19092019

OLU FASAN 

31 

Yet, if President 

Buhari wants more 

tax revenues, he 

would need to do 

more than just 

blaming the revenue 

service. He must grow 

the economy! 

Xenophobic 

attacks: Reps 

want national 

honours for Air 

Peace MD, 

Afenifere, 

YCE, others 

react to 

Osinbajo’s 

ordeal 

8 

17 

Onyema 

E-DAILY 

4 

Defamation: 

Liz Anjorin 

petitions 

NDLEA 

•Vows to get 

justice against 

Toyin Abraham 

Knocks greet CBN’s order to charge fees on deposits 

5 

VOL. 26: NO. 63900 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

Uproar over N5.5bn for our 

cars insulting — SENATE LEADER 

•Adds: Criticism of N5.5bn vehicle purchase nonsensical, insulting, mischievous 

•Says money for cars part of NASS’ N125bn 2019 budget 

•Insists senators work harder than ministers who move in convoys of 4 SUVs 

•SERAP, CACOL, Osuntokun, CDHR react 

ANOTHER BATCH OF 350 NIGERIANS HOME FROM S-AFRICA 

STORY 

ON PAGE 

2 

From left, Mrs Alice Onyema, Mrs Abike 

Dabiri- Erewa; Chairman, NIDCOM and Dr, 

Allen Onyema, Chairman, Air Peace at the 

airport, yesterday. More photos on Page 11. 

We’re 

democratising 

poverty, instead 

of hope, Fayemi 

tells elite 9 

Second batch of Nigerian returnees from South Africa on arrival at the Murtala 

Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele. 

6 

Youths 

protest 

against 

Bobrisky 

$9.6bn judgement 

debt: Reps set up 

adhoc probe 

c’ttee; to review 

treaties, 

11 

agreements 

Lack of funds key 

challenge to road 

construction 

— FASHOLA 

14 

•Says compensation on 2nd 

Niger Bridge hits N10bn 

HoS, Eyo-Ita sent on indefinite leave 9 

Mr & Mrs 

C 

M 

Y 

K

2—Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

By Dapo 

Akinrefon, Henry 

Umoru & 

Olayinka Ajayi 

ABUJA — THE 

Senate, yesterday, 

lampooned those 

criticising plans by the 

9th National Assembly to 

purchase Sport Utility 

Vehicles, SUVs, for each 

of the 469 federal 

lawmakers at a total cost 

of N5.5 billion, saying 

such are nonsensical, 

and the critics, ignorant. 

The upper chamber 

said it was highly 

insulting that some 

public commentators 

were criticising and 

kicking against the 

move, noting that 

ministers go around in 

convoys of four SUVs 

without criticisms from 

the public. 

However, Socio- 

Economic Rights and 

Accountability Project, 

SERAP, and Centre for 

Anti-Corruption and 

Open Leadeship, 

CACOL, in a swift 

reaction, asked the 

National Assembly to 

perish the thought of 

acquiring the vehicles, 

saying it is unacceptable. 

Speaking with 

journalists, yesterday, in 

Abuja, Senate Leader, 

Senator Yahaya Abdullahi 

(APC, Kebbi North), said 

there was nothing for 

anybody to cry over as far 

as the plan was 

concerned. 

According to him, a 

serving senator and his 

counterpart in the House 

of Representatives 

deserve to have an official 

HEALTH TIPS 

By Sola Ogundipe 

Managing heartburn 

Heartburn, also called acid 

reflux, is when the muscles 

of your esophagus, which is 

a muscular tube connecting 

the throat with the stomach 

don't work right. This causes 

food and acids from the 

stomach to flow back—or 

reflux—into your 

esophagus. 

Things like food and 

certain medications can 

aggravate it. To make 

symptoms easier: 

Don't go to bed with a full 

stomach. Eat meals at least 

two to three hours before 

lying down. This will give 

food time to digest and get 

out of your stomach. Acid 

levels will also go down 

before you put your body in 

a position where heartburn 

is more likely. 

Don't overeat. Eat smaller 

portions at mealtimes, or try 

to eat four to five small meals 

instead of three big ones. 

Eat slowly. Take time to eat. 

Put your fork down between 

vehicle in the mode of a 

functional utility vehicle 

or SUV. 

It would be recalled that 

public outcry over moves 

by the management of the 

National Assembly had 

last month led to litigation 

against it in the court of 

law by some concerned 

citizens and social 

crusaders, led by SERAP. 

The Senate Leader 

said: “To say that a 

senator of the Federal 

Republic cannot ride a 

jeep in Nigeria is an 

insult. 

“The N5.5 billion is 

from the National 

Assembly fund and not 

money being sought from 

any other source. 

Besides, the scheme, as 

it has always been with 

previous NASS, is a 

monetised one, which 

requires each of the 

lawmakers to pay back 

the cost of whatever 

vehicle given to him or 

her. 

‘Outcry over 

N5.5b for 

vehicles an 

insult’ 

“The outcry over it is 

very unnecessary and 

insulting to the institution 

of the National Assembly 

and status of federal 

lawmakers. 

“When I was a 

Permanent Secretary, I 

know what ministers get, 

we cannot even compare 

ourselves with ministers 

because we are higher 

than them. 

“Go and tell the people 

that the work we do is 

more than the work of 

bites. 

Avoid heartburn triggers 

and foods and drinks that can 

bring on the symptoms. 

These include onions, 

peppermint, chocolate, 

beverages with caffeine, 

citrus fruits or juices, etc. 

Shed some kilos and stop 

smoking, it can help you feel 

better. Avoid alcohol. Jot 

down when your heartburn 

hits and the specific things 

you're doing when it comes. 

Wearing loose-fitting clothes 

can also help. 

If your heartburn is worse 

when lying down, raise the 

head of your bed so that your 

head and chest are higher 

than your feet. Put blocks 

under the bedposts at the 

head of your bed. Don't use 

piles of pillows. Eat earlier. 

Try not to eat for at least three 

hours before you go to sleep. 

Wait at least two hours after 

a meal to exercise. Drink 

more water and have plenty 

before and during exercise. 

CONFERMENT: From left, Prof. Sarah Anyanwu, Prof. Tamunopriye Agiobenebo, 

President, Nigeria Economic Society, NES; Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin 

Emefiele; Prof. Ibi Ajayi, Prof. Mike Obadan and Dr. Joseph Nnanna at the conferment of 

fellowship of NSE on the CBN Governor. 

Uproar over N5.5bn for our cars 

insulting, mischievous — SENATE 

•Says money for cars part of 2019 N125bn NASS budget 

•Notes senators work more than ministers who move in convoys of 4 SUVs 

•Adds serving senator, Rep deserve functional utility vehicles 

•As SERAP, CACOL, Osuntokun, CDHR react 

ministers and as 

representatives of the 

people, the money we 

spend on daily basis on 

indigent people far 

outweighs whatever they, 

ministers or executive 

officers, spend.” 

Vows to defend 

spending 

Abdullahi, however, 

vowed that both chambers 

of the National Assembly 

are ready at anytime to 

engage any group of 

people in the polity on its 

operations and spending, 

in line with the principles 

of accountability and 

transparency which the 

9th National Assembly 

stands for . 

“Each of the ministers 

moves in convoys of three 

to four utility vehicles 

without anybody raising 

any eyebrow, while some 

people who either as a 

result of ignorance or 

mischief, always cry to 

high heavens anytime 

management of the 

National Assembly wants 

to buy just one utility 

vehicle for a lawmaker on 

the template of 

monetisation,” he added. 

Medium Term 

Expenditure 

Framework 

The Senate Leader 

commended the executive 

for rolling out the 2020- 

2022 Medium Term 

Expenditure Framework, 

MTEF, and Fiscal 

Strategy Paper, FSP, the 

basis upon which the 2020 

budget proposals will be 

presented next month by 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to move the yearly 

budgetary cycle from 

May/June from its current 

January to December 

calendar every year. 

Questions for 

NASS, by SERAP 

Reacting to the Senate 

claim last night, Deputy 

Director of SERAP, 

Kolawole Oluwadare, 

said: "To be absolutely 

clear, no one is saying that 

the lawmakers are not 

entitled to cars but the 

critical questions for the 

Senate to answer are: Are 

the luxury cars used by 

the 8th Senate 

unserviceable? 

“Can the senators afford 

to spend their own 

personal money to change 

cars every four years? Why 

is it that our senators won’t 

patronise made-in-Nigeria 

and cheaper cars, given the 

growing poverty in the 

country? 

“The Senate can’t justify 

the outrageous spending 

on the pretext that ministers 

and other public officials are 

also spending public funds 

on luxury cars. After all, two 

wrongs don’t make a right. 

“The Senate should lead 

by example in the prudent 

spending of public funds by 

immediately reversing its 

plan to purchase N5.5 

billion exotic cars for 

members. Doing so will be 

entirely consistent with 

senators’ constitutional 

oaths of office and Nigeria’s 

international obligations, 

including the UN 

convention against 

corruption, which the 

country has ratified.” 

It’s condemnable 

— CACOL 

Also reacting, yesterday, 

Debo Adeniran, Executive 

Chairman, Centre for Anticorruption 

and Open 

Leadeship, CACOL, said: 

“We must continue to 

denounce the Senate’s 

action because once we 

keep quiet, they like it and 

then go away believing 

that they have 

overwhelmed us. 

“It’s condemnable and 

totally unacceptable. 

Nigerian people must not 

surrender on this issue. We 

remain convinced that 

official corruption must be 

tackled frontally, if Nigeria 

must heave a sigh of relief 

and reverse itself from a 

seeming trip to economic 

and social perdition, hence, 

our total commitment and 

support for the war against 

the ogre of corruption, for 

the fight to achieve the set 

goals of the current federal 

government and to tally 

with the wishes of majority 

Nigerians.” 

It’s callous, 

primitive, 

insensitivity 

—Osuntokun 

Also, reacting, Mr. Akin 

Osuntokun, Political Adviser 

to former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo, 

described the action as 

callous, primitive and 

insensitivity. 

Osuntokun said: “True to 

type, it is a conspicuous 

recurring Nigerian 

pathology. Any elected 

group of Nigerians who can 

gather together to levy a 

decadent lifestyle bill (of this 

nature) on the Nigerian 

economy can only be 

regarded as enemies of this 

country. 

"It is bad enough that they 

are essentially contravening 

the monetisation law to 

purchase brand new cars for 

themselves. Worse still, is to 

go for the top of the range 

luxury vehicles in a country 

that is rated as the poverty 

capital of the world. 

“It is callous and primitive 

insensitivity of tens of 

millions of Nigerians who 

live on far less than a dollar 

a day." 

It's salt added to 

an existing wound 

—CDHR 

In his reaction, National 

President of Committee for 

the Defence of Human 

Right,CDHR, Malachy 

Ugwummadu, berated the 

red chamber for justifying 

the amount. 

He said: “The flip-side is 

that they should be 

obligated to specify in 

clear terms on what they 

are comparing. To leave 

Nigerians hanging in the 

air over certain figures 

does not work with some 

of us. 

“If it's not about 

productivity, consumption, 

the acquisation of vehicles 

has nothing to do with the 

creation of jobs, it has 

nothing to do with the 

quality and content of 

legislation in the red 

chamber. To shift back and 

say is the executive not 

stealing too is more 

infuriating and salt added 

to an existing wound."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019— 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

I am not the Queen of 

Afro-beat, Tiwa Savage 

declares! 

By Tolulope Abereoje 

Nigerian songstress, Tiwa Savage has declared that 

she’s not the queen of Afro-beat, saying “ It will be 

unfair to place that title on just one person as every 

other artiste is working hard to be the best at what they 

do.” 

The songstress made this declaration on Tuesday, at a 

press parley in Lagos. This is coming after the release of 

her Fela inspired Afro-beat single, 49-99, as fans across 

the various social media affirmed that the Queen of 

Afro-beat has finally emerged in the person of Tiwa 

Savage. 

“I’m flattered, I think it’s amazing that 

people will place that title on me but there 

are so many queens just like there are so 

many kings. You have to understand how 

hard we all work, you can’t limit it to one 

thing because Burna is doing his thing, 

Wizkid is also doing his own thing too. 

Davido, myself, Yemi Alade, Simi, 

everybody is working hard. And when you 

put the crown on one person, it makes it 

hard for us to do what we do. We’re blessed 

as Nigerians to have so many talented 

artistes and as such, we just have to celebrate 

everyone. We’re all kings and queens but 

there’s only one original king which is God. 

When asked if she has ever been on a molue 

bus as her song 49-99 projects and if she 

sees herself doing politics in the future, the 

mother of one said: “Politics is not my 

calling, so I’ll leave it to those that God has 

called to do politics. As for the molue bus, I 

haven’t been on one to be honest. I spent 

most of my youth in the UK but I still think 

that just because I haven’t entered it doesn’t 

mean I can’t empathize with people that 

have gone through it. I can’t pretend like 

such experience didn’t or doesn’t exist. The 

song is to shed more light on those that go 

through this everyday. But I can’t be a 

politician.” 

Defamation: Liz Anjorin petitions 

NDLEA, vows to get justice 

against Toyin Abraham 

By Juliet Ebirim 

The feud between Nollywood 

actresses Toyin Abraham and 

Lizzy Anjorin might not be ending 

soon as the latter has responded 

to Toyin Abraham’s lawsuit 

against her. 

Anjorin in a statement revealed 

that she has written a petition to 

the National Drug Law 

Enforcement Agency,NDLEA, to 

investigate the both of them, as she 

has been accused by Toyin of 

dealing in drugs. Meanwhile, Lizzy 

is of the opinion that Toyin has 

always being a cocaine user from 

•Lizzy 

Anjorin 

the post she made on Instagram. 

“You accused me of peddling drugs 

and left me with no option now than 

write a petition to NDLEA to 

investigate both of us for drug 

related offences. They must as a 

matter of fact test both of us for drugs 

and publish their outcome. You and 

I know you desperately need a high 

powered rehab before you can stop 

taking cocaine. And only God knows 

how many of your followers and 

fans you have initiated into these 

substance intake...Until I get justice 

I will never back down...” 

Also following Lizzy Anjorin’s 

claims that Toyin Abraham had her 

son, Ire in a trado house, the former 

has now 

released a full 

video showing 

how she 

actually 

delivered her 

son in Vedic 

lifecare 

•Toyin 

•Tiwa 

Savage 

hospital in 

Lekki. “ Toyin, 

it took you 10 

days after you 

gave birth 

b e f o r e 

announcing to 

the world. 

Why? You gave 

birth at a 

traditional 

birth attendant 

facility in 

Lagos but sold 

a lie that you 

gave birth 

abroad. 

You now 

hired a 

costumier to 

take photos for 

Instagram 

sake. 

•Chris 

Brown 

•2baba 

•Davido 

Chris Brown wants to be on 

my wedding train – Davido 


Ahead of the talk-of- the town wedding between 

Davido and his fiancee, Chioma billed for 2020, the 

Nigerian pop-star has revealed that popular American 

singer, Chris Brown might be on his train. 

The music star disclosed this via his Twitter page on 

Tuesday, September 17, 2019. 

“Chris say he wan Dey my train oooo ? Imagine Chris in 

attire !!!”he tweeted. 

Recall that last week, Davido finally gave Chioma the 

assurance he promised her. He proposed to Chioma in 

London on Thursday night, September 12, 2019, exactly 

ten days after the couple’s families had an introduction in 

Lagos, Nigeria. The music star took her out on a dinner 

date in an expensive restaurant in London, where he 

proposed to her. 

The DMW boss also revealed on his Instagram page 

that Chioma is pregnant and due for a baby soon. 

2Baba calls for 

peace as he marks 

44th birthday 


Legendary singer and songwriter, 

Innocent Idibia popularly known as 

2Baba has sent a message of peace to 

Nigerians to mark his 44th birthday. 

2Baba, in an Instagram message on 

Wednesday, called on the government and 

all citizens to “promote and guarantee 

peace”. 

The multiple award-winning singer said 

that as the “Ambassador of the Vote Not 

Fight: Election No Be War” campaign, he 

would be leading the effort to ensure 

violence-free elections in Kogi and 

Bayelsa States scheduled to hold on 

November 16. 

He said: “As I celebrate my birthday 

today, I call for peace across our dear 

country, Nigeria. Different forms of 

violence including electoral, banditry, 

herders and farmers conflicts, kidnapping 

and terrorism have and continue to snatch 

the lives of Nigeria’s citizens. 

“Let’s be clear, this is not a salvo to 

attack the government, I am not a 

politician but an artist and social rights 

crusader. I am calling on 

government (i.e. our political 

leadership, security services, 

etc.); and all citizens (i.e. 

artists, entrepreneurs, 

media, Okada riders, 

etc.) to do 

everything we 

can and must 

do to 

promote and 

guarantee 

peace. 

“As the 

November 16, 

2019, Kogi and 

B a y e l s a 

governorship 

elections 

approach, we 

must remember 

that the legitimacy of 

any government lies 

with its emergence 

from a peaceful, free, 

fair and credible 

election.” 

Drak 

ake to fly Nigerian 

student to his show 

for being a top fan 


A 

Nigerian student, David Jagun 

who is a fan of Canadian rapper, 

Drake got his wish of flying side by 

side with the latter granted as the 

rapper has decided to reward him 

and grant his wish. 

David Jagun shared some videos 

on Instagram in which he rapped to 

some hit songs by Drake and also 

attached his wish-list. 

“Mr Drake, All I Ask For Is To Fly 

At Ur Side On The Plane” David 

wrote in one of the posts. 

Drake seems to have noticed 

David’s show of love and loyalty and 

he decided to reward him by flying 

him out to one of his shows. 

The rapper shared a few of Jagun’s 

videos on his page as he revealed 

his intention. “I’m 

flying you to a show 

ASAP you going 

too hard... “ 

This is 

undoubtedly 

wonderful news 

for the David and 

the gesture has 

genrated positive 

reactions from 

Nigerians on social 

media. 

•Drake

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

74TH SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY —Special Adviser to the President on Women 

Affairs, Dr. Hajo Sani (left) presenting a plaque to the President, 74th Session of the UN General 

Assembly, Prof. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, while his spouse, Mrs. Muhammad-Bande (r) watched 

during a reception to mark the opening of the Session at the Indonesian Mission Hall, Manhattan, New 

York, Tuesday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida 

Knocks greet CBN’s order to 

charge fees on deposits 

•CBN’s policy'll defeat cashless policy, cripple banks’ lending power—Banks’ customers 

•CBN trying to kill economy with new deposit policy- Shareholders activists 

•Charging service fees on deposits ‘ll have disruptive effects — LCCI 

•CBN failed to gauge perception of public on bank charges — MD Indigo 

•Policy’ll disrupt mobile money operations — AMMAN 

By Peter Egwuatu, Nkiruka Nnorom, 

Princewill Ekwujuru, Naomi Uzor & 

Elizabeth Adegbesan 

LAGOS — There 

was uproar in the 

financial sector of 

the economy yesterday 

as stakeholders 

maintained that the 

Central Bank of 

Nigeria’s, CBN’s, recent 

mandate to banks to 

charge service fees for 

deposits will, among 

others, defeat cashless 

policy and kill the 

economy. 

The CBN in a circular, 

titled “Implementation 

of cashless policy” 

ordered Deposit Money 

Banks, DMBs, to 

commence collection of 

service fees on deposits 

from bank customers. 

The circular, signed by 

Director, Payment 

System Management, 

CBN, Sam Okojere 

stated: “Further to our 

circular ref BPS/DIR/ 

GEN/CIR/04/004, we 

write to inform all DMBs 

that the CBN has 

approved that charges on 

deposits shall apply in 

Lagos, Ogun, Kano, 

Abia, Anambra, Rivers 

states and FCT, in 

addition to already 

existing charges on 

withdrawals, effective 

September 18, 2019. 

“On individual account, 

withdrawal or lodgement 

limits above N500,000 

will attract a 3.0 per cent 

processing fees for 

withdrawals and 2.0 per 

cent processing fee for 

lodgements. 

“On corporate account, 

withdrawal or lodgement 

limits above N3 million 

will attract 5.0 per cent 

processing fee for 

withdrawals and 3.0 per 

cent processing fee for 

lodgement. 

“Nationwide 

implementation of the 

cashless policy will take 

effect from March 31, 

2020.” 

Time too short 

— LCCI 

Commenting on the 

development, Director- 

General, Lagos Chamber 

of Commerce and 

Industry, LCCI, Mr 

Muda Yusuf said: “The 

emphasis should be on 

discouraging cash 

transactions and 

withdrawals, which is 

more in consonance with 

the objective of the 

policy. 

“The latest circular by 

the CBN should have 

given a much longer 

notice to economic 

players. The notice 

given for the effective 

date is extremely short. 

The circular was dated 

September 17, while the 

effective date was 

September 18. This is 

just a notice of one day. 

“This would have short 

term disruptive effects. 

We implore the CBN to 

give at least two months 

to allow players in the 

economy to adequately 

prepare themselves. 

This is particularly so for 

investors who are major 

players in the retail 

segment of the economy. 

‘’It is difficult to justify 

the decision to penalize 

cash depositors. The 

emphasis should be on 

discouraging cash 

transactions and 

withdrawals, which is 

more in consonance with 

the objective of the 

policy. 

“The cashless policy is 

no doubt a commendable 

initiative which has 

impacted significantly 

on the Nigerian 

economy. However, the 

financial institutions 

should continuously 

strive to raise the level 

of confidence of citizens 

in the electronic 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja, Olayinka Latona, 

Chiamaka Uba & Onyeka Onyinye 

Delayed implementation of N30,000 minimum wage (1) 

The delay in 

implementation of 

the new national 

minimum wage is a 

serious issue. Generally, 

federal government 

tends to act slow and 

nonchalant when it 

comes to decisions that 

affect the masses. 

We just hope it would 

eventually be 

implemented because 

Nigerian workers are 

entitled to their wages. 

—Chijioke Chiwendu, 

Student. 

I 

don't think we 

should be surprised 

that the minimum wage 

has not been 

implemented yet. Our 

government really don’t 

prioritise enhancing the 

state of wellbeing of the 

citizens as much as they 

prioritise having the 

whole benefits to 

themselves. 

We can only be 

hopeful, because taking 

any step may even put 

one in further danger. 

—Faith Dolapo, 

Enterpreneur. 

I 

think the Federal 

Government has so 

far been magnanimous 

in agreeing to the 

increase without any 

threat of downsizing 

the workforce. I think 

the Labour Congress 

is the one extending 

the time frame because 

they have not been 

able to reach an 

agreement with the 

Federal Government. 

— I l o r i 

Oluwatobiloba, 

Analyst. 

It’s a pity that 

government is toying 

with Nigerian workers. I 

think the government is 

not ready to pay the 

minimum wage. 

Nigeria is rated the 

porverty capital of the 

world and yet, 

government has refused 

to implement minimum 

wage for Nigerian 

workers to lift millions of 

citizens out of poverty. 

This is really worrisome. 

— A d e b a y o 

Oluwabukolami, 

Literary Critic. 

The delay shows how 

the government 

cares about the workers. 

Though they blame the 

labour union for the 

delay, they could have 

gone ahead to pay the 

N30,000 while they sort 

out their issue with the 

labour union. 

Implementation should 

come first before talking 

about any other thing. 

—Philomena Ogburie, 

Researcher. 

I 

don’t think any 

responsible 

government would joke 

with the welfare of its 

people. The Federal 

Government should let us 

know why there is still 

delay in the 

implementation of the 

N30,000 minimum wage, 

which I believe would 

provide answers to the 

questions in the minds of 

many concerned 

Nigerians. 

—Ukah Loveth, 

Entrepreneur


Ekiti varsity student stabs boyfriend dead over N2,500 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI—TRAGEDY 

struck, Tuesday evening, 

in Iworoko Ekiti, Irepodun/ 

Ifelodun Local Government 

Area of Ekiti State, as a female 

student of the Ekiti State 

University, Ado-Ekiti, EKSU, 

identified as Bukola Odeyemi, 

stabbed her boyfriend, John 

Iju, to death. 

The incident, which evoked 

emotions among the 

Gunmen kill 

5 in Taraba 

By Femi Bolaji 

JALINGO—FIVE persons 

have been reportedly killed 

by gunmen in three different 

attacks, on Tuesday, in Wukari 

Local Government Area of 

Taraba State. 

The Council Chairman, 

Daniel Grace, who spoke to 

Vanguard, said six other 

persons also sustained 

injuries. 

Grace said: “The first attack 

was in Numa, where two 

people were killed in their 

farms and two others injured. 

“In Yoyina, a vehicle was 

ambushed, which resulted in 

the death of two persons, 

while two others were 

injured. 

“The third attack was in 

Toshan, where another 

vehicle was also attacked and 

one person shot dead, while 

two others were injured.” 

Contacted, spokesman of 

Taraba State Police command, 

DSP David Misal, said the 

Police could only confirm the 

death of three persons from 

two separate attacks. 

Misal said: “One person was 

killed when a bus coming from 

the East was attacked, while 

two other persons were killed 

in their farms.” 

By Evelyn Usman 

LAGOS—A 40-year-old man, 

Matthew Okezie, has been 

arrested for beating his former 

wife to death during an argument 

over the custody of their two 

children at the woman’s residence 

in Kuje, Amuwo Odofin Local 

Government Area of Lagos State. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

couple separated six years ago. 

The man, left with two of their 

children, leaving two others in the 

custody of his estranged wife, 

Abeni, 35. 

However, their eldest son, aged 

15 years, was said to have left his 

father’s house at Awoyaya, Ajah, 

accompanied by his younger 

sister, for their mother’s place, last 

week. 

inhabitants and students 

community in Iworoko, 

occurred at Treasure Base 

Hostel. 

Vanguard gathered that 20- 

year old Odeyemi is a 300 

Level student of the 

Department of Biology 

Education, while the 

deceased, who was 22, was 

also an EKSU student. 

An eyewitness said fracas 

broke out after the suspect 

demanded N2,500 from the 

ABUJA—SOME youths 

have frowned at popular 

deceased to braid her hair, 

which the victim had turned 

down. 

The source, who pleaded 

anonymity, said: “The refusal of 

the boyfriend to meet up with 

her demand resulted in a hot 

argument, which angered the 

lady and they started fighting. 

“During the fight, the 

deceased was said to have 

gained the upper hand. The 

lady then saw a knife on a tray, 

took it and stabbed the 

deceased in the chest. 

“He could not survive the 

deep cut. He fell on the floor 

with blood oozing out of his 

body. The people around there 

cried for help, but he died on 

the spot.” 

The deceased’s friends were 

said have rushed to the Police 

Station at Iworoko to report the 

case. 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer, Ekiti State Command, 

Caleb Ikechukwu, who 

confirmed the incident, told 

Vanguard that the suspect had 

been arrested. 

Ikechukwu said: “I can 

confirm the incident. We 

gathered that it was the refusal 

of the boy to give the lady 

N2,500 to make her hair that 

led to a hot argument and she 

stabbed the boy to death.” 

He added that investigation 

had been launched into the 

matter and the suspect would 

be charged to court. 

Youths declare war on popular cross-dresser, Bobrisky 

cross-dresser, Idris Ogunleye, 

popularly known as Bobrisky, 

and people of his ilk, saying 

they represent a high level of 

The protesing youths (above) and Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, 

NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe, addressing them (below). 

Man beats ex-wife to death over custody 

of children ‘maltreated by step-mother’ 

The children alleged that their 

step-mother was maltreating 

them. 

When their father got wind of 

their whereabouts, he stormed 

Abeni’s house on Tuesday night 

to take them back. 

However, the children, 

according to eyewitnesses, 

pleaded in tears to be allowed to 

stay with their mother. Infuriated, 

Okezie was said to have beaten 

the children and attempted to 

forcefully take them away. 

In the process, their mother rose 

to their defence, insisting that the 

children should be allowed to stay 

with her. This resulted in a 

quarrel, which degenerated into 

a fight. 

In the process, Okezie 

allegedly hit his estranged wife 

Matthew Okezie 

in the chest, causing her to slump. 

She was rushed to an 

undisclosed hospital, where she 

died yesterday. 

Lagos State Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Elkana 

Bala, who confirmed the incident, 

disclosed that the suspect’s 

younger sister, Sarah, was also 

arrested for complicity in the 

matter. 

DSP Bala said: “One of the 

children reported to the Police at 

about 9p.m. on Tuesday that her 

father had beaten their mother to 

stupor. Consequently, policemen 

at Satellite Division rushed to the 

scene and apprehended the man, 

while the woman was rushed to 

the hospital. 

“But she died today (yesterday). 

The man will be transferred to the 

State Criminal Investigations and 

Intelligence Department, SCIID, 

for further investigation, from 

where he would be charged to 

court. 

moral decadence. 

The youths, on the platform 

of the National Youths Council 

of Nigeria, NYCN, staged a 

mass protest in Abuja 

yesterday, expressing their 

displeasure over Bobrisky and 

his activities. 

The protest featured youths 

coordinated by the Youth 

Council following a consistent 

campaign by the National 

Council for Arts and Culture, 

NCAC, to address the issue of 

public nudity, homosexual 

practices and other related 

activities that offend the 

cultural values of Nigeria, 

carrying placards with 

inscriptions condemning the 

negative culture promoted by 

Bobrisky and his likes. 

NCAC boss 

Addressing the aggrieved 

youths, Director-General of 

NCAC, Otunba Segun 

Runsewe, commended them 

for taking a stand against the 

vices promoted by Bobrisky. 

Runsewe said Nigeria’s 

respected cultural values must 

not be eroded by unguided 

people like Bobrisky, saying 

his council is working to 

redirect the negative trend. 

Earlier, the Vice President, 

North Central, NYCN, 

Mukhtar, described LGBT as 

ungodly, unhealthy and 

disgusting, noting that what 

Bobrisky and his likes are 

promoting is completely 

against the country’s moral, 

cultural and spiritual values. 

Mukhtar 

said: 

“Consequently, NYCN 

today(yesterday) declare 

Bobrisky as persona non 

grata, as he is a man (not a 

woman). For national interest, 

we call on the ever conscious, 

ever ready, combatant Nigeria 

youths and comrades of like 

minds to without fear or favour 

kick out Bobrisky and his likes 

wherever they come across 

them. 

“Nigeria is not a place for 

LGBT and we shall fight this 

to the end.” 

The NYCN called on the 

Inspector-General of Police 

and the Director-General of 

the Department of State 

Service, DSS, to use their good 

offices and their men to stop 

the likes of Bobrisky from 

rubbishing the country’s pride 

and image.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019—7 

Thugs vandalise Uyo King’s 

College over land tussle 

By Harris Emmanuel 

UYO—THE authorities of 

King’s College, Uyo, have 

suspended the resumption date 

for the new academic session 

following the invasion of the 

school by thugs allegedly working 

for a politician over land issue. 

When Vanguard visited the 

school, aluminum glasses, 

window panes, chairs, doors and 

the school band, among others, 

where destroyed. 

Worried by the attack, the 

Village Head of Ikot Udoro Uko, 

Chief Effiong Udo Ikpe, pledged 

to wade into the lingering crisis 

between the community and the 

management of Kings College, 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—BULLDOZERS 

from the Ministry of Physical 

Planning and Urban 

Development in Ondo State, 

yesterday, pulled down illegal 

shops, drinking joints and 

relaxation centres situated at the 

Government Reserve Area, GRA, 

in Alagbaka, Akure. 

Owners of the structures, who 

gathered in groups to count their 

losses, lamented government’s 

demolition of their only sources 

of livelihood. 

Officials of the ministry, who 

carried out the exercise, justified 

their action. 

They said aside the fact that 

such illegal structures were not 

approved for the GRA, people 

with criminal tendencies now 

hide and perpetrate dastardly 

acts in the places. 

Structures demolished 

include boutiques, saloons, 

barbershop, relaxation centre, 

restaurants and car wash. 

Some of the victims said their 

shops were looted and that no 

prior notice was given by the 

ministry that they should vacate 

Uyo. 

According to him, a senior staff 

of the college, accompanied by 

some police personnel from the 

state Police Command informed 

him of the development which he 

suspected was carried out as a 

reprisal attack over an age-long 

land dispute between the school 

and some members of the 

community. 

Proprietor of the College, 

Professor Prince Bassey, decried 

the incessant attacks and 

encroachment on the school by 

land speculators. 

Professor Bassey said: “The 

school has, over the years, been 

exposed to various degrees of 

attack from members of the 

the area. 

Some of the shop owners, 

including Olawale 

Ebimotigha, Akin Oriku and 

others pleaded with 

government to assist them to 

earn a living and feed their 

families. 

The Commissioner for 

Physical Planning and Urban 

Development, Mr. Rasheed 

Badmus, in his reaction, said: 

community, but the law 

enforcement agents have not 

effected any arrest. 

“This matter was reported to the 

Police in February, when we 

realised that the school land had 

finally been sold to a politician 

working for the state government. 

“You can see the degree of the 

damages by the thugs and 

because of this, we had to shift 

the resumption date and asked 

the students to return home 

because the place is not safe. 

“We appeal to the state 

government to take necessary 

steps on the matter, because the 

actions of the community have 

obstructed educational activities 

in the school.” 

Property owners count losses, as Ondo 

govt demolishes illegal structures 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT—THE 

Rivers State Police 

Command, yesterday, arrested a 

suspected killer and rescued a 

young woman, who was almost 

strangled in a Port Harcourt hotel. 

The incident, a source said, 

happened around Mile 4 area of 

Obio/Akpor Local Government 

Area of Port Harcourt. 

It was gathered that the man 

had lodged the young lady, 

whose names was not disclosed 

at press time, in Nsirim Hotel, 

and was trying to choke her to 

death when the lady’s screams 

alerted the hotel management. 

State Police Commissioner, Mr. 

Mustapha Dandaura, hinted this 

while addressing over 75 women 

groups that protested the killings 

Some of the demolished structures. 

of women in the state. 

It was learned that the woman 

had slept off, but woke up 

suddenly at midnight and 

observed that the man had carried 

a pillow to suffocate her. 

A source in the area said: “The 

woman went into the hotel on 

the man’s invitation and at 

night when she slept off, the 

man tried to kill her with a 

pillow. She was lucky to have 

woken up as the man tried to 

press her down. 

“The woman immediately 

began to shout and the people 

in the hotel called the Police, 

who raced to the place and forced 

the door open. The Police 

eventually rescued the woman 

and arrested the man.” 

Speaking further on the 

development, the State Police 

“The ministry acted on a tip-off 

that the GRA now harboured 

criminals, who hide in the joints 

to perpetrate crimes in the 

metropolis. 

“The shop owners had been 

served quit notice, but they 

refused to comply, hence the 

government’s action. The state 

government would not condone 

any act of lawlessness capable 

of putting the state in jeopardy.” 

Woman escapes from killer in Port Harcourt hotel 

Public Relations Officer, Mr. 

Nnamdi Omoni, said the suspect 

had been taken to the State 

Criminal Investigation 

Department of the Police 

Command. 

Omoni said: “The young 

woman escaped because she was 

able to raise the alarm at about 

2a.m. She was sleeping when she 

suddenly woke up and saw the 

man, who brought her to the 

hotel, charging at her. 

“She was almost dying when 

the man tried to strangle her. 

The man was arrested by our 

men. He is from Akwa Ibom and 

a builder. 

“He told us he is a school 

dropout. The people in the hotel 

called the Police, who rushed to 

the place, rescued the young 

woman and arrested the man.” 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Please, who can 

define “see finish”? 

What's wrong with our 

bachelors? Rats taking 

their place? Next level? 

Aunty Merchant, I hope you are not 

keeping cats for company now? 

Daniel! What are you 

smoking in the lion's den?


MEETING: From 

left, Vice 

President, World 

Bank for Africa, 

Mr. Hafez 

Ghanem; 

International 

Finance 

Corporation, 

IFC's Vice 

President for 

Middle East and 

Africa, Mr. Sergio 

Pimenta, and ice 

President Yemi 

Osinbajo, during 

a meeting at the 

Presidential Villa, 

Abuja. Photo: NAN. 

Xenophobic attacks: Reps want national 

honours for Air Peace MD, Onyema 

•As mission denies collecting 500 rand from returnees 

By: Victoria 

Ojeme & Tordue 

Salem 

THE House of 

Representatives, 

yesterday, made a 

resounding call on the 

Federal Government to 

bestow national honours on 

Managing Director of Air 

Peace, Mr. Allen Onyeama, 

for evacuating Nigerian 

victims of xenophobic attacks 

in South Africa home at no 

cost. 

The House made the call 

after admitting him into the 

Chamber at 11:30am, a rare 

privilege traditionally 

reserved by parliament for 

high profile and eminent 

persons. 

This came on a day 

Nigeria’s Consul-General in 

Johannesburg, South Africa, 

Mr Godwin Adama, 

dismissed insinuations that 

Nigerian Consulate officials 

were collecting 500 rand to 

process Nigerian passengers 

on Air Peace flight. 

Speaker of the green 

chamber, Mr Femi 

Gbajabiamila, who made the 

call on behalf of the House, 

showered encomiums on 

Onyema. 

He said: “Hardly do we 

admit people other than 

members into the chambers 

of the House of 

Representatives, but in 

recognition of his efforts, 

regarding the humanity of 

our brothers and sisters in 

South Africa, we moved 

yesterday to admit our 

brother, Oscar Allen Onyema, 

into the chambers. 

“Onyema is a businessman 

like every other businessman, 

but has deployed at no cost 

his planes to bring back our 

brothers and sisters who have 

faced imminent danger in 

South Africa. 

‘’For these patriotic efforts, 

we recommend him to the 

Federal Government for 

higher honours. On behalf of 

the people’s House, I 

commend you for your 

commitment and patriotism 

and I call on all other 

Nigerians to emulate this 

selfless gesture you have 

exhibited,” Gbajabiamila 

said, amid loud applause 

from members. 

At 11: 45 am, the speaker 

beckoned on Onyema to 

mount the podium and 

address the House. 

Decked in coffee-brown 

kaftan, with a red traditional 

cap and red pocket square to 

match, Onyema drew 

intermittent applause, as he 

appreciated the House for the 

honour done him and called 

for the unity of all ethnic 

groups in the country. 

He said: “You have drawn 

tears to my eyes again; I have 

never been so honoured in 

my life. Even if I had not been 

invited to the chambers today, 

I would have still been 

honoured by your earlier 

calls. 

"I know the business 

implication of what I have 

done, but I don’t give a 

damn, as long as my 

compatriots are saved. I have 

not been given a dime for my 

efforts, but I’m satisfied to 

have done what I did.’’ 

Onyema called on 

Nigerians to use the occasion 

to foster the unity of “all ethnic 

groups in Nigeria, be they 

Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Tiv, 

Igalla or Fulani.” 

Noting that his efforts had 

brought great recognition to 

Nigeria, the Air Peace boss 

said: “The evacuation 

couldn’t have been possible 

without efforts of the Nigerian 

Mission in South Africa.’’ 

He also told the House that 

“xenophobia will die a 

natural death soon in South 

Africa, because of the 

evacuation.’’ 

Mission denies 

collecting 500 rand 

from returnees 

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 

Consul-General in 

Johannesburg, South Africa, 

Mr Godwin Adama, has 

dismissed information that 

Nigerian Consulate officials 

were collecting 500 rand to 

process evacuees on Air 

Peace flight back home. 

Adama spoke in a 

telephone interview with 

Vanguard yesterday, against 

the background of a video, 

which alleged that officials 

collected bribe from returnees 

on Air Peace flight to be 

airlifted. 

He described the 

information as misleading, 

saying it was a ploy by some 

people to frustrate the 

evacuation process. 

Adama said: “The 

missions work with Nigerian 

Citizens Association South 

Africa. The same people sent 

notice to Nigerians from 

across the provinces to pack 

their luggage and go the 

consulate to travel the same 

day. 

“This created serious 

logistics challenges and I had 

to accommodate all the 

women with children. 

Everything has gone on well 

so far, despite attempts by 

this group of discredited 

individuals.” 

President of Nigeria 

Citizens Association, 

NICASA, South Africa, Ben 

Okoli, also corroborated the 

consul-general’s claim, 

stressing that the report was 

untrue. 

According to him, the 

information is coming from 

mischief makers who do not 

want to see anything good 

from Nigerians. 

Reps okay establishment of cancer prevention 

centre 

By Tordue Salem 

ABUJA—A Bill for an Act 

to establish a centre for 

cancer prevention and other 

related matters scaled second 

reading in the House of 

Representatives, yesterday. 

The bill, sponsored by Ossai 

Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta), 

was passed at a plenary 

presided over by the Speaker, 

Femi Gbajabiamila. 

The essence of the bill, 

according to Ossai, is to 

“provide a platform for 

information gathering on the 

mortality rate of cancer 

disease and a basis for 

compilation of statistical 

record of incidence of cancer 

in the country.” 

It is also expected to 

“provide a direction of cancer 

survival studies and research 

programme and information 

on the personal, clinical and 

pathological characteristic of 

cancer in Nigeria.” 

Similarly, the centre will 

provide vital statistics on the 

type of cancer seen in that 

environment, including the 

topography, age and sex 

distribution, and possibly 

typical outcomes for affected 

individuals. 

Leading debate on the 

general principles of the bill, 

Ossai disclosed that Nigeria 

currently records an 

estimated 102,000 new cases 

of cancer annually, out of 

which about 80,000 die. 

He observed that breast and 

cervical cancer remained the 

two most common types of 

cancer responsible for 

approximately 50.3 percent of 

all cancer cases in Nigeria. 

The lawmaker noted that as 

a result of the recent negative 

consequences of cancer 

disease in Nigeria, the 

Federal Ministry of Health in 

2009, collaborated with 

Society of Oncology and 

Cancer Research of Nigeria 

and the Institute of Human 

Virology of Nigeria, which led 

to the formation of Nigeria 

National System of Cancer 

Registration. 

He said since inception, the 

Nigeria National System of 

Cancer Registration had been 

able to revive national 

consciousness in cancer 

registration. 

NLC to FG: Make history, 

sign treaty on prohibition 

of nuclear weapons 

By Victor Young 

NIGERIA 

Labour 

Congress, NLC, has 

urged the Federal 

Government to make history 

by signing or submitting 

instrument of ratification of the 

Treaty on Prohibition of 

Nuclear Weapons, TPNW, on 

September 26, 2019, in New 

York. 

A high-level ceremony for 

signatures and for the treaty 

will be held during leaders’ 

week on September 26, 2019, 

at the United Nations General 

Assembly. 

All governments across the 

globe have been invited to 

participate at the ceremony by 

the co-sponsoring 

governments of Austria, Brazil, 

Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, 

New Zealand, Nigeria, South 

Africa and Thailand. 

President of NLC, Ayuba 

Wabba, in a letter to the 

Minister of Foreign Affairs, 

dated September 13, 2019, 

noted that the signing would 

complement the Non- 

Proliferation Treaty, NPT, and 

offer the best hope of moving 

from a world with nearly 

14,000 nuclear weapons to 

zero nuclear weapons. 

Wabba said: "Today, nuclear 

arsenals are being 

modernised and new nuclear 

CJN swears in 38 new 

SANs, Monday, as S-Court 

marks new legal year 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—CHIEF Justice 

of Nigeria, CJN, Justice 

Tanko Muhammad, will on 

Monday, swear-in 38 new 

Senior Advocates of Nigeria, 

SANs. 

Director, Press and 

Information at the Supreme 

Court, Dr. Akande Festus, in 

a statement, yesterday, said 

the swearing-in ceremony 

was part of programmes 

lined up to herald the 2019/ 

2020 legal year of the court. 

The Supreme Court had 

on July 29, commenced its 

annual vacation, even 

though some justices 

remained on duty to attend 

to political matters that are 

time bound. 

“As customary, during such 

programmes, the 

Honourable Chief Justice of 

Nigeria will deliver a stateof-the 

Judiciary address, 

which is ostensibly to 

highlight the performance of 

the Supreme Court, and by 

extension, the Nigerian 

judiciary in the outgoing 

2018/2019 legal year,” 

Akande stated. 

It will be recalled that of 

the 117 legal practitioners 

that applied for the SAN 

rank this year, only 38 

succeeded at the end of a 

rigorous screening exercise. 

Out of the successful 

applicants, three are 

academics, while 35 are 

advocates. 

weapons are being 

developed. For the coming 

years, it is estimated that 

governments will spend over 

$100 billion annually on 

nuclear weapons. 

"At the same time, the 

world’s fragile arms control 

architecture built over five 

decades is collapsing. In light 

of the heightened tensions 

among nuclear-armed states, 

it is more important than ever 

that world leaders speak out 

against nuclear weapons and 

work together to strengthen 

international legal norms 

against their use, 

development, and retention 

by any state. 

“Trade unions are 

committed to a world free of 

weapons of mass destruction 

and to general disarmament, 

as the maintenance and 

strengthening of peace is a 

precondition for economic 

progress and social justice. 

"In addition to the immediate 

threat that nuclear weapons 

represent to the existence of 

humankind, the enormous 

cost of a renewed nuclear 

arms race is a shameful waste 

of precious human, natural 

and capital resources that 

should be redirected to reverse 

climate change, eliminate 

poverty and address other 

social and economic needs." 

The Legal Practitioners’ 

Privileges Committee, 

LPPC, had on July 5, 

disclosed identities of the 38 

lawyers that were conferred 

the SAN rank. 

Among the new silks are 

the Solicitor-General of the 

Federation, Mr. Dayo 

Apata, and Lagos-based 

human rights activist, Mr. 

Ebun-olu Adegboruwa. 

Others are wife of a Justice 

of the Supreme Court, Mrs. 

Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, 

Abdullahi Haruna, Manga 

Nuruddeen, John 

Onuegbulam Asoluka, 

Adedokun Makinde, Daniel 

Enwelum, Emmanuel 

Oyebanji, Tuduru Ede, 

Abdul Ajana, Ama Etuwewe 

and Oladipo Olasope. 

The rest are Leslie 

Nylander, Olusegun 

Fowowe, Andrew Hutton, 

Olukayode Enitan, Paul 

Ogbole, Olaniyi Olopade, 

Samuel Agweh, Olusegun 

Jolaawo, Prof. Alhponsus 

Alubo, Ayo Asala, Abiodun 

Olatunji, Olumide Aju, 

Chimezie Ihekweazu, Prof. 

Mamman Lawan, Prof. 

Uchefula Chukwumaeze, 

Usman Sule, Safiya 

Badamasi, Echezona Etiaba, 

Godwin Omoaka, Emeka 

Ozoani, Alexander 

Ejesieme, Jephthah 

Njikonye, Aihkunegbe 

Malik, Alhassan Umar and 

Oyetola Atoyebi. 

While four women applied, 

only two made the list.


:Vanguard 

News 

XENOPHOBIA: Sanwo-Olu 

disburses N6.3m to 315 South 

African returnees 

...as FG rallies state governors 

for assistance 

By Monsuru 

Oloopejo 

L 

A 

G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, yesterday, 

disbursed N6.3 million 

to 314 Nigerians, who 

returned from South 

Africa, yesterday. 

Sanwo-Olu said each 

of the returnees would 

be given N20,000 to 

assist them in settling 

down in the country. 

The governor, who was 

represented by his 

Senior Special Assistant 

on Disapora, Jermaine 

Sanwo-Olu, handed 

over the funds to the 

returnees at the Murtala 

Muhammad Airport, 

Ikeja. 

He stressed that aside 

from the funds, they 

would be employed 

through the Lagos State 

Employment Trust Fund, 

LSETF to acquire skills 

that would “assist them 

get on with their lives”. 

Earlier, the Chairman, 

Diaspora Commission, 

Mrs. Abike Dabiri- 

Erewa, disclosed that the 

Federal Government had 

concluded plans to rally 

governors to assist the 

returnees 

in 

reintegrating better into 

the society. 

“The good thing is that 

they are back home to 

where they can get the 

best care. 

“The Bank Of Industry, 

BOI will be giving them 

soft loans, aside the 

N20,000 cash they will 

be receiving from Lagos 

State government. 

“Going forward, we 

have decided to rally the 

state governments to 

support them. And that 

is why we have started 

profiling them according 

to their state. 

“During the first batch, 

we had about 30 from 

Ogun State and 28 from 

Imo State. After about 

two weeks, we will get 

back to them as follow 

up,” she added. 

Abike-Dabiri hinted 

that the children of the 

returnees would be 

offered scholarship to 

assist them have better 

education. 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

We’re democratising poverty instead of 

hope, Fayemi tells political elites 

....Calls for urgent improvement in Nigeria’s body politics 

By Henry Umoru 

A BUJA—CHAIRMAN, 

Nigeria Governors’ 

Forum, NGF, and governor 

of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode 

Fayemi, has taken a swipe 

at the entire political class 

and elite in the country. 


political elite has so far 

democratized poverty, 

instead of democratizing 

hope. 

He said if Nigeria’s 

democracy must be fully 

sustained, there was urgent 

need for a holistic and 

radical improvement in the 

nation’s body politics. 

Fayemi also called on the 

political elite to, as a matter 

of urgency, cultivate the 

habit of imbibing and 

internalizing democracy as 

a culture or continue to 

incur the wrath of the 

people. 

The NGF chairman spoke 

as guest speaker at the 2019 

lecture of Executive Course 

41 at the National Institute 

of Policy and Strategic 

Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Jos 

Plateau State. 

Fayemi said: “Until our 

democratization process 

becomes an everyday 

culture, it would continue 

to be met with a dissonant 

disposition among the 

people generally.” 

Fayemi, who spoke on 

the topic, “Twenty Years of 

Democracy: Looking 

backward, moving forward, 

said though there was 

course to assess the nation’s 

democracy with some 

trepidation and anxiety 

because the journey had 

exerted sweat and blood 

from all Nigerians, a lot 

more needed to be done. 

On what he intended to 

leave behind as his legacy 

after his term as chairman 

of the NGF, Fayemi said he 

would rebrand the image 

of governors before the 

Nigerian population. 

He decried the low 

enrollment in schools 

nationwide, both of which 

he promised to work hard 

to mitigate. 

He underscored the 

important role education 

plays in the future of the 

country. 

In a statement yesterday 

by NGF Head of Media 

Second batch of 350 Nigerians return from South Africa 

By Lawal 

Mikairu & Bose 

Adelaja 

LAGOS—THE second 

batch of 350 Nigerians 

who have been victims of 

Xenophobic attack in South 

Africa yesterday returned to 

Nigeria aboard Air Peace 

airline. The plane touched 

down at the Cargo section 

of the Muritala 

Muhammed International 

Airport, Lagos at about 7.30 

pm with the airport security 

personnel, led by the 

Nigeria Immigration 

Service, waiting to check 

and profile the returnees. 

The plane flew by the 

airline chief pilot, Captain 

Charles Egonu had to 

depart Nigeria late Tuesday 

night after the South Africa 

authorities initially refused 

to grant the aircraft landing 

permit. The aircraft finally 

landed around 6am 

Nigerian time at OR Tambo 

International Airport, 

Johannesburg, early 

yesterday, and about more 

than 350 Nigerians were 

already waiting to be 

airlifted. 

The South Africa 

Immigration officials started 

their usual antics again 

even after most of the 

returnees had boarded. 

The aircraft was finally 

allowed to depart for 

Nigeria around 2pm 

Nigeria time. 

Recall that after the 

frustrating antics of South 

African authorities, the first 

batch of 188 Nigerians 

finally returned last 

Wednesday aboard the 

same Air Peace plane, 

following incessant 

xenophobic attacks on 

Nigerians and other 

foreigners in that country. 

Speaking with 

Vanguard, one of the 

returnees, who identified 

himself as Mr Samson Ojo 

said he had almost lost 

hope of returning to 

Nigeria when he could not 

make the first batch of 187 

Nigerians that returned 

penultimate Wednesday. 

He said the antics of South 

Africa officials at the 

Johannesburg Airport was 

better imagined than 

experienced. 

He said : “My brother, I 

am so happy to be back to 

my country. I lost 

everything I have labored 

for these past Eight years 

in South Africa. My shop, 

where I repair and sell 

phone accessories was 

looted before it was set 

ablaze by the vandals who 

call themselves South 

Africans. I pleaded with the 

first few that entered the 

and Public Affairs, 

Abdulrazaque Bello- 

Barkindo, Fayemi also 

touched on security, 

explaining that, it was not 

just the elite that should 

carry the can for insecurity 

in the country, but all 

Nigerians. 

The statement read: “The 

participants had put Dr 

Kayode’s foot to fire with 

their engaging questions, 

GRASS-CUTTING SCANDAL: EFCC seeks to 

tender evidence extracted from telephone 

ABUJA—JUSTICE Jude 

Okeke of the Federal 

Capital Territory, FCT, High 

Court, Maitama, yesterday 

heard how evidence linking 

the company used by the 

former Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, Babachir Lawal, 

to allegedly defraud the 

federal government to the 

tune of N500 million was 

extracted from a telephone. 

Lawal and his younger 

brother, Hamidu David 

Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, 

Apeh John alongside two 

companies, Rholavision 

shop to allow me take some 

valuables before the whole 

plaza where my shop is 

located was invaded by the 

South Africans.” 

“I had to run for my dear 

life. It is a terrible 

experience. I am a graduate 

and I hope I will be able to 

pick the pieces of my life 

together, here again in 

Nigeria." 

Engineering (fifth 

defendant) and Josmon 

Technologies (sixth 

defendant), are facing 

prosecution by the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, on an amended 10- 

count charge bordering on 

fraud, diversion of funds 

and criminal conspiracy to 

the tune of over N500 

million. 

One of the charges read: 

“That you Engineer 

Babachir David Lawal, 

while being the Secretary 

to the Government of the 

V I S I T — 

Managing 

Director, 

Nigerian 

P o r t s 

Authority, 

Hadiza Bala- 

Usman (left), 

presenting a 

plaque to the 

Executive 

Secretary, 

Nigerian 

C o n t e n t 

Development 

a n d 

Monitoring 

Board, Mr. 

S i m b i 

W a b o d e , 

during the 

l a t t e r ’ s 

courtesy visit 

to NPA's 

Corporate 

Headquarters 

in Lagos. 

Photo: NAN. 

delving into how 

governors see themselves, 

why successive 

governments jettison or 

totally discard their 

predecessors’ programmes 

and why policies are not 

institutionalized. 

“When it was time to 

respond, the NGF 

chairman fired from all 

cylinders." 

Oyo Ita, HOS, sent on 

indefinite leave 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari 

has approved the 

appointment of Dr. 

Folashade Yemi-Esan as 

the Acting Head of the Civil 

Service of the Federation 

with immediate effect. 

Dr. Yemi-Esan, who is the 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources takes over from 

Mrs. Winifred Ekanem 

Oyo-Ita, who had been 

directed to proceed on an 

indefinite leave to allow 

conclusion of the 

investigation being carried 

out by the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Federation, SGF, and a 

director of Rholavision 

Engineering Ltd., on or 

about the 22nd of August 

2016 at Abuja, in the Abuja 

judicial division of the High 

Court of the Federal Capital 

Territory, did knowingly 

hold indirectly private 

interest in the contract 

awarded to Josmon 

Technological Limited, but 

executed by Rholavision 

Engineering Limited for the 

removal of invasive plant 

species and simplified 

irrigation to the tune of 

N258,132,735.99." 

Commission. 

This was contained in a 

statement issued last night 

by Willie Bassey, Director 

Information in the Office of 

the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation. 

The statement, titled 

“Stabilization of the Federal 

Civil Service”, read: “The 

President has also approved 

the extension of the tenure 

of seven retiring Permanent 

Secretaries for a period of 

one calendar year with effect 

from October 1, 2019, to 

ensure stability in the Federal 

Civil Service and effective 

delivery on the nine priority 

areas of the administration as 

well as the mandates given 

to the new ministers. 

‘’The affected Permanent 

Secretaries are: Mrs. 

Georgina Ehuriah, Ministry 

of Interior; Mrs. Ifeoma I. 

Anagbogu, Federal Ministry 

of Women Affairs; Mrs. 

Grace Gekpe, Federal 

Ministry of Information & 

Culture; Dr. Umar M. Bello, 

Federal Ministry of 

Agriculture & Rural 

Development; Suleiman 

Mustapha Lawal, Ministry of 

Foreign Affairs; Mrs. 

Comfort C. Ekaro, Federal 

Ministry of Water Resources; 

and, Mr. Olusegun A. 

Adekunle, General Services 

Office (Office of the Secretary 

to the Government of the 

Federation)."

10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

Ogun commences 

low-cost housing scheme 

AOgun 

BEOKUTA—THE 

State 

Government has 

commenced the 

construction of low-cost 

mass houses in Abeokuta 

and other parts of the State 

to provide decent 

accommodation to the 

people at affordable prices. 

The houses, when 

completed, will cost about 

N4 million each, according 

to Governor Dapo Abiodun. 

Speaking at the 

Thanksgiving and Praise 

Worship to mark his victory 

at the Governorship Election 

Tribunal, held at the- 

June 12 Cultural Centre, 

Kuto, Abeokuta, the governor 

noted that the project 

was embarked upon to address 

the housing deficit in 

the state. 

The governor, who 

described shelter as one of 

the basic needs of man, said: 

“I have told our people that 

the houses should not be 

more than N4 million each. 

This is to enable people to 

have access to them.” 

Abiodun, who used the 

occasion to intimate the 

people of his stewardship 

in the last 100 days, said 

apart from reconstituting 

the State Security Trust 

Fund and handing over its 

management to the right 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State Government, 

yesterday, disclosed that it 

plans to float bonds, seek 

internal and external loans 

to fund projects in the 2020 

budget. 

The state government 

also promised to fast-track 

the completion of some 

projects through Public 

Private Partnership, PPP. 

Commissioner for Economic 

Planning and Budget, 

Sam Egube, said this at 

the 2020 budget consultative 

forum, held in Ikorodu 

for residents of Lagos East 

Senatorial districts. 

Egube said: “We will 

match the citizens’ 

demands with the 

resources we can generate. 

It is the shortfall that we will 

be considering to fund 

combination of people, 100 

patrol vans, 200 motorbikes 

were purchased with a 

helicopter from the Federal 

Government to deal with 

security challenges in the 

State. 

The governor disclosed 

further that agreement for 

the rehabilitation of Ijebu- 

Ode-Epe road would soon 

be signed, while Ogun and 

Lagos states have jointly 

sought for the handing over 

of the Abeokuta-Ifo-Ota and 

Sagamu- Ikorodu road by 

the Federal Government for 

reconstruction, adding that 

this would boost business 

activities in the axis. 

He said his administration 

has commenced the 

rehabilitation of rural and 

township roads, 

rehabilitation of 236 primary 

schools and health centres to 

provide quality education 

and health services to the 

people, pledging that all 

communities in the State 

would feel the impact of his 

administration. 

Prince Abiodun, who 

reiterated that his 

administration would not 

involve itself in needless 

vendetta, said some of the 

models schools inherited 

from the previous 

administration would be put 

to other use. 

LASG targets bonds, borrowings 

to execute 2020 budget 

through bonds and 

borrowings. 

“Aside from that option, 

we will be expanding the 

tax net rather than increase 

it. We believe through this, 

we will be able to get more 

revenue to finance the 

budget but unfortunately, 

700, 000 residents pay their 

taxes in the state.” 

The commissioner, who 

was represented by the 

Special Adviser to the 

Governor on Economic 

Planning and Budget, 

Adebayo Sodade, noted 

that the Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu-led administration was 

considering the measure in 

the interest of the residents. 

While stating that the 

2020 budget is of 

importance, Egube said: 

“The present population of 

Lagos is now 27 million. 

And by next year, the 

population of Lagos should 

be increasing to 29 million.” 

VISIT: From left: Commander, 9 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. M.A Etsu-Ndagi; GOC 81 Division. Nigeria 

Army, Maj.-Gen. Olu Irefin; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Deputy Governor, Dr 

Obafemi Hamzat, during the visit of the GOC to the governor in Lagos yesterday. 

Police lay siege to CDHR premises, 

venue of pro-Sowore protest 

By Evelyn Usman 

with Agency Report 

LAGOS—ABOUT 50 

policemen in 10 

trucks, yesterday, 

surrounded the premises of 

the Committee for the 

Defence of Human Rights, 

CDHR, in Adeniyi Jones 

area of Ikeja in Lagos. 

This came on a day 

Policemen and soldiers 

blocked the office of an 

online platform, 

SaharaReporters, in Lagos 

State. 

A protest demanding the 

release of Omoyele Sowore 

was scheduled to take place 

at the venue at 10am 

yesterday. 

Sowore, candidate of the 

African Action Congress, 

AAC, in the last 

presidential election, 

has been detained since 

August by the 

Department of State 

Services, DSS, who accused 

him of threatening public 

peace with the 

#RevolutionNow protest. 

A CDHR official, who 

pleaded for anonymity 

told TheCable that the 

security operatives cordoned 

off the premises 

since 7 am. 

The source said: “We 

didn’t invite them. This is 

just a peaceful protest and 

Harassment of law abiding citizens can’t 

be tolerated — FALANA 

By Prince Okafor 

Lrights AGOS—HUMAN 

activist, Mr. 

Femi Falana, SAN, 

yesterday, berated the 

Nigeria Police for invading 

the Committee of the 

Defence of Human Rights, 

CDHR, secretariat and 

sealing the office of 

SaharaReporters’ office in 

Lagos. 

This is in line with the 

continuous detaining of the 

publisher of SaharaReporters, 

Omoyele 

Sowore, as well as Agba 

Jalingo, Abayomi Olawale 

by the Department of State 

Services, DSS. 

•Security operatives block SaharaReporters’ 

Lagos office; It's not true — Police 

we don’t know why they 

are here in their numbers.” 

he said. 

Armed men prevented 

reporters from gaining 

access to the building 

located at GRA in Ikeja. 

A member of staff of the 

organisation who spoke off 

the record told TheCable 

that the security agents had 

been there since 7 am. 

Security operatives block 

SaharaReporters’ Lagos 

office 

Similarly, Policemen and 

By Henry Umoru 

A thirty-six 

BUJA—THE 

state 

governors, under the aegis 

of Nigeria Governors 

Forum, NGF, were locked 

in a marathon meeting over 

the N614 bailout funds, 

which deduction the 

federal government will 

start at the end of this 

month. 

The meeting is coming 

ahead of today’s 97th 

National Economic 

Council, NEC, meeting 

In a statement, Falana 

said: “In the early hours of 

Wednesday, the Nigeria 

Police invaded the 

secretariat of the Committee 

of the Defence of Human 

Rights and sealed the office 

of SaharaReporters Office 

in Lagos. 

“In spite of the fundamental 

rights of the Nigerian people 

to freedom of assembly 

and freedom of expression, 

the Police had wanted to disrupt 

and stop the peaceful 

meeting of law abiding citizens 

to discuss the illegal 

detention of Omoyele Sowore, 

Agba Jalingo, Abayomi 

Olawale and scores of 

others being incarcerated in 

soldiers laid siege to the 

office of SaharaReporters in 

Lagos State. 

A member of staff of the 

organization, who spoke 

off the record, told 

TheCable that the 

security personnel have 

been there since 7am. 

A reporter, who gained 

access into the building 

before the siege told 

TheCable via telephone 

that: “They are currently 

banging the gate asking 

those of us inside to come 

out right now.” 

in Abuja. 

The governors met to take 

a common position on the 

bailout deductions. 

It would be recalled that 

the Minister of Finance, 

Budget and National 

Planning, Zainab Ahmed, 

had at the last NEC 

meeting, presided over by 

Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo, at the Council 

Chambers of the 

Presidential Villa in August, 

disclosed the bailout 

deduction plans of the 

federal government. 

various detention facilities in 

the country. 

“Contrary to the order of 

the federal high court that Mr. 

Sowore will be detained for 45 

days the State Security Service 

has incarcerated him for 47 

days. Last week, the federal 

high court turned down the 

application for the renewal of 

its order for the detention of 

Messrs Agba Jalingo and 

Ekanem Ekpo for 14 days. 

“In spite of the expiration of 

the detention order of the two 

journalists they are being held 

by the Police in Cross River. 

Mr. Abayomi Olawale who 

was arrested on August 5, 

2019, has been detained for 

45 days by the State Security 

Service without any court 

order whatsoever.'' 

Invasion of Sahara 

Reporters office not true 

— Police 

When contacted, the 

Lagos police command 

spokesperson, Bala Elkana, 

denied the invasion. 

Spokesman for the Lagos 

State Police Command, 

DSP Elkana Bala, said: “It 

is not true that the Police 

invaded anywhere. We 

only made deployment to 

avoid breach of peace. 

There was no invasion of 

police, anywhere in the 

state today, (yesterday).” 

Govs in marathon meeting over 

N614bn bailout deductions, others 

Zainab Ahmed had at 

the Public Consultation 

Forum on the draft 2020- 

2022 Medium Term 

Expenditure Framework in 

Abuja on September 10th 

said the deductions will 

begin in two weeks, which 

falls on September 27th. 

The federal government 

gave the conditional budget 

support facility to the states 

through the Central Bank 

of Nigeria (CBN) in 2017. 

It was to enable the states 

to meet their financial 

obligations to civil servants 

and pensioners. 

The money was provided 

at a nine per cent interest 

rate, with a grace period of 

two years. 

Ahmed had said the 

repayment will be taken 

from the affected states’ 

allocations during the next 

Federation Accounts 

Allocation Committee 

(FAAC) meeting this 

month. 

At the meeting were 

Babatunde Sanwo-Olu 

(Lagos), Samuel Ortom 

(Benue), Bala Mohammed 

(Bauchi), Sirake Dickson 

(Bayela), Abubakar Badaru, 

(Jigawa), Ifeanyi Okowa 

(Delta), Emeka Ihedioha 

(Imo), Seyi Makinde 

(Oyo), Dapo Abiodun 

(Ogun), Aminu Masari 

(Katsina) and Bello 

Matawalle (Zamfara).


By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—THE House 

of Representatives 

yesterday raised a 17-man 

panel to investigate the 

roles played by parties 

involved in the $9.6 billion 

oil and gas deal between 

Nigeria and an Irish 

company, Process and 

Industrial Development, 

P&ID. 

It also resolved to review 

all the treaties and 

agreements signed by the 

federal government to 

avoid a repeat of the $9.6 

billion judgement debt 

awarded against the 

country. 

Recall that Nigeria 

incurred a judgement debt 

of $9.6 billion awarded 

against it as damages by a 

British court, following 

charges pressed by the 

company. 

Committee's mission 

Specifically, the adhoc 

committee is to invite the 

Ministers of Ministries of 

Justice and Petroleum 

Resources, and other 

officials of the ministries 

saddled with the 

responsibility of negotiating 

the agreement with P&ID 

and the prosecution of the 

matter before the tribunal to 

give situational report on 

the matter. 

It is also to explain the 

lapse in judgement of time 

and due diligence in the 

handling or mishandling of 

the case, with a view to 

finding lasting solutions to 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

$9.6BN JUDGEMENT DEBT: Reps set up adhoc 

c’ttee to review treaties, agreements 

the avalanche of extant and 

future cases. 

The panel would also 

recommend appropriate 

sanctions where necessary, 

without fear or favour, or 

preference for any party 

found culpable. 

To this end, the House 

has equally resolved to 

initiate a process of 

reviewing all agreements 

and treaties signed by 

Nigeria through the 

appropriate committees to 

create opportunities to 

discover anomalies and 

avoid a repeat in the future. 

The resolutions followed a 

motion, titled “Urgent need 

to Investigate the Act of 

Negligence in the Handling 

of the Process and Industrial 

Development, P&ID, 

Limited’s Transaction by the 

Ministry of Justice and 

Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources Respectively”, 

sponsored by Julius 

Ihonvbere from Edo State. 

It was considered and 

adopted at yesterday’s 

plenary. 

Moving the motion, 

Ihonvbere noted the need to 

investigate the transaction, 

saying it was shrouded in 

secrecy. 

He said: “The House 

notes that the recent 

judgement debt of $9.6 

billion (with daily interest 

accruing) by a commercial 

court in the United 

Kingdom against Nigeria, 

in a matter between 

Process and Industrial 

Development, P&ID, 

Limited leaves very sour 

taste in the mouth. 

‘Judgement'll harm 

Nigeria's economy' 

“It notes also that for a 

country with a foreign 

reserve of only $45 billion 

and a Sovereign debt 

profile of over $80 billion, 

this Judgment debt is not 

only negative but would 

have devastatingly affect 

the Nigerian economy. 

“The House is aware of 

the fact that Nigeria has a 

penchant for disregarding 

the sanctity of contracts and 

terms of agreement, 

coupled with the failure of 

Nigeria’s representatives, 

in many cases, to carefully 

or diligently scrutinize 

agreements they sign, 

knowing that the 

consequences will affect 

past and future 

generations. 

“It is aware also that 

Nigeria had entered into a 

Gas Supply and Processing 

Agreement, GSPA, with 

P&ID Limited, in January 

2010, through the Ministry 

of Petroleum Resources 

with the understanding 

that Nigeria would supply 

natural gas (wet gas) at no 

cost, through a government 

pipeline to P&lD’s 

production facility, while 

P&ID in return would 

construct and operate the 

facility, process the wet 

gas’and return to the 

government of Nigeria lean 

gas for the generation of 

power at no cost to Nigeria. 

“The House is further 

aware that two years down 

the line, P&lD had not built 

any gas plant to which 

Nigeria could supply wet 

gas for processing, 

signifying in the first place 

that the move to Arbitration 

was opportunistic and 

grossly self-serving. 

“It is cognizant of the fact 

that the matter went before 

an arbitration tribunal, 

under the rules of the 

Nigerian Arbitration and 

Conciliation Act 2004, with 

London, England as place 

of arbitration. After 

affirming its jurisdiction in 

the matter, the tribunal 

began hearing to determine 

whether or not there were 

any repudiatory breach of 

contract. 

‘’At this point, there was 

an attempt by the Ministry 

of Petroleum to reach a 

settlement agreement with 

P&lD Limited to the tune of 

$850 million, payable in 

installments which 

obviously was not diligently 

pursued; 

“Alarmed that the 

agreement was somewhat 

shrouded in secrecy and as 

such apparently dubiously 

procured, as those who 

ought to know about its 

existence did not and more 

importantly, the relevant 

laws in Nigeria for the 

transaction to be 

consummated was not 

applied, especially, Part IV 

of the Bureau of Public 

Procurement Act 2007 

which deals with the 

Fundamental Principles of 

Procurement; 

Govt's slow response 

“It is further alarmed that 

it took the new Nigerian 

government more than four 

months to respond to the 

vital arbitration judgement 

of about $6 billion with a 

ridiculous excuse that there 

had been a change of 

administration in Nigeria 

and that ministers, 

including the Attorney 

General, had only just 

been appointed, thus 

asking for an extension of 

time to act on the outcome 

of the arbitration tribunal. 

“The House is also 

alarmed that, rather than 

engage P&ID in the matter 

before the tribunal with 

robust legal arguments 

and interpretations, Nigeria 

was busy shopping for a 

favourite forum to plead her 

case in a court in Lagos, 

Nigeria. 

“It is worried that the lack 

of diligent prosecution of 

cases in which Nigeria is 

involved by those whose 

duty it is to do so, is due to 

our tendency to either 

politicise everything or 

focus more on personal 

interests, or failure on the 

part of all parties involved.” 

The lawmaker, who 

recalled the words of Justice 

Butcher J, the judge in the 

matter, stated there was 

gross negligence on the 

part of Nigeria’s 

representatives in the 

matter.’’ 

Contributing to the 

debate, some lawmakers, 

including Onofiok Luke 

from Akwa Ibom State, 

Benson Igbakpa from Delta 

State, said it was necessary 

to probe the circumstances 

of the transactions. 

Noting that $9.6 billion 

would affect the financial 

state of the country, Luke 

said: “$9.6 billion will drill 

a hole in our foreign 

reserves. A panel should be 

set up to determine whether 

the company carried out its 

part of the contract. 

‘’What power does the 

head of NNPC have to 

award such contract with a 

foreign company without 

approval of the board of 

NNPC.’’ 

Adopting the motion, the 

speaker, 

Femi 

Gbajabiamila, named Sadi 

Soli from Katsina State as 

chairman of the panel. 

XENOPHOBIA: 2ND BATCH OF NIGERIANS RETURN FROM S/AFRICA 

The profiling of Nigerian returnees from South Africa continued at the MMIA, Lagos yesterday. PHOTOS: LAMIDI BAMIDELE.


JURY 

SELECTION 

SESSION: From 

left: Prof. Ahmed 

Yerima, Playwright 

and Theatre 

Director; Adenrele 

Sonariwo, founder 

Rele Art 

Gallery; Ojoma 

Ochai, Director 

Programmes, 

British Council and 

Yinka Iyinolakan, 

Head 

Communications, 

Nigerian Economic 

Summit 

Group, NESG, at 

the Jury Selection 

Session for the 

2050: Nigeria of 

our Dreams Art 

Contest, organised 

by NESG. 

75 women groups protest killings of 

women in Rivers 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— 

No fewer than 75 

women groups in Rivers 

State, including 

Federation of Women 

Lawyers, FIDA; Rotary 

Club and Nigeria 

Association of Women 

Journalists, NAWOJ, 

yesterday, protested the 

repeated killing of women 

by serial killers in hotel 

rooms in the state. 

This came as the Rivers 

State government called 

on the Federal 

Government to join hands 

with it to tackle the recent 

killing of females in the 

state. 

The hundreds of 

protesting women had 

moved to Government 

House, Rivers State Police 

Command, state House of 

Assembly and Office of the 

Department of State 

Service, DSS, demanding 

an end to the killing of 

women in state. 

The protesters also 

demanded an apology 

from the Commissioner of 

Police in the state for 

referring to the eight 

victims as prostitutes. 

Speaking, leaders of the 

protest, the Port Harcourt 

South-South President of 

Rotary Club in the state, 

Rita Nkembeze, and a 

former Commissioner of 

Information in the state, 

Ibim Semenitari, 

demanded a thorough and 

unbiased investigation 

into the killings. 

Semenitari expressed 

sadness over the killings 

and demanded action by 

the state government. 

She insisted on arrest of 

the killers, adding that the 

hotel owners where the 

ladies were killed should 

also be held liable. 

However, the Secretary 

to the State Government, 

Dr. Tammy Danagogo, 

called on the Federal 

Government to support the 

state with intelligence on 

unraveling the killers. 

He appealed on the 

presidency to deploy high 

level of intelligence to the 

state for support so as to 

eradicate the menace. 

Danagogo assured that 

the state governor, Mr 

Nyesom Wike, was not 

sleeping on the matter, 

noting that something was 

being done, while the 

•Rivers govt begs FG for support 

on intelligence 

governor will continue to 

work with the security 

agencies to stamp out the 

killings. 

He called on parents to 

give adequate 

reorientation and caution 

their daughters against 

the kind of friendship they 

keep and called on young 

ladies to be more vigilant 

of their environment. 

Meanwhile, the state 

Commissioner of Police, 

Mustapha Dandaura, 

promised residents of the 

state of adequate security, 

adding that police have 

intensified effort to ensure 

that the trend was brought 

under control. 

Why we’re embarking on town hall meetings 

with oil bearing ethnicities—DESOPADEC 

By Perez Brisibe 

& Akpokona 

Omafuaire 

WARRI— MANAGING 

Director, Delta State 

Oil Producing Area 

Development Commission, 

DESOPADEC, Chief Askia 

Ogieh, has said the 

commission decided to 

embark on town hall 

meetings with oil producing 

ethnic groups in the state to 

ensure that the people own 

projects established in their 

domain. 

Askia flanked by 

executives of the 

commission, made the 

disclosure, yesterday, in 

Effurun, during a town hall 

meeting organised by 

representatives of the Ijaw 

ethnic nationality. 

According to the 

DESOPADEC boss, the 

essence of the town hall 

meetings is to bring a 

change to the way and 

manner projects are 

executed by the commission. 

He said: “We have 

decided to have a change in 

the way and manner things 

are done in the commission, 

particularly in the area of 

project execution. We 

discovered before now that 

projects were cited based on 

our (commission) own 

wisdom and not on 

immediate importance to the 

people. 

“We want to bridge that gap 

and that is why we are here 

to hear from the people and 

know what they want. I 

choose to personally be 

present in the meetings to 

hear from the people and to 

get their inputs on the budget 

which will be drawn based 

on the 27 percent accrued to 

the Ijaw ethnic nation.” 

DESOPADEC Ijaw ethnic 

group representatives and 

organisers of the 

programme, Dr. Paul 

Benenimibo, and Shedrack 

Agidiga, Commissioner and 

Executive Director, Strategy, 

Research and Planning 

informed their people that a 

new order had been 

envisioned by them. 

They promised to change 

the narrative so that 

development will be 

achieved. 

On their parts, monarchs 

from the Ijaw nation charged 

the board members not to 

disappoint Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa on his task of 

repositioning the 

commission. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

monarchs, the Pere of 

Ogulagha kingdom, HRM 

Joseph Timiyan, said: “This 

is a new dawn, we have not 

experienced it before now. I 

know this is a corrective 

measure being carried out by 

the governor, and I want to 

say that the board members 

should not disappoint him." 

Oba of Benin tasks new 

NDDC board on performance 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY— THE 

Oba of Benin, Omo 

N’Oba, Oba Ewaure II, has 

tasked the incoming board 

of Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, on 

performance once 

inaugurated to ensure that 

the essence of the 

commission, which is to 

bring development to Niger 

Delta is pursued with 

renewed vigour. 

The Benin monarch stated 

this when the chairman 

nominee, Dr Pius Odubu 

and commissioner nominee, 

Chief Victor Ekhator, visited 

the Oba of Benin in his 

palace where he said Edo 

State would not be left out 

from the main stream of 

development in the current 

administration of the 

commission. 

He said the co-operation of 

everyone irrespective of 

political, religious and ethnic 

affiliations would attract 

more federal presence to the 

state, just as he offered 

prayers to ensure overall 

development of the state. 

He described the 

appointment of Odubu as a 

landmark in the state, 

maintaining that the palace 

was keen at ensuring overall 

development of the kingdom 

and state at large. 

Dickson sacks aide over 

alleged misconduct 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y GOVERNOR ENAGOA— 

Seriake 

Dickson òf Bayelsa State has 

dismissed Mrs. Helen Bob 

as a Special Adviser in his 


Dickson in a statement by 

his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. 

Fidelis Soriwei, said Mrs 

Bob was sacked “for 

repeated acts of gross 

misconduct, indiscipline, 

irresponsibility and acts 

unbecoming of a person 

occupying the high position 

of Special Adviser in any 

government whatsoever. 

“Mrs Bob who has been a 

Special Adviser for almost 

eight years was among 130 

Special Advisers out of over 

2,000 appointees engaged 

by the governor to render 

necessary services to the 

state and to give a sense of 

belonging and legitimate 

support to party members. 

“The governor wishes her 

well in her future political 

endeavors.” 

It will be recalled that Mrs 

Bob, a vocal supporter of 

Fred Agbedi, one of the 

aspirants in the just 

concluded Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

primaries, had taken to the 

social media to criticise the 

party’s handling of the 

exercise. 

Edo Assembly crisis, politics 

of interest — Dep Speaker 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

Deputy Speaker, Edo 

State House of Assembly, 

Yekini Idiaye, yesterday, said 

what was playing out in the 

House of Assembly is politics 

of interest and not crisis as 

being portrayed by the 

media to members of the 

public. 

Speaking to journalists on 

the recent ruling of the 

Federal High Court in 

Rivers State that barred the 

governor, Godwin Obaseki, 

from issuing a fresh letter of 

proclamation for the House 

to be “properly 

inaugurated,” Idiaye said he 

chose to challenge the 

clamour for a fresh letter of 

proclamation in court since 

it has never happened in 

Nigeria 

He said Nigeria 

constitution also did not 

make provision for such 

development, adding that 

the victory in court was for 

democracy and the people, 

including the members-elect 

who are to be inaugurated. 

“Edo is not in crisis, there 

is peace in Edo State. We are 

all brothers, even our 

colleagues who are not here. 

What is happening is just 

politics of interest. You know 

in politics, there is no 

permanent enemy and no 

permanent friend. We are all 

brothers and luckily also from 

the same political party.” 

Edo PDP decries delay by 

tribunal to release CTC of 

judgement 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN CITY— EDO 

State chapter of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, has 

decried the unwarranted 

delay in the release of the 

Certified True Copy, CTC, of 

the enrolled order of 

judgement delivered by 

tribunal on September 8, 2019 

in the petition of Hmosede 

Igbinedion against 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

Delta Ijaw urged to dump 

PDP for APC enmasse 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI— IJAW of 

Delta State have 

been urged to pull out of 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, enmass and cross 

over to All Progressives 

Congress, APC. 

National President, Delta 

Ijaw Political Machineries, 

Mr Stanley Garry, made 

the call in Warri, saying APC 

will profit the Ijaw more. 

According to Garry, when 

they join APC, they would 

INEC, Mr Dennis Idahosa 

and All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in the House 

of Representatives election 

held on February 23, 2019. 

A statement in Benin City, 

yesterday, by the state 

Publicity Secretary of the 

party, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, 

said the tribunal had read 

and passed its judgement 10 

days ago and it was the first 

to be delivered and 

wondered why the 

documents were yet to be 

released to the petitioner in 

the case . 

rally round the Deputy 

President of the Senate, 

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, 

in 2023 to become 

governor of the state if he 

chooses to contest. 

Garry said the way PDP 

was going, it zoning 

arrangement for 2023 

would not favour Ijaw, 

adding that they should 

come over to APC where 

they will be rewarded with 

good offices at the end of 

the 2023 governorship 

election.


:Vanguard 

News 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

WORKSHOP—From left: Mrs. Bola Fajoungbo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and 

Industry, Ogun State; Mr. Olakunle Oluomo, Speaker Ogun State House of Assembly; Mr. Dapo 

Okubadejo, Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State; Mr. Yomi Badejo Okusanya, 

Group Managing Director, CMC Connect Ltd., and Ms. Sola Arobieke, Consultant to the Governor 

of Ogun State on Commerce & Industry, at the Capacity Building Workshop, organised for 

entrepreneurs in Ogun State by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Small 

and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. 

Northern govs wives raise alarm over high 

rate of youths involvement in drugs 

By Wole 

Mosadomi 

MINNA—WIVES 

of 

Northern Governors have 

raised the alarm over the high 

rate of the youth involvement in 

dangerous drugs and have jointly 

resolved to wage war against the 

menace. 

Chairperson of Northern 

Governors Wives Forum, who is 

also the wife of Niger State 

Governor, Dr. Amina Bello, at 

the commissioning of the 

remodelled Social Rehabilitation 

Center in Minna, yesterday, with 

14 wives of the Northern 

Governors in attendance, 

described the continuous 

involvement of the youth in the 

menace as very dangerous to the 

society, noting that it must be 

jointly tackled headlong by all 

Nigerians, in order not to be 

consumed by it. 

She said: “Report have shown 

a large number of Nigerian youths 

involved in drug abuse ranging 

from depressants, marijuana, 

alcohol, barbiturates, morphine, 

codeine, hypnotics, sedatives, 

anxiolytics, among others, to 

stimulants such as amphetamine, 

methamphetamine, ephedrine, 

cocaine etc., with Northern states 

having the highest figures. 

“The United Nations Office of 

Drug and Crime, UNODC, 

Tribunal upholds election of Gov 

Sani Bello 

By Wole 

Mosadomi 

BOKO HARAM: Borno Gov meets 60,000 

refugees in Cameroon 

By Ndahi Marama 

M AIDUGURI— 

CONCERNED about 

the welfare of citizens displaced 

by insurgent attacks, Borno State 

Governor, Professor Babagana 

Zulum, has visited Cameroon, 

where he met more than 60,000 

refugees, who fled different parts 

of Borno State in the wake of 

attacks by the violent Boko 

Haram terror group. The visit 

focused on supporting the 

refugees and their eventual 

return to safety and to rebuild 

communities. 

The United Nations High 

Commission for Refugees, 

UNHCR, which manages the 

Minawao Camp visited by the 

governor had, in May, this year, 

survey in 2018 revealed that the 

prevalence of psychoactive 

substances used in Nigeria was 

14 percent, with prevalence in 

North Central region, where 

Niger State is situated, being as 

high as 10 percent. 

“More alarming is the statistics 

that shows that one out of every 

four drug user is a woman, with 

the highest drug use being 

among young people of between 

the ages of 25 to 39 years old,” 

she revealed. 

She noted that the effects and 

dangers of the substances abused 

include damage to vital organs of 

the body such as the brain and 

M INNA—NIGER 

State Governorship 

Election Petitions Tribunal, 

sitting in Minna, 

yesterday, upheld the 

election of Governor 

Abubakar Sani Bello. 

The tribunal, in its 

judgment, dismissed the 

petition by the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, and 

its gubernatorial candidate 

put at 86,000 the number of Borno 

State citizens taking refuge in 

Cameroon. 

Officials, however, told Zulum, 

during his visit, that voluntary 

returns by refugees had depleted 

the figures. Minawao is about 95 

kilometers away from Marwa, 

capital of Cameroon’s far north 

region. 

Governor Zulum was received 

in Maiduguri international 

airport, Tuesday afternoon, by 

Governor Mijinyawa Bakare of 

Cameroon’s far North, alongside 

top officials of the host 

government. 

Addressing anxious but happy 

refugees, the Borno State 

governor consoled them and 

announced plans for immediate 

commencement of resettlement 

spinal cord, saying that all these 

eventually affect physical, 

psychological and cognitive 

dysfunction of the body system, 

which must be tackled 

immediately. 

She said, at their level, the 

governors wives have taken 

steps to ensure that each state 

in the North was equipped to 

handle drug abuse by creating 

prevention programmes that are 

sustainable and impactful, adding 

that the advocacy has led to the 

renovation and creation of drug 

rehabilitation centers in Kogi and 

in the state, Alhaji Umar 

Nasko, pointing out that the 

petitioners did not prove 

their case beyond 

reasonable doubts, as 

required by law. 

Justice John Igboji, who 

read the verdict on behalf 

of the two other members 

of the tribunal, said there 

was no cogent evidence to 

prove the allegations before 

the tribunal. 

“The petitioners have 

failed woefully to establish 

their case because there is 

no shred of cogent evidence 

to prove their allegations as 

houses in Banki, Bama town, 

Pulka, Gwoza and Darajamal in 

the next two months, for the 

purpose of resettling refugees 

yearning to return home. 

Zulum expressed gratitude to 

the Cameroonian government 

and citizens of the host 

communities for their empathy 

towards Nigerians from Borno 

State, who took refuge in their 

domain since 2013 and 2014, 

when insurgents took control of 

about 20 local government areas 

in the state. 

The governor was expected to 

travel to some border 

communities in Borno State 

through Cameroon, to meet more 

persons displayed by the 

insurgency. 

Sokoto states and that more 

will be commissioned after 

that of Niger State. 

The state Governor, Alhaji 

Abubakar Sani Bello, who 

commissioned the center, 

observed that the level of drug 

consumption in the state had 

risen, adding that this has 

consequently increased the level 

of crime in the state generally. 

He said his administration had 

inaugurated a committee headed 

by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji 

Ahmed Ketso, to look into the 

problem and come up with a 

solution towards tackling it. 

required by relevant laws. 

“In the circumstance, the 

petitioners are not entitled 

to any of the reliefs sought. 

Their petition, being bereft 

of any merit, has failed in 

its entirety and, therefore, 

dismissed for lack of merit. 

“In the circumstances, we, 

accordingly, hold that 

Governor Bello is the duly 

elected Governor of Niger 

State, having scored 

majority of lawful votes cast 

in the election.” 

On the allegations of noncompliance 

with the 

Electoral Act, the tribunal 

said “the petitioners merely 

pleaded facts and 

particulars without 

substantiating them.” 

On the allegation by the 

petitioners that the 

governorship election was 

marred by intimidation, 

violence, vote buying, 

among others, the tribunal 

said the petitioners did not 

lead any evidence on their 

claims of vote buying and 

intimidation of voters by the 

respondents, or link him or 

any of its agents to the act, 

as such, the petition has no 

chance of survival and is 

dead on arrival. 

The tribunal also blamed 

the petitioners for not 

inviting Senator Sani Musa 

and his company to appear 

and give evidence before 

the court for allegedly 

supplying voting materials 

to the respondents. 

PROJECTS EXECUTION: 

Nasarawa Assembly approves 

N5b loan for govt 

By David Odama 

LAFIA—IN order to 

adequately fund critical 

projects in Nasarawa State, the 

state government has sought 

and obtained a loan approval of 

N5 billion private bond issuance 

by the state House of Assembly. 

It would be recalled that the 

state government had 

approached the House of 

Assembly for its support and 

approval for the N5 billion, which 

would be conducted through 

private bond issuance, to enable 

the state government undertake 

some vital projects for its 

development agenda. 

The loan, when obtained, 

We will prosecute corrupt govt 

officials —Ortom 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI—GOVERNOR 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State, has warned that Benue 

State Government will not 

hesitate to prosecute any 

government official found to be 

involved in corruption practices. 

He gave the warning 

yesterday, while swearing in the 

Chairman and Commissioners of 

Local Government Service 

Commission, LGSC, as well as a 

member of the Benue State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, BSIEC, in Makurdi. 

The governor who also 

inaugurated the Benue State 

Planning Commission with him 

as Chairman and his Deputy, Mr. 

Benson Abounu as Alternate 

Chairman, charged the 

appointees to be transparent in 

would be used to execute vital 

projects that will have direct 

bearing on the lives of the people 

of the state. 

The Speaker of the House, 

Ibrahim-Balabare Abdullahi, 

announced the approval of the 

loan after a resolution was passed 

on a letter presented by the Deputy 

Majority Leader, Daniel Ogazi, on 

behalf of Governor Abdullahi, 

during the House proceedings in 

Lafia, yesterday. 

The speaker,.who lauded the 

maturity and understanding of his 

colleagues in giving accelerated 

consideration and approval for the 

request, noted that the loan will 

help the state government achieve 

its developmental agenda. 

their official conduct. 

“It is only transparency that 

will free public officials from 

prosecution when they leave 

office but those who indulge in 

sharp practices will not escape 

prosecution by this government 

because we have zero tolerance 

for corruption,” he said. 

He charged chairman of LGSC 

to work tirelessly to produce the 

authentic staff list at the third tier 

of government in order to 

eliminate ghost names from the 

payroll and pave way for 

employment opportunities at that 

tier. 

“I want to see the ongoing 

sanitisation at the state Universal 

Basic Education Board, SUBEB, 

replicated in the Unified Local 

Government Service to enhance 

performance,” he added.

14 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

THANKSGIVING: From right; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his deputy, Mrs Noimot 

Salako-Oyedele; Speaker, Ogun House of Assembly, Taiwo Kunle Oluomo and SSG, Mr. Tokunbo Tolabi 

during the thanksgiving/praise and worship for the victory of Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun 

for last Saturday election petition tribunal which dismissed the petition against his election as Ogun State 

Governor held at June12 Cultural Centre, Kuto Abeokuta, yesterday. Photo: Wumi Akinola. 

I've not joined APC — MAILAFIA 

•Says I hold Buhari in high esteem 

By Chris Ochayi 

A Presidential 

BUJA—THE 

candidate of African 

Democratic Congress, 

ADC, in the 2019 general 

elections, Dr. Obadiah 

Mailafia, has described 

media reports credited to 

him of joining All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, in order to be 

forgiven, as “callous 

debasement of journalistic 

ethics by the authors.” 

Mailafia, in a statement, 

yesterday, entitled; “Re-I 

was told to join APC to be 

forgiven,” Mailafia, said 

that though, he belongs to 

a different political camp, 

he holds President 

Muhammadu Buhari in 

very high esteem. 

The former Deputy 

Governor, Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, said, “I 

chatted with party faithful 

and granted no press 

interview.” 

“My attention has been 

drawn to rather frivolous 

publications in some daily 

newspapers and online 

platforms. I am not only 

embarrassed by the 

sensational slant of the said 

publications, but alarmed 

by the rather callous 

debasement of journalistic 

ethics by the authors of the 

stories via an ‘interview’ 

which I purportedly 

granted them. 

“To put the records 

straight, a group of people 

had approached me after a 

meeting of stakeholders of 

the African Democratic 

Congress in Abuja on 

September 17, 2019. 

“I had made some 

remarks in the course of 

the meeting to prove to the 

party that my loyalty has 

not in any way been 

compromised. 

“Those who approached 

me for pleasantries after the 

meeting were members of 

the party, who alluded to 

Ultimate utilisation of Warri Port'll 

turn Delta's economy around 

— ERIYETOMI 

By Jeremiah 

Urowayino 

A m SABA—THE 

e m b e r 

representing Warri Federal 

constituency and Vice 

Chairman of House of 

Representatives Ad Hoc 

Committee on Utilisation of 

the South-South and South- 

East, Hon Thomas 

Eriyetomi has said that the 

ultimate utilisation of Warri 

Port will turn the economy 

of Delta State around. 

Eriyetomi spoke 

yesterday when the House 

committee visited the state 

to find out why the Warri 

Sea Port had remained 

under-utilised and find a 

feasible solution to the 

matter. 

The chairman of ad-hoc 

committee, Hon Yusuf 

Yakubu, who led lawmakers 

on visit to the Deputy 

Governor of Delta State, 

Barr. Kingsley Otuaro at the 

Government House, Asaba 

said: "Unfortunately, most 

seaports in Nigeria were in 

bad shape, thus, we 

members of the House of 

Representatives have 

decided to investigate the 

reasons as a way of bringing 

them back to life as it will 

boost the economy of the 

nation, alleviate poverty 

and create wealth. 

He vowed that no effort 

would be spared in bringing 

the ports on stream and sued 

for the cooperation of all 

Nigerians. 

In his remarks, the 

Deputy Governor, Otuaro 

said: "The reactivation of 

moribund seaports in the 

country was a right step 

against poverty and 

underdevelopment. 

"The move by this 

committee to look into the 

remote causes of the 

underutilisation of the 

seaports is commendable. 

You should ensure that your 

effort is geared toward full 

utilisation of the ports." 

some of my remarks at the 

meeting to which I 

reinforced my earlier 

commitment and loyalty to 

the ADC. 

“I had explained to them 

that I had no reason to betray 

ADC, and while the 

discussion lasted, I did not 

see those who were 

involved in that informal 

discussion brandishing 

tape recorders or other 

articles of trade associated 

with journalists, neither 

did they introduce 

themselves as such. 

“It was therefore 

embarrassing waking up 

today to be inundated with 

calls from all corners of the 

globe alluding to 

sensational headlines 

ascribed to my name. 

“One is particularly 

piqued by the reference to 

His Excellency, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, the 

President of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. 

“I never set out to impugn 

the person of President 

Buhari, anybody or group, 

for that matter. 

“The purported interview 

I granted to the publications 

in question can only exist 

in their imagination.” 

GEF, UNDP partner FG on 

clean energy 

THE 

Global 

Environment 

Facility,GEF, working in 

partnership with the United 

Nations Development 

Program, Federal Ministry 

of the Environment, the 

Energy Commission of 

Nigeria and other key 

Stakeholders have 

organised a Sustainable 

fuelwood management 

awareness and 

enlightenment campaign 

aimed at conserving forests 

by the adoption of fuelwoood 

efficient cooking methods. 

The campaign was held in 

Calabar Municipal and 

Oleh Town, as well as 

headquaters of Isoko South 

Local Government of Delta 

State. 

The road show, is a 

continuation of the pilot 

awareness and 

enlightenment campaign in 

the three Focal States of 

Kaduna, Cross River, Delta 

States, drew a mammoth 

crowd where market women 

were urged on the need to 

upscale to the use of more 

efficient clean and 

improved cookstoves, that 

will save money and impact 

positively on the health of 

the people. 

Dr. Edu Effiom of the 

Cross River State forestry 

department harped on the 

need to conserve the forests 

by the adoption of fuelwoood 

efficient cooking methods 

and her departments 

involvement in policy 

formulation and wood-lot 

development for future fuel 

wood use. 

Participants included: 

Members of the National 

Youth Service Corps and 

members of the Women 

Wing of the Isoko 

Development Union. 

In his remarks, National 

Chairman of Nigerian 

Alliance For Clean 

Cookstoves, organisers of 

the Road show, Prince Ene 

Okechukwu, stressed 

the need for the use of clean 

energy cookstoves and 

health implications of 

domestic pollution and the 

importance of kitchen 

lifestyle changes 

through the use of 

efficient, energy saving 

and improved cookstoves. 

Lack of funds, key challenge 

to road construction 

— FASHOLA 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—MINISTER 

of Works and 

Housing, Babatunde 

Fashola, yesterday, said 

that non-release of all 

budgetary allocations and 

unreasonable 

compensation demands by 

host communities were the 

key challenges facing 

government in fixing the 

deplorable roads across the 

country in the last four 

years. 

The minister stated this 

while speaking with State 

House correspondents, 

after the Federal Executive 

Council, FEC, meeting, 

presided over by President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

Council Chamber 

Presidential Villa Abuja. 

The minister, along with 

the Minister of Information 

and Culture, Lai 

Mohammed and the 

Minister of Youth and 

Sports Department, 

Sunday Dare, briefed 

journalists after the FEC 

meeting, responding to 

question on the poor state 

of roads in the country 

KOGI PDP PRIMARIES: 

Ex-governor’s son, Abubakar 

seeks legal redress 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

A BUJA—BARELY 

two months to the 

November 16 

governorship election in 

Kogi State, a fresh crisis 

has hit the state chapter 

of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, following the 

decision of Abubakar 

Ibrahim to approach the 

court seeking the 

nullification of the election 

of Engineer Musa Wada. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Abuja yesterday, 

spokesman of the Abubakar 

Ibrahim Campaign 

Organisation, Shaba 

Ibrahim said the decision to 

seek legal redress was 

informed by the desire to 

ensure that justice prevails 

in the party as it concerns 

the election of its flag bearer 

for the poll. 

The campaign 

spokesman, who faulted 

the process that produced 

Wada as candidate of the 

party ahead of the election, 

questioned the 

genuineness of 600 votes 

against the series of 

approvals given by the FEC 

in the first tenure, said that 

not all the over N300 billion 

budgeted was released. 

According to him, his 

office was yet to get any 

money since he got 

reappointed as minister as 

there were still paper work 

processes going on. 

Fashola explained that 

some of the road works 

going on were based on 

goodwill, adding that there 

had been criticism against 

borrowing during the first 

tenure. 

He said community 

support was also needed to 

facilitate construction of 

road projects in the country, 

stressing that over N10 

billion was already 

accruing as compensation 

on the Second Niger 

Bridge. 

Fashola also disclosed 

that the FEC approved a 

total of N8.2 billion for roads 

projects yesterday. 

The Minister said FEC 

approved upward variation 

of contract costs for the 

rehabilitation and 

construction of some roads 

and bridges in Anambra, 

Kano and Benue states. 

recorded in favour of the 

winner 

He also chided the 

electoral committee headed 

by Governor Umaru Fintiri 

of Adamawa state for 

allegedly doing a poor job 

of the primaries. 

He said, “We as 

democratic and law abiding 

people have taken steps to 

seek redress within the 

confines of the law. We 

have approached the court 

to seek redress because this 

matter is not otherwise 

subjudiced, we will not go 

into many details. 

Speaking on the outcome 

of the exercise, Ibrahim 

lamented that Wada was yet 

to reach out to him, saying, 

“Sadly, not only has the 

candidate not approached 

me, but even the appeal 

committee has not even 

replied my petition. This is 

14 days after, certificate of 

return has been given to the 

candidate and for what 

reason, I still want to know. 

But none of them, the party 

or Engr. Musa has 

addressed it.” 

YOA takes insurance advisory to NBA conference 

YOA 

Insurance 

Brokers Limited has 

taken its insurance advisory 

services to the just-ended 

2019 General Conference 

of the Nigerian Bar 

Association. 

The event, which held in 

Lagos with the theme 

‘Facing the Future’ was 

borne out of the pressing 

need to lay a sustainable 

foundation for an optimistic 

future. 

Managing Solicitor of 

Afam Law Consult, Sir 

Afam Linus Anijekwu 

lauded the YOA team for 

an excellent outing at its 

maiden appearance at the 

conference and noted 

that there was a need for 

more organisations like 

YOA to help in making 

more information 

available so that more 

lawyers could tap into the 

world of insurance. 

He also observed that 

insurance knowledge is 

still at its infantry stage in 

Nigeria. 

The Law Officer at 

Ministry of Justice, Nneka 

Obike also commended the 

YOA team saying: “I feel 

that with more of this kind 

of presentation, insurance 

in the next five years would 

be better perceived and 

received and there will be 

renewed confidence in the 

insurance sector,”. 

Speaking, Team Lead – 

Employee Benefits, YOA 

Insurance Brokers, Linda 

Wobo said: “The event has 

been a great avenue for the 

YOA team to talk to great 

minds on the essentials of 

insurance advisory.


TOWN HALL: From left— Mrs. Vivian Erebor; Director, Social Action Nigeria, Mrs. Vivian Bello, and Director, 

MacArthur Foundation, Amina Salihu, at town hall meeting on promoting accountable governance through tracking of 

constituency and public projects implementation in Edo State. PHOTO: Barnabas Uzosike. 

Abia APC supporters storm court over 

delay in release of tribunal’s judgement 

By Ugochukwu Alaribe 

U 

M U A H I A — 

SUPPORTERS of All 

Progressive Congress, APC, in 

Abia State, yesterday, stormed the 

premises of the state High Court 

venue of the Election Petition 

Tribunal in Umuahia, protesting 

the delay in the release of the 

judgment delivered by the 

tribunal. 

The tribunal, led by Justice 

Cornelius Akintayo, had on 

September 8 and 9 delivered 

judgment on the petition on the 

Arochukwu /Ohafia federal 

constituency between Chief 

Nnamdi Iro Orji (APC) and Uko 

Nkole(PDP) as well as the petition 

in Abia North senatorial zone 

between Senator Mao 

Ohuabunwa and Senator Orji 

Kalu(APC). 

The protesters who displayed 

placards which read: ”The law 

says seven days for release of 

judgment. Today is the 13th day;” 

“President, Court of Appeal, Sack 

Justice Akintayo;” “Give us our 

judgment, APC cries out;” among 

others, described the delay as an 

attempt to frustrate the parties 

from appealing the decision of 

the tribunal. 

Spokesman of the protesters 

who gave his name as Mr. Dike 

Isaiah, explained that their 

lawyers had been visiting the 

tribunal without success, stressing 

that time was running out on the 

candidates. 

Trouble looms in Anambra community over N100m market revenue 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE 

alleged 

diversion of N100 million 

revenue generated from 

Ekwuluobia, the fourth largest 

commercial town in Anambra 

State, is causing disquiet in the 

area, with the traditional ruler of 

the town, Igwe Emmanuel 

He said: “We came to protest 

the non-release of the judgment 

by the tribunal. Our lawyers have 

applied for the judgment, but 

they keep telling them to come 

today or tomorrow. The excuse the 

tribunal gives them is that they 

have not certified it. 

“We suspect they are doctoring 

the judgment. The law gave us 

21 days to appeal, today is the 

Onyeneke and his cabinet 

vowing to do everything humanly 

possible to recover the money. 

It was gathered that a former 

president-general of the town 

union single-handedly allocated 

all the 159 shops owned by 

Ekwulobia community at Eke 

Ochie Market and at the 

Township Stadium to a private 

13th day since the judgment was 

delivered. When will we get the 

judgment, study, file our appeal 

and reply? This is a great injustice. 

We don’t know why the tribunal 

is doing this.” 

Contacted on the development, 

State Publicity Secretary, APC, 

Ben Godson, said the party was 

worried that the tribunal was yet 

to release the judgment when the 

firm despite the disapproval of 

Igwe Onyeneke. 

Addressing reporters at 

Ekwulobia, the monarch said the 

firm which benefited from the 

allocation had continued to 

collect and keep the revenue for 

eight years without rendering 

account. 

The monarch said: “This is a 

seven days deadline stated by the 

law had elapsed. 

He added: “Only the tribunal 

knows why they are holding on 

to the judgment when they were 

supposed to have released it to 

the parties. 

“It is a ploy to frustrate the party 

and her candidates. We urge the 

tribunal to make the judgment 

available without further delay.” 

... as venue for judgement on Imo 

governorship causes tensions 

By Chinonso Alozie 

O WERRI—CONFUSION 

has enveloped the political 

space in Imo State regarding the 

venue where the governorship 

election tribunal would deliver its 

final judgment. 

Vanguard gathered yesterday 

in Owerri that due to the 

confusion, movements in and 

around the Owerri High Court 

have increased. 

Some party leaders who did not 

want their names mentioned, 

claimed that they preferred a 

“safer environment” for the 

judgment to be delivered, just as 

some asked for security to guard 

the venue of the Owerri High 

Court. 

Their fear is that it would be 

difficult to control the political 

thugs some politicians have 

planned to bring to the high court 

venue. 

It should be recalled that a 

worker at Owerri High Court 

once told Vanguard: “I think I 

may not come to work that day. I 

will pretend that I'm not feeling 

well. Going by the way these 

young people have prepared 

themselves on that day of 

judgment, there could be 

bloodshed. 

“Sometimes, they will drive 

their cars into the court premises 

and will not like to be searched. I 

am afraid that many things will 

happen; only God will save us. 

“The worst thing is that even if 

you try to stop them, they will 

jump over the fences.” 

After the Imo governorship 

elections, three candidates had 

approached the court. They said 

they disagreed with the process 

that declared the governorship 

candidate of Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Emeka Ihedioha, 

winner of the election. 

The candidates are All 

Progressives Congress, APC's 

Hope Uzodinma; Action 

Alliance, AA's Uche Nwosu; and 

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume of All 

Progressive Grand Alliance, 

APGA. 

Uzodinma was relying on 

his 388 polling units results 

admitted by the tribunal that 

were allegedly omitted. 

Also, the governorship 

election tribunal also admitted 

in evidence, the 366 polling 

units results alleged to have 

been excluded from the final 

results. 

The evidence was tendered 

before the tribunal by the Deputy 

Commissioner of Police, DCP, 

Rabiu Huseini, in charge of 

operations in Imo State, during 

the elections. 

great disservice to our dear 

town, Ekwulobia. Nobody who 

claims to love Ekwulobia can 

comfortably hold on to the 

revenue of the town, 

strangulating her development 

and going about peddling all sorts 

of rumours and falsehood, to 

divert people’s attention from this 

huge sum of Ekwulobia money.” 

IPOB 

customary govt 

drags Gowon, 

Obasanjo, AGF 

to court 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—THE struggle for 

the actualisation of the 

Sovereign State of Biafra has 

taken a new dimension with a 

group, Customary 

Government of the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, CG-IPOB, 

dragging former Head of State, 

General Yakubu Gowon(rtd); 

former President, Chief 

Olusegun Obasanjo, and 

Attorney-General of the 

Federation to a Federal High 

Court in Enugu. 

In the suit coming up on 

October 2, the pro-Biafra 

group wants the court to decide 

on issues relating to selfdetermination, 

regional 

autonomy and roles the 

respondents played during the 

Civil War, referendum, among 

other things. 

The plaintiff is also seeking 

redress on issues bordering on 

the enforcement of rights of 

‘Biafrans’ in their lawful 

pursuit for self-determination, 

referendum and right to 

establish an autonomous 

Biafran State within the 

Nigerian state as practiced by 

the Scots in the United 

Kingdom. 

The group's claim that it 

followed a legal methodology 

and can never be proscribed 

is being represented by an 

Anambra based lawyer. 

In an ex parte application 

filed on June 20, it sought the 

leave of the court and 

jurisdiction to commence a suit 

against the defendants who 

were ex-Head of State, ex- 

President and Attorney 

General and Minister of 

Justice of Nigeria. 

In an originating summons, 

the plaintiff is praying the court 

to determine “whether, 

notwithstanding and in the 

absence of any directions, 

instructions, promises or offers 

from the defendants, the 

applicants have the legal and 

inalienable right to selfdetermination 

pursuant to 

Articles 19 to 25 of the African 

Charter on Human and 

Peoples’ Rights (Ratification 

and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9 

Laws of the Federation of 

Nigeria 2004 (Cap 10 LFN 

1990); 

“Whether it is an offence and 

unlawful contrary to any 

provisions of the Constitution 

of the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria 1999 or of any other 

law for the remnants of the 

Biafrans, who survived the war 

with their descendants to 

identify themselves as Biafrans 

by indigenous identity, and 

display their native flags and 

emblems and Biafran 

trademarks on their properties 

and products.”


VISIT: From left— 

V i c e - C h a i r , 

WIMBOARD Advocacy 

Committee, Women in 

Management, Business 

and Public Service, 

WIMBIZ, Mrs. Ngozi 

Nzegwu; MD, Nigerian 

Breweries Plc, Jordi 

Borrut Bel; Chair, 

WIMBOARD Advocacy 

Committee, WIMBIZ, 

Mrs. Janet Adetu and 

Corporate Affairs 

Director, Nigerian 

Breweries Plc, Mrs. 

Sade Morgan, during a 

visit by WIMBIZ team to 

Nigerian Breweries Plc 

in Lagos, yesterday. 

Photo Akeem Salau. 

Rep charges Julius Berger to expedite action 

on Ujevwu flyover bridge 

By Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

U representing DU—MEMBER 

Ughelli 

North, Ughelli South and 

Udu Federal Constituency 

in the House of 

Representative, Hon 

Francis Waive has charged 

the management of Julius 

Berger to expedite action on 

Ujevwu Flyover Bridge in 

Udu local government area 

in Delta State. 

The lawmaker while 

inspecting the failed bypass 

constructed by the company 

at the foot of the flyover 

bridge in the Ovwian-Otor- 

Udu road, frowned at the 

poor work done by Julius 

Berger, noting that a world 

class construction can do 

such poor work. 

While decrying the sufferings 

of his constituents who ply the 

road daily, urged management of 

Julius Berger to urgently fix the 

bypass while working on the 

flyover bridge in order to reduce 

the suffering road users who pass 

through the road daily. 

According to him, “it is very sad 

that the good intentions of the 

Federal Government is been 

sabotaged by the contractor, in 

Germany and other parts of the 

world you won't see something 

like this. 

“This place has been like this 

for too long and we thought that 

they were waiting for the sand to 

cake before the work is completed, 

but as you can see, nothing is 

been done. 

“The Bypass they were 

supposed to create as a stopgap 

measure was poorly done, and 

people are suffering. 

So, I am making this call on the 

management of Julius Berger to 

come and do a bypass that will 

stand the test of time while the 

work of the flyover is going on, 

you cannot do this in your 

country, why are you doing this 

to us? 

“If the company does not act 

on this call, am going to bring the 

management of Julius Berger to 

the floor of the Green Chambers 

at the National Assembly. 

“The time our people suffered 

like this without any voice 

speaking for them has passed in 

this era, we shall make sure that 

everybody who gets a contract 

does the job, so that our people 

can enjoy the dividends of democracy. 

Waive also assured that; the 

Otor Udu, Erephiyor, Owrode and 

Orhuworhu road will be captured 

in the 2020 budget, so that there 

would be an alternative route for 

our people, “we want to ask our 

people to be calm why we speak 

for them so that we all can enjoy 

this country that God has blessed 

us with.” 

DESOPADEC: Expect harvest of projects, Oweh tells 

Isoko people 

By Ochuko 

Akuopha 

O 

L E H — 

COMMISSIONER 

representing Isoko ethnic 

nationality on the board of 

the Delta State Oil 

Producing Areas 

Development Commission, 

DESOPADEC, Dr Paul 

Oweh, has told the people 

of the Isoko nation to expect 

a harvest of developmental 

projects from the 

commission in the years 

ahead. 

Interacting with newsmen 

shortly after the commissioning 

of a six-classroom block with offices 

and furniture at Owholemu 

Primary School, Olomoro and just 

constructed 450 meters Ajuwawa 

Road Oleh, all in Isoko South 

Local Government Area, Oweh 

reiterated the commitment of the 

current board to deliver on its 

mandate with the delivery of 

people oriented projects within 

record time. 

Earlier in his address, Oweh 

commended the contractors for 

the timely completion and the 

quality of the jobs done. "The days 

when projects would be awarded 

and be lingering for years in 

DESOPADEC are over," he 

added. 

He also lauded the host 

communities for providing the 

enabling environment which 

necessitated the timely delivery 

of the projects. 

He said: "let me especially 

thank the leadership of our 

communities who have provided 

the enabling environment which 

necessitated the speedy 

completion of the projects. Let me 

assure you that there shall be 

harvest of more projects for Isoko 

in the years ahead." 

Uviejitobor hails Aladja, Isaba commuinities' 

peace deal 

Delta community expresses confidence in monarch 

U GHELLI—THE 

people of Umolo- 

Olomu community, Ughelli 

South Local Government 

Area, Delta State have 

expressed implicit 

confidence on the 

Ohworode of Olomu 

Kingdom, HRM Richard 

Ogbon Ogoni-Oghoro I 

and his traditional Council 

of Chiefs. 

The people, in a statement by 

Mr. Sheriff Oyibo, Chief Joseph 

Oluku, Mr. Godwin Onojefe, Mr. 

Samuel Etimeighophan, Mr. 

Samuel Onomake and others, 

frowned at statements by some 

indigenes of the community that 

By Festus Ahon 

Arepresenting SABA—MEMBER 

Udu 

Constituency in the Delta 

State House of Assembly, 

Chief Peter Uviejitobor has 

expressed joy over the 

decision of Aladja in Udu 

and Isaba in Warri South 

West local government 

the monarch cannot interfere in 

the community's affairs, 

emphasizing that "Umolo-Olomu 

Community is not an 

autonomous community outside 

Olomu Kingdom." 

The statement noted that the 

community "is one of the 15 

communities in Olomu Kingdom 

under the rule" of the monarch, 

stressing that "Umolo-Olomu is 

not under any other Kingdom 

and Umolo is not a Kingdom of its 

own as such we are subjects under 

the rule of Olomu monarch. 

Umolo-Olomu belong the 

Oghoro ruling House of Olomu 

Kingdom. 

"Our Royal father has all right 

areas to end the three years 

and seven months 

communal crisis. 

Uviejitobor in a statement, 

said he received with great 

joy the peace pact signed 

by the two communities 

and commended the state 

government’s efforts at 

ensuring that peace 

returned to the areas. 

to interfere in any community 

affair that would bridge the peace 

of Olomu Kingdom as he has 

been doing in issues that would 

have caused crisis. 

"The Ohworode of Olomu 

Kingdom, HRM Ovie Dr. Richard 

Layegue Ogbon Ogoni-Oghoro 

I, did not conduct election or 

selected Umolo-Olomu 

Executives but rather Umolo- 

Olomu people introduced their 

newly elected Executives to him. 

"Umolo-Olomu has no written 

constitution but election to the 

position of President-General is 

by an unwritten by-law of four 

years tenure rotation between 

Ogbode and Ososo quarters." 

The Lawmaker explained 

that Aladja and Isaba 

communities have been 

good neighbors before 

issues that led to the crisis 

and appealed to the people 

to put the past behind them 

and forge ahead for better 

future. 

Uviejitobor who is the 

Chairman, House 

Committee on Water 

Resources, said no meaningful 

development could come to 

communities in a chaotic 

atmosphere and urged all to 

embrace peace at all times. 

He stated that the Okowa’s 

administration was committed to 

building a stronger Delta State, 

noting that peace and stability 

were required to achieving the 

set goal. 

The Aladja- Isaba peace pact 

was jointly signed by the Ovie of 

Udu kingdom, HRM Emmanuel 

Delekpe and the regent of Isaba 

kingdom, High Chief John 

Ekpenzu with the Special Adviser 

to the Governor on Peace Building 

and Conflict Resolution, Chief 

Edwin Uzor leading the state 

government team to the 

ceremony. 

Wall Street ticks lower as FedEx 

warns on profit 

United States (US) stocks edged lower at open 

on Wednesday, pressured by FedEx’s warning 

on full-year profit, while investors waited for the 

Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 35.41 

points, or 0.13 percent, at the open to 27,075.39. The 

S&P 500 opened lower by 4.20 points, or 0.14 percent, 

at 3,001.50. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 11.39 

points, or 0.14 percent, to 8,174.62 at the opening bell. 

Apple spars with EU as $14bn Irish 

tax dispute drags on 

Apple accused the European Commission of 

misunderstanding its business on day two of the 

iPhone maker’s appeal against a $14 billion tax order, 

in a dispute that is key to the EU’s drive to collect 

more taxes but which could also run for years. The 

case centers on tax rulings granted by Ireland to two 

Apple businesses in the country, Apple Sales 

International and Apple Operations Europe. The 

rulings reduced Apple’s tax burden for more than two 

decades - to as low as 0.005 percent in 2014, according 

to the Commission, although Apple disputes this. 

The Commission ordered the U.S. company in 2016 

to pay 13 billion euros ($14.4 billion) of taxes it said 

were owed to Ireland. But Apple and Ireland, whose 

economy benefits from hosting a number of 

multinational firms, are appealing against the decision 

at Europe’s General Court, its second highest. 

US housing starts, building 

permits hit 12-year high 

United States (US) homebuilding surged to more than 

a 12-year high in August as both single- and multifamily 

housing construction increased, suggesting that 

lower mortgage rates were finally providing a boost to the 

struggling housing market. 

The report from the Commerce Department on Wednesday 

also showed permits for future home construction rose 

to levels last seen in 2007. It added to upbeat data on 

retail sales that have pointed to an economy that is continuing 

to grow moderately rather than flirting with a recession 

as has been flagged by financial markets. 

The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates 

again on Wednesday to keep the longest economic expansion 

in history, now in its 11th year, on track. A yearlong 

trade war between the United States and China has 

dimmed the economy’s outlook. The US central bank lowered 

borrowing costs in July for the first time since 2008. 

Canadian inflation falls to 1.9% in 

August on lower gas prices 

Canada’s annual inflation rate fell slightly to 1.9 per 

cent in August on lower gasoline prices, Statistics Canada 

said yesterday in its first major data release since Canadian 

politicians formally hit the campaign trail. 

Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast an inflation rate 

of 2.0 percent. Canada’s annual inflation rate in July 

was 2.0 percent. After the data release, the Canadian 

dollar held steady near C$1.3250, or 75.47 U.S. cents. 

Canada is in the midst of a national election with polls 

showing the governing Liberals are in a tight bid for reelection 

against the opposition Conservatives, who have 

focused their campaign on issues related to the cost of 

living and affordability. Canadians vote on Oct. 21. 

Toyota banks on Olympic halo for 

the humble bus to keep hydrogen 

dream alive 

Buses may not be the most glamorous mode of transport 

but at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, they will 

represent Toyota Motor Corp’s best bet for wider acceptance 

of hydrogen power - technology so far eclipsed by electric 

vehicles. 

Japan’s biggest automaker plans to roll out 100 hydrogen 

fuel cell buses to shuttle visitors between venues, a stepping 

stone to a big ramp up for the Beijing Winter Olympics in 

2022. There, more than 1,000 buses are planned in 

partnership with Beiqi Foton Motor Company, according 

to people familiar with the project, which aims to make the 

most of a push by China to start adopting the zero-emissions 

technology. 

The plans to promote hydrogen with its exclusive Olympic 

‘mobility’ sponsorship deal - one Toyota holds until 2024 - 

underscore its determination to keep backing the technology. 

That’s despite an increasing number of electric cars on the 

road and Toyota’s own efforts to speed up EV development. 

Stories credited to Reuters



PRESENTATION: 

University of 

Benin’s Deputy 

Vice Chancellor, 

Administration, 

Prof. Ikponwonsa 

Omoruyi (left) 

receiving Glo/ 

Huawei routers 

from Glo Regional 

M a n a g e r , 

Activation, Obiora 

Ezeora on Monday 

in continuation of 

the nationwide 

presentation of 

Glo/Huawei ICT 

solutions to tertiary 

institutions. 

Afenifere, YCE, Osuntokun 

react to Osinbajo’s ordeals 

•It’s mere distraction — APC 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

& Ola Ajayi 

L 

A G O S — 

FOLLOWING 


Buhari’s directive that Vice- 

President Yemi Osinbajo, 

should seek presidential 

approvals before taking any 

action over agencies under 

his (Osinbajo’s) 

supervision, mixed 

reactions have trailed the 

treatment meted out to 

Osinbajo by the President. 

The Economic 

Management Team, led by 

Osinbajo was dissolved on 

Monday and replaced with 

an advisory council that 

would report directly to 

President Buhari. 

It was learned that some 

agencies, such as NEMA, 

would deal directly with the 

President rather than with 

Osinbajo. 

There are also reports that 

some of Osinbajo’s aides 

had been transferred out of 

the Presidential Villa and 

seconded to some 

Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies, MDAs. 

The Presidency, it was 

reported, is planning to 

strip the Vice-President of 

his brainchild known as the 

Social Investment 

Programme, SIP, which 

comprises the TraderMoni 

Scheme, N-Power, school 

feeding programme and 

others. 

The welfare programme is 

expected to be placed 

under the newly-created 

Federal Ministry of 

Humanitarian Affairs, 

Disaster Management and 

Social Development 

headed by Mrs. Sadiya 

Umar. 

But mixed reactions 

elicited the decisions taken 

by the President. 

Those who reacted 

include the pan-Yoruba 

socio-political organization, 

Afenifere; the Yoruba 

Council of Elders, YCE; 

Akin Osuntokun, Political 

Adviser to former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo and 

Professor Banji Akintoye. 

Osinbajo has been 

rendered impotent 

— Afenifere 

But Afenifere expressed 

worry over the treatment 

meted out to the Vice 

President saying he 

(Osinbajo) has been 

rendered impotent. 

Afenifere’s National 

Publicity Secretary, Mr. 

Yinka Odumakin, said: 

“The treatments must be 

fallouts of serious 

disagreement as he has 

been stripped bare with only 

his suit left on him.” 

“We are following 

developments and will 

make informed comments 

at the appropriate time 

when we have the full facts. 

“It is dangerous to stake 

reputation for politicians 

until you have the facts of 

what they are involved in.” 

There’s nothing wrong 

with Buhari’s decision 

— YCE 

In his response, Secretary 

General of YCE, Dr. Kunle 

Olajide, who said his 

comments on the issue 

were personal, did not see 

anything really wrong in 

the President’s decision to 

make a fresh move in 

restoring and reviving the 

dull economy. 

Olajide said: “My views 

are totally different from the 

ones expressed by others. 

The new economic 

management team is totally 

different from the previous 

committee whose members 

were from the cabinet. 

“The new economic 

management team, which 

is saddled with the 

responsibility of advising 

the president on the right 

decision to take on 

economy, comprises 

professionals from private 

sector. 

“I’m not comfortable 

because all of them are from 

private sector but I think the 

President has realised that 

the time is running out and 

he wants to make a positive 

impact to revive and restore 

the economy. We all know 

that one major problem of 

insecurity is bad economy.” 

Besides, he said: “It is 

right that the President has 

decided to bring in new 

minds who would take 

decisions based on their 

professional perspectives. 

“I think we still have an 

economic team allowed by 

the constitution. All the 

state governors and the vice 

president are in that team. 

That can still continue.” 

We’ll rally round him 

— Akintoye 

However, Professor Banji 

Akintoye, who was elected 

Yoruba leader, said the 

South West will rally round 

the Vice President. 

Akintoye said: “Well, what 

is evolving has been 

predicted for some time. 

These people (north) have 

taken total control of 

Nigeria and they are doing 

what they like with 

Nigeria.” 

When asked whether the 

Yoruba will rally round the 

VP, Akintoye said: “Of 

course with the way this is 

happening. The response 

has to be a full house and 

partisan response. We have 

to look at how this is 

impacting the Yoruba 

nation needs to be looked 

at carefully.” 

He’s out of his depths in 

circles he has found 

himself — Osuntokun 

Mr. Akin Osuntokun, 

Political Adviser to former 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo said he was not 

surprised by the treatment 

meted out to Osinbajo. 

Osuntokun said: 

“Personally I’m not 

surprised. Regardless of 

the facade hitherto spun on 

the status of Osinbajo 

within the Buhari power 

matrix, I have always 

known and publicly borne 

witness to the spiteful low 

esteem he is held. 

Remember the helicopter 

accident he was involved in 

during the campaign? 

Anyone familiar with the 

protocol of Presidential/Vice 

Presidential travels can 

easily attest that was an 

indication Osinbajo was 

only Vice President in 

name. By virtue of his office 

he is entitled to any of the 

numerous choppers owned 

by the Federal Government 

including the ones in the 

Presidential fleet and those 

owned by several Federal 

government agencies- yet 

he had to hire a commercial 

operator. 

“ The tragedy is that he 

is clearly out of his depths 

in the circles he has found 

himself. And you can say 

the same of the entire South 

West APC brigade. They 

are amateurs dealing with 

unconscionable veterans 

and denizens. More than 

you and I, a Pastor should 

learn the wisdom of dining 

with the devil with the 

longest spoon.” 

It’s mere distraction 

— APC 

When contacted, the 

National Publicity Secretary 

of All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Mr. Lanre 

Issa-Onilu dismissed the 

report, saying it was a 

media creation. 

When asked to comment 

on the agencies and 

ministry taken off the Vice 

President’s office, he said: 

“Which ministry? Mention 

which ministry that was 

taken away from the VP’s 

office?” 

On the relocation of 

some of the Vice 

President’s aides, he 

said: “Can you mention 

where they relocated to? 

The media is throwing 

up a crisis where there 

is none. This is too cheap 

and it is a mere 

distraction.” 

We'll give Oyetola war over 

plan to tax churches 

— BISHOP 

By Shina Abubakar 

O Coordinator 

SOGBO—THE 

for 

World Bishop Council in 

Osun State, Bishop Seun 

Adeboye, yesterday, warned 

Governor Gboyega Oyetola 

to steer clear the idea of 

taxing religious centres as 

means of generating 

revenue for his 


He added that if the 

government failed to heed 

the warning, churches in the 

state will embark on a legal 

battle against the 


Addressing journalists at 

the correspondents’ chapel 

in Osogbo, leader of the 

Sufficient Grace and Truth 

Ministry, Rehoboth Arena, 

Okinni, Bishop Adeboye 

stressed that churches are 

not business centres that 

should be taxed by any 

government for whatever 

reason. 

Adeboye said: “Why 

planning to take taxes from 

the Churches which today 

had virtually taken over 

government duties? Those 

abandoned by the people in 

the position of authority 

have become the Church’s 

burden. Our Churches 

today are like IDP centres 

where food items and 

clothing are being 

distributed for people 

neglected and abandoned 

by the government. 

“Let Governor Gboyega 

Oyetola understand that this 

is a move for war and some 

•We’re taxing business 

ventures — IRS 

of us are ready to fight with 

every legal means. Already, 

I have started mobilising 

people towards this 

direction. Whoever advises 

the governor to agree to 

taxing religious centres is 

number one enemy. 

“Some of us had, in the 

last eight years, cried out 

about what we observed as 

uncontrolled stealing of 

public funds, capital flight, 

phantom projects and 

unrestrained appetite for all 

manners of loan by the 

government but some 

people saw us as enemies 

of the immediate past 

administration in whose 

foundation Oyetola is laying 

new bricks.” 

We’re taxing business 

ventures, not churches 

— IRS 

However, Chairman of the 

state Internal Revenue 

Service, Mr. Gbite 

Ademikanran, said the 

agency is not taxing 

religious centres, but 

individuals working in 

religious centres and 

earning salary must remit 

pay as you earn to 

government. 

Ademikanran said: “We 

are not taxing religious 

centres but their business 

ventures, some Mosque 

and Churches have 

shopping complex and were 

charging fees, government 

has the right to tax such 

fund, as well as individuals 

working with Church and 

earning salary.” 

Petition against Justice 

Tsoho not from me 

— FANI KAYODE 


LMinister AGOS—FORMER 

of Aviation, 

Mr. Femi Fani Kayode, 

yesterday, denounced a 

petition attributed to him 

against the acting Chief 

Judge of the Federal High 

Court, Justice John Tsoho, 

stating that the report was 

fake and was generated 

and orchestrated by agents 

of falsehood. 

He stated that the report 

did not originate from him 

adding that he did not 

mandate anyone to write 

such “an absurd, damaging 

and defamatory story” 

against Justice Tsoho. 

In a letter titled: RE: Fake 

Petition Against Justice 

John Tsoho, The Acting 

Chief Judge Of The Federal 

High Court, the former 

Aviation Minister said: 

“The fake story purportedly 

reflects the contents of a 

fake petition which was 

supposedly written by a 

fake lawyer (who I have 

never met or spoken to by 

the name of Lanre Amu) on 

my behalf against Justice 

John Tsoho, the Acting 

Chief Judge of the Federal 

High Court.” 

Fani-Kayode said: “I 

wish to emphasise the fact 

that anyone or any medium 

that attempts to publish or 

circulate such a fake and 

damaging story would 

have contravened the laws 

of defamation and would 

have violated the 

provisions of the cyber 

crime law and I will not 

hesitate to exercise my 

lawful and legitimate rights 

in a court of law in order to 

protect my name and 

reputation. 

“I have not written any 

petition against Justice 

Tsoho, to the Chairman of 

the Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against 

Corruption or any other 

committee or agency. 

“I have not authorised or 

directed any lawyer to write 

any petition against Justice 

John Tsoho, the Acting 

Chief Judge of the Federal 

High Court, to the 

Chairman of the 

Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against 

Corruption or any other 

committee or agency. 

“I do not know, have 

never heard of and have 

never spoken to Mr. Lanre 

Amu who is allegedly the 

author of the petition and 

who falsely claims to be 

acting on my behalf. The 

claims in the petition 

and the attachments that 

were sent with it are fake 

and false.''


THE Governor of Borno State, 

Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, was 

recently at the headquarters of the 

Nigerian Customs Service, Abuja, to 

solicit assistance for the millions of internally-displaced 

persons, IDPs, and 

other embattled citizens in the State and 

the North East needing urgent food 

support. 

natural abodes by forces beyond their 

Accompanied by his immediate 

control. pThe insurgency, combined 

predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, 

with the drastic effects of climate 

Zulum alerted Nigerians and the 

change has produced over 2.4 million 

international community to the urgent 

displaced persons. Some of them who 

humanitarian (especially food) needs 

have been restored to their 

of the state shellacked for the past ten 

reconstructed communities cannot 

years by Boko Haram Islamist 

engage in safe farming because of the 

insurgency. 

incessant raids and ambushes by Boko 

The Nigerian Customs is one of the 

Haram terrorists who also prey on the 

Federal agencies which regularly confiscates 

prohibited items such as food- 

people for their own food supply. 

Currently, more than 150,000 

stuff from smugglers. Instead of these 

Nigerians of Borno extraction are 

being destroyed or auctioned off or 

taking refuge in Niger Republic, Chad 

even stolen, they can come in very 

and Cameroon. According to the 

handy in helping feed the millions of 

international Emergency Food Security 

starving Nigerians displaced from their 

Assessment, EFSA, published in April 

Gov Zulum’s SOS for starving IDPs 

2019, severe food insecurity was 

reported “highest” in northern and 

central parts of Borno State where 

Boko Haram resurgence, climate 

change and returnees from IDP camps 

necessitated Governor Zulum’s cry for 

help. 

According to the report: “Food 

security remains driven by incidences 

of hostilities as well as communal 

conflicts between farmers and herders, 

limited access to farming and grazing 

land, including livelihood opportunities, 

stretched communal resources due 

to increased dependency by IDPs and 

returnees, extended dry spells and high 

food prices”. 

In every war situation, the issue of 

food supply and management is always 

very central. There is often the need to 

ensure enough food gets to the troops 

and the civilian population while the 

supply lines of the enemies are cut off. 

We call on relevant government 

agencies to combine efforts with the 

numerous international charities active 

in the North East to reduce starvation 

among the populace. The Federal 

Government must remove politics from 

the anti-Boko Haram war and focus 

more efforts at improving the 

effectiveness of governance in areas 

liberated from the insurgents. 

It is only when such communities live 

in a stable and safe atmosphere that 

they can begin to support themselves 

and, ultimately, the war effort. We 

thank the Comptroller General of 

Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, for 

his eagerness to start the immediate 

release of food supply to those in need. 

All hands must be on deck. 

OPINION 

The $9.6b judgement debt burden 

By ADEWALE KUPOLUYI 

THE court judgement of $9.6 billion 

against Nigeria by a United Kingdom 

court for its inability to perform a subsisting 

contract between both parties continues to 

elicit reactions and controversy in the polity. 

In a judgment against the nation, the Irish 

company, Process and Industrial 

Developments Limited, P&ID, has been given 

the right to seize $9.6bn in Nigerian assets. 

The sum, which is about 20 percent of the 

country’s external reserves of $45billion, 

makes the judgment a product of the inability 

of our government to keep faith with the 

contractual terms with the existing Gas Supply 

and Processing Agreement, GSPA, causing the 

nation an opportunity to add 2,000 megawatts 

of power to its generation capacity. 

In 2010, both parties had signed the 

agreement that P&ID would build a state-ofthe-art 

gas processing plant that would convert 

wet gas to dry gas and supply same to the 

national grid at no extra cost to the country 

while the Federal Government would lay 

pipelines and supply gas to the plant in line 

with the deal. The company was obliged to 

make its invested funds through the exportation 

of byproducts of the wet gas for over 20 years. 

Reports indicated that the government failed 

to lay required pipes, making it impossible for 

P&ID to build the plant, as agreed. This brought 

about the dispute that made the company 

accuse Nigeria of breach of contract and 

depriving it of opportunity to earn a profit, as 

building the plant was contingent on the 

government laying the pipes. 

For emphasis, in keeping to the terms of the 

contract, the company had opted for 

arbitration and a settlement was reached in 

2015 in which Nigeria agreed to pay $850 

million. Unfortunately, Nigeria did not adhere 

to the terms of the arbitration, making P&ID 

resort to arbitration and in 2017 whereby the 

arbitration tribunal ruled in favour of the 

company and ordered Nigeria to pay for the 

value of the profits which P&ID would have 

earned from March 2013 with interest. 

Despite this, the government reneged by 

forcing the company to approach a 

commercial court to seek enforcement of the 

tribunal’s ruling, which culminated in making 

the court to rule that Nigeria had erred in the 

handling of the matter and should, therefore, 

pay $9.6 billion to the company. The nonpresentation 

of proper documentation to the 

High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division 

(Commercial Court) has accounted for the 

legal action facing the nation. 

The interim award judgment would give 

P&ID the right to seize Nigeria’s assets in any 

of the 160 countries that form part of the New 

York Convention, which is a global pact for 

the enforcement of such arbitral awards. 

Matters arising from the case suggest that there 

are many faults on the part of the government. 

For instance, representatives of the 

government were accused of not being in court 

when required or refused to follow up on 

negotiated out-of-court settlements. 

These amounted to costly legal mistakes as 

the judgement is capable of making the country 

lose a huge amount of 20 percent of its external 

reserves, which is about 2.5 percent of the 

nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP. 

Furthermore, rather than correcting the 

mistake, retrogressive actions were taken by 

the country and the suit, which lasted for more 

than four years, had a ruling against Nigeria 

that it was liable to the P&ID. This judgement 

was never contested. 

The following knotty questions deserve 

answers: Why did public officials offer to give 

up jurisdiction clause to overseas interests and 

by so doing, externalise the choice of law in 

contracts to be executed within local 

jurisdictions? Could this be deliberate to put 

the nation in a disadvantaged position? Was 

the deal meant to be a failed venture ab initio? 

What were the obligations and limitations of 

the parties? What is the actual amount the firm 

invested in Nigeria on the contract? Where is 

the office of the firm located in the country? 

Who are the personnel and principal officers 

of the firm in Nigeria? These are questions 

that deserve concrete explanations in line with 

the statutory requirements for foreign 

participation of business in Nigeria. 

As a way forward, the government should 

explore every legal means to resolve the dispute 

without further delay. This becomes crucial in 

view of insinuations by government that the 

judgement debt was a calculated attempt by 

The Federal Government 

should appeal against the 

ruling of the UK court by 

exploring the possible 

defences customarily afforded 

by sovereign states 

international and local scammers to deplete 

the country’s rising foreign reserves, just as the 

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, 

Abubakar Malami, SAN, had rejected claims 

by P&ID that he was culpable for causing a 

delay that culminated to the award of $9.6 

billion against the nation. 

It is hoped that the country’s economy would 

not be depleted going by the welcome decision 

to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC; the National Intelligence 

Agency, NIA; the police and relevant bodies to 

look into the saga. Those found guilty should 

be sanctioned no matter how highly placed 

they may be. The Federal Government should 

logically appeal against the ruling of the UK 

court by exploring the possible defences 

customarily afforded by sovereign states under 

the United Kingdom Sovereign Immunity Act 

to halt enforcing payment of the avoidable 

judgement debt. 

This should be done through a well- 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

coordinated strategy without foreclosing outof-court 

settlement options, which is the 

hallmark of arbitration as opposed to 

litigation in terms of being parties-driven, 

privacy, time management, and costeffectiveness. 

This possibility should be 

harnessed given the reported olive branch 

extended by the son of the owner of P&ID, 

Adams Quinn, in reaching out to the Federal 

Government for a possible amicable resolution 

of the issue in dispute. Quinn is said to be in 

contact with the government, having 

proposed meetings with government officials. 

We should always remember that the 

business of governance is a serious one that 

should be accorded great attention, expertise, 

and patriotism. What has been the experience 

of the nation over the years is that 

governmental affairs have not been given the 

utmost attention that could yield or transform 

into rapid development and good governance 

for the nation. Despite our modest 

achievements, unnecessary rivalry, poor 

accountability, red-tapism, nepotism, 

indiscipline, lack of continuity and 

sustainability of public policy had 

characterised public administration in 

Nigeria. 

This lack-lustre performance of public affairs 

has further been weakened by alleged bloated 

workforce, which informed the setting up of 

the Steve Oronsaye Committee in 2011 and 

before it, the 1999 Ahmed Joda panel that had 

recommended the reduction of statutory 

agencies from 263 to 161, out of which about 

38 of them were set for scrapping. 

To date, not much had been done to 

implement the life-transforming initiative. We 

need to get it right as a nation by learning 

from past mistakes and taking decisive and 

critical decisions. The avoidable $9.6 billion 

debt judgment should be reversed. This is the 

expectation of the people. 

• Kupoluyi wrote from the Federal 

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, 

FUNAAB,

Price of kerosene up 10.8% 

as cooking gas drops 


Average price of petroleum 

products across the 36 states 

of the federation have recorded 

some increases in the month of 

August, 2019, the Nigerian 

Bureau of Statistic, NBS, has 

said. 

The agency, in its latest report 

on the prices of petroleum 

products, stated that average 

price per litre paid by consumers 

for household kerosene increased 

10.80 percent year-on-year, YoY, 

to N319.94 last month. The 

current price represents 1.24 

percent rise month-on-month, 

MoM, from N316.03 in July, 

2019. 

A breakdown of the prices in 

the various states shows that 

states with the highest average 

price per litre of kerosene were 

Abia Enugu, and Ebonyi States, 

at N375.55, N365.47 and 

N358.33 respectively. It also 

shows states with the lowest 

average price per litre of 

kerosene were Abuja (N245.50), 

Kwara (N261.11) and Benue 

(N261.90). 

The agency did not indicate the 

reason for the development but 

other industry sources show a 

government’s policy shift in 

favour of gas for domestic 

cooking. 

A report obtained from the 

Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, also shows 

a decline of kerosene importation 

from 139.6 million in the first 

quarter of the year, Q1’19, to 85.5 

million liters in the Q2’19, 

indicating a huge shortfall in the 

supply of the product. 

Conversely, in another report, 

on Liquefied Petroleum Gas, 

LPG, popularly known as 

cooking gas, the average price 

for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder 

cooking gas decreased by -1.21 

percent MoM and by -2.62 

percent YoY to N2,000 in August 

2019 from N2,024.80 in July 2019. 

According to the agency, 

“States with the highest average 

price for the refilling of a 5kg 

cylinder for Cooking Gas were 

Adamawa (N2,488.75), Bauchi 

(N2,468.89) and Borno 

(N2,391.07). 

“States with the lowest average 

price for the refilling of a 5kg 

cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum 

Gas (Cooking Gas) were Osun 

(N1,694.44), Enugu (N1,718.05) 

and Abuja (N1,739.17).” 

However, the report further 

stated: “Average price for the 

refilling of a 12.5kg cylinder for 

Cooking Gas increased by 0.09 

percent month-on-month and 

decreased by -3.35 percent yearon-year 

to N4,220.11 in August 

2019 from N4,216.29 in July 


2019.” 

On average price paid by 

consumers for Premium Motor 

Spirit, PMS, popularly known as 

petrol, the report indicated a -1.0 

percent decrease YoY and 0.3 

percent increase MoM to N145.5 

in August 2019 from N145.0 in 

July 2019. 

States with the lowest average 

price of petrol were Katsina 

(N142.50), Zamfara (N144.33) 

and Kaduna (N144.68). 

States with the highest average 

price of petrol were Bayelsa 

(N146.78), Cross River 

(N146.76) and Kogi (N146.75). 

From left, Professor Michael Ajetunmobi, Mathematics Department, Lagos State University, 

Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers’ 2nd Vice President, Mr. Oluwole Adeosun, Ist Vice 

President CIS, Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, Professor, Russell Olukayo Somoye, Dean, Faculty 

of Administration and Management Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University, CIS’ Registrar and 

Chief Executive, Mr. Adedeji Ajadi at the second executive conversion programme of the 

Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in CIS in Lagos 

Power delivery will take 10yrs to stabilise 

— Experts 

By Ediri Ejoh, Houston, Texas 

CONTRARY 

to 

popular views 

power supply may not 

$ 96.85 0.00 

witness significant 

improvement with 

$2,400.00 6.00 

privatisation, as 

industry experts call 

$11.04 0.10 

for a long term 

sustainable strategy. 

Speaking at the 

ongoing Gastech- 

$62.82 

$58.34 

-0.73 

-1.00 

Development and 

Exhibition and 

Conference in 

Houston, Texas, Vice 

President, Business 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

Sales, Karpowership, 

Gonzalo Meza, stated 

305.9 306.4 306.9 that the sector, in a 

379.7749 380.3956 381.0164 developing country 

337.3465 337.8979 338.4493 such as Nigeria, will 

307.5918 

2.8282 

0.4953 

308.0945 

2.8328 

0.5053 

308.5973 

2.8375 

0.5153 

take up to 10 years 

before gaining some 

stability after full 

418.6903 419.3746 420.059 privatisation. 

43.1036 43.1745 43.2455 He said, “In 

81.5472 81.6805 81.8138 developing and 

419.3583 420.0438 420.7292 

45.17533 45.2471 45.321 

growing economy as 

20.7004 20.7342 20.7681 Nigeria, you have 

CBN Exchange rate as at 18/09/2019 

almost the same 

structure in ensuring 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

steady power supply. First you 

make feasibility study, raise the 

financing, build engineering 

and commission it. 

“What you are building is not 

a short term but about 10 years 

before you start reaping. The 

case of Nigeria is like running 

a race against moving targets. 

And the time it will take to start 

it is now. We need to plan about 

the future, think of the energy 

you don’t have and know it is 

costing the country new 

investment, growth, all the 

direct cost lost in wages and so 

on. 

“This is because power is like 

a central point to other 

development in a country’s 

economy, be it the medical, 

large scale businesses.” 

Also speaking, Director, 

Modec International Inc, Oise 

IIhonde, faulted Nigeria’s 

power sector governance 

system. 

According to him, “The power 

supply programme should not 

be tied to a political office 

holder. The solution to solving 

Nigeria’s power supply is to set 

up a programme that is a long 

term and not trying to solve it 

within a tenure of a given 

politician or political office 

holder. 

“There should be a separate 

entity that is not politically based 

and void of political tenure and 

they should be commissioned to 

solve the nation’s power problem. 

Also, the individuals should be 

technocrats with no term limit 

which makes it management by 

objective.” 

He also added that: 

“Infrastructures need to be put 

in place and across the value 

chain such as the generation, 

transmission and distribution. 

“From our findings, structures 

in Nigeria are over 50 years old 

and in need of a total overhauling 

to drive the needed actions in the 

power sector. We have got the fuel 

(gas) that is 60 percent of the cost, 

and all we need is the 

infrastructure to get it right. 

“We cannot solve the power 

sector’s problem without a synch 

to all the value chains. Electricity 

is as strong as your weakness 

link. If there is a weak link the 

development cannot be seen. It 

will take five years to start any 

power but it is a commitment and 

that cannot be done with current 

Nigeria’s political system.” 

ATM 

transactions 

hit N1.5trn 

...as eTransact boss 

laments penchant for 

cash transactions 

By Peter Egwuatu 

Transactions on Automated 

Teller Machines (ATMs) 

has recorded a total value of 

¦ 1.5 trillion while mobile 

money operations and web 

payments were ¦ 810.1 billion 

and ¦ 107.6 billion 

respectively in first quarter 

2019, Q1’19. 

The Deputy Managing 

Director of eTranzact 

International Plc, Hakeem 

Adeniji-Adele, quoting the 

Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement 

System (NIBSS), identified 

the Nigerian culture and 

penchant for cash transaction 

as the bane of digital 

payments in the country. 

Adeniji-Adele said the 

figures point to the fact that 

Nigeria is still predominantly 

a cash-based economy. He 

mentioned that interestingly, 

in Q1 there were more 

transactions on electronic 

transfer like ACH — (NIBSS 

Electronic Fund Transfer) — 

and NIBSS Instant Pay (NIP) 

than there were on ATMs, even 

though both options had bank 

branches as part of their 

channels. 

“So far, the Central Bank of 

Nigeria (CBN) has granted 79 

licences to players in the 

payment system while another 

26 have approvals in 

principle; this calls into 

question the level of cash 

circulating in the country. 

“Nigerians love to handle 

tangible money, it’s a mindset 

thing,” he stated. 

He pointed out that the total 

value of transactions using 

ATMs in Q1 2019 and the fact 

that it’s almost impossible to go 

a day without cash in Nigeria, 

lends credence to the claim 

that the country is 

predominantly a cash-based 

economy. 

Also, he believes the culture 

is being eroded as this aligns 

with NIBSS’ recent figures in 

comparison with Q1 2018 where 

ATM transactions with a total 

value of ¦ 1.57 trillion was 

higher than Q1 2019 by ¦ 70 

billion. For inclusion, he says 

players in the digital payment 

system need to develop 

products and services according 

to people’s culture. 

“The people that should be 

enabled are not because the 

ecosystem hasn’t really grown 

that much to service the underbanked 

and unbanked,” he 

affirmed 

According to him, there is 

need to understand that a 

culture is in place and 

technology has to be built to fit 

it, also that the future of digital 

payment in the country should 

be collaborative. 

He pointed out that in October 

2018,CBN had published an 

exposure draft of the new 

licensing regime for payment 

system providers in the country. 

The draft somewhat puts a 

barrier on businesses, 

preventing companies that 

don’t have enough financial 

capabilities from playing in the 

payment system. For instance, 

the minimum shareholders 

fund for a mobile money 

operator is ¦ 3 billion 

($8,273,400) which is definitely 

a great barrier to entry for startups.


LSETF secures job placement for 1,70 

,707 7 trainees 

…graduat 

aduates 1,300 in UNDP-back 

-backed training 

By Yinka Kolawole 

The Lagos State 

Employment 

Trust Fund (LSETF) 

said it has so far secured 

job placement for 1,707 

certified and skilled 

workmen and women 

with over 350 employers 

registered in its Labour 

M a n a g e m e n t 

Information System 

(LMIS), under the LSETF 

Employability Support 

Project (LSESP). 

This was revealed at a 

graduation ceremony for 

1,300 youth trained in 

vocational skills by the 

Fund in partnership 

with the United Nations 

Development 

Programme (UNDP) on 

Tuesday in Lagos. 

The newly graduated 

trainees bring the total 

number of youth 

trained under the 


Project to 5,056 since 

the two institutions 

entered into a 

partnership in 2017. 

Speaking at the event, 

Lagos State Governor, 

Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, 

represented by the 

Commissioner for 

Education, Mrs. 

Folashade Adefisayo 

said: "With well over 60% 

of Nigeria's population 

made up of young people 

under the age of 35 

years, we should 

effortlessly conclude that 

the future of our dear 

country is very 

promising. This implies 

that we have the benefit 

of a young workforce with 

the potential for another 

30 years of productivity. 

"However, we must be 

honest to admit that the 

reality today is that we do 

not have enough young 

people with employable 

skills that would make 

them globally 

competitive to take 

advantage of 

e m p l o y m e n t 

opportunities. Even 

blue-collar employment 

opportunities are quickly 

snapped up by the more 

skilled personnel from 

our neighbouring 

countries. We have to fix 

it. 

"And to fix this challenge 

there is a need to 

adequately equip our 

youth with world-class 

vocational skills to 

actualise their 

potentials. It is in the light 

of this reality that LSETF 

and the UNDP came 

together to launch the 

LSESP. The project which 

took effect in 2017 was 

designed to provide skills 

development to youth 

who are resident in Lagos 

and are within the age 18- 

45 years. 

"These successful 

trainees, whom we 

celebrate here today, 

have been equipped with 

world-class skills suitable 

for critical sectors such 

as Construction, 

Manufacturing, 

Healthcare, Hospitality, 

Entertainment, Business 

Support and Garment 

making." 

In her remarks, 

Chairman, Board of 

Trustees, LSETF, Mrs, 

Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru 

said: "It is no news that 

youth all over Nigeria 

and some parts of Africa 

migrate to Lagos State 

regularly seeking for 

"greener pasture" and an 

opportunity to 

participate in the 

commercial hub of the 

Nigerian economy. We 

want to make sure that as 

many of them, as are 

willing, are empowered 

and equipped with the 

right skills. With our 

partner, UNDP and our 

technical partner, 

Arcskills, the LSETF 


Project sought to 

increase the pool of 

skilled manpower to 

alleviate the shortage of 

skilled workmen and 

women in Lagos State." 

•A cross section of beneficiaries at graduation ceremony for 1,300 youth trained in vocational skills by 

LSETF in partnership with UNDP held in Lagos 

FG plans 37 MSMEs cluster 

ers nationwide 

— Osinbajo 

The 

federal 

government has 

commenced plans to 

establish clusters for 

micro, small and 

medium enterprises 

(MSMEs) across the 36 

states of the federation 

and the Federal Capital 

Territory (FCT). 

Vice President, Prof. 

Yemi Osinbajo disclosed 

this at the inauguration 

of the national MSMEs 

Clinic, the 24th in the 

series, in Birnin Kebbi, 

Kebbi State. 

According to a 

statement by his 

spokesman, Laolu 

Akande, the vice 

president noted that the 

gesture underscores the 

federal government's 

efforts at growing the 

MSMEs sector in 

Nigeria. 

Osinbajo stated: "One of 

the Next Level projects 

which we intend to do 

for MSMEs is what we 

call Shared Facilities for 

MSMEs. 

"We plan to have 37 

clusters across the 

nation, this will provide 

opportunity for MSMEs 

to walk into fully 

equipped clusters with 

specific facilities for 

end-to-end production 

of their products. 

"So, the Federal 

Government has 

identified a minimum of 

one cluster per state 

and in Kebbi State we 

have the commercial 

fishing cluster to be 

commissioned in next 

year by over 9000 

MSMEs to access daily." 

He said that his 

observation from going 

around Kebbi State and 

all over the country 

revealed that there was 

creativity, talent and so 

much enterprise and 

It is the 

individual 

work of small 

businesses, 

young 

entrepreneurs 

that make 

counties great 

all over the 

world 

people were prepared to 

work hard. 

"Young and old, people 

are making their 

contributions to the 

development of the 

economy and that is 

what makes countries 

great. 

"It is the individual work 

of small businesses, 

young entrepreneurs 

that make counties great 

all over the world," he 

said. 

Osinbajo charged all 

federal government 

regulatory agencies to 

see themselves first as 

facilitators of business 

and not obstacles, 

noting that they were 

not just revenue 

generating agencies. 

He said that a total of 

21,703 beneficiaries 

have been impacted 

under the Marketmoni 

scheme in Kebbi State, 

while 47,041 

beneficiaries have 

received various sums 

under TraderMoni 

scheme across the state. 

Record keeping for small 

businesses 

Good business record-keeping lets you prepare 

financial statements of your company, one of 

the key ingredients of a good business that has a 

future. It helps you keep tabs on your expenses, 

and comes in handy if you ever need to seek a 

business loan from any bank. 

For starters in this topic you shoul hold to heart 

this eight small business record keeping rules: 

Always keep receipts, bank statements, invoices, 

payroll records, and any other documentary 

evidence that supports an item of income, 

deduction, or credit shown on your business 

transactions; Expenses that are less than N1000 

or that have to do with transportation, lodging or 

meal expenses might not have a receipt. But you 

still need to put them in your expense record 

showing where and when the expense occurred, 

and what it was for. 

With the tax regime in Nigeria becoming very 

aggressive and compelling these records need to 

be kept for at least three years. 

In view of the challenges of keeping documents it is 

advised that you go paperless, store everything 

electronically, and always make backups. With this 

system the records can be kept for many years, 

indeed through the life of the business. 

Even if you don't need a document to do your taxes, 

you might need it for something else. When it doubt, 

keep it. 

Here are the main types of records you should hang 

on to: Receipts, Cash register tapes, Deposit 

information (cash and credit sales), Invoices, Proof 

of payment/electronic funds transferred, Credit 

card receipts, Bank statements and Petty cash slips 

for small cash payments. 

Others include, accounts payable and receivable, 

Payroll records (both for regular employees and 

casual labourers, Tax papers, any other 

documentary evidence that supports any money 

transactions.


08052202308 (sms only) 

Our hospitals need more 

nurses, midwives, Labour 

cries out 

•Says moves to concession hospitals anti-masses 

Stories by Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

THE problem of shortage of 

health workers in the nation’s 

hospitals has once again 

being brought to the fore by Organised 

Labour. 

On the aegis of the National 

Association Of Nigerian Nurses 

And Midwives, NANNM, Labour 

specifically decried the 

shortage of qualified nurses and 

midwives in Nigeria hospitals, 

describing the situation as unacceptable. 

The Federal Capital Territory, 

FCT, council NANNM at the 

2019 FCT Nurses Week/Scientific 

workshop, equally lamented 

the poor funding of medical facilities 

across the country, and 

FCT, insisting that the funding 

of government hospitals in 

the country is nothing to be 

proud of. 

Speaking, Chairperson, 

NANNM, FCT Council, 

Deborah Yusufu, said government 

at all levels must address 

both the personnel and funding 

crises in the health system, if 

all the negative indices being 

recorded in the sector were to be 

reversed. 

Yusufu contended that the 

health facilities at the primary 

health care and tertiary levels 

urgently needed more nurses 

and midwives; and pleaded with 

the governments to massively 

recruit qualified nurses and 

midwives urgently. 

According to her “I therefore 

call call on those in authorities 

to please ensure immediate 

mass recruitment of nurses and 

midwives to cope with the volume 

of work required in our 

hospitals. All our hospitals are 

grossly in shortage of nurses and 

midwives and we all know how 

important they are to the health 

system. The country cannot continue 

like this if we want to 

achieve the universal health 

coverage. 

“Nurses are often the first and 

the only health professionals that 

people see and the quality of 

their initial assessment, care and 

treatment is vital. Nurses are also 

part of their local community – 

sharing its culture, strength and 

vulnerabilities and can shape 

and deliver effective interventions 

to meet the needs of patients, 

families and communities.” 

She implored nurses and 

midwives to maintain and insist 

on the ethics of the nursing profession 

to improve their image in 

the society, by rendering effective, 

efficient and excellent 

nursing care to patients in line 

with international best practices. 

While also lamenting the poor 

funding of health facilities 

across the country, Yusufu said it 

was high time the government 

addressed these issues, lamenting 

that “health workers are 

being owed salaries and allowances 

even when they are overworked 

due to the shortage of 

personnel in the health 

facilities.” 

The FCT NANNM Chairperson, 

begged the government to 

urgently release funds to clear 

the arrears of salaries and allowance 

owed the health workers. 

On his part, President of Medical 

and Health Workers Union of 

Nigeria, MHWUN, 

Biobelemoye Josiah, blamed the 

government for the poor state of 

health in the country. 

On the move by the government 

to concession some government 

hospitals, he said the 

unions in the health sector 

*President, John Adaji and General Secretary, Issa Aremu mni with South Africa 

President , Cyril Ramaphosa at 14th National Congress of Southern African Clothing 

and Textile Workers Union, SACTWU, at ICC Durban, South Africa. 

but he explained that President 

Muhammadu Buhari, reasoned 

with the unions and cancelled it. 

He blamed those clamouring 

for privatization of the health 

sector of responsible for the decay 

in the nation’s healthcare 

delivery, saying “They have 

UN endorses ILO's Centenary declaration for 

future of works 

would begin 

consultations to 

forge a common 

front to oppose the 

concession plan. 

According to him, 

“for the healthcare 

services to remain 

affordable for the 

poor ones, 

goverment must 

retain its stake in 

public-owned hospitals 

and not 

privatise them. 

He argued that 

the attempt by some 

persons to deceive 

the Federal 

Government into 

accepting to concession the 

teaching hospitals on the guise 

that it would to a better health 

sector, was fraudulent and unacceptable. 

Biobelemoye recalled that 

the idea to privatise some hospitals 

was beought up in 2016 

THE United Nations General 

Assembly, UNGA, has 

adopted a resolution welcoming 

the International Labour Organisation, 

ILO, Centenary 

Declaration for the future of 

work and calling on UN bodies 

to consider integrating the declaration’s 

policy proposals into 

their work. 

The resolution requests the 

UN to consider a human-centred 

approach to the future of 

work, through investing in people, 

institutions and sustainable 

growth. 

It was adopted by the ILO’s 

membership during the annual 

International Labour Conference, 

ILC, in June, and serves 

as a roadmap for the future 

work of the ILO. 

Welcoming the historic role of 

the ILO and its constituents in 

promoting social justice, the 

resolution emphasizes the need 

for a human-centred approach 

to the future of work. 

It endorses the Declaration’s 

stance, that “full and productive 

employment and decent work 

for all are key elements of sustainable 

development, and 

should therefore be a priority 

objective of national policies 

and international cooperation”. 

It was put forward by the Permanent 

Missions to the UN of 

Belgium and Jamaica, who also 

co-chair the informal Group of 

Friends of Decent Work. 

The resolution also requests 

that UN bodies – programmes, 

specialized agencies, funds 

and financial institutions – consider 

integrating the Declaration’s 

policies, in consultation 

with employers’ and workers’ 

representatives, into their 

work. 

In particular it points to the 

UN Sustainable Development 

Cooperation Frameworks (formerly 

known as UNDAFs), 

which are the UN’s main country 

level planning instrument. 

According to the Permanent 

Representative of Jamaica to the 

United Nations, Ambassador 

Courtenay Rattray, “The adoption 

of this resolution shall contribute 

to strengthen 

multilateralism even further 

while enhancing the critical role 

Constitution of Economic Advisory Council, a 

bold move-----NECA 

UMBRELLA body for em 

ployers in the Organised 

Private Sector, OPS, in Nigeria, 

has lauded President 

Muhammadu Buhari for taking 

the bold step in overhauling 

the management of the 

economy by constituting the 

Economic Advisory Council, 

EAC. 

Director General of Nigeria 

Employers Consultative Association, 

NECA, Mr. Timothy 

Olawale, in a statement, noted 

the composition of the Council 

“as very robust, with seasoned 

professionals with expertise 

in areas such as fiscal 

policy, monetary, industrial 

policy, trade and energy eco- 

nomics”. 

According to Olawale “in 

a time like this, the country 

needs to fight head on the ills 

of poverty, unemployment and 

achieve significant economic 

growth. As a Nation, we have 

never been short of ideas or 

policies. The crux is necessary 

reforms and implementations 

of the policies in the country, 

especially in creating enabling 

environment for businesses to 

thrive and contribute their 

quota to National Development 

through job creation, etc. 

“With the Council reporting 

directly to Mr. President, this 

will allow them (the Council) 

to focus on execution and 

come again with the same singsong 

again that it is only when 

they privatise that their managerial 

skill will better the system. 

Sincerely speaking, they want to 

cover-up the over 35 years of 

mess in the health sector.” 

of social dialogue and international 

labour standards.” 

Policy recommendations include 

strengthening the capacities 

of people to benefit from the 

opportunities of a changing 

world of work, strengthening 

the institutions of work to ensure 

adequate protection of all 

workers, and promoting sustained, 

inclusive and sustainable 

economic growth, full and 

productive employment and 

decent work for all. 

The UNGA resolution also 

requests the UN Secretary-General, 

António Guterres, to take 

the Centenary Declaration into 

account when considering related 

reports, noting that, as issues 

related to the future of 

work gain in importance and 

momentum, it provides an opportunity 

for the UN system to 

promote a human-centred approach 

to the future. 

ILO Director-General, Guy 

Ryder, while welcoming the 

resolution, said : “Today’s decision 

by the UNGA is a tribute 

to the work of the ILO, and 

makes it clear that the UN’s 

entire membership recognizes 

that the ILO’s mandate is as 

relevant and vital today as it 

was 100 years ago. This new 

resolution encourages all UN 

member States and UN bodies 

to apply the principles of the 

Declaration". 

achievement of targets set by 

the Presidency”. However, he 

opined that “in previous administrations, 

the Economic 

Advisory Council of this type 

usually have consultations 

regularly with the Organised 

Private Sector in Nigeria 

(OPSN) for sectoral related 

issues, we will implore this 

Council to embrace the consultative 

fellowship in achieving 

the desired goal of economic 

development.” 

Mr. Olawale called on Government 

and Nigerians to give 

the Council the needed support 

and encouragement to 

effectively deliver on the assignment.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019


Gender-based violence 

in Nigeria exacerbated 

by weak legislation, 

enforcement — FG 

SOKUDAYE: Intake of herbal mixture 

capable of sending children to early grave 

•as LSHA, expert kick against it 

•call for stoppage of production 

By Ebunoluwa Sessou 

INTAKE of harmful 

substances among youths 

has been described as 

disruptive and capable of 

sending them to their grave. 

The substances which have 

been discovered to be more 

prevalent among primary and 

secondary school students are 

said to be reasons for various 

criminal activities and vices 

among children and 

teenagers. 

One of those substances is 

‘Sokudaye’, as described by 

the Lagos State House of 

Assembly is a substance taken 

by youths to cleanse their 

system. 

Some areas including Agege, 

Orile Igammu, Orile Agege, 

Bariga, Oworonsoki, Somolu, 

Yaba, Campus, Festac, 

Okokomaiko, Ikotun, Ejigbo, 

Jakande Estate, Iyana Iapaja, 

to mention a few are places 

where this incident are 

commonly practiced. This 

discovery was carried out by 

the Committee on health, 

Lagos State House of 

Assembly, LSHA, during its 

oversight function. 

Under the influence of this 

substance these youths and 

children practice all sorts of 

vices including, rape, 

gabbling, killing, robbery, 

ritualism among others. 

Sokudaye is one of the local 

herbs sold at motors parks, 

garages among others. 

Investigations revealed that 

the effect of Sokudaye on 

youths and children is fast 

becoming dangerous not only 

to them but the entire country. 

Speaking on the effect of 

Sokudaye on children and 

youths, the CEO/ Head 

Counselor, Attitude 

Development International, 

ADI, Dr. Timi Oyebode 

explained that, “Drinking of 

harmful substances by school 

children is a sign of the level 

of emotional pain and struggle 

many of our young ones are 

going through. 

“The facts remain that 

addiction of any sort is 

traceable to trauma (an inner 

wound/pain). Most times 

people use different means to 

suppress their trauma/inner 

pains, including these 

children. 

“Trauma is “Inner Pain or 

Wound” that buries itself deep 

in our consciousness. Often a 

tragedy too heavy for the mind 

to bear; for instance Sex-tooearly, 

Sudden death of a parent 

or close family or friend, 

Accident, Violence, Betrayal, 

Neglect, Abuse, Pain, 

Violation, Failure and many 

more 

“Unfortunately many of 

these children had experience 

one or more of such 

traumatizing situation without 

getting appropriate emotional 

support and counseling to help 

them handle the pain caused 

by these experiences and since 

the pain is there, they just 

have to look for a means to 

suppress it and that’s where 

drugs and other harmful 

substances comes handy as 

they give momentarily relieve 

from these inner pain. 

“Sadly, it means as a 

nation we are breeding a 

generation of emotionally 

injured children and that 

infers, having adults who are 

*Dr Timi Oyebode 

emotionally unbalanced and dependent on 

substances or what may be, for emotional 

support. The total man is a rounded 

physical, spiritual and emotional being, 

once a part is injured; the other parts are 

at risk too. 

“Sadly many parents do not know the 

emotional status of their children, teachers 

are not informed and Government seems 

to focus only on academics. 

“To help these children and our nation 

at large, we need to become deliberate 

about meeting the emotional needs and 

these children. Parents should show love 

and be emotional available to their 

children, teachers should go beyond 

classroom to identify and be supportive of 

children who are struggling or seems to 

be unhappy and Government should put 

up emotional support systems in school 

and communities like counseling centers, 

drug and substances abuse awareness 

campaign as well as promote extra 

curriculum activities for these teenagers. 

Religious and motivational leaders should 

also be involved to engage these young 

ones and help raise a balanced adult” she 

urged. 

Moving the motion on the floor of the 

House, the Assembly called for the ban of 

sales and consumption of “Sokudaye” and 

other hazardous liquid substance in the 

Continues on page 25 

*Dame Pauline Tallen 

By Victoria Ojeme 

THE Federal Government has decried the 

increasing level of gender-based violence, 

GBV in Nigeria saying that it is “exacerbated by 

weak legislation and enforcement mechanisms.” 

Specifically, the government said that “lack of 

effective programming of GBV and the inefficient 

handling of GBV issues by security personnel and 

other actors in the field” makes life worse for 

women in Nigeria. 

The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline 

Tallen stated this Friday in Abuja at the launch of 

the Women Humanitarian Response in Nigeria 

Network, adding that “violence against women 

is the most pervasive yet least recognized human 

rights abuse in the world.” 

“These abuses if unchecked, inflict deep 

psychological scars, damage the health of women 

and girls in general including their reproductive 

and sexual health and in some instances results 

in death,” the Minister said. 

The Minister said that efforts at ensuring the 

effective implementation of the National Action 

Plan on UNSCR 1325 saw the Ministry establish 

a “National Advisory Committee” to ensure the 

coordination and implementation of the United 

Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 

1325. 

She explained that the Federal Government has 

also initiated the rehabilitation and reconstruction 

of ravaged communities due to Boko Harem 

insurgency in the North East through the PCNI. 

Tallen added that the Ministry in collaboration 

with the UN Women is implementing the 

“Engagement of Women in Peace and Security 

in the North East” project which has provided the 

avenue for state governments and other 

stakeholders to bring women on board in the 

peace architecture in their states. 

She said that the states of Adamawa, Gombe and 

Plateau are frontline States with increased 

percentage of Women in Peace Architecture in 

their States. 

Meanwhile, the convener of Women in 

Humanitarian Response in Nigeria, Mimidoo 

Achakpa on her part noted that during and after 

crisis, girls are more likely to opt out of school, 

and due to lack of healthcare in humanitarian 

settings, women’s health and reproductive health 

needs are impacted. 

She said this birthed the network ‘Women in 

Humanitarian Response in Nigeria’ where over 

48 women-led Civil Society Organisations with 

focus on women’s rights and gender equality, 

humanitarian action, health, education, food, 

livelihoods, to mention a few, came together to 

form the Women in Humanitarian Response in 

Nigeria Initiative.


Why HRW wants 

detained children, 

women released 

from military 

detention — Becker 

Jo Becker, is the Advocacy Director for Children’s 

Rights of Human Rights Watch, HRW, who in this 

interview called for the release of thousands of 

children and young women accused and detained by 

the Nigerian Army at Giwa Barracks , Borno State, for 

alleged fighting along with Boko Haram insurgents 

against the State. Excerpts: 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

WHY are you in Nigeria? 

I came to Nigeria, 

specifically Maiduguri June this 

year because Human Rights 

Watch was alarmed. Reports that 

we have seen from United 

Nations, UN, about large 

numbers of children that are 

subjected to military detention 

because of suspected 

involvement with Boko Haram, in 

fact in 2017 the number put was 

that they were as many 1, 900 in 

military detention and that was 

the highest number of any country 

in the world. 

This has been an unfortunate 

trend in recent years. In 

international law it is very clear 

that children who have been 

affected by armed conflict need 

rehabilitation. But we have seen 

a number of countries including 

Nigeria subjecting children to 

military detention. 

With the alleged detention of 

children are you saying the 

military are at fault? 

Yes. It is a decision by the 

Nigerian authority by holding 

these children in military 

detention. We interviewed 32 

children and youth at Giwa 

Barracks for a period of few 

months to over three years. In 

fact, the youngest child we 

interviewed was 10 years old but 

when he was detained he was 

only five. Many of these children 

told us that they have been 

attacked by Boko Haram and 

when they fled their villages and 

encountered soldiers instead of 

receiving help and safety they 

were arrested as suspected Boko 

Haram members and sent to 

Giwa Barracks for detention. 

Many of these children seem 

to being double-victimised. First, 

they were attacked by Boko 

Haram and they were detained 

by their own government. They 

stand with no evidence. 

Have HRW approached the 

Nigerian Military for evidence 

that you are alleging they don’t 

have and any efforts made in 

reaching them? 

We sent a letter to the Chief of 

Army Staff July this year; sharing 

our preliminary finding and 

asking for comment. We asked for 

the perspective on this issue, 

asked them for the number of 

children in detention, what their 

basis was for their detention, but 

today we have received no official 

reply. 

As you said, ‘No reply’ what is 

that signaling to HRW? 

It is unfortunate. We preferred 

having a dialogue with the 

government. We did meet with the 

Minister of Defence on Monday 

to show our findings and 

recommendations. We have 

pointed out that we have seen 

progress on this issue; the number 

of children detained dropped 

quite significantly between 2017 

and 2018, and there have been 

more 2000 children released. But 

we see some leadership from the 

Nigerian authorities and other 

aspects of the conflicts. For 

example demobilizing child 

soldiers, civilian joint task force, 

we are endorsing our 

commitment to protect schools 

from the conflicts, but we are also 

asking the Nigerian authorities to 

end military detention of children, 

sign and hand-over protocol so 

that any children apprehended 

can be transferred swiftly to 

civilian child protection 

authorities to get justice if they 

need. 

What is your feeling about 

these children with the position 

you occupy? 

It is very sad. The conditions 

they endured at Giwa Barracks 

are one of the worst systems I have 

encountered. They described 

severe overcrowding. Hundreds 

of children packed into a cell with 

no room to move, not even to roll 

over at night when they tried to 

sleep. At night some of the 

children said you can’t put one 

finger between one person and 

the next. They were packed like 

razor blades in a pack. It was 

extremely hot, no ventilation, 

detainees will faint from the heat. 

Some detainees died from the 

heat and poor conditions. 

The children described missing 

their families and being denied 

any opportunity to call their 

parents, or to have their family 

members to come to visit. Many 

of said they have lost hope, and 

so they were afraid they will 

never be released but will die at 

Giwa Barracks. There were 

nothing for them to do; no formal 

education, recreation, 

rehabilitation, just sitting day after 

day, for months or even years. It 

is just a horrific experience for 

anyone let alone a child. Some of 

these children are astonishingly 

young. 

The boys we interviewed said 

they will be typically seven or 

eight years old boys in their cells. 

As I mentioned one boy we 

interviewed said he was five years 

old. The women and girls cell 

were babies and toddlers they 

were being kept with their 

parents. It just sounded as a 

horrific environment. 

From your interview with 

these children don’t you think 

they have links with the 

insurgents as claimed by the 

military, and did you find out 

•Jo Becker 

from these children whether any 

child was used by the insurgents 

to carry out suicide bombing on 

soft spots? 

Several of the children we 

interviewed have been abducted 

by Boko Haram, and some of the 

girls in particular said they have 

been forced to marry Boko Haram 

commanders or soldiers. One girl 

in the interview she said she was 

instructed in three separate 

occasions to carry out a suicide 

bombing and that she is been sent 

to a village with suicide bomb, but 

in each case she refused and she 

returned without being carrying 

out the operation. She refused to 

that even when she knows that 

she would be punished. 

As I mentioned most of the 

children said they have been 

attacked in their villages and 

some said they have been asked 

to join Boko Haram but they 

refused, and those that did said 

they have been forced against 

their will. Truly we have no way 

to independently verify their 

accounts but what I would say is 

if the military has evidence they 

Several of the 

children we 

interviewed have 

been abducted by 

Boko Haram, and 

some of the girls in 

particular said they 

have been forced to 

marry Boko Haram 

commanders or 

soldiers 

were actually fighters why they 

hold them without charge, why 

never bring that evidence forward 

to formally charge them with 

criminal offences. The cast 

majority have been released 

without any charge. 

You know the Military is an 

organization that is secretive and 

don’t you think it is an 

intelligence report that you are 

demanding, which is against 

their principles and they don’t 

want to release it? 

Certainly governments and 

military have discretion to handle 

confidential intelligence. But 

citizens also have rights. In 

international law children in 

particular are supposed to be 

treated with special care. In 

international is clear that if 

children have participated as a 

fighter their primary priority is 

rehabilitation, and if there is a case 

they have committed criminal 

offences then they are entitled to 

judicial process in line with 

international juvenile justice 

standards, and indefinite 

detention under the condition that 

I have described are clear 

violation under international law 

and in many different respects. 

Now that the military is not 

responding to HRW and you are 

making a demand that the 

Nigerian government should 

ensure the release of these 

children, rehabilitated, and 

reintegrated into the society, and 

if all of these fail what will be the 

next line of action of HRW? 

Well, we are asking others to 

join us. In fact, the 

recommendations we are making 

don’t just come from us in Human 

Rights Watch. The United 

Nations Security Council has a 

working group and children in 

armed conflicts. In December 

2017, they also recommended to 

Nigeria that they sign this handover 

protocol to release children 

and they expressed grave 

concerns about military detention 

in Nigeria. 

Just in June this year the 

United Nations Secretary General 

himself in a public report called 

on Nigeria to release any 

children, to end military 

detention and sign handover 

protocol. So these are shared 

concerns by civil society and 

United Nations. We hope 

government will take this as 

constructive recommendations 

and ensure leadership by taking 

these steps. 

Runwase, 

Akintemi for 

TReSI’s free 

SMEs confab 

The Real Economy Sector 

Initiative, TReSI, has 

concluded plans to hold a 1- 

day conference aimed at 

charting a forward course for 

the sustainability of SMEs in 

challenging environment 

such as Nigeria’s. 

Themed”Strengthening 

SMEs: Addressing The Pain 

Points”, speakers at the 

event, according to Yinka 

Banjo, Founder, TReSI, 

will include the President of 

Lagos Chamber of 

Commerce & Industries, 

LCCI, Babatunde Runwase, 

and Segun Akintemi, CEO, 

Page Financials. 

Slated for September 18, 

2019, in Lagos, the free event 

which only requires prior 

registration, Banjo assured 

Vanguard, will bring SMEs 

together to discuss and share 

knowledge. 

Tabernacle of 

Testimony 

holds youth 

empowerment 

in Ibadan 

As part of efforts to 

empower more youths, 

the Tabernacle of Testimony 

Bible Church will hold a 

special Youth 

Entrepreneurial Program 

between Saturday and 

Sunday, September 21 and 

22 respectively, at the 

headquarters Church, Oke 

‘Badan Estate, off Alao-Akala 

designed for youths in 

Ibadan and its environs. 

In a statement signed by 

the Lead Pastor, Reverend 

Sam Abidoye on behalf of 

Tabernacle of Testimony 

Bible Church, the program is 

designed to facilitate the 

development of skills 

acquisition, providing 

mentorship to existing and 

prospective young 

entrepreneurs, and offering 

instructions in specialised 

areas such as fashion, 

photography, music and 

others with the sole aim of 

raising and empowering 100 

youths for free. Adding 

that, the first 100 registered 

participants will enjoy this 

privilege. 


foremost fashion and 

vocational trainer, 

educationist and business 

coach, Dr (Mrs) Bosade 

Ogunlana and other 

established entrepreneurs 

including Tolu Akande, 

Gbemisola Lawal, 

Funmilopeda Odudimu and 

Kayode Oyewole are the lead 

facilitators at the seminar.


SOKUDAYE: Intake of herbal mixture capable of sending children to early grave 

It is also an avenue to call 

on the ministry of health to set 

up machinery send out 

information as to the harmful 

effects of the substance. And 

at the same time, we are also 

calling on the ministry of 

health to set up awareness 

campaign on the effect of 

Sokudaye. The Public 

generally are advised to be 

weary and aware of the 

consequences of the 

consumption of these 

substances. 

“When the youth consume 

this kind of product we will 

have an unhealthy workforce. 

We should just ban the product 

if it destroys the nervous 

system. The state Ministry of 

Health should empirically 

analyse the product”, he 

urged. 

After the deliberation, the 

House then called on Lagos 

State Governor, Mr. Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu, Director General 

of Lagos State Safety 

Commission, Ministry of 

Health and Education and 

NURTW to raise awareness 

campaign against the use of 

the substance. 

It also called on the 

Governor, to call on the Lagos 

State Safety Commission to 

stop the production of 

Sokudaye and other 

dangerous substances. 

•Harmful substances 

Continues from page 23 

state. 

The Speaker of the House, 

Mr. Mudashiru Obasa 

recognised that the law 

should be stringent to curb 

consumption and sales of 

these harmful substances 

especially when it comes to 

selling to youths and children. 

“We should not allow 

children and teenagers to 

have access to it. What the 

products are being used for 

is different from what the 

producers intend them for. 

“We have to stop primary 

and secondary school 

children from abusing the 

drugs”, we should reach out 

to the necessary departments 

in the state Ministry of 

Health. 

“The Ministries of 

Information, Health and 

Education should embark on 

awareness campaign on these 

products. Market women and 

men as well as transport 

workers should embark on 

campaign against these 

products,” he said. 

One of the members, Mr. 

Akeem Shokunle, who 

moved the Motion during 

plenary said that ‘Sokudaye 

was not a product, and that it 

is chemical. 

According to him, “When 

this product was taken to the 

laboratory, it was discovered 

that, it is a chemical used for 

embalmment and that the 

instruction on the bottle 

stated that it should not be 

inhaled. 

“The sale of harmful 

substance that weakens the 

body and poses threat to the 

health of consumers is 

increasing in the state. 

“Sokudaye is from 

chlorophyll. It has the 

capacity to destroy the central 

nervous system that destroys 

the kidney. It might be the 

cause of constant kidney 

problem in the state. The 

product should be banned. 

“It is not a regulated product 

and it is not being approved. 

It should be banned from the 

system,” he said. 

In an interview, a member 

•Speaker of the House, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa 

representing Kosofe 2, Mr. 

Tunde Braimoh said that 65 

percent of the Nigerian 

population is made up of active 

youths and that the nation 

needed to protect them. And if 

care is not taken, we will have 

a lame, lime and unproductive 

set of youths. 

“It was a motion to draw the 

attention of appropriate 

stakeholders and government 

apparatus to the unnecessary 

of population by the 

consumption of harmful 

substances by our youths and 

children that are not informed 

and who suffer the 

consequences of some of these 

substances. 

By Boluwaji Obahopo, 

Lokoja 

AHEAD of the forthcoming 

Kogi State governorship 

election, Journalists have been 

advised to fact check their 

information, so as not to over 

heat the polity and deprive 

women from participating 

during the election. 

Deputy Country Director, 

National Democratic Institute, 

Raymond Esabegbon gave the 

charge at a one day Get-Out-The 

Vote (GOTV) and STOP 

Violence Against Women In 

Politics, VAWIP, media round 

table, organised to sensitize 

media organizations’ on 

knowledge of gender based 

“The Sokudaye substance is 

a chemical used to preserve 

dead bodies in the mortuary. 

Some people believe that 

when they take it, it will clear 

their internal organs, they do 

not know that it is capable of 

destroying their respiratory 

organs. 

We need to draw attention to 

this by calling appropriate 

ministries especially the 

ministry of information and 

strategy to set up information 

to the secondary, primary 

schools, motor parks, garages, 

marketplaces so that they can 

be aware of the consequences 

of their indulgence in these 

substances. 

Kogi Polls: Media advised to fact check, avoid sensational reportage 

electoral violence campaign. 

The Deputy Country Director 

urged the media to concentrate 

on peace messaging and avoid 

offensive information that tends 

to discourage women to vote 

and participate in politics. 

He tasked the media to place 

emphasis on gender political 

issues geared towards 

encouraging women 

participation in politics, warned 

against sensational reportage 

and headlines. 

While pointing out that the 

Kogi state governorship 

election would be driven by 

information technology, warned 

against hastily releasing of 

information that would create 

panic, urged the media to be in 

WIMCA advocates gender balance, 

awards women, organisations 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

EXPERTS at the Women in Marketing & Communications 

Conference/Awards, WIMCA, which held recently have 

advocated the need for gender balance in the marketing 

communications industry in Nigeria. 

This year’s event with the theme ‘Better the Balance in the 

Brands and Marketing Communications Industry,’ in line with 

the theme of International Women’s Day (IWD) this year, 

’Balance for Better’ saw the keynote speaker, Ademola Adebise, 

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank 

represented by Tunde Mabawonku, Chief Finance Officer of 

the bank said women in marketing and communications 

industry are doing great, but urged women to support each 

other, be focused and be deliberate about their goals in the 

quest to ensure that more of them get to the top in their career 

and to the boardroom. 

Similarly, keynote speaker for the first session, John Ugbe, 

CEO, MultiChoice Nigeria while speaking on contemporary 

trends in marketing to women explained that his organisation 

has more women who have risen to the top in their career and 

more are still springing up. 

Proffering solution to a case study which involved an agency 

that has about 25 female staff while 18 of them got pregnant at 

the same time, Ugbe suggested such an organisation should 

provide an enabling environment in terms of where they can 

get medical attention close by to make them comfortable and 

as well go all out to win the account of brands attracting pregnant 

women and mothers because the pregnant women in the 

agency can relate better with the brand than any other person. 

The keynote for the second session of the conference was 

presented by Dr Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien, Group Chief, 

Sustainability & Governance, Dangote Industries Limited. 

Speaking on the sub-theme, ‘Better the Balance in the Work 

Place; Equity or Equality? “Women in business are always 

dedicated and for them to find the way to the top they need to 

“define and understand the problem, align with a global 

movement”, she said 

the vanguard for peace and 

women participation in politics. 

The Executive Director, 

Challenged Parenthood 

Initiative (CPI), Eunice 

Agbogun says that the election 

of November 16 Kogi 

governorship election is a 

crucial stage in the Democratic 

progress of the state. 

Agbogun noted that Kogi 

State cannot afford to relegate 

women who constitute half of its 

voting population to the back 

and expect to move forward, 

insisting that women are key 

drivers of the economy. 

Agbogun noted that the Kogi 

state Women Get Out the Vote 

(GOTV), voter education and 

Stop VAWIP campaign project 

is a four months project that is 

implemented across the 21 local 

government councils of the 

state, aims at empowering 

women to engage and 

participate in the Electoral 

process through knowledge 

impartation, information and 

skills provision and community 

mobilization for a reduced 

gender based violence in 

elections. 

According to her, the project 

employs advocacy, capacity 

building, community 

mobilization through door-todoor 

voter education, 

community dialogue sessions, 

media engagement through 

special structured phone-in 

programme and many more.


By Chris Onuoha 

THE challenges of 

infertility among 

married couples in 

Africa, especially in 

Nigeria have been a big 

issue. In a country where 

many who are looking for 

babies believe in miracle 

through prayers and 

keeping faith, others 

perhaps wealthy, embark 

on medical tourism 

abroad to seek solutions. 

However, having been 

aware of what couples 

pass through, Dr. 

Richardson Ajayi, 

founder, Bridge Clinic 

fertility center while 

practicing medicine in 

UK initiated a vision to 

set up an In Vitro 

Fertilisation, IVF, 

fertility services center 

in Nigeria to reduce the 

foreign medical trips. 

Today Bridge clinic 

celebrates 20 years of 

putting smiles on faces 

of many Nigerians. 

“I was surprised by 

the large number of 

Nigerians that were 

constantly coming to the 

UK for treatment. After 

a few years of watching 

them, my 

entrepreneurial nerve 

started to twitch and I 

thought to myself, 

there’s a major 

opportunity in 

Nigeria,” says Dr. Ajayi 

as he birthed the 

fertility centre. 

•Mother and child 

Why Nigerians are now embracing IVF 

— Bridge Clinic MD 

In 1999, less than a 

year after opening, the 

Clinic’s first IVF babies 

were born. With 2 

decades of existence, at 

a time when IVF was 

largely an unknown 

service in Nigeria and 

considered by most as 

too strange or 

experimental, Clinic 

has transformed into 

world class functional 

entity gaining the 

confidence of many 

who celebrates not only 

their miracle baby but a 

convincing result of 

normal growth. Today 

the first child is 20 

years old and the 

center has continued to 

maintain a baby every 

3 days. 

In a bid to create 

more awareness about 

the services and impact 

to the society, a media 

tour of the 

establishment was 

conducted recently in 

its new Ikeja facility 

centre. Speaking to 

WO at the backdrop of 

the facility tour, Dr 

Toyin Ajayi, 

Gynecologist and 

Medical Director, 

Clinic narrates the 

activities that the 

centre has engaged for 

the past 2 decades. 

Explaining how the 

Clinic has maintained 

a milestone being one 

of the foremost IVF 

services center in 

Nigeria, he noted; 

“IVF is a service center 

devised for people who 

are not really sick but 

may be having 

challenges in getting 

pregnant or having 

children. 

Our service is of high 

quality and 

transparent. It is a 

service you can trust. It 

is an expensive service 

anywhere in the world. 

We have professionals 

that keep to 

international standard. 

Speaking on the 

notion that the IVF 

services is very 

expensive, the he said, 

“IVF is a very 

expensive procedure 

and also expensive to 

acquire all over the 

world, but the most 

important thing in 

every couple’s mind is 

fulfillment and that 

desire to get a child. 

We believe that IVF is 

a service that people 

desire because of 

challenges of having 

no child. Couples 

come to us because 

they desire to get a 

quality service. 

They also trusted us 

because they know we 

adhere to strict policies 

as professionals, and 

we can say in 

confidence that we are 

of the same 

international standards 

with our partners in 

overseas. 

In Africa in particular, 

women usually seek 

IVF services after 

waiting let’s say one or 

two years in marriage 

without a child, some 

will also hang on in 

prayers and miracle 

worshipping centers for 

babies 

“I think it is normal 

when couples after 

having regular 

relationship for a year 

without a child to 

decide to see a doctor 

and find out what the 

problem is, for not 

conceiving. That also 

see to the reason why 

women come to inquire 

the services we are 

rendering and seek 

IVF services even 

before one year to get 

pregnant. 

“ There’s much 

awareness now for IVF 

as a service in Nigeria 

and women are really 

embracing it to fulfill 

their child bearing 

dreams. 

To a typical Nigerian 

woman, prayer and 

hoping in faith is good 

but you cannot shy 

away from reality 

especially when you 

know IVF solution is 

handy. 

“Talking about what 

age should a woman 

start getting worried 

about childlessness, 

like I said before, 

normal couples after 

one year should start 

worrying about it. If, at 

one year and you are 

not able to get 

pregnant, you should 

seek the help of 

gynecologist to 

determine whether to 

go for IVF. 

“A woman at her 40s 

should know that age 

is increasing and 

chances of getting 

pregnant may be 

limited. After 40 years 

and about four months 

of trying without 

success, couples 

should probably see a 

doctor or seek IVF 

services if challenges 

became imminent. 

“Some people have 

considered our services 

as being expensive, I 

tell you; anybody can 

benefit from our 

services. We do offer 

financial assistance for 

the people that cannot 

afford it. Some get 

loans from bank and a 

lot of our clients get 

sponsors from people 

and organisations. Like 

I said, people who 

really want to get a 

child will always find a 

way. Gone are the days 

when most people take 

medical vacation 

abroad in search of 

solution to their 

infertility. We have it in 

Nigeria at an 

affordable budget 

compared to the 

amount one can spend 

when abroad.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019—27 

08152060944 

By Innocent Anaba 

& Henry Ojelu 

With the return of 187 

Nigerians from South 

Africa on September 11, 2019; 

most of them with only 

personal effects, having lost 

their sources of livelihood to 

the ongoing xenophobic 

attacks, Nigerians have 

began to raise concern over 

the fate of the victims. 

Although the Nigerian 

government has promised to 

support the victims with little 

financial assistance, the 

quantum of loss suffered by 

the returnees is better 

imagined than experienced. 

In this edition, Law and 

Human Rights, sought the 

views of lawyers on the 

remedies available to 

Nigeria, the returnees and 

those who were killed in the 

xenophobia attacks. 

Excerpt: 

Prof Sam Erugo, Dean, 

Faculty of Law, Abia State 

University 

I doubt that the returnees 

are entitled to any remedies 

in law from the South African 

Government or the Nigerian 

Government, if indeed what 

is happening is xenophobic 

attack, without government 

complicity. 

Xenophobic attack is 

suggestive of organised 

crimes. 

Under municipal law of 

South Africa, and ostensibly 

other nation states, the 

activities of the attackers 

should constitute various 

crimes known to law. 

For example: murder/ 

manslaughter (in the 

extreme cases of death 

resulting from the attacks), 

assault and battery, arson, 

robbery, armed robbery, 

stealing, etc. 

Except to the extent of 

established complicity of the 

government in the attacks/ 

crimes, it may be difficult to 

establish any legal claim/ 

remedy against the 

government. 

The duty of the South 

African government in the 

circumstances is to maintain 

law and order - providing a 

guarantee of basic freedoms 

that find expression in the 

liberty and security of 

citizens/foreigners to move 

about in pursuit of individual 

livelihood without fear or 

molestation. 

This is the standard of 

civilised existence 

established by various 

international legal 

instruments starting from the 

Universal Declaration as 

inalienable rights applicable 

to citizens and non-citizens 

alike. 

The protection of freedoms 

of the person is a basic duty 

and every state must as such 

provide adequate police 

protection against threatened 

invasions of aliens and alien 

property. 

These are guaranteed by 

the principle of rule of law. 

•Some of the 187 Nigerians in South Africa who returned to Nigeria, after the xenophobia attacks, 

onbaord Air Peace aircraft. 

XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: Legal 

exper 

xperts ts explore options for victims 

Essentially, where crime is 

established as in this case, 

there must be punishment; and 

the central institutions of the 

legal system for the purpose, 

including courts, prosecutors, 

and police, must be reasonably 

fair, competent, and efficient, 

and the judges impartial and 

independent, etc. However, if 

the complicity of the South 

African government through 

the activities of its agents is 

established, then the returnees 

may make claim under 

municipal and international 

law, with necessary support of 

Nigerian government. 

For instance, where the 

activities could be termed 

“gross violations of 

international human rights 

law,” the victims may be 

entitled to certain remedies 

including reparation. 

The Basic Principles and 

Guidelines on the Right to a 

Remedy and Reparation for 

Victims of Gross Violations of 

International Human Rights 

Law and Serious Violations of 

International Humanitarian 

Law adopted and proclaimed 

by General Assembly 

resolution 60/147 of 16 

December 2005 may become 

useful here. 

This instrument provides for 

Reparation proportional to the 

gravity of the violations and 

the harm suffered. 

Hence, in accordance with 

its domestic laws and 

international legal obligations, 

South Africa may be required 

to provide “reparation to 

victims for acts or omissions 

which can be attributed to the 

State and constitute gross 

violations of international 

human rights law.” 

Ditto, if it is established 

that any of the activities 

traceable to the government 

resulted into compulsory 

takeover acquisition of 

businesses belonging to the 

returnees. It must be noted 

that the capacity of Nigerian 

returnees to claim may be 

affected by their status as 

aliens in South Africa. Of 

course, only those lawfully 

residing in South Africa 

would have capacity to make 

claims. Illegal migrants/ 

aliens would not be entitled. 

South Africa may also be 

liable for violation of 

international law without any 

remedy to individual 

returnee victim. 

The International 

Covenant on Civil and 

However, if the 

complicity of the 

South African 

government through 

the activities of its 

agents is established, 

then the 

returnees may make 

claim under 

municipal and 

international law, 

with 

necessary support of 

Nigerian government 

Political Rights at Article 2(1) 

equally provides that “Every 

nation who has ratified the 

Covenant has agreed to grant 

“all individuals within its 

territory and subject to its 

jurisdiction the rights 

recognized in the present 

Covenant without distinction of 

any kind, such as race, color, 

sex, language, religion, 

political or other opinion, 

national or social origin, 

property, birth or other status.” 

The rights mentioned above 

include the right to fair 

procedure, freedom of 

expression, and protection from 

tyranny and injustice. 

This Covenant further 

prohibits the expulsion of lawful 

aliens from a nation without fair 

procedures, except when 

national security does not 

permit. 

The alien must also be 

provided with representation. 

This may have been violated. 

It is doubtful what claim the 

returnees could make on the 

Nigerian Government -probably 

to ensure that their rights are 

protected by the Nigerian 

government–this is a privilege 

and not a right. 

The way forward for the 

returnees is to insist and 

engage the Federal 

Government to: iv.explore 

fully and effectively the 

diplomatic channels for a quick 

resolution of the crises, 

v.persuade South Africa to 

maintain security within its 

territory, while observing its 

international obligations, and 

vi.make appropriate 

reparation/compensation for 

the attacks which could have 

been avoided or contained 

early with less damage. 

The ultimate solution, 

moving forward and in the 

long terms, is improve the 

local environment to employ 

its abundant human 

resources and reduce the 

rate of migration in search of 

greener pastures. 

Home should be greener. 

Again, we need a foreign 

policy framework that will 

afford greater protection to the 

Nigerian citizenwherever he 

decides to reside. 

The life of every Nigerian 

should be important to 

government. 

Dr. Simon Igbinedion. Subdean, 

Faculty of Law, 

University of Lagos 

Nigeria 

should 

diplomatically tackle South 

Africa by asking for 

compensation for the loss of 

Nigerian lives and properties 

and apology and 

undertaking not to allow 

such barbaric attacks again on 

its soil, failing which Nigeria 

should invoke the judicial 

process by suing South Africa 

in the African Court or even 

the International Court of 

Justice. 

Nigerians as individuals 

may not be to sue South Africa 

in its territory in view of the 

body language support of 

South African government for 

the xenophobic attacks on 

foreigners. 

Wahab Shittu— Senior Law 

Lecturer, University of Lagos 

Continues on Page 28

28—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

Intellectual property protection key to creating jobs—US envoy, others 

By Innocent 

Anaba 

UNITED 

States 

Embassy Chargé 

d’Affaires, Kathleen 

FitzGibbon has said that 

strong intellectual 

property rights 

protection was essential 

to creating jobs and 

opening new markets for 

goods and services in 

Nigeria. 

Chargé FitzGibbon 

stated this at a two-day 

Intellectual Property, IP, 

symposium on the “The 

Bane of Counterfeit 

Pharmaceuticals and 

Piracy,” in Lagos. 

The event brought 

together experts and 

government agencies in 

the forefront of the war to 

check the abused of 

intellectual property rights 

protection. 

The symposium was 

organised by the United 

States Mission in Nigeria 

and the American 

Business Council, in 

partnership with the 

Government of Nigeria 

and members of the 

private sector. 

Chargé FitzGibbon in 

her remarks at the event 

highlighted the 

importance of intellectual 

property rights 

protection which enables 

the innovation and 

creativity needed to 

bolster economic 

growth. 

XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: Legal exper 

xperts explore options for victims 

Continued from page 27 

“Xenophobic attacks 

on Nigerians in South 

Africa is savagery, 

brutish, callous and 

inhuman atrocity of the 

worst order. Nigeria as a 

country has reacted 

appropriately by 

recalling Nigeria’s 

Ambassador to South 

Africa and withdrawing 

from the ongoing 

economic forum currently 

taking place in South 

Africa. These steps are 

consistent with the 

mood of the country and 

Nigerians who are 

justifiably aghast and 

angry at the unfortunate 

developments. 

The ruling elite has to 

do more. 

“Firstly we need to 

address a World press 

EDITORIAL 

Innocent Anaba 

( Editor) 

Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

Henry Ojelu, 

Onozure Dania 

She said, “This is not 

just an American issue, 

this is a global issue and 

as Nigeria moves ahead 

with goals of diversifying 

and shifting to a 

knowledge-based 

economy, a strong 

intellectual property 

rights regime will help 

attract investment and 

protect Nigerian ideas 

and Nigerian businesses.” 

She 

urged 

stakeholders– 

government, consumers, 

and businesses to join 

forces in ensuring the 

protection and 

enforcement of 


rights. She added, 

“Nigeria is the most 

populous country on the 

African continent, 

perhaps her greatest asset 

is the innovation, 

ingenuity, and creativity 

of her people. Her global 

influence manifests 

through Nollywood 

movies, music, books, 

art, and technology. IPR 

protection affects 

commerce throughout 

economies. It provides 

incentives to invent and 

creates; protects 

innovators from 

unauthorised copying; 

creates a platform for 

financial investments in 

innovation; supports startups 

liquidity and growth 

through mergers, 

acquisitions, and IPOs. It 

makes licensing-based 

technology business 

conference to register 

our displeasure at the 

savagery. 

We need to formally 

lodge a criminal 

complaint at the 

International criminal 

court of justice and 

demand justice and 

compensation for the 

victims. 

The South African 

authorities must be 

made to apologise 

,assure of the safety of 

Nigerians and 

undertake to pay 

compensation and 

prosecute those 

involved in these serial 

atrocities. 

‘We need to sensitize 

the African Union,the 

Commonwealth ,United 

Nations and the 

international community 

on the atrocities going 

on in South Africa and 

the urgency of sanctions 

against South Africa. 

Nigeria must examine 

all options to get justice 

for Nigeria and 

Nigerians for this 

Savagery and man’s 

inhumanity to man.” 

Gbenga Ojo- Senior 

Law Lecturer, Lagos 

State University 

“What is needed is 

subtle diplomacy. We 

*From Left: Isioma Idigbe, Associate, Punuka Attorney & Solicitors of Universal 

Music, Gabriel Ogunyemi, Country Manager, Janssen Pharmaceuticals 

Nigeria, Margaret Olele, Chief Executive Officer/Secretary, American 

Business Council and David Lossignol, President, International Trademark 

Association, at the event. 

models possible and 

enables an efficient 

market for technology 

transfer and trading in 

technology and ideas. 

Strong IPR protections 

foster growth and 

creativity within Nigeria.” 

Also speaking at the 

opening of the 

symposium were Robert 

Bowman from the U.S. 

Department of Justice’s 

Office of Overseas 

Prosecutorial 

Development Assistance 

and Training as well as 

Professor Adebambo 

Adewopo, a leading 


scholar and the IP Chair 

can retain diplomatic 

relationship with South 

Africa but take census of 

all South Africans in 

Nigeria and expel all of 

them particularly those 

with expired papers 

immediately. 

Call on South African 

government to send 

plane(s) to take them 

home and if they refuse, 

put them in a camp until 

their government do the 

needful. 

“The officials in charge 

of information must make 

official statements to 

that effect. This will sign 

as signals to other 

African leaders that 

Nigeria will respond, if 

similar events happen in 

their countries. That 

at the Nigerian Institute 

of Advanced Legal 

Studies. 

A highlight of the 

ceremony was a 

performance by students 

of the Caro Favored 

Schools of Ajegunle. 

Their dramatic sketch was 

designed to raise 

awareness among young 

Nigerian consumers about 

the importance of 

trademarks, brands, and 

the dangers of counterfeit 

products. 

In addition, the 

opening day of the 

symposium featured 

panel discussions, 

exhibitions, and the 

Nigeria will not condone 

such actions. This is at 

least interim measure 

for a start.” 

Kabiru Akingbolu— 

Member, Ekiti State 

Judicial Service 

Commission 

“Nigerian government 

should rise up to the 

occasion with immediate 

effect with a view to 

identifying as a matter of 

topmost priority the 

remote and immediate 

causes of the xenophobic 

attacks on Nigerians 

living in South Africa. 

The approach should 

be solid and firm, devoid 

of any diplomatic royale 

or finese, so as to 

achieve a worthwhile 

screening of the 

documentary 

“Fishbone.” 

The Nollywoodproduced 

film 

highlights the menace 

of counterfeit 

pharmaceuticals and 

their effect on both 

Nigeria citizens and 

the local economy. 

Through economic 

diplomacy overseas, 

the United States 

encourages hostnation 

governments 

to establish 

predictable legal 

regimes to ensure 


rights can be secured. 

solution. 

“For goodness sake, 

if any country will do 

that, definitely, not 

South Africa for whom 

Nigeria fought 

endlessly to rescue 

them from the 

gripping hold of the 

mischievous minority 

white. 

The attack is too 

grave and monstrous 

that no reasonable 

government can fold 

its arms and watch. 

Our government 

should engage the 

government of South 

Africa in line with 

international treaties 

laws to demand for 

Justice and freedom of 

movement for 

Nigerian citizens.” 

Director General of 

Nigerian Copyrights 

Commission, NCC, Mr John 

Asein at the event, said “This 

is another opportunity for 

key stake holders in the field 

of IP to discuss the scourge 

of counterfeiting and 

piracy. Nigeria is well 

endowed with creative 

talents and has continued to 

distinguish itself, 

particularly in the 

entertainment and 

knowledge-based 

industries. 

"The Federal Government, 

under the current 

administration of President 

Muhammadu Buhari, has 

introduced various policies 

and programmes aimed at 

tapping into the soft power 

of the creative sector. 

“Taking a cue from the 

Economic Recovery and 

Growth Plan, ERGP, and the 

policy on Ease of Doing 

Business, the NCC has 

continued to provide the 

enabling legal and 

regulatory environment to 

grow the sector and 

guarantee return on 

investment. I am convinced 

that this symposium will 

further set clear agenda for 

all players in the IP space 

and promote greater 

collaboration to boost our 

human capital and stimulate 

economic development 

through better protection 

and use of the copyright 

system. 

“As we mark 30 years of 

NCC and celebrate the 

creative industry, it is no 

coincidence that the theme 

for the celebrations is 

‘’Changing the Copyright 

Narrative for Wealth 

Creation. ‘’ This is an 

acknowledgement of the 

place of copyright as a viable 

tool for employment 

generation, wealth creation 

and sustainable national 

development." 

Also, former Director 

General, NCC Prof Adewopo, 

SAN, in his address, noted 

that “IP has never been more 

economically and politically 

important than it is today, 

particularly in the 

multidimensional drive 

towards development. More 

than before, the global IP 

system has assumed 

increasing complexity 

which in itself calls for a 

better understanding of the 

dynamic interaction 

between IP systems and 

sustainable development 

goals." 

“It is now not too far-


L-R:- Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Chief Judge of the state, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, 

Ogun State Speaker of the House, Mr. Olakunle Oluomo and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. 

Olatokunbo Talabi, at the 2019/2020 Legal Year, held at Cathedral of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State. 

2019 legal year: Ogun judiciary to be digitalized 

— Gov Abiodun 

By Innocent 

Anaba 

The Ogun State 

governor, Prince 

Dapo Abiodun has 

promised to digitalized 

the judiciary in the state 

for the effective and 

efficiency of service 

delivery and to also ease 

the cumbersome tasks 

of the judges to 

significantly improve on 

the administration of 

justice in the state. 

Governor Abiodun 

made the disclosure at 

the 2019/2020 Legal 

Year, to mark the 

commencement of 

another year for the 

members of Bar and 

Bench, held at Cathedral 

of St. Peters, Ake, 

Abeokuta, the state 

capital. 

He emphasised that 

the maintenance of law 

and order and the 

administration of justice 

were inextricably tied 

together, noting that 

since the both were key 

requirements for 

assuring the health of 

the body polity and for 

the attainment of the 

good society, he will do 

everything humanly 

possible to uphold the 

rule of justice and its 

development. 

“We will all recall that 

at the inauguration of 

our administration on 

May 29, 2019, I made a 

solemn promise to the 

entire people of the state, 

that we will be fair, just, 

equitable, inclusive and 

we will always obey the 

rule of law,” Abiodun 

said 

He maintained that he 

was irrevocably 

committed to providing a 

just, free and egalitarian 

society which guarantees 

a continued 

development of the state, 

and a more abundant life 

for the people and for 

those who have made the 

state their home 

irrespective of gender, 

geographic location, 

economic stratification, 

political and religious 

affiliation. 

“I have been a 

beneficiary of the judicial 

system, and coming to 

public service and as a 

governor. I see my service 

as a calling to uphold the 

cause of justice and 

continued development of 

the state, in particular and 

humanity in general. 

“Let me use this 

opportunity to reaffirm my 

promise to the entire 

people of the state that, you 

will always find in me 

conduct of “ Omoluabi” 

expected of “Omo 

Teacher,” I will govern 

with character, diligently 

and sincerely,” Abiodun 

added. 

In her speech, the Chief 

Judge of the state, Justice 

Mosunmola Dipeolu 

urged the members of the 

Bar and Bench to forget 

the past year with its 

attendant mistakes, 

failures and even success, 

but to embrace this new 

Legal Year with hope, 

aspiration, new vision, 

zeal, positive outlook and 

resolve to succeed more 

this year than the past 

years. 

She said that legal 

profession had benefited 

from Ogun State indigenes 

who had served at the Bar 

and the Bench nationally 

and internationally, 

noting that the state to its 

credit, had produced two 

Chief Justice of Nigeria in 

the persons of Justice 

Adetokunbo Ademola the 

first indigenous Chief 

Justice of Nigeria and 

Justice George 

Sowemimo. 

She added that Award 

Ceremony was 

incorporated into this year 

‘Legal Year’ too, so as to 

encourage and appreciate 

the members of staff that 

have distinguished 

themselves in different 

categories and to also 

motivate others. 

The Bishop of Egba West, 

Rt. Rev. Samuel Ogundeji 

admonished the legal 

practitioners not be 

partial, biased, 

favourable and one sided 

in their dispensation of 

justice, noting that they 

By Onozure 

Dania 

THE Nigerian Bar 

Association, NBA, 

has inaugurated its 

Women Forum in a bid 

to increase active 

participation of women 

in the profession and 

national development. 

Speaking during the 

inaugural meeting of the 

forum’s executive, the 

President of the 

association, Mr Paul 

Usoro, SAN, said that 

the meeting was to set 

the tone for the work 

the executives were to 

do, to buttress the 

expectations of the 

association from each 

member as it relates to 

their roles individually 

and collectively; and to 

create a roadmap 

towards achieving the 

goals of the association 

through the forum. 

The president noted 

that the constitution of 

the NBA mandates that 

there should be 

women’s forum to 

address issues that 

affect women. “Men 

sometimes presume 

were the last hope of the 

masses and they should 

not hesitate to deliver 

judgment in accordance 

to the rule of law and fear 

of God. 

NBA President inaugurates Women Forum 

that it is the same thing 

that affects them that 

affects women but 

gradually the society is 

letting us know that 

there are certain 

peculiarities and 

dynamics that affect 

women, to which we 

must begin to pay 

attention. It is 

important to have a 

forum where these 

things can be discussed 

and addressed. 

“We have just finished 

our Annual General 

Conference, AGC and 

one of the very hot 

sessions was the session 

on bullying and sexual 

harassment. A lot of 

female lawyers spoke 

passionately about their 

experiences and the 

general consensus was 

that the NBA must do 

something about it. 

“With this forum, we 

will fashion out steps 

which should be taken in 

the context of the 

conversations held at 

that AGC session, which 

will help protect 

women.” 

Usoro noted the 

challenges faced by 

He said the role of 

judges could not be 

overemphasized as the 

people are looking up to 

them for justice and 

equity, adding that they 

need to deliver their 

judgment without fear or 

favour and also the 

evidence being provided 

before them to be 

genuine ones. 

He also said that the 

Judges and Magistrates 

were in positions of 

authority and issuing 

search and warrant of 

arrests to the police, 

advising them to be 

cautious, free and fair in 

issuing such warrants as 

they entrust weapons of 

mighty over them, “and 

everybody will 

answerable to his/her 

deeds before God 

Almighty.” 

The legal year was 

witnessed with Award 

Ceremonies, on 

Magistrate of the Year, 

Integrity Award, Most 

women aiming for the 

top at law firms or other 

organisations. 

“The question to ask is: 

why do we have few 

women working as 

partners in top law 

firms?” he queried. 

The NBA president 

hinted that considering 

the numerous 

challenges women face, 

a forum of this nature 

will sensitise the people 

to what these issues are 

and encourage women 

not to give up. 

He said, “The Forum 

will also build that work 

force. Women have a lot 

to contribute not only 

to the profession but to 

national development,” 

he added. 

Also speaking at the 

event, the newly 

appointed chairperson 

of the NBA Women 

Forum, Prof. Oluyemisi 

Bamgbose, SAN, said 

the forum was going to 

look into issues that are 

of interest to female 

lawyers in Nigeria. 

“We are going to also 

see how we can 

effectively network. 

Distinguished Registrar 

of the Year, Clerical 

Officer of the Year, 

Confidential Secretary of 

the Year, Gardener 

Officer of the Year, Utility 

Officer of the Year, Driver 

of the Year, Most 

Outstanding President of 

the Year, Bailiff of the 

Year and Best Dressed 

Officer of the Year. 

Among Obas and 

g o v e r n m e n t 

functionaries that grace 

the occasion, include the 

Paramount Ruler and 

Alake of Egbaland, Oba 

Aremu Gbadebo, the 

Paramount Ruler and 

Awujale Of Ijebu-Land, 

represented by 

Dagunrewe of Idowa, 

Oba Yunusa Adekoya 

and the Akarigbo and 

Paramount Ruler of 

Remoland, Oba Adewale 

Ajayi; Secretary to the 

State Government, Mr. 

Olatokunbo Talabi, Chief 

of Staff, Mr. Salis Shuaib 

among other dignitaries. 

With the NBA Women 

Forum, we are going to 

effectively network, 

share our problems and 

see how we can see to 

issues affecting the 

interests of female 

lawyers in Nigeria. 

“We are also going to 

discuss issues that 

relate to females, which 

they will be interested 

in. We will be having 

workshops, conferences 

and different 

programmes to address 

these issues. The main 

aim is to effectively 

coordinate female 

lawyers in Nigeria,” 

Bamgbose said. 

The President of the 

NBA, on September 7, 

2019 constituted a new 

leadership for the NBA 

Women Forum. 

The executive is made 

up of Professor 

Oluyemisi Bamgbose, 

SAN - Chairperson, 

Chinyere Okorocha, 

Vice Chairperson, 

Nsidibe Aideyan, 

Secretary and Hajia 

Safiya Balarabe as 

Treasurer. 

L-R: Balarabe Iweyi, Treasurer, NBA Women Forum; Aideyan Nsidibe, Secretary; Professor Oluyemisi 

Bamgbose, Chairperson; Paul Usoro, SAN, President, NBA; Chinyere Okorocha, Vice Chairperson, 

and Foluke Dada, 2nd Vice President, NBA, at the formal inauguration of the NBA Women Forum in 

Lagos.


AWARD—From left, Vice President, Student Development, Babcock University (BU), Prof Joseph 

Olanrewaju; Senior Vice President/DVC, Management Services, Prof. Sunday Owolabi; Pro- 

Chancellor, Dr Bassey Udoh; President/Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo and his wife, Prof. 

Grace Tayo; Deputy Pro-Chancellor, Dr Oyeleke Owolabi; Senior Vice President/DVC, Academics, 

Prof. Iheanyichukwu Okoro and Vice President, Financial Administration, Dr Folorunso Akande, 

during the presentation of leadership award to the vice chancellor at the Founder's Day celebration 

of the university, at the university premises, Ilisahn-Remo, Ogun State. 

How A-Ibom govt agency assaulted, 

illegally detained female journalist 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO —THE officials of 

Akwa Ibom State Waste 

Management Agency, 

during the week, assaulted 

and illegally detained one 

Ms Mary Ekere, a female 

journalist in the state, in 

prison for two nights. 

Ekere, who works with the 

state-based newspaper, The 

Post, was reportedly beaten 

up and manhandled for 

allegedly taking 

photographs of activities of 

the task force around the 

popular Ibom Plaza by the 

officials of the agency. 

The victim, Ms Ekere, who 

narrated her ordeal to 

newsmen, yesterday, said 

she was passing by the Ibom 

Plaza when she noticed the 

officials seizing some wares 

belonging to road side 

traders and decided to take 

some pictures. 

She said the taskforce 

caught her, beat her up 

mercilessly before throwing 

her into a waiting vehicle and 

later took her to their office 

at Itam, in Itu Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

“They only spent few 

minutes at their office before 

I was taken to Sanitation 

Court, off Nkemba Street, 

Uyo. But the magistrate was 

not in. When they arrived 

the court premises, the 

officials of the agency put a 

call across to the magistrate 

who ordered that I should be 

remanded in prison custody.” 

Ekere on September 17 was 

brought to the court, where 

she pleaded not guilty to the 

charges levelled against her. 

It was gathered that Ekere 

was not released even after 

her father had paid the N10, 

000, he was asked to pay for 

her bail. 

The development 

prompted the leadership of 

Nigeria Union of Journalists, 

NUJ, and Nigeria 

Association of Women 

Journalists, NAWOJ, Akwa 

Ibom State council to step 

into the matter. 

Ekere, it was gathered, was 

released on Tuesday 

evening, following a threat 

by the NUJ, Akwa Ibom 

State council. 

State NUJ Chairman, Mr 

Amos Etuk, in a statement, 

had said: “We are shocked 

to learn that Ekere, who had 

been granted bail by a 

magistrate was sent to 

prison. The state NUJ 

council demands her 

unconditional release.” 

On its part, Chairperson 

and Secretary of NAWOJ, 

Mrs. Uduak Ekong and 

Esther Effiong respectively, 

yesterday, in a statement, 

demanded due apologies 

tendered and compensation 

paid to Mary Ekere by the 

agency. 

The statement reads: 

“NAWOJ, Akwa Ibom State 

council is extremely shocked 

and deeply disturbed over 

the illegal arrest and 

detention of our member, 

Mary Ekere, by men from 

Akwa Ibom State 

Environmental Waste 

Management Agency led by 

Prince Ikim. 

“While we seriously frown 

at the callousness of these 

men, who seem to lack the 

basic training and 

knowledge of the rules of 

engagement as regards their 

job and activities, we were 

made to understand that our 

member, a law-abiding 

citizens of this state, was 

going about her official duty 

as a qualified journalist 

when she was manhandled 

by officials of the agency and 

whisked away to prison for 

two nights. 

“We wish to state that this 

treatment meted out on our 

member goes against the 

fundamental human rights 

of any law-abiding citizen of 

this state. We therefore, view 

this wicked act as not just 

man’s inhumanity to a fellow 

man, but a very serious threat 

to our noble profession and 

womanhood.“ 

Delta govt plans int'l summit to address 

environmental polution by military—Otuaro 

By Etop Ekanem 

DEPUTY governor of 

Delta State, Mr 

Kingsley Otuaro, has said 

Delta State government was 

considering an international 

summit to address increased 

environmental pollution/ 

despoilation occasioned by 

the alleged burning of vessels 

containing illegal oil and 

spilling of contents into the 

waters/environment by the 

Nigerian military. 

Otuaro stated this while 

playing host, in his office in 

Asaba, to a delegation of a 

group, "Search for Common 

Ground," powered by United 

States Agency for 

International Development, 

USAID. 

The USAID group, led by 

Mr Borve Paago-Immabel, 

said it was in 36 countries in 

peace-building efforts and 

was ready to contribute to 

finding solution Niger Delta 

issues, farmers-herders 

clashes and environmental 

pollution allegedly caused by 

the military, which the group 

said was unabating despite 

exposition of their acts by 

Delta State government. 

“On the issue of increased 

environmental despoilation 

by the military, I think as a 

government, we do not think 

you can solve a problem by 

simply looking the other way. 

I want to let you know that 

an international summit is 

on the way where foreign 

missions, security agencies, 

relevant government 

agencies, international 

development partners, 

communities leadership, 

among critical stakeholders, 

will be invited to chart a way 

forward to this unacceptable 

problem,” Otuaro said. 

The deputy governor said 

the Governor Ifeanyi Okowaled 

Delta State government 

came in with clear policy 

thrust aimed at creating social 

harmony, which cannot be 

possible without creating an 

attractive and conducive 

environment. 

“As a government, we have 

long put institutional 

frameworks in place to 

pursue and sustain peace. 

We have the Delta 

Waterways and Land Security 

Committee; Delta State 

Orientation Agency; Job 

Creation via STEP, YAGEP 

among other programmes 

towards self reliance for our 

teeming youths with 

thousands graduated and 

given starter packs." 

Kogi primaries: Crisis rocks 

PDP as ex-gov’s son, 

Abubakar, heads to court 

By Dirisu 

Yakubu 

ABUJA— WITH barely 

two months to the 

November 16 governorship 

election in Kogi State, a fresh 

crisis has hit the state chapter 

of Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, following the decision of 

Abubakar Ibrahim to head to 

the court seeking the 

nullification of the election of 

Musa Wada, who emerged 

at the party’s primary 

election. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Abuja, yesterday, spokesman 

of the Abubakar Ibrahim 

Campaign Organisation, 

Shaba Ibrahim, said the 

decision to seek legal redress 

was informed by their desire 

to ensure that justice prevails 

in the party as it concerns the 

election of its flag bearer for 

the poll. 

Delta publishers urge Okowa to call Aniagwu 

to order 

of the Guild, Mr. Femi 

Odonmeta, and Secretary, 

WARRI—Delta Guild of Prince Daniel Ekiugbo, 

Indigenous Newspaper stated: “DGINP finds it 

Publishers, DGINP, has disturbing for Mr. Aniagwu 

appealed to Governor Ifeanyi to take the 'derogatory and 

Okowa of Delta State to call heavily biased decision to 

the Commissioner for make attempts to use his 

Information, Mr. Charles position as commissioner to 

Aniagwu, to order. intimidate and try to force 

The publishers made the members of the guild to 

cal in a statement at the end collapse into the other 

of their crucial meeting in community publishers’ body 

Asaba to brainstorm on against the will of our 

critical issues facing the body members/ 

and matters arising from two “It becomes even more 

separate meetings with the disturbing in the scenario 

Delta State Commissioner for where it appears Aniagwu 

Information, Mr. Aniagwu. is hell-bent on recruiting 

The statement by President 

every Dick and Harry he 

sees in the streets into the 

publishers’ association just to 

satisfy his overbearing 

appetite for a group to 

exercise unnecessary control 

over.” 

“For the avoidance of 

doubt, it is imperative to 

reiterate that DGINP, as its 

operational word clearly 

states is 'an exclusive group 

of selected, respected, 

mature and responsible 

publishers takes serious 

exemption to the 

unbecoming actions of 

Aniagwu. 

He said: “We, as 

democratics and law-abiding 

people, have taken steps to 

seek redress within the 

confines of the law. We have 

approached the court to seek 

redress because this matter is 

now otherwise subjudiced, 

we will not go into many 

details. 

“But suffice to state that we 

have won and pray to the 

court that Alhaji Ibrahim be 

and ought to be declared as 

the candidate ofPDP based on 

the valid votes recorded at the 

primaries. 

"We are not unaware of 

insinuations going round that 

we seek to void the entire 

process. That is far from the 

truth. Our prayer is sole and 

that is that we won the 

primary election and ought 

to be so declared. We seek 

no more and we ask for no 

less." 

Now I understand why Wike is 

called Mr Project — Fayemi 

CHAIRMAN of Nigeria 

Governors Forum and 

Ekiti State Governor, Dr 

Kayode Fayemi, has said the 

frequency with which 

Governor Nyesom Wike of 

Rivers State churns out 

quality projects justifies his 

world acclaimed name, “Mr 

Project.” 

Commissioning the 

Rumuwoji International 

Market built by the Wike 

administration in Port 

Harcourt, yesterday, Fayemi 

commended Wike for his 

outstanding performance. 

He said: “We are proud of 

him (Wike). We are proud of 

the work he is doing in Rivers 

State. He is going to continue 

to commission projects till 

September 27. That is almost 

10 days from now. Even if it is 

one project per day, it will be 

almost 10 days. Now I 

understand why they refer to 

him as Mr Project. 

“The promise that the 

governor made is what he is 

fulfilling today. That is what 

government is all about. 

Government is about affecting 

the lives of our people." 

In his address, Wike said 

he pledged to rebuild the 

market and that the 

commissioning of the 

Rumuwoji Market is a 

fulfillment of that promise 

“I made a promise to 

construct this market. We 

started this market from the 

foundation to its completion. 

When we make promises to 

the people, we are bound to 

fulfill the promises. Hold us 

accountable to our promises, 

because there is no need for 

excuses. We made a promise 

and we have fulfilled that 

promise,” he said. 

UNIBEN students applaud 

Globacom’s free ICT 

packages for varsities 

STUDENTS of the University 

of Benin, Benin 

City in Edo State, have given 

kudos to leading telecoms 

firm Globacom for its ICT 

empowerment scheme for 

tertiary institutions in Nigeria. 

Globacom and a technology 

firm, Huawei, have 

jointly been going around 

tertiary schools in Nigeria, 

donating ICT solutions with 

airtime to higher institutions 

and five best performing 

students in each school. 

The ICT train, early in the 

week berthed at the University 

of Benin after a whistle 

stop at the University of 

Ibadan, and doled out five 

routers for the school and 

smartphones fully loaded 

with Glo data for the high flying 

students. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

five student beneficiaries, 

Promise Osaine of the Department 

of Computer Engineering 

said: "I feel 

amazed, dumbfounded, in 

fact I don’t know the adjective 

to describe how I am 

feeling right now. All 

through my five years in 

school, I have never experienced 

an event such as this 

where students are reward-

RECENTLY, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

through his Chief of Staff, Abba 

Kyari, queried the chairman of 

the Federal Inland Revenue 

Service, Dr. Tunde Fowler, for 

failing to collect enough taxes. 

In a letter dated August 8, Abba 

Kyari asked Fowler to explain 

why there were “significant 

variances between the 

budgeted tax collection and the 

actual collection for the period 

2015 to 2018” and why “the 

actual collections for the period 

2015 to 2017 were significantly 

worse that what was collected 

between 2012 and 2014”. 

Fowler was ordered to provide 

“a comprehensive variance 

analysis”! 

In his reply, Dr. Fowler 

blamed the variances on low oil 

revenues, due to the fall in 

world oil prices and reduction 

of crude oil production. He also 

attributed the shortfalls to the 

poor state of the economy, 

which was growing at a 

miniscule rate of below two per 

cent and even went into 

recession in 2016, which slowed 

down general economic 

activities and, thus, revenues 

from Company Income Tax, 

CIT, and Value Added Tax, VAT. 

“Tax revenue collection is a 

function of economic activities,” 

he pointed out. 

This is an interesting issue. 

But Dr. Fowler is on the right 

side of it. What’s really puzzling 

is that President Buhari could 

even contemplate blaming the 

FIRS boss for the shortfalls in 

tax revenue, knowing that oil 

prices have dipped 

precipitously over the past five 

If Buhari wants more tax revenues, 

he must grow the economy 

years, and that the economy has 

been comatose since 2015. 

Every oil-dependent country 

is subject to revenue volatility 

that results inevitably from oilprice 

volatility. It’s thus, not 

rocket science that, with oil 

export accounting for over 70 

per cent of Nigeria’ revenues, 

a sharp and sustained drop in 

oil price, from about $100 per 

barrel to under $50, would 

result in a drastic fall in oil 

revenues. Equally, when the 

country is stuck, as it is, in a 

very low growth economy, with 

severe curtailment of economic 

activities and job growth, it’s 

obvious that its revenue 

generation would suffer. 

But Buhari’s administrative 

query to Fowler ignores all that. 

It comes across as if saying that 

even if economic activities have 

declined significantly, tax 

revenues must remain stable or 

even grow. That betrays 

ignorance of the critical nexus 

between tax intakes and 

economic growth. The history of 

economic development tells us 

that once a state establishes a 

tax system, it must then grow 

the economy. After all, it’s only 

when businesses are booming, 

trade is flourishing, investment 

is growing, and good jobs are 

being created that more taxes 

can be generated. This is 

because as companies and 

The Presidency is 

unfair to Dr 

Fowler by 

expecting him to 

conjure up tax 

revenues from the 

air 

individuals enjoy greater 

commercial success and 

economic prosperity, they pay 

more taxes. So, the formula is 

simple: A leader who wants 

more tax revenues must grow 

the economy! 

That formula is, however, 

missing in President Buhari’s 

management of the economy. 

Of course, Buhari wants large 

tax revenues - why wouldn’t 

he? - but he has shown little 

interest in growing the economy 

to boost the tax coffers. His 


handling of the economy since 

2015 has not been driven by the 

desire to grow the economy, but, 

rather, by the economicallyinefficient 

and growth-stifling 

policies of exchange rate 

control, import prohibitions, 

state-led expansion of local 

production without productivity 

and, of course, all wrapped up 

in the utopian ambition of selfsufficiency! 

What’s more, President 

Buhari has shown a visceral 

disregard for economic 

expertise. His recent 

appointment of a high-profile 

economic advisory council is, of 

course, welcomed. But lest we 

forget that he ran Nigeria 

throughout his first term 

without any economic 

expertise; indeed, he once 

disparagingly described 

economists as “so-called 

experts”. Even his current 

cabinet includes no credible 

economists; the key economic 

ministries such as finance and 

trade, are headed by people 

with no appreciable knowledge 

of applied economics. 

So, let’s face it, President 

Buhari was wrong to blame 

Fowler for any low revenue 

collection, and Fowler was right 

to point out that tax revenue 

collection is a function of 

economic activities, of economic 

growth! 

To be sure, with a tax-to-GDP 

ratio of just eight per cent, the 

worst in Africa, Nigeria has 

acute and chronic problems 

with revenue mobilisation. But 

tax revenues are easier to 

mobilise if an economy is 

growing, companies are making 

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robust profits and most people 

are employed in highproductivity 

jobs, earning good 

pay. Of course, having an 

efficient tax system is a sine qua 

non of an effective state. But 

without a growing economy, 

without a prosperous citizenry, 

you simply cannot have robust 

revenue collections. It’s basic 

logic! 

So, the presidency is unfair to 

Dr. Fowler by expecting him to 

conjure up tax revenues from 

the air. But, even so, Fowler has, 

evidently, performed well 

within the constraints of the 

low-growth economy. Recently, 

the chairman of the Revenue 

Mobilisation, Allocation and 

Fiscal Commission, Elias 

Mbam, commended FIRS for 

contributing 59.7 per cent of the 

revenues to the Federation 

Account in three months. 

Similarly, the registrar and chief 

executive of the Chartered 

Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, 

Adefisayo Awogbade, said 

FIRS’ strategies and initiatives 

were improving revenue 

collections, adding: “The FIRS 

has done credibly well and 

needs to be commended by 

government and all wellmeaning 

Nigerians”. 

Expert opinion suggests that 

Fowler and FIRS have done 

reasonably well. By contrast, it’s 

the Federal Government that 

has failed woefully, incapable of 

pulling out all the stops to grow 

the economy. Yet, if President 

Buhari wants more tax 

revenues, he would need to do 

more than just blaming the 

revenue service. He must grow 

the economy! 

Robert Gabriel Mugabe: African blood and the West’s hypocrisy 

By ASIKASON JONATHAN 

I am termed dictator, even called Hitler, 

because I have rejected this White supremacists’ 

view and frustrated the neo-colonialists.— 

Mugabe 

IN a remarkable contradistinction to 

what Shakespeare said about cowards, 

Mugabe died many times and still remained 

valiant before his final expiration on 

September 6, 2019. That he claimed that this 

feat surpassed that of Christ whom he said died 

once and resurrected once, clearly showcased 

the latter-day banality that characterized the 

man Mugabe. 

As expected of a personality of his cut of cloth, 

Mugabe’s death was in itself a controversy! 

While his Western critics have continued to 

weigh his afro-centric, iconoclastic and 

idiosyncratic stances against the 

megalomaniac spirit that later enveloped him, 

worthy of note here is that the West made 

Mugabe. Their betrayal of the terms of land 

transfer as signed in the Lancaster House 

Agreement of 1979 was what Mugabe spent 

most of his 37 years in office fighting. 

During the 1979 independence negotiations 

at Lancaster House Conference that lasted 

from September 10 to December 15, it was 

agreed that land was to be redistributed on the 

“Willing-buyer, Willing-seller” principle for the 

first ten years after independence before any 

policy review. However, the West’s grouse with 

Mugabe started when his government 

embarked on sweeping land reforms that is 

based on the State’s compulsory acquisition. 

The Zimbabwean Land Acquisition Act of 

1992, as it is called, empowered the 

government to acquire any land as it deemed 

fit, albeit after payment of financial 

compensation, went against the unifying 

policies of Mugabe’s early years in office. 

With this controversial policy, everything 

changed for Mugabe; the revolutionary the 

West knighted and extolled for visionary 

leadership suddenly became a synonym for 

an autocrat, tyrant, despot, etc. To this end, the 

Matabeleland massacres were dredged up and 

used against him. And by so doing, the hypocrisy 

of the West was laid bare in that they were 

aware of the heinous killing of more than 

20,000 Ndebele people between 1984 and 

1987 by the army’s infamous Fifth Brigade, 

but waited for a fall-out with Mugabe before 

using it against his government. 

By turning a blind eye during the brewing 

days of these massacres, which were aimed at 

crushing the core of the electoral base of Joshua 

Nkomo, a fellow liberation-era figure whom 

Mugabe feared could mount a formidable 

challenge to his rule, the West engendered the 

consolidation of Mugabe’s dictatorship. So 

when they later came with their sanctions, 

Mugabe had been fully immunized and thus 

was hell-bent on correcting what he saw as the 

colonial imbalance in which the minority 

White population owned most of the country’s 

arable land. 

The dogs of White supremacists were 

unleashed. The Western media vilified and 

demonised him as a dictator who stifled 

democracy. They said he expropriated land 

from White farmers who were the backbone of 

the country’s economy. And to remove him, 

they propped up and generously funded an 

opposition, Movement for Democratic 

Change, MDC, to bring change. 

And the indefatigable Mugabe came out 

fighting: 

“You don’t leave power when imperialists 

demand you leave. There is a regime-change 

programme by the United States and the 

United Kingdom, which is not just targeting 

Robert Mugabe, but Robert Mugabe and his 

party [to remove them] out of power. That 

naturally means we dig in and remain in our 

trenches.” 

To this end, Mugabe garnered all the 

paraphernalia of war within his grasps. He 

fought the White supremacists to the extent of 

transforming ordinary Zimbabweans to the 

proverbial “grass” that suffers when two 

elephants fight. 

The ramifications were far-reaching: the 

country’s economy, once on the cusp of being 

one of Africa’s most developed, shrank and 

ebbed. According to The Mail and The 

While Bob, as he is fondly 

called, was not as bad as his 

many Western critics painted 

him, he was not also as good 

as many of us Pan-Africanists 

are eulogising him 

Guardian (2009), the country’s economy fell 

significantly after 2000, resulting in a desperate 

situation for the country’s widespread poverty 

and a 95% unemployment rate. The following 

year, Zimbabwe’s GDP per capita collapsed to 

a level last seen in 1952. The hyperinflation 

that the country’s economy suffered from 2003 

to 200 as reported by Sebastien Berger of UK 

Telegraph in 2008 and the cholera outbreak 

of 2008 that afflicted thousands of people 

merely confirmed the obvious: Zimbabwe 

became a failed state. 

Even when Zimbabweans were against this 

backdrop tired of Mugabe and wanted to catch 

a glimpse of what Tsvangirai’s presidency 

would look like, the former couldn’t throw in 

the trowel. The 2008 presidential election was 

a fight to finish affair. Pictures of battered 

Tsvangirai who, according to exit polls, won 

the first round majority for the election, littered 

the cyberspace, AU came in but at the end 

Mugabe tacitly garnered all the executive 

powers to himself and thus reducing Tsvangirai 

to an ‘Also-ran’ in the so-called power sharing 

government that was fashioned by Thabo 

Mbeki. “The MDC will never be allowed to 

rule this country, never ever. . . 

only God will remove me,” declared Mugabe. 

Mugabe would have been celebrated more 

than South African Nelson Mandela had he 

left when the ovation was loudest. Thus, his 

insistence on leading the struggle and not 

transferring baton to the younger generations 

in his ZANU-PF was where he shot himself on 

the leg. Mandela aptly captured this when he 

said: “He was the star and then the sun came 

up.” 

Becoming infected with the metastasizing 

virus of African sitightism, the lines that 

separates nationalism and selfaggrandizement 

got smudged. Mugabe 

transmogrified into a bogeyman not just to the 

West but also to the poor Zimbabweans that 

he spent 10 years in prison fighting for their 

emancipation. He became the God of 

Zimbabwe and caricatured African leaders 

who were removed by popular revolt as being 

the cause of their misfortunes. Together with 

Grace, his second wife, Mugabe amassed 

wealth and lived in affluence at the expense of 

ordinary Zimbabweans. This explains the 

celebration that seized the streets of Harare 

when he was toppled in a coup that was all but 

in name. 

All in all, while Bob, as he is fondly called, 

was not as bad as his many Western critics 

painted him, he was not also as good as many 

of us Pan-Africanists are eulogising him. 

Nonetheless, his place in history shall continue 

to be controversial. 

*Asikason wrote from the University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka.

32— Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

YOUR LUCK TODAY, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

VIRGO: BEHIND the scene activities are sources of avoidable 

trouble especially before mid morning period when influence 

of the moon’s fluctuation will last. Avoid inordinate 

ambition. 

LIBRA: IT’S important you don’t allow your thought for and/ 

or about the future derail your plans for the present so that 

success will not elude you. Romantic attractions along your 

career/business lines may become stronger sooner than you 

think. 

SCORPIO: EARLY morning blues will affect many people 

around you meaning that not everybody you encounter around 

the morning period along your career/business lines should 

be taken seriously. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“Listen with ears of tolerance! See through the eyes 

of compassion! Speak with the language of love”. 

— Rumi 

Whatever you do, be kind. When you show this virtue 

of kindness , you not only uplift others. And in 

making others feel good, you inspire them to want to 

do something kind for you or for someone else. An 

act of kindness creates a ripple that changes lives for 

the betters. — Ella Randle 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

A beautiful 

one hurts the 

heart. 

~African 

Proverb 

SAGITTARIUS:MAKE sure you perfectly understand what 

you are doing within your working arena before mid morning 

period or else costly mistakes would be made. Be tolerant. 

CAPRICORN: TOMORROW is your day. Therefore you are 

advised to leave some important decisions and/or action till 

tomorrow when the heaven will smile at you. Your love life is 

favoured. 

AQUARIUS: TOMORROW may prove more challenging. 

Thus, if there are things you should do now, you better don’t 

contemplate procrastination as you are likely to be stretched 

full length tomorrow. Watch what you tell others early in the 

morning. 

PISCES: AS the moon fluctuates early in the morning some 

people may promise more than they can actually deliver. And 

if you take them for granted, you would be disappointed. 

ARIES: CERTAINLY some people will get on your nerves yet 

you must not over react at least because of the immediate 

future. Truly this is the wrong time to gamble with love. 

TAURUS: THE moon fluctuates early this morning. That is 

why you will need to guard against confusion likely to be 

caused by others. 

GEMINI: THE moon makes an ingress into a difficult angle 

to aggressive mars in which is capable of bringing unnecessary 

argument and avoidable confusion. To before warned is 

to be fore armed. 

CANCER: EARLY morning blues will affect many people today 

(yourself inclusive) but luckily for you, things will go according 

to your plans. And you will need to be more careful 

with money. 

LEO:THE moon fluctuates early in the morning. And if care is 

not taken you would promise more than you can actually deliver 

to the resentment of others. Yet, you’ll win. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astrological 

Counselling, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

By Kola Fayemi 

Monetary Success for me? 

Dear Joshua, 

For a long time I have been writing you to get your get 

Astrological Counseling from you, although you are yet 

to respond to my request I believe there will be a day 

you will grant my request I believe in hard working philosophy 

but then from experience influence of Stars 

should equally be taken into consideration. For these 

reasons I want your Astrological reading about my health 

(what are my weak AREAS ?) and finance: monetary 

success for me ? 

YOUR HEALTH 

Aquarius is relatively weak (health wise) but Leo that 

hosted your natal Moon is a member of the strongest 

Stars (health wise). Meaning that you stand very good 

chance to live a very healthy life. Areas to watch out for 

including circulatory system, heart, back , legs, dental 

related issues and sometimes genital organs. 

Square aspect formed by your natal Sun/Mercury/ Mars 

in Aquarius with Uranus in Scorpio pointed to a few 

challenges here. Most of the said challenges will come 

most of the times when your not too practical expectations 

fail and/or when gambling like approach either to 

business ventures and speculative approach to issues 

back-fire. Another sources of health related challenge 

are unnecessary worrisome tendencies you some times 

find very difficult to control. Major solution here is to 

avoid self medication and learn how to take life as it 

comes: stop unnecessary worries and it is important you 

believe that when your time to shine in life comes no 

force on this planet earth can stop you. The more practical 

you are the better for you. Please take note that nothing 

fatalistic here but mere warnings meant to be taking 

seriously by you. 

YOUR FINANCE 

It is important you are much more secretive about your 

financial plans. Certainly there will be some kinds of 

delays , you will eventually have genuine reason to 

SMILE BROADLY AS GREEN TUMB INDICATED 

FOR YOUR FINANCE. It is a matter of time. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



PARLEY: From left; Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo; Chief Executive Officer, Unveiling 

Africa, Dr. Chizoba Imoka; Director, Lagos Education District 6, Yetunde Okunniyi; Director, Lagos 

Education District 2, Taye Showemimo and Programme Manager, LEAP Africa, Segun Alimi during 

the LEAP Africa-Citi Foundation iLead Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Lagos. 

Don’t throw Nigeria into fresh calamity with 

Water Resources Bill, IYC cautions FG 

By Emma Amaize 

A youths SABA—IJAW 

have warned 

that the Water Resources 

Bill might plunge the 

country into another civil 

strife if the Federal 

Government refuses to 

tread with caution. 

National President of Ijaw 

Youth Council, IYC, Mr. 

Pereotubo Oweilaemi, in a 

statement, yesterday, said 

“We heard that the 

controversial Water 

Resources Bill, which was 

shut down at the National 

Assembly by the 8th Senate 

is rearing its ugly face in 

the 9th Senate. We gather 

that the executive arm is 

doing everything possible 

to send the Bill back to the 

National Assembly. 

“We are calling on the 

National Assembly to reject 

this controversial Bill once 

again. They hold the ace to 

the survival of the country. 

The passage of this bill will 

put Nigeria in turmoil. 

Therefore, lawmakers from 

the entire southern Nigeria, 

especially those from the 

South- South geo-political 

zone should resist any 

attempt to pass the said 

Water Resources Bill at the 

National Assembly. 

“The lawmakers should 

know they are primarily 

representing their 

constituents at the two 

chambers. Our position 

herein is the collective 

views of the people they 

represent. 

“IYC thinks that the 

Federal Government is 

playing on the intelligence 

of Nigerians. Southern 

Nigeria people will do 

everything lawful to resist 

the passage of that 

inimical Bill, which 

tends to colonise us. 

“This should not be 

another petroleum laws 

that have denied the Niger 

Delta people from 

controlling the petroleum 

resources in our land. 

Through legislative 

rascality with military fiat, 

the Federal Government 

enacted inimical and 

obnoxious laws to colonize 

Niger Delta people. Today, 

we are suffering from this 

neocolonialism. 

“We sensed that the 

government of Nigeria is 

surreptitiously 

reintroducing the botched 

cattle colony or RUGA 

settlement. This is a slap on 

our collective resolve to live 

in a united Nigeria. We 

think that the Federal 

Government is putting the 

unity of Nigeria in jeopardy 

if it continues to push for 

this RUGA settlement 

either expressly or 

implicitly. 

“We will not allow any law 

to take away our 

riparian rights over our 

rivers. We will resist 

such with all vigour,” the 

IYC leader added. 

Reps probe Warri port underutilisation 

By Emma Amaize 

ASABA—HOUSE of 

Representatives Adhoc 

Committee on the 

Utilisation of the South 

South and South East 

visited Delta State 

yesterday, to find out why 

the Warri Sea Port is 

underutilised and find 

feasible solution to the 

matter. 

Chairman of the ad-hoc 

committee, Yusuf Yakubu, 

disclosed this when 

members visited the 

Deputy Governor of Delta 

State, Deacon Kingsley 

Burutu Otuaro at 

Government House, 

Asaba. 

Otuaro told the 

lawmakers that reactivation 

of moribund seaports in the 

country was a right step 

against poverty and 

underdevelopment. 

“The move by the 

committee to look into the 

remote causes of the 

underutilization of the sea 

ports is commendable. You 

should ensure that your 

OML 30: We have good working relationship with 

our host communities, says Heritage boss 

By Onozure Dania 

M Director 

ANAGING 

and 

Chief Executive Officer, 

Heritage Energy 

Operational Services 

Limited, operator of 

OML30 asset, Mr. Naeem- 

Atiq Sadiq has said the 

company was enjoying 

good working relationship 

with the 112 host 

communities in OML30, 

Delta State. 

Sadiq spoke when the 

Managing Director of 

Delta State Oil Producing 

Area Development 

C o m m i s s i o n 

DESOPADEC, Chief 

Askia Ogieh, led a team 

from the commission to 

Heritage’s corporate 

headquarters in Lagos. 

Heritage’s boss said “We 

have taken measures 

which contributed in the 

formulation of policies to 

assist the organisation in 

the discharge of its 

duties. We identify the 

peculiar needs of each 

community in our areas 

of operation after 

conducting a thorough 

NEEDs assessment of the 

112 communities within 

OML 30. 

“The GMoU model 

encourages HEOSL and 

communities to work 

together with other 

stakeholders for the 

development of the 

communities; thereby 

ensuring a peaceful and 

secure atmosphere 

conducive for operations 

and activities of the 

organisation.” 

Sadiq also expressed 

Heritsge’s willingness to 

collaborate with 

DESOPADEC towards 

satisfying the positive and 

developmental aspirations 

of the communities 

basically on four-year 

Community Development 

Plan for the host 

communities which shall be 

shared with DESOPADEC. 

effort is geared toward full 

utilisation of the ports. 

“When put to good use, 

it will ultimately boost the 

economy of host 

communities, states and 

the nation at large, coupled 

with jobs it will create for 

our people 

“Coming on stream of the 

Warri Sea Port will, among 

others, strengthen the 

‘Stronger Delta Vision’ of 

Governor Okowa in the 

area of job creation and 

increase the revenue base 

of the state, “ he said. 

Yakubu had earlier stated, 

“It is unfortunate that most 

seaports in Nigeria are in 

bad shape. We members of 

the House of 

Representatives decided to 

investigate the reasons as 

a way of bringing them 

back to life as they will 

boost the economy of the 

nation, alleviate poverty 

and create weath.” 

He vowed that no effort 

would be spared in 

bringing the ports on 

stream and sued for the 

cooperation of all 

Nigerians. 

The member representing 

Warri North Federal 

constituency and vice 

chairman of the Ad-hoc 

Committee, Thomas 

Eriyetomi, said: “When 

the port comes alive, it 

will turn the economy of 

the state around.” 

Okowa’ll build more roads in 

riverine communities — IGBAN 

By Festus Ahon 

A 

S A B A — 

EXECUTIVE 

Assistant to Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa on 

Community Development, 

Mr Andrew Igban, 

yesterday, said that the 

state government would 

build more roads and other 

social infrastructure in 

riverine communities in the 

state as part of efforts to 

open up the areas for 

greater development. 

Speaking while on 

working visits to 

Madangho, Aja-Udaibo, 

Ogidigben, Deghele and 

Bateren communities in 

Warri South West Local 


state, over complaints of 

deplorable state of internal 

roads in the localities, 

Igban assured that the state 

government was not 

relenting in connecting 

more coastal communities 

in the state by roads. 

Accompanied by a team 

of engineers, he said that 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 

has shown more 

commitment to road 

infrastructure development 

in the riverine communities 

in the state. 

He assured Madangho, 

Aja-Udaibo, Ogidigben, 

Deghele and Bateren 

communities that efforts are 

on to draw attention of 

authorities to the present 

state of internal roads in the 

areas, stating that his visit 

was a step in that regards. 

He stressed the need for 

communities across the 

state to be at peace with one 

another and be committed 

to unity of purpose as they 

are key to the development 

of the area. 

Igban said Governor 

Okowa was very much 

concerned about the well 

being of Deltans and was 

taking necessary steps to 

enhance quality of lives in 

the state. 

Addressing youth leaders 

of the five communities 

visited, he urged them to 

continue to mobilize 

support for state 

government in its efforts to 

attract more dividends of 

democracy to the people. 

Bayelsa Guber: SDN trains INEC 

staff on election best practices 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

& Emem Idio 

Yof ENAGOA—AHEAD 

the November 16 

Bayelsa State governorship 

election, the Stakeholders 

Democracy Network, SDN, 

in collaboration with the 

United Nations Democracy 

Fund, UNDEF, has trained 

30 staff of the Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, in the 

state on capacity building 

and election best practices. 

The one day training 

workshop according to the 

facilitators is to strengthen 

the existing experience of 

staff of the commission to 

identify and respond to 

electoral violence during the 

forthcoming governorship 

poll in the state. 

In his remarks, Resident 

Electoral Commissioner, 

REC, in charge of Bayelsa 

State, Pastor Monday 

Udoh, commended SDN for 

organising the training and 

expressed satisfaction 

with the standard of the 

training, adding that the 

knowledge acquired will 

add value to the experience 

of the staff. The 

REC, who reiterated the 

resolve of the commission to 

conduct a free, fair and 

transparent election, 

pointed out that the 

commission will do 

everything within its 

powers to ensure that the 

governorship election come 

November 16, is credible. 

Earlier, SDN Advisor and 

Facilitator, Mr Chris 

Newsom, said the training 

was in line with the vision 

and mission of the 

organisation include 

“advocacy campaigns and 

direct engagements, 

improve dialogue between 

political institutions and 

citizens through 

mechanisms of downwardfacing 

accountability and 

demand for responsive 

governance.'' 

Old Warri province urged to support 

Okumagba as NDDC boss 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

W 

A R R I — A 

prominent 

community leader in Warri 

mainland, Delta State and 

former member of the state 

Advisory Council on the 

Prerogative of Mercy, Prince 

Churchill Oki has enjoined 

various ethnic groups in the 

old Warri province and the 

entire state to rally support 

for Chief Bernard 

Okumagba to succeed as 

Managing Director of the 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC. 

Oki, who spoke in Warri, 

noted that there was no need 

opposing the appointment 

of Okumagba as the 

commission's boss, 

describing him as a core son 

of old Warri province made 

up of Urhobo, Itsekiri, 

Western Ijaw, Isoko, Aboh 

and Kwale. 

“Okumagba is a very 

strong original indigene 

and native of old Warri 

province of colonial 

Nigeria. Warri province was 

made up of Urhobo, Itsekiri 

Western Iijaw, Isoko, Aboh 

kwale. Old Warri province 

is now Delta province of 

Nigeria. So let praise 


Buhari for appointing our 

son. Warri province is one. 

Our elders and youths 

should preach peace and 

love, not hate,” he said.


FG tasked on 2nd Niger 

Bridge, Onitsha Port 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

INDUSTRIALISTS in 

Onitsha, Anambra 

State, have appealed to 


Buhari and the Minister 

of Works, Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola, to ensure constant 

release of funds for the 

completion of the 2nd 

Niger Bridge. 

The industrialists, on the 

platform of Harbour 

Bridge Head Industrialists 

Association, Onitsha, 

Anambra State, also 

appealed to the Federal 

Government to complete 

the Onitsha River Port and 

make it functional without 

further delay. 

Chairman of the 

COSEYL lauds Air Peace boss for 

helping Nigerians in S-Africa 

By Anayo Okoli 

E 

N U G U — 

COALITION of 

South-East Youth Leaders, 

COSEYL, has 

commended the chairman 

of Air Peace, Chief Allen 

Onyema, for donating his 

aircraft to evacuate 

Nigerians in South Africa, 

following xenophobic 

attacks. 

It described Chief 

Onyema’s gesture as “a 

display of a high sense of 

patriotism and selfless 

service,” saying he saved 

thousands of lives. 

COSEYL, in a statement 

by its President-General, 

Chief Goodluck Ibem, said 

that Chief Onyema may 

not have realised the 

good he did for humanity 

and mankind and prayed 

God to reward him for the 

gesture. 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

U MUAHIA— 

NIGERIAN 

Security and Civil Defence 

Corps, NSCDC, Abia State 

Command, has arrested 

three suspects, accused of 

siphoning petroleum 

products from oil 

pipelines. 

Briefing journalists in 

Umuahia, State 

Commandant, NSCDC, 

Abia State, Mr. Nnamdi 

Nwannukwu, said the 

suspects, identified as 

Ikechi Ngozi, 

Chukwudinma Allen and 

Nwokoro Nwapem, were 

arrested on September 3, 

while setting valves on a 

pipeline and loading it 

association, Chief Paul 

Okonkwor, spoke to 

newsmen in Isuofia 

town, Aguata Local 


state, shortly after the 

new yam festival. 

He said completing 

the 2nd Niger Bridge at 

the agreed time and 

completing and making 

the Onitsha River Port 

work will boost the 

economy of Nigeria and 

that of South-East, to 

create jobs for thousands 

of unemployed 

Nigerians. 

He added: “Nigeria’s 

economic recovery has 

something to do with the 

completion of 2nd Niger 

Bridge and Onitsha 

River Port.” 

It said: “The 

humanitarian service of 

Chief Allen Onyema to 

help bring back 

Nigerians who were 

attacked and stranded in 

South Africa is indeed 

commendable. 

“We say kudos to him for 

doing what the Federal 

Government was supposed 

to do for its citizens. This 

good gesture of patriotism 

and selfless service by Mr. 

Onyema has set a 

benchmark in Nigerian 

history and the aviation 

sector. 

“This epoch-making 

gesture is the first of its 

kind in the annals of 

Nigeria. The 

benevolence of Air Peace 

has placed it as a 

unifying and bonding 

factor in a country beset 

with ethno-religious and 

political divisions.” 

NSCDC arrests 3 

pipeline vandals in Abia 

into a tank. 

In his words: “The 

suspects were caught in 

the act of affixing valves 

on the petroleum 

pipeline for the purpose 

of siphoning petroleum 

products illegally and 

loading it into tanks and 

drums loaded on buses. 

These suspects have 

committed economic 

sabotage against our 

nation through their 

attacks on oil pipelines, 

which is a critical 

infrastructure to our 

nation.” 

Nwannukwu said the 

suspects confessed to 

have fixed the valves 

with the help of a technician 

called Ogbuagu, 

who was still at large. 

CERTIFICATION FOR NBC: From left— Plant Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, Limited, 

Ikeja Plant, Aderemi Adewoye; Head, Ecology and Conservation, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, 

LASEPA, Olayinka Omotosho; Manufacturing Operations Director, NBC Ltd., Soni Alok, and Managing Director, 

Control Union, Ghana, Ransford Nyarko, during the presentation of the First Alliance for Water Stewardship Gold 

certification in Africa to NBC Ltd., Ikeja Plant, by Control Union in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau. 

Report of plan to arrest Nnamdi 

Kanu’s father is blackmail—Police 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

U MUAHIA—ABIA 

State Police 

Command has said the 

Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB’s claim that 

there are plans towards 

arresting the father of its 

leader, Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu, is blackmail. 

IPOB had raised the 

alarm, following the 

presence of policemen at 

Kanu’s home at Afara- 

Ukwu, Umuahia, claiming 

that Kanu’s father was the 

target as he reportedly 

arrived his compound two 

years after it was invaded 

by soldiers. 

Reacting to the alarm, 

Abia State Commissioner of 

Police, Mr. Ene Okon, said: 

“What IPOB has given to 

you people is completely 

false. As a matter of fact, we 

received a report that IPOB 

is going to have a meeting 

in Nnamdi Kanu’s house. 

“They prepared also for 

a protest over the alleged 

killing of their members 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU—THE Tax 

Appeal Tribunal has 

warned petitioners that it 

was not susceptible to 

inducements and would 

only continue to treat 

appeals before it on their 

merits. 

The tribunal also said it 

does not use technicalities 

to adjudicate matters before 

it, but dispenses them 

meritoriously, noting that 

matters before it do not last 

beyond three months 

before judgements are 

delivered on them. 

Chairman of the tribunal, 

during Operation Python 

Dance and as an 

organisation that is 

charged with maintenance 

of law and order, based on 

the intelligence that we 

gathered, we have to fortify 

the already existing police 

points within the area, 

which has been there for 

the past two years. 

“All we did was to put 

more officers in that area to 

ensure that there is peace. 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

A WKA—ANAMBRA 

State government has 

commenced the dredging 

of flood channels on the 

Nise-Amawbia Road as 

part of measures to reduce 

flooding in the area. 

Some sections of the area 

were severed from others, 

following massive flooding 

occasioned by consistent 

downpour in the past four 

days. 

South-East Zone, Mr. 

Chukwuemeka Eze, made 

the disclosures in a 

stakeholders’ interactive 

forum on challenges and 

solutions of tax 

administration held in 

Enugu yesterday. 

Eze also clarified that the 

tribunal was not an 

extension of Federal Inland 

Revenue Service, FIRS, 

even though it was 

established by the Ministry 

of Finance to deal on 

matters arising from 

taxation. 

According to him, “there 

are instances that even the 

government and their 

No policeman entered 

Nnamdi Kanu’s house or 

his father’s house. 

“The Police didn’t even 

know whether or not 

Nnamdi Kanu’s father is at 

home. Under what offence 

will the Police go to arrest 

Nnamdi Kanu’s father, a 90- 

year-old man? If the Police 

is to arrest anyone, it is 

Nnamdi Kanu because he 

has been declared wanted 

and not the father. 

Some houses were also 

flooded, forcing their 

occupants to relocate. 

Worried by the 

development, the state 

government began the 

dredging of the flood 

channels, yesterday. 

Governor Willie Obiano, 

who visited the area, 

expressed satisfaction at 

the level of work already 

done at the canal by the 

contractors. 

He added that 

You can’t bribe us, tax tribunal warns appellants 

agencies have lost petitions 

brought to us. We don’t take 

bribe, you can’t settle us. 

We have sworn to serve our 

fatherland.” 

He said Nigerians had 

lived in the past glory of not 

paying taxes due to the 

sharing of federal allocation 

but emphasised that any 

serious society desirous of 

development needs to be 

tax conscious. 

In his contribution, the 

chairman of Enugu State 

Board of Internal Revenue 

Service, Mr. Emeka Odo, 

said: “The poor hardly pay 

taxes. It is the rich that have 

business enterprises, 

“It is a mere propaganda 

or blackmail to win the 

sympathy of Igbo by the 

IPOB. Remember that 

IPOB has been proscribed 

by law and they remain 

proscribed. 

“Any of their activities is 

illegal. If we get intelligence 

of their gathering, 

which will disrupt the 

peace of the area, I don’t 

think we should sit back 

and watch them.” 

Anambra begins dredging of 

canals, as flood sacks residents 

government had awarded 

a contract for refurbishing 

of the road and that it would 

demolish the existing 

bridge to construct a new 

one to stand the test of time. 

Project Manager of the 

construction firm, Mr. Jacob 

Enaini, said the main work 

would commence after the 

rains, as the company had 

already been mobilised, 

assuring that the work 

would be completed on 

schedule. 

properties and concerns 

that pay taxes. 

“If you must enjoy social 

services in the state, you 

would have to pay tax and 

obtain your Enugu State 

Benefit Number, ESBN. 

“If you don’t have 

income, we won’t tax you 

but if you have, we will 

tax you.” 

On his part, former 

President, Enugu Chamber 

of Commerce, Mines and 

Agriculture, ECCIMA, 

Pastor Olisemeka 

Jideonwo, called for closer 

collaboration between tax 

administrators and the 

business community.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019—35 

japhdave@yahoo.com 

08066625505 

Top artists, others marvel at range, depth of 

creativity at LIMCAF Enugu exhibition 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

IN its determined bid to 

change the degenerating 

educational system in Nigeria 

Five Cowries initiative 

project in partnership with 

Philips Consulting Limited 

(plc.) organised a photo-exhibition 

tagged“My Story of 

Water”. 

The photo exhibition which 

opened on 16th September 

2019 was unveiled at the London 

City Hall. 

Five Cowries initiative was 

launched in 2017 to offer more 

inclusive pathways into education 

by integrating arts into 

teaching to improve learning 

outcomes. 

The initiative was established 

as a response to the 

degenerating educational 

system in Nigeria. Five Cowries 

trains 50 teachers who directly 

support some 2,000 

children annually. Through 

this initiative, they deliver 

programs that improve education 

and that also engage 

our children with issues of 

social and global impact and 

importance of conservation, 

citizenship, health, migration 

and new technologies for pollution. 

The 2019 project, My Story 

of Water is a collaborative 

arts program bringing children 

from Lagos with partners 

around the world, using art as 

a vehicle for social change. 

The initiative is aimed at creating 

awareness and helping 

children understand the importance 

of water, water pol- 

*Chief Ben Etiaba, chairman of the occasion flanked by other guest cutting the tape to declare the 

exhibition open 

By Japhet Davidson 

AS the train of the Regional 

Exhibitions of the 2019 and 

13th edition of the annual nationwide 

youth art empowerment 

festival, Life In My City Art Festival 

(LIMCAF) roars towards 

the end in October, when the 

Grand Finale Exhibition of 100 

Best Works will climax with the 

Gala and Award Night, the 

Enugu Centre exhibition 

opened with a bang last week at 

the Alliance Francaise, Centre. 

Enugu, is the home of 

LIMCAF and the only Exhibition 

Centre in the South East 

Region. The eight other Exhibition 

Centres are Zaria in the 

North West Region, Abuja in the 

North Central Region Lagos, 

Ibadan and Ondo in the South 

West Region with Benin and Port 

Harcourt in the South South 

Region. Port Harcourt will be the 

last before the Grand Finale Exhibition 

in late October. 

The Enugu exhibition featured 

a record 137 art works which is 

unprecedented in the history of 

the Centre, formally known as a 

Zone but now renamed a Regional 

Centre after the recent restructuring 

of the Festival process. 

Also unprecedented was the 

crowd of nearly 300 persons including 

top executives from the 

private and public sectors such 

as the Chairman of the Festival 

Elder K. U. Kalu former Chairman 

of Union Bank and Chief 

Loretta Aniagolu Chief Executive 

of HELIU Residences, Mr 

Gozie Eneh former Special Adviser 

to the Enugu State Governor 

as well as other members of 

the Board of Trustees and 

Enugu’s top artists including 

Bona Ezeudu, Chris Afuba and 

Okey Ikenegbu former Director of 

lution and the environmental 

crisis, which will, in turn, inspire 

creative ways to address 

the issues in the country. 

Speaking at the 2019 Totally 

Thames Festival, London, 

Founder of Five Cowries 

initiative, Polly Alakija said: 

“The challenges young children 

experience in Nigeria 

regarding lack of water. Everyday 

activities such as bathing 

and cooking have become 

chores for these children, they 

are constantly at risk of diseases 

caused by using dirty 

water”. 

Also speaking on the partnership 

with Five Cowries, 

Managing Director of Philips 

Consulting Limited (plc.) Rob 

Taiwo explained, “Last year, 

Philips Consulting realigned 

her business goals with a clear 

focus on transforming businesses 

using its strategy, digital 

and human capital resources. 

The Five Cowries 

initiative provides plc. with 

the platform to achieve one of 

her strategic goals– impacting 

lives. The story of water encourages 

students to tell 

visual stories about water and 

sustainability in their environment. 

In addition, Associate Partner, 

pcl. Dele Philips said 

“pcl is delighted to provide 

‘fluidity’ in the process, making 

this a success story. We are 

also pleased with the positive 

energy towards building and 

maintaining our waterways” 

As part of the Totally 

Thames festival, the riverside 

arcade at Oxo Tower Wharf in 

London is currently adorned 

with an installation of 500 

jerry cans, painted by children 

across Nigeria till the 

30th of September. 

The photo exhibition of the 

project at London City Hall 

has been open to the public 

since 16th September. 

The children were encouraged 

and empowered to express 

themselves and tell 

the School of Art and Design, 

IMT Enugu. 

Speaking at the event, Chairman 

of the occasion and 

LIMCAF’s Special Guest of Honour, 

Chief Ben Etiaba FCA immediate 

past Executive Chairman 

of Enugu Sports Club who 

lead other distinguished members 

and art aficionados 

commended particularly the consistency 

of the Festival Board and 

Organising Committee who 

have nurtured the Festival to its 

current status as the longest running 

art festival in Nigeria today. 

He marveled at the quality of 

creative works on display which 

he described as equal in every 

respect to what one would find 

among young artists anywhere 

in the world of contemporary art 

today. 

On his part, LIMCAF Art Director 

Dr. Ayo Adewunmi also 

expressed special satisfaction 

with the constantly improving 

quality of works on display year 

on year and also expressed delight 

with the turnout of many 

members of the public as a signal 

that one of the objectives of 

the Festival which is to grow art 

appreciation and collection 

thereby empowering the young 

artists and growing art as a tool 

for socio-economic development. 

Dr Adewunmi announced that 

only about 25 of the 137 works 

on display will qualify for the 

Grand finale Exhibition in October. 

He also said that after the 

Port Harcourt Centre Exhibition 

the 100 qualifying works will be 

announced on the LIMCAF 

website and other media platforms. 

Nigerian kids express creativity at Five Cowries My Story of 

Water exhibition in London 

*Art enthusiasts and others going through the works during the 

exhibition in London 

their stories about water using 

art by painting jerry cans, 

canoes, etc. About 1600 children 

from over 30 primary 

schools in Lagos and Ogun 

states took part in this project 

and produced an installation 

of 500 painted jerry cans. 

Winners of Rainbow short 

story competition emerge 

RAINBOW Book Club organ 

isers of The Rainbow Short 

Story competition recently announced 

the winners in the different 

categories. The competition 

which is organized by the 

Rainbow Book Club to promote 

creative writing amongst young 

people in Africa is really living 

up its bidding judging from the 

caliber of short stories produced 

the students. 

The award is in three categories- 

Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior 

and the winners of each category 

received certificates and 

cash prizes. The first position in 

each category got One Hundred 

and Fifty Thousand Naira 

(N150,000), those in second position 

received One Hundred 

Thousand Naira 

(N100,000) and those who 

came third got Fifty 

Thousand Naira 

(N50,000). 

The winners were: For 

the Senior category: are 

Amal PantamiI of Stella 

Maris college, Abuja for 

the 1st position, second 

position went to 

Jesuduntan I. Mercy of 

Corona Secondary 

School, Lagos. While the 

3rd position went to 

Ofejetu Queensly of 

Queens college, Lagos. 

For the Junior category: Opara 

Esther of Loyola Jesuit College, 

Abuja won the 1st position, second 

position went to Aoko 

Motunrayo of Lagoon secondary 

School, Lagos. While Emmanuel 

Maduakor of Greenoak International 

School. Port Harcourt got 

the third position. 

For the Sub-junior category: 

Micheal T. Boma Briggs of 

Springfield Nursery and Primary 

School, Port Harcourt came tops, 

followed by Oshoriamhe Michelle 

of St. Saviours School, Lagos and 

Olufela Ogunekan of Corona 

Ikoyi, Lagos who shared the second 

position. And Vanessa Umeji 

of Corona Ikoyi, Lagos took the 

third position. 

Third place winner in the Junior category 

Emmanuel Maduako (m)pose with his 

prize

25 lessons I learnt from Olusegun Osoba’s autobiography 

Battlelines: Adventures in Journalism and Politics 


By AZUH ARINZE gone on a visit to Atom Kpera in 

I 

Enugu and while waiting in the 

DEVOTED my weekend to man’s office, the then CP of the State, 

devouring Aremo Olusegun Kafaru Tinubu came to inform him 

Osoba’s autobiography, Battlelines - that Dimka had been arrested and 

Adventures In Journalism And Politics. thus he became the first to break the 

And without any apology, I want to story; same with his discovery of the 

confess that I thoroughly relished and corpse of our then Prime Minister, 

enjoyed it. I also would like to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. 

recommend it to all, but especially •You must always state your 

journalists and politicians whose side: And then let the people judge/ 

terrains were well covered in the decide. Osoba, from the book, 

book. Parading all of 341 pages, and detests being ‘lied’ against. And here 

published by Diamond Publications is a solid example. Despite having 

Limited, Battlelines, besides being concluded work on this very book, 

racy and unputdownable, is simply Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo 

one ‘helluva’ a book. 

Adebanjo, released his own book, 

Once you pick it up, you won’t want ‘Telling It As It Is’, where he said 

to put it down. And personally, I never certain uncomplimentary things 

stopped till I finished. Like most about Osoba. Know what he did? 

autobiographical works, the book is He recalled his own book and added 

littered with life’s lessons. But below an extra chapter, which he called 

are my 25 favourites: 

‘Replying It As It Is...’ Just to state his 

•Always be prepared: Osoba, own side! 

from my deductions from the book, •Tribalism has always been in 

was more than prepared, especially Nigeria: Yes, tribalism didn’t just 

by his godfather, Alhaji Babatunde start in our country. It has always 

Jose, for all the roles he ended up been with us and most likely will 

playing, both in journalism and continue to be. According to Osoba, 

politics. Simply put, it was that just because he’s from Ogun, himself 

preparation, both internal and and Mr. Peter Ajayi were labelled 

external, that enabled him rise to the non-Kwarans at the Nigerian 

top ‘so fast’. Imagine having a Vespa Herald. So much so that the people 

and a telephone line even as a after them almost succeeded in 

reporter! Osoba sure invested in instigating General George Innih, 

himself and his craft. 

the man who took over from 

•You need quality contacts in Ibrahim Taiwo, who recruited him, 

journalism: Osoba, in his active days, to send them packing. 

was not an ‘office journalist’. He was •Loyalty matters so much: 

always out there in the field. And Besides his own angles, Osoba also 

armed with enough quality sources talked about the late Chief Obafemi 

and contacts, his report card is still Awolowo; how despite advice 

being admired and saluted till date, against fielding J.S Olawoyin as 

even by the younger generation. For UPN guber candidate in 1979, he 

example, while the Nigeria/Biafra still went ahead, just because of the 

war was on and Zik made a surprise man’s loyalty. And guess what? 

appearance at the Lagos airport, he Olawoyin later lost to Adamu Atta 

was there to capture it; he also of NPN. 

interviewed President Tubman of 

Liberia, President Gowon and While the security 

equally got some exclusive photos, 

from the singular event, although the 

agents were looking for 

headline he gave the story: ‘Head of him here and there, the 

State Excited, Very Happy’ later 

earned him an arrest by Umaru 

vulcanizers on his 

Shinkafi, who was in charge of street, and who 

national security then. 

•To succeed, you must be ready 

obviously he had been 

to take risks: Osoba, a master risk very nice to, were 

taker, captured it thus: “A journalist 

who cannot take risk and is 

always tipping him and 

unadventurous is not worthy of the his wife off whenever 

name...” Risk takers, sincerely, 

usually succeed more than those who 

they suspected any 

are lily livered. And it’s evident in the person or smelt any rat 

book. From moving even when there 

was a curfew to venturing where •Always give honour to whom it 

many dreaded, Osoba, simply put, is is due: I love people who admit their 

lion-hearted. 

imperfections, inadequacies, foibles 

•Record keeping is very and mistakes. Osoba, 

important: Facts, indeed, speak for magnanimously, acknowledged 

themselves. So, always keep records. APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola 

Osoba, besides making some Ahmed Tinubu as a man of both 

shocking revelations, was able to immense political sagacity and 

back them up with incontrovertible strategy. He gave a public ‘Tuale’ to 

evidence(s). From confidential the man whose followers and 

government documents to decadesold 

letters, the Akinrogun has them Lion of Bourdillon, Strongman of 

admirers fondly address as Jagaban, 

all in the book. Obasanjo/I.A Taiwo, Southwest Politics, Alpha & Omega 

Jose/Sketch, Momoh/Ibrahim, of Lagos Politics for the two new 

Omowale Kuye/Herald...Even parties that eventually ended up as 

personal communication/letters APC, the roping in of more political 

between Alade Odunewu/Babatunde parties and ultimately the dislodging 

Jose/L.L Cross concerning his studies of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s 

abroad were all captured in the book. administration and PDP. 

•Pray to be at the right place at •Lies have short legs: But 

the right time: Journalists are not certainly not truth or the truth. 

spirits. They only depend on sources, Mercilessly accused of betraying 

ideas, tip-offs and so on to write Chief Frank Kokori, the erstwhile 

beautiful stories. Being at the right NUPENG President, who tormented 

place at the right time also helps. And the hell out of the late General Sani 

it really, really helped Osoba. Just two Abacha’s life, and following the 

examples will suffice here - he had annulment of the June 12, 1993 

C 

M 

Y 

presidential election, won by 

Bashorun MKO Abiola, Osoba was, 

however, exonerated after 20 

obviously agonising and sad years 

of carrying that cross and stigma by 

Kokori, who exposed it in his 

memoirs that the fellow who sold 

him to his enemies was Mr. Fred Eno. 

The just, indeed, shall always be 

vindicated. Though it may take long, 

it must surely happen. 

•Be nice to the peasants: The 

saying that ‘Oga’s life is in the hands 

of his houseboy and vice versa’ rings 

through in the book. While the 

security agents were looking for him 

here and there, the vulcanizers on his 

street, and who obviously he had been 

very nice to, were always tipping him 

and his wife off whenever they 

suspected any person or smelt any 

rat. Thus, he was able to repeatedly 

escape from Sergeant Rogers and his 

gang. 

•Keep your hands clean: History 

never forgets. In fact, it always sticks 

out like a sore thumb. The shameful 

role played by Chief Francis Arthur 

Nzeribe, Abimbola Davies, their 

cohorts as well as their ignoble ABN 

(Association for Better Nigeria) was 

well documented and frozen for 

posterity in the book. So, let’s always 

remember tomorrow and be mindful 

of the things we do. 

•Always make your boss look 

good: Robert Greene, in one of his 

classics, 48 Laws Of Power, 

admonished us never to outshine the 

master. And this was exactly what 

Osoba did when himself and Abiola 

were trying to get the late General 

Musa Yar’Adua to convince his men 

to support Abiola. Abiola, according 

to Osoba, made a political mistake, 

but rather than blame him for that 

when confronted by an obviously 

angry Yar’Adua, Osoba chose to be 

the fall guy. 

•Pray for a good wife: He that 

findeth a good wife indeed has it all. 

And Abiola’s first wife, Simbiat, was 

a good example. According to Osoba, 

while trying to govern Ogun, which 

is also Abiola’s state of origin, it 

happened that Abiola was not only 

supporting SDP’s Abdullateef Dele, 

but had also given him N500,000 

then. On getting wind of this, Osoba, 

a member of SDP and from whom 

Abiola not long ago sought a favour, 

visited him at home to complain. 

While they were at it and arguing 

back and forth, Simbiat, who 

obviously was eavesdropping and 

watching the drama unfolding in 

their sitting room, went to 

bring Abiola’s cheque book, 

insisting that he also be given 

a cheque of N500,000. And 

‘na so equation come 

balance’. 

•Be a man of principle: 

The late conscience of the 

nation, Chief Gani 

Fawehinmi, SAN, used to 

have one popular quote: 

‘Stand for what is right even 

if you are standing alone’. 

Osoba, on a few occasions, 

did exactly that. And two 

examples will suffice here - 

one was when Obasanjo 

needed the support of Egba 

people, and face to face with 

Ebora Owu, Akinrogun told 

him he wasn’t going to do 

that; the second was when he 

personally issued a statement 

countering Egba’s support 

for Chief Ernest Shonekan, 

to ‘inherit’ Abiola’s mandate. 

•It pays to learn from the 

masters: We all need mentors; 

quality mentors. And just like the 

disciples of Jesus learnt at his feet, 

Osoba, politically, learnt at the feet 

of masters of the game like Obafemi 

Awolowo, Bola Ige, Michael Ajasin, 

Bisi Onabanjo... 

•A little madness is sometimes 

good: Yes! Nobody has a monopoly 

of madness, and Osoba confirmed 

it in Battlelines. Believing that 

Sketch, which Osoba was overseeing 

then was against him, Governor 

Omololu Olunloyo, had visited in 

Osoba’s absence and locked up the 

office. On his return, Osoba broke 

all the padlocks and ordered his 

men to return to work. To cut a long 

story short, a truce was eventually 

brokered. And that was it. 

•Going to parties is not bad: In 

fact, we must all cultivate the habit 

of attending parties. But mostly 

quality parties. It is good for 

networking and other things too. It 

was while at a party at the Officers’ 

Mess in Marina, Lagos that one John 

Momodu informed him about his 

sack from Daily Times, and instantly 

he swung into action and eventually 

had it reversed. Again, it was also at 

another party in Apapa that he met 

his wife, Derin, after their first 

encounter at the airport. Even the 

controversial story on the 

deportation of Shugaba, the GNPP 

Majority Leader in Borno State, 

accused of being from Niger 

Republic, equally came at a party. 

•Life is an unending battle: So 

also is jealousy. And Osoba had his 

fair share, both in journalism and 

politics. The sweetest thing, however, 

is that ultimately he triumphed over 

most of them. A vivid example in the 

book is Mr. Dayo Duyile’s alleged 

futile attempts to scuttle his joining 

Sketch. 

•Carry your people along: The 

popular saying, ‘chop alone, die 

alone’ must have ‘guided’ Osoba in 

most of his undertakings. Nearly all 

through the book, you would hear 

him talking about his two buddies, 

Peter Ajayi and Felix Adenaike. In 

fact, the trio were so inseparable that 

the late sage, Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo nicknamed them ‘The 

Three Musketeers’. They were 

together in good times and in bad 

times. Which all of us must also learn 

from. 

•Forgive all, but don’t forget all: 

Yeah, our Christian brothers and 

sisters may disagree with this. But 

that is Osoba for you. He forgives 

and forgets some, but definitely not 

all. Currently in the same political 

party with Chief Tony Momoh, who 

incidentally succeeded him as the 

MD of Daily Times, Osoba couldn’t 

resist capturing how Momoh 

attempted to have him sacked from 

Daily Times until he deployed his 

wide network to circumvent that. And 

according to him, both of them are 

still friends! 

•We all love women: Yes, all men 

do. Except those who pretend or 

choose to be discreet about theirs. 

Osoba admitted sowing his seeds of 

wild oats and tumbling under the 

duvets with daughters of Eve. He was 

a man about town and even dated a 

White lady, whom his mother never 

wanted him to marry. Everything, 

however, changed when the ebony 

beauty called Derin appeared on the 

scene, bought his heart ‘wholesale’ 

and locked it up permanently. 

•Always think on your feet: To his 

then editor, he was after his job. But 

having occupied that position myself 

and also seen how panicky some 

editors become whenever they begin 

to see you as a threat, Osoba has my 

total support. A coup had just taken 

place, but rather than race to the 

office to do the story, an editor 

remains at home. A daring reporter 

steps in, does the story beautifully, 

ably guided by the great Babatunde 

Jose, his editor makes it to the office 

after almost 24 hours and then begins 

to accuse the reporter of eyeing his 

position! Anyway, Osoba eventually 

landed the position, but certainly not 

because he had his eyes set on that 

from the onset. Rather it was his good 

works that did it. So, you must always 

be strategic; don’t just do anything, 

but do the most strategic ones. They 

will always announce you and open 

special doors for you. 

•We enjoy defending our 

mistakes: Osoba, alleged to be 

temperamental, interestingly, 

blamed it on journalism. Hear him: 

“You cannot be in the newsroom and 

not be temperamental...” Hmmmm! 

Coming from an elder, I won’t say 

more than that. 

•And yet we all make mistakes: 

Yes, nobody, including the master is 

insulated or exempted from 

mistakes. So, what exactly am I 

trying to say? Simple - it’s that some 

things could have been done better, 

especially editing-wise. On page 295, 

paragraph 1, ...as Rogers told the curt 

(instead of court); still on that page, 

but in paragraph 2, ...earlier in this 

book, I have (instead of had) 

narrated; on page 283, paragraph 

6, ...Ooni...was the first of (instead of 

to) discuss; on page 286, paragraph 

4, ...continued making ight (instead 

of light); on page 293, paragraph 2, 

...at Ogun Stae (instead of State) 

INEC; on page 306, paragraph 2, 

...Economic (and was missing) 

Financial Crimes Commission; 

page 315, paragraph 3, ...earlier is 

(instead of in) the same speech; page 

318, paragraph 2, ...The (National) 

Independent National Electoral...; 

on page 40, last paragraph, you 

(instead of your); on page 17, 

paragraph 2,...Animashaun whose 

remains is (instead of are); page 31, 

paragraph 2...such as the Ajiborishas 

(,), Ajibodus and other (s is missing); 

page 108, paragraph 2,...succeeded 

also of because (instead of because 

of); page 153, paragraph 

3...accussations (instead of 

accusations); page 160, paragraph 

1,...while Ikenne wouold (instead of 

would); page 184, paragraph 

1,...meant winning ar (instead of at)... 

Hopefully, all that’s been noted 

above and others will be corrected 

in subsequent editions of this 

awesome book, which once again I 

implore everybody to get copies of. 

Thanks so much for reading and 

may all our battles always end in our 

favour... 

•Arinze is a journalis, author and 

communications strategist


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Netanyahu’s tenure in doubt as voters 

deliver deadlock 

ISRAELI Prime Minis 

ter Benjamin Netanyahu 

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dealt a new blow to Israel’s 

longest-serving leader, 

who was already weakened 

by the inability to put 

together an administration 

after an inconclusive election 

in April. 

But with coalition-building 

again key to forming a 

government, it could be 

days or even weeks before 

it becomes clear whether 

the wily politician hailed by 

supporters as “King Bibi” 

has been dethroned after 

a decade in power. 

The campaigns run by 

Netanyahu and Gantz 

pointed to only narrow differences 

on many important 

issues, and an end to 

the Netanyahu era would 

be unlikely to bring about 

significant changes in pol- 

icy on relations with the 

United States, the regional 

struggle against Iran or 

the Palestinian conflict. 

With Israeli media reporting 

more than 90 percent 

of votes counted in 

Saudi oil attacks: Trump orders 

more sanctions on Iran 

PRESIDENT Donald 

Trump on Wednesday 

said he has ordered a 

major increase in sanctions 

on Iran in the latest move 

of the United States to 

pressure Tehran, which US 

officials say likely carried 

out a crippling weekend 

attack on Saudi oil facilities, 

allegations Iran denies. 

Trump gave no explanation 

in a brief tweet announcing 

the order, but the 

initiative follows repeated 

US assertions that Iran 

was behind Saturday’s attack 

on the kingdom, a 

close US ally. 

“I have just instructed 

the Secretary of the Treasury 

to substantially increase 

sanctions on the 

country of Iran!” he tweeted. 

Iran, however, again denied 

involvement in Saturday’s 

raids, which hit the 

world’s biggest crude processing 

facility and initially 

knocked out half of the 

Saudi production. 

“They want to impose 

maximum ... pressure on 

Iran through slander,” 

Iran’s President Hassan 

Rouhani said. 

“We don’t want conflict in 

the region ... Who started 

the conflict?” he added, 

blaming Washington and 

its Gulf allies for the war 

in Yemen. 

Yemen’s Houthi rebels, 

who have been locked in a 

war with a Saudi-UAE-led 

coalition since 2015, 

claimed responsibility for 

the attacks, warning Saudi 

Arabia that their targets 

“will keep expanding”. 

At a news conference later 

on Wednesday, Saudi 

•Netanyahu 

officials showed debris from 

the alleged weapons used 

during the attacks, saying 

there was “undeniable” 

evidence of Iranian aggression. 

A defence ministry 

spokesman said there was 

no way the strikes could 

Tuesday’s election, the bloc 

led by Netanyahu’s Likud 

party was more or less 

even with a likely grouping 

headed by Gantz’s centrist 

Blue and White party. 

A Likud-led bloc looked 

poised to control 55 of parliament’s 

120 seats, with 56 

going to a center-left alliance 

- in both cases falling 

short of a majority government 

of 61 lawmakers. 

The ballot’s wildcard, 

former defense minister 

Avigdor Lieberman, 

emerged as a likely kingmaker 

as head of the secular-nationalist 

Yisrael Beitenu 

party, projected to 

capture nine seats. 

Brexit: Suspension of parliament in 

bad faith —Judge 

THE PM’s decision to 

suspend Parliament 

for five weeks was carried 

out “in bad faith”, the Supreme 

Court has heard. 

Scottish judges ruled the 

move unlawful, but the 

government is appealing, 

arguing it is a political 

judgment, not a matter for 

the courts. 

Defending the ruling, 

Aidan O’Neill QC said 

people expected the government 

to engage “solely 

in high politics rather than 

low, dishonest, dirty tricks”. 

But, he added: “I am not 

sure we can assume this of 

this government.” 

The PM prorogued Parliament 

earlier this month, 

saying it would allow him 

to hold a Queen’s Speech 

on 14 October to outline his 

new policies. 

He has insisted the decision 

had nothing to do 

with his promise to leave 

the EU on 31 October, with 

or without a Brexit deal, 

but critics have accused 

him of trying to silence MPs 

in the run-up to the deadline. 

Two cases about the 

prorogation are now being 

appealed at the Supreme 

Court after lower courts 

reached conflicting judgements. 

Businesswoman Gina 

Miller and other campaigners 

are appealing 

against a ruling by England’s 

High Court, which 

said the suspension was 

“purely political” and 

therefore “not a matter” for 

the judiciary. 

The government, meanwhile, 

is appealing the 

ruling by judges at Edinburgh’s 

Court of Session, 

who said the move by Mr 

Johnson was “unlawful” 

and aimed to “stymie” 

MPs ahead of the Brexit 

deadline. 

Rwandan rebel leader wanted by ICC 

shot dead in Congo 

DR 

Congolese 

armed forces said 

on Wednesday that they 

had killed Rwandan rebel 

leader Sylvestre Mudacumura, 

who was wanted by 

the International Criminal 

Court (ICC) for war crimes. 

The army said in a statement 

that Mudacumura 

and some of his fighters 

were killed during military 

operations in eastern Congo’s 

North Kivu province 

overnight to Wednesday. 

have been launched from 

Yemen. 

“The attack was 

launched from the north 

and unquestionably sponsored 

by Iran,” Saudi Colonel 

Turki al-Malki said. “We 

are working to know the 

exact launch point.” 

It called on other armed 

groups to lay down their 

weapons and turn themselves 

in to avoid “suffering 

the same fate as Mudacumura.” 

Mudacumura led the 

Democratic Forces for the 

Liberation of Rwanda 

(FDLR), a militia group in 

North Kivu made up of 

mostly Rwandan Hutu 

fighters which is said to 

have killed numerous civilians 

during attacks on eastern 

Congolese villages. 

The ICC had issued an 

arrest warrant for Mudacumura 

in 2012 for nine 

counts of war crimes committed 

in 2009 and 2010, 

including murder, mutilation, 

rape, torture, destruction 

of property and pillaging. 

The court said that Mudacumura’s 

orders as the 

top military commander of 

the FDLR allegedly had “a 

direct effect on the commission 

of the crimes”. 

Nigerian who died in UK detention 

reported ‘being sick for weeks’ 

ANigerian man whose death in a detention centre 

in the UK is the subject of an investigation by 

the Home Office repeatedly said he was feeling unwell 

in the weeks leading up to his death. 

Oscar Okwurime died last week at the Harmondsworth 

removal centre, where he was found by another detainee. 

According to family members, Okwurime, 34, repeatedly 

told authorities he was ill but did not receive 

medical attention. 

“I told him straight away: ‘tell the authorities there 

and they will get you checked,’” Okwurime’s brother, 

identified only as Alex, told The Independent newspaper. 

“That first week, they didn’t do anything. And the second 

week, he said they were still saying nothing. The 

last time I saw him, he told me he was on a waiting list 

of about 400. He said he was feeling pain in his side.” 

Alex, who said his brother did not have any health 

issues before his detainment, called Oscar’s death “a 

pure case of negligence”. 

“If someone is in your custody and telling you they’re 

not feeling well, it’s your duty of care to get them 

checked,” he said. 

The family’s story was corroborated by two people who 

knew Okwurime from the Harmondsworth facility. 

According to one, the Nigerian asked staff repeatedly 

for a doctor but was told “this was not a quick process” at 

the facility. The other said Okwurime tried to get an 

appointment with a nurse. 

Okwurime had been in detention for about three weeks 

after entering the UK on a visitor’s visa and subsequently 

asking for asylum. 

Liberia school fire kills 26 children 

DOZENS of children were killed on Wednesday in 

a fire at a Koranic school near the Liberian capital 

Monrovia. 

At least 26 children and two teachers died in the blaze 

overnight, the president’s office said, citing information 

from the emergency services. President George Weah 

visited the site in Paynesville, on the outskirts of the 

capital, and said the cause was still unknown. 

“We are here to encourage parents of the victims to 

have strength, because it is painful to lose your kids in 

this manner,” Weah told reporters. 

“We extend our sympathy to the bereaved families. 

We don’t know the cause of the fire yet, but we will 

encourage our investigators to find how it happened,” 

he added. Rescuers in white masks and surgical gloves 

carried the children’s bodies in bags from the burnt-out 

building as crowds of people and relatives crushed together 

outside. 

The sheet-metal roof of the building, which housed a 

school and boarding school, was destroyed. “I was sleeping 

when I heard noise outside. My wife opened the 

back door and we saw smoke coming from the front. We 

came out and saw heavy fire at the back,” said local 

resident Zazay. 

Another resident, Ballah, whose home is near the 

school, said they helped in the rescue efforts. 

“We went for water, trying to put it out. We were putting 

water up to 2.30 am. When the fire fighters came, 

the fire was already going down. We do not know the 

cause of the fire,” he said. 

The fire struck while the children were asleep, said 

Fulani community official Amadou Sherrif. In an earlier 

tweet, Weah offered condolences to the families of those 

affected. 

Trump names O’Brien as 

National Security Adviser 

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named 

his pointman for hostage situations, Robert O’Brien, 

to replace his hawkish national security advisor sacked 

just as relations with Iran are entering a new crisis point. 

“I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a 

great job!” Trump tweeted. 

Last week, Trump abruptly fired John Bolton, a vigorous 

proponent of using US military force abroad and one 

of the main hawks in the administration on Iran. 

O’Brien has until now served as Trump’s envoy for situations 

involving US hostages abroad. He comes into 

the new job with backing from Secretary of State Mike 

Pompeo and senior Republicans in Congress. 

Bolton, by contrast, was a highly controversial figure in 

Washington. His instincts for an aggressive, interventionist 

foreign policy were at odds with Trump’s more 

isolationist stance. 

Bolton “wasn’t getting along with people in the administration 

who I consider very important” and “wasn’t in 

line with what we were doing,” Bolton said. 

O’Brien will become the fourth national security advisor 

in Trump’s tumultuous first term. 

He arrives just as Trump is coming under pressure from 

some in Washington to go to war with Iran in retaliation 

for an attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia last weekend 

that has been blamed on Tehran.


What went wrong with African 

liberation? By Patrick Gathara 

•Mugabe 

HOW the recently 

deceased Zimbabwean 

ruler, Robert Gabriel 

Mugabe, should be 

remembered is a question 

that has split opinion 

across Africa. Many 

have hailed him as a “liberation 

hero” who led the 

fight to end white rule in 

Zimbabwe, while others 

have insisted that his 

transformation into a murderous 

dictator had tainted 

whatever good he had 

achieved in his earlier 

years. 

It is indeed a curious 

debate. One would think 

an answer would be 

readily available given 

the continent’s depressing 

post-colonial familiarity 

with similar Jekyllturned-Hyde 

autocrats. 

Across Africa, those who 

led the fight against colonial 

rule and those who 

came after them became 

just as brutal as those 

they had deposed. As 

Mmusi Maimane, leader 

of South Africa’s opposition 

Democratic Alliance 

noted last year in a 

speech in the Senegalese 

capital Dakar, the 

same pattern is repeated. 

“First comes the era of 

colonial rule - unjust and 

exploitative. Then comes 

independence along with 

a new, democratically 

elected government. And 

then follows years, even 

decades, of oppression by 

the very same people who 

were meant to deliver 

freedom.” 

In this context, there is 

a need to examine the terminologies 

we employ. 

What exactly does “liberation” 

mean when one 

continues to be oppressed? 

What does “independence” 

mean when 

post-colonial elites continued 

to be dependent 

on their former masters? 

Take the case of Kenya. 

At “independence” in 

December 1963, the country 

remained a British 

dominion with the British 

queen as sovereign, her 

functions were performed 

by her representative, the 

governor-general who 

served at her pleasure 

and was commander-inchief, 

exercised executive 

authority, could summon, 

prorogue and dissolve 

parliament and appoint 

or remove the prime minister, 

whose main role 

was merely as an adviser. 

Jomo Kenyatta, the independence 

hero and 

first prime minister, who 

is usually pictured receiving 

the articles of independence, 

had virtually 

no power. 

Although, for many, 

“liberation” is synonymous 

with freedom, it is 

plain that few of the peoples 

“liberated” from colonial 

rule actually got 

freedom. As related in 

Charles Hornsby’s 

opus, Kenya: A History 

Since Independence, in 

the run-up to 1963, anticolonial 

activist Jomo 

Kenyatta asked his future 

subjects, “If you cannot 

obey the present [colonial] 

laws, how will you 

be able to obey our own 

laws when we have 

them?” 

After he ascended to 

power and transformed 

Kenya into a republic and 

himself into a president 

in 1964, few could tell the 

difference between his 

government and that of 

Whoever fights 

monsters should see 

to it that in the 

process he does not 

become a monster. 

And if you gaze 

long enough into 

an abyss, the abyss 

will gaze back into 

you 

the colonials he had replaced. 

Hornsby quotes 

one of Kenyatta’s contemporaries, 

Masinde Muliro, 

describing the situation 

just three years later: 

“Today we have a black 

man’s Government, and 

the black man’s Government 

administers exactly 

the same regulations, rigorously, 

as the colonial 

administration used to 

do.” 

Were Kenyans free? 

Were they liberated? Or 

was the situation more 

akin to the one described 

by South Africa’s 

Nelson Mandela following 

his country’s triumph 

over apartheid: “The 

truth is that we are not yet 

free; we have merely 

achieved the freedom to 

be free, the right not to be 

oppressed.” It is doubtful, 

given the facts of post-colonial 

history, whether 

Kenyans, Zimbabweans 

and others on the continent 

had even gotten this 

far. They clearly had not 

secured “the right not to 

be oppressed”. 

So what was liberated, 

if not the people? The 

simple answer is the state 

itself. What was being 

fought over was less the 

rights of the people than 

the opportunity to rule 

over them; it was about 

who governed them, not 

how they were governed. 

Although many believed 

that the struggle 

against colonialism was 

also supposed to vanquish 

economic exploitation 

and introduce social 

justice, democracy and 

respect for human rights 

and civil liberties, the new 

overlords often entrenched 

an authoritarian 

political culture and mimicked 

the lifestyles of 

those they had succeeded. 

“Whoever fights monsters 

should see to it that 

in the process he does 

not become a monster. 

And if you gaze long 

enough into an abyss, the 

abyss will gaze back into 

you,” wrote Friedrich 

Nietzsche in his 1886 

book, Beyond Good and 

Evil. 

Sadly, for many Africans, 

liberators do not always 

take this to heart as 

they pursue and maintain 

power. There is little recognition 

among governing 

elites today that the 

failure to reform the inherited 

colonial systems 

of oppression embodied 

in the state continues to 

be at the root of the continent’s 

malaise. And 

things are unlikely to 

change unless we redefine 

liberation to mean 

real freedom for the continent’s 

people rather 

than simply freedom to be 

oppressed and plundered 

by black elites.

40 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

Sanwo-Olu restates 

commitment to universal 

health coverage 

Skin bleaching 

Skin bleaching fuels cancer, 

hypertension, kidney failure 

— Dr Gab-Okafor 

By Gabriel Olawale 

PUBLIC Health 

Practitioner at the 

Department of 

Biochemistry and 

Nutrition, Nigerian 

Institute of Medical 

Research, NIMR, Dr. 

Chidinma Gab-Okafor has 

warned Nigerians that 

exposure to cosmetic 

products for the purpose 

of skin lightening may 

result in different types of 

non-communicable 

diseases. 

Speaking during the 

public lecture titled; An 

overview of the impact of 

chemical exposures from 

cosmetics and personal 

care products, organized 

by NIMR, Gab-Okafor 

said that skin bleaching 

which refers to the 

practice of using creams, 

soaps, serum, lotions, 

relaxers, scrubs, oils, face 

wipes, foundations, 

powders and other 

cosmetic products works 

by reducing the black 

pigment called melanin 

that protects skin from 

effects of sunlight. 

The World Health 

Organisation has said that 

77 percent of women in 

Nigeria use skinlightening 

products, the 

highest percentage in the 

world. This means eight 

out of every 10 per cents 

each their skin. Studies 

also shown that more than 

50 per cent of men in 

Nigeria also uses skin 

bleaching products and 

the most dangerous aspect 

is that children have also 

been involved by their 

parents. 

She disclosure at the 

skin bleaching products 

contain three main 

chemicals called 

hydroquinone, mercury 

and corticosteroids, most 

creams and soap sold in 

the market are a 

dangerous mixture of 

these chemicals like 

steroids, mercury and 

hydroquinone. These 

chemicals can cause 

cancer and using them for 

a long period of time can 

lead to very serious 

health issues like skin 

cancer, blood cancer, liver 

and kidney cancer, liver 

damage and kidney 

A suicidal 

person may 

also lose 

interest in 

day-to-day 

activities 

failure. 

Apart from cancer, 

research has also shown 

that skin bleaching 

products can also cause 

hypertension, diabetes, 

reduce immunity, inability 

to have children and can 

affect unborn children 

when used in pregnancy. 

On his part, Director- 

General of NIMR, 

Professor Babatunde 

Salako said that the 

institute will continue to 

sensitize the public on 

things that can be 

dangerous to their health. 

Nigeria hosts first African congress on Sickle Cell 

By Chinelo Azike 

THE Doctor SickleCell 

Centre For Sickle Cell 

Disease in association with 

Olusegun Obasanjo 

Foundation has concluded 

plans to hold intervention 

programs for sickle cell 

disorder in Africa. 

Speaking ahead of the 

African Congress on Sickle 

Cell Disease, ACSCD 

slated for 31 October to 2nd 

November in Lagos, 

ACSCD Co-chair Dr. David 

Ajaere said that the 

program seek to address 

the challenges of the 

disorder and foster possible 

solutions to its effect as a 

public health burden. 

He explained that the 

conference will also 

facilitate exchange of 

information among public 

health experts, medical 

professionals, researchers, 

policy-makers, key 

stakeholders to highlight 

challenges and 

opportunities and enhance 

strategies to control Sickle 

Cell Disease in Africa 

Ajaere pointed out that 

Key stakeholders and 

Organizations expected at 

the Congress include; The 

Federal Ministry of Health, 

Lagos State Ministry of 

Health, Lagos State Blood 

T r a n s f u s i o n 

Services(LSBTS), World 

H e a l t h 

Organization(WHO 

Africa), amongst other 

Non-governmental and 

corporate organizations, 

Multilateral donor 

agencies and institutions, 

health researchers, civil 

society organizations, and 

the academic community. 

"Eminent dignitaries who 

are expected to attend the 

event include Honorable 

OsagieEhanire, Minister of 

Health Nigeria, Dr. 

MatshidisoMoeti, Director 

- WHO Africa, His Majesty, 

Ronald MuwendaMutebill 

- The Kabaka of Buganda 

Kingdom, Uganda, 

H o n o r a b l e 

Dr.ChitaluChilufya MP, 

Minister of Health 

Zambia, Honorable 

KwakuAgyaman, 

Minister 

of 

HealthGhana,Honorable 

Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, 

Minister of Health 

Uganda, Dr. Randal 

Mills, CEO - National 

Marrow Donor Program/ 

Be The Match, USA and 

H.E (Mrs.) ToyinSaraki, 

Founder - Wellbeing 

Foundation Africa. 

ACSCD International 

Affairs Coordinator, Amb. 

Eddie Resphanto said 

that because of the 

magnitude of the event, 

opportunities abound for 

those who want to be a 

sponsor, exhibitor, a 

Speaker or partner 

whichalso includes nongovernmental 

and 

corporate organizations. 

By Chioma Obinna 

W&Gabriel Olawale 

IFE of the Lagos State 

Governor, Dr. Ibijoke 

Sanwo-Olu has said that that 

the government will not 

relent in improving the 

quality of health care and 

achieving universal health 

coverage in line with 

Governor Sanwo-Olu's 

T.H.E.M.E.S agenda. 

Dr. Sanwo-Olu who stated 

this while flagging-off a free 

health initiative sponsored 

by the Lagos State 

Government in collaboration 

with Benjamin Olowojebutu 

Foundation tagged; '100 in 

100 surgical intervention 

programme' noted that she 

is pleased to be part of the 

free surgical initiative. 

She added that the surgical 

intervention programme 

like all other health initiatives 

the present administration 

has embarked on proved to 

show the commitment 

Governor Sanwo-Olu's 

administration to 'Walk the 

Talk' in revamping, 

rejuvenating and 

repositioning the health 

sector in Lagos State for 

quality services. 

"Today, we are flagging off 

free surgical interventions 

for 100 residents with 

Lipomas, Breast Lumps, 

Hernia and Fibroid, with 

additional Free Consultation 

and Free Dental Check. In 

view of the large turnout 

during screening, additional 

50 surgeries have been 

added, making it a total of 

150 free surgeries to be 

carried out through this 

Medical Mission", the Wife 

of the Governor said. 

She explained that the 

second pillar of the 

developmental agenda for a 

greater Lagos promised by 

Governor Sanwo-Olu as 

espoused in his 

T.H.E.M.E.S agenda speaks 

to provision of affordable 

qualitative health care and 

equally ensure healthy, 

livable and sustainable 

environment. 

Dr. Sanwo-Olu while 

commending the Benjamin 

Olowojebutu Foundation 

(BOF) for coming up with 

this initiative noted that any 

medical intervention aimed 

at addressing any health 

condition and ameliorating 

the suffering of citizens 

especially the poor and the 

vulnerable should be 

appreciated. 

"I understand the free 

medical mission in Lagos by 

the Foundation is part of the 

National Program to conduct 

1000 free surgeries across 

Nigeria. I say kudos and 

urge other organizations to 

emulate this laudable 

gesture by partnering 

with government to 

improve on the health 

indices in the State. I 

therefore commend all the 

Medical Personnel and 

officials that worked 

tirelessly to ensure the 

success of this Free 

Medical Mission", She 

said. 

The Permanent 

Secretary, Ministry of 

Health, Dr. Titilayo 

Goncalves stated that the 

surgical intervention 

demonstrates the 

commitment of the State 

government to collaborate 

with well-meaning 

individuals and 

organizations to increase 

access to quality health 

services in furtherance of 

the State government's 

quest to achieve universal 

health coverage. 

"The Lagos State 

Ministry of Health 

collaborated with the 

Benjamin Olowojebutu 

Foundation to carry out 

this a surgical outreach 

which commenced on 

Monday September 2, 

2019 with medical 

screening and 

consultation as well as 

dental services such as 

scaling and polishing, 

dental extractions and 

health education. 150 

people were however 

slated for surgeries after 

conclusion of medical 

examination and 

screening". 

The Executive Director 

of BOF, Dr. Benjamin 

Olowojebutu while 

speaking stated 51 

surgeries have been 

carried out. He explained 

that during the first day of 

the surgical intervention, 

five fibroids, 33 lipoma 

and 13 breast lump 

removals were done. 

Olowojebutu noted that 

his medical team in 

collaboration with medical 

staff at the Ijede General 

Hospital will complete the 

surgical intervention for 

other patients on the 

surgery list by Friday 20th 

September, 2019 while 

follow up will be done at 

routine clinic of the 

hospital. 

He expressed delight at 

collaborating with the 

State government 

stressing that this is the 

first medical outreach his 

foundation will hold in 

collaboration with any 

State government in the 

course of the foundation's 

mission.

Knocks greet 

CBN’s order to 

charge fees on 

deposits 

Continues from Page 5 

payment platform. 

“This will entail the 

reduction in ATM fraud, 

internet fraud and other 

fraudulent activities on 

the various electronic 

platforms. There should 

be more incentives to 

encourage citizens to use 

electronic payment 

systems. 

“The transitioning 

process requires robust 

enlightenment, 

consultation and 

s t a k e h o l d e r 

engagements. This is 

important because the 

economy is still over 50 

per cent informal and the 

literacy level in the 

country is still very low.” 

CBN killing the 

economy— 

PSAN 

Commenting, the 

Chairman, Progressive 

Shareholders 

Association of Nigeria, 

PSAN, Mr Boniface 

Okezie, said: “The CBN 

is killing the economy of 

this country with this 

new deposit policy from 

the apex bank. 

“That is not a way to go 

in this unhealthy 

economy. President 

Buhari should call them 

to order to stop it. This 

kind of unpopular policy 

is not going to help grow 

the economy that is 

already battered, if 

allowed to go on. 

“It is Mr President that 

Nigerians will blame, 

not the CBN Governor or 

that of his lieutenants. 

Do they want this man to 

succeed at all in his 

presidency? This will 

amount to economic 

sabotage. 

“I’ve never seen this 

kind of thing before; it is 

the banks that should 

pay interest on deposits 

to encourage people to 

patronize them, instead 

of keeping money at 

Naira depreciates to N362.46 

/$ in I&E window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

The naira yesterday depreciated to N362.46 per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the I&E window rose to N362.46 

per dollar yesterday from N362.29 per dollar on 

Tuesday, translating to 17 kobo depreciation for the 

naira. 

The volume of dollars traded on the window 

dropped by six percent to $148.06 

million from $157.84 million on Tuesday. 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

home where people now 

run conventional 

banking. 

“If this is allowed, it will 

adversely affect the 

banks’ deposit base and 

the economy will suffer 

for it.” 

It’ll disrupt 

cashless policy, 

says BCAN boss 

Commenting on the 

development, President, 

Bank Customers 

Association of Nigeria, 

BCAN, Dr. Uju 

Ogubunka, said 

charging service fees on 

deposits will disrupt 

cashless policy initiative 

of the CBN and would 

also cripple banks 

lending to the public, 

and lead to high cost of 

lending. 

He said: “I have not 

seen the circular but I 

don’t see the need for it. 

If I want to deposit 

money in a bank, that is 

my money and the bank 

says I will pay a tax on 

it; if I don’t want to pay 

that tax, I keep my 

money in my house and 

the bank will be the loser. 

“The economy will be 

the loser. If I don’t have 

the opportunity of 

putting money in the 

bank, then I can keep it 

wherever I want to keep 

it as long as I ensure that 

it is safe. Then, all my 

transactions will then be 

done with cash and then 

it defeats the cashless 

policy. 

“It is also going to 

create a vacuum for 

lending because if the 

banks don’t have surplus 

deposits to lend, they 

can’t lend and those of 

us who have deposit 

deficit won’t have a place 

to borrow money from 

and that will increase the 

cost of lending money. It 

has multiple 

implications that will not 


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018773962, 

08052867058 

PROTEST OVER KILLINGS IN RIVERS—Women groups in Rivers State, including Federation of 

Women Lawyers, FIDA, Rotary Club and National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, yesterday, 

protested the repeated killing of women by unknown serial killers in hotel rooms in the state. Photo: 

Nwankpa Cjijiokea 

be in the best interest of 

the economy. 

‘It’ll discourage 

cash 

transactions’ 

Speaking, Barrister 

Ejike Nwuba, Founder & 

CEO, 

The 

Renaissanceafrica 

Company, a corporate 

training and 

management consulting 

firm, said: “The policy 

will discourage huge 

cash transactions as it 

encourages the nagging 

issues of money 

laundering, bribery and 

corruption in Nigeria. 

“It would have been 

horrendous and 

unconscionable if the 

charges applied to 

online transfers and 

internet banking. 

“The cashless policy 

will limit the volume of 

raw cash exchanged 

unscrupulously. Internet 

banking makes it easy to 

trace cash flow from 

banks and individuals 

and curb graft. 

“Secondly, it is very 

unsafe and foolhardy to 

carry the said amounts of 

money in cash. We have 

all heard cases of armed 

robbery and in some 

cases people are 

murdered in the course 

of such gruesome 

robbery attacks by 

hoodlums to dispossess 

them of raw cash. No 

sane person or 

organization would carry 

such prodigious sums of 

money in cash. 

“This is the 21st 

century and the world 

has embraced mobile 

and internet banking. 

Commercial transactions 

of all sorts can be 

executed with mobile 

phones, 24 hours a day, 

seven days a week. 

“So what logical reason 

does any individual or 

organization have to 

carry around such large 

sums of money?” 

‘It’s another 

burden on 

individuals’ 

Managing Director, 

Integrated Indigo, Bolaji 

Abimbola, said: “First, 

the implication on the 

integrated marketing 

industry will be same as 

that of other sectors of 

the economy which is 

another burden, 

especially on the 

individuals. 

“The CBN has failed to 

gauge the perception of 

the public on the 

numerous charges they 

are being made to pay by 

their banks before 

imposing this new 

regime. The public has 

been crying out for some 

time now about the 

account maintenance or 

card maintenance 

charges the banks are 

charging and nothing 

has been done about 

these. 

“Also, one would have 

expected the CBN to 

engage and sensitize 

members of the public 

about the new policy.” 

It’ll disrupt 

businesses 

— AMMAN 

boss 

On his part, President, 

Association of Mobile 

Money Agents in 

Nigeria, AMMAN, 

Victor Olojo, said the 

policy would disrupt 

businesses, especially 

that of mobile money 

agents in the country 

“We believe that the 

intention of CBN exactly 

is a good one but we are 

quite disturbed that it is 

probably not well 

thought out. The 

Nigerian economy is 

largely still cash 

dominant. We feel that 

more needs to be done to 

cushion the effect that 

this may cause. 

“Our concern is still 

that it will be counterproductive 

in small 

businesses and for 

mobile money agents as 

well, it is disturbing. 

Some agents, who need 

to go and finance their 

accounts, get inflows and 

all of that and the 

charges will come. We 

believe that this is 

tantamount to ruining 

one’s business. 

“We call on the CBN to 

review this policy and do 

it in a way that will 

engender and grow 

businesses rather than 

kill the business. The 

reaction so far has not 

been so good. People 

have reacted negatively 

to it. We are calling on 

the relevant authorities 

to make sure that this is 

properly looked into.” 

Also speaking, Mr. 

Patrick Ajudua, National 

Chairman, New 

Dimension Shareholders 

Association, said: 

“Though the policy is in 

line with the CBN’s 

cashless policy, it’s 

implementation is too 

sudden. The policy will 

add more to difficult 

economic situation we 

have and will eventually 

discourage the culture of 

savings. 

“It will add more 

financial problem to the 

common man as a result 

of extra bank charges it 

attracts. We are 

complaining of excessive 

bank charges before, 

little did we know that 

rather than address this, 

the apex bank is adding 

more burden, which will 

eventually discourage 

culture of savings and 

render the financial 

inclusion process of 

CBN unrealisable. 

‘It’s back-door 

taxation’ 

Managing Director, 

Precise Platform, Bolaji 

Okusaga : “This is 

taxation through the 

backdoor. We’ll wait to 

see how these 

“statutory” deductions 

will be classified. Be that 

as it may, if we then add 

the 2.2 percent increase 

in Value Added Tax, we 

see a spread of about 4.2 

to 7.2 percent in total tax 

on revenue accruable to 

businesses and 

individuals. 

‘’Now, while Nigeria 

needs to increase its tax 

to GDP ratio, this 

strategy may in the 

short-run affect 

disposable income and 

consumer spending with 

negative consequence on 

advertising. 

“A smarter alternative 

would have been to 

widen the tax-net as 

opposed to putting more 

tax burden on companies 

and individuals at a time 

the downstream 

petroleum sector is 

calling for deregulation 

and the power sector is 

calling for tax reflective 

tariff. 

‘’My conclusion is 

given the zero-sum 

nature associated with 

resource and 

opportunities flow, that 

marketing spend will 

drop as a consequence of 

these policies.”

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Worrisome as teachers resign abruptly without notice 

...We are treated like trash, owed salaries up to two months – Teachers 

By Elizabeth Uwandu 

Following the resumption of 

academic activities in 

primary and secondary 

schools in Lagos, many 

private school owners are 

lamenting the spate of 

teachers resigning without 

proper notice, arguing that 

the move by teachers, more 

often than not, has negative 

effects on the children’s 

learning ability. 

However, findings by 

Vanguard revealed that some 

teachers leave without 

adequate notice because of 

various factors. These factors 

include unfair treatment by 

school owners; excess 

workload and irregular 

payment of salary, among 

other factors. 

We are treated like trash, 

owed salaries up to two 

months – Teachers 

Mr Lateef Nosiru, a teacher, 

said most Nigerian school 

owners do not adhere to the 

terms and conditions of service 

as they subject their workers 

to all manner of ill-treatment 

and bad working conditions. 

Nosiru explained: “Most 

Nigerian school owners do not 

respect labour laws. In most 

cases, teachers do not resign, 

they escape. When some 

school owners and 

administrators treat their 

teachers like crap, delay their 

salaries to keep them in the 

school, what do you expect? 

“The school I resigned from is 

yet to pay my July and August 

salaries and piled up lesson 

fees despite the fact that I gave 

them early notice and still did 

some of their future works for 

them so as not to destabilise 

the teacher who would replace 

me,” he lamented. 

Justifying why she resigned 

without notice, Chioma 

Igwebueze said: "How can I 

teach 30 periods a week aside 

the lesson periods? I teach 

JSS 1 with over 150 students, 

and had sessions with SS 

classes, yet, the proprietor 

thinks the N18,000 he is 

paying me is too much! 

This is why after resuming, on 

the second day, I came to 

school by 7am and resigned 

after assembly,”she said. 

Mrs Comfort Olaosun, 

another teacher said: ”I gave 

a month's notice to the 

management of the school 

where I worked last as a 

secretary/accounts officer. I 

resigned in July giving August 

ending as my Iast day in the 

school. I didn’t get my salary 

until January this year after a 

lot of messages and 

reminders." 

While Loveth Ani explained: 

"The proprietor of the former 

school where I worked was 

playing with my salary till 

almost three weeks after 

*From left: Mr Walter Aloanyi, MD, Providus Bank, Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State 

University, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun and the MD, Clayhall Properties, Mr Ayo 

Ojuroye, during the inauguration of a computer-based test centre at LASU recently. 

closing date. And when he 

paid, he didn’t even pay in 

full,” she lamented. 

It's unprofessional to 

resign without notification 

A research in 2015 revealed 

that the way employees quit 

affects their future professional 

opportunities. 

Meera Jagannathan said the 

tried-and-true standard was to 

give two weeks’ notice, you 

technically 'don’t have to give 

any notice at all' unless you 

signed some contractual 

agreement stating otherwise. 

“Is that smart? Probably not,” 

she added. “There’s a 

significant risk in some ways 

in just bailing with no notice. 

It smacks of lack of 

professionalism 

especially when 

your letter of 

employment 

clearly states 

conditions of exit 

“What you always need to 

keep in mind (is) no matter 

how much you dislike that 

employer or how happy you 

are to be leaving, it’s really 

very bad to burn bridges 

because you just never know.” 

For Mrs Toyin Sode Idowu, a 

seasoned educationist, it is 

unprofessional to resign 

without notice to the 

employer. 

"It smacks of lack of 

professionalism especially 

when your letter of 

employment clearly states 

conditions of exit. 

‘The fact that the school owner 

does wrong doesn’t justify the 

staff exiting abruptly. What is 

bad is bad. If you intend 

leaving, do so appropriately. 

Don’t collect salary and 

abscond,” she advised. 

For Afolabi Omotesho: “If we 

are going to run by a fair 

policy, a staff that has plans to 

leave a school should do that 

at the end of July rather than 

waiting to collect the August 

salary in the first place. 

“The former seems to me 

ethically correct. However, 

some school owners force their 

workers to do the wrong things 

probably because of other 

people’s experiences that they 

have witnessed. 

"This is the negative effects 

of incivility. Regardless, my 

advice to teachers is that we 

should do what is right and 

sow the right seeds for our 

future no matter what.” 

Teachers should ensure they 

understand terms of service 

In order to curb the excesses 

of teachers who resign without 

adequate notice, stakeholders 

have advocated that the terms 

of service should be 

understood by school owners 

and their employees, the 

teachers. 

Mr Temitope Adu said: “Terms 

of engagement and 

disengagement should be 

clearly spelt out in the offer 

letter during recruitment. 

These are to be discussed, 

agreed to or amended then 

appended to before acceptance 

letters are written." 

Teachers should 

constantly 

FUOYE KILLINGS: 

When youthful exuberance 

met security overzealousness 

By Adesina Wahab 

T 

u e s d a y 

September 

10, 2019 started like 

any other day for most 

students of the 

Federal University, 

Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE, 

Ekiti State with the 

students having many 

things they planned 

to do. However, one 

assignment that most 

of the students were 

aware of, and which 

some had planned to 

take part in, was a 

protest against poor 

electricity supply to 

their school and 

hostels. Apart from the 

main campus in Oye, 

the university also has 

a mini campus in 

Ikole-Ekiti and 

students on both 

campuses agreed to 

the protest. Ekiti State 

is supplied electricity 

by the Benin 

Electricity 

Distribution 

Company, BEDC, so, 

the power situation 

upgrade themselves to avoid unfair 

treatment 

-Ogunde 

According to the founder, Concerned 

Parents and Educators Network, CPEN, 

while there is no justification for 

maltreating teachers by employers, 

teachers should equip themselves 

constantly to be able to work in standard 

organisations. 

“When a business is taking off, whether 

a school, a company or any other kind 

of organisation, there will certainly be 

a lot of teething problems. Some may 

not even survive the first two years; a 

huge percentage of businesses never 

last beyond five years. 

“What I believe you need to do as a 

teacher is to determine the kind of 

school you will want to work for. You will 

notice that well structured organisations 

go through very rigorous tests before 

they employ people. They screen, 

shortlist etc. 

"On the other hand, an organisation just 

starting out except well funded, may be 

unable to attract the best hands and just 

make do with the available. 

“What is the implication of this for a 

teacher? Keep getting better. If you are 

really good, you will be able to insist 

on a letter of employment before 

starting. You will also be able to state 

that you must be paid throughout the 

year,” she said. 

cuts across all the towns in the state. 

While the students had fixed their own 

peaceful protest for the day, the wife of 

the State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, 

who had started a tour of local 

government areas in the state, also had 

scheduled a visit to Oye and some other 

local governments. 

Clutching placards with various 

inscriptions, the students, in Oye and 

Ikole, besieged the Ado-Ifaki-Oye-Ikole 

Road, the major road linking the state 

with Kogi and the northern part of the 

country. As usual, innocent motorists and 

road users were victims of the attendant 

disruption of free flow of traffic. 

Mrs Fayemi, who had visited places like 

Otun-Ekiti and others, was being 

expected at Oye Town Hall, not far from 

the road that leads to the main gate of 

FUOYE. The students reportedly wanted 

to meet the First Lady to express their 

grouse. 

However, conflicting reports have 

emanated on what actually happened that 

led to the shooting by the police. Some 

said the students were rushing in violent 

manner to confront Mrs Fayemi, others 

said they were only shouting and that it 

was an overzealous securityman in her 

convoy who triggered the violence by 

slapping a student leader. 

No matter what really caused the 

violence and chaos that led to the killing 

Continues on Page 43


Why unqualified persons may continue to dominate 

teaching — Rufai, ex Education Minister 

By Adesina Wahab 

FORMER Minister of 

Education, Prof. (Mrs) 

Ruquayyat Ahmed Rufai, has 

said as long as teaching is seen 

as a job for the dregs of the 

society, or a last resort for job 

seekers, the profession will 

continue to be dominated by 

unqualified persons in the 

country. 

She stated this in Lagos while 

delivering the 2019 Faculty of 

Education Annual Lecture at 

the Lagos State University, 

LASU, Lagos. 

Rufai, who noted that though 

the drastic steps that must be 

taken would cause some 

inconveniences, they must be 

taken to prevent future 

calamities in the sector. The 

former minister said the drastic 

steps should start from the 

admission of students to study 

education courses. 

“When it is people with the 

lowest of marks in JAMB’s 

UTME that are admitted to 

study education courses, or 

people who see studying 

education or working as 

teachers as the last resort, what 

are you going to get? The cutoff 

Two Nigerians among winners of Unicaf essay 

competition 

By Ebele Orakpo 

Two Nigerians, Aderemi 

Adedokun and Kabiru 

Muhammed, were among the 

four winners of the essay 

competition, How Unicaf has 

changed my life, organised by 

Unicaf during its recent annual 

conference held in South Africa. 

The two other winners are 

Zambians - Saneliso Zulu and 

Peter Silwimba. 

The event which attracted a 

large number of students, 

graduates, academics and staff 

of Unicaf and partner 

universities, also presented 

awards to winners of the social 

media competitions - Esther 

Jemima Cruz from the 

Philippines for the video of her 

Proprietors to Govt: 

Improve economy for parents to pay us 

By Faith Ime Udoh 

Private school owners have appealed 

to the government to take steps that 

will improve the economy and boost the 

purchasing power of the citizens. 

A cross section of school owners who spoke 

to Vanguard, said the poor economic situation 

in the country is telling on their business, as 

many parents and guardians are now finding 

it difficult to pay their wards’ school fees. 

The school proprietors, who cut across many 

locations in Lagos, added that the inability of 

parents to pay their children’s fees is 

increasing the number of out-of-school 

children in the country, as the existing public 

schools cannot accommodate all. 

Mrs Kelechi Okafor of Nodos International 

School, noted that if not for the ingenuity of 

school owners, many would have closed down 

by now. 

She added that while school owners had 

evolved plans to make payment of fees 

points for education courses 

should be raised to attract 

brilliant students. 

“Also, training of teachers 

should be given priority 

attention. There should be 

special scholarship for those 

being trained as teachers, 

especially the females. Nobody 

who is not a trained teacher 

should be allowed to be in 

charge of the class. They can 

serve as assistants to trained 

teachers and understudy them 

before they go for training. 

“The period of teaching 

practice should be extended to 

one year for the teacher-to-be to 

garner enough classroom 

experiences before being 

employed as a teacher. There 

should be stringent screening of 

applicants who want to become 

teachers. Teaching should not be 

a last resort for job seekers, that 

is why we have many unhappy 

teachers whose productivity is 

very poor,” she opined. 

Rufai called on agencies such 

as the Teachers Registration 

Council of Nigeria, the 

Universal Basic Education 

Commission and the National 

Teachers Institute to brace up to 

the challenges facing the sector. 

long journey to Cape Town, 

and Relebohile Mpeete from 

Lesotho, for her photograph 

taken at the conference. 

Unicaf academics made 

presentations on various areas 

including: Skills gap in the 

global workplace, how higher 

education can serve Africa's 

development needs, flexible 

learning and workplace of the 

future, and the role of higher 

education, innovation and 

industrialisation in helping 

establish Africa as an 

international player. 

Three interactive sessions 

provided advice and practical 

tips on Professional 

Development, Business 

Communication and Time 

Management. 

According to a release made 

She advocated that 

unqualified teachers in the 

system should be redeployed 

to other sectors and give room 

for qualified ones to be 

appropriately and adequately 

motivated. 

In his remarks, the Dean, 

Faculty of Eduction, LASU, 

Prof. Ambrose Akinkuotu, said 

the theme of the lecture: 

Teachers' preparation for 

Nigerian schools: Adeqaucy, 

effectiveness and impact, was 

chosen to help proffer solutions 

to the dwindling fortunes of the 

sector. He urged the authorities 

to accord the necessary priority 

to education, as it is vital to the 

development of the country. 

The VC of LASU, Prof. 

Olanrewaju Fagbohun, 

represented by the Deputy 

Vice-Chancellor, Academic, 

Prof. Olumuyiwa Noah, 

commended the faculty for the 

great impact being made in the 

area of training of teachers. 

Lagos State Deputy Governor, 

Mr Obafemi Hamzat, 

represented by Mr 

Shamsudeen Allison, promised 

that the state government 

would continue to support the 

laudable efforts of LASU. 

available to Vanguard,Unicaf 

has over $90 million worth of 

scholarships, more than 25,000 

students and graduates in 156 

countries, state-of-the-art 

campuses opening in Rwanda, 

Zimbabwe and Uganda and a 

new partnership with the 

University of Suffolk in the UK. 

"By utilising modern 

technology and offering 

generous scholarships, 

Unicaf provides affordable, 

accessible and flexible higher 

education of international 

quality, even in places where 

poverty and illiteracy are 

dominant; talented young 

people and working 

professionals around the 

world can obtain 

qualifications, knowledge 

and skills, which can secure 

them better jobs and better 

lives, thanks to Unicaf." 

convenient for parents, people losing their jobs 

daily was compounding the problem. 

Mrs Fatima Eze of Gainsville Children 

Academy, noted that poor payment of fees was 

hindering the growth of private schools, as 

many basic things would still be purchased with 

or without payment of fees by parents. She 

charged the government to also see private 

school owners as partners in the delivery of 

quality education to Nigerian children. 

Mrs Amella Agulanna of Rock Foundation 

Montessori Children School called on the 

government to hasten work on the Apapa- 

Oshodi Expressway, saying heavy trucks were 

now passing through inner streets and putting 

the lives of pupils and people in danger. 

She noted that many school proprietors were 

ready to empathise with parents concerning the 

current economic situation in the country, but 

that some were in the habit of jumping from 

one school to the other because of debts they 

owe. 

*From right: Dr Kevin Andrews, Chief Academic Officer, 

UNICAF, in a group photograph with winners of the UNICAF 

essay competition - Peter Silwinba (Zambia), Kabiru Mohammed 

(Nig); Senelisio Zulu (Zambia) and Aderemi Adedokun (Nig.) 

FUOYE killings 

Continues from Page 42 

of two students, if both sides 

had exercised restraint and 

decorum, the ugly situation 

would not have happened. 

Though the students have the 

right to complain about the 

services of BEDC through the 

state’s leadership, they ought to 

also know that there is need to 

do that in a decorous manner. 

Also, BEDC is a private outfit 

that the state has little power 

over. 

The BEDC could be taken to 

court by its clients for extorting 

them without commensurate 

services provided. 

Truth be told, the BEDC has 

not been having a good 

relationship with its clients 

across its operational areas. In 

Edo State, it is constantly at 

war with civil society groups 

and is entangled in a number 

of litigations now. The solution 

to that is for it to provide 

prepaid meters for customers 

so that they would no longer 

pay for services not rendered. 

Police is your friend, they tell 

Nigerians, but many 

policemen in the country are 

enemies not friends of the 

people. Nigeria has had more 

Have positive mindset to 

excel, teacher counsels 

students 

By Bola Oguntola 

Mrs Temitope Adeyemi, 

a teacher at Akiitan 

Senior Secondary School, 

Lagos, has counselled 

students to develop positive 

mindset to be able to actualise 

their dreams and reach their 

goals in life. She stated this 

during a chat with Vanguard 

as pupils and students 

resumed for a new academic 

session. 

She noted that a positive 

mindset would allow them to 

assimilate, understand and 

cope with the new challenges 

they would encounter in the 

new term, adding that goalsetting 

by teachers and 

than enough of needless 

killings by policemen, at road 

blocks, during peaceful 

protest, even in people’s 

homes etc, enough is enough. 

Assuming without conceding 

the fact, if the students were 

truly unruly in their approach 

on that fateful day, shooting at 

them is not the solution. 

Cutting off the head is not the 

medicine for headaches. 

It is high time our policemen 

understood that they are to 

protect human lives not to 

terminate them. Any of the 

unruly students could have 

been arrested, instead of 

being shot at. 

Who will now bring back to 

life Oluwaseyi Kehinde, a 100- 

level student of Crop Science 

and Horticulture and Joseph 

Okonofua, a 300-level student 

of Biology Education? 

Though the management of 

the school, led by the Vice- 

Chancellor, Prof. Kayode 

Soremekun, has shut down the 

institution indefinitely, the 

matter must be thoroughly 

probed. Whoever is culpable 

must not be shielded, as the 

spirits of the dead students are 

waiting for justice to be done. 

For now, their families remain 

inconsolable. 

students was necessary, as it 

would have positive effects 

on all. She also stressed that 

teachers should inculcate 

social values into their 

students for peace and 

fairness in student-teacher, 

student-student and studentadministrator 

dealings. 

Adeyemi also charged 

teachers to show good 

examples to their students in 

the way they dress, speak 

and act so that they would be 

positive role models. She 

enjoined students to see 

learning beyond what is 

taught in the classroom and 

be active in other nonacademic 

activities such as 

belonging to groups like 

Girl’s Guide, Boy’s Scout etc 

to learn leadership qualities.


Lagos to begin assessment of public 

schools 

By Esther Oyeniyi with 

Agency Report 

The Lagos State 

Infrastructure Assets 


LASIAMA, has commenced 

the assessment of public 

infrastructure such as schools, 

hospitals, public buildings 

and MDAs across the state 

towards the formulation of 

strategic and economic 

reinvestment plan. 

The public affairs department 

said the assessment will 

UNILAG consoles with dead worker's family 

The management of the 

University of Lagos has 

sympathised with the family of 

a dead staff member, Mr. 

Sunday Gbenga Meshioye. 

This was contained in a 

statement by the Principal 

Assistant Registrar, Mrs C. 

Taiwo-Oloyede. 

Meshioye, until his demise, 

was a Transport Supervisor 

attached to the Department of 

Sociology, Faculty of Social 

Sciences. 

“He was received as an 

emergency case at the 

Medical Centre of the 

university on Tuesday, 

September 10, 2019, where it 

At WATS’ 29th Convocation: Omolewa urges 

Nigerians to engage in intensive prayers 

...130 students graduate 

By Ebunoluwa Sessou 

EMERITUS Professor of 

History of Education, 

University of Ibadan, Prof. 

Michael Omolewa, has 

admonished Nigerians to 

prayerfully ride through the 

storm currently raging in the 

country, adding that there is 

light at the end of the tunnel. 

Omolewa, who was the 

Guest Speaker at the 29th 

Convocation and 30th 

anniversary of the West Africa 

Theological Seminary, WATS, 

expressed optimism that 

corruption, abuse, social 

injustice, inequity, 

wickedness, evil, arrogance, 

impunity among other vices 

capable of ruining nations, 

would be gotten rid of in 

Nigeria by the power of the 

Almighty God. 

Speaking on the theme: 

Riding the Storm to Glory, 

Omolewa noted that there was 

storm nationally and globally 

and that Nigeria’s security 

challenge was taking its toll 

on the country’s economy. 

According to him: “We will 

overcome as long as we are 

honest, truthful and continue 

to live a life of transparency, 

social justice, holiness, equity 

and balance. Nigeria is in the 

midst of the storm including 

politics, social, economic, 

individual, religious, 

physical, professional storm 

determine the current 

condition and level of 

maintenance of assets to 

enable the government 

prioritise maintenance as well 

as draw up an appropriate 

budget to fund the 

reinvestment plan. 

The release revealed that the 

assessment of public schools, 

which has already taken place 

at Low-Cost Estate Nursery 

and Primary School Jakande 

Estate, Oke Afa, Lagos will be 

conducted by a team of 

was reported that he had 

ingested the pesticide, 

Sniper. 

“He was administered first aid 

treatment before being 

conveyed in an ambulance to 

the Lagos University Teaching 

Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba. 

“Mr. Meshioye, before his 

unfortunate demise, had been 

scheduled for a session with 

the Counselling Unit of the 

university, after reported cases 

of attempted suicide. 

“On Tuesday, September 10, 

2019, the deceased appeared 

before a Panel of Inquiry set 

up in accordance with the 

extant rules of the university 

but we can overcome the storm 

by looking unto Jesus, the 

Author and Finisher of our 

faith. As a government, we 

must embrace Jesus and trust 

Him to see us through the 

storm so that there will be 

peace, cooperation, 

camaraderie and cohesion 

within the African continent.” 

The Founder of WATS, who 

is also the Chairman, Board 

of Trustees, Reverend Gary 

Maxey, said since its 

establishment, over 2000 

people have graduated from 

the school. 

“The ministry started 30 

years ago and is not only still 

going but growing and living 

its original purpose and we 

have a future ahead of us.” 

On his part, the Provost, 

Pastor Oluwafemi Martins, 

said 130 students graduated 

in various divisions including 

Bachelor of Arts in Theology, 

Bachelor of Arts in Religion, 

Master of Arts in Intercultural 

Studies, Master of Arts, 

Christian Leadership, Master 

of Arts, Christian Education, 

Master of Divinity and Doctor 

of Ministry, which is the 

highest level of 

qualification. 

He further explained that the 

theme was carefully chosen to 

reflect the entirety of the 

institution’s 30 years history 

including the challenges, 

obstacles that it had been able 

to scale through. 

engineers from LASIAMA in 

collaboration with the Ministry 

of Education. 

The enabling law of Lagos 

State Infrastructure and Assets 


LASIAMA, was passed by the 

Lagos State House of 

Assembly in 2014 to create 

better management solutions 

for public facilities, improve 

cost efficiency as well as 

establish a system for regular 

maintenance and 

refurbishment of assets for 

better service delivery. 

to investigate the cause of the 

fire that gutted the bus in his 

custody. 

“His painful decision to end 

his life came even before the 

panel had concluded its 

investigations, as the panel 

had only sat once. 

“The Vice-Chancellor, 

Professor Oluwatoyin 

Ogundipe, FAS, on behalf of 

the entire university 

community commiserates with 

the family of Mr. Sunday 

Gbenga Meshioye and prays 

that God grants them the 

fortitude to bear the loss.” 

The keynote speaker, General 

Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, 

Nigerian Chief of Defence 

Staff, urged Nigerians to 

embrace the larger biblical 

view of stewardship which 

goes beyond church budgets or 

building projects. 

WATS is affiliated to the 

University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 

The Kudirat Initiative for 

Democracy, KIND, last week, 

brought teachers from the 31 

inclusive schools in Lagos State 

together for a two-day training 

workshop, as prelude to 

launching a book designed to 

serve as roadmap for stakeholders 

in the specialised education subsector. 

Dominating the discourse on the 

first day of the training 

themed: Capacity Building for 

Persons 

With 

Disabilities, PWDs, were issues 

bordering on administration, 

policy and practical barriers to 

teaching/learning. 

Speaking at the event, one of the 

resource persons, Dr. Olufemi 

Adeniyi, a lecturer at the 

University of Lagos Education 

Foundation, told Vanguard the 

training was significant because 

inclusive education was based on 

DUFIL empowers youths 

towards LEARN initiative 

By Oghenefego Obaebor 

In keeping to its commitment 

to education, Dufil, makers of 

Indomie instant noodles, has 

donated educational materials 

and cash to the Leadership 

Empowerment And Resource 

Network, LEARN. 

LEARN, founded by Mrs 

Abimbola Fashola aim to cater for 

young people between the ages 

of 9 and 17 years with various 

activities. 

Speaking at the LEARN Centre 

in Lagos, Group Public Relations 

and Events Manager for Dufil, 

Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said the firm 

has been partnering with LEARN 

for 12 years. 

“We are proud of LEARN’s 

consistency over the years in 

creating alternative platforms for 

learning and breaking barriers for 

students in public schools. 

“LEARN keeps students away 

from antisocial practices during 

the summer holiday,” he said. 

Ashiwaju further commended 

the indigent scholarship 

programme of the centre where 

students from low income 

backgrounds are offered the 

opportunity to attend leading 

educational institutions across 

the country. 

Ashiwaju said: “In cash, we will 

be supporting the initiative with 

N500,000 and also with 

educational materials this year. 

“As a brand, Indomie will keep 

supporting and empowering 

young people who need to be 

equipped with the much needed 

skills to help them become future 

leaders. 

“We will continue to partner 

with LEARN to educate, create 

opportunities and a better future 

for Nigeria’s teeming young 

population.” 

He charged the students to 

value the knowledge acquired 

through the LEARN initiative 

because it could not be 

quantified. 

The Chief Operating Officer, 

LEARN, Mrs Ronke 

Oguntoyinbo, commended Dufil 

Prima Foods for their support. 

According to her, this shows the 

level of dedication and sense of 

duty the company has continued 

to show towards the educational 

development of Nigerian youths 

over the years. She promised that 

LEARN will utilise the donations 

effectively. 

KIND to strengthen inclusive education, trains 

teachers 

By Josephine Agbonkhese 

*Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. 

Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, (2nd left) flanked by Engr. Diran Oyetunji 

(left), Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro (member, Oyo SUBEB-North) and others. 

Behind them are the two blocks of 6 classrooms. 

theories and needed to be 

domesticated for effectiveness. 

“Inclusive education is more of a 

theory or framework and, these 

theories, come mainly from the 

West. Without domesticating 

them, they will be like the failed 

policies government imports and 

implements wholesale. In 

trainings/workshops such as this, 

we remodel those theories to suit 

our own special needs. Besides, 

Nigeria has different cultural, 

religious and social realities. We 

put all of these into perspective 

to achieve the best of inclusive 

education.” 

Speaking on the book 

titled: Implementation Guide for 

the Practice of Inclusive 

Education in Lagos State, 

Professor Aderibigbe Olomola, 

Consultant, Voice Influencing 

Project of KIND, said resource 

persons and consultants from 

various institutions, including 

Nigerian universities, heads of 

schools, as well as findings from 

KIND’s observation, all 

contributed to what emerged as 

the Implementation Guide for 

the Practice of Inclusive 

Education in Lagos State. 

”Ultimately, in addition to 

improving teachers’ capacities 

and, by extension, making 

learning easier for student-PWDs, 

KIND has produced a roadmap 

for governments, policy makers, 

lawmakers, teachers, students 

and, in fact, everyone that has 

something to do with inclusive 

education,” Prof. Olomola 

added. 

In her remark, Hilda Twins, 

Assistant Director, School 

Support Services, Early 

Childhood/Special Education 

Unit, Lagos State Universal Basic 

Education Board, commended 

KIND’s effort at training specialneeds 

teachers, but suggested 

that there was need for the ratio 

of teacher to students in inclusive 

schools to be considered in the 

campaign for effective 

knowledge delivery.

Why I got angry 

against Ajax 

— Osimhen 

Victor Osimhen, Nigeria and Lille striker has 

explained reasons behind his fury during 

the game against Ajax. Osimhen, 

known for his hunger and willingness to 

always make a mark revealed why he got 

angry at a teammate during the game 

against Ajax. 

‘I was angry because we could have 

gotten a goal or two and I had 

some chances 

too and 

when this ball 

doesn’t go in, 

I get 

disappointed 

in myself 

because I know 

I can do better, 

but we have 

learnt our lessons 

and we will go very 

hard in the next game 

and try to get the win,’ 

he told Omasports. 

“It’s been a rosy journey. I 

felt good and thought all was 

set after the U-17 World Cup but 

I went to Wolfsburg and didn’t get 

enough playing time. Regardless of 

that, I learnt a lot at the club and it prepared 

me for the future in which I’m living now. “Of course, I had to take 

a step back and go to Belgium to resurrect my career and it worked 

well for me and it’s why I’m here, working hard to get to where I 

want. “Being in Lille is a dream come true for him. The French 

Ligue 1 is one of the best leagues in the world. I’m doing well, and 

I don’t want this momentum to stop.” The young attacker further 

revealed that he is not being carried away by his performances as 

he just wants to help the team and meet his personal target and set 

standard. 

Tammy 

Abraham: 

Chelsea 

to take 

Champions 

League 

anger out 

against 

Liverpool 

Following their 1-0 loss to 

Valencia, Chelsea forward 

Tammy Abraham has turned his 

attention to the Premier League 

clash against Liverpool. 

On Tuesday, Frank 

Lampard’s side bowed to 

Rodrigo Moreno’s 74th-minute 

effort in their Champions 

League Group H opener at 

Stamford Bridge. 

Abraham who was on parade 

for Chelsea from start to finish 

downplayed the defeat and he 

is already anticipating 

Liverpool’s challenge with the 

hopes of returning to winning 

ways. 

“(Sunday) is a test of 

character. We can take our anger 

out against Liverpool,” 

Abraham told Sky Sports. 

“It’s a massive game and both 

teams will be going to win. We’ll 

look forward to putting 

(tonight’s defeat) right. 

“It’s still early doors (in the 

•Abraham 

Champions League). We’re 

fuming we lost today. But there’s 

still five games to go - we just 

have to win our next five. 

“We’re obviously 

disappointed. We didn’t play our 

best football. Valencia came and 

stopped us playing the way we 

wanted so you have to give them 

credit. 

“We’re going to have a lot of 

ups and downs in a season. 

We’ve got to move on and not 

dwell on it.” 

•Carina 

•Osimhen 

Ross Barkley has 

played down 

suggestions of a row with 

Willian and Tammy Abraham 

over Chelsea’s penaltytaking 

duties and insisted he 

is ready to step up again if 

Liverpool boss Jurgen 

Klopp says Napoli can 

win the Champions League, 

while backing the Reds to 

bounce back from their 

opening defeat in the 

competition. 

Defending champions 

Liverpool were beaten 2-0 by 

hosts Napoli in a controversial 

Group E opener on Tuesday. 

Dries Mertens converted an 

82nd-minute penalty after Jose 

Callejon appeared to go down 

under minimal contact from 

Andy Robertson at Stadio San 

Paolo, where the referee’s 

decision was ratified by a VAR 

•Griezmann 

asked. 

However, 

Barkley, who 

came off the 

bench in the 80th 

minute, said: “[They 

were] more just 

encouraging [me] to score 

the goal. Obviously they are 

confident to take the penalties 

as well but I practice penalties 

every day. 

“I don’t miss them in training 

and in pre-season I scored 

penalties. I’ve missed 

penalties before when I was at 

check, and Fernando Llorente 

sealed the win in stoppage time. 

Klopp, whose side lost 1-0 to 

Napoli in last season’s group 

stage, was frustrated with the 

penalty decision afterwards and 

when asked about the 

Champions League chances of 

Carlo Ancelotti’s side, he said: 

“They can win the competition, 

that’s how it is. 

“If you have a good plan, if you 

have good players, which is 

what they obviously have, then 

they can win the competition. We 

experienced that you don’t have 

to be the best team in the world 

to win the Champions League. 

SA sprinter suspended after failing 

doping test 

Carina Horn, the first 

female SA athlete to 

break the 11 second barrier over 

100m, tested positive for two 

prohibited substances. 

South African sprinter Carina 

Horn has been suspended by 

the International Association of 

Athletics Federations (IAAF) for 

Man Utd, Arsenal Europa League games on StarTmes 

A 

fascinating start to the 

Europa League action is in 

prospect today with two Premier 

League sides, Arsenal and Man 

Utd in action, with StarTimes 

Nigeria assuring subscribers of 

exclusive live broadcast of the 

matches on its sports stations. 

The Europa League group stage 

encounter debuts with live games 

from top teams as Man Utd battle 

Az Alkmaar, Arsenal host Vitoria 

SCwhile Qarabag FK face Sevilla. 

The pay-TV company announced 

last season that it had secured a deal 

to broadcast the Europa league 

exclusively in sub-Saharan Africa, 

allowing it the right to show the 

games on TV and its mobile app, 

much to the excitement of its 

subscribers in Nigeria. 

In a statement, the company 

said “The broadcast of the games 

is a gift to Arsenal and Man United 

fans who have before now 

wondered where to watch the 

games. We are pleased to inform 

you again that today’s will be 

occupied with football 

razzmatazz”. 

failing a doping test. 

A tweet from the Athletics 

Integrity Unit confirmed the 

news on Monday afternoon 

saying: “The AIU confirms a 

Provisional Suspension against 

South African sprinter Carina 

Horn for the Presence of a 

Prohibited Substance, a 

violation of the @iaaforg Anti- 

Doping Rules.” 

According to reports Horn’s 

sample included Ibutamoren 

and LGD-4033, both prohibited 

substances. 

Horn became the first female 

athlete from South Africa to 

break the 11 second barrier over 

100m. 

She achieved the feat in 2018, 

stopping the clock in a time of 

10.98 at a meeting in Doha. 


Griezmann: It will take 

time to gel with 

Messi, Suarez 

Antoine Griezmann insisted it will take time 

for him to gel with Lionel Messi and Luis 

Suarez after Barcelona escaped with a point against 

Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League 

opener. 

Barcelona held on for a 0-0 draw away to 

Bundesliga side Dortmund in Tuesday’s Group 

F clash after goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter 

Stegen saved a second-half penalty from 

Marco Reus. 

Star man Messi made his first appearance 

of the season after recovering from a calf 

injury – coming on as a second-half 

substitute – but it was a frustrating night 

for the LaLiga champions, whose side included Suarez and 

close-season arrival Griezmann. 

“It’s my second month since I arrived, I have to get used to it 

and play more with them to understand the movements of Suarez 

and Leo,”Griezmann – a €120million signing from Atletico 

Madrid – acknowledged in Movistar +. 

Barkley: I’m 

Chelsea’s 

penalty taker 

•Denies row with Willian, 

Abraham 

Everton and it is one of those 

things. I’m gutted that I 

missed but these things 

happen. 

“We’ve got a lot of good 

penalty takers in the squad 

and on a sheet in the 

changing rooms it says I’m on 

penalties if I’m on the pitch. 

“Otherwise, its Jorginho. 

But all players, sometimes 

you feel confident to take 

them on but we can all miss 

one. It is more like ‘good luck 

with the penalty’ type of 

thing.” 

Klopp 

believes 

Napoli can 

lift 

Champions 

League title 

“You have to be in the right 

moment, you need to be lucky 

in some situations and when 

there’s only two guys in the 

room that think it’s a penalty you 

still have to accept that’s a 

penalty, but that’s all. They can 

win the competition, of course.” 

AJ: I suffered 

heavily 

following title 

defeat by 

Andy Ruiz 

Anthony Joshua has 

admitted he had to 

‘grieve’ after losing his 

heavyweight titles to Andy 

Ruiz in a shock loss in June. 

The Briton handed over 

his WBO, IBF and WBA and 

IBO belts to the Mexican 

after defeat in the seventh 

round having been 

knocked down four times. 

The pair will fight once 

again in Saudi Arabia on 

December 7, and Joshua 

insisted the first loss of his 

career was just a ‘blip’. 

He said: ‘I think I had to 

grieve and ask myself all 

the questions you would 

expect. 

‘People say “you lost”, I 

call it a blip. 

‘I can’t wait to get in there 

and fight him. Every time I 

have fought a champion I 

have risen to the occasion.’ 

Joshua also revealed he 

could change his approach 

in order to be more 

proactive at the start of 

fights. 

Ronaldo says "bedding" 

Georgina IS better than his 

‘best ever goal’ 

CRISTIANO RONALDO 

claims sex with Georgina 

Rodriguez is superior to the 

best goal of his illustrious 

career. 

The 34-year-old revealed his 

overhead kick for Real Madrid 

against his current employers 

Juventus in April 2018 is his 

favourite-ever strike. 

But the former Manchester 

United star is adamant the joy 

that brought does not 

compare with his girlfriend. 

Portuguese striker Ronaldo 

connected beautifully with a 

•Klopp 

cross from Dani Carvajal in the 

Champions League clash to 

help the Galacticos reach the 

semi-final, and his effort even 

gained a standing applause 

from opposition supporters. 

However, despite admitting 

in his interview with Piers 

Morgan that it was his mosttreasured 

goal, he insisted it 

was nothing compared to his 

experience between the sheets 

with Spanish beauty 

Rodriguez, 25. 

Laughing at the question, 

Ronaldo said: “No, not [when 

compared] with my Geo, no!.


Falcons crisis deepens 

•Danjuma dismantles Dennerby’s structures 

NIGERIA women’s 

interim head coach 

Christopher Danjuma 

yesterday named Asisat Oshoala 

as the team’s new captain, 

replacing Desire Oparanozie who 

was appointed by the gaffer, 

Thomas Dennerby. 

This is coming just 24 hours after 

Sports Minister Sunday Dare 

waded into the saga between 

Dennerby and the Nigeria 

Football Federation after the 

Swede threatened to quit due to 

interference. 

In a series of tweets on the 

matter, Dare disclosed he is 

working to resolve the issues, 

having urged the NFF to allow 

Dennerby to continue with his 

Super Falcons’ job. 

I have personally stepped into 

the matter of Thomas Dennerby, 

Super Falcons’ coach. I received a 

brief this morning and will 

proceed to seek a quick resolution 

to ensure he continues to Coach 

Nigeria’s female team. 

The minister said he visited the 

team’s camp and the players were 

in good mood. 

He said, “this morning I visited 

the Super Falcons during their 

training at the Moshood Abiola 

Stadium Abuja. I gave them 

inspiring words and assured them 

that government will ensure their 

*Dennerby 

welfare. I told them Nigerians will 

expect only victories in their 

remaining qualifiers.” 

Danjuma announced a change 

of captainship with the backing of 

the nation’s football house on 

Tuesday evening a few hours after 

the sports minister visited the 

team in the morning. 

He failed to name an assistant 

for Oshoala, who will not be 

available for the qualifiers 

preparations until after the 

Barcelona clash with Sevilla on 

September 29. 

In 2015, a Women’s World Cup 

in Canada fallout saw coach 

Edwin Okon replaced by his then 

assistant Danjuma - a situation 

that eventually cost Nigeria a 

Rayo Vallecano remembers 

late Agbonavbare 

THE memories of Wilfred Agbonavbare will 

continue to live on at his former club side Rayo 

Vallecano, who have a mural of the late 

goalkeeper on its Stadium gates. 

Agbonavbare, who made over 170 

appearances for the Liga club side, died in 

2015 after a battle with cancer. 

The tribute to the former player bear the 

words: “For your defense of this shirt, and 

your fight against racism, Rayo will never 

forget you. Eternal Willy.” 

A picture of the Mural put on social 

media by Twitter user, The Spanish 

Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast). 

He’s a legend in Vallecas! This is the 

mural by one of the gates at Rayo’s 

stadium. “Willy” as he is known to Los 

Vallecanos faithfuls, was a Nigeria 

international and he was capped 15 

times for the Super Eagles. 

*Danjuma 

qualification ticket to the 2016 Rio 

Olympics. 

This time, the team’s protest in 

France had instigated the latest 

crisis, beginning with the contract 

termination of Dennerby’s 

assistants - Maureen Madu, 

Justine Madugu and Auwal 

Bashar. 

In the face of the recent 

happenings, the country’s football 

body is yet to make an official 

comment on the Swedish coach’s 

future. Thus the appointment of 

Danjuma on an interim capacity. 

It remains to be seen if the 60- 

year-old tactician will be allowed 

back to his post after the 

intervention of the nation’s sports 

ministry boss in the coming days. 

Zenith Bank/ Delta Principals’ 

Cup kicks-off Sept 30 

THE 2019/2020 edition of Zenith Bank Delta 

Principals’ Cup football competition is to kick off 

across the 25 Local Government areas of the state on 

Monday, September 30, 2019. 

Addressing a press conference in Asaba 

yesterday, the state Commissioner for Basic 

and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, 

stated that the preliminary stage of the 

competition, which is in it’s 4th edition, will end 

on Friday, October 11, 2019. 

According to Chief Ukah, the zonal stages of 

the competition will take place across 10 centres 

in the state between Wednesday, October 16, 

2019 and Monday, October 21, 2019, while the 

quarterfinals will hold on Wednesday, October 30, 

2019. 

The semifinals will be played on Monday, 

November 4, 2019, just as the 3rd place match and 

the finals will take place on Thursday, November 

21, 2019 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba. 

Mikel, Nwakaeme couldn’t inspire 

Trabzonspor win 

ANTHONY Nwakaeme and Mikel Obi both 

starred, playing 90 minutes each for 

Trabzonspor in the 2-2 draw with Genclerbirligi. 

Nwakaeme (7.3) and Mikel (7.0) scored well 

above average on the night, but couldn’t help 

their side pick maximum points. 

Trabzonspor Manager Ünal Karaman handed 

ne signing Daniel Sturridge his debut, with the 

former Chelsea and Liverpool forward coming 

off the bench in the second-half. 

The side gave up the lead twice, having gone 

ahead first in the 17th minute through Filip 

Novak. The home side were pegged back just 

before the break. In the second-half, Alexander 

Sorloth scored from the penalty spot to restore Trabzonspor’s lead, 

however with 5 minutes of regulation time left, Benin Republic star 

Stephane Sessegnon pulled his side level. 

Both teams will eventually settle for a share of the spoils at the 

Medical Park Stadium. 

NPFL: September 22 

commencement date doubtful 

IT is three days to the September 22nd date fixed by the League 

Management Company for the commencement of the 2019/20 Nigeria 

Professional Football League season, and the clubs who are supposed 

to be gearing up for action are still not sure whether they are ready 

yet. 

In a telephone chat with our reporter Wednesday morning, Secretary 

of Nigeria Football Club Owners Association, Alloy Chukwuemeka 

said they would meet soon to deliberate on the possiblity of starting 

the league on the 22 nd of September as proposed by the League 

Management Company. 

He said the date was proposed by the LMC to the club owners. “That 

is why it is necessary we sit and look at the feasibility of September 

22, as proposed by the LMC,” he insisted.. 

Chukwuemeka further disclosed that a machinery has been put in 

motion for the meeting to hold. 

When asked about the date and venue of the proposed meeting, the 

association scribe said, “The secretariat is working on that. The 

information on date and venue would be communicated in the release 

the secretariat would issue.” 

Rufai, Ali, Onyali are Adron Homes 

ambassadors 

LEADING Real Estate 

company in the country, 

Adron Homes on Tuesday 

unveiled the former Super Eagles 

goalkeeper, Peter Rufai and three 

others as Sports ambassador of the 

company. The unveiling was done 

at the sports complex of the 

University of Ibadan. 

Others sports ambassadors 

unveiled alongside Rufai were 

Bash Ali, Mary Onyali and a 

famous Nigerian dancer, Kaffy. 

They are expected to promote the 

image of the company through 

sports. 

Speaking at the ceremony, 

Group Managing Director of the 

company, Mr Emmanuel 

Olanipekun said the fourth edition 

of the games they sponsor tagged 

‘Festival of Fitness’ is scheduled 

to hold between October 11-13, 

2019. 

He said the Games was an 

extension of the celebration of 

their existence as the foremost 

Real Estate in Nigeria. 

“Adron Games is an annual 

fitness and bonding initiative of 

Management of Adron Homes 

aimed at promoting a healthy 

lifestyle, physical fitness, 

encourage friendships and 

networking that benefits every of 

our stakeholders. 

Olayinka rated high by UEFA 

NIGERIAN striker Peter Olayinka was awarded 

the highest possible rating of 10 following his 

outstanding display on his Champions League debut 

against Inter Milan on 

Tuesday, according to the 

official website of UEFA 

making reference to Sport. 

The former Gent man gave 

the visitors the lead at the San 

Siro and they were very close 

to securing all three points if 

not for Nicolo Barella’s 

equaliser in the second minute 

of stoppage time. 

Speaking post-match, 

Olayinka was disappointed 

that Slavia Prague 

surrendered their lead to draw 

1-1 but it was dream come true 

for him to score at the Stadio 

Giuseppe Meazza (Milano).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019— 47

Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Chlly (4) 

3 Perhaps (8) 

9 Make right (7) 

10 Spring month (5) 

11 Venomous snake (5) 

12 Imitations (6) 

14 Stableman at an inn (6) 

16 Turf accountant (6) 

19 Hardy's partner (6) 

21 South American 

mountain range (5) 

24 Loathed (5) 

25 Greedy eater (7) 

26 Omen (8) 

27 Siamese (4) 

DOWN 

1 Crested parrot (8) 

2 Enticed (5) 

4 Science of light (6) 

5 Skin of the head (5) 

6 In a violent frenzy (7) 

7 Yellow part of an egg (4) 

8 Name of six British kings (6) 

13 Capital of Finland (8) 

15 Farm vehicle (7) 

17 Not transparent (6) 

18 Aeroplane journey (6) 

20 Raised strip (5) 

22 Drainage channel (5) 

23 Karate blow (4) 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two 

of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines 

from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine 

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no 

number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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