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Conscience, Nurtured by TruthMonday, April 29, 2013 N150Vol. 29, No. 12,541

Obasanjo dares Jonathanon probe of corruptionFrom Emeka Anuforo, Abuja

IT has been an intermittentdisagreement that is some-

times considered to havebeen magnified by the public.But the face-off now festers,and erstwhile PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo did notmind letting the public knowthis.

Yesterday, Obasanjo told hisestranged protégé PresidentGoodluck Jonathan that he

was not serious about fight-ing corruption.

He told Jonathan that heshould demonstrate his fightagainst corruption by direct-ing it on him (Obasanjo)

rather than one of his formerministers, Oby Ezekwesili.Obasanjo, who spoke in Abu-

ja at the 50th birthday thanks-giving of Ezekwesili, said thatthe Jonathan government

would not find anythingagainst the former Minister ofEducation and World Bankchief.He noted that as head of gov-

ernment for eight years, he

should be held liable if any ofhis ministers was found want-ing.Obasanjo, who also spoke on

the planned pipeline protec-tion contract, described it asan avenue for corruption.

The former President said indefence of Ezekwesili: “Thosewho wanted to probe you, youshould have asked them to,because if they are honestprobers, they will find out thatthe government of Nigeria

should give you money forwhat you have done for thiscountry without stealingmoney.“I have always said this. What-

ever you want to blame in mygovernment, blame me, don’tblame any of those peoplewho assisted me. If there is anycredit to dispense, we share it.But for anything you want tosay is wrong, I was the one in

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• Says ‘ hold me liable, not Ezekwesili’• Faults pipeline protection contract• Graft now democratised, ex-minister insists

ACN decries invasion of citizens’ privacy with $40m contractFrom Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

FromWillie Etim, Yenagoa

NINE workers of two oilservicing companies, the

Octopus Clan Nigerian Limit-ed and the Deck Oil Services,were yesterday confirmedkidnapped along the IlebiriCreek in the southern Ijawarea of Bayelsa State by gun-men suspected to be rene-gade militants.The oil workers, according to

top security sources, were ab-ducted around 2.00 p.m. lastThursday by gunmen sus-pected to be killers of the 12policemen last month alongthe waterways of Azuzuamacommunity of the southernIjaw area.

It was disclosed yesterdaythat the kidnapped workerswere Nigerians and were on

AN alleged $40 million In-ternet surveillance con-

tract by the FederalGovernment drew criticismfrom the Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) yesterday.The party specifically regard-

ed the contract as a launch ofan unprecedented attack bythe Jonathan Administrationon the civil rights of the citi-zens, especially journalistsand those considered to beopponents of the administra-tion.

Besides, the Conference ofNigerian Political Parties(CNPP) has accused the gov-ernment of “rapidly rail-load-ing Nigeria back into debttrap” despite the unprece-dented revenues from oil andgas, among other duties ac-cruing to the country.The group lamented that less

than 10 years after the Minis-

ter of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, made the country pay$12.4 billion to the Paris andLondon Clubs and the assur-ance that Nigeria was out ofthe debt trap, the country’sexternal debt would beforethe end of next year hit $20billion while domestic debtwould rise to N6 trillion.

The ACN noted in a state-ment that since the report ofthe contract, said to havebeen awarded to an Israelifirm, had yet to be denied sev-eral days after it was pub-lished, it was safe to assumethat it was indeed true.

If so, the statement by theparty’s National Publicity Sec-retary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,said it would mark the begin-ning of what was sure to bethe curtailment of the right to

freedom of speech and ex-pression and the freedom ofthe press, in addition to the in-vasion of citizens’ privacy,among other implications.‘’For a government that is in-

creasingly paranoid, havingfailed to meet the yearningsand aspirations of the citizen-ry who are justifiably becom-ing restive by the day, theability to spy on the Internetcommunications of citizensas well as to intercept andread private emails, not to talkof being able to suppress un-wanted connections, is a po-tent weapon against the civilrights of Nigerians as well asthe constitutionally-guaran-teed rights like freedom of ex-

pression, freedom of thepress and freedom of associa-tion.

‘’It is a common knowledgethat the Jonathan Adminis-tration has been getting a badrap from Nigerians in the tra-ditional media as well as thesocial media - a veritable plat-form for the citizens to venttheir frustrations at a do-nothing government.

‘’It is also a common knowl-edge that journalists haveborne the brunt of the ad-ministration’s increasingpropensity to stifle freedomof expression and press free-dom, while members of theopposition are being por-trayed more and more as ene-

mies of the administration,rather than being seen as in-dispensable allies in the na-tion’s quest to evolve a strongand enduring democracy.

‘’These may have been themotivation for the adminis-tration to acquire the Internetsurveillance capability. How-ever, no government in thehistory of our country,whether elected or otherwise,has taken this kind of brazenmeasure for whatever reason,hence it must raise seriousconcerns among the citizen-ry, their political representa-tives as well as civil libertiesorganisations,’’ the ACN said.

The party said while the gov-ernment may seek to hood-wink Nigerians by saying the

Militants kidnapnine oil workersin Bayelsa

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CNPP laments govt’s rising debt profile

NLC, NUPENG allege govt involvement in oil theft - Page 6

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 20132

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 3

4 NEWS THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

CNPP laments government’s rising debt profileCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1technology would enable it tokeep a tab on the insurgentsrampaging a section of thecountry, such justificationcould not hold water sincethe project would violate theconstitution of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria. The par-ty queried who would policethe use of the technology toensure that it would not beabused.‘’Desirable as it may be forthe government to be able togather useful intelligence onthe terror groups that haveheld a section of our country

by the jugular, nothing canjustify what will essentiallybecome a weapon for harass-ment, intimidation and evendecimation of perceived op-ponents by a desperate andparanoid administrationthat is already firing poi-soned arrows at those it seesas its enemies, within andoutside its fold, in the run upto the 2015 elections.‘’This is why we are callingon the National Assembly,civil liberties organisations,professional groups and or-dinary citizens to speak outnow before it is too late. No

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government should have theright to play a ‘Big Brother’role in the lives of the citizens,because this will ultimatelyherald the return to autocrat-ic rule and sound the deathknell of our democracy,’’ itsaid.According to the CNPP, thedebt profile has been raisedby the $9 billion loan alleged-ly approved by the NationalAssembly and the NationalEconomic Council (NEC) forthe Federal Government.In a statement in Enugu yes-terday by its National Publici-ty Secretary, Osita

Okechukwu, the CNPP saidinstead of stemming thepervasive corruption al-legedly going on in the ad-ministration, thegovernment was going foranother loan. “We posit that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s economic policy ofgovernment has no busi-ness in business, premisedon the private sector driver,and targeted on abstractpercentage growth cannotsucceed in a primitive econ-omy like Nigeria. There can-not be growth without huge

state investment in robustcritical infrastructure, as 98per cent of the so-called cap-tains of industry have no fac-tory. Otherwise, how come acountry which earns yearly$20 billion in oil and gas rev-enue, $5 trillion from FederalInland Revenue Service (FIRS)tax revenue, over $1 trillionfrom Customs Duty and $10billion Excess Crude Accountstill records over 70 per centof her citizens living belowpoverty line, over 30 per centilliterate population, life ex-pectancy of below 50 years

and gross unemploymentdislocating families?”The CNPP said that thosewho rail-loaded Nigeria intothe debt trap, instead ofmanaging its resources pru-dently, must bear in mindthat they were not positivelyprojecting the image of thecountry as a disciplined andorganised nation withwhich foreigners could dobusiness.According to the CNPP,

Nigeria has no good reasonto borrow and should in factstop borrowing.

Militants kidnap nine oil workers in BayelsaCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1their way to resume repairson 18” Tebidaba Brass line,Ogoda Ogboinbiri 24” line atOporoma, Ogboinbiri Tebida-ba 14” line at Ikebiri, Kemebia-ma, Osiama 6” flowline,Tebidaba wells 14 & 11 and sev-eral others for the NigerianAgip Oil Company (NAOC).An indigene of the Ikebiricommunity, Kelvin Okunei-bie, told The Guardian that theindigenous fishermen alongthe waters confirmed that thegunmen swooped on the oilworkers from the Azuzuamaaxis of the area.He said: “These gunmen aresuspected to be killers of the12 policemen and may be run-ning from the onslaught ofthe JTF and kidnapped theworkers as insurance.”Five of the kidnapped work-ers were reportedly attachedto the Port Harcourt-based oiland gas servicing companyknown as the Octopus ClanNigeria Limited. The compa-ny is owned by the formerChairman of the defunct

Bayelsa State Peace and Con-flict Resolution Committee,Chief James Jephathah.Contacted on the develop-ment, the Media Co-ordinatorof the Joint Task Force code-named Operation Pulo Shield,Lt.-Col. Onyeama Nwachuk-wu, said he was not aware ofthe development as the em-ployers of the kidnappedworkers had not officially re-ported to the task force.All calls to the Public Rela-tions Officer of the Bayelsa Po-lice Command, Mr. AlexAkhigbe, yielded no result asthey claimed ignorance of thedevelopment.Meanwhile, detachments ofthe Joint Military Task Forcecode-named Operation PuloShield at the weekend cameunder heavy gun attacksfrom suspected oil thievesand kidnappers in the Delta,Cross River, Abia and Bayelsacommunities.According to the JTF, two sus-pected kidnappers weredrawn out of their hide-out inAfukang in Calabar South Lo-cal Council of Cross River

State in a sting operation by acombined team of operativesof the Sector 3 of the JTF andDepartment of State Securitycovering Cross River State.But the suspects, one Edid-iong Udom and Victor Ak-wang, opened fire on thesecurity team. The gun-battle,according to the JTF, lasted forsome minutes and the sus-

pects were overpowered andarrested. The suspects havebeen handed over to the De-partment of State Security,Calabar, for further investiga-tion.One pump action gun, one lo-cally-made pistol, 22 car-tridges and four 7.62mmspecial ammunition were re-covered from the hide-out.

In another anti-kidnappingoperation, according to astatement issued yesterdayby Nwachukwu, the troops ofSector 4 of the JTF on patrolalong Ngbodo and Akoli-Imeni in Bende Local Councilof Abia State have rescued oneMr. Chidi Nwosu who was kid-napped by gunmen atArochukwu Street along

Umuahia Road.The victim was extricated af-ter a shoot-out with the kid-nappers during which one ofthe abductors was gunneddown.“In the Delta State recent an-ti-illegal oil bunkering opera-tion in the Niger Delta, 146

Obasanjo says ‘ hold me liable, not Ezekwesili’CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1charge.”He continued: “This morn-ing, I was travelling fromAbeokuta and I was listeningto radio. I heard that they saidthat they are going to set upan agency for pipeline protec-tion. Now, what are the policethere for? What are all the se-curity agencies that we havedoing? This is another chopchop.“I just hope that we will get itright. We have no choice. Wehave to get it right. Let us de-cide individually that I woulddo what I have to do to bringabout change in Nigeria. Ifyou do that, let me assure you,you will be called names. Youwill be abused. Some peopleare hired to do that. But like

Oby said, if what you believe isright, stand by it.”On her part, Ezekwesili, whospoke with reporters after achurch service held at the Re-deemed Christian Church ofGod (RCCG) and a receptionat the International Confer-ence Centre, Abuja, lamentedthat endemic corruption wasdestroying the country.She said the country was suf-fering from the woes of thepast, calling on the citizens todemand accountability fromtheir elected officials.She said: “I am not a politi-cian. The day I decide that Iwant to become a politicianyou don’t need to guess, youwill see me. I am very candid.I am very frank. I am too hon-est to play games on thingsthat I believe in.

“I am not a politician but Iam an active citizen who isbasically carrying out the rolethat every citizen of this na-tion must carry out. We aregoing through challengesthat require a very strongsense of sacrificial leadership.The corruption in the societynow is so endemic it has al-most become democratisedand that is going to sink us.We need to tackle corruptionas we will tackle cancer. It cankill. There is no need pretend-ing that this country is notburdened by corruption.Every Nigerian knows that wehave a problem.”Ezekwesili attracted criti-

cism from the Jonathan ad-ministration when she raisedquestions on what the

Jonathan Presidency hasdone with the $67 billion pur-portedly left by Obasanjo. Shespoke at a convocation of theUniversity of Nigeria, Nsukka.Since then, Obasanjo’s andJonathan’s aides have been atloggerheads, leading to an-other call by Ezekwesili for apublic debate on the issue.The Jonathan governmenthas subtly turned down thecall for a public debate on theissue. The government hasrather sent some of the na-tion’s anti-corruption agen-cies to the Ministry ofEducation to snoop around ifthere were suspicious con-tracts awarded during thetenure of Ezekwesili, who isfondly called “Madam DueProcess.”

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 NEWS 5

News

Bini indigenesabroad deny ethnicity inUNIBEN VC’s appointment

CITING misinformation, Biniindigenes in Europe and

the United States (U.S.) yester-day faulted the report that thecurrent Vice-Chancellor (VC) ofthe University of Benin(UNIBEN), Prof. OsayukiOshodin’s appointment wasnot based on merit. The group was reacting to lastThursday’s The Guardian’s leadstory ‘How ethnicity, religioninfluence appointments of var-sities’ officials.They faulted the report that

Oshodin did not emerge on merit butbased on agitation by Bini fortheir own to be the vice chan-cellor of the university.Describing the report as not

true and “mischievous,” thegroup said Oshodin was by allstandards qualified for the po-sition.

A statement by Mrs RoseOsayende on behalf of the indi-genes in Europe and U.S. said,“what the Bini were fightingthen was a cabal that made itimpossible for qualified Bini toemerge as VC of the universityin their soil and not that wewanted a Bini VC at all cost”.It further said that “ProfessorOshodin was one of the bestand that was why he was cho-sen. He became a Professorsince 1991 and has served theuniversity in many capacitiesbefore he was appointed VC.We would have ignored the re-port but that will misinformour people on what was actu-ally the agitation of the Binithen.

Military denies existence of mass grave, detention of soldiers over Baga

THE Defence Headquarters(DHQ) has denied the exis-

tence of a mass grave in BornoState and the detention of 15soldiers as reported in somenewspapers (Not TheGuardian), saying the claimsare aimed at discrediting themilitary and their operations.

Meanwhile, gunmen sus-pected of members of BokoHaram sect on Saturday morn-ing kidnapped the generalmanager of Borno State WaterBoard (BOWB), Alhaji BabaGujbawu at his residence whilein Gashua, a border town withNiger Republic. The Joint TaskForce (JTF), also recovered asnatched Armoured PersonnelCarrier (APC), arms and ammu-nition from fleeing Boko

Haram terrorists.Still, the JTF yesterday alerted

on fresh moves by the BokoHaram sect to now concentrateon kidnapping than robbery.They alleged that kidnapping ismore lucrative, less dangerousand requires short time to planand execute. Similarly, the Northern Elders

Forum has warned against a sit-uation where foreign phobiaagainst Islam will be importedinto the country, saying the con-sequences will be disastrous.And the Primate of the Churchof Nigeria, AnglicanCommunion, Most ReverendNicholas Okoh has charged theAmnesty Committee on BokoHaram not to limit its responsi-bility to the North alone but totake a more national approachto the issue.Also, the Diocesan Bishop of

Lagos and Dean Emeritus,Church of Nigeria (AnglicanCommunion), Most Rev.

Adebola Ademowo has saidthat dialogue was a necessaryprelude to the granting ofamnesty to the Boko Harammembers, adding that such amove would ascertain the ac-tual motive behind the sect’skillings. In a related development, the

Sokoto State chairman of theLabour Party, AhmadMuhammad Tangaza has de-scribed the emergence of BokoHaram in the country as theproduct of social injustice,which the ruling class is usingto their advantage.

The Defence Headquartershad deployed a fact-findingteam to Baga, led by the Chief ofTraining and Operations,Defence Headquarters, Maj.Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, whoreturned to present its reportto the Chief of Defence Staff onthe outcome of its three-dayvisit to Baga following lastweek’s clash between the Multi

National Joint Task Force (MN-JTF) and Boko Haram terroristsin the town.According to a statement fromDHQ signed by the Director,Defence Information, Brig. Gen.Chris Olukolade, the team’smission was in “particular con-cern to ascertain the claims ofmassive loss of lives, the teamwas taken to cemeteries in thetown as it tried to locate the re-ported large number of civiliancasualties were buried. It, how-ever, found no mass grave afternearly two days of search”.Olukolade in a statement is-

sued yesterday in Abuja said re-ports in some newspapers atthe weekend that “some sol-diers have been arrested anddetained over the Bagakillings…more than 15 of themhave been implicated in themassacre” is a complete fabrica-tion.

The APC, according to JTFsources in Damaturu yesterday,

was recovered at Maluria vil-lage of Gashua council area ofYobe State, along with otherarms and ammunition used inattacking the Police station andthe Police area commander’soffice on Nguru road.According to an eyewitness,

Gujbawu was ambushed by thefour–man gang abductors atgunpoint, while preparing tohold a meeting at the WaterHouse, Maiduguri on ShehuLaminu Way at 9 a.m. onSaturday.The recovery of APC, arms andammunition, according tospokesman of JTF, Lt. LazarusEli, in a statement, were used inthe Police station, bank and of-fice of Police area commanderattacks, where N9 million cashwas also carted away by thegunmen in police and armyuniforms.The statement also reads in

part: “Other arms and ammu-nition recovered include; ageneral purpose machine gun(GPMG), three K2 rifle, threepumps action rifle and a riotgun, two smoke pistols, fourdane guns, two RPG bombs, 15hand grenades and one air ri-fle.“1,200 rounds of 7.62mm spe-

cial ammunitions, three car-tridges, severalpolice uniforms and acces-sories, 10 bullet proof metalplates and gas masks were alsorecovered.”

The Borno State PoliceCommand spokesman, GideonJibrin confirmed Gujbawu’s ab-duction, adding that no arrestshad been made over the inci-dent.A statement by the JTF said

similarly, a special kidnappingsquad has been earmarked andtasked by Boko Haram sect tokidnap persons who could bewealthy relation, politician,businessman/woman, tradi-tional ruler, senior civil ser-vants and foreigners alike.The JTF urged all to be wary

and continue to be securityconscious at all time and toavoid or be very sensitive tostrangers and friends that havenot been in contact for long.Additionally, members of thepublic are also warned to avoidisolated areas and shun meet-ings or friendship organisedthrough telephones or socialmedia.

Govt spends N1.3tr on Abuja infrastructure

ADISCLOSURE has comefrom the Federal

Government that it has sunkabout N1.3 trillion into theAbuja project in infrastructureprovision since the foundingof the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) over 37 years ago. Within the next four to five

years, the authorities said aninflow of private capital ex-ceeding that amount would beinjected into FCT rough accel-

erated opening of new dis-tricts thereby doubling the ar-eas serviced with infrastruc-ture for increased housing andphysical development.

Meanwhile, the AbujaMunicipal Area Council(AMAC), Gwagwalada AreaCouncil and Bwari AreaCouncil of the Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT) topped the rev-enue allocation distributed bythe FCT Area Councils JointAccount AllocationCommittee (JAAC) for March

2013.FCT Minister, Bala

Mohammed who disclosedthis at the weekend while re-sponding to issues raised at aspecial town hall meeting onthe land swap programme inAbuja described the FCT as themost successful federal projectof Nigeria so far.He said that the land swap

programme would help tobridge the huge infrastructuregap currently existing in FCT. He advised Abuja natives not

to allow themselves to be usedby those who do not mean welland were looking for ways ofsabotaging laudable govern-ment programmes like theLand Swap initiative recentlyintroduced by the authorities.The minister said that the spe-cial town hall on the land swapinitiative was organised as away of opening a level playingfield for all people with diverseshades of opinion to step for-ward and put them on thetable in a democratic spirit so

that the grey areas could be re-solved.He assured the affected Abuja

original inhabitants that a ro-bust framework of resettle-ment and compensation pro-gramme which adequatelycaters for them had been de-veloped, adding that the re-sponsibility of governmentunder the transformationagenda was not just about in-frastructure provision but alsoabout social amenities and thewell being of the citizens.

One feared killed inOgun bank robbery

SUSPECTED armed robbersyesterday raided a bank at

Okearo, Agbado area of OgunState, killing one person inthe process and carting awayunspecified amount ofmoney.Besides, the bandits who, ac-

cording to police source, at-tacked an old generationbank with dynamite arrivedthe scene of the crime around2 a.m. shooting sporadicallyto scare residents.According to the source, the

policemen on guard initiallymistook them for policemen,until they sighted gas cansand cylinder in their hands,which prompted them to taketo their heels.

The robbers were said tohave forced open two of thethree ATMs in the bank prem-ises with explosives andcarted away unspecified cash.It was gathered that at about

3 a.m., when they were aboutrounding off their operations,they saw a man, who was lateridentified as a member ofOodua Peoples Congress,(OPC) trying to put a distresscall through and shot himdead.The source said that adjourn-ing buildings including achurch were riddled with bul-lets while the robbers heldsway for close to one hour.

• Gunmen kidnap Borno official, JTF alerts on new tactics • Elders forum, Okoh, Ademowo task govt on insecurityFrom Chris Irekamba (Lagos) KarlsTsokar (Abuja) Njadvara Musa(Maiduguri) Ann Godwin (Port-Harcourt), Ali Garba (Bauchi) andIsah Ibrahim (Gusau)

• FCT councils get N2b allocation in MarchFrom Terhemba Daka, Abuja

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

By Dele Fanimo

The wife of Vice President, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo (left); Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo; Chairman of Parliament (The State Great Hural ofMongolia), Mr. Zandaakhuu Enkhbold and his wife, Mrs. Tumurbaatar Bat-Ulzii during a courtesy visit to the palace in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia yesterday.

6 NEWS THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Jonathan, Tinubu,Kalu salute Adenuga’s attainments at 60PRESIDENT Goodluck

Jonathan has congratulat-ed one of Nigeria’s renownedbusinessmen and Chairmanof Globacom, Otunba MichaelAdenuga, on his 60th birthdaytoday, stating that he wouldbe celebrating 60 years ofgreat achievements in busi-ness and philanthropy.

According to a statement byhis Special Adviser on Mediaand Publicity, Dr. ReubenAbati, Jonathan describedAdenuga  as an embodimentof the ideals of “diligence,commitment, unmediatedpatriotism and selfless serv-ice.In same vein, the former gov-

ernor of Lagos State, BolaAhmed Tinubu, describedAdenuga as a man of excep-tional performance and busi-ness ability. A statement fromhis media office yesterday onAdenuga’s birthday held thelikes of Adenuga as rare acrossthe world.

“His business exploit, acu-men and strategic invest-ments in the world oftelecoms, oil and gas and phi-lanthropy stand him outamong the crowd as an excep-tionally talented individual,”Tinubu said.

“With more patriotic andselfless Nigerians, who areconsummate about empow-ering others like Adenuga, theformer governor added, Nige-ria would be an advanced andbetter society. He prayed thatAlmighty God should granthim more years of health,wealth and wisdom.”

Also, the former governor ofAbia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu,eulogized Adenuga as “one ofthe few courageous Nigerianswith resilient spirit, despitethe numerous odds facingbusinesses in Nigeria.”

Kalu, in a statement by hisSpecial Adviser, OyekunleOyewumi, said of Adenuga:“When it appeared impossi-ble that Nigerians could havecheaper GSM services, youcame into the market andcrashed the prices with vari-ous innovative offerings, es-pecially the per secondbilling.”

NUJ to picket mediahouses over salary arrearsBEGINNING from Wednes-

day, May 1, labour and civ-il society groups in thecountry will begin to picketmedia houses that owe jour-nalists past months’ salaries.  

According to the directiveby the National ExecutiveCouncil (NEC) of the NigeriaUnion of Journalists (NUJ) atits quarterly meeting inUmuahia, Abia State, tomor-row is the deadline for thepayment of all outstandingsalaries, while picketingstarts in Lagos on Wednes-day, then to other states andAbuja.               

Already, all the affected me-dia houses in Lagos and Abu-ja had been duly notified,according to the union. NECalso affirmed its commit-ment to the welfare of itsmembers, decrying  thespate of arrests of journal-ists, especially the four fromLeadership newspapers.

It viewed such arrests  as asiege on the media, and de-scribing them as undemoc-ratic and unwarranted, itnoted that the union wouldnot shy away from its re-sponsibilities of protectingits members, who it urged todischarge their duties in linewith the ethics of the profes-sion.

President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Femi Adesina (right); Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, during a dinner party organised for Adesina andother executive members at the Government House, Osogbo... last Friday.

NLC, NUPENG urge speedy passage of PIBBy Wole Oyebade

IF the Petroleum IndustryBill (PIB) is not passed into

law in the next six months,the oil sector would be indeeper crisis, labour leaderswarned as they pushed for thepassage of the bill in Lagos atthe weekend.

Speaking under the aegis ofthe Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and the Nigerian Unionof Petroleum and Natural GasWorkers (NUPENG), theymaintained that the new reg-ulations in the bill were nec-essary to accommodatenewer investors, arrest oiltheft and stabilise the sectoras the mainstay of Nigerianeconomy.

Among those who spoke atthe NUPENG Special Dele-gates Conference in Lagos

were the NLC President, Ab-dulwaheed Omar, his coun-terpart in NUPENG, AcheseIgwe, and former leaders,Frank Kokori, Peter Akpata-son, Samuel Dada, JosephAkinlaja, Principe Awe andChris Uyok.

According to Omar, “NU-PENG must do all that is nec-essary to ensure that the PIB,when passed into law, servesthe interest of workers andaligns with national interest.”He explained that the NLC wasbothered about the continu-ous theft of crude oil in theNiger Delta region right in thepresence of task force menand huge investment on secu-rity infrastructure in the oil-producing region.

Stating that the value ofcrude stolen in the countryyearly is as much as $7 billion,he said it was totally unac-ceptable to Nigerians and theinternational community tosee such wastage continueunabated.

“The massive theft of crudeoil in the Niger Delta is an actof conspiracy by a cross-sec-tion of government officialsand their foreign collabora-tors to exploit the larger pop-ulation,” Omar alleged. “Ourfear is that with such amountof oil being siphoned, all theeconomic calculations andprojections are now null andvoid.

To avoid the looming dan-ger, Omar urged NUPENG

and allied unions to con-demn the oil theft in Nigeria,assuring of NLC’s partnershipin that struggle.

On his part, NUPENG Presi-dent, Achese, called on thelawmakers to ensure quickpassage of the bill “after look-ing at the grey areas with ob-jectivity,” especially on labourissues of gratuities, pensions,transfers and status of itsmembers in new companiesthat will emerge.Stating that their sector is the

most endangered with theconsequent downsizing andrightsizing, Achese said thePIB would bring in a lot of re-forms, and should, therefore,accommodate severancepackages for the oil workers itwould affect.However, he advised the Fed-

eral Government to assemble

the illegal refiners the NigerDelta region, give the opera-tives further training and es-tablish legal refineries forthem to work in “instead ofchasing them around thecreeks and destroying theirtechnology.”

Meanwhile, Akpatason, aserving member of the Houseof Representatives, told thedelegates that the oil sectorwould be in deeper crises un-less fresh laws were intro-duced to regulate it.According to him, “current in-vestors in the sector are wind-ing up their activities andwithout newer investors,Nigeria will be in trouble be-cause the oil industry is themainstay of the economy.”

Court hears Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan’s appeal todayBy Joseph Onyekwere

TODAY, the Court of Appeal,Lagos Division, will hear

the appeal filed by MajorHamzat Al-Mustapha, the for-mer Chief Security Officer(CSO) to the late Head of State,Gen. Sani Abacha, and LateefShofolahan, an aide to the latebusiness mogul, Chief MKOAbiola, over a death sentencepassed on them by a LagosHigh Court.

Justice Mojisola Dada hadconvicted both for the mur-der of Alhaja Kudirat Abiolaalong the Lagos/Ibadan Ex-pressway and accordinglysentenced them to death by

hanging until confirmeddead.Abiola had contested the 1993

presidential election on theplatform of the defunct SocialDemocratic Party (SDP) dur-ing the administration ofGen. Ibrahim Babangida. Theevents following the cancella-tion of the results of the elec-tion and his subsequentself-declaration as winner ledto his detention when Abachaheld sway as Head of State andCommander in Chief.

Meanwhile, the appellatecourt presided over by JusticeC.C. Nweze had fixed today forhearing of the appeal after

counsel representing bothconvicts had applied for a reg-ularisation of their briefs ofargument.

Counsel to both appellants,Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr.Olalekan Ojo, moving interms of their motion paper,had applied for leave to filetheir appellants’ brief of argu-ments and serve same on therespondent. Both convictswere arraigned in October1999 on a four-count charge of“conspiracy and murder of Al-haja Kudirat Abiola on June 4,1996, along the Lagos/IbadanExpressway.”

The appellants had prayed

the Court of Appeal that thedeath sentence passed onthem was unwarranted. Theyfurther argued that the trialcourt erred in law when it ar-rived at the conclusion thatthey conspired to kill Kudiraton June 4, 1996.

Therefore, Al-Mustapha andShofolahan are urging the ap-pellate court to entertaintheir appeal, set aside thejudgment, discharge and ac-quit them of conspiracy andmurder, accordingly.

Al-Mustapha’s appeal waspremised on four grounds,while that of Shofolahan washinged on five.

Militants kidnap nine oil workers in BayelsaCONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 troops threatened to apply

some force.“Eight among the 12 crew

members arrested are cur-rently being quizzed at theHeadquarters, Sector 2, in PortHarcourt to ascertain the de-gree of their culpability, whilefour others were left behind toman the vessel which ispresently secured at the NPAJetty in Bonny Island. Troopsof 343 Regiment of same Sec-tor have also impounded ametal barge found lurking atan illegal oil loading pointclose to Burma Rice Farm be-tween Brass and Obiama wa-terways in Brass Local Councilof Bayelsa State. The barge hasbeen towed to AGIP Brass ter-minal while preliminary in-vestigations are being carriedout to ascertain its owners,”Nwachukwu said.Operatives of the Forward Op-

erational Base Formosso (amaritime component of theJTF) have also arrested a bargewith the designation Lot-098at Odioma waterways inNembe Local Council of Bayel-sa State. The barge was arrest-ed laden with 50,000 litres ofsuspected stolen crude oil.The barge has been towed toAGIP Brass terminal pendingfurther investigation.

Meanwhile, in Delta State,troops of 3 Battalion of Sector1 of the JTF during an anti-oiltheft patrol intercepted 61 as-sorted boats conveying stolenpetroleum products alongWhiteman community, Ben-neth Island and Spediagbenegeneral area in Warri South-West Local Council of DeltaState.

According to Nwachukwu,“Twenty-eight illegal oil dis-

tilleries were also scuttled andclamped down by the troops inthe same general area. Appara-tus used by the oil thieves to fa-cilitate their illicit activities,including 65 empty plasticdrums and two large plasticreservoirs were razed whileseven hoses, 10 pumping ma-chines recovered from the siteas exhibits are in custody of thebattalion.“During the entire operations

that lasted from April 15-27,2013, 76 suspects were arrestedfor crimes ranging from kid-napping and oil theft activities.The suspects are undergoing apreliminary investigation invarious sectors of the Joint TaskForce (JTF) after which they willbe handed over to appropriateprosecuting agencies.”

Nigerians tired ofpromises, Akidetells JonathanBy Isaac Taiwo

APPARENTLY fed up, likemost other citizens, with

President GoodluckJonathan’s often stated re-solve to address or containthe many ills afflicting Nige-ria but without any deter-mined effort to that effect, theArchbishop of Lagos (Angli-can Communion), the MostRevd. Adebayo Akide, hascalled on him to wake up andconfront the nation’s prob-lems.

Akide, who spoke yesterdayat the enthronement of thesecond Bishop of Lagos WestDiocese, Rt. Rev. James Oluso-la Odedeji, listed the prob-lems to range from insecurityto energy, the later he de-scribed as very crucial and af-fects the stabilisation of theeconomy.

The cleric informed Presi-dent Jonathan that Nigerianswere tired of promises andwere now asking for nothingbut action. According to him,“past administrations madeseries of promises, which theydid not fulfill. This adminis-tration too, at one time or theother, had made some prom-ises that were not fulfilled.

“Nigerians now want actionand I plead with Mr. Presidentto act now and fix variousproblems, ranging from inse-curity, bordering on termina-tion of innocent lives, tokidnapping.

“Investments would invari-ably boost the economy of anation, which largely de-pends on regular power sup-ply, and so, the earlier theproblem of energy is put be-hind us, the better.”

Nevertheless, he expressedconfidence in the new bishop,stating that if he depends onGod as he has professed, thediocese would grow fromstrength to strength. Also speaking, Bishop Odede-

ji called on the Federal Gov-ernment to create jobs so thatjobless Nigerians would begainfully engaged, notingthat “a jobless man is not onlyan idle man ready to be en-gaged by Satan but also an an-gry and desperate man.“Our nation is blessed with a

lot of resources and, franklyspeaking, it is not in this typeof a nation that citizensshould be subjected to thetype of situation Nigeriansare passing through.”

Dignitaries at the event in-cluded the Deputy Governorof Lagos State, Mrs. AdejokeOrelope-Adefulire, andDeputy Governor of OsunState, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-To-mori.

Allege govt involvement in oil theft

Battalion patrol team of Sec-tor 2 of the Joint Task Force(JTF) Operation Pulo Shield hasimpounded a vessel for sus-pected oil theft activitiesalong Otokomabie Creek nearOloma community in RiversState. The vessel, MT SHANDYbefore its arrest, had beenkept under surveillance by JTFoperatives while it lurkedaround Bonny anchorage. “The JTF gun-boat patrol team

lay in wait until the vesselprowled into OtokomabieCreek close to Shell PetroleumDevelopment Company(SPDC) pipelines beforeswooping on it. The 12-mancrew on the vessel initially re-sisted arrest by refusing to letdown the vessel’s stairway(ladder) for the patrol team toaccess the vessel until the

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 NEWS 7

Osun State Deputy Governor, Titilayo Laoye Tomori (left); former Bishop of Diocese of Lagos West, Dr. Peter Adebiyi; his successor, Rt. Rev. James Odedeji, his wife,Olukemi and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, during the enthronement of Odedeji as bishop of the Diocese, Lagos West (Anglican Communion), atthe Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral, Ikeja…yesterday PHOTO: OSENI YUSUF

Tiv leader decries planto reduce Zaki-Biamjudgment moneyFrom Joseph Wantu, Makurdi

CHAIRMAN of Tiv Eldersand Stakeholders’

Forum, Abu King Shuluwa,has said the alleged move bythe Federal and Benue Stategovernments to trim to N8billion the compensation ofN41.8 billion judgment sumawarded to the victims of2001 military invasion ofZaki-Biam is an act of fraud.Shuluwa, who spoke with

The Guardian at his Makurdiresidence at the weekend,wondered how a group ofpeople that did nothing toassist the victims of theinvasion could conceive ofplans and even have theeffrontery to reduce thecompensation sum fromN41.8 billion to N8 billionwhen they did not supportthe effort of late ChiefAlexander Gaadi, who cham-pioned the cause of the vic-tims.The elder statesman said

now that Dr. Gaadi is dead,anything done to reduce thecompensation sum withoutdue consultation with thevictims should be regardedas corruption of the highestorder.

FCC boss pledgesequitable distributionof infrastructure

CHAIRMAN of FederalCharacter Commission

(FCC), Prof. Shuaib ObaAbdulRaheem, at the week-end promised equitable dis-tribution of infrastructuralfacilities to all parts ofNigeria.AbdulRaheem gave this

assurance in Ilorin, KwaraState capital, while speakingwith reporters after a thanks-giving prayer organised inhis honour over his secondterm appointment in officeas chairman of theCommission.He said his major task dur-ing the second term in officeis to ensure that no commu-nity is marginalised in theprovision of amenities in thecountry.He, however, noted that thechallenges require a lot offunds, manpower and dedi-cation but expressed opti-mism that it would come toreality.

Akpabio denies threatening senator’s life

GOVERNOR GodswillAkpabio of Akwa Ibom

State yesterday dismissed asbaseless and untrue allega-tions that he was using statepower and extra-constitu-tional means to force his wayinto the Senate in 2015 anddeny Senator Alloysius Etokthe opportunity of seeking re-election to the Senate.Akpabio’s statement came

just as Senator Etuk (PDP,Akwa-Ibom State) allegedthat his life was being threat-ened by persons he suspectedwere working for Akpabio forinsisting on seeking re-elec-tion to the Senate in 2015.Both Etuk and Akpabio hailfrom the same Akwa IbomNorth-East Senatorial District.The lawmaker said he was

writing petition to PresidentGoodluck Jonathan,Inspector General of Police,Mohammed Abubakar andthe National Security Adviser,Alhaji Sambo, in protestagainst alleged threats to hislife.

PDP goes to court over Edo council pollsTHE Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) said yesterdaythat it would take the EdoState Governor, AdamsOshiomhole, to court forallegedly using his powersto interfere with the con-duct of the local councilelections in favour of hisparty, the Action Congress

of Nigeria (ACN).At a press conference in

Abuja yesterday, NationalPublicity Secretary of theparty, Olisa Metuh, said therole played by soldiers dur-ing the elections was ques-tionable.Metuh described the elec-

tion as an aberration to thetenets of democracy, saying:

“Unpatriotic and undemoc-ratic elements have laidsiege to our nation’s democ-racy and Nigerians are nowliving in serious fear anduncertainty.“Since the annulment of

June 12, 1993, presidentialelections, we have never inthe political history ofNigeria witnessed any such

Experts seek sanctions against intellectual property theft

EXCEPT government insti-tutes tougher punitivemeasures against the regimeof intellectual property theftin the country, Nigeria’seffort of becoming a majoreconomic bloc by 2020through innovations mayremain a mirage. According to the ManagingDirector of CMC Connect, Mr.Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, forNigeria to be the hub of busi-ness and innovation, its intel-lectual property right regimemust be strong and be onethat can adequately compen-sate right owners.Badejo-Okusanya said for

any economy to grow, theremust be a compendium ofinnovation and creativity,stressing that innovationand creativity cannot grow

By Adeyemi Adepetun, GbengaSalau and Ikechukwu Onyewuchi

unless there is a strong intel-lectual property protectionregime in place.Speaking at the Microsoft

Nigeria organised round-table to mark this year’sWorld Intellectual PropertyDay in Lagos at the weekend,Badejo-Okusanya informedthat development is basedon certain pillars and with-out creativity and innova-tion, there cannot be any“and if there is no properintellectual property protec-tion regime, it will be diffi-cult for creativity and innova-tion to thrive.”This position was re-echoedby other panelists who main-tained that there had notbeen innovative develop-ment because the environ-ment has not been con-ducive.The Chief Executive Officer

of Trybe Records, Mr. LanreDabiri, said that Nigeria hasnot transited from a develop-ing to a developed nationbecause intellectual propertyright is not taken seriously. He noted that the many

ideas in Nigeria do not gobeyond the conceptual stagebecause the incentives totake it to the next level arenot available as the environ-ment is not conducive.The Anti-Piracy Manager,

Multichoice, Mr. GozieOhumori, stated that innova-tion is what grows any busi-ness and without intellectualproperty rights, it cannothappen. He called for achange of mind-set about useof free content as peopleneed to be aware that whenthey buy fake products, theyare not only killing the pro-ducers but also the economy,

assault on the people anddemocracy like what isgoing on in Edo Statetoday.”“As I address you, the peo-ple of Edo State are beingsubjected to the worst formof tyranny. Their will as apeople has been subvertedand their rights to choosetheir leaders absolutely

taken away from them bybrute force.“In their desperation to

dethrone democracy andenthrone maximum ruler-ship in Edo State, GovernorAdams Oshiomhole and theAction Congress of Nigeria(ACN) have turned them-selves into ferocious wolvesand have continued tounleash terror on the peo-ple.”

Metuh accusedOshiomhole of “motivatingarmed policemen attachedto him to use guns freely onthe people”.“Governor Oshiomhole

used the military to intimi-date and harass PDP mem-bers from exercising theirdemocratic rights. We,therefore, call on the mili-tary authorities to investi-gate the role of the BrigadeCommander in Benin in theuse of the military againstPDP members during theelections. Oshiomhole’sintention was to embarrassprominent personalities ofPDP,” he further alleged.

From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja

as it has negative implicationon creating unemploymentand killing businesses attheir infancy stage.Noting that intellectual

property crime is seen as asoft crime and treated as one,Ohumori also called forstiffer punishment for intel-lectual property thieves, justas efforts must be made tocontinually speak about theimportance of intellectualproperty rights.Dabiri argued that no indus-try will be sustainable with-out intellectual propertyrights and the fight againstpirates becomes more diffi-cult with no government sup-port.

Stakeholders urge merger ofNigerian airlines to surviveFOR Nigerian airlines tosurvive in the face ofharsh economic reality,they have been told to shunthe stand-alone ideology, asthe idea is no longer realis-tic.That was the verdict of

experts from Europe,United States and Nigeria atthe Nigerian AviationSummit, with theme: “Adozen worldairlines…Nigeria chal-lenges”, held in Lagos at theweekend.They explained that all overthe world, bigger airlinesare merging, formingalliances to remain in busi-ness and helping one anoth-er as global airline businesshas become competitive.African airlines, particular-ly Nigerian airlines, are inserious financial dire straits

as they are bogged down byheavy debts, harsh operat-ing environment and some-times, government’s poli-cies that are not favourableto them.The carriers’ precarious sit-uation forced the CentralBank of Nigeria (CBN) toorganise a N100 billionworth of rescue operationthe airlines have not repaid.The Managing Director of

Sabre (Nigeria), Mr. GabrielOlowo; Director of Studies,European Centre forAdvance and ProfessionalStudies, University ofCambridge and Chairman,Sabre Nigeria, a global dis-tribution system for air-lines, Dr. Anthony Kila andDirector, Europe, MiddleEast and Africa for Sabre,Soroya Nosworthy, affirmedthat Nigerian airlinesurgently need to get out ofthe doldrums if they are to

remain in existence in thenext decade. They notedthat African airlines are toosmall and fragmented,adding that they need toconsolidate to remainafloat.In his presentation, the

Chief Executive Officer ofLandover Aviation, CaptainEdward Boyo, lamented thatthe growth of Nigeria’seconomy does not reflect inthe number of airlines inthe nation’s domestic mar-ket.Boyo, who was representedby the Executive Director ofhis firm, Mrs. Aduke Atiba,said in the past 10 years,there has been an average of10 domestic airlines in oper-ation at any particular time,with an average fleet capaci-ty of about 10, adding that,‘Today, there are only aboutseven licensed airlines oper-ating in Nigeria”.

By Wole Shadare

From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja

Akinadewo resignsfrom Nigerian CompassMANAGING Editor of the

Nigerian Compass,Gabriel Akinadewo, hasresigned from the organisa-tion.In a letter to the Chairmanof Western PublishingCompany Limited, publish-ers of Nigerian Compass andThe Westerner, Aare KolaOyefeso, he thanked theChief Promoter and theBoard for the opportunitygiven him to serve the organ-isation since 2008.The letter reads: Sir, I herebyresign as the managing edi-tor of the Nigerian Compass. Iwant to thank the ChiefPromoter and the Board forthe opportunity given me toserve as the Weekend Editor,Editor and Managing Editorsince May 26, 2008, when thenewspaper hit the news-stand. Thank you sir.”When asked about his

future engagement yester-day, Akinadewo said he, withpeople of like minds, wouldexplore the fresh opportuni-ties “in the modern journal-ism world.”

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 20138 NEWS

Nigeria to introduce pneumonia vaccine in AugustBy Chukwuma Muanya

AS part of efforts to reduceinfant death in Nigeriacaused by pneumonia, theFederal Government has con-cluded plans to introduce thepneumonia vaccine, thePneumococcal ConjugateVaccine (PCV), by August 2013,even as the United NationsChildren Fund (UNICEF) saiduniversal coverage of insecti-cide-treated bed nets is key intackling malaria, one of thelargest killers of children inthe world. A consultant peadiatrician

at the Lagos UniversityTeaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Dr. Taiwo Ladapo, saidpneumonia is currently theleading cause of death in chil-dren under five worldwide

and kills more children in theworld than any other disease. Executive Director, NationalPrimary Health CareDevelopment Agency (NPHC-DA), Dr. Ado GanaMohammed, in an interviewwith The Guardian said:“Nigeria has made progresson tackling childhood killerdiseases with vaccines. Wehave developed immunisa-tion strategy. What it meansis that Nigeria is definitelymaking progress and we arebeginning to see some returnon investment. We are mak-ing some progress in terms ofimmunisation agenda. Weare beginning to see someprogress in terms of uptakeand coverage. Also, we aregoing to introduce PCV inAugust-September this year.” Ladapo told The Guardian

that “if you add the numberof children that die frommalaria and HumanImmuno-deficiency Virus(HIV), pneumonia kills morethan HIV and malaria com-bined globally as of today. Sogenerally, control of pneumo-coccal disease is a major pri-ority. Nigeria has a very highburden. It is said that about

THE May Day celebrationsslated for Wednesday tocommemorate Workers’Day is being threatened byalleged collection of N200million by the NigerianLabour Congress (NLC)from the CentenaryCommittee.

While addressing themedia yesterday in Abuja onthe preparations towards asuccessful May Day celebra-tion, one of the deputy pres-idents of the NLC, PromiseAdewusi, said the labourorganisation did not collectmoney from the CentenaryCommittee.It was alleged that repre-

sentatives of labour collect-ed N200 million from theCentenary panel through acompany.Sources close to the negoti-ation at the SGF secretariatof the CentenaryCommittee alleged thatmoney indeed changedhands but labour insistedno money changed handsbetween it and the commit-tee.It was learnt that the deci-

sion of the Trade UnionCongress (TUC) and NLC tocelebrate the centenary of

labour movement inNigeria in 2013 instead of2012 has made some labourleaders curious.The Nigeria Civil Service

Union (NCSU), which cameinto existence in 2013 and isthe oldest union in the coun-try celebrated the labourcentenary in Nigeria lastyear and the NLC, whichNCSU is part of, did not takeactive part. The questionsbegging for answers are:Why is labour movementcelebrating the centenary ofthe movement one year afterthe event? and Why is thePresident of NCSU, KiriMohammed, who is a deputypresident of the Congressnot driving the process?It should be noted that at

no time in history did thelabour spent more than N10million to host the May Daycelebration.Adewusi revealed that the

Centenary Committeewould be responsible for theorganisation of the 2013 edi-tion of May Day with thelabour movement con-tributing nothing towardsthe event. He also stated thatlabour is not partneringwith government on the cel-ebration but with private

three quarters of all theepisodes of pneumonia in theworld occur in just about 15countries, this is data fromabout two years ago. AndNigeria is one of the countriestop on that list so pneumo-coccal diseases are very signif-icant.”PCV is a pneumococcal vac-

cine used to protect infantsand young children againstdiseases caused by the bac-terium Streptococcus pneu-moniae (pneumococcus).According to the alliances

and information at theInternational Vaccine AccessCentre (IVAC), John HopkinsBloomberg School of PublicHealth, United States, the newPCV can save Nigeria N49 bil-lion treatment cost in tenyears when introduced in thecountry. There are currentlythree PCV vaccines availableon the global market: Prevnar(called Prevenar in somecountries), Synflorix andPrevnar 13.Mohammed said the vac-

cine, which will be intro-duced within three years,beginning from 2013, isexpected to protect theNigerian child against dis-

eases caused by the pneumo-coccal virus such as meningi-tis and pneumonia.

According to the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO),pneumococcal diseases arethe leading vaccine-preventa-ble killers of young childrenworldwide. It is estimated thatintroducing the vaccine is like-ly to prevent up to 206,000child deaths in Nigeria by theyear 2018.

UNICEF’s Director ofProgrammes, Nicholas Alipui,in a statement said: “Malariastill kills 660,000 people everyyear, most of them Africanchildren. It is unacceptablethat every day more than 1,500children still die from a pre-ventable and curable disease.“We must distribute insecti-

cide-treated nets to all whoneed them, provide timelytesting for children and appro-priate medicine when they areinfected.“We have made considerableprogress in this fight, but can-not take our eyes off the goal ofreducing malaria cases anddeaths to zero. We must makesure that countries have thefunding they need for malariacontrol and use it to protecttheir children and expectantmothers.”

Suspect in Oyo murdercase gets bailFrom Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan

THE Oyo State PoliceCommand yesterday con-firmed that the former vicechairman of the PilgrimsWelfare Board (Muslimwing), Alhaji Abass Oloko,who was arrested on Fridayin connection with the mur-der of the night guard of aformer secretary to the stategovernment and chieftainof Accord Party, ChiefAyodele Adigun, has beenreleased on bail.Police spokesperson in thestate, Olabisi Ilobanafor,said Oloko was released dueto an alibi he provided andwhich the command con-firmed to be true.

Gunmen had invadedAdigun’s Ikolaba residenceon Tuesday March 26, andfrantically searched thehouse for the former SSGwho was lucky to have goneto Ado Ekiti with formergovernor, Alhaji RashidiLadoja, to formally inaugu-rate the state’s chapter ofthe Accord Party.According to the police

spokesperson, Oloko’s tem-porary release was based onan alibi that he was out ofthe country when the crimewas committed and that thepieces of information sup-plied by him were verifiedto be true.She added that “the airlinewas contacted and we wereable to establish that as ofthe time of the commissionof the crime, he was inUnited Kingdom. We havesince released him on bail.”The police PRO, however,

called on members of thepublic to assist the com-mand with informationthat could lead to arrest ofkillers of Adigun’s nightguard.

Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar (right); Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Barde; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and National SecurityAdviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) during a state reception organised by Delta State in honour of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba in Asaba, at the

NLC, TUC deny collecting money for May Day celebration

DFID to fight malnutritionin Zamfara

Navy arrests five suspected sea pirates

THE Department forI n t e r n a t i o n a l

Development (DFID) has allo-cated over $500 million tofight malnutrition inZamfara State through thecash transfer programme forpregnant and other womenresidents in the state.Governor Abdul’aziz Yari

Abubakar disclosed this atthe weekend during a townhall meeting organised bythe National GoodGovernance team headed bythe Minister of Information,Mr. Labaran Maku, and heldat JB Yakubu SecretariatConference Hall, Gusau, thestate capital. He said the DFID country

director had confirmed tohim that necessary arrange-ments have been concludedfor the take off of the pro-gramme in the state.The governor, who denied

allegation that the state gov-ernment got large amount offunds as assistance from thegovernment of Germany,however, confirmed thatZamfara is receiving inter-ventional support fromJapan and USAID for someprogrammes that havedirect impact on the resi-dents.Yari described the good gov-ernance tour as a good initia-tive as leaders at state levelare being examined on theirperformance.

IN its fight to make themaritime waters safe forbusiness, the Nigerian Navyin Calabar, Cross River Statehas handed over five sus-pected sea pirates to thestate Police Command.

The Commander of theNNS Victory, CommodoreJames Oluwole, who parad-ed the men before someselect newsmen said theirsis to arrest, hence the sus-pects were handed over tothe police for further inves-tigation and prosecution.He disclosed that the five

suspected sea thieves werearrested at about 1700hours on Friday last weekaround Parrot Island alongthe estuaries of the CalabarRiver as they tried to escape.

By Anietie Akpan, Calabar

Abducted Ondo bakerreleased

DETECTIVES from theOndo State Police

Command have secured therelease of Alhaji Musa AdisaLabaika, the 90-year old for-mer president of the Ondobranch of the Association ofMaster Bakers who wasabducted last Wednesday.He was freed at the week-

end by the police from thehoodlums’ hideout in Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State,while three of the abduc-tors were arrested at theplace.The grey-haired old man

was seized while crossingthe road in front of his 121,Isolo Street, Akure home toa nearby mosque to observehis dawn prayers by a gangof four armed hoodlumswho took him away in a redcar under a hail of gunfire.

The police were said tohave gotten on the trail ofthe hoodlums through themobile telephone numberthey used to demand theN30 million from the fami-ly, 48 hours after the abduc-tion.

From Niyi Bello, Akure

From Isah Ibrahim, Gusau

sector.Speaking on the controver-sies, the Chairman of TUC,Federal Capital Territory(FCT) chapter, Aliyu Musa,insisted that labour did notcollect money from the com-mittee but suggested whichcompany to patronise.Indeed, Adewusi stated thatit was at the instance oflabour that African TextileManufacturers Limited,Kano got the contract to sup-ply the clothes.He said: “We insisted that

the company that wouldmanufacture the clothesmust be the one that allowsunionism in its establish-ment. We insisted that wewould not take money fromthe committee but we wouldhave a say in who got thecontact.”

Adewusi also said theCentenary committee want-ed the shirts to be brandedbut that labour refused,which resulted in some bigcompanies pulling out of thedeal.For logistic reasons, a raffledraw where about 300 carswould be won would havebeen part of the May Day cel-ebration, according toAdewusi.

By Collins Olayinka, Abuja

• Disease ‘kills more kids than others’

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 NEWS 9

OSUN State Governor RaufAregbesola has urged the

nation’s leaders to rise up tothe challenges facing thecountry, saying the indices inthe polity raise fears of possi-ble disintegration.He particularly urged the

Federal Government to wakeup to its responsibilities byinitiating policies aimed atreducing the excruciatingeffects of poverty and depri-vation, which he said, havebrought disenchantment byvarious groups across thecountry.

Aregbesola spoke at theweekend in Osogbo at a din-ner he organised in honourof the newly-electedPresident of the NigerianGuild of Editors, Mr. FemiAdesina, and other executivemembers of the association.The governor, who said the

nation should learn from therecent Somalia’s experience,lamented the protractedunrest in virtually all theregions of the country, stat-ing that unless the FederalGovernment urgently takessome concrete steps, the

nation may collapse. According to him, anyone

with the interest of the coun-try at heart would certainlyknow that Nigeria at presentis closer to failure than suc-cess as a nation.

According to Aregbesola,instead of addressing the fun-damental causes of chal-lenges confronting thenation, the federal authori-ties are merely scratchingthem on the surface. “I am particularly worried

about the fate of this nationtoday. Nigeria is very close tobeing a failed state thanbeing successful. A nationcan only remain indivisibleand hold itself together whenpeople charged with respon-sibilities refuse to shirk in thedispensation of such respon-sibilities. Crises manifest indifferent ways but the realcauses of the nation’s abnor-malities have not beenaddressed. It is not enough totag the insurgency in theSouth as militancy or youthunrest and the one up Northas religious crisis or Islamic

fundamentalism, rather theutmost things needed aresolutions to all these unrests,”Aregbesola said.He charged the media, whichis the source of informationto the people, to practisedevelopment journalism thatcan really make those in polit-ical power to change theirattitude and restore hope tothe people.“Media should challenge theleaders and wake them up totheir responsibilities. I wantyou to use your medium toalso correct the bad impres-sions created for our state. Allthese are borne out ofrumour-mongering,” he said.

Earlier in his remark,Adesina said the Guild of Editors andthe entire media wouldalways support and cooper-ate with a government thatstands for the people.“We will cooperate with any

government that serves thepeople, gives them dividendsof democracy and puts smileon their faces like you aredoing,” Adesina said.

Nigeria nearing failedstate, says AregbesolaFrom Tunji Omofoye, Osogbo

Edo, MAN to partner on industrial park

UN urges Bakassi residents to live in peaceTHE UN Representative to

the Cameroun-NigeriaMixed Commission, Mr. SaidDjinnit, has told residents ofthe Bakassi Peninsula to livein peace with one another,irrespective of the proposedboundary adjustment in thepeninsula.Djinnit made the plea in aninterview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) inYaounde, Cameroun, yester-day during the 31st sessionof the commission.“We believe that the borderwill divide the states but itshould not divide the peo-ple, so I am advising thatthey should live together inpeace.

“They should remain unit-ed, in spite the fact that theborder will be demarcated;the UN is taking initiativesthat will benefit the affectedpopulation on both sides ofNigeria and Cameroun,” hesaid.Djinnit said he had drawn

the attention of the EU andother relevant authorities tothe need to cooperate withthe activities of the commis-sion to achieve its desire.According to him, the carto-graphic section of the UN incharge of producing mapsthat represent the land andmaritime boundarybetween the two countrieswill organise a workshop forenlightenment on the issue.“To ensure the sustainabili-ty of this demarcationagreement, we will also con-stitute an agreement draft-ing committee.”

He said that the mixedcommission had been ableto develop an atmosphereof confidence betweenCameroun and Nigeria.

The Bakassi Peninsula,including Lake Chad areas,had been in dispute for

decades between Nigeriaand Cameroun. On October1, 2002, the InternationalCourt of Justice ceded theoil-rich peninsula toCameroun in a landmarkjudgment that apparentlyleft the residents, mostlyNigerians in a quandary.But the equally resource-

rich maritime frontierbetween the two countriesis yet to be demarcated.Nigeria had agreed to turn

over the Bakassi Peninsulato Cameroun between Julyand September 2004 andhad since handed over 32villages to Cameroun. Thevillages stretch along thenewly-marked 1,700 km bor-der from Lake Chad to theGulf of Guinea.

The Nigeria’s National

Assembly, however, insiststhat the hand-over is uncon-stitutional, demanding areferendum on the issue,which informs the currentCameroun-Nigeria MixedCommission’s intervention.

AS part of efforts to improvesocio-economic activities

of Edo State, the governmentwould soon partner theManufacturers’ Association ofNigeria (MAN) to build anindustrial park that wouldgenerate employment for res-idents.

The Guardian learnt at theweekend that representativesof the state government andthose of MAN would this weekhave an inspection tour of the

site designated for the proj-ect.Chairman of MAN, Edo andDelta states’ chapter,Humphrey EmuoborMasodje, during a courtesyvisit to the GovernmentHouse yesterday, said thestate was overdue for indus-trial park to manage industri-al clusters and as such, recom-mended that the governmentgrants consent to theOrganised Private Sector tomanage and partner govern-ment on the utilisation of the

industrial park alongSakponba Road.The state government said ithas a strategic plan for thesector that would run till2016. “A section of the strate-gic plan deals with industrialpolicy. The plan, which goeson to 2016, is such that anyother government thatcomes will have a flow in andcontinue from there and canalso adjust what needs to beadjusted,” the Secretary toState Government, Prof. JuliusIhonvbere, said.

• Urges action against poverty

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

FG appoints Haruna as NASENI bossTHE Federal Government

has appointed Dr.Mohammed Sani Haruna asexecutive vice chairman andchief executive officer,National Agency for Scienceand EngineeringInfrastructure (NASENI). According to a statement bythe Chief Information Officer(Media and Protocol) ofNASENI, Mr. SegunAyeoyenikan, before thisappointment, Haruna has

been at the helm of affairs inthe agency since March 2012in acting capacity as directorgeneral and chief executive.

Haruna, an indigene ofNasarawa State, is a formerdirector, Power Equipmentand Electrical MachineryDevelopment Institute(PEEMADI), Okene, one of theinstitutes of the agency andalso Director of EngineeringInfrastructure at theagency’s headquarters.

He is a Fellow of NigerianSociety of Engineers (FNSE)and Institutions ofEngineering and Technology(FIET), UK, among others.In a congratulatory letter toHaruna, Secretary to theGovernment of theFederation, Senator AnyimPius Anyim, said PresidentGoodluck Jonathanapproved the appointmentfor an initial period of fiveyears.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (3rd right); his wife, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun (left); bride’s father andSpecial Adviser to Governor Amosun on Energy, Taiwo Fagbemi (2nd right); bride’s mother, Mrs. Bisi Fagbemi (right)and the couple, Dr. and Mrs. Uwem David Akpan during the wedding of the Akpans in Lagos…the weekend

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201310 NEWS

AfricanNews‘Bouteflika responding well inParis after stroke’PRESIDENT AbdelazizBouteflika of Algeria was re-

portedly “responding well” ina Paris hospital yesterday aftersuffering a mini-stroke thathas raised doubts about hisability to govern less than ayear before a presidential elec-tion.The 76-year-old, in power

since 1999, suffered a “tran-sient ischaemia” on Saturdayand was flown to Paris wherehe was driven under army es-cort to the Val de Grace mili-tary hospital, which oftentreats high-profile patients.

Officials in Algeria werequick to allay fears over hiscondition, but the mediaraised fresh questions abouthis health, which has been anendless source of speculationsince 2005 when he had sur-gery in Paris.Rachid Bougherbal, director

of Algeria’s National SportsMedicine Centre, said the“transient ischaemia” – a tem-porary blockage of blood flowto the brain often called a“mini-stroke” – “did not lastlong”.Bouteflika “did not suffer ir-

reversible damage” and was“responding well”, he told thestate news agency APS, ex-plaining that “no sensoryfunction was impaired.”The office of Prime Minister

Abdelmalek Sellal said in astatement yesterday that testsundergone at the hospital hadconfirmed there were “noworries” over his state ofhealth.

Mali smashesIslamist cell inBamakoSECURITY agents in Mali havebroken up a cell in the capi-tal, Bamako, operated by oneof the Islamist groups that hadcontrolled northern Mali untila French-led military interven-tion this year.A police source said yesterdaythat security service agents ar-rested seven people lastmonth when they smashedthe cell belonging to theMovement for Oneness andJihad in West Africa, (MUJAO).“Since the start of the week,

we have the formal proof. Theseven people detained lastmonth in working-classneighbourhoods of Bamakoformed the first MUJAO cell inBamako,” the source toldAgence France Presse (AFP) oncondition of anonymity.The police obtained the helpof Malian State Security intelli-gence services, whose role was“decisive in dismantling thecell,” the police source said.“The investigation continues,”the source addedNo details about where the

seven were being held wasavailable, but the arrests werementioned in a confidentialreport that AFP consulted inBamako yesterday.The report said the arrests

“led to the dismantling of theMUJAO cell in Bamako.”

It said the seven were allMalian nationals between 16and 57 years old who were alltrained militarily and ideolog-ically by the Islamists in thenorth.

Fear, anger trail rebels’ deadly strike on Sudanese townHUNDREDS of youths yester-

day attacked seniorSudan’s officials to expresstheir fear and anger followingrebels’ strike on a major townthat residents said had beenleft unguarded and was hitduring coordinated attacks inwhat was termed “insurgents’most audacious act in years.”Residents in Umm Rawaba –

a previously peaceful commu-nity of thousands which borethe brunt of Saturday’s attack –said about 300 youths stoneda convoy carrying NorthKordofan state governor,Murghani Hussein Zaki-Adeen, and federal ElectricityMinister Osama AbdullahMohammed.Witnesses said protesters

shouted “where were you yes-terday?” after the governor vis-ited the homes of people whodied in the unrest.Youths then set fire to local

government buildings, wit-nesses told Agence FrancePresse (AFP).Residents complained that

the town, the second largest inNorth Kordofan, had been leftundefended when insurgentsbriefly occupied it onSaturday.The death toll was unclear

but included some police-men, according to residentsand officials.Rebels said eight of their

number died during the oper-ation, four in battle and fourin accidents.North Kordofan has been

largely free from the insurgen-cies in the Darfur region to itswest, and South Kordofan toits south.A rebel coalition, the Sudan

Revolutionary Front (SRF),said it attacked Umm Rawabaand several other areas as partof its strategy to reachKhartoum and overthrow the24-year regime of PresidentOmar al-Bashir.Umm Rawaba is about 100

kilometres east of the statecapital, El Obeid, which ishome to an air force base, Itwas tense with armoured ve-

hicles deployed and soldiersin the streets.The SRF said it seized govern-ment garrisons at AbuKershola and Um Ktera before“chasing” the army to UmmRawaba, Allah Kareem and tothe edge of North Kordofan’sEl Rahad town.Abu Kershola and Um Ktera

were still in rebel hands yes-terday, while two additionalSouth Kordofan garrisonsnearby had also been cap-tured by SRF, said ArnuNgutulu Lodi, spokesman forthe Sudan People’s LiberationMovement-North (SPLM-N),which is based in SouthKordofan and Blue Nile states.Residents of Abu Kershola, a

village about 65 kilometressouth of El Rahad, said theywere living rough after flee-ing.“We are staying under trees

and we are using camels tobring water from far away.Some families have nothing toeat,” said one of the displaced,Ahmed Ibrahim, who called

for government aid.“There are just a few trees to

shelter the young childrenand old people,” said anotherman, Hamid AhmedMohammed, who fled the vil-lage early on Saturday.“There is no food and we

brought our water in by don-key,” he said.However, calm returned to

Umm Rawaba town yesterdaybut there was no electricity orwater following the rebel at-tacks, people said.“People are still fearful,” one

resident said.Hafez Mohammed Hamoud,North Kordofan’s Minister ofFinance, said Allah Kareemand the area outside El Rahadwere also “under control com-pletely.”

Sudan’s army spokesman,quoted by SUNA on Saturday,said the rebels had been “de-feated” and had scattered insmall groups.The SRF consists of SPLM-N

and Darfur’s main rebelgroups the Sudan Liberation

Army and Justice and EqualityMovement (JEM).In 2008, JEM pushed all the

way to Khartoum’s twin city ofOmdurman where govern-ment forces said they werebeaten.

The rebel attack in NorthKordofan comes as the gov-ernment, beset by internal po-litical struggles, seeks a broadpolitical dialogue with its op-ponents.Last week Khartoum and the

SPLM-N held their first directtalks in almost two years, butboth sides said negotiationsstalled.From the rebel perspective,

“now would probably be agood time to capitalise onsome of the divisions and... asoftening stance inKhartoum,” said Jonah Leff, ofthe Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based independent researchproject.

But if they tried to reachKhartoum, “I think they’d getbeat back pretty quickly,” hesaid.

Gunmen surround Libyan foreign ministry in Tripoli LIBYA’S Foreign Ministry wasagain on edge yesterday asgunmen surrounded it anddemanded that the place be“cleansed of agents” and am-bassadors of ousted dictator,Muammar Gaddafi, an officialsaid.According to agency report,

the group prevented mem-bers of staff working in theministry from entering thebuilding in Tripoli.

Around 30 vehicles, somemounted with anti-aircraftguns, and dozens of armedmen surrounded the office, anAgence France Presse (AFP) pho-tographer at the scene re-ported.

The official criticised thegroup’s “extremely offensive”

behaviour, even if their de-mands were “legitimate”, say-ing this did not justify“paralysing the whole work ofa ministry”.

The General NationalCongress, Libya’s highest po-litical authority, is studyingproposals for a law to excludeformer Gaddafi regime offi-cials from top governmentand political posts.The proposed law could af-

fect several senior figures inthe government, and hascaused waves in the country’s

political class.In March, demonstrators en-circled the assembly, trappingmembers in the building forseveral hours as they called forthe adoption of the law.After the siege was lifted, gun-men targetted Congress chief,Mohammed Megaryef’s mo-torcade without causing anycasualties.Libya’s government is strug-

gling to assert its influenceacross the country, whereMegaryef’s militias whofought Gaddafi in the 2011 up-

rising still control much terri-tory.Meanwhile, an explosion hita police station in the easternLibyan city of Benghazi onSaturday, causing extensivedamage but no casualties, a se-curity source said.“The explosion damaged a

large part of the building. Anexplosive device was probablythrown,” the source said oncondition of anonymity.

“Fortunately, the officersand police were in anotherpart of the building. That iswhy there were no injuries,”he said.A policeman at the scene saidhe was among officers whofled the building after theblast, and that there were no

apparent casualties.A photographer at the site

said the explosion could beheard at 7:00 am (0500 GMT)and that it destroyed morethan half of the police station.Benghazi, the cradle of the

2011 uprising that oustedGaddafi, has been targetted byseveral bombings and a waveof assassinations in recentmonths.The attacks are usually attrib-uted to Islamic extremists, in-cluding one on the U.S. con-sulate that killed ambassadorChris Stevens on September 11.On Tuesday, the French em-

bassy in Tripoli was struck by acar bomb that wounded twoFrench guards and caused sig-nificant damage.

SOME political parties from35 African nations beganmeeting in Khartoum onSaturday to create a joint fo-rum that will further unify thecontinent, Sudanese officialssaid.“I suggest this meeting will beone of the basic steps to com-plete the unity of Africa,”Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir told the opening ses-sion of the two-day gathering.He said Africa has not had pro-portionate representation ininternational forums despitethe continent’s history and itspopulation of more than onebillion.Delegates plan to form the firstCouncil of African PoliticalParties.“This meeting wants to unitethe African political parties.We want to create a politicalbody for all the parties,” NafieAli Nafie, assistant to Bashir,told reporters.He said that only parties withrepresentatives in their parlia-ments were invited.A delegate from Zambia de-

scribed the meeting as an “ini-tiative” of Sudan’s rulingNational Congress Party.

African political parties meet to boost unity

Around 30 vehicles, some mounted withanti-aircraft guns, and dozens of armedmen surrounded the office.

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) welcoming President Nhamajo Serifo of Guinea Bissau to the Presidential Villa, Abuja…at the weekend.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 11

WorldReportThree killed in apartment block’s collapse in French townABOUT three people werekilled and 14 injured yester-day when part of an apart-ment block in the French cityof Reims collapsed after a sus-pected gas blast, just threeweeks after a similar tragedynot far away.French President Francois

Hollande sent his “condo-lences to the families of the vic-tims” as shocked residentsgrouped around the scene ofthe accident on a councilestate in the Champagneregion.Local authorities said the

“probable” cause of the acci-dent – which saw the extremityof a four-storey building con-taining some 10 flats crashdown – was a gas explosion.Police in the Marne depart-

ment where Reims is located,said three adults were killedand another 14 people injured,one seriously. Among the hurtwere children, they added.A 60-year-old woman was

found dead in the rubble sev-

eral hours after the collapse,bringing the death toll up tothree.Authorities said they were

also looking for a young manwho lives on the fourth floor ofthe block.Some 75 residents gathered

in a nearby sports complexand a school where counsel-lors were available for the trau-matised.

At the beginning of themonth, four people from thesame family were killed andanother person seriouslyinjured when a gas explosiondevastated their council flat inWitry-les-Reims, not far fromthe scene of yesterday’s acci-dent.That incident shocked the

neighbourhood, particularlyas the father had still beenalive when firefighters arrived,talking to them for over twohours to try to help themlocate his wife and child,before dying in the ambu-lance.

Shooting casts shadow over swearing in of Italy’s new cabinet ANEW coalition governmentin Italy was sworn in yester-day, but a ceremony symbolis-ing a fresh start for a countrymired in recession anddogged by political feuds wasovershadowed by a shootingoutside government head-quarters.

As Prime Minister EnricoLetta and his 21 ministers tookthe oath of office in the presi-dential palace, an unem-ployed man about a kilometreaway opened fire on police-men guarding the headquar-ters, wounding two of themand sparking fear amongtourists.

Interior Minister AngeloAlfano said the “tragic andcriminal act” was an isolatedincident, but many blamedthe economic crisis houndingordinary Italians and called forthe new government to act.

“This has its roots in anincreasingly widespread socialdesperation. The dramaticproblems the country is livingthrough call for strong, radicaldecisions,” said Rosy Bindi, for-mer president of theDemocratic Party (PD).Police tackled the aggressor,

Luigi Preiti, after he shot twoofficers in the neck and leg andbegged them to kill him,

according to media reports.He was reportedly depressedafter failing to find a job.

The magistrate who inter-viewed Preiti, PierfilippoLaviani, told ANSA newsagency “he wanted to shootthe politicians (the cabinet)but as he couldn’t get nearthem, he shot the police.”The shooting cast a shadow

over the swearing in of a teammeant to bring hope after overtwo months of bitter post-elec-tion deadlock watched closelyby European partners.

Letta was appointed byPresident Giorgio Napolitanoafter the centre-left won

February elections but with-out the majority needed togovern.The 46-year-old, one of the

European Union’s youngestprime ministers, is expected tounveil his programme in aparliamentary session onMonday, before the govern-ment is put to a confidencevote in parliament onTuesday.The deadlock had thwarted

efforts to end the worst reces-sion in Italy in 20 years, andLetta has said he wants tomove quickly to tackle unem-ployment – currently 11.6 percent – and boost growth.

Iraq suspends TV stations after deadly unrest THE authorities in Iraq yes-terday suspended thelicences of 10 satellite televi-sion channels for promoting“sectarianism”, the country’smedia regulator said. The bloody unrest, which hasclaimed more than 220 peopleover six days, began onTuesday with deadly clashesbetween security forces andSunni Arab anti-governmentprotesters in north Iraq. The unrest is raising fear of a

return to an all-out sectarianconflict that plagued the coun-try in the past and killed tensof thousands.“We took a decision to sus-

pend the licence of some satel-lite channels that adopted lan-guage encouraging violenceand sectarianism,” MujahidAbu al-Hail, a top official in theCommunications and MediaCommission, told AFP.“It means stopping their

work in Iraq and their activi-ties, so they cannot coverevents in Iraq or move

around,” Hail said.The suspensions include Al-

Jazeera, the main broadcasterin the Arab world, andSharqiya, a leading channel inIraq.“The fact that so many chan-

nels have been hit all at once ...suggests this is an indiscrimi-nate decision,” an Al-Jazeeraspokesman told AFP.“We urge the authorities to

uphold freedom for the mediato report the important storiestaking place in Iraq,” thespokesman said.Prime Minister Nuri al-Malikisaid on Saturday that sectarianstrife “came back to Iraq,because it began in anotherplace in this region,” in anapparent reference to Syria.The civil war in neighbouringSyria pitting mainly SunniMuslim rebels against theregime of President Bashar al-Assad, a member of theAlawite offshoot of ShiiteIslam, has killed more than70,000 people.

British minister urges the rich to giveback state handouts IAIN Duncan Smith, theBritish government ministerpushing through strongly crit-icised reforms of the welfarestate, has urged rich pension-ers to give back any handoutsthey don’t need.Older people are entitled to

help with their heating bills,free bus travel and free televi-sion licences, but there aregrowing calls for these to facethe same cuts as unemploy-ment payments and otherbenefits for working-age peo-ple.

Work and PensionsSecretary, Smith, told theSunday Telegraph there were“no plans to change” the cur-rent system, which PrimeMinister David Cameronpromised to protect at the lastelection.But he told the newspaper: “Itis up to them, if they don’twant it, to hand it back. Iwould encourage everybodywho reads the Telegraph anddoesn’t need it, to hand it

back.”His comments were given

short shrift by cabinet col-leagues.Deputy Prime Minister Nick

Clegg, the leader of the LiberalDemocrats, the junior partnersin Cameron’s Conservative-ledgovernment, said he wouldsupport a change in the sys-tem, adding of Duncan Smith’ssuggestion: “I don’t think thatmakes sense.”

Conservative minister KenClarke, who at 72 years-oldwould be entitled to pension-ers’ benefits, said he didn’tthink it was possible to handmoney back to the govern-ment in that way.“You can’t hand it back to thegovernment. I don’t think it isa system for doing that,” hetold Sky News television.“Every pensioner and retired

person like myself has to makeup their own mind aboutwhether they really need it andwhether they are going to giveit to some worthwhile cause.”

Syria’s chemical weapons: The world now on edge

THE big noise over allegeduse of chemical weapons inSyria has again put the worldon edge.

Western leaders over theweek fumed over what isthought to be a sarin (bannedchemical substance) attack bythe embattled SyrianPresident Bashar Al Assadregime on people in rebelheld city of Alepo. This isviewed as a war crime. Sarin isa colourless and odourless liq-uid which scientists say is anextremely potent nerve agent.Although Syria is not a partyto the 1993 Chemical WeaponsConvention that bans thedevelopment, production,possession and transfer ofchemical weapons, it is partyto the 1925 Geneva Protocolbanning their use in warfare.There was outrage by world

leaders at the weekend follow-ing the emergence of afootage in global mediaincluding Sky News, of anapparent sarin attack in thecity of Aleppo. But Syrian offi-cials denied the governmenthad used chemical weaponsagainst rebel forces.A Syrian lawmaker, Sharif

Shehadeh, called the claimsby western governments“lies” and likened them tofalse accusations that Iraq pos-sessed weapons of massdestruction.

The United Nations (UN)Security Council had on 28April 2004 unanimouslyadopted Resolution 1540under Chapter VII of theUnited Nations Charter whichaffirms that the proliferationof nuclear, chemical and bio-logical weapons and theirmeans of delivery constitutesa threat to international peaceand security.Diplomatic watchers said if itis verified that the Assadregime used sarin, that wouldin itself place it in direct viola-tion of international law aswell as international normsagainst chemical weaponsuse.Up till yesterday afternoon,

British Prime Minister DavidCameron insisted that “thereis growing evidence of the useof chemical weapons byBashar al Assad’s regime,” con-demning the reported attacksas a war crime.

Voices are rising in theUnited States (U.S.) wherePresident Barrack Obama isbeing encouraged to take

decisive action on Syriabecause it is largely felt thatthe red line has now beencrossed.Obama had repeatedly said

that any use of chemicalweapons would be cross a “redline”, triggering possible mili-tary action. A possible toughaction could also mean enforc-ing a no fly zone and creatingsafe zones inside the country.The video, now sparking the

outrage was taken in a hospi-tal and shows men andwomen frothing at the mouthand twitching from the effectsof the nerve agent. One wasfirst posted online just over aweek ago.The images were recorded atthe medical facility in Afrin,about an hour’s drive from thecity of Aleppo, where thealleged sarin attacks by gov-ernment forces were carriedout.

Dr. Kawa Hassan, anorthopaedic surgeon whotreated the first casualties, toldagencies’ reporters: “Wereceived an initial five casual-ties, then a second group.Many were foaming at themouth and their pupils weredilated. Then some of my med-ical staff started to becomeaffected, too. We gave them allatropine. For most, it had animmediate positive effect.”

The United Nations (UN)Chemical WeaponsConvention (CWC) is an armscontrol agreement, which out-

laws the production, stockpil-ing, and use of chemicalweapons. Its full name is theConvention on theProhibition of theDevelopment, Production,Stockpiling and Use ofChemical Weapons and ontheir Destruction. The agree-ment is administered by theOrganisation for theProhibition of ChemicalWeapons (OPCW), which is anindependent organisationbased in The Hague,Netherlands.As of August 2010, 188 states

are party to the CWC, andanother two countries (Israeland Myanmar) have signedbut not yet ratified the conven-tion.The British leader Cameron

told the British BroadcastingCorporation (BBC) yesterdaymorning: “It is very disturbingwhat we are seeing. It’s limitedevidence, but there’s growingevidence that we have seen tooof the use of chemicalweapons, probably by theregime. It is extremely serious,this is a war crime, and weshould take it very seriously.”He said it was now essential

to gather further evidence andfor Britain to work with theinternational community toput pressure on the Assadregime.“This is extremely serious,

and I think what PresidentObama said was absolutelyright - that this should form

for the international commu-nity a red line for us to domore,” he added.By the weekend (Friday), the

White House was not ready todefinitively rule that chemicalweapons had been used, say-ing it was “not an airtight case”against the Assad regime.U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck

Hagel had already announcedduring a trip to Abu Dhabi thatevidence of chemical weaponsuse had been found.His comments were backed

by the U.S. Secretary of StateJohn Kerry, who said the Syrianregime had carried out twosmall-scale chemical weaponsattacks.What is more? Senator John

McCain told Sky News: “Theproblem is that the presidenthas consistently said that’s ared line, so the question is, willthe president act in a way that Ihave advocated for a longtime?UN Secretary General Ban KiMoon announced earlier thismonth that he had a team of 15inspectors on stand-by inCyprus ready to go and investi-gate allegations of chemicalweapons us.

In 2002, United NationsSecurity Council unanimouslyadopted Resolution 1441 offer-ing Iraq under SaddamHussein “a final opportunity tocomply with its disarmamentobligations” that had been setout in several previous resolu-tions. Then, Iraq’s breachesrelated not only to weapons ofmass destruction (WMD), butalso the known construction ofprohibited types of missilesetc.

The world surely does notwant a repeat of the situationwhere real evidence eventuallyfailed to prop up after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq had beenaccomplished.

From Oghogho Obayuwana, ForeignAffairs Editor

There was outrage by world leaders at the weekendfollowing the emergence of a footage in global mediaincluding Sky News, of an apparent sarin attack inthe city of Aleppo. But Syrian officials denied thegovernment had used chemical weapons againstrebel forces.

Obama Assad Cameron

12 THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Politics

INCUMBENT Edo State chief executive,Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, through the

help of the courts, rode into office on the popu-lar mandate he got from the people in the 2007elections. And he promised therefrom a mantraof ‘one man, one vote.’

Indeed, there had been series of elections con-ducted in the state since the change of baton atthe Government House in Benin City in 2008.The most prominent was the July 14, 2012 gover-norship poll that returned Oshiomhole for asecond term in office.So, the April 20, 2013 local government election

was to be another test case for a free and fairexercise.

But the disputing voices of the opposition —both from civil society groups and political par-ties — may have punctured that expectation.That is if one discountenanced the refrain of theopposition parties that — “the election wasrigged” — whenever they lost any contest.

The noise from particularly the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) is strident in thisregard. Its Edo State chairman, Chief Dan Orbih,said his party is not just crying wolf where thereis none. He told journalists in Benin City on Friday that,

“from the beginning, it was clear that ACN-con-trolled government was not ready to conductcouncil election.”“This cancellation (of the rescheduled election

in Esan North-East) has exposed the ineptitudeand inability of the ACN government to con-duct local government election.”

“These are the same people who, at the slight-est opportunity, will criticise INEC. What weexpected the government to do is to takeresponsibility for foisting an inefficient EDSIECon the people.”

Orbih said his party would explore all legalmeans to correct the anomalies, just as hedescribed the sworn-in council chairmen as“caretaker committee chairmen.�”

Perhaps, as part of that “legal means,” therewere protests against the election last Tuesdayin Benin City. Some prominent politicians fromthe opposition, using some members of thecivil society groups, reportedly sponsored thedemonstrations.  A sore point in the unfolding drama is the crit-

icism the governor has been getting from civilsociety groups, which, ordinarily, were expect-ed to be his constituency.

Against all expectations, most of them, whohad appeared both on local and nationalmedia, condemned the election; an indication,observers believe, that all is not well in that sec-tor.� 

The protests in some quarters notwithstand-ing, the Accord Party (AP) and the Coalition ofRegistered Political Parties (CRPP) have laudedthe election. They noted that despite reportedhitches, it remains the best council electionever held in the state and that it substantiallycomplied with the electoral law.�  

Addressing the press in Benin City, theNational Secretary of AP and chairman of theCRPP, Samson Isibor, commended the chair-man of the EDSIEC, Solomon Ogor, whom, hesaid, displayed a high level of sincerity in hismission.

Isibor said the election was devoid of electoralmalpractices, such as ballot-snatching, stuffingof ballot boxes, using guns to scare away eligi-ble voters; there was none of such things. “Do you know that in remote villages like Idibo,

Udeni, and Ewoghan villages of Uhunmwodecouncil, where it is difficult to reach because ofthe roads, election took place there. AccordParty candidate won in some units in that area;what else do we say about that?”�  

In the same vein, a youth group, Edo Is In SafeHands, described the PDP complaints againstthe election as those of a sinking group.�    

In press statement, the youths’ chairman,Washington Osa-Osifo, wondered why the PDPshould complain about shifting election insome councils when in 2011, the INEC post-poned election to ensure fairness to all par-ties. �  

Noting that the postponement was not byGovernor Oshiomhole but the electoral com-mission, Osa-Osifo said “patriotic citizens aresupposed to address the institution of EDSIECinstead of acting in ignorance and castigatingthe image of a man who has always acted and isstill acting in line with the provisions of thelaw.”� 

How did these back and forth come into play?Where did all go wrong for an election the elec-torate had hoped would throw up credible peo-ple to replace the much-vilified caretaker com-mittee chairmen and councilors in the localgovernments in the state?

From January this year when the chairman ofEdo State Independent Electoral Commission(EDSIEC), Mr. Solomon Ogor, announced April20 as the date for local government councilelections, activities in the political partiesbecame frenzied, as aspirants revived theircampaign machineries to get control of thecouncils.�  

Expectedly, the commission promised credi-ble, free and fair elections just as the state gov-ernment gave the assurance that it would notinterfere in the running of the commission.�   

However, the elections eventually held asscheduled in 14 of the 18 local councils due tologistics hiccups and violence in some areas.Elections in these councils were rescheduledfor Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25,respectively.

On the first day of voting, there was largeturnout of voters in virtually all the pollingunits visited but the main challenge was latearrival of voting materials. While some centresbegan accreditation as at 3pm, others, includ-ing actual balloting, went into the night.�  

The EDSIEC chair, Ogor, attributed the hitchesto flight challenges, disclosing that the elec-toral materials arrived at the MurtalaMuhammed Airport in Lagos late the previous

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City day and could not be flown to the Benin Airport,which does not have functional night landingcapacity.� 

He said Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr.Folunsho Adebanjo, had to call his Lagos Statecounterpart, to provide security for the materialsconveyed by road to the Benin City. This explanation was not accepted by the people,

including Governor Adams Oshiomhole, whosaid even though it appeared it meant well, theEDSIEC needed to apologise to the people of thestate for the avoidable delay.�  

However, the Action Congress of Nigeria hadswept the 14 councils in which elections wereconclusive; and Governor Oshiomhole promptlysworn-in the elected officials to preempt a possi-ble court injunction the opposition PDP wasreportedly hatching.

Meanwhile, as most of the ACN members andresidents in the state were celebrating the victoryof their candidates in the elections, there wereprotests in some areas, particularly in EsanNorth-East in Edo Central. Incidentally, the chair-man, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, ChiefTony Anenih, and the Minister of Works, Mr. MikeOnolenmemen are from the council.�  

Twice, election was held and twice it was can-celled in the place due to violence. The PDP candi-date, John Yakubu, is believed to be very popularin the council; hence it was no surprise that somuch tension was generated in the area, as hissupporters claimed that he won in the 11 wardswhere the election was cancelled.

Ogor, who announced the cancellation of theelection in the council on Thursday at about6:11pm, told newsmen at the EDSIEC headquar-ters in Benin City that the rescheduled electionwas marred by violence and thuggery.

He stated that the election was earlier post-poned from Saturday, April 20, to WednesdayApril 24, 2013 because the Divisional Police Officerin the area forced the Electoral Officer (EO) topostpone the election without recourse to theEDSIEC authority.

Ogor alleged that the Minister of Works visitedsome of the voting centres with a large entourageof armed policemen; thus, compromising thesecurity of the environment against laid-downelectoral laws.

He said in many places at the rescheduled elec-tion, EDSIEC officials were chased away and theEO was held up in the police station.

“The activities of thugs and overzealousness ofsome law enforcement officers made it impossi-ble for EDSIEC officials to perform their functionsand the process became thoroughly contaminat-ed and unmanageable; the security of voters andelectoral officers could not be guaranteed andupon that, the election was inconclusive andEDSIEC decided to cancel the election,” Ogor said.

He said a new date would be announced afterstocktaking.� 

But this position has been roundly condemnedby the opposition PDP, which said the commis-sion was acting the script of the state governor,who, it said, was bent on winning the entire localgovernment councils.� 

Also in Ward 2, Etsako East local governmentcouncil, the PDP candidate, Sanusi Ayuba, saidresults collated from the polling units showedthat he won the area with 595 votes while theACN scored 499 votes.

In Unit 3, PDP scored 138 votes and ACN 101;Unit 5: PDP 131, ACN 130; Unit 6: PDP 56, ACN 52;Unit 1: PDP 83, ACN 72; Unit 2: PDP 79, ACN 70;Unit 7: PDP 14, ACN 40 and in Unit 8: PDP 94,ACB 34 votes.

But reports indicated that the ACN candidatewas sworn-in as councilor from the ward andthis has led Ayuba to petition the EDSIEC.�     Mr. Moses Agbukor, the agent for the PDP, who

has lodged petition against the EDSIEC declara-tion, said he was hounded into a military vehi-cle from the ward’s collation centre afterreceiving all results from the units.

He said that the official results, which shouldreturn the PDP candidate as the winner of theelection, were yet to be released as at Thursday.Indeed, the results were still unreleased as atthe time of filing this report yesterday.

The ruling ACN, going by results of last year’sgovernorship election, which it won in theentire 18 local councils, was confident it wouldcruise to victory in the same way� going by theparty’s seeming popularity.

Still, the governor and party leaders touredthe 18 councils where they pledged that theircandidates would replicate what the governorwas doing in the state in terms of infrastruc-ture.�  

But the story was different in the PDP, which,rather than imitating the ACN and hit the roadfor massive campaigns, started crying fouleven before the election.On election day, the senator representing Edo

North senatorial district, Domingo Obende,commenting on the nature of the election inhis council and many other parts of Edo North,told The Guardian that, “there was peace every-where; and that is why I am here.” 

Referring to the PDP, he said: “What theyplanned was that, ‘let us destroy everything,’because they knew they wouldn’t win. Youknow we are carrying egg; so, we have to guardit jealously.

“The reports I have from Etsako, Owan andAkoko-Edo presuppose that we are fine and it’sbeen peaceful. From what I have seen, some-times when materials arrive late, people aremore organised because the anxiety is nolonger there; the tension would have calmeddown. “Voting went in an orderly manner, and so far,

I am very impressed and I am grateful to thepeople that have decided to conduct them-selves in a very orderly manner.”� 

Similarly, the member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency in the House ofRepresentatives, Peter Akpatason,  describedthe allegation that the election was rigged infavour of the ACN as baseless “because PDPnever believed elections could be won on thebasis of popularity.”

“ACN fielded popular candidates capable ofwinning elections without rigging.� In anycase, the ACN as a party is not known for rig-ging and we have not only fielded winningcandidates, but also campaigned well to winand win squarely. But a PDP chieftain and the commissioner rep-

resenting Edo State in the Public ComplaintsCommission, Mr. Oladele Bankole-Balogun,described the election as a “charade,” stressingthat it was a deliberate strategy to rig the pollsin favour of the ruling party (ACN).�  He regretted that Governor Oshiomhole, who

rubbished INEC over the conduct of the stategovernorship election, would allow some-thing like this (alleged malpractice) to hap-pen.” 

He subsequently called for the cancelation ofthe election.� All said, the criticisms trailing the council elec-

tion, which several quarters adjudged to havebeen the best in the state since 1999, could havebeen minimal had the EDSIEC done a good jobof adequate and timely distribution of logisti-cal materials.Hence, the need for improvement on the part

of the commission, especially as it wasobserved, for instance, that the commissionused only one vehicle to distribute materials topolling units in each ward. This contributed to the late arrival of sensitive

materials at polling units even after they weredistributed from the EDSIEC offices in the localgovernment headquarters.   

Oshiomhole Orbih

Much ado about Edo council election�

Over 17 governorship aspirants emerge in Akwa Ibom

AS build-up to 2015 begins to thicken, asmany as 17 aspirants from Eket senatorial

district have lined up to succeed GovernorGodswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State.A breakdown of the number shows that seven

aspirants are from Eket federal constituency,six aspirants from Oron federal constituencyand four governorship from the Ikot Abasi fed-eral constituency.

The chairman of the Akwa Ibom South (Eket)Senatorial District Assembly, Chief NdueseEssien, dropped the hint at the third meetingof the body held recently at the Ekid CivicCentre in Eket.However, he did not disclose the names of the

aspirants but it is obvious that personalitieslike the Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, ChiefAssam Assam (SAN), Senator Helen Esuene(the only female among the aspirants), BishopSamuel Akpan, Dr. Samuel Udonsek, Mr.Owodigehe Adiakpan, Effiong Abia, NisimaEkere, Otu Ita Toyo, Michael Onofiok andOkpolopum — all from the senatorial zone areall in the race.Chief Essien, a former minister, said the num-

ber of governorship aspirants did not surprisehim, noting that by the zoning principle of thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, “itis the turn of Eket senatorial district to pro-duce the next governor of the state.”

He argued that, “if not by zoning, then itcomes by rotation, equity, justice, fair play,good governance and all other known andunknown principles of human relationshipand mutual co-existence.”

The 2015 governorship project of the district,he said, is real; “hence, the chosen governor-ship candidate must be one who is capable,

competent and focused enough to make thedistrict proud by improving upon the quali-ty and tempo on the uncommon transfor-mation witnessed in the state.”“It has become imperative for the district to

organise itself in readiness to shoulder theheavy responsibility of the office, as the gov-ernorship position is a high-stake office forwhich the district cannot relax and take forgranted.”

Essien warned that the Assembly is notabout individual aspiration, village, localgovernment, federal constituency or ethnic

From Anietie Akpan, Calabar

group that should take the governorship posi-tion but to consolidate the turn for governorshipto the senatorial district.

He declared: “We have knowledgeable brilliant

and competent persons in the variousnooks and crannies of the senatorial dis-trict to run Akwa Ibom State. We want anyperson who can replicate and, in fact, gobeyond what Dr. Godswill Akpabio isdoing.

“The Assembly is principally concernedwith the sensitisation and mobilisation ofour people for this project. Our group isalso to plan, organise and strategisetoward the attainment of our turn.

“We call on our sons and daughters cur-rently playing the role of Judas to tradecautiously in the morning market andreturn home early to the fold to claim theirbirthright.”

A communiqué issued at the meetingwarned all sons and daughters of the sena-torial district against playing the role of asecond fiddle, by accepting the deputy gov-ernor position; declaring that senatorialdistrict does not want the office of deputygovernor.

Participants at the forum insisted that,“the principle of zoning and rotation willensure equity, fair play and justice enjoyedby governors from the other two senatori-al districts, to make for peaceful co-exis-tence in the state.”

They posited that Akwa Ibom South sena-torial district is aware that zoning androtation has been in place with regard tothe office of the governor since 1999, withUyo senatorial district having their turnthrough Obong Victor Attah between 1999-2007, and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districtproducing the subsisting GovernorAkpabio since 2007 to complete in 2015.

In all these, the people of Eket senatorialdistrict gave their firm support and loyalty.

Akpabio

Kwara PDP, ACN torn apart by crises

From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

INTERNAL rifts rather than threatsfrom the camp of the opposition —

depending on which divide you are —may be the heels of Achilles of theKwara State chapters of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) and theAction Congress of Nigeria (ACN)respectively, ahead of the 2015 gener-al elections.

But while the PDP members seempoised to resolve their differences,those in the ACN look to be diggingin.

Even though none of the local offi-cials of the PDP was willing to admitthe existence of internal wrangling,sources disclosed in Ilorin that someof the ranking members are plottingto wrest their independence fromthe acclaimed ‘Leader’ of the partyand former governor of the state, Dr.Bukola Saraki.   

The development, comparable to acauldron preparing for a ball of fire,is believed to be alien to the politicalstyle of the Saraki dynasty, oftennoted for its welfarist ideology butunder the firm control of the pivotalfigure, referred to as ‘The Leader’. 

The political system made popularin the lifetime of the Turaki of Ilorin,Dr. Olusola Saraki, the biologicalfather of Bukola, is still very popularwith members of the political family,

now headed by Bukola. According to a party source: “Three

members of the party in the state,who are using the quota of the stateapart from a senator, who was votedinto power, are working against theinterest of Bukola, our leader and byimplication, working against theinterest of our great party.

“They are claiming that they got totheir positions at the national levelby other means outside Bukola’sinfluence; hence, they believe thatthey owe him or other members ofthe party no allegiance. “This is a dangerous trend, especial-

ly with the concerned senator whobelieves that he, rather than ourleader, is a more experienced politi-cian and therefore can’t do the bid-ding of our leader.”

On two occasions in the past, theSaraki political dynasty wasenmeshed in internal imbroglio,which almost tore it apart. TheSecond Republic governor of thestate, Adamu Attah, had fallen outwith the Turaki just as another ex-governor, Mohammed Lawal, didbetween 2001 and 2003. The elder Saraki was eventually able

to tame the roaring fire of “rebel-lion” and had both his say and hisway. The rest is now history!But the question on the lips of many

political analysts in the state today is

Ahmed Belgore

whether the new leader of thedynasty, like his late father, hasenough muscles to weather thestorm of internal crisis looming inthe party.

Yet, one area that may timelyeclipse the crisis is the non-involve-ment of the state government in it.The Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed-led PDP government has so farshunned politicking, facing insteadthe art of governance. But it is doubtful if the government

could sustain its “neutral role” tillthe end. Besides, if it decided to takea position, on whose side would itpitch its tent?

Approached for comments on theissue, the Senior Special Assistant tothe Governor on Media and Strategy,Femi Akorede, told The Guardian tobeam its searchlight at the partystructure, saying, “I know nothingabout any wrangling within the PDPin Kwara; I am simply concernedwith my assignments here. See theofficials of the party, please.”The Secretary of the PDP in the state,

Yemi Afolayan denied the existenceof any rift in the party. As an alterna-tive, he warned, “rumour mongersto mind their own business ratherthan dabbling into(sic) other peo-ple’s affairs.”

In the same vein, the state’sChairman of the Local GovernmentService Commission and an associ-ate of Senator Saraki, Alhaji KayodeSuleiman, said he was not aware ofany rumpus in the party.

He queried: “Crisis? I don’t know ofany. We are focused, as a politicalparty and our leader is in firm con-trol of the party. We are a big and ahappy family. That is all I can say.”

Notwithstanding the foregoingtrend of reported fragments withinthe PDP circle, it may still be difficultfor members of the oppositiongroup to wrest power from the rul-ing party in the next general elec-tions.

Indeed, the infighting at the state’schapter of the Action Congress ofNigeria seems protracted than thecold war in the PDP.

The ACN, since its presence in the46-year-old state, has been playingthe role of a leading oppositiongroup. But the crisis of ego betweenthe National Publicity Secretary ofthe party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, an

Oro-born politician, in Irepodunlocal government council of the stateand the governorship candidate ofthe party in the last elections, DeleBelgore (SAN), descendant of aprominent Islamic scholar in Ilorin,may have torn apart the party.

Although Mohammed and Belgorehad denied the existence of any rift,the recent unfolding events in theleadership structure of the party mayhave confirmed the fears.

It is “talk of the town” in Kwara thatMohammed is nursing the ambitionof having another chance at the gov-ernorship, having lost out in 1994 onthe platform of the Alliance forDemocracy (AD). While the ambitionmay be a legitimate one, the allegedinterest of Belgore again at the slotmay have caused the rift.Sources said the duo believe that the

emergence of the APC, an alliancearrangement among the majoropposition political parties in thecountry, may eventually bolster thechances of the governorship candi-date in the next polls in the state;hence, the twosome’s resolve to get“at all costs” the sole ticket of theemerging party.

Already, attempts have been madeby the aspirants to control the hierar-chy of the party in the state.

Meanwhile, the crisis has gonebeyond the two politicians, as many

of their supporters have resolved tofight it to “a logical conclusion.”

An aide of Belgore said, “Do youknow that till date ‘Oga’ (Belgore)does not believe that Mohammed isworking against his ambition come2015? I know ‘Oga’ wants to contestbut he is not desperate about it. Hehas made his marks as a lawyer buthe is only interested in liberating hispeople.”But this appears not the general posi-

tion of the Belgore loyalists, who con-tend that the Kayode Olawepo-ledcaretaker committee of the ACN inthe state, which “they believe to beworking for Mohammed,” shouldhave been dissolved and replacedwith properly constituted officials ofthe party. But Mohammed’s aidescanvass the continuation of the com-mittee in office.However, Olawepo, in a chat with The

Guardian, said, “any attempt to dis-solve us at the state level is null andvoid because it was the national(headquarters) and not the state(chapter) that set us up.” “He who does not have the power to

appoint can’t dissolve; it is a simplematter. Nevertheless, we are one bigfamily,” he said.

Who benefits from the stalemate inthe two parties remains the next logi-cal question, as Kwara, and indeed,the country inches towards 2015.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 13POLITICS

It is the turn of Eket senatorialdistrict to produce the nextgovernor of the state. If not byzoning, then it comes by rota-tion, equity, justice, fair play,good governance and all otherknown and unknown principlesof human relationship andmutual co-existence. We call onour sons and daughters cur-rently playing the role of Judasto trade cautiously in the morn-ing market and return homeearly to the fold to claim theirbirthright.

TheMetroSectionTHE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201314

ENDURANCE Agbobonye-Ajisegiri, anative of Uro Ivrogbo Iri in Isoko

South Local Council of Delta State wasenjoying a blossoming career in SpeechWriting. In fact, she had concluded plans to payfor a Sports Utility Van (SUV) at the cardealer’s place as a surprise gift for herhusband, when the same man sent herto her early grave with a knife, which heused to slice her throat.But for the quick intervention of the

Medical Doctor of the hospital who pre-vailed on the police from Shasha Divi-sion to arrest him, her husband, theprime suspect, who is now in the cell ofthe homicide unit of the State’s Crimi-nal Investigation Department (SCID),Panti, Yaba Lagos alongside his motherand his sister, would have escaped thewrath of the law, when Endurance fi-nally gave up the ghost at the Hospital. Unaware that danger lurked ahead, En-durance, who left her husband’s homefollowing a feud between the duo, hadinnocently followed his spouse’s friendto make peace with the man she lovedwhen the said man suddenly turnedagainst her the next day and allegedlysliced her to death. Endurance’s father, Elder Johnson Ag-bobonye, who is very distressed over hisdaughters’ demise, told The Guardianthat he was yet to believe his daughter,whom he described as “the breadwin-ner of my family” has been sent to thegreat beyond by a wicked husband.”Elder Agbobonye narrated how the

feud between Endurance, a Speech Writ-ing Consultant and Managing Directorof Speech Transition Company Limitedand her husband, a native of Kogi State,began.According to the 68-year-old man: “ I

was not at home when it happened. Iwas at the sea side, and so they calledme. On Saturday April 13, a friend of mydaughter’s husband came to our houseto come and carry Endurance, mydaughter so that they could go andmeet the husband for settlement overthe quarrel between them. He did notmeet her in our house here; he had to goto her office to carry her to the hus-band’s place. My daughter quarrelledwith her husband, which we settled. Thefollowing day, the young man sent me

a text telling me he was not satisfiedwith the settlement. Immediately, Icalled my daughter to stay awayfrom him, because the content of themessage he sent to me showed thathe did not love her and did not wanther.” He continued: “I warned her not togo to him. It was this friend of mydaughter’s husband that put pres-sure on her and carried her to theman on Saturday, April 13 when I wasnot at home, at about 2.00p.m., onthe ground that they wanted to set-tle the matter. The next day, I re-ceived a shocker from the husband,who called to say we should come tothe hospital that Endurance hadkilled herself. Immediately, I startedcoming from Ibeju Lekki Local Coun-

cil. Before I got here, the Doctor had al-ready called the police from Shasha PoliceStation to arrest the suspect.”“The doctor saw that it was a pure case

of murder because my daughter’s throatwas sliced. They took me to where mydaughter’s body was laid and I started cry-ing. I wept uncontrollably, I could notcontrol myself. The father of the man whokilled my daughter is from Kogi State, heis a son to a professor,” Endurance’s fatherlamented.Explaining the details of the quarrel,

which his family was trying to manage,the elder said: “There was a woman at thecentre of this whole quarrel. She was astaff working for my daughter. My daugh-ter brought her up in her companySpeech Transition Limited and this samelady started having a carnal affair with

Briefs

• Deceased’s father narrates family ordeal

her husband, so my daughter sackedthe lady from the company. It was thesack that led to the hatred by her hus-band.” “My daughter usually trained speech-writers for companies and schools.She brought her husband into thebusiness. She left her husband’s placeand ran to her sister’s place since theman turned her to a punching bag be-cause of another woman. She was thebreadwinner of our family. Her 57-year- old mother cannot sleep even asI am talking to you now. What willmake me feel satisfied in this matter isfor justice to be done . I want the manand his family to feel the pain my fam-ily and I are feeling now,” he said. Her elder sister, Mercy Amadi told The

Guardian that she was yet to believethat her sister was dead.“I cannot accept that. I am yet to be-lieve that someone my sister calls herhusband has taken my sister’s life. Shewas a vibrant and intelligent younglady. When my sister saw a cockroachin the bathroom, she would run out ofthe house, that was the person theyhadkilled. I refuse to accept that! Lookat her three-year-old daughter, she iswith me now.”

College PTA donates20-seater bus to school

Aduke Ige passes on

Okeigbo Forum holdssummit May 1OKEIGBO Consultative

Forum holds the maidenedition of Okeigbo AgendaSummit on Wednesday, May1, 2013 at Lagos Airport Hotel,Lagos by 9.00 a.m.The group’s Chairman,Chief Dele Oduwale, said thetheme of the conference is:“Okeigbo Agenda: Issues andthe way forward” The event will be presidedover by Chief Clement Ogun-lana with AlhajaIyabo Ani-mashaun as the Chairpersonwhile the keynote addresswill be delivered by ChiefOye Elusiyan. Other guest speakers ex-pected include: Prof. TolaOlatunji, Prof. Sola Olowu,Prof. Francis Fajemirokun,Mr. Rufus Egunyomi and Dr.Wole Gbadebo. All sons and daughters ofOkeigbo are enjoined to at-tend the summit, whichwould provide a unique op-portunity to discuss exten-sively on how to move thecommunity forward.

The late Endurance Agbobonye-Ajisegiri

MADAM Comfort AdukeIge, popularly known as

Mama Olopo-Ewa, is dead. She was a virtuous womanand devout Christian whoserved God diligently andtouched many lives.A Christian wake holds onFriday, May 24, 2013 at herresidence at K52, Isare Street,Efon Alaye at 5.00pm. She will be buried on Satur-day, May 25, after a funeralservice at St. Paul’s AnglicanChurch, Idagba Street, EfonAlaye at 11.00a.m. Receptionholds at Oke Are PrimarySchool, Efon Alaye from2.00p.m – 7.00p.m.She is survived by Mrs. Fo-lake Idowu, Chief KayodeAllen Ige, Bankole Julius Ige,Kehinde Festus Ige, Taye Ige,Idowu Ige and Mrs. AlabaOderinde.

How husband allegedly slaughtered his wife in Lagos

FOR the first time since theschool was established in

1980, Irri Grammar School,Delta State,would experiencecomputer literacy. Thanks to abrand new Information Com-munication Technology (ICT)centre donated to the schoolby Club O9 founded by 11 Irricitizens.The ICT facilities provided in-clude 10 desktop computers, apower generating set, and oneGlo modem with one-month

browsing period as the firstphase of the ICT project.Club 09 President, Christo-pher Ojareda Enase, promisedthat the club would providethe school with a broadbandInternet facility when stu-dents and teachers of theschool become computer lit-erate.Speaking during the commis-sioning of the ICT centre inthe school, the President ofClub 09, said the “ICT centre isthe first of the several projectsthe club has planned to exe-

THE Parents’/ Teachers’ As-sociation (PTA) of National

College, Gbagada, Lagos, hasdonated a 20-seater bus tothe authority of the school.At a presentation ceremony,the outgoing Chairman ofthe PTA, Mr. Ade Kolawolehanded over the keys of thevehicle to the Managing Pro-prietor, Alfred Aina (Jnr.) andsaid the gesture was a mani-festation of the cooperationand understanding that haveexisted between the parentsand the management of theschool." We are quite impressedwith the infrastructural andacademic development ofthe school since it was re-turned to the owners by thegovernment. We are furtherencouraged by the commit-ment of the managementand the entire staffers to-wards the progress of ourchildren", he said.In his response, Alfred Aina(Jnr.) assured the parentsthat the school would con-tinue to go higher in qualityeducation and moral up-bringing, stressing that thebus would be used for activi-ties that would boost thecorporate image of the

cute.“It is our belief that the stu-dents and teachers of IrriGrammar School will seam-lessly integrate with the infor-mation superhighway, not forits frivolities and frills but whatit can offer as borderless fron-tiers of knowledge”, he said.Enase said he expected thequality of teaching and learn-ing would improve tremen-dously just as he appealed tothe students and teachers toput the facility to good use.The Principal of Irri Grammar

School, Mrs. Alice Edherue,said she did not believe itwhen she was told that Club09 was going to donate the ICTcentre to the school until theitems for the centre arrived. Immensely grateful to theclub for the rare gesture, shesaid: “In a society where peoplestruggle to gain at the expenseof the town, it is difficult to be-lieve that there are still per-sons who care for the future ofthe children of this town. Whatwe are witnessing today is thesacrifice by people who want

to move Irri Town forward.The Principal said “the worldtoday is technology driven andanybody who is not ICT com-plaint is “terribly disadvan-taged.”The Permanent Secretary Min-istry of Basic Education, OlehZone, Mrs.Monica Ozomaro,who equally witnessed thecommissioning of the ICT cen-tre, said with the ICT centre IrriGrammar School would easilydownload and print its stu-dent’s results faster. She saidshe had advocated for ICT cen-tre in all schools and expressedgratitude to Club 09 for donat-ing the ICT center. She urgedother groups to emulate theclub.Club 09 was founded on No-vember 7, 2009 in Irri Town bya few likeminded individualsof Irri clan opposed to violenceand destruction and who havepassion for the developmentof Irri clan through the em-powerment of the youth.The club aims to contributetowards the development ofIrri clan, to foster peace andunity among Irri youths and toempower them for a sustain-able future.

Club09 donates ICT Laboratoryto Irri Grammar School in DeltaFrom Chido Okafor, Warri

By Odita Sunday

Endurance’s father, Elder Johnson Agbobonye

A cross-section of club members and guests during the commissioning of the centre

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 METRO 15

Photonews

Lay President, Diocese of Lagos West, Methodist Church Nigeria, Morakinyo Hanson (right), the Host Bishop, Rt.Revd Isaac Ayo Olawuyi and the representative of the Lagos State Governor, Prince Adesogun Ogunlewe, at theSynod Delegates at the 2013 Diocese of Lagos Seventh yearly synod hosted by the Opebi Circuit, Ikeja Lagos...

Bride’s father, Dr. Feyi Soyewo (left); Bishop of Ijebu North (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Kuponu; TaofeekMalik and his wife, Adejoke and the bride’s mother, Olori Abiodun Soyewo, after their wedding at Alausa, in Lagos.

Corporate Media / Brand Public Relations Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Edem Vindah (left), Marketing Man-ager, Gulder and Legend, Emmanuel Agu and Senior  Brand Manager, Gulder, Onyeka Okoli during the unveilingof the new Gulder TVC tagged The  Ultimate Arrival, in Lagos ...at the weekend

POLICE in Benue State havearrested two suspected

armed robbers who specialisein robbing bank customers oftheir money and other pos-sessions.The Command Public Rela-tions Officer, DSP, DanielEzeala told The Guardian atthe weekend that the sus-pects’ names are CliffordUmezurike and ChristianDuru.The PPRO said Umezurike,who hails from Akabur inOkuta Local Council of ImoState had robbed Paul Amada

of Nyima layout, Makurdi ofhis N265, 000, which he hadwithdrawn from the bank atgunpoint.According to the PPRO, assoon as they snatched themoney, the suspects boltedaway but the distressed callsto the Police on patrol wassaid to have saved paid off.DSP Ezeala said that the saidsum and an unregisteredmotorcycle were recoveredfrom the suspects, addingthat upon investigation theduo were gathered to beamong the robbers that spe-cialise in robbing bank cus-

tomers in the capital city.While assuring the people ofthe state of adequate protec-tion of lives and property,Ezeala said that the StateCommissioner of Police, Mr.Christopher Katso is commit-ted to ridding the state ofcriminal elements.He, however, called on thepeople of the state to alwayscooperate with Police by giv-ing useful information thatcould lead to the arrest ofcriminals within their envi-ronment promising thatsuch information would betreated with high level of con-fidence.

Benue police arrest suspected robbers of bank customersFrom Joseph Wantu, Makurd

PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

A cross-section of Lagos State Traffice Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officers andthe Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport Educaation, Dr. Mariam Masha with the top managment of thepublic service officers after an advocacy visit by Batch 13 participants undergoing the Career Evaluation Training Pro-gramme for Law Enforcement Officers at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa...on Tuesday

Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama (left), his wife, Nelly , wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs.Endurance Odubu and Speaker of Delta House of Assembly, Victor Ochei during the 50th birthday ThanksgivingMass for Mrs. Gina Oghenechuvwen, wife of the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr. Chris Oghenechu-vwen at Iwhrekan …on Saturday

ASTUDENT of a private inter-national school in Lagos,

who was kidnapped on hisway to school by suspectedkidnappers two weeks ago, hasbeen rescued by policemen at-tached to the Ikoyi division ina forest located in Ilaro, Ogunstate.The rescue operation, surrep-titiously commanded andmonitored by the Commis-sioner of Police, Lagos StateCommand, Mr. Umar Manko,however,did not come easy asone of the kidnap suspects wasreportedly shot dead by thepolice. A Police Corporal was report-edly stabbed twice by the kid-nappers, while attempting toevade arrest.Surprisingly, the alleged mas-termind of the kidnap was dis-covered to be the family’sdriver, Adebayo John,who wassupposed to drop the teenagerin school. Detectives fingeredhim as a prime suspect imme-diately the crime was reported.A ransom of N60 million wasallegedly demanded from thevictim’s family, whose fatherwas said to have traveled out ofthe country the previous day.However, when news of the

abduction reached the Area ‘A’command, operatives fromIkoyi Police Division led by theDivisional Police Officer (DPO),Aisha Haruna, a female Super-intendent of Police (SP) weresaid to have swung into actionby secretly entering Ilaro townand gathering intelligence.They were said to have spentabout four days probing thewhereabouts of the kidnap-pers. They were said to have madeheadway, last Thursday, follow-ing the arrest of one of the kid-nappers, who duringinterrogation disclosed thewhereabouts of the abductedschoolboy.The Guardiangathered that

the operatives worked alone aspolicemen in divisions aroundthe dreaded forest where theboy was kept, exonerated them-selves from the rescue opera-tion.Two members of the kidnapgang were said to have beenwaiting at the bush path for theransom masterminded byManko and his men last Friday,when the operatives stormedthe place. Sighting the intrud-ers, one of them allegedly drewa knife and stabbed one of thepolicemen, who were in plainclothes, twice in the head. Thesuspect who stabbed the policeofficer was eventually shotdead. On realizing that theywere policemen, his accom-plice who attempted to escapewas apprehended. It was gath-ered during investigation thatthe deceased suspect is the sib-ling of the driver.Three of the kidnap suspectswere reportedly whisked downto Lagos for further investiga-tion. The Guardiangatheredthat they would be paradedthis week.The Lagos State Commissionerof Police who confirmed thebreakthrough by his menurged Nigerians to believe intheir police and shun payingransom to kidnappers.

Police rescue kidnapped privateschool student By Odita Sunday

THE Redeemed EvangelicalMission (TREM) recently ho-

noured its notable memberswho have contributed to thedevelopment of Ikorodu com-munity.Speaking at the event tagged:

Ikorodu Community Develop-ment Award (ICDA),which washeld at TREM Liberty Centre,Idowu Fatoki Street, Ikorodu,the Director of the Directorateof National Transformation,TREM Liberty Centre and Chair-man of the Award PlanningCommittee, Mr. Austen Awu-lonu, said: “ICDA, basically, is amedium to celebrate individu-als and organizations, who

through significant positiveservice, have contributed to thedevelopment of Ikorodu.”“Our concern is neither politi-cal nor religious or ethnic. It ispurely developmental becausewe believe that a communitythat ceases to develop willsooner than later become ex-tinct,” he lamented.He urged the awardees to keepthe flag flying and pleaded withthem to do more.While unveiling the nominees,the Resident Pastor of TREM Lib-erty Centre, Pastor Mike Egwu,said: “The ICDA aims at the de-velopment of Ikorodu commu-nity.”Egwu urged the Christians and

all that were present, to be achange agents and follow theexample of Jesus Christ, saying“we must demonstrate Christ-like love to the whole world.”Meanwhile, the award was cat-egorized into nine differentcategories, ranging from spe-cial recognition award, whichwas won by Rev. Felix Joshua.Also under category of Arts,veteran actress, Mrs. Sola On-ayiga, Funke Akindele andChidinma Ekile were nomi-nated. Other categories in-cluded public service,commercial service, journal-ism, community banking, so-cial responsibility and youthempowerment awards.

TREM honours members at community development awardBy Adeniyi Adunola

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Editorial

26 THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29,

The U.S. report on corruption in Nigeria

Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. Uthman dan Fodio 1754-1816

FOUNDER: ALEX U. IBRU (1945 – 2011)

DOES Nigeria need to be told of how corruption thrives in highplaces? Or can anything new be said about what a pandemic graft

has become in Nigeria? That the answer is an emphatic no illustrateshow bad the situation is. But a greater tragedy is that when the mat-ter is raised either by Nigerians or outsiders, the official response isone of denial or combative defence instead of a dignified silence or,better still, a solemn resolve to do something about the cankerworm. When the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights andLabour, an arm of the State Department made public its annual coun-try report recently, the endemic corruption in Nigeria was again atthe centre of the routine report. It painted a picture of the deep-root-ed nature of corruption among public officials in the country. Titled,“Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012,” the reportnoted specifically that despite legal provisions against corrupt prac-tices in the country, public officials engaged in them with anunprecedented impunity at all levels of government, including thesecurity forces. It went further to take a swipe at the Nigerian judici-ary where it claimed that justice too is for sale. All assertions undis-putable.Typically, the reaction of the government of Nigeria is one of denialof the patently obvious. The presidency warned Nigerians to be waryof the assessment and described the State Department report as“parachute researches” limited by absence of any knowledge of thecountry and its affairs. The ruling People’s Democratic Party evenviewed the report as an insult on the country, but, in contradictoryterms, agreed that corruption was everywhere and that the party hadbeen ‘fighting’ the scourge, obviously with little success. Of course,only PDP knows the tools with which it has done the fighting.However, it is to be noted that this is not the first indictment ofNigeria over corruption. Not long ago, wife of the former president ofthe United States, Mrs. Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State also threwbarbs at the country over widespread corruption. And indeed, sincethe inception of the country’s fourth republic, the nation has comeunder scrutiny over corruption. The Transparency International per-ception index has not spared Nigeria, which is often rated low in itsdocumentations. And the local agencies of corruption, namely, theEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) and IndependentCorrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)have brought to limelight high profile cases of corruption againstpublic officials, many of which have been inconclusive.Once again, there is nothing to deny in the State Department reportthat corruption is widespread in Nigeria. It has not only underminedthe country’s growth and development but has also aggravated theincapacity of the state to meet the growing needs of the populace.Many of the examples cited in the report, including the oil subsidyscam, the police pension fraud, the trial and conviction of James Iboriin the United Kingdom are common knowledge and irrefutable. Also,the recent glorification of corrupt public officials through indiscrimi-nate state pardons does no good to the image of Nigeria as a very cor-rupt enclave. The point must be stressed that the focus on corruption in Nigeriaby foreign bodies need not be seen as merely self-serving but on thecontrary as a challenge that must be taken up with a view to tacklingthe problem. Corruption is a serious socio-economic and politicalissue that should not be treated with kid gloves or trivialized throughspinning by hirelings of a government. Pervasive corruption wasused in the past as a justification for irresponsible and unacceptablemilitary intervention and therefore has remained a veritable sourceof instability in the realm. Government’s response to the U.S. searchlight on corruption inNigeria is indeed unconscionable. The time has come for the govern-ment of the day to tackle this challenge headlong. There is need toarticulate a national strategy to combat this scourge. That strategymust begin with exemplary conduct of the leadership of the countrywho must claim the moral high ground through self-purging.Corruption, apart from being systemic, is also partly a question ofcharacter failure, and the presidency is pre-eminently a place formoral leadership.It is a shame that the sixth largest oil producing country has thewellbeing of its citizens ranked among the lowest in the world. Thestructures for fighting corruption or even preventing it are too weak.An exemplary leadership can breathe life into the sinews of govern-

TheGuardianConscience, Nurtured by Truth

ment, cut short the deepening habituation to and tolerance of corrup-tion.A ‘Naming and Shaming’ process should form part of the strategy.Corrupt public officials must not only be identified and put on trial,with a view to stigmatising them both internally and externally andkeeping them on an Eternal Roll of Dishonour. As the former MalaysianPrime Minister, Mahati Mohamad once remarked, corruption is drivenin Nigeria by the absence of a sense of shame. Restructuring the country in ways that are expressive of fiscal autono-my for the federating components will also help to curb corruption asthe over-reliance on oil revenues by all strata of government has fuelledthe Dutch disease that has afflicted the country since the discovery of oil.The grand strategy should also include capacity building for anti-cor-ruption within the bureaucracy of government, especially horizontalaccountability, which involves mutual checking, annulling and rightingactions and inaction of state institutions. Above all, the proposed strategy should include remodeling Nigeria’spolitics, removing its current commercial value and making it attractiveonly to genuine servants. Now, this is the only business in town and thedesperation in the scramble for it fuels corruption in ways unimagin-able! Central to this is a drastic reduction in the cost of governance inthe executive branch, the legislature and the civil service. The journeymay have to begin, for example, with the whittling down of the legisla-ture by making legislative business at all levels a part-time one. Thisshould expunge from the national psyche a mentality in which politicsis perceived and practiced today as the only business with the highestreturns.Of course, attitude must change. And the breakdown of values must beaddressed through the family system and a nationwide school curricu-lum that emphasizes ethical re-orientation. This is necessary to keep thefuture of Nigeria away from the claws of corruption even as the battlegoes on to wrest its present from its jaws.

27THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

BusinessThe need for time-tested decisions for robustmarket, investors’ confidence Page XVINCC plans 4G spectrum auctions, rules outcompensation for subscribers By Adeyemi Adepetun

THE NigerianC o m m u n i c a t i o n s

Commission (NCC) hasexpressed its readiness andplans to auction 4G-spectrumlicenses in the country.

NCC said this has becomenecessary in order to improvethe country’s broadband serv-ices and deliver 21st centurytelecommunications services.

Though, the auction process-es will not come until 2015,the regulator said Nigeriamust also join countries,

which are making efforts toauction such frequencybands, by preparing ahead.

In telecommunications, 4Gis the fourth generation ofmobile phone communica-tion technology standards. Itis a successor of the third gen-eration (3G) standards.

A 4G system provides mobileultra-broadband Internetaccess, for example to laptopswith USB wireless modems, tosmartphones, and to othermobile devices. Conceivableapplications include amend-ed mobile web access, IP

telephony, gaming services,high-definition mobile TV,video conferencing, 3D televi-sion and Cloud Computing.

Indeed, two 4G-candidatesystems are commerciallydeployed: the Mobile WiMAXstandard and the Long TermEvolution (LTE) standard.

Meanwhile, the Nigerianregulator has ruled out com-pensation plans for sub-scribers, as a result of poorquality of service fromtelecommunications opera-tors.

Speaking in Lagos, theExecutive Vice Chairman ofNCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah saidthe commission’s regulationdoesn’t permit it give outmoney to subscribers,“because of lack of audit.”

Juwah, who said virtually allcountries are now makingefforts towards 4G, “Nigeria isalso about to auction some4G frequencies for LTE. We arepresently upgrading opera-tors on 800MHz to LTE. LTE is4G.”

Already, Global service rev-

enues generated by LTEmobile networks are forecastto reach $100 billion by 2014.

According to him, auction-ing would enable thetelecommunications sectorto fast track development andmakes it more LTE enabled.

The NCC boss said the com-mission was also gettingready to auction the remain-der of 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz fre-quency bands.

He said the commission wasalso working with theNational BroadcastingCommission (NBC) for the lat-ter to release some frequen-cies, which are with it toimprove telecommunicationservices.

“The challenge is that someof this 4G bands are not in thecustody of NCC. They are withNBC. But we have agreed pri-vately with them to releasethese unused frequencies tous by 2015. This will enable usexpand our operations.

“I am very sure we are notlate for 4G. Even lots of devel-oped countries won’t be onLTE by 2015. For example, ittook UK five years of study forthem to be able to auction 4G.They did that about twomonths ago”, Juwah stated.

On the compensation fortelecommunications sub-scribers over poor QoS fromthe fine NCC got from theoperators, Juwah said; “Ourregulations doesn’t permit us

to give money to subscribersbecause we may not be able toaudit it. The problem it willgenerate will be more thanthe problem of QoS. So, nocompensation.”

In an interview, the CountryManager, Ericsson Nigeria,Kamar Abass said, “As thedemand for data and broad-band grows, migrating to LTEwill become a necessary stepfor operators, in order toenable more users accesshigh speed data services with-in the limited spectrum avail-able. LTE technology enablesmore efficient use of spec-trum.”

Speaking to The Guardian ,GSMA Director of SpectrumPolicy, Africa and Middle East,Peter Lyons, said the rapidpace of mobile adoption hasdelivered huge economicbenefits for the region, direct-ly contributing $32 billion tothe sub-Saharan African econ-omy, or 4.4 per cent of GDP.He disclosed that Nigeria andother sub-Saharan Africaeconomies faces a looming‘capacity and coveragecrunch’ in terms of availablemobile spectrum.

Lyon said the currentamount of spectrum allocat-ed to mobile services in sub-Saharan Africa was amongstthe lowest worldwide.

According to him, some

Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Phillips Oduoza; Prime Minister, Republic of Cameroon, Philémon Yunji Yang; and Managing Director, UBACameroon, Georges Wega during the visit of UBA Management to the Prime Minister in Yaounde, at the weekend.

By Helen Oji

CAPITAL Market sharehold-ers have faulted directives

of the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) on divi-dend payment, saying thatthe law has not given itauthority to make such order.SEC had mandated sharehold-ers of public companies to for-ward their bank accountdetails to their respective reg-istrars or stockbrokers on orbefore June 3, 2013, as failureto comply may lead to auto-matic forfeiture of future divi-dend.

The General Secretary,Independent Shareholders ofNigeria, Adebayo Adeleke,apparently irked by the pro-nouncement explained that

the CAMA currently stipulat-ed that once dividend wasdeclared and ratified, the divi-dend is payable to the share-holder over the next 12 years,after which the money wouldbe ploughed back into theaccount of the company thatdeclared the dividend.

He noted that the law has notbeing reversed, adding thatuntil that Act is reviewed, SECdoes not have any authorityover unclaimed dividend.

He pointed out that in an ‘all-inclusive’ capital market,there was need for regulatorsto consult other stakeholdersbefore taking decisions,adding that the pronounce-ment would attract legal tus-sles in the market, as share-holders would continue to

challenge the decision.“It is not in the place of SEC to

make such pronouncement.This country is ruled by lawsand here, the law says divi-dend is payable to the share-holder over the next 12 yearsuntil it become statue bar andthat law currently has notbeing amended.

“In an all-inclusive marketlike ours, the regulator mustcontinue to engage people.How much has SEC alone inshareholders enlightenmenton the need to embrace elec-tronic dividend that they areissuing the directive.

“They should consult withpeople and take them intoconfidence and when youcome out with such pro-nouncement, it would be

something that is wellthought out and you wouldhave taken all opinion intoconsiderations,” he said.Corroborating his assertions,the National Coordinator,Progressive ShareholdersAssociation of  Nigeria,Boniface Okezie explainedthat such directive by the SECis not a panacea for the elimi-nation of unclaimed dividendin the market.

“Allow people to open sav-ings account. Over the years,we have been campaigningthat people should migrate toCSCS account and openaccount so that dividend canbe paid electronically. Youcannot force people, it is

SEC’s dividend payout directive elicits reactions

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201328 BUSINESS

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Bank Plc, Adekunle Oyinloye; Director of the bank and Deputy President Nigeria Labour Congress, Promise Adewusi; and Vice-Chairman of the bank, Johan Kruger, during the board meeting of the bank, in Lagos, at the weekend.

Chevron earns $6.2 billion in first quarter 2013By Roseline OkereChevron Corporation earned$6.2 billion for the first quar-ter 2013, compared with $6.5billion in the 2012 first quar-ter.The company said in its firstquarter 2013 result releasedat the weekend that sales andother operating revenueswere $54 billion, which rep-resents a decrease from $59billion last year, mainly dueto lower prices for crude oil.

Chairman and ChiefExecutive Officer of the com-pany, John Watson, stated:“Our first quarter earningswere strong. Our consistentfinancial performance hasenabled us to significantlyincrease the dividend again,and fund major develop-ment projects that are thefoundation of the company’sfuture growth in production,earnings and cash flows.

“Our key development proj-ects remain on track.Construction is progressingwell on the Gorgon andWheatstone LNG projects inAustralia. Important mile-stones have been reachedrecently for our Jack/St. Maloand Big Foot deepwater proj-ects in the Gulf of Mexico,and both remain on sched-ule for start-up in 2014.”The company said that

worldwide net oil-equivalentproduction was 2.65 millionbarrels per day in the firstquarter 2013, up from 2.63million barrels per day in the2012 first quarter.“Production increases fromproject ramp-ups in theUnited States and Nigeriawere largely offset by normalfield declines”, it added.

The company’s down-stream, or refining segmentearnings for the quarter

decreased 13 percent to $701million.U.S. upstream earnings for

the quarter declined 26 per-cent to $1.13 billion, duemainly to lower crude oiland natural gas realizationsand higher operatingexpenses.Meanwhile, international

upstream earnings rosethree percent to $4.78 billionas lower crude oil produc-tion and realizations werepartly offset by favorable taxitems and lower explorationexpenses.U.S. downstream operationsfell 71 per cent from last yearto $135 million. The decreasewas due to higher operatingexpenses primarily as aresult of a turnaround activi-ty at the refineries in El

Segundo, California, andPascagoula, Mississippi, inaddition to lower marginson refined product sales. International downstream

operations earningsincreased 64 per cent to $566million. According to the company,earnings were up primarilydue to higher margins onrefined product sales, butwere partly offset by theabsence of a 2012 gain on thesale of the company’s fuelsand finished lubricants busi-nesses in Spain.Chevron’s board of directorsapproved an 11.1 per centincrease in the quarterly div-idend to $1.00 per share,payable in June 2013. Thecompany purchased $1.25 bil-lion of its common stock in

the first quarter under itsshare repurchase program.Capital and exploratory

expenditures in the firstthree months of 2013 were$8.9 billion, compared with$6.4 billion in the correspon-ding 2012 period. “Theamounts included approxi-mately $453 million in 2013and $361 million in 2012 forthe company’s share ofexpenditures by affiliates,which did not require cashoutlays by the company. Alsoincluded were amountsrelated to the acquisition ofinterests in the Kitimat LNGproject in western Canada.Expenditures for upstreamrepresented 93 percent ofthe companywide total inthe first three months 2013”,it added.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27wrong. “ People need to be sensi-

tised, even in the next twoyears is not enough to achievethis successfully. SEC shouldliaise with CBN to give com-mercial banks directive thatevery warrant should be paidinto savings account not onlycurrent. The money mustremain with the companythat declared the dividenduntil when the same law isamended.”The President, Renaissance

Shareholders Association ofNigeria, Ambassador TimothyOlufemi described the pro-nouncement as ‘abnormal’,noting that it is not theresponsibility of the SEC toissue such directive.According to him, the regu-

lators should ensure that theymonitor the activities of theregistrars to ascertainwhether dividends are actual-ly paid to the owners asclaimed.For those that could not

claim their money, he said,the unclaimed dividendshould be given to companiesthat declared it to manage,adding ploughing it back tothe company would give thegenerality of shareholders tobenefit from it.

“The money belongs toshareholders. It should begiven back to the companythat declared the dividend sothat when thy do businesswith it, the generality ofshareholders, including thereal owner would benefit.”

For the President,Association of StockbrokingHouses of Nigeria, EmekaMadubuike, there was needsto put a deadline on issue ofunclaimed dividend in orderto resolve the problem.According to him,” it wouldhelp stockbrokers to haveinformation regarding all theinvestors in the market,which would also help themarket. E-dividend has beenthere for three years andunless you put a deadline toit, people would not act. Theposition of SEC is part ofensuring that the market getsbetter. People need to dowhat is right and follow theprocesses and order in themarket,” he said.

SEC’s dividenddirective elicitsreactions

APCON withdraws alcoholic certificates from GuinnessTHE AdvertisingPractitioners Council of

Nigeria (APCON) has throughits Advertising StandardsPanel (ASP) committee,whose mandate is to ensurecompliance with, and main-tenance of advertising stan-dards and laws in Nigeriawithdrawn all the certificatesof approval previously grant-ed to Guinness Nigeria Plc foradvertising its alcoholic bev-erages, until further notice. This action is sequel to con-tinuous disregard for com-pliance to the provisions ofthe Nigeria Code ofAdvertising Practice andSales Promotion, even afterseries of notification and cau-tion from APCON.A letter signed by theRegistrar/Chief Executive ofAPCON, Alhaji Garba BelloKankarofi (fpra), and sent tothe Managing DirectorGuinness Nigeria Plc. Statesinter alia” I am directed tointimate you of the decisionof the Council approvingwith immediate effect anduntil further notice, the with-drawal of all approvals hith-erto granted, to youGuinness Nig Plc for expo-sure of all alcoholic beverageadverts for your brand ofproducts. “Councils position is that itcannot fold its arms and

allow impunity in disregardof the law by any person ororganisation no matter howlarge it may be and it wouldfail in its duty to protect ourchildren and promote publicsafety if it did otherwise thanintervene as it has now done. “Please note that you areexpected to ensure compli-ance with the decision of theCouncil immediately. Allmedia houses and sector reg-

ulators are advised by thisletter to implement the deci-sion of Council and ensurecompliance. Attention is par-ticularly drawn to Article 140of APCON Code which pro-vides penalty for publica-tion/exposure of advert with-out ASP approval has now byvirtue of this letters beenwithdrawn with respect toall Guinness advertise-ments.”

No compensation for subscribers

countries apportion as littleas 80MHz, compared to devel-oped markets where alloca-tion for mobile exceeds500MHz.With mobile Internet trafficforecast to grow 25-fold overthe next four years, he dis-closed that there will be a con-siderable increase in networkcongestion unless govern-ments across the region takeurgent steps to release newspectrum in line with the rec-ommendations of theI n t e r n a t i o n a lTelecommunications Union’sWorld RadiocommunicationConference (WRC).According to him, these

includes capacity in theDigital Dividend (700-800MHz) band and the 2.6 GHz

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 band, and also liberalisingexisting licence agreementsto allow the deployment ofhigh-speed UMTS and LTE net-works in the 900 and1800MHz bands.

The GSMA Director ofSpectrum Policy for Africaand Middle East noted thatthe combined aggregatedeffect of the spectrum releaseof the Digital Dividend,2.6GHz and the refarming of1800MHz would have a posi-tive impact on job creation:“an additional 14.9 millionjobs could be createdbetween 2015 and 2020 in thekey six markets in the region.Mobile industry growthcould also generate a GDPincrease of $40 billion, repre-senting 0.54 per cent of totalGDP, in the region by 2016.”

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 29

30

Regulators’ firm measures boostimage, public perception of industryROBUST and hard meas-

ures taken by the industryregulators in the last coupleof years may have begun tostrengthen and enhance theimage and public perceptionof the industry in recenttime.Industry chieftains, who

spoke to The Guardian laudedthe regulators – NationalInsurance Commission(NAICOM), the NigerianInsurers Association (NIA) as

well as the Nigerian Councilof Registered InsuranceBrokers (NCRIB), for the harddecisions they have taken inthe sub-sector to regulate themarket in order to improvethe image and attract publicpatronage of insurance busi-ness in Nigeria. For instance, the Chairman

and Chief Executive, PrestigeInsurance Brokers Limited,Dr. Feyi Soyewo, expressedjoy that insurance industry inNigeria has no doubt wit-nessed significant restructur-

Assistant Director IT, A&G Insurance, Balogun A. Ozovehe (left), Emmanual Otitolaye MD, Niyi Adeboyejo COO Life, Dotun Onipede, Director BusinessDevelopment & Strategy, during the company’s road show held in Lagos,.... recently

Insurance

Mutual Benefits creates 22,200 jobs for retail market

NEWS Corp. has reached a$139 million settlement

in shareholder lawsuits overthe British phone hackingscandal and the controver-sial purchase of an entertain-ment company run byfounder Rupert Murdoch’sdaughter.The company also said it hasagreed to corporate gover-nance reforms including awhistleblower hotline andan annual review of the inde-pendence of current andprospective board members.The reforms will remain inplace through at least 2016. The insurers backing News

Corp.’s board will pay thecompany $139 million to set-tle the lawsuits. The cash,after subtracting fees for theplaintiffs’ lawyers, will bene-fit shareholders indirectly bygoing into the company’scoffers.It will go part of the way tocovering some of the $346million the company hasspent so far on probes relat-ed to the hacking scandal,which burst into the open inthe summer of 2011. The com-pany is still dealing with thefallout. Last week, FergusShanahan, executive editorat News Corp.’s Sun newspa-per in Britain, was chargedwith authorising bribes to agovernment official.

Shareholders had alsoargued that News Corp. over-paid when it boughtElisabeth Murdoch’s ShineGroup, a TV production com-

pany, for 290 millionpounds, then worth about$470 million, in April 2011.Mark Lebovitch, a head

lawyer for the plaintiffs, saidthe money and the corporategovernance reforms weresignificant.“If you compare the compa-ny’s governance and compli-ance today to where it waswhen the lawsuit was filed,you would see some reallysignificant improvement,”Lebovitch said.

In one example of thechanges, News Corp. inAugust named its generalcounsel, Gerson Zweifach, asits chief compliance officer, aposition mandated in the set-tlement.The reforms don’t change

News Corp.’s dual-class sharestructure, which allows CEOMurdoch to control the com-pany through the 40 per centof voting shares he controlsthrough a family trust.News Corp. is preparing thissummer to split into twocompanies - one containingits newspaper and publish-ing assets, and the other con-taining its TV and movieproperties - and the settle-ment resolves an issue thathad been hanging over thecompany without it havingto admit to wrongdoing.“We are pleased to have

resolved this matter,” thecompany said in a statement.News Corp. shares rose 43

cents, or 1.4 per cent, to closeat $31.64 .

By Joshua Nse

By Joshua Nse

ing and rebranding in recenttime and it is ultimatelyintended to improve cus-tomer services in the market.We are delighted to knowthat the intended purpose ofthe restructuring is quietlybeing achieved, he said.He said, for example, the reli-ability of the Nigerian insur-ers today is greater and theimage of the industry is get-ting better by the day. Eventhe co-operation amongstthe various arms of the indus-try has improved greatly.

Indeed all hands are on deckand I am delighted to knowthat the Nigerian insuranceindustry is steadily moving togreater and more enviableheights that we can all beproud of.Soyewo, past president of

the brokers fraternity andpast chairman, AfricanInsurance BrokersAssociation (AIBA) said “Theregulator, no doubt is theengine room of the transfor-mation we are talking about.For example, they provide

TO flag-off the retail insur-ance distribution seg-

ment of the company,Mutual Benefits AssurancePlc has launch search for22,200 fresh hands to man-age its retail market seg-ment.In an advertisement for

22,200 new jobs, the compa-ny said the opportunity iscoming under the MarketDevelopment andRestructuring Initiative(MDRI), a baby of theNational InsuranceCommission (NAICOM) todrive insurance penetra-tion in Nigeria.The company in a state-

ment said: “As a result ofour desire to support theefforts of the Federal andState governments inNigeria on job creation andthe initiative of the

Commission to create250,000 new jobs in theNigeria insurance industryby 2020, we have decided tofully downscale insurancepenetration to 200 commu-nities, towns and cities inNigeria within the nextthree years using the fran-chise managementapproach (FMA).

According to the state-ment, this project is pack-aged to specifically excite,but not limited to peoplewho are displaced in thebanking, finance, insuranceand public sector reforms -who want to be their ownbosses and avoid routineresumption/closing hours.The group managing direc-tor of the company, AkinOgunbiyi, - arrowhead ofthe campaign for retail mar-ket as a source of deepeninginsurance penetration inthis country, speaking

recently, said the companyhas set aside N1 billion asproject seed fund for prod-ucts, product distributionsand customer service.According to him, the

MDRI was a business modeland road map in conso-nance with the company’sbusiness objectives as thecompany believed in thebeauty of possibilities.He explained that insur-

ance anywhere in the worldespecially in developedcountries, were actuallytools for wealth creation,and there was really nogrowth or developmentthat could actually comeunless the insurance indus-try was strong, reliable andwas able to play the role asmajor mover of the econo-my.Besides, he said that the

Nigerian economy was arent economy, where every-

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

thing depended on theFederal Government andthe national budget, but ifthe national economy hasto witness the growth anddevelopment it desired, theprivate sector had to bewell mobilised throughenabling environment,through policies and pro-grammes that would actu-ally allow direct foreigninvestments to be chan-neled to the right sector ofthe economy.He explained that a studyconducted by the companyidentified that access toinsurance was a majorproblem, thus Mutual tar-gets 200 new offices slatedfor opening between 2012to 2015, 32 opened in 2012,the number to reach 70 byDecember 2013 to bringexisting and new offices ofthe company nationwideto 96 by December, 2013.

conducive environment forthe restructuring throughappropriate regulations andoperational guidelines aswell as ensuring effectivemonitoring and complianceby the various insuranceinstitutions and bodies.”He said “No doubt you can

see that the regulator is thekey actor in the transforma-tion process and I amdelighted to say that theyhave so far shown that theyare up to the task. Indeed,NAICOM has been responsiveand supportive of all mean-ingful effort geared towardsthe development of theinsurance industry.” An insurance technocrat,

managing director/CEO,RiskGuard-Africa (Nigeria)Limited, Yemi Soladoye, saidthat the biggest achievementof the commission is that theNigeria insurance industrynow have a united focus. “Weall know, whether you appre-ciate it or not, key into it ornot, you are very clear aboutwhere we are going, you arevery clear about the mile-stones you want to achieve,the time you want to achieveit and you are also clearabout the vision, the newmission and the objectives ofthe Nigerian insuranceindustry.”

According to him, hitherto itwas the operators that wereleading the regulators. Now,unlike before the operatorswere even blaming the regu-lators, at public forum , youwill hear operators complain-ing that if there had beenserious regulator in theinsurance industry, thingswould not be like this, youwould not hear that again.Now, the fear of the regulatoris the beginning of under-writing wisdom in the busi-ness. I think we have to givecredit to the commission forwhat the market has turnedout to be today.In his remark, the Group

Managing Director, MutualBenefits Assurance Plc, Mr.Akin Ogunbiyi, commendedthe commission for the boldmeasures it has initiated toimprove the image and devel-op the market through thecompulsory insurances This,he said, has presented oppor-tunities and challenges to theentire insurance industry.They are challenging us tocome up with products andservices that will meet theneeds of 160 millionNigerians. We need to take alook at the common man,create values for them andmake the products afford-able.

News Corp. insurers pay$139m in shareholder suit

By Emmanuel Badejo

THE GUARDIAN, Monday,April 29, 2013 31

Realtors offer blueprint for government’ssocial housing scheme

Their views range from encouraging trade unions’ participation to rental accom-modation, usage of alternative materials, which they said most stakeholders per-ceived to be odd in this modern day and initiative on the part of governmenttowards reducing high rate of housing gap and homelessness in Nigeria

Housing

Urban Development

to the housing problems inNigeria. 22 years on, millionsof Nigerians are still homelesswhile many others are livingin indecent houses.

More worrisome is what theprofessionals call lip service tosolving the challenge and thiswhy government after govern-ment did not see the need tocreate ministry for housinguntil Obasanjo’s regime andeven then there was no posi-tive impact on housing.

Speaking on “Housing: AnyHope For The Low Income?”,Chief Kola Akomolede, said:“The problem of housing inNigeria today has reached analarming stage. The problemseems intractable as evi-denced by slums and squattersettlements, which are visiblein our urban cities. The prob-lem has been aggravated bythe uncontrollable growth ofthe urban population at theexpense of the rural commu-nities. This is a result of thepull and push factors createdby the concentration ofamenities and job opportuni-ties in the urban centers onlywhich attract the rural popula-tion to the cities in search ofjob and better living condi-tions which often times arenon-existent in the cities.”

Throughout the discourse,the professionals agreed onwhy low-income earners do

not have decent accommoda-tion. Some of them are: lowlevel of income, high interestrate, high-cost of buildingmaterials, land acquisitionproblem, legal and other prob-lems and inadequate govern-ment participation.

Giving the way out,Akomolede, said all govern-ments must show politicalwill in tackling the shortage.“To solve or reduce the prob-lem of housing for the lowincome, our governments –the federal, state and local gov-ernments must embark onmassive construction of hous-es for the low income. One ortwo bedroom flats and bunga-lows, where land is cheap,should be built and allocatedto the low income. Theyshould be made to pay forthese over a period of between20 to 30 years. No depositshould be required and noother collateral should bedemanded. The propertyshould serve as collateral.”

Also, Akomolede who is thePresident, International RealEstate Federation (FIABCI),Nigeria said there was need toaddress the issue of high stan-dards, saying the standards weaim at are too high and unreal-istic given our level ofresources and the ability of thetarget group to pay back thecost. To him, there is nothing

wrong in building houseswhere two or three familiescan share facilities likekitchen, bathroom and toilet,adding it is an illusion to thinkthat the minimum acceptablestandard of accommodationshould be self-contained flats,which he said not affordableby low income people. “No doubt, there is need for

imagination and ingenuity intackling the housing prob-lems of low income in theThird World countries. Therecannot be only one solution.Many methods may be tried.But such method must bethose that incorporate the useof local materials.”

RICS Nigeria GroupChairman, Mr. Barin Epega,said the issue of housing forthe low income was very time-ly as housing is a critical socialneed, adding that though allgovernments in Nigeria sinceindependence highlightedhousing as a major priority,unfortunately, for over 52years of its independence,Nigeria was yet to develop avibrant mortgage market.

“Unfortunately in Nigeriathere is no mechanism risk-sharing that will encouragebanks and other financialinstitutions to extend mort-gage loans to people at thelower income level. Rather,the institutions settle for lend-

ing only to the rich.”According to Epega, the gov-

ernment has not created theenabling environment toreduce the housing challenge,as the process of acquiringland is still a major challenge.

Former President of NigerianInstitution of Estate Surveyorsand Valuers (NIESV), Mr.William Odudu, said there washope for low-income, if thegovernment was serious totackle it. “Government canencourage developers to buildhouses for the low-incomeearners and subsidized therent. Odudu said the govern-ment must develop localbuilding materials’ market tomeet the housing need.

In his contribution, Mr. SolaEnitan, said there was need tofind opportunities within thescarcity to provide homes forthe low-income earners. Hesaid trade unions could be averitable means of reducingthe housing gap.

But Akin Olawore saidalthough the machineries forlocal fabrication were avail-able, there was lack of expert-ise among the artisans, urgingprofessionals to see to organis-ing training on skill acquisi-tion on mud housing technol-ogy, which he said he has beenproven to be one sure way tosolve the housing shortage.

And Adeniji Adele asked,“Why can’t government makeuse of unclaimed dividends tobuild houses for the masses,sell and recoup the fund?”arguing that such investmentwould make much returns, ifproperly managed.

HOW can Nigeria successful-ly tackle the housing need

of her ever-increasing masses?Do low-income earners haveany hope of being housed inthe face of noticeable factorscontributing to their inabilityto afford decent homes?

These are some of the perti-nent questions considered lastweek by built industry profes-sionals, who gathered in Lagosat the Royal Institution ofChartered Surveyors (RICSNigeria Group), continuingprofessional development.

The consensus among themwas that the housing shortagewas alarming, low-incomeearners could be properlyhoused if government at alllevels showed the will adoptand implement tested way outof homelessness of her people.Indeed, challenges of housing

in terms of quality and quanti-ty appear to be the same allover the world. The needy haveless access to housing whilethe less needy have greaterchances of accessing housing.In Nigeria, housing is general-ly inadequate in the ruralareas in terms of quality, whilethe major problem in urbanareas is more of quantity,although quantity is also anissue. The shortage of housingis one of the factors responsi-ble for the poor environmen-tal quality across Nigeria. In1991, the national housing pol-icy was promulgated in orderto propose possible solutions

Developer unveilsGatewaySparklight PhaseII scheme

Planners decrylocation of telecommasts, filling stations in cities

Lagos’ estateagency law willtame sharppractices, says

Page 63Page 32 Page 33

A housing estate in Lagos, recently

UN-Habitat,ecologicalbody inN310m deal

THE partnership betweenUN-Habitat and the

International Ecological SafetyCollaborative Organizationhas been strengthened withthe signing of an agreement ofcooperation focusing on youthempowerment and urban eco-logical safety.

Under the deal, UN-Habitatand IESCO will cooperate toimplement YouthEmpowerment and UrbanEcological Safety programmes.Specifically, the funds provid-ed will be used to support thefollowing youth initiatives:Youth surveys and publishingof the State of the Urban YouthChina Reports; and Youth skillstraining in Entrepreneurshipand Ecological Safety aimed atpromoting young people’sinnovation and participation.

Other programmes areYouth Innovation Awards pro-gramme to promote best prac-tices in entrepreneurship, eco-logical and urban safety andUrban Ecological Safety Indexbased on the aspects ofEcological safety of city loca-tion, positioning, planning,construction and manage-ment.

The funding is a boost to UN-Habitat’s Youth programme,which implements a numberof programmes that promoteurban youth engagement insustainable urbanization onissues of employment genera-tion, entrepreneurship, cli-mate change, governance andskills training. To achieve this,UN-Habitat works with UnitedNations agencies, govern-ments, youth organizations,civil society and the private sec-tor globally

The agreement was signed onthe sidelines of the 24th ses-sion of UN-Habitat’s GoverningCouncil which was held inNairobi last week.   Dr. JoanClos, UN-Habitat ExecutiveDirector and Dr. JiangMingjun, the Director Generalof International EcologicalSafety CollaborativeOrganization signed the agree-ment. Also present at the sign-ing ceremony wereInternational Ecological SafetyCollaborative organizationSenior Managers, Ms. ShanFenping, Mr. Tee Chingsengand Mr. An Xueli.

“The signing of thisAgreement represents a his-toric milestone in the coopera-tion between our two organi-zations and provides a newfocus and momentum foraddressing urban issues suchas urban poverty, youth unem-ployment and ecological disas-ters caused by climate changeand the poorly planned urban

Homes & Property

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201332 HOMES&PROPERTY

Planners decrylocation of telecom masts, filling stations in cities

CONTINUED ON PAGE 61

Town planners haveexpressed concerns onthe installation oftelecommunicationinfrastructure and fillingstation in all the cities,and calling for a regula-tion and control to pro-tect citizens’ health andphysical environment

Professional Practice

MEMBERS of the NigerianInstitute of Town

Planners (NITP) have raisedconcerns on the indiscrimi-nate citing and installation ofcommunication masts andfilling station in cities acrossthe country. Before now, experts have

been raised environmentalissues on the adverse impactof such on residential areas,schools or hospital grounds orin conservation areas as prox-imity of telecom masts to a res-idential property adverselythe market value of such prop-erty to the detriment of theowner. NITP President, Chief Steve

Onu who spoke at the founda-tion stone laying ceremony ofthe multi-million secretariatcomplex being built by theCalabar Cross River StateChapter, noted that the devel-opment was a disturbing one,which must be checked for thesafety of citizens. The State’sDeputy Governor, Mr. EfiokCobham performed laid foun-dation stone of the secretariat.The proposed three-storey edi-fice is named after Late Mr.Oyebe Attoe.Mr. Onu explained that theInstitute came to the State on adual capacity, first to lay foun-dation for the State Secretariatand secondly to hold herannual mandatory continu-ing professional developmentprogramme. The President pointed out

that training exercise is imper-ative and a veritable tool toequip town planners with therequisite skills in line with cur-

rent realities to tackle develop-mental problems that haveplagued the profession andreposition it to meet the 22ndcentury development chal-lenges in the country.The President who solicitedfor government’s assistance tocomplete the building. Hecommended the state for set-ting up urban developmentcentres in the 18 local govern-ment areas of the state toensure that human settle-ments are properly orderedamong other developmentalplans.Speaking at the ceremony,

Mr. Cobham commended thebody for honouring a manwho had contributedimmensely to the develop-ment of the country from thecreation of the then EasternRegion of Nigeria.He lauded the Institute forembarking on the project,which he described as a land-mark development that willcontribute to the aesthetics ofthe State capital as well asboost the State’s developmen-tal aspirations.While calling on other profes-sional bodies to emulate theInstitute by making their pres-

ence felt by erecting befittingsecretariats, Efiok reiteratedthe State Government‘s readi-ness to collaborate with themto achieve their goals.Cobham however describedsome areas in the state, partic-ularly the capital city, as “disas-ter waiting to happen” due tofaulty or lack of planningattributing this to the negli-gence of town planners whohe said should know better. While urging the town plan-ners to go back to the drawingboard to improve the situa-tion, he called on them toembrace the use ofInformation CommunicationTechnology (ICT) in the dis-

Former President, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr. William Odudu (left), Chairman, The Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors (RICS Nigeria Group), Mr. Barin Epega, Mr. Kehinde Adenmosun, FIABCI Nigeria President, Chief Kola Akomolede and Mr. Gbenga Ismail at RICSBusiness Luncheon in Lagos last week

NITP plans new secretariat complex in Cross River From Aniette Akpan, Calabar

By Tunde AlaoProjects

Lagos targets early completion of Lekkidrainage projects

DETERMINED to ensure thestate, particularly the Lekkicorridor is free from flooding,the Lagos State Government hascalled on all contractors han-dling drainage projects withinthe neighborhood and Eti-OsaLocal Council Area, to speed uptheir works before the com-mencement of heavy rainfall.So far, four major channels,

namely: Lekki-Ikota, Osapa

Lagoon, SPAR channel, Lekkiamong others, have worksongoing in them. However, apart from appeal tothe contractors, Lagos govern-ment, piqued by the seemingslow pace at which the federalgovernment is going about theexecution of Lekki-Phase 11- IkotaRiver drainage project, there isan indication that Lagos wouldtake over the project.Expressing fear of possible non-completion of the 1,780metredrainage during the inspection

tour of his ministry to Lekki, lastweek, the Commissioner forEnvironment in Lagos, Mr.Tunji Bello, while admittingthat Lagos is aware of the federalgovernment initiative,bemoaned the pace at whichthe project is being pursued.According to him, drainagefacility is a network that con-nects each other, noting thatwith the way the Lekki Phase 11-Ikota River is being handled,there is possibility of creating

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 33

Developer unveils Gateway Sparklight Phase II schemeHousing

Gateway Sparklight Estate Phase II, located in Magboro area, Ogun State

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam

PrimeEstates National Housing Fund(NHF). Messrs O.U. Ikpa andPartners is the monitoringconsultant. A two bedroomflat goes for N12.95 millionwith option of installmen-tal payment.The project was formally

showcased top prospectiveinvestors and buyers lastweek. A completed proto-type unit furnished byLabade Furniture was show-cased to prospective home-owners as part of the com-pany’s ’Open House’ event..Proposed facilities includetarred road, drainage sys-tem, electricity, treatedborehole and street lights,clinic as well as shoppingcomplex, playground andrecreational area.

Commenced 18 monthsago, the project will be com-missioned in August. TheChairman/Chief ExecutiveOfficer, SparklightProperties DevelopmentCompany Limited, ChiefToyin Adeyinka told TheGuardian that the block offlats are sitting on pile foun-dation and the terrain is nota flood plain. He said construction

works were being accelerat-ed on the houses, which arebeing built with locallysourced materials, and thatthey were meant for lowincome earners, who wouldbe expected to make an ini-tial down payment of 20 percent of the total cost, whilethe rest would be spreadover a period of time.

ATOWN planning initia-tive that will create com-

munity circles outside thehustle and bustle of Lagoshas been jump-started in anemerging urban fringe set-tlement along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, if suc-cessful, offer fresh impetusfor Ogun State’s govern-ment measures to attractfamilies into its bordertown and decongest Lagosmetropolis.The initiative is a joint ven-ture between SparklightProperty DevelopmentCompany Limited and thestate government and ismeant to provide accom-modation for medium andlow-income earners withinthe Gateway City.

Christened GatewaySparklight Estate Phase II,located in Magboro area,the estate provides 120 fam-ily dwelling units, compris-ing 15 blocks of three-bed-room flats and two blocks oftwo-bedroom flats with thebuildings at various stagesof development, as well asproposed 20 units of four-bedroom duplex (townh o u s e s ) .Under the project, FederalMortgage Bank of Nigeria(FMBN) and Stallion HomeSavings and Loans Limitedare the financiers. Stallion isalso providing mortgage tocontributors of the

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SON, BCPG to flush out substandardbuilding materialsBy Tosin FodekeMaterials Watch

AGAINST the backdrop ofstalled efforts at evolving aworkable National BuildingCode, the StandardOrganisation of Nigeria (SON)and some professionals underthe Building CollapsePrevention Guild (BCPG) havemoved to curtail the wide-spread use of substandardbuilding materials, with a pro-posal to form a partnershipaimed at eradicating the men-ace in the building industry.The partnership according toDirector General, SON, Dr.Joseph Odumosu was neces-sary to find a lasting solutionto the menace of collapsebuildings and influx of sub-standard building materials.Odumosu who made this dis-closure during a courtesy visitby BCPG to the organisation’soffice in Lagos said the spate of

building collapse has necessi-tated that his organization,which is in charge of standardregulation and BCPG collabo-rate to find a lasting solutionto the menace.“We must set up a specialteam within SON to be focusedonly on building materialsand to become our own liaisonwith groups like yours. Whenbuildings collapse people die,people lose money and ofcourse there are professionalissues involved.Odumosu also said hisorganisation is interested inthe fact that Nigerian artisansmust be provided with anopportunity be involved in theprofessional construction ofbuildings.“A lot of people get their arti-sans from neigbouring coun-tries, so there is need to devel-op our artisans and give themjobs, we must stop providingemployment opportunities

for others because they wouldcome after us when they don’thave jobs.,” he said.National President of BCPG,Mr. Kunle Awobodu earlierrevealed the need for SON torejuvenate its internal mecha-nism and create a departmentthat is solely focused on moni-toring the standards of build-ing materials.“The Preponderance of build-

ing collapse requires volun-tary efforts at finding lastingsolutions. Expecting the gov-ernment to solve such a hugeproblem alone while practi-tioners in the constructionindustry fold their arms isunacceptable,” he said.He added that the federalgovernment should provideSON with sufficient resourcesto realise this goal.

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YourMoneyTheGuardianConscience, Nurtured by Truth

45 | Saturday, April 27, 2013

AdvertisingAnd APCON’sXenophobia

THERE could not have been a worse adver-tisement for the Advertising Practitioners

Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the awfulstate of education in Nigeria than the articlepublished in The Guardian of Saturday, April13, 2013, entitled “Foreign Direct Investment:A Vote For APCON Reforms” written by oneMr. Edwin Madueme. “I have not seen a doc-tor that opened shop in the country legally,”declared the writer, “ without first of all reg-istering with the Nigerian Medical Associa-tion.” How has mercantilism pervaded theconsciousness, the very being, of some Nige-rians that they now refer to medical doctorsas not setting up clinics but opening shops?As the exceedingly brilliant economist, DrPius Okigbo told the nation at the Universityof Lagos convocation lecture in 1992, we arenow in times when “everything is calibratedin pecuniary terms.” Madueme, a supposedmass communication specialist, pontificates,without any sense of embarrassment, thatdoctors in Nigeria must register with theNMA before they can be licensed! This writerconfuses the Nigerian Medical and DentalRegistration Council with the NMA. ProfessorChinua Achebe would describe a person likeMadueme as a personification of “combativeignorance trumpeting its own values”.

The essence of Madueme’s article is two-fold:to establish that advertising is so crucial toour national existence that it borders prima-rily on national security and that local adver-tising firms are world class. The article is,indeed, a resounding failure. Not even dur-ing the malevolent Sani Abacha regime whenall manner of atrocities were committedwith impunity under the guise of protectingnational security was advertising regarded asa national security issue. Nigerians need tobear in mind that the three areas where in-ternational investment is not allowed by theNigerian government for security concernsand domestic economic development are se-curity, cabotage and defence.

APCON’s leadership just came up with thebrainwave that advertising borders on na-tional security simply because Prima Garnet,an Ikeja-based advertising firm founded andrun by Lolu Akinwunmi who is the APCONchairman, has just lost the multimillion dol-lar advertising Airtel account to an interna-

tional advert agency whose name unfortu-nately I cannot remember now. Prima Garnetwent to the extent of suing the internationalagency. If Prima Garnet had retained the ac-count, there would not have been all thismedia frenzy generated by Lolu’s APCON,under the pretext of nationalism and patriot-ism, against foreign firms operating in theNigerian advertising industry.   This simu-lated, orchestrated, artificial, mechanical, un-natural and contrived campaign reminds allliterate Nigerians of the passage in Lee KuanYew’s book entitled From Third World to First:The Story of Singapore from 1965 to 1990 wherethe great Singaporean leader narrates howshocked he was listening to Finance MinisterFestus Okotie-Eboh happily announce that hewas banning the importation of shoes in thecountry so that his personal shoe factory inSapele in today’s Delta State would prosper!Mr. Lee, easily the most successful statesmanof the 20th century from the developing world,notes in his captivating memoirs that Niger-ian leaders merely use their positions to fur-ther private interests. No wonder the FirstRepublic failed in a very popular militarycoup less than two weeks after Chief Okotie-Eboh’s infamous confession at the Common-wealth Summit in Lagos in January, 1966.

Far from changing for the better since the

First Republic collapsed, things have gonefrom bad to worse. We are not longer talkingof ministers using their high office to feathertheir own nests but of chairmen of govern-ment agencies and even civil servants servingtheir own private interests at our expense.How long will public policy be formulated inour nation and implemented for purely per-sonal gains? Former British Prime MinisterDisraeli once famously stated that “patrio-tism is the first refuge of scoundrels.” Akin-wunmi’s APCON argues that it amounts toundermining national security if an interna-tional agency handles the advertising ac-count of Airtel, an Indian company, but thesame advert will not hurt national security ifrun by Akinwunmi’s private firm, Prima Gar-net!Pray, how can an advert campaign sabotage

national security when the same campaignmust be cleared by Akinwunmi’s APCON inthe first place? Or is the APCON chairmanpassing a vote of no confidence in the regula-tory agency he heads? Truth be told, all the in-elegant actions and statements we have beenseeing from APCON of late owe to one thing:conflict of interest. And this circus show willcontinue in the entire advert industry untilthe nation chooses to do the right thing byseparating APCON’s leadership from the com-

mercial interests of one or two ad agencies.Nigeria must be the only country in the worldwhere an industry player doubles as the chairof the regulatory agency!

The other issue which the Madueme articletouches upon to which I will respond brieflyis the claim that local ad agencies are worldclass and, therefore, highly professional. Thisclaim is fatuous through and through. Howmany banks with high advertising budgets,for instance, still patronize local agencies?How many films are still shot in Nigeria, andnot South Africa or Kenya? Doesn’t NigerianBreweries, for one, use a Dubai-based agencybecause of its gross dissatisfaction with localagencies despite decades of patronizingthem?  Is there a newspaper or magazine ortelevision or radio station not owed severalmillions of naira by these agencies, whichhave long been paid by their clients? Is it pos-sible to discuss the woes of the media in Nige-ria without a preeminent place reserved forlocal ad agencies whose chief executives liveopulently like Saudi sheikhs even when theyhave not paid staff salaries for severalmonths?

APCON’s stance on driving internationalfirms out of the country threatens our na-tional economic interests. When interna-tional agencies are here, they hire Nigerians,do all the work here, pay taxes, transfer tech-nology, enhance local capacity and serve asmodels for Nigerian businesses to work in aprofessional and ethical way. But if they areoutside and do all the work there, as has beenlargely the case, the Nigerian economy suffers.APCON’s leadership is creating and orches-

trating xenophobia in an era when bringingforeign direct investment (FDI) into the coun-try is a cardinal plank of the government’s eco-nomic policy and even of our foreignpolicy.  Such a pity that APCON, which shouldhave been working in line with government’seconomic vision, is part of an attempt to hood-wink the Nigerian people and government.Enough of this nationalistic card at a timeNigerian firms like Dangote, United Bank ofAfrica and Guarantee Trust Bank are movingfast into all parts of sub-Sahara Africa and evenbeyond.

Nwachukwu , a lawyer, media researcher andsocial activist, heads Centre for EnvironmentalManagement in Africa based in Abuja. He can bereached via chidiown@gmail.com

By Chidi Wilson Nwachukwu

Aganga Akinwunmi

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Developer woosinvestors to Ikeja’sN600m Trinity Mall Projects

AFTER months of construc-tion work, private proper-

ty development firm, OMAISHomes, are rounding offactivities on the Trinity Malllast week, ahead of its finalcompletion date.

The firm offers prospectiveinvestors purpose built shop-ping spaces at three-storeyshopping mall project, locat-ed on Obafemi Awolowo Way,Ik eja, which stands at 90 percent completion.The mall is throwing up 40

shopping spaces - lock upshops, open plan shops andglass see through shops withmodern facilities such largeparking spaces, 24-hour solar,inverters, generator andtransformer based powersupply; security and 24-Hoursurveillance (CCTV); boreholeand Water treatment plant;and various shop types withsee through Glass typedesign.Chairman and Chief execu-

tive Officer of the company,Mr. Omochiere Aisagbonhiexplained that acquisition ofthe shops at shops at the mallhas been made easy with flex-ible payment options of 40per cent down payment and60 per cent balance spreadover a period of six months.He added that with a leasing

option of 50 years prospectivebuyer could purchase privatespaces outside the generalfloor area. The mall has con-venience area and a mini-mum of one dedicated park-ing space outside the generalparking area.

Aisagbonhi in a chat withthe media noted that OmaisHomes, a subsidiary of OmaisInvestment, is positioned todevelop and build exquisitehomes at affordable prices foryoung chief executives ofcompanies without jeopar-dising their desire to live incentral cities like Lagos.‘’Trinity Mall is the flagship

of our property projects thatextends our Trinity rangewhich includes several resi-dential property in Ikeja andenvirons, and these compriseTrinity Court 1 in Idi-Iroko,Trinity Court II at Mende,Maryland, Trinity Place atOpebi and several other spe-cially designed living devel-opments’’,“As you can see, we are put-

ting finishing touches andthe Mall is in the final comple-tion stage, preparatory to for-mal opening in June, i.e. lessthan two months time. Muchof the space has been boughtor leased by discerning shopowners who want to takeadvantage of the uniqueadvantage that Trinity Mallhas, in terms of its location,state-of-the-art facilities andambience. We still have a fewshopping space left and weare in the process of allocat-ing to clients on first come,first served basis. Some of thespaces have been taken up byIT and Telecoms companies,Clothes and Accessories,Eatery and so on. We havespace for banking hall,department store, bar or cof-fee shop, dry cleaners, sportsgoods shop, .This is why we have com-

mitted about N600 million tothe completion of this projectand we have spared noexpense in making sure thatthe Mall meets all interna-

tionally acceptable standards.He stated.

Designer of the building,Mr. Akin Akiyemi alsorevealed unique features suchas its avante-garde ceramicand marble finishing auto-mated lifts and doors.

Trinity Mall last week

By Tosin Fodeke

Even as Ikeja hasevolved into a vibranthangout with bustlingmarkets, the commercialdistrict in the town’sarea has added anothershopping mall, TrinityMall to its list, whichboosts of a uniquedesign

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

Engineers say that professionals in their field have thepotentials of setting the pace in the construction sectorand leading the country out of its current unemploymentmalaise and significantly lift domestic economic per-formance.

Engineers urged to embrace new skills, mentor young graduates

Chairman, Sparklight group, Mr. Toyin Adeyinka (middle), Executive Director, Adebayo Adeyinka,ExecutiveDirector, Real Estate, Mr. Andy Wu and Ogun State Controller, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN),Mr.Taofeek Ijaya during the ‘Open House’ of the Gateway Sparklight estate II, held in Magboro, Ogun State, lastweek

IN search for best practice inthe engineering profession,the Nigeria Institute ofMechanical Engineers(NIMechE) has joined in theclamour for professionals toembrace leadership skills thatwill lift the country out of itscurrent unemploymentmalaise.They argue that the provision

of engineering services thatwould create jobs, provisionguidance for less- experiencepeers by the senior-level engi-neers has therefore becomeimperative if engineers wantsto take up leadership roles inthe country.

At an induction and lunch-eon ceremony organised byLagos Chapter of the(NIMechE), a senior member ofthe Nigeria Society ofEngineers, Mrs. MargaretOguntala noted that excellentleadership skills are necessaryto effectively execute suchresponsibilities adding thatengineers can make a world ofdifference through their cho-sen careers. “Equipped with technical

knowledge, analytical andproblem-solving skills, theyhave the know-how to createthings that make the world abetter place. As the rate of tech-nological change acceleratesand the world become moreinterconnected, engineers areneeded as leaders in a widerange of field including busi-ness, government, law medi-cine, and community service.Moreover,Technical gurus without lead-

ership skills have limited influ-ence. Not many can achieveguru status, but wouldn’t yourather be a guru with technicalmaster and the combination ofbusiness skills and interperson-al skills that makes a greatleader?“Engineer lead project and

even engineers who aren’t “pro-ject leads” provide a certain

amount of direction, and theyneed to influence others to oth-ers to help get their work done.Engineers need to guide less-experienced peers and guid-ance is providing direction; neof the three basic definitions ofleadership, the other two beinginfluence and authority.“In an engineering context

leadership incorporate a num-ber of capabilities which arecritical on order to function at aprofessional level. These capa-bilities include the assess riskand take initiatives, the willing-ness to make decision in theface of uncertainty, a sense ofurgency and the will to deliveron time in the face of con-straints or obstacles, resource-fulness and flexibility, trust ands team setting, and the ability torelate to others.

National Chairman ofNIMechE, Ayo Fanimokun, anengineer, implored engineersto build capacity of other bud-ding engineers, stressing that“Our major aim should be per-sonal development and capaci-ty building of engineers.He further commended the

branch for its innovativeness inorganizing a business lunch-eon programme, which isunique among other branches.At the event special adviser to

the Governor on Works andInfrastructure, Lagos state,Ganiyu Johnson, Mrs. MargaretOguntala, Executive VicePresident Prime SourcesLimited Johnson Duru,Chairman of Electricity PowerFoundation (EPF), Mr. OtisAnyaeji, all engineers weregiven special awards.

By Tosin FodekeProfessional Practice

Lagos drainageprojects getcompletion date

flooding problem in the area.His view was predicated on thefact that progress is beingrecorded in other areas thatshare the same alignment withthe Ikota River project in a fastermomentum, believing thatefforts at other ends would bemeaningless without its com-pletion. He said: “In view of the presenceof rain, we would have no alter-native than to take over thisproject, because without itscompletion, our efforts in LekkiPhase 11-Ikota would be mean-ingless. The rate at which thisproject is being handled by thefederal government is notacceptable, because we want toensure the facilities are alignedto each other for the free flow ofwater to their outlets.”

The ongoing projects in theaxis include the concrete liningof Agungi Channel in Eti-OsaLocal Government Area, beinghandled by Messrs MercuryBond Engineering Company. The project is of two sections,

namely: Hydraulic andTrapezoidal sections. Thehydraulic section is 1,540 metreslength, with varied width and1.3metres in depth, while theTrapezoidal section is 1,240 long,11.0 metres long and 14 metresdeep.The channel on completion ismeant to de-flood Agungi andAjiran communities, part ofOsapa West and part of Lekki-Epe Expressway.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201362

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 63

Lagos’ estate agency law will curb sharppractices, says Olawore

When exactly was AfRES founded and since its formation, howhas it faired? 

AfRES was founded in 1997 as part of the International Real Es-tate Society network. It was first organised in South Africa

and later it grew into Tanzania and Kenya. Today, the numbersof member countries have grown to about 14 and the scope re-duced to Sub-Saharan African, with the North Africans teamingup with the Middle East to form MENARES in 2009.African Real Estate Society like its counterparts all over the

world is dedicated to producing and disseminating knowledgerelated to real estate decision-making and the function of realestate markets. What part has your continental society playedin all these? AfRES encourages research by her members and also providesopportunity for collaboration between her members and mem-bers of other societies. To further help in the dissemination andsharing of knowledge, the society has a Journal of African Re-search that is solely for African research.Among others, your organization is supposed to encourage re-search and promote education in real estate. What have hap-pened in this regard?Yes, we do this and as I stated earlier, researchers are supported.To further this objective, Universities had received support bydonation of books as well as donation of time for free lectures byvisiting academics also at each Annual conference, which in it-self is used to brainstorm on research issues, contemporary is-sues, and so on, training workshops for practitioners areorganised.How will you assess the synergy existing between AfRES and

other sister organisations all over the world, especially withinestate surveying professions in member countries? The synergy has been very productive and has led to collabora-tive curriculum review, exchange of lecturers, expanded op-portunity for sabbatical placements and seamless knowledgesharing platform. Mentoring within the real estate profession has been dwin-

dling. In what area (s) is you association collaborating withNigerian surveyors? We provide mentoring opportunity for our members includ-

ing our Nigerian colleagues. International mentors are availableespecially during the conferences. Personally, I had been in-volved in providing professors from Australia and Germany asmentors and shadow supervisors for not less than two Doctoralstudents in Nigerian Universities. We also support Nigerian uni-versities to get external lecturers.Also two students from Kigali Institute of Science and Technol-ogy are coming to Lagos to do a 3-month programme. This is toencourage cultural integration.Besides, at every conference, we help researchers to on how toget their works done, especially, on how to write their papers.Looking at real estate agents today in Nigeria, what are the chal-lenges that your association has identified and what are youdoing to face such challenges? These are local issues that are best handled by the local Nationalprofessional bodies. AfRES cooperates with National profes-sional bodies in furtherance of her objectives.Just recently, Lagos government muted the idea of registeringestate agents in the State, what is your view on this develop-ment? This is the culmination and manifestation of an eight years jour-ney. The idea did not just come up, it was mooted in 2005 whenI was the Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian In-stitution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV) and we thank theLagos State government for giving us the opportunity to workwith her in fashioning the law. I am happy to note that despitethe delay in implementation of the law which was signed in2007, this has finally come to be. The idea is to be supported byall well meaning citizens because it will tackle the problem offraud and sharp practice. It is expected that the ethics of the pro-

fessional Estate Surveyors and Valuers will now be widely appli-cable in Agency and those found wanting will be dealt with. Thepublic now has an opportunity to demand service and value formoney benchmarking with the expectations of the law.As a follow-up to the above question, reasons for registration ofestate agents was as a result of the allegation of fraudulent ac-tivities by the practitioners. From global perspective, does suchunwholesome activities exist? Yes this is a global phenomenon but in the advanced economiesthere are legal frameworks and structures to deal with it as ahuman as well as economic issue. Besides, the case with Lagos ispeculiar. You cannot legislate on some issues, for instance, mar-ket forces. This is demand and supply phenomenon. How manyhouses we have in Lagos? The issue is that when demand is notat par with supply, what we are witnessing is inevitable.Can you let Nigerians know what is the situation with real es-tate agents in other countries, especially, those that belong toAfRES? I am aware that a couple of African countries have National um-brella bodies for Estate Agency like the National Association of

Professional Practice

The Africa Real Estate Society (AfRES) is a continent-wide organisation for all practitioners in the sector.The group provides common platforms for sharing in-ternational experiences on best practices and affordsopportunities for establishing linkages and networks.MR. AKIN OLAWORE, is the Executive Director andPresident of the International Real Estate Society.He is also a Development Consultant and Project

Manager; Principal Partner, Akin Olawore and Com-pany as well as a fellow of the Nigerian Institution ofEstate Surveyors and Valuers. In this interview withThe Guardian’s TUNDE ALAO, he speaks on the ac-tivities of the organisation and the fate of real estatesector in the contemporary world, especially, in Africa.Excerpts:

Estate Agents mid-wifed by the Nigerian Institution of EstateSurveyors & Valuers. These bodies are set up as professional bod-ies that set out standards and expectations as well as ethics forthe profession.AfRES has been in existence for sometime now, what will make

your regime stand out from your predecessor, what is its sig-nificance to the overall objectives of the group? I served my term as President in 2009-2010 and I am now the

Executive Director of the Society and the President of the Inter-national Real Estate Society. During my term, I moved for the re-structuring of the society into sub regional levels for governanceand activities, that is, Western, Eastern and Southern parts. I alsorealised that at AfRES, we are unable to retain members due tothe fact that members meet only once a year at conference thatwas not sufficient to achieve the objectives of the Society. Today,the various chapters organise three programmes in a year thathelped for bonding. The Chapters are also the arrowheads incarrying the message of AfRES to countries within their sub-re-gions. This has helped us to grow membership and get morecountries into the fold.

President of the International Real Estate Society, Olawore

Olawore Olawore

PropertyInterview

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201364

The Environment

Climate Change

Ogun State is effectively drawing on its vast resources, including the young and dynamic popula-tion, towards achieving sustainable development. The experts say governments should also beproactive about protecting the citizenry from droughts and floods as well as formulate energyrenewal strategies to curb dependence on fossil fuels.ANEW comprehensive planhas been launched by pri-

vate organisations in an effortto assist the Ogun StateGovernment in its initiative toincrease environmental protec-tion and ensure waste-to-wealth scheme.The Uplift Development

Foundation (UDF) led by theWife of the Governor of OgunState, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, isanchoring the programme,which may come under thePublic Private Partnership(PPP). The initiative is alreadyreceiving the support of theUnited Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organisation(UNIDO). It is also backed byKnowledge Economic Network(KEN) and International Centerfor Promotion of Enterprises.

Under the GreenEmpowerment for the Youths(GEFTY) announced at a two-day International Conferenceand Workshop on the theme,Uplifting the Environment -Ogun State Goes Green held atthe June 12 Cultural Centre,Kuto, Abeokuta, the groupplans to launch a comprehen-

sive green education in all pri-mary and secondary schoolsthrough the state’s Ministry ofEducation and Federal Ministryof Environment.UDF also plans to raise aware-ness in government, industryand academia on the need for agreen revolution using series ofgreen initiatives driventhrough a youth empower-ment scheme as well as deploy-ing bigger youth inclined proj-ects and programmes in theState and beyond.The projects are targeted at

achieving sustainable develop-ment and leapfrogging thestate to make right choices anddrawing on its vast resources,including the young anddynamic population, rapidlyturning into valuable humancapital which is the crucial fac-tor in the development process.Mrs. Amosun, who set the tuneof the event, said that the con-ference was expected to high-light steps to reduce adverseenvironmental impact, savemoney and ensure citizens livehappier lives. “In Nigeria, lack of

Experts, UNIDO chart new course for Ogunsustainable development strategy

concrete knowledge andunderstanding of environmen-tal issues as well as the lack ofaccess to funds to drive environ-mental initiatives is a huge chal-lenge and set back,” she said.

The Chairman, House ofRepresentative Committee onEnvironment, Mrs. UcheEkwunife commended the ini-tiative, called for immediateaction to tackle the scourge ofclimate change and sustain-ability in all sectors of the econ-omy.“Today, as effort to support ourconventional way of grantingaccess to energy and electricity,we must consider generatingenergy from renewable andalternative sources, which willpreserve our environment. Anyforward thinking nation mustconsider going green. Our pro-grammes and policies mustalign with these objectives.Africa must not be left out;Nigeria must be at the fore-front.“We must create a green envi-ronment, access to clean ener-gy and water, pollution free

environment, reduction inwaste and immensely improveour ecosystem. This will makecompanies to pursue profitmore sustainable ways, andensure economic benefit for all.“We will respond to the threatof climate change with theintroduction of new bills,knowing that the failure to doso would negatively affect ourchildren and future genera-tions. Some may still deny theoverwhelming judgment of sci-ence, but none can avoid thedevastating impact of pollu-tion, storms, droughts anddesert encroachment, whichare all consequences of the neg-ative environmental impact.”The United Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organisation(UNIDO) Regional Director andRepresentative of Nigeria, Mr.Patrick Kormawa who spoke on“Strategies of Regional andInternational Entities to Fosterand Support Going Green-relat-ed PPP, Joint Ventures and FDIs”urged the state government toinvest in renewable technolo-gies such as solar panels; small-

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and wife, Olufunso (centre) other dignitaries including Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Environment, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife and United Nations Industrial DevelopmentOrganisation (UNIDO) Regional Director/Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Kormawa

The Environment

hydro power, biomass andcook stoves. While pledging support forsmall and medium enterprisesto adopt green technologies,under the PPP scheme,Kormawa called for enactmentof long- term policies andstrategies to promote PPPinvestments in green projects.Meanwhile, in a communiquéissued after the conference,stakeholders agreed that envi-ronmentally sound masterplans for urban developmentshould be guided by soundpolicies at various levels. Theyalso noted that green aware-ness has created new job oppor-tunities in the constructionindustry, while training pro-grammes are imperative.They also said that govern-

ments should be proactiveabout protecting citizenryfrom droughts and floods aswell as formulate energyrenewal strategies to curbdependence on fossil fuels.The participants noted thatconsistent regulatory and poli-cy framework as well as refer-ence materials are very usefulfor development of PPP. “Newtransport and communicationprojects should undergo strictenvironmental impact assess-ment.

on the World Environment Daywebsite, where WED followerscould choose their favouriteentry. After securing first placewith over 31,000 votes, Charleswill travel to Mongolia in June2013 to report on WorldEnvironment Day (WED) 2013.WED - organized by UNEP - is

the single biggest day for posi-tive action on the environmentworldwide. It is celebrated eachyear on June 5, Organizationsand individuals across theworld are encouraged to carryout an environmental activityin support of WED.

Previous winners of the WEDBlogging Competition havereported from Rwanda, Indiaand Brazil“As a doctor, I have found thatthe state of our environment isdirectly related to our personalhealth, so I have decided tochampion environmentalissues,” said Mr. Akhimien“I look forward to seeing someof the two million trees plantedacross Mongolia’s vast desertregions since 2011, and toobserve how Mongolia is usingrenewable energy by exploitingits huge solar power potential,”

he added.Over 100 international blog-

gers submitted entries to thisyear’s UNEP competition on thetheme of food waste. The com-petition was held in support ofthe ‘Think.Eat.Save. ReduceYour Foodprint! campaignlaunched by UNEP,the Foodand Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations (FAO) andother partners earlier this year.Food waste and food loss is alsothe theme of WED 2013.For the final phase of the com-petition, Mr. Akhimien wrote ablog on the role of social media

in encouraging sustainableconsumption.

A24-YEAR-OLD doctor andenvironmentalist fromNigeria has won the 2013 WorldEnvironment Day bloggingcompetition after picking upalmost half of close to 70,000votes cast in an online voteorganized by the UnitedNations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP).Charles Immanuel Akhimien

was one of ten short-listed blog-gers whose entries were posted

Nigerian Doctor wins WED blogging contest

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam, AssistantHousing & Environment Editor

RISING levels of greenhousegas emissions and defor-estation caused by metal pro-duction must be urgentlyaddressed, a new report fromthe UN EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP) warns.Demand for metals is expect-ed to rise tenfold as emergingeconomies adopt similartechnologies and lifestyles toricher nations. 1.75 billionmobile phones were sold in2012, of which 53.5per centwere smartphones, which useover 40 variants of metal. Theaverage tablet or Apple iPadweighs 650g and contains 1.3gof tin-rich solder.UNEP says the recycling ofelectronic equipment has tobe radically increased toensure mining and refiningoperations around the worlddo not get out of control.It estimates that 20-50 mil-lion tonnes of electronicwaste is produced annually,equating to three to sevenkilogrammes per person.Samsung Electronics says it iscommitted to tracing its sup-ply chain back to mines andsourcing metal from moresustainable sources“As populations in emergingeconomies adopt similartechnologies and lifestyles tothose currently used in OECDcountries, global metal needswill be three to nine timeslarger than all the metals cur-rently used in the world,” saidUNEP Executive DirectorAchim Steiner.“A far more sophisticated

approach is urgently neededto address the challenges ofrecycling complex products,which contain a broad varietyof interlinked metals andmaterials,” he added.“Product designers need toensure that materials such asrare earth metals in productsranging from solar panelsand wind turbine magnets tomobile phones can still berecovered easily when theyreach the end of their life.”As Steiner suggests, the issueis particularly relevant for therenewables sector, whichneeds a regular supply of met-als and rare earths to survive.Sourcing these sustainably isa key test of the environmen-tal integrity for wind andsolar. The use of metals andtheir compounds cause localimpacts from mining and use7-8% of the global energy sup-ply.Recyling uses less energy thanextracting metals from theearth, but it can be complicat-ed and costly. UNEP saysmobile phones contain morethan 40 elements, includingcopper, tin, platinum, silverand gold. Electronic waste in Europe isexpected to increase 4% annu-ally, three times faster thanother forms of rubbish, a levelwhich German EnvironmentMinister Peter Altmaieradmits is unacceptable.“Our aim must be to beak theraw materials spiral by usingmaterials more consciously,”he said.

UNEP warns ofemissions linkedto mobile phonedemand

TheEnvironment

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam

Akhimien

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 65

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201366

XVI THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

BusinessInterview

HOW has your journey this far been?I grew up in an environment of love and

very strong Christian catholic family values.Religion was taken very seriously. This explainsthe source of my faith, which I regard as one ofmy strongest assets. These combine to give methe discipline of mind and character that havesustained me over the years as I faced the chal-lenges of my career. I was born the 12th of 15 verysuccessful children and the youngest of theseven sons in my family. I grew up with a pas-sion for excellence and a will to succeed in orderto maintain a long held family tradition of eachperson being successful in his or her own right.Being an Edozien carried a certain minimumobligation and not upholding that traditionwas therefore never an option for me. The goodLord was always there for me and used variouspeople to help me along the way; family, friendsbosses, colleagues, among others. I felt armedwith very good education and training whichgave me a lot of confidence in the course of mycareer development and in my dealings withpeople. I believe that enduring success comesfrom working very hard, being honest andtransparent, keeping your word with people sothat you can be trusted and above all being Godfearing. In other words good character isimportant to goal attainment and enduringsuccess. At high levels of responsibility oneneeded to be trusted and to be seen to have theability to add value. In this regard I am particu-larly grateful to President Ibrahim Babangidafor believing in me and given me the opportu-

nity to serve the country in very high capacitiesin the public sector. I have also been greatlyhelped by my wonderful wife and children whotogether kept the home front happy and peace-ful and ensured that I had the peace of mind,which was invaluable throughout my career. Italways felt good after a hard day’s work to knowthat you were going back not to a “house” but toa “home” where you are completely at peacewith yourself and with your environment. I con-sider myself exceptionally lucky to have had therare opportunity to serve at the executive capac-ity across sectors and political administrationin our country.What would you say about CBN’s stance on the

Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)?The Central Bank always has a tough call to

make. Various stakeholders might have expect-ed the CBN to lower the MPR in line with thedecline in the inflation rate as released by theBureau of Statistics. Manufacturers and those inthe real sector will like to see the MPR comedown so that lending rates will also come down.The CBN however has wider concerns, whichhave to be factored into its decision-making.Every country has its own peculiarities and eco-nomic realities and these present unique chal-lenges to their Central Banks.  Here in Nigeriathere may be concerns over government bor-rowing and its overall fiscal operations, theneed for exchange rate stability and overallmacro-economic stability. The point to makehere is that the CBN has more facts at its dispos-al than I have and adjustments to the MPR must

secretary has gone down, when you go to a func-tion, nobody recognises the permanent secre-tary, but they will recognise the politicians, thebankers, captains of industry, among others.They will introduce the military, the police andother uninformed services, but don’t forget thatthe permanent secretary is the highest careerposition you can get in the public service and ittakes a lifetime to get to that position. So, theservice has gone down seriously in terms of pub-lic perception and performance of those tradi-tional roles for the government.Two major reforms have been in the publicdomain since 2005. What do you think prompt-ed them?It was the absence or breakdown of good corpo-rate governance and inadequate risk manage-ment. There might also have been a regulatoryfailure.  However, after the problem in the bank-ing industry, a whole lot of reforms have beenput in place. We now have a robust risk manage-ment system that has been put in place and ifeffectively applied, it will ensure that the prob-lems that led to the banking crisis do not re-occur in the future. In addition, the industry reg-ulators have issued corporate governance codesthat effectively guide management and boardbehaviour in banks.Your advice to the regulators regarding capitalmarket development…Like they say, the capital market is as good as thecompanies quoted on it. That is the truth aboutthe markets. So, what the regulators have to dois basically to effectively carry out the core func-

remain their judgement call. The CBN willhowever always take full responsibility for howtheir decisions ultimately impact on the econ-omy.Owing to speculations that the incumbentCBN governor would not seek re-appointment,who is your ideal candidate for the job?When the present Governor of the CBN retiresI believe that he would feel that he has servedhis country well and made his mark. Weshould collectively as a nation thank him forhis services and wish him well in all his futureendeavours. The job of a Governor of theCentral Bank of any nation is a very importantone. His responsibility over the conduct ofmonetary policy and regulation of the banksand other financial institutions in the countryhas serious implications for the economicdevelopment of the country. It is thereforeimportant to have the right person in thatposition. I believe there is a profile for such aperson already in place. I will put some empha-sis on the knowledge and practice ofEconomics especially Monetary andInternational Economics with years of bank-ing experience at the top level as an addedadvantage.What were your experiences like in the civilservice?I rose through the ranks to become a perma-nent secretary in the Civil Service. I was alsoprivileged to play it at the top in the private sec-tor. To tell you how the perception of the civilservice and even the position of the permanent

There must be robust market through time-tested

John Edozien was a federal permanent secretary, who served in several ministries and agencies in that capacity. A one-time Deputy Governor of the oldBendel State and later Delta State, Edozien proved his astuteness in the private sector as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer ofAfribank Nigeria Plc, now Mainstreet Bank, as well as Chairman of Afribank International Limited (Merchant Bankers) from 1993 to 1999. He also servedas Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission from 2005 to 2008 and currently he is on the board of a number of companies. In this interview withCHIJIOKE NELSON, he examines some issues in the financial sector and regrets the poor perception of the civil service today. Excerpts.

Edozien

NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at FridayPRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS TRADED FOR 26/4/2013

68

NigeriaCapitalMarketTHE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 CAPITAL MARKET

NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 26/4/2013

PRICE GAINERS LOSERS

Investors stake N223.7bn on FGN bonds in five daysTHE Over-The- Counter(OTC) market for FGN

bonds last week recorded aturnover of 186.579 millionunits valued at N223.752 bil-lion in 793 deals, comparedto 108.212 million units worthN131.607 billion exchanged in622 deals during the preced-ing week ended April 19, 2013.Similarly, transactions in theequity sector recorded aturnover of 1.758 billionshares worth of N17.898 bil-lion in 23,958 deals, in con-trast to a total of 2.114 billionshares valued at N26.678 bil-lion that exchanged hands

last week in 27,624 deals. Specifically, at the close of

trading activities for theweek, the financial servicessector maintained its domi-nance in volume terms,accounting for 1.443 billionshares valued at N10.502 bil-lion, exchanged in 14,600deals. The consumer goods sector

followed in the activity chartwith 69.691 million sharesvalued at N5.130 billion trad-ed in 4,100 deals.Precisely, the banking sub-

sector was the most activeduring the week (measuredby turnover volume) with1.061 billion shares worth

N8.432 billion traded in10,546 deals. According to the Nigerian

Stock Exchange (NSE) vol-ume in the subsector waslargely driven by activities inthe shares of Unity bank Plc,Zenith Bank Plc and AccessBank Plc, as trading in theshares of the three banksaccounted for 587.557 mil-lion shares worth N4.230 bil-lion in 3,163 deals, contribut-ing 33.43 per cent to the totalequity turnover volumerecorded during the week. Also traded last week was

14,905 units of NewGoldExchange Traded Funds(ETFs) valued at N32.677 mil-

lion exchanged in 50 dealscompared with a total of6,021 units valued at N12.944million transacted last weekin 21 deals.One thousand, four hun-

dred and twenty (1,420) unitsof FGN bonds valued atN173,253.00 were traded dur-ing the week in 8 deals incontrast to 4,140 units val-ued at N4.471 million trans-acted last week in 30 dealsThe NSE All/Share index roseby 165.11 basis points or 0.50per cent to close on Friday at33,159.08 while the marketcapitalization of the listedequities on the main boardincreased by 0.52 per cent to

close at N10.602 trillion. TheNSE 30 Index appreciated by8.72 points or 0.55 per cent toclose at 1,583.57 while NSEBanking Index inched up by8.65 points or 2.28 per cent toclose at 388.09.However, other NSE sectoralindices that depreciated dur-ing the week include; NSEConsumer Goods, NSEInsurance, NSE Oil and Gas,NSE-Lotus II and NSEIndustrial Goods by 1.20percent, 5.53 per cent, 6.35 percent, 1.41per cent and 2.03percent respectively while thenewly launched NSE-ASeMIndex closed flat.On the price movement

By Helen Oji chart, 34 equities appreciatedin prices during the weekhigher than 28 recorded inthe preceding week while 46depreciated in price lowerthan 49 of the precedingweek. 116 equities remainedconstant lower than 116 equi-ties of the preceding weekOsun State N30 billion fixedRate Bond (Series1) 2012/2019under the N60,000,000 debtissuance programme wasadmitted on the Exchange onApril 23, 2013 while total of800,000,000 units of sharesresulting from Placing wereadded to the outstandingshares of Livestock Feeds Plcon the April 25th, 2013.

69

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, June 6, 201170 THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

BondWatch Published in association with

(Regulated by the Securities & Exchange Commission of Nigeria)

DLM BOND WATCH: APRIL 29, 2013

By Chris Akiri

71THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29 2013

By Terence P. McCulleyTHE United States Department of State released its Country Re-

ports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 on Friday, April 19. Inthe more than 30 years since these reports were first mandatedby the U.S. Congress, they have become essential for govern-ments, intergovernmental organisations, scholars, journalists,activists, and others as a reliable measure of human rights con-ditions around the world.  The reports offer an opportunity tocommend progress and, when necessary, highlight areas for im-provement.

Respect for human rights is not a western construct or auniquely American ideal; it is the keystone for peace and stabil-ity everywhere.  As noted by Secretary Kerry recently, “(H)istoryshows us that countries whose policies respect and reflect theserights are far more likely to be more peaceful and more pros-perous, far more effective at tapping the talents of their people,far more capable of being innovative and moving rapidly andinnovatively in the marketplace, and they are better long-termpartners.”

Nigeria has a committed partner and friend in the UnitedStates.  As with any friendship, we celebrate your steps forwardand speak up when setbacks occur. 

In my three years as U.S. Ambassador to this great country, Ihave witnessed progress in the realm of human rights – the mostfree and fair elections in your nation’s history in 2011; committedefforts at reconciliation in the North; the signing of the Freedomof Information Act; and welcome efforts by the House of Repre-sentatives to manage issues of security and corruption, includ-ing its recent ordering of an investigation into rising cases of

extra-judicial killings by the police.  But despite these positiveactions, Nigeria continues to confront serious human rightschallenges, including a culture of impunity where perpetratorsare often not held accountable for their actions. 

The appalling violence occurring on a daily basis affects Nige-rians at all levels of society. We deplore the heartless attacks bythe extremists, known broadly as Boko Haram, who victimize in-nocent civilians. Any persons or groups who use violence mustbe held accountable. This includes holding security forces to ac-count when they commit unlawful acts. We remain deeply con-cerned about reports of extra-judicial killings, illegal detention,and destruction of property by security forces. Such acts createa deadly cycle of mistrust, harming the very citizens the securityforces pledge to protect.  We urge the Government of Nigeria toinvestigate reports of excessive use of force by security forces,and to take the necessary legal actions against those responsi-ble.

The Nigerian government has announced a number of cam-paigns against corruption, and has strengthened the country’santi-corruption institutions – both positive steps that the U.S.Government applauds. Nigeria needs to do more, however, toaddress and conquer this issue. Corruption in Nigeria diverts fi-nancial resources from building roads, hospitals, schools, andotherwise investing in infrastructure that would serve busi-nesses, attract foreign investment, and create jobs. 

Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are also fun-damental human rights, key to functioning democracies. A vi-brant free press is critical to illuminating public discussion onissues key to Nigeria’s democracy, including security and cor-ruption. The silencing of journalists, political critics, and others,

whether via arrest and detention, threats, or other forms of in-timidation, has no place in a democratic society. Respect for therule of law is paramount and must start with the governmentitself.

Nigerians must come together to combat these ills, to impressupon their democratically elected government that the princi-ples of democracy and human rights must be sacrosanct. Thechallenges facing Nigeria are not limited to North or South,Christian or Muslim, Igbo, Hausa-Fulani or Yoruba.  These arematters that affect all Nigerians, matters that require urgent at-tention. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said during his seminal “IHave a Dream” speech, all men and women, at all levels of soci-ety, must seize upon “the fierce urgency of now.”  

In protecting the rights and liberties of all Nigerians, the Niger-ian Government must be resolute in its commitment to ensur-ing security without compromising human rights.  And theserights must be extended to all, regardless of class, creed, ethnic-ity, gender, political views, tribal affiliation, or sexual orienta-tion. The U.S. hopes that our Nigerian partners will honour theircitizens by building and sustaining strong and transparent in-stitutions that deliver essential services to the nation and settinga standard by which all federal, state, and local government en-tities hold themselves publicly accountable. 

By enshrining these rights, Nigeria will be poised to achieve itspotential and, most importantly, to give its citizens the peace,stability, and prosperity that they deserve. The key now is to lookinternally, to take significant action to address critical humanrights issues. And through this process, the United States will re-main Nigeria’s partner and friend.  • McCulley is the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria.

Nigeria’s commitment to human rights

OpinionHow restructuring can develop the Niger Delta (1)THIS topic calls for a definition of terms, such

as ‘restructuring’ and ‘development’, to pro-vide a foundation for a consideration of the hy-pothesis that a restructured Nigeria wouldissue forth in the development of Nigeria, ingeneral, and the Niger Delta, in particular.

In this paper, we shall examine, rather in ex-tenso, the present structure of the Nigerian na-tion-space in terms of the past and currentpolitical, legal and constitutional configura-tions, with an accent on the nature of the Con-stitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999, as it relates to fiscal federalism, the deri-vation formula, the local government systemand the overtures for its autonomy.

Comprising 36 federating units, called states,Nigeria is bound together by a constitution,cited as the Constitution of the Federal Re-public of Nigeria, 1999, having eight chapters,320 sections, numerous subsections and para-graphs, sharply contrasting with its U.S. coun-terpart, which has only seven Articles and 24sections and which, since 1787, has only beenamended 27 times. Nigeria at independence and before the mili-tary

Before the intervention of the military in pol-itics, in January, 1966, Nigeria was governed bythe 1963 (Republican) Constitution, having thequalities of autochthony (or the active partici-pation of its stakeholders in its framing) andunits-central co-ordinateness, as enunciatedby Prof. Kenneth Wheare, in contradistinctionto the Independence (1960) Constitutionwhich, though substantially federal, was a per-sonal decree of an alien sovereign. The indige-nous, federal and contractual character of the1963 Constitution was clearly reflected in itspreamble: “Having firmly resolved to establish theFederal Republic of Nigeria…So as to further theends of liberty, equality and justice both in ourcountry and in the world at large, We the peopleof Nigeria, by our representatives here in Parlia-ment assembled, do hereby declare, enact and giveto ourselves the following Constitution: …”

The Schedule to the 1963 Constitution con-sisted of Exclusive and Concurrent LegislativeLists. The former contained 45 items, includ-ing, but not limited to Defence; Immigrationinto and emigration from Nigeria; Copyright;Deportation; Aviation; Bills of Exchange; Ex-ternal Affairs; Maritime shipping and naviga-tion; Passports and visas; Patents, trademarks,designs and merchandise marks, etc., whilstthe latter List comprised 29 items, including,but not limited to the following: Antiquities;Arms and ammunition; Bankruptcy and in-solvency; Census; Commercial and industrialmonopolies, combines and trusts; Prisons andother institutions for the treatment of offend-

ers; Registration of business names; Statistics;Traffic on Federal trunk roads; Water power, etc.

The foregoing unexhausted list of items on theExclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists in theRepublican Constitution contrasts substantiallywith the corresponding list in the U.S. Constitu-tion, which has only 18 items or functions onwhich only the U.S. Congress can legislate. Suchitems, in the U.S. Constitution, include Taxes, De-fence, Imposts and Excises, Borrowing money onthe credit of the United States, Naturalization,Currency, Weights and Measures, Navy, etc. (seeArticle 1, Section 8 thereof).

Different though they are in that significant re-spect, both the ‘contractual’ Republican Consti-tution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and theUS Constitution have one thing in common:each has a Residual List, or items not mentionedeither in the Exclusive or in the Concurrent Leg-islative List, which reside in the federating units(Regions or States). The control of the ResidualList by the Regions makes for strong federatingunits and a centrifugal, in contradistinction tothe present centripetal central government,which the founding fathers of Nigeria, like theauthor of “Federal Government”, Prof. K. C.Wheare, before them, fulminated against. Ac-cording to Kenneth Wheare, “The federal principle requires that the general andregional governments of a country shall be inde-pendent each of the other within its sphere, shall notbe subordinate one to the another but co-ordinatewith each other. Now if this principle is to operate notmerely as a matter of strict law but also in practice,it follows that both general and regional govern-ments must each have under its own independentcontrol financial resources sufficient to perform itsexclusive functions. Each must be financially co-or-dinate with the other… It is, therefore, necessary thatState governments should be able to command themeans of supplying their wants, as that the nationalgovernment should possess the like faculty in respectto the wants of the union...” The views of founding fathers

Particularly germane to this paper are the viewsof some of the most prominent founding fathersof modern Nigeria. In his book, Ideology for Nige-ria: Capitalism, Socialism and Welfarism, Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe, the late former Premier of theEastern Region and President of Nigeria (1963-66), had this to say: “It should be our manifest desire to operate in wordand in deed a federal system of government, whichinsulates both majority and minority groups of (the)Nigerian nationality from wrong-doing eitheragainst each other or by Federal or State or LocalGovernment…”

In his “Path to Nigerian Freedom”, written in 1945and published in 1947, the late Chief ObafemiAwolowo, former Premier of the defunct West-ern Region and Leader of the Opposition in theHouse of Representatives, had this to say:

“Since the amalgamation (of Northern andSouthern Protectorates of Nigeria) all efforts ofthe British Government have been devoted to de-veloping the country into a unitary State. This ispatently impossible; and it is astonishing that anation with wide political experience like GreatBritain fell into such a palpable error…”

In“My Life”, published in 1962, the late Premierof the defunct Northern Region, Sir AhmaduBello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, wrote, withaplomb and information: “The first and most important point was to clearup the relations between the Central Governmentand the Regions. The British Government had al-ready said that they would agree to changes, andso it is up to the Conference (i.e. the first LondonConference of 1950) to decide the extent. It wasagreed that the Regions should be as independentas possible, and there was a long argument as towhether specific functions should be allotted to theCentre or the Regions…” Continuing, he said:“…a list had to be drawn up for the Centreand…everything else should be Regional—thiswas called technically the allocation of the ‘resid-ual list’.

He then added:“Naturally the Centre must be responsible for thematters which affected the whole of Nigeria—-thatis, defence, external affairs and trade, civil aviation,banking and currency, tele-communications, rail-ways and harbours, and the corporations (elec-tricity and broadcasting) and some other minormatters...The only one which we regret was the al-location of Trunk Roads ‘A’ to the Centre; this hasbeen a constant cause of irritation ever since...”

The items enumerated above by AhmaduBello as the only functions acceptable to him,to the other founding fathers and to otherNigerians for inclusion in the Exclusive Leg-islative List were about seven or eight. Today,there are 68 items on that List! When did weveer away from the sublime to the ridiculous?(See paragraph 20 infra for a clue).

Additionally, in his seminal book, “Thoughtson the Nigerian Constitution”, Chief Awolowoforcefully stated: “If a country is unilingual and uni-national, theconstitution must be unitary. If a country is bilin-gual or multi-lingual and also consists of commu-nities, which over a period of years, have developeddivergent nationalities, the constitution must befederal and the constituent States must be organ-ized on the dual basis of language and national-ity. If the country is bilingual or multi-national, theconstitution must be federal, and the constituentStates must be organized on a linguistic basis. Anyexperiment with a unitary constitution in a bilin-gual or multi-lingual or multi-national countrymust fail, in the long run.” Nigeria at independence, federalism and fiscalfederalism

To Nigeria’s founding fathers, a federal sys-

tem of government, complete with its essentialpart of fiscal federalism, became a desideratum de-voutly to be wished and was evidenced in writingin the form of the Independence, and later, the Re-publican Constitutions. Chief Awolowo, speakingfor his compatriots, followed up on the train of histhoughts on federalism and its co-traveller, fiscalfederalism, when he asseverated in his book, “TheStrategy and Tactics of the People’s Republic of Nige-ria”, inter alia, as follows:“In discussing this principle (i.e. of revenue allocationon the basis of derivation), I would like to make six ob-servations. Firstly, in a capitalist society, whether it is afederation or not, it is untenable and dishonest in theextreme, to insist on sharing another person’s or an-other State’s wealth on any basis other than that whichthe rules of the capitalist game allow. In this type of so-ciety, every State is perfectly entitled to keep any wealththat accrues to it either by the sweat of its brows, bycunning, or by the unaided bounty of Nature. And toaccuse a rich State of lack of fellow-feeling or patriot-ism, because it insists on keeping practically all thatcomes to it by whatsoever means, is unreasonable andunrealistic. For it must be remembered that, in a capi-talist society, the over-riding code of conduct is nakedself-interest...”

The foregoing view by Chief Obafemi Awolowochimes in perfectly with the picture of federalismpainted above by Kenneth C. Wheare.

By reason of the strong sentiments and severepreferences expressed by the then leaders of Nige-ria for an unvarnished federal system of govern-ment, the Republican (1963) Constitution,re-echoing the Independence Constitution(supra), substantially reflected the globally ac-cepted principles of federalism with its concomi-tant fiscal federalism as enunciated by K.C. Wheareand practised in countries like the United States ofAmerica, Switzerland, Canada and Australia. Butthere are countries like Russia, Mexico and Brazil,which profess to practise a variant of federalismthat is anything but federalism, which explainsthe birth and use of the term “true federalism” todistinguish the K.C. Wheare-type of federalismfrom unitarism and those variants of federalismthat are redolent of unitarism, such as you have inthe UK, France, the Netherlands and Belgium, theScandinavian countries, New Zealand and SouthAfrica. At Independence, Nigeria could be said tohave been cast in a truly federal matrix (as de-picted in the ensuing paragraphs), and we dare saythat a return to it is the surest therapy for the ar-rested socio-economic development in Nigeria. • To be continued• Akiri wrote from Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

how to do it, and in what time frame, and whatassistance they can offer to us to wind down.”Furthermore, Chike-Obi sarcastically noted“we are aware that IMF has its hands full onbanking crisis all over the Euro zone that theyhave been struggling to resolve. Therefore, it isstrange to hear such a comment about a coun-try where the crisis has been resolved. It is partof our plans to slow down AMCON’s activities,but the comment they made is baffling”!Fortunately, we do not require an exten-

sive search for an appropriate arbiter be-tween the IMF’s observation and AMCON’Scriticism; fortuitously, the head of our cur-rent Economic Management Team is, arenowned former IMF Vice President whowas also Finance Minister when AMCONwas established! Nonetheless, in the rest of this piece we

will briefly examine the validity of IMF’sfears that the operations of AMCON may in-advertently become subject to abuse, andalso ultimately deepen our debt burdenwith destabilising impact on fiscal stability.Incidentally, we had earlier echoed IMF’s ap-prehensions in our article titled “AMCON asTime Bomb” in October last year. The fol-lowing is an excerpt from that article.“It is worrisome that AMCON appeared to

have been stampeded to pay for those toxicdebts before it even considered the need forproper valuation of the acquired assets; curi-ously,according to media reports, AMCON hasonly lately begun ascertaining the real valuesof the assets it acquired almost three yearsago!“Considering the widespread corruption and

level of impunity and insider trading in thebanking subsector, Nigerians will not be sur-prised if it is later revealed that AMCON mayhave grossly overpaid (rather than underpaid)for the redemption of some of these ‘toxic’debts.“In a related development, the House of Rep-

resentatives also recently faulted the N140.9billion debt settlement deal between FemiOtedola, the Chairman of Zenon Oil, and AM-CON, noting that the procedure adopted wasunacceptable. The Chairman, House Commit-tee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mo-hammed, insisted that the transaction wassuspicious, and therefore warned that theHouse would subject the deal to investigation;this development may just corroborate in-creasing public concern that AMCON has be-come a ready pool for laundering the hugedebit accounts of favoured political and busi-ness moguls, who seek to acquire our nationalassets for next to nothing.“Indeed, the House Committee also ques-

tioned the rationale for the different methodsadopted for loan valuation and expressed itsdisappointment that AMCON CEO, MustaphaChike-Obi, could not satisfactorily defend theagency’s modalities! “The House Committeeequally observed that the source of AMCON’sfunding was far from transparent!” Presumably, the legislature never exer-

cised any oversight on AMCON’s substan-tial loans.The preceding excerpts seem to corrobo-

rate the expressed fears in IMF’s Article IVreport of the need to curb moral hazardsand fiscal risk in the operations of AMCON. In the same article under reference, we

also noted that “Nigerians do not seem to rec-ognize that the net product of AMCON’s re-demption efforts is the deepening of ournational debt and the perennial scourge of sys-temic cash surplus with the destabilizing out-come of double-digit inflation and interestrates and a prostrate economy. Curiously, in spite of Chike-Obi’s caustic

response to IMF’s observation, the bankingsector has lately declared humongous aftertax profits, while AMCON on the otherhand, reported a N2370 billion trading lossin 2012, and may require to borrow about

$11 billion from offshore creditors to refi-nance the N2000 billion the agency bor-rowed domestically to fund its acquisition ofthe banking sector’s toxic debts.Consequently, the AMCON boss projected

about 10 years to completely free the finan-cial system of bad loans, and confirmed thatAMCON would no longer serve as a lifeline tobanks with bad loans.Coincidentally, last week, the international

ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s reportedthat in spite of the current wave of stupen-dous profits being posted, their studies por-tend increased losses between 2014 and 2016in the Nigerian banking sector. If this‘prophecy’ becomes manifest despite thereadily canvassed ‘success’ of banking re-forms, toxic debts will once more becomeproblematic, and one wonders, whether AM-CON would rescind its decision not to pur-chase more toxic debts.Nonetheless, even if the promise of quality

banking services and access to single digitcost of borrowing to the real sector remainunfulfilled, Nigerians would, regrettably,still have to bear the burden of servicing AM-CON’s estimated N5 trillion debt portfolio(about 50 per cent of national domesticdebt) for many years to come.Notably, the perpetrators and beneficiaries

of the banking crisis (including regulatorycollaborators from CBN) have largely goneunpunished. Once again, government mayhave consciously sacrificed the poor to pam-per the rich and powerful with the proceedsfrom our commonwealth!• Boyo is a financial analyst and commentatoron public affairs.

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) re-cently concluded its 2012 ‘Article IV Con-

sultation’ on Nigeria. The IMF, as part of itsrecommendations, suggested the windingdown of the operation of the Assets Man-agement Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).This recommendation was apparently pred-icated on the need to curb what it describedas ‘moral hazards and fiscal risks’.We recall that Central Bank created AM-

CON to soak up non-performing loans (toxicdebts), and stem instability and threat ofcollapse of the banking subsector with at-tendant loss of depositors’ funds. The bankswere consequently expected to become bet-ter positioned to offer improved servicesand boost employment by providingcheaper funds to the real sector, particularlythe Small and Medium Enterprises, whichare traditional drivers of economic growth. Conversely, the IMF supports the funding

of critical areas of the economies of membercountries and also serves as a ‘quasi head-master’ of their fiscal policies and financialinstitutions; for example, “under Article IV ofthe IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holdsbilateral discussions with members, usuallyevery year. A staff team visits the country, col-lects economic and financial information, anddiscusses with officials, the country’s economicdevelopments and policies. A summary of theappraised report of findings is ultimately trans-mitted to the country’s authorities”. In response to IMF’s recommendations,

Mustapha Chike-Obi, Managing Director ofAMCON did not deny the challenge of moralhazard or fiscal risk but noted as follows:“they commended Nigeria for fixing the bank-ing sector and said it should wind down AM-CON; but, I find it very surprising that aninstitution as serious as IMF would make suchrecommendation like that without telling us

AMCON tackles IMF By Henry Boyo

executive. If it were joined with the legislative, the life and lib-erty of the subject would be exposed to arbitrary control; thejudge would then be the legislator. If it were joined to the ex-ecutive power, the judge might behave with violence and op-pression. There would be an end to everything, if the sameman, or the same body, whether of the nobles or the people,were to exercise those three powers, that of enacting laws,that of executing public affairs, and that of trying crimes orindividual causes.”The principle of sovereignty or parliament sovereignty is vi-

tal to the legislature. This principle denotes that acts of par-liament are not subject to judicial review to the extent thatthey remain consistent to the basic law. Today, in our coun-try, the National Assembly is the institutional expression ofthe legislative power and resources and therefore remains thequintessential site for policy delivery. This equally applies tostate legislatures.Contemporary discourse on civil society came in the context

of struggles across the globe against authoritarian regimesand hence its definition as those forces that are counterpoisedto structures and institutions of authoritarian formations. Ear-lier notion of the civil society equates civil society with the statebut today it is seen as state-society bifurcation. In contextswhere opposition forces transformed into forming govern-ment of the day as it happened in Poland under Lech Walesa,civil society became the state, a fact long acknowledged by An-tonio Gramsci who saw the transitory dynamics of the civil so-ciety. We are again confronted with yet another dilemma. InNigeria, civil society fought the military up to the point of dis-engagement from politics. We have a dispensation whichsome prefer to call civilian rule than democratic. What shouldbe the attitude of the civil society towards this type of politicaldispensation? Influencing policies under this situation de-mands a paradigm shift to partnership from the antagonismsof the military era. It is only in the context of this appreciationthat we can formulate ways of interfacing with the legislatureto influence policy process to the good of the society.In their work, “Promoting Good Governance through Civil So-ciety-Legislator Linkages,” Nicholas Jones and Fletcher Tembocalls “attention to the diversity of linkages between differentsub-sectors of civil society – from think-tanks and policy advo-cacy-focused non-governmental organisations (NGOs),through to community-based organisations (CBOs) and non-traditional civil society, such as faith-based groups, grassroots

organisations and private sector associations.” The duo em-phasize the point “that any effort to forge new spaces for pol-icy engagement between CSOs and elected officials needs totake into consideration the full range of civil society groups –more elite think-tank and policy advocacy NGOs as well as non-traditional civil society groups. In the same vein, there is astrong need to recognise the value of the different types ofknowledge that these respective groups are able to bring tothe policy negotiating table – quantitative, qualitative and par-ticipatory.”While taking cognisance of the fact that the policy commu-

nity goes beyond the legislators, as Jones and Tembo rightlynoted, “a more nuanced understanding of the policy-makingprocess is vital for more strategic civil society influencingstrategies and tactics.” Nonetheless, our main focus here shallbe the interface between the legislature and the civil society.Thinking about this interface one is often drawn to the mod-ern principle of engaging with modern parliament, that is, leg-islative advocacy. This is because “Legislators play a key role inpolicy decision making and evaluation, and theoretically inrepresenting and listening to the voices of the electorate in thepolicy process, whereas civil servants often lead on policy for-mulation and implementation…”Jones and Tembo have identified in the literature on the sub-ject four types of methods of collaboration between the civilsociety and the legislators in the policy-making process andthey include:• Providing expert inputs; • Promoting policy reforms through the profiling of civil soci-ety viewpoints in parliamentary hearings; • Coordinating outreach activities to enhance grassroots par-ticipation in policy dialogues; and • Securing longer-term agreements through alliances with po-litical parties and/or securing a quota of seats in the legisla-ture. I believe the above typology is central to the thinking of the

leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly. The civil so-ciety will be playing a patriotic role if it assists the Assembly toimprove the quality of governance in the state by making fac-tual and evidence-based input to policies. • Dr. Akhaine, a visiting member of The Guardian Editorial Boardmade this as an introductory remark at the Lagos State House of As-sembly and Civil Society Interactive Forum held in Lagos recently.

THE leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly de-serves some praise for creating a popular forum of inter-

action with the civil society. In a society where the civil societyis often regarded in antagonist terms by state actors, this ini-tiative is to be applauded. Military regimes and democraticrule are not the same. Elected representatives need to be con-stantly engaged by the people and civil society institutionsas a process of legitimacy renewal. It is important to note thatthere is a relative weakness of the legislative arm of govern-ment in many transition countries with authoritarian hang-over. Thus, policy advocacy work directed towards legislatorsthus becomes important if the goals of good governance areto be achieved. As representatives of the people, the legisla-tors need to channel the views of their constituencies andtranslate them into concrete policies. An interaction betweenthe legislature-civil society can help fulfill this goal. Let methrow some light on the role of these two bodies – legislatureand civil society. In a modern milieu, the legislature is theoretically the en-

gine room of democracy. Indeed, Alan Rosenthal calls it, the“guts of democracy”. Traditionally, it is the arm of govern-ment saddled with law-making. And in a context where thereare separated powers, it ought to act as a check on the execu-tive in ways that ensure a degree of horizontal accountability.Within the dynamics of government relations, holding theexecutive accountable in these parts often take the form ofoversight functions over the activities of the executive arm ofgovernment. Despite numerous challenges of the legislaturein democratizing social formations, the legislator remainsthe chief policy maker by its sheer power of law-making. Bothindividual and executive bills must pass through the domainof the legislators underlining their role as them therefore asthe transmission belt of policies in a democratic polity wherepowers are diffused and there is a habituation to the rule oflaw. The reason for the institutionalization of the doctrine ofseparation of power is to prevent the arbitrariness of one armof government over the others. As Baron Montesquieu, who theorized about this doctrine

puts it: “When the legislature and executive powers areunited in the same person, or in the same body of magis-trates, there can be no liberality…Again, there is no liberty ifthe power of judging is not separated from the legislative and

The legislature-civil society interfaceBy Sylvester Akhaine

Opinion72

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Media81THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

By Gbenga Salau

Issue

Promo

THE way things are done around the world isfast changing because of information tech-

nology. People are now moving away from anal-ogy to using more of digital content.

Many organisations are daily improvisingways to ensure that they are visible within thecontent, using it to close up with its target audi-ence. With this, there is an alternative to the tra-ditional media in engaging with the market.

Understanding the trend and the need formore digital visibility, the Media IndependentPractitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN)organised a seminar with the theme, DigitalMedia in Nigeria and West Africa: the Facts, theMyths and the Future at its yearly MediaDirector’s Circle.

Speakers at the forum talked about the impactof digital platform, how there is a geometricincrease in its consumption especially amongyouths, including how the future belongs to thedigital platforms.

They noted that the digital platforms are affect-ing the acceptability and use of the traditionalmedia, especially among youths, who consumethe digital content more. They pointed out thatthis trend has implications for the traditionalmedia and providers of services and goods.

While many agreed that the impact of the dig-ital media is on the rise, they also maintainedthat the traditional media would not go intoextinction, though there is need for integrationof the traditional and digital platforms forimpactful reach.

Therefore, there is urgent need for media tokeep pace with the digital platform if it does notwant to go into extinction.

For service providers, there is also a need tokeep being in business, increase revenue and toreach more people, which the digital platformprovides.

The Chairman of Advertisers PractitionersCouncil of Nigeria (APCON), Mr. LoluAkinwunmi, who also chaired the forum, in hisopening remarks, said professional groupsmust continue to invest in building capacity.

“We need a lot of knowledge, it is not just forpeople to come in to invest, the local playersmust have much knowledge as they could andthis is why I want applaud MIPAN for organisingthe seminar.”

Also, former Chairman of APCON, Mr. ChrisDoghudje, said all stakeholders must learn howto integrate the two platforms, as the tradition-al media will not die.

While advising clients to involve agencies indeveloping their sites, he said, in driving the dig-

ital platform for their clients, agencies must con-sider how they would benefit by making it a twoapproach in terms of revenue.

According to Olusola Lawson (Jnr), CEO of SpaceLimited, the digital media has changed the waysthings are done, as it has moved strategy fromone-way to two-way communication, where theclients is not just speaking and sending informa-tion down to the consumers.

He noted that many organisations and practi-tioners are experiencing tension in their use ofthe digital and traditional media.

“The older generation, which I belong to, grewup creating communication between a brandand a consumer in a one-way interaction, but thenew media, the digital platform, is all about con-versation, two or multiple ways, where severalpeople engage with the brand.

“The resistance from the older generation,because what you do not understand, you overt-ly or covertly will resist it and I can see a bit of thathappening. What I’m advocating for is a way bywhich people who have become stakeholders ofthe digital media engage those who are stake-holders of traditional media. It is not about one

replacing the other, it is about complementingone another and integration because we are alltalking about integrated marketing communica-tion.”

He noted that many organisations are alreadyintegrating the two platforms in their engage-ment with the market.

“People are already walking the walk, linking thetraditional and digital media. But what I am advo-cating for is for more companies, especially prod-ucts companies that have young people as theirmarket because we have 40 per cent of our popu-lation, who are already on the internet, of thatpopulation, I can guarantee you, about 80 percent of them are young people between the agesof 19 and 35.

“So, if you are somebody who is into manufactur-ing goods for that age category, you should be onthe digital platform.”

One of the participants said many stakeholdersare having challenges with the digital platformbecause they are transferring the methods andstrategies deployed in the traditional media to thedigital platform.

He also noted that many practitioners do nothave grasp of the digital media yet, and clientsand agencies are suffering as a result of this, say-ing there is need for more enlightenment.

Speaking on the format that the integrationprocess should take among the practitioners,President of MIPAN and MD MediaReach OMD,Tolu Ogunkoya, said it should be people who

already know the traditional media learningnew skills and those who know the new skillsalso learning the methodology of old.

“So that if you understand both, it will be bet-ter. Perhaps if you come to the table with theunderstanding of one, you will struggle toadapt and integrate the two.”

Ogunkoya said, “agencies have to play the roleof making sure that clients, and everybodyunderstand the integration more. I thinkclients have to play the role of being openminded to new ideas and the media also haveto learn to say that beyond The Guardian beingsold in hard copy what is The Guardian onlinedoing, because a lot of people are readingonline.”

Country Manager, CEE New Markets, GoetzTrillhaas, stated that digital is CEOs topic as it isnot something that can be ignored anymore.

To him, now is the time to start somethingbecause it holds the future. He also said thatdigital is about connectivity disclosing thatonly two billions of the seven billion people onthe face of the earth are connected, which tohim is the biggest opportunities for organisa-tions.

He said Nigeria is a country with a lot of youngpeople, which implies that in the future people;there will be limited use of the traditionalmedia. He however said that the bigger theInternet becomes, the more the need usersshould be guided in their use.

At forum, traditional media urged toembrace digital platform

STAKEHOLDERS have urgedthe Nigerian media to trans-

form lives and increase capaci-ty to produce content thatencourages accountability,participation and dialogue forgood governance.

Speaking yesterday in Abujaat a British BroadcastingCorporation (BBC)MediaAction   training on globalgrant project stakeholdersforum for the Federal CapitalTerritory, head of training ofthe unit, Oyebola Adeyinkastressed on the relevance of

Winner emerges in Loya Milk It’s What’sInside That Matters promo

PROMASIDOR NigeriaLimited, makers of Loya

Milk, has rewarded anotherwinner with a brand newHyundai i10AT car in the on-going Loya Milk It’s What’sInside That Matters promo.Launched in February, thepromo ends on May 31.

Managing Director and ChiefExecutive Officer of the com-pany, Chief Keith Richards,made the presentation to Mr.Tochukwu Oranu, a 29 year-old businessman at the com-pany’s head office in Lagos,recently.

Mr. Kachi Onubogu,Commercial Director of thecompany, and Don Jazzy, thebrand Ambassador of LoyaMilk, accompanied Richards.  

The excited Oranu said, “I feelso happy. I never thought Iwould win because I do notbelieve in things like this. I havenever participated in anypromo because I do not believein it but with this I am veryexcited I won. I bought the milkat Onitsha for my mombecause she said she likes itstaste. At first, I didn’t want takeit at first but the shop atten-dant pressured me to take themilk and jokingly said that Imay win from it, just truly Iwon a car from the milk.”

Earlier, in his address of wel-come, Richards said that hisoutfit lives up to its promisesand would continue to rewardits loyal consumers.

His words: “This is aboutPromasidor keeping our prom-ise of fulfilling what we say we

will do, we will do. Not justbecause we have regulators,but also because we are touch-ing the lives of our consumers.All over Nigeria, people aretalking about the promo andwhen someone in their regionwill win the car since they havegone to redeem their cashprizes in various branches ofZenith Bank.”

In the words of Onubogu, “weare here to show the worldagain in the presence of ourregulatory bodies that ourcommitment to give out cashand car prizes is real. We makecommitment and we keepthem; that’s why we have beenin business for over 20 years.We have given out one car inMarch, we are giving outanother today and also we willgive out another in Aba.

Experts task journalists at BBC media training on good governance

the media in societal change.She noted that the BBC Media

Action “believes in the powerof the media to change societyand to inspire and supportindividuals in need.

“Use media to help reducepoverty and promote humanrights around the world andwork in local partnership toprovide access to media tohelp poor and marginalizedpeople to know their rights,”Adeyinka added.

Executive Director,Community Action forPopular Participation, KyautaGiwa stressed on importance

for the need for an interfacebetween government and thecitizens.

Assistant project manager,BBC Media Action DamianIhekoronye said that the Globalgrant project is a five year oldprogramme funded the UnitedKingdom Department forInternational Development(DFID) to be implemented inthree regions in Africa, Asia andthe Middle East and Europe.

Ihekoronye urged the mediato help identify specific gover-nance issues in the FCT in areasof accountability, participa-tion, dialogue and conflict.

Participants at an FoI event

By Lillian Chukwu

82 MEDIA THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Issue

Media urged to verify information before publication

THE cold war between PrimaGarnet and Scanad, twoadvertising agencies, is gradu-ally snowballing into what iscalled roforofo fight in localparlance, with a spuriousorganisation calling for thesack of the Chairman ofAdvertising PractitionersCouncil of Nigeria (APCON),Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi. Reacting, Akinwunmi and

some senior practitioners inthe marketing communica-tion industry have cautionedmedia practitioners to verifyand authenticate the sourcesof press statements beforepublishing in order not to givecredibility to ‘ghost’ attention-seekers who hide behind inex-istent aliases to attract publicattention.They spoke against the back-

drop of a recent publicationcredited to a non-governmen-tal organisation, Network forResponsible Communication,which called for the resigna-tion of Akinwunmi from theboard of APCON, following adispute his firm, Prima Garnet,has with an Indian telecomcompany, Airtel, and a Kenyanadvertising agency, Scanad,owned by another Indian. The practitioners wondered

how an organisation that doesnot exist could ever claim to beworking towards “responsiblecommunication.”

Responding, Akinwunmisaid, “ordinarily, I should nothave responded to thisbecause every right thinkingNigerian who read that storyknows it was designed todeceive everybody into think-ing that I was exploiting myposition as APCON Chairmanfor purposes that are self-serv-

ing. This is not so and I believetime will vindicate us. Whenwe read this report, we con-ducted a thorough due dili-gence search on the sourceand found that there was noorganisation called Networkfor ResponsibleCommunication anywhereand wondered why and howsuch a story could find its wayinto the pages of Nigeriannewspapers without anauthentication of its origin.“Those who read this story

will understand that thewriter was all out to attackAPCON and denigrate theentire marketing communica-tions industry. This, I think, isnot right. The fact that mycompany has some issueswith some of our former part-ners in court should not giveanyone the license to insultthe entire advertising indus-try. How can anyone whoclaims to be a network forResponsible Communicationmake such irresponsible blan-ket statements?”.Also, a source close to the

industry picked holes in thepublication’ claim that sug-gested that most Nigerianclients, particularly NigerianBreweries and the banks hadshipped their marketing com-munication jobs abroadbecause of lack of local capaci-ty. She said it was outright fabri-cation, which exposed thewriter’s ignorance of theindustry. “As I speak with you,First Bank, Nigeria’s biggestand oldest bank works withNigerian agencies; DiamondBank is being managed by anindigenous agency. The samegoes for Guaranty Trust Bank,Fidelity Bank and many oth-ers. Are the banks I mentionednot the most attractive interms of look and feel? The fact

that a few of them have in-house communicationsdepartments is a matter ofstrategy and choice and not inany way a testimonial on thecompetence of advertisingagencies in Nigeria.” She also added that for as

long as anyone would remem-ber, the Nigerian Brewerieshas proudly supported theNigerian advertising industryby working with notableNigerian agencies like Lintas,Insight and others.A senior foreign marketing

practitioner, who chose to beidentified corroborated thisclaim, “even the foreign multi-

national telecoms companieswork with Nigerian agencies.MTN works with DDB, Etisalatworks with 141 as well. The onlyexception is Airtel, whichshares its business with PrimaGarnet and its Kenyan Ogilvyagency managed by BharatThakrar.”On whether Akinwunmi’s

continued stay as APCONChairman amounted to an

‘ncestuous’ relationship ascontained in the report, whichcompared his role asChairman of APCON to that ofthe Governor of the CentralBank, who regulates the bank-ing industry, a lawyer whoworks with the communica-tion industry explained thatthe hack writer displayed aserious ignorance of the lawsetting up APCON, which pro-vides for a Chief

Executive/Registrar and aChairman. “The APCON Chairman can

be involved in other business-es, and is a part time job. TheRegistrar is the ChiefExecutive, appointed by theCouncil, and has a full timejob. In fact the first APCONChairman, Mr. I.S. Moemekewas simultaneously the CEOof Lintas; the next Chairman,Chief Olu Falomo simultane-ously managed ForumAdvertising. The late MayNzeribe, the third APCONChairman was also the CEO ofSunrise Advertising and thelast Chairman, ChrisDoghudje also simultaneous-ly managed his consultancyand publishing interests”.Another senior marketing

practitioner, who works in atelecoms company explained,“APCON is not a court. It is aregulatory body. Akinwunmiwas appointed Chairmanbefore the dispute betweenOgilvy and Scanad. “Lolu commands a lot of

industry respect, and is notthe first agency head that willalso be the Chairman ofAPCON. The government thatestablished this body knowswhy they made it so and I re-emphasise that this dispute isbetween Prima Garnet andOgilvy/Scanad Nigeria on oneside and Prima Garnet andAirtel, on another. In fact, ifany of those parties; Ogilvy,Scanad or Airtel has anyrespect for this country; theyshould respect the decisionsof the court that said that thestatus quo be maintained”.

By Gbenga Salau

Tunde Ayeni, Divisional Sales Manager (South West), Olusegun Koleoso, Business Development Manager, Chief KeithRichards, MD/CEO, all of Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Tochukwu Oranu, winner of the star prize, Don Jazzy, Loya MilkBrand Ambassador and Kachi Onubogu, Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited during the presentation ofstar prize in the on-going Loya Milk It’s What’s inside that Matters Promo in Lagos

ADVAN unveils industry magazine in MayIN order to provide market-ing communication profes-sionals with insightfulresearch and trending market-ing reports and analyses, theAdvertisers’ Association ofNigeria (ADVAN) has part-nered World Federation ofAdvertisers (WFA) to launch aquarterly marketing journal inNigeria tagged, Advertisers’Quarterly. The journal is billedfor launch in mid-May thisyear.The magazine will bring to itsreaders articles on insightsanalyses, and best practices onthe latest topics and trends totransforming the marketingcommunity, as well as profileson today’s leading-edge mar-keters globally. The all-gloss journal will be

published four times a year.

The quarterly, according to thePresident of ADVAN, Mr. KolaOyeyemi, will ensure thatmembers and industry practi-tioners as well as the generalpublic are informed, enlight-ened, educated and enter-tained on global marketingpractice and issues as well asthe local ones. He said: “I am particularly

excited over the prospects andvalues this initiative will add tothe marketing firmament inNigeria. Partnering with WFAto serialise some of their bestresearch efforts particularlyfree is one of the best things tohappen to the industry andeven to the media. It is a laud-able project and we urge every-one to embrace it.”The magazine will be circulat-ed throughout the marketing

community in Nigeria, andwill serve as the leading jour-nal for marketing informa-tion.Giving insight into the make-up of the keepsake, ADVANExecutive Secretary, Mrs. EdiriOse-Ediale, said the quarterlywould be a reference materialfor the industry, adding, “Itwould focus on latest and bestmarketing trends and princi-ples”.The editorial team and con-tributors of the journal willcomprise the thought leadersof marketing both in local andinternational levels. Articles,insights analyses and bestmarketing practice mantraswill be sourced from authenticproviders and leading market-ing resources, Ose-Ediale stat-ed.

Cool FMsplashes car, other gift items on Nigerians

COOL FM radio has finallygiven out Grand Prizes to

the female winner of the raffledraw of its annual Praise Jam2012 organised on ChristmasDay at the Banquet Hall, EkoHotel & Suites, Lagos. The radiostation also presented a whoop-ing N1 million cheque to Houseof Gold, a children hospicebased in Lagos. Presenting the KIA Picanto carto the Praise Jam winner, MissAmy Yawus Retna, a staff ofAirtel, Group ManagingDirector of AIM Group NigeriaLimited, Mr. Amin Moussallisaid the gifts were a way givingback to Nigerians for support-ing Cool FMRadio station.Moussalli said without mem-bers of the public who listenand contribute to Cool FM, the

radio station would go under,adding, “We are giving out thiscar gift to the overall winner ofPraise Jam 2012 raffle draw,Army Yawus to show apprecia-tion to Nigerians. Today againwe are giving a N1 millioncheque to Heart of GoldChildren Hospice also to showour love to the less privilegedpeople in the society”.Mousalli, who is also the ChiefExecutive Officer (CEO) ofWazobia FM and Nigeria Info FMstations, pledged to do morefor Nigerians and the less privi-leged.In her response, the Praise Jamwinner, Yawus said: “On thatfateful day, I had enjoyedmyself during the Praise Jam.When I got tired, I told myfriend that we should try anddo the raffle. Lo and behold,when the draw was done, I was

shocked that I won the greatprize.“I think it is a miracle becauseI never thought I would win. Ithank Cool FM for the wonder-ful gift”.On her own, the proprietressof Heart of Gold Hospice, LajaAdedoyin said she wasshocked when she got a tele-phone call to come and pickup a cheque from Cool FM forher home. She said, “I thank Cool FMandGolden Penny for their dona-tion. I want corporate organi-sations and individuals to visitmy home at Surulere and seefor themselves the kind of per-sons I am catering for. Many ofthem may not survive but weare just assisting them beforethe Lord will call them. Visitme before you do your dona-tion”.

By Odita Sunday IWMF seeks applicationsTHE International Women’sMedia Foundation (IWMF) isnow accepting applications forthe 2013/2014 Elizabeth NeufferFellowship, which will close onMay 1. The fellowship isdesigned for women journalistsworking in print, broadcast ordigital news media to spendseven months in a tailored pro-gramme that combines accessto MIT’s Center for InternationalStudies and media outletsincluding The Boston Globeand The New York Times.Named after the 1998 IWMF

Courage in Journalism Awardwinner and The Boston Globecorrespondent, ElizabethNeuffer, who was killed in Iraqin May 2003,the fellowship is

open to women journalistsworldwide whose work focuseson human rights and social jus-tice. Created with ElizabethNeuffer’s family and friends, itaims to perpetuate her memo-ry and advance her life missionof promoting internationalunderstanding of humanrights and social justice whilecreating an opportunity forwomen journalists to buildtheir skills.

“The Elizabeth NeufferFellowship has opened a wholenew world of journalism forme, and in the least, it has mademe a better journalist”,2012/2013 Neuffer FellowPriyanka Borpujari from Indiatold the IWMF.

“This fellowship provided methe much-needed time andspace to reflect on my work,and learn from my peers. Italso gave me the chance towrite for and speak to differentaudiences about India’s eco-nomic-humanitarian crisis”,she added.��To apply, visitiwmf.org/2013neuffer to startthe online application process.Journalists working in theprint, broadcast and Internetmedia, including freelancers,are eligible to apply.Applicants must have a mini-mum of three years of experi-ence in journalism and the fel-lowship will run fromSeptember 2013 - March 2014.

Akinwunmi

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Sports

Nigeria’s Abubakar Adamu (left); pursues a Tunisian attacker during their semifinal clash at the just-concluded Morocco 2013African U-17 Championship. Coach Manu Garba says he will overhaul the team ahead of the FIFA Cadet World Cup.

DODAN Warriors andUnion Bank Basketball

Club are the early paceset-ters in the DStv PremierBasketball League, whichbegan at the weekend inLagos at the sports hall ofthe National Stadium.

Dodan Warriors defeatedNigeria Customs 92-67 and82-63 in the two gamesplayed at the weekend.Union Bank also scored dou-ble victory over rivals,Comets 66-48 and 59-51 toclaim all four points at stake.

Honours were shared inthe last game betweenIslanders and Nigeria Policeteam. Islanders won the firstgame, 68-40 but lost the sec-

“What I expect from thenew players is to acquiremore skills as they playagainst the best in theleague. It is a good transitionfor all of them and they willget use to the style of play ofthe team as time goes on,” headded.

Ahmedu stated that histeam would battle for thetop prize after last year’s dis-appointing exit in the semifinals of the Final Eight inLagos.

“Our ambition is always tobe among the top threeteams in the league. We fin-ished third last season, andwe hope to reach the finalthis term and possibly winthe trophy,” Ahmedu added.

English Premier League

ROBIN van Persie earned apoint for Barclays

Premier League champion,Manchester United, in a 1-1draw on his return toArsenal.

The former Gunners cap-tain received the expectedhot reception as soon as hestepped out at the EmiratesStadium for a guard of hon-our, which was impeccablyobserved by the Arsenalteam to mark United’sachievements in marchingto a 20th championship.

It was, though, Arsenal -without suspended forwardOlivier Giroud - who racedinto the lead as Theo Walcottbeat the offside trap to firethe hosts ahead inside twominutes.

However, despite enduring

IN a tersely worded repri-mand, the Nigeria Football

Federation (NFF) yesterdaywarned members of thedefeated Golden Eaglets tocurtail their excesses or riskbeing thrown out of the team.The FA has, specifically, asked

the coaching crew not to con-done any iota of indisciplineahead of the 2013 U-17 WorldCup coming up in the UnitedArab Emirates (UAE) later inthe year.The Eaglets finished as run-

ners-up after losing 5-4 onpenalties to Cote d’Ivoire aftera pulsating 1-1 draw in thefinale of the 2013 CAN Under-17 Championship on Saturdayin Marrakech, Morocco,At a session with the team the

morning after, TechnicalDirector of the Federation, Dr.Emmanuel Ikpeme said: “As aFederation, we want to thankthe coaching crew and thebackroom staff for bringingthese boys to this levelbecause qualifying for theWorld Cup as well as comingsecond was not a mean feat.“But having said that, the NFFwould not condone any act ofirresponsibility from anyplayer because we want tobuild a virile national teamand this is the basis of all thenational teams.”

Ikpeme, frowned at the con-duct of some players duringthe clash against Cote d’Ivoirewhere defender Izu Omegoearned a red card and mid-fielder Chidiebere Nwakali,collapsed under the weight ofexpectation with a terriblepenalty kick.“Personally, I won’t feel good

without saying this becausewe threw away the opportuni-

ty of becoming African cham-pions at this level because ofthe irresponsible behaviour.Specifically,  the issue of redcard and the penalty kick real-ly bother everybody.” He admonished the players to

be at their best behaviouriallyas well as put in their best atany given opportunity inorder to justify their inclusionin the team.However, head coach of the

team, Manu Garba (MFR) hasstated that more youngsterswould be given opportunitiesto fight for places in the teamahead of the Mundial.

Speaking after the competi-tion, where strikerSuccess  Isaac emerged as thetop scorer, Manu said his boysfailed to live  up to expecta-tions for obvious reasons.

“Frankly, whatever happens,we should still be thankful toGod since we didn’t bargainfor this… we wanted to goback to Nigeria with the Cupand gold medals, we createdmany chances but did not takeour chances. If we had takenthem, the story would havebeen different

“We are going to fortify theteam despite the fact thatsomeof these players secured us theticket to the World Cup and wearegoing to look for qualityreplacements before going forthe World Cup.”

Meanwhile, hours after histerrible penalty kick ostensi-bly cost the team the chance towin a record third CAN Under-17 Championship trophy,Chidiebere Nwakali, who tookthe penalty has apologized forthe miss.

NFF warns GoldenEaglets to shape up asGarba plans team audit

plenty of jeers from thehome support as passionscontinued to run high inthe wake of his controver-sial £24 million move to OldTrafford last summer, VanPersie kept his cool toequalise from the spot justbefore half-time after beingbrought down by BacarySagna.

To his credit, there was nowild celebration from theformer Arsenal captain, whocontinued to test the homedefence in the second half.

Neither side, though, wasable to press on and claimall three points, with a drawseeing Arsenal drop intofourth place, but still twopoints ahead of Tottenham,albeit having played amatch more in the race for

Champions League qualifi-cation.

At the Stamford Bridge,Frank Lampard scored his201st Chelsea goal as theBlues moved closer to areturn to the ChampionsLeague with a 2-0 victoryover Swansea at StamfordBridge.

Lampard, who began thegame as a substitute, set upOscar’s opener before con-verting a 45th-minute penal-ty to move him within onegoal of the club record heldby the watching BobbyTambling.

Last season’s Europeanchampion sits third but wasunable to add to its total inthe second half as it movedthree points clear ofTottenham and extended

Swansea’s winless run to sixgames.Reading and QPR were both

relegated from the BarclaysPremier League yesterdayfollowing their 0-0 draw,with neither side able tosecure the win it required atthe Madejski Stadium to stillhave an outside chance ofsurviving.

In a game bereft of quality,both sides were guilty ofwasting the few chancesthat fell their way as theyboth bowed out of the topflight with a whimper.

A win for either wouldhave kept it mathematicallyin the hunt for survival andrelegated the losers, where-as the draw condemnedboth clubs to the npowerChampionship.

DStv PBL: Dodan Warriors, Union Bank set paceond one 50-46 to the Policemachine.

Dodan Warriors’ Coach,Peter Ahmedu commendedhis team for a good start andfor carrying out his instruc-tion on the court. “My teamis a young and inexperi-enced one but I am happythat they started with dou-ble victories. We had a planfor both games and the exe-cution was perfect, that iswhy we did well this week-end.”

He said that he hadbrought in seven young play-ers from the team’s academyin the hope that they wouldadd quality to the team,which also lost some playersbefore the season began.

By Adeyinka Adedipe

Okpekpe Race gets Abubakar’s supportTHE Inspector General of

Police, MohammedAbubakar has enjoined hisofficers and men to embracesports and return the forceto the task of providingquality sportsmen andwomen to the country.

Chief Superintendent ofPolice, Chioma Ajunwa andlate Sunday Bada, twoOlympic gold medalists forNigeria remain the pride ofthe police to date.

Speaking while endorsingthe Okpekpe 10-kilometreInternational Road Racescheduled to hold this week-end in Edo State, Abubakar,who has registered to joinGovernor AdamsOshiomhole and severalother highnetworth  Nigerians for thecompetition, urged his offi-cers to prove their worthagain.

“I commend the initiatorsof this Okpekpe 10-kilome-tre Road Race for givingNigeria another qualitycompetition expected toattract international ath-letes to the country. I haveinformed my officers that Iwant to see to see theNigeria police providing thebulk of athletes represent-ing the country as it was inthe past,” Abubakar, a for-

mer board member of theNigeria Football Association,said.

Most of the invited foreignroad runners for the race areexpected to start arriving thecountry from Wednesday,just as the Nigerian team forthe race is rounding up itstraining in Afuze, Edo State.

Siasia hailsBundesliga’s UCL feat at HeinekenChampions PlanetFORMER Super Eagles

Coach, Samson Siasia hashailed the domination ofGerman teams, BayernMunich and BorussiaDortmund, over currentpowerhouses in Europeanfootball, FC Barcelona andReal Madrid in the semi-finalmatches of the UEFAChampions League at theHeineken Champions Planetin Lagos.

Many of the guests viewingthe semi-final matches at theHeineken Champions Planetwere surprised by the scoresbut the former Super Eaglesstriker told the large gather-ing during the interactivesession that, “it is a powershift from La Liga to theBundesliga.”

“The combined final scorein those two first-leg fixturestells a tale of German great-ness, Spanish stagnation anda significant shift in poweramong Europe’s elite on thefootball field. The Bundesligahas handed a harsh lesson tothe Primera Division todayand it is now Bayern andDortmund who look set torule on the continent, notBarcelona or Real Madrid,”said Siasia, who coachedNigeria’s Olympic team to asilver medal at the BeijingOlympic Games in 2008.

As it happened last season,when the semi-final drawwas made earlier in themonth, most guests to theHeineken Champions Planetwere quick to predict an all-Spanish Classico clash atWembley in May.

Iwuanyanwu, Tukur tounveil 5,000 NigerianUnity tourney ballsTHE National Organising

Committee of the NigerianUnity Football Tournamenttagged: Youth Peace andUnity Cup 2013, will tomor-row officially unveil 5,000balls for the tournament.

The Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF) and thePresidency endorse the tour-nament.

The ceremony will takeplace at the Sheraton Hoteland Towers, Abuja under thechairmanship of EmmanuelIwuanyanwu.

Peoples Democratic Partychairman, Dr. Bamaga Tukur,will also grace the unveilingof the balls, as father of theday, while Dr. Ngozi Olejemeis the mother of the day.

According to the organis-ers, the balls would be brand-ed in the names of the spon-sors and the 36 state gover-nors.

A statement signed by theNational Project Director ofthe competition, MosesEbahor, stated that thebranded balls would be dis-tributed to youths across thecountry before the com-mencement of the tourna-ment.

“The major objectives of theNigeria Unity FootballTournament is to promotepeace and unity in the coun-try using the power of foot-ball as a unifying factor tounite us as one Nigeria irre-spective of our tribe and reli-

Man United, Arsenal draw, Reading, QPR relegated

SPORTS90 THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Enyimba against Sunshine Stars in a recent Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game. Abdullahi says the clubs stand to gain more when the on going restructuring of theleague is completed. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI.

RECENTLY, the club managers said they havesacked the League Management Company.

Among their grievances is that the LMC is goingbeyond its mandate. They also accuse the LMCof not carrying them along. What do you makeof the impasse?I won’t call what is happening now an impasse.It is just another form of resistance to positivechange, which should be expected.

For various reasons people resist change. But Istill want to think that the resistance we are fac-ing is also likely to be a lack of appreciation ofthe overall benefit of the change to the clubsthemselves.

The managers of the clubs , while they recog-nize their strengths, should also acknowledgetheir limitations. I don’t think they have thepower to arrogate to themselves the kind of rolethey have assumed in the last couple of days.They say they can manage the league them-selves. But you cannot be playing in the leagueand also want to regulate the same league. Youcannot be the actor and still be the regulator.Now, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) thathas the primary responsibility and authority tomanage football in Nigeria has delegated thepower to so do in the league to the LeagueManagement Company (LMC) and has notwithdrawn that authority .Until the NFF reverses itself and withdraws thatauthority, the LMC remains the bona fideauthority on the management of the league inNigeria. So I will deem anybody else seeking toarrogate to himself that authority to be over-reaching himself.

I want to think that they are concerned, butthis concern should be channelled to the rele-vant authority. I have not heard that any of theclub managers has made any petition, whethersingly or collectively to the NFF about the waythe LMC has carried out its duties.None of them has come to me to complain that

he is not happy with the way things are going.Not to follow this channel and just go ahead tomake unilateral pronouncements is uncalledfor and for me it must be condemned. Peoplecannot behave that way because we are not in ajungle. This is a country that must be guided byrules and regulations.One of the issues they have been harping on is

the LMC holding the leagues’ shares in trust forthem. Do you see that as a sort of misinforma-tion or misinterpretation of the roles of theLMC?When people don’t know, those who know havethe responsibility to educate them. Personally, Ihave had the opportunity to discuss with the

chairman of the LMC and I told him that heprobably needs to do more of communicationwith the club owners. And I think since then hehas made efforts to bring everybody on board. Iknow that the LMC has made some advertorialswhere it detailed how things are now beingstructured. I am also aware that he has metsome of the club managers to tell them howthings are now being done.

Fundamentally, two representatives of theclubs are members of the LMC and they are sup-posed to communicate the grievances, thedoubts and questions arising from the clubs tothe LMC. They are members of the LMC and nodecision would be taken without their knowl-edge. But be that as it may, we also have to lookat this talk of interest.

What does the interest mean? Is it the interestof the clubs? Does the interest of the clubs nec-essarily mean the interest of the club man-agers? Does the interest of the clubs or the clubmanagers necessarily represent the interest ofthe club owners? Does it represent the interestof other parties that have personal benefitsfrom the way things are arranged?I still want to believe that probably more work

has to be done by the LMC to bring everybodyon board at this stage. But what I completelydisagree with is to try to upturn the entire sys-tem because some people have grievances. If

They know about it, it is incumbent on them toinform their members.I asked one of them, Sabo Babayaro: “When you

people have a meeting, do you go back to tellyour colleagues, because you are representingthem here?” and he said, “Yes.”He said he did not know why they were behav-

ing like this.So, I am surprised that the same Babayaro

woke up one morning to say that the LMCdeserved to be sacked. So what has changed?

These are the same people that said they arenow happy with the way the league is beingrun… that they are happy with the results. Thataway teams are now winning matches… thateverything is now transparent. So, what hassuddenly changed?When we were talking about reviewing the titleright we didn’t have much problem. Everybodywanted us to attack Glo, everybody wanted tosee us tackle Glo. We tackled Glo and they cameround to do things the way we wanted in theinterest of the clubs.

They have issued a check of N550 million, butwe have not finished negotiating with them.Don’t forget that where we are coming from isthat Total Promotions is the title right owner ofthe league. But when we encountered this log-jam, we asked Total Promotions to please cedethat right to Glo. They said they are ready to dothat because they are not fanatical about it. Butthey must be compensated.Glo said alright, we will give you N100 million.

Then Glo came with the long list of conditions,and I got angry and threw it back at them.

I told them that we don’t have to play footballif that is what we will go through. That wasbecause they brought all sorts of funny things.But things were sorted out. We met everybodyhalfway and Glo’s representatives met LMC rep-resentatives and they agreed on the contract.We are in the final stage of signing the contractso that the money will be released.

Now, all the problems started when we cameto the issue of broadcast rights.

What is the LMC saying? The LMC is sayingthere is no way in the world where the broad-cast right is wholly devolved in one company. Itis either you want the terrestrial broadcastright or you want the satellite broadcast right.And there is also the right for the online media.You have to choose the one you want.In strictly legalistic terms, there is no such they

called NPL anywhere. So if anybody took theNPL to court he would be wasting his time. EvenGlo, which took NPL to court, withdrew the casebecause the NPL is dead.

Then we told Total Promotions this right youhad was with the NPL, but because you helpedthe league in the past, let us renegotiate and

that is where the trouble started.People started going backwards and forward.

We met with Supersports officials during theAFCON in South Africa and they gave us detailsof the contract they have with TotalPromotions. Even the Supersports officials saidthey were not happy because they were not see-ing the money in the league and they cannotget out of the contract.I understand that they are having different dis-

cussions on how to disengage from the thirdparty and negotiate directly with the league.Supersports said they originally wanted to dealwith the league directly, but some people toldthem they must deal with the middleman. Whywould anybody tell the buyer to deal with amiddleman?

So, we said alright, middleman no problem,but we have to renegotiate the terms of the con-tract so that clubs will benefit from the broad-cast right of the league. Let any club managertell us how his club has benefited from the pro-ceeds of the broadcast right that has existedover the years.Unfortunately, the broadcast rights still subsist

till 2015 with a clause that gives TotalPromotions the first right of refusal up till 2020.That is the kind of contract people have signedin this country and we said we must get out of itand this is where the trouble started.And so when people tell us about interest, they

should tell us what interest they are fightingfor. Definitely, not the interest of the clubs.

Which state governor is not complaining thatthe clubs are drainpipes on his resources andwe are saying we cannot continue that way. Wemust incorporate the clubs into proper limitedliability companies where the state govern-ment will own shares and shares would be soldto private individuals.

Take Kwara United, for example… when it hasmatches in Ilorin, you cannot get any taxi from4.00pm because all the taxi drivers will parktheir vehicles and head to the stadium to watchKwara United. These are potential shareholders.When you incorporate a club as a company, itmeans the club will have a chief executive offi-cer, who will run it as a business venture.You can no longer go to the government to col-

lect money weekly to prosecute matches. So, ifthese are some of the changes people are resist-ing, we cannot support them to do that. If thereare specific grievances against the LMC we willaddress these grievances. But if it is the interestthat wants us to scatter everything and go backto the ignoble past, we will not do that.

Some of the club owners complain that theLMC has started doing away with NPL propertyand staff even when the NPL has not been prop-erly wound up.

‘Clubs’ resistance to LMC, a lack of appreciation of benefit of the new order’By Christian Okpara

Since the Nduka Irabor-led LeagueManagement Company (LMC) started its taskof restructuring the Nigerian Football League,it has met with different forms of resistance,surprisingly, by those ‘who stand to benefit’from the changes planned by the body. Fielding questions on the crisis in the leaguerecently in Ilorin, Sports Minister, BolajiAbdullahi, who is one of the champions ofreform in the system, says the club managers,who are opposed to some of the new ideas bythe LMC, would applaud the league companyif they understood the benefits. He also spoke on other issues on Nigeriansports development. Excerpts:

LMC Chairman, Nduka Irabor.

you have grievances the rightthing to do is to bring suchgrievances to the table andseek redress. And there areappropriate channels to seekredress.

The NFF is the overall govern-ing body of football in Nigeria,so if club managers severally orcollectively have any misgiv-ings about the things that havebeen done, it is incumbent onthem to approach the NFF toventilate or to seek rearrange-ment. They have not done that.They have access to come to meas the minister to table theirgrievances, but not one ofthem has come to me to dothat.

So, to say that the LMC hasincorporated a company andholds the shares in trust forthem without consultingthem will be less than thetruth. I say this because theirrepresentatives in the LMC arepart and parcel of the decisionto incorporate the company.

SPORTS 91THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi.

Winding up the NPL is a minor legal issue thatis being taken care of. When the judge declaredNPL illegal, did he say anybody should do busi-ness with it? We have instructed our lawyer toadvise the CAC to wind up the NPL properly. Butas I said, that is simply administrative. What Iwant to hear is that a court has upturned thatjudgment or that a court has issued a stay ofexecution on that ruling in Nigeria. There isnothing like that.That the CAC has not carried out the windingup of the NPL does not affect the judgment. Ifthere was a counter application that says thereis a stay of execution on the case, then we willlook at it.The LMC is a new company that has been incor-porated under the authority of the NFF to runthe league in Nigeria. It is only 25 per cent of thenew company’s shares that is now being held.Twenty per cent held by Nduka Irabor on behalfof the clubs, while Aminu Maigari has five percent on behalf of the NFF. At the point of it beingincorporated, an affidavit was sworn by Iraborand deposited at the CAC that he would relin-quish the shares as soon as the clubs are incor-porated into companies. That is the arrange-ment. People were coming to me to say thatNduka Irabor has registered a company in hisname.Some of the club owners are not aware of this,while some are saying that he cannot hold theirshares for them because they are not kids.It was published and it was circulated in thenewspapers. Some of them signed and collect-ed the literature.Once these clubs are incorporated the shares

will return to them. It is a process but we like tolook for conspiracies. If we are looking foropportunity to scatter things we bring up con-spiracies. Are we dumb? How can we sit downand one person will go and register a companyin his name?And let me tell you, apart from signing that

indemnity that he is ready to relinquish theshares as soon as the clubs are incorporated, healso signed another one that he is ready to relin-quish the chairmanship of the LMC any timethe NFF asks him to do so.When I saw that I was shocked. I asked him: ‘Soif some people manage to get the NFF to ask youto leave and they get rid of you and get some-body to rubbish all we have done, what thenhappens to this change that we are trying tobring about?’ He said: ‘This is Nigeria, I don’twant anybody to think that I am deriving anypersonal benefit from running the league.’ Thatis what he has done. I saw it and they know it. Ifthey don’t know, I am telling them now. If theywant evidence, I will show it to them. There is a group called the NFA, which says theLMC is illegal because it was not incorporatedthrough it. They claim to be the right footballgoverning body because the law, according tothem, does not recognize the NFF. What is yourtake on that?Look, I think this is being spread to the ridicu-lous level. I am the Minister of Sports supervis-ing the NFF and I don’t know this group. I givemoney to the NFF and I don’t know the othergroup.Were they in South Africa for the Nations Cup?This is absurd, to say the least. I know what theyare talking about. This is serious business andpeople should not trivialise it.People always come up to say that this is illegal,that is illegal and it is this question of thingsbeing illegal that has held Nigerian footballdown over the years. Now, we are getting some-where and people are saying we must remainwhere we were. It will not happen.There appears to be some political undertonesand I wonder if you are trying to bring in someof the sports commissioners to make themunderstand what the LMC is all about?Yes, we will bring the commissioners on board.That is part of the things I have advised the LMCto do. And as the Minister of Sports, I will also tryto get across to the commissioners.I will meet with the commission when they

arrive for the council meeting tomorrow(Thursday last week) to keep them abreast ofevents.But many of them are aware already. That is

why Delta has suspended the chairman ofWarri Wolves for acting contrary to Delta’s sup-port of the LMC and the change it is bringingabout.For those of them that don’t understand, we

will make information available to them so thatthey understand. But they cannot ask us to stopbreathing until they understand.The NFF has invited the club managers to ameeting on Tuesday… will you be there tostraighten things out?I don’t have to be there because the NFF has theresponsibility of running football in the coun-try and it is quite capable of doing that. The NFFinitiated this process, the NFF constituted theLMC. It spearheaded the transformation of theLeague Management Committee to LeagueManagement Company. So the NFF under-

stands what it has to do.But for me at the political level, I will engage

the commissioners and also make presenta-tions at the National Economic Council, wherethe governors will be able to know that what weare talking about is good for Nigeria.I will still appeal to the club managers to

understand what we are trying to do. They arestakeholders and we want to carry them along.And we don’t want any acrimony in doing so. If there is anybody that still does not under-stand what is going on, he should go to the LMCfor clarification. If the LMC does not satisfy him,he should go the NFF and where he is not stillsatisfied, he should come to me.If they want change in terms of process or pro-cedure, we will look at the possibility of thatchange. But if what they want is for us to revertto the status quo, it will not happen.

Lets move away from the LMC and football.After the last National Sports festival, you saidthe festival would henceforth be thrown opento all comers so long as they are Nigerians. Areyou planning to include the intermediate andjunior categories to discover young athletes,who may not get the chance to compete in thefestival because of the presence of the elite ath-letes?We have to look at the principle behind the

National Sports Festival. You see, when we suf-fered the shame of London 2012 Olympics, onethe things we said was that we will search fornew talents at the 2012 National Sports festivalin Lagos.Take table tennis as an example.. we lost out ofthe event in the first round because we used thesame players that have been representing usover the years. Segun Toriola, Funke Oshonaike,among others, are people who had done verywell in the past, but they were no longer up tothe demands of the game.So, when we came back, I constituted a com-mittee to go round the various games at theLagos Sports festival to pencil down new ath-letes that would constitute the new team.Bruce Ijirigho, who is in charge of the CrossRiver grassroots programme, was in charge ofthe committee. When the report was presentedto me, it contained a list of 84 new athletes invarious fields. It also indicated the age of each ofthese athletes and when I looked at the averageage it came to about 24.So, when you are just discovering a 24-year-oldathlete, when will you develop such an athlete?The next Olympics is a few years away, whichmeans they will be 27, 28 when the nextOlympics comes around. This is an age whenmost athletes are talking about retirement. At24, Usain Bolt has done two Olympics.So in that situation, I told my colleagues at theNSC that we definitely must look for anothermeans of getting young talented athletes forthe country because the National SportsFestival is no longer capable of doing that for us.

In fairness to Lagos, they organized an efficientevent. Everything ran smoothly, but the mediaaspect of it was a challenge. That is Nigeria’sOlympics and it should be a glamorous eventthat will attract fans to the stadium. Definitely, the National Sports Festival did notleave up to its billings. So, we started askingquestions and we thought maybe we shouldopen the festival because the rules of the exist-ing festival say you have to be resident inNigeria to compete and if you have competedinternationally more than twice you cannot bepart of the festival .The people who made the festival rules then,were focused on discovering fresh talents andalso not to give undue advantage to states whohave the wherewithal to bring athletes fromabroad over those who rely on home grownathletes. These are very germane concerns.But I was in London and I saw that in someevents about seven Nigerians representedother countries to the extent that you began tothink whether our salvation is not in theDiaspora.As we are today, we don’t have even one highperformance centre and we have the athletesabroad who have the benefits of these world-class facilities in training and we said they can’tcome and compete. That is one side.Another side is that when you say that an ath-lete that has represented Nigeria twice cannotcompete at the National Sports Festival, thenwhat happens to them? The Abugunlokos and

others are not based abroad but here in Nigeria,what happens to them?The states’ sports councils employ some of

them and we are saying they cannot competefor these states. So what we did is to reconcilethe aspiration of those who made the festivalrules with the imperatives of this challenges weface and that is why we decided to open the fes-tival to allow Nigerians anywhere in the worldto come and compete. It will also give states theencouragement to send athletes abroad fortraining.There is no reason any other state should beatNasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states in long dis-tance races. They may give up when it comes toboxing, weightlifting or wrestling, but theyshould be able to confidently tell their gover-nors that you will win the medals in long dis-tance races.Let states invest in sports they have compara-tive advantage so that when all these are packedtogether, we will have a national pool of ath-letes in various sports. That way, you wouldhave equalized the individual states’ disadvan-tages in different sports.But sports have become big business, and youhave to invest in it to compete effectively. A statethat has refused to invest in sports cannot hopeto compete effectively against a Delta State thathas spent so much on its athletes or against aLagos State that is building mini-stadia acrossthe state.

‘Clubs’ resistance to LMC, a lack of appreciation of benefit of the new order’

NFF President, Aminu Maigari.

SPORTS92 THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Eguavoen gives reasonsfor COD move

Babalola, Abinu begin title defence at 35thCBN Tennis Open Championship

Brila FM, MPS reachagreementSPORTS Radio, 88.9 Brila FMhas reached an agreementwith Media Planning Services(MPS) to exclude the all-sportstation from its periodicresearch on media houses inNigeria till the media plan-ning company comes upwith a method for research-ing specialized stations.When done, specialized sta-tions would assess and agreeto be researched with it.Encouraged by the researchagency’s acceptance of thestation’s proposal not tomeasure specialized stationswith research instrumentsdesigned for general contentstations, the ExecutiveChairman of Sports Radio, Dr.Larry Izamoje, said he ispleased with MPS’s recogni-tion of the need to come upwith a framework that ismore definitive in surveyresearch.“We sincerely thank MPS foraccepting our position andproposal to evolve a templateusing a targeted researchinstrument that reaches theexact sample population ofspecialized stations,” Izamojesaid.

THE need to face new chal-lenge coupled with quality

of organisation are some ofthe reason that inspiredSuper Eagles former Captainand Coach, Austin Eguavoento join Nigeria NationalLeague (NNL) side, City ofDavid (COD) United.

Eguavoen replaced CoachBode Awakan, who recentlyparted ways with the Lagos-based team and he is expect-ed to lead the team to thePremier League.Speaking on his decision to

team up with the club,Eguavoen said, “I am veryhappy to join C.O.D United. I

am very excited about theirapproach to football and Ifeel at home already. They areforward looking, very ambi-tious and brave which are allattributes I share. I have seenthe players, they are talentedno doubt and all I can do ismake them even better andwork with them to gain pro-motion.”He added, “I actually see thisas a great move for me. This isa hugely ambitious club. It iswell run by intelligent peopleand all the structures eventhe so-called premier leagueclubs lack are all in placehere. I am definitely positivethis is a good move for me

and I am sure come end of theseason when we gain promo-tion, I would be provedright,” he said.

For the Chief Executive ofthe club, Shola Opaleye, it wasthe experience of the coachthat motivated the manage-ment to sign the coach.“Eguavoen is highly experi-

enced at the very highestlevel of football and we hopehe can bring his wealth ofexperience to bear on ourambitions to gain promo-tion. He is passionate, drivenand ambitious and we areglad to have him join us. Wehave very good young playershere and we have furtherreinforced by signing experi-enced hands like KabiruAlausa. He added, “we feel putting

Eguavoen in charge now isthe right thing to do and wehope his knowledge, experi-ence and leadership skillswould help our playersbecome better players andhelp us gain promotion.”

COD United are fourth onthe Nigeria National League(NNL) table, with just threepoints below the table top-per, Crown FC of Ogbomosho.

DEFENDING champions,Abdulmumuni Babalola

and Fatima Abinu will todayat the National Stadiumbegin their title defence atthe 35th Central Bank ofNigeria (CBN) Senior OpenTennis Championship.To clinch the titles last year,Babaloal overcame ShehuLawal, while Abinu beatteenage sensation, SarahAdegoke to lift the covetedtrophies. As the main draw of the 35thedition of the tournamentserves off, action will takecentre stage with players eye-ing the improved N14.3 mil-lion prize money with singleschampions (men andwomen) carting home N.7million each.Also, special athletes will alsohave opportunity to sharefrom the largesse when thewheelchair event, which willbe debuting this year begin.

According to CBN’s Directorof CorporateCommunications,Ugochukwu Okoroafor, theinclusion of the wheelchairevent is aimed at addingvalue and expanding thetournament.Being the only competition

this year that would affordthe Nigeria Tennis Federation(NTF) to assess the players,this year’s CBN Open willserves as trials to select play-ers for next month’s DavisCup tournament in Egypt.

For the Vice President ofNTF, Matthew Owoseni, it isdisheartening little attentionis being paid to tennis withtoo much focus of football.

“I don’t think organisingtwo tournaments yearly forour players will make anymeaningful impart on them

UNILAG, UI dominate NUGA Zone F preliminariesHOST – University of Lagos

(UNILAG) and Universityof Ibadan (UI) confirmedtheir superiority in the 13event competed for at thepreliminaries of the 2013Nigeria University GamesAssociation (NUGA) Zone Fheld at the Sports Complex ofUNILAG.The three-day tournament

had six schools featuringwith UNILAG dominating inevents like Volleyball, foot-ball, chess, basketball, bad-minton, squash among oth-ers.

Like their host, UI alsoreigned supreme in judo, ath-letics, swimming, tennis, aswell as, taekwondo.

Tutored by CoachEmmanuel Okolo, UNILAGruled the basketball eventafter clinching the top placesin the men and women divi-sions.Four teams took part in the

men’s basketball event withUNILAG recording 100 percent in all their matcheswhile the women’s team alsoemulated their male counter-

part with emphatic victoriesin all their matches against UIand Tai Solarin College ofEducation (TASUED).

In volleyball, UNILAG alsoruled beating TASUED andFederal University ofAgriculture, Abeokuta(FUNAAB) 3-2 and 3-0 respec-tively to top the event.As their male team claimed

12 points to emerge winner inthe chess event, their femaleteam settled for third placewith UI winning the womenevent in chess.After missing out in the foot-ball event of the last NUGAGames in Benin, UNILAG willmake a return to the event atObafemi Awolowo University(OAU) in June after qualifyingalongside UI.

In badminton, as UI wasdominating the team events,UNILAG swept the laurels inthe singles, women’s doublesand mixed doubles.To ascertain its readiness for

NUGA in June, UI team wassuperb in events like judo,athletics, tennis, swimmingand taekwondo.

Bishop Mike Okonkwo footballtourney kicks off May 11

PLAYERS that will take partin the 11th edition of the

Bishop Mike OkonkwoFootball tourney have beenadvised to eschew violenceand work hard to achievetheir aim of playing for bigclubs at the draws, whichtook place at the weekend.

Former Super Eagles goal-keeper, Peter Rufai, who is aconsultant to the competi-tion through his outfit, StarufSports Development Limited,told the players that hardwork and discipline were themajor attributes to becomingstars.The competition, which will

begin on May 11 and end onAugust 31 at the NationalStadium, will see 32 teamscompeting for honours andwill have scouts all overEurope in attendance.The Tunisia ’94 Nations Cup

winner said the scouts wereinvited to spot talents thatmay travel to Europe for tri-als. He also commended theoverseer of The RedeemedEvangelical Mission (TREM),Bishop Oknokwo for sponsor-ing the event for 11 years andnoted that he would beremembered for the changeshe has brought to the lives ofyoung footballers. “I and Nwosu are here to let

the young players know that

playing for big clubs doesn’trequire magic, it’s throughhard work and discipline,”Rufai said.“I would also enjoin the play-ers to adhere strictly to therules governing the competi-tion, so that all the activitiesaround the event can go onsmoothly,” he added.

Former Eagles Captain,Nwosu, who told the playersthat discipline should betheir watchword and urgedthem to make good plans forthemselves in future sincethey were not going to playfootball for live.

Chairman of the competi-tion’s Organising Committee,Malachy Ndubuzor said thatthe number of teams wasincreased from 24 to 32 toenable more players take partin the competition, as well as,take the preaching of thegospel on the pitch. “What we are doing at TREMis to touch the lives of thefootballers and let themknow that the church canalso contribute to their devel-opment. With more teamsthis year, we will be able totake the gospel to more play-ers through football,”Ndubuzor stated. The players were also given

career talks, how to care ofinjuries and the need to stayaway from steroids.

and we expected them tocompete with others at theAll Africa Games and theOlympic Games. It is not pos-sible because we had madepassionate appeal to corpo-rate bodies and philanthro-pists to help the sport but itseems everybody is just focus-ing on football. “I want to tell you that glob-

ally that tennis and footballare rated among the topsports in the world and withall the billions spent on foot-ball what have we achieved. Ithink sport like tennis canalso bring honours to thiscountry. So I am also suingthis platform to appeal tocompanies and well-mean-ing individuals to supportour players so that they canbe among the best in theworld,” he said.

Thomas Otu….one of the emerging stars of Nigeria tennis. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

By Olalekan Okusan

By Adeyinka Adedipe

By Olalekan Okusan

Eguavoen

Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Staco Insurance Plc, Mr. SakiruOyefeso (left); with one of the beneficiaries, Nimota Ajayi at the payment ofclaims by Staco to injured players of the season five of MTN Lagos StreetSoccer Championship over the weekend.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 93

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 201394

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 95

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THERE have been glib mentions ofdemocratic dispensations in

Africa. But although democracy is ahighly commendable concept that ispractically needed in socio-politicaldispensations, one may asked: Whatare real democracies like?Democracy seems to have been uni-laterally and rigidly defined in astereotyped way of late, oblivious ofthe different cross-cultural shades ofrich, multi-millennial experiencesthat can add diversity colour andcontour to the democratic concep-tion context.

The Greeks invented andphilosophised it, the Romans sani-tised and tried to crudely globalise itmilitarily, the French tried to developit into a political masterpiece fromthe grassroots, the English dexterous-ly consummated it in a splendid mar-riage with monarchy and theAmericans like modern-day Romansare trying to globalise their uniquebrand militarily, oblivious of theirunique winner takes all spoils sys-tem. But each might perhaps say:mine brand is the best, or this is howit should be defined or conceptualis-es it this way, so so, this and that. Yetthe facts remain that democratic val-ues can still be seen as essentiallydemocratic even if they entail a con-fabulating Babel of discordant defin-ing terminologies.

They still possess the lowest com-mon denominators of democratismin unique ways even though someconcepts can be as impalpable asdefining the elves. These uniqueinter-cultural attributes comple-ment and sometimes compensateeach other and compensatory mech-anisms underlay the fundamentaldesign of many systems, from theheart beat to self-reciprocatingengines or the stability of a geodesicdesign.

It would have been naïve to define itfrom unilateral narrow cultural per-spectives. There are non-democraciesalright but we need intense cross-cul-tural research to give the last word.Neither do we expect that everythingabout seemingly culture bound con-cepts like democracy must be learnt.Where then will the millennia ofsophisticated, heterogeneous cultur-al developments and adaptationsfind relevant applications here? Theunilateral terminologists would havewritten them off as non-democratic.Yet cultures where some elements ofdemocracy find some sustainablebearings are already open or semi-open universities of democracy.There has to be local contextualinputs synonymous with homespun,time-tested, culture-bound world-views and Weltanschauungs, to

maneuverability than man’s tech-nologies can ever imagine. Cultureslike civilisations are products of com-plicated socio-evolving mechanismsand make their imprints in the proto-types of democracy as a continuouslyevolving historical process, a continu-um. A good work of art is never per-fected. It is continuously perfectingand a “perfected” one becomes a pon-tificating Frankenstein menace tofreedom and creativity. There is noreason why democratic values can-not be cross-culturally conceptu-alised, synthesised and synergised. Itcould be made as synthetically,smooth and functionallypragmatic  as the Englishlanguage,  which can ‘begin’ inGerman, ‘commence’ in French, takeits “fiestas” and “siestas” in Spanishand do other things ‘et cetera’ in Latinand still remains English, a uniqueGerman-oriented dialect. Unilateralconceptualisation arguments cannothold water and leak like baskets.

Some aspects of western democrat-ic values may not be well understoodby an African or a Saudi Arabian,  forinstance, some places in the Westwhere children cannot be disciplinedby parents or teachers or else theyface the courts can be seen byAfricans to be as weird as futuristicsurrealistic art. It is like where thechild’s rights have gone haywire tooverwhelm and over-run even themost optimistic idealist argumentwith this implicit “maximalism ofdemocratism”. To them, a parent thatcannot discipline his child ontoresponsibility looks for trouble anddamns the future. Neither can someWesterners understand the Africanextended family systems nexus eitheretc.  These to mention but a few. Thereis need  for greater synergy, greatercultural integration and understand-ing and that is an important aspect oflife, to ultimately integrate andempathise and democratism canhelp achieve these when really con-ceptualised and taken for what it ispresenting not what should be. Someof those countries some Africans mayterm democratic may seem quitenon-democratic to Westerners andvice versa.

I dwelt at length on this issuebecause of apparent riot of miscon-ceptions and socio-economic palaverthis issue may bring about if reckless-ly used. It should be carefully viewedfrom a cross-cultural context andexperts would be needed.Functionality, communicability,communication networks and popu-lar satisfaction could have beenamong the hypothetical researchvariables to be studied here by theegg-head consultants.• Uche Nwachukwu  is a public affairs

commentator based in Lagos.

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotlines:

Lagos 7736351, Abuja 07098513445; Circulation Hotline: 01 4489656All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com; www.ngrguardiannews.com(ISSN NO 0189-5125)Editor: MARTINS OLOJA . ABC

make it tick. We don’t expect every-thing to be learnt about westerndemocratic value systems.

Birds did not learn aeronauticstechnology. But they fly all the sameoften with greater astounding

By Uche Nwachukwu

A cross-culturalview of democracy

Birds did not learn aeronautics tech-nology. But they fly all the sameoften with greater astoundingmaneuverability than man’s tech-nologies can ever imagine. Cultureslike civilisations are products ofcomplicated socio-evolving mecha-nisms and make their imprints in theprototypes of democracy as a con-tinuously evolving historical process,a continuum. A good work of art isnever perfected

There is need for greater synergy,greater cultural integration andunderstanding and that is an impor-tant aspect of life, to ultimately inte-grate and empathise and democra-tism can help achieve these whenreally conceptualised and taken forwhat it is presenting not what shouldbe. Some of those countries someAfricans may term democratic mayseem quite non-democratic toWesterners and vice versa

President Goodluck Jonathan

Edem Duke, minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation

INSURANCE I

LASACO Assurance hosts brokersIN furtherance of the needto maintain effective rela-tionship with strategicstakeholders, especiallyinsurance brokers, LASACOAssurance Plc is to host theApril edition of theMembers’ Evening of theNigerian Council ofRegistered Insurance Broker(NCRIB).The event, which is expect-ed to hold on Tuesday April30, 2013 at the Insurance

Managing Director/CEO, Future Unity Glanvills Pensions Limited (FUG Pensions), Usman Sulaiman (second right),presenting a cheque to officials of Simon Lions Club in his office. With him is Habib Daranijo (right), company’sSecretary/Legal Adviser.

Brokers House, Lagos willattract Insurance Brokersoperating within the nooksand crannies of Nigeria, aswell as other stakeholders.In a statement issued by theDirector of CorporateCommunications of theNCRIB, Mr. ‘Tope Adaramola,LASACO offered to host theevent in order to leverage onthe spread and pivotal posi-tions of Insurance Brokers tofurther deepen the compa-

Sovereign Trust parleys Teenage LifeSOVEREIGN Trust InsurancePlc has extended itsCorporate SocialResponsibility efforts to theyouths and secondary schoolpupils in Lagos State by part-nering with Teenage Life, anon-governmental agencyresponsible for youth men-toring and development. The Project Manager, JessicaJohn Braimah, stated that“the Teenage Life project setsout to secure the future ofyoung people by providingthem with enduring moralcompass as their guide fornavigation in the passage oflife”.According to her, it is perti-nent for youths to be appro-priately sensitised andempowered with adequateknowledge and skills thatwill enable them adopt pre-marital sex abstinence as themost preferred option forthe prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases, theprevention of teenage preg-nancies as well as abortion.She also stated that to fur-ther amplify the sensitisa-tion and advocacy reach, the

organisation has adopted aninteractive radio pro-gramme that is focused onyouth and family life withregards to everyday moralissues. She said the mainobjective of the programmeis to reduce to the barestminimum, such societalmalaise like prostitution,rape, teenage pregnancies,abortion and HumanImmuno-deficiency Virus(HIV) /Acquired ImmuneDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)transmission.The spokesperson of the

underwriting firm,Sovereign Trust InsurancePlc, Mr. Segun Bankole, saidthat the support for theTeenage Life Project is in linewith one of the company’sCSR platform, which ishinged on health, sports andthe environment. He point-ed out that the underwritingfirm is committed to ensur-ing that initiatives underthese categories are support-ed in bringing about positivechange in the society. He alsostated that the infection rateof HIV/AIDS in the country is

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

FUG partners Simon Lions Club on educationIN the spirit of giving back tothe society, and the immedi-ate operational environment,Future Unity GlanvillsPensions Limited (FUGPensions) has again showedproof of commitment to theideals of relationship by part-nering with Simon Lions Club,Anthony, District 404A in pro-viding qualitative educationin a conducive environmentto a reconstructed model pub-lic school in Anthony village,Lagos State.The company, which has animpressive Corporate SocialResponsibility (CSR) creden-

tial from inception, made adonation to the club as part ofits contribution to the com-pletion of the school project.Simon Lions Club, with thesupport of well meaning cor-porate bodies and individu-als, has constructed twoblocks of classrooms inAnthony Village ModelSchool, Lagos. Shortly after the presentationlast Thursday, the ManagingDirector and Chief Executiveof the PFA, Mr. UsmanSuleiman, said that the com-pany has a history of CSR. He said: “Actually our compa-

ny is an organisation that haspartnership as one of its corevalues. We want to be identi-fied with the community andas part of the community thatwe are in, we want to be social-ly responsible. It is part of ourcorporate core values, whichare Trust, Integrity Prudenceand Partnership. “You may have noticed thatlast year we visited Bales ofMercy Orphanage and madedonation to them. Likewise,we have made material dona-tions to a number of organisa-tions including tertiary med-ical institutions.

ny’s share of the insurancemarket in Nigeria.According to him, the

LASACO team headed by itsManaging Director, Mr.Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi, will bereceived by the NCRIBPresident, Barrister ‘LaideOsijo, while selected stu-dents from both theUniversity of Lagos andCrawford University willalso be in attendance.

gradually hitting an alarm-ing state and hence, effortsshould be directed at com-bating the spread of thescourge at an early stagebefore it becomes too latenot forgetting to mentionthe several pathetic abortionstories rampant amongstyouths of today.

The main objective ofthe programme is toreduce to the barestminimum, such soci-etal malaise likeprostitution, rape,teenage pregnancies,abortion and HumanImmuno-deficiencyVirus (HIV)/Acquired ImmuneDeficiency Syndrome(AIDS) transmission

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29 , 2013

StockwatchIn association with Lead Capital

III

MAJOR equity markets around theglobe moved upwards as their

various indexes gained marginalpoints. In our universe of sampleequity markets; the S & P 500, NAS-DAQ and Dow Jones all gained pointsby 1.73%, 2.03% and 0.42% respectively,at the end of last week. In Europe, TheGerman Dax, FTSE 100 and France CAC40 gained points by 3.41%, 3.00% and6.77% respectively. In the Asia/Pacificregion, BSE Sensex, Nikkei 225 andHangseng gained points by 2.05%,5.34% and 4.13% respectively. In Brazil,the Bovespa gained point by 4.11%while Russia’s RTS INDEX gainedpoints by 3.58%. On the local setting,NSE ASI closed at 33,271.33 recording1.17% appreciation at the end of theweek’s trading.

IN the week, the total vol-ume depreciated by14.16% and value tradeddepreciated by 34.25%. Aturnover of 1.88 billionunits of shares valued atN18.85 billion was record-ed, in contrast to aturnover of 2.19 billionunits of shares worthN28.67 billion that wasrecorded in the previousweek.Volume this week wasdriven by activities in theshares of UNITYBNK,ZENITHBANK, ACCESS,STDINSURE FBNH, GUAR-ANTY, WEMABANK, DIA-MONDBNK, UBA and SKYE-BANK.

DURING the period under review, thirty one(31) stocks recorded price appreciation com-pared to thirty three (33) that depreciated in theprevious week, LEARNAFRICA was first on the topgainers chart to close with 58.99%, followed byPAINTCOM with 28.08%, ABCTRANS with 13.56%,IPWA with 12.90%, WEMABANK with 10.66% andGUARANTY with 9.01%. Other gainers in the topten categories were AGLEVENT with 7.14%, NAHCOwith 6.61%, UNILEVER with 6.60% and ZENITH-BANK with 5.47%.On the flip side, forty five (45) stocks depreciatedin price last week compared to forty four (44)that depreciated a week ago. CCNN led on theprice losers’ table with 23.81%, followed by MRS by18.97%, DEAPCAP by 18.68%, COSTAIN by 18.18%,ROYALEX by 16.90%, UTC by 16.00%, JOHNHOLT by15.66%, WAPIC by 14.66%, STERLNBANK by 13.97%and AFRIPRUD by 13.41%.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Stock Market Report for the week Friday, 19thApril to Thursday 25thApril, 2013

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COMPANY’S RESULT CONTINUE ON PAGE XIII

Lead Capital Stock Valuation

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THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 V

InvestmentWatchPublished in association with

Investment Mistakes To AvoidSUCCESSFUL investing is an art and sci-ence that requires creativity, experi-ence, and good judgment among othersto achieve mastery of the process. Itrequires attention to details and adher-ence to some principles, which must bejudged on a case by case basis. In this edi-tion of INVESTMENT ONE educationseries, we shall be highlighting mistakesinvestors often make for your benefit.They include the following:Undefined Investment GoalBecoming an investor without knowingwhat you want or where you are going, isa fatal error. As the old saying goes, if youdon’t know where you are going, any roadmay seem the right one to take you there.To solve this challenge, you must have aninvestment blue print that addresses thefollowing:Your principal goals and objectives;which must answer why are you invest-ing questions. Whether your aim is toaccumulate fund for retirement at a cer-tain age, or you’re putting fund togetherfor your child(ren)’s education or perhapsyou wish to gather funds to reinvestmentin other sectors of the economy, you needan investment plan or policy that willserve as road map to guide and gauge yourprogress. Note that investing with the soleaim of beating the market is not a reason-able goal.The document should also address whatrisk factors are common to your field ofinvestment and map out strategies foravoiding or reducing the prevalent risk toa significantly low level. Appropriatebenchmarks to measure the success ofyour portfolio, comparative assessmentof asset classes and individual fundshould also be covered.Asset allocation and diversification mustalso feature in your investment blue printto enable you determine what percent-age your total portfolio will you allocateto equities, fixed income instruments,commodities or real estate. Diversifyingthe allocated asset within each asset classfollows asset allocation to facilitate expo-sure to large, mid and small cap stocks.Your written blue print is a foundationthat will help you abide by a sound long-term policy, even when current marketconditions are unsettling. Giving theattendant thrill of trying to time the mar-ket and the often fatal consequences, hav-ing a good plan and sticking to it will like-ly be more profitable in the long term.Entry At Peaks, Exits At LowsThe capital market is information driven,

with prices rising and falling, dependingon the prevailing sentiment. Ideally, theprice of a share should be reflective of thetotal capital and earnings prospects of thecompany. However, sentiment results inshares being overpriced or under-priced.Whilst investors buy into overpricedshares in a bullish run because every oth-er person is buying, becoming optimisticof continuous rise, in bearish market theybecome pessimistic and tend to sell whenthey should be buying. Successfulinvestors always base their investmentdecisions on a stock’s intrinsic value andhunt for bargain stocks. They will buyshares of a company with strong funda-mentals when it's beaten in the market andsell when prices surge.Succumbing To Negative EmotionsYou may have probably experienced emo-tional investing rage; which leaves you try-ing to get even with the market. You dosuch things as double down or even sell allyour stocks impulsively. Fear is relativelyas debilitating as anger is disconcerting.When you are afraid, everything looks likea threat, lots of investors are still afraidbecause of the market crash a few yearsback. Giving the recent impressive returnsin the Nigerian stock market, the memo-ries of previous loses has held manyinvestors captive from investing, forget-ting that "Risk and return go together.” Chasing PerformanceMany investors select asset classes, strate-gies, managers and funds based on recentstrong performance. The feeling that "I'mmissing out on great returns" has proba-bly led to more bad investment decisionsthan any other single factor. If a particularasset class, strategy or fund has doneextremely well for three or four years, weknow one thing with certainty: We shouldhave invested three or four years ago. Now,however, the particular cycle that led tothis great performance may be nearing itsend. The smart money is moving out, andthe dumb money is pouring in. Stick withyour investment plan and rebalance,which is the polar opposite of chasing per-formance.Short Investment Time HorizonDepending on your investment timeline,your investment is better focused on longterm horizon, and this must reflect in yourasset allocation and diversification strate-gy. If you are saving for retirement 30 yearsfrom today, what the stock market doesthis year or the next should not be yourbiggest concern worry. Based on yourinvestment blueprint, you can strategies

your investment spend to feature in morelong term investment vehicles, while youmake provision for short term expenselike payment for your child (ren)’s educa-tion , take a vacation as well provide forafter life situation scenarios such as trans-fer of wealth to your heir which may comesooner than expected.OverconfidenceUnrealistic mind mental frame has ledmany to believe without justification thatthey have the ability to pick stocks thatwill have above average returns. This moreoften than not is a set up for an accidentcaused by framing error that fostered byemotional attachments that confers oninvestors an all knowing ability. Balancecan be achieved by applying fundamen-tal and analytical benchmarks to moder-ate extreme cases of investors’ overconfi-dence.Affirmation DissonanceWhen confronted with information thatcontradicts their belief in a hypothesis,investors disregard it, preferring to lookfor information that confirms theirhypothesis. From the print to broadcastmedia, investment experts provide thatmore often than not constitute postula-tions on what the market will do therebymisleading many investors through hypeand generation of group think solutions.Though there are few newsletters that canprovide you with anything of value. Thebest you can do as an investor is to spendless time watching financial shows on TVand reading newsletters and spend moretime creating and consulting your invest-ment plan.Reluctance To Book LossesAn attitude retail investors have beenfound to practice is that of eagerly cash-ing out small profit on retail investment,but unwilling to book losses on stocks thatare sinking. They hold on to the stock withthe hope that prices will soon rebound;which often lead to greater loss. A stop lossof 10% ensures your loss is restricted to 10%;which can be recouped easily by investingin better stocks.DiversifyingDiversifying stock holding is often misun-derstood by investors, who often end upbuying a bunch of different productsunder the premise for holding for futureprofit with absolutely no regard to whatthe current market is doing or may beabout to do. Diversifying your portfoliowith a percentage of stocks, bonds, fundsetc. is only good when investing at theright time. By watering down your port-

You therefore need the service of qualified and experienced financial advisers to guide you to circumvent the mistakes enumerated above as well as help you achieve yourwealth creation and management goals.

Your decision to call a professional investment adviser may just be what you need to help you navigate the investment waters successfully.Please join us next week Monday to learn more about how we can help you achieve your investment goals.Kindly let us know if you have found this article useful by contacting us at: enquiries@investment-one.com

folio, at best, you limit your gains and youmight only loss a less, but you’ll still lose.Note, you need a plan to protect your cap-ital during bad market time, without it youcan never diversify your way to profit. Failure To Rebalance PortfolioBecause this contrarian action is very diffi-cult for many investors, they fail to capi-talise of the benefit inherent in it.Rebalancing is the process of returningyour portfolio to its target asset allocationas outlined in your investment plan.Though rebalancing is difficult because itforces you to sell the asset class that is per-forming well and buy more of your worstperforming asset classes, it should be reli-giously adhered toward reaping long-termbenefit. Please note that, rebalancing isunprofitable right up to that point whereit pays off spectacularly, and the underper-forming assets start to take off and, a port-folio allowed drifting with market returnsguarantees that asset classes will be overweighted at market peaks and under-weighted at market lows - a formula forpoor performance. “Discounting FundamentalsIn a rush to make some quick cash, retailinvestors often place buy mandates with-out taking a look at the financials of suchcompany. Experience has shown someinvestors buy into companies withouteven knowing the line of business and serv-ice offering of the companies. Investorssometimes invest based on speeches andintended expansion plans, pre-empting asurge in stock prices. As a principle neverinvest in a company without understand-ing the dynamics of its business.Using MarginUsing borrowed money better known asmargin to purchase securities can help youmake more money; however, it can alsoexaggerate your loses - a definite downside.The absolute worst thing you can do as aninvestor is become carried away with whatseems like free money - if you use marginand your investment does not go your way,you end up with a large debt obligation fornothing. Note also that using marginrequires you to monitor your positionsmuch more closely because of the exagger-ated gains and losses that accompanysmall movements in price.Like we said at the beginning of this study,successful investing is an art and sciencethat requires commitment to study toachieve mastery of the process. Investorswho are often busy earning and makingmoney may not be in well situated to study-ing charts and analysing trend projection.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 STOCKWATCH XIII

Weekly Lead Equity Ratings

COMPANY’S RESULT CONTINUE FROM PAGE IV

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THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013XIV STOCKWATCH

Fund Of FundsINTRODUCTION

FUNDof funds can be defined as a mutual fund that invests inother mutual funds. This method is sometimes known as

"multi-management". A fund of funds may be 'fettered', mean-ing that it invests only in funds managed by the same invest-ment company, or 'unfettered', meaning that it can invest inexternal funds. There are different types of 'fund of funds', eachinvesting in a different type of collective investment scheme(typically one type per FoF), for example 'mutual fund' FoF,hedge fund FoF, private equity FoF or investment trust FoF butthe original Fund of Funds was created at First LondonSecurities PLC.CHARACTERISTICS Investing in a collective investment scheme may increasediversity compared to a small investor holding a smaller rangeof securities directly. Investing in a fund of funds may achievegreater diversification. According to modern portfolio theory,the benefit of diversification can be the reduction of volatilitywhile maintaining average returns. However, this is counteredby the increased fees paid on both the FoF level, and of theunderlying investment fund. An investment manager may actively manage with a view toselect the best securities. A FoF manager will try to select thebest performing funds to invest in based upon the managerspast performance and other factors. If the FoF manager is skill-ful, this additional level of selection can provide greater stabil-ity and take out some of the risk relating to the decisions of asingle manager. As in all other areas of investing, there are noguarantees for regular returns. As a fund of funds invests in thescheme of other funds, it provides a greater degree of diversifi-cation. Instead of investing in different stocks of mutual fundsand keeping records of all of them, it is much easier to investand track only one fund which in turn invests in other mutualfunds.Management fees for Funds Of Funds are typically higher thanthose on traditional investment funds because they includethe management fees charged by the underlying funds. As inthe case of schemes of mutual funds, FOF schemes also workunder the due diligence of a fund manager. This gives thescheme an additional expertise. It also helps to provide accessto information which may be difficult to obtain informationby an investor on a case by case basis. Every fund manager has a particular style of diversification.

This diversification has a perfect correlation with the numberof managers involved. Since a fund of funds buys many differ-ent funds which themselves invest in many different securities,it is possible for the fund of funds to own the same stockthrough several different funds and it can be difficult to keeptrack of the overall holdings.Funds of funds are often used when investing in hedge fundsand private equity funds, as they typically have a high mini-mum investment level compared to traditional investmentfunds which precludes many from investing directly. In addi-tion hedge fund and private equity investing is more compli-cated and higher risk than traditional collective investments.]The lack of accessibility favors a FoF with a professional manag-er and built-in spread of risk.Pension funds and other institutions often invest in funds ofhedge funds for part or all of their "alternative asset" programs,i.e. investments other than traditional stock and bond hold-ings. After allocation of the levels of fees payable and taxation,returns on FoF investments will generally be lower than single-manager funds.The due diligence and safety of investing in FoFs has come

under question as a result of the Bernie Madoff scandal, wheremany FoFs put substantial investments into the scheme. Itbecame clear that a motivation for this was the lack of fees byMadoff which gave the illusion that the FoF was performingwell. The due diligence of the FoFs apparently did not includeasking why Madoff was not making this charge for his services.2008 and 2009 saw fund of funds take a battering from

investors and the media on all fronts from the hollow promis-es made by over-eager marketers to the strength (or lack) oftheir due diligence processes to those carefully explained andeminently justifiable extra layers of fees, all reaching theirzenith with the Bernie Madoff fiasco.ASSET ALLOCATIONThe fund-of-funds structure may be useful for asset-allocationfunds, that is, an "ETF of ETFs" or "mutual fund of mutualfunds". For example, iShares has asset-allocation ETFs, whichown other iShares ETFs. Similarly, Vanguard has asset-alloca-tion mutual funds, which own other Vanguard mutual funds.The "parent" funds may own the same "child" funds, with dif-ferent proportions to allow for "aggressive" to "conservative"allocation. This structure simplifies management by separat-ing allocation from security selection.FUND OF HEDGE FUNDSA fund of hedge funds is a fund of funds that invests in a port-folio of different hedge funds to provide broad exposure to thehedge fund industry and to diversify the risks associated witha single investment fund. Funds of hedge funds select hedgefund managers and construct portfolios based upon thoseselections. The fund of hedge funds is responsible for hiringand firing the managers in the fund. Some funds of hedgefunds might have only one hedge fund in it, this lets ordinaryinvestors into a highly-acclaimed fund, or many hedge funds.Funds of hedge funds generally charge a fee for their services,always in addition to the hedge fund's management and per-formance fees, which can be 1.5% and 15-30%, respectively. Feescan reduce an investor's profits and potentially reduce thetotal return below what could be achieved through a lessexpensive mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF).While funds of funds con-ceptually can provideextremely useful servicesfor many hedge fundinvestors, they have beencriticized for the signifi-cant incremental coststhey impose. (The under-lying hedge funds usual-ly charge fees of between1 and 2% of assets man-aged and incentive fees of15–25% of profits generat-ed. The funds of fundstypically add additionalfees of 1% and 10%, respec-tively). Moreover, fund-of-funds behavior hasoften exhibited crowd-following tendencies,suggesting the managersof these funds prefer tomatch indices ratherthan seek opportunities.The industry has recent-ly been criticized bysome hedge fund managers for a reputation of holding a short-term view. Some hedge funds have even started turning awayfund of hedge funds money. “It is really beginning to irritatethose funds of hedge funds that approach their investmentssensibly,” says one fund of hedge funds manager.The first fund of funds was started by the Rothschild family inEurope in 1969 under the name Leveraged Capital Holdings. In1971, Richard Elden founded Grosvenor Capital Management inChicago, Illinois, introducing the concept of fund of funds tothe United States.HISTORY OF THE MUTUAL FUNDHistorians are uncertain of the origins of investment funds.There are some indications that the idea of pooling assets forinvestment purposes began in the Netherlands in the late 18thor early 19th century. Closed-end investment funds did takeroot in Great Britain and France in the 1800s, making their wayto the United States in the 1890s. The creation of theMassachusetts Investors' Trust in Boston in 1924, which wentpublic in 1928, is cited as the arrival of the modern mutual fundin the U.S. In 1929, there were 19 open-ended funds competingwith nearly 700 of the closed-end variety. The market crash of1929 wiped out the highly leveraged closed-end funds, but asmall number of opened-ended funds managed to survive. The creation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),the passage of the Securities Act of 1934 and the InvestmentCompany Act of 1940 put the mutual fund business on a solidregulatory basis with safeguards for investors. In the early1950s, the mutual fund count topped 100 and continued togrow through the next two decades. The bull markets of the1980s and 1990s accelerated this growth, pushing the fundcount over 3,000, with total assets surpassing the $1 trillionmark during this period. In response to the mutual fund scandals of the 2003-2004 peri-od, corrective regulatory and industry practices were, and con-tinue to be, enacted. By the end of 2006, the mutual fund busi-ness was still growing and mutual funds in the U. S. numberedmore than 8,000 with asset holdings of $10.4 trillion and newmarkets opening up around the world. HOW A MUTUAL FUND WORKSFund sponsor - generally a financial intermediary like FidelityInvestments or Vanguard - organizes a mutual fund as a corpo-

ration; however, it is not an operating company with employ-ees and a physical place of business in the traditional sense. Afund is a "virtual" company, which is typically externally man-aged. It relies on third parties or service providers, either fundsponsor affiliates or independent contractors, to manage thefund's portfolio and carry out other operational and adminis-trative activities. The fund sponsor raises money from the investing public, whobecome fund shareholders. It then invests the proceeds in secu-rities (stocks, bonds and money market instruments) related tothe fund's investment objective. The fund provides sharehold-ers with professional investment management, diversification,liquidity and investing convenience. For these services, thefund sponsor charges fees and incurs expenses for operatingthe fund, all of which are charged proportionately against ashareholder's assets in the fund. The most prevalent and well-known type of mutual fund oper-ates on an open-ended basis. This means that it continuallyissues (sells) shares on demand to new investors and existingshareholders who are buying. It redeems (buys back) sharesfrom shareholders who are selling. Mutual fund shares are bought and sold on the basis of a fund'snet asset value (NAV). Unlike a stock price, which changes con-stantly according to the forces of supply and demand, NAV isdetermined by the daily closing value of the underlying securi-ties in a fund's portfolio (total net assets) on a per share basis.In some instances, investors can purchase shares directly fromthe fund, but most funds are sold through an investment inter-mediary: a broker, investment advisor, financial planner, bankor insurance company.

FUND INVESTMENT QUALITIESInvestment research firms use data provided by the fund spon-sor to generate a variety of analytical perspectives. These areused by professional and non-professional investors in select-ing and monitoring mutual funds. For funds that are publiclytraded and the object of significant investor interest, this infor-mation is distilled into fund research reports. These are avail-able to the investing community through a number of servicessuch as Morningstar and Value Line. The content of such a report is comprehensive, containing

dozens of data points, ratios and informational perspectivesthat reveal the investment quality of a fund. To make thingssimple for the average investor, we'll take this abundance ofinformation and focus on eight fundamental indicators ofinvestment quality. An investor can use this perspective tomake intelligent decisions on whether to buy, sell or hold amutual fund. These eight evaluative fund investment qualities are listed

below. Subsequently, you will find in-depth discussions of eachof these investment quality indicators, including where to findthem, what they mean and how to use them). Armed with thisknow-how, you will be equipped to make informed mutualfund investment choices. • Fund I-Q No.1: Investment Style Considerations • Fund I-Q No.2: Risk-Return Profile • Fund I-Q No.3: Fund Size and Style Compatibility • Fund I-Q No.4: Manager Tenure and Structure • Fund I-Q No.5: Portfolio Turnover Ratio • Fund I-Q No.6: Fees and Expenses • Fund I-Q No.7: Comparative Total Returns • Fund I-Q No.8: Analytics The Fund Investment Quality Scorecard (FIQS) is a tool to

record your findings on a given mutual fund. We've avoidedsuggesting the use of any type of quantitative ranking with thescorecard, preferring instead that the investor use his or herbest judgment to arrive at a qualitative "score." A fund does not have to be perfect in all aspects to be top rated.For example, what we are looking for is a fund that has a com-posite investment quality score from above-average to high.Completing a scorecard will be relatively easy once you learnhow the system works from the instruction provided herein. Alittle experience and some common sense will serve you well.

BUSINESS XITHE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013

Micheal Dauda (left); Tope Aladenusi; Rafael San Maguel Carrasco; Yomi Olugbenso; and Tony Olukoju, all of Deloitte, at the cyber security breakfastsession, organised by the company, in Lagos. 

Infrastructure Bankraises capital to N29bTHE board of

Infrastructure Bank Plchas approved the recapitali-sation of the bank to thetune of N29 billion.

The bank’s ManagingDirector, AdekunleOyinloye, disclosed this tojournalists after the bank’sboard meeting in Lagos onThursday, saying that theboard had also agreed toraise new funds both inequity and debt capital tomeet the recapitalisationexercise.

He said that the boardmembers had agreed toraise N3 billion to N4 billionas equity among them-selves,  while the rest wouldbe raised from the capitalmarket.

He said that the debt capi-tal would drive the bank’sbusiness more than thedirect equity because of thenature of bank’s business.

He said that the board

LCCI, Exchange parley on marketrecovery

THE recovery of the Nigeria’scapital market will take the

front-burner at a stakehold-ers’ forum being organised bythe Financial Services Groupof the Lagos Chamber ofCommerce and Industry onMay 2, at Commerce House,Idowu Taylor Street, VictoriaIsland, Lagos.

The yearly Business Clinic ofthe Group will address thetheme:  “The Nigerian CapitalMarket:  The Outlook,” withthe leading of the Director-General of The Nigerian StockExchange, Oscar Onyema, asGuest Speaker, and the ChiefExecutive Officer, IBTC AssetManagement, OlumideOyetan,  as analyst.

Chairperson of the FinancialServices Group and ManagingDirector of ResortDevelopment Limited (a sub-sidiary of Resort Savings andLoans), Mrs. OlajumokeFashanu, who disclosed this,said the time had come forNigerians to be made fullyaware of the state of recoveryof the nation’s capital mar-ket. 

“Investors and other playersin our capital market need tohave their confidencerestored in its profitability,with proof of the market’sexcellent performance inrecent times,” she stated.

believed that the new level ofcapitalisation would be ade-quate enough to address thecapital required for its proj-ects based on its five-yearcapital plan.

The managing director alsosaid that the bank would infuture  raise municipal bondfor community-based proj-ects.

“We believe that based onour five-year capital plan,that this will be far morethan adequate to addressour capital requirement forour projects.

“This is not limited to whatwe raised on specific bases.We will also be raising whatwe called municipal bondand will soon be in the capi-tal market for that,” he said.Oyinloye, who said the bank

might also be in the marketfor a transport fund, added:“This is to tell you that by thenature of business, there willbe focus on each sector of theeconomy.”

Firm launches new product

ABBLAT Company NigeriaLimited, makers of popu-

lar Yoyo Bitters, have launcheda new product, Yoyo SappiroLemon Ginseng Liquor.The Managing Director of the

company, Dr. AbiolaOluwatobi, at the presenta-tion of the product in Lagos atthe weekend, noted that thepremium herbal blend,beyond being an aphrodisiac,is an alcoholic beverage thatis fortified with herbs to boostthe body’s immune systemfor both male and female.The product, which contains

42 per cent alcohol, amongother ingredients, accordingto him, was a product ofpainstaking research thatspanned five years.

“It is a dream comes true.Good product requires goodplan. Our research andDevelopment Unit has beenon it for almost five years andtoday, we are proud to saythat we have a product we areall proud of”, he said.

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 67

tions of regulation and market development.Under regulation, you have the issue of investiga-tion, enforcement and compliance. If thoseissues are very well taken care of, you will be ableto achieve a zero tolerance for market infrac-tions. When infractions occur, they affectinvestor’s confidence. Our market has been onthe rebound and will continue to do so as theperformance of quoted companies improvesand confidence in the market grows. The SECand the NSE must be prepared to take the harddecisions. They must regulate the market withfirmness and keep transactions transparent inorder to attract investors. Basically, not only fordomestic investors, but more importantly, forforeign portfolio investors and there is a wholelot of them out there. There are huge equityfunds all over the place looking for good invest-ment destinations. We cannot therefore affordto encourage anything that will create problemsfor our market and lead to the diversion ofinvestment inflows to other jurisdictions. So reg-ulation is very important and I hope that SEC willbe equal to the task.There have been calls for the regulators to com-pel multinationals to list on the Exchange. Whatis your view?This is why we talk about market development.

I do not believe in forcing people. I believe in cre-ating the enabling environment that will moti-vate people to take actions on their own. Thatway the action is sustainable. I think we shouldcontinue to develop the Nigerian capital marketto make it more attractive. When it is sufficientlyattractive, I am sure the listing will come. Thereare so many Nigerian businesses that are not yetlisted. That is another area of challenge. Weshould encourage them to list. It is even in theirbest interest to list.  The idea of force should beviewed with a lot of caution.Despite several civil service reforms in Nigeria,why has it been difficult to raise the standard tomeet the reality of nationhood?Successive governments have tried to introducesome reforms in the Civil Service and some ofthose efforts fell short of what was needed.Others were quite useful in solving some of theproblems identified, especially specific prob-lems that were supposed to be addressed. Ibelieve everything revolves around the per-ceived role of the Service and this has been withus for a long time. I always refer to the Service asthe engine room of government and you canimagine what happens to your car when theengine knocks! You get stranded. So, the CivilService as the machinery that is available to gov-ernment for the articulation and implementa-tion of its programmes needs to function at alltimes at the highest level of effectiveness and effi-ciency if government is to deliver on its pro-grammes.  I believe part of what has plagued theService and yet to be addressed, is the issue of theoverall role and perception of the Civil Servicerelative to other employment cadres and oppor-tunities in the country.In the past, the Civil Service was the employmentdestination of choice for graduates and it is a factthat the vacancies were open only to those whomade first class, second class upper and secondclass lower degrees. However, overtime, the stan-dards got compromised and lowered, while atthe same time the standards imposed by the pri-vate sector were rising. It was as if, the CivilService was going down while the private sectorwas going up in terms of employment attractive-ness.Also note worthy is that in the past, the publicservice was respected. Those working in the pub-lic sector were convinced that if they worked dili-gently, they could build a fulfilled career. Allthese have changed. Conditions of service at thecivil service have been on the downward trendwhile those of the private sector seemed to begetting better. Private sector has since becomethe employment destination of choice while thepublic service has become a place where peoplego when they do not have any other choice. So ithas gotten to a point where those who go to civilservice are those who do not have other optionsand if they have options they just go there tomark time until a better employment opportu-nity comes. I think the whole thing has to beaddressed holistically. We have to get the CivilService back. It must have respect. There is thishabit of demonising the Service, giving it a badname in order to deny it its functions.  For exam-ple, with the political class, the civil service ispractically groping for relevance. The politicalclass comes with all manner of aides and they

take over career functions.  You have to allow theService to play its own role in governance. Ifthere are some people within the Service that arenot performing, there are rules within the serv-ice to deal with such people. There are GeneralOrders of Financial Instructions as revised fromtime to time.   These rules were sufficient in thepast to deal with any non-performers in theService and they are still available.Comment on the taskforces usually set up bygovernment to undertake some core functionsof the civil service…You cannot govern by committees and task-forces. There are MDAs working under politicalheads. For each problem that confronts govern-ment, there are MDAs responsible to deal withsuch challenges. Take for example the banks, thepolice to mention a few; it is not usual to injectpeople from outside those organisations toundertake career functions. In the case of thecivil service however, it is a no man’s land!Anybody can just come and be thrown into theService to perform career functions. It’s like any-body can do the job. But that is wrong! Workingin the civil service is a calling, a deliberate choiceof a career. You have to be committed and havethe right temperament to go into the Serviceand function properly. So let us go back and do itright. The civil service is a Service with its ownnorms and ethos. It is not possible to bring peo-ple from other services and expect them to con-form and get with the Service overnight. It is sim-ply not possible. This is why we now have differ-ent loyalties within the Service. There is no espir-it de corps gel. Let people go into the Servicetogether at the entry point and grow together,and develop a sense of oneness.Are these inconsistencies responsible for theunbridled corruption in the civil service today,because there are insinuations that permanentsecretaries aid and abet politicians in looting thetreasury?I do not think it is true. One will not however saythat there is no corruption in the service. But theservice is also a mirror of the society. The Servicedoes not exist in a vacuum. People want to seethe Service get back to its former glory. Any talkabout that time, should also talk about the soci-ety. You will find out that the society at that timewas more disciplined. The society then was notas corrupt as it is today. But while we recognisethat there is corruption transmitted from thesociety, there is the overriding need to deal withserious corruption endemic in the service itself.The service, as an organisation, has rules and reg-ulations that should be enough to deal witherrant civil servants. Why are those rules nolonger being stringently applied? I do not seehow civil servants will hold politicians’ handsand guide them to loot the treasury. I think it is asocietal problem and it has to be dealt withappropriately. We have the laws, regulations todeal with corruption, but they are not beingenforced. In the absence of adequate sanctionsfor corruption, impunity holds sway! Peopleengage in acts of corruption and say nothingwill happen and nothing indeed happens! Youknow what is going on. How many corruptioncases have been successfully concluded?Having operated in both sectors, what do youthink is fundamentally wrong with our youthdevelopment strategies?I joined the service in 1967 and left in the 90s. Ithink it was in 1989 that the first Ministry ofYouths and Sport was created by the GeneralIbrahim Badamosi Babangida administrationand I was privileged to be its pioneer permanentsecretary. The whole idea was to look at youthdevelopment holistically. There is need to edu-cate the youths; create skills in order to ade-quately prepare them for paid and self-employ-ment. Not everybody is happy to seek paidemployment in regular organisations. That iswhat small businesses are all about. You empow-er the youth to be able to set up small businessesof their own and become employers of labourrather than seek employment. These are theissues and most importantly, we also need tofocus on technical education. Today, as a resultof serious neglect  of technical education withemphasis on a good certification system, wenow have houses built with perpetual artisanproblems. These days we have to import peoplefrom Togo, Benin and Ghana to do these things.People are establishing universities everywherebut not enough emphasis is being given to tech-nical education and youth development. Thereasons for establishing the Ministry are notbeing met and this may partly explain the highincidence of youth delinquency in our countrytoday.

decisions to win investors’ confidence, says Edozien

This is why we talk about market development. I do not believe in forcingpeople. I believe in creating the enabling environment that will motivate peo-ple to take actions on their own. That way, the action is sustainable. I thinkwe should continue to develop the Nigerian capital market to make it moreattractive. When it is sufficiently attractive, I am sure the listing will come.There are so many Nigerian businesses that are not yet listed.

I felt armed with very good education and training, which gave me a lot ofconfidence in the course of my career development and in my dealings withpeople. I believe that enduring success comes from working very hard, beinghonest and transparent, keeping your word with people so that you can betrusted and above all, being God fearing.

We have the laws and regulations to deal with corruption, but they are notbeing enforced. In the absence of adequate sanctions for corruption,impunity holds sway. People engage in acts of corruption and say nothingwill happen and nothing indeed happens. You know what is going on. Howmany corruption cases have been successfully concluded?

Oil & GasWeeklyThe GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013 XV

in association with

UPSTREAM NEWS

REGULATORY NEWS

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Remi Aiyela,Editor-in-Chief

editor@NOGintelligence.comwww.NOGintelligence.com

MIDSTREAM NEWS

NNPC GED Anthony Ogbuigwe ElectedPresident, African Refiners AssociationTheAfrican Refiners Association, ARA has elect-

ed Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) Group executive Director (GeD) forRefining and Petrochemicals as its newPresident, Anthony Ogbuigwe, replacingAnabella Fonseca of Sonangol. he is a fellow ofthe Nigerian Society of Chemical engineers, aChartered engineer and a Member of theNigerian Society of engineers.  

Before being appointed GeD, Ogbuigwe wasthe Managing Director of the Port harcourtRefining Company Limited. he was chosen toreplace the outgoing head when the organisa-tion met at its annual gathering, the AfricanRefiners Association Week in Cape Town.

Mr Ogbuigwe is keen to leave a strong legacyand says that he will focus on a number of objec-tives. he wants to improve the efficiency and reli-ability of operations in African refineries. he alsowants to foster the production and distributionof high quality petroleum products to drive highgrowth in African economies. he is keen toensure that best practices in health and safetyare maintained. It is also his desire to work withregional groups to ensure that the common fuelspecifications on the octane, sulphur and ben-zene levels for Gasoline and the sulphur cetane,and density levels for Diesel are adopted acrossthe regions. he wants this to be done within eco-nomic zones and common fiscal structuresalong regional supply chains.“This will encourage free trade between neigh-

bouring countries, avoid smuggling and adul-teration, and help create the regional cross-bor-der optimisation that is necessary for an efficientlow cost product supply,” he said.

Ogbuigwe was appointed GeD on 26th June2012, where he oversees the operation of the fourrefineries in Nigeria. he is already making hisposition felt in that role, with a report that thedismal efficiency rates of the refineries havealready improved since he took his post. This hasresulted in a greater supply of petroleum prod-ucts in the country and a reduction in imports.

Mobil To Begin Sale of Power From Qua Iboe 500MW Plant  MOBIL Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN)

will soon begin to undertake the sale of pow-er to Nigerian Bulk electricity Trading Plc for itselfand on behalf of its joint venture partner, theNigerian National Petroleum Corporation. MPNconfirmed that it had signed a Seller’sRepresentative Agreement (SRA) for the Qua IboePower Project, located at MPN’s Qua Iboe termi-nal in the state of Akwa Ibom State.  

The 500MW Qua Iboe Power Project includes agas-fired power plant using simple cycle gas tur-

OPEC Daily Basket Price Stood At $98.96A Barrel Wednesday, 24 April 2013Theprice of OPeC basket of twelve crudes stood

at $98.96 a barrel on Wednesday, edging upfrom $97.52 the previous day, as prices contin-ued to stay below the $100 mark.

The question now on everyone’s lips is “WillOPeC cut output?” Venezuela and Iran arealready calling for an emergency meeting aheadof the OPeC meeting scheduled for May 31although there has been no official reactionfrom OPeC. Traders and analysts are bracingthemselves for a reaction after the recent priceplunge, given the strong reliance by many of theorganisation’s member nations on oil for rev-enue. Many will be struggling to balance theirbudgets if prices continue to slide.

There is a strong expectation that if pricesremain under $100 for much longer, OPeC maycut production. OPeC supplies more than a thirdof the world’s oil demands, meeting twice a yearto decide on production levels. It kept oil out-put limits unchanged at a meeting its last meet-ing in December.In any case, OPeC is already experiencing a drop

in exports as seaborne oil exports from OPeC areestimated to fall by 220,000 bpd in the fourweeks to May according to Oil Movements,which calculates the volumes by tallying tankerbookings. The force majeure declaration byShell on Bonny Light crude exports is also addingpressure after the vital 150,000 barrels per dayNembe Creek pipeline shut for repairs.

Some analysts are saying that an emergencymeeting is unlikely as prices have started toshore up with increasing speculation about anOPeC production cut. But that does not mean a

Midwestern/Mart Resume Umusadege Field Operations   BAReLya month after Mart Resources, secured

a $100,000 loan facility, production fromUmusadege field has resumed. Resumption ofoperations on the field follows notice by theNigerian Agip Oil Company, the pipeline opera-tor, that maintenance and repairs to the exportpipeline have been completed. Production anddeliveries into the export pipeline, which wasshut down in February have now resumed andare expected to reach normal levels over the nextfew days.  

The Umusadege field is in an area of 3,771 grossacres, located within Oil Prospecting License(OPL) 283 onshore, in Delta State. The field wasformally awarded to Midwestern Oil and Gas Plc.as Operator (70 per cent) and Suntrust OilLimited (30 per cent) on February 25, 2003. MartResources entered into an agreement withMidwestern on April 27, 2006 and with Suntruston May 22, 2006 to participate in the block andprovide technical and financial services to thejoint venture.

The Umusadege field is a multiple-horizonhydrocarbon reservoir situated in the NorthCentral area of the Niger Delta basin and it con-tains 13 known reservoirs. Commercial produc-tion commenced from 2008 and as at May 2011the field had reached an average production of10,525 barrels of oil per day (bpd).

Mart and its partners installed 10,000 bpd ear-ly production facilities (ePF) in 2008. A perma-nent central production facility (CPF) has beeninstalled to replace the ePF, with further expan-sion on-going to reach a capacity for the full fielddevelopment (30,000 - 35,000 bopd) from theUmusadege field.

Crude from the Umusadege field is being pur-chased by ente Nazionale Idrocaburi (eNI) undera Crude Sale and Purchase Agreement andexported through the Brass Terminal.The Canadian TSX listed Mart announced divi-

dends of $0.05 to its shareholders in March short-ly before securing a $100 million loan facilitythrough its Nigerian subsidiary from GuaranteeTrust Bank. The 5-year facility bears interest at 90days LIBOR plus 4% with a floor of 8.25%.  

Mart said in a statement that the funds wouldbe used to finance capital expenditure requiredfor further field development activities. Withoperations resuming on the field barely a monthlater, concerns about the company being ableto service the huge debt are now reduced.

Mr. Wade Cherwayko, the Chairman and Chiefexecutive Officer of Mart Resources, said of theloan: “Mart is very pleased to have made thisarrangement with Guaranty Trust Bank PLC andanticipates that the additional flexibility thefacility can provide will enable Mart to moveahead quickly with development and potentialgrowth plans.”

Conoil Carries Out Appraisal Of Ango Deep Discoveries  INDIGeNOUSproducer, Conoil is appraising its

two discoveries at Ango, an area with the thick-est sedimentary sequences and one of the deep-est pay zones in the Niger Delta.

The flow test in one of the two reservoirs, Ango-

1 Stk 3 in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 5 produced in excess of 2,000BOPD of light oil. Thetested reservoirs are located at a depth of over5,400ft.  The company has moved the Depthwize-owned

swamp barge Majestic to Ango-2, to appraise thedeep oil zones it tested in Ango-1 Sidetrack 3. Theplan is to drill Ango-2 to a depth of 18,500 feetand also probe the reservoirs it was unable toreach first time round in the discovery well.

The aggressive work programme is paying offas the company is now looking to do even moredrilling on its Oil Prospecting Licence 290 whereit is drilling the Mbuotidem Deep1x in shallowwater off the south eastern part of the Niger Deltausing Seawolf’s Oritsemehin Jack Up. The currentdepth of the well is about 12,100ft. Wells drilledin the area have not gone deeper than 9,000 feeton average and the Mbuotidem well has experi-enced some pressure challenges and some inci-dents.

The company is not stopping there and hasmobilised another one of Depthwize’s rigs,Imperial, to ekokor Deep1X in OPL 2007.

This frenzied activity by Conoil should enableit to get the most it can out of its assets. With acurrent production of 25,000 barrels per daymostly from its Otuo South field - 30 kilometresfrom the wells - the indigenous producer hopesto add reserves variously estimated at between

bine generators and a high voltage transmis-sion line from MPNU’s Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT)to PhCN substation Ikot Abasi.

The execution of the SRA is a critical part of thecommercial framework for the project, which,according to the Managing Director of MobilProducing Nigeria, Mark Ward, is a clear demon-stration of the company’s commitment to thePresident’s stated priority of providing electric-ity to the whole country.

The company said in a statement that Frontend engineering Design (FeeD) andenvironmental Impact Assessments for the proj-ect have been concluded, adding that commer-cial tenders for engineering, Procurement andConstruction are near completion. Austrian andGerman headquartered engineering firm, ILFwere the consulting engineers on the FeeD con-tract, which was in two parts. First, the gas tur-bine power plant and also the 330kv high volt-age transmission line which connects the plantwith the national grid. ILF was also involved intopographical and geotechnical surveys, the eIAfor the transmission line, the issue of construc-tion documentation for the fuel gas pipingacross QIT, the preparation of the Invitation ToTender (ITT) documents and the criteria to eval-uate the bids in the subsequent phase of ePCTendering.

The power station will provide an additional500MW to the national grid in a nation that ismassively underpowered. The country gener-ates 2,000MW as against its current potentialcapacity requirement of 6,000 MW. The govern-ment has stated that it intends to ramp that upto 10,000MW.

At the ground-breaking ceremony when theproject began in 2009, the Group ManagingDirector of NNPC, Dr. Mohammed SanusiBarkindo expressed optimism at the time thatwith the Federal Government’s 6000MW pow-er target, the Nigerian economy was set to jointhe next eleven most developed economies inthe world.

“The aspiration of the Federal Government toachieve a higher and higher power targetremains at the front burner of the nation whichhas the potential of transforming the Nigerianeconomy to a tiger economy,” Dr. Barkindo saidat the time. Four years later, and it appears thatnot much has changed.

production cut is off the table at the scheduledmeeting on the 31st.PeFMB Commences 100% e-Tracking OfProducts DistributionIn a bid to combat the high incidence of fraudin the movement of petroleum productsaround the country, the Petroleumequalization Fund (Management) Board(PeFMB) has commenced electronic monitor-ing of product distribution from its depots toother areas in the country. The PeFMB’s role isto ensure that each marketing company com-plies with the laws regarding the managementof the transportation equalisation process, andto equalise the transportation differentials inproduct marketing in the country.

The fund has provided a way to equalise theprice differential in transportation costsincurred by marketers moving products fromthe coastal parts to other areas of the country.Without the Fund, products would be moreexpensive the further away from the depot thearea is. This would mean that the north wouldend up paying much more for petrol than thesouth.  

The Fund is intended to plug the gap ensuringthat uniform petroleum products prices aremaintained throughout the country.Unfortunately, the system has been prone toabuse and the electronic monitoring systemwas brought in to make it easier to monitor thedistribution of products.

The Board’s head of Government and PublicRelations, Goddy Nnadi, said the project, code-named named Aquila, started in January 2013but that the board had decided to insist on com-plete compliance. he said that the board wouldno longer process any payment to petroleumproduct distributors who refused to complywith the new directives.

he said: “We have started full automation ofour payment and monitory of petroleum prod-uct marketers.  We are covering 68 depot andwe have gone 100 per cent, which means thatwe will no longer process anything manually.We have stopped all manual processing sinceMarch and we want to ensure that we clear theremaining ones by June.”  

Speaking on the benefits of the new system,Nnadi stated: “This automation of your servic-es will ensure availability of products in everyparts of the country.  Nobody will be able todivert products and it will save the country ahuge sum of money, which would have beenwasted to irregularities in the old system.  Thesystem is very transparent as everybody can con-firm the movement of trucks and when pay-ments were made.”

every year over N17 billion is paid to petrole-um products transporters from the Fund, fordistributing products nationwide, and thisamount is built into every litre of products pur-chased by consumers.

Nigerian Navy Launches InformationWebsite In War On Crude Oil TheftThe Nigerian Navy has launched a new web-

site on crude oil theft and pipeline vandalismas part of a new phase in its war on crude oil theft.The website www.cot.navy.mil.ngis intended tobe a means of providing information to citizensand stakeholders on the growing menance ofcrude oil theft.  The website has facts and figures on crude theft

and its impact on the nation. For example, itexplains what is considered to be crude oil theftand the economic, environmental, social andhealth impacts. Some commentators have longsuggested that sensitising Nigerians to the issuewas going to be an important part of the war oncrude theft so that every Nigerian feels affectedby the problem. Only when the ordinary personon the street feels the pain of the impact of crudeoil theft, some say, will the country stand a chanceof getting rid of the problem.

The Director of Information of the NigerianNavy, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu explained:“The website serves as a platform to share infor-

mation, exchange ideas with the internationalcommunity and reports of suspicious activities.The website also generates the desired globalawareness on the scourge of oil theft and pipelinevandalism.”

he asked members of the public to report anyinformation concerning illegal activities relat-ing to petroleum products to the Nigerian Navy,other Services, security agencies, NNPC,Directorate of Petroleum Resources and the

THE GUARDIAN, Monday, April 29, 2013X