14012020 - 50 years after: Let's revisit issues that caused Civil War

C 

M 

Y 

7.5% VAT regime 

kicks off as Buhari 

signs Finance Bill 

Customs short lists 163,399 Fate of 6 govs 

from 828,333 applicants 3 hanging, as sick 

NIMASA, NBS move to judge forces 

aggregate shipping sector S-court panel 

3 

4 contribution to GDP 3 to adjourn 

Lack of PIB threatens FG’s 40bn barrels reserves by 2025 —INVESTIGATION 22 

...Hike will worsen economic woes 

of Nigerians – OPS, LABOUR 

VOL. 27: NO. 63982 TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

50 years after: Let's revisit 

issues that caused Civil War 

— GOWON, SOYINKA, ANYA, UTOMI, AKINTOYE 

•Say war is horrible; Nigerians must never fight each other again 

NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR: 50 YEARS AFTER 

5 

Amotekun, 

a pleasant 

gift by 

S'West 

13 

govs 

—SOYINKA 

From left: Special Guest of honour, Professor Adebanji Akintoye; Keynote speaker, Professor Pat Utomi; Chairman of the 

occasion, Professor Anya O. Anya; Guest speaker, Professor Wole Soyinka and the royal father of the day, Ezeora the 34th of 

Akajiogu Igbo, Eze Chukwuemeka-Eri, during the “Never Again conference” with theme: ‘Nigeria civil war: 50 years 

after',Organised by Nzuko Umunna &Ndigbo Lagos in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations, at MUSON Center, Onikan, 

Lagos,yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez. SEE MORE PICTURES ON 14. 

Alleged $24,000 extortion: 

Why detained 

Shehu Sanni 

rejects lie detector 

test — Aide 

11 

USE OF PRESIDENTIAL JET 

I can't wait to have 

another project, 

says Hanan Buhari 

10 

ODUMAKIN 17 TENIOLA 

15% of cancer deaths 

in West Africa are 

from Nigeria 

11 

— OSINBAJO 

18 

See inside 

Naira 

appreciates 

to N362.48 / 

$ in I&E 

window 41 

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020—3 

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

ADJOURNED: 

Lawyer to some 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

clients in the 

2019 

gubernatorial 

elections, Chief 

Alex Iziyon (SAN) 

(left); Chief Mike 

Ozekhomeh 

(SAN) 

representing 

some Peoples 

Demicratic Party, 

PDP, clients 

(middle) and 

others after the 

Supreme Court 

adjourned rulings 

on six different 

2019 

governorship 

election petitions 

at the Supreme 

Court, Abuja, 

yesterday. Photo: 

Abayomi Adeshida. 

Fate of 6 govs hanging, as sick justice 

forces S-Court panel to adjourn 

•Ganduje, Ortom, Tambuwal, Ihedioha, Lalong, Mohammed await verdict 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—FATE of six 

governors is currently 

hanging in the balance, as the 

Supreme Court, yesterday, 

abruptly adjourned 13 appeals 

that arose from governorship 

elections that held in the states 

on March 9, 2019. 

The apex court, which had 

in its cause-list for yesterday, 

okayed hearing in appeals 

seeking to nullify the outcome 

of governorship elections in 

Kano, Imo, Sokoto, Plateau, 

Bauchi and Benue states, 

suddenly suspended its 

proceedings after one of the 

justices developed an 

undisclosed sickness. 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, 

CJN, Justice Tanko 

Muhammad, who led a 

seven-man panel of justices, 

announced a stand-down of 

all the appeals, midway into 

hearing on the case 

challenging the election of 

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje 

of Kano State. 

The appeal against Ganduje 

was lodged before the court 

by the governorship 

candidate of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, Abba 

Yusuf. 

Yusuf’s lawyer, Chief 

Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, 

had after the matter was called 

up, identified and adopted all 

the processes his client filed 

against Ganduje of All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

and Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC. 

After Awomolo adopted his 

brief of argument and urged 

the apex court to allow the 

appeal and nullify Ganduje’s 

re-election, the CJN, notified 

parties that a member of the 

panel was “seriously sick.” 

He said: “Due to unforeseen 

circumstances, please the 

court will abruptly rise because 

one of us is seriously sick.” 

The CJN declined to 

disclose the identity of the 

ailing jurist. 

However, the 

announcement by the CJN 

marked the second time the 

apex court panel vacated the 

court room for their chambers, 

yesterday. 

The CJN had about 9:02 

a.m., when the court 

commenced sitting, led other 

justices out of the courtroom, 

citing “excessive noise.” 

He warned that the court 

would not resume until the 

noise, occasioned by 

mammoth crowd that 

struggled for standing space 

in the court room, was 

minimised. 

Consequently, senior 

lawyers were restricted to 

appear with only five juniors, 

even as security operatives 

reduced the number of non 

lawyers in the court. 

Meanwhile, when the court 

resumed at 9:20a.m., Yusuf’s 

lawyer, Awomolo, SAN, 

apologised to the panel for the 

noisy atmosphere which he 

blamed on non lawyers. 

Responding, the CJN said: 

“It is alright, but we went out 

for a different purpose, and 

when the purpose was 

achieved, we came back.” 

About 20 minutes after the 

CJN stood-down, all the 

appeals owing to the sudden 

sickness of a member of the 

panel, a clerk of the court 

subsequently announced that 

all the appeals would be 

adjourned till today. 

Ganduje, Ortom, 

Tambuwal, 

Ihedioha, Lalong, 

Mohammed await 

verdict 

Aside Ganduje, others 

awaiting decision of the apex 

court on appeal against their 

election are Governors Emeka 

Ihedioha of Imo State, Aminu 

Tambuwal of Sokoto, Simon 

Lalong of Plateau, Samuel 

Ortom of Benue and Bala 

Mohammed of Bauchi . 

There are four separate 

appeals relating to the Imo 

State governorship dispute. 

While the first case marked 

was filed by Ifeanyi Ararume 

of All Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, the two other 

appeals were lodged against 

governor Ihedioha by Senator 

Hope Uzodinma of the APC 

and Uche Nwosu of the Action 

Alliance, AA, respectively. 

In Sokoto State, the 

governorship candidate of 

APC, Ahmed Sokoto, in his 

appeal, challenged the 

declaration of Tambuwal of 

PDP as the valid winner of the 

gubernatorial contest in the 

state. 

On the governorship 

dispute in Plateau State, while 

the candidate of PDP, Senator 

Jeremiah Useni, in his appeal, 

queried the election of 

Governor Lalong on ground 

that election in the state was 

characterised by irregularities, 

on his own, Lalong also filed 

a cross appeal. 

In Bauchi, the former 

governor of the state, 

Mohammed Abubakar, who 

lost his re-election bid on the 

platform of APC, in his appeal, 

challenged his defeat by 

former Minister of the Federal 

Capital Territory, Bala 

Mohammed of the PDP. 

Meantime, in Benue State, 

the governorship candidate of 

APC, Emmanuel Jime, in his 

appeal, prayed the apex court 

to void governor Ortom’s reelection. 

Likewise, Ortom who won 

at both the tribunal and the 

Court of Appeal, also filed a 

cross-appeal, challenging the 

legal competence of the 

appeal against his election 

victory. 

My client’s bail conditions impossible to 

meet, says Maina’s lawyer 

COUNSEL 

to 

Abdulrasheed Maina, 

former chairman of Pension 

Reform Task Team, PRTT, 

Afam Osigwe, yesterday, 

said his client could not fulfill 

the conditions of the bail 

granted to him by a Federal 

High Court in Abuja. 

Maina, who is standing trial 

on a 12-count charge of 

money laundering, was first 

arraigned by Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, on 

October 25. 

He had pleaded not guilty 

to the charges and Justice 

Okon Abang, the trial judge, 

granted him a N1 billion bail 

one month later. 

As part of the bail 

conditions, the judge ordered 

Maina to provide sureties 

with property worth N500 

million each. He said the 

sureties must have landed 

property fully developed in 

Asokoro or Maitama in Abuja 

and they must be serving 

senators with no criminal case 

in court. 

Abang also ordered that one 

of the sureties must be 

present in court at every date 

fixed for trial. 

Maina was also ordered to 

deposit all his travel 

passports, including 

American, Nigerian and 

diplomatic passports. 

At the resumed trial, 

yesterday, Osigwe brought 

an application pursuant to 

section 181 of the 

Administration of Criminal 

Justice Act, ACJA, seeking a 

bail variation for the former 

PRTT chairman. 

He said although two 

senators had indicated 

interest to stand as sureties 

“they have stated that they 

neither have property in 

either Asokoro or Maitama 

worth the amount specified 

by the court.” 

The judge adjourned the 

case till today to continue 

hearing the application to 

vary the bail. 

NIMASA, NBS move to 

aggregate shipping sector 

contribution to GDP 

By Emeka 

Anaeto & Godwin 

Oritse 

THE National Bureau of 

Statistics, NBS, and 

Nigerian Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, are 

currently in talks on how to 

aggregate and calculate the 

maritime and shipping 

sectors’ contribution to the 

nation’s Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP. 

Disclosing this in Lagos, 

weekend, NIMASA’s 

Director-General, Dr. Dakuku 

Peterside, said the contribution 

of the sector was currently 

scattered across different 

segments of the transport, 

trade and other sectors’ 

contribution to the GDP. 

He said the ongoing 

discussion aims to capture the 

comprehensive segments of 

the maritime industry 

including Customs’ collections 

at the ports into single 

contribution to the GDP when 

it eventual takes off. 

He explained that it was the 

hope of the agency that all 

maritime and shipping 

activities will be captured in 

the database of the NBS. 

Final Billing System 

eases shipping 

operations 

Meanwhile, at the backdrop 

of delays vessel turnaround 

time at the Nigerian ports as 

well as the huge debt owed 

the NIMASA by shipping 

companies, the agency has 

introduced its new ship billing 

system called the Final Billing 

System, so as to hasten 

preparation of shipping 

services bills. 

Listing the major landmark 

achievements of the agency in 

2019, Peterside said before 

now, shipping companies and 

their agents would have in 

their books unending 

NIMASA’s bill, adding that 

most of these bills were not 

reconciled for a very long time. 

He also said the 

introduction of the new billing 

system had reduced vessel 

dwell time, under invoicing, 

over invoicing and 

inappropriate invoicing. 

According to him, under the 

new system shipping firms 

can now close their books on 

any particular ship delivery 

within two weeks. 

He stated: “The introduction 

of the Final Billing System 

has put to rest the issues of 

double billing and under 

billing with the creation of a 

platform for dispute resolution. 

The system ensures 

appropriate closure on all 

vessel transactions within a 

period of two weeks after 

departure. This has led to 

improved customer 

satisfaction. 

“Before now shipping 

companies and their agents 

would have in their books 

unending NIMASA’s bills 

either it’s a staled form, under 

billing, over billing and more 

often these bills are not 

reconciled for a very long time. 

“The first thing the new final 

billing system has done is that 

it has helped to reduce dwell 

time in our ports. When a 

vessel comes, that vessel can 

leave once her agent signs an 

undertaking, the agent will 

not stop doing business 

because of the single vessel. 

“The agent cannot sign 

another undertaking if the first 

one has not been reconciled. 

“If you look at the impact on 

the economy, when a vessel 

gets stock for days just because 

it was not given a sailing 

clearance, off-course, it will 

start paying demurrage, it will 

continue paying theNigerian 

Ports Authority, NPA, charges 

for berthing space. 

“It has cut down vessel dwell 

time, improved vessel 

turnaround time. The second 

one is that it enables you close 

the books within two weeks." 

Customs short-lists 162,399 

from 828,333 applicants 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief 

THE Nigeria Customs 

Service, NCS, has shortlisted 

a total of 162,399 out of 

828,333 candidates, who 

applied for various positions 

in the organisation, last year. 

Comptroller-General, Col. 

Hamid Ali (retd), said he 

would ensure a transparent 

recruitment exercise. 

Public Relations Officer of 

the service, Joseph Attah, in 

a statement, yesterday, 

indicated that short-listed 

candidates were being 

notified via their e-mail 

addresses and telephone 

numbers. 

According to him, the 

candidates would write an 

aptitude test on the date and 

centre indicated in the 

messages received from the 

organisation. 

He warned that applicants 

should be wary of fraudsters 

demanding money for the job, 

stressing that the process was 

free. 

Attah said: “Following 

vacancies advertisement by 

the Nigeria Customs Service 

last year and the disturbing 

attempts by internet 

fraudsters to hack and 

discredit the recruitment 

process. 

“The Comptroller-General 

of Customs, Col. Ali (retd) 

has expressed dismay over 

the criminal activities of these 

elements and gave 

assurances of his 

determination to preside over 

a recruitment process that will 

be credible, transparent and 

smooth from the beginning 

to the end. 

“Accordingly, after a 

painstaking short-listing 

process, a total of 162,399 had 

been short-listed out of 

828,333 candidates that 

applied."

4—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 


MARKET RECAP: From left, Alhaji Rasheed Yusuf, doyen of the market; Jude Chiemeka, 

Head, Trading Business Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Oscar Onyema, Chief 

Executive Officer, NSE; Bola Adeeko, Head, Shared Services Division; and Olumide 

Bolumole, Head, Listings Business Division, NSE at the NSE 2019 Market Recap and 2020 

Outlook session, at The Exchange, in Lagos, yesterday. 

7.5% VAT regime kicks off as Buhari 

signs Finance Bill 

By Victor Young, 

Yinka Kolawole, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru & 

Naomi Uzor 

WITH the signing of the 

Finance Bill 2019 into 

law, yesterday, by President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

Nigerians will begin to pay the 

new Value Added Tax, VAT, 

rate of 7.5 per cent up from 

the previous 5 per cent. 

This came as Organised 

Private Sector, OPS, and 

labour, yesterday, kicked, 

saying it would further 

worsen the economic woes of 

Nigerians 

Buhari assented to the bill 

barely a month after its 

passage by the National 

Assembly and subsequent 

forwarding by the legislature 

to the president for assent. 

It will be recalled that while 

Relief 

HEALTH 

for 

TIPS 

By Sola stuffy Ogundipenose 

Caring for minor burns 

Minor burns could be 

painful, but often can be 

treated at home before 

seeking medical advise. 

Proper care helps burns heal 

faster while reducing the risk 

of infection. 

Soak the burned skin in 

cool water for five minutes to 

help limit swelling. 

Cover the burned area with 

antibiotic ointment or aloe 

vera and wrap a dry gauze 

bandage loosely around the 

burn area for protection from 

air and infection. 

If needed, take 

paracetamol tablets to relieve 

pain. Do not apply butter, oil, 

lotions, or creams (especially 

if they contain fragrance). 

Apply only a petroleumbased 

ointment two to three 

times per day. 

Seek medical help if you 

see signs of infection, like 

increased pain, redness, 

swelling, fever, or oozing 

and if the pain gets worse 

presenting the 2020 

Appropriation Bill to the 

National Assembly, Buhari 

also presented the Finance 

Bill. 

The new rate, according to 

the Minister of Finance, 

Budget and National 

Planning, Mrs Zainab 

Ahmed, is expected to take 

effect in the first quarter of 

2020. 

The President had 

announced the signing of the 

law personally through his 

verified twitter handle 

@MBuhari. 

He said: “The Finance Bill, 

2019 presented by President 

Buhari alongside the 2020 

Appropriation Bill to a joint 

session of the National 

Assembly on October 8, 2019, 

was passed by both the Senate 

and the House of 

Representatives. 

“The law seeks to amend the 

Petroleum Profit Tax Act, 

and if the hands, feet, face, 

or genitals are burned. 

For deeper burns, cool the 

burn, immerse in cool water 

for 10 or 15 minutes.Don't 

apply ice! Also don't break 

blisters or apply ointments 

which can cause infection. 

Cover loosely with sterile, 

nonstick bandage and 

secure in place with gauze 

or tape. 

Lay flat and elevate feet 

about 12 inches also elevate 

burn area above heart level, 

if possible. 

Cover the person with coat 

or blanket and burns with 

sterile, nonstick bandage or, 

for large areas, a sheet or 

other material that that won't 

leave lint in wound. 

Separate burned toes and 

fingers with dry, sterile 

dressings. Check pulse and 

breathing to monitor for 

shock until doctor arrives to 

give oxygen and fluids, if 

needed. 

•Hike'll worsen economic woes 

of Nigerians —OPS, Labour 

Customs and Excise Tariff Act, 

Company Income Tax Act, 

Personal Income Tax Act, 

Value Added Tax, Stamp 

Duties Act and Capital Gains 

Tax. 

“With the finance law, 

Nigerians who want to open 

or maintain accounts with the 

Deposit Money Banks will not 

have to provide their Tax 

Identification Number to do 

so. 

“The Federal Government 

has also raised the threshold 

from which stamp duty will be 

charged for online 

transactions from the current 

N1,000 to N10,000.” 

A statement by the Special 

Adviser to the President, 

Media and Publicity, Chief 

Femi Adesina, yesterday, said 

with the assent, there will be 

more revenue to finance key 

government projects, 

especially in the areas of 

health, education and critical 

infrastructure. 

OPS 

Reacting to the 

development, Mr Muda 

Yusuf, Director-General, 

Lagos Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry, LCCI, said: “The 

finance bill has a number of 

favourable provisions for small 

businesses. This is an aspect 

to commend. 

"However, the VAT increase 

will impact adversely on 

businesses from cost pressures 

perspective. Margins would 

be affected, depending on the 

extent to which additional 

costs could be passed to 

consumers. The worry is that 

we are operating in a high cost 

environment. 

“We also have to worry about 

the provision on minimum tax. 

We had argued against this 

provision. It is inappropriate 

to compel loss making firms 

to pay tax, no matter how little. 

This amounts to erosion of 

capital. 

“The impact on government 

revenue will be positive, 

especially for states and local 

governments. Their fiscal 

position will be enhanced. 

States and local governments 

are the major beneficiaries of 

VAT.” 

In his comment, Dr. Femi 

Egbesola, National President, 

Association of Small Business 

Owners of Nigeria, ASBON, 

said: “While the newly signed 

financial bill has its merit, 

particularly on small business 

as regards certain tax 

exemptions, it is however, 

regrettable that the eventual 

passage of the VAT increase 

will have a negative toll on 

small businesses and 

vulnerable Nigerians. It will 

result to higher inflation, 

interest rate hike, more 

unemployment and people 

will generally become poorer." 

Also speaking on the 

development, Frank Onyebu, 

Chairman, Manufacturers 

Association of Nigeria, MAN, 

Apapa Branch, said: “It is 

unfortunate that the 

government is once again 

showing insensitivity to the 

plight of the people of this 

country. We are all aware of 

the level of poverty in the 

country at this moment in time 

and the hardship being faced 

by majority of the people. This 

is certainly not the time to 

increase VAT.” 

Labour 

Also reacting, General 

Secretary of United Labour 

Congress of Nigeria, ULC, 

Didi Adodo, said: “The 

Financial Bill signed into law 

has made nonsense of not just 

the new minimum wage, but 

all earners of wages and 

consumers of goods in the 

country." 

NECA hails law 

Dr. Timothy Olawale, 

Director-General, Nigeria 

Employers’ Consultative 

Association, NECA , said: 

“The President meant well for 

the country. This is evident in 

some pro-masses provisions 

in the law and the objectives 

behind the new law, in terms 

of reforming domestic tax 

laws to align with global best 

practices; introducing tax 

incentives for investments in 

infrastructure and capital 

markets; supporting micro, 

small and medium-sized 

businesses in line with our 

Ease of Doing Business 

Reforms." 

Presidential jet: Why Aisha 

Buhari posted daughter’s 

video —Spokesperson 

THE wife of the President, 

Aisha Buhari, has 

defended her decision to 

share the video of her 

daughter, Hanan Buhari, 

inside the presidential jet, on 

her Facebook page, saying 

it was not an attempt to taunt 

Nigerians but to boost the 

morale of a distraught child. 

In what many Nigerians 

have termed defiance on the 

part of the first family over 

the public condemnation of 

the president’s daughter 

using a presidential jet for a 

private function, Mrs 

Buhari, yesterday, posted on 

her Facebook page a 55- 

second video of her 

daughter’s activities while 

on the trip to Bauchi. 

Hanan Buhari was on a 

study tour of Bauchi Emirate 

last Thursday as part of the 

requirements for a Master’s 

programme in a foreign 

university. 

In his reaction to the video, 

Special Adviser on Media to 

Mrs Buhari, Abdullahi Aliyu, 

said the first lady’s action 

was simply aimed at 

explaining the daughter’s 

business in Bauchi. 

Aliyu said the mother must 

have shared the video to lift 

her daughter’s spirit, 

adding: “I must say that the 

first lady can’t taunt 

Nigerians. 

“For those who fly the 

British Airways very well, 

they would know that except 

the president is on a trip 

outside the country, she goes 

on commercial flight.” 

He noted that the first 

family only fly presidential 

jets while on trips within 

Nigeria in order to avoid the 

inconveniences other 

travellers may be subjected 

to 

Ḣe said: “You can imagine 

the inconveniences the 

security operatives around 

the first family could subject 

other travellers to if it were 

to be a commercial jet. So, 

the truth is that the first lady 

never meant to taunt anyone 

but rather, she was trying to 

explain what the trip was all 

about and to boost the marale 

of a daughter who had been 

subjected to tirades.” 

He said the use of 

appurtenances of office of the 

president including 

Presidential Air fleet has 

changed significantly for 

good since Mr Buhari 

assumed office. 

Past administration sold off 

110 property, including my 

deputy's house —Kwara gov 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—GOVERNOR 

Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, 

yesterday, alleged that the 

immediate past 

administration in the state 

sold off about 110 property, 

including the deputy 

governor’s house. 

The governor also 

lamented that about 75 

percent of the state 

allocation from the 

Federation Account is used 

for payment of salaries, 

leaving the government 

with little money to attend 

to other expenditure. 

Speaking to State House 

correspondents after 

meeting behind closed 

doors with President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

Abdulrazaq said, he had 

narrated his ordeal to Mr 

President. 

The governor, who was 

said to have been 

summoned by President 

Buhari over the political 

crisis in the state, refused to 

respond to questions. 

He, however, said: “I have 

explained all these to Mr. 

President and I have told 

him that we want to 

concentrate on agriculture 

because money coming 

from Abuja to our local 

governments goes to 

paying 100 percent of 

salaries, money coming 

from Abuja to the state 

government, 75 percent of 

it goes into paying salaries. 

“It’s so painful, we had to 

develop alternative means 

of generating revenue and 

that is why we have to be 

enterprising in the way we 

do our things 

“I came to see the 

President to wish him good 

tiding for the new year and 

also with a shopping list 

because our state is in dire 

streaks. When we got in, 

there was total collapse in 

the state, starting from 

education. Our four 

colleges of education were 

on strike for a year. 

“The government was 

owing teachers about N750 

million. Thank God we have 

been able to clear that. UBEC 

had blacklisted Kwara State 

since 2013. So, it shows you 

that there had not been any 

investment in the education 

sector. 

“We need federal 

intervention. UNICEF has 

left Kwara, we are lagging 

behind in everything. We 

have to pay close to a billion 

naira in counterpart funding, 

which the previous 

administration had not paid. 

Funding for polio, roll back 

malaria. 

“When we got in, there was 

no running water in any city 

in Kwara State. Today, Ilorin, 

the state capital, within two 

months we have water 

running from the taps and 

some of the major towns. It’s 

an ongoing process but the 

basic thing like water is 

something that is very 

important and dear to our 

government.”


POCKET CARTOON 

AT THE SUPREME COURT—Some political supporters fighting outside 

the Supreme Court, as the apex court adjourned ruling on seven different 

2019 governorship election petitions at the court complex, Abuja, yesterday. 

Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 



By Dapo Akinrefon, 

Olayinka Ajayi & 

Prince Okafor 

LAGOS — 50 years 

after the Nigerian 

Civil War, former 

Head of State, Gen. 

Yakubu Gowon (retd); 

Nobel Laureate, Professor 

Wole Soyinka; Professor 

Anya O. Anya, Professor 

Pat Utomi and Professor 

Banji Akintoye, yesterday, 

warned that another war 

was imminent if the 

current political, social, 

and economic challenges 

plaguing the country 

were not addressed. 

They were, however, 

unanimous that Nigeria 

must avert another Civil 

War. 

Also, notable Igbo 

elders, leaders and 

traditional rulers gathered 

at the MUSON Centre in 

Lagos to discuss the way 

forward, 50 years after the 

Nigerian civil war. 

The 50th anniversary of 

the Nigerian Civil War, 

tagged Never Again, was 

organized by the Nzuko 

Umunna and Ndigbo 

Lagos in collaboration 

with civil society 

organisations. 

We must revisit 

the issues 

— Gowon 

Gowon, though absent 

at the event, spoke via a 

recorded video. 

The former military 

Head of State said the 

Civil War remains a 

reference point in the 

country’s political 

odyssey, adding that as a 

way of moving forward, 

there exists the need to 

revisit the challenges 

bedeviling the country. 

His words: “Let me say 

again, that although the 

Nigerian Civil War ended 

in January 1970, yet it has 

continued to be a 

veritable reference point 

in our nation’s political 

discourse for the past 50 

years. It was indeed a 

welcome way. It ended at 

the time for it had posed 

the greatest threat to the 

territorial integrity and 

unity of Nigeria, our 

promising multi-ethnic 

federation. 

“The Civil War left an 

indelible impression and 

desire in me to hold 

dearest, the unity and 

indivisibility of a 

democratic Nigeria in line 

with my response to a 

question by many 

passengers on an MV 

Aureol West African Sea 

Passage, Liverpool to 

Lagos in December/ 

January 1965/66, who 

asked “Can there be a 

coup in Nigeria? My 

response during the trip 

was that it was impossible 

because we are ‘a 

political Army’ trained to 

be loyal to the 

government of the day, to 

defend the unity and 

territorial integrity of 

Nigeria, from both internal 

and external attacks until 

we got to Ghana on 

January 12, 1966, when 

as a result of a reported 

threat near Nigeria, I had 

to change my stance and 

said philosophically 

“nothing is impossible in 

this world, but if such a 

thing happens in Nigeria, 

I hope the few loyal of us 

will check, deal with it 

and return the status 

quo.” And that was what 

happened, 36 hours after 

my arrival in Lagos on 

January 15, 1966. 

We must avert 

another war 

“In conclusion, I 

sincerely, believe that this 

speech at the end of the 

civil war is still relevant 

today and on this 

occasion. I, therefore, 

urge us to always refer to 

this speech as a reference 

point for entrenching 

national reconciliation, 

peace and unity of the 

country. 

“We must do all in our 

power as responsible 

leaders and citizens of 

this great country and 

nation to create enabling 

platforms to dialogue and 

proffer ideas on how we 

can live together in peace 

and harmony for the good 

of all Nigerians and the 

black race as a whole, 

thus ensuring political 

and economic security 

and development of the 

country. I urge all 

Nigerians to ensure that 

we avert another civil war 

in Nigeria. 

“Our commitment to 

Nigeria must be total and 

patriotic. To me, our 

Nigeria of today of over 

500 ethnic groups of 

diverse socio-cultural and 

religious colorations and 

spread across 774 local 

government areas and the 

Federal Capital Territory, 

FCT, is worthy of your 

support and defence.” 

We can’t survive 

another war 

— Soyinka 

In his speech, Professor 

Soyinka said: “We have 

been made to understand 

that no nation has ever 

survived any two Civil 

Wars.” 

Recalling how Tanzania 

recognized Biafra as a 

nation, he frowned at the 

casualties recorded 

during the Civil War. 

He said: “Let me remind 

you that Tanzania was one 

of the nations that 

recognized the 

breakaway republic of 

Biafra during the 

Nigerian Civil War. 

“And so, finding myself 

in that setting among 

products of this special 

historic formation, pre and 

immediate colonial 

African order, it was an 

opportunity to interrogate 

what could be considered 

a physiological or 

ideological extract from 

that human event that 

consumed, in its 

estimation, two million 

lives within two years.” 

He also restated that the 

unity of Nigeria was nonnegotiable. 

He said: “My extract 

from the Civil War remains 

what it always was and 

that is a simple, self 

interrogatory: Are we 

being heard with the 

clarity and the excuseless 

that does not task the 

brain? The sovereignty of 

this nation is nonnegotiable.” 

Nigerians must 

eschew violence 

— Anya 

Professor Anya, who 

was chairman of the 

occasion, noted that 

violence cannot provide 

the solution to the 

problems facing the 

nation. 

He called on Nigerians 

to learn from the mistakes 

of the past, adding that 

losing a war was not 

necessarily a badge of 

failure. 

Anya said: “Nigeria’s 

situation is not unique. 

Other countries have 

gone through the same. 

We, as a country, must 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja & 

Olayinka Latona 

On launch of Amotekun by South-West governors (1) 

I 

will say the initiative 

has created 

thousands of jobs and it 

also showed how 

incapable the Nigerian 

Police Force has been 

and will continue to be 

if we don’t reform the 

NPF. Aside that, 

personally, I don’t think 

the security outfit has a 

future as it has started 

on a shaky ground. 

-Badmus F. Adeshina 

Software Developer 

I 

applaud the launch 

of the security outfit, 

Amotekun, by South 

West Governors but the 

most important thing 

should be that they bring 

about substantial change 

in our region in terms of 

security of lives and 

property.If this objective 

is not achieved,thenthe 

purpose of having the 

outfit would have been 

defeated. 

-Israel Oluwabukunmi 

Entrepreneur 

Operation Amotekun 

is indeed a very 

good step in ensuring 

adequate security in the 

region. The act of launching 

its security outfit is to 

safeguard the people and 

help in reducing the crime 

rate in the region. Though 

there are other security 

agencies to ensure security in 

Nigeria but Operation 

Amotekun in the South-West 

will contribute immensely to 

the security of the region. 

-Sanusi Saidat, Student 

The creation of 

Amotekun is a 

serious indictment on 

the Buhari-led 

government. This is 

indeed the best move so 

far in curbing insecurity 

within the region. The 

governors have started 

taking responsibility for 

the protection of lives 

and property of their 

people which has been 

neglected by the Federal 

Government. 

-Aliu Kehinde 

Entrepreneur 

The government is 

improving and finding 

solutions to the problems of 

its people. 

The creation of Operation 

Amotekun is really a good 

idea as it will reduce the high 

rate of crime in the region. I 

believe that if the government 

and people come together 

and join hands to support 

them, we can also create 

another operation that is 

better than Amotekun. 

-Ogunyemi Opeyemi, 

Freelancer 

State police is an 

essential part of 

federalism but since Nigeria 

practices a parody, it had to 

come to this. It is not the first 

time states or regions would 

attempt to take security into 

their hands. Bakassi Boys 

is a phenomenon of a not 

too distant past. The 

downside to this Amotekun 

initiative is that they lack the 

requisite training for a 

regional security outfit, and 

are prone to manipulations. 

-Macharry Confidence 

Analyst.

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

Church accountant gets 18 years in jail for 

stealing N15.5m tithes, offerings 

Afederal high court in Yola, 

Adamawa State, has 

sentenced Ibrahim Aku, 

accountant of the Church of 

Brethren in Nigeria, to 18 years 

in prison for fraud. 

Nathan Musa, the judge, gave 

the order while ruling on a six- 

Farmers, 

herders 

clash 

claims two 

in Edo 

count charge filed against the 

accused yesterday. 

The Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, had 

accused Aku of defrauding the 

church of N15.5 million between 

2016 and 2018. 

According to the anti-graft 

agency, the money was 

generated by the church members 

through offerings, donations and 

tithes. 

Delivering the judgement, 

Musa convicted Aku on charges 

of forgery and obtaining money 

by false pretence. 

The church accountant, who 

pleaded guilty to the charges, 

was sentenced to 18 years in 

prison without an option of fine. 

The judge also ordered Aku 

to pay back the money as 

restitution to the church, adding 

that the proceeds of the crime 

recovered in the course of the 

investigation should be sold and 

the funds should be remitted to 

the church. 

Reacting to the judgement, 

Bello Bajoga, an EFCC official, 

said: “The convict was 

entrusted with church money 

and ended up diverting same 

and forged tellers, which he 

presented as genuine, to serve as 

evidence of remittance.” 

4 naval ratings killed by pirates in Ondo 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—TWO 

persons have been 

reported killed in Sobe, 

Owan West Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State, as a result of a clash 

between farmers and 

herders. 

Vanguard gathered that 

tension heightened in the 

community over possible 

reprisal attack from the 

herders. 

Trouble was said to have 

started Sunday, when an 

11-year-old boy, who was 

said to have gone to the 

bush to fetch firewood, was 

found slaughtered in the 

bush by suspected 

herders. 

It was gathered that the 

boy’s kinsmen in the area 

mobilised and allegedly 

killed one of the 

herdsmen. 

However, Chairman of 

the council, Frank Ilaboya, 

has appealed for calm, 

adding that he has formally 

reported the incident to the 

police. 

He said: “There is need 

for everybody to remain 

peaceful and calm in the 

community. I have 

personally spoken to the 

Odibiado of Sobe, His 

Royal Highness, Anthony 

Ero Aleburu, on the need 

to mobilise his people to 

ensure there is no more 

casualty. 

“I have also spoken and 

mobilised the security 

apparatus in the local 

government to ensure they 

are on the standby to 

forestall further crisis. 

“Thank God the security 

agencies quickly moved in 

and, in conjunction with the 

Odibiado and the people of 

Sobe, calm was restored. 

“This is why I am 

appealing for calm. People 

should refrain from further 

violence, as violence will 

not do the community or 

anybody good.” 

The rescued foreigners(top) and one of the pirates(right). 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—FOUR 

naval 

ratings have been killed in 

Gbagira village, llaje Local 

Government Area of Ondo State, 

while rescuing three foreigners 

from pirates. 

The suspected killers also 

went away with four military 

rifles and seven magazines. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

victims were deployed to rescue 

three foreigners that were 

kidnapped by the pirates in the 

community. 

The community and its 

neighbours have been under 

tension following the invasion 

by security operatives. 

Confirming the incident, 

Commanding Officer, Forward 

Operating Base in Igbokoda, 

Commodore Danjuma 

Ndanusa, said he had directed 

community leaders (baales) to 

produce the weapons or face 

dire consequences. 

One of the pirates was 

reportedly apprehended in a 

suburb of Awoye community after 

the naval ratings were shot dead. 

The suspected kidnappers 

reportedly came from Balyesa 

State via the high seas, through 

which some escaped with 

gunshot injuries, following a 

gun battle with the naval 

ratings. 

Commodore Ndanusa said 

one of the pirates that was 

apprehended confessed that the 

missing rifles are in the 

community, adding that the 

rescued foreigners corroborated 

his claim. 

His words: “We intimated 

them on what is at stake. It is 

like sleeping on a time bomb. I 

told all the baales to get all their 

youths and speak with them. 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—AN Akure-based 

pastor, Samuel Afolabi, of 

Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, 

New Jerusalem, aka Olopa to di 

Woli, yesterday, cleared the air on 

his alleged arrest and detention 

by the police, saying an 

impersonator was the one 

arrested. 

Afolabi said he had never been 

invited by the police for any 

offence contrary to the rumour 

and never been engaged in fake 

miracles. 

Describing the rumour as 

untrue and wicked, the 

clergyman, who spoke with 

newsmen, said his church was 

duly registered by government’s 

relevant agency. 

“That was why we did a total 

search and we found four 

telephones and one walkietalkie 

belonging to the 

foreigners. I made this known 

to the four baales from the 

community. 

“We also made a search on the 

boat they came with from 

Bayelsa and recovered empty 

magazines from guns on the 

floor of their boat. 

According to him, “the man that 

was using my name for 

wrongdoings, was the one 

arrested and remanded by the 

police in Okitipupa Local 

Government Area of the state.” 

Meanwhile, the state Police 

Command has corroborated the 

pastor, explaining that an 

impersonator of the pastor was 

arrested and not him. 

Police image-maker, Femi 

Joseph, confirmed that the 

clergyman “does not have any 

case whatsoever with the Ondo 

State Police Command.” 

Joseph said a man named 

Ayetare Sunday, 35, a native of 

Itepe Okitipupa was arrested for 

impersonating Prophet Afolabi. 

He added that he had since 

been charged to court and 

“We placed a curfew in the 

four communities and on the 

activities on the waterway by 

putting pressure on them to 

produce the arms, because it is 

a threat to the innocents in the 

community.” 

Meanwhile, the communities 

have cried out that they were 

under siege and that both 

economic and social activities 

have been paralysed. 

Olopa to di Woli clears air on police trouble: 

Impersonator was arrested, not me 

remanded in prison for allegedly 

engaging in fake miracle, 

attempted rape and sexual 

harassment. 

His words: “Ondo State Police 

Command wishes to debunk the 

claims that a popular pastor and 

prophet, Samuel Afolabi (aka 

Olopa to di Woli) was arrested and 

detained. 

“The Command hereby makes 

it categorically clear that the 

above-named minister of God was 

never arrested for any offence as 

being peddled, hence the report 

was a blantant lie from the pit of 

hell, as the man never committed 

any offence known to law. 

“On interrogation, the man 

confessed to be a fake prophet, 

who had been deceiving people 

by organising fake miracles.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 —7 

Man dies, friend hospitalised after 

drinking cleric's herb mixture 

By Shina Abubakar 

OSOGBO—ONE Mutiu 

Adekunle, 27, reportedly 

died after he drank a herbal 

mixture allegedly given to him 

and his friend by a cleric, 

Nureini Sulaiman. 

It was gathered that his 

friend, Olayiwola Opeyemi, 

25, was hospitalised and 

responding to treatment. They 

developed complications after 

taking the mixture before they 

were rushed to a private 

hospital at Ijetu area of 

Osogbo, where Mutiu died 

shortly after. 

Contacted, Osun State Police 

Commissioner, Johnson 

Kokumo, confirmed the arrest 

of the suspect, saying he is 

cooperating with police in the 

investigation. 

He added that the force 

would ensure diligent and 

thorough investigation in the 

matter. 

According to him, “the duo 

developed complications after 

allegedly drinking the herbal 

mixture given to them by Alfa 

Nureni Suleiman. They were 

admitted at Royal Crown 

Hospital, Ijetu Osogbo, where 

Mutiu later gave up the ghost, 

while Olayiwola is responding 

to treatment. 

“The body has been 

deposited at LAUTECH 

Teaching Hospital morgue for 

autopsy.” 

Truck crushes okadaman, passenger in Delta 

By Akpokona 

Omafuaire 

WARRI—A commercial 

motorcyclist and his 

female passenger were killed by 

a fast-moving truck Sunday 

night at Osubi in Okpe Local 

Government Area of Delta State. 

An eyewitness blamed the 

excessive speed of the truck 

driver for the accident. 

“The trailer driver was on top 

speed, before he could see the 

okada and made attempt to stop, 

Principal admits sexual relationships with twin students 

•...tells court difference between marriage, wedding 

THE principal of a secondary 

school in Lagos, Samson 

Adeyemo, has admitted before an 

Ikeja Special Offences Court that 

he had sexual relationships with 

two 17-year-old twin students of 

his school. 

Adeyemo, 41, who resides at 8, 

Odesanya Street, Abule Egba, 

Lagos, principal of Legati 

College, Abule Egba, is facing a 

two-count charge of defilement of 

a child. 

While being cross-examined, 

yesterday, by State Prosecutor, Ms 

M. I. Oshodi, the defendant 

admitted to defiling the underage 

students. 

He said: “I had a relationship 

with Twin A and Twin B. I’m 

married to Twin A. The marriage 

was not conducted in the church 

or registry. I had her consent and 

her parents were aware. 

“Marriage is done between a 

male and a female and it is for 

life. What is between me and Twin 

A is marriage and the one people 

do in the church or registry is 

wedding. 

“The relationship with Twin A 

started in 2016 and I had sexual 

intercourse with her in 2017. I did 

not start the relationship with Twin 

B until I met their mother and also 

had sexual intercourse with Twin 

B after I met her mother.” 

Adeyemo admitted that the 

school he operates had not been 

fully registered with the Lagos 

State Ministry of Education. 

He, however, denied having 

sexual relationships with other 

students in the school. 

Earlier, while giving his 

evidence-in-chief, the defendant 

admitted impregnating Twin A, 

while she was under his care. 

he had crushed them,” the 

eyewitness narrated. 

The accident, according to 

the eyewitness, led to protest 

by angry commercial 

motorcyclists, who blocked the 

ever-busy PTI Junction in 

Effurun, which caused severe 

gridlock. 

The accident occurred some 

distance away from the PTI 

Junction close to the Osubi 

Slaughter Market. 

The commercial motorcyclists 

were incensed by the fact that 

Led in evidence by the defence 

counsel, Mr. R. O. Akande, 

Adeyemo said Twin B had 

become jealous when she 

discovered that her twin was in a 

relationship with him. 

His words: “Twin B came to me, 

asking why was it her sister that I 

was dating. I told her that it was 

Twin A that I wished to date. She 

said she was having other 

relationships, but she wanted me 

because I am her twin’s 

boyfriend. 

“In 2017, Twin A got pregnant 

and I decided to cater for her, but 

her parents refused (insisting) 

that the pregnancy will be aborted. 

I refused because I wanted the 

baby and I wanted to marry her 

as well. 

“I gave her some upkeep 

money and her parents collected 

the money from her and 

terminated the pregnancy.” 

the two victims died on the 

spot, with their bodies were 

mangled. 

The death of both victims 

and fear of lynching made the 

truck driver abscond from the 

scene, according to the source. 

The remains of the victims 

were later evacuated and 

deposited in an undisclosed 

morgue. 

The incident was confirmed 

by Delta State Police Public 

Relations Officer, Onome 

Onovwakpoyeya, yesterday. 

The principal said the father of 

the twins asked him to pay 

N200,000 or be punished. 

He continued: “Two days later, 

the twin’s uncle, Kayode alias 

Kokoro, led some thugs to beat 

me up and on April 26, 2017, I 

was called by Kayode that I 

should meet him to sign an 

undertaking that the twins shall 

collect their WAEC results. 

“I went to meet him not 

knowing that he had laid ambush 

for me and he handed me over to 

the police. Twin B was 14 years 

old when I met her and Twin A 

was 15 years old when we met.” 

According to the prosecution, 

the principal defiled the twins 

sometime in 2016 within the 

school premises in Abule Egba. 

Justice Sherifat Solebo 

adjourned the case until February 

24 for adoption of final written 

addresses. 

Rights activist decries assault 

of widow, 2 daughters 

AWarri-based human rights 

activist, Mr. Casely Omo- 

Irabor, has decried assault of a 

widow and her two daughters by 

policemen over a quarrel with 

their tenant because of house rent. 

Omo-Irabor, also a lawyer and 

Chairman, National Human 

Right Defenders Organisation, 

spoke in Warri, yesterday. 

He was reacting to the alleged 

assault of a widow and two of her 

children in Effurun by policemen 

in Ekpan Division, Uvwie Local 

Government Area of Delta. 

The victims, Mrs Lucy Okoro 

(widow), Mercy Okoro, 

daughter and her younger 

sister, were allegedly 

manhandled on January 10 over 

house rent. 

Omo-Irabor said: “We got a 

distressed call that a widow was 

being manhandled over a 

disagreement between her and 

a tenant. 

“We sent two of our lawyers 

to find out, and we discovered 

that the policemen allegedly 

stripped naked the first 

daughter of the widow. 

“Our lawyers pleaded in vain. 

I called the DPO and he said 

because I am involved, he will 

release the widow, but detain 

the two girls.” 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Blessed is the man that can 

ignore a woman's tongue 

Bad market 

I know one Jimoh that 

uses this type in Oregun


Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 

JANUARY 14, 2020 — 9

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

USE OF PRESIDENTIAL JET: 

I can’t wait for another 

project, says Hanan Buhari 

ABUJA—HANAN, one 

of the daughters of 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, says she is 

anticipating another of 

her personal projects after 

the initial one that caused 

a backlash. 

Hanan, a first-class 

graduate of photography 

from a UK university, 

recently flew to Bauchi 

state for a private 

engagement using the 

presidential jet. 

She was said to have 

been invited to a durbar 

by Rilwanu Adamu, Emir 

of Bauchi, and while 

there, she documented 

the event and other tourist 

attractions in the state. 

Many Nigerians had 

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: 

Traffic diversion on ‘Kara’ 

Bridge begins today 

LAGOS—THE Federal 

Ministry of Works and 

Housing has said that 

traffic diversion for construction 

works to continue 

on the 600-metre 

‘Kara’ Bridge section on 

the Lagos outbound corridor 

of the Lagos-Ibadan 

Expressway will begin on 

Tuesday. 

The engineer 

supervising the 

project, Mr. Kayode 

Ibrahim, told the News 

Agency of Nigeria, NAN, 

that the decision was 

reached after a meeting of 

the relevant stakeholders. 

Ibrahim said: “We might 

need to effect the 

diversion on Tuesday 

morning so as to avoid the 

Monday morning rush. 

There is usually heavy 

traffic on Monday 

morning, so we feel it is 

better to make it Tuesday 

morning. 

All the stakeholders are 

involved in reaching this 

decision. They are the 

Federal Roads Safety 

Corps (FRSC) and the 

Lagos State Traffic 


said such trips would 

increase the maintenance 

cost of the aircraft in the 

presidential fleet. N8.5 

billion was set aside for 

maintenance of the 

presidential fleet in the 

2020 budget. 

While defending her, 

Garba Shehu, 

presidential spokesman, 

had said there is nothing 

wrong with the trip and 

that the president’s family 

is entitled to use the 

presidential aircraft. 

He added that the 

office of the National 

Security Adviser (NSA) — 

overseeing the 

presidential air fleet — 

was informed of Hanan’s 

private engagement. 

Management Authority 

(LASTMA). 

Others include the 

Ogun State Traffic 

Compliance and 

Enforcement Corps 

(TRACE), the Police, 

Julius Berger 

Construction Plc., and the 

Federal Ministry of Works 

and Housing. 

“We have been working 

together and we are on 

ground to minimise 

gridlock. It is nothing 

special, it is just a normal 

diversion. 

“All the agencies are on 

the ground, all hands are 

on deck, we have tow 

trucks, emergency 

response units. Julius 

Berger has a 24-hour 

emergency response unit 

that responds to all 

emergencies alongside 

other agencies. 

“FRSC and Julius 

Berger have their tow 

trucks deployed, 

sometimes when we need 

NEMA and Fire Service 

we call them and they 

quickly respond to our 

calls." 

50,000 applicants for 1,000 

teaching jobs in Lagos — Official 

LAGOS— A member of 

the Lagos State Civil 

Service Commission, Mr. 

Suru Avoseh, yesterday, 

said that no fewer than 

50,000 applicants applied 

for 1000 vacant teaching 

jobs announced by the state 

government in 2019. 

Mr. Avoseh made this 

known during the New 

Year Party organised by the 

Badagry Women 

Development Forum on 

Sunday in Badagry. 

The News Agency of 

Nigeria, NAN, reports that 

the Lagos State 

Government had on 

November 11 announced 

the plans to employ one 

thousand teachers into the 

public secondary schools 

across the state. 

Mr. Avoseh said some of 

the applicants that qualified 

for the job had been invited 

for the examination. 

He said: “After the 

examination, those that 

passed and meet up with 

the standard will be called 

for oral interviews. At 

present, some of the 

applicants who succeeded 

in the examination have 

started receiving text 

messages through their 

phone numbers. 

“It is certain that not 

everybody that applied for 

the job will be employed, 

and not all that passed the 

examination will be given 

employment.” 

No decision yet on Okada, tricycles 

—Lagos govt 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State government, yesterday, 

said it was yet to 

take a decision to ban illegal 

operations of commercial 

motorcycles and 

tricycles on restricted 

routes across the state. 

It said this was borne 

out of the need to achieve 

a generally acceptable 

solution to the menace. 

Commissioner for 

Information and Strategy, 

Mr. Gbenga Omotoso 

briefed newsmen after a 

4-hour Security Council 

meeting chaired by 

Governor Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu, and attended 

by all commanders of 

security agencies in the 

state. 

Omotoso said the 

government’s delayed 

action against the 

restriction of motorcycles 

and tricycles was 

informed by the need to 

achieve a generally 

acceptable solution to the 

menace. 

The commissioner said 

that relevant parties and 

stakeholders had reached 

out to the government 

with suggestions and 

representation that could 

be adopted to proffer a 

win-win solution on the 

matter. 


Security Council is 

currently considering the 

suggestions and 

recommendations 

submitted to the 

government before 

coming up with definite 

plans on the Okada menace. 

He said: “We have just 

concluded our routine 

security meeting, during 

which the issue of Okada 

and tricycles was 

discussed exhaustively. 

For now, no major 

decision will be taken on 

the matter. 

“There are several 

factors for this 

development, but the 

main reason is to reckon 

with various opinions 

expressed by 

stakeholders. 

“So many people have 

made representations to 

the government 

concerning commercial 

motorcycles and tricycles, 

including human rights 

groups, unionists and 

traders. They came up 

with many reasonable 

observations; all their 

views have been collated 

and are being considered. 

“We feel it would not be 

good enough for the 

government to make the 

final decision on the 

matter without 

considering the opinions 

of the stakeholders. That 

would be against the spirit 

of democracy for which 

the Sanwo-Olu 

administration stands.” 

According to the 

Commissioner, the 

ongoing enforcement of 

the extant Traffic Laws and 

Okada restriction will go 

on, pending the final 

decisions of the Security 

Council, adding that 

advocacy was currently 

on-going to sensitise 

riders of Okada and 

tricycles on the need to 

obey traffic laws. 

*VISIT: From left: Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; 

and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the visit of the Ministers to 

Alaafin’s palace in Oyo on Monday. 

No respect for king who drinks alcohol in public 

— ALAAFIN 

IBADAN—THE Alaafin 

of Oyo, Oba Lamidi 

Adeyemi, yesterday, said 

any monarch who takes 

alcoholic drinks in public 

does not deserve respect. 

Alaafin said this during 

the installation of the Fuji 

maestro, King Wasiu 

Ayinde Marshall, as the 

Mayegun of Yorubaland. 

Alaafin, who clarified 

his earlier statement, said 

he did not tell anyone to 

dishonour kings but 

added that any monarch 

who denigrated his throne 

by drinking or clubbing in 

public should not be 

accorded any respect. 

Talking about Ayinde 

Mashall, Alaafin said: 

“He understands the 

culture and I am not 

saying that he should 

disrespect the culture. 

But, kings who go about 

clubbing and drinking do 

not deserve any respect.” 

The monarch also said: 

“I did not mean that he 

should disrespect the 

royal fathers. I did not 

mean that Wasiu will not 

respect the culture after 

being installed. He will 

honour our kings but will 

not prostrate to kings who 

are ignoble. A king 

should not be drinking 

(alcohol) at clubs and in 

public places and a king 

should not smoke.” 

Underscoring the 

importance of music, Oba 

Adeyemi said: “Through 

music, some of them 

criticised government 

excesses. A king who 

wants progress for his 

people should listen to 

good words of music that 

are deliberately picked to 

correct societal problems. 

“I looked round and 

acknowledged the efforts 

of some of our musicians 

who are not just singing 

for the sake of it. For a 

long time, I have been 

documenting some of the 

works of our good 

musicians in Yorubaland. 

IK Dairo of blessed 

memories was honoured 

in the United Kingdom 

many years ago. Then, 

Sunny Ade was 

discovered. They called 

him King of Juju music. 

What we have done is to 

discover our own talents. 

The music of Wasiu is 

philosophical. It is time 

we honoured our own.” 

I'll unify Yoruba race— 

Wasiu 

Speaking after his 

installation, Wasiu said: “I 

give thanks to God 

almighty for deeming me 

fit. I thank Kabiyesi 

Alaafin and all our royal 

fathers for supporting me 

on this occasion. The 

responsibility that I am 

given is about the unity 

of Yoruba.” 

“The music part of me is 

on one side while the 

Mayegun part of me is 

another side. Henceforth, 

I stand for the interest of 

the Yoruba nation. 

“11 years ago when 

Kabiyesi first muted the 

idea of installing me with 

the title, he sent me back 

midway apparently so 

that I can go for more 

tutelage. He sent me to 

learn about more 

rudiments of life. I am 

better off today. I stand 

before everybody today 

and assure you of my 

readiness to play my roles 

diligently.” 


Buhari was represented 

by the Minister of 

Information and Culture, 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed 

and Minister of Interior, 

Rauf Aregbesola; while 

Babafemi Ojudu 

represented the Vice- 

President Yemi Osinbajo.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 — 11 


BREAKFAST PARTY: From left — Adelodun Olaiya, Chairman Meristem Trustees; Sulaiman Adedokun, 

Managing Director Meristem Wealth Management; Mubo Olasoko, Managing Director, 

Meristem Registrars and Probate Management Services, Chief S.I.C Okoli, celebrant and Board 

Member Meristem Securities Limited, Ngozi Okoli Celebrant's wife, Wole Abegunde, Group Managing 

Director, Meristem Securities Limited during a breakfast party hosted by Meristem Securities Limited 

to celebrate Chief S.I.C Okoli's 80th birthday in Lagos. 

Cancer deaths: Nigeria contributes 15% in West 

Africa, says Osinbajo 

...lays foundation of cancer center in Kano 

By Bashir Bello 

KANO - Vice President 

Professor Yemi Osinbajo, 

yesterday in Kano, 

said the country contributed 

15 per cent to cancer related 

deaths in West Africa. 

This he said informed the 

decision of the Federal government 

to introduce the 

National Cancer Control 

Plan 2018 - 2022 where 

states were expected to follow 

suit to address the indices. 

He spoke while laying 

the foundation of the first 

AChief Economist at 

the Pricewaterhouse- 

Coopers International Ltd. 

(PwC), Andrew Nevin, yesterday 

said Nigeria needed 

more investment to 

grow its economy at a higher 

rate, to be able to lift 100 

million people out of poverty. 

Nevin made this known 

during the UK-Africa Pre- 

Summit Media briefing 

held at the British Deputy 

High Commissioner’s Residence, 

Ikoyi, Lagos. 

The UK Africa investment 

summit, is scheduled to 

take place on Jan. 20, in 

London, UK. 

There will be representations 

from 21 African countries 

at the summit. 

Nevin said that Nigeria 

was only growing at about 

two per cent and if the 

country continues that way, 

there would be more people 

in poverty. 

He said “To grow economically, 

we need invest- 

state owned Cancer Center 

at the Muhammadu 

Buhari Specialist Hospital 

in Kano State. 

According to him, “In 

2018, four per cent of 

deaths in Nigeria were 

caused by cancer alone. 

Over 72,000 Nigerians die 

annually of cancer. So Nigeria 

contributes about 15 

per cent of cancer deaths 

in West Africa. So there is a 

major problem with cancer 

in Nigeria. That is why the 

federal government decided 

on the National Cancer 

Control Plan 2018 - 2022. 

Part of the plan is involvement 

of states, so that each 

state would have its own 

cancer control facility, plan 

and key into the federal 

government’s plan. I must 

say that again, we have a 

situation where Kano State 

has led the way in plugging 

into the plan of the federal 

government. I must commend 

the foresight of the 

governor” 

Similarly, Governor Abdullahi 

Ganduje said the 

facility was borne out of research 

and investigation 

the state conducted which 

revealed that prostrate and 

breast cancer were very 

prevalent among men and 

women respectively in the 

Nigeria needs extended investment to 

lift 100m people out of poverty — PnC 

ment. We need investment, 

roughly double what is on 

ground in the country today. 

We need summits like 

this to connect with people 

that want to invest in Nigeria, 

and the UK and Nigeria 

have such long standing 

and close ties.” 

Also speaking, the British 

Deputy High Commissioner 

to Nigeria, Harriet Thompson, 

said the upcoming 

UK-Nigeria summit 

would afford Nigeria the 

chance to show the scale 

and breadth of commercial 

opportunities that it had to 

around 300 UK businesses. 

She said that the summit 

would highlight sectors including 

Agriculture, Manufacturing, 

Infrastructure, 

among others. 

Thompson said: “It is a 

great opportunity for Nigeria 

to make its pitch to 

around 300 UK businesses 

including some top companies 

at the very highest level. 

This is Nigeria’s chance 

to show the scale and 

breadth of commercial opportunities 

that are here to 

show their commitment to 

diversifying the economy 

away from oil and gas. 

“So, we will be highlighting 

sectors like agriculture, 

manufacturing and the infrastructure 

sector. 

“This is about Nigeria telling 

the world and the British 

companies that it is open 

for business,” she said. 

The deputy high commissioner 

said that the UK 

would follow conversations 

from the summit that would 

create jobs and bring Nigeria’s 

economy forward. 

She said that the global 

market for foreign direct 

investment was highly 

competitive and Nigeria 

was not where it should be. 

“We hope that at the summit, 

Nigeria will begin to 

change the perceptions to 

tell people that Nigeria is 

about more than oil and 

gas; it is about tech and 

about agriculture. 

state. 

“Let me inform you the 

genesis and why we conceived 

this very important 

project. First of all, we had 

a research among the population 

in Kano State to find 

out the types of cancer diseases 

that were prevalent. 

And among men, we discovered 

that it is the prostate 

cancer while for the 

women, it was the breast 

and cervical cancer and so 

many others cancer related 

cases that were prevalent 

in Kano State. So, in 

order to solve the problem 

we conceived this and 

came up with a design and 

equipment. 

According to our investigation, 

the equipment to be 

used in the facilities can 

solve 90 per cent of cancer 

treatment cases in Kano. 

That is the genesis of this 

cancer treatment center 

First, we want to increase 

the health coverage. Secondly, 

we want to synchronize 

the need of the rich and 

the poor by establishing a 

first class healthcare center 

which the rich would be 

convinced that they should 

come to Kano for cancer 

treatment. 

Alleged $24,000 extortion: Why 

detained Shehu Sanni rejects 

lie detector test — Aide 

By Shina Abubakar 

OSOGBO — POLITI 

CAL adviser to detained 

Senator Shehu Sani, 

Sulaiman Ahmed, yesterday 

said Senator Sani refused 

to subject himself to 

the lie detector test demanded 

by the Economic 

and Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, because he 

was not psychologically stable. 

Sulaiman spoke while 

featuring on a private radio 

station in Osogbo. 

The former senator, who 

was moved out of his detention 

cell last week Monday 

to the Polygraph Clinic 

in EFCC annex in Abuja, 

opted to affirm with the 

Holy Quran rather than 

undergoing the lie detector 

test. 

He said, “A situation 

where you detain somebody 

for more than 10 days 

in an underground cell 

and whenever he was to be 

given food, we have to be 

calling some people from 

the top before he could be 

attended to. After such long 

detention, then you just 

bring lie detector or polygraph 

to him and also lined 

him up with other accused 

persons for lie detector test. 

Psychologically the accused 

person might not be 

in a stable condition. 

“So when you put lie detector 

on him(Sani) while 

he was not physiologically 

balance, how would the 

machine understand that 

he had been in underground 

cell for 10 days, how 

would it know he had been 

denied so many things? 

Hence, his decision to refused 

the test.” 

Sulaiman also disclosed 

the preparedness of their 

legal team for the ex-senator 

defence and securing 

his bail. 

No plans to proscribe our 

grazing law — Benue govt 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI — BE 

NUE State government 

yesterday insisted that 

there were no plans to proscribe 

the Open Grazing 

Prohibition and Ranches 

Establishment Law which 

came into effect in the state 

in 2017. 

Chief Press Secretary to 

the Governor, Mr . Terver 

Akase who made this know 

in Makurdi, said the law 

had come to stay and had 

also ensured the return of 

peace in the hinterlands of 

the state. 

He explained that with 

the law in place all forms of 

open grazing of livestock 

had been completely 

phased out in the state due 

to full compliance to the law 

by the people of the state 

and visitors alike. 

Unilorin don invents Temperature 

Controlled Machine 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

I 

LORIN — A lecturer at 

the Department of Microbiology, 

Faculty of Life 

Sciences, University of Ilorin, 

Dr Abiodun Kamoldeen 

Ajijolakewu, has invented 

a Double Decker Dual 

Mode Temperature Controlled 

Incubator Shaker. 

The machine is designed 

to add more value to research 

endeavours as it is 

programmed to mix substances 

and maintain different 

temperature within 

the same machine. 

Speaking about the new 

discovery, Dr Ajijolakewu 

said the machine was the 

first of its kind in the country. 

He explained that the 

machine had the capacity 

to separate different functions 

at the same time, adding 

that it saves time, money 

and space. 

According to Ajijolakewu, 

the machine was the first 

of its kind in the country 

and explained that the machine 

had the capacity to 

separate different functions 

at the same time, while it 

also saves time, money and 

According to Akase, "both 

farmers and pastoralists 

have embraced the law 

while those who deliberately 

violate the law are being 

arrested and their livestock 

impounded. 

"So anyone who is thinking 

that the law is a joke is 

dreaming. Hence, if anyone 

violates it, the law will 

take its full course irrespective 

of who the culprit is. 

"So there are no plans to 

prohibit the law. Presently 

violators are being arrested 

by our Livestock Guards 

who ensure that the impounded 

animals are detained 

for one week pending 

the payment of the requisite 

fines. But if the violators 

fail to pay the fines, 

the impounded animals will 

be auctioned to the public 

according to the provisions 

of the law.” 

space. 

He said “The usual tradition 

is that we get the 

material that can maintain 

temperature and agitation 

at the same time. The double 

decker dual mode temperature 

controlled incubator 

shaker can have temperature 

35 degree for one, 23 

degree at the other one and 

32 degree on the other 

hand and all are going on 

at the same time.” 

Ajijolakewu said the machine 

would be useful for 

all Departments under the 

Faculty of Life Sciences, as 

well as others like Clinical 

Sciences.


Degradation of environment 

frightening — Jonah 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YENAGOA BAYELSA 

State Deputy Governor, 

Rear Admiral Gboribiogha 

John Jonah (rted), 

has decried constant degradation 

of the environment 

describing it as frightening. 

Jonah stated this in Yenagoa 

when he was presented 

an award titled, Distinguished 

Leadership Award 

by Chief Noble Akenge, the 

Publisher/Chief Executive 

Officer of Environment 

Outreach Magazine. 

He said: “There is a massive 

onslaught on the environment 

arising from human 

activities and companies 

that have even led to 

the loss of many lives. The 

degradation is alarming 

and there is urgent need to 

protect the environment to 

engender better living. 

"There is need for the use 

C 

M 

Y 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

of paper bags for shopping 

in the country which is biodegradable 

as it is the practice 

in advanced countries 

to protect the environment 

instead of nylon bags that 

destroy the environment. 

“Some of the environmental 

challenges confronting 

Nigeria today are 

traceable to inconsistent 

government policies and 

programmes.” 

He cited the perennial 

issue of flooding in the 

country as partly due to the 

dam built by Cameroon 

and the failure of Nigeria 

to construct a similar dam. 

He however commended 

the Publisher/Chief Executive 

Officer of Environment 

Outreach Magazine 

, Chief Noble Akenge for 

his consistency in relentlessly 

propagating issues 

bordering on the environment 

over the years. 

Minimum Wage: Obaseki, 

labour agree on implementation 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN - EDO State 

Governor, Mr. Godwin 

Obaseki and organized 

labour in the state , yesterday 

under the auspices of 

the Joint Negotiating 

Council, JNC agreed on 

the implementation of the 

new minimum wage . 

Recall that the governor 

had in his New Year broadcast, 

assured public servants 

that they would be 

paid the new minimum 

wage from January 2020. 

Speaking at the signing 

of the agreement, Obaseki 

said that workers in the 

state would on 26 of January 

receive bank alerts reflecting 

the new minimum 

wage. 

He said: “There should 

not be much difference between 

a state worker, federal 

government worker 

and a local government 

worker because it is the 

same government. What 

we have done in Edo is to 

change the emphasis, by 

emphasizing productivity. 

If you want someone to be 

productive, the minimum 

you can do is to pay the 

person a living wage. Every 

worker must have 

health insurance cover. Every 

worker who is eligible 

must have a mortgage or 

house of their own and every 

worker will undertake, 

at least one training in the 

public service training 

academy every year”. 

Earlier, State Head of 

Service, HoS, Mr Issac 

Ehiozuwa, said the new 

minimum wage was unanimously 

agreed upon by all 

parties along with the consequential 

adjustments. 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

2020: Edo APC govt campaigning for 

PDP’s victory says Dan Orbih 


BENIN CITY — THE 

chairman, Edo State 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, yesterday 

said the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in Edo State under 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

was making the victory of 

PDP in the coming governorship 

election easy by his 

alleged “non performance”. 

Orbih stated this while 

addressing PDP faithful after 

receiving honorary 

award at Afemai Declaration 

of the PDP Edo North 

Senatorial District. 

He said the party had 

done well even in the face 

of intimidation that the “The 

task in our hand is simple, 

the APC are the ones campaigning 

for PDP. APC is an 

expired drug and we must 

put them aside. So let us 

take this message to our 

Ward that in unity we will 

Bauchi gov in London hospital, says people 

plotting to pull him down through s’court 

BAUCHI — Bala Mo 

hammed, governor 

of Bauchi state, says his detractors 

are planning to use 

the supreme court to pull 

him down. 

Commenting on the challenge 

against his victory in 

last year’s election, Mohammed 

said even though 

he is currently in a London 

hospital, he believes God 

will grant him victory. 

Mohammed Abubakar of 

the All Progressives Congress 

(APC) had challenged 

the victory of the 

governor at the tribunal but 

lost. He also did not get a 

favourable ruling at the ap- 

INAUGURAL LEC- 

TURE: From left — 

Commandant of Naval 

War College, Nigeria, 

Rear Admiral Adeseye 

Ayobanjo; assisted by 

the Flag Officer Commanding 

Eastern Naval 

Command of the 

Nigerian Navy, Rear 

Admiral, David Adeniran 

(R), presenting a 

plague to retired Rear 

Admiral Thaddeus 

Udofia, during the 

inaugural lecture of 

Command Level 

Officers' Course 3 at 

the Eastern Naval 

Command in Calabar. 

peal court and headed to 

the apex court. 

The supreme court was 

meant to rule on the case 

on Monday but adjourned 

till Tuesday. 

In a statement which 

Mukhtar Gidado, his 

spokesman, issued on his 

behalf, Mohammed said 

this period made him to 

know who his real supporters 

are. 

“I really appreciate the 

passion, support and concern 

shown at this critical 

and crucial point. This certainly 

is a moment that God 

has shown us our real supporters. 

It is also the time 

when our detractors, within 

and outside our fold are 

exposed,” he said. 

“I appreciate our outstanding 

partners of 

progress and paradigm 

shift in Bauchi state. I wish 

to reaffirm my commitment 

to the lofty ideals of our 

New Bauchi Movement 

and pledge to lead with justice, 

equity and humility." 

“We will, however, soon 

take drastic action to get rid 

of saboteurs and ungrateful 

people within our midst, 

while at the same time recognising 

and rewarding 

those who contributed positively 

to our Movement 

and show loyalty to us and 

our Bauchi Project. 

take over Edo State. 

“We have done so well 

against intimidation. Let 

me also say that you have 

done very well in Edo 

North but please don’t relent 

we have the governorship 

election coming up 

very soon. As you know 

only one person will be our 

candidate. By the time we 

elect our governorship candidate, 

we expect all of us 

to queue behind him so that 

he can lead us to victory at 

the governorship election. 

In the past few days I 

read in the paper members 

of APC admitting that the 

APC governor in the state 

has failed but I want to use 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

ABUJA — Members of 

National Association 

of Resident Doctors 

(NARD), Federal Medical 

Centre, Jabi, Abuja have 

embarked on a three-day 

warning strike over nonpayment 

of shortfalls in 

their salaries. 

They took the decision to 

down tools during their 

emergency congress at the 

hospital premises, yesterday. 

Justifying the industrial 

action, Dr. Adejo Arome, 

NARD President, FMC 

Jabi-Abuja chapter, claimed 

the money meant for payment 

of the salary shortfall 

had been deposited into the 

hospital account in December 

2019 but was not disbursed. 

He noted that N20 million 

this opportunity to tell them 

that it is a collective failure 

and PDP is ready to take 

over from them. From what 

I saw during my tour of the 

local government, I can see 

that people are ready to vote 

APC out of government,” he 

said. 

On his part, Mr.Oladele 

Bankole-Balogun who read 

the Afemai declaration said 

the event was unprecedented 

and was brought about 

by the reckless governance 

of the state since 2008. 

He said: “What has happened 

today in Agenebode 

is of an epochal nature totally 

unprecedented in the 

anals of our history and this 

was released by Federal 

Government to pay the resident 

doctors the December 

salary shortfall arrears but 

stressed that the hospital 

account section had yet to 

pay. 

“Though the Acting Medical 

Director of the hospital 

was willing to pay the arrears, 

he was advised otherwise 

by Mr. Bako Achi, 

the hospital’s Head of Accounts,” 

he alleged. 

He said the doctors 

would only rescind their 

decision, if concrete evidence 

was given to them to 

show sincerity of purpose 

on the part of the hospital’s 

management. 

Arome said, “The acting 

MD placed a call to the 

Accountant in my presence 

in respect of the N20 million 

released, but he failed 

to pick his call. 

“We would only back 

down on the strike, if we 

receive alert as evidence of 

has been brought about by 

reckless governance since 

November 2008 where people 

who have been entrusted 

with common wealth of 

Edo state have been plundering 

our resources." 

The leaders of this Assembly 

have decided to say 

enough is enough,” he 

said. 

Other party members 

that we honoured are Chief 

Mike Oghiadomhe, former 

Chief of Staff to President 

Goodluck Jonathan, Jude 

Imagwe, former SA to President 

Goodluck Jonathan, 

RtdcCol. Tunde Akogun, 

Sen Yisa Braimoh, Senator 

Kassim Oyofo. 

Abuja resident doctors embark on 

warning strike over N20m salary 

arrears 

payment for the December 

2019 salary shortfall arrears, 

or a document signed by the 

hospital managing director 

directing the Accountant to 

pay the shortfalls.” 

He also claimed that as 

at yesterday the hospital’s 

management had done 

nothing tangible to prevent 

the industrial action. 

Besides the warning 

strike, the resident doctors 

called for the redeployment 

of Mr Bako Achi, accusing 

him of insubordination, and 

other actions that constitute 

barrier to their progress. 

In a unanimous vote, the 

resident doctors also called 

for auditing of the hospital’s 

internally generated Revenue 

last December. 

They stressed the need 

for the hospital’s management 

to declare its position 

on the status of contract 

doctors in the tertiary health 

institution.


MEDIA PARLEY: 

From left: Tomisin 

Olawale, Special 

Personal Assistant, 

to Ooni, His 

Imperial Majesty, 

Ooni of Ife, Oba 

Adeyeye Ogunwusi 

and Dr. Ayobami 

Oyedare, CEO. 

Global outreach of 

his imperial 

majesty, during the 

Ooni media parley 

over the Royal 

African youth 

leadership forum 

awards aimed at 

mentoring & 

recognising youth, 

held in Lagos, 

yesterday. Photo: 

Kehinde Shonola. 

:Vanguard 

News 

Amotekun, a pleasant gift by S’West 

govs — SOYINKA 

By Dapo Akinrefon, 

Olayinka Ajayi & 

James Ogunnaike 

L laureate, AGOS—NOBEL 

Professor 

Wole Soyinka, yesterday, 

commended governors of 

the South West for initiating 

and launching the security 

outfit codenamed: 

Operation Amotekun. 

This came as the Ooni of 

Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, 

has described the legal 

controversy surrounding 

the newly launched outfit 

as needless. 

Soyinka, who said he had 

earlier given up on the 

governors, commended 

them for listening to the 

yearnings of the people. 

He said the launch of the 

security outfit should be 

commended. 

His words: “To thank a 

number of public-spirited, 

humanity-considering 

governors in this nation, 

who finally responded to 

the demand and yearnings 

of the citizens and 

produced one organisation, 

called Amotekun. 

“It’s one of the most 

unexpected because I had 

given up on them; it is 

unexpected but at the same 

time, a desirable New Year 

Present.” 

Noise over outfit 

needless — Ooni 

Oba Ogunwusi, who 

fielded questions from 

newsmen during the 

unveiling of the Royal 

African Youth Leadership 

Forum, RAYLF, a platform 

designed to celebrate 

outstanding young 

professionals in their 

chosen profession, said: 

“Amotekun is just a 

complementary on the basis 

of an already established 

forum. 

The monarch said: 

“People are just causing 

rouse unnecessarily about 

Amotekun. Just as we have 

most breakthrough attacks 

against insurgent Boko 

Haram by the Nigerian 

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

•Noise over outfit needless — Ooni 

•As cleric warns govs against hijack of outfit 

and inaction. 

Abiodun said: “You are 

now public servants and 

have joined the league of 

politically exposed 

people. Your conduct, 

utterances and public 

personality will now come 

under intense public 

scrutiny, so, be guided 

accordingly. 

“To achieve optimally, 

you will need to work with 

and regard the Ogun 

state public servants as 

partners and anchors of 

the bureaucratic 

structures required to 

deliver on our 

programmes and policies. 

You will find in Ogun State 

public servants the most 

dedicated, efficient and 

committed professionals. 

They are the inheritors of 

the proud legacies of the 

Army intimated by local 

vigilantes. The same 

applies to Amotekun.” 

Cleric warns govs 

against hijack of outfit 

Meanwhile, Bishop of 

the Diocese of Ijebu South- 

West, Church of Nigeria 

(Anglican Communion) Rt. 

Rev. Babatunde 

Ogunbanwo, has warned 

the southwest governors not 

to allow “sycophants” to 

hijack the outfit. 

Rev. Ogunbanwo, who 

lauded the governors for 

mooting and implementing 

the idea, equally urged the 

governors to ensure the 

security outfit is properly 

structured and funded. 

The cleric said this at the 

10th anniversary address of 

the Ijebu South-west 

Diocese, held at the 

Bishop’s Court, Odogbolu, 

Ogun State. 

He said: “Let me at this 

juncture appreciate the 

governors of the southwest 

for putting in place 

You’re under public scrutiny, Abiodun 

tells cabinet members 

By James Ogunnaike 

A GOVERNOR 

BEOKUTA— 

Dapo Abiodun of Ogun 

State, yesterday, told his 

cabinet members to brace 

up to the challenges of 

their new offices saying 

they are under public 

scrutiny. 

Abiodun, who said this 

in his office, at an 

orientation programme 

organised 

for 

commissioners and 

special advisers, charged 

members of the new 

cabinet to be role models. 

He said they should not 

be found wanting in 

character, as they will 

come under intense 

public scrutiny and 

people would want to 

probe each of their actions 

Ogun State public 

service. So, with the 

combination of political 

appointees, who are the 

best breeds and the public 

servants that rank top in the 

country, the stage is now set 

for a new Ogun state of our 

collective dreams. 

“This administration is 

arguably the most starstudded 

cabinet in the 

country: various 

expertises, different 

background and even 

vary but complementary 

flavours have been 

brought together. As the 

captain of this team, I 

want to assure you that I 

will provide the right 

leadership for you to 

blossom as individual 

stars and for our team to 

record achievements that 

are greater than the sum 

of 

individual 

accomplishments.” 

operation Amotekun. We 

thank them for coming 

together at least for the first 

time they are doing 

something together. 

“We need to commend 

them again because the 

people of the Eastern and 

Northern parts of the 

country want to copy us 

now. 

“I commend sincerely all 

our governors in the 

Southwest, but I am 

warning them that they 

should not allow 

sycophants to take over 

Amotekun from them. 

“We know a lot of those 

sycophants in the past that 

have not done anything. 

The governors should be 

aware of sycophants who 

are just there to eat, to take 

over operation Amotekun.” 

While warning against 

the recruitment of untrained 

personnel for the outfit, he 

said: “I also want to advise 

that those who will work in 

the security outfit should 

work with the police. There 

should not be disparity, 

they should work together 

with security outfits such as 

the army in achieving the 

essence of the operation 

Amotekun. 

“I will not subscribe to the 

incorporation of OPC and 

the likes in Amotekun. 

What has these set of people 

done in the past? They are 

just there and making 

‘shakara’ all around. How 

many of them have gone to 

the bush to rescue our 

people that are being 

kidnapped”. 

“All you will see many of 

them doing is attending 

government a function; 

you will see those carrying 

staff and cars all around 

looking for recognition.” 

He stressed that the outfit 

must be professionally 

organised and structured to 

meet up with 

contemporary security 

challenges, declaring 

“anyone who wishes to join 

Amotekun should apply 

formally and be properly 

scrutinized.” 

I won’t disappoint 

Ekiti despite paucity 

of funds — FAYEMI 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI— 

GOVERNOR 

Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State, yesterday, 

assured that his 

administration would 

spread development 

across all the 133 towns 

and other villages, in 

fulfillment of the social 

contracts he signed 

with Ekiti residents, in 

spite of the acute 

shortage of funds. 

He said this at 

different towns where 

he flagged off the 

rehabilitation and 

reconstruction of 

Agbado-Omuo road, 

Ilupeju-Ire-Igbemo-Ijan 

road, Oye-Ikun-Otun 

road and Aramoko- 

Erijiyan-Ikogosi road in 

the state. 

Fayemi appealed to 

the people of the 

community where the 

projects were sited to 

create an enabling 

environment for the 

contractors handling 

the projects to operate 

for prompt and timely 

delivery of the projects. 

He said: “Permit me to 

reiterate the resolve of 

this administration to 

make all parts of the 

state accessible by good 

roads as enshrined 

under the Infrastructure 

and Industrial 

Development pillar of 

the five cardinal points 

of this administration. 

In our quest to restore 

Ekiti values, the 

government has 

continued to pursue 

lofty goals even in the 

face of daunting 

challenges. We are not 

allowing the paucity of 

funds to deter us in the 

execution of our 

programmes. 

“The contractors 

started some of these 

roads being re-awarded 

in 2013 during our first 

term, but could not 

proceed substantially 

before my exit. The last 

administration did little 

work before being 

abandoned and that 

informed why we 

terminated the contracts 

and re-awarded them to 

the original contractors. 

“If you check critically, 

all these roads are 

critical to the economic 

development of our 

people. The Ilupeju-Ire 

- Ijan road will resolve 

the challenge of moving 

the Ire Burnt Brick 

products from the town 

to other parts of the 

state and the country at 

large. 

“Let me assure you 

that we won’t allow 

paucity of funds to 

deter us from achieving 

this. We have sourced 

for funds to solve many 

of our challenges.” 

TRAFFIC: Adegboruwa hails 

Lagos govt on Lekki-Ikoyi 

Link Bridge 

L AGOS—HUMAN 

rights activist, Mr. 

Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, 

SAN, yesterday, 

commended the Lagos 

State government for 

decongesting traffic on 

Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge. 

In a statement, Mr. 

Adegboruwa, however, 

urged the state 

government to eradicate 

any form of toll on the 

bridge. 

He said: “I commend 

the Lagos State Govt 

and the Lekki 

Concession Company, 

for the innovation of 

electronic payment 

system on the Lekki- 

Ikoyi Link Bridge. 

Predictably, the 

electronic payment 

system has reduced 

traffic congestion 

substantially. I passed 

through the bridge 

today (yesterday) to 

and fro, all in less than 

three minutes. The 

burden of Lekki 

dwellers has been 

reduced, whilst we wait 

to further observe. 

“However, we should 

move towards total 

eradication of any form 

of tolling at all, as it has 

been established that 

the bridge was built 

with tax payers’ money. 

Having collected the 

toll fees for well over a 

decade now, the 

government should tell 

us how much it has so 

far generated from the 

toll-fee regime, so that 

we know where we are. 

“Furthermore, the 

roundabout at the 

landing of the bridge on 

Admiralty Way should go 

completely so that proper 

movement can become 

easy for Lekki dwellers 

who don’t intend to use 

the bridge. 

“I commend Governor 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu 

and his team and the 

MD of LCC, for the good 

initiative. We can make 

governance easy for our 

people, if we care.”


NEVER AGAIN CONFERENCE ‘NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR: 50 YEARS AFTER' 

The Never Again Conference, "Nigerian Civil War: 50 Years After" organised by Nzuko Umunna & Ndigbo Lagos in collaboration 

with Civil Society Organisations held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos yesterday. PHOTOS: BUNMI AZEEZ. 

From left: Rear Admiral Alison Madueke (retd), former Chief of Naval Staff; 

Maj.Gen. Obi Abel Umahi (retd), President General, Ndigbo Lagos and Dr. Alex From left: Chief Tom Halim, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Ambassador George 

Otti, governoship candidate of APGA in Abia State in last general election. Obiozor and Elder Nath Okoro. 

From left: Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Minority Leader of the Senate, Mr. Valentine 

Ozigbo, President/CEO of Transcorp Plc, Chief Ugochukwu Okeke and Eze Alex 

Sunday Nwoye, Ezendigbo Ejigbo. 

From left: Eze Uche Dimgba, Eze Ndigbo Ikeja, Eze Remi 

Anyamele and Eze Tony Anosike. 

From left: Prof. Chika Moone, Mrs. Inyang Anya 

and Dr. Raymond Obieri. 

From left: Chief Chilo Offiah, Mr. Emeka Ugwu- 

Oju, President of the South-East, South-South 

Professionals and Chief Chuma Igwe, Secretary 

General, Ndigbo Lagos Foundation. 

From left: Dr. Uma Oke Eleazu, Bishop Sunday 

Onuoha and Otunba Shade Olukoya. 

Cross section of participants. 

From left: Mr. Akin Osuntokun, Panelist, Prof. Yima Sen, Director 

General, Northern Elders Forum & Panelist and Onyeka 

Onwenu, Panelist, representing Nigerian women.


OIL SPILL LAB: From left— Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Ibukun 

Odusote; Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. 

Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, at the inauguration of National Oil Spill Reference Laboratory in Port Harcourt, 

Rivers State, yesterday. 

2023 Igbo presidency: 

Aspirants woo America 

AN array of potential 

presidential aspirants 

stormed the United States 

to lobby support for election 

of a Nigerian president of 

Igbo extraction in 2023, a 

move similar to the global 

campaign undertaken by 

members of All 


APC, prior to 2015 

presidential election. 

At an event held in 

Washington, D.C. on 

January 10, and attended 

by a broad spectrum of 

academic, political and 

economic leaders, there 

was a consensus that 

zoning helped sustain 

stability in Nigeria’s 

nascent democracy. 

Among the attendees was 

2019 APC presidential 

aspirant, now a stalwart of 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Chief Charles 

Udeogaranya. 

The PDP stalwart stated 

that the group was in the 

United States “to make a 

strong case for power 

rotation to the South and 

this time, the South-East 

zone, at the expiration of 


I won’t be distracted by propaganda, 

says Onwuliri 

IMO State Commissioner 

for Education, Professor 

Viola Onwuliri, has 

reiterated her commitment 

to the Rebuild Imo Project 

as led by Governor Emeka 

Ihedioha, stressing that no 

amount of campaign of 

calumny, blackmail by 

cheap publicity-seeking 

individuals can distract her 

from the noble vision and 

mission of the present 

administration. 

Onwuliri, in a statement 

by her Media Adviser, 

Peter Osamgbi, said: “From 

all indications, this 

mischief-maker’s modus 

Buhari’s tenure in 2023. It 

is imperative this standing 

rotation agreement is 

adhered to, as it will help 

promote peace, unity, 

equity and progress in 

Africa’s most populous 

nation.” 

On his part, from the 

ruling APC is a primary 

challenger to President 

Buhari in 2019, Dr. SKC 

Ogbonnia, who 

highlighted the logic and 

the necessity of zoning the 

presidency to the South- 

East zone, but also argued 

operandi is to attack key 

figures of the Rebuild Imo 

Government, such as 

Professor Viola Onwuliri, 

by making false 

publications to deceive 

unsuspecting Imolites, just 

to score cheap political 

points. However, she 

believes in the maxim ‘a 

clear conscience fears no 

accusation’.” 

Osamgbi added that 

Onwuliri is a noble lady of 

the Roman Catholic 

Church, an erudite scholar, 

an internationallyrenowned 

educationist, 

who had served her country 

with fervour and aplomb as 

a two-time former minister, 

that “what is most critical 

to the masses at this stage 

is for the international 

community, particularly the 

US, to lend their support to 

a growing democratic, legal 

and non-violent revolution 

to uproot the status quo 

perpetuated by the 

Nigeria’s corrupt cabal, in 

order to enable good people 

to be elected to office.” 

In his contribution, former 

Executive Director of 

Nigerian-American 

Council, Dr. Okey Mbonu, 

2019 presidential aspirant 

and now serving her state 

as Commissioner for 

Education. 

Osamgbi added that 

Onwuliri’s record in public 

and humanitarian services 

remains impeccable and is 

known to all and sundry, 

explaining that in her over 

25 years of public service, 

she has never been indicted 

for any act of 

misdemeanour. 

He enjoined “the good 

people of Imo State not to 

be distracted by the 

activities of agent 

provocateurs, stressing that 

the task of rebuilding Imo 

is, to Onwuliri, a mission 

that must be accomplished. 

on the platform of Labour 

Party, stated that “the world 

must bear witness that 

equity should prevail in 

Nigeria in 2023, anything 

less is likely to provoke an 

unimaginable crisis in 

Nigeria.” 

The American audience 

was concerned about an 

undertone that Igbo people 

are denied power due to 

their Christian faith. 

This prompted Bob 

Williams, an oil and gas 

investor, to say “while it is 

pertinent to note that the 

US does not usually 

interfere with internal 

affairs of sovereign nations, 

there are always exceptions 

where people are seen to 

be persecuted because of 

their religious beliefs.” 

IPOB lawyer's surviving aide recounts ordeal 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

O NITSHA—FOR 

Onyia Nnamdi 

Onyebuchi, the only 

surviving aide to Ifeanyi 

Ejiofor, lawyer to Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of 

Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB, who claimed 

to have escaped death by 

the whiskers during the 

December 2, 2019 invasion 

of Ejiofor’s family house at 

Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local 

Government Area of 

Anambra State, “it was only 

by act of God that I did not 

die in that mayhem.” 

According to Onyia who 

spoke to newsmen from his 

hideout via text messages, 

“I was among the five aides 

to Ejiofor and when the 

police invaded his house 

and started shooting 

sporadically, four of my 

fellow aides died. 

“I escaped the killings by 

providence and ever since, 

Nigerian security agencies 

have staged a manhunt for 

my soul because I am the 

closest aide to the lawyer.” 

Onyia lamented the rate 

at which Nigerian security 

agencies abuse people’s 

rights with impunity, with 

particular focus on pro- 

Biafra agitators in Igboland. 

He appealled to the 

international community to 

come to the aid of the Biafra 

agitators and himself, who 

is still on the run, from 

being hunted for 

committing no offence other 

than being an ordinary aide 

to Ejiofor. 

He added that each time 

he remembered four of his 

innocent colleagues who 

were mowed down by the 

security agents, he usually 

feels bad and sober because 

“those aides did not 

commit any offence to 

warrant their untimely 

death. 

“I want to come out of 

hiding but if they arrest me, 

they may not even bother 

to charge me to court to 

prove my innocence 

because they do not obey 

court orders. 

“So, let the international 

community and human 

rights crusaders come to my 

rescue before they murder 

me in cold blood.” 

Ebonyi reviews solid 

minerals mining, 

sites’ operations 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

EBONYI State 

Government has said it 

has increased revenue 

rates on solid minerals 

with respect to quarry 

and mining sites in the 

state. 

The government 

further directed the 

collection of annual 

ground rent for nonperforming 

solid mineral 

licences. 

A statement by the state 


Information and State 

Orientation, Orji Orji, 

after a meeting with the 

Chief Executives of 

Quarry and Mining 

Industries stated: 

“Government shall 

henceforth, issue a 

Provisional Certificate of 

Occupancy to solid 

mineral prospectors in 

respect of quarry and 

mining sites duly 

secured in any part of 

Ebonyi State. 

“Government 

emphasises the 

enforcement of safety 

conditions and 

environmental 

reclamations in all solid 

mineral sites in the state, 

as provided by extant 

laws. Derogations shall 

be sanctioned 

accordingly. 

“Government shall 

henceforth, issue a 

Crisis rocks Obiano’s 

N20m market project 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—CRISIS of 

confidence is 

rocking Ogboji 

community in Orumba 

South Local 

Government Area of 

Anambra State, 

following alleged sale 

of part of a N20 million 

market built by 

Governor Willie 

Obiano’s Choose-Your- 

Project initiative. 

Worried by the 

development, the 

people of the area, 

yesterday, stormed 

Government House, 

Awka, to demand for 

reversal of the sale. 

According to the 

community, the former 

President-General also 

imposed a new 

leadership on the 

people, urging the state 

government to intervene 

before the situation gets 

out of hand in the area. 

Provisional Certificate 

of Occupancy to solid 

mineral prospectors in 

respect of quarry and 

mining sites duly 

secured in any part of 

Ebonyi State. 

“Government directs 

collection of annual 

ground rent for nonperforming 

Solid 

Mineral licenses. 

“Meanwhile, 

government has 

increased revenue rates 

in respect of all quarries 

and mining industries 

with effect from January 

1. Companies may 

consider increasing the 

amount payable per 

truck from N6,000 to 

N9,000 for geometric 

considerations. 

Artisanal miners shall 

be assessed on 

cadastral basis. 

“With effect from 

February 1, all revenues 

accruable to 

government shall be 

collected through a 

seemless and 

systematic process, 

which shall be 

beneficial to all parties 

“Officials shall be 

dispatched to sites to 

carry out assessments of 

revenue potentials of 

the solid mineral 

companies, to ascertain 

best monthly revenue 

rates for state and local 

governments, as well as 

host communities.” 

Speaking on behalf of 

the community, Mr. 

Neville Uchendu, who 

described himself as a 

stakeholder, said the 

area enjoys peace but 

regretted the current 

crisis occasioned by 

bad leadership. 

He explained that 

their mission at the 

Government House 

was to draw the 

attention of the 

governor to their plight 

and called for his quick 

intervention. 

Responding on 

behalf of Governor 

Obiano, Special 

Adviser on Local 

Government and 

Chieftaincy Matters, 

Mrs. Vera Nwankwo, 

assured them of quick 

resolution of the crises. 

She added: 

“Government is aware 

of your plight. As a 

peace-loving 

governor, he will 

ensure peace returns.”

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

INSPECTION: 

From left— Oyo State 

Governor, Engr. Seyi 

M a k i n d e ; 


Works, Prof. Raphael 

Afonja; Director of 

Highways, Emmanuel 

Akinpelu; Managing 

Director, KOPEK, 

Issam Fegnali and 

Contracts Manager, 

Pascal Hafouch, 

during the inspection 

of Jakata/Bembo/ 

Apata road, Ibadan. 

Power: FG approves two c'ttees for 

Mambilla hydro project 

By Chris Ochayi 

ABUJA—TO ensure 

its speedy take-off, the 

Federal Government, 

yesterday, approved the 

constitution of two 

committees for the multibillion 

naira Mambilla 

Hydroelectric Power Project 

in Taraba State. 

The committees, which 

include Inter-ministerial 

Steering Committee, 

IMSC, and Project 

Delivery Committee, PDC, 

are expected to be 

inaugurated soon. 

A statement by Aaron 

Artimas, Special Adviser, 

Media 

and 

Communications to the 

Minister of Power, said, 

members of the Interministerial 

Steering 

Committee are 

representatives of federal 

agencies and Taraba State 

government. 

It noted that the Minister 

of Power, Mr Sale 

Mamman, will chair the 

Inter-ministerial Steering 

Committee, while the 

Director in-charge of 

Renewable Energy in the 

Federal Ministry of Power 

will head the Project 

Delivery Committee, 

reporting to the Minister of 

Power through the 

Permanent Secretary of the 

Ministry. 

The federal agencies 

named in the committees 

include Ministries of Water 

Resources, Environment, 

Finance, Budget and 

National Planning, Works 

and Housing, Justice, 

Information and Culture, 

and Mines and Steel 

Development. 

‘MC Oluomo' wades into Lagos Island NURTW 

clash 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—THE Chairman 

of the National Union of 

Road Transport Workers, 

NURTW, Lagos Branch, 

Alhaji Musliu Akinsanya 

has urged members on 

Lagos Island to embrace 

peace at all times in the interest 

of the state. 

The plea became necessary 

following frequent 

clashes, particularly the latest 

among warring parties 

in which several lives and 

properties worth millions of 

naira were destroyed. 

Meanwhile, the recent 

intervention by Akinsanya 

to restore peace in the state 

union in Lagos has been 

commended by a union 

leader in the area, Alhaji 

Fatai Okoosi, alias, Ottun 

who also debunked 

allegation that the 

Chairman was bias against 

some group. 

Okoosi, at a 

stakeholder’s event, held at 

the weekend, explained 

that after a security meeting 

with the state govern- 

...hands over suspects to police, sues for peace 

ment and the Commissioner 

of Police, 

Akinsanya, popularly 

known as “MC Oluomo,” 

called a peace meeting of 

every stakeholder from 

Lagos Island where the 

matter was resolved and 

rested. 

According to him, at 

the meeting, MC 

Oluomo called on Alhaji 

Azeez Lawal aka Kunle 

2ND term bid: Edo CAN postpones election 


BENIN CITY—THE 

Edo State chapter of the 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria, CAN, has been 

enmeshed in a leadership 

crisis as the state leadership 

led by Bishop Oyonnude 

Kure's bid to secure a second 

term yesterday hit the 

rocks. 

A state executive committee 

meeting of CAN was 

called but the meeting 

which started smoothly 

became rowdy after the 

address by the chairman 

and Rev Fr. Richard Ofere, 

Others are representatives 

of the Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation, 

National Security Adviser, 

NSA, Nigeria Sovereign 

Investment Authority, 

NSIA, and the Nigeria Customs 

Service, NCS. 

The terms of reference of 

the Inter-ministerial 

Steering Committee include 

facilitating and fasttracking 

the execution and 

project delivery of the 

Mambilla Hydroelectric 

power project; finalizing 

within six months the 

review of the project 

engineering and technical 

design concept to achieve 

optimal efficiency and 

benefit the immediate 

target market (the Northeast 

geopolitical zone); as well 

as obtaining approval of the 

Loan Facility from the 

Poly to reveal trouble makers 

from the area which he 

did. He also asked Alhaji 

Yusuf Aweniya, aka Bobo to 

also reveal trouble makers 

from his own faction before 

he handed the accused persons 

to the police for further 

investigation. 

Okoosi, simply, described 

the manner of intervention 

by Oluomo to resolve the 

crisis as, “Divine” stating, 

moved a motion calling for automatic 

second term for Kure and 

his team “because they have performed 

well in the last three 

years”. 

But while waiting for a 

secondment, Rev Chris Igbinosa 

moved a point of order where he 

said that the motion was 

premature. 

He said there was no financial 

report of the association in the 

last three years, arguing that there 

was need for such basic 

expectations to be met before 

talking about re-election. 

The meeting which started 

11am was not concluded until 3 

China Exim Bank for the 

Off-shore component of the 

project based on the 

reviewed contract price. 

The Inter-ministerial 

Steering Committee will be 

supported by Project 

Delivery Committee, which 

will be responsible for 

overseeing the 

implementation of the 

project in line with agreed 

timelines and deliverables, 

including designing a 

framework for post-project 

operational management 

that will ensure that the 

project starts performing 

from the point of delivery. 

Also, an independent 

consultant will serve as a 

project coordinator to 

coordinate the 

administrative and 

stakeholder aspects of 

project implementation. 

“the method was wisdom 

from God, given to MC 

Oluomo to resolve the crisis.” 

Collaborating Okoosi, another 

union leader, Alhaji 

Isiaka Emmanuel-Babanla, 

said that peace had since 

returned to NURTW in Lagos 

Island in the last five 

days after the peace meeting. 

pm when Kure adjourned and 

thereafter informed members that 

a new date for a fresh meeting for 

election would be communicated 

to voting members of the 

association. 

Efforts to get the views of the 

chairman after the meeting was 

not successful as the Secretary of 

the Association, Humphrey 

Iriabe said he did not invite 

journalists for the event since it 

was a private meeting. 

Several calls to the mobile line 

of Bishop Kure were not picked 

and he is yet to respond to an 

SMS sent to his number as at 

the time of filing this report. 

LEKOIL provides update on Qatari 

ari 

Investment authority facility 

LEKOIL Limited (LEKOIL), the oil and gas exploration 

and production company with focus on Nigeria and West 

Africa, has provided further update on the facility it 

purportedly entered into with the Qatar Investment Authority 

(QIA). 

Following announcement by LEKOIL on 2, January 2020, 

representatives of the QIA approached LEKOIL's advisers 

yesterday, questioning the validity of the agreement. 

The company is currently seeking to establish, alongside 

its legal counsel and Nominated Adviser, the full facts of the 

matter, and pending this clarification, the Company’s 

ordinary shares were suspended from trading on AIM at 

7.37am on 13 January 2020. However, the release of this 

announcement facilitates lifting of the suspension, and 

trading on AIM of the Company's shares is expected to 

recommence from 7.30 a.m, 14 January 2020. 

The Facility Agreement can no longer be considered to be 

legally binding or enforceable and it should therefore be 

assumed that none of the funding, as set out in the 

announcement of 2 January 2020, will be forthcoming. 

Lekoil continues to generate positive cash flows at the 

operational and corporate level and will seek alternative 

funding for the future development of OPL 310 as a priority. 

South Africa's Massmart t could cut 

1,4 

,440 40 jobs 

SOUTH Africa's Massmart Holdings could cut up 

to 1,440 jobs under a plan to close some stores, the 

retailer said on Monday as it struggles to grow sales in a 

tough economy. 

Massmart, majority owned by U.S. retail giant Walmart, 

swung to its first half-year trading loss in two decades 

last August, as low growth, high unemployment and a 

rising cost of living hurt South Africans' spending power. 

The retailer said in a statement it had started consultations 

with unions and other stakeholders around the closure 

of up to 34 stores, following a review that identified a 

number of outlets that were underperforming. 

"A total of 34 Dion-Wired and Masscash stores and 

approximately 1 440 employees are potentially affected 

by this process," it said. 

Dion-Wired is Massmart's electronics and appliances 

subsidiary, while Masscash is its wholesale division 

including cash and carry, food and cosmetics outlets. 

Massmart shares, which sunk to a 13-year low last year 

after the retailer issued a profit warning, were up 2.4 

percent. 

Zimbabwe finance minister sticks 

to 3% growth forecast despite poor 

rains 

ZIMBABWE'S finance minister maintained on 

Monday that the country's economy would grow 3 

percent this year despite poor rains that have hurt some 

crops and persistent power cuts that have hit mines 

and industry. 

The southern African nation is experiencing its worst 

economic crisis in a decade, compounded by shortages 

of foreign exchange, fuel and power as well as a drought 

last year that has left half the population in need of food 

aid. 

Mthuli Ncube told reporters in the capital that he felt 

the government undervalued the contribution of the 

informal sector to the economy. Less than 20 percent of 

the working population hold formal jobs. 

Ncube said in November the economy, which contracted 

by 6.5 percent in 2019, would this year rebound as from 

agriculture and mining output improved. But many 

economic analysts expect the economy to worsen. 

US STOCKS-Wall St t hover 

ers near all- 

time high as trade deal, earnings 

awaited 

U 

.S. stock indexes traded just below all-time highs on 

Monday as investors awaited the signing of a 

preliminary trade deal between the United States and 

China, as well as the start of the fourth-quarter earnings 

season. 

High-profile technology and internet companies including 

Apple Inc, Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp and 

Amazon.com Inc, which have recently powered Wall 

Street to all-time highs, boosted the main indexes. 

Google-owner Alphabet Inc was on course to become 

the fourth publicly traded U.S. company to be valued at 

$1 trillion. 

An easing of Middle East tensions and signs that the 

Phase 1 U.S.-China trade agreement will be signed have 

encouraged buying of risky assets, even though investors 

know little in the way of details of an agreement expected 

to be signed in Washington on Wednesday. 

"There is some concern about translation of the contract 

(with China)," said Randy Frederick, vice president of 

trading and derivatives for Charles Schwab in Austin, 

Texas. 

Stories credited to Reuters

@war 50 years after the war 

TOMORROW marks the 

50th anniversary of the 

end of the Nigerian civil war 

(1967-1970) but we have 

remained locked in lowintensity 

warfare ever since 

because we are a senseless 

country. Our last civil war broke 

out over unresolved nationality 

question and its most 

unfortunate that our fault lines 

are more pronounced in 

January 2020 than they were in 

July 1967 when we started 

killing ourselves like the 

“enemy tribes” Lord Lugard 

once called us. 

Cerebral fathers from my neck 

of the wood said from the depth 

of their wisdom that when a 

child falls down, he gets up and 

continues the journey without 

looking because of lack of 

reflection. On the other hand, 

an elderly person who falls 

down gets up and looks back to 

see the cause of the trip so he 

can avoid such as he continues. 

Nigeria remains the child who 

stumbles and gets up without 

finding out the cause of the fall 

and continues to walk on 

carelessly. The truth of the 

matter is that there was never a 

need for a country like Nigeria. 

It is a perfect example of one 

disappeared entity Brian Hall 

called “The Impossible 

Country” (Yugoslavia). 

A country is never borders or 

infrastructures. It is about unity 

of goals which has never been 

available around here. It has 

always been a perpetual feud 

between different nationalities 

in the worst clash of civilizations 

ever seen around the world. 

Anti-colonial 

struggle 

Something happened in 1953. 

A leading light of anti-colonial 

struggle and a prominent 

member of the Obafemi 

Awolowo-led Action Group, AG, 

Anthony Enahoro had moved a 

motion that Nigeria should 

become independent in 1956 at 

the Federal parliament. That 

motion should have been 

unanimously supported by 

members of parliament if an 

“impossible country” was not 

the setting. 

Enahoro had said in the 

preamble to his motion on the 

floor of the Federal House of 

Representatives that any 

proposal short of full political 

independence for Nigeria “has 

ceased to be a progressive view 

because Nigerian nationalism 

has moved forward from that 

position”. But in a response that 

showed the fault lines of 

•Nigeria and the defunct Biafra flags and leaders 

Nigerian nationalism in the late 

colonial era, Sir Ahmadu Bello 

of the Northern Peoples 

Congress, NPC, introduced a 

dilatory motion substituting the 

phrasing “as soon as 

practicable” for the year “1956” 

proposed by Enahoro. 

A negotiated 

settlement that 

understands 

our differences 

is the best way 

out; its other 

name is 

federalism 

In an undisguised reference 

to the superficiality of the 

“Nigerian nationalism” which 

Enahoro and his Southern 

compatriots were lionising, 

Bello added: “Sixty years ago, 

there was no Nigeria but merely 

a collection of communities very 

different in outlook and mode 

of life”. 

The North threatened to leave 

Nigeria over the quest for 

independence by the South. In 

anticipation that the NPC 

which had more numbers in the 

House was going to win the 

vote, the NCNC and AG 

members in the House of 

Representatives walked out. 

The meeting of the House was 

adjourned and members of NPC 

met very unfriendly crowd in 

Lagos who could not 

understand why “fellow 

Nigerians” would be opposed 

to independence. 

They were called all sorts of 

names before they left for the 

North. A retaliatory move by 

Northern leaders after the 

adjournment on March 31, 1953 

self-government motion, came 

during the tour of the Northern 

Region by the AG led by Chief 

S. L. Akintola; it was viewed by 

Northerners as an invasion of 

another man’s territory. It was 

while Akintola and his group 

were in Kano that a riot broke 

out. Several people lost their 

lives while many were 

wounded. After the crisis, the 

NPC members issued an “eightpoint-programme” 

to the 

colonial government to the 

FEEDBACK 


effect that until their demands 

were met, they would not return 

to the House in Lagos. The 

demands spelt confederacy. 

By the time Nigeria became 

free in 1960, Awolowo, whose 

party moved the motion for 

independence in 1953 that was 

opposed by the North was 

seated among ex-servicemen at 

independence dinner and by 

1962 was already thrown into 

jail. 

By 1966, events already 

peaked with the first coup on 

January 15 led by some junior 

officers who were dissatisfied 

with the state of the country. The 

coup eliminated political 

leaders mainly from the North 

and West. The dominant 

presence of Eastern officers 

among the leaders of the coup 

made Northern officers to 

conclude that the coup was 

planned against the North and 

they immediately started to 

plan a revenge coup which they 

staged on July 29, 1966. 

Diplomatic 

officials 

They codenamed the coup 

operation “Araba”(Hausa word 

for let’s divide it). And for 48 

hours after the coup there was 

no government in Nigeria as 

Northern officers were bent on 

pulling out of Nigeria. It took 

efforts of American and British 

diplomatic officials and the top 

of bureaucracy to convince 

them to stay within the country. 

They initially said they were 

going to blow up the Central 

Bank of Nigeria when they 

were told that the money that 

would be used to service their 

government if they broke away 

was locked in that place. By the 

time they agreed to remain in 

Nigeria they had destroyed the 

army for ever as rank and file 

soldiers from the North would 

no longer take instruction from 

Re: Godwin Obaseki: My man of the year 

Dear Yinka, 

THANK you for nominating 

Governor Obaseki as your 

man of the year. I also join you 

to nominate Obaseki as my man 

of the year 2019 for the reasons 

you gave and more. 

In your well written article, 

you made the following, among 

other reasons, for declaring him 

as the man of the year. 

1. Godfatherism is a form of 

political corruption in which an 

influential member of the party 

climbs to leadership. Permit me 

to add that it also ensures that 

loyalty of elected members is to 

the godfather and not to the 

people who elected the godson. 

It also ensures that cash 

(corruption) is the determinant 

of election not votes. 

2. You identified the 

predatory behaviour of 

godfathers in many states in the 

country in the last 20 years. (a) 

You gave the examples of Chris 

Uba and Chris Ngige; (b) The 

case of Ladoja and Adedibu 

where Ladoja had to “surrender 

to the authority of Adedibu to 

unseat Lam Adesina in 2003” 

at the peak of which crisis 

Adedibu boasted on TV thus: “I 

asked him (Ladoja) to let us 

share his security vote and he 

refused. Now, he knows that I 

am the major insecurity in the 

state”. 

3.You argued that the 

godfathers have not relented 

even when none of them had 

had it easy all through as 

political office holders 

continued to pander to them to 

get what they want. This shows 

the qualities of these 

godfathers; 

4. That Governor Godwin 

Obaseki who used to be his 

political boy is now looking 

eyeball to eyeball and is poised 

to wrestle him to the ground 

with sweat all over him. You 

came to the above conclusion 

based on Tinubu, Fashola and 

Ambode in Lagos State. 

I am particularly pleased to 

note that the Deputy Governor 

of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, 

was reported to have said “our 

people have spoken loud and 

clear that they believe in 

democracy, they just don’t want 

to be beneficiaries, they want to 

be the drivers of the process.” 

Governor Obaseki himself in 

JANUARY 14, 2020 — 17 

very senior officers from the 

South. Brigadier Ogundipe 

who was the most senior officer 

in the army had a swift dialogue 

with his feet. By then the 

rebellious officers from the 

North had insisted the most 

senior among them, Lt-Col 

Yakubu Gowon would be the 

new Head of State above his 

seniors from the South. 

Events moved from there until 

the Republic of Biafra was 

declared and we fought a war 

in which millions of lives were 

wasted. 

As we mark the 50th 

anniversary of the “end” of that 

war, we are frenetically 

manipulating our fault lines 

that led to the last civil war; it is 

the worst exclusive use of power 

that has never been seen in this 

country before. Today we have 

the three arms of government 

headed by core Northerners, 

with 15 out of 17 service chiefs 

in Nigeria from the North. All 

heads of anything that has to 

do with money, except the 

CBN, are from the North: 

Ministry of Finance, Customs, 

NPA, FIRS, AMCON, etc. 

Once any Fowler is taken out 

now, a Nami must replace him. 

There are no more pretenses. 

It is in-your-face impunity 

bordering on extreme 

provocations that makes all look 

like the immediate pre-1994 

days in Rwanda. Can those 

behind all we are going through 

step back and ask just one 

question: where is the coalition 

that fought the last war? 

The honest answer is that it 

has collapsed for ever. The very 

reason why nobody should 

drive the country to another war 

ever again as it would be 

decisive and fought on different 

fronts with different goals. 

A negotiated settlement that 

understands our differences is 

the best way out. Its other name 

is federalism. 

the Vanguard of January 3, 2020 

said that “my pact with the 

citizens of the state is to defend 

their interest and to end 

godfatherism - which threatens 

the democratic right of the 

people.” 

For the above reasons, I also 

“elect” Governor Godwin 

Obaseki as my Man of the Year 

2019. In the hope that vicechancellors 

and professors who 

are to conduct elections this year 

for office of governors will spare 

the people of Edo State what 

happened in Ekiti and Osun 

with the connivance of the 

intelligence and security units 

who do not believe in 

democracy. 

We, the people of Edo State, 

will resist as the people in Rivers 

did when attempts were made 

to make the value of one man, 

one vote irrelevant so as to 

promote Sharia. As Governor 

Obaseki has said, Edo like 

Rivers State is a Christian state 

and democracy is preferred for 

its inclusiveness not 

totalitarianism of the alternative. 

God bless. 

Solomon Asemota, SAN 

Benin City . 

C 

M 

Y 

K


THE 2019 general elections took 

place barely 10 months ago, and those 

declared winners were installed a little 

over six months ago. Yet, it seems the 

politics of the next general election 

year 2023 is already in play. 

One of the founders of the ruling 

All Progressives Congress, APC, 

Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is 

reportedly eyeing the presidency, 

come 2023, visited Aso Villa last week 

and told newsmen that it was too early 

to be talking about the next election 

because “the time is not now”. 

However, this opinion does not 

derogate from the fact that some 

groups have been openly campaigning 

for him to succeed Buhari come 2023. 

There is this notion that in a 

democracy there should be times for 

politics and governance. We have just 

done with intensive politics, it is now 

time to deliver electoral promises to 

the people through focused 

2023 politicking in 2020 

governance. There is no beating this 

logic. 

But several factors are responsible 

for this seeming early start. Most 

Nigerian politicians and their 

supporters do nothing else but politics. 

That is how they earn their living and 

make their wealth. Downtime politics 

means no business, no money. This is 

why busybodies are campaigning even 

for putative candidates who are still 

smarting from the bruises of the 2019 

elections. 

Secondly, the question of succession 

to the presidency in 2023 requires 

some clear answers. It helps very 

much that Buhari has assured he 

would no longer be contesting when 

his tenure ends in 2023. He has said 

the right thing, but we must all hold 

him to this. 

Also, the issue of power rotation 

between North and South is not settled 

in the major parties – the APC and 

the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. 

It is difficult to stop people from 

wanting to know which way the cat 

should jump. Talking about it will help 

in generating broad national 

consensuses around these relevant 

political issues. 

We see nothing wrong in engaging 

in robust discussions around 

succession 2023, both at presidential 

and gubernatorial levels. But we must 

not allow the heat of politics to distract 

those we just elected a few months ago 

to lose focus in governance. They, in 

particular, must guard against 

distraction. 

The worst kind of distraction is if 

clear successors become known this 

early in the political cycle. It will 

render those we just elected early 

lame-ducks. 

We advise President Buhari that, 

having concretely disavowed the 

tenure extension hoax, he should 

return our collective attention to 

efforts to rebuild the economy and our 

national infrastructure, secure the 

country and rid the system of 

corruption. 

We expect the President and the 

Governors to start commissioning the 

projects they built in the past four 

years and touch the lives of the people 

in a meaningful manner. 

THIS House Has Fallen- 

Nigeria In Crisis is a 327-page book 

written by Mr. Karl Maier who lived in 

Nigeria as a foreign correspondent for two 

years, from 1991-1993, and returned often 

on reporting assignments. 

According to him, he had inputs in writing 

the book from Chris Alagoa, Richard 

Dowden, Yomi Edu, Anthony Goldman, Phil 

Hall, Michael Holman, Nick Ashton-Jones, 

Peter Cunliffe-Jones, Bill Knight, Abidina 

Coomasi, Father Matthew Kukah, Dr. 

Suleiman Kumo, Bashir Kurfi, Dr. Beko 

Ransome-Kuti, Clement Nwankwo, Nduka 

Obaigbena, Barnaby Phillips, Patrick Smith, 

Olukayode Sokoya, Mathew Tostevin, Bala 

Usman, William Wallis and his two angels; 

Ken Wiwa, Simon Yohanna and Kabiru 

Yusuf. 

Maier quoted, in the book, Professor Wole 

Soyinka, Professor Chinua Achebe, Major 

General Ishola Williams (retd.), Bobo Brown 

of Shell Petroleum Development Company 

and the Publisher of City People magazine, 

Mr. Seye Kehinde. The book was published 

in 2000 by the Penguin Books. 

Since the publication there have been 

reactions on the book. Mr. Nicolas Okpe 

said “the book is typical post-colonial 

prejudice by Western journalists”. The book 

x-rays Nigeria’s past and present problems. 

The major issues missing in the book were 

kidnapping and Boko Haram; if not one 

would think the book was written just last 

week. 

No doubt one may not agree with what 

the Western world is saying about Nigeria 

judging by their failing leadership and 

noting that most problems that have affected 

Nigeria today were created by the 

colonialists themselves. It helps if we are to 

listen to what others are saying about us, 

OPINION 

This house has fallen 

either right or wrong. Maier was the Africa 

correspondent for The Independent from 

1986 to 1996, and has contributed as well 

to the Washington Post and The Economist. 

In the Preface, Maier declared: “Designed 

by alien occupiers and abused by army rule 

for three-quarters of its life span, the 

Nigerian state is like a battered and bruised 

elephant staggering toward an abyss with 

The human capital is there; 

thousands of Nigerian 

professionals are well 

educated and skilled to drive 

the country forward 

the ground crumbling under its feet. Should 

it fall the impact will shake the rest of West 

Africa”. 

He then added “very little trickles down”. 

In the official arenas of international 

discourse - the United Nations, the World 

Bank, the media - Nigeria is known as a 

“developing nation”, a phrase that conjures 

up images of economic progress of the sort 

experienced by the West or among the Asian 

‘tigers’; Nigeria, like so 

many countries in Africa, 

is patently not a 

developing nation. It is 

under-developing. Its 

people are far worse off 

now than they were 30 

years ago. The 

government spends up to 

half of its annual budget 

on salaries of an 

estimated two million 

federal, state and local 

government workers; 

yet the civil service 

remains paralysed, with connections and 

corruption still the fastest way to get 

anything done. The armed forces are equally 

in shambles. Up to 75 per cent of the army’s 

equipment is broken or missing vital spare 

parts. The Navy’s 52 admirals and 

commodores outnumber serviceable ships 

by ratio of six to one. The air force has 10,000 

men but fewer than 20 functioning aircraft. 

“Colonial Nigeria was designed in 1914 

to serve the British Empire, and the 

independent state serves as a tool of plunder 

by the country’s modern rulers. Nigerians 

spend a good part of their lives trying to get 

the better of the government for their own 

benefit or that of their family, their village, 

or their region. 

“Rare is the head of state who acts on behalf 

of the nation. The people are not so much 

governed as ruled. It is as if they are armed 

and barricaded themselves inside the 

company safe. Nigeria’s leaders, like the 

colonialists before them, have sucked out 

billions of dollars and stashed them in 

Western banks. 

“So far the West has done little to help and 

has often made matters worse. It is 

hypocritical of the West to blame Nigeria 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

for corruption, fraud, and drug running and 

to demand that Nigerians own up to their 

foreign debt, while at the same time 

allowing the funds garnered from such 

nefarious dealings to be deposited in Western 

banks. 

“A man who receives stolen goods is called 

a fence, but what do you call a country that 

is in the business of collecting stolen goods?” 

asked Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, a U.S. 

educated dentist and businessman, while in 

his Lagos office one day. 

“They lend Nigeria money, somebody 

here steals the same amount and gives it 

back to them, and then they leave these poor 

Nigerians repaying what they never owed. 

The role of the Western powers has been 

totally disgraceful.” 

Maier went further to state that: “Nigeria 

could, however, follow another. Its potential 

is huge. Its tremendous wealth, if properly 

channelled, holds out the hope that a stable 

government could unleash the unquestioned 

energy and talent that pulsates through the 

rich ethnic mosaic. 

“The human capital is there. Thousands 

of Nigerian professionals are well educated 

and skilled to drive the country forward. 

Anyone who has visited Nigeria’s markets 

and witnessed its people endure the 

constraints of bad government and the 

sinking economy can testify to the country’s 

resilience. 

“Among its writers it boasts a Nobel 

laureate, Wole Soyinka; the Booker Prize 

winner Ben Okri; Chinua Achebe, whose 

Things Fall Apart is arguably Africa’s best 

piece of postcolonial literature, and rising 

young talents such as the playwright Biyi 

Bandele Thomas. Nigerian professors grace 

university campuses across the United States 

and the world. 

Continues next week

CBN disburses N15bn to farmers 

under CACS in 12mths 

By Babajide Komolafe 

The Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) disbursed N15 billion 

to farmers in the 12 months ending 

November 2019 under its 

Commercial Agriculture Credit 

Scheme (CACS). 

This however represents 77 

percent decline when compared 

to the N66 billion disbursed to 

farmers under the scheme in the 

preceding 12 months ending November 

2018. 

Similarly, the number of new 

agricultural projects that received 

funding under the scheme 

dropped by 56 percent to 20 in 

the 12 months ending November 

2019 from 46 in the preceding 12 

months period. 

Introduced in 2009, the scheme 

was designed to fast-track the 

development of the agricultural 

sector of the Nigerian economy 

by providing credit facilities to 

large-scale commercial farmers at 

a single digit interest rate. 

The scheme is financed through 

a N200billion bond raised by the 

Debt Management Office 

(DMO). Loans to eligible entities 

under the scheme are disbursed 

at a maximum interest of nine 

percent. 

Vanguard Financial Vanguard 

analysis of the monthly 

economic reports of the CBN 

showed that, the amount disbursed 

to farmers since inception 

of the scheme rose to N611.5 billion 

as at November 2019, from 

N596.44 billion as at November 

2018. This implies that N15.06 

billion was disbursed to farmers 

during the 12 months period ending 

November 2019. 

Also the number of projects financed 

under the scheme rose 

to 596 as at November 2019 from 

576 as at November 2018, indicating 

that 20 new projects were 

financed during the 12 months 

ending November 2019. 

Meanwhile, farmers have so far 

repaid N384.41 billion of the 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$ 115.40 -3.55 

$2,587.00 -2.00 

$14.15 0.08 

$12.18 

$64.29 -0.69 

$58.29 -0.75 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

396.756 397.4044 398.0528 

340.2776 340.8337 341.3898 

314.6663 315.1805 315.6947 

2.7849 2.7895 2.794 

0.4982 0.5082 0.5182 

421.3338 422.0223 422.7109 

44.3828 44.4558 44.5287 

81.5475 81.6808 81.8141 

423.5266 424.2187 424.9109 

45.5445 45.619 45.6934 

21.2827 21.3175 21.3523 

CBN Exchange rate as at 13/01/2020 

loans received under the scheme 

as at November 2019. 

According to the CBN Economic 

report for November, “In 

November 2019, the sum of N1.07 

billion was disbursed to three (3) 

projects under the Commercial 

Agriculture Credit Scheme 

(CACS). Thus, the total sum released 

to the economy, under the 


Scheme from inception in 2009 to 

date, stood at N611.50 billion, in 

respect of 596 projects. In November 

2019, sixty-two (62) projects 

repaid the sum of N8.15 billion, 

of which payment by fifty-nine 

(59) projects were steady repayments, 

while three (3) projects 

were full repayments. The repayments 

brought the cumulative repayment 

under CACS from inception 

in 2009 to N384.41 billion. 

Analysis of the number of projects 

financed under the CACS by 

value chain indicated, that of the 

596 CACS sponsored projects, 

production accounted for 61.6 per 

cent and dominated the activities 

funded, while processing accounted 

for 27.7 per cent. These 

were followed by storage, input 

supplies and marketing, which 

accounted for 4.7 per cent, 3.3 

per cent and 2.7 per cent, respectively” 

Dr. Laila Umar Ibrahim, (2nd right) daughter of Alh Umaru Ibrahim, the MD/CE of Nigeria 

Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, (1st right) who was awarded the 2018 “Best Performing 

Staff” at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) at a special 

ceremony at the Emir’s Palace, Kano. Also pictured are Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi 

Umar Ganduje (centre), Alh Aliyu Yakasai the recipient’s husband (2nd left) and her mother, 

Mrs.Alawiyya Umar (1st left). 

Nigeria, UK move to boost N2.3trn bilateral 

trade 

By Babajide Komolafe 

Nigeria and the United King 

dom (UK) have commenced 

measures to boost bilateral trade 

between the two countries which 

reached N2.3 trillion in 2018. 

Disclosing this at a press briefing 

in Lagos yesterday, British 

Deputy High Commissioner, 

Nigeria, Harriet 

Thompson, said part of 

these measures include 

the inaugural U.K Africa 

Investment Summit, designed 

to showcase the 

investment opportunities 

in Nigeria. 

The summit, she said 

is about exposing the 

real and genuine opportunity 

that exists in Nigeria. 

Speaking further, Thompson 

said: “The UK- 

Africa Investment Summit 

is a major opportunity 

to support growth, 

development and job 

creation in Nigeria, including 

President 

Buhari’s commitment to 

expanding agriculture 

and manufacturing.” 

“Nigeria will be highly 

visible, the only country 

to participate in every 

AIS event, and Nigeria’s 

companies will be out in 

force. One in seven of 

the African companies attending 

will be Nigerian. Every session 

of the summit will feature Nigerian 

participants. We want them 

to come back with new partnerships 

that will boost investment 

and create jobs and sustainable 

economic growth in Nigeria 

“This is a prime opportunity for 

Nigeria to make its pitch to quality 

British companies and investors, 

demonstrating not only the 

scale and breadth of commercial 

opportunities here in Nigeria, but 

also Government’s commitment to 

improving the business environment. 

Global competition for investment 

is fierce. Nigeria will 

need to compete for its share, 

addressing those areas that businesses 

still find a challenge, 

such as customs and tax procedures. 

“The UK Government 

stands ready to assist, and to 

bring our companies here to be 

part of the growth story we want 

to see. That’s ultimately the goal 

of the summit: to attract investors 

for the mutual benefit of Nigeria 

and the UK.” 

NSE gets SEC’s approval for final stages of becoming a 

public entity •Restitutes recoveries of N1.44bn shares for investors in 2019 

By Peter Egwuatu & Nkiruka 

Nnorom 

The Nigerian Stock Exchange 

NSE has gotten the Securities 

and Exchange Commission, SEC’s 

final clearance for the final stages 

for the process of its transformation 

to a public entity, otherwise known 

as demutualisation process. 

The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, 

Mr. Oscar Onyema disclosed this 

yesterday during the presentation 

of 2019 stock market recap 

and 2020 outlook, stressing that the 

Exchange is committed to 

demutualisation process in order to 

comply with global best practice. 

He also disclosed that the Exchange 

facilitated restitution and 

recoveries of N1.436 billion worth 

of shares for investors in 2019. 

Onyema also stated that the NSE 

will work closely with the SEC and 

Economic, Financial Crime Commission, 

EFCC to fight unethical 

conduct of market operators that 

is meant to tarnish market confidence 

of investors. 

He said: “The NSE has received 

‘No Objection’ from SEC just recently. 

Having met the necessary 

requirements of the SEC, the Exchange 

has obtained a letter if No 

Objection to enable us proceed to 

the final stages of the 

demutualisation process. We will 

pursue the remaining process vigorously 

as all stakeholders would 

be involved. We will continue to 

sensitise stakeholders and its effects. 

There will be a court ordered 

meeting and many other things 

as we proceed.” 

Continuing, he said:” In terms 

of market surveillance we will 

Investdata’s 10 

golden stocks 

returns 13.37% 

By Peter Egwuatu 

Investdata Consulting Lim 

ited, an investment and 

wealth creation firm said that 

its 10 predictable golden 

stocks have yielded 13.7 percent 

returns on the average in 

five weeks, from December 9, 

2019 to Friday, January 10, 

2020. 

The firm said: “Within the 

period, the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange returned 9.53 percent 

opening at 26,855.52 basis 

points, bps and closing at 

29,415.39bps.” 

The firm also disclosed that 

in its determination to ensure 

that more Nigerians better understand 

the dynamics of 

stock market investing and 

the economy, it would hold a 

summit in Abuja and Port 

Harcourt, titled “ Invest 2020 

Opportunities & Trade Ideas” 

scheduled to kick off January 

18 and February 8, 2020 respectively. 

According to Investdata 

Consulting: “The Lagos leg 

of the summit was held on December 

7, 2019 with experts 

educating participants 

through trading strategies for 

picking best stocks in good or 

bad times; critical chart patterns 

for pinpointing stocks 

that will soar in 2020, how to 

identify opportunities in 

stocks, Exchange Traded 

Funds, Fixed income and commodities 

markets under any 

environment, among others.” 

The Abuja and Port Harcourt 

summit, according to Ambrose 

Omordion, Chief Research 

Officer of Investdata Consulting 

Ltd, “will help participants 

take advantage of the 

upcoming earnings season, 

dividend game plan and other 

investment opportunities in 

2020. Investors will also be 

taken through investment 

analysis and theses behind the 

various ideas; understanding 

the changing economy and 

trend for profitable investment; 

and how successful Value 

Fund Managers research into 

and evaluate companies. 

“There will also be exclusive 

insights and actionable value 

strategies from world-class 

professional Traders, just as 

participants will understand 

more about using Investdata 

“Buy & Sell Signal” setup 

strategies and research tools 

for optimum returns.” 

work closely with SEC and 

EFCC to ensure we prosecute 

erring operators in order to 

sanitise and increase market confidence. 

“On investor protection, 

pursuant to the Exchange’s strategic 

focus on investors’ protection, 

the NSE facilitated restitutions 

and recoveries of shares 

worth N1.436 billion for investors 

in 2019.” 

Looking at the future, the NSE 

CEO said: “Domestically, market 

sentiments may be buoyed 

by a steady and stable recovery 

in the domestic economy, alongside 

continued sustainability in 

monetary policy. The signing into 

law of Nigeria’s Finance bill 2019 

and implementation of the 2020 

budget may have a positive impact 

on companies’ earnings as 

well as consumer spending.



JANUARY 14, 2020 — 21

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

Lack of PIB threatens FG's 40 bbls reserves by 2025 — 

. 

Investigation One billion barrels yearly additional oil not achievable 

.Reserves stagnate at over 37bn barrels 

By Udeme Akpan & Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

THE Federal Government’s 

moves to add one million 

barrels yearly to Nigeria’s oil 

reserves, targeted at increasing 

the nation’s total reserves from 

about 37 billion to 40 billion 

barrels by 2025, have been 

threatened mainly because of 

lack of Petroleum Industry Bill, 

PIB. 

The plan was earlier set for 

realisation by 2020, but shifted 

forward because of the inability 

to complete work on the PIB, a 

comprehensive legislation 

targeted at overhauling the 

petroleum industry, entrenching 

efficiency and transparency and 

bringing operations in line with 

international standards. 

However, investigation by 

Vanguard indicated that the new 

target is also under threat, as 

operators, including International 

Oil Companies, IOCs, and their 

indigenous counterparts have 

not started to do much toward 

bringing planned projects to 

fruition. 

In an interview with Vanguard, 

managing director of a major 

company, who preferred not to 

be named, said: “The PIB should 

have been completed before 

now to attract investments. I 

know of companies that have 

gone to invest heavily in Angola, 

Ghana and even in East African 

nations. Nevertheless, we have 

decided to wait because the 

Minister of State for Petroleum 

Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, 

had given us assurances. 

“We do base our operations on 

such assurances; but will wait for 

the PIB before deciding on the 

next steps for our proposed oil 

and gas projects in Nigeria. It 

should be noted that oil and gas 

require long-term investments, 

ranging from medium to long 

term planning and collaboration 

with many people and 

organisations, including 

consultants, technical partners 

and financiers. We need to tap 

into new opportunities in Nigeria 

and the PIB, would be one of the 

main determinants. 

“We intend to wait, even if it takes 

a much longer time to complete 

work on the PIB. But it should be 

stressed that this would also 

prolong the time required for oil 

companies to decide on new 

projects to push forward, mobilise 

funds, and take Final Investment 

Decisions, FID, before moving 

ahead to implement them in order 

to add to the nation’s reserves.” 

Executive 

Investigation by Vanguard 

showed that the National 

Assembly, whose members are 

currently on vacation, has not 

started work on the PIB. 

Minister of State for Petroleum 

Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, 

could not be reached for 

comments, over the weekend, 

but in his new year message, 

Sylva had said: “The Petroleum 

Industry Bill (PIB) is now at an 

advanced stage and the bill 

would be passed by the middle 

of this year.” 

National Assembly 

There are strong indications that 

the Executive and Legislature 

have not started to work 

toward the PIB. In an interview 

with Vanguard, Mr Ossai Nicholas 

Ossai, Chairman, House of 

Representatives Committee on 

Treaties and member 

representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani 

Federal Constituency of Delta 

State said it would be passed in 

the first quarter, January – March, 

2020. 

He said: “I don’t know whether 

the committee has been 

constituted already because 

you know it an adhoc committee 

that does that, including some 

members of the Petroleum 

Upstream Committee. The 

speaker has already said it is first 

agenda on the line as soon as 

the House resumes from 

vacation. 

“I think the Speaker and the 

Senate President made it clear 

that it is one of the priority bills 

that will pass first or second 

quarter of this year. I think we 

are on the same page with the 

Executive arm on the bill. It has 

dragged because the president 

believes that his powers had been 

whittled down. The president is 

righting to retain his powers.” 

On the powers of each party, he 

Oil facility 

said: “Well, the most important 

thing is that there would be a 

synergy, give and take, which 

what the politics is all about. The 

legislature is making sure that 

there will be complete 

transparency where the 

Executive cannot inhibit the 

process of governance. I think 

that is what the legislature wants 

but the Executive wants to retain 

their power. It is a fight of the 

executive against the people.” 

In another telephone interview 

with Vanguard, over the weekend, 

Sen. Godiya Akwashiki, 

Chairman, Senate Committee on 

Media and Public Affairs, said: “I 

do not know why Nigerians are 

speculating on when the PIB will 

be passed or not, especially when 

it has not yet been presented to 

the current Senate. 

“They should wait for the PIB to 

be presented to the current Senate 

and we take it from there. The fact 

Nigeria to contribute 35% of Africa's oil, gas pipeline 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THERE are indications that 

Nigeria is expected to 

contribute around 35 per cent of 

Africa's total planned oil and gas 

new-build trunk/transmission 

pipeline length additions 

THE average price 

of Organisation of 

Petroleum Exporting 

countries, OPEC’s basket 

of fourteen crudes in the 

past one week averaged 

$68.88 compared with 

$68.35 recorded the 

previous week. 

According to OPEC’s 

calculation, the highest 

price of crude was 

recorded on January 06, 

2020, which averaged 

$70.89 per barrel, while 

the lowest price for the 

period under review 

averaged $67.04 

is that if any bill was presented 

and discussed by the 8th National 

Assembly, but not completed or 

accented to by the President, it has 

to be presented again. 

“This means that PIB will have to 

go through the normal process 

of first reading, second reading, 

committee review, public 

hearing among others. This 

explains why we should not 

start to put time frame to it; the 

most important thing is that the 

current National Assembly is 

committed to it.” 

Past promises 

From former Presidents Musa 

Yar’Adua to Olusegun Obasanjo 

and Goodluck Jonathan – led 

administrations, many 

government officials, including 

ministers and former group 

managing directors of NNPC, had 

made similar promises and failed 

to deliver the new legislation to 

Nigerians. 

between 2019 and 2023, 

according to GlobalData, a data 

and analytics company. 

The company's latest report, 

'Global Planned Oil and Gas 

Pipelines Industry Outlook to 

2023, Capacity and Capital 

Expenditure Outlook with 

Details of All Planned Pipelines', 

stated that Nigeria is expected 

to provide 6601.5 km of newbuild 

pipeline by 2023. 

It added that most of the 

additions will constitute natural 

gas, at 6460 km, while crude oil 

pipelines will account for 142 

km. 

Varun Ette, Oil and Gas Analyst 

at GlobalData, said "In Nigeria, 

11 new-build pipelines are 

expected to start by 2023. Of 

these, eight are planned projects 

and the remaining three are 

from early-stage announced 

projects. Trans Saharan Gas is 

the longest upcoming pipeline 

Implications 

Experts said the implication is that 

Nigeria’s petroleum industry may 

remain unchanged in the next few 

years. 

In the past few months, OPEC’s 

records showed that Nigeria’s rig 

count have hovered at between 

15 and 17, indicating that 

exploration and production 

remain low in the country, in 

relation to other countries. 

In the midstream and 

downstream, things are not 

better, as the poor state of the 

refineries have compelled NNPC, 

to embark on massive 

importation to meet domestic 

demand. 

In his agenda-setting email to 

Vanguard, chairman, Petroleum 

Technology Association of Nigeria, 

PETAN, Mazi Bank-Anthony 

Okoroafor, stated: “The new 

Minister of State should work with 

the National Assembly, the chief 

of staff and critical stakeholders to 

complete work on the PIB. 

in the country with a length of 

4400 km. This announced natural 

gas pipeline is expected to start 

operations in 2021." 

Niger has the second highest 

new-build pipeline additions in 

Africa with two new-build 

pipelines, Niger-Benin and 

Zinder-Torodi pipelines are 

expected to start operations with 

lengths of 1980 km and 1070 km, 

respectively by 2023. 

Niger-Benin is a crude oil 

pipeline, while Zinder-Torodi is 

a petroleum products pipeline. 

Ette noted that "Followed by 

Niger, Algeria is expected to add 

2007.3 km of infrastructure from 

five planned and two early-stage 

announced pipelines by 2023. 

Haoud El Hamra-Bejaia II is the 

major upcoming pipeline in the 

country with a length of 667.7 

km. The crude oil pipeline is 

expected to start operations in 

2022." 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 —23 

LAUNCH: The Anambra State Commissioner for Public Utilities, Hon. Engr. Emeka 

Ezenwanne, who represented the Executive Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, unveiling Community 

Empowerment Program at the launch in company of the Head, Health, Safety & Environment, 

EEDC, Engr. Francis Iwu. 

Global oil demand hits 1.26MBD 

— S&P Platts 

By Sebastine Obasi 

GLOBAL oil demand growth 

is accelerating to 1.26 

million barrels per day (MMB/ 

D) in 2020, up from 0.95 MMB/ 

D growth in 2019, with growth 

expected in all regions except 

Western Europe and Japan, S&P 

Global Platts, the leading 

independent provider of 

information, analysis and 

benchmark prices for commodities 

and energy markets, stated in 

their 2020 outlook, just released. 

About 20 percent of that 

projected growth in oil demand 

is associated with the 

International Maritime 

Orgamisatio, IMO, bunker-fuel 

specification change, which will 

push high-sulfur fuel oil, no 

longer allowed for use in 

maritime shipping, into power 

generation, requiring more 

middle distillates and low-sulfur 

fuel oil to satisfy demand in the 

shipping sector. Demand growth 

will be increasingly reliant on 

emerging economies and led by 

distillates in 2020. Jet fuel 

demand is forecast to rise by 

140,000 b/d. In addition, it may 

benefit from the return of the 737 

Max airline fleet, which curtailed 

airline demand by as much as 1 

percent in 2019. Weather is set 

to become more prominent in 

setting energy demand. Despite 

a rosier outlook for the global 

economy, supported by a weaker 

dollar and more constructive 

trade talks, weather will have a 

greater impact on energy 

commodity demand, the report 

stated. Heating and cooling can 

swing demand significantly as 

total global energy consumption 

grows, and agriculture cycles 

(monsoons, flooding, and 

drought) affect harvests and 

climate events (hurricanes and 

typhoons) affect economic activity. 

Oil prices 

The report also stated that low 

oil inventories, deeper 

Organisation of Petroleum 

Exporting Countries, OPEC-plus 

output cuts and IMO 2020 will see 

crude oil prices rise in early 2020, 

with the price influence of IMO 

2020 expected to peak in March- 

May. This strength will likely 

enable Brent to break above $65/ 

barrel, before falling back to the 

Nigeria is gearing up for growth in oil, gas sector - SHIN 

Stories by Ediri Ejoh 

THE Managing Director of 

Samsung Heavy Industries 

Nigeria (SHIN) Limited, 

operator of Africa’s leading 

marine fabrication and 

integration yard in Lagos, Mr. 

Jeijin Jeon, has predicted robust 

economic growth for Nigeria. 

He described SHIN as a 

leading player in the West 

African oil and gas sector, with a 

cutting-edge marine fabrication 

and integration yard located in 

Lagos. 

“Our parent company, 

Samsung Heavy Industries, is 

based in Geoje, Korea and is one 

of the world’s leading 

shipbuilders and a leader in 

servicing the offshore oil and gas 

industry. 

“We at SHIN have always 

considered ourselves part of 

global organisation, serving 

clients all over the world. As a 

result, the quality of work we 

deliver, the goals we set for 

ourselves, the way we envision 

the future – are always guided 

by world-class standards and 

expectations,” he explained. 

Jeon disclosed that this 

heritage drove the company to 

choose Nigeria as the location for 

its first construction facility 

outside Korea. 

According to him, Nigeria’s 

location and economic growth 

make for a strong business case, 

adding however, that what really 

persuaded the company was the 

enormous human capital Nigeria 

possesses. 

He noted that harnessing 

Nigeria’s potential together with 

its local partners would help 

place Nigeria on the global map. 

“We are not alone in our 

observations. In its recently 

published African Energy 

Outlook Report 2020, the African 

Energy Chamber outlined 

Africa’s growing demand for 

energy which is being met by 

new oil & gas resources coming 

online. As the African continent 

continues to urbanise, the 

demand for power 

increases,”Jeon explained. 

He said in order to meet the 

surge in Africa’s energy 

demand, domestic policymakers 

aim to encourage 

operators and contractors to rely 

more heavily on local industry 

players for services and 

supplies, supported by local 

content regulations across the 

continent. 

Jeon acknowledged the efforts 

of the Executive Secretary of the 

Nigerian Content Development 

and Monitoring Board 

(NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, 

in pushing to expand the 

Nigerian Local Content Act into 

new sectors of the economy, 

including power, construction 

and ICT. 

According to him, this also 

presents a tremendous 

opportunity for natural gas as a 

power generation resource in 

areas which lack some of the 

needed infrastructure. 

He called on the leading 

international companies in Africa 

to support the domestic industry 

through investment capital, 

training and knowledge transfer. 

“I say this from experience, 

having led SHIN’s efforts to 

construct the flagship of the 

Nigerian offshore oil sector, the 

Egina FPSO. Before the Egina 

project, most maritime 

construction for African oil and 

gas projects took place outside of 

Africa. The Egina proved that 

strict local content rules can work 

and produce international quality 

results. Following the Egina 

FOLLOWING the signing 

of the Final Investment 

Decision (FID) on the NLNG 

Train 7 project, the Bonny 

Kingdom Local Content and 

Compliance Committee 

(BKLCCC) has commended the 

Federal Government and 

Nigeria LNG for walking the 

talk. 

The Chairman of the 

BKLCCC, Amaopusenibo 

Opuada Willie-Pepple at a press 

briefing in Port-Harcourt said, 

"The signing of the FID is 

quite commendable and has 

broken all barriers and 

impediments to the 

commencement of the 

construction of the NLNG 

seventh Train in Bonny 

Kingdom". 

Willie-Pepple further stated 

that, "Bonny Kingdom has kept 

the peace and provided the 

enabling environment for the 

low $60s/barrel by end-2020 as 

IMO support fades. West Texas 

Intermediate (WTI) crude will 

likely break through $60/barrel in 

early 2020, before dropping back 

to the high-$50s/barrel, it stated. 

According to the report, the impact 

of IMO 2020 will favour sweet 

This will result in Dubai sour 

crude trading at a premium, 

squeezing Asian refinery margins 

and narrowing the Brent-Dubai 

spread. Overall refinery margins 

will strengthen in 2020, driven by 

strong gasoil prices due to 

enhanced demand for distillates. 

However, Asian simple-refinery 

margins will be negative, 

reducing exports of gasoil to the 

West and tightening European 

inventories. This will require 

stronger simple-refinery margins 

in Europe to balance demand. 

The overbuild of refinery capacity 

in Asia and trend towards crudeto-chemicals 

refineries will 

ultimately narrow Asian refinery 

and petrochemicals margins as the 

current golden age of refining 

comes to an end in 2020. 

Geopolitical factors 

The report cautioned that 

geopolitical risks to oil supply will 

remain elevated in 2020, as both 

the United States and Iran 

continue their maximum pressure 

campaigns. Sanctions relief looks 

unlikely before the November 2020 

US presidential election, although 

US sanctions policy has proven 

unpredictable. Libya, Iraq and 

Nigeria remain as identifiable 

downside production risk in 2020. 

For the United Kingdom, the 

looming general election and its 

repercussions for Brexit remain a 

key risk, with implications for the 

UK's participation in the European 

Union Emissions Trading Scheme 

and UK's overall carbon price. 

project, we are now focusing on 

leveraging our experience in local 

content and vessels for the oil ane 

gas sector to complete work for 

other Nigerian oil fields such as 

Bonga South-west and the HI- 

Block project. 

We are also committed to 

supporting the development of 

LNG projects by constructing 

Floating LNG platforms. This will 

help countries develop gas-topower 

projects to meet rising 

electricity demand while also 

reducing wasteful gas flaring. 

construction of six Trains 

without any hitches or 

community interference. And it 

is this enabling environment 

that has given the investors the 

confidence to reinvest in the 

construction of a seventh Train. 

"While we reaffirm our 

commitment to continue to 

guarantee the enabling 

environment for the generation 

of petrogas dollars and 

revenues to NLNG and FG, we 

sincerely hope and pray that 

Train 7 will also lead to 

economic prosperity for Bonny 

Kingdom and her people". 

Remarking on the processes 

leading to the signing of the 

FID, he said, "so far so good, 

the Committee's work begins 

now in earnest and we look 

forward to seeing more 

collaborations from all 

stakeholders. Transparency in 

Seplat puts 

smiles on 

faces of Imo 

flood victims 

SEPLAT 

Petroleum 

Development Company 

Plc, a leading indigenous 

independent oil and gas 

company, has again 

demonstrated a commendable 

gesture in fulfilling its corporate 

Social Responsibility (CSR) by 

bringing smiles to those 

impacted by the recent floods 

in some parts of Imo State. The 

company donated a truck load 

of relief materials worth millions 

of naira to displaced victims of 

recent flood disaster in the state. 

It could be recalled that in the 

third quarter of 2019 no fewer 

than 15 communities were 

submerged by flood in the 

riverine and oil-producing local 

government areas of Ohaji 

Egbema and Oguta in Imo 

State; some of which include: 

Mmahu, Etekuru, Obiaakpu, 

Abor, Oguta I and II, Ezi Orsu, 

Orsu Obodo, Umuorji, 

Abacheke, amongst others. The 

State Governor, Rt Honourable 

Emeka Ihedioha CON, who 

received the company with his 

Deputy, Hon. Gerald Irona and 

other top government 

functionaries, welcomed 

Seplat's kind gesture. He said 

the state government 

appreciates SEPLAT's sense of 

collaboration and fulfillment of 

its corporate social 

responsibility. He assured the 

company that Imo state will 

provide an enabling 

environment for a continued 

robust partnership. Dr. Chioma 

Nwachuku, General Manager 

External Affairs and 

Communications, SEPLAT, 

while presenting the relief items 

comprising bags of rice, 

mattresses, groundnut oil and 

mosquito nets, said the 

Company is happy to 

complement the efforts of the 

Imo State government in 

providing succour to the 

displaced victims of the flood 

with its donation. 

BKLCCC commends FG, NLNG for taking FID on Train 7 

and adherence to the 

implementation of Nigeria 

Content Development and 

Monitoring Board's ( 

NCDMB) Host Community 

Content Guideline, and the 

opening up of other 

opportunities for host 

community contractors to play 

big in the Train 7 project is 

vital". 

Willie-Pepple added that, 

"Bonny Kingdom has 

sacrificed a lot for Nigeria, and 

as such Train 7 should be 

approached with an attitude of 

maximizing the benefits for 

the Kingdom". 

It would be recalled that the 

Federal Government 

represented by NNPC and 

NLNG took the Final 

Investment Decision (FID) on 

the Train 7 project in 

December 2019. 

/

24— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

DONATION: L-R: Mr. Emeka Onyeagba, Base Manager, Eastern Asset, Seplat Petroleum 

Development Company Plc; Mr. Ayodele Olatunde, General Manager, Eastern Asset; Dr, Chioma 

Nwachuku, General Manager, External Affairs & Communication; Rt Honourable Emeka 

Ihedioha CON, Governor of Imo State; Mr. Effiong Okon, Operations Director, SEPLAT; and 

Chief Mrs. Nkeiru Ibekwe, Hon. Commissioner of Gender and Vulnerable Groups, Imo, during 

the donation of relief materials to flood victims in Imo State by SEPLAT in Owerri. 

Source: Vanguard’s energy database 

Electricity Tariff hike: FG's double standard 

. Power remains epileptic despite previous tariff review 

By Michael Eboh 

IN December 2015, when 

the Nigerian Electricity 

Regulatory Commission, 

NERC, with the backing of the 

Federal Government, carried 

out the last upward electricity 

tariff review, it told Nigerians 

that the hike in the tariffs would 

bring about stable electricity 

supply and would finally 

resolve the problems of the 

country's power sector. 

Specifically, then Minister of 

Power, Works and Housing, 

Mr. Babatunde Fashola, urged 

Nigerians to comply with the 

upward review and ensure that 

they pay their bills, noting that 

the Nigerian electricity sector 

would record considering 

improvement thereafter. Also, 

the Chairman/Chief Executive 

Officer of the NERC, at that 

time, Dr. Sam Amadi, declared 

that tariff increase would help 

achieve a smooth meter rollout, 

as almost every Nigerian 

would be metered. He further 

stated that the increased tariffs 

would ensure more hours of 

power supply, and reset the 

electricity market, making the 

sector more efficient, bring 

about increased quantities and 

create a market whereby 

customers would be satisfied 

with what they are paying for. 

Previous tariff review 

Up until 2016, the NERC had 

also at various times 

introduced Meter 

Maintenance Fee and Fixed 

Electricity Charges ranging 

from between N750 to N800 

per customer, all with the claim 

that the charges were critical for 

the growth of the industry. Prior 

to the 2015 electricity tariff 

review, the NERC had 

undertaken a review of the 

tariffs in 2012, which increased 

the tariff to N22.62 per kilowatt 

hour of electricity. The tariff was 

also reviewed upward to 

N23.75 per kilowatt hour in 

2014, N26.50 in 2015, before 

the latest review, January 2020, 

which sought to hike tariffs to 

as high as N49.80 per kilowatt 

hour of electricity. 

Paying heavily for darkness 

Fast forward to January 2020, 

a little over four years after the 

last hike in electricity tariffs, 

reports from across the country 

showed that power supply has 

worsened from what it was in 

2015 and the rot had eaten 

deeper into the sector. Majority 

of electricity consumers are still 

at war with the various 

electricity distribution 

companies, DISCOs, for 

meters, which the DISCOs had 

deliberately made a scarce 

commodity; while the 

inefficiencies in the electricity 

sector had hit an all time high. 

Data obtained from the 

Ministry of Power revealed that 

by December 2015, electricity 

supply stood at an average of 

5,000 megawatts daily, today 

however, Nigeria is battling 

with 3,500 megawatts, and 

most households hardly enjoy 

up to eight hours of electricity 

daily. Inefficiency is still 

recorded across all the value 

chain of the electricity sector, 

and Nigerians appear to be 

paying heavily for darkness. 

Despite current realities, TCN projects 20,000MW 

electricity transmission capacity by 2023 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THE 

Transmission 

Company of Nigeria, 

TCN, has said that Nigeria may 

achieve 20,000 MegaWatts, 

MW, in 2023. 

Although, Nigeria's current 

capacity hovers around 

8,100MW but in real term, only 

an average of less than 

4,000WM is wheeled to 

consumers. 

The Managing Director of 

TCN, Usman Mohammed, had 

last year disclosed that Nigeria 

can achieve a wheeling capacity 

of 10,000MW in 2020, which 

remains a mirage. 

But speaking in Abuja on the 

capacity that would be realised 

by implementing the 

Transmission, Rehabilitation and 

Expansion Programme (TREP) 

policy of the company, TCN 

General Manager, Public 

Affairs, Ndidi Mba, said the 

agency has energised another 

brand new 100MVA 132/33kV 

power transformer installed in 

Ogba Transmission Substation 

in Lagos. 

According to Mba, "TCN is 

working assiduously to 

implement the Transmission, 

Rehabilitation, and Expansion 

Programme (TREP) under 

which the capacity of the 

company will be expanded to 

20,000MW by 2023." 

However, there is a need for 

commensurate distribution 

capability to improve supply of 

electricity to consumers, Mba 

noted that the new transformer, 

which was installed under the 

supervision of TCN's engineers 

has increased the capacity of the 

substation from 165MVA to 

265MVA. 

The TCN publicist stated that 

"Prior to the installation of the 

100MVA power transformer, 

Ogba Substation had a total of 

two (2) units of 60MVA 132/ 

33kV power transformers, and 

one unit of 45MVA 132/33kV 

mobile power transformer. To 

ensure optimal utilisation of the 

newly installed power 

transformer, a brand-new 

switchyard made up of 132kV, 

33kV and three number 33kV 

feeders were equally installed 

and commissioned." 

She said the increase in the 

substation's capacity from 

165MVA to 265MVA, means 

that the substation has more bulk 

electricity available for Ikeja 

Disco to take to its customers 

within Ikeja Industrial Area, 

Ogba - Ijaiye, Agege Pen 

Cinema, Mangoro Cement, 

Ojodu and Ifako-Ijaiye areas of 

Lagos. 

Mba added that to optimise 

the capacity of the newlyinaugurated 

100MVA at Ogba 

and other substations feeding 

Ikeja DISCO, TCN imported 

high capacity conductors, and 

would soon conclude on the reconducting 

contract that would 

expand the transmission lines 

under IKEDC to double the 

current capacity. 

TCN gave hope and reassures 

that transmission will be 

improved despite itches in the 

country's power sector. 

No major investments had 

been made in the electricity 

sector by the electricity 

generation companies, 

GENCO, and the DISCOs, 

while despite privatization of 

the sector, the Federal 

Government is still making 

heavy investments in the 

sector. 

DISCOs holding back the 

sector 

Stakeholders interviewed by 

Sunday Vanguard were 

unanimous in their views that 

the biggest problem with the 

Nigerian power industry is the 

electricity distribution 

companies, who unfortunately, 

are the ones constantly asking 

for an increase in electricity 

tariffs. Specifically, Executive 

Secretary of Centre for Social 

Justice, Dr. Eze Onyekpere, 

affirmed that the country needs 

a cost-reflective tariff, noting, 

however, that the hike in 

electricity tariffs would not 

solve the problems of the sector. 

From their performance since 

privatization, Onyekpere 

accused the DISCOs of lacking 

the technical, managerial and 

financial capacity to turnaround 

and add value to the 

investments that they met on 

ground, noting that the 

concerns of the distributions 

companies was only centred on 

collecting money, which he 

said they were unable to 

manage properly. He advised 

DPR to issue licence to NDPR 

for additional 5,000bpd modular 

refinery 

By Michael Eboh 

THE Department of 

Petroleum Resources, 

yesterday, said it is set to 

grant a Licence to Operate, , LTO, 

to Niger Delta Petroleum 

Resources, NDPR, for the 

installation of an additional 5,000 

barrels per day modular refinery 

at Ogbele, Ahoada in Rivers State. 

In a statement in Abuja, Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer of the 

DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, stated 

that the refinery, when completed, 

would reduce importation of 

petroleum products with 

corresponding savings in foreign 

exchange and employment 

generation for the country's 

teeming youths. 

According to him, this laudable 

project was expected to catalyse 

further growth of the Nigerian 

refining industry by attracting 

more investments as more players 

gain confidence. He noted that 

in addition to its maiden 1,000 

barrels per Day (BPD) Diesel 

Topping Refining Plant, NDPR 

had consolidated on its capacity 

by expanding the plant with an 

additional 5,000 BPD. The 

expansion, he said, provided for 

other products slate to include 

kerosene, marine diesel and 

heavy fuel oil to cater to the 

Nigerian market. Auwalu noted 

that major equipment and units 

of the second train of 5,000 BPD 

had been fabricated, inspected, 

tested and modules are currently 

being shipped to Nigeria. 

He said, "When installed, the 

the Federal Government to 

revoke the licences of the 

DISCOs, or concession the 

companies to investors with 

the financial and technical 

capacity to turnaround the subsector. 

He said, "Inasmuch as 

we need a cost-reflective tariff, 

I do not believe the hike in 

electricity is going to solve the 

problems of the industry 

because we are not discussing 

investments in new generating 

capacity, neither are we 

discussing about improving the 

capacity of DISCOs to distribute 

electricity. We are also not 

talking about the capacity of the 

transmission sub-sector to 

wheel electricity to where it is 

needed. "I do not think the hike 

in tariff is the answer to the 

challenges facing the sector. It 

is much more fundamental, 

because some of them need to 

be pulled out of the 

programme, in terms of being 

asked to go, since they do not 

have the managerial and 

technical capacity. "The 

DISCOs again should again be 

put up for investors, who would 

come in and put money. 

Otherwise, if you do not want 

to take them out, you ask them 

to hold on a little bit, so that 

investors can come in and work 

with them. 

It is either they do not have 

the money, or they have it and 

are mismanaging it. They 

cannot give ordinary meters; 

they tell you stories. 

upgraded refining complex will 

bring the total refining capacity to 

11,000 BPD and will then have 

the requisite units to produce 

diesel (512,775 litres/day), 

kerosene (317,205 litres/day), 

marine diesel (281,907 litres/day) 

and heavy fuel oil (234,525 litres/ 

day), and particularly Premium 

Motor Spirit/gasoline (168,540 

litres/day). "The DPR provided 

necessary regulatory guidance 

and technical support throughout 

the project development phases 

for NDPR to contribute about 4.2% 

of national daily diesel demand 

and about o.4% for gasoline in 

Nigeria. "Having achieved these 

giant strides, the DPR is set to 

grant NDPR a 'Licence to Operate' 

(LTO) the plant expected to be 

commissioned soon." Auwalu 

explained that this was part of the 

DPR's drive to realise the 

objectives of the Economic 

Recovery and Growth Plan 

(ERGP) and other similar Federal 

Government initiatives aimed at 

deepening local refining in 

Nigeria. 

He commended the giant 

strides of the NDPR, a subsidiary 

of Niger Delta Exploration & 

Production Plc (NDEP) in 

pioneering modular refinery in the 

country. He further directed all 

modular refinery 'Licence to 

Establish' (LTE) holders to 

demonstrate expected 

performance within the two years 

validity of the Licence to enable 

them obtain 'Approval to Construct' 

(ATC) and other milestone 

approvals.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 , 2020 — 25 

What Nigeria must do to stay polio-free 

By Sola Ogundipe 

POLIO is a viral disease, 

transmitted from person 

to person, mainly through a 

faecal-oral route, contaminated 

water or food. The virus 

multiplies inside the intestines 

and causes paralysis in 

children. 

There is no cure for polio, but 

it can be prevented through 

administration of an effective 

vaccine - the Oral Polio Vaccine 

that rapidly boosts immunity 

levels and protects children 

from paralysis. 

To end outbreak activities in 

any country, national and 

regional disease surveillance 

and laboratory teams must 

confirm that no polio 

transmission is detected in 

samples collected from 

paralysed children, children in 

contact, and the environment 

for at least nine months. 

To be declared polio free, a 

country must go three years 

without a case of wild 

poliovirus (WPV) detected 

Polio is no longer endemic in 

Nigeria; the has attained and 

surpassed this stage and is on 

the verge of being declared 

polio free by the World Health 

Organisation. 

Remarkable progress 

towards this goal marks almost 

three years with no case of 

wild poliovirus (WPV) 

reported. The progress was 

made possible with increased 

vaccination and surveillance 

reach in inaccessible areas in 

the northeast. 

Innovative and impactful 

strategies and special 

interventions targeted at 

vaccinating more children 

have paid off. 

The innovative strategies 

resulted in more settlements 

being accessed and thus more 

children vaccinated in 

security-compromised areas in 

the northeast zone of the 

country. 

In December 2109, a team 

from the African Regional 

Certification Commission , 

ARCC, for the eradication of 

poliomyelitis, visited the 

Federal Capital Territory and 

six States - Abia, Delta, Ebonyi, 

Edo, Lagos and Oyo. 

Following a critical analysis 

and assessment of the status 

and integrity of certain 

parameters, the green light 

was given. 

Aspects such as routine 

immunisation, cold chain, 

surveillance activities, 

documentation, etc., health 

facilities at the primary, 

secondary and tertiary levels, 

were assessed as well as the 

polio eradication processes 

carried out at those levels. 

The ARCC team is expected 

to reconvene in March 2020 

for a final verification visit to 

*Nigeria is on the verge of being declared polio free by the World Health Organisation, 

WHO, in June 2020. Photo: Courtesy WHO. 

states in Northern Nigeria. 

Preparation for the second 

phase of the review is in high 

gear because the based on the 

recommendations, Nigeria 

may receive polio free status, 

while the African Region could 

be certified to have eradicated 

polio by June 2020. 

It is cheering to note that 

Nigeria has initiated a robust 

national action plan to ensure 

polio is eradicated once for all, 

however, specific steps need to 

be taken before this can come 

to pass. 

In the countdown to polio 

eradication, Nigeria must 

strengthen routine 

immunisation strategy under 

the 

Temporary 

Children of abused mothers more likely to have 

low IQ — STUDY 

By Gabriel Olawale 

& Chinelo Azike 

NEW research by the 

University of Manchester in 

the United Kingdom has 

discovered that 50 per cent of the 

children of abused mothers are 

likely to have a low IQ. 

The study also revealed that in 

a situation where their mothers 

experienced physical violence 

from their partner either in 

pregnancy or during the first six 

years of the child's life, the figure 

rises to 22.8 per cent. 

Low IQ is defined as an IQ 

score of less than 90, where a 

normal IQ is considered to be 

100. 

The study examined the link 

between domestic violence and 

child intelligence at 8 years old, 

using 3,997 mother-child pairs 

from The University of Bristol's 

Avon Longitudinal Study of 

Recommendations as required 

by the Emergency Committee 

of the International Health 

Regulations regarding the 

international spread of 

poliovirus under the World 

Nigeria 

should 

continue to 

ensure its 

polio 

surveillance 

mechanism 

can rapidly 

respond 

Parents and Children. 

ALSPAC follows children from 

pregnancy and measures 

emotional and physical domestic 

violence from pregnancy until 

eight years of age. The 

intelligence of the children was 

measured at eight years using the 

Weschler standardised IQ test. 

According to the team led by 

Dr Kathryn Abel, the chance of a 

low IQ rises to 34.6 per cent if 

the mother was repeatedly 

exposed to domestic violence. 

“Children of women who 

reported domestic violence in 

pregnancy or during the first six 

years of the child's life are almost 

50 per cent more likely to have a 

low IQ at age 8.” 

They also find out that 13 per 

cent of children whose mothers 

did not experience domestic 

violence had an IQ of below 90 

at 8 years of age. 

Health Organisation setup. 

In addition, Nigeria must 

continue to ensure that all 

children under the age of five 

are rountinely vaccinated. 

Nevertheless, the risk of 

international spread of 

poliovirus remains a Public 

Health Emergency of 

International Concern, 

PHEIC, and a 

recommendation for the 

extension of Temporary 

Recommendations was 

deemed necessary by the 

WHO. 

Based on the current situation 

regarding WPV1 and 

circulating vaccine-derived 

poliovirus, cVDPV, and the 

reports provided by affected 

Dr Abel said: "We already 

know that 1 in 4 women age 16 

and over in England and Wales 

will experience domestic 

violence in their lifetime and that 

their children are at greater risk 

of physical, social and 

behavioural problems. 

"We also know that intelligence 

in childhood is strongly linked 

with doing well in adulthood, 

though there has been little 

evidence about the risk of low 

IQ for these children. 

"While we cannot conclude that 

IPV causes low IQ, these 

findings demonstrate domestic 

violence has a measurable link, 

by mid-childhood, independent 

of other risk factors for low IQ." 

17.6 percent of the mothers in 

the study reported emotional 

violence and 6.8 percent 

reported physical violence. 

The findings are independent 

of other risk factors for low IQ 

countries, the WHO Director- 

General determined that the 

situation relating to poliovirus 

continues to constitute a PHEIC, 

with respect to WPV1 and 

cVDPV. 

The Director-General endorsed 

the recommendations for 

countries meeting the definition 

for countries still at risk one way 

or another. 

Already, Nigeria has 

officially declared at Federal 

and State government, level 

the interruption of WPV1 

transmission as a National 

public health emergency and 

is maintaining the response 

as required. 

With the most recent 

detection of the circulating 

vaccine-derived poliovirus, 

cVDPV2, on the 9th of 

October 2019, Nigeria is also 

maintaining emergency status. 

Along with other countries, 

a high level state of 

preparedness is desired. The 

possibility of cVDPV2 

importation remains a threat 

and appropriate response to 

such importations must be 

treated as a national public 

health emergency. 

What this means is that 

Nigeria should continue to 

ensure its polio surveillance 

mechanism can rapidly detect 

cVDPV2, with plans in place 

to respond rapidly with well 

planned and executed mOPV2 

campaigns. 

In line with international 

coordination, more action is 

expected in support of cross 

border actions, such as sharing 

of surveillance and other data, 

synchronising campaigns and 

where possible ensure 

vaccination of international 

travelers. 

such as alcohol and tobacco use 

in pregnancy, maternal 

depression, low maternal 

education and financial hardship 

around the child's birth. 

Dr Hein Heuvelman, from The 

University of Bristol added: 

"Exposure to domestic violence 

is common for children in most 

part of the world and an 

important and often overlooked 

risk factor in their life chances. 

"So knowing the extent to 

which these already vulnerable 

children are further affected is a 

powerful argument for more, 

better and earlier intervention. 

"Current support for women 

experiencing domestic violence 

is inadequate in some areas and 

absent in others. Early 

intervention with these families 

protects children from harm, but 

it may also prioritise their future 

development."


Novel scientific breakthroughs 

emerge to enhance healthcare 

By Sola Ogundipe 

THE worlds of medicine 

and science fiction are 

merging faster than you 

can blink. These days 

nothing 

is 

incomprehensible in 

medicine as far as science 

is concerned. Here are 

some novel scientific 

breakthroughs that are 

revolutionising medicine. 

Regrowing damaged 

body parts 

IN the future, stem-cell 

technology might be able 

to help cartilage and other 

parts of the body to regrow. 

Regenerative medicine is 

promoting the move 

towards 'cells as pills'. It 

refers to the branch of 

medicine that develops 

methods to regrow, repair 

or replace damaged or 

diseased cells, organs or 

tissues. 

Regenerative medicine" 

has much wider 

application, making it "a 

game-changing area of 

medicine with the potential 

to fully heal damaged 

tissues and organs. 

The technology could 

help repair hearts damaged 

by heart attack and could 

mean body tissues or 

organs for transplant can be 

grown in laboratories. 

A pill that lets you know 

you have taken it 

SMART pills are the 

future. Patients on regular 

medication can find it 

difficult to remember if they 

have taken the right dose 

at the right time. A new pill 

has been created that 

contains a tiny sensor that 

records when it is taken - 

information transmitted to 

a patch worn by the patient 

and then sent on to a 

smartphone. 

Patients and doctors can 

ensure the medication is 

being taken as needed, an 

innovation already being 

used in the treatment of 

schizophrenia and other 

mental illnesses. 

Other applications 

include "telemedicine" - 

where health care can be 

provided at a distance via 

phones and IT. Patients can 

use devices to measure 

blood pressure, monitor 

glucose levels and test for 

conditions from blood 

samples - and send the 

results in real time to their 

doctors. 

AI detects skin cancer 

better than a doctor 

A COMPUTER trained 

using images of skin cancer 

and the corresponding 

diagnoses achieved a 95 

percent detection rate, well 

above the 87 percent 

success rate of human 

doctors, according to 

research published in the 

Annals of Oncology. 

Through its ability to sift 

through large amounts of 

information, AI can help 

health professionals with 

complex decision-making, 

and point out clinical 

nuances that they might 

Enugu Assembly, MAMA Centre seek better welfare for 

Ngwo women 

By Chioma Obinna 

THE Chairman House 

Committee on 

Agriculture, Enugu State 

House of Assembly, Hon. 

Hillary Ugwu has pledged 

their commitment towards 

securing socio-economic 

priority and rights of the 

Amachalla Ngwo women in 

the state. 

Ugwu spoke during an 

advocacy visit by the 

women to the House, led 

the Executive Director of 

Mothers and Marginalised 

Advocacy Centre (MAMA 

Centre), Barr. Ola 

Onyegbula, under the 

project: “Engendering 

More Participation of 

Women for Economic 

Revitalisation” and 

supported by The Voice 

Nigeria. 

Ugwu noted that the visit 

Smart phones are revolutionising medicine. 

had exposed the House to 

the common socioeconomic 

needs and 

priority across various 

communities in the state. 

Earlier, in her advocacy 

remark to the Committee, 

Onyegbula, observed that 

women were responsible 

for some 80 per cent of food 

production in developing 

countries. 

Onyegbula who noted 

that in many farming 

communities, women are 

the main custodians of 

knowledge on crop 

varieties said: “In the 

analysis of World Bank, 

women are the backbone of 

the rural economy, 

especially in developing 

countries. They make up 

almost half of the world’s 

farmers, and over the last 

few decades, they have 

S 

As well as 

spotting 

depression, AI 

might be able 

to help 

alleviate it 

and prevent 

potential 

suicide 

attempt 

broadened their 

involvement in agriculture. 

“More importantly, as the 

global community works 

toward achieving the 

Sustainable Development 

Goals - among them, 

SDG2, which aims to end 

hunger and malnutrition by 

2030 -- women can be the 

key agents of change in 

agriculture, nutrition and 

rural development. 

Onyegbula called for 

gender-specific 

arrangement tailored to 

women farmers; as 

sustainable production of 

food is the first pillar of food 

security. 

“Given critical research on 

the significant roles of 

women in Nigeria 

Agricultural production, 

processing and utilisation, 

MAMA has observed that 

have missed." 

Smart phones can help 

prevent suicide 

SMART phones can 

diagnose mental health 

problems by analysing how 

people tap, scroll and click 

- behaviour that can predict 

range of cognitive traits and 

mood states. Phones can 

also deliver support to 

mental health patients via 

apps. 

More than 300 million 

people around the world 

suffer from depression and 

almost 800,000 people die 

due to suicide every year. 

As well as spotting 

depression, AI might be 

able to help alleviate it. A 

trial involving Woebot, a 

chatbot designed according 

to the principles of 

cognitive behavioural 

therapy, showed that it was 

effective in treating the 

condition. 

To be concluded 

efforts of women in 

enhancing sustainable food 

production in commercial 

quantity for greater 

comparative advantage are 

constrained by the existing 

socio-economic barriers,” 

she explained. 

Onyegbula also called on 

the Committee to prioritise 

sustainability and 

development of Ngwo 

palm-oil processing to 

further empower and 

promote self-sufficiency 

among the female-headed 

households and assist in 

reiterating the need for 

prompt legislative 

attention to sustained 

palm-oil processing and 

socio-economic 

development of Ngwo at 

relevant plenary and 

committee sessions of 

Assembly. 

US kidney research team, 

LASUTH foster partnership 

on postgraduate training 

THE H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network 

from United States is ready to partner with Lagos 

State University Teaching Hospital,LASUTH. 

A part of the Human Hereditary and Health in Africa 

(H3Africa) initiative which receives its funding from the 

National Institute of Health. 

A Principal Investigator of the Network, Prof Akinlolu 

Ojo disclosed this recently during a visit to the Chief 

Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof Adetokunbo Fabamwo 

in his office. 

Fabamwo explained that the hospital has few renal 

transplant missions and is at the vanguard of enacting 

the use of cadaveric kidney law in Lagos State. 

Ojo said H3Africa would gladly engage a bilateral 

exchange of post graduate students in the nearest future. 

Speaking on the core of the research, Dr. Sholarin, a 

member of the Nephrology Unit in LASUTH, said the 

ongoing research work in LASUTH will enable a look at 

the role of genetic and environmental factors in the 

development and progression of kidney disease. 

This would foster a strong collaboration between the 

hospital and the team beyond the current research. 

FDA recalls hearburn, 

blood pressure medicines 

THE Food and Drug Administration, FDA, is 

recalling some heartburn and blood pressure 

medicines that may present a cancer risk. 

Denton Pharma Inc. is recalling antacid medications 

containing what may be a carcinogenic ingredient called 

N-Nitrosodimethylamine, also known as 

dimethylnitrosamine or simply NDMA. It is a volatile 

yellow oil and an impurity that is widely considered a 

possible carcinogen. 

It can be unintentionally introduced into manufacturing 

through certain chemical reactions. 

The FDA says the ingredient is found in ranitidine 

tablets, Zantac and other heartburn medications. 

The recall is for unexpired products in two dosage 

amounts. 

Appco Pharma LLC has also recalled ranitidine 

products. Also, Mylan N.V. recalled three lots of Nizatidine 

used to treat duodenal ulcers and acid reflux. Consumers 

with ranitidine tablets are urged to check the FDA website 

for dosage and lots and immediately stop using and 

discard the products and consult with their physicians 

about treatment options. 

Human body temperature 

steadily declining 

RESEARCHERS say the average human body 

temperature has declined steadily over the past 160 

years or so. Findings from an analysis of body temperature 

records suggests the body temperature of the average 

man and woman has gradually dropped over the 

decades. 

Other studies had already established these newer, 

lower baselines, blaming faulty thermometers for the 

discrepancy. But the new research suggests the original 

number—established in the 1850s—was correct, and that 

body temperature has declined gradually ever since. 

The drop may be a product of lower overall levels of 

inflammation, thanks to antibiotics, vaccines, and 

improved water quality, the authors report this week in 

eLife. Modern technologies, such as central heating and 

air conditioning, could also help explain the trend. 

Scientists investigate longevity 

S 

CIENTISTS have identified synergistic cellular 

pathways for longevity that amplify lifespan five-fold 

in C. elegans, a nematode worm used as a model in 

aging research. The increase in lifespan would be the 

equivalent of a human living for 400 or 500 years, 

according to scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory. 

The research draws on the discovery of two major 

pathways governing aging in C. elegans, which is a 

popular model in aging research because it shares many 

of its genes with humans and because its short lifespan 

of only three to four weeks allows scientists to quickly 

assess the effects of genetic and environmental 

interventions to extend healthy lifespan.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 , 2020 — 27 

UCTH schedules 1st open 

heart surgery for April 

By Gabriel Olawale 

O fewer than 1,000 

By Ike Uchechukwu are working hard "We are collaborating Nresidents of Igando 

towards that with a 

T 

with the United States Community in Alimosho 

HE University of United Stated based (US) Military to research Local Government Area of 

Calabar Teaching team called VOOM on Malaria and Drugresistant 

in the Tropics. from the free health care 

Lagos State have benefited 

Hospital, UCTH, will Foundation. 

carry out her first Open "We have taken Both Clinical and field services organised by 

Heart Surgery in the deliveries of research is going on.” he Progamuk Foundation to 

hospital around the consumables, we are revealed. 

promote healthy living 

second week of April constructing a dedicated He admitted having among the general public. 

2020. 

theater suite for the faced a lot of challenges The exercises which 

Vanguard learned that surgeries. Staff and biomedical 

engineers are but according to him, it’s hepatitis, malaria, 

since he assumed office range from free eye care, 

this was the outcome of 

the partnership the kept on standby. We are been both challenging 

hypertension, diabetes, 

hospital management refurbishing our and interesting and we 

HIV and sexually 

has entered into with a machines which will be 

transmitted infections, 

will be getting better 

US-based team - VOOM used for the surgeries," 

immunisation, family 

everyday . 

Foundation. 

he said. 

planning service, birth 

Speaking with Further, Ikpeme 

Vanguard at weekend in revealed that within the 

Calabar, the Chief past nine months since 

Medical Director of 

UCTH, Prof. Ikpeme 

Ikpeme said the hospital 

will join the big leagues 

to perform successful 

open heart surgeries and 

it would be a milestone 

he assumed office, the 

management has been 

working on the vision 

and mission of the 

Hospital. 

“Our mantra is to 

Rebuild, Reboot and 

achieved. 

Restore i.e human 

"The hospital will join 

the big leagues of 

resources, infrastructure, 

and material resources; 

hospitals who have to make a better 

performed hearts Teaching Hospital that 

surgeries and it will be 

a giant stride achieved, 

will serve the State and 

its environs effectively”. 

as far as medical "On the area of 

practice is concerned”. 

“We are planning 

open heart surgeries 

which will take place 

between the first two 

weeks in May 2020. We 

research, as a teaching 

hospital,we are trying to 

develop and build upon 

the achievements of our 

institute for tropical 

research in the hospital. 

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Virtual Media. 

1,000 residents of Igando enjoy free 

health checks 

certificate registration 

among others provide the 

residences opportunity to 

stay healthy. 

Speaking during the 

programme, Chief 

Executive Officer of 

Progamuk Foundation, 

Mrs. Adenike Olowoopejo 

said that free health mission 

was put together to 

celebrate her 40th birthday, 

“I felt that instead of throw 

a lavish birthday party, I 

should give back to the 

society by doing something 

that will be beneficial to all. 

Adenike who work with 

Lagos State government as 

Principal Nursing Officer 

Cross section of beneficiaries during a free health mission organized by 

Progamuk Foundation. 

with Primary Healthcare 

Board explained that the 

focus of her Foundation 

was to cater for the widows 

and orphans. 

“My target audience are 

widows and orphans, but 

because this is the first 

activities of the Foundation 

we decided to make it all 

inclusive. 

“I am a widow, I know 

the pains widows go 

through. I know it is not 

easy to raise children alone 

so I have passion for my 

fellow widows and orphans 

because they are in the 

category of not seen 

someone to help especially 

when there is need for 

medical intervention. 

Adenike said that going 

forward their activities will 

also center around caring 

for the needy, “we are 

going to be empowering 

the youth and most in focus 

orphans, we will teach 

them how to do petty 

business and support them 

with startup cash and kit. 

“Our intention is to make 

our free health mission two 

times a year and we are 

appealing to Nigerians, 

government and private 

organization to support us 

in this journey. 

“Our target is about 500 

but the people on ground 

exceed our projection but 

we ensure that everybody 

that come are attended to 

properly. I hereby use this 

opportunity to appeal to 

people to take their health 

serious.”

28—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, , 2020 

VOL. 1: NO. 222 TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

Complete Imiringi Bridge before you 

leave, community begs Dickson 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

I 

M I R I N G I — 

EXPECTATION that 

the construction of a 

new unity bridge to replace the 

collapsed one linking Imiringi, 

an oil and gas-rich settlement 

in Ogbia Local Government 

Area, Bayelsa State, will be 

completed in record time has 

turned a mirage. 

The bridge, which is the 

fastest route connecting natives 

and visitors from the Kolo end 

of Ogbia Kingdom to the 

community, was swept away by 

the devastating flood of 2012 

that wreaked havoc across the 

state. 

The locals are worried that 

nearly eight years since the sad 

incident, the new bridge being 

constructed across the water 

inlet that bifurcates their 

community by the outgoing 

Governor Seriake Dickson 

administration has remained a 

dream. 

Though the bridge has 

crossed the creek, awaiting 

proper alignment to the road at 

both extremes, the people of 

Imiringi are eagerly waiting 100 

percent completion of the 

project, which the government 

had promised to deliver in June 

2018. 

Pitiable situation 

A native, who gave her name 

as Gift, told NDV: “It is pathetic 

that our people and visitors/ 

strangers heading to the old 

Imiringi settlement, while 

driving from the Kolo-Emeyal 

end, have to make a 360-degree 

turn to access the community 

through a narrow steel bridge 

(barely accommodating two cars 

travelling in opposite directions 

at a time). 

“But for this steel structure 

built by Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, SPDC, 

to enable its personnel access 

her many oil facilities in the 

area, we would have been cut 

off from the rest of the state.” 

Another resident added: “Our 

community is endowed with oil 

and gas resources and we have 

made enormous sacrifice for the 

country and state. It might 

interest you to note that we have 

at least 15 oil wells and over 

nine gas wells, which are 

enough for the government to 

have accorded the bridge 

project the deserved attention. 

“We had thought the project 

would be completed in June 

2018, as promised by the 

government due to the pace of 

work at the project site then. But 

to our surprise the target could 

not be met. As we speak, we are 

only hoping that the incoming 

administration will take over the 

project and ensure its speedy 

completion. Our people, who 

are mainly farmers, are having 

a tough time conveying their 

farm produce to the market.” 

Shocking 

Also lamenting the fate of the 

community, renowned 

environmentalist, Alagoa 

Morris, said: “My concern is 

that the bridge was one of the 

major infrastructure that got 

damaged during the 2012 

unexpected flood, which we all 

know was not man-made. It is 

also painful when you consider 

the fact that the Imiringi- 

Otuasega Road was also 

completely destroyed by the 

same flood and the Federal 

Government through FERMA 

and other agencies repaired 

that road. 

“Even the bridge along the 

road that was completely 

destroyed has been repaired by 

the Federal Government. 

“It is, however, surprising that 

the state government that took 

about three years to go into the 

replacement of that unity bridge 

at Imiringi main town, after the 

devastating flood, is yet to 

complete the project. When we 

were thinking about two years 

ago that they were about 

finishing it for us to clap for 

them and celebrate it, it has 

been abandoned since then. 

“It is a very big surprise, 

especially when the bridge 

(collapsed structure) was 

constructed by a local 

government in the old Rivers 

State. It was Brass Local 

Government that constructed 

that bridge for Imiringi people. 

“It is on record that the state 

government started an 

upgraded one as a replacement 

for the collapsed bridge. ” 

‘Must be some 

form of punishment’ 

Continuing, he wondered 

“whether it is a kind of 

punishment or anger for 

government to have abandoned 

the project because they cannot 

tell us it is money, since it is 

beyond 90 percent completion. 

It is just remaining the area to 

align with the road on both 

sides. 

“If this project is abandoned 

and handed over to the 

incoming administration, it will 

be very bad for the Dickson 

administration, which has been 

in the saddle for eight years. I 

want to appeal to them to 

complete that bridge before they 

leave office considering the fact 

that Imiringi has several oil 

wells and gas facilities within 

their environment. 

“Not only because they have 

oil and gas, but as an integral 

part of the state, they should do 

it for the community. 

“Imiringi is not only for 

Imiringi people. A lot of 

strangers are also living there 

and a lot of Bayelsans are 

buying land and living there so 

they should help us and 

complete that bridge so that we 

do not add it as abandoned 

project of the Restoration 

Government. 

“If an oil and gas-producing 

community like Imiringi has no 

visible presence of state 

government in almost the eight 

years of Dickson-led restoration 

government could be treated 

this way, how else should one 

describe the way the governor 

has turned his own community 

(Toru Orua) around, if not 

nepotism? That is why some of 

us are preaching the gospel of 

Okiloism.” 

Last year, at a media chat in 

Yenagoa, Governor Dickson 

promised to revisit the 

abandoned Imiringi Bridge 

project as well as collapsed 

Elebele Bridge, but nothing 

had been done since.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, , 2020—29 

Scramble for new NDDC Board: 

Buhari puts oil states in suspense 

RIVERS… 

TREASURE BASE OF THE 

NATION 

By Emma Amaize, 

Editor, NDV 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

PRESIDENT Muhammadu 

Buhari’s decision, last month, 

to reconstitute the Governing 

Board of Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, has thrown up a fresh 

lobby for Chairman and 

Managing Director of the 

Commission with some of the 

oil-producing states, ethnic 

groups and influential political 

leaders in the region at each 

other’s throats. 

Though the President 

indicated that the new Board 

would be inaugurated after the 

forensic audit of the 

Commission, which may take 

the next three to six months or 

more, interest groups and 

lobbyists have intensified their 

plots and counter-plots to get 

the Presidency to dance to their 

respective tunes. 

President Buhari has kept 

everybody in suspense since he 

announced that the Governing 

Board of the Commission would 

be reconstituted. 

Minister of Niger Delta 

Affairs, Senator Godswill 

Akpabio, is one of the powerful 

leaders that other cream of the 

crop want to outmaneuver in 

the NDDC power scramble, but 

by virtue of existing power 

sharing indices among the 

core four oil states— Delta, 

Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and 

Rivers— his state, Akwa Ibom 

is not in contention for next 

Chairman and Managing 

Director because the last 

substantive managing 

director, Nsima Ekere (2016- 

2019) hails from the state. 

Power struggle 

However, due to the 

politicisation of NDDC 

appointments in recent years, 

Ondo State government, 

whose indigene, Senator Tayo 

Alasoadura, is currently 

Minister of State (Niger Delta 

Emma Amaize - Editor 

Samuel Oyadongha - Yenagoa 

Jimitota Onoyume- Warri 

Gabriel Enogholase- Benin City 

Festus Ahon- Asaba 

Egufe Yafugborhi- Port Harcourt 

Emmanuel Una- Calabar 

Akpokona Omafuaire- Warri 

Paul Olayemi- Sapele 

Harri Emmanuel- Uyo 

Chioma Onuegbu-Uyo 

Ike Uchechukwu-Calabar 

Davies Iheamnachor-P’Harcourt 

Emem Idio- Yenagoa 

Brisibe Perez- Ughelli 

Theresa Ugbobu- Agbor 

Ochuko Akuopha- Oleh 

Chancel Sunday - Bomadi 

Alemma Aliu- Benin City 

Nath Onajoke- Asaba 

Chijioke Nwankpa- P'Harcourt 

Affairs) is laying claim to the 

position of managing director, 

while Governor Seriake 

Dickson of Bayelsa State also 

maintained that it was its turn 

to produce the managing 

director. 

Senator Ita Enang from Akwa 

Ibom State, a top aide of 

President Buhari, is making a 

case for his state to clinch any 

of the two Executive Directors 

of the Commission. 

The latest scramble for 

NDDC top positions has pitted 

mostly influential All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

politicians against the other. 

In three of the states, three 

former governors are fighting 

to protect their interests. 

The contention of the four 

principal oil states is that the 

position of managing director 

is exclusive to Bayelsa, Delta, 

Rivers and Akwa Ibom while 

the chairman is rotated among 

the nine states alphabetically 

and it started with Abia state. 

Sizzling fight in Delta 

The battle it is more 

intriguing in Delta State with 

Urhobo and Itsekiri ethnic 

nationalities practically 

fighting dirty. Mr. Bernard 

Okumagba, Managing 

Director designate in the 

disbanded Board is an Urhobo 

and his people want his 

appointment upheld because 

it is the turn of Delta to 

produce managing director. 

While Itsekiri Oil Minerals 

Producing Communities 

representing Itsekiri tribe 

agreed with Urhobo that it was 

the turn of Delta to produce 

both Chairman and Managing 

Director of the Commission, 

the group maintained that 

Itsekiri, not Urhobo was the 

qualified tribe to produce the 

next managing director, being 

the current highest oilproducing 

area in the state. 

Chair of the organisation, 

Mr. Edward Omagbemi, in 

letter to President Buhari, said 

his government would be 

breaching the provisions of 

NDDC Act by appointing a 

non-Itsekiri as managing 

director of the Commission as 

“Itsekiri alone produce over 40 

percent of the total oil 

production in Delta State. 

“The Itsekiri are first in oil 

production in Delta State, Ijaw 

are second and Urhobo come 

a distant third.” 

The group also alleged that 

Itsekiri ethnic nationality was 

being marginalised in the 

Buhari administration in 

which an Urhobo son, Senator 

Ovie Omo-Agege is Deputy 

Senate President; Mr. Festus 

Keyamo(SAN), also Urhobo, 

Minister of State (Labour); 

Stella Okotete, Executive 

Director, Nexim Bank; Austin 

Enajomo-Ifire, Nigerian Social 

Insurance Trust Fund; Frank 

Ovie Kokori, Nigeria Institute 

of Labour, and Onoriede 

Ewubare, Group Executive 

Director, Upspring Sector, 

NNPC. 

He declared: “The Itsekiri 

do not occupy any position in 

this government. The Itsekiri 

being the highest producers of 

crude oil in Delta State and 

are, therefore, entitled to fill 

the position of managing 

director of the Niger Delta 

Development Commission.” 

Chairmanship since 

inception 

On the Chairmanship of the 

Board, the Itsekiri group said 

following the rotatory 

alphabetical order established 

among the member states, 

“Chief Onyema Ugochukwu of 

Abia State became the first 

chairman followed by Chief 

Sam Idem from Akwa Ibom. 

When he was removed in 2007, 

Mr. Dan Abia also from Akwa 

Ibom was appointed chairman 

to complete the tenure of Akwa 

Ibom.” 

In 2009, Air Commodore 

Larry Koinyan (retd) of Bayelsa 

State was appointed chairman 

and when he was removed after 

two years, Mr. Tarila Tepepah, 

another Bayelsa indigene was 

appointed as chairman to 

complete the tenure of Bayelsa 

state. 

“In the year 2013, Mr. Bassey 

Henshaw, an indigene of Cross 

River State was appointed chair 

of the board and when he was 

removed in 2015, another 

indigene of Cross River State, 

Senator Ndoma Egba(SAN), 

was appointed in 2016 and he 

occupied the seat till 2019. 

Managing Directors 

of NDDC since 2001 

The first substantive 

Managing Director/Chief 

Executive Officer is Godwin 

Omene from Delta State (2001- 

2003) and was succeeded by 

Emmanuel Agwariavwodo, also 

from Delta State (2003-2005). 

Agwariavwodo continued from 

2005-2006, when Timi Alaibe 

from Bayelsa State took over till 

2009, while Chibuzor Uguoha 

from Rivers state reigned from 

2009-2011. 

Christian Oboh, also from 

Rivers State was in charge from 

2011 to 2013 and Dan Abia 

(Akwa Ibom) was the managing 

director from 2013 to 2015. 

Nsima Ekere from the same 

state took over as managing 

director from 2016 to 2019 after 

the transition interregnum of 

Ibim Semenitari (Rivers) as 

managing director (2015-2016). 

NDDC had since 2009, when 

the late P. Z. Aginighan from 

Delta was appointed as acting 

Managing Director, been 

managed by interim 

managements. For instance, 

Osato Areyenka-Iyasere from 

Edo State was acting managing 

director in 2011, Christy Atako 

(Rivers) 2013, Nelson 

Brambaifa (Bayelsa) 2019. The 

current acting managing 

director, Dr. Joi Nunieh, is from 

Rivers State. 

Standing 

All the four core oil-producing 

states have held the position of 

managing director, which is 

based on oil production 

quantum, but not all have held 

the position of chairman, which 

is rotated alphabetically 

according the names of the 

state. 

Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and 

Cross River have held the 

position and the next state 

alphabetically is Delta, which is 

why the state protested the 

appointment of former deputy 

governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius 

Odubu, as chair in the 

disbanded board. 

Edo is supposed to take its 

turn after Delta before it revolves 

to Imo, Ondo and Rivers states.


The angel of history and 

the ghost of Biafra 

WEDNESDAY, January 15, 

marks 50 years to the day 

when our tragic civil war was formally 

ended. That was the day that 

Colonel Philip Effiong and his men 

brought the articles of surrender to 

Yakubu Gowon at Dodan Barracks, 

Lagos. Gowon famously declared 

that there were”no victor, no 

vanquished”. January 15, 1966 

was also the date the first military 

putsch led by Major Chukwuma 

Nzeogwu took place, setting a 

chain of events that culminated in 

a civil war that lasted from 1967 to 

1970. 

As a child I recall when, in the 

thick of night, dozens of Igbo families 

turned up at my parents’ modest 

home in the parsonage in 

Murya. One of the women had just 

put to bed. Daddy did all he could 

to protect them from a wicked pogrom 

that consumed the souls of 

more than a hundred thousand 

defenceless Igbo people. I have never 

seen such fear in the eyes of 

grown men. After barely a week, 

my parents received death threats. 

In the thick of midnight, the refugees 

tearfully disappeared into the 

bowels of the primeval savannah. 

Never to be seen again. Their 

memory still haunts me to this day. 

The debate on whether the January 

coup was an “Igbo coup” or a 

nationalist uprising is a spurious 

binary question. The fact is, it was 

The shape of prophecies that won’t come to pass in 2020 

By BANJI OJEWALE 

It is as reasonable to represent one kind of 

imprisonment by another, as it is to represent 

anything that really exists by that which 

exists not! - Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) 

English writer and journalist. 

MOST of those who look into the 

future, close or distant, talk of the 

shape of things to come. They hardly speak 

of the shape of things that won’t happen. 

Why? It is assumed that we should be led 

only into the world of the good life awaiting 

us after today, the prosperity that will take 

place hereafter, the gilded age hid from us, 

the world of what we are not seeing at the 

moment. 

Why are we afraid to talk of the other 

world, a sunken world of jaded values? The 

point is that the future is a déjà vu. We’ve 

been brewing it all along. Our stew is really 

several pre-existing independent 

constituents come together in a cauldron 

passing through the fire. What emerges in 

the process isn’t new at all. What you’ve 

always held on to can’t be said to be new. 

Can it? 

We are responsible for what comes forth: 

a trip to the market, where there are 

transactions that give us pepper, fish, meat, 

tomatoes, oil, seasonings, vegetables, etc. 

They all assume a new life when they 

eventually become a delicacy; still, we know 

their history, their past, their source, their 

distinctiveness. However, they lose their 

individual disparities in the stew. But they 

can’t hide their individual distinctions from 

discerning observers. 

That is also the way with considerations 

of the future, any future, nearby or out of 

sight. Therefore, we shouldn’t be fooled, 

both. The leaders of the January 

putsch were Igbo: Nzeogwu, Ifeajuna 

and their friends were genuine 

patriots. But the thing was also 

one-sided in execution. The North 

felt justifiably aggrieved because 

their leaders were the main victims. 

Most of the cabinet and advisers of 

the new Ironsi regime were of Igbo 

extraction. His Decree No. 34 

which created a new unitary system 

intensified Northern fears. 

In July 1966, Northern officers 

struck in a “revenge coup”. Rumours 

had been rife that Northern 

officers were about to be wiped out. 

The lot fell on a 31-year-old colonel 

Yakubu (Jack) Danyumma Gowon. 

He confesses that he accepted the 

heavy yoke only after long, agonising 

prayers. 

Destiny prepared Yakubu Gowon 

for the singular role of keeping our 

country together. The son of Anglican 

missionary parents born in 

Wusasa in 1934, he was an outstanding 

student of the famous Barewa 

College. He had intended to become 

an engineer or teacher, but his British 

teachers persuaded him to join 

the army. He attended the Royal 

Military Academy at Sandhurst 

where he acquitted himself with distinction. 

Gowon was engaged to an attractive 

young Igbo woman, with whom 

he has a son. Unfortunately, his colleagues 

told him it was impolitic to 

frightened or felled by false prophets with 

flat, deflated crystal balls pretending to have 

heard from God about what’s in for 

Nigerians in the New Year. Whatever is 

going to happen in 2020 has its roots in 

2019, in the years before it. We were all part 

of that past. And, therefore, we are members 

of its offspring, the future, which has become 

the now. As lawyers often say, you can’t build 

something on nothing. But religionists, 

taking advantage of ignorant compatriots 

scared of the so-called uncertain future, 

engage in a lot of manipulation of the 

people, especially women and play the 

Omniscient. Only He sees through the 

opacity of the ages, far and near. 

He permits man a glimpse, though. All it 

takes to locate what Heaven allows of the 

entrails of the immediate future or to picture 

it, is to have a luxuriant mind watered by 

facts and reality of current affairs and 

history and muscular analysis. 

Nothing arcane about it as Nigeria’s 

mercantilist pastors want us to believe. It’s 

only God Who knows it all, not these lucreloving 

deceivers who have their ears tied to 

their bank accounts. The enduring and 

believable predictions are in the Word of 

the LORD, not in the word of man. 

So what does 2020 have for us? We have 

shown, through the culinary analogy, that 

the year has nothing to present more than 

what we give it. Nor can it offer what we 

didn’t give its predecessor. It is safe then to 

assert that in Nigeria of 2020 nothing will 

change from what we had in 2019, just as 

there has been little change in the country 

in nearly 60 years of Independence from 

Britain. 

In 2019, we were negligent, as we have 

always been, in handling our politics and 

electoral process. The outcome was outcry 

marry from the enemy. Contrary to 

popular misrepresentations, Yakubu 

Gowon never waged a genocidal 

war against Biafra. He saw it as a 

quarrel between brothers. This cannot 

be said of field commanders 

such as Murtala Mohammed and 

Benjamin Adekunle. But he remains 

remorseful about all the blood that 

was shed. He and Awolowo have 

been blamed for the economic 

blockade that might have cost the 

lives of a million Biafrans. But consider 

the counter-factual: what 

would have happened if the war had 

lasted for five or more years. 

History will absolve Yakubu Gowon. 

He is the Abraham of modern 

Nigeria; a man of compassion, justice 

and restraint. God-fearing and 

incorruptible. He towers heads and 

shoulders above all our leaders, past 

The ghost of 

Biafra will not go 

to rest until we 

treat Ndigbo with 

fairness and justice 

and present. History will one day declare 

him to be the greatest leader 

this country has ever produced. 

Biafra is dead, but its ghost continues 

to haunt our country like a 

phantom that refuses to go away. 

Ever since 1970, there has been an 

unwritten conspiracy that no Igbo 

man can be trusted to assume the 

high magistracy of our federal republic. 

It is an affront to the highly 

gifted Ndigbo, with their ingenuity, 

sagacity and can-do spirit. Part of 

the problem is that Ndigbo themselves 

have been their own worst enemies. 

Betrayal is common among 

them. 

The people of the Blessed Cyprian 

Iwene Tansi and the venerable Cardinal 

Francis Arinze have become 


of foul play. Some citizens are even saying 

they didn’t ask for those they have as their 

leaders at the moment. Hence, the clamour 

for the country to be restructured reached a 

crescendo in 2019. The decibel, it seems, 

will be higher in 2020, given the mass 

disenchantment with the order of the day, 

according to some predictions for 2020. Will 

these futurologists receive a gold medal if 

their forecasts come to pass? No way! 2019 

and the years that came before it posted an 

anomalous federal arrangement into the 

future now arriving in 2020. 

In Nigeria of 2020 nothing 

will change from what we had 

in 2019, just as there has been 

little change in the country in 

nearly 60 years of 

Independence from Britain 

We must be prepared to live with the killer 

by-products of a killer federalism: an 

indolent centre giving birth to 

correspondingly indolent centres and local 

councils. Still more distressing 

consequences: a land with the economic 

and social potential to outstrip such global 

prodigies as Britain, Germany, France, 

Cuba and Japan through its population and 

elemental natural resources, has neglected 

its virile youth and women and driven them 

into drugs, despair, destitution and death. 

Does anyone need a Nostradamus to 

announce that a country that had this mix 

in 2019 would fare well in 2020 if it does 

not abolish its anaemic system? 

Now, Bismarck Rewane, Nigeria’s 

neoliberal economic expert, has simply 

looked at what obtained in 2019 to predict 

that the sufferings of his countrymen will be 

worse in this successor year 2020. He says 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

a godless people who put money 

before anything else. There is no 

guarantee that the people will still 

be united if they were given Biafra 

on a platter. Their presumptuous attitudes 

have also alienated the Ijaw 

and other South-South minorities 

who do not want to hear the name 

of Biafra. I am sorry to be so harsh. 

I speak as a friend of Ndigbo. Only 

a genuine friend can tell you unpalatable 

home truths. 

Biafra was a tragic misadventure. 

Neither Gowon nor Ojukwu expected 

what they regarded as a skirmish 

to end up in a war that took the lives 

of millions. But then it is in the nature 

of human conflict that it is capable 

of assuming a dynamic of its 

own while moving into unforeseen 

directions. Ojukwu’s ego stood on 

the way of a genuine settlement. He 

saw himself as this golden boy from 

a wealthy family who drove a Rolls 

Royce as an Oxford undergraduate. 

He saw Gowon as an ignorant peasant 

boy from the rustic backwaters 

of the North. He under-estimated 

the man to his tragic discomfiture. 

A man with a lion heart, Gowon 

spoke little but carried a big stick. 

Ojukwu took his people on a tragic 

misadventure in the single-minded 

pursuit of personal power. With 

such great constitutional theorists 

as Kalu Ezera, Edwin Nwogugu and 

B. O. Nwabueze, why didn’t Biafra 

operate a viable constitution? Was 

Biafra just another African autocracy 

anchored on personal rule? Was 

it true that Nzeogwu was set up to 

be killed at the war front because he 

was seen as a threat? Were Emmanuel 

Ifeajuna, Victor Banjo, Philip 

Alale and Sam executed because 

they differed with Ikemba on political 

policy? Why did he abandon his 

people at their hour of defeat in such 

a cowardly manner? 

Albert Einstein observed that “God 

does not play dice with the universe”. 

God did not make mistake in placing 

the Igbo people among us. 

There is no one to rival their commercial 

acumen. My own people 

always say that wherever you go and 

you don’t find Igbo people there, 

leave the place immediately! Nigeria 

will not be Nigeria without Ndigbo. 

I can understand the anger of 

Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB movement. 

A jihadist government that 

operates on the basis of exclusion 

and virulent discrimination provides 

a rationale for resistance and 

rebellion. Matthew Hassan Kukah, 

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of 

Sokoto, is right when he says that 

our government has created the atmosphere 

that provides fertile 

ground for the murderous activities 

of Boko Haram. Ndigbo continue 

to suffer disproportionately whenever 

some Northerners resume the 

madness of their ritual bloodbaths. 

This coming Wednesday I will 

kneel down before every Igbo man 

and woman I meet and I will ask 

him or her to forgive us for the horrendous 

crimes we have committed 

against them and against God and 

Humanity. The ghost of Biafra will 

not go to rest until we treat Ndigbo 

with fairness and justice. 

In the words of the German-Jewish 

literary theorist and philosopher 

Walter Benjamin: “His eyes are staring, 

his mouth is open, and his wings 

are spread. This is how one pictures 

the angel of history. His face is 

turned toward the past. Where we 

perceive a chain of events, he sees 

one single catastrophe which keeps 

piling wreckage upon wreckage and 

hurls it in front of his feet. 

"The angel would like to stay, 

awaken the dead, and make whole 

what has been smashed. But a storm 

is blowing from Paradise; it has got 

caught in his wings with such violence 

that the angel can no longer 

close them. This storm irresistibly 

propels him into the future to 

which his back is turned, while the 

pile of debris before him grows 

skyward. This storm is what we 

call progress”. 

Nigerians’ income "will shrink in 2020" on 

account of the central government’s policies. 

His forecast: "2019 was a year of political 

trepidation and growing uncertainties…For 

Nigeria, consumers will groan about the 

hike in VAT, the restoration of tollgates and 

cost-reflective electricity tariffs.” He adds 

that the VAT hike (from five per cent to 7.5 

percent) would lead to higher commodity 

prices. Rewane says "other challenges (in 

2020) would include low income per capita 

(currently at $2,236), high income inequality 

and rising poverty rate in the country.” 

The omens, from the foregoing exegesis, 

are that the New Year will not bring any new 

thing, since we threw nothing refreshing into 

it ahead of our arrival into it. Garbage in, 

garbage out! GIGO! 

Since Independence, we’ve always talked 

about bad roads, unstable electricity supply, 

inadequate funding of tertiary education 

leading to yearly lecturers’ strike, poor 

wages for our workers, millions of out-ofschool 

children, under-empowerment of the 

youth, wide gap between the haves and havenots, 

primordial do-or-die politics, neglect 

of our rural dwellers, nonexistent welfare 

and medical care for the vulnerable, 

thieving, insensitive and selfish political 

leadership etc. There’s never been a radical 

attempt to battle these demons and ostracize 

them. So they return year after year to 

torment us. 

They are here with us again in 2020. They 

will not be evicted by the jejune and 

unscriptural prophecies of happy-go-lucky, 

sky-domiciled, sybaritic, signs and wondersseeking 

pastors disconnected from the 

deprivations of the flock. These men and 

women of God must come down from their 

jets and return to their "first love” to "watch 

and pray” with the people to rescue the 

country. 

•Ojewale, a commentator on national 

issues, wrote from Lagos. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

LIBRA; Similar to yesterday but, today more 

emphasis’ll be on money. Thus those of you who are 

more financially ambitious’ll have better and rewarding 

day than others. However that is not to say you 

should neglect your health. 

SCORPIO; Positive things are happening from (and 

around) you. The more enterprising you are the better 

for you today. And some of you will be mixing business 

& pleasure without harm. Lovers can have their way 

moderately. 

SAGITTARIUS; This is your day when things’ll go 

according to your plans. And you’re advised to hit very 

hard not minding minor pressure from your base. 

CAPRICORN; Once again success would come if you 

experiment with good ideas rightly at the right time. 

Those of you travelling are in for an exciting day. 

AQUARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you good 

opportunity along your business/business lines. Work and 

your health must be taken very seriously 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“Pay attention to your gut feelings. Sometimes 

we know what we need to do, but we ignore it.” - 

Take Heart Quotes- 

A person’s presence is often like an emotional charge 

in the atmosphere surrounding us like a rain cloud or 

a ray of sunshine. As you become aware of people and 

their motives. Pay attention to your intuitions. Do 

people have a friendly presence that attracts you? Or 

you feel uncomfortable making you back off? -Ella 

Randle - 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

One thread 

for the 

needle, one 

love for the 

heart. ~ 

Sudanese 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

PISCES; Like yesterday the Moon will operate from 

your Star sign again to the betterment of your cause. 

Think of both your immediate and far future now. 

ARIES You can still count on the supports of your tried 

and trusted friends. But it’s imperative you keep secrets 

as much as you can positively do. 

TAURUS; The more receptive and willing you are to 

give and take co-operation the better for you today. It’s 

wrong of you to neglect your friends in need now. 

GEMINI; You’ll have the needed opportunity to consolidate 

on progress you have recorded yesterday along 

your career/business lines. Try to work harder. 

CANCER; Element of luck will work favourably for 

you. Therefore you’re advised to expand the scope of 

your tentacle for better results. It’s another fairly 

favourable day for lovers who are more enterprising 

today. 

LEO; Joining forces with other people is not a sin but 

it’s important everybody knows the clear term of the 

venture , be it of short or longer duration. Be very practical. 

VIRGO; Many of you’ll travel either physically or 

within your mind; whichever one you’re involved with 

the out come will be favourable. Be more receptive, especially 

if your priority is commercial success. Take your 

new ideas more seriously today 

ASTROLOGICAL ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

COUNSELLING 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” 

“HOT” 

By A.O.OLAIDE 

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

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

Basic characteristics 

of Aquarius 

Aquarius is ruled by freedom loving Uranus-the 

planet of unpredictability, eccentricity and genius. 

Aquarius is friendly, loving, hopeful and very altruistic 

in nature. That is why they are nice persons 

who truly care for others, especially the less fortunate 

ones. They are loyal friend willing to belong 

to powerful social clubs or reasonable community. 

The quality of Aquarius is fixed. That means it is 

important for them to watch the way they change 

their minds on important issues; Uranus factor makes 

all Aquarius natives freedom loving and whoever 

tries to impose any idea on you will be resented 

The element of Aquarius is the air. That makes you 

an intelligent person with fair share of sense of 

humour. Aquarius is the star sign that rules considerable 

social influence, and the natives of this star 

have better chances to have at least some influential 

friends. Then, Aquarians are truly good friends 

and bad enemies; it is not in the best interest of 

anybody to frustrate an Aquarian.. 

Aquarius being a scientific sign. Aquarians can be 

inventive. Any Aquarian who falls to take his sudden 

flashes of ideas seriously is doom (to fail eventually) 

because, Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, usually 

bring success to Aquarians unexpectedly 

through ideas that come suddenly, and unexpected 

luck usually accompany their sudden inspiration 

and/or ideas. 

The most dangerous weak points of Aquarian are 

the tendencies to procrastinate things and willingness 

to take opponents or enemies for granted I 

mean you must not believe that some body you might 

have had heated argument with will not try to undermine 

your progress after what will look like intervention 

of peace makers. 

VIRGINIA 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

HOME & ABROAD 

By Lawrence Akapa


Foundation seeks 

scholarship, free education 

for children of fallen heroes 


By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—A 

non 

governmental 

organization, NGO, 

Foundation for Families of 

Fallen Servicemen, FFS, 

has appealed to the 

Federal and state 

governments to offer 

scholarship and free 

education to children of 

members of the Armed 

forces and other security 

agents who died in the line 

of duty for the nation. 

The foundation’s 

Chairman, Alex Ojo, made 

the appeal in a letter to the 

Nigeria Governors Forum 

and made available to 

journalists in Benin City, 

Edo State, yesterday. 

He said, “We appeal to 

the federal and state 

governments across the 

country to seize the 

occasion of the forthcoming 

Armed 

Forces 

Remembrance Day to 

declare support for families 

of fallen servicemen who 

died in the course of 

defending the nation. 

“Adequate support for 

families of fallen 

servicemen in the areas of 

education and others is 

imperative for the country 

in view of the security 

challenges. 

“Their families faced 

many challenges after the 

death of their bread 

winners, making 

education free for their 

children will encourage 

and boost the morale of 

security operatives and 

members of the armed 

forces who give their all 

to defend the country at 

the front lines.” 

He disclosed that the 

foundation was established 

to support the children and 

wives of security operatives 

who died in the line of duty, 

with particular focus on 

their children. 

“Our mission include 

facilitating free education, 

free health services, 

housing, and economic 

empowerment for 

dependents of soldiers and 

other security operatives 

who died in the line of duty 

for Nigeria,” he said. 

He added that they also 

want to promote patriotism 

and gallantry at the front 

lines to strengthen security 

for a safer and more 

progressive Nigeria. 

Olomu Traditional Council puts off 

Ohworode's 103rd birthday, 

32nd coronation anniversary 

....Over PDP chairman's killing 

By Akpokona 

Omafuaire 

O GONI-OLOMU— 

THE Olomu 

Traditional Council has 

called off events to 

celebrate the 103rd 

birthday/32nd Coronation 

anniversary of the 

Ohworode of Olomu 

Kingdom slated for January 

18 & 19, 2020 owing to last 

week's murder of Mr. Paul 

Onomuakpokpo, 

Chairman of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Olomu Ward 1 in Ughelli 

South Local Government 

Area of Delta State. 

The decision was reached 

after a meeting held by the 

Council of Chiefs led by 

HRM, Ovie R.L. Ogbon, 

Ogoni-Oghoro 1, the 

Ohworode of Olomu 

Kingdom. 

Vanguard learned that 

only media congratulatory 

messages from well wishers 

will be allowed to 

Urhobo College old students' 

meeting 

URHOBO 

College 

Old Students 

Association, UCOSA, 

Lagos branch, will hold its 

monthly meeting on 

January 19, 2020 at 31, Joel 

Ogunnaike Street, GRA, 

Ikeja. 

A statement by the 

commemorate the 

legendary monarch on the 

day. 

The Olomu Traditional 

Council had earlier invited 

guests to celebrate the 

oldest monarch on January 

18 and 19, 2020, before the 

tragic incident. 

Vanguard gathered that 

a prominent governor from 

the Northern part of 

Nigeria was to be 

honoured as part of the 

events for his support for 

Urhobo people in his state. 

The Ohworode in a 

mournful look while 

addressing the Council 

thanked them for deeming 

it necessary to celebrate 

him before the tragedy 

occurred. 

He also thanked them for 

showing understanding by 

calling off the planned 

celebrations, just as he 

commiserated with the 

Onomuakpokpo family 

and Okpe-Olomu 

Community. 

National Public Relations 

Officer, Tebite Denning, 

said that the meeting will 

be hosted by Chief Ignatius 

Edema with the agenda for 

the day being election of a 

new executive to pilot the 

affairs of UCOSA Lagos for 

the next three year. 

All old students of the 

college are invited. 

VISIT: Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor with the Okobaro of 

Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM Matthew Ediri Egbi after the monarch led other palace chiefs on a visit to the A-G to 

congratulate him on the Supreme Court confirmation of the electoral victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. 

PFN Chairman urges monarchs to 

remove crown in church 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

W 

A R R I — 

CHAIRMAN, 

Delta State chapter of 

Pentecostal Fellowship 

of Nigeria, PFN, has 

urged traditional rulers 

in the South South 

region to endeavour to 

remove their crowns 

while inside the church. 

Speaking at the 

ordination service of Pastor 

Christopher Akpocha 

IYC alleges plot to destabilise Bayelsa 

By Emem Idio 

Y Ijaw ENAGOA—THE 

Youths Council, 

IYC, Worldwide, has 

alleged that it had 

uncovered an ongoing 

plan by some aggrieved 

politicians to cause unrest 

in Bayelsa State. 

Secretary-General of IYC, 

Alfred Kemepado, warned 

those involved in the 

alleged plot to desist from 

it and seek ways to promote 

peace and development of 

the state. 

In a statement in 

Yenagoa, yesterday, he said 

the 

incoming 

administration was in need 

of sound advice that would 

stabilise the polity and not 

the creation of needless 

crisis to massage the ego 

of some disgruntled 

politicians. 

He said: “We call on the 

people of the state to resist 

the temptation of being 

used to promote violence 

under the guise of politics. 

“We condemn any plot to 

cause unrest and political 

instability in Bayelsa State, 

the only homogeneous Ijaw 

State. We advise that those 

who mean well for Bayelsa 

should come up with ideas 

and suggestions that will 

prosper the state and not 

to cause division and 

instability in any arm of 

government just to satisfy 

their greed. 

Igbigbisie as Bishop at City 

of Prayers Ministry in 

Agbarho, Ughelli North 

Local Government Area of 

the state, the PFN boss in 

the state said monarchs 

would honour God more if 

they removed their crowns 

in the church. 

He enjoined religious 

leaders not to be crazy 

about acquisition of 

titles, saying they 

should rather seek to get 

mantle from God. 

“We state boldly that what 

the 

incoming 

administration needs at this 

point is wise advice that will 

further bring about 

development in the state 

and not one that will 

promote political instability 

and needless crisis as 

being plotted by some 

disgruntled politicians, 

who do not mean well for 

Bayelsa State. 

“We caution that Bayelsa 

State does not only belong 

to politicians. In fact, 

politicians merely constitute 

less than one percent of the 

…Ordains Igbigbisie Bishop 

Further he said, 

“When there is mantle, 

anything you do 

prospers. When you 

have the mantle which 

signifies the power of 

God, people begin to 

give you beautiful titles.” 

He charged Pastor 

Igbigbisie to carry 

himself with humility as 

a Bishop, stressing that 

as a Bishop, he was a 

servant of the most high 

God with a mission to 

population of the state and 

the Ijaw nation. 

“We call on the people of 

Bayelsa State, especially 

youths to resist the 

temptation of being used to 

promote any form of formal 

and informal violence in the 

name of politics. 

“It is the bulk of ordinary 

and innocent Bayelsans 

that are always at the 

receiving end of any form 

of political instability. We 

call on those plotting 

against the destiny of the 

state to walk away from their 

evil plots and join hands to 

bring salvation to homes. 

Igbigbisie expressed 

gratitude after being 

ordained Bishop, noting 

that it was a call to greater 

task in God’s vineyard. 

Some dignitaries at the 

consecration event were 

His Royal Majesty, 

Ajuwe Unuajohwofia 

Williams, Onokpite 1, 

the Osuvie of Agbarho 

Kingdom, His Royal 

Majesty Reuben Ogode, 

the Ovie of Uhurie. 

ensure a peaceful transition 

that would usher in the new 

government. 

“Politics of any manner 

should end with the past 

electoral exercise and any 

person or party who feels 

unjustly treated should seek 

redress in the law courts as 

they are doing currently. 

“The peace of Bayelsa 

State should not be 

compromised in any form. 

We should concern 

ourselves with issues that 

will promote development 

and peace of Bayelsa and 

the Ijaw nation at all times.'' 

Wike flags off Rivers Ease of Doing Business Council 

ORT HARCOURT— 

PGOVERNOR Nyesom 

Wike of Rivers State has 

inaugurated the Rivers 

State Ease of Doing 

Business Council, 

EODBC, with a charge to 

the council to improve the 

investment environment of 

the state. 

Inaugurating the Council 

at the Government House 

in Port Harcourt, yesterday, 

Governor Wike said that the 

council was critical to the 

economic development of 

the state. 

He said: “It is 

important that we have 

this council to improve 

the investment climate of 

the state and to create an 

environment for investors 

to come to the state. 

“The council will draw 

up programmes and 

policies to create the 

platform for the ease of 

doing business in Rivers 

State.” 

Wike said the 

membership of the 

committee was drawn from 

the public and private 

sectors, to ensure that all 

sectors 

were 

accommodated in the drive 

to enhance business 

opportunities in the state. 

He said the State Deputy 

Governor was chairing the 

council because of the 

importance his 

administration attaches to 

the ease of doing business. 

He said: “I believe that 

those appointed will live up 

to the expectations of 

Rivers people. That the 

Deputy Governor is the 

Chairman of this council 

shows how important it is 

to the state government. 

“These are people with 

the right experience and 

expertise and I believe that 

they will deliver the very 

best to the state.” 

Responding, Deputy 

Governor and Chairman 

EODBC, Dr Ipalibo Harry 

Banigo assured the Rivers 

State governor that the 

council would develop 

policies that would attract 

investors to the state.


Imo rerun, supplementary 

poll hold January 25 —REC 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O 

W E R R I — 

INDEPENDENT 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, has 

fixed January 25 for the 

court-ordered rerun and 

supplementary election in 

Imo State, for the Okigwe/ 

Onuimo/Isiala Mbano 

federal constituency. 

Similarly, elections in 18 

polling units of Orlu/Orsu/ 

Oru East federal 

constituency and 12 

polling units of Njaba 

state constituencies will 

also hold same day. 

State Resident Electoral 

Commissioner, Professor 

Francis Ezeonu, who 

disclosed this yesterday, 

while addressing a 

stakeholders meeting on 

the elections in Owerri, 

also said all the 18 polling 

units designated for 

supplementary elections 

Idu congratulates Okowa 

on S-Court victory 

By Simon Adewale will advance democracy 

S 

in our nation.” 

ENIOR Special He also congratulated 

Assistant on Youth the people of Delta 

Affairs to Governor Ifeanyi State“who are the real 

Okowa, Mr. Alex Idu, has winners. Governor 

congratulated the Okowa will take Delta 

governor on his Supreme State to the next level of 

Court victory, describing it development and 

as well deserved for prosperity.” 

Deltans. 

He expressed 

Mr. Idu, former confidence that Okowa 

President of Urhobo would accelerate the pace 

National Youth of development in Delta 

Movement, UNYM, told now that there would be 

newsmen that the no more distraction and 

Supreme Court ruling “is 

a confirmation of the 

perfect will of God and 

choice of Deltans, which 

doubts over his legitimacy. 

Idu urged all aggrieved 

persons and opposition 

parties to join hands with 

also reinforces the the governor to move the 

confidence our people 

have in the judiciary. It is 

a good development that 

state forward for the 

benefit of all and a 

stronger Delta. 

Adimula appointed 

PTI Vice Principal 

THE 

Governing 

Council of Petroleum 

Training Institute, PTI, 

Effurun, Delta State, has 

approved the 

appointment of Dr. Henry 

Adimula as Vice Principal 

of the Institute. 

A letter by the Registrar 

and Secretary to PTI 

Governing Council, Mr. 

Onobrorhie Siakpere, 

stated that “the Institute’s 

Governing Council at its 

emergency meeting held 

on December 4, 2019, 

approved your 

appointment as Vice 

Principal of the Institute 

for a tenure of three years 

in the first instance and 

renewable for another 

tenure of three years for a 

in the Orlu/Orsu/Oru 

East federal constituency 

are in Orlu council. 

He said: “We will retain 

all logistics arrangements 

made during the general 

elections. To that effect, we 

will use the earlier 

approved ward and local 

government collation 

centres.” 

He appealed to 

stakeholders and 

communities to help 

maintain the sanctity and 

security of all the centres 

designated for the 

exercise, adding that 

“there will be restriction of 

movement in all the 

constituencies where 

election will be held. 

“We wish to restate that 

this exercise is restricted 

to only political parties 

that participated in the 

earlier elections, for which 

a rerun or supplementary 

election has been 

ordered.” 

maximum of two terms.” 

Until his appointment, 

Dr. Adimula was Director 

of Science in the Institute. 

He holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. 

degrees in Chemistry 

from the University of 

Illorin, Kwara State and a 

Ph.D. from the University 

of Benin. He joined the 

services of the Institute in 

December 14, 1992 as 

Lecturer II in Chemistry. 

Adimula is a member of 

Institute of Chartered 

Chemists of Nigeria, 

Chemistry Society of 

Nigeria, Nigeria 

Environmental Society, 

Polymer Institute of 

Nigeria and National 

Association of Corrosion 

Engineers, USA. 

KALAKUTA QUEENS: Founder, Terra Kulture, and Director of ‘Fela’s Republic & the Kalakuta 

Queens’, Bolanle Austen-Peters(left) and Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan, 

during the stage play in Lagos. 

Dry ports critical to economic 

growth— Freight forwarders 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—FREIGHT 

forwarders in the 

country have expressed 

worry over the many nonfunctional 

dry ports 

planned by the Federal 

Government for some states 

several years ago, saying 

such ports were critical to 

the nation’s economic 

growth. 

Some of the sites of the 

dry ports had been 

overgrown by weeds after 

initial sod-turning 

ceremonies by officials of 

Nigeria Shippers Council. 

President of National 

Association of Government 

Approved Freight 

Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. 

Boniface Aniebonam, said 

this in an interview in 

Awka, Anambra State, 

adding that operation of the 

dry ports, sited in some 

states, particularly the one 

in Isiala-Ngwa in Abia 

State, would have helped 

to boost the economy of the 

South-East and create more 

Why we support Ihedioha on 

suspended LG chairmen—AP 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—ACCORD 

Party, AP, has said it 

supported the sack of the 

elected local government 

chairmen of All 


APC, by Governor Emeka 

Ihedioha of Imo State 

because the state 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, ISIEC, was 

not properly constituted for 

that election. 

The state chairman of the 

party, Elder ThankGod Ibe 

said this yesterday in 

Owerri, adding that the 

employment opportunities. 

He said: “The dry ports 

are supposed to help 

decongest the sea ports, but 

the Nigerian factor has not 

allowed them to take off 

effectively. The inland dry 

ports are very strategic 

because they are expected 

to take goods to the 

hinterland, where such 

goods are cleared. 

“If the dry ports are 

working, they will help to 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—TENSION 

reduced in Imo State 

yesterday, following reports 

that the Supreme Court has 

postponed the delivery of 

judgement on Imo 

governorship poll to 

Tueday. 

There had been tension 

in Owerri over who will be 

favoured by the Supreme 

party went to court to 

challenge the process of 

that local government 

election under former 

Governor Rochas 

Okorocha. 

Recall that the former 

governor of Imo State, Ikedi 

Ohakim, was the 2019 

governorship candidate of 

AP in the state. 

According to Accord 

Party, “we have taken time 

to study and review the 

unwholesome act of 

invading the Imo councils' 

headquarters on January 6 

by agents of the immediate 

past administration. 

“We wish to reiterate that 

solve the inherent traffic 

gridlock at the sea ports and 

even help improve the 

revenue base of the states 

where they are located. 

“Unfortunately, factors 

that will enable them 

function properly, like the 

railway and access roads, 

are still not in place several 

years after they were 

approved. 

“Security challenges are 

also drawbacks and they 

Court’s judgment. 

The tensed situation had 

led the state police 

command to issue a 

warning that it has beefed 

up security in the state to 

monitor developments 

before, during and after the 

Supreme Court judgement. 

However, the political 

mood changed when news 

got in that the Supreme 

Court has postponed the 

matter till Tuesday. 

Accord Party filed a case 

against the then 

government headed by 

Owelle Rochas Okorocha. 

“We challenged the 

constitutionality and 

validity of the local 

government elections, 

which the administration 

of Rochas Okorocha 

purportedly conducted on 

August 25, 2018 before 

the expiration of its 

tenure. 

“The grounds on which 

the suit was predicated 

included stating that ISIEC, 

which purportedly 

conducted the election, was 

not properly constituted.” 

need to be addressed 

before the ports can 

function.” 

He also wondered why 

the Onitsha River Port had 

not functioned several 

years after it was built, 

adding that it could help 

reduce the influx of 

importers in Lagos ports 

with the attendant problems 

of transporting cleared 

goods to the East and other 

parts of the country. 

Court postpones judgment day on 

Imo governorship election 

The matter is between 

Senator Hope Uzodinma, 

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume 

and the incumbent 

governor, Emeka Ihedioha. 

In the capital city, party 

supporters were seen in 

their different drinking 

joints waiting to kick off 

celebrations for their 

victory, but were jolted 

when it was learned that 

the judgement day has 

been shifted for another 24 

hours. 

Some of them did not feel 

happy as the decision of the 

Supreme Court could have 

ended the suspense and 

tension already generated 

in waiting for the apex 

court’s verdict. 

Just as some said the 

Tuesday adjournment 

would not be too long, 

others said if they have 

waited for months, its easy 

for them to wait till today, 

the day of judgment. 

Vanguard observed that 

members of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP; 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, and All 

Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, were all 

optimistic that the 

judgement will be in their 

favour.



Kaduna screens 14,000 applicants 

for teaching jobs holders sit for aptitude test 

K ADUNA—THE 

Kaduna State Teachers 

Service Board, TSB, 

yesterday, said it had 

screened no fewer that 

14,000 applicants for 7,600 

teaching jobs in the public 

secondary schools. 

Chairperson of the board, 

Mrs Mary Ambi, said this in 

an interview in Kaduna. 

Ambi said more than 

62,000 applicants, including 

holders of Master’s and 

Ph.D. degrees, sat for the 

aptitude test, held in January 

2019. 

She said more than 14,000 

of the applicants were 

invited for interview, which 

was concluded in December 

2019. 

According to Ambi, the 

board would soon finish data 

•62,000 applicants including Ph.D 

entries of those found 

qualified and make 

submission to the state’s 

Ministry of Education. 

She said: “The 

performance of the 

applicants was generally 

impressive but we will only 

employ 7,600, particularly 

those we find qualified in line 

with the guidelines of 

Teachers Registration 

ADOPT AN ATHLETE INITIATIVE: From left, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youths and 

Sports Development, Mr. Adesola Olusade; Group Managing Director, Halogen Group, Mr. Wale 

Olaoye; Commonwealth senior category gold medalist and female Olympic wrestling gold medal 

hopeful, Ms. Odunayo Adekuoroye; Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, 

and Chief Operating Officer, Academy Halogen, Dr. Wale Adeagbo, after Halogen Group 

management adopted the Nigerian freestyle female wrestling champion, Odunayo, at the launch 

of Federal Government's “Adopt an Athlete Initiative” ahead of 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, in 

Lagos. 

Father of kidnapped 

Ambrose Alli varsity student 

appeals to IGP, Obaseki 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN CITY — 

FATHER of the 

kidnapped final year 

student of Ambrose Alli 

University, AAU, Ekpoma, 

Edo State, Mr Thomas 

Ojemire, has appealed to 

the Inspector General of 

Police, Mr. Mohammed 

Adamu, and Governor 

Godwin Obaseki of Edo 

State to help in rescuing of 

his daughter, Miss. 

Ojemire Bisi, who has been 

abducted for over one 

month. 

Ojemire, who spoke with 

journalists in Benin City, 

disclosed that since his 

daughter was abducted at 

the gate of the AAU on 

December 8, 2019, she has 

not been set free. 

He said: “The reason I am 

seeking the help of the IGP 

and Governor Obaseki is 

because the police in Edo 

State seems not to be doing 

anything about my 

predicament. 

“My daughter is a final 

year student in the Nursing 

Department of Ambrose Alli 

University, Ekpoma, Edo 

State and she was 

kidnapped on the campus 

Halogen Group partners FG 

on 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 

adopts Odunayo 

NIGERIA’S security risk 

group, Halogen, has 

partnered with Federal 

Ministry of Youths and Sports 

Development to adopt 

Nigeria’s Commonwealth 

senior category gold medalist 

and Olympic wrestling gold 

medal hopeful, Odunayo 

Adekuoroye. 

The adoption of the female 

athlete by Halogen Group 

marks an early win for the 

Federal Government’s 

recently launched “Adopt an 

Athlete” initiative aimed at 

producing world champions 

for the country in the coming 

2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

In a statement, the 

management of Halogen 

Group commended the 

Minister of Youth and Sports, 

Mr Sunday Dare, for the 

pragmatic innovation of 

enlisting the organised 

private sector in the 

Okoro justifies number of Delta govt’s appointees 

By Festus Ahon 

A Adviser SABA—Special 

to Delta State 

Governor on Rural and 

Community Development, 

Mr Emma Okoro, has 

described as distractions, 

statements condemning the 

number of appointments 

made by Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa, insisting that the 

number of appointments 

and engagements reflect the 

widening scope of 

government towards 

delivery on its mandate. 

Council, TCN. 

“There are applicants who 

read urban and regional 

planning; some, human 

anatomy, others mechanical 

engineering; but we want to 

be fair to the system. 

“As such, we will only 

employ those we find to be 

qualified to teach in our 

schools to improve teaching 

and learning in public 

secondary schools.” 

A-Ibom govt faults presidential aide’s N72bn 

refund claim 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO —AKWA Ibom State 

government has faulted 

the claim by Special Assistant 

to the President on Niger 

Delta Affairs, Senator Ita 

Enang, that the Federal 

Government paid the state 

the sum of N72 billion as the 

money it used for the 

construction of federal roads 

in the state. 

State Commissioner for 

Finance, Mr Linus Nkan, 

while fielding questions from 

newsmen in Uyo, yesterday, 

stressed that the amount 

refunded to the state was 

actually below what was 

approved by the previous 

administration under which 

the said federal roads were 

done. 

He warned that Senator 

Enang does not have the 

right to dictate to the state 

how it should utilise its 

resources. 

Nkan, who was obviously 

reacting to recent statement 

by Enang that the Akwa Ibom 

State government should 

plough the refunded money 

back to federal road projects 

such as the Calabar-Itu-Ikot 

Ekpene, said: “Every state 

has its priorities and as such 

work in line with such 

priorities. 

“It is true that Akwa Ibom 

State got some refunds, but 

what is not true is the amount 

declared by Ita Enang. What 

former President Goodluck 

Jonathan’s administration 

approved was far higher than 

what we actually got. 

“The Federal Government 

merely refunded the money 

it owed Akwa Ibom State. But 

Senator Enang did not have 

to tell us what to use the 

money for, because every 

state has its priority. Ita Enang 

does not have such right. He 

is not an adviser to the state 

governor.” 

Nkan said he was 

impressed that the industries 

the state government has so 

far attracted to the state were 

boosting the economy of the 

state, evident in the improved 

Internally Generated 

Revenue, IGR, in the past few 

years. 

He disclosed that state 

government had set a target 

of N100 billion for the IGR 

this year. 

“Our efforts to boost the 

economy of the state through 

industrialisation are boosting 

our IGR. What we made last 

year was almost double of 

what we had in 2018, so we 

shouldn’t do anything less 

than N100 billion in 2020,” 

he added. 

Northern govs condole with Sheikh Bauchi 

over wife’s death 

By Therese 

Nanlong 

THE Northern Governors 

Forum has condoled with 

a prominent Islamic scholar 

and leader of Tijjaniyya 

Movement in Nigeria, 

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, over 

the death of his wife, Aishatu 

Dahiru Usman Bauchi. 

In a condolence message, 

chairman of the forum and 

Governor of Plateau State, 

Simon Lalong, described the 

death of the late wife of 

Sheikh Bauchi as a huge loss 

not only to the family but to 

many who depended on her 

love and goodwill. 

Lalong in a statement by 

his Director of Press and 

Public Affairs, Makut 

Macham, said: “Northern 

governors share in the pain 

and grief of Sheikh Dahiru 

Bauchi, his family and the 

entire Tijjaniya Movement 

as her death has created a 

vacuum that will be difficult 

to fill. 

“The legacies left behind 

by the deceased will 

continue to be cherished and 

her memory honoured for all 

the good deeds she engaged 

in particularly by touching 

the lives of the poor and less 

privileged.” 

He urged the Islamic 

scholar and members of his 

family to “accept the sad 

development as the will of 

Allah, trusting that Allah will 

comfort them and give the 

family the fortitude to bear 

the loss.” 

Okoro, who made the 

clarification during the first 

quarterly meeting of 

appointees covering Rural 

and Community 

Development, said public 

assessment should be 

channelled towards the 

impact of government 

engagements. 

Reeling out their 2020 

schedule, he disclosed that 

the government would 

launch research to critically 

identify the number of ethnic 

nationalities and dialect 

groups in Delta State. 

He said: “The meeting is 

to chart a new course for the 

year. We rejoice with our 

governor, Okowa, on his 

Supreme Court victory. I 

welcome the new appointees 

on rural and community 

development. 

“We are here to serve the 

state not just the governor. It 

is a privilege to serve and we 

will do it well. Those 

criticising the governor for 

giving too much 

appointments are standing 

on wrong footing. 

gate of the institution. 

“Ever since, the 

authorities of the AAU have 

been silent about the matter 

and I feel bad about it 

because my daughter was 

under their care and she 

was kidnapped inside the 

school premises. 

“For over a month now, I 

have made installment 

payments of over N500,000 

into the bank account 

belonging to the 

kidnappers and yet they 

have not freed my 

daughter. 

“I have borrowed and 

even sold some of my 

property to raise the money 

I paid into their account 

and they are still asking for 

more even though they 

have refused to let me 

speak with my daughter for 

the past one month. 

“I'am, therefore, 

appealing to the IGP and 

Edo State governor to do 

whatever is necessary to 

help locate and rescue my 

daughter from the 

kidnappers' den. I have 

absolute confidence in the 

IGP and Governor Obaseki 

to do the needful by 

rescuing my beloved 

daughter without further 

delay.” 

development of sports in 

Nigeria, describing the 

initiative as a fresh idea 

capable of unleashing a new 

era of global glory for Nigerian 

sports and athletes. 

According to the Group 

Managing Director of 

Halogen Group, Mr. Wale 

Olaoye: “Halogen Group is 

excited to adopt Odunayo 

Adekuoroye, Nigeria’s 

greatest female wrestling 

export in recent times. She 

remains unbeaten to date and 

has risen rapidly in the highly 

competitive world of female 

wrestling to attain her current 

ranking of the world’s 

number 2 in the women’s 

wrestling class.” 

On why Halogen Group is 

committed to the multiple 

medal-winning Odunayo, 

Olaoye said: “Odunayo is an 

extraordinary athlete who 

creates huge excitement with 

her unbeatable performance 

in the wrestling ring, at the 

same time, she is influencing 

millions of Nigerian youths 

across the world to be great 

at what they do. She is an 

epitome of Halogen brand 

with her boundless energy, 

passion for excellence and 

uncommon commitment to 

winning.” 

Also speaking, Minister of 

Sports, Mr. Dare, noted that 

Nigeria’s government alone 

cannot bear the huge 

expenses required to 

manage her several athletes 

to the global game without 

supports from the private 

sector and endowed 

individuals.

36— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

SMS only: 08088693107 

Email: ebellistic@yahoo.co.uk 

Prayers will not build a nation — Dr Emilimor 

By Ebele Orakpo 

Dr John Emilimor is a 

Dental Surgeon and a Pastor. He left 

medical practice years ago to go into full-time 

ministry. In this chat, he speaks on what 

bedevilled Nigeria and why obviously prayers 

are not being answered and the type of prayers 

we need. 

Excerpts: 

History of Nigeria 

If you look at the history of Nigeria, as far 

back as pre-colonial days, one of the primary 

blessings the gospel brought was the stopping 

of the killing of twins by Mary Slessor. I can 

imagine how our primitivity would have 

continued into the massacre of twins. We were 

told that for every twin born, three lives were 

wasted - the twins and the mother. So this 

gospel, which is the light of the world and the 

salt of the earth, is a global phenomenon. It is 

very sad that people have turned it to a religious 

package. It is not about bringing your money 

for me to build church or buy private jet, it is 

about liberating people from bondage and that 

is the premise on which I will address the issue 

of the nation called Nigeria. 

Programmed to fail 

There are basic things from the foundation of 

this country that makes me categorically say 

that prayer cannot change it. Every house stands 

on the type of foundation it is put upon so when 

the tests and trials come, they come to test not 

the type of building but the foundation. 

Now, to the foundation of Nigeria; the little 

history I know said Nigeria came into existence 

in 1914 when they amalgamated the Northern 

and Southern Protectorates for 

ease of administration. There 

was no record of them 

consulting the people because 

they were slaves, masters don’t 

consult slaves before they 

rename them. 

When Daniel and his people 

got to Babylon, they gave them 

Babylonish names. It’s no 

wonder today that many 

Nigerians bear English names, 

we are reflecting colonialism, so 

the smear is still on us. 

So they brought the 

protectorates together for ease 

of administration, so if it was 

founded so that the colonial 

masters can find it more 

convenient and easier to 

administer colonial superiority 

and agenda, that was the 

reason. If you look at the history 

of nations and how people are 

captured and how captivity is 

perpetuated, you will 

understand that this foundation 

is designed to produce what it 

is producing now. I will give 

you some examples: When 

territories are captured, in order 

to make sure that those people 

are never able to rebel again, 

what they do is put people of 

different cultures, religions and 

philosophies together, knowing 

they will never agree and if you 

put them together and put a 

government over them, it will 

be difficult for them to rebel. 

There was a problem in Ekiti 

State, the House of Assembly 

was divided and they wrote a 

protest letter to the UK asking 

them to intervene, crying again 

to the colonial master! Every 

sector agitating for freedom, 

sends their protest letter to our 

colonial master before going to 

the UN. 

UK keeping a grip on Nigeria 

If you notice, for the over six 

months that President Buhari 

was in the UK hospital, they 

•Dr. John Emilimor...If this is answer to prayer, we should humble ourselves 

and go and ask the Dubai people which God they pray to 

cooperated to make sure they 

cover many things so that the 

hold of the north on the entire 

Nigeria will remain intact. I 

listened to the IPOB leader, 

Nnamdi Kanu and some of the 

comments he made, even with 

the EU, was not reported by the 

British media. It’s all about what 

to do to keep not just loyalty but 

the grip of the UK on this nation 

and that is sweet because there 

is one thing that drives the 

political front - whether from 

If you look at the 

history of nations 

and how people 

are captured and 

how captivity is 

perpetuated, you 

will understand 

that this 

foundation is 

designed to 

produce what it is 

producing now 

the North or South, the colonial 

master created something we 

call the national cake which 

belongs to no man and because 

of that, any person who has 

access to it has one agenda: 

‘Let me cut as much as I can 

because I don’t know when 

next I can access it. 

National cake 

Any system built upon that 

type of structure that nobody 

has a deep sense of belonging 

or patriotism to say ‘this is our 

own,’ is not going to last. Give 

the East the opportunity to be 

president, they are coming not 

as Nigerians but as Igbos, to 

grab what they can grab. 

Tinubu and co are romancing 

the North so they can be given 

a chance to cut their own share 

of the national cake. There is 

no person that you will put 

there that is not sectional in 

thinking because the country 

called Nigeria belongs to no 

man. It is a British 

arrangement so those praying 

must first of all ask what they 

are praying about. It is 

impossible for the North and 

South to have anything in 

common; they are not the same 

in religion, culture or 

philosophy. Actually, in the 

Bible, nations are classified by 

tongues and tribes so 

practically, they forced about 

four nations into one knowing 

that the primary loyalty of every 

person is to their tribe. Nothing 

unifies as language. When 

God sought to divide the 

people that ganged up against 

Him, He split their language. 

These are naturally 

programmed laws, it cannot be 

different in Nigeria's case. 

Praying for Nigeria 

Nigeria was programmed to be 

like this because its foundation 

is to perpetuate slavery. Now, I 

challenge fellow Christians to 

consider the fact that they have 

been praying for Nigeria for over 

40 years and cannot confidently 

tell me that God has been 

answering. Everybody I have 

asked has come to humbly admit 

that if we are looking at the God 

of the Bible and the way He 

operates, there is enough reason 

to believe He has not answered 

our prayers and if He has not, 

why don’t we do like the Bible 

Christians in Isaiah 58? They 

prayed and prayed and at a 

point, they had to pause and ask 

themselves: “Why have we 

fasted and prayed and God did 

not pay attention?” And God told 

them why. 

Nigerian Christianity 

But the history of Nigerian 

Christianity and the so-called 

Prayer movement is opposite. 

Rather than the leaders taking 

time to take stock and ask why 

God has not answered; they 

would increase the intensity of 

the prayers, add more days of 

fasting, ask people to give more 

money as if God is so hungry 

and that is why He is not 

answering. They go from three, 

to seven days; some churches do 

100 days fasting, it is ridiculous! 

Spirit of religion 

When things become so 

ritualistic and monotonous, 

people begin to be pretentious 

and hypocritical about it so 

people pretend to be fasting. 

That is the consequence of 

advancing religion upon 

people’s lives. They get to a 

point and they just say ‘look, we 

have to remove this mask. and 

see who is behind it. You can fool 

them sometimes but not all the 

time and because people have 

this sense of commitment to the 

system called church, they don’t 

feel they should go back to 

idolatory. Once you begin to 

cannonise what God has 

liberated and make doctrines that 

curtail people's freedom to think 

and to access God in his 

unlimited dimension; you create 

some myths that make people 

think that if they go too far, God 

might feel threatened or upset 

so there are some questions they 

bottle up and are afraid to ask. 

Prayer won't build a nation 

I hear people talk about unity, 

oneness, prosperity and peace. 

We are getting worse in these 

areas. Someone said if we have 

not been praying, it would have 

been worse; that is a religious 

spirit, it's an insult to the God of 

heaven. If this is answer to 

prayer, we should humble 

ourselves and go and ask the 

Dubai people which God they 

pray to. Dubai was a desert in 

1973 and the same proceeds of 

oil turned them to a paradise on 

earth, so we are not talking about 

religion. Dubai is a moslem set 

up. Prayer will not build a nation. 

If we deploy all the energy we 

put into prayer in Nigeria to 

productive living, just follow the 

simple laws of nature, sow and 

reap, that has nothing to do with 

religion. If an idol worshipper 

puts a seed of corn in the ground 

and follow the simple laws of 

agriculture, it will germinate and 

produce without prayer. But if a 

prayer warrior puts that seed on 

a ceiling fan, it will dry because 

he has refused to follow the 

simple laws of nature. Every 

system has laws that govern it. 

If you carry a bird in the air and 

put in the river, that is suicide. 

Somebody said there are 

nations with different 

languages; yes, but they were 

not put together by a stranger. 

Those standing is because there 

was a referendum and terms on 

which they would co-exist were 

agreed upon. That is called a 

confederation. The US is built on 

that, also the UK. 

The colonial masters left a little 

loophole, they said if after 100 

years and this arrangement did 

not work, we can go our separate 

ways. USSR has split to about 

eight nations. 

Obasanjo is frustrated that a 

Fulani man is building Fulani 

empire. Nigeria is designed to 

operate like that. Ojukwu and his 

people felt that if they could not 

have a sense of belonging in 

Nigeria, they would go. We must 

get back to that. 

What I am advocating 

I am advocating what is 

natural. I was challenging a 

Yoruba lady who said Yorubas are 

the most detribaslised. I said to 

her: “Remember, when the chips 

were down, the Oba of Lagos 

threatened that Igbos would be 

thrown into the lagoon if they 

voted against his candidate. She 

is first of all a Yoruba woman 

before being a Nigerian. What 

was your nationality in 1913? 

There was no Nigeria then. If 

you have US citizenship, once 

they hear your accent, they will 

say: “Where are you from 

originally?” You hear: ‘I’m from 

Mexico, South Africa or Nigeria 

originally.’ That is it! We should 

be able to say: “I am a Yoruba 

Nigerian, Igbo Nigerian etc. 

But we don’t have a final stake 

in this strange nation put 

together by strangers.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 — 37 

YEMI ADAMOLEKUN'S 

AMOLEKUN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION 

Evening of Yoruba Praise and Worship was held for Yemi Adamolekun, daughter of Professor Oladipo Adamolekun, 

during her birthday celebration at City of David, Victoria Island Lagos. Photos: Kehinde Gbadamosi 

•From left: Ambassador (Dr.) Eniola Ajayi, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, First Lady 

of Ekiti State, Mrs. Olajumoke Adamolekun, mother of the celebrant; Prof. 

Ladipo Adamolekun, father of the celebrant and the celebrant, Yemi 

Adamolekun. 

•From Left: Arc Olajumoke Adenowo, Chief Executive Officer, A.D Consulting, 

Mrs Eni Bankole-Race, CEO, Maverick Consult, Mrs Abiola Agbaje, 

and Mr Jimi Agbaje. 

•From left: Pastor Hyacinth Aneke, Pastor Kunle Oreofe, and 

Pastor Olu Okun,. 

•From left: Mr Ibidapo Adamolekun, Mrs Abigail Ajayi, Dr Femi Ogunsanya,and Dr 

Wole Adamolekun.


Housing deficit: LASG completes 360 homes for occupation in Ikorodu 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

Lagos 

State 

Government said it 

has completed 

construction of 360 

additional housing units 

for commissioning soon as 

part of its efforts to tackle 

the challenge of housing 

deficit in the state. 

The state Commissioner 

for Housing, Mr. Moruf 

Akinderu–Fatai, disclosed 

this recently, while 

conducting a validation 

and inspection visit to 

•To deliver 3,500 homes in 2020 

Lagos Homes, 

LAGSHOM Igbogbo 

Scheme 2B, in Ikorodu 

Local Government area of 

the state. 

“Lagos is adding 360 

more homes to the existing 

stock of homes in the state 

in the next few weeks,” 

Fatai said. 


state government has 

resolved to complete all 

housing schemes that 

were set aside by the 

previous administration in 

order to speedily bring 

succour to residents by 

increasing the availability 

of decent accommodation 

for the increasing 

population of the state. 

“Reducing the housing 

deficit and bringing more 

people on the home 

ownership ladder through 

provision of affordable and 

quality homes are tasks 

that are germane to 

building a 21st century 

economy. 

“Hence, the 

administration of Mr 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu is 

frontally pursuing the 

goals of completing all the 

on-going housing 

schemes to ensure that 

befitting and decent 

accommodation is 

available to the ever 

increasing population of 

the state,” he said. 

The Permanent Secretary 

of the Ministry, Mr. Wasiu 

Akewusola who also 

affirmed that over 360 

families will soon move to 

their homes, expressed 

satisfaction with the on– 

going works at the site and 

he encourages the 

contractors to keep up 

with the good job in order 

to deliver at the targeted 

date. 

He disclosed that in year 

2020, not less than 3,500 

homes in Sangotedo, Idale 

in Badagry, Odo Onasa/ 

Ayandelu, Ibeshe, Egan- 

Igando and Ajara will be 

completed from both 

government owned 

schemes and joint 

ventures. 

The LagsHom Igbogbo 

Housing Estate is made 

up of 30 blocks of buildings 

with 120 units each of 

three-bedrooms, twobedrooms 

and one- 

Bedroom making a total of 

360 units of family homes. 

In addition, the scheme 

which commenced in 2012 

has a central sewage 

treatment plant, Water 

treatment plant, high 

quality road network, and 

Street lights. 

As 

confidence 

returns to real 

estate, the industry 

faces a number of 

fundamental shifts that 

will shape its future. 

We have looked into 

the likely changes in the 

real estate landscape 

over the coming years 

and identified the key 

trends which, we 

believe, will have 

profound implications 

for real estate 

investment and 

development. 

PriceWaterCooper 

PWC, has noted that 

looking forward to 2020 

and beyond, the real 

estate investment 

industry will find itself at 

the centre of rapid 

economic and social 

change, which is 

transforming the built 

environment. 

According to a report 

by PWC, while most of 

these trends are already 

evident, there is a 

natural tendency to 

underestimate their 

By Chris Ochayi 

In a bid to restore 

sanity to the built 

environment, the 

Council of Registered 

Builders of Nigeria, 

CORBON, has 

concluded plans to 

digitise housing 

construction with a view 

to checkmating the 

incessant incidents of 

building collapse in the 

country. 

To this end, the body 

consisting of seven 

professionals in the 

industry announced it 

has opened up a window 

of collaborating with 

AUTODESK and BIM 

Africa to build capacity of 

builders to be BIMready. 

“Autodesk is a 

technology that makes 

software for people who 

operate across sectors 

such as manufacturing, 

Real estate will transform built 

environment in 2020 — Experts 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

with Agency report 

implications over the 

next six years and 

beyond. 

“By 2020, real estate 

managers will have a 

broader range of 

opportunities, with 

greater risks and new 

value drivers. As real 

estate is a business with 

long development 

cycles, as from planning 

to construction takes 

several years, now is the 

time to plan for these 

changes. 

“Already, thousands of 

people migrate from 

Building Collapse: CORBON Partners BIM, 

AUTODESK to digitise housing construction 

architecture, building, 

construction, media, and 

entertainment, and it 

gives you the power to 

make anything. 

“While BIM- the 

Building Information 

Modelling gives you 

more detailed 

information about 

projects and for you to 

know whether you are 

going to have problem 

during execution, it 

generates a project as far 

as five dimensions. And 

with that, all stakeholders 

will be able to collaborate 

within the common data 

environment”, Kabir Bala, 

CORBON Chairman, 

said. 

Disclosing this at the 

induction ceremony of 258 

new practitioners into 

building profession 

recently, Bala described 

the collaboration as 

historic in the history of 

housing construction in 

Nigeria. 

According to him, 

“Today, we will be 

admitting 258 new 

practitioners into this 

prestigious profession. I 

believe a special 

congratulation to all the 

inductees is in order. This 

is my sixth year as the 

Chairman of CORBON, 

and each year, we 

congregate to celebrate 

the heart-warming 

decision of trained 

builders’ to take up the 

Council’s instruments 

that legitimise the 

Building Technology 

practice in all aspects and 

ramifications in Nigeria. 

“I consider this year’s 

induction as unique 

because of the record 

number of inductees and 

is the first set of inductees 

to be exposed to the 

‘future of construction’ – 

the Building Information 

Modelling. 

“CORBON is 

collaborating with 

AUTODESK and BIM 

Africa to build capacity of 

builders to be BIM-ready. 

The decision of the 

Council to commit to 

these opportunities is 

deliberate. 

“It is intended for setting 

a high standard for 

professional services in 

the built environment. 

Thus, I wish to state here 

that CORBON and 

builders are disposed to 

collaborations with other 

stakeholders for better 

project quality, faster 

project delivery, reduced 

wastages, reduced 

construction costs, etc. 

“I enjoin you, my dear 

inductees not to sit back 

and rely on your current 

ability but to work 

tirelessly in acquiring new 

knowledge and skills that 

the fourth industrial 

revolution will demand. 

country to city across 

Asia, the Middle East, 

Latin America and Africa 

on a daily basis, 

attracted by the new 

wealth of these 

economies. By 2020, this 

migration will be firmly 

established. The cities 

will swell, and some 

entirely new ones will 

spring up. 

“Meanwhile, the 

growing emerging 

markets’ middle class 

and ageing global 

population are 

increasing demand for 

specific types of real 

estate. Sub-sectors such 

as agriculture, 

education, healthcare 

and retirement will be far 

bigger by 2020. 

“High energy prices, 

climate change and 

government regulation 

are already pushing 

sustainability up the real 

estate agenda, but by 

2020, their impact will be 

far greater. 

Technology is already 

disrupting real estate 

economics, but by 2020, 

it will have reshaped 

entire sectors. And the 

real estate community 

will have taken a greater 

role in the financial 

ecosystem, in part 

moving into the space 

left by banks”. 

Pointing out that its 

fictional forum illustrates 

some elements of this 

change, PWC said “We 

believe the new era of 

real estate investment, to 

2020 and beyond, is the 

beginning of a time of 

unprecedented 

opportunity for real 

estate investors and 

asset managers, 

although with greater 

risk. 

“The global stock of 

institutional-grade real 

estate will expand by 

more than 55 per cent 

from US$29.0 trillion in 

2012, to US$45.3 trillion 

in 2020, according to our 

calculations. It may then 

grow further to US$69.0 

trillion in 2030. 

This huge expansion in 

investable real estate 

will be greatest in the 

emerging economies, 

where economic 

development will lead to 

better tenant quality and, 

in some countries, 

clearer property rights. 

“And it will play out 

across housing, 

commercial real estate 

and infrastructure. 

Indeed, as intense 

competition continues to 

compress investment 

yields for core real estate, 

real estate managers will 

have every incentive to 

search for higher yields 

elsewhere”.


Seminar: From left: Adamu Balanti, a director;Sunday Thomas , acting Commissioner for Insurance/CEO and 

Olufemi Oluniyi, a director , all of the National Insurance Commission(NAICOM), at a seminar for Journalists 

in Kano . 

How govt indifference, 

recapitalisation, others shaped 

insurance in 2019 

Stories by Cynthia Alo 

Activities in the 

insurance 

industry in 2019 

maintained a slow pace 

occasioned mostly by the 

non renewal of public 

sector insurance for the 

third consecutive year. 

Consequently, patronage 

by some government 

parastatals was stalled due 

to non-release of funds. 

However the industry 

saw growth in 2019 as firms 

strengthened their retail 

offerings while there was 

increase in premium rate 

of group life. 

One of the major 

highlights for the year was 

the suspension of the 

insurance rebranding 

campaign project due to 

unimpressive response of 

some companies. 

Other major activities in 

2019 include the extension 

of the deadline for the 

recapitalization exercise; 

fake motor insurance 

enlightenment campaign 

etc. 

The rebranding 

campaign 

Recapitalisation: Deadline extension 

will boost fund raising opportunities 

—Underwriters 

Insurance underwriters 

have said that the exten 

sion of the recapitalisation 

exercise by the National 

Insurance Commission, 

NAICOM, will allow them 

explore other means of raising 

funds to shore up their capitals. 

According to the underwriters, 

this will not only give them 

room to explore untapped 

means of raising funds but 

create deeper understanding of 

the benefit of the exercise. 

NAICOM had in a circular 

dated December 30, 2019, and 

signed by Director, Policy and 

Regulations, Mr. Pius Agboola, 

announced a six months 

extension of the recapitalisation 

deadline to December 31, 2020. 

The Commission said the 

need for the extension came after 

it reviewed the recapitalisation 

plans submitted by operators, 

the various levels of compliance 

observed, and the inputs noted 

from various engagements with 

relevant stakeholders. 

Commenting on the 

development, Chief Executive 

Officer, Veritas Kapital Assurance 

Plc, Mr. Kenneth Egbaran 

expressed confidence that the 

extension will avail the 

underwriters, room to explore other 

means of increasing their funds. 

Egbaran told Vanguard that, 

it is imperative to note that the 

present economy makes it hard 

to raise funds and as such the 

regulators have done the right 

thing in postponing the 

deadline. 

He said: “You are aware of 

what is going on in the capital 

market, so the Commission 

has done well in extending the 

deadline as this would give the 

underwriters room to explore 

other means of raising funds. 

It is the state of the economy 

that determines how the 

capitals are raised otherwise 

the alternative is to look 

outside and that will mean 

bringing in foreign investors 

but primarily the capital is 

expected to be raised from the 

local economy except we are 

expecting a take over from 

foreign investors." 

In the same light, Managing 

Director, Old Mutual General 

Insurance Company Nigeria 

Limited, Mr. Olalekan 

Oyinlade, said, “The end of the 

year pronouncement on the 

extension of deadline 

recapitalization would allow 

various underwriters a bit of 

more time to ensure that the 

benefit of the recapitalization 

is not negated." 

In a chat with Vanguard, a 

top official of AIICO who 

pleaded to remain anonymous 

said that the extension will 

allow other insurance 

companies to further perfect 

their record and get funds from 

their investors to meet up with 

the new requirement which is 

of huge benefit to the industry. 

According to him, many 

people believe that extending 

the recapitalization will negate 

the real sense of the exercise, 

adding, "I don’t see it being 

swept under the carpet like 

others believe because this will 

help other companies meet up 

with the recapitalization 

requirement. 

He stated that those in view 

that the extension will be 

unrealizable are those that 

believe that the initial request for 

the recapitalization was 

politically motivated adding, "if 

it is borne out of the need for 

sanity and sanctity of the 

industry, it will be executed and 

it will be seen through by the 

industry authorities. 

However, an insurance 

specialist and former head of 

retail business at Cornerstone 

Insurance, Mr. Ekeret Glam- 

Ikon opined that rather than 

extending the deadline, the 

Commission should pronounce 

the names of those ready for the 

exercise and go ahead with them 

in the interest of the 

policyholders. 

According to him, some 

companies are ready for the 

recapitalisation while some will 

never be ready no matter how 

long the Commission decides to 

stretch the exercise. 

He warned that this act could 

make a lot of the underwriters 

who are not paying claims to 

further delay in claims payment 

while the policyholders could 

decide to invest in other 

opportunities." 

On December 13 2019, 

the Insurers Committee, 

which is made up of the 

National Insurance 

Commission, NAICOM, 

as well as all the chief 

executives of insurance 

companies announced the 

suspension of the 

rebranding campaign 

project. 

Introduced in 2018, with 

estimated budget of N300 

million, the campaign was 

geared towards increasing 

insurance awareness and 

deepening penetration in 

the country. 

The suspension, 

according to the 

Committee, became 

necessary due to failure of 

some companies who 

refused to pay up their own 

part of the contribution 

thereby hindering the 

progress of the campaign. 

The Committee however 

said that the project will be 

revisited in the future. 

Extension of 

recapitalization exercise 

On May 20 2019, 

NAICOM announced a 

recapitalization exercise for 

insurance and reinsurance 

companies, with June 30, 

2020 deadline for 

compliance. 

This however did not go 

down well with some of the 

insurance companies as 

some of them argued that 

the economy did not 

present better opportunity 

for the industry to strive. 

Even shareholders were 

not left out in the agitation 

and constantly called on the 

regulator to extend the time 

frame or cancel it outright. 

This prompted NAICOM 

to extend the deadline to 

December 2020. 

Fake motor insurance 

enlightenment campaign 

On October 2nd, the 

Nigerian Insurers 

Association, NIA, 

commenced a campaign 

against fake motor 

insurance in Nigeria 

tagged 'wetin U Carry.' 

In this regard, the 

Association said it deployed 

2020: CIIN urges insurance 

operators to embrace 

creativity 

Chartered Insurance Institute 

of Nigeria,CIIN has called 

on industry professionals to 

deploy more creativity in the sector 

to further deepen insurance 

penetration in 2020. 

President of the Institute, Mr. 

Eddie Efekoha stated this in his new 

year message noting that year 2020 

is a year to put into practice all that 

have been preached as professionals. 

He said: ''The year 2020 is an 

important year for the insurance 

industry. It is a year in which we are 

mandated to put into practice all that 

we have preached as professionals. 

''Recapitalization of insurance and 

reinsurance companies is no longer 

an idea but a reality and the industry 

has to embrace it wholly. Its advent 

calls for insurance professionals to 

embrace creativity and work harder 

than ever before for the future of this 

industry. 

It will not be an easy ride and all 

our resources will be stretched thin, 

however it is my belief that we will 

all profit from this exercise, '' he 

stated . 

''I would also like to commend the 

National Insurance Commission 

(NAICOM) for their support for the 

Institute and College programmes in 

2019. I urge all trade bodies of the 

industry namely: Nigerian Insueres 

Association, (NIA), Nigerian Council 

of Registered Insurance 

Brokers(NCRIB), Institute of Loss 

over 33 cops in the street of 

Lagos to kick off the 

exercise. 

Operators comment 

Speaking on the 

performance of the sector in 

2019, Managing Director, 

Old Mutual General 

Insurance Company 

Nigeria Limited, Mr. 

Olalekan Oyinlade said 

that the industry was 

thrown off balance with the 

performance of the general 

economy which insurance 

is not insulated from. 

“The initial 

apprehension over the 

non-clarity of the 

recapitalization process 

also threw operators off 

balance,” he stated. 

Managing Director, 

Veritas Kapital Assurance, 

Mr.Kenneth Egbaran, said 

that the industry saw 

growth in 2019 through 

strengthening of its retail 

market and the increase in 

premium rate of group life. 

Way forward 

Despite the challenges in 

2019, Oyinlade maintained 

that for the industry to grow, 

operators must continue to 

change product offerings 

to meet the prevailing 

challenges whilst 

developing alternative 

distribution channel largely 

on digital models which he 

said is cost effective and 

efficient. 

He said: ''The industry 

focus should be on 

developing the less served 

middle and mass market. 

These sections of the 

pyramid need insurance 

and the challenge are for 

the practitioners to offer 

them real solutions that 

meet their needs." 

Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN) and 

Association of Registered Insurance 

Agents of Nigeria(ARIAN)to stay 

committed to promoting the 

insurance industry's agenda. 

Together we can achieve so much.'' 

''There are many benefits to be 

derived from the membership of the 

Institute including but not limited to 

access to industry reports and 

research papers, discounted 

examination fees, group life benefits 

( to the tune of N500,000) and 

permanent disability benefits (to the 

tune of N250,000). The Institute 

remains committed to offering value 

to its members and I can assure you 

that more benefits will be unveiled 

in the nearest future. 

Reiterating his commitments in 

advancing insurance education and 

professionalism, he said that the 

institute will consistently provide 

world class manpower with the 

highest standard of professional and 

ethical training for operating 

effectively and efficiently in the 

Nigerian and international business 

environment. 

'' The Institute is our pride and 

represents a beacon of light to the 

insurance industry. It is my hope that 

as stakeholders, we will continue to 

lift the Institute higher by actively 

participating in its programmes and 

activities in 2020, thus making the 

year more successful than the 

previous.''





Continues from page 8 

learn from other countries 

that have survived the 

horror of war. 

“Germany fought a war 

and lost, the same as 

Japan. But 30 years after, 

Germany became one of 

the best economies in the 

world, the same and 

Japan, until the advent of 

China. Losing a war does 

not make you a failure. 

“We as a country must 

eschew violence, as it will 

not provide the answer to 

our current situation. 

There is a saying which 

goes like this: “Those who 

live by the sword, die by 

the sword.” This is a new 

year and a new 

opportunity for Nigeria to 

make things right once 

again.” 

War is horrible 

— Utomi 

While highlighting the 

collapse of culture as one 

of the major problems of 

the country, Professor 

Utomi called for urgent 

attention and a joint effort 

to fix the problem. 

Utomi noted that if the 

Biafran war was fought 

today, Nigeria may not 

exist due to the selfdetermination 

recognition 

by the international 

community. 

He said: “War is a 

horrible experience. I 

have read about it, I have 

experienced it and I have 

watched it in the movies. 

We must address the 

issues that led to the Civil 

War. I can tell you that if 

the Biafran war is fought 

today, there will be no 

Nigeria because the 

international community 

now recognizes selfdetermination.” 

He urged the 

government to create an 

enabling environment to 

help businesses. 

He said: “Why does it 

matter to reflect on that 

experience and 50 years 

since? 

I think this initiative has 

value because war is 

horrible and anything that 

enables people to learn 

enough from its 

experience to make them 

seek not to repeat it, does 

humanity great favour. 

Allied to this is that 

managing the cessation 

of hostility will 

determine how people 

heal and whether it is 

easy to capitalize on old 

wounds. Some doubt that 

the nature of the peace 

treaty that ended World 

War I paved the way for 

Hitler to emerge and 

made a more terrible 

World War II happen. 

“War creates its 

psychosis and that can 

affect culture in a way 

that people may not 

become immediately 

aware of but this may 

affect fundamentally a 

peoples’ way. Why, for 

example, were Ndigbo 

typically considered 

modest, 

even 

stereotyped as stingy, 

before the war, and in the 

post-war era have 

become more voluble, 

extravagant and showy, 

with significant 

consequences for 

Emotional Intelligence? 

“Nigeria’s inability to 

have learned and 

institutionalized lessons 

from the civil war is 

perhaps one of the 

greatest cases of 

leadership failure in 

modern human history. 

Even that is a paradox. 

The end of the civil war 

was marked by some 

great 

initiatives”. 

leadership 

We must 

address the 

fundamentals 

— Akintoye 

Also speaking, eminent 

historian, Professor Banji 

Akintoye said there is a 

need for Nigerians to 

find a rational solution to 

problems affecting the 

country. 

He warned that the 

country is in a mood 

similar to the pre-Civil 

War mood, noting: “We, 

who are here assembled 

and the rest of our whole 

country owe a great debt 

of gratitude to our men 

and women who thought 

that Nigeria must 

celebrate this important 

day in our country’s 

history and who put the 

arrangements together to 

Naira appreciates to 

N362.48 /$ in I&E window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The naira yesterday appreciated to N362.48 per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) 

window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window dropped to N362.48 

per dollar yesterday from N362.60 per dollar last 

week Friday, translating to 12 kobo appreciation of 

the naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded on the 

window yesterday dropped by 61 percent to $300.54 

million from $766 million last week Friday. 

However, the naira yesterday was stable at N361 

per dollar in the parallel market. 

enable us to assemble 

here now. 

“This day, 50 years 

ago, we Nigerians saw 

the end of a bitter and 

sanguinary Civil War in 

which two sides of our 

country had been pitched 

against each other for 

fully 30 months. A war 

which had directly and 

indirectly taken the lives 

of millions of our citizens 

and had left the lives of 

more millions shattered. 

“I assess that we are 

assembled to mark this 

day for two important 

reasons. First, we have 

assembled in gratitude to 

God that our Civil War 

came to an end when it 

did and that it did not 

continue beyond that day 

to inflict more deaths and 

more wounds upon us 

citizens and peoples of 

Nigeria and upon our 

country as a corporate 

entity. 

“We elders, leaders, 

rulers and citizens of 

Nigeria are assembled 

here today before the 

world, and before the 

ruler of all peoples and 

nations, to assert that We 

the people of this country 

of Nigeria will Never 

Again manage the affairs 

of our country in such a 

way as to lead to war 

among us. 

“It is hugely 

providential that we are 

registering this resolve 

today before the world 

and before the Creator 

and Ruler of the World. I 

say providential because, 

as an elderly citizen of this 

country and as a citizen 

who was already a young 

university teacher in the 

time of our Civil War, I 

have good reasons to fear 

today that the character of 

the affairs of our country 

these days and the 

prevailing mood among 

us Nigerians, are 

chillingly similar to the 

character of the affairs of 

our country in the months 

leading to our Civil War. 

“The government of our 

country is being managed 

in ways that make it look 

like an exclusive preserve 

of a particular minority. 

There seems to be an 

agenda being pursued to 

establish this minority in 

all positions of command 

in the executive, 

administrative, judicial 

and security services of 

our country. The voices of 

the majority register 

protests continually and 

are continually 

disrespected and ignored. 

“The state of the law is 

patently being subsumed 

to the needs of that 

agenda with seriously 

damaging effects on 

human rights. These 

situations are inevitably 

fostering among the 

peoples of the Middle 

Belt and South of our 

country, the feeling that 

they are being reduced to 

the status of conquered 

peoples in Nigeria. 

“But in the spirit of 

INAUGURATION—From left: Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy 

(NDA), Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham; General Officer Commanding, 1 Div., 

Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya; Chief of Military Intelligence, Maj.- 

Gen. Samuel Adebayo; and Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, 

AVM. Musa Mukhtar, during the inauguration of newly renovated blocks of 

flats by the Nigerian Army at 81 Barraks, Ribadu Cantonment in Kaduna, 

yesterday. Photo: NAN 

today, in the spirit of 

Never Again plunging 

our country into Civil 

War, we can, and we 

must terminate all this 

descent towards horrific 

war. We can and we must 

speedily move our 

country into the state of 

law, the state of mutual 

respect among our 

hundreds of nations and 

the state of order and 

peace in our country.” 

Throwing his weight 

behind the restructuring 

of the country, Akintoye 

said: “To make 

restructuring produce a 

full and abiding good for 

our country, we must now 

for the first time, correct 

a serious mistake which 

we have been making 

from the beginning 

especially from the 

beginning 

of 

independent Nigeria. 

That mistake is that we 

have been ignoring the 

fundamental fact that 

underlies our country. The 

fundamental fact is that 

Nigeria is a country of 

many different nations, of 

nations that are in some 

respects radically different 

in their cultures, their 

political traditions, their 

perceptions of acceptable 

reality, their expectations, 

and their desires and 

goals. Ignoring these 

fundamentals, we have 

almost continuously let our 

country wobble and teeter 

on the brink of violent 

implosion and we have 

continually inflicted 

serious pains upon 

ourselves. We fought and 

ended a Civil War but we 

have never really moved 

measurably away from the 

brinks of the Civil War.” 

Roll call 

Notable personalities 

present include Prof Wole 

Soyinka, Prof Anya O. 

Anya, Prof Pat Utomi, 

Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, 

Professor George 

Obiozor, Admiral Alison 

Madueke (retd), former 

Group Managing 

Director of Diamond Bank 

Plc, Mr. Alex Oti; Onyeka 

Onwenu, former 

Information Minister, Mr. 

Frank Nweke, Jnr; Eze 

Chukwuemeka-Eri, 

Senate Minority Whip, 

Senator Eyinnaya 

Abaribe; Political Adviser 

to former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo, Akin 

Osuntokun; Maj. Gen. 

Obi Umahi (retd) and 

Guy Ikokwu. 

Why OBJ, Sultan, Ukiwe, others were absent 

By Ochereome 

Nnanna 

LAGOS — The Never 

Again conference, 

which held yesterday at 

the Agip Recital Hall of 

the MUSON Centre, 

Onikan Lagos, has been 

described as a successful 

outing by one of its 

principal organisers, 

retired Major General 

Obi Umahi, the 

President-General of 

Ndi-Igbo Lagos, despite 

the absence of a number 

of key guests advertised 

to attend. 

Umahi said the quality 

and number of guests 

were satisfactory, given 

the time of year when 

most people are still 

adjusting to work and 

business after the 

Christmas and New Year 

holidays. 

Among those who did 

not turn up were former 

President, General 

Olusegun Obasanjo and 

Nigeria’s first Chief of 

General Staff, retired 

Commodore Okoh Ebitu 

Ukiwe, both of who, we 

gathered, complained of 

not being “properly 

approached.” 

The Sultan of Sokoto, 

Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, 

could not make it because 

he was reportedly out of 

the country. He had 

promised to send 

representation if he could 

not come in person, but no 

one showed up on his 

behalf. Also the Emir of 

Kano, 

Alhaji 

Muhammadu Sanusi II, 

gave no reason for his 

absence. 

General Yakubu Gowon, 

the Head of State during 

the Biafra-Nigeria Civil 

War, sent a 40-minute 

video message to the 

gathering in which he 

described the events that 

led to the war and its end, 

appealing to Nigerians to 

unite and avoid future 

conflicts 

The total absence of core 

Northern leaders from the 

event sent the message 

that the Northern and the 

Southern parts of the 

country may no longer 

share a common 

perspectives on certain 

narratives about the 

historic conflict; 

particularly how the 

lessons could have been 

used to build a greater, 

more united country. 

In terms of quality of 

attendance, however, the 

South East, South West, 

South-South and North 

Central geopolitical 

zones were adequately 

represented, with 

Professor Yima Sen from 

Benue State and Director 

General of the Northern 

Elders Forum fully 

participating in the panel 

discussions. 

The Ooni of Ife, Oba 

Adeyeye Enitan 

Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, 

according to General 

Umahi, arrived the venue 

after the event had been 

concluded. However, he 

signed the register and 

explained that the 

invitation came to him 

very late on January 12, 

2020. 

The strong participation 

of South East and South 

West intellectuals such as 

Prof Wole Soyinka, Prof. 

Anya O. Anya, Admiral 

Allison Madueke, Prof. 

Banji Akintoye, South- 

South’s Prof. Pat Utomi and 

Chief Akin Osuntokunn 

and others show that the 

ethnic nationalities of the 

zones share common 

aspirations for a new 

Nigeria. 

The “Never Again” 

commemoration is a yearlong 

event that has started 

in Lagos and will shift to 

the East as the year wears 

on.


Queen agrees ‘period of transition’ for Harry 

and Meghan 

QUEEN Elizabeth II 

on Monday said 

Prince Harry and his wife 

Meghan would be allowed 

to split their time 

between Britain and Canada 

while their future is finalised. 

The couple said last week 

they wanted to step back 

from the royal frontline, 

catching the family off 

guard and forcing the 

monarch to convene crisis 

talks about the pair’s future 

roles. 

The 93-year-old queen, 

her son and heir Prince 

Charles, and his two sons 

princes William and Harry 

began a family summit 

at her private Sandringham 

estate in Norfolk, eastern 

England, on Monday. 

She called the discussions 

“very constructive” 

and said she and her family 

were “entirely supportive 

of Harry and Meghan’s 

desire to create a new life 

as a young family”. 

“Although we would 

have preferred them to remain 

full-time working 

members of the royal family, 

we respect and understand 

their wish to live a 

more independent life as 

a family while remaining 

a valued part of my family,” 

she added. “Harry and 

Meghan have made clear 

that they do not want to be 

reliant on public funds in 

their new lives. 

“It has therefore been 

agreed that there will be a 

period of transition in 

which the Sussexes will 

spend time in Canada and 

the UK. “These are complex 

matters for my family 

to resolve, and there is 

some more work to be 

done, but I have asked for 

final decisions to be 

reached in the coming 

days.” The queen has previously 

said she wanted to 

find “workable solutions” 

to the crisis, which has 

dominated the media since 

the bombshell announcement 

last week. 

Harry and Meghan’s effective 

resignation has 

thrown up a series of questions, 

including how they 

can raise their own finances 

without compromising 

the monarchy. 

Downed plane: Iran protests rage 

on for third day 

PROTESTERS de 

nouncing Iran’s 

clerical rulers took to the 

streets and riot police deployed 

to face them in a 

third day of demonstrations 

after authorities acknowledged 

shooting down a 

passenger plane by accident. 

Demonstrations, some 

apparently met by a violent 

crackdown, were the latest 

twist in one of the most serious 

escalations between 

the United States and 

Iran since the 1979 Iranian 

revolution swept the 

US-backed shah from power. 

Video from inside Iran 

showed students on Monday 

chanting slogans including 

“Clerics get lost!” 

outside universities in the 

city of Isfahan and in Tehran, 

where riot police 

were filmed taking positions 

on the streets. 

Video sent to the New 

York-based Center for Human 

Rights in Iran and later 

verified by The Associated 

Press showed a crowd 

of demonstrators near Azadi, 

or Freedom, Square 

fleeing as a tear gas canister 

landed among them. 

People coughed and 

sputtered while trying to 

escape the fumes, with one 

woman calling out in Farsi: 

“They fired tear gas at 

people! Azadi Square. 

Death to the dictator!” 

Oman’s newly sworn in Sultan Haitham bin Tariq (R) receiving Britain’s 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the capital Muscat, yesterday. 

Another video showed a 

woman being carried away 

in the aftermath as a blood 

trail was seen on the 

ground. Those around her 

cried out that she has been 

shot by live ammunition in 

the leg. “Oh my God, she’s 

bleeding nonstop!” one 

person shouted. Another 

shouted: “Bandage it!” 

Images from the previous 

two days of protests showed 

wounded people being 

carried and pools of blood 

on the ground. Gunshots 

could be heard, although 

the police denied opening 

fire. 

US President Donald 

Trump, who raised the 

stakes last week by ordering 

the killing in a drone 

strike of Iran’s most powerful 

military commander, 

tweeted to Iran’s leaders: 

“Don’t kill your protesters.” 

Tehran acknowledged 

shooting down the Ukrainian 

jetliner by mistake last 

Wednesday, killing all 176 

aboard, hours after it fired 

at US targets in Iraq to 

retaliate for the killing on 

January 3 of General 

Qassem Soleimani in 

Baghdad. 

Iranian public anger, 

rumbling for days as Iran 

repeatedly denied it was to 

blame for the plane crash, 

erupted into protests on 

Saturday when the military 

admitted its role. 

Dozens of protesters 

were videoed at sites in 

Tehran and Isfahan, a major 

city south of the capital. 

“They killed our elites and 

replaced them with clerics,” 

they chanted outside a Tehran 

university, referring to 

Iranian students returning 

to studies in Canada who 

were on the plane. 

State-affiliated media has 

reported protests in Tehran 

and other cities but has provided 

few details. 

“Police treated people 

who had gathered with patience 

and tolerance,” Tehran 

Police Chief Hossein 

Rahimi said in a statement 

on state media. 

“At protests, police absolutely 

did not shoot because 

the capital’s police 

officers have been given 

orders to show restraint.” 

Tehran’s showdown 

with Washington has come 

at a precarious time for the 

authorities in Iran and the 

proxy forces they support 

to wield influence across 

the Middle East. Sanctions 

imposed by Trump 

have hammered the Iranian 

economy. 

Iran’s authorities killed 

hundreds of protesters in 

November in what appears 

to have been the 

bloodiest crackdown on 

anti-government unrest 

since 1979. In Iraq and 

Lebanon, governments 

supported by Iran-backed 

armed groups have faced 

mass protests. 

Adding to international 

pressure on Tehran, five 

nations, including Canada, 

Britain and 

Ukraine, whose citizens 

died when the Ukraine International 

Airlines Boeing 

737 was shot down, meet in 

London on Thursday to discuss 

possible legal action, 

Ukraine’s foreign minister 

said. 

Javad Kashi, a professor 

of politics at Tehran Allameh 

University, wrote online that 

people should be allowed to 

express their anger in public 

protests. “Buckled under 

the pressure of humiliation 

and being ignored, people 

poured into the streets with 

so much anger,” he wrote. 

“Let them cry as much as 

they want.” 

China accuses West of ‘Cold War’ against 

Zimbabwe 

CHINA’s foreign min 

ister has accused 

Western powers of waging 

a “Cold War” against Zimbabwe, 

as he condemned 

the sanctions imposed on 

the economically embattled 

southern African state. 

Wang Yi held talks with 

President Emmerson 

Mnangagwa in Zimbabwe’s 

capital, Harare, as 

he rounded up a five-nation 

tour of Africa. 

Zimbabwe has been under 

US and European 

Union (EU) sanctions for 

more than two decades because 

of alleged human 

rights abuses. 

Mr Wang called for the 

sanctions to be lifted, and 

Two Popes at odds over 

celibacy rules 

RETIRED Pope Benedict XVI has issued a defence 

of priestly celibacy in the Catholic Church as his 

successor considers easing a ban on married men serving 

as priests. 

Pope Benedict made the appeal in a book co-authored 

with Cardinal Robert Sarah. 

It comes in response to a proposal to allow married 

men to be ordained as priests in the Amazon region. 

Pope Benedict, who retired in 2013, said he could not 

remain silent on the issue. 

In the book, Pope Benedict says celibacy, a centuries-old 

tradition within the Church, has “great significance” because 

it allows priests to focus on their duties. 

The 92-year-old says “it doesn’t seem possible to realise 

both vocations [priesthood and marriage] simultaneously”. 

It is rare for Pope Benedict, who was the first pontiff to 

resign in almost 600 years, to intervene in clerical matters. 

The Vatican is yet to comment on the book, which was 

previewed in part by French newspaper Le Figaro before 

its full publication on Monday. 

Vatican commentators have reacted with surprise to Benedict’s 

intervention, suggesting it breaks with convention. 

“Benedict XVI is really not breaking his silence because 

he (and his entourage) never felt bound to that promise. 

But this is a serious breach,” Massimo Faggioli, a historian 

and theologian at Villanova University, tweeted. 

US Senator Cory Booker ends 

2020 presidential bid 

UNITED States Democrat Cory Booker has 

dropped out of the 2020 presidential race, ending 

a campaign whose message of unity and love failed 

to resonate in a political era marked by chaos and anxiety. 

His departure on Monday now leaves a field that 

was once the most diverse in history with just one remaining 

African American candidate, former Massachusetts 

Governor Deval Patrick. The once two-dozen-strong 

field now has just 12 candidates vying for the democratic 

ticket. 

Since launching his campaign last February, Booker, 

a US senator from New Jersey, struggled to raise the 

type of money required to support a White House bid. 

He was at the back of the pack in most surveys and failed 

to meet the polling requirements needed to participate 

in Tuesday’s debate. 

US to reduce military presence in 

Africa — Top Officer 

The United States wants to reduce its military presence 

in Africa, Washington’s top military officer said, 

as France hosts Sahel leaders as it seeks to bolster 

the fight against jihadists in the region. 

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General 

Mark Milley, said resources “could be reduced and 

then shifted, either to increase readiness of the force 

in the continental US or shifted to” the Pacific. 

His comments came as he flew in for talks with 

NATO counterparts in Brussels. 

The announcement follows President Donald 

Trump’s call last week for NATO to do more in the 

Middle East and comes as French President Emmanuel 

Macron gathers his counterparts from Burkina 

Faso, Chad, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. 

Milley said his boss, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, 

had not made up his mind what changes to 

make. 

pledged to continue helping 

Zimbabwe to stabilise 

its economy. 

Zimbabwe has said it will 

submit funding proposals 

for at least half a dozen 

projects, but did not elaborate. 

In a tweet, the deputy 

information minister, Energy 

Mutodi, said Mr 

Wang’s visit was a “slap in 

the face” for the UK, EU 

and US. 

Zimbabwe would give 

preference to “Chinese 

business interests ahead of 

any Western country”, he 

added. 

The historic visit to Zimbabwe 

by the Chinese Foreign 

Affairs Minister Mr 

Wang Yi is a slap in the 

face of Britain, US & the EU 

who have remained hostile. 

We will in return, prioritize 

Chinese business interests 

ahead of any Western 

country. 

China is building a new 

parliament for Zimbabwe at 

a cost of more than $150m 

(£135m) and has loaned 

Zimbabwe more than $1bn 

to rehabilitate its Hwange 

coal power plant. 

Zimbabwe regards China 

and Russia as being 

among its “all weather” 

friends. It adopted a “Look 

East” policy during the rule 

of then-President Robert 

Mugabe, who was ousted 

by the military in 2017. He 

died last year at the age of 

95.


Federal College of Education in Osun State 

Sir. 

IWISH to commend the 

Federal Government of 

Nigeria for its recent 

decision to establish six 

Federal Colleges of 

Education in six states 

including Osun. This 

congratulatory message is 

based on two grounds. First, 

any public or private 

expenditure on education is 

money well spent. Its trigger 

effects on other critical 

sectors of development can 

be monumental. Secondly, 

in the document which 

conveyed the establishment 

of these colleges, the Federal 

Government was emphatic 

in admitting that its choices 

of those six states of Bauchi, 

Benue, Ebonyi, Osun, 

Sokoto and Edo was driven 

by the fact that those states 

had no Federal College of 

Education. 

The public relations 

officer of the National 

Commission for Colleges of 

Education, Mr. Amen Isaac, 

made it known that the 

decision to situate those six 

colleges in the six states was 

to right the injustice of the 

past. This is reassuring for 

Nigerians who feel that 

government at the Federal 

level is not unresponsive to 

Nigeria's diversity. States 

where these are being 

established are urged to 

demonstrate the same 

sensibility and sensitivity in 

sitting the colleges and 

employing them to right 

past wrongs. 

Arising from the above 

decision of the Federal 

Government is that public 

institutions and decisions 

on their locations are partly 

meant to spread the gains of 

development and confer 

advantages on the choice of 

geographical locations. 

Some facts on previous 

locations of Federal and 

State institutions in Osun 

State will be of help. Permit 

me to give a few examples. 

Osun State as it is the case 

with most states in Nigeria 

has three Senatorial 

Districts. It has nine Federal 

Constituencies. 

The three Senatorial 

Districts are Osun West, 

Osun East and Osun 

Central. Of the nine Federal 

Constituencies in Osun 

State, Ayedire, Iwo and Ola- 

Oluwa 

Federal 

Constituency is one with its 

headquarters in Iwo. Of the 

nine Federal Constituencies, 

this Federal Constituency is 

the only one without either 

a federal or state institution. 

Osogbo has several tertiary 

institutions. Ilesa and Ile-Ife 

have the highest 

concentration of state and 

Federal institutions. The 

same same goes for Ila 

Orangun with the Federal 

Police College and Osun 

State College of Education. 

Yet, Iwo local government 

has the highest population 

in Osun State. 

If respect for 

Constitutional provisions 

on Federal character, logic, 

social justice, social 

inclusion and the desire for 

peaceful co-existence are 

the sole criteria for deciding 

locations of institutions, no 

Federal Constituency 

headquarters has a superior 

argument or moral 

justification than Iwo. I have 

no doubt that Governor 

Gboyega Oyetola of Osun 

State is God-fearing, cool 

and calm and will be 

persuaded more by logic in 

using his discretion on 

where in Osun this Federal 

College will be sited. 

No doubt, he will come 

under severe pressure and 

intense lobbying to defer to 

emotions and political 

pressure. Fortunately for us 

in Osun State, we have 

leaders who share the broad 

mind set of Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo during the golden 

years of his administration 

of Western Region. Ikenne 

was the least on his mind. 

Chief Bisi Akande remains 

a phenomenon - 

cosmopolitan, politically 

savvy, prudent, live and let 

live, shun greed and one 

whose philosophy of life is 

to live things better than he 

met them. 

Other political leaders 

should act in concert and be 

persuaded by rationality in 

conceding this Federal 

College of Education to Iwo. 

The Federal Government 

has shown that this is the 

way of civility that is 

deserving of emulation. 

This will go a long way to 

assuage frayed political 

nerves in Osun State and 

particularly in Iwo. May the 

Almighty strengthen and 

guide Governor Oyetola as 

his government takes an 

appropriate decision on the 

location of this college. 

May he be able to place 

objective reality and logic 

above 

considerations. 

Lai Olurode 

Dept. of Sociology 

University of Lagos. 

parochial 

Hike in electricity tariff by NERC 

Sir. 

THE 

National 

Electricity 

Regulatory Council, NERC, 

may just be flying a kite to 

gauge the public feeling. 

However, this tariff issue 

has been ongoing for quite 

some time and I've heard 

from a very reliable 

grapevine that it's been 

agreed to come into effect 

in April. 

Yes, like any other thing 

in Nigeria, the populace do 

not pay tax, yet they expect 

infrastructure to match 

developed world. No pain 

no gain. There is no free 

lunch. 

Nigerian governments 

had, and are still not good 

in consultation and 

communication with the 

populace. I believe 

Nigerians will understand 

if they are educated 

sincerely about the facts. 

It's not helpful that 

successive governments 

have looted the country to 

death. However, if the 

populace wants to see better 

service and related inward 

investment, it's either they 

pay the going rate for 

investors to get a 

reasonable return on 

investment or ask the 

government to subsidise the 

service. 

Actually, it's no brainer for 

a crude-producing country 

to use its natural resources 

as a competitive advantage 

to produce goods and 

services at a more 

competitive price than noncrude 

producing countries. 

That would not go against 

any World Trade 

Organisation, WTO, rules. 

Hence, that makes a case 

for subsidising crude 

products within Nigeria. 

The flip side is the 

smuggling of those products 

across the border to markets 

where the crude products 

are marketed at the normal 

going rate. 

Even if the government 

chooses to subsidise crude 

related products, we will 

now have to define the remit 

of subsidy. My view has 

always been that subsidy for 

crude products should 

always be for economic 

production of goods and 

services and not for 

ordinary consumption. 

Subsidy in my view should 

only be for agricultural, 

public transport and 

manufacturing purposes 

only and not for driving your 

private car for going to 

parties or the like. The devil 

is in the planning and I 

doubt if we have cerebral 

and dedicated people in 

government who are able to 

manage that change 

process. 

It's quite a complex 

situation, but I can bet that 

there are Nigerians in and 

out of the country (even on 

these fora) who can pull it 

off. 

Femi Olajide 

olajide.femi@yahoo.com 

editor@yahoo.com 

Killing of IPOB members and 

overhauling the Nigerian Police 

THE manner policing is being 

conducted in Nigeria needs to be reevaluated 

or perhaps completely 

overhauled. The recent killing of some 

suspected IPOB members by the police 

at the home of the lawyer to leader of 

the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of 

Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Oraifite 

in Anambra State has brought to 

limelight again the issues of police 

brutality against the masses of this great 

nation. 

This matter should be investigated 

thoroughly to ensure that whoever has 

a hand in the dastardly and morally 

reprehensible operation is punished in 

accordance with our laws. The Inspector 

General of Police, IGP must ensure that 

the following questions are answered to 

avoid a repeat: What were the reasons 

behind the operation? Why did the police 

invade the lawyer’s house during the 

funeral activities? 

Bazakey, 2348114219960 

Pastor Bakare’s speech on 2023 

I support Pastor Tunde Bakare on who 

succeeds President Buhari. President 

Buhari should determine who succeeds 

him. All that Pastor Bakare said is quite 

true, Nigerians should not allow thieves 

and perverts to rule this country come 

2023. Nigerians should not allow 

corrupt, self centred and wicked persons 

to go to the corridors of power and 

destroy all that President Buhari has 

achieved. We need credible leaders to 

lead this country come 2023. 

Usman Hassan, 2348131822223 

Boko Haram and withdrawal of 

soldiers 

Withdrawal of soldiers and sending of 

policemen is a terrible mistake from the 

Federal Government at this time of 

terrible insecurity in Nigeria. If 

policemen were doing their jobs well in 

the first place nobody would have invited 

soldiers! Equally if soldiers are going 

to be withdrawn for collecting bribes as 

alleged, was it not the police that taught 

the soldiers how to collect bribes? It will 

be a big mistake if our soldiers are 

withdraw at this point of insecurity in 

the land. 

Ndehigwo, 08024209181 

P&ID contract judgment in 

Britain 

As the recent P&ID judgment that has 

US$9.6billion penalty continues to 

generate comments from Nigerians, I 

want to humbly add that ordinary 

Nigerians should not waste their 

depleted energy on a matter that is so 

simple. Kudos that those behind the 

controversial contrast have been fished 

out but they should be punished by the 

Federal Government. 

This idea of trying to confuse 

Nigerians with bogus lies and empty 

claims cannot and should not stand. It 

does not matter when this dubious 

contract was signed, what is important 

is what the present government did or 

did not do when it blew open. President 

Buhari should as a matter of urgency 

deploy everything at his disposal to 

ensure that this unjust judgment is 

overturned in the interest of all 

Nigerians. Those who created this 

problem must face the consequences of 

their actions. 

Bazakey, 2348114219960 

INEC seeks reduction of political 

parties ahead of 2023 elections 

It is a welcome idea that the number 

of political parties must be reduced 

ahead of 2023 general elections. All the 

parties must form alliances so that only 

two candidates eventually emerge for 

the presidential election unlike what 

happened during the 2019 election that 

91 political parties were registered by 

INEC. What happens if a party is merely 

interested in one or two states and wants 

to run as an independent party? 

Barr Emeka, FCT, Abuja 

Fighting corruption 

How can President Buhari’s 

administration claim that it is fighting 

corruption when states governors are 

not held accountable for security votes? 

When recovered looted funds are not 

accounted for? How do we justify a 

country that is blessed with natural and 

human resources, is still one of the 

poorest in the world? Until the 

abnormalities in our polity are corrected, 

the fight against corruption will always 

be a selective and means of suppressing 

other political opponents for their selfish 

interests. 

Lawal Muhammad, 08060782035 

NDDC appointments 

The recent appointments in NDDC 

appears to be the best by President 

Muhammadu Buhari because it seeks 

to bring peace and speedy development 

to the Niger Delta. In line with the 

president’s agenda was the 

appointment of Chief Timipre Sylva to 

the petroleum ministry and Olorogun 

Bernard Atare Okumagba as Managing 

Director of Niger Delta Development 

Commission. President Buhari should 

shun all criticism against those 

appointments, ignore all allegation and 

go ahead with his next level agenda. 

Benazimor Stingo 08034808553 

# RevolutionNow protest 

Sowore is one of those Nigerian 

idealists tired of watching the country 

go to the dogs from the sideline. He 

decided to jump into the fray, The truth 

is that government is foolish to assume 

that by arresting Sowore will stopped 

his movement, government has created 

another public hero in Sowore by 

arresting him. 

Mercy, Lagos State 

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 

Challenges are what makes life interesting, overcoming 

them is what makes life meaningful 

From Onyeka Ruth 

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or 

proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address 

your sayings to: wwwsimade@yahoo.co.uk


•High-Altitude 

Barcelona coach 

applauds Oshoala’s 

African player award 

Barcelona ladies coach 

Lluis Cortes disclosed 

that his side was happy to 

have a player in the caliber 

of Asisat Oshoala in their 

team. 

Cortes was reacting to 

Oshoala emerging the 

Africa Woman Player of the 

Year. The Super Falcons 

top striker beat 

Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout 

and South Africa’s Thembi 

Kgatlana for the award and 

equalled the record of her 

compatriot Perpetua 

Nkwocha. 

Oshoala joined the 

Spanish outfit on loan from 

Chinese side Dalian 

Quanjian a year ago, but 

she was handed a threeyear 

permanent deal last 

summer and the Super 

NPFL: Wiki Tourists 

officials lament poor 

performances 

Wikki Tourists officials 

have pressed the panic 

button after they lost 1-2 to 

visiting Sunshine Stars of 

Akure in the Nigerian 

Professional Football League 

match played last Sunday at 

the Tafawa Balewa Stadium 

Bauchi. 

The club’s spokesman, 

Nasiru Kobi, described the 

performance of the team as 

“terrible and very disturbing. 

“We played three home 

matches away in Gombe and 

lost them and now anticipated 

doing better while at our real 

home in Bauchi. 

“But it is rather unfortunate 

that we lost it too, in spite of 

the teeming supporters. 

“The supporters have been 

expecting the team to return 

here for their home matches, 

but this performance and 

Falcons striker hasn’t 

disappointed, raking 14 

goals in 14 games for the 

Spanish side, including the 

four goals she scored as 

Barcelona beat Tacon 6-0 

last week. 

“Having the best African 

player (Asisat Oshoala) in 

my team means a lot,” 

Cortes told Goal. 

“She earned the award 

and they aren’t giving her 

for who she is but based on 

merit. This in part benefits 

us, from her success and 

her individual 

performances. 

“We are privileged to have 

her because she is a very 

different player with a 

different physical form in 

comparison to any other 

player in the league. 

result are 

disappointing 

to the team, 

the 

management, 

the 

government 

and the 

teeming 

supporters,” 

Kobi said. •Wikki 

He 

however 

appealed to the club’s fans, 

supporters and other 

stakeholders to exercise 

patience, assuring that the 

team would improve in 

subsequent matches. 

Amaka Anthony opened 

scoring for Sunshine Stars 

Faux Ekelojuoti doubled up, 

while Mohammed Garba 

scored a consolation goal for 

Wikki from the spot. 

Akeredolu woos Nigerian- 

American Football Association 

•Says Ondo Football Academy to commence soon 

AKURE — GOVERNOR 

Rotimi Akeredolu of 

Ondo State, yesterday, urged 

the Nigerian American 

Football Association, NAFA, 

and Lagos Marine American 

Football Club to consider 

visiting his state to explore 

youthful talents that are in 

abundance, promising to 

partner the organisations to 

use sports to grow wealth 

and promote peace in 

Nigeria. 

Akeredolu, who is 

Chairman, South West 

Governors Forum, also 

declared that his 

administration will soon 

build a world class football 

academy to train, grow and 

expose youths in Ondo State 

to the international clubs, 

stating that sports is a 

goldmine that his 

administration and 

Governors in Western 

Nigeria plan to use to wage 

war against the surge of 

youth unemployment 

currently ravaging the 

country. 

Speaking at the maiden 

edition of American Flagship 

Football exhibition game held 

at the National Stadium in 

Surelere, Lagos, Akeredolu 

vowed to use his connections 

across the length and breadth 

of Nigeria to revolutionise the 

growth of American Flagship 

Football Game in the country. 

Represented by the state 

Commissioner for Sports and 

Youth Development, Mr. 

Dotun Owanikin, Akeredolu 

said: “The National Sports 

Festival is our home-grown 

Olympics tagged EDO 2020. 

•Oshoala 

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: 

High altitude runners 

target 30-year-old 

Nigerian record 

Nigerian long distance runners in the 

stable of the High-Altitude Athletics 

Club of Jos, Plateau State, are targeting the 

30-year-old national marathon record at the 

2020 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City 

Marathon on February 8, 2020. 

The current national record of 2 hours 15 

minutes was set the Army Officer Abass 

Muhammed about three decades ago. 

High Altitude Head Coach Steve Nuhu told 

journalists on Monday that, “Access Bank 

Lagos City Marathon is our premium event 

and there is no better place to set a new 

national record than our best races as the 

attention of the world media will be on us” 

said the Nuhu 

With all the nation elite runners like 

Emmanuel Gyan, Deborah Pam under his 

stable, Nuhu assured that out of the 30 

runners coming to Lagos one of them will take 

down the record. 

Nuhu said he is proud that Nigeria is the 

nation that is behind the biggest one-day 

event in Africa, 

“Everywhere I go out, I sing the praises of 

the organizer and sponsors of the Access Bank 

Lagos City Nigeria. 

Guardiola to give City 

players time off 

Manchester City will not be going on a 

warm-weather training camp during 

the forthcoming Premier League winter break. 

Pep Guardiola will instead give his players 

some extra time off during the 13-day break 

between matches next month. 

City play West Ham on February 9 with their 

next game 13 days later, at Leicester City, 

before a Champions League meeting with Real 

Madrid the week after. 

Several Scottish clubs have used the gap in 

their fixture list to train in Dubai, but Guardiola 

will allow his players to 

recuperate and spend 

some time with family. 

This will be the first 

Premier League season 

to have a mid-season 

break in February, when 

four games of a normal 

round of 10 will be 

played on the weekend 

of February 8/9 and the 

remaining six games on 

the following weekend. 

Oshoala 

FIFA tells NFF to pay club's 

compensation money 

Football governing body 

FIFA will pay 

compensation to Barcelona for 

releasing the CAF African 

Women’s Player of the Year, 

Asisat Oshoala to the Nigeria 

Football Federation for the 

2019 Women’s World Cup, 

which was held in France last 

summer. 

FIFA launched the Women’s 

World Cup Club Benefits 

Programme in 2019 to reward 

those clubs playing a role in the 

development of the women’s 

game. 

For the 2019 edition of the 

FIFA Women’s World Cup 

Benefits Programme, the total 

amount of US$8.48 million will 

be paid in rewards to clubs and 

this is part of FIFA’s overall 

contribution of US$50 million 

for the World Cup in France. 

With regard to the payment 

procedure, the releasing club 

will be paid 50 percent of the 

money distributed based on the 

number of days a player 

participated in the tournament, 

while the remaining 50 percent 

goes to the clubs the player 

represented from the ages of 12- 

22 years. 

Using Super Falcons captain 

Oshoala as an example, 

Nigerian clubs FC Robo, 

Rivers Angels and 

Women’s Super League 

sides Liverpool and 

Arsenal are entitled to 

receive half of the benefits 

since she played for those 

teams before she 

celebrated her 22nd 

birthday, while the other 

half goes to Primera 

División club Barcelona. 

•Iniesta 

Iniesta 

backs Xavi 

Andres Iniesta has 

backed his former teammate 

Xavi Hernandez to 

become Barcelona’s new head 

coach but has criticised the 

club for their treatment of 

Ernesto Valverde. 

Xavi Hernandez confirmed 

he met club officials despite 

Valverde still being in charge 

of the club. 

Reports in Spain claim that 

Xavi has turned down an 

approach to take charge 

immediately but expressed a 

desire to become a coach at 

the Nou Camp in the future 

Iniesta was asked who he 

would choose between Xavi, 

who manages Qatari club Al 

Sadd SC, and Netherlands 

boss Ronald Koeman. 

He told Spanish radio 

channel Onda Cero: “The 

one who knows best is Xavi, 

he will have analysed all the 

variables that there can be 

and let’s see what happens. 

“Koeman has a lot of 

experience as a coach and 

Xavi is starting out now. But a 

lot of times experience counts 

for nothing. Both of them 

have been at Barça and know 

the club.” 

Enyimba coach tips 

team for Confed 

Cup success 

Enyimba head coach Fatai 

Osho has praised the 

character of his players after 

their CAF Confederation Cup 

win against Paradou AC at the 

Enyimba Stadium. 

Stanley Dimgba netted a hat 

trick and Victor Mbaoma scored 

his eighth of the season to render 

Abdelkahar Kadri’s late goal a 

mere consolation as Enimba ran 

out 4-1 winners on Sunday. 

The result has taken the 

People’s Elephant to second in 

group D, heading into the final 

two matches of the current stage. 

Speaking to the club’s media 

channel after the fixture, Osho 

hailed his players’ ability to 

adapt to new tactics within only 

a few days. 

“The time was never there so 

we had to (do) a crash program 

to encompass a lot of things into 

what we wanted to do, and today 

we are happy that whatever we 

were able to do within those four 

days we were able to get a result 

with it. 

“You could see the 

manifestation of whatever we 

have been doing in the training 

session in their play. It’s not an 

easy thing to do. 

•Enyimba

For the umpteenth time, 

Dangote says he'll buy 

Arsenal FC 

Aliko Dangote has admitted that he is 

planning to buy Arsenal Football Club. 

The Nigerian billionaire - the richest man 

in Africa - has made no secret of his desire to 

take over the north London club in the past 

and has made several statements about 

launching a future takeover bid in the past. 

And the 62-year-old Gunners supporter, 

who is at number 136 on Forbes’ rich list, has 

been speaking up a move for the club again. 

Dangote owns nearly 85% of the publiclytraded 

Dangote Cement through a holding 

company. He also owns stakes in publiclytraded 

salt, sugar and flour manufacturing 

companies. 

According to Forbes the Dangote Refinery 

has been under construction for three years 

and is expected to be one of the world’s largest 

oil refineries once complete. 

And it is that project that is keeping the 

billionaire from making a move to buy 

Arsenal from Stan Kroenke right now. 

Speaking in 2018, Dangote said that he 

wanted to buy Arsenal this year. 

He said back then: “We will go after Arsenal 

from 2020, even if somebody buys, we will 

still go after it.” 

Now, with the Dangote Refinery still in 

process, Dangote has altered his plans and 

made the big claim that he will buy the club 

sometime in 2021. 

Speaking on the David Rubenstein Show 

in America, in an interview recorded in 

September, Dangote said: “It is a team that 

yes, I would like to buy some day, but what I 

keep saying is, we have $20billion worth of 

projects and that’s what I really want to 

concentrate on. I’m trying to finish building 

the company and then after we finish, maybe 

some time in 2021 we can. 

“I’m not buying Arsenal right now, I’m 

buying Arsenal when I finish all these projects, 

because I’m trying to take the company to the 

next level. 

Ghana police suspend 

officer after fan shot 

with rubber bullet 

The Ghana Police Service has 

suspended one of its officers 

pending an investigation into 

violence at football game on Sunday that 

left one fan with an injury from a rubber 

bullet. 

Ghana’s Football Association (GFA) has 

also condemned the violence and launched 

its own inquest into the episode at a match 

between Asante Kotoko and Berekum 

Chelsea in Kumasi on Sunday. 

Fans were apparently angry with some of 

the officiating and tried to get close to the 

referee as Kotoko lost 1-0 to Berekum 

Chelsea. 

The police statement said “the incident 

occurred when supporters of Kumasi Asante 

Kotoko FC went on the rampage after their 

league match against Berekum Chelsea FC 

at the (Baba Yara) Stadium damaging some 

Police Vehicles and injuring some Police officers 

with stones that were pelted at the Police. 

“It was during this period that a Police 

Officer was alleged to have shot rubber 

bullets into the crowd injuring one of the 

Fans in the face. 

“The injured person is currently on 

admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching 

Hospital receiving treatment and is in stable 

condition. 

“The Command takes a serious view of 

the incident and has subsequently 

commenced investigation into the action of 

the Police Officer involved in the shooting. 

“The officer has been interdicted on the 

instruction of the Regional Commander, 

pending investigation.” 

The GFA has launched their own 

investigation into the episode. 

•Dangote 

Barcelona have started 

inserting clauses in the contracts of 

new signings to curb their off-field 

entrepreneurial ventures - all thanks to 

Gerard Pique. 

The central defender has been 

prominent in his work off the field in the 

last 24 months, playing a major role in 

the revamping of tennis’s Davis Cup 

competition, as well as purchasing a 

controlling stake in Andorra FC. 

According to ABC, his actions have 

angered the powers that be at the Catalan 

club, who are concerned that his priorities 

have shifted away from football itself. 

As a result, to avoid any similar 

problems with other stars, contracts 

being drawn up by the club now include 

a clause that will curb non-footballing 

commitments. 

One incident which upset those upstairs 

Antonio Conte has won his legal battle 

with Chelsea and the club will have to 

pay their former manager an extra 

£85,000 in compensation. 

An employment tribunal ruled in the Italian’s 

favour and Judge Andrew Glennie found that 

he was unfairly sacked by the Blues in July 2018. 

‘The complaint of unfair dismissal is well 

founded,’ he said. ‘The respondent (Chelsea) 

shall pay to the claimant (Conte) a basic award 

of £1,524 and a compensatory award of 

£83,682, being a total of £85,206.’ 

The dismissal of Conte from his post, with 

Chelsea taking part in pre-season training at 

the time, is the most expensive sacking in 

English football history. 

Chelsea’s latest accounts sensationally 

showed the massive outlay on compensation 


Chelsea to pay extra £85,000 

compensation to Conte 

•Tribunal rules Conte was unfairly sacked by Chelsea 

•Blues paid out £26.6million for Conte, his staff 

Barcelona inserting ‘anti Pique’ clause in 

contracts of new signings 

Ramos set to 

miss 15 days 

Sergio Ramos finished the Spanish 

Super Cup final against Atlético 

Madrid with a sprained ankle. 

The Real Madrid captain scored the winning 

penalty after 120 minutes of action as 

the game was decided by spot-kicks. 

In the 61st minute, it looked like Ramos 

might have to be replaced after he fell on 

Alvaro Morata’s foot and twisted his ankle. 

He grimaced in pain, limped to the sideline, 

recieved further treatment but returned to 

the field for another hour of action. Once 

the adrenaline wore off, however, it was clear 

that Ramos had injured himself. 

The sprain will leave Ramos sidelined for 

15 days. He will miss two league games and 

Madrid’s first outing in the Copa del Rey 

this season. The first absence comes on Saturday 

against Sevilla with Real Valladolid 

after that. Real Madrid don’t know their 

opponent in the Copa yet with the draw yet 

to be made. 

at the Nou Camp was Pique’s 

disappearance after the Spanish 

Super Cup in 2018. 

The 32-year-old was 

contacted by Ernesto Valverde 

after he left for Orlando without 

permission, before assuring his 

manager that he would only 

miss one day of training. 

Pique’s business acumen is 

such that former president Joan 

Laporta has even backed him to 

take charge of the entire club 

himself one day. 

Speaking about his own 

possible return, Laporta told 

RAC1 in December: ‘If I [become 

president], it wouldn’t be bad if 

Gerard Pique followed me as 

president because I see him as 

an ideal person. 

•Abrahamovich 

Real Madrid president 

Florentino Pérez has 

described manager Zinedine 

Zidane as a "blessing from 

heaven" after his latest Spanish 

Super Cup final triumph. 

Ziidane has won each of his 

finals as Madrid coach, taking 

his tally of successes to nine with 

a tense victory against Atlético 

Madrid in the Supercopa de 

Espana on Sunday. 

Madrid won 4-1 on penalties 

after a goalless draw, scraping to 

a shoot-out after Federico 

Valverde was sent off for a cynical 

foul on a goalbound Alvaro 

Morata late in extra time. 

This was the first title of Zidane's 

second stint as Madrid boss - the 

first returning three straight 

Champions League wins - but 

Pérez is confident the Frenchman 

Sergio Aguero’s phenomenal 

goalscoring exploits for 

Manchester City make him one of the 

best in world football, but Pep 

Guardiola maintains Lionel Messi still 

stands apart. 

Aguero fired a hat-trick in City’s 6-1 

•Conte 

for the manager, his staff and legal proceedings 

totalled £26.6million. 

Roman Abramovich has now paid out a total 

of £90m on sacking managers since he took over 

at Stamford Bridge back in 2004. 

Conte remained out of work until May last 

year when he took over at Inter Milan. 

The former Italy midfielder steered Chelsea to 

the Premier League title in 2017 but was 

dismissed a year later with 12 months left on his 

contract as the Blues finished fifth and failed to 

qualify for the Champions League. 

Conte also led Chelsea to victory in the 2018 

FA Cup, with a 1-0 win over Manchester United 

in the final. 

Maurizio Sarri succeeded his compatriot at 

Chelsea but left to take charge at Juventus last 

summer after just a year in charge. 

Abramovich has had to dig 

deeper into his pockets to pay 

the compensation and the 

billionaire continues to pump 

money into the club. 

He invested £247m into 

Chelsea in in 2018-19 despite 

barely being seen in the country 

due to ongoing issues over his 

UK visa amid a souring of 

diplomatic relations between the 

British government and Russia. 

The club’s wage bill also went 

up by £41m in 2019 despite not 

playing in the Champions 

League. 

Abramovich, 53, is the most 

•Pique successful owner in the club’s 

history. 

The Blues have won the 

Premier League five times, the 

FA Cup five times, three League 

Cups, the Europa League 

twice and the Champions 

League under his ownership. 

Zidane's a blessing 

from heaven – Pérez 

is ready to deliver further 

success. 

"Zidane has a loving 

relationship with Real 

Madrid. He decided to rest 

for a year and now he's 

returned with renewed 

energy. Zidane is a blessing 

from heaven."Pérez felt the 

triumph at the King 

Abdullah Sports City 

Stadium in Jeddah was 

particularly impressive 

given the absence of a 

number of key men, 

including Eden Hazard, 

Karim Benzema and 

Gareth Bale. 

•Zidane 

Aguero not in Messi’s class — Guardiola 

demolition of Aston Villa on Sunday, 

replacing Thierry Henry as the most prolific 

overseas player in Premier League history. 

A 12th treble in the competition represents 

a new all-time best mark, edging City’s record 

goalscorer ahead of Alan Shearer. 

Asked afterwards whether Aguero was the 

best he has worked with, City manager 

Guardiola felt compelled to highlight his 

alliance with six-time Ballon d’Or winner 

Messi at Barcelona. 

The Spanish manager worked with Messi 

from 2008-12 during a period where Barca were 

at the height of their powers, winning four La 

Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, two Copas 

del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups, two Club World 

Cups and three Spanish Super Cups.



JANUARY 14, 2020 — 47

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

Across 

1 Quicker (6) 

4 Second sign of the 

zodiac (6) 

8 Young eel (5) 

9 Large tent (7) 

10 Nuts from a horse 

chestnut tree (7) 

11 Helped (5) 

12 Polar region (9) 

17 Fire-raising (5) 

19 Long pillow (7) 

21 Long-necked animal (7) 

22 Satirical imitation (5) 

23 Small wave (6) 

24 Dried plums (6) 

Down 

1 European language (6) 

2 African grassland (7) 

3 Eagle’s nest (5) 

5 Side by side (7) 

6 Circular (5) 

7 Not tottering or wobbling 

(6) 

9 Wretched (9) 

13 Melodious (7) 

14 Felled (3,4) 

15 Animal at home in a 

sett (6) 

16 Moves aimlessly (6) 

18 Thick sweet sticky 

liquid (5) 

20 Defeated contestant 

(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. 

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

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

14012020 - 50 years after: Let's revisit issues that caused Civil War

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