President, Senate on collision course over NCAA boss

President Goodluck Jonathan may be on collision course with the Senate over delayed confirmation of Director-General, DG-nominee for Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu.
In the aftermath of the sacking of immediate past DG of the regulatory agency, Dr. Harold Demuren, on March 12, the President sent Akinkuotu’s name to the Senate two days later, asking the upper chamber of the National Assembly to expedite action on his confirmation because of the sensitive nature of the aviation sector.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the President was not happy that over two months after he sent the nominee’s name to the Senate, he was yet to be confirmed.
The President’s letter to the Senate read in part: “Following concerns expressed by aviation stakeholders on perceived poor Internal Audit and Quality Assurance within NCAA, the Federal Government is in the process of restructuring the authority for better and more efficient service delivery.
“Consequently, Dr. Harold Olusegun Demuren has been relieved of his appointment as the Director General of the NCAA in line with provisions of Section 8 (3) (a) and (c) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.
“In line with Section (8) (1) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2006, I hereby present the nomination of Captain Fola Akinkuotu, from the same geo-political zone as Demuren as Director General of NCAA for the confirmation of the Senate.
“His Curriculum Vitae is attached. It is my hope that the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will consider and confirm the nominee in your usual expeditious manner.”
Why Jonathan’s calm
According to a source, the President is calm about the development because he didn’t want to be seen fighting the Senate on another front, having been locked in a battle with the lawmakers over his refusal to sack Arunma Oteh, Security and Exchange Commission’s DG.
It was learnt that the President’s plea for expeditious confirmation of the nominee was informed by the need to assuage the feelings of people of the South-West geo-political zone, who saw Demuren’s sack as a continuation of marginalisation in the aviation sector.
A source also told Vanguard that the delay in confirming the nominee as substantive head of NCAA was a deliberate plan by the Senate Committee on Aviation to prolong the stay of acting Director-General of the agency, Joyce Nkemakolam, in office.
The source said: “The industry today is dominated by people from one geo-political zone of the country. The minister, chairpersons of the two aviation committees in the Senate and House of Representatives, to Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, are all from the same zone.
“Therefore, there is this feeling that these key figures in government are deliberately delaying this confirmation to protect the interest of their zone.
“I would want to leave the minister out of this game plan because she really tried to ensure that Demuren was not sacked. But unfortunately, it is this same Senate that put pressures on the President to sack him that is dilly-dallying now in confirming a new director-general for the agency.”
Criteria, politics
Another source also raised questions about the eligibility of who should occupy the seat, as the acting DG is an air traffic controller.
The NCAA Act stipulates that only a pilot or an aircraft or aeronautic engineer could occupy the office of NCAA’s DG.
Already, stakeholders in the industry are getting restive about the implication this would have on safety in the sector, as they contend that the aviation sector was too technical and sensitive to be drawn into politics.
Aviation expert and certified instructor of US Federal Aviation Administration, Capt. Tito Omaghomi, wondered why the Senate should hold on to the nominee’s confirmation a month after his questioning by the Senate Committee on Aviation.
Aviation groups react
Omaghomi told Vanguard on the telephone, yesterday: “We were all in the Senate when he was drilled for three hours 15 minutes by the committee and he answered all the questions asked him confidently.
“He is absolutely qualified to occupy this position, so why are they delaying his confirmation?
“If they say he is not qualified for the job, let them tell us. The young man was doing his thing at Kwara State Aviation Academy as rector when the President appointed him.”
Omaghomi, who is also President of aviation advocacy group, Concerned Aviation Professionals, CAP, said the industry was currently in a delicate position not to have a qualified head.
Another pressure group in the industry, Aviation Round Table, has also expressed concern about the delay in the nominee’s confirmation.
It is not clear if the Committee on Aviation had recommended his clearance to the whole Senate for confirmation.
Efforts to speak with the Chairman of Senate Aviation Committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to explain reasons for the delay have so far proven futile, even as his aide, who promised to get back to Vanguard on the issue, refused to do so days after.
Senator Uzodinma has also not responded to text messages sent to his mobile phone.

NGF Election: The inside story

A major crack has set into the once boisterous Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, following last weekend’s re-election of Governor Chibuke Amaechi as chairman and the determination of his opponents within the forum not to recognize his election. The fissure is a firm fit into alleged plans of presidential minders to clip Amaechi’s wings and give the presidency unfettered leverage in its unfolding political plans.
The split in the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF did not come as a surprise. The failure of the Presidency to cage the forum under the leadership of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was an attraction to slice the body into factions.
The allegation against Amaechi by his opponents is that he has been using the NGF to confront President Goodluck Jonathan on many serious national socio-political issues thereby stifling the president’s performance in office.

Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State Governor

Whether that assertion holds water or not, the pro-Jonathan’s loyalists in the NGF would not want to hear his name as their leader any longer and had laid a political ambush to cut him to size last Friday but failed woefully to achieve their aim.
The intrigues laced with high wired blackmail and some level of intimidation would have caught fire and sent Amaechi packing if his opponents led by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State had put their acts together before and during the tension-soaked NGF election. But many things went awry for the pro-Jonathan faction even before the ballots were cast.
Of course, same elements had convinced President Jonathan that Amaechi was aligning forces with those from the North, who were opposed to his re-election bid in 2015 and why he should be shoved aside as the NGF chairman.
Paradoxically, while they were emboldened by the strong backing of the Villa to uproot the Rivers governor, the delivery of the plot, however failed to sail through. For those who know Governor Godswill Akpabio, the arrowhead of the campaign to flush out Amaechi, no one would accuse him of not working hard to accomplish to goal. But many blunders came along.
Indecision killed the Jonathan camp: Of all the blunders committed by the pro-Jonathan group that gave easy ride to Amaechi, none was as disastrous as the refusal of the camp to stick to a single candidate for the poll on time.
Thus, its greatest undoing because the shifting of candidates up to the last moment and the results hit them below the belt, leaving them and President Jonathan with a sour taste in the mouth.
All along, the presidency, through Akpabio, had been presenting the Katisna State Governor Ibrahim Shema as the beautiful bride being courted by the Villa as its candidate to challenge Amaechi.
Although Shema was still not acceptable to all the PDP governors, it was clear to all that he could pose a serious threat to Amaechi. Curiously, barely five days to the vote, the same presidency, through the PDPGF leader, had a change of mind on Shema and suddenly drafted the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, into the same race, jettisoning Shema for reasons yet to be made public.

Jonah Jang of Plateau State

The signing on of Yuguda, it was learnt, was even more attractive to both the PDPFG and the Northern Governors’ Forum, headed by Dr. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, a recent political enemy of Jonathan. Aliyu got into the bad books of the Presidency when he challenged Jonathan to remember that he had signed a document with them in 2010 to do just one term in office and vowed that the North would not support his re-election in 2015.
However like a stillbirth, the duo of Shema and Yuguda, who had already been railroaded into the ring of contest and their supporters ignited in the process, found it difficult to agree to step down for each other until last Friday.
All attempts to browbeat them to see reasons to withdraw for the other fell on deaf ears and the Northern States Governors’ Forum had no option than to force them to pull out of the contest and give way to a neutral candidate in the person of Governor Jonah Jang.
The ‘sudden’ drafting of Governor Jang into the race to replace Yuguda, who was the last candidate favoured by the presidency, significantly altered the voting pattern against the presidency and its candidate.
Some governors from the core north opposed Jang, whom they claim is grumpy and politically powerless and began to look in the direction of Amaechi, whom they claim, had led the NGF effectively and did not see why the president wanted to sacrifice him.
“We know that Amaechi has not done anything wrong. Whenever we ask what his offence is nobody has been able to advance one concrete reason apart from saying that he has a problem with President Jonathan.
Governor from the north
And if we ask what type of problem Amaechi has with the President, some would say that it is something that is best known to Jonathan himself,” a governor from the north loyal to Amaechi, said.
A shot in the foot: Apart from the indecision over the choice of candidate to fly its flag, the pro-Jonathan group was also in a fix to get its supporters to work together at the venue of the election because of the blocking of all forms of communication by security agencies in and around the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro District of the Federal Capital Territory, where virtually all the governors’ lodges are located.
Misfire: Apparently convinced that it had a simple majority of governors based on those who had signed a prepared document in favour of the Presidency’s candidate, the security agents were instructed to jam all GSM phones around the venue of the voting so as to prevent the pro-Amaechi governors from infiltrating the pro-Jonathan’s camp.

Gov Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state

Thus, as early as 4pm when the NGF meeting was about to start, hordes of security agents had stormed the venue and blocked communication channels making it difficult for anyone to communicate with the outside world. It was a shot in the foot as the move ironically worked against the pro-Jonathan governors.
A governor, who was at the venue lamented that those who jammed the GSM phones contributed to the failure  of the President’s candidate.
The governor said, “Well, what the pro-Jonathan governors plotted actually turned against them and I think that is the way the Almighty God wanted it to be. They blocked all forms of communications around the Rivers Governor’s Lodge for over four hours making it impossible for anyone to use their phones.“I believe strongly that if they had not blocked the phones it would have been possible for the supporters of the camp to brief the Villa on how the election was going and they could have stopped the voting when they realised that Amaechi was poised to win.
“Unfortunately for them they hit themselves with their own weapon because while the Amaechi’s camp was united and determined to return him, the camp loyal to the President was divided over the sudden change of candidate. I can tell you that if Mallam Isa Yuguda or Shema had been allowed to run against Amaechi, the situation would not have been the same.
While the battle to get a consensus candidate for the Jonathan’s camp lasted, it was learnt that a lot of water passed under the bridge and altered the political formula already agreed with the presidency regarding the poll.
Under the arrangement, the list of the 19 PDP governors, who had earlier appended signature to a secret document in front of the President shortly after the Nigeria Economic Council meeting in Abuja, was to be presented to the meeting of the NGF as the decision of the governors. Thereafter, the pro-Jonathan group was to insist that Amaechi should step down as the NGF chairman since they already have a majority of governors on its side.
Nonetheless, when the Jonathan governors arrived the venue of the meeting and saw that they still had the majority of governors in attendance, they opted for secret balloting believing that all the governors whose names were on the list would vote for Jang. It was an optimism carried to far in a murky political game where anything could happen.
Shocker for Amaechi’s opponents: By the time the result of the election was read out by the Director General of the NGF, it was already too clear to the anti-Amaechi group that they had shot themselves on the foot and that the only way out was to mount a belated protest in a bid to salvage what they had lost through a transparent ballot.
In all, there were 35 governors present at the Rivers Governor’s Lodge, venue of the voting and all of them voted in a free and fair manner, believing that Amaechi had been booted out peacefully.  But that was not to be, as he trounced Governor Jang by three votes coasting home with 19 votes to 16 netted by his Plateau counterpart.
The result shocked Akpabio and the other governors in his camp. It was equally very difficult for them to swallow such a bitter pill. What will the governors report back to Jonathan, whose aides had been working round the clock to stop Amaechi and whose ears were on the ground to get the results and forward to him in far away Addis Ababa, where he is attending an AU summit?

President Jonathan

Protest as a panacea for pro-Jonathan’s camp: Protesting the outcome of the vote, Akpabio, leading 17 other governors, accused Amaechi of not stepping down before contesting, thereby violating the election procedure. He said the group would henceforth have nothing to do with Amaechi, having ceased to be their leader on May 26, 2013.
The pro-Jonathan governors, who spent most of the weekend trying to confer legitimacy on Jang, who actually lost the election, met at the Benue Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro after which they read a six-paragraph communiqué, affirming their support and loyalty to Jang. They promised to set up a parallel secretariat in Maitama so as to disengage from Amaechi.
Shortly after that meeting on Saturday, they met with the Board of Trustees Chairman of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih in his Asokoro residence and tried to convince him to support their camp. The Akpabio group did not end there. They then proceeded to the Presidential Villa where they met with Vice President Namadi Sambo and also briefed him on the actions they were taking to stop Amaechi from being recognised as the leader of the NGF.
Discrediting the process
Analysts believe that the full participation of the pro-Jonathan governors in the NGF election from the beginning to the end and the belated attempt by them to discredit the process after the defeat of their candidate is like disowning one’s wife after she had delivered a baby not liked by the husband.
But Amaechi has chosen to remain calm and calculated, savouring the victory he recorded against all the forces arrayed against him by the Presidency and others opposed to him.
In a terse response after his victory, Amaechi said there was neither victor nor vanquished but democracy at work. Despite the obstacle allegedly planted against him before the poll, the governor still pledged to work with President Jonathan to achieve peace, development and unity in Nigeria.
‘’We remain committed to supporting our leader, the president and commander in chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to realize the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country.
‘’We want to pledge our steadfastness and resolve working alongside Mr. President to better the lives of our people as we render transparent and accountable stewardship,” Amaechi pledged shortly after being declared winner of the election.
Nigerians react: Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has berated the governors crying foul over Amaechi’s victory.
Describing the action of the anti-Amaechi governors as self-embarrassing, Falani said the victory complied with the NGF’s rules and could not be faulted by any of the members.
Plausible next steps: The script being played by the anti-Amaechi governors, it was gathered, fits into one of the game plans that had long been drawn up by the forces loyal to the President and President was not in the mood to recognise the governor as the NGF leader.
In fact, some of the Presidential strategists are said to be very comfortable with the decision taken by the Akpabio-led group to discredit Amaechi’s victory so that at best two factions of the NGF would emerge to stop the governor from further prodding the political landscape.
There were also suggestions that some powerful PDP chieftains might be on their way to lobby Amaechi to back down on his rumoured vice presidential ambition with Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State so as to appease the President to recognise him as the NGF leader.
The beginning of the end: How soon this will happen remains to be seen and leaves many at the brink. But as a democrat and acclaimed stickler to the rule of law, will Jonathan feign ignorance of the re-election of Amaechi and recognise Jang, who lost the election?
Now, if Jonathan recognises the loser of the election, the issue then is, of what relevance is Jang to Jonathan’s re-election in 2015. What is Jonathan going to lose if Amaechi remains the NGF chairman? As the nation awaits answers to the posers, one thing remains on the horizon for the NGF: a dirge, as the denouement is already unfolding.

Six killed in Lagos communal clash

Six persons were, weekend, killed and scores injured in a communal clash involving Ajah, Olumegbon and Ilaje boys along the Lekki-Epe-expressway, Lagos.
This came as 20 persons have been arrested in connection with the murder of a mobile policeman, last week, in Ikorodu area.
Although there were different accounts as to how the six persons whose identities were yet to be ascertained, yesterday, were sent to their early graves, report said the fight broke out, Saturday, on a football pitch following a lingering supremacy tussle between Olumegbon and Ajah boys.
Another version of the account had it that some Olumegbon boys were on their way to a peace-keeping meeting over the lingering supremacy battle at the Ajah motor park, only to be allegedly ambushed by Ajah boys, who killed some of them in the process.
Eye witnesses said Ilaje boys were not in the picture when trouble broke out but they reportedly got involved when fleeing Ajah boys attempted to escape through their terrain. They (Ilaje boys) reportedly refrained, apparently to avoid being entangled in the fight. But in the process, another round of fight reportedly started, leaving two persons dead.
Two corpses of the Olumegbon boys were reportedly taken to their traditional head’s palace where the youths mourned the loss, with each faction spoiling for reprisal attack.
Report said dangerous weapons such as broken bottles, axes, knives and locally made guns were used during the fight.
It, however, took the combined efforts of conventional and Mobile policemen drafted from the Area J Command, Ajah, to quell the fracas.
As at yesterday, residents of the area were still in fear of a possible reprisal, but Vanguard gathered that military personnel and policemen were keeping surveillance in the area.
Contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident, saying some persons had been arrested in connection with the crisis and that security had been also beefed up in the area.

Woman raped after failing to pay $2 to man as compensation for directions in Zimbabwe

A woman was found without clothes by locals after she was raped over $2.
The 22-year-old woman of Buhera, Zimbabwe, was raped by a man after she failed to pay him $2.00 after he gave her directions.
The woman was walking alone on the street when she asked a group of men for directions to the Choto Business Center. One man offered to accompany her and show her where she needed to go, and the woman happily accepted his offer.
Police spokesperson Luckson Chananda said that after walking about 3 miles, the unknown man demanded $2 as payment for escorting her. When the woman told the man that she had no money, the suspect demanded sex as payment. The man then pulled out a knife and threatened to kill her if she refused to comply with his instructions. She was ordered to remove her clothes and he raped her.
Chananda said the suspect told the woman he wanted to rape her all night. The desperate woman came up with an escape plan. She told the man that she needed to relieve herself. He allowed her to do so without her clothes on, and she took that opportunity to escaped.
Divas Mangoma, 54, of Chuma Village, spotted the naked woman and gave her clothes to wear. She then filed a police report. The suspect is still at large.
“Nowadays, wherever in the world you are, it’s not safe for a woman to walk alone at night. I heard stories of women being raped when they walked by themselves at night in many different countries, even in the busy place in my neighborhood of Central Park in Manhattan,” Carol Green, 43, of New York City told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the incident.
Police are warning women not to travel alone at night. They also warned women to be careful about the people who volunteer to help them because in the end, those people could be out to hurt them.

PHOTOS: 2Face, D’banj, M.I, Tiwa Savage, Sound Sultan, Wande Coal and others light up Star Music Trek 2013

Nigerian Superstars 2Face Idibia, D’banj, Psquare, M.I and Tiwa Savage are amongst the 22 Nigerian artistes selected to perform at this year’s Star Music Trek.
A star-studded sign-on and announcement ceremony, which officially heralded Star Music Trek 2013, held at Rhapsodys Lounge, Victoria Island on Wednesday 22nd May 2013. Continue…
The exclusive event witnessed attendance from celebrities, industry top shots, consumers as well as the media who witnessed an exciting sign on with the star performers, symbolizing the commencement of the hugely anticipated yearly concert.
This year’s performers are 2Face Idibia, D’banj, Psquare, M.I, Tiwa Savage Timaya, Sound Sultan and Wande Coal. Others are Obesere, M.I, Mr Raw, Dr Sid, Ice Prince, J Martins, Naeto C, KC, Tiwa Savage, Seyi Shey, Kas, Phyno, Yinka Best, Olamide, Juke Box, Da Beatz and Crystalz.
This year’s Star Trek 2013 will span 10 weeks and will berth in 10 cities across the country, namely Aba, Abeokuta, Agege, (-Lagos) Asaba, Enugu, Festac (-Lagos) Lokoja, Nnewi, Owerri, Lokoja, and V.I (Lagos) and will kick off on Saturday June 8, 2013.

Location	Date	Venue
Festac,Lagos	June 8	Jite Open Field, Road 21 Festac
Lokoja	June 15	Lokoja Stadium,Lokoja
Owerri	June 22	Hero Square, Owerri
Enugu	June 29	Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu
Aba	July 7	Recreation  Center, Aba
Nnewi	July 13	Beverly Hills, Nnewi
Asaba	July 20	Event Center (DOME) Asaba
Abeokuta	July 27	Abeokuta Sports Club
Agege, Lagos	Aug 03	LASU Museum
V,Island, Lagos	Aug 10	Onikan Stadium

Financial experts say NSE can hit $1trn capitalisation by 2016

Some financial experts on Thursday said that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) could hit one trillion dollars capitalisation by 2016 if all multinationals in Nigeria were listed on the Exchange.
They said in Lagos that the government and other stakeholders should sustain ongoing reform to boost investor confidence in the market.
The market capitalisation was N11.91 trillion or (75 billion dollars) as at May 22. Mr Emmanuel Ohanwusi, the First Vice President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), said that although the current figure was low, the one billion dollar mark could be attained. Ohanwusi urged the government to convince multinationals to list on the NSE.
According to him, the government should convince multinationals to imbibe the doctrine of necessity and list their shares on the NSE. He said that government should ensure that certain threshold of all its future divestment and privatisation were listed on the NSE.
Ohanwusi, who is also the Chief Executive of Maxifund Investment & Securities, however, said that political instability or policy somersault could derail the target. Mr Harrison Owoh, the Managing Director, HJ Trust & Investment Ltd., called for tax incentives to encourage more listings on the nation’s bourse. Owoh said that government should pay more attention to infrastructure development.
He reiterated that poor infrastructure had raised the cost of business and lowered their survival rate.
Mr David Adonri, the Chief Executive Officer, Lambeth Trust & Investment Ltd., said that the reactivation of the bond market and introduction of new products would deepen the market. Adonri said that the overall plan of the NSE “is to deepen the market through multiple products offerings and make the Exchange a destination of choice by investors in the emerging market.”

IG seeks cooperation of Nigerians in tackling insecurity

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to cooperate and support the Force in its efforts to curtail the menace of crime and criminality.
Abubakar made the call at a one-day North-East geopolitical zone intelligence sensitisation and community partnership workshop held in Yola on Saturday.
Abubakar, who was represented by Atiku Kafur, the DIG in-charge of the North East zone, said the aim of the workshop was to cross fertilise ideas between the Nigeria Police Force and communities in the region.
“The aim of the workshop is to partner with communities from the region in view of the security situation.
“Also, the Nigeria Police, like others across the world, cannot curtail the menace of crime and criminality without the cooperation of the citizens, particularly at the grass roots,’’ Abubakar said.
He said the workshop was also designed to achieve some key security objectives that included enlightenment of citizens at the grass roots, political office holders, traditional institutions and other strategic security stakeholders on intelligence-led policing.
Declaring the workshop open, Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa said the primary objective of government was to provide security and welfare to its citizens.
Nyako, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Bala Ngillari, said that since inception of the administration, the government had spent a lot on security and human capacity building.
“Our major focus is to ensure peace and stability and protect lives and property of our beloved citizens,’’ he said.
He advised the people to turn to God and repent as “what is happening now in the country, especially the insecurity challenges and other calamities, is a sign that the Almighty is very angry with Nigerians over our bad deeds.’’
He observed that “unless Nigerians turn to God and perform special national prayers, the country may not see the light of peace.’’
He called on the people to support the Police and voluntarily provide the Force with relevant information to enable it to secure the country for all the citizens.
Nyako suggested the involvement of the police in community-based development projects such as building of culverts, refuse evacuation and other friendly programmes to endear them to host communities.
The 2,000 participants from the six states in the zone – Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe – attended the workshop. (NAN)

Chevron Jascon#4 vessel capsize in Delta state

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture,  has confirmed  that Jascon #4 vessel belonging to its contractor, West African Ventures Limited, has capsized and sank in the early hours of Sunday in Delta State.
The vessel sank while supporting a tanker loading at Single Mooring (SBM) #3 a loading point 30 km offshore in the Escravos area.
Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs explained in a statement that Initial reports indicated that heavy ocean swells caused the Jascon #4 to capsize while performing tension tow operations of the tanker at SBM #3.
He confirmed that emergency response has commenced, including Search and Rescue operation with surface vessels, helicopters and divers.
According to him “Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture, confirms that Jascon #4 vessel belonging to our contractor, West African Ventures Limited, capsized and sank early this morning while supporting a tanker loading at Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) #3, a loading point 30 km offshore in the Escravos area of Delta state, Nigeria.
Initial reports indicated that heavy ocean swells caused the Jascon #4 to capsize while performing tension tow operations of the tanker at SBM #3.
Emergency Response has commenced, including Search and Rescue operation with surface vessels, helicopters and divers.
CNL wishes to stress that we conduct our business operations in line with the safest global industry standards. The safety of our employees and contractors alike, remains our highest priority,”

Agbaso goes to court to reclaim mandate

Former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso, has approached the state High Court, challenging his recent impeachment and subsequent removal from office by the State House of Assembly.
Registered as suit number HOW/295/2013, Sir Agbaso is claiming that his removal was a classical example of deliberate disrespect for judicial process, rule of law and breach of right to fair hearing and should accordingly be declared null, void and of no effect by the court.
Agbaso, through his lawyer, Prince Ken C.O. Njemanze, SAN, contended that the publication in a national daily (not Vanguard), dated March 14, 2013, did not comply with the mandatory constitutional requirement for personal service of Notice of Allegation of Gross Misconduct under Section 188(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The former deputy governor further urged the court to declare that the inauguration/setting up of the seven-man panel by the third defendant, Justice Goddy Anunihu, instead of the State Chief Judge, was invalid.
“A judge of the High Court has no role whatsoever under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the appointment/setting up of the said panel,” Agbaso contended.
He also sought a declaration that all the alleged steps taken by the defendants leading to his removal as deputy governor of Imo State were not in compliance with the provisions of Section 188 of 1999 Nigerian constitution.
Agbaso pleaded with the court to declare that his “purported removal is unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

CBN sells N277.9bn worth of treasury bills

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold treasury bills worth N227.91 billion last week. The Financial Market Dealers Association (FMDA) disclosed this on its Website on Friday. FMDA said that five categories of treasury bills were sold at the last biweekly auctions.
It said the auctions included the Open Market Operation (OMO) which comprised the 139-day and 128-day tenor bills. FMDA said that N59.53 billion worth of 139-day bills were sold, while N110.8 billion worth of 128-day treasury bills were sold. The 139-day and 128-day tenor bills had yield rates of 13.32 per cent and 13.03 per cent, respectively. It also said that the 91-day, 182-day and 364-day tenor bills were auctioned at the Primary Market Auction (PMA)
“The three bills – the  91-day, 182-day and 364-day tenor bills – worth N25.65 billion, N31.25 billion and N50.68 billion, respectively. They traded at yield rates of 9.20 per cent, 12.45 per cent and 14.30 per cent, respectively,“ the association said. A major development in the money market this week was the retention of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, announced the retention of the MPR and Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) on May 22. The announcement came after a two-day meeting of the apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee in Abuja.
The MPR, one of the monetary policy instruments of CBN, is the benchmark lending rate and the rate at which the CBN lends to commercial banks. The apex bank retained CRR at 30 per cent and pegged MPR at 12 per cent. Another important development this week was the CBN’s advice to the Federal Government not to spend too much on the state of emergency declared in three states.
Sanusi said that excessive spending on the emergency rule could be inflationary. Mr Remi Alarape, Managing Director, Remmy Associates Ltd., said that the retention of MPR at 12 per cent was a negation of development aspirations of Nigerians.
He said the MPR rate could slow down economic growth. Alarape said that the issue of diversification of the economy should be given more attention, adding that the economy was currently structurally imbalanced.
“Until our government gives more attention to the industrial and the agricultural sectors, the CBN’s monetary policies will continue to achieve undesirable results,” he said.
Dr Deji Thomas, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Lagos, said no nation could achieve sustainable growth with a high MPR regime. Thomas suggested that the challenges of improving the nation’s infrastructure needed to be taken more seriously.
“If we have the infrastructure in place, foreign investors will be attracted into the country and our productivity will improve, while more jobs will be available, “ he said. Thomas hailed the retention of the CRR, saying it was a step in the right direction.

State of Emergency may not last six months – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has told the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki Moon that due to the success so far recorded by troops deployed to the North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the state of Emergency may not last for six months as prescribed by the constitution.
In a meeting with the Secretary General on the sideline of the Africa Union conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr Jonathan said the military operation in the troubled states was going very well and the military have strictly adhered to the rules of engagement.
He explained that the successes recorded by the military is exemplified by the lack of collateral civilian casualties, noting that the operation has helped in creating a better relationship between the civilian population and members of the armed forces.
The president told the Secretary General that government would do everything possible to ensure that  the civilian population is not put through hardship, adding that the rules of engagement given to the military deployed in the area is strictly adhered to by the military.
He said governments’s decision to release women and children members of the Boko Haram was in the spirit of the rules of engagement of the operation.
Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary General of the United Nations sympathized with the government and people of Nigeria over the activities of Boko Haram, saying that Terrorism is a global phenomenon that must be confronted by the international community.
He reiterated his call on the Nigerian military engaged in operations in the affected states where state of emergency has been declared to be prudent and cautious in protecting the civilian population in the areas of operation.

Senate opposes liquidation of NITEL

The Senate on Thursday opposed the Federal Government’s planned liquidation of the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and opted for concession.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Sen. Gbenga Obadara (ACN-Ogun), stated this at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja. Obadara said the information to liquidate NITEL was conveyed to the senate at the committee’s meeting with the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).
“We met with BPE and NCP on the way forward for NITEL and MTEL to obtain the situation report of the proposed privatisation of the two companies.
We were told that the exercise would go through guided liquidation.” The chairman said the BPE explained to the committee that NITEL owed the Federal Government and other people about N351 billion. We were later told that NITEL owed Federal Government N179 billion and with facts available, we know that federal government and government agencies owe NITEL up to N250 billion.”
The chairman, who said that the committee was told that NITEL owed banks about N64 billion, added that the debt could still be negotiated.
He, however, explained that BPE and NCP were unable to furnish the committee with information about the people or organisations who owed NITEL. “They cannot give us the fact of who owes NITEL to this present time. The people that owe NITEL we don’t know.”
He explained that one of the senate’s objections to the sale of NITEL was because neither BPE nor NCP could ascertain the true value of the company. We asked the question what is the worth of NITEL today, they could not tell us.  How do you then sell what you don’t know the worth?”
“As people representing Nigerians from various senatorial districts, we thought it fit not to allow NITEL to be sold without having empirical facts to collaborate what they were telling us.” He described NITEL as “a major government organisation badly run by past administrations”. No nation will sell its major asset and so in the case of NITEL, we should not throw away the baby with the bath water. If you look at international best practice today, it is Public Private Partnership (PPP) or concession that is used.”
According to him, if NITEL is given a life-line through concessionaires or even a PPP arrangement, with good conditions including tax rebates, the organisation will benefit Nigerians.
“ Through this method, more people will be employed throughout the country and the country’s GDP will equally increase. At the end of the tenure of the concessionaire, the country will have a good telecommunications company to run and be able to go to the stock exchange for Nigerians to buy into the company.”

Basketball: Ahmedu takes case to Court of Arbitration

Proprietor of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club, Col Sam Ahmedu (rtd) has vowed to fight with the last drop of his blood to ensure that the cocktail of lies that saw him excluded from the elections into the Basketball Federation by the National Sports Commission is reversed.
The passionate Basketball afficionado was dropped at the last minute from contesting the election on allegations that he was not holding an elective position in FIBA.
Ahmedu, however, swore at the weekend that “there will be no rest for the wicked until the truth is told on why he was excluded from the election”.
“They told lies that I was not holding an elective position but yet they have a letter written by FIBA stating that I hold elective position as President of the FIBA Africa Council of Marketing, Member of the FIBA Africa Central Board since 1997. I am going to take the case to the highest level to ensure that justice is done.
I will go to the Court of Arbitration and I am not ruling out a court process”,  Ahmedu who was livid with rage said.
He accused the National Sports Commission of not living above board but stressed that he would go all the way to get justice. “We’re unhappy but not frustrated”, he added.
Also speaking, Chairman of Lagos State Basketball Association, Babs Ogunade who is an elected member of the NBBF Board said that though elected through the zones, he was fighting a fractured electoral  process.
“If the Ministry didnt want us to vote properly, they should not have given us guidelines. Our fight is not against any individual but against a flawed process and also to save the game of Basketball”, Ogunade said.

See Hot Sexy Yvonne Nelson and Azeezat, Cover House of Maliq Magazine

Yvonne Nelson and Azeezat are the two beautiful faces that grace the cover of june 2013 edition of House of Maliq fashion/celebrity magazine.

NYSC Presidential Award should not be for third class graduates – Okojie

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, has called for a review of the NYSC Presidential Award scholarship scheme to include only the best graduates.
Speaking in London on Sunday at a reception organised by the Nigerian High Commission for the second batch of the presidential scholarship awardees, Okojie said that the scheme should be restricted to only first class, second class upper and lower division graduates.
“If you are talking about someone getting an award, he should be an all rounder; community service should not be the only criterion, there should be a balance, the whole idea is to send our best here.
“Those with third class cannot get Ph.D and lecture in the university; we want them to at some point to move from the civil service to the university system; third class is not for Ph.D anywhere, even in Nigeria,” he said.
Responding to concerns by the students on the continuation of their scholarship to the doctorate level, Okojie urged them to study hard “and bring home the best of universal practice”.
In his comments, the acting Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), Mr Na’iya Aliyu, said that the fund was sponsoring 35 students and 2,837 lecturers to study various post-graduate courses overseas.
Aliyu said the second batch consisted 35 students, of which 30 were studying in the UK, while five were in other parts of Europe.
He also said that 2,837 lecturers from various universities in Nigeria had benefited from the scheme, adding that 885 lecturers had been trained in the UK since 2009.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Dalhatu Tafida, urged the students to return to Nigeria after thgeir studies.
“To whom much is given, much is expected; after your post graduate degree return home and contribute to national development.
“You should consider yourselves privileged to have been selected for this award. There is no place like home, we may not have enough electricity and water, but those who built the UK are British, only Nigerians can develop Nigeria,” Tafida said.
He pledged the commission’s commitment to assist the awardees and other Nigerian students in the UK.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2011 President Goodluck Jonathan established the scheme covering scholarship for masters and doctorate degree holders in world class institutions to reward corps members who were  exceptional in their community service.
Beneficiaries also get automatic employment in the civil service.
At the inception of the scheme, 52 former corps members drawn from the 2009 Batch `C’ and 2010 batches `A’ and `B’ benefited as the pioneer awardees.
NAN also reports that the joint team of NUC and TETFUND were in the UK for a monitoring exercise in institutions where the awardees are studying. (NAN)

Airtel, Huawei, Microsoft launch Windows 8 Smartphone

Leading telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria, in conjunction with Huawei and Microsoft have unveiled its first Smartphone that runs on the Microsoft windows Phone 8 operating systems Ascend W1.
The latest Huawei Ascend W1 smartphone comes bundled with free 200 Megabytes (MB) data plan for the first 6 months on the Airtel network.
In addition, customers who purchase the phone would also enjoy Airtel’s special Smartbytes plan of 20 free SMS, 18K per second calls to all networks in Nigeria and 20k per second call rate to 5 international destinations (USA, United Kingdom-Land Line, Canada, India and China).

(L-r) Chief Sales Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Inusa Bello; Consumer Channels Group Director, Microsoft, Mark Ihimoyan and Tony Liang Wei, MD, Huawei Devices, West Africa at the unveiling of Huawei Ascends W1 smart phones in Ikoyi, Lagos on Thursday.

To activate the free Airtel 200mb of data for 6 months, customers are to text ‘SMART’ to 141.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Sales Officer for Airtel Nigeria, Inusa Bello, said the company was proud to collaborate with Huawei in providing Nigerians with innovative mobile experience especially on superior data offerings, to enhance the way they work and play.
“Only recently, we unveiled a special recharge card called the Single Recharge that enables customers to do both voice and data recharge using one card. Today, WhatsApp subscribers on Airtel platform are enjoying exclusive first of its kind data bundle service in partnership with “WhatsApp Inc. These innovations ride on our superior and widest 3.75g service, underscoring our determination to become the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians”, Bello stated.
According to the Managing Director of Huawei Devices, West Africa Tony Liang Wei, “the phone is specifically created for Africa and is powered by Microsoft, making it the first Huawei Windows 8 smart phone in the world. He added that the smart phone has 470 hours of standby time, the longest of all Smartphone’s in its class.”
Emmanuel Onyeje, Country Manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, stated: “Microsoft is confident that the Ascend 1 from Huawei, being unveiled today, provides excellent value for African consumers and will support both companies’ ambitious growth plans for the continent. We recently made a commitment through the 4Afrika Initiative to deliver tens of millions of smart devices into the hands of Africans in the coming years, and every new Windows Phone that becomes available further enables us to deliver on that commitment”.
The Ascend W1 is 10.15 mm thin and features a 4-inch IPS LCD 480 x 800 touchscreen with OGS Technology, powered by the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 MSM8230 dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Adreno 305 GPU. With a 1950 mAh battery, the Ascend W1 has 470 hours of standby time, the longest among all smartphones in its class.
It features a visually iconic design inspired by a tropical island and comes in an array of bold colors including blue, red, black and white. The Ascend W1 is a smart and stylish alternative for consumers looking for great technology at a price that is right.
Customers can get the new Huawei Ascend W1 Smartphones in Airtel stores nationwide, as well as Huawei phone distribution outlets.

FG plans new tariff regime for industrial sector

A new tariff regime aimed at increasing local manufacturers’ capacity and boost investments in the industrial sector is underway, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Olusegun Aganga, said. Aganga made the plan known when he inaugurated a committee on the matter.
A statement said as part of efforts to achieve the goal, Aganga inaugurated a 12-member committee to work out appropriate tariffs to support the implementation of the country’s industrial policies. The aim is to reposition the manufacturing sector and increase its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from its current four per cent to 10 per cent over the next four years.
The committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Dauda Kigbu. Other members of the committee are President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Chief Kola Jamodu, the Executive Secretaries of National Sugar Development Council and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.
Others are the Directors-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and National Automotive Council, among others. Their terms of reference are to propose strategies and measures that will increase the capacity utilisation and contribution of the industrial sector to GDP in line with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan.
The committee is also to propose tariffs for every sector under the purview of the ministry, identify major gaps between existing tariff regimes and the Common External Tariff regimes and propose solutions to smuggling.
The minister stressed the need to ensure that the right tariffs were proposed and implemented in order to move the nation’s manufacturing sector forward. He said that members of the committee had been selected to serve on account of their relevance to the development of manufacturing in the country.
“They are expected to use their experience and skills to add value to the important work that they are called upon to perform as part of our ongoing efforts to reposition manufacturing in our country,” Aganga said. He noted that the need to have a manufacturing-friendly tariff regime was borne out of the realisation of the fact that the growth and development of the sector depended, to a large extent, on the use of appropriate tariffs.

Bus Preacher Beaten To Coma In Lagos After Condoms Fell Out From Bible

Mayhem broke out at Toyota Bus stop, in front of the popular Ladipo Spare parts market, this morning, when a Bus Preacher was dragged out of a bus and beaten to a coma after Condoms allegedly fell out of his bible as he preached the ‘Word of God’.

The Pastor had embarked on his journey at Apapa and proceeded to preach to the people on thebus, using very strong words like “If you wear trouser you’ll go to hell! The Devil invented Make up! Weave on is from Marine Kingdom! If you have pre-marital s*x you will burn in hell and your skin will peel!”

The people in the bus were so moved; some started falling under the anointing. Our eye witness, Mr. John Mbakogu, who was on his way to his shop at Ladipo told us:
“People were just falling as he was layinghands. One man even fell out of the bus under the influence of the Spirit. It was amazing – until he raised his hands to cast demons out of one girl, and 2 Durex condoms fell out”
The angry men on the bus who had been having pangs of guilt due to the pastor’s preaching about s*x suddenly got really angry and pounced on the pastor, who allof a sudden started shouting “I also preach safe s*x! Safe s*x is good!”
Too late.
Policemen had to be called to the scene to save the pastors life. So far 2 arrests have been made, and the Condoms have been kept as evidence

Africa has not overcome challenges of neo-colonialism, poverty – Jonathan

Contrary to reports that President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday missed the opportunity to give a speech at the ongoing Special Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the African Union (AU)  President Jonathan has said that Africa has not  yet overcome the challenges of neo-colonialism, poverty, disease and others though Africa has won its fight against apartheid and racial discrimination.
Jonathan lamented that for  too long, Africa has been a victim of external domination, exploitation and manipulation.  Africa must rediscover itself.
Below is the full text of the speech
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
AT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OAU/AU
“PAN-AFRICANISM AND AFRICAN RENAISSANCE”  ADDIS ABABA, 25 MAY, 2013
Mr. Chairman
Your Excellencies
Invited Guests
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
1.     I am delighted to be part of this historic Summit which commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). I join other colleagues in conveying appreciation to the government and people of Ethiopia for their hospitality and the African Union Commission for the excellent organization of this unique event.
 2.     It is a great honour to also acknowledge the presence at this occasion, of our elder statesman, former President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, one of the founding fathers of this organization.
3.     What at the time seemed only a vision, was relentlessly pursued, beginning with the Accra Conference of 1958, through Tunis (1960), followed by Cairo (1961) to the Conference in this great city of Addis Ababa on 25th May, 1963 when thirty-two (32) African Heads of State and Government founded the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
4.     As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of our Organization, we can take justifiable pride in the fact that the objectives the founding fathers set for themselves have largely been achieved. Their foresight and action have translated an ideal into reality.
5.     The theme of this special Summit, Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance, is indeed both profound and apt.  It captures the essence of our Union, its ideals, its aims and its aspirations.
6.     Fifty years ago, the socio-political and economic landscape of Africa and the entire world was different from what it is today.  Africa was preoccupied with a just struggle to rid itself of the vestiges of colonialism and racial domination.  The world was also in the throes of the Cold War which impacted on our struggle.  But we persevered and stayed the course.
7.     Fifty years on, Africa is independent.  Africa has won its fight against apartheid and racial discrimination.  The OAU and its rallying philosophy of Pan Africanism gave impetus to our struggle for our political emancipation and acceptance as full- fledged members of the international community.
8.     While political independence has been won and colonialism, apartheid and minority rule have been defeated, we are yet to overcome the challenges of neo-colonialism, poverty, disease, violent conflicts, environmental degradation, under-development and economic dependency.
9.     We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to ensure that Africa succeeds.  We must consolidate our achievements, correct past mistakes and accomplish the new African integration paradigm for political, economic, socio-cultural and scientific development.
10.   Today, we are reflecting on the philosophy of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance not at the behest of anyone but of our own accord. We do so because we are conscious of the need to control our own destiny.  For too long, Africa has been a victim of external domination, exploitation and manipulation.  Africa must rediscover itself.
11.   So, my message today is very simple.  Africa must declare an end to the era of self inflicted wars and conflicts.  Africa must usher in an era of transformation, peace, stability and sustainable development.


12.   We all know that the wars we fight sap our strength, divert our resources and destroy precious lives and property.  We know that these conflicts hold Africa back.  We must bring them to an end immediately to give Africa respite and space to develop and realize its potential for greatness.

13.   In this regard, we must first take definite steps and implement all the frameworks aimed at curtailing the proliferation and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in our continent.  These are the weapons of choice in the prosecution of all the deadly conflicts, acts of terrorism, piracy and armed robberies ravaging many parts of our continent.  Given their lethality they have been aptly described as the weapons of mass destruction and destabilization in Africa.

14.   Second, with Africa free of all its crises and violent conflicts, we must commit to deepen our democratic governance and rule of law. We must give voice to, and respect the wishes of our people when they express them democratically, freely and openly.  Democracy must be allowed to flourish unimpeded in all our countries.  We must end the culture of abuse of power and impunity.  We must embrace the culture of accountability, equity and justice.


15.   Third, for Pan Africanism to endure and Africa’s Renaissance to occur, a peaceful Africa must draw lessons from its ancient past as the cradle of human civilization.  In the last 50 years, the world has attained unprecedented heights in human advancement driven by science and technology.  Africa must be part of that movement and experience.  Africa should aim to lead humanity again in innovation and advancement.

16.   Africa must not remain in the margins of world affairs.  Africa must continue to ask for its due rights and place in the World.  Africa’s demand to be represented on the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council is just.  It should never be seen as a privilege.  We should, therefore, vigorously press our demand for an urgent reform and expansion of the Council in order to inaugurate more equitable global governance architecture.

17.   The transformation of Africa to a strong, confident, productive and competitive region should not pose challenges of extraordinary nature.  Africa is a continent blessed with a versatile human resource base.  The continent has huge reserves of diverse untapped natural resources.  We must commit ourselves to add value to these resources and use them to transform the lives of our peoples and nations.


We must commit anew, to win our battle against poverty, hunger and disease.  Africa can and must take care of its most vulnerable population, especially its youth, its women and its physically challenged.  Africa must turn its begging bowls into baskets of prosperity and opportunity.  We must give a new face to our people and continent.  Our rebirth, our renewal, our renaissance must begin now.

18.   We signaled this intent with the transformation of the Organization of African Union (OAU) to the African Union (AU), a decade ago. We adopted forward-looking and dynamic approaches to Africa’s integration agenda. We devised a new Peace and Security Architecture. We agreed on a new framework to ward off the tendency towards unconstitutional change of government and adopted a Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance among others.  We also adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Economic Development (NEPAD) along with the Africa Peer Review (APR) mechanism to fast-track the continent’s development agenda and enhanced governance process.

19.   Mr. Chairman, as expected, my country, Nigeria, will remain a staunch supporter and promoter of Pan-Africanism and the ideals and objectives, championed by this Union.  Our steadfast commitment to the Union arises from our recognition that African unity and solidarity will remain our strength, both as a nation and as a continent.


20.   Nigeria will be in the vanguard of the collective efforts aimed at the realization of this continental dream.  Nigeria’s policy of placing Africa at the centre of its external relations is to ensure that, at all times, the challenge of building and sustaining the Africa of our dream, remains a priority.

21.   It is, therefore, my hope that when the Centenary of the OAU shall be marked 50 years from now, it shall be said of us that we provided the right leadership, built on the foundation already laid by the founding fathers, thereby assuring the renaissance of a proud, dynamic and fully integrated Africa.

Long Live Africa!   Long Live the African Union!!

22.   I thank you.

Exploiting advertising regulation as tool for marketing warfare

In marketing, professionals agree that marketing battle is synonymous with competition, but bearing in mind market cluster and consumer decision instability. Marketing described as a game of the smart, should be exercised with caution  so that industry players will not callously engage in marketing war to achieve their objective.
It is often heard how some market leaders, major industry players fight to sustain their positions. Today, it is becoming a deadly act  in order to remain on the ladder. The question that readily comes to mind is: should players in the same industry destroy one another?  If marketing strategies are rightly carved out from the onset, industries will rather focus on adding value rather than engaging in marketing activities that are basically propelled for selfish interest.
Like Steven Covey in his Eight Habits of Highly Effective People said: “It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busy-ness of life, to work harder and harder at efficiently climbing the ladder of success only to discover it’s leaning against the wrong wall. It is possible to be busy – very busy – without being very effective.”
Seth Godin, Business author and blogger, once said, “Marketing is not an emergency. It’s a planned, thoughtful exercise that started  long time ago and doesn’t end until one is done.”
In a brewery  industry characterised by a de-facto duopoly structure as fragmented fringe players, increasing consumer demand for variety is an opportunity for these players to tap more into the marketing opportunities.
The thrust is, APCON recently,  through its Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), banned Guinness of all advertisements on  its alcoholic beverages for violation of advertising statutes in Nigeria. It is very interesting to note that this move, according to the ASP, an arm of APCON charged with the responsibility to stop “impunity and disregard for advertising law” irrespective of the standing or size of the personae involved.
On this regard, this move ought to be applauded by all stakeholders to the advertising business in Nigeria, but it seems to be generating pockets of discussion here and there.
The action of APCON which it highlighted in a statement credited to its Registrar/Chief Executive, Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi claiming that failure to deliver this verdict against Guinness would have been tantamount to folding its arms while the law is violated and defenseless Nigerians like the aged and minor, generally regarded as vulnerable in advertising are taken undue advantage of.
It’s APCON’s duty to ensure that all parties play according to the rules of the game no matter how highly placed, an individual or companies. It is also imperative that the regulator should protect the vulnerable from mindless entrepreneurs who would stop at nothing to penetrate and dominate the minds of vulnerable Nigerians with a view to influencing their purchase decisions, even if it is personally detrimental to their well being.
The ASP has the same status as a Federal High Court in Nigeria and its sentences can only be reviewed by a properly constituted Court of Appeal. This places a high duty of responsibility and calls for caution to avert judicial recklessness because judicial sentences are not only generally regarded as wise and carefully arrived at, but are expected to be fair to all parties. This reinforces the general position in legal parlance that “he that comes to equity must come with clean hands.”

British soldier murder suspect, Michael Adebolajo, was held in Kenya in 2010

LONDON (AFP) – One of the suspects in the brutal murder of a soldier in Britain was arrested in Kenya three years ago and questioned over alleged links to Islamist insurgents, it emerged on Sunday.
The Kenyan government confirmed that Michael Adebolajo was detained in 2010 but said he was handed over to British intelligence agents and deported because there was insufficient evidence to charge him.
“He was arrested under a different name, a fake name,” government spokesman Muthui Kariuki told AFP.
“We did not process him, he was handed over to the local MI5.”
A Kenyan anti-terrorism police officer said Adebolajo was arrested over links to Shebab insurgents.
The Shebab are an Al-Qaeda-linked group fighting in Somalia, but with ties in neighbouring nations including in Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastal region.
The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Adebolajo had been in contact with other suspects that Kenyan police were tracking in the port city of Mombasa.
“There was no evidence to nail him so he was released. He was interrogated both in Mombasa and Nairobi,” the officer told AFP.
The Kenyan government rejected allegations made by a friend of Adebolajo that he had been physically assaulted while being held in Kenya.
On a video of his court appearance in Mombasa in 2010, Adebolajo can be heard saying: “These people are mistreating us, we are innocent.”
The government spokesman said “senior members of the intelligence community… denied knowledge of the torture ordeal”.
Reports in Britain said Adebolajo was detained on the island of Pate, a few kilometres away from Lamu, which is a crossing point to Somalia.
The disclosure raises fresh questions about the monitoring of Adebolajo and the other suspect in the murder, 22-year-old Michael Adebowale. It has been reported that both were previously known to Britain’s intelligence services, but neither were considered a risk to life.
Adebolajo was captured on video carrying bloodied knives and a meat cleaver after Wednesday’s attack saying he had killed off-duty soldier Lee Rigby because British troops were killing Muslims.
Anti-terror investigators in France meanwhile were probing whether the stabbing of a soldier in Paris as he patrolled a busy shopping centre and transport hub on Saturday afternoon was a copycat attack.
The soldier suffered a wound to the neck but was said to be in a stable condition in hospital.
President Francois Hollande said no link to the grisly murder in London had been established “at this stage”, but the French interior minister said there were similarities.
The distraught family of Lee Rigby visited the scene of his murder near his barracks in Woolwich, southeast London, and added their bouquets to an ever-growing pile of floral tributes at the scene.
The two men accused of hacking him to death remain under armed guard in separate hospitals after they were shot by police at the scene.
Police arrested a 22-year-old man in London on Sunday on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and were still holding three men in their 20s they detained on Saturday on the same charge.
Both the suspects in the murder are Muslim converts from Nigerian Christian families, raising fresh concerns in Britain about the radicalisation of young men.
Home Secretary Theresa May, the interior minister, warned there were “potentially” thousands of people at risk of being radicalised.
May said around 500 police and intelligence officers were working on the “horrific murder” of the soldier, but “all the indications” pointed to a lone wolf-style incident rather than a wider planned operation.
In Paris, counter-terrorism investigators were studying CCTV footage of the stabbing of 23-year-old soldier Cedric Cordier as he was on duty in the La Defense district.
President Hollande cautioned against drawing a link to the London killing, but Interior Minister Manuel Valls said: “There are elements, the sudden violence of the attack, that could lead one to think there could be a comparison with what happened in London.”
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said: “Someone wanted to kill a soldier because he was a soldier.”

Brazil’s Ace (Neymar) announces transfer to Barcelona

Brazil’s Neymar announced Saturday on his Instagram account that he is to join FC Barcelona, who have edged out their great Spanish rivals Real Madrid in a tussle for the young striker’s services.
“On Monday, I sign a contract with Barcelona. I want to thank the Santos fans for nine incredible years,” wrote the 21-year-old.
Santos had received offers for Neymar from both Barca and Real, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais, quoting the club’s vice-president. Barca confirmed the move on Sunday.
“FC Barcelona and Santos FC have agreed to terms for Neymar da Silva Junior. The Brazilian forward will don the Blaugrana strip for the next five seasons,” said a statement on the club’s website.
Despite his tender age, Neymar has been a first-team regular for Santos for the past four years, scoring 156 goals and providing 77 assists in 256 matches.
In 2011, he guided them to their first Copa Libertadores triumph since when Pele represented the club in the 1960s, and he has already established himself at international level, scoring 20 times in 32 appearances with Brazil.
“It’s a different moment for me, sad (bidding farewell) and happy (new challenges),” he wrote.
Neymar plays his last game for Santos on Sunday against rivals Flamengo, at the opening of this year’s Brazilian football season.
“I want the chance to enter the field one more time… and hear the fans cry out my name,” he wrote.
The young star, who often sports a Mohawk haircut, is a native of Sao Paulo. Youths ask barbers for “a Neymar” when they go for a haircut, and young women scream and chase after him as if he were a rock star.
Brazil lacks the megastars of yesteryear such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Robinho, and the country’s hopes for winning the World Cup in 2014 — to be held in Brazil — rest on the young prodigy’s shoulders.
Time magazine described Neymar in February as “the future Pele,” while the US magazine Sports Pro chose him for the second year running as the sports personality with most worldwide marketing potential, ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy.
Off the football pitch, Neymar’s face is omnipresent: he’s constantly being interviewed on TV, appears in scores of ads and on websites, and his personal life is feverishly covered by the celebrity press.
Fans are avid to find the latest news about Neymar and his young son, or the star’s latest girlfriend, in this case TV starlet Bruna Marquesina. Their courtship was announced at the latest Rio carnival.

My boobs are very special to me and I cherish them – Nollywood Actress Tope Osoba

Temitope Osoba

Nollywood has grown tremendously and bred A-List old acts as well as notable young ones with outstanding talents. Entertainment Extra recently discovered yet another up-and-coming young and pretty talent in Tope Osoba. The Business Education graduate from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), spoke with ADUNOLA OLADAPO on diverse issues.
Tell us about yourself and what you do for a living?
My name is Temitope Osoba; I studied Business Education at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education. I am an actress and dancer, I am single.
How did you delve into acting?
Acting was not something I intended to do, I was initially a dancer. I used to dance hip-hop and cultural dance, way back then in school, even before school. I was doing dance professionally. Acting was never in my mind, it was just by luck, because I had to feature in a Yoruba dance movie.
Which movie was that?
That was Ijoya. It was produced by Laide Bakare, in 2005. It was purely dance movie. Although I acted in it, it was the first time I would do something like that. But dance was the major thing there.
So, after then, what happened?
Well, I used to dance for Weird MC. I had to go back to school, so then I couldn’t keep up with the rehearsals and other things that were involved. I did a couple of music videos for the likes of Olu Maintain, Adewale Ayuba (Ijo Fuji), Pasuma (High Level).
What fascinated you about acting?
Generally, I like entertainment, be it singing, dancing or acting. When the director saw me, he asked me if I could do a thing for him and I said yes. He played a CD of Weird MC for me and I did the choreography, and he liked it. He gave me a script that I should read, that I will be acting a role. That was how I got the role; from then, I have been acting.
So, you started with dancing, what year was that?
Basically, I started dancing in 2004, after the music video of Ijoya. Later, I was laid back a bit. It was not that I was discouraged; you know the society one lives in, one has to be careful, especially when you dance for Fuji artistes. I decided to stay with acting.
So for how long have you been acting?
That was in 2005. My first movie was Ijoya. after that, I did a couple of movies like: Abimbola, Anu Oju Mi by Ayo Adesanya. It was my second major movie. In 2009, I did Ogun Mi (My Sweat). It was produced by Dayo Amusa; it was the movie that projected my acting career.
Could you tell us why you dumped dancing for acting?
I enjoyed dancing a lot, no doubt, but because of the perception that the society has about professional dancers— they see them as wayward, loose and even prostitutes— I had to quit. However, I was beginning to enjoy acting a great deal then.
What role brought you into limelight?
That was in the late Bisi Komolafe’s movie, where I acted as a stripper, but we didn’t strip anyway in the movie.
What was the working relationship with Bisi Komolafe like?
She was a good and nice person. I remember the first time we met, it was on a location, in a film, Tipatikuku (By fire by force). It was a Yoruba flick and it was released in 2010.
Can you act nude?
Of course not, never. Even in the movie where I played the role of a stripper, we did not strip naked. We didn’t even put on Bikinis. We were on shorts, gowns and bump shorts. I can never act nude because my friends and family are watching. I can’t do it even for a billion naira.
 Did your parents endorse your choice of profession?
Yes, they did. My parents are late, but I had the support of my uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents; they were always there for me and they are still there for me.
Did they prefer you acting to dancing?
They preferred me dancing, they were not against it, but they didn’t really like it,  obviously because of the society’s perception of professional dancers then. But now, my family members see me as the star of the family. I don’t see myself as a star yet, but I’m happy my family likes what I’m doing and gives their blessings.
 If your parents were alive, are you sure they would have loved what you are doing now?
When my father was alive, he was a strict man, I don’t think he would have supported me. But, my mum, if she were alive, she would have loved it.
Were there temptations for you to indulge in social vices in order to survive then?
Poverty is not desirable, but it’s good to be of high moral standard and hardworking. Of course, there were temptations but I never fell for them because I was ready to do legitimate work to earn money and see myself through my education, and that I did by dancing and modeling.
Talking about the challenges in the industry, have you encountered any of such?
No, I have not. Right now, no. I haven’t. However, every profession has its challenges.
What about sexual harassment?
It has always been there.
Have you ever succumbed to such advances?
I have never done that. My belief is that with God, I will make it in life.
Have you dated any of your colleagues in the industry before?
No, I have not. I’m in a relationship, right now. We have been dating for three years. I don’t think that I would want to do something like that at the moment. When you are talking about colleagues in the industry, we are professionals. Even if I were not in a relationship, I can’t date my colleagues.
 Why, there must be a reason for that?
My reason is that both of us do the same job. I can’t just marry a man in the same industry with me.
Your boyfriend, does he not worry about your romantic roles?
He knows what I’m doing. If he sees me on television acting a romantic role, he would be like “see what that guy is doing to you.” I will have to explain to him that I’m the one on set.
If you get married and your man says you should quit your job, would you?
I believe that before going into marriage with me, he understood that I love my job. We will sort out everything before taking the next step. This is something that brings food to my table. Acting is my first love and he needs to understand that, but if he insists and gets me another good job, I may not be acting fully, but I will be producing.
How did you meet your guy?
We went to the same university, but we never met. He was my senior. He knew me, but I didn’t. He graduated two years before me.
What turns you off in the opposite sex?
I don’t like guys that are too handsome and too ugly. You know when a guy is too handsome, it is a problem because ladies will be chasing him but when he is averagely handsome, he’s okay by me. When other ladies see my guy, the will go for someone else and not my guy.
Have you produced any movie of yours?
Not yet, and I’m not working on any one at the moment, although I have scripts already.
How many movies have you featured in so far?
Let me say over 20 movies, and still counting. In some of the movies, I played major roles, in some, second lead roles and there are couple of others that are not out yet.
Do you restrict yourself only to Yoruba movies?
No, I also act in English soap operas. I have featured in Shadows and a couple of other movies.
What qualities stand you out among your peers?
I’m real, I’m very natural and fun to be with. I’m just a simple person and down to earth.
Who are your role models in the industry?
I have a lot of people who have been influential to me. I will mention a few, like Ayo Adesanya, Bimbo Oshin, Eniola Badmus, Yomi Fash-Lanso. A lot of them are my role models.
What part of your body do you admire the most?
I would say my boobs, but I admire the whole of my body, because I have a nice shape and I love it. A lot of people like my shape.
Have your boobs given you any lead role before and do you consider it your selling point?
Well, I don’t reveal a lot of my body, but I do reveal a little cleavage. So, put together, I will say my boobs and my body fetch me the jobs. People tell me I have very lovely skin, shape and lips. I guess they get the roles coming for me. I can’t show more than my cleavage.
There are lot of tattoos on your body, how many are they?
All together, I have eight at different parts of my body. I have one on my left knee, I have a cross on my hand, I have a star on my neck. I also have my mum’s name on my back, I have a logo. Also, I have my boyfriend’s nickname on my neck.
Why the craze for tattoo and why not one on your boobs?
I just love tattoos. My boobs are very special to me and I cherish them. I don’t want to tamper with them and I can’t stand anybody touching them anyhow in the name of doing tattoos on them.
Are you related to the former Ogun State governor, Segun Osoba?
Yes, we are related in a way, because he is related to my paternal grandfather, although we have not met one on one.

If not an actress, what else would you be doing professionally?
I would be into business, probably run a salon.
Has your heart ever been broken before?
Yes it has being broken, that is why I have this tattoo, with a broken heart and a knife piercing through it. It was really painful, I cried, because I really liked him and he got married a few months after we broke up, it was really painful.
Why didn’t he consider taking you back, was it that you were not ready for marriage then?
I really don’t know. I was ready for marriage even then and I was still dancing too.
Did you ever think it was because of your dancing profession then?
Why should that be his reason, I don’t know. Is dancing a crime?  I guess he was just being a man.
Are you set for marriage?
Certainly, of course, I am set for marriage, if the right man comes my way.
In the next five years, where do you see yourself?
I see myself at the top, being one of the best actresses, one of the best producers and one of the best role models.
Among the movies you have acted, which do you consider the most challenging?
I will say Ogun Mi. it was kind of tough for me. I was paired with top actresses. I felt intimidated, shaky and timid and the director kept shouting at me and I cried that day, because the director made me feel embarrassed and I am used to being pampered by my late parents.
What good and advantage do you derive from the job?
As an actress, when I’m on stage, I take away all my worries; I don’t think, all I do is my job. So, I will say acting helps me forget my sorrows and worries because while on set, I am just free, my mind is empty.
What are your plans for this year?
Well, the year is still new, I have done Tomilola, The Taxi Driver. I just finished doing one which name I don’t know yet. I still have some other ones I will be doing. Honestly, I have couple of works on hand at the moment.
 Is there any particular actress or actor you will like to act with in Nollywood?
I would love to work with every person in the industry, not just one. I’m not selective.
Have you produced any movie of yours?
No, not yet, but I really hope to produce one this year. I actually have some stories I have written but the financial constraints is delaying my producing a movie but I’m seriously working on doing one before the end of the year.
While acting has deprived you of your privacy, would you say it has helped open fortune or contact doors?
Oh yes, though I have lost my privacy to acting, I will say it is actually opening doors for me. But one thing I don’t enjoy is that I now have to do my shopping in boutiques. I can’t go to Yaba bend down boutique to shop again because I am a rising star in Nollywood now. But my sister once in a while I still manage to go to Yaba for my shopping oh. (Laughs.)
How do you do it, do you disguise your identity or what?
I donn’t have to disguise,  when I am hell-bent on shopping at yaba, I just carry my face, dam the consequences and go. I don’t care what people say because I won’t steal or prostitute because I want to look big, I shop based on my pocket. Also, when I go to shop in the market, the shop owners usually hike the prices of items for me, saying “you people in Nollywood are rich and we always buy your films so you don’t have to bargain.” It’s not easy being popular; it has its advantages and disadvantages.