More Oil Woes As Militants Blow Up Chevron's Wells

...
towards a better life for the people

VOL. 25: NO. 63041
ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com
**
N200
THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
IPOB/ARMY CLASH:
Relations move
victims from
hospitals to
unknown places
15
Naira now N507

to one pound, as
dollar remains
stable at N350
2% of Nigerians
own 90% bank
deposits NDIC
4
More oil woes as militants

blow up Chevron's wells
By Emma Amaize, Soni Daniel, Sebastine
Obasi, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Egufe
Yafugborhi, Akpokona Omafuaire, Perez
Brisibe & Ediri Ejoh
Gbaramatu leaders seek aid for stranded refugees

It's plot to destabilise Buharis govt N-Delta elders
ARRI NIGERIAS
W
oil
production
Stop blowing pipelines, Oshiomhole appeals to NDA suffered another
blow,
yesterday, when the
militant group, Niger Delta
Invasion affecting WAEC, NECO examinations
Avengers, NDA, attacked
Chevron's facilities.
This came as leaders of

besieged Gbaramatu
Kingdom in Warri SouthWest Local Government
Area, Delta State, yesterday,
called on the Federal and
Delta State governments,
National Emergency
Management Agency,
NEMA, and other
h u m a n i t a r i a n
organizations to come to the
assistance of thousands of
Continues on Page 5
Nigeria
loses
$565.8m in
unpaid
OPLs,
OMLs fees
4
Mr & Mrs
JONATHAN RETURNS: Former President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right), being received by leaders of delegations of
the Rivers State Government, Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC; and other women and youth organisations at Port Harcourt International
Airport on his return to the country after about one month abroad. He was said to have used the tour to visit some world leaders
to brief them on his foundation, "Ebele Jonathan Foundation," which would soon be launched.
COLUMNISTS:
An end
and a new
beginning
P.17
Entering year
two more
positively (2) P.19
Nigerias
romance with
malaria
P.19
Ekiti court remands

2 herdsmen over
Oke-Ako killings
11
2 Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016
Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 3
4Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
1,000
policemen to
secure $1.04bn
Abuja-Kaduna
rail
...As President
Buhari flags off
project in July
By Favour
Nnabugwu
HE
FEDERAL
Government,
yesterday, said it would
mount
over
1,000
policemen to secure the
Abuja-Kaduna rail before
and after the flag-off by
President Buhari in the first
week of July this year
The
Minister
of
Transportation,
Mr.
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,
stated this during a test-run
and inspection of the new
train from Idu Station to
Kubwa in Abuja.
He said: We need about
1,000 policemen to secure
Abuja-Kaduna rail and we
are getting the policemen
from the Nigerian Police
Force to secure the rail-line,
to ensure that everybody is
safe, from Idu station to
Kaduna and Kaduna
station to Idu on a daily
basis.
Everybody will be
protected in and out of the
train. The reason we may
delay a while is because we
have to take into
consideration the religious
obligation of Mr. President
so that we are able to bring
him to flag off for
commercial activities by first
week of July, 2016.
2% of Nigerians own 90% bank deposits

NDIC
Emma Ujah, Abuja
Bureau Chief
S A major indicator of
wealth distribution in
Nigeria across income groups, a
mere two per cent of Nigerians
own 90 per cent of total deposits
in Nigerian banks.
This represents the wide gap
between the rich and the poor in
Nigeria, which continues to pose
major
socio-economic
development challenges to the
nation.
Director of Research and

International Relations at the
Nigeria Deposit Insurance
Corporation, NDIC, Alhaji
Mohammed Umar, disclosed this
at the Businessday Capital
Market Development Annual
Conference in Abuja, yesterday.
His words: Our current deposit
insurance coverage is N500, 000
for the Deposit Money Banks.
And some people have said that
it is low. I can tell you that it is
very adequate for the majority of
accounts.
It will interest you to know that

it covers over 90 per cent of
accounts in the country. Indeed,
Nigerians who have more than
N500, 000 in their accounts are
just two per cent.
What we found is that this two
per cent Nigerians have 90 per
cent of banks total deposits. Look
at that - two per cent Nigerians
own 90 per cent of total banks
deposits, while the remaining 98
per cent have just 10 per cent of
total deposits. What that tells you
is that the gap between the rich
CEREMONY: From left, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and Sultan Muhammad
Sa'ad, during the swearing-in ceremony for elected new local government chairmen in Sokoto, yesterday.
Nigeria loses $565.8m in unpaid OPLs, OMLs fees

As Reps accuse DPR of conspiracy,
Summon Kachikwu, Daukoru
By Emman Ovuakporie
& Johnbosco Agbakwuru
BUJANIGERIA loses
$565.8 million due to the
inability of the Department of
Petroleum Resources ,DPR, to
hold oil companies to their
commitments in agreements,
culminating in the award of Oil
Prospecting Licences ,OPLs,
and OIL Mining Leases,
OMLs, the House of
Representatives
Ad-hoc
Committee probing alleged
fraud in the allocation of OPLs,
OMLs, has said.
The adhoc committee queried
the DPR as to why it would tag
the loss of $565.8 million due
to non-payment of licensing
fees, which spanned a period
of three different bidding
rounds in 2005, 2006 and 2012
and frowned on the use of the
term outstanding payments
as referred to by a Deputy
Director of DPR, Mr. Sunday
Adebayo Babalola, while
making a presentation on behalf
C
M
Y
K
of the agency.
It was also discovered that
the DPR perpetrated some
sharp practices, wherein it
awarded oil blocks to
companies other than those
who bidded for and won the
licences without any evidence
of disqualification, neither a
right of first refusal of the
original winners of the bids.
The members also queried
why many of the blocks were
awarded
using
open
competitive bidding and
through discretion by the
minister as well as evidence of
advertorial announcing the
bidding process for the blocks.
But the DPR insisted that
every bid round followed a
transparent and due process.
DPRs Babalola, however,
explained that People behind
the companies which got
allocated blocks were all
unveiled during the technical
process before the bidding was
done.
On blocs won by a company
negligence
being given to another, he said
that happened in 2005 and 2006
bid rounds for specific reasons.
The committee reeled out
instances of diversion of OPLs,
such as OPL 907, 917, won by VP
Energy Limited, but were given
to another company.
On January 20, 2006, the
Minister of State in a letter to the
President, said of the 44 blocs won
in 2005 bid round, payment for
19 blocs had been committed in
full; 17 blocs, partial payment,
while the remaining blocs were
not paid for at all.
The President ordered
cancellation of blocs for which part
or no payment had been made
and have returned to the basket
for future bid rounds. However,
21 blocs were awarded against 19
for which payments were made
to government.
Tenker System was to pay $210
million and they paid only $21
million, which was why the
President cancelled their bid.
Later, one Sterling Global came
and took over the bloc for just $57
million. Who pays the balance to

government on the value of the
bloc?" the committee queried.
It, therefore, asked for evidence
of disqualification of bid winners
who could not get oil blocs, their
offer of first refusal and
participation by those who
eventually got the blocs.
However, the Minister of State
for Petroleum Resources, Ibe
Kachikwu, who was represented
at the hearing by the Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry, Jemila
Shuara, expressed the need for a
policy re-jig that would clean up
the oil industry.
She said: We need to re-jig our
policies as the processes of
awarding oil blocs have been very
grey and need to be cleaned up.
Before your hearing came up,
the minister had actually
scheduled a meeting with the
DPR, the NNPC as well as other
stakeholders, with a view to
ironing out this matter which has
presented us with so much
banana peels that have hit us with
losses."
and the poor has continued in this

country.
Alhaji Umar added that there
were about 70 million bank
account holders in the country.
The total bank deposits stood at
N17.2 trillion, as at December
2015, according to a post on the
Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN,
website.
Earlier in his address, the
Director-General of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, SEC,
Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, urged
Pension Fund Administrators,
PFAs, to invest more in the
nations capital market, with a
view to deepening it and
ensuring better returns on
contributors funds.
He said: "Deepening Nigerias
Capital Market through
Maximum Utilization of Pension
Funds is a conversation our
country must continue to have in
order to ensure that the impressive
pool of savings we have been able
to mobilize over the last decade is
put to productive use for inclusive
economic growth.
We are confident that with
greater participation by PFAs and
return of retail investors, our
capital market will emerge as one
of the worlds biggest and most
liquid market capable of
supporting the socio-economic
development of our country.
We are delighted that the
National Pension Commission,
PenCom, has been very proactive
in making the necessary
adjustments to the guidelines that
allow PFAs sufficient flexibility to
determine their optimal strategic
asset allocation.
The draft new regulation on
investment of pension fund assets
allow the investment of up to 30%
in equities (for Fund type 1) and
up to 45% in corporate debt
securities (for Fund types 3 and
4). As a whole, we believe the
adoption of a multi-fund structure
is a very positive development that
should produce economies of
scale, risk diversification and
further deepen the Nigerian
capital market through pension
portfolios and management
strategies of PFAs.
There is, therefore, an urgent
need for the draft guidelines on
multi-fund structure to be
approved.
The question is: Based on the
current asset allocation by
Nigerian PFAs, are they paying
sufficient attention to generating
the necessary returns to provide
sustainable
benefits
to
contributors? Can we say that
Nigerian PFAs have achieved an
optimal strategic asset allocation
or explored all viable investment
outlets?
March 2016 data from PenCom
shows that Nigerian PFAs invest
only 8.16% of their assets in the
domestic listed equities market
and 1.24% of their assets in foreign
equities.
Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 20165
POCKET CARTOON
AGM: Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (2nd

left);Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Muhammad Bello (2nd
right); Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Ghana, Mr
Sampson Ahi (left) and Director General, Credit Foncier du Cameroun, Missi
Jean Paul Marie a Neynokh, at the 35th Annual General Meeting and Symposium
of Shelter Afrique organized by Federal Ministry of Power, Works & Housing
and Shelter Afrique, in Abuja, yesterday.
More oil woes as militants blow up

Chevron's wells
Continues from page 1
refugees of the current crisis
in the kingdom.
This is even as Niger
Delta elders raised the
alarm
that
some
unpatriotic but powerful
individuals with an
agenda to destabilise
President Muhammadu
Buharis administration
and return Nigeria to the
dark days, are responsible
for the spate of bombings
of oil facilities in the area,
using a faceless group
known as Niger Delta
Avengers.
The NDA attacked
Chevrons oil wells at
Dibi, Warri North Local
Government Area, while
soldiers, who had laid
siege to Oporoza and
other
Gbaramatu
communities in Warri
South
West
Local
Government Area, in the
last five days, were
carrying out cordon-and-
search operations for arms

and ammunition.
Ex-militant leader,
G o v e r n m e n t
Ekpemupolo,
alias
Tompolo, who seems to be
the chief target of the Joint
Task Force, JTF, in the
Niger Delta, in a
statement, claimed he had
relocated from Gbaramatu
Kingdom, but it appears
the military does not
believe him.
NDA claims
responsibility
Claiming responsibility
for the attack, Niger Delta
Avengers on its twitter
handle @NDAvengers,
said: With the heavy
presence of 100 gunboats,
4 warships and jet bombers,
NDA blew up Chevron oil
well RMP 23 and RMP 24
at 3. 44 am this (yesterday)
morning.
This is to show the whole
world that the Nigeria
military is good in harassing
IT'S UP TO YOU
BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192
O dream is ever too big, it depends on the mind

conceiving it. Dare to dream and change the
world.
TAKE HEART
BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482
WHEN the love of God comes through, people just

cant keep away from you. Youve got to have a lot
of patience Harold Klemp
E are all striving for divine love, and when it

comes, it expresses itself through human love.
So you find that more people are drawn to you
because you are a carrier of light and love but this
blessing is gift to pass on and impact on the lives
around you, the people you meet and interact with
daily. The more love you give to make life better for
others, so it is with you.
SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

The humility of a rabbit does not spare it from the
hunter's arrow.
innocent Nigerians. RMP

24 and RMP 23 are
Chevron swamp highest
producing wells.
Confirming the incident,
a security staff of the
company told Vanguard on
phone that the head office
of the company had been
contacted on the incident
and efforts were on to curtail
the spill.
A source told Vanguard:
It was in Warri North,
Egbema Kingdom, at Opia/
Ikia axis, around Dibi/
Olero. It started from
around 3:15 a.m. until
around 4:45 a.m. this
morning (yesterday). There
was no shoot-out heard.
Oil production
dips further
The blowing up of the oil

wells came at a time crude
oil price at the international
market declined from $50
recorded last week to $49
per barrel on market
pessimism over whether
the Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting
Countries, OPEC, could
cut
a
meaningful
agreement at its meeting in
Vienna on Thursday.
According to Nigerian
National
Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC,
sources, the countrys oil
production has gone below
1.2 million barrels recorded
early this week.
At press time, Vanguard
could not confirm the
combined production
capacity of Chevrons RMP
23 and RMP 24 facilities
attacked by the militants, as
the companys Director of
Communications, Sola
Adebawo, declined to
comment. In response to
Vanguards enquiry, he
said; Thank you for your
enquiry. We cannot
comment on security
matters. Regards.
This is the third attack
launched on Chevrons
facilities in less than three
months.
Apart from decline in oil
production, the spate of
pipeline attacks have also
threatened power supply
across the country, which
relies on gas from some of
the ruptured pipelines to
power the plants.
In the last four months,
the country has recorded
over eight pipeline attacks
on facilities belonging to the
NNPC and IOCs. Some of
those affected by the attacks
include
Chevron,
ExxonMobil, NNPC, Agip
and Shell.
Oil trades
1% lower
Meanwhile, oil traded

one per cent lower at
around $49 per barrel on
market pessimism over
whether OPEC could cut a
meaningful agreement at its
meeting in Vienna, today.
According to Reuters,
Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC
watcher and founder of USbased PIRA consultancy,
the market was getting
more pessimistic not only
about non-OPEC but also
about OPEC supply.
The main story today is
the one of declining output.
The global demand is still
growing strongly and that
works in OPECs favour,
he said.
The 13-member OPEC
will, for the first time, meet
with Ali bin Ibrahim AlNaimi, Saudi Arabias new
oil minister, who has been
outspoken about not
reducing oil production.
Gulf OPEC members,
including Saudi Arabia, are
looking to revive the idea
of co-ordinated oil-output
action by major producers.
Gbaramatu leaders
beg for aid for
stranded refugees
Secretary of Egbema/
Gbaramatu Foundation,
Jude Ukori, who expressed
shock at the development,
said: We want to appeal to
those behind these activities
to desist. Egbema is not
home to militancy and we
do not want to be part of it.
"We have always cooperated with security
agencies where we have
what they need, but we are
not security agents and we
do not have what it takes to
face whoever is behind
these destructions; we can
only appeal for peace.
On the situation of the
refugees created by the
crisis, spokesperson of
Gbaramatu Traditional
Council, GTC, Chief
Godspower Gbenekama,
who castigated the state
government for allegedly
looking the other way while
soldiers terrorized the

people, admitted that the
invasion by soldiers was
taking its toll on inhabitants.
He said panic-stricken
residents of Oporoza, who
fled to neighbouring
Azama community, had
been rendered homeless
without medical care for
about four days, while those
who managed to find their
way to Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri
and other places were also
roaming the streets.
Chief Gbenekama, who
called on the National
Emergency Management
Agency, NEMA, to come to
the aid of Gbaramatu
people, asserted: There is
humanitarian crisis on
ground now. I have been
calling NEMA on phone, I
am not getting them and
the whole of Gbaramatu is
locked down.
"Though, a few of the
people that fled into the
bush had found their way
to Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri and
other places, many are still
trapped in the forest.
As I speak, there are
many refugees in my
residence in Warri, it is
difficult catering for them,
the whole place is full, they
cannot even find where to
sleep and feeding is
another problem.
That is for those who
managed to get to Warri.
What of those still stranded
in the bush? It is more
difficult for them, no
accommodation
and
medical care and I am
surprised that Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa, who rode
on the back of Gbaramatu
people to power, is sleeping
in Asaba, while soldiers are
bullying those that voted
him to power."
Invasion affecting
WAEC, NECO
candidates
Speaking in the same

vein, Chairman of
Kokodiagbene community,
Sheriff Mulade, said: The
invasion by soldiers affected
the on-going school
certificate examinations
organized by the West
African Examinations
Council (WAEC) and
National Examinations
Council (NECO).
Hundreds of students,
who ran into the bush
because of the invasion, are
yet to be accounted for,
while the academic session
has been disrupted.
He said because of the
prevailing situation, schools
in the area had shut down
and appealed to both the
federal
and
state
governments to step in and
arrest the situation.
Youths disown
Avengers
Youths of Urhobo, Itsekiri,

Isoko and Ndokwa oil
producing
ethnic
nationalities in Delta State
have also dissociated
themselves from the rage of
bombing of oil assets by the
NDA, warning the militant
group to stop dragging the
name of the Niger Delta in
the mud.
Youth presidents of
Urhobo, Itsekiri, Isoko and
Ndokwa ethnic groups
stated their displeasure at
a joint meeting in Warri to
take a collective stand on
the militant group.
The communiqu, signed
by Terry Obieh and others,
read: You cannot engage
in one wrong to cure
another wrong, and to that
extent, the purported
Avengers struggle is
actuated by over ambition,
which we cannot identify
with.
There are more peaceful
ways to draw the attention
of government to a cause,
however germane, and not
through
the
unconscionable
and
mindless destruction of
facilities that serve the
entire nation.
Oshiomhole appeals
to NDA to stop
blowing pipelines
Ahead of President
Muhammadu Buharis visit
to Rivers State for the cleanup of oil spillages in
Ogoniland today, Governor
Adams Oshiomhole of Edo
State has appealed to the
Niger Delta agitators,
especially the Niger Delta
Avengers, NDA, to stop
Continues on page 12
My wife denies me sex,

64-yr-old tells court
Wife blames it on menopause
64-year-old man, Mustafa

Ariori, yesterday, urged a
Lagos Island Customary Court
to dissolve his 32-year-old
marriage to his 60-year-old wife,
Tawakalitu, over sexual
starvation.
Ariori, who runs a rental
service, told the court that his
wife had stopped preparing
meals for him for over six years
and had denied him sex for
three years.
He said that the problem
started when his wife followed
one of his friends to Oshogbo
for his father s burial for six
days.
Ariori said: My wife started
misbehaving after she followed
my friend to Oshogbo in 2010.
When she came back and I
attempted to make love to her
but she refused.
Our two children, Yetude, 31
and Bilikisu, 28, who are now
married and my club members
had, on different occasions,
tried to mediate without
success.
His wife, a businesswoman,
told the court that she loved her
husband and she had been the
breadwinner of the home.
She said: I feed and clothe my
Estate
agent, 56,
defrauds
woman of
N154,000
Lagos estate agent,

Bartholomew Ndu,
who allegedly defrauded
an accommodation
seeker,
Amaka
Maduekwe,
of
N154,000, was yesterday
granted N100,000 bail.
The accused, who
resides at 7B, Ayo Idowu
St., Iju-Ishaga, a suburb
of Lagos, is facing a
two-count charge of
stealing and obtaining
money under false
pretences.
The
Prosecutor,
Sergeant
Raphael
Donny, had told the
court that the offences
were committed on
February 5 at Mustapha
Street, Iju-Ishaga.
Donny said the
accused presented
himself
to
the
complainant as the
caretaker of the shop
she wanted rent.
The accused collected
N154,000 from the
complainant and failed
to give her the said
shop, he added.
husband. When I had money

to spend, there was no
problem and complaints. I
usually travel to Dubai to buy
male and female wears; my
business started dwindling
because there was no money.
This whole problem started
because I have no money to
spend on my husband again.
His friend that I followed to
Oshogbo told me that his club
members has found him a
woman much younger than
me, who he is presently
dating.
Tawakalitu said that she had
been denying her husband
sex because of menopause.
After listening to both
parties, the President of the
Court, Mr. Awos Awosola,
adjourned the case till July 12
for further hearing.
MOBILE DEPOT: A motorcyclist swamped by his goods in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
PHOTO: Akeem Salau.
Robbery suspect lands in same

hospital as victim; tatoo gives him away
By Esther Onyegbula
HE saying that every day

is for the thief and a day for
the owner of the house played
out when a robbery suspect was
apprehended on arriving the
same hospital where his victim
was admitted for injuries he
sustained in an encounter with
a two-man gang the previous
night at his residence at Bola
Lateef Crescent, Lake view
Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
Ifeanyi Smart, the suspect,
and his gang, broke into Cyril
Ubas house, tied up the
housemaid
and
stole
jewelleries worth over N5
million. Uba attacked the
robbers and they fled.
Later in the morning, Smart,
who had sustained serious
injuries, went to AMC Hospital
to receive treatment, unknown
to him that the victim, Uba, had
been admitted at the same
hospital.
Suspects account
Smart, 26, from Abia State,

said: When we broke into the
third room, the owner of the
house was already alert. He
gave me a head-butt that
caught me unawares. It was
Deji that attacked the victim
with an axe.
It was during the operation
I sustained severe injuries on
my head and went to AMC
Hospital for treatment
unknown to me that the victim
was also admitted at the same
hospital.
While there, I was shouting
because I was hungry and I had
no money as Deji had escaped
with all we stole. It was while I
was shouting that the man we

robbed sent his maid to give
me N5,000 unknown to him
that it was my friend and I
that robbed him.
I was arrested when the
maid recognised the tattoo on
my right arm (which reads

The Lord is My Shepherd) and
notified her boss. It was my
friend Deji that lured me into
armed robbery.
Parading the suspect
alongside other criminals, the
Commissioner of Police, Lagos

State Command, Fatai
Owoseni, said efforts are
ongoing to apprehended Deji,
the other member of the gang
who is currently on the run.
My husbands not man enough, woman tells court
45-year-old businesswoman,
Anna
Oshomogbe, has asked an
Igando Customary Court in
Lagos to dissolve her
marriage with Edmund
because his family controls
her home.
She told the court that
Edmund with whom she has
two children in their 18-yearold marriage could not make
decisions on his own.
She said: My husbands
mother and brothers are
controlling our home. If we
discuss anything, my
husband will first go to his
family to consult with them;
what they say will be my
husbands final decision.
I am just like a maid; my
decision is always rejected. In
fact, I do not have a say in
my matrimonial home.
Anna also told the court that
her husband was a drunk,
saying my husband always
spends his salary with his
brothers at a beer parlour.
He urinates and messes up
everywhere in our flat
whenever he is drunk and
most times he beats me
without reason.
She accused her husband,
who had failed to appear in
court after receiving several
summons, of being an
irresponsible husband and
father.
She said: When my
daughter fainted when she
had fever, I called my husband
to come home so that we could
take her to the hospital; he said
that he was at a beer joint and
that he could not come.
He does not sleep at home
most times as he stays with his
brothers or mother. He always
tells me that nothing can
separate him and his family. I
pay the house rent and the
childrens school fees because
my husband refused to pay.
Anna added: My husband
is forcing me to go to his
village for cleansing. I do not

just understand what the
cleansing is all about.
Two of my husbands elder
brothers wives had gone to the
village for cleansing; they died
few days after returning to
Lagos. I am afraid because I do
not want to die now.
The petitioner presented a text
message sent to her by her
husband that she should go to
his village for cleansing and that
he would not appear in court for
any dissolution.
The Court President, Mr.
Adegboyega Omilola, ordered
the court bailiff to serve the
respondent
again
and
adjourned the case to June 28.
Court dissolves pastor's marriage
FTER 10 years of
unresolved marital crises,
an Igando Customary Court in
Lagos, yesterday, dissolved
the marriage between a 42year-old
pastor
and
evangelist, Racheal, and her
businessman husband, Mr.
Joseph Aduwo.
President of the court, Mr.
Adegboyega Omilola, who
gave the verdict, cited
frequent fighting between the
man and his wife.
To the former husband, the
dissolution of the 10-year-old

marriage is good riddance to
bad rubbish, saying my wife,
who is a pastor, an evangelist,
a church interpreter and women
leader, fought with nine
persons in a day on our street,
wearing only bra and
underpants.
She is a shameless street
fighter.
The courts president said he
was convinced the couple could
no longer live together as the
petitioner insisted on divorce.
Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 7
The CAN
President
we want
YOUTHS
By Tare Youdeowei
coalition of five
groups within the
Christian Association of
Nigeria, CAN, yesterday,
called on its National
Executive Committee,
NEC, members to
carefully elect the next
President for the body on
June 15.
The groups, Christian
Young Professionals, CYP;
Youths
for
Christ
International,
YCI;
Nigerian
Christian
Patriotic Youth Movement,
NPYM;
Nigeria
Christians of Integrity and
Association of Christian
Enthusiastic, said the next
CAN President must be
cerebral and resourceful.
Professor Joseph Otubu
of the Organisation of
African
Instituted
Churches, OAIC, and
Rev Supo Ayokunle of the
Christian Council of
Nigeria, CCN, are in the
race to lead the
organisation for another
three years from July.
Ayokunle is the current
Vice President, while
Otubu is a renowned
retired gynaecologist.
In a statement in Lagos,
the
coalitions
spokesperson, Anthony
Ige, said the next election
must reposition the
umbrella Christian body
for credibility and impact.
The youth groups said:
The June 15 election is
essentially a choice
between the old and the
new. There is an old order
that CAN must do away
with.
The body has been seen
as partial and has lost face
before the public.
Anybody that has
anything to do with this
past must never be
elected.
The groups warned
against politicisation of
the
process
and
inducement of NEC
members, saying only
those who had nothing
concrete to offer would
attempt to monetise the
exercise.
Advising
NEC
members to choose
wisely, the coalition
said: Christians must
be respected and the
first part is electing a
trustworthy candidate
with no baggage. NEC
members must look for
integrity, resourcefulness
and proven records of
selfless services.
I remain PDP's chairman, Sheriff tells court

By Innocent Anaba
HE embattled Senator Ali

Modu Sheriff has told a
Federal High Court in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, that he
remained the National
Chairman
of
Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
He described the Caretaker
Committee headed by Senator
Ahmed Makarfi as a group of
usurpers and a contraption
set up in defiance of valid court
orders.
Sheriff, through his lawyer,
Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, is consequently asking the court to
hold that only he could preside
over a convention or meeting

to chose party leaders.
PDP had sued Sheriff,
Professor Adewale Oladipo,
who was PDP National
Secretary; Independent
National
Electoral
Commission,
INEC;
Inspector-General of Police
and Department of State
Services, DSS, before Justice
I. Liman.
The judge had restrained
Sherriff and Oladipo from
parading themselves as
Chairman, Secretary or
members of the National
Executive Committee, NEC, or
National Working Committee,
NWC, of the party until the

suit was determined.
However, Sheriff and
Oladipo, in a motion on notice
before the court, are arguing
that those who sued them in
PDPs name lacked the
authority and locus to
institute the suit on the
partys behalf.
They are also praying the
court to discharge the ex
parte order restraining them
from holding their offices.
They said Justice Liman
made the order on May 24,
12 days after Justice Ibrahim
Buba of the courts Lagos
division restrained the party
from conducting elections into

offices of Chairman, Secretary
and Auditor.
According to them, PDP is a
corporate entity and can only be
invoked by the National
Executive Committee, of which
they (Sheriff and Oladipo) are
principal officers.
They said PDP NWC, which is
still under their control, did not
instruct anyone to file the action
on the partys behalf.
They said that only the NWC
was responsible for the day to day
administration of the PDP and
had the authority to institute or
instruct anyone to file a suit in
the partys name.
COMMISSIONING:
From left (front row)

Director, Child Guidance School
Counsel, Special Education,
Lagos State Ministry of
Education, Mrs Oluwatoyin
Olayinka; Director, The
Learning Place Centre, Mrs
Bolanle
Adewole,
and
Corporate Affairs Adviser,
Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr.
Kufre Ekanem, during the
commissioning
of
the
occupational therapy room
donated to the centre by
Nigerian Breweries at Maryland
Nursery/Primary School, Lagos.
PHOTO: Diran Oshe.
Sarakis trial at CCT adjourned indefinitely

By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
BUJAFOLLOWING the
inability of Federal
Government to produce its star
witness in court to be crossexamined, the Code of
Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting
in Abuja, yesterday, okayed
indefinite adjournment on the
16-count charge suit against
the Senate President, Dr.
Bukola Saraki.
A letter that was forwarded
to the Justice Danladi Umarled tribunal by the prosecuting
counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs
(SAN), revealed that the
witness, Mr. Michael Wetkas,
an investigative officer with
the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC,
was before another court
yesterday, testifying in another
criminal matter involving the
former governor of Jigawa
State, Sule Lamido.
Wetkas was the head of a
three-man crack team the antigraft agency constituted in
2014 to investigate six
petitions against Saraki. He
has been in the witness box
since April 6 before the
tribunal.
The CCT panel had, at the

last adjourned date, May 25,
ordered him to also appear
before it yesterday to enable
Sarakis defence team, led by
a former Attorney General of
the Federation, Chief Kanu
Agabi (SAN), to further crossexamine him with regards to
the primary evidence and
exhibits
the
Federal
Government tendered against
the defendant through him.
In the letter, addressed to the
CCT Chairman, government

suggested June 8 and 9 for
the matter, stressing that
Wetkas was compelled to
appear before Justice
Ademola Adeniyi of the
Federal High Court in
Abuja to testify Lamidos
case.
However,
Vanguard
learned that Saraki had,
through his lawyers in
another letter, rejected the
trial dates suggested by
Federal Government.
Spokesman for the tribunal,
Mr. Ibrahim Alhassan, who
confirmed the development,
disclosed that the CCT boss,
Justice Umar, was not pleased
with the fact that the trial was
stalled at the instance of
government.
However, Alhassan said in
view of the conflicting letters, the
tribunal would take its time to
choose a date at its own
convenience.
Our target's 30% ICT contribution to GDPOSINBAJO

By Emmanuel Elebeke
B U J A T H E
Federal Government
has said it was expecting 30
percent contribution from
Information Communication
Technology, ICT, to the nations
Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
stated this, yesterday, while
flagging off the 2016
DigitalAfrica Conference and
Exhibition holding in Abuja on
the
theme Accelerated
Development of Africa with
Internet of Everything.
Osinbajo,
who
was
represented by a Director in
the
Ministry
of
Communications Technology,
Mrs. Monisola Udoh, said
the Federal Government had
resolved to use ICT to drive
the change agenda of the
administration, having
observed its potentialities to
create millions of jobs.
Osinbajo noted that the ICT
sector had so much to offer
the economy that it could not
be ignored in the ongoing
diversification.
He
promised
that
government would give all
necessary support to enable
the ministry explore the benefits

accruable from the sector to boost
the fortunes of the dwindling
economy.
The Vice President said: This
administration will not fail in
using ICT to drive the economy.
We have been doing everything
possible in this direction.
If we continue on this
path, ICT should be contributing
between 25 and 30 percent to the
countrys GDP in a few years.
We also have plans to create
ICT-focused university. We have
discovered that many youths
lack requisite skills to compete in
the international market.
PDP CRISIS: BoT
takes charge, vows to restore
normalcy
We are now born again Mantu
As two PDP Reps defect to APC
By Emman Ovuakporie,
Ben Agande & Johnbosco
Agbakwuru
BUJATHE Board of
Trustees (BoT), of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, formally
took over the partys national
secretariat yesterday, promising
that it would do everything to
ensure that normalcy returned
to the party as soon as possible.
This came on a day two
members of the House of
Representatives defected from
the party to All Progressives
Congress , APC.
The BoT members were led by
the chairman, Senator Walid
Jibrin, secretary, Ambassador
Ojo Maduekwe, Dan Sulaiman,
former Deputy President of the
Senate, Ibrahim Mantu and
former Deputy Senate Whip,
Stella Omu.
In a brief remark before the
BOT members went into a closed
door meeting with staff of the
party, Chairman of the board,
Senator Walid Jibrin, said as the
only organ of the party not
encumbered by any court
injunction, the board was
obliged to take over the party in
order not to create room for a
vacuum.
According to him, though the
expanded meeting of the BoT
of the party last week enjoined
the caretaker committee, headed
by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, last
week, the committee is
incapacitated by court
injunctions filed against it.
been asked, under the

constitution, to be in charge and
it is in that respect that the IGP,
having considered the
importance for the staff, directed
that this place be opened and
entrusted in the hands of the
BoT because it remains the only
legal body now, he said.
Jibrin said the leadership
crisis would not affect the
fielding of candidates for the
forthcoming
elections,
especially
Edo
State
governorship election slated for
October, 2016.
Earlier in his remarks, the
Secretary of the BoT, Amb. Ojo
Madueke, reiterated that since
there was no court order
challenging the eligibility of the
BoT to run the party, the body
had to step in to avoid creating
a vacuum.
He said the national caretaker
committee of the party, led by
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, was
operating outside the secretariat,

expressing hope that the crisis in
the party would soon be resolved.
Mantu speaks
The former deputy president of

the senate, Senator Ibrahim
Mantu, maintained that the PDP
would have run Nigeria for 60
years as speculated by some of its
leaders, if it had remained resolute
with the founding philosophy,
vision and mission of its founding
fathers.
Those of us who have been in
the system right from 1999;
whether I like it or not, were part
of the problem. That is why I say
we need to apologise to Nigerian
people. We need to apologise to
God in Heaven who gave us
power and we misused that
power.
But we are now saying as born
again people we must do things
differently, we should be seen to
be doing things in accordance to
the aspiration of the people.
We apologise to God and
Nigerians who gave us power but
we got intoxicated with it and it
collapsed. It is impunity that
ruined our party. We didnt allow
the voice of the people to work

in our system. We didnt say no
to recklessness, imposition and
impunity. Mantu said.
Defection
Meanwhile, two members of

the House of Representatives
yesterday decamped from the
opposition Peoples Democratic
Party ,PDP, to All Progressives
Congress, APC.
The two members are Tony
Nwoye from Anambra State and
Udende Emmanuel from Benue
State.
This is the first time in the 8th
House that members are
defecting, barely eight days to its
first anniversary, and with this
development, the APC now has
215 members and PDP, 138.
The defection of the two
lawmakers did not go down well
with the Leader of the opposition,
Leo Ogor, Isoko Federal
Constituency, who expressed
disappointment in the two
members.
He insisted there was no basis
for their defection as there were
no factions in the PDP, adding also
that no court had ruled otherwise.
IGP and sealing of

party secretariat
He said the board requested

the Inspector General of Police
to seal the party secretariat last
week in order to avoid a break
down of law and order from the
contending forces.
We want to thank the staff for
your devotion and dedication to
work. This place was sealed for
sometimes by the Nigerian
police. The reason was to keep
our building safe. I want to
congratulate the police for a job
well done. What we needed was
to safeguard our property and
to safeguard your lives. We the
BoT are interested to be in
charge of the assets and
liabilities of the PDP. We have
AGM: From left: General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, Seplat Petroleum
Development Company Plc, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, Chairman of the company, Dr A.B.C
Orjiako, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Austin Avuru and Senior Counsel/Company Secretary,
Dr. Mirian Kachikwu, at the 2016 Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, yesterday.
AGOSTHE
naira
weakened further against the
pound sterling as it exchanged
at N507 to the pound from N500
it traded on Friday, while the
dollar traded at N350,
maintaining its value since
Friday.
The naira exchanged for N385
By Nkiruka Nnorom
AGOSSTANBIC IBTC
Holdings Plc has said that
the Financial Reporting
Council, FRCs new rule
relating to publication of
financial statement by quoted
companies with December 31
year end has been the cause
of the delay in publishing its
2015 financial result.
FRC in the new rules, barred
the CEOs and CFOs of
quoted companies without
FRCN numbers or those
whose FRCN numbers were
suspended by the FRC from
attesting to financial reports.
The rule states that in a
situation where the CEO or
CFO does not possess FRC
number, two other directors of
the company could ratify the
result, after the company had
obtained a waiver from the
Council allowing the directors
to attest to the result.
According to the FRC, only
holding companies that are
not in court with the Council
can enjoy the above stated
waiver.
Secondly, the FRC also
barred chairman of audit
committee that are not
professional member of an
accounting firm in Nigeria
from attesting to financial
statement, but added that the
current chairman of the audit
committee shall be permitted
to attest to the annual report,
if the entities (which in the
case of a holding company
and its subsidiaries) are not
currently in court with the FRC
and/or having any of its
director(s) currently holding
FRCN numbers that have
been suspended by the
Council.
NASS moves to shore up capital market

By Henry Umoru, Emman
Ovuakporie, Johnbosco
Agbakwuru & Joseph
Erunke
BUJATHE National
Assembly, NASS, disclosed
yesterday that plans have been
concluded to make laws to
strengthen and shore up the
capital market through a
Capital Market Master Plan.

It also said the federal
government had injected a total
of N6.5 billion for investment of
security funds that would help
protect investment in the country.
NASS said that the master plan
would help the Nigerian
entrepreneurs to enable them
have access to long term funds
Naira now N507 to 1 as dollar remains

stable at N350
Stanbic IBTC
explains delay
in release of
2015 financial
statement
to the Euro.
Pending the implementation
of the flexible exchange rate
policy by the Central Bank of
Nigeria, CBN, the official rate
remained at N197 to the dollar.
Traders at the market said the
demand for the pounds had
been on the increase,
necessitating its strength at the

market.
They, however, expressed
indifference to the release of the
proposed guideline on the new
forex regime, stating that their
interest was anchored on the
availability of foreign exchange for
trading.
for productive activities as well as

enhance their capacity to create
employment opportunities,
adding that the lawmakers were
planning to expand the capital
market because no law existed to
compel the federal government
to use idle funds in the capital
market.
Addressing
journalists
yesterday, the Chairmen of joint
Committees on Capital Markets
and Institutions of both the House
of Representatives and Senate,
Tajudeen Yusuf and Senator
Isiaka Adeleke respectively,
disclosed that the National
Assembly was putting up a
comprehensive legislation to
provide legal backing to the
Capital Market Master Plan that
will run from 2015-2025.
They added that the master
plan had been designed for
rejuvenation of the economy.

According to NASS, the move
to put the laws in place will help
in the creation of liquidity and
investment opportunities for both
foreign and local investors and
facilitate the translation of
pension funds into investments
for
national
economic
development as well as
encourage an environment of
transparency and accountability
in all domestic capital market
transactions.
As part of moves to create an
enabling legal environment for
the capital market to grow, the
lawmakers disclosed that plans
were on to organize a two-day
stakeholders forum on capital markets
and the Nigerian economy with the
theme, "Realizing the full potentials of
the Nigerian Economy through a
proactive Capital Market Legislation.
10 Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2 , 2016
SYNAGOGUE:
Defence blocks
presentation of
prosecution
witness again
By Abdulwahab
Abdulah & Jane
Echewedo
AGOSFOR
the
umpteenth
time,
defence team in the ongoing
trial of Trustees of the
Synagogue Church of all
Nations (SCOAN) and two
engineers involved in the
construction of the collapsed
six-storey guest house
yesterday frustrated the
proceeding by objecting to the
presentation
of
the
prosecutions witness.
The expectation before the
court presided by Justice
Lateef Lawal-Akapo was for
the state to present their first
witness
for
the
commencement of the case
which has been pending since
last year.
However, the table shifted
again when the leading
defence counsel in the case,
Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN,
objected that the witness
cannot testify until they
(defence) finished studying
the additional documents
newly filed by the state in line
with the courts ruling.
The collapsed six-storey
church guest house had left
over 116 dead , majority of who
were South African citizens
when the incident happened
on September 12, 2014.
The state had filed 111-count
charge against the defendants
which borders on criminal
negligence, manslaughter
and failure to obtain building
permit.
Lead defence counsel,
Fagbemi (SAN) had objected
to the prosecutions witness
giving evidence last week,
stating that his statement was
not forwarded to the defence
team as stipulated by law.
This led Justice Lateef
Lawal-Akapo to have ordered
the prosecution led by Mrs.
Idowu Alakija, the Director
of Public Prosecution (DPP)
to furnish the defence with
the statement of the
prosecution witness, Adebayo
Musiliu Olayinka who was
not allowed to testify.
Buhari launches clean-up of Ogoni land today

...$1bn required to kick-start 30-yr long programme
By Emmanuel Aziken &
Jimitota Onoyume
ORT
HARCOURT
P R E S I D E N T
Muhammadu Buhari will today
formally launch the clean-up of
the oil-devastated region of Ogoni
in Rivers State, during his second
visit to the Niger Delta region
since he came to office a year ago.
UNEP report
The presidents launch of the

implementation of the United
Nations
Environmental
Programme, UNEP report on
Ogoni could also signal the
presidents commitment to the oil
region despite continuing flashes
of violence by militants opposed
to his policies. The actions of the
militants styled as the Niger Delta
Avengers; NDA have brought
down the countrys oil production
levels to a 20 year low.
Irrespective of their political
differences, Governor Nyesom
Wike, was yesterday awesome in
his praises of the presidents
determination to implement the
long-delayed report. The
governor in a broadcast last night
warned trouble makers and
politicians not to take advantage
of the presidents visit to foment
trouble. He warned that the visit
must not be politicised.
The governor also placed a ban
on Okada operation in Khana and
Gokhana local government areas
from 6 am to 6 pm today.
The UNEP report on Ogoni land
was articulated by the UN body
upon the request of the immediate
past administration of President
Goodluck Jonathan which had
approached it to conduct an
independent and objective
assessment of the environmental
situation in Ogoni. The findings
and the report were submitted to
the government in July 2011.
Jonathan later approved the
establishment of Hydrocarbon
Pollution Restoration Project,
HYREP as a unit in the
Ministry of Petroleum
to drive some sections
of
the
report.
H o w e v e r ,
subsequently, nothing
came out of the moves
until the exit of the
administration.
President Buhari
had during the
campaigns promised
to implement the
UNEP report, and last August

formally gave his determination
to that effect with the setting up
of governing council and board
of trustees of the Hydrocarbon
Pollution Restoration Project,
HYPREP.
The report when it was released
by the UNEP on August 4, 2011,
called for an initial $1 billion to
kick start the rehabilitation of the
oil-rich Ogoni land under a
phased programme it said could
extend up to 30 years.
The report said that pollution
caused by oil exploration for over
50 years penetrated deeper than
many had supposed.
The assessment carried out over
a 14-month period, by a UNEP
team examined more than 200
locations, surveyed 122 kilometres
of pipeline rights of way, reviewed
more than 5,000 medical records
and engaged over 23,000 people
at local community meetings.
Detailed soil and groundwater
contamination investigations were

conducted at 69 sites, which
ranged in size from 1,300 square
metres in Ogoni land including
more than 4,000 samples. Water
taken from 142 groundwater
monitoring wells drilled
specifically for the study and soil
extracted from 780 boreholes were
also investigated.
Wike lauds President
Lauding the presidents

approach yesterday in his
broadcast, Governor Wike said:
Mr. Presidents visit to the
State is both historic and
significant. It is historic because
it marks his first official visit to the
state since assuming office as the
President of this great nation. It
is most significant because Mr.
President is not on a political
mission but to kick-start the
largest environmental cleanup in
our nations history, for which
Rivers people, and indeed the
Niger Delta will remain grateful.

Therefore, I call on Rivers
people to be peaceful, lawabiding and demonstrate the
traditional Rivers hospitality
towards Mr. President and his
distinguished
entourage
throughout the visit.
Let me, therefore, advise
desperate politicians in our midst
to be mindful of the charged social
and economic situation in the
country and refrain from making
unguarded statements over Mr.
Presidents visit that could
inflame political rivalry and
precipitate
unnecessary
upheavals in the State.
Furthermore, as part of
measures to enhance security
during Mr. Presidents visit I
hereby place a ban on the
operations of motorcycles and
tricycles in Gokana and Khana
Local Government Areas between
6 a.m. and 6 pm on Thursday, 2nd
June 2016. The security agencies
have been directed to enforce this
ban and ensure full compliance.
NO TOBACCO DAY: Researchers say cigarette reduces

immunity ...Say mouth is dirtiest part of body
By Chioma Obinna
S the world yesterday

marked this years World
No Tobacco Day, researchers
have found that cigarette smoke
and its components infiltrate
bacteria in the body and reduce
the immunity.
This is coming as the World
Health Organisation, WHO,
said moves to introduce plain
packaging of tobacco products
can save lives by reducing
demand for tobacco products.
The researchers from the
University of Louisville School
of Dentistry researchers led by
David A. Scott, found that
Cigarette smoke and its
components promote biofilm
formation by several pathogens
including Staphylococcus
aureus, Streptococcus mutans,
Klebsiella pneumonia and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, report
scientists.
In the findings released on this
years World No Tobacco Day, the
researchers, who explored how
cigarettes lead to infiltration of
bacteria in the body said the
mouth is the dirtiest parts of the
body and smoking makes it
worse.
According to them, puffing
cigarettes can increase the
likelihood that certain bacteria
like Porphyromonas gingivalis
will not only set up camp but
will build a fortified city in the
mouth and fight against the
immune system.
Scott and his team identified
how tobacco smoke, composed of

thousands
of
chemical
components, stating that
tobacco smoke is an
environmental stressor and
promotes bacteria colonization
and immune invasion.
Scott explained that Biofilms are
composed of numerous microbial
communities often made up of
complex, interacting and coexisting multi-species structures.
Bacteria can form biofilms on most
surfaces including teeth, heart
valves and the respiratory tract.
In a related development, the
World Health Organisation,
WHO, has said that the moves to
introduce plain (standardized)
packaging of tobacco products
can save lives by reducing
demand for tobacco products.
Ekiti court remands two herdsmen over

Oke-Ako mayhem
By Rotimi Ojomoyela
DO-EKITIA Chief
Magistrates court in Ado
Ekiti yesterday remanded two
persons, who were suspected to
be responsible for the May 20
attack on Oke Ako in Ikole Ekiti
Local Government Area of Ekiti
State.
Two persons died from the
attack while three others were
severely wounded and are
currently receiving treatment in
separate private hospitals in
Ikole Ekiti and Ado Ekiti.
The two suspected killer
herdsmen, Usman Salihu, 50,
and Abubakar Auta, 52, were
arraigned for murder and causing
grievous bodily arm by the police.
They were consequently
remanded in prison custody till
September pending legal
advice from the office of the
Director of Public Prosecution.
The development was
confirmed by state Police Public
Relation Officer, Alberto
Adeyemi.
Meantime, a resident, Grace
Olofin, told newsmen that
peace had returned to the town.

She confirmed that security
agencies were still on ground
keeping watch over the town.

It was learnt that one of the
victims, Ayo Abejide, in whose
head a bullet pellet was lodged
has been transferred to an
undisclosed teaching hospital.

Also, the councillor for IpaoOke Ako-Irele ward, Mr. Segun
Kehinde, appealed to the
people to return to the town.
VISIT: From left; Mr Emeka Nkwocha, Advert Manager, Vanguard Newspapers; Mr Gbenga
Adefaye, General Manager/Editor in Chief; Professor Lucy Ugbadu, DG, National Biotechnology
Development Agency; Rufus Ebegba, DG/CEO, National Biosafety Management Agency; Mrs
Rose Gidado, Country Coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology and Mr Victor
Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager, Vanguard during a courtesy visit by the Biotechnology
Development Agency team to Vanguard's head office in Lagos to create awareness about
Biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms yesterday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele.
...Souns son, Alaafins nominee make list

BADANTHE muchexpected list of the
commissioner-nominees in Oyo
State has been finally sent to the
Oyo State House of Assembly by
Governor Abiola Ajimobi for
approval and ratification.
According to a letter with
reference no. Gov/2016//05/120
dated 26th May, 2016 written by
the Governor and read by the
Speaker at yesterdays plenary,
Ms. Taibat A. Adaba, believed
to be a nominee of the Alaafin
of Oyo, Prince Oyewumi
Oyewole, son of the Soun of
Ogbomosho, who contested the
House of Representatives
election in the 2015 general
election and lost to a Labour
Party candidate and a
governorship aspirant during
the 2015 gubernatorial election,
Dr Azeez Adeduntan were among
the nominees.
Others are Mr. Abimbola
Adekanmbi, former Deputy Chief
of Staff to the Governor; Mrs.
Atinuke Silifat Osunkoya,
immediate-past Commissioner
for Women Affairs; Mr Abimbola
Kolade, former Commissioner for
Works; Barr. Abayomi Oke, Son
of APC Chairman in Oyo State,
Chief Akin Oke; Mr Wasiu O.
Dauda
also
a
former
Commissioner; Mr Ajiboye
Omodewu,
a
former
Commissioner for Lands and Mr
Isaac Ishola Adisa respectively.
Others include Mr. Abdul
Ganiyu Mudashiru, Mr. Toye
Arulogun, Mr Oluseun
Abimbola, Professor Niyi
Olowofela, a former Chairman of
C
M
Y
K
Osun Assembly
awards self
pass mark
By Gbenga Olarinoye
Ajimobi sends list of 15 commissioner-nominees to Assembly
IST YR IN OFFICE:
Ido Local Government and Mr

Fatai Salawu, also a former
Chairman of Ibarapa North Local
Government.
In the same vein, the Assembly
also received the list of the
chairman and seven members of
Oyo State Independent Electoral
Commission (OYSIEC) for

approval for the purpose of
conducting local government
elections in the state.
They are Mr Adewale Ajeigbe,
Chairman from Oke Ogun zone.
Other members are Mr. Sunday
Aborisade, Mr Adedeji Raimi
Alabi, Mr Adedeji Adeagbo, Alh.

Bello Lateef, Mrs Omolola
Odekunbi, Alfa Abdul Razak
Abdulkamal Akuru and Mr
Rasheed Olajide Oyekanmi.
However, all the nominees have
been directed to forward 40 copies
each of their credentials to the
office of the Clerk of the House
on or before Friday June 3, 2016.
Shelve strike to allow dialogue, Fayose tells Ekiti workers

By Rotimi Ojomoyela
DO
EKITI
GOVERNOR Ayodele
Fayose of Ekiti State, has urged
workers in the state to call off their
strike to allow for dialogue.
The governor stated that in the
meantime, the salary for local
government workers is ready for
payment, while the little resources
that have come to the state are
ready for sharing but this cannot
be done because civil servants
who are on strike have critical
roles to play in the disbursement
of the funds.
The governor noted that until
the workers resume, nothing can
be done.
Governor Fayose said this
yesterday in Ado-Ekiti through
his Chief Press Secretary, Mr
Idowu Adelusi.
Fayose, who expressed
sympathy with the striking
workers and the inconveniences
the current financial situation in
the country is causing them, said
that the financial condition of the
country might not get better soon.
While saying that the issue of
irregular payment of workers was
not limited to Ekiti, the governor

urged the workers to note that the
country was in a recession and
that the state depends much on
statutory allocations.
He said he had foreseen the
current situation which made
him to be transparent in the
handling of finances of the
state and had always put all the
cards on the table for labour
leaders and others to see.
I have not hidden anything

from the labour leaders and what
our dear state is experiencing now
has been aggravated by the
mindless borrowings of the
immediate past administration in
the state. The state is paying about
N1 billion monthly to service the
bond and the commercial loans
they took. If that did not happen,
we would have had such money
to add to our monthly allocations.
Ondo govt, APC disagree over workers

strike
given to it by the Federal
By Dayo Johnson
KUREONDO State
government and the
opposition All Progressives
Congress APC in the state
yesterday disagreed over the
workers strike and the unpaid five
months salaries.
The opposition party in a
statement issued by its Director
of Media and Publicity, Steve
Otaloro, said the workers were
justified embarking on the strike
because the state government
mis-managed the bailout fund
Government last year .

Otaloro said; It was
unfortunate and regrettable that
the special intervention bailout
fund by the Federal Government
of about N15 billion meant for the
payment of workers salaries
arrears in the state was
squandered by the Mimiko
government on irrelevances.
But in a swift reaction,
Information Commissioner,
Kayode Akinmade alleged that
the Federal Government caused
economic crisis that led to inability
of states to pay workers salaries.
SOGBOTHE Osun
State House of
Assembly said yesterday that
within the last one year, it has
enacted laws that will
improve the lots of the masses,
enhance the state economy
and development of
infrastructure.
Also, the assembly
highlighted that seven bills
including the ones that would
boost the state revenue and
block leakages in the finances
of the state among others
have been passed.
It said the Assembly has
also paid specific attention to
oversight functions to,
especially ensure the
completion of ongoing
projects across the state in line
with the state government
commitment.
The parliament stated this
yesterday in a statement by
the Chairman, House
Committee on Information
and Strategy, Olatunbosun
Oyintiloye, to mark the one
year anniversary of the Osun
6th Assembly.
Rolling
out
the
achievements of the Assembly
since its inauguration on June
2, 2015, Oyintiloye said, a
total of seven bills have been
passed by the Assembly, while
others were at different stages
of consideration before the
Assembly.
The bills, he said, were
Public Procurement Bill, Land
Use Charge Bill, Primary
Healthcare Development
Board (Establishment) Bill,
Street Trading and Illegal
Market (Prohibition) Bill,
Micro-credit Agency Bill,
Conservation
Fund
(repeal) Bill and 2016
Appropriation Bill.
Militants blow up 2 Chevron oil wells

Contunues from page 5
attacking oil and gas
installations in the region.
Oshiomhole made the
appeal, yesterday, while
speaking with State House
correspondents after a private
meeting with President Buhari
at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said: When you are
dealing with security issues, the
options are not best discussed
in the media. What I can say is
that this President deserves the
support of everyone and there
is no part of Nigeria that can be
better off without the other part.
"The sooner we accept this
reality the better for all of us.
The days of ethnic champions

and imaginary divides will not
help anyone. I believe that the
President has shown leadership.
He has shown determination to
keep the country going. For
once, we are enjoying respect
in world capitals, on different
continents.
Part of the challenge we are
facing today is that quite a
number of our young people are
out of jobs, even in our budget,
the President on his own,
without prompting, decided to
devote as much as half a trillion
naira to social investments that
targeted at the poorest among
us.
"We do not need to be security
experts to accept the universal

truth that wherever there is
insecurity, there will be no
investment because no investor
will go to where he is unsafe.
And where there is no
investment, poverty will be
endemic because there will be
no job for our people.
I appeal to all of us in the
South-South, we need to wake
up. It is for our own self interest
that we make the region unsafe
for investments. The assets
being destroyed are not just
national assets, it is our own
assets. It is what makes the
South-South the hub of the
Nigerian economy and we
should not neutralize it through
whatever pretenses. There is

something Abiola said which I
think is apt in this case, that is: if a
tree falls in the forest, chances are
that it can only kill somebody in
that forest, not somebody at home."
Army should release seized
students, others NAGS
National Association of
Gbaramatu Students, NAGS, in a
statement by the president, Seiyefa
Ekpemupolo, in Warri, enjoined
the international community to
come to the aid of their people,
following the siege and invasion
of the kingdom by the Nigerian
military.
It said: We have to raise the
alarm about the torture, pains and
suffering being meted to our people
by the military
which had laid
siege to our
kingdom.
We
condemn
the
invasion, as our
people are neither
militants
nor
members of the
Avengers. We call
on the United
Nations to call
President Buhari
and
his
occupational army
to order.
Our students
are out of school
following the
invasion
and
cannot prepare or
sit for the common
entrance and
junior WAEC that
will start in days,
it said.
It's plot to
destabilise
Buharis admin
N-Delta elders
Meanwhile,
Niger
Delta
elders, yesterday,
raised the alarm
that
some
unpatriotic but
p o w e r f u l
individuals with
an agenda to
destabilise the
Muhammadu
B u h a r i
administration and
return Nigeria to
the dark days,
were responsible
for the spate of
bombings of oil
facilities in the
Niger Delta using
a faceless group
known as Niger
Delta Avengers.
The elders, who
spoke at a media
briefing under the
aegis
of
Concerned Niger
Delta Elders, in
Abuja, alleged that
the sponsors of the
bombings were
uncomfortable with
the
pro-
development and anti-corruption

drive of the present administration
and had, therefore, adopted
sponsored attacks to create chaos
to bring Nigeria backward for their
selfish interest.
We are fully aware that those
vested interests, who have held
Nigeria back for so long, will not
give up without a fight. They will
sow divisions, sponsor vile press
criticisms at home and abroad,
incite the public in an effort to
create chaos, rather than
relinquish the vice-like grip they
have on Nigeria, the elders said.
The National Coordinator of the
elders under the aegis of
Concerned Niger Delta Elders,
CNDE, High Chief Mike
Ekayama Loyibo, who read the
position of the elders, described
Niger Delta Avengers as faceless,
destructive elements bent on
destroying the common heritage
and the mainstay of Nigeria.
The elders said they were fully
in support of the current efforts of
Buhari to bring development to the
region and would not support any
form of destruction, which had
crippled the transformation of the
area in the past and caused untold
hardship for innocent persons in
the communities.
Lobiyo
said:
While
acknowledging that violence is not
a solution to any human problem,
we throw our weight behind the
President to take decisive actions
in addressing the issue, seeing
that the vandals are sabotaging the
efforts of Mr. President to bring
speedy development to the Niger
Delta.
We advise that the Niger Delta
Avengers join hands with forwardlooking citizens to appreciate the
obstacles we as a country have
overcome and the progress the
country has made under the
current administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari this far, to
help strengthen the plans the
government had put in place to
return Nigeria to the path of
progress."
Navy arrests, quizzes NNPC

pipeline bombing suspects
The Nigerian Navy ship, NNS

DELTA, has interrogated seven
suspects over various criminal
activities in the coastal region of
Delta.
Flag Officer Commanding,
FOC, Central Naval Command,
Muhammed Garba, told
journalists, yesterday, at the Warri
Naval Base that the suspects were
apprehended in the last one week
in Batan community and environs,
Warri
South-West
Local
Government Area of Delta.
He said five others were yet to
be interrogated, while seven
Cotonou boats and 490 metric tons
of illegally refined diesel were
also apprehended in the period.
Garba said five of them were
interrogated for alleged
involvement in the recent bombing
of the NNPC installations.
The Naval boss explained that
one of the suspects was involved
in the alleged killing of two
soldiers on May 10 at Batan
community, while the last suspect
was being quizzed for extortion.
No regret dragging Oshiomhole to tribunal in

2012 Edo APC gov aspirant
B
By Simon Ebegbulem
ENIN
CITY
GOVERNORSHIP aspirant
of the All Progressives Congress,
APC, in Edo State, Gen.Charles
Airhiavbere, (retd) yesterday said
he had no regret dragging
Governor Adams Oshiomhole to
the Tribunal when he ran against
him as the candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in
2012.
He however, lamented that
though the PDP hierarchy
chickened out of the legal battle
after it agreed to go to court to
contest the result of the election,
but that he decided to fight alone
to prove he was not a coward
before the PDP leaders.
Airhiavbere who declared that
Oshiomhole was a very close
friend despite the event of 2012,
said after the election there were
strategies, the final stage was that
we were going to court. And
without consultations, blatant lies
at the leadership level, very high
impunity, immediately after the
election the leaders of the PDP
abandoned the next stage of the
operation without any reason. For
the first time I met then President
Goodluck Jonathan one-on-one
and he said he did not give
instructions that we should not go
to court. So, I went to court all
alone because I had the muscles
and the capacity to go to court.

Even though the Supreme Court
described me as an orphan at
that level, I was not the one who
went to the Supreme Court. The
Action Congress of Nigeria,
CAN, as at that time and the
governor took the decision to go
to the Supreme Court from the
Court of Appeal.
We all knew what happened
but my advice to political parties
is that they must respect their
candidates. They must respect
the collective decision and when

there is need to reverse it, it must
be discussed generally at all
levels. That is why this is called
democracy and that was what I
wanted to prove. Unfortunately
so many people got hurt in the
process, some also got rich in the
process and today I have no
regrets..
On the forthcoming primaries
of the APC, Airhiavbere asserted
that I dont even believe there
is any other aspirant in the APC,
I have not seen one. As an Army

General if I dont know how to
access my competitors then I
have a problem. There is no
preferred candidate by the
governor; I contested against
him I should be the preferred
candidate. And for the
primaries, it is going to be free
and fair and I will win. I am
moving around meeting
delegates, strategizing, I will
win landslide in that June 18
primaries.
COMMISSIONING: From left: Deputy Speaker, state House of Assembly, Mr. Friday
Osanebi; former Governor, Dr. Emmanule Uduaghan, and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, all of
Delta State, at the commissioning of Ogbemudein Secondary School, Agbor, Ika South
Local Government Area of the state.
Edo PDP accuses Oshiomhole's

aide of violating State Procurement Law
CONTRACT MOBILIZATION:
By Gabriel Enogholase
ENINEDO State chapter of

the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, yesterday, accused Governor
Adams Oshiomhole and some of
his political appointees of violating
the State Procurement Law by
releasing 75 per cent as
mobilization fee to contracting
firms executing projects at the
Edo University, Iyamho as against
the 25 per cent stipulated by the
law.
One of such violations the party
said was alleged approved
payment by the governor of
N1.4Billion
to
Vamed
Engineering Nig Ltd January 14,
2016 for the supply, installation,
training and maintenance of
medical equipment for the
accident and emergency ward as
well as the ward complex at the
Central Hospital Benin-City,
claiming that the sum was to be
part of the 2016 budget of the state
Ministry of Health when no

appropriation had been made
for 2016 financial year.
He was also alleged to have
wired N1.2 billion without
approval from the Edo State
House of Assembly from the
budget of N3.5 billion for the
construction of the new accident

and emergency ward complex
and renovation of existing
structures at the Central Hospital
Benin contained in the capital
budget of the Ministry of Health
in the 2015 budget.
The party vowed to ensure that
Shettima petitions IG over alleged plot to

insurgency.
pitch him against Buhari
The petition written on behalf
By Emmanuel Aziken,
Political Editor
AIDUGURI
GOVERNOR Kashim
Shettima of Borno State has
petitioned the police to unravel
the origin of presidential
campaign posters depicting him
and Governor Rochas Okorocha
as teaming together for the 2019
presidential election.
Shettima in the petition
addressed to the Inspector
General of Police, Mr. Solomon

Arase affirmed that the posters
were the handiwork of his
political enemies and were
aimed towards causing animosity
between him and President
Muhammadu Buhari. Besides,
he alleged that the posters could
also scupper the good relations
between the state and the
Federal Government which has
helped in turning the tide
against the Boko Haram
A-Ibom wins S-South NNPC annual quiz

competition
Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo Pegasus High School, Eket; and
By Simon Ebegbulem
ENIN CITYAKWA Ibom

state has won the South South
zone of the 2016 quiz competition
organized by the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation,
NNPC, for the second time in a
row.
Three representatives from each
of the six states of Akwa Ibom,
C
M
Y
K
officials of the state government

involved in what it described as
mindless looting of the state
resources though expenditures
not budgeted for in the newly
established Edo University
Iyamho, EUI, were removed
from office and prosecuted.
and Rivers took part in the

competition which featured
Biology, Chemistry, English
Language, Mathematics and
Physics which took place in
Benin City yesterday.
But the trio of Udo Favour,
Uwakmfon Joseph and Faith
Brown,
from
Airforce
Comprehensive School, Uyo;
Government Secondary School,

Afaha Eket, scored a total of 65
points to move to the grand
finale of the competition which
would be held in Abuja.
Rivers State came second with
55 points while Delta and Cross
River settled for the third and
fourth positions, with 50 and 45
points, respectively.
of the governor by the

permanent
secretary,
Government House, Mr.
Ahmed Sanda dated May 29,
2016 and with reference number
BOSLO/ABJ/14/IV/407 read in
part: I have been directed by
HisExcellency,theExecutiveofBorno
State, Kashim Shettima to bring to the
IGPs notice, dozens of fraudulently
producedpostersbearinghisnameand
picture claiming he is aspiring for the
2019 Presidency. The posters have
been pasted on some routes in Abuja
and Kaduna.
2. Governor Kashim Shettima
regards this development as a highly
mischievous plot that is aimed at
destabilizing the emerging peace in
Borno State through creation of
unnecessary political tension while on
the other hand it might aim at creating
gap between the Borno State
Government and the President
Muhammadu Buhari led
administration (which just marked its
first year in office) with a wicked
agenda."
PDP zonal Pub

Secretary
lauds S-South
Govs on
welfare
By Chioma Onuegbu
YOTHE
newly
elected South-South
zonal Publicity Secretary of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Bishop Etim Ante, has lauded
the ingenuity of the South South
Governors
in
committing available scarce
resources in their states to lifetouching projects and
programmes.
Bishop Ante who made the
commendation yesterday
while fielding questions from
newsmen in Uyo, said the
efforts of the governors
within one year in office
clearly demonstrated that the
PDP still had the solution to
the problems of this country in
terms of understanding
governance.
He said he was impressed
that the governors were
implementing the party
manifesto which stated that it
shall pursue sustainable
development through sound
education, basic health care,
abundant food production,
rapid industrial growth, good
housing; job creation, efficient
transportation, improved
infrastructure, regular power
supply and general services.
From Akwa Ibom State to Cross
River, from Rivers to Bayelsa
states, and from Delta to Edo
States, their Governors have
upped
the
ante
of
performance."
Okowa has
proved critics
wrong'
SABATHE Deputy
Speaker, Delta State
House of Assembly, Mr. Friday
Osanebi, yesterday, said
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has
proved critics of his
government wrong with his
one-year report card.
The Deputy Speaker, who
spoke at the governor s
commissioning
of
Ogbemudein Secondary
School, Agbor, in Ika South
Local Government Area, noted
that Governor Okowa had
done well in spite of the
economic challenges.
Listing about 54 road projects and
others across sectors, Osanebi said
as a pan-Delta governor, Okowa
evenly distributed projects across
state.
While calling on well-meaning
Deltans to support the governor,
Osanebi said The Friday Osanebi
Foundation had taken over the
education of 100 students, noting
that every leader and government
must give priority to raising
educationally, emotionally sound
children for the sake of the societys
future.
Hunger drove me back to robberyEX-CONVICT

By Faith Ake
& Chika Ukele
robbery suspect, Jelili

Bello, 23, has said he went
back to robbery because of
hunger, when he came out of
prison last year.
He was paraded alongside
Oluwatomisi Busari, 24,
arrested during an operation at
Ketu area of Lagos.
Vanguard learned that the
suspects, who hail from Ogun
State, specialise in snatching
motorcycles, bags and other
valuables from people. One
locally-made pistol and a
spanner were recovered from
them.
Jelili said: I went back to
stealing because of hunger.
When I came back from prison
in 2015, I could not locate my
gang. So I formed a new one
with my friend Tomisi.
We have successfully stolen
five motorcycles which we had
sold. We have someone who
helps us to sell them at IdiIroko.
He gives us N10,000 each
after every sales. However,
sometimes, he gives us
N5,000.
Busari, the second suspect,
C
M
Y
K
said: We go out in the evening

and stop some of the
commercial motorcyclists with
offer to pay a huge sum for
them to take us to our
destination.
We attack them in
deserted areas. If they refuse
to part with the bike, we
spray pepper in their eyes.
If we do not succeed in
getting motorcycles, we
move to motor parks, where

you have large number of
people travelling.
Sometimes, we offer to
help them with their bags
and luggage, but end up
disappearing with their

properties.
The Commissioner of Police,
Fatai Owoseni, told pressmen
that the suspects will soon be
charged to court.
... as prisoner bags degree in theology

By Esther Onyegbula
N inmate of the Ikoyi

Prisons, Albert Emmanuel
Ajogbor, was yesterday
presented with a Bachelor of
Arts (BA) degree in Theology,
having successfully completed
his studies at the National Open
University of Nigeria, NOUN.
Ajogbor, who was incarcerated
in July 2004 was among the
over 10,000 others who
graduated
during
the
institutions 2016 convocation
held in Abuja in January.
Ajobor was honoured at a
ceremony at the Kirikiri
Maximum Prisons by the
NOUN authorities alongside
another inmate, Moshood
Folarinmilekan, who was
presented with a certificate of
exemption from NYSC.
Folarinmilekan has spent 25
years out of a life jail term he

was sentenced to at the Kirikiri
Maximum Prisons.
The inmate, awarded a
degree in Peace Studies and
Conflict Resolution, is
currently pursuing his

Master s Degree at the
institution.
Ajogbor speaking on the
sideline of the event said that
the achievement was a dream
come through for him.

According to him, the prisons,
as reformative centres were
living up to their mandates,
having provided the enabling
environment that led to the feat.
Lepers colony students send SOS to Gov Amosun

By Daud Olatunji
BEOKUTAPUPILS of
Radev Early Education
Centre, Iberekodo, a school
built for lepers children, have
appealed to Governor
Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun
State for the provision of
infrastructure and perimeter
fencing of their school.
The school, located at the
lepers colony, has 575 pupils
from nursery to primary six.
Some of the pupils, who
spoke with our correspondent

shortly after 357 pupils
received gifts of food stuffs
donated by members of CSR
Initiative of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God,
RCCG, Ogun Province 6,
Agape Family, said the school
has been neglected.
A primary six pupil, Saidat
Balogun, who appreciated the
gesture, said though their
school is special; the
government should not make
them feel discriminated feat.
The Headmaster of the

school, Ayo Adelugba, said
though the school was
established for children of the
lepers living in the colony,
pupils in the neighbourhood
are also benefiting from the
programme.
While speaking on the
challenges of the school,
Adelugba said government has
begun construction of some
buildings in the school, saying
the available classrooms were
not conducive.
IPOB/Army clash: Relations move victims from hospitals

to unknown places
Ohanaeze Ndigbo flays killing of IPOB members IGP accused of providing smoking gun to nail
protesters St Edmund Catholic Church parish priest denies arrest
By Emeka Mamah,
Vincent Ujumadu, Chidi
Nkwopara,Francis Igata,
Chimaobi Nwaiwu &
Chinedu Adonu
WKAMANY relations of
injured victims of the Biafra
Day clash between security
operatives and members of the
Indigenous People of Biafra,
IPOB, in parts of Anambra State
were believed to be moving them
out of the hospitals where they
were initially admitted for
treatment to unknown places for
fear that members of the states
Joint Security Task Force might
be hunting for them.
This came on the heels of an
allegation by the International
Society for Civil Liberties and the
Rule Law, a civil rights group, that
security operatives shot, killed,
picked corpses and buried the
victims in unknown places.
Vanguard gathered that
between Monday and yesterday,
scores of shot victims were
removed from some of the
hospitals where they were
admitted after the clash and taken
to undisclosed clinics within and
beyond the state by their relatives
and sympathizers.
Some of the relations said they
received information that the
victims might be arrested on their
hospital beds if they were found
Judges
conference
stalls hearing
in tax forgery
suit against
Ikpeazu
By Ugochukwu
Alaribe
BAA conference
for Federal High
Court Judges holding in
Abuja has stalled the tax
forgery suit instituted
against Gov. Okezie
Ikpeazu by a chieftain of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, in Abia State, Sir
Friday Nwosu.
Nwosu who ran for the
December 8, 2014 PDP
governorship primaries in
the state had petitioned the
court accusing Ikpeazu of
submitting a forged tax
clearance certificate. The
suit had since suffered
several adjournments and
transfers at the Federal
High Court Divisions at
Abuja, Umuahia and
Owerri.
A source at the court said
Justice A.I. Alagoa had
directed that the suit would
now be heard on June 8.
in the hospitals.
According to them, apart from
high medical bills and other
financial challenges, there were
fears that soldiers might storm the
hospitals to abduct them.
In the meantime, the chairman
of board of trustees of
INTERSOCIETY, Mr. Emeka
Umeagbalsi,
said
that
investigations by his organization
showed that the casualty figures
were swelling in number on a
daily basis.
He said that information at the
disposal of the organization
showed that 14 critically injured
persons were at the Nnamdi
Azikiwe University Teaching
Hospital, Nnewi, 15 at the
Multicare Hospital, Nkpor and
nine at St. Marys Hospital,
Nnewi.
He also said that there were
scores of others in other private
hospitals, such as Crown and St
Michael Hospitals in Nkpor,
while others were at Okija,
Asaba, among other places.
Meanwhile, the Secretary
General of Igbo Improvement
Union, Chief Edozie Njoku,
yesterday, urged the Federal
Government to address the issue
of MASSOB and IPOB carefully
and without bias.
In a statement made available
to Vanguard, Njoku said IPOB
did not do more harm than the
herdsmen, who had been
ravaging parts of the country and
yet security operatives had not
reacted the way they did to IPOB.
He said: The Fulani herdsmen
are committing more harm than
the IPOB and MASSOB and
there has not been any reprisal
from the Federal Government.
Those of us who supported the
president during election must
now start crying out and we want
to say that enough is enough.
There is no justification for
soldiers to kill innocent protesters.
The president is supposed to be
father to all Nigerians and my
advice is that he and his advisers
should re-strategize on how to
deal with issues of this nature.
Catholic priest denies arrest
Meanwhile, residents of Nkpor
near Onitsha were yesterday
allegedly thrown into panic, while
some ran away from their homes
to take refuge inside the bush
following alleged sporadic
shooting by soldiers, who invaded
the place at about 7.30p.m.
The incident, according to an
eye witness, took people who
were returning from the days
business activities by surprise.
The soldiers were said to have
on arrival started shooting into
the air to scare people away which
made some to pass the night
inside the bush, from where they
were making calls to their friends
and well-wishers to narrate their
ordeal.
Calls to Vanguard by two of the
FLAG-OFF: Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (middle) acknowledging greetings from the
crowd on his arrival for the official flag-off of the reconstruction of Aba road/Umuahia dual carriage
way in Umuahia. With him on the right is Engr. Usama Mostapa, M/D, CEO, Arab Contractors and on
the left by Dr. Eziuche Ubani, Abia State Commissioner for Works. Photo: Ibeabuchi Abarikwu
victims alleged that the soldiers
came to arrest the parish priest
and catechist of St Edmunds
Catholic Parish, Maryland, Nkpor
Agu in Idemili North Local
Government Area, Rev. Fr. Dave
Ojukwu and Ejima Ofoegbu
respectively.
However, when newsmen
visited the church yesterday
morning, the parish priest, Rev.
Ojukwu was seen walking
around the church and when
asked to confirm his alleged arrest
by soldiers, he said nothing like
that happened, adding that he
had received a lot of calls from
well-wishers about his alleged
arrest.
According to him: You can see
me walking around the church. I
am doing this to dispel the
rumour that I was arrested
yesterday night. I want to tell you
that nothing like that happened.
Nobody arrested me.
Ohanaeze flays killings
In another development, the
pan-Igbo cultural group,
Ohanaeze
Ndigbo
has
condemned the killing of
members of MASSOB and
IPOB, saying it is outrageous and
traumatizing.
A statement by the SecretaryGeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
Dr. Joe Nworgu, and made
available to Vanguard, yesterday,
stated that they were
unimpressed and unconvinced
by the talk of provocation.
The Igbo group therefore urged
the Federal Government as well
as the Anambra State government
to set up an investigative panel
with a view to finding out what
happened on Monday, May 30,
2016.
According to them, the attack on
innocent people by the security
operatives on a day the pro-Biafra
activists were peacefully
demonstrating was uncalled for.
What level of provocation will
warrant the firing of tear gas,
without first calling on a crowd to
disperse? The tear gas was

followed by a salvo of gunfire with
live-bullets.All Nigerians and
indeed all people who like
humanity must condemn in its
entirety this heinous display of
brutality. This is everything except
gallantry, they added.
They also noted: The two
organizations are sworn believers
in non-violence. They say, and
we believe them that they were
totally unarmed at the time of the
onslaughts. The Igbo nation is
outraged and condemns these
killings in strongest terms. Such
never happens whether under
the military dictatorship or
democracy. Ndigbo are known
democrats from time immemorial.
We believe in competition. We are
not a violent people.
We are unhappy with the
continued bloodletting visited on
our people and want such
nefarious events to cease
forthwith.
Condoling with the families of
those killed and sympathizing
with the injured, the Igbo group
warned that such events should
never occur in their land.
False allegations
Spurred by the statemement
accredited to the Inspector
General of Police, Solomon Arase,
IPOB has accused the IGP of
allegedly
making
false
allegations against the group,
saying that his directive to the
police to disarm its members was
a way of providing the smoking
gun with which the Department
of State Services, DSS, would
convince the judge trying its
leader, Nnamdi Kanu, that IPOB
was a violent organisation.
IPOB made this known in a
statement by its Spokespersons,
Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford
Chukwuemeka
Iroanya,
yesterday.
You can tell all the lies in the
world and try to manufacture
evidence for your colleagues in
the DSS so that they can use it

against the leader of IPOB, but
the incontrovertible fact is that
nobody can stop the restoration
of the nation of Biafra, they said,
wondering why Arase had not
reacted to the directive by
President Muhammadu Buhari
that armed Fulani herdsmen be
disarmed and their sophisticated
weapons taken away from them.
Archbishop Obinna reacts
Meantime,the
Catholic
Archbishop
of
Owerri
Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace,
Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V.
Obinna, has reacted angrily at
the way he was linked to the
protest march of loyalists of IPOB,
and MASSOB, in Anambra State.
Speaking exclusively to
Vanguard in Owerri, yesterday,
Archbishop Obinna said he chose
to react for the sake of those, who
may have been misled by internet
or media reports about my
presence in Onitsha, on May 30,
2016.
The Archbishop explained that
he left Owerri for Anambra State,
for the funeral of Rev. Sr.
Innocentia Ehirim at the
Immaculate Heart Convent,
Nkpor.
"After the Holy Mass and the
burial of the Rev. Sister, and in
the process of returning to Owerri
through the same Nkpor-Onitsha
route through which we came, we
noticed that burning tyres had
been set up by youths blocking
and preventing the normal flow
of
traffic,
Obinna
recalled,stressing that he was
accompanied on the trip by a
good number of priests, religious
and laity, since the late Sr.
Innocentia had worked for 10
years in the Archdiocese of
Owerri, before her later postings.
From Ihiala, signs of unrest
began to be seen with unusual
road blocks. In my case, we
arrived at our destination without
much inconvenience."

17
UST a few minutes past

eleven in the morning last
Wednesday, I received a
telephone call from Nigerias
Information Minister, Lai
Mohammed. He congratulated
me and told me that President
Muhammadu Buhari had
approved my appointment as
the Director General of the
National
Broadcasting
Commission (NBC).
He then requested that we
met the following day. I was
actually driving out of my house
to fulfill an appointment, but a
few minutes from the ministers
call, my telephones would not
stop ringing! It was, quite
frankly, an overwhelming
expression of happiness by
several people from all over the
world, who felt that the
appointment was a most worthy
one.
Almost a week down the line,
and I am writing in the wee
hours of the morning, on
Tuesday/Wednesday, the
telephone calls; emails; texts
and WhatsApp messages have
not ceased. At the beginning, I
made up my mind to reply every
single call, text or other forms
of messages, but I have since
found out that it is simply
impossible to keep track of the
messages or find the time to
reply them, because I also have
received visits from several
individuals and groups, from all
walks of life!
It is clearer to me more than
ever before, that such
experiences as I am going
through, are indicators of a
social ethos that reflect a
profoundly human longing to
be associated with what is
qualified as success, in
particular settings, such as
given in Nigeria.
There are also those political
forces, especially from Kwara
state, unhappy that the
appointment was made in the
first place, since it goes against
the grains of the ruling
orthodoxy in our state since
2003.
It has always been individuals
connected to Kwaras hegemon
who have always been recruited
for positions; therefore a
narrative was entrenched in the
popular consciousness in the
state, that no one would find
success in Kwara, unless they
do the bidding of the
hegemonic force. This
appointment is not only a clear
indication of the change that
President Buhari represents, it
has also shattered Kwaras
entrenched myth.
Engagement
with Vanguard
It was soon after the 2011
elections that I received a call
from Uncle Sam Amuka. He had
noticed that my weekly column
had disappeared from the pages
of DAILY TRUST. He inquired
from Malam Muhammed
Haruna, who confirmed that I
had recently resigned my
appointment. Uncle Sam asked
what my reasons were. And
after a
fairly extensive
discussion, he offered that I
wrote
a
column
for
VANGUARD. It was a kindly
C
M
Y
K
An end and a new beginning

offer that I could not reject,
coming from one of the most
beloved columnists of his
generation. I had been in Ilorin,
assisting with Muhammed Dele
Belgores
gubernatorial
campaign. The following week,
I returned home to Kaduna and
that phase of my life, as a

weekly columnist, is coming to
a close, as a result of the new
assignment I have been given,
as Director-General of the
National
Broadcasting
Commission (NBC). To be
honest, I have agonized very
deeply about the fact that I have
to drop the weekly columns in
order to fully give my all to the
new appointment, in the same
manner that I am obliged to
hands off the running of the
multimedia company that I
launched in 2011, called Word,
Sound & Vision (Multimedia)
Limited.
I will receive the

blows that come
with the territory, but Privileged life
of sorts
as the saying goes,
I think I have lived a most
the blow that does
privileged life in every sense
not break the back,
and the trajectory of my life has
strengthens it! I will made it imperative for me to
Nigeria, with the
show fate that I have love
passionate intensity that I have
some spine! I will
for our country.
I was born in the last month
miss the weekly
of colonial rule and I grew up
effort to analyze the in an independent Nigeria,
human condition as where the hopes associated
with freedom, soon became
a journalist, because tempered by the 1966 coup and
its aftermath and a tragic Civil
it grew to become
War that consumed millions of
one of my greatest
lives.
Yet, Nigeria would come out
passions
had gone to a barbers shop on

Waff Road, when I received a
call from Malam Muhammed
Idris. He wanted us to meet at
the nearby Hamdala Hotel;
when I saw him, he opened up
on his plan to start a newspaper
that would eventually be
BLUEPRINT newspaper.
He wanted me to be part of
the effort and I was offered to
be Chairman of the Editorial
Board, and to also write a
weekly column. I told him of the
offer from Uncle Sam and
VANGUARD and he had no
objection. A few weeks later, we
started BLUEPRINT and I also
wrote a column, which was
syndicated in VANGUARD too.
I thus became one of the few
syndicated columnists in
Nigeria, but I had the added
honour of chairing the Editorial
Board of one these titles.
There cannot be a better
expression of professional
opportunity than what I have
been privileged to experience,
thanks to the immense
generosity of two very
outstanding individuals and
genuine patriots, Uncle Sam
and Muhammed Idris. Sadly,
of that war, with tremendous

hope about the possibilities of
building a future for all our
people. And in education,
sports, economic development,
infrastructure and national
integration, we were making
notable progress in the years
that I came into full
consciousness as a citizen.
Those years of our lives and
the inspiring social movements
of the post-Second World War
years, with the defeat of
colonialism,
burnt
an
imprimatur
on
our
consciousness and have largely
been responsible for the
conscious, critical and patriotic
professional broadcaster and
journalist that I have grown to
become.
I grew in my job; went to
school; had a fulfilling life of
work ahead of me and like
others of my generation, I
experienced a country that
largely, worked and allowed us
to dream, with near certainty,
that these dreams could find
actualisation.
I owe a lot to Nigeria and its
wonderful people, and because
of my multiple identities, I have
unique advantages that only
the generosity of our country
could have afforded me and
allow to flower.
This is the background that

has propelled me, and has
conditioned my sense of duty. I
come from a background of
scholars and public servants
with a very proud tradition
dating back into the history of
the empires of the old Western
Sudan.
I pride myself on the fact that
I have a rich background of
service that I must jealously
uphold and never betray. When
I was appointed as pioneer
General Manager of Kwara
Television in 1977, the late
patriarch of my family, Hon.
Justice Saidu Kawu, reminded
me, as I prepared to resume
work, that we had a very
honourable family name, even
if we were not rich in monetary
terms: Please ensure that you
uphold our family name and
your own honour!
It is an admonishment that I
have tried to truly live by and it
will still condition my attitude
in the new position at the NBC.
I will work with dedication and
give the best to our country as I
know it, and will also be true to
the change-for-the-better, that
President Buhari represents
and promotes for our country.
And the more I have thought
about things, the luckier I have
felt. The defunct Nigerian
Broadcasting Corporation
(NBC), hired me soon after I
completed secondary school in
1976. When I resumed work, on
February 1, 1977, I was barely
16years and 4months old; about
the youngest person ever
employed then, by the NBC.
A distinguished
delegate
Over the years, I would be a
Studio Manager; Announcer;
Deejay; Newsreader (including
on the National Network
Service); commentator; current
affairs analyst; producer;
reporter for Radio France
International and the BBC
World Service; pioneer GM at
KWTV; Editor, Chairman
Editorial Board, Columnist and
Africa Editor at DAILY TRUST;
Chairman, Editorial Board and
Columnist for BLUEPRINT and
VANGUARD newspaper.
I hold a Diploma in Mass
Communication; graduated as
Best Student in Mass
Communication at the Bayero
University and had won a
scholarship each session in
university, for being best
student; hold a Masters Degree
in Political Science and I am
presently studying for a PhD in
Defence and Strategic Studies
at the Nigerian Defence
Academy, in Kaduna!
The Nigerian Guild of Editors

made me a Fellow in 2013 and
I was a Distinguished Delegate
to the 2014 National
Conference, representing the
Nigerian Guild of Editors. Now
you understand where I am
coming from, and why I said
that I have been very privileged
that Nigeria has given me so
much!
Public service has increasingly
become a most dangerous
vocation in our country today,
and its entrails have become the
graveyard of many lofty ideals.
But I still believe that every
opportunity that we might get
to serve our country, especially
where the administration itself,
has shown a patriotic
commitment to the country and
its people.
I sincerely believe that I have
been given the opportunity to
be Director-General at a very
exciting moment in our
countrys history and what I
pledge is that I will work with
commitment; honesty; and a
sense of patriotic honour in the
best interest of our country.
A new
terrain
The NBC has offered a natural
progression from all the media
work that I have done, in radio
and television broadcasting and
journalism, over the past 39
years. I have no doubt in my
mind, that the regulatory
function at the head of the NBC,
would be the toughest of all.
But my father used to tell me,
that every true beginning in life
is difficult; I will receive the
blows that come with the
territory, but as the saying goes,
the blow that does not break the
back, strengthens it! I will show
fate that I have some spine! I
will miss the weekly effort to
analyze the human condition
as a journalist, because it grew
to become one of my greatest
passions.
I have loved the opportunity
that Uncle Sam Amuka and
Muhammed Idris gave me, and
I hope that I can still return here
sometimes in the future. I will
also miss the numerous readers
who engage with me weekly,
including those who find me
sometimes too arrogant, or
maybe
presumptuous,
especially when I attempt to
deconstruct controversial social
issues.
My standpoint often clashed
with the sureties of that group
of readers, but I have written
honestly and honourably,
believing that journalism has a
very important role in helping
shape opinion, for the
betterment of our country. It is
this passion that I will now
direct elsewhere; in a new
direction to help regulate the
broadcasting industry, to help
make Nigerian broadcasting
attain the highest standards.
So while I move away from
this page, I will still be close to
you, in service to our dear
country. Thanks a lot for the
privilege of your company. Our
country is worth fighting for,
and I am moving to a new
terrain of service to our beloved
Nigeria.

RECENT developments in the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
should ordinarily have been
taken as the normal, internal
palpitations in a healthy political
institution. But they were not.
The PDP was the country s
ruling party for 16 years and is
in possession of an expansive
institutional memory to benefit
our democracy.
The PDP, as the country s
leading opposition party, has a
formidable structure to help keep
the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) in check.
But, as the APC marked its first
anniversary in power, the
absence of the opposition was
very
glaring.
Instead
of
articulating its own informed
scorecard of the APC Federal
Government at this important
milestone, the leaders of the PDP
were enmeshed in a complex
leadership tussle for the control
of its future.
The
squabbles
saw
the
PDP, put your house in order

leadership fragmented into at
least four factions claiming
authority at the national level.
The factions included those led
by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who
was sacked as the interim
national chairman by officials at
the recent convention of the party
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The second group was led by
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who was
appointed as the chairman of a
caretaker committee at the
convention. A third tendency was
the
collegiate
leadership
centered on the founding fathers
of the party including Prof. Jerry
Gana and Senator Ibrahim
Mantu, among others. A fourth

group coalesced around the
Board of Tr ustees (BoT) which
claimed to have intervened to
stop the fragmentation.
The seeming crisis in the PDP
is of concern to watchers of our
democracy in Nigeria because we
need strong alternative political
parties to strengthen our multi
party system and keep the
current party in power on its
toes.
The many mistakes that the PDP
made as a governing party took
place because of the absence of
any virile opposition party. We,
as a nation, should avoid the
mistake of having one dominant

ruling party, as this predisposes
those in power to impunity and
corruption as experience has
shown. When this is the case, it
is the ordinary people that suffer
the misrule more.
We urge both the ruling party
and the other political parties to
strengthen
their
internal
processes and give their political
outfits the character, distinct
identity and vision that will give
Nigerians real choice when next
we go to the polls.
Seventeen years after the
military left the political scene,
party politics should have grown
beyond the mere tussle for power
or posts. It should now be more
about where each political party
wishes to take Nigeria and how
they want to achieve it.
This can only happen if our
politicians learn from their
mistakes and build on areas
where they have done well.
OPINION
Ekweremadu on youth investment
By Chuka Okeke
N an environment such as our, one

wonders how youths can come across
platforms or avenues for investments or
start-up businesses. Fortunately, there
are fora such as summits, seminars,
conferences, etc that come in handy
where youth can get useful ideas in the
area of their specific need. One of such
meetings held recently in Enugu State,
The Oganiru Enugu State Investment
Summit. It emphasized on key areas open
for investment, especially in the State.
The summit was attended by key
industry leaders and top financial
investors who enlightened participants
on the areas for investment and how they
could go about it. Such key areas were:
solid minerals and mining, real estate,
hospitality and tourism, entertainment,
transportation and agriculture.
According to Senator Ike Ekweremadu,
the Deputy Senate President, youths,
should not miss out on meetings like this,
where they will not only tap from the
pool of knowledge available but also gain
from networking opportunities which
serves as a platform for harnessing their
talents.
At the just concluded Solidarity rally
in Enugu by Youth For Ikeoha, a nonGovernmental Organisation in support
of the Deputy Senate President, he
emphasised the need to invest in youth.

According to him, such investment will
serve as a golden key that unlocks the
present predicament in the country
today.
Nigeria is the most populous nation in
Africa with a population of over
The Senator
call on all
elected officials
to put a stop to
neglect of the
youth
170million and among the top ten most
populous nations in the world,with the
youth contributing a great margin.
According to the National Baseline Youth
Survey (2012), the population of youth
in Nigeria is in the estimates of 64 million
of which 51.6% are female and 48.4% are
male while 5.9 million children are added
to the population yearly. Imagine what
empowering 64 million youth could do
to an economy,the effect will be massive
and unprecedented!
Put simply, there are many geniuses
and great minds amongst our youth that
go to waste for lack of opportunity and
resources. Recently, a University of Lagos

graduate, Mr. Ayodele Daniel, had a
cumulative GPA of 5.00 in the
department of Psychology, the best in the
country so far. The likes of Mr. Ayodele
abound and investing in these
individuals will empower the youth to be
leaders today and tomorrow and
indirectly create highly cerebral experts
that can push the economy to greater
heights in the future. It is common
knowledge that Nigerians have some of
the best brains in the world,
unfortunately these brains are not well
appreciated.
He said all leaders, himself inclusive
should offer young people a vision for the
future. he then went on to provide tips
that would be beneficial to youths who
want to succeed in the present economic
situation.
Firstly, while we all appreciate the need
to tap into Agriculture, it is important
that experts are recruited to train the
teeming young population on the benefits
of Agriculture using modern methods.
Abakaliki,Ebonyi States capital for
example arguably has one of the best soils
for rice planting in Nigeria. If well
harnessed and youths empowered, the
nation can become an exporter of rice.
Same for other farm produce. A
wholesale/retail point mimicking the
likes of Shoprite, where only locally made
farm products are sold, would go a long
way in keeping youths busy thereby
increasing internally generated revenue.
A walk down memory lane would remind
us that Agriculture was the boom of our

economy before the Oil boom of the
1970s.
Furthermore, arts and craft as well as
technology cannot be ignored. Most
youths are gifted with their hands. Some
can be the best designers and artists in
the world if theres a conducive
environment to harness these potentials.
Recall that Aba, in Abia State, was once
the boom of commerce some years ago.
The city exported good products to most
West African countries. If youths are
adequately empowered, the nation stands
to benefit tremendously.
We
have
youths
who
are
technologically savvy. A forum can be
formed where this group of talents will
be funded and empowered to create
something worthwhile that can be
exported to other countries to grow the
economy. China did it and today its
economic power is in leaps and bounds.
We can do it too. We have the number
and the brains we just need the right
environment and support to harness our
potentials.
The Senator call on all elected officials
to put a stop to neglect of the youth,
address their problems and embrace
them as an integral and important part
of the society, so that their generation is
not lost to crime, drugs,violence and other
prevalent social ills is very timely.
Mr. Okeke, a member of the Youth for
Ikeoha, wrote from Enugu, Enugu
State.
Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2

2,, 2016 19
Send Opinions & Letters to:
opinions1234@yahoo.com
Jonathan found culpable of
alleged corrupt dealings and
giving back to the military the
power to police infrastructure in
the oil industry pushed some
elements in the Niger Delta who
felt their interests threatened
back to militancy. After the
initial impulse to tackle the issue
Entering year two more

positively (2)
HE first part of this article alone a war on terror. I did not
on Monday reviewed expect any magic. That apart,
T
President
Muhammadu no one will say the war on terror
Buharis general approach to the
governance in the past one year.
Today, we will briefly look at the
three cardinal policies of the
regime (security, economic
diversification/job creation and
the war on corruption), how they
have fared and how they can fare
better in the years ahead.
In the area of security, there is
no doubt that Buhari has built
upon the great surge recorded
towards the tail end of the
Goodluck
Jonathan
administration to decimate Boko
Haram. His experience as a
military general has come to
play in that Boko Haram has
been completely hemmed into a
small enclave, and we have
reasons to hope for their
annihilation sooner than later.
The Federal Governments
claims that Boko Haram no
longer controls any territory
are simply untrue, since the
terrorists are not operating from
thin air or foreign land. Also,
Buharis boast to end the scourge
within three months has not
happened, as no such magic
wand exists to fight wars, let
is a failure under Buhari.

But during the past one year,
three new security challenges
emerged. The Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB) protests
blossomed, possibly in the wake
of Buharis implementation of his
infamous 97%/5% formula for
the distribution of federal posts,
which favoured the North and
West and virtually left out the
South East.
The regime responded to the
unarmed protesters with
maximum force and mass graves
were discovered in Aba environs.
Unless he jettisons this formula
of inequity and gives every
Nigerian a sense of belonging,
people would continue to fancy a
better future outside a country
in which they feel oppressed.
There will never be an end to
bloodshed, and it will never count
in his favour as a good leader.
His belligerent attitude
towards
the
Amnesty
programme,
unilateral
dissolution of the Niger Delta
Development Commission
(NDDC) board, prosecution of
close aides of former President
The good thing is

that the President
appears far more
willing to engage
the people, the
stakeholders and
institutions in his
approach to
governance after
one year of ruling
almost like a
military general.
He is gradually
democratising his
approach to
governance
militarily, Buhari has pulled
back to explore the stick and
carrot option. He is employing
some dialogue and diplomacy
alongside military deployment
to end the threat to our economic
survival. This, I believe, is a
more sensible approach than
mere
naked
military
adventurism.
But on the issue of the armed
Fulani herdsmen invading
indigenous
communities,
destroying their farms with their
cattle and committing violent
crimes, the President needs a
total mind rejig to stop ignoring
this threat. Adding salt to injury,
Nigerias romance with malaria

VER time, malaria has virtually But how would we be rolling back malaria
assumed the same status with the when the nearest healthcare centres to
O
weather, which everyone complains most of our rural dwellers are more than
about; and yet nobody is able to do
anything about it.
Today, while the rest of Africa and the
developing world have every reason to
rejoice at the prospect of the imminent
scientific breakthrough on the malaria
vaccine that could provide 100 percent
protection against the disease, Nigeria has
apparently been caught napping.
Ordinarily, Nigeria should be enthused
with the progress so far recorded towards
the development of this malaria vaccine,
which is being pioneered by researchers
in the U.S; particularly in the face of the
high malaria burden on the citizens
predominantly children and pregnant
women.
Again, there is some bright light at the
end of the tunnel on the issues of malaria.
The World Health Organization, WHO,
and other experts say that globally, there
are about 20 other vaccine projects for
malaria prevention at various stages of
development and clinical testing.
As we speak, the Firm of Glaxo
Smithkline Biologicals and PATH Malaria
Vaccine Initiative, with funding support
from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,
are working around the clock to see the
malaria initiatives through. But how
ready are we to embrace the approaching
change?
Successive administrations in Nigeria
have launched the Roll Back Malaria
Initiative over and over again. But when
a tree falls on another, anyone seriously
intent on clearing the way must first cut
the tree on top. Similarly, there are
numerous barriers in the way of success
on the Roll Back Malaria Initiative.
Evidently, the proponents of the
initiative could not have intended that it
should be restricted to the urban areas.
C
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50 kilometres away? How can we be

rolling back malaria when there are no
access roads to most parts of our rural
communities? Perhaps most importantly,
how can we roll back malaria when
potable water is alien to the rural
dwellers? In fact, all that the rural
dwellers have known all their lives is
stagnant pond water, which is the natural
habitat to all forms of mosquitoes. Indeed,
whoever wants to roll back malaria must
first roll back rural abandonment.
Whoever wants to
roll back malaria
must first roll back
rural abandonment
Past administrations in Nigeria have
been at war with themselves while they
have always advocated the arrest of ruralurban migration, they have at the same
time concentrated all agents of
development jobs, pipe borne water,
electricity, motorable roads, healthcare
facilities and other essentials of life in
the urban areas, to the utter neglect of
rural areas. Naturally, people are bound
to gravitate towards the urban areas in
search of the good life. Even in the socalled urban areas, the good life is today
fast taking flight thats double tragedy!
In the early nineteen-eighties, the
defunct Bendel Development and Property
Authority, BDPA, came up with the idea
of rural housing with pilot schemes
intended for Oghada, Uromi, Iruekpen
and Agbor. The idea was projected on the
fact that if you take a piece of land even in
the most remote part and you provide the
Buhari wants to forcibly

confiscate peoples lands and set
up grazing reserves for Fulani
cattle owners nationwide even
in areas where Fulani people are
not indigenes! Of course, this
policy is bound to fail.
Buhari needs to deploy the
police and military to disarm
the criminals among the
herdsmen and prosecute them.
To solve the problem of clashes
between farmers and herdsmen
as well as cattle rustling, there is
no alternative to ranching,
which is a business like any other.
The President must explore best
practice models around the world
to settle down nomadic
herdsmen to enable them benefit
from a comprehensive package
of empowerment to upgrade and
modernise their business. Fulani
cattle herdsmen, too, are human
beings who deserve access to the
good things of life, such as
education, health, security and
modern amenities. They cannot
enjoy these while pursuing an
ancient lifestyle that has
become a social problem in the
twenty first century.
Coming to the economy,
Buharis concern for the
common people is obvious in the
generous provisions in the 2016
budget for job creation, school
feeding, monthly stipend for the
poorest in society and massive
funding of infrastructure. His
Keynesian economic model
massive public borrowing and
spending to stimulate demand in
the economy is probably the
only sensible way out, though it
comes with the risks of a looming
debt burden. If the picture that
the regime paints with the
goodies in the budget is anything
to go by, there is reason to hope.
But the regime is accused of
lacking a coherent economic
b a s i c
infrastructure
access road,
pipe
borne
w a t e r ,
electricity, etc.
and you then
build houses on
that piece of
land, people
would go there
and live happily. Before you know it,
cottage industries and healthcare facilities
would follow.
Again, if the rural folks are assured that
when they return from the farm or from
their fishing expedition, they have water
to drink and take their bath; there is
electricity to iron their clothes, listen to
radio and watch television, the natural
propensity to rush to the urban areas
would be drastically reduced.
Unfortunately, the BDPA initiative did
not go beyond the drawing board. Indeed,
it merely succeeded in depriving the
people of their farm land.
The time has come for governments
across the land to revisit this laudable
proposal. Every effort to prevent and cure
malaria would come to naught as long as
the large segment of our population who
live in rural areas is abandoned.
Even in the face of all the scientific
discoveries, heaven only helps those who
help themselves. And for every disease
condition, prevention is better than cure.
That is why if the new vaccines must lead
the pathway to roll back malaria, other
traditional preventive measures must be
substantially stepped up. We must leave
no stone unturned in keeping malaria at
bay. At all times, we must keep the
environment clean and devoid of stagnant
water while sleeping under insecticide
treated nets.
At antenatal clinics, intermittent
preventive treatments must be made
available to pregnant women. At the least
roadmap which will enable nonstate stakeholders in the

economy the private sector
to key in. People are complaining
that the regime has no economic
team, and that the National
Economic Council chaired by the
Vice President cannot effectively
do the job of an economic team.
People want to see the road ahead
beyond 2016. People are
unhappy at the steep rises in the
cost of electricity and petrol, and
the steep fall of the Naira against
major foreign currencies.
People are more interested in
hearing
the
Buhari
governments plans to solve these
problems rather than to blame
the past administration. It
worked in the first year, but
people are getting tired of hearing
it. Above all, people are looking
forward to the moment when
Buhari will launch the fiscal
federalism which is in the APC
manifesto. That is where the
permanent salvation of our
economy lies.
Buhari should know that his
dream to provide jobs through
agriculture will not work unless
the Fulani herdsmen menace is
eliminated as soon as possible.
Nobody will like to plant their
farms only for cows to eat them
up. And more and more people
are becoming sensitised to
prepare for self-defence against
the invaders and their cows.
The good thing is that the
President appears far more
willing to engage the people, the
stakeholders and institutions in
his approach to governance after
one year of ruling almost like a
military general. He is gradually
democratising his approach to
governance. It will surely help.
We will conclude on Thursday
with a look at the war on graft.
suspicion of malaria, people must get

properly tested and promptly treated.
Government agencies, the media and
Civil Society Organizations must quickly
increase
public
enlightenment
campaigns against malaria, with added
emphasis on preventive measures.
Need we re-iterate that the time has
come to stop paying lip service on our
healthcare delivery? There is no escaping
the inevitable conclusion that we must
enhance our annual budgetary outlays
to the health sector, with a view to driving
a death knell on this child-killer disease.
Our health institutions must be equipped
with appropriate human and material
resources.
In the fight against malaria, all hands
must be on deck, realising that anything
that affects all must be approached by all.
There is no turning the other cheek. Our
laws on the environment must be
vigorously enforced to force those citizens
who always wait for the push to comply.
For as long as human traffic keeps
struggling for the right of way with
garbage heaps on our streets and market
places, malaria will keep lurking around.
With help around the corner, donor
agencies must be ready to partner the
various governments in funding the
malaria initiatives.
Essentially, cleanliness is part of
godliness. Citizens owe themselves a duty
to remain clean all the time without
necessarily waiting to be forced out once
every month for environmental
sanitation.
20Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2

16
2,, 20
2016
*Members of the movement of unemployed Nigerians at a rally recently
Still expecting President Buharis

jobs one year after
ON March 16, 2016, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on his Facebook page said among others:
Today, I received the Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan on job creation and youth
employment in Nigeria jointly packaged by the Job creation Unit of the Presidency, and the
Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG.
Three million jobs would be created in the country within three years starting in 2016
especially in Technology, Wholesale & Retail, Construction and Agro-allied sectors of the
Nigerian economy. This year alone, over 700,000 private sector jobs will be created, majority
of which will be in the Agro-Allied Sector.
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
OR workers, a lot has hap

pened since President
Muhammadu Buhari assumed
office as President of Nigeria on
May 29, 2015, and as the government clocked one year in
office, the issues of job security
and unemployment have remained a critical challenge.

Today, instead of jobs as
promised, what has been going
on in the economy is retrechment and all forms of unfair labour practices by employers.
Flowing from the high unemployment rate is an upsurge
in non-pensionable forms of
employment targeted at pauperizing workers as well as the
weakening of organised labour
which are now sweeping the
Labour sector like wild fire.
Some of the features of these
non-pensionable forms of employment are casualisation,
outsourcing, contract staffing

and de-unionization of workers
aimed at giving the employers
unlimited power to not only enslave, but hire and fire at will.
Massive retrenchment: The
fallout of this is massive retrenchment in sectors such as
the petroleum sector where over
150, 000 workers have reportedly lost their jobs in the last
three years; in the maritime industry where not less than 5000
direct jobs have been lost in the
last year; the Food and Beverage sector where over 3000 jobs
have been lost in the last one
year; the banking industry
where an estimated 4000 jobs
have been lost in the telecommunication sector where over
3000 workers have equally lost
their jobs; the Power sector is
not left out as both government
officials and private sector employers are united against
workers and union to protect
capital, and so on.
Trumping all these is the, nonpayment of salaries and pensions in the last one year by
both government and private
sector employers that has been
the greatest predicament of the
Nigerian workers and pensioners in the last one year.
Unemployment crisis: Decrying the level of unemployment
recently, factional President of
Nigeria Labour Congress,
NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba said:
"As we have persistently pointed out, there is hardly any
Today, instead of
jobs as promised,
what has been
going on in the
economy is retrechment and all
forms of unfair
labour practices
by employers
Union decries alleged Game Discount World refusal to obey court

orders
By Ehi Eweka
RGANISED labour has

called on the Federal
Government to prevail on the
management of Game Discount
World Nigeria Limited, a
subsidiary of MASS Discounters
of South Africa, to comply with
National Industrial Court, NIC,
judgment allowing its workers
to be unionised in its Nigeria
offices.
On the platform of Shop and
Distributive Trade Senior Staff
Association,
SHOPDIS,
lamented that despite having
two separate judgments from
Industrial Arbitration Panel,
IAP, and NIC, Abuja, the
company had so far refused
respect the judgments,
insisting it is an infringement
on the rights of the workers.
C
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According to the General

Secretary of SHOPDIS, Ola
Oyegoke, who lamented the
unions ordeal since 2010 in its
move to give the workers a
platform to collective bargaining
as a basis for regulating their
condition of service, said the
management had shown that it
had no respect for Nigeria law
through its refusal to abide by
the court judgments.
Non recognition
of the union
Oyegoke said SHOPDIS,
had in 2014, got an award over
a trade dispute declared
against Game management on
the non recognition of the
union as a representative of
the Senior Staff of the company
who signed membership
authorisation forms which had

been forwarded to the
management since April 2010.
Though the management then
said its refusal was based on the
fact that the said workers were
projection of management, and
subsequently appealed against
the judgment, the NIC in its
ruling by Justice Isele in
November last year, upheld the
IAP award.
The IAP award signed by Mrs.
Abubarkar on behalf of the
Minister of Labour and
Productivity, in May, 2014, had
stated, The Tribunal hereby
finally concludes that the 2nd
Party (management) is resisting
since April 2010 for unionisation
of its Senior Staff that are not of
a Projection of Management
and have refused collective
bargaining.
household in Nigeria where

there arent at least two or
more unemployed persons who
have graduated from various
tiers of our educational system,
looking for job placement for
upward of three to five years.
The ruling APC government

promised to create three million
jobs in three years. We have
waited one year for the government to bring out its blueprints
on how it intends to go about
achieving this.
Similarly, Joe Ajaero who
leads the other faction of NLC,
lamented that: Increasing onslaughts against the survival of
the Nigerian worker either as
individuals or as collectives
have become the new agenda
of governments at all levels of
the Nigerian society. Our jobs
are becoming increasingly more

precarious and unstable. Lay
offs have become increasingly
more rampant and new jobs are
rare if not disappeared completely. There is a strong desire
among those in Government to
scuttle the growth of the trade
union movement."
ILO reports: On his part,
President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, said the unemployment rate in Nigeria was
alarming.
According to him: The rate
of employment is one of the factors that determine the economic
strength and growth of any
country. Unfortunately the oil
and gas, steel, textile, construction and engineering, leather
and footwear, and maritime industries plus a host of others that
are supposed to generate the
needed jobs have suffered
grave neglect by our leaders."
According to a recent report
of the International Labour Organisation, 201 million people
globally are unemployed, and
this figure may rise to 219 million by 2019.
Positive
corrective steps
Unless the right thing
is
done the bulk of that number
may be from this part of the
world. The report holds that
Nigeria with an unemployment
rate of 10.4 per cent in the fourth
quarter of 2015 has a better unemployment rate than was reported in 66 countries but worse
than 111 countries, including 23
African countries which have
unemployment rates lower than
10.4 per cent. Positive corrective steps must be taken in that
direction.
As if the situation is not precarious enough, even those
with jobs have their hearts in
their mouths. There is so much
uncertainty in the land occasioned by employers anti-union posture, and now the unhealthy business environment.
Since the year began, the food
and beverage sector alone has
lost over 500 employees.
So it is with other sectors, at a
time when India, with a population of over a billion people,
is projected to have an unemployment rate of 4.60 percent,
Brazil 5.0, Malaysia 3.4, Singapore 1.8, Thailand 0.62, Norway
3.3 Japan 3.6, Mexico 4.7, Switzerland 3.5, South Korea 3.5, to
mention but a few.
The government needs to formulate and implement policies
that would serve as catalyst for
mass creation of decent wellpaid jobs both in the public and
private sectors of the economy.
And by job creation we do not
mean engaging graduates to
sweep the streets or operate
commercial bikes alias Okada
or Keke Marwa.
Rather we expect the government to urgently create the necessary enabling environment by
providing constant electricity,
good roads, pipe-borne water,
soft-loans and production-inducing tax regime, and a good
learning environment.
Economy: Decline persists through

May, says CBN
By Babajide Komolafe
DIGITAL AFRICA: From left, Chairman of occasion and Chairman, Zenith Bank
Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, Founder/CEO, Global Industry Council Canada, Mr. Steven Ibaraki,
and President, Catronics Enterprises Canada, Mr. Andy Chen, during the Digital
Africa Conference & Exhibition 2016, held at International Conference Centre, Abuja,
yesterday.
45.8 index points in May 2016,
compared to 43.7 in the
preceding month. This implies
that the manufacturing sector
declined at a slower rate during
the review period.
Of the sixteen manufacturing
sub-sectors, eleven recorded
decline in the review month in
the following order: primary
metal; paper products;
petroleum & coal products;
furniture & related products;
fabricated metal products;
printing & related support
activities; non-metallic mineral

products; electrical equipment;
textile, apparel, leather &
footwear; food, beverage &
tobacco products and chemical &
pharmaceutical products.
The remaining five subsectors however recorded
expansion in the following order:
computer & electronic products;
appliances and components;
cement; plastics & rubber
products and transportation
equipment.
The composite PMI for the
non-manufacturing sector
recorded decline for the fifth
consecutive month. The index
remained at the 44.3 index points
registered in the preceding
month. Of the eighteen nonmanufacturing sub-sectors,
fourteen recorded decline in
May 2016 in the following order:
professional, scientific, &
technical services; public
administration; management of
companies; construction; real
estate, rental & leasing;
information & communication.
Nigeria plans meeting with investors ahead

of possible bond sale SOURCES
igeria plans to hold

a non-deal road
$123.05
1.75
show in London next
week,
government
$3,070.00 65.00
sources said yesterday, as
it explores fund-raising
$ 17.64
0.12
options to finance the
2016 budget deficit.
Finance Minister Kemi
$49.50 -0.26
Adeosun and officials
from the central bank and
$49.53 0.20
debt office will meet
investors next Tuesday
CURRENCY BUYING
SELLING
to update the market on
government policies.
US DOLLAR 196
196.5
197
287. 1596
287.8922 288. 6247
POUNDS
Standard Chartered
218.9124
219.4709 220.0293
EURO
Bank is organising the
197.7002
198.2046
198.7089
FRANC
meeting, the source
1.7871
1.7916
1.7961
YEN
said. According to
0.3146
0.3246
0.3346
CFA
government sources
274.8766
275. 5778 276.279
WAUA
29.8649
29.9415
30.0181
RENMINBI
Nigeria plans to borrow
52.2583
52.3916
52.5249
RIYAL
as much as $10 billion
29.4316
29.5067
29.5818
KRONA
from debt markets, with
275.5368
276.2397 276. 9426
SDR
about half of it coming
CBN Exchange rate as at 01/06/2016 from foreign investors,
C
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IPSAS will put

Nigeria on low
corruption index
ICAN
By Providence Obuh
HE Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) yesterday
said that the decline in
economic activities in the first
quarter of the year persisted in
May. The CBN disclosed this
in its Purchasing Managers
Index (PMI) report for May.
The report revealed that, Out
of 16 sub-sectors in the
manufacturing sector, eleven
sub-sectors recorded decline in
the review month while five
sectors recorded expansion.
Out of eighteen nonmanufacturing sub-sectors,
fourteen sub-sectors recorded
decline, while four subsectors
recorded expansion.
In the manufacturing sector,
it said Production level, new
orders, employment level and
raw material inventories
declined at a slower rate;
supplier delivery time however
improved at a slower rate.
In the non-manufacturing
sector, Business activity and
employment level declined at
slower rate; while new orders
and raw materials inventories
declining at faster rate.
The Manufacturing and NonManufacturing Purchasing
Managers Index (PMI) CBNs
Manufacturing and NonManufacturing Purchasing
Managers Index (PMII) are
based
on
survey
of
manufacturing and nonmanufacturing executives, who
indicate change or no change
in the level of business
activities in May compared with
the previous month.
The CBN stated that, The
Manufacturing PMI rose to
21
to help fund a budget deficit

worsened by the slump in oil
prices. Its non-deal road
show to explain government
policy to investors. Theres no
transaction. It has been a
while since the government
came to London to update
It has been a
while since the
government
came to
London to
update
investors on
what is
happening
investors on what is
happening, he said.
Nigeria has pushed ahead
with some reforms meant to
free up cash to invest in
infrastructure, but critics worry
about the pace, given the loss
of oil revenues that has
caused the economy to
contract.
In mid-May the government
hiked petrol prices by 67 per
cent to N145, ending an
expensive subsidy scheme
that has cost it billions of
dollars. It used a rate of N285
to the dollar to set the prices,
compared with an official rate
of N197. The move prompted
the central bank to adopt a
flexible currency regime, a
policy designed to boost
exports
and
local
manufacturing and to stave off
a recession.
HE Institute of Char
tered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called for the
adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards
(IPSAS), saying it will put Nigeria on low corruption index
like the New Zealand.
IPSAS is the accounting standards issued by the IPSAS
Board for use by public sector
entities around the world in the
preparation of financial statements.
Newly-elected President of
ICAN, Deacon Titus Soetan,
made the call in his inaugural
speech at his investiture as the
52nd ICAN President in Lagos.
According to him, the thrust
of this laudable, worldwide
campaign is to raise the bar of
accountability in the public sector through the adoption of
IPSAS. Available studies have
shown that countries that have
embraced this form of accounting framework like New
Zealand are not only in the top
league of countries with low
corruption index; there has
been remarkable improvement
in the standard of living of their
people as their governments
increasingly spread the resources to where they are
needed most and also became
more accountable.
Since we know that where
there is no accounting, there
cannot be accountability, we
would partner with government
to build capacity to ensure the
successful transition from the
cash-based to accrual-based
International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as
well as entrench the culture of
accountability in governance.
Pursuant to this, we shall be
more visible in our public advocacy mandate and also equip
our members in various ministries, departments and agencies
of government to key-in into this
initiative.
He enjoined the federal,
state and local governments to
brace up to the reality of a new
dawn in which the public good,
accountability, and merit will
enjoy pride of place in governance. While we do not pretend that the journey will be
smooth, we are convinced that
it is achievable, he said.
Giving the theme for the Presidential year: Rebuilding the
broken wall of Integrity, he
said, As a professional body
and bastion of integrity, we
would strongly encourage and
support the government to revisit the framework for Public
Sector accountability and reporting in line with the global
mandate of IFAC to all its member-bodies.

If you want your customers,
wholesalers and distributors
to take you seriously, you
need to get incorporated
Before starting a new

business
TARTING a new business is always an

exciting prospect! You now have total
control over your destiny. Plus, you can
offer something innovative to the market
that no-one else has done before.
You will no doubt have all kinds of plans
for your new business. But, its important
that you carry out some important steps
before you launch.
Market research
Before you spend money making or
buying products, you need to do some
market research. Because if people are not
interested in what youre selling, you wont
make much of a profit.
Company name
If you want your customers, wholesalers
and distributors to take you seriously, you
need to get incorporated. Registering a
company and trading as a dormant entity
is recommended. That way, you can
become active when youre ready to
launch. Plenty of guides online show you
how to make a company dormant.
Financial advice
Lets face it: accounts will not be one of
your strong points. It makes sense to get a
decent accountant on board. Sure, theyll
take care of your companys tax and
financial affairs. But, theyll also help your
business save money too.
Legal advice
When you launch your new brand, you
dont want to get into any legal hot water. I
recommend getting some professional legal
advice before you start. Doing so will mean
you have the necessary licences and
permits to sell your wares.
Talk to others
If youre new to the business world, its
worth making friends with other
entrepreneurs. You will gain valuable
insight into what running a business is like.
And youll learn how to avoid any potential
pitfalls.
Get insurance
What would you do if someone sued your
business? If youve got no insurance, you
could end up going bust. Insurance is there
to protect you if anyone files a legal claim
against your company.
Save
When you start a business, you still need
to pay your personal bills each month.
Many entrepreneurs run a company
alongside a full-time job. But, if thats not
possible, work and save a years worth of
expenses before making it on your own.
Create a website
The Internet is home to around a billion
active websites these days. Most of us go
online at least once a day to research
something. If you want your customers to
find you, its important youve got an online
home too.
Promote on social media
It doesnt matter whether you sell to
consumers or other businesses. Everyone,
even those in business, use social media
each day. Its a brilliant platform for
marketing your brand online. Plus, its a
good way to direct people to your website!
Plan ahead
Starting a company is one thing. But,
knowing what to do in the future is another.
Part of your business plan should involve a
strategy for new products or services.
BUSINESS
Transitioning from employee to

entrepreneur
By Yinka Kolawole, with agency
report
ANY desire to move from

being an employee to an
entrepreneur, but its not something
to be done recklessly. It takes months
or years of careful planning to be
successful. Establish a game plan
before finally turning in that twoweek notice. It is appealing to be selfemployed, to
be your own
boss, as it
w e r e .
However, the
cold reality of
s e l f employment
can be little or
no money, no
direction, selfdoubt, and a
lot of second
guessing.
Taking the
time to think
about financial
preparation,
building
a
team
of
advisers to
guide
you
along the way,
and learning
from the past
experience
from others can help a new

entrepreneur avoid a disastrous
result.
Following are some tips on how to
successfully transition from
employee to entrepreneur:
Leave old jobs gracefully
At some point along the way, old
colleagues and/or managers may
end up crossing your path again

in the future. Old work contacts
often can be a great source of
references or even referrals for new
business. Burning bridges can
come back to haunt former
employees down the road.
You can navigate through the
process of resigning from your job
with grace and dignity by doing
the following: Draft a formal letter
Leadership tips for new managers

F
OR many newly appointed

managers,
holding
a
leadership position for the first
time can be challenging and even
unnerving.
The most basic challenge that
comes with being a leader for the
first time is that ones success is no
longer just tied to ones own
performance. Whether you have
one, five, or ten people working for
you, your performance as a
professional is now shaped and
affected by the actions of the
people who are working for you.
Then theres also the challenge of
navigating your professional
relationships. You will now have
subordinates who used to be your
contemporaries, some of whom
might even be your close friends.
Many new managers acquire their
leadership skills as they progress
in their career, but there are also a
few things that you can keep in
mind to help you in your new role.
Be assertive, not aggressive
Assertiveness is a key
professional skill that everyone
working in a team environment should

master. Rank and file employees must
know how it works in order to enjoy good
working relationship with their peers,
while leaders can use it to their advantage
to gain the trust and respect of the people
working for them.
Assertiveness is a positive approach to
communication that empowers you to
express your thoughts, feelings, and
beliefs without disregarding the desires of
other people. It is not akin to being
aggressive, which is self-centred and
disrespects the thoughts and feelings of
those around you. Aggressive bosses
rarely praise their colleagues, and they
often respond by putting their
subordinates down.
Having good interpersonal skills means
you are aware of the different ways of
communicating and the various types of
response that each approach may produce.
Meet your team regularly
When you become a new manager, its
tempting to be self-centred when it comes
to work. Thats understandable since you
want to prove to the higher management
that they made the right decision in
promoting you. However, dont get into
the trap of being overly concerned about

your own performance. Instead, also
consider your colleagues needs,
interests, and ideas.
Aside from meeting your entire team
regularly, you should also sit down
individually with each of your team
members. Find out how they are doing,
what motivates them, and which tasks
they are having difficulty with. Provide
both positive and constructive
feedback about the work that they do,
and never forget to praise them when
they do a great job.
Build team relationship
As a manager, your subordinates will
look to you for answers and will be
constantly observing the things you do.
It is important that you pay attention
to what others expect of you as well.
Figure out how your current
strengths can help you achieve your
goals, and find out what you can do in
order to address your weaknesses.
Finally, make sure that you are
sending the right message all the time.
Let your team know that when it comes
to work, you really mean business.
Nothing like Tuta

Absoluta in our
farm in Benue,
Nasarawa, Plateau
Joyce Tarka, Woman Leader, AFAN
n this telephone interview, Mrs Joyce Tarka,

Woman Leader, All Farmers Association of
Nigeria, AFAN, Benue State Chapter; one of states
leading the pack in the commercial cultivation of
tomatoes, discloses reasons behind the scarcity of the
commodity and dispels reports of a widespread pest,
Tuta Absoluta, which some claim is presently destroying tomato farms across the country.
By Josephine Agbonkhese
hats responsible
for the ongoing
scarcity
and
But I assure you that

as long as we dont have
storage facilities, or even
markets where we can
sell our products and not
have to throw them away
(because nobody wants to
farm and throw away), this
scarcity may reoccur.
Tomato wastage in Nigeria
The wastage in tomatoes is
as much as the volumes planted in Nigeria. What we are
advocating now is for government to make available storage facilities or even market so
that when we plant, we sell
them and not run at a loss. But
the situation we have here is
terrible; you farm and take
your tomatoes to the market,
and then the people coming to
buy from Lagos or wherever
wait until evening and then
start pricing your produce far
lower than its actual value because they know it will surely
rot if you do not sell them off
quickly. You cannot take tomatoes from your house at a transportation cost of N200 for example and then someone
comes to give you N150 for it.
Its very unfair on local farmers. Thats why most of us are
planting less of tomato and
going into other crops instead.
Reports came in last week
that a pest, Tuta Absoluta, is
what is eating up tomato
farms across the country.
How true is that?
Theres nothing like that in
any of our farms in Benue
State. Nasarawa and Plateau
too do not have such as far as
INSIDE
Tin tomato
pastes arent the
best alternatives
Pg 24-25
C
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hike in prices of tomatoes?

Naturally, at this time, tomatoes are not many in the market because this is not its harvesting season; except for
those doing irrigation farmingwhich alone cannot
serve Benue State. Not to
mention other parts of the
country where our tomatoes
are taken to.
However, the scarcity is remarkable this time because
less planting was done in the
last planting season; and of
course, the mop up of the
available tomatoes by tomato
paste manufacturing plants
which have just opened up in
the country.
If our women planted much
more, knowing that they will
have a market for their products, the scarcity wouldnt
have been this enormous. Before now, you would farm and
not even have the market to
sell your products. When you
visit most of our local governments in the past for example,
youll see women throwing
away their tomatoes at the
close of market day. We used
to plant a lot of tomatoes. But
at the end, because they were
neither stored nor preserved,
what we usually ran into were
wastages. With some of these
industries cropping up, we
will be encouraged to plant
more tomatoes again this
planting season.
When tomato
becomes luxury
Pg 25
Mrs Joyce Tarka
I know.
Talking our preservation,
but Erisco and Dangote are
The scarcity is
remarkable this time
because less
planting was done in
the last planting
season; and of
course, the mop up
of the available
tomatoes by tomato
paste manufacturing
plants which have
just opened up in the
country.
already into tomato paste

manufacturing; although
Erisco has his own tomato
plantation anyway
Before their advent, the status quo were those issues
highlighted above. Dangote in
particular was already helping
to buy a lot of our tomatoes.
That was very encouraging. We
also hope that when we plant
more this season, he will mop
up more so that even those
doing irrigation farming will
be encouraged to do more to
ensure everyone also gets affordable fresh tomatoes when
needed. Otherwise, planting
and having a total waste is not
funny at all. We do hope that
these wastages will cease as
more people like Dangote venture into tomato paste.
But then, we also hope people coming to buy as middle-
23
men will give us value for our

products as they buy to go and
also make money. And I hope
government too is looking critically at what is going on because it might spill into other
products in the future. We need
more factories for food storage
and preservation. If we have
storage facilities, perishable
goods such as tomatoes can
be stored until when needed.
Ways government can
avert further food shortage
Government should
consider having a specific budget for women in the agricultural sector because
women are the ones
who actually farm.
In Benue for example, 90 percent of
the farmers are
women. If the
budget is available
and rightly implemented, we
can work harder to feed our
country.
Also, farm inputs should be
critically looked at because
when the Ministry of Agriculture sends inputs to states,
some of these inputs do not get
to people who actually farm as
at when due. The problem of
machinery is also there. We
should be able to have machines that are gender-friendly. Not tractors which will require a lot of strength to operate. Theres an example of a
power tiller in Nasarawa which
women cannot easily operate.
Meanwhile, there exist machines which women can use
effectively. Security is a major
problem too right now. Herdsmen are walking through our
farms with their cows and destroying all what our people
have laboured to do.
Skilling for Change Initiative empowers 16,000

Rwandan women through financial literacy training
By Bartholomew Madukwe
ver 2,300 new businesses and 1,500

new jobs have been created in two
years by Rwandan women entrepreneurs
involved in Skilling for Change, a unique
collaboration between the Cherie Blair
Foundation for Women Accenture and CARE
International.
The project launched in 2014 with the aim
of supporting 15,000 rural Rwandan women
to secure long-term economic independence
by providing them with the skills, knowledge
and tools they need to turn their micro
enterprises into profitable and sustainable

businesses. To date, it has provided financial
literacy and investment readiness training to
16,146 women engaged in CARE
Internationals Village Savings and Loan
Associations in the districts of Rulindo and
Gicumbi. Through the project, 2,353 women
have started new businesses, with over 1,535
new jobs being created
Rwanda has one of the fastest growing
economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, and boasts
one of the highest levels of financial inclusion
Continues on page 24
By Josephine
Agbonkhese
Olabisi Oluwatoyin
Moradeyo
I now ask clients to buy

their ingredients
themselves - Outdoor caterer
rs Olabisi Oluwatoyin
Moradeyo, an outdoor caterer, has devised a
means. I simply ask my clients to buy their ingredients
themselves while I just come
to do the cooking, she told
Womans Own without mincing words.
I simply dont know any other way of coping at a time like
this. How can one buy tomatoes and pepper worth over
N100,000? Will any body holding a party pay for that? The
person who cooked with me
when I handled a catering job
for a children party in a church
recently, suggested I should
have used dry pepper with a
lot of onions and tin tomatoes.
But I refused because if I had
done that, it would have reduced the quality of the taste
of food, she further said as she
explained that tin tomatoes do
not give her cooking same
great taste as seed tomatoes.
So, for now, caterers should
ask the people hiring them to
cater for their events to buy
their own thing. And if you
cannot get people to buy their
own ingredients, then I think
you should leave the catering
job for now, Moradayo advised.
Customers still ask for more
stew- Local food vendor
The effect on local food vendors who daily require a huge
supply of tomatoes is particularly pathetic as they daily
have to cope with unrealistic
customers.
As a restaurant operator in
Lagos puts it, Even though
its a general problem, some
customers have been very difficult. I try as much as possible to buy and add a bit of fresh
tomatoes to my stew which is
now essentially dried-pepper
based but you still hear them
complain. One of them almost
fought me last week for not
adding to his stew when he
C
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asked me to. I wonder for how

long this is going to last.
Some customers have even
stopped coming due to the
peppery stew I now make;
they say its not good for their
health.
Were running at a loss daily- Fast-food restaurant operator
A group of people who
arent finding the exorbitant
price of the commodity easy at
all are fast-food restaurant
operators and outdoor caterers.
A group of people
who arent finding
the exorbitant price
of the commodity
easy at all are fastfood restaurant
operators and
outdoor caterers
Mrs Olayinka Ayanwale who
runs a Mr.Biggs outlet in Lagos is one of such.
Its been a struggle buying
tomatoes. The worst of it all is
that we cannot increase the
price of our food. Its a big one
on us, but were just trying to
sustain the business even at
our own loss. We are actually
running at a loss. We also cannot cut down on the measurement of our food because we
of course have very stiff competition. Presently, a price
change is being considered
generally but of course you
know it will be difficult, considering the economy. So,
were being careful about it.
We just earnestly pray this
price hike does not last too
long, Ayanwale said.
re tin tomato pastes

as healthy as seed
tomatoes?
No they are not. You cant
even compare.
In what way? I thought
manufacturers simply turn
tomatoes into past and pour
in cans...
Usually, they fill them with
preservatives to prevent molding. The can itself isnt 100%
safe. There are three types of
spoilage in food: spoilage
within the food itself, spoilage
within the food and its container, and then there is spoilage within the food and the
environment. That is where
the microbial contamination
comes in. The cans themselves
are usually coated in chemicals and the tin itself is made
with aluminium. During
transportation and handling,
there are possibilities of the
tins bending and when it
bends, the interior coating
will get compromised and the
food will react directly with
the aluminium or the iron.
Aside the preservatives,
some other things are added.
Some companies will add colour to make it darker, some
companies might actually add
syrup to make it sweeter and
more in quantity. Come to
think of it, you buy these tomatoes and they are expensive and yet the manufacturer still has to prepare, package and transport. What
makes you think they dont
get their own from the handling or something? There are
so many factors that come into
play here. There is no way
you could actually compare
with fresh tomato.
As it is now, we seem to
have no choice but to settle
for tin tomato pastes; but are
there better alternative?
Ordinarily, I have never
been into tomatoes as such
because I use a lot of vegetables for my rice for example. I
have so many other ways of
preparing my rice or rice with
vegetable sauce; you can mix
corn flour with cold water, just
something to thicken it with.
You add your vegetables (carrots, spring onions, etc.).
These are different ways you

could eat without taking stew.
Tin tomato has also been associated with prostate cancer in
men. In fact, it(tin tomato) is
generally not advisable.
We have them in different
brands; is it that none of them
are healthy or some may be safe
due to the credibility of their
manufacturers?
Even those manufactured
abroad by big Western countries
may not actually be healthier
because the farmers there usually use genetically modified
products and there are of course
hormones that they could use on
the tomatoes to prevent spoilage.
So, instead of putting chemicals to preserve, they would
have already used the hormones to cultivate the tomatoes.
It depends on what you call
healthier. They may end up not
using preservatives but such
products would have been treated seriously. Any natural tomato cannot sit on a cupboard for
more than three days but genetically modified tomatoes can sit
for two weeks and even more.
These are things we have to
look at if it is coming from West:
is it real tomatoes or is it genetically modified?
And even if it is coming from
the west, is it not still the same
aluminium-coated packet or tin
that they are still using to package it? And being acidic, there
is the possibility of leaking into
the tomato because the tomato
is highly acidic on its own and
aluminium is a heavy metal.
The fact that it undergoes a
longer handling process also increases the chances of compromising the produce. As a food
scientist, I tell you categorically, most packaged foods are
made to last on shelf either by
modification of the food product or by packaging and these
are the major causes of contamination in food.
How do we preserve our tomatoes so we dont run into
problems as we have now because people are already clamouring for more tomato paste
factories in the country?
Of course, thats because they
feel they dont have other choices. But then, for you to have a
tomato that will last you, you
could buy real tomatoes, boil
and evaporate the water, put in
Continued from page 23

in east Africa. But there are still significant gender gaps in economic activity.
Research shows that in 2014, 28% of
women had access to a bank account,
compared to 38% of men a gap of 10
percentage points. In 2015, this gap had
increased to 15 percentage points, with
31% of women having access to a bank
account, compared to 46% of men(1).
As the countrys economic development progresses, it is crucial that
women are able to access the opportunities afforded by such growth.
Skilling for Change aims to address
Tin tom
the bes
Ijeoma
Tin tomato pastes have p

more affordable alternativ
luxury. But in this interview
food scientist, Mrs Ijeoma
healthy, and suggests othe
scarcity.
I would rather go for d

than tin tomato paste.
environment and hand
just a few factors with
of tomatoes but with go
I think to an extent, m
bacteria get eliminated
than 150 degree centig
a container, pour a stream of oil

put in your freezer. That tomato c
If there is no light, drying could
option. Water is not the only sou
tomatoes. There are vitamins tha
ble and there are vitamins that are
if the water dries off, you are st
percentage of water soluble vitami
go for dry tomatoes than tin toma
vironment and handling are just
sun-drying of tomatoes but with
think to an extent, most bacteria
more than 150 degree centigrade
What is your advice to Niger
when we are all trying to cope w
of tomato?
I wouldnt advise a family tha
keep feeding them tin tomatoes
not healthy. You could explore oth
is scent leave and fresh palm nu
you could make of that. Its as hea
You could also steam your norma
it up with a lot of crayfish and oni
eat your rice with it. You mustn
matoes. If it is not available, there
er options.
Skilling for Change I

the gender gap in economic activity and puts
a special focus on empowering women to
access financial services.
Skilling for Change has linked 3,530
women to formal financial services, over
1,145 of whom have accessed a loan. The
project has also collaborated with the Kenya
Commercial Bank in Rwanda to roll out a
range of products to enable women to access
savings and loans via mobile phones. A
number of women have also been trained to
become mobile banking agents, so that they
can proc
in their l
Cherie
Foundat
British
participa
meeting
entrepre
Africas
Foundat
Rwanda
mato pastes arent

st alternatives
Ugwu, food scientist
When tomato
becomes
luxury
predominantly become a much

ve since seed tomatoes became
w, nutritionist/Belgium-trained
a Ugwu, says they arent exactly
er ways of coping amid tomato
dry tomatoes
The
dling are
sun-drying
ood boiling,
most
d at more
grade.
By Josephine Agbonkhese & Anino Aganbi
t is incredible how tomato, an essential in most

Nigerian delicacies, has become quite a luxuryeven
more expensive than Premium Motor Spirits
(popularly known as). With N145, what you get is about
three small-sized pieces of tomatoes as each now sells for
N50.
l on top of it, and

could last for long.
be the only other
urce of nutrient in
at are water solue fat soluble. Even
ill left with some
ins. I would rather
ato paste. The ena few factors with
h good boiling, I
get eliminated at
e.
rians at this time
with hike in price
The place of tomato in Nigeria

From stew to soup, jollof rice and even salad, majority
of delicacies in Nigeria are tomato-based. This is no
surprise as the nation ranks second largest in the
production of the commodity in Africa and 13th in the
world. It is also however ironically reputed for massive
wastage of over 50 percent of this output each year due to
lack of storage and unavailable market.
Hence, with as little as N200 worth of tomatoes, the
average Nigerian gets a load of tomato-based delicacy
without stress, and only has to worry about rice, garri or
yam to feed the family. But all that have changed
drasticallyand devastatingly too, since mid April.
at has children to
all the time. It is
her options. There
ts; there is a stew
althy as anything.
al green and spice
ion and you could
t scramble for toe are so many oth-
Price hike
As at the time of this report, a basket of tomato which
sold for N6,000 now sells for N45,000. With N200
therefore, what you get is a paltry four small-sized pieces
of tomatoes.
Of course the effect on restaurant owners, grocers,
households and other consumers can only be left
imagined. It is as well interesting as even those who
claimed to be obsessed with the unique taste of fresh
tomatoes and would have nothing to do with tin tomato
pastes have also learned, within a very short while,
creative ways of substituting the commodity. Indeed, life
must move on, like we say.
Ijeoma Ugwu
Initiative empowers...
cess financial transactions for others

local communities.
e Blair, Founder of the Cherie Blair
tion for Women and wife of former
Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is
ating in the World Economic Forum
g in Kigali. She said, Women
eneurs have the potential to shape
economic future. The success of my
tions Skilling for Change project in
a has shown that when women are
given the skills and tools they need to flourish,

entire communities and economies benefit. Unlocking the full potential of women entrepreneurs is crucial to driving growth across Africa,
and, indeed, the world.
Laurie Lee, CEO of CARE International, said,
Putting women at the centre of development
efforts is a catalyst for fighting poverty. When
women are empowered to make and control their
own money, the impact on their own lives and
the lives of their families can be nothing short
of life-changing.
Eating Tomatoes daily

helps combat/improve the
following
Diabetes
Constipation
Eye health
Pregnancy
Depression
Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Blood pressure
Heart health
Health
Benefits of
Tomatoes
C
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26 Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
How to grow tomato in your own backyard

Select your soil
Make sure the soil in your
backyard is the one that will
encourage growth. A sunny
well-drained part of your
garden is the best soil for
tomatoes.
Prepare your land
Start preparing your land by
weeding the grasses and
making soil bed. Use organic
fertilizer to work the land with
it. Provide good water supply
system and water the land for
some days. Make sure the PH
level is around 6.0 to 6.8.
Acquire and plant your
tomato
The tomato seed comes in a
sealed sachet with all the
instruction on it. If you dont
understand anything, you can
ask an expert. Normally you
can get the seedling in any of
the ministries of agriculture
closer to you and youll get the
expert support there.
Acquire knowledge
Youll need some knowledge
about the farming methods.
Sometimes youll need to hear
it from those who are in the
field doing it. Search and read
also from the internet, anything
you can get your hands on
related to tomatoes.
Growing your tomato farm
The length of time between
tomato seed germination and
harvest varies with the type
being grown. But the average
is between 65-90 days. Before
reaching the harvest time, its

important to note the
following in other to attain
maximum growth.
* Make sure tomatoes are
planted where theyll get at
least 10 hours of light
preferably in the summer.
Leave space between tomatoes
for air to freely circulate.
* Try rotating a little the tomato

bed to prevent the risk of soil
burn diseases like bacterial and
early bright.
* Water deeply on the soil not
on the leaves. Do this every 5-7
days.
* Remove non-fruit branches.
This directs the tomato plants
energy into growing bigger and
better.
* Plant your tomato at
intervals. This will ensure that
not all of your harvest will come
at once.
Controlling your production
One major problem having an
open tomato farm is it can be
affected by the weather. Hence,
the need to control your
production and one way of

doing it is by building a
greenhouse. A greenhouse is a
building where plants are
grown; it enables you have
crops at the time of the year
when they cant be grown. It
comes in different sizes from
small to a large sized building.
Source: Sandalili.com
Samuel Ajayi Crowther School

wins MasterMind Quiz,
Awards scholarship to best school
By Anino Aganbi
The Star Rising NGO, in
partnership with Zenith Bank,
among
others,
made
Childrens Day a memorable
one for children from different
government schools in Lagos.
The Master Mind Quiz
Competition was held to test
the capabilities of Secondary
School children in public
schools, thereby encouraging
them to work harder at their
studies.
The Master Mind is an initiative of Mrs Kay Ovia, wife
of the Zenith Bank Managing
Director. In addition to the
Quiz, the Star Rising also organises a musical talent hunt
competition, with the same
name,
The star rising Mastermind
Education Initiative held its
second annual competition
where different schools in Lagos came together during the
C
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event to show true test of

knowledge, making each student realize that there were
no winners or losers at the
event. 15 public Secondary
schools within Lagos participated in the competition. Rola
secondary school came second, while Stadium College
was third. Participants from
Ajayi Crowther Mermorial
College
were
given
N150,000, while the school
got 50,000.They also won
scholarship up to
any
University of their choice
within Nigeria. Second runner ups, were given 120,000
with lots of goodies, while
third runner- up got
N100,000 and lots of goodies.
The competition was held to
test the capabilities of these
children thereby encouraging
them to work harder at their
studies.
Speaking at the event, Mrs
Abi Ayoku stated that Mrs

Kay Ovia has always had so
much interest in childrens
welfare, education and other
aspects. Two years ago, she
came up with the Star Rising
Mastermind Initiative. Starrising looks into the talents
that children have while Master mind looks into the Academics. Basically, we reach
out to students, teachers and
institution to make them realize that this is really a genuine cause. Money is not taken
from either students or teachers of these schools. The
Master mind education initiative is purely a free event.
The students win scholarships
from the Jim Ovia foundation
on merits based on their performance.
Mrs Kachi Onyeagwu further
disclosed that Our focus is in
picking children from government schools cut across Lagos.
We want to really give the op-
DEBATE: From left: Mrs Abi Ayoku; Mr Adebola Olowu,

Illrymz, a popular Nigerian artist; Mrs Kachi Onyeagwu; Mrs
Ngozi Eze and Mrs Puwam Dani, GM, IQR Ltd during the 2016
Star Rising Mastermind Education Initiative debate for
secondary schools students in Lagos State. Photo: Lamidi
Bamidele.
portunity to those who do not
have. Thats the reason behind
why we picked government
schools. For now, master mind
is restricted to just within Lagos and we are going round
the six geographical zones.
Also speaking at the event,
Mrs Ngozi Eze stated that
The role of the government
in this is their approval and to
give us a go ahead. Because
they are under age, we always
need permission from the government and we cannot do
anything without that. They

granted us that permission
and went ahead to invite the
school districts to attend.
Mrs Puwam Dani said that
The founder s mission is to
eventually build a centre.
Hopefully we will get enough
sponsors. Over the years, we
had centres for the winners of
all these events we are having.
They have tutors and facilities
for them to come on board so
thats what we really want to
do for them.
& YOU
of resignation to articulate your
thoughts in a clear and polite
manner. Be ready for a face-toface discussion to expand on your
reasons for leaving in person. Be
ready for a potential counteroffer.
Many times, an employer might
react to a letter of resignation by
offering a raise in hopes of getting
the employee to stay. Think about
that possibility and decide if
there are incentives or a specific
amount
of
monetary
compensation that would change
your mind about leaving. Be
involved in succession planning.
Consider that aside from your
need to make plans for the future,
Old work
contacts
often can be
a great
source of
references
or even
referrals
for new
business
your employer will also need to

find
a
replacement.
A
willingness to help facilitate that
transition for your employer will
earn a lot of goodwill that can
pay dividends down the road.
Financial preparation
With entrepreneurship, theres
no such thing as a steady pay
check. Some months there is too
much work and other months
theres not enough. That is
why eliminating debt and having
a savings cushion is essential
before resigning from a full-time
position.
One prominent author and
small business consultant urges
clients to make paying off all
debts and car loans their first
goal. That frees up the budding
entrepreneur to save a years
worth of living expenses before
becoming his or her own boss.
Because banks rarely lend
money to new businesses
without a track record, people
with a goal of self-employment
may have to turn to resources
such as crowd sourcing in
addition to tapping their own
savings account.
Keeping expenses to a
minimum is essential and will
take some creative thinking, such

as bartering for professional
services rather than paying for
them.
Dont go it alone
Working with a coach or
consultant can help budding
entrepreneurs set goals and be
accountable to someone else for
meeting them. Its also a good idea
to spend time with people who
have already made the successful
transition from traditional
employment to working for
themselves.
Asking plenty of questions and
observing them in their business
helps the still-employed person
develop a realistic sense of what to
expect after parting ways with his
or her employer.
Some people have a burning
passion to become a freelancer,
but are unsure of exactly what
they want to pursue. This is
something a coach or consultant
can help them to clarify.
On the job
New entrepreneurs make a lot of
mistakes early on that can cost
them money and business. These
tips can help the newly selfemployed reduce the learning
curve when starting a new
company or consulting firm:
Devote time each week to making
connections and networking.
Free public
resources
Industry meet-ups, social media,
and word-of-mouth are some
simple and effective ways to find
new business. Dont forget to
follow-up with connections
shortly after meeting to determine
the next steps.
Regardless of the industry, selfemployed people must provide all
of their own equipment. This can
be costly at first, so consider using
free public resources, joining a
warehouse buying club, or
becoming part of a co-working
space where certain tools are
available to all members for a
monthly fee. Communicate with
clients
frequently
and
professionally.
If the project is taking longer
than expected to complete, clients
need to know this as soon as
possible. Answer every inquiry in
a polite manner, even if it seems
redundant. Professionalism goes a
long way in landing the next job.
Research industry pricing and ask
others in the same professional
circle how they quote and bill
before doing so for the first time.
Self-employment is not without its
challenges, but the rewards of
controlling their time, choosing
which projects to work, and
eventually earning more money
makes it worthwhile for most
entrepreneurs.
*Culled from Secrets of
Entrepreneurship
It is possible to think you

have treated a customer well
and that same customer is not
thinking so
Ho
w is cust
omer ser
vice contributing tto
o
How
customer
service
your organisation's growth?
Revolve your world around the customer and
more customers will revolve around you... Heather
Williams
NTERESTINGLY, there is one

service
growth driver available to every
rendered:
organisation but has not been fully
Sir or Ma,
utilised. This growth driver is within
with this
the organisations control but
service I
surprisingly, some organisations are
h a v e
still focusing more on the things
rendered to
outside their control.
you, would
BY UJU ONWUZULIKE
Rendering superior Customer
you be able
Service is something that is within
to
bring
every organisations control, but how
your friends
many organisations are seen to be
or relatives to patronise us? A yes answer
rendering so much in this area? How
means you have done very well, while a no
many can be used as a reference point?
answer (or not yet) means you still have more
The reality today is that Customer
work to do. Serving the customers in a way
Service has contributed less to
that will create an unforgettable experience
organisations that have not set quality
for them is a choice that all employees MUST
customer-service standards and
have to make. Lets paint a picture on our
expectations that are specific and
minds. We all hold parties when it is
measurable to each department.
necessary. During the party, the
Simply ask about ten CEOs
host has just one thing in mind,
Any
and their employees how
and that is to ensure that all the
customer oriented their organisation
invited guests are well taken care
organisations are, and you
of. What the host has done is to
that
opens
will be amazed at their
focus on the outcome. You might
glowing answers. They will its door for
ask: does holding a party has any
always answer in the
correlation with running an
business
is
affirmative.
organisation?
Why then do we have holding a
The answer is yes. Both cannot
customer service failures in
do without guest (people or
party
and
various organisations? What
customers). Any organisation that
most organisations have not requires
opens its door for business is
realised is that, they are not
holding a party and requires
guests
to
meant to be the judge on how
guests to attend (requires
well or exceptional they attend
customers to patronise). The way
customers have being treated
out to resolving customer service
or served. They are not to set
failure is to begin to see our customers as
questions for themselves to answer.
invited guests to a party in which we are
The customers will have to decide who
the hosts. Its our job to make their stay all
is serving them well or not. In order
through the party very comfortable. It is
words, exceptional customer service
also every employees job to make every
should be viewed from the angle of the
important aspect of the customer
customer and not the organisation.
experience a little bit better.
Final Note:
Services and
Organisations exist to deliver customer
products
value. Serving the customers is not only
the job of Customer Service Officers. It
It is possible to think that you have
is the job of all staff members. I like the
treated a customer well and that same
words of George Patton, always do more
customer is not thinking so. Your services
than is required of you. For your
and products should be tied to the
organisation to be customer focused, every
needs of the customer.
employee would have to aim at doing more
Training: In the last decade,
than is required of him/her.
organisations have made huge
Giving the customer just what he wants
investments training their employees on
may not yield more results for your
customer service. Personally, I think
organisation in the long run because
training on customer service has
everybody is doing that. Going the extra
surpassed other areas, and that means
mile to serve him/her is not done by
that most leaders of organisations know
everybody, so when you do - you are likely
the benefits of treating the customers
to capture their minds and hearts.
well.
In closing, I would say, do all you can to
Truth be told, treating customers aright
keep your customers happy, because, if you
is not only for leaders or senior
dont take care of them, someone else will
management in organisations but for all
definitely do. And always remember that
employees on payroll. Every employee
one of your roles in this present economic
must be an advocate of an exceptional
situation as a leader is to ensure that
customer service. Like Walt Disney said,
customer service contributes immensely to
Do what you do so well that they will
your organisations growth.
want to see it again and bring their
friends. Let this question be on the
Email: uju.onwuzulike@mclgroup.net
lips of every employee at any given
Mobile: 09091142093
C
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By Dayo Adesulu, Tare

Youdeowei & Elizabeth
Uwandu
WO years after the launch

of new educational curriculum by the Nigerian Education
Research and Development
Council, NERDC, the policy is
yet to be implemented as a result of issues raised by some
schools visited by Vanguard
Learning.
The issues include the inability of the new curriculum to meet
with admission requirements of
higher
institutions;
misplacement of courses of the
departments; lack of teachers to
handle the introduced courses
such as Marketing, Physical &
Health Education, Vocational
Skills etc. Above all, the lack
of awareness creation by the
Ministry of Education, makes
matter worse.
Speaking on the new curriculum, Principal, Oloye Comprehensive High School, Mr Rafiu
Ajadi Agboola, said the new
curriculum was not feasible because of its inability to meet the
admission requirements into
colleges of education and universities.
He
added
that
the
misplacement of subjects to be
offered by the different departments, namely: Arts and Humanities; Sciences; Commercial
and the recently created one
called New Technology Studies,
are issues yet to be addressed.
His words: The policy came
only to schools where it will be
implemented, while the output
of the schools where it will be
used are not carried along.
For example, we are asked
to teach some subjects in the
curriculum that are not recognised in higher institutions.
Such subjects include, Civic
Education and Vocational subjects. These dont have any
place in admission requirements into any of our colleges
or universities."
Misplacement of
courses
Speaking
on
the
misplacement of courses,
Agboola explained that Geography is now placed as one of
the core subjects of Arts or Humanities. "What is Geography
doing in the Arts?" He asked.
Also, Commercial students are
no longer asked to study Economics, which formed the basis
of Commercial studies.
The principal lamented that in
the new curriculum, Economics
is placed under Arts and Geography placed under Arts adding: "The courses misplaced
have no relevance with the
courses they eventually
placed.
According to him, if schools
were to follow the new curriculum, students would not gain
admission into higher institutions.
The year 2014 would have
been the first year of the implementation of the curriculum. If
we had followed the curriculum, our students may not have
C
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WORKSHOP: AAUA VC, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun (middle, in white suit), with other Principal Officers, Professors and
Administrative Officers of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko after day-one of the seven-day training workshop
for administrative staff of the institution.
BASIC 9 CURRICULUM:
Implementation in disarray;
teachers, learners confused
gained admission," he said.
Way forward
On the way forward, he called

for harmonization of the curriculum to be in tandem with
universities admission requirements.
He said: I will suggest the
harmonization of the curriculum. We are not saying that the
curriculum is not good, but the
placement should cut across
board. If these new courses are
included in admission requirements for colleges of education,
polytechnics and universities, I
will find no problem with it. But,
they are not included.
CRK, IRK
merger
The principal, who also spoke

on merging of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) and
Islamic
Religious
Knowledge(IRK), said there is
no controversy on the merger;
only lack of publicity by the authorities which led to lack of
understanding on the part of
schools and other stakeholders.
His words: There is no controversy and the merger has
nothing to do with ones religion because if you are a Muslim, you take only IRK and vice
versa. The only issue is that the
questions are merged IRK and
CRK. So if you are to take hundred questions, you will have
110 questions set for Islamic
studies and Christian religious studies. That means,
you will leave 10 undone.
Lack of
publicity
Lack of publicity on the part

of the Ministry of Education
made matters worse as information did not get to the grassroot
level. It is only information
seekers that got it. My school
got to know about the new di-
rective after two seminars have

taken place in Lagos.
"Meanwhile, the directive was
all over the country and Kwara
State has started its implementation before we heard of it.
Contributing, Dr. Shina
Akintolure, Proprietor, Stokhan
Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools, Isashi, Lagos said:
NERDC has muddled up the
whole curriculum thereby leaving the teachers and learners
confused.
Muddled up curriculum
According to him, they

brought Civic Education and
made it compulsory for all students. He explained that from
the course content, it is not relevant to any student who is science-oriented in senior secondary.
He pointed out that the topics
in Civic Education are very
much related to topics in Government and Social Studies.
"The child that studied Moral
Instruction in primary school,
learned Social Studies in JSS1,
2 and 3, is expected to already
know what the moral values are,
NERDC has
muddled up the
whole
curriculum
thereby leaving
the teachers and
learners
confused
because of the
way they
merged so many
subjects
together
why bother such a child with

Civic Education in Senior Secondary School? Let the student
face science subjects squarely.
For those in Art, I see Civic
Education as duplication because some of them offer Government while others offer History.
Civic Education is welcome
in the curriculum but it
shouldnt be compulsory subject. It should be an elective
subject. Now it is compulsory
at the senior secondary level,
they must do Civic Education,
Data Processing, Crafts. It has
narrowed down the core subjects that the students are to do.
It has muddled up the curriculum and it is not bringing the
best out of the teacher, neither
is it bringing the best out of the
student.
The Proprietress, Living
Kiddies Joy Private Schools,
Ikorodu, Mrs Dorathy Agada,
said her school had started implementing the new Basic 9
curriculum.
No textbooks for some

subjects
She, however, noted that some

special subjects like Managing
Complexity and Adaptability
are not available in textbooks,
hence it becomes difficult to
teach students.
"What we do in our school is
to search Adaptability and
Managing Complexity on
Google and use our discretion
to teach the students, since
there is no recommended textbooks for such subjects in the
bookshops.
On his part, the Principal,
Tonia International College, Mr
Francis Akintayo Alayo, who
agreed that the new curriculum
introduced ought to be followed
by schools, however, said its
implementation demands compromise on the parts of schools
handing the policy.

He posited that getting able
hands as teachers to handle the
courses might be a problem to
its full implementation by
schools.
His words: Schools are bound
to implement it, however, our
children whose eyes are on
gaining admission into higher
institutions dont know anything
about the curriculum. All they
know is taking the subjects that
will lead them into higher institutions.
Speaking on the challenges
faced by his school, Alayo disclosed that before arriving at a
compromise on the new policy,
especially in the areas of new
subjects, teachers of our school
were compelled to undergo retraining and surf the internet on
the courses.
In addition, he said the school
had to employ new teachers to
handle some courses.
For Mr. Mark Okoh, Principal of Caro Favoured Schools,
Awodiora, Lagos; There is
barely any difference between
the old curriculum and the new
one, thus there is no challenge
implementing it. There is no
new thing in the curriculum, it
is just like putting maggi and
salt in the same container, they
are both seasoning. The education formulators are just jumping from one place to another,
trial and error to see which
would work best. The curriculum has a lot of lapses because
the policy formulators dont
carry teachers in the system
along. They do it and push it to
us, we wrack our brains, and we
do a lot of things to ensure that
the subjects are equitably interpreted and implemented, even
if it is wrongly planned. We
make it suit us and the students.
Most times, these things are
given to us raw.
Global standard in education

achievable through necessary
tools AKONI
Mr. Akinfela Akoni is thePresident Alumni association of Oxford
University and Cambridge University in Nigeria. A non profit
organization established to foster good relations between
Alumni, the Universities and the Nigerian people. In this
interview, he spoke about alumni club as it relates to education.
have been promoting good
By Tare Youdeowei
education values of both
hat are the objectives of universities. We are also involved
in community projects and this
the club?
The Oxford and year, we are supporting the
Cambridge Club of Nigeria is a campaign to bring awareness to
non-profit and non-political Internally Displaced Persons
organisation. The objectives are (IDPs).
to provide a forum for individuals
How much have you been able
who are alumni of the University
of Oxford or the University of to achieve the objectives of the
Cambridge, each in the United club in Nigeria?
I think we have been able to
Kingdom, to interact and to
achieve
the clubs objectives in
promote social unity among
alumni of these two institutions Nigeria. We have a healthy
residing in Nigeria. Aside this, membership comprising of almost
we also sponsor lectures, talks or 300 active members (which is
seminars and organise other growing), we are staging world
projects consistent with the class events particularly our spring
objectives or otherwise calculated lecture series and non-Nigerians
to assist or enhance the education travelling to reside in Nigeria use
of any person in or from Nigeria. the club as a first point of call. We
The club also arrange for the are also connected to the global
holding of an Oxford and alumni association networks of
Cambridge celebration in the form both universities. We are much in
of a May Ball and other social touch with the global network of
gatherings on such other Oxford and universities. If you go
occasions as the executive to the websites for instance, and
committee shall deem desirable; you wanted to visit Nigeria as an
and provide facilities whereby alumnus, you will easily be
members may co-operate in directed to our club if you are there.
professional, intellectual or So, we are very well connected.
cultural activities. We do promote You will get invited to Oxford and
community based activities for the Cambridge to participate in global
development of Nigerians and alumni meetings, which normally
hold in September of every year.
Nigeria.
W
From right, 1st runner-up in Quiz category, Ummi Shuaibu of Child's Fountain Schools,
Egbeda; 2nd runner-up, Sareed Olayiwola of Soundhope Schools, Baruwa, Ipaja; Adewolu
Odekunle of Cway Nutri Milk; winner, Blessing Ijeoma of Enefem Schools, Ayobo;Tayo
Adeyemo, Coordinator, Alimosho Children's Day Carnival, at Abesan Estate, Ipaja, Lagos.
E-learning in schools'll reduce

mass failure, says expert
By Dayo Adesulu
n educational technology/
solution and affiliate service
firm, Teslys Integrated Concept
Limited, has explained how
electronic learning solutions
would improve students overall
performance and reduce
repeated cases of mass failure in
public examinations.
The principal official of the
company, Moshood Olaide
Adetela, said teaching in both
public and private schools in the
country could be improved by
integrating technology in the
learning process. According to
him, these new technologies
would create a new learning
experience for students, improve
concentration and participation,
as well as produce higher
performance in assessment.
Adetela said the presence of
these technologies has made
teaching much easier for teachers
and enabled them to become more
creative lesson delivery.
According to him, with increased
interaction of students in the
feedback mechanism of everyday
lesson, through questions and
answers that are built on 100%
class participation, no students is
left behind in class activities.
Educators are able to gauge
the impact of understanding
amongst students for every lesson
delivered ,thereby encouraging a
repeat of lessons that do not meet
the critical mark that is set by each
school, he said.
He added that these innovative

educational products would be
displayed at this years edition of
Total School Support Seminar &
Exhibition (TOSSE) slated for
June 2, 3 at 10 Degrees Event
Centre, Oregun, Lagos.
The eighth edition of the
exhibition, which would dwell on
the theme, Creating Successful
Partnerships in Education, would
expose many schools in Lagos
and Ogun states to new
technologies provided by
educational support firms.
Some of these services include:
full Multimedia ICT Resource
Centre ,Multimedia Classroom,
Upgraded 3D Science Labs, Legal
Educational Research as well as
Company/Enterprise Registration
and Search, VSAT/Wireless and
CUG, IP PBX, Schools/
Educational Feasibility studies,
Admin Solution/Software,
Classroom
Management
Solution, Review of Systems and
Processes for Better efficiency,
Corporate
governance
compliance review in the
Educational Sectors, Educational
Exhibition, Tablets/Laptops for
Teachers and Students,
Integration into the Telsys portal
to gain access to Premium
Educational Contents, Full
Maintenance
Support,
Preparation of School/Staff
Manual or Handbook, Training
and Re-training Teachers and ICT
Administrators
The Principal Partner, Edumark,
Yinka Ogunde, who organise the
annual Total School Support

Seminar and Exhibition, said the
programme started eight years
ago with a keen desire to support
educational institutions and
provide an opportunity for
exhibitors to access innovative
products and services. She said
this year s edition has been
designed to bring together not
only school owners and suppliers,
but also, parents, students and
government bodies and other
stakeholders in the education
sector.
Adetela said 12 schools have
already deployed the Telsys smart
school advantage programme,
with several others indicating
interest to key into the new
learning platform. However, he
noted that the smart school
platform is not for all schools, as
schools must meet critical
infrastructure before the
deployment of the electronic
solution.
Telsys has equally developed
valuable competencies across the
open source educational support
solution spectrum, through which
its e-learning delivery process is
anchored on to provide schools
with the necessary skills for their
teachers to become competent in
tele-education delivery process.
" The objective is to bridge the
gap between educational outputs
and the labour market demands
through appropriate and relevant
technological support with
effective schools management
tools, he added
GOtv introduces Education channel, Discovery Family
OTV has introduced

Discovery Family, a
channel which aimed at
inspiring learning and sparks
curiosity in young minds.
The
Public Relations
Manager, Efe Obiomah said the
new channel was introduced in
commemoration of Childrens
Day and the Day of the African
Child slated for 16 June.
He said that GOtv s
programming is available in
seven genres: children,
documentary, news and current
affairs, music, general
entertainment, sport and
C
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religion.
According to him, GOtv
which offers Disney Junior,
JimJam and Nickelodeon, also
targets children with educative
content. He said: Our
childrens channels enable our
younger viewers laugh and
learn. Furthermore, because we
live in a fast-paced and
technologically advanced
world, we also encourage
GOkids to tune to our
documentary channels to arouse
their interest in science.
While explaining the its
benefits to students, Obiomah
explained that the Discovery

Familys Kids vs Film gives
children the chance to research,
write, direct, edit and possibly
star in their own educational
documentary.
On Sunday 26 June at
8:00pm local time, GOtv
subscribers can tune to
Discovery Family to watch the
premiere of Telescope, a oneoff documentary that explores
the history of the telescope from
Galileo to Newton to Hubble
and the James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST), currently
under construction.
How has the club impacted

members over the years?
The Club has impacted
members positively over the years
through its May Ball (always held
in June), business forums, Oxford
debates and the spring lectures.
The spring lecture, which is the
flagship event for intellectual
thought leadership, attracting
leaders from the business, political
and academic cadres to its events,
has featured Nigerian leaders,
globally-renowned speakers
including British politicians, such
asLord Owen and Baroness Amos,
and H.E. President Paul Kagame
of Rwanda.
The 2016 Spring lecture is
scheduled to hold on May 30,
2016 at NIIA, Victoria Island and
the Guest Speaker is Ms Diane
Abbott MP, Shadow Secretary of
State for
International Development
(UK). Ms Abbott is the first black
female politician in the UK and is
one of the most recognisable and
respected politicians in Britain.
She will
bring to bear her wealth of
experience in education,
policy and governance
to
lecture
on:
Education: Reach for
The Stars, Ensuring
Access for All. We
believe that having
the calibre of Ms
Abbot MP will further
enhance
the
developmental
values that the
club is trying to
introduce to
Nigeria.
Till
date,
w e Mr. Akinfela Akoni
Cambridge University, recently

held the re-launch of its press in
Nigeria, what impact will it have
on the Nigerian market and
quality of education in Nigeria?
To achieve global standard in
quality education, we must have
the tools and if we have the best
that can produce the books, we can
make it accessible to students to
learn. I am delighted that
Cambridge university press has
seen it fit to re-enter the Nigerian
market, it is not just economic
interest but huge developmental
interest. Interestingly when the
Cambridge university press was
trying to enter the Nigerian market,
they contacted our club so we also
had some inputs; they were to
make to enter into the Nigerian
market. Children will have access
to books, and materials, they will
be
encouraged to read and that will
lead to better quality education
generally and of course
Cambridge university press will
also be working with bodies that
develops curriculum to make sure
that there is relevance in the
books being introduced
into the market.
What is the way
forward for the club
in Nigeria?
The way forward for
the club is to continue
to build a reputation for
intellectual thought
leadership, attracting
leaders from the
business, diplomatic
and
academic
cadres to its
events.
TREATMENT FAILURE: Experts worry

over chaotic drug distribution
By Chioma Obinna
RUG experts have described the

current drug distribution in the
country as an embarrassment that has
continued to promote treatment failures
and drug resistance.
The Chief Executive, Hesstee Pharmacy,
Dr. Adesoji Adegbite the chaotic drug
distribution in Nigeria has continued to
fuel treatment failure, drug resistant,
mortality and morbidity.
For Adegbite who has been a
pharmacist for many years, chaotic
distribution has become a monster that
has bedevilled professionals who
becomes a loser in all areas.
Drug is not sweet. It is a poison. You
cannot play with it. It has to be regulated.
A tiny drug can kill or maim if not used
properly, he said.
Giving his keynote address during the
maiden edition of Wholesalers Summit
organised by the Association of
Community Pharmacists of Nigeria,
Lagos State Branch in collaboration with
Philips Pharmaceuticals, Nigeria
Limited, he maintained that the system
has made every player in the chain
including the patients a loser whereas
they all supposed to gain.
In every layer of distribution in
Nigeria, the rules have not been
followed. A manufacturer is ready to
under play other players within the
channel and at the end of the day
everybody becomes a loser. He stressed
the need for all hands to be on deck to

save the country from the
embarrassment. There is need for us to
have a change of mindset and play
according to the rule.
Encouraging pharmacists to embrace
the National Drug Distribution
Guidelines, NDDG, he said: A new
concept has come up in which
manufacturers are to sell to wholesalers
and not to retailers. When professionals
play by the rules, the country will have
reduced treatment failures and fake
drugs will be eradicated.
Improved healthcare breaks chain of

infections NMA
By Nkiruka Nnorom
ARTICIPANTS at the Nigerian

Medical Association, NMA, annual
national medical conference have called
for improved healthcare delivery service,
saying that it is panacea for breaking
the chains of infection in the country.
The 56th NMA Annual conference was
organized in conjunction with Dettol
from the stable of RB (Reckitt Benckiser).
Nigeria losses about N455 billion
annually which is about 1.3 per cent of
COMMISSIONING: From left-Mr Edem Vindah, Corporate Media Brand PR Manager, NB PLc ; Mrs Bolanle Adewole , Director, TLP; Mrs Abosede Adelaja Board
Secretary SUBEB Lagos and Mr. Kufre Ekanem Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB
PLc, during the launch of the Occupational Therapy Room for Children at Maryland Nursery Primary School Maryland Lagos. Photo By Diran Oshe.
her GDP due to poor hygiene practices,

this productivity loss is majorly from the
household and affects the living
standard of the people. Poor hygiene
conditions gives room for infections
which results in sickness and diseases
leading to valuable loss of productive
time and other resources.
Infections are easily transmitted
through contact with infected persons
or surfaces, and if not properly checked
can lead to disease outbreak. Therefore,
the chain of infection should be broken
with reliable antiseptic liquid as early
as possible to ensure that families and
loved ones are protected from germs that
cause a number of illnesses.
In her presentation at the conference
titled: Breaking the Chain of Infection
Dr. R. Oladele a Clinical Microbiologist,
at the LUTH, stated that in order to
achieve an infection free country, the
promotion of personal hygiene practices
such as regular hand washing could not
be over-emphasized.
She added that regular disinfection of
topical and environmental surfaces with
antiseptics and disinfectants is an
effective approach and also advocated
cleaning and decontaminating all
equipment after use.
Dettol, which is a leading antiseptic
liquid and proven to be 10X better than
other antiseptic liquid in the market, is
useful in breaking the chain of infection
when regularly used at home, offices,
schools and hospitals.
COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)
LEASE I have small balls that go between my thighs

and it is uncomfortable when I am walking Tunji
Tunji avoid tight underwear. Boxer shorts are best. They
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Each time I am having intercourse and I climax, I feel so
weak that I just want to sleep afterwards. It makes me
feel incapable and like a weakling because my wife wants
more and is not tired herself - Austin
Austin among other things, sex is a sedative. That is why
we feel tired and a bit sleepy immediately after ejaculating.
It doesnt mean there is anything wrong with you. Sex is
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Uche do you still have Maximus Penis Enlargement
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Yes we do Festus. Call the numbers below to get it or
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I am 39 years old and I am on anti-depressants drugs.
At times during sex, my erection just goes soft, which
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Mike there are drugs that can help you. You just have to
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Please I need recommendation on lubricating gels that
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Men and women have very different needs so they use
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Sir please what does a man of above 22 years who is
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Rob, for your sex education, I recommend the film
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Uche
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Zee Virtual Media.

YOUR LUCK TODAY
LEISURE
By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

CANCER: EARLY morning blues will affect many people
today (yourself inclusive) but luckily for you, things will go
according to your plans. And you will need to be more careful
with money.
LEO: THE moon fluctuates early in the morning. And if
care is not taken you would promise more than you can
actually deliver to the resentment of others. Yet, youll win.
VIRGO: BEHIND-the-scene-activities are sources of
avoidable trouble especially before mid-morning period when
influence of the moons fluctuation will last. Avoid inordinate
ambition.
LIBRA: ITS important you dont allow your thought for
and/or about the future derail your plans for the present so
that success will not elude you. Romantic attractions along
your career/business lines may become stronger sooner than
you think.
SCORPIO: EARLY morning blues will affect many people
around you meaning that not everybody-morning period
especially along your career/business lines.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
By Richard Eromosele
Want to live in peace with

your enemy?
HE holy writ
says if our
ways pleases the
Lord, he will make
our enemies to live in
peace with us.I want
to ask you a
question:Are you living in peace and har-
mony with your

neighbour?If you
are not,then it is time
for you to examine
your relationship
with your creator.If
TERROR MUDA
your relationship
with your creator is
smooth,there is no
way your relationship with your
neighbour wont
in Never say goodbye
benefit from it.You

cannot be antagonistic towards your
neighbour and expect your creator to
be happy with
you.Relate well with
your creator and
your enemies will be
at peace with you.
Think about it!
By Kola Fayemi
SAGITTARIUS: MAKE sure you perfectly understand

what you are doing within your working arena before midmorning period or else costly mistakes would be made. Be
tolerant.
CAPRICORN: TOMORROW is your day. Therefore you
are advised to leave some important decisions and/or action
till tomorrow when the heaven will smile at you. Your love
life is favoured.
AQUARIUS: You better dont contemplate procrastination
as you are likely to be stretched full lenght tomorrow. Watch
with you tell others early in the morning.
PISCES: AS the moon fluctuates early in the morning
some people may promise more than they can actually deliver.
And if you take them for granted, you would be disappointed.
ARIES: CERTAINLY some people will get on your nerves
yet you must not over-react at least because of the immediate
future. Truly thus is the wrong time to gamble with love.
TAURUS: THE moon fluctuates early this morning. That
is why you will need to guard against confusion likely to be
caused by others.
KAPTAIN AFRIKA
in
Pretty Lunatic
By Andy Akman
GEMINI: Placement of the Moon at difficult angle is

capable of bringing unnecessary argument and avoidable
confusion. To before warned is to be fore armed.
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING
Send yyour
our dat
th ttoo the As
tr
ological
datee and place of bir
birth
Astr
trological
Counselling, PP.M.B
.M.B 1100
00
7, Apapa, Lagos
007,
What should I expect?

Dear Joshua,
KINDLY analyze my star and tell me about myself
especially my luck. I want to know about my love
life, social life and how to become successful in life.
I have seen people who are close to me became big
success without much struggle from them. Would
my own be like them too?
Festus, Abuja.
Dear Festus,
You are different to those you said came by success:
in your own case you will need to work hard and
earn success. It is important you watch and take
practical precaution about inability to hold on to your
gains for long. Some times unexpected assistance
use to come your way at 11th hour.
Your being friendly with the influential personalities
especially WOMEN will help your finance greatly
speculative (and) venture is not the best for you.
Your magnetic personality makes it difficult for
menubers of your opposite sex to the betterment of
your love life.
Luckily for you, you know how not to allow your
rogged/rigid personality to harm your love life; you
are a sweet lover, although can be argumentative
some times. Love happiness indicated for you.
If you can analyse both your environment and social
situation, you will have more to gain from social
activities more than its attendant pressure. You will
need to drop unnecessary rebelious approach when
dealing with your social life; although what looks
like radical approach can earn you a few number of
friends who may not be in position to assist you.
Many people love your genttle approach and will
be willing to assist you especially the more influential
personalities. Once again women can be helpful
here.
If you expect easy success, you would be frustrated
because saturn-the planet of delay, frustration but
greater reward after much struggles, was with the
sun (basic-selfluood) when you were born. Thus it
will not allow easy success. And at the same time
will not deny you whatever you deserve.
The same saturn will reward you with
RECOGNITION WOMEN, children and younger
people can enhance your prospects. Colours RED,
WHITE and pink are good for you. Sleeping North/
South axes with your head to the North is good for
you.
VIRGINIA
HOME & ABROAD
dadadekola@yahoo.com
By Lawrence Akapa
FG to establish national shipping line

AMAECHI
A
BUJAMINISTER of
Transportation, Chibuike
Amaechi, has said the Federal
Government is searching for ways
to encourage the establishment of
a National Shipping Line to
ensure maximum exploitation of
the potential in the maritime
industry.
Amaechi also said, the Federal
government is making efforts at
improving business in the
country s maritime sector,
especially in the areas of
establishing a deep sea port for
modern mega ships as well as the
establishment of dry ports such as
the Kaduna inland dry port
among others.
Amaechi spoke while delivering
a keynote address at the 14th
Maritime Seminar for Judges
organized by the Nigerian
Shippers Council(a parastatal
under his ministry), in
collaboration with the National
Judicial Institute, NJI.
According to the Minister, The
present administration is looking
into ways of encouraging the
establishment of a national
shipping line to ensure maximum
exploitation of the potentials in our
maritime sector. The Federal
Government is doing a lot towards
improving on the ease of doing
business in Nigeria especially in
the maritime sector. The Federal
Government's effort towards trade
facilitation
includes
modernization of transport
infrastructure
such
as
establishment of deep sea ports
to attract the patronage of our
seaports by modern mega ships
and the establishment of dry
ports such as the Kaduna inland
dry port and others all over the
country to decongest the
seaports and facilitate
expeditious evacuation of cargo
from the seaports among others.
In his own address, Chief
Justice of Nigeria and Chairman
Board of Governors of the

National Judicial Institute,
Justice Mahmud Mohammed
said the seminar had contributed
immensely to deepening the
synergy between the judiciary
and the maritime sector as part
of the wider reform efforts that
would reposition the nations
judiciary for better justice
delivery.
Also in his remarks, chairman of the
occasionandformerHeadofState,Chief
Ernest Shonekon commended the

Nigerian Shippers Council and the
national judicial institute for healthy
collaboration towards nation building.
Earlier, President Muhammadu
Buhari who was represented by the
Solicitor General and Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr.
Taiwao Abidoku, described it as
welcome development for the
organizersoftheseminar,toencourage
the training of judges and legal
practitioners in the field of maritime.
INAUGURATION: Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa (left) and Chairman of
the state's Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Roland Osakwe, during the inauguration
of the Edo State's Justice Sector Reform team in Benin, yesterday. Photo: NAN.
ONE YEAR IN OFFICE: Delta Assembly passes vote
of confidence in Okowa
By Festus Ahon
SABATHE Delta State

House of Assembly has
passed a vote of confidence in
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for his
leadership qualities and for proper
management of the affairs of the
state since he assumed office a
year ago.
The House at its resumed
plenary after over three weeks
break , held that Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa had done well despite the
present economic crunch and also
passed a vote of confidence in the
leadership of the House for its
effective collaboration with the
Governor and his team to move
the state forward.
Moving the motion which came
under matter of urgent public
importance, Hon Dennis Omovie
representing Warri South II
constituency, said there was no
gain saying about the fact that
Nigeria and by extension, Delta
State had suffered a dangerous
drop in revenue being a monodriven economy.
Stating that despite the
challenges, the expectations of the
citizens were high, the lawmaker
noted that Delta State can walk
tall in the midst of the dangerous
paucity of resources because the
state is blessed with a man who is
C
M
Y
K
a wonderful manager, managing

Delta State as if there was a
surplus and giving to Delta state
and Deltans what they expect
and desire.
Speaking further on the motion
which was unanimously

adopted, Omovie described
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as a
wonderful manager of resources
and his strides in the
development of the state.
In an interview shortly after the
sitting, he said that the motion

was to encourage the Governor
to do more for the state, adding
that the level of commitment and
personal attachment to good
governance and development of
the state by Governor Okowa
was commendable.
CRISIS IN N-DELTA: Rep tasks military on
professionalism
By Daniel Gumm
ARRITROOPS
deployed to quell attacks
on oil installations by the Niger
Delta Avengers, NDA, in the oil
producing communities of the
Niger Delta region have been
urged to display the highest
sense of professionalism in the
execution of their assignments to

fish out those responsible for the
destruction.
Speaking to Vanguard
yesterday, member representing
Warri Federal Constituency in the
House of Representatives, Mr.
Daniel Reyenieju appealed to
the military to ensure that
collateral damage from the

operations was reduced to the
barest minimum.
The lawmaker, said: Since
last Sunday, I have been
inundated with calls by many
of those who have been affected
negatively by the present
military operations, particularly
the aged, who are most unlikely
to be part of the militants.
Chevron/Agbami, Delta govt donate power

is among the robust safety
bikes to FRSC bikes which were donated today
programmes sponsored by the
By Festus Ahon
SABATHE Chevron/
Agbami partners in
conjunction with the Delta State
Government, have donated
three power bikes to the State
Command of Federal Road
Safety Corps, FRSC, to enable
it intensify its effort at promoting
safety on the highways.
Speaking during the
presentation ceremony of the
through the Delta State Capital

Territory Development Agency,
DSCTDA, Senior Community
Engagement Advisor of Agbami
Co-ventures,
Mr.
Ugo
Mgbemene said the donation
was in support of the road safety
initiative of the state government.
Mgbemene said: safety is a
core value among the coventures and this road safety
programme being deployed
Agbami Co-ventures. Nigeria is

one of the three African countries
participating in the Arrive Alive
Programme pioneered by
Chevron.
The Director General of DSCTDA,
Mr. Clement Ofuani, while receiving
the power bikes before handing same
over to the FRSC, commended the
Chevron /Agbami partners for their
sensitivity to the logistic problems of
the state government and the FRSC.
Petroleum
varsity sited
in Ugbomro
GROUP
By Tare Youdeowei
ENINTHE Urhobo
Mandate and Equity
Forum, UMEF, has said the
Federal University of
Petroleum Resources FUPRE
is sited in Ugbomro, and not
Effurun, as is being
erroneously portrayed.
The group also accused the
traditional ruler of Uvwie
kingdom and Senator Ovie
Omo-Agege, representing
Delta Central, for allegedly
misleading the Senate over
the rightful owners of the land
and community where the
university is sited.
In a statement yesterday in
Benin, Edo State, the group
Coordinator, Samuel Afurhe,
said, It is a fact that FUPRE
is located in Ugbomro, and not
Effurun. Even the immediate
past Senator, Chief Ighoyota
Amori, in his same bill for an
Act to Establish FUPRE, in
2015, which had passed first
reading at the Senate and awaiting
concurrentpassageandsigninginto
law by former President Goodluck
JonathanbeforeheleftofficeonMay
29, acknowledged Ugbomro as the
host community.
After the then Federal Executive
Council FEC, during former
PresidentOlusegunObasanjo,gave
the directive to establish FUPRE, in
March,2007,thefederalgovernment
wrote letters to the Traditional Prime
Minister (Unuevworo) of Ugbomro,
to provide the land in Ugbomro on
whichFUPREispresentlysituated.
EPF flays attack

on DESOPADEC
boss
By Ochuko Akuopha
SABAEBOSA Political
Front, EPF, a political
pressure group in Delta State,
has decried the recent
campaign of calumny and
denigration by some Iteskiri
leaders against the Chairman
of Delta State Oil Producing
Areas
Development
Commission, DESOPADEC,
Mr. Godwin Ebosa as
unwarranted.
The group also described
Ebosa as a man of
unblemished integrity and
reputation that is committed to
the Itsekiri cause and
development.
Director General of EPF, Mr.
Jolomi Esiategiwa, in a
statement at Koko town,
headquarters of Warri North
Local Government Area of the
state, stated that all the Itsekiri
leaders needed to had done over
their concern about DESOPADEC
budget for the Itsekiri ethnic
nationality, was to have sought
audience with the commissions
chairman as their son and iron out
issues with him amicably as a
kinsman.
AU, AFRIMA
back
intellectual
property
rights
We're not part of Biafra, says Delta SSG

By Festus Ahon
SABATHE Delta State

Government, yesterday
said the people of the State are
not part of the proposed Biafra
Republic, reaffirming their belief
in one and united Nigeria.
The state government in a
statement signed by the Secretary
to the State Government, SSG,
Chief Festus Agas, urged the
people of the state to remain law
abiding and go about their normal
business without fear.
Agas in the statement said; we
object in its totality, the inclusion
of Delta State without our consent
in the proposed Biafra Republic.
This clarification has become
necessary to avoid any confusion
or misunderstanding regarding
the status of Delta State in the
renewed Biafra agitation.
Continuing in the statement, he
said; while some communities in
Delta state may have cultural
affinity with the people of the
South East , it is clearly a patent
error for anybody or group to
suggest or insinuate that Delta
state or more specifically the
Anioma people have been or are
part of the South East that is
supposed to make up the
proposed Biafra Republic.
Frowning at the renewed
agitation of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB, and the
Movement for the Actualization
of the Sovereign State of Biafra,
MASSOB, for the realisation of
By Anozie Egole
AGOS-Poised to
proffer solutions to
the too many challenges
facing the African Music
Industry, African Union,
AU and All Africa Music
Awards, AFRIMA, have
thrown their support to the
intellectual property
rights.
This was disclosed
recently by the Head of
Culture Division, African
Union Commission, Ms.
Angela Martins, during
the AUC/AFRIMA Joint
conference tagged, Using
music, culture and
entertainment as tools for
a new Africa, held in
Banjul, Gambia, recently.
Speaking
at
the
conference, Martins
maintained that PAIPO is
one of AUs continental tools
to help protect and promote
not only the rich African
culture but intellectual
works of talented artistes on
the continent. This, she
meet global standards.
In her words: This
achievement is worth
noting because it is aimed
at playing a greater role in
the protection of the work
of artists in line with the
work the AFRIMA is doing
for the promotion of African
artistes.
"The African Union
Commission cherishes the
collaboration it has with
Pan-African Cultural
Institutions like AFRIMA
since they partner with the
AU member states in the
implementation
of
continental policies in the
areas of arts, culture and
heritage."
Another continental tool
independent State of Biafra, he

said the campaign which has
been in form of rallies in the
South East, often extends to the
South South states, notably
Rivers and Delta.
Meanwhile, the foundation
stone of BIM-MASSOB
Secretariat has been laid at
Ubulu-Uku and Ibusa in
Aniocha South and Oshimili
South Local Government Area of
Delta State respectively by the
presiding Bishop of Jesus the
Shepherd Ministry, Dr. A.S.
Mogekwu.
Reacting to the violent clash,
the Delta North Zonal Leader of
the Biafra Independent

Movement
(BIM)
and
Movement for Actualization
sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB), Mr. Chinedu
Anieifeobu, supported by his
Commander of Security, Prince
Ignatus Adiliajana, who
supervised the inauguration of
the new secretariat in Ubulu-Uku,
and the Delta Central Zonal
Leader, Mr. Uju Christian,
dissociated BIM-MASSOB from
the alleged killing.
They wondered why some
agitators under the IPOB became
violent and condemned the
dangerous twist the agitation had
Flood ravages 5 communities as farmers

seek FG's assistance in Ebonyi
By Peter Okutu
B A K A L I K I
FARMLANDS in five
communities in Ivo Local
Government Area of Ebonyi State
were yesterday reportedly
submerged by flood.
The flood was caused by the
blockade of a dam being
constructed by the Federal
Government at Npu in Anuri
LGA of Enugu state.
The affected communities are
Ameke, Okue, Amaokwe,
Ngwogwo and Obodo.
Inspecting the level damage
in the area, Governor David
Umahi
ordered
a
comprehensive report of farms

and cash crops destroyed by the
flood described the impact of the
damage as huge.
Umahi said the report would
be sent to the
Federal
government with a view to
assisting the state and farmers
whose means of livelihood had
been severely affected.
The Caretaker Committee
Chairman of Ivo LGA , Chief O.
Ude who accompanied
Governor Umahi to the site of
the dam said the blockade
caused water to overflow
backwards, thereby destroying
the farmlands in the affected
communities.
If you look back from where
we are standing, you will see
ICCON holds workshop
AGOSTHE Institute of
Chartered Chemists of
Nigeria recently held its 8th
Mandatory
Continuing
Professional Development
Workshop
with
the
theme:'Diversification of
Nigerias Economy through
Chemistry.' A Highlight of the
two-day event is the
presentation of papers by
seasoned resource persons and
orientation/induction
ceremony for new members.
In her welcome address, Ag.
Registrar/CEO of the institute,
Mrs. F.M. Kujore disclosed that
the ultimate aim of this years
workshop is to equip and project
chemists as professionals capable
of becoming major players in the
nations socio-economic terrain
by means of utilizing knowledge
made available from chemistry.
She said: there is no

gainsaying the fact that the
plummeting price of crude oil in
the international market has led
to dwindling revenue for the
government, a trend that is
grossly affecting the economic life
of the average Nigerian. Hence
the need to explore alternative
sources of revenue which can be
achieved through the application
of the knowledge of chemistry.
uharis first year in office is like doing the

same flaws Jonathan did,
lack of focus and better decision making. It seems to
me that he is using his office for revenge. Does it
mean that there is no corrupt fellow in APC or his
cabinet? -Miss Regina Osakwe, Graduate
a river coming down from there,

that is Ivo and this river is Ukeh.
So the rivers meet here and it
is from here that the
constructors created an
embankment that makes water
to flow backwards, he said.
The chairman of Ngwogwo
Community Development
Union, Mr. Johnson Ukpai,
lamented that the flood had
destroyed agricultural produce
like yams,cassava, rice,Maize
and cocoyam.
He pleaded with the Federal
government to come to their
rescue.
The committee chairman said:
The blockage of dam which
resulted in the over flow of
flood to this our community has
caused enormous damage to
this our community. Food crops
like, yams, cassava, rice, maize,
cocoyams
have
been
destroyed.
Barr. Augustine Ossai, a
liaison officer in Ivo legislative
council, also lamented the
damages done by the flood and
called on the Federal
Government and the National
Emergency Management
Agency to immediately come to
the assistance of farmers in the
area.
By Bartholomew Madukwe
(08102479985)
nwamad@yahoo.com
PEOPLE SPEAK
assumed.
Meanwhile, Delta State Police
command, yesterday said the
eight persons arrested during
last Monday protest by pro-Biafra
groups in Asaba would soon be
charged to court for murder and
other offenses.
The State Acting Police Public
Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr.
Charles Muka however said that
investigations were still ongoing,
insisting that they would be made
to face the full weight of the law if
found guilty of the charges
against them including the
murder of two patriotic police
officers in the line of duty.
On President Buharis ffir

irirst
st yyear
ear in of
offfice
n my view of President
Buharis one year in office, I will say that things
are hard at the moment. I
see the average Nigerians
being choked by certain
policies of this administration, but I am optimistic that
positive change is near. Mr. Uchenna Azuka, Self
Employed
resident Buharis one

year is a national disaster. Starting from a total
failed economy to various
killings across the country.
Buhari has proved himself
incapable of leading Nigeria. In the developed world
Buhari would have resigned. -Mr. Martins Ifeanyi, Graduate
he so-called fight
against corruption has
been hopelessly one sided
and has yielded no convictions. The infrastructure remains in tatters. Nothing is
working, yet people hail
President Buhari. Indeed
365 days have been wasted. -Miss Mercy Okoji,
Graduate
uharis administration is a dismal failure. Nigerians are worse

off today than one year
ago. This is a clear evidence that Buhari was not
in charge during his military regime in the 80s.
Buhari has no clue about
governance. -Miss Victoria Kelvin, Student
hange is not cheap,

there is price to pay.
Change is expensive, there
is sacrifice to make. We
must learn to vote right and
hold leaders accountable.
Most of the issues now
came from years of outright
mismanagement. -Miss
Cynthia Osuchukwu,
NYSC member
Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2 , 2016 35
Bellos wife
wants NASS,
state assemblies
to pass Child
Rights Bill
By Boluwaji Obahopo
OKOJAWIFE of the
governor of Kogi State,
Mrs. Rashida Bello has
called on the Federal and
state governments and the
National Assembly to ensure
that the Child Right bill is
passed and the protection of
children given top priority.
The governors wife, who
stated this yesterday in Lokoja
while hosting some selected
students selected across the
state said Nigeria must
ensured that th rights of every
child was looked into, rather
than the rhetoric of the
Childrens day celebration.
Mrs Bello promised to
devote her time and energy
to ensure that Kogi State
passes the Child RIght bill;
urging other states to put
pressure on the assemblies
to do same.
According to her, I am
determined to ensure that
the rights of Children top
the agenda of the Yahaya
Bellos Administration by
ensuring that Child Right
bill is passed in the state.
BOKO HARAM: We won't return to our

so-called liberated communities until...
By Ndahi Marama
A I D U G U R ITH E
Emir of Gwoza Local
Government Area of Borno State,
Alhaji Muhammadu Idrissa
Timta has said none of his
Internally Displaced Persons,
IDPs, including himself and his
immediate family will return to
Gwoza until Boko Haram terrorist
are completely wiped out.
According to him, most
communities
especially
surrounding mountainous
villages of Ngoshe, Ashigashiya,
Barawa and other border
communities with Cameroon
Republic are strictly under the
control of the sect members,
lamenting that over 10,000
persons are still trapped in
Mandara Mountains (Bayan
Dutse),
He spoke while reacting to a
statement credited to the Senate
Leader Mohammed Ndume,
who also hails from Gwoza,
calling on IDPs to return without

waiting for government directive.
The Emir insisted that the socalled liberation of Gwoza
communities hitherto under Boko
Haram control by troops was only
visible on the pages of
newspapers.
He noted that those who took
courage and returned to resettle
in Gwoza town could not move
out of the community, as they were
likely to fall into the hands of
insurgents that still surrounded
SHOW
OF
F O R C E :
A s s i s t a n t
I n s p e c t o r
General of Police,
Maritime Police
C o m m a n d ,
Muhammed
Katsina (right)
and Officer-incharge of Marine
C o m m a n d ,
D e p u t y
Superintendentof
Police,DSP Ben
Ogungbure, with
other
police
officers, during
a show of force by
the Amphibious
A m b u s h
Squad,AAS
established by the
AIG to combat
criminal activities
in areas under the
command's
watch.
CHIBOK GIRLS: Military launches Operation Crack Down to mop up

Sambisa forest ...77 terrorists surrender; as troops rescue 245 captives from insurgents
By Kingsley Omonobi &
Evelyn Usman
BUJATHE Chief of
Defence Staff, CDS,
General Gabriel Olonisakin,
yesterday in Lagos, raised the
hope of Nigerians, particularly
parents of the female students
that were abducted from the
Government Secondary School, in
Chibok , Borno State, by terrorists
two years ago, of their possible

rescue, saying the troops were
combing the Sambisa forest
where most of the girls were
suspected to be.
This came as Nigerian Army
said its troops recorded a
breakthrough when 77 members
of the Boko Haram sect
surrendered to soldiers of the 122
Task Force Battalion, even as 245
civilian hostages particularly
Lagos NAS decries level of

ignorance in law among citizens
...Offers free legal service to residents
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
ATIONAL Association
of Seadogs, NAS, has
expressed concern over the high
level of ignorance of human rights
among citizens, even as it urged
residents to speak out for any
wrongful act against them for
appropriate redress.
Mr. Ojo Eborieme, President
NAS, Hawkins Deck, Egbeda,
Alimosho Local Government area,
disclosed this during a
sensitization exercise at the
Palace of Onigando of Igando,
Ikotun Igando Local Council
Development Area, LCDA.
He stated that the following

rights among others were
provided by the 1999 constitution
(Amended): Right to life, to
dignity of human person,
personal liberty, fair hearing, to
private and family life, to freedom
of thought, conscience and
religion, to peaceful assembly
and association, to freedom of
movement, freedom from
discrimination.
Know your right as a landlord.
Know your right as a tenant.
Know your right as a husband,
know your right as a wife. Know
your right as an employee.
Know your right as an
employer, Eborieme said.
women and children abducted by

the terrorists while scores of the
terrorists were killed.
Speaking with journalists while
commissioning some projects put
in place by the Chief of Naval Staff,
Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas, as
part of activities marking the 60th
anniversary of the Navy, the CDS
revealed that the Military recently
launched a special operation code
named Operation Crack Down to
accomplish this aim.
He said the operation was a
mop-up operation and a final
onslaught against the Boko
Haram insurgents, informing that
the Military had deployed both
ground and aerial operations,

deep inside the Sambisa Forest,
with the aim of completely routing
all enclaves of Boko Haram and
to rescue the abducted Chibok
girls and other victims as well.
According to him: The
operation is progressing. Part of
its benefit was the recent rescue
of one of the Chibok girls and
another one as it were, earlier.
The operation is ongoing and we
will continue to move into
Sambisa until we rid that place of
all terrorists. As long as that is on,
we will continue until we clear
the whole area. We will continue
to ensure we step up our game.''
PANDOGARI CRISIS: Bello sues for peace

By Wole Mosadomi
INNAGOVERNOR
Alhaji Sani Bello of
Niger State yesterday said he
had set up an investigative
panel to establish immediate
and remote causes of the
recent crisis Pandogori, Rafi
Local government Area of the
state which caused the death
of four persons while several
others were injured, among
other loss of valuables.
The governor also called on
people to bury their

differences and avoid crisis
that could lead to another
breakdown of law and order in
the town.
Speaking through his Chief
Press Secretary, Malam Jibrin
Bala Ndace, the governor
urged the residents of the
village and other communities
around it to desist from giving
the incidence a religious or
tribal colouration to avoid
another unnecessary and
avoidable crisis.
town without confrontation.

The Royal Father spoke to
Vanguard yesterday at one of the
resettlement
camps
in
Maiduguri, few days after visiting
Gwoza town.
Muhammadu succeeded his
Late father, Idrissa Timta who was
assassinated by Boko Haram in
May, 2014 on his way to attend
funeral ceremony of the late emir
of Gombe State.
He lamented that no traditional
ruler would like to stay away for
a long time from his domain
together with his over 300,000
subjects displaced, but as Allah
(God) had destined it, he had no
excuse.
According to him, those
agitating for return of IDPs to their
communities, especially those
from Gwoza were only doing so
to expose the already traumatized
people to further attacks.
Ecobank, Old
Mutual sign
agreement
COBANK Transnational
Incorporated, ETI, parent
company of the Ecobank Group,
and Old Mutual Emerging
Markets, OMEM, a part of the
Old Mutual Group, have signed
a strategic agreement that will
strengthen existing ties between
both companies.
Both companies said the
agreement will grow the existing
strategic alliance by offering
seamless insurance services to
Ecobank clients across selected
countries where the two groups
have operations. Clients will
benefit mutually though access to
a range of financial services that
include life insurance, savings
and short-term insurance
solutions across a greater network
on the African continent.
Ecobank Group Chief Executive
Officer, Ade Ayeyemi said plans
for the integrated model include
providing access to Old Mutual
solutions for Ecobanks banking
operations in selected countries.
This is a productive and valued
partnership between two panAfrican institutions to provide
complete financial services
solutions to our customers, he
said.
On his part, the CEO of Old
Mutual Emerging Markets,
Ralph Mupita, , said it is in the
interest of mutual interest to
ensure that the alliance grows
from strength to strength, adding
that the company look forward as
it intends to complement the
banks range of banking services
to its customers with Old
Mutuals trusted financial
products across the Ecobank
network on the continent.
OMEM currently has a
bancassurance partnership with
the Ecobank Group.
How Pencom is undermining FGPL

Chidi Duru
Former member of the House of Representatives, Nze Chidi
Duru in this interview gives his view on the issues at play in the
struggle for control of the First Guarantee Pensions Limited.
Excerpts:
By Emmanuel Aziken
ELL us about the First

Guarantee Pensions
Limited (FGPL). How did it
come about?
The license of First Guarantee
Pensions Limited (FGPL) was
given to me in recognition of the
work that one did in bringing to
fruition the Pension Reform Act
of 2004 which could be said to be
my Bill in the National Assembly.
I championed, promoted and
canvassed it and I got my
colleagues to buy into it even
though it was an executive Bill.
It was passed and Fola Adeola
who was then the chairman of
the steering committee of the
National Pensions Committee
was so excited and so pleased
with the hard work that was done
in bringing this to fruition that
one was encouraged to consider
the possibility of also being a
player in the industry.
I chose the Pension Fund
Administration arm of the
industry because there were
basically two arms that one could
participate in the Pension
Custodian for which you were
required to have about N1 billion
to be a Custodian or you become
a Pension Fund Administrator for
which the share capital
was N150 million.
shareholders that came took the

number of shareholders to 37.
So, what is the problem
bedevilling FGPL all about?
When did it start?
The problem began in 2010
when in my view, the FGPL
became a profitable business.
Before then, it was struggling
because, we did not have the
required
assets
under
management and asset under
management is what will make
you to receive the necessary
return on commission for
managing those assets. So, it was
a long process of having a large
pool
of
assets
under
management to be able to become
profitable.
We invited a group from South
Africa, Novare, to invest in FGPL
and they invested a total sum of
N224 million staggered over a
period. But what was more
important was the technical skill
that was also brought into FGPL
and with my help in bringing in
contributors, in 2010, the
business became profitable and
paid its first dividend.
On February 23, 2011, PenCom
presented to us in our Board
meeting what is usually their
annual report which is their
annual view of the performance
Generation of
shareholders
I applied and was granted a
license as one of the players in
the PFA industry and the name
of my company then was the First
Guarantee Pension Limited and
we had first, second and third
generation of shareholders.
Eventually, we were 37
shareholders that I brought
together to be able to promote
FGPL as a business.
Who were the first generation
shareholders and when did they
buy into the company?
We started the process of
incorporating FGPL in 2004. Our
original document will show
myself as the promoter, Nnamdi
Anama, Mrs Opara, who is the
wife of Austin Opara, Dr Abba
Aji, who was my colleague in the
National Assembly (a Senator),
who was the chairman of the
Senate
Committee
on
Establishment and Labour and
finally Tsegba Terngu. These
were the five initial names that
were part and parcel of the startoff of First Guarantee Pension.
Incidentally, Senator Abba Aji did
not eventually invest in the
business. So, the next generation
of shareholders took the number
to 31 and the third generation of
C
M
Y
K
The problem
began in 2010
when in my view,
the FGPL became
a profitable
business
of each PFA and we were
categorized as the most improved
PFA for the preceding year which
was 2010 and every Director was
very happy with that and we took
the good news to the shareholders
that not only were they having
dividend for the first time, but the
PFA has been categorized as
having massively improved.
To our surprise, on March 22,
2011, the same PenCom wrote us
a letter that they would like to
undertake what they call target
examination. That was barely
one month after and that was very
strange. Our managing director
then, Mr. Wilson Ideva, had
been relieved of his office for acts
Chidi Duru
that bordered on insubordination.
And they did the target
examination and when they
wrote the report, which they
presented to the board in June
2011, the board members queried
it and brought to their attention
that under the Pension Reform
Act, what is required is that if a
report is done by the regulator,
that report will be submitted to
the directors, and the directors are
bound under the law to submit
that report to the shareholders.
And the shareholders would vote
on it and whatever is the outcome
of that vote becomes the decision
of the company. But they didnt
allow us to go through that
process. They wanted to ram the
target report down the throat of
the shareholders.
What was in the target report?
The target report queried the
way and manner First Guarantee
Pension Limited was being run.
They also reported that one of the
committees,
Executive
Management Committees, that
the board used to have an
oversight function management
was one committee too many and
was getting more involved in the
oversight of the company which
was not true because the
oversight function of the
management committee was to
help the management to become
profitable, well run and
organized and the result began
to show in 2010 when the
company for the first time became
profitable and the company was
categorized as the most improved
PFA.
One other thing that was
contained in the report has to do
with the issue that the meetings
of the board were becoming too
many, that we had six meetings.
It also said the chairman of the
company could not have been
chairman because he had
insignificant shares which we
didnt think was necessary
because that is why we have
independent directors but the
chairman who has over N20
million worth of shares of the
company could not be said to be
a chairman with insignificant
shares. The article and
memorandum of association
didnt provide for a share
qualification to even be on the
board not to talk of a share
qualification to be the chairman.
These were some of the things
that were contained in the report
which we did not agree with and
we went to court in August 2011
and effective August 11, 2011,
Justice D U. Okorowo of the
Federal High Court in Abuja
issued an ex-parte order
restraining Pencom from
implementing that target report
pending the hearing and
determination of the substantive
suit. Notwithstanding this clear
ex-parte order, PenCom still went
ahead on August 15, 2011 to
dissolve the board of First
Guarantee Pension Limited and
appointed
an
interim
management, which is still
running the company till today.
Interim
management
We felt outraged. My partners
from South Africa felt outraged
and the shareholders were
bemused by this current state of
affairs and petitioned the office
of the Attorney general of the
Federation and Minister of
Justice, Mohammed Bello
Adoke, in this disrespect for court
order. The Attorney General then
wrote two letters on August 18,
2011 and September 8, 2011 to
PenCom telling them to obey the
orders of Justice D.U. Okorowo
and revert back to status quo,
allow the board to continue to
function, and more importantly
dismantle
the
interim
management that was appointed
in FGPL.
But like the fate of the ex-parte
order, the two letters from the
Attorney General were also
discountenanced and no step
was taken in that direction to
reverse those decisions.
However, on June 18, 2012,
Justice Okorowo, having now
heard all the parties gave a full
judgment, 132 pages, on the
matter that was before him and
upbraided PenCom for acting
above the law and not obeying
court order and now ordered that

the interim management be
removed and specifically
requested the office of the
Commissioner of Police, Lagos
where we have our head office
and the Police Commissioner in
Abuja to enable the board
members to move back and take
over their business.
As I speak with you today, that
order has not been implemented,
and the original directors are still
operating outside the company,
just as the shareholders and we
have not had any annual general
meeting of the company in the
last six years. PenCom is still
managing the company as it is.
So, why was your sister
arrested and detained by the
EFCC? Has it anything to do
with this crisis?
On October 3, 2011, which was
a public holiday, EFCC
operatives invaded my house
and requested my presence in
their office. I never received any
invitation from them before then.
And I was taken to their office
and there I was presented with
a petition written by Kashim
Ibrahim Imam, asking the EFCC
to implement the target report
that was written by PenCom. For
me, that was a surprise because
here was a target report for which
Justice Okorowo had given an
order of court saying, do not
implement this report pending
the determination of the
substantive suit.
Side-stepping
a judgment
And it was also very interesting
because in the same August,
Kashim and five other
shareholders out of the 37
shareholders had also gone to a
Federal High Court in Abuja,
seeking for an order of
mandamus to compel the EFCC
to investigate the target report
issued by PenCom and the court
in its wisdom suspended that
application as being an abuse of
court process since there is
already a judgment of the court.
The court told them that they
cannot side-step a judgment of
the court to now order EFCC to
investigate the target report that
the court had already said was
ineffectual, ineffective pending
the determination of the case.
I was kept there overnight and
on October 4, my sister, Mrs.
Christy Ekweonu, and Mr. Ken
Nwanze came to bail me. We
thought that was the end of the
matter because the panel that the
EFCC set up to look into the
matter concluded that it was
actually a business transaction
among partners that had gone
wrong and has no business being
before the EFCC.
However, we now realized that
in 2012, immediately Justice
Okorowo gave the full judgment
nullifying the target report and
mandating PenCom to hand back
the business to the original
directors and shareholders, and
we were poised to take over the
business and indeed did apply
to the Commissioner of Police
Lagos and Abuja as was
contained in the judgment of
Justice Okorowo to help us take
back our business, a lot of
activities began to happen.
38VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
Kenneth Imasuagbon, the Rice Man in action
Edo 2016: Imasuagbons

imaginations
By Emmanuel Aziken,
Political Editor
O some, he is Nigerias
version of Donald Trump, a
rich man using his wealth to
achieve political ends. To others,
he is a Mother Theresa,
identifying with the poor through
his periodic gesture of rice to the
downtrodden.
Whatever depiction, lawyer,
educationist, philanthropist
turned politician, Kenneth
Imansuagbon is unbending in
his political pursuit and trouble
to the political establishment in
Edo State.
As Mr. Trump has come to
upset the establishment in
Americas Republican Party, Mr.
Imasuagbon has become a sort
of trouble to the political
establishment in his native Edo
State with his unwavering
pursuit for the governorship
contest.
Governorship
ticket
The contests of 2007 and 2012,
somewhat left an unsavoury taste
in the mouth of many enthusiasts
of Imansuagbon after what they
alleged as conspiracies against
him.
Imasuagbon was one of the first
promoters of the defunct Action
Congress of Nigeria, ACN in
Edo State. However, in the quest
to grab the state from the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, the party
leadership in Abuja and Edo
State reportedly sidelined him
and offered the governorship
ticket to the former unionist
turned politician, Adams
Oshiomhole.
Peeved,
Imansuagbon moved over to the
PDP and contributed his success
to the defeat of the ACN in the
2007 election. That result was,

however, upturned. In 2012 still
in pursuit of his goal,
Imansuagbon by now popularly
hailed on the streets as the Rice
Man on account of the periodic
handout of uncooked rice to the
people was a major contender for
the governorship ticket of the PDP.
The primaries ended on a note
of controversy leaving almost
everyone else but the winner, the
former army general, Charles
Airhiavbere, dissatisfied.
Hours after the primaries,
Oshiomhole who was seeking reelection on the ticket of the ACN
was reported to have visited
Imasuagbon who came second
to woo him and cause him to
rebel against the PDP leaders
who supposedly fixed the
primary contest. Imasuagbon,
however, bided his time and did
not defect to the APC until two
years ago.
In his third outing, he is about
the most experienced on the field
having sought the governorship
ticket two previous times.
Since his first and second
outings, he has added another
moniker to himself. Besides
being hailed as the Rice Man,
some students especially those
from the University of Benin also
call him as the i-pad Man, upon
his gestures of the Apple device
to students.
Ordinarily, Imasuagbon is
entering into the contest with a
major disadvantage that he is
bereft of a godfather unlike some
of his fellow contestants some
who have the advantage of
receiving the support of the
incumbent or of party leaders in
Abuja.
Another seeming challenge for
Imasuagbon is that he is from Edo
Ogbemudias EMM weighs

options
Besides being
hailed as the Rice
Man, some
students especially
those from the
University of
Benin also call him
as the i-pad Man,
upon his gestures
of the Apple device
to students
has been spending his time and
his resources to pay attention
to this kind of people, and I
believe that this is the main
philosophy of government and
stands to represent a modern
administration that cares for those
who are deprived by the

dynamics of a competitive and
neo-capitalist society.
Osifo also throws up the fact
that electing Imasuagbon would
also help to achieve political
balance in the state.
I believe that we in Edo State
must not ignore the importance
of political balancing in our
society, and that is reflected by
the principle of zoning. By
zoning if it is the issue some are
canvassing, I think Ken
Imasuagbon is the only one that
is qualified to have the
governorship because of zoning
because Edo North has had eight
years, Edo South has had eight
years; it is now the turn of Edo
Central Senatorial District.
Political
player
Another political player from
the Bini speaking Edo South,
Orobosa Omo-Ojo who held
three cabinet positions in the
Oshiomhole cabinet gives
reasons why the momentum in
his perspective is with
Imasuagbon.
First and foremost, Edo people
are supporting Kenneth
Imasuagbon because he is the
man that can win the election.
Lets not forget that after the
primaries there will be the
general election and it will be
eight weeks for us to campaign
and we dont have time for
people like Obaseki who are
strangers politically to start
learning the ropes and
Oshiomhole is not as popular as
he used to be for him to take
somebodys hand and climb the
soap box and introduce him.
So we need somebody who
has political followership of his
own and Ken has been around
since the inception of APC. And
his philanthropic gestures are
such that if he stands by the
roadside now Okada riders,
market women, bread sellers will
would be very interesting to
students in Edo State.
PDP leadership crisis affecting

governorship guidelines
By Gabriel Enogholase
By Chinwe Emeluwa
HE quest by the Dr. Sam

Ogbemudia led Edo
Mass Movement, EMM to
influence the outcome of the
September 10 governorship
election could take a decisive
step next Wednesday when the
leadership of the body takes its
position.
Ogbemudia, however, told
Vanguard that the choice of the
EMM could come after the
parties hold their respective
primaries and the organisation
then decides to project any one
of the nominees. He, however,
affirmed that the choice of the
EMM would be based on
Central, the smallest of the

three senatorial districts in the
state. The assumption is that
the next governor should come
from Edo South, the largest of
the three senatorial districts.
Associates of Imasuagbon,
however, do not see any
disadvantage in his place of birth.
Even more remarkable is the fact
that some of his most vociferous
supporters come from Edo South
among whom is Dr. Isaiah Osifo,
who served as chief of staff in the
Oserheinmen
Osunbor
administration.
In throwing his support for
Imasuagbon, Osifo told
Vanguard:
Governments all over the
world is about catering for the
vulnerable. The essence of
government is to care for those
who are not able to care for
themselves. The man has that
vision to care for the weak, to care
for the vulnerable in the society,
orphanage children, the poor and
the low class in the society. He
Ogbemudia: To show his

hand soon
criteria. Asked of the criteria,
the two time former governor,
however, demurred, saying it
would remain the preserved
property of the EMM.
ENIN
THIS is not
the best time for the
PDP in the state as
stakeholders are in
quagmire over the
conduct of the
governorship
p r i m a r i e s
apparently due to
the crisis at the
national level.
Although the
party may have
fixed the 15th of
June, 2016 for its Anenih
governorship primaries, there
has been no guideline on how
the contest will be fought.
That is quite unlike the APC
which has issued the

guidelines and commenced the
sale of nomination forms to
VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 201639
40 VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
By Wahab Abdulah &

Ikechukwu Nnochiri
NDOUBTEDLY,
PresidentMuhammadu
Buharis 365 days in office has
been an eventful one for the
judiciary. For most trial Judges,
it was quite a very busy and tiring
period.
The reinvigorated Economic
and
Financial
Crimes
Commission, EFCC, initiated
proceedings against some highprofile politically exposed
persons, while the Chief Justice
of Nigeria, CJN, Justice
Mahmud Mohammed, ordered
day-to-day trial of such corruption
cases.
The CJN further barred Judges
from granting applications aimed
at staying proceedings on
criminal matters. He said the
measure became necessary in
view of mounting criticisms
against the Judiciary.
It was President Buhari himself
that fired the first salvo against
the Judiciary which he accused
of aiding those that looted the
national treasury.
Speaking at the opening of the
55th Annual General Conference
of the Nigerian Bar Association,
NBA, on August 21, 2015, Buhari
frontally attacked the judiciary,
saying corrupt lawyers were
sabotaging his efforts to rid the
country of corruption.
Leadership of
the judiciary
He urged the leadership of the
judiciary to support his
administrations war against
corruption and help the country
return to the path of rectitude by
making Nigerian courts
functional and effective.
He said: Corruption and
impunity become widespread
when disrespect for law is allowed
to thrive in society. Disrespect for
law also thrives when people get
away with all sorts of shady deals
and the court system is somehow
unable to check them.
Ability to manipulate and
frustrate the legal system is the
crowning glory of the corrupt and,
EDITORIAL
Innocent Anaba
( Head)
Wahab Abdulah
Ikechukwu Nnochiri
Dayo Benson
(Supervising Editor)
08056180119
dayobenson@yahoo.com
President Muhammadu Buhari
Mahmud Mohammed, CJN
Judiciary under Buhari:

So far, so busy
as may be expected, this has left
many legal practitioners and law
courts tainted in an ugly way.
In a gathering such as this, I
do not need to elaborate on the
way that corruption and impunity
have damaged our economy. But
I would like to say more on what,
I believe, should be your role as
legal practitioners, in helping us
back to the path of rectitude.
First, we need to make our
courts functional and effective
again. This means that we must
have lawyers who take the ethics
of the profession very seriously;
lawyers who will not frustrate the
course of justice, even though they
defend their clients with all
legitimate means and resources.
Nigeria needs ethical lawyers
who always keep the end of justice
in mind and will never sacrifice
the integrity of the legal system
to cover the misdeeds of their
clients, no matter how lucrative
the brief may be.
As if that did not sink in,
President Buhari took another
swipe at the judiciary while
flagging-off the 2015 All Nigeria
Judges Conference at the
National Judicial Institute in
Abuja.
Buhari, who was represented at
the event by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, lamented that
allegations of judicial corruption
have become more strident and
frequent.
According to him, There is
both local and international
dissatisfaction with the long
delays in the trial process. In the
past few years, this has become
especially so for high-profile
cases of corruption, especially
where they involve serving or
former political office holders.

Besides, in one of his foreign
trips, President Buhari told the
world that the judiciary was his
major headache.
Meanwhile, the recurring
umbrage against the Judiciary by
the Executive did not go down
well with key stakeholders in the
justice sector, including the CJN
himself and the Nigerian Bar
Experience within
the Judiciary shows
that there is abject
lack of political-will
to prosecute some
of those cases
pending before our
various courts
almost a decade in
some instances
Association, NBA.
At a meeting with the Attorney
General of the Federation,
Abubakar Malami, SAN, the CJN
noted that it was unfair for Buhari
to constantly attack the judiciary
when in actual fact the Executive
arm of government seemed to
lack the political will to prosecute
high-profile criminal cases.
The CJN maintained that the

lacklustre attitude of government
towards the prosecution of such
criminal cases, especially those
involving politically exposed
persons or political party family
members, was a major factor that
stalled trial of so many corruption
cases.
Abject lack of
political-will
According to the CJN,
Experience within the Judiciary
shows that there is abject lack of
political-will to prosecute some of
those cases pending before our
various courts almost a decade in
some instances. It is not because
there are no special courts, but
mostly for reasons of political
expedience and other ancillary
considerations.
There is the need for seasoned
prosecutors to prepare and file
charges before courts of
competent jurisdiction so that
criminal matters are timeously
determined.
Quality
of
prosecutions must be improved
upon, the quality of prosecutions
presented in courts by our
prosecutorial agencies must be
improved upon, as they are
sometimes of a standard that will
never found a conviction in any
court anywhere, yet, a well
prepared prosecution can see to
the determination of criminal
matter within a month.
Of course, no competent
prosecutor who has filed valid
charges would permit an accused
to mount an interlocutory appeal,
to the extent of going forth and
back, sometimes twice or more to
the Supreme Court, since such
lapses could be injurious to the

dispensation of justice.
Apparently embarrassed by
Buharis criticisms, the CJN
vowed that the National Judicial
Council, NJC, would descend
heavily on any trial judge found
to have stayed proceeding on any
criminal matter before his court.
He stressed that the essence of
the newly enacted Administration
of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA,
2015, was to forestall situations
where accused persons use
frivolous
interlocutory
applications to frustrate their trial.
My lords, as you all are well
aware, the Judiciary has had to
endure intense, largely
unjustified and grossly
uninformed criticisms regarding
delay in the administration of
justice. However, I am proud that
the Judiciary was well ahead of
the curve when the 2013 Practice
Directions on Serious Crimes were
adopted as the Directions were
aimed at reducing criminal trial
delays.
Nonetheless, the new Act
strengthens our resolve as it
provides that applications for stay
of proceedings shall no longer be
heard in respect of a criminal
matter before the court. This
unprecedented provision puts a
stop to the delays occasioned by
interlocutory applications to stay
proceedings pending appeal on
preliminary matters when the
substantive issues are yet to be
tried on the merits.
Upon arraignment, the trial of
the defendant shall proceed from
day-to-day until the conclusion of
the trial, while each party is
entitled to only five adjournments
not exceeding two weeks each.
Where the trial is still not
concluded, the interval for
adjournments will be reduced to
seven days each.
Economic
crimes
As such, the Act provides a
chance for all Judges to ensure
speedy dispensation of justice
and I expect that the provisions
will be fully utilized.
I must similarly urge your
lordships to treat cases related to
economic crimes and corruption
with the necessary urgency that
the previously mentioned 2013
Practice Directions mandate us to
apply, the CJN charged Judges.
Meantime, among the highprofile cases that have so far
enjoyed fast-tracked proceeding
in-line with the directive of the
CJN included the case against the
Senate President, Dr. Bukola
Saraki who is facing an amended
16-count criminal charge before
the Code of Conduct Tribunal,
CCT.
Charge against Saraki borders
on false/anticipatory declaration
Continues on Page 41
VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
By Ebun OluAdegboruwa
N May 29, 2016,

President Muhammadu
Buhari marked his one year
anniversary, as civilian President
of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. It was an anniversary of
unfulfilled
expectations,
especially in relation to the
manifold promises made by the
President, during his campaigns
for the votes of Nigerians, in 2015.
The anniversary speech was
the same rendition of promises
and states of intention, without
any concrete action plan. As some
have called it, it was a pure
disappointment. While I may not
entirely agree with such school
of thought, it has however become
important to situate the
performance of the President in
the past one year, within the
context of the rule of law.
A better way to answer the
question of whether this
administration is following the
rule of law is to begin by
examining what law itself is. Law
is a collection of rules, guidelines
and directives adopted to regulate
human conduct. We adopted law
in order to abolish anarchy,
confusion and chaos, as properly
captured by Thomas Hobbes. With
law therefore it becomes easy to
predict human conduct and not
to be governed whimsically,
arbitrarily, capriciously or
according to the dictates of
whosoever is in authority for the
time being.
The rule of law then is a situation
whereby the totality of law is
embraced as the common choice,
a system by which law is upheld
and respected. The rule of law is
the method of law, its
documentation, implementation
Buhari and the law:

One year, so far, so?
and preservation.
Democracy on its own is a
system of choice through which a
people elect their representatives,
freely determine their system of
governance, how to sustain such
government when it delivers on
contract and to replace same when
it fails. Thus, Thomas Jefferson
concluded that democracy is a
government of the people for the
people and by the people, the
main characteristic being to
uphold the will of the people.
Having examined all the above,
one can then proceed to x-ray the
impact of the rule of law on
democracy. No doubt, democracy
thrives on the rule of law. The
method by which people choose
their leaders are already coded in
a statute, in most cases named
The Electoral Law. Then there
is a body of laws establishing and
defining various organs of
government, their functions and
their relationship one to the other,
in most cases called The
Constitution. Following this
closely are other mini regulations
adopted to govern generally
human conduct in specific areas,
in most cases called Statutes.
Standing on its own, the rule of
law connotes three situations; (1)
equality before the law, (2) a
sound and transparent method of
interpreting and enforcing law
and (3) respect for law and the
due process. The rule of law
presupposes that the law is no
respecter of any person and so
Judiciary under Buhari:

So far, so busy
Continues from Page 40
of assets, his alleged operation of
foreign account while in office as
governor of Kwara State between
2003 to 2011, as well as allegation
that he continued to receive
governorship salary; four years
after his tenure had elapsed.
Seven-count
charge
Other high-profile trials
currently before the judiciary are
the cases involving the former
Chief of Defence Staff, Air
Marshal Alex Badeh who is
answering a 10-count charge
involving alleged N3.9billion
fraud, Spokesman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Chief
Olisa Metuh who is facing sevencount charge over alleged
N400million fraud.
Similarly, the former National
Security Adviser, NSA, Col.
Sambo Dasuki who is facing 47count charges before three
different courts and the former
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal
Mohammed Dikko Umar who is
facing seven-count charge before
the Federal High Court in Abuja

over alleged N4.8bn fraud.
There is also alleged corrupt
case of the former director general
of the Nigerian Maritime Agency
and Safety Administration,
NIMASA,
Mr.
Patrick
Akpobolokemi.
Likewise, some former
governors are currently facing
criminal charges before different
courts. Some of the erstwhile
governors on trial include former
Benue governor, Gabriel Suswam,
Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Sule
Lamido (Jigawa), Attahiru
Bafarawa (Sokoto), Murtala
Nyako (Adamawa), and Ikedi
Ohakim (Imo).
More so, among high-profile
cases the judiciary was saddled
with by the Buhari administration
in its first 365 days in office
included the trial of the detained
leader of the Indigenous People
of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu on
treason charges.
As we enter the second year of
Buharis administration, there are
pointers to the fact that it will even
be a busier period for the
judiciary.
everyone is equal before the law.

In this regard, it is expected that
the same standard will be
prescribed for A and B in all cases
with the same set of facts.
Equality before the law means
that law does not respect status,
race, position, wealth, sex, etc but
The rule of law

presupposes that
the law is no
respecter of any
person and so
everyone is equal
before the law
rather it prescribes the same

conditions for all manner of
persons irrespective of their
personality or rank.
Even when citizens are equal
before the law, the rule of law
prescribes an additional scenario
in which cases of breach of law
are dealt with transparently,
speedily and efficiently. Thus,
there must be an independent
judicial system by which law is
interpreted and enforced. In this
regard, law becomes useless if its
breach cannot be sanctioned. Put
differently, what is law if it cannot
be enforced?
Additional
scenario
Assuming now that all citizens
are equal before the law, the
judiciary is independent and
active, the rule of law requires
that the process created for
determining the issue of equality
before the law and for interpreting
and enforcing law are strictly
followed. For instance, no one can
be allowed to claim that since the
Constitution guarantees freedom
of movement then criminals
should not be arrested or that
suspected criminals should be
arrested and executed on the spot
without trial. The rule of law
therefore requires due process
and that all things pertaining to
law must be pursued
systematically and methodically.
Thus, even when one perceives
a right, it must be pursued
rightfully, following and adopting
the prescribed processes and
procedures for the ventilation of
grievances.
Once the rule of law is
disregarded or discarded, then
democracy is in danger because
the latter survives on the former.
In this regard, respect for the rule
of law is crucial to the sustenance
of democracy.
It is proper now to examine the
ways in which this administration
has fared. The general feeling in
Nigeria presently is that might is

right and that you are guilty as
alleged until you are able to prove
your innocence. In other words,
the Constitution has been turned
upside down, because of an
alleged war against corruption.
Without any doubt whatsoever,
the
president
deserves
commendation for his boldness in
confronting the forces that have
held us down as a nation, and no
word can be spared to laud his
efforts in this regard. The point
being made however is that as it
is under the law that a citizen can
ever be accused, arrested,
detained or arraigned for an
alleged offence, the same law
should be followed if it gives room
for the release of such an accused
person.
In the past one year, what we
have witnessed under the Buhari
administration cannot be short of
abuse of the rule of law. Examples
abound in the summary execution
of the Shiites in Kaduna, illegal
demolition of their houses,
41
crackdown on
peaceful protesters
in the virtually all
states of the
South East,
leading to the
death of so
many citizens,
wilful disobedience to
orders of the court, especially in
the forceful implementation of the
electricity tariff increase, various
court orders for the release of
suspects in custody, abridgement
of citizens rights, deliberate
suppression of all voices of dissent
and opposition, intimidation of
judges and lawyers and so on.
Good enough, my friend Emeka
Umeagbalasi, of the International
Society for Civil Liberties and the
Rule of Law, has compiled 127
breaches of the Buhari
administration.
Disobedience to orders of court
is condemned mainly because of
its unsavoury implications for the
polity. The rule of law thrives
mainly on precedents such that
once it is possible to cite instances
where even the government itself
is guilty of disobedience to order
of court, then it becomes a licence
for citizens to brazenly tow the line
of disrespect, which indeed is
dangerous.
In most cases, it is the executive
arm of government that is found
wanting in the area of obedience
to orders of court. Because of its
involvement in the formulation
and implementation of policies, it
is the executive arm that is directly
dealing with the general populace
of the people such that it is mostly
the actions of the executive that
comes up for interpretation in the
court of law.
between the old and the new
order. It is therefore rare to hear
of a regime sacking all judges,
magistrates, khadis, alkalis and
other judicial officers. So if the
judiciary is so important to the
sustenance of democracy and
indeed the stability of the nation,
we all have a stake to ensure that
such a vital institution is not
compromised or rubbished by
transient functionaries of
government such as the executive
and the legislature.
Set code of ethics for retired

judges, Lawyer urges CJN
ORMER chairman
Nigeria Bar Association
Ikeja branch, Mr Dave
Ajetumobi, has called on the
Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN,
Justice
Mahmoud
Mohammed, to enact a code of
conduct to regulate what
retired judges can consult on
and to which level, even as he
denied casting aspersion on
the judiciary.
According to him in a
statement, he explained that
there is a need for stakeholders
to interface with the authorities
of the highest court of the land,
in particular, the Hon. Chief
Justice of Nigeria, who has
done much to restore public
confidence in the justice sector,

to enact a code of conduct to
regulate what retired judges can
consult on and to which level.
Ajetumobi who was the
branch chairman between 2008
and 2010, when there was a
face off between the judiciary
and the executive in the state,
resulting in strike by the
magistrates in Lagos, led a
peace initiative that eventually
culminated in stakeholders
meetings which later resolved
the impasse.
He added that I owe the
judiciary and the legal
profession in high esteem and
would not do anything to
denigrate them.
44 VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016
North Korean media back Trump

AS Republican nominee visits UK June 24
ORTH Korean state

media have hailed
US Republican presidential
nominee Donald Trump as a
"wise politician" who could be
good for the North.
The editorial in DPRK Today said he was a "far-sighted presidential candidate".
Mr Trump recently said he
would be willing to meet
North Korean leader Kim
Jong-un, and has also proposed withdrawing US
troops from South Korea.
It is not considered authoritative on the views of Pyongyang, and the author of
the article is previously unknown.
Another editorial in the official Rodong Sinmun on

Wednesday referred to Mr
Trump as "vulgar".
Thewriter,HanYong-mook
- described as a Chinese
North Korean scholar - said
Mr Trump's policy on US
troops would make the
North's "Yankee Go Home"
vision come true.
"The day when the slogan
becomes real would be the
day of Korean Unification,"
said the editorial, first reported by website NK News.
It suggested Mr Trump's
statement that he did not
want to get involved in any
conflict between North and
South Korea was "fortunate
from North Koreans' perspective".

The writer also said US voters should reject Democratic
candidate Hillary Clinton,
calling her "dull"
"The president that US citizens must vote for is not that
dull Hillary, but Trump, who
spoke of holding direct conversation with North Korea,"
said Mr Han.
Meanwhile, Trump said
yesterday that he would visit
Britain for the opening of his
ScottishgolfresortonJune24,
his first trip to the UK since a
spat with Prime Minister
David Cameron over
comments he made about
Muslims.
VIP tunnel excursion (clockwise from left): Italian Prime Minister Matteo
Renzi,
Swiss
Federal
President
Johann
Schneider-Ammann,
German
Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande at the
commissioning of the worlds longest rail tunnel yesterday in Switzerland
BATTLE FOR FALLUJAH: 20,000 children

trapped in ISIS-held city
HE U.N. childrens
fund on Wednesday
issued a stark warning to
Iraqi troops and Islamic State
militants in the battle for
Fallujah to spare the
children, the most vulnerable
among tens of thousands of
civilians trapped in the city
west of Baghdad.
Iraqi forces backed by U.S.led airstrikes and mainly
Shiite militias launched an
operation more than a week
ago to recapture Fallujah,
which has been held by the
extremistgroupformorethan
two years.
More than 50,000 people
are believed to be trapped
inside the Sunni majority city,
about65kilometers(40miles)
west
of
Baghdad.
Government forces have
imposed a tight blockade on
the city and IS militants are

reportedly preventing
residents from leaving.
UNICEF estimated the
number of the children
trapped with their families
inside the city at about 20,000,

warning that they face a dire
humanitarian situation, in
addition to the risk of forced
recruitment by IS.
EU puts brake on visa liberalisation

amid immigration fears
UROPEAN Union
states held off agreeing
to ease travel rules for Georgia
on Wednesday, and Turkey,
Ukraine and Kosovo should
also expect more delays in visa
waiving as the bloc turns more
cautious amid immigration
fears, EU delegation sources
said.
The EU is already making
it easier to suspend visa-free
travel before it grants a right
to more states, most notably
Turkey, whose help it needs
to control immigration after
some 1.3 million people
reached Europe last year.

While Brussels says Turkey,
with a population of 79
million,ismakingprogresson
72 criteria to win the EU visa
waiver, Ankara is seen
missing an end-June
deadline.
EU envoys in Brussels
discussed a similar deal for
GeorgiaagainonWednesday
but there was no decision,
with Germany and France
among countries opposed,
diplomats said.
We dont want to stop the
whole process. We just want
to be more cautious, said a
diplomat.
Worlds longest, deepest rail tunnel opens in

the route by a million lorries a worldandpushedthe50.5km
Switzerland
year will go by train instead. Channel Tunnel linking the

HE worlds longest and
The tunnel has overtaken UK and France into third
deepest rail tunnel has Japans 53.9km Seikan rail place.
officially opened in tunnel as the longest in the
Switzerland, after almost two
decades of construction work. Mexican teachers have heads forcibly
The 57km (35-mile) twin- shaved for not striking
boreGotthardbasetunnelwill
DISSIDENT faction of Comitan on Tuesday. They
provide a high-speed rail link
Mexicos
teachersunion weremarchedbarefootthrough
undertheSwissAlpsbetween
is
under
fire
for publicly town with signs hanging
northern and southern
humiliating
teachers
and aroundtheirneckssayingthey
Europe.
administrators
who
defied
its weretraitorstothecountry.
Switzerland says it will
The hair was forcibly cut off
strike.
revolutionise European
several of them as a crowd
Several
school
workers
were
freight transport.
watched.
Goods currently carried on seized in the southern town of
ISIL losing in Iraq, Syria; gaining in Libya
HE Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant
group is losing ground in
Iraq and Syria, but Libya may
be the groups next key
battleground, according to a
UN report obtained by Al
Jazeera.
The report on the threat of
ISIL, also known as ISIS,
which has not been publicly
released yet, says the global

threat emanating from the
armed group remains high
and continues to diversify.
In the aftermath of the Paris
attacks last year, the UN
Security Council asked for
regular reports on ISIL from
Ban Ki-moon, the UN
Secretary-General.
According to the findings,
French ship picks up EgyptAir

black box signals
GYPTIAN
and
French investigators
have said a French ship
picked up signals from deep
in the Mediterranean Sea,
presumed to be from the flight
recorders of the EgyptAir
planethatcrashedlastmonth.
Search teams are working
against the clock to recover
the two flight recorders that
will offer vital clues to the fate
of the plane that crashed en
route from Paris to Cairo on
May 19, killing all 66 people
on board.
Egypts Civil Aviation
Ministry on Wednesday cited
a statement from the
committee investigating the
crash as saying the vessel

Laplace was the one that
received the signals.
there have been military

setbacks for ISIL in Syria and
Iraq, two countries where it
has seized territory.
Oil revenues the group
earns in these countries have
significantly decreased as a
result of the air strikes by the
US-led coalition.
Ban says in the report that
ISIL continues to earn money
through taxation in the areas
it controls and extortion of
civilians in the two countries.
The report also suggests
that ISIL is looking for
potential alternative regions
and one of those places is
Libya.
Drowned migrant baby was probably

Somali Italian Police
DEAD baby plucked

out of the sea whose
picture sparked international
outrage this week was
probably a six-month-old
Somaliboywhosemotheralso
most likely died in the
shipwreck, Italian police said
on Wednesday.
Like the photograph of the
three-year-old Syrian boy
Aylan lying lifeless on a
Turkish beach last year, the
image put a human face on
the more than 9,000 people
who have died in the

Mediterranean since the start
of 2014.
The baby was pulled from
the sea last Friday by a
German rescuer working for
humanitarian organisation
Sea-Watch after a wooden
boat carrying more than 400
migrants capsized and sank
some 58 km (36 miles) off the
Libyan coast.
Sea-Watch immediately
handed the boys body over
to the crew of the Vega, an
Italian navy ship.
Garissa University attack plotter Mohamed Kuno dead
HE leader of the
attack on Garissa
University in Kenya has been
killed, officials in Somalia say.
Kenyas government said
Mohamed Kuno was behind
the attack in April 2015 that
killed 148 people.
Regional forces in Somalia
said he was one of 16 people
killed in an overnight raid on
their convoy in Kismayo, a
port city in southern Somalia.
Four of those who died
were reportedly senior
members of the al-Shabab
Islamist militant group.
The BBCs Africa security
correspondent,TomiOladipo,
said the news comes as a
huge boost for Somalia and

its allies in the fight against
al-Shabab.
However, at least 10 people
were
killed
on
Wednesday by a car bomb
outside a hotel in Somalias
capital Mogadishu, that was
claimed by al-Shabab.
The news of Kunos death
was confirmed in a press
conference held by
Abdirashid Janan, the
securityministerintheSomali
region of Jubaland.
Kenyan govt urges end to

protests, opposition defiant
commission, but opposition

leaders said protests would
continue if their demands for
dialogue were not met.
To help ease tensions,
Kenyatta on Tuesday met his
political rival, the leader of the
Coalition for Reforms and
DemocracyRailaOdinga,but
the rare meeting between the
two appeared to have little
impact.
Police in Nairobi fired tear
gas at people leaving a rally
of the Coalition that was fully
authorised and had passed
without incident, a Reuters
reporter at the scene said.
The opposition wants
Kenyas Independent
Electoral and Boundaries
Commission scrapped,
accusing it of bias. The
commissions electronic
identification
system
collapsed during the 2013
presidential election that
brought Kenyatta to power.
The opposition cried foul
but a court declared the result
valid and Odinga, who was
also running for president,
accepted the ruling.
In a speech at a separate
event, Kenyatta said the
Kuno, leader of the attack on Garissa opposition should use legal
University in Kenya, was one of 16 people killed channels to seek changes to
in an overnight raid on their convoy in Kismayo, institutions, rather than
Somalia.
demonstrations.
ENYAS President
Uhuru Kenyatta and
his deputy on Wednesday
urged the opposition to end
weeks of demonstrations
against the electoral
Rio 2016: NOC inaugurates Team Naija

media project
BY JUDE OPARA,
ABUJA
ITH barely two

months to the
beginning of the Rio 2016
Olympics, the Nigeria
Olympic Committee (NOC)
has launched the Media
Project of the Team Nigeria.
President of the NOC,
Engr. Habu Gumel who
carried out the inauguration

in Abuja yesterday said the
idea was to bring the
Olympic experience to every
Nigerian home which he
added was to foster peace
around the world.
Meanwhile, the NOC
equally used the opportunity
to announce that the
Olympic Day Celebration for
the year has been scheduled
Luxembourg win has revived

hope in Super Eagle - Glo
MAJOR sponsor of
the
countrys
nationalteams,Globacomhas
said that the Super Eagles
win over Luxembourg on
Tuesday was a good
stimulant that will energise
team as they prepare for the
qualifying matches of the
2018 World Cup in Russia.
Super Eagles defeated the
Red Lions 3-1 on their home
turf, the Stade Josy Barthel,
in Luxembourg City.
Globacom in a statement
released in Lagos tasked the
Enyimba slip as Wikki

go top
HAMPIONS
E n y i m b a
Wednesdayslippedintheirtitle
push in the Nigeria league
after they lost 3-1 at Wikki
Tourists,whohavenowshotto
top place in the standings.
ThehomewinmeantWikki
toppledRiversUnitedtothetop
on 31 points, while Enyimba
slipped to third place on 30
points with a game at hand.
EnyimbafellbehindatWikki
after 18 minutes when
Abubakar Lawal headed past
goalkeeper Theophilus
Afelokhaioffafreekick.
Super Eagles to build on

their current form after
winningtheirsecondstraight
game in international
friendlies played in Europe
in less than one week.
Both
international
friendliesaretune-upsaimed
at preparing the three-time
African champions for the
2018 World Cup qualifiers
which will begin in October.
The statement from
Globacom commended the
team for reviving the faith of
Nigerians in the Super
Eagles. Now, we have
further assurance that the
Super Eagles, our precious
national team, can fly
again... the statement said.
According to Globacom,
the
team
showed
resourcefulness, taking their
chances and making use of
theopportunityofthefriendly
to test their skills and
technical capacity. The firm
also congratulated the
interim handler of the team,
Salisu Yusuf, for a job well
done, and encouraged the
team to learn from the
friendly match and correct its
weakness.
to take place on July 2nd

across the country.
The NOC boss explained
that the event which was
earlier scheduled to hold on
June 25 was postponed
because of the monthly
national environmental
sanitation exercise which
coincided with the date.
Gumel explained that the
Olympic Day Celebration is
the day sports is used to
bring together millions of
people from across the world
adding that over the past two
decades, the event has
helped in spreading the
Olympic ideals to every part
of the world.
Gumel NOC boss
Injury knocks Oduduwa out of Rio Olympics
IGERIA
U23
defender Segun
Oduduwa has been
effectively ruled out of the
Oduduwa
2016 Rio Olympics as he will

be sidelined for at least eight
months after he dislocated
his knee in training with the
national team last week.

Sports ministrys medical
director Abdulkadir Muazu
said Oduduwa will be out for
a minimum of eight months
after he and several top
officials visited the player at
his hotel room in Abuja
Wednesday.
Muazu was the ministrys
delegation led by permanent
secretary Christian Oha who
visited the injured player to
assure him that the federal
government will ensure he
receivesthebesttreatmentas
he suffered the injury while
on national service.
Oduduwa from Nath
Boys FC of Lagos has been
an integral part of the Dream
Team VI as they won the U23
AFCON in Senegal in
December and also finished
third at last years All Africa
GamesinCongoBrazzaville.
The highly-rated central
defender was dropped from
this weeks trip to an
invitational tournament in
South Korea on account of
the injury.
Messi valued as worlds most expensive

player at 163m
B
ARCELONA
superstar Lionel
Messi is valued as the
worlds most expensive
player at 163m, pipping
club team-mate Neymar
to top spot.
Cristiano Ronaldo is
third, in the list provided
by CIES Football
Observatory, while
Antoine Griezmann and
Tottenham striker Harry
Kane make up the top
five.
The values of the
players are based on

several
different
variables including age,
length of current contract
and potential suitors.
All 100 players in the
list are employed by
clubs in Europes top five
leagues - Premier
League, La Liga, Serie
A, Bundesliga and Ligue
1.
Kanes inclusion in the
top five comes after a
hugely
successful
season at White Hart
Weve to keep winning Iheanacho
UPER Eagles man of the match against

Luxembourg Kelechi Iheanacho has
charged the team to keep winning after they won
again 3-1 at Luxembourg City on Tuesday in a
friendly.
The Manchester City starlet scored his second goal
in as many games as Nigeria maintained a perfect
record.
Great team performance today (Tuesday) lets
keep winning, he tweeted.
The FK Haugesund captain Ekong equally
appreciated the team work.
Great win tonight (Tuesday) against Luxembourg.
Happy with another start and another good team
performance, he tweeted.
Lane.
The 22-year-old, who
has attracted interest
from Manchester United,
is valued at 87m in
CIES
Football
Observatory s latest
findings.
Kane played a major
role
in
helping
Tottenham compete for
the title by scoring 25
goals to win the Premier
League Golden Boot.
Neymar
NFF
Continues from BP
ambitious group that
we can be proud of,
said Green.
With the exception of
two or three people, this
is the Super Eagles
team going forward. I
am happy at the output
of the squad in these
two matches.
Green also expressed
delight with the Super
Eagles coaches led by
Salisu Yusuf, with his
introduction of Kelechi
Iheanacho (against
Mali) and Odion Ighalo
(against Luxembourg)
paying off big time.

I am also happy
about the technical crew.
The changes they made
in both matches turned
both games around.
The NFF will ensure
that the coaches get
good exposure and
necessary education to
become even better
managers,
Green
concluded.
Green watched the
match alongside NFF
Executive Committee
members Ahmed Yusuf
Fresh and Sharif Rabiu
Inuwa.
Serena
Continues from BP
get on court for the past
two days for her fourthround clash against
Elina
Svitolina,
conditions were finally
dry
enough
on
Wednesday to allow play
to start on time.
And
defending
champion Williams
needed just 62 minutes
to beat 18th seed
Svitolina 6-1 6-1.
Conserving energy
could well be the key to
winning this title, with
whoever reaches the

final from the top half of
the womens draw
having to play four
matches in four days.
The sky was resolutely
grey and the court damp
and heavy, not conditions
Williams favours, but she
was in total control from
the start.
Svitolina is being
coached part-time by
four-time French Open
champion Justine Henin,
who twice beat Williams
at Roland Garros.
Benzema
Continues from BP
He has to know that in
France the extremist party
reached the second round
in the last two elections.
I do not know,
therefore, whether it is a
decision only for Didier
because Ive gotten along
with him, with the
president, everyone.
I would have liked to
play for my country, but
unfortunately thats
impossible.
Missing the 2010 World
Cup in South Africa was a

setback but the European
Championship at home is
even harder.
This is one of the
biggest disappointments I
have had, without a
doubt.
Manchester United and
French legend Cantona
last week said Deschamps
had left out Benzema and
Hatem Ben Arfa who
has Tunisian roots
because of their North
African heritage.
Messi valued as
worlds most
expensive player
Page 47
Benzema accuses Deschamps

of bowing to racists
ARIM Benzema has accused Didier

Deschamps of bowing to racist pressure by not
picking him in Frances Euro 2016 squad.
The Real Madrid ace has echoed Eric Cantona by
questioning whether his Algerian heritage counted
against him when Frances head coach picked the 23
names for the European Championships in his home
country. Benzema told Marca: He has bowed to the
pressure of a racist part of France.
Messi
TOP 20 PLAYERS
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 163m
2. Neymar (Barcelona) - 155m
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 106m
4. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) - 93m
5. Harry Kane (Tottenham) - 87m
6. Anthony Martial (Man United) - 86m
7. Luis Suarez (Barcelona) - 81m
8. Paulo Dybala (Juventus) - 80m
9. Sergio Aguero (Man City) - 75m
10. Paul Pogba (Juventus) - 70m
11. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) - 62m
12. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - 60m
13. Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - 58m
14. Dele Alli (Tottenham) - 58m
15. Thomas Muller (Bayern) - 57m
16. Raheem Sterling (Man City) - 56m
17. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern) - 52m
18. Alvaro Morata (Juventus) - 50m
19. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) - 48m
20. Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli) - 47m
NFF upgrades Luxembourg

Eagles for 2018 W/Cup
Benzema
HAIRMAN of the
C
NFF Technical and
Serena
D e v e l o p m e n t
Barrister
roars past Committee,
Chris Green has hinted
that at least ninety
Elina
percent of the Super
Skipper Mikel Obi and

his deputy Ahmed Musa
were excused for both
friendlies to enable them
feature in the Joseph
Yobo testimonial, and it is
a foregone conclusion
that they will be recalled
to the team barring injury
or serious dip in form.
I can say that now, we
have a young and
Serena Williams made

up for lost time by racing
into the quarter-finals of
the French Open.
Having been unable to
Eagles players that

prosecuted the two
friendlies against Mali
and Luxembourg will be
called up to the national
team for the 2018 World
Cup qualifiers.
Iheanacho
Iwobi
Ighalo
QUICK CROSSWORD
T OD
AY'S PUZZLE
ODA
YESTER
DAY'S
YESTERDAY'S
ANSWERS
ACROSS
1 Vestige (5)
5 Undress (6)
8 Command (5)
10 Obtain (6)
11 Start (4)
14 Corsair (6)
15 Bloom (7)
18 Jewel (3)
19 Fixed (3)
21 Adroit (4)
23 Sea-dock (5)
24 Yielding (4)
27 Brown (3)
29 Beam (3)
31 Fortunately (7)
32 Stripped (6)
34 Otherwise (4)
35 Unfastened (6)
38 Fundamental (5)
39 Rue (6)
40 Bottle (5)
DOWN
2 Fish-eggs (3)
3 Path (6)
4 Stray (3)
5 Fall (4)
6 Swerved (6)
7 Gift (6)
9 Lodged (7)
12 Hog (3)
13 Call (4)
16 Swimming-pool (4)
17 Decoration (5)
20 Flimsy (7)
22 Filed (4)
24 Meal (6)
25 Liberate (4)
26 Higher (6)
28 Drawing (6)
30 Aye (3)
33 Liability (4)
36 Pinch (3)
37 Epoch (3)
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1, Mirror 5, Clap 8, Angle 9,
Dog 10, Evil 11, Anon 12, Rigid 13,
Agreed 16, Dire 18, Echo 20, Hem 22, Son
23, Dry 24, Hide 25, Term 28, Damage 30,
Adore 32, Pail 33, Tall 34, Use 35, Deter
36, Need 37, Advent.
DOWN: 1, Madman 2, Regarded 3, Opened

4, Enlivened 5, Claimed 6, Lend 7, Pant 8, Air
14, Distorted 15, Shy 17, Roe 19, Creature 20,
Hit 21, Meddled 26, Mauled 27, Recent 29,
Span 30, Aide 31, Ear.
How to Play Sudoku
lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can

have two of the same number).
Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also
nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a
bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1
through 9. This means that no number can appear twice
in any block, column or row.
No mathematics is involved no adding, subtraction, division
or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.
Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline:
01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com
Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

More Oil Woes As Militants Blow Up Chevron's Wells

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More Oil Woes As Militants Blow Up Chevron's Wells

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...

towards a better life for the people

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

Naira now N507

More oil woes as militants

Gbaramatu leaders seek aid for stranded refugees

This came as leaders of

Ekiti court remands

2 Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 3

4Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

2% of Nigerians own 90% bank deposits

Director of Research and

It will interest you to know that

Nigeria loses $565.8m in unpaid OPLs, OMLs fees

million. Who pays the balance to

and the poor has continued in this

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 20165

AGM: Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (2nd

More oil woes as militants blow up

search operations for arms

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192

O dream is ever too big, it depends on the mind

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482

WHEN the love of God comes through, people just

E are all striving for divine love, and when it

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

innocent Nigerians. RMP

The blowing up of the oil

Meanwhile, oil traded

soldiers terrorized the

Speaking in the same

Youths of Urhobo, Itsekiri,

6Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

My wife denies me sex,

64-year-old man, Mustafa

Lagos estate agent,

husband. When I had money

MOBILE DEPOT: A motorcyclist swamped by his goods in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

Robbery suspect lands in same

HE saying that every day

Smart, 26, from Abia State,

was shouting that the man we

my right arm (which reads

Commissioner of Police, Lagos

My husbands not man enough, woman tells court

village for cleansing. I do not

Court dissolves pastor's marriage

dissolution of the 10-year-old

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 7

I remain PDP's chairman, Sheriff tells court

HE embattled Senator Ali

over a convention or meeting

NWC, of the party until the

from conducting elections into

From left (front row)

Sarakis trial at CCT adjourned indefinitely

The CCT panel had, at the

CCT Chairman, government

Our target's 30% ICT contribution to GDPOSINBAJO

the ministry explore the benefits

8 Vanguard, THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016