Vol. 3 N0. 659 Monday, July 8, 2013 N150

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Senate cautions govt on EFCC, ICPC mergerEMMANUEL ONANIABUJA The Senate has cau-

tioned against Fed-eral Government’s

decision to merge and scrap some agencies with

overlapping functions or deemed redundant without recourse to the National As-sembly.

GEORGE OJI, ROTIMI FADEYI, OMEIZA AJAYI, INUSA NDAHI AND AZA MSUE

Following the kill-ings of 33 students of Government Sec-

ondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State, by the Boko Haram Islamic sect on Saturday, Governor Ibra-him Gaidam yesterday ordered the closure of all secondary schools in the state.

Uproar greeted the mas-sacre yesterday as Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan described as “wicked, hor-rific and barbaric” the kill-ing of the students and a teacher.

The death toll in the at-tack rose from 30 to 33 as

Mark

...says it won't work without N'Assembly's consent

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40 Boko Haram members killed by JTF

Yobe students' massacre:

Police rescue three kidnapped corps members

P.6

P.7

Ramadan: Watch out for moon, Sultan tells Muslims

L-R: Son of the late Chief MKO Abiola, Abdul; Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare; Prof. Niyi Osundare; President, Campaign for Democracy/Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and Chairman, National Democratic Coalition, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu during the 15th year remembrance of Abiola in Lagos yesterday. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Strike: FG has ignored us –ASUU

P.6

External reserves may drop to $34bn by Dec, says FDC

Abubakar

BUSINESSTHE SECTION

P.A4, A5 Free insideree inside

MAN seeks trade restrictionagainst EU, China

P.4,5Lawyers, politicians differ on immunity removal

Presidency plots against single term tenure

P.7Gunmen invade hotel in Lagos, kill sixDutch fi rm toestablish 700bnEuros garmentfactory in Nigeria

REMEMBERING MKO 15 YEARS AFTER P.8

Rufai

Governor shuts schools...Jonathan, others condemn killing

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Senate cautions govt on EFCC, ICPC merger

Yobe students' massacre: Governor shuts schools

It will be recalled that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, had recently approved a white paper on the Steve Oronsaye report which rec-ommended the merger of some agencies and outright scrapping of others identi-fied to be drain-pipes on gov-ernment's scarce resources.

Over 200 agencies were affected in the decision, which has so far elicited mixed reactions.

Interestingly, the report recommended the merger of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Relat-ed Offences Commission, ICPC, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission, EFCC.

Reacting to the plan, how-ever, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, noted that affected agencies that were established by Acts of parliament could not be merged or scrapped without such Acts being repealed to carry the force of law.

In a statement made avail-able to National Mirror yes-terday, Ndoma-Egba, said: “Those that were set up by law will require the laws set-ting them up being repealed by the National Assembly.”

The Senate spokesman, Enyinnaya Abaribe, assert-ed that another law would have to be enacted to give vent to the merger or scrap-ping as being proposed.

He said: “For any organ-isation that is established by an Act of the National As-sembly, it can only be merged or scrapped following the pas-sage of another bill to amend or repeal its law.”

Meanwhile, some mem-bers of the inner bar have ex-pressed divergent views on the merger of EFCC and ICPC.

Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, who is cur-rently prosecuting Hon. Farouk Lawan and former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor, for the ICPC, described the de-velopment as unfortunate.

He said: “It is (the planned merger) unfortu-nate but we will watch the development.”

But another lawyer, Na-thaniel Oke, SAN, said that the planned merger “gives room for a central co-ordination and effective management of manpower and funds,” noting that it will stamp out duplica-tion of efforts.

two more students and a resident of Mamudo initial-ly injured in the attack on Saturday died yesterday at a hospital in Potiskum.

Also, details emerged on how the students met their untimely deaths.

The state Commission-er of Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lamin, said: “The armed hoodlums as-sembled the students be-fore shooting at them from different directions, while the students scrambled for safety for half an hour in the morning.”

This is as over 40 suspect-ed Boko Haram members have been killed during a clampdown by the men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, on their strongholds in troubled Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, at the weekend.

The governor in a state-ment signed by the Special Adviser on Media and In-formation, Alhaji Abdulla-hi Bego, ordered the closure of secondary schools in the state from today.

The statement, which was issued after the gover-nor returned from a visit to the attacked school, said: "The measure is to allow government in collabora-tion with the Military Task Force and community lead-ers to evaluate and evoke better and additional strat-egies that would ensure the safety of and security of students and their teach-ers.”

Mamudo is on the Dama-turu-Kano Road and 92 kilo-metres west of Damaturu, the state capital.

Lamin, had during the visit to the school on Sun-day briefed the governor

that two students and a resi-dent of Mamudo increased the death toll.

He had initially said after the attack on Saturday that 29 students and a teacher were killed by the gunmen in their hostels and staff quarters.

But yesterday during his briefing to the governor, he said: “Two students died on the hospital bed along with one resident of Mamudo at the General Hospital, Potis-kum.

"The armed hoodlums had after the Saturday dawn attacks on the school traced and killed a resident of Mamudo on his bed, rais-ing the death toll to 33.”

Governor Gaidam, who was visibly touched by the killings, described it as in-humane, stressing that God would expose the perpetra-tors and sponsors of the dastardly acts.

He called on the security forces to change their tac-tics in checking the activi-ties of the sect to end the in-cessant attacks and killing of innocent people.

Lamin also called on the Chief of Defence Staff and the security forces to, as a matter of urgency, consid-er the restoration of GSM services in the three states under state of emergency, saying residents were find-ing it difficult to report perpetrators of the acts to security agencies.

The governor said resi-dents were now willing to give security agents rel-evant and timely informa-tion, but reaching the JTF had been the major barrier.

He said in the two sepa-rate attacks on schools in the state, residents saw the hoodlums at the suburbs

of Damaturu, but the JTF could not be reached be-cause of the shutting down of GSM services.

The governor added that boarding schools in the state would be fenced just as the security operatives would provide the needed security.

Saturday's attacks bring to two numbers of such attacks on schools. Seven students and two teachers were killed at Government Secondary School, Damatu-ru, last month by the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, yesterday said that while the President sympathised with the affected families, the war on terror was still on course and the pres-ent administration would not be undermined by any group or persons.

He said that any per-son who targeted innocent children as a result of emo-tional dysfunction would certainly burn in hell.

Jonathan assured that his administration was de-termined to end the menace of terror in the country, de-scribing terrorists as cow-ards.

Abati said: "The kill-ing is barbaric, completely wicked. Anybody who will target innocent children for any kind of grief or emo-tional dysfunction will cer-tainly go to hell.

"Mr. President wants to assure Nigerians that these kinds of desperate Nigeri-ans will be flushed out of the system.

"Mr. President is com-mitted to the issue of the protection of lives and property of all Nigerians

and he wants to assure that the war against terrorists has been launched and will continue and the Nigerian government is determined to put an end to this men-ace.

"The President sym-pathises with the families affected and he stands by them at this moment of grief. The killing is most unfortunate, most regretta-ble and Mr. President wants to assure Nigerians that any attempt by any group to undermine this govern-ment will be resisted."

Also, the Senate Presi-dent, David Mark, con-demned the gruesome mur-der of the students.

The Senate President, who was particularly irked by the targeting of children said: "Even in war situa-tions, children and women are protected. Killing chil-dren is akin to cutting down the future of a people. This is inhuman, barbaric and unacceptable to any right thinking member of the society.

“For no reason, the lives of these promising children were needlessly cut down by the heartless people. This cannot be a way of life. Enough of this bloodshed."

Mark added that the perpetrators had commit-ted crimes against God and humanity, saying that “this is barbaric, wicked and con-demnable."

He urged the security op-eratives to step up their sur-veillance and monitoring activities to halt the trend and bring perpetrators to justice.

The Senate President assured that the National Assembly would continue to give priority attention

to appropriation to the se-curity operatives to carry out their duties without hitches.

He sympathised with the government and people of Yobe State, especially the bereaved families, over the unfortunate incident just as he pleaded with the perpetrators of the hei-nous crimes to give peace a chance.

Mark noted that the government had opened enough windows for dia-logue and peace for any ag-grieved persons and groups in the country.

The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, described the killings as “barbaric, mor-ally reprehensible and atro-cious.”

Moro, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, George Udoh, said it was unthinkable that ratio-nal minds would just wake up with only "one devilish thing in mind; to cause sor-row to families, wreak deep psychological pain on the society for reasons yet to be known by Nigerians."

The minister added that he was deeply worried and regretted that "nothing in the world can justify the dastardly act taking into account the fact that the Federal Government has repeatedly extended the ol-ive branch to members of the Boko Haram even with the recent setting up of a presidential committee to constructively engage key leaders of the group in a dialogue."

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF called on Boko Haram members to stop further killings of innocent people.

Block of classrooms at Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State, destroyed by gunmen on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Monday, July 8, 2013News

Monday, July 8, 2013National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Monday, July 8, 2013 Photo News

ISE-OLUWA IGE, OBIORA IFOH, SINA FADARE AND EMMANUEL ONANI

The proposal by the House of Representa-tives to expunge the

immunity clause from the constitution is generating mixed reactions among law-yers and politicians in the country.

Section 308 of the 1999 con-stitution (as amended) stipu-lates that no civil or criminal proceedings shall be institut-ed or continued against the President during his period of office.

But the House of Repre-sentatives’ Committee on the Review of the Constitution has proposed the removal of immunity clause which protects the President, vice- president, governors and their deputies from civil or criminal court proceedings while in office.

The proposal has, however, attracted divergent reactions from some Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

Speaking with National

Mirror yesterday, a consti-tutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), said immu-nity for the president and governors was not the prob-lem confronting the nation, stressing that the bane of our society was in its weak insti-tutions.

Ahamba said: “Removal of immunity will not solve the problem because those who are no longer with im-munity have not been dealt with by anybody.

“Rather, removing im-munity clause will be coun-terproductive; our problem is not immunity but break-down of institutions that should supervise activities of public officials.”

Lagos-based lawyer and member of the inner bar, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), applauded the plans by the National Assembly to ex-punge the immunity clause.

Ngige, who was an advo-cate of the retention of the immunity clause because it could distract them before, now said that its removal would make the beneficiaries rule conscionably and with

caution.He, however, added that if

the clause must be removed, heavy damages must be slammed against litigants who maintained frivolous case against them.

Another member of the inner bar, Mr. Nathaniel Oke, said although striping of im-munity could cause distrac-tion from governance, in the Nigerian context, it was be-ing abused.

“However, I support its re-moval as the occupier of the affected offices will be more careful, more committed to governance and cautious,” Oke added.

Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) advised that rather than a wholesale removal, it should be “limited immunity, which will allow the executive of-ficers concentrate on purely governance issues.”

Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN) stressed that removal of im-munity “can create a lot of chaos. Immunity is required in order not to put the gover-nors under pressures.”

He said: “If it is the im-munity that is the problem,

how many former governors have been prosecuted apart from James Ibori and Lucky Igbinedion, who got a slap on the wrist conviction?

“I don’t think removal of immunity is going to achieve anything. After all, civil ser-vants, who are perceived to be the richest people in the country today, do not have immunity and have not been prosecuted.”

The Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, however, expressed support for the removal, saying it would check corruption.

He said: “It is good for our democracy, we should not subscribe to leadership by criminals.

“We saw what the likes of the former governor of River State, James Ibori did while in office. He got the immunity for eight years, even after of-fice the court could not try him until the London court sentenced him on corruption.

“We are all witness to the drama of Peter Odili because of the immunity he got while in office. After that, he ac-quired perpetual injunctions

that no court could try him.“I think the immunity

clause should go; anybody who commits crime should face the music.

“In America where we copied the presidential sys-tem of government, there is no immunity.

“We have many crimi-nals in government who want to protect their crime, we have certificate forgers, thieves, murderers and all kinds of crooks in power that they want to cover their tracks and hide under immunity clause.

“Ironically the immuni-ty clause has been the sav-ing grace for them, there-fore, it should go.”

The Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said removing immunity would only serve to distract people who were protected by the clause.

He said: “The issue of immunity clause is not the problem of Nigeria. Im-munity does not mean im-punity. Removing it will be an error. Immunity is just

to protect the governor and the President from being distracted.

“After four or eight years as the case may be, such governor or President can be investigated and pros-ecuted.

“But we cannot afford this at this time of our de-mocracy, not to allow our governor not to have been immuned.

“Guess what could have happened to Governor Rotimi Amaechi if he is not covered by immunity in the tango between him and the people at Abuja. We all know what happened to Ngige, despite immunity, he was kidnapped.”

However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progres-sive Change, CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, disagreed with the notion that removing immunity clause would cause unnecessary distrac-tion in governance, adding that the party supported its total removal because that was what the majority of Nigerians wanted.

Lawyers, politicians differ on immunity clause removal

L-R: Wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi; Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Alaafin’s wife, Olori Ramat Adedayo Adeyemi; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu at Olori Ramat’s 70th birthday in Oyo at the weekend.

L-R: Winners of the Glo Bounce With Artistes online singing competition on You Tube; Sophia Olurankinse; Seun Adeyanju; Globacom’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mohamed Ja-meel and another winner, Atofarati Kehinde after receiving their prizes at the Slide & Bounce Musical Concert in Ibadan over the weekend.

L-R: Treasurer, Northern Local Government Chairmen’s Forum, Mrs Juliana Odetta, Chairman of the Association, Comrade Mohammed Ali and the. Group Publicity Secretary,Mr. Nicholas Nshe, during the Formal Inauguration of the Forum Executives, in Abuja at the weekend.

L-R: Wife of the celebrant and author, Mrs. Christy Momah; celebrant and former Minister of Science and Technology, General Sam Momah; former First lady, Dr. Maryam Abacha; National Chairman, All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Virgy Etiaba, during the public presentation of “Nigeria: BeyondDivorce” by General Sam Momah to commemorate his 70th birthday, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on Saturday.

National News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Monday, July 8, 2013 News

Presidency plots against single term tenure

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Yobe students' massacre: Governor shuts schools

GEORGE OJIABUJA

Ahead of the com-mencement of de-bate on the draft

constitution amendment bill tomorrow by the Sen-ate, there are indications that the Presidency may have perfected strategies to scuttle the proposed single tenure for elected presidents and governors.

Sources at the Presiden-cy told National Mirror that even though public opinion was against the proposal, “the Presidency does not want to leave anything to chance. As a result, it has put its own plans in place to ensure that the proposal does not sail through.”

Though President Good-luck Jonathan was the first person to suggest the idea, findings at the Presidency showed that the President became uncomfortable fol-lowing the recommenda-tion by the Senate constitu-tion review committee that the President and serving governors would not ben-efit from the proposal.

The committee, headed by the Deputy Senate Presi-dent Ike Ekweremadu, had presented the draft report of the committee on June 3 be-fore the upper chamber pro-ceeded on a two-week break.

The Senate had proposed to commence debate on the draft bill last week, but could not do so because of the death of Senator Pius Ewherido.

Besides the proposal, the committee had also recom-mended the abolition of the joint state and local govern-ment accounts as well as the separation of the office of the Attorney-General from that of the Minister and Commissioner for Justice.

Also, the review commit-tee proposed the creation of first-line charges for the 36 State Houses of Assem-bly, the State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs, Auditors-General and Attorneys-General of the states as well as a may-oral status for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Investigations also showed that the Presidency had contacted many sena-tors who would ensure that when debate on the draft bill commences tomorrow, the single term tenure pro-posal would be shot down.

Incidentally, most of the senators who have been

drafted to carry out the “hatchet job,” are mainly those from the North.

The source told our cor-respondent that it was easy to woo the northern sena-tors because it also fitted the region’s agenda, which from the outset had op-posed the proposal.

But unlike President Jonathan whose opposition to the proposal was because he would not be a beneficia-ry, the North opposed the idea because they believed that when the Presidency returned to the region in 2015, they would serve out their own two tenures and not be cut short by the sin-gle tenure regime.

One of the northern senators, who spoke to Na-tional Mirror on the matter at the weekend in Abuja, said, that “there have been efforts to seek our under-standing on the matter.

“But truly, I do not think there is no begging the is-sue. Even from the public commentaries, you can see that the idea is clearly very unpopular.”

The lawmaker, who re-fused to disclose who the lobbyists were, also said: “Ad-mitted that it was our own committee that made the pro-posal, but I can tell you that it does not enjoy the majority support of the senators.

“Mark it, you will see the flow of the opinion of the senators when we begin debate on the matter next week.”

Apart from the northern senators, there are indi-cations that some South-South senators are also in-volved in the project by the Presidency.

It is believed that the support of the South-South on the matter is because holding a contrary position will be against the interest of the region.

The region is the current occupant of the Presidency and will be hoping to ben-efit from the two tenures by President Jonathan, who from all indications is ready to take another shot at the office in 2015.

Even though he never admitted being reached by anybody on the matter, Senator Eta Inang told Na-tional Mirror that his oppo-sition to the single tenure recommendation was out of personal conviction that the proposal was not the best for the country now.

Another senator from the

South-South simply stated that the final decision of the senators on the matter would be informed by the larger in-terest of the country.

He advised that people should not look at the is-sue based on who was in power today but to consider the future of the country in their stance. “Today it is Jonathan, tomorrow it will

be another person,” he said. The Senate has devoted

this week for consideration of the draft constitution bill.

Voting on the recom-mendations will not be by voice vote but on individual basis. To underscore the importance of the exercise, the Senate last week car-ried out a mock voting on

the bill to fine-tune the elec-tronic voting system.

The experiment led to the discovery that the elec-tronic voting system was mal-functioning.

Senate President David Mark, however, assured that the fault would be rec-tified last week ahead of the voting this week.

Efforts yesterday to get

the reaction of the Presi-dency on the issue were unsuccessful as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, and the Se-nior Special Assistant (Pub-lic Affairs), Dr. Doyin Ok-upe, could not be reached when National Mirror made several calls to their mobile phones.

L-R: Senator Chris Ngige; National Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande; wife of Lagos State Governor, Abimbola Fashola; Governor Babatunde Fashola; ACN National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the interdenominational service in honour of Tinubu's mother, the late Alhaja Abibat Mogaji in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

In a telephone interview with National Mirror in Ka-duna, ACF National Public-ity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, urged the sect to lay down arms and embrace government peace dia-logue.

He said: “We asked the Federal Government whether force and dialogue can work concurrently. Government said yes the two can work together and at the same time.

“We are praying for solu-tion to end the insurgency. We are still calling on the insurgents to lay down arms and embrace dia-logue.

“We don’t have any so-lution beyond the usual condemnation of dastardly act by mindless gunmen seeking to take it out on in-nocent young students who have no idea of what is the source of their perceived grievances and frustra-tions.

“I can’t comment fur-ther, it is a national secu-rity issue.”

In a related develop-ment, the embattled Chair-man of the All Nigeria Peo-ple's Party, ANPP, in Borno State, Alhaji Mala Othman, is now in the JTF custody.

Othman's residence was razed last week by some

members of the youth vigi-lance group who had bat-tled to flush out the menace of Boko Haram in the state.

The youth, who after many futile attempts to get the chairman arrested over allegations of gunrunning and sponsoring of terror-ist acts, razed his residence last Monday.

JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed that the task force "has ar-rested the Chairman of All Nigeria People's Party in Borno State, Alhaji Mala Othman. He is in JTF's custody undergoing in-terrogation.

"Investigation is ongo-ing and the press will be briefed accordingly at the end on it."

The arrest of Othman is coming after the task force successfully dis-lodged members of the sect from their strong-holds of Bulabulin, Bay-an Quarters and Nga-naram.

These strongholds of the Boko Haram have been deserted for some time now as they un-leashed terror on the areas, chasing out the residents and fortifying them, making them im-pregnable for the mili-tary.

But the military made

a giant stride at the week-end when it launched at-tacks on the areas and killed an undisclosed number of the sect mem-bers and recovered sever-al arms and ammunition.

In a statement yester-day, the JTF said: "In an effort to wipe out Boko Haram terrorists from the deserted Bulabu-lin, Bayan Quarters and Nganaram areas of Mai-duguri metropolis, it has taken over the areas with massive deployment of personnel and equipment into the general areas."

Musa recalled that the inhabitants had been chased out of their hous-es by Boko Haram terror-ists and converted most of the houses to their en-claves.

He added: "The latest efforts of the task force led to the dislodgement of the insurgents and the recovery of arms, ammu-nition, IED materials and some terrorists died dur-ing an exchange of fire with the JTF troops."

Musa also said that though the clampdown on the areas was still in prog-ress yesterday but on Sat-urday alone, the troop re-covered four AK47 rifles, a submachine gun, six RPGs, seven empty maga-

zines, four RPG launchers, three army camouflage uniforms and two tricycles from some terrorists' hide-outs in Bulabulin area.

Though Musa was un-able to give the number of casualties, residents of the town said they saw over 40 corpses deposited by the task force at the morgue of the State Specialist Hospi-tal, Maiduguri.

Meanwhile, the task force has started mentor-ing the youth vigilance groups in order to keep their activities under the ambit of the law and refrain from criminal indulgences.

Sagir, while commending the youths for their patriotic efforts toward freeing the state from the menace of the Boko Haram, said interactions had started with the youth.

He said the youth vigi-lance groups were also requested to restrict their activities to their respective immediate environment or wards and avoid major town-ship roads and not to take laws into their hands.

Musa said the JTF was fully aware of the fears and concerns of some mem-bers of the public on their activities and would hence-forth be monitored, guided and regulated for them not to become a nuisance to the society.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Monday, July 8, 2013News

Parents of Wang Linjia (middle), being comforted by parents of other students who were on the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 that crashed at San Francisco International Airport, at Jiangshan Middle School in Eastern China, yesterday. Linjia and another teenage student died in the crash on Saturday.

Abduction: Police rescue three corps members in Rivers SAM OLUWALANA PORT HARCOURT

Police in Rivers State have rescued the three members

of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, abducted by gunmen in Abua/Odual Local Gov-ernment Area of the state.

The corps members, Ogochi Martins, Chijioke Richard and Esther Nwa-chukwu, were abducted

from the corps members’ lodge in Ogolokom com-munity on June 29.

Police authorities said the kidnap victims were rescued a few kilometres from the hostel where they were abducted.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Angela Agabe, who disclosed this, said a sus-pect was arrested during the raid on the kidnap-pers’ hideout.

Agabe said the corps

members had been hand-ed over to the NYSC au-thorities, while the sus-pect was handed over to the anti-kidnap unit of the state Police Command for further investigation.

She said: “It is true that the three corps mem-bers have been rescued. They were rescued in Ogolokom community in Abua/Odual Local Gov-ernment Area at about noon on Saturday.

“A suspected kidnap-

per was also arrested dur-ing the rescue operation. While the corps members have since been released to the NYSC authorities because they are still serving, the suspect has been handed over to the anti-kidnap arm of the state police command for further investigation.”

An elated state NYSC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Violet Appolos, con-firmed the release of the three corps members.

She said: “The three corps members were all released without any harm and they are well and sound.”

External reserves may decline to $43bn by December –FDC

We won’t issue fresh fi rearms’ licence –IG

Strike: FG has ignored us –ASUU

UDO ONYEKA

Experts at Financial Derivatives Company Limited, FDC, have

said the country’s external reserves might close the year at $43 billion.

According to the company’s monthly economic views, July edition, at Lagos Business School, the country’s external reserves at $47.68 billion in first half of 2013 fell by 1.83 per cent at $48.57 billion in the first quarter and further declined to $48.04 billion in second quarter.

The report by the experts said the external reserves ac-cretion would slow further to $42 billion in the second half of the year owing to declining domestic oil output currently at 1.8mbpd due to vandal-ism, force majeure and strict enforcement of quota by the Organisation of Petroleum Ex-porting Countries, OPEC.

According to the report, fall in global oil price to $100 per barrel, increased fiscal spend-ing, depreciation of the naira by 1.24 per cent to N162 per dol-lar and Bonny Light decline by

9.4 per cent to $ 106 per barrel in first half of the year, point to further decline of the reserves.

It said: “Premium between WTI and Brent narrowed to $5.12 from $19.84. The decline was due to renewed euro-zone fears and slow global oil de-mand.

“Domestic output shrank 7.5 per cent to 1.9mbpd, due to increased oil theft, vandalism, force majeure, which has led to Nigeria losing $14.73 billion daily.”

Also, the report said naira would weaken further in the second half of 2013, with of-ficial rate, inter-bank rate and parallel market expected to hit N160, N163 and N167 per dollar respectively.

FDC said exchange rate de-terminants such as global oil movement and price volatility, external reserves position, risk of increased fiscal spending pointed in this direction.

It said: “Naira depreciated at the parallel and interbank markets in first quarter, as par-allel market declined to N160.5 per dollar, inter-bank depreci-ated to N158.4 per dollar and strengthen at the official mar-ket at N155.75 per dollar.”

OMEIZA AJAYIABUJA

The Inspector General of Police, Moham-med Abubakar, has

said that the law banning illegal procurement of fire-arms was still in force.

According to him, any-one, group or agency of any state government who does otherwise risks severe sanctions.

The Deputy Force Pub-lic Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who quoted Abuba-kar in a statement yester-

day, said the power to issue fresh licences was in the hands of the President and the IGP.

He said with strong coop-eration from state govern-ments, the police were ca-pable of safeguarding lives and property, adding that the police had not issued any fresh licence and did not intend to do so anytime soon.

The statement reads in part: “The Inspector-Gen-eral of Police, IGP M. D.

Abubakar, has restated that the ban earlier imposed by the Force on the issuance of fresh licences for procure-ment of firearms is still in force.

“Members of the pub-lic are reminded that the ban which was emplaced in exercise of the powers vested in the President and the IGP respectively, by the Firearms Act, was made in an attempt to restrict the observed widespread prolif-eration of firearms within

the country.“Consequently, the Nige-

ria Police Force wishes to state that in furtherance of the subsisting embargo, it has not and does not intend to issue permits to any per-son, group of persons, or-ganisation or agency of any state government, for the procurement or purpose of bearing firearms.”

The police said they would not hesitate to invoke the relevant aspects of the law to punish violators.

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

The Federal Govern-ment has refused to meet with the Aca-

demic Staff Union of Uni-versities, ASUU, eight days after the union embarked on an indefinite strike.

The ASUU National Trea-surer, Dr. Ademola Aremu from the University of Ibadan, told our correspon-dent that neither the Federal Government nor its agents had offered to meet with the

union since the strike com-menced.

Aremu said although there might not be need for the Fed-eral Government to call for any meeting again other than to effect the agreement it free-ly entered into with the union four years ago.

The national treasurer said there were many issues in contention, including the injection of N400 billion on a yearly basis into the univer-sity education and the pay-ment of Earned Allowances

to deserving lecturers in the agreement.

He said: “And now, ASUU is no longer interested in un-filled promises. As a matter of fact, ASUU is tired of gov-ernment unfulfilled prom-ises. Now, what we want is action.

“ASUU has been patient enough, waiting for four years for government to im-plement the agreement be-fore we decided to embark on this current strike.

“The strike is total and

indefinite and that is what we still stand by. ASUU is not ready to call the strike off unless government meets our demand, which is the full implementation of our 2009 agreement.”

Aremu said it was dis-heartening that many Nigeri-ans in the corridors of power showed apathy to responsi-bilities required of their posi-tions.

He said such behaviour would not help the country but further worsen the econo-my and the people’s standard of living.

ICT strategic to Vision 20:2020, says Okonjo-Iweala KUNLE AZEEZ

The Minister of Fi-nance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has

said that Information and Communication Technol-ogy, ICT, was critical to Ni-geria’s quest to become one of the leading economies in the next seven years, as spelt out in the Vision 20:2020.

Okonjo-Iweala said this while inspecting an ultra-modern ICT factory of Omatek Computers Plc in Lagos at the weekend.

Quoting latest data from the National Bureau of Sta-tistics, NBS, the Coordinat-ing Minister of the Econo-my said: “Each year, about 1.8 million young Nigerians entre our labour market and we need to ensure that our economy provides jobs for them and ICT is one of the sectors that can help in addressing this menace.”

The minister said the desire by the current ad-ministration to transform the economy using ICT in-formed the creation of the Ministry of Communica-tion Technology in 2011, a development, she said, had been impacting positively on the economy through increased access to ICT

tools and increase in the level e-commerce activi-ties.

Okonjo-Iweala also said as part of government’s measure to drive job cre-ation, it had provided $15 billion seed capital for the Ministry of Communica-tion Technology to support innovation in ICT business for starts-up, especially in the area of software devel-opment.

She said: “In addition, we are also making N200 billion guarantee fund available to Small and Me-dium Enterprises, SMEs, in all sectors, including ICT industry. The fund is a gender-friendly one, as 60 per cent of the fund is set aside for women in busi-ness.”

The minister also urged businesses in ICT sector to take advantage of the fund.

Earlier, while conducting the minister and her entou-rage including the top of-ficials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Se-curity and Exchange Com-mission, SEC, Managing Director, Ms. Florence Seri-ki, bemoaned poor patron-age of locally-assembled ICT products, inadequate access to funds and lack of necessary incentives from the government.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, New Horizon, Mr. Tim Akano; Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Inuwa Abdul-Kadir-Kabir and Coordinator, Lagos State, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, during a job fair and entrepreneur seminar at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, at the weekend. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Gunmen invade hotel, kill six in Lagos

Watch out for moon, Sultan tells Muslims

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

A man was yesterday hit at the popu-lar Oje market in

Ibadan by the police stray bullets, killing him on the spot.

It was learnt that the police fired sporadically in a bid to quell the fight be-tween a group of miscre-ants and some commercial motorists over attempts by the former to extort the latter.

The Divisional Police Officer in Agugu Division, Mr. Timothy Adedeji, led a team of policemen to the scene.

An eye witness, who did not want his name men-tioned, said: “We and two other policeman prevailed on the aggrieved parties to stop the fight.

“After quelling the cri-sis, the mob started hail-ing the DPO. The police of-ficer, being an indigene of Ibadan, tried to disperse the mob through persuasion. But when the miscreants attempted to attack him, he fired some shots into the air to scare them.

“As he brought out his gun, a shot was fired and the bullets hit a man. The man died on the spot. The mob swooped on the police officer and dispossessed him of his rifle.”

He added that a team of policemen from Agugu Di-vision came to rescue the police officer and his col-league from the mob attack.

Speaking on the incident, the state Police Public Rela-tions Officer (PPRO), Bisi Ilobanefor, said: “The two policemen were rescued from the mob’s attack. The mob later regrouped and went to Agugu Divi-sion, apparently to attack the station. The situation was brought under con-trol through reinforce-ment.”

The PPRO said the rifle taken from the officer had been recovered with six rounds of ammunition, while the injured police-men were receiving treat-ment at an undisclosed hospital.

She added that the Com-missioner of Police, Mr. Muhammed Indawaba, had set up a panel to inves-tigate the incident.

SEKINAH LAWAL

Muslims across the country are expected to join

other faithful across the world to begin this year’s Ramadan fasting tomorrow if the new moon is sighted tonight.

The President-Gen-eral of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Is-lamic Affairs (NSCIA), the Amirul Muslim and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, urged Muslims who sight the new moon, to communi-cate to relevant authori-ties immediately for the commencement of the fast.

Muslims are mandat-ed to fast in the month of Ramadan for either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon.

In a statement made available to National Mirror, the Sultan urged Muslims to look out for the moon from today, July 8, being the 29th day of Sha’aban 1434AH for the commencement of Ramadan fasting.

However, if the cres-cent cannot be sighted due to cloudy sky among other factors, the month of Sha’aban will be 30 days on Tuesday and Muslims will then start fasting from Wednesday.

The statement reads: “In accordance with the Prophetic tradition, Monday July 8, being the 29th day of Sha’aban 1434AH, members of the national and state Moon-Sighting Committees as well as other Nigerian Muslims should look out for the new Crescent of Ramadan month.

“If the moon is sight-ed on that day, the un-der-listed leaders should be communicated imme-diately: the Sultan, the Secretary General of the Council, Emir of Kano, Emir of Bauchi, Lamido of Adamawa, Olukare of Ikare, Timi of Ede, Emir of Katsina, Emir of Zaz-zau, Emir of Ilorin.

Others are the Oba of Lagos, Oba of Agbede in Edo State, Emir of Wase, Chief Imam of Ibadan, Chief Imam of Osogbo, Chief Imam of Egba and Emir of Kazaure, among others.”

Man killed by police stray bullets in Ibadan

TAI ANYANWU AND FRANCIS SUBERU

A Lagos-based social-ite and owner of 04 Hotel in Lekki,

Lagos State, Olanrewaju Subair, popularly known as Loore, was yesterday morning killed in the ho-tel by some unknown gun-men.

Also killed were the ho-tel manager, Tijani Wahab, and four guests.

Two ladies and a man, however, survived what many have described as an assassination mission.

National Mirror reliably gathered that the suspects also made away with N270, 000 from one of the surviv-ing ladies.

When our correspon-dent arrived at the hotel, the scene was deserted. Only four policemen, who were having a breakfast of rice and spaghetti served with fish stew, kept surveil-lance.

Though the security men did not allow anyone to enter the hotel rooms, thick blood was spotted on the open ground of the premises.

It was reliably gathered

that the Police Area Com-mander in charge of Ajah, Felix, led a team of police-men to remove the bodies to the General Hospital, Lagos Island, where they were deposited at the mor-tuary.

Friends and associates of the late Loore were seen hanging along Berger Road in Ajah, where the hotel is located.

Many, howeve,r were reluctant to speak to the press.

Those who agreed to speak did so, on condition of anonymity.

According to one of them, Loore had gone to a wedding ceremony which took place on the mainland the previous evening.

“He learnt that his girl-friend had just returned to Lagos from Dubai and was lodging at 04 Hotel,” the source said.

He added that Loore and his friends then left the ceremony in a convoy to have a good time at his hotel.

It was further learnt that Loore was already in bed with his visiting girlfriend when the gun-men stormed the hotel and asked to be shown where

Loore was. Another respondent

added they learnt that the gunmen also asked for many other names. But no one was ready to point out Loore or the other people who probably were not in the hotel.

“From this account it would appear like the gunmen had been trail-ing them (Loore and his convoy) right from the cer-emony up to the hotel,” the source said.

According to a friend of the late Loore, the incident looked like a retaliatory at-tack going by what he said that he had heard at the Ajah police station earlier in the day.

“It looks like they have been trailing them. At least, there is something behind it, according to what I overheard at the po-lice station this morning.

“Five months ago, some people lodged in the hotel for almost three months and did not pay. According to the police source, Loore called the police to look into the issue. They came; in the course of investiga-tion and search, the police found a gun in one of the rooms occupied by the

lodgers. “One of the guys who

tried to escape was shot dead by the police. An-other guy was not so lucky because he was caught, taken to the station and detained.

“Eventually, the de-tained suspect was re-leased. I think what hap-pened is that they came to retaliate because one of them was shot by the po-lice in this hotel,” he said.

Confirming the killing, the police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said the police, on receiving a distress call, raced to the scene, but were confronted by the robbers.

She said: “We received a distress call at about 2:0am that armed robbers were op-erating at a hotel near Berger Bus Stop, Ajah, and our men immediately swung into ac-tion. On sighting the police officers, the armed robbers opened fire on them result-ing to a serious exchange of gunshot.

“One of the robbers was shot dead, but oth-ers escaped with gunshot wounds. The corpse of the deceased suspect has been dropped in a public mortu-ary. One AK-47 rifle was re-covered from the suspects.”

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Monday, July 8, 2013 News

Students advised to be agents of changeFor Ekiti State Dep-

uty Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu,

the time to reverse trend of brain drain is now.

She told youths, who she said, hold the key to Nige-ria’s future that the coun-try needs intervention.

The deputy governor spoke as Special Guest of

Honour at the 21st vale-dictory service/speech & prize-giving day of Chris-land College, Idimu, on the outskirts of Lagos.

She said: “The country needs intervention and students are the future of the country. We need lead-ers who can shape and re-shape the country.”

Advising the students to be agents of change in the society, the deputy governor said the school’s proprietress, Dr W.A. Awosika, had played her part with the provision of a foremost privately- run institution.

She said: “The all-round education you ac-

quired in Chrisland is the tool you need to pur-sue your ambition in life. Education is the most powerful weapon needed to transform the world in general and Nigeria in particular. But charity must begin first at home. No more brain drain, but brain gain.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Monday, July 8, 2013South West

Oyo ACN slams PDP for abhorring truthKEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

The Oyo State chap-ter of the Action Congress of Nige-

ria (ACN) yesterday criti-cised the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) for what it called the latter’s disrespect for truth.

Reacting to a comment by PDP which deplored Governor Abiola Ajimo-bi’s absence at the flag-off of the Lagos-Ibadan Ex-pressway, ACN Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kola-wole, said: “We ordinarily would not react to a piece of conjectural politicking as this. But we are forced to, for the sake of clarifi-cation, so that ordinary Nigerians would not be misled.”

He said it was unthink-able that the PDP would claim not to know that Aji-mobi was outside the coun-try on an official duty.

Kolawole said: “Virtu-ally all Nigerians know that Governor Ajimobi was not in the country as he left for the United Kingdom to at-tend a Direct Investment Summit holding in Lon-don.

“It was announced be-fore his departure. The summit, organised by the Nigerian High Commis-sioner to the United King-dom (UK), showcased the many investment oppor-tunities in the state to UK investors.

“Governor Ajimobi could thus not attend the flag-off but because of the respect he has for Presi-dent Jonathan, his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, at-tended on his behalf. For the PDP to embark on this gratuitous journey of in-exactitude speaks volume of the quality of the party and the depth of the secre-tariat it runs that has no regard for truth”.

Kanu, Bakare, others call for probe of Abiola’s death

NSCDC College graduates 100 officersFEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

No fewer than 100 sur-veillance and intel-ligence personnel

of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) were last Friday graduated by the Corp’s College of Security in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The officers, who were of the superintendent cadre, were part of the special per-sonnel of the Corp saddled with the responsibilities of stamping out crime and guarantee safety of govern-

ment’s critical installations, such as power transmission lines and petroleum pipe-lines through intelligence report gathering.

A statement by the Media and Publicity Officer of the College, Wale Ajayi, stated that the intelligence officers were re-trained for arms handling as well as in the ba-sic knowledge of stripping and assembling of rifles and ammunition for the on-the-field operations.

Ajayi quoted Provost of the College, Adekunle Dauda Elesin, as saying that the re-training of the officer

was in line with the Act that established the Corp.

The provost stressed that the just completed re-train-ing course for officers is just the beginning and little from the modalities put in place to achieve the mission state-ment of the Corps,

which included “effi-ciently provide intelligence information to the Ministry on any matter relating to crime control, riot, disorder, revolt , strike or religious unrest as well as subversive activity by members of the public which are capable of frustrating government pro-grammes, policy or vandalis-ing critical infrastructures”.

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Some prominent Ni-gerians have asked the Federal Govern-

ment to set up a judicial commission of enquiry to unravel the circumstanc-es surrounding the death of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presi-dential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

Speaking at the 15th re-membrance anniversary of MKO Abiola in Lagos yesterday, they called for the posthumous declara-tion of the deceased as one of the former Presi-dents of Nigeria.

Making the call were Chairman of the Nation-al Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Real Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; Convener of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Ba-kare; President of Cam-paign for Democracy (CD), Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, a renowned poet, Prof. Niyi Osundare and others.

Kanu said that it is sad-dened that 15 years after the death of Abiola, Ni-geria is still worse than it was before the deceased showed interest to contest the June 12 presidential election.

He said: “We are now in a country where nobody is happy. Nobody is happy with the way things are in the country. We need to restructure the coun-try to have Nigeria of our dream. We must all stand up and insist on restruc-turing of the country.”

Pastor Bakare said MKO Abiola died because of his passion for positive change in Nigeria and his love for the masses.

He said those who killed Abiola will one day give account of how he was killed.

Osundare urged Ni-gerians to emulate the good legacies left by the late Abiola, especially his passion for the common people.

He said Nigerians must do what is right to make sure that Abiola smiles in his grave.

Afenifere spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said Nigerians must insist to know what happened be-tween Abiola and the in-ternational community before his death.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, yesterday called on Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan to identify and bring to book the killers of the ac-claimed winner of June 12,1993 presidential elec-tion, Bashorun MKO Abi-ola.

“President Jonathan must do one thing right; he must bring the killers of Abiola to justice. Presi-dent Jonathan must iden-tify those who killed Abiola and bring them to book,” Fani-Kayode said.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday at the Maiden Bashorun MKO Abiola memorial lecture organ-ised by Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative and Niyi Babade Network, the former minister said the present administration must do everything to es-tablish who killed Abiola.

He said Nigerians should ask the former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Susan Rice, who served Abiola the ‘con-troversial tea’ exactly what

L-R: Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Moshood Blaize; widow of police officer, Thomas Oyetade, Funmilayo; her son, Aduragbemi; Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LASTF), Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey and Chairman, Task Force on Special Offences, Mr. Bayo Sulaiman, during the presentation of insurance benefit to the family of Oyetade in Lagos, at the weekend. PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Group plans special prayers for slain Ibadan traders KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

An inter-denomina-tional Christian or-ganisation, the Iso-

kan Onigbagbo Association, will from tomorrow hold a

happened on July 7, 1998.His words: “Nigerians

must ask questions to es-tablish who killed MKO Abiola. We must know those who are involved in Abiola’s death within and outside of Nigeria. We must insist on who killed MKO Abiola.

“I want to call on eve-rybody to ask General Ab-dusalami and Susan Rice exactly what happened on July 7, 1998 to Abiola.”

In his address titled: ‘MKO Abiola and the Dem-ocratic Struggle’, the Sec-retary of National Demo-cratic Coalition, NADECO,

Mr. Ayo Opadokun, said that Nigeria must decidedly take appropriate steps to of-ficially pronounce Abiola, the1993 President-Elect, as President and established a major monument in his honour.

He said various events that occurred from the day Abiola’s victory was an-nulled to the day he was pronounced dead have had many effects on the demo-cratic struggle in Nigeria.

“If June 12 was not an-nulled, the various national crises of mutual suspicion, discrimination, mistrust, etc. that are summed up as the ‘national question’ may have been substantially

eliminated. Those who sold out June 12 for worthless po-litical appointments in Aba-cha’s government should be remorseful rather than continue to engage in futile attempts at revisionism.

“As a people we must prosecute the political mili-tary renegades. This way we prevent future impunity. The Nigeria democratic struggle has to be upgraded to the next level because eternal vigilance and the courage to hold govern-ment accountable are the prices we must pay to es-tablish productive govern-ment in the Nigeria State.

“The democratic strug-gle in Nigeria must hence-

forth be popularised and people-driven so that our country shall never again be captured by military warlords and their civil-ian collaborators. If we succeed in achieving this democratic ideal, our de-mocracy will survive and Bashorun Moshood Kashi-mawo Olawale Abiola will not have died in vain.”

Also speaking, Abiola’s daughter, Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor said that her fa-ther died honourably. “We thank God for his death be-cause he died for a purpose. My father died honourably. We should remember all his ideal and try to emulate them.” she said.

...Bring killers to book, Fani-Kayode tells Jonathan

three-day special prayer for the victims of last week’s Boko Haram sect attack at the Bodija market, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The victims were killed by members of the sect in Mongunu, Borno State.

The Public Relations Of-ficer (PRO) of Ibadan Food-stuff Market Association in Bodija market, Mr. Akeem Emiola, said yesterday that the special prayer will hold between tomorrow and Thursday.

He said the prayer was originally scheduled for last Tuesday, but could not hold because it was the day bod-ies of the slain beans traders were brought from Maidu-guri, the Borno State capital.

Emiola said the prayer was meant to ask God to stop untimely death being experi-enced by traders in the mar-ket while in their bid to seek their livelihood.

Aregbesola

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Men of the Vigi-lante Service of Ogun State, VSO,

in the early hours of yes-terday shot and killed two brothers in Abeokuta after ‘mistaking’ them for armed robbers.

The victims, 32-year-old Akeem Usman and 29-year-old Raji Moruf, were said to have been molested and eventually shot dead right in their flat located at 18A Sorinola Avenue, Ori Iyan-rin area of Abeokuta me-tropolis by VSO officials said to be responding to a distress call.

But the police in the state said the killing would be treated as murder case.

One of the survivors of the attack, Abayomi Awoye-jo, a 30-year-old agent of a Lagos-based advertising company, told journal-ists that the VSO officials struck about midnight.

Awoyejo explained that three people had gone to lock the gate of their com-pound about midnight on Saturday after they were notified of the presence of armed robbers in the area.

The survivor, who said four of them had gone to Abeokuta for an assign-ment, said they were about to lock the gate when they saw some shadows.

He said the late Moruf ran back and started shout-ing for help, saying that he had been hit by bullet.

Efforts of the ad-ministration of Governor Rauf

Aregbesola to create jobs and revamp the economy of Osun State have been given a fillip.

The boost is coming in the form of about 3,000 employment opportuni-ties through the estab-lishment of West Africa’s largest garment factory due to take off in Osogbo next month.

Situated close to the State Secretariat, Gbon-gan Road, the multi-bil-lion naira Omoluabi Gar-ment Factory, which is a private initiative with encouragement from the state government, is ex-pected to employ at least 3,000 people who would be trained in stitching with modern machines.

To encourage the in-vestors, Messrs Sam & Sara Garment Factory, to boost the sewing of school uniforms for pub-lic primary and second-ary schools across the 30 councils in the state, the government provided 6,000 square metres of land for the factory to take off in Osogbo.

The land, which the government provided along with other ancil-lary incentives, will serve as the 14 per cent equita-ble holding of Osun State in the venture.

The project, with equipment largely fi-nanced by the Bank of In-dustry, BOI, to the tune of about N1.5 billion, is de-signed to produce 100,000 dresses per day.

More than 800 ma-

chines of different de-signs, capacities and functions are already in-stalled in the factory.

Six giant boilers, three each of which are pow-ered by electricity and diesel, are already in-stalled with over a dozen pressers’ stands using steam irons.

The assembly line op-eration is designed to move from the pattern room to the cutter, col-lar making and fusing, stitching, over-locking, hemming, machines in a uniform and systemic pattern handled by ex-perts.

Expatriate instructors, expected to train the 3,000 employees on the han-dling of the machines, are on the ground to kick start the process after the

launch of the factory in August.

In order to ease the production of 750,000 uni-forms, which the govern-ment distributed freely to government-owned primary and secondary schools students, Areg-besola secured the use of Sam & Sara garment factory situated in Mowe on the Lagos - Ibadan Ex-pressway to train 500 peo-ple in modern methods of garment making, using the assembly line opera-tion.

The success recorded through the programme was used by the governor to encourage Sam & Sara to establish the Omolu-abi Garment Factory in Osogbo to handle the large scale production of school uniforms for Osun

and other states that are already drawing inspi-ration from the success and impact of O-Uniform policy of the Aregbesola administration.

Speaking on the devel-opment, the Chairman of Sam & Sara, Hon. Sam Oyemade, praised Areg-besola for providing the enabling environment which encouraged him to site the multi-billion nai-ra factory in Osun State.

YINKA ADEPARUSI

One man lost his life in an accident which occurred in

the early hours of yester-day at Iganmu area of La-gos State.

The accident occurred when a truck rammed into a stationary empty tanker on the Lagos - Badagry Expressway.

The victim was said to be passing the night in the driver's seat of the tanker.

The incident happened in front of the Orile Igan-mu Truck Park which the state government con-structed a few years ago to provide parking space for fuel tankers.

Passers-by and the resi-dents of the area discov-ered the accident at dawn.

They also discovered the body of the victim in the tanker with registra-tion number AAA-756 XE.

The deceased was said to have passed the night in the vehicle in order to load fuel into his tanker early.

A relative of the vic-tim, Mr. Sheriff Ishola, who was at the scene of the accident, identified the deceased as Mr. Moru-fu Alabi of 108 Cemetery Road, Mosafejo, Amuko-ko, Lagos.

The body was later tak-en away by family mem-bers.

Ogun: Vigilantes kill two in error

Omoluabi garment factory creates 3,000 jobs in Osun

Road crash claims one in Lagos

ADEOLU ADEYEMOOSOGBO

Authorities of the Ladoke Akintola University of Tech-

nology, LAUTECH, Ogbo-moso, have expelled three students and suspended two others for imperson-ation during the just con-cluded 2012/2013 first se-mester examinations.

In separate letters signed by the Acting Reg-istrar, Rev. Jacob Agboola, the institution said the expulsion and suspension took immediate effect.

In the letters dated July 5, 2013 addressed to the affected students, Ag-boola said the expulsion and suspension were ap-proved by the Senate in line with the university policy.

LAUTECH expels three students, suspends two others

The scene of an accident involving a fuel tanker and a truck at Iganmu on Lagos - Badagry Expressway in Lagos, yesterday. Inset: A relative of the victim of the accident being consoled. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Awoyejo said while they were attempting to provide first aid to the late Moruf by tying the affected arm, men of the VSO forced their way into the living room and molested the occupants.

He said: “We were at-tempting to make telephone calls to our relations within Abeokuta when suddenly we saw the VSO men force themselves inside our sit-ting room.

“As they entered our sit-ting room, we were shout-ing that we were not armed robbers. But they did not listen, as they started mo-lesting us after fishing us out from where we had run under the bed.

“One of us, who attempt-ed to challenge them, was hit with the butt of one of their guns. There was con-fusion in the house when one of them shot Brother Akeem at a close range on his thigh and he became speechless.

“We shouted for help, telling them that we were not armed robbers.”

The survivor said Us-man and Moruf bled to death since immediate help could not reach them after they were shot.

He said: “I watched help-lessly as Usman and Moruf bled to death even though I was begging them that we were not robbers.”

Awoyejo added that be-fore the VSO officials could listen to him to take the vic-tims to the hospital, they had almost died.

Reacting to the incident, however, the State Com-mander of the VSO, Major Femi Bisiriyu (rtd), de-scribed the attack as mis-taken identity, stressing that his men were respond-ing to a distress call in the area.

Bisiriyu said his men opened fired “in self-de-fence when it was noticed that one of the deceased was holding a gun-like ob-ject while trying to open the gate.

“The area which is known to be volatile in recent times has become

armed robbers’ incessant target, hence when a dis-tress call was received, our men raced to the place.’’

The commander, how-ever, said the police had ar-rested some VSO officials who participated in the at-tack.

Also when contacted, the state Police Public Re-lations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the command already had two suspects in its custody over the death of Usman and Moruf.

Adejobi, who said the incident was a pure mur-der case, added that the Commissioner of Police, Ikhemefuna Okoye, had ordered full-scale investiga-tion into the matter.

•It’s murder case, say police

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9South WestMonday, July 8, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Monday, July 8, 2013 South East

L - R, Groom’s parent, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim and his wife Chima; Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, his wife, Ebere and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Pilgrim Commission, Mr. John Kenedy Opara at the wedding ceremony between Obiageli Anuobi and Obinna Ohakim in Abuja on Saturday.

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

Rivers State Gov-ernor Chibuike Amaechi, his Edo

State counterpart, Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday shunned the amalgamated South-East and South-South gov-ernors’ meeting held at the Enugu State Govern-ment House.

No reason was given for their absence. They did not also send representatives.

The meeting, which lasted for about four hours, deliberated on how the two zones would work together in areas of econo-my and infrastructure.

Anambra State Gover-nor Peter Obi, who read the communiqué of the meeting, said that Akwa Ibom and Abia states had reached an understanding

with the private sector to reconstruct and dualise the Ikot-Ekpene-Aba Road to improve accessibility of the two states.

Obi also said the forum discussed the issues of oil theft and how to curb it and issue of ethnic harmo-ny and how to promote it.

He said: “Finally, we commend President Good-luck Jonathan, his vairous programmes as shown in the midterm report which

clearly shows that the transformation agenda is on course and we pledge to continue supporting him.”

The eight governors in attendance are: Theo-dore Orji (Abia) Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Em-manuel Uduagha (Delta), Lyel Imoke (Cross River), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom), Peter Obi (Anam-bra) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa).

Amaechi, Oshiomhole, Okorocha shun S’East/S’South parley

DENNIS AGBO AND ALIUNA GODWIN

A group, the South-ern Nigeria Youth Leadership Initia-

tive (SNYLI), has urged President Goodluck Jona-than to seek re-election in 2015.

The group urged Jona-than to shun intimida-tions and campaigns of calumny against him and contest the 2015 presiden-tial election.

The youths said they took decision because of the President’s aspira-tion to develop the coun-try.

They even commended Jonathan for embarking on some developmental projects.

The youths said that they had painstakingly searched for any clause in the Nigeria’s Constitution which forbids President Jonathan from seeking re-election, but found none.

The group spoke dur-ing its meeting at the weekend in Enugu in which it hosted delega-tion from Oproza House led by the chairman, Mr. Ogoriba Timi kay-Wil-helm, who was accompa-nied by popular actress Hilda Dokubo.

Chairman of SNYLI, Chief Godswill Uche Nwanoruo, who asked the Oproza House rep-resentatives to deliver their message to Presi-dent Jonathan, said that as ebullient and highly disciplined youths, they were poised to contribute to the nation-building so as to complement efforts by leaders to develop the country.

Nwanoruo said the group altered its non-

partisan ideology by sup-porting any administra-tion that plans to develop Nigeria.

He extolled President Jonathan’s achieve-ments, especially his ef-fort to tackle security challenges in the North.

Nwanoruo, however, claimed that it was unfor-tunate that some persons engaged in uncompli-mentary media remarks concerning the eligibility or otherwise of Jonathan to contest the 2015 presi-dential election.

Meanwhile, youths in Ebonyi State and com-mercial motorcyclists at the weekend in Abakaliki endorsed President Jona-than for second term and Governor Martin Elechi for the Senate in 2015 gen-eral elections.

Addressing journal-ist, National President of Ebonyi Youths Assembly and the state Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP) Youth Leader, Mr. Chinedu Ogah, said they endorsed Jonathan for second term to enable him complete all on-going projects he em-barked upon.

The youths endorsed the President shortly af-ter Ogah’s birthday cel-ebration in Abakaliki.

Ogah said that they en-dorsed Jonathan because of his impressive effort in returning peace to the violent-ravaged North.

He said the youths also endorsed Elechi for the Senate because the gov-ernor had transformed Ebonyi and changed the public perception of the young state.

Ogah, however, called on the commercial motor-cyclists to always traffic laws.

2015: Youths urge Jonathan to seek re-election

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

The Catholic Diocese of Orlu in Imo State yesterday described

as baseless an allegation of attempted poisoning and kidnapping of former priest of St. John’s Catholic Parish at Amaruru, Revd Father Chukwudiebere Ohachu.

The allegation was lev-eled against two indigenes of Amaruru autonomous

community – Chief Nelson Okpara Janel and Chief A.C. Ojimba.

Having thoroughly inves-tigated the case, the diocese said it was convinced that the suspects were innocent of the allegations preferred against them by Revd Oha-chu.

It, however, noted that the contending parties might have said or done unchari-table things against one an-other thereby asked them to

embrace for peace and for-giveness.

This is contained in a statement of resolution signed by the Dean Regina Pacis Pastoral Region, Very Reverend Father Joseph B.C. Okorie and Reverend Father Christopher Ihenetu, the Di-ocesan Police Relations Of-ficer.

“The diocese of Orlu con-siders this case resolved and closed. Therefore, no future reference should be made

to this case,” the statement read in part.

It stressed that the role of the diocese of intercessory in the matter should neither be seen nor regarded as a ba-sis for any future litigation.

On their part, the sus-pected persons agreed to dis-continue with the report and investigation pending at the office of the Inspector- Gen-eral of Police and not to take up any legal action against Revd Ohachu.

UDEME AKPAN WITH AGENCY REPORT

The Federal High Court may rule on the tax dispute between

Nigeria LNG Limited and Nigerian Maritime Admin-istration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos today.

Confirming the develop-ment Reuters said: “Court has delayed a ruling on a tax dispute between Nigeria’s liq-uefied natural gas company (NLNG) and the maritime se-curity agency over taxes until Monday, extending a dead-lock that is costing $22 mil-

lion a day in lost gas exports, according to an economist.”

It stated that since June 21, NIMASA has barred LNG cargoes from entering or leaving the loading bay at the Bonny terminal in the Niger Delta because it says NLNG is not paying a 3 percent levy, from which the NLNG ar-gues it is exempt.

The agency said that the parties were in court in Lagos on Friday to try to resolve the dispute over the lawfulness of the blockade and the lev-ies, which NLNG spokesman

Kudo Ereia-Eke had earlier said he hoped would be re-solved.

It said: “The court ad-journed the case until Mon-day. Nigeria’s state oil firm owns 49 percent of NLNG with Shell holding 25.6 per-cent, Total 15 percent and Eni 10.4 percent.”

LNG accounted for nine per cent of Nigeria’s exports in 2012, said economist Bis-marck Rewane, CEO of La-gos-based consultancy Finan-cial Derivatives, or roughly $8.1 billion a year, a quarter of

Nigeria’s federal fiscal budget for 2013.

“That’s about $155 million a week, of which 51 percent belongs to the Nigerian gov-ernment,” he said. “That is a lot of money to the Finance Ministry.”

NLNG declared force ma-jeure on gas exports on June 28 because of the blockade and the need to avoid being liable to buyers who have signed long term agreements with the company.

Ereia-Eke declined to give figures for NLNG losses, and

finance ministry officials were not immediately available.

NIMASA spokesman Isi-chei Osamgbi said the agency was seeking cumulative lev-ies of $158 million.

“Our business is not to cause any crisis to the gas sector. We just insist on our dues. Why shouldn’t they pay the levies that are applicable to anybody?” he said.

NLNG argues that the act that established it makes it exempt, but Osamgbi said the exemptions expired after the first year of profit, following a

5-year holiday. A shipping source said NI-

MASA already charges LNG tankers $600,000 per berth to load at the NLNG bay, four times higher than the aver-age among the highest fees of any LNG port.

NLNG says a court or-der was issued on June 18 preventing NIMASA from blockading the port until a resolution was found, but the maritime agency denies that.

Buyers of Nigeria’s LNG include Spain’s Repsol, Italy’s Enel, Britain’s BG Group France’s GDF Suez and Por-tugal’s Galp.

Alleged kidnap: Catholic diocese exonerates suspects

Court may rule on NLNG/NIMASA tax suit today

•Endorse Elechi for senate

Dickson

EMMA GBEMUDUYENAGOA

Gunmen yesterday kidnapped the Spe-cial Adviser to the

Bayelsa State governor on Power, Mr. Olice Kemena-nabo, at his Port Harcourt residence in Rivers State.

The gunmen invaded Kemenanabo’s house at 12, Iriebe Street in D-line axis of the city about 1.30pm while he was re-turning from a church service.

The whereabouts of the victim were not known at press time as his family was yet to establish con-tact with the kidnappers.

The abduction of the governor’s aide has cre-ated apprehension among top government function-aries in the state.

Some people, however, said Kemenanabo’s ab-duction might have some political undertones.

A witness, who pleaded anonymity, told our cor-respondent that Kemena-nabo, who is also the Man-aging Director of Bayelsa Electricity Company, was taken away by the gun-men in his own car, a Toy-ota Avensa with registra-tion number A 27-12 BY.

It was learnt that the gunmen had threatened to shoot their victim if he raised the alarm to attract people’s attention.

Kemenanabo who was a General Manager of the State Electricity Board, Imiringi, was involved in an industrial accident in 2005 that almost claimed his life, as he suffered se-rious burns from a fire outbreak in the gas tur-bine station.

He was later flown abroad at the expense of the state government where he spent a couple of months receiving med-ical treatments.

Efforts to reach the Riv-ers State Police Public Relations Officer proved, but some security opera-tives in Rivers and Bay-elsa states confirmed the incident.

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

Tragedy struck in Benin, Edo State at the weekend when a

car crushed the father of a groom, identified as Mr. Ed-ward Airhiavbere, during a wedding.

The wedding, which at-tracted the cream of the social circles in the state capital, ended abruptly be-fore the couple could say, “Yes, I do.”

Many of the confused family members and guests either shook their heads in amazement as they re-turned home or simply stood rooted to the spot.

The incident occurred about 9.30am on Saturday in front of the Registry of the Oredo Local Govern-ment Area, located just about 100 metres from the sprawling palace of the Oba of Benin.

The groom, bride and others in the bridal train wept profusely as the vic-

tim reportedly died on the spot before he could be rushed to the nearby Cen-tral Hospital’s emergency ward for treatment.

Witnesses said the groom’s father died when an attempt to re-park an Isuzu V8 Sport Utility Ve-hicle, SUV, with registra-tion number Lagos SR 21 KJA in front of the registry gone awry.

A young man, who at-tempted to re-park the car lost control of the vehicle and crushed the septuage-narian Airhiavbere, who sat behind a Toyota Camry car with registration num-ber Edo BD 958 USL.

The victim was said to have died on the spot de-spite spirited attempts to save his life.

The unidentified young man trying to re-park the car exploited the ensuing confusion to escape mob action.

Also, the owner of the said SUV had not been identified at press time.

SEBASTINE EBHUOM-HANBENIN

Fuel shortage seems to be looming in Edo and Delta

states as the leadership crisis rocking the Inde-pendent Petroleum Mar-keters Association of Ni-geria, IPMAN, deepened at the weekend.

At the centre of the crisis is the Acting Chair-man of IPMAN, Mid-West Zone, comprising Edo and Delta states, Elder Solomon Ogbeiwi, who has been accused of per-petuating himself in office and seeking con-tinuation through the National Executive Com-

mittee of the association in Abuja, instead of sub-mitting himself to a free, fair and credible election after five years in office.

At the weekend, op-posing camps held differ-ent meetings at different places in Benin, where they vowed not to com-promise on an election said to have voted Ogbei-wi out of office.

Thereafter, Ogbeiwi allegedly ran to the na-tional IPMAN leadership to annul the said election.

Speaking after his group’s meeting at Ex-calibur Hotel, Ogbeiwi, a Benin High Chief, whose tenure was said to have expired since December 2012, said he did not rec-

ognise the said election. He said he was only

aware that IPMAN NEC had approved his chair-manship for another term.

At the meeting, the National Vice-President of IPMAN, Mr. Chinedu Okonkowo and other na-tional leaders, supported Ogbeiwi’s claim.

The national leaders brandished a 2009 amend-ed version of IPMAN constitution to back their support for Ogbeiwi.

But speaking after the newly elected executive committee’s meeting held at a filing station on Be-nin -Agbor Expressway, the Zone Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fred Ufua, said the national execu-

tive officers of IPMAN conspired with Ogbeiwi and thwarted election last year so as to impose him on the association.

He added that stake-holders insisted and went ahead to organise an elec-tion in which Ogbeiwi was voted out.

According to Ufua, who gave copies of IP-MAN constitution of 1983 and its amendments to the media, the amended constitution which the national executive offi-cers applied to perpetu-ate Ogbeiwi in office was yet to be signed into law by the association as it had remained a subject of litigation since its pro-duction.

SAM OLUWALANAPORT HARCOURT

The recent visit to the President by some Peoples Dem-

ocratic Party, PDP, lead-ers from Rivers State has been described as a ven-geance mission.

Senator Magnus Abe, who said this, said the visit did not have any component of reconcilia-tion and was entirely in-imical to the interest of the party and the people of the state.

Abe, who represents Rivers South-East in the National Assembly, termed the visit as ill-advised.

He said the visit was capable of truncating rec-onciliatory moves among aggrieved members.

The former Rivers

State Secretary to the State Government made these assertions in an in-terview with journalists in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of the state.

Abe observed that the group which visited the President was a faction of the party leadership in the state.

He said: “I am a sena-tor of the Federal Re-public of Nigeria and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, but was not invited, the Dep-uty Governor Tele Ikuru, to the best of my knowl-edge, was not invited, members of the House of Representatives were not invited just as several other stakeholders.”

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Pe-troleum (Downstream)

branded the delegation as people against Amaechi, even as he christened the visit “a vengeance mis-sion rather than a recon-ciliatory mission which is needed at the moment in the state”.

According to Abe, such visit clothed with black-mail and mudslinging, neither brings reconcili-ation nor creates peace “except they are saying the peace process has been abandoned for ven-geance mission”.

“In the address pre-sented during the visit, Governor Rotimi Amae-chi was accused of insti-gating crime in the state. Such comment is anti-peace. If they are aware that the governor is insti-gating crime, they ought to have reported him to the police, arrest the per-

petrators and let them tell you how the governor instigated them to com-mit crime”.

The lawmaker called for togetherness among party faithful in the state, especially at this chal-lenging moment.

Abe explained that uniting members genu-inely should be para-mount to all who wanted President Jonathan to succeed.

He said: “If you felt you were excluded, which makes you unhappy, try-ing to exclude others will not bring peace in the party; we will have peace when there is a sense of inclusion.

“That visit to the Presi-dent will not bring peace and reconciliation be-cause it was a shadow of inclusion.”

Rivers PDP’s visit to Jonathan, vengeance mission –Magnus Abe

Gunmen kidnap Dickson’s aide in Rivers

Car crushes groom’s father in front of registry

Edo/Delta IPMAN crisis threatens fuel supplyA vehicle which lost one of its tyres and burst into flames at Okada, Benin - Lagos Expressway, yesterday.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Monday, July 8, 2013 South South

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net12 North Monday, July 8, 2013

Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Amb. Nuhu Bajoga (left) and the Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs Division, Nigerian Electricity Commission (NERC), Dr. Abba Ibrahim, at the inaugura-tion of the commission’s office in Kaduna, recently. PHOTO:NAN

PRISCILLA DENNISMINNA

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has

disclosed that before giving support to any presidential candidate, the North would ensure proper negotiation to protect the interest of the region.

The chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, also empha-sised the need to fulfil every promise made to the region before election in the collec-tive interest of all.

Aliyu, who said this dur-ing the inauguration of office complex for federal workers in Enagi, the head-quarters of Edati Local Government, denied claims that he was clamouring for only presidential candidates from the North ahead 2015.

The governor explained that the region was pre-pared to support whoever was elected, while lampoon-ing those criticising him so as to get favour from the Presidency in the build up to the general elections.

Aliyu also warned that the state would not accept introduction of religion into its body polity.

He said: “Here in Niger

North’ll negotiate with presidential candidates –Aliyu

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

A top Catholic cleric in Jalingo, Rev. Father Charles Nyameh,

has challenged both the Taraba State House of As-sembly and the state execu-tive council to say the truth about the state of health of Governor Danbaba Suntai.

Suntai was involved in a chopper crash about eight months ago, incapacitating him from performing the functions of his office.

Although there have been

conflicting reports about his health status, the constitu-tion provides for what to do in a situation like this which the Assembly has failed to do.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the cleric accused politicians in the state of ly-ing about the state of health of the governor, warning that “it is time the truth was known so that the state can move forward”.

He said: “I strongly call and urge, in the name of God, Taraba State Executive Council and Taraba State House of Assembly to do

what is necessary and with-in their constitutional pow-ers, to make Taraba State have a substantive governor.

“We cannot continue in this situation indefinitely; we should tell ourselves the truth and do what is neces-sary for the state to move forward.

“If it is in our position or power to make the governor well and bring him back to continue his work, we would have done it since we have prayed and are still praying, but it is not out decision to make.

“We had to come to terms eventually with certain re-alities which are not in our power to determine. It is a common factor in Nigeria that we often don’t want to say the truth if it affects our ‘interests’, which are often selfish.

“But we have to face real-ity as it is. If we don’t speak because we think we might be at a disadvantaged posi-tion, when a similar incident occurs when we might be in an advantage position, we must be prepared to also re-main silent.”

Tell us Suntai’s true health status –Cleric

AZA MSUEKADUNA

A group under the auspices of the Na-tional Association

of Northern State Students Union, NANSSU, at the weekend rejected the ambi-tion of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 presiden-tial election.

NANSSU said the Presi-dent caused more harm than good in the educational sec-tor.

In an online statement signed by its National Sec-retary, Comrade Ado Shehu, the group said its position against Jonathan’s ru-moured ambition was based on the poor state of educa-tion in the country.

The statement, however, called on Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State to seek presidential election, saying what he had done should be replicated across the country.

NANSSU doubted free and fair elections in 2015, stressing that Jonathan’s

support to “an illegitimate” faction of the Nigerian Gov-ernors’ Forum, NGF, Chair-man, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, rather than the winner, Governor Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers State showed a great danger

ahead.The statement reads in

part: “The fuel subsidy re-moval tsunami still fresh in the minds of Nigerians, with many empty and unfulfilled promises like provision of qualitative healthcare ser-vices, job creation, eradi-cation of unemployment among Nigerian youths, just a few to

mention, remain un-changed.

“Youths are the future generation and education is the only legacy for them but under President Good-luck Jonathan the Nigerian polytechnics are on strike for over two months, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has now started its own strike and Mr. President shows less or no concern over these issues.”

Nigerians taking ref-uge in the border area of Niger Repub-

lic have been asked to return home, three weeks after Boko Haram forced them to flee their homes.

The Borno State Deputy Governor, Zannah Mustapha, made the call during a visit to the refugees at the weekend.

The deputy governor as-sured the refugees of their safety in Borno State.

But Mustapha’s assur-ance came as violence erupt-ed in neighbouring Yobe State where suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 20 students and a teach-er in a school raid.

Officials of Diffa Province in Niger Republic said 6,240 displaced persons fled from the Nigerian border villages into their country.

The Secretary General of Diffa Province, Hassan Ardo, disclosed this after receiving Mustapha in Bosso Council where some of the refugees were being hosted.

The deputy governor was in the Nigerien border area to assure the refugees of their safety and to ask them to return to their homes, as he said adequate security had been provided to secure them from further attacks.

Ardo said the refugees comprised of Nigerian citi-zens and Nigeriens living in

Nigeria. The Secretary General

of Diffa said at least 1,500 Nigerians were received in Bosso Council of Diffa, and had been hosted and catered for since their arrival three weeks ago.

The displaced men, wom-en and children recalled their ordeal before getting to the safe haven provided by the Nigerien government.

A young female refuge, an 18-year-old Kaka Fanta, told journalists through an inter-preter that it was the sound of gun fighting between the Boko Haram terrorists and soldiers that forced her and her parents to flee into Bosso.

She said: “We’ve been here for three weeks now. There is no camp here either; the people receive us in their various homes. The first day we escaped into Bosso the town ran out of drinking wa-ter, until authorities here be-gan to supplement the water through water tanks.”

Madi Bukar, a local cab driver said “bullets fell like in-sects on the day the gunmen engaged security operatives in Malumfatori.”

He said: “The trouble started when soldiers got the hint that some injured Boko Haram members were being kept and given medical treat-ment in a particular house in Malumfatori.

2015: Northern students reject Jonathan

Refugees in Niger can now return –Borno govt

AUGUSTINE MADU-WESTKANO

The leadership crisis rocking the Igbo com-munity in Kano State

has deepened as Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday blamed a faction led by Chief Boniface Ibekwe for the problems con-fronting Igbo in the state.

The Igbo apex body ac-

cused Ibekwe of instigating the state government against the Patent Medicine Dealers.

The government and the Kano drug dealers have been engaged in a bitter confronta-tion for months.

The accusation is con-tained in a statement is-sued by the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano, Chief Tobias Michael Idika,

and Chairman, Council of Elders, Ichie Uche Megwalu.

The association said Ibe-kwe was a self-acclaimed leader as he was not given the mandate in any recognised forum of Ndigbo and there-fore, represented himself and members of his family, and not Ndigbo in the state.

The statement reads in part: “As for the running

battle between the Drug Deal-ers’ Association populated by Ndigbo and the state which has raged for a very long time resulting in the huge loss of finances by members, we now know where this prob-lem is coming from. We now know who is instigating the Kano State Government to push these people out of busi-ness for no just cause.

Faction behind medicine sellers’ problems in Kano –Ohanaeze

State, we do not play the pol-itics of religion as such at-titude would negate the de-velopment drive of the state and the country at large.”

The governor also said in preparatory to the lo-cal government polls in 2014, he would commence

a state-wide tour of the 25 councils from August to in-spect all projects executed by the local government chairmen.

He said: “Edati chair-man has proven that the state government does not temper with allocation to

the councils, today with the projects executed.”

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Edati, Alhaji Isah Kantigi, told Aliyu that the council expended N260 million to construct some projects by cutting the over head cost by 50 per cent.

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

The Peoples Demo-cratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has said

it will soon come out with the modality for the emer-gence of its governorship candidate for the 2014 elec-tion through consensus ap-proach.

The PDP state chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe,

authority as a leading Yo-ruba monarch.

“Alaafin is intellectually, spiritually and physically endowed. He has distin-guished himself as a lead-ing monarch with integrity. He always strives for the peace and progress of the Yoruba people at all levels. You are, indeed a pride to Oyo town, our state, the na-tion and the entire Africa

Ajimobi spoke during the 70th birthday anniversary of Alhaja Ramat Adeyemi, the monarch’s second wife.

The governor, noting that discipline and selfless service were vital ingre-dients of good leadership, said: “Our father has dem-onstrated high sense of integrity. This is evident in his ability to manage a large family and assert his

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Governor Abiola Aji-mobi of Oyo State at the weekend de-

scribed the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, as an intellectually, spiritually and physically endowed monarch, who is passionate about the peace and prog-ress of the Yoruba people.

L-R: Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto; Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and Chairman of Edati Local Government Area, Isa Kantigi, during the commissioning of Workers Village Housing Estate for the local government Staff, in Enagi, at the Weekend.

Ekiti 2014: PDP’ll soon release consensus modality, says chair

Ajimobi hails Alaafi n’s passion for Yoruba progress

COYA condemns centenary celebration

FELIX NWANERI

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has hailed the African

Union, AU, for suspending Egypt’s membership of the continental body in the wake of the coup, which saw the overthrow of Presi-dent Mohammed Morsi.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Na-tional Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the

SINA FADARE

The President of Co-alition for Yoruba Autonomy, COYA,

Ambassador Kunle Adeso-kan, has said that the ongo-ing centenary celebration of Nigeria is a mere waste of time because the bases of the existence of the com-ponents that make the na-tion is shaking.

Adesokan stated this yes-terday in Lagos during the celebration of Yoruba leaders who died in the cause of their struggle for the betterment of the country, adding that since the existence of the country is shaking, the only panacea is a people’s conference that will give a new lease of life and direction for a more unit-ed country.

According to him, “the co-lonialist that amalgamated us together gave us a life line, that if after 100 years of our coming together we can no longer cope, we can go our different ways. If by now we cannot come together as a nation, and no development to show for it as a nation, that

ally adjudged to be free and fair.

ACN said it does not mat-ter how popular the public protests that led the mili-tary to make the change was, what happened in Egypt was a coup d’etat which must be condemned.

“Democracy remains the best form of govern-ment known to man, and in order to grow it, it must be nurtured. But if every time there are protests in a democracy, the military

however, cautioned aspi-rants in the election against utterances and acts capable of causing disaffection as he assured all of them of level-playing ground.

The PDP boss told jour-nalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday that the party would give adequate consideration to President Goodluck Jona-than’s advice on the need to select its flagbearer in a

this as a drawback, but there can be no other way if democracy is to be prop-erly practiced,” ACN said.

The party added that while many Britons and Americans disagreed with their governments over the Iraqi war and held several public protests to vent their disappointment, such did not cause the military in both countries to push their democratically-elected gov-ernments out of power, as was the case in Egypt.

moves in to effect a change of government, then de-mocracy will never grow.

“Democracy has some universal tenets, which include the fact that free and fair election is the only means of getting to power and the only way of losing it. This means that even if people make a wrong choice, they are stuck with it until the next elections, unless in countries where you have a recall mecha-nism. Some may describe

manner devoid of rancour to achieve success in the election.

No fewer than 25 PDP members across the three senatorial districts are jostling for the ticket of the party. The call for zon-ing of the position to the South Senatorial District is gaining momentum by the day, while others are calling for open primary for all contenders.

Ogundipe said: “The ad-vice given us that we should select our governorship candidate through a con-sensus approach came from unbiased quarter and we are ready to make it work. No aspirant should do any-thing whether overtly or otherwise to cause trouble in the party.

“We, the State Working Committee, SWC, mem-bers, are once again, assur-ing all aspirants of fairness

and justice. Nobody will be cheated. As much as possi-ble we will involve all stake-holders in the decision-making process.”

The PDP state chair-man, however, urged the aspirants to ensure suc-cess of the arrangement, saying: “Those who sug-gested the consensus op-tion are no fools. They know the kind of trouble associated with other methods some people are suggesting, in as much as we want to carry every-body along, we are not go-ing to condone any act of indiscipline and nobody should see himself or her-self as being bigger than the party.

“What we are after is total victory for the party come next year. We know that our party can do it better than the ACN,” he added.

party said the action shows that AU is serious about the adherence to its Constitu-tive Act, which prohibits an unconstitutional change of government.

The party also said the Nigerian government did the right thing by prompt-ly condemning the action of the Egyptian military and calling for the imme-diate restoration of de-mocracy in the North Afri-can country.

It expressed the hope

we cannot conduct election among 36 governors and get result, I think such a country does not worth staying to-gether as a nation.

“Therefore, the proposed 2014 centenary project is a mere wasting of time, if the national sovereignty does not come up before then.”

Speaking on the occa-sion, human rights cru-sader, Femi Falana, SAN, pointed out that the fallen heroes deserve such a cel-ebration, noting that yester-day marked the day which Chief MKO Abiola was poi-soned through a cup of tea.

He said: “Let us look back and see where we have fumbled and why all our educational values which were things of pride those days has suddenly gone yonder. We should be ask-ing question on what the likes of Awolowo put to-gether to make him a leg-end. We can no longer tol-erate the mere putting on Awo cap without putting on his type of thinking faculty that produced those monu-mental infrastructure we are pointing to, today.”

that Egyptians will allow democracy to thrive in their country by eschewing the kind of change recently brought about by their mil-itary at the expense of the country’s democratically-elected government.

The party said while many in Egypt may not like the Muslim Brother-hood or be happy with the government of President Mohammed Morsi, the fact remains that they both won an election that was glob-

and black race.”Arch Bishop Ayo Ladig-

bolu (rtd.), who read the citation of the celebrant, lauded Ajimobi’s adminis-tration for executing infra-structural projects.

Oba Adeyemi commend-ed Ajimobi administration for restoring peace to the state while also pledging his support to his adminis-tration.

Coup: ACN backs AU, Nigeria’s stand on Egypt

PoliticsNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 13Monday, July 8, 2013

2015: Tough task before APC’s NWC

14

A Herculean task awaits the recently appointed members of the Nation-al Working Committee, NWC, of

the yet-to-be registered All Progressives Congress, APC, as the opposition’s alliance perfect strategies to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the centre in the 2015 elections.

The tough nature of the job stems from the fact that the PDP remains the dominant party in the present political dispensation, having won the presidential elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. The party also prides itself as the largest political party in Africa and no doubt, controls more than two third of elective positions at the three tiers of government.

The intimidating profile, no doubt, lead-ers of the APC have expressed optimism of a possible defeat of the PDP in the next elections, as politics, to them remains the doctrine of the possible. Their confidence is despite doubts about the workability of the merger as previous alliances in the country’s political process never worked.

The mixed feeling, perhaps, explains the rationale for the array of personalities that have been appointed to steer the party’s ship, on an interim arrangement. The APC NWC was ratified by leaders of the merg-ing parties - the Action Congress of Nige-ria, ACN; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Al-liance, APGA, at a meeting also attended by four governors –Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Adams Osh-iomhole (Edo) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).

On the list are Chief Bisi Akande (Chair-man); Senator Annie Okonkwo (Deputy Chairman, South); Aminu Masari (Deputy Chairman, North); Alhaji Tijani Tumsah (Secretary); Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Deputy National Secretary); Hajiya Sadiya (Trea-surer); Alhaji Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary and Mr. Isa Madu Chul (Deputy National Publicity Secretary).

Others are Senator Osita Izunaso (Na-tional Organising Secretary); Otunba Niyi Adebayo (National Vice Chairman South-West); Chief Tom Ikimi (National Vice-Chairman, South-South); Gen. Abdullahi Aboki (National Vice Chairman, North-Central); Dr. Ayim Nyerere (National Vice-Chairman, South-East); Mr. Salisu Fagge (National Chairman, North-West and Uma-ru Duhu (National Vice-Chairman North-East) among others.

The rich political experience of the ap-pointees, notwithstanding, their major challenge would be enforcement of internal democracy, especially as it concerns party primaries. A test case would be the selection of candidates for the forthcoming polls, be-ginning with the Anambra State governor-ship poll billed for later in the year and those of Ekiti and Osun states in 2014, should the APC get registered before then.

Whereas the opposition parties have persistently criticised the PDP for lacking internal democracy, it is equally clear that they cannot exonerate themselves of simi-lar offence. Most of their leaders, it would be recalled, hoodwinked some of their members in 2011 to purchase nomination

forms for party primaries but went ahead to organise charades where they installed their stooges and cronies.

For instance, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-sion, EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, emerged the consensus presidential candidate of the ACN against other aspirants like the former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji At-tahiru Bafarawa.

Besides Ribadu, majority of ACN’s can-didates also emerged through consensus, even when most party members alleged that they were imposed on them.

The CPC and the ANPP are equally not free from this misdemeanour. National Sec-retary of the CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, was particularly accused of imposition of candidates and disregard of court judge-ments during the 2011 elections; a develop-ment which cost the party victory in most states of the North.

Another major challenge is that of pow-er balancing, as most analysts believe that it will be worthwhile if the APC wastes no time to unveil its power sharing formula and other related or vexatious issues such as zoning that seems to be the PDP’s main problem at the moment.

How the Akande Committee resolves these contentious issues will make or mar the fortunes of the party. This assumption is based on the fact that the North-West and South-West, which are key partners in the merger deal have taken their respective turns to rule the country for no less than a decade each, both during the military and civilian era, as opposed to the South-East that has not taken a shot at the Presidency for a full term of four years or the South-

perception in some quarters that the party is a Hausa/Yoruba party, is wrong.

His words: “We, the people of the South-East observed that the only political party where an Igbo man will have a say and ample opportunity to actualise their presidential ambition is in the APC. With the signatory of the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, APC has become a rec-ognised national party and every position will be shared equally. The focus point of APC is internal democracy and I am very optimistic that an Igbo man will emerge as the presidential candidate of APC in 2015.”

The ACN has equally denounced what it described as “the consistent campaign of calumny against the APC” by those who are saying that the interim leadership of the party is controlled by Muslims, and that it did not reflect the country’s plural values.

Noting that such attempt is cheap black-mail that cannot withstand the test of time, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Al-haji Lai Mohammed, in a press statement, said the campaign is being waged by those who are hell-bent on perpetuating medio-cre leadership in Nigeria.

According to him, “the truth is that while ethno-religious sentiments did not form the criteria used in selecting the in-terim leadership, we were conscious that Nigeria is a country of plural values. That is why we have 17 Christians and 18 Mus-lims (the best balance possible in the odd number of 35 posts that were shared). That is why the 35 occupiers of the positions are from 29 different states, four more than the 25 stipulated by INEC. It was equal oppor-tunity across all zones.”

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who also debunked the insinuation, said: “This is merely the PDP ploy to sell a lie to the public and attempt to clothe it as truth and it shall not stand.”

Even with the explanations, many be-lieve that the allocation of positions in the party is temporary; as such positions would be re-jigged to reflect and accommodate ethnic and religious diversity of the nation when the APC holds its national convention to elect its executives later in the year.

Former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, in the June 12, 1993 election, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, said: “What I must advise is that these interim leaders, who are among the best fruits of the party, must be encour-aged to contest those or other positions at the national convention. There cannot, for example, be a better Publicity Secretary than Lai Mohammed. The fact that they are the interim leaders now, must not be a reason to preclude them from the next per-manent executive of the party.”

Tofa described the interim national chairman, Akande, as a gentleman of im-peccable character, incredible humility and integrity, adding that the former Osun State governor’s wealth of experience as well as his sense of fairness and justice will enable him to lead the party effectively.

While it would be too early to conclude whether the opposition’s alliance will sur-mount the challenges ahead and come up with a formidable platform that will match the ruling party in 2015, chieftains of the APC must subordinate personal ambitions to the larger group interest of Nigerians, who are looking up to them to for a positive change in the polity.

FELIX NWANERI writes on the challenges before the newly appointed interim National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

2015: Tough task before APC’s NWC

Akande el-Rufai

South that is striving to round off its first term or the North-East and the North-Cen-tral that collectively ruled for over 20 years.

The question then is: Which geo-politi-cal zone will produce the presidential flag-bearer of the APC in 2015? The issue arises because the party will find it tricky to con-vince its supporters and members with their diverse ethnic and religious back-grounds that they have a stake should it not adopt the principle of zoning or rotation of power and offices.

Leaders of the APC, who seemed to have realised the tricky nature of this issue have resolved to leave it out of their discussions for now to avoid upsetting the apple cart of the new party.

A former Head of State and presidential candidate of the CPC in the 2011 elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who hails from the North-West (Katsina State), has already indicated interest to contest the forthcom-ing poll. His party, the CPC, has also of late, persistently insisted that he will not drop his presidential ambition in 2015.

The party’s spokesman, Rotimi Fasha-kin, recently said: “It is not true that Gen. Buhari is stepping down. He will make himself available for the 2015 election if he is accepted by the new arrangement,” even as he added that “if he (Buhari) is not ac-cepted, he is a democrat; he will not force himself on the party.”

There are equally calls by some support-ers of the former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on him to take a shot at the 2015 Presidency even though he hails from the South-West, which occupied the posi-tion between 1999 and 2007.

A Buhari or Tinubu candidacy is likely not to gain the support of the people of the South-East and to some extent, the South-South, who may see the APC more as a Hausa/Yoruba or even a Muslim party.

On the other hand, anything short of a presidential candidate from either the North or South-West, may rock the party’s chances, as bulk of its votes are expected from both regions. While the ACN enjoys an almost absolute control of the South-West, Buhari enjoys a near cult-follower-ship in the North.

Senator Okonkwo (the party’s Deputy Chairman, South), who in the meantime, has allayed the fear of marginalisation of the South-East in the APC insists that the

CHIEFTAINS OF THE APC MUST

SUBORDINATE PERSONAL AMBITIONS

TO THE LARGER GROUP INTEREST OF

NIGERIANS, WHO ARE LOOKING UP TO THEM TO FOR A POSITIVE CHANGE

IN THE POLITY

Politics National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 201314

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 15Monday, July 8, 2013 Views

CALLISTUSOKE

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HeartBeat

A LEADER’S PERSONALITY, HIS/

HER STYLE, CAPACITY AND PRODUCTIVITY, COULD TURN ON OR TURN OFF PEOPLE

EVERYBODY THAT HAS EXPERIENCED HAJJ, THE FIFTH PILLAR OF ISLAM AND THE JOURNEY OF A

LIFE TIME, WILL READILY AGREE THAT THE

OBLIGATORY PILGRIMAGE IS STRESSFUL

The most contemporary discourse engaging the attention of Nigeri-ans in a very intense tempo is the

recent visit of President Barack Obama of the United States of America to Af-rica. For six days (June 26 - July 1, 2013) the US President toured Senegal, Tan-zania and South Africa. The exclusion of Nigeria from the itinerary perhaps, gives sharper focus to the reasons for the African tour, one of which is that Obama was not in Africa for a jamboree!

Many commentators consider the exclusion of Nigeria a ‘big slight’, (or is it a snub?) Considering our conti-nental status as Africa’s most popu-lous country and the second biggest economy after South Africa, and the enormous potentials that are raw ma-terials for our greatness if well har-nessed, Obama’s seemingly irreverent treatment of our country could evoke anger and resentment among Nigeri-ans. But of what use is our perception of this development to the global audi-ence, especially America? It is for this reason I think that rather than whine over the supposed slight, we should see it as a wakeup call to work on issues

Literatures of mental and emotional health will define stress as pres-sure or worry caused by challenges

in somebody’s life. Therefore, stressors are those factors, situations, events and episodes in our everyday day life that pre-dispose us to worries. However, there is beauty in stress. This is because stress is all about exertion, going extra length, mak-ing sacrifices to deal with challenges; there is always a result or a reward. So, stressors are some kind of motivation.

Everybody that has experienced Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam and the journey of a life time, will readily agree that the oblig-atory pilgrimage is stressful. Many Hajjis and Hajjahs, who performed the last pil-grimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia have now settled to their everyday life having concluded the rites of service or hearken-ing to the call of Allah almost three months ago, and returned home to the embrace of their beloveds. Readily, they told stories of how stressful the Hajj experience was, but it is always something they would want to re-enact, if they have the means. Often, a Hajji relishes narrating hair splitting and head swelling feelings he experienced at the sight of the majestic Kaaba and the baitul atiq, the humbling effect of visiting the grave of the Prophet in Madinah Mu-nawarah, the tearful joys of standing at Arafah, the rigour of Jamrah, the struggle to touch the Hajarah Aswad or stand at the maqamah Ibrahim, the strain of complet-ing the jog of safa and Marwah, doing the Saai. These cannot be fully appreciated ex-

cept one makes this exerting journey.I have flown over the Arabian Desert sev-

eral times in my sojourns to the Asia-Pacif-ic region, not touching down in Makkah yet. So I still romanticize of making the Hajj soon. But the stress of Hajj is not for the pilgrim alone. Everybody around him or her - family members, friends, and even his work or business shares in the stress. Since the mid 70s, uncountable number of my family members has been making the Hajj: my parents, siblings, cousins, neph-ews, uncles and aunts. My wife just joined the league in the last pilgrimage. As I am always involved in their preparation, es-corting them in all the required protocols at the Pilgrims Board, the Hajj Camp and to the airport up to the time they board, I am also always stressed by the Hajj experience.

It does not stop with wishing them bye or Hajj Mabrur. We have to follow up on their welfare while in Hajj, making phone calls and even reimbursing them as may be demanded until their arrival. We find our-selves swimming in their stress in the reli-gious rites of Hajj in the chants of Labayk, or at your presence Oh Lord, for in Hajj, pilgrims are more in the presence of their Lord enduring the pains and stress, the sac-rifices and denials that this spiritual exer-cise entails. We pray for them and do vigils for their safety. Our hearts are never at rest until we receive them in flesh, because ev-ery day in Hajj, casualties are recorded.

Now the naira and kobo or dollar cost. Can we put a figure on the financial impli-cations of Hajj? For the least affluent Hajji,

Shrugging off Obama’s slight

Hajj in Nigeria: Not yet uhuru

the minimum required to undertake this journey is not less than a million naira, including the BTA to maintain you while in the holy land. When you also think of the compliments of gifts for family, friends and well wishers, the figure is upped, and when you consider what to leave behind because your pilgrimage is not supposed to affect the upkeep of your family while you are in Saudi for a minimum of two weeks, another basket of fund is needed.

And you could be so unlucky to be trapped in the inefficiency of the Hajj com-mission or agency. This translates into some costs financially and emotionally. In a system where we still undergo all the required processes and protocols of appli-cation, registration, immigration, inocula-tion and enlightenment enduring inclem-ent weather and even fraud, Hajj can be discouraging in country like Nigeria.

Delays at uncongenial Hajj transit

camps, possibility of loss or theft of wal-lets or passports at the airport, mindless disappearance of some conscienceless pilgrim board officials or travel agents who abandon pilgrims to their fate, and the arrogance of some airline operators treating pilgrims as pigs spell the serious stress called Hajj. So raising the required funds and preparing for Hajj and coping with the abuses and travel horrors is what almost every Hajji endures, because it is a religious obligation you aspire to meet as a mature Muslim until you answer the last call of your lord. But the real preparation for Hajj is God-consciousness, Taqwah!

To be continued

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ABDUL-WAREES SOLANKE

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Mirror of the moment

that make the world dismiss us as an unserious country.

Nigeria, to the outside world re-mains a multifaceted conundrum; she is a world of contrasts, an enigmatic entity where there is pervasive miseri-sation of the majority in the face of plenty, and mediocre leadership is the rule rather than the exception. Nigeria is one huge house of commotion where anglings over central power because of the infinite opportunities and ad-vantages it confers define the charac-ter and substance of her politics.

Having said this, however, we must put the manifest behaviour of Obama within the context of the dictum that “countries don’t have friends. They only have interests.” Nigeria used to be US’s strategic partner on account of oil. This has suffered reverse as America now looks more inward. Also, Nigeria is among 38 African countries that have criminalized same sex mar-riage, while the position of the US is that countries should be more tol-erant about and respect the sexual preferences of individuals. Perhaps,

I should also add the pervasive Boko Haram-induced insecurity with the plethora of kidnappings and sectarian strife across the country puts a strong question mark on the capacity of the political leadership.

In retrospect, however, three Amer-ican presidents have visited Nigeria - Jimmy Carter (1978), Bill Clinton (2000), and George W. Bush (2003). It is not a mere coincidence that the three visits took place when a perceptively strong leader, Chief Olusegun Obasan-jo, was on the saddle. A leader’s per-sonality, his/her style, capacity and productivity, could turn on or turn off people. Does it make sense to us that Obama’s first ever visit to Africa in 2009 was to Ghana, where in the eye of the world, things are happening be-cause of positive governance?

What does this tell us? We must put our house in order. America has ceased to be the epicenter of the seri-ous world. China is catching up fast. Her trade with Africa in 2012 is in the region of $200 billion, more than dou-ble the $95 billion of the U.S. The other members of the BRICS countries, Bra-zil, Russia, India and South Africa are taking the world by storm, while what we do best here is empty sloganeering.

Africa is generally seen as the new continent to watch. President Obama acknowledged this in his speech at the University of Cape Town when he said that “... one of the wonderful things that’s happening is where people used to only see suffering and conflict in

Africa, suddenly, now they’re seeing opportunity for resources, for invest-ment, for partnership, for influence.”

Sub-Saharan Africa is now home to 11 of the 20 fastest-growing econo-mies in the world. It also has both the youngest and fastest-growing popula-tion. The needed impetus to convert these immense potentials into great-ness must come from the leadership, quality leadership for that matter. This painfully is what we are not get-ting in Nigeria.

President Obama has a $7 billion five-year initiative intended to add 10,000 megawatts of new electricity generation and expand electricity to 20 million homes and businesses in the continent. Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ke-nya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Mozam-bique and Liberia are considered as beneficiaries of the largesse. He has also proposed a new relationship with Africa based on a “partnership of equals” ,and which is geared towards empowering African states to access opportunities arising from trade. Re-alising this, he said, would mean re-newing and strengthening the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows a range of goods pro-duced on the continent to enter the US tariff-free.

The challenge for our leaders is to develop the frameworks for harnessing global business opportunities and at-tracting foreign investment. The time to stop being exporter of raw materials is now.

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

16 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netEditorial Monday, July 8, 2013

All the Facts, All the SidesAll the Facts, All the SidesA PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD

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HAD THE REVOCATION OF THE LICENSE

AND GROUNDING OF THE AIRLINE BEEN SUSTAINED A BIT

LONGER, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE COMMITTED

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The Federal Government’s recent intervention meant to fast-track the pay-

ment of claims to the families left behind by victims of Dana Airline’s June 3, 2012 plane crash in Iju, Lagos, is yet another reminder of the tragic air mis-hap that claimed the lives of 153 passengers and crew members and many others on ground. More than a year after the fatal incident, however, many of the families of the victims are yet to be compensated.

The Minister of Aviation, Prin-cess Stella Oduah, indicated last week that the airline had paid up to 60 percent of the claims, but that the delay being experienced by Dana Airline’s management in concluding the settlement was due to double claims that needed to be clarified. She said the airline had up to six months (between now and December this year) to complete the payment of compensation to all affected families or face sanctions. The aviation ministry had at the first anniversary of the tragic air mishap and unveiling of the me-morial cenotaph built to immor-talise the dead in Lagos early last month, announced that the FG was working with the airline’s management to ensure that all

compensation disagreements were amicably resolved.

It is rather surprising that over a year after the said plane crash, families that lost their bread winners and loved ones are still on the queue waiting for their compensation to be paid, despite what seemed the airline’s sincere commitment to settling the bereaved families as quickly as possible. Dana Airline’s snail-speed in settling the claims had compelled some of the affected to petition the government in search of respite. Indeed, not long ago, the company’s manage-ment was accused of trying to justify its delay of the compen-sation payment with ridiculous excuses and smart attempts to expunge the names of certain families on grounds of passive or weak family affiliations. Worst

hit were families of the ground victims of the crash, as well as those of victims who joined the ill-fated air plane with tickets repurchased from passengers who eventually could not make the trip.

It is a sad commentary that long after the unfortunate na-tional disaster, the payment of compensation to the families of the victims is still being delayed because of so-called multiple claims, difficulties in ascertain-ing the next-of-kin and who should or should not collect what. While the cases of on-the- ground victims may be disputed to some extent if dubiously presented, those of the families of victims listed on the airline’s manifest, including those that joined the aircraft with third party tickets and crew members ought to have been sorted out by now. That just a little over half of the families of victims have so far gotten their compensa-tion seems an indication that the delay may be as a result of other factors known only to the airline other than the problems of documentation and identifica-tion being flaunted by both the government and management of Dana. Should the problem be cash crunch, it is unacceptable

that an airline of Dana’s repute could be in business without the requisite insurance cover against the unforeseen, as was the case on June 3 last year.

The gruelling experience and delay the families of the crash victims are now being made to pass through before being paid handouts that can never bring their dead back to life appear a vindication of the public outrage that greeted the FG’s approval of Dana Airline’s return to busi-ness shortly after the crash. Had the revocation of the license and grounding of the airline been sustained a bit longer, it probably would have been more commit-ted to settling the affected fami-lies. However, December 2013 is not eternity.

The FG and other stakehold-ers should join hands in compel-ling Dana Airline to settle the compensation due the families of the victims of the last year air crash between now and the expiration of the six-month ulti-matum the government gave the airline. And should the airline fail to meet the target, the FG should not dwell on rhetoric. It should move fast and decisively to compel compliance, even if it entails disrupting the operations of the airline.

FG’s ultimatum to Dana Airline

ON THIS DAYSpace Shuttle Atlantis was launched in the final mission of

the United States’ Space Shuttle programme. The Space Shuttle Atlantis was a Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-tion (NASA), the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the US. Atlantis was the fourth operational (and the next-to-the-last) Space Shuttle to be constructed by a company in Southern California.

July 8, 2011 July 8, 1988

The Island Express train travelling from Bangalore to Kanyaku-mari derailed on the Peruman bridge and fell into the Ashtamudi Lake, killing 105 passengers and injuring over 200 others. The hor-rible accident happened while the train was on its way to Nagercoil when a large number of its coaches fell into the lake Ashtamudi Kayal while crossing the railway bridge. This resulted in the deaths of many and injuries for lucky survivors.

July 8, 1994

Kim Jong-il assumed supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim 1l-sung. Kim Jong-il (February 16, 1941 – December 17, 2011) was the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea DPRK (commonly called North Korea) from 1994 to 2011. He succeeded his father and founder of the DPRK, Kim Il-sung, following the elder Kim’s death in 1994.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A2 18 Business CourageCourage

A Publication of GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTDBARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

SEMIU SALAMI EDITORADEJUWON OSUNNUYI STAFF WRITERTAYO ADELEKE SENIOR REPORTER

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BusinessCourage

Cover

Lagos State is on the verge of joining the league of oil producing states in the country, a development which experts say would not only raise the state’s revenues, and employment, but also poses serious communal and environmental challenges

By Udeme Akpan

As at the last count, Anambra State was the newest addition to the elite club of Nigeria’s

oil producing states through the Anambra Basin which re-corded a major oil discovery in 2012, thus making it the sec-ond Basin to start oil and gas production in the country.

In August last year, the Federal Government declared Anambra State the 10th oil

producing state in the country during the inauguration of Ori-ent Petroleum’s Anambra River Production Facility in Aguleri-Out.

As things stand now, Anam-bra may not be the last as La-gos; the nation’s commercial capital, is on the verge of be-coming a major oil and gas bearing state.

Afren Plc and its partners, Lekoil Limited and Optimum Petroleum reported signifi cant oil discovery offshore Dahomey

Basin in Lagos. The discov-ered light oil accumulation was based on the results of drilling and wire line logs from a high impact Ogo-1 well, located on the Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL 310 offshore Nigeria. Afren is optimistic that the discov-ery is likely to be higher than its initial 78 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) target, which encourages search to further high potential zones.

Business Courage fi ndings showed that the Department

of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the industry regula-tor has already delved into the matter to validate the development.

Afren stated that: “The Ogo-1 well has been drilled to a total measured depth of 10,518 ft (10,402 ft true vertical depth subsea), and has encountered a gross hydrocarbon section of 524

ft, with 216 ft of net stacked pay. The well was targeting 78 mmboe of gross P50 prospective resources, but based on evi-dence to date; targeted resourc-es are likely to be signifi cantly in excess of previous estimates. Further evaluation using wire-line log analysis is currently underway prior to extending the well to a total measured depth of 11,800 ft (11,684 ft vertical depth subsea) to target further high potential zones.

It stated that “The Ogo-1

An oil rig on the Lagos coast

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discovery, testing a four-way dip-closed structure in the Turonian, Cenomanian, and Al-bian sandstone reservoirs, con-fi rms the extension of the same Cretaceous sandstones that have yielded other signifi cant discoveries along the West Afri-can Transform Margin, WATM.

The fi rm explained that: “Following the completion of drilling operations at Ogo-1, the Partners intend to drill a planned side-track, Ogo-1 ST, which will test a new play of stratigraphically trapped sedi-ments that pinch-out onto the basement high targeting 124 mmboe of gross P50 prospective resources.

It also stated that: “The dis-covery of oil in the Ogo-1 well opens up a new oil basin in an under-explored region and rep-resents a possible extension of the West African Transform Margin. Based on evidence to date, targeted resources are likely to be signifi cantly in ex-cess of previous estimates, with some high-potential zones still to be drilled. We look forward to working with our Partners to realise the full potential of Ogo and our additional prospects on the license. The Ogo-1 explora-tion success follows a series of recent discoveries, Okoro Field Extension, Ebok North Fault Block and Okwok in Nigeria and Simrit-2 and Simrit-3 on the Ain Sifni Block in the Kurd-istan region of Iraq.”

Clearly, the new fi nd will de-light Lagosians and other Nige-rians, not only because of the present development but partly because another group, Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum and Chev-ron already plan to start pro-duction from the Aje gas and condensate fi eld, located at Oil Mining Lease 113, about 43 ki-lometres offshore Lagos.

The fi eld is expected to reach a peak production of between

50,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day. The water depth in the region is 3,000 feet. Major shareholders espe-cially Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum are said to be working to realise the plan. The OML was formerly known as Oil Operating Licence 309 and which was awarded to Yinka Folawoyo in 1991 as part of government measures to increase the involvement of in-digenous fi rms in the industry. The licence was converted to OML 113 in 1998 for a period of 20 years. It is expected to yield about 60.2 million standard cu-bic feet of gas a day; 1,729 bar-rels of condensate a day; and 2,389 barrels of oil a day.

Available data have it that the fi rst quarter of 2008, anoth-er appraisal well known as Aje-4 was drilled by the Transocean Deepwater Pathfi nder drill-ship to carry out a complete ap-praisal of the fi eld. Drilling of the Aje-4 well established that the fi eld contains a laterally ex-tensive reservoir structure. The fi eld was declared a commercial prospect in February 2009. Its appraisal was based on 915km of 2D seismic data, 700km2 of 3D seismic data and an electro-magnetic survey, which some operators still use for drilling in the industry.

Expectedly, the beginning of commercial oil and gas pro-duction and export in Lagos is expected to boost the nation’s production capacity presently estimated at over 2.5 million barrels per day, bpd. National President of the Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, Colman Obasi in a telephone inter-view stressed that the oil fi nd will certainly boost foreign ex-change generation to all stake-holders, including the oil com-panies, Federal Government and Lagos State Government. “The development will also cre-

ate new contract opportunities to oil services companies and several direct and indirect em-ployment opportunities as well as provision of basic utilities to communities,” he said.

The Duke Energy Distin-guished Professor of Envi-ronmental Engineering and Science, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA; mem-ber, Education Caucus, United Nations Commission on Sus-tainable Development; and Chairman, Implementation Committee of the African Sci-ence Plans, the International Council of Science (ICSU), Prof. Hilary Inyang however warned that stakeholders should be proactive about possible envi-ronmental problems that could arise.

He stated that everywhere in the world, oil operations come with some environmental haz-ards, especially gas fl aring and

oil spillage.”He also said that the creation

of wealth through oil and gas production and export would also lead to relative increase in crime rate as fraudsters may be attracted to create new criminal ways and means of benefi ting from the oil wealth. He added that these and other concerns should be properly identifi ed and planned for in advance in order to create a conducive socio-political environment for operators to carry out their businesses while delivering dividends to stakeholders, in-cluding the government. Inci-dentally, the Lagos State which has functional institutions, es-pecially Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency seems ready to compli-ment the efforts of federal insti-tutions established to perform these and related functions.

Instructively, for the past 52 years, the Niger Delta was the only region accounting for almost all the nation’s oil and gas output. The region which included states such as Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bay-elsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo at-tracted the curiosity of many International Oil Companies, IOCs, culminating in the begin-ning of oil and gas exploration much earlier than any other part of the nation.

The discovery of commer-cial oil and gas, especially in the 1950s and 1960s encour-aged the IOCs, including Shell D’Arcy, forerunners of the pres-ent Shell Petroleum Develop-ment Company, SPDC, Mobil, and Texaco increase their cam-paigns in the region. Secondly, signifi cant investments were made over the years, especially after the formation of the Ni-gerian National Oil Corpora-tion, NNOC, the forerunner of the present Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; NNPC was formed to represent the

Federal Government interest in the industry. Through the Joint Ventures and other arrange-ments, the government has over the years made signifi cant funds available for investment.

As the gains of oil trickle in, the government did not limit it-self to the Niger Delta, as con-certed efforts were made to explore and produce crude oil and natural gas in other basins, especially Benue Trough, in-volving States such as Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Kogi, Nasara-wa, Plateau and Taraba States, among others. A source in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources who preferred not to be named stated that the government was encouraged by preliminary in-dications which showed that oil and gas discoveries could be made, particularly as the area extends to other producing na-tions in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Head of the research team at the Benue Trough, Pro-fessor Agbaji Ogezi who made a presentation in Jos recently disclosed that the research showed similarities to some parts of the Niger Delta where oil and gas have been found in commercial quantities. Ogezi stated that: “A comprehensive review of the literature, results of preliminary on-going inte-grated remote sensing, geologi-cal and exploration studies and comparison with other related basins within the WCARS (West and Central Africa Rift System) suggest that the Benue Trough may be a favourably area for oil and gas, as well as for strata-bound and structurally-con-trolled mineral deposits. With respect to petroleum, there are good prospects, especially in the formations which are thick-er and structurally and strati-graphically-related to the Niger Delta as well as to the Chad/Borno, Niger, Sudan and Cam-eroun basins within the same trend.”

Despite this and other pre-dictions as well as huge invest-ments, commercial oil was not made. But the government and some oil fi rms have not given up. For instance, President Goodluck Jonathan while pre-senting the 2013 budget pro-posal to the National Assem-bly stated that: “On Frontier Exploration, the Government’s drive to build up the nation’s oil reserves through explora-tion of new frontiers for oil and gas production is beginning to yield results with news of the discovery of crude oil in some inland sedimentary basins in the country. These include the Chad Basin, Benue Trough, Yola Basin and Anambra Ba-sin amongst others. We are determined to further develop on these fi ndings and expand the scope of such explorations. To support this, we have raised the provision for frontier explo-ration services from N12 bil-lion in 2012 to N16 billion in 2013.” BCObasi

Fashola, Lagos State Governor

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Lagos pays N54.96m compensation to property owners

Lagos State Government has released N54.96 million

to owners of landed property affected by development in Agbowa/Owu Ikosi and Ikosi/Ejirin Local Council Develop-ment Area of the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos at the weekend by the Deputy Director, Public Rela-tions, Lands Bureau, Moshood Adebisi, the payment of the compensation followed the acquisition of the lands and crops for government projects.

``The exercise was in con-formity with the provisions of the Land Use Act which stipu-lated that owners of landed property and cash crops, being acquired by government for development purposes, should be compensated. The compen-sation was paid to benefi ciaries in Owu-Ikosi and Agbowa,” the statement said.

The statement said that Musilu Kasali, the Baale of Imofa, commended Gov. Baba-tunde Fashola for the compen-sation, adding that the proj-ect, sited in the area, would enhance economic activities.

Dutch firm to establish 700bn Euros garment factory in Nigeria

A Dutch textile company, “Vlisco’’, has earmarked

700 billion euros for the estab-lishment of a garment factory in Nigeria.

Dr Nimota Akande, Nige-ria’s Ambassador to the Neth-erlands, who disclosed this spoke against the backdrop of the strong bilateral relations between both countries, add-ing that the Dutch government had also established a 700 million ``euro-gro fund’’ for Nigeria to access.

She added that Vlisco had requested for one million hect-ares to set up a cotton farm in the country.

Although, she did not state the location of the proposed factory, she however added that it would include a gar-ment academy, where about 400 Nigerians would be trained monthly on fabric making.

According to her, the com-pany has buying off dormant indigenous textile outfi ts while waiting for the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by both nations.

“This is a very big project which will further promote bilateral trade between both countries; already the Dutch have expressed their com-mitment to double trade with Nigeria to the tune of 16 billion euros,’’ the envoy added.

Vlisco are the manufactur-ers of `Hollandaise’, a popular elitist print fabric.

Trade volume between Nigeria and the Netherlands currently stands at eight bil-lion euros.

Ondo, Malaysia partner on rice production

The Ondo State Government has entered into a part-

nership agreement with the Malaysia Agricultural Research Institute on rice production and training of farmers.

The Commissioner for Ag-riculture, Lasisi Oluboyo, who disclosed this in an interview in Akure at the weekend said that the institute had com-menced a pilot phase of rice production in Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

He said the institute had trained 50 selected farmers from the 18 local government areas of the state on best rice cultivation practices as part of measures to revolutionalise rice cultivation.

Oluboyo said that the second phase of the project would be the establishment of a 200-hectare rice farm.

The project, he said, was expected to benefi t farmers in the state as well as boost food production.

“Government will provide all necessary inputs like land and a conducive environment for the projects. The institute will be the one to run the farm, and at the end of the day pay back the government’s investment after harvest,’’ he said.

Oluboyo said that the proj-ect would ensure job creation for many unemployed youths as well as indirect jobs for traders, noting that it would also boost internally generated revenue for the state govern-ment and ensure the availabil-ity of quality rice in the state.

He urged farmers in the state to contact the ministry for necessary incentives, add-

ing that the government was ready to support them.

ISOPADEC promises to develop oil bearing communities

The Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commis-

sion (ISOPADEC) has restated its commitment to develop oil bearing communities in the state.

The Managing director of ISOPADEC, Dr Henry Okafor, who said this when briefi ng newsmen in Owerri, said that 40 per cent allocation of the commission would be used to develop the communities and build human capacity.

He said that since his as-sumption of offi ce a year ago, he had brought a lot of innova-tions to the commission and improved on what he met on the ground.

According to him, he in-troduced ISOPADEC women group as a way of capturing the women from the oil bear-ing communities to tap from their wealth of knowledge. “We provide an offi ce for them and placed them on monthly subvention of N400, 000 from which they run their offi ce and for empowering themselves,” he said.

Okafor said that his ad-ministration established ISOPADEC clinic for the staff and recruited NYSC medical doctors to man various health centres located in the rural communities.

He said that his administra-tion was determined to ensure that oil bearing communities benefi ted from the commission. ``We are also handling other minor projects in the oil bear-ing communities,” he said.

Chevron donates N65.2m to NCF

Chevron Nigeria Ltd. (CNL) said at the weekend

that it contributed $375,000 (N65.25million) to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the administration of Lekki Conservation Centre in 2012.

In a statement issued in Lagos by Deji Haastrup, CNL General Manager, Policy, Gov-ernment and Public Affairs, Chevron said that it contrib-uted immensely in its Corpo-rate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives in 2012.

“The company has contin-ued to focus on zero incident objectives and implemented leading programmes to im-prove its performance with renewed vigour and emphasis on process safety. In 2012, the company contributed 375,000 dollars to the Nigerian Con-servation Foundation (NCF) to support the Foundation’s programmes including the run-ning of the Lekki Conservation Centre,’’ the statement said.

It said the 2012 CSR report highlighted how in the past year, the company contributed to the social and economic development of Nigeria through effective partnership with vari-ous stakeholders.

“The report shows our achievements in key areas including stakeholders’ engage-ment and social investments, health, safety and environ-ment, human resource devel-opment and Nigerian content development. It also highlights the philosophy that guides Chevron’s long-term social investments in Nigeria and shows how `The Chevron Way’ guides its behaviour. We take pride in our accomplishments and we are happy to commu-nicate the values that make us who we are and why communi-ties where we operate welcome us,” the statement said.

According to the statement, specifi cally, the report demon-strates Chevron’s commitment to the people of Nigeria through sustainable development pro-grammes designed to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty.

The company also stressed its commitment to local capac-ity building, job creation oppor-tunities and enterprise, human capacity building and infra-structure development.

The statement said that in 2012 CSR, more than18,500 people benefi tted from the company’s River Boat Clinic

Programme.It said that 3,924 students

of medicine, dentistry, phar-macy, engineering, medical laboratory sciences and nurs-ing joined the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professionals Scholarship Programme in 2012.

Fish farmers to benefit from GES programme in 2014

Fishermen and aquaculture practitioners will benefi t

from the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda in 2014, an offi cial, has said.

Samuel Ayeni, acting Direc-tor, Department of Fishery, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, who stated this in an interview said that the idea was part of effort to boost fi sh produc-tion in Nigeria, said the inclu-sion of aquaculture in GES programme was due to the increasing demand for fi sh protein.

He said fi sh farmers would be supported with fi ngerling fi sh, water testing kits and fi sh feed to enable them sustain production to meet the fi sh needs of Nigerians.

The director also said that fi shermen would be supported with canoes, fl oats and sinkers as well as nets and ice boxes.

“Inputs constitute the greatest challenge for farmers, whether in crop production, livestock production or aqua-culture. For example, fi sh feed takes about 60 to 70 per cent of the cost of inputs. There-fore, the incorporation of fi sh farmers in the GES programme through support in the form of feeds, water testing kits, nets and so on would greatly reduce cost of input. These, among other things, were designed to meet the ever-growing fi sh needs in the country, and also to encourage youths in fi sh farming,’’ he said.

Prof. John Wada, Chairman of Plateau State Fish Farmers Cooperative Society, commend-ed the Federal Government for

Ashiru, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fawthrop, Chevron Chairman

Akande Rochas Okorocha, Imo State Governor

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including fi sh farmers in GES programme.

Wada said that the sup-port would motivate farmers to continue production, and would also attract youths in fi sh farming activities.

He called on fi sh farmers, who were yet to register with the cooperative to do so, add-ing that only registered mem-bers would benefi t from such gesture.

The chairman said the cooperative society, under the state chapter of Fisheries So-ciety of Nigeria (FISON), would do its best to complement gov-ernment’s effort in fi sh produc-tion in the count

FG reiterates commitment to development of stock exchange

The Chief Executive Offi cer, the Nigerian Stock Ex-

change (NSE), Oscar Onyema, has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to develop the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Onyema disclosed the gov-ernment’s position at the NSE Market Data Interactive Forum with the media and capital market operators in Lagos.

He said that the NSE had purchased a new horizon trad-ing engine worth $10 million (N150 million) to boost trading and encourage more participa-tion.

Onyema attributed the recovery of the nation’s capital market to the high patronage by foreign investors.

He said that the NSE had concluded arrangement to standardise the nation’s bourse by ensuring that quality data were released to investing pub-lic at all times.

“What we are trying to do is to provide structures and stan-dardise the redistribution of data. This will enable investors know exactly what they are getting, when they are going to get it and the quality of what they are getting,” he said.

Onyema said that about 12 market data vendors had been contracted and urged other

potential clients to partner with the NSE to create a joint index.

He said the NSE would charge $25,000 (N3.75 million) and N1.2 million per annum for those seeking to redistrib-ute real-time international and local data, respectively.

“If you redistribute the data, without licence or per-mission, you are violating our rules. There are two agree-ments to be signed for dealing members to redistribute the price list for free,” Onyema said.

According to him, only dealing members and the media will be allowed to redis-tribute the price list without charges.

British Airways takes delivery of Britain’s first Airbus Super-jumbo

British Airways last week took delivery of A380

Super-jumbo aircraft, thus becoming the fi rst UK carrier to take delivery of the double-decker, which is the world’s largest commercial jet. British Airways is also the fi rst air-line in Europe to operate both the A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the fi rst two of which landed at Heathrow last week.

The airline has also an-nounced that the very fi rst long-haul fl ight on the A380 to Los Angeles will be on Septem-ber 24, 2013.

Keith Williams, British Airways’ CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome the fi rst of our A380s to the fl eet, join-ing our new 787s. These air-craft are the start of a new era for British Airways. Over the next 15 months, we will take delivery of new aircraft at the rate of one a fortnight as we put ourselves at the forefront of modern aviation. The A380 is a fantastic aircraft and an excellent showpiece for British engineering. Our customers are going to love the space, light and comfort on board.”

British Airways’ A380s will accommodate 469 customers across four cabins. Custom-ers in First will be seated at the front of the main deck. The cabin will offer 14 seats and is evolved from the current First class with 30 per cent more personal space and 60 per cent more personal stowage.

Club World (business class) customers can choose from 44 seats on the main deck, or 53 seats on the upper deck. These upper deck seats will feature a new 2:3:2 confi gura-tion across the cabin. The 55 World Traveller Plus (premier economy) seats will be located on the upper deck while World Traveller (economy) customers

can choose seats on both the main and upper deck. Custom-ers travelling in both World Traveller and World Traveller Plus will be able to enjoy the new cabins and seats that have proved so popular on the airline’s 777-300ER fl eet.

The aircraft’s innovative design makes it much quieter during take-off and landing and 16 per cent more fuel effi cient than a Boeing 747. British Airways has ordered 12 A380s for delivery by 2016. Three will arrive this year fol-lowed by a further fi ve in 2014.

Both aircraft types will now begin a complex ‘entry into ser-vice’ programme, which will see pilot and cabin crew training taking place at Manston Air-port in Kent, customer service trials at Heathrow and short-haul fl ying for both aircraft, including fl ights within the UK.

MAN calls for trade access restriction against EU, ChinaStories by Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

The Manufacturers Associa-tion of Nigeria (MAN) has

called on the Federal Govern-ment to be wary of granting unbridled trade access to the EU and China to avoid a total disintegration of our nascent manufacturing sector.

The Association also de-manded that relevant Min-istries namely: Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Industry Trade and Invest-ments are to be actively involved and more vigilant, act-ing in unison in the negotiation processes of all international trade agreements.

President of MAN, Kola Jamodu, made the call in his address at the 41st AGM of MAN held in Lagos; also stressed the need for govern-ment’s increased policy sup-port and enforcement on the patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods.

“The proposed ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) if implemented as it is would

disrupt the progress recorded in the industrial sector and erode its nascent contribu-tion to the national economy; Nigeria is the target of indus-trialized countries of Europe, America and Asia. There is

therefore the need to be wary of the level of access we grant so as not to compromise our fragile industrial sector,” he said.

He explained that the CET has various components which include common currency, common custom union, com-mon economic union and ulti-mately common political union and emphasized the need for the conclusion, incorporation and adoption of safeguard measures before signing the ECOWAS CET.

He said that MAN was aware that the introduction of the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) was probably predicated on the conclusion of the CET.

“In the negotiation however, it should be noted that there is a wide gulf between the EU and West Africa in economic devel-opment. This should be taken into cognizance otherwise the fragile industrial growth Nige-ria has made will be wiped out. Unless the EPA is growth and development oriented, Nigeria and indeed West African coun-tries should not sign the EPA,” he warned.

He said that the association has also become aware of an-other worrisome development which was the incursion of the Chinese investors into small vendor businesses such as re-tail trading, textiles, electronics among others.

“More worrisome is the faking and passing off that are carried out in the process of importing their wares. This is gradually taking businesses out of Nigerians.

“While we appreciate the Chinese investment in the country, we do not think they should be allowed to venture into distributive trade. We therefore urge the Federal Government to look into this situation,” he said.

He also recommended that strict compliance should be enforced on Ministries, Depart-ments and Agencies of Govern-ment to patronize made-in-Nigeria products in line with existing policies.

“Considering the size of the Nigerian state and the resources at the disposal of Governments at all levels, fi scal behavior has a major impact in driving national demand,” he said.

According to him, our con-tinued expenditure in favour of imported products was detrimental to the growth of local industries as it increases employment in the country of origin and simultaneously in-creases poverty in our land.

He noted that in the last

three years, MAN has present-ed a number of critical issues to the Government particularly on the cost of doing business.

“We have also through our policy advocacy platform, presented our challenges as regards the business environ-ment in Nigeria. We commend the Federal Government for positively considering some of the issues presented and hope that more will be considered soon,” he said.

FG set to meet manufacturers’ infrastructural demand

The Federal Government has disclosed its readiness

to create an enabling environ-ment for industrialisation, even as it tasked manufacturers in the country to partner with it if this dream is to be fully realised.

Addressing stakeholders at the 41st Manufacturers Associ-ation of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos last week, President Goodluck Jonathan noted that continued partnership between the gov-ernment and industrialists was imperative in the interest of the country to improve the living standards of Nigerians.

“The Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda is a project which recognises the need to consciously nurture our industries in the quest for a sound economy developed on the back of industrial growth,” he said.

He stressed that it was to meet the expectations of Nige-rians that the industrial policy is being aligned towards rapid economic development, wealth creation, employment, genera-tion and value orientation.

President Jonathan stated that despite obvious chal-lenges, the economy is waxing stronger by the day pointing out that the exchange rate has been relatively stable, while infl ation has gone down to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent.

“The external reserve has increased from $32.08 billion to $48.4 billion, even as the Jamodu

Jonathan

Adesina, Minister of Agriculture

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A6 22 Business CourageCourage

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excess crude account rose from $4 billion to around $9 billion. Our debt burden is low at 21 per cent when compared with South Africa’s 42 per cent, UK 90 per cent, America 106 per cent and Japan 225 per cent, “he said.

Represented by the Minister of State for Trade and Invest-ment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, the President further disclosed that necessary support has also been given to sector specifi c policies which were developed by the Ministry and the Nigeria Investment Promotion Com-mission in collaboration with UNIDO. “The success story of expansion in cement produc-tion is a manifestation of this giant stride and I am particu-larly delighted that the Presi-dent of MAN is an integral part of this success” he said.

The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudden Usman, noted that more infra-structural development would be achieved faster if stake-holders in the private sector continue to speak up on their challenges. “The private sector is always saying to the gov-ernment, ‘create an enabling environment, now government is asking you what exactly you need to have an enabling envi-ronment,” noting that there are substantial but not daunting challenges given the strength of the national economy.

He highlighted the expected roles of the private sector in the realisation of the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) to include mobilisation of inputs for the development process; mobilisa-tion of fi nancial resources for implementation of projects and building, operating and main-taining infrastructure assets.

He explained that the inter-im NIIMP will increase invest-ment in infrastructure; interest of international investors and address the critical infrastruc-ture needs of the manufactur-ing sector.

Scientists release pro-Vitamin A maize varieties for Nigeria

Research scientists from the Institute for Agricultural

Research (IAR) and the Inter-national Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Nigeria have partnered to release the fi rst generation of pro-vitamin A-rich orange open-pollinated maize varieties for farmers in the country.

IITA, in partnership with IAR, developed these varieties using conventional breeding in a project funded by the Har-vestPlus Challenge Program of CGIAR.

According to a statement by IITA, the development of these

varieties is part of strategies to prevent the prevalence of vitamin A defi ciency.

“These varieties were re-leased by the National Variety Release Committee of Nigeria as Sammaz 38 and Sam-maz 39 and are recognized as IITA synthetic PVASYN2 and PVASYN8,” the statement read.

The two varieties can supply increased vitamin A levels in the diets of millions of children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers who consume maize every day in various traditional forms and as local weaning food in Nigeria.

These varieties are easy to multiply and disseminate and will provide not only increased levels of pro-vitamin A but also higher yields to farming com-munities.

The institute also disclosed that the pro-vitamin A-rich orange maize varieties are the product of more than eight years of development and test-ing of varieties formed from inbred lines with enhanced levels of pro-vitamin A.

The national food consump-tion and nutrition survey in Nigeria show that nearly 30 per cent of children younger than fi ve years suffer from the ravages of vitamin A defi ciency along with 19 per cent of pregnant women and 13 per cent of nursing mothers living with a high risk of vitamin A defi ciency.

These pro-vitamin A-rich maize varieties the institute says,will contribute to pre-venting the adverse effects of defi cient diets, particularly for women and children living in rural and urban centers that depend on maize as a major source of their sustenance.

According to IITA, other collaborating partners involved in testing include the Institute of Agricultural Research & Training (IAR&T), University of Maiduguri, and the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).

The HarvestPlus project works with the private sector and community-based seed producers in Nigeria to speed up the process of production

of good quality seeds of pro-vitamin A-rich varieties for smallholder farmers.

Why mobile banking is lacking – CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has listed lack of

control over telecommunica-tions companies and synergy between them and mobile pay-ment operators, among factors, impacting negatively on the operations of mobile payment in the country.

Specifi cally, the CBN said that its inability to regulate their operations was respon-sible for the exclusion of telcos in the mobile banking system, an approach which is being criticised by analysts.

Titus Fatokun, director, banking and payments system department, CBN, however, said that despite this develop-ment mobile money transfer has recorded N9.2 billion in value and 275,558 in volume as at May 2013.

The total volume of deposit that passed through the banks, card and agents stood at 74,499, 10,143 and 111,080, respectively, while total val-ue withdrawal that passed through the same channel stood at N11.08 billion (bank), N100.4 million (card) and N2.3 billion (agents).

SPDC JV bemoans oil theft, vandalisation of pipeline

The Shell Petroleum Devel-opment Company of Nigeria

Ltd. (SPDC) -operated Joint Venture has bemoaned the crude oil theft activities that led to the recent fi re and explo-sion on the 28’’ Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).

In a statement issued on Friday by Tony Okonedo, Head, Media Communications of SPDC, and made available to newsmen in Lagos, the com-pany restated its determination to continue to operate safely in an environmentally friendly manner.

According to the statement, a joint investigation team comprising regulators, com-munities, independent observ-ers and SPDC found that the incident occurred as a result of unknown persons installing a valve to steal crude oil from the line.

The statement said SPDC had repaired the valve point and removed six other crude oil theft connections in its con-tinuing efforts to maintain the integrity of the line.

It said that the 24” TNP, which was shut down in a precautionary response to the fi re on the 28” TNP, had been reopened for production.

The statement quoted Mu-tiu Sunmonu, the Managing Director of SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Ni-geria, as saying: ``Suggestions that we reacted slowly to the fi re and spill are false.

``At the earliest opportunity, we quickly mobilised teams to respond to a crude theft spill on the 28 TNP on June 10 and the explosion and fi re on June 19. We conducted an assess-ment of the risks and decided, with the support of the JTF to enforce a restriction of access to the site for safety reasons. Our response and the actions we took at Bodo West were in the best interest of lives and the environment.’’

It said that the SPDC also dismissed suggestions that the TNP was not safe to operate.

According to the statement, the line is operated in line with the company’s Pipeline Integri-ty Management System (PIMS), ensuring regular inspection and maintenance.

It said the dominant cause of failures on the TNP had been third party damage resulting from sabotage (hacksaw cuts, drilled holes, etc) and illegal crude theft.

“In the past three years, a total of 25 leaks have been recorded on the facility – 23 of which were due to sabotage and two operational pinhole leaks. Integrity assessments, including Long Range Ul-

trasonic Test surveys, Ca-thodic Protection, surveys and chemical injection have been periodically performed on the pipelines. Also, SPDC has always made use of the opportunity presented during sabotage/crude theft point leak repairs to carry out on-the-spot coating and internal checks to confi rm the integrity of the pipeline and coating,’’ it said.

Sunmonu said that shut-ting down the pipeline as being suggested would not solve the problem.

“Our ability and competence to safely operate the pipeline has never been in doubt. The only way to ensure the TNP operates optimally without being shut down regularly for repairs is to stop the thriving crude theft activities on both the 24” and 28” streams. All the data from the interven-tions and assessments in the pipeline integrity assessment process currently confi rm that the pipelines are healthy and fi t for service,’’ he said.

Sunmonu, however, referred to the reported arrest of some employees of an SPDC service contractor on suspicion of crude theft on the TNP.

He added that the company would continue to cooperate with the JTF in the investiga-tions.

``We have confi dence that the arrested persons shall be treated in line with the prin-ciple of presumption of inno-cence and hope for a speedy and transparent dispensation of justice. As we have stated previously, crude theft has severe consequences lasting far beyond our lifetime. I have a personal stake in this tragedy having spent nearly all my adult and working life in the Niger Delta.

“The trend of crude theft will result in long-lasting damage to the well-being of present and future genera-tions. All stakeholders who are genuinely interested in seeing this problem curtailed should join hands and stop this crime against the people and the en-vironment of the Niger Delta,’’ Sunmonu said

Sunmonu

Sanusi Lamido, CBN Governor

BC

Oke

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A7 23Business CourageCourage

BC

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Last week, advertising practitioners across the country converged on

Abeokuta, Ogun State capital to celebrate its 40th anniver-sary and map out further ways of improving on the landmark achievement already recorded by the industry in the last forty years.

The three-day event held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presi-dential Library (OOPL), with the theme: Advertising in Nige-ria: 40 years done, the next 40 years, provided the practitio-ners opportunity to refl ect on how well the industry has fared, while also setting in motion, pa-rameters to deepen its creative excellence and contribution to the growth of Nigeria and global advertising industry.

President of AAAN, Bunmi Oke, who is also the Manag-ing Director of 141 Worldwide charged her colleagues to ar-ticulate clear ideas on how government can reach out and touch the hearts of the gener-ality of Nigerians and so carry the populace along in its march towards true national develop-ment.

She said that governments all over the world have retained the services of professional mar-keting communication outfi ts to sell their policies as it is perti-nent to acknowledge the role some AAAN member agencies played in the nation’s growth and development.

According Oke, agency role in national development goes beyond offering marketing communication services to the private sector as it extends to fully engendering proper un-

The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), the umbrella body of all registered advertising agencies recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a renewed pledge to provide creative excellence and contribute to the growth of Nigerian economy and the global advertising industry

derstanding of government poli-cies and revealing to the public ways by which they can partici-pate, benefi t and contribute to the growth of the economy.

She however noted that the practitioners have contributed their quota to the development of the Nigerian economy as they have driven the economy fairly well in the past years and have successfully built and managed brands that are of international repute.

She reminded the AAAN members that the theme of the conference was timely and could not have come at a bet-ter time than now. “It has come not only at the time when the Association is marking its 40th AGM/Congress, but also at a time when integrated market-ing communication is bracing up for the challenges of globali-sation and reform in the mar-keting communication sector

of the Nigerian economy,” she submitted.

Chairman, Advertising Prac-titioners Council of Nigeria (AP-CON), Lolu Akinwunmi said he believes AAAN has made a great impact in its 40 years of exis-tence, stressing that though the association formerly known as Association of Advertising Prac-titioners of Nigeria (AAPN), was established as a trade group, it has professionalised the prac-tice while acting as catalyst for trade and commerce as mem-ber agencies have built many brands and partnered with gov-ernments in numerous social mobilisation campaigns.

The APCON chairman not-ed that though the association has recorded tremendous land-marks, he believes that there are still challenges bedevil-ing the industry especially the dearth of professionalism and the onslaught by foreign players

to hijack the industry. “Affi lia-tion has been misconstrued. In-digenisation was meant to put ownership in the hands of Nige-rians while foreigners can still work in the industry. But now, foreigners are looking to own-ing controlling share of above 51 per cent. This is the bone of contention,” he said.

Akinwunmi says nobody is afraid of foreigners but insisted that the foreign agencies “must partner with us and not to take over our businesses. As far as advertising is global, where they come in and we do not have expertise, within a stipu-lated time, they must train and transfer skills to competent Ni-gerians”.

Going philosophical, AAAN Board of Trustees Chairman, Ayo Owoborode said that forty years is regarded as a landmark in the life of an association or individual as unlike the general saying that a fool at 40 is a fool forever does not apply to the as-sociation as “AAAN is not a fool at 40”.

Owoborode, pointing out that there is something signifi -cant about Ogun State, recalled that the state has hosted the association AGM/Congress 10 times as it has also produced eight out of the association’s 17 presidents.

He acknowledged the role of Prince Bola Ajibola (Ogun State indigene), former Attorney Gen-eral and minister of Justice who facilitated the 1988 decree that gave professional status to the practice of Advertising in Nige-ria.

Chris Doghudje, former AP-CON president noted that for forty years, the AAAN has re-mained one united body with-out factions. “Since 1973 to date the association has held regular meetings without break. We know some who are closer to us, they are factionalised”.

However, the former APCON

president lamented that of all the 23 agencies at the inception of the AAAN in 1973 which in-cluded the likes of Rod Public-ity, Adsell, OBM, PAL, Admark, Intermark, Orient, Novelty and Lintas among others, none of them is in existence except Lin-tas.

“Why are we not able to build enduring businesses? Why did all of them die barely 30 years into the life of the as-sociation? Is it that something is wrong with our practitioners and their business model? Is the indigenization policy wrong or wrongly executed? Or is it the succession planning by the agencies in this clime that are wrongly applied?” asked Do-ghudje.

The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who was part of the dignitaries that attended the event, challenged the asso-ciation to articulate clear ideas on how the government can ef-fectively communicate its poli-cies to the populace. The gov-ernor urged the practitioners to brace up for the challenge of globalization, even as he prom-ised that the state will continue to contract the services of the registered AAAN member agen-cies while the state will always be willing to host the associa-tion’s events and activities.

The governor disclosed that about fi ve agencies whose own-ers are indigenes of the state have been given the brief to rebrand the state. “Most par-ticularly, we want to rebrand. This is Ogun state. Without sounding immodest, there is no aspect that you want to talk about without Ogun state being in the forefront. So, we shouldn’t relent on our efforts. And for us not to do that, we need people that would help us showcase what we are doing, rebrand us and we want that rebranding as quickly as pos-sible,” he said.

AAAN Executives with Amosun

Feature

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A8 24 Business CourageCourage

Global News

BC

Strong US jobs numbers jolt markets

The US economy added a net 195,000 new jobs in June,

offi cial fi gures show. The fi gure was well above economists’ expectations of 165,000. Revi-sions to data for April and May added a further 70,000 jobs to previous estimates.

The jobless rate remained steady at 7.6 per cent of the workforce, according to the data from the Bureau of La-bour Statistics.

The dollar and US bond yields jumped as markets expectations rose that inter-est rates will start rising in a year. The euro fell two-thirds of a cent against the dollar to $1.283.

The yield on 10-year Trea-sury bonds rose from 2.5 per cent to 2.68 per cent to their highest level in almost two years.

Treasury bonds - the US government’s cost of borrowing - provide an indication of when markets expect the US Federal Reserve to begin raising inter-est rates, with many analysts now predicting that a move could come as soon as the end of 2014.

The news was initially wel-comed on Wall Street, where the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all opened higher, before rap-idly giving up their gains in the fi rst hour of trading.

“US employment data came out on the strong side of expectations,” wrote Brown, Brothers, & Harriman in a note to clients.

“The jobs data will strength-en expectations of tapering Fed asset purchases,”

Economists paid close at-tention to the number this month due to concerns that the US Federal Reserve might begin to wind down - or “ta-per” - its policy of propping up the US economy by buying up debts with newly-created money.

Comments by chairman Ben Bernanke in June that in-dicated that positive economic data in the coming months might lead to tapering of the Fed’s bond buying had roiled

markets.If the US economy contin-

ues to add jobs at this pace, the unemployment rate should fall from its current 7.6 per cent to 6.5 per cent by the end of 2014. This is the number the Fed has said the US jobs market must reach before it will end its programme of sup-pressing rates.

EU threatens to suspend data-sharing with US over spying reports

The European Union is threatening to suspend

two agreements granting the United States access to Euro-pean fi nancial and travel data unless Washington shows it is respecting EU rules on data privacy, EU offi cials said on Friday.

The threat refl ects Euro-pean disquiet about allegations that the United States has engaged in widespread eaves-dropping on European internet users as well as spying on the EU.

Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU’s home affairs commis-sioner, wrote to two senior US offi cials on Thursday to voice European concerns over implementation of the two agreements, both struck in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks and regarded by Washington as important tools in the fi ght against terrorism.

“Should we fail to dem-onstrate the benefi ts of (the agreements) for our citizens and the fact that they have been implemented in full compliance with the law, their credibility will be seriously affected and in such a case I will be obliged to reconsider (whether) the conditions for their implementation are still met,” Malmstrom said.

EU-U.S. relations are going through a “delicate moment”, she wrote in the letter to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and David Cohen, Treasury under-secre-tary for terrorism and fi nancial intelligence.

“Mutual trust and con-fi dence have been seriously eroded and I expect the U.S. to do all that it can to restore them,” she said in the letter, seen by Reuters.

Malmstrom is dispatching a team of offi cials to Washing-ton next week for previously scheduled reviews of both information-sharing agree-ments.

The Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) provides the US Treasury with data stored in Europe on in-ternational fi nancial transfers. The Passenger Name Record

agreement covers data provid-ed by passengers when book-ing tickets and checking in for fl ights. All such information is passed to the US Department of Homeland Security.

The United States and the EU need to show that the two data-sharing agreements “con-tinue to bring benefi ts to our security and that the robust safeguards attached to them are respected to the full. We need complete transparency and a maximum of information on both programs,” Malm-strom wrote.

The European Parliament, some of whose members have long worried that the agree-ments granted the United States too much access to European data, called on Thursday for the scrapping of both accords unless Washing-ton revealed the extent of its electronic spying operations in Europe.

Many of the eavesdropping reports were based on leaks by fugitive former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Last month, US offi cials confi rmed the existence of an electronic spying operation codenamed PRISM, which ac-cording to Snowden collects data from European and other users of Google, Facebook, Skype and other US compa-nies.

In a separate leak, the United States was accused of eavesdropping on EU offi ces and offi cials.

France initially urged the EU to delay talks on an ambitious trade pact with the United States over the alleged spying.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Bar-roso said later that Europe would begin the trade talks on Monday as planned but would at the same time set up EU-US working groups to examine the scope of U.S. intelligence-gathering.

Separately, German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said the country’s intelligence services were not spying on the United States and that he did not think German policymak-ers were under U.S. surveil-lance.

Rolls-Royce defends engine defects concealment claim

Rolls-Royce has denied claims made by two former

employees in a US lawsuit that it “cut corners on quality con-trol requirements” and “lied to” customers.

The pair also alleged that the fi rm “routinely used defec-tive parts designated as ‘scrap only’”.

The two are challenging a court order that prevents them from releasing informa-tion which they claim reveals details of what the fi rm con-cealed.

Rolls-Royce has defended itself and said the lawsuit is “without merit”.

According to reports in the Financial Times and the Daily Telegraph, the lawsuit fi led by former employees Thomas McArtor and Keith Ramsey alleges that the engine maker concealed internal records of defects in engines sold to clients.

The employees claim that the company collated those al-leged defects into a “secret set of books”.

Rolls-Royce has denied these allegations saying that a US district Judge, William T Lawrence, had already thrown out two of the four claims before the “discovery” phase of the litigation had been entered.

“Judge Lawrence did not fi nd that Rolls-Royce engaged in any wrongdoing, failed to follow its quality system, con-cealed anything from the US government or even that a jury is entitled to hear the allega-tions,” the fi rm said.

“Rolls-Royce categorically rejects the other claims and will defend itself vigorously.

“Any and all facts of the case will be presented in court, where we are confi dent it will be found the lawsuit is without merit,” it added.

India approves new food subsidy programme

The Indian president has approved an ambitious food

subsidy programme aimed at providing cheap grains to hundreds of millions of poor Indians.

The estimated 1.3 trillion rupee ($23 billion) Food Secu-rity programme targets about two-thirds of the country’s 1.2 billion people.

President Pranab Mukherjee approved the program two days after the Cabinet passed the measure as an executive order after failing to push it through the country’s chaotic Parlia-

ment.The order must be rati-

fi ed by Parliament within six months or it will lapse.

The next session of Parlia-ment usually begins at the end of July but no date has yet been announced.

Critics and opposition legis-lators say the programme is a costly political gimmick ahead of national elections slated for 2014. Supporters say it’s cru-cial in a nation with large food stockpiles and many impover-ished and hungry people.

Despite the economic gains of the last two decades, a recent U.N. study said India is home to the world’s larg-est number of malnourished children, 61.7 million. It said 48 percent of all Indians under

age fi ve suffer from stunting due to poor nutrition.

The government has said it pushed through the measure because of a parliamentary stalemate caused by opposi-tion accusations of corruption against the Congress party-led administration.

Parliament may amend the program, but it is expected to approve it since few lawmakers want to be seen as opposing a welfare program ahead of elec-tions.

It will take several months to launch the programme even after ratifi cation as government agencies decide how the sub-sidized grains will be sold and who will qualify to buy them.

The new program will sup-plement an existing $15 billion food program riddled with cor-ruption in which an estimated 58 per cent of subsidized grain, sugar and kerosene is diverted from ration shops.

Ration shop workers often claim the month’s shipment never arrived and then sell it on the open market at as much as 10 times the subsidized price. Recipients often receive much less than their full entitlement or are sold lower quality grain. There are ghost ration cards given out under fake names.

The new food aid program, described as the largest such program in the world, was one of the Congress party’s prom-ises during 2009 elections.Barroso

Obama

Mukherjee

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A9 25Business CourageCourage

By Semiu Salami

He is endowed with a sprightly gait and clean physique body that offers a picture

that totally belies his age, giv-ing the impression of a much younger man. Yet, Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode, the icon and boardroom player clocked 80 on May 22. He has a cur-riculum vitae that reads like an intimidating dictionary of select awards and distinctions but he has remained “simply Mister Onosode” by choice and by hu-mility, even when it is diffi cult to think of an important private or public sector business or ini-tiative that he has not chaired at one time or the other in the past fi fty years.

Literally and metaphorical-ly, Onosode is a straight man, a man of profound integrity, a disciplinarian and a man im-bued with a profound sense of vision and industry.

He studied Classics at the University College, (now Uni-versity of Ibadan) on multiple scholarships for his exceptional brilliance but contrary to expec-tations, Onosode did not end up in the academia; he played in the boardrooms instead, earn-ing the uncommon status of perhaps heading the most num-ber of boards in Nigeria today.

Those who know Onosode very well vow that he is “simply a gem, a rarity in a famished land where honest and decent men are few and far between. To these people, he is clearly a classic example that honesty meshed with brilliance, rigour and industry will never fail.

From 1960 up until the early 1990s, Onosode was the au-thority to be referred to in mer-chant banking, stock broking, development economy and even manufacturing. At the age of 30, his brilliance had blossomed, the attribute that earned him the position of Secretary of the Nigeria Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) then known as In-vestment Company of Nigeria. At age 40, Onosode was chair-man and chief executive offi cer, NAL Merchant Bank.

Born and raised in Sapele, a suburban city in Delta State, Onosode hails from Ekugbo in Delta State and he is the second

child of a Baptist preacher and disciplinarian.

Onosode had a strict up-bringing which he has often at-

tributed to his achievements so far in life. “Most of the things I do today are things I saw my father doing and not what he

said. In those days, you will see my father sweeping the rooms with broom on many occasions and when you offer to take over

the duty, he will decline. For me, there are two lessons I picked from that. Though he would not say anything, I interpreted his action to mean, no one is really too big to handle the broom, which means that there is dig-nity in labour. The other thing I interpreted his action to mean is that, without being told, you should know what is expedient to do,” he said.

Apart from the infl uence his parents have on his lifestyle which he claimed has become one of his greatest assets, Ono-sode would forever relish the training and exposure he got from the Commonwealth Devel-opment Corporation (CDC), a UK based organisation that of-fered him his fi rst employment after graduating from the Uni-versity College.

CDC, which had its regional offi ce in Lagos then, also had operational bases in The Gam-bia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. Onosode was recruited with two English young men whom the company trained in the ca-pacity of management trainees. The job took him to the United Kingdom in November 1957, where he and others went through the management train-ee programme that lasted till February 1958. He returned to Nigeria in March 1959, worked with the corporation for fi ve years cumulatively before he left in 1962. His exit, Business Courage learnt, was due to a disagreement with his employ-er’s decision to fi nance the Fed-eral Mortgage Bank solely on its share capital. A decision based purely on principle, that even-tually set a trend that was to affect Onosode’s public career.

Unlike the typical Nigerian who will not quit in the face of irreconcilable differences, he proved otherwise. At NIDB, which he joined later and Com-merce Bank where he was pio-neer chairman, Onosode toed the CDC line; he resigned his appointment as a result of fun-damental disagreement over the way things were done.

As secretary, Onosode was unable to reconcile the place of the Federal Government in what was designed as a pure private sector affair and as such, he threw in the towel in September 1965 and joined NAL Bank Plc (then known as Philip Hill Nige-ria Limited).

the duty, he will decline. For me, there are two lessons I picked

Gamaliel Offoritsenere Onosode represents

different things to different people; an

outstanding technocrat, a public servant per

excellence and a boardroom grandmaster. This is

the story of Nigeria’s man of outstanding integrity

Onosode

Continued on pg A10

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013A10 26 Business CourageCourage

‘

‘

He was the only person that served as Chairman and Chief Executive until he voluntarily left the services of the bank at the end of March 1979.

Onosode has a strong char-acter and is a man of deep con-victions and these attributes perhaps were responsible for the way he quits jobs whenever there are irreconcilable differ-ences. “It is a question of in-tegrity. Some people say I am a coward, maybe I am. But I pre-fer to be that kind of coward. My view is that, since I never asked for any position, the position doesn’t bring anything to me. On the contrary, I try to take something into the position. So on the basis of that, I couldn’t possibly have any problem quit-ting a position,” he said.

Like a proverbial cat with nine lives, Onosode cheated death at least 10 times before his 70th birthday, the situation that made him refer to himself as a ‘marvel of God’s grace’. He was once put to sleep by medical people at the ten-der age of three. That was when he was totally and completely anaesthetized for the purpose of sur-gery for the fi rst time.

He had been put to sleep for at least nine more times between then and when he turned 70 years in 2003. “You know, in those days, when you lay on the surgical table and you were given anes-thesia, it was the same doc-tor who treat-

ed your cold and headache

that was the surgeon. There were no surgeons in most hospi-tals then. So,

in those early days, going for surgery was a life and death thing-the chances of survival were 50/50. Usually, the fi rst question to ask after the sur-gery was, is he awake, is he out of the effect of the anesthesia? So, if you have been through that 10 times in just under 70 years, you can then understand what I mean by being a marvel of God’s grace, God’s mercies, and God’s kindness. So, that survival makes me feel that it is true that God has a purpose for everybody. But given this par-ticular fact, God must have had a specifi c purpose why he kept me here this long. I cheated death several times during that period,” he said.

Besides surviving death on several occasions, the octoge-narian says his names may not be unconnected to his fortune in life as, according to him, for-tune runs after him and things have always been presented to him on a platter of gold. “My fi rst name is Gamaliel which in Hebrew means God is a re-warder, God is a recompenser. My second name Offoritsenere is Itsekiri and it means God’s word is rewarding’ and my sur-name Onosode is Urhobo. So I bear Hebrew, Itsekiri and Urho-bo names. Maybe, if you read my biography you will get the full details how this phenom-enon came about. I was born in Sapele in Delta State, and I was called Sapele by people of my fa-ther’s generation, even though I did not adopt that name ‘Sapele’. The reason why I was given the name was that my fa-ther had spent several years in Ogbomosho in what was called Baptist College Seminary where Pastors and teachers were trained, where he had his fi rst son, my late elder brother, who died at the age of 23 in 1953. When my parents returned to Delta, they had a child and that child was yours sincerely. It was a watershed, the fi rst child

to arrive since they returned to Delta. My second name Of-foritsenere - you can again un-derstand. My father had spent many years studying God’s word, so that when he came back home, he could preach and teach it. He went and re-turned better equipped for the work of the ministry in which he was involved before he left, and he came back with a son and on returning, he had an-other son. Who can controvert the fact that God’s word was profi table”?

Though Onosode left paid employment 34 years ago with-out pension as he would fondly say, he has never had any dull moment as both the private and public sector in Nigeria contin-ue to fi nd useful his attributes of hard work, discipline and in-tegrity. Apart from his achieve-ments in the corporate sector, his contributions to the devel-opment of the public sector will not be forgotten in a jiffy.

He was a part of a profl i-gate democratic experiment that characterised second re-public, when he tried to bring a disciplined approach to pub-lic fi nance. Towards the end of 1983, when public confi dence in the economic direction of the country was eroded and accountability was lacking in government subsidies to public enterprises, he was brought in to fi nd solutions to the lacklus-tre performance of public enter-prises. He was appointed as the head of a Nigerian Commission on public parastatal and the offshoot of his honest and dis-ciplined approach earned him respect from subsequent ad-ministrations.

A report which was later tagged the Onosode report, an outgrowth of his role as the chairman of the commission to review Nigerian parastatals was the fi rst in the country to tackle comprehensively, the industrial-isation drive and capital spend-ing which dominated the oil boom of the 1970s and the early 1980s. The report identifi ed fi ve major defects in planning which it believed had become evident by the end of 1983.

The Onosode Report had es-tablished that the public capital expenditure rose during the oil boom at a much faster rate than the country’s physical, techni-cal or fi nancial abilities and that huge expenditure on par-ticular industrial projects did not yield expected returns be-cause of “inappropriate choices in their selection, size, design, location and management.

The report further estab-lished that government policies laid too much emphasis on in-dustrialisation, without regard to resource base and compara-tive advantage, while frequent changes in fi scal and monetary policies created planning prob-lems for the private sector.

As part of the report, the Committee had also estab-

He was the onlyserved as ChairmaExecutive until heleft the services of the end of March 1

Onosode has a acter and is a manvictions and thesperhaps were resthe way he quits jothere are irreconcences. “It is a qutegrity. Some peoplcoward, maybe I amfer to be that kind oview is that, since Ifor any position, doesn’t bring anytOn the contrary, Isomething into theon the basis of thapossibly have any pting a position,” he

Like a proverbnine lives, Onosodeath at least 10 his 70th birthday, that made him refas a ‘marvel of GHe was once putmedical people der age of threwhen he was completely afor the purpgery for th

He had bsleep for more timthen aturnein knodayyosuagththtor

ed and

that surgewerein mtals

It is a question of integrity. Some people say I am a coward, maybe I am. But I prefer to be that kind of coward. My view is that, since I never asked for any position, the position doesn’t bring anything to me. On the contrary, I try to take something into the position. So on the basis of that, I couldn’t possibly have any problem quitting a position

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A11 27Business CourageCourage

BC

lished that the exchange rate of the naira was not managed “to refl ect the basic strength of the economy and the need to en-courage domestic production.

In 1995, he became the Chairman of the Niger Delta Environmental Survey, a non-governmental organization that conducted scientifi c studies on environmental and social im-pact assessment of oil explora-tion in the Niger Delta. The sur-vey which was partly fi nanced by Shell, apportioned respon-sibilities and blame for much of the environmental degrada-tion in the region on oil opera-tors, the Federal Government and communities has not been made public since then.

Onosode, alumnus of the University of Ibadan, has con-tributed immense time, energy and resources particularly to the academic sector. He is the former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Coun-cil of the University of Ibadan, University of Uyo and Member of the inaugural Provisional Governing Council of Bowen University, Iwo.

As a result of his many con-tributions to the development of the university system in Ni-geria and particularly his Alma matter, University of Ibadan, he was admitted to the Honour Roll of Mellanby Hall, Univer-sity of Ibadan, in 1982. He is a pioneer recipient of the Ughelli Descendants Union Distin-guished Service Award (2000) and recipient of the Faculty of Arts University of Ibadan Gold-en Jubilee Distinguished Alum-nus Merit Award (2001). He is an Honorary Fellow of the Ni-gerian Academy of Letters and holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University (1990), the University of Benin (1995), and the Rivers State University of Science and Tech-nology (2003) as well as Honor-ary D.D. degree of The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomosho (2002).

At one point, in the corpo-rate world, Onosode was on the board of over 30 companies and he has had to turn down many invitations because he cannot personally attend to all, given his busy schedule.

Onosode, an investment ex-pert, drafted the working pa-pers on the Capital Market, rec-ommendations on which led to the establishment of the Securi-ties and Exchange Commission (SEC) and eventually that of the Chartered Institute of Stock-brokers (CIS).

As chairman of the presiden-tial commission on parastatals, he introduced “privatisation” into the Nigerian economic vo-cabulary and set the stage for the beginnings of the current Federal Government privati-sation and commercialisation programme.

Onosode devised, in col-laboration with Solicitors, the essential documentation de-

manded for compliance with the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decree 1972. He led the effort in introducing legislation under which a state government could for the fi rst time issue bonds and similar instruments in the Capital Market.

In 1977, he brought the fi rst of such issues to the market when the N20 billion seven per cent First Bendel State of Nige-ria Loan Stock 1988 was fl oated on the Nigerian Stock Exchange by NAL Merchant Bank on be-half of the State Government. He equally prompted on April 13, 1976, the indigenisation of the Nigerian Banking system.

Gamaliel Onosode was the chairman of the fi rst GSM Com-pany Celtel (now Airtel) in 2004 till a later date. He is the Chair-man, Onosode Estates Limited among other companies.

After several abortive at-tempts that spanned over 20 years to establish an LNG proj-ect in Nigeria, Onosode as pio-neer chairman, midwifed the now enormously successful $8.5 billion Nigeria LNG Lim-ited. This is a project currently projected to yield into the cov-ers of the Federal Government about $1 billion a year, thereby laying a solid foundation for what today is about the only performing Federal Government Parastatals in terms of revenue generations and contributing signifi cantly to essential diver-sifi cation of the economy.

He personally led success-ful negotiation in 1985 of the Framework Agreement for the current partners in the proj-

ect and the formulation of a Shareholders Agreement in 1989; led negotiation of sale and purchase Agreements with potential European and Ameri-can buyers of LNG; presided over the visionary purchase of four LNG vessels – now named LNG Bonny, LNG Finima, LNG Port Harcourt and LNG Lagos – which were then leased to other foreign LNGs to yield immedi-ate revenue to be applied to the projects, well before the start of the NLNG gas off-take in 1999.

Onosode is founder, presi-dent and chairman of Coun-cil, Association of Pension Fund and Investment Man-agers (APFIM). He pioneered APFIM’s growth in corporate membership and awareness programmes through which

members are informed of de-velopments in pension schemes globally.

Gamaliel Onosode was chairman at Cadbury Nigeria Plc between 1978 and 1993; Chairman, Commerce Bank Limited, January, 1989 – Feb-ruary, 1994; Chairman, Gener-al Assembly of Bank Chairmen, 1993 – 1994; Chairman, The Nigerian Stock Exchange In-vestors Protection Fund, 1995 – 2000; and was chairman of Dunlop Plc since 1984 till 2007 among others.

However, Gamaliel’s life is not only about work and formu-lating strategies in the board-room; he is equally a success-ful family man. He is married to Susan, a nurse, who also is from the Urhobo clan.

The road to marital bliss for this son of a clergy is rather in-teresting as he only courted for 28 days before tying the nup-tial knot. “I met my wife Susan through a male friend of mine who introduced her to me as one of his friends and there was nothing between them at all. Of course, I discovered later that she had a friend which their families had expected them to come together as husband and wife. We got to know that we existed, but we were not even friends until when our church was sending us on street to street and house to house min-istrations. I chose a street where I knew she lived with her broth-ers because one of her brothers was already working in my or-ganisation. I discovered during discussions when we went min-istering in her home that day that she attended our church and I said to her, ‘I have never seen you there’ and she said to me, ‘you know I am a nurse, it is either I am on duty or I am tired. So I said to myself, just at the back of my mind with noth-ing specifi c about it, that she is a Christian and also a Baptist. On the run up to 30th of Sep-tember 1960, I decided to have a private party to celebrate Ni-geria’s independence at what is now 113 Ogunlana Drive Su-rulere, where I was living as a bachelor. So, I asked a number of my friends who were girls to please come and assist with the physical aspects of the prepa-ration-cooking of food and all that and she was one of them. She knew some of the others and there was nothing secret or sinister about it. Though she already had her plans with her brothers for that evening, she had her elder brother’s permis-sion to come and help with the cooking and leave us to enjoy the party. But in the event, to cut a long story short, she did not leave. She stayed with us for the entire evening and at some point in the evening, even though this was totally unpre-meditated, both on my part and hers, I popped the question: ‘will you marry me? This was some point around midnight of Octo-ber 1, 1960 and we got married on the 29th of October 1960.

Notwithstanding his wealth, Onosode maintains an austere life as his house somewhere in the Surulere area of Lagos does not refl ect the affl uence that has been linked with the oppor-tunities that have come his way in life.

Onosode is without minc-ing words, a good natured and highly disciplined entre-preneur, but he says he is not yet a perfect man. He has his weakness in the area of tem-perament- he is quick tempered just like his father and most, if not all persons from his tribe. “I grew up with the determination not to be very quick tempered, but I don’t know whether I have succeeded,” he said.

‘

‘Onosode

My fi rst name is Gamaliel which in Hebrew means God is a rewarder, God is a recompenser. My second name Offoritsenere is Itsekiri and it means God’s word is rewarding’ and my surname Onosode is Urhobo. So I bear Hebrew, Itsekiri and Urhobo names. Maybe, if you read my biography you will get the full details how this phenomenon came about

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A12 28 Business CourageCourage

For the fi rst time since it debuted and barely six weeks to its second

year anniversary, Business Courage, the comprehensive, all colour business and econ-omy newspaper published every Monday as an insert inside the soar-away National Mirror Newspapers, was last Thursday in Lagos, offi cially presented to a select group of corporate communication practitioners and advertisers.

The event, which was part of the mid-year business cock-

tail by the Global Media Mirror Limited, publishers of National Mirror had in attendance, corpo-rate communication managers from the banks, insurance, oil and gas as well as the integrated marketing communication com-panies.

In his presentation at the event, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, traced the history of the emergence of the National Mirror brand in the newpaper publishing business in Nigeria, stressing that the idea, from on-

set, was to evolve a s t r a t e g i c t e m p l a t e that would effectively p o s i t i o n the media group as a major force to r e c k o n with.

A y -orinde stated t h a t

the Global Media Mirror remains the

only media organization in Ni-geria with printing presses in all the six geo-political zones of the country, the situation which he said ensure that the paper identifi es with each zone in its editorial consideration. “We had a clear template that was dif-ferent from others in the coun-try. We are the only newspaper group to have printing press in the six geo-political zones which ensure that readers from each of these zones, are regularly and timely served with the news they can readily identify with,” he said.

He said that the decision by the company to introduce Busi-ness Courage in August 2011 was part of the grand design to offer top-rated business and economy news and features, in a different concept that remains uncommon in the newspaper business in the country.

Business Courage, he said, was conceived to unearth and celebrate Nigerian entrepre-neurs by telling their stories based on the principles and strategies adopted to reach the pinnacle of their respective ca-reers so as to serves as inspira-tions to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Ayorinde stated that Busi-ness Courage which was ini-tially published in the nor-mal newsprint, now prints on Salmon Pink, a special brand of newsprint used by some of the best global brands like the Fi-nancial Times of London.

He urged advertisers to take advantage of the unique appeal offered by Business Courage in their respective promotional campaigns and enjoy the wide reach, unbeatable colour quali-ty and general aesthetics which National Mirror is reputed for.

Bunmi Oke, Managing Di-rector, 141 Worldwide and Pres-ident, Association of Advertis-ing Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), said that Business Courage and by extension, National Mir-ror has completely changed the newspaper landscape since it rolled out.

Oke particularly commended the publication for remaining on the path of true profession-alism and pledged to help raise the paper’s profi le by positively projecting both the Business Courage and National Mirror to the advertising community. “Am glad our friends from the banks, telecommunications, insurance and oil and gas are here. Let

me say that if we have not been patronizing this publication before, it is my candid request that we change our disposition, this is clearly an organisation to partner with,” she said.

In the same vein, Lanre Al-abi, former President, Associa-tion of Corporate Affairs Man-agers of Banks (ACAMB) and Chief Executive Offi cer, Pros-pers Strategy and Marketing Communications Ltd, said he has painstakingly followed the publications from the stable of the Global Media Mirror since it rolled out and was convinced that, the concept and the ideals behind the publication deserve the support of all. “As a stake-holder, I am convinced that Business Courage deserves all the support we all can of-fer. The package is very novel and I think advertisers really don’t need to be told that this is clearly where their campaigns should run,” Alabi said.

Charles Aigbe, Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate Relations, United Bank for Af-rica, who is also Vice President of ACAMB, said his bank has always supported the National Mirror publications. He how-ever assured that, the publica-tions, particularly, Business Courage will, going forward, re-ceive more support in terms of patronage from the bank.

Others who spoke at the event included Olusegun Fa-fore of Access Bank Plc, Funso Aina of MTN Nigeria and hosts of others.

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Steve Ayorinde making a presentation at the event President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, Bunmi Oke, making a speech at the occasion

Manager, Media and Communications, Mobil Producing Nig. Ltd, Nigel Cookey- Gam (left) and Chief Executive Offi cer, Prospers Strategy and Marketing Communications Ltd, Lanre Alabi

Head, Media relations, Access Bank, Segun Fafore (left ) and Head, Media Relations, UBA Plc, Abdul Imoyo

Media Offi cer, Nigeria Liquefi ed Natural Gas(NLNG) , Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku (left) and Brand and Communication Offi cer, Forte Oil, Ann Okon

Management of National Mirror on Thursday hosted a mid-year cocktail/reception for image makers of leading companies in the financial sector and used the opportunity to formally present Business Courage, the paper’s comprehensive business publication. Yinka Adeparusi and Femi Ajasa were there to capture the event

L-R: Head, Customer Loyalty and Brand Management, Energy Group, Muriel Olubobokun (left) and Editor, Saturday Mirror, Gbemi Olujobi

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A13 29Business CourageCourage

Corporate Affairs Offi cer, First City Monument Bank, Rafi u Mohammed (left) and Senior Communications Executive, Mainstreet Bank, Joseph Udo

L-R: Product Manager, First City Monument Bank, Mfom Ukpanah; Deputy Head, Customer Loyalty and Brand Management, Energy Group, Ime Utong and Public Relations Manager, MTN, Funso Aina

Editor, Business Courage, Semiu Salami giving a speech

L-R: Head, Admin and Human Resource, National Mirror, Biodun Adewunmi; Ayorinde and Senior Manager, Strategic Development, National Mirror Newspa-pers, Kayode Balogun

Managing Director, Newswatch Magazine, Dr. Bolu Folayan

Head, Corporate Affairs, LASACO Assurance Plc., Jumoke Koleoso (left) and Deputy Editor, Business, National Mirror, Ayo Olesin

Head, Advert, National Mirror newspapers, Ganiyu Bello and Akpor Abade of Ecobank

Akintola Tolase of the Creative Department, Corporate Communications Department, Zenith Bank with Deputy Manager, Subscription, National Mirror, Taiwo Oluwole

Editor, Sunday Mirror, Bolaji Tunji(left) and Managing Director, Daily Newswatch, Moses Jolayemi

Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate Relations, UBA Plc, Charles Aigbe (right) and Salami

L-R: Deputy Advert Manager, National Mirror newspaper, Bode Ehinmisab; Senior Advert Executive, Rita Iriemi and Manager, Special Project, Akanbi Amuda

L-R: General Secretary, Bibles Society of Nigeria, Rev. Fred Odutola and Funso Aina

L-R: National Mirror staff, Oyinlola Olumide-Oyebadejo; Stella Adeyiga; Mba Chika Collins and Dolapo Olusegun

L-R: Executive Director, Marketing Mix and Co Ltd, Olawale Obadeyi; Editor, Na-tional Mirror Newspapers, Seyi Fasugba; Bunmi Oke and Ayorinde

PICTURES BY: YINKA ADEPARUSI AND OLUFEMI AJASA

L-R: Damilola Ajayi of National Mirror; former Head, Perception and Strategy, National Mirror, Bimbo Olufemi and Oluwaseun Lawson also of National Mirror

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A14 30 Business CourageCourage

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Wael Ammar, Chief Commercial Offi cer, Etisalat Nigeria, has

always been a man of the peo-ple, hence, the pride of the or-ganization he represents as a chief salesman. Whenever he churns out facts and fi gures concerning his company, the level of confi dence he always exudes always enthrall his au-dience.

Against the wide-held belief that the ‘coup’ staged by MTN, a leading telecommunication company in Nigeria against Eti-salat taking to its side a former Etisalat’s brand face, Saka, would simply mean MTN gain-ing more subscribers to its side, Ammar, in an interactive ses-sion with journalists revealed that Etisalat Nigeria has taken a huge lead with almost 50 per cent of ported numbers coming its way.

According to him, the rev-elation came after collating the successfully ported numbers at the end of the sixth week of the launch of the scheme. With this claim, Ammar, who did not state the actual fi gures of port-ed numbers said, “I can tell you that Etisalat Nigeria has gained almost 50 per cent of the total fi gure of ported numbers so far.

Amidst claims and counter-claim between operators and the telecom regulator over the numbers of subscribers that have ported so far, most Nigerians have continued to groan with pains and frustrations ostensibly brought about by the much publicised Number Portability programme

This is a clear indication that the Nigerian consumers have made their choice based on current realities on ground. We set out early in our business to ensure that we developed prod-ucts and services that suit the lifestyle of all our target cus-tomers. We have also ensured that we have a reliable network to accommodate existing and new customers and these ef-forts have been recognised by the NCC and other stakehold-ers in the telecoms industry”, he noted.

Citing the last quality of service indicators for mobile operators released by the NCC shortly before the launch of MNP as a clear indication that Etisalat was ready for business, the report shows that Etisalat met all the KPI targets as signed in the Memorandum of Under-standing for Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Traffi c Channel Con-gestion (TCHcong) and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Chan-nel (SDCCHcong).

However, in what industry stakeholders have described as merely playing the number game with the number porta-bility, Etisalat has not been the only network laying claims to the numbers of people that have ported into their networks.

Though MTN did not go the

way of Etisalat by churning out a particular fi gure or percent-age, its Corporate Services Ex-ecutive, Wale Goodluck, while pointing out the success rate of MNP on the MTN network recently, said boldly that more subscribers have been port-ing to the MTN network. In the same vein, a Globacom source, who spoke under anonymity,

equally said the network re-corded an impressive number of subscribers that have so far ported to its network, since the launch of MNP on April 22.

Though many had doubted if Nigerians could buy the idea of the MNP bearing in mind that virtually all the networks are bad and not one could be vouched for as being better

than the other as well as the fact that many Nigerians have literary ‘ported’ through the use of dual phones, it would be recalled that barely 48 hours after the launch, the NCC had revealed that over 4,000 sub-scribers from the four GSM operators migrated with their lines to other operators.

Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Tony Ojobo said the quick response to the MNP service launch by subscribers was a pointer to the fact that Nigeri-ans were actually waiting and eager to experience the service because of the many benefi ts associated with MNP.

The information released by NCC, he said, was the prelimi-nary report it got from Intercon-nect Clearing House of Nigeria (ICHN), the company with the hosting rights to manage ex-change of traffi c for MNP service in Nigeria.

“MNP brings a lot of oppor-tunities for the subscriber and the operator and we are begin-ning to see these opportunities manifest. Operators are not willing to lose customers who are ready to port to another network at the slightest disser-vice that they receive from their service providers, and they are doing everything possible to retain customers on their net-works, through the rendering of competitive and satisfactory services, as well as the intro-duction of value added services that will benefi t their subscrib-ers.” Ojobo said.

Although the NCC did not give the breakdown of those that ported to different networks, it has since kept mute on the percentage or actual number of people that have ported two months into the porting regime.

In what appears to be a clear way of punching Etisalat’s bal-loon of claim of already having

Juwah, NCC Boss

Subscribers registering their SIM cards

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A15 31Business CourageCourage

BC

Will data eclipse voice in telecom business?

with Esther Ozue(ozueesther@nationalmirroronline.net) 08059234648 (sms only)

BC

TechnotalkTechnotalk

In the past, there are three basic ways people communicate over long distance; via letters, telegraph and telephone. Letters and telegraph are gradually given way to telephone and all its associ-

ated technological advancement. Today, rather than send letters which may not even get to the required destination, instant mes-sages via the telephone has become the fad.

Telephone has even been wonderfully transformed and it’s rel-evance in the facilitation of communication has also been enhanced especially with the introduction of cellphone and its user interface. In doing so, it has provided us with a single speech product that is intended to aid our social and business communication.

In recent times, the communication landscape is shifting. The combination of Smartphone platforms, PCs and the Internet has enabled new communications formats to evolve especially those linked to social messaging applications. We are now able to visualise, contextualise, multi-task, translate and recall speech over a network in many different ways.

As technology advances, telecom operators are likely going to face a huge challenge as we are approach the point of “Peak Telephony” which refers to as the point after which voice revenues will face terminal decline.

Already, the traditional fi xed and mobile telecoms industry is po-tentially facing a bleak outlook as call volumes remains inconsistent and call rates are being reduced to attract customers.

However, some major telecom operators have long recognised the threat to their core telephony business and have since been diversi-fying and paying more attention to data by changing their business models through introduction of new platforms and user interaction to remain in business.

Technology is changing everyday and people now prefer to use mobile data internet services on their mobile devices to communicate with their business associates and loved ones all over the world by sending instant messages.

The inherent value of mobility and the convenience of using mobile phones loaded with various Apps can help you communicate instantly through data and has really posed a lot of challenge for the core voice operators that fail to migrate to data.

However, in eliminating conventional SMS costs and reducing the need to make voice calls except where necessary with the help of mobile internet data plan, here are fi ve mobile applications that enables you communicate with data.

2go: 2go is a mobile messenger that allows you to communicate on any device that supports a GPRS connection.

The other party must also have 2go installed on their phone. It synchronises your device contacts with its online database and populates your profi le with friends from your existing contacts who are also signed up to the network.

Blackberry Messenger: This is an application included on Black-Berry devices which allows users to send instant text-based mes-sages as well as share pictures, voice notes (audio recordings), fi les, locations on maps, although BBM’s infl uence has begun to wane in recent times, following the cross platform messaging apps with dif-ferent mobile devices.

WhatsApp: This application is available in almost every smart phone; it allows you to exchange messages, images and video as it uses the same internet data plan. Its uses contact mobile phone numbers as means of identifi cation.

GoldSMS: This mobile messaging solution allows you to send cheap single and bulk text messages to any phone number in the world.

While there are many bulk messaging platforms out there, GoldSMS is unique, in that apart from the usual web-based inter-face, there is also a mobile app available on your smart phones.

Nimbuzz: Nimbuzz offers you free messaging, photo, music, and video sharing between Nimbuzz friends (people who also have the ap-plication installed on their devices) using your device’s Internet data.

Nimbuzz also lets you use group chat to get all your friends on the same page, and can also be used on your desktop (MAC/PC), tablet.

So, from the emerging trend, for the mobile voice operators to remain in business, a shift to or more concentration on data which is the fastest growing segment of the mobile communication is necessary. Growing data revenue can be achieved through enhanced technology and improving the customer experience, refocusing your business on data to capture the signifi cant expected growth in customer demand for data services especially comparing their perfor-mance against their major competitors.

This demand can be driven by three key factors which include widening range of powerful and attractive smartphone and tablets, signifi cant improvements in mobile network quality and capability, and an increased choice of user friendly and useful applications for business and social use.

about 50 per cent lead of port-ed numbers coming its way, not many industry were taken aback when the telecoms in-dustry regulator, NCC, came out to condemn and disasso-ciate itself from the claim. Ac-cording to Ojobo, the commis-sion has not released any fi gure as at now and hence any op-erator that is making any claim was free to do so, adding that it was all in the spirit of competi-tion.

Ojobo noted that while every person and institution has right to freedom of expression, the Commission has offi cial capac-ity to release accurate fi gures based on the data obtained from the Interconnect Clear-ing House, which is the neutral umpire among the operators from MNP. “As at now, we don’t have any report on the Etisalat claim. However, if Etisalat has gone ahead to say such, that is Etisalat; it is not from the Com-mission. We don’t have any re-port on that yet. If the competi-tors see it and they think it is a lie, then, they should refute it if they think it is not true.”

To the President, National Association of Telecoms Sub-scribers, NATCOMS, Deolu Ogunbanjo, who also described the information put out by Eti-salat as capable of misleading the public, said, “When you

would even want to know the number ported subscribers on each network, it is the NCC that we can rely on and not whatev-er any operator tells us as sub-scribers.

I am sorry, I won’t believe it until the Number Portability Clearing House, the Telecordia Consortium and NCC, give us reliably offi cial fi gures.”

According to Ogunbanjo, “What we suspect is that, Eti-salat is feeling the pinch of Sa-ka’s porting to MTN and it now wants to assuage the public to say that, despite all that, it is the one leading in the market share of the number of people that have ported to each net-work.

“No network operator has the authority to disclose what-ever numbers that have ported from one network to another. However, you can only speak about your network, that is, talk about how many people has ported to and from your network but not for the general industry,” he said.

However, while the operators continue in their number game, especially with the issue of the MNP, most subscribers have been expressing their pains and frustrations.

Against the backdrop of NCC’s promise to apply sanc-tions if any anti-competitive

behaviour was established against any service operators on porting, many who gave out their bitter experiences wonder if the commission is not only about words without actions.

According to a subscriber, Ibrahim Showa, sharing his ex-perience, he noted, “It’s glaring that NCC is of more words than action on sanctioning teleco providers on anti-competition on number portability.”

Speaking further, he sub-mitted, “I have copied various tweets to their (NCC) Twitter handle as well as Tony Ojobo and no clear cut resolution of my porting issues. I applied to port my etisalat line (08099713447) to Airtel at Airtel Ilupeju offi ce since 2 May 2013 and till date, Etisalat has refused to release my line to Airtel.

“Initially, they claimed not to have received the port request I sent to 3232. Now, they didn’t reply confi rming it has been sent to Airtel. It’s almost a month for something that should be for 48 hours.I am sure Etisalat is playing games as their non-release of my number is not based on false registration or non registration of my number. Please help me in getting across to them to resolve this lingering issue,” Showa said.

In the same vein, another subscriber, Obinna KG, also shared his experience. “I doubt if NCC or the director is serious about curbing the anti-compe-tition tendencies of these opera-tors. I personally sent him and NCC as well, a tweet concern-ing Glo’s refusal to release my line to Etisalat for porting. On the pretence that they received nothing.. Neither the NCC nor the director has responded to my tweet till date. The com-mission should endeavour to educate Nigerians on what they should do or what steps to be taken.”

While the MNP is seen as a revolutionary step taken in ad-dressing the poor quality of net-work in the country, contrary to expectations GSM service pro-viders have latched on to the MNP scheme just to broaden the scope of their promos and advertisements rather than im-prove services as earlier envis-aged. From observations thus far, little has changed in terms network coverage and the vol-ume of dropped calls and in-termittent service seizures, and other quality of service con-cerns are still noticeable across the networks.

In adopting the MNP, Nigeria has joined the league with coun-tries like the United States, the Netherlands, Singapore, Kenya and Ghana as a number port-ing nation. It has Nigeria has thus become the 64th country to implement mobile number porting after South Africa pio-neered other African nations in 2006, followed by Kenya and Ghana in April and July 2011 respectively.

Ammar

Goodluck

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A16 32 Business CourageCourage

BC

Telecoms operators comply with NCC SIM disconnection directive Stories by Kunle Azeez

Telecommunications com-panies in Nigeria said they

have complained with the Ni-gerian Communication Com-mission’s directive to discon-nect unregistered Subscriber Identity Module, SIM, cards on their networks.

Business Courage fi nd-ings last week revealed that most subscribers, whose SIM cards were disconnected on their respective networks such as MTN, Globacom, MTN and Etisalat and others had also taken reactive measure to re-register their SIMs.

Most SIM registration points across Lagos metropo-lis were crowded by discon-nected subscribers last week, even as registration agent said they daily recorded increase in the numbers of subscribers that approached them to re-register SIM cards.

According to one of the SIM registration agent for Airtel, Bayo Samson, from Monday through Friday last week, he witnessed increased turn out of people coming to register their disconnected SIM cards.

“Before the operators dis-connected unregistered SIMs, I usually register maximum of 25 SIM cards per day but as soon as they were discon-nected, the fi gure has gone up to an average of 80 SIM cards daily” he said.

Another SIM registration agent at Ojota area of Lagos metropolis, Badmus Foluke, confi rmed the increase in the number of SIM card she registers daily.“Of course, the fi gure has gone up by more than 150 per cent. I used to register about 15 before. But now, I register about 50 people daily. However, almost 80 per cent of these registered people daily are those whose number had been discon-nected,” she noted.

Also, a Marina Lagos-based SIM registration agent, who gave his name simply as Tunbosun said that “The number of people registering

has increased and I think it is good for me, as the network I represent will pay me based on the number of data I am able to register.”

The operators admitted that they complied with the regula-tor’s directive, even as they said the NCC had exercised enough tolerance and patience to have extended from Septem-ber, 2011 till June 30, 2013.

According to the corporate services executive, MTN Nige-ria, wale Goodluck, “We have complied with the NCC direc-tive. We also enjoin affected subscribers on our network to go and re-register their SIMs so that they will continue to enjoy their best quality of service on their favourite net-work.”

Similarly, Chief Execu-tive Offi cer of Etisalat Nigeria, Steven Evans, confi rmed that it had fully complied with the NCC deadline of disconnect-ing all unregistered SIM cards by midnight on the 30th June 2013.“We made strenuous efforts to reach all remaining subscribers who had not regis-tered or with whom there was a problem in terms of the reg-istration information recorded. This included multiple phone calls and text messages,” Ev-ans said.

He said that in any pro-cess, there could of course be mistakes and if any subscrib-ers had been disconnected incorrectly they should go to an Etisalat Experience Centre to re register and reconnect to the Etisalat network.

Highlighting the sig-nifi cance of this important exercise in the telecommunica-tions industry, Evans further explained that SIM registra-tion helps service network operators know their custom-ers better as well as help curb negative incidents such as loss of phone through theft, nuisance/hate text messages, fraud, threats amongst other incidents.

Philips’s technological innovation targets Nigeria’s local needs

Royal Philips, a company fo-cused on using innovative

technology to drive healthcare and improved lighting infra-structure has said its range of technologies would help in enhancing improved health-care delivery and lighting infra-structures in the country.

This company disclosed this at a press conference held in Lagos at the weekend as part of its fourth consecutive pan-African Cape Town to Cairo roadshow, where it planned to visit 18 cities across 17 countries, including Nigeria between May 14, 2013 and September 23, 2013.

The Executive Vice Presi-dent and Chief Market Leader of Royal Philips, Ronald de Jong, said the roadshow was instrumental in raising aware-ness on how Philips can en-hance life in Africa.

He said with an Africa-relevant product portfolio and a strong historical presence on the continent, Philips was committed to signifi cantly ex-panding its business footprint in Africa in the coming years.

“Africa is an important growth market for Philips. We have an ambitious growth plan for the continent in place aimed at double digit growth over the coming few years,” he said.

Ronald de Jong, who is currently in Lagos in connec-tion with the roadshow, also explained that Philips entered Africa over a century ago, stressing that it has a compre-hensive understanding of the complexities of the African mar-ket as well as the key challeng-es currently facing Africa. “We are well positioned to increase our presence on the continent by developing local talent and organizations, increasing our footprint and introducing in-novative products and solutions which are relevant for the local needs,” he added.

Speaking on how the road-show was initiated, he said: “In 2010 Philips organized the fi rst Cape Town to Cairo road-show. The 2013 version covers 12,000 kilometers crossing 17 countries and 18 cities across the continent.

“During the roadshow, the Philips team engages in a dialogue with customers, governments, NGOs and media on the key challenges facing Africa today.

Jong said the roadshow continues its focus on Mother and Child Care, supporting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 aimed at reducing child mortality rates and improving maternal health.

“With clinical education and training programs for African healthcare professionals and through large scale healthcare revitalisation projects, Philips helps to improve standards of care,” he said.

According to him, in Lagos, during a course of two days, Philips will train over 100 local

healthcare professionals at Lagos State University Teach-ing Hospital, LASUTH, on fetal monitoring, infant warming, jaundice management and clinical ultrasound.

Philips introduces reliable, innovative technology for safer childbirth

Philips is also introducing its latest ultrasound and

infant warming/ thermo regu-lation solutions specifi cally designed for care providers across the wide variety of clini-cal environments in Africa.

“Designed and developed for markets like Nigeria, the new Effi cia Infant warmer provides reliable infant thermoregula-tion support for newborns creating a warm and stable environment, which is crucial for a baby’s immediate and long-term survival.

“The Effi cia Infant warmer is designed as an open care en-vironment for newborn infants and provides an intense source of radiant heat energy, con-trolled by feedback from the baby’s skin temperature. Easy to use and reliable, the Ef-fi cia Infant warmer is another example of Philips’ commit-ment to more cost effective, simplifi ed, patient-focused health care solutions to reduce maternal and neonatal mortal-ity in Africa.”

Philips, Jong said, has also introduced the ClearVue 650, a new advanced imaging ultrasound system with Auto Face Reveal facilitating the visualization of the baby’s face, possibly enhancing parental-fetal bonding

The roadshow also high-lighted the benefi ts of Philips’ LED lighting and solar solu-tions which offer, energy effi -cient, cost effective and reliable on- and off-grid illumination.

“Philips will be introduc-ing its new solar powered LED Street and Area lighting solu-tions in Lagos.”

Resourcery strategises for next level of IT revolution

A leading systems integrator in West Africa, Resourcery

Plc., is setting the pace in embracing the “third platform” also regarded as the next level of revolution in the global In-formation Technology industry.

Managing Director of the company, Tani Fafunwa dis-cloed this new move by the company at the 18th IT News Africa Innovation Dinner spon-sored by SAS, a global leader in business analytics, and attended by Chief Information

Offi cers (CIOs) from leading business organisations in Nigeria.

n his opening remarks, Fafunwa, who moderated the event, said that the informa-tion technology industry is in the middle of a once in every 25 year transition, which, he noted, International data Cor-poration, IDC calls it a transi-tion to the 3rd Platform.

“Mainframes represented the 1st Platform, personal computers the 2nd platform and the 3rd platform will be based on smart connected devices,” he said.

Fafunwa noted that dur-ing the Mainframe, regarded as fi rst platform era, there were millions of users and thousands of applications.

“Dominant companies included Digital Equipment, ICL, IBM, NCR etc. This was followed by the 2nd platform of personal computers, Local Area Networks, client server technology and the internet.”

According to him, at the peak of this platform there were hundreds of millions of users and tens of thousands of applications, noting that dominant companies were Microsoft, Intel, Dell, HP, Cisco, IBM and others.

“The 3rd Platform is smart connected devices, broad-band, social technologies, cloud and big data. In this era there are billions of users with millions of applications at their disposal. The 3rd platform transition can be seen in some stunning global statistics; there will be over one billion smart devices sold in 2013, up from 725m last year; global mobile data traf-fi c in 2012 was 61 times the size it was just fi ve years ago.

“Resourcery started in the era of the 1st Platform (Mainframe) but we could not participate effectively. We were lucky the global IT ecosystem was already mov-ing towards the 2nd Platform, which we embraced, fi rst selling PCs then focusing on and leading in the network-ing space by partnering with global technology companies like Cisco, Systemax, SAS, Microsoft, and HP. Here we were able to have an impact and champion many innova-tive IT based services in West Africa,” he said.

Fafunwa added that “The same drive we had when we set-out on the 2nd Platform carries on today as we gradu-ally shift to the 3rd Platform era. We have fully embraced Cloud Services , helping organizations determine their best route to the Cloud and offering Virtualized Servers, storage, Big Data Analyt-ics, Social Collaborative Technologies. We also help organizations deploy secure their networks which are becoming more complex with the Bring-Your-Own-Device, BYoD, trend.”Jong

Evans

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A17 33Business CourageCourage

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The Stock Market last week

TOP 10 PRICE GAINERS:Company Open Close Gain (N) % ChangePortland Paints 4.47 6.57 2.10 46.98Evans Medical 2.68 3.72 1.04 38.81Forte Oil Plc 17.02 20.34 3.32 9.51Cornerstone Insurance Plc 0.50 0.59 0.09 18.00TRANSCORP Plc 1.28 1.51 0.23 17.97ABC Transport Plc 1.01 1.17 0.16 15.84U T C Nig. Plc 0.60 0.69 0.09 15.00R T Briscoe 1.52 1.74 0.22 14.47Paints and Coatings 1.67 1.90 0.23 13.77Lafarge Wapco 84.00 94.80 10.80 12.86

TOP 10 PRICE LOSERS:Company Open Close Loss (N) % ChangeUniversity Press Plc 5.50 4.77 -0.73 -13.27 ARBICO Plc 6.91 6.22 -0.69 -9.99Berger Paints Plc 11.38 10.25 -1.13 -9.93THOMAS WYATT 1.32 1.19 -0.13 -9.85CAP PLC 53.91 49.49 -4.42 -8.20IPWA PLC 0.68 0.63 -0.05 -7.35VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 4.70 4.36 -0.34 -7.23LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 5.45 5.12 -0.33 -6.06FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 85.00 80.06 -4.94 -5.81ETI 14.90 14.09 -0.81 -5.44

A turnover of 3.478 billion shares worth of N14.902 billion in 24,576 deals were traded last week by

investors on the fl oor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 2.456 billion shares valued at N24.230 billion that exchanged hands in the previous week in 33,402 deals. The Conglomerates sector (measured by volume) came top and accounted for 1.967 billion shares valued at N2.826 billion traded in 1,400 deals. The Financial Services followed with 762.033 million shares valued at N6.190 billion traded in 12,479 deals. The Diversifi ed Industries subsector of the Conglomerates sector was the most active during the week. Volume in the subsector was driven by activity in the shares of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc which accounted for 1.962 billion shares, representing 99.75 per

cent and 56.41 per cent of turnover re-corded by the subsector and total turn-over for the week, respectively.

The Telecommunications Services subsector of the ICT sector, boosted by activity in the shares of IHS Plc fol-lowed on the week’s activity chart with a subsector turnover of 497.343 million shares valued at N994.532 million trad-ed in 26 deals.

Also traded during the week were 25 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N48,125 execut-ed in one deal compared with a total of 45 units valued at N85, 845 transacted last week in two deals.

In addition, 900 units of FGN bonds valued at N100,126 were traded during the week in nine deals in

contrast to 4,160 units valued at N450,053 transacted the previous week

in 20 deals.

INDEX MOVEMENTThe NSE All-Share Index appreciated

by 2.11 per cent to close on Friday at 36,926.29 while the market

capitalisation of the listed equities on the main board increased by 2.35 per cent to close at N11.694

trillion. Also, the NSE 30 Index appre-ciated 2.26 per cent to close at 1,740.40.

The NSE-ASeM did not record any change while the other remaining NSE indices appreciated

during the week: NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Banking, NSE Insurance, NSE Oil/Gas, NSE-Lotus II,

and NSE Industrial Goods rose by 1.99 per cent, 3.10 per cent, 1.03 per cent, 3.12 per cent, 2.49 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively.

SUMMARY OF PRICE CHANGESForty four equities appreciated in

prices during the week higher than 35 equities of the preceding week. Thirty-six equities depreciated in prices lower than 47 equities of the preceding week, while 113 equities remained constant higher than 111 equities of the preced-ing week.

Succession planning is usually considered to be a very vital con-sideration especially for corporate

survival. If properly handled, succession holds the key to the continued survival of an organisation.

Essentially, succession planning is a process for identifying and develop-ing internal people with potential to fi ll key business leadership positions in the company. It increases the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared to assume these roles as they become available.

Taken narrowly, “replacement plan-ning” for key roles is the heart of succes-sion planning and effective succession or talent-pool management concerns itself with building a series of feeder groups up and down the entire leadership pipeline or progression. Contrarily, however, re-placement planning is focussed narrowly on identifying back-up candidates for given senior management positions.

Fundamental to the succession man-agement process is an underlying philos-ophy that argues that top talent in any organisation must be managed for the greater good of the organisation.

Clearly, succession planning is not a new phenomenon, but it thus appears that not many companies, and / or com-pany owners, especially in this clime, re-ally accord the concept the most desired consideration. In fact, in most cases, it is

One era ends, another beckonscircumstances that compel most compa-ny owners to go for it. Like someone once told me, “Succession planning is like pre-paring your will, not many want to do it.”

This is, however, not suggesting that many corporate organisations in Nigeria have not transformed successfully from one leader to another. It has happened severally in First Bank, GTBank, UBA and Zenith Bank among others without any known or reported skirmish.

Indeed, the structure of most organi-sations in Nigeria currently shows a clear succession planning, where even mem-bers of the public can confi dently envi-sion with equivocation the next crop of leaders.

Perhaps, what seems to have made it more pertinent particularly in the bank-ing sector is the reform agenda of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the current leadership which limits the ten-ure of bank chief executives to ten years. This policy had seen Philip Oduoza, God-win Emefi ele and Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti succeeding Tony Elumelu, Jim Ova and Akinsola Akinfemiwa at UBA, Zenith Bank and Skye Bank respectively under a smooth transition arrangement.

The last in the series of bank chief executives captured under the CBN im-posed policy is Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the gangling Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc. Aig-Imoukhuede is due to retire at the end of the year after

spending about 14 years in the saddle. As expected of a good leader, a sound

manger and acclaimed entrepreneur, Im-hokhuede did not wait to be told that his time was up. No. Indeed, late last year, he had indicated to the bank’s share-holders, his desire to quit the position to the admiration of many.

As he made the announcement, it was clear, even from an observer point of view who will step into the Delta-born lawyer turned banker’s shoe.

For the over 14 years that Imokhuede steered the ship of Access Bank, he has always done so with his business soul mate, Herbert Wigwe by his side as Depu-ty Managing Director. So, it was only nat-ural that Wigwe succeeds, Imokhuede.

But then, that was the point at which the Access Bank issue got many confused and confounded. Weeks and months after Aig-Imoukhuede announced his planned exit from the bank, an orches-trated claim of rancour between the two men grew like a wild fi re. At a point, it was even reported that rather than Wig-we, Aig-Imoukhuede had favoured An-gela Omokore, an executive director in the bank and wife of Aig-Imoukhuede’s friend, Jide Omokore, owner of Spog Pe-troleum as his successor.

That was the situation until last week when the bank announced Wigwe as the new chief executive effective January 2014.

However, what was most strik-ing about the turn of event, was Imoukhuede’s remark about his predeces-sor. While admitting that “The fi rst chapter of Access Bank’s remarkable transforma-tion story has been completed... “he said that his successor, Wigwe who emerged by unanimous acclamation by the board, has been an “outstanding deputy to me and has a complete understanding of our strategies, culture, technology and com-petitive environment. Importantly, he has strong relationships with our entire management team and customers. We believe that Herbert’s background and skills make him a perfect fi t to lead Ac-cess Bank as we enter the next chapter of our transformation”.

For whatever its worth, what the board of the bank did last week was clearly an affi rmation of the effi cacy of a robust succession plan. The bank has come a long way and clearly, a major step towards sustaining whatever lega-cies and achievement it may have made in the past is to enthrust the bank into the hands of a leader with clear and un-ambiguous understanding of the philos-ophies and ideals of the company.

Like those that have taken similar positions in the past, what Access Bank merely displayed last week was that though when one era ends, another be-gins but more importantly, the institu-tion remains.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013A18 34 Business CourageCourage

Behind d WheelsThis page is open to sponsorship

Despite criticism for being plain and appliance-like basic, the Toyota Corolla

continues to sell in extraordi-nary volumes, always landing at or near the top of its class in monthly sales. The current gen-eration is hardly distinguish-able from the model that came before it, seemingly providing only the bare minimum needed to satisfy compact buyers. It doesn’t move the needle, but it certainly moves metal off dealer lots.

With the new 2014 Corolla, which just made its debut in Los Angeles last month, can Toyota silence its critics while still appeasing the masses?

Even Toyota admits the Co-rolla doesn’t have the best repu-tation for style, saying the new car’s exterior and interior styl-ing will “challenge the pre-con-ceptions about Corolla.” That is no exaggeration, as the 2014 Corolla draws heavily from the aggressive-looking Furia con-cept, sporting its sleeker lines and sharp, eye-catching details. Toyota dubs the concept’s look “Iconic Dynamism,” and the de-sign language looks like it trans-lated well for the production version. Helping to improve the Corolla’s proportions is a wheel-base stretched by 3.93 inches, with overall length growing by nearly as much. Overall width increases by 0.63 inch, while height is raised by 0.39 inch.

Like the Furia concept, the 2014 Corolla receives short overhangs and a more tapered profi le with an elongated, slop-ing C-pillar that fl ows into the trunk. This shape helps reduce the Corolla’s drag coeffi cient to a slippery 0.28, which works with other aerodynamic upgrades in-cluding an under-cover below the front bumper to smooth air-fl ow and improve effi ciency.

The Furia is also seen in the Corolla’s front end, which is highlighted by a slender grille, an Avalon-like reverse-trapezoi-dal valance opening, and small headlights. Among the biggest surprises in the 2014 Corolla are LED headlights. Normally reserved for much pricier cars, they are standard across the lineup -- a fi rst for the C seg-ment. Those headlights fea-ture LED low-beam lamps and LED daytime running lights, and were developed to reduce mass at the corners and lend a unique look to the front end.

In back, things are again similar to the Furia, with wide taillights that taper near the center of the trunk, and an op-

tional small deck lid spoiler. 2014 Toyota Corolla S Dash The all-aluminum, variable valve timing-equipped 1.8-litre four-cylinder carries over from the previous model, but a new ver-sion with Valvematic valvetrain technology appears for the new LE Eco trim.

Toyota says this results in a fi ve per cent improvement in fuel economy and engine out-put, and accounts for the LE Eco model’s 140 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque, up from the L, LE, and S model’s 132-hp rat-ing, and nearly matching maxi-mum torque, which is achieved at lower rpm on the LE Eco. The LE Eco model is aimed squarely at other hypermiling compacts such as the Ford Focus SFE and Chevrolet Cruze Eco, and Toyota estimates that fuel econ-omy will be between 40 and 45 mpg. Base 2014 Corolla L mod-els will be offered with either a carryover four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual trans-mission, which is also an option on S models.

The 2014 Corolla will be the fi rst Toyota model to offer a pul-ley-style CVT in North America--its CVTi-S unit (“i” standing for

intelligent, and the “S” stand-ing for shift) offered on LE, S, and LE Eco models. Toyota says it aimed to reduce the “rubber band” driving feel that plagues most CVTs.

To do this, engineers inte-grated seven simulated shift points into the transmission to mimic the characteristics of traditional automatics. The shift points can be manually controlled through the gear se-lector’s manual setting or the S model’s optional paddle shift-ers. Toyota says offering good feel was a top priority, so engi-neers looked at how traditional automatics drive and tuned the CVT-equipped Corolla accord-ingly.

2014 Toyota Corolla Differ-ent Trims CVTs typically need high levels of hydraulic pressure to operate, but many designs rely on engine-driven pumps, which means energy is wasted over-lubricating the transmis-sion at higher rpms.

To address this, Toyota de-veloped a two-port coaxial oil pump that requires 25 per cent less torque to operate compared to other designs. Hydraulic

pressure was also reduced to an optimal level to prevent belt slippage and conserve drive ef-fort. Toyota says these changes result in less parasitic loss and greater effi ciency. A transmis-sion fl uid warmer is standard, helping the CVTi-S reach oper-ating temperature faster.

The transmission casing is designed to be compact, while still offering room within the housing for the pulleys to have a wide gear ratio spread. That range of gear ratios spans 0.396 to 2.480, with a fi nal drive ra-tio of 4.761. This gives CVT-equipped Corollas a balanced blend of acceleration and cruis-ing performance.

An Eco mode is selectable on non-S models equipped with the CVTi-S, tailoring accelerator in-puts to reduce fuel consumption and dialing back AC compres-sor power. S models get a Sport mode meant to deliver a sportier driving experience by altering shift points and retuning the electric power steering system, which is standard for all 2014 Corollas. That system has been tuned for feel and weight, and

other steering components such as the tilt/telescopic structure have been designed to enhance steering rigidity and reduce vi-bration. Lock to lock, the Co-rolla’s steering measures 3.19 turns.

The 2014 Corolla utilizes a more rigid unibody comprised extensively of high-strength steel that helps maintain a curb weight of less than 2900 pounds across the lineup. High tensile-strength steel is also used, al-lowing for reduced thickness of structural pieces and improved strength in a collision. Addi-tional chassis bracing can be found around the transmission tunnel and in the rear fl oor to further increase rigidity. The 11th-generation Corolla rides on a Macpherson front strut and torsion beam rear suspen-sion, and features an improved control arm design compared to the outgoing model. Spring rates are optimized for ride com-fort on most models, though S models equipped with 17-inch wheels get specially tuned springs, dampers, and bushings to enhance sportiness. The rear

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A19 35Business CourageCourage

Behind d Wheels

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How to measure your car tire pressure

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torsion beam is attached to the body at a slanted angle, which Toyota says helps improve han-dling, stability, and grip.

Bringing the 2014 Corolla to a stop are standard 10.82-inch ventilated front rotors, with ei-ther 10.19-inch solid discs (S model) or 9-inch drums (all oth-ers) in the rear. Toyota’s Star Safety System comes standard, and includes anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake-Force Dis-tribution, Brake Assist, and Vehicle Stability Control sys-tems. A brake override system is also standard, as is a tire pressure monitoring system. L and LE Eco models receive standard 15-inch steel wheels with covers, while LE and S models get 16-inch steel units. A set of 16-inch alloy wheels is available on the LE, and an exclusive 16-inch alloy design is offered on the LE Eco. The S model can be upgraded with 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/45-size rubber. Toyota listened to consumer feedback when it styled the new Corolla. The dash is meant to give off

a more premium vibe with its piano-black gloss trim and me-tallic accents. The gauge cluster comes in one of two designs: a traditional three-binnacle lay-out with chrome rings on S, LE, and LE Eco models or a two-dial gauge cluster with central 3.5-inch TFT display on S models. Blue, black, or amber pinstripes accent the cabin depending on interior color, along with color-matched dash and door panel ornamentation.

With the wheelbase stretched by nearly four inches, the Co-rolla’s interior also grows. Rear legroom is increased thanks to a slimmer front seat back and the rear seat hip point moving back almost three inches. Rerouting the exhaust plumbing allowed the fl oor to be fl attened, elimi-nating the center hump. Mean-while, thicker urethane pads and foam inserts help improve seat comfort for rear occupants. In front, seat bottoms have been made more supportive and side bolstering is also improved. The front seat’s adjustment range increases by 0.59 inch to ac-

commodate a broader range of body types.

Seats are upholstered in ei-ther cloth or upgraded SofTex material, depending on trim. Cabin noise is reduced thanks to an acoustic glass windshield, improved carpet insulation, an instrument panel seal adjoining the cowl and the windshield, a fender sound insulator, and a silencer pad located within the dash. 2014 Toyota Corolla S Static Front Side View As evi-denced by the car’s standard LED headlights, Toyota de-signed the 2014 Corolla with a high level of standard and available equipment in mind. All models receive an in-glass AM/FM radio antenna, body-color door handles and mirrors, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, power door locks with auto-matic locking feature, power windows with driver-side one-touch up/down function, air conditioning with pollen fi l-ter, Bluetooth connectivity, and eight airbags as standard. Other features such as hands-free keyless entry with push-button start, automatic climate control, leather-trimmed steer-ing wheel, Multi-Information Display, and voice-command phone controls are available. A wide range of audio systems in-cluding navigation and Entune infotainment options will also be offered. With its impressive list of features and vastly im-proved styling, the 2014 Toyota Corolla seems to be on the right track to turn the nameplate’s image around. To fi nd out if it’s truly a threat to the rest of the segment, however, we’ll have to wait until we can slip behind the wheel.

Proper pressure in your vehicle tires helps to ensure that you will be driving a safe vehicle and that your vehicle will work more effi ciently. The correct tire pres-

sure can also help you to save money on fuel because over- or under-infl ated tires can cause your engine to work harder. Under-infl ated tires can wear out faster and cause your ve-hicle to handle poorly. They can also overheat and result in a tire blowout, which could affect the control you have of your vehicle. In addition, proper tire infl ation can help your car handle better during road conditions that are less than opti-mum, such as road ice or snow or standing water.

Here are ten steps to check your tire pressure:• Locate the raised writing on the side of your ve-

hicle’s tires.• Find the text that reads, “recommended PSI” or

some similar text (PSI is “pounds per square inch” [“pascal” or Pa]) or refer to your owner’s manual or tire dealer for your particular tires. The recommended PSI is sometimes also lo-cated on a door sticker.

• Check your tire infl ation level (PSI) in cold weather before driving your vehicle, when the car is cold (sitting for a minimum of 3 hours). Driving causes the PSI to increase, making the reading inaccurate if tested after driving.

• Remove the valve-stem cap on 1 or all 4 tires (you will check all 4 tires).

• Press your air-pressure gauge evenly over the valve stem until air stops escaping.

• Read the pressure indicated on the metered stick that comes out of the gauge or on the digital screen of your digital gauge.

• Repeat this process on the rest of your vehicle’s tires.

• Record the PSI readings for each of your tires.• Drive to the nearest fuel station or auto garage if

your tires are underinfl ated that has an air supply. Try not to drive more than one kilometre if possible so that your tires do not heat up and cause an inaccurate reading or infl ation.

• Park your vehicle so that the air hose from the gas station or auto garage will reach all four tires.

• Remove all caps from the valve stems.• Recheck the pressure in all the four tires and check

the readings against your original readings. This will give you an idea of the difference from driving and help you add the proper amount of air.

• Fit the air-hose onto one of your tire stems until air stops leaking.

• Release air into your tire by either squeezing the handle on the hose or allowing the hose assembly to do it automatically.

• Remove the hose periodically and recheck the pres-sure with your own gauge (public gauges can wear with time and produce inaccurate readings).

• Continue to infl ate your tire until you reach the recommended PSI.

• Replace the caps on the valve stems.• Recheck your tire pressure each week during the

cold weather.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A20 36 Business CourageCourage

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Sterling Bank has assured that it will use the net proceeds of its ongoing rights issue to up-

scale its growth and strengthen the bank’s operations for continuous im-proved benefi ts to all stakeholders.

The bank’s managing director, Yemi Adeola, while speaking with newsmen at the weekend, said the additional capital would be used to fund the bank’s growth plan includ-ing expansion and modernisation of branch network and information technology. The funds would also be used to support the bank’s growing retail and corporate banking busi-nesses.

Sterling Bank is raising N12.5 bil-lion through a rights issue of about 5.889 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N2.12 per share. The lender had traded at a high of N3.05 at the stock market. The shares have been pre-allotted on the basis of three new ordinary shares of 50 kobo each for every eight ordinary shares of 50 kobo each held as at May 20, 2013. Application list, which opened on June 24, 2013, will run till July 31, 2013.

The rights circular indicated that the net proceeds of the rights issue, estimated at N12.13 billion, would be used mainly to fi nance branch ex-pansion and increase working capital

A detailed breakdown of utilisa-tion of net proceeds, 35 per cent of the net proceeds, estimated at N4.24 billion, would be used for branch expansion; 15 per cent of the funds estimated at N1.82 billion would be used for infrastructure upgrade, 10 per cent of the funds equivalent to N1.21 billion would be used for in-formation technology and the largest chunk of 40 per cent, estimated at N4.85 billion, would be set aside as additional working capital.

Adeola explained further that the ongoing rights issue and other capital raising exercises were meant to sup-port the bank’s next growth agenda, which is aimed at consolidating its

New capital will boost performance, returns, says Sterling Bank

stable performance over the years and enhance its competitiveness in terms of size and resilience to macro-economic changes.

He said additional capitalisation has become necessary because size has become increasingly important and relevant in the banking industry and the extent of capital base could be a limit to expansion in terms of physical presence and operations.

The Sterling Bank boss pointed out that additional working capital would enable the bank to expand the scope of its corporate banking busi-ness, noting that the lender is cur-rently limited by the single obligor limit, which is a function of available capital base.

He outlined that the bank would use the net proceeds from the rights issue to open more branches in places such as Abuja, Aba, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsi-na, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Owerri and Port Harcourt as it seeks to consolidate its pan-Nigerian franchise.

He added that part of the net proceeds would also be used to in-stall new automated teller machines (ATMs) in the new branches as well as other enabling infrastructure to con-solidate its leading position in cash-less payment and transactions.

He expressed confi dence that given the well-thought out growth plan and the itemised uses of the net proceeds, the bank would leap on the back of this recapitalisation to achieve its top-fi ve bank goal while delivering better returns to share-holders.

“If with the modest capital that we have, we were able to stabilise the bank, deliver consistently better re-turns to shareholders and build up to become the a top tier bank, imagine what we would do with more capi-tal. Our shareholders have no rea-son whatsoever not to be excited in participating in the rights issue. You can’t regret it,” Adeola said.

Adeola

It was an irony of sorts when a massive gridlock became the highpoint of last Friday’s inauguration of the N167bn

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction project by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Thousands of unfortunate motorists were caught in the bedlam that erupted as a result of the closure of both sides of the expressway by armoured personnel carriers around the Shagamu interchange where the ceremony took place with tales of missed appointments and sundry pain-ful delays. Angry motorists trapped for three good hours on Lagos-Ibadan Ex-pressway and Abeokuta-Ore-Benin Ex-pressway, were quick to vent their spleen on Jonathan for worsening their sufferings on the notoriously dangerous roads.

Nonetheless, the commencement of the reconstruction of the most important ar-terial road in the South, as belated as it can be as it is coming 35 years after the original works were completed, and after an attempt to concession the road ended in a fi asco, opens a vista of hope that the national embarrassment that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had become, will soon end.

The reconstruction of the road is being handled by Messrs Julius Berger Plc and Reynolds Construction Company Ltd both reputable construction fi rms and the job is expected to be completed within four years.

At the inauguration, Jonathan himself acknowledged that the rehabilitation of the road was long overdue considering the fact that it connects Lagos, the economic nerve centre of Nigeria, to other parts of the country apart from the fact that half of the economic transactions being con-ducted in the country were done between the Lagos – Ogun axis through the 128 ki-lometre expressway.

The project according to him is part of ongoing efforts at road rehabilitation across the nation where road infrastruc-ture have been left to decay over the years such that road travel has become a night-mare for millions of travellers.

Indeed, bad roads, lack of proper sig-nage and dearth of emergency facilities account for most of the terrible accidents that have claim hundreds of lives yearly in this country.

Much of it has to do with underfunding of road projects due to massive corruption where government offi cial collect a siz-able chunk of contract sums upfront from contractors who are then left with one op-tion of doing shoddy jobs that are quickly approved and certifi es nonetheless. Even where the job is well done, pot holes will inevitably appear here and there, but those in charge ignore such until it devel-ops into a huge crater that will require a sizable contract award to fi x.

Indeed, some frustrated individuals will

At last, Lagos Ibadan Expressway projects gets going

argue that bad roads are among those things that defi ne Nigeria, but it galls that we are yet to get a handle on such basic infrastructure needs in the 21st century when roads built by ancient Ro-mans are still today visible in Britain.

This is perhaps why the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun took time to drum it in President Jonathan’s ears on Friday that he should ensure that the whopping N167bn, which come to more than N1bn per kilometre being spent on the Lagos-Ibadan road projects in not wasted by emplacing a proper mainte-nance regime when the job is completed and also employ more workers dedicated to road maintenance nationwide.

In a country where the rail system in highly inadequate, the impact of our appalling road network on businesses is horrendous. It amounts for a major cost element for goods and services across the nation as commercial vehicle opera-tors pass the huge costs to remain on the roads on service users. Some esti-mates have it that bad roads cost about N500bn in economic losses yearly, and some will argue that that is an under-statement.

For this reason also one will insist that government does not abandon the public private sector partnership model in the delivery of road infrastructure de-spite the ugly experience with Bi-Court-ney hat was awarded the Lagos-Ibadan concession in 2009 only to have the agreement revoked four years later due to non-performance.

Of course, the company alone was not to blame as the government itself failed to deliver on some of its obligations including resolving right of way issues but with the lessons learnt from that episode, a sustainable framework for PPP for federal highways can be devel-oped. Lagos State has already recorded substantial success with the Lekki-Epe Expressway Concession and the quality of the job done confi rms that this will be the way to go as we make progress.

In fi rmly addressing the transport infrastructure issue in a large country such as Nigeria however, the railways need to become dominant.

It seems the government is scared of committing to the re-development of a nationwide rail network on the back of which the economies of other large na-tions including the United States, Rus-sia, China and India have been built.

Road and rail development must go together. Fine, government is looking to-wards the Chinese for some of these in-frastructure issues but is should not be a dinner-with-the-devil affair.

Oil and gas resources, currently be-ing stolen by criminals in the Niger Del-ta, can easily fund future projects.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A21 37Business CourageCourage

Stock Updates

GAINERS

COMPANY OPENING PRICE CLOSING PRICE CHANGE

UACN 53.00 57.00 4.00

CADBURY 54.00 57.00 3.00

OKOMUOIL 45.10 48.00 2.90

UNILEVER 56.00 58.00 2.00

ASHAKACEM 22.80 24.35 1.55

LOSERS

COMPANY OPENING PRICE CLOSING PRICE CHANGE

NESTLE 993.00 960.00 -33.00

TOTAL 160.00 150.10 -9.90

DANGCEM 188.00 182.00 -6.00

CAP 59.89 53.91 -5.98

FLOURMILL 87.45 85.00 -2.45

Inter-Bank Rates

TENOR RATE%(PREV) 21-June-2013 RATE%(CURR) 28-June-2013

CALL 14.0000 – 16.7500 10.1000 – 11.5000

OBB 13.0000 – 15.0000 10.1500 – 12.8500

Primary Market Auction

TENOR AMOUNT (N’mn) RATE (%) DATE

91-Days 31838.51 11.62 26-Jun-13

182-Days 21538.34 12.75 26-Jun-13

364-Days 81190.88 13.22 26-Jun-13

Open Market Operation

TENOR AMOUNT (N’mn) RATE (%) DATE

230-Days 80,000 13.30 28-June-13

83-Days 80,000 12.19 27-June-13

136-Days 50,000 12.10 10-June-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED MARKET DEMAND AMOUNT SOLD DATE

$300m $300m $300m 12-June-13

$300m $300m $300m 10-June-13

Market Indicators for Week Ended 05-07-13All-Share Index 36,164.30 pointsMarket Capitalisation N11,426,252,504,888

BC

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), the professional body

for stockbrokers in the coun-try, has de-registered two of its members for unprofessional and infamous conducts.

A statement from the in-stitute at the weekend listed the affected stockbrokers as Peter Temidayo Ola and King-sley Okwudiri Nnaji. the third member, Akinwale Olagundoye was suspended from trading in the Nigerian capital market for six months, a decision he has, however, appealed against.

The de-registration of the brokers followed the judgment of CIS Disciplinary Tribunal, which found them guilty of their various offences.

The CIS Tribunal is a body saddled with instilling disci-pline among members and thus protecting investors in the mar-ket, has Justice G.A. Oguntade (rtd)as its legal assessor.

According to the judgements made available by the Secretary of the Tribunal, J.B Odofi n, Ola was de-registered after the Tribunal found him guilty of infamous conduct contrary to and punishable under Regula-tions 5(vi), 5(vii) and 5 (xii) and section 11(1)(a) of the CIS Act of 1992.

Four count charges were brought against Ola, including the collection of money from persons under the pretence that he had shares to sell; conniving

with securities houses not reg-istered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to defraud unsuspecting investors.

Among the charges against Ola, between May and June 2009, he was said to have col-lected the sum of N320, 000 from two persons under false pretence that he had shares of Friesland Campina Wamco Nige-ria when he knew in actual fact he had no such shares to sell.

In the case of Nnaji, he was de-registered for infamous con-duct for which the Disciplinary Committee of the NSE had al-ready found him guilty and his

dealership clerkship withdrawn since last year.

The NSE terminated the Nnaji’s authority to utilise the trading facilities provided by the Exchange.

After reviewing the decision of the NSE committee, the CIS Tribunal declared that the conduct of Nnaji was of such magnitude that warranted the penalty given by the Exchange.

Accordingly, his name was struck off the register of mem-bers of the institute but with the option to seek the reinstate-ment of his name should the decision of the NSE against him be reversed by an appellate Tri-bunal,” CIS said.

CIS de-registers stockbrokers for unprofessional conduct By Johnson Okanlawon

Ariyo Olushekun, President CIS

The Securities and Ex-change Commission (SEC), has approved the

shares of Conoil Plc, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc and that of 15 other quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange,( NSE), to be used by investors for margin lending activities.

The margin lending list, as released by SEC, was based on the Commission’s rules and guidelines which it instituted with a view to curbing excessive speculative activities of inves-tors. The list is composed of se-curities which shares have been adjudged by the Commission to have enough liquidity and fun-damental strengths to serve as margin securities.

Conoil is one of Nigeria’s foremost petroleum products marketing company, famous for its high performance and sus-tained impressive profi tability over the years and with record

of robust returns on invest-ment.

The company, with an ex-pansive storage capacity and retail network, is a service pro-vider in the areas of aviation fuel, lubricants and liquefi ed petroleum gas (LPG).

SEC recently released the list of quoted companies which shares could be used in mar-gin lending and transactions, with a caution that only inves-tors and persons with adequate knowledge of margin lending should engage in it.

Apart from Conoil and NB, the list also included: Cadbury Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria, Ju-lius Berger Nigeria, UACN Prop-erty Development Company, Okomu Oil Palm, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria, Flour Mills of Nigeria and Ashaka Ce-ment.

Also included in the list are International Breweries, La-

farge Cement Wapco Nigeria, National Salt Company of Ni-geria, Nestle Nigeria, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, Honeywell Flour Mills and Dangote Cement among oth-ers.

According to the Commis-sion, the margin list was part of its efforts to forestall the un-toward events that contributed to the previous market decline. It noted that the regulation of margin lending will ensure that the market is founded on the principles of risk-based super-vision.

The apex regulator which prides itself as being commit-ted to building a world class market that is perceived as fair, transparent and built on integrity, however urged inves-tors to check the margin list on its website before entering into margin lending arrangement with a broker or a bank.

SEC okays Conoil, NB shares, 15 others for margin lending

BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 A22 38 Business CourageCourage

Mobil Oil Nigeria, a key operator in the petroleum down-

stream sub-sector faces in-dustry-wide challenges rang-ing from high costs and low margins and a decreasing profi t margin on the back of increasing dependence on short and long-term borrow-ings.

The company closed its 2012 operations with an un-precedented drop in after tax profi t. It however used income from other non-core business-es to dress up the fi nal net profi t fi gure. The company’s after tax profi t dropped by 29.5 per cent to N2.88 billion, the lowest in three years.

The company’s after tax profi t fi gure had come to a peak of N4.08 billion in 2011. This was however defl ated by other comprehensive income, which was a negative fi gure of N597 million, resulting in a net profi t fi gure of N3.48 bil-lion.

In 2012, other compre-hensive income changed from negative to a positive fi gure of N716 million. It therefore lifted after tax profi t to N3.59 billion, slightly above the net profi t fi gure recorded in 2011.

BackgroundMobil Oil Nigeria Plc (MON)

is one of the two petroleum products marketing fi rms where foreign investors have controlling interest. The sec-ond company is Total Nigeria Plc. However, unlike Total Nigeria, Mobil has a Nigerian, Adetunji Oyebanji as Chair-man/Managing Director.

Although this could be said to be a sign of confi dence the foreign investors have in the ability of Nigerians to run the fi rm, the combination of Chairman/Managing Direc-tor by one individual is not in consonance with the good corporate governance require-ment that stipulates the sepa-ration of the two positions.

The company was incorpo-rated as a private limited li-ability company in 1951 and converted to a public limited liability company in 1978. The company got listed on

Mobil Oil Nigeria: Profit margin impaired by borrowing costBy Johnson Okanlawon

the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in 1979. It is a subsid-iary of Mobil Oil Corporation of the United States of Ameri-ca, which controls 60 per cent equity stake.

The company has over 200 retail outlets spread across the 36 states of Nigeria and owns three plants located in Apapa, Lagos State, that manufacture lubes, petro-leum jelly, and insecticide.

Apart from Oyebanji, oth-er Nigerian directors include Abba Kyari, Henry Obih and Mayen Adetiba.

StrategyMobil Oil Nigeria Plc, a

company with the main busi-ness of manufacture and mar-keting of petroleum products has about 172 active com-pany owned and more than 215 third party owned retail outlets. The company owns the following strategic as-sets namely 1. 38,513 barrels base oil storage, a lube blend-ing plant capable of produc-ing 186,000 barrels per year, a 22,500 barrels per year grease plant, 4. 5,100 barrels of additive storage and a mod-ern Avjet facility plus a yet to be completed aviation stor-age facility, including other warehouses across the entire country.

Profi tability With reversal of positive

working of N1.71 billion to N646 million in 2012, the proportion of working capital to total sales declined from 2.8 per cent to -0.8 per cent. Debtors/creditors ratio stood at 62.1 per cent in 2012 as against 87.4 per cent in 2011.

The company’s turnover rose by 30.1 per cent to a new peak of N80.8 billion in 2012. This is a major acceleration from a moderate growth of 6.4 per cent in the preceding year and the strongest rev-enue growth in several years. Until last year, when the com-pany raised sales revenue to a new peak, turnover had re-mained below the 2008 peak of N66.74 billion.

Its inability to grow sales revenue seems to be an in-

dustry wide problem. The ac-celerated growth in sales reve-nue reported by Mobil in 2012 was attained at a signifi cantly increased cost of products. Cost of sales grew well ahead of sales revenue at about 40 per cent to N72.59 billion. The cost per naira of sales there-fore rose during the year from 83.7 kobo in 2011 to 90 kobo in 2012.

The rise in cost of sales caused a drop of 19 per cent in the gross profi t fi gure, which came to N8.21 billion in 2012. The drop was partly countered by an increase of 11 per cent in other income, which amounted to N2.81 bil-lion in the year. There was also a slight moderation of selling and distribution ex-penses, which increased by 4.1 per cent compared to the 30.1 per cent growth in sales revenue.

Selling and distribution expenses claimed a reduced proportion of sales revenue in 2012 at 6.1 per cent com-pared to 7.9 per cent in the preceding year. This means that selling and distribution cost per naira of sales rev-enue declined in 2012. There was also a moderation of ad-ministrative expenses, which grew by 7.3 per cent to about N1.7 billion in the year. The proportion of sales revenue claimed by administrative cost also declined during the

review period.The cost moderation in the

observed areas was however unable to fully compensate for the high rise in cost of sales. Consequently, operating prof-it of the company fell by 29.4 per cent at the end of 2012. Further pressure on revenue also came from interest charg-es, which rose by 80.1 per cent to N299 million.

The net effect of the rev-enue and cost developments in the year was a decline in net profi t margin from 5.6 per cent in 2011 to 4.4 per cent in 2012. Mobil used to show the highest profi t margin among petroleum marketers and now its margins have also come under pressure from rising cost.

The company’s full year position is nevertheless a major improvement from the third quarter position when the company reported a profi t margin of 2.7 per cent.

LiquidityMajor developments in the

company’s balance sheet dur-ing the year include a 30 per cent drop in trade and other receivables, which stood at N5.74 billion at the end of the year. There was a 70.2 per cent advancement in prepay-ments and 7.7 per cent de-cline in inventories. There was a slight decline of 1.6 per cent in trade payables during the

year.The company’s cash fl ow

position came under pressure as net cash generated from operating activities dropped by 28.1 per cent to N4.97 bil-lion. Increase in investment activities claimed much of the net cash fl ow from operating activities and the company had to embark on new bank borrowings during the year. A new long-term borrowing of N612 million was contracted in the year and bank overdraft was raised from only N21 mil-lion in 2011 to more than N429 million in 2012.

OutlookThe operating outlook for

the company this year indi-cates that margins are likely to remain tight and high cost of sales could put further pressures on cash fl ow. There might be a resort to increased bank borrowings, which could reinforce the pressure on margins through higher inter-est charges. In the event that sales revenue fails to grow reasonably, a further drop in profi t from the core business may not be ruled out.

In the face of these chal-lenges that affected fi nancial performance, Oyebanji main-tained that the company will continue to lead the industry in safe work practices and op-erating control. “Our control environment remained robust with continued strong results in all internal audits and unit internal assessments com-pleted in 2012. Our efforts did not go unnoticed. In Novem-ber 2012, and for the second year running, the company won the Pearl Award for the best downstream petroleum marketer in Nigeria for 2011.

“As we continue to plan for the challenges ahead, the directors recognise the need to constantly focus on share-holder returns that are com-petitive and of long-term val-ue. We are therefore pleased to declare a dividend of N5 and this represents an increase of 20 per cent over last year and is consistent with our vision of delivering robust returns to our shareholders.”

Oyebanji

BC

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, July 8, 2013 A23 39

STOCKWATCH

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.50 135 160 0.64 0.50 2 200 000 000 0.10 N/A 0.50OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 45.10 277 429 51.04 14.53 476 955 000 6.73 -5.65 47.80PRESCO PLC 41.14 6 826 133 16.15 6.40 1 000 000 000 2.75 11.34 36.95Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT NT 4.26 4.26 60 000 000 0.00 N/A NTLivestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 5.47 84 400 017 5.94 0.48 1 199 549 736 0.11 1.48 5.39CONGLOMERATES Diversifi ed Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.40 53 849 2.54 0.74 2 191 895 983 0.08 -9.68 1.55CHELLARAMS PLC. NT NT 7.60 5.81 963 900 300 0.24 N/A NTJOHN HOLT PLC. 1.43 509 112 8.82 5.32 389 151 408 0.00 N/A 1.43S C O A NIG. PLC. 5.32 3 433 8.28 5.52 821 666 666 0.35 N/A 5.42U A C N PLC. 53.00 1 334 264 60.15 28.70 1 600 720 323 6.89 N/A 57.80CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT NT 26.00 14.09 148 500 000 0.00 N/A NTCAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT NT 95.49 95.49 196 876 000 4.50 N/A NTBuilding Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. 1.54 685 800 7.97 2.46 920 573 765 0.00 N/A 1.42G CAPPA PLC NT NT 14.46 14.46 125 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNon--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 66.99 60 450 62.26 21.55 1 200 000 000 4.93 10.00 60.90ROADS NIG PLC. NT NT 10.00 3.01 20 000 000 4.73 N/A NTReal Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT NT 7.28 7.28 0.00 N/A NTUACN PROPERTY DEV 14.51 297 431 20.15 8.82 1 375 000 000 1.66 -4.16 15.14Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC NT NT 100.00 97.00 20 000 000 11.75 N/A NTUNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV 50.00 135 50.00 50.00 250 019 781 0.75 N/A 50.00CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 1 806 161 0.50 0.50 4 772 528 415 0.00 N/A 0.50Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. NT NT 4.63 2.23 900 000 000 0.00 N/A NTGOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT NT 0.68 0.68 272 160 000 0.03 N/A NTGUINNESS NIG PLC 251.07 72 159 277.00 186.00 1 474 925 519 9.46 -3.43 260.00INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 24.50 257 063 27.00 5.23 2 112 914 681 0.25 N/A 26.00JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NT NT 3.20 1.61 562 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 156.00 1 068 113 178.00 72.50 7 562 562 340 5.08 0.65 155.00PREMIER BREWERIES PLC NT NT 0.97 0.93 126 000 000 0.00 N/A NTBeverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 53.00 16 286 54.45 38.31 640 590 362 2.69 N/A 54.45Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 2 000 000 000 0.00 N/A NTDANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 9.20 711 711 19.90 4.15 5 000 000 000 0.00 -3.87 9.57DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 11.50 1 222 580 16.20 3.64 12 000 000 000 0.91 9.52 10.50FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 87.45 265 447 95.00 52.50 1 879 210 666 3.79 -6.57 93.60HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 3.50 1 405 402 6.60 1.91 7 930 197 658 0.51 2.94 3.40MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT NT 2.70 1.00 3 722 493 620 0.00 N/A NTN NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NT NT 43.96 20.41 178 200 000 2.50 N/A NTNATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 12.20 694 534 6.70 3.86 1.07 -5.06 12.85P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT NT 5.66 5.66 40 000 000 0.08 N/A NTU T C NIG. PLC. 0.59 92 640 0.88 0.50 1 233 375 004 1.13 -9.23 0.65UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT NT 4.22 4.22 360 000 000 0.00 N/A NTFood Products--Diversifi ed CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 54.00 1 191 255 55.49 9.15 3 129 188 160 1.35 -1.82 55.00NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 993.00 228 999 1075.17 367.83 792 656 250 25.43 0.20 991.00Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NT 15.58 10.03 3.90 N/A NTNIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT NT 42.66 34.39 63 360 000 1.61 N/A NTVITAFOAM NIG PLC. 4.37 704 523 6.75 3.01 819 000 000 0.54 0.46 4.35VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 1.71 13 000 3.67 2.66 300 000 001 0.00 N/A 1.71Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 45.00 215 801 53.00 22.07 3 176 381 636 0.70 0.00 45.00UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 56.12 447 673 68.00 22.56 3 783 296 250 1.44 0.00 56.12Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT NT 0.97 0.57 843 284 027 0.00 N/A NTFINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 10.50 26 956 995 11.70 4.76 17 888 251 479 1.42 -2.33 10.75DIAMOND BANK PLC 5.95 14 030 611 9.27 2.01 14 475 243 105 0.90 -4.49 6.23ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 14.80 961 268 17.05 9.97 9 873 614 567 2.81 -1.33 15.00FIDELITY BANK PLC 2.99 10 702 839 3.20 1.14 28 974 797 023 0.43 -5.38 3.16FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 4.75 865 336 8.30 3.04 16 271 192 202 0.60 0.00 4.75GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 24.39 23 688 273 29.05 11.64 29 146 482 209 2.10 -2.44 25.00SKYE BANK PLC 4.63 3 774 832 10.17 2.73 13 219 334 676 0.71 -1.70 4.71STERLING BANK PLC. 2.65 9 644 061 2.91 0.97 12 563 091 545 0.54 2.32 2.59U B A PLC 8.12 13 983 292 8.70 1.64 32 334 693 693 0.67 -3.33 8.40UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 12.89 1 521 196 13.09 1.96 13 509 726 273 0.00 -1.07 13.03UNITY BANK PLC 0.60 7 021 005 1.92 0.50 33 675 576 085 0.00 0.00 0.60WEMA BANK PLC. 1.14 1 003 559 1.75 0.50 12 821 249 880 0.00 2.70 1.11ZENITH BANK PLC 19.60 34 307 966 22.75 11.70 31 396 493 790 2.09 -3.07 20.22Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 20 585 000 000 0.00 N/A NTAIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.92 1 462 025 1.01 0.50 7 809 391 256 0.05 0.00 0.92CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.64 0.61 211 626 000 0.00 N/A NTCONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC 0.50 5 000 0.50 0.50 6 000 000 000 0.05 N/A 0.50CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 1.20 912 513 1.20 0.61 10 372 624 157 0.14 0.00 1.20CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. 0.50 60 750 0.50 0.50 8 820 010 363 0.02 0.00 0.50CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.65 325 500 3.51 1.31 5 100 846 808 0.28 0.00 1.65EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 8 847 298 420 0.00 N/A NTGOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.69 0.50 4 549 947 000 0.00 N/A NTGREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC 0.50 10 000 0.50 0.50 3 827 485 380 0.00 N/A 0.50GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 720 000 000 0.00 N/A NTINTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 1.00 72 682 0.97 0.50 5 061 804 000 0.00 N/A 1.00INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 127 000 0.50 0.50 6 420 427 449 0.00 0.00 0.50INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT NT 0.50 0.50 28 000 000 000 0.02 N/A NTLASACO ASSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 7 323 313 227 0.00 N/A NTLAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. 0.50 123 965 0.61 0.50 3 437 330 500 0.00 N/A 0.50LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 123 965 0.50 0.50 4 083 713 569 0.03 0.00 0.50MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 1.95 105 900 2.30 0.95 10 000 000 000 0.16 -15.22 2.30MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 7 998 705 336 0.01 N/A NTN.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.76 804 692 0.86 0.50 5 332 830 881 0.37 0.00 0.76NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NT NT 1.11 0.50 5 649 693 923 0.02 N/A NTOASIS INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 5 003 506 791 0.04 N/A NTPRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.59 466 714 2.35 0.50 2 508 315 436 0.06 0.00 0.59REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 668 750 000 0.04 N/A NTSOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 85 000 0.52 0.50 5 203 757 266 0.09 0.00 0.50STACO INSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 141 087 609 0.00 N/A NTSTANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 60 000 0.50 0.50 8 493 173 450 0.00 N/A 0.50UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 708 026 0.50 0.50 2 581 733 505 0.00 N/A 0.50UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 13 000 000 000 0.02 N/A NTUNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 3 627 0.50 0.50 16 000 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.50Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NT 6.00 0.00 0.01 NTNPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 1.10 408 200 1.15 1.00 0.07 1.10Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC 1.50 1 000 1.51 1.33 4 200 000 000 0.03 N/A 1.50ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 100 000 0.50 0.50 8 679 148 676 0.02 N/A 0.50RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 2 000 0.50 0.50 13 175 732 404 0.00 N/A 0.50UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT 1 0.99 0.50 7 812 500 000 0.00 N/A NTOther Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT NT 0.61 0.50 3 778 005 975 0.00 N/A NTDEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC 1.34 70 000 2.02 2.02 1 333 333 333 0.00 N/A 1.34FBN HOLDINGS PLC 18.00 25 167 703 19.60 8.50 32 632 084 358 3.03 4.05 17.30NIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NT 0.15 0.15 5 880 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT NT 552.20 555.20 2 500 000 12.65 N/A NTROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.55 219 007 0.66 0.50 3 608 657 661 0.00 N/A 0.55STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 15.19 206 094 16.00 6.40 18 750 000 000 0.87 -5.06 16.00HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. 4.32 400 5.31 5.05 498 600 908 0.12 N/A 4.80Medical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 3 500 0.50 0.50 3 553 138 528 0.00 N/A 0.50Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 2.23 6 780 10.54 7.39 152 178 750 0.06 N/A 2.23Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 3.30 487 342 3.30 0.50 486 473 856 0.00 0.00 3.30FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 2.30 790 965 3.20 0.76 1 500 000 000 0.44 0.00 2.30GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 67.98 260 437 68.00 19.30 956 701 192 2.62 0.00 67.98MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 2.32 578 207 5.61 1.62 980 000 000 0.20 0.00 2.32

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 05-07-13 N/A=Not Avialable

NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 1.30 61 120 1.96 0.76 1 925 717 268 0.09 0.00 1.30NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. NT NT 12.91 8.59 153 786 012 0.00 N/A NTPHARMA-DEKO PLC. NT NT 4.28 3.50 100 000 000 0.00 N/A NTICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.80 2 264 670 0.80 0.50 2 960 000 000 0.10 0.00 0.80Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC 0.50 100 000 0.50 0.50 2 941 789 472 0.00 N/A 0.50Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT NT 0.91 0.91 4 966 666 668 0.00 N/A NTIT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 18.70 790 18.70 13.12 108 000 000 0.00 N/A 18.70TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT NT 3.59 2.41 492 825 600 0.01 N/A NTProcessing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 13 873 0.50 0.50 4 620 600 000 0.00 N/A 0.50E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC 3.47 10 4.97 4.04 4 200 000 000 0.04 N/A 3.47Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC NT NT 1.47 0.50 6 878 478 096 0.00 N/A NTTelecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT NT 2.25 0.00 0.00 N/A NTIHS PLC 1.82 20 489 000 3.50 2.46 4 400 000 000 0.00 N/A 1.82MTI PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 4 893 594 400 0.00 N/A NTINDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT NT 3.32 2.86 260 000 000 0.00 N/A NTASHAKA CEM PLC 22.80 1 675 556 30.00 9.10 2 239 453 125 2.14 -4.40 23.85BERGER PAINTS PLC 11.38 14 300 12.57 7.27 217 367 585 1.09 0.00 11.38CAP PLC 59.89 221 143 43.98 14.50 560 000 000 2.28 0.00 59.89CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 11.19 16 600 15.49 4.20 1 241 548 285 1.47 4.09 10.75DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 188.00 16 269 132.51 95.00 15 494 019 668 8.33 -2.08 192.00DN MEYER PLC. NT NT 3.51 0.93 242 908 200 0.00 N/A NTFIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC NT NT 0.75 0.50 2 109 928 275 0.00 N/A NTIPWA PLC 0.68 4 075 0.99 0.91 513 696 000 0.00 N/A 0.68LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 84.00 754 631 56.50 37.00 3 001 600 004 4.10 -7.44 90.75PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC NT NT 3.36 0.52 792 914 256 0.26 N/A NTPORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 4.23 100 000 5.28 2.27 400 000 000 0.23 N/A 4.23PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT NT 13.40 10.93 75 000 000 0.00 N/A NTElectronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC 2.00 200 000 2.00 2.00 0.03 N/A 2.00CUTIX PLC. 2.25 65 326 2.50 1.33 510 396 608 0.11 0.00 2.25NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NT 0.73 0.50 2 220 000 000 0.00 N/A NTNIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC NT NT 2.58 2.58 15 000 000 0.00 N/A NTPackaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 3.98 3.98 25 000 000 0.00 N/A NTAVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.90 1 711 6.91 2.19 683 974 528 0.05 N/A 1.90BETA GLASS CO PLC. 10.00 13 236 12.71 9.53 0.05 10.00GREIF NIGERIA PLC NT NT 15.03 13.28 42 640 000 0.90 N/A NTNIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC NT NT 3.60 1.60 6 215 000 000 0.24 #VALUE! NTPOLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 1.86 1.05 240 000 000 0.22 N/A NTW A GLASS IND. PLC. NT NT 0.63 0.63 199 066 550 0.00 N/A NTTools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC NT NT 8.69 8.26 265 409 280 0.00 N/A NTSTOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NT 0.14 0.14 2 918 000 0.00 N/A NTNATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 7.50 100 9.20 5.70 393 120 000 0.76 0.00 7.50Metals ALUMACO PLC NT NT 7.75 7.75 75 600 000 0.00 N/A NTALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NT NT 12.39 10.55 100 000 000 0.43 N/A NTNon-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 4 058 989 226 0.00 N/A NTPaper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 3.22 3.22 50 000 000 0.04 N/A NTTHOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. NT NT 1.38 1.38 220 000 000 0.00 N/A NTOIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.54 6 180 819 1.02 0.54 6 262 701 716 0.13 0.00 0.54Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 12.85 6 775 860 24.80 10.94 2 262 711 568 1.73 0.00 12.85Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT NT 20.71 20.71 125 487 475 0.00 N/A NTBECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.50 10 000 0.70 0.50 3 716 976 579 0.00 N/A 0.50CONOIL PLC 23.00 19 886 41.89 19.61 693 952 117 0.47 0.00 23.00ETERNA PLC. 3.30 1 015 840 5.59 2.12 1 249 162 828 0.61 9.63 3.01FORTE OIL PLC. 17.02 176 449 28.69 9.12 1 080 280 628 0.00 0.00 17.02MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 107.10 2 425 163.50 111.51 300 496 051 6.11 -10.00 119.00MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 17.80 5 185 72.00 32.29 253 988 672 3.62 N/A 17.80TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 160.00 39 217 240.00 125.00 339 521 837 14.63 -3.07 165.07SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC NT NT 0.72 0.50 4 035 497 307 0.00 N/A NTApparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 3.48 3.48 0.19 N/A NTAutomobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 1.68 207 839 3.65 1.12 980 294 400 0.21 0.00 1.68Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 4.99 182 000 3.67 2.11 589 496 310 0.58 0.00 4.99TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT NT 6.40 3.28 198 819 763 0.25 N/A NTEmployment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 533 000 1.64 0.85 865 808 912 0.08 N/A 0.50Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC NT NT 0.75 0.50 3 211 627 907 0.01 N/A NTHotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC NT NT 8.00 3.00 1 548 780 000 0.18 N/A NTIKEJA HOTEL PLC 0.82 451 060 2.59 1.16 2 078 796 396 0.92 0.00 0.82TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT NT 4.76 4.31 1 772 884 297 0.00 N/A NTTRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 1.50 27 080 317 1.95 0.50 25 813 998 283 0.22 0.00 1.50Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 80 500 0.50 0.50 8 000 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.50Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 2.26 25 000 3.68 1.64 403 200 000 0.14 N/A 2.26LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.84 1 062 870 8.00 1.94 771 450 000 0.29 N/A 1.84STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT NT 2.92 2.78 0.01 N/A NTUNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 5.60 82 018 6.82 3.09 425 641 111 0.50 0.00 5.60Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.93 108 100 0.80 0.50 1 507 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.93Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT NT 5.15 4.90 236 699 511 0.00 N/A NTSECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT NT 1.88 0.80 5 631 539 736 0.03 N/A NTTransport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 5.20 9 629 2.78 1.54 634 000 000 0.38 N/A 5.20NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 6.70 279 640 11.75 5.15 1 230 468 750 0.81 0.00 6.70ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT NT 1.43 1.04 45 000 000 0.12 N/A NTCONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 0.97 11 000 1.02 1.02 201 885 335 0.00 N/A 0.97Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. 0.60 500 0.60 0.60 30 000 000 0.00 N/A 0.60HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 24 898 850 0.00 N/A NTINDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT NT NTADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 500 1.88 1.63 125 005 250 0.00 N/A 1.63NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT 0.50 0.50 6 650 000 0.00 N/A NTOIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT NT 0.21 0.21 24 200 000 0.00 N/A NTCAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 20 000 0.50 0.50 5 857 500 000 0.00 N/A 0.50RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT NT 0.31 0.31 15 000 000 0.00 N/A NTUNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT NT 0.63 0.63 98 600 000 0.00 N/A NTSERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT NT 0.50 0.50 20 000 000 0.00 N/A NTFood/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT NT NTJULI PLC. 2.14 100 3.05 2.76 194 700 000 0.00 N/A 2.14ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2 638.00 100 2 706 2 422 0.00 2 638.00

PRICE 52 WK 52 WK SHARES MOV.SECURITY (=N=) QUANTITY HIGH LOW OUTSTANDING EPS (%) Previous

PRICE 52 WK 52 WK SHARES MOV.SECURITY (=N=) QUANTITY HIGH LOW OUTSTANDING EPS (%) Previous

Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, July 05, 2013

Business CourageCourage

Monday, July 8, 2013 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net40

Law & Justice“It is settled law that statutes which overreach

the citizen’s right or access to court are subject to very strict interpretation.”

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 41Monday, July 8, 2013

nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

JUSTICE DAHIRU MUSDAPHER, RETIRED CHIEF JUSTICE , SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA.

Notable Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have extolled the virtues of legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN as he

celebrates 50 years at the Bar today.Prominent among the SANs, who poured en-

comiums on him are, Prof. Itse Sagay, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, Chiefs Felix Fagbohungbe and Bolaji Ayorinde.

Sagay, a one-time Dean, Faculty of Law, Uni-versity of Benin, UNIBEN, described Chief Afe Babalola , as ‘’ an outstanding person in the le-gal profession who had an incredibly negative and challenging background. In spite of all the difficulties, he weathered through the storm and conquered all difficulties.

Not alone did he become a lawyer after a de-gree from another discipline, he later became one of the best lawyers of his time. He also at-tained the award of SAN- ship in 1987.

According to Sagay, ‘’His (Afe’s) rise from grass to grace is an incredible journey. His life story is only expected to happen in fiction, not in reality.

More so, from my personal interaction with him, I also discovered that he has the quality of compassion; he is a person who is ready to help. He is always willing to listen and eager to assist his neighbours.

There is no doubt, God has blessed him so much and we wish him prosperous days ahead.’’

Prof. Osipitan, on the other hand, corrobo-rated Sagay’s views. The SAN said “He is a role model to so many of us and had achieved what so many could not achieve in his lifetime. I wish him better days ahead.’’

For Chief Fagbohungbe , he stated that “Chief Babalola is, indeed, a great lawyer ,one of the best lawyers of our time, he has not only contributed to legal knowledge, he has also risen to become a legal icon of all time.

‘’Apart from the legal judgements that he had handled over time, he has several legal write -ups to his credit. He has written several books to en-

hance the legal profession.He is truly a legal giant, well- respected among

lawyers and truly deserves to be celebrated as a renowned legal juggernaut.

Chief Bolaji Ayorinde equally spoke in simi-lar vein. He described Babalola as one of our icons, having contributed to the development of law, particularly in the area of litigation and ar-bitration.

He said Babalola had also contributed to edu- CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

’83 Guber election: Why mayhem erupted in Ondo State

More competent judges should be appointed to Supreme Court, says Oyetibo

43

46

I was a bit frightened –Tosin Oduwole

42

50 years at the Bar:50 years at the Bar: Celebrating legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola

Babalola

Chief Afe Babalola had a tough background while growing up. Despite this setback, he emerged a legal luminary of outstanding brilliance. He was called to the Lincoln’s Inn, the English Bar in 1963. As he celebrates his 50 years at the Bar today, FRANCIS FAMOROTI and KENNY ODUNUKAN, spoke to his fellow silks and also highlight his immense contributions to humanity and the country.

cation in our country as it is well known that his university is one of the best in the country.

Ayorinde concluded that ‘’he has made his mark in the sand of time. I wish him more active service to his father land in the days to come.’’

The Attorney -General of Ekiti State, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, also paid glowing tributes to Chief Babalola, whom he described as ‘’a legal icon.’’

The AG said ‘’he remains an inspiration to many of us and it is gladdening that he is still alive.”

Fapohunda said Aare Babalola has in-spired not only the people of Ekiti state, but the whole country, adding that ‘’the big-gest contribution he has made to humanity is the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), which is comparable in terms of standard

AFE BABALOLA’S RISE FROM GRASS TO GRACE IS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY. HIS LIFE STORY IS ONLY

EXPECTED TO HAPPEN IN FICTION NOT IN REALITY

What is your take on the various complaints of corrup-tion in the judiciary?

The truth is that people make all sort of allegations, but the main issue is to make an allegation and be able to substantiate it. There is no doubt that there are some bad eggs on the Bench but don’t forget also that Nigeri-ans are not good losers and in most cases, particularly in political cases in which there will be a winner and a loser. Whoever loses in most cases risks allegations of corruption?

So it is not all the allegations that are substantiated or that are well founded but that is not say that there are no cases of corruption in the judiciary and it is those cases that were found to be substantiated that could be truly said to have really happened.

It is not always good to use the judiciary as scapegoat or the whipping boy, when things like this happened. We have instances also in developed countries where sensational cases, criminal cases are taken to court. If there is no sufficient evidence the accused will be set free. Judges do not decide cases on sentiment and it is an unfortunate situation that people don’t appreciate this.

These judges who sit in their chambers are called upon to decide matters. Judges do not look on senti-ment or rely on the public opinion to decide their cases. Some people believe that once you can raise or develop

a particular line of thought in the media, then this will likely influence the judgement of the court.

So, what do judges really look at in deciding a matter? The judge will look at the facts presented to him;

he will look at the evidence presented to him and the charges brought before him. It is in this area you need an experienced prosecutor for criminal cases.

An accused may be set free on a set of charges, yet there will be other charges upon which he will be con-victed on the same set of fact. I have come across some charges in court and I laugh. You will be forced to ask question as to why a prosecution would file certain type of charges.

So, if an accused gets away with such case, it is the judiciary that will be blamed. No one will talk about the prosecutor; you are not going to talk about the investi-gation that is not thoroughly done. They will not look

into the fact that should be looked into. And if you present an incomplete set of facts before

a judge, he will have no option than to set free the ac-cused person. That is what the law says. You can only convict according to the law not according to the public opinion.

We can learn from how the United Kingdom court handled James Ibori matter. You can imagine that it is not the money of the United Kingdom that was taken away, it the money of Nigeria, yet they spent a lot of money on investigation, building up the case, gather-ing materials. Here, you just call somebody who has no experience; you give major case to him based on senti-ment.

What is the result you get? That is the problem. So, while I am not absolving some judges of some of the al-legations of corruption levelled against them, I’ll still say on several occasions, many of the failed trials were due to the prosecution. It is what you present to a judge that he rules on.

To be candid with you however, corruption is Nige-ria is more of a societal problem. There is no institu-tion in Nigeria that is isolated from corruption because it is systemic, it is in the system, and the operators of the system are its by-products. We must work towards cleansing the Nigeria system from every element of corruption.

I can tell you confidently that there are still many judges and magistrates who are still very competent, upright, honest and who have integrity. The percentage of those who are corrupt in the judiciary is very few.

What role should the judiciary play in combating cor-ruption in Nigeria?

The Judiciary is commonly and rightly referred to as the last hope of the common man. This presupposes that it guarantees equal access to justice and equity; and equally ensures that the rights of citizens are ad-equately accommodated, and judgements handed down in accordance with the dictates of the law and facts pre-sented to the court.

The Judiciary can only act as the last hope of the common man where it is independent, well-funded, courageous, unbiased and proactive.

There is no doubt that corruption is the biggest and most embarrassing challenge facing Nigeria today. It

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net42 Monday, July 8, 2013Law & Justice

More competent judges should be appointed

Oyetibo, SAN

Mr. Omotayo Oyetibo is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He began law practice in Gani Fawehinmi’s chambers in 1984 and subsequently became the deputy head of chambers before setting up his firm, Tayo Oyetibo and co in 1991. In this interview with KENNY ODUNUKAN, the consummate advocate speaks on the allegations of corruption in the judiciary and the challenges of justice administration in Nigeria among others. Excerpts.

IF YOU PRESENT AN INCOMPLETE SET OF FACTS BEFORE A JUDGE, HE WILL

HAVE NO OPTION THAN TO SET FREE THE ACCUSED PERSON

is indeed a serious threat on our economic and demo-cratic development. The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher once said “When the rule of law is weak, corruption will re-main a nagging problem”.

“Corruption in the Justice sector is a keystone to cor-ruption throughout society. Without an honest criminal justice system, the wealthy, especially the corrupt, can escape the consequences of their crimes. Such impunity reduces the perceived cost of corruption. The risk that corrupt activity will result in imprisonment and ac-companying public humiliation is minimal. The gains from corruption are therefore not discounted and there is thus little reason beyond personal integrity not to en-gage in corrupt acts.”

Metaphorically, a corrupt judge has been described as more harmful to the society than a man who runs amok with a dagger in a crowded street. The latter as you know can be restrained physically. But the former deliberately destroys the moral foundation of society and causes in-calculable distress to individuals while still answering “honourable”.

The fight against corruption in Nigeria must be a collective one and all hands must be on deck to win the battle. As the saying goes, “it takes two to tango.” Where there is no “offeror” they can be no “offeree”. In other words, corruption persists and reigns supreme in Nigeria because persons in authority have either been corrupted by the system or by the people they come in contact with. If the people unanimously choose not to influence the work of public officers, indeed, the cor-rupt public officers cannot continue to operate without being exposed. Therefore, there are “corruptors” and “corruptees”. But, the judiciary plays a pivotal and cen-tral role in the fight against corruption.

The fight against corruption as I mentioned must be a collective one, and all hands must indeed be on deck in order to ensure a corrupt-free Nigeria. The court, which is the final arbiter in our criminal justice system, but be well-positioned and prepared, both intellectually and otherwise, to handle the great challenge posed by the ever-changing dynamics and face of corruption. It must first purge and cleanse itself of all forms of corruption and discharge its duties without fear or favour.

Do you share the view that the nomination process for appointment of judges into Supreme Court should be fine- tuned?

Well, I won’t say the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court should be fine- tuned but quality judg-es should be appointed. Those judges can be appointed

from the Bar, from the body of Senior Advocates of Ni-geria. The important thing is that judges who are com-petent, vast and of a good quality are appointed.

There have been arguments that the zoning of judi-cial appointments tends to rob the country of quality judges. What is your view?

I do not agree with that argument. The way this country is structured, you can pick a judge from any geo-political zone and you can be pretty sure he will come out to be a quality judge who can stand his coun-terpart in any part of the world.

The solution to this problem is that the best judg-es should be picked from all geographical zones. We should not just pick a judge because of our personal reasons.

What innovations should be put in place in Nigeria’s security laws and policy in the light of Boko Haram insurgency and kidnapping saga?

We know that unemployment is the reason behind all the social menace we are currently bedeviled with. Many of our graduates and masters’ degree holders are at home looking for jobs that are really there. You may even be surprised that some of the kidnappers are grad-uates. The rising level of unemployment in the country has made the youths to be tools for mischief makers.

The unemployed youths have become political thugs and blood-thirsty hoodlums at the disposal of the poli-ticians. The point here is that when large numbers of youths are unemployed, their quest to survive may make them to become willing tools in the hands of maverick and disgruntled politicians who may want to use them for anti-social and clandestine political activities.

Can you comment on the on-going crisis in the Nigeria Governor’s Forum?

I cannot comment on it because the matter is in the court of law and I am a counsel to one of the parties.

President Goodluck Jonathan recently directed all State Governors to comply with the constitution by always signing death warrants? What is your take on that?

I think the president has a point, he is not mandating them to do so, he is only saying what the constitution admonish them to sign, the death warrants. So I think the president is not wrong by quoting what is in the constitution.

My first solo appearance was before Justice Habeeb Abiru , then of the Ikeja High court ,

now Justice of the Court of Appeal. My principal in the chambers asked me to appear in court because he had an of-ficial engagement elsewhere.

He actually instructed me to appear in court to pick a date for adjournment. Although, I had appeared in court with other senior counsel..

So, I picked up the file, studied it and discovered that it was a criminal matter.

When the matter was called, I announced my appearance but I was a bit frelting. I managed to summon courage and requested for an adjourned

date.Justice Abiru, while responding, said ordinar-

ily he would have struck out the matter, but be-cause of me, he decided to give a further date.

He subsequently granted my request and gave an adjourned date .It was indeed a memorable day for me.

I was a bit frightened –Tosin Oduwole

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 43Monday, July 8, 2013 Law & Justice

to Supreme Court, says Oyetibo

Oduwole.

WITHOUT AN HONEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE WEALTHY, ESPECIALLY THE CORRUPT, CAN ESCAPE

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR CRIMES

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, will lead captains of industries, lawyers, judges, roy-al fathers and politicians from today to converge

on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to honour a legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN as he marks 50 years of his call to the Bar.

The celebration has been described as a landmark in life and more importantly in legal profession.

The Chairman of the planning committee of the programme , Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade said this while speaking with journalists on why a group of lawyers under the aegis of ‘Emmanuelites,’ an assemblage of past and present lawyers in the chamber of Afe Baba-lola & Co, are honouring the legal icon.

The two -day event, which also draws governors across the federation, kicks up today at the Lekan Sa-lami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan with a football match between the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA) Ado-Ekiti branch, and its Ibadan counterpart while to-morrow, lecture and book presentations hold at Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Ogungbade said, “The celebration of Aare Afe Ba-balola at 50 at the Bar is indeed a great landmark to be in active legal practice.

In the case of Aare, it is even more remarkable, tak-ing into consideration his immense contributions to the practice of the law and the legal profession generally in Nigeria. Talking about a man who has deplored all his phenomenal knowledge and expertise in law in major landmark cases, several of which had been reported in the law reports.

“More importantly, he has affected several lives

positively in that climes. Over a thousand lawyers have passed through him and several of them have gone to achieve success in their own careers.

“In a nutshell, what we are celebrating is not only 50 years of Aare’s practice as a lawyer in reality, we are also celebrating the great humanity which he has

•Aare is worth celebrating –Aide

shown and continues to show toward everybody who have been privileged to interact with him in the cause of his legal career.

“I belief that such achievements are worth celebrat-ing, especially in a society like ours where there are dearth of good leaders and people worthy of emulation. One must also recall that he rose from a very humble beginning to the great height he has assumed today.

“He has never made a secret of the fact that at a very young age, his only and greatest ambition was to be-come a farmer, but with determination, hard work and industry, he was able to surmount the obstacles which initially put him in the dark to attain all that he has ac-complished.”

Speaking on the speculation that the legal icon has abandoned law for the funding of his university in Ado Ekiti, he said, “he can’t be said to have left the law practice simply because of his involvement in univer-sity establishment and administration. He is first and foremost a lawyer. He has only identified education as a vehicle through which he would give back to the society what law has given to him. In any event, over the years, he has trained and nurtured excellent legal practitio-ners who are today in charge of the every administra-tion of his law firm. I refer particularly to our Managing Partner, Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN and the deputy Managing Partner, Mr. Olu Daramola, SAN.

“These learned gentlemen of the law have been able to continue on the path of excellence from where Aare from inception placed the law firm. So, with Aare’s continuous guidance and the knowledge, loyalty and diligence of the learned two, I can assure you that the question as to whether or not Aare’s involvement in edu-cation has impacted on the firm does not arise.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net44 Monday, July 8, 2013Law & Justice

50 years at the Bar: Celebrating legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola with any university in the whole world. ‘’

Aare Babalola, the founding partner of Afe Babalola & Co. (a.k.a. Emmanuel Chambers), was called to the Bar in England in 1963. He is a member of the Lincoln’s Inn, Lon-don, a registered member of the Bar of England and Wales and a distinguished member of the Nigerian Bar.

He started his legal practice in the chambers of Olu Ayoola and remained there till 1965 when he proceeded to establish the firm of Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Cham-bers), reputed today, as one of the leading law firms in Ni-geria.

Aare was admitted into the Nigerian Inner Bar as a SAN in 1987. Chief Afe Babalola has been in practice for five de-cades and is an active uninterrupted member of the Nige-ria Bar Association (NBA) and International Bar Associa-tion (IBA).

He is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Le-gal Studies, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitra-tors Nigeria, fellow of the Leadership Institute of Nigeria, member of the Body of Benchers, the highest legal body in Nigeria. He was the Pro-Chancellor of the University of La-gos from 2001-2007, a traditional chief and a holder of the prestigious award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

An advocate par excellence, Chief Babalola has made outstanding contributions to the development of Nigerian Law and Jurisprudence through advocacy in Court. This is evident from the celebrated cases which he has handled and the notable personalities and corporate bodies who constitute his clientele.

He has to his credit several legal books, namely; Injunc-tions and Enforcement of Order; Law and Practice of Evi-dence in Nigeria; Enforcement of Judgement and Election Law and Practice, among others.

There is no doubt that all his books have contributed im-mensely to the promotion of legal education and practice in Nigeria. He has also authored over 200 legal and non-legal articles contained in law books and journals, some of which works he had delivered as lectures at various events.

Chief Babalola is a Lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, visiting lecturer at the Post Graduate Schools of the University of Lagos and the Uni-versity of Ibadan, as well as the Centre for African Law and Development Studies. He is also the author of “YOU AND THE LAW”, a column published by the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper on Mondays.

A patron of several law student societies, legal institu-tions and corporate bodies, Aare Babalola has trained over 300 lawyers and produced 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the highest number from any law firm in the country. Some of the products of his chambers include several judges and Attorneys-General.

His experience and number of years in uninterrupted legal practice have equipped him with versatility in many areas of law. He is a consultant to several conglomerates, the Federal Government of Nigeria, companies and the World Bank.

Babalola is an administrator of repute and is actively in-volved in both domestic and international arbitration. He also owns a huge law library and is strongly devoted to the advancement of law and the legal profession in the country.

A Contract of Insurance is a contract based on utmost good faith.

• The Insurance contract is one whereby one person called the ‘insured’ or ‘assured ‘undertakes in return for an agreed consideration called the ‘premium’ to pay another person called the ‘insurer’ or ‘assurer’ a sum of money or its equivalent on the happening of a specified event.

• Thus, insurance contract deals with the handling of risks. The underlying factor is the payment of money to attract corresponding benefit.

• Generally, the insurance business in Nigeria is governed by the Insurance Act of 1997 and other enabling statutes.

• Several rules of law have been established to ensure that the interests of both the insured and insurer are adequately protected.

• These include the doctrine of utmost good faith and insurable interest as well as the principles relating to indemnity, condition and warranty.

• More importantly, the duty of disclosure is germane and fundamental in any contract of insurance. • The insured is expected to disclose all the facts which are material to the risk, which will guide a prudent insurer in determining whether he will take the risk, and if so at what premium and on what condition.

• Where the insured fails to disclose a material fact, the tendency is for him to give the insurer the opportunity to repudiate a liability on ground of non-disclosure of a material fact. Written by Francis Famoroti, Head, Judiciary. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com.

Afe Babalola

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

Obasanjo, other dignitaries to honour Afe Babalola today

LEGAL TIPSINSURANCE CONTRACT AND

DUTY OF DISCLOSURE

AARE BABALOLA HAS TRAINED OVER 300 LAWYERS AND PRODUCED

10 SENIOR ADVOCATES OF NIGERIA, THE HIGHEST NUMBER FROM ANY

LAW FIRM IN THE COUNTRY

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 45Monday, July 8, 2013 Law & Justice

Tribute: Aare Afe Babalola, Legend at the BarTAJUDEEN KAREEM

For five decades, he has dedicated himself to hard work; more hard work with a determination to suc-

ceed and excel. Now a grand old man at 84, Aare Afe Babalola personifies a rare role model deep in self- discipline; one who brims with passion, the pursuit of excel-lence and a commitment to give back to humanity.

The legal luminary, unarguably one of the finest in this clime, is today marking his 50 years in legal practice. He has made huge fortunes legitimately, but he has chosen to stake all his earnings and work himself to near frenzy, striving to leave a legacy for humanity.

A visit to Ado-Ekiti will enable one see the breath-taking strides of one individual who, by sheer dint of hard work and deter-mination, has become a colossus recog-nized at home and abroad.

A fitting testimony to his industry and diligence is the sprawling university built on 130 hectares of land on the outskirts of Ado-Ekiti. The Afe Babalola University, ABUAD, was constructed within eight months. It admitted its pioneer students, 240 of them, in January 2010.Now there are 3,500 students.

Quite imposing, fully air-conditioned with state-of-art facilities, the university has residence for all students and teachers. Presently, there are five college buildings equipped with modern teaching facilities including e-learning platform, electronic boards, virtual library and ICT centre with 300 desktop computers, all connected to the Internet. The institution offers aca-demic programs in Law, Social and Man-agement Sciences, Sciences, Engineering, Education, Arts and Humanities, Agricul-ture, Medicine, Nursing, Medical Labora-tory Science and Geology. There are five huge hostels with about 4,000 bed spaces. The institution has a modern cafeteria, a 500-capacity auditorium, a virtual library and a sports complex. The latest addition is the College of Engineering, built on two-and-a-half acres, offering seven courses including mechatronics.

What is the secret for this fast pace of development? The answer is deeply rooted in the personae and vision of its founder.

After obtaining the primary six school certificate, Aare Afe Babalola never had the benefit of attending an institution of higher learning. By private study, he went ahead to earn two degrees in Economics and Law. At various times, he was a pupil teacher, a secondary school teacher, vice principal, university lecturer and administrator. His record at the University of Lagos, UNILAG will remain indelible. As pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council between 2002 and 2007, Chief Babalola returned UNILAG to the part of sanity.

Aare Afe Babalola is man with a pas-sion for excellence, humanitarian servic-es, generosity and dedication to service without expectation of monetary reward or praises. He is a philanthropist and a revered Legal Icon; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Doctor of letters, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Commander of the Order of Niger,

former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, former Chairman of the Com-mittee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigeria Uni-versities, Winner of the best Pro-Chan-cellor award in 2005 and 2006, Winner of Queen Victoria Commemorative Award at Socrates Award of European Business Assembly in Oxford, UK and member of Rector of Europe.

In his autobiography, Impossibility Made Possible, Aare Babalola describes himself as a self-made man who “is proud of the qualitative primary education” he had.

He is convinced that it was the high

quality of instructions he received at the primary school that laid the foundation for his subsequent educational achieve-ments. Chief Babalola has said it many times that he is quite unhappy that the same quality of education is no longer available in most educational institutions in the country.

To quote the legal icon, “this develop-ment and my experience of dwindling qualities on standard of education in University of Lagos provided the urgent need to establish a first class university to serve as a benchmark for other universi-ties.”

In fulfillment of the humanitarian philosophy of its founder, no fewer than 250 students of ABUAD are presently en-joying some form of bursary at the in-stitution. All indigent and very brilliant students registered in the university are eligible for this rare gesture from a man who knows the value of education. Be-sides awarding full scholarship to bril-liant students, loans and bursaries are available for the underprivileged and physically challenged students.

There is no gain-saying the fact that the new university is riding on the repu-tation of its founder to gain fast recogni-tion at home and internationally. While presenting its license in November, 2009, the National Universities Commission described ABUAD as a “reference point”.

To quote the Chairman, Screening

Committee on Private Universities, Prof. Jibril Aminu: “The Afe Babalola Univer-sity has now become a reference point for the NUC. They helped us to raise the quality bar for private universities. Those coming after Afe Babalola University will have a higher hurdle to scale.”

The European Business Assembly, in March, 2011, appointed Aare Babalola an Honorary Professor of International University and invited him to attend the Oxford Summit of Leaders. Its director general, Mr. John Netting, in a letter, said “we are pleased to inform you that you have been awarded ‘Honorary Professor-ship of International University’. It will be a pleasure to highlight your remark-able reputation and successful profes-sional achievements which are shown by our research. For EBA and its National Committees, the determining factors for your nomination were: initiatives for ed-ucation development in Nigeria, promot-ing of education amongst young people and active implementation of best inter-national practices.

So how did this legend named Afe acquire his passion for education? The story began way back during the Second Republic. The legal icon had offered legal services to the Shagari Administration. His fee was in excess of N2 billion. Chief Babalola was willing to forget the legal fees due to him, provided the Federal Government was ready to build a univer-sity in Ekiti land. After series of meet-ings, the government agreed to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.

For seven years from 2000, Aare Baba-lola was pro-chancellor at the University of Lagos, UNILAG. That was, indeed, the golden era of that institution. And that was where the man caught the bug, or so it seems.

Twice, in 2005 and 2006 he was named the best pro-chancellor in the country by the Federal Government, which, in a white paper issued in 2003 on the Visita-tion panel to UNILAG, said, inter alia: “His leadership style was exemplary. The leadership style of his council was char-acterized by optimum time and resources utilization and a good team system”.

Throughout his tenure at UNILAG, Chief Babalola paid his hotel bills and donated his sitting allowances to the uni-versity endowment fund. He donated a 500-seater lecture theatre to the institu-tion and established a robust endowment scholarship system for indigent students.

A royal testimonial was offered recently on the acumen and tenacity of Aare Baba-lola by the paramount ruler of Ado-Ekiti. Receiving an accreditation team of the NUC in his palace, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe said: “Anything Aare Babalola does is always the best. He is hardworking and unassuming. He is not just a lover of the environment but also a lover of quality education. ABUAD is about the best in the whole of Africa. The rate of development is a miracle.”

The miracle at ABUAD is rooted in its philosophy; to reform education and to lead by example. The institution is no doubt, destined for accolades like its founder, Aare Afe Babalola- the man with the Midas touch.

AARE AFE BABALOLA IS A

MAN WITH PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE,

HUMANITARIAN SERVICES, GENEROSITY

AND DEDICATION TO SERVICE WITHOUT EXPECTATION OF

MONETARY REWARD OR PRAISES

Monday, July 8, 2013Law & Justice46 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Events

Lagos State Solicitor General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, (left)and Chairman, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Monday Ubani at the event

L-R: Former Supreme Court Justice, George Oguntade; Lagos Lawyer, Mr. Tunji Ayanlaja, SAN and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, at the presentation of the Special edi-tion of Ikeja Bar Review in honour of Ayanlaja in Lagos recently.

Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi and Justice Deji Balogun L-R: Justice Atinuke Oluyemi; Justice Ayisat Opesanwo and Hon. Justice Bunmi Femi- Adeniyi.

Issues in appointment of S’ Court Justices

Dr. Olatawura, who is an attorney with Goldmann Lagos Transnational Lawyers writes from Abuja.

L-R – Chairman Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos branch, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey and retired AIG Tunji Alapinni, at a surety summit organized by the Association.

Former Lagos NBA Chairman, Mr. Foluso Fayokun and Pa Tunji Gomez PHOTOS: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

OLA OLATAWURA

Introduction

If one thinks of how in the environmen-tal work place, the appointment process combines with genes and training to de-

termine standards of productivity, then cer-tain vital innate considerations are needed to be identified by an employer seeking the best standards. The courts are no exception. In generally appointing judicial officers the views are unarguable that:

“ …in order to ensure the perfection of the independence of the judiciary, the crite-ria for and mode of appointment of judgess-hould be based on no other consideration than the suitability,competence, integrity, learning and incorruptibility of the appoin-tees.” Mohammed Bello CJN (1995).

“Knowledge of the law alone is not enough, the highest degree of honesty and integrity are sine qua non to the standard of judiciarythat respects its independence. Thus, antecedents, family background and upbringing are very essential in consider-ing appointment of a judicial officer.” Bel-gore JSC (2004)

The Supreme Court is no ordinary court. Its justices are not ordinary justices. The Court and its justices are by law “special”. In picturing the Supreme Court and its jus-tices, Eso JSC’s viewpoint in Adigun v AG Oyo State, [1987] repeating Mr. Justice Jack-son of the United States’ Supreme Court stance states that:

“The Supreme Court is, under the consti-tution, a super Courtdeliberately meant and made to be so, by the organic law, and the Justices of that Court, now only to that ex-tent of their decision are super-men, meant

to be so and so made by the Constitution.”If the supermen (and superwomen) stan-

dard is literally correct, Supreme Court Jus-tices must, prior to, and with appointment, possess intangible kryptonite qualities rem-iniscent of “Superman” the comic hero.

In reacting to the crisis of confidence rocking the judiciary, including the Supreme Court, eight new objectively verifiable factors may be considered vital in the appointing pro-cess for new Supreme Court justices. These considerations are charisma, exposure, and statesmanship, nominee’s relevance to pres-ent and future disputes, sound grasp of legal history, clear understanding of law and pol-icy and the pattern and growth, citation of judgements and views in academic treatises and cases, contributions to the growth of the legal practice, papers delivered at confer-ences, and minimum and maximum ages of Birth. They are discussed below.

ii. The New Considerations(i)Charisma, Exposure, and StatesmanshipThe charisma of judgements, based on for-

midable intellectual and social exposure, and the ability to provide the most appropriate and practical solutions to difficult controversies before it, appear as the most important distin-guishing consideration for a Supreme Court justice. The lawyer or judge noted for formal-ist, simplistic, mundane, and loosely worded judgements is not worthy of appointment, since the lowest judge of the land will provide the same standards. Should such persons be appointed justices, every lawyer, magistrate, or high court judge feels a right to be appoint-ed to the apex Court.

To be continued

Law & JusticeNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 47Monday, July 8, 2013

FAMOUS CASES

’83 guber election: Why mayhem erupted in Ondo State Thirty years ago, the outcome of the gubernatorial election between the then Ondo State Governor, Pa Adekunle Aja-sin and his erstwhile deputy, Akin Omoboriowo, resulted in large-scale violence, arson and loss of lives of prominent citizens of the state. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary, recounts the pathetic incident.

THE NPN GUBERNATORIAL

CANDIDATE HITHERTO DECLARED WINNER OF THE ELECTIONS,

CHIEF AKIN OMOBORIOWO, HAD

TO ESCAPE FROM AKURE TO LAGOS OR HE WOULD HAVE BEEN

BURNT ALIVE

Renowned educationist, Chief Ad-ekunle Ajasin became the Gov-ernor of Ondo State in October

1979. After completing his first term in office, he sought a re-election in 1983 to remain in office for another four years. His deputy, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, too was ambitious. He wanted to be the state chief executive at all costs after Ajasin’s first term in office.

However, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) leadership, which was the ruling party in the state at that time endorsed Ajasin’s second term bid.

Dissatisfied with this development, Omoboriowo defected to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) along with some of his loyalists, where he secured the ticket to vie for the 1983 gubernatorial election in the state.

Hence, the plot begun and thickened to wrestle the state from the UPN and de-liver it to the NPN come August 13, 1983 gubernatorial election in the country. Certainly, the indigenes of the state did not prepare for any crisis, save for the notorious fact that Omoboriowo and his supporters were bent on delivering the state to the NPN.

But sooner after the election took place, the results were announced by the returning officer of the Federal Elec-toral Commission (FEDECO) for Ondo State. Surprisingly, to the Ajasin camp, the returning officer returned Omobo-riowo, as having won the election in the state.

Less than one hour after the announce-ment, the office of the incumbent gov-ernor of the stat,e in a broadcast made from an Outside Broadcasting (OB) van stationed in the government house, re-jected the results and urged the people of the state to defend their rights.

The then UPN-controlled state main-tained that it was not inciting the people into violence, but merely asking them to protest against the alleged manipulation of the election results by some FEDECO officials and NPN agents.

Instantly, the state was rocked by vio-lence. There were bonfire on every ma-jor road and the state was in flames. The FEDECO office in Akure, the state capi-tal, was razed, the houses of prominent NPN leaders in the state were burnt, there were series of protests and some NPN leaders in the state, notably Chief Agbayewa and a renowned publisher, Chief Olaiya Fagbamigbe were killed. The mayhem was reminiscent of the op-eration ‘weti e’, which happened in the South-West in the 1960s.

In a write-up in his blog in May, last year, a veteran journalist, Chief Duro Onabule writes ‘’ The NPN gubernatori-al candidate hitherto declared winner of the elections, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, had to escape from Akure to Lagos or he would have been burnt alive. If he was lucky, others were not, simply because they were members of NPN or were deemed to have rigged the 1983 elections.

‘’The unlucky ones, prominent fig-ures burnt to death inside their houses included a well-known publisher and ex-Awoist, Chief Olaiya Fagbamigbe and a businessman, Chief Agbayewa. Another prominent NPN member, majority lead-er in the state House of Assembly, Chief Agunbiade was beheaded and paraded round the streets of Akure, capital of Ondo State.’’

Indeed, within few days, the violence which started in Akure had extended to other major towns in the state.

Some of the lucky NPN leaders who escaped death by whiskers ran to Ibadan and Lagos. In fact, an eye-witness ac-count said that an egg with metaphysical means was thrown to the wall of FEDE-CO office in the state and it ignited fire.

Scores of soldiers deployed to the state were also said to have been attacked by

metaphysical powers. Interestingly however, Ajasin, said to

have lost the election filed a petition in the state High Court, Akure and com-plained that Omoboriowo was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes.

In the petition, Ajasin joined the Chief Electoral Officer for Ondo State and one Chief. J. A Adeniyi as respondents to the action.

The ground of the petition was hinged on the premise that Omoboriowo was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes and he (Ajasin) ought to have been returned duly elected.

Chief G.O. K Ajayi, SAN appeared for Ajasin, Prof. Alfred Kasumu, SAN ap-peared for FEDECO while Dr. Mudiaga Odje, SAN represented Omoboriowo at the hearing.

The high court election panel of five judges gave judgement for Ajasin by de-claring that Omoboriowo was not duly elected or returned and that the petition-er was duly elected and ought to have been returned as the winner.

Aggrieved by this verdict, Omobo-riowo and other respondents appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal in Benin City, which by a split decision of four to one dismissed their appeal. They further appealed to the Supreme Court.

The apex court panel that heard the appeal included, Justices George Sowemiwo, Ayo Irikefe, Mohammed Bello, Andrews Obaseki, Kayode Eso, Augustine Nnamani, and Muhmmadu

Lawal Uwais. In a summary judgement delivered by

Justice Bello, on October 15, 1983, the Su-preme Court dismissed Omoboriowo’s appeal and deferred the reasons for the decision till a later date.

However, when on January 6, 1984, the Supreme Court eventually delivered its verdict, the apex court held that Ajasin had proved his petition convincingly at the lower court that he received a total of highest votes of all the votes cast in all the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.

According to Justice Bello, ‘’there was no dispute in respect of the total votes scored by the parties in 10 LGAs. The pe-titioner had 885,311 votes while the first respondent, Omoboriowo had 413,469 votes.

‘’The dispute related to the votes in the seven LGAs, namely Ekiti South, Ekiti West, Idanre/ Ifedore, Ifesowapo and Ikale.

Justice Bello observed that at the close of Ajasin’s case, he abandoned the alle-gations of crime against the electoral officers, hence he had stripped himself of the allegations of crimes, which he would have been liable to prove beyond reasonable doubt under Section 137 (1) Evidence Act.

From the foregoing, the trial court, he said, was entitled to deal with the peti-tion as a claim in a civil action in accor-dance with the provisions of Section 129 (1) of the Electoral Act and to apply the standard of proof of probability in its determination of the petition.

The Supreme Court, therefore, held that accordingly Ajasin had established his petition at the trial court with cred-ible evidence.

‘’On this premise, I ‘m of the firm opinion that this is not a proper case for which an appeal court may legitimately interfere with the findings of facts made by the trial court.

The decision of the trial court is im-peccable. These are the reasons for dis-missing the appeal on 15 October, 1983. ‘’ the apex court added.

Ajasin Omoboriowo

Community Mirror48 National Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013

“For us to have a stable democracy, we have to have a strong political party.”

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

FRANCIS SUBERU

Land and estate agents, un-der the auspices of Asso-ciation of Land and Estate

Owners, Lagos and Ogun States have reignited their mission to discourage thuggery and vio-lence over land speculation and other related matters.

There are strong indications that members of the association and their workers may be com-pelled to wear uniform in a bid to separate registered members of the union from hoodlums, who often invade rural communities in Lagos and Ogun States with

weapons.As part of the activities to put

a permanent end to the rampant cases of violence on land issues, members of the union revived the association and expressed their commitment to developing Lagos and Ogun.

The chairman of the associa-tion, Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye , noted that the association is wor-ried by the increasing rate of the use of weapon , especially among non members of the union

He called on government at all levels to support the association, saying, “our greatest challenge is how to deal with people , who use weapon and other means to gain

control of land, which on many occasions did not belong to them or their client” Alhaji Owoeye said

He stated that individual companies recognized by the as-sociation will soon start issuing out uniforms to their workers for easy identification.

Members of the association agreed to be meeting every two weeks so as to be able to review cases that have to do with vio-lence over land in Lagos and Ogun States and to deliberate on how to develop the association.

The vice chairman of the as-sociation , Alhaji Alani Adebayo advised members of the asso-

ciation to form a unified force against unscrupulous elements , who give bad image to land and estate profession

Acting secretary of the union , Toyin Oladunjoye , who also serve as the financial secretary said that the union was estab-lished to eradicate violence on land issues and also to ensure that land and other properties buyers are not cheated

He also stated that members of the association, who were found guilty of trying to cheat people or forment trouble, have been made to face serious sanction and in some cases handed over to law enforcement agents.

Estate agents set to fi ght violenceTraders clearing waste, during the sanitation exercise at the Ketu Fruit market in Lagos, recently. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

OJO OYEWAMIDEAKURE

A 27-year-old tailor, Adeduro Ayodeji, who allegedly ab-ducted, raped and impreg-

nated a 15-year-old girl, has been set free by an Akure Magistrate’s Court after he agreed to marry the victim.

The decision of the court fol-lowed a letter written by the vic-tim’s father, Michael Adikwu, withdrawing the case since the

accused had agreed to marry the victim.

Adeduro was said to have ab-ducted, repeatedly raped and im-pregnated the victim, every time she was sent to collect money from him.

The accused was first arraigned on June 18, 2013 and the offence was said to have contravened Sec-tion 361 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State of Ni-geria, 2006.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Zakari Ibrahim, told the court

that the offence was committed on April 14, 2013 at about 4pm, at No.15. Ifesowapo Street, along Ondo Road, Akure.

Adikwu, a farmer, had earlier written a petition to the Police Area Commander, Akure, stating that his daughter had absconded from home and all efforts to locate her proved abortive.

He alleged in the letter: “It was last week l discovered that it was the said Ade who abducted her, stopped her from going to school

and kept her in his house indefi-nitely. All attempts made to secure my daughter from the said Ade’s custody proved abortive as he re-sulted to threatening the entire family with cutlass and thugs if l dare ask for my daughter‘s release again.’’

The case, however, took a dra-matic turn at the weekend when the prosecutor told the court that the victim’s father had written a letter to withdraw the case.

Adikwu, who came to the court

with his daughter, said he was no longer interested in the case be-cause the accused had agreed to marry his daughter.

In the letter dated July 5, 2013, he wrote: “The reason for with-drawal is that the family of the accused person has come to beg me and have promised to take care of my daughter who was impreg-nated.”

The Presiding Magistrate, Johnson Adelegan, struck out the case, following the letter written

Man agrees to marry rape victim, regains freedom

ADEOLU ADEYEMOOSOGBO

Osun State Government last week told beggars and destitute in the

state to with immediate effect vacate all streets of the state or find themselves to blame.

The state government, who read the riot act in Osogbo, said it was set to commence raiding streets in Osogbo and other towns in order to put a permanent stop to alms beg-ging in the state.

Speaking through the Spe-cial Adviser to the Governor on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odun-lade, the State Government stressed that “it is worried that able bodied men and women, who should be con-tributing their quotas to the economic development of the state, constitute themselves into public nuisance by mak-ing street begging a vocation.”

He listed areas in Osogbo where alms begging is ram-pant to include; Olaiya junc-tion, Odi Olowo, Osogbo Grammar School Area, Oke-fia, Old Garage Area as well as Ayetoro Area.

The special adviser further maintained that the present administration of Rauf Are-gbesola is providing job op-portunities to youths, through loans and other policies of government stressing that in-stead of working as beggars and destitute, they should go into businesses, trading and farming.

Osun warns beggars to vacate Osogbo, other towns

U.S. officials examined flight information re-corders and began inves-

tigating the crash of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that burst into flames upon landing in San Francisco, killing two teenaged Chinese students and injuring more than 180 people, officials said yesterday.

There was no immediate indi-cation of the cause of Saturday’s accident but Asiana said mechan-ical failure did not appear to be a factor. The airline declined to blame either the pilot or the San Francisco control tower.

Eric Weiss, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the plane’s “black boxes” - the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder - had been recovered and were sent to Washington for analysis. The Federal Aviation Administra-

tion also was investigating and Asiana Airlines said on Sunday that Korean accident investiga-tors were on their way to San Francisco.

NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said yesterday there was no indication of a criminal act but it was too early to deter-mine what went wrong.

“Everything is still on the ta-ble,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the

Press.”Investigators in coming days

will interview the pilots and look at data from the black boxes, ra-dar equipment and other infor-mation to determine the cause of the crash, she said in an in-terview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“It’s really important to put all of the pieces of the puzzle togeth-er,” Hersman said.

Supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi aid a man who was shot during a gun battle outside the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard.

Passengers from Asiana Flight 214 are being treated at San Francisco General Hospital after the plane crash. PHOTO: AP

Guard where Morsi is believed to be detained, the BBC report-ed. Troops initially fired rounds into the air but then fired at the crowd, the BBC said.

The Muslim Brotherhood called for the protest against the ouster of Morsi, Ahram Online reported.

Pro-Morsi marches took place

in Alexandria, Beheira and Min-yain, among other cities.

The African Union suspend-ed Egypt’s membership Friday, saying in a post on its Twitter page it was reacting to “the overthrow of the democratical-ly elected Egyptian president,” Voice of America reported.

The AU Peace and Security

Council said during a meet-ing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it would it send a delegation to Egypt “to work toward restor-ing constitutional order.”

Navi Pillay, the United Na-tions’ high commissioner for human rights, urged all parties in Egypt to commit to respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Egypt’s new president says pro-reform leader Mohamed Elbaradei has

not yet been appointed as in-terim prime minister despite earlier reports.

A spokesman for interim President Adly Mansour said consultations were continuing.

Officials had earlier named Mr ElBaradei - a former head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog - for the post.

News of his appointment had been criticised by the Salafist Nour Party, which said it would not work with him.

It came three days after the army removed Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi following growing public unrest.

The appointment of ElBara-dei caused anger among sup-porters of Morsi, who want to see him returned to power.

“Interim President Adly Man-sour met today with Dr ElBara-dei but so far there has been no official appointment,” Agence France-Presse news agency quoted presidential advisor Ahmed al-Muslimani as saying.

But he added that ElBaradei was “the logical choice” among a list of names being considered, the news agency said.

ElBaradei and other party leaders attended a meeting called by Mr Mansour on Saturday.

He leads an alliance of liberal and left-wing parties, the Nation-al Salvation Front.

At least 30 people were killed in Egypt Friday and Saturday in fighting between soldiers and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, witnesses said.

The New York Times reported at least 30 people had been killed across the country by early Sat-urday, though it was not possible to accurately assess the full ex-tent of casualties.

Military helicopters were in the sky over Cairo as pro- and anti-Morsi forces fought near Tahrir Square -- street fighting that persisted for hours before soldiers in armored personnel carriers broke it up, the Los An-geles Times reported.

Gunfire erupted outside the officers’ club of the Presidential

49National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013

World News

Mali has lifted its state of emer-gency to allow campaigning for a presidential election being held on July 28 after a French-led offensive to drive Islamist militants from the West African country.

But attacks on U.N. peacekeep-ers in a former rebel stronghold on Saturday underlined the continu-ing insecurity in the Sahara Desert north.

The state of emergency, im-posed when the French offensive began in January, was lifted at midnight (0000 GMT), army spokesman Captain Modibo Na-man Traore said.

The emergency measure had given sweeping powers to the army and banned gatherings of more than 50 people.

“The military situation has now stabilized. Lifting the state of emergency will allow the candi-dates in the presidential election to campaign,” Traore said.

Some 28 candidates, including four former prime ministers, are standing in the election.

Experts and some Malian of-ficials have expressed concern about holding the ballot so soon, saying the administration has been badly damaged, particularly in northern regions that were oc-cupied by Islamists for 10 months. There are also concerns that hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the fighting might be unable to vote.

Two leading South Africans have called for an end to a bitter row among members of Nelson Mandela’s family over the re-burial of three of his children.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said he hoped the public dispute could be resolved in a “dignified manner”.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with the family not to “besmirch” Mandela’s name with their squabble.

President Jacob Zuma has, meanwhile, denied reports that Mr Mandela, 94, was in a veg-etative state.

South Africa’s first black presi-dent has spent the past four weeks in a Pretoria hospital with a recurrent lung condition.

“Madiba remains in a criti-cal, but stable condition. The doctors deny that the former president is in a vegetative state,” said a statement from Mr Zuma, who visited Mr Mandela on Thursday.

The statement came after court papers filed on behalf of Mr Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe, on 26 June said his health was “perilous” and that he was “assisted in breathing by a life-support machine”.

A lawyer has told the BBC this document was never read out in court.

Mali lifts state of emergency ahead of election

Tutu urges Mandela’s family to end feud

WORLD BULLETIN

Investigators probe cause of plane crash in San Francisco

“We will work our way back (over Snowden’s leak). But it has set us back temporarily.”

–UNITED STATES JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN, GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY

Egypt’s new president puts appointment of interim PM on hold

• At least 30 reported dead in political violence

Monday, July 8, 2013 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net50

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 51NorthMonday, July 8, 2013

L-R: Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Labour Matter, Mr. Bisi Fakayode, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed presenting certifi-cate of registration to President, Kwara State Artisans Congress, Alhaji Lanky, in Ilorin, at the weekend..

WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

The Kogi State House of Assem-bly has not taken

any inducement from the executive arm of govern-ment to pass the bill to empower the governor to access a N20 billion bond for infrastructural devel-opment as being speculat-ed in some quarters.

The House Majority Leader, Hon. Yakubu Yu-nusa, told journalists at the weekend in Lokoja, the state capital, that the lawmakers would not support any move that would make life difficult for the people.

Yunusa said the House was only preoccupied with making laws that have direct bearing on the people’s lives.

He described as total fallacy and far from the truth the insinuation that the House connived with the executive after taking monetary inducement to hurriedly pass the bill to empower the governor to borrow the money.

Yunusa said when the bill was presented on the floor of the Assembly, it was subjected to rigorous debate by the 25 members of the House.

He said after the law-makers realised the im-portance of the bill to the development of the state in term of infrastructure, they have no choice than to pass it.

According to him, be-fore the passage of the bill, the House organised a public hearing where stakeholders contributed before the House passed

the bill for the governor’s assent.

Yunusa added that the House considered expan-sion and reticulation of Lokoja Greater Water Scheme; rural develop-ment, opening up of more roads in Lokoja and other infrastructural develop-ment as the principal rea-sons for which the bond was sought.

He recalled that states like Lagos, Ekiti and oth-ers had taken such bond and the states are work-ing progressively, stress-ing that the Lagos State Government went for bond for five years and had been able to pay back in two years.

On the youth restive-ness in Ofu Local Gov-ernment Area of the state, the lawmaker pointed out that he and

other stakeholders are not relenting in their oars to tackle the spate of insecurity in that lo-cal government.

He, therefore, de-scribed as a source of concern the recent devel-opment in which some hoodlums kidnapped a monarch for ransom and killed a 17-year-old girl, Ugere Ogbadu, for ritual purpose.

The lawmaker, how-ever, appealed to the state government to write to the Federal Government to establish a military base in Ofu Local Govern-ment Area as part of the major strategy to check the activities of the hood-lums.

He also commended the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada, for his zero tolerance to violence.

N30bn bond bill: Kogi Assembly denies taking bribe

PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

The Kwara State Government has said that it would

need about N300 million to pay the bursary and schol-arship to no fewer than 60,000 of its indigenes studying at various insti-tutions of higher learning across the country.

Chairman of the state scholarship board, Hon. Isiaku Mogaji, stated this in Minna, the Niger State

capital, shortly after dis-bursing bursary to some of the indigenes.

He said that of the 300 million, the government had released N132 mil-lion.

According to him, with the N132 million about 20,000 students have been paid. Among them are 243 beneficiaries schooling in various institutions in Ni-ger State.

Mogaji said that the board had visited the Uni-versity of Ibadan, Ibadan;

Obafemi Awolowo Uni-versity, Ile-Ife; College of Education, Ilaro, where students were paid their bursary and scholarship allowances.

The institutions that benefitted in Niger State are the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Min-na; Ibrahim Babangida University (IBBU) Lapai; College of Education, Minna; School of Nurs-ing, Bida and School of Health Technology.

He added that the state

government approved N5.8 million to ascertain the actual numbers of its indigenes studying in var-ious higher institutions outside the state.

Mogaji said: “The list we have is not credible, and by my experience from the schools we have visited, we have seen laps-es where students would claim they were over 2,000, but by the time you get there, you discover that they are less than the number.”

We require N300m to pay students’ bursary –Kwara

WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

President Goodluck Jonathan has been commended for re-

forming airports across the country.

The Ilorin International Airport Manager, Alhaji Us-man Saka, said at the week-end that the reform was due to the efforts of the Aviation Minister, Mrs. Stella Oduah.

Saka spoke when the offi-cials of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Kwara NUJ vis-ited the airport.

He said: “I am glad to inform you that the Ilorin International Airport is functioning optimally. With the transformation agenda of Mr. President, the airport is really growing and people are getting to know more about the airport both na-tionally and internationally.

“In fact, apart from the cargo terminal built by the

Kwara State Government, another one is also coming soon. The Aviation College, which is the second of its type nationwide, is also here. Navy training school will also be established soon”.

“These developments mean that our airport will soon become a hub of eco-nomic and social develop-ment for Nigeria.”

The manager, however, decried the alleged encroach-ment on the Federal Air-port Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)’s 2, 248 hectares of land by some neighboring communities, saying: “It is sad to inform you that the Ilorin West Local Govern-ment Secretariat is sitting on the land originally owned by FAAN.

“The land is the exten-sions of the second runaway proposed for the safe landing of aircraft and avoid issue of air disaster which we never prayed for.”

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwank-waso said yesterday

that his administration has the political will and deter-mination to eradicate polio and similar diseases in the state.

Speaking during a video conference on strengthening the tripartite partnership on routine immunisation in the state between the gov-ernment, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Dan-gote Foundation at the Gov-ernment House in Kano, Kwankwaso said the securi-ty challenge which remained a threat to vaccination in the state had been contained.

He said: “The issue of se-curity is a big challenge in hitting our target, but a lot have been achieved in the last few months.

“We shall continue to work with security agen-cies and all our friends to ensure that Kano is properly secured so that all these good programmes and projects can continue”

He stressed that the gov-ernment is working with stakeholders to mobilise people to accept the vaccines through various initiatives, such as Kwankwasiyya med-ical outreach services and improvement of cold chain where all the zonal cold stores were refurbished.

The governor said hav-ing realised the importance of education in the crusade against polio, his adminis-tration embarked on aggres-sive campaign to mobilise people to embrace it, adding that within two years, school enrolment redoubled in the state.

Kwankwaso said: “Educa-tion is the key to everything, even polio eradication itself. That is why we now have a policy under the Agency of Mass Education to ensure that from now till 2015, every-body in Kano shall be able to read and write and we have gone very far on that.”

The Co-Chair, Bill & Me-linda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, noted that renewed efforts to improve immunisation campaign quality are showing positive results.

He pledged his com-mitment to work with all partners to strengthen com-prehensive routine immuni-sation, urging the state gov-ernment not to relent in its anti-polio campaign.

President of Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Foundation would introduce free distri-bution of noodles to children to motivate parents.

Meanwhile, the state gov-ernment has saved about N3.2 billion on the cost of the Jakara river channelisation project, which was hitherto estimated to cost N8.7 billion.

Jonathan hailed for reforming nation’s airports

We ’re determined to eradicate polio in Kano –Kwankwaso

Monday, July 8, 2013 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net52

53National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013

SportWimbledon: Murray beats Djokovic, makes history

55

I feel so relieved with my Paris performance. That is not to say I

have been tensed, anyway - JAMAICAN ATHLETE, USAIN BOLT

Kano Pillars’ Gambo Mohammed ready for Kano Pillars’ Gambo Mohammed ready for El-Kanemi WarriorsEl-Kanemi Warriors

Nigeria’s Sunday Mba (left) taking the ball away from an Ivorian player during their African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying match in Kaduna, on Sunday.

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

The Super Eagles will regroup on July 15 in Abuja for the return leg of the African Nations Cham-

pionship (CHAN) qualifier against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan scheduled for July 27.

Coach Stephen Keshi told the play-ers after the 4-1 mauling of the Ivorians in the final leg match on Saturday in Kaduna that the players must return to their clubs and ensure that they make valuable contributions to their teams

while awaiting the list of those who will make it to Abidjan.

Media Officer of the Eagles, Ben Alaiya, said in a statement sent to Na-tional Mirror yesterday that Keshi warned that any invited player who failed to make it to Abuja on the said date should forget about the return leg game as there was plenty of work to be done despite the wide margin first leg victory over the Elephants.

“We cannot afford to take our feet off the pedal because we have won here; the Ivorians are a very good side and we must be very ready for the return

leg so that we don’t get shocked,” Keshi warned.

Technical Committee Chairman of the NFF, Barr Christopher Green, shared Keshi’s views, noting that once again the Eagles were wasteful in front of goal and must gird their loins prop-erly for the return leg to avoid a shocker.

“We won well but we could have done better. How can we explain a team that was two men down still threatening us and even being picked for off sides, it means we have a lot of work to do and I trust the technical crew will handle the situation.”

This year’s Federation Cup competi-tion hits the Round of 32 on Wednes-day with Glo Premier League teams

keen to seal places in the Round of 16. Enugu Rangers, Kano Pillars, Sun-

shine Stars and Heartland FC of Owerri are all involved as well as Nembe City, Warri Wolves, Nasarawa United, Dol-phins FC, 3SC and ABS FC.

The same day, first round matches in the 2013 Women Federation Cup competi-tion will take place across the nation, in-volving 12 clubs.

Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Kes-hi, has said that he expects im-provements from his team even

though they beat Cote d’Ivoire 4-1 on Saturday in Kaduna, in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) quali-fier.

At the end of the game, Keshi re-vealed that he plans to call up at least three new players ahead of the return leg of the CHAN qualifier in Abidjan in a fortnight.

Keshi said that it was difficult for the coaching staff to get the players

to understand how they wanted them to play against the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire and expressed disappointment at the poor defending that led to the only goal scored by the Ivorians in Ka-duna.

“We had practised how defenders close down attackers in the box area in training, but unfortunately the de-fenders didn’t do well to defend. It only means we still have a lot of work to do,” he told MTNFootball.com.

“However I must confess that the experience of several players, Sunday

Mba, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe and even Gambo Moham-med who were at the Confederations Cup, paid off in this game.”

Keshi also explained why he did not use Nigeria league leading scorer, Dele Olorundare.

“I noticed that my two holding midfielders were becoming weak and Gambo Mohammed was still doing the job. So, I left him on the pitch because I needed to balance if I make any chang-es. That is why most of my changes came from the midfield,” he offered.

…Eagles regroup on July 15

Fed Cup: Pillars, Rangers, Sunshine, others upbeat

CHAN qualifi er: Keshi to make changes in Abidjan

The Fixtures

Enugu: Heartland v Ingas FC

Abakaliki: J. Atete FC v Sharks

Katsina Ala: Akwa United v Makwada

Abuja: Enugu Rangers v Samba Kurna

Kaduna: Plateau United v Tornadoes

Ilorin: Warri Wolves v Sportlight FC

Lafia: El-Kanemi Warriors v Kano Pillars

Lafia: FC Taraba v Gombe United

Ilorin: Nasarawa United v COD FC

Rojenny: Nembe City v Sunshine Stars

Lokoja: Remo FC v Enyimba FC

Minna: Shooting Stars v JUTH FC

Umuahia: Dolphins FC v Akwa Starlet

Lokoja: Abia Warriors v Kaduna Utd

Benin: ABS FC v Bayelsa United

Nnewi: MFM FC v Lobi Stars

Scholes

54 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday, July 8, 2013 Sport

Odemwingie

Scholes rejects Devils’ offer

Altidore for Sunderland medical

Milo B’ball: International School, St. Jude conquer

Osaze reports for Baggies’ pre-seasonForgotten Super Eagles’ striker, Osaze

Odemwingie, will return to West Brom today for the start of the pre-season,

even as his future is still not decided.The want-away forward will report for duty

along with new signing, Nicolas Anelka, and defender, Gabriel Tamas, who has returned from Romania.

Reports yesterday said Odemwingie and West Brom Manager Steve Clarke are keen for a parting of the ways but representatives of the

Nigeria international are still awaiting a deci-sion from the Baggies on the asking price for any transfer.

Tamas is expected back after his ban on leav-ing Romania was lifted by a court, although an investigation over an incident in a Bucharest apartment block in June is ongoing.

In a related development, former West Brom striker, Marc-Antoine Fortune, has signed a two-year deal with Wigan Athletic after seeing his future at the Hawthorns in jeopardy.

USA international, Jozy Alitdore, has agreed personal terms with

Sunderland and is due to have a medical today, according to reports yesterday.

Altidore briefly revealed on Friday that a deal had been done before removing the confirmation from his personal website.

The AZ Alkmaar striker spent time on loan in the Pre-mier League with Hull City back in 2009/10, scoring one goal in 28 appearances.

But his reputation has blossomed since then and the powerful player registered 31 goals for the Dutch club in all competitions last season.

The Black Cats unveiled Bosman free signings Valen-tin Roberge, Cabral and Mod-ibo Diakite last week having also added youngsters Dun-can Watmore and David Mo-berg Karlsson to the mix, and the Italian manager Paulo Di Canio has a series of other targets in his sights.

AFOLABI GAMBARI

The Indoor Sport Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos was electrified in excite-

ment at the weekend as Interna-tional School, Lagos and St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State emerged champions in the Boys and Girls categories respectively of the 15th Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basket-ball Championship.

The Lagos school beat St. Jo-seph Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue State by 56-49 while defend-ing champion in the Girls event, St. Jude’s, defeated Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue State by 26-18 to confirm superi-ority over its opponent.

President of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF),

Malam Ibrahim Mohammad, who spoke at the final ceremony, com-mended the sponsor’s effort at de-veloping basketball at the grass-roots.

“The sponsor’s thoughtfulness and endeavour towards the cham-pionship as well as the constant fine-tuning of the prize money and rewards also deserved com-mendation,” Mohammed re-marked.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Ni-geria Plc, Mr. Dharnesh Gord-hon, who commended the com-petitors’ sportsmanship, also pledged the sponsor’s commit-ment to basketball development in Nigeria.

“We are encouraged to do more and we will ensure that we satisfy the yearnings of the schools chil-dren,” Gordhon said.

Manchester United’s legend, Paul Scholes, yesterday turned down the chance to join David Moyes’

coaching staff at Old Trafford.Moyes wanted to add Scholes to his

backroom staff after recruiting Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville this summer.

But various reports said the former United midfielder intends to take a short break from football to spend more time with his family.

“I wanted to make sure I had connec-tions to what happened here,” Moyes explained.

“I spoke to Paul as well. He wants to have some time off with his family.

“Paul was fantastic with me and wanted to help a lot. I probably spent an hour or two on the phone with him. He wants to spend time with his family at the moment. We’ll bring him in when he’s ready.”

Suton renews Wanyama bidCeltic Manager, Neil Lennon, has re-

vealed Southampton has renewed inter-est in midfielder Victor Wanyama, say-

ing however that the Kenya international has been left confused by the constant uncertainty.

The £12million-rated player was close to a move to St. Mary’s earlier in July after a trans-fer fee was agreed but the deal reportedly broke down due to a failure to settle personal terms.

Southampton, though, has not given up the pursuit of Wanyama and, after Saturday’s 2-1

friendly defeat by Cluj, Lennon has confirmed an offer to Celtic still exists.

“I had a chat with Victor and he’s still un-sure of happens next,” Lennon said.

“They’ve shown an interest again and the bid is there. It’s all about the negotiations be-tween Saints and the agent now. I’d imagine that might get the ball rolling again.

“If nothing still materialises, Victor will play the friendly game on Tuesday (today) against Greuther Furth.”

Manchester United Manager, Da-vid Moyes, wants to keep hold of team captain Nemanja Vidic,

various reports claimed yesterday. The Serbia international has been

linked with AC Milan this summer, al-though the Milan officials have yet to confirm or deny the move.

According to reports, however, Vidic can expect to be offered a new one-year deal some time next season in keeping with United’s policy of offering only 12-month terms to players who are in their 30s.

The big defender is 32 in October and his contract ends next summer. But de-spite talks not starting over a new deal and the two recent serious knee inju-ries inside a year potentially threaten-ing his future at the club, this is usual practice at Old Trafford.

Altidore

Action at the Milo Schools Basketball championship which ended at the weekend in Lagos

‘United needs Vidic’

Vidic

French star, Marion Bar-toli, was filled with joy after securing her first

Grand Slam title by beating Sabine Lisicki 6-1 6-4 in the fi-nal at Wimbledon.

The 28-year-old, seeded 15th, was ruthless in over-coming her German opponent on Centre Court, rounding things off neatly with a rare ace.

“Honestly I just can’t be-lieve it,” she said yesterday.

“As a little girl I dreamt about this moment for so long. I was there in 2007 and I missed out. I know how it feels

Sabine, and I’m sure, believe me, you’ll be there one more time, I have no doubt about it.

“When I started this cam-paign on Court 14, I think if you told me I’d be here in the final I wouldn’t believe you. To hold the trophy is unthink-able.

“I’m just so happy to be holding this trophy. It’s been my dream since I was six years old.

Bartoli celebrated victory by climbing up to her box to celebrate with her father, who ended his 22-year stint as her coach in February.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 55Monday, July 8, 2013 Sport

Bartoli revels in ‘famous win’

Murray beats Djokovic, makes history

No need to chin up, Eng-land. Wimbledon is yours again.

On a brilliantly sunny after-noon yesterday, world number two, Andy Murray, knocked off top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, ending 77 years of Brit-ish anxiety.

Murray, 26, is the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry won the last of three consecutive in 1936.

“I understand how much everyone wanted to see a Brit-ish winner at Wimbledon so I hope you enjoyed it,” emotional Murray told the crowd after the match, simply adding, “I tried my best.”

One year after a crushing defeat to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final, Murray re-turned to the All England Club

lawns to capture his second Grand Slam title after last year’s U.S. Open, where he beat Ser-bia’s Djokovic in five sets.

Murray also won last year’s Olympic gold medal at Wimble-don, and ran his unbeaten string on grass to 18-0.

“I can’t believe I managed to do it, especially as that last game very challenging,” Murray con-tinued, stressing, “Probably hardest points I’ve had to play in my life.”

Meeting in their fourth ma-jor final and third in less than a year, the world’s top two play-ers and defensive standouts ex-changed many grueling ground-stroke rallies. A few went 30 shots or more.

Murray was steadier, tak-ing advantage of the Djokovic’s lackluster serving and bouts of

error-prone play.He seemed energized by the

nearly 15, 000 fans on sold-out Centre Court and thousands more watching the big screen from the grounds, storming back from a 1-4 second set defi-cit to put six-time major winner Djokovic on the ropes.

After dropping his first four Grand Slam finals, Murray, who skipped the French Open with a bad back, ran his record to 2-6, having lost to Djokovic in Janu-ary’s Australian Open final.

After the victory, Murray climbed into his player’s box to hug, among others, coach ivan Lendl.

“This one is especially for Lendl as well because he did ev-erything to try to win this one so I hope he enjoyed it,” the new champion remarked.

Wimbledon 2013…

After a 77-year wait, British Andy Murray makes hay after over-whelming world number one, Novak Djokovic, in an epic final in London yesterday

Women champion, Marion Bartoli, (m) celebrating with fans after her victory on Saturday

Murray displaying his trophy on the court yesterday

Manchester United’s captain, Nemanja Vidic (r) enjoying the final with former United’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson

Murray (facing camera) with loser Djokovic after the final

Kingsley Chinda

Guest Columnist

Vol. 03 No. 659 Monday, July 8, 2013 N150

WORLD RECORD

Longest parade fl oatThe longest parade float measures 791.5 m (2,596 ft 9.35 in) and was achieved by Hua Tiande and Liancheng Baihua Chemical Company Ltd, in Gutian,

Fujian, China, on 6 February 2012.

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Offi ce: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Offi ce: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Email: mail@nationalmirroronline.net. Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos.

Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X.

NFF President, Aminu Maigari

South Africa’s Minis-ter of Sports, Fikile Mbalula, says that

initiatives like the Nelson Mandela Sports and Cul-ture Day must never die just like the icon Nelson Mandela himself.

Mbalula, who spoke in Johannesburg during the

launch of the event over the weekend, said that the cultural day scheduled for launching on August 17 would encompass football, rugby and music.

Bafana Bafana will also play Stallions of Burkina

Faso, as well as the Spring-boks against Argentina.

According to Mbalula, the event scheduled for the FNB Stadium will end with a musical concert that would parade internation-al and local stars.

“Italian football legends will also file out against their South African coun-terparts,” the minister said.

“Everyone has a strong Mandela story to tell. Whether be it they were

inspired by the 1995 Rugby World Cup or the 1996 Af-rica Cup of Nations or even the Mandela Dance itself,” he added.

Sport ExtraMandela will live forever -SA Sports Minister

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Offi ce: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Offi ce: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Email: mail@nationalmirroronline.net. Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos.

Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X.

Obama’s Africa visit and NigeriaSince last week’s visit of the United

States President to Africa, a visit that in many respect signified the direc-

tion of US engagement and the empha-sis of her foreign policy thrust, not a few Nigerians have reflected, reacted and in most cases, condemned the decision to ex-clude our almighty Nigeria from President Barack Obama’s itinerary. These Nigeri-ans consider their country of strategic im-portance to Africa, and more particularly to the West Africa sub region given her enormous contributions to peacekeeping missions, and the stability and security of other countries in the sub region, in the last half a century.

We at the Citizens Initiative for National

Unity and Integration in Nigeria (CINI), af-ter an extensive evaluation of the reasons adduced for the none featuring of Nigeria on Obama’s itinerary and upon deeper re-flection, state for the avoidance of doubt, that Nigeria’s most important challenge is instability, which is caused chiefly by eth-nicity and religious bigotry. This twin evil supports and condones corruption of all kinds and manner; it undermines national security and development, making it impos-sible for every honest effort at national de-velopment to yield the required dividends. The Nigerian state has become a cesspool of intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, and the fruit is under-development.

It is shameful that after about 100 years of amalgamation, we still do not have a na-tion. We are yet to begin the very important step that forges national unity - deliberate efforts by both the citizens and the leader-ships towards national integration.

Nigerians must locate the inability of Pres-ident Obama to visit their country not on our numerous and often poorly conceptualised engagements with the rest of Africa, which tool is our ‘Father Christmas donations’ to all manners of sub regional and continen-tal bodies, and our now famed contribution to UN peacekeeping operations all around the world where our officers and men have served with distinction (a contribution that has not gone unnoticed by the UN). Our ill conceived foreign policy has also cost us the lives of some of our finest officers and men in uniform and a lot of resources. More par-ticularly, in the West African sub region were we are still engaged, we have not received in

equal measure any form of gratitude com-mensurate to our contributions. This should be located in our inability to make a deter-mined effort as individuals to treasure our coat of arms, our national flag, our institu-tions and those who daily make sacrifices that keep us going. We are a nation of ethnic zealots and jingoists. We desirably want a na-tion, but we are not ready to confront our ills and consign them to the dustbin of history. Obama simply cannot come because Nigeria holds no attraction. We contribute very little to global discourse and pretend not to be part of this world.

There is no denying the fact that Nige-ria today cannot boast of a well articulated foreign policy. Reason is that our domestic environment and security challenges, to a large extent, determine our lackluster for-eign policy. We jump from a foreign policy that sees Africa as its centerpiece in one breath to one that is citizen-centered. The vision of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan adminis-tration is to accord the dignity of Nigerian the “highest priority”. The administration connects its foreign policy to this domestic vision, while at the same time it places a greater emphasis on economic diplomacy.

A commendable focus, I will say. But can we really say that we have patriotic Nigerians that can translate this vision into reality?

A scary fact of our existence is that our professionals excel abroad, but slack badly at home. The question is why? Unhealthy rivalry, jealousy and deliberate erection of obstacles for failure at home by their fellow country-men, while abroad they get a hand of fellow-ship and work in humane environment. Ni-gerian professionals can hardly find jobs and opportunities outside their immediate place of origin, while abroad thorough breed profes-sionals are sought after. Yet this hostile clime is where we want Obama to come.

Can we in good conscience say that in Nigeria we are blind to ethnicity on the issue of even choice of spouses? We have, for example, ethnic groups that do not have in-laws in Bayelsa, Enugu, Ondo, Rivers So-koto and Zamfara states because of ethno-religious bigotry after about 100 years of cohabitation as a Nigerians!

Our collective failure despite our indi-vidual success here and there, even as we get to hear a good lawyer here, and a good doctor and scientist there once in a while, makes it impossible for Nigeria to be con-sidered worthy to host the World Cup de-spite her contributions to global football, a feat South Africa achieved effortlessly. It is for this same reason a Nigerian could not win the top seat at the African Develop-ment Bank; and this also makes it impos-sible for a Nigerian to be taken seriously in her quest to lead the World Bank and the United Nations, etc.

For the reasons for our abysmal infra-structure deficit, despite all the billions of naira budgeted for it annually, look no further than our ethnic and religious cleav-ages that make it impossible to call those who mismanage our resources to order, or in the extreme jail them after proven guilt.

To be continuedChinda is National Coordinator, Citizens

Initiative for Unity and National Integra-tion in Nigeria (CINI)

IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT AFTER ABOUT

100 YEARS OF AMALGAMATION WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A NATION

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP Q/FINALS RESULT

Ghana 4-3 Chile Mandela