22052021 - How Army Chief Gen. Attahiru died in plane crash

2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 

Osinbajo, Osoba, Amuka, others fete late 

media icons 

*VP tasks journalists on fake news, deepening democracy, keeping govt on its toes 

*Says you fought colonial masters, military rule, you’ve to deepen democracy 

By Clifford Ndujihe, 

Politics Editor 

VICE President Yemi 

Osinbajo,SAN; 

former Governor of Ogun 

State, Chief Olusegun 

Osoba; Publisher of Vanguard 

Newspapers, Mr. 

Sam Amuka; and a cream 

of captains of the media 

industry, yesterday, celebrated 

nine media icons, 

who passed on, recently. 

Showering torrents of 

tributes on the deceased 

icons, the vice president 

and the leaders said the 

late media pillars charted 

a course that journalists 

must thread to turn the fortunes 

of the country 

around. 

Specifically, Osinbajo, 

who delivered the keynote 

address, noted that the 

media fought for independence, 

and against 

military rule, adding that 

now that Nigeria is at a 

defining moment, the 

mainstream media must 

fight fake news, keep 

elected leaders on their 

toes and deepen democracy. 

Indeed, the seven 

months period, July 2020 

to February 2021, can be 

described as the worst in 

the history of Nigeria’s 

media industry. It was 

when journalism lost nine 

icons, pillars, leaders and 

mentors, a set back that 

threw the industry into 

deep mourning. 

However, in unison, the 

media industry, yesterday, 

elected to turn the losses 

to gains when at an afternoon 

of tributes at the 

MUSON Centre, Lagos, 

it honoured, and celebrated 

the life and times of the 

departed leaders with the 

aim of inspiring the living. 

Reason: The nine media 

leaders, proprietors, 

editors, administrators 

and journalists were ‘’people 

who shaped the narrative 

of who we are and 

what we stand for. 

Through joyful and stressful 

times, they set the tone 

and chose the words that 

interpreted the Zeitgeist 

of an emerging nation 

and put perspectives to 

our diversity and uniqueness 

as a people.’’ 

Organised by the Nigeria 

Press Organisation, 

NPO, consisting of the 

Newspaper Proprietors 

Association of Nigeria, 

NPAN; Nigerian Guild of 

Editors, NGE; Nigeria 

Union of Journalists, NUJ; 

and Broadcasting Organisations 

of Nigeria, BON, 

the icons celebrated yesterday 

included pioneer 

President of NPAN and 

former governor of Lagos 

State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; 

former Life Patron 

of NPAN, Malam Ismaila 

Isa Funtua; former Minister 

of Information and 

Culture, Mr. Tony Momoh; 

and former Publisher 

of New Nation and 

Sunday Times Editor, 

From left:Publisher, Thisday Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; 

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman, Niger State Council 

of Traditional Rulers, HRM, Dr. Yahaya Abubakar; former Governor 

of Ogun State,Aremo Olusegun Osoba at the celebration of nine media 

icons who passed on,recently in Lagos. 

Chief Gbolabo Ogunsanwo. 

Others were former Director-General, 

Federal 

Radio Corporation of Nigeria, 

FRCN, Mr. Ben 

Egbuna; former Publisher, 

Leadership Newspapers, 

Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah; 

former General Manager, 

Lagos State Broadcasting 

Corporation, Mr. 

Bisi Lawrence; former 

Editor, Daily Express, Mr. 

Eddie Aderinokun; and 

past NGE President and 

former MD/Chairman, 

News Agency of Nigeria, 

NAN, Malam Wada Maida. 

Malam Ismaila Isa Funtua 

died on July 20, 2020. 

He was followed by Wada 

Maida on August 17, 

2020; Bisi Lawrence (November 

11, 2020), Gbolabo 

Ogunsanwo (November 

27, 2020), Sam Nda- 

Isaiah (December 11, 

2020), Eddie Aderinokun 

(January 3, 2021), Ben 

Egbuna (January 28, 

2021), Tony Momoh (February 

10, 2021) and Lateef 

Jakande (February 11, 

2021). 

They lived impactful 

lives – Yusuf 

President of the NPO, 

Malam Kabiru Yusuf, 

opened the flood gates of 

eulogies. In his welcome 

remarks, he said the media 

industry had mourned 

the nine deceased it was 

now time to celebrate them 

because each of the nine 

men lived an impactful 

life in their families, the 

people they mentored and 

the institutions they led. 

Reeling out the crucial 

roles each of them played, 

he said: ‘’We don’t look at 

them in past tense but in 

present tense,’’ adding 

that it would be hard to 

find another journalist like 

Alhaji Jakande. 

Henceforth we ‘ll 

celebrate ourselves 

while alive – Isah 

President of the NGE, 

Mr Mustapha Isah, said 

all those being celebrated 

were connected to the 

NGE as president, fellow 

or promoter and their legacies 

‘’will inspire us to 

overcome various challenges.’’ 

According to him, Jakande 

was governor for 

four years but 38 years after, 

he remained a reference 

point for good governance; 

Ben Egbuna was a thorough 

bred professional in 

broadcast industry; and 

Tony Momoh was one of the 

best Information Ministers 

Nigeria has ever produced. 

Going forward, he said 

the media should celebrate 

its own while alive not after 

their death. ‘’Henceforth we 

must celebrate our own 

while alive, perhaps on 

their birthdays.’’ 

It’s sad media ignores its 

own often – Adefaye 

Speaking in like manner, 

General Manage/Editorin-Chief 

of Vanguard, and 

Provost of the Nigerian Institute 

of Journalism, NIJ, 

Mr Gbenga Adefaye, lamented 

that the media often 

times ignores its own, 

and thanked the NPO for 

the event. 

His words: ‘’It is not often 

that the media celebrates its 

own—dead or alive. In fact, 

the media, more often than 

not, ignores itself for too 

long, despite its humongous 

contributions to 

national development, despite 

the risks taken to discharge 

constitutional duties 

assigned it in a very difficult 

operating environment. 

‘’We can only thank the 

NPO for putting up this remembrance 

which is 

unique for drawing attention 

to the lives and times 

of our revered but departed 

media icons; drawing attention 

to their immense 

contributions to media and 

national development. 

Those, truly, were our icons. 

This moment inspires. 

‘’For us at NIJ, the honorees 

were either our primary 

promoters or great 

alumni. Their aspirations 

were that we produced 

greater and better media 

players of the future. And 

to that we are committed. 

We have their examples to 

look up to in the discharge 

of our duties. 

This event naturally 

draws our attention to perhaps 

an important branch 

of knowledge that we 

should actively develop: 

studies of the life and times 

of media leaders, perhaps 

while they are alive. 

‘’Thank you NPO for 

lighting the candle. Thank 

you NPAN in particular— 

our patrons and principal 

owners of the NIJ. May we 

have a memorable outing. 

Funtua, a blessing to 

Nigeria Media—Sam 

Amuka 

Mr Sam Amuka, in a tribute 

to Malam Ismaila Isa 

Funtua, which was read by 

Mr. Adefaye, said: ‘’Out of 

Nigeria’s more than 200 

million population, none 

has suffered such debasement, 

indeed, bastardisation 

by peddled false news 

online as my friend and late 

brother, 78 years old Alhaji 

Ismaila Isa Funtua, patron 

of NPAN, president of the 

NIJ and Chairman of Bullet 

Construction Ltd. 

‘’Because, many people 

believe Ismaila was a member 

of the Cabal (which he 

accepted and was glad to 

be—indeed—he would 

say, often in joke, ‘Look, I’m 

not a member of the Cabal, 

I am the Cabal’ which is 

true. 

‘’The conventional definition 

of Cabal elsewhere is 

Kitchen Cabinet and every 

political ruler has one; but 

Buhari’s Kitchen Cabinet is 

called Cabal—Negatively 

because of disapproval of 

his style. 

‘’And so; many fake news 

reports are peddled online 

about Ismaila, being a Cabal 

as a corrupt businessman. 

And because Online 

readers swallow fake news 

hook, line and sinker, they 

castigate the victim totally. 

This pre conceived bias has 

damaged Ismaila Isa’s reputation 

and denigrated his 

hard work career both as a 

business construction mogul, 

and minder and mender 

of successful Nigerian 

media organizations. The 

result is that many outsiders 

dared to question and 

query the NPAN for naming 

the newly reconstructed 

three-storey NIJ House 

in Victoria Island after Ismailia 

Isa Funtua. 

‘’Let me use this occasion 

to state very briefly that my 

friend, Ismaila Isa Funtua, 

one of those we are celebrating 

today was a very big and 

successful businessman 

long before our President 

Buhari came to power and 

Ismaila became a Cabal in 

2015. His coy, Bullet Construction 

Ltd built the Foreign 

Affairs Building in 

Abuja and the Justice Building 

beside the Secretariat 

among others. The American 

Embassy, Abuja was 

once his tenant besides 

many other buildings. Ismaila 

spent his life servicing 

other people’s lives and 

organizations. For example, 

my drivers, cook and stewards 

used to look forward to 

his visit. 

‘’He was a blessing to the 

Nigerian Media. Besides 

serving the NIJ of which he 

was President, Ismaila used 

his influence to raise the 

funds to rebuild the New 

NIJ House in Victoria Island 

at no cost to NIJ. 

‘’Thank you, dear Ismaila, 

I miss you and look forward 

to meeting you sometime 

again. Yonder!’’ 

Obaigbena, Akiotu, 

Bonuola, Ishiekwene, 

Idowu, Momoh, Ekpu 

speak 

At the event, Prince Nduka 

Obaigbena, publisher of 

Thisday, paid glowing tributes 

to Mallam Wada Maida, 

a past president of NGE 

and former chief press secretary 

to General Muhammadu 

Buhari as head of 

state in the 80s. 

Mr Tony Akiotu, managing 

director of Daar Communications, 

showered tributes 

on Mr Bisi Lawrence; 

Mr Lade Bonuola, Consultant 

to The Guardian 

newspapers,spoke on Chief 

Gbolabo Ogunsanwo; Mr 

Azubuike Ishiekwene, editor-in-chief, 

Leadership, eulogised 

Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah; 

Mr Lanre Idowu, CEO 

of Diamond Publications, 

spoke on the legacies of Mr 

Eddie Aderinokun; Mr 

John Momoh, chairman of 

Channels television, eulogised 

Mr. Ben Egbuna 

while Mr. Ray Ekpu, director 

May Five Media, spoke 

glowingly on the footprints 

of Prince Tony Momoh. 

Jakande was grandfather 

of Nigeria’s journalism—Osoba 

Chief Osoba, in his tributes 

to Jakande, lamented 

that Jakande’s humongous 

contributions to the development 

of journalism and 

the media industry have not 

been documented. 

Arguing that Jakande’s 

contributions to journalism 

were ‘’higher’’ than his contributions 

to good governance, 

Osoba begged the 

late politician’s widow, Alhaja 

Abimbola Jakande, to 

make Jakande’s huge library 

open to researchers to 

unravel the story behind the 

formation of NPAN, NGE, 

NPO, and others. 

‘’Jakande was first in 

many areas of journalism. 

He was first editor of Tribune, 

first president of 

NPAN, first president of 

NGE, first president of NPO. 

I am begging Mama to open 

Jakande’s library for the story 

of the Fourth Estate of the 

Realm in Nigeria to be written. 

Alhaji Jakande was the 

grandfather of Nigeria’s 

journlism,’’ he said. 

Media can’t afford to 

get it wrong—Osinbajo 

Osinbajo, who was the last 

to speak recalled that Nigeria’s 

press dates back to 150 

years ago, and recalled the 

roles played by late Dr 

Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert 

Macauley, Mr Ernest Ikoli in 

the battle for independence. 

He also articulated the contributions 

of the nine titans 

being celebrated, saying that 

the democracy we have today 

were as a result of the 

sacrifices of the media. 

Arguing that power is a 

public trust, he said the media 

must investigate and hold 

those in power accountable 

because the Media is the 

Fourth Estate of the Realm 

and no other institution 

comes close to the Media in 

the task of holding governments 

to account. 

Harping on the dangers of 

fake news and the need to 

check them, he said Nigeria 

is at another defining moment 

in history as information 

revolution has democratised 

media ownership and 

everyone now has a voice. 

Some of the disadvantages 

of the information revolution, 

he said include the 

emergence of individuals 

that cannot be easily held to 

account and surge of fake 

news that cause social instability. 

He urged mainstream media 

to help check the menace 

of fake news. He noted 

that the country is not perfect 

but amplifying issues that 

can cause disruption or anarchy 

was not the solution. 

Noting that nation building 

is not the preserve of government 

and politicians 

alone, he said the media and 

civil society have critical roles 

to play and enjoined the 

Media to take ownership of 

the country. 

Notable leaders at the 

event include governors Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) 

and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), 

Deputy Governor of Ogun 

State, Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele, former Deputy 

Governor of Lagos, Alhaja 

Sinatu Ojikutu, and Etsu 

Nupe, Dr Yahaya Abubakar. 

Media icons and captains 

of industry at the ceremony 

included Maiden Ibru (The 

Guardian), Ajibola Ogunsola 

(Punch), Frank Aigbogun 

(Business Day), Mr. Eniola 

Bello (This Day), Mr Muyiwa 

Adetiba (former Editor of 

Vanguard), Mr Toye Akiyode 

(former Editor of Vanguard), 

Dr Patrick Dele-Cole 

as well as leaders of NPO, 

NPAN, NGE, BON and 

NUJ. 

Family members of the 

media icons being celebrated 

were at hand to receive 

awards for their patriarchs 

They include Alhaja Abimbola 

Jakande, Mrs Zainab 

Nda-Isaiah, who gave a vote 

of thanks, Mrs Abiola Aderinokun, 

Mrs Betty Egbuna, 

Mr. Bayo Ogunsanwo, Mr. 

Abdulrasheed Momoh, 

Hajia Wada Maida, and Mrs 

Omowunmi Lawrence.

An afternoon of tributes for departed media leaders 

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 — 3 

Afternoon of Tributes for Departed Media Leaders organized by NPAN,NGE,NUJ,BON held 

in Lagos yesterday. 

Photos:Akeem Salau and Lamidi Bamidele 

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (third right) presents awards to the family of 

late Alhaji Lateef Jakande being received by his wife, Alhaja Abimbola Jakande 

(second left) and the son, while Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu (second right); Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele 

(right) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (third 

left), watch on, during ‘an Afternoon of Tributes’ in honour of fallen media 

leaders, at the Muson centre, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday. 

From left: Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State; Dr 

Kayode Fayemi,Gov of Ekiti State; Prof Yemi Osinbajo,Vice president of 

Nigeria; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Mrs Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele, Deputy Governor of Ogun State and Malam Kabiru Yusuf, President 

Nigerian Press Organization & Newspaper Proprietors Association of 

Nigeria. 

Mr Steve Ayorinde(l),former Commissioner for Information and 

Strategy, Lagos State and Mr Moses Jolayemi. 

From left:Mr Jim Ovia, Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc and Prince 

Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher Thisday Newspaper. 

From left:Dr Adeboye Olarenwaju; Alhaja Abimbola 

Jakande; Alhaja Sinatu ojikutu,former Deputy 

Governor of Lagos State and Deji Jakande. 

From left:Mr Adeleye Ajayi, Chairman, Lagos 

NUJ; Mr Ken Ugbechie, Publisher/Editorin-Chief, 

Political Economist;Mr Eze 

Anaba,Editor, Vanguard Newspaper;Mr Gbenga 

Adefaye,GM/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard/ 

Provost,NIJ;Mr Oluwadare Kolawole, Deputy 

Director,Socio Economic Right and Accountability 

(SERAP). 

From left; Mr Kayode Komolafe, Deputy Managing 

Director, Thisday Newspaper;Mr Lanre Arogundade, 

former NUJ chairman and Mr Martins 

Oloja,Editor-in-Chief,Guardian Newspaper. 

From left:Patrick Dele Cole and Lade Bonuola 

From left:Mr Fidelis Anosike, Publisher Daily 

Times; Mr Frank Aigbogun, Publisher, Business- 

Day Newspaper and Prof Ralph Akinfeleye. 

From left:Mr Eniola Bello, Managing 

Director,Thisday;Steve Nwosu and Mr Gbemiga 

Ogunleye,former NIJ Provost. 

From left:Mrs Dupe Ajayi and Mrs Funke Egbemode, 

Commissioner for Information and Strategy 

Osun State 

From left:Zainab 

Nda-Isaiah, Leadership 

Group and lady 

maiden Ibru, Publisher, 

the Guardian 

Newspaper.

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 

Imo APC registration battle: Without me and 

Araraume nothing like APC — Okorocha 

By Chinonso Alozie, 

Owerri 

The former governor 

of Imo state and the 

Senator representing Imo 

West senatorial district, 

Rochas Okorocha, yesterday 

said that without him 

(Okorocha) and Senator 

Ifeanyi Araraume nobody 

can talk of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in Imo state. 

Okorocha spoke in Owerri, 

through his Special 

Adviser on media, Sam 

Onwuemeodo, while reacting 

to the Imo state governor, 

Hope Uzodimma’s 

statement that Okorocha 

has refused to participate 

in the APC registration/revalidation 

exercise in the 

state. 

Senator Okorocha said 

that himself and 

Araraume, were the ones 

making APC, thick in the 

state. 

According to Okorocha, 

“the media had reported 

what the Imo State Governor, 

His Excellency, Chief 

Hope Uzodinma told the 

APC’s appeal Committee, 

on the Party’s Registration 

and Revalidation exercise. 

He said that, Senator Okorocha 

refused to be registered 

as APC member in 

Imo during the exercise. 

“This claim could only 

be laughable to most Nigerians 

who still remember 

how APC came to Imo 

and indeed, to the South- 

East. Okorocha needed to 

revalidate his membership 

of APC and not to register 

as APC member. Governor 

Uzodinma has always delighted 

in propaganda that 

does not fly again. 

“The registration and 

revalidation exercise 

didn’t take place anywhere 

in Imo. It was done at the 

Nick Banquet Hall in Government 

House, Owerri. 

The governor’s appointees 

were generating fictitious 

names at the Local Government 

level and taken 

them to the Government 

House, to be enrolled. 

“We Challenge the governor 

to tell the public how 

the exercise was carried 

out in Imo. Whether it was 

by Polling unit by Polling 

unit, like Okorocha did 

when APC anchored. Or, 

Ward by Ward or by Local 

Government by Local Government. 

And let’s take off 

from there. 

“If Okorocha had refused 

to be registered like 

our governor had claimed, 

what happened to Senator 

Ifeanyi Araraume and his 

Destiny Political family, 

who produced six House 

of Assembly members, that 

joined others to give Governor 

Uzodinma the Majority 

in the House?” 

“What happened to top 

Imo Politicians in APC and 

their supporters who could 

not go to the Government 

House to be part of the abracadabra, 

including Sir 

Jude Ejiogu, Lady Chidinma 

Uwajumogu, who was 

a senatorial aspirant and 

a mobilizer of note, High 

Chief Chidi Ibeh (MFR) 

and so on? 

Group commends Onuesoke’s consistent 

support for PDP 

A 

group under the ae 

gis of PDP Youths 

Across States’ Border 

(PYSB) has commended 

Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP) chieftain and former 

Delta State gubernatorial 

aspirant, Chief Sunny 

Onuesoke for his consistent 

support for the growth 

and development of the 

party in Delta state, South- 

South and Nigeria in general. 

They equally appealed to 

the party to elevate 

Onuesoke to a position 

where he could be empowered 

strategically to further 

pursue the growth 

and development of the 

party. 

The group made the 

commendation and demand 

in a communiqué 

signed by its National 

President, Mallam Yahaya 

Usman and National Secretary, 

Joseph Osadolor 

after a meeting 

in Abuja saying whatever 

support that is given to 

Onuesoke will act as a 

morale booster for others 

to work harder for the 

progress and development 

of the party. 

“If loyalists like Onuesoke 

and others were rewarded 

for their action 

towards the development 

of the party, it will act as a 

morale booster for other 

members to work harder. 

Although, we have not met 

Onuesoke one on one, but his 

activities through the media 

had made him a household 

name not only among us 

but other PDP and even APC 

members across the nation. 

“There is no day one 

opens the national newspapers 

or internet that one 

will not read about Onuesoke 

defending the interest 

of the party. We guess he 

must have been consistently 

spending his own money for 

the benefit of the party. If 

such a person is empowered 

he will do more for the good 

of the party,” the communiqué 

read. 

We are raising African 

Leopards to redefine 

continent — Ooni 

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo 

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has 

disclosed that his leadership initiative 

forum is raising new sets of leaders, tagged 

“African Leopards” to turn the fortune of the 

continent around. 

Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke at a press conference 

at his palace in Ile-Ife to herald the 

2021 Royal African Young Leadership Forum 

Award, said the new generation of leaders 

would imitate the Asian Lions that transformed 

the continent’s economic prosperity. 

He said the forum is bringing together various 

youths that have excelled in their fields 

of endeavour to cross fertilize ideas with 

emerging young leaders and mentor them for 

larger role in the society. 

“At RAYLF we believe in helping youths break 

barriers, either of age for those seeking employment 

or social status, we connect youths 

across the continent to discuss leadership challenges 

and proffer solutions. 

“Out of the many youths that applied for the 

programme only one hundred were chosen and 

taken around different leaders across Africa 

for mentorship programme. The selection process 

was thorough and was conducted by prominent 

scholars and industrial magnate”, he 

said. 

The monarch added that the 2021 programme 

will take off from tomorrow, Saturday and last 

through the next two weeks, adding that the 

new emerging leaders would be corrupt-free 

and instill new societal values in the coming 

generation. 

“We don’t encourage internet fraudsters in 

our midst, we raise leaders with discipline that 

would be corrupt free, that would build a society 

with morals and values, not those agitating 

wrongly but leaders with conscience”, 

he added 

The Nigerian Labour Congress and its continued relevance 

By Emmanuel Ado 

“The only way that we can 

live, is if we grow. The only 

way that we can grow is if 

we change. The only way 

that we can change is if we 

learn. The only way we can 

learn is if we are exposed. 

And the only way that we 

can become exposed is if we 

throw ourselves out into 

the open. Do it. Throw 

yourself -Joy Bell C. 

Benard Longe, the former 

managing director and 

chief executive officer of 

First Bank of Nigeria, was 

hated by the Nigerian 

Labour Congress (NLC) 

over the reforms he 

initiated in the bank, which 

at the time he took over was 

literally speaking dead. 

With an aging workforce 

that was very comfortable, 

that in fact celebrated 

archaic banking as a way 

of life, a workforce that 

preferred the tally number 

system that kept its 

customers the whole day in 

the bank, a workforce that 

bluntly refused to embrace 

technology that made life 

easy. The reforms no doubt 

transformed First Bank and 

ensured that it remains to 

date one of the strongest 

banks. Young vibrant 

graduates were brought in 

and the bank embraced 

technology, becoming in 

the process the first bank to 

introduce and implement 

International Monetary 

Transfer System in Nigeria. 

Longe’s Enterprise 

Transformation Project, 

“Century II” and the 

“Century II The New 

Frontier” project were no 

doubt a huge factor in 

defining the fortunes of the 

Bank. He was undoubtedly 

bold and decisive, but 

“wicked and heartless” from 

Labour’s point of view. 

Like Longe, Nasir El Rufai 

the governor of Kaduna 

State is in the bad books of 

the NLC. The Congress surly 

hates Nasir El Rufai’s guts 

for embarking on critical 

reforms – the Public Service 

Revitalization Programme 

and the reforms of the 

educational sector, 

especially the competency 

test which many of the 

teachers flunked. To the NLC 

the reforms are “antipeople” 

and a high crime – 

treason – against their hard 

working members. Labour 

is not convinced that the 

reforms are compelling, nor 

urgent. It is an open secret 

that Kaduna State the 

regional capital of the old 

Northern Region is lagging 

behind other states in 

virtually every area – the 

worst being in the areas of 

education and healthcare. 

But there seems to be a tiny 

minority that is clearly 

contented with the state’s 

consistent 44% performance 

in national examinations 

over the years. Kaduna State 

has firmly held on to the 12th 

position nationally, though 

it remains a local champion 

in the north. Is it that it would 

rather compete against 

Zamfara State which 

presented 186 candidates 

for the 2017 National 

Examinations out of which 

only 4 students passed with 

5 credits, than compete 

against Anambra State that 

is presently topping the table. 

Every organization, 

entity, or even individual who 

refuses or fails to reform and 

change will definitely 

become irrelevant with time, 

locked into the past in a 

dynamic world where the 

only consistent is change. 

The NLC itself recognizes 

this fact and I quote it’s take 

on reforms “The New 

Beginning is a decisive 

response to the imperative 

of rebuilding the movement 

in a direction that makes it 

more relevant to union 

members and other 

segments of civil society, 

which believe in its 

empowering and socially 

redemptive vision and 

capacity”. So if Labour is 

mindful of the need to 

reform, why is protesting 

just about every policy of 

government its way of life? 

This is especially so when 

the outcomes of its various 

protests have been near 

negative. For instance, the 

revelation by the Group 

Managing Director of the 

Nigerian National 

P e t r o l e u m 

Corporation(NNPC), that 

the Muhammadu Buhari 

administration is secretly 

paying subsidy on imported 

How can the 

NLC demonstrate 

against these 

numbers – 83% of 

teachers scoring 

less than 25% in 

maths and literacy 

and primary two 

pupils averaging 

14% in English 

and 27% in Maths 

fuel calls for a public 

apology from the NLC, 

which had mobilized 

Nigerians against the 

Jonathan Goodluck 

administration over its 

decision to remove the 

subsidy. Labour should 

acknowledge that it has 

gotten it wrong severally, 

and that acknowledgement 

will help it moving forward. 

Are the protests like that of 

Kaduna meant to remind 

Nigerians that it is still in 

existence? 

If there was one policy 

the NLC should have 

handled with some tact, it 

is that of the Kaduna State 

Teachers who woefully 

failed the competency test 

administered on them by a 

committee that included 

members of the Nigerian 

Union Teachers (NUT), and 

the Teachers Registration 

Council of Nigeria(TRCN). 

The question that the 

committee ought not to 

have administered it and the 

high cut-off point that the 

NLC is holding onto in 

protesting 

the 

disengagement shows the 

congress as lacking in 

elementary shame. The NLC 

should be scandalized 

rather than defending 

what is clearly indefensible, 

thereby rubbishing 

whatever is left of its 

reputation. The 

demonstration is a public 

relations disaster and very 

unfortunate because it has 

not changed anything. On 

the issue of the 

disengagement of the 

clearly incompetent 

teachers the Kaduna State 

Government is on a very 

high rational and moral 

ground. The sheer number 

of 21,000 failed teachers 

out of 33,000 is enough for 

Labour to have hidden its 

head in shame. And if it is 

about check-off dues, it is 

going to earn more, as the 

government is going to hire 

4,000 more teachers. 

How can the NLC 

demonstrate against these 

numbers – 83% of teachers 

scoring less than 25% in 

maths and literacy and 

primary two pupils 

averaging 14% in English 

and 27% in Maths. The 

primary four pupils didn’t 

fare any better – they 

averaged 13% in English 

and 17% in Numeracy in a 

Programme sponsored by 

the DFID. The competency 

test of June 2017 was 

obviously the finisher. Of 

the 33,000 that sat for the 

examination, only 11,591 

teachers(33%) scored 75%. 

The rest fell by the way side. 

How can the government 

redeem the irredeemables? 

That is the answer the NLC 

is not providing, because it 

prefers as always to defend 

the narrow interest of 

workers as against the 

common good of the larger 

society. The strike is 

obviously face saving and 

an attempt to convince the 

sacked teachers that the 

union stood by them. 

I don’t want to agree with 

Labour that El-Rufai is 

heartless, though taking the 

difficult decision might 

portray him as such. The 

fact remains that education 

is too sensitive an area that 

incompetent teachers 

should be allowed to 

control. And like El-Rufai 

has passionately argued 

“the poor are entitled to 

equal opportunity, because 

it enables every human 

being to widen their 

horizon, develop skills and 

lift themselves up”. Audu 

Amba, the Kaduna State 

Chairman of the NUT is 

also spot-on in his 

description of quack 

teachers as mass 

murderers, because they 

forever murder generations 

of children , unlike quack 

doctors who at best 

murder one or two patients. 

But why is Amba who 

holds politicians that 

employ their thugs as 

hugely responsible for the 

plight of the teaching 

profession, resisting the 

disengagement of the 

thugs? The question is why 

strike if a Daniel has 

finally come to 

judgement? Labour would 

have won friends if for once 

rather than protest, it 

partnered with the 

government in addressing 

the rot in the sector. 

In 1981 the Professional 

Air Traffic Controllers 

Organization (PATCO), a 

trade union embarked on a 

strike that would ultimately 

lead to its de-certification. 

Late President Ronald 

Reagan declared the strike 

illegal. More than 11,000 

Air Traffic Controllers 

ignored Reagan’s order to 

return to work. Reagan 

gave them 48 hours, while 

the authorities made 

contingency plans. 

Thankfully the FAA’s 

contingency plans worked, 

as about 3,000 

supervisors joined the 2,000 

non-striking controllers and 

the 900 military controllers 

in manning the airport 

towers. The strike was 

broken and that was the 

beginning of the end for 

PATCO. 

Continues on 

www.vanguardngr.com


How COAS Attahiru, 11 top aides perished 

in plane crash 

*NAF begins probe of crash 

By Soni Daniel; Kingsley 

Omonobi, Ibrahim 

Hassan Wuyo & 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

NEARLY four months 

after being named 

as Nigeria’s Chief of Army 

Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, 

died yesterday 

evening in an air crash at the 

Kaduna International Airport. 

The COAS, who was heading 

for Kaduna on official 

duty, reportedly perished 

with no fewer than seven top 

aides, who were travelling on 

the same 350 Beechcraft Aircraft. 

The loud screams coupled 

with the explosion resulting 

from the aircraft before it finally 

crashed, reportedly 

threw the inhabitants of the 

airport community into chaos, 

fear and confusion. 

Some of the locals, who 

witnessed the crash, said that 

the troubled aircraft exploded 

and got burnt completely 

by the time it hit the ground. 

“All the crew members and 

passengers numbering 12 

died in the crash,” a source 

at the airport told journalists 

in Kaduna. 

‘The crew apparently lost 

control of the aircraft due to 

sudden change of weather 

accompanied with violent 

storm and lightning,” the 

source explained. 

The Nigerian Airforce 

confirmed the crash but was 

silent on casualties. They 

however announced that an 

investigation into the crash 

would be carried out. 

“An air crash involving a 

Nigeria Airforce aircraft occurred 

this evening near the 

Kaduna International Airport,” 

Nigerian Airforce 

Public Relations Officer, Air 

Vice Marshall Edward 

Gabkwet, said in a statement. 

Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru 

was appointed Chief of 

Army Staff along with other 

Service Chiefs by President 

Muhammadu Buhari on 

January 26, 2021. 

Born on 10 August 1966 in 

Doka, Kaduna North Local 

Government Area, Kaduna 

State, Attahiru graduated 

from the Nigerian Defence 

Academy and was commissioned 

as a Second Lieutenant 

in December 1986 as an 

Infantry Officer. 

The late COAS held a 

Master’s degree in Strategic 

Management and Policy 

Studies from the Nigerian 

Defence Academy. 

General Attahiru had 

held several key appointments 

during his military 

career and had undertaken 

many strategic duties within 

and outside Nigeria. 

Ibrahim Attahiru: 30th 

Army Chief; Second Shortest 

Stint 

Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, 

was the 30th Chief of 

Army Staff of Nigeria. He 

was also the 26th indigenous 

Chief of Army Staff and 

was in office for three 

months and 26 days. It was 

the second shortest stint as 

army chief after the three 

months stewardship of Lt. 

Late Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru 

Gen. Aliyu Gusau between 

September and November 

1993. 

The shortest stint before 

him in the democratic era 

was Gen. Andrew Azazi who 

served for 11 months before 

he was promoted to the post 

of Chief of Defence Staff. 

Gen. Attahiru was appointed 

army chief on January 

26, 2021 when President 

Muhammadu Buhari made 

a sweeping change of the 

service chiefs. 

Born on 10th August 1966 

in Doka, Kaduna North Local 

Government Area, Kaduna 

State, he graduated from 

the Nigerian Defence Academy. 

He commenced cadets 

training in January 1984 and 

was commissioned into the 

rank of Second Lieutenant 

in December 1986 as an Infantry 

Officer. He had a Masters 

degree in Strategic 

Management and Policy 

Studies from the Nigerian 


General Attahiru held 

several appointments on the 

staff, instructional and in 

command during his military 

career. He had a tour of 

duty with the United Nations 

in Sierra Leone as a 

Military Observer, where he 

facilitated United Kingdom 

military engagement, Operation 

BARASS in September 

2000. 

He was an Operation Officer 

and later Company 

Commander in NIBATT 19 

ECOMOG Operations in 

Liberia. Also, he had the 

unique privilege of having 

commanded with distinction 

all through the chain of command 

in the Nigerian Army. 

Prominent among these appointments 

were Commanding 

Officer 146 Battalion 

Nigerian Army (Operation 

HARMONY IV) in the 

Bakassi Peninsula, Commander 

13 Brigade Nigerian 

Army (Operation PULO 

SHIELD), General Officer 

Commanding 82 Division 

Nigerian Army. He was one 

time Theatre Commander 

Operation LAFIYA DOLE. 

Buhari expresses shock 

over Gen. Attahiru death 

—Also mourns others 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari Friday night expressed 

sadness over the air 

crash that claimed the lives 

of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. 

Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 

other military officers. 

The President in a statement 

issued by his Special 

Adviser on Media and Publicity, 

Chief Femi Adesina 

condoled with families of the 

deceased, the military, and 

Nigerians in general, describing 

them as “heroes 

who paid the ultimate price 

for peace and security in the 

land.” 

While praying that God 

receives the souls of the patriots, 

the President said the 

crash “is one mortal blow to 

our underbelly, at a time our 

armed forces are poised to 

end the security challenges 

facing the country.” 

President Buhari pledged 

that the departed would not 

die in vain. 

In his own reaction, Mr. 

Peter Obi who described the 

crash as painful to the nation, 

commiserated with the Nigerian 

Army, the Air force 

and Mr. President and 

prayed for the peaceful repose 

of the souls of the 

dead. 

COAS ENTOURAGE 

1. LT GEN I ATTAHIRU - COAS 

2. BRIG GEN MI ABDULKADIR - Chief of 

Staff to Army Chief 

3. BRIG GEN OLAYINKA - Acting Provost 

Marshal, Nigerian Army 

4. BRIG GEN KULIYA - Acting Chief of 

Military Intelligence 

5. MAJ LA HAYAT - ADC to COAS 

6. MAJ HAMZA - Chief Security Officer 

(CSO) to COAS 

7. SGT UMAR - Orderly to COAS 

Aircraft Crew 

8. FLT LT TO ASANIYI - Pilot 

9. FLT LT AA OLUFADE - Co-Pilot 

10. SGT ADESINA. 

11. ACM OYEDEPO. 

INFERNO: N3.685 trn property 

saved in 3 months, says Fire 

Service boss 

By Omeiza Ajayi & Fortune Eromosele 

THE Federal Fire Service FFS said it has in the first 

quarter of 2021 saved property worth N3.685 trillion 

and an estimated property loss of N9.42 billion. 

Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, FFS, 

Dr Ibrahim Alhaji Liman disclosed this on yesterday in 

Abuja when the Senate Committee on Interior paid an 

oversight visit to the Service. 

According to him, “In 2020, the Service attended to 

3,555 fire calls and 353 rescue emergencies 1,100 lives 

were saved while 147 were lost. Estimated property saved 

N1.351 trillion and an estimated property loss of N32.12 

billion. 

“The first quarter of 2021, 986 fire calls, 34 rescue 

emergencies, 175 lives saved and 11 lives lost with an 

estimated property saved of N3.685 trillion and estimated 

property lost of N9.42 billion. The reason behind the 

spike in 2021 figures is because of a significant number 

of industrial fires.” 

He noted that the constant training of firefighters has 

proven effective, promising that they will continue to 

deliver adequate service in times of dire need. 

“The quest for professionalism has made the Service 

tailor its training needs to meet specific requirements. 

Choice trainings, refresher courses and train-the- trainer 

courses are being pursued both locally and internationally. 

Fifty personnel have been trained in Medical 

Emergency Preparedness, while 50 Instructors and 30 

Investigators have been trained locally. 

"Twenty One Officers are currently training in Belarus 

in different fields and 10 are ready to travel to Dubai for 

training on hydraulic platform while 15 are going for 

International Disaster Management course in the UK. 

Osinbajo, Gowon, CAN President 

pray for a New Nigeria 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja yesterday 

declared that a new Nigeria was in the making, 

despite the current travails besetting it. 

The Vice President said the development would eventually 

give way to a glorious and bright new morning of 

a new nation. 

Prof Osinbajo spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast 

held at the NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja. 

The Vice President was joined by former Head of State, 

Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd); President of the Christian 

Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle, 

among other dignitaries who attended. 

According to him, “the new nation is birthing already. 

It is covered by a cloud, but the cloud will pass, and God 

Almighty will take all of the glory for the birthing of a 

new nation.” 

While he noted that the theme of the Prayer breakfast, 

the “Birth of a New Nation”, was significant, especially 

in these times, Osinbajo emphasized the need for collective 

prayers, faith, hope and action, adding that Nigeria 

would prevail over the challenges of today. 

He said the National Prayer Breakfast “comes at a 

time of great travail and tribulation for the nation: in 

the throes of a pandemic for well over a year, leading to 

a severe economic downturn, loss of jobs and livelihoods; 

and as we climbed out of the recession, we have been 

faced with an unprecedented scale of insecurity, in different 

zones of the nation. 

Vice- chancellor’s appointment: 

Sanwo-Olu dissolves LASU 

governing council 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

LAGOS State Governor and the Visitor to the Lagos 

State University (LASU), Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, 

has ordered dissolution of the institution’s governing 

council in line with the recommendations in the 

report of the Special Visitation Panel on the appointment 

of the 9th Vice-Chancellor. 

Commissioner for the Information and Strategy, Mr. 

Gbenga Omotoso, announced the governor’s directive 

in a statement released on Friday, May 21, 2021. 

According to Omotoso, “After consideration of the report 

of the Special Visitation Panel and by the powers 

conferred on him by the Lagos State University Law, 

Cap L69 volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended), 

hereby adopts the recommendations and directs as 

follows: The immediate dissolution of the Lagos State 

University Governing Council and the removal of the 

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for flagrant 

violations of the extant laws and regulations of the University 

guiding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor. 

“Cancellation of the second failed exercise to appoint 

the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor as a result of the 

flagrant contravention of extant laws, breach of due process, 

failure and total disregard to follow its own laid 

down criteria guiding the process for the appointment 

of a 9th Vice-Chancellor as publicly advertised. 

“In due course, a new Governing Council for the Lagos 

State University will be constituted. The reconstituted 

Council shall conduct a new process for the appointment 

of the 9th Vice-Chancellor.


How COAS Attahiru, 11 top aides 

perished in plane crash 

*NAF begins probe of crash 

By Soni Daniel; Kingsley 

Omonobi, Ibrahim 

Hassan Wuyo & 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

NEARLY four months 

after being named 

as Nigeria’s Chief of Army 

Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim 

Attahiru, died yesterday 

evening in an air crash at 

the Kaduna International 

Airport. 

The COAS, who was 

heading for Kaduna on 

official duty, reportedly 

perished with no fewer 

than seven top aides, who 

were travelling on the 

same 350 Beechcraft Aircraft. 

The loud screams coupled 

with the explosion 

resulting from the aircraft 

before it finally crashed, 

reportedly threw the inhabitants 

of the airport 

community into chaos, 

fear and confusion. 

Some of the locals, who 

witnessed the crash, said 

that the troubled aircraft 

exploded and got burnt 

completely by the time it 

hit the ground. 

“All the crew members 

and passengers numbering 

12 died in the crash,” 

a source at the airport 

told journalists in Kaduna. 

‘The crew apparently 

lost control of the aircraft 

due to sudden change of 

weather accompanied 

with violent storm and 

lightning,” the source explained. 

The Nigerian Airforce 

confirmed the crash but 

was silent on casualties. 

They however announced 

that an investigation into 

the crash would be carried 

out. 

“An air crash involving 

a Nigeria Airforce aircraft 

occurred this 

evening near the Kaduna 

International Airport,” 

Nigerian Airforce Public 

Relations Officer, Air Vice 

Marshall Edward Gabkwet, 

said in a statement. 

Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru 

was appointed Chief of 

Army Staff along with 

other Service Chiefs by 


Buhari on January 26, 

2021. 

Born on 10 August 1966 

in Doka, Kaduna North 

Local Government Area, 

Kaduna State, Attahiru 

graduated from the Nigerian 

Defence Academy 

and was commissioned as 

a Second Lieutenant in 

December 1986 as an Infantry 

Officer. 

The late COAS held a 

Master’s degree in Strategic 

Management and 

Policy Studies from the 

Nigerian Defence Academy. 

General Attahiru had 

held several key appointments 

during his military 

career and had undertaken 

many strategic duties 

within and outside Nigeria. 

Late Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru 

Ibrahim Attahiru: 30th 

Army Chief; Second 

Shortest Stint 

Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, 

was the 30th Chief of 

Army Staff of Nigeria. He 

was also the 26th indigenous 

Chief of Army Staff 

and was in office for three 

months and 26 days. It was 

the second shortest stint as 

army chief after the three 

months stewardship of Lt. 

Gen. Aliyu Gusau between 

September and November 

1993. 

The shortest stint before 

him in the democratic era 

was Gen. Andrew Azazi 

who served for 11 months 

before he was promoted to 

the post of Chief of Defence 

Staff. 

Gen. Attahiru was appointed 

army chief on 

January 26, 2021 when 


Buhari made a sweeping 

change of the service 

chiefs. 

Born on 10th August 

1966 in Doka, Kaduna 

North Local Government 

Area, Kaduna State, he 

graduated from the Nigerian 


He commenced cadets 

training in January 1984 

and was commissioned 

into the rank of Second 

Lieutenant in December 

1986 as an Infantry Officer. 

He had a Masters degree 

in Strategic Management 

and Policy Studies 

from the Nigerian Defence 

Academy. 

General Attahiru held 

several appointments on 

the staff, instructional and 

in command during his 

military career. He had a 

tour of duty with the United 

Nations in Sierra Leone 

as a Military Observer, 

where he facilitated 

United Kingdom military 

engagement, Operation 

BARASS in September 

2000. 

He was an Operation 

Officer and later Company 

Commander in NI- 

BATT 19 ECOMOG Operations 

in Liberia. Also, 

he had the unique privilege 

of having commanded 

with distinction all 

through the chain of command 

in the Nigerian 

Army. Prominent among 

these appointments were 

Commanding Officer 146 

Battalion Nigerian Army 

(Operation HARMONY 

IV) in the Bakassi Peninsula, 

Commander 13 Brigade 

Nigerian Army (Operation 

PULO SHIELD), 

General Officer Commanding 

82 Division Nigerian 

Army. He was one 

time Theatre Commander 

Operation LAFIYA 

DOLE. 

Buhari expresses shock 

over Gen. Attahiru death 

—Also mourns others 


Buhari Friday night expressed 

sadness over the 

air crash that claimed the 

lives of Chief of Army 

Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim 

Attahiru, and other military 

officers. 

The President in a statement 

issued by his Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina 

condoled with families 

of the deceased, the 

military, and Nigerians in 

general, describing them 

as “heroes who paid the 

ultimate price for peace 

and security in the land.” 

While praying that God 

receives the souls of the 

patriots, the President 

said the crash “is one mortal 

blow to our underbelly, 

at a time our armed 

forces are poised to end the 

security challenges facing 

the country.” 

President Buhari 

pledged that the departed 

would not die in vain. 

In his own reaction, Mr. 

Peter Obi who described 

the crash as painful to the 

nation, commiserated 

with the Nigerian Army, 

the Air force and Mr. President 

and prayed for the 

peaceful repose of the 

souls of the dead. 

COAS ENTOURAGE 

1. LT GEN I ATTAHIRU - COAS 

2. BRIG GEN MI ABDULKADIR - Chief of 

Staff to Army Chief 

3. BRIG GEN OLAYINKA - Acting Provost 

Marshal, Nigerian Army 

4. BRIG GEN KULIYA - Acting Chief of 

Military Intelligence 

5. MAJ LA HAYAT - ADC to COAS 

6. MAJ HAMZA - Chief Security Officer 

(CSO) to COAS 

7. SGT UMAR - Orderly to COAS 

Aircraft Crew 

8. FLT LT TO ASANIYI - Pilot 

9. FLT LT AA OLUFADE - Co-Pilot 

10. SGT ADESINA. 

11. ACM OYEDEPO. 

INFERNO: N3.685 trn property 

saved in 3 months, says Fire 

Service boss 

By Omeiza Ajayi & Fortune Eromosele 

THE Federal Fire Service FFS said it has in the first 

quarter of 2021 saved property worth N3.685 trillion 

and an estimated property loss of N9.42 billion. 

Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, FFS, 

Dr Ibrahim Alhaji Liman disclosed this on yesterday in 

Abuja when the Senate Committee on Interior paid an 

oversight visit to the Service. 

According to him, “In 2020, the Service attended to 

3,555 fire calls and 353 rescue emergencies 1,100 lives 

were saved while 147 were lost. Estimated property saved 

N1.351 trillion and an estimated property loss of N32.12 

billion. 

“The first quarter of 2021, 986 fire calls, 34 rescue 

emergencies, 175 lives saved and 11 lives lost with an 

estimated property saved of N3.685 trillion and estimated 

property lost of N9.42 billion. The reason behind the 

spike in 2021 figures is because of a significant number 

of industrial fires.” 

He noted that the constant training of firefighters has 

proven effective, promising that they will continue to 

deliver adequate service in times of dire need. 

“The quest for professionalism has made the Service 

tailor its training needs to meet specific requirements. 

Choice trainings, refresher courses and train-the- trainer 

courses are being pursued both locally and internationally. 

Fifty personnel have been trained in Medical 

Emergency Preparedness, while 50 Instructors and 30 

Investigators have been trained locally. 

"Twenty One Officers are currently training in Belarus 

in different fields and 10 are ready to travel to Dubai for 

training on hydraulic platform while 15 are going for 

International Disaster Management course in the UK. 

Osinbajo, Gowon, CAN President 

pray for a New Nigeria 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja yesterday 

declared that a new Nigeria was in the making, 

despite the current travails besetting it. 

The Vice President said the development would eventually 

give way to a glorious and bright new morning of 

a new nation. 

Prof Osinbajo spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast 

held at the NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja. 

The Vice President was joined by former Head of State, 

Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd); President of the Christian 

Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle, 

among other dignitaries who attended. 

According to him, “the new nation is birthing already. 

It is covered by a cloud, but the cloud will pass, and God 

Almighty will take all of the glory for the birthing of a 

new nation.” 

While he noted that the theme of the Prayer breakfast, 

the “Birth of a New Nation”, was significant, especially 

in these times, Osinbajo emphasized the need for collective 

prayers, faith, hope and action, adding that Nigeria 

would prevail over the challenges of today. 

He said the National Prayer Breakfast “comes at a 

time of great travail and tribulation for the nation: in 

the throes of a pandemic for well over a year, leading to 

a severe economic downturn, loss of jobs and livelihoods; 

and as we climbed out of the recession, we have been 

faced with an unprecedented scale of insecurity, in different 

zones of the nation. 

Vice- chancellor’s appointment: 

Sanwo-Olu dissolves LASU 

governing council 


LAGOS State Governor and the Visitor to the Lagos 

State University (LASU), Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, 

has ordered dissolution of the institution’s governing 

council in line with the recommendations in the 

report of the Special Visitation Panel on the appointment 

of the 9th Vice-Chancellor. 

Commissioner for the Information and Strategy, Mr. 

Gbenga Omotoso, announced the governor’s directive 

in a statement released on Friday, May 21, 2021. 

According to Omotoso, “After consideration of the report 

of the Special Visitation Panel and by the powers 

conferred on him by the Lagos State University Law, 

Cap L69 volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended), 

hereby adopts the recommendations and directs as 

follows: The immediate dissolution of the Lagos State 

University Governing Council and the removal of the 

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for flagrant 

violations of the extant laws and regulations of the University 

guiding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor. 

“Cancellation of the second failed exercise to appoint 

the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor as a result of the 

flagrant contravention of extant laws, breach of due process, 

failure and total disregard to follow its own laid 

down criteria guiding the process for the appointment 

of a 9th Vice-Chancellor as publicly advertised. 

“In due course, a new Governing Council for the Lagos 

State University will be constituted. The reconstituted 

Council shall conduct a new process for the appointment 

of the 9th Vice-Chancellor.

6 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 22, 2021 

From left: Director of Information, Naval Headquarters, Commodore Suleman Dahun; Chief of Policy and 

Plans, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe;'Director Funds, Accountant General’s office, Sabo 

Mohammed, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji 

Ahmed Idris FCNA, Chief of Accounts and Budget, Naval Headquarters, Commodore Kasimu Bushi, Director 

Inspectorate, Accountant General’s office, Chuks Anamekwe, Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral 

Muhammad Nagenu, and Director Information and PR, Accountant General’s office, Henshaw Ogubike 

during a courtesy call on the CNS by the AGoF yesterday at the NHQ Abuja… 

15 gunmen attack Catholic Church in 

Katsina, abduct priests, kill one 

*75-yr-old Rev. Fr. missing 

*Police arrest 2, launch manhunt 

CAN: Incident happened close to police station 

By Bashir Bello& 

Luminous Janamike 

FRESH facts have 

emerged revealing 

how gunmen attacked 

St. Vincent Ferrer 

Catholic Church, Malumfashi, 

Katsina State, and abducted 

two priests at the 

Catechetical Training 

School located inside the 

church premises. 

Saturday Vanguard 

learned the attackers, who 

were about 15, had stormed 

the parish at 11 pm last 

Thursday, abducting Rev 

Fr. Alphonsus Bello and Rev 

Fr. Joe Keke . 

Bello’s corpse was later 

found some metres away 

from the church on Friday, 

while the whereabouts of 

75-year-old Fr. Keke was 

unknown as at press time. 

The parish is under the 

Catholic Diocese of Sokoto 

Ḋirector of Social Communication, 

Sokoto Diocese, 

Rev.Fr. Chris Omotohso, 

who had earlier revealed 

the incident in a brief 

statement, told Saturday 

Vanguard in a chat that the 

gunmen shot sporadically 

after gaining access to the 

church premises. 

He further said the Dean 

of Malumfashi Deanery, Fr. 

Stephen Ojapah (MSP), had 

raised the alarm about the 

incident at about 1.35 am. 

•Rev. Fr. Joe Keke, 

missing 

Omotosho quoted the 

priest to have said the parish 

house of St. Vincent Ferrer 

Church had been attacked 

by bandits numbering 

about 15. 

Meanwhile, Katsina State 

Police Command said two 

suspects were arrested in 

connection with the incident. 

Spokesperson for the 

Command, Superintendent 

of Police, SP, Gambo Isah, 

said manhunt for the missing 

priest had commenced. 

The Police image maker 

told Saturday Vanguard 

that complicity on the part 

of the security guards at the 

church couldn’t be ruled 

out. 

Police should rescue Fr. 

Keke—CAN 

•Rev Fr Alphonsus 

Bello, killed 

Reacting to the incident, 

Chairman, Katsina State 

Chapter of Christian Association 

of Nigeria, CAN, 

Rev. Fr. Nelson Onyekachukwu, 

appealed to security 

agents to ensure the 

missing priest is rescued. 

According to him, “last 

night, I received a call from 

Malumfashi, informing me 

about the ugly incident that 

one of our priests was killed 

and another kidnapped. I 

was told they entered the 

church compound and 

started shooting. People ran 

helter-skelter for safety. 

The incident happened 

around 11pm and not even 

2am. 

“My greatest concern is 

that a police station and an 

Area Command are close to 

the church. It is just adjacent 

to Malumfashi hotel. 

“We are not happy. We are 

in pain. What type of country 

are we in? That you are 

in your house, you are not 

safe. You are travelling on 

the road, you are not safe as 

you are scared. We don’t 

have leadership in this country. 

Our appeal is for the security 

agents to help us rescue 

Reverend Father Joe 

Keke from captivity. The abductors 

are yet to reach 

out.” 

We’re praying for his immediate, 

safe return - 

Chancellor 

Also, the Chancellor, 

Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr. 

Cornelius Tagwai, said they 

were praying for the immediate 

and safe return of Fr. 

Keke whose whereabouts 

was yet unknown. 

Tagwai. in a brief statement, 

said: “With a heavy 

heart, I officially announce 

the call to eternal rest of Rev. 

Fr. Alphonsus Yashim Bello, 

who until his death was 

a Fidei Donum Priest from 

Kaduna Archdiocese and 

the Parish Priest of St. Vincent 

Ferrer’s Parish, 

Malumfashi, Katsina State. 

This sad event took place in 

the early hours of today, 

Friday, May 21, 2021. The 

late Fr. Bello, was kidnapped 

with Very Rev Fr. 

Joseph Keke, the most senior 

priest of Sokoto Diocese, 

but his lifeless body 

was later found abandoned 

behind the CTC, Malumfashi. 

The whereabouts of Fr 

Keke is not yet known. 

“May the soul of Fr. Bello 

and the souls of the faithful 

departed, through the mercy 

of God rest in peace. 

“Kindly join us in prayer 

for the immediate and safe 

return of Fr. Keke and the 

peaceful repose of Fr. Bello.” 

The missing priest, who 

was ordained in 1976 by the 

late Bishop Dempsey, is the 

oldest priest in Sokoto Diocese 

under the leadership of 

Bishop Mathew Kukah. 

He is the second diocesan 

priest of the diocese. 

YOV seeks release of 3 OPC members in 

Police custody 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

THE apex Yoruba Di 

aspora Group Yoruba 

One Voice, YOV, on Friday, 

called for the release of three 

members of the Oodua People’s 

Congress, OPC, who 

handed over the kidnapping 

kingpin, Iskilu Wakili, to the 

police in March this year. 

YOV, made their position 

known in a statement by its 

Publicity Secretary, Olori 

Omoladun Orolugbagbe. 

The organization, which is 

the coalition of over 174 

Yoruba groups in Diaspora, 

expressed worry at the way 

the Oyo state Commissioner 

of police, Ngozi Onadeko 

handled the the case, adding 

that the OPC had rescued 

the situation in Ibarapa 

and its environs at a time 

when, banditry kidnapping, 

and killings were at an unprecedented 

rate in Ibarapa 

and its environs. 

Robbers attack Chinese bizman, 

kill policeman in Abia 

By Ugochukwu Alaribe 

GUNMEN yesterday attacked a businessman, said 

to be a Chinese national and killed a policeman 

accompanying him. This happened in Mission Hill area 

of Umuahia, the Abia State capital. 

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen had trailed the 

businessman from a new generation bank to the Mission 

Hill area where they started shooting at his jeep. 

The policeman was said to have engaged the gunmen. 

In the ensuing gunfire, the gunmen killed the policeman 

and fled with the cash they withdrew from the bank. 

The driver to the businessman sustained gunshot injuries 

on the leg. 

Due to the gunfire, residents and shop owners scampered 

to safety as it was believed that bandits had invaded 

the city. 

However, when the shooting died down, it was confirmed 

to be a robbery attack as the businessman started 

calling for help. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey 

Ogbonna, confirmed the incident as a case of armed 

robbery. 

FG releases N7b for completion of 

East-West road 

By Chris Ochayi 

The Federal Government has released a total sum 

of N7 billion for the completion of the East West 

highway dualisation projects. 

The government, while releasing the money to the contractors 

handling the projects, urged them to comply 

with the directives in order to complete and hand over 

the project to the people of the region before the end of 

the First Quarter 2022. 

The Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, 

Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, disclosed this during 

the inspection of the East-West road from Section II 

Sub Section II, Ahoada – Kaima, to Section II Sub 

Section I, Eleme Junction – Ahoada, and Section IIIA, 

Eleme Junction - Onne Port Junction, in Port Harcourt, 

Rivers State. 

Western education, only antidote to 

banditry, kidnapping, insurgency in 

Nigeria — Obasanjo 

By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan 

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has said huge 

investment in Western education was the only antidote 

that can check insurgency, banditry and other social vices 

which are on the increase across the country. He said this on 

Friday at the commissioning of Prof. Abayomi Oluwatosin 

Jiboku Building, at Lariken International College, Ologuneru, 

Ibadan. 

While calling on all Nigerians to inculcate good values in 

their wards, he said, although ending banditry and other vices 

could take time, investment in Western education would definitely 

bring desired results. 

Obasanjo stressed that nothing else could substitute sound 

education in ridding insecurity in the country. 

Advising Nigerians not to place too much premium on money, 

he said money would never make him compromise his 

stance in any issue. The ex-President said, “The erroneous belief 

that money can buy anything does not apply to me. If you 

have money, you cannot buy my conscience. If we are to get 

out of this insecurity, banditry, Boko Haram, kidnapping, and 

other criminal activities, we will need to go through a very 

long gestation period of training, educating all Nigerian children. 

I mean all Nigerian children because there is emphasis 

on all the children.” 

The three members of the 

OPC still in police custody 

are Awodele Adedigba, Dauda 

Kazeem, and Hassan Ramon. 

The statement reads: 

“It is unfortunate that the 

Oyo state Commissioner of 

police had severally ignored 

the calls by well meaning 

Nigerians, including the 

Aare Onakakanfo of 

Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams 

on the need to release 

the three OPC members 

from police custody. But 

rather than heed the calls, 

the police decided to play 

politics with the situation. 

The OPC members were 

transferred to the State 

Criminal Investigation Department, 

SCID, Iyaganku, 

Ibadan. From there, they 

were taken to court. 

“The police also levelled 

allegations of arson and 

murder against the three 

OPC members when they 

were taken to court. But the 

truth of the matter is that if 

the OPC members are criminals, 

they would not have 

arrested Wakili alive and 

still take him to the police 

for further investigation. 

“It is also still surprising 

that the police had charged 

the three OPC members 

with arson and murder. The 

charges were done in bad 

faith and those of us abroad 

will continue to raise our 

voices against the unjust detention 

of the brave members. 

Orolugbagbe, who noted 

that the OPC members are 

not criminals said they 

should be released. 

“They should have no case 

to answer. They are law-abiding 

citizen. They only complemented 

government’s efforts 

at reducing crime rate 

in Nigeria. The security 

agencies are overwhelmed 

and they need the support of 

non-state actors to strengthen 

the security architecture 

of the country. This is exactly 

what the OPC members 

did in arresting Wakili.

EJIGA 

FESTUS OKIKI 

I, formerly addressed as Okiki 

Ganiyat Abosede now wish to be 

addressed as ABOLARINWA 

Ganiyat Bose. All former 

documents remain valid. NIN 

and the general public please 

take note. 

YAKUBU 

CHANGE OF NAME 

I, formerly known and addressed 

as EJIGA ADA, now wish to be 

known and addressed as EJIGA 

ADAH AKPO. All Former 

documents remain valid. Bank 

authority and general public to take 

note. 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

YAKUBU EZEKIEL, now wish to 

be known and addressed as SIMON 

JONATHAN. All Former 

documents remain valid. General 

public to take note. 

NATHANIEL 


NATHANIEL PATIENCE, now 

wish to be known and addressed as 

NATHANIEL OJOMACHEWN. 

My date of birth is 16 AUGUST 

1992. All Former documents remain 

valid. General public to take note. 

ABDULLAHI 

My name was wrongly 

captured as Abdullahi 

Adewale Mubarak instead of 

Abdullah Mubarak Adewale, 

now wish to be known as 

Abdullah Mubarak Adewale. 

All former documents remain 

valid. General public to take 

note. 

ELIOJO 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as JAPHET 

JULIANA ELIOJO, now 

wish to be known and 

addressed as OGBADU 

JULIANA. All Former 

documents remain valid. 

General public to take note. 

MOHAMMED 


MOHAMMED SULEIMAN 

ABBAS, now wish to be known and 

addressed as SULE MUHAMMED 

ABBAS. All Former documents 

remain valid. General public to take 

note. 

UDOH 


UBONG NNANNA UDOH, now 

wish to be known and addressed as 

UBONGABASI NNANNA 

UDOH. All former documents 

remain valid. General public and 

authority concerned please take note. 

DAVID 

HASSAN 

OJIH 


addressed as OJIH 

WILLIAMS OJONILE, now 

wish to be known and 

addressed as OJIH 

CORDELIA. All Former 


General public to take note. 

SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 22, 2021 — 7 

INSECURITY: NSCDC commissions female 

squad to secure schools 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

AS part of efforts to 

promote its Safe 

School Initiative and 

provide full-proof security 

for schools, the Nigeria Security 

and Civil Defence 

Corps NSCDC has commissioned 

an all-female 

squad after four weeks of 

intensive and rigorous 

training at the NSCDC 

Training College, Katsina. 

Director, Public Relations 

at the national headquarters 

of the NSCDC in Abuja, 

DCC, Olusola Odumosu 

disclosed this in a statement 

issued yesterday in Abuja. 

At the passing out parade 

in Katsina, Minister of Interior, 

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola 

commended the leadership 

of the Corps for taking 

the lead in establishing a 

Female Squad as part of 

strategies to address present 

security challenges confronting 

the nation. 

The minister who expressed 

delight over the 

initiative said the move 

would no doubt add value to 

the security architecture of 

the country, while at the 

same time enhancing the operational 

capacity and efficiency 

of the corps. 

Speaking on the significance 

of women in the fight 

against terrorism, banditry, 

kidnapping and other forms 

of insecurity, Aregbesola reiterated 

that since women account 

for more than half of 

the nation’s population, it 

was apt to include them in 

all aspects of nation building 

as studies have shown that 

women are more likely to attract 

the cooperation, confi- 

OJI 

UDOCHI 

This is to confirm that the name; 

Udochi Imagwe and Udochi 

Ogbudu Francis refer to me. I 

now wish to be known as Udochi 

Ogbudu Francis. All former 


public and authority concerned 

please take note. 

note. 

DAVID 

GODDY OT 

KABIRU 

I, formerly known as Goddy 

Nwokedi now wish to be 

known as Godwin Ifeanyi 

Nwokedi. All documents 

MUHAMMADU 

bearing my former names 

remain valid. Banks and 

general public should please 

take note. 

the general public take note. 

EJEM EKPE AKUMBOBIA 


DAVID CHIZORO JOY, now wish 

to be known and addressed as OBA 

CHIZORO JOY. All former 




I, formerly known and addressed 

as Ejem Maduabuchi Innocent 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as Nkwoemeka 

Innocent. My correct date of 

birth is 17-10-1990. Former 


public take note. 

AMEH 


addressed as Ameh Ada 

AdaNow wish to be known 

and addressed as Ameh Ada. 

All former documents remain 

valid. Uba authority and 

general public to take note 

BADAMASI 

I, formerly known as Badamasi 

Jamiu Olamilekan, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Badmus 

Olamilekan Jamiu.All former 

documents remain valid.JAMB 

,NIMC and general public please 

take note. 

I, formerly called and addressed as 

KPAMOR TORNHEN DAVID 

now wish to be addressed as 

KPAMOR TORMHEN DAVID. 

All former documents remain valid. 

National Identity Management and 

general public should take note. 

DONLAD 


DONLAD 

OKURO 

AGBORUBERE, now wish to be 

known and addressed as DONLAD 

IGBANIBO AGBORUBERE. All 

former documents remain valid. 

NATIONAL IDENTITY 

COMMISSION and general public 


ORJI 

I, formerly known and addressd 

as AGOHA CHUKWUEMEKA 

ORJI, now wish to be known as 

AGOHA CHUKWUEMEKA 

HOPE. All documents bearing 

my former name remain valid. 

Any other concerned authority 

and the general public should 


This is to notify the general public 

that as a matter of fact my name 

was wrongly entered by me as 

HASSAN MARIAM instead of 

HASSAN MARIAM OMALE. 

Former documents remain valid. The 

Management of Jaiz Bank/Authority 

concern and general public to take 

note. 

OJEMEN 


Miss Vivian Ojemen, now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs 

Vivian Okoduwa. All former 



please take note OJO 

During registration of my National 

Identity Card. My name was 

erroneously written as USMAN 

OJO. Now wish to be known and 

called as HASSAN 

ABDULSALAM. Former 

documents remain valid. Authority 

concern and general public to take 

I, formerly known as Imaikop 

Favour Ekpe, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Ekpe 

Favour David. Date of birth 13/05/ 

1982.All former documents remain 

valid. General public please take 

note. 

EFFIONG 


NSEOBONG EFFIONG, Now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

NSEOBONG MICHAEL 

EFFIONG.. All former documents 

remain valid. General public and 

authority concerned please take 

note 


Miss Oji Chiyenum Rita, now wish 

to be known and addressed as Mrs 

Okebugwu Rita Kingsley. All former 


public and authority concerned please 

take note. 

I, formerly known and called 

AISHATU KABIRU, now wish to 

be known and addressed as 

AISHA 

KABIRU. All former documents 

remain valid. Relevant authority and 

I, formerly known and called 

AKUMBOBIA NSORMAH 

HANNAH, now wish to be known 

and addressed as HANNAH 

NSORMAH BADU. All former 

documents remain valid. GHANA 

EMBASSY Relevant authority and 

the general public take note. 

ORSI 


addressed as ORSI JOY JOY, 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as ORJI JOY 

ANURIKA. All former 


General public and authority 

concerned please take note 

dence and trust of the 

citizens than their male 

counterparts. 

He maintained that the 

spike in security challenges 

in the country occasioned 

by the activities of Boko 

Haram insurgency, armed 

banditry, robbery, kidnapping, 

farmers/herders 

clashes among others necessitated 

the clamour for 

security agencies to redouble 

their efforts by strategizing 

to provide a safe and 

secure environment, where 

meaningful development 

can thrive. 

Aregbesola urged the 

newly established Female 

Squad to exhibit high level 

of discipline, focus, vigilance 

and mental alertness 

in discharging their responsibilities 

while calling on 

the citizens to provide 

operatives with actionable 

intelligence that will assist 

in finding lasting solution to 

the problem of incessant 

kidnapping of school children 

for ransom. 

Earlier, Commandant 

General of the NSCDC, Dr 

Ahmed Audi explained that 

the female squad was a 

child of necessity, borne out 

of the need to effectively 

curtail the recent upsurge of 

insecurity and to proactively 

engage bandits and 

kidnappers of school children 

as directed by the Federal 

Government on the implementation 

of the safe 

school initiative by the 

corps. 

Dr Audi said the frequency 

of attacks on schools by 

bandits which indulge kidnapping 

of students for 

ransom has made it 

imperative to focus attention 

on intensifying security 

within and around vulnerable 

schools’ environment 

across the country. 

“This is a proactive step 

aimed at ensuring safety of 

school children and restoring 

the confidence of students, 

parents, teachers and 

the host communities,” he 

said. 

According to Audi, the 

corps has concluded a vulnerability 

survey on all 

schools in the country to 

collate data with a view to 

identifying the gaps in the 

existing security arrangement 

for schools in Nigeria 

and to give the corps needed 

clues on necessary strategies 

to adopt in enhancing 

safety in the nation’s 

schools, especially those 

that are susceptible to attacks. 

Group chides UN over insecurity 

*Demands urgent intervention 

By Dirisu Yakubu & 

Fortune Eromosele 

A 

group, The Malcolm 

Omirhobo Foundation, 

has berated the United Nations 

Security Council for failure 

to rise to the occasion of 

the incessant genocide and 

bloodletting in the country, calling 

for an urgent intervention 

to stem the spate of killings. 

Addressing newsmen at the 

UN office in Abuja, president 

of the group, a rights activist 

and lawyer, Chief Malcom 

Omirhobo, said it was alarming 

how the atrocities of the 

Fulani militias and terrorists, 

have been greeted with aloofness 

by the UN as well as its 

security council comprising 

China, France, Russia, the United 

States of America and the 

United Kingdom. 

He described the situation as 

undeserving, adding that the 

Federal Government has left 

Nigerians to scamper for safety. 

According to him, “While 

the Nigerian government permits 

the Fulanis ethnic groups 

to bear arms, it effectively disarmed 

other ethnic groups up 

to their kitchen utensils and 

criminalize any of them that 

dare to bear arms, thereby depriving 

them of their right to 

self defense. 

“While the Nigerian government 

plays Ostrich, the Fulani 

ethnic group stock pile arms 

and ammunition and train 

their men, women and children 

I 

n corroboration with the 

United Nations 

Sustainable Development 

Goals, Gtext Homes have 

embarked on a tree planting 

exercise in all of their estates 

in Lagos and Abuja. 

Speaking at the event, 

Opemipo Loto, Sales 

Manager, Gtext Homes 

clarified that the trees that 

were being planted have been 

carefully selected for warmth 

and comfort for residents of 

their estates. 

“One of the species of trees 

we are planting today is 

gardenia. It is a flower that 

has a very good scent. Its scent 

is inviting; it also has a vanilla 

fragrance. It makes the 

environment sweet to come 

in to and also colourful; it has 

a sharp green colour. Apart 

from the global warming that 

we are trying to tackle, we 

want to create an 

environment that is serene 

and very comfortable. A 

luxury of nature,” she said. 

Chioma Orazudike, 

Business Development 

as combatants and how to kill 

in preparation for the Jihad. 

The Nigerian government 

stands by and watches as the 

Fulani militias wreak havoc on 

Nigerians of other ethnic 

groups. 

“The Nigerian government 

sees nothing wrong in terrorism 

but sees everything wrong 

in agitations the Nigerian government 

listens and negotiates 

with terrorists but refuses to discuss 

with agitators. 

“Nigerian citizens are haplessly 

and helplessly trapped 

between the devil and the deep 

blue sea as they do not have 

who to report their plight to or 

where to seek justice due to the 

systematic and institutionalized 

nature of the genocide 

going on in Nigeria. 

“The President of Nigeria is 

a Fulani man and virtually all 

the public institutions in Nigeria 

are headed and controlled 

by the Fulani or their stooges 

and cronies." 

Partner FG on Inland Dry 

Port project, Amaechi tasks 

Oyo government 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

MINISTER of trans 

portation, Rotimi 

Amaechi has urged the Oyo 

state government to put infrastructures 

in place for the Inland 

Dry Port in Ibadan and 

access roads to service the dry 

port and the train station in 

Moniya or relinquish the 

project to another state along 

the corridor. 

The Minister stated this 

yesterday in a meeting with 

Governor Seyi Makinde at 

the government house, 

Ibadan on the sidelines of his 

visit to the Inland dry port site. 

He said: “We are here to 

inspect the inland dry port 

Gtext Homes plant 1000 

trees in Lagos, Abuja 

Manager for Gtext Homes 

further affirmed that a total 

number of 1000 trees will be 

planted in all of their estates 

as a start. 

“We would be planting a 

total of 1000 trees today and 

this is part of our green and 

smart home that we are 

working towards. Tree 

planting is the green part of 

green and smart homes 

where you have an ecofriendly 

environment. Also, 

tree planting helps in climate 

change; it controls erosion; it 

helps to ensure that we are 

breathing clean air and it is 

for a sustainable 

environment, which is key for 

us. We want an environment 

that is safe for all. The tree 

planting exercise is a key part 

of Gtext Homes vision, and 

this will not be the first and 

last. It is a continuous thing 

for us,” she said. 

Dr Stephen Akintayo, MD 

Gtext Homes, speaking from 

the Abuja estate revealed that 

Gtext prides itself on keeping 

to their word. 

and to make sure that Ibadan 

is ready before the commissioning 

of the Lagos-Ibadan 

rail line. There are issues of 

border, we had acquired the 

land and got Certificate of Occupancy 

when the former 

Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi 

was here. Now, they are 

denying us entry into the land. 

We had 90 acres of land, now 

we have access to only 40. 

“In building the Inland Dry 

Port, part of the regulation is, 

when the government acquires 

land and gives to the 

Federal Government, the 

state government will provide 

infrastructure. If we convert 

that infrastructure to equity, 

then Kaduna will be the 

first to ask us for equity, because 

they were the first to 

provide those infrastructures 

in Kaduna Dry Port. 

“So many state governments 

have given us land to 

build inland dry port and Oyo 

state will not be an exception. 

And we don’t expect that Oyo 

State will ask us to convert 

those constructions into equity. 

“If you don’t want to crash 

Ibadan town, you need to 

build a road to link Moniya 

to the old Ibadan/Oyo road. 

The reason is, the moment we 

start trucking cargoes from 

Lagos to Moniya, even if the 

dry port was not there, you 

will have pressure in your city 

if there is no road to get them 

to exit from there. 

“So, if you don’t want pressure 

in your city and on your 

infrastructure, because what 

we have today in Lagos, Apapa 

gridlock and others will 

transfer to this place; we need 

to start preparing now, because 

in June the President 

will commission Lagos 

Ibadan rail line. And when he 

commissions it, it’s our intention 

to begin to move cargoes 

on that track, and those cargoes 

that are going to Kano, 

Port Harcourt and other states 

may end up in Ibadan.”

8 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 22, 2021 

2023: APC Govs shoot down zoning, 

say anyone free to contest 

*To provide platform for Ayade’s future political aspirations, negotiations 


Youths of Brass Local Government protesting at the Government House 

over alleged non-implementation of the Government MoU between Agip Oil 

Company and Oil Communities in Ovom, Yenagoa Bayelsa on Thursday. 

AHEAD of the 2023 

general elections, 

governors of the ruling 

All Progressives Congress 

APC on Friday 

put paid to speculations 

regarding zoning of 

party offices and elective 

positions in the 

country, saying the party 

belongs to all Nigerians 

and that everyone 

from any part of the 

country is free to vie for 

any position. 

“APC belongs to all 

Nigerians. Everyone, 

from every part of the 

country is free to aspire 

for any position in the 

party in line with provisions 

of our party’s constitution 

and the 1999 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria 

as amended. The guiding 

philosophy as enshrined 

in the provisions 

of our manifesto is 

economic, social and 

political development of 

Nigeria”, the governors 

declared. 

This came as they 

pledged to yield the 

platform of the party to 

its new entrant, Gov. 

Ben Ayade of Cross River 

state to actualise his 

future political aspirations 

and viable negotiations. 

“Given all his achievements 

in Cross River 

State, Mr. Ayade is only 

coming home where he 

belongs. APC is indeed 

the party that will provide 

him and his people, 

and indeed all Nigerians 

the viable platform 

for political aspirations 

and negotiations”, 

the governors said in a 

statement by their 

Chairman and Kebbi 

state Governor, 

Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. 

Bagudu said with Mr 

Ayade and all leaders in 

the APC, “our party’s capacity 

to serve the collective 

interests of all 

Nigerians through effective 

representation 

will be strengthened 

and reinforced”. 

“Our party, APC, is 

open, transparent and 

will continue to guarantee 

fair contestation in 

politics, in line with the 

overarching commitment 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari and 

all our founding leaders. 

Our National Caretaker 

Extraordinary/ 

Convention Planning 

Committee has worked 

hard to restore the political 

credentials of the 

APC as a strong institution 

for Nigeria’s democratic 

development”, 

he added. 

Welcoming Prof. Ayade 

to their fold, the 

governors said the political 

and democratic 

credentials for President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

have continued to attract 

more people to the 

APC. 

“The Progressive Governors 

Forum PGF welcome 

Mr. Ben Ayade, 

Governor of Cross River 

State to the All Progressives 

Congress 

APC. We join all leaders 

and members to welcome 

this illustrious Nigerian 

into our great 

party. The decision of 

Mr. Ayade to join the 

APC is a testament of our 

party’s capacity to mobilise 

all Nigerians consistent 

with the vision of 

the founding fathers to 

ensure that the APC is 

a platform to unite all 

Nigerians. The coming 

of Mr. Ayade into the 

APC further reinforces 

the process of membership 

and leadership recruitment 

at all levels”, 

the APC governors added. 

After several weeks of 

permutations about his 

political trajectory, Prof. 

Ayade had on Thursday 

dumped his erstwhile 

Peoples Democratic Party 

PDP for the ruling All 

Progressives Congress 

APC. 

Chairman, APC Caretaker 

Extraordinary 

Convention Planning 

Committee and Yobe 

state Governor, Hon. 

Mai Mala Buni, and several 

other governors of 

the APC had received 

Ayade on Thursday in 

Calabar. 

The governors in their 

statement said; “We congratulate 

our leader, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

whose sterling qualities 

and fair mindedness 

endear patriotic Nigerians 

to the party. 

“Mr. President’s credentials 

as a fair leader 

who is impartial will continue 

to promote our party 

and serve as a major 

source of electoral advantage. 

As Progressive Governors, 

we will remain 

steadfast in supporting the 

efforts and initiatives of 

Mr. President to build our 

party, APC, as a strong 

and democratic political 

party in the country. 

“Also, we salute our 

members of the APC National 

Caretaker Extraordinary/Convention 

Planning 

Committee under the 

leadership of Mai Mala 

Buni for this milestone 

achievement of once again 

getting another experienced 

leader in the person 

of Ben Ayade to join 

the APC. 

“We welcome Mr. Ben 

Ayade for taking the courageous 

decision of leaving 

the Peoples’ Democratic 

Party PDP to join our 

party, the All Progressives 

Congress. The movement 

of our compatriot to the 

APC is indicative of his 

principles, commitment 

and conviction to the development 

of Nigeria. 

“We will continue to support 

the National Caretaker 

Extraordinary/Convention 

Planning Committee 

in all its current initiatives 

to rebuild our great party. 

With the coming of Mr. Ayade, 

the capacity of our 

party to mobilise all patriots 

and other like-minded 

progressive Nigerians to 

join the APC is stronger. 

The Progressive reinforcement 

of our party continues. 

We look forward to receiving 

more patriots and 

progressive minded Nigerians 

into the APC!” 

We never asked Nigerians to 

submit their IMEI numbers — FG 

...As NCC deploys DMS to prevent phone 

theft 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

THE Federal government has denied issuing a di 

rective asking Nigerians to submit the International 

Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their mobile 

phones to the Nigerian Communications commission, 

NCC. 

A media aide to the Minister of Communications and 

Digital Economy, Yusuf Abubakar in an interview with 

Vanguard said the ministry was surprised to see the story 

when it never issued such directive. 

Recall that a report in some sections of the media reported 

that the federal government issued a directive 

asking Nigerians to submit the International Mobile 

Equipment Identity (IMEI) of their mobile phones to the 

commission from July, 2021. 

Also reacting, the NCC through a statement signed by 

the Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adide also 

debunked the media publications, saying that subscribers 

were never required to Submit International Mobile 

Equipment Identity (IMEI) Number 

The Commission however, noted that it was in the process 

of deploying a Device Management System (DMS) 

which will essentially protect subscribers against phone 

theft and will identify and enable the elimination of fake 

devices from the networks. The system will capture IMEI 

automatically without any requirement for subscribers 

to submit same. It therefore advised the general public 

to disregard the said publications, which it said had created 

the erroneous impression that telephone subscribers 

will be required to register their IMEI with their networks. 

WAP signs global distribution deal 

for ‘Knockout’ 

WALE Adenuga Productions,WAP, producer of 

the2019 comedy blockbuster, Knockout’ has announced 

the signing of an MoU with Media Pros Africa, 

a Kenya-based international film agency owned by seasoned 

industry player,Wangeci Murage, for the global 

distribution of the movie, through various platforms including, 

but not limited to VOD, TVOD, SVOD, Cinema, 

Pay TV, Free-to-Air, and Terrestrial. 

According to Wale Adenuga Jnr., producer of Knockout, 

“We are pleased to have finally come to a Global 

Distribution Agreement with such a reputable organization 

as Media Pros Africa as well as Osezua Stephen- 

Imobhio’s Oduma Creative Worx Limited, through which 

the deal was brokered. When Knockout was released in 

the cinemas across Nigeria and Ghana, the response 

was overwhelmingly positive. So, with this deal, we can 

finally achieve our desire of showcasing the movie to a 

wider audience.” 

Released on the 19th of April 2019, Knockout tells the 

comical story of what happens when news of a boxing 

competition, with a cash prize of $3Million hits town, 

and sends a group of people into a hilarious frenzy as 

they devise mischievous means to participate and win. 

The clumsy boxer they choose, and the crazy characters 

they meet along the way results in a myriad of mayhem 

and madness. 

Lagos establishes education radio 

to boost quality 

*Colleges, LASPOTECH to become 

‘varsitiesa 


The Lagos State Government, has announced plans to establish 

an Education Radio Station for mainly educational 

content aimed at improving qualitative education in the state. 

Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, 

disclosed this on Friday, during the 2021 ministerial press 

briefing to mark the second anniversary of Governor, Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu’s administration. 

According to Adefisayo,”The state has filed for licensing of 

the radio station. It would serve as a channel for educational 

and training content for pupils and teachers only. It is a long 

process because approval has to come from Abuja, but we 

have started the process and I think we are getting close to 

approval.” 

The commissioner also disclosed plans to establish special 

skill-based schools (mono-academies) that would appeal to 

specific interests of learners; and the establishment of six mathematics 

laboratories in each of the six education districts. 

She said: “We will establish four mono-academies - multimedia 

and ICT academy (we have found a facility for this); 

fashion institute, construction academy, and agric/mechanical 

academy, in partnership with the private sector, because 

we want to give our pupils more options. If you cannot attend 

university, you can have a career in something you are good at 

and love doing. We will also give them the skills so they can be 

master practitioners.” 

“We will also establish six mathematics laboratories, and 

Casio has promised to donate the six labs to us in the six 

educational districts. We plan to roll out 150 computer systems 

in our vocational colleges; another 30,000 devices across 

all our schools, and even more, complete with the scheme of 

work, for our pupils because their generation is so adept with 

it and is tech savvy. We want to teach them in the way they like 

to be taught so they will learn as they should learn.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021—9 

Our lawmakers cannot initiate 

change, they’re strangers to us, 

Nigerians lament 

•Say they’re inaccessible to their constituents 

•They’re benefiting from the corrupt govt system 

•Engage in meaningless discussions, centred on their own needs 

•They’re rubber stamp NASS, timid, lethargic 

•Nigeria is bleeding, govt must rise to the occasion 

•We need the president, not presidency to address us, answer questions 

•Senate President, 

Ahmed Lawan 

By Dayo Johnson; Samuel 

Oyadongha;Vincent Ujumadu;Wole 

Mosadomi; Festus Ahon; Umar Yusuf; 

Tina Akannam; Peter Duru; Marie- 

Therese Nanlong; Peter Okutu; Rotimi 

Ojomoyela; Ugochukwu; Alaribe; 

Charly Agwam; Dennis Agbo; Femi 

Bolaji; Ozioruva Aliu; James 

Ogunnaike; Chioma Onuegbu; Shina 

Abubakar; Ibrahim HassanWuyo; Steve 

Oko; Ikechukwu Odu &Chinedu 

Adonu 

Following unceasing agitations for self 

determination by some sections of the 

country, the presidency recently argued 

that only lawmakers as the 

representatives of the people have the mandate 

to effect whatever change they desired in the 

country. Some people are asking for the 

restructuring of the country or fiscal federalism 

with full autonomy for the regions. Others are 

agitating for self rule, or separate nations out 

of Nigeria. The presidency therefore tasked 

the various groups to make all their demands 

through their representatives at the national 

assembly. 

The residents however did not find the 

presidency’s advice funny. According to them, 

although the legislators were elected to 

represent their constituencies, they pursue their 

personal interests and not those of the 

electorate who elected them. The respondents 

lamented that in as much as they would want 

a change in the structure of the government in 

the country, the current legislators can’t 

legislate themselves out of office as they are 

currently benefiting from the corrupt political 

system. 

Their fears were confirmed last week 

Thursday, about two weeks after they said they 

had given up hope on their lawmakers when 

both Senate President, Ahmad Lawan spoke 

against the restructuring of the country which 

the agitators have been calling for. The 

southern governors had , asked the Federal 

Government to among other things restructure 

Nigeria. But Lawan faulted the call saying the 

governors were trying to take the country back 

to the regional era accusing them of playing 

to the gallery as they failed to first restructure 

their own state. 

It will be recalled that the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Committee on Restructuring 

led by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna 

State submitted its recommendations to the 

National Assembly but the lawmakers had 

refused to touch the report. Similarly, the APC 

as a party had shown no interest in restructuring 

three years after the El-Rufai Committee 

endorsed true federalism. 

The people therefore want the government 

to dust the report of the 2014 Constitutional 

Conference and similar reports and effect the 

desired change that will bring smiles on their 

faces. 

Nigeria’s ex envoy to the Philippines, Dr Yemi 

Faroumbi said, ordinarily in a normal society, 

the lawmaker has the responsibility of making 

cases for the desires and working to reduce the 

pain of members of his constituency. 

In any other society, given the amount of 

heat that is being generated in the political 

atmosphere, the lawmakers would have 

assembled the wishes of their constituents and 

would have presented them in the National 

Assembly. If Nigerians are asking for new 

constitution, reorganization or restructuring, 

if they are asking for a new arrangement that 

will help to protect lives and property of the 

people, members of the National Assembly 

need no prompting for them to enact law that 

will make the situation better for their 

constituents, but what do we have? Lamentation 

by the National Assembly, people who ought 

to aggregate the grief of Nigerians and make 

laws that will represent that grief and present 

the new law to the President to accent and now 

let us see whether the executive will refuse to 

accept it. 

“These are people who ought to have 

•Gbjabiamila 

•Ndume 

restructured Nigeria, who ought to have risen 

in Nigeria beyond the partisan and marginal 

amendments that they have been making, but 

they have not done their job. 

“They have opportunity to be remembered 

for life for being the legislature that gave 

answers to Nigerian questions, they ought to 

have taken that step that will be remembered 

as the legislature that provided solutions for 

the problems of the people, that removed the 

tears from the eyes of people and remove the 

•Omo-Agege 

•James 

Manager 

fears from the minds of people. So what do we 

have? Meaningless chat, meaningless 

discussions that are centred around their own 

needs, rather than the wishes and the desires 

of the people”. 

In his own submission, human Rights 

Activist, Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje, said: “we 

have always channeled our agitations and 

apprehensions through our elected 

Representatives. However, that procedure has 

largely been unhelpful and ineffective. Our 

Continues on page 10

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 

Say they’re inaccessible to their constituents 

Continues from page 9 

lawmakers really do not put our interests first, 

rather our collective interests are subsumed 

under their personal interest and as such, we 

never get any good results back at all. And 

that is why we are clamouring openly and 

directly to the presidency about our plight and 

current state of insecurity in our land. Even 

though we are still going to channel our 

demands through our representatives, we shall 

not stop there, but move on to pressurize the 

presidency to do the needful. 

A legal practitioner based in Uyo, Mr Mfon 

Peters, said “most of our Senators and our 

House of Representative members are not 

operating as those sent there to represent their 

constituents. Most of them are rather 

promoting their selfish interests. It is so 

difficult for constituents today to access their 

representatives. My thinking is that the 

leadership of this country is not being sincere 

about solving the problem of the people by 

pushing people back to their representatives. 

How many lawmakers visit their constituents 

with a view to knowing their problems or 

challenges? Even when your effort to see him 

or her becomes difficult, and you are asked to 

drop a letter at the constituency office, you 

will never get a response because the Senator 

or House of Representative member never 

visits that place. It pains that every four years 

you go to the polls to vote for somebody as 

your representative, at the end of the day the 

person is gone, you cannot reach out to him or 

her again.” 

Similarly, Comrade Joe Jackson, National 

President of Niger Delta Youth Movement 

(NDYM) said, “For me that idea that we should 

channel our demands through our 

Representatives is not the best approach. The 

representatives don’t visit their constituencies. 

Some stay in Abuja, and even when you drop 

a letter at their constituency office they won’t 

look at such letters. When they have few bags 

of rice and tricycles that they want to give out 

as empowerment they would claim they are 

engaging in constituency briefing where 

constituents would not be able to express their 

opinions or make demands. 

The Presidency should not ask us to channel 

our demands through our lawmakers because 

we cannot reach out to them and they don’t 

hold town hall meetings. What we (NDYM) 

expect is effective representation where 

lawmakers come down to their constituencies 

and hold town hall meetings to find out about 

the needs of the people”. 

A prominent trader in Minna, Niger state 

capital, Alhaji Ibrahim Nagogo said 

Nigerians don’t need to go through anybody 

including their Representatives before they are 

governed. The expectation of all Nigerians 

now is a government that will restore peace in 

the country, a government that will put food 

on our tables at minimal cost, a government 

that will restructure our economy to bring 

down prices of essential commodities, a 

government that will stop the incessant strikes 

in the Education, Health and other sectors 

among others.” 

Convener of Youthlead in Nigeria, Comrade 

Mohammed Saidu Etsu also kicked against 

channeling their demands through their 

legislators. He said “We were forcefully 

brought together by Britain some years back, 

went through military rule until 1999 when 

we got full democracy and since then, people 

have been agitating on how to restructure the 

country so that every Federating unit will know 

how to take responsibility of its own state but 

it is very glaring that the Federal government 

is not prepared for the restructuring. The 

Electoral Bill passed by the National Assembly 

during Dr. Bukola Saraki’s tenure as Senate 

President was not signed by President 

Muhammadu Buhari because of their selfish 

interests whereas the document will be of 

immense benefit to us and so pushing us back 

to the legislators again is meaningless because 

it is recycling the same thing that will not be 

implemented. If actually we are serious, 

Nigeria need to be restructured and if we want 

to do it, there is no better time than now 

because if we don’t do it now, it is like forcing 

ourselves on each other and there cannot be 

peace because nobody is comfortable with 

each other and if we actually want true 

Federalism, we need to restructure the country 

now”, Etsu declared. 

Speaking in the same vein, former 

Spokesman of All Progressives 

Congress,(APC) and former Commissioner of 

Information in Niger State, Mr.Jonathan 

Vatsa said instead of calling on agitated 

Nigerians to go through their Representatives 

again, the President should dust report of the 

last Confab submitted and implement. “There 

is no need going through the Representatives 

because their election was not through 

democracy but rigging so, they are going to 

be manipulated in whatever report they 

submit. The manifesto of the party,(APC) alone 

if implemented is enough to transform this 

country but unfortunately, the manifesto was 

dumped by powers that be for their selfish 

interest:” 

Barrister Iniruo Wills, President Ijaw 

•Senate President, 

Ahmed Lawan 

Professionals Association (Homeland 

Chapter) submitted that: “We need a 

democratically constituted sovereign national 

conference to produce a constitution flowing 

from “We the People” for the first time in 

Nigeria’s history, to reform the structure and 

system of governance in alignment with 

federalism properly so called, to institute 

meritocracy, and to make public governance 

attractive and accessible to serious minded 

people.” 

Eric Omare, former President, Ijaw Youth 

Council (IYC) worldwide said: “In any case, 

how many times has the Presidency even 

listened to representatives? So from whatever 

angle you look at it, the 

statement by the Presidency 

simply shows that it is not 

ready to provide leadership 

by directing Nigerians to 

direct their grievances to 

their representatives.” 

Mr. 

Joseph 

Ambakederimo, Convener, 

South South Reawakening 

Group in his reaction 

however believed that: “the 

system is not the problem, the 

operators of the system are 

the problem. The 

followership too are on one 

hand the problem. What we 

are experiencing today does 

not start today, it is the 

manifestation of decades of 

rottenness of wrong doing 

that we have refused to 

punish. And until we begin 

to punish wrong doing in this 

country nothing will change, 

even the restructuring people 

shout about today will not 

cure anything. Those 

advocating restructuring 

have not told us what form 

would the restructuring take. The President 

has started the process of restructuring by 

executive orders he has signed to make the 

local government tier become independent 

in order for us to begin to hold that tier of 

government to account but no one of us 

Nigerians stood behind him. He did the same 

for states Houses of Assembly autonomy no 

one of us stood with him. Same thing he did 

for the judiciary no one of us stood with him. 

We all look at Abuja forgetting that we all 

come from our local community and a local 

government and a state yet we call Abuja for 

everything. We have governors who we must 

hold to account at all times but the citizens 

are scared to criticise their governors. There 

is no form of accountability whatsoever at the 

state level and we think that is normal? The 

same governors who are calling for state police 

does not want local government police. Our 

lawmakers are partly to blame for the 

situation we find ourselves because many of 

them at the state level and at the national level 

hardly understand why they are even called 

lawmakers. It is a very sorry situation and the 

Presidency is saying we should engage people 

The expectation of all 

Nigerians now is a 

government that will 

restore peace in the 

country, a government 

that will put food on our 

tables at minimal cost, 

a government that will 

restructure our 

economy to bring down 

prices of essential 

commodities 

•Gbjabiamila 

who don’t know their left from their right?.” 

Former Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara 

University of Agriculture Umudike MOUAU 

Professor Hilary Edeoga, advised members 

of the National Assembly to ensure that true 

federalism is reflected in the proposed 

constitutional amendment. Professor Edeoga 

said that the failure of those in power to allow 

the practice of true federalism in the country 

was the reason states run to Abuja every month 

for allocations. He argued that if the 

federating states or different regions in the 

country enjoy a level of independence as they 

should in ideal federalism, the over 

dependence on the centre and the excess 

concentration of power at the centre which is 

often abused would be 

avoided. Edeoga blamed 

youth restiveness, agitations 

and some deviant activities 

on the deficiencies of the 

current flawed constitution 

which he said could no 

longer be sustained. 

“Inequality and injustice are 

the reasons for all the 

problems bedeviling 

Nigeria today, and these 

must be addressed in the 

proposed amendment, 

otherwise it will amount to 

futile exercise”, he said 

Similarly, a Professor of 

Political Science at the Abia 

State University Uturu, 

Professor Harts Ofoeze, 

said the endemic injustices 

in the country as a result of 

the current constitution 

skewed to favour a 

particular section of the 

country must be corrected in 

the proposed amendment if 

Nigeria must stay united. He 

said that mere 

constitutional review would 

never bring solution to Nigeria’s woes until 

the fundamental issues of injustice and 

lopsidedness were genuinely addressed. 

Ofoeze argued that Nigeria could not be 

talking of a constitutional amendment without 

first creating an additional state for the South 

East to bring the zone at par with other zones. 

“There should be equal number of states in all 

the zones for the sake of equity”, he said. He 

also doubted the ability of the National 

Assembly as currently constituted to bequeath 

to the country a workable new constitution. 

According to him those people going to 

handle the amendment are part of the 

problems in the country and will still 

manipulate it in favour of their region because 

they are in the majority. “The NASS can’t 

genuinely give us a type of constitution that 

will solve the Nigeria equation. The Nigerian 

people must be part of any genuine efforts to 

review our constitution. Whatever name they 

want to give it, the various nationalities in the 

country must be involved to dialogue and 

decide how they will be governed”. He however 

said if they decide to forge ahead, key areas of 

resource control and fiscal federalism have to 

be addressed. 

In his reaction, former Speaker, ECOWAS 

Parliament, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa 

advocated for power devolution, saying that 

the concentration of too much power at the 

centre was the cause of the friction in the 

country. Senator Ohuabunwa said certain 

issues on the exclusive list should be removed 

and taken to residual list for states to have 

absolute control over them. The former 

Leader, House of Representatives also said 

return to regional structure could help proffer 

solution to Nigeria’s woes. 

He advised members of the National 

Assembly to holistically review the constitution 

and genuinely address the burning issues, 

warning that if this last opportunity to avert 

the looming danger is lost, the country might 

be headed for implosion. 

Similarly, the President Coalition of South 

East Youth Leaders COSEYL, Comrade 

Goodluck Ibem, demanded devolution of 

more powers to states. COSEYL also 

demanded the establishment of state police 

and increase in revenue sharing formula in 

favour of states. 

“We want states to have Anti-Corruption 

agency Commissions that will ensure that 

states’ resources are not misappropriated by 

political office holders. The states should be 

in charge of security. Our current security 

challenges would not have been this bad if 

states were in control of the police and other 

security agencies. More powers to the states 

and local governments will bring government 

and governance nearer to the people. A 

situation where every thing must come from 

Abuja is not good for rapid development of 

the country. The youths and women should be 

given more opportunity to participate in the 

government and administration of the 

country.” 

Anthony N Z Sani, the immediate past 

Secretary General of ACF argued that 

“Nigerians should demand good governance 

that comes from purposeful leadership in the 

hope of bringing about a situation whereby 

politics, economics and morality would 

intersect for common good. What is more, the 

term restructuring seems to depend on the 

agitators. There are those who clamor for true 

federalism, whatever that means, there are 

also those who call for fiscal federalism. Yet 

there are others who agitate for resource 

control. Still, we have agitators for resource 

control whereby host communities ask that 

the 13% derivation be paid to them directly 

and not to state governments which use it to 

construct fly overs, five star hotels and airports 

in the state capitals to the detriment of the 

host communities of the natural resources. I 

expect the elected representatives to listen to 

the demands by their constituents, articulate 

same and bring to the chambers for effect after 

deliberations. I understand the concern by 

some people is in the area of devolution of 

power through paring down the number of 

exclusive list in favor of concurrent 

list,considering some items are better handled 

by state governments.” 

Rev John Joseph Hayab, Chairman of 

CAN,Kaduna state said “the Presidency is 

simply shying away from engaging citizens 

on a frank dialogue about Nigeria’s problems 

and how to find a lasting solution. Telling 

Nigerians to make demands through their 

legislators is not appropriate at this time 

knowing that some of them have cut off with 

their constituency and what about the 

constituency where no bye election has been 

conducted to replace the former who will the 

people make demands through?There are 

many previous laws or amendment that this 

present National Assembly had passed and 

nothing had been done about them. The 

Federal Government should instead go back 

to previous reports of different National 

Conferences and other Committees set up by 

Government that contain the larger views of 

Nigerians with people’s representatives to 

start the process of restructuring this country. 

Nigerians have talked, and have 

documented their views and all we need now 

is honest action from Government. 

According to Prima Angyu, “Full autonomy 

should be granted to the local government 

system. The same financial independence 

should also be extended to the judiciary and 

the legislative arms of government. I also 

expect the legislators to ensure strict adherence 

to the federal character principles and putting 

in place institutions that will truly promote 

national unity and integration as well as 

enhancing the secular nature of the nation 

without promoting one tribe or religion over 

another. 

Gabriel Yough on his part said, “I will simply 

ask for true federalism. The system we are 

operating at the moment where the cost of 

governance is the priority of government in 

power is not sustainable. 

The constitution should be amended to put 

more items on the concurrent list for states to 

produce what will sustain them. The current 

arrangement where almost all mineral 

resources are on the exclusive list is inimical 

to development. The amended constitution 

should clearly prohibit nepotism which has 

created suspicion among Nigerians. In fact, 

nepotism should be criminalised so that 

Nigerians will be given equal opportunities. 

Another respondent, Abdulgafar Audu, said 

“in my humble opinion the real reason behind 

this uprising isn’t because of distribution of 

resources or power but lack of law 

enforcement. The representatives should as a 

matter of urgency formulate laws that will 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com


•Lucky Irabor 

By Vincent Ujumadu; Samuel 

Oyadongha;; Emma Una; 

Davies Iheamnachor, Chioma 

Onuegbu; Steve Oko & 

Ikechukwu Odu 

Every part of the country is presently 

feeling unsecured. No day passes that 

there are no killings and kidnapping 

for ransom by terrorists and bandits. Secondary 

students and university undergraduates are 

abducted, communities are sacked by bandits 

rendering the residents homeless. Traveling on 

the highway has now become a risky venture. 

But the situation in the South East and South 

South appears peculiar. The attacks and 

killings are targeted at security personnel and 

security formations. Scores of security 

operatives have been killed in the last couple 

of months and police stations set ablaze. Many 

policemen are now scared to walk along the 

streets in their uniform. But who are these 

gunmen who target security personnel and 

what is their motive? And why have they 

remained unknown?Leaders and residents in 

the region hold divergent views on what could 

be the motive for these attacks on security 

operatives 

Police brutality, extortion 

Respondents in the South East attributed the 

killing of policemen and burning of police 

stations in the region to accumulated anger 

by the people over police brutality in the region. 

Some of the reasons given by the people include 

alleged human rights abuses associated with 

police extortion and demand for gratification, 

humiliation of people at checkpoints, arbitrary 

arrests and detention of innocent citizens, 

raiding people’s homes for no justifiable 

reasons and forcing people to admit crimes 

not committed. There are 

also allegations of using 

cases before the police as 

revenue window, unduly 

picking up progressive 

Nigerian youths and 

dubbing them criminals 

out of jealousy, 

abandoning police official 

duties to serve politicians, 

often times turning cases 

against the complainants 

and protecting known 

criminals in the society. 

There also those who 

blame it on pure 

criminality of some people 

who are after the weapons 

of the officers. 

A lecturer of sociology, 

Dr. Ikem Nwankwo 

observed that the people 

have been enduring these 

abuses for decades until it 

exploded during the 

•Usman Baba 

Why gunmen target 

security formations, 

personnel in South 

East, South South 

•Security personnel accused of condoning atrocities of herdsmen 

•Anger over police brutality, extortion, arbitrary detentions 

•Attacks meant to deny S’East opportunity to produce president in 2023 

•Hoodlums need weapons to prosecute their criminal activities 

•Criminals want security personnel to abandon streets for them 

No day passes that 

there are no 

killings and kidnapping 

for ransom by terrorists 

and bandits. Secondary 

students and university 

undergraduates are 

abducted, communities 

are sacked by bandits 

rendering the residents 

homeless. 

#endsars protests. 

Nwankwo said: “The most 

common venues for 

extortion are the police 

roadblocks, which were put in place to combat 

crime. In practice, these checkpoints have 

become a lucrative criminal venture for the 

police who routinely demand bribes from 

drivers and passengers alike, in some places 

enforcing a standardized toll. Motorists are 

frequently detained, harassed and threatened 

and sometimes extended to their family 

members to negotiate payment for their 

release. Extortion-related 

confrontations between the police 

and motorists often escalate into 

more serious abuses. The police 

have on numerous occasions 

severely beaten, sexually 

assaulted, or shot to death 

ordinary citizens who failed to pay 

the bribes demanded. Sometimes 

they randomly round up citizens 

in public places, including 

restaurants, markets, and bus 

stops. Those who fail to pay are 

often threatened and unlawfully 

detained, and at times sexually 

assaulted, tortured, or even killed 

in police custody. Many of these 

abuses are perpetrated as a means 

to further extort money from 

ordinary citizens or from fearful 

family members trying to secure 

the freedom of those detained. 

Nigerians are also disturbed that 

over 100,000 police officers are 

hanging around politicians and 

rich men, while the country is 

grossly under policed. It was 

therefore not surprising that the 

#endsars provided an 

opportunity for Nigerians to vent their anger 

on the police.” 

An Awka based businessman, Mr. Philip 

Okoroma said “although accusing fingers 

were pointed at members of the Eastern 

Security Network, ESN, which is an arm of 

the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, for the 

attack on police formations and killing many 

of them, the truth of the matter is that the influx 

of criminal Fulani herdsmen in the South East 

infuriated pro Biafra groups. But it is still 

possible that it’s the same Fulani herdsmen 

who have virtually taken over many forests in 

Igbo land with their sophisticated arms, that 

are attacking and killing the security 

operatives to create the impression that the 

men of ESN are responsible for it. 

Protest against 

discrimination, bias 

The National Publicity Secretary of Pan 

Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Hon Ken 

Robinson, on his part believed that the gunmen 

must be targeting security personnel as a result 

of the selective approach of governance in the 

country. Robinson said: “The people behind it 

are ‘unknown gunmen’. And our position is 

that the attack is an expression of anger and 

some kind of hopelessness among citizens. 

The people doing this are not foreigners, they 

are Nigerians. They come from communities. 

They feel the pain of the discrimination and 

bias against some parts of the country. We had 

condemned the selective approach in saying 

that South-South and South-East would have 

a security arrangement which is unnecessary. 

It is a protestation, people are angry and they 

are protesting. It is a demonstration of anger. 

This the only reason we can proffer on why the 

attack is on security. We think that it is a sign 

that certain persons are not happy with the 

way things are happening in the country and 

they think that is the only way they can show 

their anger. But, our message to those carrying 

out this act is that these actions are needless. 

That is not the way to go. 

This may destroy the South 

East/South South regions 

A minority rights activist and immediate past 

President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) 

worldwide, Mr. Eric Omare, said “honestly, I 

am at a loss as to the reasons for the attacks 

and those behind them. I do not know the point 

they are trying to prove with those attacks. As 

far as I am concerned, attacking security posts 

and killing innocent people is never a means 

to express one’s grievances. 

Criminals want 

police off the streets 

For Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener 

South South Reawakening Group, criminals 

are simply on the prowl and nothing more. 

He said: “The antic is trying to apply 

maximum pressure for the police to give in 

and abandon the streets for them (criminals) 

to have a field day. I can remember vividly the 

‘Osunbo and Anini’ days in the old Bendel State 

where policemen had to wear mufti to be able 

to walk around town. This is a similar scenario 

playing out itself and it goes to confirm that 

the criminals are being caged and the only 

way to push back is to embark on such attacks. 

The police need to and must fight back with 

the support of all Nigerians.” 

It’s preparation 

for war in Nigeria 

Comrade Alagoa Morris, a renowned Niger 

Delta environmentalist, asserted: “Those 

saddled with the responsibility of securing 

lives and property and, indeed the well-being 

of the nation should know better as some have 

received related training and being paid by 

government for that service to the nation. That 

aside, I am of the view that the actions and 

body language of the Presidency as regards 

how security issues are handled have 

encouraged more Nigerians to take to selfdefence, 

which is a natural law of survival. 

Agreed that the nation has lost a great number 

of officers and men of the military fighting 

terrorists, kidnappers and bandits, most 

Nigerians are of the view that the efforts of the 

Federal Government in tackling threat posed 

by these criminals have not been good enough. 

It is even worse, what we hear daily about 

alleged actions of herdsmen and 

inflammatory statements by leaders of the 

herdsmen. In a situation whereby even 

governors are attacked shows how helpless 

the situation is. Nigerians, I believe are 

preparing for the worst in case of a full scale 

war. People are beginning to take steps, I guess, 

towards protecting their territories, while some 

may also be trying to take advantage of the 

almost uncontrollable security situation to 

actualise self determination through arms 

struggle. In my view, these groups are the ones 

Continues on page 12


Why gunmen target security formations, personnel in South East, South South 

Continues from page 11 

going after the police and soldiers; killing and 

taking their rifles. It is getting out of hand. 

While the 2023 elections may also be in the 

minds of some who may be sponsoring these 

violent crimes, Nigerians are also very much 

concerned about the alleged influx of 

foreigners, especially Fulani from other 

African countries and the rumoured plot to 

Islamise the country. As a direct result, the 

different ethnic groups in the country are also 

gearing up, for any eventuality. The situation 

is not only unfortunate and sad; it paints a 

gloomy prognosis. Some of us have been 

calling for a national conference on security 

so that Nigerians would jaw jaw and chart the 

way forward and allay the fears of the people. 

Besides that, a state of emergency should have 

been considered on security. If the nation was 

locked down in 2020 due to Covid-19; has the 

violence perpetrated by those terrorising 

Nigerians, kidnapping and killing daily not 

done more harm than Covid-19? The buck 

stops on the table of the President and 

Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of 

the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Chief Ogar Jones, a clan head in Cross River 

North, warned that war was looming in the 

country. According to him, “What we are 

experiencing is preparation for full blown war 

in Nigeria soon. Ethnic nationalities are 

gathering weapons to prosecute warfare in 

Nigeria. They are attacking policemen and 

military personnel to reduce the number of 

those to face in the full blown war which may 

break out before 2023.” 

But Dr Ibiang Omini, a lecturer at the 

University of Calabar, differed saying, “It is 

apparent that hoodlums need weapons and 

the easiest way is to kill those who are in 

possession of such weapons to prosecute their 

nefarious activities.” 

Security personnel accused 

of condoning herdsmen’s 

atrocities 

In Akwa Ibom state, a total of twenty-two 

police personnel have been killed so far in the 

attacks cutting across Essien Udim, Ika, Ikono, 

Etim Ekpo, Ini and Abak local government 

areas, all in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district. A 

public servant, simply identified as Mr. Akpan, 

said he believed the gunmen belonged to Akwa 

Ibom pressure group affiliated to Indigenous 

People of Biafra (IPoB) fighting the police and 

the military for always protecting herdsmen 

in the country while victimizing the South 

South people and the youths who were 

engaged in genuine struggle. His words: 

“Those boys cannot just begin to kill the police 

and military. They are not happy about what is 

happening in the country today where Fulani 

herdsmen kill, maim innocent people and 

farmers while the government of the day will 

look the other way. Instead of dealing with the 

terrorists, the government would order security 

men to kill and arrest militants, IPOB, ESN 

who don’t harm innocent citizens. If nothing is 

done by government to address this, I don’t 

know what this country and the state will 

become tomorrow.” 

Some other citizens, 

however, were of the 

opinion that the attacks 

were targeted at 

government officials and 

not the police, stressing 

that those youths were 

trying to get the police out 

of the way to be able to 

penetrate government 

officials that use them as 

escorts. 

One of them said, “Those 

boys are not strangers, they 

are locals. They are 

indigenes of Akwa Ibom 

State. They interact with 

our people in our own 

language. They come to 

town to buy things, food to 

eat. When they came out 

to buy things in town and 

people were running away, 

they would say, ‘don’t run, 

sell for us’. Today, you 

cannot find a politician 

with police escort in this 

whole area because those 

boys will go after them. But honestly I can’t say 

why they are targeting police, I think they may 

actually be targeting government. Their body 

language shows they are angry with 

government because of the way things are 

going on. For instance, sometimes they would 

come to town just to stop people selling ticket 

to commercial motorcylists and Keke Napep 

saying it is wrong at this time when people are 

suffering so much.” 

The situation is not 

only unfortunate and 

sad; it paints a gloomy 

prognosis. Some of us 

have been calling for 

a national conference 

on security so that 

Nigerians would jaw 

jaw and chart the way 

forward and allay the 

fears of the people 

Attacks meant to deny S’East 

opportunity to produce 

president in 2023 

Coalition of South East Youth Leaders 

COSEYL, blamed the escalating attacks on 

security formations in the zone on antidemocratic 

elements bent on making South 

East ungovernable. COSEYL National 

President, Goodluck Ibem said the 

masterminds target police and the military to 

pave the way for a swift military invasion and 

destruction of Igbo land. 

His words:”From all indications, the 

perpetrators of the dastardly acts are antidemocratic 

forces who are hell-bent on 

truncating our democracy. These are external 

forces who want to make the South East 

ungovernable but their aim is dead on arrival. 

The perpetrators of these attacks 

understand that the only way to 

make the military, police and 

other security agencies to come 

hard on any area or people is to 

launch attack against security 

formations.” The COSEYL 

President further linked the 

attacks to forces opposed to South 

East producing the Nigeria 

President come 2023. According 

to him, the aim of the attackers is 

to demarket the zone and rob it 

of the opportunity to produce the 

country’s next President. 

“These forces believe that the 

easiest way to deny Ndigbo 

presidency in 2023 is by causing 

mayhem in the South East and 

the inability of the forces to 

unmask the perpetrators till now 

raises suspicion. 

“In Owerri attack that led to 

the destruction of Police 

Headquarters, correctional 

facility and other governments 

facility, the place is close to the 

military barracks in Obinze. The 

attackers conducted the attack 

for two and a half hours and there was no single 

response from the military or any other security 

agencies. This is exactly what happens anytime 

Fulani herdsmen want to launch an attack. 

The attackers of the Correctional facility in 

Owerri were shouting up IPOB. Which 

criminal will come to steal and he will be 

announcing his or her name for all to know 

that he is the one committing the crime. It is 

only someone who wants to frame-up another 

person that will do that. 

“Anytime Fulani herdsmen want to attack, 

all the security formations will be inactive. In 

the attack at Uzo-Uwani in Enugu state that 

led to the death of scores of people, the governor 

of the state got the information and called the 

82 division Headquarters in Enugu. They were 

dilly-dallying until the Fulani herdsmen 

finished killing and left before the military 

appeared to stop the villagers from reprisal 

attack. 

“It is unfortunate that our political leaders 

do not understand what is really happening. 

This whole confusion is just to keep Ndigbo 

busy on how to resolve their security challenges 

while the North will be busy working on how 

to retain power in 2023. Mr Noel Chigbu was 

killed in Owerri just for not observing the 

checkpoint rule according to the soldiers that 

killed the young man. What a shame! There is 

no where in the world where a soldier will kill 

a harmless civilian for not obeying a 

checkpoint rule . 

“The military have never arrested those 

murderous Fulani herdsmen killing people in 

South East, South South and Benue state. We 

challenge the military, if they are working for 

the peace of this country, let them arrest just 

one herdsman that is involved in the killing of 

Benue indigenes as well as killings in Ebonyi, 

Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.” 

The paramount traditional ruler of Isuochi 

ancient kingdom HRM Eze Godson 

Ezekwesiri (Ochi 1 of Isuochi), said the sad 

development had remained a puzzle to him. 

The monarch said thorough investigation was 

needed to establish the source of the attacks, 

adding that he could not point accusing fingers 

at anybody without evidence. 

Asked if agitators of self determination could 

be responsible, he said it was unlikely, arguing 

that it makes no economic sense to destroy 

infrastructure and facilities that would serve 

as a take-off assuming they succeed in getting 

the new country. The monarch called on Igbo 

leaders to look beyond the surface and get to 

the root of the challenge to save the race from 

doom. 

In his own submission, the traditional ruler 

of Obimo Autonomous Community in Nsukka 

Local Government Area of Enugu State, HRH, 

Igwe Spencer Ugwuoke said, “anybody going 

to attack police personnel and their facilities 

has grievances. The police should not detain 

suspects beyond 24 hours. However, if you go 

to police stations, you will see someone who 

has been there for months, if not years without 

being charged to court. Some people locked 

up in police cells could have invited hoodlums 

to police facilities”. 

Also, most members of these agitating groups 

are looking for a way to earn their livelihood. 

That’s why I attribute insecurity and uprising 

in South East to unemployment. Everyone 

should be given a sense of belonging and not 

treated as a second class citizen in his own 

country. Let South East governors co-opt 

Eastern Security Network, and Ebubeagu for 

proper security of the region. Let the Federal 

Government also remove the outlaw tag on 

IPoB and seek a way of working in harmony 

with them. 

Ayade and his 2023 

political permutations 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

Governors particularly in third 

world countries come across as 

powerful forces whose words are 

laws. In Nigeria, they are seen as demigods; 

men who have everything at their 

beck and call. So powerful are they that 

when they are yet to exhaust their first tenure, 

most of them have a way of prevailing 

on their political platforms to assure 

them of a second shot at the plum seat. 

Slogans such as “No vacancy,” “four 

plus four,” “tazarce” (continuity) have 

found their way into the nation’s political 

lexicon owing primarily to the largerthan-life 

disposition of our state chief executives. 

These powers derive partly from the quasi-democracy 

model in the land which has 

seen elected leaders reign with reckless 

impunity since the return to democracy in 

1999. 

In the past few years; the public had become 

more potent in asking questions that 

matter. As a result, incumbent governors 

have lost elections even as a sitting President 

failed to secure maximum votes to 

remain in office for the first time in 2015. 

This week’s defection of Cross River state 

governor, Professor Ben Ayade from the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling 

All Progressives Congress, APC, has 

continued to elicit diverse reactions from 

Nigerians. 

Ayade, who premised his decision to 

pitch tent with APC on President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s “charismatic disposition,” 

is finding it difficult to win enough supporters 

to this eleventh hour theory. 

Ayade’s loss of the party structure left 

him with no option but to seek a new platform 

ahead of the 2023 general elections 

given his rumoured ambition for a seat at 

the Senate; the retirement home of twoterm 

governors. 

The governor’s troubles have been well 

documented and a few warrant a recap 

here. In December 2020, youths under the 

aegis of Yala Political Development Forum 

stormed the PDP headquarters, Abuja 

protesting against what they called the 

imposition of local government chairmen 

and their vice chairmen by Governor 

Ayade. They vowed to quit the party 

if the people were not allowed to have a 

say on who becomes their leaders at the 

grassroots level. 

Following the death of Senator 

Rose Okoh, the lawmaker representing 

Cross River North; 

Ayade brought his dependable 

ally, Dr. Stephen Odey 

as his preferred candidate 

in the by-election and 

sought the support of his 

predecessor, Liyel Imoke. 

While Imoke and other 

PDP leaders in the state 

did not have anything 

against Odey, they insisted that only a 

transparent primary election would determine 

the party’s flag bearer. Ayade lost 

out as Hon. Agom Jarigbe, a member of 

the House of Representatives, representing 

Ogoja/Yala federal constituency 

emerged winner. 

Apparently tired of counting his losses, 

the Professor of Biology a fortnight ago 

gave a hint on what to expect if the tables 

continued to be turned against him. 

Addressing his Bauchi state counterpart, 

Senator Bala Mohammed, Ayade invariably 

gave the PDP something to ponder 

on 

He said: “I cannot blind myself to the 

challenges of PDP and decide not to know 

what to do at the right time for their [Cross 

River people] sake. I know you are somebody 

that doesn’t take injustice. One single 

injustice they will see a new Cross River 

state. 

“And I say it as a warning because it does 

appears that your party seems to celebrate 

people who threaten and stress them. 

“All councillors [in the state are PDP, 

council chairmen are PDP, all House 

of Assembly members are PDP, 

all commissioners are PDP, and 

all the National Assembly 

members except one are PDP: 

all of them are under my leadership.” 

Reacting to the defection of 

the governor yesterday, the 

Cross River state chapter of 

PDP came short of describing 

the development 

as good 

riddance. 

In a statement 

endorsed by Imoke, 

Jarigbe 

and a host of 

others, they 

said: 

“The exit of 

•Gov Ayade 

the Governor from our party, while being 

rather regrettable, does not come to us as 

a surprise as it was not unexpected. 

“We join the national leadership of our 

party to wish him well in his new found 

adventure. We understand that the people 

of Cross River state who have stood firmly 

with the PDP since 1999 and other lovers 

of Cross River state are deeply disappointed 

by this move made by a governor who 

has won all his elections under the platform 

of the Party. 

“Given the overwhelming support which 

he enjoyed under the PDP and the fact that 

PDP has undeniable strong grassroots in 

the state, we affirm that Cross River state 

remains a PDP state. 

“An overwhelming majority of Cross 

River state people are PDP members. Our 

key stakeholders, members of the National 

and State Assemblies and strategic 

grass root mobilizers are still members of 

our great party. 

“We as a party, therefore remain virile 

and strong. Our shell remains uncracked. 

The leadership of Cross River state under 

the aegis of PDP since 1999 has led the 

state to a pedigree of progression and seen 

to the attainment of all the lofty achievements 

the state has been known for. Hence, 

the events of the last 24hours in our state 

avail us an opportunity to re-strategize 

and realign ourselves with the PDP in 

Cross River state which was characterized 

by a trajectory of growth and development 

geared towards the path of greatness. 

“We therefore enjoin all Cross Riverians 

and the teeming members of PDP in Cross 

River state not to falter in the faith they have 

in the party. While the current events may 

seem to present a glitch to the progress of 

the state, we hereby affirm our unwavering 

commitment towards serving the interest of 

the good people of Cross River state as we 

strongly believe that Cross River state shall 

be great again.” 

Will the governor make it to the Senate as 

it is being speculated? Time will tell.


•Burnt house of ex Anambra Commissioner 

By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

THE protracted land dispute between Anaku and Omor communities 

in Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, which has 

lasted about 100 years, early this week claimed the lives of three 

persons, including two policemen posted 

to the area. In the latest clash between 

the two communities, a former chief judge 

of Anambra State who hailed from Omor 

was physically assaulted, while the 

country home of a former Commissioner 

in the Willie Oboano administration, Dr. 

Christian Madubuko and 30 other 

mansions in Anaku were set ablaze. The 

National Youth Service Corps members’ 

lodge and teachers’ quarters close to the 

police station in the town were heavily 

torched and looted and the Youth Corps 

members have fled. 

When Saturday Vanguard visited the 

troubled communities, the entire area was 

deserted as the people had abandoned 

their homes and fled into the bush and to 

neighbouring communities where they 

take refuge. The only secondary school in 

Anaku, Ogbe High School, has been 

closed down and all markets and primary 

schools have also been deserted. 

Following the incident, Governor 

Obiano has imposed an indefinite curfew 

between 7,pm and 6am in the area, while 

the state police command has beefed up 

security in the area. At the Anaku Police 

Station, the policemen looked dejected 

after losing their colleagues to the clash. 

Fortunately, the hoodlums who burnt the 

houses did not attack the police station, 

despite the fact that it is located close to 

some of the houses destroyed. 

At the palace of the traditional ruler of 

Anaku, Igwe Peter Oforkansi, his two – 

storey building, two bungalows and six 

vehicles were burnt and whereabouts of 

all members of the royal household could 

not be ascertained. Also, burnt vehicles 

littered the major Otuocha –Anaku – 

Omor road. 

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the 

policemen lost their lives while trying to 

stop youths suspected to be from Omor 

from invading Anaku. The state 

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris 

Owolabi said he has already commenced 

investigation to find out what led to the 

attack. 

An indigene of Anaku, Mr. Michael 

Atumanya recalled that a similar attack 

took place in 2020, adding that 

stakeholders had to intervene to restore 

peace in the area. He said: “The people 

of Amikwe Omor invaded a piece of land 

belonging to Obukwu kindred, Anaku in 

April 2020, but the matter was timely 

managed by Ayamelum LGA which 

settled it with the active participation of 

the traditional rulers of the two 

communities. 

“An agreement was signed on 28 April 

2020 that everybody should maintain 

How 100 year –old 

land dispute sent 

two policemen, 

one other to early 

graves in Anambra 

•Monarch’s palace, ex Commissioner’s 

house, 30 others burnt 

peace and status-quo. Unfortunately, 

Omor people started building houses on 

the disputed area of land belonging to 

Anaku such that by the time the 

constituted boundary adjustment 

committee visited the area, they were 

already claiming ownership of the place. 

While they were scrambling for land, a 

fight ensured among them and they 

started destroying structures. 

“This latest action is not unusual, as 

over the years, they have always 

employed both violent and nefarious 

means for forceful annexation of lands 

belonging to neighbouring towns. 

Anaku people have always been at 

the receiving end of this age-long land 

dispute between the two 

communities.” 

According to Atumanya, in 2008, the 

people of Omor attacked late Mr. 

Ayaduno Obodeze and other 

indigenes of Anaku at Igbachala 

farmland which eventually led to his 

untimely death. The same year, they 

massacred late Mr Ozoemena 

Edunor. In 2016 their mercenaries 

decimated late Mr. Okaka Atumanya 

on the same piece of land; took his 

•Another 

burnt house 

in Anaku 

body away and mutilated it. 

“The matter was reported to the 

government and suspects charged to 

court but, it died in Otuocha High 

Court without justice. In 2015, they 

demolished Obukwu Town hall and 

the country homes of Mr. Raphael 

Onochie, Stephen Ndife, Chijioke 

Okechukwu, Oranefo Nwakwudo. In 

2019 they equally burnt down 

Ayamelum customary court at Ikpa 

Obukwu Anaku. 

“These clashes led to wanton 

destruction of multiple lives and 

properties worth huge amounts of 

money. Of greater importance is the 

atmosphere of bitterness, resentment, 

enmity, daunting and protracted legal 

suits such conflicts create among the 

neighbouring towns in the local 

government, thereby defeating the 

aim of working together as brothers 

and sisters and coexisting 

harmoniously in peace for the 

achievement of progress and 

development in our local government 

as a political unit.” 

Investigation showed that in the 

1920s, the people of Igbariam in 

Anambra East local government area 

were crossing the Ezu River to Anaku 

to claim farmlands, which Anaku said, 

was unexpected given the fact that Ezu 

River was a natural boundary. The 

encroachment was then duly resisted by 

the people of Obukwu and this led to a 

litigation process at the native court 

during the colonial era. 

During the litigation, the people of 

Amikwe (Omor) and Umuerike 

(Umerum), offered their support to the 

people of Obukwu. After the case was won 

by Obukwu, and to ensure no further 

encroachments to the farmlands, the 

people of Amikwe (Omor), Obukwu 

(Anaku) and Umuerike (Umerum) struck 

an agreement to allow free farming on 

their borders. 

In 1974, when the Shell-BP Petroleum 

Development Company of Nigeria 

Limited came to the area for oil 

exploration, the people of Obukwu, 

Anaku invited the other two 

communities of 

Amikwe (Omor) 

and Umuerike 

(Umuerum) to 

become co-owners 

of the oil wells. At that 

time, land was in 

abundance and there 

was relative peace 

among the people. A 

twelve -man 

committee, comprising 

four members from 

each community, was 

raised to oversee the 

activities of Shell on the 

land. 

Also, in 1980 the 

Federal Government 

provided an irrigation 

infrastructure for the benefit of the local 

farmers in the area. The land for the rice 

fields were acquired from Umumbo, 

Omor, Umuerum, and Anaku 

communities. The Lower Anambra/Imo 

Irrigation Project (LAIP) was achieved 

using a location map (1982), created by 

the Federal Government and authorities 

of the irrigation project allocated specific 

number of plots to each of the four 

communities according to the size of land 

expropriated from them. The land of 

Amikwe (Omor), Obukwu, Ikenga 

(Anaku) and Umuerike (Umerum) 

communities jointly constitute the South 

West Zone of the project. 

Atumanya called on the Anambra State 

government to use the available 

topographical information to intervene 

in the land dispute to ensure that peace 

was restored in the area and justice done 

on the matter. According to him, the 

intervention would also ensure that 

boundaries between Omor and Anaku, 

Omor and Umumbo, Omor and Igbakwu, 

as well as other communities in the area, 

were properly delineated for peace to 

reign. 

•Burnt palace of Igwe Peter Oforkansi 

•Deserted Anaku road

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22 , 2021 

DELTA 2023: 

Deconstructing 

Okowa! 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, South-South 

Gov’s riveting tactics 

FOR some leaders and collections in 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State, 

who thought they could outfox the 

Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi 

Okowa, in the hot scramble for his successor 

in 2023, he unconstrained some brain 

teasers, during the week and drove political 

spin doctors back to the drawing board. 

Many have found it intriguing and 

difficult to understand the governor’s 

pronouncements in Owa-Alero in Ika North 

East and actions in the past six days, 

especially as to who succeeds him. What 

baffled strategists is his startling bluntness 

in where they expected him to be 

diplomatic. 

As if adding to the conundrum, the 

governor on Tuesday sacked all his 

Commissioners, Secretary to the State 

Government, SSG, Special Advisers, 

Political Strategist, Senior Political Adviser 

and Special Advisors, saying a number of 

them had entangled themselves in the 

politics of 2023 and causing distractions to 

governance. 

Ibori, Amori, 

DC-23 ambush 

However, the struggle for who succeeds 

Okowa did not just start in 2021. Everybody 

knows that it started in 2019 soon after he 

won his second term election. About 

September , 2019, former governor of the 

state, Chief James Ibori, former Minister 

of Information, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, 

chairman, Delta Capital Territory 

Development Agency, Chief Ighoyota 

Amori and other Delta Central senatorial 

district (Urhobo) PDP leaders, at Ibori’s 

Oghara country home in Ethipe-West local 

government area, were declaring that 

Governor Okowa, who hails from Delta 

North senatorial district (Anioma) would 

hand over power to the district in 2023, 

according to the subsisting power rotation 

arrangement among the three senatorial 

districts. 

The early meeting and declaration by 

Urhobo political leaders was to get the 

better of their counterparts from the Ijaw 

ethnic nationality in Delta South senatorial 

district, who have become 

vociferous in their demand that 

the next governor should 

proceed from their ethnic group. 

Ibori, who spoke at the 

meeting was quoted to have 

said: ”Governor Okowa during 

his campaign promised to 

handover to Delta Central and 

as a gentleman and promise 

keeper, we have no doubt in our 

minds that he will do everything 

within his God given powers to 

adhere strictly to his promise.” 

“We expect all genuine 

members of our great party, PDP, 

to comply with the power 

rotation agreement. It is for the 

good of all; majority and 

minority, the weak and the 

strong, for a balanced society. 

“Equity, justice and good 

conscience are some of the major 

pillars of constitutional democracy, hence 

PDP in Delta state encourages power 

rotation to enable both the majority and 

minority groups and or ethnic nationalities 

via senatorial districts power arrangements 

to produce governor, and the agreement 

remains sacrosanct,” he stated. 

Ibori added: “Let me also state clearly 

that 2023 is still much ahead and it is not 

time yet for political campaigns but we shall 

commence primary arrangements and 

wide consultations in the near future. We 

must remain united and avoid unnecessary 

division and attacks on personalities within 

and outside Delta Central Senatorial 

District as we make steady 

progress towards the historic 

inauguration of the next 

Urhobo governor come 2023.” 

A year and months after, in 

2021, Chief Amori, marshaling 

other Urhobo leaders with Ibori 

behind the scene, has floated Delta 

Central 2023 (DC-23) to 

commence the said ‘primary 

arrangements and wide 

consultations…towards the historic 

inauguration of the next Urhobo 

governor in 2023’ obviously based on 

the aforementioned power rotation 

arrangement. 

Though the PDP contrivance or 

gentleman agreement that has seen power 

rotate from Delta Central to Delta South 

and Delta North from 1999 till date has 

brought a measure of peace and stability 

in the state, it was not really because 

governorship aspirants, especially 

those of Urhobo stock, respected it 

all these years, it appears to be 

more of the line of attack of the 

aspirant that finally emerged 

as standard-bearer and the 

will of God. 

No formal 

agreement on 

power 

rotation 

—Okowa 

Answering 

questions 

from 

newsmen on 

the 

presumed 

gentleman 

agreement by 

PDP leaders 

to rotate 

governorship 

position 

during his 

quarterly briefing, Wednesday, 

at Asaba, Governor Okowa stated 

categorically: “A gentleman agreement is 

an agreement that is not written and l 

want to believe that that is what it 

supposed to be.” 

“But whether there was any 

formal meeting in which a 

gentleman agreement was 

reached, there was no formal 

meeting where a gentleman 

agreement was reached and 

We expect all 

genuine 

members of our 

great party, PDP, 

to comply with 

the power 

rotation 

agreement 

that is the truth as at today,” 

he asserted. 

The governor obviously 

disappointed those who 

wanted him to emphasize 

clearly that he was going to 

handover to Urhobo as Ibori 

and others predicted in 2019. 

What DC-23 proponents 

would want do straightaway 

was to affirm the agreement, 

whether written or oral, and 

add that Urhobo is it in 2023. 

But the governor opted to 

be shrewder than supposed. 

During his own 

governorship primaries in 2015, when it 

was supposed to be the turn of Delta North, 

this was after he backed out from run-off 

primaries in 2006, seven or so years earlier, 

to enable his predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel 

Uduaghan, fly the party’s flag, aspirants 

from Delta Central, despite the gentleman 

agreement the senatorial district currently 

professes, slugged it out against him. 

From his reaction, Okowa did not say that 

there was no gentleman agreement, he 

merely pointed out that there was no 

approved position taken on the matter, 

which is to say that nobody should 

blackmail or intimidate him to do his or 

•Ibori 

•Okowa 

•Amori 

their bidding with such arrangement. 

Leaders‘ll do proper 

analysis 

Earlier, last Saturday, at the 

empowerment of constituents of Aniocha/ 

Oshimili Federal Constituency by their 

representative and Minority Leader of 

House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi 

Elumelu, in Asaba, the governor 

admonished politicians to place the 

collective interest of the people above self, 

irrespective of ambitions, adding: ”I can 

see that a lot has been on in our dear state, 

especially the scramble on who will replace 

Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa come 2023.” 

He made a point which some probably 

did not assimilate, which was: “I am not 

all-knowing, but at the appropriate time, 

leaders must be ready to sit down for us to 

do a proper analysis politically, before we 

take decisions so that we will not lead our 

people into darkness.” 

According to him: “Unfortunately, some 

are not even patient, they started their 

campaigns in the first three months of my 

second term in office. I want to charge our 

leaders and people to be cautious because 

politics is such that if you don’t read it 

rightly, you will directly throw your people 

into fire.” 

I’m not God, can’t 

decide my successor 

Besides his deputy, Barrister Kingsley 

Otuaro, an Ijaw, who many said has 

displayed absolute loyalty to the governor 

in almost six years, the longest serving 

lawmaker in the upper chamber, Senator 

James Manager, also Ijaw, are prospective 

governorship contestants in 2023. 

Apparently because of Okowa’s decision 

to keep his cards close to his chest until the 

time comes, some people are already 

saying that he planned to hand over to Ijaw 

in Delta South senatorial district. 

Again, responding to journalists, he said: 

”On allegations of intention to hand over 

to an Ijaw man, it is only God Almighty 

that knows who will be governor after me. I 

cannot pretend to be God, I do not know 

who God is going to bring and I do not 

have the intention of playing the role of 

God.” 

” You will hear a lot more things just as 

they said I want to handover to an Ijaw man, 

I do not think that I have the strength to 

play God, but the issue is when the politics 

starts, politics will be played, and God 

Almighty will take the decision on who will 

be Governor. 

”But as I said, at some point in time as a 

party, because I can only speak for my party, 

that we will sit down to look at issues to 

find out what truly will be fair, what truly 

will be justiciable and what should equity 

really mean. On where the governorship is 

going, I think if you pray, God will reveal it 

to you,” he added. 

Power ambassadors 

disorganized 

Since Tuesday when the State Executive 

Council was dissolved, there have been topsecret 

meetings by DC-23 leaders, Ijaw 

politicians and groups across the state to 

critically study the governor and what he is 

up to. 

Some said he sacked the commissioners 

and other top politicians around him so 

that those reporting his activities to their 

godfathers would not have anything to 

report anymore or correctly read his mind. 

Presently, power negotiators in the state are 

confused on the governor’s body movement, 

but PDP leaders are all likely to end up at 

the dialogue table as projected by the 

governor to decide who could be backed to 

be the next governor. 

Before he handed over in 2015, former 

governor, Dr. Uduaghan, was faced with a 

situation where his commissioners and top 

advisers took sides with different 

governorship aspirants and worked against 

his interest. Governor Okowa has not 

disclosed his preferred candidate and does 

not want to make the mistake Uduaghan 

made in choosing a successor. 

A political analyst, Prof John Arhada, 

told Saturday Vanguard: “PDP should 

thank itself from having a master political 

strategist like Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 

Urhobo leaders were about making an 

overpriced mistake that would have cost 

them governorship of the state. The All 

Progressives Congress, APC, was already 

smiling knowing the direction DC-23 was 

going with its plan and the end result would 

have pitted the entire state against them 

because nobody wants to hear of that 

political dynasty in 2023.” 

“What the people across the three 

senatorial districts of the state are saying is 

that there is nothing wrong with continuing 

with the PDP power rotation formula, but 

the party should make a clean break from 

the old order, Deltans do not want 

plunderers of their collective patrimony and 

their stooges anymore, we want a governor 

that will industrialize the state, otherwise, 

the party will lose the state to APC in 2023,” 

he added. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


•Okonkwo 

•Maduka 

•Ezeemo 

•Ude 

•Soludo 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

Primaries: It’s battle of billionaires in PDP 

instantly donated N6 million and later donated 21 sienna cars to all the 

•Why PDP is indebted to Dr. Obiora Okonkwo 

local government chairmen of the party. 

Dr. Ugochukwu Uba, a former senator and two time Commissioner in 

•Dr. Godwin Maduka’s homes worth $7m, his hospital $4m Anambra State is one aspirant that has not defected to another political 

party since he became a politician. While many politicians in the state 

•Godwin Ezeemo currently employs 3,000 Nigerians 

were jumping from one party to the other and later returning to PDP, Uba 

said he had no reason to defect to another party because, as a founding 

•Dr. Winston Ude first to donate 21 Sienna cars, N6m to party member of the party, he believes in the ideals of PDP. That consistency 

has earned him enormous credibility in Anambra politics. Since leaving 


the senate, Ugochukwu had remained at the background in the Uba 

F 

political dynasty of Uga, while his two brothers, Andy and Chris, held 

or the June 26 primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the selection of the forth in the political terrain. In fact, he was seen as the engine room of 

party’s candidate for the November 6 governorship election, the battles will be fought by politics in Uba family and many believe that his time has come. The 

billionaires. The billionaires are not just among the contestants, but also godfathers who university teacher says he would bring his experience to bear in the 

determine who gets what in Anambra politics. Among the billionaires wanting to take over from governance of the state if he eventually becomes the governor of the 

Governor Willie Obiano in March next year are Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, the Russian -trained state. 

political scientist who is the managing director of Nigeria’s newest airline, the United Nigeria The interesting thing about the forthcoming primaries of PDP is that 

Airlines, United States of America (USA) - based medical practitioner and pharmacist, Dr. Godwin even those who are not billionaires among the aspirants have billionaires 

Maduka, USA -trained lawyer and architect, Dr. Winston Udeh, and a businessman/ farmer, Mr. backing them, and that makes the contest very dicey. For instance, it was 

Godwin Ezeemo, The other billionaires on the sideline include but not limited to those in Nnewi gathered that the Nnewi axis of the state, which has the highest 

axis. 

concentration of billionaires in the state, are likely to collectively back 

Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, is one person who many believe, can prosecute the election on his own one of their own for the PDP ticket. There are three major aspirants from 

based on the resources at his disposal. His United Nigeria Airlines came into the aviation sector from Nnewi in PDP namely, Hon Chris Azubogu representing Nnewi 

with a bang as he launched the airline with no fewer than five aircraft in one fell swoop. Okonkwo North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo in the House of 

started as a humble trader in the commercial city of Onitsha, he fought his way through life and Representatives, Mrs. Chidi Onyemelukwe, the daughter of the former 

earned first class degree in Russia and capped it up with a PhD. Even when PDP was in crisis in the vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Chief Emeka Etiaba, SAN, son 

state, Okonkwo was servicing the party at the various levels and paying the rent for the party’s of the former governor of the state, Mrs. Virgy Etiaba. In the meantime, 

state secretariat in Awka. A top member of PDP said the party is indebted to him, arguing that it there are reports that some Nnewi billionaires are putting heads together 

would amount to ingratitude if he is denied the party’s ticket. Okonkwo is one of the consistent to prevail on aspirants in the major political parties, including PDP, to do 

members of PDP. 

everything possible to ensure that Nnewi people emerge the candidates 

Another aspirant, Dr. Godwin Maduka is considered one of the richest people in Anambra of the various political parties. 

State. The actual net worth of Godwin Maduka is currently unknown. However, his hospital in Dr. Tony Nwoye is another experienced politician in the race. The 

USA is valued at over $4 million in addition to his residential properties valued at over $7 million. former state chairman of PDP had contested for the governorship twice 

His 17 floor medical research center at his hometown Umuchukwu is a site to behold and he has in the past and was a member of the House of Representatives for Anambra 

single-handedly transformed the rural community into a semi -urban town. In the course of his East and Anambra West federal constituency. A great mobilizer, Nwoye, 

tour of the various local government areas of the state to mobilize support from the would -be a medical doctor, is a darling of the youths and should he get the PDP 

delegates, Maduka has been promising the people of the state that he would not be relying on the ticket, contestants in other parties would face a real battle. He also has 

allocation from the Federation Account to run the affairs of Anambra State if he became the the backing of one of Anambra’s billionaires, Prince Arthur Eze, who 

governor, assuring that he would use his contacts across the world to to attract funds for the has adopted him as his political son. Arthur Eze once described him as 

development of the state. 

one person who can work for the state because he has the energy of the 

Godwin Ezeemo, from Umuchu, left Nigeria after his studies and established lucrative businesses youth. 

with headquarters in London. In 2012, Ezeemo decided to relocate to Nigeria because of his Chief Val Ozigbo is another serious contender for the PDP ticket. 

desire to develop Anambra State. He subsequently invested in agriculture, manufacturing, media, Within the one year he has been in the political field, the former Managing 

tourism and his companies currently employ over 3000 people. Ezeemo had virtually turned his Director of Transcorps Plc has become a household in Anambra State. 

Umuchu community in Aguata local government area into an industrial town. He said he decided He is said to be favoured by some political stakeholders across the state 

to go into politics because of the sorry situation he found Anambra State in when he came back and beyond and his gentlemanly disposition is one of the factors going 

and therefore wants to serve the people to better the situation. Ezeemo was the first to donate a for him. 

vehicle to the leadership of PDP in the state. 

Mrs. Chidi Onyemelukwe, the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme’s daughter is 

Hon Chris Azubogu of the House of Representatives, another contender for the PDP ticket has another aspirant that has some kind of advantage above others. She 

what it requires to contest for the governorship of Anambra State. The three -time lawmaker has hails from Oko in Orimba North of Anambra South senatorial zone 

projects dotted not just in his federal constituency, but also in all parts of the state such that he is and is married to the popular Onyemelukwe family of Nnewi, also in 

popularly known as ‘Mr. Project’. As a native of Nnewi, he is one of those seriously being considered Anambra South. With the two families backing her, Chidi is placed 

by Nnewi billionaires to fly the ticket of his party and the people of the industrial town are not among the top contenders for the PDP ticket. 

pretending about it. 

As Nnewi billionaires are said to be rooting for one of their own to 

Dr. Winston Ude, is one of the surprises among the PDP aspirants as he was the first person to become governor, other parts of the state are also doing same. In Ihiala 

make a serious financial donation to the party as part of preparations for the primaries. When Mr. zone, notable billionaires, including Dr. A.B.C. Orjiako, Dr. Ernest Obiejesi 

Ali Odefa, the South East zonal chairman of PDP visited Anambra State as part of the party’s of Nestoil Group and Chief Allen Onyema of Air Peace Airlines, are 

sensitization efforts and solicited for funds from the aspirants to help in running the party, Ude being wooed by some of the politicians, although their political interests 

have not been ascertained. 

Mr. John Nwosu, a governorship 

aspirant on the platform of APGA 

for the November 6 election 

contested with the incumbent governor, 

Willie Obiano for the primaries of the party 

in 2013 and lost. He believes that this is his 

time to clinch the party’s ticket and wants the 

party leadership to conduct free, fair and 

credible primary next month. He fielded 

questions on the Anambra election. 

Why are you still pursuing your aspiration 

in APGA when there is the feeling that the 

party leadership has settled for another 

candidate? 

I don’t believe there is an anointed candidate, 

but even if such exists, I can tell you that it 

will boomerang. The best option is to allow 

a level playing field for all the aspirants. 

During the first outing of Governor Obiano, 

after becoming governor in 2014, he called 

all of us that contested the primaries with him 

both in APGA and other parties for a meeting, 

although all the promises he made to us were 

not fulfilled. 

But we are not complaining; rather we have 

moved ahead. I believe that it won’t be business 

30 groups contributing money for Soludo’s nomination form 


About 30 groups, which have been supporting the governorship 

aspiration of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, have moved into another phase of 

the support by contributing money to support the purchase of his 

nomination form on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, 

APGA. The party was said to have pegged the nomination form at N22 

million. 

One of the groups, the Soludo Support Group (SSG) has donated 

N10 million to the project, while another group, Youths Earnestly Seek 

Soludo, YESS, also donated N2 million. 

The convener and national coordinator of SSG, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye 

said the group was formed in 2019 as Soludo Fans Club. Recently, the 

various groups have been collapsed into SSG for more effective 

coordination. 

as usual this time. I know that our great 

leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, even in his grave, would wish that 

real democracy be practiced in our great party, 

APGA by giving power to the grassroots. It is 

only true democracy that can save this country. 

Rigging of elections brings bad leadership and 

when you take money and rig, the person sees 

it as a business and if he enters there, he will 

first of all try to recoup his expenditure before 

doing anything. After that, he sees governance 

as a private business. 

What will be your cardinal points to drive 

the economy if elected? 

Infrastructure is number one. When you 

talk about the major infrastructure needed in 

the state and nation at large, electricity comes 

first. Once there is electricity, if we ensure 

there is steady supply of power in Awka, Nnewi 

and Onitsha industrial clusters, the Asian 

companies will relocate to Anambra. During 

the time of Peter Obi, a private company was 

encouraged to build a power plant in Onitsha; 

another company is also planning to build in 

Ozubulu. The state government can 

encourage them and ensure they get the 

needed support. Nnewi Industrial centre was 

one of the industrial centres among the seven 

centres to be given power plant under the 

During the donation, elated Soludo said that he had never before 

witnessed where groups came together to contribute money to 

sponsor an aspirant and recalled that the previous day another support 

group donated N2million for purchase of Expression of Interest 

Form. 

”This is new. You have begun a new revolution in Anambra State. 

I believe there is a hand of God in all these. There is a rebirth in our 

political practice. Initially it was like a child’s play. What you did 

will live with me for the rest of my life. It is new and different,” 

Soludo said. 

He traced the beginning of support groups to three years ago when 

he marked his birthday when three young men, who were all students 

at the time, brought him a cake. 

He told them that the issue of governorship of the state lies in who 

has the knowledge, the experience and the network to sustain the 

state now that Nigeria had changed in the face of dwindling resources. 

What Ojukwu, in his grave, would be wishing APGA —John Nwosu 

Jonathan administration. Once that happens, 

industries will spring up , our GDP will grow, 

Small and Medium Enterprise will spring 

up while cost of doing business will 

drastically come down. There will be 

employment and with that, insecurity 

will reduce. 

Now with the statistics, we will 

implement the National Health 

Insurance and the state patterned 

scheme too. Every family with an 

average of N10,000 will get a card in 

a year and we will help the 

private hospitals to team up 

and ensure that every 

Anambra family will be 

registered to benefit from 

free medical checks and 

highly subsidized 

medicare cost. Indirectly, 

we are going to empower 

the churches and private 

hospitals so that no one will 

be left out. 

Youth empowerment is 

the in thing. What are your 

plans for them? 

Why there is insecurity 

today is because of unemployment and 

mistrust in the system. To draw out the 

youths already involved in criminality is a 

difficult task because they don’t trust the 

government. You know Boko Haram 

became a problem in the North 

because their leader was killed extra 

judicially. Before the killing, they were 

just there doing their thing 

undisturbed. No one can win guerrilla 

warfare; you reach out to them, know 

their problems and find a way to 

engage them in productive 

ventures. 

I also strongly believe that 

people are feeling cheated in 

our Nigerian system. That is 

why they can accept that it is 

better to do something and 

die than waiting for hunger 

to kill you. We have so 

many youth driven patterned 

projects which will not only 

make the youths in the state 

productive, but make them 

actively involved in 

governance. These include 

creating job opportunities and 

making them part of the 

government where they will 

have a say. 

•John Nwosu


ATTENTION MALAMI: 

‘Our constitution guarantees 

rights to Nigerians, not cows’ 


Minister of Justice and Attorney 

General of the Federation AGF, 

Abubakar Malami has come under 

attack for comparing the ban on open grazing 

by Southern Governors with prohibition of 

spare parts trading in the North. 

Malami had in an interview while reacting 

to the decision of the Southern Governors, said 

it is a dangerous decision for any governor in 

Nigeria to think that they can bring any 

compromise on the freedom of liberty of 

individuals to move about, comparing it to 

northern governors prohibiting the sales of 

spare parts in the North. 

He insisted that the ban does not align with 

the constitution in the context of human rights. 

Arise Television presenters bared their hearts 

on this when they discussed trending videos 

anchored by Orji Okpe, a model. 

In his reaction, a former Presidential 

spokesman and television presenter, Dr Rueben 

Abati urged the AGF to stop misreading the 

constitution, saying Section 41 of the 1999 

Constitution as amended, guarantees freedom 

of movement to person and not cows. 

He said; “The office of the Attorney General 

of the Federation is provided for in Section 

150 of the 1999 Constitution and the functions 

of the Attorney General are very clear. He is 

the Chief Law Officer of the Federation. He is 

the Chief Legal Adviser to the Federal 

Government of Nigeria. At the state level, 

Section195 provides for Attorneys General of 

the states. 

“However, the first problem we have with 

this comment by the AGF is that when an 

Attorney General begins to dabble into 

politics, it becomes a very untidy situation and 

it is one of the reasons some persons have been 

arguing that we need to separate the Office of 

the AGF from the office of the Minister of 

Justice, because the office of the minister is a 

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri 

There are discordant tunes over the 

rumoured death of Abubakar Shekau, 

the leader of the dreaded terrorist group, 

Boko Haram, during a fierce battle when 

members of an armed group suspected to be 

Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) 

invaded Sambisa forest last Wednesday 19th 

May 2021 

Sambisa forest shares border with parts of 

Konduga, Bama, Gwoza Askira Uba, Hawul, 

Kaga and Biu Local Government Areas in 

Borno, with some parts of Gujba, Buni Yadi, 

Goniri in Yobe and Madagali in Adamawa 

state. 

Although, military authorities who are 

directly involved in the fight against terrorism 

are yet to issue official statement on the 

rumoured death of the terrorist leader in 

Nigeria, sources said, hundreds of ISWAP 

fighters invaded Sambisa with heavy gun 

trucks during the week hunting for Shekau 

who was the factional leader of Boko Haram. 

It was also revealed that Shekau was not 

directly killed by ISWAP, the splinter rival 

group, but blew up himself when ISWAP 

attempted to capture him (Shekau) alive, 

during a gun duel. 

According to a security report obtained by 

Saturday Vanguard, “unconfirmed source 

reported that Abubakar shekau was dethroned 

and killed by ISWAP and they have taken over 

the entire Sambisa forest. ISWAP is more 

equipped and better funded than Boko Haram. 

So, their mode of operation will change, and 

there is likely going to be frequent attacks 

around Konduga, Bama, Gwoza, Biu Local 

Government Areas and part of Adamawa. All 

humanitarian groups around the axis should 

be security conscious and be very vigilant.” 

It was learnt that a fierce battle that lasted 

several days between the two factions led to 

the death of dozens of commanders and 

hundreds of foot soldiers from both sides, with 

multiple sources saying Shekau has killed 

himself or fatally injured himself to the extent 

that he might not survive 

Many media platforms and social media 

•Malami 

political appointee. The AGF has to focus on 

the law. So, this is the problem that I see here 

because in this particular instance, the AGF 

responding to the 17 governors of the South is 

crossing the line from discussion of law into 

partisan politics. 

“The second point is S. 41 of the 1999 

Constitution which he was referring to, does 

not talk about cattle. It talks about persons. It 

says, “every person...” And this is without being 

presumptuous because I don’t imagine that I 

can teach the AGF on the point of law. He is a 

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN and all of 

that, but with due respect, the governors of the 

17 Southern states are talking about cattle 

going about and disturbing people in the 

Southern part of the country, destroying farms. 

“If I recall, in that 12-point communique, 

there was no where they said northerners have 

been banned from the South. Nobody has 

banned the Fulani or anybody from any part 

of Nigeria. In the Southwest or the Southeast, 

you can go anywhere, but the issue is about 

cattle grazing and that is why they are calling 

for ranching. They are not calling for the 

ranching of human beings, they are calling for 

the ranching of cattle. 

“The third point is his analogy. I think it is 

entirely misplaced. Look, the Southern 

Governors can say yes, don’t even bring the 

cattle, they will eat fish. There are even 

southerners who have set up their own ranches, 

if the issue is about economic conflict that is 

indicated. The people selling spare parts in 

the North, if they come from a particular part 

of the country, maybe, from the Southeast or 

Southwest can gladly say okay, they will leave, 

that they will not sell spare parts in the North 

again. Now, in terms of cost, the people in the 

South have an alternative. They can eat fish, 

they can eat snails, but if you don’t have spare 

parts, how do you maintain your vehicles? How 

do you replace vehicle parts? So, that is why I 

think that the analogy is a bit misplaced but 

what is more important is that we will like a 

situation whereby the AGF does not get 

involved in partisan politics and just 

concentrate on the job of defending the rule of 

law, which is what is important in this regard. 

On her part, Tundun Abiola, daughter of late 

Chief MKO Abiola said comparing cattle 

grazing and activities and criminal herders 

with spare parts dealers is a false equivalence. 

She said; “I think that is a false equivalence 

he made there. He was referring to S. 41 of the 

Uncertainty trails Abubakar Shekau’s rumoured death 

had reported that ISWAP fighters armed 

with sophisticated weapons had 

penetrated Sambisa forest from 

different fronts and surrounded the 

place Shekau used as a safe 

sanctuary for years. They 

reportedly killed many of his 

fighters and forced him to 

surrender. 

Signal from security 

sources indicated that when 

Shekau discovered that it 

was the end of the road for 

him, and ISWAP fighters 

had directed him to 

relinquish his position 

as the grand amir and 

successor to the 

founder of the group 

Mohammed Yusuf, 

he opted for suicide 

by detonating the 

explosives he 

strapped to his body. 

However, the AFP 

news agency reported 

that when Shekau reached the point of no 

return as he was surrounded by ISWAP fighters, 

he shot himself in the chest, fell on the ground 

while bleeding profusely but was whisked away 

to an unknown destination by some of his 

surviving loyal fighters. 

Impeccable sources revealed that most of 

the fighters that fought for the defeat of Shekau 

were aged between 12 and 30 years. 

“They are actually children of some ISWAP 

members killed over time,” one of the sources 

said. 

According to him, “Others are youths 

sourced during raids on multiple islands 

around the Lake Chad. The ISWAP carefully 

selected the youths. It was therefore much 

easier for recruitment as some of the youths 

willingly joined the group and others were 

forcefully conscripted. Some of them were born 

during the wartime and others were very young 

when their parents joined the group around 

2002. 

After their parents died because of illness or 

confrontation with Nigerian troops, the 

children naturally took over and when the 

group split into two in 2016, those that 

moved on their own or forcefully 

taken to the shores of Lake Chad 

under the umbrella of ISWAP had 

an upper hand in terms of training 

because they were taken to Libya 

for training in guerrilla warfare 

and other purposes. Others were 

sent to Syria and Somalia. They 

were taken to many 

countries abroad for 

training. However, 

those that came back 

especially between 

March and April 

this year took 

active part in 

confronting 

Shekau in the 

•Shekau 

last few days. 

T h e y 

launched a 

serious 

offensive 

alongside other top commanders and 

fighters already on ground and they succeeded 

in taking over,” he said. 

Another credible source said some of the 300 

youths were trained as “medical doctors, 

paramedics, engineers, IT specialists, bomb 

specialists and mechanics.” 

He added that among them were women 

“who serve as nurses or cooks while others 

have gun-handling skills, meaning they can 

partake in combat operations.” 

He said after their return from abroad, they 

were camped at a village called Shuwaram in 

Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno 

State. 

Another source said ahead of the invasion of 

Sambisa by the factional group, one of the top 

commanders of the Islamic State of Iraq and 

the Levant and his lieutenants had visited the 

shores of the Lake Chad in company of ISWAP 

leader Goni Mustafa. 

“Members of the entourage were seen on 

two boats with ISIS flag. Some of those in the 

entourage were light-skinned people possibly 

from Libya or Syria. It was only Mustafa that 

Constitution that guarantees freedom of 

movement all over the country to all Nigerians 

and you cannot be expelled from any part of 

the country. However, we have a pressing 

security issue at the moment. Nobody has any 

problem with lawful herders. We never had 

because we all grew up with herders roaming 

the country. But now we have a new breed of 

herders who are brandishing AK-47. So, it is 

disingenuous of him to talk about it like it is 

just about cattle rearing. It is not. It has taken 

a sinister dimension and it will be irresponsible 

for southern governors to fail to curb this 

menace. So, it is a false equivalence on that 

score. 

“Now, spare parts traders in the North do 

not have AK-47s, do not shoot down customers. 

What is happening between the farmers and 

the herders is completely different and I really 

like that he would raise the spare parts issue 

whereas when Hisbah goes and destroys the 

stocks of Christians trading in Kano, what do 

we hear? Crickets. This is the kind of problem 

and tension that we are facing in the country 

when people don’t feel a sense of belonging 

and that some are more equal. I don’t 

appreciate this kind of comparison to lawful 

businessmen; comparing them to criminals”. 

Another presenter, Rufai Oseni expressed 

dismay that Nigeria has so degenerated to a 

level where cows have become subjects of 

national discuss at a time the country should 

be thinking of other developmental issues. 

“I saw the interview and it was quiet very 

sad. The fact that as a nation with the might 

and the size of Nigeria the potential it has got, 

that our national issue and development have 

been reduced to issues about ‘ma’alu’, that is 

cattle. It is problematic. And when you sense 

the body reaction of the AGF, you expect more 

from an AGF in cases like this. At first, an 

Attorney General trying to distort the law... S. 

41 talks about movement of persons. So, why 

twist it? Cattle are not human beings except if 

you are telling us that cattle have become 

human beings in this country or you are giving 

them human status. 

“Sometimes, maybe we need to check. Look 

at the open grazing law- they have had this 

since 1965 in the North but in the ’70s we 

had the Land Use Act that vests powers 

over land in the hands of the state 

governors and that still subsists. The state 

governors still call the shots on the land. What 

is residual should be left for the residual. So, 

why is the AGF talking as though there is 

another law he is quoting from in this 

country, trying to play technicalities with 

us? And we have seen the signs and the 

next thing, you use a very tribalistic slur 

by saying spare parts. Because we all know 

that the major dealers in spare parts are 

the Igbo. Why are you doing this? At first, you 

put forward Ruga, we said no. Just because 

of this same land, you come and collect 

land from people and call it settlement 

for cows. You went further ahead and put 

forward the Water Bill and we said no. Let us 

cool things down. We all want this country to 

work. Let us not inflame passions. We should 

all be statesmen in the collective development 

of this country. Nobody is bigger than any other 

person”. 

was black. They first visited Marte before they 

proceeded to Sabon Tumbu. They also visited 

Kirta, Kusuma and Kwallaram where they held 

meetings with commanders and other 

fighters,” the source said. 

The source added that after the strategy 

meeting, the visiting terrorists left and since 

then, the ISWAP fighters started mobilising 

ahead of launching attacks on Sambisa Forest. 

“Some of them gathered at Kurnuwa, Kayuwa 

and Tumbin Jaki before they launched the 

offensive. They had RPGs, GPMGs and AA guns 

on some vehicles,” he said, adding that the 

attackers also moved their “vulnerable women 

and children” from the Marte area to some 

locations around Kukawa. 

Another source said before they aimed at 

Sambisa forest, the ISWAP fighters were 

responsible for the recent attacks in Damasak, 

Marte, Mainok, Dikwa and Maiduguri towns 

in Borno as well as in Geidam in Yobe State. 

“They did not target civilians in most of their 

attacks; rather, they launched attacks against 

constituted authorities including security 

forces. The group handpicked and killed people 

perceived as enemies such as members of a 

volunteer security group, CJTF. 

“On the other side, Shekau and his followers 

operated from the southern parts of Borno 

State, mostly around the Mandara Mountains, 

Sambisa National Park and the Alagarno 

forest. The group had carried out several 

deadly attacks on its targets including civilians. 

Shekau was strict on his followers and did not 

tolerate rebellious behaviour. He had killed 

several of his renegade commanders and that 

was why many of those alive ditched him,” he 

said. 

It was further revealed that before the ISWAP 

fighters moved en masse to Sambisa, military 

operatives had launched several attacks on 

their hideouts in the northern parts of Borno 

State while air raids continued unabated. 

“The military had sustained onslaught 

against the group which has its hideouts in the 

semi-arid landscape with sparse vegetation. 

Their enclaves are being decimated and with 

time they will have no hiding place,” he said. 

Continues on www.vanguardngr.com

Putting issues at NPA in perspective 

By Opeoluwa Lawal 

It is no longer news that Minister of 

Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, 

suspended the Managing Director of 

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala- 

Usman. 

To be sure, Ministry of Transportation 

supervises the NPA. Hadiza is passing through 

a baptism of fire, for the first time in her public 

service career. The only other time she came 

close to open public inquisition was when she 

was a Special Assistant to Malam Nasir el- 

Rufai as Minister of the Federal Capital 

Territory between 2003 and 2007 and the 

Senate could not come to terms with the fact 

that Hadiza and one other were being paid 

N1m as monthly salary. el-Rufai who was the 

one on the spot had put up a robust defence of 

his decision to remunerate them handsomely. 

But this time, Hadiza is the one directly in 

the eye of the storm and she would have to 

throw in everything to defend herself, 

decisions, actions and inactions, and 

reputation against being deliberately 

clobbered and dented for whatever reasonsbe 

they personal, political or arising from 

proximate association with a foe. 

This, without a doubt, is a reputational 

battle, given her pedigree- as the daughter of 

the radical Nigerian academic, politician and 

historian, the late Professor Yusuf Bala Usman. 

Hadiza is one of his seven children. 

The consensus is that having been well 

brought up by the respected Bala Usman, 

Hadiza would not want to engage in official 

acts that would call to question that pristine 

pedigree. 

It may appear relieving to her fans that the 

Ministry has narrowed the scope of Hadiza’s 

supposed original sins, which began with nonremittance 

of operational surpluses to the 

Consolidate Revenue of the Federation (CRF) 

to one infraction, to wit: failure to obey 

directive to procure equipment for clearing of 

channels instead of giving the job out as 

contracts. For this reason, she was suspended. 

The ministry was piqued that the NPA had 

continued to award the clearing of channels 

as contracts to companies instead of procuring 

necessary equipment and executing the 

contracts in-house. But, then, this a somewhat 

recondite issue. The probe will shed light on 

it and possibly raise other issues. 

Agreed that if that had been strictly done, as 

canvassed by the ministry, cost effectiveness 

and savings would be achieved and the 

nation’s revenue base would have witnessed 

some huge accretions. But who says the 

method adopted by Hadiza is not utilitarian? 

The ministry’s suggested approach and 

Hadiza’s approach make a smart economic 

•Amaechi 

sense. 

Procuring necessary equipment and 

executing the contracts in-house are not too 

dissimilar form the extant approach. But this 

is a simple issue that could have been quietly 

looked into and resolved without the ballyhoo 

in the public space. If there are other 

infractions that may be played up, the probe 

provides the opportunity to do so and for 

Hadiza to put up her defence. 

Talking about quiet resolution, it may 

have become impossible as it were, having 

gone past the intersection of reasoning 

together to the expansive market place 

where they are now involved in a macabre 

dance. It has now become a matter of 

necessity for both parties to defend their 

integrity. Unlike Michael Jackson in one 

of his popular hit tracks, “Beat It” wherein 

he admonished foes to: “Just beat it…No 

one wants to be defeated. It doesn’t 

matter who is right or wrong; just beat 

it…”, here it matters to know who is the 

victor and the vanquished in this gritty 

reputational battle; it matters to know 

who is right or wrong. 

Whereas one still ponders the 

possibilities of amicable resolution of the 

impasse, certainly not in the interest of 

any of the gladiators or protagonists, but 

in the national interest amid fears that 

are looming like a veritable bugaboo 

about the hurt this face-off could cause to 

the economy. A plethora of questions 

continue to play themselves out: In what 

•Bala-Usman 

OPINION 

ways will this feud, which is largely about 

personal greed and ego, benefit the 

national economy? Will it bolster foreign 

investors’ confidence in the maritime subsector 

of the economy? And, what 

implications would it have for domestic 

trust capital in the management of the 

nation’s ports? What legacies do they want 

to leave behind against the backdrop of 

the fact that this would be the first time 

there would be a face-off of this nature 

between a serving minister of 

transportation and a sitting (now 

suspended) managing director of NPA? 

Sans the festering feud, there would be 

a soothing calmness in the atmospherics 

and the nuances of management of the 

nation’s ports through the instrumentality 

of the NPA and the robust supervisory role 

of the ministry of transportation. This is 

the irreducible minimum that is expected 

from the operators of this sub-sector to 

bolster the national economy. I am not sure if 

officials are very conversant with this 

philosophy that undergirds the operation of 

the revenue-generating agencies of the 

government. 

This is another theme for another narrative 

for another time. 

But Hadiza’s thinking is in pari materia with 

the NPA’s philosophy of running strictly as a 

business/revenue-generating authority. 

Hadiza knows very well how the ports over 

which the NPA superintends are strategic base 

for economic development. 


At The Nation newspapers’ Economic 

Forum on Thursday, May 4, 2017, she said 

that the strategic role of ports in economic 

development was that they functioned as 

gateways to international trade and, 

accordingly, were regarded as major 

accelerators of local economic development. 

Quoting the Economic and Social 

Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), 

she noted that “the Netherlands has been able 

to sustain a relatively high economic growth 

rate because of the Port of Rotterdam, in spite 

of the intensely competitive environment in 

Europe. The success of Singapore is equally 

attributed to the Port of Singapore, which has 

developed a transport logistic centre and has 

successfully been able to attract foreign 

investment.” These are quite instructive 

referrals. They signposted clarity of thoughts, 

vision, possibilities and destination, where she 

wanted to take the Nigerian Ports to through 

her superintendence at the NPA. 

Her essential summation, to the effect that 

the maritime sector, as an essential 

component of the transportation system, is 

crucial for wealth creation, continues to enjoy 

eternal approbation. But her warning then in 

2017, is what is rearing its head in 2021. 

It is to the credit of her knowledge that the 

NPA on her watch realized that the function of 

a port is not only limited to the traditional 

activities but has expanded to a logistical 

platform. According to her, “Ports not only 

platform the basic operations, they provide 

inland access and intermodal connections as 

well as complementary services to shipping 

carriers.” In her further summation, she had 

declared that the need to adequately explore 

the port sector as a road to boosting economic 

development in Nigeria could not be overemphasized. 

One is at great pains, therefore, to fault 

Hadiza’s passionate commitment to the 

development of the nation’s ports, which she 

was working at before the suspension. She 

said developing the ports was very crucial for 

realizing the lofty but achievable development 

objectives of the Federal Government, 

stressing; “our port infrastructure like the 

quay walls and aprons would need to be 

reconstructed and reinforced to make them 

fit to handle anticipated heavy solid 

minerals cargo. For agricultural produce, 

we would need specialized and refrigerated 

warehouses, etc. The channels must be 

constantly dredged and maintained and 

deep seaports must be developed to address 

the dynamics in trade and transport 

demand.” It is the constant dredging of 

channels that has become her undoing. 

Consider yet another significant take 

from her stable: “Improved port 

infrastructure will bring about improved port 

activities, which would stimulate economic 

growth and in turn would impact positively 

on the economy.” 

The sole claim of how to dredge channels, 

which is standing one leg, may soon collapse 

like a pack of cards, but the concern now is 

the negative effect this feud is having on Port’s 

operations in terms of operators’ comfort, 

confidence and trust in the system during the 

pendency of the probe. I so submit. 

•Lawal is a professional mariner based in 

Lagos. 

Why I stabbed my motherin-law 

to death — suspect 

By Evelyn usman 

Atan Otta community in Ogun State 

was recently thrown into panic, 

following the frightening sight of a 

woman who lay in the pool of her blood with 

a knife thrust in her ribs. 

She stretched out her right hand begging to 

be rushed to the hospital and at the same time 

held on to the position of the stab , with her 

left hand. 

A young lady was seen crying and pleading 

with everyone to assist her get any available 

vehicle that would convey the dying woman 

to the hospital. 

Help came but unfortunately, the wounded 

woman later identified as Mrs Abosede 

Oyewole , did not live to tell her story, as she 

died three days later, at a private hospital 

she was rushed to. 

Death trap 

Surprisingly, her assailant turned out to be 

her 28-year-old son-in-law, Opeyemi Adeola, 

a popular welder in Atan Otta community. 

Crime Guard gathered that her daughter, 

Tope and the suspect, Adeola, had been living 

together for two years. She reportedly left the 

house for her parents place because she was 

beaten by her husband. 

The deceased, as gathered, had gone to her 

son –in-law’s place to reprimand him for the 

incessant battery of her daughter, only to meet 

a dead end. 

Escape 

Spokesman for the Ogun State Police 

Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi , 

explained that “ on that fateful day, the 

suspect, as usual, beat up his wife and inflicted 

injuries on her. The deceased went to meet 

him to warn him to desist from beating her 

daughter. 

“On sighting the deceased in his house, the 

suspect descended heavily on her, beat her 

mercilessly before stabbing her on her ribs 

with a knife. Having heard that the victim 

had died, the suspect fled. 

“ The Divisional Police Officer, Atan Ota, 

CSP Abolade Oladigbolu, detailed his 

detectives to go after him. They embarked on 

an intelligence based investigation which 

led them to his hideout in Ikorodu, Lagos state 

where he was eventually apprehended. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the 

suspect is a member of a notorious cult group 

in the area. He was also one of those who led 

hoodlums to burn down Atan Ota Police 

division and killed the Divisional Crime 

Officer on October 21, October 2020, during 

the Endsars protest”. 

Why I did it 

In this interview with the suspect, he 

admitted culpability but blamed his action 

on uncontrolled emotion and an attempt to 

defend himself from an attack by the deceased 

and her two children. 

Hear him: “ My wife told me she was going 

to see her sick mother on April 20,2021 , that 

she would return by 12 noon the next day. 

But three days later, I did not see her . I 

went to check on her at her parents’ and saw 

her with another man. 

“ The man asked where I had been , I told 

•Opeyemi Adeola 

him I went to Ile Olugi to work . I have seen 

that man with my wife before, in my house. In 

Fact, that first time, he came to give my wife 

some money. 

“When my mother-in-law saw me, she 

accused me of not taking care of my wife 

and children. I have one child with my wife, 

an eight months old girl. The older child is 

five years old. She is mine from another 

woman. 

“ My mother –in-law told me to my face 

that she had given her daughter, my wife , to 

another man since I was not giving her money 

to eat. My wife refused to follow me home 

that day. I went to her parents place again 

to pick my five- year -old child from her and 

left our eight-month-old baby with her. 

Journey to 

SCIID 

“On April 28, 2021, my wife , her mother 

and sister came to my house. They said they 

came to pack my wife’s belongings. I told them 

to go and collect what were hers. In the process, 

they started fighting with me and broke my 

skull . I brought out a knife which I brought 

from the farm ,just to scare them but the knife 

pierced into my in-law’s ribs. 

“My wife and I have been together for two 

years. I was preparing to pay her dowry 

someday. Her parents were aware we were 

together. Her father even advised me to get 

my wife something to do when our baby 

would be a year old . 

“I didn’t know she would die. I only did it 

to prevent myself and to scare them. She was 

rushed to Hyacinth hospital at Otta by her 

daughter 

I ran away because I was afraid of being 

lynched. While I was in my village where I 

hid, I heard my wife and members of her 

family packed all my property from the house 

to sell to treat my mother-in-law. Three days 

later, I was told she was dead. Again, I ran 

from the village, to my father’s place in 

Ikorodu, Lagos. 

“I left my father’s place in 2008. When I 

told him what happened, he took me to 

Ikorodu Police station that same day , 

from where I was taken to Atan division 

and thereafter, transferred to the State 

Criminal Investigation and Intelligence 

Department. 

“ It is unfortunate she died. She was the 

reason my wife was misbehaving. Before we 

met, my mother-in-law used to send her (wife) 

out to sleep with men. I met her in the process”. 

Asked what age was his supposed wife, he 

said , “ She told me she was 19 years old when 

we met. But her father claimed she is presently 

17 years old. I regret my action and wished 

things could return the way they were , in order 

to remedy the situation”, he said in an 

emotional laden tone.


In 2015, a young Nigerian girl, 

Oghenekevwe (Surname withheld) 

landed in the US on scholarship for 

post-graduate studies, after an exceptional 

undergraduate performance in a Nigerian 

university. In the US she continued from 

where she stopped in Nigeria, smashing 

records and putting in one exceptional 

performance after the other. She got her 

Ph.D. in no time. Her performance in the 

US was so good that her American 

university wrote to the Nigerian university, 

where she did her first degree, to link it up 

with more exceptional students. 

My wife and I met ‘Kevwe for the first 

time in New York in 2015, not too long after 

she got to the US, though I had heard of 

her and her siblings from my eldest brother. 

She was (still is) a simple girl, but very 

intelligent, even if her humility will not 

allow her acknowledge that. But 

intelligence alone takes no one to her 

destination. It only speeds your journey. 

‘Kevwe is very hardworking and focussed. 

In her six years in the US, she has achieved 

so much that you can only 

stand in awe of her, her 

relative young age 

notwithstanding. 

Families, young people 

and Nigeria have a lot to 

learn from the life of this 

exceptional young lady. She 

grew up in a Christian home 

with very high morals. Her 

parents brought her up in the 

way of the Lord and she 

never departed from it, even 

when she was far away in the 

US. Many parents in 

Nigeria today are miserable 

wrecks. The children they 

sent to school in Europe and 

America in one piece have 

returned in pieces. They have 

lost not only hundreds of 

thousands in hard currencies 

on fees that produced only 

misery, but more painful, 

their children who have 

completely derailed. How do you soften 

cement that has hardened and remould it 

into what you desire. That is what 

rehabilitating these children, who have 

derailed, is like. It is a herculean task. 

Good things still come from 

Nazareth, nay Nigeria 

I have said it multiple times here and 

I will continue to reiterate it. The first 

10 years of a child’s life are very 

crucial. That is when they are most 

pliable and amenable. That is also 

when they need the highest standard 

of care. Parents 

should devote 

quality time to them. 

Make sacrifices for 

your preteen 

children. You can 

always do your 

economic pursuit 

and make your 

money anytime, but 

if you get it wrong 

with your children 

during the first 10 

years of their lives, 

you have a big 

problem on your 

hands. However, but 

if you get the first 10 

years right, you 

spend the next six 

years consolidating 

on the work you 

have done in the first 

10. By the time your 

child is 17 years, 

parenting becomes autopilot. But if 

you get the first 10 years wrong, you 

spend the next six years amending, like 

someone amending a defective 

building. But it is more difficult with a 

I have said it 

multiple times here 

and I will continue to 

reiterate it. The first 

10 years of a child’s 

life are very crucial. 

That is when they are 

most pliable and 

amenable 

person because he has a mind of her 

own, unlike a building that does not. 

You might be lucky to use the 

amendments to straighten the crooked 

paths and smoothen the rough edges. 

Your efforts can also fall short. 

It was not only ’Kevwe’s academic 

prowess that endeared her to the 

university; she also had exceptional 

character. Her parents laid the 

foundation that still endured and 

when she graduated from the 

university, she was found worthy both 

in character and learning. How come 

that with the negative reputation 

Nigerians have all over the world, an 

American university is writing a 

Nigerian university to link it up with 

its exceptional students? It is because 

’Kevwe was (still is) a great Nigerian 

ambassador. This is also a lesson for 

everyone, especially those who think 

it is government’s responsibility only 

to polish our negative image. It is 

every one’s responsibility. Wherever 

you find yourself, be a good 

ambassador of your family and 

country. 

To the youths, ’Kevwe should be an 

inspiration to you. While she was here, 

she was like any youngster, she had 

her challenges like passing JAMB 

exams. He wrote the exam more than 

once and did not get the course she 

wanted to study. In the university, she 

did not sleep with lecturers or bribe 

them to get good grades. She studied 

hard, acquired knowledge and got good grades. 

Some university graduates today cannot write 

an application letter for a job, yet they 

complain of unemployment. How did they 

graduate? How did they pass through primary 

and secondary school? Some parents are part 

of the problem. They bribe teachers and 

invigilators during exams for their children to 

allow their children cheat. The parents ate 

soured grapes and the children’s teeth are now 

on edge. 

You must study hard and get good grades 

legitimately. There are no short cuts and no 

way around it. You should also stay focussed 

and have an idea of where you are going. Even 

when you do not fully grasp where are going, 

just keep moving, staying in one place is not 

an option. As you move on, look out for 

opportunities, they will come. At some points 

the dots will connect, things will fall into place 

and your life will make a meaning. Whatever 

bad point or situation you find yourself now is 

temporary. Do not descend into despair and 

depression. 

One question that has been on my mind, if 

’Kevwe were here, would she have gone this 

far? Very unlikely. We have a system that stifles 

growth. Some students have been pursuing 

their Ph.D. unsuccessfully for the past 10 years, 

why? There are too many wicked academics in 

the ivory towers. Nigerians must realise that 

wherever you are, you are supposed to be a 

solution provider, you are supposed to make 

life easy for people, not complicate it. If a 

professor is supervising a doctoral student and 

a programme that is supposed to take four 

years, takes 10 years, unless it is the student’s 

fault, the professor has failed. 

Another very worrisome trend is our inability 

to retain our best brains. Many Nigerians, who 

excel, travel out and never come back. In the 

past, it was not like this. Nigerians travelled 

abroad and came back home after studies or 

sojourn to contribute to the growth of their 

motherland. I almost cried recently when I saw 

a Nigerian proudly displaying his American 

passport. This Nigerian is a Nigerian to the 

core. He had been in America for a while and 

his plan was to relocate home. He never had 

the intention of taking American citizenship. 

But he had a rethink, seeing the chaos and 

insecurity back home. Nigeria is bleeding. A 

nation that cannot retain its best and provide 

an enabling environment for them to flourish 

cannot make any meaningful progress. This 

haemorrhage has to stop. 

There was everything extraordinary 

about Green Eagles goalkeeper, 

Emmanuel Anthony Oguejiofo 

Okala when he demobilised one of Africa’s 

best, Diables Rouges (Red Devils) at the 

Revolution Stadium, Brazaville on July 13, 

1975. The Congolese may yet recover from 

that shock 1-0 defeat. 

It was the Second Round of the Ethiopia 

’76 African Nations Cup qualifiers. Sunny 

Oyarekhua put the Nigerians ahead in the 

very first minute. And that was the last 

anyone saw of the visitors. The next 89 

minutes were played away from the Devil’s 

half. 

Congo won the Cameroon ’72 African 

Nations Cup. They finished fourth at the 

next Championships and were the only 

team that beat eventual winners, Leopards 

of Congo Democratic Republic (Zaire). That 

same year, 1974, CARA of Brazaville lifted 

the African Cup for Champion Clubs ( 

today’s CAF Champions League). 

CARA dethroned defending champions, 

Vita of Zaire before dismissing Mehala of 

Egypt, home and away in the finals. What 

Okala faced was a combination of 1972 

African champions and 1974 winners. A 

star studded formation that was handled 

by Rumanian, Cicekone Manolache. 

Francois M’Pele had joined French side, 

Paris Saint Germain. He played with Les 

Blues star, Marius Tressor at Ajaccio. PSG 

Manager,Just Fontaine, top scorer of the 

1958 World Cup with 13 goals in six 

matches, believed so much in the 

Congolese striker.M’Pele scored 21 goals 

for PSG in the 1974/1975 season and till 

date remains the club’s leading scorer in 

Coupe de France with 28 goals. 

July 13 was M’Pele’s birthday. Born in 

Brazaville in 1947, he turned 28 on that 

day. That was none of Okala’s business. 

The goalkeeper was not in the mood for a 

party. Two months earlier, he was more 

interested in taking Enugu Rangers to the 

quarter finals of a continental club 

Championships than his own birthday. 

Jean-Michel M’bono was Golden Boot 

winner at the Cameroon ’72 African Nations 

Cup with four goals. Moukila Paul, African 

Brazavile, Okala’s best game 

Footballer of the Year, 1974 joined 

Strasbourg after lifting the Cup of 

Champion Clubs with CARA. His fans 

called him ‘Sayal’. 

Noel Minga Tchibinda, better known 

as ‘ Minga Pepe’, Jonas Bahamboula, 

Jean-Jacques N’Domba 

and goalie Maxime 

Matsima were Nations 

Cup veterans. The 

CARA brigade of 

keeper Tandou Paul, 

Right back, Gabriel 

Dengaki, hit man, 

Sebastine Lakou and 

Gaston Nganga-Mulvi, 

Joseph Ngassaki, 

Andre Mbouta- Bella 

and Gilbert Ponty also 

had Nations Cup 

pedigree. 

With all these names, 

the 50, 000 crowd 

expected Okala to 

succumb. He simply 

stood like Man 

Mountain and refused 

to be cowed. At the end 

of 90 minutes, that lone goal scored by 

Oyarekhua was all that counted. The 

Nigerian goalkeeper made it happen. 

The Eagles won the second leg 2-1 in 

Lagos and were sure of an Ethiopia 

’76 African Nations Cup ticket. 

What the opposition failed to realise 

was that Okala was also a Red Devil 

and had lived with another Red Devil 

in their Ogbe-Otu, Onitsha home. 

Okala joined Enugu Rangers in 1970 

from Onitsha Red Devils. His uncle, 

Walter kept for Port Harcourt Red 

Devils when the Nigerian National 

team wore Red Devils as identity. 

Today, Okala 

can only tell 

stories of the 

bravado in 

Brazaville for 

that battle does 

Today, Okala 

can only tell 

stories of the 

bravado in 

Brazaville for that 

battle does not 

exist anywhere in 

Nigerian records 

not exist 

anywhere in 

Nigerian 

records. The 

commentaries 

were lost due to 

technical hitches. 

Okala said : “ 

Talking about 

memorable 

matches, there 

were so many 

saves. When we 

qualified for the 

1976 African 

Nations Cup, in 

the Second Round,we played against 

Congo. In Brazaville, we scored them 

in the first minute of the match. Sunny 

Oyarekhua scored our only goal and 

it turned out to be the only goal of the 

match. 

“The game was played between the 

Congolese team and myself. 

Unfortunately, the match was not 

recorded by Nigeria. We traveled with 

Bisi Lawrence of Radio Nigeria, who ran the 

commentary. Surprisingly, when we returned 

to Lagos, they said the commentary did not 

reach Nigeria. So we have no record at all of 

that match.” 

While Nigerians remain in the dark about 

Okala’s Red Letter Day, the Congolese have 

not forgotten.Poetic Journalist, Uzor Maxim 

Uzoatu was reminded of that epic battle many 

years after, by a Congolese in the United States. 

Uzoatu took to Facebook. “ I once met a 

Congolese soccer fan in Pittsburgh, United 

States who promptly asked me if the goalkeeper, 

Emmanuel Okala is still alive... The old man 

promptly told me that Okala is the greatest 

goalkeeper that ever lived”, he said. 

Curiously, after all the heroics in Brazaville, 

Okala was not part of the Green Eagles squad 

to the Ethiopia ’76 Nations Cup. The NFA 

settled for Joseph Effiong Erico Okafor, an 

Arochukwu man born to an Odukpani mother, 

as first choice keeper. Prince Zion Ogunfehinmi 

was reserve goalie. 

Enugu Rangers had issues with the NFA. 

Captain Christian Chukwu did not travel with 

the team but made it eventually. In his absence, 

Aloy Atuegbu of Mighty Jets stood in as skipper. 

Three other Flying Antelopes, Ogidi Ibeabuchi, 

Ikechukwu Ezidinma and Alex Nwosu made 

the trip. 

Okala was indeed a legend. All through his 

years as player, he did not lose to Cameroon in 

regulation time, both at club and national level. 

He dwarfed Thomas Nkono in the finals of the 

1977 African Winners Cup which Rangers won. 

As a result of Okala’s superlative outing, 

Cameroonians claimed he was one of them and 

pleaded with him to come back home. 

Strangely, Okala is the name of a town in that 

country’s Centre Region. Their first Foreign 

Minister after Independence in 1960 was 

Charles Rene-Guy Okala. His daughter, Nicole 

Okala Bilai is a serving senator. 

In 1990, I met Guinea and Hafia veteran, 

Petit Sorry at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi. When I 

said cava to him, he fired a question : “Where 

is Okala? And continued. “ Okala was a great 

goalkeeper. We feared him but I am glad I beat 

him in Lagos”.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Those who came into this 

world from the 80s upwards 

and are not into music, may not 

know who James Brown was. He 

was the quintessential musician 

and showman; one of the best 

performers of his generation. I 

can almost imagine the nostalgic 

smiles on the faces of those of my 

generation as they remember JB 

- the ‘hardest working man in 

showbiz’ as he liked to call 

himself - and his many hit songs. 

At a point, almost all his songs 

became hit songs and youths of 

the 60s and 70s avidly collected 

them irrespective of colour. Even 

then, there were hits within hits. 

And a song like ‘It’s a man’s 

world’ will always be an 

evergreen. He was more than a 

musician however. He was also a 

black icon who tried to use his 

enormous influence to awake the 

consciousness in Blacks all over 

the world but especially in 

America. His song ‘Say it loud, I 

am black and proud’ was about 

the ‘loudest’ of the 

songs he used to 

send his message of 

black awareness. 

I was probably 

caught up in the 

black consciousness 

of the sixties and 

seventies when I 

wrote a poem titled 

‘White is for leprosy’. 

I was in my teens. 

The poem was about 

kids playing outside 

in the park. The 

black kids were so 

proud of their 

luxuriant black skin 

that they saw the 

‘paleness’ of the 

white skin as a 

disease. They 

jokingly and 

derisively pointed to the white 

kids and asked a parent if the 

white kids had leprosy. I had 

never seen a leper before I wrote 

the poem. All I knew was how the 

Bible described a leper. The Good 

Book said his skin was ‘as white 

as snow’. Hence the title of the 

When will we ‘say it loud, I am 

black and proud’? 

poem. In my young mind, I was 

hoping for the time when our 

melanin rich skin would be seen as 

an advantage rather than a 

disadvantage; when those of the 

black skin would pity rather than 

envy those with the white skin. It 

was a futuristic poem which 

envisioned such a time when Blacks 

would have come to their own in 

the affairs of the 

world and be more 

confident of their 

skin colour. 

The poem was 

written about fifty 

years ago. It is sad 

When Africa earns 

its respect – and it will 

happen – then we can 

actually live the song 

‘Say it loud. I am 

black and proud’ 

instead of just 

singing it. 

that nothing much 

has changed in the 

way the black skin 

and what it covers 

is regarded. It is 

even sadder that 

people of my 

generation are not 

likely to witness 

any significant 

change. The dream 

for the future that 

the poem was 

wrapped around is 

still a pipe dream. 

Last year marked 

another watershed 

in the battle over race 

discrimination with the killing of 

George Floyd. Sports that had 

significant black representative 

forced the world to pause and 

acknowledge the injustice Blacks 

face on an everyday basis. This led 

to some multinationals making 

sympathetic noises and effecting 

cosmetic changes. But nothing 

fundamental has changed as the 

recent shootings in America have 

shown. In my mind, nothing 

fundamental will change until 

Blacks get more comfortable in their 

own skin – forgive the pun- and stop 

chasing the White calendar and 

milestones. The narrative that 

white is good and black is evil has 

to be changed. The notion that only 

Whites can define what civilisation 

is has to be expunged. The mindset 

that Blacks are inherently 

inferior to Whites has to be 

adjusted. None of these 

assumptions is based on truth and 

so must be challenged. The lie that 

some White explorers discovered 

Africa is just what it is; a lie. The 

history of the world has always been 

written by Whites. It is time for 

Blacks to visit the past and begin 

to write their own story. 

We are told that civilisation 

started from Africa. What happened 

to that civilisation? Blacks had 

learnt to fend for themselves 

according to the dictates of the 

time. They learnt to feed 

themselves; they learnt to heal 

themselves; they learnt what herbs 

to use for difficult child births; they 

learnt to defend themselves by 

‘fortifying’ their bodies against the 

weapons of their time – knives, 

machete, arrows and Dane guns. 

They developed their own 

recreation and their art forms. But 

it was in the area of spiritual 

SATURDAY Vanguard, , MAY 22, 2021—19 

prowess that our forefathers had an 

edge. They learnt the power of the 

spoken word and used the power to 

magical effects. They could speak to 

the elements and be obeyed. Some 

could disappear from a dangerous 

scene and reappear elsewhere. Our 

‘masters’ didn’t understand these 

powers. And because they didn’t 

understand, they feared them and 

labelled them evil. We believed them 

just because they said so. So we lost 

our knowledge, we lost our mysticism, 

we lost our potency, we lost our 

spirituality, we lost our edge. We 

allowed them to define good and evil 

on their terms. 

Despite the passage of time, our 

leaders still look up to the West. It 

must stop. Despite past 

marginalisation and manipulation, 

some of our people still believe in the 

goodness of the West. It is wishful 

thinking. We have to stop relying on 

the West for our every need. It is a 

beggarly mentality. We must look 

inwards and develop those things that 

are unique to us. Like a good chess 

player, we must objectively appraise 

our strengths and deploy them. We 

must look at our assets and seek to 

develop rather than exploit them. We 

must seek to feed ourselves and 

educate our minds. All other forms of 

‘civilisation’ will follow. The earlier we 

can wean ourselves off age-old 

attachments, the better for the Black 

race. The first battle to be won is the 

battle of the mind – our minds have 

to be at the right place - and we 

desperately need the set of leaders 

who can help us achieve this. For 

Blacks all over the world to be 

respected, Africa as a continent must 

earn respect. 

One can imagine for example how 

Blacks all over the world would feel if 

the most efficacious Covid-19 

medicine or vaccine was developed in 

Africa by Africans. It would have been 

a defining moment. Instead, we are 

typically waiting for the West to heal 

itself and send the left-over crumbs 

to us. Or worse, we are waiting for 

them to tell us why we have survived 

the worst of the virus when it has 

brought the rest of the world, 

especially the ‘mighty West’, to its 

knees. Why can’t we tell our own 

Covid-19 story? 

In justifying his defection from the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to 

t h e 

All Progressives Congress, APC, 

Governor Ben Ayade last Thursday cited 

his determination to forge a national 

consensus around President 

Muhammadu Buhari for Nigeria to move 

forward. 

“Instead of us rising as an orgasmic 

whole to see how we can support the 

President to deal with these foreign 

herders that are colonising our various 

roads and farms, we rather sit back; we 

tend to create an impression as if the 

government is not doing well,” he said 

in a television interview last Thursday. 

But for a presidency that has been 

severely challenged with showing 

positive performance indicators, the 

governor’s assertions are easily 

questionable. What input would Ayade 

give to the Muhammadu Buhari 

presidency despite the voracious support, 

many in the APC gave it at inception and 

the blueprint laid for it that it discarded? 

Indeed, one of the governors present at 

Ayade’s defection was Dr. Kayode 

Fayemi. 

Fayemi, who was one of those who 

authored the blueprint for the APC had 

in a television interview on Channels 

Television last March firmly affirmed that 

the APC federal administration had failed 

in the three key areas of security, 

economy, and anti-corruption it 

campaigned on prior to 2015. 

So, as Chief Dan Orbih, the South- 

South Zonal Chairman of the PDP said 

in his reaction, the rationale for Ayade 

wishing to identify with failure is 

shocking. 

Beyond that, Ayade is undoubtedly 

among the most educated of governors in 

the country with advanced degrees in 

Microbiology and Law. 

Assessing Ayade’s yardstick 

So, his action was not without scientific 

reasoning. Indeed, it was the consequence 

of much cogitation and political 

permutations over a period of time. 

For one who is given to 

often speaking 

impromptu, it was not 

difficult for the secret 

reason for his defection to 

flow out as he spoke last 

Thursday. 

“(What) We want to 

achieve is a country where 

we all can sit with the 

President and agree on our South 

succession process, we 

don’t have to fight,” Ayade 

explained. 

In effect, the governor 

opened to all that for him 

in Cross River State the 

issue of his succession was 

a difficulty, a fact that lured 

the governor towards 

fraternization and alleged 

pummeling of the PDP. 

So, as Chief Dan 

Orbih, the South- 

Zonal 

Chairman of the 

PDP said in his 

reaction, the 

rationale for Ayade 

wishing to identify 

with failure is 

shocking. 

GWG.NG, an online 

newspaper had in a report last March, 

https://gwg.ng/2021/03/09/exclusiveayade-leaving-pdp-as-party-snubs-courtorder-against-s-south-congress/ 

referenced this seeming hounding in an 

exclusive report of Ayade’s planned 

defection. 

The report had also shown how a tendency 

reportedly aligned to Ayade tried to scupper 

the South-South zonal congress of the PDP 

last March. 

Though he tried to deny 

the claim in his television 

interview last Thursday, it is 

globally known that the 

governor lost control of the 

PDP structure to the 

National Assembly 

members from his state 

during the last congresses. 

Sources in the PDP have 

revealed to this 

correspondent how the 

governor took the 

congresses for granted 

perhaps believing that the 

structures were pliable to 

his verbose ventilations. 

What he lost was taken 

over by the National 

Assembly members, some 

of whom are playing along 

the historical political 

pathway that was postulated even before 

the governor left the classroom for the 

political arena. 

Indeed, before Ayade joined politics, the 

trio of Liyel Imoke, Gershom Bassey and 

Donald Duke, famed in Cross River as the 

three musketeers, and with Victor Ndoma- 

Egba as a helper, had carved a political corridor 

through which governors of the state would 

come. 

In 2007, Imoke was literally, a shoo-in after 

the first of the trio, that is Duke. The next was 

to be Gershom Bassey who was the chairman 

of the party while Duke was governor. 

However, by happenstance of zoning and logic, 

reason prevailed that the governorship should 

not return to Bassey’s Cross River South just 

after eight years of Duke without the North 

having its feel of the seat. 

Hence, Ayade came in. Ayade’s emergence 

also came after the three musketeers of Duke, 

Imoke alongside Ndoma-Egba had their 

famous falling apart in 2014. 

Duke and Ndoma-Egba fell out of the 

mainstream and it fell on Imoke and Bassey to 

ensure the emergence of Ayade as governor 

despite the desires of those who left the PDP. 

Indeed, what makes Ayade’s defection 

interesting is that a number of the political 

leaders of the state like Senator John Enoh left 

the PDP for the APC because of Ayade. 

By Thursday night as Ayade’s defection 

became formalized, there was a whispering 

campaign in Calabar on the prospects of some 

of the defectors returning to the PDP. 

As was expected, the governor has been 

crowned as the leader of the APC. But which 

faction of the APC he will superintend over is 

one that will in the next few days become an 

issue given the historic bitterness among the 

factions of the party in Cross River State. 

It is a bitterness that has seen the factions 

fight over virtually everything. If Ayade 

coming in, will help cement them will be a 

welcome development. But the yardstick with 

which a governor who lost power within his 

PDP caucus would be able to enforce his 

succession agenda on the whole state without 

the coercive instrument of the Federal 

Government is one that will be a wonder!


And that was the benign picture. 

Someone said he saw a bigot. 

Another saw an ethnic jingoist. 

My grandmother had warned us not to 

prattle. That way, we could hide our ignorance 

from the world. That way, we would not soil 

ourselves in public with bitterness in our 

hearts. 

Now Malami, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, 

thinks that a ban on open grazing is akin to a 

ban on sales of motor spare parts. And he said 

it, gesticulating like Aristotle. Tomorrow, 

those naughty Ghanaians will start mocking 

Nigeria again. 

I had once told a few friends to spare 

Malami, cut him some slack. Brilliant people 

can suffer stage fright. We had watched him 

during the first senate screening. Tense, rigid, 

voluble and loud. His composure and 

elocution were that of a clumsy secondary 

school student floundering in a debating 

competition, lobbing jargons and ill-fitted 

sentences at his audience. An amateurish and 

futile eagerness to come across as intelligent. 

That day, I stood by Malami and reminded 

my friends he was a learned Senior Advocate 

of Nigeria. 

There have been occasions when these 

friends came back to mock me. They knocked 

me the day Malami sweated profusely and 

mopped his brows with his bare hands while 

being badgered by a house committee 

investigating the smuggling of human 

contraband, Abudulrasheed Maina, back 

into the civil service. They ridiculed me when 

Malami started chasing Magu with the 

kitchen sink. Now they are back at me. 

That Malami’s motor-spare-parts 

performance on television was like a child 

appearing at a party, dancing excitedly with 

his shoes mixed up, on the wrong feet. 

Ebullience without grace and rhythm. He 

could have quietly sent one brilliant young 

lawyer to convey his ethnic bias. Ministers 

and Governors have many of these special 

assistants who cover their asses. Someone 

praised Malami for being himself. An adult 

doesn’t try to be himself by baring his anus 

to the world. Okay, take away the animosity 

for the Igbo hidden in the “motor spare parts” 

analogy. What shall we do with the puerility 

of his logic. 

Malami appeared like a representative 

of Miyetti Allah, overcome by emotions. A 

Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders 

Association might be forgiven for thinking 

that the state governments cannot regulate 

the movement of cattle. I have heard some of 

them say it’s their culture. Their ancestors 

might have misinformed them that the forests 

belonged to them. But I am optimistic that 

even Miyetti Allah wouldn’t liken open 

grazing to the sales of motor spare parts. 

Wonders will never end, so the 

saying goes. I never thought I 

would see the day when a sitting 

Minister of Justice and Attorney-General 

of the Federation, would exhibit the kind of 

crude illogicality one would expect from a 

primary school dropout. Yet, Alhaji 

Abubaka Malami (SAN) did just that last 

Wednesday when he termed the Southern 

governors’ “ban” on open grazing, 

unconstitutional. 

Malami explained that the governors’ 

position “does not align with the provisions 

of the constitution, hence it does not hold 

water. It is about constitutionality within 

the context of the freedoms expressed in our 

constitution. Can you deny the rights of a 

Nigerian? For example: it is as good as 

saying, perhaps, the Northern governors 

coming together to say they prohibit spare 

parts trading in the North. “Does it hold 

water? Does it hold water for a Northern 

governor to come and state expressly that 

he now prohibits spare parts trading in the 

North?” 

Then, in a stinking example of “the bad 

being filled with passionate intensity,” the 

same Malami who left the express way for 

the jungle, advised the Southern governors: 

“If you are talking of constitutionally 

guaranteed rights, the better approach to it 

is to perhaps go back to ensure the 

constitution is amended. It is a dangerous 

provision for any governor in Nigeria to 

think he can bring any compromise on the 

freedom and liberty of individuals to move 

around,” he said. 

It is terribly easy to see the two things 

glaringly wrong with Malami’s utterance. 

This becomes clearer if we recall what the 

Southern governors said about open 

grazing; one, they “resolved that open 

grazing of cattle be banned across Southern 

Nigeria; noted that development and 

population growth has put pressure on 

available land and increased the prospects 

of conflict between migrating herders and 

local populations in the South.” “Given this 

scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce 

the ban on open grazing in the South 

(including cattle movement to the South 

by foot); recommended that the Federal 

Abubakar Malami: A Beer 

Parlour Logician? 

Because the sales of motor spares should 

be the equivalent of sales of cattle 

and onions. Miyetti wouldn’t 

make such pedestrian 

arguments. Miyetti should have 

the experiential knowledge that 

marching around thousands of 

kilometers on foot with 

cattle in 2021 is inhuman and 

degrading punishment for the 

herders and cruelty to the 

animals. A knowledge that might 

be lost on even a former cattle 

herder who has come by buttered 

living. 

Malami sleepwalked on 

television. The constitution 

guarantees the right of freedom 

of movement. That right is for 

humans. And not for chickens 

and goats. But even that human 

right is not absolute. That right 

can be abridged for the right 

reasons. The right reasons 

include the attainment of stated 

national security or public health 

goals. Every cobbler knows the 

government can regulate the 

movement of persons for the right reason. 

Our governments routinely restrict 

movements on election days. 

Governments can place curfews. 

Governments locked down entire nations 

during the COVID pandemic. Malami 

should know that the constitutional 

freedom to move from place to place isn’t 

absolute, inviolable freedom. That was 

why watching Malami discuss basic 

constitutional rights like a novice made a 

hard watch. 

The southern governors placed a ban on 

open grazing. The states would enact local 

laws to enforce the ban. The role of a peeved 

Open grazing: Abubak 

bubakar 

ar 

Malami’s fallacies 

Government should support willing 

states to develop alternative and 

modern livestock 

management 

systems.” 

Yes, the governors 

agreed to “enforce the 

ban.” If some states 

have banned open 

grazing through acts 

of their state 

Assemblies, and such 

have been signed into 

laws, what would any 

sane person make of 

Malami’s position that 

such does not “hold 

water?” What really, if 

not a call to anarchy? 

In states where such 

laws have been 

enacted, would 

Malami not be guilty 

of inciting herders to 

openly and 

reprehensibly disobey 

the law? And is that 

what is expected of the attorney-general 

of any country? 

Yet, he was advising the governors to 

attempt to amend the constitution first. 

Why didn’t he advise those opposed to 

federal Attorney General would be to 

challenge 

the 

constitutionality of 

those laws in court. 

Nigeria is a 

federation. Cattle 

do not enjoy the 

rights granted to 

humans under the 

constitution. If they 

did, we wouldn’t 

be killing and 

eating them as we 

like. The proposed 

Miyetti ban on open 

grazing by the 

southern governors 

open 

is moral and lawful 

because it is a nondiscriminatory 

m i n i m u m 

m e a s u r e 

But I am 

optimistic that 

even 

Allah wouldn’t 

liken 

grazing to the 

sales of motor 

spare parts. 

the enforcement of the ban, to go to court 

to first shoot down the ban if it is 

unconstitutional? This is disappointing. 

Second, I take due 

notice of Malami’s 

baseless claim that the 

banning of open grazing 

negates certain 

constitutional rights of 

There is a limit to 

the constitutionally 

guaranteed 

freedomof 

movement, so 

I’ll use Fela’s lyrics 

for Malami: 

“Teacher don’t 

teach me nonsense 

necessary to 

achieve a stated 

public security 

objective. 

Malami had 

watched open 

grazing occasion 

massacre after massacre. He didn’t flinch. 

He forgot that as the nation’s chief law officer, 

he had a duty to promote and protect justice, 

justice for those who were being 

slaughtered. Perhaps, he didn’t know that 

prevention of crime is justice. Open cross 

country grazing has fostered cattle rustling, 

the militarization of cattle herding, the 

proliferation of militias, clashes and 

massacres with a wanton waste of lives and 

property. Where has Malami been? What 

were the Justice Minister’s answers to the 

Criminal Justice questions asked by open 

grazing? 

The open grazing ban didn’t fall from the 

Nigerian citizens. 

Section 41 of the 

constitution upholds the 

right of citizens to move 

freely throughout 

Nigeria, to reside in any 

part thereof, and not to 

be expelled from the 

country, or be refused 

entry or exit therefrom. 

If that is where Malami 

got the shamefully 

defective idea that 

banning open grazing is 

akin to Northern 

governors banning 

spare parts selling in the 

North, then, Nigeria has 

no effective Attorney- 

General. This is because it is only defective 

logic, a case of crass and galloping 

illogicality that would make a man take 

that leap to a most unfounded conclusion. 

Open grazing may be a kind of business, 

sky. Northern governors proposed an open 

grazing ban in the south three months ago. They 

did it to safeguard national unity while Malami 

was slumbering. The Attorney General’s office 

should have grazed on the relevant jurisprudence 

and saved the Attorney General from the 

constipation he suffered in public. Many of our 

lawyers detest philosophy and often march 

around the field of legal theory with mental 

handicaps. 

But this wasn’t complex. Okadas have been 

banned in many places for many good reasons. 

Street hawking has been banned in many wellrun 

cities to curb road traffic accidents, crime and 

littering of public spaces. These didn’t need 

constitutional amendments. Cows are cows; they 

are no Sacred Cows. 

The constitution aside, Malami’s hypocrisy is 

startling. Malami knows that alcohol movement 

has been prohibited in many places in northern 

Nigeria. The reason was to service religion 

through sharia. Malami knows there are no 

compelling reasons for that particular ban. That 

ban is therefore unconstitutional. But the ban has 

stayed. Why hasn’t Malami told the northern 

governors and their Hisbah commanders 

destroying beer bottles that they needed a 

constitutional amendment to deter bottles of beer 

from flowing from place to place? The alcohol ban 

is unconstitutional, yet he allowed it. Open 

grazing ban is constitutional, yet he is conjuring 

inane bigoted analogies to oppose it. 

A chief law officer doesn’t need brilliance to 

be sensitive. The country is tense. Yet, Malami 

chose a childish and divisive analogy that could 

pass for a dog whistle. His gesticulations made 

him look like he was warning the south to desist, 

or a certain southern ethnic group associated with 

plying the spare parts trade could be chased away 

from a section of the country. Sometimes 

ignorance could be criminal. Malami’s wayward 

analogy made him sound like an advocate of 

trouble. 

And what could be worse? Now adept at scoring 

own-goals, the federal government has lost the 

initiative to the governors. Akeredolu, a Senior 

Advocate Of Nigeria, chairman of the southern 

governors’ forum, who belongs to the same party 

as the Attorney General, described Malami’s logic 

as embarrassingly shallow. Ordinarily dogs don’t 

eat dogs. And Alsatians should never eat 

Alsatians. I feel for Malami. I wish there were a 

way he could say he was quoted out of context. 

The southern governors must pay no heed to 

Malami. Not to his ignorance, not to his mischief, 

not to his belligerence. Open cross-country 

grazing is antediluvian. Malami doesn’t 

understand the times. Law is interpretive. But 

suppose anything in the constitution is 

misconstrued to support Malami’s beer parlour 

logic, that provision of the constitution will fall 

into immediate abject redundancy in the south 

because the people have already moved on. Yeah, 

half of the country has moved. No open grazing! 

but it is totally different from running a spare 

parts shop. A spare parts seller does not invade 

other people’s farms or shops, destroying their 

crops or merchandise. He has to set up his 

shop in a legally approved place, say a market. 

But an open grazing herder has proved to be a 

destroyer of other people’s farmlands and 

crops. He obeys no rules of engagement and 

roams from other peoples’ farms to other 

people’s farms. While the spare parts 

shopkeeper has a shop, the herder would only 

resemble him if the herder has a ranch; yes a 

ranch. Will someone please point this out to 

Malami! And, Malami, have spare parts shops 

in unapproved areas not routinely destroyed? 

Now, Malami has to explain why he can’t 

appreciate the difference between the business 

environment of the spare parts seller and the 

open grazing herder, and the implications of 

how each of them does his business, and the 

effects of their activities on other people’s 

properties and RIGHTS?. What is his problem; 

crass ignorance or deceit? 

That brings us to “ignoratio elenchi” or 

fallacy of Red Herring, a distraction from the 

argument typically with some sentiment that 

seems to be relevant but isn’t really ontopic...just 

as Malami’s appeal to the 

constitution is a blatant distraction from the 

issue at hand. Also, Fulani apologists have told 

us that the mad and maddening criminal 

herders are undocumented foreigners. 

Then this: In Malami’s Northern Nigeria, 

Section 342 of the Penal Code (applicable to 

Northern Nigeria) provides that ‘Whoever 

enters into or upon property in the possession 

of another with intent to commit an offence or 

to intimidate, insult or annoy a person in 

possession of that property, or, having lawfully 

entered into, or, upon that property, unlawfully 

remains there with intent thereby to 

intimidate, insult or annoy such person or with 

intent to commit an offence, is said to commit 

criminal trespass.’ Is that too against the 

citizen’s right of movement? There is a limit 

to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of 

movement, so I’ll use Fela’s lyrics for Malami: 

“Teacher don’t teach me nonsense.” Or, am I 

free to saunter, gun in hand, into Malami’s 

home, take what suits my fancy, whimsically 

destroy things I can’t cart away, and leave as 

he claps for me for exercising my freedom of 

movement? Haba, Mallam, Haba!

C 

M 

Y 

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021—21


Lagos Film Fund C'ttee: 

Jide Kosoko kicks 

•Wants Sanwo-Olu to include Lagos-born 

film maker on the committee 

Barely two weeks after Governor Sanwo- 

Olu of Lagos State inaugurated a 9- 

member film production empowerment 

committee to fund youth creativity and 

entertainment activities in the state, veteran 

actor, Jide Kosoko has expressed the need for 

the government to include a Lagos-born film 

maker in as well as a filmmaker from any tribe 

of the country. 

Kosoko, made this position known in a 

statement titled , “ My stand on Lagos State 

Film Fund Committee”, which he released 

during the week. 

According to him, “It is only by doing so that 

the objectives of your administration for the 

industry can be best served.” 

The veteran actor said, while he commends 

Governor Sanwo-Olu for coming up with such 

an idea, the need to give indigenous film 

practitioners who he said sustain what we 

call Nollywood a sense of belonging is 

imperative in this respect. 

He writes: “I have been inundated by several 

calls and have read several arguments for and 

against the composition of a committee set up 

by the Lagos State Government for funding of 

the movie industry in the state.” 

“For this, I cannot pretend to be unaware of 

the controversies that has trailed it, especially 

its composition.” 

“Let me however start by commending our 

able Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for 

coming up with such an idea, an idea that 

was surely born in time and most assuredly 

needed. I dare say that whatever misgivings 

anyone may have, one thing is sure, you 

cannot fault the motive behind it. 

We have had several administrations in 

Lagos and other states of the federation, but 

not many have given as much thought to our 

industry to be able to come up with such an 

idea and putting it to work. So, I commend 

Governor Sanwo-Olu for that.” 

“Secondly, I must say here that I am aware 

of the observations of The Eko Foundation and 

other organisations on this issue and I 

appreciate their intervention not because my 

name is mentioned, but because their 

statement is not far from my view on the 

issue.” 

“Let me, however quickly say here that I 

don't know who the members of these 

associations are. Though I was once the 

Cultural Secretary of Eko Foundation when 

the late Justice Muri Okunola was our 

President. But that was so many years ago.” 

“I have followed the arguments on social 

media, groups that I belong to and online 

publications and I must say I appreciate 

everyone that has made contributions, though 

I may not completely agree with some of the 

approaches employed.” 

“That you are a Lagosian by virtue of your 

birth or length of stay, does not take away the 

right of the indigenes! Do you know the kind 

of struggles it took our forefathers that brought 

Lagos to be? Or do we have any other place 

called home that we go for holidays like Easter, 

Christmas and the likes? The truth is that no 

matter how 

accommodating 

Lagos is or has 

been, there are 

people who are 

indigenes, 

whose rights 

for inclusion must be respected 

without tagging it tribalism. Lagos 

and Lagosians, if fair must be fair, 

cannot be tagged with the toga of 

tribalism in good conscience.” 

Recall that Lagos State 

government weeks back, set up 

a 9-member film production 

empowerment committee to fund 

youth creativity and 

entertainment activities in the 

state, following the disruption 

caused by the spread of COVID-19 

that impacted negatively on 

entertainment and tourism in the 

State, 

The committee members consisting 

of five industry practitioners and four 

government officials including AMAA 

founder Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Tunde 

Kelani, Kunle Afolayan, Mo Abudu and 

Richard Mofe-Damijo as the chairman of the 

committee. 

Other side of 

Erica revealed in 

a new reality TV 

show 

F 

ormer BBNaija housemate, 

Erica Nlewedim is warming to reveal 

the other side of her life that's rarely 

known to her fans as she features in 

MTV Base’s new reality TV series, 

Inside Life. 

The show will start airing weekly 

from Wednesday, June 9, 2021, on 

MTV Base DStv and GOtv 

Channel respectively. 

The Queen of the Elites made 

this revelation during 'her tell-all 

IG Live interview' with VJ, 

Nenny-B. 

“I am super excited about the 

show. Viewers will get to see 

sides to me that the public has 

never seen before. I think my 

excitement comes from being 

on live camera again and 

thinking about how my fans 

will react when they finally see 

what my everyday life looks 

like.” 

“Inside Life with Erica captures 

every aspect of me. Erica the actress, 

the entrepreneur, the star girl, lover-girl, and 

even my vulnerabilities. The name of the show 

is Inside Life, so it’s inside my life, no stone 

unturned,” she explained. 

According to the producer, this scintillating 

soon-to-launch series will feature Erica in her 

element as she navigates the business and 

entertainment worlds, as she continues to grow 

to become one of the most respected 

entertainment moguls in Nigeria. On the show, 

viewers will also get to see the most important 

people in her life, from her family members to 

her friends. 

Commenting on the launch of the new content 

Popular publisher of Genevieve Magazine, Betty 

Irabor has revealed how her seemingly perfect 

life began to spiral out of control after she started 

battling feelings of insecurity and grief 

following the death of her father and brother. 

Featuring in this week's episode of 

#WithChude, Irabor shared her horrible 

experience that led her into a season of 

depression, insomnia and even 

attempted suicide. 

"I always felt I wasn't good enough 

or that I hadn't accomplished 

enough, because at that 

moment, I was not thinking 

•Betty Irabor 

about my successes," she said. 

Growing up as a student of 

Methodist Girls' High School, 

Irabor was familiar with the 

Neuropsychiatric Hospital, 

Yaba, known to be a place for "mad" 

people. However, she never thought that 

she would one day be a patient of the 

famous clinic. After seeing nine 

different psychiatrists, she was 

•Jide Kosoko 

•Erica 

Music is my religion 

— Daniel Oyiaro 

F 

ast rising singer, Daniel Oyiaro, popularly known as ‘Danie’ 

has dropped yet another single titled ‘Waka’, a song which 

recaptures the grass root story of his rise to fame. 

‘Waka’, according to Danie , was the last music project he executed 

before the release of his debut EP titled ‘SIOS’, an acronym for ‘Sorry 

I Overslept’. 

Speaking on the inspiration behind 'Waka', Dannie said; the song 

was inspired by everything that matters to me."This song represents 

everything I went through in life," he added. 

Also, on the inspiration behind the title of his forthcoming 

EP titled 'SIOS' (Sorry I Over Slept), Danie said: “As the 

name implies, I feel like I’ve been away on a 

personal journey of self-rediscovery. Before my 

debut song, ‘Halo’, which I dropped last 

November, I have not really released any music 

again. So this is my way of saying I’m here 

now. I’ve been away for some time,but I’m back 

again ”, he said. 

Speaking further, Danie explained 

why he chose to release an EP, 

instead of an album. “To be very 

honest I just wanted to create good 

music so that the world can feel my 

passion and creativity. This is 

because I’ve been working tirelessly 

for a while. I was able to contain an 

exquisite feeling working on this 

project and It was an amazing feeling. The 

journey is just getting started, I’m not in a 

hurry to push out songs. I’ll take my time to 

give the world the best of everything I can offer 

as a singer," he said. 

Describing music as his own form of religion, 

Danie said henceforth, his fans should 

expects hit after hit from him. 

“I want to do the unthinkable. I’ve 

been quiet for a while. Music is my 

religion, so my fans shouldn't be 

disappointed; rather it’s going to be 

better than ever from now 

on..." Danie 

assured. 

on Nigeria's number one music entertainment channel, 

MTV Base, Solafunmi Sosanya, Senior Channels Manager 

at Viacom CBS Networks Africa (the parent company of MTV 

Base), said: “Erica is one celebrity that certainly sparkles in 

the spotlight. The light and cameras absolutely love her and 

that’s a mark of a true reality TV star. Inside Life With Erica 

is a brilliant, non-invasive avenue for her teeming fans to see 

her for who she really is, outside of the glitz and the glamour. 

The show will definitely give viewers a different perspective 

to their favourite celebrity’s life. This reality series is keeping 

with MTV Base’s drive to provide our viewers with 

premium entertainment and storytelling with original 

scripted and non-scripted shows." 

How I almost committed suicide --Betty Irabor 

desperate for help and decided to visit a professor at 

that hospital as advised by her uncle. 

Recalling this horrible experience, Irabor said, "All I 

wanted was my sanity. They say, 'he who is down need 

not to fear foes'. I was already at the grass level and I 

was looking for where I could find help." 

After taking series of medications, seeing a long list 

of doctors and repeatedly attempting suicide, Betty 

eventually found a way to overcome her depression with 

the help of her husband and trusted friends. Today, she's 

stronger than ever. 

"In a strange way, I have managed to find a way of 

dealing with things that would normally knock me 

down. I am not that skinny, insecure woman, who 

fretted about everything. I am a different person, I am 

happier. I know that I am actually in control of what 

I internalize, and I can filter out what I don't want in 

my life." 

Betty has continued to share her story with 

the world in the hope that her story will 

inspire others to get help and hopefully, 

be in control of their stories, proving that 

depression is real, not insurmountable. 

•Daniel Oyiaro


08116759759 

Moment migrant baby is plucked from water by 

hero police officer who dived in to save him 

Aheroic policeman rescued a 

drowning baby as thousands 

of migrants swam into the 

Spanish enclave of Ceuta from 

Morocco. A powerful image shows 

the Spanish Guardia Civil officer 

clutching the infant while clinging 

to a lifeboat in the water. The baby 

boy, who was being carried by his 

mother, is one of several children 

saved by emergency crews. Around 

8,000 people including 1,500 minors 

travelled to Ceuta, on the border of 

Spain and Morocco, in the last two 

days, according to officials. 

They faced an exhausting journey 

to reach the North African enclave 

by swimming across the 

Mediterranean Sea or scaling a 

double-wide border fence – before 

sleeping wherever they could find 

shelter. Unaccompanied children 

were taken into care, according to 

reports. But military vehicles 

deployed to Ceuta to intercept the 

migrants turned away 4,000 people. 

Soldiers and police used batons to 

remove people from the beach and 

hurled smoke bombs to discourage 

others from crossing. Now the flow 

of people arriving is said to have 

been reduced to a ‘trickle’ on 

Wednesday, with reports suggesting 

some were voluntarily returning to 

Morocco. 

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro 

Sanchez, flew to the area in a bid to 

‘restore calm’. ‘This sudden arrival 

of irregular migrants is a serious 

crisis for Spain and Europe,’ 

Sanchez said in a televised address 

before his arrival in Ceuta. He later 

criticised Morocco for carrying out 

an ‘act of defiance’, adding: ‘The lack 

of border control by Morocco is not 

a show of disrespect of Spain, but 

rather for the European Union.’ 

Ceuta, which has a population of 

80,000, is on the northern tip of 

Morocco across from Gibraltar. 

Along with another Spanish 

enclave, Melilla, Ceuta is said to be 

a magnet for African migrants 

seeking a better life in Europe. 

Morocco has a claim on both. The 

‘influx’ of migrants comes amid 

heightened diplomatic tensions with 

Morocco. The regional leader of 

Ceuta criticised what he described 

as Morocco’s passivity over the crisis. 

Morocco is said to have initially 

allowed migrants to enter to pressure 

Madrid over its decision to allow the 

leader of a rebel faction to receive 

treatment for coronavirus in a 

Spanish hospital. Spanish foreign 

minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, 

said Spain believes Morocco 

loosened its border control to 

retaliate for Spain having given 

medical assistance to the head of the 

Western Sahara liberation 

movement, a disputed territory to 

Morocco’s south. ‘It tears our hearts 

out to see our neighbours sending 

children, even babies… (because) 

they reject a humanitarian gesture 

on our part,’ she said. 

Woman asks friends to fake cry around 

her coffin as she rehearses own funeral 

People in India warned covering themselves 

in cow poo will not fight Covid 

DOCTORS have warned 

people in India against 

covering themselves in 

cow poo in defence of coronavirus. 

In Hinduism, the cow is seen as 

a sacred symbol of life and earth, 

making some believe that its waste 

could help protect them as Covid 

ravages the country. An increasing 

number of people in India have 

been smothering themselves in the 

animal’s faeces and urine 

believing it will fight off the virus. 

Some residents in the Indian state 

of Gujarat have reportedly been 

visiting cow shelters once a week 

and rubbing their excrement over 

themselves. 

Once covered in the substance, 

they hug each other or leave the 

mixture to dry in an effort to honour 

the cows. When they are done, 

milk or buttermilk is used to wash 

off the mixture. 

Given that this practice involves 

breaking social distancing, 

officials are increasingly 

concerned that it could fuel the 

spread of COVID-19 - as well as 

causing other health 

complications from the dung itself. 

Medical officials have been 

forced to explain there is no 

evidence cow poo can boost 

immunity or help treat COVID-19. 

Dr J.A. Jayalal, national 

president of the Indian Medical 

Association, said: “There is no 

concrete scientific evidence that 

cow dung or urine work to boost 

immunity against COVID-19, it is 

based entirely on belief. 

“There are also health risks 

involved in smearing or 

consuming these products – other 

diseases can spread from the 

animal to humans.” 

The advice comes as India 

reports a rise in “black fungus” 

found in patients suffering from 

coronavirus. Medics in the country 

have been told to look out for 

possible signs of mucormycosis in 

Covid patients, despite it usually 

being a rare infection. 

It can cause blackening or 

discolouring of the nose, blurred 

or double vision, chest pain, 

breathing difficulties and 

coughing up blood. 

There are strong links to 

diabetes, which can be made 

worse by some of the steroids 

being used to treat coronavirus. 

Gujarat has had confirmed 

cases of mucormycosis, but 

India’s authorities have assured 

people that there is not a major 

outbreak. 

India currently accounts for one 

in every three Covid deaths 

reported worldwide daily, with 

362,727 new cases reported in the 

last 24 hours. 

Doctors and scientists all over 

the world are reminding people 

that using alternative treatments 

for coronavirus usually causes 

more harm than good, given that 

they provide a false sense of 

security and usually have no 

medical benefits in relation to 

the virus. 

Awoman rented a coffin for 

the day and staged her 

own funeral because she 

was desperate to see how her 

friends would mourn her. 

Mayra Alonzo, 59, organised a 

full dress rehearsal of her wake 

in the city of Santiago in the 

Dominican Republic at the end 

of April. The bizarre event saw 

her dress in white and lie in the 

coffin with cotton wool stuffed 

into her nostrils, to replicate what 

would have happened to her if 

she’d been in a mortuary. Her 

friends and family then took 

turns to say their teary ‘final 

goodbyes’ with some doing a 

better job of fake crying than 

others. 

Mayra spent several hours in 

the coffin while guests enjoyed 

refreshments and exchanged 

stories about their loved one. The 

Dominican news site Listin 

Diario said the party cost the 

equivalent of £710 to organise, 

with the money going towards 

food, drink and coffin hire. 

Mayra described the event as a 

‘dream come true’ and thanked 

her friends, family and 

neighbours who helped to 

organise the fake funeral. She 

said it was the number of deaths 

during the pandemic that 

inspired her to celebrate her life. 

According to Listin 

Diario, Mayra warned loved 

ones not to die anytime soon as 

being inside the coffin was a very 

unpleasant experience.


Insecurity: Facts, fiction 

and response in Imo 

By Chidi Nkwopara, OWERRI. 

I 

branded as “unknown gunmen”, 

t is no longer news that Imo State, unleashed mayhem recently, in Owerri. 

has been in the news in the past At the end of their damnable act, they left 

weeks, and if you like, for all the bad a trail of destruction and injection of over 

reasons as far as insecurity is concerned. 2,000 criminals into the free society! 

It must also be admitted at this point that Yes, the correctional facility in Owerri, 

there are some sad facts and fictitious was attacked and no fewer than 1,844 

stories that have been trending in the inmates were let loose! If the figures being 

social media, even as you prepare to read bandied in some media outlets are 

this piece. 

credible, no fewer than 600 suspects 

To say that there is no crime-free were also set free from the cells of the 

community anywhere in the world, Police Headquarters Owerri, during 

including Imo State, amounts to stating the same operation. 

the obvious. It becomes problematic and These are not good stories to tell 

nerve wrecking, when it becomes a daily about Imo State and the Nigerian 

occurrence and the magnitude,getting security architecture. The hoodlums 

bigger and deeper. 

appeared very determined to do more 

It is also a fact that no administration collateral damage to the state and 

worth it’s salt, can afford the luxury of security agencies, as the rampaging 

idly folding it’s hands and watching “unknown gunmen” did not stop at the 

criminals kill, maim, rape women and two establishments in Owerri, owned 

young girls, as well as sack innocent by the Federal Government. 

citizens from their ancestral homelands. Apparently not satisfied with the 

We shall come back to this later, especially successes they recorded in their 

as criminality has never been known to previous attacks, the criminals 

germinate overnight. 

descended on other police formations, 

Criminality is like a marathon race and burning, looting whatever they could lay 

not a 100 metres dash. It develops their filthy hands on and killing 

gradually and culminates into a gigantic policemen on duty. 

conglomerate that we are witnessing Similarly, the Governor’s Omuma, Oru 

today, in Nigeria. 

East local government area country home, 

Before the coming of the Senator Hope was attacked. Three people reportedly 

Uzodimma administration, gory stories died. These are indisputable facts and 

•Uzodimm 

were told about the activities of armed the citizens naturally became alarmed. 

robbers, kidnappers, baby factory owners Night life became a mirage. 

and herdsmen, in some parts of Imo State. Now, a bit of the fictional stories that 

run away from the state, after the Easter 

Monday attack in Owerri. While these 

In like manner, Owerri indigenes, have made the rounds. A story went viral about 

not forgotten how a sitting government the burning of the magnificent Imo State 

fake stories, and a lot of other such stories, 

engaged the services of dare devil thugs, House of Assembly, which was built by 

kept trending in the social media, 

Uzodimma, who knew that he had a 

when Eke Ukwu Owerri market was late Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe. The 

demolished! One wonders what else, can fake news was so strong and looked so 

serious problem in his hands, was in 

best be described as state sponsored real that a Catholic Bishop from one of 

Abuja, as Saturday Vanguard reliably 

gathered, to effectively work out a 

brigandage. 

the South East states, called this writer at 

This generation and subsequent ones, about 10.05pm, to inquire if the story was 

commensurate strategy, with the security 

will never meet Pontus Pilate, but he will true. 

chiefs, for countering the activities of the 

hoodlums. 

forever, be remembered for being Beyond this, there was also the false 

responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. story that no road in Imo was safe, as 

On the Governor’s return to Imo State, 

In the same vein, whenever and wherever armed hoodlums was said to be having a 

he did a few notable things, including the 

purchase and donation of 100 operational 

the story of the destruction of Eke Ukwu field day on all of them, daily. This again, 

Owerri ancestral market, and the death was not true, but it kept making the 

vehicles and communication gadgets to 

of 10-year old, only son of the Ibeanusi rounds in the social media and people 

the joint security team, code-named 

“Operation Search and Flush”, OSF. 

family, Somtochukwu, would be told, the dreaded anything that would warrant 

Senator Rochas Okorocha their coming to Imo State. The economic 

Speaking at the event, Uzodimma said: 

administration will be perpetually life of the state was threatened and the 

“It is a bold statement on our iron-clad 

resolve to flush out criminals from our 

mentioned. 

citizenry were the worse for it. 

Yes, a gang of criminals that were The social media was also awash with 

dear state. It is a signal to bandits, 

the story that Governor Uzodimma had 

hoodlums and trigger-happy criminals 

Igbo heritage: Chukwudum Okeke launches 

‘Embers of Tradition’ 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

“Embers of Tradition”, the debut novel 

of Chukwudum Okeke was on Wednesday 

May 19, 2021, launched to a global 

audience on a digital space. The 318-page 

attention-arresting book that 

reminiscences “Things Fall Apart”, by 

late literary legend, Professor 

Chinualumogu Achebe, is structured 

around some of the old traditions of the 

Igbo people of South-Eastern Nigeria. 

The work of fiction explores the effects 

of colonisation on the culture of the Igbo 

through the eyes of the protagonist- 

Nweke’s family. 

The book launch featured a rather long 

reading session smartly spiced with 

robust conversations around the very 

enriching piece laced with Igbo proverbs, 

archaic names and deep rooted Igbo 

tradition, jettisoned for modern day 

religions. 

The portions read by the author exposed 

the cultural discrepancy between Nweke 

and his son; a situation he noted, still 

trails people till date. Nweke’s 

relationship with his gods as well as his 

son is revealed as a way of life which is 

not alien in today’s world. “We know our 

relationship with our children who think 

sometimes that we are archaic”, the 

author said. 

Chukwudum Okeke, a Nigerian- 

American Education Consultant, and a 

twin, who was almost a victim of an 

asinine extremism of culture, said that to 

ensure authenticity of content, he 

consulted with older people back home 

in Nigeria. “As a matter of fact, as I was 

writing this book, I don’t want to put any 

falsehood on a book that if you publish, 

you can’t take it back. So, many times, I 

consulted with old people back home for 

the things I was not very sure of because 

some of the things here are older than 

me. I’m sure Ichie Onyeogadilinma can 

confirm whether these cultural practices 

are true or false”, the author explained. 

On why he decided to publish a book 

with archaic cultural content in a modern 

era, Okeke said, “First of all, the Igbo 

people are very controversial, 

even in America here there’s what 

they call ‘Igbo Landing’. I think 

it’s in Georgia. It’s about 

slaves 

against their captors 

and in the process, 

d r o w n i n g 

themselves and 

their captors. 

The place is a 

t o u r i s t 

attraction in 

the US. Also 

in Virginia, 

they have 

Igbo village; 

it is like 

living in the 

revolting 

•Okeke 

old Igbo 

land here in 

America. So 

among all 

A f r i c a 

people, Igbo 

people are 

most controversial. In those days, the Igbo 

who were known as ‘Eboe’, were very 

hardworking so, they were much sort after 

by the slave owners who needed to make 

profit. They are also reliable. So I was 

trying to bring out some of the 

characteristics of the Igbo”. 

Okeke further described Igbo people as 

very industrious and highly innovative. 

“The Igbo are very enterprising and 

usually accept their children who 

succeed. There’s a cultural lesson the 

book attempts to expose which is that no 

culture is superior to the other; it’s just a 

that their time is up in Imo State. 

“Again, this event further underscores 

the fact that our government can never 

be intimidated by criminals and their 

sponsors. It also reaffirms our 

commitment to the protection of lives and 

property of all citizens of the state, 

including those on transit. 

“No matter what might have happened 

recently, the gallantry and sacrifices of 

these patriotic officers have never been in 

doubt. May I use this opportunity to 

commiserate with families of the officers, 

who paid the supreme price in the course of 

executing their lawful duties. My 

administration will always do the needful 

to cushion the pains of these losses. 

“In like manner, we shall do all that we 

can to ameliorate the pains of families, who 

lost their loved ones in the course of 

accidental engagements with security 

agencies. Our sincere condolences go to the 

affected families 

“My beloved people of Imo State, in a 

way we can say that today’s event is part of 

our response to the evolving security 

challenges in the state. We are re-energising 

the security architecture in the state to make 

it more proactive and result-oriented. These 

vehicles and equipment being donated by 

my administration are eloquent testimony 

to our resolve to confront and combat 

criminality headlong.” 

After promising that he will, in the 

coming weeks, integrate the Imo State 

Vigilante outfit, otherwise known as 

Ebubeagu, to complement the efforts of 

Operation Search and Flush, in fighting 

crime in the state, Uzodimma also used 

the opportunity to declare “a total war against 

crime, criminality and their sponsors in the 

state”. 

His words: “In this regard, I am today 

declaring a zero-tolerance for crime in Imo 

State. From now onward, Imo State shall be 

a no go area for criminals. We shall take the 

war to the doorway of all criminals; their 

kindred, their hamlets and their hideout. We 

shall smoke them out and flush them out of 

Imo State. 

“Consequently, I hereby charge our security 

agencies to chase the criminals to their 

hideouts. All smoking joints where marijuana 

and other dangerous drugs are sold and used, 

should be searched and flushed out.” 

Uzodimma equally issued a stern warning 

to landlords and traditional rulers: 

“Henceforth, any landlord who avails his 

property to criminals, even smokers of weeds, 

would be answerable to the law. In like 

manner, any traditional ruler in whose 

domain criminals abide and who fails to 

report same to relevant authorities will be held 

accountable. We can no longer tolerate a 

situation whereby our state is used as a 

breeding haven for criminals. 

“To the good people of Imo State and 

residents, I say to you, you are Safe; go about 

your lawful engagements without any fear of 

molestation. No shaking. Your safety is 

guaranteed.” 

It remains a thing of joy that thereafter, it 

has been a harvest of arrests of criminals in 

the state. The State Police Command’s 

bulletins bear eloquent testimony to this. 

way of life”. In other words, ‘Embers 

of Tradition’, tries to reflect some 

cultural issues still relevant till date; 

for instance, the problem of 

generational gap between Nweke 

and his son which still exists till 

today. 

Corroborating the author’s stance 

on the relevance of the book, the 

anchorman of the book 

launch, Dr Bertram 

Okpokwasili (Ichie 

Onyeogadilinma) 

said, “If some of 

these things are 

not constantly 

before us, we will 

forget what they 

used to be; I mean 

before Christians 

showed up. I can 

see among the 

attendees of this 

meeting, three 

individuals born as 

twins, they were lucky 

otherwise, they wouldn’t be 

here with us today”, stressing 

that the author wouldn’t have 

been alive if the culture was not 

abolished. 

“As strange as they may sound, the 

young ones need to read and understand 

what it used to be”, he said, pointing out 

that the book also brings out advantages 

of the coming of the missionaries who 

were instrumental to abolition of deadly 

traditions such as the killing of twins and 

sacredness of the Python. 

Also a guest corroborated the relevance 

of the book noting that a place in 

Madagascar is still killing twins and so, 

they can learn from the book that those 

of us that ended the culture of killing twins 

are doing okay.


bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 

You might be the reason your man strayed! 

Mothers certainly know 

best no matter how old 

their children. Eccua, a 

younger friend, paid a visit to her 

mum some few months back, 

virtually bending her ears with tales 

of her husband’s latest escapades. 

“She always made a soothing noise 

whenever she realized all I needed 

to do was let off steam”, said Eccua, 

“but this fateful afternoon, my mum 

gave me a bored look, yawned and 

declared: ‘Aren’t you a bit tired of 

hearing your own moan? I mean 

look at you! A graduate we were all 

proud of now turned into a what? 

Look at the back of your feet. When 

last did you have a pedicure? Or a 

good facial? Or a fancy stint at the 

hairdresser’s? I scarcely see you in 

anything glamorous but a frumpy 

boubou. If I were your husband, 

believe me, I wouldn’t be interested 

either!” I glanced at her and she 

glared right back. Whose side was 

she on? I’m a mother of three for 

goodness sake, not some femme 

fatal! She ought to be more 

sympathetic.” 

I hate to rob salt into Eccua’s 

wound but I told her gently that I 

agreed with her mum. She was 

really fashionable when she was 

younger and we weren’t surprised 

when she married into a respectable 

family. Now a couple of decades 

later, she’s settled into a rut. She’d 

become sort of ‘mum-sy’ and even 

mothered her husband. I told her 

that if she didn’t snatch a bit of her 

old self back, find some self-respect, 

her husband might not appreciate 

her. My harsh words obviously hit 

home. She looked at me as if I were 

You twist and turn every 

night, trying to get to 

sleep. Nothing seems to work 

– and you get more and more 

stressed. You snap at the 

kids, snarl at your partner and 

you can barely get through the 

day. It is estimated that a lot 

of the population is prone to 

insomnia with women more 

likely to suffer than men. 

All sorts of factors can affect 

our sleep – medical conditions 

like sleep apnoea, lifestyle 

issues such as poor diet, or the 

stress of bereavement, divorce 

or losing your job. But if 

insomnia is ruining your life, 

remember that your family 

may be suffering too. 

“However supportive your 

a traitor, but I gently pointed out to 

her that she might be running a 

successful primary school, that didn’t 

mean she had to dress the part of a 

school ma’am! She’d put on more 

weight than necessary and in spite 

of her mum’s warning, she had on 

an unflattering boubou which 

seemed to be her trade mark lately. 

“Why don’t you give away your 

boubous and get some more 

flattering gears?”, I asked her gently. 

She nodded, then left, a bit dejected. 

Had I gone too far? She needed to 

Tackling the monster of Insomnia 

partner may be, seeing 

someone at your worst for 

much of the time is hardly a 

recipe for a happy domestic 

life”, says Lynda Brown, 

author of the Insomniac’s Best 

Friend: How to get a Better 

Night’s Sleep. And if you are 

an insomniac with kids, 

normal family life might seem 

impossible at times. How 

many insomniac mothers 

chide themselves for being 

irritable with their children? 

Advise about when you eat, 

what you eat, how you relax, 

and what you do and don’t do 

in the evening, all becomes 

more complicated when there 

are two or more to consider. 

But working out how your 

be shocked out of her complacency, 

I consoled myself. Who best to do 

that but a well meaning ‘aunty’ like 

me? 

When I next spoke with her on the 

phone, she told me excitedly that 

she’d started on a diet and joined a 

group of ladies that went for walks 

in their estate. Good for her, I 

encouraged, my conscience salved. 

When next I saw Eccua, I nearly 

flipped. She’d lost the right amount 

of weight, had a lovely and flattering 

dress on. She’d also put some fancy 

insomnia impacts on the 

people you love is just as 

important as tackling the 

problem itself. 

Lynda’s tips will make your 

days more bearable and 

hopefully good nights will 

follow. If you are an 

insomniac: Remember that 

your partner needs support 

too. Show your appreciation 

whenever you can. Don’t let 

insomnia rule both of your 

lives. Try to be more relaxed. 

“Be nice to yourself and 

you’ll be nicer to be with. 

Don’t blame yourself for not 

sleeping. Tossing and 

turning, it is usually more 

disruptive to partners than 

reading in bed or getting up. 

Train yourself to lie very still 

or go into the spare room. 

Failing that, head for the sofa. 

Sleeping in separate rooms 

can be a very touchy issue. 

Your partner may feel 

abandoned and you may feel 

guilty. But if your 

sleeplessness is getting both 

of you down, separate rooms 

may save your relationship. 

If your partner is an 

insomniac: Don’t tell them 

they had more sleep last night 

than they realise. It doesn’t 

help – an insomniac’s reality 

is the amount they think 

they’ve slept. Understand 

that when they have a go at 

you, it’s not really aimed at 

you. 

highlights in her hair. “Wow!” I yelled 

encouragingly. “Double 

wow!” she shrieked and 

then her phone rang. Her 

face instantly lit up as she 

checked the caller’s 

identity. She had on a 

smug smile after she 

finished her call. ‘That was 

Femi, one of my pupil’s 

dad’ ‘Oh’, I gulped. She 

joked: ‘Thanks to you and 

mum, I can now pull men!” 

“Heh, that wasn’t the idea”, 

I quickly told her, “we just 

wanted you to feel good 

about yourself, not start 

pulling men, left, right and 

centre!” Had we created a 

monster? 

“The good thing about 

having an inner glow is 

that other people notice,” 

she told me smugly. ‘Femi 

has two children in my 

school and sometimes 

comes for them instead of 

sending a driver. We’ve 

often chatted but it never 

even occurred to me that 

he could be anything but a parent. 

After I lost weight, he started staying 

longer and longer. When the staff 

decided to do a play and one of 

Femi’s sons was involved, he was 

excited, chipping in his bits at 

rehearsals and since I hadn’t 

forgotten my sewing skills I made 

some of the costumes. Femi praised 

my efforts to high heavens one 

evening after rehearsal. We were 

alone in my office and I thanked him. 

‘What coud I have done without you!” 

I told him innocently until I saw the 

dirty look on his face. 

“Show me,” he declared as he 

moved closer to me giving me a kiss. 

He must have unlocked some hidden 

passion in me because I couldn’t stop 

myself – I was all over him and he 

was kissing me as if I was a much 

needed drug. We made love right 

there and then in my office. It was 

so daring, so passionate. And by the 

time I got home that evening, I was 

still smiling. Seyi, my husband, was 

waiting for me – he’d been coming 

home early since I changed. I felt 

like a teenager rather than a staid 

married woman! 

“Instead of dashing to the kitchen, 

I asked the maid to rush to a lovely 

canteen a few doors away – that 

specializes in home-made meals 

and Seyi made a show of actually 

enjoying the meal. In the past, he 

used to moan about my penchant 

for buka foods and how I should 

take pride in serving home made 

meals. After the meal, he brought 

out my favourite wine, I was 

pleasantly surprised. My hard work 

at keeping fit had certainly paid off 

as we retired to the bedroom. Then 

it hit me! I would be making love 

twice with different men in the space 

of a few hours! Wicked! 

“I intend to sleep with Femi a 

couple more times. It is thanks to 

him that I got my sensual self back. 

After that, I intend to let him know 

deep down, it is my husband and 

my marriage that I really want. 

Thanks to my mum’s seemingly 

cruel jab at my appearance, and 

your backing her all the way, I was 

jolted into taking another look at 

myself. Now, I’ve virtually got my 

husband back and it is worth the 

effort. We go out more often than 

we ever did in the last few years and 

we make love more. Once he asked 

suspiciously about why I decided to 

spruce myself up and I told him 

about my mum. He was amused 

Apparently, he had first thought I 

made the effort for a lover! “It’s only 

you I’ve told about Femi and I don’t 

feel guilty for cheating on Seyi, 

because my fling has made our 

marriage stronger. I’m glad I 

followed you people’s advice. By 

taking some pride in the way I look, 

I’ve found the respect I deserve.” 

Zylus Group of staff sharing foods for Ajah residents 

during Eid celebration.


Mixed reactions trail emergence 

of Anambra Cargo Airport 

By Lawani Mikairu 

The rate state governments are 

building and operating state owned 

airports has attracted mixed reactions 

from aviation stakeholders. While some 

stakeholders have applauded the governors 

for using airports to create job opportunity for 

their citizens, others have questioned the 

viability of these state owned airports. 

The latest of the state owned airports is the 

Anambra State International Cargo Airport 

at Umueri. Last Monday, Chief Willie Obiano, 

Governor of Anambra State said the Anambra 

International Cargo and Passenger Airport, 

Umueri, would be commissioned mid-July for 

commercial operations. 

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Primus 

Odili, who disclosed this in Awka on behalf of 

the governor said: “By July this year, possibly 

mid-July, the airport will be officially 

commissioned. By this time, all facilities 

befitting of a modern international cargo and 

passenger airport must have been ready and 

in place. The airport portends a good fortune 

for the entire South East region. The 

importance of the airport cannot be overstressed 

as it would boost the Internally 

Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state, help 

traders transport their goods and services as 

well as a host of other benefits which can hardly 

be quantified.” 

The Chief of Staff also said what happened 

on April 30 was not the official inauguration 

of the airport for public use, but a test-run of 

the runway. 

He said: “On Friday, April 30 this year, we 

organised a ceremony where we summoned 

Anambra people and friends of the state to the 

airport for a test-run of the runway to ascertain 

whether it was fit for aircraft to land and 

takeoff. Test-run of facilities are series of routine 

checks before an airport is commissioned for 

public use. A lot of tests had taken place at the 

airport before the event of April 30; the Nigerian 

Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had carried 

out tests on the runway to ascertain its quality 

prior to the actual test-run of the airport.” 

On the benefits of the airport to the people, 

Odili said the inauguration of the cargo airport 

in Anambra would ensure all cargoes come 

directly into the state at very reduced cost. 

Reacting to the spate of building of state 

owned airports, with particular reference to 

the new Anambra State international Cargo 

Airport, some aviation stakeholders who spoke 

•Obiano 

with Vanguard expressed mixed reactions. 

The immediate past Secretary General of 

National Union of Air Transport Employee, 

NUATE, Comrade Yinka Abioye said : “It has 

now become the vogue that state governments 

across the length and breadth of Nigeria have 

chosen a new vocation, which is building 

airports, not withstanding the merits or 

otherwise of such ventures. From the point of 

view of a unionist, I am in full support of such 

enterprise since it will not only create direct 

and indirect job opportunities for indigenes 

and other citizens, it will impact positively on 

the economic growth of Anambra State and 

expand the opportunity of air travellers. Being 

also a cargo airport, business environment will 

improve so much that businessmen and 

peculiar traders will have the privilege of 

travelling straight from Anambra to any part 

of the world. 

“This being said, it will also throw up some 

challenges for other airports which hitherto 

depend on passengers from the zone. It may 

affect drastically traffic flow from Asaba and 

even Lagos. Instead of travellers from Anambra 

travelling first to Lagos before going to China, 

for instance, this they can safely do in the 

Anambra airport thereby causing low traffic 

in adjoining airports”. 

“On the flip side, the Federal Government 

may eventually get involved should the 

management fail or neglect to do the needful 

as it had happened in some other state airports 

where Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, 

FAAN , had to take charge. We must not also 

lose sight that other agencies under the Federal 

Ministry of Aviation will become players at 

the airport such as FAAN, Nigeria Airspace 

Management Agency, NAMA, Nigeria Civil 

Aviation Authority, NCAA, Nigeria 

Meteorological Agency, NIMET, and Nigeria 

College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Zaria, 

which may be the first beneficiary of the venture 

as local personnel had to be trained in certain 

aspects of airport operations and 

management. 

“The FG should also collaborate with the 

State government to bring the process of 

establishing aerotropolis near and around the 

airport, which ultimately brings more 

development to the airport and enhance 

economic activities through non aeronautical 

sources.” 

Speaking further about other states owned 

Airports, Abioye said , “By and large, if Jigawa 

or Kebbi States can do it, why not Anambra 

which has more prospects of succeeding than 

other states”. 

The former Commandant, Muritala 

Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, 

Group Captain John Ojukutu ( rtd) however 

disagreed with Comrade Yinka Abioye. 

According to Group Captain Ojukutu, “how 

many of them ( state owned airports ) are viable? 

What is the passenger traffic of the airports 

around them? What is the statistics of the air 

passengers traffic from these states with new 

airports that are travelling through proximate 

airports? Most of these states have serious 

challenges in other social sectors that will 

benefit their larger populace of millions than 

airports that would serve few thousands air 

travellers. Kano and Ibadan have larger 

population than the new comer states capitals 

building airports. None of the two has recorded 

significant figure over 500,000 passengers 

traffic . 

“Ibadan has not recorded 200,000 in any 

year. Anambra, the latest has its airport in 

between Enugu, Asaba and Owerri; the three 

airports combined barely have 1.5m passenger 

traffic annually. Anambra airport competing 

among them would not give it more than 

200,000 because of the closeness of some states’ 

towns; like Onitsha’s closeness to Asaba than 

Umueri and others’ closeness too to Enugu. 

“On the other hand, what are the projected 

export or import cargo for the Anambra 

airport? The total air cargo in Nigeria is very 

bad at 200,000 tons at the five international 

airports; how much of this is the airport 

targeting or how much can it take from the 

over 100m tons with container-trailers and 

trucks on the road? Airports before the new 

ones are counting their losses and would want 

concession to those who can make them viable, 

definitely not a government venture anywhere 

any more “. 

When Vanguard told him that Anambra 

State business men and traders may now decide 

to bring in their goods through the state airport 

at Umueri, instead of Lagos or Port Harcourt 

just to help make the airport viable, Ojukutu 

replied , “What value would it be from the 

national figures of 200,000 tons? To make the 

airport viable, you must have significant 

exports and imports. What export will 

compensate for the low imports?,” he asked. 

The former Spokesman of the defunct 

Nigeria Airways, Mr Chris Aligbe , while 

advising the Anambra State government had 

said that for the Anambra airport to be of “high 

utility and profitable, it must be designated as 

cargo airport, whereby the federal government 

would recognise it as cargo facility to enable it 

take in cargo directly from overseas. 

“They should seek an approval for 

international cargo operation, they should not 

bother about passengers. Passengers can go to 

Enugu for major international flights, but they 

should look at cargo and seek approval for 

international cargo operation. If they can do 

that and begin to build on it, the airport will 

become attractive. For cargo, the airport will 

be the only one in that region, except Enugu. 

But if it does well as a cargo airport, it can go 

a long way,” Aligbe added. 

The new Anambra State International 

Cargo Airport came to limelight earlier in the 

year when the Director General of the Nigerian 

Civil Aviation Authority ,NCAA, Captain Musa 

Nuhu commended the facility after detailed 

inspection describing it as one of the best in 

the country. 

Captain Musa Nuhu said : “I am amazed, 

almost speechless at the level of work, and the 

level of compliance with our regulatory 

requirements and also with international 

standards and recommended practice. 

“We have gone round the airport, we have a 

runway of 3.7kilometers with a runway safety 

area on both ends of the airport of about 1000 

meters. There’s no airport in Nigeria that has 

a racer area of 1000 meters at both ends of the 

runway. With two taxiways, we have gone to 

the tower; the control tower is amazing, 

certainly if not one of the best control towers in 

Nigeria today. We have seen the fire service 

station, amazing. It’s going to be a CAT 

(category) 955 firefighting station which will 

allow big planes and international flights to 

be landing and taking off here once flight 

resumes. It takes care of the need of not only 

the airport but also of the firefighting service. 

We have seen the emergency evacuation center, 

trauma center in case, God forbid, anything 

happens. There’s an arrangement to deal with 

any eventuality. I have seen the operational 

fence, I have seen the perimeter fence, 

significantly done or almost completed. 

Anambra means business. And I mean it when 

I say Anambra means business,” the NCAA 

Director General said. 

Foreign Countries Should Refund Stolen Funds With Interest – ICPC Chairman 

…Nigeria Reviewing Oil & Gas, Tax, Waivers Transactions To Curb IFFs 

Soni Daniel, Abuja 

The Chairman of the Independent 

Corrupt Practices and Other Related 

Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. 

Bolaji Owasanoye, has canvassed the payment 

of interests on stolen funds by benefiting foreign 

nations as part of measures to redress the 

menace of illicit financial flows. 

The ICPC chairman, who stated this in Abuja 

, said that the Federal Government of Nigeria 

was currently reviewing legacy transactions 

in oil and gas, tax investments and the use of 

waivers in Nigeria in order to curb IFFs. 

Prof. Owasanoye spoke at the International 

Conference on IFFs and Asset Recovery, held 

at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja, said illegal 

movements of funds from African countries 

abroad has made the continent to be the biggest 

victim of IFFs. 

He urged foreign beneficiaries of IFFs to 

deduct loans to African countries from the 

illegal funds in their possessions, and return 

the outstanding amount with interests to the 

continent. 

He said, “Africa is the biggest victim of IFFs. 

If you evaluate what we have lost as a continent 

against what African counties owe, Africa 

should be a net creditor to the world. They can 

decide to deduct the loans given to African 

countries from all the money taken from the 

continent, there will still be a substantial 

amount to return to Africa. 

“The money should also be returned with 

interests as they have been in use over there. 

The money should be placed in an Escrow 

account, and a regional development bank 

that knows how to manage money should be 

in charge of such funds.” 

The ICPC Chairman advocated a workable 

framework that will reduce the timeframe for 

the repatriation of identified stolen funds and 

assets, decrying the huge loss suffered by the 

•Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye 

continent due to long and tedious processes 

which usually takes several years to complete. 

Besides, Prof. Owasanoye said there were ongoing 

efforts by the Federal Government to 

block illicit outflows of funds through the 

review of international transactions that 

enable IFFs. 

His words: “We are reviewing the legacy 

transaction in oil and gas, tax investments and 

the use of waivers in Nigeria to close loopholes 

that facilitate IFFs. For instance, a lot of 

damage can be done through confidential 

clauses in loans, oil and gas contracts, and 

others. The review will prevent dodgy 

politicians from taking money out.” 

A member of the Thabo Mbeki Panel on 

Illicit Financial Flows out of Africa, Ms. Souad 

Aden Osman, said that efforts to stop IFFs were 

more critical now than ever due to the huge 

level of poverty and underdevelopment in 

Africa. 

In her lead presentation on the Common 

African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR), 

Osman urged African countries to mount a 

coordinated effort against IFFs by taking 

action and speaking with one voice to recover 

stolen funds. 

She said, “CAPAR is the bedrock for 

technical instrument for negotiating for funds 

taken from the continent to be returned. It 

recommends efficient recovery and 

unconditional return of stolen assets with due 

respect to our sovereignty.” 

CAPAR, she added, recommended the 

deployment of recovered assets for the good of 

the citizens and not be allowed to be re-stolen. 

“The recovery and return of asset must be 

applied for the development of the country. We 

should be mindful that the identified assets are 

at the risk of retransfer unless frozen by 

destination countries,” said Osman of the 

Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA), a 

civil society organisation. 

In his contribution, the Chairman African 

Union Advisory Board Against Corruption 

(AU-ABC), Hon. Luis Andriamifidy, identified 

some of the challenges the Board face in 

repatriation of IFFs to include the matter of 

sovereignties of countries involved, a common 

legal framework to be adopted, and how to 

proceed with court processes especially on 

admissibility of evidence, among others. 

Andriamifidy, who emphasised the need for 

a policy dialogue to ensure a common Africa 

position, called for a strong advocacy 

approach both within and outside the 

continent. 

The Commissioner of Anti-Corruption 

Commission of the Republic of Sierra Leone, 

Francis Ben Kaifala, lamented the issue of 

cultural differences and how assets recovery 

has not taken root in many African countries 

unlike Nigeria and Kenya. 

He revealed that his organisation had in two 

years recovered over $3 million in cash 

excluding cars, houses, among others, which 

was more than what they country had achieved 

in 18 years. 

He stressed the importance of developing a 

common legal assistance which will reduce 

the resources spent in chasing after IFFs by 

African countries. 

Kaifala also recommended training, 

development of pressure system on 

international bodies, streamlining of recovery 

processes to make them less cumbersome, and 

a proper framework for the discovery and 

disposal of assets as part of measures address 

IFFs. 

In her lead presentation during the second 

plenary session, a member of the United 

Nations High Level Panel on IFF (FACTI 

Panel), Hon. Irene Ovonji-Odida, expressed the 

hope that the conference will result in an 

increased understanding of IFFs and 

commitment to action which is needed to curb 

it. 

Speaking on “Financing Sustainable 

Development by Stemming IFFs: the FACTI 

Report in Perspective”, Ovonji-Odida revealed 

the cost of financial integrity gaps. 

According to her, FACTI discovered that $1.6 

trillion, which is 2.7% global Gross Domestic 

Product, was lost in money laundering by 

criminals; $500-600 billion lost to tax 

havens by corporations and PEPS while 

$20-40 billion was lost to bribes to public 

officials in developing countries, and $7 

trillion private wealth hidden by banking 

secrecy in advanced countries. 

She said these loses were responsible for 

fiscal deficits, regressive taxation, 

criminality, low public trust, and weak rule of 

law, among others. 

On FACTI Panel’s recommendations, Hon. 

Ovonji-Odida mentioned an overhaul in the 

international tax norms and institutions, plus 

a corporate tax vision including reforms on 

transparency; a domestic structure; law and 

enforcement mechanism to be reformed with 

increased transparency and more dynamic 

response to emerging risks.

Parchive App to eliminate car parking 

stress in Nigeria 

Stories by Moses Nosike 

Parchive App, a first of its kind 

technology-driven 

innovation, 

is 

revolutionizing the parking 

industry, simply by helping 

Nigerians search, reserve, and pay 

for parking space since its inception 

in 2020. 

Speaking on the motivation 

behind the initiative, Parchive’s 

Chief Executive Officer, Oluyinka 

Oginni, said that the difficulty he 

experienced in securing a parking 

space when he visited Computer 

Village, Ikeja, Lagos, prompted his 

decision to proffer a solution. 

According to Oginni, I frequently 

visit Computer Village in Ikeja, 

Lagos to get technology gadgets. 

During one of my trips in August 

2018, I drove to my usual parking 

spot, but on arrival, it was 

completely occupied. “I spent over 

30 minutes searching the area in a 

bid to locate a parking spot to no 

avail. I eventually got stuck in traffic 

and finally had to go back to the 

previous car park I visited before 

finding an open spot to park. This 

frustration led to in-depth research 

to find a solution to reserving a 

parking spot before getting to his 

destination”. 

Oginni further said, “in August 

2018 I took time conducting 

research on the best solution to 

resolving the parking menace in 

Lagos and if there was currently a 

solution in the market. We also 

carried out a market survey to ensure 

that this was a solution users actually 

wanted and its results revealed an 

overwhelmingly positive response 

to the idea and highlighted the 

potential benefits users saw with the 

solution. Before the end of 2018, I 

assembled a team to develop the 

product and I was actively involved 

in ensuring we got to the Minimum 

Viable Product (MVP) stage. 

However, I and my team still had 

The world is faced with 

complex social and 

economic challenges ravaged by 

an arduous pandemic in today’s 

knowledge-based environment. 

However, societal progress 

depends on cultivating leaders 

who can operate effectively in a 

global and changing 

environment and adapt to 

diverse systems and institutions 

to meet the change demands of 

disparate communities. Moreso, 

for young people situated at the 

margins and exposed to societal 

ills, which renders them 

vulnerable to alienation or 

resentment from mainstream 

social institutions such as 

education and vocation. So, 

therefore, with globalization 

uncertainty, what can we, as 

individuals, do in our immediate 

environment or inside our 

organizations to effect the desired 

change? These, amongst other 

things, have entreated the need 

for socially conscious leaders to 

pursue social goals as part of 

their enterprise objectives 

leading to change as social 

entrepreneurs. The social 

entrepreneurship essence aims 

to create public good by exposing 

and ameliorating social problems 

by adopting entrepreneurial 

precepts with social values to 

achieve positive social changes. 

The social entrepreneurial impact 

excels through new communitybased 

ventures that focus on 

value creation, sustainable 

L-R: Adewale Alli, the CMO, Oluyinka Oginni, the CEO and Fola 

Oyewole, the CTO 

our individual full-time jobs, and 

that meant we could not fully 

dedicate adequate resources to 

launch the product once it got to the 

MVP stage. In 2020, the team 

decided to dedicate all our time to 

complete and launch the product.” 

Continuing, Oginni said that 

Parchive’s main goal is to ensure 

people conveniently drive their cars 

in Nigeria without the struggling of 

a place to park. Since its launch in 

October 2020, over 1000 parking 

transactions have been completed 

on the platform despite the fact that 

some people now work from home 

due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Furthermore, as part of measures 

to eliminate transactional and 

financial monitoring bottlenecks 

for car park operators, Parchive 

introduced cashless transactions as 

a gamechanger in an industry 

notorious for physical cash 

payments. Current car park 

operators on the platform can 

easily withdraw their earnings 

directly into their bank accounts, 

further driving digital transactions 

in the economy 

On the company’s long-term plan, 

he said, “five years from now, Parchive 

would have expanded to the rest of 

Africa. We designed the application 

with potential users across the 

continent in mind ensuring that 

anyone with a smartphone/device 

can easily download the app on 

Google Play store or use our WebApp 

for IOS users, create an account, type 

their destination in the search bar, 

view car parks closest to that location, 

and easily reserve a parking spot. We 

were also excited to see that over 60% 

of our customers are women, with 

use cases ranging from paying for 

parking at their workplaces to 

making reservations when they visit 

the market.” 

In addition, the Chief Technology 

Officer, Fola Oyewole said that 

Nigerians only need to download the 

app on Playstore or visit 

parchive.space to create accounts. 

Once their accounts have been 

created, they can type their 

destinations in the search bar to view 

and reserve the closest car parks to 

their destinations. For Car park 

providers who are interested in 

partnership, they can also visit their 

website to sign-up 

Ken Etet 

ete: e: The social entrepreneur 

solution, empowerment and 

innovation, and collaboration not 

maintained status quo and the 

appetite for controlling industry 

forces that have impoverished 

communities in the first place. 

As a general principle, on the 

one hand, social change aims to 

reduce inequality and make 

other people’s lives better. As 

such, notions of social change are 

situated around institutional 

policy changes to benefit a group 

and implicit changes in a group’s 

value, status, or authority that 

leads to better individual, social 

condition and societal 

development, and 

empowerment. Accordingly, 

community wellness and social 

innovations are good for society 

and enhance society’s capacity 

to act and foster a shift in attitudes 

and actions that enable sound 

policies centered on creating 

community-based sustainable 

economic opportunities. On the 

other hand, a social entrepreneur 

or a change broker fosters 

collaboration that elevates active 

inclusion within organizations 

and communities. 

Consequently, I care about 

social innovation and positive 

social change because people out 

there need modified social 

transformation toward equality. 

Ostensibly, social innovation 

through the impact of a change 

broker agency and its significant 

role in infusing sustainable 

development that leverages 

technology 

and 

entrepreneurship and is a 

priority in strategies for social 

change, which is a major driving 

force behind common wealth 

creation. Conversely, social 

entrepreneurship and its related 

innovation development are vital 

to empowering societies and are 

often critical for marginalized 

communities’ equity and must 

bring concerned groups 

permanent benefits, unlike 

technical innovation, which are 

contemplated innovations only 

after the strikingly groundbreaking 

discovery that can be 

marketed. 

As a strategic thinker and sociopolitical 

conscious enterprise 

innovator: Ken Etete uses his 

green space above his private 

residence hoisted by a social app 

to create a fitness and leadership 

community, which means he 

opened his home to total strangers 

to engaged socially, contributing 

to societal well-being, astonishing 

right? I thought as much too. The 

green space is now a family 

community called: The Rooftop 

Gym, which aims to promote 

fitness and mentor young leaders, 

acting as a change vector. During 

and the still existing Covid-19 

complexities and the apparent 

incapacity of existing public 

Evans Jakpa-Johns, PhD 

Student, Management & 

Technology 

read more on 

www.v 

.vanguar 

anguardngr 

dngr.com 


Zylus Group feeds 1000 Ajah 

residents for Eid celebrations 

A 

leading business capital organisation, Zylus Group International, 

on Wednesday 13, May 2021 put smiles on the faces of young, old, 

needy as they took to the streets of Ajah community Lagos in the spirit Eidel-Fitri 

feeding more than 1000 with its “Feed the 1000” initiative. 

The GMD, Zylus Group International, Oluwatosin Olatujoye, said, “the 

“Feed the 1000” initiative came up as a result of the group’s dedication 

towards helping the less privileged in the society with the inclusion of those 

who cannot afford to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri by themselves. 

“We are dedicated towards our service to humanity, besides the 

programme of feeding some less privileged persons, we carried out many 

activities geared towards helping the needy and putting a smile on their 

faces. We’ve had several CSR programmes where we feed children and 

even those in correctional facilities. With our “Feed the 1000” initiative we 

wanted to bring smiles to the people’s faces this Eid, we don’t want them to 

feel left out because they can’t afford to celebrate in their homes. We are 

positive that this would be a beginning to greater initiatives”. 

He added that the company has plans towards celebrating children of 

selected schools during the upcoming Children’s Day, this May. 

A member of the team, Jolayemi James, said that the company choose to 

carry out this initiative during this period to show love and celebrate with 

the less privileged. 

“If you want to transform lives and reach out to people, you have to start 

from somewhere. We are committed to our mantra: Nurturing dreams, 

fulfilling realities. Jolayemi added. 

One of the residents, Ahmed commended Zylus Group International for 

their kind gesture in celebrating the festival with them by sharing food to 

residents in the area. 

Zylus Group of staff sharing foods for Ajah residents during Eid-el-Fitri 

celebration 

NIMN Elections: Presidential 

candidate assures of a more 

professional institute 

A 

s preparations for the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria 

(NIMN) elections gather momentum, one of the candidates 

vying for the office of the institute’s president, Mr. Idorenyen Enang, 

has said his priority on assumption of office would be to further 

enhance professionalism among members. 

Idorenyen made the pledge, recently, while presenting his agenda, 

at the institute’s Presidential Debate, organized for candidates vying 

for the office of the president. 

According to him, with the huge presence of its members in different 

sectors of the nation’s economy, the time has come for the marketing 

institute to take its pride of place in the comity of professional bodies 

in the country. 

While commending the outgoing president of the institute, Mr. 

Tony Agenmonmen for its efforts at rebuilding the institute, Idorenyen 

assured of his commitment to continue with the rebuilding process 

to enable him effectively reposition the institute. 

He argued that one of the strategies he intends to adopt is by 

unleashing the power in members, and make them actively involved 

in the affairs of the institute. 

Besides, he assured that the institute, under his leadership, would 

strengthen its bond with the academia, to enable its vast human 

resources in the nation’s academic space contribute their own quota 

to the growth of the institute. 

“One of the things I intend to do is to strengthen the bond between 

the institute and the marketing departments in the nation’s higher 

institutions. For instance, we need to make our professors of 

Marketing, contribute to capacity development in the institute. 

“We intend to have a huge bank of materials in the institute, and 

we can achieve that by asking marketing professors among us to 

give us highly researched works which would be warehoused for 

the use of members”. 

The president hopeful assured members of the institute of a quality 

leadership, on assumption of office, on May 28, this year. Earlier, 

one of the candidates vying for one of the two vacant council 

seats, Mr. Chidi Nwakpa, promised to use his influence as a council 

member to enhance the quality of membership to the institute. 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos Women’s Wing 

visits Gani Adams 

The Women’s Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos state has said that 

contrary to the media report, the visit by the group to the Aare 

Onakakanfo, Iba Gani Adams was not a “powerful delegation of IPOB 

Women” as tagged by the media. The women leader of the Igbo sociocultural 

organisation, Chief Mrs Violet Uche Obiora said in a 

statement. 

The statement titled: Rebuttal on the media post; “Powerful 

Delegation of IPOB Women Visits Gani Adams in Lagos”. Read: “It is 

with a deep sense of duty, that I humbly write to correct an impression 

generated by a wrongly tagged post. 

“We the “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos state, Women’s Wing”paid Chief 

Gani Igbo Adams, Aare Onakakanfo a courtesy visit in his Lagos State 

residence to mark Eid-el-Fitri celebration on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. 

Unknown to us, pictures taken at the said courtesy visit were posted on 

several social media platforms with the caption, “Powerful Delegation 

of IPOB Women visits Gani Adams in Lagos. The above statement is 

false, misleading and misrepresents the identity of our group and the 

purpose of our visit.

28—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021

C 

M 

Y 

K 

lease allow me to take literary 

Plicense and write about Lee 

Edward Evans again this week. 

On Tuesday, May 17, some 15 

minutes to midnight, the man 

died. 

It must never be said that one 

of the greatest athletes in the 

history of sports in the world died 

and bells were not rung to make 

the announcement. 

This is my humble 

announcement, a recall of my 

experiences of the man outside 

of sports during a period that 

he finally found peace with his 

restless spirit. 

Lee loved his grandson in 

America with a passion. He 

always talked about him with 

pride. He believed the young 

lad would be a supreme athlete, 

a gift to the world of sports who 

would replace him one day on 

the tracks. Lee Evans’s dream 

was to watch Keith’s son, his 

grandson, race at the Olympics. 

He also talked often about his 

mother and her overwhelming 

influence on his life: how she 

made him love gardening, and 

to know a lot about plants and 

their uses, and how she 

developed his social character. 

He often spoke fondly about his 

siblings and their growing up 

years in California. 

Through all these, he loved that 

I would sit and listen to him at 

evening, outdoors in the front 

yard with glittering stars above 

our heads. We were 

mesmerised by his stories, his 

infectious laughter, echoed in 

the still night, infecting all of us 

in the small, daily assembly of 2 

or 3 of my friends that became 

his own friends, at our 

communion of grills - corn, 

prawns, guinea fowl, fish or 

chicken, yam, potatoes, 

everything ‘grillable’, downed 

with chilled drinks. 

Lee would explain the different 

uses of the several plants he 

planted around the perimeter 

of our walled fence - mustard 

seed, bitter leaf, pineapple, King 

of Bitters, Goron Tula, and a few 

others he nursed and watered 

at dawn to start his daily routine. 

He spoke of the peace he now 

enjoyed after finally 

surrendering to the spirit that 

Nigerian footballers Paul 

Onuachu and Cyriel 

Dessers were instrumental to 

ensuring Racing Genk qualified 

for next season’s UEFA 

Champions League, following 

its 4-0 thrashing of Royal 

Antwerp in the Belgian Jupiler 

League at the Luminous Arena. 

The result keeps Genk in second 

place in the Belgian First 

Division A table heading into 

the final round. 

Onuachu and Dessers played 

key roles in the win by being 

involved in three of the four 

goals scored by the Limburg 

club. 

had troubled him for years since 

he realised, as a young student, 

that he was a descendant of the 

Black slaves in pictures and 

paintings shackled in chains, 

who originally came from a 

distant land called Africa. 

His decision to go to Africa 

when the opportunity came as 

a coach was to appease that 

agitating spirit that would not 

let him rest. 

He finally found peace when he 

returned to the land of his 

ancestors that were forcefully 

shipped to America and other 

places to become slaves and 

builders of new worlds. By 

returning ‘home’, he had chosen 

a path that led to service, to 

living and to dying in Africa. 

He found purpose for his life 

when he started to discover 

young talented Africans and 

honed them to become the best 

they could be in athletics, using 

his influence to get them into 

the American collegiate system 

to get educated and to become 

sports champions. 

After traversing and 

experiencing much of the world, 

he accepted entirely that his 

final ‘home’ would be Africa, 

particularly Nigeria, where 

science revealed his genes were 

23% of the southern Nigerian 

stock! 

At the end of diiner every night, 

Lee would bid us goodnight 

early, return to his room, and 

take his ‘sleeping pill’ - bedtime 

chit chat on telephone with his 

partner in Calabar and their 3- 

year old son, Destiny. He loved 

those chats, loved both of them 

dearly, and shielded them like 

a lioness would shield her cub. 

When he and his African/ 

American friend, John Cashing, 

accompanied me to the Segun 

O d e g b a m i 

International.College and 

Sports Academy, SOCA, in 

Wasimi Orile some years ago for 

the first time, they saw the 

environment and their faces lit 

up, speaking more than a 

thousand words could ever 

have done. They loved it. To Lee, 

this was the home he had been 

looking for, the ‘lost’ paradise, 

the Garden of Eden now found. 

They saw beyond what I could 

ever have seen. 

When I offered that Lee could 

spend his idling time to come 

and teach the children how to 

run whilst he was still battling 

his 6- year old court case to clear 

his name of a concocted 

allegation that he assisted a 

teenage athlete to dope, he 

excitedly and readily accepted. 

I had followed the court case 

since it started and I believed 

he was the victim of some 

dangerous conspiracy. The case 

could have broken him, and 

destroyed his reputation forever, 

but like the determined athlete 

that he was all his life, he 

patiently fought it for 7 years. 

He was finally vindicated when 

he won in court and his name 

was finally cleansed of that ugly 

stain and stench. 

That’s how he moved with me 

to Abeokuta and adopted 

SOCA as his personal project, 

to train and run with the lives of 

its students to sports success! 

Within weeks, we were 

conjoined in living the dream of 

the biggest and best high-level 

sports training centre in Africa. 

Lee started to dig up all his old 

friends in positions of authority 

in international sports, asking 

for support for the academy as 

well as scholarships for the 

students into American 

Colleges. 

John Cashin embarked on 

researching how the scattered 

bamboo plantations in the 

environment could become 

useful raw material for a Bamboo 

Village in Wasimi Orile where 

returnee African/Americans 

could live whilst investing in the 

vast agricultural opportunities 

that lie wasting in the 

environment. 

Thats how Lee Evans finally 

settled down with me in 

Abeokuta preparing for our full 

settlement on the campus of 

SOCA in 2022. 

His next plans, in the order of 

priority, were to see his 

grandchildren in the US, to buy 

himself a truck he could use on 

a farm, to build a small home 

next to mine in the academy, 

bring his Nigerian family from 

Calabar to stay with him, invite 

Earnest Itche, his Cameroonian 

assistant based in the US, to join 

him in the academy to continue 

Onuachu, Dessers send 

Genk to Champions League 

Onuachu assisted Kristian 

Thorstvedt score two of his three 

goals; he set up the Norwegian 

three minutes after the restart, 

then provided his second assist 

of the game in the 64th minute. 

With sixteen minutes left on the 

clock, Dessers came off the 

bench to replace his 

international teammate, a move 

that meant Onuachu’s scoring 

the breeding process of the next 

generation of world-class African 

sprinters and jumpers. 

Lee was going to start an 

athletics revolution that would 

take young girls and boys from 

grass to grace, to mounting 

Olympic podiums after 3 years 

of the unique SOCAexperience. 

He was going to enjoy the rest 

of his life in that community, to 

die and to be buried beside his 

ancestors. 

As I sit down this afternoon, all 

of these thoughts running 

through my mind, I am deeply 

pained that Lee is no longer 

around me to finish the journey 

we both embarked upon. 

Last Tuesday night, at a quarter 

to midnight, peacefully in his 

deeply unconscious state, he 

embarked on another journey, 

alone, a terminal one on earth 

that is designed and 

understood only by the Creator 

of the Universe himself. 

I am thinking of Lee as he 

journeys to his creator. 

He loved children and athletics 

in equal measure. Talking to 

them closely about how they can 

become great athletes, and 

working out with them on the 

training ground and the tracks 

were his oxygen. Those things 

made him very happy. 

Football fans across the world 

are set for a thrilling end to the 

2020/21 Premier League season 

this Sunday with much to be 

decided towards the top of the 

table. 

Manchester City have already 


‘And the man died’ - Lee 

Edward Evans 

streak in the division ended at 

seven games. 

Dessers made an immediate 

impact, scoring barely a minute 

after his introduction – his sixth 

goal of the season. 

Racing Genk will face back-toback 

champions Club Brugge 

in its final fixture of the 2020- 

2021 season on Sunday, May 

23. 

Babangida must be joking — Westerhof 

By Jacob Ajom 

Recently, former Ni 

geria international, 

Tijani Babangida accused 

former Nigeria 

coach, Clemens Westerhof 

of not including him 

in the 1994 AFCON and 

World Cup squads because 

he refused the 

Dutch to manage him. 

Speaking in an interview 

with an online publication, 

the former pacy 

winger said he was too 

good to have been ignored 

by any coach as he was at 

his prime. Said he, “I was 

too good to be left out of 

the squads,” adding, “I 

had issues with the coach 

(Westerhof), who wanted 

to manage me and I disagreed.” 

The former Nigeria 

coach has reacted to the 

allegation, saying, Babangida’s 

claim was a 

big joke. “I want to believe 

it was a joke because 

I doubt if he has forgotten 

that Nigeria had a 

glut of stars who were far 

ahead of him in the Eagles’ 

pecking order.” 

Continuing, Westerhof 

who called from his base 

in Holland said, “although 

I admit Babangida 

was a good player but 

he was not better than 

Finidi George, or Siasia, 

or Amokachi or Yekini. 

Who then should I have 

dropped fto make space 

for him?” 

The former coach 

doubted if Babangida 

would have done better if 

he were in his shoes. “I 

Westerhof 

coached numerous Nigerian 

players who still appreciate 

my role in their 

development. Finidi was 

in Holland sometime ago 

and was asked who was 

his best coach in his career. 

He told the journalists 

that Westerhof had 

been his best coach ever. 

I am not boasting, I produced 

the best Nigerian 

team ever.”. 

Lee Evans 

He would wake up in the 

mornings and announce with 

seriousness and pride that: ‘I 

have a class in school today’. 

He told me how he once scored 

a student 100% in a test when 

he lectured at the University of 

Ife, and the head of department 

summoned him and told him 

that no student was that good, 

and even if he answered every 

question correctly, it was 

preposterous to score him 

‘perfect’. 

He had to take away some 

points from the student’s 

excellent performance. In sports 

that would never happen. 

When you win, you win 

completely. 

Amongst the things that he also 

told me fondly was his love to 

dance. Three weeks ago, I saw 

him dance for the first time. 

Bored with sitting at home one 

Friday evening we decided to 

go to the Sports Lounge in 

Abeokuta, a bar and hangout 

place I own. The lockdown and 

Covid 19 restrictions had badly 

affected the place. It had been 

idle for over a year. 

That evening, Lee arranged that 

the single staff left in the place 

should arrange some music, the 

kind of music the loved, music 

of the 1960’s and 1970’s - James 

Brown, U-Roy, Bob Marley, Fela 

EPL: Curtain falls 

been crowned champions while 

Sheffield United, West Brom 

and Fulham have been 

relegated. 

Ndidi to stop Kane 

Leicester City will need 

to deal with the threat 

of Harry Kane if their finalday 

push for a top-four spot 

is to prove successful. 

To stand any chance of 

overtaking Liverpool or Chelsea, 

the Foxes must in all likelihood 

take three points at 

home to Tottenham Hotspur. 

For this to happen, Wesley 

Fofana and Wilfred Ndidi will 

need to be on top of their 

game. 

Both have enjoyed excellent 

campaigns and it is imperative 

they work together 

to dominate their duel with 

Anikulapo, and a whole 

generation of other reggae 

artists. 

As soon as the music rented the 

air, Lee hit the dance floor and 

started to move his feet. He was 

a real rocker, with incredible 

dancing feet. He had all the 

structured and measured 

moves of a tutored dancer. The 

only other people at the bar, a 

couple, joined me in watching 

and marvelling at Lee’s 

mastery, his waist gyrating in 

sync with his feet moving in 

rhythmic patterns. He danced 

to every music that night - 

Reggae , Jazz and Afrobeat. It 

was the happiest I have seen 

Lee in a long time of our 

relationship. That was three 

weeks ago. 

He lived to compete and to win. 

The moment he tasted the 

sweetness of winning big, he got 

hooked on winning like a drug. 

To him winning is about coming 

first in every race. Thats why 

throughout his career in athletics, 

from the age of 19, he probably 

only ever lost one race, and, 

definitely, it was not to a White 

athlete. He was not a racist, but 

experiencing racial injustice in 

America drove him to excel in 

athletics and never to allow any 

White athlete defeat him in a race. 

He grew up during the peak of 

the civil movement in the United 

States and was fed on the diet of 

social injustice, inequality and 

racism. He and his fellow Black 

colleagues took this with them to 

the 1968 Olympics, and if there 

was any tonic that made them 

run and ‘destroyed’ 5 world 

records in the process, that was it 

- to make the point that Blacks 

were as good and even better. 

Their stances, the black berets, the 

raised fists were all protests that 

changed the world of sports 

forever. 

Lee’s complete story in Africa 

will still be told. His life in Nigeria 

and in SOCA, the institute he 

wanted to turn into the best 

training centre for sports in 

Africa, has not ended. It is 

indeed a new chapter. 

His legacy, planted already in 

the academy, will sustain the 

Lee Evans story for a long time 

to come. 

For now, in fulfillment of his 

wish, and with the 

acquiescence of his family and 

closest friends, the academy in 

Wasimi, will be the final resting 

place of Lee Edward Evans, one 

of the greatest 400 metres 

runners in history. I believe that 

in that place he will finally rest 

and find divine peace in the 

land of his ancestors. 

But the race for the European 

places is heating up nicely as 

teams head into their final 

game and it is set to go right 

down to the wire. 

Kane, who is tied with Mohamed 

Salah on 22 goals in 

the race for the Golden Boot. 

Ndidi will be asked to stop 

the service into Spurs’ forwards 

and close down 

Kane’s space when he drops 

between the lines. 

Over the course of the last 

four seasons Ndidi has been 

a remarkably consistent ballwinner 

for Leicester. 

The 24-year-old is coming 

into his prime and is a tremendous 

asset for Brendan 

Rodgers’ side. 

No Premier League midfielder 

makes more interceptions 

per 90 minutes than 

Ndidi, who is also second only 

to Manchester City’s Rodri 

this season for the number of 

times he recovers possession. 

LaLiga final day: Atletico, Real Madrid set for 

nail-biting title battle finale 

Expect the unexpected. 

That’s been the theme 

throughout the LaLiga season. 

Up until the final few 

matchdays of the season, four 

teams were still in the Liga 

title race and that has not 

been for a very long time. 

There have been countless 

twists and turns in this runin 

and it is expected to go 

down to the last minute of 

the final matchday as Atlético 

and Real each battle to win 

the title. 

Away from the title race, six 

other teams have it all to play 

for with European spots and 

LaLiga survival to be decided. 

Everyone is expecting an 

easy victory for league leaders 

Atlético Madrid away at 

Real Valladolid – who are one 

of three clubs fighting for survival 

– but expect it to be another 

tense game. 

Atlético fans have suffered 

Ndidi 

over the years, and they may 

have to do that for a little 

while longer, the title they 

have so close to winning may 

head to Real if the Zinedin 

Zidane boys up their game 

against Villarreal. 

Diego Simeone’s inspired 

team talk at the water break 

helped his side turn it around 

against Osasuna in just eight 

minutes. Simeone said it was 

going to be Luis Suárez’s 

moment and it was written 

in the stars that he scored the 

late winner.

30— SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 

Chioma 

Ajunwa's 

leap of 

destiny 

•Says ys I never er knew w the enormity 

of Olympic gold medal 

•To o Launch a N6 billion Sports 

ts 

Development Centre in Owerri 

soon 

It’s 25 years since Chioma Ajunwa won 

Nigeria’s, first individual Olympic Gold 

Medal in track and Field. Here, our Deputy 

Sports Editor, Jacob Ajom recalls the exploits 

of the former athlete, now an Assistant 

Commissioner of Police. She has also initiated 

a Foundation which plans a Sports 

Development Centre for the training of young 

talents and providing them with up-to-date 

facilities. Read on: 

The story of Nigeria’s first and 

only winner of an individual 

Olympic Gold medal, Chioma 

Ajunwa could be likened to one 

scripted for Nollywood big screen. 

Here was an innocent 

village girl who 

took to sports as an 

infantile pastime, 

playing football 

with her siblings 

who were mostly 

boys, and a few 

years later, found 

herself at the centre 

of the world, 

I started 

playing 

football very 

early in my 

life with my 

brothers. I 

was even a 

better player 

than them 

attracting global 

attention. As a young 

girl who ran in the 

streets 

of 

Umuihiokwu village 

in Ahiazu-Mbaise 

Chioma Chioma 

Ajunwa said she never 

reckoned she would 

one day be celebrated 

through what she felt 

she was doing naturally. “I didn’t 

know what it meant to be an Olympic 

champion.” Little wonder she could 

not comprehend the enormity of her 

achievement at Atlanta until much 

later after her return to Nigeria. 

Born on December 25th, 1970 at 

Umuihiokwu Ahiazu-Mbaise in Imo 

state, Chioma was the last and the 

only girl in a family of 9. In an 

interview with the Channels 

television, she told her story. 

“I was about 13/14 when I was 

moving in the street. Then I saw 

three Policemen, 

including a female officer 

coming towards me. I was 

afraid and thought they 

wanted to arrest me. 

Strangely, they asked me 

to come to them. I asked 

for what? And I took off, 

running as fast as I 

could. 

“One of my friends who 

saw me running asked 

why. I told her I didn’t 

know what I had done 

but the Police were 

after me and wanted to 

arrest me. When they 

got hold of me, they 

informed me that their 

boss in the office 

wanted to see me. I 

asked them why?. They took me to 

their boss and on seeing me, the 

officer, who, perhaps, was expecting 

to see a grown up adult asked, ‘where 

is the antelope? Where is the person 

I asked you to bring to me?’ They told 

him I was the one. They explained 

that I was a fast runner, thus the locals 

likened me to running as fast as an 

antelope.” 

•Chioma Ajunwa 

Chioma continued her story. “After 

asking me my name, where I lived 

and other relevant questions about 

my person, he told me that the Police 

wanted me to become one of theirs. 

It happened that the state Police 

Command was organising zonal 

qualifiers for Police Games and they 

needed good athletes who would 

represent them and they felt I could 

be a perfect fit. 

“The Officer offered me N200 and 

promised to get in touch again. But I 

refused to accept the N200 gift 

because I feared my mother would 

kill me if she discovered I accepted 

money from a stranger. I explained 

this to him and he took back the 

money. Undaunted though, he then 

brought out N500 and gave it to the 

female Police officer and asked her 

to take me to my mother. He 

instructed the officer to tell my mother 

why the Police wanted me. After that 

encounter, I was eventually recruited 

into the Nigeria Police Force and 

taken to the Police College before 

going to Ilorin for the Police Games.” 

Her joining the Police changed her 

fortunes as she was not only good in 

athletics, Ajunwa also 

played football. Indeed, 

football was her first love. 

“I started playing football very 

early in my life with my brothers. I 

was even a better player than them.” 

Chioma played football up to 

international level as she was part of 

the Super Falcons squad that 

represented Nigeria at the 1991 FIFA 

Women’s World Cup in China. She 

cut short her football career because 

“there was a certain coach who didn’t 

like to field me.” 

She then concentrated on athletics. 

She was active and successful in the 

women’s long jump event. She 

specialised in the 100m and 200m. 

Also, she performed remarkably at 

the African Games and African 

Championships between 1989 and 

1991. 

In 1995, Chioma said of how former 

Nigeria international, Chief Segun 

Odegbami picked her up to further 

hone her skill in athletics. “Fatima 

Yusuf, one of Nigeria’s best athletes, 

was always coming to me. She told 

me that Segun Odegbami wanted to 

see me. One day I accompanied her 

to see Odegbami. He took me up and 

sent me to the UK, where I 

concentrated on my training, under 

a very strict schedule.” 

That was the turning point in her 

life as an athlete. She took part in 

the trials for the 1996 Olympics and 

she made the mark that qualified her 

for the Games in Atlanta. 

How she made history 

At the Olympics nobody gave her a 

chance. She recalled. “On the day of 

the final of the long jump event, 

everybody, including the officials were 

all interested in going to watch the 

football final the following day. When 

we got to the venue, and we were 

called out, I saw my more 

accomplished competitors warming 

up. I was scared. I looked at the 

crowd in the stadium and started 

shaking. At one point, I went to sit at 

a corner, still looking at the other 

athletes I was to compete with, I 

asked myself, why am I looking 

scared. Were their legs made of steel. 

Common, Chioma get up. 

“I obeyed my instincts and stood up 

to them. I started doing the same 

thing they were doing. If they moved 

this way, I would move in the other 

direction. I warmed up seriously. 

Then came the moment of truth. I was 

called to jump. I took to the track. I 

collected myself, heaved a big breath 

and took off, accelerating forward. 

When I got to the board I sprang and 

leapt in flight, after landing in the 

sand I looked back and the 

umpires raised the white 

flag, signaling the jump 

was good. That gave me 

hope. But when the 

covered distance of 

7.12m was flashed on 

the board I knew I 

made a good jump.” 

Chioma didn’t know 

t h a t with that jump, she 

had set a new African and 

Commonwealth record. At the end, 

the jump turned to gold. Her second 

jump of 6.99m was not as good but 

still ranked high among the ones 

returned by the other athletes. 

Chioma defeated the likes of Fiona 

May of Italy and legendary US 

athlete, Jackie Joyner-Kersee to the 

gold medal. It was a historic moment 

for the little known Nigerian. 

Irony 

When Chioma was announced 

winner, drama ensued as there was no 

Nigerian flag to do a lap of honour. 

“When we were leaving for the event 

we asked for a flag. Dr Amos Adamu 

who was the Director General then 

promised he would come with a flag. I 

was surprised that after winning the 

event, there was no flag and Dr Adamu 

was nowhere to be found. As I was 

searching for any semblance of a 

Nigerian flag, someone from the crowd, 

threw a Nigerian flag at me and I was

elieved. I did the victory lap. But it’s 

like nobody believed I was going to 

win any medal, talk less of a gold 

medal. It’s a big lesson to our 

administrators. Once an athlete is in 

the final of any event, anything is 

possible.” 

Still on that memorable day Chioma 

was called to the podium for medal 

presentation. Before then she had 

seen athletes who were emotional and 

shed tears after receiving their medals. 

She never understood why somebody 

would cry after winning an event. “It 

didn’t make sense to me. When I got 

my medal, I didn’t feel anything 

special. I took it like any other medal 

I had won before,” she recalled. 

But she was to know the enormity of 

her achievement when she got home 

in Nigeria. “It all started dawning on 

me when we were returning home. We 

had a stop over in Senegal. There, we 

were welcomed by traditional troupes 

who sang and danced. I began to 

wonder about what was happening. It 

was more when we arrived at the 

Muritala Mohammed International 

Airport, Ikeja. There was an 

unprecedented crowd waiting to 

welcome us. Different dance troops. 

Government declared a three-day 

public holiday and we were treated 

specially. It was a wonderful 

experience that became even more 

real after getting back home in 

Nigeria. I never knew what an 

Olympic medal meant. But in Lagos I 

knew what it was all about. 

Today, Chioma Ajunwa, an Assistant 

Commissioner of Police is one of the 

most celebrated athletes in Nigeria. 

Even though her career was earlier 

hit by a failed drug test, she would 

later re-establish herself and achieve 

a lot at a personal level. 

Today, the former Super Falcons 

forward has initiated a platform, the 

Chioma Ajunwa Foundation through 

which she can pay back to the society 

which made her what she is today. 

The Foundation has announced plan 

to establish a N6 billion Sports 

Development Centre. 

Before that, there have been a lot of 

other initiatives by the foundation, 

which has Henry Amike, another 

Olympian as head. The celebration of 

the Chioma’s historic jump, 25 years 

after, has taken the centre stage. 

Athletics, football and taekwondo are 

three sporting events chosen to 

celebrate the golden jump. 

Amike, said that the centre was also 

organising Olympics Talent Hunt for 

girls. It has already held in Lagos 

(May 11-13), Abia (May 18-19), and 

would move to Edo (May 28-30), 

Anambra (June 7-9), Enugu (June 16- 

18), Ebonyi (23-27) and Imo, her place 

of birth, (July 6-8) and Abuja (August 

16-18). A dinner will be held at the 

Transcorp Hotel, Abuja on August 19. 

The Chioma Ajunwa Foundation will 

launch an N6 billion ultra-modern 

Sports Development Centre in Owerri 

later in the year. 


Thanks to Femi Otedola, I can walk again 

— Coach Charles Bassey 

By Jacob Ajom 

The philanthropic works of the 

Femi Otedola Foundation have 

continued to affect the lives of many. 

Most of the beneficiaries have been 

ex-Nigeria internationals. 

The likes of former Nigeria coach, 

Christian Chukwu, former Nigeria 

goalkeeper, Peter Fregene, Nigeria’s 

music icon, late Majek Fashek, 

veteran actor Victor Alaotan and 

Nollywood star late Sadiq Aba, 

retired University of Uyo lecturer Dr 

Inih Ebong, among others are some 

of the notable names who, at one 

time or the other attracted the 

sympathy of the Foundation, with 

profound results after its 

intervention. 

The foundation is at it again. This 

time, the it has intervened in the 

treatment of a former Nigeria 

international and renowned football 

coach, Charles Bassey, who had been 

bedridden for a long time. The Femi 

Otedola Foundation has 

underwritten all the medical bills and 

paid upfront for six-months his 

treatment. 

A tearful, but grateful Charles 

Bassey told Sports Vanguard, 

“Thanks to Femi Otedola, I can walk 

again.” 

He said he had been rendered 

immobile with a spinal cord ailment. 

“I could not move on my own. I was 

helpless as countless letters I wrote 

seeking help yielded nothing. Even 

my state government, the Akwa 

Ibom state government would not 

even reply to my appeals. I resigned 

to fate, waiting for the worst,” he 

recalled. 

From nowhere, the Femi Otedola 

Foundation got in touch with the 

ailing coach, established his location 

and before long they took up his 

case. 

Bassey said he was being treated 

at the Ibom Specialist Hospital Uyo 

•Otedola 

Lee Evans want 

anted me to break the 400m 

world record --- Egbunike 

By Ben Efe 

Former Nigeria 400m great Innocent 

Egbunike and other athletes have 

been mourning the passing of veteran 

US-born coach Lee Evans. 

Evans shocked the world in 1968, when 

he won the 400m gold at the Olympic 

Games staged in Mexico. Evans was the 

the first man to break the 44.00 barrier 

with a time of 43.86secs a world record, 

and also he let the world know that ‘Black 

Lives Matter’ when he raised his fist to 

protest racial injustice during the medals 

presentation where he wore a black beret 

to buttress his point. 

He suffered a stroke on May 19 and 

could not recover from it. He died to fulfill 

his wish of working and dying in Africa. 

His family members are currently 

and he has witnessed a lot of 

improvement in his condition. “I can 

walk now, but I walk with the aid of 

a walking stick. The hospital is now 

carrying out what they call 

Conservative Management of my 

ailing spinal cord. I go to the hospital 

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 

for treatment. 

The treatment will last for six 

months and at the end of it all, I am 

told, I will be able to walk again, 

unaided. This has been paid for 

upfront by the Foundation.” 

The former technical director of 

Nigeria Premier League side, Akwa 

United said he would continue to 

thank God for the life of Femi 

Otedola, chairman of Geregu Energy 

Group and Femi Otedola 

Foundation. “He is godsend and I 

wished there were more Nigerians 

like him. I am still in shock for what 

he has done for me and many other 

Nigerians.” 

Bassey said that former Nigeria 

discussing whether to bury him in 

Nigeria to fulfill his wish or ferry his 

remains back to America. 

After Lee Evans' world conquering 

feats, he came to Nigeria in 1973 and 

worked with several top Nigerian 

athletes, including Innocent Egbunike 

who still holds the national 400m record 

of 44.17 seconds. 

“He encouraged me that I could break 

the world 400m record. He was the 

greatest quarter miler and a trailblazer. 

“I’m grateful to God for all the blessings, 

coach Lee helped me to believe in my 

God-given talent and understanding 

certain things of life,” Egbunike said. 

Also 400m hurdler and national record 

holder Ajoke Odumosu credicted Lee 

Evans with her success in athletics. 

“He was a mentor, a role model, a coach 

Captain, UBTH 

Golf Club, Hon 

Mathew 

Iduoriyekemwen 

presenting the 

Inter-Club Match 

Play trophy to the 

Captain, Ibori Golf 

and Country Club, 

Alfred Ebreneyin at 

the IGCC golf 

course, Asaba, 

Delta State over the 

weekend. 

•Charles Bassey at the Hospital 

international, Barrister Adokiye 

Amiesimaka has also been of 

tremendous help to him in his time 

of need. “Adokiye has been like a 

pillar for me. I want to use this 

medium to thank them all for 

keeping me alive to this day.” 

and a father to me and many more 

successful athletes around the world. 

“His love for motherland and Africa 

made him spend the last of his days in 

Nigeria.” 

Coach Lee was part of the successful 

Cross River grassroots sports initiative 

supervised by former 400m runner Bruce 

Ijirigho. The programme supported by 

former Cross River governor Liyel Imoke 

produced a pool of talented athletes 

including Patience Okon-George, Mercy 

Ntiabong, Fabian Edoki and Nkiru 

Iwoha. Lee was soon contracted by Lagos 

State but the romance did not last long. 

“Coach Lee was like a father figure in 

Nigerian athletics,” said Jide Josiah, 

former AFN vice president and presently 

a royal father in Ikogosi, Ekiti State. 

“I remember when he was coaching us 

there was a time we were late for training 

and he came to meet us where we were 

waiting to be fed and asked what the hell 

was keeping us from training. 

"We told him that we only had Eba ready 

but no soup. He thundered "well you can 

swallow the Iba and drink the soup later, 

come on guys it's time for training." 

•Lee-Evans

C 

M 

Y 

K 

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 22, 2021 

CROSS WORD PUZZLE 

SOLUTION ON PAGE 6 

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.

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