08012017 - Adeboye quits as G.O... in Nigeria

PAGE 2—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State being decorated with the Emblem of
the Nigerian Legion by its State Chairman, Engr. George Amalu, during the launch
of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu,
yesterday.
FIRS collected N1.207 trillion in 2016
By Emma Ujah, Abuja
Bureau Chief
THE prevailing negative
economic environment
has had a very adverse effect on
the performance of the Federal
Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),
the nation’s most important
revenue agency, as it collected
only N1, 207 , 896, 760, 318. 14
in 2016.
A summary of collections at
the disposal of Sunday
Vanguard indicated that only N
299,802,506,588.50 was
collected as Company Income
Tax (CIT), which was a far cry
from the expected N867 billion
contained in the 2016 budget.
However, Value Added Tax
(VAT) yielded N
473,464,201,273.68 as against
the budgeted N198 billion;
while Annual Luxury Surcharge
and Capital Gains Tax brought
in N 389,215.00; and N
5,181,085,834.74, respectively.
Education Tax generated N
46,868,726,865.07; Foreign
Travels Surcharge, N 50, 000;
NITDEF N 7,592,280,052.74;
Pay As You Earn (PAYE), N
47,236,020,074.34; Personal
Income Tax, N 632,690,077.20;
Pre-Operational Levy, N
391,008,052.89; Stamp Duties,
N 5,878,279,893.53; and
Withholding Tax, N
320,849,522,390.45.
The recession has forced the
Federal Government to reduce
its CIT budget for 2017 to N808
billion, representing a 7 per cent
cut.
However, the VAT budget has
been increased from N198
billion in 2016 to N242 in the
2017 budget, That increase was
N44 billion of 22 per cent.
We will stand by dismissed
police officers — Wike
BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME
RIVERS State government
has said it would fight for
the reinstatement of policemen
who served as security aides to
Governor Nyesom Wike but
have now been dismissed.
Wike gave this assurance,
yesterday, in Ahoada East local
government area, saying
government will pursue the
matter to its logical end.
The governor, who was in
Ahoada East to receive a former
chieftain of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, Chief Cassidy
Ikegbidi, into the PDP, said the
dismissed policemen did not do
wrong.
He said: “They gave me
policemen for my protection,
but before I knew it, they have
dismissed them. They think they
are punishing them , but Rivers
State will stand with them
forever.
“By the time we finish, they
will realise that they have
favoured the so-called
dismissed policemen. In
Rivers State, we don’t abandon
people. No amount of
intimidation will make me
abandon these innocent
policemen “.
“ The policemen committed
no offence. Simply because
they followed their boss, they
said they should be dismissed.
“They want to discourage
policemen from protecting me.
I am not worried. I am a village
man and a grassroots
politician. Before you kill me,
you would have killed so
many people.“
Former Governor Peter Obi greets Igwe Ralph Ekpe of Enugu-Ukwu during
the monarch’s Ofala celebration yesterday.
Avengers s accuses FG of snubbing N-Delta leaders,
threaten to resume hostilities
Emma Amaize, Regional
Editor, South-South and
Perez Brisibe
NIGER Delta Aveng
ers, NDA, yester
day, declared what
it called ‘Operations Walls
of Jericho’ and ‘Hurricane
Joshua’ to knock out oil operations
in the country, following
alleged bungling of
the dialogue process by the
Federal Government with
the Pan Niger Delta Forum,
PANDEF, a body comprising
monarchs, leaders and
stakeholders of the oil-rich
region.
The group, in a statement
by its spokesperson, selfstyled
Brig General Mudoch
Agbinibo, said: “On this
note, we are declaring ‘Operations
Walls of Jericho
and Hurricane Joshua’ simultaneously
to reclaim
our motherland and dislodge
all cleavages the Nigerian
ruling oligarchy has
foisted on the region that is
sustaining the on-going
primitive accumulation by
dispossession.
“To our Niger Delta people,
we feel your pains from
these dashed hopes of a genuine
talk once again. All
fighters and commands are
hereby placed on high
readiness in your webs of operations
to hit and knock the
enemy very hard. That is the
way to discuss with a deaf,
when he cannot understand
your soft message. We are
determined to hit him very
hard and deadly that even
his eyes will shed blood, his
ear will be more deafened
and his heart shall quake;
when he sees, hear and feel
the outcome of our next activities.”
Credible leaders
Contrary to the Federal
Government’s position that
it was searching for credible
leaders outside PANDEF,
led by former Federal Commissioner
for Information,
Chief Edwin Clark, the
Avengers said that PANDEF
was made up of credible
leaders and it was, indeed,
the group that militants
gave mandate to dialogue
on their behalf with the federal
government.
The Presidency had, last
month, practically dismissed
PANDEF, which met
with President Muhammadu
Buhari, November 1,
2016, in Abuja, as a credible
group for dialogue on
the Niger Delta crisis and
the group, last Thursday, at
an expanded meeting of the
National Working Committee,
NWC, in Kiagbodo, Delta
State, described the notion
as insulting to leaders
of the region.
The group said: “Since,
the declaration of cessation
of hostilities in the region by
all fighters and affiliates, it
has been evidently clear that
the Nigerian state is not
ready for any form of dialogue
and negotiation with
our people to addressing the
issues sustaining the unending
sufferings and deprivation
of the people of the Niger
Delta. The world is
aware that, after listening to
calls from our royal fathers,
community leaders, stakeholders
and members of the
comity of nations especially
the governments of the
United States of America,
Great Britain and the European
Union, we halted all
actions.
“This prospect for hope
for a genuine dialogue and
negotiations have been
dashed and rejected. The
world knows that PANDEF
as team of critical stakeholders
was mandated to
engender a genuine dialogue
and negotiations process
that will be made of
apolitical committed Niger
Deltans to engage with the
government and people of
Nigeria, representatives of
the representatives of the International
Oil Corporations
and neutral observers.
But this government decides
to go around to politicizing
and blackmailing the process
to forestall any genuine
dialogue and negotiations.”
Commending its fighters
and Niger Deltans for their
Herdsmen’s attack: Benue community storms
police headquarters
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
FOLLOWING the
invasion of
Okpale-Ogege,
Edumoga in Okpokwu
local government area of
Benue State by suspected
herdsmen, leaders of the
community, yesterday,
besieged the state police
headquarters in Makurdi,
the state capital, to seek
deployment of more
security personnel to the
affected area to avert
further bloodbath.
The leaders of the
effected communities, led
by Mr. Philip Oguche,
Secretary of Edumoga
Development Association
EDEMA, said they
besieged the command
headquarters to brief the
police on the incident and
to assure the command of
their willingness to
cooperate with the force to
check the crisis.
Oguche who confirmed
that a farmer was killed
while several others
sustained injuries in the
crisis, said: “Though
normalcy has returned, we
came to make a formal
complaint and also asked
for more police presence in
Edumoga to check further
crisis.
“We have been assured
by the command that the
crisis will not excalate, on
our own we will do
everything to ensure that
disposition to what it called
the liberation movement of
the region, the NDA said:
“The world should be assured
that our next line of actions
to redeem Operations
Red Economy will be unannounced
with surely overwhelming
signatures to this
government and humanity.
The world is aware that, the
government of Nigeria has
ear problems, but we never
knew that it has taken a deteriorating
deaf level dimension.
It is only through hard
knocks we can speak to the
Nigerian government,
henceforth.
“As we get prepared for the
challenges ahead 2017, we
make bold to tell the people
of our Niger Delta, sane
minds in Nigeria and the
comity of nations that the
remaining 11 months and
couples of weeks in 2017 will
be filled with surprises and
a reconfiguration of the
struggle for the liberation of
our motherland.
“It is our belief that the
2017 national budget of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
is not based on the crude oil
production output from the
Niger Delta, but based on
the newly found oil deposits
in the North and the new
pipelines construction from
the Niger Republic.”
It noted that while the Federal
Government ignored
dialogue items raised by the
region, it went ahead to
award 2017/2018 crude oil
term contracts to International
Oil Companies and
partners.
The militant group, meanwhile,
told the IOCs and
their partners: “That their
contract at a time when the
Nigerian State has turn deaf
ears to the Niger Delta agitation
is seen as a conspiracy
against our people that
will fail. These contracts will
make or mare the destinies
of your companies in our
Niger Delta.”
It said some of the contracts
were awarded to
Sonara, Hindustan, Cepsa
Refineries, Bharat Petroleum
and Varo Energy, while
the international traders are
Trafigura, ENOC Trading,
BP Trading, Total Trading,
UCL Petrol Energy, Mocho,
Tevier Petroleum, Heritage
Oil, Levene Energy, Glencore
and Litasco Supply.
The Avengers asserted that
government was also trading
government to government
(G to G) with an India
(Indian Oil Company) China
( Sinopec) and South
Africa ( Saccoil), while the
Nigerian oil companies listed
were Oando, Sahara Energy,
MRS Oil and Gas, A.A
Rano, Bono, Masters Energy,
Etarna Oil and Gas, Cassiva
Energy, Hyde Energy,
Britania U, Northwest Petroleum,
Optima Energy, AMG
Petroenergy, Arkleen Oil &
Gas Ltd, Shoreline Limited,
Emo Oil., Setana Energy
and Prudent Energy.
reprisal attacks did not
occur anywhere in
Edumoga.”
Confirming the visit, the
state Police Public
Relations Officer, PPRO,
Assistant Superintendent,
ASP, Moses Yamu, said the
community came to
formally report the issue
and to assure the
command of their will
gneiss to cooperate with
the police to stem the crisis.
He said, “Already the
Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Bashir Makama, has
deployed enough officers
and men to the community
to stem further crisis in the
area and he is personally
monitoring developments
in the affected
community.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 3
C
M
YK

PAGE 4—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
Nigerian leaders urged to
emulate the courage of the
late Oba of Lagos
•Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta with Nigerian Special Envoy and Minister of Mines and Steel
Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at the State House, Mombassa during the Minister’s visit to President
Kenyatta to canvass support for the Nigerian candidate in the forthcoming African Union Commission
elections.
Police kill kidnap suspect; rescue
pregnant mother, child
By Festus Ahon, ASABA
DELTA State Police
Command has
killed one suspect and
rescued a pregnant mother
and her two-year- old
boy from the kidnappers.
The state Police Commissioner,
Mr Zanna
Ibrahim, said, yesterday,
that the police received a
distress call at about
7:00am that herdsmen
had blocked the Issele-
Uku Road, off Asaba-Benin
Expressway and responded
through her
Dragon and Safe Highway
team.
Saying the police team
engaged the kidnappers
in gun battle, which led
to the death of one of the
hoodlums, he said one of
the suspects, identified as
a Malian, was arrested.
He said: “When we
received the call that
herdsmen had blocked
Issele-Uku Road, our
Dragon and Safer Highway
team responded, not
knowing that it was actually
a case of kidnapping.
Mr. and Mrs. Onwuchekwa
and their two-year-
By Boluwaji Obahopo,
Lokoja
THE Academic Staff
Union of Universities,
ASUU, is displeased
with how the police are
handling the case of
Christiana Agbulu, a lecturer
with Federal University
of Agriculture,
Makurdi, who was abducted
last November 26
but found murdered last
Wednesday, in Lokoja.
Chairman of Nsukka
Zone of the association,
Prof. Ukwoh Ikoli, disclosed
this while speaking
with newsmen at the
end of ASUU zonal meeting
at the weekend held
GOVERNOR Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi of Enugu
State has paid glowing tributes
to ex-servicemen who
laid down their lives for the
nation.
Ugwuanyi also congratulated
President Muhammadu
Buhari for the gallantry
of the military and the
successes it has continued
to record on the battlefields
as well as against the security
challenges confronting
old baby were on their way
from Lagos to Enugu
when their vehicle was
blocked and the hoodlums
dragged the pregnant
woman and her child
into the bush and left the
husband.
“We scanned the bush
from that morning till
about 4:00pm and, as
God will have it, we rescued
them unhurt and got
one of the hoodlums down
with the superior fire power
of the police and captured
another, a Malian.
Right now, some of our
men are still in the bush
to capture their colleagues.”
Narrating her ordeal,
Mrs. Chioma Onwuchekwa,
who was rescued
with her baby, said they
were returning to Enugu
from Lagos when the
hoodlums’ vehicle overtook
and intercepted them
around Issele-Uku junction.
She said: “They broke
the glass of our vehicle
and dragged me and my
baby into the bush, leaving
my husband behind.
When they took us to the
bush, they didn’t do anything
to me, they didn’t
hurt or tried to rape me.
“They took my husband’s
number and I
gave them also my sister’s
number and they
were demanding for
N30million, but thank
God for the police who
came and here I am today
to the glory of God.”
Ugwuanyi salutes ex-servicemen for
their sacrifice
•Archbishop lauds governor for
payment of retirees’ benefits
the nation.
Speaking at the launch of
the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance
Emblem in
Enugu, he called attention
to the plight of ex-servicemen
and dependents of fallen
heroes, urging the public
to show appreciation for
the sacrifices they made for
the nation’s sake.
“We offer them our sincere
gratitude, goodwill, solidarity
and unrelenting prayers.
KILLING OF VARSITY LECTURER: ASUU
demands justice
at the Federal University,
Lokoja.
Ikoli called for justice on
the murder of their colleague,
saying their apprehension
stemmed from
the negligent way such
cases in the past had
been handled by the police.
The ASUU boss, who
said the body will go to
any length to demand justice
for their slain colleague,
urged the police
to ensure that the culprits
are prosecuted in line
with the law of the land.
He said the union was
ready to embark on private
prosecution of the
case, asking the police to
conclude investigation on
time and hands off the
case if it knew it will not
pursue the case to a logical
conclusion.
Agbulu, a lecturer 1 in
the Department of Biological
Sciences, Federal
University of Agriculture,
Makurdi, was abducted
on November 26 but was
found death last Wednesday
by the police in Lokoja
after his abductors had
collected N150,000 ransom.
Police however on
Wednesday said three
kidnappers suspected to
be involved in her abduction
and subsequent killing
had been arrested.
In doing this, we are not
only according these great
patriots the honour and
credit that they truly deserve
but we are also reassuring
those still in service, that
the country would never forget
their sacrifices nor forsake
them in their own
hours of need,” Ugwuanyi
assured.
While commending the
Enugu State Council of the
Nigerian Legion for the initiatives
it has taken to improve
the welfare of its
members, the governor assured
the council of support.
Earlier in his address, the
Chairman of the Nigerian
Legion, Enugu State Council,
George Amalu, expressed
gratitude to the
governor for his support
which he said has given the
state Legion a sense of belonging
and inspired it “to
square up with other Legions
in other states of the
federation”.
Also in his remark, the
Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical
Province, Anglican
Communion, Dr. Emmanuel
Chukwuma, commended
Ugwuanyi for the payment
of arrears of pensions
and gratuities of retirees in
the state, enjoining other
governors in the country to
emulate the gesture.
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
NIGERIANS leaders
have been urged to
emulate the courage of
the late Oba of Lagos, Oba
Esilokun, who reigned
between 1780 and
1819A.D.
Head, Esilokun Royal
Family, Ibrahim Balogun,
gave the advice during
the 2016 annual Esilokun
Day held at Tafawa Balewa
Square, Lagos Island.
According to Balogun,
one of such spectacular
feats of Oba Esilokun was
his doggedness and determination
to put a stop
to the practice of taking
the corpse of any deceased
Oba of Lagos to Benin for
burial.
He said Oba Esilokun,
with courage, succeeded
in retrieving the corpse of
his father, Oba Ologunku-
By Simon Ebegbulem
NATIONAL Chair
man of the All Progressives
Congress
(APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,
yesterday,
lamented that the party is
going to miss the late Senator
Francis Okpozo, describing
him as a man
who worked tirelessly to
ensure better life for his
people.
Oyegun also paid a condolence
visit to the family
of the late Deaconess Ijose
Ogbodu, aka ‘Mama
SDP,’ who, according to
him, was one of those who
made him governor.
The APC leader, who
spoke when he paid a condolence
visit to the family
of Okpozo in Benin City,
urged the children of the
deceased to emulate the
legacies of their father,
saying Nigerians, particularly
the APC family, will
tere, thus making him
the first Oba of Lagos to
be buried in the palace,
called Iga Idunganran.
Balogun stressed that
Oba Esilokun’s reign witnessed
economic prosperity
through unity and
peaceful co-existence
among his subjects, describing
the occasion as a
celebration of bravery and
legendary acts of the late
Oba.
Highlights of the
anniversary,held under
the theme: ‘Focus on Traditional
and Cultural Heritage
of Lagos State,” include
entertainment by
cultural groups, Gelede,
Angere dancers, Kori
dancers, Boat regatta,
Isengbeto Masquerade,
Fanty Carnival dancers
and identification and
dance by the 14 Esilokun
lineages.
Okpozo worked tirelessly to ensure
better life for his people — Oyegun
GOVERNOR
Dav
id Umahi has said
that plans are underway to
pay monthly stipends to exlawmakers
and local government
chiefs in Ebonyi
State.
He announced this at his
Uburu country home when
the people of Izzi clan comprising
Abakaliki, Izzi and
Ebonyi Local Government
Areas paid him Christmas
and new year homage.
Umahi, who disclosed
that he would approach the
state House of Assembly to
make a law to that effect,
said the reason was
to accommodate them in
his administration.
A statement by his Chief
Press Secretary, Emma
Anya, quoted him as saying:
“My aim is to carry
everybody along especially
the political class and
that’s why I will be approaching
the House of Assembly
to ask them for ap-
miss his sincere commitment
to an improved society
and peace in the Niger
Delta.
Responding, a daughter
of the late senator, Mrs
Onome Agbonla, who expressed
gratitude to Oyegun,
said the visit was
made it clear that the PDP
leader was indeed a
friend of the family.”For us
as a family, we really appreciate
your visit to this
family. I remember when
you were a governor and
I am happy that today you
are still relevant in politics
and at the helm of affairs
of your party.
“My father was part of
the political struggle, I
believe that struggle continues
even now that he
is no more. We are thankful
for the words coming
from you and it shows that
you are our father and
also our father’s friend”.
Ebonyi ex-lawmakers, LGA
Chairmen to earn monthly pay
proval so that those legislators
that are not on seat
now, we start paying them
some stipends. Former Local
Government chairmen
will also be included. I
believe this is how we can
get them to help in developing
and creating
wealth in our state.”.
The governor, who
also stated that the Director-General
of Divine
Mandate Campaign Organization,
Fidelis
Nwankwo, would be reappointed
in 2019,
saying he was planning
to source for funds to conduct
local government
elections in 2017.
He appealed to the
Speaker of the state
House of Assembly, Francis
Nwifuru, to enact a
law that would
enable the Caretaker
Chairmen of LGAs to contest
the elections.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017 — PAGE 5
•Akufo-Addo being sworn-in as Ghana's president, yesterday.
•Akufo-Addo in a handshake with President Muhammadu Buhari (r) during
the swearing-in ceremony.
Adeboye quits as G.O. in Nigeria
•Oyedepo, Okonkwo, Oritsejafor, Kumuyi, Olukoya, others may go
By Sam Eyoboka
& Olayinka Latona
PASTOR Enoch
Adejare Adeboye
has appointed
Pastor Joseph Obayemi as
the new General Overseer
of the Redeemed Christian
Church of God, RCCG, in
Nigeria. Adeboye remains
General Overseer,
Worldwide, of the RCCG.
This clarification came
hours after the social media
went abuzz with news of the
retirement of the
septuagenerian Adeboye,
who had led the church for
some 35years.
Announcing the change in
the leadership of the church
during a ministers’ meeting
after the RCCG’s monthly
Holy Ghost Service, at the
church’s new auditorium
held in Simawa, Ogun State,
he explained that the
change was necessary
following a Federal
Government policy which
instructed some of the
General Overseers in the
country who have used
more than two tenures in
office to retire.
The policy in reference is
the Financial Reporting
Council (FRC) of Nigeria’s
Code of Corporate
Governance, which was first
put forward in 2015.
Surprise
Announcement
In a surprise move,
Adeboye announced to the
crowded ministers’
conference at about 10.25
a.m. yesterday, new
appointments of those who
will run the affairs of the
church.
The RCCG leader
explained that he was taking
the decision in obedience to
a government regulation,
saying, in his absence,
Obayemi becomes the
General Overseer who will
now oversee the Nigerian
church.
Adeboye, who is the
spiritual leader of the
church, will now oversee the
RCCG globally.
He also announced that
Pastor Johnson F. Odesola
will be the church’s
Secretary General, while
Pastor Joseph Adeyokunnu
takes charge of the treasury.
Therefore, Odesola and
Adeyokunnu will work with
the newly appointed
General Overseer in charge
of RCCG Nigeria, Obayemi.
Adeboye, who had
predicted surprises for the
new year, stated that there
is a government law that
General Overseers of
churches can only serve for
a stipulated period of time.
He then said: “We should
always be on the look out
for ourselves. I don’t expect
that anyone was going to
ignore me. Love you all. We
need to intensify our prayers
and please let’s not shy
away from politics.
“I see God raising
influence like Daniel and his
Hebrew brothers, men who
know God and shall be
strong and do exploits. God
bless you.”.
Earlier, Adeboye had
announced a 40-day fasting
and praying for members
of the church, beginning
from midnight on
January 11, 2017 .
According to him, the
fasting period starts each day
at midnight and runs to
6.00 p.m. praying twice a
day during morning
devotion and again at
5.00 p.m. at the churches.
“If you want to do it day
and night without breaking
(just liquid) it will be for 20
days, stressing that major
prayer points will be
praising God and asking
God for grace to please Him
in every way possible this
year”.
The Law
The Financial Reporting
Council (FRC) of Nigeria,
Code of Corporate
Governance, took effect
from Monday, October 17,
2016.
The aspect of the law, Non-
For-Profit Organisations
(NFPOs) Governance Code,
2015, which Adejare
implicitly referred to, seeks
to promote the highest
standards of corporate
governance.
The following are stated in
Section 9, which deals with
“Position of the Founder or
Leader”:
“9.1. The Founder or
Leader of a NFPO occupies
a special position in the
Organisation and is
committed to the success
and longevity of the NFPO.
Accordingly, a Founder or
Leader should not take on
too many responsibilities in
the organisation or have an
indefinite term in the
running of the organisation.
“9.2. Where for any reason,
a Founder or Leader of
NFPO also occupies any of
the three governance
positions of Chairmanship
of the Board of Trustees, the
Governing Board or
Council, and the Headship
of the Executive
Management (or their
governance equivalents),
the following provisions
shall apply before the end of
the organization’s
financial year in which this
Code takes effect.
“9.2.1. The Founder or
Leader shall cease to occupy
these three governance
positions simultaneously.
This is to ensure the
separation of powers and
avoid possible
concentration of powers in
one individual.
“9.2.2. The Founder or
Leader may however choose
– subject to the agreement
of the organization’s apex
authority as expressed in the
Annual General Assembly,
Annual
Meeting, Annual
Stakeholder Engagement,
Annual Conference, Annual
Synod, Annual Fellowship
Assembly or their equivalents
– only one of these three
governance positions subject
to his current tenure. This is
to ensure a clear division of
responsibilities at the head
of the organization between
the running of the governing
body and the executive
responsibility for the
management and fulfilment
of the organization’s
mission.
“9.3. Where the Founder or
Leader has occupied all or
any of these three
governance positions for
more than ten years, or is
aged seventy years or above,
the choice in section 9.2.2
above should only relate to
the Board of Trustees as in
section 9.4(c) below.
In the case of religious or
cultural organisations,
nothing in this code is
intended to change the
spiritual leadership and
responsibilities of Founders,
General Overseers,
Pastors, Imams and
Muslim Clerics, Presidents,
Bishops, Apostles, Prophets,
etc. which are
distinguishable from purely
corporate governance and
m a n a g e m e n t
responsibilities and
accountabilities of the
entities”
According to records, only
89 out of the 23, 216
registered churches in the
country complied as at last
year.
Section 39 of the Code
deals
with
“Sanctions“39.1.
Compliance with the
provisions of this Code is
mandatory.
Accordingly, violations of
the provisions of this Code
will occasion both personal
sanctions against the
persons directly involved in
the violation, and sanctions
against the NFPOs involved
in such violation.
“39.2. Where sanctions
have been imposed on any
NFPO or person for the
violation of this Code, the
NFPO is precluded from
making any reimbursements
to that person for the
sanctions.”
Last year, some pastors,
lawyers and workers of some
pentecostal churches in the
country had instituted a suit
against the FRC, regarding
plans to effectuate the “Notfor-Profit
Code 2015”.
They were pressing for the
enforcement of Order II of
the Fundamental Right
Enforcement Procedure
Rules 2009, and Articles 8 of
the African Charter of
Human and Peoples Right.
They also claimed that the
“enforcement of the Code
amounts to quasiduplication
of the work of
the Corporate Affairs
Commission, CAC, which is
saddled with the
responsibility of
registration
and
monitoring of compliance of
charitable organizations/
groups; that the term of
reference being muted and
promoted by the second and
third respondents i.e. term
of reference in section 1.1 of
the 2015 Code as well as 8-
40, specifically, sections
8,9,10 and 37 of the code are
illegal and unconstitutional
being inconsistent with
section 7 and 8 of the
Financial Reporting Council
of Nigeria Act Cap F42, Law
of Federation, 2011 setting
up the third respondent
among others”.
Others to quit
Meanwhile, there were
indications, yesterday, that
leaders of some prominent
pentecostal churches in the
country, who have either
served 10 years at the helm
of affairs of their
organisations or are above
70 years may follow the
Adeboye example by also
quitting the headship of their
churches in Nigeria.
They include the Presiding
Bishop of the Living Faith
World Outreach, David
Oyedepo; Bishop Mike
Okonkwo of The Redeemed
Evangelical Mission
(TREM); Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor of the Word of Life
Bible Church, Warri; Pastor
W. F. Kumuyi of Deeper Life
Bible Church and Pastor
D.K. Olukoya of the
Mountain of Fire and
Miracles Ministries.
The Appointments
Until his surprise
appointment as the Nigerian
Overseer of RCCG, Pastor
Joseph O. Obayemi, a
financial expert, was an
Assistant General Overseer
and the Pastor-in-charge of
RCCG Region 2.
Pastor Johnson Odesola,
who, until yesterday was the
Special Assistant to the
General Overseer in charge
of Personnel and
Administration, will now
hold the position of General
Secretary of the Nigerian
church.
Pastor Odesola, who spoke
to Sunday Vanguard last
night, urged members of the
church to remain steadfast
and be more prayerful, and
refrain from spreading
unfounded rumours capable
of derailing established
authorities.
ADEBOYE: A Profile
Pa Enoch Adejare
Adeboye was born on March
2, 1942, in Ifewara, Osun
State. Pastor Adeboye had
his B.Sc. in Mathematics at
University of Nigeria
Nsukka, and subsequently
got his PhD in applied
mathematics from the
University of Lagos, and
worked as a lecturer in
Mathematics at the
universities of Lagos and
Ilorin, before going into full
time priesthood in 1984.
After joining the RCCG in
1973, he began working to
translate the sermons of its
then Pastor and founder, Rev.
Josiah Olufemi
Akindayomi, from Yoruba
into English.
In 1981, Adeboye was
appointed General Overseer
of the church. He took over
from Papa Akindayomi, who
had died the previous year.
For three years he
performed the role parttime,
still lecturing at
Unilorin. He finally gave up
his university position to
preach full-time. The
church, which was not well
known prior to Adeboye’s
ascendancy, has grown
phenomenally, to become
Nigeria’s biggest, with
branches globally in about
190 countries, including
more than 14,000 in
Nigeria.
Adeboye has stated that his
aim is to put a church
within five minutes of every
person on Earth. He
married Adenike, now 68, in
1967. She was born on 13th
July 1948.
RCCG was founded in
1952 by Rev. Josiah
Akindayomi (1909–1980)
after he had been involved in
a number of other churches.
Rev. Akindayomi chose
Adeboye as his successor.
Adeboye was ordained a
pastor of the church in 1975,
and his appointment as
leader (General overseer) of
the church was formalised by
the posthumous reading of
Akindayomi’s sealed
pronouncement.
In 1990, Redeemed
Christian Church of God
Bible School was founded.
The newly appointed
RCCG leaders are:
Overseer - Pastor Joseph
Obayemi;
Secretary - Pastor Odesola;
Treasurer - Pastor
Adeyokunnu

PAGE 6— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
From left: Groom’s Father, Mr. Poju Oladinni; Groom’s Mother, Abimbola
Oladinni; Bride, Oluwafunke; former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator
Iyiola Omisore; Groom, Seun; Bride’s Father, Mr. Ola Ogundiran and
Bride’s Mother, Mrs. Ilemobola Ogundiran, during the wedding of Mr. &
Mrs. Seun Oluwafunke Oladinni in Lagos.Photo By Diran Oshe
From left: Bishop Chijioke Anioke and wife, Comfort of Anglican diocese
of Udi, father of the groom, Prof. Agu Gab Agu and wife,Barr. Edna, couple,
Barr. Ernest and Oluchi Agu, mother of the bride, Mrs. Mary Nnaji and Rev.
Sustenance Eze at the wedding of Barr. Ernest and Barr. Oluchi in Enugu.
Father of abandoned twins vows: I won’t take my wife back
•Plans to relocate from single room
By Gabriel Olawale
FOR deceiving and mis
leading him, Adeyemi
Ademola, father of the twins
abandoned by their birth
mother at the Felken Maternity
Centre, Lagos, has
vowed not to take back his
runaway wife, Sarah, even
as he plans to relocate
from his current abode.
Ademola who bared his
mind at yesterday at the
Pedro Police Station, Somolu,
where he had gone
to claim the babies, said
his wife deliberately deceived
him that she had
only two children whereas
she already had six.
It would be recalled that
Sarah reportedly fled on
the 16th December, 2016,
abandoning her newborn
babies almost a fortnight
after birthing them on the
3rd of December, 2016.
The estranged mother,
when contacted, claimed
her disappearance from
the health facility was as a
result of her husband’s inability
to settle the hospital
bill.
After the news of their inability
to offset the hospital
bill was circulated,
Good Samaritans rose to
their aid and settled the
outstanding bill.
Cuddling the newborns
in his arms, he dismissed
reports that Sarah had returned
to him, even as he
pleaded for assistance
from Nigerians for their
upbringing.
Ademola said: “To set the
records straight, my wife
has not showed up since
she fled on the 16th of December
last year. Now
that that Good Samaritans
have intervened, by
paying the remaining balance
on the N150,000 bill,
she is willing to come
back.
“My question is, coming
back to do what, when she
had already said she
didn’t need the babies.
Coming back to the children
could be very dangerous,
so we are not going to
take her back. All we need
is assistance from Nigerians
to raise the children,”
he stated.
In an emotion-laden
voice, he lamented: “Iya
Ibeji (mother of twins) deliberately
deceived me that
she had two children
whereas she has six. After
the delivery of the twins,
she confided in her closest
friend that she does not
need the children that the
death of her first husband
and the responsibility of
taking care of the children
he left along with the new
babies, would be too much
for her to bear. That is why
she left.”
Further, he remarked: “I
wish to relocate because
the single room I am living
presently at No.6
Odukoya Street, Bariga
won’t be conducive for the
new babies.
“Reports that we received
donation from the
Wife of the Lagos State
Governor is a rumour,
there was nothing of such.
The only person that has
presented cash gifts is
Obaseki sets up committee to harmonize revenue
collection in Edo
By SIMON EBEGBULEM
GOVERNOR Godwin
Obaseki of Edo State
has set up a committee,
headed by his deputy, Philip
Shaibu, to fine tune a bill
which will harmonize collection
of revenues in the 18
Local Government Areas of
the state.
When the committee concludes
its assignment, it is
expected to send the bill,
tagged, “A Bill for the State,
Local Government Uniform
Levies, Rates, Fees and
Charges Law 2017”, to the
state House of Assembly for
approval. The Chairman of
the state Internal Revenue
Service, Chief Oseni
Elamah, who disclosed this
after a meeting with Obaseki,
yesterday, said the bill, if
passed into law, will eliminate
double taxation and
also encouraged the use of
POS or revenue scratch
cards. He reiterated the banning
of all revenue consultants,
agents or contractors
in the state. “The committee
seeks a system that will be
transparent, accountable
and treat Edo people with
dignity in the collection of
revenue”, Elamah said.
“The committee will work
out the bill before January
15 this year and will forward
it to the state House of Assembly
for due consideration”.
Senator Ashafa, one NGO
also presented cash.”
When contacted, the Matron
of the Centre, Gloria
Akinbobola, said they decided
to release the babies
on Saturday.
“We would have released
them to go home all this
while but the unavailability
of the father prevented
us from handing them
over. Since the father is
Why we’re building more schools in 2017
—Tambuwal
SOKOTO State gov
ernment says it is
building new schools this
year in order to provide
enough opportunities for
the expected 1.2 million
new students to be admitted
through the school enrollment
drive, Governor
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal
has said.
Speaking when he inspected
progress of work
at the site of the new Government
Secondary
Group lauds Ogun govt on workers’ welfare,
political tolerance
A
pro-democracy group,
the Campaign for
Good Governance, has commended
Ogun State government
for paying N13 billion
as gratuities to pensioners,
arrears of cooperative deductions
to civil servants and severance
package to former political
office holders and sustaining
infrastructural development
despite the economic
downturn across the country
Ṫhe group, according to a
press statement signed by its
Publicity Secretary, Mr
Ganiyu Lasisi, observed:
“Whereas the state government
got N10.6 billion as refund
from the Paris Club deductions
and could choose to
devote 25 per cent of the money
to workers as recommended
by the Federal Government,
it instead devoted the
entire sum to the welfare of
its serving and retired workforce,
making additional sum
of N2.4 billion available for
the same purpose. “This,
clearly, is a demonstration of
purposeful leadership, as the
money, now in circulation,
will stimulate economic activities
and contribute in no
small measure to cushioning
the effects of the current recession
on residents.”
Ganiyu noted that majority
of the political appointees
that received severance allowance
served during the PDP
government. “The APC administration,
led by Senator
Ibikunle Amosun, has, however,
demonstrated that we
can rise above petty politics
by according the rule of law
a canon of governance and
elevating our shared humanity
above political-mongering.”
He hoped that “the APC
government will sustain this
political momentum and the
School under construction
in Balle, Gudu LGA, Tambuwal
said government
will cater for its citizens already
in schools and ensure
that those out of
school are admitted and
given quality education.
He said government’s
commitment to education
will not waver, and appealed
to the people to
support the government to
enable it achieve its objectives.
Sokoto state government
had recently announced
development strides, which its
adversaries have even acknowledged,
until they percolate
the entire strata of our society
and set the state on the
path of irreversible progress.”
The pro democracy group
urged other states to emulate
the government of Ogun State
in the interest of a better Nigeria.
around now, we decided to
present the babies to him
in the presence of the Police
officer to bear witness.”
plans to build 160 new
primary and secondary
schools across the state.
Of the number announced,
100 new primary
schools will come on
stream in 2017, while 45
new senior and 15 new junior
secondary schools
would be built for cater for
the expected increase in
the number of students to
be admitted into schools
for the first time in the
state.
Giving his view on the
quality of work at the site
he inspected, Tambuwal
commended the contractor
for sticking to specifications,
and hailed supervisors
from the state ministries
of work and education
for ensuring adherence
to quality.
The governor said with
what he has seen on
ground, he is confident
that academic activities
would begin in the structures
in the coming
months.
From left: Gov. Nyesom Wike, decorating the Chairman of Nigerian Legion in
Rovers State, retired Col. Wilberforce Josiah, at the Emblem Appeal Launch to
mark the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in Port Harcourt s.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 7
Edited by EMEKA AGINAM
Email: emekaaginam@yahoo.com 08057538314
Software, security
our strategy
— Nader Henein, BlackBerry
Regional Director
Recently,
BlackBerry
announced that
software takes the lead as the
company moves to transition
from handset hardware
development and leverage
third parties to provide that
function. With this
development, Nader Henein;
BlackBerry Regional Director,
Advanced Security Solutions
Advisory, in this interview with
Emeka Aginam spoke on the
progress of the acquisitions
made by the company, future
of BlackBerry Devices with
software and security still
being at forefront of the new
strategy
Excerpt
Progress of BlackBerry
acquisitions
We are not the kind of
organisation that would acquire
a company or product and then
disappear. We are very much big
on integration and giving the
user an end to end experience
when it comes to what they get
from BlackBerry and what
services they get from
BlackBerry. So in terms of
Watchdox, Athoc, Good
Technologies all these products,
our commitment when we
acquired these products was a
Botosoft Technologies,
Nigerian security
solutions firm, has launched the
world’s most advanced anticounterfeiting
technology,
Botoseal.
The new document security
solution was unveiled at the
20th Annual Conference of the
United Kingdom National
Recognition Information Centre,
UK NARIC, held recently in
London, United Kingdom .
continuous integration over the
12 to 18 months following
acquisition and that is
exactly what’s happened.
The last release of BES 12
was one unified platform
where you could
manage all your
devices be it on ASW
or otherwise, you
could manage any
Athoc endpoint
and you could also
manage your
W a t c h d o x
deployment from
one unified location.
The next release you
will see a much closer
integration of that with an
increased capacity and
scalability.
I can’t go into the details of our
next release but I can promise
you that the administrators and
users are going to have a much
smoother experience and a much
more integrated experience. It’s
not that the administrator can
manage all these solutions from
one location, the user can also
share information between
device solutions and leverage
one and the other to be able to
achieve a higher and closer level
of collaboration as well as well
as a faster response time for clients and
customers.
The user experience that we are
focusing on with our enterprise products
and entire enterprise portfolio is that
users can get the same level of usability
they would get from a consumer solution
that is a joy to use but with our products,
they also get an embedded level of
security that is military grade.
Status of acquisitions
The Morvitu acquisition has been
launched with a few network operators
but we are still working on a few more.
So, it is one of those things that
unfortunately is slow paced into
Botosoft technologies launches anti-counterfeiting solution
Speaking at the launch,
Agbeyo Tolulope, CEO, Botosoft
Technologies said, “Botosoft
Technologies prides itself on a
culture of making life easy. The
company recognises that forgery
is rampant because document
verification is difficult; if
verifications were made easy,
forgery would be contained and
eventually eradicated.”
According to him, with the
prevailing problems associated
Nader Henein
with document security in organisations,
Botosoft in collaboration with HID Global,
a worldwide leader in trusted identity
solutions, partnered to develop the
document security solution.
Agbeyo noted that with document control,
management, and issuance being core to
every business, Botoseal created a
document management platform that allows
users, through a unified dashboard, to set
document issuance privileges within any
organisation, track the usage of a document
and revoke access to its use as necessary.
From left: Co-Founder Co-Creation Hub (CCHub), Femi Longe; Winsider Fellow , Paula Aliu; Director
of Software Engineering, Microsoft Corp., Bambo Sofola ; Winsider Fellow, Miracle Samuel and the
Windows Insider Program Chief, Dona Sarkar, at the unveiling of the Winsiders4Good Fellowship in
Lagos recently.
deployment so as an end user, once deployed you will not
see it but get the functionality. Has it been deployed widely?
Not yet, not as much as we would like to see it deployed. Is it
growing and are we seeing more and more support from the
carrier partners and operators? Absolutely. Do we think that
we are at the limit? Absolutely not.
So, it is very much going but not moving as fast as we
would like to because the network operators would have to
do quite a lot to be able to integrate Morvitu into their
environment and it is something that we are trying to help
them do day in day out so, it is just a question of the type of
product and the work it takes to get it up and running.
Athoc deployment
With Athoc, it is deployed in Africa but i cannot
say where purely because the majority of our
customers for Athoc right now are the
military and government at least in the
African continent. Having said that, it is up
and running, it is functional and it is been
used in incidences but I can’t tell you
exactly who the customer is. What we are
hoping for is a wider deployment and what
we’re looking for to get us that wider
deployment and a larger customer base
is the right partners which is what we are
actually trying to actively search for within
Central and Western Africa.
Involvement of BlackBerry in the
design of the third party hardware.
From a user experience from the software
perspective, we do the work end to end.
From a hardware perspective, obviously we
work very closely with the licensees to
ensure that the experience is very fluid but
also because it is our brand on these devices,
we are heavily involved with them as well and to what level
of involvement? Heavily involved because, it is the
BlackBerrry brand at the end of the day.
Capacity building:
Microsoft Nigeria retools over
10,000 youths on coding
To retool millions of youths around the world on
computer science, Microsoft Nigeria has trained over
10,000 Nigerian youths on Minecraft Hour of Code
Designer during the 2016 Computer Science
Education Week.
Hour of Code is an annual, global campaign held
during Computer Science Education Week to enable
beginner coders to create and share their own simple
‘Minecraft’ game, and is designed to empower anyone
to begin learning the problem-solving and critical
thinking skills required in today’s tech-fueled world.
During this year’s Hour of Code, Microsoft worked
with 126 non-profit organizations and other partners,
in addition to 17 of its employees to hold several
coding sessions in 19 states across all 6 geo-political
zones of Nigeria. In the same vein, a ‘ready, set, code’
Hackathon was organized in Lagos Digital Village to
further excite and inspire young people to realize they
can solve problems within a short time with the right
tools at their disposal.
Speaking at the capacity building event,
Philanthropies Lead, Microsoft Nigeria, Olusola
Amusan noted that out of over 10,000 trained, about
8,237 students who had no idea of coding before the
sessions could understand Minecraft and build games
at the end of the program.
For the Director, Public Sector at Microsoft, Mr.
Hakeem Adeniji-Adele, “This year’s Hour of Code
has been very instrumental in helping to bring
technology and coding closer to children and youth
who are the future of our country. This was a great
opportunity to show anyone that they can learn the
basics of computer science in a fun and engaging
way. The participants demonstrated great enthusiasm
throughout the sessions, as well as the willingness to
learn how to build more relevant apps and games in
the future.”
“Ultimately, we are persuaded that there is greater
awareness of computer science in Nigeria,” he says.
The tutorial underscores Microsoft’s commitment to
ensuring all young people have the opportunity to
learn computer science, an economic and social
imperative in this era of digital transformation which
Microsoft aims to reach students most likely to be
among those without access, particularly girls and
minorities.

PAGE 8— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
FG needs framework for liquidity of forex
market in 2017 — LCCI DG
•Says 2016 recorded negative GDP growths of -0.36%, -2.24%
STORIES BY UDEME
CLEMENT
Muda Yusuf is the director
general, Lagos Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
(LCCI). He spoke on economic
activities under the
administration of
Muhammadu Buhari in 2016
and the outlook for 2017.
As economic expert,
how will you review
the economy in 2016?
The economy recorded
negative GDP growths of -
0.36%, -2.06% and -2.24% in
the first, second and third
quarters of 2016. We had weak
purchasing power, high
unemployment, weak
investors’ confidence, weak
fiscal position of the
government at all levels; drop
in sales and private sector
profitability, declining
capacity utilisation. The
economy experienced high
energy cost, escalating cost of
transportation, high interest
rate and weak exchange rate,
which impacted on
productivity and
competitiveness across all
sectors of the economy.
Inflation reached a peak of
18.5 per cent in November,
from 9.6 per cent in January
last year. The Nigerian stock
market was largely bearish in
2016. But the impunity with
which public funds were
looted reduced considerably
in 2016, and tax
administration efficiency level
also improved last year.
In 2016, many economists
complained about lack of
investors’ confidence in
Nigeria's economy. What is
your take on this?
There was a sharp drop in
investors’ confidence due to
weak growth and the fact that
the economy slipped into a
recession. Other factors that
contributed to the weak
investors’ confidence include
currency depreciation of over
100per cent, liquidity
problems in the foreign
exchange market, which
manifested in acute scarcity of
forex. Remittances was a
major problem for many
foreign investors and airlines
during the year. The economy
also experienced high interest
rate, multiple exchange rates,
policy uncertainty and
security concerns in parts of
the country.
What were the effects of
monetary policies introduced
by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN)?
The CBN maintained a tight
monetary policy stance to
tame inflation. The policy
impacted on interest rates,
keeping lending rates at well
over 25 per cent. The high
yields on treasury bills and
Federal Government bonds
did not help matters, as they
had a crowding-out effect on
private sectors in the financial
markets. Financial
intermediation roles of the
banks were also impaired as
banks and other financial
institutions invested heavily
in the government treasury
instruments.
Exclusion of 41 items from
the interbank forex market had
a profound negative effect on
some segments of the
manufacturing sector,
especially in pharmaceuticals,
•Muda Yusuf
steel, chemical and plastics
industries. High tariff on
automobiles also had severe
impact on transportation costs
because of the twin issues of
currency depreciation and
high import duty. Dealers of
leading brands of automobile
had a major challenge of
marketing their products due
to prohibitive costs. New cars
attracted 35percent import
duty, 35percent levy, making
a combined tax of 70per cent.
What was the impact on
various sector?
The Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) suffered
high electricity bills by power
distributing companies.
Aviation sector had its share
of challenges of scarcity of
aviation fuel, which caused
frequent flight delays and
The Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs)
suffered high
electricity bills by
power distributing
companies. Aviation
sector had its share of
challenges of scarcity
of aviation fuel, which
caused frequent flight
delays and
cancellations. The
impact of recession
was very evident in
maritime sector
cancellations. The impact of
recession was very evident in
maritime sector. The
combination of currency
depreciation and high tariffs
resulted in sharp declines in
imports, leading to
considerable lull in maritime
sector activities. However,
there was some improvement
in the export activities at the
ports, as the weak currency
was a major incentive to
exports. Agriculture was
negatively impacted by
security challenges in North
East and North Central part
of the country.
What is the way forward
and outlook for the economy
in 2017?
A framework for liquidity of
forex market should be
urgently put in place. This is
critical to restore investors’
confidence, enhance forex
inflows and boost Foriegn
Direct Investments (FDIs) to
reduce uncertainty in the
economy. The tight monetary
policy regime should be
relaxed to spur domestic
investments and consumer's
spending. Import tariffs
should be reduced on major
inputs for production and
services sectors to moderate
the current high cost of goods
and services, boost investment
spending and enhance
disposal income of citizens.
Sharp currency depreciation
and high import tariffs put
together pose a major burden
of cost and inflation on
investors and citizens. The
shock of the simultaneous
impact on business and
citizens welfare is profound.
Import duty on motor vehicles
should be reviewed to bring
down distribution and
transportation costs in the
economy. The automotive
policy should be urgently
reviewed and reworked. In
order to tackle the problem of
hunger, the current
commitment to agriculture
should be sustained. But this
should go beyond crop
production. It should cover
the entire value chain of
production, storage,
processing, transportation
and marketing. Food
processing firms should be
given special incentives
[tariffs and taxes] to reduce
the price of staple foods such
as bread and noodles. The
exclusion of 41 items from the
official foreign exchange
market should be reviewed to
exempt the critical
manufacturing inputs, as
listed by the Manufacturers
Association and import
exclusion policy should be
managed within the context of
the trade policy framework.
Economic sabotage: How we arrested 22
suspects in one month — Haruna
The new Customs Area
Controller (CAC), Federal
Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’
of Nigeria Customs Service
(NCS) , Comptroller Haruna
Mamudu, has attributed the
arrest of 22 suspected
smugglers in December, 2016
to increased security
surveillance and intelligence
network mapped out by the
Command to curb smuggling.
The CAC made this known at
the Command, through the
Public Relations Officer, Jerry
Attah, stressing that the
suspects were arrested in
connection with smuggling of
prohibited items into the
country, against the trade
policy of the Federal
Government, which can be
seen as economic sabotage.
He said, “Three suspected
smugglers were also
arraigned in court to serve as
a deterrent to those still
indulging in this nefarious
activity. Part of the
•Truck loads of seized frozen poultry products
responsibility of FOU is to
enforce International
protocols and conventions.
This continues to increase the
responsibilities of Customs,
most especially in area of
trade facilitation. The United
Nations chatter on
preservation of endangers
species entails that Customs
administrations' globally
protect wild life by
intercepting illegal trade on
such animals”.
The CAC added, “In the
month of December, 2016
alone, the Unit intensified its
anti-smuggling operations
and intercepted various
contraband items, with a Duty
•Some of the seized elephant tusks
Paid Value (DPV) of
N893.8million. The Unit
through its interventions
recovered N494.4milllion
from duty payments and
demand notices on vehicles,
as well as other general
goods that tried to beat the
system from seaports, airports
and border stations in the
guise of false declaration,
transfer of value, and shortchange
in duty payment to
government.
So,
accumulatively, the Unit
realised over N1.3billion
revenue last month.
“This huge recovery in the
history of the Unit in only one
month, was made possible
through our new operational
strategies, the effort of CGC
Hameed Ali in appreciating
hard work and diligence to
duty. We also received
appreciable compliance by
some patriotic Nigerians who
voluntarily paid appropriate
duties on their goods and
vehicles before the deadline
on the ban of vehicles through
the land borders, which
started in January 1, 2017.
That same month, FOU
recorded 126 different
seizures, which include,
Elephant tusks, foreign rice,
frozen poultry products,
smuggled vehicles, cannabis
sativa and various general
merchandise.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 9
CHIBOK GIRLS 1,000 DAYS AFTER
My painful memories, by Oby Ezekwesili
C
M
Y
K
In this piece, a former Minister of
Education,Oby Ezekwesili, relives painful
memories on Chibok girls as the #Bring Back
OurGirls Movement marks the 1000 th day
since the girls were captured by Boko Haram.
Ezekwesili is also Co-convener of #BBOG.
On that 30 th April 2014 when diverse citizens
gathered to march in solidarity, no one could
have imagined any out of our 219 Chibok
Girls abducted from their secondary school
in April 2014 would remain in captivity of
terrorists 1000 days after the tragedy. One
recalls pictures of distressed parents supported
by local hunters foraging through the path
they were told that the terrorists had hauled
away their daughters. Meanwhile, their
government was missing in action cynically
indifferent to the cries for help.
One of the parents said he was desperate to
find his daughter by walking off into Sambisa
Forest before the Nigeria Army prevented
them, because the future of the entire family
depended on that daughter finishing school
and taking care of her siblings. How can we
not be moved by such decisiveness on girls
education in a region that topped both then
and now, the chart of poor school enrollment
and worse parity ratio of four boys for every
one girl in school compared to the rest of the
country?
Nations that have bothered to know the value
of having all their girls in school have since
discovered the multiple and diverse benefits.
More than ever before in history, the economic
health of a country depends upon the skills,
knowledge, and capacities of its people.
Research validates that countries which have
made dynamic progress in the last century,
are also the ones that help each of their citizens
- male and female- to acquire the human assets
of values, skills, knowledge and capacities that
education bestows.
In addition to the obvious productivity and
income earning benefit to the girl-child and
their families, some of the data validating a
diverse range of benefits have global relevance.
According to UNESCO, the “Children of
mothers with secondary education or higher
are twice as likely to survive beyond age 5
compared to those whose mothers have no
education. Improvements in women’s
education explained half of the reduction in
child deaths between 1990 and 2009. A child
born to a mother who can read is 50% more
likely to survive past age 5.
We are products of the Values that shaped
us. A Value that some of us imbibed, while
growing up, was that nothing made a female
child inferior and so nothing should keep them
from being educated. Those of our parents
that held strong to such a Value bequeathed
them to us by sending us to school, despite our
being female. Like the parents of the 219
ChibokGirls, our parents overcame all barriers
that are known to limit educational
opportunities available to girls around the
world or even more specifically, our various
regions in Nigeria.
For the forward thinking parents of the
abducted girls, they desired that their
daughters would not be part of the statistics of
out-of-school adolescent girls. A recent report
on Girls Education in Nigeria by the United
Kingdom’s British Council found that in the
North East, 54% of adolescent girls are out of
school. In the North West, it is 53%, in the
North Central, it is 21%, in the South South it
is 9%, in the South West 6% and in the southeast,
it is 4%. The ChibokGirls parents
understood that at an individual and family
level, the benefits of offering education to their
daughters outweighed the associated social,
cultural, religious, physical risks and
economic constraints.
What they did not imagine as part of that
calculus was that the physical risk to life for
those who dared to show up in school. The
terrorist are driven by the hideous
determination to make knowledge is
abominable thus challenging our civilization.
None of our ChibokGirls parents could
however have imagined that neither their own
government nor that of the rest of the world
would defend the dignity of endangered lives
of their children if anything like abduction
happened. None of those parents could have
imagined that the lives of their daughters
would not be protected by the Nigerian nationstate
which has a constitutional duty of security
and welfare of citizens- especially its young
ones. None of those parents could have thought
that having their daughters show up from their
various schools in that local government to
•Chibok girls
take their certificate examination with peers in
that Government Secondary School, Chibok
would become a fatal choice between being
educated or staying alive.
Doubly tragic is that as we mark #DAY1000
since the worst nightmare of those Chibok
Parents materialized, two successive
governments have completely failed to be as
bold as the parents of our missing ChibokGirls.
From the initial self-preserving coldness,
indifference, mockery and tentativeness of the
immediate past administration to the “cannotbe-taken-for-their-word”
hubris, lethargy and
inertia of the current one, any discerning
observer can see a common thread. It is the
same we-don’t-give-a-damn attitude that is
making their successors who assumed office
on the back of a strong promise to commit
their utmost to rescuing the girls within six
months in office to repeat history.
What is the cause of this empathy-deficit
toward citizens by those that govern regardless
of their political symbol and hue? The
disconcerting answer is that citizens - whether
dead or alive - have no bearing on the incentives
that drive the quest for the right to govern them
among our political class. Unlike those
countries where leaders set their country
Development vision on their citizens’ values,
knowledge, skills and capacities, our own
“rulers” place their stewardship quest not on
the lives of citizens but on the certainty that oil
will flow. Oil will flow and the public purse will
flourish whether a citizen dies or is missing.
The logic is simple: As long as the proceeds
from oil are guaranteed, the nation can afford
to leave its children with terrorists for any length
of time. For as long as oil flows and with that,
the proceeds, the cutting short of any Nigerian
life has no effect on the country. It therefore has
not mattered as much to any of the two
successive Governments of Nigeria that losing
our ChibokGirls is a loss to our national stock
PEREZ BRISIBE
ALL may not be well with Delta State
Chapter of the All Progressives Congress,
APC, as alleged N600, 000 grant from the state
government has pitted the Secretary of the party,
Comrade Chidi Okonji, against other
executives.
Okonji was purportedly suspended,
Wednesday, by the State Working Committee,
SWC, for allegedly collecting the said amount
without the knowledge of the other leaders of
the APC in the state.
Giving details of Okonji’s suspension, the state
Deputy Chairman, Chief Cyril Ogodo, said:
“The Secretary allegedly collected the sum of
N600, 000 as purported grant from the state
government without the knowledge of the party.”
Meeting illegal -Okonji
But reacting to his suspension, Okonji
described the SWC meeting as “illegal”, saying,
“The Chairman is expected to call a State
Working Committee meeting before such a
decision can be made and they were not up to
11 persons in attendance at that meeting.
‘I got directive to collect money’
“Besides, the directive for the collection of that
money, which is N500, 000, was given to me by
the state Chairman. He told me that the money
was meant for interparty from the national fund
for political parties and it is our entitlement.”
But accusing the state government of
interfering in the affairs of the party, Ogodo said:
“The PDP-led government, for the sustenance of
their evil machination, decided to employ the
services of our suspended Secretary, Comrade
Chidi Okoji, and others whose identity would
soon be unraveled and these issues would be
of human capital. That our Governments
prolonged the time it is taking to give justice
to children who were abducted in the course
of their search for knowledge is a statement
on the things we value.
Should any think this assertion to be
farfetched, all they need do, is, compare the
swiftness with which our governments -
regardless of which political crew run itresponds
to any threat to the flow of oil in the
Niger Delta. For our governments, the
cynicism towards citizens who with a certain
measure of education are converted to human
capital is that they are of less value than a
barrel of oil. This is where the parents of our
ChibokGirls have more than a lot to teach
our political leaders. These parents may not
have any “political clout” - part of the reason
that many adduce for the way their daughters
have been neglected by our government—
but they know something that our political
rulers are yet to grasp: No commodity but
our human beings like Chibok Girls, other
abducted citizens, hundreds of Nigerians
needlessly killed in distressed conditions in
the North East, Mainland and South
Kaduna, Agatu, Aba, Enugu, Onitsha, Jos,
Keffi, Abuja, Lagos and such other places,
can guarantee us the swift passage to
economic development.
The slight redeeming prospect of the
President Muhammadu Buhari led
government as far as the specific matter of
ChibokGirls rescue goes, is that in the last
three months, it has managed to bring back
24 of them mostly through negotiation for
their lives. For our freed school girls and their
peers in all the internally dislocated peoples’
camps in the North East, it is the duty of the
Government’s - Federal and State- to place a
premium on their education and skills
acquisition to ensure that Nigeria speeds up
the accumulation of our human
dealt with.” Admitting receiving the money,
Okonji denied collecting it unilaterally,
stressing that he received the said amount on
behalf of the party under the directive of the
state APC Chairman, Prophet Jones Erue.
“The directive for the collection of that
money, which is N500, 000 and not N600,
000, was given to me by the state Chairman.
He specifically told me that the money was
meant for interparty from the national fund
for political parties and it’s our entitlement.”
‘How money was allegedly shared’
Speaking further, Okonji said: “After I
collected the money, the Chairman collected
his own share of N250, 000 claiming it to be
for his legal fees while I also collected N250,
000 for the suit involving an aspirant of the
party who dragged the party to court during
the 2015 general elections.
“If he claims he did not send me, which I
know he cannot do, he should call a full
meeting to that effect, let us sit-down and iron
out the issue by printing the statement of the
party’s account. Let us see how much has
come in and how much has gone out and let
everyone who has contributed funds to the
party be there when the Chairman is doing
that. “If the Chairman is insisting that he did
not give me letter to collect the money, we
would go to court to prove it and we would
know if he is the one that gave me the letter or
not. Besides, both of us can be suspended from
the party and let the party move on.”
There is no iota of truth in Chidi’s
allegation - Chairman
development scores. The education of the girlchild
benefits not only the girls and their families
but their communities, states and nations.
Following its inauguration in May 2015, the
administration was trapped in more than 15
months of numbing indecisiveness on how to
rescue our ChibokGirls, whether through military
option or by negotiation with the terrorists. 21 of
them were eventually released on 13 th October
2016 to our Government by the terrorists and
embraced by their exuberantly joyous parents.
Just a few days ago, another one of the girls
returned, having been accidentally found among
terrorists and their victims that the Nigerian Army
captured. She returned after 997 days in the
stronghold of terrorists clutching an innocent baby
rather than the certificate her parents hoped for
when they took a risk to send her to school.
The tragic irony is that one of the reasons parents
send their girl-children to school is to help delay
marriage and child bearing while they acquire
life skills for a better life. Rukiya Abubarka Gali’s
parents while rejoicing at the return of their
daughter yesterday, must be regretfully wondering
like not a few other parents, whether it was worth
it after all, to have made the choice for knowledge
for their daughter.
That DAY1000 is upon us with still more than
80% of our Chibok Girls still captives of terrorists,
the only person that can assuage their deep regret
is the President and the Federal Government of
Nigeria. The way it can do this is to ensure that
not one more day goes beyond the one thousand
days of suffering of our young daughters. This
Federal Government must realize that the more
it makes promises and fails to immediately back
them with decisiveness and results-focused actions,
it risks completely eroding its fast depleting stock
of credibility and goodwill.
The inability and perhaps unwillingness to learn
from mistakes is reason this Federal Government
has again relapsed into inertia, lethargy,
contradictions and silence on the status of its
public pledge last October that another 83 of our
girls would be back “soonest”.
Our ChibokGirls have always been a symbol
of several other victims without identity that are
captives of our common enemies or those whose
lives were wasted across the country. Now is the
time for our President to find the courage to accord
the highest value to the Nigerian life regardless of
their region, religion, ideology, political persuasion,
social and economic status above any other thing
in this country.
We must not allow more deaths over and above
the 18 of the brave mothers who sent their girls to
school to become our more enduring capital. They
did so, trusting that their Government cares about
the dignity of life. It is therefore time for their 195
daughters to return. 1000 days are already too
long. Mr President, we want more results! It is
time to bring back home our girls now. And alive!!
Alleged N600,000 Delta a govt vt grant ant unsettles stat
ate e APC
Debunking the claim by the Secretary that he
collected N250, 000 from the money, the state
party Chairman, Erue, said: “There is no iota of
truth in Chidi’s allegation. He collected the money
on December 30. Where did he see me to give me
the money as I was nowhere around Asaba then;
besides, why can’t I collect the money alone?”
APC would never collect money from
Okowa -Ogodo
Ogodo, while saying the APC would never
receive money from the state government, said:
“The Delta State APC will not, cannot and would
never collect money from the Okowa-led PDP
government”.
APC collected grant from government -SSA
Meanwhile, Senior Special Adviser on
Interparty Relations to Gov. Okowa, Moses Abeh,
confirmed the grant was collected on behalf of
Delta APC, saying: “I can confirm to you
categorically that the APC collected grant from
Delta State government and not from the Federal
Government. “Besides, if it’s from the national
level, I am the SSA to the state government, what
is my concern with national funds? The money
came from Delta State government and APC is
among the parties that benefited from the grant.
“When they came, they said they heard the state
government was giving grant to political parties.
I told them their Secretary (Chidi Okonji) had
already collected the APC share.
The Chairman retorted, saying, ‘how can?’ I
immediately showed him (APC Chairman) a copy
of the letter he signed giving the Secretary
approval to collect the money on behalf of the
party and this was in the presence of the Chairmen
of the three other political parties.”

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
PAYMENT OF MONTHLY Y N5,000 BY Y FG
Soft idea, soft money and the
officially recognised 'begging class'
•President Buhari
BY DELE SOBOWALE
“If we were a soft society then we would
already have perished. A soft people will
vote for those who promised a soft way
out, when in truth there is none. There is
nothing Singapore gets for free, even our
water we pay for…”
Lee Kuna Yew, in ‘FROM THIRD
WORLD TO FIRST’, p 53.
NOTE: What follows should not
in any way be mis-construed
as a contradiction with the
earlier position that the 2017 Budget
offers hope for recovery.
We still stand by that.
But, there is no perfect budget. One
can be generally positive while at the
same time questioning some provisions
in the document.
This is one programme to which
Sunday Vanguard strongly objects.
Some events are simply acts of God.
On Saturday December 31, 2016, at
the residence of the publisher of
Vanguard, on a shelf was a copy of Lee
Kuan Yew’s global best seller which
many people had written and talked
about – but few ever read. It was time to
read it from page to page in the hope
that there might be some insights in it
for Nigeria. I was an undergraduate
reading Economics in the United States
when in August 1965 the majority
Malaysians physically threw out the
minority Chinese and other races and
forced them to form a new country –
Singapore. It was a small island state
with no natural resources, no large
population, nothing to build upon. The
vast majority of economist in the US
gave the new country no more than six
months before collapsing. Its per
capital income was far less than that of
Nigeria. But, by 2000, it had per capita
income of over $13,000 per annum –
the third highest of any nation in the
world.
How did Singapore do it?
By January 3, 2017 when the
newspapers announced that “Buhari
begins N5000 payment to one million
poor Nigerians”, I had raced past page
53 of Yew’s book and it had become
clear that one of the reasons tiny
Singapore swept mighty Nigeria aside
and rose to the top was the fact that
•VP Osinbajo
Has it even occurred to
the framers of this “free
money” programme
that millions of workers
in Nigeria
comparatively earn
less than the N5,000
they will give to the loafers
every month? Why not
give the money to them
as extra?
right from the start, Yew had
impressed it on his people that “We
cannot live by the begging bowl.”
By contrast, that aspect of the Social
Intervention Programme, SIP, has
now legalised a million Nigerians
living on the begging bowl. Buhari’s
government had legalised paid
idleness – all because it must
stubbornly redeem a campaign
promise which should not have been
made in the first place.
What on earth can justify legalised
paid idleness in a poor country?
How many other poor countries of
the world, tax the workers, collect
revenue from productive exports,
borrow from foreign and domestic
sources, only to turn around and give
away a significant percentage of the
proceeds of hard work and honest
labour by the many to the
unemployed few?
Has it even occurred to the framers
of this “free money” programme that
millions of workers in Nigeria earn
less than the N5,000 they will give to
the loafers every month? Why not give
the money to them as extra?
Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948,
father of independent India, had
•President of the Senate,
Senator Bukola Saraki
warned us that among the things
that would destroy us are: “wealth
without work.”
Since it became independent in
1948, India has had more people
living in poverty than the entire
population of Nigeria at any one
point in time. Even today, with its
economy humming along at close
to seven per cent per annum the
nation has never given away free
money to idle people to stimulate
its economy. Indeed, if giving away
free money is all that is required to
lift an economy out of recession and
sustainable economic growth then
India and China have more
millions of people to do it than
Nigeria. Why have they not adopted
free money as economic policy?
To start with, the policy represents
the triumph of bad politics over
good economics – as well as the
verdict of our own history.
Most of us now vaguely remember
the “Free Education Programme”
in the old Western Region which
started under late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo. Today, in the same region,
PARTIES:
•APGA — 1
•PDP — 4
•APC — 16
ZONES:
•North Central
•North East
•North West
Sub-Total
now carved into seven states (Ogun.
Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo and
Delta) education that is free is not
good; what is good is not free. That
should tell us what to expect when
any government encourages any
segment of its population to “live
by the begging bowl.”
Free money is nothing more than
entrenchment of the “begging bowl”
mentality. It does not confer dignity
on the recipients; it only buys votes
for politicians.
It won’t even help to alleviate
poverty. Globally, those living in
poverty had been defined as those
living on less than two dollars ($2)
a day. Giving N5000 per month
amounts to giving, at Central Bank
rates forty seven cents ($0.47) per
day; and at parallel market rates,
•Yakubu Dogara, Speaker
House of Reps
thirty four cents ($0.34). How on earth
does that take them out of poverty? It
simply makes no sense. And the N5
billion per month or N60 billion per
annum is only 0.008 of the budget for
this year and less than 0.001 per cent of
the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Either way, it will not even cause a
ripple in the economy. So, it cannot be
dictated by economics.
Furthermore, starting this inevitably
socially and economically destructive
programme demonstrates that
government knows that Nigerians are
soft people, unlike Singaporeans. That
millions of Nigerians actually voted for
a government which had promised us
a soft way out of the problems we face
is an indication of the Nigerian
mentality – the something for nothing
mentality.
When Yew said “There is nothing
Singapore gets for free”, he reminded
me of my Economics 100 lecturer at
the university, who started every
Freshman class with the same anecdote
ending with a punch-line: “There is no
such thing as a free lunch.” Nigerians
stupidly vote for those promising a lot
of free things. Politicians capitalise on
the pervasive lack of sense to tell us
5 States
5 States
4 States
14 States
ZONES:
•South West 3 States
•South East 2 States
•South South 2 States
Sub-Total 7 States
what we like to hear and not what we
must know.
That explains why by the time Buhari
was Head of State in 1984, Singapore,
without oil, had already passed Nigeria,
the world’s sixth largest oil producer, in
terms of per capita income and was a
more highly respected economic entity
than the Giant of Africa. No government
of Singapore will ever consider giving
free money to idle people because it
makes no economic sense in the long
term.
Perhaps the most important reason
this programme makes no sense is that
it has an expiry date. In a nation where
abandoned projects run into thousands
nationwide, free money will, at best, last
as long as the Buhari regime since no
Continues on page 11

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 11
Payment of N5,000 by FG creates an
officially recognised 'begging class'
Continued from page 10
other President made the promise to the
people. It might even not last the entire
tenure of the administration.
Several questions arise from this
observation: What then will happen to
those who have lived on paid idleness
when a new government comes into
power and deletes the programme? Will
the people then have to develop the selfreliance
they have lacked during the
years of paid idleness?
At any rate, what stops the same
government, after being elected to the
second term, from abolishing the project
- since the peoples’ votes will no longer
be needed? It has happened before. Some
of the present state governors, re-elected
to second terms, announced education
policies which the people had not
anticipated. Suddenly, states stopped
paying WAEC and JAMB fees; school
fees were introduced; tertiary institution
fees were increased – among other
measures which ignored the “begging
bowl” mentality they have fostered when
it promoted their political ambitions.
In fact, if anything is certain about the
future, it is the abolition of this
programme which will bring out the
worst in Nigerians.
IS IT FAIR TO ALL?
Now, we turn to other related issues,
especially politics and equity.
How is it possible to choose one
million out of 80 million poor people in
Nigeria without bringing subjective
considerations into the matter. Mr
Laolu Akande, the spokesman for the
Vice President, who made several
questionable statements (e.g School
feeding programme starting in
December when nobody can verify the
claim), disclosed that the funds for three
states had been released to the Nigerian
Inter-Bank Settlement system – whatever
that is. He was careful not to disclose
how much was released.
That was probably deliberate. Full
disclosure had not been a strong point
in the Social Intervention Programme,
SIP, which is being managed like the
Peoples Democratic Party’s “family
affair” .
The first three states, according to
Akande are: Borno, Kwara and Bauchi
– all controlled by the All Progressives
Congress, APC, and all in the North.
Perhaps it was a coincidence. A closer
look at the list of states slated to benefit
from the first roll out indicates a more
deliberately politically skewed
programme. The breakdown shows that
the zonal allocations are as follows:
So twice as many states in the North
will benefit from the programme than
Southern states which provide the bulk
of oil revenue and tax receipts on which
the nation depends for survival.
That is not all, the Vice President and
his advisers on this give-away
programme had ensured that the top
officials in the Executive and legislative
branches, as well as “favorite son’s”
state, Kaduna, had been included in the
first list of states. States from which the
President, Vice President, Senate
President, Deputy Senate President had
been dutifully included – while most of
the nation’s “Cash Cows” – Akwa Ibom,
Bayelsa, Edo, Lagos, Ondo and Rivers
had been excluded. The Vice President
and his advisers must be laboring under
the fallacious impression that there is a
state in Nigerian where there are no
poor people. Lagos with a population
of twenty million, mostly unemployed,
probably has more destitute people
than the entire population of some of
the states included. Not a kobo will
come here. Instead, Lagosians are
supposed to watch while the poor in
the VP’s state next door receive
attention.
That is not all; a further breakdown
of the states presents this picture based
on the political party controlling the
states.
That by itself should raise the issue
of whether they are actually trying to
eradicate poverty or paying off their
debts to “political stalwarts”. So, this
is not only a case of “robbing Peters to
pay Pauls”, it is so blatantly unfair one
would have to find another word other
than fraudulent to describe it.
There are too many facts pointing
to the fact that the selections did not
coincidentally favour a
predetermined group’ it is the sort of
happenstance that could trigger a
political uproar any time soon. The
programme is not even entirely new.
One of the first measures of the PDP
under President Obasanjo was to
launch a Poverty Alleviation
Programme, PAP, in 1999, with N10
billion to prosecute the progarmme
of assisting poor Nigerians. Till today
nobody can account for the money and
the number of Nigerians living in
poverty actually increased. Why?
“Every great enterprise [especially
politically motivated] starts off with
enthusiasm for an exalted aim and
ends up bogged down in petty politics”,
Furthermore,
starting this inevitably
socially and
economically
destructive
programme
demonstrates that
government knows
that Nigerians are soft
people, unlike
Singaporeans
according to Charles Peguy, 1873-
1914. (VANGUARD BOOK OF
QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 49). It was
entirely political – just like this one.
Nobody undertook a cost-benefit
analysis to demonstrate that it would
be socially beneficial in the end. It
is a safe bet that this programme
based on the wrong economic
foundations will end up in hot
disagreements without achieving any
of its aims. Anything that makes no
economic sense cannot last; and, this
will not – unless Nigeria, unlike
Singapore, does not pay for
everything.
At least, we are beginning to
understand why Nigeria might never
reach First World status. We don’t
have First World economic/political
managers in charge of policy. The
sooner we developed them and put
them in charge of key programmes,
like SIP, with its enormous potentials
for stimulating economic growth the
better for us. Right now, the mentality
concerning this particular
programme has not risen above that
which has left us undeveloped for so
long.
“When those in office regard the
power vested in them as personal
prerogative, they inevitably enrich
themselves, promote their families,
favour their friends”, wrote Yew. A
programme which has the states
from which the President, Vice
President, Senate President, Deputy
Senate President and Speaker of the
National Assembly, among its first
set of beneficiaries cannot be fair to
the rest of us. It is tainted with too
much self-seeking at the expense of
the generality of the people.
P.S. Just before sending this article
to the Sunday Editor, Governor
Fayose had disclaimed that people
in Ekiti received any money. That is
only the beginning of what could
become a political tsunami
regarding this particular
programme. The presidency has
denied his claims. Buhari and those
who advised him on this one are in
for a political war which will rob it
of any political advantage they
expected to get out of it. It will also
most probably end up in a probe
because it lacks transparency and
accountability.

PAGE 12 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
How restructuring will
solve Nigeria’s problems,
by Akin Osuntokun
BY DAPOAKINREFON
CHIEF Akin Osuntokun was Managing Director of the News
Agency of Nigeria and Political Adviser to former President
Olusegun Obasanjo. In this interview, he opines that unbundling
of the federal government through restructuring will
address the problems besieging the country. He also bares
his mind on the corruption allegations leveled against the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation as well as
grazing reserves for herdsmen. Excerpts:
The President Buhari administration
has been combating corruption but
critics opine that the administration
has made it its sole agenda. Do you share
the same view?
Logically, that cannot be the case. There is
national security, the economy is there and so
many other governmental concerns. So,
logically the government cannot do that.
Maybe people are using it to excuse the
incapacity or lack of attention of governance
in other areas. It appears the government is
trying to politicize it’s functional incapacity
by reducing a holistic problem to the sing song
of corruption is fighting back. Even in the fight
against corruption, I don’t think that
government has succeeded very well. There
are a lot of problematic issues that are
begging for answers.
Now I admit the share of the former PDP
government culpability but to reduce
everything to a one size fits all argument is
self-serving. Prior to this government and to
the extent that governance ultimately stopped
at the table of the former PDP government, it
should be held accountable for whatever took
place under its watch.
The fight against corruption is questionable
when it seems as if it is only been applied
selectively. There is that clear impression and
to a large extent the correct interpretation that
the government itself is not removing the log
in its own eye before seeking to remove the
beam in other people’s eye. As you have said,
it will be an unfortunate simplistic reduction
for any government, at the federal or state
level, to adopt a posture that gives the
impression that governance tantamount only
fighting corruption. Anti-corruption should be
a priority of the government but so are many
other areas of governance
What is your take on the controversy
surrounding corrupt allegations leveled
against the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation?
Well, the case of the SGF seems self-evident.
You don’t need to look deeper to come to a
conclusion one way or the other as to the
culpability or implication of the SGF in what
transpired. There are issues about the company
of the SGF being given contracts to do one
thing or the other and the defense was that
he resigned from the company a year ago; but
that has been alleged as not being true.
Even if that were to be the case, it is still
suspicious that a company that he owns and
he has association with, the company is a
major beneficiary of the contract. So, that is a
fairly well established case.
Even before that, there were the cases against
the Minister of Interior and the Chief of Army
Staff. It may be the case that at the end of the
day they will be found innocent of allegations
against them but to just ignore it like that as if
nothing has happened is worrisome.
Some people came out with allegations and
even backed it up with documents and these
people are there as if nothing has happened.
You cannot just ignore these kind of things. If
you say that anti-corruption is a priority
agenda then those kinds of situation and the
signals that you give matter a lot. It is not
good for you to look the other way as if nothing
has happened. So, these are issues that are
worrisome that you begin to doubt the sincerity
of what the government is saying as distinct
from what it is doing.
When Chief Obasanjo was president, there
was this controversy over the privatisation and
sale of federal government houses. It was
discovered that, whether through omission
or commission, there was a cloud of
suspicion surrounding the sale of one or two
properties to his relatives. Immediately,
Obasanjo took the step of firing the minister
of housing. At the end of the day, it may be
that the minister was innocent, but these are
the kind of sacrifices you need to make to
establish sufficient credibility for whatever
it is you are doing. That is my take on the
issue.
The Federal government has attributed
corruption as being responsible for the
recession in the country. Do you agree with
No serious government
or aspiring government
commits to promises and
pledges without being
adequately informed. So,
I don’t see any purpose it
serves other than
distraction or inability to
accept the burden and
responsibility of
governance
this position?
You can draw a causal relationship
between corruption and governance crisis but
it amounts to trivialisation to reduce
contemporary Nigeria economic recession
to corruption. Globally, all economies go
through cycles of recession and recovery
regardless of even best efforts. In Nigeria
there are other causal factors that have little
or nothing to do with the quality of
governance. They also made the claim that
the previous administrations did not make
any savings, I think that is not entirely true
and it is a self-serving argument.
First, it is not true that the previous
government made no savings. I recall that it
was the savings from the NLNG that
President Buhari used for the so called bail
out of state governments. What do you call
that? This government met the surplus there
because the previous government chose the
option of saving it. Of course, there is the
Sovereign Wealth Fund and the excess crude
oil account. The utility of Nigeria
•Akin Osuntokun
governance, for me, transcends the
undoubtedly beneficial culture of saving.
What matters more is the public
perception of government as being
responsive in providing services to the
public with the little you have.
In any case, given the magnitude of
the challenge we have in, for instance,
infrastructural deficit, you have to spend.
The argument is not about spending, it
is about what was done with what was
available and whether it was judiciously
applied or not.
The habit of scapegoating previous
governments going on two years of
assumption of office is a tenuous logic
and, frankly, it is not helpful to the
government and the Nigerian public.
More questionable is the capacity and
competence of the present government
itself to grapple with the situation in
which we found ourselves.
But another argument of the Buhari
administration is that it is not
responsible for the current situation
Nigeria has found itself?
That is dereliction of duty because you
have been in government for over a year
and the half now, and you made some
statements and pledges on how to move
the country forward. Now, if you are
telling us that you made those statements
or pledge in ignorance, that is a reflection
of incapacity or incompetence. No
serious government or aspiring
government commits to promises and
pledges without being adequately
informed. So, I don’t see any purpose it
serves other than distraction or inability
to accept the burden and responsibility
of governance.
Former President Obasanjo said that
we knew things were bad, that is why we
elected you to fix it and stop the blame
game. Was it corruption that accounted
for the last budget where different
versions were floating around? Was that
the previous government that did that?
Was it the former government that
appointed the SGF and other appointees
that cannot withstand public scrutiny?
These things are not helping the
government neither is it helping the
people.
If you are to advise the Buhari
govern,net, what steps should be taken
to bring Nigeria out of the woods?
One thing that the government and
everybody seem to get wrong is the belief
that there is something wrong and
abnormal in a country experiencing
recession. It is human and absolutely
normal to go through the cycles of life
and existence beginning with the primal
cycle of life and death. Ultimately it is
how you are able to grapple with that
challenge that matters. It is not
something that you seek escapism from.
As Nigeria is, the problem is deeper than
to be seen strictly from the economic
perspective. You have to look at it
comprehensively.
Under the present structure, the federal
government is encumbered with so
many responsibilities and functions than
it can effectively discharge and that are
at variance with the fundamental
constitutional aspiration of true and
functional federalism. In so doing, the
federal government has become a cog
in the wheel of the growth and progress
of Nigeria.
Structurally and functionally, the
country is presently bound to a vicious
cycle of political crisis and economic
instability - one feeding the other.
Many of the issues we are
having now can be addressed
with commitment to
decentralisation and
devolution of powers.
In simple terms:
restructuring of the
country?
Of course, that has
been my position. But
you know the
position of the
President on the
issue. For him, he
has dismissed the
2 0 1 4
recommendations of
the National Conference
and that it is only good for
the archives. It is becoming clearer to
me by the day that our options are
limited to restructuring or the clearly
untenable alternative of dictatorship. As
it is, it is like we are thrashing around in
the dark. We have a situation where state
governments cannot fulfil the basic
responsibility of paying salaries. There
is total illogicality about the
constitutional structure of the country.
Vast majority of the states are technically
bankrupt. So, until you resolve these
kinds of abnormalities, we are not
getting anywhere. Until Nigeria
grapples with its constitutional structure,
we are not going anywhere; the federal
government has to be unbundled.
Herdsmen crisis?
I don’t see why it is the responsibility
of the federal government to take a
decision that amounts to an imposition
on the state government and indeed the
substantial majority of the Nigerian
public. It is liable to being interpreted
as discrimination and partiality - it may
not be the case but when there is an
imposition from the federal government,
all sorts of interpretation are given to it.
The issue could have been handled
differently and that is to encourage a
free will and voluntary resolution. At any
rate how do countries that have the same
environment like the far north address
the sustenance of its cattle animal
farming. Suppose Southern Nigeria is
a different country from the North, how
would this problem get resolved? Are
we saying these people will keep
invading another country? There are
examples of countries in West Africa that
have similar eco system as the north,
what have they done to address the issue
of grazing?
Why not limit the grazing reserve to
areas that have no issues with cattle
rearing and collaborate with such
accommodating local public in
providing adequate pasture rather than
coercing people to submit to imposition?
Leave it to the free will of the people.
Allow each state government to decide
whether they want grazing reserves or
not. Cattle-farming is an economic
activity that has the potential to impact
positively on local economies - this is
how it should be managed and
promoted. Seasonal Fulani farmers
come annually from far flung places to
engage in fadama farming on a tiny
portion of my farmland at Okemesi -
for roughly five months. The farmland
is fadama compliant on account of
being crossed by a tributary of river osun.
The occupation is so profitable that they
pay me upwards of N250000 each year;
which I, in turn, donate to the community
and so I look forward to hosting them
every year.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017 — PAGE 13

PAGE 14— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
Busty Romangoddess impostor
surfaces on Facebook
Why my comedy shows
are successful abroad
– Basketmouth
Romangoddess may have no solid
claim to fame but in the last one year
the lady with humongous boobs and
immense shapely backside made popular by
Instagram has attained something of a star
status. And she catapulted into bigger fame
when she met one of her mentors, Cossy Orjiakor,
both of whom made a big buzz with
their boobs tango.
Star or not, some are beginning to see her
as a brand big enough to employ in duping
people. With her shapely figure, oozing of
sprawling boobs and flourishing butts, her
pictures, are being used as a bait to lure wanton
men and dispossess them of their hardearned
money.
Though Romangoddess herself has said
she’s not on Facebook or any other platform,
Instagram but this, seems not to have
deterred her impostors who now brazenly display
her pictures with pseudo names.
Potpourri itself had an encounter with a
lady who calls herself Blessing Umunna, displaying
Romangoddess’ pictures as her own.
After sending a friend request to Potpourri,
the lady proceeded to unveil her trade.
Here is the chat that ensued between Potpourri
and the lady:
Lady: Good morning.
Merry Xmas, hope you are
fine?
Potpourri: Fine, hope
you are enjoying the holiday.
Are you based in Lagos?
Lady: No, Portharcourt.
I want to come to Lagos
for the weekend but I am
thinking if I should come or
not because I don’t have
much fare to come.
This was the first conversation
between Potpourri and the Impostor
that gave a hint she could
only be an impostor. After days
of not replying to her bait, she
laid off for a while and returned
after New Year to try
her hand again.
Lady: Happy New Year,
how are you doing?
Potpourri: I am Ok
Lady: Ok Baby, send me airtime
na, please, MTN or Airtel.
Potpour-
By Imanuel Jannah
Nigerian comedian Bright Okpocha popularly
called Basketmouth has revealed why his comedy
shows abroad have been hugely successful.
Basketmouth told Peter Okocha during an interview on BBC
News program –Focus on Africa – which was monitored by
Vanguard Potpourri that the universality of his jokes was the
reason why his jokes are well received abroad.
He said: “I try as much as possible to
make my materials universal. So that way,
I don’t goof. When I come the UK to do
my gigs or even in America, I try as much
as possible to avoid saying anything
about Nigeria. These guys don’t know
anything about Nigeria. My jokes are
always universal, which is the reason I
can easily break into those grounds.”
Basketmouth
ri: I thought
you are
more sophisticated
than
this. It’s unladylike
to beg
from a man
you haven’t
met.
Since then,
she has disappeared
from the radar.
End of
story.
Real Romangoddess
On-the-rise Nollywood actress, Colette Orji, who
is today seen as one of the sexiest women in the
movie industry has revealed, in a social media rant, the
battle she had to fight some bullies because of her small
boobs in her adolescent years.
At age eleven, the actress said, some girls in her
school decided to take on her, in a bid to find out if
she really had boobs at all. According to her, at that
age, she was practically flat chested and some bullies
in the school thought it wasn’t natural and thus,
embarked on a mission to expose her.
In her words: So, I was just eleven years old (11) when
I entered secondary school & both girls & boys wouldn’t
let me be. A group of girls after having a meeting me ,
finally sent their executive branch to expose me on the
subject matter. ‘Collette Nkem, We have concluded and
we want to know why you don’t have BREAST ‘ they
told me. Is it because you are tying your breast so you
look like you don’t have bobi ( boobs )?”
Anita Joseph, Ejine Okoroafor celebrate birthdays
Romangoddess
as Blessing
Umunna on
Fcaebook
Ejine Okoroafor
Actress Colette Orji reveals survival battle
over her small boobs
When they decided to get rough she elected to meet
them fire for fire.
“ I was silent, not sure what to respond to all those
accusations or even how to respond & crowd was
building up. Amidst the crowd was a friend , her name
withheld, she walked to me & said Coco, you have no
right to let these girls bully you into silence. - the girls
actually charged towards me to find out why my chest
was too flat. - this was actually inside the main market
. I couldn’t take it no more, I charged and pushed
back the girl who was closest to me ( name withheld;
she’s reading this ýÿ% ) - the others
fled ! - the escaped goat (
girl) begged for her release (
her crowd had left her behind).
I was never bullied
again in secondary school till
i got to high school,” she recounts
Anita Joseph
Potpourri darlings; Nollywood
divas, Anita Joseph and Ejine
Okoroafor are birthday mates and
friends too. They both celebrated
their birthdays on January 4, 2017
with different touches that oozed of
class and panache.
As soon as the day broke,pictures
of the two divas littered the social
media with thousands of their
friends and fans bathing them with
prayers and praises. Potpourri
wishes them happy birthday.
Colette Orji

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 15
Celebrity wedding
bells Nigerians
waiting to hear
Falz and Simi
BY JULIET EBIRIM AND ROTIMI AGBANA
Flavour and Chidimma
Flavour and Chidinma’s on-screen chemistry is
something that is undeniable and this has led
many to believe that a sizzling romance must
be going on between both celebrity superstars. Their
kiss in the music video for ‘Ololufe’ went on to stamp
this notion in the minds of their fans. Also, during a
performance at Phynofest in Onitsha, the two further
fueled rumours by kissing on stage.
Late last year, Chidimma who has 1.6 million
followers on Instagram, deleted all the photos on her
page except the photos and videos which have singer
Flavour in them.
Though Flavour has two baby mamas, there is
every chance that he and Chidinma, would make the
perfect celebrity couple.
Falz and Simi
It’s nobody’s fault to think that Simi and Falz
could possibly be dating. The comic rapper and
fast rising singer have an amazing chemistry both in
their songs and performances which has led many to
believe that they are in a relationship.
But despite the huge pressure from fans, requesting
for an explanation of what is going on between them,
due to exclusive romantic photos they’ve been
releasing lately. Falz and Simi have thrown fans into
more confusion as they continue to churn out more
photos, which many concluded to be their prewedding
photos.
Burna Boy and Cynthia Morgan
Tongues have continued to wag over the dating
rumour trailing top Nigerian music act, Cynthia
Morgan and Burna Boy. While cozy photos of the duo
surfaced online some time ago, the duo gave a hint
when Burna Boy took to his Instagram page to send a
shout out to Cynthia when she celebrated her
birthday.
‘Happy birthday mami. Ur the sweetest,’ he posted
and moments later, the ‘German Juice’ singer
dropped a response which read, ‘thank you bubbles,
luhhhhh (love) you papi’.
Cynthia Morgan seemingly made a confirmation
when she shared photos of her kissing the ‘Don
Gorgon’ singer. While many expressed surprise over
the revelation, others claim the relationship
between them is only a professional one with no
Ojay Wright &
Moyo Lawal
•Flavour and Chidimma
strings attached. Only time will tell if the
relationship will beyond that.
Ojay Wright and Moyo Lawal
Junk-in-the-trunk actress, Moyo Lawal, and
Ojayy Wright, the second son of veteran
Burna Boy and Cynthia Morgan
Nollywood actress, Bukky Wright, have
been fuelling suspicions that they seem
to be an item. Though they have not
openly confirmed their tryst or made any
statement to this effect, we can confirm
that the two were seen a couple of times
in the company of each other at
entertainment events in 2016, such as
AFRIMA village and Felabration.
Though the suspected love birds have
been quite discreet about their affinity,
but feelers believe the two are an item.
I intend to make money, win awards from The
Three Wise Men — Opa Williams
•Opa Williams
BY ROTIMI AGBANA
Ace Nollywood movie
producer, Opa Williams, is
gunning for the skies with the
premiere of his latest movie,
The Three Wise Men, a comic
movie which deals with serious
issues of life. The talented
movie-maker who premiered
the movie late last year, says
as a business man he hopes to
make a lot of money and bag
some awards to decorate his
hall of fame as part of his
gains from the movie. Speaking
during an exclusive interview,
Opa Williams hilariously
told Potpourri what he expects to
gain from filming The Three Wise
Men. “Two things I want to clinch
from the filming of this movie are
awards and money”, he said hilariously.
As to what inspired the movie,
title, and the cast, he had interesting
responses. “We all think we are
wise, but do you know if a decision
you take is a wise one? So I just
thought I should name the movie
The Three Wise Men, because in
life whatever situation you find
yourself you must take a decision,
be it good or bad.”
According to him, RMD, Zack
Orji and Victor Olaotan were just
the best choice of cast for the roles
they all played in the movie. “I
was looking for people that can
interpret roles, which is very key,
not because they are popular, but
because they are able to imbibe
the role into themselves and later
bring it out. I sat down and decided
on RMD, Zack Orji and
Victor Olaotan because they were
the best for the roles. Another
thing is that, whatever we do, we
are in business, we know who
sells, sometimes you bring in a
star and they give you a wishywashy
movie and then it flops, but
if you are able to get a good story,
a good star, a good production
value, and then you are up.”

PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
saving lives
C
M
YK
PROTECTING AN ORGAN THAT T PERFORMS OVER 500 FUNCTIONS
Your liver won’t leave
you if you live well
BY SOLA OGUNDIPE
The human liver is a
wondrous organ. It has
some 500 critical jobs. It
works very hard but gets
little credit. For your liver,
that’s all in a day’s work. Each day, it
makes bile, converts nutrients from
diet, cleans toxins from blood, breaks
down fats, alcohol and medications,
controls blood sugar and hormone
levels, stores iron, adjusts cholesterol
levels, builds proteins, stores sugar for
when you really need it and regulates
hormone levels, and much more.
Your liver is the second-largest
organ in your body. You can’t live a
week without your liver. Your liver
health may not be top of mind, but the
minute it malfunctioned there
wouldn’t be much else on your mind.
Cirrhosis in which liver cells are
replaced with scar tissue, can prevent
your liver from doing its critical jobs.
So can nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease, a fast-growing epidemic
among the obese, which can lead to
cirrhosis. If your liver stopped
working, toxins would accumulate,
you couldn’t digest your food and
medications would never leave your
body.
Symptoms
You shouldn’t wait for symptoms to
appear to begin paying attention to
the possibility of liver disease.
You don’t want to turn yellow with
jaundice or feel pain in your upper
right abdomen because those are
signs your liver is already very sick. It
is far better to stop liver disease before
it gets too serious.
Exposure to toxins
While the liver is responsible for
Just because a
supplement is labeled as
“natural” doesn’t mean
it’s good for you —
many herbs and
supplements have been
associated with liver
damage. Taking more
than one medicine or
herb that acts on the liver
may compound the issue
cleaning toxins from the blood,
overexposure to toxins can be
harmful. Read warning labels on
chemicals you use around the house,
and wash fruits and vegetables before
consumption to ensure you’re not
digesting pesticides.
Buy clean fruits and greens
Just because a supplement is
labeled as “natural” doesn’t mean it’s
good for you — many herbs and
supplements have been associated
with liver damage. Taking more than
one medicine or herb that acts on the
liver may compound the issue. Tell
your doctor about every medication
and supplement you take, even
occasional or over-the-counter
remedies.
Obesity risk
Obesity significantly increases your
risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty
liver disease. Fat in the liver can cause
inflammation, which may lead to the
development of fibrosis and
cirrhosis. Due to the rising epidemic
of obesity, the prevalence of
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is
rapidly increasing and is expected to
overtake hepatitis C as the leading
indication for liver transplant.
Family history
Whether you or a family member has
experienced liver disease, you may be
more vulnerable to liver conditions.
For example, hepatitis B or C are
risk factors for liver cancer. If a close
relative ever had a genetic liver
disease, then you should watch out for
symptoms. If you or an immediate
family member has had liver disease,
you’ll need to avoid alcohol. Make a
liver enzyme test part of your annual
physical.
Beware of detox products and liver
cleansers
Liver cleanses have not been proven
to treat existing liver damage. Though
liver cleanses are packaged to claim
that they’re a cure-all for daily liver
health and overindulgence, they are
not recommended because many are
unregulated and not adequately
tested in clinical trials. For
overindulgence of alcohol or food, less
is always best when it comes to liver
health, and cleanses have not been
proven to rid your body of damage from
excess consumption. Many liver
detoxification products are also sold
as weight loss cleanses. However, there
are no clinical data to support the
efficacy of these cleanses. In fact, some
dietary supplements can actually
cause harm to the liver by leading to
drug-induced injury and should thus
be used with caution.
Protect your liver
There are many preventive steps you
can take to protect yourself against
liver disease. Take note of the
following:
Minimise alcohol intake - If you
think only lifelong, falling-down
drunks get cirrhosis of the liver —
you’re mistaken. Just four ounces a day
of hard liquor for men (two for women)
can begin to scar your liver. On a
routine basis, men should not consume
more than three drinks per day, and
women should not consume more than
two drinks per day to prevent the
development of alcoholic liver disease.
Alcohol fatty liver which causes liver
inflammation, eventual scarring and
liver cancer, is a process that begins on
as little as four drinks a day for men
and two for women. By the time you
show symptoms, your liver may be
damaged beyond repair. The good
news: people who stop drinking at the
fatty liver stage may find their
condition reversing.
Avoid weight gain - Maintain your
Body Mass Index in the normal range
(18 to 25) by eating healthy and
exercising on a regular basis to
decrease your risk of developing
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Exercise and eat right.
Eat right - Fatty liver disease is the
world’s fastest growing reason for
needing a liver transplant. As with
alcoholic fatty liver, it can be reversed
at the “fatty” stage by cutting simple
carbohydrates like bread and sugar
and eating more fruits, vegetables and
protein.
Don’t engage in risky behavior -
To avoid the risk of acquiring viral
hepatitis, do not engage in behaviors
such as illicit drug use or having
unprotected sex with multiple
partners.
Know your risk factors - If you
have the risk factors for liver disease,
it’s important to go for screening, as
chronic liver disease can be silent for
years and go unrecognized. These
include excessive alcohol use, family
history of liver disease, risk factors for
hepatitis C, a history of tattoos inked
in an unregulated setting, etc.
Prevent hepatitis infection -
Hepatitis A and B are viral diseases of
the liver. While many children have
now been immunized, many adults
have not. Ask your doctor if you are at
risk.
Practice safe sex - Hepatitis B and
C can develop into chronic conditions
that may eventually destroy your liver.
They are transmitted by blood and
other bodily fluids.
Wash your hands - Hepatitis A is
spread through contact with
contaminated food or water.
The liver represents the human
body’s primary filtration system,
converting toxins into waste products,
cleansing blood, and metabolizing
nutrients and medications to provide
the body with some of its most
important proteins. It is a fundamental
part of the body’s overall regulation
hence it’s paramount to keep your liver
healthy by limiting overindulgence.
Ultimately, the best thing you can do
to keep your liver healthy is to treat it
well. Avoid frequent overconsumption
of food and alcohol, maintain a
healthy diet and exercise regimen,
and get screened if you have liver
disease risk factors. If you do have liver
damage, work with your physician to
come up with the healthiest and safest
plan for your personal needs.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 17
healthyliving
WHY CIGARETTE AND
PREGNANCY DON’T MIX
Quit that
smoking
environment
or your
unborn
baby dies
BY CHIOMAOBINNA
When NgoziUgonna’sblood
laboratory test result
revealed she was
pregnant, her joy knew no
bounds. The smile on her
face as the news was broken to her after
three years of childlessness was
infections. No one in her family needed a
soothsayer to know that something
extraordinary has happened in her life.
Her husband, Eddie, was equally elated.
Over and over again,he went through the
lab result. He was happy that, at last, his
yearning for a baby was being realised.
As weeks rolled by, the hope of the couple
grew.
But, unexpectedly, Ugonna’s excitement
was cut short. At precisely 20 weeks
gestation, she lost the pregnancy. Findings
showed that a major contributor to the loss
was her smoking habits. Even before
marriage, Ugonna had been a heavy
smoker.
She had had been smoking since her
first year in the university. Efforts by her
husband to make her drop the habit failed
as she claimed she couldn’t do without at
least a stick of cigarette every day.
But little did she know that cigarettes
contain dangerous chemicals, including
nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar that
can significantly increase the risk of
pregnancy complications, some of which
can be fatal for the mother and the baby.
Simply put, cigarettes and pregnancy
don’t mix.
Ugonna’s woes began one morning
when she could not feel the usual
Just like most
pregnant women,
Grace had no
inclination of the
negative implications
of the smoke she
usually inhaled while
her husband smoked
until she had a
preterm birth
movement of the foetus (baby). This
prompted her visit to her doctor. The
doctor listened to the baby’s heartbeat
using a handheld ultrasound device
called a doppler. Sadly, there was no
heartbeat.
Ugonna was heartbroken. The doctor
recommended an ultrasound scan
immediately. Sadly, it was discovered
that the baby had died. Ugonna had a
stillbirth. Available statistics showed
that about 1 in 160 pregnancies end in
stillbirth.
According to the United States Centres
for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC,
smoking raises the likelihood of both
early miscarriage and stillbirth. The
dangerous chemicals in cigarettes are
often to blame and such was the fate of
Ugonna’s pregnancy.
Thousands of women are faced with the
same challenge including women whose
husbands are smokers or those who live
in a smoking environment. Findings
showed that second-hand smoke is
dangerous to the foetus. Grace Egbe, 32,
whose husband’s addiction to smoking
almost destroyed her life and that of her
unborn child, is a classic example.
Grace, a mother of two, almost lost her
life while she was pregnant for her third
child, no thanks to “second-hand smoke”,
also called environmental tobacco
smoke. Second-hand smoke is the
combination of smoke from the burning
end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed
out by smokers. Second-hand smoke
contains more than 7,000 chemicals.
Hundreds are toxic and about 70 can
cause cancer.
Harm from ‘show of love’
Just like most pregnant women, Grace
had no inclination of the negative
implications of the smoke she usually
inhaled while her husband smoked until
she had a preterm birth.
No doubt, every couple enjoys the
company of one another. Grace’s case was
no different. She was always at the beck
and call of the husband as they usually
sat together while her husband smoked.
Out of ignorance, Grace was enjoying his
company even in pregnancy. But little
did she know that what she termed as
‘show of love’ could harm her and her
unborn child.
Five months into her pregnancy, she
was diagnosed of placenta previa.
Smoking has been identified as a risk
factor for placenta previa. Placenta
previa is when the placenta stays in the
lower part of the uterus, partially or fully
covering the cervix. When this happens,
the placenta often tears, causing excessive
bleeding and depriving the foetus of vital
nutrients and oxygen.
In ideal situation, during pregnancy,
the placenta normally grows in the uterus
towards the top of the womb and this
leaves the cervix open for delivery.
Unfortunately, Grace’s case was
different.
Upon discovery, her doctors placed her
on bed rest to see if the placenta will
revert. While still battling with the
problem, she developed placenta
abruption, a condition in which the
placenta separates from the uterus before
childbirth.
At this point, Grace had severe
bleeding and her life and that of her baby
were threatened. The doctors handling
her case became worried. Further
medical investigations were conducted
on her. In the course of taking her
history, it was discovered that Grace was
a second-hand smoker. While
responding to questions posed by her
Continues on page 18
C
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PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
Quit that smoking environment
or your unborn baby dies
healthyliving
Continued from page 17
doctors, Grace confirmed that his husband
smoked in the house frequently.
Although, Grace was puzzled as to why
that should be a factor in her case, the
doctors made her to understand that
although she was not a smoker, inhaling
smoke from a smoker or staying in a
smoking environment made her a secondhand
smoker and it was dangerous to her
and the baby.
Efforts to save her pregnancy proved
abortive since there is no surgery or
treatment to reattach the placenta. With
the development, the baby was no longer
getting enough nutrients and oxygen to
stay alive in the uterous because studies
have shown that placenta is the lifeline
structure that forms during pregnancy to
provide the foetus with nutrients and
oxygen.
Although, immediate medical attention
may have helped increase the chance of
Grace having a healthy birth despite
placenta abruption, she was not lucky.
She had preterm birth.
Her baby was born premature at seven
months with low birth weight. As if that
was not enough trouble for the family, her
baby also had congenital heart defects.
Today, their baby is one of many children
born with various birth defects due to
ignorance about the dangers of cigarettes
smoking.
Infant deaths
Smoking during pregnancy results in
more than 1,000 infant deaths annually.
Second-hand smoke in adults can lead to
coronary heart disease, stroke and lung
cancer.
Today, 10 percent of women report that
they smoked during the last three months
of pregnancy despite available evidence
which showed that smoking during
pregnancy raises the risk of babies being
born with birth defects such as cleft lip
and cleft palate as well as Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), one of the most common neurobehavioral
disorders of childhood. About
one baby in 10 has the disorder.
It has been established that secondhand
smoke causes numerous health
problems in infants and children,
including more frequent and severe
asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear
infections, and Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS).
According to a consultant cardiologist
and Head, Paediatric Cardiology Unit,
Lagos University Teaching Hospital,
LUTH, Professor Christy Okoroma,
studies have shown that 35 percent of
pregnant smokers risk baby heart defect.
Okoroma explained that congenital
heart disease is a major birth defect and
the most dangerous because it can kill a
child. “For every 1,000 live births, you
have 8 to 10 children with congenital
defects. The commonest is specifically the
one known as hole-in-the-heart. The
burden is huge if for every 1000 live
births between 8 and 10 are affected, it is
a major problem,”the consultant
cardiologist said.
“Unfortunately, the heart begins to form
early in pregnancy, sometimes even
before the mother knows that she is
pregnant. You can imagine while the
heart is forming and the mother is already
consuming alcohol with herbs and other
concoctions or inhaling cigarette smoke?”
Lagos State Commissioner for Health,
DrJide Idris, during an activity to mark
“World No Tobacco Day,” said women
comprise 20 percent of the world’s one
billion smokers and, in pregnancy,
smokers are at higher risk of
miscarriages, complications of pregnancy
including bleeding during pregnancy,
detachments of the placenta, premature
birth and etopic pregnancy. “Low birth
weight babies, congenital defects and
still births are also common occurrences,
“he added.
Health watchers say
for people who are
concerned about
smoking in
pregnancy, the hard
truth is that although
quitting smoking can be
hard, it is one of the best
ways a woman can
protect herself and her
baby’s health
A renowned cardiologist and President,
Nigeria Heart Foundation, NHF, Dr.
Kingsley Akinroye, also explained that
scientific evidence is available that
nicotine, contained in cigarette smoke, is
a health danger for pregnant woman and
‘developing’ babies in the womb and can
damage the babies developing blood
vessels, brain and lungs.
“Smoking can negatively affect the
development of the placenta, because it
could reduce the blood flow to the foetus
from the mother; with less delivery of
oxygen and nutrient to the foetus.
Therefore, the foetus will not be able to
grow fully, and develop. Such babies may
also develop thickening of the blood
vessels (arteries) in adult age with
concomitant development of
cardiovascular disease,” he stated.
To Akinroye, there are many risks from
smoking before and during pregnancy, so
it is important that women do not smoke
before during and after their reproductive
years.
According to the journal PLoS One,
nicotine in cigarettes can cause
contractions in the fallopian tubes. These
contractions can prevent an embryo from
passing through. One possible result of
this is an ectopic pregnancy. This
happens when a fertilized egg implants
outside of the uterus, either in the
fallopian tube or in the abdomen. In this
situation, the embryo must be removed
to avoid life-threatening complications to
the mother.
Health watchers say for people who are
concerned about smoking in pregnancy,
the hard truth is that although quitting
smoking can be hard, it is one of the best
ways a woman can protect herself and her
baby’s health.
What you should know about smoking
in pregnancy
*Smoking makes it harder for a woman
to get pregnant.
Women who smoke during pregnancy
are more likely than other women to have
a miscarriage.
*Smoking can cause problems with the
placenta—the source of the baby’s food
and oxygen during pregnancy. For
example, the placenta can separate from
the womb too early, causing bleeding,
which is dangerous to the mother and
baby.
*Smoking during pregnancy can cause
a baby to be born too early or to have low
birth weight.
* Smoking during and after pregnancy
is a risk factor for SIDS.
*Babies born to women who smoke are
more likely to have certain birth defects,
like cleft lip or cleft palate.
C
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SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017 — PAGE 19
Husbands who bring out the worst in their wives!
SOME years back, a
close friend invited
three of her friends to
lunch to mark her husband’s
birthday. Just the five of us,
she warned on the phone - a
subtle way of telling us not to
even think of bringing any
hangers-on to her ‘exclusive’
do. We all three knew Bose
and her no- nonsense
attitude. Even Oba, her
husband tread on egg-shells
whenever she was in her foul
mood - which was often.
Anyway, we were all looking
forward to what we imagined
would be a delicious spread
of local and foreign dishes -
Bose, whatever her fault, was
a darn good cook.
We were a bit on guard
when Oba was the one who
welcomed us as we pressed
the bell, screaming ‘Bose,
Bose, your friends are here o!’
Bose appeared, dressed in
pants and a very sexy blouse,
a defiant look on her face. In
the mean-time, no aroma of
any kind wafted from the
kitchen.
“If my friends are here nko?”
Bose sneered. “It is your
birthday, you entertain them”
. The gist of it was there was
no celebratory lunch of any
kind. Bose glared at her
husband, yelling she hadn’t
done any shopping and she
wasn’t up to cooking anything
- all of us should go and stuff
ourselves!
As she flauced out of the
living room, her eldest
daughter surfaced, looking
extremely embarrassed. But
Oba quickly took charge. He
gave some money to her
daughter to make a quick dash
to the nearest fast-food spot
and get us some assortment of
food. Then with Bose still
raving and ranting, he served
the food his daughter brought
back in the formal dining room
as if it was the most delicious
feast in the world, all the while
regaling us with entertaining
stories as if nothing was
remotely out of the ordinary.
Now, were we surprised by
this turn of event? Not in the
least. We were all aware of
Bose and Oba’s volatile
marriage. Bose often attacked
her husband, subjecting him
to a string of battering. Oba
often regaled us with tales of
how he was scratched,
punched and even hit over the
head with a bottle, as well as
having the windscreen of a
favourite vehicle smashed by
his excessively jealous wife.
The rows were never-ending
and spilled into his official
duties. On one occasion, he
alleged Bose was waiting for
him outside his office after
he’d just finished a meeting
with his key staff. “When I
came out,” he said, she
confronted me about
something and when I didn’t
give her the type of answer
she sought, she sank her teeth
into my hand.”
Another time, Oba claimed
Bose threw a glass of wine all
over his best agbada. “I’d been
getting ready for this wedding
reception which I was to chair.
At the last minute,” Bose opted
out because we had some
disagreement and I went to the
toilet to put some final
adjustment to my cap. When she
charged into the toilet to speak
to me, I gave her some smart
answer, and this really brought
her back up. She went back to the
room, picked up the glass of red
wine I was sipping and threw it
all over my clothes ... “
The million dollars question
really is: Does Oba bring out the
worst in his wife? Bose might
have a volatile temper but it
seems Oba often feeds on that to
show her up as a cantankerous
woman. Once they had a tiff and
it came to light Bose was enraged
because he found a love letter in
her husband’s briefcase. “You
knew there was the likelihood of
her finding the letter so why did
you bring it home, I asked him
as soon as Bose left the room. He
shrugged, a mischievous glint in
his eyes.
Bose had always told her friends
Oba was a very difficult man to
live with. That his ‘throwaway'
comments were always meant to
be hurtful and they get under her
skin - and there is nothing some
women like more than a blazing
row to prove that their men are
at least paying attention to them.
Oba admits he could be hurtful
and selfish at times.
But how does that make me
different from most men whose
wives don’t beat them up?”
Despite
Bose’s
‘unreasonableness’, Oba remains
fond of his wife. To every one on
the outside looking in, Oba is not
a villain but a real gentleman
being constantly maltreated by
his wife. But then, they are not
married to him!
Take Each Day As It Comes
Last year certainly lived to the
billing of a Leap Year. What a
year! And whatever happened to
the resolutions you made? It must
have all flown out of the window
with the ‘change’ mantra!
It’s New Year dear readers,
instead of concentrating on
making yet more moneyremember
the MMM ponsi
scheme disaster - why not
concentrate on improving your
love-life and your relationship
with your family? Take each day
as it comes and resolve to make
love more often no matter how
insufferable your partner! Life
is short, judging by those who
didn’t make it into the New
Year.
But for the rest of us who
did, Happy New Year once
again. Don’t rush
into anything. Who knows,
this might be your year of
testimony yet!
08052201867(Text Only)
Massage your abdominals with the Twist Pose
The Twist
Technique
Sitting down on your
practice mat or rug with legs
stretched out in front of you,
bend the right knee and cross
the right leg over the left thigh
with the foot firmly planted
down.
Now, bring the left hand to
This posture helps
with the lateral
flexibility of the spine.
It gives an effective
massage to the
abdominal organs,
that way improving
digestion and
elimination
•The Twist Pose
clutch the outside of the right
thigh with the pit of the elbow
against the right knee. Place
the right hand at the lower
back with the palm on lap.
Look over the right shoulder
holding high the head and
turn the trunk rightwards.
Breathe deeply. Hold the pose
for a slow count to 10 and
repeat on the other side with
similar arrangements of the
hands.
Benefits:
This posture helps with the
lateral flexibility of the spine.
It gives an effective massage
to the abdominal organs, that
way improving digestion and
elimination. It also positively
affects the kidneys.
•The Twist Pose
Yoga Classes
STARTED
Physical Therapy Centre
@ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola,
Victoria Island Lagos.
9.00am — 10.00am
on Saturdays
C
M
Y
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PAGE 20— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
08056180152, SMS only
Why it pays to have hubby’s mistress on your side!
WHILE some wives hang
on to a marriage
despite abuse
bothering on ‘intimate
terrorism’, quite a few who value
their pride draw the line on how
much they can take from a
marriage before packing their
bags - children and all. “One
rainy day seven years ago,I
recalled Freida, a hugely
successful business woman, “an
amateur detective mission I’d set
myself came to fruition. I had
amassed the clues and everyshred
of evidence. I was closing
in on the slut who was sleeping
with my husband.
“My heart was virtually in my
throat as the moment
approached when I would finally
confront her. The other woman.
The mistress. My husband’s bit
on the side. Whatever name I
chose to call her, she amounted
to the same thing. She was the
woman with whom my husband,
Deji, was conducting an affair.
The woman for whom he was
willing to sacrifice our almost ten
years of marriage and a happy
home we’d built for our three
children. And there she was,
walking the length and breath of
this fairly posh hotel as a
supervisor. A staff member had
discreetly pointed her to me and
I walked up to her. ‘Are you
Linda?’ I asked this slim tall
woman with badly done hair
extensions. I was really surprised
at what I saw.
She was slim, tall and at least
nine years younger than me. Her
look of blank perflexing turned
to shock when I told her, “I’m
Freida, your lover’s wife.’ She
looked really lost for words as she
scanned the faces of other hotel
guests.
“Until I came face to face with
Linda, I’d envisaged Deji’s
mistress as a younger and more
successful version of me. Yet here
she was in bend-down jeans, a
fake designer handbag and a
cheap vest top. I felt relieved but
also perplexed, that she wasn’t
what I call his type. She was
several inches taller than him for
a start. I simply couldn’t picture
them together.
She was dumb-struck. She
meekly followed me to a cheaper
eatery near the hotel after her
manager agreed she could come
with me for half an hour.
‘I knew it was a matter of time
before you found out’, she
spluttered as soon as we found a
discreet corner to sit. ‘He was
very careless with how we
conducted the affair.’ She then
proceeded to tell me everything.
She’d met Deji in the restaurant of
the hotel where she worked.
They’d been sleeping together for
more than nine months and she
was almost 20 years his junior. I
bled her for every detail, bar
intimate sexual ones, which, for
the sake of my already shredded
confidence, I didn’t want to know.
She told me Deji had fed her all
the usual cliches: his wife didn’t
understand him and we were more
like brother and sister. I shuddered
with indignation when she
revealed how he had told her the
insulting lie that I wore leggings
to bed to avoid sex!
“She looked at me with some sort
of awe as she admitted. ‘You’re
really pretty!’ Deji had clearly
enjoyed embroidering the fiction
that I had long since stopped
bothering about my appearance.
“So, how did I find myself in this
fast -food spot talking to the
woman who was sleeping with my
husband? To understand why I was
suspicious of my husband, you
need to understand the
background. I met Deji when I was
in my mid 20s and already a proud
owner of a big retail outlet. Then
in his late 30s, he had attended all
the good schools at home and
abroad.
He was suave, attentive and selfassured:
a typical product of his
elite education and privileged
background. He was in the
foreign office and we travelled
extensively after we got married.
Five years after we got married,
he resigned to set up his own
consultancy in Abuja where we
had our own house. Then he got
a couple of big clients in Lagos
and after spending a fortune on
hotels, he bought a service flat.
“He quickly established two
separate lives. During the week,
he was the sleek, jovial
businessman in Lagos. At home,
however, he became erratic and
unpredictable. He’d be vile to
me and short with the children.
Then, each Monday evening
and back in Lagos, he would
call me to apologise, promising:
We’ll have a lovely time next
weekend.”
But the story cycle would
repeat itself. I made a huge
effort to ensure that when he got
home, the house was sparkling,
the children in bed and a
sumptuous meal was waiting
for him. I tried to keep our sex
life going, which was difficult
when your partner is repeatedly
unkind to you .’
“In the end, I accused him of
having an affair after yet
another row when he’d been
particularly obnoxious. He
snorted and told me if I was so
convinced that he was, I should
provide the proof. Luck was on
my side soon after. While sorting
out his laundry, I found a receipt
and booking confirmation in his
trousers pocket for an hotel room
for the following Wednesday. He
wasn’t due in Lagos that day as
he’d had to attend another twoday
meeting in another state.
“Leaving the nanny in charge,
I decided to go to the flat and left
by the morning flight. There, in
the master bedroom was all the
evidence I needed: Make-up and
women’s skin-care products. On
the bedside table was a handwritten
card saying; Deji Dear, I
always love intimate moments,
love, Linda”. I was shocked. I had
to meet this woman who’d even
had the audacity to write the note
on the hotel note-let. Talking to
her now, it dawned on me we had
met before. A year ago, I’d join
Deji at the restaurant of the hotel
where she worked and she’d
served us drinks. She even asked
if I was Deji’s wife. I had joked
with her that she probably saw
more of him than I did. How
ironic those words seemed now.
“As we talked, both our mobile
phones had rung. Deji was on his
way to the flat believing Linda
was on her way to meet him. He
had also tried to call me. His
messages became frantic when
neither of us answered.
Finally, I picked up my phone,
our conversation took place in
full earshot of Linda. When he
asked where I was, 1 hit him
where it hurts: ‘You’ll never guess
who I’m having a drink with...
Linda’. Listening to his blustering
on the phone sent me into a rage.
‘For Christ’s sake, it’s not even as
if she’s classy’ I spat. ‘I could hay
understood that. But she’s got
really bad taste. I would have
thought that if you were going to
have an affair, you would have at
least chosen someone appealing.’
Cutting him off. I told Linda she
was welcome to him and left
holding back the tears.
“Deji was unrepentant when he
showed up the following day.
Astonishingly, despite the
incontrovertible evidence, he
still maintained it was just a fling
and scuff at my heart-broken
reaction. Men all over the world
do what he’d done, he told me
and their wives looked the other
way. Why couldn’t I do the same
thing? For a start, 1 wasn’t that
type of wife and I opted out of the
marriage. Deji tried everything in
the book to turn everyone against
me – friends, family, colleagues -
by attempting to persuade
anyone who would listen that I
had driven him to adultery.
Sadly, there were some who
believed him.
“We were divorced two years
later, but by the time the divorce
came through, I’d completely
gone off him. From these
doldrums though, came
unexpected happiness. A mutual
friend put me in touch with Tony,
an old friend who used to work
with me before I got married.
Instantly, my life changed for the
better. A widower,we got married
almost immediately and now
have a child together. Deji still
lives in the Lagos flat with Linda.
She and I have formed an
unlikely alliance, as she acts as
an intermediary when my
children visit their father.
“I don’t think there’s anything
she’s done that requires
forgiveness. The confrontation I
had with her set the course for
the rest of my life. In a way, my
husband’s mistress has made me
happier than I ever imagined
possible ... “
Clever By Half! (Humour}
A guy is in a bar playing
snooker. He whispers something
to his friends, then walks over to
the bartender and asks for a shot
of tequila. After he takes the shot,
he says to the bartender: “I’d like
to make a bet with you.” “Sure -
I’m in a betting mood,” the
bartender replies. So the man
bets the bartender N10,000 that
he can wee in the shot glass
placed all the way across the
room, and fill it up without
spilling a drop. “I’ll take the bet,”
the bartender says.
So the man walks to the other
side of the room and puts down
the shot glass. He then goes back
to the bartender and starts
weeing. But he doesn’t get a
single drop in the glass. He wees
all over the bar, the bar stools,
and even splashing the bartender
himself.
As the last dribble finally dies
away, the bartender laughs out
loud and says:
“That was rubbish. You owe me
N10,000.” The man pays up with
a big smile on his face. The
bartender asks: “How come
you’re so happy?” “Well,” the
man replies, “you see those five
guys by the pools table? I bet them
N3,000 each I could wee all over
your bar and you’d laugh about
it.”
YOUR column to express your loving thoughts in
words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it
flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel.
Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor,
Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail:
sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope:
“LOVE NOTES"
Happy New Year!
When love intrudes a heart, it leaves
sentiments and compassion which are the
bed-rock of compromise; when hatred
intrudes a heart, it leaves bitterness and
furry which nurse charade. Choose
integrity, for love with integrity seems
hatred till it yields and hatred with
integrity means love when it's dawn.
Happy new year to the world.
Akegh Jacob
jakegh15@gmail.com,
08186915871.
It's you or nobody
I doubt I'm saying "I want you and you alone
for the rest of my life" but I am saying if you
were a drink, you would be my favorite drink.
If you were food you would be my favorite food.
If you were a place, you would be my favorite
place. Screw it! That's what I'm saying, All I
want is you and only you, I can't have someone
else.
Prince Johnson,
shunkul@yahoo.com
09052570138
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 21
C
M
YK
What’s the essence of
Christmas?
The celebration of
Christmas without a revelation of
Christmas is always counterproductive.
If you have a revelation
of Christmas, you will
realize that when you
c e l e b r a t e
somebody’s
birthday, you don’t
c e l e b r a t e
according to
where or how he
was born. So if you
are going to
celebrate Jesus,
you must take note
of His status. He is
the King of kings;
He’s the Lord of
lords. Nobody sees
him now and
somebody needs
to tell you to bow.
And that’s the
capacity in which
He’s to be
celebrated. As the
King of kings,
He’s a liberator.
If people are sick and they are yet
to be healed, people are in sorrow
and yet to be comforted, there’s no
meaningful celebration of
Christmas. A lot of people don’t
know that in the Bible, there’s what
we call another gospel, another
Jesus and another spirit. That’s
why in Galatians 3:1, Apostle Paul
said: “Oh foolish Galatians, who
has bewitched you?” And he began
to warn them against preaching
another Jesus.
A lot of Nigerians are not aware
that there’s another Jesus created
by Satan to look like the original.
So when you are not able to
differentiate between the celebrant
Jesus Christ and another Jesus,
you end up with another spirit and
another gospel. Let me give you
proof of another Jesus. Find out the
time of the year when unwanted
pregnancies increase; when
bloodshed due to robbery
increases; when disappointments
increases; when STDs and HIV
increase; when envies, jealousies
and strife increase. It will coincide
with the celebration of Christmas.
It is actually not the celebration of
Christmas. What you are seeing
actually is the budget of another
Jesus.
What I’m trying to point out is that
it is dangerous. Many people die,
many get infected with venereal
diseases, many get drunk with free
alcohol at the same period and end
up either disabled or dead. Is that
the celebration of Jesus Christ? A
lot of young boys borrow guns and
go into armed robbery because
they can’t go to the village with
nothing to show. Pressure is on
them and so they go into crime.
I am a follower of persons like
Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first
African bishop. I believe the
Church should be the light of the
world. And once we vacate the role
we are supposed to play, the salt
can no longer be salt, the light can
no longer shine and there will be
perpetuation of poverty and
shame. If we do our job right, we
may end up saving somebody’s life
at Christmas. Most people are in
debt in January. If you celebrate
the genuine Jesus properly, you
will be in credit in January.
Does that mean that the
celebration of Christmas on
December 25 amounts to nothing?
The Bible says some men
esteem one day above others, some
esteem one day to be equal. What
the Bible says is that the one who
esteems one day above others, as
AMID ‘HUGE DROP IN
OFFERING IN CHURCHES’
If you look at the
make up of Nigeria
today, because of
lack of wisdom and
lack of counsel,
Nigeria is about
the past, not about
the future
long as he esteems it to the Lord, it
is acceptable. The one that does not
esteem that day, as long as the
situation is also unto the Lord,
there’s no cause for alarm. Believe
me, if you want to celebrate
Christmas on January 1, as long as
we are going to glorify Jesus Christ,
let us esteem the Lord together with
you.
Does it mean that December 25 is
irrelevant?
No! It’s not irrelevant. What I’m
saying is this; Romans 14:5 says
one man esteems one day above
another, another esteems everyday
alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. He that
regards the day regards it unto the
Lord, and he that regards not the
day unto the Lord, does not regard
it. So what it is saying is this, it is
good to celebrate December 25 if
you choose that it is December 25,
which a lot of people will show you
historically may not be very
accurate. But it is irrelevant that it
is not historically accurate. What
matters is that you esteem the day
to worship God and esteem Jesus
Christ. Once you are doing that,
God likes it. But what God is also
saying is that He will now find some
people who say ‘no we don’t like
December 25'. Let that man not
despise the person who likes
December 25. Do whatever you like
but let the honor be to God. Let us
enjoy Christmas, let us celebrate it
but be careful so that you don’t end
up celebrating the wrong Jesus.
Our religious
leaders are
corrupt
—Rev. Ladi Thompson
REVEREND Oladimeji (Ladi) Thompson is the founder/Senior Pastor of
Lagos-based Living Waters Unlimited Church and the international coordinator
of Macedonian Initiative, a non-government, nondenominational
organization established to provide succour for Christians
persecuted because of their belief in Jesus. He is also a security consultant.
In this interview, Thompson says unless a deliberate collaboration between
the government, the Church and the Mosque was put in place to rid the
nation of corruption, there is not much hope for Nigeria. Excerpts…..
A lot of children learn gluttony at
Christmas. You will see a child at
Christmas, he has eaten and eaten
and his belly is full. We are not
meant to be teaching children
gluttony at Christmas. The fact that
we are celebrating Jesus Christ
alone tells you that we need to
instruct them how to grow up well.
It’s a season of peace, joy, love and
fellowship.
This is ABC of the faith. We
should enjoy, but don’t let the
enjoyment turn into lasciviousness,
let it not end in HIV. We have to
separate another Jesus from Jesus
Christ. For instance, if Benson &
Hedges is doing a Christmas party,
it’s Christmas party. Because the
tobacco company has done
research and they found out that if
you don’t smoke till you are about
20, you are not likely to smoke
again throughout your life. So in
this kind of season, they usually
will organize a big party and they
will give out free cigarettes; why?
To lure young people to smoke for
the first time. So, when a tobacco
company, for instance, say they are
celebrating Christmas with the
celebrant the genuine Jesus, when
tobacco kills globally more than
car accidents every year, it is an
irony. But we don’t seem to
understand that in this country.
You were saying something like,
if a certain generation of
Nigerians don’t die, Nigeria won’t
live….
God puts a woman inside a girl
and He puts a man inside a boy.
And when the condition arises, He
will bring the woman out of the
girl. So a nation like Nigeria, when
we first started, God put a
champion inside the nation. Now,
you may have potentials; for
instance, you might have the
pawpaw tree or orange tree. If you
plant the orange tree properly,
there will be harvest. The harvest
will be good. Nigeria is such a
blessed country that at one time
somebody calculated that every
Nigerian citizen could be a
millionaire if the resources of
Nigeria were properly managed.
But people have been so beaten
that imagination has been killed.
About 20 years ago, I went to see
my brother in America. I saw his
gardener driving a Mercedes
Benz in which he put his tools. I
was laughing that this gardener
had gone to rent a Benz and my
brother looked at me and said
that was his car. This was 20 years
ago.
I was surprised that a gardener
had a Mercedes Benz and my
brother said if we went to his
house, he had a swimming pool.
So when you look at Nigeria
today, look at the potentials of
what we can have, look at the
sentence of life put on certain
generations. Now let me start with
those generations. In my
generation, we saw a lot of things
in Nigeria; that was when the
naira was almost equal to one
pound; we saw the change of
currency. When we were in the
university, they will serve you
almost a whole chicken on
Sunday. This was a generation
that saw wealth. But we have
forgotten that there are many
younger generations right now
and do you know how many
Nigerians, Ghanaians and young
Africans are crossing deserts to
escape to Europe everyday?
If you look at the make up of
Nigeria today, because of lack of
wisdom and lack of counsel,
Nigeria is about the past, not
about the future. The last confab
was dominated by old people. All
the people who filled there to
discuss the future, less than five
per cent of them represent the
future.
Old ideas
I was in secondary school when
Olusegun Obasanjo was military
leader of this country and I was
so encouraged when he spoke
about leaders of tomorrow. We
now looked and we discovered
that our children are almost
average children and yet they are
still leaders of tomorrow. The
painful part of it is this; today, you
cannot run any good economy or
Continues on page 22

PAGE 22— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
Continued from page 21
any nation properly using old ideas. I
feel sorry for youths in Nigeria when
people talk about agriculture or going
back to the farm. The person who’s
talking will never allow his own child
to go back to the farm.
Already there’s a negative
connotation to going back to the farm
in the society. You mean there’s such
a lack of wisdom and the leaders
don’t know that you have to give
esteem to a profession and give
dignity of labor. Now this is a terrible
thing. Two states in Nigeria can feed
Africa using modern technology of
farming. A lot of foreign companies
have gotten into Nigeria already
and they’ve gone into states where
it seemed that nothing had grown
there before and they are turning up
bumper harvest now. Why are you
telling our young men to go back to
farm when you can engage
technology and use two states in
Nigeria to feed Africa—not
Nigeria—with surplus just by
thinking. Instead, we are telling
these young men who are thinking
of going into music, sports, they are
not even interested in education
anymore or trying to feed the country.
You see in the news recently many
young men kidnapping young girls
and using them for rituals. Haven’t you
seen what they call devaluation of
human worth? The devaluation is going
on, on a daily basis.
Until the leadership of the country
and the Church realize that we must be
about the future, not the past, we are
wasting everybody’s time. Zukkerberg
came to Nigeria; they should have
locked him down here. Uber has given
about 5,000 jobs in Lagos State alone.
The owner of Uber doesn’t own one car.
They created a program. You call Uber
on your phone, he arrives. You don’t
give him any money because the
account is linked to your bank account.
He picks you, drops you, you rate his
driving and the journey, the money is
deducted from your account to the Uber
account. From the Uber account at the
month end, they pay the owner of the
car directly and pay the young man
directly. Do you know how many jobs
they created like that?
This is the digital age. When it comes
to job creation, if you lack wisdom, you
are just going to punish the children for
nothing. Zukkerberg who started
Facebook came to Nigeria and they let
him go with a handshake. They should
have tied him down and ask him what
do we do for job creation? If you are to
buy medicine in America, most likely
the person on the phone who is going
to arrange the drug is from India.
They’ve outsourced all those jobs. So
you can go to India now and you will
see a hallful of over 5,000 people just
with phones. They are working on
orders around the world. You will not
know, except from their accent, that
they are from India.
Paradigm shift
Until a generation that is
enlightened, I can tell you that within
six months, we can bring a naira to one
dollar like Buhari promised. It’s
possible. But what it takes is what is
called repentance, paradigm shift. If
we can effect that in Church leadership
and political leadership, you will watch
your children buy their first car at age
17, brand new car.
At this time of the year, everybody
starts looking on to prophets on how
the year is going to go. Let me give you
a secret. From the day the star of Jesus
arose, that star announced a change in
the configuration of the spiritual realm
and that change is this, no longer do
you look for the future of anything in
any other place, the future of mankind
is in the star of Jesus Christ. What God
created originally was now restored. If
you want to know what your future is,
•Thompson ... People are
saying they want
corruption back
‘Our religious
leaders are
corrupt’
There’s a conspiracy
between the Church,
the Mosque and
politics to loot the
nation. Offering has
hugely dropped in
most churches and
mosques. Everybody
now finds out that the
whole of Nigeria is run
on corruption money
and somebody says let me look at
your future, it’s a lie, he’s a
satanist. From God’s original
packaging, the future of anything
is inside that thing. That’s why the
future of a seed is inside the seed.
You can’t be a pawpaw seed and
become a mango tree.
A future that is not inside you
cannot come out. So, when you meet
anybody who has good spiritual
understanding and he looks at you
and says let us pray and tells you
point blank that this is where you are
going but you have a choice to make.
We have filled the seats with mumbo
jumbo here. Satan always has his
own list of what is going to happen
in 2017. I always laugh at the
quotations I read in newspapers that
come from the list that Satan releases.
Do you know Satan also has a
budget? What is the most common
item on the list that Satan releases
every year? People are going to die
in 2017. Does Jesus deal in death?
Any prophecy you see where the
major prophecies come from
people are going to die, what they
did was that in the realm of the
spirit, they accessed Satan’s
budget for 2017. This is
elementary Christian faith.
Nigeria is a great nation. We
have a great future ahead of us.
The Bible says to everything
there is a season and a time to
every purpose. Anybody who
wants to understand the
thing of the spirit must be
ready to understand seasons
and purposes. For instance,
cross-over every year, some
people think that by
praying for one hour in
church will determine
what will happen in the
new year. God will just be
laughing at you. If you
plant cocoa, it takes
three to five years for
the first harvest of
cocoa. Let us say
cocoa is a good thing
that you have
planted in your life
and maybe you
planted that seed
of righteousness
five years ago in
2011 or 2012, it
means that no matter
what anybody says, in 2017, you
are going to harvest for the first
time what God has been
nurturing for you. But the harvest
period for that particular
blessing is five years in the realm
of the spirit and every season
after that, you are going to keep
harvesting from that thing you
did many years ago.
In every new year, there are
three things that will always
happen. The harvest of many
years that have been planted
before whose time of harvest
happens to be that new year,
those ones are there. If you don’t
pay attention to them, you will
never really understand why the
year is going like that. Two, there
are some things you are going
to do in that new year, the harvest
is going to come in that year.
Tomato takes weeks to bring
harvest. These are the spiritual
principles. These are spiritual
dimensions. These are the
things that you have to
understand when you become a
believer so that you can take care
of your family properly so that
your own life too will bring forth
its fruit in its own season.
The only things that also
happen that nobody can change
are the things that God has
ordained before the creation of
the world for a particular season
and a particular time.
Do you think anything good
can come out of Christians
joining politics?
The word politics means to
contend. What politics is in the
modern era is what Saul was in
the Old Testament. In the Old
Testament, to establish the will of
God, they will attack them, you
will fight them back, God will
help you to kill them. Now to
make sure there’s no more
violence in the world, God
ensured that things become
civilized to the point that instead
of fighting for resources, you use
your vote to determine how
resources will go. So, what
voting does really is to tell you
how the money will be spent,
who gets what and where it goes.
That’s the real meaning of
politics. Politics translates your
belief into action. That’s why in
a state where you declare
Shar’ia, politics has interpreted
your faith into action for you.
When Europeans came, they
came with this version of
Christian faith that thought that
politics is so dirty so don’t go there.
Now, what you are saying is that
‘leadership is very dirty, son don’t
go there’.
When you give up leadership
and it goes to the wrong persons,
why are you blaming anybody if
they do what is in their mind? This
is the challenge of Nigeria right
now. If you have a tree of
corruption, corruption is not a
crime in Nigeria, it’s a culture. If
you have an evil tree, do you kill
that evil tree by cutting the leaf or
by removing the root?
In the level of leadership in the
Church, we have the insight to
know where the problem really
comes from. If we want to play to
the gallery, we will be doing PRO
job by giving out bags of rice and
taking photographs with people.
Is that where the problem is? You
need to have a deep
understanding of what the real
problem is. A culture is a result of
a program. The major force that
determines a program in a nation
is the religious leadership. If we
leave the programming, then we
distribute things and show
everybody what we’ve done, Jesus
Christ is watching.
Let’s call a spade a spade. All
these public relations churches
are doing all over the place is to
divert attention away from where
the real problem is. There’s a
conspiracy between the Church,
the Mosque and politics to loot the
nation. Offering has hugely
dropped in most churches and
mosques. Everybody now finds
out that the whole of Nigeria is
run on corruption money.
Let me tell you point blank,
people are saying they want
corruption back and the people
who are leading the chorus are the
religious leaders.
So how are we going to talk to
journalists that we should
sacrifice? We are all believers.
Infant mortality rate in Nigeria
is second highest. Boko Haram
has been suppressed to a point
now; they are going to blossom
again. It will be like a joke when
they start expanding again if
corruption does not go. If
corruption does not go, if you have
relatives and friends in Ghana,
start talking to them because that
may be your best bet. When we first
raised the alarm about Islamism,
‘Boko Haram is coming, bombs
are coming’, even the places we
went to, they said it couldn’t be as
bad as that. I met a bishop who was
preaching prosperity and I told
him he was not supposed to be
preaching prosperity. He met me
in Abuja and said he had cars and
money but he could not leave his
house to go to the bank to collect
his money. And he could not eat
the cars in the garage.
There’s one pastor I spoke with
in Jos, he’s in London now. We
had a meeting in parliament and
he said ‘when I first met Pastor Ladi,
I hated him’. He said when I came
to Jos I told them that bloodshed was
coming and at that time there was
no sign of bloodshed. He said he
just thought ‘what nonsense is this
man coming to say here now’. The
next year was when the bloodshed
started. The next year I came back
with aid, assistance and counsel.
One bishop told me, ‘give us guns’.
I had to tell him that the people
planning against you have planned
for over 35 years. ‘You can’t plan in
15 minutes’. They didn’t listen.
They killed two Muslims. The
traditional press took up the case.
What we are up against, may God
help us.
C
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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 23
PDP: FROM A RULING PARTY TO A PARTY IN TATTERS
Our headache as opposition
party — Bode George
•Warns Buhari on N-Delta: Tread softly
•Reminisces at 71: We also had Area Fathers in Lagos
BY DAPO AKINREFON
CHIEF Olabode Ibiyinka
George celebrated his
71st birthday recently.
George, a former Deputy
National Chairman of the
People's Democratic Party, PDP, in
this encounter, bares his mind on
the state of the nation, the
mistakes made by the PDP in the
2015 general elections and the
way forward for Nigeria and his
party. Excerpts:
At 71, how has the journey
been?
Most times, I get emotional.
Whither Nigeria? I remember my
youthful days, we were very
hopeful, we had a very
wonderful upbringing. As
a young man growing up
in Lagos with my
parents, there was
hope. Though we
were yet to get
independence at
that time, the
British were in
charge of the
political affairs of
this nation, all
we wanted to do
was to get
education and
you know for real that the future
was bright.
When you are outside the box,
I mean outside the country, you
will be able to look at your nation
without bias and you can easily
come to certain conclusion.
When I came back to Nigeria, I
was a little depressed. I remember
in 1952 during the first election, I
was with my father marking the
little papers of the election. My
great grandmother, Mrs. Aganga
Williams, came from Herbert
Macaulay stock. So my mother's
side has been very heavily
involved in politics. I never knew
I would end up myself in politics
but my papa was traversing the
length and breadth of Nigeria
trying to fight the colonial
masters; he was imprisoned on so
many trivial issues just to break
him but he was unbroken.
So that kind of picture, that kind
of drive was in us. Of course
Lagos was not as heavily
populated as it is now and you
know Western Region extended
to Fadeyi and Idi Oro in Mushin.
Lagos Island, Mainland, Surulere
came up later when they were
building Eko Bridge. So it was
closely knit, everybody knew
everybody’s else .
Area Boys in Lagos
The concept of Area Boys came
from Omo Adugbo, you know we
used to enjoy as groups playing
football. Isale Igangan was our
local stadium, little Campos
Square was another local stadium.
•Bode George
We had Area Fathers
and Area Boys but
everything has all
been twisted now. The
connotation Area
Boys now is a terrible
thing
Rascality was an odd thing then.
What is it that is driving our youths
today? I have been thinking that if,
in another 20 years from now, I am 71
now, what would this country look
like? I want to bare my mind because,
at this age, the Bible says three scores
and ten, that is our official years.
Anything after 70 you are alive by the
grace of the Almighty. If you can’t say
your mind on issues now, when will
you say it? You can be called home
(heaven) anytime. Like I have said to
a lot of people, the more you grow
old the more you are religious. A
passage in the Bible read in my
Church on Sunday, Amos 5 verses
22-24, was striking to me, very
relevant for this country. It says let
justice roll like a stream and let
righteousness flow like a river that will
never dry up. These are two very
salient statements.
With the two statements, I started
thinking, even the neighbourhood
communal living that we grew into
has stopped. We had Area Fathers
and Area Boys but everything has
all been twisted now. The
connotation Area Boys now is a
terrible thing. The policing then
came naturally; if your neighbour
saw your child somewhere he was
not supposed to be, he will take
him home and say, 'I don’t know
what your son was doing there and
I brought him back to you'. So,
everybody took care of everybody.
But what do you find these days? If
you are lucky you are not
kidnapped, you are not picked for
rituals. So, where are we going?
Nigeria is endowed and nothing
happens without the blessing of the
Almighty God . As a Christian,
nothing happens without God’s
knowledge. So, God, having done
that for us, are we still really uniting
as a country? This is what has been
agitating my mind and, on my
birthday today, I said let me come
out of my submarine mood.“You
know as a naval officer, when a
submarine, especially a nuclear
submarine, dives, there are certain
levels because of the echoes, it is
not a vacuum but, because of the
configuration of the underwater, it
knows the best place to hide and
be there hours un-end and
surface ship would be moving
round and round trying to locate it.
So I said let me be in that
submarine mood and watch. So
many topical issues nowadays have
come to the fore. You know
Abraham Lincoln said that it is
not when everything is rosy that
you know who are leaders, it is
when there is tribulation and those
that stand up then are the real
leaders. What Abraham Lincoln said
at that time is as still relevant today
as it was then. So where are we
going as a nation? And this is not
politics now.
Yes I belong to the PDP but, at
the same time, General Buhari and
I belong to a very important profession
in this country and that is the military.
I also retired as a general and when
I sit back, I keep thinking, what is
happening?
I looked at the issue of Boko
Haram, the issue of corruption. I
have listened to the issue of the
judiciary and watched the
movements, the comments of the
generality of Nigerians regarding our
own brothers and sisters from the
South-South, the oil producing
region. My advice to President
Buhari, who is my senior in the
military, is softly, softly.
On the crisis in the Niger Delta
Those people who live in that area
are also Nigerians, they are not
enemies. The degradation in the
place is disturbing. The late President
Yar'Adua went into a dialogue and
came up with a solution to improve the
lives of the region's youths. Many of
them are abroad studying to become
professionals in various fields.
Jonathan continued from where
Yar'Adua stopped but most of them are
now stranded in some of the
universities.
Now, thinking as an economist, that
area is the source of our revenue, our
oil production has dropped massively
and that is affecting the income of this
country. If you now look at how much
it will take to sustain those youths in
the universities versus how much we
are losing income, there is need for
dialogue.
I plead with the President, as a staff
officer, as his junior and as a naval
officer, the area will not augur well for
any warfare, he should reconsider his
stance.
As a political leader, he loses
nothing by encouraging all citizens
for better life. If we don't have income,
how would they do all the social
services required for the majority of
Nigerians?
I have seen both military and
democratic governments, but the
beauty of a democratic government
is that you must dialogue, you must
reach out, you must listen; otherwise
it becomes a monotony. Democracy is
not a monotony, it is a creation of
dialogue.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you
lose. That is one major concern for
me as a Nigerian at this age.
On 2015 polls
During the last general elections,
we (PDP) erred; we made a
fundamental mistake but there is
nobody who is above mistake.
What kind of mistake?
We made many mistakes, the way
the elections were conducted but that
is for our internal consumption. I
want to accept that we made
mistakes.
So, it is okay to say the choice of
Senator Modu Sheriff was a
mistake?
It was a monumental mistake.
Sheriff is my friend. It takes one crazy
person to throw a stone in the well,
but one million professors will not be
able to bring out that stone. That is
where we have found ourselves now.
There will be tribulations.
In the same manner, an issue
happened at Ifako-Ijaiye (Lagos)
where, during your party's primary,
a female aspirant won the election
by 22 votes; the first runner up, also
a woman, got five votes. The latter
was, however, declared winner of
the primary. What happened?
We have made our report but,
personally, I would never stand for
illegality or injustice. I have spoken
with the Acting Chairman of the
Caretaker Committee and the
Continues on page 24

PAGE 24— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
Bode George to Buhari on N-Delta: Tread softly
Continued from page 23
representative of the South-West
and I believe there is still room for
mediation. We cannot afford
conflagration in Lagos because
Lagos is the largest pool of
registered votes. We have six
million voters in Lagos alone
because Lagos is now a mini-
Nigeria.
We are not in Aso Rock Villa,
which means that the police, INEC,
DSS and other agencies are not
under our control, they are all
under the executive. We don't
have such opportunity.
We must present our party
in a manner that will endear
us to the masses. If they decide that
this is the direction that they are
going, all the agencies I mentioned
earlier cannot stop them. I am
pleading that we should not go
through that path, we must be
careful.
I was at the National Secretariat
of the PDP for ten years. Once there
is no justice in what you are doing,
you are creating a big hole for
yourself. That is my stand. We have
made representations and we are
all waiting to know why the woman
who won was disqualified. But I
urge that we tread careful so that
we don't follow the party of perfidy.
With all these happenings in the
party, what is the future of the PDP?
It is very bright. Let us go back to
how this party was formed. You
NIGERIANS IN CHINA CRY OUT
Bode George...We are
determined to fix PDP
know the founding fathers of the
party, Chief Bola Ige, Alex
Ekwueme, among others, operated
under the same political roof. If you
check well, since 1952, all political
parties were based purely on tribe.
We had the Action Group in the
Western Region, Northern People's
Congress in the North, the NCNC
dominated Lagos but Chief Nnamdi
Azikiwe went back home and formed
his party. All the parties then were
tribal parties.
Somehow, when Abacha was
military Head of State and he wanted
to become life President, some people
came together and rejected the idea.
That was the beginning of the
discussion. How could you imagine
Alhaji Abubakar Rimi from Kano
being with Malam Adamu Ciroma in
the same party? But they all came
‘Drug traffickers are robbing
us of privileges’
By VERA ANYAGAFU & PRISCA
SAM-DURU
At a forum organised by the Nigerian
community in China to address the
thriving illicit trade on drugs and its effects
on not just China-Nigeria bilateral
relationship, but also on Nigerians living
and doing business in China, the President,
Good Governance Initiative (GGI), Mr.
Festus Mbisiogu, while saying 85 per cent
of Nigerians believe that China exerts
positive influence on the social and
economic development in Nigeria,
explained that China and Nigeria, as
partners, are not deserving of any bad
image the growing malaise of drug
trafficking may rob on both nations’
integrity.
In this interview, Festus, who also
disclosed that whereas Nigerians
transactions in Guangdong Province alone
in China are in the region of $5,000,000 a
day, Nigerians continue to suffer the worst
form of stereotyping in China and many
other countries abroad in addition to being
placed on various diplomatic restrictions.
How do you describe China-Nigeria
bilateral relations?
Both countries are committed to realising
a long lasting bilateral relationship and, as
the Nigeria-China cooperation continues to
grow, there are over 50 Chinese official
development finance projects identified in
Nigeria which cut across rail, power and
telecommunications within the last 10 years.
But the underlying fact which Nigerians in
China have failed to grasp is that Nigerian
immigrants in China should have been the
direct recipients of these benefits of trade
development and mutual cooperation.
China looks up to Nigeria as a model of
trade and economic development to boost
•Festus Mbisiogu
its cooperation with Africa. At present,
there over 2,000 registered Chinese
businesses and companies in Nigeria
alone and China seeks, avenues of
mutual person-to-person cooperation
between its nationals, business owners
and Nigerian citizens.
Why are Nigerians placed on
diplomatic restrictions in China?
Today, because of the involvement of
some Nigerian citizens in drug trafficking
in China and other places, we cannot
truly say that the consummate benefits
of this relationship are robbing off on all
of us. Rather we are being profiled on
daily basis and denied some privileges
which ordinarily should come with our
residing in this country.
It is knowledge in the public domain
that because of this involvement in
together and, when Abacha passed on,
they felt it would be nice to form a
political party.
I have campaigned round this
country,
there is no
village you
won't hear of
the PDP. The
party has a
very deep
tap root;
otherwise we
would have
gone under.
This little
tribulation, to
me, should
serve as a
lesson. Would
you abandon your house because it is
leaking and build another one?
I am using this metaphorically so that
you can understand the problems of
running away. The best thing we can
do is to strengthen the PDP and we
are now in the process. You must
accommodate everybody because
democracy is all about debates.
Those who ran out of the PDP
headed for the APC due to one issue
or the other. A committee has been set
up to go round and reach out to them,
remember I described the APC as a
congregation of strange bed-fellows.
They are in government alright but is
the government in them? Where are
they now?
The old men who founded the PDP
had the experiences of the 1950s, the
1960s, the first republic, the second
and the military interregnum. Some
drugs, by some miscreants, all of
us are paying a heavy price for it.
Like our people say, when one
finger is dipped in the red oil, it
will automatically affect all the
other fingers even when they do
not want to be rubbed with oil.
However due to our abusive
tendencies to law and order we
are on a daily basis denied these
benefits and are instead placed on
diplomatic restrictions.
Would you say it is partly the reason
Nigerians are denied resident permit and/
or visa extension?
In Guangdong Province, Nigerians are
no longer given resident permit. There is
also no visa extension. Nigerians who are
married and residing in China are not
given resident permit. That is why many
of us do not have our families here with
us. Our citizens who come here to study
cannot get resident permit and are not
allowed to work unlike the citizens of other
countries. There is no doubt that illicit
drugs and trafficking undermine state
authority and the rule of law by fuelling
corruption, compromising elections, and
hurting the legitimate economy and
significant impact on the livelihood and
quality of life, particularly the poor, our
women and children including all of us
here, because one way or the other, we
are involved.
What can the Nigerian authority in China
do in this regard?
I plead with the Nigerian embassy in
China to find every means to look into the
affairs of the many Nigerian citizens present
here. The community gathering, known as
“Nigerian Union”, is vey paramount. We are
a communal people and China recognizes
the impact of our community gathering, as it
aids control and management of the
numerous Nigerian immigrants resident or
transacting businesses across China. Our
embassy authorities should help in creating
a platform of legality in the leadership of the
Nigerian community. This I believe will aid
all our efforts to harness the activities of many
Nigerian citizens who are here in China for
different purposes. Although, the embassy
may not be able to follow the activities of
of them even landed before military
tribunals but they survived. They came
up with the six geo-political zones and,
as a practitioner, what sustained our party
and democracy in this country for 16
years, was this issue of Turn-by-Turn
Nigeria Limited. It was a brilliant concept
and that brought peace. We made some
mistakes but we have learned from the
mistakes.
That is why we set up the committee to
ensure that those who left the party can
return. We are doing our repairs of the
house and with the background of the
mistakes made in the past and then represent
ourselves to Nigerians.
Are you saying a new party is not
possible?
I wish those planning a new party the best
of luck. Let them start it. Do you know how
long it takes to start something to become a
colossus? It takes time, even we have not
fully developed yet. We are now knowing
what it means to be in the opposition, that
it is a different process of learning.
What if it comes in form of alignment, will
you be part of it?
Aligning to where? In politics, a political
party is like a police station, you don't shut
your doors. If you go to a police station, it is
always open, you do not shut the doors. We
have set up a committee to go round and
talk to those who left the party but which
party has that tap root that is national?
There is a movement to ensure that your
zone-South-West-is not short changed.
It is a brilliant idea but where are they
heading to? The South-West alone cannot
win the Villa, no zone alone can win the
Villa; you have to network and, going by
the concept of our party, you know what
will come to you.
every Nigerian, a legal platform of the
Nigeria Union in countries of abode can
combat some of the excesses of a few
robbing us the immense benefits of our
cooperation with host countries.
What advice do you have for fellow
Diaspora Nigerians?
We should all rise and say no to drugs
because drugs and crime undermine
development by eroding social and human
capital. The direct impact of victimization,
discrimination, image problem as well as
fear of crime impedes the socio-economic
development of all. It leads to restriction of
movements as already highlighted by the
position of Chinese authorities on some of
us here in China. It also impedes access to
possible employment and educational
opportunities, and it discourages the
accumulation of assets.
Nigerian citizens used to be the most
favourite of China’s selection of Africans to
partner with in business and other mutual
relationship but these unlawful behaviors
robbed the average Nigerian immigrant
and businessman in China that privilege.
The negative effects of illicit drug
trafficking and unlawful behaviors go
beyond the shores of China. I can’t
remember any former drug dealer who
is at peace with the proceeds made from
drug trafficking whether for himself,
children and family; therefore why
should you continue to plot your own
ruin in life? We all must rise to say no to
drugs. Nigerians must rise to say no to
drugs. Let me emphasize here that
religion has become a part of our cultural
values, and, since it plays a major
influence on how we value life, I urge
religious leaders to help discourage the
temptation but encourage true blessings
when we work hard, pray and trust God.
As much as we are foreigners in China
and have come here with the sole intent
to succeed and take wealth home, the
issue of clash of interest and partisan
politics among Nigerian citizens, whom
I believe all have genuine intentions to
help to organize their fellow brothers and
sisters, should not be viewed in the
negative but to be encouraged to take a
formal approach with due respect to the
laws of the land.

Get busy with God
2017 is already on. A
week is gone and we
are left with 51
weeks. Brethren, what have
you decided to do this year?
I suggest we get busy with
God. Get busy with God
and God will also be busy
responding to issues of
concern to you.
For those who live in busy
cities like Lagos, they often
get busy with everything
except the Lord. People
are in a hurry to do so many
things but almost never in
a hurry to relate closely with
God. This season calls
for a change of attitude from
us all.
Some may say, ‘I have
everything going fine for me,
why should I be busy with
God?’ There are a
thousand and one reasons
why we have go get busy with
God.
The first is that no one
knows what 2017 has in stock
for individuals, organizations
or even countries. However,
what is most certain is that the
year must have its good and
ugly. In the name of Jesus, only
Abraham’s blessings will be
your portion.
Are you on the sick bed
struggling to be healed?
Remember there is a great
physician. The Doctor of
doctors; Jesus. Look unto
him and your health will
be restored in Jesus name.
Are you a grandma ,
disturbed that your son or
daughter who has been
married for years is yet to be
blessed with the fruit of the
womb? Get on your knees and
pray ceaselessly for the couple
and Lord will surprise your
family in Jesus name.
In other families, parents
are worried that their
daughters of marriageable
age are till single.
Rather than worry, take
in the word of the Lord in
Genesis 2 vs. 18 King James
Version:” And the Lord God
said , it is not good that the
man should be alone ; I
will make him an help meet
for him”. Man in this context
refers to the man and woman.
There is a general
assumption that it is only
ladies who have this
challenge. Not true. I have
come across men who have
this challenge too.
As parents, what we should
do is to remind God of his
promise and get those
concerned to be part of this
prayer.
Declutter that Burden
- 8 Easy Strategies
How to get busy with God
Getting busy with the Lord
could be done in several
ways. The first step is
prayer. Prayer must go
with the word of God. While
praying, we need to buttress
our point with the word of
God. This , can only be done
by those who are familiar with
the word. Your familiarity
with the word of God is an
important key to your
breakthrough. Within your
busy schedule, you must
find time to familiarize with
the Word of God.
For instance, if you spend
long hours on the road,
listen to message tapes from
credible men of God. As
your ears pick the message,
your Spirit too will pick the
message and something is
bound to change for you in
name of Jesus.
Let’s hear from the Holy
Spirit - I refer to the response
of our Lord Jesus Christ while
responding to a question from
one of his disciples. Let’s
consider John 14 verses 23
“ Jesus answered and
said unto him, If a man love
me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode
with him”. Brethren if God
abides with you, that sickness
will disappear. If God
abides with you, that dull
business will receive a boost.
Verses 24 to 27 “He that
loveth me not keepeth not my
sayings: and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the
Father’s which sent me.
These things have I spoken
unto you, being yet present
with you”.
Our emphasis is verses 26
and 27 “ But the Comforter,
which is Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your
remembrance , whatsoever I
have said unto you”. When the
Holy Spirit teaches you all
things and you obey completely,
definitely you will be a star
Your familiarity with
the word of God is an
important key to your
breakthrough. Within
your busy schedule,
you must find time
to familiarize with the
Word of God
SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 25
among your mates.
Verse 27 “ Peace I leave with
you, may peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart
be troubled , neither let it be
afraid”.
Brethren, let’s pay attention to
the last sentence : “ Let not
your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid”.
As human beings we are
sometimes troubled by
challenges. A woman whose
home is tension soaked for a
number of reasons is likely to
be troubled. An employee
whose office is set to downsize
will not just be troubled , he is
afraid of the future without a
job. We have several
reasons why we are troubled but
we must find the courage to
keep our minds at peace and
it is only the Lord Jesus that
gives such peace.
Remember, he is the Prince
of Peace. He commanded
that the storm be still and it
was still.
In the name of Jesus; the
name that is above all
names, every storm in your
life shall cease this year.
God will give you all round
peace. Put your mind
at rest in the Lord and you
will have rest from all
challenges .
Let’s look instances in
the Holy Bible where the
Holy Ghost spoke . New
International Version of the
Holy Bible “While they were
worshiping the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to
which I have called them.”.
Note they were
worshipping the Lord and
fasting. Worship could be
in form of praise singing and
or prayer. Fasting is
quite clear. It is a period
of self-denial. We must
find time to keep ourselves
busy with worship or
fasting . Both are
ideal. However, the point
here is that the Holy Spirit
speaks.
When we hear the still
small voice; the voice of the
Holy Spirit and obey
completely, our
breakthrough is sure.
Make your mind to link
up with the Holy Spirit.
Take the right steps and you
will have a smooth ride in
the journey of life. Do not
doubt. It is quite possible.
Testimonies of abound
in this area.
Our duty- It is our duty to
say good things to
ourselves. Say what you
want to be to yourself in the
quite corner of your room.
You can be sure God hears
you. Say this repeatedly
and it will manifest physically
in Jesus name.
Testimony - A couple
gave a testimony at
Laughter Foundation
Ministry when the Lord
gave them a baby boy.
What I find significant about
this testimony is that the
woman was pregnant for four
months and she didn’t know
she was pregnant. This means
she was still having her
period but according to her
husband, she continuously felt
feverish. Even though they
had been praying to have a
child, neither husband nor
wife thought it could be
pregnancy . Her doctors also
did not suspect pregnancy
but at a point, the husband
suggested she should have a
pregnancy test. Behold it
was positive and confirmed
by scan.
Brethren, God is beyond
medical science. Hold unto
him and he will give you a
pleasant surprise.
I’ll end this edition with a
quote from Pastor Peter
Olawale, assistant general
overseer (prayer) at
RCCG “ Wherever, there is
no Christ, there will be Crisis”.
Make Christ your
companion and your life will
be crisis free.
God will give you a new
beginning in Jesus name.
Once again, happy new year.
Line Your RACK :
Rack your shoes and bags
according to usage, business,
social, sporting leisure, knock
about or casual. It is easy to
stack old shoes for a long time
without wearing them. If you
believe you have worn the life
out of a pair if shoes discard
them. All shelves should be
layered according to the
desired purpose.
Welcome to the New
Year 2017, here’s
wishing it a
prosperous year ahead for
you. It is the time to discover
the new you, put the past
behind and step into the new
future. This is the season to
declutter all those things that
are silent burdens in your life,
but you just haven’t found the
opportunity to make the
difference. We all accumulate
a lot each day, week, month
and year a lot of it amounts to
sheer junk. The piling up of
huge amounts of paper
cardboard boxes and
packages doe not help either.
Whether it be your wardrobe,
kitchen store, office desk or
home study. Start by getting
rid of those seasonal greeting
cards that are one to five years
old. Take that burden off your
shoulders, buy what is relevant
to your life today, live in
today’s generation, and go
paperless where you can.
Let me share a few quick
easy strategies to overcome
this cumbersome task.
They may look easy and
cliché but until you really
delve into the exercise you
may be pleasantly surprised.
Purchase a few
CONTAINERS:
It is a good idea to invest in
a few small, medium and
large containers or boxes
before you start you’re
decluttering. This will help the
exercise be less daunting and
orderly when you begin to
sort. To help your orderliness
you can add some labels,
markers and cello tape if you
may. The containers will help
easy filing and quick
accessibility in the future.
Discover and OPEN:
Open all stored boxes,
drawers and bags that have
not been touched for
weeks, months or even
years. You may discover that
you have purchased the same
item many times all tucked
away in small corners.
Remember if you have not
opened it in a while it may not
be that important. Your
declutter exercise will reveal
to you that you actually have
so much useful things that you
really did not know or
remember about.
IDENTIFY the good and
the bad:
Distinguish old from new,
broken from fixed, needed
from unwanted. Some of
your items may be old
fashioned, outdated, expired
or damaged. Identify how
important and necessary
keeping that item will be to
you that way you will know
whether to keep, innovate or
lose. If it is still valuable to you
maximize it’s worth and do not
let it rot away.
Sift, SORT and Select
Sort your wardrobe
according to work wear and
social/ casual wear. Sort shelves
by books unwanted magazines
and papers. File all pending
letters away from executed, sort
departmental files accordingly.
Sort all drawers according to
pens, pins, pictures and papers.
When you have sorted all out
maintain this as you continue
your daily activities. Sounds
easy but just try it.
COORDINATE :
Consider colour when
coordinating your
wardrobe. Arrange shirts
and blouses, suits and
blazers according to lighter
colours first followed by
dark colours. Separate
stationary from bits of paper,
magazines from
newspapers, official
documents from private
printouts, tinned foods from
packages. You know best
what is useful to you. Colour
coordination will help you
identify what you own to
avoid searching through a
whole pack of clothes and
still never finding what you
are looking for. Place all
similar things together.
List and LABEL:
Where necessary label all
sorted boxes, label shelves and
work trays. In
arranging your boxes
ensure labelled items are
placed accordingly. Labelling
will aid identification without
having to open boxes. Ensure
your labels are clear and
boldly written.
GIVE a gift :
Express the art of giving this
2017, what you don’t need can
be gold to someone else. Give
out what you don’t need any
more to family, friends, or
charity. Giving back to the less
privileged is rewarding and a
pleasurable honour to make
someone’s life better. Gift
giving is an important
etiquette practice, so do not
take for granted. Endeavour
to give gifts regularly what
you will consider as old to you
is new to someone else.
Good luck as you open a
new chapter of life clutter free.
Executive Secretary,
Nigerian Content
Development and
Monitoring Board
(NCDMB), Simbi Wabote
(M), Chief Leemon Ikpea,
Chairman/Chief Executive
Lee Engineering and
Construction Company Ltd,
flanked by other company
staff, when Wabote took a
tour of LEE in Warri, Delta
State.
Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat
Oluranti Adebule (2nd left);
Permanent Secretary Ministry of
Education, Mr Adeshina Odeyemi
(1st left); with members of the newly
inaugurated Technical Committee on
Schools Rehabilitation. Committee
members are Mr Jacob Ashaka (1st
right), Mr Adeleke Kara (2nd right),
Mrs Arinola Odulana (3rd right) and
the Chairman of the committee, Mrs
Olabisi Ariyo (4th right) during their
inauguration at the
Secretariat,Alausa, Ikeja.

PAGE 26— SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
Cautious optimism as ‘wonder
bank’, MMM, ‘returns’ this week
BY CHARLES KUMOLU
LIKE the mixed feelings that trailed the
suspension of its activities in December
2016, members of the popular ‘wonder
bank’ scheme, Mavrodi Mundial Moneybox,
MMM, are waiting for Saturday, January 14,
2016, resumption date with cautious
optimism.
Perhaps, many would ask: What is sustaining
the participants’ interest in a scheme that saw
millions trapped in December when it was
suspended, and they are uncertain about what
January 14 holds? However, the responses of
some participants, who spoke to Sunday
Vanguard, may provide the answer.
Sunday Vanguard visited pro-MMM social
platforms which include MMM Nigeria,
MMM Nigeria Community, MMM Nigeria
Team Support and MMM Nexus Solutions, to
feel the pulse of the participants.
‘I’ m indifferent’
‘’I am just indifferent about the resumption
date because my investment is insignificant to
me. If it comes back good, if it does not, it makes
no meaning to me because I have moved on.
That does not hide the fact that I am somehow
optimistic that it would be back on the pledged
date. The model it would operate, this time, is
what I don’t know and I am less bothered,
‘’Mathew Asuzu, who lives in Lagos, said.
Joy Amasiobi has a different feeling about
the expected resumption.
She told Sunday Vanguard: ‘’It is MMM all
the way. Nothing will happen to it because they
care more about Nigerians than those, who
created the panic that led to the freezing of our
Mavros. The Federal Government that first
raised the alarm through the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, can’t tell me they care about
me; yet, the hardship that started with the
coming of this government has made Nigeria
uninhabitable. No, don’t tell me that. We are
wise enough in Nigeria to know what serves
our interest. MMM cares about me and I am
confident about getting my money when they
resume. Even our funds which some haters
described as trapped are growing within this
period. So, would you call that a scam? A
similar scheme that stopped before MMM and
later came back, paid people their money, why
will I doubt MMM that is even a bigger brand?”
‘Bad Christmas’
If Amasiobi was this confident and optimistic,
it was a mixed bag for a widow, Mrs. Patience
Igenewari, who is a petty trader. Her story
sounded pathetic given that she collected all
the money she had saved with a thrift collector
at Agboju, Lagos just to participate in the
scheme, but was among those, whose funds got
trapped.
The development, she lamented, made the
Christmas and New Year celebrations bad.
“A young man, who lives in the same
compound with me, told me about it and I
became interested. I hesitated for two months
before telling him to get me registered in
December because I needed money for
Christmas shopping for my four children. I sell
corn and yam flour at Boundary Market in
Ajegunle. I had to collect the savings I had with
a thrift collector so that I could get something
reasonable before Christmas. My brother, I
can’t describe how devastated I was when they
stopped MMM in December. My elder
daughter made it more painful because she
was angry and laughed at me because she
warned me against it. I am praying that they
don’t change their mind next (this) week, ‘’ she
said.
Asked if she would reinvest if, eventually, she
recoups her money, the Bayelsa State –born
woman, said: ‘’Am I a fool?”
Edo State-based Jennifer Ugbodu exuded
hopefulness, as she told Sunday Vanguard there
was no need for people to doubt the pledged
MMM is coming back
on January 14. I have
nothing to be afraid of.
Those saying they
would not unfreeze
our Mavros are those
who don’t mean well
date of resumption.
To her, there is nothing on the ground to
suggest that the promoters would not keep their
promise, noting that those who, she said didn’t
mean well for MMM, were behind adverse
news about MMM.
Her positive disposition ahead of the
promised de-freezing of Mavros, MMM term
for invested funds, is exceptional.
‘’MMM is coming back on January 14. I
have nothing to be afraid of. Those saying they
would not unfreeze our Mavros are those who
don’t mean well. It is even the rich who are
against it, because they have discovered that
wealth is spreading and, through that way,
social inequality will be bridged,” she stated.
‘’I am committed to MMM. That is why I
provided help during this short period. If I had
no confidence in them, I would not have done
that. It takes commitment for one to still
provide help even when many are scared. When
the Mavros are defreeze, I will remain with the
scheme. So, tell the world that we are hopeful
and most participants I know share same
optimism.”
Finish line
Writing on a Facebook page, MMM Nigeria
Community, through one Jeffery Mcintre, said:
‘’ We are few days close to the 14th of January.
We have survived the Christmas holiday period
and the massive demand for cash. And now we
are almost close to the finish line. You should
know that these few days are going to be very
difficult. It will always be a constant struggle
to stay positive. And you should also remember
that even in the darkest night there is always a
brighter day. Anything good must pass through
trials. It is also a test of our patience or
endurance, and the sustainability of MMM is
put to test. Without a shadow of doubt, I know
we will come out stronger and victorious. No
need to panic because we don’t need a pity
party. So keep celebrating the new year in style,
together we will change the world.”
Sunday Vanguard learnt that within this
period of suspended activities, some
innovation has been initiated by the promoters
to the MMM scheme.
Prominent among them is a phone number
on its website believed to be for interaction
with members. However, when Sunday
Vanguard called the number, identified by True
Caller as MMM Toll-Free Line, Lagos,
Nigeria, the call did not go through.
It has also changed the Guider’s button
which is meant for ordinary participants only.
A chat with someone on the MMM website,
who goes by the name, Consultant Ogbonna,
revealed that the status quo may not totally
remain when the scheme resumes.
He told Sunday Vanguard: ‘’ New models
and features will be available soon
Nothing of such will occur(referring to the
likelihood of using the South African model
for those, whose Mavros were frozen). MMM
Nigeria is built on solid foundation.”
Comeback
To assure subscribers of its determination to
come back better, the scheme had on December
29, 2016, issued instructions to its members.
The message as found by Sunday Vanguard
on its website reads: “We all are part of the
MMM worldwide Community. When
someone needs financial help, he or she can
ask for it and other participants will help him/
her. At the same time, being an MMM
member implies not only opportunities but
also a responsibility for the state and
development of the MMM Community.
MMM is our home, and we are responsible
for building and refining it.
“A lot of participants genuinely want to
promote MMM, spread its ideology amongst
people, though not always knowing what
exactly has to be done. Therefore we have
created a new PromoTasks section in the PO,
which is added to various tasks: online and
offline, easy and complicated, individual and
team-oriented. A member who will
perform these tasks will be benefited,
because the tasks will allow him to
attract new referrals, build his
structure (and get bonuses for that),
and it will be useful the whole
Community because more people
will learn about MMM and its
ideology. In a special section of the
MMM Personal Office, each
member will find a variety of online
and offline tasks. Tasks come with a
detailed guide which is
understandable even for
inexperienced PC users. You can
select on your own which tasks you
will be doing today – you are free to
choose any task and perform as
many tasks as you want.
“Not everything may go the way it
is supposed to when it is done for the
first time. Give it a try and do the
tasks regularly! There can be
different mistakes, but fulfilling
tasks you will learn to use social
media, forums, messengers, and
other online resources for recruiting
people to MMM and for the
creation of positive awareness about
our Community.
“For example, the task may guide
a member to join a Facebook group
and write a comment. to create
some tweets on Twitter, like a
YouTube video, share news on
Google Plus, and make your
website. There are also offline tasks:
conducting home sharings, cafe
meetings, organizing
MavroPicnics, MavroParties or
MavroGames. Doing the tasks you
contribute to the Community’s
progress. Thanks to you and other
members doing the tasks, MMM
gains more popularity in social
media and gets more registrations
and PHs. MMM needs you and
depends on your activity! Please
accomplish as many tasks as you
can and encourage others to do them
regularly as well. It is obvious that
the activity of MMM Nigeria
members is growing. MMM is very
proud of its members who are
becoming kinder and more
responsible.”
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY, 8, 2017, PAGE 27
Networking/ Sponsorship
•Oluchukwu, 25, from
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to help her get a job within
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08063779276
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08064032795
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08129511073
Links
•Eric Akpa, wants to link up
with his friends old boys of
HGC, Abed Anyadike, Cosmas
Akabueze, Remigius Mbakwe
and Christian Ononugbo.
08033264316
Friends
Searching Female
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who are intelligent, nice and
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08031811233
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friendship.08181811545
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own.07051178619, d60522d6
•Blessing, chocolate in
Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in
or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does
so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.
Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of
requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore
request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to
enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For
enquiries, text or call 08026651636
complexion, a student, average
height with a nice shape, needs
a matured man, aged 50-60, in
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of
her.08147527623,08176097518
•veronica,22,sexy, charming,
very good and fun loving, needs
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Searching Male
•Teky, 50, caring, responsible,
a graduate and employed, from
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Ben, 33, a consultant, needs a
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Account details Ogudu Charity
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COMMON SEXUAL AL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVEL
VELTY Y BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVER
VERTORIAL)
I have seen my wife flirting
with other men before. She
did not know that I saw her
and it hurt me badly because
we had a great relationship
and up until that moment, I
considered her a great mum
and a wonderful wife. I
believe she is going to cheat
on me eventually and I don’t
know what to do. I cannot eat
and I just feel very depressed
– Akanimo
I know that feeling and
anybody in your shoes will be
saddened by it. But here is the
thing. It is not too late to
confront her and put an end
to the flirting. That is the very
definition of working on a
relationship. Unfortunately in
the world of adults, these
things happen even among
good people. People are either
flirting, cheating or
fantasizing about cheating.
What stops most people from
doing it is the fear of getting
caught or the fact that they
have not yet had the
opportunity to flirt or cheat. So
talk to her about it, tell her
how you feel and that she
should stop doing it if she
wants a future for both of you.
If she is as wonderful as you
say she is, there is a chance
she will stop. Good luck –
Uche
Sir is it possible for a woman
to urinate during sex and is
that a sign of a medical
problem? Jude
Jude it is rare that a woman
feels the urge to urinate
during intercourse. Of course
women get to climax and
ejaculate large amounts of
clear fluid sometimes during
sex, but that is not urine. It is
just female ejaculate which is
often as light as water and
sometimes creamy too – Uche
I have been using the Lap
Strap Penis Enlargement Kit
I bought from you in
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I measured my penis over the
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magic especially since I
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while I asleep. Anyway, thank
you - Ajibola
I have a problem with weak
erection and even though
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sometimes they don’t work as
fast as I want. I need
something that works faster?
Thanks – Adekunle
Supplements are derived from
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But many of them work within
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is a combination of natural
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and it is also fast acting. It also
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and enlarges the penis – Uche
I will like to order the 60
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I think it is really a matter of
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Please what can help me
with vaginal dryness and
lack of sexual enjoyment?
Silifat
Get an orgasm gel and a
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Sexual enjoyment depends
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That is all for today. Adults
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For enquiries email us at
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Uche Edochie, MD, Zee
Virtual Media.
C
M
YK

PAGE 28—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
STRANDED ON NEW YEAR'S DAY
How female Nigerians,
children and I were shabbily
treated in S-Arabia by airline
– Rep Kurfi Danlami
BY YINKA AJAYI
Nigerians scheduled to be
air-lifted to Kano
on new year day were
stranded in Saudi Arabia due to
purported “non-availability” of
aircraft for the trip.
Condemning the ugly experience,
Hon. Mohammed Kurfi Danlami, a
member of the House of
Representatives (APC), Dutsin-ma/
Kurfi Federal Constituency of
Katsina State, who was among the
stranded passengers, in a telephone
conversation with journalists, said:
“For no justifiable reasons, this
flight was cancelled for two
consecutive days. The flight was
originally scheduled to take off
around 12 pm on Sunday (January
1, 2017). But the airline officials
BY EPHRAIM OSEJI
Delta State Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief
Sunny Onuesoke, has faulted the
statement made by some prominent
leaders of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) accusing the State
government of being responsible for
the hardship faced by the people of
the state.
Reacting to a statement reportedly
made by Chiefs Solomon Edojah,
Frank Kokori, Julius Okpoko and
others in a publication carried by a
local newspaper, the Delta PDP
strongman said amidst dwindling
revenue occasioned by the fall in
oil prices and pipelines vandalism,
appealed to passengers on board
that the aircraft was not fit for
the journey. We had to
disembark, despite sitting already
in the aircraft.
“Worst of it all, passengers were
left unattended to within the airport
premises. This is clearly a
breach
of
International Air
Transport
Association
(IATA) rules.
However, around
10pm, some
airline staff members came, but they only
attended to passengers who had entry
clearance visa to visit Saudi hotels; others,
including females and children among us,
were left to pass the night under severe,
painful and inhuman conditions.”
The federal parliamentarian went on:
“Monday morning again, the airline said
08116759757
there was no plane to airlift
us back to Nigeria. We were
so unfairly treated. I am not
even speaking for myself, but
for others who have no one
to defend or protect their
interests, some were even
cash-strapped. One painful
thing I noticed again was
that all the airplanes, on
display to airlift
Nigerians, were old, at
least from my physical
assessment. Meanwhile,
in the same airport, we
saw brand new aircraft
being used to transport
people from Germany,
United States, Canada etc, to
their respective destinations.
Nigerians do not deserve
this humiliation and
callous treatment.
I will make
s u r e
appropriate
steps are taken
to address this
issue when the National Assembly resumes
plenary”.
Meanwhile, the airline could not be reached
to get their own side of the story. Similarly,
the Embassy of the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques (Royal Embassy Of Saudi Arabia) in
Nigeria could also not be reached as of the time
of filing this report.
Onuesoke faults Delta leaders’ on Okowa’s administration
BY ONOZURE DANIA
A Federal High Court in Lagos has
reserved judgement in the disputed former
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp,
between the family of Beku Onimaba family
and Lagos State government, following an
application for stay of proceedings filed by
the Attorney General of the Federation and
the state government.
The court, presided over by Justice Okon
Abang, at the last sitting, informed parties
in the suit that though judgement was ready,
Lagos State had filed an application for stay
of proceedings due to its appeal challenging
the court’s jurisdiction.
The land in dispute, measuring 52.13 acres
(21,098), is situated at Igando town, on
LASU- Isheri expressway, Lagos.
Abang said the outcome of the appeal of
the application of stay of proceedings will
determine if the matter would be stayed or
judgment would be delivered.
Plaintiffs in the suit are Alhaji Ganiyu
Ige, Chief Wuka Olosunde, Joseph Bakare-
Shodeke, Alhaji Muritala Remilekun-
Shodeke, Lawal Ige, Femi Akintola- Ige and
Alhaji Wasiu Olosunde, for themselves and
on behalf of the Beku Onimaba family.
Respondents are the Minister of Youth
Development, the NYSC Director- General,
Lagos NYSC Coordinator, the Attorney
General of the Federation, the Permanent
Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau, the
Attorney General of Lagos State and
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
The family, through their lawyer, Mr. L.
B Shopeyin, said the land in dispute was to
be built and used by the National Youth
•Hon. Kurfi Danlami
Okowa administration in the past one
year had performed well.
He observed that it is wrong for the
APC leaders to put the blame on
Okowa’s administration when all indices
pointed to the fact that the hardship
created by the APC government at the
federal level is not only being felt in
Delta alone but also all over the
country.
“The astronomical increase in the
prices of commodities and services as a
result of the maladministration of the
present Federal Government had
resulted in the present hardship.
Aggrieved APC leaders in the state
should direct their grievances to Buhari
instead of Ifeanyi Okowa who had put
all machineries in the right
perspective to ensure that the
people of Delta State get the succor
he promised them,” Onuesoke
stated.
He explained that despite the
economic recession and lean
resources available, Okowa
reconstructed the state-owned
technical colleges in Agbor,
Ofagbe and Sapele, adding that
in his drive to create jobs and
empowered youths, the governor
trained 1,027 youths under the
Skills Training and
Entrepreneurship Programme
(STEP) while making provisions
for them to start their own
businesses.
Land dispute:
AGF
GF, , Lagos applications arrest t judgement
Service Corps (NYSC) as Orientation Camp.
They said that, in exercise of their
ownership rights over the land, they granted
part of it to Lagos State government for use
as NYSC Camp, but as it was not utilised,
they asked that the land be returned to them.
They further stated that in 1983 after they
were approached that the Federal
Government was interested in land in Lagos
State for use as Orientation Camp for the
NYSC scheme, the family decided to grant
the land which is now in dispute to the
government.
They said they did not grant lease or sell
any part of the family land to the defendants
The plaintiffs are seeking a
declaration that they are entitled to the
statutory right of occupancy in respect
of the land.
They went an order granting them
possession of it and an order of
perpetual injunction restraining the
defendants from destroying their
property on the land, allotting or leasing
it to anyone and constructing anything
on it or trespassing on it.
The defendants had challenged the
court’s jurisdiction to adjudicate the
case, but Abang dismissed their
objection.
Delta community assured of sustainable
peace, development
BY LUCKY OJI
The President General of
Ofuoma Community Devel
opment Union, OCDU, in
Ughelli North local government
area of Delta State, Mr. Peter Ukpejor,
has promised to sustain the
prevailing peace and to make frantic
efforts to attract infrastructural
development to the community.
Ukpejor gave the assurance at
Ofuoma community town hall,
shortly after he was sworn into office
for a three-year term by Chief
Duro Afatakpa, which was witnessed
by leaders and elders of the
community.
Ukpejor, a former secretary general of
the community, pleaded for the cooperation
of the people to enable him and
his executives deliver on their mandate,
saying,”our singular priority is to sustain
peace and attract the desired development
to Ofuoma community.”
He thanked the people of Ofuoma
community for the opportunity given his
executive to serve, assuring that they
will not disappoint the community.
He said " by the grace of God, the new
executives of Ofuoma Community Development
Union OCDU, which I am
the President General, we shall deliver
on the mandate given to us, our singular
priority is to sustain peace and attract
the desired development to Ofuoma
community"
Urhobo Democratic
Assembly demands
return of Ibori, lauds
Taiga’s election
Group under the aegis of Urhobo
Democratic Assembly (UDA) has
demanded for the final return of former
Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori
from United Kingdom after his release
from prison.
The group made this known in a
statement signed by its Publicity Secretary
and Chairman of Ughelli South LGA ,
Hon Paul Etaga, on behalf of UDA
President, Olorogun Arthur Akpowowo
and others, thanked God for the release of
Chief Ibori from United Kingdom prison
but pointed out that after the release of
Ibori from prison, the best to do is to allow
him return to Nigeria.
“They should please allow him to come
back to Nigeria. He should be forgiven his
sins if he has actually committed any and
be allowed to live as a freeman. He is not
the only one that had been found wanting
and as such he should not be treated
differently.
“We thank God for granting him
freedom. No matter what people feel about
Ibori’s predicament we are solidly behind
him. We are not complaining about what
others feel he did wrong. He is not the only
one that has mismanaged funds in
Nigeria. We the people of Delta State love
Ibori because of the development he
brought to the state during his tenure as
governor of Delta State.
Meanwhile, the group equally applauded
the recent election of Olorogun Moses
Taiga as the President General of Urhobo
Progress Union,UPU, saying it is one of the
best things that have happened to Urhobo
nation.
The group commended Urhobo monarchs
and leaders for the peaceful resolution to
Urhobo Progress Union leadership crisis by
organizing an election we saw Olorogun
Taiga emerging as the President-
General of UPU and urged aggrieved
persons to shield their swords and join
Taiga in the development of Urhobo
nation.
They expressed their gratitude to Delta
State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa
for his magnanimity and his favourable
dispossession to Urhobo nation.
Ebonyi technology village
to be sited in Uburu
A technology village is to be established
in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government
Area of Ebonyi State.
Governor David Umahi announced this
during the Umunaga-Ikenegwu Union
Day, held at his compound in Uburu.
Umahi, who thanked the people of the
town for their strong support for his
administration, said that the technology
village would provide Ebonyi youths who
are technically gifted to hone their skills
and give fillip to his administration’s
desire to develop the state in all sectors
through technology.
He added that with the technology
village, the state would become one of the
hubs for inventive activities in the country.
The governor assured that the on-going
reconstruction of the Amasiri-Okposi-
Uburu road would be completed and
asphalted this year while the construction
of most of the internal roads in Uburu and
adjoining communities would commence
soon.
Umahi also announced that the
construction of water project to serve the
entire Uburu and beyond had started.
He affirmed that his administration was
poised to establish rice mill and other
industries on the piece of land already
acquired by the Ikenegwu union.
The governor called on the people of
Uburu to embark on large scale
farming,which he said had become the
policy thrust of his administration, adding
that mechanized farming would be in
vogue in the state.
Earlier, the interim President of the
Umunaga- Ikenegwu Union,Chief Mike
Agwu Umahi, had explained that the
occasion was to thank God and celebrate
their son, Umahi, whom, he said, God used
to enthrone quality leadership in the state.
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017—29
By JAPHET ALAKAM
DRAMA
In its bid to revive the fading
Igbo culture, Obijackson
Foundation, the CSR arm of the
Obijackson Group, organised
the Face of Okija Pageant, a
music and cultural festival
aimed at rejuvenating the Igbo
culture that has been badly
eroded by all manner of
external influences.
The event which was held at
the Obijackson Sports Arena in
the sleepy town of Okija,
comprising thirty villages on
December 29, 2016, Okija town
in Ihiala Local Government
Area of Anambra State,
affirmed its historical
importance as the hub of Igbo
tradition, as winners emerged
in the 2016 ‘Face of Okija’
Pageant .
The highly contested
competition which saw Chinasa
Ezeamaka and Chukwudi
Enukoha emerge as the new
Queen and King of Face of
Okija respectively, was
witnessed by foremost
traditional rulers, notable
names, accomplished
individuals and observers from
different parts of the country.
Present were, Anambra State
Governor, His Excellency, Chief
Willie Obiano, his deputy, Dr.
Nkem Okeke, Mr. Oseloka
Henry Obaze, Secretary to the
Government of Anambra State,
Professor Rich Umeh, Chief
Pete Edochie, one of Africa’s
most talented actors, Anayo
Modestus Onyekwere (Kanayo
O. Kanayo) and Okechukwu
Anthony Onyegbule (Okey
Bakassi).
According to the Founder of
the Obijackson Group, Dr.
Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, who
presented the winners with
keys to brand new Corolla cars
Obijackson Foundation rejuvenates Igbo culture with
Face of Okija
and cheques for the sum One
Million Naira each, the “Face
of Okija Pageant is a Special
Purpose Programme (SPP)
activated to insulate Igbo
culture, beliefs and tradition
from continuous attrition. The
initiative is a preservative
agenda for sustaining our
‘Igboness’ and promoting our
essence as a people”.
With their emergence as
winners in the 2016 ‘Face of
Okija’ Pageant, Chinasa
Ezeamaka and Chukwudi
Enukoha, in addition to other
prizes, have become
Ambassadors of the
Obijackson Foundation and
are placed on fixed salary of
One Million and Four
Hundred Thousand Naira for
the duration of their reign. In
their new role, they are
expected to leverage their
status to impact lives in
Okija, Igbo land and the
Nigerian nation through an
active involvement in a mix
of social welfare programmes
and initiatives they will
The initiative is a
preservative
agenda for
sustaining our
Igboness and
promoting our
essence as a
people
• From left. Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, Founder, Obijackson
Foundation; Chukwudi Enukoha, winner, 2016 Face of Okija (male),
and Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor, Anambra State, during the
presentation of prizes at the event
undertake in the days ahead.
Aside from, excellent
performance by Ebuka Obi-
Uchendu (Ebuka) and Bovi
Ugboma (Bovi), who were the
event comperes, the
scintillating performance by
Ifechukwu Eze (Ifex G), winner
of the star prize of five
hundred thousand naira in the
Okija Rising segment of the
event created to discover and
help youths nurture their
musical talent, held the
audience spellbound just as
Phyno (Azubike Chibuzo
Nelson) glided to the stage to
take the audience to another
level of excitement, with his
energetic and thrilling
performance.
Though Face of Okija 2016
may have ended as a festival
where guests had so much to
drink and eat, the real success
of the initiative is its growing
appeal and
impact on Igbo
youths. Clearly,
from the number
of entries and
quality of
performances at
this year’s
festival, it would
not be out of place
to conclude that
Igbo youths are
gradually
embracing the
cultural heritage
of the Igbo nation
and becoming the
custodians of the
Igbo culture and
tradition.
Obijackson
Foundation is the CSR arm of
the Obijackson Group, one of
the fastest growing
conglomerates in sub-Saharan
Africa, comprising Energy
Works Technology (EWT)
Ltd, B&Q Dredging Ltd,
Neconde Energy Ltd,
NestHak Ltd, Nesto
Aviation Ltd, Century
Power Generation Ltd,
Shipside Drydock Ltd,
Impac Engineering Ltd,
Hammakopp Consortium
Ltd, Scorpio Drilling
International Ltd,
Gobowen Exploration
and Production Ltd, and
Nestoil Limited has its
flagship company.
As a business
conglomerate with
interests in diverse
sectors of the economy,
such as Oil and Gas
exploration, Pipeline
construction, Pressure
Vessel Fabrication, Power
G e n e r a t i o n ,
• Ifechukwu Eze, Ifex G Star winner in the
Okija Rising segment performing at the event
Telecommunications and Real
Estate, the Obijackson Group is
aware of its role in social
transformation and economic
development in Africa.
By CHRIS OMOTOSHO
REVIEW
I
have always descried poem
as an expression of feelings
from imaginative minds. Thus, a
poet will do well when he/she relies
on the immediate environment for
inspiration for the conveyance of
his/her feelings in the vehicle of
poetry. This may explain why the
renowned Poet, Niyi Osundare,
submitted that African Literature,
irrespective of its form, should be
“endogenous”. A read of The
Soyinka in Me is a reflection of
this. The poems in the collection
are a chronicle of experiences
within and around the Poet such
that span for years. Of much
importance and that which would
readily raise “dust” and create a
sort of suspense is the title of the
collection –The Soyinka in Me. The
“on the surface” understanding of
this is that Soyinka must have been
a source of inspiration or a
Mentor to Dada Olanipkeun. A
flip through the work confirms
this. The first and the last poems
in the collection, “Kongi,
Eniogun” at 82 and “Kongi in
you”, respectively are a tribute to
and eulogy of the African WS, Wole
Soyinka. Of special interest here
is “Kongi in You”.
Reading through the poems in
this collection, anyone familiar
with the works of Soyinka would
readily agree that Dada
Olanipekun, the Association of
Nigerian Authors, ANA, has indeed
been stung by Wole Soyinka. The
Walking the poetic lane of Soyink
yinka
striking point of similarity is the
theme of poems that are
Africanized and or Nigerianized
as one would find in almost all
the works of Soyinka. Soyinka
is a writer who is concerned
about his immediate society.
His works are a comment on the
happenings around him. From
Dance of the Forest, to the to The
Road, to Kongi’s Harvest, to
Death and the King’s Horsemen
to Lion and the Jewel, to The
Man Died, Ake, Isara, The
Interpreters, Idanre, King
Baabu, Alapata Apata,
InterInventions, amongst others
one would see a treatment of
socio-political issues that have
direct bearing on the African
cum Nigerian society. What then
He has succeeded, in
the 40 page book that
treats 27 different
poems, to address
and respond to the
socio-political issues
in his immediate
society and Africa
should one expect from someone
who has been “stung” by Soyinka
than to respond to the societal
issues in his poems; so as not to
make himself irrelevant like that
man in an African proverb that left
his house burning in pursuance of
a fleeing rat from the inferno?
Such a man can be likened
according to Achebe, to any writer
that fails to respond to issues
around him through his works.
Dada Olanipekun did not fall
into the category of such a writer.
He has succeeded, in the 40 page
book that treats 27 different
poems, to address and respond to
the socio-political issues in his
immediate society and Africa,
celebrates nature and eulogizes
both the dead and living heroes.
The tone of lamentation and
helplessness in “Saratu” shows
the pitiable state of mind of the
parents of Chibok girls whose
children are yet to be seen, two
years after their abduction,
simply because the Nigerian
state, unfortunately, failed to
protect and defend the
vulnerable. Poems like
“Lagos”, “Nigeria”, “The Last
One Naira”, “Seasons of Siege”
and “Abuja” treat the themes of
hopelessness, suffering,
deprivation, marginalization
and neglect, as we have in
Nigeria. Soyinka is not a
pronounce Feminist but his love
and soft spot for women and
celebration of womanhood in his
works cannot go unnoticed. One
of the contributory factors that
led to the tragic end of Elesin Oba
in Death and the King’s
Horseman was the time Elesin
Oba spent with the young
maiden in his attempt to leave a
“seed” behind after his demise.
Thus sleeping with the young
woman would afford him the
opportunity of emptying himself
to her. One wish he didn’t do,
maybe he would have taken the
glory that was bestowed on his
son Olumide. Sidi was
celebrated in Lion and the Jewel
and Iyalode square up with
Elesin Oba in Death… and
almost became the heroine in the
play. These, amongst others, are
the respect Soyinka gave to the
womenfolk. It is not a surprise
therefore for Dada Olanipekun to
have taken this from Soyinka.
Thus, women and their beauty,
virtue and chastity are celebrated
in poems like “The Love on Red”,
“Momudatu” and “Iyawo”
Is Dada Olanipekun a
Romantist? Difficult question to
answer! My understanding of the
theory of Romanticism, as
celebration of nature, made some
crop of poems in this collection to
qualify them as Romantic Poems
like “God is weeping”,
“Confession”, “I am not black I
am Chocolate”, “I am Water”, “It
rained” and “Here Goes the Day”.
Those poems celebrate nature in
its beauty. There is tone of
lamentation and a quest for the
reversal of unnecessary bloodshed
and waste of lives in the poems
“Uganda” and “A friend”. The
ancient town of Abeokuta is
celebrated in Ode simply titled,
“Abeokuta I” & “Abeokuta II”.
Dada Olanipekun has expressed
himself to us, to the world, to the
generations yet unborn through
this 40 page collection of poems
that address every facet of life with
inspirations from his immediate
environment.
It is for us to take hold of his
messages, savour them and get
something out of them. As a work
of art from an infallible being, this
work is not without one or two
errors, omission and oversights.
But I want to plead that we ignore
such if and when we find them and
let our concentration be on the
content and not the form.

PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
In Kaduna the chief security
officer is the chief problem
“You don’t have to hear from
the President on that matter.
When it pays us, we talk about
federalism and true federalism;
yet, you want the President and
the Presidency to talk about
everything…when a thing like
this happens in a state, there is
a chief security officer and he
is supposed to be on top of the
matter…”Femi Adesina,
Presidential spokesman.
Stewards, servants and
spokesmen for
political office
holders are not hired for their
creativity, intelligence or
absolute regard for the truth.
They are engaged for their
reliability and the ability to
stick to what the boss wants
them to say at all times. Some
of the most intelligent people
had entered Aso Rock, after
leaving their vaunted
brilliance behind at home,
done their jobs (meaning
please their bosses) and
checked out to complain
about demons at the corridors
of power. Mr Adesina’s
response was officially correct
and on the face of it has closed
the case in favour of the
President’s seeming benign
neglect of the next flash point,
after Boko Haram - meaning,
Kaduna State. Adesina had
pointed to the presence of the
Governor at Aso Rock, to brief
Buhari, as if that is not a
significant development –
when indeed it is.
El-Rufai is part of the
problem and a major part of
it in Kaduna State.
Obviously, the “briefing” the
President would have
Still on Ibori
“Now since shame is a
mental picture of
disgrace, in which we
shrink from the disgrace
itself and not from its
consequences, and we
only care what opinion is
held of us because of the
people who form that
opinion, it follows that the
people before whom we
feel shame are those
whose opinion of us
matters to us.” Aristotle
Ido not know about
you, but there is
s o m e t h i n g
fundamentally wrong
with the Nigerian society
today and it is nothing to
be proud of when
majority have lost their
moral compass. We are
losing the values and
virtues that bind our
society and instead we
have become so fickle
and greedy. Sadly, it
seems many are either
deluded or avoiding the
fact that there are some
Nigerians hell bent on
received would have been one
probably tainted with selfseeking
partial disclosures.
So, when Adesina spoke
about “a chief security
officer”, he gave the
impression that he was talking
about an officer who was
impartially discharging his
duties to protect everybody
irrespective of whether they
are Hausa, Fulani, Kataf,
Sunni, Shi’ites and Christians
- that is what El-Rufai claims
he is.
Adesina must have been
away on another planet if he
was unaware of the repeated
killing of Christians and
destructions of their homes in
Southern Kaduna by
herdsmen and Muslims of the
Sunni sect. El-Rufai is Fulani
and a Sunni Muslim. There
was report of his convoy being
waylaid by some of his subjects
who were sick and tired of
what they alleged were acts
of partiality and his perceived
disregard for the rule of law.
Just before his departure for
Abuja to “brief ”, or is it
brainwash, the President, the
Governor imposed a curfew
on three Local Government
Areas in mostly Christian
communities. Soldiers and
police were reportedly drafted
to the area to protect the
communities. Yet, the
attackers still broke the
curfew to attack others who
had been deceived to let down
their guards. If Malam Rufai
thinks that the remaining
people in those areas are
going to wait patiently to be
killed by the herdsmen, then
he must be living in his own
taking the whole country
down the depths of
despair. How does one
deal when the stupid and
the ridiculous keep
happening and the
majority of us pretend
that everything is honky
dory when it is glaringly
obvious, it is exactly the
opposite. There seems to
be a sense of
helplessness and
hopelessness or at most
a level of resignation.
Some of what happen
is almost impossible to
comprehend in any sane
society, well, except if
you are a Nigerian, and
nothing fazes the
Nigerian; no the
Nigerian just adjusts his
sails and sails into
another crisis.
I read a clip that is
doing the rounds in the
social media regarding a
Society page, dated the
17th of December. It read
“Grand Reception for
James Ibori(with the
picture of the man
fool’s paradise.
The stage had been set for
reprisals now and in the future.
Some of us would recollect
how the Katafs had reacted to
similar outrages of the Fulani
during Babangida’s regime
and had taken their own
pounds of flesh before IBB’s
government intervened on the
side of the Hausa/Fulani
minority.
That resulted in the famous
trial of Kataf leaders like
Major-General Zamani
Lekwot (rtd). Some will also
recall how the Berom have
had to rise and defend their
territory in Plateau State
before peace was restored.
In each case the Katafs and
Berom had not waited for
government to rescue them.
Neither had they chosen the
path of appeasement. Adolf
Hitler, 1889-1945, a world
class terrorist himself, had
made the vital point that “The
answer to terror is not
appeasement but counterterror.”
Unless, the state and
federal governments take
urgent steps to avert greater
disaster, nothing will prevent
reprisals.
El-Rufai is the person now
taking the nation back to those
bloody days in Zango-Kataf,
with his handling of the
complex issues involved in
these ethnic and religious
conflicts with land-grab as an
added feature. It needs to be
stressed, however, that this is
not a Christian versus
Muslim conflict. It is
herdsmen versus everybody
else - people who get
compensated for losing cows
after destroying peoples’
farms, churches and homes.
They never touch mosques!!!
But, it is not only in the three
LGAs that sectarian religious
trouble is brewing. In Zaria,
where the confrontation
between Shi’ites and the Army
led to loss of hundreds of lives,
believers in the doctrine of
“an eye for an eye” are still
waiting to even the score. El-
Rufai’s proscription of Shi’ites
and mass burial of hundreds
of Shi’ites have merely
confirmed what the Shi’ites
himself) and it continues;
Chief James Onanefe
Ibori, according to
information in the public
domain would be
returning home any
moment from now, Ibori
would be on December 21
in a chartered jet via
Heathrow airport to
Murtala Muhammed
International airport in
Lagos where family
members and close
associates are expected
to receive him in a red
carpet reception before
jetting to Osubi airstrip
near Warri, where his
convoy would take off for
his Oghara hometown for
another grand reception.
Political watchers
strongly believe his
return would alter
political calculations
towards the 2019 general
elections that he might
defect to the ruling All
Progressives Congress
(APC),since it was
alleged that strong
forces within his Peoples
Democratic Party( PDP)
were behind his travails
in the UK. Ibori was
jailed in 2012 in the UK
over allegation of money
laundering”. Yes. Such
triffle in print.
Is this the same Ibori
that did time for a crime
that he committed and
now they want to change
the narrative? Seriously,
there is no amount of
white washing and
suspected all along – that they
are being denied their
constitutional right to life,
liberty, happiness and practice
of their faith. That proscription
order is a religious declaration
of war and Shi’ites worldwide
will join it. The Shi’ites buried
hastily before an independent
It needs to be stressed,
however, that this is not
a Christian versus
Muslim conflict. It is
herdsmen versus
everybody else - people
who get compensated
for losing cows after
destroying peoples’
farms, churches and
homes
enquiry had been undertaken,
constitute the first installment
in what may later become
several mass burials.
Politicians with long-term
ambitions are dangerous to the
generality of the people.
Incidentally, Mr Adesina
must have forgotten something
known to even motor park
agberos. With regard to the
police and security forces, there
is no federalism – true or not.
What we have is unitary; the
Federal Government controls
all security forces. The state’s
chief security officers are like
sheriffs sent out to patrol the
states without guns or
ammunition. No state
governor can order a single
police officer to be moved
without the approval of Abuja.
Certainly, he knows that
military men stationed in
several states constitute “a state
within a state”. They take no
orders from the governor. When
high powered security
intervention is required, people
are absolutely right to turn to
the President. That is one of the
imperfections of our
“federalism” which Adesina
deflection that will change
the fact that Ibori was
convicted of the crime.
Couple of months back,
If the welcome party
for Ibori has been
planned without his
knowledge (which I
very much doubt)
he should be
conscientious
enough to cancel
the fanfare and
should take a quiet
route back to his
home and
contemplate his
future of being a
changed man
his associates were
peddling a reunion for an
anticipated early release
and even then, they
wanted to roll out the red
carpet.
Now they have planned
a state welcome for him on
a grand scale. Something
is definitely wrong with
the way some people
think, they have no
respect for the Nigerian
people or Nigerian law.
And whose idea was it
should be aware of; he must
be pretending not to know.
In the end, the most
important question about
the situation in Kaduna is:
what are victims supposed to
do when their state’s chief
security officer is one of their
oppressors? Lying down and
be killed by herdsmen
murderers who are the only
people who get compensated
for their “losses” is not an
option. That is what the
President must know and
not allow his closeness to El-
Rufai to lead to greater
conflict. The President must
be father of all and protect
all.
LADIES MAN AND
LIVING IN A BARIO -- 2
“Quisque suos patimur
manes” (Latin) translated to
English means “We make
our destinies by our choice
of gods.” Virgil,
By the time my fourth girl
arrived, it had occurred to me
that Fate/Fortune had
decided for me that all my
kids would be girls. But, how
many men, especially
Africans would accept that
verdict? So, I pressed on. I
became a polygamist, not
out of choice but out of
desperation in the bid to have
a son. When number five was
on the way, I was invited to a
church where a prophet told
me point blank that “the
Lord asked me to tell you that
you are wasting your time
searching for what is not
your portion.” Like most
ambitious young men there
were several things I was
chasing, it never occurred to
me that the topic was the
gender of number five about
which according to “the
laws of averages” a boy
should be on the way.
Ironically, I even told the
mother that the kid would
arrive on my birthday. It
actually did on due date; but
it was girl number five.
Permit me to skip the mental
agony I underwent before
coming to terms with the
experience of another
“failure”. But, the naming
to place an itinerary in
the society page to let
the world and his uncle
know that Ibori will be
arriving in a chartered
jet and on to a red carpet
reception. Who ever
wrote this needs a
conscience transplant.
For those who think
that it is in good taste to
welcome Ibori back with
the full state reception
should be ashamed of
themselves, they are a
big disgrace and
whatever their plans are
for the future of Nigeria,
they are deluded and
lack insight into what is
really going on in
Nigeria.
Their plans for this
farce should be strongly
repudiated and these
so-called associates
should themselves be
investigated as it seems
that they should be
tarred with the same
brush. How can they
explain how he could be
flown back in a charted
jet and given a hero’s
welcome! What on earth
is going on here and
this is rubbing salt into
the wounds of the
people of Delta who,
have been robbed blind.
Yes, I am sure that there
are misplaced loyalties
and many would
support their own kin to
the hilt inspite of the fact
he did wrong and that
ceremony was the grandest of
all. I made sure about that.
By then I had developed an
assembly line system of
bringing up kids based on
good education, good
nutrition, good health
services, good manners and
good examples. The process
starts with pre-natal care at
the best private hospital
affordable. Fortunately, until
number six girl, who came
fifteen months after number
five, I always worked for
multinationals. They all
provided top class family
health care. Everything was
like an assembly line from
prenatal to delivery to post
delivery care. All the
recommended shots were
taken as and when due and
breast feeding was
mandatory for at least fifteen
months. Solid food when
introduced was chosen more
for nutritional balance than
mere taste. I was a fanatic for
correctness in nutrition.
By then, the girls had
become my “goddesses”; I
lived for them and they
always had first charge on my
earnings. In retrospect, I think
if number five or six had been
a boy, he would have become
a monster because until then
I was obsessed with having
one. I took a break and
embarked on bringing up my
“goddesses” and to be quite
candid there were times I
almost regretted having so
many. Despite being one of the
highest paid Sales and
Marketing executives of my
generation, there was a period
of four to five years when I
could not afford to buy a new
shirt, suit or pair of shoes. It
was not pastors or imams who
persuaded me to reduce my
beer drinking from eight to ten
bottles a day to two and shun
vanity – it was my
“goddesses”. They needed the
money more than breweries.
Number seven kept me
waiting for twelve years. By
then, I was well on my way to
getting the older siblings into
universities, one after another;
and at one time had four in
various universities….
is part of the problem
with us as a nation. This
is not about religion,
tribe or political party
affiliation, when
something is wrong it is
wrong.
There is no honour in
his crime and he was
caught and rightly
convicted, and yes, he
has done the time for his
crime but this is not the
way to show remorse.
This is not in the best
possible taste nor is it
honourable or decent.
Their naked political
ambition is so
transparent and they lack
the virtue to distinguish
right from wrong. Are
people so gullible to be
taken by these shadowy
Ibori kingmakers?
If the welcome party
for Ibori has been
planned without his
knowledge (which I very
much doubt) he should
be conscientious enough
to cancel the fanfare and
should take a quiet route
back to his home and
contemplate his future of
being a changed man.
I hope that Ibori and
his cronies would know
this, this is a different
Nigeria and former
convict need not apply.
It is time we examine
our conscience as
Nigerians and our sense
of pride and dignity.
Ibori is no hero.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 31
C
M
YK
PRIVATE VARSITIES’ CONTROVERSIAL CHARGES
Some owners subsidise
to the tune of N500m to
keep students’ fees at
N350,000
— Aina, Caleb University VC
•’Why y we produce more fir
irst t class
graduat
aduates than public universities’
BY WALE AKINOLA
Prof. Diji Aina is the Vice Chancellor
of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos.
In this interview, Aina disputes the
claim that private universities fees across
the country are too high, saying the current
fees are sustainable only because the
owners subsidise. He also says the products
of private universities are of high quality
contrary to the notion in some quarters.
There is this notion that there are too
many private universities in the country,
and that the situation, if not checked,
may lead to standards being
compromised. What is your perspective?
I think those who are saying that are
saying so out of ignorance.
I’m not sure the number of universities
we have in Nigeria is comparable to that
of the United States and other climes?
There are over a thousand universities
and colleges in the United States. Is this
not amazing? The US has a population
in the region of 300 million people while
Nigeria is about half of that population
with about 150 universities.
Out of this figure, the number of private
universities in Nigeria is just a little over
50 (note that eight new ones have just been
licensed). The implication of the
foregoing is that if our leaders plan the
human resources very well, Nigeria can
sustain 400 universities. We need more
universities in Nigeria.
If the problem is not about the number,
what then is it?
The problem is not about the number of
universities, it is about how government
can help proprietors of private and public
universities to do what is right, and this
comes in many ways.
First, the operating environment must
be friendly for the survival of universities.
Government has a big role to play in
power supply at reasonable cost
guaranteed by economy of scale. If there
is steady power supply, it will help reduce
the cost of running universities by cutting
down on money spent acquiring
generating power plants and buying
diesel.
Second, government should fund
research in the universities. Education is
the bedrock of development, and research
drives development. The little intervention
through TETFUND is grossly insufficient
while additional constraint is placed on
the system by its restriction to public
universities. Is it not curious that money
generated from private enterprises are
spent only on government institutions?
Meanwhile, note that we in the private
tertiary institution sector are not asking
for money to pay salaries but that
TETFUND should be available to assist
students in private universities in the areas
of research, library, and ICT intervention.
When these students are trained, they
graduate to service the Nigerian economy
and not work for their universities.
– Prof. Aina, Caleb University VC
If the federal government of Nigeria can
emulate the Swedish government or even
that of South Africa where special attention
is accorded funding matters relating to
education, especially the research aspect,
then the institutions will not only enjoy a
new lease of life but will also have a lot of
researchers and scholars being attracted
to Nigeria. This will reverse the problem
of brain drain to brain gain.
Does it mean Nigeria does not have
the number of staff needed to sustain the
envisaged growth?
While it is true that we need more senior
hands to manage the universities, the idea
is not for all members of staff to come only
The problem is not
about the number of
universities, it is about
how government can
help proprietors of
private and public
universities to do what
is right, and this comes
in many ways
from one state, one geo-political area, or
even Nigeria. Universities are supposed to
be global in nature, character, purpose and
finality. What this means is that universities
are supposed to be centers of attraction for
global excellence and competition. If you
have more universities in Nigeria, and the
operating environment is conducive, the
better for Nigeria. Note that intellectual
capital is a mobile capital. If the Nigerian
education sector is attractive, there will be
migration of highly competent scholars to
our universities, just the way some of our
colleagues are currently attracted to some
countries now.
I was recently in Ghana on a recruitment
exercise for Caleb University, a lot of
graduates with first class and others with
Ph.D, including professors responded. They
were ready to move with attractive
packages we offer and we were still
discussing when suddenly the naira took a
plunge against the dollar.
Why recruiting in Ghana, are there no
competent or qualified hands in Nigeria?
For any university worth its salt, you
recruit the best of the best as your
members of staff especially for the
academic sector from any part of the
world. It doesn’t matter where such people
come from, what matters most is what
they can offer in terms of academic
scholarship. We have even just recruited
from South Korea. This is the whole idea
of a university.
The idea of a university is that you have
an academic plan, and a brief on how to
excel. What turns a university around is
the enabling environment when a
university is set up in a conducive
environment, you can now attract the best
staff from any part of the world.
So what you are saying is that the
requirements or what is needed to run a
university is conducive environment and
not necessarily a multitude of staff
comprising scores of professors and
others?
What the National Universities
Commission, NUC, requires to run an
undergraduate programme is a
minimum of six staff comprising a
professor, two senior lecturers and three
others.Then as you grow in your
enrollment figure, you have the student/
staff ratio which should be balanced with
the minimum requirement. In
management sciences for instance staff
student ration is 1:30. This means you
need 12 academic staff to support 360
student population, which in turn should
be two professors, four senior lecturers
and six others.
Then universities should be centres of
research and academic excellence. Those
who are saying the number of universities
in the country is too much are saying so
because they are limited by knowledge
and scope..
Is the drive to get the best staff from
other parts of the world partly
responsible for the charges by the
private varsities which many believe are
on the high side?
I disagree with that notion. Private
universities charges are not on the high
side.
When some people say private varsities
charges are higher, I don’t know what they
mean. For the fact that some people can’t
afford to send their wards to private
varsities doesn’t mean the charges are on
the high side.
That I don’t have enough money to lodge
in Sheraton Hotel doesn’t mean that the
charges for lodgings are on the high side.
It simply means my income bracket
cannot afford staying there.
If you go to any five-star hotel, they
have special packages which they
promise customers. The same applies
to private varsities? If some special
facilities are put in place which you enjoy
you have to pay for it. In public
universities, government pays for it, and
even that now comes with the challenges
that the economy is on the slow drive
because of recession.
When you say charges are high, I
disagree with proof. For instance, you
pay a professor between N400,000 and
N500,000 gross. If you have 3,000
students, you need 100 academic staff if
you use the social science students staff
ratio or between 120 to 150 staff for the
sciences. Multiply the monthly wage bill,
including those of non-teaching staff that
is usually double or triple the number of
academic and tell me if the fees are
exorbitant. Recall for instance that
Caleb University charges 350,000 as
tuition, so it not difficult to project
income accruable less those on
scholarship and those who will never be
able to pay. Think now outside salary
and overhead costs and imagine what
goes to provide power supply, laboratory
equipment and consumables, and most
significantly buildings and other
infrastructure provisions.
When you talk about physical
infrastructure, the academic
infrastructure we are putting up ranges
from N400 million to a little less than
N2 billion. Then you talk about
equipping the buildings. In the midst of
these, you now have somebody paying
N350,000 as tuition bragging that fees
are on the high side. This simply comes
to anyone as the product of ignorance
or the Nigerian ways of just feeling good
feigning oppression and helplessness.
What do you expect from a father of two
students in a private university, a civil
servant whose salary is a paltry N80,000
with no access to the treasury as a result
of the TSA policy of government.
The truth is that the charges are not
expensive compared to the services
provided by private varsities but may be
truly unaffordable to the civil servant or
any other salary earner. What you see is
that at Caleb University, like some other
private universities, the proprietor gives
not less than N500 million every year to
subsidize our budget when no major
construction work is on-going. This is
highly commendable and a noble cause.
If we have many other Nigerians that
can do this, it will have significant and
positive effect on our education sector.

The average litigant in
Nigeria believes you
PAGE 32— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
can buy justice
— Yusuf Ali, SAN
By Demola Akinyemi
Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali
(SAN) is the CEO of
GHALIB Chambers based in
Ilorin. Yusuf Ali, who obtained his
first degree from University of
Ife,now Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, went back for
his master’s in law in the same
university.
A philanthropist, he donated a
fully equipped IT building to
Kwara State Polytechnic for which
he was honoured with the award
of Fellow of the institution.
In this interview, the legal icon
speaks on the state of the nation.
What is your assessment of the
anti-corruption war of the
administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari?
At the presentation of my book’,
Anatomy of Corruption’ in Abuja
in May 2016, in my speech, I said
categorically that top to bottom
approach on the fight against
corruption can never work. If you
want to fight corruption, you must
create a mass movement.
Majority of Nigerians must buy
into it, but you arrest three people
out of 10,000. What have you
achieved? What is going on is fight
against corrupt people not against
corruption.
Corruption is an institutional
thing, so the fight against it is more
than what we are doing. Because
if we are not careful, things we are
not doing properly may become
a culture. If you want to fight
corruption, you have to dig deeper.
I tell people that for the street to
be clean, every member of the
street must keep his corner clean.
Corruption is symptomatic of a
deeper problem. When we talk
about corruption, we should not
limit it to bribery. Bribery is a
fraction of corruption. Nepotism
is corruption; ethnicity is
corruption; tribalism is corruption
and influence peddling is also
corruption. Just fighting public
officials is a tip of the iceberg.
Police still stop motorists on the
highway extorting money from
them. What do you say to that?
There are all sorts of corrupt, on
allegations about government
officials. It is a good attempt that
we are trying to fight corrupt
people, but we should attempt to
fight corruption itself.
How do you think the acting
CJN can tackle corruption in the
judiciary?
Nigerians are skeptics. We don’t
believe in our leaders and our
C
M
YK
The average litigant in
Nigeria believes you
can buy justice. So,
with that frame of mind,
it is a very difficult
challenge. That attitude
of believing that you
can buy justice must
stop
institutions. And you can’t blame
them. Maybe it is a product of
their experience of having been let
down by the system. I have said
this severally, it takes two to
tango. Before you can see
somebody who takes bribe, there
must be a giver. Usually we go after
the takers. The givers are there still
waxing stronger. Until the day the
Nigerian elite start to think that
justice could not be bought, we
will be running in circles. The truth
is bitter, but we must say it. The
average litigant in Nigeria believes
you can buy justice. So, with that
frame of mind, it is a very difficult
challenge. That attitude of
believing that you can buy justice
must stop. What I have said is
apparent from the way litigants
react to judgements. Somebody
who had tried to reach a judge
unsuccessfully, if judgement goes
against him, he believes the other
person has given higher bribe
which may not be true.
But more than it all, Nigeria is a
very rife market for rumours. Tell
people to come and tell you what
happened, they begin to scratch
their heads.
Generally, African leaders do not
seen to be doing enough to help
their people out of poverty, what
is the problem with African
leaders?
A country gets the kind of leader
it deserves. And that is why I am
always against the setting up of
special courts. I ask, are you going
to bring people from heaven to come
and sit in those courts? We are
having those problems because of
leadership and followership
•Yusuf Ali ...Nigeria is a rife market
for rumours
problem. Look at the campaign
rhetoric of Donald Trump before
the US presidential election. Look
at what is happening now because
he knows his society would not
accept certain things.
Nigeria and by extension African
society is where anything goes. If
we want to hold our leaders
accountable and we want them to
be upright, it must start from all
of us. All leaders have their evil
tendencies; it is the society that
disagrees with them. We don’t
have minimum standard for our
leaders. The American society is
what it is today not because their
leaders are superhuman but
because the average American
would insist you do what is right.
Watch this hacking by Russia
preparatory to the American
presidential election, you will see
the outcome, because that is a
society that digs deep unlike us
that are very superficial here.
Here we try to look for quick-fix
solutions.
There is nothing inherently
wrong with Africans, it’s just that
we are too lazy. You have just dolittle
belief that you have
excelled, whereas people outside
there, for everything they do, they
have to improve.
The award conferred on you by
the polytechnic, will it spur you
to do more philanthropic works?
My philosophy about life is that
anytime something good comes
your way, it is an invitation to do
better. And the prize for doing well
is to do better still. To me,
recognitions like this humble me
and make me know that what
God wants to do He does,
irrespective of who your parents
are,who you know and who you
don’t know? This award came from
the blues; I wasn’t expecting
anything at all. The day the Rector
of Kwara Polytechnic, Alhaji
Mas’ud Elelu and his team came
here and said that they were
planning their convocation and that
they wanted to give fellowship
awards to five eminent Nigerians.
They mentioned Governor
Abdulfatah Ahmed, Aliko
Dangote, Erisco and chief
executive officer (CEO) of
Kamwire Limited. I know the CEO
of Kamwire is the largest
employer of labour as an
individual in the whole of North-
Central. Those who work in that
company would be more than
1,000 and then they mentioned
my name. I asked ‘why me?’
So I see this honour as an
invitation to do more for the
society to justify the confidence
the people reposed in me. That
is the way I see it.
What is your view about the
present economic recession in
Nigeria?
The problem of recession, to me
as a layman, is the reflection of
the lack of confidence in the
Nigerian market and economy on
the part of people who want to
bring their money here for
investment. Simple! What caused
it I don’t want to dabble into that;
the way out is for us to go out
and market our country.
After all, there was a time in this
country that oil was selling for $11
and we were doing well. And
we were producing 2.2 million
barrels. Now even at 40
something dollars, we are not
producing well. So it is not about
oil, it is about lack of confidence
in Nigeria.
There is craze for certain
courses in our tertiary
institutions today,what is your
view?
The colonialists gave us the
kind of education they wanted,
just to have a pool of averagely
educated people that would be
used in the civil service and
other places. When they left,
unfortunately we never thought
that was a problem. The chicken
has come home to roost. Every
person who went to any higher
institution in Nigeria looks for
government employment. The
way the new set of universities
are going, which is
entrepreneurship, is the best
option. We must prepare our
graduates for the world outside
the universities and for the world
outside of paid employment.
What is your view on the
rejection of Ibrahim Magu as
substantive EFCC chair by the
Senate?
I am not sentimental about
issues. The president has done
his own side by submitting the
name of Ibrahim Magu to the
Senate for confirmation and the
Senate has also done its own side
by rejecting his confirmation as
substantive Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC).
In fact, there is nowhere in the
Nigerian Constitution that says
that the Senate must give
reasons for the rejection of his
confirmation. I don’t think people
should start reading their
personal interest into the Senate
action. It is unnecessary. The
Senate merely looked at the
report presented to it by the
Department of State Service
(DSS),and the report questioned
the integrity of Magu.

Breach Repairers’ 7th
dinner and awards
Cross-section of the pastors cutting the anniversary cake.
It was a moment of
glory, cheers, chants
and honours when
pastors and other
leaders of the Christian
faith gathered at the
Virgin Rose Resort
Victoria Island Lagos,
recently for the Breach
Repairers 7 th
anniversary dinner. One
of the big highlights of
the night was the award
session that saw some
of the members being
honoured for their
outstanding feats for
the course of the
organisation.
Photos by Akeem
Salau
SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017 — PAGE 33
AYO ONIKOYI
08052201215
L-R: Mrs Rita Amuka; Pastor (Mrs) Dorothy
Aka,Mummy G.O, House of Fresh Fire, and Rev
Laja Shoniran,CEO, Financial Literacy for All.
Ikomi’s daughter weds
heart-thr
t-throb
Beautiful daughter of Chief Eugene Ikomi, Kate
Oritsedere, has been swept off her feet by
dashing Seun Adeola Akindoju, son of Mr
Bunmi Akindoju. The marriage took place at First
Baptist Church Warri, Delta State, on Saturday,
December 3, 2016.
L-R; Dr Sam Aka, G.O; House of Fresh Fire; Pastor
(Mrs) Patience Nduka, E.D, Breach Repairers;
Pastor Wale Adefarasin,G.O, Guiding Light
Assembly/Chairman of the occassion;Pastor
Ituah Ighodalo and Pastor Nduka Kingsley
Chukwudi.
Auto merchant, Jimoh, gives out
daughter, Kafilat, in marriage
Renowned auto merchant based in United States, Alhaji
Aremu Jimoh, on new year eve, gave out his daughter,
Kafilat Abiola, in marriage to Maruf Adewale in
accordance with Islamic rites in Lagos.
The colourful ceremony, which started before noon, took
place at popular Stad Plus Event Centre in Karounwi
Street, Itire, Surulere, Lagos State. There was heavy
presence of security personnel in the community, and only
prominent persons and invited guests had access to the
venue.
The ceremony left the guests in excitement after Jimoh
offered his beautiful daughter, Kafilat, in marriage to an
Ijebu man in the star studded wedding.
L-R: Yeye Yemmy Akintola and Mrs Helen Ogbogu
Olamide Faf
afowora ora and
Adebowale Adewale
The Solemnisation of Holy matrimony
between former Miss Olamide Fafowora and
Mr Adebowale Adewale took place at the
Christ Church, Anglican Communion, Amuwo
Odofin, Mile 2, Lagos. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele
The couple, Mr and Mrs Seun Akindoju
The bride, Mrs. Kafilat Abiola Akinyele (nee
Jimoh), receiving marital blessings from his parents,
Alhaji Aremu Jimoh and Mrs. Sherifat Jimoh.
L-R: Apostle Adeduyi Adewale, groom's father; Mr
Isaac Akinlolu Fafowora, bride's father; Mr and
Mrs Adebowale Adewale, the newly-wedded
couple; Mother in israel, Mrs Olubukola Adewale,
groom's mother and Mrs Elizabeth Fafowora,
bride's mother
L-R: Chief Eugene Ikomi, bride's dad; Mrs Bisi
Akindoju, groom's mum; Chief Leemon Ikpea,
Obayagbon of Warri kingdom/Chairman of
Occasion. The couple: Mr and Mrs Seun Akindoju.
Mr Bunmi Akindoju, groom's dad; and Mrs Kate
Ikomi, bride's mum
*The new couple
L-R: HRM Oba (Justice) John Ademola Ajakaiye,
the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti; Brig Gen. K S Toki (Rtd)
and other friends of Fafowora family
Chief Eugene Ikomi, bride's dad, and Mrs Kate
Ikomi, bride's mum.

PAGE 34— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
For once, let's
applaud Buhari
The beginning of a
new year such as
now, offers a good
opportunity for Nigerians
as a people to take a second
look at the previous year
2016 and its catalogue of
negative events. Such a
review will no doubt be
helpful especially if it can
draw attention to the way
forward. In other words, to
make 2017 a better year, we
need to avoid a recurrence
of the negative events of last
year. Arriving at the solution
to our problems may not be
an easy task but we imagine
that giving credit
occasionally to whom it is
due is a wise approach. It is
obviously superior to the
current trend whereby
everybody is a critic in a
game in which only
President Buhari is
perceived to be at fault all
the time. The recent crisis in
Kaduna is probably a good
example of an issue in which
the President has been
hastily blamed. Kaduna is a
By Godwin Anaughe
The All Progressives
Congress (APC)
participated in the 2015 general
elections in Delta State without
making impact in the state. It
recorded no single electoral
victory and failed to win any
local government area in the
gubernatorial election. Not
even the 25 percent mark
required in the presidential
election was achieved. It was a
colossal failure.
Given this drubbing, one
would have expected that Delta
APC would have by now
reorganised itself from the
losing party of 2015 to a party
that can win future elections, but
there is no sign of that yet.
Instead, what we have is intraparty
bickering among factions
that are wrestling for the control
of the soul of the party.
A cursory look at the 2015
electoral map shows that the
party lacked political base. The
other reason was that it was
bedeviled by leadership crisis.
Since then, natural
realignment of political forces
has reshaped the political
state with its own governor
that was elected to run the
day to day affairs of the state.
According, Buhari should
not be the first to intervene
in a problem in one state
within a country that has
adopted federalism as its
system of government
For the better part of 2016,
the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) was
in crisis. Many of the
members would readily
suggest that the ruling All
Progressive Congress (APC)
has been behind it. There
are indeed, those who would
blame President Buhari for
not dissuading his party
members from it.
Interestingly, the typical
Nigerian politician is
ungovernable. The President
cannot even stop his own
party members from
destroying their own party
let alone telling them to let
the opposition be. In any
case, it would be difficult to
find a ruling party in a
country like Nigeria which
runs a zero-sum political
system to encourage
political opposition. Of
course, it can't happen in
Nigeria where a ruling party
in a state "wins" all the seats
in a local election. If the
truth must be said, a political
party like the PDP is the
architect of its fate. It is its
members who are currently
in factions that have
It is only fair that
Nigerians who
claimed to have
elected President
Buhari as a man
that can rid the
nation of
corruption should
not also become
hyper-critical
about a resultoriented
approach
to the hydraheaded
monster
prevented their party from
making a mark even in a
state like Ondo where it has
been in power. Painfully they
always do so for personal
gains.
Buhari or not, Nigeria is
far from being ready for free
and fair elections. The
other day, Governor
Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun
state was reported to have
said that he knows those
who will not succeed him.
We have no proof that
Amosun is a professional
soothsayer just as we are
unaware that as a person he
has more than one vote. So,
how else will he stop those
he has decided will not
succeed him in a future
election? He would
probably disallow a level
playing ground for all
aspirants and like
Oshiomhole and Mimiko
did during the last
governorship elections in
Edo and Ondo states
respectively impose his
preferred candidate. Put
differently, it is hard to find
a blameless politician in
Nigeria. The alarm by
Governor Wike of Rivers
state on the posting of
28,000 security operatives
to his state for just a re-run
election makes a lot of
sense but when compared
to what his PDP federal
might did in the same state
in 2015, the alarm is not
more than crocodile tears.
The fight against
corruption is an area where
many citizens have hailed
President Buhari but quite
often, the applause is
drowned by allegations of
selective prosecution. In a
nation that has for too long,
been weighed down by
excessive corrupt practices,
many of those arrested
His life has been that of spec
tacular accomplishments
in his chosen area of human
endeavour.
Unarguably, his passion for his
calling transcends the usual. It is
worthy of note that this passion of his
which has crystallized into what one
will describe as the very core of his
being was not acquired through
circular training, but through prophecy
as old as his age.
Pa. Fridolin Nwafea Okoaze Ononye
Minr, Chief OFUOTSO of
Ososo kingdom in Edo State, is the
current Diokpa of Idumu Ugbe
village of Umuonaje quarters in Asaba
in Oshimili South Local Government
Area, Born 21st December 1921
in Asaba, he inherited the art and
knowledge of his passion –traditional
medicine from his ancestors. Interestingly
too, according to him,
every sign predicted was made
manifest. He believes strongly that
the fundamental principle of true
healing consists of return to natural
habits of living.
Pa. Ononye is specialized in the treatment
of diseases ranging from malaria,
stroke, sickle cell disorder,
tuberculosis, diabetes to arthritis among
others. His services are much sought after.
On the other hand however, his life has
been closely linked with animal and
human health. For animal health, he
studied veterinary science and medicine.
He also studied pasture management
and poultry diseases at the Faculty of
Agriculture and veterinary medicine,
University of Ibadan and later travelled
abroad to study pathology diseases and
diagnostic methods in central laboratories
Weybridge, U.K and Edinburgh
Scotland to acquire workable
knowledge to establish veterinary
diagnostic unit and services for the then
mid-western state.
With all the studies and trainings,
services were rendered in the interest of
animals to protect them from death
caused by diseases, some of which can
To win Delta, APC must first win back its soul
landscape in such a way that
APC now has a political base in
Delta Central. In particular,
Chief Great Ogboru, the
gubernatorial candidate of
Labour Party in 2015, who won
four local governments, said that
only a united opposition was
capable of freeing Delta from
the grip of the PDP and joined
APC with his supporters in Delta
Central, the hotbed of
opposition politics in Delta.
Sadly, APC has done nothing
to capitalise on the changing
dynamics and consolidate on
these gains. Rather than
welcome the new members with
open hands and give them a
sense of belonging, the party has
been lukewarm and, in the
process, created barriers for full
integration of new members
who undoubtedly are now in
majority. The welcome party
that was promised never
happened and all efforts to
reorganise the party have been
thwarted by some forces ahead
of a possible 2019 run.
But progressives must know
that Delta Central only provides
APC the keys to success in 2019.
They can get there if only they
affect human beings.
Interestingly, there has been no area
in the country he had not touched in
the quest to acquire knowledge and
experience to help the lower creatures.
Apart from his inherited passion for
traditional medicine, Pa Fridolin
Ononye could also be described as a
man of many parts. Socially it is on
record that Pa. Ononye was one of the
foremost leaders and developers of
Asaba Town years before it became
state capital.
Politically Pa. Ononye was among
the foundation members of the then
Grassroots Democratic Movement
(GDM) in the state which later formed
the bulk of the membership of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
Delta State. His role along with few
others set the political structure that
landed Chief James Onanefe Ibori the
would obviously attract
sympathy by singing
religious and ethnic tunes. As
we argued elsewhere, it is
logical that many of those
called to question are now in
the opposition. This is
because being the ones who
were in government
yesterday; they are those who
currently have explanations
to make on what they did
with public funds. It is thus
irrational to describe their
arrests as amounting to
selective prosecution. It is
worse to insinuate that they
are not the only corrupt
politicians in our midst
because that cannot
exonerate them; rather that
draws attention to the need
for many more people to be
arrested. Again, to harp on
the sting operation by the
Department of State Services
(DSS) on some judges
underplays the disturbing
issue of corruption in the
judiciary-a distasteful act
which many retired senior
judges had for long been
drawing attention to. Instead
of praising an
administration that evolved
ample courage to deal
headlong with the subject, the
focus became the inelegance
of the method employed. We
are unable to support that
line of thought more so as the
sting operation did not target
every judge. It is only fair that
Nigerians who claimed to
have elected President
Buhari as a man that can rid
the nation of corruption
should not also become
hyper-critical about a resultoriented
approach to the
hydra-headed monster.
If however people are
unhappy about the state of
our national economy, it is
understandable. The steep
rise in the cost of living alone
is enough to sustain public
frustration. While agreeing
with the argument that the
problems of today are the
direct result of yesterday's
bad governance, we can
hold no one else but the
government of today which
earlier promised to fix the
problems. Until the
economy is fixed, no sermon
can convince people to
applaud the President. But
the premise of this article is
that the government should
be commended for whatever
is well done while urging it
to tackle other areas
requiring attention. Today,
the nation should be upstanding
in praise of our
President in the fight against
insurgency particularly the
capture of Sambisa forest.
Before Buhari's time,
Nigerians languished in the
forest as huge sums of
money appropriated for the
fight against insurgency
were allegedly diverted by
different actors in the
corridors of power.
Cynics may doubt the feat
at Sambisa but we prefer to
commend our gallant forces
seen by newsmen in
Maiduguri the other day
dismantling the official
Boko Haram flag at Parisu,
Camp Zairo, in Sambisa
Forest. Bravo to our
Commander in Chief!
Pa Ononye @ 96: Tribute to an uncommon nonagenarian
•Pa. Fridolin Ononye
•Ibe Kachukwu
could find the right vehicle and
a capable chauffeur to take
them there. In other words, Delta
Central is just a base, from which
to launch an attack. APC should
use its new political base to
expand the map into Delta
North and South. But that is not
happening yet because of the
crisis in the party.
Only a united party would take
APC to the finish line ahead of
PDP. But fraying party unity has
complicated the prospects of
growing the party further. And
after two recent attempts, one
by the Secretary to Government
of the Federation, Mr. Babachir
David Lawal, and the other by
the National Chairman, Chief
John Oyegun, progressives are
no closer to resolving an issue
that’s splintering the Delta APC.
The in-fighting has nothing
to do with growing the party to
win. Rather, it is a battle for who
controls the party infrastructure
for personal aggrandizement.
And leaving the party in the
hands of those who can’t deliver
victory but too strong to
eliminate in the 2019 primary
because of their hold on the
party structure could result yet
again in another
disappointment for the rank
and file of the party who are so
desperate for victory.
For a party that truly wants to
win Delta, this crisis should have
been long resolved. Instead,
what used to be a fight for the
soul of the party between
winners and losers of the 2014
state congress, has now left the
party fractured by self-interest
and political cowardice. At the
last count, there are five
contending groups.
On the one hand, we have the
Olorogun Otega Emerhor
faction with Prophet Jones
Erhue as Chairman, the Delta
Elders and Leaders faction led
by the late Senator Francis
Okpozo, the former Action
Congress faction led by Chief
Adolor Okotie-Ebor. On the
other hand, we have the new
entrants into the party - the Light
of Labour led by Chief Great
Ogboru and the Accord/PDP
group led by Chief Victor Ochei
and Chief Emami Ayiri.
In the middle of the pack are
the non-aligned members,
notable among them are Prof.
Pat Utomi, a pioneer member of
APC and Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the
Minister of State for Petroleum.
These divisions will be hard
to overcome the longer they are
allowed to persist. And doubling
down on the errors of the past
will surely make it harder, if not
impossible for APC to win Delta
in 2019. It is hard to see how this
crisis resolves itself peacefully.
The courts aren’t likely to resolve
it satisfactorily too. And whether
or not Jones Erhue wins the court
cases — his backers, both at the
state and national levels, clearly
need to understand that they are
doing a serious disservice to the
party by prolonging this crisis.
APC has two clear choices:
maintain status quo structure
and prop the court to declare
illegal the State Executive
Council or do the right thing,
obey the subsisting court order,
open its doors and welcome into
the party more people.
Holding on to the court
declared illegal Prophet Jones
Exco is a road to nowhere. So
where does this leave the party?
Because,it is so important to
rebuild the party from the
ground for the challenge of
taking over Delta, it is imperative
that new members are treated
with fairness and the respect they
deserve. As a consequence, APC
must first win back it’s soul by
dissolving the unrepresentative
State Executive Committee and
replacing it with a harmonised
Caretaker Committee that truly
represents the current
membership structure of the
party. As the highest ranking
progressive in government in
Delta and one who is nonaligned
in the crisis, Kachikwu
is well positioned to secure the
soul of Delta APC. Kachikwu
should take up the challenge
without any further delay if he hopes
to justify his membership of the
Federal Executive Council and
deliver Delta to APC and
President Muhammadu Buhari
in 2019.
•Anaughe wrote in from
Delta
Governorship ticket under the PDP in
which he emerged as Governor
against all odds.
Pa. Ononye’s fatherly advice and
encouragement was a propelling
factor for the acclaimed visionary
leadership of James Ibori. Pa. Fridolin
Ononye is also a prophet and a mystic
who believes fervently in harmony
between man and nature. Pa. Fridolin
Ononye in his 96th birthday, prayed that
Asaba, his home town be blessed. He
called on political leadership in local,
state and federal governments to exhibit
selflessness, honesty, integrity at all levels
of governance. He also advised Nigerians
to adopt non violence in their
thoughts, words and deeds.
Pa. Fridolin Ononye own a foundation
with the main objective to assist
and care for the sick, needy, the poor
and less privileged.

SUNDAY Vanguard
anguard, , JANUARY ARY 8, 2017, 35

PAGE 36 — SUNDAY Vanguard
anguard, , JANUARY ARY 8, 2017

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 37
REVIEWED CONSTITUTION TO BE READY IN MARCH
State police, resource control, LGA
autonomy top agenda
*We will block govs from the funds of councils without
elected officials – House Dep. Speaker Lasun
BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU
A
Constitution that will reflect
t h e
needs of the Nigerian people is
expected to come to fruition
about March this year as has been
promised by the National Assembly.
Before now, the Constitution has been
severely criticised as a product of the
military. Many attempts had been
made in the past by the National Assembly
to come up with acceptable
Constitution for the country, but due
to one controversy or the other, the attempts
ended up not yielding results.
However, the 8th Assembly has expressed
the determination to ensure
that the country is given a Constitution
that will stand the test of time.
Consequently, on December 8, 2016,
the House of Representatives Special
Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of
the Constitution, headed by the Deputy
Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, held a threeday
retreat at the June 12 Cultural
Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State
under the theme, "The Imperatives of
Constitution Review/Amendment in
Nation-Building (Constitution 4th Alteration
Bills).
Stakeholders at the retreat include
the representatives of the Nigeria Bar
Association, NBA, the Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, non-governmental organisations,
NGOs,? Civil Society Organisations,
CSOs, elders/opinion
leaders, speakers of the state Houses
of Assembly, National Council of
Women Society of Nigeria,? market
women and youth leaders
and Chairman, Ogun State Council of
Obas, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle (the
Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of
Yewaland). ?
Before now, there have been arguments
over whether Nigeria is practicing
a federal system in theory or
unitary system that was foisted on the
country by the military. In the present
efforts, one of the issues is devolution
of power which includes resource control
and state police. Others are separation
of the Office of the Attorney
General of the Federation from the
Minister of Justice and autonomy for
the local government administration
to abrogate the Joint State, Local
Government Account.
Also considered as paramount for the
smooth operation of the country are
electoral reform, separation of the Office
of the Auditor General of the Federation
from that of the Auditor-General
of the Federal Government and
the reform of judiciary considering the
Kogi governorship election debacle
which followed the sudden death of
the All Progressives Congress candidate,
Prince Abubakar Audu.
Before the commencement of the retreat,
a former governor of Anambra
State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife (Okwadike),
had told Sunday Vanguard
that the panacea for a strong and united
Nigeria was the restructuring of
the country.
While advising the National Assembly
on the best way to make Nigeria
great, Ezeife said, "The first issue to
attract their attention is restructuring
because, without restructuring, the
country may not survive. One of the
From left: Hon.Lasun,Gov. Amosun and Hon. Gbajabiamila at the retreat
When governors go to Abuja
and they are given money and
they come home and massacre
it, nobody is complaining, that
is one of the weaknesses of the
system we have now. But if an
Igbo governor goes to Abuja
and collects money for Igbo
and comes back to use it any
how, he will die
the Constitution, Lasun, explained
that the retreat was aimed at putting
in place a framework for the exercise
and also explained the rationale
behind the move to grant autonomy
to local councils.
The Deputy Speaker stated that part
of the assignment of the committee
was to conclude work on the 4th Alteration
Bill that was started by the
7th Assembly and process all other
proposals for further alteration of the
Constitution as may be necessary on
behalf of the House or as referred to
it by the House.
He said, "It pleases me to inform
you that the committee has been
working tirelessly to ensure that the
Fourth Alteration Bill is given speedy
passage and subsequent assent by the
President."
According to him, efforts made by
the previous assembly to ensure a
successful amendment of the Constitution
that would have contributions
from the Nigerian people were
thwarted because the process started
around the third year of four-year
tenure, stressing that it was in a bid
to avoid the mistake of the previous
attempts that the leadership of the 8th
assembly decided to start the process
early.
He said, "We will round off our
work between February and March
(next year) to give the President ample
time to go through the amendment
for his assent.
"In order to make the amendment
process more flexible and practicable,
the 4th Alteration Bill has been
segmented into 14 Bills and we are
presently considering over thirty (30)
Bills referred to the Committee by the
8th Assembly.
"Having considered the reasons
why the Alteration Bill in the 7th Assembly
was declined by the President,
we have decided that the process
should commence de-novo and fasttracked
to ensure a timeous passage
of the Bills.
"The demand for more in the
scheme of things and access to control
of resources has led to increased
violence, hostage taking and disruption
of the activities of the oil industhings
to talk about is the number of local
governments in the country.
"As you have seen, how many policemen
were appointed recently from Kano, and
how many from the other side of the country?
After that, you talk about the economy.
"We need to restructure to have larger
states, that is, count the geo-political
zones as states and they should be able to
give themselves light, they should be able
to deal with ecological problems, they
should be able to provide transportation
and water and then there will be more
competition and protection of property.
"When governors go to Abuja and they
are given money and they come home and
massacre it, nobody is complaining, that
is one of the weaknesses of the system we
have now. But if an Igbo governor goes to
Abuja and collects money for Igbo and
comes back to use it any how, he will die.
"So, the most needful of all actions required
is restructuring because God gave
us everything, but we are denying ourselves
everything. With restructuring, we
will achieve what God planned for us."
Rationale
Speaking at the retreat, the Deputy
Speaker and Chairman of the House Special
Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of
try- the mainstay of the country's economy.
"These conflicts are traceable in
many respect to dissatisfaction by different
groups within the geopolitical
configuration with the distribution of
power particularly, control over natural
and fiscal resources within the
federal structure. The balance of power
is said to be too heavily tilted in
favour of the central government.
"The issue of local government creation
and the constitutional conflict
it has generated in the operations of
the 1999 Constitution have shown
that whereas the Constitution provides
for creation of new local governments
and provides a procedure
by which the states can undertake
same, the fact that no state has been
able to complete the process under
the Constitution is a sign of failure
or undue rigidity, perhaps or indeed,
both.
"Some of the scandals associated
with some individual judges, their
judgments and what may be termed
questionable motives, have raised
questions about the underlying policy
considerations that come to play
in the appointment of judges.
"A lot of issues have arisen in relation
to the electoral process. The need
to establish a credible time-limit for
the conclusion of election petitions.
What are the constitutional implications
of the executive team ticket? At
what point does it actually begin in
the light of the conflict in Kogi?
“It is no longer news that local governments
all over the country today
are almost close to non-existence.
And so we feel that development is
rural based and the local government
has a central role to play to developing
our environment. So part of the
alteration this time around will have
to do with financial and administrative
autonomy for local government.
"We have discovered that all over
the world, the centre of development
has been found to be at the grassroots
because we are talking about people.
"Any state would not be able to access
local government money any
longer if there are no elected officials
at the local government. This is part
of what we are plotting in the alteration,
we make sure you don't get
your money from the federation account.
It goes beyond party lines.
We are all Nigerians and don't forget
that after election has been conducted,
won and lost, governance
starts. Constitution is about governance,
it is not about political parties.
"
Lasun ruled out the possibility of
stripping state governments the power
to constitute the States Independent
Electoral Commission (SIEC) in
the Constitution review exercise.
Assuring that the renewed effort to
amend the Constitution would be
completed by March 2017, he explained
that the need to fast track the
process was borne out of the need to
avert a situation whereby issues to be
tabled for amendment could not be
politicized.
In his remarks, House Speaker,
Continues on page 38

PAGE 38 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
Count Edo APC out of mega party, we
are with Buhari – Idahosa
SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN-
CITY
Chief Charles Idahosa, aka
Akakasiaka, is one of the heavy
weights in the politics of Edo State.
He was the Special Adviser on Political
Matters to the immediate
past Governor Adams Oshiomhole
for eight years. In this interview, Idahosa
speaks on what he expects from
Governor Godwin Obaseki in the
new year, saying that APC leaders
in the state will provide a conducive
environment for him to fulfil
his campaign promises to the people.
Yakubu Dogara, told the
the committee to continue
to engage in full consultation
with the Senate
and where possible hold
joint activities.
Dogara, who was represented
by the Majority
Leader of the House, Femi
Gbajabiamila, said, "After
dealing with agreed issues
on Constitution review, we
may start discussion on
possible amendment of
contentious areas of the
Constitution.
"The issue of local government
funding, functions,
structure and elections
should be reformed
if we will make progress
as a nation. Happily, at the
last botched constitution
review, twenty states voted
to allow financial and
structural autonomy for
local governments. If we
got the buy-in of four
more states, it could have
been achieved, so we
should not give up,”he
•Chief Charles Idahosa
Your party, the APC, is thriv
ing despite the economic
recession. It won the Edo
and Ondo state governorship
elections. What is the secret behind
this success?
We thank God that we won these
states, but one thing I must say is
that for a political party that is incharge
of a government to be winning
elections in a recession goes
a great length to show the understanding
and the sophistication of
the Nigerian voter. What the results
from Edo and Ondo show is that
the people are very much aware
and enlightened about the issues,
that the problem we are having
today was created by the PDP.
Though the PDP tried to paint the
APC Federal Government in bad
light as if the whole problem started
in our time, what the results of
the two states have shown is a vote
of confidence on the APC - led Federal
Government. The people are
aware that what they need is patience
and time to allow the APC
government consolidate and take
us out of the woods. Nigeria would
have collapsed if PDP had won the
2015 presidential election from
what we have seen today. So we
are grateful to the electorate in
Ondo and Edo states for their belief
despite all the PDP blackmail.
And APC is still going to win more
states because Nigerians are aware
that the APC will get us out of the
recession soonest.
Anenih’s resignation from politics
Chief Tony Anenih is a very good
politician. I worked with him in the
PDP, though most of us thought the
retirement would have come earlier
than now but it is okay. He has
done his best in politics, he has
done very well for his people in
politics. Uromi where he comes
from can boast of four to five persons
as former Ministers and other
top government functionaries.
He has been part of the political
struggles of this country. People
love him, people hate him and that
is politics for you. When you read
the hand-writing on the wall you
have to leave quietly because we
all know that Chief cannot operate
in the current Federal Government.
He gave his support to the
PDP in the last election, though they
did not win but he has made his
mark in politics and I wish him all
the best.
stated.
'Problems the Constitution
can resolve'
In his presentation, the
guest speaker at the occasion
and a former Minister
of Justice, Prince Bola
Ajibola, SAN, lamented
that the country had witnessed
many unpalatable
things.
Ajibola whose presentation
was, "The Imperative
of Constitution Review/
Amendment in Nation-
Building", said, "We never
had recession, we never
had oppression, we never
had depression. It is now
happening.
"Easy money is no longer
there. It is now a necessity
that we must work on
what we can get from our
sweat. Easy money is no
longer in the country,
stealing money and corruption
must find their
way out.
"The most important aspect
is that the Constitution
will need to be adjusted,
corrected to fit in, in
the drastic situation we
The political class particularly
in the APC are very apprehensive
about how Obaseki is going to run
the state as regards empowering
politicians like former Governor
Oshiomhole did. What is you
have now. We never had it
so bad like this. We have
to look into the constitution
particularly, as it concerns
our economy.
"A lot of people are being
retrenched, a lot of
people are without jobs.
By hook or crook, they try
to find means of livelihood.
We must find a situation
that the Constitution
solves these problems."
Though there had been
previous attempts to grant
autonomy to local councils
that met the brickwall
as the preponderence view
among the 36 states governors
of the country was
that the matter falls within
the purview of state
governments, warning
that attempt by the National
Assembly to legislate
on the issue will tilt
the country towards a unitary
state, thereby undermining
and weakening the
fundamental principle of
federalism, the President
of Nigerian Union of Local
Government Employees,
NULGE, Comrade
Ibrahim Khaleel, contended
that the local councils
deserve to be given the
opportunity to explore
their potentialities without
encumbrances from
state governments.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun,
the chief host, commended
the initiative,
adding that it was incumbent
on the lawmakers to
write their names in gold
by considering the clamour
for fiscal federalism,
state police, and cries of
marginalisation by ethnic
minorities in the country.
Also speaking, the Deputy
Majority Whip, Pally
Iriase, said no Constitution
could be so nice that
it will serve for all times,
noting that things start
evolving as situations
change.
He said, "It is better we
jaw-jaw than to war-war
and what that means is
that we should sit down to
talk on behalf of
Nigerians.We should craft
view?
I have absolute confidence in
Obaseki. He has started well, he is
not the everyday politician people
know, he is a technocrat who knows
what he want to achieve. If you
watch him closely, everything he
said in his campaign is what he is
implementing. He said he was going
to create 200,000 jobs and he
has started implementing it. Oshiomhole
did very well and APC
could not have won if not for the
achievements made by him. Before
the coming of Oshiomhole, nothing
was on ground here. The previous
regime of the PDP was a waste.
So Obaseki will do better than Oshiomhole
because he was part and
parcel of the Oshiomhole administration
and I am very sure he will
improve on the legacies of the Oshiomhole
administration. His style
of governance is quite different
from that of Oshiomhole, Oshiomhole
was a masses politician but
he is different but they share the
same vision which is development
of the state. I think we are very lucky
to have an Obaseki succeeding
Oshiomhole. He will do very well.
Unity in Edo APC
APC is very united and I must
congratulate Oshiomhole on the
way he reconciled the aspirants
after the primary election, notably
the deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu,
who worked doggedly for the
party and others. When you look at
the way we reconciled and faced
the election and won and look at
the three people who stood in the
PDP primary, today they are all
scattered. But the APC remains united
and went for the election. The
APC was never divided. But some
elements after the primary, even
when the real aspirants who took
part in the shadow election had
said it was all over, some of their
followers, due to their own personal
ambition did not stop. Some of
these people sabotaged the party
but thank God they were in the
minority.
We are only waiting for Oshiomhole
to settle down and call for a
leadership meeting so, that we can
put things in shape because, as
together a constitutional
amendment that will enjoin
Nigerians to think
first of what they can do
for the country and not
what the country can do
for them."
The member representing
Aniocha/Oshimili
Federal Constituency of
Delta State, Rep Onyemaechi
Mrakpor, said
what the country needed
was resource control by
various states and regions.
She said, "I think it is a
wonderful one and, like
the governor of Ogun
State said, we should resort
to resource control
and pay tax to centre
amendment.
"Taking it from that angle
because we are abandoning
the resource we
have as everybody is sharing
from the federal allocation
and, when we return
to what God has deposited
in each of the
states, we will be better for
it because each state will
struggle to stand on its
own, while the federal is
things are now, he is the leader of
the party in the state. When he
was governor he was playing the
double role because we did not
have an APC former governor.
Now that he is a former governor
and Obaseki, the governor, we
have a former APC governor who
should be the leader of the party.
Naturally he becomes the leader
of the party and while Obaseki
will concentrate on governance
Oshiomhole will run the affairs
of the party. We the leaders from
respective areas will assist him in
moving the party forward. We
don’t want anything that will distract
the governor from doing his
work.
Rumour of mega party
Like Harold Wilson said, a week
is a long time in politics, 2019 is
still very far away. The economy
may bounce back in 2017, so what
happens to those forming mega
party? I don’t think there is any
fear of the APC is not winning the
presidency in 2019 because, before
then, many things will happen.
We will win again in 2019
because Edo in recession we won,
Ondo in recession we won, so I
don’t think the recession is going
to last long. And let me tell you,
there is no way you will not notice
bickering in a large party like
the APC. There must be disagreement
but it will be settled. Recently
we saw the National Chairman
of APC Oyegun meeting with the
leadership of the National Assembly
and that is a good beginning.
Somebody like Tinubu who is a
pioneer leader of this party, there
is no way anybody can push him
aside, he played a major role in
making Buhari president and I
don’t think he will want to destroy
all he has built. I know he may
not be too happy with some of the
decisions but I believe commonsense
will prevail at the end of the
day. I don’t believe that any mega
party can push APC out of government
because they cannot
gather that momentum. We saw
some of the names they mentioned
but Edo is not among and Edo
cannot leave Buhari for any other
party. But I believe that APC
leaders including Tinubu will not
be part of that mega party because
we must get used to the style of
Buhari. Nigerians voted for him
and it means he is popular. Look
at all the states Buhari went to
campaign during governorship
elections, we won those states.
'We will block govs from the funds of councils without elected officials'
Continued from page 37
When you look at the
way we reconciled and
faced the election and
won and look at the three
people who stood in the
PDP primary, today they
are all scattered. But the
APC remains united and
went for the election
also aiming for the top.
So, I stand by that, that we
return to the control of
what we have.
"The basic economic
problem is the resource
control. It is when you
work to control what is
yours that you work better.
There is a determination
to look at every other
area to complement what
you have.
"Somebody talked
about state police which
is also an aspect we should
look at; concentrating everything
as federal might
is one major problem that
we should look at. It was
done by the military, the
Constitution is not a collective
decision of Nigerians.
"It was from the background
of the military,
dictatorship, and they introduced
what they wanted
to introduce. Now Nigerians
are ready to make
the Constitution to be
governable and acceptable."

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 39
‘Some people are using the N’Delta
crisis to strategize for 2019 elections’
BY YINKA AJAYI
Rolando Pereotubo is a rights activist
and an aspirant for the President
of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
Among other issues, he speaks on the
intrigues affecting the region and the
way forward.
Two months after President
Muhammadu Buhari met
with stakeholders from the
Niger Delta, nothing has been
heard from the government towards
finding lasting peace in the
region. What do you think is responsible
for this?
It is saddening that months after
Mr. President met with stakeholders
from the Niger Delta under the
umbrella body of Pan-Niger Delta
Forum, with another group headed
by Pa Diete Spiff meeting Vice President
Yemi Osibanjo, the Federal
Government is yet to come out with
a dialogue committee to sit down
with the people of the region to marshal
out far-reaching solutions that
would address the problems of the
Niger Delta.
Unfortunately, the reason for this
is because there are some people in
the President Muhammadu Buhari
cabinet who are supposed to be seen
as peace-makers but, rather, they are
playing politics with the whole process.
I do not know if the reason for
their action is because they do not
want their principal, Mr. President,
to succeed. Because, looking at the
body language of Mr. President, I
am not entirely convinced that he is
out to make peace in the Niger Delta.
If he was ready, two months after
meeting with stakeholders from the
region is an ample time for the Fed-
I urge Mr. President to
move the military out of
the creeks particularly
Gbaramatu for one
month, then compare
and contrast the situation
on ground with the
presence and absence
of the military in the
creeks
•Rolando Pereotubo
eral Government to kick-start the
process of setting up that committee
made up of prominent sons and
daughters from the region, particularly
from the Ijaw extraction, towards
ensuring that there is peace in
the Niger Delta and, until that dialogue
component is formed, I do not
know where we are going and I want
to use this opportunity to urge Mr.
President to convoke that committee.
On the other hand, the problem
might not be with the President himself
as he cannot be everywhere. That
is why he has a cabinet members
most of whom are politicians. Whatever
opportunity these persons have,
they normally embark on their political
gimmick and, unfortunately,
these individuals in the Buhari cabinet
are playing politics with the Niger
Delta situation, failing to understand
that the situation is a reality
and something that must be addressed.
If you look critically at the political
clime of the country today, you
would notice that these individuals
have already started using the Niger
Delta unrest to strategies ahead of
the 2019 elections and the President
may not be aware of this.
So, I want to urge him to watch his
back carefully and identify those in
his cabinet that can tackle this impasse
in the Niger Delta head on.
These individuals are there but some
persons in the system are out to truncate
the process because they believe
if they do so, it’s better for them as a
people and not as a collective group
in the Buhari administration.
Let me expatiate a little bit, do you
know that if the Niger Delta problem
is solved and Mr. President succeeds,
there would be peace in the
region with a clamour for him to run
again for a second tenure including
Nigerians from the region? Unfortunately,
some key men in his kitchen
cabinet do not want this to happen
because of their personal ambition
in 2019. These are persons
who want to ensure they take over
power from Buhari unknown to Mr.
President and they are misinforming
him. Don’t get me wrong, Buhari
might have genuine intention
in trying to resolve this problem, but
he is being advised wrongly, thereby
making him to interface with people
who actually do not have access
to the Niger Delta people.
There are reports in some quarters
that some persons are fueling
the unrest in the Niger Delta for
their financial gains. How do you
react to this?
The military has consistently operated
in the Niger Delta and in the
creeks, particularly in the Gbaramatu
Kingdom, which is the theatre
of war. Some people and security
agencies in that place are feeding
fat from this process. They may not
be doing what they are expected to
do as security agencies to curb the
situation. You know as an individual,
you wouldn’t want to spoil where
you are reaping from. Take a look at
the Gbaramatu area, you have
house boats everywhere and these
are boats that house security personnel
which are serviced regularly.
In all of these, what do you think
is the way out?
The solution to this problem is not
the military approach. If the military
approach is working, it would
have worked long ago. We have had
the military living with us for years.
In the creeks, in our homes, when we
wake up, the first persons we see are
the soldiers. So the people of the region
are almost used to military
presence.I believe the issue is a political
problem and must be given a
political solution rather than the
military approach. I urge Mr. President
to move the military out of the
creeks particularly Gbaramatu for
one month, then compare and contrast
the situation on ground with
the presence and absence of the military
in the creeks. If he does this,
the Ijaw people and the people of
the Niger Delta would definitely
make peace with government.
What is your reaction to renewed
agitations by ex-militants over the
non-payment of their monthly stipends?
It is very unfortunate that, at this
time, a group of people are talking
about solving the Niger Delta problem
and ex-militants are being owed
their monthly stipends. If these exmilitants
alone are paid, it would
help in dousing tension in the region
because a hungry man is an
angry man. It is indeed unfortunate
that the Amnesty Office is unable
to pay these ex-militants. I urge
our brother, Gen. Boroh, to do all
within his power to ensure that these
boys are paid.
You are a right activist and an aspirant
running for the office of President
of the Ijaw Youth Council
(IYC). How do you intend to juggle
the challenges from both
sides?
As a son of the soil, I am aware of
the workings of my brothers and sisters
in the creeks of the Niger Delta.
I know that if the government shows
genuine interest, these problems can
be solved and addressed. Because
of some of these problems, I am vying
for the position of Ijaw Youth
Council Worldwide so that, as a
youth from the region and as an Ijaw
man, I can also contribute my quota
in making sure that there is peace
in the Niger Delta.
If I emerge, I would continue to
interface with government by telling
them the problems of the Ijaw
people, the Niger Delta and the challenges
of the people of Gbaramatu
Kingdom.
Division in Auditor-General’s Office over Ayine’s appointment
•Group commends Buhari for appointing ‘person of integrity’
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
There appears to be di
vision among the staff
of the Office of Auditor-General
of the Federation,
following the appointment of
Anthony Mkpe Ayine by President
Muhammadu Buhari to
occupy the office.
Buhari has already forwarded
the name of Ayine to the
Senate for confirmation after
his excellent performance in
an interview for the job and
his record when he was the
Auditor-General of Local Government
in Cross River State.
It was alleged that a group
within the Office of the AuG-
Foperating under the name
“Coalition of members of Staff
and Organised Labour of the
Office of the Auditor-General
of the Federation”, had petitioned
the Senate opposing
the confirmation of Ayine because
he was not a staff of the
office.
But another set of staff in the
AuGF, “Concerned Integrity
Group”, commended President
Buhari for appointing
Ayine for the position, describing
him as a man of integrity
that will block all financial
loopholes in the system.
Members of the latter group
alleged that “those opposed
to the confirmation of Ayine
are members of a small group
within the system who had
lobbied for one of their own
to emerge with ulterior motives.”
“But because Ayine is a nononsense
man, they are not
comfortable with his nomination
because he will spoil the
market for them,” one of the
members of Concerned Integrity
group stated.
Sunday Vanguard gathered
that Ayine had carried out
some cleansing at the Cross
River State Local Government
Pension Board where he discovered
about N8 million
NGO seeks urgent action against illegal settlements in Lagos
Acivil society organi
zation, Safe Habitat,
has called on Lagos
State government and stakeholders
in the state to show
serious interest at the rate
aliens from neighbouring
countries and criminals fleeing
from other parts of the
country are creating illegal
settlements in some riverine
communities in the state.
The group, with focus on environmental
safety, in a statement
by its Executive Director,
Ade Williams, yesterday,
said: “We are concerned about
information reaching us that
some aliens and criminals
fleeing from law enforcement
agencies have formed the habit
of creating illegal settlements
and shanties in some
water front communities especially
in Eti-Osa local government
area of the state, where
they constitute environmental
nuisance and launch criminal
attacks against residents of
Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island
and others.”
Williams said the earlier
government and other stakeholders
take decisive action
against such settlements and
shanties the better for the environment,
lawful residents
and business development of
the area and the state as a
whole. The CSO commended
the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi
Ambode for taking
similar action last year to rid
Ikoyi and Victoria Island of
such environmental nuisance.
He said past government in
the state had summoned the
same will to cleanse Kuramo
beach of criminal activities in
fraud in the system and he
immediately petitioned the
state House of Assembly.
He also sent the petition,
dated, September 8, 2015 to
Governor Ben Ayade.
Ayine was quoted to have alleged
that the pension board
manipulated the payment of
pension and gratuity to the
beneficiary of a dead official
who served for 32 years in the
Office of the Auditor-General.
Ayine’s appointment and request
for confirmation was
contained in a letter by the
President to the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki.
Buhari noted in the letter
read by Saraki to his colleagues
that Section 86(1) of
1999 Constitution (as amended)
states that the Auditor-
General for the Federation
shall be appointed by the
President on the recommendation
of the Federal Civil
Service Commission subject to
confirmation by the Senate.
2007 by dislodging illegal settlers
erecting shanties there.
“We recall that some concerned
residents of Eti Osa
had petitioned complaining of
the incessant harassment,
nuisance and robbery perpetrated
by the occupants of the
shanties at Ebute-Ikate, Elegushi.
Following that, the
Ikate Elegushi Residents Association
also wrote another
petition to the Lagos State
Task Force, Alausa, Ikeja,
to further complain about the
unwholesome activities of the
occupants of the shanties in
the same community.”

PAGE 40—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017
sam.eyoboka@gmail.com
08023145567 (sms only)
Jehovah's Witness wins tricycle as Oritsejafor empowers 78
By Sam Eyoboka
AJEHOVAH'S Witness be
came an instant winner of
a brand new Bajaj Tricycle
at the 2016 Eagle Flight Micro
Finance Bank Limited and Poverty
Alleviation Programme of
Word of Life Bible Church at a ceremony
to mark Boxing Day---a
day after Christmas when postmen,
errand-boys, and servants of
various kinds expect to receive a
Christmas-box which coincides
with the 11th year anniversary of
Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank.
Adah Jiroghene Emmanuel, a 32-
year old classroom teacher in
Ugboroke area of Warri, was one
of the 78 persons who heartily
jumped, rolled on the concrete
road, to demonstrate their joy, profusely
thanking God for an instant
end-of-year divine turn-around in
their fortunes.
"Unbelievable!" the 32-year old
graphic designer from Agbarha-
Otor in Ughelli North Local Government
of Delta State who worships
at the Bazunu Kingdom Hall
in Warri, exclaimed in ecstacy,
narrating how the propriety of his
school had encouraged all the
teaching staff to participate in the
Word of Life Bible Church empowerment
programme.
"Grudgingly, I applied and at a
point during the ceremony I got
tired and made to go away but
decided to persevere. I thank Pastor
Ayo and his wife for this gift
and pray they should continue
with the gesture because the Bible
said it's more blessed to give than
to receive," he said repeatedly.
The occasion also provided joy unspeakable
for Solomon Obukohwo
Itse, Edah Orode Abigail and
Bioku Linda Enajomo who went
home with a brand new Hyundai
car worth N3.5 million each to be
used as commercial vehicles in the
Warri area. Itse, a 46-year old unemployed
Orogun man, who also
filled the form for the empowerment
out of boredom, is a member
of Living Faith Church, Izakpa,
said he was encouraged by
his younger brother's wife who
won a tricycle three years earlier.
Edah Orode who will be 33 on
January 13 is currently learning
how to bake. When her name was
mentioned as winner of one of the
three cars she simply went hysterical,
rolling on the bare concrete.
It took great effort before several
women could calm her and bring
her to the world of the living.
"I thank God to Papa and Mama
Ayo Oritsejafor, my spiritual parents.
They have tried over the years
as they have been there for us and
has massively encouraged us. God
will bless them massively."
The third car winner, Bioku Linda
Enajomo, who also expressed similar
sentiments is a teacher at
Ugbolohwosu area and has promised
to operate the Taxi cab by
herself daily after her primary responsibilities
to her school children.
Miss Ugbuhor Anna Jennifer, 26,
also from Living Faith Church,
Izakpa Airport Road, Warri, currently
seeking admission to the
University of Benin to read Business
Administration, was the first
to win a tricycle and her joy was
simply phenomenal. Fifty oneyear
old Mrs. Roli Vivian Sifo,
who won the second tricycle, is a
member of the Ogunu assembly
of Living Faith Church. A widow
and mother of two, she expressed
gratitude to God for the divine
intervention which will now enable
her to educate her two children.
*Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor presenting the car keys to one of the winners, Mr. Siolomon Obukohwo Itse
while his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor and others watch with keen interest.
*A cross section of the items on parade just before the draws.
Below: Bank chairman, Mrs. Helen Oritsejafor reading her welcome address.
Apart from the three cars, 10 tricycles,
50 other persons also went
In an interview, the visioner and
our faith."
home with grinding machines
immediate past national president
of Christian Association of
while another 25 bagged contracts
for training in different vocations:
Tailoring (Men and
jafor emphasised that the Church
Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritse-
Women), Fish farming, Women
has no choice than to lend a helping
hand to the under-privileged
make over, Aluminium work. The
trainees will be provided with
in the society.
starter packs at the end of their
"When Jesus said I was hungry
trainiing programme.
and you fed me, I was naked and
To mark the bank's 11th anniversary,
two staffers who had served
there was a recession and you
you clothed me...He didn't say
the bank diligently for the past 10
took a break and then after the recession
you came back and you
years, Chikezie Cynthia and Aneh
Samson were rewarded with one
clothed me. That's not what He
year full salary each just as faithful
customers received various
"So the Church has no choice but
said.
gifts for their steadfastness to the
to always reach out to the poor, to
growth of the bank.
the under-privileged, the needy,
Chairman of the Eagle Flight
those who are out there who need
Micro Finance Bank, Pastor
help. Jesus preached one day and
(Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor said the
when He finished preaching, He
bank which has been granted state
said to His disciples, give them
lincence is striving to go national
food to eat. That immediately tells
and beyond, promising "we will
you that God is always concerned
continue to demonstrate our commitment
to poverty reduction to N500.
mind and the body. It's not just
amount for opening of accounts about the total man: the spirit, the
which we are set to achieve by the Affirming that the raffle draw that about preaching people to heaven,
grace of God.
produced the 78 winners was no but while they are here on earth,
"Our joy is that we see the spiritual,
physical and economical done with utmost transparency how do they feed and survive?
fluke, Mrs. Oritsejafor said it was what do they do, how do they live,
changes in the lives of persons who and without bias for religion or "So what's life all about? Why
have on a yearly basis benefited tribe, appealing to those who should they be here? They are not
from the poverty alleviation programme,"
she stated, emphasising morrow. God can decide to bless responsibility and we just can't run
didn't win "if it's not today, it is to-
dead, they are alive. So we have a
that to encourage entrepreneurial you in another way any way. What away from it. We must continue to
development and inculcate the we must do is to remain hopeful, do all what God "instructed" the
culture of saving among the people,
the bank had just lowered the is the author and the finisher of joy. Because when you obey
prayerful, looking on to God who Church to do, and we do it with
God
and you are happy about it,
Heaven is happy with you. So we
rejoice and we will continue to do
it. We don't even think of recession.
We do our best and He knows that
we will always do our best. Whatever
we do now, next time hopefully
it will be better than this. We
just pray we can improve and continue
to improve," he said.
Asked if the gesture is in recognition
that governments have failed
in this part of the world, he said:
"No, I don't think so. In my own
opinion, God spoke directly to the
Church, so the Church has a responsibility
to do exactly what
we are doing now, whether there
is government or not. In fact, the
Church is government on its own
and so has a direct responsibility
to take care of the needy. So the
Church, to be honest with you,
should not hide behind government
somewhere and say government
ought to do this.
"That's not to say government
shouldn't. Government has the responsibility
to take care of people
they govern. Now that is between
them and God and the people. But
I must tell you that the Church has
a responsibility given to her directly
from God to take care of
the needy amongst them. We do it
because we are instructed to do
it," he said.
Continuing, he told his interviewer:
"It will shock you if you go to
the UK to discover that the
churches that are well recognized
by government, by Her Royal
Majesty and all important institutions
are the ones that are doing
exactly what we are doing
now. That makes them stand out
and they are recognized. In fact
three years ago, Prince Charles
went to a Nigerian church; on his
birthday to worship. And when
they asked him why, he said because
I found out that this church
is always meeting the needs of
people and I just think it's the right
thing for a church to do, so I feel
it's a right place for me to come
and worship.
"Again I repeat, that does not take
away the fact that government has
a responsibility to make sure that
the people are first protected; secondly
their needs are met one way
or the other. They have that responsibility.
But I can't sit here and
speak for government. They will
have to speak for themselves. But
I can speak for the Church. I know
I have a responsibility as a leader
in the Church to do what we are
doing and we will continue to do
it by the grace of God.
"The Church alone cannot do it. It
is absolutely impossible, but the
Church must do what she can do
and that's exactly what we're doing.
Government has a huge chunk
of the responsibility but the
Church has its place and corporate
organizations have their
place. I look forward to a day in
this country when government,
churches and corporate organizations
would partner and work together
to meet the needs of people.
"My feeling is that we may ‘almost',
not totally, eradicate poverty
from our society, if these three
groups will come together. That's
my heart desire. I don't know how
to go about it. If you know how to,
you can tell us how and reach out
to the government and corporate
organizations. I'm here, I'm ready.
If the three groups can partner,
believe me, we will change this
nation. We are ready and we believe
that together we can make a
difference in this nation to the
glory of God," Oritsejafor pledged.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 41
CHRISTIANS insist
we are children of
Abraham, even
without doing the works of
Abraham. We sing
repeatedly: “Abraham’s
blessings are mine. I am
blessed in the morning, I am
blessed in the evening;
Abraham’s blessings are
mine.” But since we have been
appropriating Abraham’s
blessings, we have not become
rich. Something must be
wrong somewhere otherwise
Christians should be the
richest people on earth today.
God said to Abraham: “I
will bless you and make your
name great; and you shall be
a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2).
Thereafter, we learn that
“Abram was very rich in
livestock, in silver, and in
gold.” (Genesis 13:2). Was
that the fulfilment of the
promise made to him?
Blessing of sinlessness
No! The blessing that the
Lord had in mind for
Abraham was to make him
sinless by forgiving him his
sins. Peter revealed this to the
Jews after the Pentecost: “You
are sons of the prophets, and
of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying
to Abraham, ‘And in your seed
all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.’ To you first,
God, having raised up His
Servant Jesus, sent Him to
bless you, in turning away
every one of you from your
iniquities.” (Acts 3:25-26).
Note that Peter did not say
Jesus took away their sins. He
said Jesus turned them away
from their sins.
God said to Abraham, in
effect, the greatest way I can
THE GREATEST BLESSING OF ALL
bless you is by delivering you
from your sins. The best way I
can bless you is by breaking the
power of sin over your life. The
best way I can bless you is by
making you sinless. “When
Abram was 99 years old, the
LORD appeared to Abram and
said to him, ‘I am Almighty God;
walk before me and be
blameless.’” (Genesis 17:1).
Not salvation from poverty
Many of the Old Testament
Jews had their own idea of
blessings. They were convinced
the Messiah would come to
establish an opulent society on
earth. They believed that when
the Messiah comes, he would
shower them with wealth,
prosperity and unending
happiness. They thought he
would give them all the world’s
resources and positions of power.
They were convinced that once
he came, they would not have to
labour or strive any more. Many
Christians are also schooled in
these misconceptions.
But Jesus confounded all
expectations. As far as God was
concerned, the greatest blessing
he could give man was
deliverance from the grip of sin
through the ministry of Jesus
Christ. Therefore, the angel said
to Joseph concerning Mary’s
unborn child: “You shall call his
You want to see a man that is
blessed, don’t ask what kind of
job he has. Don’t ask how much
he has in the bank
name Jesus, for he will save
his people from their sins.”
(Matthew 1:20-21).
The greatest thing God has
ever done, and will ever do,
for man is to forgive us our
sins.
God spoke creation into
existence. Within seven days,
he created the heavens, the
earth and all living things.
But salvation was entirely
different. Salvation could not
be established by merely
saying: “Let there be
salvation.” God had to come
down to earth personally in
human form through the
womb of a woman. He then
demonstrated forgiveness by
forgiving us even when we
responded to his love by
crucifying him.
Key to blessing
Without a doubt, salvation
is the greatest and most
complex work of God known
to man. Therefore, David does
not say “blessed is the man
who is made the king of Israel.”
He says: “Blessed is he whose
transgression is forgiven.” (Psalm
32:1).
There is only one way by which
God truly blesses a man: by
forgiving him his sins. Without
the forgiveness of sins, all other
so-called blessings are useless.
You want to see a man that is
blessed, don’t ask what kind of
house he has. Don’t ask for his
wife and children. Don’t ask what
kind of job he has. Don’t ask how
much he has in the bank. Don’t
even ask about his health. Ask him
if his sins are forgiven. If they are
not, every other thing is a waste
of time.
It is the forgiveness of sins that
ushers a man into the things of
God. It is the forgiveness of sins
that brings the precious Holy
Spirit. It is the forgiveness of sins
that reconciles man back to God.
It is the forgiveness of sins that
enables the inheritance of eternal
life.
If a man has all the wealth in
the world but his sins are not
forgiven, he is a poor man indeed.
Every blessing has its
foundation in the forgiveness
of sins. Therefore, everything
we do as believers should
have its mainspring in the fact
that our sins are forgiven. It
must be the mainspring of all
our actions in the life.
God is love. He so loved
that he gave. The first thing
he gave was Jesus. The second
thing he gave was forgiveness.
The third thing he gave was
eternal life.
Need to forgive
If the greatest thing God did
for us was to forgive us our
sins, then the greatest thing
we can do for others is to
forgive them their sins. It is
more difficult to forgive than
to give. It is so much easier to
give money than to forgive
others. We can give under
duress. We can give even
though we don't want to. But
we cannot forgive by force. We
can only forgive from the
heart. And we cannot truly
give unless we forgive.
Jesus says the extent of our
love of God is a function of
our appreciation of the
forgiveness of our sins.
Indeed, the extent of our
understanding of the
Christian faith is determined
by our understanding of the
centrality of the forgiveness of
sins.
Simon, the Pharisee, did not
understand this, therefore he
despised the woman who
anointed Jesus feet with
precious ointment and washed
his feet with her hair. Jesus said
to him: “Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven, for she
loved much.But to whom little
is forgiven, the same loves
little.” (Luke 7:47-48).
He that is forgiven must
forgive. When Christians bear
malice; when we divorce our
spouses instead of being
reconciled with them; when we
are bitter against our
neighbours for perceived
wrongs done to us; we show that
we don’t have eternal life
operating in us.
Joseph was quick to forgive
his brothers. God required Job
to forgive his vicious friends.
When he did, the Lord
redeemed all his losses: “The
LORD restored Job's losses
when he prayed for his friends.
Indeed the LORD gave Job
twice as much as he had
before.” (Job 42:10). Even so
will the Lord redeem all the
losses of those believers who
forgive from the heart any and
every wrong done to us.
When we receive the
forgiveness of sins through
Christ Jesus’ atonement, the
Holy Spirit starts to rewrite the
Ten Commandments that were
written on tablets of stone on
the fleshly tablets of our hearts.
Thus, in the volume of the book
it is written of us, we now
delight to do the will of God.
(Psalm 40:7). The fire-baptism
of the Holy Spirit purifies our
heart: it purges the dross within
and enables us to come out as
gold.
RCCG upgrades
abandoned
hospital
By Olayinka Latona
THE joy of residents of
Magboro and Arepo com
munities in the Obafemi
Owode Local Governmnet Area of
Ogun State knew no bounds last
week, as Province 2 of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God.
RCCG, dedicated a multi-million
naira health care facility for the
use of the community.
Dedicating the hospital, Still-Waters
Hospital, wife of the church's
General Overseer, Pastor (Mrs.)
Folu Adeboye advised members
of the community and their leaders
to protect the 11-bed hospital,
work in peace, love and harmony.
According to her, the facility has
been built for the use of the community
without bias for religion
or tribe, saying: “Whatever God
does, He does it for all. We must
not allow religious discrimination;
we must not say this was done
by Christians. We must live in love
and provide adequate security to
the facility and protect it from
vandalism.”
Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG Region
19, Pastor Brown Oyitso while
admonishing residents of the area,
on ‘Christian Social Responsibility’,
said the provision of the health
facility was the church's adherence
to the commandment of Jesus
Christ that Christians should
show forth a lifestyle of compassion
and love wherever they are.
Oyitso said the gesture also forms
part of the core mandate given to
all Provinces by the General Overseer,
Pastor Enoch Adeboye who
had tasked the church to impact
positively on the society, especially
the immediate environment.
“It is good to do good. Government
of the day cannot do it all
and that is why our father in the
Lord, Pastor Adeboye instructed us
to do good works by impacting
the community we establish our
churches positively,” he said.
The Pastor-in-charge of the Province,
Pastor Yemi Lebi explained
that the land for the project was
donated to the community by
former Ogun State Governor
Olusegun Osoba, but the community
was unable to equip the health
centre built thereon until the
church noticed the building during
an evangelistic outreach and
stepped in to salvage the situation.
Lebi said the province took over
and upgraded the health centre to
an ultra modern one, fully stocked
with drugs, with state-of-the-art
medical equipment, including ultra-sound
scan facilities and an x-
ray machine with various medical
personnel on
ground to minister to
the patients.
In his words: ”It is not
for profit, will be highly
subsidised and patients
will pay only a
token to access healthcare
at Stillwaters
Hospital,” he said, adding
that this was only
one of the church’s
many CSR projects.
Responding, Magboro/Arepo
community
development committee
chairman, Mr. Ayodeji
Kuku appreciated
the church for successfully
upgrading the
health centre to a modern
hospital for good
health service delivery
to the community.
God used a witch to save my life
— Adeboye
GENERAL Overseer of The
Redeemed Christian
Church of God, RCCG,
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye recently
revealed how God used a
witch to stop him from eating kola
nut which would have lead to his
death if he did not stop the act.
Narrating his experience while delivering
a sermon tiled: “God
Loves Me” during the annual
thanksgiving service and prophetic
declaration at the church
national headquarters, Throne of
Grace parish in Ebute-Meta, Lagos,
Pastor Adeboye attributed his
continued survival to God’s faithfulness,
and love, saying those
whom God loves are more than
conquerors.
By Olayinka Latona
In his words: “I was telling my
children that whenever we wanted
to study at night while we were
young, we used kola nut as our
own coffee as we did not have
money to buy coffee. We ate the
kola nut to stay awake.
“One day, the number one self confessed
witch in our compound,
called me and said: “Dejare, why
won’t you stop eating kola nut?
The witch warned me to desist
from what can lead to my death. I
think God spoke through the
witch and I can say God loves
me,” Adeboye stated.
Continuing, the cleric said: “You
are alive today not because you
are clever, wise or know how to do
*From left: Pastor Brown Oyitso, Pastor-in-Charge, RCCG Region 19, Pastor
Yemi Lebi, Pastor-in-Charge, RCCG Lagos Province 2; Alhaji Kuku
Ayodeji, chairman, Magboro/Arepo, Area CDC; Alhaji Modiu Alalade,
Baale, Magboro Akeran and Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, wife of General
Overseer, RCCG during the commissioning ceremony of Stillwaters Hospital,
Magboro, Ogun State. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.
it but simply because God loves
you. There are lots of people who
are in the prison who are free. I
was at the Kirikiri Prison where I
heard testimonies that brought
tears to my eyes. Some of them
said they were in prison but they
are free men because they have
Jesus; they were incarcerated but
they are free. And there are people
who are outside the prison who are
prisoners.
“It is because God loves you that
you are able to conquer all that
the devil threw at you last year.
Left for the enemy you, will not be
here today but because God loves
you, you are more than conqueror,”
Daddy G.O. said.
Adeboye then admonished Christians
that God expects those He
loves to respond by honouring
Him with their tithes and first
fruits and love their neighours,
noting that the greatest gift Christians
can give their neighbours is
introducing them to Christ.
Also speaking, the Assistant General
Overseer to G.O. on Administration
and Personnel, Pastor
Johnson Odesola, said it was high
time government did something
to ameliorate the incessant orgy
of violence in southern Kaduna
often leading to killing of innocent
citizens and destruction of
properties before it escalates to the
type of Boko Haram problem the
nation is nursing today.
He said: “This was how the problem
of Boko Haram started and
the government felt it was a small
thing until the sect became a thorn
in the flesh of Nigerians.’’

Page 42 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
VIEWPOINT
By Tyler Cowen
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Lagos as VIEWPOINT
window to the outside
world
Atrip is often defined by its
surprises, so here are my
biggest revelations from six days in
Lagos, Nigeria.
Most of all, I found Lagos to be
much safer than advertised. It is
frequently described as one of the
most dangerous cities on earth.
Many people told me I was crazy
to go there, and some Nigerian
expats warned me I might not get
out of the airport alive.
The reality is that I walked
around freely and in many parts of
town. I didn’t try to go everywhere
or at all hours, and I may have been
lucky. Yet not once did I feel
threatened, and I strongly suspect
that a trip to Lagos is safer than a
trip to Rio de Janeiro, a major
tourist destination. (In my first trip
to Rio I was attacked by children
with pointed sticks. In my second I
found myself caught in a gunfight
VIEWPOINT
By David Ikudayisi
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
The therapeutic alternative
VIEWPOINT
ADULT stem cell therapy has
gained popularity in
developed countries as an
alternative to the conventional
treatment of many diseases. There
are several studies and clinical
trials conducted in the United
States to support this.
Some current line of treatments
are not typically effective, and
some can cause detrimental side
effects. Medicine is evolving to a
more natural and more effective
means with the use of stem cells.
Due to the numerous religious and
ethical issues that comes with the
use of embryonic stem cells,
today’s medicine is moving
towards the application of adult
stem cell therapy. This piece
highlights some new applications
of adult stem cells in conditions
and diseases that has posed a
problem in our society for far too
long.
Tissue-based treatment is
already evident in the United
States. In 2012, a patient was
successfully cured of sickle cell
disease after receiving a
chemotherapy-free stem cell
transplant. Additional patients
have been successfully treated
since then. Two studies conducted
Nigeria could teach the West a few things
between drug lords). Many Lagos
residents credit the advent of
closed-circuit television cameras
for their safety improvements.
So if you’re an experienced
traveler, and tempted to visit
Africa’s largest and arguably most
dynamic city, don’t let safety
concerns be a deal killer. Nigeria’s
Horrors and Hopes
The surprises mount. For all the
negative publicity, many parts of
Nigeria, especially Lagos, could
and should serve as exemplars for
religious tolerance.
The reports of Boko Haram and
terror killings are well known, and
they reflect the interlocking and
sometimes deadly combinations of
regional, religious, sectarian and
ethnic identities in the country, not
to mention extreme inequalities of
income and opportunity. Yet
Nigeria has about 180 million
people and is larger than Texas. The
violence is the most frequently
reported story in the West, but the
underlying reality is far more
Adult stem cell and natural healing process
in 2014 and 2015 have shown that
the use of adult stem cell therapy
can greatly reduce complications
or even stop the progression of the
diseases by providing stem cells to
the needed areas. This reduces the
need for surgeries for many of these
patients.
According to International
Diabetes Federation (IDF), there
were over 40,000 deaths due to
diabetes documented in Nigeria in
2015. Treatment for diabetes has
been a focal point for medical
research for many years.
Consequently, some studies and
clinical trials conducted have
shown that Adult Adipose (fat)
Stem Cell Transplantation can
lower and regulate sugar levels
resulting in reducing or
eliminating the amount of
medication or insulin that patients
need to take.
In a recently conducted clinical
trial, some of the patients achieved
insulin independence that
remained stable for a median time
of 29 months, and another patient
for 43 months ongoing. In fact, all
the patients studied showed
substantial improvement in their
dependence on insulin and overall
diabetic condition.
The emergence of Regenerative
Medicine (which includes Adult
Stem Cell and Platelet Rich
Plasma therapy) has positively
impacted the sexual life of both
complex and shows positive
features.
For instance, the city of Lagos is
in many regards a marvel of
religious tolerance. Nigeria is
about 50 percent Muslim and 40
percent Christian, and the area
surrounding Lagos is also highly
mixed in terms of religion. That
may sound like a recipe for trouble,
but in matters of religion Lagos is
almost entirely peaceful. Religious
intermarriage is common and
usually not problematic, as is the
case in many (not all) other parts of
Nigeria as well. Many top Nigerian
politicians have married outside
their religion, kept two separate
religions in the family and enjoyed
continued political success.
Consider the scale and speed of
this achievement. Lagos, with a
population of about 20 million, is
larger than many countries. It is the
most commercially oriented part
of Nigeria, and it grew so large only
in the last few decades, as it attracted
entrepreneurially minded people
from many parts of Nigeria and
women (O-Shot) and men (P-Shot),
and the treatment is also being
used for urinary incontinence, etc.
There is now ample evidence to
show that O-Shot helps women
increase their sexual responses, the
ability to have “Vaginal Orgasm”,
arousal from clitoral stimulation,
sexual desire and natural
lubrication, arousal from G-spot
stimulation, as well as decrease
pain during intercourse and
tighten vaginal opening.
Furthermore, P-Shot in men
regenerates damaged penile
tissues faster and stronger than
most traditional treatments. In
most cases, treated men see
increase in length up to 1 inch or
more and girth up to 3/4 inch or
more while also increasing their
sexual stamina.
Adult stem cells transplantation
has also been studied in arthritis,
and there has been some positive
reports about its efficacy. In 2014,
the effects of stem cells for
articular cartilage regeneration
was studied. They studied the effect
of stem cells injection in treating
osteoarthritis of the knee, and the
results showed significant
improvement.
The usefulness of stem cell
therapy in neurological disorders
like Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral
Palsy, Spinal Cord Injury, etc. has
been shown in different studies and
clinical trials. The prognosis for
other African countries. By one
estimate, 85 new residents arrive
every hour. That may sound
chaotic, but in essence Nigeria has
in a few decades created an almost
entirely new, country-sized city built
on the ideals and practice of
religious tolerance. The current
president, Muhammadu Buhari, is
a Muslim who was supported in his
election by many Christian leaders,
on the grounds that he would fight
corruption more effectively. His
running mate served as a
Pentecostal pastor.
The recent history of Nigeria,
Lagos in particular, is also a
counterweight to some recent
Western political trends. Many
Westerners today fear resurgent
nationalism, as illustrated by the
U.K.’s vote to leave the European
Union and the election of Donald
Trump.
In Nigeria, nationalism is largely
a progressive force, bringing the
country together and allowing
nation-building and infrastructure
spinal cord injuries is generally
believed to be poor. However,
recent researches and case studies
are changing this ideology as the
value of adult stem cell therapy for
patients with spinal cord injuries
is emerging. An example of this
can be seen in a case study
published in 2015. In this case
study, a patient with functional loss
below the lesion level due to a
motor vehicle accident failed
standard therapy but saw
clinically meaningful
improvements after multiple adult
stem cell treatments. Stem cell
transplantations over a period of
months led to the restoration of the
patient’s ability to move lower
extremities against gravity, control
the body trunk, and the ability to
control the bladder. The patient
was also able to stand as well as
walk with the aid of hip and knee
ortheses. The sensation level also
increased.
Regenerative medicine involving
adult stem cells is continually
being studied and researched to
gather more evidence to enable
harnessing its’ clinical potentials.
The use of adult stem cells for
clinical therapy is now a reality for
many patients who were not able
to shed the yoke of many diseases
that conventional medicine
provided very little hope of
permanent relief for. One new
innovation is the Umbilical Cord
development. However imperfect
or backward these processes might
be — Nigeria has at least 270
distinct ethnic groups and 370
languages — in Nigeria one is
rooting for nationalism to succeed.
And it’s in Lagos, the country’s
largest and most important
window to the outside world, where
the understanding of the
importance of a common and
stable national identity has made
such progress.
Many Westerners used to consider
much of Africa backward in this
regard, but we Westerners are
learning again that national
cohesion isn’t always so easy.
Perhaps the political spectrum in
many Western countries can realign
itself in a direction analogous to
some features of Nigeria, to ally
liberalism and nationalism once
again.
•Cowen, a professor of
economist, is a columnist with
Bloomberg Media.
Tyler Cowen at
tcowen2@bloomberg.net
Stem Cells transplantation that is
now done without the need for
HLA matching. This allows
anyone to be treated for conditions
or diseases where applicable. In
case of sickle cell disease, case
studies have been published on the
use of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells
from HLA matching donors to
remedy sickle cell disease;
however, case studies are yet to be
published on the efficacy of the
Umbilical Cord Stem Cells not
requiring HLA matching for the
treatment of sickle cell disease. I
am cautious to note that the results
may differ from case to case, so
not every sickle cell patient will be
a good candidate for the
treatment.
Currently, Adult Stem Cell
Therapy is now seen as a viable
therapeutic alternative for joint
and back pain, sexual dysfunction,
diabetes, end stage renal disease
on hemodialysis, arthritis, etc. The
treatments are gaining popularity
among patients and doctors
because it is natural and can help
repair and regenerate most parts
of the human tissues.
•Ikudayisi is the Medical
Director of Glory Wellness and
Regenerative Centre.
info@glorywellness.org,
09090004532.
VIEWPOINT
By Ejiro Ofoye
VIEWPOINT VIEWPOINT
IN BRIEF
The battle for a vacant
parliament seat
IN the wake of the demise of
Mrs. Beatrice Omawumi
Udoh, member representing
Warri South Constituency I in
Delta State House of Assembly,
DTHA, the political landscape of
the constituency has suddenly
opened up a mosaic of
possibilities as to her likely
successor in the House with
Godwin Abigor of the SDP (or is
it now the APC), and Michael Tidi
of the PDP as front contenders.
Aspirants of lesser political
strength include Mofe Edema, the
current Local Government
Chairman of Warri South, who
has been severely criticized for
eyeing the post of one of his
deceased constituents, and Shola
Who will succeed Hon. Udoh in DTHA?
Daibo, who has been written off
as an unserious contender given
that she resides in America and is
accordingly tagged as the
“Diaspora candidate”.
On Abigor, it has been pointed
out that it would be most unfair
for him to take over Udoh’s post
now that she is dead. Abigor and
his associates are accused of
harassing the deceased to the
point she passed away and many
feel that giving Abigor her post
now would amount to rewarding
his camp for making life difficult
for her.
In any case, pundits have
speculated that those touting the
names of Edema and Daibo and
projecting them as flag bearers
for the PDP are actually trying to
play a fast one on the Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa- led PDP
administration in the state,
confident that they lack the
popularity to win election in the
constituency.
But the problem with Abigor
running under APC is the fact that
he is seen as a former governor’s
right-hand man and that the
governor is insisting on his
winning the race if only to prove
that he remains a force to be
reckoned with in the politics of
Delta. More crucial from a
political standpoint is the fact
that should Abigor win, especially
against someone like Tidi, he
would have ended up defeating a
candidate of Okowa with whom
the former governor is perceived
to be having ongoing
disagreements.
Compounding issues for Abigor
is the fact that many stakeholders
in Delta APC are not in support
of his aspiration. Many of them
view his attempt to join their party
at this late hour as opportunistic.
In the case of Tidi, he happens
to be an aide to Okowa and
actually has an office right within
Government House Asaba, a
situation which has given rise to
the speculation that he would
naturally be the governor’s
choice especially against the
background of the fact that he
remains an unapologetic
defender of the Okowa
administration, a tendency that
has made him quite unattractive
to Abigor’s associates who are
rumoured to have serious
differences with the governor.
Nevertheless, Tidi’s support
base is strong with his street
credibility and popular appeal
way and above those of his fellow
contenders. His supporters
continue to insist that rather than
those who hounded Udoh till her
death inheriting her post,
someone from her political camp
should be the one to serve out the
remainder of what would have
been her term had she lived.
The problem with their position
is that despite Tidi’s closeness to
Okowa, the governor has not
indicated in any way that Tidi is
his preferred candidate, more so
when leaders like Otumara whom
Okowa cannot do without in
Warri are not rooting for his aide.
That notwithstanding, clearly,
this is a race between Abigor and
Tidi. To the long suffering people
of Warri, who are the electorate
and the most important factor in
a genuine democratic setting, I
can only say, ensure your voices
are heard in Warri South and that
it is the candidate of your choice
that replaces Udoh.
Ejiro Ernest Ofoye is a public
affairs analyst.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017, Page 43
VIEWPOINT
By Andrew Morgridge
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Separating culture from
demons
THE simple at heart may not
believe him, but those steeped
in occultism knows he’s saying the
truth. The average Bible student will
also attest to the veracity of his claims,
based on Daniel 10:12,13,20 where
demonic personalities were described
as rulers of nations –Prince (ruler) of
Persia, Prince (ruler of Greece –a
nation that had not even been born as
Angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel).
From all indications the Prince
(spiritual ruler) of Nigeria is not having
it easy. The concerted prayers of God’s
children are disturbing and barring
him, so he needs help. That’s why he is
instigating some people to import
demons again –that’s what another
FESTAC will do!
In the face of hard biting recession –
when many have dropped from school
because of school fees, many
Governors are opting out of paying
WAEC fees and to eat once for many
is hard, someone wants to host the
world in a Festival of Arts and Culture.
Ordinarily, this would cost a huge
amount; by the time the fake
consultants and blown up figures are
added by people in authority, the
amount become humongous –our
suffering exacerbates.
The National Assembly men should
VIEWPOINT
By Goodluck Edafe
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Nigeria cannot hide behind
local laws to define democracy
SUPREME Court judgment
upholding Gov Yahaya Bello as
winner of the 2015 governorship
election in Kogi State, North Central
is under trial. Kogi indigenes
numbering 7 of them, who described
the declaration of Yahaya as a breach
of the fundamental human rights of
the people, are challenging the
judgment at the ECOWAS
Community Court of Justice. The suit
with no. ECW/CCJ/APP/02/16 between
the Plaintiffs and Federal Republic of
Nigeria (Defendant) is asking the
court to declare the superimposition
of Yahaya on Kogi State by the
Defendant’s agency as a breach of
fundamental rights of the people
contained in the African Chatter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights,
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, ECOWAS
Protocol on Democracy and Good
Governance all to which, Nigeria is a
signatory.
The Facts: Governorship election
in Kogi held on 21/11/15. Before then,
VIEWPOINT
By Adejuwon Soyinka
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
The shape of Ogun State to
come
“The best way to predict the future
is to create it”
– TPeter Drucker
O start with, let me be upfront in
declaring my lack of
qualification for the elevated title of a
prophet. I am not a prophet and I very
much doubt if I can ever make one by
any stretch of imagination.
Just as I am not prophetic, I also
cannot make any pretensions to being
clairvoyant. Indeed, I have no
orbuculum and can therefore not be
involved in the act of scrying.
However, in spite of these seeming
shortcomings, I dare say that I can see
the future. Without the aid of crystal
balls, I can see a future where Ogun
State grows its Gross Domestic Product,
GDP, from its current position of $20bn
No to another FESTAC
rise up for the nation and oppose it.
Are they even in the picture at all –I
haven’t heard them mentioning it. Is
Dr. Anikwe and CBAAG free to do
whatever they like –spend our money
without the permission of the National
Assembly and bring further evil upon
a struggling nation? Wake up sleeping
rulers!
There are five pillars that exalt a
nation. These are:
• Justice
•Righteousness
•Removal of oppression
•Caring for the widows and the
needy; and
•Seeking for, and maintaining the
presence of God. Please see
Deuteronomy 16:20, Proverbs 14:34,
Isaiah 1:17, 20, 21, 26
This should be our focus if we are
looking for a better Nigeria.
Even if, as Dr. Anikwe said (and I
don’t believe it) that it is mostly going
to be private sector driven, the Private
Sector should be informed to use their
money to drive the economy out of
recession and not waste money on
projects that will bring the nation down
–spiritually and physically.
To them it can be crafted to become
tax deductible expenses (and so may
not affect their income, while giving
them advertorial exposure), but to the
citizens, it will become a quagmire
when the demons that are now
devastating other lands are invited
into the country to unleash terror on
us.
Let the children of God begin to
pray against it; let the citizens begin
to speak out against it and let the
“voice of the people” –The Assembly
men and women put a stop to it –To
SAVE NIGERIA from a tomorrow
characterised by what people call
natural disasters, instead of the true
name –God’s judgement on errant
nations.
When God warns and people don’t
listen and heed, when the judgment
comes, He doesn’t help: “Because I
have called, and ye refused; I have
stretched out my hand, and no man
regarded; But ye have set at nought all
my counsel, and would none of my
reproof: I also will laugh at your
calamity; I will mock when your fear
cometh; When your fear cometh as
desolation, and your destruction
cometh as a whirlwind; when distress
and anguish cometh upon you. Then
shall they call upon me, but I will not
answer; they shall seek me early, but
they shall not find me: For that they
hated knowledge, and did not choose
the fear of the LORD: They would none
of my counsel: they despised all my
reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of the
fruit of their own way, and be filled
with their own devices. For the turning
away of the simple shall slay them, and
the prosperity of fools shall destroy
them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me
shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet
from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:24-33
Truth be spoken -there is nothing
you can do in this life that can give
you joy, without God. The Psalmists
says it is only in His presence that there
is fullness of joy, and at His right hand,
pleasures evermore. Psalm 16:11.
He alone is the Author of peace and
without Him a nation cannot prosper.
And He has demonstrated this over
time in the life of Israel, the nation He
chose to be the example to the world
2nd Samuel 7: 23; Deuteronomy 4:5-
6. David’s time is described in history
as the golden era of Israel. That was
when the small nation, no bigger than
Oyo State raised $1trillion (Jimmy
Swaggart Commentary Bible, 1984)
to build Solomon’s Temple.
There was also Jehoshaphat who
taught the people Godly principles and
the Lord showed His pleasure by
blessing the land and the people of
God: “Also in the third year of his reign
he sent to his princes, even to Benhail,
and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and
to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach
in the cities of Judah. And with them
he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and
Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel,
and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan,
and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and
Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them
Elishama and Jehoram, priests. And
they taught in Judah, and had the book
of the law of the LORD with them, and
went about throughout all the cities of
Judah, and taught the people. And the
KOGI JUDGMENT: An international perspective
the INEC displayed the particulars of
the candidates seemingly to allow for
voters judgment. The candidates on
their part campaigned round Kogi
and presented their manifestos to the
people. Given that they were all
upright in their paper and character
submission, INEC conducted the
election as scheduled. However, there
were reports of discrepancies in some
polling units and so, the INEC
declared the election in those areas
inconclusive. Interestingly, valid votes
already counted put Prince Abubakar
Audu, candidate of the APC ahead of
others. While everyone waits on INEC,
Audu, leading candidate suddenly
died. That notwithstanding, the INEC
announced its plan to conduct a
“Supplementary election” in those
units where elections were suspended.
In the midst of the confusion, the APC
dumped Audu’s running mate, Faleke
and then brought in Yahaya as its
candidate for the “Supplementary
election” and ultimate beneficiary of
the votes already given to late Audu.
Legal arguments rented the air
concerning the acceptability of
Yahaya inheriting those votes. Albeit,
on 5/12/16, the INEC conducted the
“Supplementary election” and
Yahaya was declared overall winner.
The issues: The Plaintiffs are
seeking a declaration from the court
stating that the Defendant’s action of
appropriating the votes of the people
to Yahaya without their consent and
authorization is arbitrary, unlawful
and in violation of their fundamental
Human Rights. They are asking the
court to declare whether Yahaya who
did not present a manifesto to the
people and upon which he could be
held accountable, can be their
governor. They want the court to
decide whether the result of the
“Supplementary election” that
brought Yahaya to power meets the
international requirement on peoples’
rights of universal and equal
suffrage.
The arguments: The Defendant
says the court lacks jurisdiction to hear
the suit insisting that it is a domestic
matter – being one that is predicated
on alleged breach of the Nigeria
Electoral Act, 2010. However,
Plaintiffs’ lawyer Mr. Festus Ogwuche,
apart from arguing that the court is
imbued with requisite jurisdiction, he
says the suit is not one challenging the
Nigeria Electoral Act as posited by the
Defendant but one bothering on the
breach of fundamental rights of the
people of Kogi to elect the governor of
their choice. Ogwuche told the court
that Nigeria cannot be excused from
fulfilling its international obligation
to all human rights treaties it has freely
co-signed. He pointed out that Nigeria
is a signatory to the African Chatter
on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, ECOWAS
Protocol on Democracy and Good
Governance, etc which all specify an
acceptable minimum standard for
peoples’ right and democratic
procedure. Ogwuche therefore,
argues that the Defendant cannot be
allowed to plead allegiance to
domestic laws as a crafty way out of
issues relating to its violation of
human rights and democratic
procedure insisting that Nigeria as a
signatory to all the relevant
International Human Rights Treaties,
it has both legal and moral obligation
to abide in them. According to him,
allowing Nigeria to hide under the
cover of domestic laws to evade justice
in the matter is to defeat issues of
human rights in the country.
Whether the Kogi case succeeds or
not, it is good for building democracy
in Nigeria. It is a wakeup call on the
leadership of this country to re-adjust
2017: Between Prophecies, Predictions and Policies
annually to $100bn within the next ten
years. That is not all. I can also see a
future where someone resident in Ogun
State can arrive Lagos for work,
business or any other purposes, after a
20mins train ride.
I can see a future where an
international airport in Ogun State
becomes a major hub for the
movement of goods, machineries,
people and services in and out of Nigeria
thereby completing the meaning of the
state’s appellation as the gateway to
not just the rest of Nigeria but also the
West African sub region.
Now, since I am neither a prophet
nor a fortune-teller, how did I see this
future that I have so painted? Well, Peter
Drucker, the Austrian-born American
management guru already took care
of that when he said, “the best way to
predict the future is to create it.”
And that is exactly what Governor
Ibikunle Amosun is doing in Ogun at
the moment. He is busy creating the
desired future of the state.
“One of the strategies towards
achieving this aim is to attract
investments into the State,” he recently
said. To make this happen, the state
government however realizes the need
to first put infrastructure in place.
Realising that in order to achieve
massive industrialisation, there is the
need to support road transportation
with rail transportation, the state
government has concluded plans to
have the ground-breaking ceremony
for its proposed light-rail project within
the first quarter of 2017.
The first phase of the proposed Ogun
Light Rail Network is approximately
102.3km and consists of two lines
namely: Abeokuta (Panseke) – Sagamu
Interchange – Sagamu Town (49.8 km)
and Ogere Town – Sagamu
Interchange – Berger (52.5km).
This first phase of the rail line was
selected to take advantage of the
existing traffic on the Lagos to Sagamu
section of the Lagos – Ibadan
Expressway, which is the busiest road
in Nigeria with an Annual Average
Daily Traffic (AADT) of over 40,000.
This phase also connects Abeokuta,
the state capital, to the rapidly growing
industrial zone of Sagamu and
commercial zone of Ogere.
As part of efforts to create the desired
future, the Ogun State government is
also keying in to the potentials provided
by Agriculture and agri-business.
Closely related to this is the
reforestation project of the state
government. For this, Ogun already
has two sites at Aworo and Imeko.
Apart from the fact that the projects
will go a long way in improving the
quality of the environment, it will also
boost forestry development plan and
promote investment in the timber
industry.
Of course when you attract
investments and investors, you then also
have to make provisions for their
fear of the LORD fell upon all the
kingdoms of the lands that were round
about Judah, so that they made no war
against Jehoshaphat. Also some of the
Philistines brought Jehoshaphat
presents, and tribute silver; and the
Arabians brought him flocks, seven
thousand and seven hundred rams,
and seven thousand and seven
hundred he goats. And Jehoshaphat
waxed great exceedingly; and he built
in Judah castles, and cities of store.
And he had much business in the cities
of Judah: and the men of war, mighty
men of valour, were in Jerusalem.” 2nd
Chronicles 17:7-13.
This is where the Devil comes in; he
doesn’t like peace and he doesn’t like
God-given prosperity. He is described
by Jesus as the killer, thief and
destroyer. He takes his job very
seriously and the flags of pain flying
across the world attests to his hard
work. He is ruthless and will use all
available hands, from lazy, jobless
youths doing 419 to the armed
robbers who like to reap where they
have not sown, to leaders who want to
keep the populace in perpetual
bondage, pains and poverty through
corruption and outright invitation for
demons to come and cause more
problems for Nigeria; and unless
Nigerians speak out now and pray
the Devil away, Nigeria’s tomorrow
may not be as you envisage.
•Morgridge is a pastor of The
Christian Brethren Church
International, Lagos.
its democratic practice and domestic
laws to meet the international
standard. Democracy and election
are international concepts that have
universal interpretation and
measurements.
Therefore, Nigeria cannot safely
hide under domestic laws that are
fallen short of the international
definition to give validity to a skewed
democratic practice that undercuts
people’s rights. For sure, Nigeria
cannot hide behind local laws to
redefine democracy and human
rights. This would require the National
Assembly to sincerely come up with a
pro-people electoral law that
conforms to the international
democratic standard. It is also
important for court judgments on
election matters in Nigeria to meet
local and international expectation.
The credibility of election is a
universal thing. The court has
adjourned to Tuesday January 24,
2017 for definite hearing on the Kogi
case.
•Edafe is Port-Harcourt based
frontline member of the Campaign
for Social Justice and Constitutional
Democracy.
housing needs. In this respect, the Ogun
State government is making efforts to
create the desired future by continuing
with the development of the New
Makun City; MITROS City in Isheri;
New Government City in Kobape;
New Cities in Ota and Agbara; New
GRA in Ijebu-Ode, and the President
Muhammadu Buhari Housing Estate,
Kobape, among others.
So, won’t these new projects affect
the completion of ongoing ones? The
governor’s answer is an emphatic no.
“Let me again re-assure you that the
commencement of new projects will
not in any way affect the completion of
on-going projects spread across the
three Senatorial districts. By the grace
of God, I assure you that we will not
leave any project uncompleted,” he said
recently.
•Soyinka, Senior Special Assistant
(Media) and spokesman for
Governor Ibikunle Amosun, is a
multiple award-winning journalist
and Editor.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
By Emma Esinnah
1984 must have been one of the
proudest moments in the history of
the Mass Communication Department,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It was the
year Kingsley Osadolor, a product of the
department, emerged the best graduating
student in the university, with a cumulative
score of 3.84 out of a possible
4.0. At the convocation, he had given a
valedictory speech said to be the best in
the history of the university. Dr. Pat Utomi,
another alumnus of the department, had
just served as Special Assistant to President
Shagari. At 27, he was one of the
youngest Nigerians to serve in that capacity.
Other alumni of the department –
Innocent Oparadike, Osaro Isokpan, Ike
Emeagwali, and a host of others - were
making waves in their chosen fields. The
department certainly had reasons to be
proud. In October that year, we, the “new
Jacksonites”, were even prouder to have
gained admission into such a famed department.
The attainments of the products
of the department were an indication
of the future ahead of us. The lecturers
we had were, perhaps, the best the
university had in any department at the
time. We had this charismatic young lecturer
in his early thirties then, called Dr.
Charles Okigbo, with about five degrees;
Dr. Ralp Okonkwor, then the Orator of
the university, as huge in physique as in
intellect; Dr. PC Agba, E.N. Ume-Nwagbo;
Dr. Idemili; and then the Head of
Department, Dr. (later, Prof.) Sylvanus
Ajana Ekwelie.
Professor Ekwelie, born in Achalla, Anambra
State, in 1936, had graduated best
student from the department in 1967 and,
soon after, had proceeded to the University
of Wisconsin in the USA, where he
earned a Ph.D in journalism. He had
taught in some American universities
before returning to his alma mater to head
the department in the early seventies.
Ekwelie took us, the first year students
in Introduction to Mass Communication
and Elements of Journalistic Style, perhaps
the most important courses for us at
the time. He was always smartly dressed
– dark suits and bright ties, mostly red.
During evening classes, he dressed in
short-sleeved shirts, properly pressed and
tucked in. His sense of dressing was as
impeccable as his clarity of thought. Just
about 5ft.8ins, slightly balding and with
a bit of “stomach”, he walked in very confident
and measured steps, with his head
held high in a literal sense. He once told
us that his reason for taking us in the first
year was to “smoothen the rough edges”
we had come to the department with. He
knew a bit of just about anything under
sun. With him teaching us, we realized
how little we knew. However, after every
lecture under him, we felt an inch taller.
No one needed to compel us to attend his
classes. We knew what we would miss if
we did not attend. He was determined
that we would not leave his classes as “ignorant”
as you came in. In the first few
weeks, he had asked each of us to raise
our fingers, and asked each person:
“show me your pinkie. And your index”.
It was astonishing how many adults did
not know the finger called the pinkie.
In Elements of Journalistic Style , one of
our daily routines as first year Mass
Comm students under him was to rise by
5am to listen to the news bulletin on BBC
World Service. He wanted us to know what
was happening in the world, but more
importantly, he wanted us to learn how
words were pronounced. He was as much
offended by wrong pronunciation as by
wrong usage of words. From BBC he
wanted us to learn the length people
could go to ensure that names of people
and places were properly pronounced. He
believed that it was only laziness that
could make a journalist not to pronounce
a name correctly. For any name of person
or place, there must be somebody familiar
with the pronunciation. Seek out
that person and learn from him. So he
would normally ask somebody, “how do
you pronounce your name ?”. And he
would repeat it, with the right inflections
and accents. No mistakes. He told us
about the broadcasting greats like Walter
Cronkite, Dan Rather, Barbara Walters
and the things that made them great.
He was particular about how you wrote.
One of his most famous quotes was from
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Of all the art in
which the wise excel, Nature’s masterpiece
is writing well. And Professor did write well
and still does. Short sentences. Every word
tells. He had no regard for long winding
sentences and people who wrote them. He
would say they tried to “hide their ignorance
in verbiage and grandiloquence”.
He spent several weeks teaching the use
of various punctuation marks. He would
tell you, never get tired of using your commas
at the appropriate places. Separate
the town from the state, and the state from
the country with commas (Nsukka, Enugu
State, Nigeria).
His sense of humour was unequalled
and whatever he said had his signature
humour. Once in a class, two students were
arguing about the pronunciation of the
word Zoology. One said it was Zuoloji .
The other said it was Zuuloji . He just allowed
them to monkey on. Then one asked
him, “Sir, what do you think”? He responded
calmly, with a shrug, “Nothing. Only
that both of you are fools, because, this is
the only country in the world where people
argue about a word that is in the dictionary.”
And then he raised his voice and
continued, “the dictionary is there to teach
you three things: the spelling, the meaning,
and the pronunciation. Class, shall
we proceed?” That was how he ended it.
Another day, he had asked a question and
answers began to fly around. After one
person’s contribution, he kept quiet for a
while and when he spoke, he said, “that is
a voluminous display of ignorance”. And
to the next person, he responded “if you
were to write the constitution, half the
country would go to jail, because nobody
would understand the laws of the land”.
Sometimes, his humour was self-abasing.
Once, while teaching us how to conduct
interviews, he had volunteered himself
as the interviewee. And he had authorized
us to “ask anything, no matter how
foolish”. It became an opportunity to ask
anything indeed, from the sensible to the
inane. One asked, “Sir, did you have many
girl friends while in the university and
why”. His answer, “ No. I did not. In
the university, I had three shirts and
two pairs of trousers, and not particularly
handsome. With that profile, you
are not a darling with the ladies. So, I
consoled myself with my books and it
paid off”. Next question was, why he
was not yet a full professor, despite his
brilliance. Did he feel frustrated? His
answer was that, earlier in life, all he
had wanted to be was a headmaster in
his village school. “Now standing here
and teaching you, undergraduates and
even some graduate students, I have
come a long way. So, nobody is frustrating
me”.
He was very a compassionate and
observant lecturer. While recuperating
from a malaria and typhoid attack,
I had lost some weight and once
bumped into Prof on the halfway of
the department. He spoke to me, “
young man, you are not looking well.
Is it hunger or disease or both?” It
might have sounded rather caustic, but
I was really impressed to know that he
tribute
Ekwelie @ 80:
A professor Par Excellence
•Ekwelie
He was particular about
how you wrote. One of
his most famous
quotes was from Ralph
Waldo Emerson: Of all
the art in which the
wise excel, Nature’s
masterpiece is writing
well. And Professor did
write well and still
does. Short sentences.
Every word tells
cared enough to note how I looked.
Prof. Ekwelie belonged to a generation
that considered teaching a sacred calling
and believed that the students under
them were to be protected. As a much
younger lecturer, he was known to have
stood up to a much senior lecturer who
was messing around with a student. Characteristically,
he had told the senior that
“sex is a conquest game. If you think you
are handsome and rich, go outside the
campus and impress women. But please,
leave these defenseless girls alone”. He
was also very fair and just. He was not
afraid of scoring anybody an “A” or an
“F”. You got whatever you merited, irrespective
of the number in the class that
merited those grades.
Like all very brilliant people, he had
that impatience bordering on arrogance.
He could not just stand unnecessary mistakes
and people who made such. Once,
he was rumoured to have refused to attend
a meeting called by the Vice Chancellor.
His reason: there were so many
errors in the Notice of Meeting that he
told them such could not have come from
the office of the Vice Chancellor of UNN.
At an event, he had risen from his seat to
correct a very senior and highly respected
professor who was mispronouncing
the word “monkey”.
As his students, we felt bad that he was
not writing enough articles in the newspapers.
We wanted “the world to feel him”.
But his decision not to write was deliberate.
He said he did not believe in “vanity
publishing”, and he did not want “some
ignorant people” in the newspapers to
“edit their ignorance” into his writing.
He told the story of how some of them
were trying to correct his writing and in
the process made mistakes he called
“abominable”. However, if he did not
write much, the little he wrote was celebrated.
He had an article on Traditional
Communication in Africa (not exactly sure
again), first published in the Journal of
Communication. It was so powerful it was
reproduced in numerous other publications.
His later book, A Master Style
Guide published in 2010, is perhaps the
best book in that area, after Elements of
Style by Strunk and White, which was the
book he had recommended to his students
in those days.
He came back to us in our final year, as
if to confirm that his labour in our first
year would indeed bear fruits in the field
of communication. His passion showed
in the anger he displayed, when final-year
student gave an astonishingly wrong answer
to a question he had asked in the
class. Without any trace of his characteristic
humour, he spoke “in a few weeks
from now, we will give you a certificate,
telling the world that we have found you
worthy in character and in learning. If
you give that kind of answer again, I will
make you do not get a certificate from
this department”. He was that jealous for
the honour of the department.
Over the years, Professor Ekwelie has
produced and influenced generations of
the best of breed in communication, marketing,
finance, oil and gas, public service,
the academia and indeed all walks
of life.
Recently, Ekwelie turned 80 and last
weekend, his family, friends and numerous
former students gathered in his hometown
of Achalla to celebrate his life . The
great joy is that his life is being celebrated
while is still alive. It is therefore a great
honour to write this tribute to one of the
most brilliant and accomplished teachers
of mass communication this side of
heaven. Happy Birthday, Prof.
Esinnah, of Mass Comm UNN, Graduating
Class of 1988, is Country Director
of Curves International.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017—45
Africa Nations Cup: Can Cote
d’Ivoire defend their title?
THE African Nations
Cup begins on
Saturday against a
backdrop of civil strife in
host nation Gabon and ever
more strident complaints
from European clubs about
the tournament taking
away key players midway
through their season.
On the footballing front,
the Ivory Coast seek to
defend their title, Egypt bid
to revive former glories and
tiny Guinea Bissau aim to
continue their fairytale run.
The trio are among 16
countries at the biennial
tournament played at four
venues across the oil-rich
central African country,
which only months ago
was beset by civil strife after
a disputed election kept
President Ali Bongo in
power amid allegations of
widespread fraud.
The possibility of more
protests around the
tournament, which will
bring an international
spotlight the country rarely
enjoys, means the
likelihood of stifling
security as a backdrop to
what is supposed to be a
celebration of African
soccer.
Excitement over the event
has also been tempered by
ongoing controversy over
its timing as the
Confederation of African
Football doggedly refuses
to change the scheduling,
much to the frustration of
the main European leagues
who lose players for a
month in the middle of their
seasons.
Fifa rules allow countries
to call up players, causing
a club versus country
conflict every two years
which this time has led to
more players than ever
opting to stay with their
clubs.
Cameroon, usually
among the favourites, will
take a weakened side to the
tournament after eight
players told coach Hugo
Broos they wanted to stay
with their clubs rather than
risk losing their places by
going to Gabon.
But holders Ivory Coast
have been able to add to
their talent pool with
Crystal Palace’s Wilfried
Zaha eschewing overtures
to stay loyal to England and
embarking on a new course
with his international
career.
He will make his debut
on Saturday to become the
first England international
in more than half a century
•Toure unavailable for Cote d’Ivoire
to play for another country,
strengthening an Ivorian
side without stalwarts Yaya
Toure (retired) and
Gervinho (injured).
They are among the
favourites along with
Algeria - spearheaded by
newly-crowned African
player of the year Riyad
Mahrez - Ghana, Senegal
and Egypt, who have won
a record seven Nations
Cup titles but not played
in the last three
tournaments.
Their last appearance
was in 2010 when they won
a third successive title
before the fall-out from the
Arab Spring protests
impacted heavily on the
country’s football.
Reaffirming Egypt’s
•Aubameyang, Gabon’s hope
place among the continental
heavyweights is the goal of
their Argentine coach
Hector Cuper.
“I know well that the fans
adore trophies so we go to
try and bring one back,” he
said.
Gabon will open the
tournament on January 14
at Libreville’s Stade l’Amitie
against Guinea Bissau, who
defied all conventional
wisdom to reach the finals
for the first time.
One of the world’s poorest
countries, the team from the
former Portuguese colony
have not played a match
since September but are
eager to continue their
heroics after dumping out
former champions Congo
and Zambia in the qualifiers.
“We are up against
vultures who have great
experience of the Nations
Cup,” said Guinea Bissau
coach Baciro Cande.
AFCON 2017: Gabon begin chase for
first title despite gloomy citizens
With just days to
go before
Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang’s Gabon
begin their quest to win
the Africa Cup of Nations
on home soil, the mood
in the host nation
remains gloomy.
While the final touches
are being put on the four
stadiums due to host
matches in the January
14-February 5
tournament, the small
central African state
remains in the midst of a
social and political crisis.
On the streets of the
capital Libreville,
decorated with banners
advertising the
upcoming continental
tournament, workmen
have been busy applying
a final lick of white paint
to the edges of
pavements.
In the other host cities
of Oyem in the north,
Franceville in the southeast
and Port-Gentil, the
country’s oil capital, final
adjustments are still
being made around the
stadiums.
But the atmosphere on
the streets is yet to pick
up and the mood around
the end-of-year
celebrations in Gabon
was somewhat moribund
at a time when the
country is struggling
with a severe economic
crisis caused by the
collapse of the price of
oil.
Oil is the main source
of revenue in the country
•Zaha, newcomer for Cote d’Ivoire
of 1.8 million people and
with a large number of
economic migrants from
the likes of Senegal,
Burkina Faso and
Cameroon.
“Libreville, Port-Gentil,
Franceville and Oyem
have lost their
reputations as energetic,
teeming cities of party
animals,” stated an
opinion piece in the
national daily L’Union
on Wednesday.
President Ali Bongo
Ondimba’s re-election in
August, which was
validated by the
constitutional court, is
contested by the
opposition and the
European Union and led
to deadly unrest in the
country.
In his New Year
message to the nation,
Bongo accepted the
difficulties currently
faced by many in the
country.
“Many of our
compatriots have been
badly affected by the
fall-out from the world
economic crisis. Many
jobs have been lost in
the oil industry in
particular,” he said.
In recent months there
have been continual
calls for strike action,
notably in public sector
jobs, amid demands for
social as well as political
change.
Close to six months
have passed since the
presidential election,
but opposition leader
Jean Ping continues to
declare himself the
rightful winner and has
called on the people of
Gabon to resist against
“the dictatorship”.
O p p o s i t i o n
newspapers have made
regular calls to boycott
the Cup of Nations,
which gets underway
when Gabon face
debutants Guinea-
Bissau on January 14, or
to use the tournament as
a soundbox for their
ideas.
Still traumatised by the
post-election violence,
some in Gabon are
dreading the prospect of
incidents around
matches, notably in the
traditionally rebellious
city of Port-Gentil and in
Oyem.
The head of state has
tried to calm the tensions
by reiterating his
promise to open political
dialogue “the day after
the 2017 Africa Cup of
Nations ends,” but Ping
has so far rejected this.
Bongo described 2016
as “a difficult year due
to an election campaign
marred by hatred and by
a post-election situation
that saw tension rise to
unacceptable levels for
our people.”
A big football fan,
Bongo is hoping the Cup
of Nations – CAN to give
it its acronym in French
– can bring a period of
calm.

PAGE 46–SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
American coaches vow to sue
sports ministry
By Ben Efe
THE American coaches
and their Nigerian
counterparts attached to the
elite sports programme
funded by the Sports
Ministry have threatened to
sue, after they were paid
two weeks salary out of the
11 months outstanding
owed them.
The coaches Angie Taylor,
Eric Campbell, Michael
Afilaka and Gabriel Okon
were expecting a
substantial part of their
outstanding salary to be
paid before Christmas. But
to their dismay only two
weeks pay was transferred
into their accounts on
Tuesday January 3, 2017.
The coaches were
contracted in 2012 by former
Sports Minister, Bolaji
Abdulahi to run an elite
programme that will put
Nigerian sports back to
world reckoning. The
contract was renewed by
current Sports Minister
Solomon Dalung last year,
since then they have not
been paid a dime. Their
contracts will expire next
month.
One of the coaches who
Ndidi
Continued from Back
compatriot Islam Slimani
who have left for the Africa
Cup of Nations to play for
Algeria.
“It’s like a dream. I am
very excited to be here,” he
said. “Just a couple of years
ago I was watching these
guys on TV, now I’m here.
“This means a lot to me,
but it’s another new
challenge and I always like
Ahmed Musa
Continued from Back
in the Champions League,
but they got the best of a
manic eight-minute period
in which all three goals
arrived.
Romelu Lukaku had
given Everton a deserved
lead, but Musa struck twice
in the space of five minutes
to turn the game on its head
and secure the Foxes’ first
FA Cup win over the
Toffees.
Ronald Koeman will be
seething after the half-time
introduction of Gerard
Deulofeu had initially
looked an inspired one,
only for defensive
sloppiness to allow the
Foxes back into it.
“Musa was excellent. I’ve
watched him recently and
think he is starting to
•Travelling Man...Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung enjoying himself at the Rio 2016
Olympics. The coaches he hired are threatening to sue.
spoke yesterday stated
that life has been difficult.
“We were told that at least
half of the 11 months
would paid before
Christmas and we did
submit our bank accounts
only for us to find out it was
only two weeks out the 11
months.
“I want Nigerians to
know that we are not
crying out because of the
to challenge myself.
“It was a good first
experience,” he said.
“Then training was
intensive but I enjoyed it
and there’s a lot I can
learn.
“I leave everything in
the hands of God. All I can
do is train hard, follow the
coach’s instructions and
just play my game. The
rest is in His hands,” said
Ndidi.
understand English
football better,” says Foxes
manager Claudio Ranieri.
“I’m very pleased. We
made a good match
against a big team who we
lost to at home in the
league. I loved our
reaction to conceding a
goal.”
Everton manager
Ronald Koeman is offering
no excuses in his
assessment of Leicester’s
comeback win at
Goodison.
“It’s not bad luck, we did
it ourselves. It’s
unbelievable how we
dropped back,” says the
Dutchman.
“Everyone is
disappointed, but I know
what we need to change.
It’s my job to get results to
match the expectations of
this club.”
money. We are insisting on
getting paid because
provision has been made for
the settlement of our salary,”
said Campbell.
“It is because of corruption
that the ministry is
withholding our money. It
has nothing to do with
recession, we do know that
monies have been
NFF
Continued from Back
signed from the office in
charge of the national
associations.
Last month the NFF
denied allegations by the
Sports Minister, Solomon
Dalung that it mismanaged
FIFA grant and
development funds. The
NFF claimed that the
Minister was not properly
briefed on the matter and he
too was not accurately
informing the public on the
issue.
The Minister had
requested that the NFF
account for the FIFA funds
allocated to the sports
ministry.
“I gathered from the
people in the ministry that
there is a whole lot of files
to be attended to and ours
was not a priority. We may
be forced to take legal
action to retrieve our dues
if it is not settled before
the contract expires.”
as the world soccer body
has withheld grants to
Nigeria following
improper documentation of
a US$802,000 released to
the NFF by FIFA.
Meanwhile, reacting
yesterday through a
statement from its
Communication
department, the NFF
debunked the story,
insisting that nothing could
be farther from the truth.
“We have never received
any information from FIFA
talking about ‘traces of
corruption’ in our
submission with regards to
the audit query of last year.
The only information FIFA
has provided to the NFF
Chinese money
entices Robben
BAYERN
Munich
winger Arjen Robben
has refused to rule out a
potential move to the
Chinese Super League, but
expects to stay in Germany
for another season.
Robben’s contract at the
Allianz Arena expires at the
end of June and China is
becoming an increasingly
viable option for European
and South American
players.
The big-spending teams
in the CSL have lured John
Obi Mikel, Carlos Tevez,
Oscar and Axel Witsel to
the country this month, with
the likes of the likes of
Hulk, Jackson Martinez
and Alex Teixeira already
playing in China.
Asked about the prospect
of a move to the CSL,
Robben said: “Everyone
has to personally assess
this. You must never say
that this is not an option.
But also do not say that you
want to go.
“I am now at Bayern. Of
course, I plan a little, I talk
to my wife. I am now at the
top level. You must see what
comes next.
“My family comes first,
but the life experience,
living elsewhere - in the
USA, in China - might
come. But maybe not.
Enrique hopeful Barca can catch Real
BARCELONA travel to El
Madrigal to face
Villarreal with six points
behind Real Madrid in the
league, after Zinedine
Zidane’s side demolished
Granada 5-0 on Saturday.
Fourth placed Villarreal
have only been beaten once
on home turf in the league
this season, beating Atletico
Madrid 3-0 last month. But
Luis Enrique says his side
still have wriggle room in
the title race.
“I’m sure we do,” he said.
“I bet that there’s no team
who will win every
remaining game but it’s true
we’re not in the position we
like to be.
“We can only put pressure
on the leaders by winning
every game. We’re not
going to win every game
this season, we wish we
could but it won’t happen,
there’s a long season still
to go.”
Speaking on their 2-1
Copa del Rey loss to
Athletic Bilboa, Enrique
says he understands why
Barcelona players reacted
furiously to the defeat, with
Gerard Pique reportedly
facing a ban over his postmatch
comments.
Barca left San Mames
with a 2-1 defeat in the
first-leg fixture, which saw
Athletic reduced to nine
men in a clash
overshadowed by the
performance of referee
David Fernandez.
•Messi
since the audit query is that
they are keen to look at
performance improvement
areas in which FIFA and
NFF might jointly work on
going forward.
Amazingly, this same
matter affects so many
Member Associations in
Africa, as a result of the
new financial and
governance reforms in
FIFA. It is only in Nigeria
that the issue has been
sensationalized beyond
normal. In any event, the
query matter is being
handled and we hope to
sort out all matters within
the shortest possible time so
that we can put all these
behind us.
Maybe I’ll go back home
[to the Netherlands]. I do
not rule out anything.
“The extension of the
contract is not yet an issue.
I’m concentrating on the
next six months and I want
to win the championship.
“I have no deadline, if it
comes it comes. I only
concentrate on football. I
still have a contract, after
that I’ll stay another year,
maybe another year [after
that].”
On when he will finish
his career, the 32-year-old
said: “I still love to play and
have fun on the pitch. If you
are over 30, you know that
the end comes nearer. But
I do not know yet when this
will be with me. This may
have to be decided
spontaneously.”
Real Madrid
Continued from Back
ahead of second-placed
Barcelona, which plays
fourth-placed Villarreal on
Sunday.
Ronaldo, who was rested
in Madrid’s first-leg 3-0
win against Sevilla in the
Copa del Rey on
Wednesday, scored with a
close-range header off a
cross by Marcelo in the
27th minute.
Madrid’s last setback
was a 2-0 loss at Wolfsburg
in the quarterfinal first leg
of the Champions League
in April. Since then, it has
won 30 games and drawn
nine under coach
Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane, who has lost
only two games since
taking over Madrid a year
ago, had already matched
the club record of 34 games
without a defeat set in 1989
under coach Leo
Beenhakker.
The Spanish record set
by Luis Enrique’s
Barcelona last season
ended with a loss to
Madrid at Camp Nou in
April.
Madrid will have a
chance to take the record
outright in the second leg
at Sevilla on Thursday.
Isco opened the scoring
with a low shot from inside
the area in the 12th after a
mistake by the Granada
defense while trying to
move the ball forward, and
Benzema dded to the lead
in the 20th off the rebound.
TODAY'S MATCHES
FA CUP
Liverpool v Plymouth
2:30 pm
Chelsea vs Peterborough
4.00 pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa
5:00 pm
La Liga
Villarreal v Barcelona
9.45pm

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017, PAGE 47
Sports ministry: Mixed reactions greet
Ohaa’s re-deployment as Perm Sec
By Patrick Omorodion
THE Youth and Sports
ministry at the weekend
witnessed mixed reactions
among its staff following the redeployment
of the Permanent
Secretary, Mr Christian Ohaa
by the Office of the Head of Civil
Service of the Federation.
Ohaa, who was among the 18
new permanent secretaries
appointed by President
Muhammadu Buhari, was
deployed to the Youth and
Sports ministry in November
2015 and he worked side by side
the Director General of the
National Sports Commission,
Mallam Alhassan Yakmut
shortly before the Commission
was scrapped.
Like the two other permanent
secretaries re-deployed
alongside Mr Ohaa, no
replacement was announced for
the Enugu-born administrator
who until he was appointed
Permanent Secretary was
Director in the Finance and
Accounts department of the
Ministry of Transport.
Reacting Friday, one staff of
the Youth and Sports ministry
who pleaded anonymity said he
was less perturbed about his
removal as “he and the sports
minister have done so much
damage to the ministry since
their arrival in the ministry.”
Another staff said it would be
too early to celebrate until he
sees who was coming as Mr
Ohaa’s replacement as “it
would make no difference if
someone like him or worse than
him is brought again.”
Another staff, still ruing the
near collapse of the ministry
under Dalung and Ohaa, just
wrote, “a welcome development
though it doesn’t matter to me.
We are waiting for the new
person.”
One major complaint of some
top directors of the sports
ministry about Mr Ohaa when
he assumed office was his
alleged directive to secretaries of
the federations that they must
Lasisi relishes return to
Remo Stars
RETURNEE Remo Stars’
midfielder, Saheed Lasisi has
asserted that he is capable of
making an impact for the
Sagamu-based side in the
Nigeria Professional Football
League (NPFL) season.
Lasisi returned to the Sky Blue
Stars after leaving the club three
seasons ago in a sojourn that saw
him appearing for different clubs
around the country.
The talented ball passer first
teamed up with Kogi United with
his then coach at Remo Stars,
Fatai Osho in the 2013/2014 of the
Nigeria National League (NNL)
season.
A graduate of Human Kinetics
from Tai Solarin University of
Education, Akungba, Lasisi also
had a stint at Gateway United FC
in the following season but could
not see out the campaign with
Gateway and decided to return
to Kogi United for the remainder
of that season.
‘Omo Alhaja’, as Lasisi is fondly
called by his team mates, would
again team up with coach Osho
who left Kogi United to Crown FC
last season and made a huge
impact for the Ajilete Warlords,
especially in the Federation Cup
where they lost to eventual
winners FC Ifeanyiubah in the
semi-finals.
•Ohaa
Born in Lagos, the midfielder has
told npfl.ng that he is primed to
contribute his best to make Remo
Stars be a force to reckon with in
the NPFL and warned other clubs
would regret if they underrate the
NPFL debutants.
•Lasisi
include his name on any of
their trips abroad if they
wanted their memos for such
trips to be approved.
Penultimate week, in defence
of the non payment of
allowances to the victorious
Super Falcons, Mr Ohaa told
Brila FM radio in Lagos that
“we couldn’t pay them
(Falcons) because it was
difficult to know the number of
matches they would win or at
which stage they would get to.
It was difficult to compute how
much was needed as their
allowances.”
It was the consensus opinion
of the ministry’s staff that
Ohaa’s deployment to sports
was that of a square peg in a
round hole and his
redeployment “is good
riddance to bad rubbish”.
AFCON: Injury
KO’s Morocco’s
Amrabat
M
OROCCO international
Nordin Amrabat has
been ruled out of the Africa
Cup of Nations in Gabon after
failing to recover from an ankle
injury.
The Watford winger will be
replaced by Omar El Kaddouri,
the Morocco Football
Federation confirmed on
Saturday.
Amrabat, 29, limped off in the
second half of last Sunday’s 4-
1 home loss to Tottenham and,
after medical examinations,
was ruled out of the
tournament which starts on 14
January.
The 26-year-old Belgianborn
El Kaddouri comes into
coach Herve Renard’s 23-man
squad which was announced
on Wednesday.
NFF’s decision on Age Grade
competitions
T
HE Nigeria Football Federation, NFF never ceases to amuse
me. Like the proverbial tortoise, they are always in the news, for
the wrong reasons also. A body that knows its financial predicament
and should be prudent with its funds, turns a Father Christmas
because it wants to please everyone.
I still believe that because the present Board led by Amaju Melvin
Pinnick came into being by a manipulation of the electoral system,
it has always tried to appease those who were frustrated out of the
process.
Till now, all is not well with the Board even though Pinnick tries
to say they are one family, as shown by his alleged 11 over 11
endorsement for the CAF seat. I am not aware it was the Board that
endorsed him though.
Like I was saying earlier, the NFF reeling in financial
emasculation, ferries hundreds of ‘supporters’ to competitions, an
action that costs the federation thousands of money in dollars. At
other times it sponsors coaches, referees and match commissioners
abroad, claiming it was helping to build human capacity to help the
game in the country.
Anyone who knows the system very well cannot be hoodwinked
into believing the NFF. All these are done to ‘soften’ the ground for
the embattled head of the federation who is not only being pursued
legally by another power hungry administrator but harassed by
fellow Board members who believe that he is not ‘carrying’ them
along.
Aware that its subvention from the government is no longer regular
and even reduced, it behoves on the NFF to cut its spending and
ensure that its funds are judiciously used for its crucial programmes.
While its programmes suffer from lack of funds, the leadership is
quick to tell Nigerians that monies spent on some unnecessary
programmes are sourced independently from avenues that are never
ever disclosed.
The most recent was the charter of an aircraft to airlift some of its
friends and government officials, which we learnt included the Youth
and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung to Cameroon to watch the
final of the Africa Women’s Nations Cup where the Super Falcons
overcame the host to retain the title.
The same federation was aware while doing this, that it had no
money in place to pay the players and their officials. Yet the leadership
could look Nigerians in the face and say that the money used to
charter the aircraft was from a private sponsor. If they could source
money privately to ferry people who added nothing to Falcons’
victory in Cameroon, why not use the same connection to source
money to pay the players so that when the government money they
are always relying on comes, they could repay the loan?
What their action has revealed is that they are in football not for
the interest of the game nor the welfare of the key actors, that is the
players and technical officials, but just to feather their own nests.
Otherwise why would Pinnick in the midst of the embarrassment
the non payment of the Falcons’ allowances and their shameful
protest caused the country, think that his quest to be elected into
the CAF Executive Committee was of paramount importance?
Again, aware that it may not find it easy assessing government
money from the sports ministry after the Minister had launched an
attack on the way it spends both the government subvention and
the FIFA grants it gets for developmental programmes, the NFF
shamefully told Nigerians that it may no longer participate in age
grade competitions henceforth.
The new stance, it thinks, will make it look a prudent organisation
in the eyes of Nigerians but how wrong it is. The action is tantamount
to one cutting his nose to spite his face. So the NFF does not know
that the age grade competitions are like the nursery from which
future stars and hope of the country are discovered, groomed and
nurtured to stardom? Why do they think FIFA established those
categories? It is mostly to help the developing countries who are
still lagging behind the advanced countries who have feeder teams
at club levels from where they enrich their clubs and national teams.
That is why these advanced countries never bother themselves
when their youth teams never win these competitions which the
Africans seem to dominate and celebrate with pomp and pageantry.
Instead of ensuring that the proper things are done to see the young
players graduate from one age grade to the other and into the
senior team, the football administrators collude with the young
players, sometimes with their parents too, to falsify their ages, all
because they want to win at all cost.
Now because they are faced with a lean purse, the first casualty is
the age grade competitions. If this decision is not reversed, a time
will come when the senior team would not have young and promising
talents coming in to replace the old and retiring players.
It has not occurred to the NFF that the age grade competitions
have produced some truly young talents who later matured into the
senior team. Players like Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Yobo
Joseph, Wilson Oruma and even late Stephen Keshi, among many
others came from the junior teams to limelight.
In the current Super Eagles, Kelechi Iheanacho, voted Africa’s
most promising talent at the just held Glo-CAF Award, is a product
of age grade competition. He is not only making waves with the
senior team, but has announced himself as a player of note in the
English Premiership within the short time he has played there.
Even Victor Osimhen that just signed for Wolfsburg in the German
Bundesliga was discovered at the U-17 level from where he moved
to the Flying Eagles. He is a potential Super Eagles reliable. Many
like him and Iheanacho may not be discovered and our senior
national team may be the worse for it if the NFF kills the nursery
that produces them.
Rather than destroy the nursery, the NFF should evolve another
way to source for additional funds to support what they get from the
government and FIFA in order to still maintain these age grade
teams. That is the more reason why they have to re-organise their
marketing department and have a look again into the perpetual
marketing contract they signed with a firm some years ago.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2017
American
coaches
vow to
sue
sports
ministry
NFF in more financial mess as FIFA
blocks $1.5m grant
•It’s not true—NFF
OFTEN broke Nigeria
Football Federation
are in more financial
strait in 2017 as the
world soccer governing
body FIFA has withheld
the annual $1.5m grant
to the federation,
45
according to a report on
the African football
website.
This is against the
background of the NFF’s
failure to properly
account for funds meant
for football development
previously sent by FIFA.
The NFF received the
damning letter by FIFA
last week and it was
Continues on page 46
46
Real march
Barca’s 39
unbeaten
record
CRISTIANO Ronaldo
began his year by
scoring in the 5-0
demolition of Granada
on Saturday in La Liga
as Real Madrid tied
Barcelona’s Spanish
record of 39 games
unbeaten in all
competitions.
Francisco “Isco”
Alarcon scored twice
and Karim Benzema
and Casemiro added a
goal each at Santiago
Bernabeu Stadium.
Madrid is six points
Continues on page 46
SUPER Eagles
striker Ahmed
Musa scored
twice in Leicester’s 2-1
Real Masters....Ronaldo and Marcelo celebrate
Real's 39th unbeaten run.
•SHOOT TO THRILL... Ahmed Musa scores for Leicester City in their 2-1 FA Cup away win over
Everton. His manager Claudio Ranieri says Musa is getting to understand English football.
FA Cup: Ahmed Musa’s brace
sinks Everton
ACROSS
1. Governor of Sokoto
State (8)
5. Assistant (4)
7. Praise (5)
8. Upright (4)
9. Lantern (4)
11. Tradition (6)
13. Lagos masquerade (3)
15. Exclamation (2)
16. Pig’s nose (5)
18. Agent (3)
20. Glitters (6)
24. Forward (5)
25. Nigerian state (6)
27. Boring tool (3)
29. Ghanaian fabric (5)
31. Perform (2)
32. Oshiomhole’s
state (3)
34. U.S. currency (6)
36. Vow (4)
38. Musical quality (4)
39. Inclination (5)
40. Eager (4)
41. Damages (8)
win away at Everton to
advance to the forth
round of the FA Cup.
Claudio Ranieri’s side
had previously won only
once on their travels all
season, at Club Brugge
Continues on page 46
Ndidi makes bright
start for Leicester City
LEICESTER
new
signing Wilfred
Ndidi didn’t disappoint
as he made a good start
to his career with the
English Premier League
champions in their 2-1
win over Everton in
yesterday’s FA Cup
match.
Ndidi displayed that he
was more than a good
replacement for N’golo
DOWN
1. Sample (5)
2. Niger state town (4)
3. Observe (5)
4. Lecture (6)
5. Everyone (3)
6. Use (6)
10. Inquires (4)
12. Carpet (3)
14. Colour (6)
15. Resistance unit (3)
17. Coax (4)
19. Rollicked (6)
21. Hatchet (3)
22. Satisfied (4)
23. Nigerian state (3)
26. Cry of derision (3)
27 . African country (6)
28. Endure (4)
29. Child (3)
30. Spoke (6)
31. Adorn (5)
33. Baking chambers
(5)
35. Asterisk (4)
37. Possessed (3)
See solution on page 5
Kante. The 20-year-old
Nigerian was the stand
out player of the first
half.
He signed a five-anda-half
year deal with the
Foxes on Thursday and
was rushed into the
Leicester already
depleted by the absence
of Riyad Mahrez and his
Continues on page 46
Chinese
money
entices
Robben
•Robben
•Wilfred Ndidi... New kid on the block
RESULTS
FA Cup
Man Utd 4 Reading 0
Birmingham 1 Newcastle 1
Bolton 0 Crystal Palace 0
Everton 1 Leicester 2
Hull 2 Swansea 0
Millwall 3 Bournemouth 0
Preston 1 Arsenal 2
La Liga
Real Madrid 5 Granada 0
Eibar 0 Atletico Madrid 2
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0794-652X) Editor: JIDE AJANI. 08111813023 All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.
45
46
•Infantino...FIFA boss