<br />
The source said trouble started<br />
when a woman identified as Mrs<br />
Ime Etuo, who had divorced her<br />
husband, returned to her father’s<br />
compound in Ikot Osute village.<br />
However, the ex-husband later<br />
reconciled with her and decided<br />
to move in with her in her father’s<br />
compound. But Ime Etuo’s<br />
husband found out that she has<br />
a lover from Ikot Ukpong village,<br />
he kicked against the extramarital<br />
affair.<br />
Consequently, Ikot Osute<br />
youths, led by a youth (name<br />
withheld) descended on her<br />
lover, popularly known in the<br />
community as Chop-I-Chop, and<br />
beat him to death.<br />
An eyewitness, Jacob,<br />
explained that the community<br />
leaders mobilised youths and<br />
caught the ring leader.<br />
He said: “But as we were<br />
waiting for the Police to arrived<br />
from Oruk Anam Police Station,<br />
the young man escaped into the<br />
bush. Efforts by the youths to local<br />
him proved abortive.”<br />
He explained that when youths<br />
of Ikot Ukpong village, where the<br />
victim came from, heard that he<br />
had been killed, they went to Ikot<br />
Osute village on a reprisal attack.<br />
Jacob said it was during the<br />
reprisal that two other persons<br />
were shot dead and <strong>others</strong><br />
wounded.<br />
Contacted, the Police Public<br />
Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom<br />
State, Odiko MacDon confirmed<br />
the incident, saying “the Police<br />
have mounted surveillance in the<br />
area to forestall further hostilities,<br />
but will arrest suspects for<br />
investigations and bring them to<br />
book.”<br />
Woman stabs husband in 7-month-old marriage<br />
By Abdulmumin<br />
Murtala<br />
KANO—THE Police in Kano<br />
State have detained a 21-<br />
year-old housewife for stabbing<br />
her husband seven months into<br />
the marriage.<br />
The Police Public Relations<br />
Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna,<br />
said Fatima Musa also called<br />
Hanna, a law student at the<br />
Bayero University, Kano, BUK, is<br />
being detained at the Criminal<br />
Investigation Department, CID,<br />
for attempting to kill her husband.<br />
He said in the early hours of<br />
Friday morning at about 1:30a.m.<br />
at their Unguwan Mai Kalwa,<br />
Na’ibawa Quarters residence in<br />
Kumbotso Local Government<br />
Area of Kano State, she was<br />
reported to have stabbed her<br />
husband, one Sa’eed Hussain, in<br />
the abdomen for allegedly<br />
communicating with another lady<br />
on phone.<br />
Eyewitness account in the<br />
house said the husband's cry woke<br />
up neighbours from sleep.<br />
He said Sa’eed, a staff of<br />
Federal University of Gusau, was<br />
holding his stomach and<br />
bleeding profusely when they<br />
arrived the scene.<br />
He was rushed to the Aminu<br />
Kano Teaching Hospital, where<br />
he is receiving treatment and was<br />
still unconscious as at press time.<br />
Anonymous sources have said<br />
that the marriage, which was<br />
insisted upon by the mother of<br />
Fatima, has been unstable since<br />
inception as she was forced into<br />
the wedlock.<br />
She was said to have attempted<br />
killing her husband twice in the<br />
past by poisoning him.<br />
... with Emma'nKen (08163121378)<br />
Broda Shaggi! Broda Shaggi! How many<br />
times we call your name? DSS arrest na<br />
joke for where billionaire arrest dey o.<br />
Father Moses responds: First, my son,<br />
let's check the quantity of blood left<br />
in the alcohol in your veins<br />
TIME TO SWIM: Flood on Uselu-Lagos Road, Benin City, Edo State capital, after a<br />
downpour, weekend. PHOTO: Agbonkhese Oboh.<br />
Kerosene seller, daughter<br />
burnt to death in explosion<br />
By Perez Brisibe<br />
EKU—FIRE from kerosene<br />
explosion, weekend,<br />
claimed the lives of a kerosene<br />
seller and her daughter, while<br />
her second child and<br />
unidentified woman are<br />
currently battling for their lives<br />
at a hospital.<br />
The incident occurred in the<br />
early hours of Saturday at Eku<br />
in Ethiope East Local<br />
Government Area of Delta State.<br />
The kerosene seller, simply<br />
identified as Caro, was burnt to<br />
death alongside her daughter,<br />
Favour, while the woman’s<br />
second child and an<br />
unidentified woman, who had<br />
gone to buy kerosene when the<br />
incident occurred, are currently<br />
receiving medical attention at<br />
the Delta State University<br />
Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH,<br />
Oghara, in Ethiope West Local<br />
Government Area of the state.<br />
An eyewitness, Nyerhovwo<br />
Akusu, said: “The fire started<br />
when a naked fire was exposed<br />
to the kerosene while Caro was<br />
selling the product to the<br />
unidentified woman.<br />
Akusu added that the fire<br />
engulfed other kegs of kerosene<br />
and they exploded, burning<br />
other surrounding stores and a<br />
caravan in the vicinity.<br />
Speaking, yesterday, during<br />
a visit to the scene of the<br />
incident, the Minority Leader<br />
and lawmaker representing the<br />
area in the Delta State House<br />
of Assembly, Chief Innocent<br />
Anidi, attributed the cause of<br />
the inferno to locally-refined<br />
kerosene.<br />
He said: “Two persons died<br />
during the incident and<br />
property worth millions of naira<br />
destroyed.<br />
“It was locally-refined<br />
kerosene and I believe security<br />
agencies have a role to play in<br />
curbing the trend because this<br />
is not the first time such incident<br />
is happening in the area.”<br />
Oga, stay away ooooooo. If you dare<br />
go to SMS inbox, Yaba Left straight!
8—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
By Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru &<br />
Omeiza Ajayi<br />
ABUJA— IMMEDIATE<br />
past National Chairman<br />
of All Progressives Congress,<br />
APC, Chief John Odigie-<br />
<strong>Oyegun</strong>, has added in on the<br />
crisis rocking the party in his<br />
home state, Edo, accusing his<br />
successor, Comrade Adams<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong>, of anti-party<br />
activities.<br />
<strong>Oyegun</strong> spoke as<br />
incumbent National<br />
Chairman of the party,<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong>, weekend, in<br />
view of the crisis in the state<br />
House of Assembly, said he<br />
does not need short-cuts to<br />
sustain his position in the<br />
system, when asked if he was<br />
not bringing pressure to bear<br />
on Governor Godwin<br />
Obaseki.<br />
However, <strong>Oyegun</strong> said the<br />
state governor, Mr Godwin<br />
Obaseki, must be allowed to<br />
operate freely as a chief<br />
executive officer of the state.<br />
Speaking through his<br />
Special Assistant on Public/<br />
Political Affairs, Chief Ray<br />
Murphy, Chief <strong>Oyegun</strong><br />
said he could not fathom why<br />
the most virulent opposition<br />
to Obaseki was from his own<br />
party and not the opposition<br />
Peoples Democratic Party,<br />
PDP.<br />
He said: “This party must<br />
be stronger because we<br />
cannot go into the 2023<br />
general elections with these<br />
discordant tunes, especially<br />
as President Buhari will not<br />
be contesting.<br />
‘’We need to get our acts<br />
together. <strong>Oyegun</strong> has no<br />
personal grievances with<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> but Nigerians<br />
must know that he cannot go<br />
to equity with unclean<br />
hands.<br />
“Today, there are all kinds<br />
of rancour coming from Edo<br />
State. They all boil down to<br />
attempts by a godfather and<br />
godfatherism that is heating<br />
up the polity in the state.<br />
"Obaseki is the executive<br />
governor of Edo State and he<br />
should be allowed to exercise<br />
the powers vested in him by<br />
the law. To what purpose is<br />
this idea of APC chairman<br />
putting the state under<br />
tension?<br />
“As a governor on APC<br />
platform, he should be<br />
allowed to run out his tenure<br />
before they decide whether<br />
to bring him back or not.<br />
There are so much antics<br />
going on and you don’t need<br />
to be a prophet or babalawo<br />
to trace where they are<br />
coming from. They are<br />
coming from APC.<br />
“I want to think that they<br />
are all targeted at weakening<br />
the governor of Edo State.<br />
Ordinarily, the man in Edo<br />
should be given every<br />
support so that he can<br />
succeed to fend off the<br />
opposition PDP already<br />
around the corner.”<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> is<br />
Obaseki’s biggest<br />
distraction<br />
“Ask anybody from Edo<br />
State, what is Obaseki’s<br />
biggest distraction and they<br />
will tell you that his distraction<br />
is not whether he has<br />
governed well or not, but from<br />
SUMMIT: From left, immediate past president of Afreximbank, Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra;<br />
President, Afreximbank, Prof Benedict Oramah and Secretary to the Government of the<br />
Federation, SGF, and Chair of 2019 Annual Meeting of Afreximbank, Mr. Boss Mustapha,<br />
during the bank’s summit in Moscow, Russia, yesterday.<br />
Edo: <strong>Oyegun</strong>, <strong>Oshiomhole</strong><br />
at each other's throats<br />
•<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> is Obaseki’s biggest distraction —<strong>Oyegun</strong><br />
•I don’t need short-cut to sustain my position —<strong>Oshiomhole</strong><br />
•Insists Edo gov must obey constitutional provision on<br />
proclamations<br />
If his action<br />
against Obaseki<br />
are not antiparty,<br />
someone<br />
should then<br />
explain to me<br />
what is antiparty.<br />
The<br />
problem of APC<br />
is from a single<br />
man, the<br />
national<br />
chairman, who<br />
runs the party<br />
like an executive<br />
chairman<br />
— OYEGUN<br />
his immediate predecessor,<br />
Adams <strong>Oshiomhole</strong>.<br />
“It is very unfortunate,<br />
especially considering the<br />
fact that he is the national<br />
chairman of the same party<br />
with the governor. I have not<br />
heard that PDP or Edo<br />
leaders want to remove<br />
Obaseki. What has been<br />
trending is how his<br />
predecessor, who happens to<br />
be the party chairman, does<br />
not want him back in office.<br />
Anti-party<br />
“If his action against<br />
Obaseki are not anti-party,<br />
someone should then<br />
explain to me what is antiparty.<br />
The problem of APC is<br />
from a single man, the<br />
national chairman, who runs<br />
the party like an executive<br />
chairman.<br />
‘’The idea of working<br />
single-handedly and<br />
inducing the party members<br />
to endorse is the problem of<br />
the party.<br />
“Look at what is happening<br />
in the party today. When was<br />
the last time the NEC meeting<br />
was held? But when these<br />
crises came to the fore, he has<br />
called several emergency<br />
NWC meetings.”<br />
I don’t need short-cut<br />
to sustain my position<br />
— <strong>Oshiomhole</strong><br />
Meanwhile, <strong>Oshiomhole</strong>,<br />
weekend, said he would not<br />
need a short-cut to sustain his<br />
position in the system.<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> stated this<br />
while reacting to the<br />
allegation that he was behind<br />
the crisis in Edo State House<br />
of Assembly, having<br />
allegedly constituted himself<br />
as a godfather who wants to<br />
dictate what happens in the<br />
state.<br />
The APC national<br />
chairman, who was<br />
reminded that he fought<br />
godfatherism in the state but<br />
was now being accused of<br />
playing the same role he<br />
once fought to a stand still,<br />
told State House<br />
correspondents that sought<br />
his opinion on the brouhaha<br />
arising from the inauguration<br />
of Edo State Assembly that<br />
the issue of playing the role<br />
of a godfather was only an<br />
accusation.<br />
He asked: “What is the<br />
evidence? It’s all about<br />
accusation. The media have<br />
a duty. They have to give you<br />
the particulars of that<br />
godfatherism. What’s the<br />
evidence? I am a democrat.<br />
“I accept the credit, not only<br />
that I fought godfatherism, I<br />
launched the one-man onevote<br />
campaign to fight<br />
against election rigging<br />
anywhere in Nigeria and by<br />
the special grace of God<br />
under PDP (Peoples<br />
Democratic Party) with (Chief<br />
Tony) Anenih alive, and at his<br />
best, I won all the 18 local<br />
government areas and 95<br />
percent of the total votes cast<br />
in my second term election.<br />
“So, Edo people know me<br />
and I know them. I don’t need<br />
short-cut to sustain my<br />
position in the system. But<br />
you know that there is nobody<br />
in Nigeria who is not open to<br />
accusations. The important<br />
thing is that he who accuses<br />
Edo people<br />
know me and I<br />
know them. I<br />
don’t need a<br />
short-cut to<br />
sustain my<br />
position in the<br />
system. But you<br />
know that there<br />
is nobody in<br />
Nigeria who is<br />
not open to<br />
accusations<br />
— OSHIOMHOLE<br />
should give you proof.”<br />
Edo gov must obey<br />
constitutional provision<br />
on proclamations<br />
On his position on the<br />
ongoing argument and<br />
brewing crisis over the<br />
inauguration of Edo State<br />
House of Assembly,<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> said: “It’s about<br />
rule of law. As journalists,<br />
there are questions you don’t<br />
need to ask me because you<br />
know the answer. You know<br />
the law provides for how the<br />
House should be proclaimed<br />
transparently.<br />
“The day it’s announced,<br />
members-elect are informed<br />
of date and time for<br />
inauguration. These are<br />
clearly spelt out in the<br />
Nigerian constitution. And<br />
just last week (about two<br />
weeks ago), you were all<br />
witnesses to how President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari issued<br />
proclamation letter to the<br />
Clerk many days before,<br />
stating date and time of the<br />
inauguration of the two<br />
chambers of the National<br />
Assembly.<br />
“Even while we are still<br />
negotiating to ensure that our<br />
party was not divided on the<br />
floor of the House, without<br />
prejudice to the outcome of<br />
those negotiations, the<br />
President issued a<br />
proclamation because he is<br />
obliged by the constitution to<br />
do so whether he likes it or<br />
not and he did.<br />
“He did it transparently. He<br />
has led us by example. For<br />
me, it’s very embarrassing if<br />
any state governor,<br />
particularly of APC<br />
extraction, will do anything<br />
that is less than what the<br />
constitution says and the<br />
example that our president<br />
has set.”<br />
He said in the case of the<br />
Edo State House of Assembly<br />
inauguration, the<br />
proclamation was not<br />
publicized and that members<br />
were not informed, adding<br />
that the inauguration took<br />
place at 9:30 pm.<br />
He said the time was what<br />
a Supreme Court judgement<br />
described as “nocturnal<br />
hours.”<br />
Speaking further,<br />
<strong>Oshiomhole</strong> said: “Business<br />
of parliament is done<br />
transparently; they are not a<br />
secret cult. Now you have 24<br />
member House, 19 members<br />
protested, you have six and<br />
you carry people in their<br />
shorts. Even in the House,<br />
they have rules, the dress<br />
code. So, it happened in Edo,<br />
it has happened in Bauchi.<br />
“Like Edo, Bauchi used the<br />
minority of 10 to proclaim the<br />
House and locked out 20 APC<br />
members and got those 10<br />
people to elect the speaker,<br />
exactly the way Edo did with<br />
six and then co-opted other<br />
three people to become nine<br />
and even at that it is<br />
nonsense.<br />
If it is wrong, it is<br />
wrong<br />
“For us, these are<br />
completely illegal. And that<br />
is why we said so. If it is<br />
wrong, it is wrong whether it<br />
is done by APC or by PDP;<br />
whether it’s the chairman’s<br />
state or not. The law is blind<br />
to those sentiments. I believe<br />
by the end of the day, the<br />
solution is, return to the rule<br />
of law.<br />
“Let’s properly follow the<br />
law; let the parliament do<br />
what they have to do but<br />
people have the right to lobby<br />
for people they want and<br />
whom they prefer. This is also<br />
legitimate. Like you saw in<br />
the National Assembly, after<br />
all the lobbies, people have<br />
the right to vote and you saw<br />
them in the National<br />
Assembly conducting secret<br />
ballot."<br />
Jonathan<br />
condemns<br />
attempted<br />
coup in<br />
Ethiopia<br />
F<br />
O R M E R<br />
President, Dr.<br />
Goodluck Jonathan, has<br />
condemned the<br />
attempted coup in<br />
Ethiopia, which<br />
claimed the lives of the<br />
President of Amhara<br />
region and the<br />
country’s army chief.<br />
Reports said a “hit<br />
squad,” led by<br />
Amhara’s security<br />
chief, Asaminew Tsige,<br />
stormed a meeting in<br />
the state offices of<br />
Amhara’s capital, Bahir<br />
Dar, on Saturday and<br />
shot the President of the<br />
region, Ambachew<br />
Mekonnen, and his<br />
adviser, Ezez Wassie.<br />
In what appeared<br />
like a coordinated<br />
attack, the Chief of Staff<br />
of the National Security<br />
Forces, Seare<br />
Mekonnen, and a<br />
retired general were<br />
killed by his bodyguard<br />
in Addis Ababa.<br />
Reacting to the<br />
incident, ex-President<br />
Jonathan emphasized<br />
that “nobody’s political<br />
ambition is worth the<br />
blood of the citizens in<br />
Ethiopia or any other<br />
nation.”<br />
In a statement issued,<br />
yesterday, the former<br />
President said: “I have<br />
long said, believed and<br />
practised the principle<br />
that nobody’s political<br />
ambition is worth the<br />
blood of any citizen. As<br />
such, it bleeds my heart<br />
when there is<br />
unnecessary and<br />
avoidable bloodshed,<br />
as has just happened in<br />
Ethiopia.”<br />
While condemning<br />
the attempted coup<br />
against the<br />
democratically elected<br />
Ethiopian government,<br />
Jonathan further said:<br />
“I go further to call on<br />
men and women of<br />
goodwill around the<br />
world to also condemn<br />
such anti-democratic<br />
actions and show<br />
solidarity to the<br />
democratically elected<br />
constitutional order in<br />
Ethiopia.<br />
“Democracy has come<br />
to rest in Africa.<br />
Constitutionality and<br />
the rule of law are what<br />
we in Africa need,<br />
especially in the cradle<br />
of civilisation and the<br />
melting pot of the<br />
African Union.<br />
“May God bless<br />
Africa and may He be<br />
with the government<br />
and people of Ethiopia<br />
at such a trying time.”
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—9<br />
MEETING: From left, Mr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, GMD/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc; Mr. Olabode<br />
Agusto, Founder, Agusto & Co, and Mr. Henry Oroh, Managing Director, Zenith Bank<br />
Ghana, at the Financial Market Dealers Association quarterly meeting hosted by Zenith<br />
Bank, where Agusto was the keynote speaker.<br />
ACF backs FG’s plan to overhaul<br />
Almajiri system<br />
THE apex northern<br />
socio-political<br />
organisation, Arewa<br />
Consultative Forum, ACF,<br />
has declared support for the<br />
moves by the Federal<br />
Government to overhaul<br />
the Almajiri system.<br />
The group spoke against<br />
the backdrop of a statement<br />
credited to the National<br />
Security Adviser, Babagana<br />
Monguno, that the Federal<br />
Government was<br />
considering proscribing the<br />
Almajiri system of<br />
education to tackle<br />
insecurity and ensure that<br />
no child was deprived of<br />
basic education.<br />
Monguno had<br />
saidAlmajiris were<br />
becoming a huge problem<br />
to the society, adding that<br />
many of them end up<br />
becoming “criminals, drug<br />
addicts and willing tools in<br />
the hands of those who<br />
have very dangerous<br />
intentions.”<br />
In a statement, weekend,<br />
ACF’s spokesperson,<br />
Mohammed Ibrahim, said<br />
the forum was in support<br />
of the Federal<br />
Government’s standpoint<br />
on Almajiri.<br />
He said people have<br />
misplaced the real “Islamic<br />
doctrine of learning” for<br />
out-of-school children<br />
roaming the streets and<br />
begging for alms in the<br />
name of Almajiri.<br />
He said: “There is a<br />
misrepresentation of the<br />
HEALTH TIPS<br />
By Sola Ogundipe<br />
Control high blood pressure<br />
without medication<br />
LIFESTYLE plays an<br />
important role in controlling<br />
high blood pressure.<br />
Blood pressure often<br />
increases as body weight<br />
increases.<br />
Losing even a small<br />
amount of weight if you’re<br />
overweight or obese can<br />
help reduce your blood<br />
pressure. Carrying too<br />
much weight around your<br />
waist can put you at greater<br />
risk of high blood pressure.<br />
As a man you are at risk if<br />
your waist measurement is<br />
greater than 40 inches (102<br />
cm). As a woman, you are<br />
at risk if your waist measurement<br />
is greater than 35<br />
inches (89 cm).<br />
A healthy diet can lower<br />
your blood pressure by up<br />
to 11 mm Hg if you have<br />
high blood pressure. Keep<br />
a food diary. Monitor what<br />
you eat, how much, when<br />
and why.<br />
Even a small reduction in<br />
the salt in your diet can<br />
improve your heart health<br />
and reduce blood pressure<br />
by about 5 to 6 mm Hg if<br />
you have high blood pressure.<br />
Read food labels. If possible,<br />
choose low-sodium<br />
alternatives of the foods<br />
and beverages you normally<br />
buy.<br />
Eat fewer processed<br />
foods. Don’t add salt. Use<br />
herbs or spices to add flavour<br />
to your food.<br />
Limit the amount of alcohol<br />
you drink and quit<br />
smoking. Also cut back on<br />
caffeine.<br />
Chronic stress may contribute<br />
to high blood pressure.<br />
If you can’t eliminate<br />
all of your stressors, you can<br />
at least cope with them in a<br />
health.<br />
Monitor your blood pressure<br />
at home and see your<br />
doctor regularly.<br />
•Says it doesn’t represent Islamic<br />
doctrine of learning<br />
concept in the Islamic<br />
doctrine of learning.<br />
Almajiri means going to<br />
Islamic schools to learn the<br />
reading of the Holy Quran<br />
and its teachings for moral,<br />
economic and social benefit<br />
of the child.<br />
“We associate ourselves<br />
with Buhari’s concern on<br />
the need for the nation to<br />
overhaul the Almajiri<br />
system of school that will<br />
provide free and<br />
compulsory education<br />
across the country.<br />
“The children we see<br />
begging in the streets are<br />
in the real sense not<br />
Almajiris, but children<br />
abandoned by their<br />
parents.<br />
‘’That is why ACF agrees<br />
with President Buhari that<br />
it is, indeed, a crime for<br />
parents to keep their<br />
children out of school in<br />
this 21st century under any<br />
guise.<br />
“ACF, therefore, urges<br />
state governments to heed<br />
to President Buhari’s<br />
appeal and appropriate<br />
funds needed for improved<br />
volume and quality of<br />
education across the<br />
country leading to<br />
reduction in inequality<br />
among the citizens.”<br />
RMAFC recovers N58bn<br />
unremmitted tax revenue<br />
from banks<br />
By Emma Ujah,<br />
Abuja Bureau Chief<br />
R<br />
E V E N U E<br />
Mobilisation<br />
Allocation and Fiscal<br />
Commission, RMAFC, has<br />
recovered N57.7 billion<br />
unremmitted tax revenue<br />
from banks.<br />
The Head, Public<br />
Relations of the<br />
commission, Mr. Ibrahim<br />
Mohammed, disclosed in a<br />
statement, in Abuja<br />
,yesterday, that the Federal<br />
Government’s share of<br />
N48.7 billion had been<br />
paid into the Federation<br />
Account.<br />
He added that the<br />
balance of N9. 7 billion,<br />
which relates to<br />
withholding tax of<br />
dividends, has also been<br />
paid to the beneficiary state<br />
governments.<br />
In an earlier exercise<br />
covering January 2008 to<br />
June 2012, RMAFC had<br />
recovered N4.2bn from the<br />
banks, promising that more<br />
recoveries would be made.<br />
The commission insisted<br />
that its on-going<br />
monitoring and verification<br />
exercise on tax collections<br />
by Deposit Money Banks<br />
appointed by the FIRS and<br />
Nigeria Customs Service<br />
was in order as it falls within<br />
its mandate as contained in<br />
Section 6(1) of the RMAFC<br />
Act, 2004, which provides<br />
that the commission shall<br />
have powers to, among<br />
<strong>others</strong> monitor the accruals<br />
to and disbursement of<br />
revenue from the<br />
Federation Account.<br />
RMAFC said it was not a<br />
tax authority but a revenue<br />
watchdog that monitors<br />
revenue collections by<br />
revenue generating entities<br />
like the FIRS, Customs,<br />
DPR, NNPC and <strong>others</strong><br />
that remit directly into the<br />
Federation Account.<br />
The revenue streams that<br />
accrue into the Federation<br />
Account under the watch of<br />
RMAFC include tax<br />
(Withholding Tax and<br />
VAT), royalties, signature<br />
sonuses, custom duties,<br />
tariff, etc.<br />
According to the<br />
commission, the<br />
clarification became<br />
necessary following<br />
media reports that<br />
challenged the legality<br />
of the exercise by vested<br />
interests.<br />
Kano Emirate Council vows<br />
to sue anti-graft agency for<br />
contempt of court<br />
KANO State Emirate<br />
Council has vowed to<br />
sue the state anti-corruption<br />
agency for contempt of<br />
court.<br />
In a letter dated June 20,<br />
addressed to the chairman<br />
of Kano State Public Complaints<br />
and Anti-Corruption<br />
Commission, counsel<br />
to the emirate counsel, N.A.<br />
Dagiri, said the commission<br />
had defied subsisting<br />
court orders to invite elderly<br />
members of the council<br />
for investigations.<br />
Some of the invited members<br />
of the council, according<br />
to him, were Mukhtar<br />
Adnan, 93; Isa Hashim 92,<br />
and Yusuf Bayero, 84.<br />
The anti-graft agency also<br />
sent invitations to the wife<br />
of Muhammadu Sanusi,<br />
Emir of Kano, and two widows<br />
of Ado Bayero, the<br />
former Emir of Kano.<br />
The agency had alleged<br />
that over 30 people benefited<br />
from the N3.4 billion<br />
said to have been misappropriated<br />
under the watch<br />
of Sanusi.<br />
Dangiri, however, said<br />
the state and federal high<br />
court sitting in Kano, where<br />
the matter was already being<br />
heard, had directed the<br />
agency to suspend all activities<br />
related to its investigations<br />
into the finances<br />
of the emirate and maintain<br />
status quo.<br />
He said: “Both orders<br />
have been duly and properly<br />
served on you. Notwithstanding<br />
this position,<br />
you have chosen to defy<br />
these orders and continue<br />
your belligerent actions,<br />
including choosing to embarrass<br />
very senior citizens<br />
of the state, many of whom<br />
are in advanced age and<br />
some in conditions of illhealth.<br />
“The invitations to the<br />
wives of the late and<br />
present Emirs is not only<br />
absurd but also completely<br />
repugnant to societal<br />
norms and values and<br />
could only be intended to<br />
humiliate the families of the<br />
late and present Emirs.<br />
“We consider your actions<br />
obnoxious and in defiance<br />
of valid and subsisting court<br />
orders. This is a clear contempt<br />
of court in respect of<br />
which appropriate steps<br />
will be taken against you<br />
and all officers of your commission<br />
acting in contempt<br />
of the court.<br />
“We have as counsel and<br />
officers of court accordingly<br />
advised the Emirate<br />
council not to accede to<br />
your request.”<br />
On Thursday, the agency<br />
announced that it had<br />
withdrawn its invitation to<br />
Sanusi’s wife and widows<br />
of the former emir of Kano.<br />
It also revived its probe<br />
of Sanusi after the monarch<br />
fell out with Abdullahi<br />
Ganduje, governor of the<br />
state.<br />
The commission had earlier<br />
recommended the suspension<br />
of Sanusi, prompting<br />
the state government to<br />
query the monarch.<br />
FG takes verification,<br />
payment of ex-Nigeria<br />
Airways workers to London<br />
By Emma Ujah,<br />
Abuja Bureau Chief<br />
THE<br />
Federal<br />
Government has taken<br />
the verification and payment<br />
of ex-workers of the defunct<br />
Nigeria Airways Limited,<br />
NAL, in Diaspora to<br />
London, United Kingdom<br />
(UK).<br />
Federal Ministry of<br />
Finance officials disclosed<br />
that the exercise would last<br />
two weeks, beginning today.<br />
The exercise to be<br />
conducted by an interministerial<br />
team would take<br />
place at Nigerian High<br />
Commission Complex in<br />
London.<br />
The Inter-Ministerial<br />
Team is being coordinated<br />
by the Presidential Initiative<br />
on Continuous Audit, PICA,<br />
under the Federal Ministry<br />
of Finance.<br />
Its members included<br />
Independent Corrupt<br />
Practices and other Related<br />
Offenses Commission,<br />
ICPC; Economic and<br />
Financial Crimes<br />
Commission, EFCC;<br />
Auditor-General Office;<br />
Accountant General Office,<br />
and Federal Ministry of<br />
Finance.<br />
Acting Director of PICA,<br />
Mr John Waitono, would be<br />
leading the team on behalf<br />
of the Permanent Secretary,<br />
Special Duties, Federal<br />
Ministry of Finance, Dr<br />
Mohammad Kyari Dikwa.<br />
It was learnt that Federal<br />
Government approved the<br />
conduct of the exercise for<br />
those in Diaspora in<br />
London, due to the role the<br />
city of London played as the<br />
European Operational<br />
Office of the defunct NAL.<br />
“The essence of the<br />
exercise is to alleviate the<br />
hardship being experienced<br />
for more than a decade while<br />
waiting for the benefits and<br />
to save them from the stress<br />
and financial burden of<br />
traveling to the country for<br />
the exercise, including other<br />
logistics to come to Nigeria<br />
for their entitlements,” an<br />
official said.<br />
The exercise had taken<br />
place in Kano, Lagos and<br />
Enugu centres to attend to<br />
the over 6, 000 ex-workers<br />
of NAL, following the<br />
approval of N22.6 billion by<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari to pay their<br />
entitlements.
10 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
W'Bank, NIRSAL seal<br />
$200m deal<br />
By Emma Ujah<br />
THE Nigeria Incentive-<br />
Based Risk Sharing<br />
System for Agricultural<br />
Lending, NIRSAL, has<br />
sealed a $200 million deal<br />
with the World Bank for the<br />
development of<br />
agribusiness in Nigeria.<br />
The Memorandum of<br />
Agreement and Action,<br />
MoA, was signed on the<br />
Agro-Processing,<br />
Productivity Enhancement<br />
and Livelihood<br />
Improvement Support,<br />
APPEALS, project.<br />
Spokesman of NIRSAL,<br />
Ms. Anne Ihugba, disclosed<br />
in Abuja, yesterday, that<br />
under the project<br />
development objective of<br />
APPEALS, NIRSAL would<br />
bring its Tools, Techniques,<br />
Methodologies and<br />
strategic Partnerships,<br />
TTMPs, to bear on its<br />
Mapping to Markets,<br />
M2M, strategy on the new<br />
deal.<br />
It would be implemented<br />
under “the shared aim of<br />
enhancing agricultural<br />
productivity of small and<br />
medium scale farmers and<br />
improvement of value<br />
addition along the cassava,<br />
cashew, rice, poultry,<br />
aquaculture, cocoa, wheat,<br />
tomato, maize, ginger and<br />
dairy value chains in a<br />
sustainable manner.<br />
“The project, which is to<br />
be deployed in Cross River,<br />
Enugu, Lagos, Kogi,<br />
Kaduna, and Kano states,<br />
targets 60,000 beneficiaries,<br />
and 360,000 farm household<br />
members as indirect<br />
beneficiaries.<br />
“It is anticipated that 35%<br />
of direct beneficiaries (or<br />
21,000 individuals) will be<br />
women. Also, the project<br />
has a dedicated subcomponent<br />
to benefit<br />
women and youth that will<br />
allow them develop agribusinesses<br />
that are expected<br />
to create jobs and improve<br />
their livelihoods.”<br />
Ihugba quoted the<br />
Managing Director of<br />
NIRSAL, Mr. Aliyu<br />
Abdulhameed, as assuring<br />
APPEALS that, in NIRSAL,<br />
they had found a<br />
trustworthy, reliable, and<br />
capable partner that shared<br />
the project’s development<br />
objective of enhancing the<br />
agricultural productivity of<br />
small and medium scale<br />
farmers and improving<br />
value addition along priority<br />
value chains in<br />
participating states.<br />
Prosecute electoral offenders,<br />
Falana tells FG<br />
HUMAN<br />
rights<br />
activist, Mr. Femi<br />
Falana, SAN, has called on<br />
the Federal Government to<br />
prosecute those who<br />
committed grave electoral<br />
offences during the last<br />
general elections despite<br />
its refusal to set up the<br />
electoral offences tribunal<br />
recommended by the Uwais<br />
Panel.<br />
Speaking on the report of<br />
EU Election Observers,<br />
Falana chided the Federal<br />
Government for ignoring<br />
reports of both local and<br />
foreign observers, who<br />
monitored the polls.<br />
In a statement, the rights<br />
activist said: “The last<br />
general election in Nigeria,<br />
the largest democracy in<br />
Africa took place between<br />
February and March 2019.<br />
The election was<br />
monitored by local monitors<br />
and supervised by foreign<br />
observers. The reports of<br />
the local monitors have been<br />
ignored by the Federal<br />
Government and other<br />
stakeholders.<br />
However, the report of<br />
the former colonial master<br />
and her allies in the<br />
European Union is being<br />
celebrated by all the<br />
stakeholders including the<br />
mass media. After<br />
launching the report at<br />
Abuja, the foreign election<br />
observers are currently<br />
presenting copies to the<br />
Presidency, National<br />
Assembly, INEC, APC,<br />
PDP and <strong>others</strong>.<br />
Lagos PDP tasks Sanwo-Olu<br />
to form cabinet<br />
By Dapo Akinrefon<br />
L Peoples AGOS—THE<br />
Democratic<br />
Party, PDP, in Lagos State,<br />
has asked Governor<br />
Babajide Sanwoolu to<br />
explain to Lagosians why<br />
it has taken him so long to<br />
inaugurate a cabinet for the<br />
administration of the state.<br />
In a statement by the<br />
Publicity Secretary, Taofik<br />
Gani, the party said the<br />
governor is not coordinated<br />
“hence the apparent total<br />
stagnancy in the<br />
governance of the state.”<br />
“This is unpardonable and<br />
results of the aberration<br />
adopted by the Governor to<br />
govern the state without a<br />
cabinet, thus acting as sole<br />
administrator. The<br />
unwarranted delay has<br />
further vindicated our<br />
stance that Governor<br />
Sanwo-Olu was hurriedly<br />
brought on stage to be<br />
...They require tutorial<br />
in governance<br />
— Lagos gov<br />
governor and not a prepared<br />
governor for the job.<br />
But in a swift reaction to the<br />
party, the Deputy Chief<br />
Press Secretary to the<br />
governor, Gboyega Akosile<br />
said the Lagos PDP needs<br />
tutorial in governance.<br />
Akosile, in a statement,<br />
said: “Barring any<br />
unforeseen circumstances,<br />
highly qualified and<br />
competent men and women<br />
will be appointed as<br />
commissioners by Mr.<br />
Babajide Sanwo-Olu.<br />
“However, we need to<br />
remind PDP that the<br />
Constitution is clear about<br />
the issue of cabinet. There<br />
is nowhere in the<br />
Constitution where a time<br />
frame is stipulated for State<br />
Chief Executives on the<br />
composition of cabinet.''<br />
HELL ON THE HIGHWAY: Everyday traffic gridlock that refuses to go, despite task force's intervention.<br />
APAPA GRIDLOCK: Police still<br />
demand bribe from us<br />
— TRUCK DRIVERS<br />
By Olasunkanmi<br />
Akoni & Monsuru<br />
Olowoopejo<br />
LAGOS—DESPITE the<br />
visit by Vice President<br />
Yemi Osinbajo to the Apapa<br />
axis at the weekend, truck<br />
drivers have accused<br />
policemen and naval<br />
personnel attached to control<br />
traffic in the area of<br />
allegedly collecting bribes<br />
from them.<br />
The drivers have<br />
continued to park<br />
indiscriminately on Oshodi-<br />
Apapa Expressway.<br />
Osinbajo and Governor<br />
Babajide Sanwo-Olu of<br />
Lagos State, had led other<br />
officials on an inspection<br />
tour of Apapa ports and<br />
environs, expressing the<br />
determination of the Federal<br />
Government to restore sanity<br />
and clear the chaotic traffic<br />
situation in the area.<br />
Vice Chairman of the Task<br />
team, Mr. Kayode Opeifa<br />
had, last week, promised<br />
that there would be<br />
restoration of law and order<br />
to Apapa environs by<br />
Wednesday this week.<br />
Truck drivers accuse<br />
police, Navy of bribery<br />
Meanwhile, truck<br />
operators along the Oshodi<br />
Apapa Expressway,<br />
particularly, from Rainbow to<br />
Berger Yard area, have<br />
accused policemen,<br />
deployed to maintain law<br />
and order, of demanding<br />
and collecting bribe from<br />
them before allowing them<br />
access to Tin-Can Island<br />
port.<br />
One of the drivers, who<br />
spoke to Vanguard on the<br />
condition of anonymity,<br />
lamented, “The police are<br />
still collecting money from<br />
us before we access the<br />
ports. They demand<br />
between N30, 000 and N40,<br />
000 before they clear the<br />
road for you to pass. For<br />
those who cannot pay, they<br />
are left to park on the road<br />
for days and any attempt<br />
by recalcitrant drivers<br />
are met with stiff<br />
punishment as they will<br />
be beaten by the police.<br />
“That is why you see that<br />
they have converted the<br />
main carriage-way from<br />
Fatgbems filling station<br />
towards Trinity into parks for<br />
trucks, thereby, leaving only<br />
a lane on the service lane<br />
for other motorists.”<br />
More work needs to be<br />
done — Osinbajo<br />
Meanwhile, Osinbajo,<br />
accompanied on the<br />
inspection by Managing<br />
Director, Nigeria Ports<br />
Authority, NPA, Ms Hadiza<br />
Bala Usman, and other team<br />
members, security<br />
operatives, heads of traffic<br />
management agencies,<br />
media, among <strong>others</strong>, took<br />
a tour of Apapa port and<br />
Tincan Island port roads and<br />
interacted with stakeholders<br />
on the latest efforts and the<br />
way forward.<br />
He said: “With what I have<br />
seen so far, I am quite<br />
pleased with the pace of<br />
work done. But there are<br />
some aspects that still<br />
require speed to achieve the<br />
best within the axis.<br />
“I think the most<br />
important thing is what we<br />
are trying to do right now.<br />
We will improve the<br />
infrastructures on the port<br />
areas and the call up system<br />
so that there is no pressure<br />
within the ports.<br />
Mile 2, a difficult spot<br />
Responding to the<br />
challenges being<br />
experienced by motorists at<br />
the Mile 2 end of the Apapa-<br />
Oshodi Expressway, the<br />
Vice President assured that<br />
the gridlock would ease off<br />
in the next few days.<br />
“The Mile 2 end is the axis<br />
where we think there are still<br />
difficulties. But we think that<br />
in the next couple of days, it<br />
will be resolved especially<br />
with the opening of the Tin<br />
Can Island trailer parks and<br />
the palliative work that is<br />
ongoing, all the way to mile<br />
2 which Hi-tech construction<br />
is handling. And we should<br />
be able to resolve that<br />
congestion in the Mile 2<br />
end.”<br />
Navy probes alleged<br />
corruption<br />
Three months after N100<br />
million was allegedly found<br />
in the account of a junior<br />
Naval officer stationed along<br />
Lagos port access roads to<br />
control traffic, the Nigerian<br />
Navy has begun<br />
investigations into the<br />
allegation against him.<br />
The Chief of Naval Staff,<br />
CNS, Vice-Admiral Ibok<br />
Ekwe Ibas has set up a<br />
special investigative panel<br />
to probe the alleged<br />
extortion and molestation of<br />
truck drivers by Naval<br />
officers, widely reported<br />
since 2017.<br />
It was gathered that<br />
following Ibok’s orders,<br />
the special Navy panel<br />
summoned a critical<br />
meeting at the Western<br />
Naval headquarters, last<br />
week, asking truckers<br />
secretly to dish out names<br />
of corrupt Navy officers<br />
involved in extortion.<br />
The Presidency,<br />
recently, withdrew Navy<br />
and Army personnel from<br />
the port access roads<br />
following series of<br />
complaints by truck<br />
drivers, as well as freight<br />
forwarding associations<br />
which indicted the<br />
officers for gross extortion<br />
and abuse of its privilege<br />
as head of the old<br />
taskforce team at the port<br />
access roads.<br />
My tenure’ll be four years of hard work<br />
— GBAJABIAMILA<br />
By Olasunkanmi<br />
Akoni & Monsuru<br />
Olowoopejo<br />
LAGOS—SPEAKER of<br />
the House of<br />
Representatives, Mr. Femi<br />
Gbajabiamila, has said that<br />
his tenure would be four<br />
years of hard work and<br />
commitment to the country,<br />
saying that he is not afraid<br />
to deal with anyone found<br />
wanting.<br />
Gbajabiamila also<br />
promised to ensure that<br />
properties collected from<br />
Lagos State during military<br />
administration, through fiat,<br />
would be returned.<br />
He said this weekend,<br />
while responding to<br />
demands from Oba of<br />
Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu,<br />
during a reception organised<br />
by the monarch, which was<br />
attended by Governor,<br />
Babajide Sanwo-Olu and<br />
other members of the<br />
National Assembly at the<br />
monarch’s palace in Lagos<br />
Island.<br />
While thanking the<br />
monarch for his support,<br />
Gbajabiamila said under<br />
him, the House would be<br />
committed towards addressing<br />
challenges confronting<br />
the country.<br />
On the request of the<br />
monarch, Gbajabiamila<br />
said: “I will do everything<br />
legally possible to ensure<br />
that the entire request from<br />
the state are met. Though,<br />
there will be request from<br />
other states also, we will<br />
look at it from the legal<br />
framework.”<br />
“My tenure will be four<br />
years of hard work and<br />
commitment to the country.<br />
There are a lot of problem<br />
in Nigeria today and it will<br />
take committed leadership<br />
to solve them.''
VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 11<br />
ANNIVERSARY:<br />
Founder, Mirabel<br />
Centre, Mrs Itoro<br />
Eze-Anaba (right)<br />
here receives a<br />
plaque of<br />
participation and<br />
appreciation from<br />
the Regional<br />
Director, Mr Moses<br />
Anibaba during the<br />
morning session of<br />
the British Council's<br />
75th Anniversary<br />
celebration in<br />
Lagos, Saturday<br />
22nd June, 2019.<br />
S’West govs discuss security<br />
challenges in Ibadan tomorrow<br />
....We’re collaborating to flush out marauding herdsmen — Arewa Youth President<br />
By Dapo Akinrefon<br />
& Adeola Badru<br />
I B GOVERNORS<br />
A D A N —<br />
from the South West geopolitical<br />
zone will converge<br />
in Ibadan, Oyo State to<br />
address the security<br />
challenges confronting the<br />
region.<br />
This came as the Arewa<br />
Youth Consultative Forum,<br />
AYCF, said it is collaborating<br />
with stakeholders from the<br />
South West to flush out<br />
criminals suspected to be<br />
herdsmen terrorizing the<br />
zone.<br />
Governors Rotimi<br />
Akeredolu (Ondo), Seyi<br />
Makinde (Oyo), Babajide<br />
Sanwo-Olu (Lagos),<br />
Gboyega Oyetola (Osun),<br />
Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and<br />
Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) are<br />
expected to hold an<br />
enlarged stakeholders’<br />
security summit in<br />
collaboration with the<br />
Development Agenda for<br />
Western Nigeria, DAWN.<br />
Vanguard reliably<br />
gathered that the convener<br />
of the summit, Governor<br />
Akeredolu, who is<br />
chairman of the South West<br />
Governors’ Forum, has<br />
assured that the proposed<br />
security summit would put<br />
an end to the activities of<br />
marauding herdsmen and<br />
address the insecurity<br />
challenges in the region.<br />
It was also gathered that<br />
the DAWN Commission will<br />
coordinate the summit<br />
which objective is to further<br />
promote the developmental<br />
agenda of the South West.<br />
Speaking on what to<br />
expect after the summit, the<br />
Chief Press Secretary to<br />
Akeredolu, Segun Ajiboye<br />
said: “You know we have<br />
held a security summit here<br />
in Ondo State and our<br />
governor is tnow aking the<br />
initiative to other states in<br />
the region.<br />
“Governors of the six<br />
states at the meeting will<br />
find solutions to the<br />
menace. “I want to assure<br />
the people of the region that<br />
an end is in sight to the<br />
spate of insecurity in the<br />
South West.”<br />
“There will be a solution<br />
to these problems after the<br />
summit.”<br />
Give urgent attention to<br />
insecurity, S’West APC<br />
tasks govs<br />
Meanwhile, the All<br />
Progressives Congress,<br />
APC South West Caucus,<br />
weekend, tasked the<br />
governors in the region to<br />
find lasting solution to the<br />
problem of insecurity in<br />
their states.<br />
Rising from a meeting<br />
INSECURITY: Ooni, Alaafin to<br />
convene meeting of Yoruba leaders<br />
By Dayo Johnson<br />
AKURE—THE Ooni of<br />
Ife, Oba Adeyeye<br />
Enitan Ogunwusi, and the<br />
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi<br />
Olayiwola Adeyemi III will<br />
convene a meeting of<br />
Yoruba Leaders of Thought<br />
to deliberate on the spate<br />
of insecurity in the region.<br />
The meeting, slated for<br />
Thursday, June 27, 2019,<br />
will hold at the<br />
International Conference<br />
Centre in Ibadan, Oyo<br />
State.<br />
The event is being<br />
coordinated by Dr. Tokunbo<br />
Awolowo-Dosumu,<br />
daughter of the late sage,<br />
Chief Obafemi Awolowo,<br />
and Nigeria’s former<br />
Ambassador to the<br />
Netherlands.<br />
Awolowo-Dosumu said<br />
the meeting will “deliberate<br />
on the appropriate<br />
response to the current<br />
menace of killer herders,<br />
kidnappers and sundry<br />
criminals currently<br />
ravaging Yorubaland.”<br />
A statement by publisher<br />
of a leading Yoruba tabloid,<br />
Alaroye newspaper, Chief<br />
Alao Adedayo, said: “The<br />
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye<br />
Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin<br />
of Oyo, Oba Lamidi<br />
Adeyemi will co-chair the<br />
event.<br />
“The meeting is a twoprong<br />
event that would<br />
bring together Southwest<br />
governors, eminent<br />
traditional rulers, eminent<br />
scholars and other leaders<br />
of thought, to discuss the<br />
security situation in the<br />
region and plan a strategy<br />
that would assist the<br />
governments and the<br />
people of the area.<br />
“Secondly, there will be<br />
the presentation of Yoruba<br />
language version of the<br />
book, AWO (the<br />
autobiography of Chief<br />
Obafemi Awolowo.)<br />
“We need to meet again;<br />
we just need to talk. The<br />
situation in Yoruba land<br />
now calls for the unity<br />
among our leaders because<br />
we cannot win this war<br />
against insurgents except<br />
we form a common front.<br />
“That is why we are<br />
invoking the name of the<br />
past leader of the Yoruba<br />
people, Chief Obafemi<br />
Awolowo, to bring all of us<br />
together, irrespective of our<br />
political affiliations.<br />
“Our major problem here<br />
is that our leaders are not<br />
united. They disagree and<br />
fight virtually on<br />
everything. And it is all<br />
about politics.<br />
“Unfortunately, this is<br />
causing us a lot of damage.<br />
And when we remember<br />
that most of these politicians<br />
claim to be Awo’s political<br />
sons and daughters, there<br />
couldn’t have been a better<br />
name to invoke to bring all<br />
of us to the round table.”<br />
held in Lagos and presided<br />
over by its National Vice<br />
Chairman, South West<br />
Zone, Pastor Bankole<br />
Oluwajana, the party said<br />
the matter should be given<br />
urgent attention by the<br />
governors in the region.<br />
In a communiqué issued<br />
and signed by its Zonal<br />
Publicity Secretary, Asiwaju<br />
Karounnwi Oladapo, the<br />
party said: “The South West<br />
caucus is solidly behind the<br />
governors in the strategies<br />
they have outlined to tackle<br />
the security challenges and<br />
restoration of peace in the<br />
south west region.”<br />
We’re collaborating to<br />
flush out marauding<br />
herdsmen — Arewa Youth<br />
President<br />
In a similar development,<br />
National President of Arewa<br />
Youths, Alhaji Yerima<br />
Shettima said efforts are in<br />
top gear to ensure the<br />
activities of marauding<br />
herdsmen are nipped in the<br />
bud in the South West and<br />
the country at large.<br />
Shettima said: “We are<br />
collaborating and have<br />
been reaching out to<br />
leaders, groups and elders<br />
from the South West to<br />
ensure that the issue of<br />
criminal herdsmen both in<br />
the South West and the<br />
country is resolved.<br />
“I want to state that the<br />
activities of marauding<br />
herdsmen is not limited to<br />
the South West, those of us<br />
in the north have also<br />
been at the receiving end.<br />
The northerners suffer<br />
more at the hands of these<br />
herdsmen who have<br />
turned to banditry and<br />
kidnapping.<br />
''Let us not forget that<br />
these marauding herdsmen<br />
started their activities from<br />
the North and have<br />
gradually moved to the<br />
South. In some areas in<br />
the north, they kill<br />
hundreds of innocent<br />
people without it being<br />
mentioned in the news. I<br />
want us to know that this<br />
is a national issue and all<br />
hands must be on deck to<br />
address this issue.”<br />
SERAP sues CCB over claims<br />
of privacy on Buhari’s assets<br />
LAGOS—THE Socio-<br />
Economic Rights and<br />
Accountability Project,<br />
SERAP, has filed a suit<br />
against the Code of<br />
Conduct Bureau, CCB,<br />
over its claims that details<br />
of President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari’s assets cannot be<br />
disclosed on the grounds of<br />
privacy.<br />
A statement, SERAP’s<br />
Deputy Director, Kolawole<br />
Oluwadare, said the suit<br />
was filed at the Federal<br />
High Court in Lagos on<br />
Friday.<br />
A Freedom of Information,<br />
FoI, request by SERAP had<br />
asked the CCB to urgently<br />
provide information on<br />
asset declaration submitted<br />
to the bureau by successive<br />
presidents and governors<br />
from 1999 to 2019.<br />
The bureau in its response<br />
stated that the information<br />
requested cannot be<br />
provided on the grounds of<br />
“invasion of privacy.’<br />
In the filed suit, the civil<br />
society organisation argued<br />
that the assets declaration<br />
form is a public document<br />
and not private information<br />
as claimed by CCB.<br />
The suit number FHC/L/<br />
CS/1019/2019 filed by<br />
Adelanke Aremo, SERAP<br />
counsel, is seeking a court<br />
We’re fit, ready to combat<br />
criminals — NAVY<br />
By Evelyn Usman<br />
L Nigerian<br />
AGOS—THE<br />
Navy,<br />
weekend, said it was fit and<br />
ready to combat criminals<br />
in its area of responsibility,<br />
as well as protect the<br />
territorial integrity of the<br />
nation.<br />
Flag<br />
Officer<br />
Commanding, FOC<br />
Western Naval Command,<br />
Rear Admiral Oladele Daji,<br />
stated this during the<br />
second quarter route march<br />
for the command in Lagos.<br />
Addressing journalists at<br />
the end of the march, the<br />
command’s boss said: “In<br />
the face of the current<br />
Firm promotes cultural heritage<br />
through music, arts<br />
By Jimoh<br />
Babatunde<br />
L AGOS—Chief<br />
Executive of Royal<br />
Heritage Entertainment<br />
Agency, RHEA, Adewale<br />
Babalola, has reiterated the<br />
agency’s resolve to promote<br />
cultural heritage and values<br />
through music and arts.<br />
He spoke at the<br />
presentation of an award of<br />
Excellence to him by the<br />
Ikeja City Lions Club,<br />
District 404B2.<br />
Adewale said the<br />
activities of his agency<br />
were focused on<br />
sustaining the glory and<br />
pride of Nigerians and<br />
Africans and the<br />
restoration of the cultural<br />
heritage and values,<br />
l e a d e r s h i p<br />
entrepreneurship,<br />
empowerment, community<br />
order directing CCB to<br />
make public details of<br />
assets declarations<br />
submitted to it by successive<br />
public officials.<br />
“Assets declarations of<br />
presidents and state<br />
governors submitted to the<br />
CCB are public documents.<br />
Public interest in disclosure<br />
of the details of asset<br />
declarations sought by<br />
SERAP clearly outweighs<br />
any claim of protection of<br />
the privacy of presidents<br />
and state governors, as they<br />
are public officers entrusted<br />
with the duty to manage<br />
public funds, among other<br />
public functions,” the suit<br />
read.<br />
“A necessary implication<br />
of the rule of law is that a<br />
public institution like the<br />
CCB can only act in<br />
accordance with the law, as<br />
to do otherwise may<br />
enthrone arbitrariness. The<br />
CCB does not have<br />
reasonable grounds on<br />
which to deny SERAP’s FOI<br />
request, as it is in the<br />
interest of justice, the<br />
Nigerian public,<br />
transparency and<br />
accountability to publish<br />
details of asset declarations<br />
by presidents and state<br />
governors since the return<br />
of democracy in 1999.''<br />
security situation in the<br />
country, the need to keep<br />
personnel fit for operation<br />
cannot be overemphasised.<br />
That is why fitness and<br />
mental alertness are among<br />
the Chief of the Naval Staff<br />
policy trust.<br />
“With this in mind, the<br />
Nigerian Navy organises a<br />
one-day route march every<br />
quarter aimed at raising the<br />
level of physical fitness of<br />
personnel in the command.<br />
“Therefore, this route<br />
march is targeted at<br />
keeping us fit for optimal<br />
performance in the<br />
discharge of our<br />
constitutional roles as naval<br />
personnel.''<br />
service and promotion of<br />
peace and security.<br />
Royal Heritage<br />
Entertainment, he said,<br />
believes that alleviating<br />
social problems in Nigeria<br />
and the African continent<br />
will bring about positive<br />
change in our environment,<br />
country, continent and the<br />
world.<br />
“We are not interested in<br />
any political party nor do we<br />
discuss religious issues as<br />
we believe individuals<br />
have the right to their own<br />
opinion but rather<br />
sustaining our glory and<br />
pride as Nigerians and<br />
Africans,” Adewale added.<br />
Royal Heritage<br />
Entertainment recently<br />
signed on three indigenous<br />
artists in an effort to develop<br />
and promote Africa<br />
cultural heritage and<br />
values through music<br />
and arts promotion.
12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
PFN lauds court’s judgment on<br />
Kaduna religious bill<br />
By Gabriel<br />
Enogholase<br />
B ENIN—THE<br />
leadership of<br />
Pentecostal Fellowship of<br />
Nigeria, PFN, has<br />
described the recent<br />
judgment of a Kaduna State<br />
High Court over the<br />
Religious Bill by Governor<br />
Nasir el-Rufai as victory for<br />
the rule of law and<br />
democracy.<br />
It will be recalled that the<br />
trial judge, Justice<br />
Hajaratu, Gwadah, in its<br />
judgment declared that the<br />
Kaduna State government<br />
has no right to screen and<br />
issue licences to religious<br />
preachers in the state.<br />
A statement in Benin City,<br />
Edo State, weekend, by its<br />
National President, Rev<br />
Felix Omobude, PFN said:<br />
“Our contention at the time<br />
Governor el-Rufai sent the<br />
executive bill for a law to<br />
substitute the Kaduna State<br />
Religious Preaching Law<br />
1984 to the House of<br />
Assembly of Kaduna State<br />
was that the provisions of<br />
the bill were discriminatory.<br />
“The court is in alignment<br />
with our position, affirming<br />
that Sections 6 and 9 of the<br />
bill, which seeks to screen<br />
and licence preachers,<br />
violates the constitutional<br />
rights of members of the<br />
fellowship.<br />
“We congratulate<br />
members of PFN in<br />
Kaduna State. We urge all<br />
Pentecostals in the state<br />
and beyond to continue to<br />
live peacefully with<br />
everyone, remain lawabiding<br />
in all their activities<br />
while continuing to<br />
accommodate the views of<br />
<strong>others</strong>.<br />
“PFN will continue to<br />
work with the government<br />
and non-governmental<br />
actors at all levels to ensure<br />
the peace, progress and<br />
prosperity of Nigeria.”<br />
Bayelsa youths, elders stage procession, urge<br />
Buhari to confirm Brambaifa as NDDC MD<br />
By Onozure<br />
Dania<br />
NO fewer than 2,000<br />
youths and elders<br />
have staged a public<br />
procession in Yenagoa,<br />
Bayelsa State to call on<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari to confirm the acting<br />
Managing Director of<br />
Niger Delta Development<br />
Commission, NDDC,<br />
Professor Nelson<br />
Brambaifa, as substantive<br />
Managing Director of the<br />
commission.<br />
The Bayelsa youths,<br />
women and elders, who<br />
took part in the procession<br />
to the Yenagoa office of the<br />
NDDC, said despite the<br />
campaign of calumny<br />
against NDDC<br />
management, the<br />
commission under<br />
Branbaifa has remained<br />
focussed on his mission to<br />
actualise the vision of<br />
President Buhari in Niger<br />
Delta.<br />
They were armed with<br />
placards with inscriptions,<br />
such as ‘President Buhari<br />
please confirm Professor<br />
Nelson Brambaifa as the<br />
MD of NDDC board’, ‘Let<br />
Professor Brambaifa<br />
continue as MD of NDDC,”<br />
“Bayelsans are solidly<br />
behind you as MD of<br />
NDDC”, “The only person<br />
we want is Brambaifa as<br />
MD NDDC”, “NDDC<br />
board is secured with<br />
Professor Brambaifa,”<br />
among <strong>others</strong>.<br />
Addressing the Bayelsa<br />
Coordinator of NDDC,<br />
Francis Kolokolo,<br />
representative of the<br />
Bayelsa Elders and former<br />
Security Adviser to Bayelsa<br />
State Government, Chief<br />
Perekeme Kpodoh, said<br />
NDDC has come of age, as<br />
it was established to<br />
develop Niger Delta, “but<br />
we have seen that since its<br />
inception, we have not had<br />
development and today we<br />
have a son from Bayelsa<br />
who is Professor Brambaifa<br />
and in four months only, he<br />
has changed the tide.<br />
“There are roads<br />
everywhere. We have over<br />
one hundred and<br />
something roads in<br />
Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers<br />
states. The fact is that<br />
Brambaifa from Bayelsa<br />
has come to ensure that<br />
these roads are put in good<br />
and in motorable<br />
conditions.<br />
"There is nobody from<br />
anywhere that can stop the<br />
planned development of<br />
the region. All those<br />
gimmicks they are doing<br />
outside Bayelsa are being<br />
done for selfish interest not<br />
for the interest of Bayelsans<br />
or the Niger Delta."<br />
Delta community protests<br />
govt, oil coy’s neglect<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
& Ochuko<br />
Akuopha<br />
THE people of Obodo-<br />
Ugwa community,<br />
Ndokwa West Local<br />
Government Area, Delta<br />
State, have decried alleged<br />
neglect and deprivation by<br />
Delta State government,<br />
Energia Nigeria Limited<br />
and Oando, the oil<br />
companies operating in the<br />
area.<br />
Addressing newsmen at<br />
the community’s town hall<br />
where the indigenes<br />
converged to protest against<br />
their<br />
alleged<br />
marginalisation, Mr Oju<br />
Linus said the community<br />
had been shut out of elective<br />
and appointive political<br />
positions by successive<br />
governments.<br />
He noted that despite<br />
being the host to Energia/<br />
Oando joint venture, the<br />
people still live in abject<br />
poverty, lamenting that the<br />
people lack basic social<br />
amenities such as potable<br />
pipe borne water,<br />
educational facilities,<br />
electricity, good roads,<br />
among <strong>others</strong>.<br />
Reiterating that the people<br />
were facing untold hardship<br />
due to three decades of oil<br />
exploration in the area, he<br />
said the multinational oil<br />
Rivers govt'll continue to<br />
partner the church —Wike<br />
GOVERNOR Nyesom<br />
Wike of Rivers State<br />
has stated that his<br />
administration will<br />
continue to partner the<br />
church for the development<br />
of the state.<br />
Speaking, yesterday,<br />
during the Lord’s Chosen<br />
Crusade with the theme:<br />
“God has the power to do<br />
this or that” at the Yakubu<br />
Gowon Stadium in Port<br />
Harcourt, Wike attributed<br />
his political survival to the<br />
support and prayers of the<br />
Christian community.<br />
He said the forces of<br />
darkness invaded the state<br />
and attempted to rob the<br />
mandate of the people, but<br />
God stood firm.<br />
A-Ibom bans roadside<br />
trading in Uyo<br />
By Harris-Okon<br />
Emmanuel<br />
UYO—IN a bid to keep<br />
Uyo metropolis and its<br />
environs clean, Akwa Ibom<br />
State government has<br />
clamped down on roadside<br />
trading.<br />
But the move has drawn<br />
criticisms from petty traders<br />
who accused the<br />
government of being<br />
insensitive to their plights as<br />
bread winners in their<br />
families.<br />
A task force comprising<br />
personnel of a local vigilante<br />
group some days back went<br />
round the streets, upturning<br />
the petty traders’ wares and<br />
companies had completely<br />
abandoned their corporate<br />
social responsibilities to the<br />
community.<br />
On her part, Women<br />
Leader of the community,<br />
Ojugbeli Caroline,<br />
lamented gross neglect of<br />
the community despite the<br />
huge oil resource generated<br />
from the area.<br />
He said: “We saw forces,<br />
but the greater force, God<br />
Almighty, came. With this<br />
crusade, Rivers State will be<br />
abundantly blessed. I<br />
repeat once again without<br />
apologies, Rivers State is a<br />
Christian state. That is why<br />
nobody can touch us. When<br />
it mattered most, the<br />
Christian community<br />
prayed and God heard<br />
your prayers.<br />
“I will continue to support<br />
the activities of all churches.<br />
This government will<br />
always partner the<br />
churches in whatever<br />
programme they are<br />
engaged in. I urge the<br />
church to continue to pray.<br />
Each time you pray, put us<br />
in your prayers.”<br />
chasing them away from the<br />
sidewalks of the major<br />
streets in the metropolis.<br />
Chairman, State<br />
Environmental Protection<br />
and Waste Management<br />
Board, Prince Akpan Ikim,<br />
had in a radio programme,<br />
"Sanitation Watch,” gave<br />
credence to the ban, stating<br />
that government obtained a<br />
court order to evacuate all<br />
roadside traders and those<br />
trading on unauthorised<br />
locations in the state capital.<br />
“Overtime, we had<br />
pleaded with roadside<br />
traders in Uyo to relocate to<br />
government approved<br />
markets and desist from<br />
displaying their wares on<br />
walkways and major streets<br />
within the state capital and<br />
beyond but all our efforts to<br />
evacuate them peacefully<br />
had been unsuccessful. Now<br />
that we have received court<br />
order, we have no option<br />
than to do what the law has<br />
directed,” he said.<br />
But the traders have come<br />
down hard on the<br />
government, saying that they<br />
need money to feed their<br />
families, urging Governor<br />
Udom Emmanuel to make<br />
good his pledge during his<br />
first term to build roadside<br />
stores in the city.<br />
Ogba vs Okiemute: Tribunal<br />
admits petitioner’s evidence,<br />
adjourns to July 11<br />
By Babatunde<br />
Jimoh<br />
NATIONAL and State<br />
Assembly Election<br />
Tribunal sitting in Asaba,<br />
Delta State, has adjourned<br />
till July 11, 2019 hearing in<br />
the case by Mr Benjamin<br />
Okiemute of All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, in which he<br />
is challenging the electoral<br />
victory of Mr Kenneth Ogba<br />
of Peoples Democratic Party,<br />
PDP, in the 2019 general<br />
election.<br />
In the petition, Okiemute<br />
and APC are challenging the<br />
declaration of Ogba as the<br />
duly elected member<br />
representing Isoko South in<br />
the Delta State House of<br />
Assembly by the<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission,<br />
INEC.<br />
Other defendants in the<br />
petition are PDP and INEC.<br />
Chairman of the tribunal,<br />
Justice C. Onyeador, said on<br />
the adjourned date, parties<br />
are for the adoption or<br />
presentation of their<br />
respective written address.<br />
Before the matter was<br />
adjourned till July 11, a<br />
senior INEC official in<br />
charge of the March 9, 2019<br />
election, Shuaibu Razak<br />
testified for the commission.<br />
In a short ruling, the<br />
tribunal chairman, Justice<br />
Onyeado, ordered that the<br />
documents, namely INEC<br />
Form EC81, including<br />
Voters Register for 10 polling<br />
units in Irri and units 7 and<br />
8 in Oleh Ward 2, be<br />
admitted ‘’from the Bar’’ and<br />
collectively as Exhibit A.
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019— 13<br />
How fear of rape forced nursing<br />
students out of school in Imo<br />
•As Ihedioha, Okorocha accuse each other<br />
By Chinonso<br />
Alozie<br />
OWERRI—AN investigation<br />
by Vanguard has<br />
unravelled the drama faced by<br />
students of Imo State College<br />
of Nursing and Midwifery in<br />
Ogboko, Ideato South Local<br />
Government Area of Imo<br />
State, before they were ordered<br />
to relocate to their original site<br />
in Okporo, Orlu local<br />
government area in the state.<br />
Vanguard gathered<br />
yesterday in Owerri, that<br />
Governor Emeka Ihedioha, through<br />
the Secretary to State Government,<br />
SSG, Uche Onyeagucha, has ordered<br />
the nursing students to return to their<br />
original site.<br />
But in an exclusive interview with<br />
some of the students, Vanguard<br />
discovered that one of their problems<br />
was the issue of being threatened with<br />
rape, as well as frequent robbery of<br />
their valuables along the road leading<br />
to the college.<br />
The students also complained that<br />
teachers do not attend lectures<br />
regularly as they used to for fear of<br />
being attacked.<br />
They also claimed they were<br />
sleeping and attending lectures in<br />
uncompleted buildings.<br />
It should be recalled that the<br />
students had earlier been relocated<br />
from Okporo Orlu to Ogboko in Ideato<br />
South, in May, 2019 by Okorocha’s<br />
government.<br />
However, in what seems like a<br />
solution, the current government of<br />
Emeka Ihedioha, has ordered that the<br />
students be moved back to their<br />
original site in Okporo Orlu.<br />
The governor’s order came<br />
through the Secretary to the State<br />
Government, Uche Onyeagucha, in<br />
a statement yesterday in Owerri.<br />
However, one of the affected<br />
students who pleaded anonymity<br />
spoke to Vanguard saying: “Yes,<br />
the management is aware of our<br />
moving back to our normal site at<br />
Okporo in Orlu LGA.<br />
“Since May 2019 that Okorocha’s<br />
government asked us to move to<br />
Ogboko site, it has been very difficult<br />
for us. The buildings are not<br />
completed. We always have this issue<br />
of threat to our lives. Bad boys will<br />
await us on the road and ask us to<br />
give them whatever we have with us.<br />
The road is too lonely that anything<br />
can happen at anytime. Some of our<br />
lecturers do not come to classes due<br />
to fear of being attacked by the bad<br />
boys.<br />
“But in Orlu, we feel more<br />
comfortable because there is a<br />
completed hostel and the level of<br />
hardship cannot be compared to the<br />
one in Ogboko.<br />
“We want to leave this area because<br />
we are no longer safe that in a<br />
situation you are attacked, you will<br />
not get any help.”<br />
However, since the relocation of the<br />
Imo State College of Nursing and<br />
Midwifery to its former site in Orlu,<br />
the immediate past government of<br />
Rochas Okorocha and the current<br />
governor, Emeka Ihedioha, have<br />
engaged in accusations and counter<br />
accusations.<br />
The directive to the provost of the<br />
institution, from the office of the SSG,<br />
said: “You are by this letter, directed to<br />
return all the staff, students and other<br />
activities of Imo State College of Nursing<br />
and Midwifery, hitherto moved to<br />
Ogboko, in Ideato South local<br />
government area, to its original place at<br />
Okporo, Orlu with immediate effect.”<br />
This however, did not go down well<br />
with Okorocha, who through his Special<br />
Adviser, SA, on Media, Sam<br />
Onwuemeodo, alleged that “Armed<br />
Youths who came in twelve buses<br />
stormed the College of Nursing and<br />
Midwifery at Ogboko, the home-town of<br />
the former governor of the State, Owelle<br />
Rochas Okorocha and brutalized the<br />
students, threw their belongings out,<br />
stole their phones, vandalized the<br />
College properties including the College<br />
bus and locked the gate of the Institution<br />
after they had chased the whole students<br />
away.<br />
AWARDS: From left— Chief Oladeinde Brown,Trustee, Fs Club; Tope Ashiwaju,Vice<br />
President, Fs Club/Chairman Gala/Award Night Planning Committee;Dr Taiwo Folasade<br />
Ipaye,Former Registrar Unilag;Architect David Lola Majekodunmi,President Fs Club<br />
and Senator Olugbenga Ashafa,past President Fs Club during the Fs Club Gala/Award<br />
Night and induction of new members held at Lagos City Hall,Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM<br />
SALAU<br />
More groups reject Miyetti Allah’s<br />
request for vigilante in S-East<br />
•INC tells Igbo to start preparing for attack<br />
•Threatens to declare Miyetti Allah persona non grata in 48 hours<br />
•As NAF debunks report of dropping weapons for herdsmen in Enugu<br />
By Anayo Okoli,<br />
Chinonso Alozie,<br />
Chinedu Adonu &<br />
Nwabueze Okonkwo<br />
ENUGU—MORE<br />
groups<br />
have joined the league<br />
rejecting the idea mooted by the<br />
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders<br />
Association of Nigeria,<br />
MACBAN, to set up a vigilante<br />
group in the South East, with<br />
some groups describing the<br />
request as very provocative.<br />
Igbo Ekunie Initiative, IEI, a<br />
coalition of professionals in<br />
Nigeria and the Diaspora, in their<br />
position described the demand of<br />
MACBAN as “reckless and<br />
provocative”.<br />
A leading civil rights group in<br />
the South East, International<br />
Society for Civil Liberties and the<br />
Rule of Law, Intersociety, said it<br />
would not join issues with the<br />
Miyetti Allah but “we are holding<br />
the South East Governors, mostly<br />
that of Enugu, Anambra and<br />
Ebonyi States responsible for<br />
hobnobbing with the terrorists<br />
group”.<br />
The Igbo National Council,<br />
INC, in their own reaction out<br />
rightly rejected the request and<br />
asked the Igbo people to start<br />
Insecurity: Anambra vigilante group trains 40 personnel on<br />
various skills<br />
By Nwabueze<br />
Okonkwo<br />
ONITSHA—IN<br />
its<br />
determination to retain<br />
Anambra’s current status as the<br />
safest state in the country, in terms<br />
of security of lives and properties,<br />
the state Vigilante Supervisory<br />
Committee has embarked on<br />
rigorous training and retraining<br />
exercise for its vigilante personnel<br />
to enable them withstand more<br />
security challenges in the state.<br />
For a start, no fewer than 40<br />
male and female personnel were<br />
grilled for three weeks in the<br />
areas of unarmed combat,<br />
physical exercises, foot drills,<br />
professional and legal studies,<br />
use of English language,<br />
communication skill, guard duties<br />
and e-security.<br />
In his keynote address at the<br />
colourful passing out parade for<br />
the trainees at the weekend at<br />
Nimo community in Njikoka<br />
Local Government Area of the<br />
state, chairman of the State<br />
Vigilante Supervisory<br />
Committee, Chief Ikechukwu Ayo<br />
Aduba, a retired Commissioner<br />
of Police, disclosed that the<br />
training exercise which was coordinated<br />
by a Senior Zonal<br />
Supervisor for Anambra North<br />
Senatorial District of the<br />
committee, ACP Charles<br />
Osegbue, a retired Assistant<br />
Commissioner of Police, "was to<br />
prepare them to face the current<br />
security challenges facing us<br />
today in Nigeria."<br />
Aduba who is also a Senior<br />
Special Assistant to Governor<br />
Willie Obiano on Vigilante<br />
Matters, commended the<br />
traditional ruler (Owelle) of<br />
Nimo, Igwe Maximus Ike Oliobi<br />
for shouldering the expenses of<br />
the three-week training<br />
programme, thus, demonstrating<br />
the need for the 179 communities<br />
in the state to partner with the<br />
state government in sponsoring<br />
certain security projects as<br />
according to him, government<br />
cannot do it alone.<br />
preparing to defend themselves<br />
from any attack by armed<br />
herdsmen and warned that<br />
“enough is enough”. They also<br />
threatened to declare Miyetti<br />
Allah, persona non grata, should<br />
the group fail to apologize to<br />
Ndigbo over their statement in<br />
the next 48 hours.<br />
The Coalition of South East<br />
Youth Leaders (COSEYL), said<br />
the demand by MACBAN was<br />
“an insult of the highest order”,<br />
pointing out that allowing that<br />
would amount to committing “ an<br />
abomination in Igbo land”.<br />
Also, Anambra State chapter of<br />
the Civil Liberties Organization,<br />
CLO, described the call as quite<br />
unacceptable and an insult on<br />
Ndigbo.<br />
Igbo Ekunie Initiative<br />
specifically warned against the<br />
consequences of any attempt to<br />
export what they described as<br />
“infamously vicious and violent<br />
Fulani militia into any part of Igbo<br />
land”.<br />
In a press statement jointly<br />
signed by its president and<br />
secretary, Mazi Tochukwu<br />
Ezeoke and Lawrence Nwobu,<br />
respectively, Igbo Ekunie<br />
Initiative said the request was<br />
“absolutely uncalled for and<br />
worrisome especially when taken<br />
into perspective that States like<br />
Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia<br />
and Imo are among the most<br />
peaceful areas of the country.<br />
“There is absolutely no threat in any<br />
form to the Fulani people living in the<br />
South-East nor to their business<br />
interests that should warrant the<br />
establishment of a Fulani defence corp.<br />
"We maintain that we already have<br />
effective local vigilante services all over<br />
the South-East to augment the services<br />
of the secular security services and there<br />
is absolutely no need to pollute the<br />
already harmonious security relationship<br />
by adding the Fulani militia into the<br />
equation.<br />
“One would have expected that the<br />
Miyetti Allah should devote its energy<br />
and resources to assisting in addressing<br />
the reckless and cruel bloodletting all<br />
over Northern Nigeria by the Fulani<br />
herdsmen whose genocide crimes of<br />
huge proportions have so far baffled and<br />
overwhelmed the entire security<br />
apparatchiks in Nigeria”.<br />
The Human Rights Liberty Access<br />
and Peace Defenders Foundation,<br />
HURIJE, said it is quite unfortunate that<br />
the federal government disarmed local<br />
vigilante outfits in the South East and<br />
allowed the Fulani herdsmen to carry<br />
AK 47 about freely.<br />
“Government should disarm Fulani<br />
herdsmen now because arming them in<br />
the South East in the name of<br />
establishment of vigilante will give them<br />
license to penetrate South East and kill<br />
more people, since the hands of our<br />
security personnel are tied”.<br />
NAF debunks report of<br />
dropping weapons for<br />
herdsmen in Enugu<br />
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air<br />
Force, NAF, has debunked the<br />
recent social media report<br />
alleging that NAF training<br />
helicopters dropped weapons at<br />
Akwuke Forest in Enugu State,<br />
saying it was “total falsehood and<br />
lies by mischief-makers”.<br />
Flight Lieutenant and acting Public<br />
Relations and Information Officer of NAF<br />
Ground Training Command, GTC,<br />
Enugu, Lt, Faith Aigbeoghain made this<br />
condemnation in a statement issued to<br />
pressmen yesterday in Enugu.<br />
According to Aigbeoghain: “The<br />
attention of Headquarters GTC of<br />
Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Enugu has been<br />
drawn to a social media and online story<br />
being circulated by some mischievous<br />
and misguided elements.<br />
“The mischievous elements purported<br />
that NAF helicopters were being used<br />
to drop weapons for Fulani herdsmen in<br />
the forest area of Akwuke community in<br />
Enugu South Local Government Area<br />
in Enugu State.<br />
“The report alleged that helicopters<br />
had been seen on several occasions<br />
flying at low level and landing in the<br />
forest area to discharge their packages”,<br />
she said.<br />
She however dismissed the report as<br />
deliberately misleading and obviously<br />
concocted by the writer to cause<br />
disaffection and incite negative divisive<br />
emotions among Nigerians.
14—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
Claimant’s lawyer in Kwara gov certificate saga alleges threats to life<br />
By Demola Akinyemi<br />
ILORIN—COUNSEL to the<br />
new claimant in the alleged<br />
secondary school certificate<br />
scandal against Governor<br />
Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of<br />
Kwara State, Andrew Olawale,<br />
has alleged threat to his life by<br />
the Police, who have been pressurising<br />
him to opt out of the case.<br />
Speaking at a briefing in Ilorin<br />
Olawale, flanked by his client,<br />
said last Monday after the last<br />
court proceeding, he was<br />
whisked to the Police<br />
headquarters from the court<br />
premises on trumped up charges<br />
and was not allowed to go home<br />
By Charles Agwam<br />
BAUCHI State government<br />
has alleged that immediate<br />
past governor of the state,<br />
Mohammad Abubakar, spent<br />
N2.3 billion on funeral materials<br />
and burials between January and<br />
May.<br />
Spokesperson to Governor Bala<br />
Mohammed, Ladan Salihu, told<br />
newsmen, yesterday, that the<br />
figure was contained in the<br />
handover note passed down to<br />
the transition committee in<br />
May.<br />
According to him, “how could<br />
you imagine that a state<br />
governor, between January and<br />
the time of elections, spent N2.3<br />
billion on funeral materials<br />
(clothes, robes, and woods).<br />
“The immediate past<br />
•They should leave my lawyer alone; come for me—Olasehinde<br />
until the following day.<br />
He said: “When I asked the<br />
Police officers why they were<br />
detaining me, they said they were<br />
detaining me on orders from<br />
above and asked me to go and<br />
find out at the government house.<br />
“Pressures are being mounted<br />
on me to opt out of the case; some<br />
even say I am not from Kwara, so<br />
I should be careful. But since my<br />
client insists I go ahead with the<br />
case, I don’t have option.<br />
“I have to let the whole world<br />
know my predicaments in the<br />
hands of people mostly unknown,<br />
through several calls and the<br />
government said they spent this<br />
amount, but the same<br />
government could not spend a<br />
quarter of that amount on our<br />
hospitals and clinics.<br />
“We will recover every kobo<br />
spent illegally by the immediate<br />
past administration. These<br />
monies are public funds. We<br />
can’t allow individuals to hold<br />
us to ransom. These monies are<br />
Police, that my life is in danger<br />
and nothing must happen to me.”<br />
The client<br />
Olawale's client, a member of<br />
All Progressives Congress, APC,<br />
from Okeero Local Government<br />
Area of the state, Mr. Abiodun<br />
Olasehinde, in his address, urged<br />
the Police to come for him and<br />
leave his lawyer alone.<br />
He said he was interested in the<br />
case because as a stakeholder, his<br />
governor must meet the required<br />
constitutional standard, so he<br />
went to the Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission, INEC, to<br />
not their inheritance; they<br />
belong to the people.”<br />
He assured that government<br />
would petition the Economic<br />
and Financial Crimes<br />
Commission, EFCC, and other<br />
relevant agencies to probe<br />
every individual who was<br />
suspected to be in position of<br />
cross check his documents where<br />
he spotted the discrepancies and<br />
consequently joined the suit.<br />
He said: “Even if my lawyer<br />
says he is no more interested, I<br />
will hire another lawyer and go<br />
ahead with the case. Even if the<br />
first claimant opts out, I will<br />
stand alone; that is me.”<br />
Contacted, the spokesman of<br />
Kwara State Police Command,<br />
Ajayi Okasanmi, said he was<br />
not yet aware of the<br />
development, but encouraged<br />
the lawyer to feel free to come<br />
and lodge complaints in the office<br />
of the commissioner.<br />
KNIGHTHOOD: From left— Chief Adeniyi Akapo; Permannent Secretary, General Services Office, GSO, Secretary to the<br />
Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Olusegun Adekunle; Mrs Similade Adekunle; Director, GSO, SGF, Mr. Yinka Aguda, and<br />
Mr. Sakiru Akinola, at the investiture of Adekunle as Knight of John Wesley by the Methodist Church of Nigeria, in Abuja .<br />
Ex-gov Abubakar spent N2.3bn on<br />
burial—Bauchi govt<br />
By Umar Yusuf<br />
YOLA—NO fewer than<br />
441,126 school-aged girls in<br />
Adamawa State have been forced<br />
out of schools due to insurgency,<br />
poverty, high rate of under-aged<br />
•That's laughable, says<br />
Abubakar's aide<br />
pregnancy and apathy for girlchild<br />
education by their parents,<br />
a report has revealed.<br />
According to a research into girlchild<br />
education released in Yola<br />
weekend, insurgency , communal<br />
clashes and other social unrests<br />
contributed to the large<br />
percentage.<br />
It indicated that parents of such<br />
girls resorted to using them for<br />
hawking or domestic chores.<br />
The research report of a<br />
baseline study on a Communityled<br />
Collective Action for Girls<br />
Education, C-CAGE, also<br />
indicated preference for Quranic<br />
education by families who view<br />
western education as being for<br />
Christians and negative peer<br />
public funds and assets.<br />
However, the spokesperson of<br />
the former governor, Ali Ali,<br />
while dismissing the allegation<br />
as “laughable,” said he was not<br />
aware of such spending, but<br />
assured that he would make<br />
findings and respond to the<br />
allegation.<br />
Insurgency, pregnancy <strong>others</strong> keep<br />
441,126 girls out of school in Adamawa<br />
influence, as other factors<br />
lowering rate of girl-child<br />
education in the state.<br />
The research, commissioned by<br />
the African Centre for Leadership<br />
Strategy and Development,<br />
Centre, LSD, and supported by<br />
the Malala Fund, also indicated<br />
that endemic poverty could<br />
rubbish free education for a girl<br />
at the point of an external<br />
examination requiring a fee.<br />
Many girls, the report stated,<br />
were out of school near the exit<br />
point, at Junior Secondary School,<br />
JSS 3, or Senior Secondary<br />
School, SSS 3, when it comes to<br />
registering for the final year<br />
external examination due to lack<br />
of money for the registration.<br />
KWASU hasn’t<br />
been funded for<br />
5 years— VC<br />
By Demola Akinyemi<br />
ILORIN—VICE Chancellor<br />
of Kwara State University,<br />
KWASU, Professor<br />
AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, has<br />
said the major challenge<br />
confronting the institution has<br />
been inadequate funding.<br />
Na’Allah, in his address at<br />
the seventh convocation<br />
anniversary of the university,<br />
weekend, explained, that “for<br />
five years, the university has<br />
not received subvention from<br />
government for salary,<br />
overhead or for anything.”<br />
The VC, who said the<br />
university had been surviving<br />
on internally-generated<br />
revenue, IGR, added that<br />
“KWASU has established a<br />
foundation with contributions<br />
from philanthropists.”<br />
The convocation lecturer and<br />
Chairman, Agreement<br />
Renegotiation Committee of<br />
Nigerian Universities, Dr.<br />
Wale Babalaki(SAN) said<br />
Nigeria must restructure its<br />
university and secondary<br />
school education system to turn<br />
out employable graduates and<br />
regain respect of world<br />
community.<br />
This, he said, has become<br />
imperative as Nigeria’s best<br />
university ranks 800th in the<br />
world.<br />
No rift in<br />
Nasarawa<br />
FMC—CMD<br />
By David Odama<br />
LAFIA—CONTRARY to<br />
speculations making the<br />
round that the Federal<br />
Medical Centre, Keffi,<br />
Nasarawa State, was engulfed<br />
in management crisis, the<br />
management has<br />
disassociated itself from the<br />
rumour, saying there was no<br />
feud in the centre.<br />
Chief Medical Director of the<br />
hospital, Dr. Yahaya Adamu,<br />
stated this at the weekend,<br />
while reacting to a publication<br />
on national dailies on a<br />
petition purportedly written<br />
against him on issues ranging<br />
from masterminding financial<br />
increase of services to patients,<br />
high-handedness, lack of<br />
performances among <strong>others</strong>.<br />
He described the petition as<br />
‘baseless and unfounded” and<br />
a calculated attempt to<br />
discredit the management of<br />
the centre, claiming that he<br />
was not given a fair hearing<br />
in the publication.<br />
Adamu said: “The media are<br />
friends in progress and we are<br />
supposed to work together. We<br />
should be able to inform our<br />
people on what is correct and<br />
appropriate.”
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019— 15
16—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
LAUNCHING: From left— Government and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company,<br />
NBC, Ltd, Tokunbo Ibrahim ; Sustainability and Community Affairs Manager, Ifeoma Okoye; External<br />
Communications Manager, Olatomiwa Akande; Public Affairs and Communications Director, Ekuma<br />
Eze; Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe and<br />
Public Affairs and Communications Manager (Lagos/West), NBC, Ltd, Oluwakemi Michael-Jabagun, at<br />
the media parley held to launch the maiden edition of NBC’s Sustainability Report in Lagos.<br />
Why my govt'll work with monarchs, by<br />
Gov Makinde<br />
By Elizabeth<br />
Uwandu<br />
IBADAN—OYO State<br />
governor, Mr Seyi<br />
Makinde, has expressed<br />
his intention to make<br />
traditional rulers critical<br />
stakeholders in his<br />
administration’s bid to bring<br />
about all-round<br />
development and<br />
tranquillity in the state.<br />
The governor made the<br />
remark at the celebration of<br />
the birthday of the Olugbon<br />
of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis<br />
Alao, which was held on<br />
Wednesday at Ilaji Hotels<br />
and Sports Resort, Akanran,<br />
Ibadan.<br />
Governor Makinde, who<br />
was represented by a former<br />
federal lawmaker,<br />
Honourable Babatunde<br />
Oduyoye, said the task of<br />
building and repositioning<br />
the state could only be<br />
achieved if traditional rulers<br />
were given the opportunity<br />
to discharge their duties<br />
effectively in their<br />
respective domains.<br />
According to him,<br />
traditional rulers in the state<br />
would, henceforth, be<br />
allowed to perform their<br />
statutory roles of building<br />
the society and<br />
safeguarding culture and<br />
tradition. His<br />
administration, he said, was<br />
making arrangements to<br />
make them succeed in this<br />
Dibi Field oil spill: Delta community<br />
threatens NOSDRA, Chevron<br />
W ARRI—AJA-Omaetan<br />
community youths in<br />
Warri North council of Delta<br />
State have threatened to<br />
expose staff of the National<br />
Oil Spill Detection and<br />
Response Agency,<br />
NOSDRA and Chevron<br />
officials over a 2018 spill<br />
and alleged plot to side<br />
track their community for<br />
failing to involve them in<br />
the post spill impact<br />
PDP chieftain slams DSP over<br />
appointments<br />
ASABA—A chieftain of<br />
the Peoples Democratic<br />
Party, PDP, in Delta State,<br />
Dr Fred Latimore<br />
Oghenesivbe, has taken a<br />
swipe at the new Deputy<br />
Senate President, Senator<br />
Ovie Omo-Agege over the<br />
recently announced<br />
appointments of personal<br />
aides made by the senator.<br />
Oghenesivbe noted that<br />
Senator Omo-Agege's<br />
preference for the Yoruba<br />
over the Urhobo in his<br />
appointments has<br />
vindicated those who have<br />
accused him of exhibiting<br />
a dual personality, saying<br />
this posture was antithetical<br />
to the famed pan-Urhobo<br />
disposition of modern<br />
political leaders like former<br />
governor, Chief James<br />
Ibori.<br />
He described the<br />
senator's action as a betrayal<br />
of the cause of the Urhobo<br />
Nation and youths in<br />
particular, as signaled by<br />
''the misappropriation of top<br />
political appointments by<br />
the first Urhobo Deputy<br />
Senate President, Ovie<br />
Omo-Agege, who pitched<br />
tent with the Yoruba Nation<br />
to the disadvantage of<br />
Delta State and the good<br />
people of Urhobo Ethnic<br />
Nationality in Delta Central<br />
Senatorial District.''<br />
In a statement yesterday,<br />
made available to<br />
newsmen in Asaba,<br />
Oghenesivbe lamented<br />
that the Deputy Senate<br />
President's action amounted<br />
to a misappropriation of<br />
political opportunity from<br />
the perspective of the<br />
Urhobo Nation, save the<br />
appointment of his chief of<br />
regard.<br />
The governor reiterated<br />
his commitment to boosting<br />
the economy of the state by<br />
providing an environment<br />
conducive to businesses<br />
and as such, his<br />
government was resolved to<br />
fix the deplorable<br />
Olorunsogo-Amuloko-<br />
Akanran Road, which<br />
stretches to the multi-billion<br />
assessment, PSIA, and the<br />
signing of the JIV<br />
document.<br />
Addressing newsmen in<br />
Warri, weekend, the<br />
community youth<br />
chairman, Mr. Godfrey<br />
Adidi in a letter dated June<br />
20, and addressed to the<br />
Director-General/CEO of<br />
NOSDRA and signed by<br />
his vice, Mr. Rawlings<br />
Odudu; Secretary, Mr.<br />
staff, Dr Otive Igbuzor, who<br />
hails from Senator Omo-<br />
Agege's native Orogun in<br />
Ughelli North Local<br />
Government Area of Delta<br />
State.<br />
In a release, titled ''DSP<br />
Ovie<br />
Agege,<br />
Misappropriation of<br />
Political Appointments and<br />
the Regrets of Urhobo<br />
Nation," Oghenesivbe<br />
claimed that Senator Omo-<br />
Agege was more interested<br />
in feathering the political<br />
and economic nest of the<br />
Yoruba Nation of South-<br />
West geo-political zone than<br />
promoting the interest of<br />
Delta Central senatorial<br />
district, and Urhobo ethnic<br />
nationality upon whose<br />
shoulders he climbed to<br />
power as a senator of the<br />
Federal Republic of<br />
Nigeria.<br />
naira investment, Ilaji<br />
Hotels and Sports Resort.<br />
In his remarks, the<br />
immediate past governor of<br />
the state, Senator Abiola<br />
Ajimobi, congratulated the<br />
celebrant, Oba Alao, whom<br />
he described as a noble<br />
traditional ruler who<br />
exercises his sovereignty<br />
over his subjects with a kind<br />
heart.<br />
Emmanuel Utsoritselaju<br />
and PRO, Mr. Rowland<br />
Mene, disclosed that a<br />
PSIA was ordered to involve<br />
all affected parties but expressed<br />
regret that some<br />
parties have concluded<br />
plans to complete and sign<br />
the JIV documents without<br />
their involvement on<br />
Wednesday, June 26, 2019.<br />
They warned that any attempt<br />
to side track them in<br />
the processes initiated by<br />
their community would<br />
result in dire consequences.<br />
According to the<br />
statement, “Itsekiri youths<br />
are not into militancy. But<br />
we are not lazy or afraid,<br />
just that we put the interest<br />
of Nigeria first. Aja-<br />
Omaetan youths are ready<br />
to take the bull by the horns.<br />
Be prepared for any<br />
violence or unrest within the<br />
DIBI field as a result of the<br />
planned fraudulent JIV<br />
signing.”<br />
In the letter copied to Vice<br />
President Osinbajo, Senate<br />
President, Speaker of the<br />
House of Representatives,<br />
Inspector General of<br />
Police, D-G, DSS and<br />
Governor Okowa, they<br />
asserted that they are ready<br />
to protect themselves from<br />
further acts of those<br />
destroying their environment and<br />
only source of livelihood and<br />
therefore called for a joint “Post<br />
Spill Impact Assessment, PSIA,<br />
as ordered without delay.<br />
FedEx, in another error, misses<br />
delivery of Huawei package to US<br />
FEDEX Corp said on Sunday an operational error<br />
prevented a Huawei Technologies package from<br />
being delivered to the United States, just weeks after the<br />
U.S. delivery company said an error led to the Chinese<br />
firm’s packages being misdirected.<br />
“The package in question was mistakenly returned to<br />
the shipper, and we apologize for this operational error,”<br />
FedEx told Reuters in an emailed statement. A company<br />
spokeswoman confirmed that the package was U.S.<br />
bound but declined to say what it contained.<br />
China’s Global Times newspaper said in a tweet later<br />
that FedEx is likely to be added to China’s ‘unreliable<br />
entities list’ due to the incident.<br />
Amid a bruising trade dispute between Washington<br />
and Beijing, China threatened late in May to unveil an<br />
unprecedented hit-list of “unreliable” foreign firms,<br />
groups and individuals that harm the interests of Chinese<br />
companies.<br />
Huawei files lawsuit against US<br />
Commerce Dept over seized equipment<br />
HUAWEI Technologies Company Incorporated filed<br />
a lawsuit against the US Commerce Department<br />
on Friday challenging whether telecommunications<br />
equipment it sent from China to the United States, and<br />
then back to China, is covered by Export Administration<br />
Regulations, according to a court filing.<br />
The lawsuit is the latest salvo in a battle between the<br />
US government and Huawei. Washington says the Chinese<br />
company’s telecommunications gear could be used<br />
by Beijing to spy. Huawei denies that is the case.<br />
In the lawsuit, Huawei said that it shipped telecommunications<br />
equipment from China, including a computer<br />
server and Ethernet switch, to a testing laboratory<br />
in California. After the testing was done, the equipment<br />
was shipped back to China. No application for a license<br />
was made because none was needed, the lawsuit claims.<br />
But the equipment was seized in Alaska by the U.S.<br />
government, and no decision has been made about<br />
whether a license is required to ship it, the filing said.<br />
“The equipment, to the best of HT USA’s knowledge,<br />
remains in a bureaucratic limbo in an Alaskan warehouse,”<br />
Huawei said in its lawsuit.<br />
Wall Street: Investors eye G20 with<br />
hopes for US, China trade detente<br />
ALL eyes will be on US President Donald Trump and<br />
China’s President Xi Jinping this week as investors<br />
are desperate for any signs of a thaw in US,-China<br />
relations even if it shifts expectations for much awaited<br />
Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.<br />
The S&P 500 closed at a record high on Thursday after<br />
the US central bank said it was ready to cut rates if needed<br />
in the face of growing risks including the US-China<br />
trade war. The benchmark index was volatile on Friday<br />
as hopes of trade progress offset concerns about US-Iran<br />
tensions.<br />
To extend the rally, one requirement will be friendly<br />
talks between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies.<br />
They are expected to meet in Japan on the sidelines<br />
of a Group of 20 (G20) summit next week.<br />
US-China negotiations spectacularly broke down in<br />
early May after Trump accused China of retreating from<br />
previous commitments, causing a market sell-off.<br />
Daimler to recall 60,000 Mercedes<br />
diesels in Germany over emissions<br />
DAIMLER must recall 60,000 Mercedes diesel cars<br />
in Germany after regulators found that they were<br />
fitted with software aimed at distorting emissions tests,<br />
the Transportation Ministry said on Saturday.<br />
The model affected is the Mercedes-Benz GLK 220<br />
produced between 2012 and 2015.<br />
Daimler confirmed that the recall was ordered on Friday<br />
but said that it would appeal against the decision<br />
while continuing to cooperate with regulators.<br />
The ministry said that it was expanding its investigation<br />
into further models.<br />
Since rival Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to cheating<br />
U.S. emissions tests, the scandal has spread to other<br />
carmakers. Daimler has ordered the recall of 3 million<br />
vehicles to fix excess emissions coming from their diesel<br />
engines.<br />
Some stories credited to Reuters
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—17
18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
AS the Labour sector and the nation<br />
at large get set for the battle to<br />
implement the recently-approved<br />
National Minimum Wage, the<br />
complementary Labour compensation<br />
law - the Pension Act - needs to be<br />
placed on the centre stage of the total<br />
fiscal plan, especially at the state and<br />
local government levels.<br />
The Labour compensation law in in a PENCOM report for the first<br />
question is the Contributory Pension quarter of 2019 shows that 20 states are<br />
Scheme, CPS. By the CPS Act as neither remitting pension contributions<br />
amended in 2014, the Federal Government<br />
had kick-started the implementa-<br />
no group life insurance for their em-<br />
nor funding accrued rights and have<br />
tion for federal civil servants while the ployees.<br />
private sector has largely keyed into the The states are Imo, Sokoto, Kogi,<br />
scheme.<br />
Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Oyo, Katsina, Akwa<br />
It is worrisome that after many years, Ibom, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, Cross<br />
the National Pension Commission, River, Abia, Ebonyi, Taraba, Bauchi,<br />
PENCOM, is reporting that only 15 Borno, Gombe and Adamawa states.<br />
states have made progress in the Other states, except the Federal<br />
implementation of the scheme, while Capital Territory, FCT, and Lagos have<br />
only eight out of the remaining 21 states no group life in place for their workers.<br />
have sent bills for its enactment. We commend Lagos and Kaduna states<br />
A breakdown of the level of as the only states that are up to date in<br />
implementation of the CPS as contained the remittance of pension contributions<br />
The plight of state pensioners<br />
and funding the accrued rights of<br />
employees.<br />
Delta is remitting complete and<br />
regular pension contributions for state<br />
employees, but remitting only<br />
employees’ portion for local government<br />
workers. The state funded accrued<br />
pension rights of both LG and<br />
state but with huge arrears of accrued<br />
pension liabilities.<br />
Jigawa State is remitting pension<br />
contributions to selected Pension Fund<br />
Administrators, PFAs, but<br />
implementing a Contributory Defined<br />
Benefits Scheme, CDBS. It does not<br />
have group life insurance policy for<br />
its workers.<br />
Ogun stopped remitting pension<br />
contributions with huge arrears of<br />
unremitted pension contributions. It has<br />
not commenced funding of the accrued<br />
rights or established Group Life<br />
Insurance policy.<br />
Niger State stopped remitting pension<br />
contributions in 2015, and is not funding<br />
accrued rights. Rivers is remitting only<br />
employee portion of pension<br />
contributions. The state has a huge<br />
backlog of unremitted employer portion<br />
of pension contributions.<br />
These are some of the disheartening<br />
snapshots of the states’ pension schemes<br />
for which we advocate stern measures<br />
to save the future of the workers who<br />
would not be able to fend for themselves<br />
soon after they leave service.<br />
While commending the efforts of<br />
PENCOM, we advise the Federal Government<br />
to exert the political will that<br />
rescued the LGs from the financial<br />
stranglehold of the State Governors to<br />
rescue state pensioners from their<br />
plight.<br />
OPINION<br />
Towards ending the killing spree by herdsmen<br />
By Emmanuel Onwubiko<br />
NOT long ago when a global terrorists<br />
index was issued by international<br />
experts on terrorism and the threats terrorists<br />
pose to world's peace, the Nigerian version<br />
of armed herdsmen was rated as the fourth<br />
deadliest killer terror organisation in the<br />
world.<br />
Sadly, as the international community of<br />
concerned experts are wracking their brains<br />
on how to get the relevant global leaders to<br />
act to stave off the grave consequences of<br />
not doing anything to stop all forms of terror<br />
attacks, there appears to be an awkward<br />
marriage of convenience and conspiracy of<br />
silence by the authorities in Nigeria.<br />
Herdsmen have continued to terrorise Nigeria<br />
and Nigerians but because of the alleged<br />
support of the group by the authorities,<br />
they are now roaming about like sacred<br />
cows and are demanding openly to set<br />
up armed vigilantes in the Igbo heartland<br />
because of the refusal of the Igbo to accept<br />
the use of public fund for the setting up of<br />
either cattle colonies, ranches or grazing<br />
lands.<br />
On June 25, 2018 at the height of the attacks<br />
on farming communities in the<br />
Middlebelt region, this group said the killings<br />
were a retaliation for the theft of 300<br />
cows. Danladi Ciroma, chairman, North-<br />
Central zone of the Miyetti Allah called<br />
Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria,<br />
MACBAN, who said herdsmen in Plateau<br />
State had lost “about 300 cows in the last<br />
few weeks,” added: “These attacks are retaliatory.<br />
As much as I don’t support the killing<br />
of human beings, the truth must be told<br />
that those who carried out the attacks must<br />
be on revenge mission.”<br />
The leader of a delegation of MACBAN<br />
to the Defence Headquarters, Senator<br />
Dagiri Alkali, said the pastoralists moved<br />
into new territories in the country because<br />
they had been forced out of their territories<br />
in the North. He claimed that the Boko<br />
Haram insurgents attacked the Fulani in<br />
the North-East and other parts of the country<br />
and stole millions of cows from the breeders,<br />
adding that the Fulani were also victims of<br />
the activities of cattle rustlers in Katsina,<br />
Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Nasarawa,<br />
Plateau, Benue and parts of Kogi State.<br />
Alkali wondered why people had not taken<br />
a look at the factors that had driven the<br />
Fulani to different parts of the country, and<br />
asked where Nigerians expected the<br />
herdsmen to keep the over 20 million cows<br />
in the country. “When the reserves and forests<br />
were gazetted and reserved for cattle<br />
breeders, this incident was not there; but the<br />
increase in population has now wiped out<br />
the entire grazing reserves in this country;<br />
400 and something of them all wiped out,<br />
and you have a population of about 20<br />
million cows.<br />
“Where do you keep them? And every one<br />
of us likes to eat meat. This is a venture that<br />
over 20 million people are engaged in and<br />
nobody cares to know what the causes of<br />
this problem are. Presently, you know the<br />
case of Boko Haram. They attacked and<br />
decapitated the population of Fulani in<br />
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and some parts<br />
of Taraba.”<br />
The Defence authorities have warned that<br />
the military would go after those behind the<br />
killing of innocent citizens and ensure that<br />
they were prosecuted in accordance with the<br />
directive of the President. Shockingly, rather<br />
than arrest and prosecute these persons for<br />
defending mass murders, the Director,<br />
Administration, at the Defence Headquarters,<br />
Maj. Gen. Fatai Ali, who represented<br />
the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel<br />
Olonisakin, said the CDS had set up a committee<br />
to interact with the stakeholders on<br />
the issue. He warned those involved in violence<br />
to stop forthwith as the Federal Government<br />
would subject them to the full<br />
weight of the law.<br />
According to him, the committee, led by<br />
Maj. Gen. Edward Nze, had just arrived in<br />
Abuja from Benue for such meetings with<br />
stakeholders. He stated that the military<br />
was working hard to ensure that those who<br />
perpetrated the gruesome killings were<br />
apprehended. “The recent herdsmen and<br />
local community clashes in many parts of<br />
Nigeria are sources of serious concern.<br />
Many lives have been lost. The President<br />
The Defence authorities<br />
have warned that the military<br />
would go after those<br />
behind the killing of innocent<br />
citizens and ensure<br />
that they were prosecuted<br />
has directed security agencies and indeed,<br />
the military, to handle the situation and<br />
ensure that no more lives are lost. I want to<br />
assure you that the military, in conjunction<br />
with other security agencies, is doing everything<br />
possible to maintain peace and<br />
security in Nigeria in line with the directive<br />
of the Commander-in-Chief.<br />
“I want to also assure you that whoever<br />
is involved in this killing will be brought to<br />
book and tried in line with the laws of the<br />
land. We are calling on all other parties<br />
who are interested in peace, to sheathe their<br />
swords and ensure that they do not cause<br />
unnecessary casualties or deaths; otherwise,<br />
the Federal Government of Nigeria will bring<br />
the full weight of the force and law on them.”<br />
The same Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders in<br />
January 2018, defended armed herdsmen<br />
who attacked Benue State communities and<br />
even slaughtered two catholic priests and<br />
worshippers at a morming mass. These persons<br />
were never arrested. At that time, the<br />
Miyetti Allah had reacted to the recent<br />
killings in Benue, Taraba and other states.<br />
Recall that dozens of people have been<br />
killed in violence unleashed by armed<br />
herdsmen on farmers. The most reported<br />
killing of over 70 people in Benue has been<br />
blamed by the state government on the<br />
Miyetti Allah. Miyetti Allah didn't deny<br />
involvement but pontificated their time-worn<br />
and dubious claim of killing in self-defence.<br />
They even told the security forces that: “We<br />
are, however, not denying the fact that, as<br />
any other community in the country, we are<br />
also battling with misguided and criminally<br />
motivated elements who indulge in social<br />
vices and criminal activities. However, these<br />
few miscreants do not represent the<br />
mainstream herdsmen.<br />
"While as a body we are not against any<br />
law that can engender peace, create societal<br />
harmony and stability, we cannot oblige any<br />
self-centred regulation with primordial<br />
sentiments based on injustice, intolerance and<br />
infringement of people’s fundamental rights."<br />
What is still a compelling interrogation is<br />
what the motivating factor is for the Presidency<br />
to insist on not declaring Miyetti Allah<br />
Cattle Breeders, a terror group even when<br />
empirical proofs exist to show how they actively<br />
encourage and sponsor violence<br />
against farmers.<br />
• Onwubiko is of the Human Rights Writers<br />
Association of Nigeria
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 —19<br />
Decline in stop rates on FGN bond to persist as DMO offer N100bn<br />
•External reserves record first weekly decline in 3 months<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
T<br />
HE declining trend of stop rates<br />
in the monthly FGN bond offer<br />
is expected to persist this week<br />
when the Debt Management Office,<br />
DMO, conduct the June offer of<br />
N100 billion.<br />
The DMO since last year has been<br />
reducing stop rates on FGN bonds,<br />
taking advantage of huge demand<br />
for the bonds, driven by investors'<br />
quest for higher returns especially<br />
foreign portfolio investors. As a<br />
result, stop rate on the five-year<br />
FGN bond declined by 109 basis<br />
points (bpts) to 14.11 percent at the<br />
last auction in May from 15.20<br />
percent at the January auction.<br />
Similarly stop rate on the 10-year<br />
FGN bond fell by 111 bpts to 14.24<br />
percent in May from 15.35 percent<br />
in January. This trend, according to<br />
analysts, will persist this week<br />
during the N100 billion FGN bond<br />
offer for June. The offer comprise<br />
three tenors, five-years, 10-years and<br />
30-years namely, N30 billion worth<br />
of 12.75% FGN APR 2023 (5-Yr Reopening),<br />
N40 billion worth of FGN<br />
APR 2029 (10-Yr Re-opening), and<br />
N30 billion worth of FGN APR 2049<br />
(30-Yr Re-opening).<br />
"We expect the bonds to be issued<br />
at lower stop rates amid sustained<br />
demand pressure on fixed income<br />
assets," said analysts at Lagos based<br />
Cowry Asset Management Company<br />
Limited.<br />
Cost of funds to rise further<br />
Meanwhile, the FGN bond offer is<br />
expected to trigger further rise in<br />
cost of funds in the interbank money<br />
Continues on page 21<br />
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
By Nkiruka Nnorom<br />
THE unrelenting Apapa traffic<br />
gridlock as well as the unchecked<br />
dumping of consumer goods in the<br />
country have continued to take their toll<br />
on the financial state of companies in<br />
the Fast Moving Consumer Goods,<br />
FMCGs, segment.<br />
The financial report of the companies<br />
for the first quarter (Q1) to March 31,<br />
2019 indicated that they are struggling<br />
with declining earnings and thinning<br />
profit margins.<br />
The companies, which include Nestle<br />
Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc,<br />
Unilever Nigeria Plc, Dangote Sugar<br />
Refinery Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc,<br />
NASCON Allied Industries Plc and<br />
GlaxoSmithKline, GSK Plc, recorded<br />
combined revenue of N172.4 billion, a<br />
10.6 percent decline compared to<br />
N192.83 billion posted in the<br />
corresponding period in 2018.<br />
Their Profit Before Tax, PBT, also saw<br />
a marginal decline of 1.63 percent to<br />
N30.2 billion from N30.7 billion in Q1,<br />
2018.<br />
Managing Director of NASCON, Paul<br />
Farrer, described the Apapa gridlock as<br />
one of the key risks in the company’s<br />
business, saying that the company has<br />
shifted some of its operations away from<br />
Apapa to Oregun and Port Harcourt, in<br />
response to the gridlock in Apapa.<br />
He said the Apapa gridlock affected<br />
the movement of raw materials to<br />
Oregun, timely delivery of finished<br />
goods to customers and increased turnaround<br />
time of the company’s trucks.<br />
“We relocated 60 per cent of our Apapa<br />
Plant production capacity to our Oregun<br />
and Port Harcourt plants to reduce the<br />
effects of the gridlock. We also engaged<br />
third-party transporters to ensure timely<br />
delivery of our finished goods,” he said.<br />
Speaking in the same vein, Founder<br />
and Chairman Honeywell Group, Mr.<br />
Oba Otudeko, said that the deplorable<br />
Apapa gridlock crashes earnings<br />
in consumer goods sector<br />
•Revenue down 10.6 %, as they struggle to contain cost<br />
state of roads around the Tin Can and<br />
Apapa ports is already seriously<br />
weighing on businesses operating in<br />
the vicinity.<br />
He explained that most companies<br />
operating in the area are counting their<br />
losses as a result of the traffic gridlock<br />
around the ports, adding that it is<br />
affecting manpower, production and<br />
profit.<br />
Recall that owing to the enormity of<br />
the problem and the outcry over the<br />
impact on businesses, the federal<br />
government recently constituted<br />
a Presidential Task Force on the Apapa<br />
traffic gridlock with a mandate to clear<br />
up the gridlock as well as restore law<br />
and order to Apapa and its environs<br />
within two weeks starting from May 24,<br />
2019.<br />
After failing to meet its initial deadline<br />
of June 7, the Task Force is now<br />
expected to present a formal report at<br />
the end of its extended mandate today,<br />
June 24, 2019. The Task Force is yet to<br />
make any significant headway as major<br />
roads leading to the ports are still locked<br />
up as at press time.<br />
Despite the attendant effect of the<br />
traffic on the companies, the<br />
management of the various companies<br />
have managed to device a way to control<br />
cost in order to remain in business.<br />
Financial Vanguard checks revealed<br />
that some of the companies that import<br />
their manufacturing inputs now ferry<br />
them in barges through the Lagoon to<br />
Ikorodu and then truck to where their<br />
factories are located to avoid the delay<br />
brought about by the traffic situation.<br />
Continues on page 20<br />
MPC members advocate<br />
strong consumer credit<br />
system<br />
22<br />
We're trying to establish trade<br />
Stock market investors lose relationship with Africa<br />
N78bn in bearish run<br />
24<br />
— Omolola Ajani<br />
27<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
Continues from page 19<br />
Others have also resorted to<br />
funding through capital<br />
market, instead of money<br />
market to keep cost down.<br />
Consequently, cost of<br />
sales for the companies<br />
dropped by 5.8 percent<br />
to N118.84 billion from<br />
N126.16 billion a year<br />
ago.<br />
However, Nestle<br />
appeared to have a better<br />
outing during the period<br />
having recorded 5.3<br />
percent reduction in cost<br />
of sales, while recording<br />
five percent and 40<br />
percent increases in<br />
revenue and pre-tax<br />
profit respectively, a<br />
performance financial<br />
experts attributed to the<br />
inelastic nature of the<br />
company's core food<br />
segments.<br />
Though Unilever also<br />
brought down its cost<br />
significantly by 12.5<br />
percent to N15.37<br />
billion, its revenue and<br />
pre-tax profit went<br />
negative at -20.8 percent<br />
and -39 percent<br />
respectively. Dangote<br />
Sugar also recorded 17.1<br />
percent decline in cost,<br />
but its revenue for the<br />
three month period<br />
declined by 7.3 percent<br />
to N38.12 billion. Its pretax<br />
profit, however, rose<br />
by 27.4 percent to N10.7<br />
billion.<br />
GSK seems to be worst<br />
hit, as its cost<br />
skyrocketed by 16.7<br />
percent, while the<br />
revenue and PBT<br />
recorded steep decline of<br />
72.8 percent and 87.5<br />
percent respectively.<br />
Like GSK, Dangote<br />
Flour Mills posted 4.6<br />
percent increase in cost<br />
of sales and 13.4 percent<br />
decline in revenue while<br />
recorded outright loss<br />
before tax of N3.6 billion<br />
as against a profit of<br />
N2.3 billion made in the<br />
corresponding period of<br />
2018.<br />
Cadbury Nigeria, on the other<br />
hand, posted 7.3 percent<br />
increase in its cost. However, its<br />
revenue and pre-tax profit went<br />
up by 12.6 percent and 2,201<br />
percent respectively.<br />
NASCON's cost rose by 8.5<br />
percent. Its revenue<br />
appreciated by 0.7 percent,<br />
while the PBT declined by 34.6<br />
percent.<br />
Analysts explain<br />
Financial experts that spoke<br />
to Financial Vanguard blamed<br />
the poor performance on the<br />
Apapa traffic gridlock and<br />
increased importation of illegal<br />
consumables, which they said,<br />
is hurting their profit margin.<br />
Wahab Mustapha, analysts at<br />
Cordros Capital, a Lagos based<br />
investment house, said: “Most<br />
of them reported slower<br />
portfolio growth, basically<br />
because they are operating in<br />
intense competitive<br />
Apapa gridlock crashes earnings in<br />
consumer goods sector<br />
environment.<br />
Pricing environment was<br />
actually very bad for them. That<br />
was why you see that their<br />
revenue was down year-onyear.<br />
“When you think of the<br />
declining portfolio, what comes<br />
to mind is that most of them are<br />
still struggling from the Apapa<br />
traffic gridlock, making it<br />
difficult for them to evacuate<br />
products from the Port and<br />
distribute their products from<br />
the area.<br />
“For some of them, such as<br />
Dangote Sugar and the flour<br />
millers, they operate in intense<br />
competitive environment; they<br />
are still suffering from huge<br />
importation of some<br />
commodities like sugar and<br />
flour with the impact of this<br />
resulting in general price<br />
decline.”<br />
Additionally, he said that<br />
strained consumer wallets<br />
remained a challenge.<br />
“Consumers are yet to recover<br />
from the over 60 percent<br />
depreciation in the value of the<br />
Naira over a period of two<br />
years. Secondly, inflation level<br />
has also doubled. So, the impact<br />
of the decreased wealth is<br />
impacting consumers'<br />
purchasing power,” Mustapha<br />
said.<br />
For them to survive, he said<br />
they have to bring down prices<br />
to, at least, fend off competition<br />
or to, at least, maintain the same<br />
level of market share.<br />
Analysts at United Capital Plc,<br />
another Lagos-based<br />
investment banking firm, said:<br />
“Our view on the FMCGs<br />
remains modestly positive on<br />
the back of a gradual recovery<br />
in the economy.<br />
“However, challenges to<br />
volume growth may persist due<br />
to bottlenecks to distribution.<br />
“Pressure on volume growth<br />
and transport cost is likely to<br />
persist as the difficulty<br />
associated with the gridlock at<br />
the Lagos Port is unlikely to go<br />
away in the interim. In our view,<br />
this is negative for food<br />
manufacturers in the Apapa axis<br />
as well as <strong>others</strong> that depend<br />
on importation of their ware.”<br />
Charles Fakrogha, broker<br />
dealer at Cicycol, attributed the<br />
impaired revenue to weak<br />
purchasing power of an<br />
average Nigerian consumer. He<br />
advised the FMCG companies<br />
to work at keeping down cost.<br />
“They should be more cost<br />
conscious,” he stated.<br />
He said that though they have<br />
been able to pass cost to<br />
consumers through reduction<br />
in quantity of unit packs, but<br />
that has not positively impacted<br />
earnings due to myriad of other<br />
challenges.<br />
Fakrogha added that<br />
congestion at Apapa Port and<br />
COVER<br />
gridlock at that axis also<br />
impacted the efficiency<br />
and operating cost for<br />
some of the companies in<br />
FMCG sector that are<br />
involved in importation of<br />
their wares.<br />
David Adonri,<br />
Managing Director/CEO,<br />
Highcap Securities<br />
Limited, blamed the<br />
increased dumping of<br />
imported products for the<br />
incidence. He said that the<br />
imported substitute has<br />
reduced the market share<br />
of the companies.<br />
Going forward<br />
United Capital stated<br />
that while most players in<br />
the FMCGs would be<br />
looking forward to the<br />
positive impact of the new<br />
N30,000 minimum wage,<br />
fixing the current<br />
infrastructural deficits<br />
would be a bigger win for<br />
them.<br />
“In all, our best picks in<br />
the sector are diversified<br />
food and beverage<br />
producers, buttressed by<br />
their product and brand<br />
durability. We are not very<br />
positive on flour millers<br />
and sugar manufacturing<br />
companies, as our shortterm<br />
expectation is<br />
dampened by the<br />
feedback effect of Apapa<br />
gridlock and smuggling<br />
activities on volume<br />
growth,” they said.<br />
Going into the future,<br />
Mustapha of Cordros<br />
Capital said: “We see<br />
slight improvement in<br />
Apapa gridlock by year<br />
end or at least by early<br />
2020.<br />
The improvement is<br />
expected to give some of<br />
the companies that are<br />
involved in importation of<br />
their raw materials some<br />
respite.”<br />
He noted that pledge by<br />
federal government to<br />
clampdown on illegal<br />
importation of different products<br />
will also give them some respite<br />
in terms of pricing.<br />
“I believe that they should be<br />
able to increase prices going<br />
into Q3 and Q4 2019. In terms<br />
of purchasing power, the<br />
introduction of new minimum<br />
wage should be positive for fast<br />
moving consumer goods<br />
companies,” he stated.<br />
Fakrogha of Cicycol is of the<br />
opinion that efforts by the<br />
federal government to<br />
decongest Apapa Port and its<br />
environ as well as the assurance<br />
by the Central Bank of Nigeria,<br />
CBN, that no changes would be<br />
made in the foreign exchange<br />
policy would have positive<br />
impact on the companies going<br />
forward.
20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
Continues from page 19<br />
Others have also resorted to<br />
funding through capital<br />
market, instead of money<br />
market to keep cost down.<br />
Consequently, cost of<br />
sales for the companies<br />
dropped by 5.8 percent<br />
to N118.84 billion from<br />
N126.16 billion a year<br />
ago.<br />
However, Nestle<br />
appeared to have a better<br />
outing during the period<br />
having recorded 5.3<br />
percent reduction in cost<br />
of sales, while recording<br />
five percent and 40<br />
percent increases in<br />
revenue and pre-tax<br />
profit respectively, a<br />
performance financial<br />
experts attributed to the<br />
inelastic nature of the<br />
company's core food<br />
segments.<br />
Though Unilever also<br />
brought down its cost<br />
significantly by 12.5<br />
percent to N15.37<br />
billion, its revenue and<br />
pre-tax profit went<br />
negative at -20.8 percent<br />
and -39 percent<br />
respectively. Dangote<br />
Sugar also recorded 17.1<br />
percent decline in cost,<br />
but its revenue for the<br />
three month period<br />
declined by 7.3 percent<br />
to N38.12 billion. Its pretax<br />
profit, however, rose<br />
by 27.4 percent to N10.7<br />
billion.<br />
GSK seems to be worst<br />
hit, as its cost<br />
skyrocketed by 16.7<br />
percent, while the<br />
revenue and PBT<br />
recorded steep decline of<br />
72.8 percent and 87.5<br />
percent respectively.<br />
Like GSK, Dangote<br />
Flour Mills posted 4.6<br />
percent increase in cost<br />
of sales and 13.4 percent<br />
decline in revenue while<br />
recorded outright loss<br />
before tax of N3.6 billion<br />
as against a profit of<br />
N2.3 billion made in the<br />
corresponding period of<br />
2018.<br />
Cadbury Nigeria, on the other<br />
hand, posted 7.3 percent<br />
increase in its cost. However, its<br />
revenue and pre-tax profit went<br />
up by 12.6 percent and 2,201<br />
percent respectively.<br />
NASCON's cost rose by 8.5<br />
percent. Its revenue<br />
appreciated by 0.7 percent,<br />
while the PBT declined by 34.6<br />
percent.<br />
Analysts explain<br />
Financial experts that spoke<br />
to Financial Vanguard blamed<br />
the poor performance on the<br />
Apapa traffic gridlock and<br />
increased importation of illegal<br />
consumables, which they said,<br />
is hurting their profit margin.<br />
Wahab Mustapha, analysts at<br />
Cordros Capital, a Lagos based<br />
investment house, said: “Most<br />
of them reported slower<br />
portfolio growth, basically<br />
because they are operating in<br />
intense competitive<br />
Apapa gridlock crashes earnings in<br />
consumer goods sector<br />
environment.<br />
Pricing environment was<br />
actually very bad for them. That<br />
was why you see that their<br />
revenue was down year-onyear.<br />
“When you think of the<br />
declining portfolio, what comes<br />
to mind is that most of them are<br />
still struggling from the Apapa<br />
traffic gridlock, making it<br />
difficult for them to evacuate<br />
products from the Port and<br />
distribute their products from<br />
the area.<br />
“For some of them, such as<br />
Dangote Sugar and the flour<br />
millers, they operate in intense<br />
competitive environment; they<br />
are still suffering from huge<br />
importation of some<br />
commodities like sugar and<br />
flour with the impact of this<br />
resulting in general price<br />
decline.”<br />
Additionally, he said that<br />
strained consumer wallets<br />
remained a challenge.<br />
“Consumers are yet to recover<br />
from the over 60 percent<br />
depreciation in the value of the<br />
Naira over a period of two<br />
years. Secondly, inflation level<br />
has also doubled. So, the impact<br />
of the decreased wealth is<br />
impacting consumers'<br />
purchasing power,” Mustapha<br />
said.<br />
For them to survive, he said<br />
they have to bring down prices<br />
to, at least, fend off competition<br />
or to, at least, maintain the same<br />
level of market share.<br />
Analysts at United Capital Plc,<br />
another Lagos-based<br />
investment banking firm, said:<br />
“Our view on the FMCGs<br />
remains modestly positive on<br />
the back of a gradual recovery<br />
in the economy.<br />
“However, challenges to<br />
volume growth may persist due<br />
to bottlenecks to distribution.<br />
“Pressure on volume growth<br />
and transport cost is likely to<br />
persist as the difficulty<br />
associated with the gridlock at<br />
the Lagos Port is unlikely to go<br />
away in the interim. In our view,<br />
this is negative for food<br />
manufacturers in the Apapa axis<br />
as well as <strong>others</strong> that depend<br />
on importation of their ware.”<br />
Charles Fakrogha, broker<br />
dealer at Cicycol, attributed the<br />
impaired revenue to weak<br />
purchasing power of an<br />
average Nigerian consumer. He<br />
advised the FMCG companies<br />
to work at keeping down cost.<br />
“They should be more cost<br />
conscious,” he stated.<br />
He said that though they have<br />
been able to pass cost to<br />
consumers through reduction<br />
in quantity of unit packs, but<br />
that has not positively impacted<br />
earnings due to myriad of other<br />
challenges.<br />
Fakrogha added that<br />
congestion at Apapa Port and<br />
COVER<br />
gridlock at that axis also<br />
impacted the efficiency<br />
and operating cost for<br />
some of the companies in<br />
FMCG sector that are<br />
involved in importation of<br />
their wares.<br />
David Adonri,<br />
Managing Director/CEO,<br />
Highcap Securities<br />
Limited, blamed the<br />
increased dumping of<br />
imported products for the<br />
incidence. He said that the<br />
imported substitute has<br />
reduced the market share<br />
of the companies.<br />
Going forward<br />
United Capital stated<br />
that while most players in<br />
the FMCGs would be<br />
looking forward to the<br />
positive impact of the new<br />
N30,000 minimum wage,<br />
fixing the current<br />
infrastructural deficits<br />
would be a bigger win for<br />
them.<br />
“In all, our best picks in<br />
the sector are diversified<br />
food and beverage<br />
producers, buttressed by<br />
their product and brand<br />
durability. We are not very<br />
positive on flour millers<br />
and sugar manufacturing<br />
companies, as our shortterm<br />
expectation is<br />
dampened by the<br />
feedback effect of Apapa<br />
gridlock and smuggling<br />
activities on volume<br />
growth,” they said.<br />
Going into the future,<br />
Mustapha of Cordros<br />
Capital said: “We see<br />
slight improvement in<br />
Apapa gridlock by year<br />
end or at least by early<br />
2020.<br />
The improvement is<br />
expected to give some of<br />
the companies that are<br />
involved in importation of<br />
their raw materials some<br />
respite.”<br />
He noted that pledge by<br />
federal government to<br />
clampdown on illegal<br />
importation of different products<br />
will also give them some respite<br />
in terms of pricing.<br />
“I believe that they should be<br />
able to increase prices going<br />
into Q3 and Q4 2019. In terms<br />
of purchasing power, the<br />
introduction of new minimum<br />
wage should be positive for fast<br />
moving consumer goods<br />
companies,” he stated.<br />
Fakrogha of Cicycol is of the<br />
opinion that efforts by the<br />
federal government to<br />
decongest Apapa Port and its<br />
environ as well as the assurance<br />
by the Central Bank of Nigeria,<br />
CBN, that no changes would be<br />
made in the foreign exchange<br />
policy would have positive<br />
impact on the companies going<br />
forward.
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019 —21<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
Decline in stop rates on FGN bond to<br />
persist as DMO offer N100bn<br />
Continues from page 19<br />
market this week.<br />
Last week, cost of<br />
funds rose in response<br />
to outflow for funding<br />
of foreign exchange<br />
wholesale auctions and<br />
foreign exchange<br />
swaps by the Central<br />
Bank of Nigeria as well<br />
as rollover of N17.61<br />
billion worth of treasury<br />
bills (TBs) that<br />
matured during the<br />
week. The outflows<br />
suppressed the impact<br />
of inflow of N89 billion<br />
from matured<br />
secondary market<br />
(Open Market<br />
Operation, OMO) TBs,<br />
prompting average<br />
short term interest rate<br />
to rise by 346 bpts.<br />
Data from FMDQ<br />
showed that interest<br />
rate on Collateralised<br />
(Open Buy Back, OBB)<br />
rose by 342 bpts to 8.71<br />
percent last week from<br />
5.29 percent the<br />
previous week.<br />
Similarly, interest rate<br />
on Overnight lending<br />
rose by 350 bpts to 9.21<br />
percent last week from<br />
5.71 percent the<br />
previous week.<br />
Analysts at Lagos<br />
based Vetiva Capital<br />
Management Company<br />
projected that the apex<br />
bank might sell OMO<br />
bills today leading to<br />
further rise in cost of<br />
funds. "With the current<br />
level of system<br />
liquidity, we foresee an<br />
OMO auction in<br />
Monday's session,<br />
leading to a negative<br />
close in the secondary<br />
market at the start of<br />
the week", they said.<br />
External reserves<br />
record first weekly<br />
decline in three<br />
months<br />
The nation's external<br />
reserves last week<br />
record the first weekly<br />
decline in three<br />
months.<br />
Buoyed by increased<br />
foreign exchange<br />
earnings courtesy high<br />
crude oil price and<br />
influx of dollars from<br />
foreign portfolio<br />
investors, the nation's<br />
reserves have been on<br />
the upward trend since<br />
February 28th, 2019,<br />
when it stood at $41.296<br />
billion. This trend was<br />
however halted on<br />
June 10 when the<br />
reserves peaked at<br />
$45.175 billion.<br />
Last week, the<br />
reserves recorded its<br />
first weekly decline of<br />
$76 million as it fell to<br />
$45.087 billion on<br />
Thursday June 20th,<br />
2019 from $45.163<br />
billion on Thursday<br />
June 13th, previous<br />
week.<br />
Meanwhile the naira<br />
appreciated marginally<br />
by 2 kobo at the<br />
Investors and Exporters<br />
(I&E) window last<br />
week. Data from FMDQ<br />
showed that the<br />
indicative exchange<br />
rate for the window<br />
dropped marginally to<br />
N360.49 per dollar last<br />
week from N360.51 per<br />
dollar the previous<br />
week. On its part, the<br />
CBN sustained its<br />
weekly injection of $210<br />
million to support<br />
activities in the<br />
interbank foreign<br />
exchange market.<br />
Treasury report chart 2: Forex & TB rates<br />
Treasury report chart 4: Yields on FGN Bonds<br />
Treasury report chart 1: Monthly foreign flows and Domestic Transactions<br />
on NSE<br />
Treasury report chart 3: Interbank interest rates
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 —21<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
Decline in stop rates on FGN bond to<br />
persist as DMO offer N100bn<br />
Continues from page 19<br />
market this week.<br />
Last week, cost of<br />
funds rose in response<br />
to outflow for funding<br />
of foreign exchange<br />
wholesale auctions and<br />
foreign exchange<br />
swaps by the Central<br />
Bank of Nigeria as well<br />
as rollover of N17.61<br />
billion worth of treasury<br />
bills (TBs) that<br />
matured during the<br />
week. The outflows<br />
suppressed the impact<br />
of inflow of N89 billion<br />
from matured<br />
secondary market<br />
(Open Market<br />
Operation, OMO) TBs,<br />
prompting average<br />
short term interest rate<br />
to rise by 346 bpts.<br />
Data from FMDQ<br />
showed that interest<br />
rate on Collateralised<br />
(Open Buy Back, OBB)<br />
rose by 342 bpts to 8.71<br />
percent last week from<br />
5.29 percent the<br />
previous week.<br />
Similarly, interest rate<br />
on Overnight lending<br />
rose by 350 bpts to 9.21<br />
percent last week from<br />
5.71 percent the<br />
previous week.<br />
Analysts at Lagos<br />
based Vetiva Capital<br />
Management Company<br />
projected that the apex<br />
bank might sell OMO<br />
bills today leading to<br />
further rise in cost of<br />
funds. "With the current<br />
level of system<br />
liquidity, we foresee an<br />
OMO auction in<br />
Monday's session,<br />
leading to a negative<br />
close in the secondary<br />
market at the start of<br />
the week", they said.<br />
External reserves<br />
record first weekly<br />
decline in three<br />
months<br />
The nation's external<br />
reserves last week<br />
record the first weekly<br />
decline in three<br />
months.<br />
Buoyed by increased<br />
foreign exchange<br />
earnings courtesy high<br />
crude oil price and<br />
influx of dollars from<br />
foreign portfolio<br />
investors, the nation's<br />
reserves have been on<br />
the upward trend since<br />
February 28th, 2019,<br />
when it stood at $41.296<br />
billion. This trend was<br />
however halted on<br />
June 10 when the<br />
reserves peaked at<br />
$45.175 billion.<br />
Last week, the<br />
reserves recorded its<br />
first weekly decline of<br />
$76 million as it fell to<br />
$45.087 billion on<br />
Thursday June 20th,<br />
2019 from $45.163<br />
billion on Thursday<br />
June 13th, previous<br />
week.<br />
Meanwhile the naira<br />
appreciated marginally<br />
by 2 kobo at the<br />
Investors and Exporters<br />
(I&E) window last<br />
week. Data from FMDQ<br />
showed that the<br />
indicative exchange<br />
rate for the window<br />
dropped marginally to<br />
N360.49 per dollar last<br />
week from N360.51 per<br />
dollar the previous<br />
week. On its part, the<br />
CBN sustained its<br />
weekly injection of $210<br />
million to support<br />
activities in the<br />
interbank foreign<br />
exchange market.<br />
Treasury report chart 2: Forex & TB rates<br />
Treasury report chart 4: Yields on FGN Bonds<br />
Treasury report chart 1: Monthly foreign flows and Domestic Transactions<br />
on NSE<br />
Treasury report chart 3: Interbank interest rates
22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
From left, Bruno Wenn, Board Chair AFOS Foundation, Germany; Joshua Etopidiok, Director, Special Insured Institutions Department,<br />
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC; Tokunbo Martins, Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, OFIDs,<br />
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; Tutu Ogunnaike, Board Chair AFOS Foundation INGO, Nigeria; and Guillaume Valence, Africa Director,<br />
AFOS Foundation at the 5th symposium of the Nigeria Microfinance Platform in Ibadan, Oyo state.<br />
MPC members advocate strong consumer credit system<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
MEMBERS of the Mon<br />
etary Policy Committee,<br />
MPC, of the Central Bank of Nigeria<br />
have called for development<br />
of a strong consumer credit<br />
system in the country, stressing<br />
that this is a requirement for boosting<br />
economic growth.<br />
In their personal statements at the<br />
last meeting of the Committee held<br />
in May, released by the apex bank<br />
last week, the MPC members cited<br />
the lack of a vibrant consumer<br />
credit system in the country as one<br />
of the major impediments to the<br />
nation’s economic growth.<br />
While noting the decline in<br />
banks’ lending to the private sector<br />
of the economy between February<br />
and April, 2019 they lamented<br />
banks’ preference for lending to the<br />
federal government through investment<br />
in treasury bills, stressing<br />
that such attitude is not helping<br />
economic growth.<br />
Professor Adeola Adenikinju, a<br />
member of the Committee stated:<br />
“The preference shown by the Deposit<br />
Money Banks, DMBs, for<br />
fixed income government assets<br />
over credit to the real sector of the<br />
economy is worrisome.<br />
“Credit to real sector is not only<br />
low but decreasing in relative terms<br />
in asset portfolio of DMBs, and is<br />
concentrated on low employment<br />
generating sectors. Banks seems<br />
to have abandoned their primary<br />
role of intermediation. This unhealthy<br />
trend should be strongly<br />
discouraged. Banks continue to<br />
focus on easy ways of making money,<br />
including through its various<br />
charges on customers and government<br />
securities, at a time when the<br />
economy is in dire needs of banks’<br />
credit.<br />
“The Nigerian economy needs a<br />
vibrant consumer credit system in<br />
order to drive private consumption<br />
and expand domestic supply. Consumer<br />
credit is a major driver of<br />
growth in a capitalist economy.<br />
However, the ecosystem and institutions<br />
needed for a successful consumer<br />
credit system must be established.”<br />
Also speaking in this regard,<br />
Deputy Governor, Financial Sec-<br />
tor Surveillance, Aisha Ahmad,<br />
said: “Information from bank staff<br />
reveals contraction in credit to the<br />
private sector between February<br />
and March 2019, even as income<br />
from trading activities increased vis<br />
a vis a reduction in non-interest<br />
income from credit activities.<br />
“Whilst factors such as residual<br />
low risk appetite in the light of recent<br />
high levels of NPLs and significant<br />
asset portfolio write-offs are<br />
duly noted, the industry must dramatically<br />
increase lending to the<br />
real sector to strengthen the economic<br />
recovery, bolster domestic<br />
productivity and create jobs.<br />
In addition, banks are encouraged<br />
to ramp up investments in<br />
technology to facilitate efficient retail<br />
loan distribution and explore<br />
using behavioural analysis and<br />
artificial intelligence to enhance<br />
credit decisions, particularly for<br />
loans to the informal sector.”<br />
Another member of the committee,<br />
Prof. Balami Dahiru Hassan,<br />
called on banks to embrace consumer<br />
credit, saying, “It has been<br />
identified that there is demand gap<br />
Omobola Johnson commends Sterling Bank’s<br />
high-level gender inclusion<br />
A<br />
FORMER Minister of<br />
Communications and<br />
Information Technology, Dr.<br />
Omobola Johnson, has<br />
commended Sterling Bank Plc for<br />
its high level of gender inclusion.<br />
Johnson who spoke on the<br />
theme, ‘Winning through<br />
Inclusion’ at the third edition of the<br />
Sterling Leadership Series, SLS, in<br />
Lagos, also listed some factors that<br />
can help women to reach the top of<br />
their careers in any field of<br />
endeavour.<br />
She said women can get to the<br />
top through mentorship, role<br />
modelling, assertiveness,<br />
confidence building and<br />
networking, among <strong>others</strong>.<br />
While urging women to quickly<br />
adopt the tactics she outlined for<br />
better representation, Johnson said<br />
men are not likely to concede<br />
leadership positions to women in<br />
a friendly manner because lots of<br />
discriminatory practices exist in the<br />
in the economy and, therefore,<br />
banks should embrace consumer<br />
credit. This would impact on consumption,<br />
production and growth<br />
in the economy. Private credit bureau<br />
or system be created, engage<br />
stakeholders to contribute their<br />
quota and how to honour their obligations,<br />
and alternative dispute<br />
resolution system be established.<br />
The credit channel for monetary<br />
policy will aid growth and will have<br />
high impact in housing, mining,<br />
and transportation value chain.”<br />
corporate world so women would<br />
have to fight, kick and, if necessary,<br />
bite to get to the top.<br />
Johnson who is a Co-founder of<br />
Women in Business, WIMBIZ,<br />
commended Sterling Bank for its<br />
high level of gender inclusion. She<br />
said available statistics show that<br />
when women are involved in<br />
leadership positions there is<br />
improved performance because<br />
there is better representation in<br />
decision-making.<br />
RMB Nigeria<br />
conference to<br />
discuss inclusive<br />
real sector growth<br />
RAND Merchant Bank,<br />
RMB, Nigeria will this<br />
week hold its economic and<br />
business conference with the<br />
focus on catalysts for an<br />
inclusive real sector growth in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The bank in a statement said<br />
the theme is “Unlocking real<br />
sector growth to drive<br />
sustainable economic<br />
development”.<br />
The bank said: “With an<br />
abundance of resources,<br />
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil<br />
exporter, has the largest natural<br />
gas reserves on the continent,<br />
vast natural resources, arable<br />
land, and a young<br />
entrepreneurial population.<br />
“After a decade of steady<br />
growth, market reforms, and<br />
increased political stability - as<br />
demonstrated by the recently<br />
held national elections in 2019,<br />
for the sixth consecutive time<br />
since its return to democracy in<br />
1999, the country seems to be<br />
performing below its potential<br />
economically.<br />
“The opportunity to change<br />
course and usher the country<br />
into inclusive and sustainable<br />
growth does indeed exist if the<br />
right operating environment<br />
and policies are instituted. The<br />
conference will engage industry<br />
participants in a dialogue on the<br />
catalysts needed to stimulate<br />
inclusive real sector growth and<br />
accelerate economic<br />
development.”<br />
Speakers include Dr<br />
Okechukwu Enelamah, former<br />
Minister of Industry, Trade &<br />
Investment; Oscar Onyema,<br />
CEO of the Nigerian Stock<br />
Exchange; Eme Essien, CEO of<br />
International Finance<br />
Corporation Nigeria;<br />
Olukayode Pitan, MD of Bank<br />
of Industry; Biola Alabi, CEO<br />
of Biola Alabi Media; Raj<br />
Gupta, MD of African<br />
Industries Group; Christian<br />
Wessels, MD of Daystar Power<br />
and <strong>others</strong>.<br />
Union Bank’s edu360 holds capacity building session for educators<br />
UNION Bank has held a se<br />
ries of training sessions for<br />
educators in Lagos, Abuja and<br />
Rivers as part of its edu-360 initiative<br />
to support the development<br />
of the education sector.<br />
Over 175 teachers attended the<br />
free workshops which were organised<br />
to upskill and equip them<br />
for more effective teaching. The<br />
classes covered modules on ‘Inspiring<br />
and Motivating Learners’<br />
and ‘Developing Critical Thinking<br />
Skills’ among <strong>others</strong>, and<br />
were delivered by NFCR Educational<br />
Consultants.<br />
The bank also organised conferences<br />
for heads of schools in<br />
Lagos and Abuja where renowned<br />
educators spoke on the<br />
theme, ‘Leading Change in a Dynamic<br />
Environment’. Among the<br />
speakers were Mrs. Lai Koiki,<br />
Proprietor, Greensprings School;<br />
Dr. Femi Ogunsanya, Managing<br />
Director, Oxbridge College;<br />
Hajia Aisha Babangida, Board<br />
Member, El-Amin Schools; Mrs.<br />
Folasade Adefisayo, Principal<br />
Consultant, Leading Learning<br />
Limited and Mrs. Angela Ajala,<br />
Executive Director, Ladela<br />
Schools.<br />
The training sessions and conferences<br />
were organised on the<br />
STANDARD Chartered Bank Nigeria<br />
Limited has launched the SC Women in<br />
Tech Incubator to support and promote the<br />
economic and social development of women<br />
in Nigeria through innovation or technology<br />
led entrepreneurship.<br />
The bank in a statement said it will use<br />
the initiative to focus on capacity building<br />
for women-owned small enterprises and see<br />
this as a great opportunity to support greater<br />
diversity in gender representation within technology<br />
entrepreneurship for women in the<br />
country. The Standard Chartered Women in Tech<br />
programme will target female-led entrepreneurial<br />
teams and provide them with training, mentorship<br />
and seed funding. There will be an open<br />
platform of Union Bank’s education<br />
initiative-edu360, launched in<br />
October 2018 to promote collaboration<br />
and partnerships that will<br />
boost the development of education<br />
in Nigeria. The inaugural twoday<br />
edu360 event featured exhibitions,<br />
panel discussions and seminars<br />
that brought together investors,<br />
parents, school proprietors,<br />
teachers and students. During the<br />
event, over 200 teachers from private<br />
and government owned<br />
schools benefitted from free training<br />
workshops organised by the<br />
bank.<br />
Standard Chartered launches women in tech programme<br />
call for participation leading to a final selection of the<br />
top 10 contestants with the most compelling ideas. At<br />
the end of the training period, up to five winners will<br />
be chosen and each winner will be awarded up to<br />
$10,000 to invest in their business.<br />
The event included an all-women panel discussion<br />
led by Olga Arara-Kimani, Regional Head,<br />
Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Standard<br />
Chartered Bank along with Adenike Adeyemi, Executive<br />
Director, FATE Foundation; Bode Abifarin,<br />
Chief Operating Officer of Flutterwave Incorporated;<br />
Odun Eweniyi, CoFounder, PiggyVest;<br />
Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, Founder, Pearls Africa<br />
Youth Foundation; and OreoluwaLesi, Women’s<br />
Technology Empowerment Centre who moderated<br />
the session.
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
CAP to<br />
leverage<br />
reforms in real<br />
estate sector<br />
to boost<br />
returns<br />
By Nkiruka Nnorom<br />
CHEMICAL and Allied<br />
Products, CAP Plc, has<br />
said it is poised to take<br />
advantage of the structural<br />
reforms that will be undertaken<br />
by the federal government in<br />
the housing and real estate<br />
sector this year to boost revenue<br />
and returns to its shareholders.<br />
The company also declared<br />
N2.03 billion dividend,<br />
representing 29 kobo per share<br />
for the year ended December<br />
31, 2018, which was approved<br />
by the shareholders.<br />
Speaking at the 54th Annual<br />
General Meeting, AGM, in<br />
Lagos, Solomon Aigbavboa,<br />
Acting Chairman, CAP Plc,<br />
said: “We expect that the<br />
economic environment in 2019<br />
will continue to be fluid and<br />
uncertain and businesses must<br />
be proactive and make clear cut<br />
choices about how to compete<br />
in the market place. Businesses<br />
also need to make clear<br />
definition of strategy, business<br />
model and core operations in<br />
order to increase revenue and<br />
profitability.<br />
“Your company is closely<br />
following developments at all<br />
levels and is prepaid to key into<br />
opportunities that will be<br />
created. We will respond<br />
appropriately to the emerging<br />
paint market trends and<br />
different economic scenarios by<br />
introducing new products and<br />
value added services,<br />
increasing volumes,<br />
entrenching presence in the<br />
standard market, completing<br />
Dulux Colour Centers, DCC,<br />
upgrade and implementing<br />
impactful marketing initiatives<br />
to ensure effective customer<br />
engagement among <strong>others</strong>.”<br />
He alluded to the effect of<br />
difficult business environment<br />
in 2018, saying that CAP<br />
navigated the business terrain<br />
by recovering its costs through<br />
various cost reduction<br />
initiatives and improved<br />
efficiency, which resulted in<br />
nine percent increase in<br />
revenue to N7.76 billion and 15<br />
percent growth in the operating<br />
profit to N2.28 billion.<br />
He said that the company<br />
expanded its distribution<br />
channels and improved on field<br />
presence by opening two Dulux<br />
Colour Centres in Lagos and<br />
Abuja during the year.<br />
“We also increased marketing<br />
initiatives and value-adding<br />
services. We extended in-plant<br />
paint production to silk line and<br />
commenced DCC upgrades. We<br />
will work harmoniously with<br />
DCC distributors to achieve<br />
topline growth in 2019,” he<br />
added.<br />
By Peter Egwuatu<br />
FOLLOWING the four<br />
days bear run on the<br />
Nigerian Stock Exchange,<br />
NSE, last week, investors lost<br />
N78 billion as market<br />
capitalisation declined to<br />
N13.154 trillion from N13.232<br />
trillion penultimate week.<br />
Similarly, another<br />
benchmark indicator, the NSE<br />
All Share Index, was down 0.7<br />
per cent Week-on-Week, W-o-<br />
W, to settle at 29,851.29 points<br />
from 30,046.70 points it closed<br />
penultimate week, while<br />
the Year-to-Date, YtD return<br />
worsened to -5.0 percent.<br />
Analysts explained that the<br />
sustained bearish trend was<br />
as a result of sustained profit<br />
taking activities.<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 23<br />
Stock market investors lose N78bn<br />
in bearish run<br />
• Analysts predict market rebound this week<br />
•Recommend buy for CAP, Dangote Cement, Ecobank<br />
By Peter Egwuatu<br />
STANBIC IBTC Holdings<br />
Plc reduced its Non<br />
Performing Loan, NPL, to 3.9<br />
per cent in the financial year<br />
ended December 31, 2018 from<br />
8.6 per cent in the<br />
corresponding period of 2017.<br />
The bank’s Chairman, Mr.<br />
Basil Omiyi, who revealed this<br />
while speaking at the group’s<br />
seventh Annual General<br />
Meeting, AGM, in Lagos also<br />
said the group will continue to<br />
focus in creating more<br />
investment for shareholders<br />
during the year.<br />
The shareholders at the AGM,<br />
approved the dividend<br />
payment of N15.36billion<br />
proposed by the board of<br />
directors for the 2018 financial<br />
year.<br />
A shareholder, Chief<br />
Shotunde Sopeju, urged the<br />
board to pay close attention to<br />
the growing level of loans and<br />
ensure that the loans were<br />
performing to avoid writing off<br />
Rebound of<br />
the market<br />
But analysts foresee a<br />
rebound of the market as<br />
investors may soon take<br />
advantage of the lower prices<br />
especially for the highly<br />
capitalised equities.<br />
Analysts at Cowry Asset<br />
Management Limited,<br />
recommended a ‘buy’ for CAP<br />
Plc, Dangote Cement and<br />
Ecobank, while forecasting an<br />
Earnings Per Share, EPS, of<br />
N2.85 per share, N57.22 per<br />
share and N4.70 per share<br />
respectively.<br />
However, activity level on<br />
the Exchange last week<br />
strengthened as average<br />
volume and value traded<br />
gained 499.3 per cent and<br />
35.9 percent to settle at<br />
189.9million units and<br />
N4.2billion respectively.<br />
The most traded stocks by<br />
volume were Wema Bank<br />
(5.1billion units), Zenith Bank<br />
(450.6million units) and<br />
Guaranty Trust Bank,<br />
GTBank (74.0million<br />
units) while Zenith Bank<br />
(N9.0 billion), Wema Bank<br />
(N3.2billion) and GTBank<br />
(N2.3billion) were the major<br />
gainers by value.<br />
Sector performance was<br />
mixed as three of the six<br />
indices on the Exchange<br />
trended northward. The<br />
Insurance index led gainers,<br />
up 8.7 per cent as investors<br />
bought into Link Assurance<br />
rising by +7.5 per cent, NEM<br />
Insurance up (+33.3 per cent)<br />
and Law Union increased by<br />
Stanbic IBTC reduces NPL to 3.9%, declares<br />
N15.36bn dividend<br />
debts if they went bad.<br />
While thanking the<br />
shareholders for their<br />
commendation, Chief<br />
Executive, Stanbic IBTC<br />
Holdings Plc, Mr Yinka Sanni,<br />
assured that the Company will<br />
not relent in its efforts to<br />
continue to deliver value to<br />
shareholders and other<br />
stakeholders.<br />
“We will continue to leverage<br />
on our universal financial<br />
services capability, unrelenting<br />
focus on cost control,<br />
digitization and client centricity<br />
while operating as an ethical<br />
organisation to ensure that we<br />
continue to grow our capacity<br />
to provide incomparable high<br />
quality end-to-end financial<br />
solutions to our customers in a<br />
sustainable manner and<br />
remain profitable as a group,”<br />
Sanni said.<br />
Responding to shareholders’<br />
questions, the Group Chief<br />
Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC<br />
Holdings, Mr Yinka Sanni,<br />
said the shareholders need not<br />
nurse any fear as the bank’s<br />
loans were performing.<br />
He said though the level was<br />
increasing, it was still within<br />
the risk appetite of the<br />
company.<br />
(+8.7 per cent) while the<br />
Banking and Oil & Gas<br />
indices also gained 2.6 per<br />
cent and 0.7 percent<br />
respectively on the back of<br />
gains in Access Bank which<br />
went up (+7.8 per cent ),<br />
Forte Oil (+6.1 per cent ) and<br />
Mobil Oil (+4.0 per cent ).<br />
Sector<br />
performance<br />
Conversely, the Afrinvest-<br />
ICT index led the laggards,<br />
declining by 4.1 percent due<br />
to losses in MTN declining<br />
by (-4.1 per cent) and<br />
CHAMS (-13.9 per cent). The<br />
Consumer and Industrial<br />
Goods indices also shed 1.6<br />
per cent and 1.5 percent<br />
respectively due to weakness<br />
in International Breweries<br />
which went down by (-10.0<br />
per cent ), OKOMU Oil (-<br />
10.0 per cent ) and CAP (-11.6<br />
per cent).<br />
Reacting to the market<br />
outlook, analysts at Cowry<br />
Asset said: “In the new week,<br />
(this week) we expect the<br />
local equities market to<br />
rebound marginally as<br />
investors take advantage of<br />
the low prices even as<br />
investors continue to await<br />
the President’s cabinet<br />
announcements.”<br />
Commenting as well,<br />
analysts at Afrinvest Research<br />
said: “In the coming<br />
week,(this week) we expect<br />
that investors will continue to<br />
take position in<br />
fundamentally sound stocks<br />
as we approach the half year,<br />
H1, 2019 earnings season.”<br />
Law Union and Rock to declare dividend at 50th AGM<br />
tomorrow<br />
By Abolade Oyeneye<br />
LAW Union and Rock<br />
Insurance Plc will,<br />
tomorrow, June 25, 2019 at its<br />
50th Annual General Meeting<br />
declare a final dividend of 0.02<br />
Kobo per 50 Kobo ordinary share,<br />
subject to shareholders’ approval.<br />
The dividend, according to<br />
Mobolaji Akerele, Head,<br />
Corporate Communications, Law<br />
Union and Rock Insurance, will<br />
be paid to shareholders whose<br />
names appear in the register of<br />
members as at the close of<br />
business on May 31, 2019.<br />
Shareholders will also approve<br />
the appointment of Mr<br />
Ademayowa Adeduro as the<br />
Managing Director/CEO of the<br />
company as aprt of the special<br />
resolutions at the AGM.<br />
The managing director, Mr.<br />
Ademayowa Adeduro assured<br />
that necessary arrangement has<br />
been made to ensure a successful<br />
outing, while advising<br />
shareholders with dividend<br />
warrants and share certificates that<br />
have remained unclaimed or are<br />
yet to be presented for validation<br />
to complete the e-dividend<br />
registration to claim their<br />
outstanding dividend and reduce<br />
the rising number of unclaimed<br />
dividend.<br />
“We know that expectations are<br />
high on the side of the<br />
shareholders, as regards payment<br />
of dividend, but we are very<br />
optimistic that they would not be<br />
disappointed,” he said.
24—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—25
26—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
We're trying to<br />
establish trade<br />
relationship with<br />
Africa - Omolola<br />
Ajani<br />
Mrs Omolola Ajani is the Chairperson<br />
of the Abuja Branch of NECA’s Network<br />
of Entrepreneurial Women, NNEW, a<br />
platform established under the aegis of<br />
Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Assembly,<br />
NECA. In this interview with our team in<br />
Abuja, she outlines efforts of her<br />
organization in building sustainable<br />
businesses among Nigerian women.<br />
She notes that women businesses are yet to<br />
feel the impact of the federal government<br />
Ease of Doing Business initiative, while<br />
outlining the agenda for tomorrow’s<br />
training programme with the theme,<br />
“Instituting Corporate Governance in Our<br />
Businesses.” Excerpts:<br />
By Emma Ujah, Abuja<br />
Bureau Chief & Emmanuel<br />
Elebeke<br />
WHAT is NNEW?<br />
It’s a collection of<br />
women entrepreneurs, we operate<br />
in all the strata that cuts across<br />
supply of goods and services. We<br />
have manufacturing, clothing<br />
lines, furnishing, food and<br />
beverages. We operate in all the<br />
lines.<br />
It’s a collection of these women<br />
that not just act as a pressure group<br />
for worthy courses that highlight<br />
the benefits of entrepreneurship<br />
and even the growth of<br />
entrepreneurship but provide<br />
access to information that will<br />
help these women I their<br />
businesses. We try to link them up<br />
with information such as access<br />
to funds, access to knowledge and<br />
all that besides the training<br />
aspect of the organization.<br />
We also try to harness our broad<br />
network base in order to reach out<br />
to other countries. Basically, we<br />
are trying to establish trade<br />
mission’s relationship with Africa<br />
whereby we can exhibit some of<br />
our produces and goods and<br />
services.<br />
How do your members<br />
balance their roles as wives,<br />
m<strong>others</strong> and businesswomen?<br />
We teach women how to have<br />
work life balance because<br />
competences and skills are very<br />
important as well. How to<br />
delegate. If you know you have a<br />
challenge with cooking, you must<br />
learn how to cook or out-source<br />
it. There are several options to<br />
that.<br />
What is the nature of<br />
tomorrow’s programme?<br />
It is a networking programme.<br />
Both members and non-members<br />
are expected, so that we can all<br />
connect to harness and project the<br />
benefits of the network, which<br />
primarily, is in building ourselves<br />
to be more productive.<br />
The networking programme is<br />
one of our flagship<br />
programmes. We have several<br />
<strong>others</strong>. This is the second for the<br />
year. We have a calendar that<br />
gives us an evaluating<br />
system. This is the second<br />
quarter. We had one in the first<br />
quarter. How has it been so far?<br />
This second quarter is pushing us<br />
on what steps to take forward.<br />
That is why our emphasis is<br />
Instituting Corporate<br />
Governance in Our Businesses.<br />
Some of our speakers are: Mrs.<br />
Ndidi Nwuneli, the Managing<br />
Partner of Sahel Consulting<br />
Agribusiness & Nutrition Limited;<br />
Mrs. Adetara Agbakoba,<br />
Manager ,<br />
PriceWaterHouseCoopers; and<br />
Mrs. Latifat Balogun, CEO,<br />
Hatlab Place.<br />
There will be entrepreneurship<br />
trainings, exhibitions/trade fair as<br />
well as, networking meetings to<br />
enable participants to expand<br />
their reach and business<br />
opportunities.<br />
Why did you choose<br />
“Instituting Corporate<br />
Governance in Our Businesses”<br />
as your theme for this<br />
programme?<br />
One of our objectives is to ensure<br />
that women businesses are<br />
sustainable and outlive us. We<br />
want women businesses to become<br />
like the Coca-Colas of the world.<br />
What we see is that most<br />
businesses in Nigeria die when the<br />
owners dies. So we want to build<br />
businesses that will last for<br />
generations.<br />
For you to do that, you need to<br />
have a proper structure in your<br />
business. We always complain<br />
about everything that surrounds<br />
us but sometimes, we need to look<br />
inwards to see what we need to do<br />
to survive- which is the right<br />
structure.<br />
We have done a lot of trainings<br />
in the past to ensure that women<br />
businesses have the right<br />
structure, good business models.<br />
We feel it is now time to take the<br />
next step to ensure that they are<br />
instituting the right corporate<br />
governance.<br />
From your assessment of<br />
women businesses in the<br />
country, what do you think are<br />
the fundamental problems that<br />
make them often fail?<br />
What I see is that women are not<br />
bold. If they are bold, they will<br />
be able to take certain steps.<br />
Which is why we are encouraging<br />
them to institute corporate<br />
governance. By the time they<br />
institute corporate governance<br />
and they see the steps to be taken<br />
to institute it, they will see that they<br />
have to delegate responsibilities<br />
to other people.<br />
Instituting<br />
corporate<br />
governance also<br />
means that you<br />
have to comply<br />
with a lot of the<br />
regulations of the<br />
federal<br />
government<br />
It means it is not just you doing<br />
everything. Not one cap fits all.<br />
You are going to have other<br />
people in charge of Finance, HR<br />
and other areas of the business,<br />
and you have to trust that they will<br />
do that for you. When that is done,<br />
you can now say, what next is<br />
there for me to do as the business<br />
leader, owner?<br />
Instituting corporate<br />
governance also means that you<br />
have to comply with a lot of the<br />
regulations of the federal<br />
government. Government is<br />
trying to generate more revenue,<br />
internally. It is important for<br />
businesses to be compliant, pay<br />
their taxes, pension and many<br />
other issues.<br />
With corporate governance, you<br />
will pay all these and once you do<br />
that, you are contributing to the<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 27<br />
overall economy of this country.<br />
Once you are paying all these, it<br />
will pinch you and you will take<br />
interest in what is happening on<br />
the political scene.<br />
Political scene?<br />
Yes.<br />
How?<br />
Once you are paying taxes, you<br />
will become interesting in what<br />
the government is doing with you<br />
tax. I am paying tax and I know<br />
what I pay every month. I know<br />
what I pay in pensions and I know<br />
where it is pinching. So I want to<br />
know who is there. What laws are<br />
they making and how are they<br />
affecting my business. We were<br />
not doing those things before so it<br />
was soldier-go, soldier-come, we<br />
didn’t care, so long as we were<br />
eating. But now they have come<br />
out, they are everywhere forcing<br />
themselves on us. They are<br />
everywhere and we are paying<br />
taxes and we know the pain.<br />
In your earlier assessments<br />
before you zeroed in on<br />
instituting corporate<br />
governance, did look at issues<br />
about lack of<br />
transparency? Book keeping in<br />
SMEs?<br />
Certainly. We have done all<br />
those trainings in the past and<br />
most of our women know that they<br />
have to separate themselves from<br />
their businesses. Remember we<br />
told you we are trying to build<br />
businesses that will last for<br />
generations. So if you don’t put<br />
structures in place, it won’t<br />
happen. Instituting corporate<br />
governance will force you not to<br />
do those things that you have just<br />
mentioned.<br />
You know I told that women are<br />
not very bold. They are very<br />
cautious. Which is what men<br />
don’t have. They are very bold but<br />
not very cautious. They are very<br />
trusting. So women too have to<br />
learn to trust <strong>others</strong> with their<br />
businesses. We need to start<br />
delegating certain things so that<br />
we can focus on the main<br />
businesses, network, make<br />
connections that we need to grow<br />
the businesses because you can’t<br />
grow the business by micromanaging<br />
the people. You need<br />
to move out.<br />
What are the effects of the<br />
various regulations and taxes on<br />
women businesses?<br />
They are killings the<br />
businesses. Many of them are<br />
faced with the options of should I<br />
close down the business, put my<br />
money in the bank and then every<br />
six months I go and collect my<br />
interest or what should I do? The<br />
situation is very difficult for<br />
women businesses. If the<br />
government is looking for one<br />
trillion naira and there are only<br />
three hundred registered<br />
businesses and they choose to<br />
audit and audit those few, it is not<br />
going to help the economy. I<br />
think what the government should<br />
do is to widen the tax net to bring<br />
in more tax payers, rather than<br />
allowing the current multiple<br />
taxation to kill the existing<br />
businesses. There are a lot of<br />
briefcase businesses who are not<br />
paying taxes at all, while those<br />
paying are over burdened by the<br />
government. That shouldn’t be.<br />
How has the federal<br />
government Ease of doing<br />
Business initiative impacted<br />
women businesses in the<br />
country?<br />
The ease of Doing Business in<br />
Nigeria, if you give the change to<br />
rate it on a scale of 1-10, it is<br />
between 2-3. The impact of the<br />
Ease of doing Business has not<br />
been felt by women businesses, at<br />
all. And that goes down to the<br />
implementers. It could be the<br />
civil servants, or whoever the key<br />
players of that initiative are. The<br />
concept may be wonderful but<br />
how do we implement it to the<br />
extent where the target audience<br />
benefit from it.<br />
It is an attitudinal change<br />
thing. While we are talking<br />
about SMEs should do this,<br />
government should do that, we<br />
should target the individuals<br />
involved in it. So as an<br />
entrepreneur, I have to do this, the<br />
government staff, you have a role<br />
to play. As a government<br />
regulator, you have a part to play.<br />
The bottom-line is that the<br />
administrative bottlenecks are<br />
choking. Government realizes<br />
that entrepreneurship is the way<br />
to go. The challenge is how to<br />
implement policies of<br />
government to the extent that it<br />
positively affects the woman on<br />
the street.<br />
The truth is that it is the women,<br />
with their small businesses that<br />
are actually upholding the<br />
economy of this nation.<br />
Some people have argued that<br />
money is not the problem of<br />
Nigerian SMEs. Do you agree?<br />
Yes.<br />
Why?<br />
I said this because if I know that<br />
money is my problem, I know<br />
what to do. But we have so many<br />
unforeseen issues that may come<br />
up. As I am sitting down here<br />
now, I can get a call that<br />
somebody has just come to my<br />
office and shut it because I don’t<br />
have TV licence. What is TV used<br />
for. And the law says you pay for<br />
the licence per building. So<br />
because I have two buildings in<br />
my premises I am being charged<br />
per building. There are so many<br />
battles to fight. As you grow, you<br />
become more visible so you<br />
become a target. It is like you<br />
have to create a department to<br />
handle government issues which<br />
makes it more expensive for small<br />
businesses.
28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
5 reasons Nigeria will remain<br />
poverty capital until 2023<br />
….with leadership and a sense of purpose, we can lift 100<br />
million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years — President<br />
Buhari, June 12, 2019 in Abuja<br />
POSSIBLY, several of the card<br />
carrying members of the All<br />
Progressives Congress, APC,<br />
present clapped lustily when the<br />
President made that statement.<br />
That is to be expected. Loyal<br />
politicians at campaign rallies are<br />
not expected to think critically<br />
about what their leaders say. Their<br />
role is to applaud anything<br />
pronounced. Other observers still<br />
in possession of their thinking caps<br />
could easily determine that the<br />
statement was totally empty for<br />
several reasons. Five reasons will<br />
be sufficient to illustrate the point.<br />
First, Buhari said “with<br />
leadership”, not “with my<br />
leadership”. It might appear like<br />
quibbling with semantics, but,<br />
other leaders embarking their<br />
nations on a new and prosperous<br />
direction have always emphasised<br />
their contributions to the<br />
achievements envisaged.<br />
Second, at close to 78, and only<br />
four years to go, all being well,<br />
Buhari is speculating on an<br />
objective well beyond his tenure.<br />
Even if he regards himself as the<br />
leader with a sense of purpose, he<br />
will not be around for sixty percent<br />
of the ten years to pilot the ship of<br />
the Nigerian State.<br />
Third, it is safe to assume that<br />
the ten years have not commenced<br />
now in 2019. With the Gross<br />
Domestic Product, GDP, in the first<br />
quarter, Q1, of 2019, growing at a<br />
miserable under 2 per cent and less<br />
than Q4 of 2018, Nigeria has<br />
added more people to those living<br />
in poverty instead of lifting them<br />
out of it. From all appearances,<br />
2019 is certainly not the first year<br />
of the ten.<br />
Fourth, Nigeria, under APC<br />
government, is again repeating all<br />
the mistakes which make it<br />
unlikely that we will ever achieve<br />
the remarkable economic<br />
transformations which enabled<br />
China, India and Indonesia, the<br />
three countries mentioned in the<br />
June 12 address to escape mass<br />
poverty.<br />
The Nigerian president was<br />
declared winner in February this<br />
year. India’s prime minister was<br />
re-elected more than two months<br />
after that. The Indian prime<br />
minister announced his cabinet 72<br />
hours after the results of the<br />
election. Nigeria still has no<br />
ministers. The difference is clear<br />
between a purposeful prime<br />
minister, leader and his Nigerian<br />
counterpart.<br />
By the time you read this article,<br />
June will almost be over. The first<br />
half of 2019 will soon be gone.<br />
Purposeful leaders recognise time<br />
as an economic resource almost<br />
at par with capital, labour and<br />
infrastructure. They never waste<br />
time or encourage their<br />
subordinates to do the same.<br />
Ministers appointed after June<br />
will spend the rest of the year<br />
coming to grips with their scope<br />
of responsibilities. Nothing much<br />
can be expected of them. Ministers<br />
who attempt to “hit the ground<br />
running” – to use the hackneyed<br />
expression of journalists –<br />
invariably lead their Ministries<br />
into blind alleys. An example was<br />
the former Minister of<br />
Transportation, Mr Rotimi<br />
Amaechi, who made grand<br />
promises about the Lagos-Ibadan<br />
and the Lagos-Calabar rail lines<br />
in 2016. The first should have been<br />
in operation now according to<br />
him. Not only is there no rail<br />
commuter service between Lagos<br />
and Ibadan, international experts<br />
are now telling us that the<br />
Nigerian rail line costs have been<br />
grossly padded. Time lost; money<br />
lost.<br />
The Nigerian president made no<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
personal commitment to achieve<br />
the objective stated. It was more of<br />
an academic exercise. By contrast,<br />
when President John Kennedy of<br />
America, after the Russians sent an<br />
astronaut into space announced<br />
that “by the end of the decade<br />
America will send a man to the<br />
moon and bring him back” he had<br />
provided a timeline for the<br />
objective. America was challenged<br />
to reach the moon by December<br />
1969. Even though Kennedy was<br />
assassinated in 1963, the USA<br />
achieved the goal ahead of time.<br />
Two purposeful Presidents after<br />
Kennedy - Johnson and Nixon -<br />
made sure that happened. But,<br />
Kennedy got the ball rolling by<br />
establishing the framework for<br />
success. He got the brightest and<br />
best Americans to work on the<br />
project. By contrast Buhari has not<br />
No purposeful leader<br />
would allow the<br />
security situation to<br />
deteriorate under him<br />
and allow truckers to<br />
openly defy his orders<br />
and close the nation’s<br />
ports for three years<br />
established the Economic<br />
Management Team which will<br />
make it possible for Nigeria to lift<br />
100 million out of poverty in ten<br />
years. That explains the difference<br />
between purposeful leadership<br />
and wishful thinkers.<br />
Fifth, if a purposeful leader can<br />
be defined as one who does not<br />
ignore clear threats to the<br />
economy and security of his<br />
nation, then Buhari has failed on,<br />
at least, two instances. China, India<br />
and Indonesia would not have<br />
allowed trucks to block the road<br />
Performance ,not recapitalization determines survival of<br />
a bank – MD Imowo MfB<br />
The Managing Director, Imowo Microfinance Bank, MfB, Ijebu Ode,<br />
Ogun State, Mr. Ajayi Abiodun, in this interview, said that the survival<br />
of a bank is largely determined by its financial performance which<br />
requires good management and corporate governance, rather than<br />
capital base. He also highlighted other issues affecting the sub sector<br />
and its operations.<br />
Excerpts<br />
By Providence Emmanuel<br />
DO you think the MfBs really<br />
need recapitalization as<br />
required by the CBN?<br />
I can say categorically that it is<br />
not recapitalisation that matter,<br />
what matters is the performance of<br />
each bank, aside that, they should<br />
allow banks to grow organically, not<br />
by forcing them to recapitalize.<br />
Some banks are in the rural area,<br />
they don’t need more than N20<br />
million to perform. It is those banks<br />
that their capital has been eroded<br />
through bad debt that want the<br />
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to<br />
enforce recapitalisation. Some Unit<br />
MfBs do not have N50 million<br />
required by the CBN. Even the<br />
capital they have, they are yet to<br />
utilize it through lending to the<br />
active poor in the rural area because<br />
they do not give loans beyond N20,<br />
000 or N30, 000. If they are forced<br />
to recapitalize with N50 million and<br />
they manage to, who will take it from<br />
them? Some commercial banks that<br />
recapitalized with N25 billion, they<br />
have been distressed. Even if they<br />
raise their money to N100 billion<br />
instead of N25 billion, they will die<br />
if the management and corporate<br />
governance is not existing. It is not<br />
recapitalization that matters; it is<br />
the performance of each bank. They<br />
should allow them to grow<br />
organically. When I came to my<br />
bank, our total share capital was<br />
below N5 million, but today, the total<br />
share capital is over N170 million.<br />
When the CBN first came with<br />
•Ajayi Abiodun<br />
recapitalization of Unit MfBs, they<br />
raised it to N200 million, assuming<br />
we were unable to raise such and<br />
they collapse our bank, it is going to<br />
have a negative effect on the<br />
populace. What matters is the<br />
performance of each bank.<br />
How is your bank impacting the<br />
lives of people in Ogun state?<br />
That is very good; the most<br />
important aspect of how we have<br />
been helping them is by giving them<br />
micro loan. Some of the civil<br />
servants have small businesses they<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 29<br />
to their major ports for three weeks<br />
because their leaders are aware of<br />
the undesirable consequences.<br />
Nigeria allowed its major ports to<br />
be blockaded for over three years<br />
without government action. Even<br />
today we are witnessing an<br />
impotent government which<br />
issued a 72 hour quit notice to the<br />
criminal road blockers and three<br />
weeks after, they are still there. It<br />
would never happen in China.<br />
Similarly, when herdsmen<br />
terrorist first started to imperil the<br />
security of the nation, the Federal<br />
Government of Nigeria could not<br />
foresee the danger to our food<br />
security. First, the problem was<br />
ignored. Herdsmen killed about<br />
300 citizens in Agatu, Benue State,<br />
the nation’s main food production<br />
belt, and the President of Nigeria<br />
did not even visit the place nor send<br />
relief materials. Then, excuses<br />
followed. In a shameless<br />
demonstration of blaming the<br />
victims, the government<br />
announced that herdsmen were<br />
provoked when Benue State<br />
passed a no grazing law. Yet, the<br />
pogrom at Agatu occurred over<br />
one year before the law was<br />
passed.<br />
Then the herdsmen went to<br />
Plateau State which had no law<br />
prohibiting grazing. Soon a<br />
government spokesman<br />
announced to fellow Nigerians<br />
that we have two options: our land<br />
or our lives.<br />
In all these, the short-sighted<br />
leaders in Abuja acted as if they<br />
actually expected to promote one<br />
lawless group without instigating<br />
reprisals. Cattle rustlers soon<br />
emerged and they too were<br />
ignored. Then bandits and<br />
kidnappers increasingly took over<br />
Zamfara and Katsina States. They<br />
too were ignored because our<br />
leaders had an election to face. All<br />
those threats to lives and properties<br />
could wait while they went after<br />
the precious second term.<br />
Second term has now been<br />
do after work, so we give them soft<br />
loan to boost their business. Some<br />
need money to buy car, fridge, among<br />
<strong>others</strong>. We buy for them and when<br />
their salary comes, we take our<br />
money from deductions. It could be<br />
from a period of six months to one<br />
year.<br />
Aside from that, some get<br />
developmental loan to raise their<br />
personal building, we give them<br />
money when they want to start<br />
foundation, after that we give them<br />
again to raise the building. We can’t<br />
give them N15 million at a go, it is<br />
called developmental loan; we give<br />
them as they develop their building<br />
gradually. Some take about six years<br />
to complete but we can’t give them<br />
loan for more than one year. After<br />
paying for one year, then they can<br />
apply for another one.<br />
The salaries of civil servants in<br />
Ogun state comes regularly, unlike<br />
other states where they owe six<br />
months, but in Ogun state, we don’t<br />
have problem giving loan to civil<br />
servants because we deduct from<br />
their monthly salary. But for the<br />
market women, we devise means of<br />
monitoring and securing their<br />
loans, we tell them to produce two<br />
civil servants that can guarantee<br />
secured. But, on June 12, while the<br />
President of Nigeria was<br />
announcing that Nigeria could lift<br />
100 million people out of poverty<br />
in ten years, bandits again invaded<br />
his state and carried off a village<br />
head. The terrorists now control<br />
more of Zamfara and Katsina<br />
States than the Federal<br />
Government and the State<br />
governments do.<br />
On June 18, 2019, the Chief of<br />
Army Staff, CoAS, General Tukur<br />
Buratai, who a few days before had<br />
boasted that Boko Haram was<br />
finished, had to eat his words after<br />
the insurgents attacked several<br />
army bases killing unknown<br />
numbers of soldiers. According to<br />
the CoAS, “It is unfortunate, but<br />
the truth is that almost every<br />
setback the Nigerian army has had<br />
in our operations in recent times<br />
can be traced to insufficient<br />
commitment to a common<br />
national and military course by<br />
those at the frontlines.” Buratai<br />
was being economical with the<br />
truth. He should simply have said<br />
“Fellow Nigerians, please say your<br />
last prayers.” He has just<br />
announced that the Nigerian army<br />
is ill-prepared to fight and win this<br />
war.<br />
Meanwhile, we must bear in<br />
mind that we have a retired Major<br />
General as President and he was<br />
elected and re-elected because<br />
Nigerians thought that he could<br />
provide security for rapid<br />
economic growth to occur. At the<br />
start of his fifth year in office,<br />
Nigeria is now more insecure than<br />
in 2015. Even his state – Katsina<br />
— is now under siege unlike 2015.<br />
Obviously, no purposeful leader<br />
would allow the security situation<br />
to deteriorate under him and allow<br />
truckers to openly defy his orders<br />
and close the nation’s ports for<br />
three years. We cannot be like<br />
China, India and Indonesia<br />
because we don’t have a leader like<br />
theirs.<br />
MICROFINANCE<br />
them on their salary and that I can<br />
tell you, is working very well, when<br />
they allow civil servants to give them<br />
cheque as collateral, the civil<br />
servant would also monitor the<br />
facility being granted, since they<br />
secured it with their cheque. They<br />
know the implication of issuing dud<br />
cheque. We don’t take collateral<br />
from federal because we don’t have<br />
power over that. We always carry<br />
out proper assessment of the<br />
customer to ensure they have the<br />
capacity to pay back the money.<br />
Those who do not have capacity to<br />
pay back, we don’t give them much<br />
money and that is what we call active<br />
poor.<br />
Are you in support of the inhuman<br />
methods use by some MfBs to<br />
recover loan from defaulters?<br />
Some banks are practicing it, it is<br />
too bad, that is what they call “Gbo<br />
omu le lantern” (breast on<br />
lantern). I have heard it but I have<br />
never seen it. There is nothing wrong<br />
with using subtle pressure to recover<br />
loan, (empty threat) but it is unfair<br />
to lock up customers shop or apply<br />
some inhuman treatment on a<br />
customer without any court<br />
judgment. The subtle pressure does<br />
work some times if it is applied.
30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
(08052201997)<br />
The wrong way to defend the naira<br />
AREPORT on Page 33 of<br />
the June 21, 2019 edition<br />
of The Punch Newspaper<br />
indicated that “between April<br />
2018 and March 2019, the<br />
Central Bank of Nigeria<br />
injected over $42.3bn into the<br />
foreign exchange market to<br />
ensure liquidity in that<br />
segment of the economy.”<br />
In the same report, Isaac<br />
Okorafor, CBN’s Director of<br />
Corporate Communications<br />
also attributed the relative<br />
stability, in the forex market,<br />
largely to CBN’s continued<br />
intervention; furthermore,<br />
according to Okorafor, private<br />
international money transfers,<br />
estimated at over $20bn<br />
annually, plus the Naira swap<br />
arrangement with the Chinese<br />
Yuan, have all contributed to<br />
relative stability in the forex<br />
market.<br />
Conversely, however, the<br />
same edition of the Punch<br />
Newspaper, also carried<br />
another story titled “DMO<br />
records 655% oversubscription<br />
at Treasury bills auction;” Page<br />
35, notably, the DMO had<br />
rolled over a total of N17.61bn<br />
at its Treasury bills auction on<br />
Wednesday 19th June 2019,<br />
when CBN borrowed at a cost<br />
ranging between 9.6% and<br />
12.2% respectively for the bills<br />
offered for sale.<br />
The implication of the above<br />
is that, in place of the N17.61bn<br />
Treasury bills actually sold, the<br />
655% oversubscription is<br />
indicative of a Naira liquidity<br />
excess above N111.35bn in the<br />
money market. It is inexplicable<br />
that the related Treasury bills<br />
rates were as high as between<br />
9-12%, when in reality, there is<br />
an undeniable Naira surfeit in<br />
the system; surely tomatoes do<br />
not cost more when the market<br />
has an excess supply of<br />
tomatoes!<br />
Instructively, nonetheless,<br />
with the subsisting 22.5% Cash<br />
Reserve Requirement for<br />
banks, the N111.35bn liquidity<br />
surplus indicated above will<br />
translate to an oppressive<br />
Naira excess above N400bn,<br />
which invariably will propel<br />
higher rates of inflation and<br />
cost of loans while also<br />
jeopardizing consumer<br />
demand, economic growth and<br />
job opportunities!<br />
Worse still, with the<br />
suffocating subsisting burden<br />
of excess Naira liquidity, the<br />
embattled fate of the Naira rate<br />
thereafter, becomes sealed, in<br />
CBN’s auctions of between<br />
$200-$300m weekly to set an<br />
exchange rate for the Naira, as<br />
the subsisting Naira liquidity<br />
surplus expectedly<br />
overwhelms the small dollar<br />
rations simultaneously offered<br />
for sale by the same CBN.<br />
Unexpectedly, nonetheless,<br />
the more modest value of<br />
CBN’s total forex sales, is<br />
inexplicably popularly<br />
presumed to be the main driver<br />
of Naira exchange rate, even<br />
when the total autonomous<br />
component of forex inflow may<br />
be equally significant.<br />
Indeed, a cursory<br />
examination of CBN’s forex<br />
reserves, clearly indicates that<br />
Naira exchange rate bears<br />
minimal correlation with the<br />
size of “CBN’s External<br />
Reserves or forex sales;” this<br />
means, rising reserves do not<br />
translate to stronger Naira<br />
rates! For example, in January<br />
2012, Government’s Reserves,<br />
was over $34bn, while Naira<br />
exchanged for about N155/$1,<br />
but unexpectedly, later<br />
slumped, to N161=$1, even<br />
when forex reserves rose well<br />
above $43bn!<br />
Similarly, in 2013, External<br />
Reserves fluctuated between<br />
$45bn in January to $42bn by<br />
December, yet the Naira rate<br />
remained sticky, between<br />
N153-N162/$1. Furthermore, in<br />
2014, the Naira rate also<br />
weakened to N170-N199, even<br />
when external reserves still<br />
trended favourably between<br />
$44bn-$45bn! Curiously,<br />
however, when External<br />
Reserves dipped below $30bn<br />
in 2016, the Naira which, was<br />
trading around N197=$1 in<br />
January, was officially<br />
devalued before December to<br />
N305-N360=$1, while the<br />
economy was, also officially<br />
confirmed to be in recession.<br />
Conversely, however, the<br />
Naira rate in retrospect, was as<br />
strong as N84=$1 between<br />
1995-98, even when total<br />
It is rather macabre<br />
that, the CBN<br />
willfully depletes it<br />
stock of reserves to<br />
defend the Naira,<br />
through its regular,<br />
weekly auctions of<br />
hundreds of<br />
millions of dollars<br />
reserve was a very modest<br />
$4bn. Similarly, between 1972-<br />
1984, official forex reserves was<br />
barely $390.71m but one Naira<br />
exchanged for almost $2!<br />
Instructively, since 2017<br />
External Reserves have since<br />
climbed above $40bn, but the<br />
Naira rate, still appears<br />
inexplicably stuck between<br />
N305-N360=$1 even after<br />
about 41 items were excluded<br />
from forex sales. The obvious<br />
question therefore is, if dollar<br />
rate rose well above N300=$1,<br />
because reserves dropped<br />
below $30bn in 2015, why then,<br />
has Naira rate remained static<br />
between N305-N360, even after<br />
reserves have climbed, once<br />
again and remained stable<br />
between $40bn-$47bn.<br />
Although CBN’s<br />
Communications Director,<br />
Isaac Okorafor, indicated<br />
exchange rate stability as<br />
priority, rather than size of<br />
reserves, invariably however,<br />
rapid depletion of reserves<br />
would perfunctorily precipitate<br />
market panic and induce<br />
further reserve erosion, which<br />
could, ultimately, compel<br />
another huge Naira<br />
devaluation below N500=$1.<br />
The social and economic impact<br />
of such a rate will, inevitably,<br />
fast track more Nigerians into<br />
poverty, and sustain our<br />
Nation’s odious title as the<br />
reigning “World Poverty<br />
Capital!”<br />
It is rather macabre that, the<br />
CBN willfully depletes it stock<br />
of reserves to defend the Naira,<br />
through its regular, weekly<br />
auctions of hundreds of millions<br />
of dollars, to all and sundry at<br />
face value, while conversely,<br />
Government simultaneously,<br />
seeks dollar loans and pays<br />
upto 8% as interest on such<br />
debts despite CBN’s heavy<br />
cache of idle dollars!<br />
For example, the DMO has<br />
lately (June 2019) confirmed its<br />
intention to borrow $2.7bn from<br />
foreign sources in 2019.<br />
Nigerians must question why<br />
the loan required could not be<br />
obtained directly from CBN’s<br />
caché of almost $50bn, part of<br />
which CBN unilaterally<br />
auctions against the Naira and<br />
freely distributes sans interest<br />
to even Bureau-De-Change,<br />
who are probably the major<br />
source of foreign exchange for<br />
those smuggled goods which<br />
continue to threaten Nigeria’s<br />
economy.<br />
The above title “The Wrong<br />
Way to Defend the Naira” was<br />
first published in April 2011 in<br />
Vanguard Newspaper, to reflect<br />
the perspective of the<br />
contradiction of higher External<br />
reserves while Naira exchange<br />
rate, inexplicably, conversely,<br />
remain sticky and under siege,<br />
even when dollar reserves<br />
exceed budget expectations.<br />
FINANCIAL VANGUARD<br />
3 African presidents to speak at TEF Entrepreneurship<br />
Forum — Elumelu<br />
By Cynthia Alo<br />
THE Tony Elumelu<br />
Foundation (TEF), Africa's<br />
leading entrepreneurship<br />
platform, has announced the<br />
line-up of speakers and activities<br />
for the 5th Tony Elumelu<br />
Foundation Entrepreneurship<br />
Forum, the largest annual<br />
gathering of African<br />
entrepreneurs.<br />
For the Forum's Presidential<br />
Dialogue, the President of the<br />
Democratic Republic of Congo<br />
(DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, will join<br />
President of Rwanda, Paul<br />
Kagame, and President of<br />
Senegal, Macky Sall, in an<br />
interactive plenary session that<br />
opens Day-2 of the Forum.<br />
The Presidential Dialogue will<br />
be moderated by TEF Founder,<br />
Tony O. Elumelu, and will feature<br />
all three the Presidents engaging<br />
directly with an audience of<br />
5,000, comprising of<br />
entrepreneurs, policymakers,<br />
investors and business leaders,<br />
with thousands of people<br />
interacting live online,<br />
throughTEFConnect.<br />
The Forum presents the largest<br />
single annual opportunity for<br />
entrepreneurs and policy makers<br />
to interact directly and all<br />
sessions at the Forum have<br />
private sector and public sector<br />
leaders anchor panel discussions,<br />
master classes, and a dynamic<br />
pitching competition that will<br />
engage an audience of start-up<br />
entrepreneurs, development<br />
institutions and policymakers.<br />
The speakers expected for this<br />
year's Forum include Prof.<br />
Benedict Oramah, President of<br />
African Export-Import<br />
(AFREXIMBANK); Dr.<br />
Akinwumi Adesina, President of<br />
African Development Bank<br />
(AFDB); Dr. Awele Elumelu,<br />
Trustee, Tony Elumelu<br />
Foundation and Founder, Avon<br />
Medical; Kennedy Uzoka,<br />
Group CEO, UBA Group Plc;<br />
Mrs. Djene Kaba Conde, First<br />
Lady, Guinea; amongst other<br />
notable global business leaders.<br />
Every year, the Tony Elumelu<br />
Foundation hosts the largest<br />
gathering of African<br />
entrepreneurs, policymakers and<br />
business leaders in one location.<br />
The fear of economic<br />
contraction, increasing<br />
joblessness and deepening<br />
poverty expressed in that<br />
article have all become<br />
oppressively apparent. A<br />
summary of that article follows<br />
hereafter. Please read on.<br />
“In practice, the Naira<br />
exchange rate is actually more<br />
a function of Excess Naira<br />
liquidity in a strictly regulated<br />
market in which small rations<br />
of dollars are auctioned<br />
intermittently by the CBN.<br />
Regrettably, such a market<br />
model will only spell disaster<br />
for growth and deepen poverty<br />
for our people.”<br />
Specifically, the CBN<br />
Governor, Lamido Sanusi in his<br />
acceptance Speech as<br />
Silverbird’s 2010 Man of the<br />
Year, referred to IMF’s<br />
recommendation for a devalued<br />
Naira as one of such ‘bad’ or<br />
anti-Nigeria recommendations<br />
that pauperise our people.<br />
Consequently, he rightly<br />
refused to play along with IMF,<br />
as he saw no observable<br />
benefits in a weaker Naira,<br />
which would “trigger higher<br />
industrial production costs, fuel<br />
inflation, increase fuel prices<br />
and subsidies and increase our<br />
national debt burden.”<br />
“Undoubtedly, Sanusi’s<br />
argument with regard to the<br />
critical need for a stable naira<br />
value appears more plausible;<br />
but the real question is, can the<br />
CBN Governor keep Naira<br />
below N155/$1 within the<br />
context of the present<br />
framework that explodes Naira<br />
supply whenever distributable<br />
dollar revenue is substituted<br />
with naira, in monthly<br />
allocations to government?<br />
This column has consistently<br />
maintained that naira<br />
substitution for dollar revenue<br />
is the poison in our economy,<br />
as it engenders a system that<br />
cripples our economy and<br />
oppresses our people<br />
whenever we earn increasing<br />
dollar revenue; a veritable<br />
paradox if there was one!”<br />
ECONOMY<br />
This year's Forum, themed<br />
"Empowering African<br />
Entrepreneurs", will take place at<br />
the iconic Transcorp Hilton<br />
Hotel, in Nigeria's capital city of<br />
Abuja. The Forum will also<br />
include the UBA Marketplace,<br />
where UBA, Africa's global bank,<br />
brings together businesses from<br />
across the continent.<br />
At the 2018 forum,<br />
TEFConnect, the largest digital<br />
platform for African<br />
entrepreneurs was launched to<br />
connect entrepreneurs to the<br />
opportunities they need for<br />
business<br />
success.<br />
TEFConnectwill take centre<br />
stage at this year's Forum as<br />
global debates move to<br />
technology as a key driver of<br />
economic development in Africa.
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—31<br />
Send Opinions & Letters to:<br />
opinions1234@yahoo.com<br />
Western Sahara: When Nigerians<br />
hosted an African President<br />
STATE visits are state<br />
visits. Usually drab affairs<br />
with polite speeches,<br />
handshakes and some<br />
reassurances. It is usually a<br />
state affair in which the people<br />
are rarely involved. Not so<br />
when President Brahim Ghali<br />
of the Saharawi Arab<br />
Democratic Republic, SADR<br />
(Western Sahara) came calling<br />
mid-June.<br />
The notice of his visit was<br />
quite short and his programme,<br />
tight. So a race began to get his<br />
team accommodate a meeting<br />
between him and broad<br />
sections of the Nigerian people.<br />
It was agreed that he would be<br />
hosted under an umbrella<br />
organisation, the Nigerian<br />
Movement for the Liberation of<br />
Western Sahara, NMLWS.<br />
The Movement reminds me of<br />
similar mass Nigerian<br />
organisations that supported the<br />
liberation struggles in<br />
Mozambique, Angola, Guinea<br />
Bissau, Cape Verde,<br />
Zimbabwe, Namibia and South<br />
Africa.<br />
Within hours, one of the<br />
Movement’s affiliates, the<br />
Nigeria Labour Congress,<br />
NLC, offered to provide its<br />
secretariat as venue. The NLC<br />
which is the largest labour<br />
centre in Africa also provides<br />
offices, free, for the Movement<br />
while its counterpart, the Trade<br />
Union Congress, TUC, which<br />
like the NLC, has millions of<br />
dues-paying members,<br />
provides logistical support.<br />
90<br />
The Movement also invited<br />
representatives of 17 civil<br />
society organisations from<br />
women, youth, student and<br />
social organisations affiliated to<br />
it. The meeting was coordinated<br />
by Dr. Dipo Fashina, a past<br />
president of the Academic Staff<br />
Union of Universities, ASUU,<br />
the umbrella organisation of all<br />
academics in Nigerian<br />
universities. ASUU is also one<br />
of the most active organisations<br />
in the Movement.<br />
Dr. Fashina represented the<br />
chairperson of the Nigerian<br />
Western Sahara Solidarity<br />
Movement, Professor Ibrahim<br />
Gambari, the chairperson of the<br />
Joint African Union - United<br />
Nations Special Representative<br />
to Darfur and also, the Special<br />
Adviser on the International<br />
Compact with Iraq and Other<br />
Issues for the UN Secretary-<br />
General.<br />
President Ghali came to the<br />
meeting accompanied by<br />
Foreign Affairs Minister, His<br />
Excellency, Ould Salek;<br />
Special Adviser, Abdati Braika<br />
and ambassador in Nigeria,<br />
Ambassador Malainine Sadik-<br />
Bashir.<br />
In welcoming President<br />
Ghali, NLC President, Ayuba<br />
Wabba, reiterated the “collective<br />
demand that Morocco must be<br />
isolated in the global space by<br />
all countries, not just in Africa<br />
but in the entire world until<br />
Western Sahara gains<br />
sovereignty, free from colonial<br />
control.” Represented by the<br />
president of the National Union<br />
of Road Transport Workers,<br />
NURTW, Najeem Yasin, Ayuba<br />
reiterated: “As long as Western<br />
Sahara is not free, Africa is not<br />
free; and all Africans and<br />
African countries must be<br />
involved in the struggle.”<br />
The Nigeria Solidarity<br />
Movement asked me to present<br />
its speech at the occasion. I<br />
started by reminding President<br />
Ghali that Professor Gambari<br />
was Nigeria’s Foreign Minister<br />
in 1984 when Nigeria formally<br />
recognised Western Sahara as<br />
a sovereign country.<br />
In its address, the Movement<br />
told President Ghali that “with<br />
millions of friends in Nigeria<br />
The wide and active<br />
support by Nigerians<br />
for the liberation of<br />
Western Sahara is a<br />
warning to Morocco<br />
and its collaborators<br />
that they can no<br />
longer hold Africa<br />
down<br />
who solidarise with the Sahrawi<br />
people, you can see that here,<br />
in Nigeria, you are at home<br />
amongst friends, comrades,<br />
br<strong>others</strong> and sisters; so you are<br />
welcome to one of your homes<br />
in Africa.” It added: “There are<br />
some of your fellow African<br />
heads of state who we, our<br />
members and affiliates, will not<br />
touch even with a ten-foot pole.<br />
There are some of them who<br />
will not dare come to a labour<br />
centre like the NLC without a<br />
state of emergency being<br />
declared. We cannot be friends<br />
or receive people who<br />
perpetuate colonialism and<br />
exploitation; who betray the<br />
very essence of African<br />
brotherhood and the soul of<br />
humanity.”<br />
The Movement asked<br />
rhetorically: “Is it not surprising<br />
that the European Union, EU,<br />
which is loud in shouting about<br />
human rights, liberty, freedom<br />
and equality, is in league with<br />
Morocco stealing the natural<br />
resources of Western Sahara?”<br />
It argued that refugee camps<br />
are supposed to be temporary<br />
shelter for refugees and people<br />
in refugee-like situation, and<br />
regretted that millions of<br />
Sahrawi have been forced to<br />
live in the Tindouf Refugee<br />
Camp in Algeria for the past 44<br />
years. It added: “We do not<br />
know any people who have<br />
suffered such inhumanity. Yet,<br />
the international community<br />
says it is interested in human<br />
rights, and even claims to be<br />
fighting for animal rights.”<br />
The Movement mentioned<br />
the case of Aminatou Haider<br />
whom it had hosted in the same<br />
NLC premises in 2009. It said<br />
when on November 13, 2009<br />
she returned to her ancestral<br />
land, the Moroccan monarchy<br />
blocked and deported her to the<br />
Spanish Canary Islands. It<br />
reminded all, that it took a huge<br />
international campaign before<br />
the monarchists allowed her<br />
return on December 17, 2009.<br />
It drew an inference from the<br />
this case: “In that infamous act,<br />
Morocco once again displayed<br />
the fact that the Sahrawi are not<br />
Moroccan citizens or does a<br />
country refuse its citizens entry<br />
and deports them?”<br />
The Nigerian Movement<br />
which described the continued<br />
occupation of Western Sahara by<br />
Moroccan troops and security<br />
as the worst type of apartheid<br />
ever perpetuated, gave a<br />
scorecard of its activities:<br />
“Everywhere Morocco seeks to<br />
perpetuate its evil deeds, we are<br />
there to challenge it. We<br />
sometimes do not succeed, such<br />
as stopping Morocco from<br />
returning to the Africa Union,<br />
but sometimes we do, such as<br />
stopping it from being admitted<br />
as a member of the Economic<br />
Community of West African<br />
States, ECOWAS.<br />
"We felt that the Ebola-like<br />
contagious foreign policy of<br />
Morocco must not be allowed<br />
to spread to the West African<br />
region. Currently, apart from<br />
combating Morocco’s<br />
corruption-driven attempt to<br />
suck in some Nigerian officials<br />
to support its colonisation of<br />
Western Sahara, we are also<br />
engaging the Nigerian<br />
Government to stop the<br />
Fertiliser Producers and<br />
Suppliers of Nigeria, FEPSON,<br />
from its indecent liaison with<br />
Morocco to sell in Nigeria,<br />
Western Sahara phosphate and<br />
natural resources plundered by<br />
Morocco.”<br />
Responding, President Ghali<br />
said: “The support of Nigeria<br />
has been critical for freedom in<br />
Africa. The role of Nigeria is<br />
still needed in driving the<br />
liberation of Africa and we know<br />
it will continue until the total<br />
liberation of Western Sahara.<br />
Reacting to the solidarity<br />
speeches of students and<br />
youths, including from the<br />
Amilcar Cabral Ideological<br />
School, ACIS, President Ghali<br />
said: “We are very happy to see<br />
the young Nigerian generation<br />
joining the old to continue the<br />
struggle for Western Sahara<br />
liberation and to ensure that the<br />
whole of Africa is liberated.”<br />
President Ghali left the<br />
meeting to hold talks with<br />
President Buhari who in a<br />
statement by the Presidency:<br />
“restated Nigeria’s support for<br />
the people of the Sahrawi Arab<br />
Democratic Republic, SADR,<br />
and their quest for selfdetermination<br />
and<br />
independence.” President<br />
Buhari added that “Nigeria<br />
remains committed to<br />
supporting the efforts of the AU<br />
and the UN towards finding a<br />
lasting solution to the Sahrawi<br />
problem.”<br />
The wide and active support<br />
by Nigerians for the liberation<br />
of Western Sahara is a warning<br />
to Morocco and its collaborators<br />
that they can no longer hold<br />
Africa down.<br />
First term report card: Verdict of the examiner<br />
By Funmilola Adigun<br />
THE last session of the Federal<br />
Executive Council meeting in Abuja<br />
provided a very apt occasion for President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari to declare his verdict<br />
and he did not mince words or lose face.<br />
He rose in robust defense of his cabinet<br />
ministers by deflecting orchestrated<br />
criticism of his decision to retain them till<br />
the end of his first term.<br />
In the process, President Buhari<br />
impressively saluted the courage and<br />
conviction of the ministers, noting that in<br />
the situation of serious challenges<br />
confronting the nation at the inception of<br />
the administration, which many<br />
commentators described as hopeless,<br />
“many would have given up.”<br />
But they stayed on, united in<br />
determination to fulfill the campaign<br />
promise of rescuing Nigeria from its<br />
parlous state.<br />
The president then captured the pure<br />
essence of stability of government as the<br />
anchor of nationhood when he specifically<br />
stated that he retained his cabinet because<br />
“each of you has a unique skill and<br />
strength.<br />
"We are a reflection of the Nigeria we<br />
aspire to achieve, a diverse but tolerant<br />
nation where no one is silenced and where<br />
every opinion should be heard and<br />
considered.”<br />
He enumerated some of the major<br />
achievements of the administration, such<br />
as curbing the Boko Haram insurgency,<br />
revamping food security, the diversification<br />
agenda, the Economic Recovery and<br />
Growth Plan, ERGP, rail infrastructure and<br />
the social investment programmes. The<br />
president then added: “I want you all to<br />
leave this meeting proud to have served<br />
your nation to the best of your<br />
ability…..your achievements have<br />
guaranteed your position in the history<br />
books of this country. You have certainly<br />
built the foundations for an improved<br />
economy and a more purposeful<br />
government.”<br />
At this point, discerning readers will<br />
realise the salient issues from which the<br />
president draws both inspiration and<br />
determination to soldier on regardless of<br />
the shrill criticism of the vocal minority<br />
escalated by media manipulation.<br />
It is one thing to be recognised for certain<br />
ethical and governance principles and to<br />
be propelled into presiding over an elected<br />
government by an expectant citizenry.<br />
It is quite another to be able to weather<br />
the ensuing storm of real and contrived<br />
challenges without succumbing or getting<br />
distracted.<br />
But the ultimate success lies in taking<br />
charge with focused commitment and<br />
making the positive difference that defines<br />
progress in halting decline or deterioration<br />
and preparing the grounds for a renewed<br />
The president<br />
specifically stated that<br />
he retained his cabinet<br />
because each of them<br />
had a unique skill and<br />
strength<br />
initiative for reformed implementation.<br />
President Buhari’s political mission was<br />
defined by the frustration with the excesses<br />
of the Goodluck Jonathan administration,<br />
a state of anomie that was rejected by the<br />
masses.<br />
Not even the former president could have<br />
accurately and comprehensively accounted<br />
for the full dimensions of the damage done<br />
to the economy and the polity, certainly<br />
not in re-election season, so there couldn’t<br />
have been anything like proactive<br />
preparation for righting the wrongs by the<br />
incoming President Buhari.<br />
As a reform minded non-conformist<br />
political leader with a well-informed<br />
insight into the evils of bad governance<br />
perpetrated by corrupt politicians, the<br />
opportunity of getting elected into<br />
leadership of the country could only be the<br />
first step in a long and laborious march<br />
against entrenched enemies of the progress<br />
of the country.<br />
Indeed, the first steps in the long march,<br />
equivalent to the first term, were certain to<br />
encounter all manner of rough tackles and<br />
even shifting of goal posts to frustrate and<br />
sabotage such that, as President Buhari<br />
observed earlier, “many would have given<br />
up.”<br />
Giving up was exactly what the oppositionpowered,<br />
elitist minority intended to impose<br />
on the incoming anti-corruption Buhari<br />
administration as a forced alternative.<br />
A return to the bad old days of economydeflating<br />
squandermania must remain an<br />
abominable option that requires all patriotic<br />
Nigerians to thank God for the re-election of<br />
President Buhari for a second term.<br />
It also calls on them to rally round for the<br />
deep entrenchment of the reformist agenda,<br />
especially the anti-corruption and economic<br />
infrastructure development components, in<br />
the last four years of the tenure, appropriately<br />
tagged Next Level.<br />
• Adigun, a lecturer, wrote from Ibadan<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y
32—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—33
34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
SUICIDE: Nigerian doctors acquire skills to tackle Post Traumatic<br />
Stress Disorder<br />
By Chioma Obinna<br />
IRKED by the rising cases<br />
of suicide in Nigeria,<br />
MeaningfulWorld, an<br />
Association for Trauma<br />
Outreach and Prevention,<br />
ATOP, last week trained<br />
Nigerian doctors<br />
comprising of<br />
psychiatrists, clinical<br />
psychologists, psychiatric<br />
nurses & resident doctors,<br />
and social workers among<br />
other professionals at the<br />
Lagos University Teaching<br />
Hospital, LUTH, on how<br />
trauma could lead to<br />
suicide as well as different<br />
healing therapies for<br />
individual's level of<br />
trauma.<br />
This is coming at a time<br />
most Nigerians have been<br />
victimised and traumatised<br />
by various religious,<br />
community violence as well<br />
as the current banditry<br />
attacks. Unfortunately, little<br />
or nothing has been done on<br />
the mental health of the<br />
people.<br />
In a chat with Good<br />
Health Weekly, during the<br />
one- day workshop<br />
organised by Department of<br />
Psychiatric, LUTH, the<br />
Founder/ President of ATOP,<br />
who is also a professor of<br />
Psychology College,<br />
Columbia University, Dr Ani<br />
Kalayjian said ATOP was<br />
concerned about the level of<br />
trauma Nigerians in<br />
conflicts areas must be going<br />
through.<br />
According to Kalayjian,<br />
Nigeria is currently top in<br />
Africa with suicide rate and<br />
ranks 15th in the world. She<br />
blamed the upsurge to age -<br />
long trauma that most people<br />
have passed through without<br />
knowing.<br />
She said most of the<br />
trauma which now blossom<br />
to Post Traumatic Stress<br />
Disorder, PTSD, may have<br />
been handed over to people<br />
by their great grandparents<br />
that never healed usually<br />
known as 'horizontal<br />
violence' in their practice.<br />
"A lot of religious<br />
motivated fights and burning<br />
of mosques and churches, all<br />
these comes from horizontal<br />
violence, when the trauma is<br />
not healed. These people keep<br />
a lot of pasts for a long time<br />
they cannot negotiate or<br />
communicate, they are<br />
depressed so this trauma,<br />
frustration and<br />
disappointment continue to<br />
grow until it blows and there<br />
is no way to go out and then<br />
blows horizontally. That is<br />
why br<strong>others</strong> and sisters kill<br />
each other in different<br />
countries because they don't<br />
know what to do with their<br />
frustrations."<br />
Stating that PTSD has<br />
been implicated in suicide,<br />
she explained that high<br />
trauma causes despair and<br />
hopelessness, depression<br />
which all leads to Post<br />
Traumatic Stress Disorder.<br />
*L-R: Clinical Psychologist, Lagos University Teachjing Hospital, LUTH, Dr Juliet<br />
Ottoh, Professor of Psychology College, Columbia University, Dr Ani Kalayjian, and<br />
Medical Social Worker, Mrs Perpetua Oni during a workshop on Post Traumatic<br />
Stress in Lagos recently.<br />
Lagos doctors seek reforms in state health system<br />
By Chioma Obinna<br />
MEDICAL doctors<br />
under the employ of<br />
Lagos State Government have<br />
tasked Governor Babajide<br />
Olusola Sanwo-Olu on the need<br />
to prioritise reforms in the state's<br />
health sector. The doctors under<br />
the auspices of Medical Guild<br />
in its congratulatory message<br />
signed by the Chairman, Dr<br />
Babajide Saheed noted that the<br />
health sector was an important<br />
sector in socio-economic<br />
development, as the provision of<br />
affordable, accessible and<br />
qualitative healthcare to the<br />
populace is of primary<br />
importance in the drive towards<br />
attainment of a developed society.<br />
Setting an agenda for the new<br />
governor, they argued that<br />
development in the health sector<br />
can be achieved through<br />
recruitment of more health<br />
workers to replace staff that left<br />
the system.<br />
They further stressed that for<br />
the state to provide qualitative<br />
health care that would meet<br />
international standards; the<br />
governor must embark on<br />
infrastructure development in<br />
the Health sector with the<br />
provision of standard and wellequipped<br />
primary, secondary<br />
and tertiary health institutions in<br />
the state. Also, they demanded<br />
the extension of retirement age<br />
of medical doctors from 60 years<br />
to 65 years, with the cessation of<br />
contract appointments, to allow<br />
experienced hands to continue<br />
to provide useful service, thus<br />
enhancing the quality of<br />
healthcare.<br />
"There is need to appoint<br />
medical doctors as permanent<br />
secretaries in the state’s health<br />
agencies in accordance with the<br />
Lagos State Health Reform Law<br />
of 2006 for effective and<br />
comprehensive administration<br />
in the health sector."
Ethiopia’s army chief, three <strong>others</strong><br />
killed in failed coup<br />
ETHIOPIA’s army<br />
chief of staff, General<br />
Seare Mekonnen<br />
and the head of the<br />
northern state of Amhara<br />
were killed in two separate<br />
but related attacks<br />
when a general tried to<br />
seize control of Amhara in<br />
an attempted coup, the<br />
prime minister’s office<br />
said on Sunday.<br />
Amhara state president<br />
Ambachew Mekonnen<br />
and his adviser were shot<br />
dead and the state’s attorney<br />
general was<br />
wounded in the regional<br />
capital of Bahir Dar on<br />
Saturday evening, Prime<br />
Minister Abiy Ahmed’s<br />
office said in a statement.<br />
In a separate attack the<br />
same night, Ethiopia’s<br />
army Chief of Staff Seare<br />
Mekonnen and a retired<br />
general were both shot<br />
dead in Seare’s home in<br />
Addis Ababa by his bodyguard.<br />
The two attacks<br />
were linked, the statement<br />
said, without giving<br />
details.<br />
Abiy’s office named<br />
Amhara state security<br />
head General Asamnew<br />
Tsige as responsible for<br />
the foiled coup, without<br />
giving details of his<br />
Iran executes ex-defence official on<br />
charges of spying for US<br />
IRAN has executed a<br />
former Ministry of Defence<br />
official on charges of<br />
spying for the United<br />
States government.<br />
Jalal Hajizavar, an excontract<br />
employee for the<br />
aerospace arm of the country’s<br />
defence department,<br />
was put to death for secretly<br />
working for the CIA,<br />
the IRIB news agency reported<br />
on Sunday<br />
A military court convicted<br />
him after an investigation<br />
discovered documents<br />
and spying equipment<br />
at his home.<br />
He was executed at the<br />
Rajai Shahr prison in<br />
Karaj, west of Tehran, but<br />
it is not yet clear when he<br />
was arrested.<br />
whereabouts. Asamnew<br />
was released from prison<br />
last year after receiving<br />
an amnesty for a similar<br />
coup attempt, according<br />
to media reports.<br />
Abiy took office just over<br />
a year ago and embarked<br />
on unprecedented reforms<br />
in Ethiopia, Africa’s<br />
second-most populous<br />
country and one of its<br />
fastest-growing economies.<br />
But the premier’s<br />
His contract with the defence<br />
ministry had been<br />
terminated during the Iranian<br />
year 1389 (March<br />
2010-2011).<br />
Reports state that<br />
Hajizavar’s ex-wife was<br />
also convicted of ‘involvement<br />
in espionage’ and is<br />
serving a 15-year jail sentence.<br />
His death comes amid<br />
escalating tensions between<br />
Washington and Tehran<br />
which flared up this<br />
week when a US drone<br />
was allegedly shot down<br />
by the Iranian military.<br />
On Sunday, in what has<br />
been interpreted as a<br />
veiled threat towards the<br />
increasingly aggressive<br />
regime, Donald Trump<br />
shake-up of the military<br />
and intelligence services<br />
has earned him powerful<br />
enemies, while his government<br />
is struggling to<br />
rein in powerful figures<br />
in Ethiopia’s myriad ethnic<br />
groups fighting the<br />
federal government and<br />
each other for greater influence<br />
and resources.<br />
U.S. Assistant Secretary<br />
of State for African Affairs,<br />
Tibor Nagy, said the<br />
Boris Johnson under pressure to explain police<br />
incident<br />
*General-Seare-Mekonnen<br />
BORIS Johnson, the<br />
front-runner in the<br />
race to become Britain’s next<br />
prime minister, was facing<br />
mounting calls Sunday to<br />
fully explain an incident in<br />
which police attended an<br />
alleged altercation at the<br />
London home he shares<br />
with his girlfriend.<br />
Johnson ducked repeated<br />
questions during a leadership<br />
hustings in Birmingham<br />
the day before. Questioned<br />
by journalist and<br />
CNN Talk host Iain Dale, he<br />
said: “I don’t think they want<br />
hear about that kind of<br />
thing,” prompting applause<br />
from party members. “I think<br />
what they want to hear is<br />
what my plans are for the<br />
country and the party.”<br />
But International Trade<br />
Secretary Liam Fox told the<br />
BBC that while Johnson’s<br />
private life “does not concern<br />
me,” he added: “I think<br />
it is always easier to just<br />
give a former Conservative<br />
Foreign Secretary Malcolm<br />
Rifkind also told the BBC:<br />
“If you are a candidate to be<br />
prime minister and the police<br />
have been called to your<br />
house — fairly or unfairly —<br />
the fact is there was a police<br />
visit. You don’t just say ‘no<br />
comment.’<br />
“That implies you may<br />
have something you don’t<br />
want to disclose.”<br />
Rifkind, who hinted he<br />
might back Johnson’s rival<br />
Jeremy Hunt in the race to<br />
be the next Conservative<br />
said: ‘Hopefully Iran is<br />
smart and cares about its<br />
people.’<br />
The news comes as he<br />
announced a trip to the<br />
Camp David presidential<br />
retreat to consider his next<br />
moves against the state.<br />
Tensions in the region<br />
began to worsen significantly<br />
when Trump pulled<br />
out of a 2015 nuclear deal<br />
between Iran and six powers<br />
and reimposed sanctions<br />
on the country.<br />
Over the past weeks the<br />
US and Iran’s main regional<br />
rival Saudi Arabia<br />
have also blamed Iran for<br />
attacks on two oil tankers<br />
last week in the Gulf of<br />
Oman and on four tankers<br />
off the United Arab<br />
Emirates on May 12.<br />
attacks were probably<br />
prompted by disaffection<br />
over Abiy’s rise to power<br />
and his sweeping reforms.<br />
“There are vestiges of<br />
the old regime in power.<br />
Some of the elites are<br />
very unhappy with some<br />
of the reforms that... Abiy<br />
is taking for a variety of<br />
reasons including, I’m<br />
sure, some ill-gotten<br />
gains,” Nagy told reporters<br />
in Pretoria, South Africa.<br />
“It’s certainly not<br />
clear sailing for him<br />
(Abiy) from now on. He<br />
has an incredible number<br />
of issues he has to deal<br />
with,” said Nagy, a<br />
former U.S. ambassador<br />
to Ethiopia.<br />
The shooting in Bahir<br />
Dar occurred when the<br />
state president - an ally<br />
of Abiy - was holding a<br />
meeting to decide how to<br />
put a stop to the open recruitment<br />
of ethnic Amhara<br />
militias by Asamnew,<br />
one Addis-based official<br />
told Reuters.<br />
Asamnew had advised<br />
the Amhara people to arm<br />
themselves in preparation<br />
for fighting against other<br />
groups, in a video spread<br />
on Facebook a week earlier<br />
and seen by a Reuters<br />
reporter.<br />
leader and by extension the<br />
next PM, added: “It was a<br />
lack of judgement to refuse<br />
to even make a short comment.<br />
All he could have said,<br />
quite reasonably, would<br />
have been that in all relationships<br />
there are occasionally<br />
outbursts of anger and<br />
disagreement.”<br />
Labour opposition politician<br />
Andrew Gwynne said<br />
Sunday Johnson was “completely<br />
unsuitable” to be<br />
PM. He told Sky News: “In<br />
one sense, of course, it is a<br />
private matter, but when<br />
you’re running for public<br />
office, when you are wanting<br />
to be the prime minister<br />
of the UK, then these matters<br />
are in the public interest.”<br />
But Gwynne added that<br />
Johnson’s actions as a politician<br />
were more important.<br />
“I just think his record<br />
throughout his time both as<br />
mayor of London — wasting<br />
money on the garden<br />
bridge, wasting money on<br />
Routemaster buses, wasting<br />
money on water cannon that<br />
couldn’t be used — through<br />
to his disastrous tenure as<br />
foreign secretary just renders<br />
him completely, I think,<br />
unsuitable to be the prime<br />
minister of our great country.”<br />
Labour Brexit spokesman<br />
Keir Starmer tweeted<br />
the Guardian’s initial story<br />
about the alleged dispute<br />
with the comment, “Was<br />
there ever a man less suited<br />
to be Prime Minister?”<br />
VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 35<br />
British born Nigerian jazz<br />
star, Bunmi Thomas faces<br />
deportation<br />
A<br />
jazz singer born in Britain to Nigerian par<br />
ents is facing deportation from UK after falling<br />
foul of controversial Home Office red tape.<br />
In a chilling echo of the Windrush scandal last<br />
year, rising music star Bumi Thomas was shocked<br />
to be told she is in Britain illegally, despite having<br />
lived here for most of her life.<br />
She now faces being sent to Africa, even though<br />
her work, family and social life are all in Britain.<br />
Ms Thomas was born in Glasgow in June 1983<br />
to parents who had come from Africa in the early<br />
1970s.<br />
Changes to the British Nationality Act in January<br />
1983 removed the automatic right to citizenship of<br />
children born in the UK to parents from former colonies.<br />
The singer’s parents should have registered her<br />
under the Act but were unaware they needed to do<br />
so. Her plight is harder to bear because her elder<br />
sister Kemi, with whom she lives in East London,<br />
has always been a British citizen as she was born<br />
before the changes to the Act.<br />
Ms Thomas believes she is a victim of the Home<br />
Office becoming over-zealous after then Home Secretary<br />
Theresa May introduced a ‘hostile environment’<br />
towards illegal migrants in 2012.<br />
The policy resulted in the Windrush scandal,<br />
which saw dozens of long-standing British citizens<br />
deported because they lacked papers proving their<br />
right to be in the country.<br />
Ms Thomas, 36, who has performed on the BBC,<br />
said: ‘My parents came here at the end of the Windrush<br />
era.<br />
‘I had a National Insurance number, I had my birth<br />
certificate, I’d got a driving licence, a bank account,<br />
I went to college. At no point during that process<br />
was there any indication I was doing anything incorrectly.<br />
I believe that I am British.’<br />
Although she was born in Scotland, Ms Thomas<br />
lived with her father in Nigeria between the ages of<br />
three and 18. She thought she had dual British-<br />
Nigerian nationality when she returned to Britain.<br />
She applied for a UK passport when she was 25 but<br />
she was refused. She was granted temporary discretionary<br />
leave to remain and told she could apply<br />
for permanent residency.<br />
Erdogan suffers defeat in<br />
Istanbul’s mayoral vote<br />
IN a major blow to Turkish President Recep Tayy<br />
ip Erdogan, the opposition Republican People’s<br />
Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem Imamoglu has declared<br />
victory in the rerun of Istanbul’s mayoral election,<br />
after initial results showed he was set for a<br />
clear win.<br />
Imamoglu had won 54 percent of votes with almost<br />
all of the ballot boxes opened on Sunday, with<br />
the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK<br />
Party) candidate trailing on 45 percent and conceding<br />
defeat.<br />
Imamoglu promised a “new beginning” for Turkey’s<br />
largest city and commercial hub.<br />
“You have protected the reputation of democracy<br />
in Turkey,” he told supporters.<br />
His opponent, former Turkish Prime Minister Binali<br />
Yildirim, conceded defeat after initial results<br />
showed he was set to lose by a decisive margin.<br />
“According to the result as of now, my competitor<br />
Ekrem Imamoglu is leading the race. I congratulate<br />
him and wish him good luck,” Yildirim said.<br />
CHP’s projected win in the Istanbul election ends<br />
the 17-year rule by the AK Party in the metropolis.<br />
The Istanbul mayoral election was first held on<br />
March 31, when Imamoglu secured 48.8 percent of<br />
the vote, while the AK Party’s Yildirim held 48.55<br />
percent, granting Imamoglu the title of mayor with<br />
a razor-thin margin.<br />
The AK Party proceeded to file an “extraordinary<br />
objection” to the results, leading the Supreme Electoral<br />
Council (YSK) to annul the results and schedule<br />
Sunday’s rerun.<br />
The Istanbul election has become far bigger than<br />
any local vote, as the rerun put into question the<br />
country’s democracy and threatened the AK Party’s<br />
grip on power over the last two decades.<br />
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - who<br />
served as Istanbul’s mayor in the 1990s and leads<br />
the AK Party - has famously said: “Whoever loses<br />
Istanbul loses Turkey” .<br />
Erdogan cast his vote on Sunday amid high security<br />
in Uskudar, a predominately conservative district<br />
on the city’s Asian side.<br />
Berk Esen, Bilkent University assistant professor<br />
of international relations, described it as being<br />
a “major personal blow for Erdogan.
36 —Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
By Osa Amadi<br />
FOR three solid days, the<br />
world converged<br />
in Yenagoa, Bayelsa to pay final<br />
respect to a great fisherman,<br />
a man of letters, Pa<br />
Gabriel Imomotimi<br />
Gbaingbain Okara before the<br />
mortal body he left behind<br />
was committed to mother earth<br />
in his village, Bumoundi.<br />
It was a fascinating experience<br />
for all who went to<br />
Bumoundi to have had to cross<br />
in rustic fishermen’s boats the<br />
great and historic River Nun<br />
which had inspired Okara the<br />
poet to hewn out of rocks, the<br />
words that make up his poem,<br />
“The call of the River Nun”.<br />
Eminent personalities, including<br />
former President<br />
Goodluck Jonathan and Governor<br />
Seriake Dickson made<br />
moving speeches:<br />
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Gov. Serieke Dickson and wife at the event<br />
Crossing the<br />
River Nun to<br />
bury Gabriel<br />
Okara<br />
Former President,<br />
Goodluck Jonathan<br />
“His excellency the governor<br />
of Bayelsa State. Let me<br />
appreciate the presence of<br />
very senior government officials<br />
here with us.<br />
“Let me thank the government<br />
of Bayelsa State, the<br />
Okara family, and the friends<br />
who put this wonderful programme<br />
together to recognise<br />
our icon who has left us. Let<br />
me also commend the<br />
Bayelsa State Government for<br />
appreciating and recognising<br />
our leaders who have contributed<br />
in one way or the other<br />
to the development of the nation<br />
by immortalizing them<br />
through naming some infrastructure<br />
after them. And of<br />
course, this theatre is named<br />
after Pa Okara. The State Library<br />
is also named after him<br />
when he was still alive. I also<br />
agree that that is the best way<br />
to honour people – when they<br />
are still alive.<br />
“Yes, we have been told by<br />
his son that Pa lived over 100<br />
years. It is not easy to get<br />
there because even the scripture<br />
talks about three scores<br />
plus ten – that is seventy<br />
years. So to go significantly<br />
above seventy, we have to<br />
thank God, because all of us<br />
know that no matter the age<br />
of the person and circumstances<br />
of death, death is<br />
painful to those who love that<br />
person. And Pa Okara, we all<br />
know, is a treasure. And nobody<br />
would want to lose such<br />
a person.<br />
“So his death, even though<br />
he has stayed on earth within<br />
a reasonable time, his death<br />
is painful to all of us. Of<br />
course we have read his biography<br />
and we have seen<br />
the role in his life. People<br />
know him and describe him<br />
in different ways – he is a<br />
good administrator who had<br />
worked in several places. As<br />
a journalist, as a poet, a novelist,<br />
and all. You hardly go<br />
to a gathering where people<br />
speak ill of Pa Okara.<br />
“I can remember in my literature<br />
class when I was in<br />
secondary school that we read<br />
some of his poems in West<br />
African Verse. And of course<br />
in my university days I also<br />
witnessed when the university<br />
honoured Pa Okara with honorary<br />
doctor of letters degree<br />
in the first convocation of<br />
University of Port-Harcourt.<br />
I was a witness to that award.<br />
“So Pa Okara was a voice –<br />
a voice of reason, voice of<br />
truth, voice of justice and<br />
equality. And we all should<br />
emulate him and carry on<br />
with his philosophy. We know<br />
how he served the old River<br />
State as a pioneer secretary<br />
to the military governor of<br />
the old Rivers State before he<br />
moved on as the CEO of<br />
print and television broadcast<br />
in the state.<br />
“Even in Bayelsa State, he<br />
played some key roles. I remember<br />
that in the formative<br />
days of the state, Gabriel<br />
Okara headed the committee<br />
that did the reclassification<br />
and recognition of traditional<br />
rulers. So most of our first<br />
class kings today were the<br />
people which the committee<br />
recommended.<br />
“When I was the Deputy<br />
Governor to DSP<br />
Alamieyeseigha later became<br />
the governor, Okara was<br />
quite good to us; of course<br />
you know how humble he is.<br />
So he had kept on like that,<br />
contributing to the growth of<br />
the state and growth of the<br />
Ijaw race and the nation.<br />
“Today we are all here as<br />
part of his last journey. We<br />
thank God for that. If you<br />
look at the caliber of people<br />
that dotted this theatre, see<br />
his Old Boys, we have to join<br />
the governor to thank you for<br />
making out time to come and<br />
participate in this program.<br />
Thank you.”<br />
Governor Seriake Dickson<br />
“We are gathered here today<br />
to pay our last respect, and<br />
also to celebrate a life welllived<br />
– very simple life, and<br />
also very profound life. We are<br />
here to honour this great fisherman<br />
who gave to us and the<br />
world, “The Fisherman Invocation”.<br />
We are here to celebrate<br />
this great Ijaw man –<br />
Nigerian Union of Musicians holds workshop<br />
on sale of music on the internet<br />
In its determined efforts to<br />
generate revenue for its<br />
members, the foremost<br />
body representing musicians<br />
in Nigeria, NUM is<br />
organising a workshop on<br />
the sale of music on the<br />
internet. Apart from the<br />
normal selling of music in the<br />
market, selling it in the<br />
internet means worldwide<br />
sales,translating into huge<br />
revenue gains. But regrettably,<br />
millions of dollars are lost<br />
yearly by musicians that do<br />
not sell their music on the<br />
internet and to change this<br />
narrative, NUM,a professional<br />
arm of NLC is poised<br />
to take the bull by the horn<br />
and lead Nigerian musicians<br />
to more profitable careers.<br />
The event which is billed to<br />
hold on the 4th of July 2019<br />
at Constantial Hotel,opposite<br />
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Gov. Serieke Dickson<br />
and a guest during the relaunching of Okara’s The Voice<br />
Continues on page 37<br />
Benin city airport, by 12noon<br />
will be attended by many<br />
music lovers.The special<br />
guest of Honor is the Edo<br />
state commissioner for arts ,<br />
culture,tourism and diaspora,<br />
Mr Osaze Ero. Also invited<br />
is the commissioner of Justice,<br />
Prof Yinka Omorogbe. Musicians<br />
from far and wide are<br />
expected to grace the workshop.<br />
The event will also feature<br />
a post-humous awards for<br />
great musicians like<br />
Christiana Essien, Sony<br />
Okosun, Rex Lawson, Celestine<br />
Ukwu and many <strong>others</strong><br />
of blessed memory.<br />
A goodwill message is expected<br />
by the American ambassador.<br />
In 1960 during the independence<br />
dance party, it was<br />
NUM that insisted that a Nigerian<br />
musicians plays instead<br />
of the Jamaican musicians<br />
that the incoming government<br />
had slated. The union<br />
had their way.<br />
The NLC and RATTAWU,<br />
the mother bodies of NUM are<br />
expected to play very important<br />
roles in this august occasion<br />
of their baby union<br />
NUM.<br />
Late Sunny Okosun
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 37<br />
Crossing the River Nun for Gabriel Okara<br />
Continued from page 36<br />
Guests crossing the River Nun to Okara’s village<br />
quintessential Ijaw man from<br />
Bumoundi the River Nun. He<br />
gave to us and the world, “<br />
The call of the River Nun”. We<br />
can go on-and-on: “Piano and<br />
Drums”, “The Voice”, etc.<br />
But all in all, we are here to<br />
celebrate the life of a good and<br />
a great man.<br />
So let me, in the course of<br />
this brief remark, firstly on<br />
behalf of the good people of<br />
this state, receive and welcome<br />
you all to this greatest<br />
state, no doubt, in the entire<br />
Federal Republic of Nigeria –<br />
the state that is incomparable<br />
to any other; the state of great<br />
and good people. Welcome to<br />
you all to Bayelsa, the glory<br />
of all lands and the “Jerusalem<br />
of Ijaw nation”<br />
I want to specially thank, our<br />
former President, President<br />
Goodluck Jonathan who is<br />
here with us. I would like to<br />
thank and appreciate leaders<br />
of our state. I also thank J.P<br />
Clark who is also here. I appreciate<br />
all the writers here<br />
and scholars from outside the<br />
country. I appreciate the<br />
Alumni of Government College<br />
Umuahia. I can see why<br />
Government College<br />
Umuahia continues to be<br />
great. You have a lot of great<br />
Bayelsans who are your<br />
alumni.<br />
Our state, country and the<br />
world has lost a great man.<br />
People of my age started reading<br />
the works of Okara some<br />
40 years ago. And I was very<br />
surprised when eventually as<br />
a member of house of reps, I<br />
invited him to be part of a literary<br />
event that I sponsored.<br />
I am here sited with him, simple-looking,<br />
world-celebrated<br />
poet. He spent 2 days.<br />
“If Okara had not harkened<br />
to the final call of the River<br />
Nun he would have surely<br />
been here today with us celebrating<br />
another great<br />
Bayelsan. The time Pa Okara<br />
stopped attending functions<br />
was when he attained the age<br />
of 100 years. So you can imagine<br />
the commitment and<br />
that speaks to our profound<br />
sense of loss as a state and as<br />
a people. Our government<br />
believes in recognising and<br />
appreciating our leaders who<br />
have excelled, whose lives<br />
and works and contributions<br />
have brought credit, acclaim<br />
and glory to this state and<br />
Niger Delta, to this country<br />
and Africa as a whole. And<br />
since 2012 we have always<br />
honoured and appreciated the<br />
contributions of our leaders,<br />
bring back the remains of<br />
those who were buried in<br />
shallow graves in Lagos to<br />
have state funeral services<br />
each time we lost a great<br />
leader.<br />
“And you don’t have to be a<br />
political leader to have that<br />
kind of attention and that’s<br />
the lesson we are teaching<br />
today. Most time people tend<br />
to celebrate political leaders<br />
forgetting that there are also<br />
leaders in all spheres of human<br />
endeavor.<br />
For us in Bayelsa, once you<br />
live a life of service, once your<br />
life has brought glory and acclaim<br />
to our people, we showcase<br />
you and honour you as a<br />
beacon of hope for what is<br />
possible in the creeks of Niger<br />
Delta. And that was why in<br />
2012, 2013 we remodeled this<br />
entire edifice and deservedly<br />
named it after Pa Gabriel<br />
Okara. And he told me he was<br />
surprised when he got the<br />
invitation; when he stood side<br />
by side with all the leaders of<br />
this state, when he, by his<br />
own hands, cut the tape and<br />
unveiled the plaque that has<br />
permanently made his name<br />
to be on this building.<br />
“And looking back now, I<br />
think we are happy that we<br />
had that opportunity to honour<br />
him while he was alive.<br />
And at several state activities,<br />
he himself attended some activities<br />
right here in this Cultural<br />
Centre named after him.<br />
And today, as our own contribution,<br />
this aspect of honouring<br />
our deserved leaders,<br />
those who are alive as well as<br />
those who are dead, the government<br />
of Bayelsa State is<br />
now saying that Pa Gabriel<br />
Okara will have a mausoleum<br />
built in his honour at Ijaw<br />
National Heroes Memorial<br />
Park.<br />
“The state suggested to the<br />
family, just as we’ve gathered<br />
here and just as the state has<br />
deemed it fit to organize this<br />
state funeral, that his remains<br />
and his works are no longer<br />
the property of the Okara family.<br />
And I am sure they know<br />
that. And we told them that<br />
we wanted his remains buried<br />
and in the place reserved<br />
for our leaders. But they appreciated<br />
it and reached out<br />
and explained the other dimensions<br />
which we all understand.<br />
“So tomorrow, after this<br />
event, his corpse will be escorted<br />
to his ancestral home<br />
of Bumoundi. But there will<br />
be a final place of honour for<br />
Gabriel Okara at the Ijaw<br />
Nation Heroes Memorial<br />
Park. The family and all wellwishers<br />
and friends will be<br />
invited on the day we will set<br />
aside to honour him and several<br />
<strong>others</strong>. That Memorial<br />
Park is a place set up for great<br />
leaders. The great Isaac<br />
Adaka Boro’s remains are interred<br />
there. Late General<br />
Owoye Azazi, the first 4-star<br />
General, first National Security<br />
Adviser…and that’s where<br />
the late Okara belongs.<br />
“I have listened to the request<br />
made by the Old Boys<br />
of Government College<br />
Umuahia. In acknowledgement<br />
of the contributions of<br />
that great institution, as in<br />
producing great leaders in<br />
Bayelsa who have continued<br />
to be sources of inspiration to<br />
us, the Government of Bayelsa<br />
will work with Government<br />
College Umuahia to undertake<br />
a project that will be<br />
named after Pa Gabriel<br />
THE International Institute<br />
for Creative Development,<br />
IICD, organizes a solo exhibition<br />
by eminent artist, Bolaji<br />
Ogunwo, titled ‘More Than<br />
Meets The Eye.”<br />
The theme of the exhibition<br />
centers around global challenges<br />
of migration facing Nigeria.<br />
And the venue is the<br />
IICD Center, Abuja, while the<br />
date is from 20th June, 2019<br />
to July 10.<br />
Bolaji Ogunwo was born on<br />
20th November 1978. His<br />
fondness for creativity began<br />
at a tender age. The love for<br />
art led him to study Fine and<br />
Applied Art (majoring in<br />
Painting) at the University of<br />
Benin. He graduated in the<br />
year 2000. He later obtained<br />
a Master’s degree from the<br />
University of Lagos in 2006 as<br />
one of the pioneering candidates.<br />
With a resilient studio practice<br />
spanning two decades,<br />
Bolaji has participated in over<br />
50 local and international art<br />
shows and 3 solo exhibitions<br />
including an international<br />
solo show in Manchester, UK.<br />
His works can be found in<br />
notable places around the<br />
globe. A painter per excellence,<br />
Bolaji is currently a<br />
Ph.D. research scholar at<br />
Delta State University Abraka,<br />
and a lecturer in the Department<br />
of Creative Arts, University<br />
of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria.<br />
He is also a Senior Pastor at<br />
Redeem Christian Church of<br />
God. He lives in Lagos with<br />
his wife and sons.<br />
The incentive behind<br />
Ogunwo’s solo exhibition is<br />
the global challenge of migration;<br />
the unimaginable plight<br />
of immigrants from Nigeria<br />
wishing to find ‘greener’ pastures<br />
overseas.<br />
According to Ogunwo, “the<br />
upsurge of emigration in recent<br />
times has become worrisome<br />
for me as a creative<br />
luminary. Like never before,<br />
certain embassies are bombarded<br />
daily by Nigerians in<br />
a bid to obtain visas, not for<br />
vacation but obviously for<br />
permanent relocation due to<br />
the lingering challenges<br />
ranging from corruption and<br />
banditry to incessant killings<br />
that permeate the nation.<br />
“Nothing seems to be working!<br />
Nevertheless, there is<br />
more than meets the eye.<br />
There are hidden treasures<br />
underneath that are yet to<br />
manifest. All we need to succeed<br />
as a nation are not without,<br />
but within.”<br />
He says the nation’s treasure<br />
may not seem visible but<br />
if we dig deeper and stay<br />
positive, sooner than expected,<br />
our desires shall<br />
come to fruition. “It is only a<br />
matter of time. Places don’t<br />
make people, people make<br />
places. Only a few people<br />
dare to go places, even if the<br />
odds are not in their favor.<br />
The worst is here but the best<br />
is yet to come, hence, I go<br />
nowhere but here,” he con-<br />
Okara…I want to thank him<br />
for telling me the Ijaw story,<br />
for exposing the Ijaw culture<br />
and language and history to<br />
the world with his works.<br />
When you read “The Fisherman<br />
Invocation”, “Piano and<br />
Drum” as it compares with the<br />
rustic mystical drums in<br />
Bumoundi to the concerto,<br />
ending on crescendo; when<br />
you read “The call of the River<br />
Nun” and all his works, including<br />
this one we’ve just<br />
re-launched, “The Voice”, it’s<br />
an entire life of service, of<br />
simplicity; a life of honour - a<br />
quintessential Ijaw man.<br />
“He lived and showed the<br />
right values of our people. He<br />
was a great Ijaw man, great<br />
Niger Delta man, a great Nigerian,<br />
a great African and a<br />
great citizen of the world.<br />
“Today on behalf of the government<br />
and good people of<br />
the state, we bid him farewell.<br />
He has answered the inevitable<br />
call of the great River Nun.<br />
And I am sure he must be listening<br />
by now, the rustic and<br />
mystical sound of the drums<br />
on the other side”.<br />
Bolaji Ogunnwo’s exhibition opens in Abuja<br />
By Chinasa Afigbo<br />
One of the works on display<br />
cludes.<br />
Definitely, the IICD Center<br />
is honored to share this immerse<br />
depth, expressive and<br />
high impressionist works of<br />
Bolaji Ogunwo. “It is not very<br />
often that we present recent<br />
works of an artist in this manner,”<br />
IICD highlights, “but<br />
this curated collection of<br />
Ogunwo’s recent works titled,<br />
‘More Than Meets The Eye’,<br />
is outstanding. In this exhibition.<br />
He shares his position<br />
on emigration and the economic<br />
challenges facing our<br />
dear country, Nigeria. Just<br />
like every great artist that ever<br />
lived, Ogunwo is first a messenger<br />
and then, he is a patriot<br />
and strong believer in<br />
Nigeria’s future.”<br />
The Chief Curator, IICD<br />
Center, Abuja, Nduwhite<br />
Ndubuisi, says “Bolaji is corroborating<br />
one of the ideologies<br />
of the IICD Center, captured<br />
by Kandinsky Wassily,<br />
who expressed that, ‘The artist<br />
must have something to say,<br />
for mastery over form is not<br />
his goal but rather the adapting<br />
of form to its inner meaning’.”
38—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
CEREMONY: From left—Immediate Past President, Chartered Institute of<br />
Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, Udom Inoyo; Representative<br />
of the Governor of Oyo state, Femi Babalola; Vice President CIPM, Titi<br />
Akisanya; President/Chairman of Council, Wale Adediran; Representative<br />
of Lagos state Governor/PS, Ministry of Establishment, Training and<br />
Pensions, Rhoda Ayinde; Registrar/CEO, CIPM, Ajibola Ponnle and the<br />
National Treasurer CIPM, Nkeiru Adesogan at the 19th investiture<br />
ceremony of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria,<br />
CIPM, held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.<br />
PRESENTATION: From left—Chief Financial Officer, Lekki Free Trade Zone,<br />
LFTZ, Ashish Khemka; Relationship Group Director, Lekki Port LFTZ<br />
Enterprise, Adesuwa Ladoja; Winner 2019 Tolaram Science Challenge<br />
and Pupil of Albesta Academy, Lekki, Oreoluwa Ala; Assistant Director,<br />
Education District 3, Lagos State, Morebise Ajibola and General Manager,<br />
Lagos Free Trade Zone, LFTZ, Kumar Padala during the prize presentation<br />
of winner of the 2019 Tolaram Science Challenge held in Lagos yesterday.<br />
Don’t engage<br />
'deaf<br />
ministers',<br />
inventor<br />
advises Buhari<br />
By Dennis Agbo<br />
E<br />
N U G U — A<br />
mathematical<br />
inventor, Dr Dikeohaa<br />
Okwu has asked President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari to<br />
refrain from appointing<br />
politicians he described as<br />
‘deaf ministers' while<br />
constituting a cabinet in his<br />
second term.<br />
He advised that<br />
President Buhari should<br />
tap from the various<br />
potentials available in the<br />
country in the formation of<br />
his cabinet for the nation’s<br />
economic rejuvenation.<br />
Okwu, the inventor of<br />
‘Dikeohamatics’, a<br />
dramatized system of<br />
solving mathematics,<br />
stated that the<br />
‘Mathematical geometric<br />
teaching aides’ he invented<br />
was comparable to ‘the<br />
Mathematical sets<br />
imported into the country<br />
from China and other parts<br />
of the world.<br />
He pleaded with the federal<br />
government to partner with him<br />
so he can create millions of job for<br />
Nigerians through mass<br />
production of mathematical<br />
equipment and conserve foreign<br />
exchange.<br />
Speaking with Vanguard,<br />
Okwu said “I am very confident<br />
that President Buhari in his<br />
second term will not engage deaf<br />
Ministers, those who will not<br />
answer calls on ideas and<br />
innovations for our collective<br />
efforts in nation building. The<br />
government must have to look<br />
inwards and utilize our own<br />
technology, for us to compete<br />
globally. Nigerian inventors are<br />
capable of advancing our own<br />
technology.”<br />
He emphasized that the study<br />
of Mathematics in our school<br />
system is the bedrock of<br />
advancing science and<br />
technology in Nigeria, stating<br />
that his invention<br />
‘Dikeohamatics’ was meant to let<br />
pupils and students play<br />
mathematics as games and by so<br />
doing develop love for the subject,<br />
instead of staying away from<br />
mathematics classes.
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—39<br />
EZERIOHA<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Ezerioha Chinwe Patricia,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
Mrs Juaese Chinwe Tricia.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
vaild. General public take<br />
note.<br />
AGUGUOM<br />
I, formerly known as Ngozi<br />
Peace Aguguom, now wish to<br />
be known as Mrs Ngozi Peace<br />
Onyeachu. All former<br />
documents remain vaild.<br />
General public take note.<br />
UGOCHUKWU<br />
This is to confirm that the names<br />
Isamila Nnawuihe Ugochukwu and<br />
Ugochukwu Festus refer to one and<br />
the same person, now wish to be<br />
known as Isamila Nnawuihe<br />
Ugochukwu Festus. All former<br />
documents remain valid. Banks and<br />
the general public should please take<br />
note.<br />
INNEH<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Chinyere Inneh, now wish to<br />
be known as Udumebraye<br />
Chinyere Inneh. All former<br />
documents remains valid.<br />
General public take note.<br />
ANAEMENE<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Anaemene Chioma Favour,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
Egbogu Chioma Favour.<br />
Former documents remain<br />
valid. Banks and general<br />
public take note.<br />
OZAH<br />
This is to confirm that Ozah<br />
Florence and Ebinum Florence<br />
refer to one and same person.<br />
I now wish to be known<br />
as Ozah Florence. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public please take<br />
note.<br />
AGUEBOR<br />
I, formerly known as Faith<br />
Aguebor, now wish to be<br />
known as Faith Essien<br />
Iyobor. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
please take note.<br />
EDWIN<br />
This is confirm that Edwin<br />
Mary and Inalegwu Edwin<br />
Mary refer to one and the<br />
same person, but now wish to<br />
be known as Inalegwu Edwin<br />
Mary. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
please take note.<br />
EKPEDURE<br />
I, formerly known as Ekpedure<br />
Romeo Ukuejuoneantse, now<br />
wish to be known as Tonwo<br />
Romeo Ekpedure. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please<br />
take note.<br />
ISRAEL<br />
I hereby confirm that the<br />
name, Israel Aghwonodure,<br />
Israel Essi Idesoh and Israel<br />
Essi refer to me. I now wish to<br />
be known as Israel<br />
Aghwonodure Essi. All former<br />
documents remain vaild.<br />
Banks and general public take<br />
note.<br />
ARUYA<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Esther Temitope Aruya, now<br />
wish to be known as Mrs<br />
Finbar Esther Temitope. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
vaild. General public take<br />
note.<br />
NEWTON<br />
I, formerly known as Newton<br />
Unity Williams, now wish to<br />
be known as Ator Unity<br />
Chukwudi. All documents<br />
bearing my former name<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
GODSPOWER<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Godspower Godstime, now<br />
wish to be known as Edosoma<br />
Godstime Endurance. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
NWAMUOR<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Nwamuor Sophia Ogechi,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
Mrs. Bestman-Needom,<br />
Sophia Ogechi. All former<br />
documents remains valid,<br />
general public please take<br />
note.<br />
ANAEMENE<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Anaemene Nkechi Sandra,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
Egbogu Nkechi Sandra.<br />
Former documents remain<br />
valid. Banks and general<br />
public take note.<br />
KINGSLEY<br />
My name was wrongly<br />
written as Ikoh Kingsley<br />
Kingsley, instead of my real<br />
and correct name, Ikoh<br />
Kingsley Ugochukwu. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
OSSAI<br />
I, formerly known as Ossai<br />
Anthony, now wish to be<br />
known as Ossai Anthony<br />
Ndubisi. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public please take<br />
note.<br />
IGWE<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Igwe Justina Nzuwa, now<br />
wish to be known as Mrs.<br />
Agoha Justina Nzuwa. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
OKOTETE<br />
I, formerly known as Okotete<br />
Mirabel, now wish to be<br />
known as Okotete Mirabel<br />
Avwenayerin. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please<br />
take note.<br />
AFOLAYAN<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Afolayan Deborah Bolatito,<br />
now wish to be known as Mrs.<br />
Lewis Deborah Bolatito. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public should<br />
please take note.<br />
ONWUSONYE<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Onwusonye Godsaint A.,<br />
now wish to be known as<br />
Onwusonye Godsaint<br />
Arinze. All former<br />
documents remain vaild.<br />
General public take note.<br />
GEORGE<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Emmanuel Uchechukwu<br />
George, now wish to be known<br />
as Uchechukwu Emmanuel<br />
George-Nnona. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
Banks and the general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
AINA<br />
I, formerly known as Aina<br />
Oluwatosin Sandra and Aina<br />
Oluwatosin Funmi, now wish<br />
to be known as Aina<br />
Oluwatosin Funmi. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please<br />
take note.<br />
NNAJI<br />
I, formerly known as Nnaji<br />
Miracle Salome, now wish to<br />
be known as Ide Miracle<br />
Salome Okpara. All former<br />
documents remains valid<br />
general public please take<br />
note.<br />
OKAFOR<br />
I, formerly known as Okafor<br />
Hyacinth Onyibor, now wish<br />
to be known as Okafor<br />
Favour Hyacinth Onyibor.<br />
Former documents remain<br />
valid. Banks and general<br />
public take note.<br />
NNAMANI<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Nnamani Goodness<br />
Ifebuche, now wish to be<br />
known as Mrs. Okafor<br />
Goodness Ifebuche. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public please take<br />
note.<br />
ODUNOWO<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Odunowo Oluwakemi<br />
Temitope, now wish to be<br />
known as Akingbehin<br />
Oluwakemi Temitope. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
vaild. General public take<br />
note.<br />
ACHOR<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Achor Prisca Chisom, now<br />
wish to be known as Mrs.<br />
Flavian Prisca Chisom. All<br />
former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
MEGBULUBA<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Megbuluba Aminoritse<br />
Tosan, now wish to be known<br />
as Mrs. Samuel Aminoritse<br />
Tosan. All former documents<br />
remain valid. The general<br />
public should please take<br />
note.<br />
FREEMAN<br />
I, formerly known as Freeman<br />
Bonti, now wish to be known<br />
as Oyabra Bonti. All<br />
documents bearing my former<br />
name remain valid. General<br />
public and all relevant<br />
authorities please take note.<br />
ODEH<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Odeh Chineye Gift, now wish<br />
to be known as Mrs Oriakhi<br />
chineye Gift. Former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
Banks and general public take<br />
note.<br />
GEORGE<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
George Charity Loveth, now<br />
wish to be known as<br />
Mrs James-Ndukwe Charity<br />
Favour. All former documents<br />
remain valid. General public<br />
please take note.<br />
UTIEYIN<br />
OSAKOR<br />
I, formerly known as Utieyin I, formerly known as Blessing<br />
Williams Weyimi, now wish to Osakor, now wish to<br />
be known as Utieyin Williams add Micheal to be known<br />
Weyimi henceforth. All as Micheal Blessing Osakor. All<br />
former documents remain former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public should valid. The general public should<br />
please take note accordingly. please take note accordingly.<br />
ENABULELE<br />
This is to confirm that Enabulele Christian Adesuwa, Enabulele Christie<br />
Evbindomwanifo, Omoregie Christy Evbindomwanifo, Omoregie Adesuwa<br />
Christy, Omoregie Adesuwa, Enabulele Adesuwa Christiana, Enabulele Christy<br />
Uwa, Omoregie Adesuwa Evbindomwanifo, Enabulele Adesuwa, Enabulele<br />
Christiana, Omoregie Adesuwa Christy Evbindomwanifo, Omoregie Christy<br />
Adesuwa Evbindomwanifo, Omoregie Adesuwa Evbindomwanifo refer to one<br />
and same person. I now wish to be known and addressed as Omoregie Christiana<br />
Adesuwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.<br />
FARKA<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Farka Tuebi Theresa, now<br />
wish to be known as Hon.<br />
(Mrs.) Russia Tuebi Farka.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
AZOR<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Azor Doreen Oriye, now<br />
wish to be called Mrs Nwoke<br />
Doreen Oriye. All my<br />
documents and credentials<br />
still remain valid. General<br />
public please take note.<br />
UKOHA<br />
I, formerly known as Ukoha<br />
Chidiebere, now wish to be<br />
known as Ukoha Chidiebere<br />
Timothy. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
General public please take<br />
note.<br />
EGENA<br />
I, formerly known as Egena<br />
Kate Margreth, now wish to<br />
be called Ajegi Kate<br />
Margreth. All my documents<br />
and credentials still remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
ADEBAYO<br />
I, formerly known as Adebayo<br />
Olubunmi Taiwo, now wish<br />
to be known as Ajiboye<br />
Olubunmi Taiwo. All former<br />
documents remain vaild.<br />
General public take note.<br />
ALUGWOEKPE<br />
I, formerly known as<br />
Alugwoekpe Abigail<br />
Ifeanyi, now wish to be<br />
known as Obizue Abigail<br />
Ifeanyi. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please<br />
take note.<br />
JIMOH<br />
I, formerly known as Jimoh<br />
Vote, now wish to be known<br />
as Omosomuofa Vote Ruth.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
JONAH<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Jonah Comfort, now wish to<br />
be known as Mrs Obinichi<br />
Comfort Chikwere. All former<br />
document remains valid,<br />
NYSC and the general public<br />
take note.<br />
OGBUDO<br />
I, formerly known<br />
as Olayinka Nancy Ogbudo,<br />
now wish to be known<br />
as Olayinka Nancy Egbetakin.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
NNEKE<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Nneke Onyemachi Judith M.,<br />
now wish to be known as Mrs<br />
Ozomagbo Onyemaechi Judith<br />
M. All former documents<br />
remain valid. Banks and general<br />
public please take note.<br />
JAMES<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
James Esther Ojonoma, now<br />
wish to be known as Mrs<br />
Ojima-Ejiga Esther Ojonoma.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. General public please<br />
take note.<br />
EJECHI<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Veronica Vera Noyelum<br />
Ejechi, now wish to be known<br />
as Mrs Vera Noyelum Olisah.<br />
All former documents remain<br />
valid. The general public<br />
should please take note.<br />
NNAJI<br />
I, formerly known as Miss<br />
Nnenna Adaku Nnaji, now<br />
wish to be known as Nnenna<br />
Adaku Erondu. All former<br />
documents remain valid. The<br />
general public should please<br />
take note.<br />
SPACE<br />
FOR<br />
SALE<br />
Imo<br />
Elections:<br />
AA denies<br />
withdrawing<br />
from<br />
Tribunal,<br />
reaffirms<br />
suspension<br />
of officials<br />
By Omeiza Ajayi<br />
Aleadership BUJA—NATIONAL<br />
of Action<br />
Alliance, AA has denied<br />
withdrawing its petition<br />
before the governorship<br />
election tribunal in Owerri,<br />
Imo state, saying those who<br />
announced its withdrawal<br />
had since been dismissed<br />
from the party.<br />
The party said its national<br />
chairman, Chief Kenneth<br />
Udeze and the National<br />
Secretary, Vernimbe James<br />
remained suspended since<br />
June 14, 2019 due to their<br />
penchant for anti-party<br />
activities.<br />
At a news briefing<br />
addressed by the<br />
National Vice Chairman,<br />
North West, Alhaji Jibril<br />
Aminu and National<br />
Publicity Secretary,<br />
Charles Chukwuemeka,<br />
the AA said; “we are in<br />
support of all our cases at<br />
the tribunal including that<br />
of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu<br />
in Imo state”.<br />
Others who were present<br />
at the briefing were the<br />
National Youth Leader,<br />
Michael Madu; National<br />
Legal Adviser Anaukyaa<br />
Mnenge Peter among<br />
<strong>others</strong>.<br />
On his part, Chairman of<br />
the party in Imo state, Chief<br />
Anthony Uchendu said the<br />
party is in full support of<br />
Uche Nwosu’s ambition to<br />
“reclaim his governorship<br />
mandate in the state”.<br />
He said; “It is so<br />
unfortunate what is<br />
happening today<br />
especially in my state, Imo.<br />
Only God knows how He<br />
does His things, that a very<br />
vibrant and astute politician<br />
of Imo state extraction came<br />
into the party with a whole<br />
lot of credentials. We won<br />
comfortably 8 Houses of<br />
Assembly and two federal<br />
constituency seats.<br />
However, we have other<br />
cases in court like in<br />
Okigwe, Imo North, we are<br />
hopeful where INEC is yet<br />
to declare a winner and we<br />
are very close to victory.<br />
“In all this, our former national<br />
chairman in person of Kenneth<br />
Udeze who ab initio was not<br />
helpful to the party in the state and<br />
didn’t do anything for us, we kept<br />
faith believing he will have a<br />
change of mind but he connived<br />
with the PDP in Imo state to deny<br />
us of our victory."<br />
Meanwhile, the AA has written<br />
the Independent National Electoral<br />
Commission INEC to convey its<br />
suspension of Messrs Udeze and<br />
James accusing them of sundry<br />
allegations including anti-party<br />
activities and an indictment by the<br />
police following investigation of<br />
party operations.
40—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
YOUR LUCK TODAY<br />
By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139<br />
CANCER;. Both financial and love related success are<br />
possible, however you will need to be as practical as you<br />
can possibly be. Avoid unnecessary argument.<br />
LEO; Continue to take matters-of-the-heart seriously.<br />
Reason with your reliable associates. But this is not the<br />
right time to believe all you were told by strangers and/<br />
or those you don’t know much about.<br />
VIRGO; Tension within the domestic scene will start<br />
to ease off. Yet you will need to watch what you do within<br />
your base of operation (home and working arena.<br />
LIBRA; Although you will get needed support from<br />
certain quarter, yet you will need to be as cautious as<br />
possible. Unnecessary can not help your cause. Respect<br />
the vie of your spouse.<br />
L E I S U R E<br />
TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE<br />
“Don’t find fault, find a remedy”-Henry Ford-<br />
Whatever irritates us about another is often a reflection<br />
of what’s within the individual, life gives back what we<br />
give but sometimes the correlation are not imminent,<br />
but life always happens to us for a reason. Remember<br />
this sayings by the poet Rumi. “It is rain that grows the<br />
flowers not thunder.<br />
Ella Randle<br />
SAYINGS OF<br />
OUR PEOPLE<br />
Advice is a<br />
stranger; if he’s<br />
welcome he<br />
stays for the<br />
night; if not, he<br />
leaves the same<br />
day. ~Malagasy<br />
Proverb<br />
SCORPIO; Venus moves into a positive angle to your<br />
Star and encourages peaceful settlement. Exhibition of<br />
maturity on your part will favour you better.<br />
SAGITTARIUS; Those of you who are more family<br />
minded today will have much to gain. This is not to say<br />
you have to ignore those within your working arena.<br />
Exhibit needed maturity<br />
CAPRICORN; Better than yesterday; however that is<br />
not to say you should throw caution to the wind. Improvement<br />
on your love life indicated. Try to comport<br />
yourself.<br />
AQUARIUS; Your been hard working will have positive<br />
bearing both on your finances and social life. Good<br />
exercise is needed to enhance your health. Yet you will<br />
need to be as moderate as possible<br />
PISCES; Venus moves into a positive angle and boost<br />
your sparkling personality to the betterment of your<br />
cause. Could be a nice day for the-young-at-heart<br />
ARIES; It is important you plan both your immediate<br />
and far future. Keeping your secrets is the needed approach<br />
for those of you in competition within your working<br />
arena. Be family minded.<br />
TAURUS; Recent tension generated by controversy<br />
over money will start to ease off. Be more vigilant if you<br />
are working late in the evening. Avoid unnecessary argument<br />
especially within your working arena.<br />
GEMINI; There is nothing obstructing you along your<br />
career/business line. Actually those of you who are more<br />
ambitious will have better results to show for your efforts.<br />
Think money before you take important actions.<br />
TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”<br />
DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE<br />
By Kola Fayemi<br />
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING<br />
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING<br />
Send your date and place of birth to the Astr<br />
trological<br />
Counselling, P.M.B 100<br />
007, Apapa, Lagos<br />
What should I expect?<br />
Dear Joshua,<br />
I want to know about my future, especially what I<br />
should expect in the business world. When exactly can<br />
I travel within and outside our country ?<br />
Frank, Shagamu.<br />
Dear Frank,<br />
JULY 2 TO JULY 31, 2019.<br />
Solar and Lunar Eclipses of 2nd and 16th , July,<br />
2019 respectively across Cancer and Capricorn axis<br />
are at positive place to your Star. Here is a period when<br />
new and good contacts will come your way to the betterment<br />
of your business prospects. Even if you have<br />
been putting away travelling, it will become unavoidable<br />
during this period, especially during last two<br />
weeks of the period. The said last two weeks (July 16th<br />
to July 31st 2019) will equally prove more progressive<br />
and fortunate for you and your family. Not nice time to<br />
pet members of your extended family trying to go astray<br />
but the needed time to take needed actions the tough<br />
way and put everybody the right place they belong.<br />
Yet , you will need to let your maturity come to play, so<br />
that you will give chances for repentance and reconciliation<br />
in the near future.<br />
AUGUST 1 TO AUGUST 29, 2019.<br />
Major emphasis will be on both your personal and<br />
extended families affairs. Whatever you do some members<br />
will like to put you under pressure, especially<br />
during last two weeks of the period – Aug 15th to Aug<br />
29th particularly a strong headed lady willing to reap<br />
where she did not sow Your being decisive without<br />
extensive sentiment is the key and needed solution.<br />
Yes these challenges have started not today, it is time<br />
to bring every negative things to the conclusive end.<br />
AUGUST 30 TO SEPTEMBER 27, 2019.<br />
Remnants of last period can still be seen but you are<br />
now in perfect control of the situation. Then, success<br />
through commercial activities indicated. Money will<br />
come in and you will never run short of admiration<br />
from both men and members of your opposite sex. This<br />
is a good period to encourage the enterprising Spirit<br />
in you in order to expand the scope of your success.<br />
VIRGINIA<br />
HOME & ABROAD<br />
dadadekola@yahoo.com<br />
By Lawrence Akapa
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 —41<br />
FG warns<br />
against attacks<br />
on Nigerians in<br />
diaspora<br />
•Wades into attacks on<br />
Nigerians in Ghana, Togo<br />
By Johnbosco<br />
Agbakwuru<br />
ABUJA<br />
—THE<br />
F e d e r a l<br />
Government, weekend,<br />
declared that the lives of<br />
Nigerians living abroad<br />
were very precious to the<br />
Nigerian government.<br />
The Federal<br />
Government also said<br />
that the ongoing<br />
harassment and<br />
intimidation of<br />
Nigerians outside the<br />
shores of the country was<br />
unacceptable and has<br />
decided to wade into<br />
cases of attacks by some<br />
countries against<br />
Nigerians living in such<br />
countries.<br />
Chairman/Chief<br />
Executive Officer, CEO<br />
of the Nigerian Diaspora<br />
Commission, Abike<br />
Dabiri-Erewa, made the<br />
position of government<br />
known while briefing<br />
State House<br />
correspondents after<br />
meeting behind closed<br />
doors with President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari at<br />
the Presidential Villa,<br />
Abuja.<br />
Dabiri-Erewa, who<br />
frowned at the dismissal<br />
of a Nigerian Professor<br />
teaching in a Ghanaian<br />
university, stated that<br />
only Nigerians who<br />
commit crime abroad<br />
should be made to face<br />
the wrath of the law, not<br />
innocent ones.<br />
Commenting on the<br />
recent attacks on<br />
Nigerians in Ghana and<br />
Togo, she said: “Now, we<br />
are dealing with the<br />
issue of attacking<br />
Nigerian traders in<br />
Ghana. We have the<br />
assurances of the<br />
President of Ghana<br />
through the High<br />
Commission here and<br />
ours in Ghana that<br />
Nigerian traders will be<br />
protected.<br />
“So, we are also going<br />
to be emphasizing that<br />
the life of one Nigerian<br />
means a lot to us<br />
anywhere in the world.”<br />
she said<br />
“We have the issue of<br />
Ghana, the Professor<br />
whose appointment was<br />
terminated by the<br />
university because of the<br />
tape he released. Well, it<br />
turned out that he didn’t<br />
actually record, I mean<br />
that was a private<br />
meeting with Nigerians<br />
in Ghana, it was like a<br />
private discussion.<br />
“And he also claimed<br />
that part of the tape was<br />
actually doctored. The<br />
matter is being looked<br />
into by the Nigerian<br />
High Commission in<br />
Ghana and I believed<br />
those matters will be<br />
resolved subsequently.”<br />
On the incident in<br />
Togo, she said: “In Togo,<br />
we have Nigerians<br />
attacked. One woman<br />
alleged that she was<br />
raped and she turned out<br />
to be the suspects<br />
girlfriend.<br />
“We have also seen the<br />
Togolese Ambassador<br />
and made it clear that<br />
the lives of Nigerians<br />
must be protected<br />
anywhere they are<br />
because we take care of<br />
<strong>others</strong> here and we<br />
deserve to be taken care<br />
of.<br />
“If a Nigerian commits<br />
a crime, let him pay the<br />
penalty for it as a<br />
punishment, but you<br />
cannot penalise a nation<br />
and its citizens.<br />
“We will be working<br />
more on that as we<br />
appeal to Nigerians to<br />
be good ambassadors<br />
wherever they find<br />
themselves.”<br />
She also disclosed that<br />
the government was<br />
already intervening in<br />
the incident in the<br />
United Kingdom (UK)<br />
where a Nigerian<br />
damaged some vehicles<br />
at the High<br />
Commission.<br />
She said: “The UK<br />
incident of the Nigerian<br />
who damaged some<br />
vehicles at the High<br />
Commission, we have<br />
made it clear that the<br />
incident is unacceptable.<br />
“There is no reason<br />
why he should be so<br />
violent. At the same time,<br />
we do admit that there<br />
are some challenges in<br />
some of our embassies<br />
while there have been<br />
large improvements in<br />
some of them.”<br />
She said that a<br />
stakeholders meeting<br />
had been scheduled to<br />
hold in the UK over the<br />
matter.<br />
“We will be having a<br />
stakeholders meeting in<br />
particular in the UK with<br />
the Nigerian community,<br />
the High Commission,<br />
the immigration, to look<br />
at whatever the<br />
challenges are so that<br />
they can be resolved,<br />
because I know that<br />
there are some<br />
challenges that are<br />
resolvable.<br />
“So, we will be<br />
engaging more with the<br />
LECTURE/BOOK PRESENTATION: From left: PDP Vice Presidential Candidate and former Anambra<br />
State Governor, Peter Obi; former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan,<br />
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike at<br />
a Lecture/Book Presentation to mark the Second Term Inauguration of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom<br />
Wike in Port Harcourt over the weekend. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.<br />
diaspora.<br />
“Subsequently, we are<br />
going to have hotlines<br />
for Nigerians in diaspora<br />
so that they can contact<br />
the commission and we<br />
can look into whatever<br />
challenges they are<br />
Banditry, violent attacks ‘ll soon come to an end — BUHARI<br />
Continues from Page 5<br />
to upgrade its<br />
infrastructure, including<br />
fixing the Ado Ekiti-<br />
Akure road, which is<br />
currently in a terrible<br />
state.<br />
Life jail term for<br />
kidnappers<br />
Meanwhile, Prelate of<br />
Methodist Church<br />
Nigeria, His Eminence,<br />
Samuel Kanu, has called<br />
for life imprisonment for<br />
persons found culpable<br />
for kidnapping in the<br />
country.<br />
Kanu made the call<br />
while addressing<br />
newsmen on the<br />
sidelines of the awards<br />
of Knights to members of<br />
the church yesterday in<br />
Abuja.<br />
“Those who kidnap<br />
and those who<br />
perpetuate evil should<br />
be jailed for life because<br />
facing.” she added.<br />
Speaking further on the<br />
outcome of the meeting<br />
with the President, she<br />
said: “Since the passage<br />
of the diaspora<br />
commission bill by Mr.<br />
President, this is my first<br />
they are enemies of the<br />
society, I will not<br />
subscribe to death<br />
penalty,”he said.<br />
He called for increased<br />
funding for the security<br />
agencies to effectively<br />
carry out their<br />
responsibilities, adding<br />
that the funds should be<br />
monitored to avoid<br />
diversion by some<br />
corrupt officials.<br />
Kanu said that<br />
President Buhari has<br />
good intention for the<br />
country but noted some<br />
individuals within the<br />
government have<br />
decided to use the funds<br />
for other purposes.<br />
He alleged that some<br />
disgruntled elements<br />
were also behind all the<br />
kidnappings across the<br />
country.<br />
The clergy expressed<br />
concern over the level of<br />
prosecution and<br />
conviction of persons<br />
arrested for kidnappings<br />
time to thank him and<br />
also brief him on the<br />
activities of the the<br />
commission so far, which<br />
in the last one week<br />
have been quite a lot.”<br />
Asked if she was still<br />
the Senior Special<br />
and other crimes by<br />
security agencies in the<br />
country.<br />
He said the lack of<br />
diligent prosecution had<br />
left those arrested for the<br />
crime off the hook to work<br />
freely on the streets.<br />
Kanu enjoined all<br />
Nigerians to join hands<br />
in the fight against<br />
insecurity, adding that<br />
security agencies alone<br />
could not do it.<br />
He advised President<br />
Buhari to use the next<br />
four years to focus on<br />
massive food production<br />
and the economy that<br />
would enhance the<br />
living standard of<br />
Nigerians.<br />
He also advised the<br />
Federal Government to<br />
invest more on the<br />
youths to help curtail the<br />
insecurity in the country.<br />
“If Nigeria want to save<br />
itself from security<br />
challenges, it must<br />
invest in the youths,’’ the<br />
Assistant to the<br />
President on Diaspora<br />
Matters having been<br />
made Chairman /CEO of<br />
Nigeria Diaspora<br />
Commission, she said<br />
“that is the president’s<br />
prerogative.”<br />
Court jails 5 directors over N5.2bn electricity project fraud<br />
By Ikechukwu<br />
Nnochiri<br />
ABUJA —An Abuja<br />
High Court sitting<br />
at Gudu has convicted<br />
five former Directors of the<br />
Rural Electricity Agency,<br />
REA, following alleged<br />
role they played in a N5.2<br />
billion<br />
Rural<br />
Electrification contract<br />
scam.<br />
Those convicted and<br />
sentenced by the court<br />
were the erstwhile<br />
Managing Director of<br />
REA, Engr. Samuel<br />
Gekpe, an Accountant,<br />
Simon Nanle, the<br />
Director or Projects, Engr.<br />
Kayode Orekoya, an<br />
Assistant Director,<br />
Abdusamad Hahun and<br />
the Head of Legal<br />
Department, Kayode<br />
Oyedeji.<br />
They were found guilty<br />
based on a 65-count<br />
criminal charge preferred<br />
against them by the<br />
Economic and Financial<br />
Crimes Commission,<br />
EFCC.<br />
EFCC had alleged that<br />
they sequentially<br />
withdrew monies that<br />
were earmarked for rural<br />
electrification contract<br />
and shared among<br />
themselves.<br />
The defendants were<br />
specifically charged to<br />
court for criminal breach<br />
of trust, which the antigraft<br />
agency maintained<br />
was perpetrated through<br />
a contract that was<br />
awarded from the<br />
amended 2008 budget<br />
REA, for Grid Extension<br />
and Solar Electricity.<br />
The EFCC which closed<br />
its case after it called a<br />
total of seven witnesses<br />
through its lawyer, Mr.<br />
Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told<br />
the court that the<br />
defendants fraudulently<br />
facilitated the withdrawal<br />
of the sum of<br />
N119.7million from the<br />
account of the REA that is<br />
domiciled in Central Bank<br />
of Nigeria, CBN.<br />
However, all the<br />
defendants, through their<br />
lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro,<br />
SAN, entered a no-casesubmission,<br />
insisting that<br />
the prosecution failed to<br />
establish a prima-facie<br />
criminal case against<br />
them.<br />
Prelate said.<br />
The award of Knight of<br />
John Wesley was given<br />
to 36 members of the<br />
church and Knight of<br />
Charles Wesley to three<br />
members of the church.<br />
Other awards given<br />
were that of the Officers<br />
of the Order of Wesley to<br />
eight members and<br />
Members of the Order of<br />
Wesley to six members.<br />
Kanu said that it was a<br />
motivation for the<br />
members to do more for<br />
the church and not a<br />
retirement incentive.<br />
The clergy said that<br />
disobedience to the word<br />
of God had always<br />
resulted to disastrous<br />
consequences, urging<br />
members to invest more<br />
in the church.<br />
Dr Ochapa Ogenyi and<br />
Mrs Yewande Usman<br />
who were beneficiaries,<br />
said that the award was<br />
a beginning of service to<br />
God and humanity.
42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
MIkel<br />
Congo DR players beg<br />
fans after bad start<br />
The Democratic Republic of<br />
Congo’s squad have<br />
apologised to their compatriots for<br />
unexpectedly losing their opening<br />
game of the Africa Cup of Nations<br />
to underrated Uganda on<br />
Saturday.<br />
Both skipper Youssouf Mulumbu,<br />
who did not play in the 2-0 defeat,<br />
and Chancel Mbemba, who wore<br />
the captain’s armband in the game,<br />
said sorry in a recorded message<br />
that was distributed on Twitter<br />
(@Leopard Leader Foot).<br />
“We come to you, simply to<br />
AFCON 2019: Mikel wants<br />
Super Eagles to wrap up<br />
Group B quickly<br />
Super Eagles captain, John Obi MIkel has<br />
stressed the need for the team to wrap up<br />
their qualification from group B as quickly as possible<br />
when they play against Guinea tomorrow.<br />
The Super Eagles labored to a 1-0 win over AF-<br />
CON newcomers Burundi on Saturday, but the<br />
Super Eagles top the group with three points after<br />
debutants Madagascar posted a 2-2 draw with<br />
Guinea.<br />
“We need to try again to win the next game, “<br />
said Mikel who made a come-back to the team<br />
after one year of absence.<br />
“We need to try also to win the second game<br />
and hopefully qualify from this group as quickly<br />
as possible – and then look forward to the next<br />
stage.” Speaking on the Burundi game he said:<br />
“Yeah, it’s not an easy group, it’s a very tough<br />
group. “You can see from today – they [Burundi]<br />
are a very organized team, very tough to break<br />
down. We were lucky to get the goal.<br />
“I think we played well. We had most of the ball,<br />
but we couldn’t break them down – we couldn’t<br />
get the goal. So it was very crucial for us to get<br />
these three points today.”<br />
apologise. It’s true that it’s difficult,<br />
but we have to,” said Mulumbu,<br />
flanked by coach Florent Ibenge<br />
and with his team mate standing<br />
behind him.<br />
“We need unity and it’s true that<br />
today we let you down. I hope it’s a<br />
good lesson for us. We still have<br />
two games to play, we need your<br />
support and we will correct the<br />
situation very quickly.<br />
“We made a big mistake, I know<br />
it’s humiliating for the 90-million<br />
Congolese. That’s why we come<br />
back to you with sincerity and with<br />
hand on heart to apologise.”<br />
AFCON 2019: NTA/HotSports Live Studios bubble<br />
as Odegbami, Other Celebrities thrill Fans<br />
Viewing enjoyment of the<br />
ongoing Africa Cup of<br />
Nations (Egypt 2019) moved up<br />
another niche as more notable<br />
football stars and personalities<br />
from other spheres join the crew<br />
of analysts at the live studios of<br />
NTA broadcast of the matches.<br />
The studios, located at the<br />
Lagos office of HotSports Media<br />
Group, the Official Marketing<br />
Agency of NTA’s AFCON<br />
transmission, will welcome Chief<br />
Segun Odegbami, MON to<br />
provide insightful perspectives of<br />
the matches to the delight of the<br />
viewing fans and the sponsors,<br />
who are catching in on the<br />
terrestrial transmission beamed<br />
nationwide to reach their<br />
potential and exiting markets.<br />
One of the greatest footballers<br />
Africa has ever produced and<br />
runner-up in African footballer<br />
of the year in 1980, the year he<br />
inspired the then Green Eagles<br />
to lift the Africa Cup of Nations<br />
for the first time, Odegbami<br />
continues to bestride African –<br />
and indeed, world’s – football as<br />
an administrator, ambassador<br />
and future stars’ builder.<br />
The NTA/HotSports broadcast<br />
had earlier attracted A list<br />
entertainers, led by comedy icon<br />
Atunyota Akpobome (well known<br />
Ola Aina: Win against Burundi crucial<br />
Super Eagles wing back Ola Aina<br />
has stated that the win against<br />
Burundi in their opening game of the<br />
Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday was<br />
crucial to the campaign of the team in<br />
Egypt.<br />
Aina set up the only goal of the match<br />
with a spectacular back heel, which<br />
Ighalo seized upon and fired home into<br />
the far corner of the net.<br />
“Burundi were very tough and gave<br />
us a good fight but we were happy we<br />
emerged victorious after the final<br />
whistle.<br />
“Winning the first game of a<br />
competition is good for any team and<br />
ours is not different. We’re happy with<br />
the win and we hope that keeps us going<br />
in the tournament.”<br />
He added that the Super Eagles have<br />
the players to get the job done in the<br />
tournament.<br />
“No one has a permanent place in the<br />
team because the country is blessed with<br />
so many talents,” Aina told Goal.<br />
Bonus row won’t affect Cameroon, Seedorf assures<br />
Seedorf<br />
Burundi has quality, says<br />
captain Berahino<br />
Africa Cup of Nations<br />
debutants Burundi faced<br />
Nigeria as equals and were able to<br />
show that they had quality, their<br />
captain Saido Berahino said after<br />
his side went down to narrow 1-0<br />
defeat in their opening match.<br />
Saturday’s Group B game<br />
appeared to be a mismatch with 89<br />
places separating the two sides in<br />
the FIFA rankings. Even so, the<br />
team known as the Swallows in<br />
Battle created the better chances<br />
in the first half and held out until<br />
Nigeria scored in the 77th minute.<br />
“The best thing was the way our<br />
players held their heads high<br />
against a big nation, and stepping<br />
up and playing in a big tournament,<br />
because it was tough for a lot of us,<br />
even myself,” Berahino told<br />
Reuters.<br />
“It was good from their coach,<br />
as Alibaba), who have provided unique and attractive<br />
dimension to sports broadcasting in a manner never<br />
in this clime.<br />
President of HS Media Group, Taye Ige said that<br />
NTA and HotSports have the interest of viewers and<br />
sponsors at heart in conceiving the AFCON 2019<br />
live broadcast packages.<br />
He believed that winning the first match against<br />
Burundi on Sunday night has rekindled the hope that<br />
the Super Eagles would go through the group stages<br />
and travel all the way to the final on July 19, a<br />
scenario that will enable NTA/HotSports live studios<br />
to continue with its ground-breaking broadcast for a<br />
longer time.<br />
“We are here at the NTA/HotSports studios to give<br />
millions of NTA viewers memorable and enjoyable<br />
time throughout Egypt 2019 and any brand or product<br />
that is keen on reaching out to its target market have<br />
the perfect platform to do that while the tournament<br />
lasts,” Ige, who is also Chief Executive Officer of HS<br />
Media Group, assured.<br />
Cameroon head coach<br />
Clarence Seedorf says the<br />
African champions are ‘serene’<br />
and have not been affected by the<br />
bonus row which delayed their<br />
journey to Egypt for this year’s<br />
Nations Cup.<br />
Cameroon open against<br />
Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday but<br />
only flew out of Yaounde on<br />
Friday after staging a sit-in<br />
protest over bonus<br />
disagreements.<br />
The Indomitable Lions rejected<br />
an offer of 20 million CFA,<br />
(approximately US$34,570) for<br />
appearance fees, and only set off<br />
they gave us a<br />
compliment and he said<br />
we stood our ground<br />
and showed our<br />
qualities,” said the 25-<br />
year-old who played for<br />
Stoke City in the English<br />
second tier last season.<br />
Berahino<br />
Hope rises for<br />
Abdullahi’s return<br />
Shehu Abdullahi played only 42<br />
minutes of his Africa Nations Cup<br />
debut with the Super Eagles after he<br />
pulled a hamstring and was substituted,<br />
but there might be cheerful news as the<br />
player posted an injury update yesterday.<br />
Abdullahi struggled with an injury blight<br />
last season with Bursaspor and was<br />
restricted to 13 league matches for the club,<br />
and was really a questionable inclusion in<br />
the final 23-man list for the competition.<br />
Unfortunately for the 26 year-old he<br />
suffered a recurrence of a condition<br />
that’s plagued his game all season when<br />
he pulled up crocked just before halftime<br />
against Burundi.<br />
Although the injury looked serious and<br />
Aina<br />
for Egypt after talks with the<br />
country’s sports officials.<br />
There were fears the row would<br />
dampen the team’s hopes of<br />
clinching a sixth continental<br />
title, but Seedorf told a gathering<br />
of Cameroonian media in<br />
Ismailia on Sunday that his<br />
players have not been affected.<br />
“We are serene and we know<br />
why we’re here. At no moment<br />
has the team spirit changed. We<br />
have a joyful group, with players<br />
who know what appearing in<br />
such an event represents,”<br />
Seedorf told reporters.<br />
Own goal ruins Namibia’s<br />
resistance against Morocco<br />
Gusty Namibia did everything to<br />
frustrate overwhelming favourites,<br />
Morocco but failed a last minute test as<br />
their striker;Itamunua Keimune found<br />
the wrong net in the last minute of a<br />
Group D opener of the Africa Cup of<br />
Nations in Cairo.<br />
But for that, the Namibians would have<br />
earned a point and wipe off the memory<br />
of a 5-1 loss to Morocco in 2008.<br />
The Brave Warriors looked well on<br />
course to collect a valuable point against<br />
one of the tournament’s favourites, but<br />
Keimune headed the ball into his own<br />
net with only two minutes left on the clock<br />
as he tried to defend a Hakim Ziyech<br />
free-kick.<br />
The Southern Africans had lived by<br />
their nickname, “Brave Warriors”<br />
holding their own against the Moroccans<br />
for most of the match before the single<br />
moment of error gifted the Atlas Lions<br />
three valuable points.<br />
Coach Herve Renard’s men had<br />
struggled to break down a resolute<br />
Namibian defence and often tried their<br />
luck on set pieces, one of which gave the<br />
desired result late on.<br />
They had the chances to score<br />
especially in the second half with Sofiane<br />
Boufal coming on, but luck never stood<br />
their end until the own goal.<br />
was initially feared it could keep him<br />
out for the rest of the competition,<br />
Abdullahi tweeted an update and it was<br />
skeptically positive.<br />
Accompanied by pictures of the team<br />
and one of him in action with the tagline:<br />
Thanks for the love Nigerians, I<br />
appreciate your amazing messages. I<br />
will be back soon! The most important<br />
thing, keep supporting us, we shall make<br />
you proud at the end and conquer Africa.<br />
I Love You All.<br />
Nigeria will return to action on<br />
Wednesday against Guinea, hoping to<br />
get a win and effectively book a spot in<br />
the round of 16.
FIBA Africa celebrates<br />
Basketball Progress in Nigeria<br />
•We are motivated to do more- NBBF<br />
It was a celebration of exploits<br />
of Nigerian Basketball on the<br />
global stage at the 17th FIBA<br />
Africa Congress in Mali on<br />
Saturday.<br />
The meeting presided over by<br />
Hamane Niang (outgoing<br />
President of FIBA Africa) and<br />
supported by FIBA World<br />
President, Horacio Marotore<br />
praised the Nigeria Basketball<br />
Federation for its new found status<br />
under Engr. Musa Kida led board.<br />
According to most delegates, the<br />
8th finish of D’Tigress in Tenerife,<br />
Spain at the 2018 FIBA Women’s<br />
World Cup was an achievement<br />
that will be celebrated for a long<br />
time to come by the whole<br />
continent as it was the highest<br />
finish by any country from Africa<br />
in the history of the World Cup.<br />
Kida and his board were also<br />
congratulated for masterminding<br />
a successful qualification for the<br />
2019 FIBA World Cup in China by<br />
D’Tigers at the Congress also<br />
witnessed by FIBA Secretary<br />
General, Andreas Zagklis.<br />
It will be recalled that with 8<br />
straight wins, Nigeria became the<br />
first country in the world to qualify<br />
for the biggest basketball event.<br />
In his reaction, North East<br />
representative on the board, Alhaji<br />
Abba Kaka said that the<br />
recognition was a deserved one<br />
which will motivate the NBBF to<br />
do more.<br />
Kaka said, “The achievements of<br />
this board in the last two years has<br />
continued to confound critics<br />
while reinforcing the belief that<br />
Nigeria can become a world<br />
power in basketball if wellfunded.<br />
“What we have done in the last<br />
two years is not magic but a direct<br />
result of an exemplary leadership<br />
quality of our President, Engr.<br />
Musa Kida.”<br />
Kaka also said the presence of<br />
Kida and his Vice President,<br />
Babatunde Ogunade as NBBF<br />
Super Falcons will today<br />
arrive Nigeria following<br />
their exit from the 2019 Fifa<br />
World Cup at the round of 16<br />
stage at the Stade De Alps in<br />
Grenoble on Saturday..<br />
After losing 3-0 to Germany, the<br />
Falcons returned to their hotel<br />
in the heart of Grenoble, where<br />
the likes of captain Desire<br />
Oparanozie and striker Asisat<br />
Oshoala had meetings with the<br />
Chairman of the Women<br />
Falcons stage sit-in at<br />
WWC over unpaid bonuses<br />
•3 Players miss flights back to their clubs<br />
Super Falcons players<br />
threatened a sit-in protest<br />
at their hotel over unpaid<br />
bonuses and allowances<br />
following their Women’s World<br />
Cup last-16 defeat by Germany.<br />
The team held an overnight<br />
Falcons arrive Nigeria today<br />
from World Cup<br />
By John Egbokhan, France<br />
It was another feather to the<br />
wings of the Ikoyi Club 1938<br />
Swimming section after emerging<br />
winner of this year’s Neptun-<br />
Nehein Swimfest in Arnsberg<br />
Germany.<br />
The young swimmers from the<br />
club, most of which emerged from<br />
this year’s Zenith Bank/Ikoyi Club<br />
1938 Inter-school Swimming<br />
Gala, amassed 42 gold, 48 silver<br />
and 27 bronze medals to beat other<br />
swimmers from 11 countries to the<br />
number one position.<br />
Group Managing Director of<br />
Zenith Bank, Ebenezer<br />
Onyeagwu, said it was great to see<br />
how the investment of the<br />
organisation has worked wonders.<br />
“We are proud of the swimmers<br />
and we believe very soon, they will<br />
also be representing Nigeria at<br />
global events,’’ the Zenith Bank<br />
boss said..<br />
The chairman of the swimming<br />
section of the club, Oloyede<br />
Obatoyinbo, expressed his<br />
satisfaction with the performance<br />
of the swimmers while also saying<br />
duly recognized delegates has put<br />
paid to the recent social media<br />
debates over who is in charge of<br />
basketball administration in<br />
Super Falcons<br />
Football League, Aisha Falode<br />
to review undisclosed issues,<br />
Vanguard was reliably informed<br />
that the team would fly into<br />
Nigeria today.<br />
Team media officer, Jane Nweze<br />
told our correspondent covering<br />
the World Cup in France that the<br />
team were through with the<br />
assignment here.<br />
“We are through here and we<br />
would be in Nigeria today. It was<br />
a good experience and we are<br />
happy with our stay and<br />
performance here”, said Nweze.<br />
meeting in their Grenoble hotel<br />
with Aisha Falode, the president<br />
of the Nigeria Women Football<br />
League.<br />
After hours of deliberation, the<br />
Nigerian Football Federation has<br />
promised to pay the outstanding<br />
fees, some of which date back to<br />
2016.<br />
The team will now leave the<br />
hotel.<br />
One of the players said meetings<br />
were also held between players<br />
and the NFF board.<br />
As a result of the meetings, three<br />
players missed their flights back<br />
to their clubs, which will now be<br />
rescheduled.<br />
The outstanding money also<br />
includes the Fifa participation<br />
fee for playing in the<br />
tournament. However, according<br />
to the NFF, that fee will only be<br />
distributed to players after the<br />
conclusion of the Women’s World<br />
Cup because Fifa is not<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019 — 43<br />
Women’s World Cup 2019: Cameroon players<br />
refuse to play after VAR review<br />
Cameroon vent their frustration<br />
in dramatic fashion as they<br />
have a goal ruled out by VAR for<br />
offside against England in the<br />
World Cup last 16.<br />
England progressed to the<br />
quarter-finals of the Women’s<br />
World Cup with a 3-0 victory over<br />
an enraged Cameroon side who<br />
protested after two VAR decisions<br />
went against them.<br />
Goals from Steph Houghton,<br />
Ellen White and Alex Greenwood<br />
sent England through to face<br />
Norway on Thursday, but the<br />
fractious game will be<br />
remembered for Cameroon’s<br />
extraordinary reactions to White’s<br />
goal and a disallowed effort from<br />
Ajara Nchout.<br />
The distraught Cameroon players<br />
twice appeared unwilling to<br />
scheduled to release the money<br />
until later in the year.<br />
The Super Falcons have only<br />
been paid half the N2m (£4,360)<br />
they are owed from previous<br />
international fixtures over<br />
several years.<br />
Five players have now received<br />
their bonuses and allowances.<br />
Due to their threats, the money<br />
is being released in bits by the<br />
NFF.<br />
It is not the first time Nigeria<br />
have protested over unpaid<br />
bonuses - after winning the<br />
Africa Cup of Nations in 2016,<br />
the squad staged a public<br />
demonstration in Abuja, while in<br />
2004, they sat for three days in<br />
their hotel after winning the<br />
Africa title until allowances were<br />
paid.<br />
Germany beat Nigeria 3-0 on<br />
Saturday to reach the World Cup<br />
quarter-finals.<br />
Zenith Bank hails Ikoyi Club swimmers after Swimfest win<br />
that they need to work more as they<br />
can do better than what they have<br />
done.<br />
While also applauding the<br />
sponsor of the club’s swimming<br />
competition, Zenith Bank, for<br />
investing so much in developing<br />
the young minds, he called on<br />
<strong>others</strong> to emulate them and invest<br />
in different sports within the club.<br />
“I am happy we came first again<br />
but I know we can do better,” he<br />
We were not ready —Dennerby<br />
By John Egbokhan, France<br />
Super Falcons manager,<br />
Thomas Dennerby has said<br />
that his team were the finished<br />
product capable of beating twotime<br />
champions Germany in the<br />
FIFA World Cup last 16 tie<br />
weekend at the Stade De Alpes<br />
in Grenoble.<br />
Speaking at the press<br />
conference moments after the<br />
record African champions were<br />
said.<br />
“Some of the events we won silver<br />
and bronze, it would have been<br />
gold, but for me it was a good<br />
outing generally and I want to<br />
applaud all the swimmers for their<br />
performance.<br />
“It is a joy for them winning the<br />
title and for us as a club and we<br />
will continue to do our best to<br />
expose all these young talents to<br />
more championships especially<br />
handed a 3-0 thrashing by<br />
Germany, Dennerby said his<br />
girls gave their all against a<br />
highly rated opposition, who are<br />
ranked second best team in the<br />
world.<br />
“We were not ready for them<br />
in terms of what we have on<br />
ground. We were not attacking<br />
the ball. We were nor taking<br />
risks and we needed to take<br />
risks to get something against<br />
Germany<br />
against top swimmers from<br />
around the world.<br />
“We are looking forward to<br />
having some of them winning<br />
medals at the Commonwealth<br />
Games, the Olympic Games and<br />
also World Championships.<br />
“I really want to praise Zenith<br />
Bank for their support and hope<br />
<strong>others</strong> can come out and do same<br />
thing, not only for swimming, but<br />
for other sports too.”<br />
“We played against the number<br />
two country in the world and at<br />
this stage those things may<br />
count”<br />
Dennerby noted that going<br />
forward that more work would<br />
be done on the players.<br />
“We will keep working hard on<br />
the team and we need to play<br />
more games against teams that<br />
will toughen us up. We need to<br />
make use of all the FIFA dates”.<br />
restart the match, gathering in a<br />
huddle after White’s strike was<br />
given and remonstrating with the<br />
officials further after half-time.<br />
Captain Houghton struck<br />
England’s opener after an early<br />
backpass gave England an indirect<br />
free-kick, before the drama<br />
escalated.<br />
Striker White placed in England’s<br />
second, which was initially ruled<br />
out before the video assistant<br />
referee deemed White to have<br />
been onside, but Cameroon<br />
reacted furiously and gestured to<br />
suggest the big screen’s replays<br />
had indicated differently.<br />
The African side thought they had<br />
pulled a goal back after the break<br />
through Nchout, but their despair<br />
increased when it was disallowed<br />
after a VAR review for an<br />
extremely tight offside call.<br />
England left-back Greenwood<br />
then swept in the Lionesses’ third<br />
to secure a win that saw them<br />
reach at least the last eight of the<br />
competition for a fifth time, and for<br />
the fourth consecutive World Cup.<br />
Lioness of Cameroon<br />
‘That wasn’t<br />
football’ -<br />
England Neville<br />
on fiery<br />
Cameroon game<br />
England boss Phil Neville<br />
described Cameroon’s<br />
behaviour as “unacceptable”<br />
after a World Cup last-16 win<br />
which he said “didn’t feel like<br />
football”.<br />
The Lionesses booked a<br />
quarter-final spot against<br />
Norway after a 3-0 win.<br />
But the game was marred by<br />
Cameroon’s extraordinary<br />
reaction to two video assistant<br />
referee decisions and several<br />
poor challenges on England’s<br />
players.<br />
“I’m afraid today we saw<br />
behaviour that was<br />
unacceptable on the football<br />
field,” Neville told the BBC.<br />
“At times, we probably didn’t<br />
know whether the game<br />
would continue.<br />
“It didn’t feel like football. It<br />
was a good win but that wasn’t<br />
a World Cup last-16 tie in<br />
terms of behaviour that I want<br />
to see from footballers.<br />
“This is going out worldwide.<br />
I didn’t enjoy it, the players<br />
didn’t enjoy it. My players<br />
kept their concentration<br />
fantastically, but those images<br />
are going out worldwide about<br />
how to act, the young girls<br />
playing all over the world that<br />
are seeing that behaviour. For<br />
me, it’s not right.<br />
Neville
44— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr was impressed by the performance of<br />
Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi as Nigeria began their<br />
•Dan<br />
campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory against a hardworking<br />
Burundi team on Saturday.<br />
It was an open secret before this evening’s match that Rohr had planned to name<br />
the oldest squad member in the starting line-up as he started the Super Eagles last<br />
three fixtures against Egypt, Zimbabwe and Senegal.<br />
Despite making one or two gaffes during the game, Akpeyi had a decent game<br />
and the highlight of his performance was when he pulled off a brilliant save to deny<br />
Amissi Cedric from opening the scoring in the 14th minute.<br />
‘’Good win, we did what we had to<br />
do, it wasn’t beautiful but the win is more<br />
important,’’<br />
Rohr told reporters at the post-match<br />
Afcon 2019: Musa, p r e s s conference.<br />
‘ ’ W e couldn’t make changes because a lot<br />
Ighalo should ‘ve started of our players<br />
were sick or injured. But we will<br />
improve in<br />
the next games.<br />
against Burundi —Yobo ‘’Akpeyi<br />
didn’t concede a goal and I have been<br />
impressed<br />
with what I’ve seen from him in the<br />
ormer Nigeria captain Joseph past Yobofew weeks.’’<br />
Fbelieves Ahmed Musa and Akpeyi Odion<br />
was third choice in Rohr’s pecking<br />
Ighalo should have been included order in the of goalkeepers at the 2018 World Cup<br />
starting XI against Burundi on Saturday. and last started a competitive match for the<br />
The introduction of the two players Sboosted<br />
u p e r<br />
Eagles against South Africa two<br />
the Super Eagles’ charge to secure a years 1-0 win<br />
Odion, Musa<br />
ago<br />
prior to today’s match vs Burundi.<br />
over Olivier Niyungeko’s side.<br />
With the score tied at 0-0, Musa was<br />
introduced for captain John Obi Mikel in the Ndidi named man of the match<br />
58th minute while Ighalo replaced Paul<br />
Onuachu in the 73rd minute.<br />
Four minutes after his introduction, the<br />
in Nigeria’s AFCON win<br />
Shanghai Shenhua attacker broke the ilfred Ndidi produced a man-of-the-match performance as<br />
deadlock at the Alexandria Stadium after WNigeria beat Burundi 1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations<br />
receiving a delightful backheel pass from Ola opener on Saturday evening.<br />
Aina.<br />
The Leicester City midfielder produced a tidy display in<br />
In his reaction to the result, Yobo identified Alexandria, Egypt, and was named the game’s star player as<br />
Musa and Ighalo as important players in Nigeria clinched the three points late on, former Watford striker<br />
Gernot Rohr’s squad who would have given Odion Ighalo coming off the bench to score with 13 minutes to<br />
the team a strong start in the first half. play.<br />
“The two players who came on in the The result gives the Super Eagles the early lead in Group B<br />
second half should have started the game and with 16 of the 24 teams at the tournament qualifying for the<br />
because they have the experience, Ighalo and knockout rounds, Ndidi and co. likely need just one point from<br />
Musa. Ighalo with his experience at the their final two pool fixtures, against Guinea and Madagascar, to<br />
World Cup and everything,” Yobo said. ensure they progress.<br />
“These are new players coming in, With Kelechi<br />
sometimes they don’t have the structure. The Iheanacho left out,<br />
structure that is there when you take out two Ndidi is the only City<br />
of the most important players in the team. player in the Nigeria<br />
Musa is important and Ighalo is the main squad.<br />
man that everything has to go around with However, he is not<br />
his performance in the qualifiers.<br />
the only City player at<br />
“Sometimes when you see these players Afcon. Islam Slimani,<br />
not started, it takes time for the team to get who spent last season<br />
used to a new pattern of play and that’s what on loan at<br />
we saw in the first half.<br />
Fenerbahce, is in<br />
•Ndidi<br />
“The second half, when the changes were action on Sunday.<br />
made, we got better. It doesn’t mean those Ndidi is back in<br />
that started the game are not very good as action against Guinea<br />
well but sometimes coming into the Afcon, on Wednesday<br />
you’re building a new team.<br />
(3.30pm kick-off).<br />
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS<br />
Bazuaye asks Nigerians to be patient with the Eagles<br />
•Bazuaye<br />
ormer Nigeria international,<br />
FBaldwin Bazuaye has<br />
admonished Nigerians not to be too<br />
hard on the Super Eagles after they<br />
struggled to beat minnows,<br />
Swallows of Burundi 1-0 in their<br />
Group B opener at the 2019 Africa<br />
Cup of Nations in Egypt.<br />
Odion Ighalo, who came in as a<br />
second-half substitute, saved the<br />
Eagles blushes with the only goal<br />
of the game in the 77th minute after<br />
a creative assist from Ola Aina.<br />
Bazuaye who is now a coach with<br />
Bendel Insurance feels the Eagles<br />
cannot be judged on the<br />
performance in one match and that<br />
Nigerians must be patient with the<br />
team to ensure that they improve in<br />
their next fixture with Guinea.<br />
“I will say the three points are<br />
more important than anything else<br />
irrespective of how the points were<br />
got,” Bazuaye told Goal.<br />
“The Eagles struggled against<br />
Burundi because it was their first<br />
game and their opponents came all<br />
out to prove a point. I expect the<br />
Eagles game to improve better than<br />
this in the next game.<br />
“I want to appeal to Nigerians to<br />
be mindful of what they say and try<br />
to be patient with this team. Football<br />
is evolving on the continent every<br />
day and the bridge between the<br />
minnows and the favourites is<br />
Musa: I wasn’t in shape to start against Burundi<br />
•Musa<br />
Akpeyi impresses Rohr against Burundi<br />
uper Eagles number 7 Ahmed<br />
SMusa has explained why he did<br />
not start the Africa Cup of Nations<br />
opener against Burundi on<br />
Saturday evening, admitting that<br />
he was not in tip-top condition.<br />
The former Leicester City striker<br />
was among the Super Eagles<br />
players that fell ill during the<br />
second phase of preparations in<br />
Ismailia.<br />
Rohr’s decision to start an injured<br />
Abdullahi Shehu, who is Musa’s<br />
close pal, later backfired on the<br />
German as the Bursaspor defender<br />
was unable to complete the first half.<br />
‘’Every first game in a tournament<br />
almost closing up. We got the three<br />
points and emphasis should be on<br />
correcting the loopholes noticed and<br />
seeking improvement against<br />
Guinea.”<br />
The soft-spoken coach, however,<br />
believed that Nigerians are yet to<br />
see the true potential of the Eagles<br />
and the best time to assess them<br />
would be at the end of the group<br />
stage matches.<br />
“I still think that we are yet to see<br />
the real Super Eagles and if we<br />
remain calm, we will be able to see<br />
that after the first round games,” he<br />
continued.<br />
“The main objective of the first<br />
game was just to record a win<br />
because a winning start will calm<br />
the players down and it will make<br />
them play without anxiety in the<br />
second game. I want to see the real<br />
Eagles as from the game with<br />
Guinea, who remain our biggest<br />
threat in the group.”<br />
is very difficult, the most important<br />
thing is that we have the three points,’’<br />
Musa told reporters in the mixed<br />
zone.<br />
‘’I was eager to come in but I know<br />
that I fell ill, so the coach talked to<br />
me. As you can see Shehu too was ill.<br />
At the beginning of the game he was<br />
injured, so that’s what the coach was<br />
a little bit worried about that.<br />
‘’Finally I came in and the the game<br />
changed and we had the three points,<br />
that’s the most important thing.’’<br />
Musa came off the bench in the 58th<br />
minute as replacement for former<br />
Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel.<br />
Nigeria v Burundi player ratings:<br />
Aina shines, Mikel, Akpeyi underwhelm<br />
#1 Daniel Akpeyi: 4.5/10<br />
Made a crucial save to prevent Burundi going ahead early<br />
on, but seemed less assured as the game went on, and by the<br />
end of it had returned to his error-prone best. Gave away a<br />
corner needlessly, and dropped an easy cross late in the game.<br />
#2 Abdullahi Shehu: 4/10<br />
Looked off-colour and off the pace. Indecisive in engaging<br />
the man in possession on his flank, and limited in his use of<br />
the ball. Subbed off injured just before half-time.<br />
#3 William Troost-Ekong: 5/10<br />
Solid performance by the Udinese man. Might have done<br />
better by keeping tabs on Amissi for his chance in the first<br />
half. Also wasn’t always spot-on with his timing, and<br />
struggled to get to grips with Fiston Abdul Razak. His passing<br />
is much improved.<br />
#4 Kenneth Omeruo: 6.5/10<br />
Not the most elegant on the ball, but he is effective. Got his<br />
body between the ball and the goal well time and again,<br />
might have scored at the other end, and was on point when<br />
he needed to go to ground.<br />
#5 Ola Aina: 9/10<br />
Masterful performance from Aina, who has finally arrived in<br />
a Nigeria shirt. His assist was a thing of pure genius, but his<br />
work in possession was without flaw, and he was decisive in<br />
the tackle.<br />
#6 Oghenekaro Etebo: 6.5/10<br />
Gernot Rohr persists in playing him in a deep role which doesn’t<br />
really suit him, but his energy was crucial here, even if his<br />
passing was not always imaginative. Often wound up the<br />
deepest player, and played with composure and poise.<br />
#7 Wilfred Ndidi: 6/10<br />
Typical Ndidi performance: busy, bustling, putting his foot<br />
in. Lost out on a few physical challenges however, which is<br />
rather less characteristic.<br />
#8 John Obi Mikel: 4.5/10<br />
Much has been made of Mikel’s return, but not his finest<br />
hour with the Super Eagles on the night. Clearly struggled to<br />
interpret his role, and slowed the play down much too often.<br />
A marker of his ineffectiveness that the team perked up when<br />
he went off.<br />
#9 Alex Iwobi: 7/10<br />
Looked the likeliest to make something happen in the first<br />
half, and a delightful turn set up Samuel Chukwueze for the<br />
best chance of the opening period. Put in a number of teasing<br />
deliveries which were not taken advantage of, unfortunately.<br />
His quick feet helped up the pressure in the second half.<br />
#10 Samuel Chukwueze: 7/10<br />
Carried the fight all game long, taking players on and causing<br />
danger despite being double-teamed. Should have scored from<br />
Iwobi’s sublime work As the team’s attacking emphasis shifted<br />
left in the second half, he was understandably less visible.<br />
#11 Paul Onuachu: 5/10<br />
Solid, if unspectacular competitive debut for Onuachu. The<br />
team was just not set up right to profit from his strengths.<br />
Might want the header he put over the top in the first-half<br />
back.<br />
#12 Ahmed Musa: 5/10<br />
Immediately got in behind with his pace on a few occasions,<br />
something the team lacked in the first-half. His deliveries,<br />
however, left a bit to be desired. Also guilty of clogging the<br />
middle at some points.<br />
#13 Chidozie Awaziem: 4.5/10<br />
Gave away a number of threatening free-kicks, and was limited<br />
in possession. Very much a centre-back playing out of position,<br />
and it showed.<br />
#14 Odion Ighalo: 6/10<br />
Took his goal extremely well, and his movement in the leadup<br />
was superb. Offered a different sort of threat than Onuachu<br />
did. His touch was a tad heavy on occasion though.<br />
•Rohr<br />
•Akpeyi<br />
•Abdullahi<br />
•Ekong<br />
•Omeruo<br />
•Aina<br />
•Etebo<br />
•Mikel<br />
•Iwobi<br />
•Chukwueze<br />
•Musa<br />
Winning first match is<br />
key —Rohr<br />
igeria national team manager Gernot Rohr says<br />
Nwinning their opening match at the 2019 Africa<br />
Cup of Nations will be key to their hopes.<br />
The Super Eagles will open their Group B campaign<br />
with a clash against Burundi in Alexandria this<br />
evening, with the three-time Nations Cup champions<br />
heavy favourites to claim all three points.<br />
“Beating Burundi in the first game will help<br />
stabilise the team,” Rohr said in his pre-match press<br />
conference.<br />
“But we are aware that at this point every team<br />
wants to establish its supremacy in the first game<br />
and so Burundi will not be an easy task. We are ready<br />
to face any opponent in Egypt.<br />
“My major target now is to get the team to work as<br />
a unit and be psychologically prepared to win the<br />
first game against Burundi.<br />
“Winning the first game is very important for the<br />
Eagles because it would instil more confidence in<br />
the players.”<br />
Rohr’s counterpart, Olivier Niyungeko, has spoken<br />
of the Swallows’ confidence ahead of what will be<br />
their first match in AFCON tournament history.<br />
“When you get to this stage of the competition –<br />
you are free to dream for greater things,” he told<br />
Foot224.<br />
“You don’t have to go there [the AFCON] saying ‘I<br />
am with the top teams’. Qualifying to the tournament<br />
is not an easy thing. I tell my players, ‘you can achieve<br />
something great’.<br />
“We have to show that what we did [in the qualifiers]<br />
was not by luck.<br />
“We have to face every game with confidence in<br />
order to win matches.”
Man Utd<br />
players<br />
want Pogba<br />
to leave<br />
M<br />
anchester<br />
United’s firstteam<br />
players believe Paul<br />
Pogba should leave Old<br />
Trafford this summer for the good<br />
of the club.<br />
The France international admitted<br />
for the first time earlier this month<br />
that he is open to quitting United, three<br />
years after joining from Juventus in<br />
a then-record £89m move.<br />
Interest has been shown by Real<br />
Madrid and ex-team Juve, but the Red<br />
Devils are rumoured to be holding<br />
out for a £160m offer.<br />
Pogba remains a popular member<br />
of the dressing room but there is an<br />
acceptance that the 26-year-old must<br />
be sold if there is to be a fresh start<br />
under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.<br />
United’s stars do not want the<br />
transfer saga to rumble on much<br />
longer so that they can all fully focus<br />
on the season ahead.<br />
Neymar<br />
Pogba<br />
Barcelona unwilling<br />
to meet PSG price<br />
for Neymar<br />
•Except he takes a pay cut<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—45<br />
CUT ABOVE<br />
Mata took £45,000-a-week pay CUT to sign<br />
new deal and stay at Man Utd<br />
The Spaniard, 31, agreed<br />
a 25 per cent reduction,<br />
from £180,000-a-week to<br />
£135,000, to seal a two-year deal<br />
rather than one.<br />
A source said: “Juan loves playing<br />
at United and is happy in<br />
Manchester.<br />
“He feared he would need to<br />
Barcelona are unwilling to match<br />
Paris Saint-Germain’s asking<br />
price for superstar forward Neymar.<br />
PSG are open to selling any players who do<br />
not want to be at the club - a category that<br />
former Barca ace Neymar is believed to fit into.<br />
The Brazil international swapped Camp Nou<br />
for the Parc des Princes two years ago but is<br />
rumoured to be pushing for a return.<br />
Spanish outlet Marca suggests that a move is<br />
unlikely to go through, however, as PSG expect<br />
the deal to set them back •600m (£537m) over<br />
the next five years, which includes a •250m<br />
(£224m) upfront payment.<br />
Barcelona president Josep Maria<br />
Bartomeu acknowledges that the<br />
club are not in a financial position<br />
to pay that amount of money, it is<br />
claimed, though there is still hope<br />
that they can convince Neymar to<br />
take a pay cut.<br />
move because he didn’t want to<br />
sign for just 12 months. But his<br />
advisors and the club hammered<br />
out a deal.”<br />
Mata signed from Chelsea in<br />
2014 for £37.1million.<br />
United are also ready to trigger<br />
their 12-month option on Marcus<br />
Rashford’s contract.<br />
And they confirmed the return<br />
of Richard Hartis, part of Sir Alex<br />
Ferguson’s 2008 Champions<br />
League-winning backroom staff,<br />
as senior goalkeeping coach.<br />
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has recruited<br />
his trusted ally from the<br />
England youth set-up as he continues<br />
his shake-up at Old Trafford.<br />
Mata<br />
Sarri expects 40 goals<br />
from Ronaldo next season<br />
Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez<br />
is set to leave Newcastle<br />
United when his contract<br />
expires next weekend after<br />
failing to agree a new deal,<br />
according to latest reports.<br />
The Toon boss is weighing up<br />
a lucrative offer from Chinese<br />
Super League side Dalian<br />
Yifang reported to be worth<br />
£30million a year - five times<br />
his current salary.<br />
But Benitez has been courted<br />
before by Chinese clubs, and<br />
while this dwarfs previous<br />
TEARING IT UP<br />
Torres breaks down in tears at<br />
retirement press conference<br />
•Names Gerrard as best ever team-mate<br />
FERNANDO TORRES broke<br />
down in tears as he said an<br />
emotional goodbye to football<br />
- then named Steven Gerrard as his<br />
greatest team-mate.<br />
The Spaniard held a press<br />
conference yesterday to explain why<br />
he is hanging up his boots.<br />
Torres, 35, spent 18 years as a<br />
professional, winning the World Cup,<br />
two Euros, the Champions League,<br />
two Europa Leagues and the FA Cup<br />
in a stellar career.<br />
But out of all the fine players he lined<br />
up alongside for Atletico Madrid,<br />
Liverpool, Chelsea and of course Spain,<br />
he reckons Stevie G was the best of the<br />
lot, despite not winning any silverware<br />
with the now-Rangers boss.<br />
Fighting back the waterworks in<br />
Tokyo, El Nino said: “I always say the<br />
best player I played with is Steven<br />
Gerrard.<br />
“I found he was the player who<br />
completed my game. I think my level<br />
got into a different dimension when I<br />
was on the pitch with him.<br />
Benitez set to leave Newcastle<br />
after failing to agree new contract<br />
offers of £10m-a-year and £8.6m-a-year<br />
respectively from Shanghai SIPG and<br />
Evergrande, it is believed it will take<br />
something special to prise former Liverpool<br />
and Chelsea boss Benitez away from Europe.<br />
The 59-year-old has won a trophy at every<br />
club he has managed in the last 18 years -<br />
including Real Madrid , Inter Milan,<br />
Valencia and Napoli.<br />
And he will not be short of offers if he does<br />
leave Newcastle as expected.<br />
Benitez<br />
Sarri<br />
Maurizio Sarri has already set about making<br />
Juventus plans for next season and made a<br />
personal trip to visit talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, who<br />
is holidaying with family on board a luxury yacht.<br />
Sarri headed out to speak to Ronaldo in Navarino on<br />
the Peloponnese coast, to introduce himself and talk<br />
through tactics and goal-scoring expectations for next<br />
season. And it’s a high number he is demanding from<br />
the former Real Madrid man.<br />
Italian publication Gazetta dello Sport claim Sarri<br />
has told Ronaldo his new-look Juve will be built around<br />
him, though he expects a mammoth 40-goal haul next<br />
season after making a ‘tactical move’ to play the forward<br />
in his most effective advanced role.<br />
Having taken over at the Juve helm following one<br />
season in the Premier League with Chelsea, Sarri has<br />
already started to map out his project in Turin and wishes<br />
for Ronaldo to be the crown jewel.<br />
Sarri was recently unveiled at the Allianz Stadium<br />
and wasted no time in name-dropping Ronaldo and<br />
praising his newly inherited superstar.<br />
At his introductory press conference on Thursday,<br />
Sarri noted a desire to see Ronaldo break more records.<br />
Among those in his sights, Sarri wants the former<br />
Real Madrid man to aim for the Serie A single season<br />
goalscoring record of 36 which was set by Gonzalo<br />
Higuain under Sarri’s guidance at Napoli.<br />
Sarri was also able to meet some of Ronaldo’s wider<br />
circle of friends and his family, including his young<br />
children and partner Georgina Rodriguez.<br />
Juve have already added to their ranks with the capture<br />
of Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer from Arsenal.<br />
The Old Lady are also sensationally tipped to win the<br />
race for defender Matthijs de Ligt, with reports in Italy<br />
claiming the Dutchman has picked Sarri’s side over the<br />
likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain.<br />
Federer sends a warning to his Wimbledon rivals as he wins record 10th Halle title<br />
Roger Federer set another<br />
benchmark in his remarkable<br />
career by winning his 10th Halle<br />
Open title yesterday.<br />
The Swiss great defeated David<br />
Goffin 7-6 (2), 6-1 to extend his<br />
record of wins at the grass-court<br />
tournament and claim his 10th at an<br />
individual event for the first time.<br />
Only Rafael Nadal had previously<br />
achieved the feat in the Open era.<br />
Goffin, who was playing in his first<br />
final since 2017, made life difficult<br />
for Federer in the first set, forcing<br />
him to save three break points without<br />
having to face any of his own.<br />
However, the world No 3 upped his level<br />
in the tie break and maintained it from<br />
there to win his 102nd tour-level title in<br />
just over an hour.<br />
It’s Federer’s 19th on grass, ideal<br />
preparation for Wimbledon, which the 37-<br />
year-old hopes to win for a ninth time.<br />
Federer first played the Halle Open as<br />
an 18-year-old in 2000, when both his<br />
current coach, Ivan Ljubicic, and Goffin’s<br />
coach, Thomas Johansson, played it too.<br />
Ronaldo
46—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019—47
Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2019<br />
TODAY’S PUZZLE<br />
Sudoku<br />
FRIDAY’S ANSWER<br />
TODAY’S CROSSWORD<br />
QUICK CROSSWORD<br />
THURSDAY’S SOLUTION<br />
How to Play Sudoku<br />
ACROSS<br />
1 Greatest possible quantity (7)<br />
5 Cringe (5)<br />
8 Distinguishing feature (5)<br />
9 Not artificial (7)<br />
10 Pudding or sweet course (7)<br />
11 Loathed (5)<br />
12 Garbage (6)<br />
14 Chaffed, teased (6)<br />
18 Lariat (5)<br />
20 Robbers (7)<br />
22 Culinary art (7)<br />
23 Large striped cat (5)<br />
24 Americans (5)<br />
25 Duke's wife (7)<br />
DOWN<br />
1 Bullfighter (7)<br />
2 Skeletal pictures (5)<br />
3 Fingerless gloves (7)<br />
4 Extremely small (6)<br />
5 Capture (5)<br />
6 Fine wool fabric (7)<br />
7 Governed (5)<br />
13 Mode (7)<br />
15 Foolish (7)<br />
16 Forsakes (7)<br />
17 Be present (6)<br />
18 Fortunate (5)<br />
19 Leaves out (5)<br />
21 Hazy (5)<br />
Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two<br />
of the same number).<br />
Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines<br />
from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine<br />
blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no<br />
number can appear twice in any block, column or row.<br />
No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or<br />
multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.<br />
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:<br />
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<br />
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,<br />
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.