03072019 - Buhari's Ruga policy, an explosive issue — SOYINKA

E-DAILY 

4 

Prominent 

pastors’ silence 

over Busola 

Dakolo’s rape 

saga odd 

— Ali Baba 

Violence, cause of 

inconclusive elections 

in Nigeria — INEC 

•Requests case files from 

Police to prosecute 

offenders 8 

40 

Offshore 

banking and 

money 

laundering (3) 

How financial 

demands made 

Abiola allow 

associates serve 

Abacha — Osoba 

Foreign investments into Nigeria rise by 34% in Q1’19 19 

11 

VOL. 26: NO. 63845 WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

Buhari's Ruga policy, an 

explosive issue — SOYINKA 

•Says he should've lost at the polls; no society where cattle take priority over humans 

•Benue govt heads to S-Court; Falana urges compliance with S/Court ruling 

•No land for Ruga here — Rivers; INC warns S-South, Ondo govs 

•Herdsmen threatening staff, students, says UNILORIN DVC 9 

‘For me, he deserved — and I have written this down — to have lost the last election 

if only on account of the lackadaisical attitude which he took to the issue of cattlerearers. 

People have been killed in hundreds till today and it is only because of the 

failure of leadership at the critical time.’ — SOYINKA 

BUHARI SUPPORT GROUP 

STORY 

ON PAGE 

5 

Endangered 

airspace? 

Vanguard investigations 

have revealed that many 

airports in Nigeria still 

lack instrument landing 

systems, ILS, and other 

navigational aids. As 

flight operations in 

adverse weather 

conditions trigger anxiety 

among air travelers, 

relevant aviation 

authorities are urged to 

act fast and get ILS 

installed in ALL our 

airports. Read the report 

tomorrow (Wednesday). 

Uniquely Vanguard! 

Seaports shut 

as maritime 

workers begin 

nationwide 

strike 

President Muhammadu Buhari (3rd left), flanked by the Director General, Buhari Support Group Centre, Alhaji Umaru Dembo 

(2nd left); the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari (3r), while from the left, member, Board of Trustees, Alhaji 

Buhari Bala; the SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapher and the North East Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim El-Zubair, during an audience 

to present a proposal drawn up by the support group to the President at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi 

Adeshida. 

My 2nd term 

team must 

be formidable 

— Buhari 

COLUMNISTS 

9 

PRINCEWILL 

Death toll in Benue 

petrol tanker 

explosion rises to 45, 

including pregnant 

woman, 2 children 

17 

FASAN 

6 

I won’t accept 

adversarial, rancorous 

Senate — Lawan 8 

*Why we didn’t announce 

principal officers, says Gbaja 

DEAR BUNMI 

31 37 

SEE 

INSIDE 

Mr & Mrs

2—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 — 3

4— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

Prominent pastors’ 

silence over Busola 

Dakolo’s rape saga 

odd — Alibaba 

Veteran comedian and business man, Alibaba, 

has shared his thoughts on the rape 

allegation singer, Timi Dakolo’s wife, 

Busola Dakolo, levelled against the 

General Overseer, Commonwealth of 

Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor 

Biodun Fatoyinbo, in a viral video 

interview which surfaced on 

social media during the early 

hours of Friday, June 28, 2019. 

While refusing to take sides 

with either Busola or Pastor 

•Alibaba 

Fatoyinbo, the humour 

merchant frowned at 

prominent Nigerian 

pastors who have 

maintained silence ever 

since news of the matter 

broke on the internet. In 

his opinion, their silence 

is rather odd than normal. 

“It’s a bit odd that many 

pastors of prominent 

churches are mute on this 

topic of rape. It makes me wonder what 

is really happening. When it’s a political 

subject they all lend their voices, now its rape in 

the church but they are all mute. When it comes 

to preaching against what members of the 

congregations are doing wrong, it’s in Volumes 1, 

2 and 3. Fornication, smoking, indecent dressing, 

drinking, night clubbing, polygamy, divorce, 

robbery, domestic violence, terrorism, being 

stingy, racism, corruption, greed, 

homosexuality, adultery, mixing with bad 

gang. But touch not the Lord’s anointed 

and do my prophets no harm”, he said. 

Though the Senior Pastor of Covenant 

Christian Centre, Lagos, Pastor Poju 

Oyemade has broken silence on the 

matter, the likes of Pastor Williams 

Kumuyi, General Overseer, Deeper 

Christian Life Ministry, Bishop David 

Oyedepo, General Overseer, Living Faith 

Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General 

Overseer, The Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, alongside many other 

prominent Nigerian pastors have 

refused to speak on the matter. 

•2Baba 

•Burna Boy 

Pop star, Innocent Idibia, a.k.a 2Face, now fondly 

called ‘2Baba’, has landed a juicy endorsement deal 

with real estate brand, Pazino Homes and Gardens 

as he has been unveiled as the company’s Brand 

Ambassador. 

The unveiling which took place at an intimate event 

tagged ‘Exclusive Soiree with 2Baba’ with 

stakeholders in the technology, marketing, capital 

BBNAIJA 2019: This season bigger, better, 

hotter — John Ugbe, CEO, Multichoice 

•As 21 housemates battle for N60m grand prize 

The fourth edition of popular 

reality TV show, Big Brother 

Naija 2019 finally kicked off on 

Sunday, here in Nigeria with a live 

show. 

Nigerians all over the world were 

excited to view the beginning of a 

show which promises to be 

characterized by hilarious drama, 

suspense, intriguing surprises, 

unexpected evictions, among many 

other twists and turns. 

Tagged ‘Pepper Dem’, twenty-one 

housemates including Seyi, Esther, 

Ella, Frodd, Omashola, Avala, Khafi, 

Ike, Tuoyo, Kimoprah, Isilomo, 

Jackye, Khafi, Nelson, Sir Dee, 

Thelma, Gedoni, Diane, Mercy, 

Tacha, Mike and Jeff, were unveiled 

at the launch, alongside a 

surprise announcement that the 

show has been extended by one 

week; taking the new season to 

99-days in total. 

Highlights for the night were 

the mind-blowing musical 

performances from awardwinning 

artistes Burna Boy, 

alongside Zlatan, Teni and DJ 

Neptune entertaining the crowd 

as the night’s resident DJ. Burna 

Boy delivered a truly Nigerian 

musical experience with hits like 

‘Dangote’, ‘On the low’ and ‘Killin 

Dem’. Teni’s consolidated on the 

tempo he set with the 

performance of her hit song ‘Uyo 

Meyo’ which got guests extra 

Celebrities 

have no right 

to judge 

Pastor 

Biodun 

Fatoyinbo 

— Kizz Daniel 

When the news broke that the 

General Overseer of 

Commonwealth of Zion Assembly 

(COZA), Pastor Biodun 

Fatoyinbo, allegedly raped 

Timi Dakolo’s wife, Busola 

Dakolo, 20-years ago, it 

sparked off deep empathy 

from a number of Nigerian celebrities 

including Davido, Simi, Adekunle 

Gold, Banky W, Kemi Adetiba, Kemi 

Olunloyo, Stella Damasus, among 

many others. 

However, such is not the case with 

popular Nigerian Afro-pop music star, 

Kizz Daniel, as he has stated that the 

empathy celebrities have been 

showing ever since has been more of 

subjective/sentimental empathy rather 

than from objective reasoning. 

According to the ‘Woju’ crooner who 

described the guilty celebrities as 

‘Brainless’, none of them have the right 

to judge Pastor Fatoyinbo or take sides 

with Busola Dakolo until the true story 

has been established. 

“Wizkid is the only celebrity in 

Nigeria that has brain, the rest of them 

are brainless. All you care about is 

social media trends, hypocrites. Rape 

or no rape, you don’t have the right to 

accuse Mr. Biodun because you all have 

no proof but statements from a woman 

that just obviously needs fame. Instead 

of creating trends and protest against 

no light, water, education, good health 

center in our country Nigeria you all 

hypocrites decided to make trend for a 

rape case without proof. I am 

disappointed in all the celebrities that 

support this trend. Because if this 

woman that’s accused of rape is not a 

celebrity or you know you won’t gain 

more publicity by making this rape case 

trend you won’t even post shit. 

Hypocrites”, he said on the Instagram 

page dedicated to his record label, 

Flyboy INC. 

2Baba lands endorsement 

deal with real estate firm 

management, law, real estate, 

media and of course, entertainment 

sector in attendance, saw the MD/ 

CEO, Pazino Homes and 

Gardens, Patrick Agbaza make 

the big announcement. 

In his remarks, Patrick Agbaza 

expressed delight with the 

signing of a brand as solid, 

endearing and enduring as 

2Baba and welcomed him to the 

Pazino family which already has 

Super Falcons jewel, 

Azeezat Oshuola. 

“Our commitment to 

delivering the most reliable 

and profitable real estate 

solutions to Nigerians at 

home and abroad remains 

unwavering. The unveiling of 2Baba is a pointer 

to where the business is headed as it positions 

to offer discerning investors a unique 

opportunity to own a piece of the future”, he 

said. Dignitaries at the event include members 

of Pazino staff; Mr Patrick Agbaza, MD; Mr 

Adesoji Ogunbanwo, director of operations, 

Madam Abbey Soyemi, head of 

excited as they welcomed the 

housemates. 

Speaking on the return 

of the show, John 

Ugbe, C.E.O. of 

Multichoice said; 

“We’re proud of the 

work everyone has 

delivered to bring 

this show to 

viewers’ television 

screens and 

devices. Our 

customers are in for 

a treat and this 

season is going to be 

even bigger, hotter 

and more importantly, 

it’s taking place right 

•Latoya 

here in Nigeria.” 

•Kizz 

business development; Mr Austin, head 

accountant; Mr John Uwendi, head Pazino 

property business network, Mr. Rufus, Madam 

Aneke, head property department, etc. 

Investigate properly before 

arresting musicians 

— singer, Latoya tells EFCC 

Though fast rising Afro-beat musician, Lateef 

Adeyemi Adedapo, a.k.a, Latoya, takes 

education very seriously and plans to sponsor kids 

to school in the nearest future, after spending 

quality number of years in bagging a degree in 

Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, from the 

University of Lagos, he dumped the idea of securing 

a lucrative white collar job for the music-making 

craft. 

Speaking on his decision to do music as a career 

in a chat with E-Daily, he said; “I didn’t start music 

at a young age like most people did, I started just a 

few months ago but what really inspired me was 

the people around me, my TMR family, they kept 

pushing me that I could do it and now I do this for 

them.” 

The singer, who is currently promoting his latest 

project titled ‘Desire’, also noted that contrary to 

public belief that Burna Boy, Kizz Daniel and 

Mayorkun are the kings of new school music in 

Nigeria, he is. 

“No, I don’t agree with crowning Burna Boy, 

Mayorkun, and Kizz Daniel as kings of new school 

music in Nigeria because I’m king. If you can get 

up on your feet and move to it. Then its good 

music”, he said. 

Sharing his thought on how the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operate, 

he had a few words of advice for the anti-graft 

agency. 

“With much power comes great 

responsibility. I believe the EFCC are just 

doing their job but if you have no probable 

cause to detain a suspect then that’s where 

the line should be drawn. Because a person 

lives a questionable lifestyle doesn’t make 

him a criminal. Investigate and get your facts 

right before placing an arrest or ruining a 

person’s image”, he said. 

However, he said, 

“I believe this is an issue of choice. We all 

have free will to either use something 

positively or negatively. Music has nothing 

to do with the corruption of youths, if 

anything it’s what brings people together.”

vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 — 5 

NEWS HOTLINES 

POCKET CARTOON 

018773962, 

@vanguardnews 08052867058 

HRM Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II with on HRM’s left, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, District Grand master; on 

the right next to the scepter bearer is Busola Holloway, Deputy District Grand master, during the Oba of 

Benin's visit to the Lodge’s Temple in Benin City. 



By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, S- 

South, Dapo 

Akinrefon, Gabriel 

Ewepu, Chinonso 

Alozie, Olayinka 

Ajayi & Odera 

Ebeze 

LAGOS — Outrage 

trailing introduction 

of the Ruga settlements 

policy continued 

yesterday, with Nobel 

Laureate, Professor Wole 

Soyinka, saying it’s going 

to be an explosive issue, 

adding that the President 

ought to have lost the last 

elections on account of 

the “lackadaisical attitude 

which he took to the issue 

of cattle-rearers.” 

He also wondered if 

there was any society 

where cattle take priority 

over human beings. 

Soyinka spoke as Benue 

State Government 

yesterday disclosed its 

decision to approach the 

Supreme Court to stop the 

Federal Government from 

going ahead with the 

project in the state, even 

as the Rivers State 

Government vowed never 

to participate in the 

project. 

Similarly, Igbo National 

Council, INC, and Ijaw 

Youth Council warned that 

no land would be made 

available in their 

territories for the project, 

just as former Deputy 

National Chairman of 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Chief Olabode 

George, faulted the 

timing of introduction of 

the project, saying it was 

suspicious. 

Soyinka, who was a 

special guest at the official 

launch of Solution 17 for 

Sustainable Development 

Goals , an initiative 

geared towards youth 

empowerment in Lagos 

yesterday, maintained 

that the practice of 

herders’ settlement across 

Nigeria was neither 

strange nor mysterious. 

‘Ruga, and 

explosive issue’ 

Fielding questions from 

newsmen, he said: “Ruga 

is going to be an 

explosive issue and it had 

better be handled very 

carefully. Why is it that we 

fail to take our models 

from successful 

performers? And then, 

Buhari took such a long 

time. For me, he deserved 

— and I have written this 

down — to have lost the 

last election if only on 

account of the 

lackadaisical attitude 

which he took to the issue 

of cattle-rearers. People 

have been killed in 

hundreds till today and it 

is only because of the 

failure of leadership at the 

critical time. 

“There are ways in 

which people deal, and 

have dealt for decades — 

for centuries with cattle 

everywhere. I travel 

everywhere. It is nothing 

so strange; there is 

nothing mysterious about 

cattle rearing. 

“Why should cattle 

become a problem just 

because we like to eat 

beef? I don’t understand 

it. There are solutions 

which are very simple. 

People have talked about 

ranching, but the 

ranching has got to be 

done in places which are 

environmentally 

congenial to that 

particular kind of trade 

and at the same time do 

not afflict humanity. 

“What’s the point in 

trying to provide food and 

the food chokes us; which 

is what cattle and cattlerearers 

have been doing? 

We have a situation 

where cattle walk up to 

my own door in Abeokuta 

which is supposed to be 

a residential area. 

“There is a problem 

when cattle go to Ijebu- 

Ode and eat up Sodipe’s 

(a furniture maker’s) 

planted seedlings; and 

this is someone who is 

working towards a 

guaranteed environment 

by planting trees to 

replace the trees (timber) 

which he has used. Then 

cattle come and eat up all 

of that and you expect 

people to sit down and be 

quiet? 

“That is the most 

important thing and the 

cattle rearers have been 

given a sense of impunity: 

they kill without any 

compunction; they drive 

farmers also who are 

contributing to the food 

solution of the country 

away; burn their crops; eat 

their crops; and then you 

come with Ruga. 

“I think there is going 

to be trouble in this 

country if this cattlerearing 

issue is not 

handled imaginatively 

and with humanity as the 

priority. There cannot be 

any kind of society where 

cattle take priority over 

human beings. It is as 

elementary as that”. 

Benue govt 

heads to S-Court 

In a similar 

development, Benue 

State Government 

yesterday disclosed its 

decision to approach the 

Supreme Court to stop the 

Federal Government from 

going ahead with the 

project in the state. 

Chief Press Secretary, 

CPS, to the state 

governor, Terve Akase, 

who disclosed this while 

speaking on African 

Independent Television, 

AIT programme, Kaakaki 

said the state has 

contacted its lawyers to 

get their papers ready to 

begin the court process. 

He said: “The Senior 

Special Assistant, Media 

and Publicity to the 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

Garba Shehu, came out to 

tell the world that the 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja, Olayinka Latona, 

Dickson Omobola, Tolulope Oke, 

Chiamaka Uba, Janet Somoye 

& Anifowose Opeyemi 

Plan by Miyetti Allah to set up vigilante groups in South-east (3) 

I 

AM not in support 

of Miyyeti Allah 

settling up vigilante 

groups in the South-east 

because there is no way 

an outsider will claim 

that he or she knows 

your land better than the 

sons of the soil. Miyyeti 

Allah group just wants 

to cause crisis with their 

plan Its even 

embarrassing to the 

south-East people. 

Bukola Adeyemi- 

Teacher 

THE group will 

claim that the 

constitution provides for 

free association and for 

Nigerians to reside in 

any part of the country 

where they like. But the 

environment is just too 

hostile for such a 

development. Moreso, 

the people must welcome 

Miyetti Allah first before 

they could think of 

setting up a vigilante 

group. 

William Jimoh- 

Student 

IT 

is an act to 

hypnotize the masses 

into another trap of 

modern monetary 

carnival. No political 

agenda has ever 

benefited the masses 

except to fulfill a selfish 

agenda. What is the work 

of the police and all the 

paramilitary terrorizing 

the poor masses? I am not 

in support of the idea. 

Oluwatobi Olawale- 

Corps member. 

T 

HE plan by Miyetti 

Allah to set up a 

vigilante group won’t stop 

the killings. This is so 

because it would be seen as 

a form of attack on the host 

community which might 

lead to serious crisis. What 

I feel should be done is for 

MACBAN to fish out the 

bad eggs among the 

herdsmen and punish them. 

Mr. Lanre Bello- 

Photographer 

I 

THINK it is a 

good idea if the 

government will 

coordinate the said 

vigilante group so 

that they will not be 

hijack by bandits and 

killer herdsmen. Also 

these will further 

secure the life and 

properties of these 

communities. 

Olubunmi Alatise- 

Businesswoman. 

I 

DID not buy into the 

idea at all. It is 

uncalled for. Probably 

they are only trying to pull 

the legs of South-east 

people. Miyyeti Allah 

group cannot know the 

southeast terrain like the 

owner, so I wonder how 

the group will be able to 

operate more effectively 

than the owner of the 

land. 

Mrs. John Funmilola. 

Caterer.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

3 more bodies 

recovered, as 

Lagos boat 

mishap death 

toll hits 12 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

Atotal of 12 bodies involved 

in the Saturday's boat 

mishap on the Egbin-Badore- 

Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos State, 

route have so far been 

recovered, leaving about four 

others still missing. 

General Manager of Lagos 

State Waterways Authority, 

LASWA, Damilola Emmanuel, 

through the Public Affairs 

Officer, Nkechi Ajayi, 

confirmed the recovery of three 

more bodies yesterday, making 

it a total of 12 leaving about four 

bodies yet to be recovered. 

Recall that 16 persons were 

feared dead, while a pregnant 

woman and two others were 

recovered on the second day 

of the incident, after a 21- 

passenger capacity boat 

capsized at about 10p.m. last 

Saturday, in Ijede, Ikorodu 

Local Government Area of the 

state. 

According to Emmanuel, 

LASWA, Lagos State 

Emergency Management 

Agency, LASEMA; Lagos 

State Ambulance Services, 

LASAMBUS, and the Police 

had intensified efforts to recover 

the remaining bodies. 

He said LASEMA had taken 

the unclaimed recovered 

corpses to the mortuary, while 

those whose families were on 

ground had been claimed. 

Investigations conducted by 

LASWA on the tragedy 

revealed that the accident was 

caused by poor visibility and 

the fact that the passengers had 

no life jackets. 

Meanwhile, following the 

high casualties recorded in the 

incident, the state government 

has vowed to prosecute the 

operator of the ill-fated boat. 

In a statement, General 

Manager of LASWA, Mr. 

Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, 

lamented that the boat operator 

flouted the agency order 

barring night operations. 

He said the state 

government in conjunction 

with the Marine Police will 

conduct an investigation into 

the incident, adding that the 

operator of the boat would also 

be held accountable. 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI—DEATH toll 

from the Benue State petrol 

tanker explosion in Ahumbe 

village, Gwer East Local 

Government Area has risen to 45, 

including a pregnant woman and 

two children, while 101 others 

sustained serious burns. 

The state Sector Commander of 

Federal Road Safety Corps, 

OBEY THE GUN AND BOOTS: Commercial motorcycle riders, okadamen, obey a soldier on Lagos-Badagry 

Expressway. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

Flood in Lagos: Families struggle 

for sleeping space in toilet 

By Evelyn Usman 

SOME families at Odubanjo 

community in Igando area of 

Lagos State now fight for sleeping 

space in the toilet, after they were 

sacked from their apartments by 

flood from a downpour last 

Friday. 

As at yesterday, some residents, 

particularly those at Zone 1 

community, under Igando Estate 

Phase 3, Community 

Development Area, CDA, who 

fled their abodes apparently to 

forestall any likely disaster, were 

yet to return home. 

When Vanguard visited the 

area, a 50-year-old woman, 

Adeoye Abosede, whose property 

were destroyed by flood, was seen 

in the toilet, where she had been 

passing the nights with her child. 

Residents said it takes nine days 

for flood water to disappear 

whenever it rained. 

Vanguard observed that refuse 

from a dumpsite close to the 

community worsened the 

flooding as it blocked major 

drainage, while some of the 

fences that were weakened by the 

Adeoye Abosede in her toilet-bedroom 

(above) and the flooded area(right) 

FRSC, Mr. Aliu Baba, who 

confirmed the number of 

causalities, said their personnel 

have successfully evacuated the 

victims to various hospitals. 

Giving account of what 

happened, Baba said he slept at 

the scene with his personnel, 

noting that “the ill-fated truck was 

loaded with petrol and was on its 

way to Makurdi when it lost a tyre 

and fell at Ahumbe village. 

“Members of the community 

rushed to the scene and engaged 

themselves in scooping the fuel 

that was spilling from the truck. 

“They did it for over one hour, 

but unfortunately a fully-loaded 

18-seater bus was coming from 

Oju council of the state, heading 

to Makurdi. 

“When it got to the scene, the 

driver tried to cross to the other 

side of the road, using the 

flood have started falling. 

Fear, according to residents, 

always set in whenever the rainy 

season approaches, as snakes and 

other reptiles usually come out 

from the dump site any time it 

rained. 

Speaking with Vanguard, 

Abosede said: “I have been in this 

community for the past eight 

years with my child. This is how 

we have been living here and it’s 

affecting my health, including 

that of my child. 

“Every year, we live in fear 

whenever the rainy season 

Death toll in Benue petrol tanker explosion rises to 45, 101 injured 

shoulder of the road. The exhaust 

pipe brushed the ground and 

sparked off the fire that quickly 

spread to the truck and the huge 

explosion that followed spread the 

fire farther. 

“A second explosion occurred 

from the tanker, which affected 

two personnel and people that 

gathered at the scene including 

passengers of other vehicles and 

social media journalists.” 

approaches. We also go through 

hellish moment during the dry 

season, as a result of the smell 

that emanates from the damp 

environment. 

“This place is no longer 

conducive for us, but we cannot 

even afford another place. 

Whenever it rained, other women 

and I would fight over right of 

space in the toilet, but most of the 

women allow me to have the toilet 

because of my age. 

“We sleep in the toilet because 

it is built on a higher ground and 

outside the main apartments. We 

cook and eat here.” 

Asked about her husband, she 

responded: “I am married, but my 

husband is very old. At a point, 

he left the house and the 

responsibility of taking care of the 

children rested on me. 

“All the property I moved into 

this community with have been 

destroyed. For instance, if we go 

out to work and it starts raining, 

we would be worried over our 

property and where to lay our 

heads. 

“It will end up being a night of 

trouble. Whenever we return 

home to see our homes flooded, 

we go to bed hungry, as there 

won’t be any place to cook.” 

She appealed to Lagos State 

Government to come to their 

rescue. 

Secretary of the CDA, Mr. 

Samuel Ohwerhoye, who said he 

had been residing in the area for 

over two decades, lamented that 

residents had spent money to 

channel the flood, but that their 

efforts did not bring the desired 

result. 

He said: “The dumpsite here is 

also another problem. It pushes 

water back into the community. 

We appeal to Governor Sanwo- 

Olu to look at our situation and 

proffer a solution.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019—7 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Aunty, does ‘this baby’ 

look like the father? 

Firemen attending to a fuel tanker spilling its content on the road at Alapere, inward toll 

gate, Lagos, yesterday. 

Man, 43, nabbed over 

attempt to exhume corpse 

A43-year-old man, Rahman 

Opeyemi, appeared before 

an Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s 

Court, yesterday, over alleged 

attempt to exhume a corpse. 

Opeyemi, who lives in Alapata 

area, Apete, Ibadan, is charged 

with two counts of conspiracy and 

misconduct. 

The Police prosecutor, ASP 

Amos Adewale, told the court that 

THE residence of the 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo 

spokesman, Chuks Ibegbu, in 

Enugu State, was gutted by a 

wild fire last Sunday afternoon. 

Destroyed in the inferno were 

properties of the Ohanaeze 

image maker, including the 

building. Efforts by the Enugu 

and federal fire service men to 

put out the fire proved abortive, 

the Police have commenced 

investigation into the incident. 

Several Igbo and Igbo groups 

have expressed shock over the 

incident, with Ibegbu appealing 

for assistance from wellmeaning 

Igbo and Nigerians. 

Opeyemi and others now at large 

allegedly conspired to commit the 

offences. 

Adewale alleged that on March 

19, at about 1: 15a.m. at Alapata, 

Apete, Ibadan, the defendant and 

his accomplices attempted to 

exhume a female corpse and cut 

some parts from it. 

He said the corpse was recently 

interred. 

The offence, he said, 

contravened the provisions of 

Sections 509 and 516 of the 

Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. II, 

Laws of Oyo State, 2000. 

Chief Magistrate Emmanuel 

Idowu admitted the defendant to 

bail in the sum of N100,000 with 

two sureties in like sum. 

Idowu adjourned the matter till 

July 15 for mention. 

Celebration in Daura, as Buhari’s 

in-law regains freedom 

By Abdulmumin 

Murtala & Bashir Bello 

THERE was jubilation by 

residents of the ancient town 

of Daura in Katsina State, 

yesterday, as news filtered in that 

the Magajin Gari, District Head, 

Musa Uba, abducted since March 

1 from his home, had been 

released. 

Musa was kidnapped by 

gunmen in front of his house in 

Daura after observing the evening 

prayer (Magrib) and taken to an 

unknown destination. 

Musa, an ex-comptroller of the 

Nigeria Custom Service, is 

married to the niece of President 

Muhammadu Buhari and his 

daughter is married to the 

President's aide-de-camp, ADC. 

He is also a younger brother to 

the Emir of Daura, Dr. Umar 

Farooq Umar. 

It was gathered that the district 

head was rescued by a combined 

team of security operatives in a 

secluded house near Sani 

Abacha Youth Centre along 

Madobi Road in Kano 

metropolis. 

The state Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Haruna 

Abdullahi, said the Inspector 

General of Police’s Puff Adder 

Intelligence Response team in 

conjunction with the Kano State 

Fire guts residence of Ohanaeze spokesman in Enugu 

Ibegbu's house destroyed by fire. 

Police Command, in an early 

morning operation, freed the 

Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji 

Musa Umar Uba unhurt. 

He said: “He was freed at 

Gangan Ruwa Quarters, 

Kumbotso Local Government 

Area, Kano State Monday night. 

“Arrests were made and arms 

and ammunition recovered.” 

Malam Abubakar Dantakai, 

Chairman, Daura Social Media 

Forum, who led thousands of 

youths in jubilation at the 

popular Kangiwa Square in 

Daura, said the release of the 

district head was good news to 

the residents and commended 

security agencies for their efforts. 

Huncle Joro, please define sex 

worker for this your follower 

Aunty 

Bodex, is 

this the 

one 

we've 

been 

waiting 

for?


VISIT: From 

left, Kwara 

State Chief 

Justice, Justice 

Sulaiman 

Kawu; Speaker, 

Kwara State 

House of 

Assembly, 

Yakubu Danladi; 

Governor 

AbdulRahman 

AbdulRazaq of 

Kwara State, 

and Kale 

Belgore, 

during the 

governor’s 

inspection visit 

to the state 

High Court in 

Ilorin, yesterday. 

I won't accept adversarial, rancorous 

Senate, Lawan tells colleagues 

•Vows to disappoint those who see executive-legislature ties as anathema 

•Why Gbaja didn't announce Reps principal offices at plenary 

By Henry Umoru 

& Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

A 

BUJA—AS senators 

reconvened, yesterday, 

from their two weeks break, 

President of the Senate, 

Ahmad Lawan, challenged 

lawmakers to work in 

unison to achieve a lot for 

Nigerians and vowed to 

disappoint those who have 

the notion that the 

leadership of a National 

Assembly controlled by the 

ruling party cannot work in 

harmony with the 

executive. 

The Senate president 

spoke as Speaker of the 

House of Representatives, 

Femi Gbajabiamila, said the 

leadership of the House 

needed wider consultation 

before announcing new 

principal officers but 

constituted a 10-man adhoc 

committee to review the 

rules of the House. 

Lawan, who promised not 

to subscribe to adversarial 

or acrimonious relationship 

with the executive, stressed 

that the presidential system 

of government was not 

designed to function in an 

acrimonious manner. 

In his address of 

welcome, Lawan assured 

his colleagues that work 

had begun, noting that 

exchange of views by 

senators in the 9th Senate 

at the hallowed chamber 

would be constructive. 

He said senators must be 

guided on how to impact 

positively on the people, 

reiterating that he would 

lead a bipartisan Senate. 

The Senate president, 

who noted that lawmakers 

would intensify efforts on 

robust oversight, said they 

would also consolidate on 

the oil reforms started in the 

8th Senate. 

Lawan said: “ Let me 

welcome you all back from 

the short break as we 

formally begin our work in 

the 9th session of the 

National Assembly. It is trite 

to say that we all have our 

job cut out for us. 

‘’I have in recent weeks 

had discussions with 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari on the challenges 

facing the country and how 

we can leverage our 

position as lawmakers to 

help him deliver on his 

mandate. 

‘’I will be doing more of 

that in the coming weeks 

and months. If we must 

build an economy that lifts 

majority of our people out 

of poverty, there is need for 

a serious collaboration 

between the executive and 

the legislature. 

“However, I am also 

aware that there are people 

for whom any notion that 

the leadership of a National 

Assembly controlled by the 

ruling party work in 

harmony with the 

executive is anathema. 

That is not the way the 

presidential system of 

government was designed 

to function and I am not for 

any adversarial or 

acrimonious relationship. 

‘’I intend to work closely 

with President Buhari in the 

interest of Nigeria without 

compromising the integrity 

of the National Assembly as 

an independent arm of 

government with oversight 

powers. 

Meanwhile, senators 

were, yesterday, handed 

over envelopes containing 

keys and letters of office 

allocation to intimate them 

of their offices by the Senator 

Abubakar Kyari-led Ad- hoc 

committee to allocate 

offices. 

Why Gbaja didn't 

announce Reps 

principal offices at 

plenary 

In the House of 

Representatives, 

Gbajabiamila said the 

leadership of the House 

needed wider consultation 

before announcing the 

new principal officers. 

He, however, constituted 

a 10-man member adhoc 

committee to review the 

rules of the House. The 

committee is chaired by 

Julius Ihonvbere (APC, 

Edo). 

It will be recalled that the 

Senate President, Ahmed 

Lawan at Tuesday plenary 

officially announced the 

principal officers of the 

Senate, leaving the House 

behind on the matter. 

But speaking to 

journalists at the end of the 

session, a member of the 

House adhoc committee on 

media, Bamidele Salem, 

said the development had 

no political connotations. 

He assured that the 

speaker would make the 

announcement before the 

end of the week. 

Air Peace incident in P-H: Reps ask relevant 

agencies to enforce safety laws 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—Following the 

near air mishap involving 

Air Peace aircraft at the Port 

Harcourt International 

Airport recently, the House of 

Representatives, yesterday, 

urged all relevant agencies 

in the aviation sector to 

ensure that all safety rules 

and standards were enforced 

henceforth. 

The House also asked 

Nigerian Civil Aviation 

Authority, NCAA, to ensure 

that all aircraft in Nigeria are 

adequately maintained, and 

certified airworthy before 

commencing operation, in 

order to prevent further 

ordeals. 

The agencies directed for 

enforcement included 

Ministry of Aviation; Nigeria 

Airspace Management 

Agency, NAMA;Nigeria 

Civil Aviation Authority, 

NCAA;Accident Investigative 

Bureau, AIB, and Nigerian 

Meteorological Agency, 

NiMET. 

The House reached the 

decision sequel to a motion 

sponsored by Chris Emeka 

Azubogu, member, 

representing Nnewi-South/ 

Nnewi-North Federal 

Constituency of Anambra 

State at yesterday’s plenary. 

The motion was entitled 

“Need to forestall air crash and 

near mishaps in Nigeria 

aviation industry”. 

Moving the motion, 

Azubogu said the House was 

“worried that poor weather 

condition has been the 

reason for most of these 

crashes, even the mishaps at 

recent times.” 

Contributing to the debate 

on the motion, some 

members who spoke 

emphasized the need to 

properly checkmate the 

activities of the airline 

operators by relevant 

agencies to ensure that the 

lives of their passengers were 

not put at risk. 

Ruling on the matter, the 

speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, 

also mandated NiMET and 

FAAN to prevail on aircraft 

owners to keep strict 

adherence with the rules of 

weather condition while 

flying. 

The motion was referred to 

the Committee on Aviation 

which is yet to be constituted. 

Violence, cause of 

inconclusive polls in Nigeria 

— INEC •Requests case files from 

police to prosecute offenders 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A 

B U J A — 

INDEPENDENT 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, has 

asked the police to provide it 

with case files of electoral 

offenders in the last general 

elections in order to 

commence their immediate 

prosecution. 

Chairman of the 

commission, Prof. Mahmood 

Yakubu, who made the 

request at a meeting of the 

Inter-agency Consultative 

Committee on Election 

Security, ICCES, in Abuja 

yesterday, warned politicians 

against violence, especially in 

Kogi and Bayelsa states, 

where governorship elections 

would hold in November. 

According to him, violence 

has become the major factor 

responsible for inconclusive 

elections in the country. 

He recalled how the 

commission and security 

agencies had held series of 

consultative meetings before 

the 2019 general elections 

where it shared its own threat 

assessment with the security 

agencies using the Election 

Violence Mitigation and 

Advocacy Tool, EVMAT. 

He said: “In a number of 

states, we had elaborate plans 

for the deployment of security 

agencies, including the 

assignment of adequate 

personnel for the protection 

of especially our collation and 

declaration centres. 

‘’In many instances, this 

arrangement was seamlessly 

carried out. In a few cases, 

however, the processes were 

disrupted, necessitating the 

declaration of some elections 

as inconclusive under the 

law.” 

While he again advocated 

the creation of an election 

offences tribunal, the INEC 

chairman said the 

commission had since 

requested for case files of 

offenders to ensure their 

prompt prosecution. 

He said: “I am happy to 

note that the Nigeria Police 

Force made several arrests of 

alleged electoral offenders 

during the general election. 

We have since requested the 

Police to avail us of the case 

files so that we can initiate 

their immediate prosecution. 

“As we review the 2019 

general elections, we must 

also pay attention to the 

forthcoming off-season 

elections. The Bayelsa and 

Kogi governorship elections 

are scheduled to hold on 

Saturday, November 16, 

2019. 

"Given the history of 

political violence, resulting in 

the governorship elections 

declared inconclusive in the 

two states in 2015, the 

commission is concerned 

about the safety of our 

personnel, property and the 

sanctity of the electoral 

process. 

“The politicians in Bayelsa 

and Kogi states must shed off 

the toga of political violence 

associated with elections in 

the two states." 

Tribunal: Buhari, INEC, APC 

oppose HPD’s bid to amend 

statement of witnesses 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

THE Presidential Election 

Petition Tribunal sitting in 

Abuja, yesterday, adjourned 

till July 10 to enable President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, 

and All Progressives 

Congress, APC, respond to a 

fresh motion the Hope 

Democratic Party, HDP, and 

its candidate, Chief Ambrose 

Owuru, filed to amend the 

statement on oath of 

witnesses they intend to call. 

The HDP and Owuru are 

challenging the outcome of 

the February 23 presidential 

election declared in favour of 

President Buhari. 

At the resumed proceeding, 

the petitioners, through their 

counsel, 

Mr. 

Chukwunonyerem Njoku, 

told the tribunal that they 

would call only two witnesses 

to prove their case. 

The petitioners however 

filed a motion to be allowed 

to amend statement of the 

witnesses they said was 

already before the court. 

However, the tribunal 

rejected the petitioners’ bid 

to amend their list of 

witnesses, stressing that the 

application was brought 

outside the statutorily 

prescribed period. 

Meanwhile, in the fresh 

motion they filed on Monday, 

the petitioners said there was 

need to equally amend their 

already existing witness 

statements on oath, to reflect 

amendments that were 

effected on the petition. 

President Buhari, through 

his team of lawyers led by Dr. 

Alex Iziyon, SAN, requested 

for time to enable him to file a 

counter-affidavit to oppose 

the motion he said was bereft 

of merit. 

Similarly, INEC’s lawyer, 

Mr. Yunuz Usman, SAN, and 

that of the APC, Chief Akin 

Olujimi, SAN, said they 

would equally file processes 

to oppose the motion they 

said was served on them 

before the proceeding 

commenced. 

All the respondents said 

they would need seven days 

to file their responses.


VISIT: President Muhammadu Buhari (2nd right) meets former Guardian Newspaper reporter, Mr. Tunde 

Thompson (2nd left), 34 years after Thompson was jailed under Decree 4 by the administration of then 

Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, in 1983, while other members of Buhari Media Organisation watched 

during a visit to the president at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida 

My 2nd term team must be formidable 

—Buhari 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

AMuhammadu BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Buhari, 

yesterday, reiterated his 

commitment to chose a crack 

team to deliver his electoral 

promises in his second term 

in office. 

The president also said it 

was not an easy task to market 

his administration in the last 

four years because of the 

unpopular things he was 

doing, facing vested interest 

and powerful individuals. 

There have been agitations 

in some quarters that a month 

after the president started his 

second term in office, he has 

yet to name his cabinet. 

But the President, who had 

audience with the Buhari 

Media Organisation, BMO, 

HEALTH TIPS 

By Sola Ogundipe 

Prevent diabetes foot ulcers 

THE rains are here. 

Remember to take care 

of your feet, especially if 

you're living with diabetes. 

Make time to examine 

your feet and foot wear. 

Avoid wading in water. 

It's important to prevent 

foot ulcers and amputations 

if you're living with 

diabetes as it can be 

dangerous to your feet— 

even a small cut can 

produce serious 

consequences. 

Diabetes may cause nerve 

damage that takes away 

the feeling in your feet. To 

avoid serious foot problems 

that could result in losing a 

toe, foot or leg, inspect your 

feet daily. Check for cuts, 

blisters, redness, swelling 

or nail problems. 

Bathe feet in lukewarm, 

never hot, water. Be gentle 

when bathing your feet. 

Wash them using a soft 

•Says he’s doing unpopular things, facing powerful 

individuals 

led by its chairman, Omoniyi 

Akinsiju, at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja, said his 

administration was growing 

from strength to strength, 

despite efforts by some 

persons to drag the 

government backward. 

Buhari said he was 

determined to end security 

challenges facing the country 

and make it a peaceful and 

prosperous, even as he 

reiterated that he was resolute 

in his promise to leave 

Nigeria better than he met it. 

The president, who told the 

BMO that it fought a good 

fight and won the race in the 

just concluded elections, said: 

“Our government continues 

to grow in strength and will 

place a firm foundation for 

future generations. 

“While there will be those 

washcloth or sponge. Dry 

by blotting or patting and 

carefully dry between the 

toes. 

Use a moisturiser daily to 

keep dry skin from itching 

or cracking. 

Cut nails carefully. Cut 

them straight across and file 

the edges. Don’t cut nails 

too short, as this could lead 

to ingrown toenails. 

Shake out your shoes and 

feel the inside before 

wearing. Keep your feet 

warm and dry. Don’t let your 

feet get wet in rain. 

Consider using an 

antiperspirant on the soles 

of your feet. Never walk 

barefoot. Always wear 

shoes or slippers. Take care 

of your diabetes. Get 

periodic foot exams. Seeing 

your foot and ankle surgeon 

on a regular basis can help 

prevent the foot 

complications of diabetes. 

who are determined to drag 

us back to the bad old days, 

your visit is timely. It is a 

exactly a month ago that I 

was sworn in for a second 

term in office. The task ahead 

for the four years will require 

a formidable team.” 

He described BMO as a 

key communication in the 

information management 

asset to his administration. 

He said: “Your efforts have 

been commendable. I cannot 

thank you enough for your 

sacrifices during the first part 

of our journey. 

“We have just come off a 

rigorous campaigns during 

which I visited all the 36 states 

of the federation 

campaigning, seeking the 

votes of Nigerians and telling 

them what we have done in 

the last four years. 

“I campaigned on three 

simple premises not different 

from those of 2015. To tackle 

insecurity, promote economic 

diversification and to fight 

corruption. Fulfilling these 

three promises are 

fundamental to taking 

Nigeria to the next level. 

“I assure you that I am 

resolute on fulfilling these 

promises and will leave 

Nigeria a far better place than 

when we came." 

Speaking earlier, chairman 

of the BMO, Akinsiju, said: 

“The organisation regularly 

commissions the writing and 

publishing of newspaper 

opinion articles and press 

statements to elucidate and 

amplify government 

programmes and clarify on 

socio-economic and political 

issues being undertaken by 

the administration. 

In the delegation was 

Tunde Thompson, who was 

imprisoned by the 

administration of then Head 

of State, Muhammadu 

Buhari, under the draconian 

Degree 4 of 1983. 

Herdsmen threatening staff, 

students, says UNILORIN DVC 

DEPUTY 

Vice- 

Chancellor, 

Management Services of the 

University of Ilorin, 

UNILORIN, Bolaji Sule, has 

accused herdsmen of raiding 

farms within the university 

and threatening staff and 

students with weapons. 

Speaking at a meeting with 

some security agencies in 

Ilorin, Sule said the 

university had met its 

commitment towards the 

herdsmen but lamented that 

the issue of insecurity within 

its premises has continued. 

He said the herdsmen 

posed serious threats to the 

university farms, dam site, 

hostels, academic 

environment and staff 

residence. 

Sule accused some 

herdsmen of stealing farm 

products and building 

materials. 

The DVC said the 

university authorities would 

not fail to take legal action 

against herdsmen and 

farmers trespassing on its 

land. 

Sule said the institution had 

plans to use its land but could 

not do so due to security 

challenges, urging security 

personnel to be proactive. 

Kameeludeen Azeez, an 

official of the Faculty of 

Agriculture, expressed worry 

over the “illegal activities of 

herdsmen” in the university 

in spite of efforts to appease 

them. 

“It is rather so pathetic that 

the university has spent so 

much money on relocating 

the herders, given them all 

they requested and we are 

still encountering this,” he 

said. 

He said the security 

agencies had been 

mandated to arrest 

trespassers in the university 

and to curb the threat, which 

some “unruly herdsmen 

posed to the institution.” 

EFCC persecuting 

Saraki — Atiku 

By Dirisu 

Yakubu 

FORMER 

Vice 

President, Atiku 

Abubakar, has said the 

recent investigation of ex- 

Senate President, Dr 

Bukola Saraki, by 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, was becoming a 

persecution. 

He stated this, yesterday, 

in a statement entitled 

“Bukola Saraki: Silence In 

The Face of Tyranny Is 

Acquiescence.” 

Saraki was recently 

accused by the EFCC of 

taking N12 billion from the 

treasury of the Kwara State 

government while he was 

governor of the state 

between 2003 and 2011. 

The commission said the 

money was withdrawn in 

cash. 

Atiku said there was a 

huge difference between 

prosecution and 

persecution, stressing that 

it was wrong to use the 

instruments of state to 

persecute political 

opponents. 

According to him, Saraki 

is one of the most 

investigated politicians in 

Nigeria, adding: “He has 

been investigated and 

prosecuted all the way to 

the Supreme Court and has 

prevailed against his 

accusers. It was expected 

that that should have been 

the end of the matter. 

“However, the revival of 

previously investigated 

cases, and the fact that 

Saraki was politically 

opposed to the 

administration of Buhari 

seems to give strong 

grounds for objective 

bystanders to conclude that 

his current travails have 

gone beyond prosecution 

and are now tending 

towards persecution. 

“The laws of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria are 

made for all and we fought 

for democracy so that the 

powers of the state would 

not be used to suborn 

tyranny and oppression,” 

he said. 

He, therefore, urged 

Saraki to stand firm and 

take solace in the fact that 

Nigerians still hold the 

constitution higher than 

any other authority. He also 

admonished Nigerians, 

especially those tasked with 

upholding the constitution 

and the laws of the land, to 

note that “silence in the face 

of oppression is akin to 

acquiescence. 

Barkindo gets another three 

years as OPEC Secretary 

General 

By Udeme 

Akpan & Michael 

Eboh 

THE Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC, has 

renewed the term of office 

of Mr. Mohammad 

Barkindo as Secretary 

General for a further period 

of three years, in line with 

Article 28A of the OPEC 

Statute, with effect from 1 

August 2019. 

This was one of the 

outcome of the 176th 

Meeting of the Conference 

of OPEC, under the 

Chairmanship of its 

President, Manuel 

Salvador Quevedo 

Fernandez, People’s 

Minister of Petroleum of the 

Bolivarian Republic of 

Venezuela and Head of its 

delegation, which ended, 

yesterday, in Vienna, 

Austria. 

Similarly, the conference 

welcomed new ministers: 

Mohamed Arkab, Algeria’s 

Minister of Energy; Noël 

Mboumba, Gabon’s 

Minister of Oil, Gas and 

Hydrocarbons; and Dr. 

Khaled Ali Al-Fadhel, 

Kuwait’s Minister of Oil, 

Minister of Electricity & 

Water, Chairman of the 

Board – Kuwait Petroleum 

Corporation (KPC). 

In a statement sent to 

Vanguard, OPEC stated: 

“The conference also 

thanked their predecessors 

in office: Mustapha 

Guitouni from Algeria; 

Pascal Houangni 

Ambouroue from Gabon; 

and Bakheet S. Al-Rashidi 

from Kuwait. 

Aiteo to invest 

$5bn to irease 

production to 

250,000b/d 

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 

energy giant, Aiteo Eastern 

Exploration and Production 

Company, yesterday, 

announced plans to inject 

over $5 billion investments 

in its operations to boost its 

production to 250,000 

barrels per day. 

Speaking at the ongoing 

Nigerian Oil and Gas 

Conference and Exhibition 

in Abuja, Chief Executive 

Officer, Aiteo, Victor 

Okoronkwo, said the 

development would also 

spur increase of the 

country’s gas supply to 300 

million scuf per day. 

He stated that massive 

investment was needed to 

growing the petroleum 

industry, adding that his 

company was at the fore of 

supporting the sector’s 

development. 

He said: “Aiteo was one 

of the biggest single 

investment decision 

makers when we have 

invested over $2 billion in 

acquiring the Oil Mining 

Lease, OML, 29 asset."

10 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

Sanwo-Olu seeks end to brain 

drain in health sector 

By Chioma Obinna 

LAGOS—WIFE of the 

Lagos State Governor, 

Dr. Ibironke Sanwo-Olu, 

yesterday, called for 

deliberate policies that 

would promote adequate 

remuneration for doctors, 

provision of health 

equipment and 

infrastructure, as well as 

scaling up of the Health 

Insurance Scheme, NHIS. 

Mrs. Sanwo-Olu spoke 

during 2019 Annual 

General Meeting and 

Scientific Conference of the 

Nigerian Medical 

Association, NMA, in 

Lagos decried the rate at 

which doctors are leaving 

the country. 

Speaking on the theme: 

Brain Drain in the Medical 

Profession: Effects on the 

Nigerian Health System, 

Sanwo-Olu noted that a 

2017 survey by NOI Polls, 

in partnership with 

Nigerian Health Watch, 

revealed that most Nigerian 

doctors seek to work abroad. 

She said: “It has also been 

established that out of the 

72,000 doctors that are 

registered with the Medical 

and Dental Council of 

Nigeria, MDCN, over half 

practice outside Nigeria. 

About 70 to 80 per cent of 

doctors that graduated five 

to 10 years ago are already 

out of the country.” 

In his keynote address, 

the Chief Medical Director, 

Lagos University Teaching 

Hospital, LASUTH, Dr 

Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said: 

“One per cent of the 

consolidated revenue that is 

supposed to be used to 

revamp the health sector, if 

only this can be done, then 

all the other remedies can 

be achieved.” 

$870,000 FRAUD: Bizman 

narrates how ex-PDP Rep 

candidate, others defrauded him 

By innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—A 

Lagos 

based businessman, 

Mr. Austin Ugochukwu, 

yesterday, told a Federal 

High Court sitting in Lagos, 

how a People’s Democratic 

Party, PDP, House of 

Representatives candidate 

for Eti-Osa Federal 

Constituency of Lagos 

State, in the last general 

election, Anthony Bakare 

and other members of his 

group defrauded him of the 

sum of N240 million, under 

the pretence of selling 

dollars to him. 

Akala also known as 

General, and others were 

first arraigned before 

Justice Hadiza Rabiu- 

Shagari, who is now sitting 

at another jurisdiction of the 

court, on charges ofn 

conspiracy, fraud, and 

obtaining under false 

pretence, by Force Criminal 

Flour Mills hands over 17 trucks 

to trade partners 

L AGOS—FLOUR 

Mills of Nigeria, 

FMN, has handed over 17 

trucks to top performing 

dealers during its 2018/19 

distributors Forum tagged: 

Breakthrough Partnering 

for Growth, in Lagos. 

A 30-ton trailer and trucks 

were given to five topmost 

dealers in terms of 

patronage and performance 

for the 2018/19 financial 

year, to further strengthen 

their business model with 

primary distribution 

capability. 

Among the beneficiaries 

were; Ejide Nigeria 

Limited, Mount Olive 

Nigeria Limited, Felicia 

ModupeOluwa Trading 

company Limited, Joy The 

Joy Ventures and Amazing 

Grace Multi Concept. 

Speaking at the event, 

Group Managing Director, 

FMN, Paul Gbededo said: 

“Our success story as the 

leading consumer business 

in Nigeria will not be 

Intelligence and 

Investigation Department, 

FCIID, Alagbo-Ikoyi, 

Lagos. 

Others standing trial 

alongside Akala are: Saidi 

Oke, Bashir Mohammed, 

Alhaji Umar Ali and two 

firms: Grantland 

Investment Nigeria Limited 

and Abroad Development 

Foundation. 

However, following the 

transfer of Justice Rabiu- 

Shagari to another 

jurisdiction of the court, the 

case has to start denovo 

(afresh) before a new judge, 

Justice Nicholas Oweibo. 

At the resumed trial of 

the accused persons, 

yesterday, the fraud 

victim, Ugochukwu 

while being led in 

evidence by the 

prosecutor, Dr Imam 

Usman narrated to the 

court, how he was duped 

of the sum of $869, 900. 

complete without our 

esteemed dealers and 

partners who form an 

integral part of how we are 

achieving our purpose of 

feeding the nation every 

day. 

''As we continue to look 

towards the future, our aim 

is essentially to promote 

stronger ties with our 

partners, because we know 

that the sustainability and 

future growth of our 

business depend on it. 

“The rewards that we are 

presenting to the dealers 

today will greatly impact 

their businesses and spur 

them on for further growth 

and profitability.” 

Also, Managing Director, 

Foods Division, at FMN, 

Devlin Hainsworth said: 

“After nearly sixty years of 

doing business in Nigeria, 

we can say that there are 

very few companies in 

Nigeria today, who 

understand the business 

environment as we do.'' 

UNENDING WOES: The ever-present traffic gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. 

APAPA-OSHODI EXPRESSWAY: Miscreants 

take over Mile 2-Tin Can, disrupt traffic 

By our reporters 

L suspected AGOS—TOUTS, 

to be 

working for unions, 

yesterday, hindered traffic 

between Mile 2 and Tin- 

Can, as they stopped truck 

drivers at various points to 

extort money from them. 

The activities of the touts 

disrupted traffic flow on the 

service lane inward Apapa 

and compounded the 

chaotic situation on the 

highway. 

Vanguard observed that 

the suspected union 

officials, who had 

positioned themselves at 

different points between 

Mile 2 and Sunrise, forced 

moving trucks to stop to pay 

certain amount before they 

were allowed to continue. 

However, truck drivers 

that refused to pay the 

amount were delayed, 

thereby, causing traffic 

build up behind. 

The situation led to the 

heavy traffic, yesterday, 

between Mile2 and 

Sunrise. 

Also, it was observed that 

the slow pace of repair 

works being carried out by 

the Presidential Task team 

at Sunrise to ease gridlock 

on the Apapa/Oshodi 

Expressway appears to be 

fuelling the gridlock on the 

expressway. 

The closure of the Mile2- 

Trinity section of the road 

last Friday and reopened 

on Monday July 1, was to 

ensure the palliative work 

at Sunrise was completed 

to allow free flow of traffic 

inward Apapa. 

However, on Monday, 

only few trucks were seen 

along Oshodi-Apapa 

Expressway, as most of 

them were prevented from 

gaining access to the 

Trinity-Tin-Can Island Port 

but diverted to other routes. 

Gridlock resurfaces 

But the gridlock 

resurfaced yesterday, an 

indication that the palliative 

effort is not yielding any 

positive result. 

Vanguard’s visit to 

Sunrise yesterday, revealed 

that the on-going repair 

By Kingsley 

Adegboye 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State government, 

yesterday, flagged off the 

continuation of 

reconstruction of Lagos- 

Badagry Expressway 

which had been abandoned 

in the last four years. 

Specifically, the 

construction company 

handling the project, 

Chinese Civil Engineering 

and Construction 

Corporation, CCECC, is 

expected to commence 

work on Segment 3 which 

is between Agboju and 

Trade Fair Complex. 

The segment is expected 

to be completed in the next 

one year, having completed 

segments 1 and 2 of the 

project. 

Speaking during the flag 

off ceremony, Deputy 

Governor of Lagos State, Dr. 

Obafemi Hamzat appealed 

to Lagos residents to 

cooperate with the 

contractor to ensure smooth 

delivery of the section of the 

expressway. 

Hamzat, who described 

the project as massive, said: 

“This is to say that we will 

again begin work on this 

road, and by the grace of 

God, the road from Agboju 

to the Lagos International 

Trade Fair will be completed 

by the end of this year, from 

four to 10 lanes.” 

In addition, he said: “As 

at today, the Federal Roads 

Maintenance Agency, 

FERMA, which is in charge 

work at the spot was yet to 

be completed on schedule, 

and this non-completion of 

the spot is fuelling the 

chaotic traffic situation on 

the expressway. 

Efforts to speak with the 

LASG flags off reconstruction of 

Badagry expressway 

of road maintenance, has 

awarded the rehabilitation 

of the four lanes from Igbo- 

Elerin to Agbara. This is 

because on that axis, you 

have pipelines and various 

infrastructure that need to 

be preserved, but at least, 

it will be motorable for 

residents and there will be 

no bottlenecks. 

ABUJA — MODELE, 

the wife of the embattled 

founder of Commonwealth 

of Zion Assembly, Biodun 

Fatoyinbo, has said no one 

can replace her husband. 

This comes after Fatoyinbo 

announced on Monday that 

he would embark on a leave 

of absence in light of the 

rape allegations made 

against him by Busola, wife 

of inspirational singer, Timi 

Dakolo. 

Busola alleged that the 

pastor sexually molested her 

twice within a week when 

she was a minor, several 

years ago. 

The COZA pastor, 

however, denied the 

allegations and threatened 

to take legal action against 

the Dakolos. 

Fatoyinbo, however, made 

an appearance on Monday, 

the first day of a one-week 

prayer and fast by the 

church. 

At the end of the prayers, 

which Modele led, her 

husband emerged from the 

Vice Chairman of the 

Presidential Task team, Mr. 

Kayode Opeifa, proved 

abortive at press time. 

Also, a text message sent 

to his mobile line for his 

comment was unanswered. 

“In the course of this 

project, there will be 

diversions, and we are 

appealing to citizens to be 

patient and cooperate with 

the contractors so that 

people will not get injured, 

because machines will be 

moved in here. We need to 

cooperate to make the work 

easier for quick delivery 

and for the benefit of 

residents." 

COZA: No one can replace you, 

wife tells Biodun Fatoyinbo 

backstage wearing a red 

Balenciaga T-shirt and 

accompanied by three men 

to his designated seat in 

front of the congregation. 

Modele, told the 

congregants to loud cheers 

that no one on earth was 

capable of replacing 

Fatoyinbo. 

She said, “Pastor doesn’t 

want me to talk. It’s fine. I 

just want to tell you, pastor, 

because we have strangers, 

that on behalf of your sons 

and daughters. We have 

strangers in this house — 

strange sons and 

daughters. But God will 

close the heavens over 

them in the name of Jesus. 

“I just want to say we 

love you. You are our 

pastor; nobody can take 

your place. It’s always 

good to assure people 

that you love them, not 

only when you feel that 

everything is fine with 

them, even much more 

when you feel that they 

are not (loved).”


By Charles Kumolu, 

Deputy Sunday Editor 

Aformer governor of 

Ogun State, 

Aremo Segun Osoba, has 

provided insights into 

why some associates of 

the late presumed winner 

of June 12 presidential 

election, Chief M.K.O 

Abiola, served in the 

regime of Gen. Sani 

Abacha, saying Abiola 

complained that highlyplaced 

members of his 

party (Social Democratic 

Party, SDP) were making 

heavy financial demands 

to further his cause. 

Osoba explained that 

when the debate whether 

to allow some SDP 

chieftains accept 

appointments from 

Abacha was ongoing, 

some key party leaders 

depended on Abiola to 

fund their private and 

political lives. 

He further said if Abiola 

had insisted that no one 

should take a political 

appointment from 

Abacha, financing the 

personal needs of the key 

party leaders would have 

become a burden to him. 

The elder statesman, 

who would clock 80 on 

July 15, 2019, revealed 

these in his autobiography 

titled: Battlelines: 

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

How financial demands made Abiola 

allow associates serve Abacha — OSOBA 

Adventures in Journalism 

and Politics, which 

would be launched on 

July 8, 2019, in Lagos. 

The event, which would 

hold at the Eko Hotel and 

Suites is expected to be a 

melting point for 

Nigerians across various 

fields. 

Clandestine roles 

In the book, which 

among other subjects, 

detailed clandestine roles 

played by some highlyplaced 

persons in the 

June 12 saga, Osoba, said 

Abiola was caught 

between his associates 

who wanted to serve 

under Abacha and those 

opposed to it. 

Till date, there is a 

controversy over who 

authorised the 

participation of key 

associates of Abiola in the 

Abacha regime. 

The SPD bigwigs, who 

accepted ministerial appointments 

from the 

maximum ruler, had 

claimed they did so in 

the interest of June 12 

mandate, but most Nigerians 

felt they betrayed 

Abiola. 

However, Osoba, who 

was not just a witness to 

that historical event, but 

a key player, revealed that 

Abiola told him the 

struggle for the 

actualisation of June 12 

mandate was already 

placing heavy financial 

burden on him. 

Appointments from 

Abacha 

Excerpts of the book 

read: “With Abacha now 

in the saddle, the next 

challenge among the 

Abiola loyalists and the 

party faithful, those who 

were not part of the 

Interim National 

Government (ING) was 

how to relate with the 

regime. We held an 

emergency meeting in 

Abiola’s house to discuss 

our next move, but we 

couldn’t reach an accord. 

While some wanted Abiola's 

supporters to accept 

appointments under the 

new regime, others 

strongly opposed to it. 

“Abiola was caught between 

the two contending 

forces. Apart from 

that, Abiola was also influenced 

by the heavy financial 

demands that the 

struggle was making on 

him. Even in the postelection 

period, some of 

the key SDP leaders still 

depended on him to fund 

their political and private 

lives. If he insisted that no 

one should take political 

appointment from the 

new regime, then he must 

be ready to finance the 

needs of those leaders, 

who would ask him for 

money. The best way to 

free himself from such 

moral and financial 

burden was to say they 

could take up 

appointments, if they so 

wished. 

“I recall the case of one 

key Abiola supporter who 

came asking for a lot of 

money and spinning a tall 

story what he wanted to 

do with the money to 

advance Abiola’s cause. 

Abiola obliged him. 

About thirty minutes 

later, he returned to 

Abiola’s house at Ikeja, 

shedding crocodile tears 

and claiming robbers had 

taken all the money from 

him at gunpoint. Abiola 

knew the man was lying, 

because there were no 

report of any robbery 

around Ikeja that day, but 

he still gave the man 

another fat sum of money. 

“What do I do?” Abiola 

told me resignedly 

shortly after, a sarcastic 

smile playing across his 

•Cover page of Aremo Olusegun Osoba's book. 

lips. 

“Politics in Nigeria is a 

big money game. 

Everybody wants your 

money. Even the highlyplaced 

members of this 

party all want to bleed you 

to death financially. It 

can’t continue like this. 

That is why I am asking 

those who want to work 

under Abacha to go 

Tinubu urges FG to deregulate oil sector, 

discontinue subsidy 

By Dave Oso 

ABUJA—THE calls 

for the Federal Government 

to take concrete 

steps towards deregulating 

the oil and gas industry, 

as well as ending the 

controversial fuel subsidy 

resonated yesterday at 

the oil and gas conference 

and exhibition in 

Abuja. 

Speaking at the conference, 

Managing Director 

of Oando Plc, Mr. 

Wale Tinubu urged the 

Federal Government to, 

as a matter of urgency, 

deregulate the oil sector, 

lamenting that Nigeria 

spent $5 billion on fuel 

subsidy last year, a sum 

he said could have been 

used to finance other 

critical infrastructure 

needed by vast majority 

of the populace. 

Tinubu said stakeholders 

in the petroleum industry 

should support 

the deregulation to engender 

national growth. 

Tinubu said: “The government 

has chosen to 

effectively subsidise the 

price as a social palliative. 

Not that I support it, 

but we spent $5 billion 

last year on subsidy, 

which was even more 

than what we spent on 

education and housing 

combined.’’ 

According to him, other 

critical sectors of the 

economy like education 

and health, among others, 

were in dire need of 

funding. 

He said: ''Such amount 

expended on subsidy 

should have been directed 

to other critical sectors 

or towards infrastructure 

development. 

''At a population 

growth rate of three per 

cent, the question is what 

is the best - to invest in - 

infrastructure or consumption? 

There is a big 

debate that has to be 

made around this, and as 

stakeholders, we absolutely 

need to champion 

ahead. I need to free 

myself from this heavy 

moral and financial 

burden of providing for 

everybody." 

Grab a copy of Vanguard 

tomorrow for another 

explosive account from the 

book. 

Published by Diamond 

Publications Limited. 

•Says Nigeria spent $5bn 

on subsidy in 2008 

that debate with the Federal 

Government. 

“The politicians want 

this to continue at all 

cost, but there is longterm 

damage we are doing 

to our country and 

industry. We need to ensure 

that this subsidies 

are altered and the 

downstream sector 

needs to be commercialised. 

The refineries need 

to function and pipelines 

need to function. There 

is no logic in is transporting 

our products by the 

road which is extremely 

expensive.” 

Tinubu said there was 

need to discontinue the 

current consumptionbased 

government 

spending. 

He hailed the recent 

appointment of Mr. Mele 

Kyari as the new Group 

Managing Director of 

the NNPC, describing 

him as an astute technocrat.


SWEARING IN: From left: Chief Evelyn Oboro, Chief Dennis Omovie, Olorogun Taleb 

Tebite and Chief Fred Majemite, during the reception ceremony of Chief Efe Ofobruku after 

he was sworn in as Special Adviser on Legislative Matters by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 

yesterday. Photo: Festus Ahon. 

OML 25: Shell’s MoU with Rivers 

HOSTCOMS sparks protest 

•We were deceived to sign agreement— Monarch, women leader 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— 

The signing of 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, for 

the re-opening of Oil 

Mining Lease, OML25, 

and the payment of 

outstanding funds of the 

extant Global 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, GMoU, 

owed the host communities 

as facilitated by Rivers 

State government between 

Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, 

SPDC, and its hosts has 

sparked heavy protest and 

tension in Kula Kingdom in 

Akuku-Toru Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

This came as two of the 

signatories to the 

agreement, the paramount 

ruler of Offoin-Ama, HRH 

Sibia Sukubo, and a 

Women Leader of Offian- 

Ama, Mrs. Markson 

Telema, said they were 

only told to sign a 

document for Shell to pay 

them their GMoU 

entitlements and not for the 

oil giant to resume 

operations in the area. 

The chiefs, women, 

youths and men of Belema, 

Offoin-Ama and Ngeje 

communities in Akuku-Toru 

council, owners of the 

OML25, following the 

signing of the MoU at 

Government House in Port 

Harcourt on Monday, 

staged a protest, yesterday, 

rejecting the deal. 

It will be recalled that the 

state government had 

brokered peace between 

the host communities and 

the oil firm over the closure 

of the oil field for over two 

years following alleged 

neglect 

and 

marginalisation of the 

community by Shell. The 

peace move was sealed 

with the signing of an 

MoU. 

But, yesterday, HRH 

Sukubo, who spoke at a 

meeting of the chiefs of the 

area before the protest, told 

the council that he was not 

aware that part of the 

document was MoU, 

adding that he remained in 

support that SPDC should 

not resume in the area, but 

pay all the entitlements 

owed them. 

Speaking during the 

protest at Offoin-Ama 

community, women leader 

of Offoin-Ama community, 

Mrs. Markson Telema, 

said: “We’re not happy 

Shell has operated in our 

community for over 40 years 

with no employment for the 

women. 

"We have many graduates 

but no job for them and only 

on Monday, we were 

invited to Rivers State 

Government House and 

they brought paper that we 

should sign for part of the 

community GMoU and not 

for SPDC to resume oil 

operation in our land.” 

Also, Chairman of the 

Community Development 

Committee, CDC, Mr. 

Jonah Joshua, noted that 

the communities had 

rejected the signing of the 

MoU by some chiefs. 

Dickson tasks NIPSS on 

Nigeria’s stability 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—Governor 

Seriake Dickson of 

Bayelsa State has charged 

the National Institute for 

Policy and Strategic Studies, 

NIPSS, to continue to 

promote national peace, 

stability and inclusiveness for 

the overall development of the 

country. 

Dickson, yesterday, when 

he received the executive 

and members of the Alumni 

Association of the National 

Institute, AANI, led by former 

Inspector General of Police, 

Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, 

at Government House, 

Yenagoa, expressed 

confidence that if all 

Nigerians work collectively 

with sincerity of purpose, a 

cohesive, stable and peaceful 

Nigeria can be achieved. 

Dickson, according to his 

Special Adviser on Public 

Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, 

said it was imperative to 

proffer solutions to the 

problems that Nigeria is 

currently grappling with. 

His words: “We need to find 

solution to the challenges that 

our nation currently faces; the 

challenge of building a 

unified national vision and 

agenda, the challenge of 

promoting stability, peace 

and inclusiveness so that we 

can all build a Nigeria for all. 

That Nigeria must be built by 

all of us and we can do it.” 

In his remarks, the AANI 

President, Mohammed 

Abubakar, commended 

Dickson’s developmental 

strides, particularly in the 

areas of infrastructure and 

security. 

Abubakar, who also 

commended the governor for 

identifying men and women 

of proven integrity and 

capacity, said it was the 

responsibility of the institute 

to nurture and build their 

capacity towards adding 

value to the society. 

Omo-Agege appoints Duku, 

Sobotie, 4 others as Special 

Advisers 

By Gab Ejuwa 

DEPUTY President of 

the Senate, Senator 

Ovie Omo-Agege, has 

appointed his former Senior 

Legislative Aide, Prince Efe 

Duku, and veteran political 

strategist, Elder Omeni 

Sobotie, as Special Advisers 

on Legislative and Plenary 

Matters and Political 

Affairs, respectively. 

The new appointments, 

which include four other 

Special Advisers, were 

conveyed to the Clerk of the 

National Assembly and 

announced, yesterday by 

Senator Omo-Agege’s 

Chief of Staff, Dr. Otive 

Igbuzor. 

The other Special 

Advisers, with their 

respective portfolios, are 

Alex Onwuadiamu (Policy 

and Monitoring), Mr. Yomi 

Odunuga (Media and 

Publicity), Mrs. Estella 

Nwene (Administration) 

and Mr. Godwin Anaughe 

(Special Duties). 

Omo-Agege’s office had 

earlier released the names 

of some appointees, 

including Dr. Igbuzor and 

popular broadcaster, Ms. 

Lara Owoeye-Wise as his 

Senior Special Assistant on 

Electronic and New Media. 

C’River election tribunal 

orders defendants to produce 

all witnesses July 5 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—The 

absence of Senator 

Sandy Onor of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, a 

principal witness in the 

petition Senator Victor Ndoma- 

Egba of All Progressives 

Congress, APC, brought 

against him, PDP and 


Electoral Commission, INEC, 

yesterday, stalled proceedings 

at the Cross River State 

Election Petition Tribunal. 

The tribunal (panel 1) led 

by Justice Vincent Agbata had 

resumed sitting about 

9.30a.m., for the defendants, 

Senator Onor, PDP and INEC 

to open their defence after a 

four-day break but in less than 

an hour, proceedings were 

stalled as the lead counsel to 

Onor, Mr Paul Erokoro, SAN, 

requested for an adjournment 

till next week to enable his 

principal witness appear to 

testify. 

Before then, Erokoro had 

called the Director General of 

Onor’s campaign, Mr Joe Obi 

Bisong, to the witness box for 

examination and cross 

examination. 

While responding to 

questions during a brief cross 

examination by lead counsel 

to the petitioner (Ndoma- 

Egba), Chief Emeka Offodile, 

SAN, Bisong told the tribunal 

that he did not know why the 

petitioner filed the petition. 

Accordingly, Offodile 

ended his cross examination 

as the principal and other 

witnesses of the defendants 

were absent and Justice 

Agbata was forced to adjourn 

the matter to July 5, for all the 

defendants to bring their 

witnesses to testify and 

thereafter, close their defence 

for addresses by counsel to the 

petitioner and defendants. 

In the case between Mr. 

Victor Abang of APC against 

Mr Chris Agibe of PDP for 

Ikom\Boki Federal 

Constituency, the petitioner 

(Abang) through his counsel, 

Mr Tawo Tawo, SAN, also 

insisted that he was excluded 

from contesting the February 

9 election based on the 

February 8 briefing by INEC's 

Resident Electoral 

Commissioner, REC, Mr. 

Frankland Briyai, which 

excluded all APC candidates 

from the election. 

To buttress his case, the 

Alaibe condoles with IGP, 

Dickson over killing of DPO, 

others 

FORMER 

Special 

Adviser to the President 

on Niger Delta Affairs and 

pioneer Chairman of 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, Chief ‘Timi 

Alaibe, has condemned the 

deadly attack on Agudama 

Ekpetiama Police Station 

near Yenogoa, Bayelsa State 

on Monday, describing it as 

an unprecedented and 

unprovoked act of violence 

against a law enforcement 

agency in the state. 

Alaibe in a statement in 

Yenogoa, said: "This is a sad 

commentary on our state and 

Nigeria as a whole. To 

launch an attack against a 

law enforcement agency is 

bad enough but to kill four 

serving officers on their duty 

post is unimaginable. 

“The perpetrators of this 

crime must not go 

unpunished. They have 

brought bloodshed to our 

doorsteps. If they can attack 

a police station and kill 

policemen on duty, then all 

of us are vulnerable. 

"Every citizen and resident 

of the state must cooperate 

with the security agencies in 

the investigation of this 

incident to ensure that those 

involved are brought to 

justice. 

“My unreserved sympathy 

goes to the families of the 

deceased, the Inspector 

General of Police, the 

Governor of Bayelsa State, 

the Commissioner of Police 

and the entire men and 

officers of the Nigeria Police 

Force who labour day and 

night to ensure that we sleep 

in safety."

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 — 13 

ALLEGED BREACH OF AGREEMENT: 

Lanlehin opts out of coalition in Oyo 

•His claim is untrue, inconsistent — Govt 

By Ola Ajayi 

I B A D A N — 

GOVERNORSHIP 

candidate of the African 

Democratic Congress, ADC, 

in Oyo State in the March 9 

election, Senator Olufemi 

Lanlehin, yesterday, 

announced his withdrawal 

from the coalition agreement 

he and his party had with 

Governor Seyi Makinde. 

Lanlehin, who formed 

alliance with other parties 

such as Zenith Labour Party, 

Social Democratic Party, 

against the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, alleged 

that his withdrawal was a 

result of Governor 

Makinde’s “non 

compliance with the spirit 

AGM: From left; 

Chairman, 

Nigerian Medical 

Association, 

Lagos State 

Chapter, Dr. Saliu 

Oseni; First Lady 

of Lagos State, Dr. 

(Mrs) Ibijoke 

Sanwo-Olu and 

Chairman of the 

occasion, Dr. 

Abayomi Finnih 

during the Annual 

General Meeting/ 

Conference of the 

association, 

yesterday. 

Osun lecturers to resume suspended strike 

By Shina Abubakar 

O Academic 

SOGBO—THE 

Staff 

Union of the Osun State 

owned tertiary institutions 

have resolved to embarked 

on an industrial action on 

July 10 if the State 

Government failed to meet 

its demands. 

The unions included that 

of Osun State Polytechnic, 

Fayose rearraigned for alleged money laundering 

By Innocent Anaba 

L AGOS—FORMER 

Ekiti State governor, 

Mr. Ayo Fayose, was 

yesterday, re-arraigned 

before a Federal High Court 

sitting in Lagos over 

alleged money laundering 

by the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC. 

He was first arraigned 

before Justice Cecilia 

Olatoregun, on October 22, 

2018, alongside his 

company, Spotless Limited, 

on an 11 count charge of 

and letters of the terms of 

the governorship preelection 

agreement 

reached.” 

In 

a 

statement, Lanlehin said: 

“I, hereby, announce 

forthwith, my personal 

withdrawal from the 

coalition he has with Engr. 

Seyi Makinde, the Oyo 

State governor. 

He, however, maintained 

that his party, the ADC is at 

liberty to remain in the 

coalition. 

Lanlehin, stated that 

while he remains a 

committed member of the 

ADC, he would adopt a 

“siddon look” posture in the 

governance of Oyo State 

and allied matters. 

Iree; College of Technology, 

Esa-Oke, College of 

Education, Ila and College 

of Education, Ilesa. 

A statement issued after 

a two-day congress of the 

unions held between 

July 1 and 2, 2019, 

revealed that it decided to 

postpone the action to allow 

for dialogue. 

According to the 

statement signed by the 

alleged N3.3 billion fraud 

and granted bail. 

The EFCC had called 13 

witnesses before seeking 

the transfer of the case to 

another judge. 

But with the transfer of 

the case to a another 

judge, Justice 

Chukwujekwu Aneke, 

Fayose was arraigned 

afresh before the court, 

which ordered him to 

remain on the same bail 

granted by Justice 

Olatoregun, after he had 

pleaded not guilty to the 

charges. 

We're shocked — Govt 

But, reacting, Governor 

Makinde, through his 

Special Adviser on Political 

Matters, Mr. Babatunde 

Oduyoye said: “We 

received with shock, claims 

credited to the 

governorship candidate of 

the ADC, Senator Femi 

Lanlehin that he has 

withdrawn his support for 

the coalition birthed by a 

number of political parties 

ahead of the March 9, 2019 

election in Oyo State. 

“It is more shocking to 

read Senator Lanlehin’s 

allegation that his decision 

was hinged on Governor 

Seyi Makinde’s infidelity to 

the coalition agreement. 

"That allegation, to say 

the least, is a clear affront 

on the sincerity of Governor 

union leaders under the 

auspices of Council of 

Academic Staff Unions of 

Osun State-Owned Tertiary 

Institutions (CASUOSTI), 

“Congresses of ASUP (Esa- 

Oke and Iree) and 

COEASU (Ila and Ilesa) 

concurrently resolved to 

resume the industrial action 

suspended in December, 

2018. 

“The industrial dispute 

Afterwards, Fayose 

sought the permission of 

the court to travel to South 

Africa for medical treatment, 

an application that was 

granted by the court. 

Justice Anekealso 

ordered the release of 

Fayose’s international 

passport and that the 

passport be returned to the 

court on or before 

September 16, 2019. 

The court consequently 

adjourned further hearing 

in the case till September 

16, 17, 18 and 19 as well as 

October 21 to 25, 2019. 

Makinde and his 

magnanimous disposition 

in handling all the 

discussions about the 

coalition.” 

“Let us also state without 

equivocation that the claim 

by the Senator is untrue, 

unjustifiable and 

inconsistent with the reality 

of it all. 

“There was no dissenting 

voice from all the 

representatives of the 

parties at the meeting with 

Governor Makinde. 

Everyone commended how 

he handled the matter. 

Senator Lanlehin only had 

issues with the other 

leaders of the ADC on 

Monday when they were 

discussing how to share the 

positions allotted to the 

ADC." 

becomes inevitable after 

hopes were dashed and 

capabilities to endure 

exhausted over the 

following issues: Injurious 

Implementation of 

Contributory Pension 

Scheme. Government has 

breached her own laws on 

the Scheme at our own 

detriment. 

“Breach of 65 Years 

Retirement Age Law 

passed by the State of Osun 

House of Assembly and 

assented to by Mr. 

Governor on July 21st, 2014 

is injuriously implemented 

at the point of exit. 

“Non Payment/Release of 

30 Months Half Salaries & 

Deductions (Bank Loans & 

Cooperative Repayments & 

Union Check off Dues). 

Non release of this monies 

has inflicted untold 

hardship on our members. 

“Congresses expected 

this total indefinite action to 

resume immediately. 

However, in further 

demonstration of our 

openness to dialogue, 

we have resolved that 

the strike action shall 

start on Wednesday, 10th 

July, 2019.” 

Oyo technically bankrupt, 

Makinde laments 

By Adeola Badru 

I GOVERNOR B A D A N Seyi 

— 

Makinde of Oyo State, 

yesterday, lamented that 

the state is currently 

experiencing a technical 

bankruptcy due to alleged 

embezzlement of funds. 

The governor made the 

disclosure when he 

received in audience the 

Governing Council of 

the University of Ibadan, 

led by the Pro- 

Chancellor of the 

institution and 

Chairman of Council, Dr. 

Waklek Mutka, on a 

courtesy visit to his office 

at the Governor’s Office, 

Secretariat, Ibadan. 

Makinde said “When I 

came in, we were looking 

for ways to keep the 

government running 

because technically the 

government of Oyo State is 

bankrupt. 

“If I take it as a private 

entity, I won’t lend a dime 

Cleric tasks Buhari to address 

insecurity in Nigeria 

By Esther Onyegbula 

LAGOS—THE Vice 

Provincial Vicar of the 

Redemptorist, Rev. Fr Jude 

Anyaegbu has urged 


Buhari to prioritize the 

security and welfare of the 

country’s citizens. 

Fr. Jude Anyaegbu made 

the call at the 2019 edition 

of Our Mother of Perpetual 

Help feast, organized by St. 

Martins De Porres Catholic 

church, Agric-Ojo, Lagos 

state, with the theme:”Do 

not be afraid to take Mary 

home”. 

Anyaegbu explained that 

the feast is a yearly 

programme observed by 

the Catholic Faith, every 

June 27, but the parish 

extended the celebration 

to June 30th as a means 

of evangelism and 

O nongovernmental 

SOGBO—A 

organization, Igbaye 

Development Vanguard, 

IDV, has commended the 

Osun State government 

over the renovation of some 

blocks of classes at the 

Igbaye Community High 

School, ICHS. 

In a statement by Dr. 

Sunday Alayemi and Mr. 

Rafiu Adeoye Popoola, the 

IDV disclosed that, “the 

main objective of our 

coming together is, among 

other things, to rekindle the 

lost lustre and 

interpersonal lovely 

relationship among 

ourselves.” 

“Our immediate areas of 

concentration will be 

to the government of Oyo 

State. I will ask them to start 

winding up proceedings. 

So, we have been looking 

for ways to keep the 

government running. 

“We have been beaming 

our searchlight on areas we 

can get money. The Bureau 

of Internal Revenue came 

to me and said they had 

issue of PAYE with the 

University of Ibadan. 

“At the Governor’s 

Forum, I saw a document 

where a lot of the states 

got huge refund from 

PAYE due to the federal 

institutions located in 

such states. I believe 

Ogun State got about N8 

billion; another state in the 

South West got N10 billion; 

and Oyo state got only 

about N91 million. 

“Then, I wondered what 

was going on here. They 

told me that there was work 

in progress and that they 

had been talking and did 

not have cooperation from 

the University of Ibadan.” 

honour to Mary. 

On the state of insecurity, 

the cleric said: “Mr. 

President must show 

sincerity and prioritize the 

security and welfare of its 

citizens. The lives of 

Nigerians should be 

valued and protected. Our 

Mother of Perpetual help 

strengthens this nation, her 

citizens and leaders to 

ensure peace, because 

insecurity has created fear 

among the people and I 

pray that the communal 

clashes, various killings 

and bloodletting ends and 

peace be restored to every 

part of our nation. 

“The culture of life not 

killings must be embraced. 

President Buhari should 

find a way to end the 

killings; everyone is 

shocked with the 

continuous killings.” 

Osun Govt lauded over school 

renovation 

renovation of our joint 

public properties like 

schools, Health Centres, 

Town Hall, Public Utilities 

like Toilets, Post Office 

among others. 

Besides the renovation of 

a few dilapidated facilities 

in the town, building of 

new ones like e-library, 

Recreation Centres and 

Event Halls is also in the 

pipeline. The renovation of 

a block of Igbaye 

Community High School, 

ICHS, was jointly financed 

by the Vanguard members 

and Old students of the 

school.” 

“The state government’s 

prompt intervention was a 

commendable step, 

describing the intervention 

as commendable and 

praise worthy.


Young Africans may not meet up 

demands of future jobs unless... 

— OKONJO-IWEALA 

By Joseph Erunke 

AMinister BUJA—FORMER 

of Finance, 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 

yesterday, warned that 

unless Africa countries 

began to tailor their 

education policies to align 

with emerging job 

requirements, their citizens 

might not be employable in 

future. 

Okonjo-Iweala,who was 

also the Coordinating 

Minister of the Economy 

during the regime of former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan, challenged 

leaders in the continent to 

implement education 

policies that could arm their 

younger ones with needed 

requirements to face 

challenges associated with 

future jobs. 

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, 

speaking during the 8th 

convocation ceremony of 

African University of 

Science 

and 

Technology,where she is 

the chairman of its board, 

insisted that young Africans 

must brace up with what 

she referred to as “right 

analytical skills” to cope 

with future jobs. 

She said:”If you go to for 

instance Rwanda,you will 

be amazed with what you 

see. A whole infrastructure 

has been laid for technology 

and for the African of the 

future. Currently ,six out of 

the 10 fastest growing 

economies in the world are 

in Africa, saying:”Ethiopia, 

Rwanda, Ghana, Cote 

d’Ivore, Senegal, are doing 

very well. Hopefully, 

Nigeria and South Africa 

would soon join them 

because they are the 

biggest economies of the 

continent. Before I talk of 

government policies let me 

mention to you, Silicon 

Valley. It started in a valley 

with a few universities like 

Stamford, and others 

comprising of a few brainy 

people starting 

Microsoft,Apple and so on. 

“African University of 

Science and Technology is 

a centre of excellence and 

an incubator. We have to 

support that. we need the 

right policies to run.'' 

Stay clear of Pinnick-led NFF 

board, N’Delta groups warn 

A 

coalition of Niger 

Delta Youths under 

the aegis of Delta State 

Ethnic Nationalities Youth 

Leaders Forum has warned 

those behind one Harrison 

Jala and former Sports 

Minister, Solomon Dalung, 

that ‘’the details of their 

clandestine plots to 

undermine the good work 

that the Amaju-led NFF has 

done to enhance and 

advance the development 

of football in Nigeria is 

being carefully collated and 

shall be met with stiff 

resistance if they do not 

desist from their actions.’’ 

A statement signed by 

Eric Omare, President, 

IYC; 

Weyinmi 

Agbateyiniro, President, 

Itsekiri National Youth 

Council, Festus Otesiri, 

President, Urhobo Youth 

Council, Ovie Umuakpo, 

President, Isoko National 

Youth Assembly read in 

part: ‘’We state that the 

campaign of calumny 

against the NFF boss and 

all members of his team is 

because those behind the 

evil plot could not 

manipulate the Amaju-led 

NFF board to make the 

NFF funds meant for the 

advancement and 

development of football 

available to them for the 

purpose of squandering 

same among the very few 

cabals, hence they have 

resulted to all forms of 

blackmail. 

‘’To achieve their 

clandestine plot, they have 

employed the media which 

has failed woefully since the 

truth about all the 

allegations they raised 

against the Amaju Pinnickled 

NFF board is already in 

the public domain. At the 

realisation that they 

couldn’t use the media to 

achieve their aim they 

resulted to writing petitions 

to all relevant agencies in 

this regard and when this 

also failed, they have now 

taken to the judiciary which 

is the most appropriate 

place to get justice if they 

truly believe they are on a 

just cause. 

‘’No one in NFF today 

that is familiar with the 

workings of the current NFF 

board led by Amaju Pinnick 

that is not aware that since 

November,2014 and with 

the approval of members in 

the General Assembly 

(Congress), the Amaju 

Pinnick-led NFF board has 

engaged and maintained 

till date,the services of 

globally reputable financial 

advisory firms like Price 

Water 

House 

Coopers(PwC) as 

independent External 

Auditors and, Financial 

Derivatives Company 

(FDC) as financial advisors 

and with both firms granting 

all financial transactions of 

the Amaju Pinnick led 

board a clean bill of health 

after thorough auditing. 

COMMISSIONING: Son of late legal luminary, Chief Rotimi Williams, Chief Kayode Williams (middle) 

commissioning his father's statue while Chief Abimbola Williams (right) and others watch during the 

commissioning of the new Kay Farms Estate new gate at Iju. 

El-Rufai promises to pay for items torched in Catholic Church 

By Ben Agande 

K ADUNA— 

GOVERNOR Nasir 

El-Rufai of Kaduna 

State has visited St. 

Augustine’s Catholic 

Church, Tudun- 

Wada where the church 

altar was burnt Friday 

night by unknown 

persons and promised 

that the state government 

will pay for damaged 

items. 

The governor who led 

other government 

officials to the church, 

commended Kaduna 

Polytechnic students for 

putting off the fire, 

noted that investigation 

into the incident was 

ongoing. 

He told journalists 

after assessment of the 

church that those behind 

the incident wanted to 

cause another round of 

crisis in the state, but 

applauded Kaduna 

residents for living in 

peace with one another 

“We are here to visit 

the church and 

sympathise with them. 

We once again thank 

Kaduna Polytechnic 

students for putting off 

the fire. As the police 

have said, three suspects 

were arrested and 

investigation is still 

ongoing. I directed the 

church officials to write 

to us and the government 

will pay for the damaged 

properties” he said 

Also speaking, 

chairman of the church 

pastoral council, Dr. 

Daniel Attach, narrated 

how the incident 

happened, saying “At 

11:35pm last Friday, the 

6 injured in Adamawa communal clashes 

By Yusuf Umar 

YOLA—NO fewer 

than 6 persons 

have been injured, some in 

critical condition after two 

communities of Yola South 

Local Government area of 

Adamawa State, Joboli and 

Njoboliyo engaged in free 

for all over a piece of land. 

Joboli is a Fulani 

community, while 

Njoboliyo is of the Bata 

extraction. 

It was gathered that the 

two communities have been 

at logger ahead for some 

times now resulting in the 

loss of lives and properties. 

The latest conflict erupted 

last Sunday and lasted till 

late Monday before the 

situation was brought under 

control. 

Director General Media 

and Communications to 

Governor Ahmadu Umaru 

Fintiri of the state, Mr. 

Solomon Kumagar, told 

EFCC prosecutes 20 civil servants over 

multi-million naira properties in Kwara 

By Demola 

Aklinyemi 

ILORIN—NO fewer 

than 20 civil servants of 

Kwara State government 

whose monthly salaries are 

not more than N90,000 are 

currently being 

investigated by Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, for 

allegedly accumulating 

multi million naira 

properties in Ilorin. 

The zonal head of EFCC 

in Ilorin Mr Isyaku Sharu, 

Newsmen in Yola yesterday 

that the disturbances 

erupted as a result of 

boundary dispute between 

the neighboring 

communities. 

He said already, 

government had deployed 

anti riot police to the area 

to maintain peace and 

restore order. 

Kumargar said the attack 

happened on Monday’ at 

about 8pm and four persons 

were fatally injured. 

students of Kaduna 

Polytechnic noticed 

smoke coming out of the 

church and they called 

the church priest. 

Someone used the 

church keys and opened 

the door, went inside and 

set fire in the church and 

left. 

''Nobody broke into the 

church and as you can 

see, two of our new 

security guards who are 

in charge of the church 

who disclosed this at a 

briefing yesterday in the 

commission’s office, also 

said N10 billion that could 

have been stolen by the last 

administration was 

intercepted and saved for 

the current administration. 

Mr Sharu said the 

category of workers under 

the commission’s 

investigations were director 

and deputy director, among 

others, in charge of 

finances who colluded with 

politicians to pilfer state 

resources. 

According to him, “You 

will agree with me that 

official corruption is the 

greatest killer as officials 

who ordinarily suppose to 

guard and protect state 

resource have turned out to 

misappropriate it. To this 

end, the commission beams 

it’s search light on the 

Kwara state officials and on 

a credible tip off, the 

commission is currently 

investigating over 15 

properties in choice areas 

within Ilorin metropolis 

ranging from hotels, filling 

stations, residential 

accommodation, micro 

keys were not around 

when we came. We 

reported the incident to 

police and they arrested 

our security guards and 

the one that just left the 

job” 

On his part, the 

Divisional Police Officer, 

Tudun Wada, CSP 

Mohammed Yusuf, said the 

three suspects arrested 

were helping the police to 

unravel those behind the 

incident. 

finance among others. 

“It will shock you to hear 

that the alleged owners 

are civil servants whose 

earning per month is not 

more than N90,000. Some 

have confessed to the 

crime and the matter is in 

court.” 

The EFCC Zonal head 

also told journalists that 

the commission 

intercepted billions of 

naira that the last 

administration wanted to 

pilfer few days to its exit, 

saying: “It has always 

being a tradition in the 

country except 

microscopic few that 

whenever any 

government is exiting, it 

will indulge in mass 

pilferage as the last 

minute golden 

opportunity. Hence our 

resolve to mount 

surveillance on all Kwara 

State government account 

between May 24 and 29 

May 2019 when the 

state’s received FAAC, 

JAAC VAT and tax refund 

from the federal government 

to the tune of about N10 

billion.''


Ikpeazu counts on AFREXIM Bank to complete Geometric Power project 

By Anayo Okoli 

GOVERNOR Okezie Ikpeazu 

of Abia State has said his 

administration would continue to 

vigorously pursue strategic 

collaborations with relevant 

agencies for the development of 

the state. 

Governor Ikpeazu was quoted 

by his Chief Press Secretary, 

Onyebuchi Ememanka, to have 

said this at a meeting with the 

Managing Director, Intra- 

African Trade Unit of AFREXIM 

Bank, Dr. Kanayo Awani, at the 

bank's headquarters in Cairo, 

Egypt. 

The governor, he explained, 

was at the bank to follow up on 

the Geometric Power project 

which has reached advanced 

stages following the 

involvement of the bank. 

Ememanka said Governor 

Ikpeazu also used the visit to 

discuss with the bank’s chief, 

the outlay and prospects of the 

Enyimba Economic City as well 

as infrastructure projects in the 

state. 

In his remarks, Dr. Awani was 

said to have assured the 

governor of the bank’s readiness 

to partner with his administration 

for the development of the state. 

AWARDS: From left— Chief Medical Director, CMD, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, 

presenting the NHEA HMO of the Year 2019 Award to Total Health Trust, THT, team: Abiola Adelusi, Head, Membership & 

Underwriting; Abimbola Sobade, Head, Internal Audit; Dr. Henry Ogunsanya, Head, Call Centre, and Dr. Gideon Anumba, 

Head, Provider Management at 6th Annual Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019 in Lagos. 

Anglican Communion to Buhari: 

Implement 2014 Nat’l Confab 

reports, recommendations 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—THE Church of 

Nigeria, Diocese of Ogbaru 

Diocese, Anglican Communion, 

has called on the All Progressives 

Congress, APC-led Federal 

Government of President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

implement, without further delay, 

the reports and recommendations 

of the 2014 National Conference. 

The Church of Nigeria also 

called on the Federal Government 

to consider the interest of the 

•...says 1999 Constitution is Military Edict 

country and allow restructuring 

to take place in Nigeria to address 

some critical and fundamental 

issues that are threatening the 

country’s corporate existence. 

Speaking to newsmen through 

the Bishop, Diocese of Ogbaru, 

Rt. Rev. Prosper Amah, the church 

said: “Many Nigerian states and 

communities’ problems will be 

solved if the Federal Government 

allows restructuring and take a 

bold step and political will to 

implement the 2014 National 

Conference reports and 

recommendations. 

“Restructuring in Nigeria will 

address the fundamental issues 

that are capable of taking the 

country to the next level the APCled 

Federal Government is 

yearning for. 

“Restructuring will address the 

issue of the new constitution, 

because what we are currently 

operating with is Military Edict 

2001 conflict fallout: Anambra 

communities set up peace c'ttee 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—FOLLOWING the 

2001 communal crisis 

between the people of Umueri 

and their neighbours, Aguleri, 

both in Anambra East Local 

Government, Anambra State, 

which claimed many lives and 

destruction of properties, the two 

communities have resolved to 

forget their past and form a new 

front to ensure peace and 

development in the council. 

The communities have set up 

a peace committee. It was jointly 

set up by the late traditional ruler 

of Aguleri, Igwe Christopher 

Idigo and the traditional ruler of 

Umuleri, Igwe Ben Emeka, to 

resolve any disagreement 

between the two communities 

that can lead to war. 

Speaking with newsmen in his 

palace, Igwe Emeka, told warmongers 

and troublemakers in 

both Umuleri and Aguleri that 

they should look for something 

meaningful to do with their lives 

instead of fanning the embers of 

crisis saying, “never again will 

the two communities engage in 

any kind of crisis that will lead to 

loss of lives and properties in the 

area. 

“The Umuleri and Aguleri 

Peace Committee, which I jointly 

set up with the late traditional 

ruler of Aguleri, Igwe 

Christopher Idigo, is still at work 

and is able, capable and ready to 

resolve any disagreement 

between the two communities. 

“Umuleri and Aguleri are 

inseparable brothers and 50 

percent of our wives, married by 

Umuleri and Aguleri men, are 

from the two communities. 

“The peace that has existed 

between the two communities 

after the fratricidal war that 

claimed lives and led to 

destructions of properties, will 

continue to reign.” 

by the military government in the 

name of constitution. 

“Many people like me have 

been wondering the thing that is 

delaying the implementation of 

the reports and recommendations 

of the 2014 National Conference 

and why restructuring in Nigeria 

is unsettling some people, 

particularly the leaders in the 

present administration. 

“These two issues, 

implementation or the reports and 

recommendations of the 2014 

National Conference and 

restructuring of Nigeria are the 

solutions to our present 

predicament in Nigeria and 

delaying them is toying with and 

delaying the future of the country. 

“We should not allow or use 

politics to silence the honest 

deliberations, where we told 

ourselves the uncomfortable truth 

that would have brought Nigeria 

out of its numerous 

problems.Military dictators’ 

constitution should not guide a 

democratic government. What we 

have as constitution is Military 

Edict. You cannot call it our 

constitution. 

“This is one of the errors we are 

operating with today. So, we need 

the people’s constitution and it 

can only be possible through 

restructuring.” 

Striking Anambra 

varsity doctors 

risk sack 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE ongoing 

strike by doctors at the 

Anambra State-owned 

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu University Teaching 

Hospital, COOUTH, has 

taken a new twist, with 

Governor Willie Obiano, 

allegedly threatening to sack 

all the consultants 

participating in the strike. 

The governor’s threat 

followed the disruption of 

medical examinations because 

many of the consultants, who 

are also lecturers in the Faculty 

of Medicine, abandoned their 

students. 

Vanguard gathered from a 

reliable source that Governor 

Obiano was not happy that the 

consultants, numbering about 

57, joined resident doctors in 

the strike, a development that 

had grounded all services in 

the hospital. 

According to the source, the 

governor had reminded the 

striking doctors that they have 

no existing conditions of 

service, so their demands were 

out of place, as the state 

government had only begun 

to work out conditions of 

service for workers of the 

hospital in line with existing 

conditions in other teaching 

hospitals in the country. 

Abia Majority 

Leader want 

agencies, 

parastatals 

probed 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

ABA—MAJORITY Leader 

of Abia State House of 

Assembly, Chief Solomon 

Akpulonu, has called for 

investigation into the activities 

of some agencies, parastatals 

and other revenue-generating 

agencies in the state. 

Akpulonu, who made this call 

through a motion of urgent 

public importance during the 

House sitting, explained that 

most of the agencies and 

parastatals receive 

subventions from the 

government and generate 

huge revenue but have been 

unable to pay staff salaries. 

He lamented that institutions 

such as Abia State Polytechnic, 

Aba; College of Health 

Technology, Aba; Abia State 

College of Education, 

Technical, Arochukwu; 

Broadcasting Corporation of 

Abia State, BCA; Abia State 

Environmental Protection 

Agency, ASEPA, among 

others, even operate over 20 

bank accounts but owe their 

workers as much as 13 months 

salary arrears.


CONFERENCE: 

From left—NNPC 

Group General 

Manager, Group Public 

Affairs Division, GGM, 

Ndu Ughamadu, 

incoming- NNPC 

Group Managing 

Director, GMD, Mele 

Kyari, MD, NCTL, 

Tunde Akinpelu and 

GMD, Aiteo Eastern 

E&P Co. Ltd, Victor 

O k o r o n k w o , 

welcoming the 

incoming GMD to Aiteo 

Mobile Exhibition at the 

2019 Nigeria Oil and 

Gas, NOG conference 

in Abuja. 

Your time is up, Kogi group tells Gov Bello 

LOKOJA—A sociopolitical 

group in 

Kogi State, Kogi Rainbow 

Democrats, KRD, has 

warned against the 

fielding of Governor 

Yahaya Bello as 

candidate of the ruling 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in the 

November 16, Kogi 

governorship contest. 

The group lamented that 

the governor had made the 

party so unattractive in the 

state just as it alleged that 

governor Bello is among 

those creating tension in 

Politicians feasting from Obaseki, Oshiomhole's 

fued, says Abudah 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—AS the 

crisis between the National 

Chairman of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, and home state 

governor, Godwin Obaseki 

continues, the 

spokesperson of the Otaru 

of Auchi, Alhaji Usman 

Abudah yesterday said 

there were some politicians 

who are feasting from the 

crisis and were ensuring 

that the crisis continues. 

Reacting to the report by 

Vanguard yesterday that 


Buhari had three weeks 

ago directed Obaseki to 

settle with Oshiomhole, 

Abudah said the Otaru of 

Auchi, HRH Alhaji Aliru 

Momoh Ikelebe III 

suggested a similar way 

forward when the governor 

and some other traditional 

rulers were with him to 

break fast during 

Ramadan. 

He said; “I think it is 

time the people lay this 

crisis to rest and it is 

Obaseki and Oshiomhole 

that can end that once they 

meet as they will call their 

foot soldiers to order once 

they both agree. 

“When Governor Obaseki 

visited the Otaru of Auchi 

to break fast with some other 

traditional rulers in Edo 

North during the 

Ramadan, the Otaru told 

him to meet with 

the party by plotting to fight 

the APC National Working 

Committee (NWC) due to 

his second term ambition. 

The group in a message 

signed by Jimoh Unuwa 

Kadiri, Secretary General, 

and issued in Lokoja, they 

accused governor Bello of 

employing foul tactics, all 

in the bid to force himself 

on the people of the state. 

According to them: "We 

are all familiar with the 

desperate instincts of a 

drowning man. No right 

thinking Kogi man or 

woman, boy or girl will 

Oshiomhole and that it is 

only two of them that will 

be able to resolve the crisis. 

“He advised the governor 

that that is the best way 

forward because they 

understand what is 

happening more than the 

other persons in the whole 

crisis. I believe that there 

Stronger Delta: PDP chieftain lauds Okowa for 

appointing Iyasere, Adigwe, others as SAs 

By Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

A 

S A B A — 

GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, has appointed six 

additional Special 

Advisers, bringing on 

board some of the best 

individuals to assist him 

actualise the Stronger 

Delta Agenda of his 

second tenure expected 

to end on May 29, 2023. 

A statement by 

Secretary to Delta State 

Government, Chiedu 

Ebie, said the following 

persons have been 

appointed as Special 

Advisers by the governor; 

Chief Edwin Uzor, Mary 

Iyasere, Johnson Erijo, 

Prince Kelly Penawou, 

Mike Okeme and Pascal 

Adigwe. 

Reacting to the news of 

accept pleas for Governor 

Yahaya Bello's second 

coming, and sensing the 

clear and present danger of 

going through direct 

primaries of APC, Gov. 

Bellois allegedly spending 

more Kogi resources to 

recruit some APC 

governors to work against 

the National Chairman, so 

he can obtain his indirect 

primaries and procure a 

second term ticket through 

black market ploy. Let us 

warn all those in league 

with Yahaya Bello that the 

blood of the dead workers 

are some greedy politicians 

who are reaping from the 

crisis and don’t want it to 

end. The earlier they 

(Oshiomhole and Obaseki) 

know this the better for them” 

Vanguard reliably gathered 

that some elders in the 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) have been holding 

series of meetings to resolve 

the appointments, a 

chieftain of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP and 

and a Fellow of the 

Civilian Institute of 

D e m o c r a t i c 

Administration, FCIDA, 

Fred Oghenesivbe, in a 

statement in Asaba, 

yesterday, commended 

the governor, for bringing 

on board key professionals 

and technocrats who 

have distinguished themselves 

in their respective 

fields and in public service. 

He thanked the governor 

for bringing Iyasere on 

board as one of the 

strategic team members of 

the Stronger Delta 

Agenda, while also 

congratulaing May 

Iyasere, a former 

Commissioner for 

Commerce and Industry 

who were denied years of 

unpaid salaries will be visited 

upon them and their 

generations , if not by man, 

certainly by God. 

"Let us thank President 

Muhammadu Buhari for 

upholding the tenets of 

internal democracy by 

replying Governor Yahaya 

Bello that the Presidential 

Villa is not the avenue for 

his return ticket of APC to 

recontest the forthcoming 

November Governorship 

election, but the overall 

decision of Kogi people." 

the rift between the two. It 

was gathered that the elders 

have met with Obaseki and 

his deputy, Philip Shaibu, 

they are expected to meet 

with Oshiomhole and thereafter 

meet with the trio and 

other actors with the hope 

that once the issues are resolved 

between these actors, 

others would fall in line. 

in Okowa’s first tenure, 

for making the list of the 

new Special Advisers, 

pointing out that her 

service to Deltans and the 

State from 2015 to 2019, 

was exemplary which 

helped in the attainment 

of certain socio-economic 

objectives of the Smart 

Agenda. 

EU open to talks with U.S. in aircraft 

subsidies dispute 

THE European Union said on Tuesday it was open 

to talks with Washington in a dispute over aircraft 

subsidies after the United States threatened an additional 

$4 bln in tariffs on EU goods including olives, Italian 

cheese and Scotch whisky. 

Just days after reaching a truce in the U.S.-China trade 

war, the U.S. Trade Representative's office (USTR) opened 

the new front with Europe on Monday in the long-running 

dispute. 

It added the list of additional products to $21 billion 

worth of EU goods that could be hit with tariffs announced 

in April - alarming industries on both sides of the Atlantic. 

The EU hit back, saying the dispute should be adjudicated 

by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the 

United States could not make its own tally of potential 

hurt to calculate retaliation. 

Arizona to pull incentive for Nike 

plant over sneaker recall 

ARIZONA will withdraw financial incentives for 

Nike Inc's (NKE.N) manufacturing plant in the 

state after the sportswear maker pulled the release of a 

sneaker that featured a colonial-era version of the American 

flag, Governor Doug Ducey said on yesterday. 

The world's largest sportswear maker recalled the shoe 

after former NFL quarterback and Nike sponsor Colin 

Kaepernick asked the company not to sell a shoe with a 

symbol that he and others consider offensive because of 

its connection to an era of slavery, the Wall Street Journal 

reported here on Monday. 

Nike had planned to release a new version of the Air 

Max 1 sneaker ahead of the Fourth of July holiday that 

featured a version of the U.S. flag with 13 white stars 

representing the first U.S. colonies. The flag is commonly 

known as the "Betsy Ross flag." 

"Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible 

decision. I am embarrassed for Nike," Ducey, a 

Republican, said in a series of tweets here on the recall. 

Govt approves first CES for extractive 

companies, others 

THE federal government has approved Nigeria's 

first-of-its-kind community relationship management 

tool, the Community Engagement Standards 

(CES), developed by CSR-in-Action. 

This will serve as the acceptable framework for engagement 

between extractive companies and oil-producing 

communities in the Niger Delta and other oilproducing 

communities across the country. 

The CES was developed following empirical research 

findings of poor or inadequate and ineffective communication 

and engagement with communities as the major 

factor responsible for the lack of mutually beneficial 

relationship between companies and communities, 

which in turn has contributed to insecurity and retrogressive 

development in the sector. 

During a two-day CES Presentation Workshop to government 

ministries and agencies to adopt the CES in 

Abuja, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Petroleum Resources (MPR), described the 

CES as a "decisive tool towards the restoration of peace 

and stability in the Niger Delta". 

In his remark, Mr Charles Achodo, Special Adviser to 

the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources on Niger 

Delta Affairs, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, stated that the principal 

goal of the CES aligns with federal government's '7 Big 

Wins' for the industry. 

He opined that the CES will change the narrative from 

"Communities are polluted and ravaged because of the 

companies operating in them to communities fare better 

because of the companies operating in them" when 

operationalised by companies. 

He further suggested that that at operational level, 

the CES should be a criterion companies must meet for 

social development. 

Oil dives 3% on demand worries 

even as OPEC, allies extend cuts 

OIL prices fell about three percent on yester 

day, even after OPEC and allies including 

Russia agreed to extend supply cuts until next 

March, as weak manufacturing data had investors 

worried that a slowing global economy could dent 

oil demand. 

Brent crude LCOc1 futures fell $1.67, or 2.6 percent, 

to $63.39 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate 

(WTI) crude CLc1 futures fell $1.81, or 3.1 percent, 

to $57.28 a barrel, after touching their highest 

in more than five weeks on Monday. 

Some stories credited to Reuters

BUSOLA Dakolo, the wife 

of a popular entertainer, 

Timi Dakolo, sent shockwaves 

through the Nigerian media 

space over the weekend when 

she accused the founder of 

Commonwealth of Zion 

Assembly, COZA, Pastor 

Biodun Fatoyinbo, of raping 

her as a young girl. 

Mr. Fatoyinbo was also 

accused of rape by another 

young woman, Ese Walters, in 

2013 and a number of other 

women (some of them church 

members) have allegedly made 

similar allegations of sexual 

impropriety or outright assault 

in relation to him over the 

years. 

Interestingly, the Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN, 

whom many expected to deal 

with the issue, released a 

statement saying the 

organisation could not 

“interfere” as it only deals with 

contacts and affairs between 

the church and government. 

Nigerians’ reactions varied 

from puzzlement to outrage: a 

member of CAN, a founder of 

a popular church was accused 

of rape which, whether we 

like it or not, smears the 

reputation of the church as an 

institution. 

Universal 

condemnation 

The Catholic Church had to 

issue an apology following the 

recurring scandals in relation 

to the abuse of altar boys by 

Catholic priests in the United 

States and the United 

Kingdom. Yet, in Nigeria, the 

central body which ought to 

supervise pastors and unite 

Christians in universal 

condemnation of wrongdoing, 

claims it can’t take a stand. 

Yes, Mr. Fatoyinbo has not 

been found guilty by a court 

of law. But CAN owes it to 

Nigerians, and to all those 

who look up to the church for 

moral leadership and 

guidance to condemn the act 

of rape first and foremost. And 

in the process, reassuring 

Nigerians and Christians; 

proving it takes the 

accusations seriously and is 

committed to finding out the 

truth after which it ought to 

have asked Mr. Fatoyinbo to 

step aside while a proper 

investigation is conducted. 

By refusing to do that, CAN 

showed it is only interested in 

the politicisation of religion, or 

the performance of religious 

activity for the political gain of 

Emir of Kano 

MUHAMMAD Sanusi II 

said there is “nothing 

like non-indigenship” in Kano. 

Whoever lives in Kano, he said, 

is an indigene irrespective of 

their ethno-religious belonging. 

He is right and it should be 

the same for all states in Nigeria. 

State of origin and indigeneity 

divide Nigerians who compete 

on that basis for benefits from 

the state. 

The Constitution should be 

amended to enable our nation 

building efforts to move beyond 

the realm of dreams into reality. 

What is CAN’s true focus, the politicisation 

of religion or people’s wellbeing? 

•Cattle colony...solution to herders-farmers' clashes? 

private actors rather than the 

well-being of the faithful. 

Are Nigerian pastors 

granted a license before they 

are allowed to open a church? 

If so by whom? What are 

churches’ governing 

structures? Where are the 

checks and balances to protect 

their congregations from 

abuse? It isn’t enough to say 

“God will judge”. 

The Bible warned of false 

prophets, yet the prosperity 

gospel preached by the church 

in a socio-economic climate as 

harsh as Nigeria’s carries with 

it a cult of obedience to 

seniority and status which 

hands every rich and powerful 

individual a “get out of jail 

free” card, granting them 

permission to break laws 

under the cover of their 

“anointing”. 

Also, if CAN isn’t the 

supervisory body for churches, 

then who is? Does this mean 

that pastors in Nigeria make 

their own rules, picking and 

choosing when to abide by 

•Sanusi, Emir of Kano 

them? It always takes a scandal 

to get us thinking about public 

morality, governance and 

various forms of misconduct in 

Nigeria. 

The closeness between 

former President Goodluck 

Jonathan and CAN gave rise 

to a number of allegations 

CAN ignores 

the crimes 

committed by 

the rich and 

powerful, 

preferring to 

define crime by 

ethnicity and 

religion 

which were never 

investigated. 

Prominent pastors also 

participated in the 

reconciliation between the 

PDP’s presidential candidate 

Atiku Abubakar and his former 

boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, 

after which more claims 

surfaced hinting that “God’s 

work” or “pastoral 

South-East governors 

GOVERNOR Umahi, the 

Chairman of the South- 

East Governors' Forum, says 

the zone will give grass to 

herdsmen in exchange for meat. 

Those who aren’t being 

mischievous and unnecessarily 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 —17 

intervention” also came with Nigeria with substantial 

a cost. Pastors are constantly contributions to food security 

involved in politics in Nigeria in the country”. Jonathan also 

where there is no real said his government was 

separation between church “developing cattle rearing in 

and state. But when does CAN Nigeria to a level where the 

stand up for ordinary men and nation can earn higher 

women? Leah Shuaibu is revenues from meat exports”. 

CAN’s favourite topic of Why wasn’t CAN 

conversation because she was propagating conspiracy 

kidnapped by Islamist 

fundamentalists which fits into 

CAN’s narrative of 

“islamisation”. 

Also, it is interesting that 

Busola Dakolo’s story went 

viral in a way Ese Walters, 

another accuser of Pastor 

Fatoyinbo’s, didn’t. Do we 

only care about wrongs done 

to people of a certain status? 

Have Nigerians chosen what 

“victims” are more believable? 

Miss Walters was instantly 

castigated and called names 

because she was a single 

mother, but Mrs. Dakolo is a 

married woman with “celebrity 

clout”. 

There is something very 

unsettling about a society that 

picks and chooses whose pain 

deserves our attention, or 

whose story is worth fighting 

for. In fact, CAN has proven it 

will only fight over politics and 

(some) politicians. 

After all, how does one 

explain that when former 

president Jonathan was 

proclaimed “life patron” of the 

Miyetti Allah cattle breeding 

organisation during the 2015 

presidential election, CAN 

didn’t protest. 

Nor did it complain when 

Jonathan praised cattle 

herders, calling them a “a 

major economic group in 

divisive know the Ruga 

settlements are optional. 

In fact, Governor Umahi 

should be commended for his 

approach: creating economic 

and business ties between 

diverse populations is the smart 

way to manage ethnicity. 

theories about land seizure 

and “islamisation” or 

“fulanisation” then? Cattle 

ranching has always been a 

policy of the Federal 

Government. 

In fact, it was already 

supported by Awolowo, 

premier of the Western Region 

as far back as the 1960s. It was 

military rule and the rampant 

corruption under successive 

administrations which 

destroyed ranching and 

impoverished those involved 

in animal husbandry. 

Furthermore, no law then or 

now says that ranch owners 

must be Fulani. 

The derogatory, divisive 

political sentiments 

encouraged by CAN over the 

ranching issue begin to make 

sense when one considers that 

the organisation has stated its 

objectives: political affairs but 

of a very specific sort. 

Nigeria has many 

government interventions for 

farmers; why do some people 

insist on politicising the 

intervention for cattle rearing? 

When government 

(AMCON) bails out 

businesses belonging to 

private individuals who leave 

shareholders and staff to deal 

with their financial 

mismanagement, why doesn’t 

CAN complain? Social justice 

is one of the founding 

principles of every major 

religion. Yet, CAN ignores the 

crimes committed by the rich 

and powerful, preferring to 

define crime by ethnicity and 

religion. 

Ethnicity and 

religion 

The “Ruga settlement”, 

which has become politicised, 

is optional. No states are 

being forced to give up land. 

No one is being colonised. 

Primarily Northern states have 

opted for settlements on their 

lands. 

Besides the obvious 

objective of tackling clashes 

between herders and farmers 

over land, water and other 

resources threatened by 

climate change, the overall 

gains for our economic 

prosperity once this business 

is professionalised and 

standardised will benefit us 

all. 

Does CAN care about 

people’s well-being if there is 

no “islamisation” story to tell? 

Tabia Princewill is a 

strategic communications 

consultant and public policy 

analyst. She is also the cohost 

and executive producer 

of a talk show, WALK THE 

TALK which airs on 

Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

has entered a new phase in the 

developmental functions as it relates to 

its jurisdictional mandate as pursued 

under the Godwin Emefiele-led regime 

in the first term, 2014-2019. 

Emefiele has rolled out a 14-point 

agenda that would hallmark his second 

term in the next five years (2019-2024). 

They include recapitalisation of 

banks, macro-economic stability, 

double-digit economic growth, singledigit 

inflation, greater access to credit, 

and accelerating the rate of 

employment. 

Others are development of a robust 

payments system, extension of 

intervention support to the youth 

population, increase/diversification of 

Nigeria’s exports base, creation of a 

Trade Monitoring System, TRMS; 

improved foreign direct investment, 

FDI, flows; boosting agricultural sector 

productivity and aggressive enrolment 

onto the BVN system. Finally, Emefiele 

said he would continue to operate a 

Emefiele’s second term agenda, 

matters arising 

managed-float exchange rate regime. 

We commend Emefiele, first, for his 

passion and steadfast pursuit of the 

developmental role of the CBN which 

comes as an addition to the traditional 

role of central banks in developed 

economies. 

Perhaps this is one of the qualities 

that may have earned him the rare 

second term in the coveted office, and 

we support his re-appointment by 

President Muhammadu Buhari. 

But we are quick to add that there is 

a limit to where passion can go, especially 

in a fractious society with weak 

institutions such as Nigeria’s where 

strong men are larger than institutions, 

where rules are observed in the breach 

with law-abiding citizens getting the 

short end of the stick all the time. 

We are also quick to add that as laudable 

as each of the goals are, they are 

rather too many for one institution, 

even if it has all the constitutional 

monopoly over the issues involved. We 

are, therefore, worried that the apex 

bank may be taking too much unto itself 

which might torpedo its laudable 

agenda. 

For instance, the role of CBN in 

macro-economic stability is obviously 

non-absolute; the fiscal authorities (the 

Federal Ministry of Finance) as well 

as other economic arms of government 

play more critical roles which ultimately 

determine the extent of the success of 

CBN’s efforts. 

The other example is in the agenda 

of promoting non-oil exports where the 

major government agencies in charge 

of the processes report to authorities 

other than CBN, and therefore may 

have different agenda and control 

mechanisms. 

Finally, on this same authority and 

control issue, the apex bank’s agenda 

towards domestic production of goods 

and services could easily be 

undermined by those in charge of 

policing the ports of entry where all 

manners of imports still come in 

despite the ban. 

Despite these, however, we stand with 

the CBN and call on the Presidency to 

fully back Emefiele’s second tenure 

agenda for the good of our economy. 

OPINION 

Global trade wars: Where do we stand? 

By Sunny Ikhioya 

AFTER giving the order to strike Iran, 

President Donald Trump of the 

United States of America, withdrew his 

order at the last minute, because, according 

to him, too many human lives will be lost 

in the process. He, therefore, opted for 

further trade sanctions which, he hopes, 

will bring the economy of Iran on its knees 

and, therefore, force them to the 

negotiating table. 

That is the situation right now in the 

growing feud between the United States of 

America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

However, whether the result will pan out 

as envisaged is yet to be seen. 

That is the trend throughout the world: 

global wars both in trade and cybernetics, 

big powers engaged in opposition to themselves 

and on the other hand, poised 

against weaker countries. The South 

American country of Venezuela has been 

brought almost to its knees because of the 

sanctions imposed by the US and its allies 

against the government of President 

Maduro. 

Although, the government is holding fast 

and resilient, the sanctions are really taking 

their toll on the citizens of Venezuela 

and people are leaving the country in 

droves. The big economies are now 

virtually matched in sanctions: the US and 

its allies against the Russian republic, the 

US versus China and so on and so forth. 

Nigeria readily comes to mind as one 

takes note of the attacks and counter-attacks 

between China and the United States, 

the resilience of both countries, compared 

to the situation in Venezuela that has 

totally collapsed the economy. 

If Nigeria is to be faced with sanctions 

by other countries like the US, China and 

the European Union, how are we going to 

cope? Are the people we have in government 

thinking about this? Will Nigeria survive 

trade sanctions imposed by the US 

and EU over dispute in trade or other matters? 

Ordinarily, with all of the resources 

available in Nigeria, both in human 

capital and natural resources, the answer 

would have been a definite yes. But can we 

say yes, given the situation we have found 

ourselves today? 

If we cannot say yes, what then is responsible 

for the negative answer? What is it 

that has made Nigeria to fail so badly in 

the midst of abundant resources? Waste, 

poor management of resources, apathy, illiteracy, 

all amplified by deep-rooted 

ethnic and religious sentiments. So, we 

swim in poverty in the midst of so much 

waste; in gas flaring all over the place, in 

pipeline leakages, crude oil theft and agric 

produces without accessible roads to bring 

them to towns, a situation made worse by 

poor storage facilities and lack of processing 

facilities. 

As a result, we are faced with a manpower 

that is so focused on trading abroad. Even 

without sanctions, Nigerians are already 

leaving in numbers to other countries. What 

will happen if we are then faced with 

sanctions? How will the scenario look like 

for Nigeria? Are we going to be like 

Venezuela or will the situation be worse? A 

country that cannot feed itself cannot be 

said to be sovereign; a country that cannot 

generate its electricity to power 

manufacturing and processing cannot be 

said to be independent; a country that 

cannot guarantee security for its citizens 

is not independent, and a country that 

allows free-flow of illegal immigrants to 

cause mayhem amongst its population is 

a docile country. 

Therefore, if such a country is faced with 

trade or cyber attacks from bigger nations, 

the result will be catastrophic. It is not 

rocket science, it is what everyone should 

know, right from the beginning. If 

government officials are serious, they 

should be worried about the situation that 

we have found ourselves. As every sector of 

the economy appears to be hopeless, what 

do we do? What are the things we should 

do that will make us truly independent? 

What are the things that we can produce 

for ourselves over here and what are the 

things we must, of necessity, import from 

abroad? 

We must begin to consider our priorities. 

Self-sufficiency is the 

only sure way to earn 

global respect 

Again, what are the things that we can do 

without if faced with a worst case scenerio? 

These ones must be identified. The next 

stage is to identify what it will take to 

produce enough of what we have, so we do 

not have to import them from abroad. 

This is very important because sometimes 

we introduce policies without looking at 

the implications for the people and country. 

If items are necessary in the country, we do 

not have to impose a blanket ban on such 

items; all that is required is to put in place 

effective machinery to get such items produced 

locally, especially raw materials, 

spare parts and others. 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

It requires effective planning, not just 

propaganda. So, our focus must be in the 

areas of research and development. A 

country that is not spending enough or 

spending a significant part of its budget 

on research and development has no future. 

We must seriously encourage the Aba, 

Nnewi and other Nigerian made products 

with full government support. 

Why is it that countries in the desert are 

becoming self-sufficient in food production 

and over here, we are not making progress? 

Our researchers must find out why and give 

us solutions; when they do, government 

must reciprocate by giving them full support. 

And, there must be enough 

sensitisation; the citizens must be made to 

understand clearly why they must patronise 

home-made products. The people in government 

must lead the way by setting 

worthy examples; you cannot be mouthing 

the use of locally manufactured goods 

and be seen to be using foreign made. 

We also do not have accurate data base 

to hinge our planning on. The world is going 

electric; we are investing heavily on 

petroleum and search for new oil wells. We 

should be looking ahead. Above all, government 

must possess the necessary political 

will to enforce its programmes and 

policies. 

The governor of the Central Bank has 

just announced the prohibition of some 

items on our import list to promote local 

manufacturing. But you will still find these 

banned items displayed conspicuously in 

our markets; how will the policy be 

effective? There must be no sacred cow, the 

consequences of not getting ready for 

tomorrow is very disastrous; government 

must begin now. Self- sufficiency is the only 

sure way to earn global respect. 

•Ikhioya, www.southsouthecho.com 

Twitter:@SunnyIkhioya

Foreign investments into Nigeria rise 

by 34% in Q1’19 

By Babajide Komolafe 

The value of total foreign 

investments into the country 

rose by 34.6 percent year-onyear 

to $8.5 billion in the first 

quarter of 2019 (Q1’19). 

This is contained in the 

National Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS) 

Capital Importation report for 

Q1’19 released yesterday. 

The report said: “The total 

value of capital importation into 

Nigeria stood at $8.485 billion 

in the first quarter of 2019. This 

represents an increase of 

216.03% compared to Q4 2018 

and 34.61% increase compared 

to the first quarter of 2018.” 

The largest amount of capital 

importation by type was 

received through Portfolio 

Investment, which accounted 

for 84.21 percent ($7.1 billion) 

of total capital importation, 

followed by heading captured as 

‘Other Investment’, which 

accounted for 12.91 percent 

($1.1 billion) of total capital, and 

then Foreign Direct Investment, 

FDI, which accounted for 2.86 

percent ($243.36million) of total 

capital imported in Q1’19. 

By sector, Capital importation 

by banking dominated Q1’19 

reaching $2.9 billion of the total 

capital 

importation in Q1’19. 

The United Kingdom emerged 

as the top source of capital 

investment in Nigeria in Q1’19 

with $4.5 billion. This accounted 

for 53.40 percent of the total 

capital inflow in Q1’19. 

By Destination of Investment, 

Lagos state continued to emerge 

as the top destination of capital 


with $4.8 billion, accounting for 

56.25 percent of the total capital 

inflow in Q1’19. 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$108.60 -1.55 

2,526.00 0.00 

$12.34 -0.23 

$63.27 -1.79 

$57.14 -1.95 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

386.4454 387.077 387.7085 

347.7847 346.3498 346.9149 

309.6033 310.1093 310.6153 

2.8253 2.8299 2.8345 

0.5102 0.5202 0.5302 

423.9944 425.6873 425.3802 

44.486 44.5592 44.6323 

81.5801 81.7135 81.8468 

424.6892 425.3832 426.0773 

46.3154 46.3911 46.4667 

. 21.6522 21.6876 21.723 

CBN Exchange rate as at 02/07/2019 

By Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank 

Plc emerged at the top of capital 


with $3.6billion, accounting for 


42.5 percent of the total capital 

inflow in Q1’19.” 

Managing Director/CEO of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Tomi Somefun flanked by Mentees at the 

2019 YP (Young Professional) breakfast Roundtable held in Lagos. 

FINANCIAL INCLUSION: 

CBN orders MfBs to acquire 64 new 

customers per month 

By Providence Emmanuel 

The Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, yesterday, announced a 

financial inclusion target of 64 new 

customers per month for each 

branch of Microfinance Banks, 

MfBs, in the country. 

The target followed a series of 

meeting between the CBN and 

MfB operators on the 

contributions of the 

subsector towards the 

achievement of the 

nation’s goal of 80 

percent financial 

inclusion by 2020. 

Director, Other 

Financial Institutions 

Supervision Department, 

CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo 

Martins, announced this 

target in a letter to all 

MfBs, titled: “Letter to 

all Microfinance Banks, 

MfBs, on the Revised 

National Financial 

Inclusion Targets.” 

The letter reads: “It will 

be recalled that the 

National Financial 

Inclusion strategy (NFIS) 

was launched in October 

2012 and revised in 2018 

with the major objective 

of increasing the 

percentage of adult 

Nigerians who own bank 

accounts and use formal 

financial services from the 

baseline figure of 46.3 

percent in 2010 to 80 

percent by 2020. 

“Over the last six years of 

implementation of the strategy, 

MfBs have contributed significantly 

towards the realization of the stated 

objective. As at the end of 2018, 63.2 

percent or 63 million adult 

Nigerians were financially served 

leaving an inclusion gap of 36.8 

percent or 36.6 million adult 

Nigerians that need to be included. 

“Given the short time to the end 

of the target date, it has become 

expedient for all stakeholders to 

double efforts towards the 

realization of the targeted 80 

percent inclusion rate. 

“In a bid to mobilize stakeholders 

on the Revised National Financial 

Inclusion Strategy (NFIS 2.0) and 

accelerate progress towards the 

achievement of the target, the CBN 

held a stakeholders’ forum for all 

financial service providers in the 

six geo-political zones in the first 

and second quarters of 20l9 which 

was attended by representatives of 

MfBs. 

“The objective of the forum was 

to expose stakeholders to the 

detailed provisions of the revised 

strategy (NFlS 2.0) and their 

expected roles/responsibilities in 

the financial inclusion agenda. 

“One of the major resolutions 

reached at the event was the 

setting of a target for each branch 

of a MfB to acquire 64 new 

customers per month. This 

translates to 774 new bank accounts 

(measured by new BVN 

registration) per branch per year. 

Given the urgency of this task, it is 

important to cascade the target to 

your branches for their information 

and implementation.’’ 

Accountants must work with govt to bridge 

infrastructure gap — ACCA 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The Association of Chartered 

Certified Accountants 

(ACCA) has said that professional 

accountants in the country must 

work with the government in 

mitigating the risk associated with 

infrastructure projects. 

According to the association, 

these accountants will play a vital 

role in bridging the infrastructure 

gap by improving the selection, 

financing and delivery of 


ACCA disclosed this in its 

recent joint report with Chartered 

Professional Accountants, 

Canada, titled: “Bridging the 

African infrastructure gap”. 

The report stated: “In order for 

infrastructure projects to be 

successful, governments need the 

right team in place, which 

includes the professional 

accountant. 

“Governments need the right 

professional team in place to 

harness the benefits of additional 

investment while working to 

mitigate the significant risks 

associated with infrastructure 

projects. 

GPW gives 96 

awards to 

outstanding 

persons, 

companies 

By Cynthia Alo 

About 96 firms and women 

who have distinguished 

themselves in industry and top 

management received 

certification and awards at the 

2019 Great Place To Work 

(GPTW) 6th Annual Awards 

held in Lagos. The awards 

went to outstanding 

personalities and companies in 

various categories. 

It attracted entries from over 

six African countries including 

Kenya, Cote D’ Ivoire, Senegal 

and South Africa, Namibia and 

Egypt. 

The Group Managing 

Director/CEO, GPTW, Kunle 

Malomo, said the awards were 

not aimed at recognising only 

winners, but also to instill good 

work practices in work places. 

He said the company’s vision 

entails expanding the good 

work place culture across 

Africa, adding that the coming 

editions would feature about 

300 companies and over 100 

persons. 

A winner of the Exceptional 

Women Leaders Awards 

category, Mrs. Temitope 

Balogun said; “I am excited, 

I’m very proud of women being 

recognized. This is a platform 

where exceptional women are 

recognised.” 

Earlier in his speech, the 

Keynote speaker, Austin 

Okere, said Great Place To 

Work is out to create valueshared 

personalities, stressing 

that the awards are aimed at 

impacting companies and 

individuals such that they 

would become internationally 

recognised. 

On the company certification 

category, were: ACCION 

Microfinance Bank; Afriland 

Properties; Avon HMO; Broll 

from Namibia; CISCOtm 

Egypt; Courteville Business 

Solution. 

Others are; Ernst &Young, 

FBN General Insurance; FBN 

Holdings, which were grouped 

on the large companies 

categories. 

The medium companies that 

bagged certification are: FBN 

Insurance, Hangana, Incentro, 

Leadway Assurance, 

Meristerm Security Ltd, 

Novartis Phamarceuticals, 

Namibiadiaries, NSIA 

Insurance, O&L Centre, Pizza 

Hot, Pwc and RMB. 

Those that bagged the 

awards of best work place are: 

Sanofi Nig Ltd, SC Johnson, 

Softcom, Sterling Bank, Wema 

Bank, and United Capital. 

“Accountants must play a critical 

role in closing the infrastructure 

gap by improving the selection, 

financing and delivery of 


The report noted, “the nation is 

expected to invest $618 billion in 

its infrastructure between now and 

2040, however it has a projected 

investment gap of $210.3 billion 

its public sector needs to plug”. 

Commenting on the report, 

ACCA’s Head, Nigeria, Thomas 

Isibor, said: “Across Nigeria there 

are a number of barriers that come 

into play when meeting our 

infrastructure needs.




Hitachi opens data discussion in Abuja 

By Juliet Umeh 

H 

I T A C H I 

Vantara has said it is set to 

drive the next wave of multiplied 

innovations with Data driven insights 

using Cloud Based technology 

to empower and manage 

modern workforces in Abuja. 

The company said it would use 

the forum to present solutions in 

its stable that can help organisations 

put their data into better use, 

leading to monetizing such data. 

The company said since everyday 

business is under pressure to 

meet up with set goals and objectives, 

only digital transformation, 

can help businesses accelerate 

cost efficiency and time to market 

by automating operations and 

processes. 

The company added that data 

Vanguard, Wednesday, JULY 3, 2019 — 23 

transformation would help increase 

loyalty and grow revenue 

by improving customer experience 

and unlock innovations. 

The company’s Managing Director 

for West and East Africa, JP 

Smith, said “Hitachi remains the 

only OEM that guarantees you 

100% data protection- no data 

loss”. 

Also, the company’s Regional 

Managing Director, West Africa, 

Wale Awosokanre, said “the company’s 

data solution helps people 

scale into the untapped potential 

of data, riding on the company’s 

experience on how to store, enrich, 

activate and monetize data from 

the business landscape”. 

The event aims at engaging specific 

organizations in both public 

and private institutions on how to 

become more effective at leveraging 

data and analytics to power 

their business models. 

It is scheduled to hold at 

Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, 

Nigeria on Tuesday. 

At this event customers will 

learn how to achieve smarter, faster 

insights with integrated data 

services and proven blueprints 

that make the most of their data. 

Achieve their business outcomes 

and service levels with intelligent 

resource deployment that streamlines 

IT and reduces costs and 

risks. 

Modernize for digital transformation 

using the right cloud strategy 

built for their businesses with 

the most flexible, open and trusted 

choices 

•Garment line of 

Ariaria Market, Aba 

Aba on the world 

map again 

•As Google takes digital training to Enyimba city Artisans 

•Abia govt demands ICT policy, internet city from Google 

•Promises to flag off Economic city, December 

•Shoeline of Ariaria 

Market, Aba 

By Prince Osuagwu, 

Hi-Tech Editor 

The ancient town of Aba, 

Enyimba City, Abia state has 

remained a commercial city, 

even before 1901 when the British 

Colonial administration imposed 

a military post there. yet the 

presence of the military did not 

change the status quo, but rather 

emboldened the commercial 

activities and in no time, the city 

became a collecting point for 

agricultural products following 

the British established railway 

line running through it to Port 

Harcourt. 

Its commercial nature is 

original considering that it sits at 

the intersection of roads leading 

to Port Harcourt, Owerri, 

Umuahia, Ikot Ekpene, and Ikot 

Abasi - the unique feature which 

original owners, the Ngwa clan, 

may have seen before establishing 

it as a market town, long before 

the arrival of the colonial masters. 

Although Aba was not made the 

capital upon the creation of Abia 

state in 1991, it however, remained 

a major urban settlement and 

commercial centre of not only the 

state but the South East region. 

The economic viability of 

Enyimba city is not in doubt, 

having naturally been endowed 

with oil wells and a 30 kilometres 

gas pipeline from the Imo River 

natural gas repository, which 

powers the city. 

Aba is well known for its 

handicrafts resulting in major 

economic contributions being 

Textiles and Palm Oil, 

supported by pharmaceuticals, 

plastics, cement, and cosmetics. 

These, made the popular Ariaria 

International Market the largest 

in West Africa, exporting made in 

Aba shoes, bags, garments, skin 

artefacts among others to other 

markets in Africa and beyond. 

However, the down side of this 

beautiful city is that nearly its over 

three million population, which 

are mainly craftsmen and traders 

are plying their trade in crude and 

analogue methods. 

The alleged failing of successive 

governments to keep the state up 

to date with development did not 

help matters. Road networks in the 

city began to fail and eventually 

deteriorated. Refuse now litter the 

city in abysmal form, making it 

become infamously the dirtiest city 

in Nigeria. 

Aba is well known 

for its handicrafts 

resulting in major 

economic 

contributions being 

textiles and Palm 

Oil, supported by 

pharmaceuticals, 

plastics, cement, 

and cosmetics 

However, between the current 

Abia state government and 

technology company, Google, 

some changes appear to be on the 

way. 

While the tech company has 

launched a digital skills training 

to the ancient city, capable of 

digitizing businesses of the 

teeming Artisans, the state 

government is making 

preparations to flag off an 

economic hub called Enyimba 

Economic City, EEC. The hub is 

located in a 9,803 hectares of land, 

spanning three Local Government 

Areas of Abia State, Ukwa East, 

Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo. 

The land is at the centre of the 

five Southeast and four Southsouth 

States and has the right 

characteristics and ingredients to 

drive massive economic 

expansion of the region and by 

extension Nigeria. 

It has major arterial, intercity 

roads connections. It is near 

existing sea ports,Onne and 

PortHacourt and proposed Akwa 

Ibom deep sea port. 

It has proximity to Owerri, 

PortHacourt and Uyo Airports. It 

has functional gas pipelines and 

boarder Owaza gas fields. It is 

transversed by existing National 

rail line from PortHacourt to 

Maiduguri . 

The key pillars of Enyimba 

Economic City is to create a 

global business hub that has the 

capacity to provide over 700,000 

jobs, urban housing of over 

300,000 units, urban population 

of more than 1.5 Million people. 

It is projected that the city will 

provide more than 

2,000industrial/ business units, 

with estimated annual value 

output of more than $5 Billion. 

Google digital skills 

Meanwhile, Google Nigeria at 

the weekend launched its Digital 

Skills for Africa program in the 

city and other local communities 

in Abia State. 

Google’s Digital Skills for 

Africa program offers training 

courses to help individuals and 

communities develop and grow 

digital skills, find jobs and 

advance in their careers. The 

program provides free online 

courses, tools, and in-person 

digital training to students, 

Continues on Page 

C 

M 

Y 

K

24 — Vanguard, Wednesday, JULY 3, 2019 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

The Director General of the 

National Broadcasting 

Commission, NBC, Mallam Isaq 

Modibbo Kawu, says the new 

broadcasting code billed for launch 

tomorrow, in Kano will reposition the 

Nigerian broadcasting landscape 

and address the preponderance of 

hate speech and fake news that 

characterise the industry. 

He said the new code will reflect 

some of the recommendations made 

by the committee constituted by the 

Commission to review the 2015 

general elections with a view to 

taming the menace of hate speech 

and unprofessional conduct of some 

media practitioners in the country. 

The code is actually the 6th 

edition and was prepared since 2017. 

Kawu said the launch was 

delayed due to a combination of 

issues. 

According to him, “I can confirm 

to you that work on the 6th Edition 

of The Code had been completed 

since 2017, but it has not been 

released since then due to a 

combination of circumstances. We 

hope that when launched, it will not 

only complement the existing codes 

but help in repositioning the 

broadcasting landscape in this 

country. ” 

Digital Switchover 

He also used the opportunity to 

explain the government’s readiness 

to complete the digital switchover 

project despite the paucity of funds. 

He said the Commission has 

embarked on an elaborate rollout 

plan in all the six geopolitical zones 

of the country, especially Lagos, Port 

Harcourt and Kano where potential 

investors are eager to move in and 

explore the vast opportunities in the 

project. 

He said: “We are about to conclude 

the installation of facilities for 

Gombe; while the stakeholders are 

determined to move into the biggest 

media markets of Lagos, Kano and 

Port Harcourt in the near future. That 

is part of an elaborate nation-wide 

rollout plan, along with a definitive 

timeline for the switch off of 

Analogue transmission in Jos, Abuja, 

Ilorin, Kaduna, Enugu, and 

Osogbo”. 

He said a new timetable will be 

released once it has been approved 

by the Board of the Commission but, 

however, assured that the 

Commission will direct that PAY TV 

operators desist from the further 

carriage of free terrestrial TV 

channels as soon as analogue 

Switch off is concluded. 

N4bn debt owed by broadcast 

licensees 

Aba on the world map again 

Continues from Page 

educators, job seekers and 

businesses. 

Head, Brand & Reputation, SSA 

at Google, Mojolaoluwa Aderemi- 

Makinde said: “We’re doing this 

because we believe that more 

needs to be done to empower 

young Africans to succeed in the 

digital world.” 

She added that the youth make 

up 60% of Africa’s unemployed, 

and that developing digital 

entrepreneurship and creating 

new job opportunities for them is 

critical to Africa’s transformative 

growth 

Welcoming the Google digital 

team to Aba, Governor Abia State 

Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, said: 

“The Government of Abia State is 

excited to have Google introduce 

the Digital Skills Training to the 

business community and local 

manufacturers in Aba. This will 

drive business expansion, help to 

increase sales and create 

employment opportunities in our 

state” 

New 

Broadcasting 

code to 

tackle fake 

news, hate 

speech 

menace 

Kawu also decried the attitude of 

some broadcast stations owing the 

Commission over N4billion on 

license renewal, warning that the 

big hammer may fall on them in no 

distant time. 

He regretted that “many 

conspiracy theories challenging 

smooth regulation of broadcasting 

in Nigeria have slowed the wheel of 

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU 

The Federal Government has 

declared its determination to 

provide a lifelong unique 

identification for every individual 

physically residing in Nigeria and 

Nigerians in the Diaspora within the 

next five years. 

Director-General of the National 

Identity Management Commission 

(NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz, made the 

declaration recently while speaking 

at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the 

Identity for Africa (ID4Africa) 

Movement in Johannesburg, South 

Africa. 

Addressing the over 1,500 

delegates at the world’s largest 

identity for the development 

gathering, Engr. Aziz stated that for 

Nigeria to enhance governance, help 

its people rise out of poverty, restore 

growth and participate in the digital 

economy, there was a need for a 

unique digital identification 

platform that is linked to functional 

identification registries for accessing 

services. 

Ikpeazu, represented by the 

secretary of state government, Mr 

Chris Ezem, said the world is now 

a global village as a result of 

information technology and Abia 

through the Digital Skills 

Training by Google will be able 

to key into the digital narrative, 

giving Aba, the commercial hub 

in Nigeria, the needed visibility in 

the world map” 

According to Ikpeazu, “ 

Government is keyed into 

eliminating waste, building more 

roads and repairing more in this 

second tenure. This digital launch 

has come at a better place to 

complement these efforts. 

Meanwhile we are demanding 

from Google to establish Abia 

state ICT policy, digital centres in 

all corners of Abia state and build 

internet centres particularly in 

Abia state universities to enable 

the students key into ICT before 

they come out of school. 

“ We are ready to support Google 

because the government is 

particularly interested in Aba as 

the commercial nerve centre of the 

South East, if not Africa. That is 

•Kawu 

progress. We are in an era of 

persistent pattern of refusal to renew 

operating licenses. This has led to 

over N4 billion owed to NBC. We are 

also challenged by perceived big 

operators who do not want to be 

regulated. They owe and want to be 

allowed to determine what to pay. 

It’s a very pathetic situation”, he 

added. 

FG to cover all Nigerians with digital 

identification in five years 

In realisation of the demands to 

function in the digital economy for 

sustainable growth, Engr. Aziz told 

the audience that Nigeria is 

executing a digital identity 

ecosystem project endorsed in 

September 2018 by the Federal 

Executive Council, the highest 

decision-making organ of 

government. 

Laying bare the grand plan by the 

government in his paper titled 

‘Digital Identity the Cornerstone to 

Effective Service Delivery’ he 

revealed that the Strategic Roadmap 

Vision is to reach universal coverage 

of robust digital identification in 

Nigeria by applying an ecosystem 

approach of enrolling citizens of all 

ages and legal residents within the 

set timeframe. 

“The ecosystem approach of 

enrolment will constitute trusted 

partners and a pay-per-play model 

for successful enrolments. The 

purpose of the ecosystem approach 

is to leverage existing capabilities 

and enrolment facilities of 

government agencies, partners and 

why we are establishing the 

Enyimba Economic City here. 

“ Enyimba economic city 

started three years ago. We have 

completed concept designs. 

Federal government has three 

percent in the city and has paid its 

own share. We have done all the 

agreements with the host 

community. Social environmental 

impact assessment has been done. 

Everything expected of the State 

government has been done. We are 

looking at between now and 

December to unveil because all the 

necessary steps to begin, have be 

taken” he added. 

President, Association of Tailors 

and Fashion Designers in Abia 

State, Onyebuchi Nwigwe, 

expressed appreciation to Google 

for introducing the Training 

saying: “The association is open 

to receiving the training from 

Google because they know that as 

fashion designers and tailors they 

will be able to properly compete 

with their counterparts across the 

world after they have adopted and 

introduced the digital skills to 

their business models.” 

Cybercrime: Microsoft warns Nigerian 

companies on menacing phishing threat 


Technology Company, Microsoft, 

has raised the alarm over the 

damaging effects of cybersecurity 

threat called phishing, warning 

Nigerian companies and individuals 

to guard against it. 

Phishing is a cyber attack method 

which a fraudulent cybercriminal 

uses to obtain sensitive information 

such as usernames, passwords and 

credit card details from unsuspecting 

online users, disguising as a 

trustworthy entity. Typically carried 

out by email spoofing or instant 

messaging, it often directs users to 

enter personal information at a fake 

website which matches the look and 

feel of the legitimate site. 

According to Microsoft, phishing 

is the number one threat in Nigeria 

today. 

It said phishing has the highest 

growth rate among the four other 

identified key threats that have risen 

to the forefront to undermine the 

fight against cybercrime. 

The software giant’s recently 

published Security Intelligence 

Report, said in several attacks that 

happened in the past year including 

an overview of the threat landscape, 

phishing claims the higher rate. 

Digital Advisor for Microsoft 

Middle East & Africa, Mr. Daniel 

Adeyemo, at a round table 

conference in Lagos recently, said: 

“From our ongoing research, we 

found that in the past year 

ransomware attacks as a vector 

declined, software supply chains 

have become a risk, cryptocurrency 

private sector operators in Nigeria, 

as opposed to building new ones.” 

He added. 

He said on January 1, 2019 

government began the mandatory 

enforcement of the use of the 

National Identification Number 

(NIN) for services like application for 

and issuance of passport, 

registration of voters, the opening 

of bank accounts, all consumer credit 

transactions, purchase of insurance 

policies, transactions with social 

security implications, all land related 

transactions, transactions specified 

under the contributory health 

insurance scheme, payment of taxes, 

transactions pertaining to pension, 

admission into schools and all other 

relevant government services. 

Semicolon partners Henley 

Business School to 

eradicate unemployment 


Technology training institute 

and innovation hub, 

Semicolon in partnership with an 

international institute, Henley 

Business School, have launched 

an initiative, targeted at 

equipping young talented 

Nigerians with the necessary 

skills to drive innovation. 

The launch was themed: Linking 

the Technology and Innovation 

through Education, in building the 

workforce of the future. 

The partners believe that 

technology has the power to 

transform industries and the lives 

of Nigerians. 

Chief Executive Officer of 

Semicolon, Mr. Sam Immanuel, 

said the mission of the initiative is 

to catalyse innovation in Nigeria 

by equipping the talented youth 

of Nigeria with skills required in 

the fast-changing world of work 

that continues to embrace digital 

strategies. 

He said that the target is to 

make Nigeria home to a talented 

thriving technology community 

that leads the world in innovation. 

Immanuel said: “Nigeria is 

blessed with a large population, a 

large portion of that population 

is young people and 57 percent of 

the adults are between the ages of 

mining is prevalent, and phishing 

still remains the preferred attack 

method. 

“While this may indicate progress 

in blocking ransomware attacks 

against organisations, it also draws 

our attention to new avenues now 

being identified for attacks. These 

new avenues are very easily ignored 

by organisations but are a 

recognisable ‘pathway’ for 

penetration.” 

He said that with constant 

ongoing attacks rising to the surface 

across the African continent, it’s 

evident that governments and 

industries have a long way to go with 

successfully mitigating risks when 

it comes to cybercrime. 

However, Adeyemo believed that 

security is a journey and not a 

destination and must be addressed 

holistically by everyone and not by a 

single vendor. 

He said: “By working closely with 

our partners, governments, 

industry, and the security ecosystem 

our aim is to ensure consumers and 

businesses can trust the technology 

they make use of - not viewing these 

solutions as barriers to technology 

adoption.” 

Also, the company’s Country 

Manager for Nigeria & Ghana, Mr. 

Akin Banuso, expressed worry that 

the trend is gathering momentum 

that spells danger to the business 

community, and encouraged 

organizations to guard against 

cybercrime. 

He noted that as organisations 

continue to digitally transform, so 

does their exposure to threats within 

cyberspace. 

Banuso said: “Organisations 

need to leverage ever-improving 

capabilities with advanced 

technologies like Artificial 

Intelligence to efficiently combat 

cybercrime. We have a responsibility 

to educate businesses about these 

recent developments; this is what 

encompassed our goal for this event. 

“While there will always be new 

threats, attacks and technologies, 

organizations, and companies can 

begin to take action today to address 

security concerns and improve their 

security postures. It is critical for 

companies to strengthen their core 

security hygiene across areas like 

monitoring, antivirus, patch, and 

operating systems, adopt modern 

platforms and comprehensive 

identity, security and management 

solutions, and to leverage features 

offered within cloud services.” 

He added: “It is just as important 

to create education and awareness 

across employee populations in 

order to build and sustain a 

pervasive security culture.” 

18 and 35. Unfortunately, about 

60 percent of that population is 

either unemployed or 

underemployed. 

“We are on a journey to 

eradicate unemployment by 

driving inclusive and profitable 

growth. 

We are doing this by empowering 

a generation of techpreneruers 

that will solve problems faced by 

Nigeria-and the world. 

Also, Vice-Dean Africa, Henley 

Business School, Mr. Jean-Pierre 

Choulet said the school was 

inspired by the sheer dynamism 

and creativity seen in Nigeria and 

decided to see what more the 

institute could do to bring it’s 

applied teaching approach to the 

country. 

He said: “Our new partnership 

with Semicolon is a perfect match 

with Henley providing the 

management expertise and 

Semicolon the digital innovation. 

According to the partners, both 

of them have a track record of 

supporting entrepreneurship. 

They added that one of their 

projects will be creation of an 

innovation catalyst, an agile and 

modern framework that will 

allow them to ensure amazing 

ideas are detected, supported and 

maintained after launch.

Vanguard, Wednesday, JULY 3, 2019 — 25 

Surviving in Nigerian business 

environment requires strong 

business focus 

— Biodun Omoniyi VDC, CEO 

Managing Director of VDT limited, Mr Biodun Omoniyi, is a restless man. As a fresh 

Engineering graduate in 1989, Omoniyi knew he was not cut out to carry files looking for 

paid employment. His restless nature had sent signals to his membrane that the answer 

rested in establishing his own company and become employer of labour. His first instinct 

was to delve into the Information and Communications, ICT space. the desire gave birth to 

Bitcom Systems Limited,a System integration company. 

Typical of a restless mind, twelve years after, Omoniyi was also to establish VDT Communications 

Limited in 2001. VDT focuses mainly on providing Broadband Communications 

Service to the growing data-centric financial sector of the Nigerian economy. 

He has since lead the growth of VDT through his dynamic management style from the then 

one branch office to the multi-branch entity it is today. In 2014, Omoniyi led a consortium of 

three companies including his VDT and Bitcom to bid for and won the coveted 2.3 GHz 

spectrum auctioned by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. 

Today, the spectrum has helped Omoniyi’s VDT to launch an advanced 4G LTE broadband 

service said to be close to a 5G service platform 

He told Hi-Tech how the journey of his venture into into the ICT space has been since after 

school and what businesses must do to survive in Nigerian business environment. 

Excerpts; 

By Prince Osuagwu 

ou made headlines in 2014 

Ywhen BitFlux group you are 

part of grabbed the 2.3 GHz 

spectrum auction by the Nigerian 

Communications Commission, 

against well-known telecom 

giants in Nigeria. What has that 

spectrum helped you achieve? 

Bitcom group was a special 

purpose vehicle to acquire that 

spectrum. We knew that the 

spectrum would be an important 

factor in our strategy to 

institutionalise a strong network 

in the broadband market. Today, 

the result is tremendous growth in 

a market many operators are 

closing shops daily. 

The spectrum is responsible for 

our reputation in the enterprise 

market and our confidence in 

venturing into the retail side of the 

market, now 

Now, you are looking at 

expanding your services to retail 

broadband services, how better 

do you think you have covered the 

enterprise segment? 

In the enterprise broadband 

market, I will say we are a giant. 

We have made much progress in 

the enterprise market to the extent 

that we now have about 33 offices 

nationwide from just three when 

we started in 2001. We can dedicate 

this to our loyal customers who 

have also confessed to have 

enjoyed excellent services from us, 

all these years. 

We believe we can take that 

same success into the retail 

broadband market to show the 

general populace what quality 

broadband service should look 

like. 

We want to show the world that 

what it does not take only low 

prices to compete in a market like 

ours, but more of excellent quality. 

I believe Nigerians are actually 

ready to pay for proven quality 

services when they see one. So, I 

will not say we are coming to 

compete for only low prices but 

with added value, in terms of good 

service 

You have just introduced what 

you called Advanced 4G LTE 

service package. What makes it 

advanced, and, how is it different 

from the conventional 4G LTE 

packages we know? 

What makes it advanced is our 

infrastructure. The infrastructure 

we are using to offer this service is 

a brand new infrastructure that 

was built from the ground up, to 

be able to offer LTE services. You 

probably would have been hearing 

about 5G services, with Advanced 

4G LTE we are taking you there. 

With it, we are more like, practicing 

the future, now. We know that 

many other people providing these 

services do so with legacy systems; 

some of them probably did not 

even start from 4GLTE. So having 

an LTE platform, ab initio, 

actually differentiates our services. 

This equipment will eventually 

translate into quality services the 

customers would now experience 

on our platform. 

5G is the catchphrase now, and 

from what you are saying it 

appears you’re building 

momentum towards 5G? 

Like I said 5G is actually the 

immediate future, it is not here yet, 

but it is almost here. What I can 

confirm now is that we have the 

specifications, but in terms of the 

actual product, it is not really in 

the market, anywhere. 

What we are saying is that with 

the applications we’ve built today 

which we are hoping 5G will 

actually enhance, definitely, when 

it berths, maybe in another year, 

two or three, we will be one of the 

first companies in Nigeria to offer 

services on it. Our infrastructure is 

primed for that already. 

Every broadband innovation 

is launched in Lagos, when 

Nigeria is in need of broadband 

services in rural areas. Does it 

mean that all services must be 

commercially driven? 

First, I will not blame 

businesses concentrating on 

servicing the Lagos market alone. 

We all know that Lagos is the 

economic hub and heart of 

Nigeria and most of these 

businesses providing services here 

are using private capital, which 

respects only return on investment. 

So, the first instinct for any 

businessman is to first, provide 

services where he can get good 

returns, and, Lagos actually offers 

that. 

However, Lagos does not make 

the whole of Nigeria. For us, we 

have an expansionary mind. 

Immediately after the launch in 

Lagos, we will move on to five 

other commercial cities in 

Nigeria, including Abuja, Port 

Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, and 

Onitsha. Thereafter, we can take 

the next step. This is the general 

evolution of how our services are 

being introduced in Nigeria. 

Everybody I know that offers 

broadband services in Nigeria, 

has a bitter Right of Way story to 

tell, are you an exception? 

No, I am not. As a player in this 

market, I definitely have stories to 

share. However, I just want to be 

able to throw more lights on 

wireless technology in relation to 

the fibre links that are actually 

required in this right of way. As 

good as everybody says fibre 

technology would give better 

broadband experience, the truth is 

that when you are looking at the 

retail market, the quickest way to 

reach the masses is the wireless 

technology. But of course, these 

wireless technologies need a kind 

of broadness that the fibre links 

provide. The two actually work 

hand in hand. Whatever affects the 

fibre links affects the wireless 

providers. 

For us, we also have some fibre 

cables used in linking our base 

stations; and it’s been quite 

difficult to make those available 

even within Lagos itself for 

sometimes now because Lagos 

state government has not granted 

a license to anybody to be able to 

Like I said 5G is 

actually the 

immediate future, it 

is not here yet, but 

it is almost here; 

what I can confirm 

now is that we have 

the specifications, 

but in terms of the 

actual product, it is 

not really in the 

market, anywhere 

do interlinking. 

Although, there’s also 

advancement in radio technology 

that can enable use of this 

spectrum to do inter-base station 

links, of course, it’s a lot cheaper 

once that right of way has been 

granted and the fibre is laid. 

So I am appealing to the 

authorities to open up the market 

so that we can further deepen the 

broadband penetration in Nigeria 


Ptelecommunications an-African 4GLTE 

group, 

Smile Telecoms, has formally 

entered into a partnership with 

Skyroam Simo, one of the world’s 

leading mobile Platform as a 

Service company providing global 

data access services, to enable 

more Africa mobile users to 

seamlessly connect to its services. 

Explaining what informed the 

partnership, Smile’s Group CEO, 

Ahmad Farroukh, stated that 

“Smile is a leading 4GLTE carrier 

in Africa and we are always open 

to new and innovative technologies 

to bring continued value add and 

benefits to our users. Our 

partnership with Skyroam SIMO 

will leverage its leading position 

in global virtual SIM platform and 

together bring the best service and 

value to our pan-African users.” 

He said SIMO App emerges at 

•Omoniyi 

Telecom industry is highly 

volatile and a lot of operators in 

your genre of telecom business 

have closed down. What’s your 

survival strategy? 

There is no gainsaying we really 

operate in a very difficult 

environment in Nigeria. To run a 

successful business in Nigeria 

takes the grace of God. It’s not by 

anyone’s doing. However, there are 

also other basic tenets that I will 

say have kept us going overtime. 

One is maintaining a singular 

focus on where we are going. 

Another is that we have been 

blessed with good team members, 

highly committed, dedicated 

members of staff and management 

and also board. 

The things we set out to do are 

not too many. We just simply stay 

focused. When we started 18 years 

ago, my aim was to make sure that 

every corporation, especially 

banks actually get a test of our 

services. We just concentrated on 

doing that despite getting offers 

from different corporations to do 

other things different from our 

core competences. I rejected all the 

offers despite the huge profit I 

could make because I preferred to 

be professional. 

Is change in business focus why 

the number of ISPs is drastically 

waning? 

In some cases, market forces 

actually forced some of the ISPs 

to change business focus. But what 

actually forced them out of 

business was not being able to get 

the required capital base and 

reserve needed when you make 

such changes 

However, I started by saying we 

the right time to bring access and 

affordability to mobile data for 

millions of Africans struggling 

with expensive Internet prices that 

keep them out of the market 

entirely. 

Skyroam SIMO and its VirtualeSIM 

technology are said to have 

the capability of delivering 

seamless 4G data connection to 

any user by automatically 

switching to the best 4G network 

nearby, ensuring the best reliability 

and speed. 

In addition to creating a new 

way to access data for consumers, 

Skyroam SIMO helps carriers to 

develop their market at nearly zero 

cost by improving the efficiency of 

acquiring new customers, to ease 

the hassle of traditional sales 

channels, and to drive more value 

by improving the relationship with 

their customers. This partnership 

between Smile and SIMO will 

enable more Smile users to 

are actually operating in a very 

difficult terrain where multiple 

taxations, arbitrary right of way 

levies and so many forces abound. 

I keep on saying that the 

regulators are not supporting 

indigenous business. Of course, we 

like it when it is a foreign capital 

that comes in, so whereas we need 

to pay more attention to 

supporting and promoting our 

own, but the only thing I can say, it 

will only be by the grace of God 

that directed us to move to the 

opposite direction when every 

other person was moving in a 

particular direction because we 

knew that five 10 years, down the 

line, everybody will move back, so 

we are building our expertise in 

that particular direction. 

What’s your view on the 

regulation of the Nigerian ICT 

space? 

If I have to look at it over a longer 

term because I have been here for 

a while, I will say there has been a 

lot of somersaulting, you move 

forward and backward which is 

what the general economy looks 

like as well. Adekanmbi 

But, by and large, I must give 

kudos to telecoms regulators 

overtime, maybe because of the 

foundation laid when the GSM 

companies were coming in; they 

have been highly strengthened 

with a lot of knowledgeable people. 

However, one would have 

expected that they do more 

especially to indigenous 

companies, promote our own, 

everybody does it. At the end of the 

day we’re here and the only place 

we operate is here; the people we’ve 

been employing are our 

indigenous people. We even go 

about developing the youths and 

making sure they’re properly 

equipped with the right skills to 

face the future. It’s only the 

indigenous operators that can do 

these, and that’s why I said the 

regulators needed to actually 

encourage and support us. 

Advise government on how to 

raise the economy with ICT 

We can’t overemphasise that we 

have missed our chances. When I 

was a young graduate, my vision 

was to manufacture some of those 

things that we are consuming. In 

those days, as young engineers, we 

dreamt of making transistors, but 

now nobody thinks about that. 

That dream did not crystallise 

because of the development 

chances that we have squandered. 

Today, if I have an opportunity to 

influence government policy, it 

will be on education. The 

government needs to focus on 

promoting indigenous businesses 

to be able to take on certain roles. 

It was a delight when an 

indigenous company was given the 

opportunity to run the TSA. We 

need more of such opportunities. 

We also need the government to 

embrace technology to drive 

governance. 

Smile sees value in Skyroam Simo partnership to 

improve mobile data services 

leverage Skyroam’s platform of 

over 135 countries and 200 mobile 

networks with best coverage and 

speed, is a big leap forward 

amongst Africa operators. 

Founder and CEO of Skyroam, 

Jing Liu, said that “Skyroam Simo 

will work with Smile Telecom, a 

great partner who continues to 

bring value to its users as a long 

term strategy, together we will 

meet the needs of more people in 

Africa and bring explosive growth 

in mobile data usage. We will 

continue to innovate together with 

leading partners around the world 

to meet the demands of users where 

mobile data is becoming a musthave 

that impact our daily lives.” 

The partnership also gives 

International customers from 

various countries in the world who 

use Skyroam devices the 

opportunity to roam on Smile 

4GLTE network in all countries of 

Smile presence.




VOL. 2 NO. 51 WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

Govt, villagers differ on herdsmen 

chased away from Enugu community 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU- EVER since the video 

went viral, tongues have been 

wagging on whether the Fulani 

herdsmen were actually chased 

away from Agbada-Nnenwe 

community or not. 

The video which has trended 

since Saturday June 29 showed how 

Fulani herdsmen with large number 

of cows were guarded out of 

Nnenwe community in Aninri local 

government area of Enugu state. 

Not long after the video circulated 

than the Nigeria police in Enugu 

denied that the video was real. 

According to the police spokesman 

in Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu, such 

situation never existed in the state, 

narrating that the herdsmen only 

came from Cross River state. 

The police statement brought 

more curiosity to the development, 

a situation that made some native 

of Agbada-Nnenwe to declare the 

police statement as false, noting that 

By Chinonso Alozie, 

Owerr i 

Following recent events 

Southeast voice conducted an 

investigation in Owerri, based on 

the incidences and discovered that 

those in the dastard act have seen 

Imo state as a fertile ground for 

such business. 

It has been observed that child 

trafficking syndicate arrested and 

paraded by the Imo police, in most 

cases while the buyers are said not 

be residents of Imo state but the 

sellers have been identified as 

natives of Imo state. 

By report, the worse of it is that 

even those from other states who 

have children to sell move them 

into Imo state looking for 

prospective buyers. 

Another urgly part of the story, 

is that young ladies about to 

deliver their unborn babies, 

willing to sell them also are being 

relocated to the state, by the child 

syndicate group, as a safe heaven 

untill the time comes for her to 

deliver. 

This is as they also use maids 

and nannies in diffrent homes to 

monitor and identify young ladies 

interested in doing the child 

trafficking business. Apart from 

that, they also woo some of them 

into accepting to sell their babies 

with an irresistible offer that 

would change their lives out of 

poverty. 

Southeast Voice also gathered 

that sells girls at different eatries, 

restaurants, beer palours, 

vulnerable ones have become 

daily victims of this child 

trafficking syndicate with a 

promise to make their lives more 

better. 

One of such cases, is that of a 

native of Cameroon, Queen Imoh, 

suspected to have stolen a 6-yearold 

boy From Nassarawa area of 

Kadunna state, she travelled such 

a distance to Imo state, to sell a six 

year old boy. This child was later 

recovered. 

Also, one Immaculata Edward, a 

native of Cross River state, said to 

have abducted five children from 

Ngor Okpala local government 

area, and alongside with other 

•Cabinet members of Nenwe. 

the herdsmen actually came from 

the direction of Enugu before they 

were turned back and disallowed 

from marauding their cultivated 

farms. 

According to 70 years old native 

of the community, Mazi Albert 

Ugwueke, “What took place in our 

community on Saturday was that as 

we were waking up in the morning, 

we saw a sea of cows passing 

through our place, the cattle were 

suspects took their victims to 

Abia state, to sell them 

however, they children 

were rescued. 

In another shocking 

incident, a six hour old baby 

was sold for N800,000 just 

after delivery at a hospital 

in Nekede, Owerri West local 

government area, The 

name of the mother of the 

baby a 23—year-old woman, 

was given as Chinenye 

Oparaocha, alongside other 

suspects sold the child to a 

buyer in Portharcourt, 

Rivers state. 

Still on the child 

trafficking, a 24-year-old 

lady her name was given as 

Easther Anyanwu, said to be 

from Ikeduru local 

government area, claimed 

she was forced out of her 

home by her families, for 

refusing to sell her 4 months old 

baby. 

Some of the incidents of child 

stealing/trafficking as captured by 

Southeast Voice, started from the 

Cameroonian lady. 

The Police narrated that “On 

the 13/06/2019, Operatives of the 

special anti robbery squad SARS, 

acting on intelligence arrested one 

Queen Imoh, ‘F’ a native of 

Cameroon but resides in Kaduna, 

was arrested with a stolen child, 

one Naziru Abdulwahab, ‘m’ 

6yrs old, at Umuna, orlu 

“The said Queen stole the boy 

from Nasarawa area of Kaduna 

state, and came brought him down 

to Imo state to sale him to her 

partner, but unfortunately for 

her,the said buyer rejected the boy 

on the basis that the boy has tribal 

marks on both side of his head. 

“She was consequently arrested 

based on a tip-off by the locals of 

the area who suspected that she 

was not in anyway related to the 

boy.” 

The police said: “She however 

confessed to the crime and said it 

members 

too many. We met the herdsmen and 

asked them where they were going 

but they ignored us. We had to stop 

them and asked them to go back 

that we have cultivated all our 

lands, that there is none left for them 

to graze on. 

“We told them that our place 

cannot accommodate them in their 

numbers and so they turned and we 

followed them, all members of the 

community followed them, both old 

was her third time, that the first one 

she sold was her own son by name 

Joseph Imoh ‘M’ 2YRS ,for the 

sum of two hundred thousand 

naira (N200000). 

“The second was one Samuel ‘M’ 

1 YR Plus, whom she stole when 

the mum asked her to help her take 

care of her son while she rush to 

buy something, she said she sold 

him for the sum of two hundred 

and thirty thousand naira 

(N230000). 

“However, the command in 

partnership with the Hausa 

community in Orlu has been able 

to trace the parents of the said 

Naziru Abdulwahab, and the boy 

was handed over to his father 

Abdulwahab Ya’u.” 

On the selling of five children 

from Imo state to Cross River state 

the police said: “On 24/4/2019, 

one Immaculata Edward, a native 

of Okonde in Cross River State 

who is a girlfriend to one Ifara 

Isong resident at Eziama Logara 

in Ngor Okpala L.G.A visited the 

said boyfriend, because she was 

familiar and well known in the 

•A cross section of Agbada-Nenwe community 

and the young followed them to the 

express (Enugu-Port Harcourt 

road). They wanted to follow Awgu 

but we refused and they diverted 

towards Enugu. That was the end 

of what transpired between us and 

them and before God.” 

A woman of about 45 years, Mrs. 

Nkechukwu Maduekwe, who was 

so bitter about the menace of the 

herdsmen in her community, was 

furious on the twist of what 

How Imo is gradually becoming 

headquarters of child traffickers 

•One of the suspects Queen Imoh, a Cameroonian 

arrested by the Imo state Police Command. 

area, the children and 

the neighbors of her boy 

friend were all fond of 

her, they left the children 

in her custody while they 

went about their 

business. 

“The 

said 

Immaculata targeted 

when her boyfriend went 

out to buy something 

and then she stole five 

(5) children namely 

Somto Ekeh ‘f’ 6yrs, 

Kelechi Ekeh ‘m’ 5yrs, 

Chisom Ekeh ‘f’ 3yrs, 

Ebuka Enwerem ‘m’ 

3yrs, Chioma Enwerem 

‘f’ 5yrs And Lucky Idah 

‘m’ 6yrs, all children of 

one Reginald Ekeh ‘m’ 

and took them to a 

notorious child 

trafficker. 

“One Perpetual Iwuji 

from Obokwu Ulakwo in Owerri 

North L.G.A, who then sold two (2) 

of the children to one Grace 

Nwachukwu, another notorious 

child trafficker who hails from 

Isiala Mbutu in Aboh Mbaise 

L.G.A but resident at Mpape 

Abuja. 

“Immaculata also stole two (2) of 

her uncle’s children from Cross 

River state and sold them to one 

Ifeoma Ndubuisi ‘f’ from Lokpanta 

in Umunneochi L.G.A Abia State. 

“However, following 

intelligence, systematic, thorough 

and painstaking investigation, all 

the children stolen from Logara 

was recovered. Moreover, in the 

course of the investigation, 

additional five (5) children were 

recovered from Perpetual Iwuji 

and kept in an orphanage home. 

“The five (5) children stolen from 

Logara have been reunited with 

their families. Meanwhile, one of 

the two children stolen from Cross 

River state has been recovered 

from Ifeoma Ndubuisi and efforts 

are on top gear to recover the 

happened before her own eyes and 

which she also said she was a 

participant. 

“After cultivation in our farms, the 

herdsmen and their cattle will 

destroy them. If you go to our farms 

now, you won’t find any crop 

standing. The Fulani herdsmen 

destroyed our farms both last year 

and this year to the tune of millions 

of Naira. If other people like it that 

way, I particularly do appreciate it 

that way because I have many 

children that I take care of and I have 

no other source of living except 

through farming. After cultivation, 

I sell the produce and use the 

proceeds to train my children. 

“It was at about 6am on that 

Saturday morning, when he had 

hardly woke up from sleep that we 

saw Fulani herdsmen passing 

though our road with their cattle. 

They were over 200 cows and there 

was out cry in the community and 

we all woke up from our beds and 

pursued them to them express road. 

That was what happened on June 

29. Those who said we did not chase 

them out are telling lies. It 

happened. I was part of it, I was 

tying my wrapper that I slept with 

and followed to pursue them to the 

express.” 

In the same manner, 44 years old 

Kenneth Aneke said “I cultivated 

with the hope of making money from 

the farm, all at a sudden, these 

people came and destroyed this 

farm that before God and ManI 

could not raise up to N50,000 from 

the farm. I cultivated Cassava, Rice, 

Potatoes, maize, you can ask 

anybody from this village, but all 

these things could not yield up to 

N50, 000 for me. We have not asked 

anybody to give us money.” 

However, due to the attention the 

report generated, Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi, the security agencies 

and other government officials went 

to the community on Monday 

where the delegation met with the 

traditional rulers and the 

community members. 

Governor Ugwuanyi at the 

community said that an online 

trending video was not true. 

In the same vein, Chairman of 

Aninri local government council, 

Chief Ezikel Chukwu also said that 

ever since the video broke out he 

has searched and could not witness 

such incident in the council area. 

Ugwuanyi said “We are in 

Agbada-Nnenwe with the state 

commissioner of Police, the Director 

of Department of State Services, the 

Garrison commander 82 Division of 

the Nigeria Army and other relevant 

stakeholders on a fact-finding 

mission in connection with a video 

trending on the social media over 

the purported excursion of some 

herders and their cattle out of the 

community. We are also in Agbada- 

Nnenwe to ascertain other issues 

that require attention. 

“We heard the traditional ruler 

and others denying the occurrence 

of such incidence in the community, 

thereby confirming the earlier 

statement by the police on the 

matter. Consequently, we found out 

that the said video is not true and 

we therefore appeal to those 

peddling the false rumour about 

Enugu state to know that Enugu is 

a peaceful state.” 

Traditional ruler of Agbada- 

Nnenwe community, HRH Igwe 

Francis Imoh, said that what took 

place in his domain was a 

spontaneous incident which will 

never sever the long standing 

relationship between his 

community and the Fulani 

community in Agbada-Nnenwe. 

Igwe Imoh said “I was at home 

on that June 29, when that 

spontaneous incident happened. I 

want to assure you that nobody is 

driving the Fulani community out 

of Agbada-Nnenwe. In the history 

of our relationship with the Fulani 

herdsmen, no cow has ever been 

killed in this kingdom; No Fulani 

man has ever been hurt in this 

kingdom and we have continued to 

maintain peace as directed by his 

Excellency Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi who directed all the 

traditional rulers to maintain the 

secularity of the nation, to make sure 

that we leave peacefully with one 

another.


Osita Ozalagba is the 

Acting National 

Leader of Association of 

Community Youth Leaders 

in the South East. The 

association was recently 

formed as part of measures 

to ensure that the ongoing 

move by members of 

Miyetti Allah Cattle 

Breeders Association, 

MACBAN, to establish 

Fulani Youth Vigilance 

Groups in the South East do 

not come to fruition. In this 

interview, Ozalagba spoke 

on how the association 

would tackle the problem 

without creating any 

tension. He also spoke on 

why youths should be 

carried along in the scheme 

of things in the country. 

What informed the 

formation of this 

association? 

As the cice chairman of 

the youth wing of the 

Anambra State Association 

of Town Unions (ASATU), I 

have interacted with 

various segments of the 

leaders in the various 

communities. This made 

me to think of bringing 

together youths in the South 

East for us to handle issues 

concerning security in the 

zone. I am therefore one of 

the proponents of the South 

East Association of 

Community Youth Leaders. 

I met with my colleagues in 

the other states in the South 

East and all of us are on the 

same page for the 

association to take off. We 

have been reviewing the 

situation in the country and 

found it necessary to come 

together and galvanize 

ourselves to work in the 

best interest of our people, 

especially as it concerns 

security. 

The issue on ground is 

the alleged move by 

THE TEAM 

SUPERVISING EDITOR: 

Chioma Gabriel, Lagos 

(08052201257) 

EDITOR: 

Emeka Mamah, Enugu 

email: 

emekemamah@yahoo.com 

Anayo Okoli, Umuahia 

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri 

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, 

Nnewi 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, 

Onitsha 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba 

Denis Agbo, Enugu 

Miyetti Allah to set up 

vigilance groups in the 

South East. How can the 

youths come in here? 

I don’t even blame the 

Miyetti Allah because they 

are acting based on what 

they have seen for 

themselves. They have seen 

that the people of the South 

East are not coordinated. 

Because there is no 

coordination, they want to 

exploit the situation. Even 

if they have ulterior motive, 

they are pursuing it 

because they have 

discovered that our people 

are not speaking with one 

voice. It is not enough to 

condemn the cattle 

breeders; there must be a 

proactive action to ensure 

that whoever believes he 

can come into the region 

with such annoying plan 

should not be encouraged 

at all. If we are sincere, we 

can organize ourselves and 

put up measures that will 

discourage the cattle 

breeders to nurse the idea 

of vigilance group in the 

zone in the first place. Their 

penetration of the South 

East is due to leadership 

loopholes in the zone. 

I must commend the 

South East governors who 

have said no to such a 

move, but more should be 

done. We are working out 

plans on how to liaise with 

the governors. The youths 

already have a template on 

this issue and we want all 

Igbo leaders to be sincere 

on this matter. Some people 

should not be charting the 

way forward, while others 

are sabotaging the efforts. 

The truth of the matter is 

that governments at various 

levels have not been 

sincere with the way they 

handle such sensitive 

issues. The leaders have 

not been up and doing in 

evolving ways of securing 

our people as a result of this 

threat. The leaders should 

build structures that 

involve youths to be in the 

picture of what they intend 

to do. There is no 

community where the 

youths do not form the 

majority and what is 

required is to give them a 

sense of belonging. Once 

the youths are carried along 

in the scheme of things, 

they will do whatever they 

are asked to do. But if you 

ignore them, they take 

decisions that are 

s o m e t i m e s 

counterproductive. 

That is why it is 

imperative for the youths in 

this part of the country to 

come together to galvanize 

themselves to form a 

formidable structure. This 

will help us to organize 

ourselves and put an end to 

How police station was burnt in Imo 

by angry youths 

By Chinonso 

Alozie, Owerri 

Hundreds of angry youths 

yesterday set ablaze a police 

station in Otoko, Obowo local 

government area of Imo state. 

Southeast Voice gathered that 

the incident which started at 

•Osita Ozalagba, Acting National Leader 

about 02:15 pm lasted for hours. 

The story painted round the burning of the police 

station in Otoko, was that a young boy, name was 

given as Ikenna Ogbunigwe, was allegedly shot dead 

by a police officer posted at the Otoko police station. 

Another version of the story, was that it all started as 

an argument from a local drinking joint between the 

accused officer and the victim among other of his 

friends and that the officer who was with his gun, became 

provoked as a result of the argument and expressed 

himself through the bullet of his gun, eventually, 

the story was tragedy. 

Angered by the dead of Ikenna, the irked youths said 

to be from the village mobilized themselves into action, 

moved to the Otoko police station, overpowered 

the police officers and set the police station ablaze. 

However, there was a claim that some ammunitions 

belonging to the officers were carted away. 

Southeast Voice was told that on sighting the angry 

youths, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, alongside 

his men scampered for safety. 

A source from the village told South East Voice “The 

policemen would have lost their lives because the 

youths are very angry. 

“The argument by the time I left them, should not be 

something that would warrant the police officer to 

carry his gun. What it means is that any officer, with a 

gun is no longer your friend. 

“There is need to train these officers. Many of them 

do not know why they were given gun to carry. They 

now use it on innocent citizens and when they see criminals 

they run away. This officer must be purnished.” 

At the time of filling this report, the Imo state commissioner 

of police was still at the scene of the incident. 

Just as the State police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, 

Orlando Ikeokwu, said that he has not been briefed 

on the matter. 


Miyetti Allah’s penetration of S/East 

due to leadership loopholes 

— S/East Youths Leader 

all these anomalies 

happening in the society. 

That is the only way they 

can support the relevant 

authorities to improve 

governance. The truth of the 

matter is that until the 

youths are keyed into the 

plans and programmes at 

all levels, the security 

challenges in the country 

will not abate because they 

are the most active in the 

society. 

There is this impression 

that youths only come 

together purposely to 

enrich themselves and not 

to solve any societal 

problem. What do you say 

to that? 

This is true and it is as a 

result of the decay in the 

society. I do not want to 

apportion blames, but I 

must admit that my 

generation has not been the 

role model the society 

expects of them. There is no 

mentorship any longer and 

that is why there is this type 

of cankerworm eating deep 

into the fabric of the society. 

Because there are no role 

models to look up to and 

people whose sources of 

wealth are being – 

recognized in the society, it 

becomes survival of the 

fittest. Because of the 

fractured system, many 

youths no longer believe in 

what the leaders tell them. 

That is why there is need 

for us to come together to 

salvage the system. There 

are some of us who still 

believe that things will get 

better if the right leadership 

is put in place. We have 

Ugly ordeal of a widow in the 

hands of land speculators 

ENUGU—A widow, Mrs. 

Ngozi Emeter has cried 

out to the Inspector General of 

Police, Mr. Adamu 

Mohammed, to come to her 

rescue from the hands of land 

speculators bent on depriving 

her of the land she genuinely 

bought from a family in 

Emene, Enugu. 

Mrs. Emeter is also alleging 

that the commissioner of Police 

in charge of X-Squad in Abuja 

was in league with the people 

trying to deprive her of her 

property and has appealed to 

the IGP to intervene to save her 

the agony of losing her hard 

earned property. 

According to her, the Police 

commissioner in charge of X- 

Squad in Abuja is allegedly 

frustrating her from getting 

justice in a case of willful 

destruction and threat to life 

she reported at the police 

headquarters in Abuja. 

The widow said that her 

trouble started after she 

bought a parcel of land in 

Emene in 2012 and legally 

completed all the payments 

involved in the transaction 

with the family that sold the 

land to her. 

However, according to her, 

when she began the 

development of the land in 

December 2018, one Mr. 

Ikechukwu Nome, believed to 

be from the family that sold the 

land to her came with some 

men and ordered her to stop 

work, claiming that they were 

shortchanged by their 

extended family in sharing the 

proceeds from the land. 

Mrs. Emeter said that she 

politely advised them to go 

and resolve the matter with 

members of their family, 

insisting that she has fully 

settled them as agreed. 

Surprisingly, according to 

her, on January 1st 2019, the 

said Ikechukwu Nome in 

company of his cohorts 

allegedly invaded the 

property under construction 

and demolished the houses 

while shooting allegedly 

sporadically into the air to 

scare people away. 

Angered by this act, the 

widow said she reported the 

matter to the Enugu state 

police command and later 

transferred it to Abuja as she 

was not satisfied with the way 

Enugu police command was 

handling the matter and the 

IGP swiftly acted on her 

petition and referred the 

matter to IGP-IRT who in the 

course of investigation 

arrested nine persons in 

connection with the crime as 

well as 4 guns allegedly used 

in the operation. 

The suspects, she claimed 

confessed to the crime and 

were subsequently charged to 

court in the Suit number FHC/ 

ABJ/CR/ 77/2019 with Mr. 

Joshua Ayana, as the police 

prosecutor. 

Emeter however lamented 

that “surprisingly, on 30th 

May 2019, a signal was sent 

chosen to remain steadfast 

because we have seen the 

need to protect the integrity 

of the youths and their 

future and safeguard the 

society. 

Is it not possible for the 

youths to stand their feet 

and rebuff the politicians 

who often use them to 

achieve their aims? 

That is what we want to 

achieve through the 

Association of South East 

Youth Leaders. There is 

Ohaneze Youth Wing, but 

we are not interested in that 

because it is not helping 

the youths in any way. We 

know it is not easy, but we 

have been able to identify 

many like minds in the 

South East who are 

genuinely interested in the 

reshaping of the ideology of 

the youths. From our 

experience so far, there is 

hope that we shall get the 

desired result. 

At what stage is the South 

East Youth Leaders 

Association? 

We have been meeting 

and I promise that in no 

distant time, our action 

shall be felt in the region. 

What is your target? 

We want to partner with 

the relevant stakeholders to 

stem the tide of insecurity 

in the South East. That is 

our ultimate target. Until 

we achieve that, no youth of 

this region can rest. 

•Her on-going housing projects demolished 

•Cries to IGP to rescue her 

By Anayo Okoli 

•The widows house destroyed by land speculators 

to IGP-IRT from the office of CP 

X-Squad directing the team 

terminate the charge and 

transfer the matter to CP X- 

squad. 

Not happy with the new 

twist in the case, the widow 

approached her lawyer, V. T. 

Ugochukwu, who sent fresh 

petition to the inspector 

general of police, complaining 

of the development in the 

matter. The IGP was said to 

have directed that IGP-IRT to 

continue the trial of the alleged 

confessed criminals. 

The lawyer has complained 

that despite the approval to 

continue the widow’s case 

given by the IGP through a 

letter with reference number, 

CZ/7050/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL/ 

129/664 of 17th June 2019 to the 

Commissioner of Police X- 

squad, he has “blatantly 

refused to transfer the matter 

to IGP-IRT so that they could 

continue the trial of the 

suspects”, accusing him of 

showing “a clear 

manifestation of the personal 

interest in the matter”. 

“We most humbly request 

that you use your good office 

to compel the CP X-Squad to 

hand over the matter to the IRT 

for the continuation of the 

criminal trial so that the 

confessed suspects will not 

escape justice.”


On the cattle colonies 

G OVERNMENT 

spokespersons in 

Abuja have denied reports that 

the Muhammadu Buhari 

administration plans to establish 

ruga, so-called cattle colonies, 

in the 36 states of our peculiar 

federation. The colonies are 

Abuja’s cure-all response to 

herdsmen-farmers clash. 

This step, going by the words 

of the paid mouthpieces, is 

apparently the only way Abuja 

knows towards permanently 

ending incessant violence 

between these two groups. 

Fulani herders are the main 

suspects in cases of violent 

attacks bordering on ethnic 

cleansing on farming 

communities whose farms have 

been transformed into grazing 

fields. 

President Buhari has been at 

sea finding a solution to the 

problem posed by the attacks 

that have polarised Nigerians 

along ethnic lines. Is the latest 

gambit of any credibility? Can 

this be the answer that we have 

all along been looking for? 

Abuja plans to establish cattle 

colonies in states in mostly 

Hausa-Fulani speaking parts of 

the North that are predisposed 

to such activity. 

Which is to say that states in 

the Southern and other parts of 

the country that do not want 

these cattle colonies are free to 

opt out of the arrangement. No 

group or individual is obligated 

to establish ruga against their 

wish. 

Fair enough, you may say. 

Indeed on the face of it, this 

would seem a good answer to 

the whole question of 

unconscionable attacks, often 

gory, that are perpetrated by 

cattle herders. It has to be 

admitted, though, that some of 

these attacks, alongside 

banditry and armed robbery, are 

executed by opportunistic 

Nigerians of other ethnicities 

hiding under the guise of being 

Fulani. Yet what we cannot run 

away from is that the vast 

majority of the attacks are the 

handiwork of Fulani herdsmen 

many of whom are allegedly of 

foreign descent. 

So I ask again: Are cattle 

colonies the final solution to the 

conundrum of hate-filled 

encounters between farmers 

and herders? Who bears the 

cost of the establishment of 

these colonies? Who owns the 

land on which the colonies are 

to be established? 

Does the establishment of the 

colonies offer closure to victims 

of herdsmen attacks, violently 

raped and killed after the 

communities have been 

destroyed? In what way does 

the government of the day hope 

to address the sense of wrong 

and resentment borne by victims 

and casualties of herdsmen 

attacks? These are questions that 

the willful step to establish cattle 

colonies fail to address. 

The terrorist enterprise of 

these herders has been 

recognised worldwide for its 

deadly efficiency leading to 

their being labelled one of the 

most dangerous terrorist groups 

in the world. The Nigerian 

government is far from 

acknowledging the complicity of 

the Fulani herders in these 

attacks, to say nothing of 

labelling the herders terrorists. 

It may be a measure of 

government’s ambivalence, if 

not confusion, about the matter 

that, beyond the isolated cases 

of arrests made in some South- 

Western states like Ekiti, Ondo 

and parts of the Middle Belt, 

there has been no deliberate 

Buhari appears 

to enjoy 

governing 

Nigerians along 

separate lines 

attempt to go after the armed 

men masquerading as cattle 

farmers that have been 

fingered in the many cases of 

violent attacks. 

Many Nigerians believe that 

the only reason government 

responses so far have been 

lame is simply because the 

president, Muhammadu 

Buhari, is Fulani. His situation 

is nowhere helped by the fact 

that he is also a patron of 

Miyetti Allah, the umbrella 

body of the cattle herdsmen. In 

a word, many Nigerians 

believe that Buhari’s hands 

have been tied by his ethnic 

affiliation to the group of 

Nigerians and foreigners 

repeatedly accused of the 

wanton elimination of Nigerians 

and the decimation of their 

ancestral homes. 


Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

In the wake of Abuja’s nonresponse 

to the countless cases 

of herdsmen attacks on farming 

villages, in the absence of any 

coherence, rhyme or reason to 

Abuja’s knee-jerk responses to 

questions about its pussyfooting 

ways, its determination to 

establish cattle colonies in parts 

of the country which, before it 

was denied, looked like a test 

run for all the country, is a 

needless insult. Is it not enough 

that this government is not only 

seen or perceived as doing 

nothing but is in fact not 

making attempts to convince 

Nigerians that it plans to 

address cases of herdsmen 

attacks fairly? Does the 

government need to be told of 

the urgency of the matter at 

hand and the need to be 

sensitive to the concerns of 

Nigerians who have for long 

read ethnic meanings into the 

behaviour of the president and 

his minders? 

It may now look very gross 

and uncharitable that Nigerians 

are opposed to the siting of any 

kind of colonies, called by 

whatever name and for 

whatever purposes, in their 

domain. But the Buhari 

government should take the 

greater part of the responsibility 

and blame for this. Its laidback, 

even indifferent posture, in the 

face of the numerous attacks by 

Fulani herders on communities 

in the Middle Belt in the last 

two years portrays it as 

insensitive to the concerns of 

non-Fulani Nigerians. 

The gory killing of nearly 80 

Nigerians in parts of the 

Middle Belt in January 2018, 

killings that did nothing to stir 

the president into action of any 

kind (rather he mandated his 

then Inspector General of 

Police, Idris Ibrahim, to go on a 

fact-finding mission to Benue 

and Taraba states), his 

government’s plan to create 

grazing routes from one end of 

the country to another without 

first bringing the rampaging 

herdsmen to justice - blightly 

ignoring all of these concerns 

for about four years only to wake 

up with suggestions of cattle 

colonies is a disregard of 

civilised conduct. Otherwise, 

there could be a way about this 

issue that is not as polarising 

as what we have now. Buhari, 

however, appears to enjoy 

governing Nigerians along 

separate lines. 

Now it has been decided to 

establish cattle colonies, where 

are the thousands of hectares 

of land owned by a ‘federal’ 

government that, itself should 

be the creation of the 

constituent states where these 

colonies are to be established? 

Since cattle herding is a private 

concern, does Abuja plan to 

establish and finance, say, 

cotton or cocoa farms for farmers 

in parts of Southern Nigeria? 

These are questions thrown up 

by this latest plan that Abuja 

chooses to ignore. The push to 

establish cattle colonies for the 

use of cattle herders reconfirms 

what many have long suspected 

and alleged: that the 

government of President Buhari 

operates a hierarchy of ethnic 

groups in which the Hausa- 

Fulani occupy the highest rung 

with all the advantages that 

come with that. 

How can he use ‘government’ 

money to create ranches for 

private investors even if they 

are illiterate Fulani herders and 

not expect other Nigerians to 

ask questions? Where are the 

python dances he has created 

to address Fulani herdsmen 

attacks? What is Buhari doing 

to create a sense of unity among 

Nigerians? 

Practical agriculture, vocational education, and the school curriculum 

By Daniel Ighakpe 

AGRICULTURE was once the mainstay 

of the Nigerian economy. Before the 

discovery of oil, commercial farms blossomed 

and farming was seen and practised as the 

main occupation. The North had cotton, 

groundnuts and other products. The East had 

palm oil, while the Southwest had cocoa. 

Agriculture laid the foundation for Nigeria’s 

industrialisation, contributing the largest 

share to an economy that was experiencing 

very boisterous growth. 

However, after the discovery of oil, with its 

increased production and the huge revenue 

which it attracted, less and less attention began 

to be paid to agriculture. Nowadays, most 

people in Nigeria, particularly the youth, are 

not interested and do not want to engage in 

farming any longer. 

Most young people and unemployed 

graduates today are only interested in whitecollar 

office jobs. Unfortunately, there still exists 

the misconception that farming is a profession 

for the poor and illiterate, which entails 

grueling toil in the farmland, with a mere 

pittance as returns. 

These notions have been fuelled over the 

years by lack of proper training for those who 

go into agriculture, causing them to demonise 

and abandon the venture. This leads to an 

ageing farming population. Nigeria’s 

population is currently growing faster than 

there are farmers to feed the nation. 

Nevertheless, agriculture still remains the 

largest sector of the Nigerian economy. It 

employs two-thirds of Nigeria’s working 

population. Agriculture accounts for 

approximately 22 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. 

Our priority now should be to get young 

Nigerians acquainted with the nitty-gritty of 

agriculture at an early age, introduce them to 

the business aspect of agriculture and also 

ignite the interest of school students in 

agriculture and encourage them to pursue 

agriculture-related occupations. 

One such initiative that aims to accomplish 

the above-mentioned objectives is the recently 

launched ‘Green Schools Initiative’ by Notore 

Chemical Industries - one of Nigeria’s leading 

agro-allied company. This initiative rallies 

stakeholders in the agricultural and 

educational sectors to expand the secondary 

school curriculum with the intention to get 

students more involved in the practical aspects 

of agriculture within dedicated farmlands in 

their respective schools. 

According to the company, the scheme will 

involve Notore partnering with secondary 

schools across Nigeria to establish 

demonstration farms that will be used to teach 

students modern agricultural techniques and 

best practices. The hands-on approach of 

demonstration farms accelerates the adoption 

of international best practices, which will give 

the students a competitive edge over their 

counterparts in other sectors. 

The initiative, it has been said, will start off 

with 120 unity schools and top state-owned 

colleges across the country, with plans to 

significantly increase the number of 

participating schools. This is certainly a worthy 

initiative that should be commended and 

encouraged indeed! Private schools, the private 

sector, other non-governmental organisations, 

and other extension agencies can also emulate 

such a novel initiative. This will help to 

inculcate the love of agriculture and farming 

among the Nigerian youth. 

Another important area of the Nigerian 

educational system that needs to be given 

serious attention is the inclusion of vocational 

education and training in the school 

curriculum. In Nigeria, there is too much 

emphasis on university education and merely 

acquiring paper/academic qualifications, not 

bearing in mind whether the holder possesses 

the required knowledge and skills. Nigerians 

Schools in Nigeria need to 

introduce vocational 

education and training into 

their curriculum to enable 

students to develop skills that 

can be of benefit to them in 

the future 

generally have this mentality that a university 

degree is more important than technical/ 

social/vocational training. We live in a society 

that places a high value on white-collar jobs 

and ‘professionals,’ a society where blue-collar 

work is considered as low status. 

Parents want their children to pursue careers 

that will enable them maintain or even increase 

their high status. They want their children to 

get high-paying professional jobs. They see 

vocational education as ‘secondary’ and ‘not 

important’. They just want academic success 

for their children. Many schools even place a 

high premium on college admissions and 

gaining admission into top ivy-league 

universities. 

This has reduced the economic opportunities 

for those who are more work oriented. It is, 

therefore, very necessary and important that 

parents be re-educated and enlightened 

regarding the value of occupations that are 

not high on the social status scale. 

The inability of our educational system to 

provide youths with the demands of industries 

has led to increased frustrations. This further 

validates the fact that vocational education 

brings both immediate and lasting economic 

returns for the country and its citizens. 

Schools in Nigeria need to introduce 

vocational education and training into their 

curriculum. By doing so, it will assist students 

to develop skills that can be of benefit to them 

in the future. Until vocational education is 

taken seriously, only then will the economy 

become better. Vocational education and 

training can contribute to the reduction of 

poverty, hunger and unemployment. It can also 

help people become self-reliant. 

Vocational, entrepreneurship, or skill 

acquisition programmes include training in 

skills such as agriculture, tailoring/sewing/ 

fashion designing, cooking and baking, 

photography, video editing, hair styling and 

making, barbing, musical instruments 

training, cobbling, make-up and gele tying, 

carpentry, painting, plumbing and so on. It 

can help students to build up their talents and 

also enable them to be self-reliant, or otherwise 

to secure well-paying jobs that can help them 

take care of themselves and their families. 

•Ighakpe, a researcher/author, wrote from 

Lagos 

C 

M 

Y 

K


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

CANCER: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and 

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

taken, you may be carried away to the detriment of your 

finances. Serious minded lovers are in for happy day. 

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

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

to embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of 

operation. 

VIRGO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt 

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

merry making train. Watch your health. 

LIBRA: Good luck may smile at many of you today and 

induce love of luxury, merry making and romantic liaison. 

Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from 

new admirers. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“Love is made up of three unconditional properties in 

equal measure, acceptance understanding and appreciation.” 

- Take Heart Quotes- 

When you aspire to a higher kind of love, ego and neediness 

begin to count for much less. You feel that love can 

be a healing force that binds everyone. Your awareness 

expands, and you feel less insecure. Love becomes more 

mature and peaceful, calm, unselfish, giving, empathic, 

forgiving and accepting. -Ella Randle- 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Where a 

woman 

rules, 

streams run 

uphill. ~ 

Ethiopian 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

SCORPIO: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction 

are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling 

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

day Those of you who are ambitious along your career line 

will succeed after few struggles. 

SAGITTARIUS: Many members of your opposite sex will 

go out of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is 

the wrong time to engage on unnecessary argument. 

CAPRICORN: If your priority is love, much of it would 

come your way as desired. But here is a better day for more 

ambitious members of this Star Sign in the business world. 

Don’t allow anybody to deceive you over money. 

AQUARIUS: Those of you with secret admirers within 

your working area will have the needed opportunities to make 

the needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others. 

PISCES: Although matters of the heart may give you cause 

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

that can’t help your cause at work. This is the wrong time for 

unnecessary scheming within your working arena. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

ARIES: Those of your who are red blooded for romance 

may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within 

your social circles must be taken more seriously. 

TAURUS: Confrontation may come your way in a circle but 

the heavens are working favourably for you. Some doses of 

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

GEMINI: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to 

be as diplomatic as necessary desert you, things’ll work 

favourably for you to the betterment of your finances. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

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

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

WHO WANT MY MARRIAGE DEAD? 

Dear Joshua, 

I have written you many letters without response, I hope I 

will be lucky this time around. What’s your e mail address? 

Although, I am interested in my financial affair and will like 

to know what awaits me in the future as the ups and downs 

are giving me concern, what I want you to tell me is: Who is 

working spiritually against my marriage? I have married 

four times. Why? 

Olajumoke ,Ibadan. 

Dear Olajumoke 

If you have spiritual warfare, it is in your financial affairs. 

You were endowed with special ability to make money for 

both yourself and other people. 

However, three things can militate against your finance 

namely; inability to hold on to your gains for too long (miscalculation) 

jealousy and occultic manipulation by those 

who are green with envy. Yet, whatever happens, dire financial 

misfortune is not meant for you, especially if you heed 

advice from your star; your being spiritual will assist you. 

Fortunate placement of the Moon and Venus in Libra and 

Sagittarius endowed you with charming and magnetic personality 

which will make it easier for you to attract members 

of your opposite sex who will be willing to make you happy. 

But after sometimes, your hidden aggressive personality and 

tendencies to worry will come out to the resentment of members 

of your opposite sex.Some other times, you promise 

more than you can deliver. Then yours is a jealous soul (yes 

everybody was born with jealous traits) but yours is extraordinary 

and if you have reason to doubt the other person, you 

may not be able to forgive. The summary here is that there’s 

not much spiritual aspect working against your love life, 

your too strong or powerful personality is what you will need 

to work on: if at all you have problem with love. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa


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

Itsekiri seeks completion of 

abandoned Koko-Ogheye 

road linking 50 communities 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

WProgress ARRI—ITSEKIRI 

Club, IPC, 

has called for the 

completion of the Koko- 

Ogheye Road project 

linking about 50 

communities. 

President of the club, 

Chief Anthony Onuwaje 

made the appeal in Koko, 

Warri North Local 

Government Area, Delta 

State, during an inspection 

tour of the Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC’s project in the area 

alongside some officials of 

the commission, adding 

that the shore protection 

project in the area 

abandoned about 13 years 

ago should also be revisited 

and completed. 

Onuwaje said the Koko- 

Oghoye Road project when 

completed will open up 

communities in the area to 

development, adding that 

it will also create robust 

economy for the people. 

...As Agip starts empowerment 

scheme for 1,172 N’Delta 

youth, women 

By Emma Amaize 

O R T 

P HARCOURT— 

NIGERIAN Agip Oil 

Company, NAOC, Joint 

Venture, JV partners has 

launched empowerment 

scheme for 1,172 youth and 

women in its operational 

areas in Niger Delta. 

Designed to promote 

socio-economic 

development through 

establishment of small-scale 

businesses 

for 

beneficiaries, the scheme 

has kicked off in Bayelsa 

and Rivers states. 

A statement by the 

company said, “The 

scheme will be extended to 

Imo and Delta states and it 

is envisaged that at the end 

of the programme, a total 

of 1,172 youths and women 

would have been impacted. 

“The youth and women 

were presented with 

complete starter-packs for 

the set-up of businesses in 

shoe making, barbing 

salon, hair dressing, tilling, 

event planning, laundry 

ECIU elects new exco 

EVWRENI 

Clan 

Improvement Union, 

ECIU, an umbrella body of 

all Evwreni sons and 

daughters living in Nigeria 

and in diaspora, has elected 

new executives to pilot the 

affairs of the community for 

the next three years. 

Evwreni is an oil 

producing community in 

Ughelli North Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State. 

The elected officers are; 

Bright Adjogbe, President 

General; Arigo 

Okorogbudje, Vice 

President General; 

Ighorodje Oghene Joseph, 

Secretary General; Abodo 

He said several Itsekiri 

communities had been 

eaten up by the river, 

stressing that the shore 

protection will also protect 

the communities from being 

washed away by wave from 

the river. 

“The Koko-Ogheye Road 

project will bring 

developments to 

communities along its 

routes as many will come 

home to invest, develop 

personal properties. The 

road is very essential to 

development of 

communities along its 

lines. We are urging the 

commission and the 

Federal Government to 

ensure its completion. 

“We are also appealing 

that the shore protection 

project for the area should 

be revisited. The project 

which was started about 13 

years ago has been left 

uncompleted. Some areas 

to benefit from the project 

are being washed away by 

the river,'' he said. 

services, furniture making, 

plumbing, auto/marine 

mechanics, catering, 

transportation, business 

centre/cyber café, agro 

processing, aluminum 

works, events planning and 

management, information 

technology, bakery and 

tailoring/fashion designing. 

“The first batch of the 

scheme was at NRP 

Igbogene farm in Bayelsa, 

while the second batch of 

the scheme was launched 

in Rivers State at NAOC’s 

Plant Propagation Centre, 

PPC, Obie in Ogba/ 

Egbema/Ndoni Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

“At the Rivers State 

launch, Governor Nyesom 

Wike, represented by the 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Women Affairs, 

Mrs. AtotesemiEsonTeetito, 

commended the initiative of 

the JV Partners, noting that 

when youths and women 

are meaningfully engaged, 

there will peace and 

development in the 

communities and the 

state at large.'' 

Young, Treasurer General; 

Ogunu Edewor, PRO; 

Diemueta Ukpowho, 

Assistant Secretary 

General; Andrew Dodo, 

Financial Secretary 

General; Stephen Ogbokor, 

Social Secretary General, 

among others. 

In his acceptance speech, 

Adjogbe solicited for the 

cooperation of everyone to 

fast track the development 

of the community. 

He extended his hands of 

friendship to other 

contestants who lost out in 

the contest, saying being 

one family, all hands should 

be on deck to move the 

community forward. 

Think outside the box, Okowa 

charges political appointees 

•Swears in Aguariavwodo, Monye, Ofobruku, two others as Special Advisers 

By Festus Ahon 

A 

S A B A — 

GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State yesterday, charged 

political appointees in the 

state to think outside the 

box in order to proffer 

creative solutions to 

unexpected developments 

in the resolve of his 

administration for a 

diversified, inclusive and 

self-reliant economy that 

will withstand any external 

shock. 

Okowa while swearing in 

five Special Advisers in 

Asaba, said their 

knowledge, wisdom and 

experience would help 

improve the performance of 

his administration in its 

strive to deliver on its 

electoral promise of a 

stronger Delta. 

He said; “Special 

Advisers play important role 

in our modern democratic 

setting; they are carefully 

selected for their specific 

policy expertise and ability 

to skilfully navigate the 

layers of bureaucracy and 

partisan viewpoints to 

deliver on the 

administration’s goals and 

objectives. Modern 

statecraft places a demand 

on them to lessen the 

burden of the demanding 

and complex workload of 

the Chief Executive.” 

Those who were swornin 

as Special Advisers were 

Prof. Sylvester Monye 

(Senior Policy Adviser); Dr 

Kingsley Emu (Chief 

Economic Adviser); Senator 

Emmanuel Aguariavwodo 

(Housing and Human 

Development); Emmanuel 

Okoro (Rural and 

Community Development; 

and Efe Ofoburuku 

(Legislative Matters). 

Okowa said: “It is true that 

our first tenure ended on a 

high and even now, we 

continue to receive plaudits 

for our phenomenal 

achievements in job 

creation, human capital 

development and 

infrastructural renewal, but, 

we cannot afford to rest on 

our oars because, the next 

four years promises to be 

as fulfilling as it would be 

challenging. 

“As Special Advisers, 

being experts in your 

respective fields, I expect 

nothing but sound, 

Edo guber: It’s central senatorial 

zone's turn, says Imasuangbon 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—A chieftain 

of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in 

Edo State and aspirant for 

the forthcoming 

governorship election in the 

state, Mr Kenneth 

Imasuangbon, has said it 

was the turn of Edo Central 

Senatorial Zone to occupy 

the governorship of the 

state. 

Imasuangbon, who 

addressed reporters, 

yesterday, in Abuja, said 

leaders of the party in the 

zone, at a meeting Sunday 

night, were unanimous in 

their decisions to work for 

the actualisation of a 

candidate from the area. 

According to him, the 

leaders from the five local 

government areas in Edo 

Central are demanding to 

produce the next governor 

under the PDP. 

He expressed satisfaction 

with the manner leaders 

who attended the meeting 

discussed with the interest 

of Esan at heart. 

He used the opportunity 

to make his interest to run 

for the governorship seat 

known to his kinsmen, 

noting that the only position 

that was good for the 

senatorial zone in 2020 is the 

governor. 

practical advice that meets 

global best practices 

because, this administration 

expects from you bold 

ideas and initiatives that 

will engender prosperity, 

peace and progress. “ 

Observing that the 

expectations were high as 

his administration builds a 

stronger Delta, he said, 

“This administration is 

always ready and willing to 

The meeting was hosted 

by Elder Odion Ugbesia a 

former Senator who 

represented the zone in the 

National Assembly in 2007. 

He said: “Esan cannot 

continue to be marginalised 

and we say we are from the 

same state. 

“I’m happy everyone is 

now pursuing the same 

agenda of having Esan 

man or woman as the 

governor come 2020, this 

has been my agitation, so 

it’s a good way to begin 

VISIT: Lagos State 

Chapter Guv'nor of 

De'Norsemen Kclub, 

Mr. Jubril Babatunde, 

(middle) and 

Provost, De'Norsemen 

Kclub, Mr. Collins 

Diala, (right) 

presenting Award 

of recognition to a 

Philanthropist, Hon. 

Uduak Effiong, 

Managing Director, 

EFKON Ventures 

Limited, when the Kclub 

paid a courtesy visit to 

his office at Etiebets 

Place in Lagos. 

work with Deltans at home 

and in diaspora and from 

all walks of life, we welcome 

advice and suggestions 

that will help us better the 

lot of our people and make 

our state the pride of all and 

I also expect everybody to 

continue to pray for the 

success of this 

administration because 

when we succeed, the 

citizens are the better for it.” 

and we can take it up from 

there. 

“We are the only 

senatorial zone that has not 

produced the governor. The 

Binis and the Afemais are 

good people and they are 

in support of our demands.” 

Others present at the 

meeting include former 

Minister of Works, Chief 

Mike Onolememen, former 

speaker of Edo State House 

of Assembly, Friday Itulah, 

Dr. Anthony Aziegbemhin 

and others. 

MWUN, market Road Unit, 

Warri gets new 11-man exco 

MARITIME Workers 

Union Nigeria, 

MWUN, Market Road Unit, 

private craft, Warri, Delta 

State has elected 11- man 

executive to run its affairs 

for another four years. 

Delta District Chairman 

(MWUN) Seamen, NIWA 

and Water Transport branch, 

Mr Boro Ekotoro, who 

conducted the election, 

charged the newly elected 

officers to work as team with 

other members to move the 

union forward. 

Ekotoro tasked the elected 

chairman, Chief Godwin 

Kerebor to bring in new 

ideas and initiatives that will 

attract state government 

participation in the 

maritime sector. 

Those elected and 

inaugurated are; Chief 

Kerebor, Chairman; Chief 

John Ekotoro, Vice 

Chairman; Mr. Oki Yerin, 

Secretary; Mr. Lucky 

Fawei, Asst Secretary; Mr 

Cletus Itare, Treasurer and 

Mr. Paul Edumogren, exofficio. 

Other exco members are; 

Chief Ifiye Oruware, Mr. 

Rawlings Benike, Ifitibou 

Johnson and Chief Samuel 

E. Brizimor, ex-officios 

and Mrs Anna Amos, 

Special Woman.


New Imo Poly Rector 

reads riot act to lecturers 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

OWERRI—THE new 

management of Imo 

State Polytechnic, 

Umuagwo, has warned 

that it would not look 

kindly on any lecturer that 

engages in sexual 

harassment of female 

students, examination 

malpractice, sorting and 

other illegal and unprofessional 

behaviours. 

The institution’s Acting 

Rector, Dr. Patrick Njoku, 

read the riot act yesterday 

in Owerri, while fielding 

questions from newsmen. 

He expressed happiness 

that peace had returned to 

the polytechnic, stressing 

that all the labour unions 

have since suspended 

their indefinite industrial 

action. 

“Staff, students and the 

host community were 

ABIA State University 

Teaching Hospital, 

ABSUTH, yesterday, 

announced plans to 

suspend its seven-monthold 

strike by today, 

following an agreement 

with the state 

government. 

This was contained in a 

statement by Assistant 

Director, Public Relations, 

Mr. Joe Onwuka, in Aba. 

It should be recalled that 

ABSUTH workers went on 

strike on November 27, 

2018, following 10 months 

salary arrears owed them 

by Abia government. 

Onwuka said the 

planned strike suspension 

followed “a tripartite 

agreement reached 

between Abia State 

government, 

management of Abia State 

University Teaching 

Hospital and organised 

labour in the teaching 

hospital. 

“The seven months old 

strike embarked upon by 

staff of Abia State 

University Teaching 

Hospital, ABSUTH, Aba, 

has been suspended with 

immediate effect. 

“A communiqué 

endorsed by all the leaders 

of the various industrial 

unions at the teaching 

hospital enjoins the 

workers to immediately 

resume duties from 

Wednesday, July 

3(today).” 

The statement said the 

unions agreed to suspend 

the strike to respect 

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, 

who intervened personally 

in the dispute, 

against the relocation of 

the polytechnic to 

another town by the 

immediate past 

administration, because 

of certain sections of the 

enabling law,” Njoku 

said. 

He affirmed that 

nobody was against 

uplifting the institution to 

a university status, 

pointing out that the last 

management moved 

towards awarding 

degrees in the school. 

He said: “I hope to 

move towards achieving 

this, even through 

simple affiliation with a 

university. Currently, we 

have 24 accredited 

courses in the school. 

Under my watch, all our 

students must acquire 

one skill or the other that 

would make them selfreliant 

instead of job 

seekers.” 

ABSUTH staff suspend 

7-month strike 

promising to meet the 

workers’ demands. 

It further explained 

that staff of ABSUTH 

went on strike since 

November 2018 to protest 

the internecine conflicts 

over payment of the 

staff salaries, nonpayment 

of ABSUTH 

retirees since November 

2014. 

According to the 

statement, the workers 

are also demanding 

rehabilitation of the 

failed Udeagbala- 

Umueze Road network 

leading to the hospital 

among others. 

The statement called 

on the teaching 

hospital staff to 

immediately return to 

their duty posts with 

the usual zest and 

candour they were 

known for. 

It also implored the 

state government to 

live up to its promise by 

abiding by its own part 

of the tripartite 

agreement in the 

interest of peace and 

industrial harmony. 

By Agbonkhese Oboh 

PLATMATES Royale 

Club, PRC, has said 

Nigerian youths can and 

should consciously, act 

towards changing the 

negative narrative that has 

become the lot of the country. 

PRC’s chairman, Board of 

Trustees, Mr. Awonuga 

Olatubonsu made the call 

at the first anniversary and 

IPOB urges security agencies to emulate 

American, Canadian police 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

N NEWI—THE 

Indigenous People 

of Bifara, IPOB, yesterday, 

urged security agencies in 

Nigeria to emulate the 

American and Canadian 

police in crowd control and 

provision of security, as 

demonstrated during its 

leader, Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu’s visit to United 

States of America and 

Canada. 

IPOB also thanked its 

family members and 

supporters for their 

reception during Kanu’s 

town hall meetings and 

lectures. 

It also thanked Biafran 

veterans that made it to 

Atlanta, Georgia; Houston, 

Texas; Chicago and New 

York City(USA) and 

Toronto, Canada, including 

various socio-cultural 

organisations, affiliate 

organisations that 

contributed immensely to 

ensuring the success of the 

tours. 

IPOB, in a statement, by 

its Media and Publicity 

Secretary, Emma Powerful, 

said its leader's next port of 

call is Switzerland, then 

France, Japan and 

Australia, where he will 

rally and sensitise Biafrans 

and host government on 

the need for everybody, 

group and association to 

join IPOB in the final push 

towards Biafra liberation. 

It read in part: “We owe a 

debt of gratitude to the USA 

and Canadian police that 

safeguarded the venue of 

our meetings and provided 

close quarter protection to 

our leader at every public 

appearance, and urge 

Nigerian security agents to 

emulate them in crowd 

control and providing 

security at venues of 

events.” 

BRF GABFEST: From left— Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; former Minister 

of Power, Works & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; his mother, Mrs Omolara Fashola; Mr. Wale 

Oladunjoye and Senator Gbenga Ashafa, during the BRF Gabfest 3 held in honour of Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola at the Terra Kulture, Lagos. 

Absence of judge stalls 

bail of Madonna varsity 7 


AWKA—THE 

six 

students and a lecturer 

at Madonna University, 

Okija, detained since 

February at Federal 

Prisons, Awka, over 

Facebook comments against 

the institution, are still 

battling to regain freedom 

at the Federal High Court, 

as the absence of presiding 

judge yesterday, stalled 

their release even after they 

met bail conditions. 

The arrest and detention 

of the students and the 

lecturer followed a petition 

by the management of the 

university to the Inspector 

General of Police, 

prompting security 

Youths can change Nigeria’s negative narrative—PRC 

unveiling of the club in 

Lagos, adding that “we are 

embarking on a national 

renaissance.” 

Olatubonsu said: “We 

have been together since 

the 80s and feel it’s time to 

give back. Youths are 

becoming addicted to 

negative things. This 

portends ill for our 

collective future. But 

through donations, 

operatives to bring them to 

the Okija campus of the 

university from where they 

were first taken to the Police 

cell and later to prison. 

The Federal High Court 

11, Awka, was packed full 

with lawyers and parents of 

the students yesterday, who 

waited for the arrival of the 

judge, Justice Babatunde 

Quadri, only for the court 

clerk to announce at about 

3p.m. that the matter had 

been stood down for 

9a.m. today. 

Yesterday’s incident was 

the third time the court had 

failed to sit, thereby raising 

apprehension among the 

students and their parents. 

Their worry came as 

many parents of the 

scholarships, sports 

tournaments, with scouts 

present, we will give back 

to the society.” 

Earlier, President of PRC, 

Mr. Kayode Taiwo, said: 

“We cannot afford to sit back 

and blame government 

over everything. Everyone 

must start something 

positive, so we can all 

change the narrative.” 

Also, Chairman of the 

students told reporters at the 

court premises that they 

had concluded plans to 

withdraw over 205 wards 

from the institution to other 

universities, beginning 

from next academic session. 

Spokesman of the 

parents, Mr. Christopher 

Onyejekwe, said several 

meetings had already been 

held and contacts made 

with authorities of other 

universities for transfer. 

According to Onyejekwe, 

who said his four children 

passed through Madonna 

University, it is disheartening 

that an institution he 

had supported since its 

establishment in 1999 and 

ensured that his children 

and those of his friends 

occasion, Mr. Shina 

Badaru, urged youths not 

to forget where they were 

coming from, but to, like 

PRC, do good and give 

back to the society. 

The high point of the 

event was giving Alhaja 

Awonuga an award in 

recognition of her 

hospitality when the PRC 

members were 

schoolboys. 

attended, had turned round 

to ruin the careers of the six 

students and the lecturer. 

NANS reacts 

Vice President in charge 

of national affairs, National 

Association of Nigerian 

Students, NANS, Mr. 

Chidi Ilogebe, had also 

threatened to mobilise 

students nationwide to shut 

down the institution. 

He said it was unfair for 

the management of the 

university to allege that the 

students were criminals, 

cultists and fraudsters, 

adding that NANS was 

sure that they are neither 

kidnappers, nor fraudsters 

or cultists as alleged. 

His words: “We are not in 

a tyrannical or dictatorship 

rule and we are not 

practicing totalitarian 

system, where the masses 

have no voice. 

“Students are intellectuals 

and are allowed to speak 

whenever they feel things 

are not going well, especially 

on our campuses. 

“Madonna University's 

management may think 

that it has money to 

intimidate students, but we 

want to tell them that we 

cannot keep quiet.”


WORKSHOP: Regional Head, South-East and South-South, First City Monument Bank, 

FCMB, Mr. Okey Ogelle (sitting 3rd left) with some participants at the Climate Finance 

Awareness Workshop and Exhibition on Solar Energy Solutions organised by the bank in 

partnership with IFC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

Northern CAN berates Nigerian Embassy in 

US over statement against Leah’s mother 

By Sam Eyoboka 

C Association HRISTIAN 

of Nigeria, 

CAN, in the 19 northern 

states and Abuja (Northern 

CAN), has condemned 

statement by the Nigerian 

Embassy in Washington D.C, 

United States, accusing Mrs. 

Rebecca Sharibu, mother of 

Leah Sharibu, and three 

others of making “false” 

claims against the Federal 

Government. 

The embassy, according to 

agency reports, had on June 

30, 2019, protested against a 

recent event in the US capital 

by Heritage Foundation, 

where some victims of 

terrorism and farmers/herders 

conflicts in northern Nigeria 

allegedly made “false” claims 

against the Federal 

Government. 

The event, which was a 

panel discussion tagged 

“Insecurity in Nigeria: 

Eyewitnesses Speak,” was 

hosted by The Heritage 

Foundation, a Washingtonbased 

conservative think 

tank, on June 11. 

The embassy’s reaction 

came in a letter by Mr. 

Mohammed Suleiman, 

Senior Counsellor/Head of 

Chancery, on behalf of the 

Nigerian ambassador to the 

US. 

It said: “The attention of the 

Embassy of Nigeria, 

Washington, D.C., has been 

drawn to an event your 

foundation hosted on June 

11, 2019, where you brought 

alleged Nigerian victims of 

violence and insecurity: 

Rebecca Sharibu, mother of 

Leah Sharibu; Alheri Bawa 

Magaji and Napoleon 

Adamu, who gave false and 

uncorroborated allegations 

about their experiences. 

“The embassy thought that 

as a reputable and respected 

organisation, you would 

allow unbiased individuals at 

the event to make their 

contributions.” 

According to a statement 

made available to Vanguard 

by Vice Chairman of 

Northern CAN, Rev. John 

Hayab, the Heritage 

Foundation had on June 11, 

2019, invited Rebecca 

Sharibu, mother of Leah 

Sharibu; Alheri Bawa Magaji 

and Napoleon Adamu, 

victims of violence and 

insecurity to Washington DC 

to share their experiences. 

Northern CAN described 

the embassy statement as 

“insensitive, inhuman and 

irresponsible,” urging the 


sanction the embassy staff 

who made the statement and 

apologise to the Rebecca 

Sharibu and others for saying 

their painful experiences 

were false. 

Hayab said for the past one 

year, Leah’s mother had been 

in ceaseless pain and 

trauma, crying for help for the 

release of her daughter, 

stressing that such utterances 

could only come from people 

without human feelings. 

Calling on the Federal 

Government to do everything 

possible to ensure the release 

of Leah, Hayab asked: “How 

could any humane and 

sensible person describe such 

experience as false? This is a 

woman that has been crying 

out for help for the release of 

Halogen set to unveil brand 

transformation to digital group 

By Etop Ekanem 

THE management of 

Halogen Security 

Company Limited, Nigeria’s 

foremost security risk 

solutions company, has 

concluded plans to unveil 

details of its transformation 

into a digital group, offering 

technology centred security 

risk solutions. 

The brand launch 

scheduled for Friday, July 5 

in Lagos, is expected to 

attract Halogen’s top clients, 

notably CEOs, and other 

invitees from top 

multinational businesses 

across different sectors of the 

economy, regulatory 

agencies, industry associates 

and a cross section of 

Halogen staff. 

The Halogen 

transformation unveiling will 

also be used to launch 

her daughter, what we expect 

from that embassy staff 

is to console her, calm her 

down and assure her that 

government is doing 

everything to get her 

daughter. 

“This statement coming 

from the Nigerian Embassy 

in the US is insensitive, 

inhuman and irresponsible 

and we call on the Federal 

Government to sanction the 

embassy staff and apologise 

to Mrs. Rebecca Sharibu and 

others for saying their painful 

experiences are false.” 

Bakassi indigenes protest over 

76 oil wells in Calabar 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—The 

people of Bakassi, 

yesterday, took to the streets 

and marched to Cross River 

State House of Assembly, 

demanding the return of the 

76 oil wells handed over to 

Akwa Ibom State by former 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo in 2007. 

The people led by 

Kingsley Asuquo, a 

community leader, carried 

placards with inscriptions 

such as: ‘Give us our oil 

wells, we have been patient 

enough,’ ‘INEC should 

respect Law No. 7’, ‘We 

cannot be refugees in our 

own country’, among 

others. 

Speaking with journalists 

outside the Assembly, 

Asuquo appealed to the 


revisit the handing over of 

76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom 

Sttae. 

He said: “The Federal 

Government should revisit 

the handing over of Cross 

River State oil wells to Akwa 

Ibom State. Bakassi youths 

have been neglected. 

There is no financial 

benefits to us since we lost 

the oil wells to Akwa Ibom. 

Since they gave the oil wells 

to Akwa Ibom, nothing has 

been done for the youths.” 

He also urged the 


Electoral Commission, 

INEC, to adhere to Law No. 

7 enacted by the state 

House of Assembly, which 

guarantees them the right 

to vote in their new location 

rather than vote during 

election at Dayspring 

Island as they have been 

doing. 

The youths who arrived 

while the Assembly was in 

session, were received on 

behalf of the Speaker, Eteng 

Williams by Leader of the 

House and representative of 

Ogoja State Constituency, 

Peter Odey. 

Odey commended the 

youths for the peaceful protest, 

saying CRSHA respects their 

rights and belief. 

He said: “I want to say that 

the Cross River State House 

of Assembly respects your 

view and the right to carry out 

your protest. We stand with 

you on this." 

Halogen Group’s six operating 

companies. 

Speaking on the unveiling 

of its transformation, 

Halogen’s Group Managing 

Director and CEO, Wale 

Olaoye, said: “For nearly 

three decades, we have had 

the honour of being trusted 

by a vast majority of Nigeria’s 

top businesses, public 

organisations and 

individuals, as their 

preferred security risk 

solutions provider. 

“Their trust and their 

satisfaction with our 

differentiated solutions 

delivery approach have 

made us Nigeria’s and 

indeed, West Africa’s most 

sought after security 

company. With Halogen’s 

transformation, we are yet 

again staying true to our 

tradition and heritage of 

innovation leadership." 

NDDC: Fake petitioners against 

Amaechi, Brambaifa should be 

investigated —Kpodoh 

By Onozure 

Dania 

FORMER 

Security 

Adviser to Bayelsa State 

government, Chief 

Perekeme Kpodoh, has 

called on security agencies 

and Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, 

to commence investigation 

and prosecution of those 

involved in alleged fictitious 

and fake petitions against 

acting Managing Director of 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, 

Professor Nelson Brambaifa 

and former Minister of 

Transportation, Mr Chibuike 

Amaechi, over alleged gross 

misconduct. 

Kpodoh in a statement, 

yesterday, said the call for 

the investigation and 

prosecution of those he 

described as “anti-Niger 

Delta elements” were 

necessary to stop the continued 

blackmail and unnecessary 

distractions 

being caused within the 

NDDC and the 

development plan of the 

region. 

Kpodoh, who described 

the claim of fraud allegedly 

involving Amaechi and 

Brambaifa, as the handiwork 

of those he termed enemies 

of the region, demanded 

that they be investigated 

and dealt with to put a final 

stop to the ignoble act. 

Kpodoh said: “It is a thing 

of shame if the media and 

the security agents could not 

distinguish between fiction 

and truth. These were acts 

and series of fiction put 

together by the petitioners 

and their sponsors to distract 

the acting MD of NDDC 

from the good works he 

embarked upon three 

months ago." 

Taraba govt bans movement 

of tricycles from 8pm 

By Femi Bolaji 

JALINGO— Governor 

Darius Ishaku of Taraba 

State has banned indefinitely 

the movement of tricycles 

popularly known as Keke 

NAPEP from 8pm, ordering 

security agencies in the state 

to ensure strict compliance to 

the directive. 

This came as the state 

government reviewed the 12 

hours curfew imposed on 

Jalingo, the state capital and 

other adjoining communities 

affected by crisis recently to 9 

hours. 

Senior Special Assistant to 

Governor Ishaku on Media 

and Publicity, Bala Abu, 

disclosed this in a statement. 

He said: “After a review of 

the security situation in parts 

of Jalingo and Ardo Kola Local 

Government Areas of Taraba 

State, which experienced 

crisis recently, Governor 

Ishaku has approved that the 

current curfew imposed on 

Jalingo town and other 

affected areas should now start 

from 9pm and end at 6am daily 

until further notice. 

“This means a three-hour 

reduction in the time 

previously covered by the 

curfew. Governor Ishaku also 

Transition 

Princess Peggy Chioma 

Onwuga, 39, of Umuogbu 

village, Awka South LGA of 

Anambra State, is dead. 

Service of songs takes place 

tomorrow at Seriki Street, 

Okokomaiko, Lagos; Service 

of songs at her father's 

compound on Friday, July 19 

while burial takes place on 

Saturday, July 20. 

ordered a ban on the 

movement of Keke NAPEP in 

all the areas covered by the 

curfew between 8 pm and 6 

am daily until further notice." 

Burial 

An Ear, Nose and Throat, 

ENT, surgeon, Dr. William 

Ochin, has died at the age of 

68 after a protracted illness. 

Burial programme for Dr. 

Ochin who headed Military 

Hospital, Yaba, Lagos for 

years before his retirement, 

will kick off with a Christian 

wake at his compound in 

Enugu-Ezechi village, 

Ukana, Udi LGA, Enugu 

State tomorrow at 8pm. 

He will be buried in his 

country home on July 5, 2019 

after a funeral mass at St. 

Joseph’s Catholic Church, 

Ukana, Udi while 

thanksgiving comes up on 

July 7, 2019 at the same 

church. 

Late Mrs. Amugo 

Late Mrs. Linda Amugo, 

aged 57, a former NYSC 

Director, is dead after a brief 

illness. She will be buried 

on Friday, July 5, 2019 at 

her residence near Evangel 

High School in Umuahia, 

Abia State.


WITH HENRY OJELU 

midweekpersonality@gmail.com 

08111813061 (sms only) 

PROF NDUBUISI EKEKWE: 

From village boy to Silicon 

Valley tech genius 

Prof Ekekwe is a rare Nigerian tech genius with many incredible world 

class inventions to his kitty. Among his numerous inventions is the 

invasive medical robotic, a system which was acquired by US govt. He 

also led the team that designed generation accelerometer, a major 

component of iPhone. In this interview, he shares his trajectory from a 

local village boy to a master in Silicon Valley. 

HOW was growing up 

like for you? 

I grew up in Ovim in 

Isuikwuato LGA of Abia State. 

I attended Ovim Community 

School and Secondary 

Technology School Ovim. I 

lived in the village until the day 

I left for my undergraduate 

education in Federal 

University of Technology 

Owerri. As a kid, I was told that 

the only way to become like 

legends in my community was 

education. I invested all to 

become the best I could become 

academically. It was a great 

community which made things 

very easy for the boys and girls. 

I was shaped living in a place 

where I could see governors, 

professors, and justices in the 

village square discussing with 

elders, and at the end join the 

entourages to play and eat in 

their homes. Those experiences 

normalized my perspectives 

such that by the time I came to 

the city, nothing was new 

because all the important 

people came from my village. 

What childhood 

experience shaped who 

you have become today? 

One of the finest moments I 

had as a teen was the day my 

WASC result came out. I set an 

all-time academic record in 

school history which remains 

till today. That made me 

popular in my village as many 

big people invited me, 

congratulating me with gifts. 

Specifically, Real Admiral 

Ndubuisi Ekekwe (rtd), a 

former governor of Imo and 

Lagos states, and Major 

General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), 

a former governor of Imo State, 

gave me handshakes. Doctors 

and engineers from cities came 

to our village house to 

congratulate me. I visited a 

neighboring secondary school 

(Ovim Girls), and students saw 

me, came out and began 

singing my name. Through 

that experience, I quickly knew 

that if you excel in education, 

big men would shake your 

hands and bring you closer. 

That has been a moment that 

defines how I see being the 

best in anything I pursue. 

What was the inspiration 

behind your choice of 

profession? 

During my Integrated 

Science class in secondary 

school, I quickly connected 

with electricity the first time 

PERSONALITY ETHICS 

Life without values 

is lifeless 

Differentiation, a 

key element in 

success 

Focus is vital for 

success. 

they introduced it. I felt at home 

with the constructs of electrons. 

Then the teacher started 

mentioning things electricity 

could be applied in. When I 

heard robot, I became a 

believer that it was going to be 

electrical engineering. His 

explanation of robot was 

important as I had worked in 

the farms with my grandmother 

and felt that technology could 

have assisted her in farms. She 

worked hard but I never felt the 

yield was rewarding her efforts. 

Today, robot is a passion. I 

specialized in medical robotics 

during my PhD in the Johns 

Hopkins University, USA. I 

own a U.S. patent in robotics 

which the U.S. government 

acquired assignee rights in 

2017. 

What does your company 

really do and what 

milestones has it achieved 

so far? 

I control a digital holding 

company that owns properties 

in agriculture, healthcare and 

other domains. Zenvus is an 

intelligent solution for farms 

which uses proprietary 

electronic sensors to collect soil 

data like moisture, nutrients, 

pH, etc. It then sends the data 

to a cloud server via GSM, 

satellite or Wifi. Algorithms in 

the server analyze the data and 

advice farmers on farming 

processes. As the crops grow, 

the system deploys special 

cameras to build crop 

vegetative health index for 

detection of drought stress, pest 

and diseases. Our system has 

the capability to tell a farmer 

what, how, and when to farm. 

It has in-built GPS, compass 

and XL making it possible to 

map farm boundaries which 

could be useful during loan 

and insurance applications. 

Medcera makes software that 

help doctors, nurses, labs, 

imaging centers, insurance, 

patients and other players in 

the healthcare sector to operate 

seamlessly. If you visit a clinic 

in Medcera network, in Lagos, 

and then travel to 

Kano and the clinic 

uses our solution, the 

Kano clinic will access 

your medical records 

real-time. Our 

motivation is that no 

patient should be 

treated without 

access to his or her 

medical records. We 

are the first 

company in the 

world that made 

access to medical 

record agnostic of 

location and 

hospital chain. 

What were 

some of the 

challenges you 

faced as an entrepreneur and 

how did you overcome them? 

My biggest challenge has 

been losing team members after 

training them. It creates so 

many risks in the business. But 

one has to respect that people 

have rights to work wherever 

they want to work. Yet, it is 

painful to train and develop 

and then lose. I have lost my 

team members to big 

multinationals. We are 

managing the risks in many 

ways but it makes innovation 

crawl since continuity 

management is distorted. 

What would you say was 

the most important key to 

your success? 

The key part of my success is 

focusing on doing things not 

many people do. In our 

agriculture business, we are the 

only one in that space today in 

Nigeria. In the healthcare 

domain, we make the solution 

largely free because we have 

I have an 

unbelievable 

optimism 

about life that 

it is hard to 

lose hope in 

anything 

built really brilliant AI systems 

that enable value creation. 

Differentiation is a key element 

in our strategy. 

Who is your mentor and why 

and What role has mentorship 

played in your success? 

In business, Tony Elumelu 

has been extremely helpful. He 

is someone I can send an email 

and within hours he will 

respond. His directions have 

saved me money and helped 

me in making money 

especially on understanding 

market pulses. Getting insights 

from someone who has done it 

and continues to do it is critical. 

My elder brother, Engr. Dr. 

Okey Ekekwe, has always 

inspired because he has known 

how to change the goal posts 

to ensure I achieve more. 

Many years ago, I told him that 

because the principal could not 

allow me to do more than nine 

subjects in the Nigeria's SSCE 

path, he went and bought GCE 

form and asked me to write 

GCE to prove that I had 

mastered the subjects. And 

when I did and got distinctions 

while in SS1 in Economics, 

Government, etc, he responded 

"easy subjects - everyone gets 

distinctions in them". Quickly, 

can you deliver in Further 

Maths, Geography and others? 

That was the mentorship, 

driving me to do more. 

Your guiding principles? 

I grew up in the Scripture 

Union and that shapes 

everything in my life. For me, 

a life without values is lifeless. 

I put on that hard work and 

excellence. I have an 

unbelievable optimism about 

life that it is hard to lose hope 

in anything. That mindset 

gives me the energy to execute 

because I am so confident that 

tomorrow will be better than 

today. 

What do you think 

Nigerian entrepreneurs are 

not doing well and how can 

they improve? 

We have the ambitions with 

unbridled tenacity and energy. 

Yet, we need to elevate our 

capabilities to fix market 

frictions, not just at the 

downstream of the sectors but 

at the upstream where more 

impacts can be made. The fact 

is this: unless we can fix 

frictions which are catalytic, we 

will not liberate many people 

from poverty in this nation. Yes, 

apps can help us know where 

the village streams are. But 

building boreholes may add 

more value over time. I give 

Nigerian entrepreneurs credits 

because they are moving 

forward, cutting off the noise. 

The entrepreneurs will lift 

Nigeria because nations change 

only when enterprises rise. 

Your advice for upcoming 

entrepreneurs hoping to be 

successful like you? 

With humility, everyone is 

looking for success. It is a 

continuum. I am still on it. But 

largely, I will tell them to solve 

problems not many people can 

solve and that problem must 

have huge market opportunity. 

In other words, if you win, the 

size will be huge for you. 

Getting to that level requires 

they must invest to accumulate 

capabilities which can come via 

many channels.

I fell in love after 25 years of 

marriage! 

Dear Bunmi, 

After 25 years of marriage, I 

have fallen in love for the first 

time in my life. I want to be 

with my lover full-time but 

that seems like an impossible 

dream. 

My husband and I are both 

in our early 50s. In the last 

few years, he’s had problems 

performing in bed. Sex 

became a bore, so we gave up. 

I realised in time I still 

wanted intimacy in my life but 

didn’t want to settle for men 

out to have just flings. Then 

my boss sent me on a two-day 

management course. It 

included an overnight stay 

and that’s when my love life 

fell into place. 

I went to the dinning are bar 

in the evening and got 

chatted up by this wonderful 

man. He’s two years older 

than me and it was like we’d 

already met somewhere in the 

past. 

We ended up in his room 

and the sex was intense and 

wonderful. The next day, we 

hugged as we parted after 

exchanging mobile numbers. 

I live in Lagos but he lives in 

Ogun State but we still 

managed to meet four times. 

The chemistry is still there and 

the intimacy gets better and 

better every time. 

His wife recently found out 

about us but she’s 

unperturbed as she has a 

good lifestyle she won’t throw 

away. My husband also found 

out, but he hates making 

waves and agreed we could 

meet now and then. I want to 

leave him to be with the man 

I love. 

I live on edge, hoping my 

husband won’t see all the 

emails I send to my lover, then 

sometimes wishing he would. 

There seems to be no solution 

to this. I’ve got three 

daughters and my lover has 

sons. They’re no longer 

children but are still young 

enough to be hurt. 

Angela, By e-mail. 

Dear Angela, 

I hope you do realise you’re 

playing with fire and living 

on dreams. You’ve sent a lot 

of emails and text but have 

only met up with your lover 

four times. Is that enough to 

throw a solid marriage over 

for? 

Looks as if you’re both using 

each other as distraction from 

your lacklustre marriages. 

That isn’t unusual but keep 

your eyes open in case it 

backfires. 

What if your husband 

decides that enough is 

enough, that he can’t stand 

you cheating and finds 

somebody else? What if your 

lover puts pressure on you to 

leave home? I’m not sure you 

want that as much as you say. 

Suggest that you take a 

break from each other, for a 

My husband is a slub! 

Dear Bunmi, 

My husband of seven years 

has terrible manners: he eats 

like a pig and burps or passes 

wind at dinner table. When we 

go out, he creates such a mess 

that I have to apologise to 

waiters. 

At social gatherings, he 

would rather use his fingers 

for ‘swallow’ foods than use a 

cutlery. I am ashamed to be 

seen with him and worried 

that his manners, or lack of 

them, will rub off on our sons, 

aged six and three. 

Kikelomo, by e-mail. 

Dear Kikelomo, 

I know it could be quite 

frustrating for you to spend 

ages trying to get the children 

few months, say while you 

give your life partners the 

time and attention they need. 

Ask your husband to seek 

medical help in case he has a 

medical problem that needs 

sorting out. At your age, all 

four of you should be less 

flighty in the way you handle 

relationships. 

to be polite and eat their food 

nicely, only for your husband 

to come in, throw his coat and 

tie on the sofa, put his smelly 

feet on the table and pick his 

nose or pass wind. 

What you need to do is be 

firm. You could write a list of 

house rules, for example: 

“Always say please and thank 

you,” and “use your cutlery, 

not your fingers.” 

All of them, your husband 

included, should get 

commended when they do 

what they’re supposed to do. 

In short, if your husband 

insists on behaving like a 

toddler, treat him like one. 

Otherwise the children might 

think his behaviour is 

hilarious and try to copy him. 

Looks as if you’re both using 

each other as distraction from 

your lacklustre marriages. 

That isn’t unusual but keep 

your eyes open in case it 

backfires. What if your 

husband decides that enough 

is enough, that he can’t stand 

you cheating and finds 

somebody else? 


He thinks he’s my son’s 

dad 

Dear Bunmi, 

I’m in my mid-twenties 

and have a young son. I’ve 

been with my boyfriend 

since our university days, 

but I don’t love him any 

more. I only stay in the 

relationship because of this 

child. 

Around the time I became 

pregnant, I’d been seeing 

someone else for eight 

weeks but broke offline 

affair because I thought the 

kid was my boyfriend’s. 

Unfortunately, the boy looks 

nothing like him. He looks 

like the boy I had a fling 

with. 

I don’t want to continue to 

lie to my boyfriend about my 

son, it doesn’t feel right. 

But how am I going to tell 

my boyfriend what I’ve 

done? People have told me 

not to tell him but I can’t; I 

don’t want to have to lie to 

my son or to anyone. It’s 

not fair. 

Zainab, by e-mail. 

Dear Zainab, 

I agree with you. To 

mislead your son about the 

identity of his father would 

be a gross deception. To 

defraud your boyfriend by 

allowing him unknowingly 

to raise another man’s son 

is equally unacceptable. 

Unfortunately, a few 

people are now aware of 

your plight and you can’t 

rely on them to be a part of 

any conspiracy of silence. 

You need to tell your 

boyfriend that you’re 

We need to move on after my wife died 

Dear Bunmi, 

Around last Christmas, my 

world fell to pieces when my 

wife of eight years was killed 

in a car crash. Not only have 

I lost my soulmate, but our 

six-year-old son has been left 

without a mum. I just don’t 

know how to handle things. 

Daniel, by e-mail. 

Dear Daniel, 

The first and most important 

thing your little boy needs is 

love from you, so give him 

loads of affection. Answer his 

questions as he asks them, so 

he’s getting information when 

he’s ready. 

Reassure him that mummy 

hasn’t gone because of 

anything he did, which some 

children fear. 

And don’t think you have to 

‘cope’ with your own feelings 

of loss in private. Children 

need to know that adults feel 

grief too, so it’s fine to cry 

together. 

Finally, seek the support of 

friends and relatives and 

encourage your son to interact 

with relatives in his age 

bracket. I wish you the best of 

luck. 

unsure who’s the father of 

your child. 

The double revelation of 

your unfaithfulness and 

that he may not, after all, 

have a son, will wound 

him. Yet, he may have 

sensed that you are going 

off him. 

For everyone’s peace of 

mind, a blood test is 

needed. After the test, he 

might even decide to 

support you if he weren’t 

the father. I wish you the 

best of luck. 

My mother-in-law gets on my nerves 

Dear Bunmi, 

For 16 years I’ve been trying 

to get on the right side of my 

mother-in-law but I’ve come 

to the end of my tethers. She’s 

never liked me and has never 

bothered to hide the fact. 

She has three children and 

my husband is her only son. 

In her opinion, I’m not good 

enough for her son, nor am I 

good enough to be the mother 

of her grand-children. 

I’ve tried ignoring her, 

buttering her up, keeping out 

of her way but nothing works. 

My husband says she doesn’t 

mean it but I know she does. 

How do I cope with her 

To mislead 

your son 

about the 

identity of his 

father would 

be a gross 

deception. To 

defraud your 

boyfriend by 

allowing him 

unknowingly 

to raise 

another man’s 

son is equally 

unacceptable. 

hostility? 

Abby, by e-mail. 

Dear Abby, 

Your chances of changing 

your mother-in-law are slim! 

But you could change your 

attitude towards her, which 

should help. See her for the 

pathetic, insecure person she 

is, and recognise that she’s no 

threat to the happy family you 

and your husband have built. 

Thank goodness your 

husband is not taking sides. 

At the moment, you’re a little 

bit afraid of her but, in fact, 

you hold all the cards. No 

matter what she does, be nice 

to her because you’re a happy 

person who can’t be bothered 

to trade words with her. 

There may be a miracle and 

— she may change. If she 

doesn’t, you’ll still be a 

winner. I wonder why she 

isn’t bothering her two 

daughters’ spouses? 

Share your problems and release your 

burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, 

Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, 

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


Adhering to Corporate Governance 

principles will grow economy, 

companies —ICSAN boss 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

*Mr. Samuel Kolawole 

In this interview Mr. 

Samuel Kolawole, President 

of the Institute of 

Corporate Secretaries 

and Administrators of 

Nigeria (ICSAN), speaks 

of the national code 

of corporate governance, 

what the country, 

the economy and 

organizations stand to 

gain and digitalization of 

the institutes activities. 

Excerpt. 

RECENTLY, the feder 

al government convened 

a national program 

on Corporate Governance, 

what is your view on this? 

Well, Corporate Governance 

is necessary for the 

success of organizations and 

the interest of the society at 

large, we find ourselves as 

the front-runners and the 

people who are trained professionally 

in this area, and 

definitely we will support the 

national code of corporate 

governance and its application 

to ensure that organizations 

are run properly 

and are managed properly 

in the interest of all 

stakeholders because if organizations 

apply good corporate 

governance principles 

the organizations will 

thrive, and if organizations 

thrive, the economy will 

thrive and the nation will 

also grow and if they don’t 

there will be issues. 

So it is a good thing that 

has been done, of course, 

there will be controversies 

as to what the content 

should be just like any law 

or any regulation in any 

country or jurisdiction, people 

will have their different 

opinions on how is to be 

done or practiced. 

The step has been taken 

we believe that this will help 

to improve the corporate 

governance landscape of 

Nigeria, good enough in the 

steering committee that put 

together this code have 

three of our members, so 

that tells you about whom 

we are and the experiences 

and knowledge our members 

have to be able to handle 

something like this. 

So we are happy that the 


governance is out, is a continuous 

process, all the 

teething issues will be will 

dealt as the application of it 

commences. 

What role is the institute 

playing to ensure most organization 

embraces the 


governance? 

Yes, one of the things we 

are doing is the obvious one 

we are doing like I mentioned 

is the corporate governance 

platform through 

which were educating people 

about corporate governance 

principle, about 

how this national can be 

applied, but to let people 

understand that this is not a 

code that is made to stifle 

corporate organizations, 

but to let them understand 

the values of good corporate 

governance, because of a 

lot of activities we also talk 

about corporate governance 

and try to enlighten 

people on what it is all about 

and how it can be handled. 

For example, we have the 

annual roundtable of corporate 

governance which of 

course is one of our flagship 

event we hold annually and 

every year, through this medium 

we are able to enlighten 

the society about the 

good principles of corporate 

governance and of 

course in the training of our 

members we also emphasize 

this, then that helps to 

spread the knowledge and 

the understanding. 

It also helps to give people 

skill to be able to practice 

the principles of good 

corporate governance. 

How digitalized are your 

activities considering the 

fact that most corporate 

bodies are digitalized? 

We have improved on that 

but there are rooms for further 

improvements to properly 

digitalize the activities 

of the institute we now do 

registration for examination 

online we still have 

some who are not able to do 

that we also still have a way 

to ensure that they are not 

left out even before this 

present administration took 

over the institute had started 

online voting exercise 

for our elections. Our website 

is been improved from 

time to time to ensure we 

can leverage on technology 

to function properly as an 

institute , but there is still 

quite a lot to do in that area. 

What are the challenges 

you met on ground in the 

institute? 

I would not say I took 

up challenges, you know 

organizations like this are 

going concerns, you find 

things that are going on 

well, you find things that 

you have set out for yourself 

you want to achieve. 

What I believe that my 

challenges were things I set 

out for myself to achieve 

within the period that I 

would be president of the 

institute. 

I believe that over the 

years those people that piloted 

the affairs of the institute, 

the past presidents, and 

the Council have done their 

own bit. We have some 

(1:40) challenge that are 

not really challenges as 

such, are those things I have 

set out for myself to achieve 

as the president of the institute. 

When I came in as president 

there were a number of 

things that we set out to 

achieve; working with 

Council that I would be privileged 

to chair. 

One of the things was 

the visibility of the institute, 

making people know and 

understand what the institute 

is all about among Nigerians. 

What the institute 

does, that was one of them. 

We had the issue of the 

secretariat which physically 

was not that comfortable 

for those working there and 

befitting for our members, 

of course, at that time we 

were also looking at the 

possibility of rebuilding the 

secretariat. 

I also had the idea that 

since this institute is a 

knowledge based institute 

not just by the qualifying 

examinations, we should be 

able to enrich the body of 

knowledge in the society, 

based on my own background, 

having come from 

a publishing background I 

wanted to leave the legacy 

of publishing, we should be 

able to put it down there that 

people should be able to 

have access to, being able 

to publish books and journals 

were also one of the 

things I was set out to do. 

We also had the issue of 

our linkage program with 

universities, I thought I 

could take further and faster 

than we have been doing, 

that was also a challenge for 

us. There were also many 

things we set out to do. 

How can you appraise 

your administration in the 

last two years? 

I would say that the administration 

that I have been privileged 

to lead in the last two 

years because the administration 

is not for the president 

alone. 

The administration consists 

of the president and members 

of the council i was privileged 

to work with we have tried to 

take the institute from the level 

which we met it to a higher 

level. In the area of publication, 

dissemination of knowledge 

for the first we started 

the institutes journal we had 

an edition out and we believed 

that it should be something 

that is continuous, the journal 

which is professional in nature. 

Also the institute’s magazine 

has been improved 

upon to make it more professional, 

as it is, in terms of increasing 

awareness. 

Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen 

nominated to lead EU Commission 

EU leaders have put 

forward their nominations 

for the bloc’s top 

jobs, with a woman for 

the first time proposed as 

European Commission 

chief. 

The surprise choice of 

German Defence Minister 

Ursula von der Leyen 

to replace Jean- 

Claude Juncker came after 

the main front-runners 

were rejected. 

IMF chief Christine 

Lagarde has been nominated 

as the first woman 

to head the European 

Central Bank (ECB). 

The announcement follows 

days of difficult negotiations. 

Belgian liberal Prime 

Minister Charles Michel 

is nominated to replace 

European Council 

President Donald Tusk 

while Spain’s Josep Borrell 

is proposed as foreign 

policy chief. 

The fifth key nomination 

- President of the 

European Parliament - is 

to be chosen on Wednesday 

and most of the roles 

must be ratified by parliament. 

“We have agreed the 

whole package before the 

first session of the European 

Parliament,” said 

Mr Tusk. 

He said Germany had 

abstained on Ms Von der 

Leyen’s nomination over 

coalition issues but 

pointed out that Chancellor 

Angela Merkel 

herself had backed her. 

French President Emmanuel 

Macron said the 

nominations were “the 

fruit of a deep Franco- 

German entente”. 

“Von der Leyen is a 

very good candidate and 

a very good choice to 

head the European 

Commission,” he told 

reporters, adding that 

Ms Lagarde’s “capacities 

and competences... 

totally qualified her” for 

the ECB. 

Irish Prime Minister 

Leo Varadkar said the 

nomination of two women 

for key jobs sent a 

powerful message that 

the EU was leading the 

way towards gender 

equality. 

However, there were 

concerns that the European 

Parliament’s own 

contest for the main job 

- the “Spitzenkandidaten” 

(lead candidate) process 

- had been cast 

aside. Neither the winner 

of that process, Manfred 

Weber of Germany, nor other 

frontrunners were selected 

by EU leaders. 

“You have to compromise 

in politics,” Mr Varadkar 

insisted, adding that the 

centre-right Mr Weber 

would most likely be given 

the shared presidency of 

the European Parliament 

along with a Socialist figure. 

There was also surprise 

that four of the main jobs 

had gone to Western Europeans, 

with no nominations 

from Eastern Europe. 

However, the eastern 

states are thought to have 

been strongly behind Ms 

Von der Leyen’s nomination, 

having rejected a compromise 

involving Dutch 

Labour leader Frans Timmermans 

the night before. 

House panel sues Treasury, IRS over 

Trump’s tax returns 

A U.S. DEMOCRATIC-led 

House of Representatives 

panel on Tuesday 

filed a long-awaited 

lawsuit in federal court to 

demand President 

Donald Trump’s individual 

and business tax returns. 

The House Ways and 

Means Committee filed 

the lawsuit against the 

U.S. Treasury Department 

and Internal Revenue 

Service after Treasury 

Secretary Steven 

Mnuchin refused a legal 

request for the records 

and defied two congressional 

subpoenas seeking 

the returns.The filing 

sounded the starting gun 

in what is widely expected 

to be a lengthy legal battle 

that is likely to end in 

the Supreme Court. 

There was no official 

comment from the Trump 

administration, but 

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow 

said: “We will respond 

to this latest effort 

at presidential harassment 

in court.” Democrats 

want Trump’s tax 

records from 2013 to 

2018, which legal experts 

have said could shed light 

*Ursula von der Leyen 

on the president’s business 

dealings. Such a legal 

process, experts said, 

could unfold slowly and 

become an issue in the 

2020 election. 

Mnuchin refused to 

hand over the returns after 

House Ways and 

Means Committee 

Chairman Richard Neal 

asked for the documents 

on April 3, under a federal 

law that says Treasury 

“shall furnish” such 

records upon request. 

The committee believes 

it is the first time an administration 

has denied 

such a request, the lawsuit 

said. 

“In refusing to comply 

with the statute, defendants 

have mounted an 

extraordinary attack on 

the authority of Congress 

to obtain information 

needed to conduct oversight 

of Treasury, the IRS, 

and the tax laws on behalf 

of the American people,” 

the lawsuit said. 

Neal said in a statement 

that the panel was 

now pursuing the matter 

in court because of the 

administration’s “noncompliance.” 

“ The judiciary 

has been a bulwark 

against Trump’s steaming 

corruption and roughshod 

lawlessness. I have no 

doubt our lower courts will 

side with Congress,” Representative 

Bill Pascrell, a 

Ways and Means Democrat 

who has helped lead the 

campaign to obtain 

Trump’s returns, wrote on 

Twitter. 

Democrats who wanted 

Neal to move to court more 

quickly expressed relief at 

the filing. “This long-overdue 

legal action is needed 

to keep this bad president 

from setting a bad precedent,” 

Representative Lloyd 

Doggett said in a statement. 

Congressional Republicans 

condemned the effort 

as a dangerous political 

fishing expedition by Democrats 

that could “weaponize” 

confidential taxpayer 

information. 

“The Democrats’ partisan, 

flawed lawsuit continues 

their unprecedented 

and illegitimate pursuit to 

expose President Trump’s 

private tax information,” 

Representative Kevin 

Brady, the top Republican 

on Neal’s committee, said 

in a statement. 

U.N. investigator reports 

possible fresh war crimes in 

Myanmar

14 sailors killed in Russian 

underwater vessel fire 

FOURTEEN Russian sailors on board a submers 

ible military vessel were killed after a fire 

broke out and they suffocated on the fumes. 

The deep-sea research vessel was carrying out a 

survey in Russia’s territorial waters when the blaze 

erupted on Monday, the defence ministry said. 

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called the loss 

of 14 navy officers in the fire a “big loss”, ordering a 

full investigation into what happened. 

“It is a big loss for the navy and for the army as a 

whole,” Putin told Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu in 

a televised meeting. 

The fire was later extinguished and the submersible 

subsequently docked at the Northern Fleet’s base in 

northwestern Severomorsk on the Barents Sea. An investigation 

was launched to establish the cause of the 

fire. 

“Fire broke out on board a deep-water scientific research 

vessel that was studying the marine environment 

of the world ocean on behalf of the Russian navy,” 

Interfax news agency cited a ministry statement as 

saying. “Fourteen submariners died as the result of 

smoke inhalation.” 

The report came after Russian news outlet RBC cited 

an unnamed military source as saying the vessel was 

a nuclear-powered AS-12 submarine, but there was no 

official confirmation. 

The statement did not identify the type or model of 

the vessel. 

Norwegian authorities said on Tuesday they have not 

detected abnormally high levels of radiation after the 

incident. 

Dubai ruler’s wife escapes 

to UK in fear of her life 

PRINCESS Haya Bint al-Hussein, a wife of the 

ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al 

Maktoum, is in hiding in London and said to be in 

fear for her life after fleeing her husband. 

Sheikh Mohammed, 69, who is a billionaire racehorse 

owner and has often been seen conversing with 

the Queen at Ascot, has posted a furious poem on 

Instagram accusing an unidentified woman of 

“treachery and betrayal”. 

The Jordanian-born and British-educated Princess 

Haya, 45, married Sheikh Mohammed - owner of 

Godolphin horse racing stables - in 2004, becoming 

his sixth and “junior wife”. 

Sheikh Mohammed reportedly has 23 children by 

different wives. 

Princess Haya fled initially this year to Germany 

to seek asylum. She is now said to be living in a £85m 

($107m) town house in Kensington Palace Gardens, 

in central London, and preparing for a legal battle in 

the High Court. 

So what prompted her to flee her luxurious life in 

Dubai and why is she said to be “afraid for her life”? 

Sources close to her have said that Princess Haya 

had recently discovered disturbing facts behind the 

mysterious return to Dubai last year of Sheikha Latifa, 

one of the ruler’s daughters. She fled the UAE by 

sea with the help of a Frenchman but was intercepted 

by armed men off the coast of India and returned to 

Dubai. 

Princess Haya then, along with the former Irish president 

Mary Robinson, defended Dubai’s reputation 

over the incident. 

The Dubai authorities said the runaway Sheikha Latifa 

had been “vulnerable to exploitation” and was 

“now safe in Dubai”. But human rights advocates said 

she was forcibly abducted against her will. 

U.N. investigator reports possible 

fresh war crimes in Myanmar 

M 

YANMAR security forces and insurgents are com 

mitting human rights violations against civilians 

in restive western states that may amount to fresh war 

crimes, a United Nations investigator said on Tuesday. 

A 2017 military crackdown drove more than 730,000 

Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. U.N. investigators 

have said that Myanmar’s operation included 

mass killings, gang rapes and widespread arson and 

was executed with “genocidal intent”. 

The Yangon government denies committing those 

atrocities and says its military campaign across northern 

Rakhine was in response to attacks by Rohingya 

militants. 

Government troops are currently fighting ethnic 

rebels in conflict-torn Rakhine and Chin states. The 

Arakan Army is an insurgent group that is fighting for 

greater autonomy for the two states. 

On June 22, authorities ordered telecoms companies 

to shut down internet services in the two states. Telenor 

Group said the ministry of transport and communications 

had cited “disturbances of peace and use of 

internet activities to coordinate illegal activities”. 

Yanghee Lee, the U.N. independent expert on human 

rights in Myanmar, said last week the army may be committing 

gross human rights violations under cover of a 

mobile phone blackout in Rakhine and Chan, but on 

Tuesday she went further. 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 —39 

How to reposition Legal Education for 

National Development — Afe Babalola 

By Tunde Olofintila 

Frontline legal colossus 

and Founder of Afe 

Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, 

ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, 

SAN, has identified quality 

legal education as an essential 

element in producing legal 

professionals who can 

competently represent clients 

and contribute to the 

establishment of the Rule of 

Law as opposed to the Rule of 

Man. 

The Legal Icon however 

observed that after five decades, 

it has become crystal clear that 

the quality of legal education 

in Nigeria needs to be 

improved upon in order to 

meet the ever dynamic 

international standards and to 

equip many law graduates 

with the requisite skills to be 

effective legal professionals in 

Nigeria. 

To reverse the trend, 

Babalola who spoke at the 2019 

Annual Conference of 

Nigerian Association of Law 

Teachers at the International 

Conference Centre, University 

of Ibadan, yesterday, said that 

there is an urgent need for 

Nigeria’s Educational Policy 

makers to effect far-reaching 

rejig of the curricula of 

Elementary and Secondary 

schools as a first step to 

repositioning legal education 

for National Development. In 

his view, the amendment of the 

curricula should begin with 

inclusion of such subjects as 

Geography, History, Literature, 

Economics and Information 

Communication Technology 

(ICT). 

Lives of important 

personalities 

Babalola who was 

represented by the acting Vice 

Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. 

Smaranda E. Olarinde, 

reasoned that the reason for 

this was not far-fetched as the 

introduction and study of 

Geography would enable the 

would-be lawyers to know 

about the existence of man, 

both in the past and in the 

present while the study of 

History would enable them to 

know about the lives of 

important personalities, how 

they made it in life to the extent 

that many people adopt many 

of them as their role models 

even without meeting them. 

His words: “When we look 

at the history of our great men 

today, most of them went to 

schools where the 

aforementioned subjects were 

taught. It was at the level that 

they were taught how to 

harbour a strong abhorrence 

for corruption and all other ills 

that are afflicting our society 

today. They were taught the 

virtues of discipline, honesty, 

integrity and punctuality and 

all of that have become part of 

them since then”. 

As for Literature and ICT, he 

said: “On its part, Literature 

teaches us about great men 

and women in the literary 

world and how to weave words 

together while the place of ICT 

in the contemporary world 

cannot be wished away or over 

emphasized” 

He added: “To serve the 

needs of a 21 st Century 

Afe Babalola, SAN. 

society, the justice system 

must be digital by default and 

design. Information 

technology is increasingly a 

key component of our 

lives…the use of information 

technology has also become 

an increasingly significant 

factor in the delivery of legal 

education, legal services and 

in the adjudication of civil 

disputes. 

“All over the world, 

Technology is starting to drive 

the administration of justice 

with virtual courts and Online 

Dispute Resolution (ODR) 

providing alternative methods 

of resolving legal issues. ODR 

is a process where legal 

disputes are resolved via web 

based systems and there are 

a number of different versions 

of this”. 

All final year 

students of Nigeria 

universities, be they 

private or public, 

should be made to 

write the same final 

examination as it is 

being done by the 

Council for Legal 

Education for law 

graduates 

After scaling the hurdle of 

reworking the curricula, 

Babalola called on the 

National Universities 

Commission, NUC, to make 

it mandatory for students who 

want to study Law to have a 

minimum of Credit Pass in 

English Language, English 

Literature, Mathematics, 

Geography, History, 

Economics and Computer 

Education because of the 

central roles these subjects will 

play in the practice of the 

would-be lawyers in future. 

According to him, “it is a 

well-known fact that in the 

United States of America and 

Germany and many other 

countries of the world, the 

standard of law practice is 

very high unlike what obtains 

here. One of the factors 

responsible for the high 

standard is that a candidate 

must have a Degree before 

he/she would be admitted to 

study Law. And that is why 

they have ensured over 

time that Law is studied as 

a second degree to ensure 

that those to be admitted into 

Law Colleges are really 

mature before coming to the 

Law College”. 

He added: “On the 

contrary, in Nigeria, 

students who are admitted 

to study Law need only to 

pass School Certificate and 

JAMB Examinations. Time 

it was when students must 

pass GCE Advanced Level 

or Higher School 

Examination (HSE) before 

they were admitted to 

universities. However that 

the Federal Government in 

its wisdom summersaulted 

and lowered the admission 

standard to universities 

remains baffling and a 

mystery. 

“Nigeria should therefore 

take a cue from what obtains 

in Germany and the United 

States where a student to be 

admitted to their Law 

Colleges must have earned 

a Degree in some other 

disciplines or at least G.C.E 

Advanced Level as obtained 

in England and as it was 

before in Nigeria”. 

On the place of the Law 

School in repositioning 

Legal Education for 

National Development, 

Babalola said the current 

trend whereby Law 

Graduates go to the 

Nigerian Law School for 

their Bar Examination is 

commendable. But he 

added that Government 

should go a step further by 

making the Central Law 

School an Examining Body 

only with power to screen 

quality and reputable 

universities for the training 

of Lawyers for 18 months 

after their LL.B and conduct 

and moderate common 

examination preparatory for 

their final Call to Bar 

Examinations at the Law 

School. 

Proposed 

arrangement 

With this proposed 

arrangement, Law 

graduates from Nigerian 

universities would proceed to 

reputable universities with 

up-to-date facilities and 

Faculty members of 

international repute for their 

post-LL.B training and only 

go to the Law School to write 

their Call to Bar 

Examinations without 

having to be residential 

students in the Law School 

and only take the common 

Bar Examination. This, in his 

view, will enable the 

Nigerian Law School to 

concentrate on supervision of 

the universities instead of 

proliferating Law Schools all 

over the country despite its 

lean pause. 

Besides, it must also be 

mandatory for Law Students 

to go through Clinical 

training during their 

undergraduate days in their 

respective universities as this 

will make their training more 

robust and allencompassing. 

Likewise, 

Undergraduate Law 

Students must be attached to 

some selected reputable Law 

Firms during holidays like it 

is done in ABUAD to keep 

them busy, enable them 

acquire relevance 

experience and familiarize 

themselves with law 

processes. 

On Post Call Experience, 

Babalola said: “In our days, 

the norm was that green wigs 

must be attached to reputable 

and seasoned law firms 

before they could set up their 

own practices. But all of that 

would appear to have 

change. It is my belief that 

we must go back to that timetested 

practice. Green wigs 

must be made to serve a 

period of a minimum of one 

year under reputable and 

experienced lawyers. This 

will certainly enhance the 

standard of practice. 

The place and import 

of partnerships 

Babalola did not leave the 

Practitioners out of the need 

to reposition Legal Education 

for National Development, 

stressing that the starting 

point for practitioners is for 

them to appreciate the place 

and import of partnerships 

instead of running one-man 

Law Offices. Indeed, Oneman 

Law Offices should be 

discouraged while Law 

Firms should be encouraged 

while Lawyers should team 

up as Law Firms. In addition 

to the above, he counselled 

that Lawyers should 

specialize in different areas 

of Law such as Constitutional 

Law, Human Rights Law, 

Jurisprudence and 

International Law, 

Commercial Law, Litigation 

and Arbitration among many 

others. 

In view of the different 

admission rules and 

guidelines for admission into 

Law degrees among the 

above three bodies, he called 

on JAMB, the NUC and the 

Council for Legal Education 

and/ or government to take 

urgent steps to harmonise 

the different admission rules 

and guidelines in the interest 

of repositioning Legal 

Education for national 

development, particularly as 

the different cut-off marks for 

different universities would 

do more harm to the quality 

of education in the country. 

To correct this malaise, he 

canvassed that the cut off 

points for admission into 

Nigeria universities should 

be the same, adding that “a 

situation whereby some 

universities admit candidates 

who scored 140 or less out of 

a total mark of 400 is 

ridiculous”. 

He added: “In our days, a 

child who scored less than 

50% would incur the wrath 

of his teachers and would be 

caned for his indolence. But 

now, indolence is being 

encouraged by agreeing to 

admit people who scored as 

less as 30% in their 

qualifying examination”. 

Another way of 

repositioning Legal 

Education for National 

Development is for all final 

year students of Nigeria 

universities, be they private 

or public, should be made to 

write the same final 

examination as it is being 

done by the Council for Legal 

Education for law graduates. 

It is through this method that 

Nigerians and indeed the 

whole world will appreciate 

the quality of our education. 

Under this condition, 

universities would be forced 

to raise the standard of 

students they admit as they 

will only admit candidates 

who are fit as university 

materials. 

Olofintila writes in from 

Ado-Ekiti


Offshore banking and money 

laundering (3) 

WHY is money laundering 

such a big issue? Why 

have many countries, 

individually and collectively devoted 

so much time, energy and resources 

into combating money laundering? 

The reason is simple. Money 

Laundering poses a grave and 

present danger to the global 

economy. How and why this is so 

will be discussed this week. 

Private sector 

One of the most serious 

microeconomic effects of money 

laundering is felt in the private sector. 

As stated last week, money 

launderers often use front companies, 

which co-mingle the proceeds of 

illicit activity with legitimate funds, 

to hide the ill-gotten gains. In some 

cases, front companies are able to 

offer products at prices below what 

it costs the manufacturer to produce. 

Therefore, front companies have a 

competitive advantage over 

legitimate firms that draw capital 

funds from financial markets. This 

makes it difficult, if not impossible, 

for legitimate business to compete 

against front companies with 

subsidised funding, a situation that 

can result in the crowding out of 

private sector business by criminal 

organisations. The management 

principles of these criminal 

enterprises are not consistent with 

traditional free market principles of 

legitimate business, which results in 

further negative macroeconomic 

effects. 

Banks and financial institutions 

Financial institutions that rely on 

the proceeds of crime have additional 

challenges in adequately managing 

their assets, liabilities and 

operations. For example, large sums 

of laundered money may arrive at a 

financial institution but then 

disappear suddenly, without notice, 

through wire transfers in response 

to non-market factors such as law 

enforcement operations. This can 

result in liquidity problems and runs 

on banks. Criminal activity has been 

associated with a number of bank 

failures around the globe, including 

here in Nigeria as evidenced by the 

trial of some former bank directors a 

few years ago. 

Banks are particularly susceptible 

to risks from money launderers on 

several fronts. There is today a very 

small step between a financial 

institution suspecting that it is being 

used to launder money and the 

institution becoming criminally 

involved with the activity. Banks that 

are discovered to be laundering 

money are most certain to face costs 

associated with the subsequent loss 

of business as well as legal costs. 

Banks and their directors face the 

risk of criminal prosecution for 

money laundering whether they 

know the funds are criminally 

derived or not. 

More often than not, bank directors 

are unaware that their institution is 

being used to launder money. 

Typically, an employee colluding with 

a criminal will circumvent the bank’s 

depository procedures to launder 

money. However, the bank is still 

liable for the actions of its employees. 

It is, therefore, essential that banks 

adopt and enforce the new legal 

procedures in deposit taking and 

keep tight controls on staff likely to 

be useful to money laundering. 

Two conflicts of interest arise here 

that may dampen the enthusiasm of 

banks in complying to such laws. The 

first is that bank officials are under 

increasing pressure to bring in new 

business and drive up profits. It has 

been argued that many banks remain 

afloat due to money laundering 

services. The second conflict is that 

certain banks and countries have a 

competitive advantage in providing 

private banking services, that is, 

client confidentiality. Bank secrecy 

laws exist in 50 nations worldwide, 

and for such banks, these are 

important in attracting customers. 

Any moves to abolish or continually 

override such laws are likely to be 

strongly opposed. 

Effect on economic growth 

Money launderers are not 

interested in profit generation from 

their investments but rather in 

protecting their proceeds. Therefore 

they invest their funds in activities 

that are not necessarily economically 

beneficial to the country where the 

funds are located. Furthermore, to the 

extent that money laundering and 

Overall, 

government in 

Nigeria has been 

very pro-active in 

combating 

money 

laundering with 

constant changes 

to legislation to 

meet emerging 

trends 

financial crime redirect funds from 

sound investments to low quality 

investments that hide their proceeds, 

economic growth can suffer. In some 

countries, for example, entire 

industries, such as construction and 

hotels, have been financed not 

because of actual demand, but 

because of the short-term interests 

of money launderers. When these 

industries no longer suit the money 

launderers, they abandon them, 

causing a collapse of these sectors 

and immense damage to these 

economies. 

Effect on taxation 

Money laundering diminishes 

government tax revenue and, 

therefore, indirectly harms honest 

taxpayers. It also makes government 

tax collection more difficult. This loss 

of revenue generally means higher 

tax rates than would normally be the 

case if the untaxed proceeds of crime 

were legitimate. It also threatens the 

efforts of many countries to introduce 

reforms into their economies through 

privatisation. Criminal organisations 

have the financial capacity to outbid 

legitimate purchasers for formerly 

state-owned enterprises. 

Furthermore, while privatisation 

initiatives are often economically 

beneficial, they can also serve as a 

vehicle to launder funds. In the past, 

criminals have been able to purchase 

marinas, resorts, casinos and banks 

to hide their illicit proceeds and 

further their criminal activities. 

Countries cannot afford to have 

their reputations and financial 

institutions tarnished by an 

association with money laundering, 

especially in today’s global economy. 

Confidence in markets and in the 

signalling role of profits is eroded 

by money laundering. The negative 

reputation that results from these 

activities diminishes legitimate 

global opportunities and sustainable 

growth while attracting international 

criminal organisations with 

undesirable reputations and shortterm 

goals. This can result in 

diminished development and 

economic growth. Furthermore, 

once a country’s financial reputation 

is damaged, reviving it is very 

difficult and requires significant 

government resources to rectify a 

problem that could be prevented 

with proper anti-money-laundering 

controls. 

Money laundering is a problem 

not only in the world’s major 

financial markets and offshore 

centres, but also for emerging 

markets. Indeed, any country 

integrated into the international 

financial system is at risk. As 

emerging markets open their 

economies and financial sectors, 

they become increasingly viable 

targets for money laundering 

activity. Increased efforts by 

authorities in the major financial 

markets and in many offshore 

financial centres to combat this 

activity provide further incentive for 

launderers to shift activities to 

emerging markets. There is 

evidence, for example, of increasing 

cross-border cash shipments to 

markets with loose arrangements for 

detecting and recording the 

placement of cash in the financial 

system and of growing investment 

by organised crime groups in real 

estate and businesses in emerging 

markets. Unfortunately, the negative 

impacts of money laundering tend 

to be magnified in emerging 

markets. 

Although the economic costs are 

particularly emphasised, we must 

also remember the social and 

political dimensions of crime and 

related money laundering, the 

suffering of the victims and the 

overall weakening of the social fabric 

and collective ethical standards. This 

is particularly true of Nigeria where 

corruption remains endemic and 

fuels money laundering activities. All 

of this lends urgency to antilaundering 

efforts which attack 

criminal activity at the most 

vulnerable point-where its proceeds 

enter the financial system. 

Overall, the government here in 

Nigeria has been very pro-active in 

combating money laundering with 

constant changes to legislation to 

meet emerging trends. Aside from 

the creation of the Economics and 

Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, legislation was also passed 

to grant independence to the 

Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, 

NFIU, in line with international 

standards and commitment. It is 

hoped that other areas requiring 

attention such as a revamp of the 

criminal justice system will receive 

attention so as to add fillip to the 

overall fight against money 

laundering. One of such is the 

Companies and Allied Matters 

Amendment Bill which is still 

awaiting the assent of the President. 

It is hoped that the Bill, which 

contains many innovative features 

aimed at further making it difficult 

for criminals to lauder the proceeds 

of illicit activity, will receive the 

attention it deserves. 

UACN unveils growth 

strategy, pays N1.8bn 

dividends 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—THE Office of 

the Presidential Amnesty 

Programme yesterday 

signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding 

with the National Board 

for Technology Incubation, 

NBTI to sharpen the skills 

and expertise of the delegates 

of the amnesty programme. 

The MoU was the final 

stage of a joint collaboration 

between the Federal 

Ministry of Science and 

Technology, the NBTI, the 

Presidential Amnesty Office 

and NAFDAC to ensure 

that Amnesty delegates 

trained and empowered 

on food and cosmetics 

products get their products 

registered and patented 

with NAFDAC. 

Speaking after signing 

the MoU, the Special Assistant 

to the President on 

Niger Delta and Coordinator, 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, Prof. 

Charles Dokubo, represented 

by Dr. Monima 

Alabraba said the goal was 

to empower the amnesty 

delegates to be gainfully 

employed and in long run 

By Nkiru Nnorom 

LAGOS—IN view of 

the losses recorded 

by UACN of Nigeria Plc 

in the year ended December 

31, 2018, the company 

has revealed plans to undertake 

a comprehensive 

review of its organisational 

structure to ensure increased 

autonomy and effectiveness 

of its subsidiary 

companies. 

The company recorded 

N5.3 billion operating loss 

in 2018 following losses in 

its animal feeds and other 

edibles business. 

But despite the weak 

performance, the company 

declared N1.8 billion dividends, 

which translates to 

64 kobo per ordinary share 

of 50 kobo each. 

Addressing shareholders 

at the company’s Annual 

General Meeting, AGM, 

in Lagos, the chairman, 

Mr. Dan Agbor, said the 

company will also 

strengthen and empower 

the management and 

Boards of the subsidiary 

companies in order to 

equip them to drive value 

creation, while at the same 

time increasing their accountability 

to deliver the 

Group’s ambitious plans. 

He disclosed that the 

company is currently 

working on a plan to stabilise 

its real estate business, 

UACN Property Development 

Company, 

UPDC, which constituted 

a drain on the group’s performance. 

Agbor explained that the 

animal feeds and other 

edibles businesses were 

negatively impacted last 

year due to heightened 

competition with the attendant 

pressure on prices 

and margins and assured 

that the company is working 

tirelessly to deliver 

improved performance. 

He, however, noted that 

the company recorded 

growth in its packaged 

foods, logistics, paints and 

quick service restaurant 

businesses. 

“We are encouraged by 

the initiatives implemented 

thus far but recognize 

that a significant 

amount of work lies ahead. 

It is important to mention 

that one of the key elements 

of the strategic plan 

of your management is for 

the company to operate as 

a much simpler and leaner 

holding company with the 

main focus being on the 

subsidiary companies. 

“Your company’s role as 

a lean holding company 

will revolve around allocating 

capital with a focus on value 

to shareholders, strengthening 

corporate governance, 

driving talent acquisition, 

management and succession 

planning,” Agbor said. 

Amnesty office, NBTI sign 

MoU on improving delegates' 

expertise 

stem the tide of youth restiveness 

in the region. 

He said he was glad to 

see that the MoU 

reached final stage, thanking 

the ministry and NBTI 

for accepting to collaborate 

with the Amnesty Office to 

ensure that Amnesty delegates 

trained and empowered 

on food and cosmetics 

products register 

their products with the 

NAFDAC. 

‘‘The use of this incubation 

centres by delegates 

is of immense support as 

it will aid the delegates in 

improving their expertise 

in their various areas of 

specialization. 

‘‘The legal departments 

of both organizations with 

the NAFDAC Desk Unit 

had worked assiduously to 

come up with this MoU 

which will benefit the Amnesty 

delegates,’’ he said. 

Earlier, the Director 

General of NBTI, Dr. Mohammed 

Jibrin, explained 

that the scheme called NBTI 

Community Incubation is basically 

aimed at imparting 

knowledge of technologies 

based on raw materials available 

within the domains of the 

benefiaries.

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 


NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

FLAG-OFF—From left: Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, 

performs the ground-breaking ceremony of a modern wrestling gymnasium 

at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, shortly before attending the closing 

ceremony of the 3rd Gov. Dickson Wrestling Classics, at the same venue. 

With him are; his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah Retd (on 

his left), and others. 



Continues on Page 5 

Federal Government has 

gazetted land in all the 36 

states. We came out 

quickly to challenge the 


show us the document 

that gazetted land in 

Benue because the Land 

Use Act is clear that even 

the Federal Government 

will not and cannot invade 

a state and take land. 

“The land has to be 

given to the Federal 

Government by the State. 

Government can only get 

land of a project for 

general interest. We don’t 

have such gazette land in 

Benue State. What they 

are telling the world is not 

true. 

“Benue State 

Government has already 

briefed its lawyers to get 

their papers ready. The 

Federal Government has 

said the donation of land 

for the project is voluntary; 

that the state has its right 

to pull out of it and they 

listed Benue as one of the 

pilot states, and we are 

saying we don’t want to be 

part of the pilot states. But 

if the government insists 

on siting these Ruga 

projects in Benue State 

we will go to court.” 

However, he called on 


Buhari not to allow 

people around him to 

mislead him over the 

Ruga project being a 

man of integrity. 

FG should abide 

by S-Court ruling 

on land matters 

— Falana 

Also speaking on the 

programme, human 

rights activist, Femi 

Falana, SAN, urged the 


uphold the decision of 

the Supreme Court over 

land matters between 

the federal and state 

governments. 

He said: “What I am 

saying is that when the 

Supreme Court has 

taken a decision on any 

matter, no government, 

either the state or federal 

government, can change 

it. I am advising all 

parties, all attorney 

generals to advise their 

governments properly so 

we do not engage in 

illegality. 

“With respect to Benue 

Naira up to N 360.52/$ in I&E 

window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The Naira yesterday appreciated to N360.52 per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) 

window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the I&E window dropped to 

N360.52 per dollar yesterday from N360.57 per 

dollar on Monday, translating to five kobo 

appreciation for the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded on the 

window rose by 115 percent to $303.16 million from 

$140.92 million traded on Monday. 

However, the naira was stable at N359 per dollar 

in the parallel market. 

State Government, it has 

the right to draw the 

attention of the Federal 

Government which 

operates under the rule of 

law to the decision of the 

Supreme Court on the 

finality of the right of state 

government to approve the 

building of Ruga or ranch 

in that state. 

“That is what is done in 

any civilized society. We 

are not supposed to 

engage in any incitement 

and the rest of them. What 

should be done in this 

case is for Benue State 

Government to rush to 

court if the Federal 

Government is not going 

to comply with the 

judgment of the Supreme 

Court on this matter.’’ 

We’re not part of 

Ruga — Rivers govt 

On its part, Rivers State 

government vowed 

yesterday never to 

participate in the Federal 

Government’s Ruga 

settlements for herdsmen. 

The government in a 

statement signed by the 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Information, 

Paulinus Nsirim, noted 

that the state had no land 

for the implementation of 

such a policy. 

It noted that the second 

term of Governor Nyesom 

Wike has prioritised 

commercial agriculture, 

hence all available arable 

land in the state would be 

needed to drive 

commercial agriculture 

across the state to create 

employment for Rivers 

youths. 

The government 

emphasised that it has not 

given any approval for the 

siting of Ruga settlements 

anywhere in Rivers State, 

adding that no such that 

no approval would come 

from it for the Ruga 

settlements. 

The statement said the 

governor would continue 

to defend the interest of 

Rivers people, who have 

overwhelmingly rejected 

cattle colonies, Ruga 

Settlements and any such 

policy. 

Igboland has no 

room for Ruga — INC 

Reacting in the same 

vein, Igbo National 

Council, INC, yesterday, 

warned that no land in 

Igboland should be 

converted to Ruga 

settlements, describing 

lands as heritage from their 

forefathers. 

INC National President 

and Secretary, Chilos 

Godsent and Zulu Ofoelue, 

in statement issued in 

Owerri, said that just as the 

cattle was source of 

livelihood for herdsmen, 

lands were also the source 

of their own livelihood in the 

South-East zone. 

The group also called on 

governors, state Houses of 

Assembly in the South East 

to stand up in unity against 

the planned Ruga 

settlements for cattle by 


Buhari’s administration. 

It stated: “The Igbo 

National Council, INC, 

wishes to thank the people 

of Nenwe Aninri in Enugu 

State for their patriotism, 

boldness and courage to 

defend their community 

against planned invasion by 

herdsmen and Miyetti 

Allah. 

“The Igbo National 

Council (INC) will continue 

to stand shoulder to 

shoulder in solidarity with 

the people of Nenwe Aninri 

and other communities in 

Igbo land in our resolve to 

defend the father land from 

unholy invasion and neocolonialism 

by foreign 

Jihadists militia. 

“We, therefore, call on our 

political elites, community 

leaders of Igbo race to stand 

up to the present realities, 

re-organize and strengthen 

the capacities of their youth 

groups, community 

vigilante groups and the 

Town Union Government 

in readiness to protect our 

ancestral heritage and 

humanity at large. 

“Consequently, we call on 

the governors and State 

House of Assemblies of the 

South-East and South- 

South and Benue State to 

immediately make 

declaratory statements in 

strong condemnation and 

outright rejection of the 

proposed establishment of 

RUGA Settlements in Igbo 

land by the Federal 

Government. 

“We wish to state 

emphatically that the 

business of cattle raring is a 

private one which has no 

overriding public interest. 

Our lands are also our own 

source of livelihood and our 

heritage.” 

Ruga: IYC warns 

S-South govs 

Also reacting yesterday, 

IJAW Youth Council, IYC, 

said the Ijaw ethnic 

nationality had no land for 

the proposed RUGA 

settlement for cattle 

rearers. 

The council also 

admonished the 

governors of the six 

South-South states and 

Ondo in the South-West 

not to bow to pressure 

from the Federal 

Government in their own 

interests. 

President of the 

Council, Pereotubo 

Oweilaemi, who disclosed 

this in a statement, said: 

“We reject Fulani 

Vigilante Group in our 

territory and we do not 

have land to 

accommodate foreigners. 

“The desert North is big 

enough for herdsmen to 

rear their cattle. We will 

not accommodate people 

whose ultimate goal is to 

carry out religious jihad 

against their hosts in 

order to establish their 

Islamic caliphate. 

“The herdsmen, who 

have been terrorizing the 

indigenous people in the 

Meddle Belt as well as 

some parts of Southern 

Nigeria, are seen as a 

trojan horse to us. 

“IYC rejects in its 

entirety the move by the 


establish the said Ruga 

settlement for herdsmen. 

The government should 

not by act or omission 

instigate ethno-religious 

crisis in the country. 

“The genocide being 

perpetrated against the 

Middle Beltans by these 

herdsmen has not been 

addressed by the present 

government with a 

determined effort. 

“At the height of the 

killings by the terrorists, 

the Presidency only said 

the Middle Belt people 

should relinquish their 

ancestral lands to the 

killer herdsmen. How can 

we cede our land to such 

persons who take delight 

in massacring innocent 

people? 

“We will not invite such 

trojan horses to our land 

for the sake of future 

generations. We are 

warning the six governors 

of the South South states 

and governor of Ondo 

State not to accept that 

dangerous proposal. 

“Should any of them be 

politically cajoled to 

accept the proposal, then 

we will take a bloody 

revolution against them 

and their imperial interest. 

This is not a warning. 

Ijaw people are ready to 

defend our land, even 

with the last drop of our 

blood.” 

Ruga policy 

unsettling Nigeria 

Bode George 

Meanwhile, former 

Deputy National 

Chairman of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Chief Olabode George, 

yesterday, expressed 

worry that the timing of 

the RUGA settlement was 

suspicious, adding that 

the country was highly 

divided along tribal and 

religion lines. 

Speaking while 

addressing newsmen in 

Lagos, George urged 


Buhari to urgently 

convene a national town 

hall meeting on the 

policy. 

The PDP leader argued 

that the settlement for 

herdsmen by the Federal 

Government was 

unsettling the country 

He said: “The Nigerian 

state is definitely not at 

ease. There are so many 

multifarious challenges 

confronting us all. From 

the desert to the sea, there 

is that palpable tension, 

festering social 

dislocations everywhere. 

“Our democracy is 

equally battered by the 

constant insidious 

encroachments of 

herdsmen into our farms, 

provoking tensions and 

murderous violence. The 

upsurge of bandits and 

kidnappers are the latest 

evils threatening the 

stability of our nation. 

The newly proposed 

Ruga settlements for 

herdsmen across the 

nation should be given 

more thoughtful 

appraisal, more 

tempering analysis, lest 

we are thrown into 

destabilization.” 

He lamented that the 

“scourge of banditry, the 

new fangled menace of 

ubiquitous kidnappers 

and the murderous 

largeness of the Boko- 

Haram zealots have all 

compounded the 

situation. 

Expressing fears that 

Nigerians were being 

pushed to the brink, 

George said: “We are 

now being pushed to the 

brink. All kinds of faceless 

actors are now turning 

our present situation into 

a free-for-all hatemongering, 

reckless 

populism and sheer 

profiteering. 

“It should not be this 

way. Our leaders should 

not be stampeded into 

panicky, unreflective 

actions. Let the ruling 

party, the opposition, the 

non-partisan and 

everyone else step back 

from the brink and 

withdraw into a more 

reflective, more sobering 

position. 

“The essence of 

democracy is the triumph 

of the people’s will. It is 

about the necessary 

assertive hurrah of the 

choice of the people. 

“Thus, where the wish 

and the will of the people 

prevail, the crucial 

essence of democracy is 

thus fulfilled. But, 

unfortunately, we are now 

straying. The electoral 

process is very flawed, 

distorted, mangled, 

fractured, dishonest, 

primitive, savaged by 

deliberate human 

intrusions.


Verification: Lamentation as Airways 

Pensioners no sleep at center 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

vicahiyoung@yahoo.com 

Employers to pay more into contributory pension 

scheme 

•As NUCFRLANMPE, CANMPEF agree to end gratuity 

Stories by Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

AFTER protracted disagreement 

between the 

Organised Labour under the 

aegis of the National Union 

of Chemical Footwear, Rubber, 

Leather and Non-Metallic 

Products Employees, NUC- 

FRLANMPE and the employers’ 

federation on the auspices 

of the Chemical and Non- 

Metallic Products Employers’ 

Federation, CANMPEF, on 

whether to scrap gratuity 

scheme, both parties have 

agreed on the way forward. 

The parties had been at parallel 

lines over the issue following 

the introduction of the 

Contributory Pension 

Scheme, CPS, as result of the 

Pension Reform Act, PRA, 

2004, as amended, threatening 

industrial peace in the 

sector. 

A memorandum of collective 

agreement between 

CANMPEF and NUCFR- 

LANMPE reached on the plat- 

PENSIONERS of the defunct 

Nigeria National 

Shipping Line, NNSL, who 

spent their active lives as seamen 

to serve the nation, are 

today not happy men, there is 

no doubt about that. While 

some of them died lamenting, 

those alive are passing 

through harrowing experiences 

of destitution over unpaid 

monthly pensions that 

have accumulated for over 40 

years. 

The Ministry of Transportation 

from all indications, appears 

unwilling to pay the elder 

statesmen their legal entitlements, 

despite entreaties 

from concerned stakeholders 

including the Maritime Workers 

Union of Nigeria, MWUN. 

To compound the matter, officials 

of the ministry have refused 

to obey two subsisting 

court judgements directing 

payment of monthly pensions 

to these senior citizens. 

Not relenting on ensuring 

that at least, these retirees 

that are still alive reap the 

fruits of their labour, MWUN 

has petitioned the International 

Transport Federation, ITF, 

seeking its intervention for the 

pensioners to get paid. 

In a petition addressed to 

the ITF through its Executive 

Board Member and Vice- 

Chairman, African Region, 

Nigerian Najeem Yasin, 

MWUN lamented that the “retirees 

are now old, worn out 

and spent. They can no longer 

engage in any active job to 

*A cross section of prospective retirees during a presentation at the 2019 Abuja Pre- 

Retirement Workshop for Prospective Retirees of Treasury-Funded MDAs due to retire in 

2020. 

form of the National Joint Industrial 

Council, NJIC, on gratuity, 

reads “both parties formally 

agreed to stop gratuity 

scheme in the industry effective 

April 1, 2019. It was agreed 

that a sweetener of 3% (Basic 

salary, housing and transport 

allowance) shall be on top of 

employer’s contribution under 

the pension scheme, CPS, to respective 

employees’ Pension 

Fund Administrators, PFAs, on 

a monthly basis or to the fund 

managers where such gratuity 

fund had been moved to fund 

manager in line with 2007 

agreement. 

“The parties also agreed that 

where employers are yet to 

move gratuity to fund managers 

in line with the 2007 agreement, 

such employers shall calculate 

accrued gratuity up till 

April 1, 2019, using the retroactive 

model of calculation. 

Where such situation exists as 

in (1) above, employers have a 

maximum of the three years to 

move such accrued gratuity either 

to the fund managers or 

PFAs as mutually agreed with 

the workforce or their representatives. 

“Where an employer to whom 

this agreement applies is already 

paying rates or creating 

conditions which are superior 

to ones contained in this agreement, 

the superior rates or conditions 

of employment shall 

continue.” 

Labour seeks ITF intervention over 40yrs unpaid pensions to 

defunct NNSL pensioners 

•Accuses Ministry of Transportation of breaching court orders 

feed themselves and families.” 

The union pleaded with the 

Executive Board Member who 

incidentally is a Deputy President 

of Nigeria Labour Congress, 

NLC, to bring the weight 

of the international body to bear 

and ensure that the pensioners 

are paid their accumulated 

monthly pensions. 

The petition by MWUN Secretary-General, 

Felix Akingboye, 

argued that to worsen the 

plight of the ex-NNSL employees, 

“most of their children have 

now turned street urchins due 

to lack of financial wherewithal 

to keep them in school.” 

Among others, MWUN petition 

reads in part: “The retirees, 

having waited in vain for 

several years for the payment 

of their terminal benefits, were 

compelled to approach the National 

Industrial Court in 1991 

and later in 2005. Judgements 

delivered by Hon. Justice P. A. 

Atilade and Hon. Justice B. A. 

Adejumo both of the National 

Industrial Court, NIC, on 9th 

May, 1991 and 2005 respectively, 

affirmed that the retirees 

were entitled to payment of gratuity 

and monthly pension. 

While gratuity has been paid 

to some of the retirees who either 

showed up personally or 

by proxy at the various verification 

exercises organised and 

carried out by top ranking Federal 

Ministry of Transportation, 

FMOT, officials, however, they 

have been denied payment of 

monthly pension up till now. 

“We have made passionate 

appeals to the Hon. Minister 

of Transportation for the full 

implementation of the NIC 

judgement by paying monthly 

pension to the retirees 

through the Nigeria Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, but the 

Hon. Minister, rather than 

address the issue, alleged 

that ‘’the disengaged seafarers 

were paid in excess of their 

entitlements’’, and in consequence, 

directed vide letter 

RT.0588/S.48/T./ of 10th April, 

2018 that he be furnished 

with the addresses of seafarers 

who were allegedly paid 

in excess of entitlement. 

“What we are demanding for 

is payment of monthly pension 

to the retirees in line with 

the court judgement and not 

gratuity. The allegation of excess 

payment of entitlements 

is not true as several committees 

were constituted by the 

Federal Ministry of Transportation 

to verify those that were 

payable and almost all the verification 

committee members 

were top ranking Ministry of 

Transportation officers. 

From all indications, the 

Hon. Minister of Transportation 

is neither willing nor interested 

in implementing the 

judgement of NIC. A precedent 

is being laid. 

“The retirees are now old, 

worn out and spent. They can 

no longer engage in any active 

job to feed themselves and 

families. Most of their children 

have now turned street 

urchins due to lack of financial 

wherewithal to keep them 

in school. Their health keeps 

deteriorating each passing 

day. Their only hope of survival 

is hinged on payment of 

monthly pension even if it is 

peanuts. We crave your expeditious 

intervention to save the 

lives of these retirees.” 

Pre-retirement workshop to ensure a hitch-free 

retirement life---PenCom 

NATIONAL Pension Commission, 

PenCom, has given 

insight into why it is organising 

a pre-retirement workshop 

for 2020 prospective Federal 

Government retirees across 

the country. 

Addressing participants of the 

workshop in Ilorin, Kwara 

State, Acting Director of the 

commission, Aisha Dahir- 

Umar, informed that the workshop 

taking place in 15 centres 

nationwide was necessitated by 

the need to undertake adequate 

sensitisation and public enlightenment 

in order to prepare prospective 

retirees on the steps to 

take towards a hitch-free retirement 

life. 

Represented by a senior official 

of the commission, 

Abubakar Ali, the Acting DG said 

among others, “you would recall 

that the objectives of the Pension 

Reform Act (PRA 2014) is to ensure 

that every person who 

worked in either the Public Service 

of the Federation, Federal 

Capital Territory, States and Local 

Governments or the Private 

Sector receives his retirement 

benefits as and when due and to 

establish uniform set of rules, 

regulations and standards for all 

aspects of pension administration, 

including payment of retirement 

benefits to retirees 

amongst others. 

“As part of our annual regulatory 

activities, the Commission 

has finalised arrangements to 

commence the verification of 

prospective retirees who would 

be retiring in the year 2020 from 

the public service of the federation. 

The verification exercise is 

scheduled to hold from 1 July to 

2 August, 2019 in 15 centers 

across the country. The forthcoming 

exercise, therefore, necessitated 

the need to undertake 

adequate sensitisation and public 

enlightenment in order to 

prepare prospective retirees on 

the steps to take towards a hitchfree 

retirement life." 

She added that "the achievements 

recorded by the Commission 

in the last 16 years would 

not have been possible without 

the support and understanding 

of all stakeholders, especially 

you, our esteemed contributors 

who are about to retire.”

Wimbledon Open...Wimbledon Open... 

Nadal to face Kyrgios 

Rafael Nadal overcame a 

slow start to ease past 

world No 274 Yuichi Sugita 

and set up a second-round 

grudge match against Nick 

Kyrgios at Wimbledon. 

The two-time champion 

grew in confidence on Court 

One as he defeated the 30- 

year-old Japanese player 6- 

3 6-1 6-3. 

Nadal, bidding for his first 

title at the All England Club 

since 2010, is the world No 

2 but seeded third - behind 

Roger Federer - because of 

Wimbledon’s seedings formula 

which takes into account 

grass-court form. 

The Spaniard will now face 

Kyrgios, who he accused of 

disrespect earlier this year after 

losing to him in Acapulco, 

on Thursday after the Australian 

battled past compatriot 

Jordan Thompson 7-6 

(7-4) 3-6 7-6 (12-10) 0-6 6-1. 

Kyrgios earned a code violation 

for whacking a ball out 

of court during an eventful 

third set and lost a set to love 

for the first time at a Grand 

Slam but blew away 

Thompson in the fifth set. 

The world No 43 memorably 

beat Nadal at Wimbledon 

as a teenager five years ago, 

and ever since the draw the 

match has been highly anticipated 

after Kyrgios 

branded Nadal ‘super 

salty’ in a recent podcast interview. 

Nadal saved three break 

points to avoid falling a double 

break down in the first 

set as he began in unconvincing 

fashion in his first competitive 

match of the grasscourt 

season. 

•Serena 

•Nadal 

Serena scraps through dogfight to reach 

2nd round 

Serena Williams began 

her first-round clash at 

Wimbledon in complete comfort, 

but ended it screaming 

in delight as she finally suppressed 

Giulia Gatto- 

Monticone having been 

dragged into an unlikely 

dogfight by the world number 

161. 

The Italian qualifier, who 

was making only her second 

Grand Slam appearance at 

the age of 31 having amassed 

a relatively modest $300,000 

in prize money throughout a 

pedestrian career, was eventually 

subdued 6-2 7-5. 

But she put the seventimes 

champion through her 

paces, testing the injuries 

that have limited the American 

to seven matches since 

the Australian Open in January. 

“She never gave up – it’s 

good for me to play matches 

like this as I haven’t played 

too many matches this year,” 

said Williams. 

“It’s the best I’ve felt since 

February. It felt amazing to 

be on grass after some tough 

times on clay. I’m so thankful 

and I’m happy to be back 


Sharapova quits in Wimbledon 

in 1st round 

Former champion Maria 

Sharapova was knocked 

out of Wimbledon in the first 

round on Tuesday, raising more 

questions about her future in 

the sport. 

The 2004 champion retired 

with a right arm injury in the 

final set of her tie with 

Frenchwoman Pauline 

Parmentier who claimed a 4-6, 

7-6 (7/), 5-0 win. 

Sharapova, now ranked at 80 

in the world, served for the 

match in the second set but 

then needed treatment on her 

arm. 

The 32-year-old had only 

returned to the tour in Mallorca 

last month after five months out 

to recover from shoulder 

surgery. 

Murray to partner Serena in 

doubles 

Andy Murray will play along 

side Serena Williams in the 

mixed doubles at Wimbledon, the 

Scot’s management team have 

announced. 

Both Williams and Murray 

floated the idea ahead of the tournament 

but it had not been confirmed 

with the clock ticking down 

to the entry deadline on Wednesday 

at 11am. 

Seven-time singles champion 

doing what I love.” 

Gatto-Monticone came 

from the other side of the tennis 

tracks to Williams, having 

only played one previous 

match against a top-20 

player and never beaten 

someone ranked higher than 

102. 

Yet her staying power 

against the 23-times Grand 

Slam singles champion, who 

has amassed nearly $89 million 

in prize money, gave the 

fans on Centre Court a contest 

they could not have expected 

when Williams took 

the opening five games. 

I don’t want to talk politics 

•Federer declines to enter Djokovic row 

ROGER FEDERER said he was 

in no mood to discuss the politics 

within the ATP after a string of 

resignations. 

The huge uncertainty surrounds 

the future of the ATP after four members 

of the player council stepped 

down on the eve of Wimbledon. 

Speaking after his first-round win 

at Wimbledon, Federer was asked 

for his take on the mass exodus. 

“Yeah, they had a long meeting,” 

Federer said. “I don’t know what 

was spoken in those seven hours. I 

have not spoken to Novak since, or 

yet, so... I don’t know what to tell 

you. 

“I’m honestly not in the mood to 

talk politics. We’re on the second day 

of Wimbledon, and that is your last 

question you had about politics today. 

“Other guys would like to talk 

about maybe forehands and backhands. 

But I respect your questions. 

No problem.” 

Federer then revealed he knew 

Haase was considering stepping 

down and tried to convince him to 

stay on. 

“Well, I mean, I knew from Robin 

that he was contemplating to pull the 

plug in Indian Wells,” Federer 

added. 

•Sharapova 

Williams opened her singles campaign 

yesterday with a straight-sets 

victory over Giulia Gatto- 

Monticone, but all of the focus after 

the match was on her possible 

partnership with Murray. 

‘I’m just going to see how I feel 

today, then go from there,’ Williams 

said, refusing to confirm her intentions. 

‘I’m still kind of in the singles 

mode, trying to figure that part out. 

We’ll see. I could use extra matches, 

though, so it could be something.’ 

Asked for a percentage of how 

likely it is that she will team up with 

Murray, she replied: ‘I don’t know. 

If you guys really want it, then 

maybe I’ll do it. 

‘All right, done, just for you guys. 

Don’t forget. If you guys want it.’ 

•Murray 

•Federer 

“It doesn’t come all that surprising, 

especially if you really feel like 

you have no impact. It’s definitely 

not a good situation. And I think also 

it’s not like the tour is in a bad place. 

“ Things are going well. Just seems 

on the political side we’re struggling 

a little bit to figure that part out.”


Sterling: Playing 

abroad would be 

a dream 

Raheem Sterling says “it’s 

always been a dream” to play 

abroad, but is “loving every 

minute” at Manchester City. 

The 24-year-old joined City 

from Liverpool in 2015, and 

signed a contract extension in 

November to keep him at the 

Etihad until 2023 

Sterling was crowned the 

Football Writers’ Association 

Footballer of the Year and PFA 

Young Player of the Year in April, 

with the England international 

scoring 17 goals in City’s 

Premier League title-winning 

campaign. 

“I love it here [Man City],” 

Sterling said in an interview 

with GQ. “This is one of the best 

clubs in the world and I’m here 

for the long haul. But you just 

don’t know what happens in the 

future. I’m still young and, like I 

say, I am loving every minute. 

“Ever since I was a kid, 100 per 

cent it’s always been a dream of 

mine to play abroad somewhere. 

It would be nice one day to finish 

training and go home and sit in 

your garden and eat some 

dinner.” 

Ndombele becomes 

most expensive player 

in Tottenham’s history 

•Completes £65m switch from 

Lyon on six-year deal 

Victor Moses returns 

to Fenerbahce 

C 

ottenham have smashed their transfer 

Trecord to sign Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon 

for £65million. 

The midfielder travelled to London for a 

medical on Tuesday after agreeing terms on a 

six-year contract with the Premier League club. 

Spurs will pay an initial £56.5m for France 

star Ndombele, although the future fee could 

rise to around £65m due to the add-ons 

included in the package. 

The fee for Ndombele tops the £42m Spurs 

splashed out for centre back Davinson 

Sanchez in 2017. 

He has been a long-term target for manager 

Mauricio Pochettino and having been keen to 

sign him in the previous two windows, the 

Tottenham boss made the player his No 1 

priority this summer. 

The 22-year-old has drawn comparisons in 

style to former Chelsea favourite Michael 

Essien since his emergence at Lyon. 

Capturing Ndombele represents a 

significant statement of intent from the north 

Londoners as they make an eye-catching 

return to the transfer market after two 

windows without spending. 

Spurs kickstarted their summer spree by 

landing winger Jack Clarke from Leeds for 

£8.5m before immediately sending him back 

on loan to the Championship club. 

Arsenal sign 

Martinelli 

Arsenal have signed 18-year-old 

Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli from 

Ituano Futebol Clube for an undisclosed 

fee. 

The deal comes the day after Sky Sports 

News reported the Gunners have 

launched a £40m bid for Wilfried Zaha 

and continued talks with Porto’s Yacine 

Brahimi. 

The forward has joined on a long-term 

contract, with the deal subject to the 

completion of regulatory processes. 

“I model my game on Cristiano 

Ronaldo,” Martinelli said. 

“He is a player who works hard, pushing 

himself to the next level. Always in the run 

for titles and individual trophies. 

“This is a dream since I was a child and 

also my family’s dream for me to be 

playing in Europe and playing for a big 

team like Arsenal. I am going to take this 

opportunity.” 

helsea-owned winger Victor Moses has resumed pre-season 

training at Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce amid speculation 

linking him with an exit from the club in the summer transfer window. 

The former Nigerian international was among the players subjected 

to routine health checks at Liv Hospital in Ulus on Monday. 

Moses underwent ECHO, exercise, respiration and function tests 

and was examined in all branches including cardiology, eye, earnose-throat 

and general surgery. 

The former Crystal Palace man was heavily linked with a transfer 

to Inter Milan but it appears the deal is off with Inter Milan 

announcing the capture of Valentino Lazaro from Hertha Berlin on 

July 1. 

Lazaro has the same technical characteristics as Moses as he can 

play as a right winger and the right wing-back role favoured by 

Nerazzurri new manager Antonio Conte. 

Madrid refuse 

to give up on 

Pogba 

Real Madrid know that it’s going 

to be a long summer. The club 

have not given up hope of signing 

Paul Pogba, the only transfer 

petition which Zidane has 

expressly asked Florentino 

Pérez for. As it stands, 

Manchester United are refusing 

to negotia - they didn’t attend 

Madrid in either of the two 

occasions the Spanish club tried 

to open talks. Not that Madrid 

have been put off - they’ll wait with 

the hope that Unitedwill 

eventually come around to 

discussing the transfer. The transfer 

window in England closes on 8 

August and Madrid will insist 

while there is still a chance that 

United can sell. In Spain, the 

transfer deadline is 2 September. 

Pogba could do the same as 

Ronaldo Nazário did when he 

signed just before the window 

closed on 31 August 2002. The 

player has given his word to 

Madrid and club directors hope 

that will go in their favour in their 

attempt to bring him to the 

Bernabéu. 

United have not qualified for 

this season’s Champions League 

but that is not the reason why they 

don’t want to let Pogba go. They 

don’t want to do any deals that 

potentially could weaken the club 

and besides, being the second 

richest club in the world 

(according to Forbes), they have 

no need to sell. 

Nwakali trains with Arsenal 

ahead of potential debut 

Golden Ball winner at the 2015 FIFA U17 

World Cup, Kelechi Nwakali has started 

training with Arsenal ahead of the new 

season. 

The former Flying Eagles skipper does not 

qualify for a work permit to play in the English 

Premier League as he has no senior caps to 

his name in competitive games, meaning he 

will head out on loan in the 2019-2020 season 

or be sold on a permanent basis. 

On Arsenal’s official website, Nwakali has 

been listed among their U23 players along 

with players of Nigerian descent Arthur 

Okonkwo, Tobi Omole, Joseph Olowu, Tolaji 

Bola, James Olayinka, Bukayo Saka, Xavier 

Amaechi and Folarin Balogun. 

The Diamond Academy product was 

pictured wearing the new retro Adidas home 

kit recently released by the Gunners for the 

2019-2020 campaign. 

Arsenal XI will face 

Boreham Wood in a 

pre-season friendly 

at Meadow Park on 

Saturday, July 6 and 

Nwakali is in 

contention to play in 

the game in what 

would be his debut 

for the North 

London club. 

3rd Dickson Wrestling championships: 

Bayelsa, Edo emerge winners 

By Solomon Nwoke, Yenagoa 

Bayelsa state, unarguably the home of wrestling in the country have 

emerged winners of the third Dickson Seriake Wrestling 

championships which ended yesterday at the Samson Siasia Sports 

Hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state. 

The hosts state emerged the overall winners in the Men and Women 

Freestyle wrestling with 85 points and 68points respectively. Edo state 

won the overall winners of the Greco Roman wrestling with 50 points. 

Delta and Ondo states won the second positions in both categories 

with 74 points and 59 points respectively while, Ondo and the Nigerian 

Army settled for the third place with 51 points and 28 points apiece. 

In the Greco Roman, Delta and Bayelsa clinched the second and 

third positions with 49 points and 36points respectively. 

Earlier in his closing remarks, the President of the Nigeria Wrestling 

Federation, Honourable Daniel Igali thanked the governor of the state 

for his sponsorship of the annual championships which just marked its 

third edition. 

“The Nigeria wrestling Federation wishes to use the opportunity to 

congratulate and commend the governor and government of Bayelsa 

state for being the first state in the country to commence the construction 

of a befitting dedicated wrestling gym of international standard in the 

country. We wish to specially thank governor Dickson for the sponsorship 

of the longest running national championship series in the history of 

wrestling in Nigeria. We remain confident that with the assurance of 

continuity in the governance of Bayelsa state, we will continue to enjoy 

the same patronage from whoever succeeds him”, Igali said. 

Also in his speech, Governor Seriake pledged the continued 

sponsorship of the annual championship even when his tenure runs out 

in February next year. 

Sports will transform Gbaramatu 

Kingdom, says Otuaro, dep gov 

By Emma Amaize 

WARRI- DEPUTY Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsely Oturo 

has said that sports would give Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South- 

West Local Government Area positive image and charged youth of the 

kingdom to go all out for sporting excellence. 

Otuaro, who spoke at the just concluded Amaseikumor Soccer 

Tournament organized by the Christopher Wurayi-led Gbaramatu Youth 

Council, GYC, at Okerenkoko, his hometown, disclosed that the state 

government was prepared to exploit fresh talents and expose them for 

integration in the larger sporting community. 

Gbaramatu kingdom, also the home-base of ex-militant leader, 

Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, erroneously comes to mind 

as the stronghold of militants in the Niger Delta, a perception many 

indigenes dislike. 

The deputy governor asserted, “Sports event like this put Gbaramatu 

Kingdom in good light, please do same next year. We will collaborate 

for a most befitting sports fiesta”, an elated Otuaro said as he thanked 

the Kingsley Oturubo-led Okerenkoko Federated Community and 

others for the victory of Yankee FC and chair of the tournament, Chief 

(Arc) Azaye Piniki. 

“Let us continue to engage in sports which buildup mentally, let us 

put up the best by serious practice, as you know that the world is out 

there watching to tap on talents. I pray that your talents get noticed for 

placement in the world stage of sports” 

Otuaro, who hosted the tournament presented kits and cash to winner 

and runner up teams, Yankee Football Club (FC) and Oporoza United 

FC respectively, among other categories in the just-concluded 

Amaseikumor Soccer Tournament. 

Yankee FC, which Otuaro played in and coached years back, got a 

cash donation of N500,000 while Oporoza United FC carted home 

N250,000, while the officiating crew got N150,000. 

GOtv Boxing Night 19: 

Organisers announce new date 

Flykite Productions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, have 

announced 21 July as the new date for the 19th edition of the event, 

which was origin 

ally scheduled to hold on 14 July. 

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday, the organisers said the 

event has been moved by one week to allow boxers additional 

preparation time, as some of those billed to fight at the event also have 

sub-regional title bouts for which they need to train well, as GOtv 

Boxing Night 19 is a tune-up platform for those soon-to-come fights. 

“Some of the boxers have been contacted for title bouts in the West 

African sub-region on soon-to-be announced dates and they need an 

extra week to adequately prepare and recover in addition to the 

preparation time in between GOtv Boxing Night 19 and their next 

fights. 

“GOtv Boxing Night has put Nigerian boxers in demand on the 

continent and it is our responsibility to ensure that boxers are in tip-top 

shape for local and international bouts, which is why we have moved 

the event by one week,” said the statement. 

GOtv Boxing Night 19 will hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the 

National Stadium and feature nine bouts, including two all-female 

encounters. 

The biggest of the fights will see e international welterweight 

challenge duel between Rilwan “Babyface” Babatunde of Nigeria and 

Eden Biki of Ghana. The lightweight category will see African Boxing 

Union (ABU) lightweight champion, Oto “Joeboy” Joseph, take on 

Tope “Berinja” Agboola, while Hammed “Ese Hammed” Ganiyu will 

face West African Boxing Union (WABU) lightweight champion, Rilwan 

“Real One” Oladosu. The featherweight division will attract plenty of 

attention with the fight between national champion, Taiwo “Esepo” 

Agbaje, and former ABU champion, Waidi “Skoro” Usman. In another 

duel, the cracking Tope “TP Rock” Musa will be up against Kazeem 

“The Light” Oliwo. Others on the bill are Akeem “Sugar Boy” Olaiwola 

vs Waheed “Showmax” Shogbamu; Adeyemi “Spirit” Adekanla vs Isaac 

“I Star” Chukwudi, Adedeji Abiodun vs Cynthia Ogunsemilore and 

Rodiat Yusuf vs Rodiat Ibrahim in the female category.



They don’t pass ball to me 

•Ighalo opens up on why he’s not t scoring goals 

Super Eagles forward, 

Odion Ighalo has 

explained why he has not 

been scoring goals for the 

team at the ongoing Afcon in 

Egypt. 

According to Ighalo who 

scored the lone goal in 

Nigeria’s victory over 

debutant Burundi blamed it 

on lack of enough passes 

from the midfield, stressing 

that as a striker one cannot 

do much if he doesn’t get 

through passes. 

“You can count how many 

through passes I have got in 

We ‘ll solve 

our scoring 

problem 

– Rohr 

the matches and if you don’t get 

passes, there is not much you 

can do as a striker,” he said. 

On the round of 16 game 

against either Ghana or Benin 

Republic, Ighalo said they 

have done enough work to 

best any team in the 

competition. 

“We are taking every game 

one at a time. We are not 

promising anything. I like it 

when we are written off. We 

have been working hard 

and everything will be 

different from the 

second round, “ he 

said. 

Gernot Rohr says the team will work on 

their scoring problems ahead of their 

next 2019 Africa Cup of Nations match. 

The Super Eagles have scored two goals 

in their three Group B matches. 

Nigeria scored one apiece in their 1-0 

wins over Burundi and Guinea, before 

their stuttering attack failed to make any 

impact in a surprise 2-0 loss to Madagascar. 

That defeat saw Rohr’s team drop to second 

place on the standings, giving them a much 

tougher last 16 tie – potentially against arch •Rohr 

rivals Ghana – in Alexandria on Saturday 

evening. 

“I know we have problems with scoring of goals, 

especially against teams who are well organised defensively,” 

said Rohr. 

“Madagascar didn’t give us space to play, they defended 

together and our wingers were not able to break through. 

“The performance was better in the second half, but it 

wasn’t enough. We gifted the first goal and they became 

stronger, we have to work on our scoring problems and solve 

the problems before our next game.” 

Amuneke to stay on as 

Tanzania coach 

•Amuneke 

•Ighalo 

Tanzania Football Federation technical 

director has revealed that the Taifa Stars 

have no cause to dispense with the services 

of coach Emmanuel Amuneke. 

“Coach Amuneke has done a fantastic job. 

It was not easy because he transformed our 

football. After 39 years, he came in and 

changed things and always, when you 

change things, you change people’s 

mentality. 

“It takes time. We will take care of him 

and keep him here to continue with the 

good work,” he said. 

Ninje said the tournament afforded 

Tanzania the experience to learn football 

at the highest level. 

“ So, I hope if we qualify for the next 

AFCON tournament, we will do better,” 

he said. 

“We have learnt that when you play at 

international level like AFCON, you have 

to be ruthless, when you get the 

opportunity use it, and adopt a disciplined 

approach when you don’t have the ball. 

According to him, the team will be 

evaluated and younger players will be 

encouraged to continue in the building of 

a new national team. 

Super Eagles need a ‘Jay y Jay’ 

in Egypt —Adepoju 

Former Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has argued that 

the team currently campaigning for the Africa Cup of Nations in 

Egypt need creative players in the mode of Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha. 

The Super Eagles have struggled to score goals as they found it 

hard to break down opposing defenders and scoring chances are 

hard to come by. 

“We (Nigeria) do not have creative midfielders like Jay 

Jay Okocha. In the present Eagles, John Mikel 

Obi needs to play with fast younger players 

who are mobile,” Adepoju said in reference 

to Mikel stepping into the big shoes of 

Okocha. 

“The way they (Madagascar) played 

us without a fightback annoyed most 

Nigerians. It was not a good game 

by the Eagles. Madagascar even 

created lots of chances. It’s not 

hard luck for Nigeria, 

Madagascar were simply better,” 

Adepoju who was in Nigeria’s 1994, 

2000 and 2002 Afcon squads added. 

He said the Eagles must have to fight 

harder in the knock stage if they wish to 

remain in the tournament. 

“Now the Eagles have to put on the 

Nigerian spirit and win their remaining 

game(s) in the tournament,” he concluded. 

Madagascan President Andry 

Rajoelina has chartered a 

special plane to take football fans to 

Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations 

after the country unexpectedly 

qualified for the round of 16. 

Excitement has been building in the 

Indian Ocean island nation as the team 

emerged top of group B after beating threetime 

tournament winners Nigeria 2-0. 

"Barea", who take their nickname from a breed of 

local cattle, now play DR Congo on Sunday for a place 

in the quarter-final. 

"After hearing the demands of supporters, President 

Andry Rajoelina and the Madagascan state have 

decided to mobilise an Airbus 380, with 480 seats, to 

transport supporters," Rinah Rakotomanga, 

communications chief for the presidency, told AFP. 

The flight will leave Antananarivo on Saturday and 

return immediately after the game. 

Madagascar President hires 

plane to fly in more supporters 

But the adventure will not be 

for free -- tickets cost about 

$600 (530 euros) including 

the flight, a seat at the 

match and meals. 

Rajoelina had 

announced that he would 

attend the match, 

sparking a campaign to 

enable other fans to travel. 

"Do not go alone to Egypt 

President Andry Rajoelina, 

there are supporters who are 

ready to fill a plane and the empty 

stadium," said former opposition MP Guy Rivo 

Randrianarisoa on social media. 

Madagascar will face a tough game at the 

weekend -- they are ranked 108th in the world, with 

DR Congo far above them in 49th spot. 

El Mohammady: Aguirre gives me 

freedom to go forward 

Egypt’s 

veteran 

wingback Ahmed 

Elmohamady has explained 

that his scoring form at the 

2019 Africa Cup of Nations 

is down to the attacking 

approach taken by 

Pharaohs manager Javier 

Aguirre. 

The 31-year-old has 

netted two goals at the 

AFCON thus far, putting his 

name on the score sheet in 

the 2-0 wins over DR Congo 

and Uganda. 

Elmohamady has enjoyed 

life under Aguirre, racking 

up four goals and three 

assists in eight games 

under the Mexican 

tactician. 

“The manager always 

gives us freedom to go 

forward and show 

ourselves, especially the 

fullbacks,” Elmohamady 

told King Fut. 

“He likes the fullbacks to 

push high on the pitch, 

which gives us the freedom 

to score and assist. 

“I scored today and 

scored in the last game as 

well as, long may it 

continue.” 

The Egyptian star added that he is set to stay with newly 

promoted Premier League team Aston Villa for the 2019/ 

20 season. 

Egypt will be back in AFCON action on Saturday night 

when they play their last 16 tie against a third-placed team 

from Group C, D or E. 

Hamstring injury knocks 

out Black Stars’ Atsu 

Christian Atsu has been ruled 

out of the rest of the Africa 

Cup of Nations with a 

hamstring tear, officials said 

on Tuesday. 

He has returned to England 

for treatment at his club 

Newcastle United, hours 

before Ghana were due to 

complete their Group F 

campaign against Guinea Bissau 

in Suez. 

Atsu went off just 15 minutes into 

•Atsu 

Ghana’s goalless draw against Cameroon in Ismailia on 

Saturday and doctors have said he is unable to play the 

rest of the tournament. 

Guinea’s Naby Keita has gone back to Liverpool for 

treatment on thigh and shin injuries sustained against 

Nigeria as he made his first full comeback after the 

adductor injury that left him side-lined for two months, 

including the Champions League final. 

Keita is expected back in Egypt for the knockout round.


Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Conflict (6) 

4 Avow (6) 

8 Of small importance (5) 

9 Big cat (7) 

10 Animosity (3,4) 

11 Story or scene of happy 

innocence (5) 

12 Gilbert and Sullivan 

operetta (3,6) 

17 Funny (5) 

19 Satan (3,4) 

21 Unlucky accidents (7) 

22 Minimum (5) 

23 Inborn (6) 

24 Zestful enjoyment (6) 

DOWN 

1 Meeting of high-level 

leaders (6) 

2 Curling lock of hair (7) 

3 Language of Iran (5) 

5 US state (7) 

6 European country (5) 

7 Interfere (6) 

9 Sweets on sticks (9) 

13 Captivate (7) 

14 Japanese at of paper 

folding (7) 

15 Large prawns (6) 

16 Preliminary drawing (6) 

18 Stone carver (5) 

20 Search for information 

(5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

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03072019 - Buhari's Ruga policy, an explosive issue — SOYINKA

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