09012021 - Nigeria must stop paying ransom to kidnappers

2— SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 9, 2021
Sanwo-Olu cancels ongoing appointment of
LASU VC, orders fresh process
By Olasunkanmi
Akoni and Adesina
Wahab
Lagos State Governor
and Visitor to Lagos
State University (LASU),
Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
has cancelled the ongoing
process set up for the
appointment of a
substantive ninth Vice
Chancellor of the
University.
The Governor further
directed that a fresh process
that would terminate in
forty five days should
commence immediately.
According to a statement
by his Chief Press
Secretary, Mr. Gboyega
Akosile, Governor Sanwo-
Olu’s decision on the
cancellation came after a
thorough investigation and
stakeholders engagement,
which were necessitated by
various petitions against
the selection process.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu
was inundated with
petitions arising from the
selection process of the
Vice Chancellor by the
Governing Council. After a
thorough evaluation and
investigation of the various
complaints, Mr. Governor,
in his capacity as the
Visitor to the University
ordered the cancellation of
the process,” he stated.
The outgoing Vice
Chancellor, Professor
Olanrewaju Fagbohun has
also been directed by
Governor Sanwo-Olu to
convene an emergency
Senate meeting for the
purpose of appointing one
of the Deputy Vice
Chancellors, who is not a
candidate in the cancelled
selection process as Acting
Vice Chancellor from
Monday January 11, 2021
when the tenure of the
incumbent Vice
Chancellor, Professor
•Directs outgoing VC to convene emergency senate meeting
•Oke, Wahab to slug it out in race for LASU’s acting VC
Fagbohun expires.
The Governor further
directed that, the Senate
should select among its
members, a pro tem
chairman to superintend
the meeting and conduct
of election of Acting Vice
Chancellor.
Meanwhile, the Deputy
Vice Chancellor,
Administration, Lagos
State University, LASU,
Prof. Damola Oke, and his
counterpart, DVC
Acsdemic, Prof. Elias
Wahab are to slug it out for
the position of the Acting
Vice Chancellor of the 37-
year-old university.
This will be in line with
the directive by the Visitor
to the University, Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that
the outgoing Vice
Chancellor, Prof.
Olanrewaju Fagbohun,
SAN, should call an
emergency meeting of the
Senate of the institution to
appoint an acting VC
following the cancellation
of the previous selection
process.
Fagbohun is leaving
office by Monday and the
Senate of the institution is
expected to sit early
Monday to do the voting.
Oke is serving out his
tenure as DVC, while
Wahab, the former Dean of
the Faculty of Social
Sciences, came to office last
year.
AMOTEKUN: Makinde vows to deal with
erring members
•As NANS gives Gov 72 hrs to address alleged brutality
By Adeola Badru
GOVERNOR
Seyi
Makinde of Oyo
State, on Friday, declared
that his government was
already investigating the
alleged high-handedness
of the Amotekun corps,
noting that the issues would
be addressed in the interest
Buhari reaffirms commitment
to welfare of fallen heroes
By Kingsley Omonobi
PRESIDENT
Muhammadu
Buhari has
assured the families of the
fallen heroes that the
government will not jettison
its plans to improve their
standard of living as a matter
of top national priority.
President Buhari made
this known through the
Minister of Defence Maj
Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi
who represented him at this
year’s Armed Forces
Remembrance Day
Celebration jumat prayer
held at the National
Mosque Abuja, yesterday.
He said government was
appreciative of the sacrifices
of the serving, retired and
unknown soldiers who
paid the supreme price
towards safeguarding the
nation’s territorial integrity
President Buhari
described the annual
Armed Forces
Remembrance Day
Celebration of which
special jumat service
represents a significant
segment as a token of
expression of love and
appreciation for their
gallantry and a platform to
The Armoured Shield Isolation Centre commissioned by Governor Sanwo-
Olu yesterday.
besiege Almighty Allah to
uphold the families they
left behind and to pray for
the repose of their souls.
He seized the
opportunity of the special
AFRDC jumat prayer to
assure Nigerians that the
counter terrorism, antibanditry
and other military
operations in parts of the
country aimed at restoring
peace are well on course
with greater commitment
on the parts of the fighting
troops to wipe out the
criminal elements
threatening national
survival and stability.
of the security and
wellbeing of residents of the
state.
The governor reassured
the residents of the state that
the administration was
doing everything it could to
address security challenges
in the state.
A statement by the Chief
Press Secretary to the
governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa,
indicated that Governor
Makinde stated these on his
Twitter handle
@seyiamakinde on the
recent occurrence in Tapa
Town in Ibarapa North Local
Government Area of the
State.
The incident involved
some youths and corps of the
Oyo Security Network
Agency codenamed
Amotekun.
He added that Amotekun
was introduced to check
insecurity in the state, noting
that the government will not
sit back and watch any
harassment or intimidation
of any member of the public
or any security agent.
He said: “Following the
recent events in Tapa,
Ibarapa North Local
Government Area, it
becomes imperative that I
once again reassure the
good people of Oyo State
that our administration is
doing everything in its
power to address security
issues in our state.
“One of the strategies we
are using to check insecurity
in the state is the recently
introduced Western Nigeria
Security Network
(Amotekun). I am fully
aware of the alleged
highhandedness by some
members of the corps. We
are investigating these
issues to address them
promptly.
Meanwhile, the
leadership of the National
Association of Nigeria
Students (NANS), has
given a 72-hour ultimatum
to the Oyo State
Government to set up
machineries for the
reorientation of operatives
of the corps.
Edo cosmopolitan councils lead in new
COVID-19 cases
By Ozioruva Aliu
THREE cosmopolitan
council areas in
Benin City namely
Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba
Okha Local Government
Areas (LGAs) accounted
for the highest number of
new coronavirus
(COVID-19) cases in the
state, in the wake of
rising cases in the
second wave of the
pandemic.
The State COVID-19
Incident Manager, Dr.
Andrew Obi, disclosed
this in a briefing with the
Emergency Operations
Centre, chaired by
Governor Godwin
Obaseki.
He said “We have 30
new COVID-19 cases.
Of these, 8 persons
tested positive to the
virus from Oredo LGA; 8
from Egor and 7 from
Ikpoba Okha, while the
7 others were reported
from persons drawn from
other council areas in the
state. This shows that
the outbreak is more
prevalent in the 3 local
government areas.”
He added that there are
159 active COVID-19
cases in the state, noting
that the state has
recorded 140 recoveries
and 5 deaths since it
started tracking the
second wave of the
pandemic
December 1.
since
Ibiyemi Bello, a bona fide
Lagosian—Integrity Group
AS Nigerians await the appointment of a new Vice-Chan
cellor for the Lagos State University, a group of Lagosians,
under the umbrella body of Lagos Integrity Group, has debunked
allegations by vested interests that Professor Ibiyemi
Bello is not an indigene of Lagos State and should therefore be
excluded from consideration for the exalted academic position.
Addressing a press conference, president of the Integrity
Group, Elder Dayo Macaulay described the allegation as a
malicious fabrication of falsehood, wicked and the height of
man’s inhumanity to man.
“I am saying this because Professor Bello is maternally an
indigene of Olowogbowo area of Lagos Island. The fact that
her husband, Hon Tunji Bello, is also an indigene of Lagos
Island, qualifies her as an indigene by marriage, and therefore
stands her on competent grounds to be the next V.C of LASU,”
Macaulay said.
“Apart from the fore-going, Professor Ibiyemi Bello is an
erudite academician and scholar of high repute. Apart from
her reputable academic feat, it remains a tribute to her multifaceted
level of competence and sterling endowment, that Professor
Bello also made an indelible impression as a seasoned
administrator, during her stint as acting vice-chancellor of the
university”, he stressed further.
It also need be remarked that the prodigious skill in conflict
resolution and crisis management , which was deployed by the
renowned scientist, in bringing about a new lease of peace and
stability, particularly at that time, which coincided with a critical
period of crisis in the life of the institution, remains a feat
for which she has made an indelible footprint in the history of
the reputable academic citadel and for which she has also
earned an enviable space in the hall of fame. This why the
subterranean manoeuvres being mounted by these mischievous
vested interest could be described as the height of wickedness,”
Macaulay added.
Prominent members of the Integrity Group which included
Taiwo Sonto,Segun Davies, Alhaja Mojisola Adewale, Femi
Salako,Basirat Dawodu, Prince Lekan Salami, Saheed Ajala,
Alhaji Lateef Onikoyi Bakare, Yinka Dawodu, Funmi Thomas,
all took time to speak at the occasion, warned that ‘’we
should not destroy the fabric of Lagos, by sacrificing merit for
mediocrity”, adding that Lagos is the fifth largest economy in
Africa, not because of the indigenes, but immigrants whose
collective efforts contributed in transforming Lagos to a centre
of excellence.
Stakeholders laud Sen Ajibola
on empowerment programme
By Demola Akinyemi
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun state and his
predecessor, and Minister of Interior affairs, Ogbeni
Rauf Aregbesola, among other chieftains of the ruling
All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, lauded
Senator Bashir Ajibola on his empowerment programme
described as deliberate efforts to improve the living
conditions of his people in Osun central senatorial district.
The programme meant to add values to the lives of
people from the eight local government councils that
made up of the senatorial district; Osogbo, Olorunda,
Orolu, Irepodun, Ifelodun, Odo-Otin, Ila and Ifedayo
local government councils area of the state saw no fewer
than 400 people benefiting from the distribution of hair
driers, generators, motorbikes tricycles, grinding
machines, deep frezeers aimed at supporting their day
to day business activities.
The event which was held at the St James Secondary
school, Aiyetoro junction of Osogbo, Osun State also
witnessed the financial support of over N8million to
various interest groups in the senatorial district including
youths, women, farmers, among others.
In his welcome speech at the event, Senator Ajibola
said that, “this event is not a jamboree. It is not even
about distributing empowerment tools to our people alone,
it is more of an avenue to render my account of
stewardship to the good people of Osun state central
senatorial district”.
“During my electioneering campaign tours, I made
several promises but amongst the several promises, I
stated and asserted that human capital development is
my core priority and this is so, Osun central is unique in
several respects which include being the seat of
government and the fact that it has the highest
concentration of businesses and therefore must benefit
from human capital development.
Tanker inferno: Lagos shuts
bridge indefinitely
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
FOLLOWING evacuation of the debris of the burnt
fuel tanker at Apakun Bridge, Iyana Isolo, Oshodi
Apapa Expressway, on Thursday morning, Lagos State
Government has shut the bridge
to vehicular traffic pending conclusion of integrity
test to be carried out by the Federal Ministry of Works.
Director-General, Lagos State Emergency
Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-
Osanyintolu, announced this during inspection of the
scene and completion of rescue operation by the rescue
team. He said during the closure traffic, diversion would
be in place for motorists to navigate and manage by
Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.
“Residents are urged to exercise caution as the
product, while diluted with chemical treatments, is still
at risk of being ignited by naked flame.
“We appreciate the cooperation of joint responder
agencies and road users,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated.

Triumph of US election, lesson to APC,
says PDP …Tasks President Buhari on strong institutions
By Dirisu Yakubu
THE Peoples Demo
cratic Party, PDP, Friday,
said the triumph of
democratic institutions in
the handling of issues related
to the United States, US,
presidential election has
highlighted the demands by
Nigerians on the Buhari
administration to allow institutions
of democracy to
function.
The party also noted that
the US election serves as a
strong lesson to leaders in
the All Progressives Congress,
APC, that no matter
how desperate they seek to
manipulate the system, “the
will of the people and the
constitution will prevail in
the end.”
The party was reacting to
the eleventh hour declaration
of Joe Biden as the validly
elected President of the
United States after a long
stand off by outgoing President,
Donald Trump.
In a statement issued by
Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP
noted that “the insistence of
the US judiciary and the legislature
on the provisions of
their nation’s constitution,
especially in resisting those
who are desperate to hold on
to office even after losing an
election, reinforces the triumph
of the collective will
of a people through their system.”
The statement further
read: “Whereas our institutions
of democracy including
the Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, and security agencies
were brazenly manipulated
by the APC in the 2019 elections,
the United States experience
strengthens the determination
by Nigerians to
stand up against such manipulations
ahead of 2023.
“The PDP therefore calls
on all Nigerians including
compatriots in INEC, the
judiciary, the legislature, security
forces, faith-based organizations,
the media, civil
society groups and other
political parties to join forces
with our party in the quest
to reposition and strengthen
our institutions for the
task ahead.
“It is instructive to state
that this is the only way to
reposition our nation on the
path of good governance,
political stability, national
cohesion and economic
prosperity.
“Never again should individuals
be allowed to manipulate
our system, denigrate
our constitution, lie to and
incite unsuspecting citizens,
promote violence, division
and killings; compromise
our security agencies, invade
our courts and intimidate
our judiciary, assault
our National Assembly and
trample on our laws, all in
their inordinate bid to foist
their selfish political interests.
“There is no overstressing
the fact that for the strong
institutions put in place by
patriotic leaders of the United
States, that nation would
have been thrown into terrible
turmoil or succumb to a
chaotic order that would
have no regard for the law
SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 9, 2021 — 3
and the will of the people.
“Our party urges the Buhari
Presidency to check all
acts that weaken our institutions
and encourage the manipulation
of our security,
judiciary, legislative and
electoral bodies.
“Mr. President should take
steps to ensure reforms that
would strengthen our system,
including ending all
acts of nepotism in appointments
into such sensitive institutions.
“The American example
equally underpins the demand
for public officers,
particularly the APC leadership
in the National Assembly,
to begin to pay greater
loyalty to our country and
her interest over the parochial
interest of their party or
the executive arm.
Police begin investigation into tunnel allegedly
used by ritualists
By Evelyn Usman
THE Police in Lagos said
they have commenced
investigation into the discovery
of a tunnel in Orile area
of Lagos, alleged to be used
by ritualists.
News made the rounds on
the densely populated Orile
and its environs on Wednesday
that dismembered human
parts were discovered
inside the tunnel, at School
bus-stop.
Two persons alleged to be
President Buhari receives Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in State
House yesterday.
*Say arrested suspect not found with human parts
*As mob burns suspected ritualist with human heart
ritualists were said to have
been found with human parts.
One of them whose identity
could not be ascertained was
burnt to death by a mob,
which alleged he was found
with a human heart. The second
suspect however escaped
same fate as he was rescued
by policemen attached to
Orile division.
A resident who simply gave
his name as Segun, told Saturday
Vanguard that “ a man
who was seen around the tunnel
on Tuesday, suddenly disappeared.
During a search of
the missing man, the tunnel
was discovered. The search
team said they saw a man inside
the tunnel and invited
members of the Odua Peoples
Congress. The OPC members
entered inside tunnel only to
find some human parts and a
lot of male and female clothing.
“While inside, they saw a
man climbing a constructed
stair case into tunnel, with a
human skull.
“Further search was conducted
in the tunnel on
Wednesday, with more human
parts in their decomposing
states recovered. The search
parties discovered that the
tunnel had one of its ends
linked to Mile-Two. They saw
a man coming from the
Mile-Two end of the tunnel
and apprehended him. He
was found with a human
heart. He was brought out,
beaten and burnt to death.
They have been using that
place for ritual purpose for
six years”, Segun stated.
Lagosians from different
parts of the state have been
thronging the scene since
Wednesday to have a sight of
the tunnel.
The Lagos State Police
Public Relations Officer, CSP
Olumiyiwa Adejobi, condemned
the jungle justice act
on the suspect.
Though he confirmed that
clothing were recovered inside
the tunnel but he said no
human part was found on the
suspect that was rescued by
the Police.
Adejobi identified the suspect
with the Police as Kayode
Ojo, a 50-year-old man
from Akoko, Ondo State,
without a fixed address.
He said, “ He was arrested
at the scene and brought to
us by 12.30pm on Wednesday.
They alleged he was a
ritualist and was found with
a human skull. But we did
not find him in possession of
any human parts.
In the process of making
preliminary findings from
him, report reached us that
another man found there was
lynched and set ablaze. They
said he was also found in possession
of a human heart.
“The suspect with us will
be transferred to the State
Criminal Investigation Department
to ascertain whether
what was found with him
are actually human parts.
We are going to conduct a
scientific investigation. The
command condemns jungle
justice. We appeal to residents
of the area to allow
the Police carry out investigation
on the matter.
Egbesu vows to protect, resist
attempts to desecrate IYC
By Davies Iheamnachor
IJAW religious organisation, the Sacred Order
of Egbesu Brotherhood, has vowed that it would
resist any attempt to desecrate and ridicule the sanctity
of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC , Worldwide, or
any other revered institution in Ijaw by desperate
politicians.
Egbesu, after a meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, described the office of the IYC president as
hallowed and consecrated, calling on all stakeholders
to respect any person occupying the office.
The Leader of Egbesu, Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei,
pledged the organisation’s unreserved loyalty
to all Ijaw traditional stools and the leader of the
IYC, Peter Timothy Igbifa, noting that IYC was product
of the people.
He enjoined aggrieved persons to employ internal
mechanisms to resolve conflicts in IYC and stop
ridiculing the image of the council.
Kemepadei said: “We wish to recall the memory
of Ijaw youths to the painstaking sacrifices of our
fathers during the formative days of the IYC. The
IYC is a product of Egbesu and it is a sacred institution
to us. The office of the President is a consecrated
seat and as Ijaw people we will defend that
office with honour.
Salary cut: Labour unions draw
battle line with Ganduje, threaten
strike action in Kano
By Bashir Bello
ORGANIZED Labour unions in Kano State yesterday,
drew a battle line with Governor Abdullahi Umar
Ganduje on the government’s decision to cut down the
workers salaries. They threatened to embark on a strike
action.
The organized unions which comprise of Nigerian
Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC
and Joint Negotiation Council, also threatened to drag
the government to court, should it fail to reverse the
decision by refunding deductions of the workers salaries
for the months of November and December, 2020.
The State’s NLC Chairman, who issued the threat
while reacting to the development frowned at the unilateral
decision by the government.
Minjibir said, “minimum wage is a product of tripartite
negotiation and cannot therefore, under whatever
circumstances be subjected to unilateral review.
“Salary and Pension are legitimate rights not privileges
that can be exploited and manipulated anyhow.
The level of maturity exhibited by the labour centres
arising from the unilateral deduction of salary and pension
of workers should not be taken for granted by government.
EndSARS: I seek justice for my
murdered brother, man tells panel
*Police is the problem of Nigeria—Panel
chair
By Shina Abubakar Osogbo
A
petitioner before the
Osun State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality,
Human Rights Violations and Extra Judicial Killings, Elder Joseph
Oluyide said he was at the panel to get justice for his brother
gruesomely murdered by police in 1993.
This is as the panel Chairman, Justice Akin Oladimeji said
police misconduct was the snag in the wheel of the country’s
progress.
At the panel’s resumed proceeding after the yuletide holiday on
Friday, he said his brother, Elijah Adeyemo, who was a lawyer
was killed by a police officer along Lagere in Ile-Ife in 1993.
“I am here to seek justice for the killing of my brother, one
Barrister Elijah Adeyemi, who was gruesomely murdered by a
police officer along Lagere in Ile-Ife in 1993.
“Since then, we had requested the then Governor to set up
panel of inquiry to investigate the misconduct, but it is unfortunate
that nothing was done. But now that the panel of inquiry has
been set up, we feel that it is time to take the matter up. That is why
we have come here”.
Meanwhile Justice Oladimeji berated the attitude and misconduct
of some officers and men of Nigeria Police Force, saying
evidence gathered so far showed that some policemen were the
cog in the wheel of country’s progress. The Panel reiterated its
commitment to ensuring fair hearing and justice in all the petitions
received within the time frame of stipulated six months.
Oladimeji said it was unfortunate that most of the cases received
were premised on the non-execution and non-implementation
of court verdicts against police.
He said: “A lot of things have been exposed about the conduct
and activity of the Nigeria Police. “From the evidence we have
gathered so far, it appears that it is some of the Police officers and
men that are the cog in the wheel of progress of this country; that
is my belief. “We have been receiving petitions and we have about
30 cases. Though we have resolved some of the cases, there won’t
be any report until we conclude all the proceedings.
“Generally, there has never been any delay except for some few
cases. As you know, either the lawyer or petitioner can cause
some delay because sometimes, they write letters for adjournments.

4—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Bloody January: Nigeria loses 120 to
violence, COVID-19, others in 7 days
By Clifford Ndujihe,
Politics Editor
AFTER surviving
COVID-19 pandemic
and other socioeconomic
challenges of
2020, death is the furtherest
thing on the
minds of most people
who crossed over to
2021.
On December 31 of
every year, many people
troop to religious and
prayer houses where
they thank God for the
ending year and supplicate
for better tidings –
good health, long life,
prosperity and other
favours in the new year.
Many people outline a
litany of lofty goals they
want to actualise in the
coming year.
They top it up with
exchange of goodwill
wishes and messages
with friends and family.
No matter how old, instant
death is furtherest
on the minds of most
people. Even those who
are ill expect to get well
in the new year.
Less than eight days
into 2021, the Nigerian
polity is littered with
untimely and aborted
dreams. No fewer than
120 people, across the
country, have had their
lives violently terminated
in their prime, according
to Saturday
Vanguard checks.
These include 44 Nigerians
who were
snatched by COVID-19
and no fewer than 50
claimed by violence unleashed
by bandits, cultists
and kidnappers.
Also included are those
crushed in auto accidents.
The figure is based on
reported cases. It excludes
terrorists and
Boko Haram insurgents
neutralized by the military.
Some of the heartrending
deaths reported
in the last eight days
include:
Timeline of reported
deaths
January 1
No fewer than 6 people
died in a New-year
day fire accident in
Akaeze, Ivo Local Government
Area of Ebonyi
State. The fire incident
occurred at home of Ogenyi
Chukwu at 8pm. It
was reportedly caused
when a canon loaded
with gun powder had
contact with fire. Chukwu
told reporters that
his children and 11other
relatives were watching
television when suddenly
fire englufed the
entire house.
January 1
Seven farmers were
killed by bandits in
Mashegu Local Government
Area of Niger State
on New year eve Eve.
Many were left injured
during the attack on the
farmers in their farms in
From left: Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU, Professor Olanrewaju
Fagbohun; LASU’s Best graduating Student 2018/2019, Oladimeji Shotunde;
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Registrar,
Mr. Amuni Mohammed Olayinka during the presentation of cheques to the
institution’s best graduating students by the Governor at Lagos House, , yesterday.
Babban Rami.
January 2
Unknown men killed
Quadri Okunola, popularly
called Kudeti, a father
of three at Macaulay
/ Odudu, along Igbogbo/
Bayeku road ikorodu,
Lagos
January 2
The Emir of Daura,
Alhaji Umar Faruq’s
younger brother, Abdullah
I Umar and two of his
friends died in motor
accident along Katsina-
Daura road
January 2
One person was killed
in Osogbo Osun Sttae,
when cult groups
clashed during a carnival
party at Isale-Osun
area of the town.
January 2
Bandit killed a chief
executive officer of a filling
station and his two
cousins in Idere, Ibarapa
North local Government,
Oyo State.
January 2
Chief of protocol to
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
of Ondo State,
Tosin Ogunbodele and
his driver died in an auto
crash along Ilesa- Akure
Road, Ondo State.
January 2
Bandits invaded
kawaran Rafiu village in
Igabi local government
Area of Kaduna State
and killed the chief
Imam of the village,
Danleeman Isah. Also
killed was the Sarkin
Yaki of Godogodo, Yohanna
Abu.
January 3
Suspected internet
fraudsters killed a girl,
18, in a hotel at Owa
community in Ika North
local government of Delta
State
January 3
No fewer than 19 people
were killed in a twoday
attack in Kaduna.
Twelve of the victims
were indigenes of Kaya,
Gura Local Government
Area.
January 4
Four people were shot
while properties worth
millions of naira were
destroyed in a bloody
violence in some parts of
Ibadan, Oyo State.
January 4
Police men killed two
suspected members of a
three man robbery gang
in Ughelli, Delta State.
January 4
A truck driver killed a
middle aged man on
Owerri Road, Onitsha,
Anambra State while the
deceased was crossing
the highway.
January 4
Bandits killed nine
people including three
infants in Zankoro, Kaduna
State.
January5
Six persons were confirmed
dead while 9 others
sustained injuries in
an accident involving
articulated vehicles and
a Toyota bus around car
park C on Lagos-Ibadan
Express way
January 5
Gunmen killed former
education secretary of
Nasarawa local government,
Malawi Salisu at
Mungi sharp corner,
Buga Gwari, Gadabuke,
Toto local council.
The hoodlums abducted
no fewer than 20 people
traveling in three vehicles
and took them into
the bush. Salihu was
among those abducted.
His body was later found
in the bush near the
road
January 6
Bandits killed a police
man and kidnapped five
others in attacks in Shiroro
and Raji local government
in Niger state
January 6
Gombe state police
command killed a kidnap
suspect identified
as Ustas during gunshot
exchange with police
men
January 7
Bandits attacked katarma
village in Chikun
local Government, kaduna,
killed four persons
and kidnapped many
women.
Ooni charges FG to begin
implementation of
non-custodial sentence
By Shina Abubakar,
Osogbo
THE Ooni of Ife, Oba
Adeyeye Ogunwusi
has charged the Federal
Government to embrace
the Non-Custodial measures
of the Nigerian Correctional
Service as a
means of dispensing justice
for minor crime offenders.
He added that implementing
the new measures
will go a long in addressing
myriad of challenges
with the administration of
Justice in the country.
A statement by the State
Command of Nigerian
Correctional Service Public
Relations Officer, DSC
Olusola Adeotan disclosed
that the monarch
stated these during a familiarisation/courtesy
visit
to him by the Command’s
Controller, Olanrewaju
Amoran at his palace
in Ile-Ife recently.
“Non-Custodial measures
will address issues of
dispensing justice to minor
offenders who committed
minor crimes. The service
must not allow itself to be
left behind in the scheme
of things as these measures
are being embraced
and utilised in other
climes. The service should
effectively implement
them. This will place correctional
service on higher
pedestal in the world’s
criminal justice administration
and be in tune with
global best practices.
“I assure you of my unwavering
support in ensuring
proper and successful
implementation of the
measures within my domain,”
he said.
Trump to skip Biden
inauguration
•Lawmakers mull fast impeachment
for attack on Capitol Hill
By Henry Ojelu with agency report.
DEMOCRATS are discussing whether to move forward
with the quick impeachment of President Donald Trump
if his Cabinet does not try to remove him first.
The storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Trump has
prompted calls for his removal from office before Presidentelect
Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20.
Trump has taken a more conciliatory tone – promising a
smooth transfer of power and calling for “healing and reconciliation”.
The chaotic scenes unfolded after Trump addressed thousands
of protesters and repeated unfounded claims that the
election was stolen from him. Five people died and 64 were
arrested as protesters forced their way into the building.
Trump skips Biden’s inauguration
Trump says he will not attend Biden’s inauguration on January
20. Vice President Mike Pence said this week he will attend
the ceremony.
Trump will become only the fourth president in US history to
skip the inauguration of his successor and the first since President
Andrew Johnson missed Ulysses S. Grant’s swearing-in
ceremony in 1869.
According to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural
Ceremonies, “Johnson did not accompany Presidentelect
Grant to the Capitol, nor did he attend the Inaugural
ceremonies. Instead, he remained at the White House signing
last-minute legislation.”
House Democratic leaders say the House could take up articles
of impeachment against Trump as soon as next week if
Vice President Mike Pence and Trump’s Cabinet do not act to
remove him.
Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
said the House “can use procedural tools to get articles of
impeachment to the House floor quickly”, as early as the coming
week, if Pence does not invoke the Constitution’s 25th
Amendment to remove Trump from office.
Pelosi lowers Capitol flags in honour of officer
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says those responsible for police
officer Brian Sicknick’s death from the siege at the Capitol
“must be brought to justice”.
Pelosi said she was lowering flags at the Capitol in his honour.
Sicknick died “after defending the Capitol complex and protecting
those who serve and work here. The perpetrators of
Officer Sicknick’s death must be brought to justice,” she said.
Biden will leave Congress to act on possible impeachment—
Spokesman
Biden is focused on preparing to take office, and will leave to
Congress, Vice President Mike Pence, and Trump’s Cabinet to
“act as they see fit” on the issues of impeachment and the 25th
Amendment, a Biden transition spokesman has said.
Spokesman Andrew Bates made the statement in response
to a question by Reuters news agency.
“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are
focused on their duty – preparing to take office on January
20th – and will leave it to Vice President Pence, the Cabinet and
the Congress to act as they see fit,” Bates said.
NIMC suspends strike,
resumes NIN enrollment
nationwide
By Emmanuel Elebeke
T
he National Identity Management Commission
(NIMC) says it has resumed normal enrollment
services for the National Identity Number (NIN) at its
centres nationwide.
This followed the suspension of it’s two day strike action
by the staff of the Commission which commenced on
Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Commission, signed
by the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Kayode
Adegoke, all the glitches
experienced since January 6, 2021 had been sorted out
before the resumption of the enrollment exercise by
the striking staff.
Recall that the enrollment services at NIMC centres
were temporarily disrupted when the local chapter of the
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)
of NIMC embarked on an industrial action on
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 immediately after their
congress.
However, the Minister of Communications and Digital
Economy, Dr. Isa Ali (Pantami), promptly intervened in
the matter, and assured the workers that he would look
into their grievances and advised them to empathise with
Nigerians, especially at this time that linkage of the NIN
with the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards
is ongoing for the security of lives and property in the
country.
The statement reads in parts: “The National Identity
Management Commission (NIMC) is glad to inform the
general public that normal enrollment services for the
National Identification Number (NIN) have been fully
restored at all NIMC offices nationwide as the glitches
experienced since January 6, 2021 have been sorted out.
“Enrolment services were temporarily disrupted when
the local chapter of the Association of Senior Civil Servants
of Nigeria (ASCSN) of NIMC embarked on an industrial
action on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 immediately after
their congress.”

Arrest of Nigerians in UAE: FG must urgently
interface for citizens — Amb Ode
*Detainees decry Nigeria’s indifference to their plight
By Victoria Ojeme
Nigeria’s immediate
past Ambassador to
Singapore, Ogbole Amedu
Ode has called on the Nigerian
federal government
and her embassy in
the United Arab Emirates
to urgently mediate with
authorities there to secure
the release of citizens detained
in the emirates.
Ode, who is also a
former spokesman of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
spoke to Vanguard in
Abuja explaining that in
recent times, there is a
reckoning within foreign
policy experts that Nigeria
is punching far below
its weight.
It was gathered that on
December 9, 2020, security
operatives raided the
homes of many African
migrants, most of whom
Suspension of Electricity Tariff: CSOs call on FG to
fix power sector, provide stable light
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA-
FOLLOW
ING suspension of
electricity tariff hike by the
are Nigerians living in Al
Qouz, Abu Hail, Sharjah,
Al Barsha, Deira and other
places.
“It is already established
that the arrests were as a
result of visa overstay.
Consequently, the UAE
authorities are enforcing
the immigration laws. And
the Nigerian authorities,
as represented by the Nigeria
Consulate General
in Dubai must be on top of
the game,” Ode said.
According to the Ambassador,
“Diplomatic and
consular missions, in accordance
with relevant international
instruments,
especially the Vienna Convention
on consular relations
-1963 provides for
consular access to nationals
of a sending state in detention
facilities of a receiving
state.”
He explained that it is
only by interfacing,
through consular access,
with those arrested that the
mission can establish the
veracity of their circumstances.
“Were the arrests rightly
or wrongly done? Are the
detainees being accorded
the right treatment,” he
questioned.
One of the Nigerian citizens
who was arrested said
“It was early morning time
like 2am -5am, some
masked individuals who
called themselves CID burst
into African accommodations
and abducted all of
them. They were taken
straight to jail without any
charges or trial. Several attempts
to connect to the Nigerian
Embassy and Consulate
as usual failed.”
According to the victim,
whose identity will not be
disclosed for security reasons,
“80 per cent of the persons
arrested are legal resident
while the rest 20 are
those with either visit visa
or having any visa related
issues. I was in jail and I
made several attempts to
reach the embassy but without
success. After a couple
of days in jail, I finally got
hold of the secretary of the
Nigeria consulate who directed
the call to a certain
man and he promised the
consulate would swing into
action, till now they never
did.
“Barely 30 hours since I
came out from jail, I went
straight to the embassy in
Abu Dhabi and I met one
director, Mr Ibrahim, who
said that they would channel
our complaint to the ambassador
but till today we
have not heard anything”.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (5th right), his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo (5th left), the State
Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Priscila Ngozi Emehelu (4th right), the President, State Customary Court of Appeal,
Hon. Justice George Nnamani (3rd right) and the six new Judges of the Enugu State Judiciary, after they were
sworn-in by the governor, at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday.
Federal Government on
Thursday, Civil Society Ogrganisations,
CSOs including
ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, One
Love Foundation, OLF,
Grassroots Empowerment
and Justice, GEJ Initiative,
and others, Friday, called on
Federal Government to fix
power sector and provide Nigerians
stable electricity.
The Country Director, ActionAid
Nigeria, Ene Obi,
said, “for me the government
is toying with the lives of Nigerians.
Before they hike the
tariff didn’t they take permission
from the Federal government?
Is there no regulatory
commission? My shock is
that the government is taking
loan for the power sector
and the power sector is privatized
and we don’t really
know what is going on.
“It is really the first time
they are causing divisions,
which is in terms of specifying
those in highbrow areas
and those at the low level areas,
but the division of power
consumption is already there,
where you have high industrial
areas, and those people who
don’t have enough appliances
to consume power, but now you
are coming up with tariff hike
to rob these poor people.
“Does it mean government
wants the poor people to remain
poor, and what does government
have to alleviate their
plight or the kind of discrimination
we have in the power
sector now? The level of corruption
in the sector is so appalling.
“We need to refocus. Government
is of the people, by
the people and for the people.
If government can really
focus on the power sector
it will transform the lives of
Nigerians. Right now we
have a generator economy
that has negatively affected
the economy. Many companies
have died and others left
the country because of the
power problem. We should
stop extorting money from
Nigerians. Let the people
have meters and pay as they
go.
“Nigeria is sitting on a
time bomb because of the
large population of young
people who wake up every
morning and don’t know
where to go. We condemn the
increase and adjustments
going on including the instability.
All of these shenanigans
must stop.”
The Founder, One Love
Foundation, OLF, Chief
Patrick Osagie, said, “It is
disheartening and shameful
that Mr. Babatunde Fashola,
a chieftain of the APC and
a former Minister of Power
once told Nigerians that any
serious government should
be able to fix electricity within
six months. It is shameful
that as a Minister of Power
for four years, he wasn’t able
to do anything.
SATURDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 9, 2021 — 5
UAE firm to build world-class
specialist hospital, medical
diagnostic center in Osun
*Lauds Oyetola’s commitment to
quality healthcare delivery
The MGT Group — a multi sectoral and multidisci
plinary firm with patented technologies headquartered
in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, and operating
in several countries of the world has expressed readiness
to invest in building a world-class specialist hospital and
a medical diagnostic center in the State.
The firm also expressed interest in investing in the
State’s solid mineral asset, just as it applauded the Oyetola’s
administration for building, renovating and revitalising
332 Primary Healthcare Centres across the State,
describing it as worthwhile, unprecedented and unparalleled.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ismail
Omipidan, said in a statement that the Founder and
Chairman of the MGT Group, Ashok Puri, made these
disclosures when he received Governor Adegboyega
Oyetola, who was on a working visit to the firm’s office
on Thursday.
The Governor was accompanied on the visit by his
Deputy Chief of Staff,
Prince Abdullah Adeyanju
Binuyo.
Puri noted that the firm had been following news about
Osun’s giant strides in the health sector, and was ready
to complement the government’s efforts in boosting the
sector. He also commended the Governor’s leadership
style and his commitment to attracting investments to
the State.
COVID-19: Buhari, Govs agree
on local production of vaccines
*Consider involvement of religious
leaders, musicians in vaccination
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with
the Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF,
Dr. John Kayode Fayemi on the need for local production
of Coronavirus vaccines.
This is as President Buhari has expressed the willingness
to engage Bishops, Chief Imams, top musicians,
sports personalities among others in the COVID-19 vaccination
in order to remove the doubts of many Nigerians
that may be harboring negative opinion on the vaccine.
The NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr.
Fayemi disclosed this after meeting with the President at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the
meeting, the NGF boss said that the issue of worsening
security situation in the country was also discussed and
that the President assured that there would be a remarkable
improvement in the security this year.
He said he was at the State House for the usual routine
meeting with the President, adding that the meeting being
the first in the year, they reviewed a number of issues
that were of interest to the governors such as security,
economy, vaccines management and the general outlook
for 2021.
Asked what they discussed on vaccines management,
he said, “for us as governors, the number one priority
in vaccine management relates to public health and risk
communication.
“I commended the Presidential Task Force on COVID-
19 for at least, wanting to use Mr. President and the Vice
President as their publicity vehicles for reassuring those
who may have their doubts about vaccines use that, this
is no threats to them.
“You know there are cultural and religious concerns in
various parts and we are at the state level, we are reviewing
that with all of our colleagues. But the good thing is,
Mr. President has agreed with me that he would convey
to the PTF the necessity of using other influencers, maybe
the Chief Imams, the Bishops, top musicians, our
sports personalities because, the more of such people are
seen taking the vaccines the more the likelihood of resistance
will break down in our various localities. So, we
discussed that.
Three docked in Ondo for
kidnapping three minors for rituals
By Dayo Johnson Akure
Three persons have been docked before an Akure
Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly kidnapping
three minors for money rituals. They include Loto Temitayo
aged 34, Olabode Omoboye aged 54 and Ogunbamila
Erioluwa aged 52.
The accused persons were arraigned on three count
charges of conspiracy, abduction, and deprivation of liberty,
misdemeanors and others.
Police prosecutor, Adeoye Adesegun, told the court
that the offence was committed on December 13, 2020 at
Igodan Lisa, Ondo State.
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges
İnspector Adesegun said the children were abducted
for the purpose of having carnal knowledge of them and
using them for money ritual.
According to him the minors were found with the suspects
when they were arrested.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Police promotion bribery scandal:
Presidency orders probe
By Kingsley Omonobi -
Abuja
There are indications
that the Presidency has
ordered a probe into allegations
of bribery, corruption and
nepotism which were said to
have marred the recent lopsided
promotion of Commissioners
of Police by the Police
Service Commission (PSC).
The probe according to
sources followed petitions written
to the Presidency and National
Assembly members and
the Ministry of Police Affairs
by some senior police officers
who were allegedly bypassed
by the retired IGP Musiliu
Smith’s PSC during the promotion
exercise by circumventing
both Police and Civil Service
rules of elevation from the
ranks of Deputy Commissioners
and Commissioners of Police.
Sources told Vanguard that
even the Inspector General of
Police, IGP Muhammed Adamu
was not averse to the probe
and possible reversal of the
controversial promotion exercise
following the large-scale
grumbling it has generated
among senior police officers
and coming at a time the police
management team was still
working on ways to boost the
morale of police officers after
the destructive impact of the
recent #Endsars protests on
the force.
It will be recalled that the Pan-
Igbo Socio-Cultural Group,
and the Yoruba Socio-Cultural
group, Afenifere recently
voiced misgivings over the lopsided
and nepotism laden promotions
released by the PSC
wherein only one Commissioner
of Police from the South East
benefitted from the exercise.
Recall that 37 police officers
were promoted to their next
ranks about two weeks ago
with the North West Zone producing
12, North East Zone 8,
South West Zone 7, South
South Zone 5, North Central
Zone 4 and South East Zone
getting the least which is one.
Excerpts from the petition
reads, “”While we are not ruling
out crass nepotism in the
consideration of less qualified
officers for promotion, we are
however very convinced that
bribery and corruption played
much more defining role at
the PSC during the consideration
of officers for promotion”.
It said that “initially, on
December 19, 2020, the Police
Service Commission announced
the promotion of 29
Assistant Commissioners of
Police (ACP) to the rank of
Deputy Commissioners of Police
from a pool of 46 ACPs
due for promotion, who were
last promoted (to ACP) on September,
5. 2016” adding that
they were selected according
to their serial numbers to fill
the vacancies.
“‘After that announcement,
several ACPs were approached
to give bribe to be added to the
promotion list which they dismissed,
as it was believed that
the PSC had already completed
the process. The list was released
to the Police Force on t
December 24,2020 and it was
noticed that 37 ACPs (an additional
8) had been promoted.”
The petition noted that after
a careful examination of the
list, the following were observed:
“Earlier, the PSC reacted
in a statement entitled ‘Re-Police
Promotion: Ohaneze tells
FG to revisit exercise’ , the Police
Service Commission
claimed that the recent police
promotion was not based on
ethnic consideration.
According to the statement,
“the attention of the Police Service
Commission has been
drawn to comments credited
to the leadership of the OHAN-
EZE Ndigbo a pan Igbo Socio
Cultural group on the recent
promotions into different
offices of the Nigeria Police
Force and specifically as it affected
Promotions into the office
of Commissioners of Police.
The OHANEZE noted
that only one Igbo son was promoted
to the rank of CP in the
recent exercise and that all
Commissioners of Police in
the South East are Northerners.
Boko Haram: Air Task Force inflicts heavy
casualty on terrorists
By Kingsley Omonobi -
Abuja.
In continuation of air strikes
against Boko Haram terrorists
hideouts and camps in
the North East, fighter aircraft
of the Nigerian Airforce have
neutralized several high profile
targets and commanders of the
terrorists group in Sambisa forest
Ċoordinator, Defence Media
Operations, Major General
John Enenche made this known
on Friday saying the encounter
happened at Alargamo.
Enenche said, ‘The Air Task
Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya
Dole has inflicted heavy casualties
on Boko Haram Terrorists
(BHTs) in the Sambisa Forest
area of Borno State and taken
out their hideouts in Alagarno,
including a compound housing
some high-value BHT leaders.
The compound, concealed under
thick vegetation and located
2.3Km North East of Kafa,
was being used by the terrorists
to coordinate their nefarious activities.
“The destruction of the locations
was achieved through
multiple air strikes executed on
6 January 2021 as the ATF dispatched
appropriate force packages
of Nigerian Air Force
(NAF) fighter jets and attack helicopters
to engage the target
areas in day and night raids.
From left: Assistant Pastor in charge of Administration, Region 1, Pastor
Adebayo Adeyemo, Assistant General Overseer on Admin/Personnel, Pastor
Johnson Odesola, General Overseer, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye;
his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye and Pastor Rachael Odesola during the
launch of ground breaking ceremony of the new RCCG Coastline Worship
Centre, Ebute-Metta, Oyingbo, Lagos.
“The BHTs were spotted under
the dense vegetation of the
locations and the NAF attack
aircraft took turns in engaging
the targets, neutralizing several
of them. The Armed Forces
of Nigeria will not relent until
all enemies of the nation are neutralised
and normalcy is restored
to all troubled zones. “
Meanwhile, following recent
upsurge in kidnapping in Nasarawa
state, troops fighting banditry
in the North Central have
carried out a daring raid at a
kidnappers den, rescuing three
abducted victims and killing one
of the kidnappers in a shootout.
Coordinator,Defence Media
Operations, Major General
John Enenche stated this in Abuja
on Friday
He said, “Following actionable
and credible intelligence,
troops of Operation Whirl
Stroke, in the early hours of The
Thursday, 7th January 2021,
successfully staged a daring res-
Ijaw Youths tackle Akpabio on inauguration
of NDDC board
By Samuel Oyadongha,
Yenagoa
IJAW youths from the states
of the Niger Delta have described
as “deceitful” and “diversionary”
the comments attributed
to the Minister of Niger
Delta Affairs, Godswill
Akpabio, over the possible
constitution of a substantive
board of the Niger Delta Development
Commission
(NDDC) in April 2021 after the
forensic audit of the commission.
The Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, Godswill Akpabio had
on Wednesday in Abuja while
receiving the interim report of
the commission from the forensic
auditors, insisted that
the appointment of a sole administrator
which had triggered
protests and uprising in
the region was ordered by the
court and not the Federal Government.
But reacting to the Minister’s
cue operation at Mararaba
Udege general area in Nasarawa
Local Government Area of
Nasarawa State, rescuing 3 kidnapped
persons and neutralizing
one armed bandit in the ensuing
firefight.
“The kidnapped victims were
subsequently reunited with their
respective families.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria
will not relent until all enemies
of the Country are neutralised
and normalcy is restored to
all troubled zones.”
comment, the National
Spokesman of the umbrella
body Ijaw Youth Council
(IYC) worldwide, Comrade
Ebilade Erekefe, on Friday in
Yenagoa, described the claim
as diversionary.
Students charged to emulate
worthy mentors
The Principal of Ronik
Comprehensive school, Ejigbo
Lagos, Mrs Victoria Duru
has charged the graduating
students at the school’s 23rd
valedictory ceremony to emulate
worthy mentors in order
to have good examples
to follow as they find their
way to the highest levels of
success in the society.
Mrs Duru also tasked
them to develop strong interest
in reading and embrace
honesty and humility.
Her words; “don’t be too
proud to apologise, invest in
positive relationship and
believe in yourself. If you can
keep to this advice you will
find yourself at the top”.
Mrs Duru thanked the
parents and the staff for ensuring
that the school recorded
significant achievements
during the session,
despite the difficult environment,
in which the nation
found itself arising from the
corona virus pandemic.
NIMC registration amid
COVID-19 irresponsible says
Afenifere
By Dapo Akinrefon
The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on
Friday, described the ongoing registration of Sim cards
in the midst of the strong second wave of COVID-19 as the
most irresponsible act of governance on display in the history
of the country.
In a statement by its National publicity Secretary, YinkaOdumakin,
the group said the move shows total disregard for
the lives of citizens to expose them to the vagaries of Coronavirus
without any form of protection under these terrible conditions.
The statement reads: “Officials of the National Identity
Management Commission, NIMC, who are currently on
strike have also complained that they have not been provided
the personal protective equipment and their allowances were
not being paid.
“It is so barbaric and archaic that Nigerians are being exposed
to these dangers which shows lack of critical thinking in
leadership when bodies like Google etc can manage whatever
information on people’s phones without having any contact
with the owners”.
The group challenges the government to respond to the
strong allegation by the President of the Association of the
Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC unit, Asekokhai Lucky,
in an interview with a national newspaper that already the
virus had been detected in three officials of the agency at its
headquarters with the government doing a cover-up.
“He said the workers were annoyed because the management
of the commission was aware of the development, but
kept it from workers, who could have taken necessary precautions
to protect themselves.
The Federal Government had, on December 14, 2020, ordered
telecommunications firms to disconnect telephones lines
of subscribers who failed to link their National Identity Numbers
to their subscriber identification modules.
Sen. Akume has no beef with Sen.
Suswam, Governor Ortom, Tor Tiv -
Tsav — Ex Benue Speaker
*Allegations against him unfounded,
baseless
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Former Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly
and Chairman of Benue Concerned Citizens for Development,
BCCD, Dr. Stephen Tsav, has said the Minister
for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs,
George Akume bears no grudge against Senator Gabriel
Suswam, Governor Samuel Ortom and the Tor Tiv
Prof. James Ayatse.
He stated that the leaders were working in synergy for
the good of Benue state contrary to an earlier pictured
painted by the Zone A Peoples’ Assembly, ZAPA, at a recent
media briefing.
Dr. Tsav in a statement for the BCCD yesterday in
Makurdi said the earlier statement by ZAPA claiming
that Senator Akume was fanning the embers of disunity
and crisis in the state as well as plotting the alienation of
the Benue North East district in the distribution of political
offices was baseless.
ZAPA had claimed that “Sen George Akume has taken
it as his pastime to ensure nobody from that part of the
state progresses to a reasonable status, or is counted
amongst critical leaders both in the state and at the central
government.”
BCCD in its reaction however said, “It is not clear to us
why ZAPA has chosen to flog a dead horse and reawakened
issues that the Tor Tiv, HRM Prof. James Ayatse
and all Zone A leaders have already put behind them
long ago.”
While insisting that the allegations raised by ZAPA were
completely unfounded, the BCCD explained that Senator
Akume had done more for the people of Benue North
East district than any other district in the state.
PDP Chieftain calls for review of
NBC codes
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former
Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke
has called for the review of the codes of Nigeria Broadcasting
Commission (NBC) in order to avoid bias against
private media houses.
Onuesoke who was speaking with newsmen in Asaba, Delta
State on alleged bias of NBC against private stations lamented
that the commission had derailed from its original
functions by serving as an agent of government thereby
beclouding its agenda of pluralism in the broadcast sector.
He explained that “in order to uphold democratic principles
in Nigeria, it would be pertinent to adopt the principles
of the libertarian theory by reviewing the Nigerian Broadcasting
Code and its application, and create an equal
competitive atmosphere for all and sundry. He added that
this will be in line with the international standard that
preaches against indecent content for equal opportunities
and the fairness doctrine.
He pointed out that the inability of NBC to exercise its
duties independently rested on the fact that only the president
has the power to issue licences and not the Commission,
stressing that the laws erroneously gave the Commission
too much powers making it a regulator and an
arbitrator which had made it to commit some fundamental
flaws that place the country far behind other
nations in terms of positive regulation.

2023: Amaechi Vanguard inaugurates
Yobe chapter
By Dirisu Yakubu
THE 2023 presidential
aspiration of the
Minister of Transportation,
Rotimi Amaechi, got a boost
with the inauguration of the
Yobe State chapter of
Amaechi Vanguard, a nongovernmental
organization
championing his quest,
yesterday, in Nguru.
Amaechi is among a
horde of southern
politicians said to be
pushing to succeed
President Muhammadu
Buhari in 28 months time.
Others include Asiwaju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr
Kayode Fayemi, Mr Peter
Obi, Senator Rochas
Okorocha, and Senator Orji
Uzor Kalu.
Currently, a host of these
politicians are locked in
intense consultations, and
mobilisation and have been
crisscrossing the country.
Many mobilisation
groups have emerged to
back the aspirations of the
presidential aspirants. The
Amaechi Vanguard is one
of them.
Amaechi Vanguard Yobe
State Coordinator,
Comrade Lawan Ali Yusuf,
NDDC: Allow sole admin to complete forensic
audit, group urges N’Delta youths
... cautions against protests
By Emem Idio,
Yenagoa
THE Niger Delta Activists
Group and Excellent
Leadership Foundation, ND-
AGEF, has urged youths in the
Niger Delta to give the sole administrator
the chance to complete
the forensic audit and rejig
the Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, so
that the substantive board can
begin on a fresh slate.
This is just as the group cautioned
youths bent on protesting
against the appointment of
a sole administrator to discontinue
their protests in the interest
of peace of the region and
give the sole administrator a
chance.
The National Coordinator of
the group Chief Izzi Yakiah,
who gave the advice at a media
briefing in Yenagoa yesterday,
said protests could be hijacked
by hoodlums to cause a
breach of public peace and
looting of properties, and
accused politicians in the region
of sponsoring protests to
frustrate the ongoing forensic
audit exercise of the commission.
He said there was the need
for the youths to understand the
expediency of the sole administrator
as explained by the presidency
“which is to ensure the
successful completion of the
forensic auditing of the commission.”
Chief Yakiah particularly
urged the various leaders of the
Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, to
queue behind the resolve of its
National President, Peter Igbifa,
to deploy dialogue as a
means to dousing the tension
generated following the appointment
of a sole administrator.
He said: “The media wars,
blackmail and calls for protest
said at the inauguration
event that his mandate
is to coordinate the
activities and programmes
of the organization
throughout the state.
Lawan assured that the
organization will do more
in terms of sensitisation of
Yobeans on the
achievement of Amaechi
both as a two-time
governor of Rivers State
against the NDDC sole administrator
by a section of
youth groups like the IYC were
a deliberate attempt to frustrate
the conclusion of the forensic
audit exercise of NDDC
as directed by President Muhammadu
Buhari.
“While we support the appointment
of a substantive
and as Minister of
Transportation.
According to Ali, the non
governmental
organization will embark
on ward-to-ward
mobilisation for Amaechi
ahead of 2023.
The inauguration was
presided over by the
national chairman of
Amaechi Vanguard, Hon.
Haruna Bature who in a
brief remark called on the
All Progressives Congress,
APC, stakeholders in the
state to help drum support
for Amaechi’s Presidential
aspiration.
In attendance were
former House of Assembly
members, former chairmen
of local government
councils and a good
number of APC chieftains
in the state.
A cross-section of military officers, during the Jumat prayer to mark the
2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, at the National Mosque in Abuja
yesterday.
board for the Commission in
line with the Act establishing
the NDDC, we want to advise
that it is necessary for the forensic
audit to be completed
to rejig the commission so that
the new board can take off on
a clean slate.
“Any protest now is not in the
collective interest of the people
of the region as it could
be hijacked by hoodlums to
unleash mayhem, destruction
of properties. We want to
caution our youths not to be
used by politicians to destabilise
the peace currently
been enjoyed in the region,
they should tread with caution.”
Ondo to return mission schools to
owners
Dayo Johnson
Governor
Rotimi
Akeredolu of Ondo
state has expressed the
readiness of the state to
return both primary and
secondary schools to their
original owners.
Agitations that the
schools should be
returned to the
missionaries for proper
and better administration
of the schools have been
coming from different
quarters across the state in
recent time.
The governor said in
Akure that the missionary
schools would be returned
to the original owners but
under certain conditions
stipulated by the state
government.
According to him, “part
of the conditions to be met
by the interested
missionaries is an
assurance that the released
institutions will not
discriminate against any
•Constitutes committee to tackle waste
admission seekers.
“Once the hurdles listed
by the government are
cleared by the mission
owners, we shall gladly
hand them back to them
(missionaries).”
Akeredolu directed the
religious organisations
interested in taking over
their schools to approach
the state Ministry of Justice
for necessary briefs.
In another development,
the governor has also
constituted a seven-man
Committee to tackle waste
management and other
related matters.
The committee is chaired
by Mr. Kehinde Badejo
while Mr. Fola Omowole
will serve as the the
Secretary.
This was contained in a
statement by the
information and
Orientation commissioner
Donald Ojogo in Akure.
Their terms of reference
include to oversee the
management and
administration of the Ondo
State Waste Management
Authority, to ensure that
Akure and other cities are
clean at all times, pending
the constitution of a Board
for the Agency, in line with
the Law establishing it. .
Others is to reform,
revamp, restructure and
review the present
systems, structures and
processes driving waste
management service
delivery in the state, with
a view to, if necessary,
making relevant
adjustments to meet the
aspirations of the present
administration in the
sector.
The committee is also to
delineate the entire state
capital, enumerate the
delineated areas in
conjunction with the
Private Sector
Participants, design
sustainable waste
management systems and
solutions for the entire
State, in both rural and
urban areas.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021 — 7
Killing of Oruku monarch:
Enugu Govt sets up probe
panel
By Anayo Okoli.
FOLLOWING the December 26, 2020 killing of the
monarch of Oruku town, Nkanu East Council, Enugu
State, Igwe Emmanuel Mba, allegedly by a police man, and
subsequent crisis that engulfed the community, Enugu State
government has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to
unravel the remote and immediate causes of the crisis.
The panel is headed by Justice Harold Eya and the terms of
reference include to ascertain the number of persons killed or
injured, identify persons, group or institutions who either by
acts or omissions were directly or indirectly involved in, or
sponsored the crisis, and investigate any other matter(s) that
may come to the knowledge of the panel in the course of the
inquiry, not covered in these terms of reference.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon
Uchenna Ortuanya, who announced the constitution of the
panel, said the panel is empowered to “make
recommendations regarding persons whom the panel finds
culpable and/or blameworthy in connection with the crisis
and generally make recommendations, in the light of its
findings, on how to prevent similar crisis in future and make
other recommendations which the panel may consider
appropriate in view of its findings.”
Prof. Ortuanya said that the panel was constituted by
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, pursuant to Section 4(1) of the
Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap. 24, Revised Laws of Enugu
State 2004, because of “the attendant threats of further
breakdown of law and order and breach of the peace in the
area and in the overriding interest of the public welfare.”
Other members of the panel, which was inaugurated
yesterday at the Government House, Enugu, are Igwe
Lawrence Agubuzu; Prof. Den Chris Onah; Barr. Anthony
Ogbu; Dr. Chinwe Onah; Dr. Godwin Anigbo, who will serve
as the secretary, and Barr. Paschal Okoloagu, counsel for the
commission.
Ohanaeze election: Obiozor, an
asset to Ndigbo— Obioha
By Ugochukwu Alaribe
A
chieftain of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Ralph
Obioha, has described an aspirant to the post of
President General, Prof. George Obiozor as an asset to
the Igbo race, stressing that Obiozor’s antecedents are
not only known and established in Igbo land, but also
well known in Nigeria and overseas.
Obioha, in an interview with Saturday Vanguard, urged
aspirants and groups opposed to the former Nigerian
Ambassador to the Israel and United States to sheathe
their swords as Ndigbo can’t afford conflict when there
is a great need for unity of the Igbo race.
In his words;“When Prof. George Obiozor indicated
interest for the position of President General of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo, most of us were happy because it is good that
we have such a quality personality to steer the affairs of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo at this critical period. Prof. Obiozor’s
antecedents are not only known and established in Igbo
land, but also well known in Nigeria and overseas. Prof.
Obiozor is a great asset to Ndigbo, Nigeria and the
international community.
“Ndigbo want to rest the leadership of Ohanaeze in
such a stable hand. After the stewardship of Chief John
Nwodo, which lots of Igbo people have confirmed as a
quality stewardship; passing the leadership of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo on to someone like Prof. Obiozor would augur
well for Ndigbo.
“I appeal to the other groups to sheathe their sword
and let peace reign. By the rotational nature of the
Ohanaeze, it is the turn of Imo State to produce the
President General. I’m happy that the Governor of Imo
State, Chief Hope Uzodinma has shown interest to ensure
that the entire thing is smoothly organized."
Covid-19 test: Synlab decries
forgery, explains how to
authenticate result
By Nkiruka Nnorom
SYNLAB, one of the authorized covid-19 testing
laboratories in Nigeria, has expressed worries over
the alleged presentation of fake covid-19 test results by
international travellers, saying that the practice is
increasing the danger of the spread of the virus.
The company said in a statement that it is necessary for
people to ensure they get tested in laboratories that have
authentication process in place.
It noted that it has put several measures in place to
ensure that covid-19 results from its lab are easily
authenticated, verifiable and differentiated from forged
results in a bid to help curb the ugly trend of fake covid-
19 test results being peddled around.
According to the company, it has included a unique
security feature in its Covid-19 reports, (a unique 2D
barcode that comes with all Synlab Covid-19 reports) since
October 19, 2020, saying that the feature could be used
by individuals and law enforcement officials to
authenticate Synlab Covid-19 reports using two easy
steps.
To authenticate the test result, the company encouraged
users to scan the 2D Code with any smartphone and
afterwards open the URL that comes up to verify that the
data on the result matches the one revealed in the URL.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Anxiety in Edo as court rules on
Obaseki’s certificate today
* Ize-Iyamu appeals high court ruling on deputy’s disqualification
By Ozioruva Aliu
THERE is anxiety
among members and
supporters of Governor
Godwin Obaseki of Edo
State, the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) and the
All Progressives Congress
(APC) and its candidate in
the September 19, 2020 governorship
election as the
Federal High Court in Abuja
will today rule on an alleged
forgery and perjury
case brought against the
governor by the APC and a
member of the party, William
Edobor.
After exchange of legal
fireworks on the pre-election
suits, the parties on
Thursday adopted their
written addresses and the
presiding judge, Justice
Ahmed Muhammed fixed
today for ruling.
A member of the PDP and
associate of Obaseki told
Saturday Vanguard yesterday
that “everybody is
waiting for the day, some
of us are restless but we
are confident because our
legal team did a good job
and from my view, they
could not prove any case
of forgery so we expect a
favourable ruling” while a
supporter of the candidate
of the APC in the election,
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu
and member of the party
said: “With what we have
presented before the court,
we are 99 per cent sure of
victory.”
Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu,
has appealed the judgment
of the Edo State
High Court nullifying his
candidacy over alleged
false information presented
to the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC) by his
running mate, Hon. Gani
Audu.
The Edo State High
Court sitting in Benin City
and presided over by Justice
Helen Courage-Ogbebor
delivered the judgment
last Wednesday following
a suit brought by
Sunday Kadiri from Ogbona
ward, in Etsako Central
Local Government
Area of the state.
In a notice of Appeal
marked B/358/2020
through his counsel, Ize-
Iyamu prayed the Appeal
Court to set aside the judgment
of the Edo State High
Court on the grounds that
the suit filed by Kadiri is
statute-barred, academic,
and of no utilitarian value
to him.
Citing relevant constitutional
provisions, including
precedents set by the Supreme
Court in previous
similar cases, he argued
that “a pre-election suit becomes
academic where the
defendants lost the election
and fail to challenge the
outcome thereof in an Election
Tribunal.”
He said even though the
case was statute-barred, the
claimant also failed to prove
his case beyond doubt and
should be dismissed.
Crossover Protest: AGF orders police to
hands-off Sowore’s trial, DPP takes over
...as absence of defendants stall ruling on their bail request
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
THE Attorney-General
of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mr.
Abubakar Malami, SAN,
has ordered the Federal
Capital Territory, FCT, Police
Command, to hands-off
trial of convener of #RevolutionNow
protest, Mr.
Omoleye Sowore.
Sowore, who was the presidential
candidate of the
African Action Congress,
AAC, in the last general election
and publisher of an
online news outlet, Sahara
Reporters, was arrested on
New Year’s eve for leading
protest against bad governance
in the country.
Police subsequently arraigned
him alongside four
other activists who were
also arrested during the protest—Juwon
Sanyaolu, Peter
Williams, Damilare Adenola
and Emmanuel Bulus—before
an Abuja Chief
Magistrate's Court sitting
at Wuse Zone 2.
The defendants, who were
docked on January 4, pleaded
not guilty to a threecount
charge that was preferred
against them, even as
Magistrate Mabel Segun-
Bello ordered their remand
at the Kuje Correctional
From left: Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Chief of Surgery & Group MD, Reddington Hospital, Dr.
Olatunde Lalude, during the official commissioning of Armoured Shield Isolation
Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday.
Centre.
The charge against them
bordered on criminal conspiracy,
unlawful assembly
and their alleged attempt to
incite public disturbance.
Police alleged that the defendants
were arrested with
placards that called for a
violent revolution against
President Muhammadu
Buhari.
However, the court, on
January 5, transferred the
defendants from prison custody
to the Force Criminal
Investigation Department
situated at Garki Area 10,
Abuja.
Their transfer came after
Sowore, who was brought
to the court in handcuffs,
complained about degrading
treatment he said they
were subjected to at the Kuje
Correctional Centre.
He told the court that the
prison authorities denied
them access to medical treatment,
food and water.
Following his complaint,
aside from changing their
place of remand, the court,
directed the police who is
prosecuting the case, to provide
the 3rd Defendant, Adenola
who is a law student of
the University of Abuja, with
internet facilities and writing
materials, to enable him to
prepare for his examination,
even as it adjourned to rule
on their bail application.
The defendants had
through their lawyer, Mr.
Marshal Abubakar, prayed
the court to release them on
bail, pending the determination
of the case against them.
Their application was however
opposed by Police lawyer,
Mr. Adama Musa, who
urged the court to allow them
to remain in detention.
Meanwhile, at the resumed
proceedings of the matter
yesterday, Police, failed to
produce the defendants in
court for ruling on their bail
request.
Owing to the situation,
Magistrate Segun-Bello said
she could not deliver the ruling
in the absence of both the
defendants and the Prosecution.
Saturday Vanguard learnt
that the AGF had earlier directed
Police to handover
the case-file to the Director
of Public Prosecution, DPP,
at the Federal Ministry of
Justice.
Confirming the development
to journalists at the
court premises, counsel to
the defendants, Mr. Marshal,
said the Deputy Inspector-General
of Police,
DIG, had on the order of the
AGF, retrieved the case-file
from the FCT Police Command.
Marshal alleged that
there was confusion among
the prosecuting team:
“This morning, we reached
out to the authorities to
bring the defendants to
court to listen to the terms
and conditions upon which
bail would be considered.
“But we were informed
and shown copies of documents
from the office of the
DIG requesting for the case
file of Omoyele Sowore
from the office of the Commissioner
of police FCT
Abuja.
“Now we were told reliably
that the office of the
Commissioner of Police
transferred the case-file to
the office of the DIG yesterday.
Oyetola, Basiru, Osun APC
mourn Salami’s death
By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
OSUN State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has de
scribed the death of the former senator, representing
Osun Central Senatorial District, between 1999-
2003, Bayo Salami as saddening.
Salami died in the United States of America on Thursday
at the age of 69 and was described as the only Alliance
for Democracy elected senator who remained in
the party in the state till the return of progressive government
in the state.
Reacting to the news of the senator’s death, Oyetola in
a post on his official Facebook page, commiserated with
the family of the deceased and the Muslim community
in Osun.
The governor wrote:“Sad to learn of the passing of
Baba Adinni of Osogbo and chieftain of our party, APC,
Senator Adebayo Hamzat Salami. This is a huge loss,
not only to his family and friends, but also to the people
of Osogbo and Osun at large.
“My prayers and thoughts are with his family and the
Muslim community in Osun. As we mourn Baba Adinni’s
demise, I pray Almighty Allah overlook his shortcomings,
grant him a place in Aljannah Firdaus, and
give the family and all those who mourn his demise the
strength to bear this loss”.
Also, the incumbent senator representing Osun Central,
Dr Basiru Ajibola in condolence message issued on
yesterday described Salami’s death as shocking and devastating.
According to the statement, Senator Bayo Salami was
one of the pivots on which the progressives in Osun rested
at the return of democracy in 1999.
“Senator Salami joined forces with the likes of Chief
Bisi Akande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and others to entrench
progressive politics in the Southwest and particularly,
Osun. He was a mercurial politician whose period in the
Senate laid a foundation for subsequent senators from
Osun Central. We have lost a political icon,” Senator
Ajibola lamented.
Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba Okha councils
lead in new COVID-19 cases in Edo
THREE cosmopolitan council areas in Benin City,
including Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha Local
Government Areas (LGAs) accounted for the highest
number of new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the
state, in the wake of rising cases in the second wave of
the pandemic.
The state COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr. Andrew Obi,
disclosed this in a briefing with the Emergency Operations
Centre, chaired by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
According to him:“We have 30 new COVID-19 cases. Of
these, 8 persons tested positive to the virus from Oredo LGA;
8 from Egor and 7 from Ikpoba Okha, while the 7 others
were reported from persons drawn from other council areas
in the state. This shows that the outbreak is more prevalent
in the 3 local government areas.”
He added that there are 159 active COVID-19 cases in the
state, noting that the state has recorded 140 recoveries and 5
deaths since it started tracking the second wave of the pandemic
since December 1.
He noted that just as in the first wave of the pandemic,
more males have contracted the virus than females in the
second wave of the pandemic. Since the second wave, we
have recorded a case positivity rate of 8.7 percent.
“However, we recorded 8 new recoveries. Five of those
who recovered were managed at Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
Three people recovered from the Irrua Specialist Teaching
Hospital,” he added.
Okowa congratulates NNPC
GMD, Kyari, at 56
DELTA Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, has
felicitated with Group Managing Director (GMD)
of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),
Mallam Mele Kyari, on his 56 birthday.
Okowa said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary,
Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, that Kyari was a dedicated
professional who had contributed tremendously to the
growth of Nigeria’s oil industry.
He remarked that the NNPC chief was an outstanding
administrator, whose reforms at the corporation culminated
to, among others, the attainment of 1.5 billion Standard
Cubic Feet production per day and its equity production at
1.38 billion cubic feet of gas per day as at November, 2020.
“Mallam Kyari’s leadership at the NNPC as its 19th chief
executive has been largely characterized by outstanding
vision in commitment to efficiency,
openness, transparency
and prudence in service
delivery geared at attaining
the objectives of the
corporation and meeting the
expectations of shareholders.
“The NNPC and its
joint venture partners under
his leadership have continued
to contribute to poverty
reduction, economic
and social development, especially
in the fight against
COVID-19 pandemic,” he
stated.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—9
D
r. Mustapha Inuwa is the Secretary to the Government
of Katsina State, SGS who doubles as the Chairman,
Amnesty Programme to end banditry in the state. In this
interview, he bares his mind on series of challenges and
setbacks they are facing in their fight against banditry.
Current waves of
insecurity in Katsina
have continued to be
a source of worry not only
to the state but also the
entire country. What t is the
state government doing to
contain the ugly situation?
It is really an unfortunate
situation we are experiencing
and the worse we experienced
was in the just past year 2020
when the rate of kidnapping
and other forms of
criminality increased in
various places almost on
daily basis. This is where
the largest number, in our
history, of students were
kidnapped by bandits and
fortunately we were able to
rescue them within a period of
just one week. I don’t think there is
anywhere in the world where such a
number was involved and the rescue
operation lasted effectively within three
days, because that was when the
negotiation was started. So, it was
really bad, sad and unfortunate and
the government also has invested a
lot of resources in supporting the
security agencies in this regard.
Now, fortunately, the security
chiefs of the nation were all here
and they realized the
magnitude of the
problem and promised to
strategize and address
this security issue headon,
and from what we
have seen especially
from the police, they are
really coming up with
new strategies. They
brought in a lot of
personnel, stationed
them in concerned Local
government areas
bordering Zamfara axis.
They also brought
vehicles such as APC
that they use to access
and penetrate difficult
areas.
But like we always say, the strategy
that should be adopted to bring these
problems to an end immediately is
when all the states concerned are
involved, when there is a national
platform, under one command that
will direct this fight against these
bandits. Because no matter what a
particular state is doing, if the other
states are not doing the same thing
at the same time, the bandits will
move to the place they consider safe
haven to hide and from where they
will continue to launch their attacks.
For instance, most of the attacks in
Katsina, the bandits come from
Zamfara. They are in the same group, they
organize and move from one place to
another and as we all know, they are
naturally mobile. So it has to be a wellcoordinated
effort by a national platform
where you have the Army, maybe from the
Defense Headquarters to command the
operation at the centre while the state
governors, as political heads of their
respective states, should also come
together and take common positions on
things that will help the military to
achieve what they want to achieve. For
instance, all the governments should
come together and agree, let’s say for
instance, they ban selling of fuel in
border towns and villages and they close
the border markets along the areas. The
request through the National
Communication Commission, NCC, to
temper with the communication system,
because these people communicate with
their colleagues in various areas and
KATSINA SGS ADVISES ON HOW
TO END BANDITRY IN THE NORTH:
Stop paying
ransom to
kidnappers
•Wants govt to rather compensate families of victims
•Recommends joint operation in all states concerned
•Says FG must live up to their responsibility
•Reveals why past peace deals with bandits failed
•90% of bandits who accepted amnesty were killed by other groups
within no time they all converge in
agreed places. So if one state is doing
something and the other is not, it will not
yield the desired results or impact. There
must be joint effort and it must be
spontaneous.
There must also be a synergy between
what the state governments are doing and
what the military are doing. With that, I
believe this issue could be tackled within
the shortest possible time, and I hope by
2021 this will be actualized because if we
keep on using same approach in this fight
we should not expect a different result.
Because since we started the fight against
bandits, it is the same approach. Now, it
has not yielded results, so why don’t we
change the approach?
Another very important thing that the
security agencies need to do is to try to
block their source of fire arms. It is very
clear that most of the arms these bandits
•Inuwa
within a week or so? We can understand it
is a very delicate situation because you
cannot tell somebody whose loved one is
kidnapped not to pay ransom because the
major fear is they will be killed. It is a
dicey situation but people have to make
sacrifices.
Other countries stopped kidnappings
by refusing to pay ransom but anybody
killed in the process, government paid
compensation to the family.
People now connive to kidnap their
relations, associates and
neighbours simply because of what
they will get from ransom
collected. Kidnapping has
become lucrative. We must stop
it by not paying ransom.
Our people too, have to be
up and doing because most
of these people have their
informants among us
especially in the rural
areas. In any village you
go, you have people
informing the bandits
about the movement of
the security. Sometimes,
when the security chase
them, these people
provide them where to
hide. It is really an
unfortunate situation
where people connive
with the bandits to carry
out attack on their
communities. And what
they don’t understand is
that if today they attack
one family, tomorrow it
may be your family that
will be attacked by
another group.
So it is important for the
traditional, religious and
community leaders to
continue to appeal to the
people to be God-fearing to
understand the implication
of supporting these bandits
and their activities.
So the issue is not for only
one sector. The security,
government or communities
must be collective and then we
pray. But we must not pray
without backing it with action
because we Muslims believe
there is nothing beyond Allah’s
control. But it must be prayer
with decisive action against these
people.
Let me take you back on issue
of ransom, here you are
discouraging payment of ransom
and there is controversy
surrounding the release of the
schoolboys. Does it means
ransom was not paid to secure
the release of the Kankara
students?
Not a dime was paid. Take it
from me that not a dime was
given to those people in order to
release these boys.
There are some
uncomplimentary remarks that
the government has not done enough on
this issue of insecurity, what’s your take
on that?
You don’t blame people for holding such
opinions. Some say it out of ignorance
because they don’t know how the
government works. Some don’t know
what is the responsibility of the state and
what he federal government is supposed
to do. What is important to them is that
the government should provide security
for their lives and property, and anything
short of that, they can say anything. As
you know, we inherited this problem and
we promised to bring it to an end. So
people have every right to expect the
government to do just that.
But those who know, will understand
that the state government can only
support the security agencies. They are
not under their command. The governor
cannot direct the military or any other
are using come from Niger Republic. So
it is the responsibility of the federal
agencies, especially the intelligence unit,
to look at ways of how these things are
coming and block it. If you collaborate
with Niger government to block these
sources, I believe you render them very
ineffective and the few ones that are
coming from Plateau state and other parts
of the country, use the intelligence report
to block them as well. But if you allow
this proliferation of fire arms, this issue
will never end.
Another important issue that the
government will need to do is to sensitize
the populace of the implication of paying
ransom. Once ransom will continue to be
paid, these people will find it very
difficult to stop their crime, because in a
situation where you kidnap somebody
and receive millions of naira, tell me what
business will they do to earn this money Continues on page 11

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Leaders of bandits pocketed
govt money, shortchanged
their foot soldiers
—Journalist who visited them in the forest
explains why y bandits t
toppled their leaders
•Dauji, Abdullahi Kachalla, Bashuje, Dogo Nabajala, Rusku
have taken over from Idris Miyaye, Sheman Daji
•Says bandits now kidnap in presence of security men and
nothing happens
•Recommends negotiation since security men have failed
•Reveals eals dangerous drug they y inject is called ‘Fant
anta’
a’
By Bashir Bello
Lawal Sa’idu, is a Katsina-based journalist. Sometime in 2019, he visited
the bandits in their hideout in Dunbun Muazu and Dankolo in Sabuwa
and Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina state and his
observations and thoughts were published in Vanguard. He feared then that
activities of the bandits could lead to famine and that one way to end banditry
was to engage the bandits in farming after a seeming amnesty that would
disarm them. He said he saw up to 1000 bandits wielding AK47 riffles in the
forest, alerting that danger loomed. We reached out to Lawal Saidu again last
week and he, again, spoke with us.
Excerpts:
ometime in 2019, you visited the bandits in
SDunbun Muazu and Dankolo in Sabuwa
and Dandume LGAs respectively where they
told you some conditions to cease fire. Are
you still in touch with them?
Even this week, I travelled to the area,
especially Dunbun Muazu in Sabuwa LGA.
The issue is that, even with these bandits, their
leadership is never stable. Those I met the
other time when I went there have now been
dislodged by the younger ones. The other time
when I went, the leadership I met were Idris
Miyaye and Sheman Daji. The area is now
controlled by bandits like Dauji, Abdullahi
Kachalla, Bashuje, Dogo Nabajala and Rusku.
I could also recall that as at that time you
said the bandits were of different camps?
There are about five camps now. The last
time I went there, information I got from the
area was that they have been divided into
segments with each bandit leader controlling
his area. If there is an attack, the people there
can easily point to you that it was carried out
by either Dauji, Kachalla or Bashuje because
they have divided the area among themselves.
But does any of these camps claim
responsibility for attacks like the one on
Kankara students?
No, they don’t have to claim responsibility,
everybody knows that they are the ones
operating in that area. They don’t even have to
claim that they are responsible. When there is
an attack you don’t need any soothsayer to tell
that the attack was carried out by so and so
group or person.
What about talks around the conditions for
cease fire? I remember when you visited the
bandits the other time they gave some
conditions?
That time I met with people like Idris
Miyaye. Certainly, they were hopeful that talks
on cease fire would work. Now with the present
crop of leaders, if you have to talk about cease
fire, you have to start fresh negotiation with
their new leaders. And how sure are you that
the younger ones will not stand up against
them? The past leadership must have collected
money from government and pocketed it
without taking care of the youths. That’s why
the young ones are agitating and saying no to
any cease fire. The danger of agreement is that
if you enter an agreement with them, after
some time, the groups that feel isolated will
turn against them and constitute their own
group. So there is a problem.
Having said there is a problem reaching an
agreement with the bandits, what is the way
out?
The way out is negotiation. It is sad but better.
It is bitter but from what I saw there is no better
way that you can go about this without
negotiation. What they are saying in Dunbun
Muazu is that they carry out some attacks and
kidnap in the presence of the security who
appear helpless and do nothing about it. The
bandits carry victims on motorcycle and pass
in front of the security men, they will not talk
to them, they would not interfere. To me, it
seems they are not ready to work, so the only
option for the government is negotiation, no
matter how sad it is. It could be on temporary
basis. If the security men were at work,
certainly they would flush away these bandits.
The towns and villages (communities) close to
them are at the mercy of the bandits. I was with
a vigilante leader from Dunbun Muazu when
one of the bandits called him and said he needed
two gallons of petroleum. He told him that he
was not in town but that he would bring the
fuel when he returned. I asked him where he
would take it to and he told me he would take
it to his people. He said if he didn’t comply the
bandits could attack his
community at night. These
people are living like slaves
to the bandits. They do
whatever they like and
request whatever they want.
On Security people,
certainly we all know what
is happening, they have
failed to do their job, they are
not ready to do it. So to me,
the only option left for
government is to negotiate
with them. And Masari
(Governor of Katsina State)
has said it repeatedly that he
is not in a position to direct
either the military or army to
attack the bandits because
his hands are tied by the
Constitution. It is the
exclusive responsibility of
the Federal Government. But
since they are not ready to
do the job, what is left for the
state government is to go into
dialogue with the bandits no
matter how temporary it is.
But the government has
made two attempts to dialogue with the
bandits and they failed...
It is good to ask questions. Why did the other
peace deal collapse? These are questions
government should ask. When I went there
the last time, I had discussion with people
around there (Dunbun Muazu) and they said
that government should constitute a committee
that would be meeting with them. That didn’t
happen. Now, they are living at the mercy of
the bandits. If you want to go to your farm to
harvest your crops, you have to hire the bandits
The bandits carry
victims on motorcycle
and pass in front of the
security men, they will not
talk to them, they would
not interfere. To me, it
seems they are not ready
to work, so the only option
for the government is
negotiation, no matter
how sad it is
• Lawal Sa'idu
to go and guard the farm. So, if you encourage
them to dialogue among themselves, it is
better than this jamboree of carrying people
like in political rally to go there for peace deal.
Taking crowd there and showing the world
will not work. Get a small committee to be
meeting with them. That is the only way.
Are you saying there is compromise on the
part of the military because many people kept
on wondering how the Kankara schoolboys
were abducted?
You cannot say compromise because they
only work on order. You don’t know what is
happening, maybe they were not ordered to
attack the bandits. You can not say compromise,
only God knows who is protecting who, the
more you see the less you understand.
Can the bandits be trusted?
Even if they cannot be trusted, tell me what
other option you have on ground since those
mandated with the task of
going after them do not do
so. Dialogue is the only
option. If there is no
dialogue, they will continue
to kill people and the security
will look the other way. Since
the governor cannot order the
military or police to attack the
bandits what do you do? If
you look at Katsina, places
like Funtua are now densely
populated because people
deserted their communities
for fear of attacks by the
bandits. People from
Dandume, Sabuwa, Faskari,
have migrated to Funtua area
of the state. This is another
problem and challenge. So,
since the government is not
ready to tell the security to go
after these people, I believe
there is no option other than
dialogue for now no matter
how costly it is.
I ask if the bandits can be
trusted because kidnapping
appears lucrative. Can they
stop and can there be an end to banditry?
The bandits are human beings, they also
have their needs and demands. If you go to
their area, they are now locked up in their
encampment, they cannot go into the town to
transact businesses and generate money. They
don’t have any option of getting money other
than kidnapping. So, it is left for the
government to find a window and that is why
I said dialogue is the best. The other time when
we went there, we had dialogue with the
vigilantes in the area and the Fulanis and even
their leaders were coming to the neighbouring
markets to transact business and go back. If
you don’t allow them to come to the town to
carry out legitimate business to earn money,
they would rebel against the system and resort
to attacking travellers and collecting forced
levies, kidnapping people and getting ransom.
If I get you right, the message is for
government to dialogue with the bandits?
Those whose responsibility it is to fight these
bandits are not ready so what do you think
should be done? Unless the state government
wants the bandits to continue killing. Just this
morning I got an information from Damari
area that just a little past 12 this morning they
kidnapped nine people in Albasu Limami. This
was a town that was earlier attacked by the
same bandits on Christmas day where they
kidnapped eight people (two women and six
others). They managed to escape when the
bandits were deep asleep. They returned to
the same town and kidnapped nine persons
including an SS2 student, his father and others.
If a thief would come to a place and steal and
return to same area again and again it shows
that the security has collapsed.
With the abduction of Kankara schoolboys
which was the first on any school in the state,
do you think they are getting support from
Boko Haram?
It is not that they getting support from the
Boko Haram. The bandits are learning from
the Boko Haram. Criminals learn from each
other. If you could recall when people were
beheaded in Zabarmari in Borno State, three
days after, six people were also beheaded by
bandits around Sabuwa area. Crime is
universal, they are learning from each other
because the bandits too listen to radio, they
have access to social media and if it is about
drugs, they also take drugs. There is a
dangerous drug they take now called “Fanta”,
it is sold for N50 in the open market but sold
to the bandits for N500. It is an injection,
somebody can take about 10 in a day. This
crime you are seeing happening in Nigeria, if
care is not taken it can consume everybody. So
we have to move fast, time is not on our side.
The bandits are getting sophisticated. A leader
of vigilante group in Dunbun Muazu was
telling me that he saw one of the bandits
holding a gun he suspected was one of those
recently acquired by our military. So the
government should review its thinking that
all the arms bandits use were smuggled from
neighbouring countries. They should seriously
take an inventory of their armoury because
some of the guns are from the security
personnel, only God knows how they managed
to get them.
Can we trace the origin of the bandits to
Boko Haram?
No. The bandits don’t even pray. They take
drugs, how can you attribute any ideology to
them? There’s no link. The bandits carry out
attacks in presence of security personnel. So,
to me, it’s either the government facilitates the
dialogue or they should allow the people to
confront the bandits.

Should the presidential ticket be zoned to particular
region or be made open to all regions in 2023 election?
lthough the 2023 presidential election is Nigerians. I’m for competency above region
Aabout two years away, recent events in the or religion.
Nigerian political space point to the fact that
for many politicians, the race started a long
time ago.
However, there are growing agitations for
power shift to the South, rotational Presidency
as well as other permutations about the
zoning of the 2023 presidential ticket in both
the ruling All Progressives Congress and the
main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
LUMINOUS JANNAMIKE spoke to some
Nigerians to find out what they think about
zoning the office of the President to any part
of the country in the 2023 elections.
1. Zoning connotes division
—Nura Jibrin
“Let the 2023 presidential ticket be open to
all Nigerians. Zoning connotes division.
There’s this sense of parochialism that goes
with zoning. It is a typical way of saying
Nigeria is not one as we claim. Zoning also
contributes to the election and appointment
of incompetent persons into political and
public offices. Why talk about zoning when
we have multiple political parties? Can all of
them agree on a particular region to produce
the President?
2. South-east Presidency
would rest Biafra agitation
—Okeke Iloegbunam
In my own opinion, the office of the
president should be zoned to the South-
Eastern part of Nigeria. The region has not
produced a president since independence.
The country desperately needs the Igbo man’s
sense of industry to revive our shrinking
economy. Above all, an Igbo presidency in
2023 will end the agitation for Biafra and
restore faith in ‘One Nigeria’.
3. Competence above all else
—Ibrahim Salisu Gimba
The 2023 presidency should be open to all
4. Let South decide next
president —Ahmad Ibrahim
I am of the opinion that for fairness and
equity, northerners should allow a southerner
to rule the country. So, it should be zoned to
the South. However, the Southerners should
decide which geopolitical zone of the South
should produce the new president in 2023.
•Nura Jibrin
•Okeke Iloegbunam
5. Zoning builds national
cohesion, unity —Agabaidu Jideani
I am for power rotation because the
convention is zoning for national cohesion and
unity.
6. Concession should be made to
South-east —Emiene Odaudu
I think the South-east should be given a
chance. But will the people organize
•Salisu Gimba
•Ahmad Ibrahim
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—11
themselves well enough to take advantage of
any concession that may be made to them?
That is another matter entirely.
•Agabaidu Jideani
•Emiene Odaudu
7. Let 2023 presidential ticket be
narrowed down to SE, SS
—Agbonavbare Imade
I believe personally it should be zoned to
either the South-east or South-South. No part
should hold power at the expense of other
zones and the benefits of the nation as a whole.
It will be very beneficial to all, if there is
change.
8. Let political parties honour their
gentleman’s agreement
—Ibrahim Husseini Ndayako
Well, from what I hear, there is a
gentleman’s agreement among members of
the major political parties on rotational
presidency and zoning. So, I feel it should be
honoured.
•Agbonavbare Imade
•Hussein Ndayako
90% of bandits who accepted amnesty were killed by other groups
Continues from page 9
security agency to move one kilometer
and conduct an operation without
clearance from their superior officers. The
governors cannot recruit one person into
the security agencies. The entire
responsibility lies with the federal
government. So a local person may not
know all these. But some know it but they
like politicizing even issues that ought
not to be politicized. Some do it out of
mischief. So there is nothing you can do.
What is most important to me is not the
ignorant comment of the people but the
efforts of the government to bring about
positive results to secure lives and
properties of our people.
The world celebrated the non-kinetic
approach adopted by Katsina state
government in securing the release of
Kankara schoolboys, are you
considering such approach in taming this
issue of insecurity?
You see, in this state we did it twice. In
the early 2017 we had that and we were
able to achieve relative peace for almost
two years. Later, of recent, the security
agencies, under the influence of the
Inspector General of Police, also insisted
that we go with this non-kinetic approach
which we did. But you see, in all the two
cases, what we realized is that one, these
people don’t have a common leader whom
if you agree with, everybody accepts.
They have different groups and even
within the groups, they don’t have a
common leader, unlike Boko Haram,
which is based on a particular ideology.
These are pure criminals and thieves.
They don’t have a common leader that all
others follow.
If anyone enters into an agreement with
the government, the rest will pull out
suspecting that he has amassed wealth
and now pulling out. And if he is not
careful they can even kill him.
Is that responsible for why the peace
deals failed?
That is why the first peace deal we had
failed. About 90 per cent of those who
accepted amnesty (embraced peace) and
repented were killed by the bandits.
Because as long as they remained in the
forest, there will never be peace, they
must have guns to protect themselves and
so on.
Secondly, this non-kinetic approach is
not something that is accepted by all the
states. Kaduna for instance, has never
entered into any peace deal with the
bandits, Zamfara is currently doing it,
Sokoto has never accepted it while
Katsina has done it. So there is no way
you can have this with only one state.
They move from one place to another. So
it is difficult for us to get the
understanding of everybody and all the
groups. For instance, if you talk to Shekau
and other splinter groups and they accept
peace, it could be said to be okay. But here
it is not possible.
Again, even if you want to negotiate
peace with these people, let it be from
the point of strength. Let it be on their
demand or request, may be after having
been confronted and devastated and they
realized that there was nothing they could
do, and they decided to accept peace,
then you can give them a condition to
surrender all their weapons. But if you
allow them to hold their weapons it will
not work. You will go back to square one.
So, even if the security agencies want to
continue with this non-kinetic thing, let
it be from the point of strength.
Because what is important in the nonkinetic
approach is to make sure that all
their weapons are collected and sources
of arms supply blocked.
So honestly, the issue of non-kinetic
approach is not an option to me because
they are not the kind of people that can
reason. They are ignorant of all kinds of
education (both western and Islamic
education) and under heavy influence of
drugs. Some of their kidnapped victims
who were later released when narrating
there experience said the bandits inject
themselves. So they know nothing but
violence and criminality. And their
leaders fear them because they can even
kill them. It even happened severally,
Buharin Daji was killed by his associates,
and all those we knew were killed by the
same bandits.
If Kinetic approach will fail who and
where do you look up to?
From the military. The problem is they
have very inadequate personnel. The
whole security agencies in Nigeria put
together are not up to one million. The
police is about 340,000, the army is about
that figure or about 500,000. Those are the
two that are involved in this kind of
operation.
Then they also lack equipment. This is
very serious. I could recall an incident,
where about 292 army officers were
brought for a particular operation with
only four vehicles. It is either the state
government supplis or they don’t move.
So also with armoury. There are times
you find out there own weapons are not
as modern as the ones used by the
bandits.
Sometime ago, in Dutsinma, some
bandits were arrested with their
weapons, do you know that whenever the
police want to go for operation, they use
firearms seized from the bandits because
their weapons are more modern and
newer than theirs.
Also, when they are going for
operations, they give them counted
bullets but the bandits have unlimited
bullets and that is why you find them
shooting sporadically into the air to cause
chaos and commotion before they start
operation.
So honestly the government has to
address all these issues surrounding
personnel, general logistics for the
agencies otherwise they will be
handicapped.
So indirectly, what you are saying is the
end to banditry lies solely on the Federal
government?
No doubt about it. Constitutionally, it
is the sole responsibility of the Federal
government.
You were quoted to have said, the state
was left alone to bear the brunt of the
whole thing. Have the situation
improved?
Improvement like I told you, the police
have brought additional vehicles to there
command including APV to all the
Frontline local government areas and
more personnel. But still you find issues
around logistics, allowances and so on.
You see, if we would get the results,
achieve peace, no problem because
security is the most important thing. It is
the most important thing that you do.
But what is saddening and frustrating
that you are spending money but not
getting the desired results.
Do we at this point in time, need any
form of support from the international
community?
At the Federal level, like I told you
earlier, for instance Niger Republic, we
need their support to address issues of
arms proliferation into the country.
And this banditry in this area, honestly
from what I know so far, there is no
international influence or whatever
unlike the Boko Haram issue which is
been sponsored, encouraged and
supported by International Islamic
bodies and some countries that don’t
want the progress of Africa and Nigeria
in particular. But here, it is purely
criminality. And it is purely carried out
by locals, there may be a few from Niger
which they consider themselves as one
because Fulani man from Senegal, Mali,
Chad, Cameroon, Gambia consider
themselves as one.
So the international support the Federal
government needs is in interns of
acquiring firearms but because of the
politics involved, we understand the
Federal government is finding it difficult
to get a country that will support it or
agree to supply some of these
requirements. It is very important that the
Federal government looks into these
issues because it is beyond the state
government. Anything outside Nigeria is
not the state government. We can only do
a few understanding like that we did in
Maradi but generally on this issue, the
Federal government should ensure that
the international community understands
the situation.

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
2023: It’s Igbo presidency
or nothing — Ufomba
•Ikpeazu on track to develop elop Abia
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba, former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance,
APGA in Abia, was one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Ufomba, who
returned to the PDP in 2017, in this interview spoke on the politics of Abia, and how Governor Okezie
Ikpeazu is turning the fortunes of the state around. He also spoke on the state of the nation, how to save
the country and why the Igbo should produce the president in 2023.
How do you look at governance in Abia
State between 1999 and today given poor
infrastructure especially roads?
Abia is work in progress and to the best
of my knowledge is making progress. We
have had our ups and downs, it was the
shortcomings that led me into contesting
elections in 2011 so that we can better
the lot of the people. Regrettably, we have
not been able to actualise that.
You talked specifically about bad roads,
Abia is the only state in the country that is
bordered by seven states - Imo, Rivers,
Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu,
and Anambra, all of them linked by
federal roads and these federal roads are
abandoned, totally abandoned and
neglected. So, when people talk of bad
roads in Abia, we need to delineate federal
roads from state roads. The basic
problem is that until the nation is
restructured to give room for states to
manage certain structures within their
localities, we will continue to have the
issue of abandonment of roads,
infrastructure, and all property belonging
to the Federal Government.
Most of the federal roads ought to be
handed over to the states. The Federal
Government has no business coming to
repair roads or construct roads in Abia or
Ebonyi or any other state for that matter.
Can you assess the present PDP
government in Abia
You don’t award marks to those who are
still sitting in an exam hall, let the person
finish first. We will be able to fully assess
the performance of Governor Okezie
Ikpeazu around 2022. He is on the right
direction, salaries were owed before he
came, he is filling the gap. This is the only
government, to the best of my knowledge,
that has done great roads in Abia.
Until recently and I will
tell you to the shock of many
critics, when I rejoined the
PDP in 2017, I discovered
that the government was
being sabotaged. One of the
federal roads he wanted to
embark on, he was stopped
from doing it. There are
letters and documents to
prove that he was stopped
from working on those
roads. The flyover he is doing
at Osisioma I had to
personally intervene when
the issue of design came up.
The Federal Government
refused to release the design,
I had to discuss with the
Arab contractors, I went to
the Federal Controller of
Works in Umuahia, I went
to the governor because the
whole place was a mess. I
believe that you can still work
for your people without being
in government. So, I took out
time and went to the governor,
met the contractors, met the
Federal Controller of Works
and we worked to ensure that the design
was released. It was released sometime this
year.
So, when people say there is a centre table
in Osisioma that has taken ages to
complete, we also to have refer them to the
cause of the delay, which was the design of
the area. They did not know where to step
down, you know what design the
government was coming down with, you
know Enugu Expressway is being
reconstructed so he had been able to do that
and work is in progress there.
Generally, we have asked the governor to
do most of over nine federal roads in Aba
alone – the Port Harcourt road, the Ngwa
road, Aba-Owerri road, Okpara road, and
so many of such roads. What we have done
is to ask the governor, go ahead and rebuild
these roads. Whether you are refunded or
not, whether you have the permission or not,
go ahead and build these roads for the
benefit of the people.
So, if you go to Abia today, you will notice
that over 60 roads are under construction.
That is why I said let us not assess Okezie
by yesterday or today let’s give him time to
run the new initiative and mandate we have
given to him to move into federal roads and
rebuild them.
Some leaders are clamouring for a
president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
What’s your position?
For me, 2023 is igbo president or nothing,
we don’t even need to debate it. When we
returned to democratic rule in 1999, we
had Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, all the
parties gave their tickets to South-West.
The South-West has had its turn. After that,
it went to late President Musa Ya Adua,
from the North-West. After Yar’ Adua it
went to South-South through President
Goodluck Jonathan. So every other
component using the tripod formula of
North, West and East, have had their fill,
it’s no longer debatable that the president
should come from the South-East in 2023.
South-East leaders are clamouring for
the presidency, the youths are clamouring
for Biafra. How do you reconcile that?
Where there is inequity you have a lot of
agitations. Even people like us are
agitating. Should we clamour for Igbo
presidency? We shouldn’t where you have a
system that works. Since it’s zoned should
a component unit that
fought for Nigeria’s
independence clamour
for the presidency? We
shouldn’t, and I don’t
want to go into immodest
areas. Anything you give
to an Igbo man he turns
to gold. Give Igbo man
Most of the federal
roads ought to be
handed over to the
states. The Federal
Government has no
business coming to
repair roads or
construct roads in Abia
or Ebonyi or any other
state for that matter
the presidency and
Nigeria would work. If
we want Nigeria to
work, do we need to beg
and say give it to a
competent hand to
manage?
Now, if you come to a
country where your kin
cannot be president,
vice president, chief of
staff to the President,
secretary to
government, Senate
President, Speaker of
the House of
Representatives, Chief
of Army Staff, Chief of
Naval Staff, Chief of
Air Staff, IG of police,
head Customs, head Immigration, head
the EFCC, head the NNPC , head of the
Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC,
why won’t the youths agitate?
So, you see the injustice meted on our
people. So the agitations are justified.
Political patronage is where Nigeria is
today, if you don’t know anybody you don’t
get appointed, you don’t get employed.
Commerce has been destroyed in the South-
East. Tariff is high up there. I was in the
cement sector, we used to pay 10% today
it’s 50%. So, instead of employment our
brothers and sisters are now sacking, so
• Ufomba
there is unemployment all over the South-
East.h Wy won’t there be agitation? There is
hunger, poverty, and unemployment. The
people are bound to react to the very hostile
environment they have found themselves.
Fears about the future of the country
The fears are well founded and as long as
we continue to treat one part of the country
as kings and untouchables and the other as
slaves and people who do not matter, people
who cannot attain their destiny in their own
country, the people are bound to react and
you don’t beat a child and tell him how to
cry.
Few days after a prominent Emir was
kidnapped about eight people were shot
dead. The other time it as Chibok school
girls, the other day it was 40+ people who
went to farm that were slaughtered. So, why
won’t there be fear? We allow herdsmen to
come into the country to slaughter
Nigerians. Who grants them access? You
can’t even have accurate information from
those entrusted with leadership. So why
won’t there be fear?
The way out is simple. Let’s go back to
where we were, let every component unit
return to regional government and stop
these wastage.
Having 109 senators and the
humongous number representing us in
Abuja and then back home we have
another set of people running affairs is
killing us. We must restructure this
country to the extent that it becomes
efficient and productive. If we don’t we
would be crying everyday.
You are back in PDP what is the
assurance that you will not leave again?
People like us have conscience, we are
driven by our conscience and by what is
right. I’m a founding member of the PDP
and I served in that government in 1999.
There was a dislocation caused by Orji
Uzor Kalu leaving the party with quite
a number of people. We remained to
rebuild the party, and I did say myself
Vincebt Ogbulafor, and Adolphus
Wabara, we contributed the first money
that was used in building the party. I
personally continued to fund the party
and support the party, up to the point of
going to court to stop the party from
dismantling the state until they brought
somebody to say we will give him
automatic ticket. That was not right as
far as I’m concerned and the only way I
protested was to go to court. I didn’t leave
the party, I complained to the leadership
of the party they didn’t listen, I went to
court in Abuja to stop them but they didn’t
listen, then the option I had was to
temporarily leave in protest. In 2017 the
leadership of the party appealed to me to
come back, and I’m back to the house I
built.
You were once governor candidate in
Abia, in 2023 do you want to contest that
position?
To be the governor of Abia, yes my vision
remains the same, but I will take that
decision in 2021-2022
Is Abia charter of equity in favour of
your anticipated aspiration?
Well, it does. In 1999, the governorship
was in Abia North and the governor then
was Orji Uzor Kalu. From Abia North, it
came to Abia Central and then an
Umuahia man by name TA Orji contested
and won. Now, it is in Abia South. In 2023
it would be returning through Abia
Central. Power does not fly it does not have
wings, it has to walk back.
On the security situation in the country
I feel very embarrassed. Nobody
believed that we could get to where we
are today, where nobody can farm. People
find it difficult to get to the farm, people
find it difficult to do business of any kind
due to insecurity, and any nation where
you have this level of insecurity there can’t
be foreign investment, and not even local
investment. Nobody wants to invest in a
hostile environment, and that is affecting
employment.
Unfortunately, it’s happening under a
retired general, somebody who
vehemently opposed Jonathan for not
doing enough. Today, people are now
apologizing to Jonathan as the best
president we ever had. The man we
thought was the Messiah has not lived up
to expectation. It’s really unfortunate that
we are where we are today.
What’s the way out
Nobody would have thought Buhari
would fail to provide security because the
fundamental, the cardinal objective of
electing a president is for him to protect
lives and properties which is enshrined in
our constitution.
Some of us worked to bring him in, in
2015 that was when he came in. For second
term, I didn’t vote for him because already
we have seen the style. if it’s not nepotism
it’s a bad attitude. The way out is to vote out
this government in 2023 and before then
change the security chiefs.
We have all said this over and over again
control the herdsmen. Tackle terrorism. I
don’t know why they are baptising terrorism
by giving it another name, banditry. The
government knows those who are behind
these acts, they know the bandits using their
own words, they know them and their
sponsors, they know those who have said
we are behind this action here, they know
those who are saying if you kill one of us we
would kill 20 here and there. Why are they
not being arrested?
It is simple. Sit up and get these people
arrested, use them as example to other
people who may want to take up terrorism
or banditry as a way of life.

Executive capitalism,
the path to Nigeria’s
prosperity
By Dr Omaghomi Ofioritse
Global competition for the earth’s scarce
resources gets increasingly frenetic,
with each passing day. This continuous
struggle between available resources and
yearning global needs, has resulted in a new
approach to governance, that better guarantees
continuous prosperity. We shall call this style
of governance, executive capitalism, which is
partly a win win symbiotic arrangement,
where private capitalist companies are in
close relationship with the Chief
Executives / governments of their
respective countries. The companies
get unlimited government money,
intelligence, and patronage;
resulting in bigger, more profitable
companies that are better able to
employ more of the country’s
nationals. The companies are also
better able to pay proportionately
larger taxes to the government.
The resultant more buoyant
governments are in turn more
equipped to assist new sets of private
companies, the end result being a
continuous circle of financial growth for the
government, industries and capitalist
entrepreneurs.
Executive capitalism as described above is
practiced almost to perfection in China. The
growth of the Chinese economy is a testimony
to the effectiveness of executive capitalism as
a pathway for wealth creation and this
governance style is practiced to a lesser degree
by the present American administration,
through stimulus packages, bail outs and
protection of American businesses from unfair
global practices. This leadership style is the
unifying cement in the European Union’s
strong economic hedge that accounts for a fifth
of global trade. It’s time the Nigerian
leadership changes to this style of governance.
But first how did Nigeria and indeed the
world get here?
The Earth has moved from a world where
countries inherit the wealth they need to survive
simply because they occupy portions of the
earth’s crust /surface, to the present situation,
where a country’s chances of prosperity will
be slim if it adopts the laid back approach of
tax and render services.
The reality is that the world has changed
since 1945 when there were only about 51
independent nations, to the present restless,
crowded, global struggle of 193 independent
nations.
Another factor of note, is that the world’s
population was three (3) billion in 1960, but
within four decades to the year 2000, the world
population doubled to six (6) billion people.
This no doubt increases global strain, due to
increased need for food, clothing and housing.
Another issue of particular importance to
Nigeria, is the global clamour for reduction in
the use of fossil fuel, which the world sees as
an effective means of combating global
warming but sadly for us, fossil fuel still
constitute at least 90% of Nigeria’s export
earnings.
Nigeria can therefore be likened to a child
stuck at infancy! Or Arrested Development,
owing to the fact that, we are still clinging to an
archaic leadership style.
In today’s world, where most women’s rights
groups, are advocating that housewives live
more fulfilled lives; by not being limited to
housekeeping roles, it is therefore worrisome
to see the opposite scenario play out in Nigeria
where men bribe, fight and maim on their way
to becoming mere housekeepers!
These housekeepers adopt the name and
style of; their excellencies, our executive
leaders. They collect allocations and monies,
taxes from workers, businesses and citizens
alike.
The collected monies are used for the
construction of roads, bridges, houses and
hospitals, they also pay salaries, maintain the
judiciary, police and military amongst other
housekeeping duties. Hence, we call this
method of governance, which has been
prevalent in Nigeria since independence, as
the executive housekeeping style of
leadership.
This governance system doesn’t aim to create
o r
generate
wealth for the
nation. The
m a j o r
assumption here
is that once a
territory is called a
country, that
automatically it must have money to take care
of itself. Nigeria as a nation must discard this
false and destructive assumption of abundant
wealth and come to terms with our today’s
reality, of not enough money to run Nigeria!
We must understand that Nigeria is a broke
country whose problems far exceed available
resources and that it is the serious poverty of
the Nigerian nation, that is manifesting as a
“failure to thrive” in its citizens, businesses
and government.
The Chinese are aware of this dangerous end
result of governance by executive
housekeeping, hence they veered from it by
setting up a think tank, called the Chinese
Communist Party ( CCP ). The CCP is basically
a group of patriotic, nationalistic eggheads who
analyse, preempt and formulate forward
looking policies.
The Communist party searched for present
and future fault lines in their culture, practices
and policies with the clear aim of creating an
enabling environment for their economic
emergence. First they had to
decide the location where
they wanted the Chinese
people to have the good life
in: Communist China had a
straight choice between
providing its people with
paradise on earth or paradise
in heaven.
They decided that the duty
of government was to provide
its citizens with a better life
on earth as against in heaven,
due to the danger inherent
when there are multiple
pathways to heavenly
paradise. They realise that
diverse faiths could divide a
country along lines of beliefs.
To avoid this obvious source
of disunity and discord, the
Chinese decided to build
their country along lines of
reason rather than on
spirituality or clairvoyance.
The second enabling
environment to ensure
success for the Chinese, was
to prevent looting of the
country’s wealth by those
who are supposed to
safeguard the country’s
wealth, so they put corruption in the list of
criminal offences with severe punishments.
The Chinese have shown great resolve, by
ensuring strict enforcement of anti corruption
laws across all strata of government, serving as
Nigeria can
therefore be
likened to a child
stuck at infancy! Or
A r r e s t e d
Development,
owing to the fact
that, we are still
clinging to an
archaic leadership
style
a n
effective deterrent
against plundering of the
Chinese treasury.
The Communist think tank
also reasoned that a galloping
population growth could
dampen economic growth in a
future, where machines, robots and
Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), would do most
of the work!
Added to the above, they saw illiteracy as an
obstacle in the wheel of economic progress.
The Chinese tenaciously tackled the twin
problems of rapid population growth and
illiteracy. The resultant effect is the present
day reality where China is less densely
populated than Nigeria; if a football field holds
20 people in China, then that same area of land
in Nigeria has 30 persons.
With regards to education the Chinese are
now so educated that their citizens have moved
away from unproductive courses to futuristic
areas of knowledge like artificial intelligence
( AI ), robotic, super specialty medical fields,
space technology and genetics (Agriculture,
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals).
The Chinese think tank then carefully
developed a five-point agenda to capture a
leadership position in the global economy. The
results became obvious in the half century from
1970 to 2020 when they quickly moved from
outside the world’s 20 largest exporters in the
early 1970s to becoming the world’s 13th largest
export nation in 1995 to
presently, the world’s largest
export nation from the year
2016 till date. If you add
exports from their Hong Kong
territory, then China now
exports nearly twice as much
as the world’s second largest
export nation: the United
States of America. Even at that,
it should be noted that the
immense exports from the
Taiwan Republic of China
wasn’t included in the figure
above.
The Chinese five point
agenda are:
*They decided to copy the
wheel, with a proviso that they
would reproduce the wheels
of the modern world at a
cheaper price! The wheel here,
being goods without patency
rights like say Singer sewing
machines. This policy became
an instant success because of
the deep human weakness and
urge to have more goods for
less price, what we call the
auction/promo appeal (buy
two and get one free)
*They also acquire
technologies from all over the world; while
some people may call this action, theft of
patency, but when looked at from the stand
point of a people who want a product that the
seller fixes an unsustainable price for, clearly
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—13
one cannot stop them from copying available
products. Surely, we cannot expect them to fold
their arms when they can now make the goods
at cheaper prices themselves.
The Chinese have also grabbed any and all
knowledge worldwide on their way to owning
the future.
*Empowered with their newly found wealth,
they are setting up more research centres,
expanding the frontiers of knowledge, to the
present day reality, where China is the first
and only country to patent 5G
telecommunication technology.
*The Chinese government also decided and
went into a win win partnership with their
private sector to give Chinese companies
unlimited access to government money,
research findings and intelligence network,
making it easier for Chinese firms to attain
increasingly more dominant positions in the
capitalist world of today!
*Chinese government may also go the extra
mile to achieve national economic success.
With the above policies, the Chinese have;
*An empowered think tank, that also
deliberate on ways of financing their
solutions; a trait that is
absent in Nigerian
think tanks;
*Four(4) enabling
environments for
economic growth
and
*Five (5)
specific
success
p l a n s
resulting in the
Chinese prosperity
story of today; from the
Chinese restaurant in the
street corner of Ikoyi,
through the furniture factory
and bakery in Victoria Island,
to global IT companies like
Alibaba and Tik Tok.
This is what the rest of the world
describes as the unfair advantage
of Chinese companies, they
genuinely fear a future capitalist
world where Chinese companies could
eventually buy over / swallow global
competition, resulting in a capitalist world
of Chinese monopolies.
The above leadership approach by the
Chinese government is now the new standard
for modern capitalism. This is the method of
governance that we are advocating for Nigeria
as we march into the year 2021. The Nigerian
leadership should jettison the laid back 1960
Executive Housekeeping, “we have crude oil
money mentality” and adopt this practical and
realistic Chinese novelty, that involves:
*The setting up of a perennial think tank that
looks for solutions, devises means of funding
these solutions while having the constitutional
powers to execute its deliberations.
* We should try and douse religious division
and promote patriotism by making religion
less visible in government.
* We should also discourage dishonest people
from governance by limiting the glamour and
monetary perks of public offices while ensuring
that water tight laws are rigorously enforced
across board.
* We should also keep our population growth
in check
*We should put priority on technical skills,
inventions and innovations rather than mere
memory building education. We want our
citizens, not only to be libraries of knowledge
but more importantly, they should be inventors
of products. The government should also
sponsor large pool of our citizens in futuristic
fields.
*The government should actively bankroll
centres whose sole aim is to disassemble foreign
products with a view to copying and mass
producing them at very cheap price tags,
common goods like bicycles, rotors, gear boxes
and locomotive engines. Aba is begging to get
a boost, special funds for its entrepreneurs and
inventors should be on the table.
*The government should fund research
facilities that would eventually make Nigerian
companies globally competitive.
* The government should also identity
futuristics companies and other viable
enterprises and give them access to
government finances and research.
Now to a few specific examples;
The think tank should promote a review of
our graduate and postgraduate curriculum and
align them with current and future global
needs. This will require collaboration with
diaspora professionals who have competence
in these emerging fields. Furthermore, the
government should consciously promote
transfer of knowledge to our engineers who
work in places like smart phones assembly
plants, as was done in the oil and gas industry.
This should include company sponsored
trainings abroad.
Apple and many companies who are mass
producing in China and India have directly
contributed to having a large chunk of
competent hands that were later useful to these
countries’ indigenous manufacturing base.
We should ensure that government
sponsored scholarships align with growth areas
identified by our think tank. Graduates of
identified growth areas should on return from
abroad have clearly defined roles to play and
not be frustrated by federal character, party
politics or any other policy that removes the
enabling environment for national growth and
wealth.
The above will no doubt make the Nigerian
manufacturing sector and indeed our economy
to be much more productive and prosperous.

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
By Prisca Sam-Duru
The over dependence on crude as a major
source of revenue no doubt, has done
more harm than good on Nigeria’s
economy just like corruption and lack of
technocrats in key sectors. However, in recent
times, it has become crystal clear that the
country’s bogus style of government has been
more pernicious.
It will be recalled that one of the campaign
promises of President Muhammadu Buhari
was that he would “cut out wastages and run
a very lean government…with zero tolerance
for corruption”. Needless to attempt explaining
whether that promise has been kept five years
into his eight year term, or not.
Sometime in 2019 after the president got his
second term in office, there was “an
unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of
government” from which some aides to the
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo were relieved.
Also, “a number of political appointments were
either revoked or not renewed in the second
term”. That move we were told, was ordered by
the President, to “Streamline decision-making,
cut down multiple authorities and reduce the
cost of administration”. Whether that action
had any effect on the nation’s cost of governance,
one cannot tell especially since the number of
people relieved of their duties was not
disclosed. Also, the country is in another
recession rather than the economy improving.
What’s even the need for such downsizing
when some people who are not government
officials, have been illegal occupants of Aso
Rock villa, thus enjoying free rent, food,
medicals etc, all furnished with the tax payers’
money. And you expect people to believe the
government is sincere with reducing the cost
of governance? What with ministers and some
top government officials who move with more
than ten aides? What with the National
Assembly?
Till date, Nigeria operates an unnecessary
bicameral legislature even with overwhelming
huge external debts. Worse still, their pay is
extraordinarily high; even the US president’s
annual salary for instance, is nothing compared
with the package of a Nigeria’s legislator. In a
country where the number of extremely poor
people makes up better part of the population,
thus earning her the poverty capital of the world,
such bogus pay is the height of injustice and a
crime against the severely impoverished
people of Nigeria.
It is preposterous that Nigeria borrows to
fund her budget, yet, maintains a bogus system
that increases the cost of governance, to the
detriment of key sectors such as health and
education, not to mention the general welfare
of the people. Ironically, the cost of governance
in Nigeria is hideously higher than that of the
same America from which we copied the
federal system of government and, that of most
developed countries of the world.
The United States of America’s seat of power,
The White House, is literally the same as the
Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Aso Rock. Both
edifices share similarities such as housing the
first family and some government officials.
More so, most government’s functions take
place in the two spaces. But, you’d be shocked
to know the massive difference between the
two when it comes to operations.
Listening to one of the numerous interviews
with US former First Lady, Michelle Obama,
where she made some startling revelations
about the White House, offers a peep into what
a presidential villa devoid of selfish
aggrandisement, wastages and over bloated
budgets should be.
“The white house does feel like a home. And
I will say that a house is a house. What you
bring to a home is what makes it a home. And
how we lived in that home was what I remember
the most. People ask, do I miss the white house?
No, I don’t miss the house because we took
what was important in that house with us and
it is with us”.
That, you’d agree, is in total contrast with
Aso Rock Villa where former occupants made
some astonishing revelations about spiritual
attacks, rat invasions and the fact that they had
to constantly look over their shoulders.
Moreover, it’s been long established that the
affluence that accompanies living in that edifice
is what lures the aspirants, not necessarily to
offer Nigerians good governance. The
despicable level of looting of our national
treasury by these politicians, incontrovertibly,
exposes their major concerns. And unlike
Michelle Obama, they’ll never stop missing
the villa when their tenure expires.
And what could be that ‘important’ thing
Mrs Obama took back from the White
House? “It is family, the values, friendship.
So the house is beautiful, and it is
historic…it was an honour to live there
but the people in it make it what it is”, she
said.
Now, here is the bomb from Michelle.
“They tell you, ‘you can order anything’
and listen very carefully, everybody
listens to every word the president says
and I used to tell Barack, don’t say you
want something because then, we’ll have
thousands of it and then we’re paying
for it. If he said he liked some fish and
he happened to say this is delicious and
then we get the bill at the end of the
month and, it’s like, ‘you flew that fish
in from China’? It’s like that fish wasn’t
that good… in fact don’t say you like
Between The
White House
and Aso Rock
It is preposterous that
Nigeria borrows to fund her
budget, yet, maintains a
bogus system that
increases the cost of
governance, to the
detriment of key sectors
such as health and
education, not to mention
the general welfare of the
people
that fish”. Did you get that?
She continues; “A lot of people think…it’s
interesting when you hear people say that tax
payers are paying for that and the truth is yes,
you don’t pay for rent, you don’t pay for staff,
but everything, every dish, they will count
the number of peanuts that you eat and charge
it back. So you get the bill at the end…we live
in the White House sure…I mean this is not a
complaint, it’s just something that people don’t
understand. You pay for all your guests, the
food that they eat. And for all you who came
and visited, when you were thinking, I’m just
gonna take some and put in the purse, I was
like, we got the bill”.
Isn’t that amazing? Are you still pondering
how America and other developed countries
earned their revered status?
If the federal government of Nigeria is honest
about cutting down on the cost of governance,
the White House’s model is an incredible and
workable starting point and believe it, the first
family and other officials in the presidential
villa will become meticulous with spending.
Come to think of it, is it possible that any
Nigerian first lady, be it past or present would
describe Aso Rock as home? I doubt that.
Just recently, news about our First Lady, Aisha
Buhari’s relocation overseas, went viral.
Reports cited insecurity as the major reason for
her relocation. This may be fake news. It may
not be true but a recent feud that even resulted
in shooting may lend credence to a seeming
discomfort for her in Aso Rock. Isn’t that absurd
especially when the place she is possibly
avoiding is supposed to be ‘home’? If one should
draw inference from the home Michelle Obama
described in her interview with Oprah, then,
Aso Rock is just a building (house) and not a
home. If it were to be a home, the first lady will
stick to her husband’s side, almost all the time,
offering every support she can, after all, it is
said that behind every successful man is a
woman. If you insist the Villa is a home, are the
virtues Mrs Obama mentioned, existing in Aso
Rock Villa? Before you answer, do not forget
that on several occasions, there were news both
on social and traditional media about some
kind of fracas that erupted in the Villa due to
perceived ill treatment and rancour in the Villa.
It will be in the interest of Nigeria if Aso Rock
becomes a real ‘home’ because by that, it’ll be
leading by example and that’ll birth a more
civilised society.
And concerning Nigeria’s bogus style, that
undoubtedly, is reason charlatans will never
be deterred in their desperation to covet
political positions. Imagine a situation whereby
Aso Rock’s occupants including other political
office holders are to pay for every expenditure
from their pockets, as is the case in the White
House and, salaries of these political office
holders are cut down to a more sane and
considerable size, politics in Nigeria will
definitely be less attractive. And, that space
will only be accessible to individuals with
authentic interest to transform the country into
a true giant of Africa, if not a super power.

Community football league ties
Ekweremadu, Asadu in 2023 web
By Dennis Agbo
The early events of 2021 at Ovoko in
Igboeze South Local Government
Area have given insight to what could
likely play out in Enugu state as the state
grapples with intriguing politics of 2023
elections in the state.
Last Sunday, Senator Ike Ekweremadu
was slated to kick-off the grand finale of
Ovoko Football league at Central primary
school Ovoko organised by Ovoko
Football Association, but some youth
allegedly sponsored by Rep Pat Asadu of
Igboeze South/Nsukka Federal
Constituency made for relocation of the
venue to Ulunya, another part of Ovoko
community.
In fact, Saturday Vanguard learnt that
the goal posts of the football field for
Central primary school were removed by
some thugs. The tension made the
organizers of the football league relocate
the venue to Ulunya ahead
of Ekweremadu’s visit. Ekweremadu,
however, brushed aside the threats and
graced the event to kick-off the
tournament after which he also attended
a follow-up reception that concluded the
tournament. He was said to have made up
his mind to attend the event when Hon.
Asadu allegedly did not pick or return his
calls.
However, what ignited the political
suspicion that followed was a report that
the former Deputy President of the Senate
was ‘chased out’ and ‘whisked’ away from
the venue of the tournament, a report that
community members and stakeholders of
the tournament said was far from the truth.
They said the false report was sponsored
when the initial efforts to scuttle the event
failed.
Narrating what took place, Chairman
of Ovoko Football Association, OFA,
denied any type of assault on
Ekweremadu, noting that despite the
controversy that trailed the league grand
finale, Ekweremadu will still come again
for the same function.
O FA also denied the report that a court
order barred the group from exercising
the tournament, but said that it was some
politicians who turned the sports event
into a political controversy.
Chairman of the group, Mr. Nnaemeka
Onaragu and the publicity secretary,
Onyebuchi Ugwu in a statement said that
the executive committee and entire
members of OFA were disappointed in the
attempts to politicize the 2020 edition of
the annual football League.
According to the group “We are also
surprised at the sponsored fake news that
former Deputy Senate President, Chief
Ike Ekweremadu, was chased or whisked
away from the grand finale of the 2020
edition of Ovoko football competition. The
Senator performed the official kick-off
amid fanfare before proceeding to the
venue of reception where our people
turned out en masse, both young and old,
to honour and appreciate him.”
O FA rather took offence at Rep. Pat
Asadu, for failing to sponsor the league
which they said resulted in
Ekweremadu’s involvement in the
tournament in the first place.
“The fact remains that we first
approached Hon. Asadu to sponsor the
front of the jersey for N500, 000, but he
bluntly refused. We therefore reached out
to Chief Celestine Okanya, who paid for
it, but preferred that the name of his friend,
Chief Ekweremadu, be written at the front
of the jerseys because he planned to invite
him as the Chief Guest of honour to kickoff
of the grand finale.
“Likewise, former Chairman of Igbo-
Eze South Council, Hon. Festus Ozioko,
paid for the back of the jersey, but directed
that the Governor’s name be written on it
instead. So, where is the politics in
having the name of a well-known sports
enthusiast and promoter on our jersey as
preferred by the sponsor? Furthermore,
there is no court order directed at OFA to
stop the tournament. We appreciate His
Excellency, Chief Ike Ekweremadu more
for coming to Ovoko to successfully
perform the official kick-off ceremony of
the final grand finale.
“ We remain grateful to him for his love
for our youths and community and look
forward to future partnership with him.
•Ekweremadu as Guest of Honour in the match.
•At the reception by Ovoko people
We are solidly for the development of
Ovoko, whether it is facilitated from
Ovoko, Aninri or wherever. We cannot be
intimidated,” OFA said.
Even though Ekweremadu hails from
Enugu West Senatorial zone, it was
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—15
gathered the youths, men and women of
Ovoko community trouped to the stretch
of road to the venue of the league to
receive him because of his
statesmanship. Also on hand to receive
him was the priest of the Catholic Parish,
Rev. Fr. Felix Ugwuozor.
The former deputy Senate President
was reported to have attracted many
development projects across the three
zones of Enugu state, while his
scholarship and bursary awards were cut
across the State.
After the official kick-off,
Ekweremadu, who said he was billed for
other events, proceeded to the reception
venue amidst jubilation and drumming.
Community members took turns to
commend him for being a Senator for
every part of Enugu State, describing him
as a “cowpea that knows no boundary. ”
A community leader and patron of the
Ovoko Football Association, Chief
Celestine Okanya, who spoke on behalf
of the community, described the
lawmaker’s politics as “a people and
development-oriented brand”.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that
whereas the news that Ekweremadu
would be the Chief Guest of Honour to
kick-off the grand finale elicited joy
among Ovoko youths, it apparently did
not go down well with a notable politician
from the community and some political
interests in Nsukka zone, who read 2023
politics into it. Although Ekweremadu has
not declared any interest or kick-started
consultations, rumours of his alleged
governorship ambition have remained a
recurring decimal every election cycle
since 2007.
Allegation has it that some persons
wanted the OFA to replace the ‘Ikeoha’
inscription on the tournament jerseys but
failed. ”They tried to use the law court,
but committed a grave error in listing the
respondents; hence they could not serve
it on OFA,” an insider revealed.
It was further alleged that a notable
politician from the community imported
thugs from Kogi State to destabilise the
event and possibly attack Ekweremadu
and his entourage, but ended up removing
the goal posts which made for a change of
venue. The plot was also strongly resisted
by the youths.
Addressing the community,
Ekweremadu pledged to support Ovoko
youth to actualise their potentials. He said
that he expanded his scholarships across
the state, as it would be a big, collective
loss if any Enugu child destined to be
governor, senator, inventor or president
missed the opportunity because he or she
could not go to school to actualise his or
her potential.
He noted that the ongoing Awka-
Ugwuoba-Oji River-Nachi-Udi-9th Mile-
Abor-Ukehe-Opi Road as well as Ozalla-
Agbani-Akpugo-Amagunze-Ihuokpara-
Ebonyi road, among others, which he and
his team attracted, was part of his efforts
to ensure that all parts of the State were
well linked up for seamless relationships.
“I came to Ovoko to build a partnership
that works with the young people. At this
stage, I consider myself a Senator
representing every part of Enugu State;
hence I have done several projects around
Enugu North Senatorial District like
Ikwuoka-Amagu-Obimo road, Iheaka
road, etc. I have given transformers, I have
done water projects, and we are
determined to do even more.
“In Enugu West where I come from, we
introduced the Enugu West Water for All
Programme and acquired a rig for that.
We have done over 50 boreholes in the
past few years alone. So, in 2021/2022, we
are going to devote our rig to Nsukka zone,
starting from Ovoko. Our aspiration is to
change the story of our people so that it
will be better for all of us”.
The Member representing Nsukka/
Igbo-Eze South Federal
Constituency, Hon. Pat
Asadu, who is a member of
the community denied any
complicity in the crisis but
instead accused the OFA of
politicising the annual
football tournament.
Asadu said: “At my level,
OFA also denied the
report that a court
order barred the
group from
exercising the
tournament, but said
that it was some
politicians who
turned the sports
event into a political
controversy
there is hardly anything that
would happen in Ovoko and
the people won’t call my
name. I didn’t know that
Ekweremadu was coming to
my country home. I only read
that on social media.
“Anyone alleging that I
hired some boys who pulled
down the goal posts should
provide evidence linking
me to the incident. What I
noticed was that there was a
football tournament, which
the vigilante group said they
should not play because they
noticed the politics and the
misgivings involved.
“For the 24 years that the
tournament held, this is the
first time that the football association is
inviting someone from Aninri or Orba or
any community outside Ovoko to sponsor
it. Therefore, some people were not
comfortable with the arrangement and
they went to court to obtain an order to
stop it.”
C
M
Y
K

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Nigeria ranks 2nd
highest in paternity
fraud in the world
•Three out of ten Nigerian men are not
biological fathers of their children...
By Sola Ogundipe, Yetunde
Arebi & Evelyn Usman
ADNA test revealed that Christopher
Johnson wasn’t the biological father of
the three children he had nurtured and
invested in for almost two decades. The
children, Esther, 19, Shirley, 17 and Stephen,
15, were born by the same mother who
unfortunately was deceased.
Christopher, a successful but retired
architect, was compelled to find out the truth
about the paternity of the children after a
stranger turned up one day to claim he was
their biological father and challenged him to
a DNA paternity test.
Christopher received the shock of his life
when the result proved that the stranger was
indeed the children’s real father. It turned out
that the man and his late wife had been
involved in a long secret love affair that
produced the three children he erroneously
assumed belonged to him.
DNA paternity tests are unraveling a lot of
buried family secrets. Keeping family secrets
isn’t as easy as it used to be and just one DNA
test could change everything for better or for
worse.
Many children are experiencing paternity
scandals by learning that their father is really
not their biological father.
The perception that paternity fraud is high
in Nigeria is not unfounded. Reports have
been making the rounds that Nigeria has
the 2nd highest rate of paternity fraud in the
world after Jamaica. Many men have been
unknowingly raising children that are not
theirs and to curb the trend, there have been
calls for introduction of mandatory DNA
testing at birth
“The issue of paternity is a trilogy. It’s moral,
scientific and legal issue,” a concerned
commentator noted. “Series of DNA tests
carried out in laboratories are showing that a
number of children are being fathered by men
who are not their biological fathers.”
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed
that traditionally in Nigeria, paternity of a
child is commonly determined by
acknowledgment, presumption or by proof.
Probably the most common mode of
paternity is by acknowledgment. Once a man
admits he is the father of a child, the case is
closed.
A man is presumed to be the father of a child
once the child is born within wedlock.
It is often said that a woman is in best
position to identify the father of her child, so
once a woman fingers a particular man, case
closed. However, developments show that
proving paternity is often not as
straightforward.
But rampant cases of denials, disputes and
counterclaims of paternity have been making
the rounds.
When the DNA test of their children failed
to match with that of the men believed to be
their fathers, several women were accused of
unfaithfulness and
condemned into the abyss
of marital ignominy, but the
resulting scandal
snowballed into one of the
most shocking revelations
in the history of parental
disputes.
But for the confession of
a dying Zambian nurse,
Elizabeth Bwalya
Mwewa, who owned up
to swapping about 5,000
babies over 12 years “for
the fun of it”, these
women might never
have restored their
ruined homes or
removed the garb of
unfaithfulness and
adultery as the truth
behind the genetic
discrepancies of their
children’s paternity
might never have been
unravelled.
Staggering
statistics
Meanwhile in
Nigeria, according to
available data, at least
four out of 10 men are not the
biological fathers of their children. Lagosbased
DNA experts confirm that many men
do not know that they are not the biological
fathers of their child.
One expert noted that currently, the
situation in Nigeria is quite high and majority
of first-borns are affected.
According to the American Association of
Blood Banks, globally, a third of all men are
not the actual fathers of their presumed
children.
“My life has crumbled. Living means
nothing to me now than a pack of trash. It
would have been better for me not to be born
than to face such miserable and uncanny
situation.”
These were the shattering words of Mr
Shogunle, who recently discovered that the
four boys whom he witnessed their birth and
catered for as a loving father would, were after
all, not his biological children.
The startling discovery has not only betrayed
the trust and confidence he had in his wife of
12 years, Betty, it has also stolen the happy
atmosphere in the family.
The genesis of this startling revelation
began in October 2017, after a heated
argument between the couple over Betty’s
refusal to perform her conjugal responsibility.
Her husband, a banker, had to involve their
pastor, having endured sex starvation for
seven months.
His decision to bring the matter to their
pastor’s knowledge was mainly borne out
of news
making the round that his wife was having
a clandestine relationship with their former
driver , a Master Degree holder , identified
simply as James, who later got a job with one
of the leading Oil & Gas firms in the country.
This was after much confrontation and
persuasion for his wife to tell him the truth.
According to Shogunle, “ Each time I
confronted her, she would rebuff me. At a
point she told me to do my worst. And as
punishment , she deprived me of sex for six
months”.
But the truth came to limelight on November
30,2018.
Explaining how he received the news that
plunged him into a world of confusion,
psychological and emotional trauma ,
Shogunle said,
“ I had come home early because I was not
feeling too well. I also did not drive because I
was too weak to do so. I did not know they
were signals to danger ahead.
“ I tiptoed into the sitting room to surprise
my wife. Just then, I heard her speaking
with someone on the phone. She was telling
the person that she did not know how to break
the news to me because it would destabilise
me. She begged the person to let me have
‘them’. By then it did not dawn on me who
she was referring to as ‘them’.
Bombshell
“And then the bombshell! I heard her
say ‘James darling, please leave him and my
children out of this since you still have me’.
“I was still glued to the spot I was, waiting to
allow her finish her conversation. Then she said: ‘
you put yourself in his shoes. If you were told you’re
not the biological father of four wonderful children,
all boys, that have grown to call and know you as
daddy, how would you feel?’ She burst into tears
at that point, begging the person at the other end
to let her husband and the boys be.
“ At that point, I screamed and fell on the floor
unconscious. By the time I woke up, I found myself
in our family hospital with my four children of ages
11,8,5 and 3 years respectively, by my bedside,
with my elder sister.
“ To cut the long story short, I insisted we went
for a DNA test to ascertain the paternity of my
children. Lo and behold, the result showed none
of them was mine.
“ It has been four months now, my children are
with my elder sister and her family while my
wife fled, saying she was too scared to face me.
She confessed to my sister that James was her
boyfriend in the university and that she never
enjoyed sex with me. This may sound as a
Nollywood story but it happened to me. “Now
the problem is how do I start relating with the four
boys? Each time they come around and ask where
is mummy, I would secretly look for where to cry”.
The Shogunles are not alone in the this, as

another couple are at the moment
experiencing dark clouds in their marriage
, owing to a claim by a man who just returned
from Europe that their 22-year-old son, who
just graduated from the university, is his.
The Germany based Nigerian claimed he
had a relationship with the woman while
he was preparing to leave the country, adding
that she was few weeks pregnant before she
married her present husband.
The claim has sparked up an issue , that is
threatening to break the 22 years union. A
DNA test to determine paternity had been
carried out, with proof of the result favouring
the stranger.
There are more cases.
After his marriage of 13 years came to an
end on a very traumatic and ignoble note,
Toyin was more relieved than sad. The divorce
ended several years of living with a cold and
uncooperative partner who under the guise
of the slighted excuse would take time off
from her matrimonial home to cool off outside
the country.
Marital trauma
He had always been grateful to her boss
who’d also tolerated her tantrums and
allowed her to walk in and out of her job as
she wished. Being an old family friend, he
was like an uncle to Bisi, his wife and had
practically watched her grow up, so Toyin had
assumed they were all making sacrifices
towards achieving a common goal, the
success and wellbeing of Bisi and her
children. His illusions came crumbling when
he woke up one morning to realisation that
his wife was pregnant. By all calculations, the
pregnancy could not have been his, since they
had not been intimate for many months.
Her cold confirmation of his observation was
mind bugling and he wasted no time in
telling their parent and close family friends
what was brewing in his marriage. Definitely
fed up with hiding, Bisi told everyone that
the pregnancy belonged to her boss and
parents’ friend of many years, technically
bringing the man’s marriage down with hers.
Unremorseful about her actions, she returned
to London away from the condemning eyes
and tongues, taking all three children of the
marriage with her.
It was a very traumatic time
for Toyin who
succumbed to mild
depression. It
affected both his
social life and
business such that he
had to abandon
everything and
returned to America to
start life all over again.
He decided he would
take his time with
women since he
already had three
children from his failed
marriage.
Little did he know that
Bisi had more up her
sleeve in store for him.
After his first child, a boy
graduated from high
school in
DNA tests taken by the immigration
department had proved that he lied. But for
the divorce papers and the proof of Bisi’s
previous adultery which had produced a baby
girl for her boss, Toyin might have been jailed.
It turned out that both his supposed first child
and his wife’s last child were fathered by the
same man, her boss at the office.
Undeniable paternity?
Another case in question. Why would a man
keep quiet for over two decades before
renouncing paternity of his children? And
why would his wife not contest such a
shameful accusation but rather accept it as
her fate?
These are some of the questions the
Ogunnaike family and their friends have been
trying to find answers for since Chief made
the announcement at a family gathering over
a year ago. Chief had explained that he was
doing it because he did not want to leave
anything for the children in his will and
wanted everyone to know why, so that no one
will contest his will or abuse him after his
demise.
He explained that when he took the
children’s mother as his second wife, it was
not planned. He’d thought he was just having
another fling. Attempts to deny paternity at
the time was difficult because of the
intervention of friends and family. Besides,
abortion was not a common option as it is
today. So, he accepted. He would have
reconciled with his first wife and moved on
but for the poor health of the child. In their
pursuit to find a solution to her problem, the
lady became pregnant with a second child
and he concluded that it to be his destiny.
However, visit to the clinic where the child
was receiving treatment in England led to a
big revelation, someone else was listed on
the documents as the child’s father.
He was only paying the bills. His wife
explained that since the man listed as father
lives in London she had appointed him as
guardian, besides, he’d donated blood for her
during an emergency in the past.
Chief said his suspicions were confirmed
with those document and the fact that the
child looked nothing like him, all his children
from his first wife and no member of his family,
adding that even her condition was a first in
his family history. He was even more
surprised that the second child looked exactly
like the first and both of them like the man
whose name appeared on the hospital
document.
As fate would however have it, the other
two younger ones looked exactly like him and
different from the first two. He said he kept
all these in his heart all these years and was
convinced by the way the children turned out
that they just could not be his.
When asked if he had carried out a paternity
test on them, Chief dismissed the idea and
insisted he did not need one to know his child
and that his wife was free to prove her
innocence.
It was interesting to note that Mrs
Ogunnaike sat quietly in the hall and avoided
eye contact with everyone during the
discussion. Afterwards, she simply
announced that she was glad that her
husband at least acknowledged two of the
children as his, and that it was a pass mark
for her. End of story!!!
Why paternity disputes thrive
Saturday Vanguard gathered that there are
several reasons why paternity issues are on
the increase in the country. They include
premarital sex/fornication and adultery.
Married women are now considered safer to
date.
Chances of an STI/HIV are slim, just as
pregnancy might not be a serious issue. A
married woman is not likely to want to cross
the line with her partner’s marriage.
They also understand the
issues at stake
better
onus is on her to prove that she is fertile and
has not messed up her body before marriage.
The pressure for pregnancy before marriage
is also a factor. Here, there are two
categories. Those who insist on pregnancy as
a precondition for marriage and those who
decide to get married to anyone who becomes
pregnant for them.
There are times parents and family accept
pregnancies on behalf of their children, even
when the children deny being
responsible.
The practice of multiple sex
partners by young women is
now commonplace. Some
women keep two or three
relationships juggling them
until one of them is ready for
marriage. The one who is first
to be ready will bear it all.
Rape is also an issue. Here,
the culture of silence prevails.
Hardly will you find a big girl
who has been raped step
forward to confess it. Most
women are raped on dates and
other circumstances by people
known to them or strangers
due to no fault of theirs.
Confessing to rape by a friend
may be misconstrued while it
may even jeopardise the
relationship one is trying to
protect.
Error in identification by the
hospital cannot be ruled out.
The recent revelation by the
East African nurse who
confessed in having fun by
swapping babies in the
children’s ward is a rare but
classic case. Such a child might become a
burden to the mother who will not be able to
explain what went wrong.
A lawyer explained that paternity tests have
a significant legal impact when it comes to
establishing child custody and support.
“In a contested paternity case, a party must
submit to genetic tests at the request of any
other party. If the father could be one of
several men, each may be required to take a
genetic test to determine paternity. There are
several different ways to establish whether
an alleged father is the natural and legal
father of the minor child, such as the use of
paternity blood tests and DNA paternity
tests,” stated
Paternity tests
Paternity blood tests were first performed
in the middle half of the 20th century, by
comparing blood types of tested parties but
the testing did not provide for a very powerful
test.
In the 1970s a more powerful test was
developed using white blood cell antigens or
resulting in a test that was able to exclude
about 95 percent of falsely accused fathers.
However blood types alone cannot be used
to determine who the father is, but they can
be used to determine the biological
possibility of fatherhood. Enter DNA
paternity tests.
The DNA test
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the genetic
material present in every cell of the human
body. Except in the case of identical multiple
births, each individual’s DNA is unique. A
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—17
testing. Children can be tested at any age even
while in the womb. Paternity DNA testing can
even be done on an umbilical cord blood
specimen at birth. Since DNA is the same in
every cell of the human body, the accuracy of
testing performed on cheek cells utilizing the
Buccal swab is the same as an actual blood
sample.
Saturday Vanguard established that the
science behind determining a child’s father
has come to stay and in
many instances, it is a
lifesaver.
Experts at major
centres offering DNA
testing facilities such as
DNA Centre, Synlab and
Paternity Test Nigeria,
confirm the high rate of
tests that turn out
negative. A forensic
geneticist told Saturday
Vanguard that about 3
out of 10 men that under
go paternity test are not
biological fathers of their
children. He warned that
the implications are often
potentially serious and
significantly damaging to
parties involved.
According to the
geneticist, DNA testing is
currently the most
advanced and accurate
technology to determine
parentage.
“In a DNA parentage
test, the result (called the
probability of parentage)
is zero percent when
the alleged parent is not biologically related
to the child and the probability of parentage
is typically 99.99 percent when the alleged
parent is biologically related to the child.
“However, while almost all individuals have
a single and distinct set of genes, rare
individuals, known as “chimeras”, have at
least two different sets of genes, which can
result in a false negative result if their
reproductive tissue has a different genetic
make-up from the tissue sampled for the test.”
Basically, a DNA test is performed by
collecting buccal cells found on the inside of
the cheek using a buccal swab or cheek swab.
The collector rubs the inside of the cheek to
collect as many buccal cells as possible and
the cells are then sent to a laboratory for testing.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that
technically a birth certificate is not proof of
paternity, when compared to a DNA test.
“No doubt a birth certificates is an important
identification tool, however it is not recognised
as legal document to establish paternity.
“If a child is not born within a marriage or
the parents do not sign a paternity affidavit, a
father can only ensure rights and obligations
as a parent by filing a paternity lawsuit to
obtain Petition to Establish Paternity.
According to legal counsel, if a father alleges
that a minor (under 18) is his or a vice versa,
a DNA test may demanded to prove or
disprove the claim all in the interest of the
child.
Error in identification by
the hospital cannot be
ruled out. The recent
revelation by the East
African nurse who
confessed in having fun
by swapping babies in
the children’s ward is a
rare but classic case
Establishing paternity
Establishing paternity gives a child a legal
father who is then bestowed rights and
obligations relating to the care of his child.
London, he
decided to cross him to
the USA for several reasons.
It would be cheaper for him as a citizen,
he would have some time to bond with the boy and
probably from there his two other children, and
also secure American citizenship for the boy. So,
he applied for the boy and tests were carried out to
ascertain his claims.
Alas! Toyin received an invitation by the police.
He was charged with attempted child trafficking
and several other counts. His main offence being
that he’d lied under oath that his son was his.
than a
young single girl
would.
Also, the high emphasis on biological
children in African society is a factor. A
childless marriage is not a blessed marriage.
Women are usually considered as being
responsible when there are no children. The
child receives half of his or her genetic
material (DNA) from the biological
mother, and half from the biological father.
DNA paternity testing is the use of DNA
profiling (genetic fingerprinting) to
determine whether a man and a child or
children are biologically related. The test
can also determine the likelihood of someone
being a biological grandparent to a
grandchild. Experts say DNA paternity
testing is the most accurate form of paternity
testing possible. It is argued that if DNA
patterns between a child and the alleged
father do not match on two or more DNA
probes, then the alleged father can be totally
ruled out. If the DNA patterns between
mother, child, and the alleged father match
on every DNA probe, the likelihood of
paternity is 99.9 percent.
To conduct DNA testing, a blood test or a
procedure called a Buccal scrap is used. A
swab is rubbed vigorously against the inside
of the cheek to provide a DNA sample for
Paternity can be established if the child was
born in wedlock or if the man and woman are
unmarried but sign a paternity affidavit, or a
court establishes paternity.
Paternity can be established by agreement
between the man and woman (parents) or
through genetic testing. However, DNA or
genetic testing is essentially used to establish
paternity when there is dispute about the
identity of the child’s father.
Cases of stolen or missing babies add to the
problem. The case of a sperm bank owner who
allegedly fathered 60 children after he secretly
switched donors’ semen with his own, also
comes to mind.
After the 89-year-old doctor passed away
families have come forward with the shocking
claim and pursuing DNA tests to see if he
used his own sperm to father their children.
Dr Abayomi Ajayi, Medical Director,
Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos notes that
Continues on pg 18

18—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Monkey Village demolition is savage treatment of urban poor —CEE-HOPE
…demands compensation from Lagos govt
By Prisca Sam-Duru
Occupants of the recently demolished
informal housing settlement in the
Opebi area of Lagos State known as
Monkey Village, are still licking their wounds
days after the demolition exercise.
Amongst the severely affected is a Non-
Governmental Organisation, the Centre for
Children’s Health Education, Orientation and
Protection (CEE-HOPE) which had its ICT
Centre and Youth hub destroyed alongside its
library and gadgets.
According to CEE-HOPE which criticised the
Lagos State Government for the demolition of
the informal space, the act was a calculated
attack on the poor as well as education.
The demolition which took place in the morning
of December 31, 2020, was carried out by
truckloads of policemen and thugs. They were
said to have descended on Monkey Village
with the aid of graders and bulldozers, pulling
down the houses, and displacing more than
400 persons including children. Many of the
residents who had gone out for the day had
their homes totally demolished with their
belongings inside.
The ICT Centre and youth hub built in the
community by CEE-HOPE was also pulled
down with several computers, library and other
gadgets intact in the building.
According to the organisation, pleas by
community members who had access to the
Centre to allow them help retrieve the
materials, were ignored. Destroyed also was
CEE-HOPE’s water project in the community.
Several members of the community were also
brutalised by the thugs whom community
sources told CEE-HOPE, were governmentsponsored.
“After several denials by the Lagos State
Ministry of Environment, the Lagos State Task
Force office and other official quarters, the
Lagos State Ministry Of Physical Planning &
Urban Development, came up with a statement
on Sunday January 3, 2021 accepting
responsibility for the demolition exercise
carried out on December 31, 2020, in Monkey
Village. They gave ‘reclamation of wetland’ as
the reason for the forced eviction exercise”,
CEE-HOPE’s founder/Executive Director,
Betty Abah explained.
Reacting to the Lagos State government’s
practice of mixing eggs is unethical. “How
do you determine which egg belongs to who
and now we’re already doing three parent
conception. I don’t think it’s ethical. “The
identity of the baby matters and that is why
now in the UK when you use donor eggs
you’re required by law to tell the baby once
he attains 18. That law doesn’t apply here in
Nigeria for now maybe with time it will be
applicable because there should be no hush
hush about anything concerning parenting.”
According to Ajayi, many fathers are not just
suspecting that they may not be biological
fathers of their children.There are situations
coming up that desire the need for DNA
testing such as American or Canadian visa
lottery.
DNA shocker
Ajayi said: “I had a friend who was elderly,
his children are my age mates. His wife died
many years ago and he remarried . The
children reside abroad and invited him to
America to settle down. The man was excited
and decided to take the three children from
the 2nd wife along with him, but the
mandatory DNA test showed he wasn’t the
father of any of the children. He had to travel
to the US alone and just left the children in
his house in Lagos. It was after his dearh that
the truth was revealed.”
Further, Ajayi narrated the story of the
vanishing twin. A woman and her husband
had divorced. She was pregnant and they had
gone to court, which asked for the DNA tests
result as evidence of paternity of the children
because issue of child support was involved.
“The woman got the shock of her life when
she learned that none of the children were
biologically hers but confirmed the man was
their biological father.
“Of course the woman was insistent that she
gave birth to the children, but the test showed
they were not hers. Her lawyer went to
research medical history and discovered that
such case had occurred before.
“He then got the court to be present at the
delivery of the new baby. So the court was
represented, and saw her deliver the baby.
The DNA test was carried out, but again and
like before the result shower she wasn’t the
statement, CEE-HOPE issued a statement on
January 4, 2021, faulting the action of the
“Lagos State Government which it described
as ‘crude, autocratic and a gross violation of all
known laws and guidelines guiding the
handling of such matters world over’ which
has not only displaced 400 persons (currently
homeless) but also endangering the
educational dream of more than 200 of the
community’s children”.
“It is indeed a crying shame that the biggest
news out of Lagos every single year would
revolve around the savage treatment of the
urban poor,” said Abah, adding that “From
Maroko, Makoko, Badia East, Iluibirin to
Otodo-Gbame, and now Monkey Village, it is
the same pattern of the gross abuse of the human
and shelter rights of the urban poor, when Lagos
is not the only state in Nigeria and when
Nigeria is not the only place where we have
slum settlement or indeed where the urban
poor exists. Yet, the most painful for us was the
destruction of educational facilities funded by
private individuals and for the most vulnerable
of children, and in a country with the highest
number of out-of-school children, at a time of
a global pandemic and during a national
biological mother.
It took some time before medical experts
could explain the bizzare development.
“What happened was that the woman was
a twin, but had been born as a singleton. She
had actually absorbed her to while inside the
womb. Her ovaries were actually those of her
non-existent twin sister and the DNA from
her ovaries were different from her own
DNA.”
In essence, according to Ajayi, the woman
was bearing the children of her sister. She had
two sets of DNA and since it’s the ovaries that
make eggs, the children she was making
actually belonged to the twin sister that was
never born
“All this is genetics and it is something that
we have not fully unravelled. Sometimes
everything is not as it seems and that why
sometimes when. people say they know their
wife or know their husband I just laugh and
say they don’t really know.
“ It’s only what you see that you know.
because what we are discovering about
human beings and genes is sometimes
beyond belief.
“The way DNA testing, doing your
paternity and ancestry are getting cheaper
and affordable by the day and you may not
even need to leave your house. More people
are getting interested and sot it’s going to
become more affordable.”
Currently, millions of Black Americans want
to know their origin because one can tell from
one’s DNA where one is from.
“Communities tend to have the same DNA
sequence it will just be the one that
differentiates you that’s unique and specific
and can be dated to know where you have
come from. But while you’re looking for that,
you might get some other information that you
do don’t want,” Ajayi cautioned.
Accuracy of DNA test
Many people often wonder how accurate is
DNA paternity testing? “DNA paternity
testing is reputed to be 99.99 percent or higher
accurate when done properly,” according to
Salami Abiodun, Senior Geneticist with
DNA Centre for Paternity Test, Nigeria.
He explained that DNA paternity testing
(sometimes called parentage testing) uses
recession”.
CEE-HOPE
insisted that
the “latest
statement
from the
government
was part of the
layers of lies
bandied by
the Lagos
S t a t e
Government
in the last few
days to cover up the atrocity committed against
the poor residents of Monkey Village. From
claiming it was a take-over of a land under
contest in court, to saying it was a hoodlums’
hide-out, it has now framed a wetland
narrative.
“But whatever it is, how come there was no
prior notice to the residents to at least take out
their few belongings before they were crushed
by the graders?”
Monkey Village Abah pointed out, “sits on
about 10 plots of land which belongs to about
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), the biological
basis of inheritance, to prove or disprove the
relationship between a child and an alleged
father.
Noting that paternity can even be
established before the baby is born using a
prenatal paternity test, he said the test can
also be performed even if the alleged father
is missing or deceased.
As explained by Abiodun, “If two possible
fathers are related as full brothers or father
and son, they may share many of the DNA
markers used in paternity testing. This means
that if proper precautions are not taken, both
men could test positive as the child’s biological
father.
“DNA testing is strong enough to
determine paternity in a case involving
related alleged fathers, but the laboratory
must be aware of the situation before the
testing process begins.”
He said DNA Centre offers two options for
cases involving alleged fathers who are
related.
“Option 1: Test both alleged fathers, the
child, and the mother at the same time. By
comparing both alleged fathers’ DNA profiles
with the child’s DNA profile, our expert
laboratory staff can achieve accurate and
conclusive test results.
“Option 2: Test one alleged father with
extended analysis. This option can be taken
when only one of the alleged fathers is
available for testing. To produce a conclusive
result, we must perform extended testing and
statistical analysis. There is an additional fee
for the extended testing and analysis.”
Explaining the difference between legal
DNA test and informational DNA test,
Abiodun said both tests are exactly the same.
“The difference is that legally-binding tests
require a witness, proof of identity, and
special chain of custody procedures. The Peace
of Mind test is for informational purpose only,
therefore is not legally binding. It is intended
as a discrete and private way whereby
families can resolve questions without
involving outside parties.
“Whether for legal or personal purposes, the
DNA test results and testing are the same.
When testing for legal purposes, a third-party
must witness the DNA collection process and
verify the identity of each person being
tested.”
seven individuals. The individuals then gave
out the land to the residents pending when
they are fully ready to develop the place and
each land is overseen by some members of the
community who are well known to the land
owners”, emphasising that the people are
therefore not illegal occupants neither have
they ever been served any evacuation notice.
Now that an agency of the Lagos State
government has finally come out to admit
culpability in the entire fiasco, CEE-HOPE is
therefore demanding the following: An
apology to the community members for the
gross violation of their rights, including the
failure to follow due process by duly serving
them formal notice; compensation of every one
of the community members for lost personal
and household belongings; a relocation of the
victims of this arbitrary forced eviction as
guaranteed by the UN provision on Housing
Right; Compensation of CEE-HOPE for the
complete destruction of its multi-million Naira
ICT Centre/Youth
Hub in the
community and
water project; and a
promise by the
government to end
all such arbitrary
actions especially
with regard to the
urban poor in future
engagements,
commit to
meaningful
engagement of
informal housing
residents rather than
the usual use of brute
force, commit to
upgrading of such
settlements as is the
current practice
across the world
rather than forced eviction which pushes the
poor into worse levels of vulnerability.
CEE-HOPE is also demanding that the Lagos
State House of Assembly institute hearings
into the incident, with a view towards
addressing the issue and unearthing the
personalities and real reasons behind this
reckless, inhuman and lawless action which
has been ongoing in this state unhindered,
and which exacerbates the suffering of the
thereby violating the state’s supposed duty as
the hope of the poor and vulnerable.
DNA testing unveiling scandalous family secrets as Nigeria
ranks 2nd highest in paternity fraud in the world
Continues from pg 17
DNA Facts
DNA doesn’t change. It is set at conception
and generally does not change, a paternity
test can be performed on a person of any age—
even on a sample from an unborn child
(through prenatal testing). At birth,buccal
swab can be collected from the newborn.
Looks alone are never proof of paternity.
Many parentsinsist that their child looks just
like an alleged father and so they can’t
understand why a paternity test would
show that the possible father and the
child are not biologically related. A child
could be biologically related to a possible
father when they look nothing alike.
A child gets half of their DNA from
each parent.
The traits of a child are determined not
only by what their parents look like, but
all the genomes that came before, on both
sides of the family.
This genetic soup either can create a
child that looks exactly like one or more
parents, or a child that looks like neither,
or something in between.
The way DNA is written is such that it
is the arrangement that changes. “When
it is specific for you, your brothers DNA
can look like yours but will never be the
same all through the sequence even if you
are twins. it is even better than
fingerprint. DNA testing is very accurate
except those carrying out the analysis are
not experts.
There are no age restrictions for DNA
test participants. When collection is
performed by an adult as directed, the
cheek swabs are even safe for infants.
If the father isn’t available for a
paternity test, paternity can still be
determined by testing relatives of the
deceased father, such as the possible
father’s parents. Testing can also be done
for a brother or sister of the child or a
brother or sister of the possible father.
It’s a fundamental right to know where
one came from. Paternity is a question of
identity; it helps someone to form their
personality.
**This story was originally published
in the Saturday Vanguard of 4th May
2019

When the Omo Ghetto
came to town it had
all the trapping of
something special. From the
premiere to its tour of cinemas
it was a financial tsunami that
swept all box office records in
its wake.
In its first weekend the movie
by Funke Akindele made a
whopping N89 million. It was
a record second to none in
Nigeria in 2020 regardless of
it’s release date which was
December 25, 2020.
By the first of January, the
film had amassed over N187
million in box office. Next in
line to Omo Ghetto is Fate of
Alakada which came a distant
second raking in N113 million
and it was released a long two
months before Funke
Akindele’s money spinner. On
the third spot is Rattlesnake
which garnered over N69.
In fourth, fifth and sixth
places are Quam’s Money,
Dear Affy and Who’s The Boss
with financial fortunes of
N59M, N39M and N38 million
respectively.
Completing the Top Ten list
according to statistics made
available by Film One
Entertainment are Legend of
Inikpi with N29M at seventh;
Nneka The Pretty Serpent
N28M at eighth ; Introducing
The Kujus with over N25M at
ninth and Small Chops at tenth
with N25M.
By AYO ONIKOYI
08052201215
Omo Ghetto, Alakada,
Rattlesnake top 2020
Nollywood boxoffice movies
Nigeria’s ‘The New Patriots’
selected for International Film
Festival in Venezuela
A
new social impact movie, The New Patriots, has been officially
selected for the 2021 Five Continents International Film Festival,
Venezuela in the drama feature film category.
It is the only feature film from Africa selected for the next edition of
the prestigious international festival.
The “New Patriots” is set in a fictional tiny country called the Republic
of Aruguna. The movie demonstrates the disenchantment of the youth
with the sociopolitical situation in their country and the nonviolent
strategy mobilized to confront the problem.
The New Patriots parades top grade actors like Akin Lewis, Lateef
Adedimeji, Bimbo Oshin, Dele Odule, Taiwo Ibikunle and other talented
thespians.
The movie was directed by Adebayo Tijani and Terry Ayebo and
produced by Dr. Rotimi Adelola of Number 9 Film Studio.
Beauty entrepreneur, , Diiadem unveiled as
Hush’D Makeover’s brand ambassador
Ex model, video vixen and
beauty entrepreneur, Adeola Adeyemi
Chizoba popularly known as Diiadem has
been unveiled by Hush’D Makeover as
their brand ambassador. The unveiling
took place in Lagos at the company’s
office on Tuesday, January 5, 2021.
Speaking at the unveiling event, the
Chief Executive Officer of Hush’D
Makeover, Abiola Omotunde Ahmed
reveals why they are signing the beautiful
ex model and video vixen who is also the
Chief Executive Officer of Beauty By AD
to lead the charge in their brand
promotion and visibility.
According to her, “She is an ambitious
woman who is passionate about beauty
and skincare. She understands the
•Clip from
Omo Ghetto
(The Saga)
importance of looking after your skin
despite a hectic schedule which makes her
happy to work with us. We love her fresh
sense of style, upbeat spirit and like us,
recognizes the importance of self-care.
Welcome on board Diiadem! We look
forward to doing great things with you as
our ambassador,” said Abiola Omotunde
Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of
Hush’D Makeover.
“Her keen interest in her skin care
routine; her means of communication
with the public; her poise and brand
identity; and lastly her complexion sealed
the deal for us,” she added.
Hush’D Makeover Limited, established
in 2015 is a made-in-Nigeria organic
skincare brand.
•Toyin
Abraham
•Dezign
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—19
“2 Weeks W
in Lagos” featuring
Toyin Abraham, others s set for
release Februar
F
ebruary y 12
1
Highly anticipated Nollywood
Film, “2 Weeks In Lagos” is set
for release on the 12th of
February after the initial
postponement due to the
Covid 19 pandemic.
The movie which was
billed to be released on
the 27th of March
2020 was postponed
indefinitely due to the
massive increase in
the pandemic, Covid
19.
The true Lagos Love
story features top Nollywood
actors from the Old to the
Young and the new such as
Mawuli Gavor, Toyin
Abraham, Beverly Naya, Joke
Silva, Shaffy Bello, Deyemi
Okanlawon, Jide Kosoko, Yaw, Tina
Mba, Patrick Nnamani, Efe Irele, Uto
Usman and a host of others.
“2 Weeks In Lagos” is directed by
Canadian Based award-winning
director, Kathryn Fasegha, whose
debut project titled, “Treacherous
Heart” won awards for Best Drama in
Diaspora at the African Oscars in North
Carolina, USA. She also won Favorite
Director African Oscars Washington DC
Music act, Dezign
floats record labels,
hopes for better year
Budding music act, Ogheneovo Dezign
Clever known as Dezign in the music
circles has expressed his readiness to
entrench his influence on the scene by
launching his own record label known as
Dezignation Global Entertainment
Limited, with the core objective of creating
the next generation of music stars .
While “Gracified”, Dezign Ovo’s debut
7-track EP released in May 2020,
featuring top guns like Bracket of ‘Yori-
Yori’ fame, Jaywon, Joel Amadi and Orezi,
is currently enjoying massive downloads
on all digital platforms the Urhobo boy
from Ughelli North L.G.A Delta state
hopes for a better 2021.
Dezign recently participated in a TV
reality show and emerged winner with a
Benz C350, brand new car. In 2010, he
moved to Lagos to pursue his solo musical
career with MVP Records, a label owned
by Ochuko Omiragwa and Micheal
Okon.
His debut effort,‘Paradize” came in
2013 and attracted ample reviews in the
media, earning him four nominations at
the South-South Music Awards (SSMA).
Dezign’s Paradize won the video of the
year at that award ceremony. Also in
2018, Dezign was nominated in two
categories of SSMA and won Best
Dancehall Artiste of the year.
Dezign started singing at the age of 12,
listening to the likes of Bob Marley, Lucky
Dube, Wyclef Jean, Cocoa Tea among
other music legends who ignited his love
for reggae/dancehall music.
•Diiadem and Abiola Ahmed CEO Hush'D Makeover
USA and an award for the Global
Women Vision Award Calgary.
“2 Weeks in Lagos” is a
captivating, turbulent and
thrilling journey into the Love
affair of Ejikeme (Mawuli Gavor)
and Lola (Beverly Naya). Their
lives collide when Ejikeme, an
investment banker, comes home
from the United States to invest
in Nigerian businesses. It is love
at first sight for them and as they
embark on a journey of
discovering this new love, they
have to contend with the political
ambitions of Ejikeme’s mother
who is planning a marriage
between him and the only
daughter of Otunba Ayodeji, a
political juggernaut who is
considering Ejikeme’s father as
his running mate for the Nigerian
Presidency. His mother’s actions
create a rift between Ejikeme and
Lola that puts their families on a
deadly collision course.
The movie captures the
excitement and vibrancy of
everyday life in Lagos and reflects
the complexity of life in Lagos, a
dynamic city where anything is
possible in 2 Weeks.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
08116759759
Four generations of a Bangladeshi
family do not have fingerprints
Four generations of a
Bangladeshi family
have a rare condition of
having so smooth
hands that they do not
have any fingerprints. The condition
is known as Adermatoglyphia and it
has become quite a menace for them
since most of the government and
legal documents require fingerprints
in Bangladesh.
22-year-old Apu Sarkar and his
father Amal Sarkar are residents of
the northern district of Rajshahi in
Bangladesh and told BBC that
having no fingerprints was not a big
deal in the time of Apu’s grandfather.
Even for Apu’s father, Amal, having
no fingerprints did not cause any
hindrance in legal documentation.
However, Amal told BBC that he feels
sorry for his sons Apu and Anu, who
have inherited this condition
at a time when fingerprints
have become necessary for
biometric documentation.
People
with
Adermatoglyphia do not
have dermatoglyphs, the
round pattern on our
fingertips that make
fingerprints which is unique
in every person. Fingerprints
have been used as
identification proof for
various legal documents due
to each being unique.
The family said that it is
not their fault that they have
this condition and they have
tried explaining it to the
Coronavirus doctor proposes to colleague
on front line as they both wear hazmat suits
video captured the moment
A surgeon Igor Anokhin, 26,
popped the question to anaesthetist
Ekaterina Vnukova, 24, in the
hospital where they work battling
coronavirus.
Two doctors on the coronavirus
front line got engaged - dressed in
full hazmat suits.
The video captured the moment
surgeon Igor Anokhin, 26, popped
the question to anaesthetist
Ekaterina Vnukova, 24, in the
hospital where they work battling
coronavirus at Krasnoyarsk
Regional Hospital in Siberia.
Other medics - all also wearing
full hazmat suits - cheered as she
said yes, eight months after the pair
first met treating intensive care
patients.
Igor said: “When I decided to
propose, I didn’t hesitate for a
moment. But I was terribly
worried.
“We met at the hospital at the end
of April and at first just
talked.”Getting to know each
authorities. Apu and Amal
have received their national
ID after presenting a medical
certificate as the ID uses other
biometric data like retina
scan and facial recognition.
However, they still cannot buy
a Sim card or get a driver’s
licence.
The government of
Bangladesh has made
fingerprints mandatory for
documents like passports,
driver’s license, and national
ID. The male members of
Sarkar family have been
facing many hurdles in
obtaining these documents.
other better, we understood we
had been looking for each other
all our lives,” he continued.
“And we became a couple.”
The happy moment came as
a joyful interlude in a tough
winter in the region, which has
been hit hard by Covid-19
infections.
The area - the second largest
geographically in Russia - is in
the top dozen for virus
infections.Latest figures from
analysts Worldometer reveal
that across the country there
have been 3,308,601 positive cases
of the virus as well as 59,951
recorded deaths.
In a statement on Tuesday the
Kremlin said Russian President
Vladimir Putin had a telephone
call with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel to discuss the
response to the pandemic.
The statement read: “The two
leaders wished each other Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
“They discussed cooperation in
tackling the coronavirus
pandemic, with an emphasis on
opportunities for cooperation in
joint vaccine production, and
agreed on further contacts between
the two countries’ healthcare
ministries and other relevant
departments in this regard.”
As BBC reports, even though Amal
passed the driving test required for
the licence, the authorities did not
issue one because of the absence of
fingerprints. Even after carrying a
licence fee payment receipt with him,
Amal is not excused when he gets
stopped by the traffic police. On two
occasions, reports BBC, Amal
explained his condition to the baffled
traffic police officers and showed
them his smooth fingertips for them
to see but, he was fined nonetheless.
This rare genetic mutation was first
noticed in 2007 when a Swiss
dermatologist was contacted by a
woman in her late twenties in the
country.
The lady explained that she was
having trouble entering the US since
the custom officials were able to
match her photograph on her
passport, but they were not able to
record any fingerprints. The lady had
the same condition called
Adermatoglyphia that the Sarkar
family have. It is due to fears like
these that Amal does not wish to
travel abroad despite having a
passport.
Village changes its Fucking name
igns have been put up in the
SAustrian town of Fucking,
signalling its upcoming name
change. The village, which has
provoked sniggers from Englishspeaking
visitors for decades, will be
known as Fugging from the New
Year onwards. It comes after
residents and officials have become
fed up with tourists having sex by its
road signs in recent years.
I’m sure each of them think they’re
the first to think of it but believe me
they’re not,’ one resident told the
Austrian Times.
We are a very traditional
community and we find this sort of
public display shocking.’ Tourists
also visit to take photos with the signs
and they have even stolen them in
the past. But villagers, known as
‘Fuckingers’, have now put their feet
down and declared they will no
longer deal with people’s ‘bad jokes’
– and shall henceforth be called
Fuggingers.
Minutes from a council meeting
showed the village, 215 miles east of
Vienna, will be renamed from
January 1, 2021. ‘I can confirm that
the village is being renamed,’ said
Andrea Holzner, the mayor of
Tarsdorf, the municipality to which
the village belongs. ‘I really don’t
want to say anything more – we’ve
had enough media frenzy about this
in the past.’
Jokesters from abroad have been
known to ring up
businesses and ask in
English: ‘Is That
Fucking?’ before
bursting out laughing
and hanging up.
But some people
craftily decided to
make money off the
attention and created
postcards, Christmas
cards and more
recently, a beer called
Fucking Hell.
Pornhub offered free
premium access to residents of
Fucking, and other towns with
names such as Titz in Germany or
Big Beaver in Pennsylvania, in 2018.
The village, which is 215 miles
away from Vienna and right next to
the German border, was first
officially inhabited in about 1070.
But local history suggests a sixthcentury
Bavarian nobleman called
Focko actually founded the
settlement, and a map dating from
1825 used the spelling Fuking. Just
across the border in Bavaria in
Germany, there is another village
called Petting. It understood the
mountain of Wank, in southern
Germany, will be keeping its name.

C
M
Y
K
They say the darkest hour is just
before dawn. This saying has
come true again. Just as we were
celebrating the announcement of three
efficacious vaccines by the medical
world, a universal spike in COVID 19
shook the rest of the world. With this
has come the numbing news that a more
contagious mutant which may or may
not respond to the vaccines is rapidly
finding its way into communities and
nations.
The rise in infections is understandable
even if it is not excusable. We live in a
world of ‘fundamental human rights’ and
people will go the extra mile to defend
those rights even when some of those
rights are injurious to their health. The
fear of COVID 19 has forced many
governments across the world to curtail
the right to movement and association
of their citizens. Many people have
fought back, aided in some cases, by
populists and right wing leaders. The
result is that the world was unable to
have a uniform response to the
lockdown. And in this age of massive
travels within a global village, we are
all as strong as our weakest link. There
are those who obeyed the lockdown rules
but felt the need to get out to clear the
cobwebs in their heads. There are those
whose businesses had been on lockdown
since the beginning of last year and
were desperate to breathe some life into
them. Then there is the category of social
animals who missed the gaiety of
gatherings. Some of them had deferred
their weddings and anniversaries till the
end of the year hoping the virus would
have miraculously disappeared by then.
All these have resulted in cross
movements and contacts.
While the need for human interactions
and the desire of people to have their
‘lives back’ are understandable, the
lowering of guards or complete disregard
for COVID 19 protocols by some cannot
be excused – there are many places in
Lagos where those who insist on wearing
masks are disdained; there are people -
some of them enlightened - who
describe those who are still reluctant to
embrace social gatherings as being
When Senator Magnus Abe
last Monday insinuated
that followers of the minister
of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi,
were running loose in Rivers State, it
again brought to light the fickleness
in relationships among Nigeria’s
political class.
His assertion followed what he
alleged as the disruption of a
gathering of his supporters in
Buguma City by those inclined to the
minister, the previous day.
Though Abe did not mention
Amaechi by name, the insinuation that
the minister’s foot soldiers disrupted
the gathering was suggestive of where
blame should be.
Remarkably, Abe went on to link the
sponsor of the violence against his
supporters as
the same person
people who also
allegedly
instigated
violence
a g a i n s t
supporters of
Nyesom Wike
in the period
leading to the
2015 election.
It was as such
implied that
Amaechi or his
associates had
b e e n
employing
violence as a
means of
political
expression from
his time as
governor.
If Amaechi could walk
away from Sir Peter and
Justice Mary Odili after
a closer relationship,
then the moral court
will not find Abe guilty
despite all the ‘dirty
things’ Amaechi was
alleged to have done in
the night of December
12, 2016 to return Abe
to the Senate.
Given Amaechi’s usual sermons
about propriety, it is a claim that will
be difficult for many to believe.
But coming from Abe who had
journeyed with Amaechi for close to
20 years, that claim should not be
Reading signs of the times
paranoid. This is not to mention the
increasing number of packed gatherings
with absolute no thought to the virus. All
of these have made us all – and not just
the careless -very vulnerable. The infection
has come so close to home now that one
can literally touch it. Everyday, people I
know, people I am close to, people I love,
people who are family, are getting
infected.
Our government, like most governments
across the world, has again decided to
tighten restrictions. But what seems
inexplicable is that some government
agencies are refusing to read the sign of
the times and are still ‘doing business as
usual’. Ideally, the current situation should
mean anything that has to do with people
aggregating at a place be discouraged. A
visit to the airport will remind you of how
tardy and cumbersome our immigration
process and indeed an entire travel
experience can be. It is not unusual for
passengers to spend two or more hours
in the closeted and cluttered environment
that is the Lagos Airport. They come out
tired only to meet evacuating conditions
that are out of tune with modernity and
the reality of the current times.
Another example of government
agencies not reading the sign of the times
is the deadline initially given for the
alignment of sim card with National
Identification Number (NIN). I don’t know
how many people have been captured on
NIN. Let’s say it is about half. It would
have been a herculean task to capture fifty
easily shaken off. Your correspondent
can also share his disappointment and
disbelief with Amaechi following news
reports in December 2016 that he was a
principal facilitator of the violence that
characterized the
December 2016 National
Assembly rerun elections.
According to news
reports, Amaechi was on
ground to deliver all three
APC Senate candidates
with Abe the most
pressing. It was claimed
that after not supporting
Abe in the 2015
governorship election that
Amaechi saw it as his duty
to return Abe to the Senate
by hook or crook.
Amaechi ensured Abe
and Andrew Uchendu
were returned to the
Senate on the ticket of the
APC in that blood tainted
election.
Given the solidarity
between the two men at
that time it is now
shocking that their opposing interests
froze out their party in the 2019 General
Election. Of course, that was to the
cheer of Governor Wike.
But how did it happen? It is claimed
that Amaechi embarrassed Abe in his
SATURDAY Vanguard, , JANUARY 9, 2021—21
per cent of 200 million people in two weeks
given our ponderous way of doing things.
And then you wonder why the
rush or even the fuss. As it is,
most Nigerians have been
captured on BVN,Driving
Licences and International
Passports. The personal details
in these instruments are
virtually the same. I am sure
there are more seamless ways
of getting these details merged
with phone sims without
people having to camp out at
the designated offices for NIN
or service providers during
these virus infested times. I am
sure we the people need more
enlightenment from our
leaders on what is suddenly
so urgent about the alignment
that people have to risk their
lives at a time prudence and
common sense suggest they
should be home. I am sure
foreigners who live among us
will want to know their
position. Do they stand the risk of losing
their phone numbers because NIN?
What the average Nigerian needs now
is help to cope with these dire times; what
they need now are palliatives and I am
not talking about the ones that were
misappropriated or stolen by some officials.
I am talking about genuine relief –
physical, mental, financial and spiritual –
Abe And Amaechi: Conspiracy Tales
home by telling him he would not be
governor. Whether true or not, the
fracture between both men grew ever
since. Abe’s demand for a level playing
level ground for all aspirants ahead of
the 2019 General Election did not help
matters.
Some would say that Amaechi after
putting his life and line for Abe to go to
the Senate that the senator was being
ambitious.
Was he?
Those who say so are sometimes told
to look back at the relationship between
both men over the years.
Amaechi had recently been quoted as
saying that over 80% of the present
political actors in the state were nurtured
or helped by him. That obviously could
include Abe. Abe was an All Peoples
Party, APP member of the House of
Assembly between 1999 and 2003,
having won his election outside the Peter
Odili structure.
It is alleged that Amaechi as Speaker
wooed him over to the PDP and helped
in his appointment as commissioner for
information in Odili’s second term.
If anyone was loyal or passionate to
Odili, Abe was also such a man. Your
correspondent met him along with some
other reporters sometime in November/
December 2006 and drew some lessons
from him on the marital harmony that
existed and should still exist between
Sir Peter and Justice Mary Odili.
not another aggro to cap an already difficult
year. Speaking of relief, the much touted one
is the vaccine which has now been dogged
by all kinds of conspiracy theories. It is
understandable to be cautious. Especially
Africans whose ancestors had been used as
medical guinea pigs in the past. But I always
ask those who express their fears of vaccines
verbally or through posts, what the alternative
is to a pandemic that is threatening life in all
ramifications. After all, where would the world
be without vaccines? Government has a role
to play in overcoming the scepticism of its
citizens. There is a characteristic silence on
this front. More importantly, government
needs its best brains out to handle the logistics
of mass vaccination. We have not done well
in this regard in the past. It is one thing to
purchase the vaccine. It is another thing to
get it safely into people’s arms. For example,
if America vaccinated
a million people per
day, it would take the
better part of two
years to vaccinate all
its people with the
required two doses.
You can then imagine
You can then
imagine how
long it would
take Nigeria of
200 million
people at the
rate we do
things!
how long it would
take Nigeria of 200
million people at the
rate we do things!
This is quite apart
from the challenges
of storage and
distribution. This is
not something we
pass through the
usual sloppy
channels. It is also
not something to
assign to political
jobbers. Or to our
kinsmen. There are
Nigerians here and
in the diaspora who are quite knowledgeable
about epidemics. We should find them unless
we want toxic vaccines on our hands.
President Biden just employed a Nigerian to
his COVID 19 team! If she is good enough
for America, she is more than good enough
for us. Nigeria needs to sit up and get its acts
together concerning COVID 19. We need to
read, and follow the signs of the times.
His devotion to Sir Peter at that time your
correspondent gathered, made him name
his first son and child after Peter Odili.
So, when in 2007, Abe, Wike and some
others broke away in the gang-up against
Odili to enthrone Amaechi as governor, it
obviously would have meant much to Abe.
Every time Abe looked at his little son, it
would have pulled at his conscience that
he was in a rebellion against a man he had
found worthy to be his son’s god father.
For those who have followed the events
in Rivers State the assertions and activities
of Abe also push the narrative that he is in
cahoots with Wike to shut out the APC.
But can it be true? It is almost a certainty
that Wike cannot support Abe as a successor
even if he would not mind aiding him to
destabilise Amaechi.
There is also the narrative that Abe
willingly or unwillingly became a tool for
those within the APC leadership and
especially at the presidency who had been
determined to cut Amaechi to size.
Those who push this narrative say that
the deceased Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba
Kyari was well into this game. It is also
alleged that that may have played a role
in the appointment of Abe into the board
of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC.
In the beginning of the APC government
most of the appointments in the South-
South were determined by Amaechi. But
over time that power faded as Kyari
increasingly took control of the
government. It is in that light that Abe was
supposedly empowered to humiliate
Amaechi.
It is tempting for the Amaechi crowd to
see the actions of Senator Abe as insulting
and as a betrayal. However, they should
not.
If Amaechi could walk away from Sir Peter
and Justice Mary Odili after a closer
relationship, then the moral court will not
find Abe guilty despite all the ‘dirty things’
Amaechi was alleged to have done in the
night of December 10, 2016 to return Abe
to the Senate.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Recent developments in our space
have brought up the issue of
doing DNA tests on children to
the fore. The DNA test is meant to confirm
the paternity of the children. What is
DNA? DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid. Both
parents supply the DNA of a child;that is
where the genes of the child are
warehoused. Genes are units of heredity,
which are transferred from a parent to
offspring and are held to determine some
characteristics of the offspring. The
implication is that everyone inherits the
DNA of both parents. Let us ignore other
technical jargons of DNA and concentrate
on why DNA tests to determine paternity
has become an issue.
According to Wikipedia, “a DNA expert
from Lagos University Teaching Hospital
claimed that 30 per cent of the Nigerian
men who went to paternity testing centers
(paternity testing laboratories) were not
the biological fathers of the children in
their custody.” While this figure is not
representative of the Nigerian
population, 30 per cent remains a high
figure. About six years ago, the
manufacturers of Durex condoms
conducted a survey, which
showed that Nigerian
wives are the most
unfaithful in the world.
How they came about this
result and how we came
first in this list of shame are
still inexplicable to me
because we are
supposedly a very
religious, conservative and
traditional society.
Infidelity puts a knife on
one of the fundamental
threads that hold
marriages in place: trust.
What is trust? Trust, in the
context of marriage, is a
belief that your spouse is
good, reliable and honest.
Marriage is based on trust.
If you do not trust the
person you want to get
married to, do not go ahead. That is my
gospel to everyone preparing for
marriage. But some go ahead because of
lust, desperation or the belief that they
can change their potential spouse. I have
also said severally that in marriage,
expect change from only one spouse: you.
But there are
some husbands,
who look like they
were spectators
rather
participants in the
production of their
children
DNA test? Why not? But...
You have no right to demand that your
spouse should change from what you
knew before marriage to fit your
expectations. So, if you take your
korokoro eyes enter one-chance
marriage, anything you see inside,
take.
But some of these cases, leading to
DNA tests to determine the paternity
of the children, have nothing to do
with trust at the time of wedding. The
breach of trust happened after the
m a r r i a g e s
commenced. Breach
of trust shatters
spouses; it strips the
husbands naked in
public. There are few
things as
traumatising as
unknowingly
bringing up another
man’s children,
thinking they are
yours. I can never
understand why
than some wives are so
callous and mean to
husbands they
profess to love. I
watched a man
weeping profusely
on television after
finding out that the
37-year-old man he
had called son from birth is not his
biological son. It was a very sad sight.
When push comes to shove, every
husband or man in doubt has every
right to do DNA test to confirm the
paternity of his “children.” Why
spend the rest of your life in doubt
and torment? It is physically and
mentally draining. But not every
man needs to do tests to confirm the
paternity of his children. For some,
res ipsa loquitur (the fact speaks for
itself). I saw a man with an unusual
shape of head in a church one day.
His three sons with him had the
same unusual shape of head. What
does he need a paternity test for?
My eldest daughter came to me
and accused me of passing on my
“scattered teeth” to her. She also
accused me of passing on my poorlyshaped
legs to her. She did not stop
there, when we travelled home on a
short holiday, she examined her
grandmother’s legs carefully and
exclaimed: “Mama, so you gave my
father the ugly legs that he passed
on to me.” Beyond our striking facial
resemblance, we have other similar
features. Why do I need a DNA to
confirm that she is my daughter?
Two of my sons are replicas of their
older cousins (my brother’s
children). Situations like these are
the res ipsa loquitur.
But there are some husbands, who
look like they were spectators rather
than participants in the production
of their children. The children look
like, and have all the features of,
their mothers, but no visible features
to link them with their fathers.
Those are some of the situations that
breed suspicions. Even worse, the
children may have some features of
their mother’s ex or a boss or
colleague in the office. For such men,
if you are in doubt, find out. But I advise
such men to do it discreetly so that if it is
false alarm, they can carry on as if nothing
happened. If you accuse your wife falsely, it
can set your home on fire. The wounds of
such distrust scarcely heal. I have heard of a
wife, who asked for divorce, on grounds of
distrust, after the DNA results returned
negative.
But every husband whose mind is in turmoil
has a duty to put his mind at rest. I know of
a man, who had some suspicion about one
of his children, who looked different from the
rest of his children at birth and in infancy.
He had a discussion with the wife. She was
not angry about her husband’s suspicion, but
had a good laugh. He assured the man that
the baby was his; that she had never cheated
on him. The boy is now a teenager and the
features of the father have manifested; he
also looks like the older siblings. Please have
a heart-to-heart talk with your wife. If you
are still unconvinced, do a DNA test
discreetly instead of dying of high blood
pressure. Some men decide to allow sleeping
dogs lie. If you are comfortable that way, so
be it. There was a photo of a Zambian couple
with their little baby that went viral. Their
baby looked every inch Chinese, and the wife
works with the Chinese. Coincidence? The
husband claimed the baby is his, so it is. Abi
you want swallow paracetamol for another
person headache?
But one sure way of nipping this problem
in the bud is to engage in natural family
planning and baby sex pre-selection with
your wife. Here you track her monthly cycle
together. With a little investment in
knowledge, patience and discipline, you will
know when to engage in intercourse if you
want a male or female child. If you do that,
you know when the baby was conceived, so
there is no room for suspicion later. Natural
family planning means the wife will not use
any artificial methods of birth control. It also
means couples will stay off sexual intercourse
when the wife is unsafe, except they want a
baby at that time. It also means the couple
will stay off sex to avoid confusion in the last
five days preceding ovulation, learn a little
more about reproduction, the X and Y
chromosomes and timing of intercourse to
determine the sex baby you want: boy or girl.
You need to make a little sacrifice but the
gains are overwhelming: determining the sex
of your children and certainty of paternity. I
am a living witness.
Crises are part of our being as
human, they come in different
forms. Ability to crawl out of them
makes one stronger. These are definitely
not the best of times for the White House of
the Nigerian banking sector.
Chief Subomi Balogun and his First City
Monument Bank (FCMB) are grappling
with the effect of what has become a viral
scandal. There are widespread allegations
that the Managing Director of the bank,
Adam Nuru and a former employee, Moyo
Thomas, got too close for comfort.
It is pretty difficult for me to wade into
this crisis because only God knows the truth.
At the same time, there are earthly avenues
to sort things out. Until these are fulfilled,
it does not sound tidy to jump into
conclusions.
Even in law, an accused person is
presumed innocent until found guilty by a
court of competent jurisdiction. This is also
not exactly the case of Adam and Eve in
the Garden of Eden.
I have drawn biblical allusions here
because Chief Balogun will be a sad man
now. One has to understand where he is
coming from and why this trending scandal
is not only a huge embarrassment but a
pain in the neck.
The founder of FCMB has never failed
to credit God for all he has achieved in his
almost 87 years of existence. Life has not
been a bed of roses, yes. Out of vicissitudes
came the monumental white structures
littered all over.
Born a Moslem, the Ijebu prince
converted to Christianity early enough and
owes much of his moulding to teacher
Festus Oluwole Segun of Igbobi College,
Lagos. The mentor climbed up the ladder
in the Anglican Church.
Bishop Segun was provost of the
Cathedral Church of God, Marina, Lagos
for 10 years before moving to the North as
Bishop of Northern Nigeria. In 1975, he
returned to Lagos to replace Seth Irunsewe
Kale as Bishop and served until 1985 when
Bank born in church near lagoon
Moses Adetiloye stepped in.
That upbringing became the force
that worked positively towards the
establishment of First City Merchant
Bank in 1982. Reward may not come
immediately in any good we do. The
lesson is to be good at all times.
During the war when many from the
Eastern part of the country fled to
Biafra, they did not reckon with some
of the after effects. Landlords in Port
Harcourt were forced to die of heart
attack simply because the houses which
they sweated to build had been taken
away and labelled ‘ Abandoned
Property’.
In Lagos, Balogun had a neighbour,
Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme. The
house Ekwueme built was maintained
by his buddy while many did not get
the same treatment. Balogun thus
helped his pal to bounce back to life in
good time while his erstwhile
millionaire brothers were further
pauperized by a miserly 20 pounds
decree.
Good begets good. In 1979, Ekwueme
became Vice President of Nigeria. He
worshipped at the same Cathedral
Church of Christ, known to Bishop
Segun and Chief Balogun. You would
not believe what happened inside that
church.
Chief Balogun had been struggling
to get licence for a merchant
bank. Bureaucracy tossed
him up and down and was
almost going to push his
dreams into the blue
Marina across the church.
He got to church early
enough and wanted his
friend, the Vice President,
to just say hello. Tight
security would not let that
be. The chief and his wife
did not give up. One of
them had to touch
Ekwueme’s Ishi Agu attire,
like the woman with the
issue of blood did in the
Bible.
That was the miracle.
Ekwueme turned, saw his
friend and wife. Right there
inside the church, Balogun
opened up on his banking
licence frustrations and the
Vice President asked him to
consider it done.
That was how Balogun
who had left ICON
Merchant Bank as Executive Director
became the first Nigerian to solely set
up a merchant bank. FCMB was
therefore born in a church near the
Lagoon.
You see why holiness means a lot. This story
of Adam and Eve maybe part of temptation. It
is morally wrong to sleep with another woman
while you are legally married. The court and
DNA tests may have to come in.
It is also wrong to condemn an organisation
simply because two employees were alleged
to have gone too close to themselves. This is
like calling all Nigerians looters because some
politicians are busy pillaging our
commonwealth.
I feel for the two children who have become
objects of ridicule. No test has been carried out
to determine that they do not belong to Dayo
Thomas. May his soul rest in peace. Many are
condemning Moyo.
The man at the centre,
Nuru, has not spoken.
I think there are
Even in law, an
accused person is
presumed innocent
until found guilty by
a court of
c o m p e t e n t
jurisdiction. This is
also not exactly the
case of Adam and
Eve in the Garden of
Eden
many hypocrites
around us. Marital
issues are not solved
through social media.
Some of those who are
shouting crucify him
are worse than he
goats. They are
making life miserable
for these kids.
In all these, I know
calm will return. I want
to enjoy more of FCMB
Christmas carols.
Chief Balogun loves
children, that caused
him to donate his
Otunba Tunwase
National Paediatrics
Center, Ijebu Ode to
the University of
Ibadan.
The guilty should be
afraid. Truth will
prevail. An acting MD, Yemisi Edun, has taken
over. She was one of the three Executive
Directors. And out of the three, two are women.
Definitely, the bank allowed them to climb on
merit.

Trump is a symbol of white supremacy.
White is supreme. Trump was president. It
didn’t matter what he grabbed and whom
he grabbed; white women voted for him. He
was white, brash and bare-knuckled against
racial niceties as whites should be. And they
liked him so. Political correctness is white
cowardice.
If Trump weren’t white, he might have been
on the sex offender’s register. But since he
was the epitome of white purity, he got away
with everything.
Trump said he could shoot someone on
the fifth avenue and get away with it. We had
thought it was an exaggeration or a truthful
hyperbole. But it has become an
understatement. Trump has shot the republic
in the heart and will get away with it.
He committed egregious impeachable
offenses, did naked quid pro quo, used
official position to his private advantages,
appointed his children to high offices, and
let them run everything and bully people.
He got away with a few scratches.
White is supreme. If Trump were black and
used foul words, conjured pejorative epithets
for political opponents—Nasty Nancy,
Crooked Hillary—chewed taboos like a
baby chewing candy, Trump would never be
an American president. But white makes
things soft and blurry. He showed his color;
his color is extreme-white. When Trump
started, he created ‘lying Ted’, mocked the
disabled, and demonized the media. He
could have been stopped. If he were black,
he would have been labeled unstable,
uncouth, uncivilized.
During the 2016 campaigns, he said he
would jail his opponent. If it were in Africa,
the US secretary of state would have flown
in to issue warnings about free and fair
elections. When he pressured the Justice
ministry to re-open investigations against
Clinton, America didn’t remember the rule
of law. When he pressured Ukraine to
investigate Biden, his 2020 potential
opponent, most American lawmakers stood
by him, encouraged evil, and Trump labeled
the impeachment process a witch-hunt.
We all saw Trump side with racist groups
and praise Klu Klux klan in the open. They
saw him call African countries shit-hole
countries. Before then, he had done the knee
jerk Muslim countries visa ban. But Trump
White is supreme: Trump has
undressed America’s hypocrisy
is the real white, so whatever he did was
tolerated since he served white prejudices
like none other. He was the man brought
in to deal a blow to the pretensions of
equality.
Nobody of any other
race could have lied so
much, behave like an
inebriated urchin, yet
be venerated by many
millions. He got 70
million votes in 2020.
The same man who
was so verbally
incontinent he once
told the dying public
that bleach in addition
to hydroxychloroquine
could cure COVID. He
didn’t bother with what
the doctors thought of
his prescription. Some
of the doctors were
willing to bow before
him and inhale bleach.
If Trump weren’t
white, he might have
been on the sex
offender’s register.
But since he was the
epitome of white
purity, he got away
with everything
With Trump,
narcissism became a
virtue, and fulminating
ignorance in the white
house became national
strength. He made his advisers redundant,
and they thought him a genius. Only when
he booted them out of office did they come
back to their senses.
Trump didn’t dissemble. No-one was
fooled. He announced he wouldn’t accept
election results months before the election.
He rejected the results and pressured state
officials to repudiate the results. Trump and
his Republican lackeys flooded the courts
with election suits. They were
almost all thrown out. Some
of them were so comical they
invited inquiries into Trump’s
sanity. Yet 90% of the
republican party continued
to back his effort to denigrate
American democracy.
It’s baffling. Trump pours
his scorn on African
countries, yet many Africans
thoughtlessly worship him as
a deity and work for his
political longevity with
prayers and fasting. Trump
insulted the hell out of senator
Cruz in 2016, but Cruz has
become Trump’s altar boy. A
devotee who would rather
have American democracy
truncated than Trump yield
to the wishes of the American
people.
Only a white man can be
Trump. Black and Latino
versions of Trump would
have had inescapable jail careers in their
youths. And if any of them got to adulthood
through all the crookedness and ended in
politics with such a filthy mouth, stinking
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—23
past, and irreverent ways, he would have
quietly been trashed at his political infancy.
But Trump, who bragged about grabbing
women by their genitals and violating them
through his star power, has remained the
Messiah. His sins weren’t overlooked; they
weren’t sins. The symbol of white
supremacy was beyond sin.
He promised to Make America Great
Again. So he tried to destroy NATO and
the WHO. He dumped climate change and
frolicked with Putin, Duterte, and Kim
Jung un. He killed alliances and damaged
American values. And they cheered him.
They were delirious; their savior had come.
Perhaps the same kind of greatness Hitler
promised Germans and got them
intoxicated enough to join him in doing
things mad people wouldn’t do.
He did great things. He once teargassed
protesters in Washington to walk to a
church’s door and take pictures holding a
bible. He went there escorted by great men
and military Generals. They didn’t deem
him infantile.
So it wasn’t quite disgusting to see
protesters besiege and ransack the Capitol.
Didn’t he, on national television, tell the
Proud Boys to stand by? Despite the outrage,
it wasn’t obscene; it was all too foreseeable.
A president inciting people to attack the
legislature. That might be the denouement,
but the plot had been bare for a long time.
Perhaps it was nice to see the Capitol police,
who had early warning of this protest,
capitulate and let white supremacists
march into the hallowed chambers of
American democracy with flags of bigotry.
It was all about whiteness, so the police
were polite.
If Trump were black, he would have
contained himself or booked a bedspace
in an asylum. No one would worship the
mischief of a black man in America. Except
if the black man took to evangelizing white
supremacy. But even then, despite the
overzealousness he might possess, he would
be labeled a counterfeit. Imagine a black
president renaming the CNN Corrupt
News Network and the majority in the
American senate cowering?
White is a privilege.
I thank God for sending Trump our way.
He laid bare the hypocrisy of America.
s the TV showed Wednesday
Anight, as a mob stormed the
United States of America’s national
legislature, I bemoaned Africa’s weak
democratic institutions.
Now and then, my “Big Sister,”
Professor Tess Onwueme, she who has
been nominated for the Literature Nobel
Prize, that giant of African and world
poetics, one of the purest diamonds that
God decorated Nigerian intellectual
firmament with, came across on the
phone to ohhhhh and ahhhhh at the
sorry sight.
On leaving her, I would return to my
phone conversations with Prof.
Kingsley Macebuh—the younger
brother of that incomparable original
thinker, the late Dr. Stanley Macebuh,
trying to make sense of the American
tragedy and its lessons for Nigeria.
Ambassador George Obiozor (ah!
another Prof), once told me at the Abuja
Sheraton Hotel in 1999, that Dr Stanley
Macebuh was Nigeria’s Immanuel
Kant, and were he still alive, he would
have given a stimulating insight into
how the insurrection would affect the
US for he was a philosopher; hey!
Stanley was already an Associate
Professor at the City College of New
York and Columbia University when he
returned to Nigeria.
Obiozor made me study Kant, (1724–
1804), still the central figure in modern
philosophy, despite the passage of the
centuries. Kant once enthused: “Our
age is the age of criticism, to which
everything must submit” and that
“Enlightenment is about thinking for
oneself rather than letting others think
for you”, according to the essay, What
is Enlightenment? There, Kant
expresses the Enlightenment faith in
the inevitability of progress; a few
independent thinkers will gradually
inspire a broader cultural movement,
which ultimately will lead to greater
freedom of action and governmental
reform. A culture of enlightenment is
“almost inevitable” if only there is
“freedom to make public use of one’s
reason in all matters.”
So, how much reason goes into
government actions? Why did reason
not tell US President Donald Trump that
US assault on democracy
acy;what
lessons for Nigeria?
Joe Biden won the election clean and
square?
What lessons lie for Nigerians in
the sacking of the
US Congress?
What if President
O l u s e g u n
Obasanjo had lost
the 2003
presidential
elections to Buhari?
What if Obasanjo’s
Vice-President,
Atiku Abubakar had
won the 2007
election, would
Obasanjo have
allowed that result
to stand? What if
the incumbent
President,
Muhammadu
Buhari had lost the
2019 election? What
would have
happened?
I ask these
questions because
if any supporters of
any Nigerian
president had
stormed the National Assembly as
we saw on TV on Wednesday night,
blood would have flowed across
Nigeria as it would have assumed
ethnic and religious colourations.
Nigeria stood at the brink of the
History will
terribly condemn
some leaders for
debilitating,
instead of
strengthening,our
democratic
sinews
precipice when Obasanjo lost the third
term bid. But I will forever thank
Obasanjo for knowing where to stop
once the Senate
voted down the
scheme. What if he
had dared
everybody? What if
some tough official in
his administration
had employed real
strong arm tactics
against say, the
National Assembly?
What if former
President Goodluck
Jonathan did not
concede defeat to
Buhari but had
attempted to stop or
reverse the release of
the results which did
not favour him?
Please consider
this: At 3:33 a.m.,
Thursday morning,
Mr. Joe Biden
received 270
Electoral College
votes. At 3:39, the
count was finished.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar read the results—
Mr. Biden’s victory—to a standing
ovation from both sides of the aisle.
Vice President Mike Pence completed
his duties and announced Mr. Biden
as the winner just after 3:40 a.m. And
Pence is VP to Trump. Get the
meaning? Mr. Pence had said he
would obey the US Constitution …
and he did. The US Congress had sat
from 1pm on Tuesday till 3: 40 am,
Wednesday Trump was President but
he could not send the FBI, the Police
or the Army to sack the Congress.
Trump did not know where to stop.
He tried to uproot the foundations of
American democracy but failed. Would
the members of the Buhari
administration know when to stop if
things went against them? Of course,
I remember how a sitting Chief Justice
was treated and a security agency
invaded the National Assembly, but
who has checked the effect of such
on Nigerian democracy? An aide to
Obasanjo, when it looked like Dr Alex
Ekwueme would win Peoples
Democratic Party nomination to
contest the 2003 presidential election,
asked me pointedly: “What if
Obasanjo would invite the military to
take over power? Who will stop him”?
That aide, from Delta state, is in
Britain now.
I shudder at such scenarios.
Democracy is fragile; Gen. Ibrahim
Badamosi Babangida annulled a free
and fair election and that still haunts
Nigeria. To that we are adding
Buhari’s suspected one-sidedness,
killer herdsmen issue, disappearing
Naira value. They will fester.
Leaders’ shortsightedness bear
disastrous results. But don’t ask how
Americans elected Trump; ask the
same question of yourselves.
What if a Nigerian Trump were to
ask the courts or our National
Assembly TODAY to reverse an
election result? I shudder; our
democratic institutions are really
fragile and when we humour dictators
we enable them and enfeeble
democratic institutions. National
legislators and state Governors were
more democratic and independent
under Obasanjo than today. What
about the judiciary? What about
Nigerian Federalism? And is that not
retrogression? Ah! history will terribly
condemn some leaders for
debilitating, instead of strengthening,
our democratic sinews.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Life of a present day journalist
Two decades of Simon Kuper's pioneer move
This week 26 years ago, I started office
life. Wearing a cheap suit and
awkwardly knotted tie, I clicked
through the security gate at One Southwark
Bridge, London, the FT’s office from 1989
to 2019 — and a sick building if ever I saw
one. At about 5pm that first day, the full
horror of the office-worker’s existence
dawned on me. School had done its job of
preparing me for the regimented daily
tedium. But at least school generally ended
mid-afternoon. In the office, long after the
January night had fallen, my new colleagues
kept bashing away at their computers in a
room where the windows didn’t even open.
Careers spent seated under fluorescent lights
had denatured their bodies and skins. One
day, I realised, I would be them. I’m not big
on Wordsworth, but I remembered the lines
that John Mortimer’s fictional barrister
Rumpole was always quoting: Shades of the
prison-house begin to close Upon the
growing Boy I made my escape from the
office early, and have worked from home
for 22 years now. I only hope the pandemic
permanently liberates others from these
inhuman places. Leaf through this issue and
you’ll see some of the things that officeworkers
leave behind each morning. The
family snaps on the edges of Endia Beal’s
portraits are vestiges of what Orwell
satirically called “ownlife”: the suspect
private sphere. Jessica Bernard’s pictures of
absurd “team-building” games stand for the
lost world of play. Hiroshi Okamoto captures
the monkey suits that drain office-workers’
individuality. In Alex Prager’s renderings of
“holiday parties”, the Gothic figures with
rictus grins look straight out of a horror
movie. Saskia Groneberg’s sad office pot
plants are faint signals from distant nature.
All offices are versions of each other,
whether they produce invoices, architectural
drawings or newspaper articles. I recognise
most of the horrors in these pictures, and
remember others. Proper food — scarce
anyway in mid-1990s London — didn’t exist
at Southwark Bridge. The canteen
specialised in British-East German fusion
cuisine. Some people spent lunchtimes at
their desks eating plastic bags, which on
closer inspection turned out to be
sandwiches. In a tiny act of rebellion, a few
like-minded souls and I would go out to a
local coffee shop that was known as “Toilet
Harpers” because it occupied a converted
former public toilet.
From Left: Deputy Governor, Cecelia Ezeilo,
Seadorf and Uzoamaka, Jim Nwobodo and wife
My colleagues were mostly good
company. Say what you will about
journalists, but because the nature of the job
is getting information from other people,
they tend to be sociable types and good
listeners. The profession also has a decent
male-female balance, except at the top. But
I came to realise that my older colleagues
had been institutionalised by office life,
sometimes over the course of 40 years. They
no longer even expected to see natural light
on workdays half the year, except on their
morning walk from home to Tube. Like lifers
in jail, they couldn’t quite cope in the outside
world any more. Some only saw their
children briefly at night, if that. They had
lost contact with old friends because, even
on weekends, commute plus work left them
too drained to leave their neighbourhoods.
Instead, they had shifted their emotional
existence to the office. As in any workplace,
people who had worked together for decades
took care of each other. One colleague told
Second weekend of December 2020 saw the deputy
governor of Enugu State, Cecelia Ezeilo give out her
daughter, Uzoamaka in marriage to Engr Seadorf Emeka
Maduahusi at Aguobuowa in Ezeagu Local Govt Area for the
traditional marriage and church wedding in Enugu.
Below is list of some of the dignitaries that attended the
traditional marriage
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Senator Ken
Nnamani (former Senate President), Senator Jim Nwobodo
(former Governor of old Anambra State) and his wife, Pat,
former Governor Sullivan Chime, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi
(Speaker, ESHA), Hon. Sunday Onyebuchi (former Deputy
Governor), Rev. Dr. Raphael Nwoye (former Deputy
Governor), Hon. Augustine Nnamani (PDP State Chairman),
Rt. Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo (Enugu North/South Federal
Constituency), Hon. Prince Cornelius Nnaji (Enugu East/Isi-
Uzo Federal Constitency), Chief Anayo Onwuegbu.
me she’d gone to confide in the workaholic
managing editor about a personal disaster
that required her to take time off. “You won’t
tell anyone, will you?” she asked him. He
said, “If you only knew half the things people
tell me in this room.” The FT’s editorials in
those days were pretty Thatcherite, but the
workplace was soft-hearted. A burnt-out
case who could no longer write was given a
job ferrying messages between desks. When
a team of expensive consultants performed
a time-and-motion study of our work
processes and recommended sacking him,
the staff rebelled. The flipside of closeness
was excessive socialising. People felt they
had to be there till 7pm anyway, so in those
pre-online days (Southwark Bridge only got
internet in about 1998) they might as well
pass the time chatting. The challenge was
to slack off without the bosses noticing. I hit
on a trick that worked best for white men:
leave a suit jacket draped permanently over
my empty chair, so that whenever a boss
Day Enugu Deputy Gov gave out her daughter in marriage
From left: Okeugo Ezeilo, son of deputy governor;
Cecelia Ezeilo; Bishop Chukwuma and the couple.
Former Enugu Governor, Sullivan Chime and his successor
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in a chat while Cecelia Ezeilo watches
walked by, generally a fellow white man of
similar educational background, he’d think,
“Ah, Kuper, good chap, working all hours.”
Meanwhile, I worried that I would never
escape. Most of my colleagues seemed to
have given up hope. My friends in other
offices, still not quite 30, had already begun
nattering about their pensions. I told a
colleague who actually covered pensions of
my ambition to retire at 30. “Not a chance,
mate,” he said. One day, I saw a man in his
sixties limping through the City with his
briefcase and thought, with horror: that
could be me.
In summer 1998 I went to tell the FT’s
editor that I was resigning. He did his best
to conceal his delight. I said I was going to
freelance, writing a column for The Observer
newspaper. “That’s a leaky ship,” he
frowned. The Observer was founded in 1791,
but life-long office-workers tend to be riskaverse.
Leaving the building, I felt as if I
was handing in my junior membership card
of the Establishment.
But it turned out that even in 1998, all the
technology for homeworking already
existed: the internet, the telephone and the
Tube for those occasional visits to offices. I
no longer wasted hours a day commuting
or chatting. I’d made sure to leave the FT on
good terms, so I continued to sell it the odd
article. I soon realised that it wasn’t the work
that had got me down; it was the workplace.
Popping into Southwark Bridge months
after resigning, I passed a former colleague
on the stairs. She glanced at me with halfrecognition,
stopped, scrutinised me and
said: “You look healthier.” That’s because
on sunny days I worked from a deckchair in
Regent’s Park. I discovered over time that
my three years at Southwark Bridge paid
off. Because I’d spent endless hours with
people at the FT and knew the corporate
culture, a quick email was usually enough
to ascertain whether they’d take an article.
Later the FT gave me a column. When I
realised I could write it from almost
anywhere, I bought a flat in Paris. I suspect
the FT didn’t even notice I’d moved until
years later. After I acquired a family, that
flat became my workplace. It’s where I wrote
this article. Quite accidentally, I had
anticipated a sequence that may now
become common: spend your first couple
of working years in the office getting
acculturated, then gradually detach until
finally you’re living more comfortably and
cheaply 300 miles away. Then the big city
becomes an occasional meeting-place and
playground, instead of an overburdened
human supply chain for 1980s offices. My
commute is now a 12-minute bike ride. I no
longer wear suits. In fact, I’ve spent much of
this longest winter sitting at my desk in a
woolly hat. When I want to talk to someone,
I decide who it is, so I no longer have to
listen to Joe from Graphics talk me through
last night’s Chelsea game while my will to
live fades. When I do have to dress up or see
colleagues, it feels like a thrilling adventure.
Early in the pandemic, about 80 per cent of
employees reported that they liked working
from home, according to research by
McKinsey. I hope they can keep doing it
forever. -
•Culled from Financial Times
Edo govt moves to
sanitise motorcycle,
tricycle operations
T
he Edo State Government has rolled out a
licensing system for motorcycle and tricycle
riders in the state, in furtherance of its efforts
to check the influx of undocumented operators
and curb criminality perpetuated with the motorcycles
and tricycles in the state.
Director of Transport, Ministry of Infrastructure,
Mr. George Aghahowa, in a chat with journalists,
said the government plans to do this with
the introduction of the Edo State Riders’ Permit,
which would build a database of motorcycle and
tricycle riders in the state for ease of identification
and tracking.
According to him, “We have commenced the issuance
of the Edo State Riders Permit. The initiative
is intended to sanitise the operations of tricycle
and motorcycle operations across the state.
While motorcycles and tricycles remain prohibited
in Benin metropolis, it remains a veritable means
of transportation in other major towns and suburban
areas in the state.
“What we intend to do is to create a database
that would profile all those operating motorcycles
and tricycles in the state through the Riders’ Permit
registration scheme and they get incentives to
be enlisted, ranging from unique identification
codes, health and life insurance packages as well as
legitimacy to conduct business within the state.”
He added that another aim of the scheme is to
check the influx of undocumented drivers, who
hide under the guise of riding motorcycles to perpetrate
crime in the state. “We often have incidents
of robberies and kidnappings perpetrated
by those who ride motorcycles. This would be
put to a stop with this initiative, as all others with
permits to conduct business would bear unique
codes identifying them as genuine operators.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—25
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASKED IN THE NEW YEAR:
Are you hooked on more supplements than you need?
“WE all believe that health
is wealth, and we should
spare no expense in making
sure we glow with health
most of the time. One of the
fast fix ways for most of us to
stay healthy is popping all
manner of vitamin pills. Only
recently, it’s been alleged that
many people who take high
doses of certain vitamins and
minerals could be damaging
their health. According to
recent advice from Britain’s
Food Standard Agency (FSA),
most of us don’t need
supplements as we get
enough nourishment from our
food.
Are we then wasting our
money and endangering our
health on supplements or is
it a storm in a tea-cup?
According to the FSA, high
doses of supplements on top
of a balanced diet could take
our intake several times over
the daily allowances of certain
nutrients. It calls for the ban
on the mineral, chromium
picolinate and says that long
term high doses of
betacarotene, Vitamin B6,
nicotinic acid, managanese,
phosphorus and zinc could do
irreversible damage; high
doses of Vitamin C, calcium
and iron may have harmful
though reversible effects; and
high doses of biotin, niacin,
thiamin and Vitamin B12 have
unknown efforts.
FSA reports that its advice
is based on a thorough,
independent and expert
review of available scientific
evidence, though it alleges
that ongoing research into the
effects of some of the Vitamins
and minerals may mean the
advice will have to be
modified at some future date.
According to the FSA,
supplements more than
100mg of Vitamin C, 1,500mg
of calcium or 17mg of iron a
day can cause abdominal
pain, wind and diarrhoea,
and more than 200mg a day
of Vitamin B6 can make arms
and legs numb. It advises that
supplements of more than
7mg a day of betacarotene
may encourage lung cancer
in smokers, and large amount
might increase the risk of
cancer in other people. It is
recommends avoiding
supplements of two minerals
– these are chromium
picolinate (which some
people take to increase their
levels of blood sugar), as
there is an unproven
suggestion that it may cause
certain cancers, and
germanium (which some
people take to increase the
energy they get from food),
as its effects aren’t clear.
These minerals occur at very
low – and safe – levels in
many foods (chromium in
Best ways to soothe indigestion
Most of us have
experienced the
discomfort of indigestion.
Usually due to poor eating
habits, it occurs when the
stomach produces too much
acid, casing a burning sensation
and pain. When the acid is in the
stomach, it is called gastristis.
But, if it leaks into the
Oesophagus (the tube leading to
the stomach), it is called
oesophagitis or heart burn. At
some time, we’ve all paid the
price for spicy food, here are
some tips by nutritionists for
soothing away indigestion:
Turn to nature: Peppermint,
ginger and chamomile all
soother indigestion. They’re
available as teas. Create your
own by adding fresh mint and a
slice of ginger to boiling water
leave for a few minutes, then
meat, while grains, lentils
and spices, for example; and
germanium in beans; tuna
and garlic). It advises,
however, that if you are taking
high doses of Vitamin B6 or
iron because your doctor
advises it, you should
continue. It also says that
supplement of other forms of
chromium (for example
chromium polynicotinate) are
unlikely to do any harm but
advises not taking more than
10mg a day. Though
supplement producers have
maintained supplements are
safe long term, if they
contained no more than the
BOA of each nutrient, the FSA
say it plans to ask supplement
producers to reduce the dose
(and/or provide label
warnings for some high-dose
nutrients.
So are extra nutrients really
helpful? Yes, says the ROA
though it’s nearly always
better to get them from a
strain.
Choose carbs: Carbohydrates
are easy to digest, so opt for a
baked potato or pasta instead of
hard-to-digest proteins, such as
meat. Even fruit and vegetables
can cause upset.
Sidestep spices: Spicy foods
irritate the stomach wall and the
valves leading in and out of it,
making it easier for acid to leak
and cause pain.
Avoid milk: Although it is
alkaline, milk contain
substances which make the
stomach produce more acid.
Avoid junk: Fatty, salty and
sugary foods all irritate and
prolong indigestion. If you’re
promftobouts, cut down or leave
them out altogether.
Stop and rest: Rushing around
triggers indigestion and
encourages acid to leak into
your oesophagus.
Seek heat: Apply some warmth
to the turn. A hot water bottle or
a warm bath encourages sore
muscles to relax.
Check it out: If you suffer pain
or indigestion frequently, check
with your doctor to make sure it
is not a symptom of something
else.
Are we then
wasting our
money and
endangering
our health on
supplements or
is it a storm in a
tea-cup?
healthy diet, partly because
food provides a complex
mixture of nutrients that
encourage each other to be a
absorbed and used well. The
argument that many people
need a daily supplement to
make up for having a poor
diet doesn’t wash, since it is
wiser to buy good food than
supplements. However, it is
true that intensive farming
Short men really do miss
out on sex, according to
a study. Researchers looking
at how people’s height and
weight affected the number
of sexual partners they had
had found short men had the
least. However, they were
surprised to note that tall
men did not always have the
best sex lives.
The study of 60,058
heterosexual men and
women aged 30 to 44 found
that their average number of
sexual partners was eight.
Researches said there was
little difference in the
number of partners across
the height range with one
exception – very short men.
While men of other heights
had a median of seven
sexual partners, those
between 5ft 2in and 5ft 4in
had only five, the team from
Chapman University,
California, found.
Regarding weight, normal
and overweight men
reported the most sexual
and certain modern food
technologies have reduced
that amount of certain
nutrients in food, so our diet
may not always supply
enough.
Who needs extra nutrients?
Women with heavy periods
may need extra iron (discuss
with your doctor). Women of
child-bearing age, or
pregnant should take a daily
0.4mg of folic acid. Pregnant
or breast-feeding women
should take a daily 10cg
Vitamin D while some older
people may need Vitamin D
(discuss with your doctor).
Most children aged six
months or two years (or five,
if they don’t eat a wide range
of foods) should take Vitamin
A, C and D drops. Some
researchers would like
everyone to take a multimineral
and vitamin
supplements (“multi”),
others, say that this is money
down the drain. Some
nutritionists are more specific,
saying, for example, that a
multi is wise for elderly
people (since they no longer
absorb nutrients as well) and
those who are stressed or
unwell (since they need more
of certain nutrients – for
example, Vitamin B and C).
Taking a multi and eating a
healthy diet means that you
may get a surplus of some
nutrients. That might not
really matter since even if the
multi contains 100 per cent of
the RDA of certain nutrients,
your total intake of anyone
nutrient still won’t be very
high. However, it’s very wise
to avoid high dose
supplements, unless
recommended by a doctor,
dietician or well qualified
nutritionist.
Why short men have fewer lovers
partners, while underweight
men had the least.
Underweight women also
had notably fewer partners,
said the journal Evolutionary
Psychology.

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
How man killed his colleague for
N70,000 in Benue
By Ifeanyi Okolie
Operatives of the Force Intelligence
Response Team, IRT, have
unraveled the circumstances
surrounding the gruesome murder of a
middle-aged man, Francis Atache, whose
corpse was found in a bush at Makurdi,
Benue State, in August 2020.
Atache, who was a staff of
the National Open
University of Nigeria,
NOUN, in Benue State, was
said to have been attacked
and robbed by some gunmen
on his way back from work
while his lifeless body was
dumped in a bush.
It was gathered that the
police in Benue State was
alerted when residents of the
area found the decomposing
corpse and the police, during
its investigations arrested
one Ikon Danasabe, also a
staff of the National Open
University of Nigeria,
NOUN, who was said to
have had a feud with the
deceased few days before he
was killed.
Sources disclosed that
Danasabe denied killing
Atache at the time he was
interrogated by the police
and he was subsequently remanded at the
Makurdi Correctional Center, on a holding
charge, which was obtained from a
Magistrate Court.
Vanguard gathered that since Danasabe
wasn’t charged for murder and the
Makurdi police had no strong evidence
linking him to the crime, which may see
him being set free by the court, relatives of
late Atache then promptly wrote a petition
to the Inspector General of Police, Adamu
Mohammed, asking him to order an
intensive and discreet investigation into the
matter.
Operatives of the IRT, headed by Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, were
then assigned to investigate the matter
which saw a team of crack operatives
deployed to Makurdi, Benue
State who visited the site
where the corpse was found
as well as the NOUN study
center where Atache and
Danasabe worked. The team
then discovered that
Danasabe was a member of
dreaded Aye Confraternity
and he had a feud with Atache
over the sum of N70,000. The
operatives also discovered
that Danasabe invited his cult
members to help him kill
Atache when he refused to
pay him the said sum.
It was learned that when the
IRT operatives verified this
information and discovered
its authenticity, they visited
the Makurdi Correctional
detention, brought out
Danasabe and re
interrogated him with those
facts and he later confessed
masterminding the killing of
Atache, adding that he had
no other option.
In an interview with Vanguard, Danasabe
who is from the Junkum tribe in Taraba
state, said; “I am a staff of NOUN, Markudi
branch. I am 31 years, I have BSc in public
administration. I started working with
NOUN over 5-years, I started as senior
clerical officer as I used my diploma to
apply for the work. While at work I applied
for school study where I got my BSc from
NOUN. Francis Atache was a junior clerical
•Suspect
officer who worked with me. If I generated
data for students to go and pay their school
fees at the bank, I usually gave him the
money to go and help me pay it.
“On that day, I was preparing to go to
Nassarawa and I gave Francis money to
help me pay for my monthly contribution
organized by one Alhaji. Normally after
some months or years we would collect the
money back with interest. I told him that if
he payed the money he would be given a
paper that would serve as receipt and reflect
my balance. When I came back, I asked for
the paper, he promised to bring it to work
the next day. The next day when I asked for
the paper, he gave one excuse or the other. I
reported him to his elder sister who was
also working in the same office, after two
days that I did not hear from her, I called
her again and she asked me why I gave
money to Francis who was not trust worthy.
“Francis then started threatening me with
gun; I even reported the matter to the
director. I told him that if he wanted to
engage in confraternity war, we should do
Microsoft partnership offer excites Osinbajo
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
I was shocked
when on August
29, police came
and picked me.
They had arrested
some of the boys
who witnessed the
incident. I had no
choice but to tell
them the truth.
Blue chip technology firm, Microsoft
Corporation, has disclosed plans to
partner with the federal government for
the benefit of the Nigerian people, especially
young people.
Specifically, Microsoft is now offering
support for the Digital Transformation pillar
of the Federal Government’s Economic
Sustainability Plan. This will be a continuation
of the technology company’s investment
in Nigeria after the establishment
of an African Technology Development
Centre in 2020, all in affirmation of
the efforts of the Buhari administration in
the creation of a viable technology ecosystem
in Nigeria.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Thursday
noted in a virtual meeting with Microsoft
Corporation team led by its President,
Mr Brad Smith, that the company’s
interest in supporting the efforts of the
federal government is a welcomed development
and could be leveraged to address
issues affecting the youths, especially
in engaging them productively.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President
on Media and Publicity, Office of
the Vice President, Laolu Akande stated
this in a statement he issued yesterday in
Abuja.
According to the statement, While Google
Inc. in July 2020 announced plans to
establish its first Google Launchpad Space
outside the United States in Lagos, Facebook,
in September of same year made
public its decision to open an office in
Lagos as part of its planned expansion in
Sub-Saharan Africa. HUAWEI on the other
hand last November promised the Vice
President that the company will position
Nigeria as a technology center for the
African continent.
Speaking on the need to constantly engage
with the youths, the Vice President
noted that Nigeria’s case is peculiar given
that the youths constitute a larger percentage
of the country’s population hence
the need for all stakeholders to pay more
attention to that demography.
He said, “It seems to me that there is
just a wave of general anger around the
world and people are generally impatient.
Impatient with government, impatient
with practically all of the formal structures
there are.
“But I am open and happy to hear what
views there might be on trying to engage
and engage even more with young people
(and in our case, that is 70% of our
population, if not more). So, we are really
talking not just about the youth population
but the Nigerian populace because
that is the majority.
“So, whatever it is that we are able to
deploy to be more inclusive, to engage
even more, is really a solution for the entire
populace as opposed to a solution for
just a segment of our population especially
given the fact that young people
constitute 70% or even more.”
Speaking on the government efforts in
developing the technology space especially
in boosting viable sectors of the economy,
Prof. Osinbajo noted that “we have
a digital innovation initiative which we
hope will be the foundation for doing far
more in the digital space than we are
doing at the moment.”
Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Smith, noted
that his company’s vision for investment
in Nigeria was one that would lead
to the creation of Africa’s most viable technology
ecosystem.
R-L: Frs Victor Egbuachor; Emmanuel Udu (Director of the home) ; Mr. Peter Obi;
Fr. Simon Azuka; Msgr Simon Amateze; Fr. Ikem Oliobi and Fr. Ernest Nwankwor
during Obi’s visit to their home - Old Priests’ Home at Awka as part of the celebration
of the festive period.
it outside after office hours. Later I reported
the case to the vigilante in our area and he
begged for two days. The two days elapsed
and a week later, I called the vigilante
people to report him again.
“Francis met me the next day and told me
that I should bring a proof that I gave him
the money. He made it clear to me that he
was not going to pay me my money. I was
bitter because I knew at that point he was
not going to give me the money. I contacted
my cult members and asked them to
monitor his movement. There was a place
near a Bishop’s farm where we normally
went to smoke and relax.
On August 5, my cult members who spied
on him got information that he was going
there to buy weed and smoke. I chose that
place to confront him because if anything
should happen, people would assume that
it was a cult fight and would not take it
serious. When he went there with his friends,
about 15 of us went there to meet him. I
confronted him with the issue, my boys
asked him to surrender the money he had
with him. He had more than N70, 000 at
that point which he wanted to use to buy
weed which he would sell at boys’ town. He
refused to surrender the money. Meanwhile
while we were coming, I brought an axe
and the others came with their guns.
“When he refused to bring the money, we
started fighting. He stood up and came after
me, my boys hit him with a stick from the
back and he fell down. He started bleeding
and stopped moving. Everyone was terrified
and ran away from him. I ran home, took
some of my clothes and left my house. I got
information that the police found the body.
We did not hide it, unfortunately I was found
and arrested. I did not expect him to die
like that.
“After some days in police detention, I was
remanded in prison. Meanwhile I told them
that I was innocent. I was shocked when on
August 29, police came and picked me. They
had arrested some of the boys who witnessed
the incident. I had no choice but to tell them
the truth. I denied it initially because they
didn’t have any proof. I did not use the axe
but a stick.
“I was initiated in 2009 into Aye
confraternity by one Ernest. Aye means
African Youth Empowerment. It is normal
for every youth to join one cult group or the
other to earn respect. We still relate with
other cult groups that was why I trusted
Francis so much to give him such money to
make payment for me. I only wanted to
scare him as we normally did as cult
members but he died in the process. I was
not the one who hit him with the stick but I
pinned him down on the ground while my
guys were beating him”..
Obi celebrates Awka
Diocesan elderly priests
*Says life, all about giving
The Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peo
ple’s Democratic Party, PDP, in 2019 elections,
Mr Peter Obi, has eulogised Awka Diocesan
elderly priests, praising their contributions
to the church and society at large, while calling
on people to always show love to others, especially
the elderly ones in the society.
Obi who visited Awka Diocesan Priests Welfare
Home, Awka, celebrated mass with them
and took the reading, described the encounter
as part of how he has chosen to celebrate the
festive period. Further, he described as fulfilling
“to celebrate the elderly ones who had faithfully
served the church and society. it is not
only morally binding, but spiritually rewarding,
to spend time with them, care for them and
tap from their wealth of wisdom and experience.”
Obi who said he loved spending time with the
elderly, encourages the younger ones to always
say ‘thank you’ to them for their good roles in
societal development.
Recalling his association with the elderly as
the Governor of Anambra State, Obi said: “I
organized birthday celebrations and / or took
care of the likes of Prof James Nwoye Adichie
(of blessed memory), Chike Obi etc. These were
elderly people who had invested their youthful
ages in making society better. So I am happy to
be celebrating our elderly priests today”, Obi
said. Obi who also recalled how he spent close
to 40 billion Naira to clear outstanding pension
and gratuities owed by successive governments
of Anambra state since 1990, said that one of
the worst crimes anyone could commit against
humanity was heartlessly withholding the benefits
due to the elderly, be they pensions, gratuities
and so on. Obi encouraged the priests to
continue to live their lives happily, and always
thank God for the gift of their old ages.
Appreciating Obi for what he described as
extraordinary show of love, the Catholic Bishop
of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus
Ezeokafor, represented by the Director, Awka
Diocesan Priests’ Welfare Home, Rev Fr Emmanuel
Udu, said he was not surprised by Obi’s
kind gestures, as showing love to people had
become Obi’s signature.

Firm’s e-commerce Mobile App ensures
free access, easy download for SMEs
Stories by Moses Nosike
Hicolumn, the groundbreaking
e-commerce
Tech, which made
entrant into Nigeria’s online
market sector in November,
ensures free access and download
of its mobile App by merchants,
store owners, small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) with existing
and verifiable businesses within 30
minutes. This is free of any
registration charges.
The Chairman of Hicolumn,
Benjamin Madu, said the mobile
App which can also be downloaded
by consumers from the Google Play
Store and the Hicolumn e-
commerce
website
www.hicolumn.com, comprises the
Hicolumn Customer, Hicolumn
Merchant and Hicolumn Delivery
Apps. These are connected together
and work as one Enterprise
Resources Programme, designed
to give visibility to neighbourhood
stores and connect them directly to
customers anywhere, anytime.
Hicolumn gives merchants, store
owners as well as SMEs the
opportunity of leveraging the
internet to serve or sell to their
existing and prospective customers
without the customers physically
visiting the shops.
The e-commerce Tech also
ensures customers’ usual places of
shopping are made available for
them to choose or change current
location from where orders are
made, for real comfort and
convenience.
According to Madu, “Merchants
can register and setup their stores
for free without difficulties and
start getting orders from
consumers. They don’t need any
delivery facility, but they need to
have goods available in stock for
packaging after receiving payment
n the spirit of Christmas led by
Idivine passion, and with the
objective of promoting a generation
with human values and creating a
community of people, the Indian
Women’s Association had
completed another round of
children support at Orile, a suburb
of Lagos state. This was achieved in
conjunction with the Indian
Christian Congregation. “Abraham
Children” is an charitable arm of
ICC that provides children christian
values for the development of
Nigerian children.
During the interactive session with
the children at the empowerment
programme, President of IWA, Mrs
Geetika Tandon encouraged the
children to be committed to their
studies and continue to trust God,
saying further that as the children
continue to obey their parents, IWA
will continue to support them the
more.
Also in its efforts to continue
helping the less privileged in our
society, Indian Women’s
Association, Lagos, presented a
cheque of N 300,000 each to
Odogbolu Comprehensive High
School and Odogbolu Grammar
School, to support the education of
deserving girl students.
“The cheques were presented to
Kabiyesi of Odogbolu and his queen,
Madam Esther Olori, to be duly
handed over to the school
authorities. Thanks to all the donors
who made this possible”.
Speaking on the responsibility of
IWA, Mrs Tandon said that we gather
Indian women in Nigeria to support
community projects like the one of
“Abraham Children” initiated by
ICC.
“We adopt schools and provide
vocational trainings. During the
COVID-19 we visited Ilupeju Police
Station and LASMA with
palliatives, and IWA donated a lot
of things both government and
private”.
In the same vein, the Coordinator
From Left: Mrs. Titilola Fapohunda, wife of the Chief Operating Officer
(COO) Mouka, with the COO, Femi Fapohunda; the Chief Medical Director,
Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo; Director, Clinical Services and Training, Dr.
Ibrahim Mustapha and Head of Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Dr. Kabiru Rabiu, all of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital
(LASUTH); at the presentation of gifts to the First Baby of the year by
Mouka, at LASUTH, in Lagos.
from consumers.”
He posits that consumers who
have made purchase on the platform
would have prompt delivery of goods
within 20 minutes, with same
quality, same price and faster than
physically being at the stores.
The leading-edge e-commerce
Tech has come to the rescue of
merchants and store owners, who
should see Hicolumn as a cuttingedge
platform that has come to their
neighbourhood, to enable them
become super strong, active online
and not to lose their business focus
to foreign competitors currently
entering their domain, especially in
this period of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic, when
shopping is mostly done online.
Benefits accrued to merchants and
stores partnering on the platform are
increased profitable sales; reduced
cost of operation with less than five
employees; proper inventory
management; and elimination of
threat posed by the current e-
commerce system.
Others include empowering
merchants with the same capacity
of an e-commerce global giant;
customers’ retention on full scale;
reduction of operational cost;
business enhancement through
effective online promotion;
increased merchants’ focus on core
operations; and opportunity for
massive promotion and customer
acceptability.
IWA supports 1000 ‘Abraham children’ in Lagos,
empowers Odogbolu’s schools
From left, President IWA Mrs Geetika Tandon & Treasurer Mrs Rupa Walia
right presenting cheques to Kabiyesi of Odogbolu and his queen, Madam
Esther Olori for the welfare of tOdogbolu’s schools
and Treasurer, IWA, Mrs Rupa Walia
said, “we are here to bring our
people together to render service to
humanity, encourage children to
build human values, and to
celebrate our rich culture and
support charity work in the country
where we operate. Service to
humanity is the best service anybody
can offer.
In a media chart with newsmen,
the General Overseer, ICC,
Santhosh Abraham revealed that
the initiative of ‘Abraham Children’
started in 2020 as a result of the
COVID-19 lockdown where all
Nigerian schools were closed and
many poor children were left
without any formal education or
access to any online education.
“Basic needs like food, shelter and
clothing were also lacking”.
However, as part of our social
responsibility, we decided to adopt
50 children from Orile area of Lagos
to support. To our surprise, there
were almost a response of 1000
children who wanted to be part of
the ministry. Due to the social
distancing terms we decided to call
them in lots of 50 and started
registering them into the ‘Abraham’s
Children’ programme while we
conducted an awareness session
about COVID-19 as well as the
precautions needed to safeguard
themselves during the pandemic
time”.
Abraham further said that
Abraham’s Children is an initiative
developed as part of the charity
outreach ministry of the Indian
Christian Congregation with the
purpose of partially adopting needy
Nigerian children between the age
of 4 to 14 and to provide them with
sound Biblical and social values of
human life and to build them up as
responsible adults that would
contribute to the future of Nigeria.
Abraham said, “We are also open
to work as a channel of blessings for
some overseer ministries that would
like to contribute into the lives of
such needy Nigerian children”.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—27
Stanbic IBTC sets up vocational centre
for young inmates
STANBIC IBTC Holdings PLC, a member of Standard Bank Group, has donated
a vocational centre to one of its host communities. The Finance Department of
the organisation recently built a fully equipped vocational centre at the Borstal
Training Institute (BTI), Abeokuta, Ogun State, as part of its Corporate Social
Investment (CSI) initiative.
The BTI is the Nigerian Correctional Service’s juvenile arm, set up to correct,
train, reform, rehabilitate, and reintegrate young offenders. The vocational centre
built and donated by the Finance Department of Stanbic IBTC at BTI in Abeokuta,
is a facility where young male inmates are exposed to various skills acquisition
trainings like carpentry, tailoring and ICT.
The BTI facility at Abeokuta is one of the three borstals in Nigeria, and it serves
the entire Southern part of the country. The other two are located in Kaduna
and Kwara States.
Speaking on the rationale behind this donation, Omolola Fashesin, Head,
Sustainability, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, said, “At Stanbic IBTC, we pay
strong attention to empowerment, being one of the pillars around which our
CSI initiative revolves. We delight in seeing people succeed and advance
financially, and we empower them to be able to make and act on economic
decisions.”
She added: “To achieve societal and economic empowerment, young people
need the skills and resources to compete in markets, as well as fair and equal
access to economic institutions. This is what we provide at Stanbic IBTC. It is the
beginning of a cumulative process that will allow these young men to develop
the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to succeed.”
Appreciating the staff of Stanbic IBTC’s Finance Department for the positive
contributions to the lives of the inmates, Mojeed Adeniran, Comptroller of
Corrections, Ogun State Command, noted that the donation would help the
skill development of the trainees, as correctional centres serve to correct and
build the capacities of the inmates.
Ahmed Adetola Kazeem, Executive Director, Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy
Initiative, urged other corporate organisations to match the commitment to
social and economic growth, as displayed by Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC.
How Malta Guinness splashes thousands
with Christmas gifts in Lagos
AS part of Malta Guinness’ 30th anniversary celebrations themed: “30
years of Bustling with Goodness”, Malta Guinness set out to bring joy and
spread lots of goodness to thousands of less privileged Nigerians during the
festive season in their campaign tagged: “Malta Guinness Goodness
Splash” in partnership with Aunt Landa Bethel Foundation at the just
concluded Annual Aunt Landa’s free market square charity outreach tagged,
“The Restart Edition”.
This took place at CPM International, Ikotun-Egbe on December 19,
2020 and was met with so much gratitude from the recipients who were
overwhelmed by the show of love as the air was filled with so much emotions,
tears of joy and sincere appreciation to Malta Guinness and the organisers
of the Aunt Landa’s Market Square for the truckload of gifts shared.
In a statement, Ifeoma Agu, Marketing Manager, Premium Non-alcoholic
Drinks, Guinness Nigeria Plc, said “Malta Guinness continues to seek
opportunities to add colour and spread goodness and vitality to our
consumers. The commemoration of our 30th Anniversary affords us a
platform to give back to Nigerians who have chosen Malta Guinness for
the past 3 decades and made us their No.1 choice in Premium Malt Drinks.
We are thankful to Dr. Yolanda N. George-David for the Aunt Landa Market
Square initiative which provided us an avenue to touch lives significantly
this season. I would also want to appreciate our supporting partners- Unilever
Plc, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Plc., makers of Molped and Molfix, Godrej
Nigeria Ltd, makers of Darling Braids, Mouka Ltd, Nestle Nigeria Plc and
GDM Consult for supporting with products to make the “Malta Guinness
Goodness Splash” a huge success. The success of the Malta Guinness
Goodness Splash is a testament that “we always walk the talk” and we
remain Africa’s No.1 Premium Malt drink bustling with goodness, energy
and vitality.
Hollandia Evap Milk, Mercy Johnson-
Okojie unveil holiday kitchen
THE holiday season is a time to focus on celebrating family, friends, the
moments that bring you joy, and importantly an opportunity to indulge in
exciting meals. With this in mind, Hollandia Evap Milk partnered Mercy
Johnson-Okojie to unveil an online reality cooking show tagged “HEM
Holiday Kitchen with Mercy Johnson-Okojie” to herald the holiday season.
“With Johnson-Okojie as the host, the show would also feature the versatile
actress’s family and friends as they share exciting meal recipes with a twist
for the holiday season. The show is designed to nurture Hollandia Evap
Milk’s bond with consumers by inspiring them during the festive period
and in their everyday lifestyle.
Running in four episodes and streamed weekly on Facebook, Instagram
and YouTube, the show will reward consumers through the
#CookwithHEM challenge. For the challenge, consumers are expected to
record a video showing themselves preparing any meal of their choice
using Hollandia Evap Milk.
For their entries to be considered, consumers will have to upload their
video on their personal page, follow Hollandia Evap Milk on Facebook
and Instagram. They must tag the product’s social media handles on the
video, so it can be reposted on the brand’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
They will also have to tag their family and friends to comment and like
their video on the pages.
Every week, 10 consumers with the most interesting meal videos will be
chosen by Mercy Johnson-Okojie. The winners will be announced live at
the end of each new episode’s weekly broadcast and rewarded with cartons
of Hollandia Evap Milk and branded gifts. A total of 40 consumers will be
emerge.
Brand Manager, Hollandia Evap Milk, Mrs. Bose Ogunyemi, stated
that the essence of the “HEM Holiday Kitchen with Mercy Johnson-Okojie”
is to bring the joy and wholesomeness of the holiday season into our
consumers’ homes. By sharing recipes and cooking together, family
moments are made even more special and the yuletide season, even more
nurturing and nourishing.
Experts advocate use of quality pillows for
proper spine alignment
EXPERTS have advocated using quality pillows for proper spine
alignment during sleep to prevent aches and pains that can be detrimental
to physical and mental wellbeing. They have also strongly recommended
Mouka brand of pillows, and mattresses, because of their high quality,
having met the ergonomic standards.
These were the submission of Dr. Onigbinde Ayodele Teslim, National
President, National Association of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists
(NAOMT) and Dr Nnenna Chigbo, PT. President, Nigeria Society of
Physiotherapy (NSP) while urging Nigerians to maintain a healthy sleep
culture for better wellbeing.
Read more on www.vanguardngr.com

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
Tyson 'll easily beat Anthony y Joshua
– Tommy Fury
Former Love Island star Tommy
Fury has predicted that his
'invincible' brother, Tyson, will
dismantle Anthony Joshua in a
historic unification bout.
In a revealing interview with
MailOnline, the 21-year-old boxer
declared it will be the 'easiest fight'
of The Gypsy King's career, while
claiming Tyson's former opponent,
Deontay Wilder, could also finish AJ.
Tommy - who has amassed a 4-0
record at light heavyweight - also
disclosed how his own mental health
struggles have motivated his
burgeoning career and why he
disapproves of celebrities becoming
boxers.
'It's definitely going to be a good
fight but I've always said, from day
one, it will be his easiest fight and I
have no doubt about that,' Tommy
said of the legendary Brit vs Brit
showdown.
'Joshua is tailor-made for Tyson,
what a great build up it's going to be
and what a great fight.'
Tyson, 32, battled his way to the
summit of the heavyweight division
with a rematch TKO victory against
Deontay Wilder in February 2020.
Neymar
convinces Messi
to join PSG
When Neymar left Barcelona for Paris
Saint Germain, Brazilian journalist
Marcelo Bechler was the first one to
come up with the full information on the
move.
Now it seems there’s a compatriot of
his trying to break the news of a similar
transfer, which would be Lionel Messi’s
departure to the French side.
On his Youtube channel Pilhado,
Brazilian journalist Thiago Asmar
claims that sources close to Neymar
have told him the Argentine star is on
his way to PSG.
These people have
claimed that in Whatsapp
conversations, Lionel
Messi told his former
teammate that he’s leaving
Barcelona for the Paris
club in the summer.
It’s said the 33-year-old
was initially keener on
moving to Manchester
City, but he changed his
mind once Neymar started
having regular
conversations with him.
Thiago Asmar makes it
clear the move isn’t
guaranteed, as something
‘unreal’ could still happen,
such as a heavy offer from
Pep Guardiola’s side, but
Messi’s intention now is
to sign for PSG.
What everyone is
probably asking is who
Thiago Asmar is and if
he’s reliable.
The journalist used to be
a reporter for Globo, the
biggest TV network in
Brazil, for many years. He
was edged out last year
after accusations of
harassment, and other
unsavoury incidents.
Since then, he created a
channel on Youtube called
Pilhado which already has
900k subscribers. His
content is mostly made of
opinion pieces and
interviews with famous
footballers.
•Joshua and Fury
FA Cup:
Solkjaer deploys
Ighalo against
Watf
atford
Manchester United
coach Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer has revealed
that Odion Ighalo is
expected to be involved
in some capacity, most
likely as a substitute, in
tonight's Emirates FA
Cup third round clash
against Watford at Old
Trafford.
The former Nigeria
international has
struggled for game time
since the arrival of
Uruguay marksman
Edinson Cavani and has
not figured for the Red
Devils since his late
introduction in a 3-1 loss
to Paris Saint-Germain
on December 2.
It would be an
emotional game for the
Shanghai Shenhua
loanee if the Norwegian
football tactician keeps to
•Neymar and Messi
Ramos won't join Liverpool
The fact that Jurgen Klopp
fielded two midfielders at
the heart of the Reds’ defence
in Monday night’s loss at
Southampton may have
hammered home the Premier
his promise of
fielding the number
25 who spent two
and a half seasons
at Watford, scoring
39 goals in 100
appearances.
Solskjaer said :
"Odion, it's
special for him
against Watford,
he will be
involved, he's in
the squad, he's
been training really
well, he was the top
scorer in round robin we
La Liga: Simeone banks on Lemar
to shoot t down Atle
tletic tic Club
As round 18 action from the 2020-21 La Liga season hots up
this weekend, the top pick of matches for this round sees
Atletico Madrid host Athletic Bilbao at Estadio Wanda
Metropolitano later today. All the top-flight action from Spain
will be live on dedicated Supersport and GOtv channels.
The teams played to a 1-1 draw at San Mames Barria when
they last met (in June 2020, soon after the league’s restart),
with goals from Iker Muniain and Diego Costa. A similarly
tight and tense affair is expected this time around.
Captain of the Basque side, Muniain has called on his team
to lift themselves for the second half of the season: “We have
had difficulties this season, it is true, but we cannot let that
distract us from our goal and look to claim as many points as
possible.”
Atletico coach Diego Simeone, meanwhile, hailed the
influence of Frenchman Thomas Lemar, who has begun to justify
his huge price tag.
“It makes me very happy,” Simeone explained. “He Lemar
has been working for a long time to show what a footballer he
is and what he has inside. There are many games and the better
League champions’ desperate
need to sign a new centre-half –
but the captain of Real Madrid will
not be rocking up at Anfield any
time soon.
The 34-year-old's age, wage
demands and previous, to put it
diplomatically, mean he will not
even be considered as a possible
solution to Liverpool's defensive
dilemma.
The Reds made an exception for
Thiago Alcantara last summer, in
order to add something different
to their midfield, but they have no
interest in a player who does not
fit their profile for a new signing
at all – and particularly one that
remains a hated figure among
supporters for the role he played
in the game-ending injury
suffered by Mohamed Salah in
the 2018 Champions League
final.
However, while Ramos
certainly is not bound for
Liverpool, that does not mean
that he will not end up leaving
Real when his contract expires
at the end of the season.
Firstly, he has no
end of genuine
suitors, with
P a r i s
just finished.
"He's not lost any of his quality, it's been
difficult for him to be out of the squad as
many times because he did really well up
until the summer.
"This season he's not had as many
opportunities and not let himself down as
a professional and a human being.
"He's always a positive influence in the
dressing room. Hopefully I don't need to
put him on that we need goals, but
hopefully he can join in".
Of his 23 appearances for Manchester
United to date, Ighalo has been named in
the starting lineup on seven occasions,
including twice in the Emirates FA Cup.
•Suarez
•Iker Muniain
the group is in general, the better we can
compete.”
Barcelona face a testing trip to Estadio Nuevo
Los Carmenes to face Granada, while Osasuna
will hope to upset champions Real Madrid at
Estadio El Sadar – though Los Rojilos have not
beaten the capital heavyweights in a top-flight
match since way back in 2011.
Saint-Germain leading
the way as long-time
admirers of the most
prolific defender in Liga
history.
Secondly, and far more
importantly, Madrid are
open to letting him go.
Rangers
keen to
keep
Balogun
Glasgow Rangers boss
Steven Gerrard is
hoping to retain Super
Eagles star Leon
Balogun in his squad
beyond the end of the
2020-2021 season.
The former Brighton &
Hove center back joined
the Light Blues on a oneyear
deal last July with
the club holding an
option to extend his stay
for a further year.
With Balogun helping
Rangers keep fourteen
clean sheets in the 18
matches he played,
Gerrard considers the
Nigeria international
one of the club's
valuable assets.
The 32-year-old has
formed a formidable
partnership with Connor
Goldson at the center of
defence.
"All contract chat will
remain private between
players and the club
once they get up and
running," Gerrard told
reporters at Friday's
press conference.
"At the right time, we
will sit down with Allan
McGregor and see what
he wants to do in terms
of his own future.
"Leon Balogun is also
someone we want to
keep hold of".
Confederation
Cup: Enyimba
to face River
ers
Utd or Celtic
Enyimba will face either
Rivers United or South
Africa’s Bloemfontein
Celtic in the play-off
round of the Caf
Confederation Cup.
Following their 4-2
defeat on aggregate to
Sudan’s Al Merreikh in
the Caf Champions
League first round, the
two-time African
champions got relegated
to the second-tier
competition of African
club football.
And going by the
pairing conducted at Caf
Headquarter in Cairo
yesterday, Fatai Osho’s
men would be gunning for
glory – albeit, they must
negotiate their way past
their Nigeria Professional
Football League rivals or
the South African top
flight side.
The second leg first
round clash between the
Pride of Rivers and John
Maduka’s Siwelele billed
for the Adokiye
Amiesimaka Stadium,
Port Harcourt on
Wednesday was called off
by the Confederation of
African Football following
the South Africans’ failure
to get a waiver to fly into
Nigeria from the Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC).

Night of a galaxy of Stars
– celebrating the ‘Chairman’.
TWO nights ago, I hosted my
regular television program,
The Sports Parliament, on Africa’s
largest television network, Nigeria
Television Authority, NTA. It
featured a number of megastar
African football players from
different parts of the continent.
Many persons have wondered how
I pulled it off, getting all of them to
agree to join me in celebrating
‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, a
legendary African player who
played at a time when none of the
6 players on the show was active.
When Anthony Baffoe and I were
discussing the idea a few days
before, and he was listing some
names, the first question I asked
him was: ‘Will they remember who
‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu is?’.
‘Who does not know the
Chairman of African football?’,
Tony responded with his own
rhetorical question. ‘It is like
asking, if I remember
‘Mathematical’”.
He is quite right, of course. I have
known Tony for quite a while. We
did not play in the same era. When
I retired was the time he started in
the next generation with Wole, my
younger brother. They only met the
lingering ‘scent’ of our stardom on
the continent. That was the era
when playing in Europe started,
became fashionable and the
‘umbilical’ links with us were
severed.
In the case of Anthony Baffoe, I
had read about him and his
exploits; how he played all his
professional football in Germany,
speaks German, French and
English very fluently, and played
for the Ghana Black Stars for
many years.
We met a few times several years
after his own retirement when I
was a member of the Players’
Committee of CAF and he was a
very active member of one of the
committees also in CAF and FIFA
at the time. Even at that time, I
could see that he was not your
regular retired player. He was very
educated, eloquent, confident, and
upfront about his intentions to be
an active part of football
administration, not just in Africa
but in the world.
He had the incredible gift of good
human relations – respectful,
inquisitive, friendly, easy going,
smooth and confident.
That’s why it is not a surprise that
he moved up the rung of football
administration in both FIFA and
CAF slowly but steadily. Through
all the crisis in both organisations
over the years he stayed above the
fray and survived, so much so that
currently he is the Deputy General
Secretary of CAF, a very powerful
position in the emerging new CAF.
Do not be surprised, one day soon
he could be sitting on the chair of
either the General Secretary of
CAF or of FIFA, on merit. He is
that good.
“Shall I call and let’s talk with
Yaya Toure, and Patrick Mboma,
and Samuel Eto?” Anthony asked
me.
“They may not know Chairman’,
I insisted.
“Look why do you underestimate
African footballers? We know our
history. Samuel Eto knows African
football history very well. Like
Yaya Toure. You too, you know so
much about the history of African
football. We know ourselves’.
Most of our generation have
disappeared from the radar of
African football. I used to have the
contact of many well-known
This is to thank
Anthony Baffoe, Abedi
Pele, Yaya Toure, Jay
Jay Okocha, Godwin
Odiye, Emmanuel
Merenini, … and all
the parliamentarians
on the show for
making the celebration
of ‘Chairman’
Christian Chukwu
possible
players from my generation;
players from Egypt, Algeria,
Tunisia and Morocco in the North
to Ghana, Cameroon, Cote
D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Liberia
in the West. I also had contacts with
a few players from East Africa.
None from Southern Africa.
With Nigerian megastar players,
I do not have any problems really.
For some reason, I did not hear
from Papillo when I sent him a
word. Jay Jay responded within
minutes. He was ‘game’, and ready
to honour his ‘father’ and coach!
So, that’s how Anthony Baffoe
took up the challenge and within
a few hours it was done.
Kalusha Bwalya has been my
friend for ages. He had come to
Lagos as head of a delegation of
the youth national team of
Zambia. For some reason, the
team had to pass through Lagos
and spent a day, or two. He had
called me up and we met in the
hotel where the team was staying
somewhere in Ikeja, I think.
That’s how we spent hours
together and became very
acquainted. After that we met
several other times around the
African football circuit
particularly around CAF.
Abedi Pele and I were in the
Players’ Committee of CAF for
several years and were the closest
of friends because we were the only
two that came from Anglophone
African countries and could
communicate in English. He had
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021—29
the advantage of being able to
speak French as well and became
my translator whenever we went
out. At different times, there were
Basile Boli, Francois Mpele, Jules
Bocande, Theophile Abega, and
several others on the 13-player
committee.
Beyond that, Abedi and I spent
great times hanging out in Accra
as well as in Lagos on different
occasions.
Yaya Toure. I have never met him
up close. When he won the African
Best Player award for the first time,
I was in Lome, Togo as part of the
African Football legends invited by
Globacom to ‘decorate’ the venue
of the event with our eventually
‘subdued’ presence. But that’s a
matter for another day. It
underlines how players are often
treated, given only the less serious
things in football governance.
We met briefly but did not have
time to be properly introduced. He
flew back to France that night,
immediately after receiving the
award.
However, since then, I have left
the CAF Players’ committee, my
shelf-life as a recognizable African
football star has waned, new
players have taken over the space
on the display shelf, and CAF have
stopped inviting older generation
footballers to their events,
understandably.
I used to be quite an activist in
African football, always ‘fighting’
for causes related to footballers,
always demanding respect,
relevance and better welfare for
African footballers within the
scheme of things. We are often kept
at a distance from the seat of
administration. I fought for retired
players to be used technically, to
help educate and supervise the
construction of good football
grounds all over the continent as a
panacea for good football and
more lucrative marketing of the
game. Not too many players are
allowed into the fold of CAF
because to do so is to court jealousy,
or contempt of administrators who
love to share the limelight with the
players but hate to see them in the
space where dividends are shared.
On one occasion in the mid
1990s, I think, I sat by my desk at
home in London and decided to
organize the first conference of
African footballers in Cairo, or
Johannesburg, or even in Lagos.
I called up my friend, Jenny
Horrocks of the BBC, who is an
encyclopedia of African
footballers and has every known
African footballer’s contact
around the world, to help me with
I thought Chukwu didn’t like me — Odiye
By Jacob Ajom
ONE of Nigeria’s most
celebrated central defenders in
the 1980s Godwin Odiye has divulged
one of his long kept secrets when he
disclosed that at the beginning of his
association with his former teammate
and captain, Christian Chukwu, who
was his room mate at the national team
camp, he did not know his partner.
Odiye said this while contributing to
the programme, “The Sports
Parliament’ on NTA Thursday night,
put together by a member of the 1980
AFCON winning Green Eagles squad,
Segun Odegbami in celebration of his
former captain and Nigeria’s most
celebrated footballer, Christian
Chukwu who turned 70, a few days
earlier.
Odiye recalled, “Each time we
retired to our room he (Chukwu) hardly
talked. Indeed, even during a
conversation, he spoke very little,”
adding, “initially, I thought he didn’t
like me.”
But that was the man Chukwu,
described severally by the numerous
stars of African football who
participated in the programme as a
gentleman, a worthy ambassador of
the game of football.
Austin Jay Jay Okocha, a former
captain of the Super Eagles said he
*Chukwu
*He was always diplomatic — Jay Jay Okocha
had fun memories of Christian
Chukwu whom he watched play and
captained his childhood club, Rangers
International of Enugu as a young boy.
“I learned a lot from him. Incidentally,
I grew up to play for Rangers and he
was my coach at the national team.
He was always calm even in the face of
very serious issues, he remained calm
but diplomatic in handling the issues
at stake.”
Also contributing, Ghana
internationals, Abedi Pele and Anthony
Baffoe could not hide their admiration
for Chukwu. Praising Segun
Odegbami for the initiative of
celebrating Chukwu, Baffoe said, “It’s
great to be called upon to join in the
celebration of one of Africa’s legends
in the game. That is how legends should
be celebrated. I loved Chukwu when
he was playing. I remember how he
Captained Nigeria to the 1980
AFCON triumph. He was a great
player.”
On his part, Abedi recalled how
Chukwu led Nigeria to the 1978
AFCON in Ghana. “Because I was
doing well as a youth player, I had free
tickets to watch all the AFCON
matches. I am honoured to be among
those celebrating him today and we
are still alive to witness this day.”
Ivorian legend, Yahaya Toure,
former Captain of the Zambian
national team, Kalusha Bwalya, Dudu
Orumen, Chuks Ugwuoke who
represented the Governor of Enugu
State and Mr Peter Obi, former
Governor of Anambra state were also
on the show, conveying messages of
goodwill to Chukwu.
Writing on the programme on his
Facebook wall, Dudu Orumen, who
was one of the ‘Parliamentarians’ said,
“Its a night to remember as we joined
Nigerians and the Football world to
celebrate a great footballer, one of the
very best Nigeria has produced. He
led by example, wore the Eagles Eagles
Captain’s arm band with pride and
commitment, never involved in camp
and selection politics, never engaged
establishing contacts. She sent by
fax a long directory with the phone
numbers of every well-known
retired and active African
footballer. That’s how I connected
with George Opong Weah, Tony
Yeboah, Abedi Pele, Rabah Madjar,
Farouk Gafar, Sunday Ibrahim,
Tarak Dhiab, and several others all
over Europe.
I drew up a great plan of action
and started to call up every player
including Michel Platini, Franz
Berkenbauer, and a few other
European greats to seek their
support to make it happen.
Amongst those most excited
about such a body was George
Opong Weah even though he was
in his prime at the time, and did
not have much time to work on it
with me. I even informed the
Presidents of FIFA and CAF. FIFA
promised to help, and Issa
Hayatou replied me and extended
my stay as a member of the CAF
Players Committee.
The project never took off
because I needed the time and
finances to move around a bit
more, set up a secretariat in
Europe (it would not work from any
place in Africa), and get the buy-in
of many more of my African
colleagues to succeed.
In the Players/Football
Committee I was amazed at the
depth and capacity of most of the
players in understanding the finer
intricacies of football on the field.
They were very well informed and
knowledgeable. If only
administrators had taken our
suggestions seriously African
football would have turned the
corner a long time ago and caught
up with Europe in terms of quality
of play on the fields all over the
continent.
Since then, I have retired into the
cocoon of my personal interests
until now, drawn out by my desire
to honour my friend and brother
as he leads many of us on a journey
to the beautiful evening of ‘old’ age
from 70.
I am glad it happened two nights
ago.
This is to thank Anthony Baffoe,
Abedi Pele, Yaya Toure, Jay Jay
Okocha, Godwin Odiye,
Emmanuel Merenini, Femi
Adesina, former Govenor Peter
Obi, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe
Benson Ejindu, Chuks Egwuoke,
Ikeddy Isiguzo, Emmanuel Okala,
Oliver Johnson, and all the
parliamentarians on the show for
making the celebration of
‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu
possible.
in controversies. A most amiable man
and a living legend who l first saw play
football in the East Central State
Academicals Team of 1971 which
featured School Boys Football greats
like team captain Godwin Ogbueze,
Obed Ariri, Tony Uzoka, Patrick Ekeji,
Dominic Ezeani, Kenneth Ilodigwe
and keeper Ahamefula Umelo and co,
and l saw in many other matches for
the Eagles, epic Club Football battles
for his club Enugu Rangers
International against IICC Shooting
Stars and Bendel Insurance FC.”
Remix sports management camp begins Jan. 15
THE Remix Sports Management Camp Grassroots
Football Development activities for youth players have
been scheduled to begin on January 15, 2021 in Nigeria and
Turkey. The event under the auspices of Remix Management
Sports outfit, a Nigerian / Turkey- based company amongst
other services are into grassroots development of soccer players
both in Turkey and Nigeria and has produced younger players
for the football markets in top football playing countries.
The Remix Management Sports, an initiative of Mr. Adeyemi
Oladosu, a former Nigeria international and seasoned
intermediary, is willing to assist young African players get the
required training and soccer exposure which the nation can tap
into.
Oladosu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Remix Sports
Management, disclosed that, this year’s camp is already in
place with camps in both Nigeria and Turkey ready to start on
January 15.
According to Mr. Adeyemi Oladosu: “Already, for the Turkey
camp in Antalya, the Remix Management Antalya coaching,
trials and match sessions are set to go with top European clubs
to expose African players.”
FB Winner: Ajayi Tajudeen, winnaer of 2020
annual FirstBank of Nigeria Limited-sponsored
Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship
receiving the trophy from Olusegun Alebiosu,
the Chief Risk Officer of of FirstBank Nig. Ltd
at the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938 recently

30— SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
By Jacob Ajom
The drive for sports
development can be
enhanced and accelerated
through a well coordinated
educational system. Early
developments in Nigeria’s sports
history show that the two variables
accentuate the progress of one on
the other. Volumes have been
written on this and there are very
many instances where results have
shown that the two go hand-inhand.
In Nigeria’s early years, for
instance, there were student athletes
who represented the country and
won laurels in many competitions.
Former footballers like Segun
Odegbami, Haruna Ilerika, Henry
Nwosu, Adokiye Amiesimaka, Felix
Owolabi, athletes like Falilat
Ogunkoya, Mary Omagbemi,
Anefiok Udo-Obong, among others
can attest to the inestimable
contributions the school system
made to laying the foundation upon
which they climbed to become
athletes of international repute.
As sports is a pastime for the
youthful, a sport life has a life span.
Once a sportsman or woman goes
past his youth, his engagement in
active sports becomes antithetical to
his being. The one who combined
education and sports in his or her
active years falls back to education
when one becomes too old to
compete. Former Super Eagles
coach, Adegboye Onigbinde once
said, ät some point, when you don’t
leave football, football will leave
you.” But that is not the same with
education because it never departs
from the person. Some retired
athletes go into coaching, some
others engage in management while
others go into sports marketing. Yet,
those who acquired other skills
outside of sports digress into such
new fields of endeavour in their
latter days.
That is the story of Dr (Mrs)
Chinedu Uche Azubuike, a former
handball player-turnedacademician.
Mrs Azubuike is one
of the lecturers at Nigeria’s premier
sports institute, the National
Institute for Sports, Lagos. At the
NIS, she teaches Anatomy and
Physiology, Exercise and
Physiology, First Aid, Nutrition,
Health Education and Handball
Theory and Practical.
Dr Azubuike was a member of the
famous Grasshoppers Handball Club
of Owerri which won the African
Cup championship and reigned
supreme between 1981 and 1990.
While playing handball and
winning laurels, she pursued her
dream of becoming a top
academician. And she pursued her
dream to fruition.
“I was an athlete right from my
childhood days. From primary
school, I started running and
playing netball. I can recall, if my
elder sister and myself were not in
the team, they would not go. When
we entered the secondary school, we
started representing our local
government in relays, 100 and 200
metres. When Volleyball was
introduced to our school, we joined
the Volleyball team. We played up to
the state level until I finished my
secondary education in 1978.
So, how and why Handball? As a
Sam Allardyce places a solid
defence at the heart of his
gameplan, meaning the form
of centre-back Semi Ajayi must be a
big plus for the new West Brom boss.
Ajayi, who scored a late equaliser
at Liverpool on Sunday, has
impressed the fans with his displays
despite the club’s struggles this
season.
But his path to the top has been far
from straightforward, taking him
from Dartford and Arsenal to trials at
Ajax.
“My journey has been a bit crazy”
the 27-year-old told BBC Sport.
“It just makes it even sweeter now
that I’m finally in the biggest
league.”
Ajayi played 44 times for the
Baggies last season after joining
from Rotherham in the summer of
2019, helping the club finish second
in the Championship and earn
promotion to the top flight.
He has made a further 15
appearances so far this campaign,
•Mrs Azubuike
multi-talented kid, Chinedu
wasgood in almost every sport she
wanted to play.
“When I left school in 1978, I had
the opportunity of gaining
admission into Teachers Training
College Egbema and in the TTC,
being someone who was active, one
could participate in any sport:
Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey(I
played Hockey too), Athletics, name
it, I was always there. So I had the
opportunity of learning about
Handball through one Mr Nwiche, a
Youth Corper, who was serving at
the school then. He came from Alvan
Ikoku College of Education for his
teaching practice. He introduced
Handball to the school. He just
called us together and told us that
there was a new sport called
Handball and that he wanted to
introduce it to our school. We asked
him how it was played. He gave us
introductory training. He was our
•Ajayi
Semi
•Walking his dr
Dartford to the
scoring his first Premier League goal
at Anfield having seen his deflected
strike away at Manchester City a
fortnight ago credited as a Ruben
Dias own goal - his interventions
winning the Baggies two valuable
points.
It means the Nigeria international
has now played in the top five
divisions in England during his
career, which also includes spells at
Cardiff, AFC Wimbledon and Crewe.
Learning from Wenger and
Mertesacker
Ajayi joined Charlton as a youth
player in 2012 and spent a month on
Dr (Mrs) Chinedu U
From Handball cour
Physical Education teacher. We
met our Games master who
gave us a piece of land to
construct a Handball court.
And that was it.
“From there we started
playing; throwing the ball to
one another and shooting,
as we did not know
anything about the rules.
But the sport grew in
bounds as we soon started
attending competitions.
The year we started
Handball was the same
year we had TTC Games
also. Mr Nwiche
packaged us in different
sports: Volleyball,
Handball, Hockey and
Athletics which made up
of the Long Jump, 100
meters, 200 meters and
the Relays. I was good
at every sport and that made me
belong to more than one team. I was
at my 100 meters race when my
Handball team were losing 0-3. At
the end of the match, even as we
still lost 5-3, I made my presence
count as the game changed
following my introduction.
That game paved the way to my
enrollment with Grasshoppers of
Owerri. After the match, one Coach
Offor walked up to me and asked if I
could join them at Grasshoppers. He
said, “I want to take you to
Grasshoppers. Hockey coach too
wanted me. But I chose the former.
The choice one makes in life either
propels one to greater heights or
stagnates one. Some choices lower
one’s target and drag one to the
abyss. In Chinedu’s case, her choice
became her propeller. “I received an
invitation from Grasshoppers
Handball Club; first to the U21
team,” she recalled. “We were
•Mrs Azubuike standing first
from right
training for a competition which we
did not attend, eventually.”
Her effort during camping for the
botched competition did not go
unnoticed to the technical crew.
“Another senior competition came up
in Maiduguri and I was asked to
join the senior team as a reserve
goalkeeper. During the competition,
the coach started introducing me
gradually, building me up step by
step. When a match is, maybe five or
three minutes to the final whistle, he
would ask me to go in. Through that
way he built my confidence until I

Ajayi:
eam from
Premier League
loan at Dartford of the National
League, before he signed for
Arsenal in 2013 under then boss
Arsene Wenger.
“It was someone I’d only seen on
TV up until that point,” Ajayi
said of the Frenchman. “Just
being able to pick his brains,
learn from him, listen to him,
study the information he was
giving me in training was amazing.
It brought my game on a lot.
“Training with the players is
probably what brought me on even
more. It showed me where you need
to be at to play at the highest level.
The quality you come up against
every day in training was second to
none.
“I’d probably say the person who
had the biggest influence on me was
Per Mertesacker. He took a lot of
time out to teach me about the art of
defending. He would just give me
pointers here and there.”
Ajax advances
He left Arsenal in 2015
having only featured for the
under-23s, despite being
named on the first-team bench
on a number of occasions.
Ajayi says he had been
“pushed down the pecking
order” among the defenders and
was told by Wenger that he could
not guarantee first-team football.
“He said to me if I had an option of
another team that would take me
and provide that to me he wouldn’t
stand in my way,” Ajayi said.
That led to him training at other
clubs, including Dutch giants Ajax.
“You can see why they
produce so many
players when you
enter their facilities
and see how they do
things,” he added.
“They were interested.
They wanted a young,
athletic centre-back to
groom for the first team and I
fitted their criteria, so they
invited me for a trial.
“It went really well but I was
looking for first-team football and
the route that they wanted me to go
would have been to initially play for
the B team and then maybe work my
way up into the first team.
“I just thought if I was going to
leave home and then move all the
way over there it would be for first
team only.”
Culled from BBC Sport
che Azubuike:
t to academic excellence
became first choice keeper. We won
numerous championships and I had
great memories of my time with
Grasshoppers.”
Of all the honours she won with
Grasshoppers, Dr(Mrs) Azubuike
cherishes her African Cup of
Nations medal most, then the All
Africa Games medal. “I won a lot of
laurels with Grasshoppers but I hold
the African Cup of Nations we won
against Ivory Coast in Bouake very
highly. It was my sweetest victory till
date.” She recalled how the team left
Nigeria unsung. “We went to Ivory
Coast without track suits. We had
nothing to portray us as a team,
representing a country. We fought
hard through determination,
commitment and some luck to beat
our hosts Ivory Coast 13-12 in the
final. After our victory, we returned
to a tumultuous welcome. We had an
open truck parade in the streets of
Owerri. At the end however, we only
had a golden handshake and the
track suits we didn’t have during the
competition were readily made
available at the reception.”
Her deep involvement in
academics, despite being active in
sports was not by accident. “I have
always been a lover of books.
Reading is my hobby. I read
anything in print and, while
reading, I strive to acquire
knowledge. In my secondary school
days, I told myself, I would like to
be addressed as a Doctor. I didn’t
mind whether it was going to be a
medical doctor or Doctor of Letters. I
just admired that tag, ‘Doctor’.
“While with Grasshoppers, I was
invited to the national camp in
Ilorin. We were preparing for an
international competition and two of
my friends, Aloma Abia and
Chibuzor Onuoha came from the
University of Benin, where they
were doing their Diploma courses.
They came to camp from school. And
I said to myself, wow, so I can be in
the University and still play? I
vowed I must get admission too. Two
of their lecturers brought admission
forms to camp, which we filled. As a
sports person, it was
easy to secure
admission into the
University as schools
then used to hunt for
athletes, especially
during NUGA years.
We went to Egypt,
came back and I was
called for an
interview at
UNIBEN. After my
Diploma I left
UNIBEN because the
school was not
offering direct
admission. But
Professor Ajisafe
changed all that and
I was admitted for my
first Degree
programme in the
school. I graduated
in 1991.
“After school, I got
married and got a son. Both
handball and education were put on
hold. Due to the tender age of my
baby, I was posted to Lagos for my
youth service. Eventually, I was
posted to the NIS. After my service
year, I was fortunate to have
Professor Ajisafe here(at NIS) too, as
the Director and I was offered
permanent employment by the
institute in 1993.
“I love challenges. Working here at
the institute, I discovered that a lot
of us were running one academic
programme or another and I felt I
was left behind. I decided to join
them. After two years of my working
A lot has
gone wrong
in our sports
today. I
particularly
take
exception to
the manner
athletes are
prepared for
major
tournaments
these days
at the NIS and my appointment
confirmed, I went to UNILAG and
picked up a form for my Masters.
On completion of my Masters, I
went for my PhD and by the grace of
God, today I am addressed as Dr
Azubuike.”
Looking at sports in Nigeria,
Dr(Mrs) Azubuike said,
“A lot has gone wrong
in our sports today. I
particularly take
exception to the
manner athletes are
prepared for major
tournaments these
days. There is no good
organisation, no
leadership because of
frequent changes in the
supervisory ministry
and the dearth of
technocrats in the
administration of sports
in the country.
“There is no way a
team will grow without
young athletes
replacing the aging
ones because there is
no way an athlete can
compete all his or her
life. If there is no room for athletes’
perpetuity, then we must create
room for succession.”
She observed that frequent change
of ministers of sports was affecting
policy implementation. “Frequent
changes in administrators make
policy implementation almost
impossible because each minister
brings his own agenda. Nigeria has
never lacked policies that could lead
to the improvement of the country
but the major problem has always
been implementation”.
On what the NIS can do to
improve the standard of sports in the
country, Mrs Azubuike said the
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021 — 31
National Institute for Sports can only
act as a catalyst, a role she noted the
institute had excelled and acquitted
herself in.
“This is a training institute and we
have trained coaches that have
represented this country well in the
international arena. World
championship winning coaches like
Fanny Amun, late Coach Yomi
Tella(I shared this office with Tella
until his death), Late Coach Amodu
Shaibu, among others were products
of the NIS.
“What else can the NIS do? Even if
it produces the best coaches in the
world and they, in turn, produce
1000 athletes, what magic can they
perform if the athletes are not given
the desired support to get to their
full potential?”
What is the way forward for
Nigerian sports?
She took a long breath, stared at
me as if she was just seeing me. At
last she threw back the question at
me, “the way forward?
“The way forward is to implement
those policies that are already in
place. If we don’t implement them it
would appear as if we are still
playing. They(the policies) are not
bad, they are good but
implementation and corruption have
always been the problem.”
She was however, happy that the
sport that brought her to limelight is
witnessing a rebirth in Nigeria
under the leadership of Samuel
Ochei. “Handball is still there
struggling to stand her grounds to
be counted among the sports
practiced in Nigeria. Last month
they finished a championship in
Kaduna. Thank God, present
leadership of the federation is doing
very well and the board members
too. It is a good thing that this time,
we have former athletes as board
members and even as coaches too.
One thing is that sports involves
money. So the need for sponsorship
arises. In those days we used to
have a lot of sponsors like Guinness,
Calypso and so on. I know that with
the present leadership of the
federation, once they have money,
they will have more competitions.
And that is what is required for the
progress of the athletes and the
sport generally.”
But the issue of sponsorship has
been intriguing. In the past there
used to be a lot of sponsors for
sports across board. While at the
stadium, even on a casual visit, one
could move from one sporting event
venue to another. Today, however,
the case is different as everywhere is
dried up. Why is it so?
Mrs Azubuike said the situation in
the outgoing year had been
exceptional. She observed that the
coronavirus pandemic had crippled
the global economy. Aside from that,
she said, “government cannot do it
alone. With the situation this year,
you cannot blame the corporate
community either because even
profits have dropped drastically.
Indeed, in most cases, companies
are counting their losses. That is
how bad the situation has become.
And it affects sports also.”
The suggestion that the
government should let go of its grip
on sports and let individuals form
sports federations and go ahead to
source funds for their survival . Do
you share that school of thought?
“I will answer yes and know. There
are some sports that can fend for
themselves, while there are others
that cannot survive one day, without
government funding. There are
sports that can get sponsors all year
round because such sponsors know
what they stand to benefit from their
association with the sport. But when
you, perhaps, get sponsors once or
twice a year, you will definitely be
forced to run back to the government
to source for funds to run the
federation.”

C
M
Y
K
SATURDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 9, 2021
CROSS WORD PUZZLE
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE ON 3
Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355.
Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com
Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X). EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.