15022020 - Bayelsa: Amid tension Diri takes over

2— SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Swearing-in ceremony of Sen Douye Diri as Governor of Bayelsa
BAYELSA: Amid tension Diri takes over,
sues for peace, love
•Promises diligent service
•Protest rocks Yenagoa over Supreme Court judgement
•Diri’s home vandalised
•Police impose dusk to dawn curfew
•PANDEF sues for peace
•PDP victory is God’s will-Dickson
•Commendation Galore As Dickson Holds Valedictory Session
•Be a good ambassador of PDP, Secondus charge Diri
•Okowa urges PDP, Diri to reconcile aggrieved party members
By Clifford Ndujihe, Samuel Oyadongha, Festus
Ahon, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Emem Idio, Dirisu
Yakubu, Omeiza Ajayi & Ozioruva Aliu
DESPITE initial violence
and tension that rocked
Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State
capital, Senator Douye Diri
was yesterday sworn-in as
governor of Bayelsa State
alongside his deputy, Senator
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor,
at a colourful ceremony held
at the Government House.
The Independent National
Electoral Commission, IN-
EC’s declaration of Senator
Diri as winner of the November
16, 2019 governorship poll,
earlier in the day, in obedience
to the Supreme Court judgement,
paved the way for Diri’s
inauguration, which started at
6.20 pm, yesterday.
Diri’s swearing-in came as
the All Progressives Congress,
APC, rejected the INEC’s decision
to return Diri as winner
of the Bayelsa governorship
election and vowed to explore
legal options against it.
Indeed, President Muhammadu
Buhari and the Chairman
of APC Governors Forum,
and Governor of Kebbi
State, Atiku Bagudu met behind
closed doors at the Aso
Villa, yesterday, over what
sources said was in connection
with the Bayelsa development.
The Supreme Court, on
Thursday, sacked Bayelsa
governor-elect, Mr David
Lyon and his running mate,
Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo,
over perjury on the
part of the latter.
Police impose dusk to dawn
curfew
Following the violent protests
that rocked Yenagoa, the
state Commissioner of Police,
Uche Anozia, yesterday, imposed
a dusk to dawn curfew
in the State from 8:pm to 6am
from Friday to Sunday.
CP Anozia, who addressed
the media at the Bayelsa State
Government House shortly
before the swearing-in ceremony
was flanked by heads
of other security agencies in
the state.
He said eight suspects had
been arrested in connection
with the violent protests.
The CP who warned against
the violation of the curfew advised
members of the public
to stay indoors as the security
agencies will arrest and prosecute
anyone who violates the
curfew.
He also advised the public
to remain calm as the security
agencies are poised to secure
lives and properties in the
state.
Meanwhile, the PDP has
called on the Inspector General
of Police to stop APC National
Chairman, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole over his
stance on the apex court verdict.
Why swearing-in was done
in Govt House
Until Thursday afternoon,
the Samson Siasia Stadium
was the venue for the inauguration.
David Lyon had also
done dress rehearsals for the
event. However, the Supreme
Court ruling altered preparations.
The change of baton to
PDP, violence that greeted the
decision, delay in Diri getting
certificate of return from INEC
and returning to Yenagoa
meant a change of venue.
The gate to the heavily fortified
but restricted sprawling
Government House complex
was opened to Bayelsans to
witness the swearing in ceremony
of Senator Diri Senator
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor.
Earlier yesterday, tension
heightened in Yenagoa as
supporters of the APC took to
the streets to protest the Supreme
Court ruling which
voided APC’s Chief David
Lyon’s election as the state
governor-elect.
The protest paralysed commercial
activities in the capital
and its environs.
Filling stations, markets and
shops were hurriedly shut
down when the protesters resorted
to burning tyres and destroying
properties along the
streets and highways.
The protesters, armed with
placards, were chanting, “No
David Lyon, no Governor in
Bayelsa State.”
Motorists had a difficult time
navigating through the usually
busy Edepie axis of Mbiama-Yenagoa
road.
The story was not different
at the Yenizue-Gene stretch of
the same road hosting the secretariat
of the APC where protesters
barricaded a section of
the road.
Saturday Vanguard learned
that the development caused
motorists to make detour at the
Otiotio junction and Baybridge
intersection to connect
the Isaac Boro expressway.
The Amarata residence of
the Senator Douyi Diri, located
off Imgbi road, w e fence.
The building window glasses
and vehicles parked at the
premises were vandalised
while mobile phones and other
valuables were reportedly carted
away by the invaders.
A lady said to be a visitor to
the Diri family was injured during
the orgy of violence.
Also, the PDP secretariat,
Onopa, and the sprawling
shopping mall complex at the
popular Ekeki Motor Park in
the heart of Yenagoa were not
spared by the protesters who
vent their anger on the structures.
Some of the shops on the
ground floor of the mall were
vandalised. The quick intervention
of men of the Nigerian
Army on routine patrol
saved the complex from being
looted.
However, tight security was
mounted by a detachment of
anti riot policemen, and Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence
Corps along the Onopa
junction-Hospital junction
stretch of the Melford Okilo
express road housing the
Government House, the State
judicary complex and civil service
secretariat.
Diri promises diligent services,
cautions against politics
of bitterness
Despite the tension, Senator
Douye Diri was yesterday
evening sworn in as the 5th
democratically elected governor
of Bayelsa State by the
Chief judge, Justice Kate Abiri.
Also, sworn in was the deputy
governor, Senator
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor.
Clad in brown native Ijaw
attire, Diri who arrived the
Government House car park
venue of the event at 6;15pm
was administered the oath of
office and oath of allegiance
by the State Chief Judge at
exactly 6.50 pm amid tight
security.
Speaking shortly after his inauguration,
Senator Diri, who
observed a minute silence for
the PDP supporters killed in
Nembe during the party electioneering
campaign promised
to serve the people diligently
and will be magnanimous
in victory.
His words: “My dear good
people of Bayelsa State, this is
the state that we all wanted to
create, as a serving member
of the Ijaw National
Congress,INC, we traversed
the length and breathe of Nigeria
and all of us wanting to
create a state that we can develop
in our region and here
we are. Today we have the
state.
“We have been sworn in
today and I advise our PDP
members to be magnanimous
in victory.
“The bitterness, the acrimony,
if we kill ourselves who are
we going to lead, are we going
to lead animals? Today is
February 14, a day of love, as
your Valentine Governor and
Deputy Governor, we bring
you message of love and
peace, hope and a message
of prosperity to Bayelsa State.
“Therefore, let us eschew
bitterness and acrimony and
learn to love ourselves whether
of the same party or different
party, primarily we are
brothers and sisters from
From left: Prince Uche Secondus National Chairman of PDP, Sen Bala Mohammed
and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State at the swearing in ceremony
of Sen Douye Diri and his running mate. Photo Chijioke Nwakpa
Bayelsa State. And our creed
today is to serve you.
“We have come to serve you,
let us work together to serve
you and I read this creed that
I have prepared that myself
and my dynamic deputy governor
have decided to do.
“Lord make us an instrument
of thy peace, where there
is hatred let us show love,
where there is injury let us
learn how to pardon because
if we don’t pardon, our heavenly
father will not also pardon
us. Where there is doubt
let us have faith where there
is despair let us have hope,
where there is darkness let us
bring light, where there is sadness
let us bring joy.
“Oh Divine Master who has
made this day possible, grant
us that we may not seek much
to be consoled as to consoled,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that receive,
let us also be givers. It is in
pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is dying that we a
born to eternal life.”
Dignitaries present include,
the outgone Governor
Seriake Dickson,
PDP National Chairman,
Prince Uche Secondus, Governors
of Oyo and Bauchi
States Seyi Makinde and
Senator Bala Mohammed.
Alhaji Asari Dokubo among
others
PANDEF sues for peace
The Pan Niger Delta Forum,
PANDEF appealed to
the people of Bayelsa State
to accept the judgement of
the Supreme Court in good
faith.
PANDEF in a statement by
its National Publicity Secretary
and PRO, Hon. Ken
Robinson urged the people
to exercise restraint in the interest
of peace.
The statement read:
“Those who may be incensed
by the judgement
should not do anything that
would cause public disorder
in the state. We sue for calm
and peace.
“We implore politicians on
both sides of the divide to
exercise restraint in their utterances,
while urging the
youths of Bayelsa State not
to allow themselves to be
used by political opportunists.
“PANDEF calls on President
Muhammadu Buhari to
ensure that the rule of law is
respected in the development
in Bayelsa State, and
that nobody, no matter how
highly placed, is allowed to highest score with 1,339
conduct him or herself in votes. The margin of lead between
the candidates of the
such a way that could undermine
public peace in Bayelsa
State.”
141,833 votes. With this out-
PDP and the Accord party is
Why INEC returned come, the election is conclusive
at first ballot.
PDP’s Diri as winner
While announcing Diri, “Consequently, Senator
the PDP candidate as Governor-elect,
INEC Chairman Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of
Douye Diri and Senator
Professor Mahmood Yakubu
told journalists in Abuja PDP are hereby declared
the
why it complied with Thursday’s
judgment of the Sued
as Governor and Deputy
winners and returned electpreme
Court which nullified Governor of Bayelsa State respectively.
the election of Chief David
Lyon, the APC candidate in “The Commission is aware
the election.
that the tenure of the incumbent
Governor of Bayelsa
Reading from a prepared
speech, Yakubu said: “As you State ends at midnight today
are aware, the Supreme Friday 14th February 2020.
Court of Nigeria yesterday Therefore, in fulfilment of the
(Thursday) delivered a requirement of Section 75 of
judgement in a pre-election the Electoral Act 2010 (as
suit on the Bayelsa State amended), the Certificates of
Governorship election held Return to the Governor and
on 16 November 2019. The Deputy Governor-elect will
Commission has received be presented to them immediately
as ordered by the Su-
the Certified True Copy
(CTC) of the judgement of preme Court.”
the apex court which disqualified
the Deputy Governor-
Dickson
PDP victory is God’s willship
candidate and vitiated Meantime, Mr. Seriake
the joint ticket of the party Dickson, who held his valedictory
session as Baylesa
earlier declared winner in the
election.
governor, ascribed the
“The Court also ordered verdict of the Supreme Court
the Commission to ‘...declare to the mercies of God.
as winner of the Governorship
election in Bayelsa State judiciary for their courage,
Dickson commended the
the candidate with the highest
number of lawful votes ence to the sterling ethos of
strict and exemplary adher-
cast with the requisite constitutional
(or geographical He said that the bold deci-
the hallowed profession.
spread).
sion of the judiciary gives so
“In compliance with the orders
of the Supreme Court, The governor also thanked
much hope in the country.
the Commission met this the Bayelsa people, all Nigerians
of goodwill and the
morning and reviewed the
result of the election in which clergy for their support and
45 political parties contested. persistent prayers throughout
the period of pre-election
“Without the votes scored
by the All Progressives Congress
APC, whose candi-
Dickson said in a state-
dispute in the court.
dates were deemed not to ment by His Chief Press Secretary,
Mr Fidelis Soriwei,
have participated in the election,
the total number of lawful
and valid votes cast in the just for the PDP but also the
that that the victory was not
election now stand at whole of Bayelsa and the
146,999. Out of this figure, entire Ijaw nation.
the candidate of the Peoples He urged that nobody
Democratic Party (PDP) should be molested or persecuted
on account of the
scored the highest number
of lawful votes with 143, 172. judgment and called on all
“Similarly, the Party has Bayelsans and indeed the
scored more than 25% of the Ijaw nation to give the requisite
attention to the ongo-
lawful votes cast in all the
eight Local Government Areas
of the State.
sa.
ing efforts to develop Bayel-
“Furthermore, the total Prevail on your supporters
number of registered voters to stop violence, he urges
in places where election was APC leaders
not held or cancelled as a result
of sundry violations is
90,822. The candidate of the
Accord party has the next Continues on page 4

Burial of Nnamdi Kanu’s parents:
•Schools, banks, business centres shut
•Large turn out at service, atmosphere peaceful
•Peter Obi, Abaribe, Umeh pay tributes
By Ugochukwu Alaribe,
Etric Ugbor, Nwabueze
Okonkwo, Chimaobi
Nwaiwu, Chinedu Adonu
The burial service of
the traditional ruler of
Afaraukwu community, in
Umuahia, Abia State, His
Royal Majesty, Eze Israel
Kanu and his wife Ugoeze
Sally, who were the parents
of leader of Indigenous
Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB),
Nnamdi Kanu yesterday
witnessed a heavy turn out
of men, women and youths
from the South East and
South South regions of the
country.
Schools, banks and
business centres were shut
even as the Federal
Government was
commended for ensuring a
peaceful atmosphere.
Former Governor of
Anambra State and Vice
Presidential Candidate of
the Peoples’ Democratic
Party, PDP, in the last
Presidential election Mr
Peter Obi, Senate Minority
Leader, Senator
Enyinnaya Abaraibe and
Senator Victor Umeh, were
the first dignitaries from
South East to arrive St
Andrews Anglican Church
Afaraukwu for the church
service.
Speaking with newsmen,
Senator Umeh who was
the former National
Chairman of All
Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA, and
Senator representing
Anambra Central
senatorial zone, said “the
burial of Eze Kanu and his
wife is unique and
monumental, husband and
wife being brought to the
church for burial the same
day, it is enough to elicit
sympathy, it is an emotion
provoking event.”
Senator Umeh urged
Ndigbo to bear the loss with
fortitude noting that death
was a phenomenon every
man should look forward to.
He also commended the
Federal Government for
ensuring that the burial was
peaceful.
“We have come here to
join the Afara Ukwu people
of Abia State and indeed
Ndigbo to bury the
traditional ruler of Afara
Ukwu, Mazi Israel Kanu
and his beloved wife.
“Today, according to our
custom and tradition, it is
necessary for those who are
alive to bury the dead and
not only that but today we
are burying a great man, a
king, a community leader
and a Knight of the
Christian Church. So you
can see it is an emotion
provoking event.
“We also come to
commiserate with the
leader of Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB,
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and
his siblings and all the
other relations to ask them
Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Enyinnaya Abaraibe and Mr. Peter Obi, seated inside
St Andrews Anglican Church Afaraukwu, waiting for the church service to commence
to bear this double tragedy
with fortitude and with
God’s grace. I pray that
God will grant them eternal
rest in paradise.
“To the Afara Ukwu
community, brothers and
friends of Nnamdi Kanu,
they must see it as
something that must come
in life and submit to the
will of God.
“We commend the
Federal Government for
allowing us to bury our
brother and sister and
IPOB for organising
themselves in a peaceful
manner as they used to
be”, he said.
Umeh further
commended IPOB
members for not yielding
to media threats aimed at
discouraging them from
attending the burial.
“We are here against all
odds, against all threats to
mourn with those who are
mourning, we know we
are doing the right thing,
to mourn with the
Afaraukwu community, our
brother Nnamdi Kanu,
and his siblings, we urge
them to bear the loss with
fortitude.
“I can say that we are
satisfied with the peaceful
atmosphere, there is
nothing to indicate that
anybody wants to disrupt
the burial, we thank the
Federal Government for
ensuring that peace reign
here.
“If the Federal
government continues this
way, there will be peace,
we need peace to move on
in this country, and in this
type of situation
everybody should mourn
with the community and
family as everybody will
taste death.”
In a family oration by
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but
read by Prince Kingsley
Kanu, titled “What both of
you accomplished in life
will echo through history.”
the children described
their parents as those
whose lives epitomized
humility and service to
mankind which the world
can testify to.
According to them, “you
never made a fortune, or
noise despite your unique
position of leadership in
our community, the Church
and the state. You never
compromised the truth,
you never stole, your
conscience could not be
purchased.
“Our consolation today is
that we know for certain
that Papa and Daada are
resting in the presence of
Almighty God and
watching over us. Where
they have gone is where
all us are destined to go.”
In his speech, Senator
Enyinnaya Abaraibe
flanked by Mr Peter Obi
and Senator Victor Umeh,
thanked all the people
who attended the burial
from all parts of South East
and South South for their
peaceful conduct.
The mention of the
presence of Senator
Abaribe, Mr Peter Obi and
Senator Victor Umeh
received loud ovation as the
youths started chanting
songs of solidarity and
gratitude for them.
According to Senator
Abaraibe “Igbo people
must never go into
extinction, and we cannot
succumb to intimidation no
matter where it is coming
from”.
In an interview with
Vanguard,Leader of the
Movement for the
Sovereign States of Biafra,
MASSOB, Comrade
Uchenna Madu, said pro
Biafran groups had come
to pay their last respect to
Eze Kanu and his wife.
In his words,”We are
here to pay our last respect
to Nnamdi Kanu’s parents,
Eze Israel Kanu and his
wife, Ugoeze Sally. It is a
traditional burial,not a
Biafra activity. You can see
SATURDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 3
that everywhere is
peaceful. I blame the
Commissioner of Police,
Abia State for the tension
over the burial but we were
assured that there would
be be no problem.”
In their addresses the
Knights and Ladies of
Knight of St Christopher of
the St Andrews Anglican
Church, Isiama
Afaraukwu, extolled Eze
Kanu and Ugoeze Sally for
being the first Knight and
Lady in Diocese of
Umuahia and for laying
good example for them.
In his comment, leaders
of the Movement for the
Actualization of the
Sovereign State of Biafra,
MASSOB, Comrade
Uchenna Madu, said the
death of Eze Israel Kanu
and his wife Sally was a
heavy sacrifice to Biafra
actualization.
At exactly 2.30 pm when
the remains of the
deceased arrived the
church, sympathizers were
sobbing but the children
and family members of Eze
Kanu, looked strong.
In his sermon the
Anglican Bishop of
Umuahia Rt. Rev Geoffrey
Ibeabuchi said “ordinarily,
today is supposed to be a
day of painful mourning,
but because God said in the
Bible that he who is living
knows that he must die, so
we are consoled. Death
must come and we cannot
run away from it, the death
knows nothing, the death
must come, today we shout
but after some few days we
will start forgetting and be
consoled.
“Solomon, believed to be
the wisest king that lived
made us to understand
that one day we will be
missing from the world,
our soul is very important,
so we must work hard in
order not to lose our souls.
We are expected to live
decent life, we must know
that the day of judgement
Oyetola presents N1.2billion
bonds to retirees
...reaffirms commitment to workers’ welfare
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, on
Friday celebrated the year 2020 Cultural Day
with workers just as he presented a total sum of
N1.2 billion naira bonds to all categories of retirees
in the State.
The fund, according to the Governor, is for the
payment of terminal benefits of some retired workers
under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
This is even as the governor reiterated the
administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare in
the State.
Presenting the bonds at the Olukemi Olufunke
Kolawole Lake Resort, State Government Secretariat,
Abere Osogbo, Governor Oyetola said government
would continue to bring smiles to the faces of all
categories of workers.
He expressed deep appreciation to workers for
their commitment and dedication to service and
assured them of government’s continued support.
Oyetola described the pensioners as a significant
population and elder citizens who have contributed
significantly and meritoriously to the uplift of the
State.
He said, “Your welfare is of paramount importance
to us, which is why, even in the face of limited
resources, we have lived up to our word to pay your
gratuity and pension as retired workers and the
salaries of the serving workers.
“About two days ago, we released the sum of N50
million naira for the payment of gratuities of retired
workers under the Old Pension Scheme. Today, we
are here to further fulfil our promise to enhance
your welfare.
“We shall release the sum of N550 million naira
for the payment of terminal benefits of some retired
workers under the Contributory Pension Scheme,
as well as another sum of N647 million naira under
the Scheme for retired Local Government Employees
and Elementary School Teachers in the state.
Oyo launches new park
management system
T
he Government of Oyo State, on Friday,
launched a new Park Management System, PMS,
declaring that the initiative would boost Internally Generated
Revenue (IGR).
The state’s Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure
and Transport, Professor Raphael Afonja, who stated this
while addressing newsmen in the conference Hall of the
Ministry, said that the management committees would be
inaugurated on Monday.
According to him, the new PMS would include a team of
Park Managers who will coordinate activities at the parks
located in each of the 33 local governments as well as two
disciplinary Committees to coordinate Motor Parks and
Tippers/Lorries Parks.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi
Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the commissioner as
saying that the development was borne out of the pressing
need to ensure sanity in the management of the parks.
The commissioner said: “I am here to basically inform you
of the recent development concerning the motor parks,
garages, and quarries. We are all aware that recently, the
state rolled out a plan to engage consultants that will be
collecting revenue on behalf of the government, to increase
our internally generated revenue in the state.
is coming.
In his sermon the
Anglican Bishop of
Umuahia Rt. Rev Geoffrey
Ibeabuchi said “ordinarily,
today is supposed to be a
day of painful mourning,
but because God said in the
Bible that he who is living
knows that he must die, so
we are consoled. Death
must come and we cannot
run away from it, the death
knows nothing, the death
must come, today we shout
but after some few days we
will start forgetting and be
consoled.
“Solomon, believed to be
the wisest king that lived
made us to understand
that one day we will be
missing from the world,
our soul is very important,
so we must work hard in
order not to lose our souls.
We are expected to live
decent life, we must know
that the day of judgement
is coming.
None of the five
governors of the South
East zone attended the
burial. Vanguard also
observed that no
government official from
the five states represented
the governors at the event
witnessed by a mammoth
crowd.
From the brochure
distributed at the church
service ,there was no
condolence message to the
family from any of the
governors.
Abia State governor, Dr
Okezie Ikpeazu was said
to have visited Isiama
Afaraukwu yesterday to
inspect the ongoing
rehabilitation of the road
leading to Kanu family
house.
It was not confirmed
whether Kanu’s family
informed the governors
about the burial plans of
the late monarch and his
wife.
Meanwhile, suspected
IPOB faithful almost took
over the church service
during the homily by the
Bishop of Diocese
Anglican Communion,
Rev. Geoffrey Ibeabuchi.
They were heard chanting
‘IPOB,one family’,
‘IPOB,one family’.

4— SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
BAYELSA: Amid tension Diri takes over, sues for peace, love
Continues from page 2
Dickson, who was accorded
standing ovation amid commendations
as he presided
over his last state executive
council meeting, the 114th
session also urged APC leaders
to prevail on their supporters
to stop violence.
The meeting commenced
with a praise and worship session
led by the governor who
appreciated God for His blessings
upon the people and government
of the state in the last
eight years.
Cabinet members, who took
turns to speak, poured encomiums
on the governor not
only for giving them the opportunity
to serve but also for
providing quality transformational
leadership for people of
the state and the Ijaw nation.
Among those who spoke
were Secretary to State Government,
Barrister Kemela
Okara; Chief of Staff, Government
House, Mr Talford Ongolo;
Special Adviser on Political
Matters, Hon. Fyneman
Wilson; Head of Service, Mrs
Biobelemoye Charles-Onyema;
former Commissioner
for Solid Mineral Resources,
Mr Markson Fefegha;
Commissioner for Youth Development,
Mr Ebipatei
Apaingolo, and Attorney-General
and Commissioner for
Justice, Mr Arthur Seweniowor.
Earlier, Dickson who formally
declared the Council dissolved
at about 1pm, thanked
God and members of the
Council for the achievements
of the Restoration Government.
The out-gone governor also
expressed gratitude to people
of the state for giving him the
opportunity to serve them.
He assured Bayelsans of his
resolve to work for the continued
peace, stability, and development
of the state even
after leaving office.
Describing the Supreme
Court victory of the PDP as no
victor, no vanquished, Dickson
also reiterated his call on
APC leaders to prevail on their
supporters to refrain from violence
in the interest of the state.
Okowa tasks PDP, Diri on
reconciliation
Speaking on the issue, Delta
State Governor and Chairman
of the South-South Governors
Forum, Senator Ifeanyi
Okowa described the Supreme
Court ruling as a welcome
developmentand congratulated
Diri and Ewhrudjakpor
on their victory.
Okowa in a statement by his
Chief Press Secretary, Mr
Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, stated
that his confidence in the
Judiciary had been rekindled
by the didactic ruling of the
apex court.
He urged PDP and the governor-elect
to take steps to reconcile
all stakeholders in
Bayelsa in order to strengthen
the party for future elections.
Okowa said: “The news of
the Supreme Court ruling on
the Bayelsa governorship election
came to me with joy because
we have been writhing
in pain on the loss of Bayelsa
to the APC in the last governorship
election in the state.
“We are happy because the
Supreme Court has once
again restored the confidence
of the people in the judiciary.
“This victory is a clarion call
on the party and the governor-elect
to take steps to reconcile
all aggrieved party
members who defected or
worked against the party in the
November 16, 2019 Governorship
Election in the state.”
Focus on devt, empowerment,
Ijaw group charges
Diri
A socio-political group in
Bayelsa State, Ijaw Political
Frontiers, IPF, charged Governor
Douye Diri to focus
on the development of the
state and empowerment of the
people by appointing young
people into positions of authority
Ṫhe group, who welcomed
the Supreme Court verdict,
noted that development of the
young state should be the topmost
priority of the incoming
administration as the state was
in dire need of infrastructural
and human capital development.
In a statement signed by the
Director General and Secretary
of the group Barr Ken
Okorodas and Tare Bumotu,
the group commended the immediate
past governor of the
state Mr Seriake Dickson for
contributing his enormous
quota to the development of
the state and charged the incoming
governor to continue
from where the former administration
stopped.
Be a good ambassador of
PDP, Secondus urge Diri
National chairman of the
PDP, Prince Uche Secondus,
yesterday, charged Governor
Diri Douye and his deputy,
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo to be
good ambassadors of the party
by implementing the party’s
manifesto in the next four
years.
Secondus gave the charge
while receiving the Certificate
of Return, CoR, issued by the
INEC to the PDP candidate
after the Supreme Court voided
the election of David Lyon
and his APC running mate.
Receiving the governor-elect
and his running mate in Abuja,
the party chairman urged
him to keep the ideals of PDP
which include reconciliation,
accelerated development of
the state and respect for the
rule of law.
He also tasked him to reach
out to all and sundry, adding
that the victory should spur him
to do more for the people.
He said: “We urge the newly
governor- elect and deputy
governor-elect to quickly go to
work, embrace everyone regardless
of their leanings or
parties because this is what
PDP represents. We believe in
the rule of law and our matters
are very clear. If it is on
point of law, no argument, no
protest, if it is not point of law,
we will ask question. We don’t
just make protests or argue or
issue statements on ordinary
ground. If we have ground,
we will ask and on this matter
in Bayelsa state, it was on
point of law and the rule of
law has taken effect.
“God has given you power,
not man. So go and be good
ambassadors of the nation and
your state and the party. Call
all the elders, all the youths of
Bayelsan people together to
work. It is not about the party
alone. Party is important it is
the platform, but the service
you are going to render to the
people of Bayelsa should be
uppermost in your mind and
that is how to build a nation.
Stop Oshiomhole now,
PDP tells IGP
Meantime, PDP, has called
on the Inspector General of
Police, Adamu Mohammed,
to immediately pull in the
APC National Chairman Adams
Oshiomhole, for questioning
and possible prosecution
for incitement.
This is even as the party said
the violence and arson being
perpetuated by APC agents in
Yenagoa was in furtherance of
“Oshiomhole’s inciting call
that no governor would be
sworn-in in Bayelsa state, contrary
to the judgment of the
Supreme Court.
A statement signed by Kola
Ologbondiyan, the PDP
spokesman read: “Oshiomole’s
statement was a direct
call for sedition and violent
subversion of the 1999 Constitution
(as amended), the
statutory authority of the Supreme
Court and the mandate
of the people of Bayelsa state.
“He should therefore be
pulled in immediately for prosecution
for inciting violence
and arson in the state.
“Nigerians can recall that
our party had on Thursday
cautioned Oshiomhole over
his utterances and apparent
plots to cause violence and a
breakdown of law and order
in the state.
“The world however
watched with horror as APC
agents, chanting APC slogans,
assaulted the people of
Bayelsa state, set the PDP secretariat
in the state ablaze, attacked
the premises of Radio
Bayelsa, vandalized vehicles
and equipment, took over major
highways and attacked
travellers, all in the bid to violently
subvert the judgment of
the Supreme court and forcefully
take control of the state.
“The PDP therefore charges
the people of Bayelsa, the
security agencies and Nigerians
at large, to hold Oshiomhole
responsible and accountable
for the violence in Bayelsa
state and deal with him accordingly
in line with the provisions
of our laws. Oshiomhole
must be brought to book
and stopped from the use of
garrulity and clear misuse of
language to cause crisis in our
country.”
APC rejects INEC’s decision,
explores legal options
In line with its earlier position,
rejecting Thursday’s
judgment of the Supreme
Court, the APC has also rejected
the return of the PDP
candidate as governor by the
INEC.
The APC which faulted IN-
EC’s presentation of a Certificate
of Return to Sen. Diri
vowed to recover what it described
as its mandate.
National Chairman of the
APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
who stated his party’s
position at a news conference
in Abuja said the electoral umpire
cannot usurp the role of a
Party members at the swearing in ceremony held at Govt, House,yesterday.
court in interpreting the verdict
of the apex court as it
deemed fit.
According to Oshiomhole,
“INEC has decided to assume
that the case of Bayelsa is the
same with that of Zamfara.
INEC has assumed judicial
powers.
“We have consulted and resolved
to reject in entirety the
decision to issue certificate to
the PDP candidate. We want
to put the people of Nigeria
on notice and of course the
people of Bayelsa that nobody
can hide under judicial cover
to impose a minority on the
people, even INEC is in contempt
of the court.
“The Supreme Court for
good reason gave a conditional
order that INEC should
swear in the second candidate
with the highest number of
votes and the required constitutional
spread. I believe that
the fact that the Supreme
Court insisted on constitutional
spread is a recognition of
the fact that the constitution
does not want a situation in
which anyone, governor or
president presides over the affairs
of a state without at least
enjoying two-third support of
the electorate of that state.
Clearly, the votes scored by
PDP and their candidate in that
election only met the requirement
in five local governments
and you need six local governments
to meet the requirements
of two-third. The PDP
candidate did not satisfy this
requirement. INEC is now
choosing to appropriate the
judicial powers of the court to
interpret laws that it is neither
competent to do nor has the
mandate so to do.
“INEC fails to recognize that
its responsibility does not include
legal interpretation and
the Supreme Court did not ask
INEC to go and begin to assume
the judicial powers. All
what INEC needs to do is simple
arithmetic - who has the
next highest votes? Does
such person have the required
vote spread? If the answer is
no, INEC can do no more.
Now INEC has decided to assume
that the case of Bayelsa
is exactly the same case as that
of Zamfara.
“We recognize that having
purported to have sworn in or
issued certificate to the PDP
candidate, we still believe that
there are viable legal windows
that we will explore. We affirm
our confidence in the judiciary
even with pains in our
hearts”, he stated.
Be humble in victory, Owie
tells Gov Diri
Saluting Diri on his inauguration,
former Chief Whip of
the Senate, Senator Roland
Owie, yesterday, urged him
to be humble in his ascension
as governor of the state, a development
he said was divinely
placed on him.
He also congratulated the
wife of the new governor and
prayed for a successful tenure
for the new government.
He said in statement: “I
wish to congratulate the people
of Bayelsa State, the governor-elect,
Sen. Douye Diri,
and his Deputy Governor
elect, Lawrence Ewrujakpor
for the restoration of their mandate.
“However, I urge you Sen.
Diri, to keep constantly in mind
the wise saying of St. Josemaria
Escriva “ don’t forget that you
are just a trash can. so if by
any chance, the divine gardener
should lay his hands on
you, and scrub and clean you,
and fill you with magnificent
flowers, neither the scent nor
the colours that beautify your
ugliness should make you
proud” therefore in this your
victory and governance of
Bayelsa State, please be humble.”
Buhari, APC Govs Forum
Chair, Badaru meet in Aso
Rock
President Buhari on Friday
met behind closed doors with
Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress, APC Governors
Forum and Governor of
Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu
and the Jigawa State Governor,
Abubakar Badaru at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting came barely 24
hours after the Supreme Court
sacked the Governor-Elect of
the November 19, 2019 election
in Bayelsa State, Chief
David Lyon and the Deputy
Governor-Elect, Biobarakuma
Degi-Eremieoyo.
The duo contested the election
on the platform of the
APC.
Governor Badaru was
Chairman of the APC governorship
campaign for the November
19, 2019 election in
Bayelsa State.
The two governors joined
President Buhari for juma’at
service at the State House
Mosque before the meeting.
There have been disquiet at
the Presidential Villa after the
Supreme Court judgment on
Thursday.
After meeting with the President
at the State House, the
two governors declined to
speak to State House correspondents.
The two governors had after
the election alongside the
National Chairman of the
APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
presented Lyon to
the President..
It was unclear what Buhari
and the two governors discussed,
but Villa insiders hinted
that the turn of events in
Bayelsa was “definitely on the
table.”
A source said: “Atiku-Bagudu
is a regular face at the
Villa, being the governors’ forum
chairman. However, this
meeting coming today after
the development in Bayelsa
is for a special reason, to look
into the issues that happened
in Bayelsa.
“This is also because .Badaru
was the chairman of the
campaign committee for that
election last year in November.”
APC youth leader, Igudia
asks Oshiomhole to resign
A youth leader and former
aspirant for South South zonal
Youth Leader at the 2018
National Convention of the
APC, Comrade Donald Igudia,
yesterday called on Adams
Oshiomole to resign over
what he termed “as the mismanagement
of party fortunes.”
Reacting to the Supreme
Court judgment, Igudia lamented
that “the timeline of
Comrade Oshiomhole’s activities
as National Chairman of
the party has been marred by
a display of ineptitude and a
quest to satisfy his ego.
“When oratory is laced with
egoism, lawlessness and selfishness,
it becomes parotry.
It is time for Oshiomhole to use
the exit door. If not for selfishness,
ego and high handedness,
we would not have been
facing this embarrassment as
a party in Bayelsa State today.
“Agreed that candidates
choose their running
mates, but this internal
bickering in the party do
not give room for sincere
and genuine reasoning
which may have led to
spotting the obvious error.
Oshiomhole’s pattern of
give it to my interest at all
cost, made the party in
Bayelsa just like Delta to
be torn apart and people
had no choice but to fight
for justice.”

EFCC recovers looted N200m for Kwara
...as Gov, Speaker lead anti-graft walk
•Why we remain popular with people — AbdulRazaq
•EFCC records 48 convictions, tasks youths on corruption crusade
•Probes diversion of N3bn in Light Up Kwara project
By Demola Akinyemi
KWARA State Gover
nor AbdulRahman
AbdulRazaq led a marathon
anti-corruption walk
across downtown Ilorin on
Friday amid renewed calls
on Nigerians, especially
young people, to shun graft
or activities capable of
stunting development.
Tagged Nigerian Youths
Walk Against Corruption,
AbdulRazaq was joined in
the over two-hour walk by
the Speaker of the House
of Assembly Yakubu Danladi;
zonal head of the Economic
and Financial
Crimes Commission
(EFCC) Isyaku Sharu;
State Coordinator of the
National Youths Service
Corps Esther Ikupolati;
members of the House of
Assembly; hundreds of
members of the NYSC; artisans;
and civil society organisations.
The walk was one of the
EFCC’s public awareness
programmes to draw attention
to the danger of corruption.
AbdulRazaq, who
arrived the EFCC office at
7a.m. and joined the walk
from the beginning to the
end, repeated President
Muhammadu Buhari’s refrain
that corruption would
kill the country if the country
fails to kill the cancer that
the Governor said was responsible
for the slow pace
of development.
“We have been walking
the talk, now we are walking
in support of the war
(against corruption). The
message is very clear: kill
corruption or it will kill us
all,” he said.
“We have to do the right
thing and be cautious. We
have seen what has happened
to those that have
been in (this) position before
us. Nobody wants to
leave office and be going
to EFCC’s office daily. So,
we will do the right thing
in Kwara State. We appreciate
the EFCC, they had
earlier given us over
N100million. They have
invited us (again) to collect
another N200m (recovered
looted funds); they have
made a lot of progress.”
Asked what he thought
was the reason for Kwarans
always wanting to catch a
glimpse of him at every
opportunity he moves
around, AbdulRazaq said
the excitement apparently
flows from his investment
in projects that have direct
impact on the masses such
as water, health, education,
and roads, as well as his
constant identification with
the people.
“We remain popular with
the people because we have
invested and are still investing
in projects that really
make the difference in
their lives. We have restored
water after many
years. We have invested in
basic health care, education,
and road and people
can tell the difference,” he
said when the walk terminated
at the EFCC office.
The anti-corruption walk
was organised by the EFCC
in partnership with the
NYSC.
Danladi said the corruption
crusade requires the
support of all Nigerians to
succeed, asserting that graft
was deadlier to the society
than HIV/AIDS and must
be stamped out, especially
in Kwara where he lamented
how billions of naira
have been diverted to private
pockets at the expense
of the masses.
‘Generous’ mentally ill lady spreads HIV in
Anambra *5 cases confirmed in one location
By Vincent Ujumadu,
Awka
FEAR has gripped
keke and commercial
motorcycle riders at
the Oyeolisa market, Ogbunike
in Oyi local government
area of Anambra
State, as a suspected
mentally deranged lady
in her twenties who they
have been patronizing
has tested positive for
HIV.
It was gathered that the
keke riders have been
meeting her in turns for
their sexual needs, but
one of them (name withheld)
allegedly made her
pregnant and subsequently
started living
with her.
Relations of the lady
were said to have confronted
the person suspected
to be responsible
for the pregnancy but
when he denied, they reported
the matter to the
police.
Corps members participate in a road walk against corruption organised by
Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in collaboration with
the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in Kaduna on Friday.
The police later arrested
him, while the lady
was later taken to the
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Teaching Hospital
outpost at Umunya
where, after several tests,
she was confirmed to be
carrying the deadly virus.
Worried by her dangerous
status, the hospital
authorities decided to investigate
further only to
discover that she had infected
several people
with the virus. The man
By Emma Ujah, Abuja
Bureau Chief
who cohabited with her
was tested and he also
tested positive.
One of the keke riders
she also slept with was
later subjected to the test
and he too tested positive.
His fiancé was also examined
and she too tested
positive.
At the last count, no
fewer than five keke riders
staying at the same
location, as well as the
lady and fiancé of one of
the keke riders had tested
positive to HIV, thus
sending fears among
them, particularly those
who had slept with her.
Worried by the latest development,
authorities of
the teaching hospital have
advocated for massive test
of keke riders in the area
to determine their status.
At the Oyeolisa market,
many keke and commercial
motorcycle operators
were seen discussing the
development as many of
them were believed to
have slept with the lady.
SATURDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 15, 2020–5
How we ‘re helping countries with Coronavirus — W/Bank
AS coronavirus fatali
ties and new cases increase
globally, the World
Bank, said, yesterday, it
has multiple mechanisms
to quickly help countries
facing the public health crisis.
According to the organization,
it could provide
emergency assistance, as
well as, disaster and pandemic
preparedness
through dedicated projects
and special responses.
The bank said, yesterday,
that the Dedicated Projects
for Emergency Health Responses
was key in that
respect, adding, “Investment
operations can be prepared
on a fast-track basis
and can include up to 40
percent of retroactive financing
for emergency response.
“Emergency operations
can be prepared in approximately
three months. In
some past cases, such as
Ebola, the Bank has supported
affected countries
with a new project prepared
in less than two weeks.”
Similarly, the bank said
that Contingent Emergency
Response Components
(CERCs) could be triggered
or added to existing
projects for an imminent or
actual emergency.
CORRIGENDUM
IN our publication of Thursday, February
9, 2020, (page 9), we published a story titled:
“Nigeria gets 3 centres to test for coronavirus
in which we erroneously published
that the corona virus was found in Wahum
China, instead of Wuhan province of China.
We regret any inconvenience the error
would have caused WAHUM Nig Ltd.
EDITOR
FG to get N245.6bn China loan
for section V of East-West road
By Chris Ochayi
THE Federal Government has applied for
N245.6 billion loan ($800m) from the China Exim Bank for
the construction of the Section V of the East-West highway project
from Oron in Akwa Ibom state to Calabar, the Cross River State
capital.
The highway, which is the flagship project being handled by
the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, was however, estimated to cost
about $1.07 billion.
Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, , Senator Tayo Alasoadura
disclosed this at the interactive session with Ministries, Departments,
and Agencies, MDA’s, organized by the Senate Committee
on Local and Foreign Debts in Abuja,
Alasoadura explained that in order to realize the full economic
potentials of the East-West road, it is expedient that the road covers
the entire East-West segment of the Niger Delta region up to
Calabar in Cross River State, the home of Tinapa Export Free
Zone.
He lamented that there was no direct link from the end of theongoing
East-West road at Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar in
Cross River States presently.
The Minister of State, said the 23.1 kilometre road is expected to
be completed between 2-3 years once construction work starts.
Alasoadura further informed the Senate Committee that the road
project was scaled down from a dual carriage way to single carriage
way because of the lean resources of the government.
Chairman Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator,
(Engr.) Clifford Odia reiterated that the essence of the interactive
meeting with the MDA’s was to get a robust reason on why
the proposed loan is expedient and how it would be repaid to the
lending institution.
Corruption: EFCC convicts 70
persons in Akwa Ibom
It explained, that many
Bank-financed projects already
have a CERC,
which allowed funds to be
redirected from other
parts of the project to cover
emergency response
needs.
“These funds can be
used to finance the response
to the coronavirus,
including for example, the
purchase of medical supplies;
the hiring, training,
and transport of medical
By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo
THE Economic and Financial Crime Com
mission (EFCC), Akwa Ibom Zone yesterday said it
convicted a total of 70 persons in the state for various corrupt
practices in 2019.
The Uyo Zonal Head of EFCC, Mr Dugum Garba, who
disclosed this in Uyo while fielding questions from newsmen
after a street walk organised by the agency in collaboration
with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Friday to
sensitise the residents against corruption, said the 70 convicts
were among the 200 persons arrested during the period.
Garba urged the residents especially the youths not to indulge
in corrupt practices but to cooperate with the agency by
giving information it needs to track down corrupt persons.
He described corruption as
a social destruction that could
hinder the development and
progress of the society.
His words, “We had about
70 convictions in Akwa Ibom
State last year, we have recovered
a lot of money and
we are progressing. Also we
have 200 persons arrested so
far.
“This is an enlightenment
campaign to sensitise and
create awareness to people
in the street about corruption.
Corruption should not be left
to anti-corrupt agencies
alone.
personnel; and medical
waste management. If a
Bank client’s portfolio does
not have projects that already
contain CERCs, it is
possible to add them.”
According to the global
organization, existing
projects in a country’s portfolio
could also be placed
on a fast-track basis. This
restructuring would introduce
the objective of emergency
support, as well as,
a reallocation of funds.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
N50.2bn Calabar-Odukpani-Itu road dualization ‘ll
boost S’South, S/East economy — Presidency
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
SENIOR
Special
Assistant to the
President on Niger Delta
Affairs, Senator Ita
Enang has said that the
award of outstanding
portion of dualization of
Calabar - Odukpani-Itu-
Ikot Ekpene federal
highway will enhance
the economy of South
South and South East
zones.
The contract worth
N50.2 billion was approved
by the Federal
Executive Council, FEC,
meeting.
Commending the Federal
Government for the
contract, Senator Enang
said that the road upon
completion will improve
the economy of Akwa
Ibom, Cross River and
Abia States.
He said, “On the approval
for award of the
above project at N50.2
billion naira at penultimate
Wednesday Federal
Executive Council, I,
on behalf of the people
of Cross River, Akwa
Ibom and Abia states,
and indeed the commuting
public, do express
sincere appreciation to
His Excellency, President
Muhammadu Buhari,
for this great favour
to the people of South
South/South East and
indeed the Nation.
“This road, constructed
in 1976 as single lane
is now for dualization
from Calabar – Odukpani
in Cross River State
– Itu – Ikot Ekpene in
Akwa Ibom State leading
The General Overseer of Calvary Authority Pen
tecostal Assembly (CAPA) Ikorodu, Pastor Abel Olusegun Asubiaro and wife
(middle) flanked by other pastors during his 60th birthday celebration held
at the headquarters of the church, Ikorodu, Lagos
to the yet to be awarded
section of Ikot Ekpene
(Akwa Ibom) to
Aba in Abia States.
“ Your Excellency and
the Federal Executive
Council have by this
breathed life into the
economy of the South
South & South East, this
road being the economic
Artery of the two
zones and indeed lightened
the sufferings of
the commuting public.”
He also expressed
appreciation to the
Minister of Works, Babatunde
Fashola, and
the entire Ministry of
Works & Housing as
well as Senator Udoma
Udo Udoma, the immediate
past Minister of
Budget and National
Planning who worked
with him to capture the
funds in the Appropriation
process.
He further commended
Senator Danjuma
Goje, Emeritus Chairman
of the Senate Appropriation
Committee
and former Gombe State
Governor for his efforts
in ensuring that the
road project was captured
in the budget.
“We pray the Ministers
of Works & Housing and
that of Finance, Budget
and National Planning
to please assist the take
off and sustenance of the
project for completion
within the contractual
timeframe by making
adequate budgetary provisions
annually,” he
said.
NNPC concludes recruitment exercise, hires
1,050 graduates
By Mike Eboh
THE Nigerian Na
tional Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, Friday,
said it has completed
its 2019/2020 employment
exercise and
has recruited 1,050 graduate
trainees.
In a statement in Abuja,
Group Managing Director
of the NNPC,
Mallam Mele Kyari,
stated that the Human
Resources Division of
the NNPC has since
commenced the issuance
of provisional offers of
employment to the 1,050
fresh employees.
While describing the
recruitment as a very
important assignment
UEFA bans Man City from
Champions League for two yrs
•Slams £30m fine on club
for the corporation, Mallam
Kyari stated that the
outcome of the exercise
reflected national spread
and complied with all
statutory requirements.
The NNPC boss maintained
that recruitment in
the corporation would be
a continuous process,
even as he noted that the
Experienced Hire (EH)
component of the exercise
would be addressed
in due course.
“We look forward to
warmly receiving our
new team members and
working with them to
build a corporation that
all Nigerians will be
proud of,” Kyari added.
MANCHESTER City have been banned from competing
in the Champions League for two years.
UEFA handed down the punishment, which includes a €30
million fine (£25m/$33m), to the Premier League giants for
breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
Following an investigation, the Adjudicatory Chamber of
UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) found City guilty
of "overstating its sponsorship revenue" between 2012 and 2016.
The investigation started after a series of allegations published
by German magazine Der Spiegel in November 2018, which
drew on documents purportedly obtained by whistleblowers
Football Leaks. UEFA's statement read: "The Adjudicatory
Chamber, having considered all the evidence, has found that
Manchester City Football Club committed serious breaches of
the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations
by overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the
break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and
2016. "The Adjudicatory Chamber has also found that in breach
of the regulations the Club failed to cooperate in the investigation
of this case by the CFCB.
"The Adjudicatory Chamber has imposed disciplinary
measures on Manchester City Football Club directing that it
shall be excluded from participation in UEFA club competitions
in the next two seasons (ie. the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons)
and pay a fine of €30 million."
Many servants of God not
ready for mentoring
— Pastor Asubiaro
THE General Overseer of Calvary Authority Pen
tecostal Assembly (CAPA) Ikorodu, Pastor Abel
Olusegun Asubiaro has lamented the scarcity of servants
of God who are committed, sincere, devoted
and ready to be mentored.
Pastor Asubiaro, who celebrated his 60th birthday
at the headquarters of his church located along
Ebute road, Ikorodu said, “I have the plan of establishing
a Bible School because I always look forward
to passing on that great commission which
God has given me to others too. I always look forward
to people seeing things the way God sees it
and taking up the great work without any fear or
favour but these days, such men of God are rare to
find. People can’t be patient. They want quick and
easy route. My problem now is that I don’t have
people to mentor, not that there is no body, but they
can’t go through the rough road of life and ministry.
Many are not committed and sincere and are
not ready to be mentored. I regard it as a failure
when you are succeeding and you don’t have a
successor.
Pastor Asubiaro who said he was called to the
ministry in 1990 and was under tutelage for eleven
years began the ministry on the 12th of December
2004. According to him, “celebrating my birthday,
especially for this year that I clocked 60, I want to
use it as a medium to arouse my people to the consciousness
about the essence of living. They must
learn that life will not be forever, and that we will
give account of how we lived on earth. I was once a
cast away, but with God’s support, I am what am I
today, because nothing is impossible for God and
this ministry was created to liberate the oppressed,
especially on every last Sunday of the month i.e
Our Power Sunday, a day to liberate and to heal”.
His wife, Deaconess Beatrice Asubiaro, in an interview
said that she never supported her husband
going into the ministry because “he was an accountant
at that time and we believe that people who go
into pastoring are jobless, but since he started after
so many convictions, we have since been thanking
God. Celebration of 60 years on earth is not easy
but we thank God for helping us to overcome hurdles
and challenges.
She advised young ministers to heed God’s calling
and warnings before they embark on the journey
to become his elect. She stated that “many young
and upcoming men of God are called by their bellies,
that is why they look for quick and fast solutions”
as she expressed hope that in the next five
years, with God’s backing, the ministry would grow
globally.
A senior elder of the church, Mr Joseph Eniola
Adetayo, who noted that he had been in the church
for seven years, said “Asubiaro devoted his life to
the work of the ministry. He’s humble and respectful,
always honouring the work of God to the letter.
His 60th birthday is unique, it’s an exhibition of his
tolerance and the work of God, he’s a man that is
specialised in deliverance. This is a church that
does not believe in anything other than the name
of God, as he uses the bell, water and anointing oil
which symbolise his calling.”
Quoting from the scriptures, Pastor T.A. Adeyemi,
the special guest at the occasion, said that it was a
good thing to sing and rejoice in God’s presence
noting that since God is the word, we should always
stand on God’s word in order to get to our
expected end.
He congratulated Pastor Abel Asubiaro on his 60th
birthday and admonished the congregation “to always
number our days that we may acknowledge the faithfulness
of God. There is a time for everything on earth.
So this is a time to celebrate and appreciate God on
behalf of the General Overseer who had spent most
of his life in the ministry. Some time ago, everyone
was born and as we grow, we keep counting years as
well as taking note of it and always taking cognisance
of achievements per year. The wise always take note
of time and season so that it would be recorded in
their names what they have achieved before the end
of time.” He encouraged Asubiaro to walk in the light
of Solomon in the Bible, prepare for the work of God
and prepare for the future, even as David prepared
for his future.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 7
Okada riders back on Lagos roads
Photos by Kehinde Gbadamosi, Lamidi Bamidele, Bunmi Azeez.
Okada riders at Charity Oshodi.
Okada at 2nd rainbow.
Okada having free time at mile 2.
' 'I
f you care about the
security of Lagos State,
support your
Governor on the restriction of
Okada and Keke.” This was the
submission of the former
Governor of Lagos State and
current Minister of Works, Mr.
Babatunde Raji Fashola at a
recent interaction with
newsmen in Lagos.
I have followed news reports,
commentaries, opinion articles
and street reactions for and
against the restriction on the
commercial operations of
Okada and Keke by my
principal, Governor Babajide
Olusola Sanwo-Olu in some
parts of Lagos State. While
some appear as balanced
argument, especially along the
economic line, which can’t
stand as good reasons for policy
reversal, several others were
pure sentiment and emotional
outbursts, mostly lacking in
logical reasoning. A careful
analysis of the subject matter has
shown that there is a consensus
among the protagonists and the
antagonists that commercial
motorcyclists and tricyclists have
become a danger in Lagos;
everybody knows and agrees
to this red flag! In fact many of
those against the Okada
restriction, whether knowingly
or unknowingly have called for
total eradication of bicycles and
tricycles in the city of Lagos.
A columnist, Bimbo
Adelakun in the back page of
the Punch newspaper on
Thursday February 6th wrote:
‘’In principle, I am not against
the ban on those vehicles
themselves, but the timing and
the execution of Sanwo-Olu’s
decision. I believe that okadas
and kekes have to go at some
point. They are an urban
nuisance, an ungainly sight, a
blight, and an ugly blotch on
Nigeria’s botched landscape.
Those vehicles desecrate
spaces and painfully highlight
the un-citiness of our cities.’’
Same with Bashorun Dele
Momodu in his pendulum
column at the back page of
ThisDay newspaper
submitted that:
‘’Apart from the population
explosion and the
stupendous traffic jams,
Lagos is bedevilled by a major
security conflagration. This
arises from its metropolitan
nature and its willingness to
welcome and absorb all those
who genuinely want to be a
part of its miracle. The flip side
of this welcoming attitude is
that Lagos will also attract
shady characters and
nefarious elements. The
recent influx of unidentifiable
immigrants into Lagos is just
a sample of this major
headache and has further
compounded the bad
situation.’’
There are several other
writers who have taken a
position either for or against
this restriction. Many of them
have offered what they, in
their opinion think should be
the best solution to the Okada
menace. I see this as a good
development for our
fledgling democracy.
However, one must remind
these opinion writers that
most of what they offered in
their write ups were at one
time or another, part of several
suggestions placed before
Government. One must also
educate them that
Government didn’t wake up
to place restrictions on the
commercial activities of
bicycles and tricycles in parts
of the city.
Deaths were being
recorded on a daily basis as a
result of the reckless nature
of Okada riders. Security of
lives was threatened, as
Okada became the easiest
form of mobility for criminals.
Recklessness, disorderliness
and total disregard to the
traffic rules reigned supreme
Okada rider at Ijesha bus-stop area, expresway on Friday
Okada Restriction: Sanwo-olu’s action
in best interest of Lagos
By Gboyega Akosile
among the Okada and Keke
riders.
Their behaviour has taken
a toll on the social and
environmental well-being of
the people.
Government has a
responsibility to protect the
lives and property of its
citizens. As Governor Sanwo-
Olu said during the flag off of
the commercial operations of
Lagos Ferry services, his
administration deemed it
necessary to restrict the
operation of commercial
motorcycles and tricycles in
some parts of the State,
especially in six Local
Governments, nine Local
Council Development Areas
(LCDA), 16 major highways
and 41 bridges, where there
have been records of security
breaches, disobedience to
traffic rules, accidents and
untimely deaths caused by
motorcycle and tricycle riders.
The decision of the
government is definitely in line
with what he promised over
22 million Lagosians during
his inauguration on May 29,
2019.
“We intend to make history
by making for ourselves and
our children a better
future…Let us vow to
ourselves, and to posterity that
we shall not just dream of a
Greater Lagos. Let us agree
this day that we shall
collectively rise up to build the
Lagos of our dreams.
“My administration will
ensure that we walk the talk
as far as transparency, the rule
of law and fiscal discipline are
concerned. We will make sure
that we create the right
environment in which security
and safety of lives and property
are guaranteed…On this day,
I vow as your Governor that I
will serve the public cause with
my utmost ability and
commitment,” Governor
Sanwo promised while
delivering his inaugural
address titled ‘Awakening a
Greater Lagos’ on May 29,
2019 at Tafawa Balewa Square
(TBS), Lagos.
Therefore, as a man who is
passionate about pursuing his
dream of a Greater Lagos, it is
expected of him to do the
needful in protecting the
citizens of the state who
trooped out en masse during
the March 9, 2019
governorship poll to elect him
as the Chief Executive of the
commercial capital of Nigeria.
There is also a need to remind
these commentators that one
of the rare qualities of a leader
is his ability to make tough
decisions especially in the best
interest of the people. As a great
leader, Governor Sanwo-Olu
believes in the greatest good
for the greatest number. On
the strength of this, Mr.
Governor has said his decision
to restrict the movements of
Okada and Keke in the
publicized locations is
irreversible because it was
made in the best interest of the
residents.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while
launching eight locally
manufactured speedboats of
the Lagos State Ferry Services,
LAGFERRY held at Badore
Ferry Terminal, Ajah,
reiterated that the decision was
for security and safety reasons.
His said: “We will sustain the
restriction on Okada and
tricycles, mainly because of
security and safety reasons.
The security and safety of
citizens are paramount to any
government. As a responsible
government, we will not fold
our arms and allow any
security breach in the state.
“We will continue to ensure
the safety of our people on all
fronts. There have been reports
of serious security breaches
and safety concerns in areas
where these operators ply. We
had to respond to these
concerns because lives and
Tricycle along Oshodi Mile 2
safety matter to this
government.”
Reports from different
quarters have shown clearly
that more people, including
opposition parties in the state
are fully in support of the step
taken by the Government.
None has outrightly
disagreed with the restriction
policy but many of them have
raised concerns about
provision of alternative for
commuters and riders who
were affected by the order.
In answering the above
question, less than 24 hours
after the enforcement of the
restriction, Governor Sanwo-
Olu ordered the release of
65 buses to immediately
begin operations. There are
plans for additional 550
buses for the feeder roads.
This is to ameliorate the
challenge being faced by the
residents. Also, the
continuation of massive
rehabilitation of roads across
the state is part of efforts by
the government to give the
residents a great lease of life.
Corroborating the
Governor’s position, the
National Publicity Secretary
of the Action Democratic
Party (ADP), Mr. Adejare
Adeoye, in a press statement
he signed and issued on
Monday said: “Sanitising
Lagos State and getting rid
of these lawless miscreants
that have been invading
Lagos in droves for many
years is a welcome
development and good step
in the right direction. Many
of them hide under the
pretense of riding Okada and
Keke during the day, while
they strategically distribute
themselves in inner and
exterior parts of Lagos State
committing all manners of
crimes and untold hardship
on residents.
“Security of lives and
properties in any part of
Nigeria is a business of all
citizens of Nigeria, so,
undocumented invaders,
should not be allowed in any
part of the country, as there
is serious need for vigilance
due to the growing rate of
terrorism, banditry,
kidnapping, thuggery,
mindless killings and other
criminal activities.
“Many of these guys are
invaders, who must be
checked and be sent back to
wherever they came from. At
least, on two occasions, they
have shown their true
colors, when they went to
attack Ejigbo Police
Station in Oshodi-Isolo,
around 11pm at night,
which caused panic in the
area. At another time,
they went to attack a local
government, because a
task force official of the
local council demanded
for the normal levy, which
they refused to pay,
hence their bike got
confiscated, instead of
following lawful ways to
get the issue resolved,
they resulted to lawless
act by setting the local
government council on
fire. This is brutal, crude,
mindless, and must be
stopped.

8—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—9
AUNO MASSACRE:
We regret returning
Buhari to power
— Borno residents lament
•You’ve disappointed us, we don’t want you
•Those responsible for this negligence must pay for it
•Our heart bleeds, this is national embarrassment
•Gov Zulum furious, says attack could have been prevented
By Ndahi Marama,
MAIDUGURI
Facts have continued to emerge on
the number of casualties that were
recorded on Sunday when members of
Boko Haram sect suspected to be ISWAP group
launched an ambush on motorists and
passengers at Auno village near Maiduguri.
This occurred after the motorists conveying
hundreds of passengers and goods worth
billions of naira were prevented entry to the
city at the final military checkpoint for failing
to meet the 5pm stipulated time set by security
operatives.
This is even as another latest Boko Haram
attack took place on Monday night in
Tungushe village which is located along
Maiduguri-Monguno road. Another attack
took place on Jiddari Polo general area of the
metropolis on Wednesday evening few hours
after President Muhammadu Buhari paid
sympathy visit to the state. Fortunately, this
time, troops were able to repel the attacks with
casualties from the side of the terrorists alone.
Auno, located along Maiduguri-Damaturu
road, is about 7 kilometers away from
Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and 5
kilometers away to the newly established Borno
State University campus.
It will be recalled that on Sunday, all
motorists with passengers who were denied
entry into Maiduguri because they arrived the
city gate after 5pm had to pass the night in
Auno village Unfortunately, that night became
a nightmare for them as terrorists suspected to
have came from ALAGARNO axis of Sambisa
Forest descended on
them.
The attack which
started at about 9:50pm
without any challenge,
according to a member of
the Vigilante, Yusuf Isa
Kazalma, has left over 40
people dead whose
corpses were recovered in
the bush on clearance
operations the following
day.
Governor Babagana
Umara Zulum had early
Monday morning paid
sympathy visit to the scene
and discovered that about
30 people lost their lives
with 18 vehicles, shops
and residential houses set
ablaze. The Theatre
Commander, Major Gen
Olusegun Adenyi
however disputed the
figure and put the death
toll to 10 at a press briefing
on Monday.
Resident’s
reactions
This occurred after the
motorists conveying
hundreds of
passengers and goods
worth billions of naira
were prevented entry to
the city at the final
military checkpoint for
failing to meet the 5pm
stipulated time set by
security operatives
Attack could have been avoided—Gov
Zulum
“We have to be brutal in telling the truth. I
am pushed to the wall to say the truth. Since I
was inaugurated as governor of Borno state,
Boko Haram has attacked Auno six times.
Another thing is that the military has
withdrawn from Auno town. I am not
undermining the capacity of the military but
we have made repeated appeals for the military
to establish their unit in Auno. They are here
but as soon as it is 5 pm, they close the gate and
lock the people and go back to Maiduguri.”
Military must compensate victims’
families —— Kaka Bolori
In his reactions, former chairman of
Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC),
Kaka Bolori, said the military authorities must
compensate families of those killed by Boko
Haram terrorists at Auno village on Sunday
night. Bolori said on his social media platform
that “there was no justification for the military
to block the Damaturu-Maiduguri road,
denying commuters passage and leaving them
vulnerable to attack at night without any help
from anywhere. It is unthinkable for the soldiers
to ask hundreds of people to sleep over at Auno
when everyone knows that, that place is not
safe. More widows and orphans have been
created on that day. This sad event has further
increased the humanitarian challenges our
people are facing. The commanders that gave
the directive for the travellers to be held hostage
must be brought to book. In addition, the
military must compensate families of the
victims killed, they must shoulder the bills of
those injured and those who lost their valuables
must also be fully compensated as soon as
possible. There is no wisdom in blocking
highways and subjecting commuters to all
kinds of dangers”
More than 30 people including a baby and
its mother, a female student of University of
Maiduguri Miss Fatima among others were
killed by the assailants. Some of the victims
were burnt beyond recognition by the attackers.
Also condemning the massacre, the Deputy
Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly and
member Representing Askira/Uba
Constituency, Rt Hon Engr Abdullahi Musa
Askira described the incident as inhuman and
crime against humanity. “I condemn in the
strongest terms, the barbaric, heinous and
gruesome acts on commuters,
drivers and passersby in Auno. I
am devastated and shocked on
how innocent persons were
brutally murdered in such a way
that they were burned with their
property”
The lawmaker then called on
the Federal Governments to
redouble efforts at ending the
insurgency in the North-East and
other security threats in other
parts of the country.
We regret returning this
govt to power—Dr Usman
A University Don, Dr Musa
Usman,who took to his
Facebook page, said what
happened in Auno and other
places was total negligence. He
said, “it pains every Nigerian
that a government that promised
to secure the nation has failed
to do so. There are so many
questions begging for answers
as regards this insurgency. The
Maiduguri-Damaturu highway
is not a meandering slope with
sharp turns. It is a straight road
with open spaces. At this time of
the year, the area lacks any iota of vegetation.
The road is not on the path of a thick forest.
And the road, if I am not wrong, is less than
two hours drive.
“If the federal government cannot secure this
little stretch of the road, then we are in a big
quagmire. It is sad that security forces cannot
comb the areas around the road for the
insurgents. Despite huge resources, the military
cannot develop a mechanism to check the
antics of the insurgents. What pains us the most
is the fact that nobody is going to be held
responsible. And the situation is the same across
the country, killings everywhere! If there is a
conspiracy to thwart the gains of the Buhari
government, as some diehards will say, what is
the government doing to unravel the
•President
Muhammadu
Buhari
conspiracy?
“The buck stops on the table of the
government! We deeply regret returning this
government to power. As it stands now, as it
has always been, we will lick our wounds, tend
to our injured and bury our dead. But God is
watching! All those with hands in this calamity
will pay for their sins. All those whose
irresponsibility keeps this circle of violence
going will equally answer for their inactions”,
he lamented.
Sources said contrary to claims by the theatre
Commander that the insurgents came in
motorcycles and dropped them near the
surrounding bush before launching the deadly
attacks, the insurgents came with six gun trucks
for the first attack. Later on, according to
sources “18 trucks loaded with armed
insurgents joined the first team as
reinforcement and wrecked havoc. A woman
was raped and her new born baby’s head was
crushed as both of them were later consumed
in the fire.
Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Borno
State Council also condemned that attack
while commending the country’s armed forces
for sustaining the fight against the insurgency.
The Union however tasked the security
agencies to do more and protect travellers
along major highways to the state capital.
Buhari visits, commends military,
sympathizes with victims’ families
In his condolence visit to the state last
Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari
commended the troops and other security
agencies in the fight against Boko Haram and
other criminal elements insisting that unless
stakeholders and communities continued to
give information on hideouts of terrorists and
desist from collaborating with which criminal
elements, government alone could not end
Boko Haram atrocities.
Some residents mostly youths however took
to the streets, disguised as supporters and
booed the presidential convoy while driving in
and out of the city, saying in Hausa language,
“Bama So” “Ka samu a kunya”, Meaning “We
don’t want you, because you have disappointed
us”.
Surprisingly, during the 2015 and 2019
general elections, Borno people gave President
Buhari his highest votes. In the last presidential
election for instance, Buhari had his widest
margin of victory in Borno state where he
polled 836,496 votes out of 955,205 votes which
were cast constituting a margin of over 85%.
What Zulum told Buhari
Governor Zulum who looked disturbed
before the President said “we must take the
fight to the enclaves of the insurgents,to the
fringes of Lake Chad, to Sambisa Game
Reserve and some notable areas.
Secondly, we also want the Nigerian military
to foster greater unity between themselves and
the civilian authorities with the view to closing
the existing trust deficit between the Nigerian
military and the civil authorities on ground.
We are also calling upon the Federal
Government as well as the Nigerian military
to open vista of opportunities to our internally
displaced persons, IDPs, and our host
communities to have access to their farmlands,
access to their livestock farming and
aquaculture farming which is their means of
livelihood”.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
•Bakare
Pastor Bakare’s ardent
follower frowns at N13b
cost of new church
Says it should have been used to build hospital
•Your calling is to preach, prophecy and
pray, not to play politics,’ he tells his pastor
•Explains why he’s no longer happy with Buhari
By Sam Eyoboka
Human Rights activist Adeola
Samuel Ilori has been a strong
member of Pastor Tunde
Bakare’s church, Latter Rain Assembly
for more than 20 years. In this
interview he distances himself from
the political interest of the popular
pastor, saying that pastor Bakare’s
calling was to preach, prophecy and
pray and not to play politics. He says
Pastor Bakare has never been the same
since his interest in politics. Ilori also
frowns against the cost of the new
church put at above N13 billion
Naira, saying that could have been
used to build a massive hospital that
would serve mankind. Excerps:
You have been in Latter Rain Assembly
for about 24 years, how has it been?
It’s been quite good and nice, I’ve been
spiritually inclined and uplifted in the last
20 years. It has been quite inspiring. Our
pastor is one I can easily confirm that he is
not only called, he was ordained by God
Himself because the bible says that by their
fruits you will know them. And by the fruits
he produced in us, some of the people that
know some of us and our actions they will
know that you are Pastor Bakare’s son. Some
of the times our passion, when it comes
issues in Nigeria, we have the same views
and ideologies and even spiritual
inclination. It’s been quite interesting,
inspiring and rewarding.
As far as I’m concerned, Pastor Bakare was
called to preach the gospel. And when you
talk about somebody that is embedded, that
is loaded and can dissect the word of God
by the power of the Holy Spirit, he is one.
He doesn’t believe that he should lay hands
on people before miracles happen.
•Adeola Samuel Ilori
Miracles to him happen every day, it depends on
the amount of the word of God inside of you. He’s
the man that will tell you that ‘you don’t need me
to come to me when you have problem, I have
equipped you enough to be able to address the
devil’. He equipped every member that was
attentive, that was teachable and truly wanted
the desire to serve God until politics came in. I’m
not saying he’s not preaching the word of God
now, but when you have divergent attention, like
the Yoruba’s will say, a dog cannot keep one eye
on one house and another eye on another house.
To me, once there is conflict of interest, one will
be affected, that’s why I said maybe like 20 years
back, that’s as much as I have enjoyed him. I

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—11
looked forward to listening to him talk about the
word of God because he will break it to the level
that you start wondering if it’s the word that you
have been reading over and over before.
Pastor Bakare has always been an influence
to the young people and regarded as the
conscience of the nation; what are you
saying has gone wrong?
He was a conscience of the nation at one point in
time and left that to become the father of the nation
at one point in time. During the military era, he
was the conscience of the nation. He spoke truth
despite the fear and resultant effect of speaking
the truth. He built us to the point that we also
b e c a m e
unafraid of the military and we
could speak anywhere as long as it’s the
truth. After the military era, he became the
father of the nation, especially in the era of
the imbroglio that happened during the
Yaradua era, he totally became the father of
the nation. If you are conversant with him
in the course of his ministry, he has
prophesied that for a long time, opportunity
created itself and he switched into that shoe,
it was not an accident. I remember in 1993
when he said here comes a tender plan from
the north that comes unprepared that will
stare Nigeria into our prophetic destiny, that
the rod of judgement is in his left and right
hands and will reduce the military into an
errand clime and in his time the economy of
Nigeria will work faster than that of Japan.
He said in the course of his ministration
that he will be the father of the nation and
that there will come a time when the
president will have to consult him before he
will give state of the nation statement. In
2010 that opportunity came in and he did
not waste time to step in and brought order
that brought about doctrine of necessity. I
was part and parcel of that movement. I was
in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government; I was the
secretary of save Nigeria group before the
death of my coordinator of the local
government. I remained till 2011 when he
ventured into politics. So the doctrine of
necessity gave him the opportunity to step
in and become the father of the nation.
Thereafter he has said so many times that
he is not looking for power because he
already has power. As a father of the nation,
he already has power because ministers and
governors defer to him without having the
political power. To me, that prophecy has
been fulfilled.
Was his delving into politics a
mistake?
Every man has an ambition. Every human
being is an ambitious personality. I have
my Masters’ in psychology so I understand
the behavioral pattern of human beings as
propelled by theorists. So I can easily say
that every man has a way of changing
personalities depending on interest. So if
someone has an interest in a thing or
position, it might make you forget what you
are spiritually.
Pastor Bakare had said as a pastor he
is over and above all politicians in
this country, he said once in an
interview that if he was going to go
into politics, he was going to start
from his home state Abeokuta and
become a local government chairman.
All of a sudden all of that changed
and we began to hear he was to be the
Vice President. Was he consumed by
any other force?
The desire to see Nigeria work may have
propelled that but at the same time it is one
thing for someone to stay at the cutting edge
of what God is doing. He keeps saying that
he wants us to be and he has always been at
the cutting edge of what God is doing. As far
as I’m concerned, Pastor Bakare has a
position in the country physically. Politically
he is the father of the nation. Spiritually he
has a mandate given to him by God in which
he told us at one point in time he had to
relocate his family abroad and he also
relocated with them. And he came back to
say God has asked him to come back to
Nigeria, that Nigeria is his place of primary
assignment to pray, to preach and to
prophecy until revival comes. So I believe
that God has conspicuously earmarked his
position to him. Politically, he is the father
of the nation whether by omission or
commission. 2010 provided that position for
him and he maintained it because of his
integrity, locality and nonconformist
attitude. We saw pastors collecting wavers
for building a project in their churches.
Okonjo-Iweala mentioned their names
while she was finance minister at the
twilight of Jonathan’s administration.
Pastor Bakare was nothing like that. It was
common knowledge that he was offered
ordinary 50,000 dollars by the president
of Nigeria then and he rejected it. He was
also offered another 600,000 dollars
during the period of electioneering in 2015,
he also rejected it. Such a man, you cannot
say he doesn’t have integrity. He has proved
himself at all times. What I’m trying to say
is very simple that Pastor Bakare has this
mandate as God revealed to me on
Monday, that I should tell him that he
cannot preside over a chaotic nation. That
he should raise a national prayer altar that
will involve other Christians, that his
mandate is to preach, to pray and prophecy
until revival comes and there is no revival
yet in Nigeria. When I got to the office, I
sent a message to the pastor next to him,
Pastor Ike, till today I didn’t receive any
feedback, but when I granted an interview
where I spoke out my mind, it was the same
pastor that called me and said he wanted
to have a chat with me, and on getting there
they wanted to ambush me
with panel. I went out of
the respect I have for him
and got there only to meet
other people sitting. If I
were to face panel you
should have let me know.
The bible says in the book
of Ezekiel that if He gave
you any opportunity to
sound the trumpet and you
refuse to sound the
trumpet, if anything
happens thereafter, the
sins of those people will be
upon you. For me, if I have
sent it to that pastor, I said
he also has the spirit of
God so let him listen to
God to know whether I
said the truth or not.
As far as you are
concerned, it is not yet
time for him to go into
politics?
In that interview I granted,
I said since I joined Latter
If you are conversant
with him in the course
of his ministry, he has
prophesied that for a
long time, opportunity
created itself and he
switched into that
shoe, it was not an
accident
Rain Assembly in 1996, January 28, this
year makes it 24 years; every Wednesday
of my life, I use it to pray for only Pastor
Bakare and his family. God is my witness.
Some of the times I see things concerning
him or the church, I will pray about them.
I have a friend, Tope Fowowe, he is the
only person I share things with. Some of
the time, by the time he comes to the pulpit,
what I shared with him will come out of
the pastor. So if God tells me, it’s because
God knows that I love him. You can’t take
that away. My love for Pastor Bakare
cannot be quantified. Before I joined Latter
Rain, I didn’t even know Pastor Bakare. In
1991 when I saw Pastor Bakare in my
vision, he drew me and said we should go
and evangelize. I didn’t know him then
until one Sunday evening when I saw this
person ministering on television and he
preached about the tabernacle of the
righteous and the tent of the wicked, using
Job 10:15. And I said I’ve seen this man
before. Before then I was going to Wall
Mount Reach which was later changed to
Glory Christian Center. And I never knew
they were even best of friends. You can see
the way God works. To me, Latter Rain
Assembly is not just a place I just walked in
to. I was not invited. I didn’t make mistake.
I’ve known Christ since 1988, converted
by Pastor Kumuyi. I was attending Pastor
Kumuyi’s church before. I walked into
Latter Rain because there is a connection.
And since I’ve been there I’ve never had
any regret of being there because I never
missed the word I went there to look for.
My love for him is unending when it comes
to preaching, but the issue of politics, I have
not gotten that conviction and I am a man
that doesn’t just join the band wagon. He
may not need my support to become
whatever God wants him to become, but
personally now I have not gotten that
conviction even until that Monday God
spoke to me.
It was the same thing that happened in
2011 when he joined Buhari to become the
Vice Presidential candidate. As the pseudocoordinator
of Save Nigeria group they
called me to come and join the campaign
team. I said no, I don’t see this man in
politics. That is me and God. I may not be
carrying the gospel to the world but the rod
is inside of me and I don’t do monologue
prayer, I do dialogue. When I talk to my
father, He must talk to me back before I
will leave wherever I’m praying.
From time to time, when you get all
these revelations about Pastor Bakare,
do you make any attempt to reach
him?
Yes, I wrote to him. In fact, this is what
happened. Yinka Odumakin happened to
be self-appointed spokesperson of Save
Nigeria Group at that point in time, he was
first nominated to be spokesperson of
Buhari, as at that time Pastor Bakare had
not been called to be the Vice President
candidate. Immediately I received that
message, I sent an email to him that this is
not what Save Nigeria Group should do.
Not long after that, he was nominated. And
I wrote him through that same email. If I
search my mail now I’ll get the reply from
one Bose, not Pastor Bakare replying me
that Save Nigeria was not a religious group.
And he has said it openly that
he was not saying God said
he should go there. What I
said in my mail to him was
that Save Nigeria Group
would become nothing
thereafter, every effort made
by Save Nigeria Group
would be rubbish and would
go into extinction. Thank
God I was not wrong. Where
is Save Nigeria Group today?
Where is Yinka Odumakin
today? I don’t keep quiet. I try
to reach out even though the
process of seeing men of God
these days is not easy. For me,
I just look for avenue to reach
out if I am convinced that I
should reach out. The one I’m
not convinced, I just kneel
and pray and I see answers to
it. That was the reason I said
in 2011 that this man was not
called to become a politician,
he had a distinct call to be
the father of the nation and
he has entered into that show.
Going into politics would rubbish him and
rubbish everything he has done with Save
Nigeria Group and that was what happened.
Besides the political interest that he
has expressed, what other bone of
contention do you have?
Pastor has taught us so many times that God
does not live in a house built with hands or
man. He has taught us so many times that it
is not where you worship God that matters
but how you worship Him. He talked about
the tabernacle of Moses and the tent of
David. He always uses one word that you
don’t build to make yourself a monument,
that what some pastors are doing these days
is to make a monument for themselves, that
the word of God and the faith of God are a
movement. I may not be member of the
church council or senate, I don’t need to.
The totality of Pastor Bakare was what kept
me. I usually say that the only two people
that would tell me to go forward and I will
not look back is Gani Fawehinmi and
Pastor Bakare because I know with my
knowledge of who they are at that time they
won’t turn back at me. That’s as much as I
believed in him because I believe the words
that come out of him have weight and he
makes use of those words regardless of
whatever may happen. When he was saying
all those words, I imbibed them. I was here
when Winners built 50,000 capacity, I know
what he said. The people you did not build
with will destroy the building. He said what
do you need 50,000 capacity for? It does not
matter where you worship God but how you
worship God. Who you are is what matters.
To me, I believe that where we are
worshipping God right now in Akilo is more
or less where God wants him to be, you might
ask me why. He has said it severally. Not
only he said that his mother of blessed
memory, without Pastor Bakare knowing
that place, fell somewhere around that area
inside a gutter, and the day that Pastor
Bakare came to that place, God said to him
this is the place I have reserved for you. Quote
Continues on page 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Your calling is to preach, prophecy and
pray, not to play politics,’ he tells his pastor
Continues from page 11
me verbatim. My question that agitates in
my mind when the issue of Citadel came up
was that if God said this is the place I have
reserved for you, has God
also reserved the new
place? Or has He
changed His mind? I talk
in facts; I talk in what I
know. What I don’t know
I will tell you I don’t know.
Nobody can tell me about
Pastor Bakare as far as
Latter Rain is concerned
or the message he
preached, I will tell you
the day, the time, the hour,
what he said and what he
didn’t say. It’s just like the
day I went to him and
challenged him when I
had issue in 2015 May, I
said sir it is not from you
that it’s supposed to come
that you are asking for
interim government, he
said no, I said I recorded
it live and can play it for
you. I believe in word of
God that was spoken
directly, not the one they
told me. His word came
from his mouth to say God
said this is the place I have reserved for
you. Nobody has sent us away from the place
God reserved for us. For whatever reason,
he said God is in Citadel as well. I’m not
disagreeing with that, but I’m not
comfortable with it. That does not stop me
from the little I contribute when they are
asking us to contribute. But what I’m not
comfortable with, I will say it out, it does
not matter who does it. He has let us realize
that God needs us more than He needs
building. We can use and channel that
money to something else. How I wish that
that place is nothing but a state of the art
hospital, internationally recognized
hospital. With 13 billion naira that has been
spent on that place, I’m very sure that if
that place was a hospital, it’d become the
cynosure of all eyes today. Like if the place
has a dialysis place, kidney transplant, eye
foundation with state of the art equipment.
What are you building there that has not
been built by others? Yongi Choo that first
built the gigantic auditorium, how good is
that place again? How many people are
When we make
noise against them,
they react. When
you make noise
against those
people that call
themselves men of
God, they invoke
Psalms 115 vs 5
against you saying
touch not my
anointed
talking about Yongi Choo anymore? If
today Citadel becomes the talk about town
because of whatever might have been put
there, in no time somebody else
will build something bigger.
That is the way Pastor
Bakare taught us. That’s why
he said you don’t build a
monument after your name.
the monument built that was
called the Gigantic House of
God then, now it’s a mosque
that is besides it, people don’t
recognize the importance of
the place anymore. That is
the work of monument. Had
it been our opinions were
sought, had it been it was not
something that was wrapped
under with the cover of God
says. . . Pastor Bakare that I
knew before would say
something and would back
it up with the word of God
and you will know truly he
is speaking the truth. But
when you say something that
is your heart desire and you
want to cover it with the word
of God, I will know and I will
talk. Like Paul said, thank
God we too have the spirit
of God. The furniture of the
place is the height of it now. It hit me. I’m
not only angry, I was livid because I was
not told, I was in the church that day when
they brought the chair to the pulpit to
demonstrate the chair for the congregation.
The chair is more or less like the one we use
in the cinema. It has where you put your
bible. I felt it was beautiful and we all
clapped. He said the cost is 560 million
naira and it is not to be provided here in
Nigeria, it is to be imported from abroad.
It is 5200 chairs, the 200 is for the leaders,
the 5000 is for the congregation. That was
what angered me. I told my friend this is
not Pastor Bakare that I knew. The way I
was passionate about Nigeria is the way he
was passionate about Nigeria and the way
I was passionate about him. I just packed
my phone and left the service. I remember
meeting Dr. Segun Osinaga on the way and
I said to him that your friend has goofed.
You are close to him, tell him what he did
today, I don’t like it at all and I’m going to
talk about it if you people cannot convince
him. Number one, do we need capital flight
as the person that talks about the economy
of Nigeria, giving indices of how we can
turn it around? Number two, the money that
we are going to use, even though he might
be the one to contribute the larger size of it,
are we now saying that there are no furniture
makers here that can make those chairs?
Are we now saying that within us in Latter
Rain Assembly, there are no furniture makers
that even contributed their money? The
chairs we are currently sitting on, what has
changed? That’s where my anger lies. There
are things I can stomach. There are things,
when they comes from someone I respect,
that’s why I’m having problems with Buhari
today. I campaigned for him and spent my
money. Two main reasons I did that were
the issue of corruption and the issue of
power. And when I see that nothing is
coming five to six years down the line I
become livid and ask where are we going?
Is there fight against corruption? No.
Buhari is not yet fighting corruption, he’s
only addressing corrupt issues. I have the
report of Halliburton, the full report of
Okiro is with me. All the people that were
indicted in other countries for the same
offence have been prosecuted, sentenced
and jailed but their partners here are
walking around and shaking hands with
him in Aso Rock. That’s not the way to
fight corruption. Until I see some of these
people (mentions some names) jailed over
Halliburton I will not agree there’s
fighting against corruption. 74 million
US dollars is in the hands of one person,
76 million dollars in the hand of another
while two other people are walking freely
and you’re telling me you’re fighting
corruption? Same thing happened with
the power sector, the same set of people
bought power sector and you can see the
power situation here now. We are still
groping from 4000 to 5000 megawatts
as a nation of 200 million. A few weeks
ago, this man still said Nigeria has spent
another 1.7 trillion naira on electricity
and yet we are still within the cap of 5000
megawatts. That’s why I become angry
when I see somebody I love becoming
something I do not expect him to be. So
when I come out and say all these things
about Pastor Bakare it’s because I love
him.
Five years of Buhari, what’s your
position?
My position remains the same, I don’t
know what the service chiefs are still
doing there. Unfortunately, the man
Buhari allowed himself to be captured by
his own appointed persons. I wrote to Mr.
President saying as long as these service
chiefs remain, they will not want Boko
Haram to abate because somebody
somewhere is making money out of that
thing.
These is the truth they don’t want to talk
about. There will be budget for hardware.
The more they make us feel like there’s
still insurgency, the more money will be
in that budget. In fact, they will soon make
another request to national assembly
again that they want to buy some other
hardware. There will be continuous
allowance for the soldiers on the field,
and that allowance will not get to their
hands, if it will get to their hands, it will
be slashed into half. And you know in the
army they obey the last order. So
somebody is making money from these
things.
If insurgency goes down, the soldiers will
be withdrawn. Another area I find so
disgusting is for you to arrest Boko Haram
members and you say you have
rehabilitated them and you are returning
them back to the society? Which society?
The bible says can the leopard change its
skin? Once a Boko Haram, always a Boko
Haram. It’s just like a cultist that says he
repented without a total renewal in Christ.
Somebody even called the Boko Haram
guys prisoners of war. Does that qualify
him not to be punished for the killings he
has done?
Do you think that you will be shoved
out of Latter Rain?
Nobody can chase me out of anywhere.
Latter Rain Assembly or CGCC is a house
of God, except I committed an
abominable offense, nobody can chase me
out, because I didn’t even come there by
virtue of people inviting me. There was a
burning desire to serve God. I know I have
a calling. I am realizing that when God
gives you a ministry, it’s not compulsory
that you have a congregation. Today, my
ministry is striving in the area of saving
lives through human rights activism,
through the consumer advocacy. To me, I
am doing well in my ministry. If I wanted
to leave Latter Rain, I would have left a
long time ago. In 2011 when he delved
into politics, many people left, I know
many people who left. Until the person
that directed me there asks me to leave, I
am not leaving because I will not be able
to function even in another congregation.
The only thing I do these days in order to
reduce the level of the words that enter
into me is that I’ve reduced my service
going to once in a month which is
combined service. So the rest when I feel
like I go to the internet and I join them
live. Every leader, especially our spiritual
leader
s, must have a committee of people who
tell them what they want to hear and also
those that will tell them what they don’t
want to hear concerning the same policy.
That is the only way they will know
whether they are a leader or they are not.
Many of the church leaders are rulers.
Governors and elected people still have
checks and balances. When we make
noise against them, they react. When you
make noise against those people that call
themselves men of God, they invoke
Psalms 115 vs 5 against you saying touch
not my anointed. I don’t know who is
anointed among them. You don’t use your
faith to merchandise the word of God and
think you are anointed. In the book of
Ezekiel, the bible says woe unto my
pastors for you have ensnared my children.
He said come unto me and I will give you a
pastor after my own heart.

•Fashola excited walking on
2nd Niger Bridge deck
Soni Daniel,
Northern Region Editor
Love or hate Babatunde Raji
Fashola, former Lagos State
Governor and current Minister
of Works and Housing, you
cannot take away two key traits
that have eloquently defined his life: humility
and simplicity - all rolled into one. They stand
him out from the crowd. His head is still hot
with tons of ideas garnered from the numerous
books on sundry topics he reads passionately
even though he can hardly
remember the last time he
appeared before a judge as a
lawyer. But that does not
dissuade him from reading and
reading about highway
engineering and construction as
if his life depends on it even as he
keeps his very tight schedule as
Nigeria’s Works and Housing
Minister.
I have never sat under his
tutelage or attended any event
hosted by him either when he
was the governor of Lagos State
or when he first held sway as
Nigeria’s Works, Housing and
Power Minister, which ended last
year when the power portfolio
was excised from his ministry.
But we ‘bumped’ into ourselves
for the first time ever on Monday
morning courtesy of a directive
that I should accompany the
ministerial team to inspect
federal projects being
undertaken in the South-South and the South-
East geopolitical zones of the country.
I had already taken my seat in the small
plane ferrying us-Dr. Luke Onyekayekah, a
respected columnist with the Guardian, John
Osadalor, an editor with Business Day and
Mustapha Isah, the current President of
Nigerian Guild of Editors-to Benin Airport
and we were already enjoying our discussion
on the state of the nation when Fashola
sauntered in and took his seat quietly as the
plane sliced off the early morning fog to Benin
City Airport. The flight was to run for 32
minutes and even before we could finish the
sumptuous fruit juice and small chops
presented to those who ‘cared for breakfast’
by the dark smart-looking waitress with faded
blue nails, the aircraft had smashed into the
runway and we alighted to the warm embrace
of enthusiastic ministry officials, journalists
and others all gearing up to take us to the
He cleared his
throat and began
to address us as
if we had earlier
given him our
individual names
before we started
the journey
Benin-Lokoja Highway, which was our first
port of call as we began a five-day trip to inspect
federal highways, national housing schemes
and the 2 nd Niger Bridge, a project that had
before now raised the heartbeat of most
Nigerians as to whether it is real or phantom
given the number of years it had remained on
the drawing board after it was awarded with
fanfare in 2012.
But Fashola ‘disappointed’ us right from the
time we arrived the airport by engaging in
series of ‘un- ministerial’ actions that most of
his colleagues would deeply detest and abhor
if they were to lead editors and journalists to
anywhere in the country. First
‘misdemeanor’ unbecoming of
a minister in Nigeria, Minister
Fashola shunned the more
comfortable Sports Utility
Vehicle assigned to him and
opted to ride with us in a Coaster
bus with no special effects.
Second ‘offence’, Fashola, who
wore a long sleeved Ankara shirt
apparently made from one of
the local shops in Abeokuta, sat
in the bus as a ‘conductor,
directing affairs from his end:
telling the driver the best safety
tactics to adopt, which way to
go as if he was a native of the
communities we were visiting
and screaming at times
whenever the driver seemed to
miss his bearing. “Driver,” he
said at one time, please ensure
that everyone who is supposed
to be in this bus is not left behind.
Make sure that you count all
the people before we move,” he
counseled as the ‘passengers’ roared in
ceaseless laughter
Then, he cleared his throat and began to
address us as if we had earlier given him our
individual names before we started the
journey. Behind his seat were the Ministry’s
Director of Works, state and zonal controllers
of works and aides, who were taking copious
notes an directives as we stopped by to see the
pace, quality and quantity of work on roads,
federal secretariats and national housing
project sites in the South-South and South-
East.
“The purpose of this journey is not about self
validation,” the minister began his briefing
as though he was not going to be able to say
anything. “I want you to know what is
happening in the road sector in Nigeria and
to be able to see what we have done on each
road, why we are doing that and what the
challenges and potentials are so as to be able
Fashola
turns ‘Bus
conductor’
on highways
•Inspects federal projects in rural South-South, Southeast
•Milestone as 2 nd Niger Bridge gets first deck, walks on it
•Sounds out artisans on impact of projects in their lives
to enlighten Nigerians too.
“Too often, some people believe that there is
unlimited amount of money in the purse of
the federal government that is not being used
to build and rehabilitate roads. But the truth
is that the money is not just there while various
conditions continue to challenge the building
and rehabilitation of roads at the same time.
That is why the government picks some roads
at one time and works on them based on the
strategic importance, access to agricultural
areas, ports, industry, educational institutions,
social investment, fuel supply routes and other
factors that may not be very obvious to all,”
he said.
And, by the time he concluded the speech,
Fashola had successfully taken the journalists
through the history and economics of federal
roads in the country and then zoomed in on
the ones in the South-South, South-East we
were going to inspect and what was responsible
for the steady progress for some and stunted
pace of work in others. By this time, we had
landed on the Benin-Lokoja (Auchi-Okene),
Auchi-Ehor section and Ehor-Benin section
with a total of 128.32 kilometres which were
all awarded on December 2012 and primed
to be completed before the lifespan of the
previous administration, which did not happen
due to funding challenges. The combined costs
of the three sections of the road stands at
N91.34 billion excluding the payment of
compensation and resettlement of natives who
have continuously come up with fresh demands
on makeshift structures and crops, whose
value is being computed by the Department
of Lands for final settlement.
But while the whole gamut of the road is
being targeted for completion with better
funding being drawn from SUKUUK Fund,
the works minister is more concerned with
ensuring that the most problematic spots on
the road, which usually give travelers and
natives a nightmare especially during the rainy
season, are taken up and dealt with by the
contractors even before any other segment is
attended to while the sun still shines. On the
basis of that directive, a total of 21.57
kilometres of the Auchi-bound axis and 15.11
of the Okene-bound axis of the highway have
been done up to binder course by the
contractor-Mothercat between 2017 and now
when the government started funding it better
with SUKUUK cash. Although the contractor
has done work said to be worth N12.6 billion,
he has received payment to the tune of N3
billion. Similarly, Auchi-Ehor axis, which had
two-lane single carriageway, is being
expanded and provided with interchange
bridges at Ewu and the cutting down of a
deadly steep hill which had remained a major
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—13
accident spot that had consistently claimed
many lives before the intervention by the
government. The additional lanes awarded
by the Buhari administration is to cater for
the agricultural produce communities of
Aviele, Egono, Agbede, Ihua/Jagbe, Ewu. Eko-
Ewu, Irrua and Ekpoma town before
terminating at Eguabor in Iruekpen.
At the same time, the Ehor-Benin section of
the road has been revised with additional lanes
increasing its length from the initial 16 Kms
to 47.4 Kms and the amount raised from N11.6
billion to N35.2 billion with provisions for
bypasses, two pedestrian bridges, and two
roundabouts to provide more safety and
comfort for the people. This has been well
funded with the SUKUUK fund and the
contractor has in response done well on the
section.
Although the work is yet to be completed,
Fashola is thrilled by a few milestones
recorded on the road. One of the things that
excites him most is the successful cutting down
of the ‘deadly Hill of Ewu’, which many of the
natives now celebrate as a major victory over
the incessant deaths that used to occur as
motorists attempted to climb or descend the
monstrous hill. “This was the spot that killed
my uncle and prevented him from attending
my matriculation many years ago when I was
a young boy,” one of the journalists on the
entourage told me. “We are from this state
and we know this dangerous spot very well
and we are happy that the Federal
Government has finally taken action to cut it
down and build it into a flat surface road.
This is where the Chief Press Secretary to one
of the South-South governors lost his live while
trying to descend the hill some years ago,”
another journalist lamented.
But watching the contractor on the site,
Fashola nodded his head in apparent
approval of the quality of work the company
had done in that deadly spot, saying with
ecstasy “Our first target of reducing deaths at
this spot through the cutting down of the
slippery steep hill at Ewu has been achieved
and we have added another lane to the Benin-
Ehor-Auchi-Lokoja Highway”.
Similar feat has been recorded by the
contractor working on the Onitsha-Enugu
Highway at the failed portion at Umunya,
which was so bad during the last rainy season
that some Nigerians recorded video of the
deplorable condition of the road and used
them to troll the government for abandoning
them. The minister has made it compulsory
for the contractor handling that part of the
road to first rehabilitate that part before
proceeding with the major construction. For
that intervention, the contractor has
accordingly arrested the rot and created a
single lane for uninterrupted flow of traffic
while working on a new lane to ensure that by
the time the rainy season sets in there would
be two functional lanes for traffic to flow and
the pains of road users eliminated or
substantially reduced.
History beckons as Fashola walks on
completed deck of 2 nd Niger Bridge
Perhaps, of all the projects the minister
inspected during his trip, none of them excited
him more than the joy he felt with the
realization that the contractors had reached
a milestone with the successful erection of the
first deck of the Second Niger Bridge, thereby
gradually moving the project from a mere
conceptual variable to a concrete reality that
Nigerians can see, feel and touch after many
decades of thinking an talking about it. As
Fashola and his team undertook a guided tour
of the multi-million Naira project, I quickly
posted the video to VanguardLive, our tv
channel and many who are not in a position
to visit the site and see for themselves,
screamed in utter disbelief that it could not be
possible for the bridge to rise from the seabed
to the deck just after the German firm had
taken over the site on October 1, 2018. To some
of those who had taken turns to attack the
federal government over the perceived ‘deceit’
of Nigerians over the project, whose contract
was awarded by the previous administration
just before the 2011 elections, they were taken
aback by the speed with which the contractor
had performed in less than two years to turn a
near abandoned project to a landmark that is
gradually changing the landscape, economic
and social trajectory of the South East. The
Project Manager, Eng. Friedrich Wieser, who
conducted the minister round the project
including the 7Km access road to the bridge,
which is currently being sand-filled, said that
his company was happy to deploy over 1300
Nigerians and 425 equipment to handle the
construction work, adding that with adequate
funding, which is coming from the government
of Nigeria, his company was ready to
complete the decking of the first part of the
bridge in September this year and begin work
on the second land of the bridge.
According to Wieser, Julius Berger will
finally hand over the 2 nd Niger Bridge to the
Nigerian government in February 2022,
barely four years after moving into the site.
Like a proud mother who has given birth to
a bounding baby, Fashola was thrilled to have
witnessed the historic partial completion of
the first part of the deck of the long-awaited
bridge under his ministry’s supervision and
guidance.
An elated Fashola told journalists on tour
with him that the Buhari administration was
determined to complete the monumental
project in February 2022, with a definite
funding arrangement put in place by the
Continues on page 14

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
PDP’s endless eypocrisy and blackmail
By Mbadiwe D Emelumba
The supreme court of Nigeria has again
awarded the governorship election in
Bayelsa to the PDP. The APC won the
governorship election but the supreme court
nullified the candidacy of the APC on
Thursday because the running mate of the
APC governorship candidate presented forged
certificate for the election. This is the second
judicial award of governorship to PDP, after
the Zamfara case
What was the reaction of the PDP to the
Bayelsa judgement? According to the party’s
national publicity secretary, Lola
Ologbondiyan, “ the PDP receives the
supreme court judgement on Bayelsa, insists
on Imo “. Why is the PDP insisting on Imo?
According to the publicity secretary, “ The
supreme court recognized the
votes concocted by the APC and
Senator Hope Uzodinma “ as the
basis for its judgement and he
claims that the recognition of
these results from 388 polling
units “ ended up increasing the
total number of votes in the
election to 950,952, over and
above the INEC certified total
accredited votes of 823,743”
Two points need to be made on
this hypocritical stance of the PDP,
to wit, One, the PDP has
continued to insist that the results
tendered in court by Governor
Uzodimma and the APC were
concocted and mind you these
results came from polling units
(388) where they also had their
agents who have their own copies
of results from the booths. The big
question now is this: Is it not
time for them( PDP)to publish their own copies
of the results from these booths with their agents
to prove once and for all that what Uzodimma
and APC tendered were “ concocted “. And
this is because it is is only by showing the world
the results they have from these as one and the
same with the ones with INEC and different
from the ones Uzodimma and APC tendered
that they can convince discerning minds that
they are not making a mountain out of a
molehill.
They had their chance to produce their own
copies of these results in court but failed, for
reasons best known to them. Since they are
still taking about it,let them present the results
now to the public to substantiate their claims
or forever keep their mouths shut.
The second point is that they also failed to
raise the issue in court, that is ,that if the results
from the 388 booths were added there would
be an increase over and above total number of
accredited voters. Now they want to bring it up
before the public. But they know why they
never bothered in the first instance to canvass
that point in court. Here is why. The PDP is
playing to the gallery and being clever by half
by adding only the results from the 388 polling
units. Is it not common sensical that if results
were excluded from 388 polling units the
number of accredited voters
and actual votes were also
excluded? And when you add
them up then the number of
accredited voters and total votes
cast will also increase. By
simple calculation, when this
is done the number of
accredited voters comes to over
a million. So why is the PDP
pretending not to be aware of
this if not because they have a
different, sinister agenda
Let truth be told, the PDP is
not pursuing the Imo case
because they think they have a
case but because they have a
hidden agenda. Again here is
how. When the PDP darkly
warned the nation that it would
make the country
ungovernable, should Atiku
Abubakar lose the 2019
presidential election, many did not take them
serious. The threat was dismissed as the
outburst of a defeated party that had come to
the end of the road. And when Governor Hope
Uzodinma of Imo State alerted the nation that
the PDP’s national protest against the Supreme
Court’s judgment which removed Emeka
Ihedioha, was a planned coup against
President Muhammadu Buhari, some
Nigerians also did not take him serious.
But the events of the past few weeks have
confirmed that PDP is simply hiding under the
Supreme Court judgment to cause anarchy in
the country. Members of the party have just
dusted their original script of making the
country ungovernable after the majority of
Nigerians rejected them and their presidential
candidate in 2019. Apart from the national
protests which took place in Abuja and other
capitals away from Imo where Ihedioha was
justly removed because INEC ought not to have
declared him governor in the first place, the
party has gone ahead to invite foreign powers
to take over the current government by force.
However, the tragedy actually is that both
the security agencies and even the federal
government appear to be indulging PDP in its
satanic avowal to commit treasonable felony
all in the name of democracy. Not being
satisfied with lampooning the Supreme Court
and the justices for doing their job based on the
principles of law, PDP is resorting to self help
through violence, sabotage and invitation of
foreign powers to interfere in Nigeria’s affair.
Those who claim to be champions of rule of
law and democracy are now pushing for the
abortion of the civilian administration for
interests that are neither altruistic nor patriotic.
Confirming that the petitions, (invitation of
foreign powers), to UK and US was preplanned,
the PDP leaders referred to national
protests against the “perversion of justice
which has become a clear threat to peace, unity
and stability of our nation and the survival of
our democracy”. In other words, they had predetermined
the outcome of those deliberate
and stage-managed protests which they had
vainly hoped would have led to a serious clash
between them and the security forces. They had
also hoped that the APC members and
supporters would challenge them to a duel.
What more evidence do we really need to
submit that the Supreme Court judgment in
Imo governorship election is just the tonic PDP
needed to set in motion its well-oiled plan to
topple the government of President Buhari and
set the nation on fire from the resultant
consequences? If not, both the PDP national
leaders and their collaborators ought to have
understood clearly the Uzodinma and APC’s
case which gave rise to the Supreme Court’s
judgment.
Fashola turns ‘Bus conductor’ on highways
Continues from page 13
federal government to ensure that there was
no delay of any kind.
“This is one project that President
Muhammadu Buhari wants to see its early
completion and we are mobilizing funds from
all sources, including Nigeria’s money that
was stolen and stashed away in foreign lands,
to ensure that it becomes a reality,” the minister
said.
“I want to assure all Nigerians that given the
economic and strategic importance of the
bridge to the country and the states on the
route, we are determined more than ever to
ensure its early completion so that Nigerians
can derive its full benefits,” Fashola added.
The Economics of federal highways
and poverty reduction
Although Fashola is eager to see to the early
completion of all the projects being undertaken
by the Works and Housing Ministry under him,
he nevertheless pays serious attention to the
economic side of the benefits which the projects
are adding to the people and the rural economy
of the communities where the projects are sited.
The emphasis on the economy, according to
him, is in line with the promise by President
Muhammadu Buhari to lift no fewer than 100
million Nigerians out of poverty through the
provision of projects to drive the rural economy.
“The president does not need to be physically
present before he changes the story of the rural
dwellers in Nigeria and neither does he need
to move from village to village to take them
out of poverty,” the minister explained.
“But by approving and providing the funding
for the construction of highways, major
bridges, National Housing projects, federal
secretariats, road network in federal
universities, the president is actually spreading
wealth and improving the living standards and
economic power of Nigerians particularly
those in the rural areas as most of the economic
activities to support these multi-million projects
take place in the rural areas of Nigeria and
not the cities.
“As you can see the location and ownership
The second point is
that they also failed
to raise the issue in
court, that is ,that if
the results from the
388 booths were
added there would
be an increase over
and above total
number of
accredited voters
Fashola with mamaput seller in Asaba
of borrow pits and quarries are at the rural
areas and not in the cities while the negotiation
for the supply and payment for the sand and
other construction materials are done by the
local leaders who negotiate directly with the
contractors and get their money without any
encumbrance,” the minister pointed out.
The minister’s eye on the impact of road
construction across Nigeria by the federal
government may aptly explain why he
personally looks out for and mingles with petty
traders who sell food, drinks and groceries
around his project sites and jokingly
interrogates them on how much they make on
a daily basis by selling food to artisans working
on those projects. At all the locations where
federal projects are going on, Fashola
personally picks out petty traders and artisans
and poses with them and shakes hands with
them before leaving the locations. In Anambra
State where one of the National Housing
Schemes is ongoing, he engaged a woman who
sells ‘mamaput’ for N250 a plate and the
trader, who was overwhelmed by the fact
that she posed with a minister and took
time to share ideas with him, confessed
that she makes at least N5000 as profit at
the end of each day’s transaction at the
site where the husband also serves as a
labourer.
At a similar housing site in Asaba, Delta
State, the minister interacted with a group
of artisans, who were working as masons
and labourers. When the minister inquired
from them their daily pay, the masons said
they earned N4500 while the labourers
confessed they go home daily with N3000.
Every discerning mind conversant with the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
knows that Ihedioha ought not to have been
declared the Governor of Imo State by INEC.
First of all, he did not meet the constitutional
requirement of winning one quarter of votes
cast in two thirds of the local government areas
of Imo State. Imo has 27 LGAs and Ihedioha,
to be declared governor, should have won in
18 LGAs. He did not.
But most fundamentally, the APC and its
candidate Uzodinma went to Court asking
that those excluded results from 388 polling
units which had been declared at that level,
should be added to them in the overall tally of
votes. Their contention was that they won the
election, and ought to have been declared
winners in the first place. It took PDP and its
lawyers four days at the tribunal to dissuade it
from admitting those exhibits. Eventually, the
tribunal called in the police which
authenticated the results.
Strangely, the tribunal, after being
compromised, gave its judgment in favour of
Ihedioha even in the face of overwhelming
evidence to the contrary. APC members did
not go to the streets to protest. Even when
Ihedioha was declared wrongly by INEC, APC
being the ruling party in Imo State did not
embark upon violent protests. It sought justice
through the courts. And a member of the
Appeal Court gave ruling in favour of APC
and Uzodinma, which finally paved way for
the Supreme Court’s ruling.
As earlier noted, It is instructive that PDP
which claimed that Uzodinma produced
“fake” results from those units could not
produce the “authentic originals”. Like the
Supreme Court wisely declared, the onus was
on INEC to disprove with contrary documents
the ones submitted by Uzodinma and APC.
They could not do so.
The judgment was not even whether
Ihedioha met the constitutional requirement
or not. It was simply on the fact that votes
validity scored by APC and Uzodinma in 388
polling units were criminally excluded by
INEC with the help of its collaborator, PDP.
That was what the Supreme Court calculated
and relied upon to retrieve Uzodinma’s stolen
mandate. The highest court in the land simply
gave its judgment based on facts before them
and general principles of law.
But because the history of PDP 16 year rule is
replete with sordid tales of electoral corruption,
rigging, impunity and lawlessness, they can
neither understand nor accept the fact that it
did not actually win Imo State. Ironically, the
Supreme Court which it castigated had
previously given rulings that favoured PDP. But
nobody protested against the court. Nobody
wrote petitions to foreign governments.
•Emelumba is the Director of media
Uzodimma campaign Organisation
“We want you to thank President
Muhammadu Buhari for us for giving us this
means of livelihood but we need more jobs
from him so as to help our families the more,”
the itinerant workers told Fashola, who later
posed with them as a mark of his identification
with them.
Clearly, the enthusiasm to build and
rehabilitate more roads across the country is
alive and burning in the heart of the minister
and his officials but a gamut of challenges far
beyond the reach of the government all
combine to deny them the leverage to do so.
The major challenge is that all the
ingredients needed to deliver good roads
across the country are not readily
available simultaneously because as
could be seen across the land, if the money
is available, inclement weather coupled
with ceaseless litigation by communities
over land ownership and compensation
for makeshift structures, shrines and
totems would work against the system.
Despite these challenges, Fashola
maintains a calm disposition to his work,
praying that a time will come when all
parts of Nigerian will have unhindered
access to good roads and be able to enjoy
the full benefits of the investments that the
Buhari administration is making today in
infrastructure. Roads do not last forever
and we must bear in mind that the day we
begin to use a road, it is actually
depreciating from that moment and we
need to continuously find ways and means
of repairing and rehabilitating them in
order not to fail us,” the minister said.
Throughout the five-day journey that
took us from Benin to Asaba, Port
Harcourt, Owerri, Aba, Uyo, Ikot Ekpene,
Calabar and Ugep, Fashola never failed
to crack a joke that provided relief to the
stress on the long trip and he never left his
seat in the bus despite the many SUVs that
he should have enjoyed as a minister of
the federal republic of Nigeria. But,
surprisingly, he chose to ride in the bus
with the people, enduring the ache in the
process. From the time he was governor
till date he remains man of the people.

BY ANAYO OKOLI
PROFESSOR ABC Nwosu is an astute
politician, a former Minister of Health
and a chieftain of the main opposition
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview;
he speaks on the failing security architecture
in the country. He insists that the security chiefs
have no reason to remain in office in view of
their performance. He also speaks on the
clamour for regional security outfits and the
opposition role by his party, among other
things.
ENUGU- The issue of insecurity has
remained a major concern to many
Nigerians. Already there is Amotekun
security outfit in the South West while
some groups in the North have launched
what they called Shege KaFasa in the
North. What do you think South East
should do?
Nidigbo have had a very bitter experience
with regards to loss of lives and property in
Nigeria. In this their long ordeal they have
developed capabilities starting from Igbo state
union for the defense of Igbo lives and property
in the homeland and in the wider Nigeria.
The present situation presents new
challenges especially with the infiltration into
our farmlands and forests. The Enugu State
Government took the initiative and launched
the Forest Guards. These and other ideas are
being fine-tuned and Igbo elders will work
hand in gloves with governments of South
Eastern states as Ndigbo to deal with the new
challenges. The overall objective is to teach
any infiltrator that we know our homelands,
forests and farmland better than they do and
when Ndigbo are pushed you can
be sure they will react
appropriately.
The issues of Anti-Grazing Bills,
state security outfits and zonal
security arrangement, have legal
implications and are matters of
state governments and state
legislatures but Igbo experts have
already done their homework on
draft laws to deal with these new
challenges without copying
anybody. After all when Bakassi
Boys acted to curb insecurity and
kidnapping their effectiveness was
clearly seen.
How do you think we should
tackle the insecurity problem
at the pan Nigeria level,
whether Boko Haram,
banditry, organized
kidnapping etc?
The duty of securing Nigeria is
the responsibility of the Nigerian
Armed Forces and the Nigeria
Police Force under the Commander-in-Chief,
simple. This is why all the criticism is on the
Commander-in-Chief and the various Service
Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police. It
is neither personal nor political, nor partisan,
nor religious; it is simply that when the system
established by the nation state Nigeria for the
protection of the lives and property of its
citizens is failing to the extent that it is failing
Says s draf
aft t laws s ready for
or
Southeast t security outfits
its
•Recalls how effective ective Bakasi asi Boys s were
•Speaks on Buhari, Anambra and why PDP will reclaim power
now, it is natural to call for resignation of the
leaders of the Armed Forces.
Put differently, the answer to system failure
is complete overhaul and change of the system
management. Those who attempt to make it
ethnic or religious or political simply miss the
point. The point is that
those charged with the responsibility of
protecting the lives and property of Nigerians
should do their jobs, period. Too many people
have died and are still dying and internally
displaced persons cannot return to their villages
to resume their normal lives. So questions are
being appropriately directed.
You are one of the many Nigerians
who have called for change of Service
Chiefs. Even the House of
Representatives has called for
resignation of Service Chiefs. But their
calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
What will suggest the next line of action?
We have done our duty, which is simply to
demand that the service chiefs, having failed
to give Nigerians adequate protection should
relinquish their positions. Let us not forget that
these service chiefs are already on extra time
and how do we know that those under them
cannot secure Nigeria better?
After all they were appointed
because service chiefs were
retired when their times were
due. It is now the duty of the
appointing authority to listen
to the call or close his eyes and
ears to the situation.
Nidigbo have
had a very
bitter
experience
with regards
to loss of lives
and property
in Nigeria
ABC Nwosu
lists factors
troubling
Nigeria most
From your position,
based on your answer on
the pan Nigeria security
situation, does it mean
you are scared about the
future of the country?
Very much so; failed states
of which Somalia is the best
example, are those states
where the security situation
has failed irretrievably. When
the various zones of Nigeria
are as concerned to the extent
that they are now over
insecurity, every citizen should
worry. For me who fled the
University of Ibadan to
University of Nigeria in 1966 because of
insecurity, I am doubly worried because
decades of reflecting on this showed clearly
that if I were Yoruba or Tiv or Fulani I would
not have fled the University of Ibadan. I know
that the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, an Ogoni, fled
the University of Ibadan with us to the
University of Nigeria before he later left for
Port Harcourt. This
is of serious concern to me because security
transcends our diversity and every Nigeria
citizen must feel secured in any part of Nigeria.
Are you saying that the present
government is not managing our
diversity well?
I am saying so and very loudly too. When
appointments of service chiefs become skewed
to one part of the country, when a zone
comprising five states is excluded, when
appointments are annoyingly made from one
zone to the irritation of others as this
government has done, it is a complete
mismanagement of Nigeria’s diversity.
How do you think therefore, giving
the plural nature of the Nigerian as a
nation that we can give everybody and
every group a sense of belonging in the
Nigerian project?
The simple recipe is inclusiveness and strict
observance of the Federal Character principle.
In addition, there are nation-building
institutions such as the Armed Forces and the
Police, that is why their parochialisation is
dangerous. There are Federal Government
Colleges and there is the National Youth
Service Corps, which should be used in a
creative and imaginative way to forester
national unity. Government should also
revitalize National Sports Festivals etc for the
same purpose.
Let’s go to your home state, Anambra,
where elections are due next year. It
would appear that some people are
already beating the gun?
Of course, it is Anambra where people will
always try to beat the gun and bend the rules. I
am not surprised because the last count
revealed that there are about 23 Anambra
State governorship aspirants even when the
election is more than a year ahead. We, the
Anambra senior politicians are watching the
situation as it develops to make sure that
Anambra state returns to that period of good
governance which it enjoyed under Peter Obi.
But the Peter Obi government you are
referring to was an All Progressives
Grand Alliance, APGA Government?
Yes, because Peter Obi was under the watchful
eyes of Ikemba Ojukwu and he respected senior
politicians, traditional rulers and the church.
By the way, Peter Obi is now in the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and was indeed the PDP
vice Presidential candidate at the last general
elections. I hope you get my point that Mr. Obi
must have seen something in the PDP to have
made him change from APGA to PDP.
How does the PDP intend to achieve
this core objective of producing the
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—15
governor of Anambra State which it has
not managed to achieve since 2003?
Anambra State from 1999 has always been
a PDP state and even when we did not produce
the governor we produced the majority of
National Assembly members. We know the
hiccups that stopped us in 2017 even when we
still had two Senators and majority of House
of Representatives members. This time we shall
make assurance double sure that there are no
hiccups.
So many people in Anambra are
talking about zoning and it will appear
that APGA has already zoned its
candidacy. You are a member of the
Board of Trustees of PDP, may we know
the position of your party on this issue
of zoning?
To the best of my knowledge my party (PDP)
has not taken any position on zoning. What we
are all working very hard on is to ensure that
Anambra State becomes a PDP state
completely by having a PDP governor after 16
years. Many of us from Anambra in the party
would want to return to the national grid
politically, by having a governor that belongs
to PDP, which has a national spread. We are
not comfortable that of the 36 states in Nigeria
35 belong to either PDP or the APC and
Anambra stands alone like a sore thumb. The
situation where the National Chairman of
APGA is from Anambra, the Leader of the party
is the Anambra state governor, the financing
of the party is by Anambra, requires complete
reconsideration, especially in the absence of
the towering wisdom of the late Chief
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Against
this background, what the PDP is looking for
is to bring back Anambra state as a complete
PDP state. In other words, for Anambra state
PDP winning is the core objective not zoning.
The 23 aspirants come from the three zones
and when it is time we will ensure that the
candidate most likely to win will emerge. One
of our major worries is that one year after
presidential election; the amended electoral
bill is yet to be signed into law by Mr. President.
As we prepare for Anambra governorship
election, we shall be conscious of that fact.
It would appear from your answer that
your party is unhappy with the President
having not signed the Electoral Law and
that you arefactoring this matter into
how the party shall deal with the
Anambra issue?
Yes and yes. Before the 2019 general
elections the excuse for the non-signing of the
bill was that the time was too close to the
elections. Now, one year after, a bill that was
ready to be signed in 2019 is not yet signed. So
my party has reason to be worried and as
the late Chinua Achebe would write, my
party, the PDP, has reason to suspect that
“cunning has entered into the matter”.
The PDP does not appear to take its
duty of opposition very seriously and
seems to be reacting to APC actions?
That is the general impression people have
but let us give due credit to the party for
reinventing itself after the catastrophic 2015
general elections. In case we have forgotten,
the party lost the presidency; the party lost some
of the state governorship seats and lost its clear
majority in the National Assembly. On top of it
the party suffered the self-inflicted injury of
Governor Amodu Sheriff as its Chairman. So
to come back from such a position to where
the party is convinced that it won the 2019
general elections is no mean feat. Let us also
not forget that the party has never been in
opposition before and to compound matters,
the frequency of APC government’s missteps
require constant reactions by the PDP so as to
protect Nigeria’s democracy.
How then do you rate this APC
government?
Badly, the most troubling is that our debt burden
has exceeded what any government of the past
has borrowed and most of the debts go into the
budgets, which is about 80 percent of the recurrent
expenditure.
The second most troubling issue is that so soon
after the end of the Abacha regime for which so
much credit belong to PDP, we are rapidly travelling
back on the road to un-freedom and insecurity.
These are the most troubling factors. When you
add the limping economy, the exchange rate of
the Naira etc., it is clear that my rating is based on
facts.
Why are you certain that the PDP will be
better having governed for 16 years before
2015?
The PDP can beat its chest that in 16 years it
nurtured democracy successfully and ensured that
succession from PDP government to PDP
government and from PDP government to APC
opposition took place democratically and without
disequilibrium to the polity. There was freedom of
speech and there was freedom of association. The
social media was unfettered and Nigerians
breathed the air of freedom to the maximum. This,
to me is the greatest achievement of PDP. The PDP
also nurtured the economy to six percent annual
growth rate especially after the phenomenal debt
relief effort. And then everybody is now enjoying
mobile phone, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,
Whatsapp etc, forgetting that these happened
under PDP government. Let us attempt listing
what the APC government has achieved in the
five years which is the one-third of the time
that PDP was there and you will see the reason
for my optimism that PDP is the party for
national harmony, freedom and economic
development.

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Obaseki and
the Negative
Alternatives
By Paul Ohonbamu
Governor Godwin Obaseki has
established a model of
Governance that has made Edo
State a signpost for others to follow. He
left no one in doubt that he meant
business when he assumed office as
Governor on the 12 th of November, 2016.
He articulated a 6-point agenda to drive
the socio-economic transformation of
Edo State. All the promises he made to
Edo people during his campaign are
encapsulated in this 6-point agenda
which he refers to as the six thematic
pillars.
In three years, Governor Obaseki has
achieved substantially what he told Edo
people he will do in line with the social
contract he entered with them. He
believes the wealth of a state is not
measured by the affluence of those in
authority but the industriousness and
productivity of the People. For this, the
Governor strived to put in place a
vibrant economy that generates
employment and opportunities for the
citizens and even visitors. He
obliterated the serious economic
distortion that was prevalent in the
previous administration such as the
involvement of non-state actors in
revenue collection and the nefarious
activities of the Community
Development Associations (CDAs). It
takes a courageous man to take this
step and so many other disruptive and
innovative measures which necessarily
created losers and winners in both
political arena and
economic market place.
This is the real issue
which enemies of state
and poisoners of goodwill
capitalized upon to
create what now appears
to be without the olive
branch. Godwin
Obaseki’s only offence is
that he turned the
fortunes of Edo State
around with the overhaul
of critical sectors of the
Socio-Economic life of
the state which includes
education, health, job
creation, agriculture,
sports, arts, culture and
tourism and institutional
reforms particularly the
civil service.
It is the absence of what
Obaseki has done in Edo
State that makes nations
fail. Even with
the redroof revolution of the Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole’s administration,
Governor Godwin Obaseki discovered
he had the education sector to revamp
and an obligation to do it.
The redroof revolution is just the form
and there was need to address the
content which Obaseki did.
Besides, redroof could not train
teachers and the net effect was the
proliferation of parboiled teachers who
were not only deficient in the core
In fact, all
the ailing
sectors of
the state
have been
revived
subjects but lacked the ability and
capacity to stimulate creativity in their
pupils and students. Governor Obaseki
saw the scenario as that of deceit
dwelling in a gorgeous palace.
Today, the Edo Basic Education Sector
Transformation (Edo-BEST)
programme has attracted
the attention of the
international
community and
several states in
Nigeria which
have sent
delegations
t
o
understudy
the working
of the
system.
S i e r r a
L e o n e ,
Rwanda,
Liberia etc.
have sent
representatives
as well. After the
delegation from
Lagos visited to
understand the
intricacies of Edo-BEST and
its workings, they have setup their
own called Eko Excel. In Edo State,
over 11,000 teachers have be trained in
digital tools to aid learning. This has
successfully cured the learning poverty
the state has suffered over the years.
This is just one of the several disparities
that exist between Oshiomhole’s
administration and the
forward-looking one led by
Governor Obaseki whose
government continues to
benefit Edo people.
The training of teachers
is replicated in all sectors
of the civil service.
Through the Edo Health
Improvement Programme
(Edo-HIP), the governor
has taken healthcare to the
door step of the ordinary
Edo person. In job
creation, provision of
sporting facilities, fight
against human trafficking,
art and culture,
environment reforms,
payment of salaries,
pension and gratuity to
Edo workers and retirees,
infrastructural
development and the
resuscitation of technical
education, Godwin
Obaseki has excelled. In fact, all the
ailing sectors of the state have been
revived. Education and health sectors
have dropped crutches and can walk
freely. It will be asymmetrical to
juxtapose the achievements of Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole in eight years and
those of Governor Obaseki in just three
years.
One can confidently say that
Oshiomhole has killed his own one
thousand and Obaseki his ten
•Ohonbamu
thousand. In spite of these
lofty policies, programmes and
achievements, some enemies of
development are bent on erecting
diabolical road blocks to the governor’s
second term bid.
It is true that virtue cannot live out of
the teeth of emulation. But I urge Edo
people to rise up against these
predators, scavengers and ultrareactionaries
who are determined to
take Edo State back to that period when
government was not for governance but
for looting.
Godwin Obaseki has shown capacity,
ability and intelligence in the art of
governance which others lack in great
quantum. In terms of knowledge,
Godwin Obaseki is a multitude and
when men of integrity are counted today
in Edo State, Obaseki will be counted
twice. We know that everything has
alternatives including life, which is
death. When death occurs, it
extinguishes all things relating to the
existence of man. It is a solution without
complication. It is not a solution in
search of a problem as is the case of all
the elements who want the APC ticket.
They include Gen. Charles
Airhiavbere who has not cured the
moral burden which Adams
Oshiomhole placed on him during the
2012 governorship election debate.
Then Chris Ogiemwonyi who was an
aspirant in the primaries that brought
Governor Godwin Obaseki and no one
knew the posture of his blow when it
comes to governance.
What a time to vie for this exalted
seat of a governor. Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole reduced Dr. Pius Odubu
to the worst form of human degradation
when he said Odubu was not good
enough for governorship. Oshiomhole
accused Dr. Pius Odubu of being
diabolical and that he planned to kill
him (Oshiomhole). He stated further
•Governor
Godwin
Obaseki
that with Odubu, development and
good governance would take a retreat.
Above all, Oshiomhole averred that
Odubu as governor would be
tantamount to mixing Christianity with
accretion and syncretism. That is as far
as Oshiomhole was concerned. He was
applauded for this on the ground that
he meant well for Edo State.
Then the latest throw up - Osagie
Ize-Iyamu whom Oshiomhole himself
accused of holding the bible as a pastor
in the day and a gun in the night. He
said that while his colleagues were
using water, Ize-Iyamu Osagie was
using acid to bath people at the
University of Benin and above all,
Oshiomhole said that he could not hand
over the key of his kitchen to Ize-Iyamu.
This was the testimonial Oshiomhole
himself wrote about Ize-Iyamu.
Considering the antecedent merit of
all the four therefore, it is clear that
they are negative alternatives. I liken
each and every one of them to the
17 th Century King Leopold of Belgium
who history described as a great King
in an insignificant Kingdom or as a
Shakespeare would describe their type,
“a big man dressed in a little brief
authority.” On the whole, Edo people
know that Governor Godwin Obaseki
may have rivals, but no equals.
This is the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth. I conclude with
the words of Patrick Wilmot in his book
titled Right to Rebel - “All that have I
attempted to do is to put out the mirror so
that you can see its reflection. But if you
don’t like what you see, breaking the
mirror will do nothing, cutting off my
hands will not save situation and even
killing me will do less, for the truth of
man cannot be dissolved in his blood.”
Hon. Ohonbamu is Edo State
Commissioner for Communication
and Orientation.

Continues on Page 18
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 17

18 — SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
For Highlife I live, for it I die
Continued from Page 17
On his own, Chief Tony Okoroji, Chiarman,
Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, described
the late Highlife legend, as “a great
musician, Iroko in the Nigerian music industry.”
“He was one of us in the entertainment industry.
He was a great musician, a great Iroko
in the Nigerian music industry. Over time,
there will be other musicians but no other Victor
Olaiya. He held on to his music, his trumpet,
decade after decade. We will miss him. We
mourn him, but in mourning him, we celebrate
him,” Okoroji said.
Known as the evil genius of highlife music,
Olaiya burst into the music scene in the 1950s
and 1960s. He was the only Nigerian musician
to ever earn a platinum record. A trumpeter,
Olaiya was best known for hits such as
‘Africa’ and ‘Baby Jowo’. The latter was
remixed in 2013 by 2Baba who also featured
him. The turning point in his music career
came when he broke away from the popular
Bobby Benson Jam Session Orchestra, where
he was leader and trumpeter of the second
band, to start his own band, Cool Cats, in 1954.
He made his debut that same year. Since then,
there had been no stopping Olaiya from blowing
his trumpet and making the waves with
highlife music, until few years ago when he
took a bow from the stage.
His band gained national recognition when
it was selected to play at the state ball, which
highlighted major activities of Queen Elizabeth
of Englands visit to Nigeria in 1956. His
Cool Cats band was also the sole band chosen
to play at Nigeria Miss Independence zonal
competitions in 16 centres nationwide. Olaiyas
band was in high demand, essentially for
its discipline, high sense of commitment and
outstanding performances.
Prior to his retirement from his six-decade sojourn
in music, in 2017, Olaiya held gigs at
his Stadium Hotel in Surulere. He reportedly
Victor Olaiya on stage
Judith Audu named UNHCR high
profile supporter
he United Nation Refugee
TAgency, UNHCR has named
award-winning actress cum
filmmaker, Judith Audu-Foght as a
high profile supporter for its
‘Telling the Real Story’,TRS,
project.
Making the announcement on
Thursday, the body noted that as a
Nollywood producer, Judith Audu
leverages her platform to shed a
light on issues relating to sexual
and gender-based violence.
“This was the motivation behind
the creation of her short film-‘Not
Right’. The film raises awareness
on the issue of domestic violence
made the
decision to
stay off
stage after
his doctor’s
instruction
to desist from
performances
following illhealth.
But
while he was
still performing
on stage, the
highlife legend
was still pulling
crowd at his Stadium
Hotel, Surulere.
2Face, a dancer
According to his and Victor
manager, Gbenga Olaiya on stage
Adewusi, “Aside from
attending his gigs, he
no longer comes to
work regularly as a result
of age-related
health issues.”
Until his death, Olaiya remained one
of Nigeria’s brightest musical stars,
with a career that included performing
at the state ball during Nigeria’s
independence in 1960, in the presence
of Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe
and Sir James Robertson, the Governor
General and representative of
the Queen, among other dignitaries.
He also performed at the
state ball three years later when
Nigeria became a republic.
Olaiya's music reportedly
was influenced by the horns
and harmonies of James
Brown. And, over the course
of his career, he released an
in Nigerian society and encourages
women to speak up.
“Judith started supporting
‘Telling the Real Story’ (TRS)
project in 2019. She participated in
various field activities in Benin
City, the capital of Edo State in
Nigeria. She has participated in
radio talk shows, run in
collaboration with TRS, aimed at
raising awareness on the dangers
of irregular movement. She
additionally, participated in the
2019 World Day Against Human
Trafficking that involved debate
events in Secondary schools, and
culminated in a 5 km ‘walk’
against human trafficking,” the
Judith
Audu-
statement reads.
Reacting to the appointment,
Judith Audu stated that it has
always been her desire to
contribute to the growth of her
immediate society, the country and
humanity. “A lot of this reflects in
the work I do. That is why I have
always used my movies to tackle
social causes and advocacy on
sundry issues. I believe that as
humans, we should never cease to
make an impact in the lives of
others wherever we find ourselves
or whatever we are doing. This
appointment restates the fact that
there is still a lot of ground to be
covered,” she said.
album with the E T
Mensah, shared a stage with
Louis Armstrong, and impacted the
styles of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen. His
highlife genre of music did not only
make great impact in the past, but
also, it continued to rock the
present, with promises of a greater
hold on the future.
Till date, people are still talking
about Olaiya's 2013 musical collaboration
with 2face. Many said
2face is billed to storm the
upscale nightclub, Silver
Fox located on the Lagos island
this evening, as the nightclub
marks its five years of existence.
Established in 2015, the
nightclub has been a meltingpoint
for the rich and the
bourgeoisies of the society. It
has been five years of setting a
new records and providing
luxury lifestyle experiences to
Lagos fun seekers.
The legendary event is
themed “Legend Celebrates
Legend” and will have a guest
appearance and performance
from music legend, 2Baba, who
has dominated the Nigerian
music scene spanning two
decades.
The nightclub is excited to
celebrate with love birds,
the collaboration would forever stand as a memorial
to the highlife legend. It was the biggest
musical collaboration in Nigeria that would
outlive both the artistes and continue to resonate
with the passage of time.
Speaking on the collaboration in an interview
with Saturday Vanguard in 2014, Victor Olaiya
said: "We were trying to do something of that
nature in the highlife all stars club which we
formed years ago .While we were contemplating
of doing that, the Premier Record Limited
came up with the idea of the collaboration and
we gave it a shot. 2Face is such a gifted young
boy that I like. He respects people especially
his elders. He is gifted musically. We did the
collaboration and it was a success. The song
has become the talk of the town since then.'
Also, Premier Records Limited, the label under
which Olaiya was signed before his demise,
saw the collaboration as a way of uniting musicians
from different generations; it is also provided
a cultural background and timelessness.
“It is pertinent that we bring back to the music
industry what made Dr. Victor Olaiya internationally
known,” said Michael Odiong,
Project Manager of Premier Records. “His lyrics
are still very relevant today, and he had so
many tracks like ‘Ilu Le O’ and ‘Mr Judge’ that
have an impact on people everywhere, and his
classic love songs like ‘Omo pupa’ ‘Fami Mora
O’ will withstand the test of time any day. We
want to encourage younger stars to take advantage
of these classic songs and do something
new with them.”
2face will forever be grateful to the late highlife
legend for that ancient and modern collaboration.
“Thanks for the beautiful music.
Thanks for the inspiration. Blessed for the honour
of sharing a mic and stage with you,” 2face
wrote
Olaiya lived his life on stage even though he
d e - scribed music as a hobby. "
Music, as much as it is my
profession, is also a hobby',
adding "While on stage, I do
a number of exercises and
showmanship. I twist myself,
go up, down, blow the
horns, thus exercising the
lungs and the limbs and
all parts of my body, including
the brain. I believe
that has been keeping
me going.'
He once expressed
his undying passion for
highlife music.
Speaking in an interview,
the music
legend said: "Highlife
music has a
great future because
for it I live,
for it I shall die.
There is no gainsaying
that everybody
wants to
talk about highlife
music. Highlife
is the lingua-franca of
this nation. Fuji, Fuji reggae, Afrobeat,
Juju, all of them had to borrow a leaf
or two from highlife to enable them to stand.
So, it still remains the lingua-franca of this nation
and no type of music can threaten the existence
of high life music." This is how much
Olaiya cherished highlife music.
Born in Calabar and raised in the south-east,
Olaiya was the pillar of higlife music in Nigeria.
He was awarded the honorary doctorate degree
in African music when he led his band,
which he eventually changed from Cool Cats
to All Stars Band, to represent Africa at an International
Jazz Festival in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
2Baba storms Silver Fox
nightclub tonight
couples, and its growing
clientele. Other side
attractions include a special
Cleopatra costume dance
and several giveaways.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—19
Actress, Inem
Peter reveals
victims of
Val’s Day
Hot-in-demand Nollywood actress, Inem
Peter has revealed the victims of St.
Valentine’s day. In a chat with Saturday
Quickie, the Instagram sensation stated that
married people and people in relationship are
usually the victims of St. Valentine’s Day.
She said, “Most ladies are single, desperate
and ready to mingle because they don’t want to
be alone on Valentine’s day. The married men
and guys in relationships don’t want to be left out
of the groove as well. So, they take advantage of
this fact to enjoy a few hours of pleasure impressing
their new catch and leaving their spouses behind.”
The actress, who confessed she didn’t have a
lover to celebrate the ‘Love Day’ with
caught Saturday Quickie’s attention by her
curious post on Instagram some two days or
so before St Valentine’s Day.
“Valentine is here and I don’t have a
lover or boyfriend. If all this married
women know how I turned their
husbands down on a daily base they
will start paying me salary,” she had
posted.
Inem Peter was born Joy Peter Uboh.
She started her journey in Nollywood
with a cameo appearance in Wale
Adenuga’s Papa Ajasco and has since
featured in many films including over six
of her own productions.
Thoughts of breastfeeding
my baby gave me sleepless
nights —Tboss
ormer Big Brother Naija star, Tokunbo Idowu
Fhas revealed her biggest fear when pregnant with
her baby. The reality TV star turned movie star
made the revelation while celebrating the sixth
month birthday of her daughter.
She said, “ When I was pregnant I read a lot.
I was glued to Google & all the mommy
blogs, pages, books. I even finally
braved watching a couple of birthing
clips. That was a hard one. But what
Genuinely freaked the heck outta me
was breastfeeding. The thought of it
alone gave me sleepless nights. No
jokes. After having my daughter I
didn’t lactate until a couple of weeks •TBoss
afterwards. I almost got depressed. I
did everything. I ate everything and
drank everything they advised until one
beautiful day I had milk. Words cannot
explain how happy I was and now. Well, now
my mother calls me “Vacuta Vesela”.
I love to breastfeed my child, It’s my
favorite mommie and baby time. It
creates a form of Bonding that’s
nothing short of spiritually
magical if such a thing even
exists. The way she holds
unto me, looks into my eyes
whilst she sucks and
smiles at me.
I feel the
m o s t
powerful
when I’m
breastfeeding
. I
honestly
dread
the day
that I
would
have to
stop.”
The reality TV
star didn’t make
public the pictures
of her daughter
until recently and
there have been
some controversies
regarding the
birth of the baby.
But it appears
nothing has given
her more joy than
the bundle of joy.
•Moet
Abebe
•Inem
Peter
Guchi, Afropop singer
seals ambassadorial
deal with NDLEA
DAfropop electable
singer, Ugochi fast-rising
Lydia
Onuoha, has signed a youth
attitude-changing deal with the
management of the National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) on combating drugs among
the youths.
With the signing of the Memorandum of
Understanding between the Ngor-Okpala, Imo State-born
musician and the NDLEA, Guchi automatically became the
NDLEA Anti-Drug Ambassador.
The signing ceremony of the novel deal which took place at the
national headquarters of the NDLEA in Abuja, witnessed the presence
of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA,
Col Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd), the Chief
Executive Officer of PG Records Entertainment, Mr
Peter Dunia, senior executive officials of the NDLEA,
different youth organisations, amongst others.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Ab8
vulnerable groups to drug abuse.
“Youth involvement in drug control is
cardinal since the youths constitute the
most vulnerable groups to drug abuse,”
Abdallah said.
On her part, an elated Guchi assured
that she was going to use her talent
as a musical star to reach out to the
all youths.
“I am your conscience. So,
music can also be your
conscience.
So, I plan to use my music to
reach out to a lot of people to stop
drug and to let them know that it
can only destroy them,” Guchi
said.
E very 14th of February is recognized
worldwide as what is called ‘Lovers
Day’ otherwise known as St. Valentine’s
Day but for upcoming Nollywood
actress, Ujunwa Mandi Obi, the day
has become nothing but one to
express lust and just to satisfy sexual
yearnings.
Hear her: “Actually what people
celebrate every 14th February is
lust not love. Love is not a day thing,
love is a person, love is to be
celebrated everyday of our lives.”
Ujunwa Mandy Obi, from
Nnewi local government in
Anambra State started her career
in Nollywood as a makeup artist
before finding her feet as an actress.
Her first movie was an Igbo film
“Obi Ngbawa” in 2016. She has
since featured in movies like
Angry Mother, Odida Kingdom,
The Little Prince, and some Igbo
movies like: Ajondu, Onye-Nna,
Dimona etc. she has worked with
so many poplar actors like
Chinwetalu Agu, Ngozi
Ezeonu Ebere Okaro and few
others.
Love yourself when nobody loves you — Moet Abebe
Popular TV presenter and actress,
Laura Monyeazo Abebe,
popularly known as Moet Abebe may
have spent the St. Valentine’s Day all
alone. The AOP actually gave herself
away in a series of posts she made
three days before Val’s Day.
In the post she was rather obsessed
with herself, preaching the gospel of
loving oneself and making love to
•Mandi
Ujunwa
oneself with direct reference to St.
Valentine’s Day.
In the first post, which she made with
luscious picture of herself in sensual red
dress with a tease of her boobs peeping,
she said, “ Valentine’s round the
corner,” like she was giving out a secret.
Then, she followed it up with a picture
of herself alone at a dinner table, yet in
a red dress, saying, “Dinner for one is
St. Valentine’s Day
is celebration of
lust, not love
—Mandy Obi
•Guchi
served, who needs a Valentine? When
you’ve got all this love to give to yourself.
Afterwards, she finished it with
another post that may have nailed our
suspicion that the British-born Nigerian
was truly alone, loving herself on
Valentine’s Day.
“Make love þto yourself as no one
loves you the way you love yourself,”
she said.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
By AYO ONIKOYI
08052201215
onikoyi68@gmail.com
•Alex Okosi, Nduka
Obaigbena and D'Banj
Ben Murray-Bruce, Rita Dominic,
others bid Alex Okosi farewell
It was amazing nights of cheers,
accolades and honour as friends
of Alex Okosi, the outgoing
Executive Vice President and
Managing Director of VCN Africa
and BET International celebrated
him for his contributions to the
media and entertainment industry
since he took up the mantle of
leadership at Viacom Africa 15 years
ago.
The party which was hosted by
popular media personality, Tolu
overs of radio, video content and
Lpodcasts, can now revel in
excitement as media duo, Gbemi
Olateru Olagbegi and Tolu ‘Toolz’
Oniru return for the second season
of their hit talk show ‘OffAir’.
The pair who unveiled the promo
video of the second season earlier
in the month explained at the
premiere event in Lagos that they
will be taking things up a notch in
fter 13 weeks battle that saw
Acontestants compete in the maiden
edition of King of Street Food, the
cooking competition conceived by
FoodBay TV ended with the Street
Foodz Fest, where the six finalist from
different parts of the country slugged it
out for the grand prize.
The finalists include Martha Edem
of Akara Café, who serves Akara and
different pap options alongside key
stars of an English breakfast menu; Box
D Food by Fego Daniels, who serves
rich, flavourful shawarma with a
generous dollop of free hugs, and Crispy
And Grills by Christopher Omowa, who
makes crispy fries and crispy juicy
toasties, with grilled-to-perfection
American Style Barbecue all made from
Nigerian produce and staples.
Others are Chef Segun Anifowose
of King Glab Cuisine, which serves up
a wide assortment of street food style
meals; Simple Corner currently under
the able management of Chinonso
Attansey. This business, which was set
•Alex Okosi and Ben Murray-Bruce
•Toolz and
Gbemi
‘Toolz’ Oniru-Demuren and ace
comedian Bovi, had in attendance
captains of industry across different
sectors including. Founder
Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-
Bruce, Nduka Obaigbena, Rita
Dominic, D’banj, Toolz, Martin
Mabutho and others.
Also in attendance were superstar
actresses Rita Dominic, Michelle
Dede and Nse Ikpe-Etim;
comedians Basketmouth and Bovi,
2Baba, Falz, Tope Oshin, Dr Sid,
the new season.
Held at the Civic Centre in
Lagos, the premiere event had
in attendance former Big
Brother Naija contestant, Tobi
Bakre, actresses; Adesua
Etomi, Bisola Aiyeola, Beverly
Naya and Osas Ighodaro.
Other guests were media
personalities; Maria Okan,
Osi Dirisu, Oreka Godis,
Latasha Ngwugbe; artistes,
Falz, Banky W, Mocheddah;
marketing communications
executives, Steve Babaeko,
Ayeni Adekunle, Debola
Williams, John Ehiguese,
Elizabeth Osho and others.
The event was hosted by the
duo of media personalities,
Toke Makinwa and Ebuka
Obi-Uchendu.
Speaking on the new season,
OffAir co-host, Gbemi Olateru
Olagbegi said, ”We started this as
an off-shoot of our radio shows and
we’re pretty excited to see where this
journey takes us. OffAir is a unique
podcast, as it is not just audio content
but an audiovisual talk show
available to our fans across various
platforms.
Flavour, Ice Prince, and more
top Nigerian celebrities.
Monde Twala and Craig
Paterson who both take on the
reins as co-General Managers
for ViacomCBS Networks
Africa in March as Senior Vice
President for Editorial VCN
and Senior Vice President VCN,
respectively, also joined in the
commemorations.
Alex Okosi is a graduate of St
Michael’s College, Vermont, where
Toolz, Gbemi promise no
holds bar approach in The
Second Season Of ‘OffAir’
We get to talk about the usual
things we would gist about as girls
and our fans are always ever ready
to listen to us. We’re grateful to be
able to engage in such
conversations that not only entertain
them but inform and educate them”.
“This new season will bring with
it more gist and topics we’re
unafraid to talk about. The OffAir
gang is growing and our signature
slangs like ‘Should I Talk It’ are all
the rave. We owe that to our fans and
lovers of the show. We can’t thank
them enough,” OffAir co-host, Tolu
‘Toolz’ Oniru-Demerun added.
OffAir is one of the rare examples
of radio personalities responding to
an organic demand for specific
content and leveraging that content
to build a secondary independent
brand. Gbemi and Toolz have shows
that follow each other on their time
slots at Beat FM and as a joke, they
began to do a ‘handover’ show where
they would banter and discuss
various topics.
With an impressive first season
and the official announcement for
their second season, Gbemi and
Toolz are developing the next phases
of their careers.
Zlatan, Teni on show as Christopher emerges ‘King of Street Food’
up by her parents, serves up nkwobi,
pepper soup and isi-ewu at their joint;
and Soma Ofada By Oluwaseyi Gunre,
who claims to serve the best Ofada rice
and sauce.
In what was their final task, the
contestants were given 30 minutes to
prepare any dish of their choice, under
the supervision of the judges; Etteh
Assam popularly known as Chef Etteh,
one of the top street food and grill chefs
with over 18 years of experience;
Adetomi ‘Imoteda’ Aladeokomo
popularly known as Chef Imoteda is a
Nigerian Chef and co-owner of Eko
Street Eat, a company that specialises
in bringing innovative twists to
Nigerian street food and finally
Adedamola “AskDamz” Ladejobi, a
certified Personal Nutritionist and
Weight loss expert.
In the end, Christopher Omowa
emerged the winner and was presented
with a cash prize of N1,000,000 and
other gift items from the sponsors. The
first runner up got N500,000, while the
second runner-up got N200,000.
Meanwhile, all the 13 finalists will get
their workplace renovated by the
organisers.
Speaking at the event, the CEO of
Macima Media Group, owners of
FoodBay TV, Femi Ogundoro observed
that food is big everywhere in the
world, adding that nothing stops it
being bigger in Nigeria.
“With over 200,000,000 people,
diverse cultures and tribes, why
won’t food be bigger in Nigeria? One
thing that can bring us together,
either as African or Nigerians, is
actually food. The challenge is that the
government and international
organisations are talking about food
in a way the consumers do not
understand. They talk about food
security, they talk about agriculture…
it is still food. That’s what we stand for
as FoodBay TV, which is a 24-hour
channel to be launched very soon. We
are focused on getting the best of food
and putting African food on the world
he graduated
magna cum laude with a
double major in Business
T
•Rita Dominic and
others for Alex Okosi
he popular reality dating show,
Hello Mr. Right sponsored by
Bedmate, one of the top furniture
companies in Nigeria and produced
by StarTimes Nigeria have crowned
Ataene-Spurgeon Hope and Patrick
Nonso Igboanugo as winner and the
1 st runner up respectively, of the
‘Hello Mr. Right Naija’ reality TV
dating game show in Nigeria.
The show which lasted for 12
weeks and anchored by Big Brother
Naija 2017 contestant Uriel Oputa
and comedian/actor, Emma Oh!, was
considered as a perfect
entertainment show that portrays
love, understanding, and
Administration and
Economics bids ViacomCBS adieu
after almost 2 decades at the helm
of different roles including BET
International at the global company.
Winners emerge in ‘Hello
Mr Right’ reality TV show
•Teni during the presentation of cheque
food map.”
The event took place at the Eagles
Club, Sururlere, Lagos, the grand finale
and was hosted by OAP Dotun and
Soliat Bada, while the duo of Zlatan
and Teni, treated the excited crowd to
the best of their recordings. It was cheers
all the way, as the artistes belted songs
from their rich repertoires.
togetherness among the contestants.
Speaking at the prize
presentation ceremony at the
Corporate Head office of StarTimes
in Lagos, The Chief Operating
Officer StarTimes Nigeria, Mr.
Tunde Aina noted that “This is the
first season of the show in Nigeria
as it enjoys massive viewership in
other African countries like; Kenya
and Zambia. We want to assure
Nigerians that the success of the first
season in Nigeria will motivate us
to do more yearly and we hope it
gets bigger and better.
Commenting on the initiative,
Aina noted that “the show tends to
bring out the issues affecting us in
choosing a life partner and
having a wrong
idea of
t h e
qualities
o u r
partner
should
possess.
T h i s
s h o w
helps
project the
insights
and open
discussions
f o r
everyone to
learn a thing
or two.
” T h e
reality dating
show recorded huge success
and this is as a result of hard work,
commitment and dedication from all
parties that have contributed
immensely to the show. The result
speaks for itself.” He said.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—21
By Florence Amagiya
Dr. Briskila Okafor Emefesi is a Chief lecturer
in Bauchi State College of Agriculture in Bauchi
State. a Reverend’s wife, a pastor, the Owner of an
NGO and a consultant to many NGOs in Nigeria.
She is the Initiator and President of Women Achievers
Organisation; where she mentors young women and
mothers. She is also a mother of 4 beautiful
children. In this interview, she talks about living
in the Northern part of Nigeria, who
should be a wife, her latest book
and many more.
Excerpts...
How have you been
able to juggle
between being a
mum, a lecturer, a pastor
and a Reverend’s
wife?
To be honest with you, it’s
just been the grace of God.
Not really easy but my
strength has always been
from within, a determination
to go forward despite
all odds. First of all, I
prioritize my programmes,
projects and
dreams in my life. I give
God the first place, followed
by my family, third
on the list is my career and
lastly the Ministry and
NGO. I schedule each day
and plan for each without
compromising. I
have developed a coping
mechanism for
my life.
Did you know
you will end up
serving in the
capacity of a
pastor?
Not at all. I had
the call of God
early in my life
when I was still in
secondary School
and was deeply involved
in serving
God from my
early age, but I
didn’t know that I
would one day be a
pastor or even
married to a Reverend.
Although,
as I was growing, I knew the
importance of asking God for a
thing. So I asked God to do the
following things for me in order
of preference. To grow spiritually,
an advancement in my
educational status, to give me
a husband who loves God and
will help me to serve God better.
Amazingly, God answered
those entire request one after
the other.
How did you meet your
husband?
I met my husband in the
Higher Institution. He was my
lecturer. He was my lecturer
while l was doing my first degree
programme. I met him
again after school; while l had
joined the Ministry he was
serving with and that was
when the proposal came. I
prayed about it and received
a confirmation.
What were the challenges
you faced in childhood?
My childhood was not a bed of
roses, but of thorns too. My parents
were farmers with eight
children to cater for. I was the
sixth child. When I was about
seven years old; my elder sister
who just got married asked my
parents to allow me stays with
her so I can assist her with some
house chores. So I stayed with
her in Bauchi for over six years.
I started my primary school
and completed it while I was
with her. The responsibility of
my schooling was sorely hers
until I started my A level and
then degree programme. At the
A level stage, the responsibility
became a shared responsibility
for my brothers and sisters. I
didn’t get exactly what I
wanted, but my needs were
met. I didn’t expect much from
Dr. Briskila Okafor Emefesi
my own parents because they
were also looking unto my elder
siblings whom they have suffered
to train. For my parents,
there was no need to differentiate
between a son and a daughter
in terms of need for education.
They treated us equally.
What else would you like to
accomplish if given the opportunity?
I would like to have a rehabilitation
centre where young
women particularly single ladies
would be trained in different
life skills and groomed to
face the challenges of the 21st
century, regardless of what
they have been through in life.
A rehab facility where the
abandoned/rejected, drug addicts,
victims of trafficking and
frustrated would be given a
shelter and hope and trained in
various skills until they find
their feet standing. I would like
to train at least 200 young
women each year across Nigeria
with a headquarter in a
satellite city like Abuja and I
would choose Abuja because of
its easy access to all.
With all you do and planning
to do; how do you manage
the home front?
It has been very easy for me
because I have an understanding
husband who knows all my
activities and programmes. I do
the cooking alongside my children.
I don’t have a house help
because I don’t need any. I have
never employed any nurse for
any of my children. My husband
and I nursed them to nursery
class. Surprisingly, my
third child was conceived while
I was in the second year for my
masters degree. I wrote my papers
just a week after delivery.
My fourth child was conceived
while I was writing my phD thesis.
I was almost denied boarding
the plane from Lagos to
Cameron for defense of my thesis
but God intervened and the
authorities allowed me to go after
signing some papers. At
work, I have risen to the rank of
a chief lecturer along with my
male colleagues without any
gap or indication that I am a female.
In fact my NGO’s involvement
has brought blessings to
some of them because they have
benefited in serving with the
NGO as part of their community
development activities.
All these would not have been
possible, but because my husband’s
ministry work has been
flexible, it became possible. I
make sure he and the children
have enough food to eat each
day before I step out to work and
I go to office confident that my
family is okay. Then all through
the day I keep in touch with
everyone at home.
What part of life would you
like to change if given the
opportunity?
I would like to see thousands of
young women’s lives transformed.
Particularly, the destitute,
abandoned/rejected young
ladies, frustrated and drug addicts
who have lost hope in life;
to give them a future through
training in life skills so they can
be useful in different aspects of
life such as getting involved in
the educational, political, economic,
social welfare and of
course religious sectors of human
life.
What has life taught you?
Life has taught me to be grateful
to God for who I am and what
home
A good
makes a great nation
—Don
I have, because millions of people
want to be where I am and
want to have what I have.
So, while you remain grateful
to God, remember the
vulnerable group; the less
privileged. They need our
support to survive and
advance in life. It is an
honourable venture to
leave a legacy behind
while we are here on
earth. So people can
always remember
you for doing well
to them not evil after
you are gone.
And you will also
have your reward
in heaven because
you did it unto
Christ, not man.
Your husband is
from the Eastern
part of Nigeria, how
have you coped with
the different cultures, the
dishes and traditions?
It has been real fun to me exploring
one another’s traditions
and dishes. We kept exploring
the best dishes that suit our
family and after 25 years of
marriage, we have certain
dishes from the two traditions
that we have all accepted and
are comfortable with as a family.
While the unacceptable ones
remain silent in our menus. I
have certain dishes I like so
much from my husband’s tradition
like the soaps in particular.
I have learned to make
them and I’m still learning new
ones. For our children, they like
some northern soaps like
groundnut soap and Masa. My
in-laws have been wonderful
and supportive of our marriage.
Some of them call me
“mummy” their parents are
already late and my husband
is the eldest child in the family.
Some of them have stayed in the
north so they like northern delicacies
like suya and Masa. I prepare
eastern dishes for them
most times but they always tell
me they want to explore northern
dishes too. I have a cordial
relationship with them because
I see them as part of me.
What is life like living in
the north?
So, I wrote this
book to the singles;
so that
they will have
a guide on how
to choose their
future marriage
partners
in order to
avoid the
many mistakes
in many marriages
that couples
make
It takes a lot of determination
to survive in the north economically
and spiritually. Most religious
crisis emanates from the
north. Spiritually you must
have been convicted beyond
reasonable doubt that you want
to serve Jesus Christ sincerely
otherwise one is likely to compromise
one’s faith in order to
“belong” and be given your
right to be elected and appointed
positions in the public
sector. Economically, many
states depend mainly on salaries,
so it affects the business of
many people including myself
because many customers collect
items on credit from shops
waiting for end of the month to
pay for the items collected. Besides,
people now live according
to their religion; the Muslim
settlement and the Christian
settlement and this affects locations
of people’s business as
well.
How have you faired in
handling ministry and
home?
My home comes first before
any other thing in my life. God
leads me on what to do each day
of my life as I face each day. It’s
been God’s grace and mercy on
me all along.
Why the book “before you
say I do”?
I wanted to fill the gap in
reaching out to families. When
we address family issues; we
usually pay more attention on
husband and wife neglecting
the products of the marriage
which forms the future of their
families. So, I wrote this book to
the singles; so that they will
have a guide on how to choose
their future marriage partners
in order to avoid the many mistakes
in many marriages that
couples make.
There are many problems
in many marriages today; is
there a way out of them and
what do you think can be
done to help tackle these
problems?
We have a lot of issues making
so many couples to have difficulties
living together. But
there are ways of solving these
issues as I have come to discover.
And that is the reason
why we are soliciting to well
meaning individuals or groups
and organizations to give us a
chance to prove a well- thought
dream by supporting us to build
a centre to achieve this purpose.
Having it in mind that a good
home makes a great nation.
What is your advice to
would- be wives?
Marriage is not for girls. It’s for
those who are economically,
socially, emotionally and spiritually
matured. Don’t rush
into marriage because you are
of age; it takes more than of age
to be married and stay married.
Take your time to make the
right choice of a life partner and
if you are already in it; be rational
and patient in handing
issues that would arise in your
marriage. Above all, fear God
in whatever you are doing because
you are accountable to
God in issues that concern your
marriage.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Former Mines and Steel Minister’s son weds
R-L: Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Mrs. Funso Amosun, Alhaji Tunji Isola,
couple, Alhaja Isola and others.
Abdulkabir Isola,
son of former
Minister of Mines
and Steel Development,
Tunji Isola recently
wedded Miss Amirah
Eniola Sanni, daughter
of Alhaji Kunle Sanni.
The wedding took place
at University of Ibadan
Community Hall, Ibadan,
Oyo State. It was graced
by prominent
personalities in the
State. Photos by Wunmi
Akinola
At t the Rotar
tary y Foundation
District 911
110 0 Dinner and
Dance 2020 in Lagos
L-R:Engr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins,Lagos State
Hon Commissioner for Special duties, Prof
Tokunbo Akeredolu; Dr Jide Akeredolu, District
Governor, Rotary Club District 9110 and Engr
Gbolahan Ayodele,Chairman Organising
Committe
Both Parents (R-L): Alhaji and Alhaja Tunji Isola
with Alhaji and Alhaja Kunle Sanni.
L-R: Olori Tokunbo Gbadebo; Alake of Egbaland,
Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; Agura of Gbagura, Oba
Sabuir Bakree; Olori Bolanle Bakaree; Osile Oke
Ona, Egba, Dapo Tejuoso; Olori Omolara Yetunde
and Olubisi Tejuoso.
L-R:Past District Governor, Rotn. Pat Ikheloa;PDG
Micheal Olawale-Cole and Rotn. Remi
Bello,District Governor Nominee.
L-R:Former Mines & Steel Minister, Alhaji Tunji
Isola, Couple and Alhaji Kunle Sanni, handing
Amirah to Alhaji Tunji Isola.
Officiating Ulamas in a cross section
L-R:Rotn. Gbenga Ismail, Hairat Ade Balogun,
past president, Rotary Club of Lagos; Rotn. Akin
Omooseparo; Rotn. Omotunde Lawson, District
Governor nominee and Rotn. Busola Satuyi
Ogudu Rotar
tary Club holds vaccination project
On the 25th of January, The Rotary Club of Ogudu GRA, Rotaract Club of Lasucom, and Healthdrive
Nigeria all in partnership conducted a Hepatitis B screening and vaccination project at the Lagos
State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). About 200 people were screened and 174 people
were given the first dose of the Hepatitis B Vaccine. The screening was free while the Vaccination
was at a subsidized rate.
L-R: President Vivian Ohaeri, Rotn. Bala Yesufu
and a guest.
Participants at the event.
A cross section of members of Rotary Club of
Ogudu.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—23
08116759759
he “world’s hottest gran”
Thas just turned 49.
And Gina Stewart decided to
mark the occasion in style. She
celebrated her birthday by
jetskiing through shark-infested
waters.
In an interview with Daily Star
Online, the bombshell described the
experience as an exhilarating one.
Gina said: “I had a great day. “I
thought I would do something
different so I sat for my jetski licence
on my birthday and I bought myself
a jetski.
“I only just found out where I live on
Gold Coast there are plenty of bull
sharks in the waterways and canals.
“It is a bit confronting but I love the
water, freedom and sunshine that I
feel out on the water. “It’s amazing
how good it feels.”
Gina’s jetskiing adventure is proof
her youthful side is very much there.
And to ensure it doesn’t go
anywhere, the Maxim model works
hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
She said: “I still feel young inside and
as I’m getting older I’m more aware
of the food that I eat and how to look
after myself better.
“I always protect my skin from the
Bat curry sales booming despite fears coronavirus
came from winged creatures
arket traders in Indonesia
Mhave said sales of bats
continue despite the World Health
Organisation confirming the flying
mammals are the origin of the virus
Bat curry sales are booming
despite scientists fearing
coronavirus originated from the
cave-dwelling creatures, market
traders said.
Scientists have linked bats to the
coronavirus, suggesting the killer
disease may have originated in the
mammals before eventually passing
to humans.
Viruses passing from animals to
humans are particularly dangerous
as our bodies do not have the
antibodies to fight back.
Bats have been linked since the
beginning of the outbreak as
pictures emerged of them being sold
at markets in China.
And despite the virus spreading
worldwide and infecting more than
45,000 people, market traders in
Indonesia have said sales of bats
and bat curry continue.
Bats are traditionally eaten by the
Minahasan people from North
Sulawesi in the form of a curry-like
dish called Paniki.
Whole bats are used in Paniki,
including the head and wings.
World’s
hottest
gran marks
49th
birthday
by jetskiing
in shark
infested
waters
Market trader Stenly
Timbuleng, from Tomohon,
said he is still selling up to
60 bats every single day.
And during festive
periods, he claims he can
sell up to 600 of the
creatures.
Timbuleng sad: “[The
coronavirus] has not
affected sales. In fact... sales
continue.
“It is always sold out.”
Glands from the armpits
and the neck of the bat are
first removed to get rid of the bad
smell.
It is then grilled or torched to get
rid of the bat’s hairs before being
chopped and cooked in a stew of
herbs, spices and coconut milk.
Indonesian culinary expert
William Wings said: “Bats are the
favourite indigenous protein,
particularly in North Sulawesi.
“My favourite part is the wings.”
Coronavirus has been reported in
25 countries worldwide and has so
far killed more than 1,000 people.
The virus has not yet been reported
in Indonesia however, and some
Manadonese restaurants have
responded by taking bat off the
menu in the capital Jakarta.
World Health Organisation
officials have said the coronavirus
likely originated form bats before
jumping to an “intermediate host”
– and then infecting humans.
Dr. Sylvie Briand said tests are still
being run on various animals, but
they have not yet found the missing
link in the infection chain.
She added WHO officials “didn’t
find so many bats” at the market in
Wuhan believed to be
the epicentre of the
outbreak.
SARS – the virus that
emerged in 2002
killing 800 people
worldwide – is
believed to have
originated in bats
before passing to cats
and then humans.
Indonesian bat fan
Jufry Mantak
explained despite the
threat of coronavirus,
he still loves to tuck into his
favourite dish.
He said: “We have not found any
[coronavirus] cases in Manado.
“Up till now, there are still many
people eating these bats.
“Because bats are good, especially
when cooked with coconut milk.”
Coronavirus continues to spread as
the WHO today branded it a bigger
threat than terrorism.
The virus’ insidious lengthy
incubation period is meaning it can
be hard to catch cases before they
have already passed it on to others.
It then develops into a fever and
dry cough which can prove fatal.
One man killed himself over fears
of the Coronavirus in India in a bid
to try and protect his family from
the infection.
sun and moisturise daily. “I firmly
believe in hydration – drinking water,
no soft drinks, alcohol or coffee.”
Clean eating also helps Gina to
turn back the clock. She explained:
“I’m completely gluten free.
“I love vegetables and eat white
meat – fish or poultry. “I rarely eat
pizza, pasta or bread.
“I juice celery each day and eat
two punnets of blueberries daily.
“They are my beauty foods.”
Gina’s next birthday will be her
50th, which is a daunting milestone
for many. Despite this, the famous
gran isn’t dreading her next
celebration.
She added: “I believe in positive
thinking without stressing.
“Everything always changes so don’t
dwell on things too much.”
Man who wrongly thought he had coronavirus
kills himself to protect his family
amed as 50-year-old Balakrishnayya, the man feared he would
Npass on the virus to his family and to those living in the village of
Srikalahasti in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
A man who wrongly thought he had coronavirus killed himself to protect
his family, according to reports.
Named as 50-year-old Balakrishnayya, the man feared he would pass on
the virus to his family and to those living in the village of Srikalahasti in the
Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Despite not having the virus, Balakrishnayya was convinced he was
infected after visiting a local hospital with a heart ailment and being told
by medics to wear a mask as he showed signs of a cold.
His family members tried to convince him he was not suffering from the
virus, which has now killed over 1,000 people, but he was convinced
otherwise.
His son Balamurali said: “He had gone to hospital for checkup regarding
heart ailment. The doctors told him to use a mask.... he misunderstood
and thought he was infected with coronavirus.”
Balamurali said his father searched symptoms of the virus online
and was convinced those matched what he was suffering with.
But Balakrishnayya took the drastic action to hang himself outside
the family home after locking his family inside, NDTV reports.
The virus has no infected people in over 20 countries and killed more
than 1,000 in China.
Three cases of coronavirus were reported in Kerala, India, last month.
As of Tuesday evening, a total of 1,358 people have been tested for
coronavirus in the UK, of whom 1,350 were confirmed negative and eight
positive, the Department of Health said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the new strain of
coronavirus is to be called Covid-19.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister praised the response of the NHS
and said anyone concerned should “simply follow their advice”.
Speaking in Birmingham, Boris Johnson said: “We are a great
country, we have got a fantastic NHS, we have got fantastic doctors
and advice, and they should simply take the advice of the NHS.
“People have every reason to be confident and calm about all that
kind of thing ... all the coronavirus, and any threats from disease.”
It came as Steve Walsh, the businessman at the centre of the UK outbreak
of Covid-19, thanked the NHS for his treatment and said he is “fully
recovered”.
The 53-year-old,
from Hove in East
Sussex, who is still in
quarantine at St
Thomas’ Hospital in
London, picked up
coronavirus while at
a conference in
Singapore.
On his way back to
the UK, he stopped off
for several days at a
French ski chalet,
where five Britons
were subsequently
infected.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
•Beaten for missing N500
•Maid allegedly
brutalized by Pastor's wife
By Evelyn Usman
It is not difficult to spot them from other
children, wherever they are found. The
privileged few among them attend
public schools, with their uniforms
patched in different places and most
times, barefooted. If they manage to put on
foot wears, such, would be glaringly begging
to be replaced.
They are the first to wake up in their homes.
Yet, they go late to school because they have
to finish piled up domestic chores. Some
of them are never with text books and when
they return home , they never have time to
do their home work , except at midnight night,
when other members of the family would be
sleeping . This is because they have to continue
from where they stopped with the household
chores .
For others who never had the privilege of
going to school, they are stuck at home with
unending chores as well as taking care of
children of their busy bosses. They are treated
as slaves: wearing rags, eating leftovers or
once a day. Even when they are given food ,
it is rationed and they are never allowed to eat
when other members of the family are eating,
as they are always the last to eat and when
they are allowed to, they eat in the kitchen or
at a corner of the house . Some of them are
never allowed to watch television, rather they
sneak to do so but when caught, they get
beaten. During bed time, they are the last to
sleep and when they do, they snuggle at a
corner or in the kitchen .
This aptly describes the state of a good
percentage of housemaids in Nigeria. Some
of these house helps are taken against their
will from their parents , at tender ages, when
they are yet to be tutored on the nitty- gritty of
house keeping.
Those in villages, usually express joy
on the planned trip to big cities, with the hope
of having brighter future than their
counterparts back home. But reality dawns
on them as they are turned into glorified slaves
on reaching their new homes.
Poverty
Findings revealed that most parents release
their children to relatives and people they do
not know, due to their impoverished states,
as a result of which they are unable to feed or
send their children to school. Some of these
maids who are almostly found in every home
in Nigeria, were reluctantly given out by
their widowed mothers, while others are
victims of human trafficking, whose parents
fell prey to deceit of agents who promised
their children better living condition .
Today, many of them: both male and female,
have tales of horror to share, that is, for
those who survived the ordeal. Sadly, some,
who could not withstand the attendant
torture, died, in the hands of those they looked
up to as helpers of destiny.
Eight-yr-old maid beaten to death
One of them was Eight-year-old Miracle,
who was beaten to death by her madam, Oby,
in Lagos, on May 20, 2017. The suspect who
was pregnant with her third child , was arrested
by policemen attached to Isolo division, while
she was on her way to dispose of the corpse.
Late Miracle, as gathered, was brought from
the village alongside one Chinacherem , when
she was just six years old.
The suspect was said to have stopped them
from going to school and always descended
on them at the slightest provocation.
Neighbors who spoke with this writer then,
said that the girls usually woke up by 4.30am,
while Oby , and her children would still be in
bed. That fateful Saturday, neigbours said
they heard the little girl’s usual cry but none
•Battered and driven out of the
house as madam accused her of
mocking her with bareness
WICKED!
Maids as glorified
slaves in Nigeria
•Killed, maimed, disfigured for life , at will
could go for her help because such action had
been greeted with quarrels.
During interrogation, Oby denied
culpability, stating rather that Miracle died
during a fight with Chinacherem. Upon
further interrogation, Chinamerem, blew the
lid by revealing to the Police how her
companion in slavery was killed and how she
was brain washed into admitting that she died
during a fight with her.
Another 10yr old tortured to death
Another victim was 10-year-old Joy, who was
also beaten to death in Ikorodu, Lagos State,
in December , 2016.
Her madam who doubled as her assailant
reportedly started beating her that fateful
December 19, at 3am, until she collapsed in
her apartment on Bolanle Oduniyi street, in
Okegbegun community, where she lived with
her husband and three children,
Favour’s corpse was deposited at the
Ikorodu General Hospital morgue by her
guardian. But one of the doctors who noticed
marks of violence on her body, alerted
policemen at the Shagamu Road division,
who subsequently arrested her assailant
identified simply as Alapa.
Sexual abuse
In some cases, these maids, especially
the females, are subjected to sexual abuse by
their male bosses. They are used as sex toys
and available replacements for their bosses’
wives. These shameless men would creep out
of their beds to meet the maids: be they
underaged,at their corners, penetrate them and
at the same time issuing stern warning to them
to keep sealed lips or be thrown out of the
house.
Physical violence
They are also subjected to physical violence
by their guardians, which leaves indelible
scars on them. One of such victims was fiveyear-old
boy, Seun, whose mother died while
giving birth to his younger sister. At age four,
he was taken to a relative’s place in Delta
state, as he was considered too tender for his
father to take care of. By the time he was seen
a year after, he looked a shadow of his
bubbling self , with marks of violence all over
him.
Hot pressing iron attack
In March 2018, a 10-year-old maid who
escaped death by the whiskers was rescued
from her guardian who attacked her with hot
pressing iron, in Lagos. . The victim was
reportedly brought to Lagos, two months
earlier, from her indigent widowed mother in
Umuoju Ngwu area of Abia State.
The maid also had burns she claimed to
have sustained from a steaming hot water
allegedly poured on her by her boss, Mrs
Ngwu, a mother of four. Her offence? Her
guardian accused her of beating her children.
During an encounter with her then, she
narrated in tears how life became a living
hell as her boss, who she referred to as mummy,
battered her at the slightest provocation.
This writer was informed that neighbours
informed Ngwu, that her children usually
cried whenever she was away. While trying to
force the truth out of the maid on why her
children cried on her absence , Ngwu was
alleged to have placed a hot pressing iron on
the maid’s hands and legs. Not done, she was
alleged to have poured hot water on her too.
The following day, the maid, was seen taking
her guardian’s children to school, with the
untreated burns. Some concerned women
reported the case to the Police, consequent
upon which Ngwu was arrested.
Pastor’s wife too?
Five months later, wife of a Pastor, Ezine was arrested
in Imo State for maltreating her maid. Her arrest was
first effected by neighbours who were moved to tears
on seeing the malnourished maid, with swollen blood
stained eyes.
Provocation
A week earlier, another woman, Ogedegbe, was
arrested in Anthony Village , for allegedly brutalizing
her maid, Favour . The maid’s father as gathered,
gave her to one of his relations who had no child,
believing that her presence in the house would bring
one.
But barely had she settled in her new home than she
began to go through untold torture. Residents alleged
that she was found on the street, with blood all over
her. When questioned, she disclosed that she ran out of
the house because she was unable to withstand the
beating. When queried, her uncle’s wife claimed that
the teenager made mockery of her barren state.
The maid was taken to the Ministry of Youths and
Social Development, where she was taken into custody,
as she refused to go back to her guardians.
Police woman too
One of the cases of brutality on a maid was carried
out by a policewoman in Bayelsa State, two years ago.
One would have expected that as a law enforcement
agent , the accused should have known better.
In this case, she allegedly poured hot water on her
15-year-old maid,Chinyere Igwe, who hails from
Igbere in Bende local government area of Abia, for
wrongfully applying condiments in a pot of soup. Her
action prompted the Eboyi State Governor’s wife to
call for her immediate arrest
Report had it that officials of the State Ministry of
Women Affairs and Social Development rescued the
girl from the policewoman at her home in Mile 50,
Abakaliki.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—25
Money ritual: It took me 3hrs to get
fresh human head from grave – suspect
•Victim of hot iron
•Lecturer's battered maid
•Maid whose madam poured hot
water on over allegation that she
was sleeping with her husband
•Battered maid
By Evelyn Usman
etectives of the Zonal Intervention Squad, ZIS
Da tactical crime busting unit of the Zone 2
Command, Onikan Lagos, have arrested three men
who invaded a grave in Ewekoro area of Ogun State,
dug out a corpse and severed the head for money
rituals.
However, during interrogation, two of the suspects:
Samson Erinle, 25 and Taiwo Erinle, 23, both
cousins, stated that suspected mastermind of the
sacrilegious act, Soremi Waidi , 25, visited the grave
alone..
Genesis of their deed was traced to when Waidi
stumbled on one of his late father’s work books. By
the way, his late father was said to be a popular
herbalist.
Unable to read the work book which was written in
Arabics, Waidi, said he gave it to one of his friends,
Samson ,who had just concluded his Islamic studies
and is also a Muslim Cleric popularly called Alfa.
The Plan
Samson, was said to have stumbled on an aspect
that talked about money making ritual but concealed
it, until the corpse of one of the indigenes was brought
home for burial on January 20, 2020.
Narrating how the plan was hatched, Waidi, the
alleged mastermind, said, “ When the corpse of
Taiwo Mesioye, was brought home for burial, three
of us attended. Alfa called Samson and I aside and
informed us that part of what was written in Arabic on
my late father’s work book was how to make money
rituals. He told us to use the opportunity at hand to
experiment what was in the book. He said all we
needed was a fresh human head. We all agreed to
look for way to dig Mesioye”s corpse out of the grave
and severe the head, since it was still fresh”, he said
Invasion
While the trio left the burial ground for their
respective homes, Waidi, said he decided to visit the
grave that night.
Hear him: “ After everyone had retired , I waited
until 12 midnight before going to the grave side of
Mesioye. I dug out the corpse and cut off the head. It
took me three hours to conclude the work. I started by
•The
suspects
with
severed
head
12 midnight and finished 3am. I kept the head inside
a bag , covered the grave and quietly left there.
“ I took the severed head to the Town masquerade
shrine which was deliberately left open by my cousin,
Taiwo(his partner in crime). His father is the
custodian of the shrine”, he said.
As he walked home, he said he started imagining
what he would do if he became rich.
Exposed
But he was never given an opportunity to see his
imagination turn into reality, following his arrest and
those of his cohorts.
Crime Guard gathered that when it was dawn, one
of the bereaved family members raised the alarm that
the grave had been visited by intruders whom he
suspected could have tampered with the corpse.
He was said to have immediately alerted the
traditional head of the community who summoned a
meeting, where everyone was told to ask members of
his families if they had hand in the act before other
means would be explored..
However, Waidi , Taiwo and Samson were said to
have been absent at the meeting. Suspecting their
disappearance , the Police were invited, consequent
upon which they were arrested at their hiding place.
Police sources hinted that the suspects would be
charged to court at the end of investigation.
•Injured by female lawyer
Narrating what happened, the maid said ,
“I have been living with my madam for over
two years. This is because after my father’s
death, my poor mother asked me to work as a
maid in order to get money to go to school.
“ My madam poured a pot of soup on me
. She hit me with an iron, ordered me to bend
down and raise one of my legs up, she locked
me up in a room , went to boil water which
she threatened to pour on me. She went
inside, got her tear gas canister and as I was
begging her to forgive me she rushed to get
the hot water and poured it on me”.
Female lawyer
In December 2017, a female lawyer was
arrested by the Lagos State Police Command
, over alleged incessant abuse on her
housemaid.
Arrest of the lawyer identified as Tolu Ola,
followed directive from the then command
boss, Imohimi Edgal, upon seeing picture of
the victim with a deep cut on her fore head, on
the internet.
The CP who wondered why one who knew
the legal implication of such action could
indulge in such, vowed to use her as deterrent
to other women who treat maids like piece
of rags.
Female banker
Again, in January 2018, the Lagos State
Police Command arrested a woman who
locked her maid inside an apartment in
Mafoluku area of Lagos.
In this case, then Commissioner of Police,
CP Edgal Imohimi, personally went for the
11- year-old maid , Precious Nwafor’s rescue,
following complaint of ill treatment by
neighbours. The suspect, Nkechiyere
Nwajagun, a banker , admitted to have locked
Precious inside the apartment but was quick
to add that it was only between the time she
went to work and returned.
Traumatised
Her name is Peace Goewam. But her living
•Beaten for not washing plates
•Arrested for locking
maid inside room
condition was a sharp contrast of her
name. First, she was taken away from
her parents’ home in Plateau State, at
age six, without any inkling of where
she was going to, or what she was going
to meet there.
In December last year, a video of her
being dragged out of a vehicle and
thrown up, only to land on the bare floor
, went viral on social media. In the clip,
she was seen getting up immediately
out of fear and ran towards the gate in
a bid to escape her guardian’s wrath,
not caring to know if she sustained injury
or not. Her offence? Her guardian, Mrs
Ortolehi, from Ngor-Okpala, Imo
State, accused her of making her
toddler to cry. The video clip further
showed another woman, probably a
neighbour, reprimanding her ,for being
rash and at the same time begged on
her maid’s behalf. But she paid less
attention to the intruder. Rather, she
ordered the frightened girl to come into the car. And like an
obedient servant, she quietly walked into the car, with
her hands on her head, unsure of the magnitude of
battering she would receive from her guardian.
It took the intervention of the Commissioner of
Police, Enugu State Police Command , CP Ahmad
AbdurRahman, to rescue the girl, as he he ordered
the command’s s technical officers which
included the Anti-Terrorism, Anti Cultism and
Anti Kidnap ,to comb the nooks and crannies of
the state for the woman and the child.
Hot water attack
Again, in August 2016, nine-year-old Chiwendu
Precious , got more than what she bargained from
her madam, one Ifeoma, who poured steaming hot water
on her , in Alagbado area of Lagos.
Though she survived the attack but she is still living
with the burns scare.
The ugly incident which sparked up reactions from
different quarters , when picture of the injured maid on
the hospital bed went viral, happened on Sunday,
December 27, 2015.
Another pathetic case was that of a maid identified
simply as Justina. In her case, her guardian allegedly
used a saw to cut her hand , in Meiran, Alagbado area
of Lagos state.
Neighbours who heard the pathetic cry of the girl in
the woman’s apartment had rushed to see what was
the problem, only to meet the door to the apartment
locked. By the time they forced it opened, the underage
maid was found bleeding profusely while still doing
some domestic chores.
One of the visibly angry tenants brought the attention
of the Police to the incident.
Attempt to quit
Unable to bear persistent battering, 17-year-old
Blessing , another househelp , informed her boss that
she wanted to leave the house.
But to her shock, her madam,
locked her inside a warehouse
in her building, preventing her
from leaving.
The incident occurred last
November in Isheri area of
Lagos. Residents attempt to
force the the door of the
warehouse open, in order to free
her, failed, until the arrival of
policemen who were contacted.
Her madam, identified simply
as Mary was taken to the station
for questioning.
Relatives involved
Surprisingly, some of these ill
treatment meted on maids are
carried out by their relatives
A vivid instance was the case of
a10-year-old maid who was
locked inside a dog kernel by her
relative identified as Oyinye , last
November .
Video of the boy being led into the dog kernel went
viral consequent upon which the Commissioner of
Police ordered for the woman’s arrest.
During interrogation, the suspect, identified
simply as Oyinye , admittd that the boy was her
cousin.
Further investigation revealed that the victim
lost his parents and was brought to Lagos in 2012
from Anambra State by Onyinye’s mother along
with his two siblings.
Aside maids, some children whose parents are
separated, suffer same fate from wicked
stepmothers. In almost all these cases, women,
are discovered to be responsible for such inhuman
treatment, even when most of them have children
of their own. Most times these women saddle
maids with domestic chores beyond their
capabilities, while their biological children are
treated as princes and princesses.
Child Right
In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Act
to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of
the Child. It was created to serve as a legal
documentation and protection of Children rights
and responsibilities in Nigeria.
The law has three primary purposes among which
is to provide the responsibilities of government
agencies associated with the law and to integrate
children-focused legislation into one comprehensive
law. It also acts as a legislation against human
trafficking as it forbids children from being separated
from their parents against their will, except where it is
in the best interests of the child.
But most Nigerians violate this Act, as they carry on
as thin gods when dealing with maids.
•Madam Nkiru, woman

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
08033039599
frediwenjora@yahoo.com
VICTOR OLAIYA
Things You Never Knew
About Him
• Late Olaiya
• Late Olaiya
By Fred Iwenjora
When news of the death of
veteran highlife music
don, Dr Victor Abimbola
Olaiya OON flew around on
Wednesday, 12 th February 2020 ,
most African music lovers both old
and young who knew him or
familiar with his songs cringed. The
sad news was enough to elicit shock
especially coming just a day after
the news of the death of another
African musical icon, Joseph
Shabalala, founder of Grammy
winning South African acapela
band, LadySmith and Black
Mambazo hit the world.
Those who cringed did so not
because Olaiya did not live to a ripe
age of 89 years but because his
musical legacies and contributions
will forever represent him.
He was contemporary of Roy
Chicago, Rex Lawson, Osita
Osadebe, Eddy Okonta, Baby Face
Paul, Agu Noris and a host of others.
But he outlived them as they have
all long died most in their youths
and middle age.
HIS MUSICIANSHIP
Dissecting the music of Victor
Olaiya places him on a different
class of his own. With his slow tempo
and gravel voice and an
orchestrated horn session, he
released albums upon albums,
singles upon singles, never getting
tired. When he was not recording in
the studio, new collections of his
repertoire were being released,
making him one of the most
commercially viable artistes in
Nigeria
He was very prolific and
proficient in his art. He sang about
love, women, workers and life in
general terms and soon became the
most respected poster boy of the 50s
and 60s. His mastery of his
instrument, the trumpet was
legendary. So was his showmanship
too.
Little wonder he was on hand for
all the Nigerian command
performances including the famous
state visit of Queen Elizabeth 11 to
Nigeria in 1956. Being chosen to
play at state banquets for the
Nigerian independence in 1960 and
in 1963 when the country became a
Republic shows that he was
exemplary. .
One of the biggest pluses for
Olaiya was his ability to sing in many
major Nigerian languages of
English, Yoruba, Igbo (Anyi gana),
Efik and Ibibio (Essien Udoh),
factors that may have caused his
music to become accepted
nationwide with fan base even as
far as Ghana as his collaboration
with then African highlife music
kingpin ET Mensah showed.
To underscore the depth of his
immense talents is to understand
that Olaiya was the only Nigerian
musician who shared stage with
world renowned trumpeter, Louis
Armstrong known to be very
disciplined and thorough when he
performed in Nigeria.
He was also the best choice to
entertain Nigerian troops at the
fronts during the Nigeria civil war.
He also went to Congo to perform
for UN Troops.
His popularity and dexterity with
his instrument; the trumpet
attracted many talented musicians
like Bala Miller, Fela Kuti, ace
drummer Tony Allen and a host of
others.
It also caused veteran
entertainment writer of the then
Daily Times Alade Odunewu of
Allah De fame to describe him as
Evil Genius of highlife music.
LOYALTY IN BUSINESS
The fact that Dr Olaiya remained
with one record label all his life
speaks volumes about his character
and state of mind. He seemed to
have a different temperament as
compared to many of his
contemporaries. Musicians are
known to be eccentric and erratic at
same time. But not Olaiya who was
cool, calm, calculative and serious
minded just as the name of his band;
Cool Cats.
After the release of his first single
Odale Ore issued from Badejo
sound studios, he moved to Philips,
a label in which he followed all the
mergers and acquisition of the
company through the years from
Philips to Polydor(Polygram). He
was still there when it became
Premier music. The company
continued to release Olaiya up until
mid 2000 when it seemed to have
become a free for all and many
international labels have been
making all manner of compilations
and releases.
INTERNATIONAL
RECOGNITION
Despite that he was said never to
have won international honors,
awards recognition, Olaiya had
some noticeable presence in Europe
and US as his many music
• Late Olaiya
collections distributed by many
international record labels
including Philips in the Netherlands
touched many highlife music lovers
worldwide and continued to
provide royalties.
This also earned him a
performance at the International
Jazz Festival in Prague representing
Nigeria in 1963.
Since 2003, more of his CDs have
hit the international market with
reckless abandon.
FAME AND FORTUNE
Fortune also trailed Olaiya and
his fame through music. He built
the then famous Stadium Hotel
where he rehearsed and performed
with his band at weekends.
There are a set of houses and
properties on Victor Olaiya street
in Aguda, Surulere, Lagos owned by
him.
There were times in Nigeria when
Olaiya was the major supplier of
musical equipment in Nigeria as a
whole.
It was an overall character of
excellence that made him the most
important and successful musician
of the time recognized by Federal
Government of Nigeria.
All these accomplishments made
Nigerians very livid a few years back
when a certain LGA Chairman
threatened to rename the street he
first developed.
HUMAN
RIGHTS ADOVCATE
AT HEART
Aside from his devotion to his
music, Dr Olaiya was worried about
the issues of rights and privileges of
the down trodden. He was at a time,
President of the Nigeria Union of
musicians.
Professor of ethnomusicology
Taiwo Ogunade, formerly of the
National Theatre during FESTAC
77 recalls how Olaiya had led a
protest to the National Theatre to
challenge the choice of musicians
to represent Nigeria at the festival
of Black arts and culture FESTAC.
Olaiya had seen that the real
musicians were being sidelined for
mediocrity and spoke out in
vehement terms.
ENTER 2BABA
Perhaps what many consider to be
the biggest connection between old
and new generation of Nigerian
highlife music lovers came in 2013
when entertainment and film
director, Afolayan got Tuface
Idibia to duet with Olaiya in a
remix of the all time hit track Baby
Jowo, the love song that continues
to tickle and generate interest with
a first class video in tow. Many see
this as a tonic that will surely keep
Olaiya in our hearts for a very long
time to come
OLAIYA WAS A
LEGENDARY ICON—
BENSON IDONIJE
Veteran of music broadcasting
and journalism in Nigeria Benson
Idonije in a chat says “ Olaiya was a
great trumpeter and singer. He was
a legendary icon of Nigerian music
especially highlife. While I presented
highlife and jazz music
programmes on NBC, his music was
a great part of the programme
alongside that of others like Rex
Lawson, Roy Chicago and the
Rhythm Dandies etc. In my book
This Fela Sef, Olaiya was
conspicuously discussed. Fela
started in his band. He influenced
Fela a lot musically. Some of Fela’s
song structures in his early years
were Olaiya inclined. When we had
the monthly live highlife music
series; Great Highlife Party, Olaiya
featured live in the edition in which
we honored Late Bala Miller. Miller
was also associated with Olaiya. He
played trumpet in his band before
forming his own band.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, , 2020—27
Esosa, a very rich, very
successful power broker and
recently divorced lady, has
this to say about her experience.
“Emma and I were engaged after only
four months of meeting each other
and married within the year. Sadly,
we didn’t make it to our sixth
anniversary.
“We met at one of the state parties
my uncle, a politician, was always
dragging me to with the hope that I
would meet a ‘responsible’ man. I
was already in my mid-twenties with
no prospect of a husband. Emma had
just returned from abroad and he too,
was interested in politics. As luck
would have it, he belonged to the
same political party as my uncle.
Meeting him was like an ordained
event—we just clicked. What was
more, my uncle approved.
“Emma, eventually got a big
political appointment just after we got
married. That was largely to do with
my uncle’s influence. I was inbetween
jobs after my youth service
and wasn’t particularly keen on paid
employment. My uncle, who was now
a big fish in the party, introduced me
to associates who could give me
business. It was him who advised me
not to turn down any offer—that I
could easily pass anything I didn’t
want to other contractors and earn
commission. In the meantime, I just
bumbled along while Emma’s star
kept shining brighter and brighter. I
When you
divorce, you’re
in opposing
camps, looting
the marriage for
spoils of the
war that has
become your
life
The end of a relationship could be
devastating and you may feel you’ll never
get your confidence back, but there are
simple steps you can take to start putting
your life together again. Whether you want
to sob, rage, or crawl under the covers, just
go with it. Denis Knows, a marriage
counsellor, says the first step is “to realize
the awful feelings are not the end of
everything, they are the start of the healing
process. You’ll go through despair, anger,
denial and finally acceptance, but never
fight your feelings.”
When you’re ready—and only you will
know when that is, she advises these
simple steps: Instead of dwelling on how
you didn’t measure up (women generally
blame themselves), do a relationship
postmortem. Ask yourself what worked,
what you loved about him, where the
relationship went wrong, what you would
do differently and what your priorities are
now. Isolating what you want from a partner
makes you less likely to repeat old patterns
and gives your next relationship a better
chance of success.
Get some perspective: It’s not the whole
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
When it’s husband who
takes wife to cleaners!
was getting a bit frustrated waiting
for these promised contracts when
they suddenly started falling like
dead flies from the wall. Within a
couple of years, I was rich beyond
my wildest dreams and this changed
my life for the better, investing me
with new found confidence and
happiness. By now, it was obvious
that neither of us was the person we
were when we first met. My husband
complained that I was now arrogant
and self-centred and that he felt
emasculated by my lucrative deals.
Was he jealous? He wasn’t making
half as much money as I was and in
spite of the fact that I bent over
backwards to put mouth-watering
meals on the table, he was hostile to
the cook.
“Four years after we got married,
it was obvious we were
both putting on a brave
face, living a lie. We
shared the same
bedroom but we were
lonely and sad. Day after
day, we tried to stay
together simply because
we were married. We
were afraid to throw in
the towel. The shame of
it. We believed we had a
duty to all those guests
who came to our
wedding, to all our
friends who eagerly
wanted to know ‘How’s
married life?’ Well,
married life was now
different. I lost some
weight and acquired a
sophisticated look I was
proud of. My husband
sneered that if he’d
wanted a trophy wife, he
would have married
one a long time ago.
The fact that no child
appeared on the horizon
made things a little
How to get over a broken heart
of you that’s been rejected. Rebuild your
confidence by making a list of the things
you’re good at—for example: you’re a good
parent, a fantastic friend, great at your job
and men find you attractive.
Take small steps: If you’ve become too
frightened or low to go out at night, move
away from your comfort zone slowly. Can’t
face that blind date? Go out with the girls
after work one night. Slowly push back the
boundaries and start to rebuild your
confidence.
Write everything down—it’s very
cathartic: Write your ex a letter outlining
your feelings, but don’t send it. Keep it in
a diary to help track progress. One day,
you’ll look back and wonder why you ever
felt so miserable.
Revamp hour look: There’s nothing like
pampering to restore self-esteem, in fact,
scientists ARISE (Association For Research
Into the Science of Enjoyment) have found
that experiencing pleasure can boost your
immune system and reduce stress
hormones. The key with a make over,
however, is not to make drastic changes you
may regret.
thorny—there were no lies to
prevent us from breaking up. We
had already grown apart before
we’d grown into ourselves and
grown together. “Emma eventually
moved to one of his company’s
guest houses after our fifth
anniversary. It’s often said that the
three most
stressful things we encounter in
life are death, divorce and moving
house. Only divorce combines
elements of the other two: the death
of a marriage and the upheaval of
moving on with your life. In spite
of the fact that the break up was
inevitable, when it finally
happened, my life stood still. I was
bewildered to say the least.
“It was clear my divorce was no
bad dream. What was irritating was
A new hair colour is one of the easiest
ways to transform your look or cover any
gray that’s making you feel worse. A lot
of newly single women tend to
desperately look for a big change, but it’s
best to go a few darker shades at a time.
The perfect hair colour makes the eyes
more noticeable, which makes you look
younger. Professionally made faces, once
in a while, are a good compromise and
can take years off you, while semipermanent
colours are the most natural
way to cover grey.
Get active: Exercise has many benefits
in the traumatic time following a breakup.
Women want to overhaul their bodies,
possibly because they feel being
overweight contributed to the end of the
relationship—which, of course, it rarely
has. Whatever the motive, exercise is a
great mood-booster. Exercise releases
endorphins that give you a natural high.
Research shows it can be as effective as
anti-depressants at treating mild
depression. It can also give you a new
purpose.
my nosy-parker friends craved details.
They needed to know the most intimated
details. It’s as if information from my
failure would provide them with the
answers for the success of their own
marriage. They want to learn by my
mistakes. People were sad by our
situation—we’d been thought to be the
perfect couple, and sadly, we’d proved
them wrong. When you divorce, you’re
in opposing camps, looting the marriage
for spoils of the war that has become your
life. Who would take the furniture? Who
actually paid for the expensive stereo?
Emma, often proclaimed to be a man of
integrity and self-respect. But that soon
changed as he sought the services of one
of these insensitive Smart-alec divorce
lawyers that always go for the jugular.
Since he’d decided to stay put in our
matrimonial home, the house I built in
our names was finally his to
live in until whoever
survived the other, because
his name was also on the
title deeds. Who wanted to
know that he’d put in zero
capital? Were this his true
colours, squeezing me for
all the could get out of me?
Had I been conned during
my marriage?
Divorce was a tedious
process, depressing and, at
times terrifying. But claw
out from the depths of
despair I did. But it wasn’t
easy. I slept badly and was
always waking up in the
middle of the night,
wondering how I could get
on with my life. There were
times I foolishly thought it
might have been preferable
to stay unhappily married
than face the uncertainties
of the future when I knew
all hope was lost. Two years
on, I’m almost my old self
though a lot lighter in my
bank account. Even though
the house belonged to both
of us in paper, I couldn’t
stay because Emma hung
on to it. He refused to let it
so we could at least share
the rent, and I refused to
stay and possibly watch him
bring in other women into
a home I built with my
money. So, I bought a new
house and this had put
holes in my account.
“I’ll now have to live with
the fact that when Emma
eventually remarries, his
new wife and possibly
children, will live in a
house I built with my sweat.
Where is the justice in that?
Yet, move on I must, and I’m
doing exactly that,’ only, I
would be foolish to trust any
man again with my money.
I’ve even toyed with the
idea of staying single and
having friends with benefits
but I haven’t ruled out the
idea of being a single mum.
I love children—it’s the men
that help in giving them to
you I can’t stand—for now!”

28—Vanguard, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
For those who read last Saturday’s
piece, I bring you additional
conversation with the couple’s
neighbour who appeared detached from
the conspiracy against Aduni. Sadia,
(28)a petty trader and mother of two
children believes the misunderstanding is
orchestrated by Alhaji’s younger wife out
of jealousy for Aduni’s successful business:
The problem has been there for some
time now. No one can when, but all the
fact points to the time her husband took a
younger wife. It is natural for any woman
to feel terrible, but it is not as if its the end
of the world. If she can’t bear it, She can
pack out. In mama Rasheedat’s (Aduni)
case, she decided to neglect them and
concentrate on herself as if she were a
single woman. She stays in her shop all
day long, so the women in the house have
all the time to gossip about her. This was
where her husband got all these ridiculous
information about an extra marital
affair.
About two weeks ago, the topic of
discussion in the house was extra marital
affairs. They all agreed that any woman
who engages in extra marital affairs
cannot do anything with the gains. Then,
Mama Rasheedat’s case came up.
Everyone who heard the discussion knew
who they were referring to. Again, two
days before the whipping incident, Alhaji
was scolding one of her children and he
made this statement, “koni da fun ale iya
e”. Meaning “things won’t be well for your
mother’s lover”. This to me implied that
the man too was sure of his wife’s
activities.
When the fight started, none of the
members of the household bothered to
intervene. They all stayed to their rooms,
meaning they were happy about the
development. All they wanted was for the
woman to be humiliated. One of the
women later said that when she heard the
noise of the stampede, she thought that it
was thieves that had gained entrance into
the house. So, she remained glued to her
bed, praying that they would not knock on
their door. Do you think this is a rational
reasoning? If thieves invade your residence
in such a manner, won’t you even try to
raise an alarm or let the other residents
know about it?
So, you can see that it had been preplanned.
I am sure that mama Rasheedat’s
mate had informed them about what was
likely to happen that night. The issue is
not just the refusal to have sex, but the
thought that she was hoarding it in favour
of her lovers. But the husband does not
know that it was all cooked up to fuel his
rage against his wife. They capitalised on
the fact that things had not been very rosy
between them since he married his second
wife.
So, what is really happening now, I
asked?
I think it is the second wife that is behind
everything. She is very jealous of Mama
Rasheedat. When these women see some
well groomed men, they think these men
are solid and so, they must squeeze
something out for them too. They don’t
know that some of them are being propped
by their wives. We all know that Mama
Rasheedat is a hard working woman. She
is in her shops from morning till very late
in the night, struggling for her family.
Which unfortunately was one of the
reasons Alhaji gave for taking another
wife. He said she was not giving him
enough attention. The poor woman
accepted her fate and threw herself into
her work. It was not a problem for Alhaji
before, but when things turned around for
him, he suddenly realised that she must
pay him attention. I think it is all about
the money.
To make matters worse, the Mosque told
Mama Rasheedat that perhaps, she was
not humble enough. That she ought to take
cue from the Prophet’s wife who submitted
herself and her wealth to the prophet. They
said that is the way she will make heaven
and her children will prosper. But they are
wise oh! Those people! They later returned
to see her at the shop. They obviously did
not want to miss out on the money she was
giving them. They advised her to pacify
Alhaji by giving him some allowance so
Yetunde Arebi
All in a woman’s
world 2
Young girls and
guys have been
shacking together
while away from
home from time
immemorial
he could take better care of himself and
his wife. She has decided to do it in the
interest of peace.
Hmmm!
The dangers of freedom
In the last few days, I’ve been
listening to various discussions about
young people in higher institutions
getting married without parental
consent and shacking together as
husband and wife. As I write, I have
watched the discussion on two
breakfast shows this week alone and
every participant appeared shocked at
the development, pointing accusing
fingers at the Social Media. But I differ
from this. Young girls and guys have
been shacking together while away
from home from time immemorial. I
remember while in College in the early
80s that not a few colleagues were
involved in what they thought were
serious relationships and practically
moved in with each other. This is
readily convenient and easily possible
where students live in rented
accommodations outside of the school
campuses. Here there are
hardly any rules and
conditions to be met and
both male and female
students can walk in and
out of such
accommodations as they
please. On regular
campuses, hardly would
you find male and female
students boarding in the
same hostels, except in
some post graduate
accommodations. The
porters are also there to
regulate movement and
time regimen.
Admission into a higher
institution of learning
comes with an
unprecedented freedom for
a vulnerable young
student such that if not
properly managed can be
used negatively and to the
detriment of such a student.
One of such is believing that
they are grown up and can
take any decision concerning
their own lives all by
themselves. And we all know
what love/lust can do to
rational thinking.
I recall a particular case
which led to the separation of
two bosom friends. The two
ladies had been friends from
secondary school and both
were well known to each
other’s family. Shortly after
they settled into the room they
shared, one of them found
love, albeit with a guy the
other thought was not from
their social status. The guy
did not help the situation as
he soon became a permanent
fixture beside the young lady.
At the initial stage of the
relationship, the friend would
step out for the love birds to
while away time or sleep with
some other friends as a sign
of respect and to allow
them the privacy they
obviously craved. Soon,
late hours turned into
sleep-over, until the other
Twitter: @yetundearebi
yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk
08054700825
friend began feeling that she’d lost her
dear friend to love and lost her room
to the sexual activities they engaged
in. The inevitable happened and they
had a big fight. The guy, it was
discovered did not have an
accommodation and had only been
squatting with a friend. Since he had
nowhere else to go, he’d craftily
worked on this girl, separated her from
her friend and taken over their
accommodation. No amount of
counselling and quarrels could bring
this girl back to her senses. Tired of
the situation, the friend went home to
report to her parents. They came, made
some noise and returned home.
Unfortunately, their daughter was too
far gone to trace her way back home.
They lived together all through until
the guy graduated a year before us.
He made history as the only male
student in that house. He lived off her,
free of all expenses the entire duration
of his course. I met him about three,
four years after our graduation and
when I asked after her, he said they
were no longer together. His excuse
was that her parents did not like him.
I was not surprised, no one thought
the relationship was headed anywhere
noble right from the beginning. The
guy had simply “je lo” (chop and gone)
as they say.
About eight years ago, a distraught
parent walked into the office of one of
the governors from the Southwest.
She’d come to seek the governors help
to evacuate her daughter from a
campus mosque where she was
playing wife to a student Alfa. Their
young daughter, a brilliant As student
had gained admission to the university
to study Mathematics to the delight of
her family. Shortly after settling in, she
met and fell in love with a fellow
student who claimed to be an alfa, and
resided in the huge university mosque
environment. It was obvious he had
no house off campus nor could secure
an accommodation on campus. Soon
the love birds became inseparable, and
the young girl became a permanent
resident of the mosque. Her dressing
and lifestyle had changed from her
family’s and the bomb shell was that,
to be able to have uninterrupted sex,
the duo had gotten married with the
approval of their jammah, no doubts. All
these, the parents were unaware of until her
friends came to inform them that their
daughter had stopped coming for lectures
on the orders of her husband who
complained that she was still being ogled
by guys even with her Burka, gloves and
socks. Since he is her husband and
responsible for her, there was no need for
her to go to school anymore. Unfortunately,
no amount of counselling and threats from
her parents could change her mind. The
parents wept at seeing the level of abject
poverty their daughter had adapted to and
wondered why the Islamic community in a
citadel of learning could ignore or
encourage such a defilement of the holy
mosque. Sadly, nothing came out of the
visitation too. It was declared as purely a
religious matter. Sometimes, I wonder what
might have become of the couple.
Parents must realise that these kids are
going off to universities much younger and
vulnerable than in their days. Many of them
even go before they are 16 after we have
forged their birth certificates and other
documents. Many of them are thus not
mentally, emotionally and psychologically
prepared for some of the challenges and
exposures they will encounter in their new
environment. When you send your child
off to school, find time to visit. Call them
as often as possible. Have the contacts of
few of their friends with whom you can
track their movement. It is not enough to
give them money and send them into the
cold, wicked world on their own. Not all
children are the same. Experimenting
with sex, drugs, cultism, truancy,
fanaticism, are just a few of the evils
that can steal them from us. May the
Lord help us.
Do have a wonderful weekend!!

C
M
Y
K
I
had many things lined up for
last Friday. I was actually looking
forward to some of them; like my
time at the club for instance. But they
paled into insignificance as soon as
I heard what was going to be on
DSTV that evening. It was tagged:
‘The Match in Africa.’ It was the first
time ever and probably the only time
that the two greatest Tennis players
of all time (GOAT) would be duelling
in Africa. I just knew I had to be in
front of my TV by six-thirty. Just as I
knew many tennis fans all over the
world would be glued to their TV
sets. It was gratifying to learn later
that the attendance at the improvised
stadium broke the all-time
attendance record.
I could write a book on Roger
Federer and Raphael Nadal who
between them have 39 Grand
Slams—more than what all the others
in the field have in the last decade
and a half. I could write about their
intense rivalry and the nearly six
hour duel in 2006, which has been
described as the longest Grand Slam
Final ever. Nadal won on the day
more by grit than by skill as there
was nothing to choose between them.
I could write about the resultant
respect for each other that has now
blossomed into friendship. I could
write about their ambassadorial roles
for the sport of tennis as both have
led scandal free careers. But those
would be topics for other days,
probably when one of them hangs
his racquet.
Today, is not about tennis. But for
the records, Federer is not my main
man. Nadal is—and Pete Sampras
before him. But I can’t help but
admire what a great statesman and
what a role model Federer has
gradually become over the years.
Last Friday’s match which was
organised for his foundation is a
testimony to the character of the man.
He says he wants to be known more
for his foundation than for his tennis
prowess in future. That would be a
tall order considering what he has
achieved in tennis. It is a lofty and
admirable goal to aim for though;
especially since he wants to bring
his children into his foundation. He
started his foundation in 2003. Think
about it, he was just about 21 then.
David Lyon would have today
been one day in office as
governor of Bayelsa State, but for the
twist of fate that played on him two
days ago.
Mr. Lyon was on Thursday
rehearsing for the inauguration to
have been done yesterday when the
Supreme Court annulled his
candidacy in the November 16
election.
The apex court acted upon the
allegations of forgery brought
against his running mate in the
election, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-
Eremieoyo.
The running mate, who was born
on January 1, 1960, had been known
as Degi Biobaragha up till 1976, and
after that up till 1984, when he
became known as Adegi Biobakumo.
By 1990, he was now known as
Degi Biobarakuma, and again, 12
years later, in 2002, he took up
another identity as Degi
Biobarakuma Wangagha.
The different identities, according
to news reports, were reflected in
different examination certificates
bringing into doubt the consistency
of the person.
The judgment of the Supreme
Court brought to anti-climax, the
euphoria within the camp of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, that
greeted the declaration of Mr. Lyon
as governor-elect of Bayelsa State
after the November election. That
election pitiably was marked with an
unprecedented loss of lives with at
least 22 deaths.
One twitter user said that Lyon
should drive his running mate to
Maiduguri and abandon him by the
gate of the city for Boko Haram to
deliver retribution.
As at press time, the Independent
National Electoral Commission,
If I had five million dollars
Yet, he knew enough to want to give
back. Last Friday’s was not his first
exhibition match. But it was his
biggest; and he had Bill Gates, the
world’s second richest man as his
doubles partner. He has over the
years, provided for over a million
children in South Africa. His choice
of South Africa is heart-warming
because he has never been ashamed
to identify with his Third World roots.
His mother is a South African. It would
have been easy for him to block that
out as many successful athletes have
He also believes that with as
little as a thousand Naira from
every Catholic, hospitals can
be built in every major city for
the poor
done. On the contrary, he has focused
his charitable attentions on the young
in South Africa and visits as often as
he can. This disposition, and that of
our own Anthony Joshua by the way,
should be commended. Identifying
with their roots has taken nothing
away from them. If anything, it has
enriched them. ‘A river which forgets
its source will soon dry up’ says an
African proverb. We hope Anthony
Joshua will bring awareness to and
SATURDAY Vanguard, , FEBRUARY 15, 2020—29
do something for the poorest of the
poor in his fatherland soon. I want to
commend Kanu Nwankwo at this
point, for his Heart Foundation and
the many lives he must have saved
through his foundation. He remains
an example to younger Nigerian
athletes.
‘The Match in Africa’ raised 3.5
million dollars on the night. By now it
would have grossed over five million
dollars. Five million dollars is a lot of
money. Very few people in the world
have that. Fewer still in Nigeria. I
found myself wondering what I would
do if I suddenly had five million
dollars. I thought of the indulgencies
that could prove irresistible. It says
something about my age and my
disposition to life that I found none. It
could not be a bigger house. I
voluntarily moved into a smaller one
ten years ago. It could not be living in
a better part of town. I already live in
a good part of town. It could not be a
house in Europe or America. I have
never craved for such an indulgence.
It could not be a fleet of cars. I outgrew
that vanity long ago when I was in
my 30s. It could not be luxury travels
round the world. As attractive as that
would be, the increasing visa hassles
are putting me off. Besides, you don’t
need that much money to travel.
Finally, could it be on my children?
They would benefit but I am not one
to provide for generations unborn.
Besides, they already have much more
than I ever got from my own parents
and the joys of life come largely from
self-fulfilment. So after a few days of
introspection, I can honestly say that
the bulk of it would go to health or
How APC blew Bayelsa away
INEC, was yet to give direction on
how it would interpret the judgment
of the Supreme Court.
Whatever, the APC is left out in the
cold!
Willy-nilly, the judgment again,
brings to fore the inconsistency and
defects of the electoral system and its
major operators.
INEC, did not rule or raise
observations against the
inconsistencies in the certificates
submitted by the APC running mate,
perhaps because it did not have the
powers to disqualify or raise issues
with submissions made by candidates.
However, the consistency of the
same commission was brought into
question when it sought to block Ms.
Natisha Akpoti, the candidate of the
Social Democratic Party, SDP from
participating in the Kogi State
governorship election that was
conducted about the same time
because of the age of her original
running mate, Bashiru Yakubu.
However, more blame will be
directed at the APC for bringing this
woe upon itself.
In Kogi State, the SDP and Ms.
Akpoti, once they got to know that
Yakubu was unqualified on account of
age for the position, moved to
substitute him.
However, in Bayelsa State, the APC
chose to trudge the path of arrogance
by insisting on Senator Biobarakuma
Degi-Eremieoyo. The party perhaps
believed that it would roar and devour
the opposition with Lyon at the head
of the ticket.
As the Supreme Court ruled, Degi-
Eremieoyo’s presence on the ticket
was a toxic infection on the validity of
the APC ticket. Even more, careful
observers would have also concluded
that the emergence of the ticket raised
a crisis in the party following the
allegation that a valid primary was not
conducted.
Lyon and his running mate were the
choices of the party’s political leader
in the state, Timipire Sylva.
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who
chose not to return to the
Muhammadu Buhari cabinet and
rather to contest the governorship
election, protested the decision of the
party elders up to the Supreme Court.
Lokpobiri’s petition was last
Wednesday rejected by the apex court,
which validated the party’s position
on Lyon. After the decision, some party
leaders congratulated Lyon and the
His choice of South Africa is heartwarming
because he has never
been ashamed to identify with his
Third World roots
education for the poor with the pendulum
swinging more towards the former.
Last week, during a private
conversation with Mr Audu Ogbeh, the
former Minister for Agriculture, my heart
was warmed when he told me of his plans
in conjunction with the Catholic Church
and some affluent but compassionate
individuals to build some hospitals to
cater for the needs of the poor. He also
believes that with as little as a thousand
Naira from every Catholic, hospitals can
be built in every major city for the poor.
He has always been passionate about the
poor; especially in the North. He is even
more so now with the chaos and the dogeat-dog
situation in the region caused
mainly by poverty. He blames the 774
local governments in the country which
collect a minimum of 120 million naira
each month for their failure to positively
affect the rural communities.
Last month, I went to National
Orthopaedic Hospital, Yaba with a friend.
Our aim was to visit the place and
LASUTH to help offset some medical
bills. Three of us had contributed some
money last year for this purpose. We were
confronted with the case file of a sevenyear
old boy with severe burns. He would
need up to 3 million Naira for surgeries
and drugs alone. He had not been able
to have the first surgery because of funds.
The incident happened when he was with
his grandmother where his mother left
him. The mother is in her 20s. The father
could not be traced. We didn’t hesitate
before we gave all we had so surgery
could start. LASUTH would have to wait.
We then headed for ‘white house’, a local
eatery in Yaba for lunch. The pounded
yam I took tasted good because I felt
good. I had just helped in giving a young
boy who will never know me and my two
friends, a chance to survive.
If by a twist of fate that Lokpobiri had won the
case last Wednesday, Comrade Oshiomhole
would have today been in Yenagoa for what
would have been the inauguration of an APC
government with Lokpobiri as governor
Adams Oshiomhole leadership on the
Supreme Court victory. But it turned to
be a pyrrhic victory.
If by a twist of fate that Lokpobiri had
won the case last Wednesday, Comrade
Oshiomhole would have today been in
Yenagoa for what would have been the
inauguration of an APC government with
Lokpobiri as governor.
However, the APC chose to walk the
path of arrogance as it did in Zamfara by
taking the laws into its hands in the face
of reality.
The judgment is a clear rebuke against
the indiscretion of political parties who
choose the personal preference of a
political leader over established
conventions and regulations.
Personally, it is a big blow for Mr. Sylva,
who was about recapturing the state that
he governed for five years on the platform
of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
On the other hand, it is a miraculous
revival for the former governor of the
state, Mr. Seriake Dickson. Dickson was
set for political oblivion after jettisoning
counsel from high and low quarters to
project his personal preference in the
person of Douyle Diri as the candidate
of the PDP.
Following the judgment on Thursday,
many political associates who had
abandoned him to infamy were coming
back to Dickson, proving the everlasting
saying that defeat is an orphan.

30—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Bishop Kukah has a great reputation.
He is seen as honest and perhaps fearless.
He often comes to the pulpit and national
discourses with perspicacity. Many of his
sermons are theses. And being an
outspoken philosophical catholic Bishop,
from the predominantly Muslim north, he
has become a factor in national politics.
Many bishops are politically docile. But
Bishop Kukah has been on the front-lines.
When he cautions the South against
demonisation of the North he speaks as
an insightful northerner. When he cautions
the North against marginalization of its
minorities he speaks from a heart of
victim-hood. When he cautions the North
against backwardness and retrogressive
cultures he speaks like a troubled insider.
Most other times, he is busy warning a
teetering nation against drifting into
chaos.
When the nation feared political
turbulence in 2014/2015, Bishop Kukah
helped found a national peace committee
that helped soothe nerves during that
transition. And that committee, chaired by
General Abdulsalaam Abubakar, has
since become a national political
institution.
Being a northerner who is a politically
active Christian Catholic Bishop, Kukah
is a national bridge over the north-Muslim
south-Christian divide.
Kukah, is meek but not fearful of
controversies.
When Buhari won in 2015, Kukah urged
Jonathan to hand over. And when Buhari’s
victory was greeted with euphoria, he
dismissed the euphoria as naivety. Bishop
Kukah did not share in the optimism that
greeted Buhari’s victory. I had hoped he
was warning the president not to be
carried away. After all he knew Buhari
more than most of us.
All through the first term of Buhari, the
Bishop who was the founder of the national
peace committee, retained his pessimism
and spoke aloud his skepticism. I must
concede that Buhari scored many own
goals. But there was something about the
tone of the bishop that betrayed animosity
rather than just mere political vigilantism
of a steadfast civil society pillar.
In 2018, Bishop Kukah brought Atiku
to Obasanjo. A reconciliation happened
in Ota and what took place afterwards was
a literal river Jordan cleansing of political
leprosy. Kukah denied being privy to any
political calculations of the ceremony that
followed that reconciliation. I guess as a
founder of the national peace committee
Like a tsunami, the disease caused
by novel coronavirus has come
ravaging and raveling. The World
Health Organisation last Tuesday
christened the disease COVID-19. The
World Health Organization said it
chose a name for the disease that does
not refer to places, animals or people
to avoid stigma.China had recorded
over 1113 deaths from the coronavirus.
The confirmed coronavirus cases
reported has reached 45,000 in 25
countries with one death each recorded
in Hong Kong and the Philippines on
Wednesday. Moreover, where do we
go from here with this global
emergency as it is happening in
China? The WHO’s director-general,
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said
the greatest concern was the
coronavirus’ potential spread to
countries with weaker healthcare
systems, and assured that its objective
is containment. Chinese President Xi
Jinping told his people they “must
have confidence” that China will win
its battle against the epidemic.That
statement indeed inspired confidence.
China has developed a mobile app
“close contact detector,” to check
whether one is at risk of catching, the
coronavirus by entering ones name and
ID number to find out whether there
has been close contact with someone
infected.
The disease originated at a market
in Wuhan, a city of over 11 million
people is one
of China’s largest industrial and
transport hubs, where
several Chinese and international
corporations have business operations.
An economic lockdown from
coronavirus will affect industrial
production, a driver for Chinese
growth. Nevertheless, the health
emergency has a considerable impact
on China’s economic growth, which
has been weakening due to the trade
war between the United States and
China. Analysts fear is over destroyed
demand in China and broader
Bishop Kukah and his funeral homily
he knew he had to be seen as political
neutral to some extent. He blamed
Obasanjo for making a ‘spiritual
exercise’ of reconciliation a political
summit.
Many believed Bishop Kukah, like
Obasanjo, wanted Buhari voted out. So
he helped arrange the only formidable
opponent in the horizon to contest
against the president. When I saw the
pictures from Ota, I prayed that Kukah
remained in his role as a peacemaker
because in the build to 2019, many
national statesmen removed their
masks and took sides, and left the nation
But a bishop who is a
founder of the national
peace committee must use
seasoned words and speak
in measured tones, always
bereft of neutrals who could be trusted
by all sides if trouble broke out.
And that was why Kukah’s homily a
couple of days ago grieved me. With that
homily that literally described this
administration as the worst we have ever
had, Kukah has chosen a side.
Let me be frank , the security situation
is appalling. Massacres are rife and
rampant. Boko haram is not technically
defeated. Our military strategies
appear stale . A Bishop who lost a
seminarian to Islamic insurgents has
a right to be angry. He has a right to
fury if the president has refused to take
any drastic visible steps to check a
deteriorating situation. But I had
expected temperance from Kukah.
Kukah said we must not compare
evils. I agree with him. But in
suggesting that this is the worst we
have been through he was already
breaking his own rule and comparing
evils. It must be said that Kukah
perhaps in his anger exaggerated a
few important things. The northeast
was in a worse situation before Buhari
came in. We have not forgotten. The
military has tried. We have lost many
young soldiers. But the military has
much more to do. And perhaps the
military needs fresh ideas. There is no
way we can eliminate Boko haram by
the current tactics that have those at
the gates of Maiduguri exposed to the
insurgents once the gates are locked
in the evening.
We cannot continue this war
indefinitely!
I agree with Kukah that no christian
is consoled by the argument that Boko
haram has killed more Muslims than
Christians. That argument is
insensitive. Boko haram may be
satanic but it is still an islamic
insurgency. Nevertheless, I had not
expected a catholic Bishop let alone
Father Kukah to make some of the
inflammatory comments he inserted
in his funeral homily.
Buhari may be nepotistic, but there
Global oil market t nerves in COVID-
19 nightmare
economic damage from the mass
quarantine. Although Chinese
Government is trying to be,
ascertaining the extent of the health
crisis on the economy, there is no
doubt that it will greatly affect the
oil and gas demand in China.There
is a correlation between China’s oil
demand and the global oil market.
Reuters reported that China
imported more than 10 million
barrels of oil per day in 2019,
making it the world’s biggest
importer with about 10 per cent of
total global oil production.China
relies heavily on oil imports to keep
its fast-growing economy and move
its extremely large population.
Global investors and
traderscontinue to worry over the
dreaded virus spreadasoil prices
wentinto the bearish mode early last
week. A bear market is associated
with a drop of 20 per cent from
previous highs.On Tuesday, the two
benchmarks, the West Texas
Intermediate, WTI, which tracks
North American crude grades,
closed at US$49.94, whileglobal
benchmark, the Brent traded at
US$54.01. Although the Brent
rallied by 4.28 percent to US$56.32
andWTI by 2.46 percent to
US$51.17on Wednesday, overall,
the benchmarks slid byUS$11 since
the beginning of the year. It was
obvious that oil prices have
plunged by nearly 21 percent over
the past month from the closing
high of US$63.27 on January 6
when tensions escalated over the
killing of Iranian intelligence chief
by American drone. Commerzbank
analysts however, underscore the
point that there was already a slight
over supply in the oil market in
January before the coronavirus
outbreak in China.The American
Petroleum Institute (API) estimated
on Tuesday, a crude oil inventory
build of 4.18 million barrels for the
week ending January 31, compared
to expectations of a 2.8-millionbarrel
build in inventory.
The Chinese government order
that all businesses closed until
February 10 have discouraged or
banned travel in the areas most
affected by the virus. With airlines
suspending routes to and from
China, the demand for jet fuel has
dropped. There is now an
oversupply of refined petroleum
products including gasoline, diesel
I agree with Kukah that no Christian is
consoled by the argument that Boko
haram has killed more Muslims than
Christians
are Christians occupying strategic positions
in the country. I would wish Kukah had left
many of the outlandish fiery statements in
that speech for a certain former aviation
minister or some bishop in Ota to make. If we
heard such from that bishop we wouldn’t raise
eyebrows because we know that the tone of
fire, brimstone and gates of hell is his
preferred style. But a bishop who is a founder
of the national peace committee must use
seasoned words and speak in measured tones,
always.
Igbos say when you don’t know how to tell a
king some truths, you can cover your head
with a basket and shout, and then run. Perhaps
that was what Kukah did. But some
exaggerations in that speech must be left for
beer parlors because they do not dignify the
pulpit. That cannot be justified by anger.
It is true that a bishop in the far north would
have seen so much evil in these last years?
And sometimes righteousness lies in being
vocal against evil. But since peacemakers are
so scarce in the country, peacemakers like
Father Kukah must restrain themselves for
joining the fray in the interest of the nation.
The president should read Kukah’s funeral
homily and sift the grains from the chaff. I
know he has improved the situation of the
northeast but we voted him to restore
complete order. I had not imagined that Boko
haram would last four years under his watch.
Many like me had expected so much more
from him. Nobody, not even his opponents who
thought him lifeless, had imagined that
banditry would mushroom under him. Kukah
said the president has supervised the injection
of nepotism and mediocrity into the military
and the security agencies. I don’t agree with
Kukah.
But I will ask the president to count his teeth
with his tongue. And ask Kukah to bite his
words with his teeth when next he preaches a
national homily.
The coronavirus outbreak, which is
crippling oil demand, is the major
reason for lowering the demand growth
forecast
and jet fuel from refiners because of travels
advisories using cars, buses, trains or
airplanes. Airlines are canceling thousands of
flights to and from China. Chinese refiners are
grappling with weak fuel demand at home
and elsewhere in Asia. This month, China
Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, or
Sinopec, which is the largest oil refiner in Asia,
cut its refinery throughput by 600,000 barrels
per day, bpd, 12 percent of the corporation’s
5-million-bpd average fuel production for last
year, according to Reuters. Independent
refiners have reduced refining capacity by half
because of the regulation prohibiting from
exporting refined products.
As a result, oil demand in major Chinese
trading hubs, may drop by 500,000 barrels per
day. This appears to be the worst oil demand
shocks since the financial crisis of 2008-2009.
Oil majors are now searching for spot buyers
of crude oil outside China, with some buyers
asking to delay buying, Bloomberg
reported.The Chinese case that is resulting in
a bear market is demand driven and not the
case of oversupply of crude that brings price
down.Will OPEC respond to the fast drop in
prices appropriately? OPEC’s Monthly Oil
Market Report published on Wednesday
brought its global oil demand growth estimate
down to 990,000 bpd. Its estimate of demand
for OPEC crude was loweredby 200,000 bpd
to 29.3 million bpd. The coronavirus outbreak,
which is crippling oil demand, is the major
reason for lowering the demand growth
forecast. Last week’s OPEC+ panel meeting
saw OPEC’s largest producer Saudi Arabia
pushing for more cuts, while Russia the leader
of the non-OPEC group of producers’ pushing
back. OPEC needs cooperation.

First, a former classmate, Juanita,
posted it on our Whatsapp
platform. It sounded like fiction until I
read the full story in Daily Sun. I will
refrain from mentioning the names of
all the actors involved because they are
already too traumatised. But the story
is: a man lost his daughter shortly after
she gave birth, but the baby survived.
He then sent his wife to take care of
the baby in the son-in-law’s house. One
thing led to the other and the son-inlaw
impregnated his step-mother-in-law
(May be we should remove “step” and
simply say mother-in-law, because
“step” diminishes the enormity of the
deed). Now Juanita is asking who is to
blame. The father-in-law, who sent his
young pretty wife to stay with the sonin-law;
the son-in-law, the wife, the
devil or the wicked cold weather that
preceded the commencement of the
affair. Another former classmate,
Victoria Onwubiko, placed the blame
squarely on the doorstep of the fatherin-law
and I agree with her totally.
The father-in-law is apparently a kind
man, but he is also unbelievably naïve.
How could he send his young wife to
live with his son-in-law for seven
months? If his daughter was still alive,
I would understand. But his daughter
was dead and his wife was practically
home alone with his son-in-law! How
can you leave a goat with a lion, even
if the lion is currently stuffed with food?
Surely, it is going to be hungry at some
point and devour the goat. In nine out
of 10 cases, the outcome would have
been the same: mother-in-law and sonin-law
would have become lovers.
Many people have travelled this road
with dire consequences.
Some years ago, the fiancée of a guy
was posted to another state, where his
cousin lived, for youth service. Her
secondary place of assignment did not
give her an accommodation. Her fiancé
told her to move in with his cousin, who
was a bachelor! Before long they
become lovers. Today, they are husband
and wife, while the ensuing family feud
from the betrayal festers. The truth is,
man and woman are magnet and iron.
Bring them close, give them privacy
and they will cling together. That is
Those who got really close to Afro beat
legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, say he
was a bundle of wits and humour. Veteran
journalist, Alhaji Usman Abudah, was once
offered white envelope by the musician.
Abudah did a story on Fela after visiting
him at his Agege Motor Road , Lagos
abode. It turned out to be a hit. Trust the
King of Kalakuta Republic, he invaded the
reporter’s office.
Abudah tells the story. “I was reporting
for Punch at the time. The News Editor,
Tayo Kehinde, asked me to interview Fela.
When I got to his place, the man kept me
waiting for about an hour.
“Then he emerged wearing his customary
pant. He recognized me as ‘Mid-West
Hausa,’ the name he gave me in Benin
despite my protest that I was not Hausa
but a Muslim. We talked on a lot of issues.”
Before the Punch man left, Fela went to
his room, brought a book written in French
and handed over to him.
Abudah said: “The book was on Fela and
I told him I did not need it since I could
neither speak nor write French. His
response drew laughter. He said I should
keep it for my children.”
The Fela interview was published by
Punch and one day, Abudah and his
colleagues were surprised to see the Afro
beat king and his crowd marching to the
newspaper’s corporate headquarters.
You never knew with Fela. They were still
wondering why he would invade the Punch
with his crowd which included the good,
the weeds and the girls. Abudah could have
remembered the track, ‘Trouble dey sleep,
nyanga go wake am.’
Fela told them his mission. He said:
“Editor, I came to see the reporter who
interviewed me. He is good. He published
as we discussed, no mistakes and that’s why
I am here.”
That was not all. Still showering
encomiums on Abudah, the music maestro
beckoned on one of his boys to bring a white
envelope which had been packaged for the
August visit.
“Crime of passion”
nature; it is no respecter of position,
status or morality.
The son-in-law said that the first
time they had sex, it had rained
heavily the previous night and it
was bitterly cold. When he went into
the room to check his baby, his
mother-in-law was wearing a seethrough
lingerie with nothing
underneath. He wanted to shut the
For husbands, look well
before you allow your wife
to go and do omugwo, if
she still looks sweet 16
door, but she invited him in. He
hesitated, but she pulled him in. It
was at that point he lost the
opportunity to save himself from
the nightmare he is currently
enmeshed in. He has probably not
read or imbibed the story of Joseph
and Potiphar’s wife. He should
have fled never to return. He
should have insisted that the
mother-in-law left with the baby to
nurse him in her own abode. That
should have been the arrangement
ab initio. Once he tarried,
beholding the mother-in-law’s firm
Fela and his white envelope
“They say journalists collect brown
envelope,” he continued, “I came here
with a white envelope. This is not brown.
It is for my friend, Mid-West Hausa.”
What followed shocked Fela. Abudah
did not collect the envelope. I asked the
veteran if he rejected the offer because
of the colour of the envelope or was he
afraid it could have been a letter bomb
from an unknown soldier.
To Abudah, envelope is envelope,
brown or white. Just like Fela sang:
‘uniform na cloth, na tailor dey sew
am’, maybe he was afraid the Egypt ’80
band could come out with a track:
‘Brown envelope don turn white.’
Both men became close after Fela’s
performance at the Ogbe Stadium,
Benin. Everyone was hungry and the
quartet of Andy Akporugo, Neville
Ikoli, Sam Eguavoen and Abudah led
the musician to a popular joint.
It was called 4am and the African
woman in charge was known as
Madam 4am. Located around
Ugbague, off Sakponba Road in Benin
City, it was always awake when others
had gone to bed.
When they arrived, Fela in his usual
‘yabis’ said to the woman: “Madam,
who give you this kind sense to dey sell
at this time. You must be a witch.”
Hell was let loose. Madam 4am
descended on Fela. “Your mama, your
papa, na them be winch. Who be this
and erect breasts and naked body,
he stood no chance. Very few men,
apart from eunuchs, stand any
chance in such circumstances. That
was why eunuchs watched over the
harem of kings and nobles in those
days. I learnt it is still happening
in some cultures. Men are
“video.” They get aroused and
transfixed by the sight of naked
women, whether real or in
pictures. What do you think the
addiction to pornography by many
men is all about?
Sometimes, I find the whole idea
of omugwo(grandmothers going to
their children’s homes to help their
daughters/daughters-in-law, who
just had babies) very unappealing.
These days, some grandmas in
their 40s, 50s and even 60s are still
very stunning. They have the looks
to make the groins of their sonsin-law
stir, especially since their
wives are unavailable due to
recovery from childbirth, especially
caesarean. If you are married to
one of such stunning grandmas,
you better be sure of what you are
doing before allowing your wife to
go and do omugwo. Surely, your
son-in-law is younger and more
likely to offer superior
performance. I have always loved
humanity, but I have no confidence
in humanity when it comes to
matters of the flesh. Like Apostle
Paul, I have no confidence in the
flesh. If you want to stay out of
trouble, treat the flesh with
suspicion.
one sef? Oya comot, I no dey sell for
you.”
One of the four tapped the woman’s
shoulder and told her, ‘this man you
are abusing is Fela’. That name
changed everything.
Turning to the musician, she tender
unreserved apologies. “You mean you
are Fela, the great musician. My
children always talk about you. I love
your music. Case closed. Take
whatever you wish, do not pay.”
The atmosphere was animated. Fela
and his friends ate as much as they
wished. Before leaving, he asked
Madam 4am for the bill of everyone
who ate in her ‘bukateria’ that
moment. Mr. Kuti promptly settled
the bill.
Few days after Fela’s visit, one of
Madam 4am’s girls went missing.
Trust the Bini woman, she sensed the
lass had eloped with her August
customer. The woman decided to
storm Lagos.
Madam 4am was told that she
could catch an early morning
newspaper distribution van to Lagos
and she did exactly that. At last, she
was going to see Fela’s Republic
where ‘girls dance naked and all enjoy
unfettered access to marijuana.’
The woman arrived Lagos early
enough. She woke Fela, who barely
recognized her, from sleep. When he
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY15, 2020—31
As for the mother-in-law, she has been
married for 10 years and made multiple,
but futile, efforts to be pregnant. It was
inevitable she was going to try out her sonin-law,
especially given the length of time
(seven months) they were together. She
should not have allowed emotions to boil
over. She should have spared herself and
her son-in-law this embarrassment. But
fleshly matters do not work that way. She
was desperate and determined; these are
a dangerous combination. But at least, she
is now pregnant. It is now obvious that
there was nothing medically wrong with
her. She will soon hear the cry of her own
baby; that is what she has yearned for in
the past decade. I totally support her
keeping the pregnancy; the baby must not
be punished for what he/she knows nothing
about.
The father-in-law is apparently very bitter
and it is understandable. He does not want
to have anything to do with the woman
anymore. I cannot question his decision,
but maybe when his anger simmers, he will
have a rethink. Time is a great healer.
Whatever actions he takes, he must not do
anything that will make him run afoul of
the law. That will be adding insult to injury.
I am also just wondering why the man
could not impregnate his second wife. Is
his late daughter actually his? May be
needs to do a DNA on the grandson to be
sure. You never know.
As for the son-in-law, he must learn to
live with the trauma and shame and come
to terms with the consequences of his
action. He is going to be a father for the
second time soon. He must support his
soon-to-be-mother-of-his-child mother-inlaw.
He must live to face his responsibility.
Pounding and impregnating a woman only
means you are a male, not a man. A man is
someone, who faces his responsibilities
even in the face of adversity. He must be a
man.
What has happened can be your story if
you let down your guards. This is not the
first time sons-in-law are sleeping with
mothers-in-law. There are many animals in
the bush. Like the trapped bush meat, this
one was only unfortunate to be caught. If
you are involved in this sacrilege, stop it
today. If not, you will be caught and a worse
yawa (disgrace) probably awaits you. For
husbands, look well before you allow your
wife to go and do omugwo, if she still looks
sweet 16. I don talk my own o!
They say journalists collect brown
envelope,” he continued, “I came here
with a white envelope. This is not
brown. It is for my friend, Mid-West
Hausa
realized the visitor was Madam 4am, it became
another party.
The woman explained her mission. She had
come looking for her daughter who
‘disappeared’ after Fela called. The Afro beat
king was surprised. He did not even know the
girl. A search was ordered.
The girl was found but it was obvious she had
come on her own and had nothing to do with
Fela. He asked the woman to take the lass back
to Benin pleading that no harm should befall
her.
The biggest surprise was that Madam 4am’s
baby refused to go home. She chose to stay with
Fela. This is instructive. Some of the girls who
lived with Fela were actually not abducted as
some people believed.
I remember a case in 1973 when some parents
pitched themselves against Fela for taking
possession of their teenage daughters. Fact is,
Fela was generous to a fault and never loved to
see others suffer.
In his Republic or shrine, he had a pot where
money was kept for everyone’s use. While others
were wooing girls with money, Fela had free
money for all, male or female.
Other men built houses from stolen money,
Fela built admirers from his wealth which came
off music. While many men deceived girls and
kept concubines, Fela married as many as the
society derided.
Abudah’s interview came at a time Ghana
lifted the ban placed on Fela from visiting the
country.
In the mid 1960s, Ghana had banned Victor
Uwaifo’s ‘Guitar Boy’ from their airwaves. The
first coup there was code named ‘Operation
Guitar Boy’. It was led by Lt. Samuel Arthur.

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Hey, let’s jolt some memories and
challenge administrators to
enhance sports facilities in
secondary schools or Nigeria would ever
remain feeble in world sports.
Once, Secondary school sports
competitions thrived. By then, catching
sports greats young was no empty phrase.
Fully elected sports officials organised
Local Council competitions, and from there
deserving students represented the LGAs
in zonal and later state competitions. The
State representatives would then meet at
the national Lady Manuwa and Grier Cup
competitions. Then, the sprinter Peter Ofili,
and footballers such as Clement
Okwufuleze, (alias Piccolo), Ogbueze,
Kizito Oshodi, goalkeeper Raph Uweche
(Bastic), etc, were household names while
they were students.
Even in 1969, as the civil war raged,
competitions held. Hey, I am writing a
book on St. Anthony’s College. The school
scored 100 per cent in the West African
School Certificate exam and won the Giwa-
Osagie Cup for Mid-West Secondary
Schools in soccer in 1969, but I should save
materials for my book. I could focus on
Immaculate Conception College, Benin-
City which Josiah Dombraye played for
same year we should really leave out Mid-
West totally. So, let’s turn to that year’s
Western State school soccer Champions;
St. Thomas Aquinas, College, Akure that
won the Omitola Football Cup. The old
Western state comprising of today’s Oyo,
Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states.
Mr. Emma Okwuokei had finished from
St. Michael’s Secondary School, Ogwashi
Uku, in 1968 and was admitted into
Aquina’s in Akure for HSC; his elder
brother was serving as a Policeman in the
town. He said Aquinas was by then a sports
power house, “always in contention with
another Akure school, Oyemakun
Grammar School.”
Nineteen sixty nine, Thomas Aquinas
had beaten all the other zonal schools,
Ondo Boys’ High School, Ekiti Parapo
Grammar School, C.K.C Ado-Ekiti,
Manuwa Memorial Grammar School,
Ijuodo, near Okitipupa, etc and met
another Akure school, Oyemakun
Grammar School at the zonal finals. Mr.
Okwuokei’s face lit up as he reminisced:
The month of love is upon us,
easily the month with the most
discourse on matters of the
heart, and I also consider love to be a
wellness conversation.
I don’t think I want to live in a world
averse to love, and I cannot imagine
what that world will look like and feel
like. Although most of the
conversations about love in this
season are usually tilted towards
romantic love and while that is
absolutely fine, there are other forms/
sources of love.
If you are reading this column for
the first time, you might not be
familiar with The Seven dimensions
to Wellness (I recommend you look
up past articles online). But, let me
give you a quick breakdown. The
seven dimensions to wellness are
Physical, Relational, Intellectual,
Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and
Financial. We at The Excited Living
Company believe that an individual
who gives attention to each of these
aspects will live a more fulfilling life.
The discussion on love falls into the
relational wellness dimension. This
dimension encourages the building
and nurturing of meaningful
relationships. In my view, love is a
derivative of quality relationships and
this refers to our relationship with self
and others. I believe also that we need
to be mindful that relationships need
attention to thrive and we are
responsible for how much
nourishment we get from all our
different relationships.
Since love can be the outcome of
meaningful relationships then let’s
delve into what we need to do in
relationships in order to create it. Like
I mentioned earlier, love in this article
isn’t limited to romantic love. The
dictionary definition of love is “An
intense feeling of deep affection.”
Schl Soccer: How Okwuokei, Popoola
helped Thomas Aquinas, become ’69
Western champions
•Mrs Omitola handing the cup to St Thomas Aquinas captain.
“The rivalry between the two schools
divided the entire town. People thronged
our matches. As we filed out into the field
for that match, I led my team. I scored
the lone goal.. I was carried shoulder
high by the other students for the four
kilometre walk, a triumphant march,
through the centre of the town to our
school. I can never forget that day,
even if I were to live for a thousand
years. We walloped Victory College,
Ikare, 2-0, and also beat Baptist
Ejigbo.”
The final was at the Liberty Stadium,
Ibadan. Their opponent was the
formidable Baptist High School,
How to increase your love experiences
through relational wellness
Upon discovery of the definition of
love the first person that comes to my
mind is my mother, I definitely have
an intense feeling of deep affection
for her.
After years of butting heads and
getting into a lot of
arguments with her, I
had to take a few steps
back to appraise the
quality of our
relationship because I
had noticed a few of my
friends who were really
close to their mothers
and I began to yearn
for the same love they
shared with their
mums. The desire to get
closer to my mum
spurred me to improve
my relationship
management skills.
The experience
affirmed to me that
even relationships with close family
members will require effort if we
Love is a
beautiful thing
and
meaningful
relationships
are a great
source of deep
affection
want to experience an intense
feeling of deep satisfaction from
them.
relationship that it is today and
they are conflict management
and conflict resolution skills. The
ability to prevent a
conflict still remains the
more important skill—
here you are self-aware
enough to stop a
potential downward
spiral. Before now when
I got into an argument
with my mum, I would
be more interested in
getting my opinions
across and when I
encountered any
resistance I pulled in
from any available
resource to ensure that
my voice was heard and
sometimes that
included raising my
voice.
Now, with my new knowledge
in conflict management, I place
Abeokuta, which produced the Afro-beat king,
Fela Anukulapo Kuti, former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, Head of the Interim
Government, Ernest Soneikan and M.K. O
Abiola. Final scores: Thomas Aquinas, Akure
2, Baptist Abeokuta 1. Mrs Omitola, the wife
of the then Western state’s Commissioner or
Police, Francis Omitola presented the Cup to
the winners.
Okwuokei was invited to the Western State
Academicals camp. That great Ibadan football
club, the fore-runner of the IICC, the WNDC
(Western Nigeria Development Cooperation
invited him to join the team. Please note that
Okwuokei did not beg or bribe any coach or
official for the invitations.
Okwuokei’s team included Ben Popoola,
whom he said was a truly gifted footballer: “It
was clear to us that Ben would go places, and
he did. He not only played for Bendel
Insurance Football Club of Benin in its glorious
days, but he played for the national football
team then known as the Green Eagles. Popoola
was about the youngest. He was a great
dribbler that often wriggled his way through
a defence, no matter how tight, only to get us
a much-needed goal or create a chance for
another to score. He was a remarkable
schemer. He had that ‘don’t dirty me’ style
that made him to avoid injurious contact with
defenders.
Mr. Okuwokei, from Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha
LGA of Delta state, left competitive soccer after
that. He is retired from the Nigerian Customs,
and lives in Asaba. He remembers the school
Captain, Boone Fawahinmi, Assistant Captain,
Uche Okoko (from Asaba) and his brother
Madu Okoko (the goalkeeper) Tunde
Ashagba (Akplasima), the team’s hardtackling
defender from Ondo and one
Adebayo.
On how to replicate the glorious days of
secondary school sports, Mr. Okwuokei who
also represented the school and later the zone
in javelin and pole-vault, said that schools
require good sports facilities. “We had a very
nice field, the school was managed by the Irish
missionaries. The boarding house system
ensured that we had enough time for sports
training as it brings a large number of students
together, they live in close proximity. He said
the teachers were committed—Principal
Evans, Vice-Principal Fatoyibo the rest of the
teachers. It all begins from school that is where
Jamaica spots its sprinters. It once fed our
national team. Then Nigeria must strengthen
its national league.”
the value of the relationship
(recognizing that I don’t want it to end)
over my opinions in the moment, not
when emotions are running high. Let’s
face it, our mothers often find it
confrontational when you express a
contrary opinion to theirs so many times
it’s better to allow things cool off and
maybe revisit the conversation at a later
time.
Often times, even the most skilled in
conflict management, can encounter
challenges because in every potential
conflict you are only in control of one
side of the situation and that’s why the
second skill is important. Conflict
resolution is what is described in
customer service as service recovery. It
is basically damage control. In the
world of customer service, service
recovery if approached skillfully will not
only revert a customer’s initial
dissatisfaction but also convert them to
a raving fan of the organization. I
believe the same principle can be
applied in relationships, conflicts don’t
have to lead to a total collapse in a
relationship that can be a source of love
in our lives, we can recover and rebuild
even after experiencing conflict.
Love is a beautiful thing and
meaningful relationships are a great
source of deep affection. There are
several stories about the origin of
Valentine’s day, but I guess the core
message is the expression of affection
and many people do it through the
exchange of gifts and spending time
with the special people in their lives. If
you don’t have a romantic interest for
valentines,’ take a look at the long list
of people who have expressed deep
affection for you and it’s okay to make
one of them your valentine. I am
currently going through my long list as
well, maybe in the next issue, I will share
what I did on valentine’s day.
Happy valentine’s day.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—33
Obaseki champions rebirth of sports in Edo
Sports has grown, over time, to Comrade Philip Shaibu, would
command a fervid following move sports to the next level in the
across the world. Once a state, when passed.
matter of bodily exercise and a Governor Obaseki’s signing of the
pastime for a select few, with a limited bill into law scrapped the Sports
following, sporting activities have Council and replaced it with the
metamorphosed into a global sports commission, in line with
phenomenon, providing global standards of modern sports
entertainment for followers and administration and the need to align
raking in millions for sportsmen and Edo State with global best practices
women. But how have Nigerian in sports.
governments tapped this goldmine According to Obaseki, “The Edo
of diverse socio-economic State Government is refreshing its
opportunities?
sports outlook. We have come with a
In their outcry of declining oil plan that will regulate the sports
revenue and jingles of diversification, industry, including how to improve
the Federal and state governments on our current ranking in sports,
have failed in developing sports and funding and how to get stakeholders
leveraging its multi-faceted in the industry to join us in
offerings.
revamping the sector”
In Edo, considered as one of the
most productive and successful states Reawakening the Okpekpe A view of a section of the main bowl of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City
in terms of churning out sportsmen Race
and women, years of neglect made it Another win for sports under
difficult to grow beyond the modest Governor Obaseki is the recognition
advances made over 40 years ago. of the 10-kilometer Okpekpe Race
Regrettably, facilities and structures by the International Association of
put on ground by the Samuel Athletics Federation (IAAF). The
Ogbemudia-led regime have all IAAF conferred on the international
become ramshackle, begging for a athletic event, a Silver Label status.
serious touch to restore the state to It is the first in the country and
its glory days.
continent.
But the current administration of Though Okpekpe has been on
Governor Godwin Obaseki is before the advent of Obaseki’s tenure,
speedily changing the narrative by the governor, however, took the
remodelling the anatomy of sports athletic meet beyond a sponsored
in the state and building a network athletic event.
of opportunities around the industry Under Obaseki, the race now 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) secretariat complex at Government House in Benin City
through his people-oriented reforms enjoys private sector participation as
and transformative infrastructural the governor has put the running and
facilities to accommodate senior
development.
management of the event in the
citizens and persons with disability.
In the past three years of Obaseki’s hands of tested professionals.
It also houses a new tennis,
government, sports and youth According to the governor, “The
basketball and squash courts; halls
development have continued to elevation of the Okpekpe race to a
for weightlifting, kickboxing, boxing
enjoy a new lease of life, with Edo Silver Label event will open the state
and para-powerlifting; restroom
State witnessing the re-birth of an to more opportunities to leverage its
and canteen areas, among others.
industry that delivers massive social new status for sports tourism and
In a tweet, Minister of Sports,
and economic dividends to the youth development. This will
Sunday Dare said, “Here you see the
people.
further drive socio-economic
‘Before’ and ‘Now’ of the Ministry’s
Realising the great leverage sports development of the state.”
owned Youth Indoor Sports hall. The
could provide to the economy,
Edo government based on an MOU
Governor Obaseki on assumption of Rebuilding Samuel
with Ministry of Youth and Sport
office, immediately set the Ogbemudia Stadium
Development (MYSD) has fully
machinery in motion to push Edo If there are evidences to show that Newly built Lawn Tennis Court at the Samuel Ogbemudia rehabilitated the sports hall. It’s back
State into the eye of sports economics the state has perfected plans to Stadium, in Benin City
to full functionality and we thank
by providing the necessary platform ensure credible structures are put in
Governor Obaseki”
for the industry to thrive.
place to support sports after Obaseki
It is this reengineering that earned leaves office in 2024, the rebuilding
Mini stadia: 5 out of 20 ready
the state the hosting right for the of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
To further broaden the scope of
National Sports Festival scheduled is a perfect example.
sports development, the Godwin
to hold in March, which will bring The world class stadium hosts an
Obaseki-led state government has
over 50,000 sports lovers across the Olympic-standard swimming pool;
embarked on the construction of 20
world into the state. The State was new four-in-one tennis court and
mini stadia with at least one stadium
also signaled to serve as one of the spectators’ stands; a two-storey
in each of the 18 local government
venues in Nigeria’s hosting of the secretariat; a squash court and
areas. Already, about 5 of these have
FIFA Under-20 Women’s soccer spectator stand with a befitting
been completed.
competition. This came after the secretariat; a single tennis court for
Commenting on the construction,
soaring success in hosting the finals with spectators stand;
the Acting Director General,
Nigerian Women Professional weightlifting and para-powerlifting
Nigerian Sports Development Fund,
Football League, NWPFL.
hall, which is attached to the main
Jide Fashikun, said, “The vision of
One would wonder the turnover in bowl, and a new gymnasium hall for
the governor is a realistic projection,
terms of revenue that accrues from weightlifting, kickboxing and
given our experience so far. Such
accommodation, transport and boxing, among other facilities.
project, when completed, will reduce
logistics, food and beverages, flights Minister of Sports and Youth
youth predilections for crime by as
in and out of the state, uniform and Development, Mr. Sunday Dare at a Newly constructed Swimming Pool at the Samuel Ogbemudia much as 40 percent at the very least.
wears, equipment and other sport recent inspection of the stadium, Stadium, in Benin City
The ripple effect of the project would
products.
which is over 95 percent complete,
have on youth development and
Apart from repositioning the sector commended Governor Obaseki-led
sports in the state is common
to become the new ‘oil’ of the state, administration’s commitment to
knowledge to critics in the sports
the Obaseki-led administration has deepening sports development by
sector.
continued to fix roads, improve investing in the revamping of the
According the Philip Shaibu,
electricity, facilitate expansion of stadium and other sports facilities
“Governor Godwin Obaseki has
existing businesses and sustained a in the state.
ensured that everything that will
peaceful, vibrant and boisterous Edo Impressed with the quality of work
make Edo youths become engaged
State that plays host to sports at the stadium, Dare said, “There are
investors across the globe.
no excuses for Edo 2020 National
and involved in sports are provided,
Sports Festival. This is
because it is one of the many reasons
Taking the bold step
transformational; it’s a makeover
he is desirous of reforming the sector.
As it is with the several reforms and very impressive job. I was here
The transactions that follow in
initiated by Governor Obaseki, early for campaigns in 2014 and 2015.
engaging these young ones and the
into administration, the governor The stadium is wearing a new look.
multiplying effects on the economy
convened a summit of the crème de This is totally different as the facility
are huge. So, we are trying to use it
la crèmes of the sports sector in here is at par with FIFA standards.”
to create wealth, improve physical
Benin City to chart a path towards Aside the investment in
well-being and also douse tension by
reviving sports in Edo State. transforming the Ogbemudia
ensuring very hardworking people
As part of the recommendations stadium into a world class sports
stay calm and relaxed.
made from the sports summit, centre, the state government has
“And that investment they make
Obaseki created the Edo State completed and opened a new block
through the buying of tickets and
Sports Commission with Godwin of building to serve as Secretariat Ongoing training session at the National Sports Commission other activities can help us grow our
Dudu-Orumen as Chairman to for NSF officials during the Indoor sports complex, along Dumez Road in Benin City, economy and ensure people are
incorporate a sports support fund for competition.
rehabilitated by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led state
the state. The setting up of the sports Governor Obaseki said the government in partnership with the Federal Government
gainfully employed.”
commission allows for real building, located within the premises
professionals to run sports in the of the Government House, in Benin
state.
City, “is properly equipped with the infrastructure in the state, the Edo advantage of the facility’s adequate
The governor also signed into law necessary facilities such as
EDO SPORTS
State Government through a space to groom sporting talents.
the Edo State Sports Commission communication system to upgrade Memorandum of Understanding The multipurpose Indoor Sports
FAST FACTS
bill, which is part of the proposed the standard of hosting the National (MoU) took over the National Sports Hall has been remodeled with 1 Ultra Modern Stadium Main
bills by an 11-man committee set up Sports Festival.
Commission Gymnasium located in modern equipment and other sports Bowl
by the State Government to revive
the state from the Federal facilities to meet international 5 Completed Mini Stadia
the sector. There is also the Sports Enlivening the Youth Indoor government.
standards.
15 Other Stadia To Be
Trust Fund Bill which, according to Sports Hall
The interest in taking over the Specifically, the building was Constructed
Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. To further boost sports facility is to enable the state take rehabilitated with additional 1 Indoor Sports Complex
2 Sports Secretariat

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
I’ve seen JTF boy with stick pursue
Boko Haram man with AK 47
Wabba, NLC president on why Nigeria should
support communities to defend themselves
•Says insecurity has assumed alarming dimension
•High inequality gap, population growth, working poor, a time bomb
By Victor Young
President of Nigeria Labour Congress,
NLC, Ayuba Wabba, is worried by the
worsening insecurity challenges in the
country. In this interview, he speaks on ways
out, hunger, inequality gap, and population
growth among others.
Insecurity/Amotekun
The security situation in the country is
overwhelming and we must, even as citizens
play our role effectively. The issue of Boko
Haram, which is from my region - the North
East, there is a major role being played by nonstate
actors in the security architecture. If we
are to address the issue of insecurity, such
groups or communities must play an
important role. Where I come from we have
the civilian JTF, and we have the vigilantes. I
can tell you the successes recorded particularly
in Maiduguri, the state capital, the civilian
JTF takes a substantial part of the credit. I saw
where a youth carrying a stick pursued a Boko
Haram insurgent that was carrying AK 47.
In the community where I come from, last
December, which I have commended our
Governor Babagana Zulum, he visited all
communities in Southern Borno and other
areas where there are still Boko Haram attacks,
donated items and also strengthened the
vigilantes. He told them that vigilantes should
be able to protect their communities and that
they should assist the security agents because
they know the terrain, and the people and
should expose the bad eggs. That is the way to
go. It is also about community policing.
The Police we are talking about cannot do
the magic, the military cannot do magic. They
need the support of the community. The
communities can support security agents
through such organised outfits. What is needed
is for the government to regulate and ensure
that they do not become a menace. We need to
have such outfits so that they can complement
the efforts of the police and the armed forces.
We are not telling ourselves the realities. We
should align ourselves with the constitutional
provision to have community policing, and
align with community priorities. We have
vigilantes now in every community assisting
in the issue of security. We believe we should
have in every community the
vigilante or the civilians
supporting the security
agencies. This will go a long
way in addressing the issue of
insecurity.
I speak based on
information available to me
because I have visited several
states. NLC today is the most
widely spread organisation in
the country. In every hamlet,
we have a teacher, a health
worker and a transport
worker, etc. So, we are talking
from the point of information.
We are far from overcoming
the security challenges in our
country. I can say that they are
We have
vigilantes
now in every
community
assisting in
the issue of
security
assuming alarming
proportions. The issue in the
past was just armed robbery.
The issue of kidnapping is
now a new phenomenon.
Even in my village, last
December, we recorded some
cases of kidnapping. We thank
God they have been
apprehended, but it is a new phenomenon. This
has been escalated to cities, towns, hamlet and
even on the highways. The issue of cattle
rustling, armed banditry and theft are
assuming alarming dimension. We can’t say
we do not have security challenges. The truth
is that criminals are devising new techniques
every day to beat our security agencies. So,
community policing or being conscious about
security is everybody’s business.
Let us face the fact, there is no way we can
employ enough manpower to police the whole
country. That is very difficult and the resources
are not there. But through these non-state
outfits, our able-bodied youths can assist the
security agencies.
Position of AGF
If we want to address our security challenge,
there is no way we can write off non-state actors
or communities. And states also are coming
up with solutions that can assist the security
agencies. I think the missing point is, how do
we align this interest? The issue of having nonstate
actors or outfits assisting our security
agencies is in the right direction. I do not
understand the apprehension of the AGF. But I
know if we can align all these interests it will
help us solve the security challenges.
Community policing is about the community
people taking a larger responsibility to secure
their community because they know everybody,
every child, those that are good and those that
are bad. Somebody that is not from the
community cannot realize and analyse these
facts. I think the AGF should engage them and
see how to align every interest.
In the community where I come from, I know
that security is a real challenge. Attacks will
happen and nothing will happen. Our youths
will go there with their bare hands,
consciousness and zeal, and confront the
insurgents. I have seen that work, and that is
why we supporting our communities to defend
themselves because that is the way to go.
Hunger, poverty
All the statistics being churned out means
that more than 70 per cent of Nigerians are
living below the poverty line. That is the reality
and even besides that, we have been described
as the poverty capital of the world. We need to
address that issue because it is a reality. I have
interacted with people from the lower cadre of
the echelon and I know the situation.
As a country we can be said to be very
prosperous, but what is the per capita income?
The per capita income is certainly below what
is expected. Here we are as a rich country but
the majority of the people are very poor. The
rich have continued to be rich and the poor
have continued to be poor. We no longer have
the middle class in the context of our country.
We only have those above the echelon and those
below the ladder. The middle
class has been eroded.
In the past, I remember
because my father served for 35
years in the army before he
retired. I remember those we
referred to as the middle class in
those days had their houses. Once
you finished school, you have a
car and therefore, you are a
middle class. You can live a
comfortable life. You do not
depend on fairly used or
Tokunbo cars. I remember that
within that bracket, they can
afford new vehicles depending
on your level. They can afford
new Peugeot which was about
N6000 and if it were with Air
conditioner, it was just above
N6000. Some buy Beetle, that is
Volkswagen. But now, how many
Nigerians can afford a new
motorcycle?
So, the reality is that there is a
lot of inequality in our country.
This inequality gap is affecting
mostly the youths. Year in, year
out, you churn thousands of youths out of
different institutions. In the end, most of them
cannot find something, job to do. Not because
they are not able, not because they are not
trained, but because job opportunities are very
limited. Many industries are not working
optimally because of constraints including
power. In most situations, the only few jobs
available possibly in few government agencies
or retail outfits or service areas.
We are not into real production to produce
what we eat in this country. A lot of factors are
responsible and usually, those are the factors
responsible for where we are today. For us to
change the narrative, we need to look at the
issues, if not, the situation will continue.
Our population growth far outweighs our
economic growth. Our population growth is
about 2.5 per cent and our economic growth is
less than three per cent. In the next few years,
we are going to be the third most populous
country in the world. This means that we are
sitting on a time bomb. The issue of inequality
is real because many cannot have three meals
a day.
Even with the current minimum wage, those
on the minimum, certainly by the time you
remove school fees, rent, utilities which are on
the increase every day, there is no way they can
have a decent living. Therefore, we will
continue to have mostly the working poor. We
have many Nigerians that are working poor
and they are living below the poverty line. They
earn less than two dollars a day. Even with the
new minimum wage, we are earning less than
two dollars a day. This is something of serious
concern. That is NLC has prioritized it because
it is a time bomb. It is being said that an idle
mind is the devil’s workshop. We must find a
way of positively engaging those youths, and
we must find a way of bridging the inequality
gap between the rich and the poor. Some have
too much money that they do not know what
to do with it and they pay less tax, while the
poor pay the highest taxes especially the
workers through the pay as you earn.
Daily, we receive reports that the high and
the mighty still receive waivers. They import
goods, they are given waivers, what kind of
country is this? In our new year message, we
pointed out to this fact that this is a challenge
and as a country, we need to address it. We call
on our political elites and political leaders to
prioritize effort at addressing inequality.
Various reports out there have pointed out the
fact that the poverty gap is widening within
Africa and also within Nigeria because of our
population.
Unpaid salaries
A worker is worthy of his wages. It is evil for
any worker to have worked, at the end of the
month, he is not paid or for a pensioner to
have worked and retired, and not have earned
his benefit. It is a contradiction in this country
where political office holders are allocating
to themselves very bogus pension and
severance packages running into millions. Yet,
the worker that earns a peanut in form of salary
or monthly pension is not paid. That is why we
have made that also our priority.
Every employment outfit that we have such
a situation brought to our notice, we have
engaged it. You can recall that from state to
state, we have engaged them. I thank God that
in some cases, it has worked and the governors
were also sacked because of our prayers and
actions. They could not come back. Certainly,
it is still one of the priorities. A lot of resources
are given to the states and we need to work
assiduously with those states, with strong
leadership to protect the interest of workers
and pensioners.
Same with the private sector, and that is why
the issue of unionisation is topmost on our
agenda, to allow workers to freely associate
and to allow workers to freely join or form a
union, so that the union in turn, can work with
NLC to defend and protect their interests. As
you are aware, NLC is a labour centre, it does
have direct members. Members belong to
affiliates. We can only work through affiliates
and we have been doing just that.
The first right of a worker is for him to be
paid after 30 days. Where he is not paid, we are
ready to take any action including litigation
to make sure that the bank accounts of such
states and organisations are frozen to pay those
workers. Our labour laws are very rich but it is
because in most cases, those workers are weak,
and even those unions in most cases, do not
bring the issues to our attention. Where it is
brought to our attention, we take action
seriously to ensure that no worker is treated as
a slave.
A worker should be able to earn his wages,
he should be able to take care of his family
and also have a decent living. That is expected
everywhere around the world. That is why we
have a lot of insecurity because where workers
cannot take care of their families including
sending their children to schools, then the entire
family system will be in disarray. By extension,
the children of those categories of people will
go into the unemployment market and cause
a lot of instability. It is in our enlightened interest
to also continue to pay workers that have
worked and pensioners because we have to
keep reiterating that a worker is entitled to his
wages.
Labour yesterday, today
Things have not changed; it is the people
that have changed. Just like the larger
Nigerian society, Labour is not operating in
isolation. Labour people are part of the larger
society. Whatever happens in the larger society,
you also find it happening in Labour. The
influence is there, particularly the negative
influence from the larger society have filtrated
even the churches and other religious
organisations, you find out that it has
permeated into those very sacred
organisations. Same with Labour, you find the
good, the bad, and the ugly. So, it is part of the
reflection of the larger society. Today, we are
discussing the issue of corruption. Corruption
is a systemic issue in Nigeria. It is not limited
to the private or public sector, it has also
extended to private homes. That is the reality.

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—35
This is not an autobiography. It is a book
dedicated to selected contributions by
the author to public scholarship over
the years. Some of the chapters in this book
have been published by many Nigerian
newspapers and journals, while others were
presented at seminars and lectures. A
fascinating aspect of the book, however, is that
it was dedicated to those who love and
understand the role of the past in the affairs of
Men. Surprisingly, that was the focus of the
Preface to the book too. This is noble. This
position must have been in the face of the grave
error by our compatriots that history is a useless
enterprise and must be discountenanced. But
here is a distinguished Lawyer who has
recognised that history, both as the knowledge
of the past and as a course of study must be
promoted. Unfortunately, there has been a
serious erosion of the need for history in
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.
The author’s friend, brother and soulmate,
Dr. Abimbola Lagunju who wrote the Preface
to the book also picked up the author’s mood.
He noted melancholically:
Serious researched history of our political
and social actors has been replaced by shallow
social media posts which are gullibly believed
to be true accounts of our past. Distorted and
revised historical events make the waves on
these media with the sole purpose of
constructing new narratives to make villains
of heroes, obfuscate the truth and create
enemies of friends (p. 13).
It is therefore very clear that the author is not
only someone who keeps the law and but also
has the vision of a country built on the lessons
of the past. Is that not what two passages from
the Holy Scripture tries to draw our attentions
to? Let me start off with two passages of
Scripture to buttress my point (This is from the
bible. I am sure there are equivalents in the
Quoran):
Proverbs 29:18 says: Where there is no vision,
the people perish: but he that keepeth the law,
happy is he.
Hosea 4: 6 says: My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge: because thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that
thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing that thou
hast forgotten the law of God, I will also forget
thy children.
Some of us here have heard these popular
scriptures time and time again. I am sure some
of you would say but that is religious talk. Yes,
we must draw inspirations from the things of
God. But we must also help validate these
messages by helping society to shine the light
on our paths in diverse ways. One of the ways
to do this is by stressing the didactic nature of
History in the search for a sound and viable
country. Let us draw attention to hope, dreams
and visions. But let us also criticise unjust ways.
That is the message one gets from reading this
book.
Drawing sharply from received wisdom, the
author and celebrant of today has used these
to critique not only the present and the past but
also to help create a roadmap for the future.
This has been done in
twelve brilliantly written
(12) Chapters.
The motif of good and
profound heritage oozes
out of the first chapter
entitled ‘Oke-Ado as
Ibadan’s Early Epicentre’
(pp. 17-26). That highly
popular part of Ibadan
received the author’s
immediate attention,
perhaps because of the
calibre of people and
institutions that populated
the area. These were the
movers and shakers of
society. Here, the author
must be quoted in
extenso: “Oke-Ado was
where the noveaux riches
that arrived with
independence, lived,
before the advent of Bodija
Estate, Ibadan. Oke-Ado,
was home to the
Awolowos, Akin Deko,
S.A Tinubu of Iresi,
Justice Morgan, Chief
Justice of the Western
Region, who succeeded
the Ghanaian Quarshie
Idun as Chief Justice,
Justice Olujide Somolu,
who was Chief Awolowo’s
best man in 1937, Daniel
Olorunfemi Fagunwa on
Ajanla street, Amos
Tutuola, author of the Palm Wine Drinkard,
the Otudekos, the Craigs, the Italian
Construction Firm of L. Dalberto, the home of
popular textile trader and woman activist,
Alhaja Humoani Alaga, built in 1951, Bola
Babalakin, Ososanmi, Bola Ige, Chief
Isamosta Ashiru, who built his first house in
Oke-Ado in 1946, Victor and Wuraola Esan,
Omololu Olunloyo, Duro Ogundiran and a
host of others.”
The institutions located in Oke Ado also
Unfortunately, it is a
chapter that leaves you
dissatisfied as you will
not find out within its
pages the exciting
stories of the Alaafin
Adeyemi II and Bode
Thomas or what
transpired between
Alaafin Adeyemi III and
Gen Abacha, as well as
other things making the
stool very powerful,
arrogant and dynamic
A short stroll along
history avenue
By Hon. Femi Kehinde
defined the character and nature of modern
Ibadan. These included the Cathedral Church
of Saint James’ Oke-Bola, that was established
in 1860, the Saint Theresa’s College and Saint
Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Fagboun Tailors,
the Baptist book stores, the Ayeni Rational
book stores, and the Waateco motor company
of Okunade Sijuade and S.L Durosaro,
importing Russian vehicles with office at the
Junction of the popular Agbeni-Ogunpa road.
There was also the Palm Tree club, almost
opposite the Odeon Cinema and also the Rex
Cinema, that kept Oke-Ado bubbling, the
popular Ogunkoya stores, the Rab and Lally
Chemist of the Irabors, the Toye
Chemists, the Palm Chemists
of the Akinkugbes, Mama
Oyin Adenuga storesbelonging
to the mother of the
Communication guru,
Michael Adenuga.
The author also proclaimed
for the world to hear that Oke-
Ado prospered the Ibadan
literary World, through its
famous rendezvous, the Mbari
Mbayo Club and also, through
its members like Ulli Beier,
Wole Soyinka, Amos Tutuola,
D.O Fagunwa, Yetunde Esan
(later Mrs. Omisade,) J.P
Clark, Demas Nwoko and a
host of others. Of course,
nobody could get to Ibadan of
those days to purchase books
without making a beeline for
the Odusote books.
The author has shown
through the chapter that micro
history is an important aspect
of history that has been
neglected for far too long. We
are always enamoured by the
superstructure leaving the
substructure untouched. We
must return to this aspect of
history to understand the
building blocks of society.
The second chapter entitled
Yesufu Oloyede Asanike I - The
King with Humour, Wit and
Sarcasm focuses on Olubadan
Yesufu Oloyede Asanike who ascended the
throne on the 4th of February 1983 and died
on the 24th of December 1993. The author has
chronicled the great contributions of the late
Kabiyesi to humour and certain social registers
by regaling us with different episodes of his
engagement with the general public. The
chapter also showed us the courage Kabiyesi
brought to life during his reign. For those who
missed the royal father’s idiosyncrasies, the
author has captured and documented these in
very significant ways.
The third chapter captured the life and
actions of two Alaafins. He titled the chapter:
Between Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi II and
Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III. The author talked
about longevity of the current Alaafin vis-a-vis
his predecessors. He also talked about the
number of wives as well as the activities of the
two kings. Unfortunately, it is a chapter that
leaves you dissatisfied as you will not find out
within its pages the exciting stories of the
Alaafin Adeyemi II and Bode Thomas or what
transpired between Alaafin Adeyemi III and
Gen Abacha, as well as other things making
the stool very powerful, arrogant and
dynamic. The author should return to this
topic in future by giving us a book-length
volume on the lives of the two Alaafins from a
biographical (and comparative) perspective.
The fourth chapter is on the sweet-sour story
of Olabisi Ajala (Chief Ebenezer Obey sang
his praises in his well-known song – ‘Ajala
travel all over the world…’ in the 1970s). In a
carefully rendered piece entitled ‘Between
Fame and Penury: The Life and Times of
Olabisi Ajala - The Traveller’, the author has
chronicled the tragic life of a person who had
been very popular in Nigeria and Overseas
since the 1950s. The author has done a fine job
in detailing the life and times of this itinerant
gentleman. The major message of the chapter?
Let his shipwreck be your own seamark. It was
indeed a tragic life.
‘And the Death of Meteors’, which is the focus
of the fifth chapter is the chronicle of men whose
sojourn on earth proved extremely short. A
perusal of the list would reveal both local and
foreign personalities ranging from our own
Duro Ladipo to the anti-imperialist, Walter
Rodney. It is a chapter that chronicled
the Unfinished Lives of great
personalities.
Chapter Six entitled ‘Feminism as a Credible
Force Against Colonialism and Imperialism;
The Funmilayo Ransome-kuti’s Story as
Pathfinder in Nigeria’ is a clear analysis of the
role of this Amazon in nation building, human
rights advocacy and human liberation. Her
life served as a lesson to our women today. The
author obviously tried to draw the attention of
Nigerians to the struggles, successes, trials and
tribulations that characterised this woman’s
existence on earth. In the chapter, one is drawn
to things like perseverance, dedication and
honour. This is a message for the contemporary
woman.
The other six chapters treated other issues
ranging from love to the celebration of legends,
and philosophical issues. Chapter Seven is on
‘Between TOS Benson and Folake Solanke; A
beleaguered love Story’. Here, the author
focuses on the life of Chief TOS Benson and
the most troublesome story of his life, the love
tango, with Folake Odulate, (later Solanke),
that started in 1948. This chapter is
particularly good for those who love
gossips and speculations; Chapter eight
is entitled ‘Between J.I.C Taylor and
Contemporary Justice’; Chapter Nine is on
‘Ebenezer Obey: Between Music and
Philosophy: Celebrating a living Legend!!!’
and Chapter ten focuses on ‘GKJ Amachree,
QC-100 years Post-Humous Birthday Tribute
- A legal Titan, Icon & Pathfinder.’ From the
Niger Delta the author travelled down to Lagos
by focusing on ‘Between Oba Akinolu and
History.’. These chapters serve to explain
certain issues and developments in the
Nigerian society.
Perhaps, the most pungent of the chapters is
the twelfth chapter entitled ‘Between Tambuwal
and Ingratitude.’ The chapter is a critique of
our political elites using Tambuwal (now the
governor of Sokoto State) as reference point.
The author took our politicians to the cleaners.
Here he questioned the ethical standards of
the day by emotionally drawing attention to
the lack of decency of someone who rose to
prominence in Nigeria’s political firmament
within a short period. With pain in his heart, he
proclaimed,
The Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal has in the
last few years demonstrated an unkind and
unjust act of ingratitude, to the Political Party,
that took him to the Parliament as an
Honourable Member and on the platform
through which he became the Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the number 4
citizen of Nigeria. However, he should he be
(sic) reminded, that he who is not grateful to
his benefactor i.e. his Party (PDP) in this
instance, would not be grateful to the rest of
mankind from whom he has received no
benefaction, whilst also wishing him success
in this new voyage.(p. 142)
The last chapter was a clarion call to his
compatriot to recognise honour and decency
in an age of great flux. We must pray for new
beginnings.
However, in addition to the core issues
discussed by the author, this book is a reference
point for detailed chronology, extensive
attention to details and critique of his society.
The central theme of this collection is the
evolution of society and social thought. It is a
work that has embraced an avowedly scientific,
historical and sociological approach to
knowledge. It was also an acknowledgement
of the author’s own experiences and his desire
to enhance moral values in society.
But I must not end the review without
dwelling on what is missing from the book.
Even though the book was not designed to be a
biography, the author has appended a short
biography at the back cover of the book. This
has given me licence to intervene in that aspect
of the book. What I am doing now is to help
him extend that biography. Listen very
carefully. Here is a man born to succeed and
to excel! I expected him to write the fact that he
was a book worm (he is still one)! How did I
know this? We attended the same secondary
school, Origbo Community High School
(OCHS), Ipetumodu, now in the present Ife
North Local Government Area of Osun State.
He was two years ahead of me. Senior Femi
Kehinde, as we used to call him did something
then as a boarding house student that I must
add to his short biography. One dark night, he
did something that brought him out as a book
worm. He was caught reading after light-out
when he was supposed to be sleeping in his
bed- according to the strict regulations of the
time. His first punishment? He was made to
uproot a tree at a site being proposed for
another classroom in the school. He was to
have his second ‘punishment’ a week later. And
the second punishment? He was appointed the
Assistant Senior Prefect/ Labour Prefect for the
school. He became known Olowo joye meji
po (in the tradition of the song by King Sunny
Ade in the 1970s). It was a double-barrelled
appointment. (He was there before Babatunde
Fashola who enjoyed a similar status in
President Buhari’s cabinet during his first term
in office). In that position, Senior Femi
Kehinde, I must say, excelled in both tasks
excellently well.
Ladies and Gentlemen, despite that small
omission in the biographical details, I must
assure you that this is a wonderful book that
must be read by all and sundry. Even then, a
few infelicities were noticed:
George Santayana written as ‘Judge
Santiana’ (p.11).
In the preface, the title of the book was
mistakenly written as “A Short Story Along
History Avenue” (p.14).
Also, on p. 142 ‘he should be reminded’ was
written as ‘he should he be reminded’ (p. 142).
However, these do not detract from the
overall importance of this wonderful book. I,
therefore, commend the book not only to the
general public, but also to all men and women
of goodwill.
Thank you,
Book review by Professor Olutayo C.
Adesina, Head, Department of History,
University of Ibadan
November 3, 2019.

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
By Anietie John Ukpe
“The murky waters of politics?”
This rhetorical question summed up
Elder Gabriel Emmanuel
Nkanang’s laconic response in
2013 to the information that there were
plans for his son, Udom, to be appointed
the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State
Government. A few years earlier he had
undertaken the painful duty of the
internment of his beloved wife and the void
created by her departure was still palpable.
Then came the concerning news that his
son was about to take a dip in what he
considered to be murky waters. Politics
was not his forte, as a matter of fact he
had grown to frown at it. Even more
bothersome, his son stepping into politics
meant stepping away from the comfort
and security of his blue chip job as an
Executive Director of Zenith Bank. A job
which, by his estimation, did not pose as
many challenges and vicissitudes as the
one he was about to step into.
In retirement, God had blessed Nkanang
with the fulfilling spectacle of watching
his six children (four sons and two
daughters) blossom like trees planted by
the riverside. Even more pleasing to him
was that they were flying the family
banner of integrity and honor in their
different careers and people spoke well of
them. A man who gave his life, spirit and
heart to teaching and to serving God,
Teacher Nkanang believed that God had
justified the scripture that the children of
the righteous cannot beg for bread in his
family situation. It was in consideration
of this righteous heritage that he thought
that stepping into the turbulent waters of
politics was antithetical to the basic
precepts and values of the family he had
nurtured in righteousness as the patriarch.
Elder Nkanang, who passed on in
December, 2019 at the ripe age of 90, need
not have been worried. His son resolved
his fears by explaining and promising him
that he would maintain the family honour
in his work as the Secretary to the State
Government and in politics. He informed
the septuagenarian that if the need were
to arise, he would quit politics and return
to his first love - banking. Udom Gabriel
Emmanuel would go ahead to acquit
himself creditably as the Secretary to the
State Government and, thereafter, got
elected the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Elder Nkanang lived long enough to have
his initial fears supplanted by pride in his
son’s sterling performance as a governor.
What was his reaction when his son was
elected governor in 2015? Ekerete
Emmanuel, his fourth son and immediate
younger brother of Udom, broke the news
of Udom’s election to Elder Nkanang:
“You are the proud father of the Governor
of Akwa Ibom State!” Nkanang did not
betray the kind of excitement you would
expect of a father receiving such great
news. He smiled and said that he had
brought up his children to be leaders and
he was not too surprised. He said there
was a leadership gene passed on to his
children from his bosom noting that in
his life he was always sought after to lead
and he expected his children to lead and
lead so well that God will be glorified and
man would be satisfied.
Nkanang turned the last page of his
storied life of service to mankind by asking
to be dressed up in his best cloth at
bedtime. He did not wake up the next
morning - or to adjust that slightly, he woke
up on the other side of eternity. It was a
surprise that he did not opt for his usual
pajamas that fateful night. It appears that
he dressed up to breath his last and make
it easier for his remains to be handled.
Taken holistically, Nkanang was a man
who paid great attention to detail in his
life - and he appeared to have also paid
great attention to detail in his death.
“He would record the mileage of his
motorcycle when leaving the house,”
Gabriel, his first son, explained. So
tucking himself into this best wear before
embarking on an eternal journey to meet
his Creator followed the pattern.
Nkanang was born on Monday, May 27,
1929, into a very pious Christian family.
Six months after his birth, Nigeria suffered
a national calamity when women in the
NKANANG:
The Departure of an
Inspirational Teacher!
•Nkanang, late father of Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel
eastern part of the country rose up in arms
against the unfair Indirect Tax imposed
by the British Colonial Administration.
The uprising which is christened in history
books as “the Aba Women Riot” claimed
the lives of not less than 50 unarmed,
hapless women. It actually occurred in the
part of the world where Nkanang was
born. As he woke up to his world, the
rumbles of war shook the entire world as
Hitler’s Germany began the preparation
for another World War. When he was ten
years old, the Second World War began in
Europe and Nigeria joined the war on the
side of the British Empire. But the strong
Christian values of his family insulated
him from the effects of war and crisis and
he would remain a man of peace for the
rest of his life. Not even the Nigerian Civil
War which happened when he was in his
30’s could derail his peaceful disposition.
A brilliant student, he was offered
instant employment as an auxiliary
teacher after his Standard Six
Examination. He set his sights on more
academic accomplishments and obtained
the Royals Society of Arts certificate. He
gained admission to the institution which
later became the University of Ibadan but
lost his father the same year. A man who
placed family before all else he sacrificed
the admission for his family and, as the
first born, stepped into the role of a father.
Teaching was not just work for him, it
was a calling. He went out of his way to
bring wayward children to his home and
turn their lives around with prayers,
instruction and counsel. “We used to have
a lot of people in our house, it was more
like a correctional centre. At a point we
used to have about eight additional
children in our house,” Gabriel, the first
son, recalls.
The most dreaded school subject in
those days was the almighty mathematics.
But Nkanang had a way of teaching
mathematics which simplified it and won
the subject a lot of fans. “When my father
teaches you mathematics, you cannot fail
to like it,” Sylvia, his first daughter,
enthuses. Others like Ekerete Udoh, the
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, and
Nkanang turned the
last page of his
storied life of service
to mankind by
asking to be dressed
up in his best cloth at
bedtime. He did not
wake up the next
morning - or to
adjust that slightly,
he woke up on the
other side of eternity
Aniefiok Udonquak, confirmed how
Teacher Nkanang’s approach to
mathematics and his love for his pupils
impacted on their lives. They described
him as a quintessential teacher who was
an inspiration to all his pupils. Udoh
recalls how he used to insist that all pupils
should come to the school assembly every
morning prepared to conduct the
morning devotion at the Assembly Hall.
“It kept us on our toes and I remember
vividly the day it was my turn to conduct
the morning devotion, I almost pissed in
my pants, I ended up doing a pretty good
job because of his fatherly support and
encouragement,” Udoh says with a laugh.
Teacher Nkanang was also a missionary
who went about establishing churches and
schools all over the country. Where it
became imperative, he would sponsor and
support the missions he had established. He
had an obsession with bringing education
to everyone. Confronted with a geographical
barrier at Ntan Ide and Ikot Idem Udohwhere
a stream
separated the two villages, he singlehandedly
constructed a make-shift bridge
so that children would not have any reason
not to go to school.
Teacher and Elder Nkanang who now
belongs to folklores, fables and legends
exchanged banters and pleasantries with
everyone and went to bed with a smile.
Like the American musician and
songwriter, Jordan Smith, says, “When you
were born, you were crying and everyone
around you was smiling. Live your life so
that when you die, you’re the one who is
smiling and everyone around you is
crying.” This sums up the life and time of
Teacher Nkanang who left the world
smiling and everyone crying and praying
that God will send to this world more men
like this great and inspirational teacher.
•Pastor Ukpe is public affairs
commentator based in Uyo

HHHFAA encourages youths to
drive transformation in Nigeria
Stories by Moses Nosike
At the 2020 Martin
Luther Kings Jr.
day lecture held at
the Mountain Top
University, Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway, Ogun State,
by the Hubert H.
Humphrey Fellowship
Alumni Association
(HHHFAA) in Nigeria,
youths were encouraged to
drive positive
transformation for the
good of the country. The
event was supported by the
United States Consulate
General in Lagos.
According to the
President of the
Association in Nigeria,
Mojisola Onifade,
HHHFAA recognizes the
need to motivate youths to
be responsible citizens and
active participants in
ensuring good governance.
“The Association believes
also that youths should be
actively involved in
proffering meaningful
solutions to Nigerian
problems and has thus been
involved in nurturing the strengths,
interests and abilities of young
people through the Youth
Leadership Enhancement
programme, a series of interactive
events implemented yearly by the
Association to add knowledge to
youths in the 15 – 35 year age range.
The Hubert H. Humphrey
Fellowship Alumni Association in
Nigeria was established as a
platform for alumni of the
Humphrey Fellowship
programme to share ideas and join
efforts to bring social change to
Nigerian communities.
The Vice Chancellor of the
university, Prof. Elijah Ayolabi in his
welcome address, commended the
Association for organizing the event
and expressed hope that everyone
in attendance would be inspired by
the commitment of the late Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. to fight for
social justice and equality. He
further expressed hope that the event
would lead to further
collaborations with the Association
and the US Consulate in Lagos.
In her remarks, Onifade said that
Nigeria today needs men and
women who will not sit and watch
injustice go unchallenged. “We need
a generation of youths who are able
to believe that change is possible
and who strongly believe they have
the capacity to make that change
happen. I believe Mountain Top
University by design is the place
where such youths are raised and I
hope the management of this great
institution remains committed to
continue nurturing them”.
Continuing, she said, “on our part,
the Association remains committed
to motivating a generation of
socially conscious and responsible
young adults. We do this through our
outreaches including the Speaker
Program, which target secondary
school students; the MLK Day
lecture, which targets University
students; and the Humphrey Fellow
Presents, our quarterly lecture series
designed to nurture the leadership
capacity of young working class
professionals”.
Onifade expressed gratitude to the
United States government in
Nigeria for its commitment to
developing competencies in
Nigerians and empowering
youths to dream change and
make it happen. She said, “The US
Embassy in Nigeria has a number
of programmes targeting young
people in the 18- 35 year old age
bracket, such as the Young
African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
Network and its flagship, the
Mandela Washington Fellowship;
the Tech Women programme,
targeting young women in
Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) and
many others”. She urged every
young person to harness these
resources to develop their
potential and enhance their
capacity to drive Nigerian
transformation.
In addition, President/Founder,
Social Intervention Advocacy
Foundation (SIAF), Segun Sega
Awosanya who spoke on Nonviolent
Activism for Change:
Transforming Nigeria Block by
Block, advised the youths to
peacefully advocate change in every
aspect of the Nigerian leadership
where they feel there should be a
change. He spoke on how his
organization has been able to
leverage technology to drive the
development, nurturing and
collaborative implementation of
transformative ideas.
He further shared on how the
foundation utilizes the social
media platform, Twitter, to deploy
activism coupled with advocacy
in a way that innovatively
perfects Nigerian democracy,
citing the successes of the
#EndSARS, #ReformPoliceNg,
#Rise and many other social
campaigns.
In the same vein, Founder/
Executive Director, Children
Emergency Relief Foundation
(CERF), Abosede Oyeleye, urged
participants to speak up against
the prevalence of gender violence
and the injustice meted out to
victims of the attack. In her
delivery titled, “Nigeria, the
Conspiracy of Silence with Gender
Violence in Perspective”, she
underscored how endemic gender
violence is in Nigerian society and
how the conspiracy of silence has
helped to encourage its spread.
She shared on how her
organization uses advocacy to
support gender violence victims
and she encouraged every one to
be an advocate, explaining that
everyone is regarded as a
Mandatory reporter expected to
report cases of gender violence.
DAF supports human development elopment via scholar
holarship awards
ards
In its efforts to reduce poverty,
empower community
women for self-reliance,
especially the less privileged ones
in our society, a non profit and non
governmental organisation,
Damilola Adefemi Foundation,
has taken a step further on human
development as the foundation
has recently offered nine brilliant
students scholarship into various
secondary schools of their choice.
The foundation considered this
humanitarian approach
necessary because their parents
could not afford sponsorship of
these children.
This was done after the
foundation last year engaged the
services of qualified
academicians who conducted
written tests for 33 students.
And those who qualified were
subjected to another second
round of written and oral tests
which was maned by 4 man
panelists. The oral test was
extend to students parents to
From Left: The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, The Widow
of Late Vice Admiral Patrick Koshoni, Mrs. Margaret Koshoni, Flag Officer Commanding,
Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, during the celebration
of Life/Lying in State held for Late Vice Admiral Patrick Seubo Koshoni,
Former Chief of Naval Staff, held in Lagos yesterday.
ascertain accurate position of
things and for the purpose of
selecting the best students.
However, the qualified
students where drawn from
Ogun, Osun and Lagos
respectively after the final
screening and wasting time,
they were offered admission into
Junior Secondary Schools, as
they are now enjoying their
studies in various schools where
they were admitted.
Also, in line with the
foundation’s mission statement,
to promote human
empowerment and put smiles on
the less privileged Nigerians, the
foundation had visited several
less privileged homes with
donations, ranging from Nigeria
prisons donating to children
born in prison. That gesture as
well was extended to school of the
blind in Lagos and other states
who received socour from DAF.
Many widows have been
empowered for self-reliance
thereby reducing poverty in their
homes and society at large.
In addition to that, the
foundation recently partnered a
real estate company, Shadop
Int., TNT television to organise
a party for children at Ndubisi
Partk, Alausa putting smiles on
the faces of children and parents
with take away gifts and writing
materials for children in school.
In media chart, the President
and Founder, Damilola Adefemi
Foundation, Dr. Damilola
Adefemi said that the only time
she feels happy and fulfilled is
any time she puts smiles on the
faces of the less privileged,
providing some of their needs
and also making them feel
indifference in the society. “This
is a calling that gives me joy in
my life and that is why I’m
following it with every strength
in me”.
According to her, the essence
of the scholarship is to reduce
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—37
Lagos deploys 65 buses to ease
pains of commuters
*Plans 550 minibuses for inner routes
In a demonstration of its concern for commuters, especially those
affected by the recent restriction order placed on motorcycles
and tricycles in some part of the state, the Lagos State Government
on had deployed a fleet of 65 buses for the use of Lagosians.
The buses inaugurated by the Lagos Bus Services Limited on the
instructions of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu were deployed to new
routes including Ikeja-Ogba; Berger-Ogba; and Ikeja-CMS. Others
were Oshodi-Ajah; Obalende-Ajah; CMS-Ajah and Inner Marina-
Ajah. The fares for the routes range between N100 and N500
Speaking before the deployment, the Managing Director/Chief
Executive, Lagos Bus Services Limited, Idowu Oguntona, said it
was an affirmation of Sanwo-Olu’s pledge to make the welfare of
citizens a priority.
Oguntona added that the new buses would help reduce the
vacuum that might have been created by the restriction of
motorcycles and tricycles in 15 local governments and local
council development areas by conveying a minimum of 35,000
Lagosians daily.
He assured Lagosians that they would enjoy the comfort of the
buses on the new routes and that plans are at an advanced stage
to add to the fleet, with no less than 550 mini-buses being
expected.
They would be deployed to inner routes that are not currently
being served by the high capacity buses.
The State Government on February 1, commenced enforcement
of the existing Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 banning
operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some LGAs and LCDAs
and restricted them from some highways, bridges, and roads.
The Government explained that the ban was to reduce the high
mortality from motorcycles and tricycles deaths
“Okadas have been discovered to be part of the problem they set
out to solve. Their riders are involved in accidents and breaking
road rules,” Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga
Omotosho, had said.
Nigeria’s multi-billion Naira lotto
industry and Kessingt
essington Adebutu
stor
ory
he lottery business generally is a legalised and regulated gaming activity
Twhich involves the drawing of numbers for a prize. Lottery (Lotto) is
mostly a form of recreational activity for adherents as it involves staking as
low as N20 for jumbo rewards. Unlike unethical betting and gambling
which is outlawed, lottery in Nigeria is regulated by the National Lottery
Regulatory Commission (NLRC).
The Commission was set up by the Nigerian government via the National
Lottery Act of 2000, with a view to harnessing the proceeds of regulated
lottery for developmental purposes. Since it was established, the commission
has issued licenses and permits to lottery operators and promoters to grow
the market and bring lottery closer to the people.
Today, the Lotto industry is a multi-billion naira venture in Nigeria, yielding
annual returns of about N10bn into government coffers. National Lottery
Regulatory Commission (NLRC), projects a profit of N45 billion from the
promo lottery alone, its potential of the sector is fully explored. As at 2016,
Nigerians spent an average of N154m daily on betting, according to
estimates. The global lottery industry is estimated to be worth $70 billion.
As the lotto industry continues to fledge and boom across Nigeria, it is
expedient to acknowledge a company which unarguably is the market
leader, which tilled the ground through its founder’s pioneering work to
entrench the lottery and gaming culture in Nigeria. Needless to say that the
Lotto industry is today gaining wide acceptance in the country, but much of
it can be attributed to Premier Lotto Limited.
Popularly known on the streets as “Baba Ijebu”, Premier Lotto Limited,
established by the doyen of lotto business in Nigeria, Chief Kessington
Adebukunola Adebutu is a Gaming Company incorporated in 2001 to
carry out the Lotto business in Nigeria. The company boasts of a management
team that has over 40 years combined experience in the gaming industry
and has been able to leverage on such experience to develop, sustain and
strengthen the business over the years, thus giving rise to one of the biggest
lotto practice in West Africa.
Premier Lotto currently has one of the biggest lotto practices in Nigeria
operating with over 200 principal agents supervising over 16,000 sub agents
spread across the western region of Nigeria and beyond. The company’s
ability to pay winnings consistently has made her the leader in the gaming
industry.
Evidently, the successes of Premier Lotto cannot be detached from the
visionary strides of its Chairman. Even the name “Baba Ijebu” which
fundamentally moves its market was coined from the founder’s Ijebu
crime wave in our society by giving
these children whose parents can’t
afford to sponsor their education
an opportunity to develop their
God-given potentials instead of
roaming around the streets. “For
the females it will stop them from
taking to prostitution thereby
destroying their future. “It is
said, ‘an idle mind is a devil’s
workshop’.
Dr Damilola said, “by the time
they are through with their
university education their story
will change for better and more
importantly the foundation
must have added value to their
lives and the economy of
Nigeria, being empowered in life
to fend for themselves and help
their families.”
“I want to plead with rich and
wealthy Nigerians to think
towards this direction so that our
society will be a better to live.
background. A quick research into
the philosophy, worldview and
work ethos of Pa Kessington
Adebutu would reveal why Premier
Lotto retains its vantage position in
the lottery and gaming business and
perhaps why it has become the envy
of its competition.
Born in Iperu-Remo, Ogun State,
the lotto mogul who turns 85 this
year started his career in the 60’s as
a sales manager at Claffin
Chemical Limited, an American
chemical company which
produced Caffinol, Magnesia,
among other chemicals. He was in
charge of Lagos State and the
whole of Mid-Western state. But the
young and vibrant Adebutu, not
feeling accomplished in his job as a
Sales manager with an American
company quit his job to start a
pooling business as an agent! It
takes a measure of determination,
focus and audacity to make such a
life-changing decision. Pools
punting is a risky investment and
anyone who makes good out of the
business must have something extra
going for him.
To put things in proper
perspective, Chief Adebutu did not
start big, in fact he rented his first
pool shop with just 3 Pounds.
Adenekan John is a Public Affairs
Analyst, writes from Abuja

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Coronavirus will hit every
country in the world,
expert warns
Every country in the world
can expect to have cases
of coronavirus because
the epidemic is ‘only just
getting started’ outside of
China, an experts has warned.
Chinese health bosses claim
the disease may be completely
eradicated by April, after the
country reported its lowest
number of new cases in nearly
two weeks.
But a World Health
Organization (WHO) official
has said while the epidemic
may be reaching its peak in
China, it would continue to get
worse for the rest of the
world.
Dale Fisher, chair of the
Global Outbreak Alert
Response Network at the
WHO, said: ‘It has spread to
other places where it’s the
beginning of the outbreak. In
Singapore, we are at the
beginning of the outbreak. I’d
be pretty confident though
that eventually every country
will have a case.’
The flu-like virus has killed
more than 1,100 people and
infected nearly 46,000, mostly
in China.
Singapore has reported 50
coronavirus cases, one of the
highest tallies outside China,
including mounting evidence
of local transmission.
Asked why there were so
many cases in Singapore, Mr
Fisher said there were
comparatively more tests
being conducted on the island.
‘We have a very low index of
suspicion for testing people
so...we do have higher
ascertainment,’ he said, but
added that there was a lot
about transmission of the virus
yet to be understood.
Mr Fisher’s warning comes
after the WHO described the
outbreak as the ‘worst enemy
you can ever imagine’ and
more of a threat to humanity
than terrorism.
WHO’s director general, Dr
Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the
epidemic could rumble on for
more than a year and warned
a vaccine could take at least
18 months to develop.
He added: ‘To be honest, a
virus is more powerful in
creating political, social and
economic upheaval than any
terrorist attack. It’s the worst
enemy you can imagine.’
Yesterday a top Hong Kong
medical official predicted the
coronavirus could infect more
than 60 per cent of the global
population if containment
methods fail.
Professor Gabriel Leung,
chair of public health
medicine in the city, said on
Tuesday even if the
coronavirus kills just 1 per cent
of sufferers, it could still wipe
out as many as 45million
people.
The WHO has long
believed that a new disease
pandemic could rapidly race
around the world and
destabilise society, due to
modern air travel.
Dr Ghebreyesus’ stark
warning was a more broad
statement about new
unknown viruses, not
specifically the Chinese
coronavirus.
It comes after the United
Nations health agency gave
the illness its official name,
COVID-19.
CO stands for corona, VI for
virus, D for disease and 19 for
the year it emerged,
Dr Ghebreyesus explained on
Tuesday when it was
revealed.
WHO bosses said they
avoided referring to a
geographical location,
animal or group of people so
it would not cause any
prejudice.
The virus, which has had
various names from simply
coronavirus to Wuhan
coronavirus, Chinese
coronavirus or even snake flu,
needs its own moniker
because it is just one type of
coronavirus.
The word refers to a group
of viruses which contains those
that cause SARS (severe acute
respiratory syndrome) and
MERS (Middle East
respiratory syndrome).
The number of new cases
reported in China each day
has begun to level off, steadily
declining in the last six days.
But scientists tackling the
crisis warn the true toll will be
much higher than figures
show because thousands of
patients have only mild
symptoms or are
asymptomatic.
Most experts believe that
each infected person has gone
on to transmit the virus to
around 2.5 people, giving an
‘attack rate’ of 60 to 80 per
cent.
The death rate, however, is
thought to be much lower.
Hong Kong’s Professor
Leung expects it to be around
one per cent once milder cases,
that have not been diagnosed,
are taken into account.
‘Is 60 to 80 per cent of the
world’s population going to
get infected?,’ he told The
Guardian during a trip to
London this week,
‘Maybe not. Maybe this
virus will come in waves.
Maybe the virus is going to
attenuate its lethality because
it certainly doesn’t help it if it
kills everybody in its path,
because it will get killed as
well.’
It comes after two British
prisoners await results after
being tested for coronavirus
in Oxfordshire - one of whom
had recently been transferred
from a jail in Thailand.
Mark Rumble, 31, from
Oxfordshire, was sent back to
the UK to face charges of a
conspiracy to supply class A
drugs.
Rumble reportedly
collapsed in his cell at HMP
Bullingdon, close to Bicester
on Monday, while a second
inmate developed flu-like
symptoms and a third other is
also being tested for the illness.
A total of 33 cases of the
coronavirus, have been
diagnosed in Thailand and it
was the first country outside
of China to declare cases, on
January 13.
Meanwhile Brighton is at
the centre of Britain’s
coronavirus crisis, with six of
the UK’s eight confirmed
cases diagnosed in the city.
‘Super-spreader’
businessman Steve Walsh
picked up the virus in
Singapore on a work trip and
brought it back to the UK
following a ski trip in
France. He is feared to have
infected at least 11 others in
the UK, France and Spain.
Mr Walsh broke his silence
after discovering he was the
source of an extraordinary
web of cases stretching across
the UK and Europe.
Speaking from an NHS
isolation room, the sales
executive yesterday revealed
he had ‘fully recovered’ and
insisted he acted as quickly as
possible once he realised the
threat he posed.
Yesterday, authorities were
still tracking the contacts of
Mr Walsh and his five
associates – including two GPs
– who have also tested positive
in the Brighton area over the
last few days.
One of the two infected GPs
also worked at the A&E unit
at Worthing Hospital in West
Sussex, which was last night
contacting patients and staff
to tell them what precautions
they should take.
The doctor, who has not
been identified, treated a
‘small number’ of patients at
the hospital on February 4 and
5 before they became unwell
and ‘self-isolated’.
Culled from
Dailymail

Two weeks ago, the federal
government announced the
appointment of a new Football
Ambassador for Nigeria. It did not
come as a complete surprise
because, somehow, I knew it was
coming.
Daniel ‘the Bull’ Amokachi,
becomes only the third football
player in Nigeria’s history, since
Independence in 1960, to be made
a Football Ambassador.
The first to be so decorated was
late Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal.
He was made an Ambassador in
the early 1990s.
Muda Lawal had retired from
active football for a few years when
this newly minted ceremonial
appointment fell on his lap. Initially
he did not know what to make of it
because there was no precedence
to fall back on for learning, so he
went back and forth the sports
ministry at the time, trying to work
out some kind of structure and
schedule for the largely ceremonial
position.
I remember sharing some
thoughts with him on what he could
do as a football ambassador. The
first thing we both agreed on was
the need to have an official space
within the sports ministry for him
to use as an office. Without an office
and knowing the high turnover of
officials in charge of sports in the
ministry, he could very easily be
forgotten in the maze of sports
politics, and the position would
lose its intended purpose.
Unfortunately, he never got one
and for many years after his
untimely death the position was
actually forgotten and dormant.
Muda Lawal merited his
appointment without question. He
was the first and only African
football player at the time to have
played in 5 consecutive AFCONs,
from 1976 to 1984. CAF recognized
that feat, and the Nigerian
government merely followed up by
creating for him that position that
would have kept him relevant
within Nigerian football
‘administration without the hassle
of all the politics of getting into
positions of authority. It was a
The battle for the soul of Nigeria’s
Athletics takes a new dimension this
weekend as two different competitions
will be hosted by the two different factions
of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria
(AFN), with one being held on Friday,
February 14 in Ozoro, Delta State, while
the other takes place in Akure on Saturday,
February 15.
The competition in Ozoro is being
organised by the self-declared
‘autonomous’ board of the AFN led by
Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (North-West
Representative) who emerged President
after the highly controversial Sports
Federations elections in 2017.
Other members in Gusau’s camp
include Sunday Adeleye (who initially
made it into the board as the Athletes’
Representative but was appointed
Technical Director by Gusau without the
approval of the board), Patrick Estate
(South East Representative) as well as
former AFN President Solomon Ogba,
who was nominated into the board on
the slot of Philanthropist.
On the other camp, which is currently
being backed by the Sports Ministry, we
have Olamide George (South-West
Representative) who was initially elected
as Vice-President but has now been
confirmed President by majority of the
board; Brown Ebewele (Technical
Representative), Gabriel Okon (South-
South Representative), Rosa Collins
(NAWIS Representative), Tafida
Gadzama (North-East Representative),
and DIG Sani Muhammed Rtd.
(Paramilitary Representative).
Following the embarrassing situation
that unfolded at the 2019 World
Championships in Doha where both
Divine Oduduru and Blessing
‘The Bull’, Nigeria’s new
football ambassador
position that was immune from any
politics and partisan influences.
Muda’s choice as Nigeria’s first
football ambassador, therefore, set
the bar high for anyone that should
be subsequently appointed into
that position. For many decades
after his death, no footballer could
•Amokachi
fit into the shoes he left behind.
A few years ago, Kanu
Nwankwo came along with an
array of trophies and medals that
made Muda’s chest look like a
child’s play. As the most decorated
football player in Nigeria’s history
– several AFCONs and World
Cup appearances, an Olympic
A house divided (Part 1)
Okagbare were initially disqualified from
the 200m because they Did Not Start
the 100m after being registered for the
event, Adeleye was recalled by the
Minister of Youth and Sports Sunday
Dare, from Doha. Eventually, the
ministry directed that Adeleye be asked
to step down from the board after a
committee set up by the Minister to look
into Nigeria’s dismal outing in Doha,
submitted its report.
As a result, Ogba stepped down from
the board, citing interference by the
ministry. The Gusau faction went on to
have a congress which held in Awka
where it declared its autonomy from the
Ministry of Youth and Sports. Part of the
communique from the Awka congress
went thus:
“The congress declared its autonomy/
independence from the Federal
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Development in line with international
best practices and in conformity with the
statutes of the World Athletics and the
Confederation of African Athletics.
“The congress approved the
sponsorship deal with giant sports
apparel manufacturers, Puma (2019-
2022) as negotiated and executed by
the president and secretary general on
behalf of the federation;
“The congress approved the relocation
of the Federation’s Headquarters from
the MKO Abiola National Stadium,
Abuja to a befitting office in Abuja, the
Federal Capital Territory;
“The congress approved that the
following erring members of the board
of the federation be suspended for two
calendar years with effect from December
4, 2019 for anti-federation activities, gross
violation of the provisions of the
Federation’s constitution: Olamide
Gold medal, a European Club
Championship medal, League
and FA trophies in the EPL,
Captainship of the National team,
two-time winner of the African
Player of the Year award, and a
national honour of Member of the
Order of the Niger (MON) to cap
it, he was appointed Football
Ambassador by the Amaju Pinnickled
Nigeria Football Federation,
not by Sports Ministry.
Although that appointment was
also ceremonial Kanu’s role
included a close liaison with the
national teams, particularly the
Super Eagles, during international
matches and championships. He
served as a source of useful
motivation for the players. He is
still playing that role to date.
Late last year, when the new
Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday
Dare, wanted to pay a visit to FIFA
and needed to be accompanied to
Zurich, he was reminded of the
NFF Football Ambassador. That’s
how the great ‘Papillo’ went with
him, and what a huge impact his
presence made during the visit.
The Minister’s attention and
interest were, thereafter, drawn to
the value of such a position in
Nigerian sports and he made
enquiries. That’s how the seed of
appointing a new official Football
Ambassador by the Federal
Government was planted.
It would not have taken him
long to search for a player that
deserved to occupy that position
in Nigerian sports. The player
must have the right credentials to
George, Brown Ebewele, Gabriel Okon,
Rosa Collins, Sani Mohammed, and
Mr Fidelis Gadzama.
“The congress considered the series
of letters from the Federal Ministry of
Youth and Sports Development on the
removal of Mr Sunday Omotayo
Adeleye as the elected Athletes’
Representative on the Board of the
Federation and the Technical Director
of the Federation, and rejected them
in their entirety as they contravene the
provisions of the Constitution of the
AFN, CAA and the WA.”
“The congress mandated the board
of the AFN to immediately proceed
with the process of registering the
Federation with the relevant agencies.”
Meanwhile at a parallel board
meeting in Abuja, the George faction
suspended Gusau as the President of
the federation following several
allegations that bordered on gross
misconduct, abuse of power and
mismanagement of funds that were
leveled against him. Also, Charles
Himah was appointed to take over
from Adeleye as Athletes’
Representative.
Speaking with reporters, George
said: “Majority of board members
have only asked the president to
answer some questions that border
on violation of the constitution of the
federation, misappropriation and
misapplication of funds, his penchant
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020—39
fit the main reason for the
appointment. He must have
served the present government in
power beyond the football field.
The Federal Government’s
choice of Daniel Amokachi was,
therefore, well informed and well
earned by the gifted gentleman.
Strategically, Daniel had played
his cards right. He knew that at
the end of majorly contributing to
the success of the APC government
during the re-election campaign
of President Muhammadu
Buhari, a reward would follow. So,
there is little surprise that the least
the government could do for him
is use him in the field of his
passion, football, and let him
continue to add value, substance
and colour to the football
firmament.
Amokachi was a member of the
great era of the 1990s in Nigerian
football, and was an integral part
of the achievements of that
generation along with Kanu, Jay
Jay Okocha, Victor Ikpeba, Sunday
Oliseh and so on. He was nicknamed
‘the Bull’ by Earnest
Okonkwo for his robust playing
style, using his strength, speed
and exquisite dribbling skills to
power his way through defenses.
After his football career, his
venture into the world of television
revealed a creative side of the man
that brought fresh respect for his
person. Although he became a
coach he also worked with
television as an analyst and an
events compere, revealing his
uncommon eloquence and
intelligence.
As Nigeria’s Football
Ambassador Amokachi must make
that position to gain respect and
importance with some creative
thinking. He is a smart and very
intelligent person. He was a
thinking player. He was not called
the Bull for nothing, using his skills
and clever play to do maximum
damage to opposing teams
throughout his career. He can
represent Nigeria very well at
international and national fora.
With his closeness to the corridors
of power, with the innovative
for taking unilateral decisions without
the board’s approval and nonpayment
of athletes’ allowances in full
or none at all in some cases.
“This is not a new case. In April or
May (2019), the board met and
suspended him for an investigative
panel to look into some of these
allegations, but the NOC President
and the Permanent Secretary in the
Sports Ministry stepped in and the
investigation was suspended. Mr.
Gusau did not fulfill the terms of the
agreement and has gone on to commit
more infractions, especially
constitutional infractions.
“The AFN constitution gives a 60-
day notice before a congress can be
thinking that the new Minister has
brought by making him
Ambassador, that role will leave
the backrooms and come to the
front row of Nigerian football.
I wish Daniel ‘the Bull’
Amokachi, a wonderful reign as
Nigeria’s second official Football
Ambassador.
Nigeria’s forgotten and wasting
Sports Ambassadors
There is a group of Nigerians
that was appointed official Sports
(not football) Ambassadors by the
federal government of Nigeria
when late Air Commodore Emeka
Omeruah was Minister of Sports,
at an elaborate ceremony in Abuja
in 1998.
It was at that same period that a
centre for a Hall of Fame was
established and opened in the
Central District area of Abuja for
Nigerian sports heroes. On the
occasion, some selected sports
heroes were inducted into
Nigeria’s Hall of Fame, whilst 10
of them, drawn from various sports
and related sectors were decorated
as official Sports Ambassadors of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Beyond that evening in Abuja,
however, the Ambassadors have
simply vanished into the
wasteland of Nigerian sports,
never called up again and never
used for any purpose. They have
become as relevant to Nigerian
sport as a lit lamp is in broad
daylight! Some of them have even
passed on.
Specially selected for their
achievements and contributions to
the development of sports in the
country, although I am not certain
of all the names, I think the list
includes: Fanny Amun, Chioma
Ajunwa, Christian Chukwu, John
Fashanu, late Alhaji Dan Kabo, late
Ayo Ositelu, Mary Onyali, Rafiu
Ladipo, yours truly and one other
that I cannot recall.
It may interest the new Minister
to dust up the relevant file (if it
can be found) in the ministry on
Nigeria’s Sports Ambassadors and
do something to engage these
forgotten jewels
convened by the president. Article 6.1.4
of the constitution was unambiguous
about this. It was for all congresses, as
it did not specify whether it is annual
or extraordinary. The notice of meeting
sent to all state associations said
Annual Congress but it was changed
to Extraordinary Congress after it was
pointed out to him that he had
breached provisions of the constitution.
“Gusau should tell us the provisions
of the constitution that made him
bigger than the constitution. The
suspended president also entered into
an agreement with sportswear
manufacturer, PUMA, without the
knowledge and consent of the board.
He also prepared budget for the
various competitions the federation
attended without the knowledge and
consent of the board.”
This conflict has been brewing for
almost a year now, and I doubt that
World Athletics is interested in
brokering peace between both factions,
and instead, is expecting Nigeria to
put her house in order. Right now,
there doesn’t seem to be light at the
end of this tunnel!

40 — SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
BEN IR
Why no set of E
•Ben Iroha
I
n continuation of our
pursuit for the best,
today we bring to you
the first part of an interview
with former Nigeria
international, Benedict
Iroha. He was a member of
the famous 1994 Super
Eagles squad. Iroha spoke
with our Weekend Editor,
Onochie Anibeze and Jacob
Ajom, Deputy Sports Editor
on a wide range of issues.
Excerpts:
Could you do a recap of your
experience with the
Algiers ’90 Super Eagles
squad, because that was when
your international career
started. What propelled you
guys to play so well in that
tournament?
Well, Onochie, it has been a long
time. You are not a newcomer in
this business. Many of us stepped
aside from Nigerian football. I
realised you too have withdrawn
since our time. You are almost
like our set. ...laughter
It all started in Bauchi, during
the WAFU tournament. Coach
Clemens Westerhof worked really
hard and began the process of
recruiting players for the
national team in 1989. He lived
here in Nigeria, moving from one
match venue to another, from
state to state picking talents, all
in a bid to have home-based
players develop into the national
team. He didn’t want to depend
on the foreign based legion that
included the late Keshi, Siasia
among others. He only invited
them for very important matches.
That exercise brought the likes
of Amokachi, Okechukwu and
myself to the national team. It
was marvelous as Westerhof let
us know who he really was. That
was when the dream started.
Algiers ’90 remains one of my
biggest experiences. We lost the
opening game 5-1 to hosts,
Algeria. You know by then, north
African football to us, was like
European football. We didn’t
know what was going on. We
didn’t know set pieces, crosses,
etc. We were just playing the
typical Nigerian football; no
system. So, the Algerians taught
us that lesson. And that was it, as
we picked up from there. We
watched their videos, marked out
individual players and other
technical details. That is why
between 1990 and ’94, our team
became the best. With a little
change, when the likes of Siasia
and others came from abroad
and joined with the home based,
we became a force to be reckoned
with.
Another good thing about that
team was that there was no Pele.
We didn’t have any big name or
anybody given any special
attention. It was either you
worked hard or you were on the
bench. You could make all the
money on earth at your club but
the moment you arrived the
Super Eagles camp, we were all
at the same level. No special
treatment for anybody. We never
had the likes of Abedi Pele or Eto.
Although we later had our Jay
Jay and before him the likes of
Yekini, everybody was like one
family. We so loved ourselves,
even when you were not playing,
you were just happy being on the
bench. It was a marvellous time.
If it was a lesson the Algerians
taught you, you were very fast
learners too. How was it
possible that you fought back
and qualified for the final
against the same team that
massacred you in the opening
game. And you gave them a run
for their money as they
managed to beat you 1-0
We were people who wanted to
sell ourselves. We had the talent
and because we were determined
to tell the world that we had
arrived and we played as if our
lives depended on the outcome
of our campaign in Algeria. The
talent we had then and what we
have now are different. Because
of the amount of talent we had,
we were able to adjust quickly
and we were very skillful and
strong. All we needed were tactics
and just tell us what to do. You
know tactics are different from
raw talent. Westerhof changed a
few things. We played final with
them and if the officiating was
fair, perhaps the result could have
been different.
What was the inspiration
against the Elephants of Ivory
Coast, particularly after Yusuf
match USA ’94
•Day I marked Marc Overmars
•Says Algiers ’90 thrashing prepared us for
• Westerhof, best thing to have happened
•What makes today’s Eagles strangers to
•Speaks on corruption in Nigerian Football
• Compares Messi with Ronaldo
Fofana was introduced?
Westerhof was a motivator and
he played with the team and we
played for him. Westerhof didn’t
come here for money as he was
already rich before he came to
Nigeria. He just wanted to make
a name and prove to the world
that he could do it. He was my
neighbour at Arnhem and we
talked football every time. I was
responsible for the invitation of
some players to the national team
because the man(Westerhof)
trusted me so much and he came
with a lot of passion. We were
playing for him. Sometimes, he
spent his personal money to give
us comfort. When a coach trusts
you so much, you have no option
than to go out there and do the
job for him and give him your
best. That is what we were doing.
Let’s talk about our league.
Before you went abroad, you
played for local clubs here like
Iwuanyanwu Nationale and
Flash Flamingoes. The league
was so good then as it churned
out quite a number of talents
and made a lot of stars. What
was it like playing in Nigeria
because you were very happy
then?
Then we were grown ups,
physically and very experienced..
Because we
were determined
to tell the world
that we had
arrived and we
played as if our
lives depended
on the outcome
of our campaign
in Algeria
Now there is no development for
our football as academies are set
up as money making ventures.
These days, players go straight
to abroad from football
academies. Some of them, their
agents buy space in clubs for
them with money. It was not so in
our time. We played here,
matured here before leaving. And
the league here was tough. When
we were in Europe, everyone of
us was in his club’s first team.
Each time we travelled for Super
Eagles duties they were all
crying. Right now only a few of
them, like Ndidi, play regularly.
Truth is, in those days, we grew
up. In the clubs one progressed
to the reserves, before we
graduated to the first team.
Nigerian football was something
else. Now people don’t watch
them anymore. They prefer to
watch the English Premier
League, the La Liga or any other
European league than watch the
Nigerian professional league.
That is because there is no talent
anymore, Who are you going to
watch? Then, in Iwuanyanwu
Nationale, look at the names for
God’s sake. You had the likes of
Thompson Oliha, Isaac
Semitoje, Elahor, Iroha,
Okechukwu Uche, Paul Uzokwe,
Mike Obi etc. Look at the names
alone, quite heavy.
Now everybody involved in
football talks only about money.
There is no passion any more.
Look at South Africa, their league
is developing faster than ours by
far. Now who will help us? There
are no sponsors. I don’t know
how that glory will come back
again.
When I was coaching
Iwuanyanwu with late Coach
Kelechi Emetoele and Emordi,
Governor Ohakim treated us like
we were in Europe. He gave us
everything we needed. We had
enough money to buy players and
we had about eight professionals
in Iwuanyanwu Nationale,
including a Bulgarian player.
What would a Bulgarian be doing
in Nigerian league? The players
were playing with passion
because they were highly
motivated. We got up to the Cup
final. Now players are no longer
motivated in the Nigeria
Professional Football League,
players are owed several months’
salaries and you expect them to
play on empty stomachs? How do they
survive? Why would they want to play
in Nigeria at all? That is why there is
no more talent.
Before now, academies were
supposed to be grooming grounds for
the league, one played in the academy
to get strong and moved on to the
league but now players are going out
from academy straight to Europe. When
they play one or two seasons there they
vanish, they go into oblivion and you
never get to hear about them anymore.
Many don’t even get the chance to play
because they are not mature enough.
Many of the boys are lost because they
did not prepare before going to
Europe. I remember before I went to
Europe, I was almost over age because
it was so interesting here at home.
Flash Flamingoes, Iwuanyanwu
Nationale then Asec Mimosa, before
going to Vitesse Arnhem. I was almost
28-29, when I went to Vitesse. Now 17-
18 they are in Europe. So that is the
main problem we have, no
development anymore. You must not
be 29 to go to Europe, get me right.
You may even be 17 or 18 but you must
be developed so that you are not lost
when you get there. The Europeans who
are pretty young in the Premiership
passed through tough training and
development stages which we don’t
have here.
Apart from the problems you
mentioned, there is a bigger problem:
corruption. I remember when you
came from the US to handle FC
Abuja, you called me from a match
venue and asked if that was the way
they had turned our league into. You
complained about officiating and even
the violence; if I recall correctly,
somebody slapped you.
Yeah! They hit me because I did not
allow them score goals. They hurt my
eye. What happened then was that a
team needed to score about 8 goals to
survive relegation and I didn’t allow it
because my team was the better team.
I said to myself, how will it sound like
that a team I am coaching would
concede 8 goals in a match. I refused
to allow that and they attacked me after
the match.
Another challenge is this. Talking
about the corruption you mentioned.
Why must home teams always win?
Why must home teams always get late
penalties; something will happen
outside and they would point at the
penalty spot. Why should that be? Why
can’t we have away victories, like in
Continues on pg 45

HA:
agles can
squad
in Holland
SA ’94 showpiece
to Nigerian football
themselves
Continues from pg 44
Europe? For instance, we went to
Kano, Heartland vs Kano Pillars,
Champions League semifinal. First
leg played in Owerri, we beat them 4-
1, with them scoring first. We came
from behind to beat them in that
match. In Kano, they did everything,
the crowd – you know how these people
love their Pillars, they came out in their
thousands and by 1 pm, the stadium
was already overflowing with fans.
There were all kinds of intimidation.
And when the game started, come and
see what my boys were doing, they
were playing as if they were possessedpam,
pam , pam – ball possession. The
Pillars crowd and their supporters all
turned and started clapping for
Nationale. Thay were marvelled.
Before you knew it we scored. After the
match, they escorted us from the
stadium to the hotel. We changed
everything. That is why I am asking,
why can’t it happen again? That was
Champions League. It couldn’t have
happened in our league.
In all this Owerri is different. I love
Owerri. If you win, Owerri fans will
concede and go home quietly. There
was no time a team came to Owerri
and beat us and got embarrassment.
Never. So why can’t we imbibe that
spirit so it can help the league grow. It
must not be hosting to win at all cost.
When you go for away games, let the
better team win. That is why when they
qualify to go to the continent they are
knocked out after one or two matches.
They are not prepared and definitely,
they are not the true champions.
Before Europe, you played in Asec
Mimosa in Cote d’Ivoire before going
to Europe. What was the difference
between Asec and the two Nigerian
clubs you played in before? In terms
of how they treat players and the
management of their league.
Asec was almost like being in
Europe. They gave me a free house,
paid me very well, gave me a car, an
interpreter. They operate like France
because that is where they get their
experience from. Most of their players
go to France. They operate like
Europeans. The crowd is unbelievable,
the passion. Asec is like a religion. Like
Africa Sport too. They have a huge
followership. They pay their players
very well. Before one moves to Europe,
that means the pay is like triple to what
they are getting at home. That is why I
am saying Nigeria is a very big
country, richer with more resources
than Ivory Coast and we have better
talents than them. Why should our case
•Ben Iroha
be like this? Nobody wants to be
a slave outside. When our league
was sweet, we were the chiefs
here. We had fun here but when
you go outside there it is tougher
because you are the stranger
coming to their land. They will
do everything to frustrate you,
particularly being a Nigerian.
Life in Europe. Going to
Arnhem Vitesse, did the
weather affect you? Many
people have told us different
experiences like the winter,
racism, which is another big
factor in Europe. I recall one
interview with late Keshi. He
said as a black, you had to be
three times better than what an
average white player would do
before you could be considered
good enough for a first team
shirt.
Keshi(God bless his soul) was
right. When I went to Arnhem
from USA, it was not my coach
that signed me, rather, it was the
President of the club. They were
looking for an attacker and
Westerhof mentioned that he had
a defender that was better than
an attacker. Ishaya Jatau was hot
then. He was the striker I was to
contend with. Another club was
looking for me but Westerhof
wanted me to be in Arnhem for
us to be close. So we went for
trials at Arnhem and there was a
game they were playing. They
were waiting for Ishaya to score
goals but I was the one scoring
goals from the defence. We scored
three goals and I was involved in
all as I scored two and made one
assist. So I was chosen as the
President was crazy about me but
the coach didn’t want me. The
President recruited me. After
everything was done, the coach
then wanted to show that he was
in charge. He didn’t play me for
complete four months. He did
everything to frustrate me, to tell
the president that when it came
to team selection, he was in
charge. I was tired and frustrated
every Saturday but I remained
patient. As a professional player,
it is not good for you not to be in
the first team because the next
day you will run like anything in
training. So I was frustrated,
growing beards and even
smoking. By then, my wife was
not with me, it was not good at
all. I watched Babangida. I was
the first person that got to
Holland before Finidi, Kanu,
Babangida started coming. It
happened that one day, the left
back was playing and he got
injured and it was time to play
me. It was a tough game against
Ajax. I took Overmars inside my
pocket. Instead of marking him,
he ended up marking me because
I was overlapping and dribbling.
He was forced back. Overmars
was a top star in Holland before
Now
everybody
involved in
football talks
only about
money. There
is no passion
any more
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 41
he moved to Arsenal. After the
game Overmars came to me,
asking, “what kind of player are
you and where have you been?”
Even Van Gaal wanted to sign me
but he was looking for a right
back. I was a left back. The man
called me secretly and asked if I
could use my right foot the way I
used the left. He was looking for
a right defender. As a defender, it
is more advantageous if one
could use both legs. Van Gaal is
a great coach. Coach pass
coach my brother. We were
moving with 50 balls at the same
time. He wanted a right back
because Frank de Boar was on
the left - a no go area. He was
looking for a right back to
balance the team. My right was
not too good. I was like a hundred
per cent good with the left foot
and fifty per cent with the right,
so it didn’t work out. That was
how the dream ended. But on the
whole, that is how one game
c h a n g e d
everything and
I took over
t h e
position.
I
remember
o n e
encounter
I had with
Babangida,
when Rhoda
met Vitesse
Arnhem.
•Ben Iroha
When he saw me, he shouted ‘ah!’
The coach said, Ben, it doesn’t
matter if you don’t touch the ball,
but Babangida must not play
Babangida was a terrific player.
He was flying and we were at the
same pace. I took over the
position until I left for MLS.
At the ’94 Nations Cup in
Tunisia, I remember you told me
I have a feeling I am going to
score in that game’ and it
happened. How was it possible?
Tunisia ’94 was the first
tournament that I was injury free.
Injury was not my friend. In 1990
Algiers, I played only one game
due to injury. In 1992, I played
all the qualifiers on getting to
Papendal training camp I got
injured and Nduka Ugbade came.
I followed the squad to Senegal
but I was so angry and decided
to fly back to my club. In 1994,
God said this was the time to
showcase myself. I was so fit and
the confidence level was so high.
That formed part of the highlight
of what happened in 1994 World
Cup. Westerhof gave us the best
preparation possible and thank
God the FA supported him.
How I knew I was going to
score was after our first game
against Zaire. I was moving like
a hot knife, as there was nobody
who could stop me. Siasia then
asked me, “Ben why not come
and play forward for us, because
of the way you move with the ball
upfront? The things you do with
the ball, we couldn’t.” Ask Jay
Jay. He once said I was the only
player he could not dribble past
with the ball but I could dribble
past him. When he was doing his
thing I would just be looking at
him and carefully, I would take
the ball from him because I am
as skillful as himself although he
was in his own class. I would take
it easily. I used to be a left
forward, playing in from the
wings. It was coach Paul
Hamilton(God bless his
memory) that converted me to a
left back. Once you have the skill,
you don’t need too much training
to do these things. Just like Messi
or Jay Jay, they don’t learn the
things they do with the ball. It is
gift from God. Talent, that’s what
it is. It is just unfortunate that
Okocha is from this part of the
world, he would have been
compared with the likes of
Messi and Maradona. The
skill that boy{Jay Jay}
has is uncommon. It is
like that. There were
certain things I did
with the ball but I
couldn’t comprehend
how it was possible
to do them. That is
the difference
between Messi and
Ronaldo. Messi
doesn’t need much
t r a i n i n g .
R o n a l d o ,
however, is a
hard worker but
for Messi, it is
a gift.
So when we
were playing,
almost half
of the Cote
d’Ivoire
team were
my team
mates at
A s e c
Mimosa,
Traore,
Akakume,
all of them.
When I
passed the
ball to Jay
Jay, the guy
that was
marking me
w a s
confused.
He felt after
I made the
pass to Jay
Jay I would
r e m a i n
static at the
same place,
we didn’t plan
it but it was
chemistry.
Instinctively, I
dashed forward and he
made the return pass, because he
knew I would be there for it. The
moment I came in contact with
the ball, I poked it with my toe
and scored. The ball was already
in the net before the goalkeeper
dived. I was happy that Jay Jay
understood my style of play.
Do you see any similarities
between your style of play and
Marcello of Real Madrid?
The player that I was always
compared with was Joe Cole.
When I was at the World Cup, he
came and took pictures with me.
He said he learnt how to play
right foot because of me. He was
a left footer but as a defender, it
is better to play both legs.
•To be continued

42—SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
Klopp to unleash
Mane on Nowrich
Sadio Mane is ready to come
back into contention at
Liverpool after shaking off
a hamstring injury, with it possible
that the Senegalese forward could
figure against Norwich.
The 27-year-old was forced onto
the sidelines during a Premier
League meeting with Wolves on
January 23.
Having been laid low, Mane
missed out on meetings with West
Ham, Southampton and an FA
Cup fourth-round replay with
Shrewsbury.
A winter break has, however,
come at a good time for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp has been able to
nurse a few members of his
walking wounded back into
contention, with Mane among
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla
has admitted that the Gunners have
contacted him to share his opinion on the
possibility of Samuel Chukwueze moving to
the Premier League side.
After starring at the 2015 U17 World Cup,
Arsenal offered Chukwueze a five-year
contract following a successful medical he
underwent with the club in London but the
proposed move collapsed because Arsenal and
Diamond Academy could not agree on the
payment terms.
Having broken into the Villarreal first team,
Arsenal are believed to be keeping tabs on the
Nigeria international with a view to a transfer.
Asked if he gets calls from England about
Chukwueze or Pau, Cazorla told Marca, "Yes,
friends from Arsenal especially.
"They ask me about them and think they can
make the jump to the Premiership tomorrow.
"It’s good that great teams are interested in
those to have made a welcome
return to training.
James Milner, who has been
absent since the FA Cup derby win
over Everton on January 5, is
also pushing for a place in the
Reds’ plans for a trip to
Carrow Road today.
Klopp told reporters when
asked for a fitness update on
his squad: "Of course they are
in contention, that’s clear.
When Millie and Sadio are
back, you start thinking
immediately [about using
them]. That’s how it is.
"They trained both from
Monday on and they
trained both through last
week anyway. They are
in contention.”
Chukwueze on Arsenal's
radar – Carzola
Former Nigeria international
and La Liga ambassador,
Mutiu Adepoju is backing Victor
Osimhen to a big hit in the
Spanish top-flight.
The 1994 Africa Cup of Nationswinning
midfielder, popularly
known as Headmaster for his
aerial prowess, also listed some
of the attributes of the Lille striker
that could help him succeed in
Spain.
"Victor Osimhen is on the right
track the way he's playing even
in the national team, he is really
doing well. In no time he's going
to get to Spain and he's going to
play in La Liga,'' Adepoju said.
"Tactically he is okay, technically
he is very good and he has the
ability and power of a good
striker, so he's going to play in La
Liga very soon."
Osimhen has been strongly
linked with a move to La Liga in
Osimhen
y o u n g
players from
Villarreal,
but for the
moment I tell
them to leave them
alone here.
"They still have to take
steps forward. They
both have a great
personality, and their
feet are on the ground."
Other Premier League
clubs namely Liverpool
and Chelsea are also
monitoring the progress of
Chukwueze, who has
played over 60 official games
for Villarreal since making his
professional debut.
Osimhen good for La
Liga, says Mutiu
the summer, with Barcelona, Real
Madrid and Sevilla among his
suitors.
"Where he's going to go I don't
know, I know that there are some
clubs that are looking for him.
"I believe if he goes to any club
in La Liga he's going to get to the
top very quickly," Adepoju
concluded.
Nwankwo Kanu has shared
his thoughts on the new
Nike kits for Nigeria's national
teams.
On February 5, the sports
manufacturer unveiled a dazzling
design to replace the popular
‘Naija’ outfit which enjoyed
record-breaking sales before the
2018 World Cup.
According to Nike, the designs
are inspired by local fabric and
instilled with a traditional
aesthetic.
“In 2018, Naija changed the
game with a collection for the
ages that set a new standard for
how Nike approaches federation
design,” read a Nike statement.
“In 2020, Nigeria picks up right
where they left off with a home kit
that fuses the traditional aesthetic
of an agbada robe with modern
football design.”
Some fans believe the latest
Osimhen has
registered 17
goals in all
competitions for
Lille and he's three
goals shy of
matching his tally
from last season
despite playing in a
stronger league.
Kanu questions NFF
over new Nigeria kits
Chukwueze
Mane
designs are worthy successors,
while others are unimpressed.
When asked about it, the former
Super Eagles skipper questioned
the Nigeria Football Federation for
not keeping ex-internationals
abreast of the choices of kits.
Saka cleared to face
Newcastle
English-born winger cum
left-back of Nigerian
parentage, Bukayo Saka
has received the medical
all-clear to be named in
the Arsenal squad for
their upcoming
Premier League
match against
Newcastle
United.
T h e
England
U 1 9
international
was
initially rated as doubtful for
tomorrow's fixture at the
Emirates Stadium after he
was forced off at halftime vs
Burnley in the Gunners last
match before the winter
break.
Saka has overcome his injury
concerns and took part in full
training during the warmweather
training camp in
Dubai.
Providing an injury update
on Saka, Arsenal's official
website wrote : "Available for
selection after being
substituted during Burnley (a)
following knock to right leg."
Should Saka feature
against The Magpies,
it will be his 24th
match in all
competitions for
Arsenal's first
team this term.
After their
P r e m i e r
League game
a g a i n s t
Newcastle,
Arsenal, who
are ten points
behind fourthp
l a c e d
Chelsea in the
standings, will
face Olympiakos
in the round of 32 of
the Europa League
next Thursday.
SGH Academy: Factory
for Nigeria's future
soccer stars
By Arogbonlo Israel
SGH Sports Academy, was founded
in 2010 at the Alimosho area of
Lagos. In its search for talents that can
be groomed and developed into the next
global star, the academy promotes its
core values and provide the right
environment for nurturing of these talents.
Located at Egbeda Akowonjo, Alimosho
area; it has created a platform to bolster the
development of grassroots football in Lagos.
Catering for players between 3-18 years old, the academy has
an overall aim to take young lads from cradle and expose them
to the world of football with quality education and social
responsibility. In 10 years of its existence, the academy has
expanded to specific areas in Alimosho to better service the
Nigerian market.
The academy has won many trophies with the most recent one
tagged Segun Odegbami Wasimi summer soccer
Championship held in 2019. There, SGH Academy won U10,
U15 and senior category.
Spreading its tentacles abroad, the academy is currently
in partnership with some notable football agents such as
Alim Olumarou from Kigali, Rwanda, Love Kestelot
from Brazil, and AbdulHakeem Akingbade with
Serbian football league.
"My inspiration to this project started from my desire
to take children out of the street; to become better
persons in the nearest future. I feel football being a
game I love with strong passion, so, I decided to
have an academy, which I believe will cut across
everywhere in Alimosho Federal constituency Lagos.
Alimosho being one of the largest local government
areas in Nigeria, is a good place to begin this scouting
game with" said Temitayo Bakare, Chairman of SGH Academy in Lagos.
With plans to expand across Nigeria, gathering the best players from
around the country through their numerous scouting programs and
try-outs, SGH Academy is making efforts towards altering Nigeria’s
football landscape for the better. This is a unique opportunity for
Nigerian youth to receive the methodology and values from coaches
with one of the biggest grassroots football clubs in Nigeria.
Fury vows to knock out Wilder in round two
Tyson Fury plans to knock
Deontay Wilder out in the
second round of their hotlyanticipated
heavyweight world title
rematch on February 22.
The pair’s first meeting in December
2018 ended in a controversial draw
in a contest many felt the Gypsy
King was unfortunate not to win.
talkSPORT will be live from Las
Vegas to bring you exclusive radio
coverage of part II and Fury is vowing
to floor Wilder, take home the
American’s WBC belt and have a well
deserved beer afterwards.
Saka
His trainer, SugarHill Steward, Fury
is going for the knockout, but the man
himself exclusively told talkSPORT
when exactly he plans to do it.
Speaking on Drivetime, he said: “I’m
expecting a clean-cut knockout. It will
be early on in the fight so we can all
go out and get drunk! Have a good
night in Las Vegas celebrating.
“I’m going to go for round two. I’ve
been saying round two all camp and
I’m going to stick by round two. I don’t
know why, I don’t know when but
round two is when it’s going to be.”
Wilder has claimed Fury’s fists
are like ‘pillows’ and when asked
about this, the Brit had a brilliant
comeback at the ready.
He added: “I’m going to make
sure they’re [my fists] are going
to be extra ducked down feather
goose pillows, just for him.
“And you know what happens
when you’re on an extra ducked
down feather goose pillow, don’t
you? You go to sleep nice and
easy!”

Thrilling weekend
as Chelsea, Man
Utd, Barca face
tough tests
•Nowrich ambush
Liverpool at Carrow Road
he 2019/20 Premier League continues with the remainder of
T26th round matches this weekend, with SuperSport viewers
on DStv, set to be treated to some of the best football action in
the world.
Fans will not be deprived of a blockbuster clash, as Monday,
February 17 features the meeting of Chelsea and Manchester
United at Stamford Bridge. In a clash which could be seasondefining
for both clubs, the Blues will be looking to consolidate
their grip on fourth place, while the Red Devils are one of several
teams hoping to displace the London club and secure a place
in next season’s UEFA Champions League. The weekend’s
Premier League action opened with a thriller between
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Molineux
Stadium yesterday.
Today brings a chance for Liverpool to move closer to the title
when they face bottom-of-the-log Norwich City at Carrow Road.
The pick of matches from Serie A for this weekend is the
clash of Lazio and Internazionale at the Stadio Olimpico in
Rome Sunday night. Le Aquile and the Nerazzurri are very
much part of a three-way title race alongside champions
Juventus and this meeting in the ‘Eternal City’ could prove a
turning point in their respective seasons.
The headline La Liga game this weekend comes from the
Camp Nou and sees champions Barcelona host Getafe on
Saturday afternoon. The Catalan giants have looked vulnerable
away from home under new manager Quique Setien, but their
home form has been almost impeccable: 10 wins and a draw
from 11 matches as hosts. Getafe, though, are a tough-to-beat
team under manager Jose Bordalas and rightly considered a
top candidate to finish in the top four and qualify for next season’s
Finidi is
LUCKYBET.NG
brand
ambassador
•Finidi
UCKYBET.NG, Nigeria's latest
Lentrant into the sport betting
industry has announced Finidi
George as its Brand Ambassador.
Finidi, famous for the No7 jersey is
by far the best player to have played
for the Nigerian Super Eagles.
At the googletastic launch
ceremony, LUCKYBET.NG revealed
its plans to become Nigeria's most
innovative, engaging, fun and
entertainment gaming brand. The
former Nigerian international and
UEFA Champions League winner,
declared that his reason for accepting
the role is his belief in the guiding
principles and philosophy of the
brand.
“LUCKYBET.NG provides a world
class series of entertaining and
rewarding opportunities, and its state
of the art platform will empower
Nigerians during this economic
situation by tapping into the passion
points of Nigerians. There is a lot the
brand has to offer from live betting to
virtual gaming and the ultimate
Cash-Out. Beyond all of this, my
major attraction is the fact that unlike
other gaming companies out there
this brand strongly believes in
responsible gaming”.
“I think they have shown that they
care, they are willing to create jobs
for over 20,000 people using a
distinctive franchise model and with
the presence of soccer, you will see
that it is a combination of everything,
and I key into that. I am glad to be a
part of this too because I have a role
to play in helping punters to bet
wisely.” said Finidi.
•Abraham & Fred
•Pukki
UEFA Champions League. (Saturday, February 15 17:00: Barcelona
v Getafe – LIVE on SuperSport 7)
ODUNAYO: Halogen Security
throws weight behind
Nigeria's wrestling sensation
he management of Halogen Group
T- Nigeria’s leading security risk
group has commended Nigeria’s
wrestling Amazon, Odunayo
Adekuoroye on her ranking as World
No 1 female wrestler in the 57kg
category. Her latest world ranking is
coming from winning her sixth gold
medal with a 10-0 lead against Eman
Ebrahim of Egypt at the final of the
just concluded 2020 African
Championship in Algeria.
Adekuoroye who was adopted by
Halogen Group ahead 2020 Olympic
Games in support of the federal
government “Adopt an Athlete”
defeated her three opponents,
culminating in a 10-0 technical
superiority victory against Egyptian
No. 12 in the 59kg class, Eman
Ebrahim in the final. The African
Championship gold medal victory
gave her 18pts, shooting her to the
top of the world rankings at 57kg with
61 points. This is one point higher
than the former No. 1, Kawai Risako
of Japan who reigned until recently
with 60pts.
In a statement issued by Halogen
Lawyers League: Legal firms
battle for honours in Abuja
By Gabriel Ewepu & Fortune Eromosele
rganisers of the Abuja Lawyers League, ALL, yesterday, stated
Othat 14 teams, involving 50 law firms would be battling it out for
honours in the fourth edition of the league.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Head of Organizing Committee,
Olujimi Olujide, stated that the games, scheduled to hold at the King’s
Turf Arena (Panorama), Wuse, Abuja, between February 22 and April 5,
2020, are aimed at creating an environment for lawyers to socialize outside
the courtrooms.
Olujide said, “This year, we have 14 teams and 50 law firms participating
both old and new law firms getting involved. We have some law firms
that are merged with others.
“Basically the idea behind the competition is to create a separate
platform outside the courtrooms, outside meetings or legal dealings, the
competition is strictly for lawyers and so far it has grown and we hope
that we have a fantastic one this year with the plans that we have for the
competition this year.“
Group,
the Group
Managing •Adekuoroye
Director, Mr.
Wale Olaoye said;
“We are proud of
Odunayo’s impressive exploits. Her
consistent wins are similar to Halogen
Group’s brand philosophy of
professionalism, integrity, passion, and
excellence. She has consistently
displayed tenacity, zeal for possibilities
SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 43
in enterprise and
eyes on the goal. Those are
pristine qualities of a Halogen
Ambassador anywhere you see them.
Halogen Family is not only proud to
celebrate with Adekuoroye Odunayo
and Nigerians globally as she is ranked
World No 1 female wrestler in the 57kg
category, but also confident that our
adopted Athlete will shine bright at the
2020 Tokyo Olympics in July”.
Coaches hone talent discovery skill at NPFL-LaLiga
coaching clinic
he fourth edition of the NPFL-LaLiga coaching clinic for Nigerian
Tyouth coaches, ended during the week in Abuja with coaches
learning how to discover youth talents
Over 150 youth coaches from the 20 youth teams of the Nigerian
Premier Football League (NPFL) Clubs, attended the four-day clinic.
The participants were trained in various ways to develop young talents
using the LaLiga methodology through classroom and on-pitch
sessions. The on-pitch session featured the U-15 team of the Mees
Palace Academy, Jos.
Present for the duration of the coaching clinic was LaLiga
Ambassador, Mutiu Adepoju, while conducting the clinic were LaLiga
coaching instructors, Diego Gutierrez Ramos and Enrique Brisach
Felipe.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, The Minister of Youth and Sports
Development, Mr. Sunday Dare expressed his satisfaction about the
program: “I am happy I made it here today. It is quite impressive to
find this room filled with existing and prospective youth coaches. The
fact that this has gone on for four years means that there is a clear
impact and validation as to what is being done here. I want to thank
LaLiga for this partnership, I think that this partnership is very critical
to sports development and we hope that beyond LaLiga we can get
other groups to follow through with this.”
Also speaking at the closing ceremony, LaLiga Country Delegate in
Nigeria, Guillermo Pérez Castello said: “I want to say a big thank you
to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development for being here today
to embrace this event, and to League Management Company (LMC)
for the making this partnership possible.
•....................
Yobo has coaching
certificate – NFCA boss
President of Nigeria
Football Coaches
Association, Ladan Bosso
has disputed a claim by
manager Gernot Rohr
that newly appointed
assistant coach of the
national team, Joseph
Yobo has no coaching
qualifications.
The Franco-
German football
tactician did not
mince words
when he stated
that the former
E v e r t o n
defender must
have a coaching
diploma in order
to grow as a
coach.
Bosso, who was
privy to the
appointment of
Yobo by the
Nigeria Football
Federation
before it was
officially
announced,
•Joseph
As part of LaLiga’s commitment to talent development and
exposure, in 2019 LaLiga had the MVP of the U-15 tournament;
Peter Joel trained with the Malaga youth club in Spain for 10
days. With the closing of the fourth edition of the NPFL-LaLiga
Coaching Clinic, LaLiga, in partnership with the LMC and the
NPFL are again working together with the clubs on the U-15
tournament which will take place in April 2020, across the
nation.
stressed that the Super Eagles
legend has met two of the three
criteria required to be a coach,
adding that he only lacks work
experience.
"Yobo just came back from a
course. Basically there are three
criteria. The first one is your
certificate, then the second one
is your playing experience, then
your work experience. He has two
out of the three - playing
experience and his certificate,''
Bosso said in an interview.
"Yobo has been a registered
member of the coaching
association in Rivers State.
"Of course, I am supporting the
process that brought Yobo in. He
must have shown interest before
accepting the job or gone for a
course.
"He's coming there as a second
assistant coach not even the first.
Salisu has a contract with the
NFF except otherwise."
Bosso went on to say that Yobo
will get the backing and
confidence of the present Super
Eagles players because he
previously played the game at a
high level and captained the
squad.
"Most of the Super Eagles
players basically are based in
Europe, he is used to those places.
The Super Eagles players on
ground will give him respect
because he's an ex-international,
he has captained the Super
Eagles,'' he added.
YSFON Ramat
Cup turnout
excites
President
N
ational President of Youth Sports
Federation of Nigeria (YSFON),
Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna who also
doubles as the Deputy governor of
Kano state has expressed delight at
the high turnout of teams for this
year's Ramat Cup which is presently
taking place in Kano State.
According to him, the high turn out
of states in the annual competition
being put together in memory of the
late former Head of State Gen.
Muritala Mohammed is an indication
that Nigerians appreciates the
Federation's efforts towards
grassroots football development
in the country promising that the
body will continue to use its
numerous programmes to discover
talents at the grassroots.
"I'm happy that many states are
participating in this year's edition
which in the past has produced many
talented players who later went
ahead to play for the various national
teams and club sides both in Nigeria
and abroad and we're going to sustain
it.
Gawuna who also doubles as
Deputy Governor of Kano State, while
welcoming all the state's contingents
to the ancient city of Kano, through
his secretary General, Patrick
Okpavurhe, has charged them to be
disciplinded and play to the rules of
the game just as he reminded them
that they are all potential winners.
" You must avoid winning at all cost
because all of you are winners and I
want to assure you that all logistics
have been put in place by the Kano
State Government for the successful
hosting of this year's tournament.
The competition which kicked off
on February 13, 2020 with more than
20 states would be rounded up on
February 21. Apart from football
event, there will also be athletics 4
by 100 relay event at the week long
competition.
•Gawuna

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