Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo State Police Command have arrested the suspected killers of Rev. Fr. Jude Egbom of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Amucha, in the Njaba Local Government Area of the state.
Egbom was shot dead on Monday on Nkwerre-Anara Road, while his vehicle was stolen.
The state Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, said the suspects – Chigozie Uzoukwu, 33; and Peter Ochokwu, 21 – were nabbed in Nkwerre on September 11.
The CP, who decried the killing of the cleric, noted that the victim’s vehicle and travelling bag had been recovered.
The police boss explained that one of the suspects, Ochokwu, an ex-convict, had spent one year in the Owerri Prison for alleged involvement in an armed robbery case.
The CP said, “On September 11 at Owerri Nkwoji, in the Nkwerre LGA, Imo State, F-SARS operatives, led by CSP Godfrey Victor, acting on a tip-off arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of Rev. Fr. Jude Egbom.
“The suspects are one Peter Ochokwu, 21, of Umuibu, in Owerre Nkworji, Nkwerre LGA and Chigozie Uzoukwu ,33, of same address.
“A black Toyota Corolla, with number plate, FKJ 984 EV, belonging to the hoodlums who robbed and murdered the cleric was recovered.
“Interestingly, one of the shoes of the reverend father was found in the abandoned car. The second leg of the shoe was found in the Toyota Corolla of the suspects.
“Some of the property in the suspect’s car were found with the one of the suspects in his house.”
Galadanchi disclosed that one Raphael, the operator of the barber’s where the priest had gone to shave before he was murdered, had also been arrested for questioning.
He noted that other members of the gang– Kelechi Nnajiuba,24; Ifeanyi Chukwukere, 28; and Ekene Ohaeri,27 – were in police custody for the kidnapping of a worker with the National Population Commission.
He said the suspects collected N5m ransom, shot the victim’s police orderly and collected his AK-47 rifle which they had been using to terrorise people in the state.
The CP added that the police were on the trail of two leaders of the gang.
According to Galadanchi, a pair of shoes, two vehicles, a travelling bag belonging to the slain priest and 46 pieces of Permanent Voter Cards were recovered as exhibits from the house of one of the two suspects.
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An automobile and industrial engineer, Omotilewa Adediwura, has accused the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of Kings parish, of encroaching on a property he reportedly acquired in the Ijegun area of Lagos 14 years ago.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Adediwura allegedly bought two plots of land in 2004 and acquired its Certificate of Occupancy.
He reportedly travelled to England afterwards.
It was learnt that the plots of land, when acquired by Adediwura, had a residential building on one part, while the RCCG parish made use of the unused part on which it erected a temporary structure.
There was reportedly no agreement or contract on the use of the said portion of land between Adediwura and the church.
On returning from England in 2015, the 53-year old said the church had erected a permanent structure on the land, adding that all attempts to reclaim his property had proven abortive.
He said, “In 2004, I bought the property with the CofO from the owner, who relocated to Canada. I paid N6.5m for the two plots of land. One part has a twin duplex with some tenants occupying it. I asked the man who sold the property to me about the church using the other part of the land, and he said he was going to talk to the pastor and they would leave anytime I wanted them to leave. He called one of the pastors in charge at that time to inform him that he had sold the land and the church would have to vacate the place and the man agreed. I asked about the tenants occupying the building, and I was told that they would move out as well, which they did after six months.
“I went to London to teach some courses. When I returned in 2009 for my father’s burial, I saw that the church had erected a structure on the part of the land they were using and I asked them who gave them the permission to do so. They said the pastor was not around. I requested that the pastor should contact me whenever he was around, but he did not. I could not wait to do anything about it because I needed to get back.
“By the time I came back finally in 2015, I discovered that they had completed the structure and even knocked my fence off and made a gate there. I knew that they were existing, but it was supposed to be temporary because they didn’t pay anything to the person I bought the land from. That land is not meant for the church and I did not buy the land for them.”
Adediwura said he had written several letters to the church, adding that he was ignored.
He noted that he had also petitioned the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Lagos Special Taskforce on Landgrabbers.
He said he was frustrated because he had yet to get any feedback from any of the government agencies.
The Pastor-in-Charge of the RCCG, City of God parish, Pastor Williams Odagi, however, said the church had been occupying the land for 15 years, adding that Adediwura only wanted to discredit it.
He noted that the church’s title documents had been stolen by burglars.
He said, “The land was acquired by the church from the owner in 2003. The person we bought the land from is our neighbour and he was using it for farming when we bought it from him. In 2005, robbers came to burgle the church and stole our original documents. It was after the incident that the man said he had the CofO. Unknown to him, we had already logged the document in the database of the Regional Planning and Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
“We are working to retrieve the documents so that we can show proof that we have documents. If he can wait for so many years, he should exercise some patience while the authorities do their work. He has taken us to the land grabbers’ agency and the state physical planning ministry. If he has a case, he should take us to court rather than trying to discredit the church.”
The LABSCA Public Relations Officer, who identified himself only as Mr Gbade, said the agency only dealt with building regulations.
“We don’t mediate between parties over landed property. The best bet for the man in question is to seek redress in court,” he added.
An official of the Lagos Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers, who declined identification, said the agency had started working on his petition.
He said, “We received the petition on April 30, 2018. We reviewed it and contacted both parties for a meeting. The respondent (The Redeemed Christian Church of God) was absent at the meeting on the grounds that the person with the document was not available at the time.
“Another meeting was scheduled, but the respondent came on an earlier date and the meeting could not hold. We are supposed to meet with the petitioner and the respondent again next week Wednesday (September 19).
“The petitioner already tendered his own documents. When the respondent brings its documents, the documents would be taken and investigated. If it is seen that the petitioner is the owner of the land and he has title to the said land, we will ensure that he continues to enjoy possession. We do not determine matters of title; that’s for the court. We only determine possession and possessory right.”
Calls put across to the Commissioner of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Authority, Mr Rotimi Ogunleye, rang out.
He had yet to reply to a text message sent to his telephone number as of press time.
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Troops of Division 1, Nigerian Army, have shot dead six suspected kidnappers and four bandits during a clearance operation in the Kidandan, Unguwan Bilya, Sofa and Unguwan Nakuli areas along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the troops on Operation Whirl Punch had an encounter with the kidnappers, who sneaked in from the Birnin-Gwari area on Monday. Six of them were shot dead.
Four bandits were reportedly killed by the troops in Kidan Isa, Gidan Haruna, Mobale and Kuduru areas on the same day during another clearance operation.
It was gathered that an AK-47 rifle magazine, 16 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one dane gun, a locally-made pistol and two mobile phones were recovered by the military from the suspects.
Our correspondent learnt that the army also arrested a kidnap suspect, identified only as Musa, for the kidnap of one Alhaji Ahmadu and two other persons from Kano State.
According to the army, Musa is currently being interrogated.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and Division 1’s spokesman, Col. Muhammad Dole, confirmed the incidents on Thursday, noting that the operation was targeted at criminal hideouts on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
He said, “The troops on Operation Whirl Punch in their efforts to tackle bandits and kidnappers on the Abuja-Kaduna Road, raided suspected kidnappers’ hideouts on Monday. During the encounter, six suspected kidnappers were neutralised.
“Likewise in conjunction with the local vigilance groups, some identified escape routes used by bandits and kidnappers along Kuriga Gayam, Maganda, Chiki de Parlour and Farin Ruwa, all located in Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State were blocked, and many were ambushed.
“Four bandits were neutralised and some escaped with gun shots injuries. The clearance operation continued along Gwaska-Doka area, where troops encountered bandits who fled from Dogon Dawa and Kamuku forests. During the pursuit, the bandits abandoned four motorcycles and some valuable items, which were subsequently recovered.”
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday easily defeated “Sex and the City” actress turned education and LGBT activist Cynthia Nixon in the state’s Democratic Primary, US media reported.
Cuomo won the vote, putting him on course to clinch a third term as chief executive of America’s fourth most populous state in November, batting aside the left-leaning challenge from the first-time candidate.
People have different views when it comes to age difference between husband and wife. For instance, some people are of the opinion that a man who is way older than his wife will earn more respect from her, while some will consider the idea as irrelevant. Saturday PUNCH asked Nigerians about the importance they attach to age difference in considering whom to marry
Age difference doesn’t matter in a relationship – Ademeso Oluwatosin
Even though I’m a lady, I could get married to someone younger than I am; the most important factor in marriage to me is love and understanding. Age does not really determine if you will respect your partner or not. For a woman, submission has to do with your attitude. Even if a woman marries a man 10 years older than her, if she is not submissive, she won’t respect the man.
Personally, if I want to marry someone older than I am, the maximum age difference for me will be eight years and the minimum age difference will be four years; this is my personal opinion.
Age difference is important – Toluwalope Obadipe
As for me, age difference is very important. I don’t think I would want to marry someone younger than me or my age mate for reasons best known to me. However, in my opinion, the maximum age difference I can consider for someone older than I am is a seven-year gap.
Age is just a number – Orimadike Chiamaka
Age difference doesn’t matter once the partners understand each other, not just as a couple, but as best friends. If the partners are God-fearing and God is the centre of their home, then there won’t be any need to consider age difference. Age is nothing but a number; the most important thing is to be with who you are at peace with and who you can genuinely cope with in all ramifications.
Love is what matters most – Queeneth Hilbert
Even though age is very important when it comes to marriage; I still feel the decision as to who to spend the rest of my life with should be determined by how much I love the person and not necessarily about the age difference between us. If he makes me happy, and as long as he loves, cherishes, adores and respects me, then I’m good with him. I don’t have a problem with age when it comes to considering a man I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Age is almost as important as good character – Crystabel Goddy
Many people use the cliché, age is just a number but the sad reality is that, it’s proved to be one of the major determining factors responsible for mental development. Some young guys speak and act like they are going to be young forever; they live recklessly and hardly think of investing their money in something profitable. In my opinion, if a woman decides to be with a younger man, then the age difference between them shouldn’t be more than three years.
A man should be older – Jedidiah Imonikhe
Age difference is very important because the usual belief is that the man should be older than the woman. This gives the man a form of superiority over the lady and it will make the woman submit easily to the man. Also, the woman will have some vital values to learn from the man since he has more experience on earth. If both partners are of the same age, then it may not really matter because they will have mutual respect for each other. In considering who to marry, mutual respect is very important to me.
Age determines respect – Anjola Adeniji
Age is important because it brings about respect between a couple; without age difference, disrespect may set in, especially if the woman is more financially stable than the man. On the other hand, it may not really matter if the partners take a conscious decision to respect each other regardless of the age difference between them. Truth is, despite the age difference, some women will still submit to their husbands and vice versa. The most important factor is love and understanding.
Age is not important to me – Oguntoye Seyi
Personally, I believe love is the principal factor in a relationship and it should be the major factor that partners should consider before getting married. Whoever I fall in love with, even if the person is a younger or an older lady, inasmuch as there is a mutual feeling and understanding between us, we are good to go. After all, there is a popular saying that age is just a number.
Age difference doesn’t matter – Oluwarinu Joshua Obanijesu
When it comes to marriage, age difference doesn’t matter. Age is just a number; the most important thing is finding true love. If a lady finds love in a younger man, then she should go ahead and blossom in the relationship. If a man finds love in an older lady, they can still go ahead and establish their relationship. Other people’s opinions should not matter because human beings will always talk. Understanding and trust should be the bedrock of any relationship; they lay a solid foundation.
Age does not matter; God is the most important factor – Omiteru Emmanuel
In choosing a life partner, age is not important. The most important factor to be considered is hearing from God before choosing a life partner. God will never lead his children astray. According to Amos 3:3, which emphasises the importance of agreement in companionship; once the partners agree, then age is not an issue. Marriage has to do with both partners giving 100 per cent of their time, efforts and emotions to make sure it’s successful.
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A police sergeant attached to the Dolphin Police Station on Lagos Island, Kaye Ternenge, has lost his life in an auto crash along Marina Road, Leventis Bus Stop, involving a Honda CRV with the number plate, ISD 543 BZ, and an Iveco truck marked, KJA 624 XK.
The driver of the sport-utility vehicle, Steven Akere, and one other occupant, were said to have sustained injuries in the crash. Ternenge was reportedly at the front passenger seat of the SUV.
Our correspondent learnt that the truck driver, David Kojba, had stopped along the road to ask for direction from other motorists, and that the SUV then rammed into the truck. The sergeant reportedly died on the spot while Akere and the third occupant were rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment.
A source told Saturday PUNCH that the incident happened on Monday, but did not give details about where the truck and the SUV were heading for or coming from.
He said, “A distress call was received around 1am that night and a police team from the Ebutero Police Division responded to the accident. Three occupants, including a policeman, were in the SUV. The policeman was later identified as Sergeant Kaye Ternenge from the Dolphin division. He died on the spot, but the two other occupants were rescued alive and taken to the hospital.
“The report the police got was that the truck driver had parked along the road to ask for directions from some people, unknown to the driver of the SUV. He rammed into the truck. The truck driver has been arrested.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, said the command sympathised with the family of the late policeman, adding that investigation had commenced into the incident.
“The corpse of the late policeman has been deposited at the Mainland General Hospital morgue, Yaba, for autopsy. The injured victims are responding to treatment,” he added.
Meanwhile, a worker of a Chinese firm in Iponri, Lagos, Shi Dong Yang, 29, and a 25-year-old porter, Nuru Muazu, have been confirmed dead after irons allegedly fell on them.
It was learnt that the duo were unloading the irons from a container into a warehouse in Ijora Badia, a neighbouring community.
The victims reportedly sustained severe head injuries and were rushed to the Apapa General Hospital where they died.
The police spokesperson in the state, Oti, who confirmed the incident, said the police received a distress call about the incident around 7pm on August 24.
He said, “Upon the information received that some irons allegedly fell on one Shi Dong Yang (male) and one Nuru Muazu while they were unloading the irons from a container, a team of policemen was quickly mobilised to the scene. The victims sustained severe head injuries and were rushed to the Apapa General Hospital, where they later died. Their corpses were evacuated to the Lagos Island General Hospital morgue for autopsy.”
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A family of six in Nnewi, Anambra State, has become a family of 11 after the mother gave birth to quintuplets. Most parents find giving proper care and attention to one child exhausting and expensive. With 11 demanding children to look after, life has been an endless routine of washing, feeding and non-stop childcare for Mrs. Helen Odor, 29.
Odor had four children before she was recently delivered of quintuplets – four boys and a girl. And with the new additions, Odor has suddenly felt as if the one-bedroomed apartment where the family used to share has suddenly shrunk further.
The mother, an apprentice tailor, married to a commercial tricycle rider (popularly called Keke Marwa rider), has however vowed not to have any child again.
Odor, who hails from Nsukka, Enugu State, said if childbearing was a blessing, she has had enough of it and would not want more for any reason.
“I pray not to have children again in my life; and I’m serious about it. If childbearing is a blessing, I pray to God to give it to those who need it and not to me.
“What I’m praying for now is strength; I want strength, I want life. I want God to provide for my family so that we can take care of the children. God forbid that I will give birth to a child again,” she said with mixed emotions.
Odor has been pregnant five times and these have given her 11 children. However, she lost two babies out of the triplets she had from the previous pregnancy, leaving her with nine children in all.
Stressing that she never induced herself to produce more babies, Odor said, “How can I take ovulation induction drugs when I had had four children before these ones.
“I think it runs in our blood. In my husband’s family, they have twins, triplets and quadruplets; in my family, we have the same history. I think these things run in our genes. For my fourth pregnancy, I had triplets, but unfortunately, I lost two of them.
“I have produced 11 children from five pregnancies by the grace of God; but like I had earlier said; I have nine alive now because I lost two children.”
While expressing her gratitude to members of the public for the help they had rendered to her, especially financially, Odor noted that in her condition, no assistance would be too small or too big.
She said the family had been spending about N4,000 daily on formula to feed her quintuplets.
“We thank God for the kind of help we have been receiving since these children came. It’s been marvelous. A lot of help has been coming from foundations and groups. We are glad about the assistance we have been getting locally and internationally.
“We’ve got a lot of assistance. God is good to us. We also believe that God will put it in the heart of our leaders in the state to come to our assistance because I didn’t commit any crime by having quintuplets.
“They (state government) have come here to do some verification, but we have not received anything from them. O.J. Foundation has helped us a lot.
“But I need more help; nursing quintuplets is not easy. I can’t do exclusive breastfeeding in this kind of situation. We buy an average of three tins of formula daily at N1,300 each. And everybody knows how toughthe economy is in our country. So, we need more assistance.
“My husband is a commercial tricycle rider and I am an apprentice tailor. I was learning that before I was delivered of the quintuplets. I have not established my tailoring shop.
“We leave in a one-bedroomed apartment; 11 of us and sometimes we have visitors. We need a bigger place but it will cost money,” she said.
On the future of the children, she said a philanthropist, who paid her hospital bill, had promised to give scholarships to the quintuplets up to the university level.
Describing domestic chores as one of her biggest challenges, Odor said, “Domestic work is affecting my health. My mother is alive. She has come to help us for two weeks but she has gone back. My husband’s sister is the one with us now; she will leave in few days time. If we don’t rotate it this way, you will be surprised that we will be consuming an average of 20 cups of rice per meal.
“Honestly, I won’t say I have time to sleep because I’m always busy taking care of the quintuplets.”
She however expressed concern over the state of health of her quintuplets, saying they have been often been sick and feverish.
Account Details:
Name: Odoh Helen Ndidi
Account number: 0048081828
Bank: Union Bank Nigeria Plc
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A kidnap victim, James Uduji, on Friday told a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere that the alleged billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans, gave her tetanus injections for seven days to treat the gun wounds he sustained during the abduction.
Uduji, a businessman, also told the court that Evans drove the Lexus 470 SUV in which he was abducted on September 7, 2015 by four armed men on his way home from his factory at Agbara, Ogun State.
He made the revelation while giving evidence at the commencement of trial of Evans before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.
Evans is currently facing two separate charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before the judge.
Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba in the first charge. In the second charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.
At the resumed trial, Uduji told the court that the incident happened close to his house on 7th Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos.
Uduji said the kidnappers were driving a Lexus 470 SUV at the time of the incident and that they fired several gunshots during the operation.
The witness said he was surprised to see men shooting at that point, adding that he thought they were policemen.
He said, “I was inside my Hilux van with my two drivers when the men came and pulled me out of my vehicle and dragged me inside their own vehicle.
“I was not blindfolded at this point, so I saw the men clearly and the man at the steering with a gun was Evans. He is the only one I can recognise among the four.”
The witness also said that when he was dragged out of his vehicle, he noticed that he was stained with blood.
“I then realised I sustained bullet wounds,” he said.
Uduji said the kidnappers later called a doctor on the telephone who treated his bullet wound at their destination.
He stated that he was given two tetanus injections for seven days, adding that Evans was the so called doctor, who treated him.
The businessman said he spent a total of 45 days in the kidnappers’ den before he was released following the payment of $1.2m (about N400m) as ransom.
Uduji told the court that the $1.2m ransom was paid by his family in three instalments, adding that he was released eight days after the ransom was paid.
Also testifying as a witness, one of Uduji’s drivers, Mr. Jerome Ugoeze, told the court that he was equally shot in the attack.
He said after being shot, he pretended to be dead while his boss was whisked away by the kidnappers.
The driver said some Good Samaritans later came to his rescue and took him to a hospital.
Further proceedings in the trial have been adjourned till Monday, September 17.
Uduji was, however, cross-examined by the defence counsel, including Mr. Olarewaju Ajanaku, who represented Evans.
Ajanaku said the specific date when Uduji was released from the kidnappers was not mentioned in the statement which the witness made at the police station.
He also said the date which the businessman testified that he made the statement at the police station did not tally with the date in the body of the statement.
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It’s a new session; if you like, spend all your time playing so that at the end of the session you would repeat again, and if you like, face your studies, all I know is that I have done my best,” was the admonition, nay, parting words, of a mother to her child at the entrance of a school in Ikeja axis of Lagos that morning.
It was a sort of remarks that shocked those who heard it. The woman’s frustration could be safely presumed, whether rightly or wrongly.
No doubt, it’s always a thing of delight for parents when their children do well in school. And so, it is entirely understandable when some go the extra mile to reward such children, not only for making them proud, although that can be enormous, especially in the midst of fellow parents, but also for justifying the huge investments in them.
But, on the other hand, it could be very disturbing and sometimes disappointing for parents when their children perform woefully or below expectation in their studies.
However, being the start of a new session, a renowned educationalist and a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola, says there are things parents can do to help their children to do better in school. Some of these include:
Steer their reading efforts in the subjects they are weak at: Okebukola, who is a professor of Science Education, said parents who are desirous of helping their children to do better in the new academic session should take a look at the result of the child at the end of last session, take note of the subjects where the scores were relatively low and then make conscious efforts to steer their reading efforts in such courses. He said, “In many cases, mathematics will be one of them. Have a chat with your child to find out where the challenge is. In many cases, they will ascribe the fault to the teacher. While this is highly likely to be true because most of our mathematics teachers (indeed teachers in most of the subjects) have very weak content knowledge, it should be appreciated by parents that from studies of my research group at the Lagos State University, over the last 25 years, poor performance cannot be ascribed to school factors alone but also to genetic factors in terms of low natural talent for the subject.”
He said this was hinged on the theory of multiple intelligences, and that having identified the subjects the child has difficulty in, they should ensure that a greater proportion of the reading time of the child is allocated to the subjects. He added, “This factor does not mean that other subjects will be neglected; the idea is to focus more on the weak areas so that the child can be an all-rounder,” he added.
Hire a good home tutor or enrol them in coaching classes: According to Okebukola, this factor has two benefits. Apart from preparing them ahead of time before tests or exams come, the students or pupils tend to learn more through such avenues. He said, “Now that your child is (expectedly) in a higher class with greater academic demands, you should not wait till when the end-of-term examination is knocking at the door to prepare your child for success.”
Speaking on how to maximise this option without overburdening such a child with work, Okebukola said, “If the child is a day student, let the child take a nap after lunch then receive coaching from a good home tutor. With the pervading poverty level, many parents may not be able to afford the services of a personalised home tutor, so the idea of a coaching class with other children in the neighbourhood would appear more attractive and cheaper.” The revered scholar stressed that he deliberately qualified home tutor with “good”, saying many of those who parade themselves in Nigeria as home tutors even know far less than some of the children they are teaching.
“Please shine your eyes while engaging such teachers, by doing due diligence on their competence,” he added.
Let them read one book per month to boost their reading habit: At any level, reading has been identified as an ingredient for success, and it is particularly recommended for children so they could imbibe the habit as they grow up. Okebukola said instead of buying them toys, parents could help their children by buying them books and encouraging them to read new books every month. He said, “While in the primary school, my father used to buy me a book a month that I must summarise at the end of the month. This significantly bolstered my reading habit and it rubbed off positively on my performance in all school subjects. I recommend this approach to parents. Buy your child a book a month that is pitched at his/her reading level and request for written summary of the book.”
He added that such children should be told to note the big words in the book and check their meanings, so they could also learn new words. He added, “Rather than a toy for the birthday or something that will not endure, buy your child a book for his/her birthday. In my house, I have a collection of such books that my dad bought for me. These have endured. If he bought me toys, they would have long gone out of remembrance.”
Limit the time they spend in social media and in watching TV: If most children have their ways, they would not mind spending most of their time watching cartoon. But, according to Okebukola, parents should cut down, not stop, the time their children spend on the television and in the social media, which he said had constituted huge distraction for them. He said, “More time on academic tasks will guarantee your child better performance this session. Our recent studies have shown that social media constitute huge distractions to students. This body of research also shows that if all the variables in the performance equation are held constant, cutting the time spent in social media by half will increase academic performance by 20 per cent. It is impracticable and an exercise in self-deceit to enforce a policy asking your child to stop making posts on Facebook or other social media or to stop watching music channels and soap operas on TV. What can be enforced is limiting the time they spend on such academic diversions.” Speaking on helping them to stay safe on the internet, Okebukola said, “Do not allow a child below primary three to get a social media account and be sucked into the dark world of cyberbullying and pornography. From primary three onwards, strict monitoring of social media use is a must for Nigerian parents. I said ‘Nigerian’ because elsewhere, if you do, the child, quoting child’s rights, can call the police for child abuse. This new session, cut the time allowed for social media, texting and TV by 75 per cent and you and your child will smile when the school report card is turned in at the end of the session.”
Pay attention to their nutrition: It would seem that not all parents know that there is a nexus between nutrition and concentration in school. Meanwhile, Okebukola said parents should always make sure their children do not go to school hungry and that what they would eat while in school is equally taken care of. He said, “Ensure that your child does not go hungry to and in school. There is a common Yoruba saying which translates as ‘when hunger enters the stomach, nothing else can enter the body (including the brain).’ Give your child good food before going to school and make enough provisions for school feeding.” He said they would have better concentration if they are not hungry.
Pay attention to their health: No doubt, being in good health helps people to function maximally, and that is more important for children. Thus, the don advised that parents should pay serious attention to the health of their children. He stated, “Healthy children are better disposed to doing well in school, a sound mind being in a sound body. If you want your child to succeed in school this session, you have to pay great attention to his or her health status. At least once every month (except when illness comes knocking), conduct health check-up for your child to locate any abnormality so that corrective action is taken before illness prevents your child from attending classes.”
Monitor their activities all the time: In addition to the factors mentioned above, parents are advised to keep their children on the radar all the time. He said, “Many parents allow their children to roam and forage good and bad pasture during the session. It becomes concerning when the children are into bad habits which will depress their performance at school. Such bad habits include smoking, alcoholism, partying, pornography and sexual immorality. While attention should turn on academic performance of your child, equal attention should be paid to their development of good character.”
Pray for them: Okebukola also said a key ingredient for success is prayers, adding that praying for and praying with their children and asking God to open their understanding at school and protect them from bad boys and girls would help. “There are needs you can cover but God covers all needs of your children, even yours,” he added.
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An operator of a ridesharing service, otherwise known as Uber, is counting his losses after a three-man robbery gang snatched his car at gunpoint while pretending to pay him transport fare around an Automated Teller Machine point in the Obalende area of Lagos State.
The driver, who gave his name only as Seun for security reasons, was waiting for the passengers to withdraw money from the ATM when one of them suddenly brought out a gun.
The two other members were said to have joined and dispossessed him of the Toyota Corolla, his two phones and N16,000 cash.
The robbers were, however, caught by the Close Circuit Television camera around the ATM gallery, where they subdued the driver.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the fleeing robbers had disguised as passengers, asking Seun to take them to Obalende from a clubhouse in Agindigbi, Ikeja, around 3am.
On reaching their destination, they reportedly asked Seun to wait for them while they withdrew money from the ATM to pay the N2,500 fare he charged them.
Robbery scene
Seun, who spoke to our correspondent on Thursday, said as the men were about to reach where he parked, he noticed one of them was with a gun, but it was too late for him to zoom off.
He said, “I picked them from a clubhouse in Agidingbi, Ikeja on Wednesday, September 5, around 3am. They asked me to take them to Obalende. When we got there, they said they had to use an ATM to pay me. They told me to proceed to the Sanglose area, but I declined. They later used one ATM at Obalende. They were to pay me N2,500.
“I was inside the car and put off the engine. After about five minutes, I noticed two of them were approaching me from opposite directions. I suddenly noticed that one was trying to bring out a gun. Before I knew what was happening, the other man had opened the door from the passenger side. I was confused.
“The next thing that occurred to be was to run. I ran towards the gate of the bank thinking I could get somebody to rescue me. The man holding a gun chased me. He led me back into the car pointing the gun at me.”
Seun explained that the robbers zoomed off and headed towards the Third Mainland Bridge, adding that they ordered him to switch off the General Packet Radio Services with which his movement was being monitored.
“They dropped me off around Adekunle and asked for the security code of the car. I told them I did not know it. They said they only wanted to use the car for something. They seized my two phones and about N16,000 on me. They asked me to call my line the following day to know where they would drop the car. One of them suggested that I should be thrown into the water, but others rejected the idea. The whole thing happened between 3am and 4am,” he added.
The driver stated that he ran to the Iyana Oworo area to report the incident to some policemen on patrol, but he was directed to another patrol team stationed a few metres away. He added that when he got there, the policemen could not reach the control unit to report the robbery.
He said, “They called somebody to send them a control unit number but the person sent them a wrong number. I was there for about 10 minutes before we went together in their patrol vehicle to meet another patrol team at Olopomeji. They copied the control unit number from the patrol van at the Olopomeji and radioed the incident.
Robbery scene
“They later asked me to report the case at the nearest police station to where I was attacked. I reported the case at the Lion Building Division.”
The owner of the vehicle, who did not want his name in print, said he was destabilised by the incident, urging the police to intensify efforts in ensuring the recovery of the car and the arrest of the suspects.
He said, “The driver has been working for me for a long time and he is trustworthy. We met with the bank where the incident happened and we were given the CCTV footage of the attack, which showed the faces of two of the robbers. The third gang member was captured with a gun, but his face was not revealed.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Chike Oti, said the incident was being investigated, adding that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
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Senator Abubakar Girei, who represented Adamawa Central Senatorial District in the Senate between 1999 and 2003, tells HINDI LIVINUS about his childhood, his profession and his time in the Senate
Tell us about the fond memories you have of your childhood
The most important fond memories of my life have come from my dreams. It’s something I would want to describe as ‘metaphorical and spiritual’ dreams. I was fond of dreaming and I saw as they became reality. These dreams shaped some key moments of my life. After my primary school, I had a dream where I saw myself crossing River Benue barefoot to the other side. At the time, the Yola-Girei Bridge had not been built, and I was in the front and people were following me. Barely a week after the dream, the results of our common entrance came out. I was invited for an interview and selected along with five others from Adamawa province to go to the famous Barewa College, Zaria. Each time I reflect on that, I still get the feeling that the dream was a sign and a message. It was telling me that very soon; I would march on to something big that would lead me to success. I have several of such dreams. My dreams were the fondest of my memories. In addition to that, there are quite a number of things that children indulge in. I had such experiences also. But we later got to know that they were frowned upon by the society. Then, we used to go to people’s farms to pluck mangoes until our parents told us that it was not good. So, we stopped it. For us as children, it was really fun then to take cassava and fruits from people’s farms and find a hiding place to enjoy them.
Equally during holidays, I used to visit my grandparents who were in Pariya and each time I visited, I would go out with herdsmen as they reared cattle in the bush. That was also great fun.
Were there role models that you looked up to at the time?
My main aspiration then was to go to secondary school and eventually to university. I was particularly motivated by two people who are still alive today. They were in a school of Islamic studies in Kano. Each time they came for holidays, they would be in suits. In those days, it was very rare to see people in suits. Their shoes were beautifully polished and each time they came, they had cameras on their backs. All I ever desired was to be like
them. There was also one other fellow who was always interested in giving me his books and his secondary school uniforms, which I wore to show off around the town. These things had quite an impression on me and motivated me to work even harder in order to achieve my dreams.
You went on to attend the famous Barewa College, Zaria for your secondary school education, can you describe your experience there as a pupil?
I want to tell you an interesting story. I was not interested in going to Barewa College. In fact, I never knew about the school before then. But because of the influence of the two role models that I said were attending a school of Islamic studies, I wanted to go there. In those days, the pupils of the school received pocket money, which they used to buy clothes and dress better than other pupils.
So my interest was just to go to the school of Islamic studies, where I would also get some allowance and be able to dress well. Then when I was given admission to go to Barewa College, I hid my admission letter from my parents because I didn’t know much about the college. I didn’t show my letter to my father because I was waiting for admission to attend the school of Islamic studies.
Few days later, I got admission letter to attend the school for Islamic studies. Excitedly, I showed my father the letter. Then later, he went to the Ministry of Education and met with the chief education officer, who told him that the new entrants to Barewa College had been taken to Zaria and that his son was supposed to be among them. They asked my father what happened and he argued with them that his son did not get admission into Barewa College.
So the man provided him with proof that the admission letter had been sent and received by me. When my father came home, he scolded me and then reluctantly, I showed him my admission letter and told him that I didn’t want to go there because they didn’t teach Islam and Arabic there. I said I didn’t want to go to a school where I would be corrupted. But it was all lies; my attraction to the school was just because of the allowance (laughs). So my father scolded me and took me to the chief education officer in Yola, who quickly arranged for me to go to Zaria.
It was my first journey outside of the state because at that time, I had never gone beyond Numan. They put me in a lorry and the lorry took me to Kaduna. From there, I took another vehicle to Zaria. Finally, I was in Barewa College and I met people from different parts of the country there. There was hardly anybody that could speak Fulfulde (Fulani language) and at the time, I was fluent in Hausa. So it was a serious challenge, but I was able to adjust. It was a very exciting experience for me. I was able to meet people from different parts of the country. There, I met the present Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar III. The Sultan was one year my junior but we were in the same house, the same dormitory and the same room for some time. We had the likes of Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna State Governor), Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Minister of the Interior), and Prof. Ahmed Mora in school.
As you know, Barewa College is not just a college; it is a kind of leadership training centre. It is a training institute where pupils are brought from various parts of the country and put together to be trained, specifically for leadership, in addition to the academic curriculum. It had very intensive leadership training programmes and it was very exciting.
Would you describe yourself as a bookworm or were you a very social person while growing up?
I was an average student; I liked interacting and socialising with people.
Was there anything of interest that happened between you and any of the prominent personalities you just named or things you did together back then in the college?
One of the most important things I remember is the portion of the assembly hall in Barewa College with a big notice board referred to as Hall of Fame. The names of past students who excelled in their examinations were pasted there. Names like Prof. Iya Abubakar and Prof. Jubril Aminu were prominent names on that list. The fact that we came from the same place made me feel very proud and happy. I also told myself that I would do everything to get my name on that board. This motivated me to work hard. But I could not achieve that kind of feat because I did not possess their kind of unique intelligence.
But all the same, it helped to shape my future and I came out with very good grades in my West African Senior School Certificate Examination, which got me admission into the North East College of Arts and Science. NECAS is what metamorphosed into the University of Maiduguri, Borno State. At NECAS, I got good grades in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and General Studies, which enabled me to gain admission into the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to read Quantity Surveying.
How would you describe your experience at ABU?
My ambition in secondary school then was to read Electrical Engineering and Electronics because even Barewa College, we had so many different clubs one of which was Radio and Electronics Society, which I belonged to. In that society, we were taught how to assemble radio transmitter and receiver and I was very good at both. I was also a member of the Cadet Club and I was a very good shooter.
I went to NECAS with the hope of going to the university to read Electrical Engineering. But while I was in NECAS, as God would have it, the current Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who was very close to my roommate (Shafiu Adamu), visited us in school from abroad and brought a book. I can’t remember the title of the book but it was about career guidance and he said it would assist us.
It was while I was reading that book that I got to know about Quantity Surveying. I was told it was part of engineering. I also asked where it was being offered and I got to know that ABU had started offering it two years earlier. I became interested in it. When it was time for us to apply for a course of study in the university, Shafiu and I chose Quantity Surveying. I think I made a very good choice. I am a proud quantity surveyor, and this has offered me the opportunity to serve this country and humanity in many
ways.
Your hobby is reading, what kind of books do you read?
Right from my primary school days, I have been fond of reading magazines, mainly humour magazines; but in my senior secondary school days, I ventured into reading of novels. But most importantly, I never joked with my studies. I always read my textbooks. There was a night before I sat for my Chemistry examination, I read my chemistry textbook from cover to cover. By the grace of God, I passed my examinations with very a good grade in Chemistry. I also read my Biology textbook from cover to cover before the examination and I also had a good grade in Biology. Now, social media is taking too much of our time. But despite that, I still find time to read autobiographies, but mainly religious books, newspapers and magazines.
You are also said to enjoy attending social gatherings. Does that mean you like parties and dance very well?
When I was in Port Harcourt, I used to be a good dancer because I used to party a lot. But you know our own society is not a partying society. Of course, I was attending late night parties when I was young, but not anymore.
You are married with children, how did you meet your wife?
My wives; I will say most of them by chance.
In your time in Kaduna, did you know anything about the so-called ‘Kaduna Mafia’?
I came to know about the Kaduna Mafia when I started working in 1979. Immediately after the election that brought in the Shehu Shagari-led administration, Chief Obafemi Awolowo alluded to rigging of the election. Kaduna Mafia was mentioned several times as one of those who aided the rigging of the election. So I became interested in knowing the persons behind the group and the mission of the group. I became curious.
But the irony of it is that some people who were identified as members of the mafia facilitated my moving to Kaduna to join the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank. As soon as I relocated to Kaduna, I became close to some of those people being identified as members of the ‘Kaduna Mafia’.
But I found out that contrary to what the papers were saying about them, calling them evil, they were nothing like that. Rather, I found them to be extremely nice people who were down to earth and very helpful to others. They had an impact on my life, personally. Till this day, I wonder why those people were called Kaduna Mafia.
You had your youth service in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 1979, how did you cope with the cultural and traditional differences while you were there?
I had a very exciting time there. I met a people who loved northerners and Nigerians generally. Unlike now that there is hate speech, this was not the case back then. I cry openly for the way things have degenerated. I was lucky to have served the country in an organisation that took me to every nook and cranny of Rivers State. It was an organisation that was responsible for building schools and hospitals in the state then. Wherever I went then, I always found people who were welcoming.
The hospitality of the people even encouraged me to take up a job in Port Harcourt after my service year. I had three job offers after the completion of my service year. I was not even interested in returning to my home state. I left my things in Port Harcourt and went home to say bye-bye to my parents. I went to say I just wanted to come back and inform you that I have finished my service and I am very happy in Port Harcourt, so I am going back there. But my parents gathered almost everybody in my village and they started crying that I should not leave them (laughter). That was how they forced me to leave the three job offers I got there. Then I took up an appointment as a quantity surveyor with the state government. To entice me, as each of the jobs I got in Port Harcourt was willing to pay me three times what a civil servant on the same level with me was earning in the state civil service, the state government gave me two steps ahead of my colleagues at my point of entering the service. My father had a brother there and later, I learnt that he had to go and beg the permanent secretary for this to be done. It was Gongola State at the time.
As a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, what do you think about the way quantity surveying is being practised in Nigeria?
The profession has helped to provide transparency in the building construction industry. There are quite a number of professionals now, unlike before. Today, there are so many registered quantity surveyors with vast experience on the job. The profession is really thriving. I must state clearly that quantity surveying has nothing to do with building collapse. The quantity surveyor, by practice, assists the architect and the building engineer.
You rose to the rank of Principal Quantity Surveyor in the defunct Gongola State government and was later a manager at the NACB before you set up your own consultancy firm. Did you feel accomplished at the time?
No, not really, I was very fortunate and lucky to have been appointed General Manager, Properties and Development by the NACB in 1985 soon after I finished my coursework in construction management in my studies in ABU.
It was the time the bank launched itself into developing properties all over the country, including its office located in the Central Business District of Abuja, which I initiated and saw to its completion and occupation. It was a very challenging period in my life and I was able to deliver. I also gained a lot of knowledge and experience in the building industry, quantity surveying profession and construction management in particular. But I was not happy that my service in the bank was truncated. The then Minister of Agriculture felt the bank had no business in property development, and therefore downgraded my department to a mere division. This made it absolutely necessarily for me to vacate the seat because I was able to move from Manager, Property and Maintenance to a full-fledged General Manager of Estate Department.
It was after that that I retired and went into quantity surveying practice as a professional and opened my firm in Kaduna. I was able to get quite a number of challenging jobs. With the introduction of Petroleum Trust Fund then, we were able to get a lot of patronage in many states of the federation and also the PTF.
You later went into politics and became a senator between 1999 and 2003, why?
Politics was never part of my plans even though I had political inclinations because I had been participating in political activities like during my primary school days as a prefect and secondary school days as house captain. In NECAS, I was a member of parliament. Even in ABU, I tried to be part of the Students’ Union Government. After I returned to Adamawa following my national youth service, political activities were high and Senator Mahmud Waziri (a former senator representing Ademawa senatorial district), who was a very close member of our larger family, was one of my role models. I used to visit him and I had lots of interesting discussions with him. He was the one who motivated me to join politics. Also, there was also influence from Major Aminu, who was a governorship aspirant in Gongola then. Being in the civil service also gave me an understanding of political manoeuvres and how the game of politics was played. But when I left for the bank job, I forgot completely about politics because the job was very challenging. It was after my retirement in 1996 and I opened my own firm that I had time to venture into politics. Then suddenly, an opportunity came in 1998. The former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, was in the United States of America when Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar lifted the ban on politics. But before then, there was the transition programme embarked upon by the late Gen. Sani Abacha. So, I was actually invited by people to contest for the House of Representatives’ seat in Adamawa. It was Bamanga Tukur, Mahmud Waziri and Umaru Magaji who invited me to join them in the Democratic Party of Nigeria to promote the party in Girei Local Government Area. I accepted their invitation and fielded a candidate for the state House of Assembly poll in Girei. At the end of the day, my candidate in the local government area defeated the candidate of bigger parties controlled by bigwigs at the time. This launched me into political prominence in Adamawa. Soon after that was truncated and Abubakar lifted the ban on politics again, I was invited to join the Peoples Democratic Party at Atiku’s instance. I didn’t have much difficulty getting the ticket of the PDP then despite some challenges at the time. Finally, I won the election to represent Adamawa Central at the Senate. In the Senate I was lucky to be linked up with the late distinguished Senator Chuba Okadigbo, who was very fond of me. I became his right-hand man in the Senate. Even before the inauguration of our Senate then, we had come together to mobilise the House. We had about 72 persons who had been elected senators solidly behind Okadigbo and we got the leadership of the party to endorse him. All was set for Okadigbo to be the first Senate President (in the Fourth Republic) until President Olusegun Obasanjo truncated it. Obasanjo had invited senators one after another, campaigned to them and offered them alternatives.
They defeated us on the floor of the Senate and installed Senator Evans Enwerem as the Senate President. But we were able to mobilise and organise ourselves again and six months later, we impeached Enwerem and installed Okadigbo as Senate President. I was one of the masterminds behind that.
But Okadigbo’s reign was also short-lived, why was that?
It was short-lived because Obasanjo never agreed with him as Senate President. Obasanjo used all sorts of means to get Okadigbo out as Senate President. He removed Okadigbo as Senate President and there are many senators alive that can testify to that. The first major problem Okadigbo had (with Obasanjo) was his relationship with Atiku.
Obasanjo saw Okadigbo as Atiku’s man and he didn’t want his Vice-President to be that powerful. Aside from that, Okadigbo was not a bootlicking politician.
He was not the kind of person that would say yes to anything. He was very much his own man and had his own way of doing things. This kind of disposition did not go down well with Obasanjo.
If Obasanjo had displayed such attitude towards politicians close to Atiku, did you also suffer as a result your being an Atiku’s ally?
A lot! I was one of the few senators who remained completely out of government’s patronage. Throughout our tenure, I was seen and labelled as an ‘Atiku man’ by Obasanjo. I had no apology for that or regret in any way. I believed so much in Okadigbo because he was a man of honour, character, intellect, and integrity. He was a nationalist. If Okadigbo were still alive, I would have been with him 100 per cent.
If you had to describe your life in the Senate, how would you describe it?
My life in the Senate was short-lived because from the day we got in, we started fighting Obasanjo’s government up till the last minute, especially those of us who were pro- Okadigbo. We (pro-Okadigbo senators) were initially 72 in number but the number continued to decline until it eventually came down to 14 because the executive kept poaching our members. It was not surprising because we refused to succumb to manoeuvres and enticement. We boldly stood together and we were categorically told by the executive that we would not be allowed to return to the Senate. I wouldn’t say I regret not returning to the Senate because before the end of that tenure, I became interested in becoming the governor of Adamawa State. But in my time in the Senate, the visit by Bill Clinton (then US President) to the National Assembly remains memorable for me. First, it helped to strengthen bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the US. It also helped to improve the relationship between the executive and the legislature, which was initially very sour. At the time, we had on the table impeachment moves against the President but Clinton’s visit helped to douse those agitations and smoothen the rough edges.
Are you impressed with the current relationship between President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly?
Not at all, but the faults belong to both parties. Both the executive and the legislature have their shortcomings. The most notable shortcoming of the executive, as far as I am concerned, is its refusal or failure to realise the importance of having a harmonious working relationship with the legislature. If they had realised that, they would have worked at mending the relationship, something they have yet to do till this day. One of the issues is that this administration is headed by someone like President Buhari, who cannot be said to be an excellent politician by any measure. Though he is an excellent security person and administrator; certainly, he cannot be said to be an expert in politics. One would have expected the President to have a national political adviser of repute and a National Assembly liaison officer, also of repute. I’m not talking about something extraordinary; I am talking about somebody who the President trusts by virtue of his age, experience and knowledge. It should be someone who should be able to knock on the President’s door, sit down, serve himself coffee and have a heart-to-heart with him (President). This is so that he will extract the President’s feelings, wishes and operations about certain things in the polity. I was expecting that the President would have a highly placed personality to be appointed as the National Assembly Liaison Officer, which would complement the appointment of the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters. This is somebody whose chemistry must rhyme very well with the President; and he will then be assisted by the Special Adviser, Senate and Special Adviser, House of Representatives.
It is that liaison officer who is suppose to liaise with the President and the National Assembly, especially with the President and the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The appointment of a National Assembly Liaison Officer is important. I have yet to see anybody in this government that is meant to relate with the important personalities of this important institutions. I have no doubt that this is one of the reasons why we are having these problems between the National Assembly and the Presidency.
The government is totally lacking in fixers and handlers. In a democracy, these are important ways of solving political challenges. The political atmosphere is very charged because we don’t have such people in government. But it is not too late to that.
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14th September, 2018
His Excellency
Muhammadu Buhari
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
State House
Aso Villa
Abuja
Dear Excellency,
Let me commence by thanking you profusely for the honour and privilege of serving under your inspirational leadership. It has been a truly rewarding experience to learn from you and to observe at close quarters your integrity and sense of duty.
I have, today, become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation made in an online medium that the Certificate of Exemption from National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) that I had presented was not genuine. This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign.
Your Excellency, kindly permit me to outline some of the background to this matter. I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London. My visits to Nigeria up until the age of thirty-four (34) were holidays, with visas obtained in my UK passport. I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four (34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty (30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding.
On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status. I then received the certificate in question. Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to nor familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine. Indeed, I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun State House of Assembly and in 2015 for Directorate of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National Assembly for screening. Be that as it may, as someone totally committed to a culture of probity and accountability I have decided to resign with effect from Friday, 14th September, 2018.
Your Excellency, It has been an exceptional privilege to have served our nation under your leadership and to have played a role in steering our economy at a very challenging time. I am proud that Nigeria has brought discipline into its finances, has identified and is pursuing a path to long term sustainable growth that will unlock the potential in this great economy. Under your leadership, Nigeria was able to exit recession and has now started to lay the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation. Repositioning this huge economy is not a short term task and there are no short cuts, indeed there are tough decisions still to be made but I have no doubt that your focus on infrastructural investment, revenue mobilisation and value for money in public expenditure will deliver growth, wealth and opportunity for all Nigerians.
I thank His Excellency, the Vice President and my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council for the huge pleasure and honour of working with them. I also thank most specially, the team in the ‘Finance Family’ of advisers and heads of agencies under the Ministry of Finance. Your Excellency, this group of committed Nigerians represent a range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. They have worked well above and beyond the call of duty to support me in the tasks assigned. The diversity in my team and their ability to work cohesively to deliver reforms, convinces me that Nigeria has the human capital required to succeed.
Your Excellency, let me conclude by commending your patience and support, during the long search for the truth in this matter. I thank you again for giving me the honour of serving under your leadership, it is a rare privilege, which I do not take for granted. As a Nigerian and committed progressive, I appreciate you for your dogged commitment to improving this nation.
Please be assured, as always, of my highest regards and best wishes
Oba Shefiu Olatunji Adewale is the Olu-Epe of Epe Kingdom. In this interview with ADEMOLA OLONILUA, he speaks about his kingdom and life as a king
Most of what is known about Epe is that it is a riverine community and most of its dwellers are into fishing. Can you give a brief history of your kingdom?
Epe, as a town, has two communities; the first dwellers were Ijebu people. We also have the Eko community that joined them when Prince Kosoko left Lagos because of the chieftaincy tussle with his uncle, Akintoye, whom the British supported because of their economic interest. The force was too strong for Prince Kosoko to control and he had to flee to Epe and that was how the second community was formed here. We call it, Eko Epe.
Is that the reason why there are two Epe communities in Lagos?
Yes.
While you were growing up, did you ever imagine you would become the king of your community?
No, I did not; even when I grew up and I was in the paid employment of the Lagos State Government, I never knew I would be king. All I preoccupied myself with was the development of my town and not to become a chief let alone become a king.
But before you emerged as the king of this community, you were the Otun-Balogun of the town…
That is the system of our chieftaincy. I started with the third highest rank in the land as a chief and that was the Otun-Balogun. From that position, I was promoted to Balogun before I eventually became the king.
Hearing that there are two Epe communities living together in Lagos, one might assume that there might be clashes between both parties…
We have a very cordial and harmonious relationship and there is an understanding between both communities. Also, as the Olu-Epe, I know that my influence is only within my kingdom and the same applies to the Oloja, who rules the other Epe kingdom. We both know our boundaries and due to that, there have been no problems.
Do both Epe communities speak the same language and have the same culture?
We are all Yoruba people so we speak the Yoruba language. As for the culture, we are pure Muslims so our tradition is based on Islam. The other Epe Kingdom also practises Islam but sometimes they do their traditional religion. Everyone in the Eko Epe is a Muslim because that is the religion we brought from Lagos.
But being a Yoruba kingdom, one would have assumed that there would be some core traditions and customs that would still be practised here.
The Eko Epe came into existence through King Kosoko so all the things being done in Lagos are what we practise here.
You retired as a director in the civil service. How would you describe the experience?
I started my career in the employment of Lagos State and I retired as a director of administration in the ministry of education. At a time when there was a change of government, I served as an executive secretary at the ministry of lands. I was also posted to one of its division to serve as the chairman of that division during the military regime when civil servants were posted to various divisions to head them. I did not face any problems and it was a very interesting time. There are usually ups and downs when it comes to administrative duties but I did not have many challenges. I really enjoyed my tenure.
How did you feel when you were informed that you would be the king of your town?
Before I became king, I had been doing a lot for the community. I assisted the previous kings that were in power. Initially, I did not want to be king because my plan was to retire and play around but being a king has constrained me. Eventually, I accepted to become the king but I was not too happy because of the restriction that I would have in doing other things. That restriction gave me a headache. However, since that is what God has destined to happen, I have no say in it.
What are some of the challenges you have faced as king?
First, I would like the government in power to provide the basic amenities of life for my people like water, power, and good roads. We have power supply but it is not regular, also, the water the government supplies us is not evenly distributed. Fortunately, we have boreholes in the community and we will rely on that till the government helps with the waterworks.
But there are some construction works currently going on in your town …
I do not know the ones you have seen but definitely, the governor is from Epe and you can see improvements. If you get to certain areas, you would discover some new infrastructure and it is courtesy of the governor.
What are some of your personal achievements as the king of this community?
My personal achievement can be linked to what the governor has been able to do in this town. Also, I have been able to maintain peace in this community and it is rare to hear that there is trouble brewing anywhere in my kingdom. I encourage everyone to be hard-working.
What are the taboos of this land?
As a Muslim community, we do not believe in the tradition taboos so I would say that there are no taboos in my community. We believe in God and the five pillars of Islam.
But there is a general belief that before a person is crowned king in Yorubaland, he will have to perform some rites. Does that mean that you did not perform such rites before you became the king?
In my community, there is nothing like that. In fact, the king of this community is usually crowned in the central mosque. This is to show that we do not follow the normal traditional Yoruba ways of doing things.
Were you given preferential treatment as a prince while growing up?
No, I was not given any preferential treatment simply because in the case of Eko Epe, every child is a potential king. The crown rotates from ward to ward and we have about six wards. The kingship title rotates round the six wards, so any young boy of the Eko Epe community is a potential king simply because when it gets to his ward, he can be selected to be the next king.
How is the council of chiefs formed?
Chieftaincy also rotates around the wards in Eko Epe but you have to distinguish yourself and prove to the people that you are worthy of representing them in the palace and holding the title. Before you get noticed, there are a lot of community projects the person has to embark upon. In my case, I did community projects, not to become king, but to ensure that the community did not lack anything. On account of that, every Eko Epe person is a potential king. If it happens at your own time, the people would pick you based on the past project you have done for the community. That is the system we adopt here in Eko Epe.
Do you miss going out to attend parties?
There are some events that I attend, especially if the person celebrating is a notable person in the community and I’m invited. If I cannot attend the occasion, I would send someone there but I am not as free as I would have been if I were not a king.
How about your friends; do you still have time to visit them?
That is the problem, I do not have the time but they all understand. On several occasions, they come to pay me a visit or they just simply call me on the telephone and we talk for long hours. I do not have the luxury of time to pay my friends a visit.
You lost your mother when you were in Form two in secondary school. How was life without her?
Initially, I thought that life would end when I lost my mother because she was too dear to me. Luckily enough, everything was okay. My father and my elder brother raised me. My elder brother was a marine engineer so, what a mother would do to complement a father, he did for me. Due to his kind gesture, I did not suffer when I was growing up.
What led to the death of your mother?
All I know is that she died while being delivered of a baby. I was in Form two at the time, so I did not know much of what happened.
We learnt that your father was very strict. Did you always get into trouble with him while you were young?
I always listened to instructions and followed them. I can remember that he only beat me once during his lifetime. The reason was because I punished a child who was younger than I was. My father beat me because he felt the punishment I meted out to the boy was too much and I had no right to punish him like that. My father said that I should have reported the boy to an elderly person instead of punishing him and that was the only time I can remember that my father beat me.
You taught briefly in 1961. Do you miss the classroom?
I do not miss it much because the palace is a bigger classroom where people come every day to discuss different issues. For that reason alone, I do not really miss the classroom. Also, I did not teach for a very long time before I joined the Lagos State Civil Service Commission.
How would you describe your typical day?
I am always attending to people with different domestic issues and I help them settle the matter and that could keep me busy throughout the day. I also attend meetings and government assignments. If I notice that some of my appointments clash, I simply send some of my chiefs to represent me.
Do you have a special diet?
No, I do not have any. That I am this fit is by the grace of God, also, my wife retired as a matron. She has been able to watch my diet and she takes care of everything.
As a Muslim and a king, one would have assumed that you would have more than one wife. Is there any reason why you decided not to have more than one wife?
I have a wife who I am satisfied with so I am okay, but it does not mean that I do not have friends. I am okay with only one wife. With my level of education and experience, I cannot marry more than one wife. If you have two wives, you have two problems, so why would I want to do that? If you are satisfied with one, then you would be okay.
Is it true that you met your wife at a party?
Yes.
How would you describe yourself as a young boy?
I did what all the male children of that era did at the time. I attended parties.
What is your fondest memory?
I would say that it is when I met my wife. We knew each other but from a distance till we met at a party and we were attracted to each other. I would describe it as the fondest memory I have of my youth.
Did you consider marrying her because she is also from Epe?
I do not discriminate. However, when you have a friend and you see that she possesses all the qualities you want in a wife, you would go ahead and marry her. When I met her, I was mature enough to marry her. I had completed my education before we got married. As a young boy, I was stable financially and I had female friends. When it was time to choose a wife, it was easy for me because I had seen all I wanted in my queen. That was how we dated and eventually got married. Till date, I have no regrets about my decision to marry her.
When your wife learnt that you would become a king, what was her reaction?
We both had the same reaction because I was coming to a new terrain and I did not know what would happen there. However, we knew that with our background we would be able to sort out things as they came our way and that is why we both decided to come into this venture.
How were you able to adjust to the new life as a king?
There was no such problem in that regard because when I was the administrative officer, I would have to do different things. So coming to the palace is like going to the office where you can be faced with challenges.
What were your aspirations as a kid?
I started my career as a teacher and after some months, I moved to the Ministry of Education, Lagos State. I was an education officer before I moved up the ladder and became an inspector of education. Few years down the line, I was promoted as an administrative officer and that role took me to many ministries before I retired.
As a child, I did not have an inkling of what I would become in life; however, as I pursued my education, I began to realise what I wanted to do and that was how I found myself in the Lagos State Civil Service Commission.
But your elder brother was a marine engineer. Was his job not appealing to you?
No, it was not appealing to me, I never considered his job. Being a marine engineer entails being on the sea for weeks and I do not like that. My elder brother was always at Warri or Sapele (in Delta State) on the water for many weeks and I did not want that life so I did not consider toeing that path.
What specific festivals are celebrated in your kingdom?
We have the Kayokayo festival and we also partake in the Eyo festival but because we are Muslims in Epe, it is not as elaborate as it is being celebrated in Lagos. This is a Muslim town, therefore, anything that covers your face is forbidden, according to Islam. We normally open our faces when celebrating ours, unlike the way they dress themselves during the festival in Lagos.
What legacy do you want to be remembered for?
I would want to be remembered as the king that always maintained peace. I would also want to use my power to ensure that government provides us with the basic amenities and not concentrate all its resources in Lagos alone, which is what is currently happening.
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At least five serving (two-term) state governors have declared their intention to contest the 2019 senatorial elections. With 15 ex-governors currently in the Senate already, JESUSEGUN ALAGBE writes about governors’ penchant for going to the Red Chamber soon after their tenure
In his 1870 book, Wanted, a Statesman!, an American theologian and author, James Freeman Clarke (1810-1888), posited that while a politician thinks (only) of the next election, a statesman thinks of the next generation.
Clarke explained that whereas an average politician thinks only of himself and his party, a statesman thinks solely of the good of the people – how he could serve them selflessly and provide the dividends of democracy for them.
He said, “The difficulty about a politician, no matter how honest and well-intentioned he may be, is always this: that the matter of absolute importance in his mind, to which everything else must yield, is to carry the next election for his party.
“If you say to him, ‘Here is a great work to be done, and now is the time to do it! Here is the great measure for the hour!’ He replies, ‘Wait a little. We will take hold of that hereafter; but now we must not run the risk of putting the country into the hands of our opponents. We must concede a little and compromise a little. By and by we shall be able to do what we want.’ But that by and by never comes.”
Political observers believe Clarke’s words hold true for the governance system in Nigeria, where the political elite has always shown an insatiable appetite to remain in political positions, thinking only of themselves.
From presidents, to governors, senators, House of Representatives members, local government chairmen and councillors, the country has been held down by a system that allows the political class to always recycle themselves –without giving any consideration to what the people want.
As the 2019 general elections approach, analysts say the phenomenon of political elite always wanting more is seen rearing its ugly head again, particularly with some governors already declaring their intentions to contest the senatorial election.
Last Wednesday, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, declared that– after serving as governor of the state for eight years –he would contest the Ogun Central Senatorial District seat in the 2019 elections.
The governor made his intention known at the state executive council meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Abeokuta, the state’s capital.
Meanwhile, the 60-year-old governor had earlier served in the Senate, having represented his senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, before becoming the state governor in 2011.
Also, his declaration came barely 48 hours after the present occupant of the position, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, declared his intention to return to the senate on the same APC platform, which the governor is seeking to run.
While the constitution does not bar any Nigerian, including governors and ex-governors, from contesting the senatorial election as many times as they want, analysts are of the opinion that some governors only see the Senate as a “place to retire.”
A Lagos-based policy analyst and social commentator, Dr David Alao, said it was unfortunate that outside of politics, the Nigerian political elite had no other employment.
Describing them as “opportunists” and “parasites,” Alao said if the political elites had interest in truly serving the people, it would have been a different scenario; however, this is usually not the case.
He said, “The governor is definitely thinking of going to the Senate to retire. What did he forget there in 2007 that is taking him back? Has he not been in the corridors of power ever since?
“It is pathetic that in our country, these people are nobodies outside of politics, because why should they always jump from one political position to another – without even providing the dividends of democracy for the people?”
Alao said it was time the youth organised a revolution to kick out those who had stayed in the corridors of power “for too long,” especially as they had not added the expected value to governance.
He said, “I can assure you, this country will continue to remain a joke with the Senate becoming a retirement home for governors. Look at Amosun; he was once a senator, then governor and now he’s going back to the Senate.
“Are there no other people in the state? Political recycling has led us to mediocrity as a people. Should we continue this way, Nigeria can never move forward.”
Amosun is definitely not the only state governor in the country who – once he finishes his tenure in May 2019 – wants to “retire” in the Senate.
His Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajimobi, 68, in February also stated his intention to contest the Oyo South Senatorial District seat in the 2019 elections.
Just like Amosun, Ajimobi had also previously represented Oyo South Senatorial District in the Senate between 2003 and 2007, before he afterwards became the state governor in 2011.
Interestingly, perhaps in a tune synonymous with most politicians in the country, Ajimobi’s Executive Assistant on Political Matters, Dr Morounkola Thomas, claimed that the governor was not really interested in the position but that the people of the district pleaded with him to go back to the Senate to represent them.
Thomas had said, “It is those outside the state that are encouraging him to run. He has been there before and we need experienced people to give us quality representation.
“We need people we can trust, not people who will betray Oyo State and the South-West’s interest for a messy pot of porridge. We know those who betrayed us for mere Senate committee position.”
Likewise, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, also in February declared his intention to contest the Imo West Senatorial District seat in 2019.
The Imo governor was quoted as saying that he had earlier planned contesting the Presidency but backed down after President Muhammadu Buhari declared his re-election bid.
Okorocha then said he decided to go to the Senate and enhance Buhari’s and other APC candidates’ chances in the 2019 elections in the state.
Okorocha, who is said to be one of the governors close to the President, had stated this during the inauguration of members of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission at the Government House, Owerri.
He said, “I told you earlier that my interest is the Presidency but since President Buhari will be running in 2019, I decided to put my ambition on hold until he completes his tenure.
“But I have decided to run for the Imo West Senatorial District seat because if I don’t, bad people will take the position.
“If my name appears on the ballot paper as contesting the senatorial seat, it would boost APC’s chances in the state. And many from my senatorial district have come to me and said they would not contest if I am interested.”
Not left in the pack of governors participating in the 2019 senatorial elections is the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
Last Saturday, the governor said he had picked up the nomination and expression of interest forms of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Kwara South Senatorial District seat.
In a manner characteristic of his governor colleagues, Ahmed said he decided to participate in the senatorial election following calls by his people to run for the office.
“In response to calls by my people and in keeping with my strong desire to upscale the excellent work we have done in all three zones of the state, through effective, purposeful representation, I have picked up the PDP nomination form for the Kwara South Senatorial District,” the governor tweeted via his verified Twitter handle, @abdulfataAhmed.
However, the governor would have the current senator representing the district, Rafiu Ibrahim, to contend with as he has also obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms to run for a second term under the PDP platform.
Ibrahim also said he was called by members of his constituency to return to the Senate, nonetheless stating that he was willing to abide by the party’s decision on the candidate for the district, whether such candidate would emerge by consensus or primary.
A Chicago, United States-based legal analyst and political commentator, Mr Bode Badru, said via LinkedIn that the Senate was attractive to a lot of Nigerian politicians because of the “freebies.”
He said, “As for the governors, they know they can afford to go there and rest, especially because they know they are not accountable to the people. It’s always about them and their families.
“Of course, they have the fundamental rights to go to the Senate, but it’s worrisome that since time immemorial when governors have always run to the place, they have yet to make any meaningful impact on the society.
“If they were doing their job well, through legislations, jobs would have been created for the people and unemployment should have reduced; corruption and wastage would have been addressed; insecurity would have been addressed.
“Legislature is an important arm of the government and is not for selfish people. It’s for those who are passionate about governance. However, what we have in Nigeria is a situation whereby those who have not served the people are still seeking to go to the senate to retire.
“So, what are they going to be doing there other than crack jokes, dance, defect from one party to another for selfish purposes and perhaps loot government funds.”
Apart from Amosun, Ajimobi, Okorocha and Ahmed, other governors who have declared their intentions to go to the Senate in 2019 – after ruling for eight years are: Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, who wants to contest the Zamfara West Senatorial District seat; and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who is eyeing the Nasarawa South Senatorial District seat.
Meanwhile, there are already 15 former governors in the senate already. These include the Senate President and a former Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki; a former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; a former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio; a former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang; former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Yerima; and a former Kebbi State governor, Adamu Aliero.
There are also a number of former deputy governors in the Red Chamber, including Mrs. Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti) and Enyinaya Abaribe (Abia).
Findings showed that some of them had gone on to spend more time than the period they spent as governors and deputy governors in their states.
A Port Harcourt-based political scientist, Dr Charles Ayibadiwori, said governors would keep turning the Senate into a place of rest “as long as they see it as a place to make unquestionable amount of money as allowances without much stress.”
Quoting an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, Mark Twain (1835-1910), Ayibadiwori said, “Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed often, and both for the same reason.”
He added, “It’s hurting our democracy that same people who have not really performed well at the state level go on to make laws at the federal level. What impact do we expect there?
“The saddening part to me is that most of these governors would eventually be there, even if there are better candidates, turning the Senate into a place of rest. God save Nigeria!”
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We started to look at the natural ways to delay ejaculation two weeks ago and by the special grace of God we are going to be looking at part three to four as we continue this week.
As much as sex is a basic instinct and an inbuilt phenomenon of the spirit soul and body it has been observed that many couples do not know where it all beings from. The lack of this knowledge has made many couples believe that sex cannot be very sweet, fantastic and pleasurable with just only one partner. Some spouses are looking for sexual pleasure and satisfaction in some other people apart from their partner as regards shape, colour, look or smell different from their partner’s.
But the truth of the matter is that sex with any person, with fantastic shape, smell, look, size or colour starts from the same biological or animalistic location of the participant all the time; it begins from the same physiological spot in the body all the time.
The actual differences which many people are ignorant of is the root of the immediate trigger, this means that the trigger point, or the arousal point or the desire point is always the level of the transformations or changes.
So, sexual satisfaction is not 100 per cent because of look or shape; it is actually a high percentage of where it starts from. Where does sex start from, the brain, the mind or the eyes? Human brain is a very complex structure that controls the glands that produce sex hormones. The human brain is intricately linked to our sexuality.
The brain cells are not made from one single component and are not isolated from the rest of the bodies, but the major action of the brain is to diffuse neurotransmitters, an important element for the human sexuality.
The centre of a human brain manages the ‘instinctive’ reactions of the sexuality: this centre receives information from its surroundings, which most times are from our triggers, tastes, preferences and stimulants, from the entire body when we are being touched, carressed, stroked and fondled and, according to the situation, causes instinctive reactions to receive or reject sexual desire.
When a spouse’s body receives information coming from his or her partner, this information is sent to a part of the brain that we can call ‘instinct’;The ‘instinct’ asks the ‘emotion’ what it thinks. ‘Emotion’ then checks its memory to see whether events linked to the situation are good or bad experiences.
At the same time, ‘logic’ analysis the feasibility of action in terms of social norms, moral principles, hurt or rejection level and stress level. If the answers come back positive, ‘instinct’ can trigger hormonal secretions that control the suitable sexual response. When ‘instinct’ receives authorisation to react, it also triggers the release of several hormones such as neurohormonal and neurotransmitter products.
These products stimulate both ‘emotion’ (giving the desire for pleasure) and ‘logic’ (arousing the production of fantasies and happy marital union and bond). These same hormones also trigger a weakening of all inhibitive elements that could obstruct action (at this stage, many couples forget their fears and dare to do what they wouldn’t normally do as regards sexual fantasies).
The presence of a desire for one’s spouse sets off hormonal triggers repeatedly again and again but with constant repetition; the glands reduce its secretions which most times lead to less arousal and less excitement. At this stage, a partner reaches a state of low sexual arousal as an effect of daily routine they follow.
However, routine sex is inevitable in a marital relationship. What a couple should do is to make an effort to renew arousal by getting ‘emotion’ back into play. Couples need to know how to invent new situations for arousal to renew the flame. This is because on average, a woman thinks about sex five times per day while a man thinks about sex 13 times in a day.
Since sexual arousal begins in the brain and is visible on various parts of the erogenous zones, married couples can enjoy sensual stimulation by understanding these erogenous zones.
The erogenous zones are the parts of the body that are particularly sensitive to the touch. This is because they have many sensory nerve endings. Stimulating these parts of the body, when there is mutual attraction, usually results in the brain sending strong sensations and sexual excitement moods.
The entire surface of the skin is sensitive, but some parts of the body have heightened sensitivity. From the head downwards, these are: the lips, ear lobes, the nape of the neck, the armpits, the breasts, the hands, the stomach, the buttocks, the genitals, the inner thighs, the back of the knees and the feet.
Not all erogenous zones respond the same way. Therefore, it is important to know and study one’s spouse’s erogenous zones. Ask them what they like and remember that the way a partner caresses is as important as the caress itself. In addition, do not forget that you can use your fingers, mouth, or any other part of your body, to caress and stimulate your spouse’s erogenous zones.
Many husbands enjoy having their nipples stimulated. Both men and women have nipples, and these nipples are very sensitive to the touch. They become hard when stimulated. However, while most women enjoy having their nipples stimulated, not all men do. However, it could be that some men simply have not tried it, and so they do not know what they are missing. To discover this, wife, try sucking your partner’s nipples, nibbling or stroking them. He is sure to tell you what he thinks.
The interconnectivity of the brain and the rest of the body makes it necessary that the male and female bodies need to be prepared for sexual intercourse before vaginal penetration. Foreplay, which is clearly a source of pleasure, actually helps to prepare the body for the subsequent stages of sexual response. Touching and caressing your partner’s body triggers a number of active brain cells and physiological reactions: heart beats faster and the genitals become engorged with blood.
Without foreplay and arousal, there will be no signal from the brain, there will be no erection, no vaginal lubrication and, certainly, no orgasm! However, remember: everyone is different; some people take longer than others to become aroused while others may have very specific preferences. In spite of all these, some people still fail to become aroused during foreplay.
The act of touching someone does not automatically lead to sexual arousal as the person being touched has to be receptive. First of all, they need to feel comfortable with their spouses. Sometimes, many couples are advised to engage in sensual telephone conversations. They are advised to say erotic things to their spouse on the phone: this does not only help some couples who find it very difficult to communicate, it helps to break down the hindrances of shyness and lack of boldness. It helps them to make foreplay become verbal, visual and easily acceptable.
During telephone foreplay, say what you wish but have found very difficult to pass across. Say what you are anticipating. While you are talking, please let your voice be very low, sexy, carnal and literally caressing as if your finger is actually on the skin of your partner.
The clitoris is another female sex organ that requires a lot of attention. It is the organ that enhances sexual enjoyment in a woman. It varies in size and shape.
But the fact that the clitoris may assume a dual form does not mean there is a medical problem, nor does it mean that it will trigger off multiple sensations in a woman when caressed. The truth is that no matter what a woman looks like down there, the clitoris has the same capacity for helping her to achieve orgasm when it is stimulated.
The clitoris has 8,000 nerve fibers, which is about twice as many as the male penis contains. When stimulated, it becomes as hard as penis. This important sex organ should be tenderly caressed during lovemaking, in order not to inflame it and get it infected. It must not be cut off in the name of female circumcision.
When cleaning up, ladies should avoid the use of too much alkaline soap because it can disturb the natural pH level of the vulva and, as a result, make the clitoris hard and painful.
The reason is that the female vulva, which comprises the clitoris and other organs, produces slightly acidic pH that encourages the growth of a bacterium known as lactobacillus, which keeps the clitoris in a healthy condition for as long as possible.
The clitoris is the sex organ that makes it possible for a lady to have an orgasm. If she keeps experiencing healthy orgasms; there is the possibility that she will not have any more menstrual pain and cramps. Sexual orgasm actually minimises or prevents menstrual pain and cramps.
This is because the vigorous muscular activity that takes place during orgasm, down in the clitoris, releases tension and soothes pain.
Interestingly, orgasm increases the chances of conception occurring after intercourse. This is because when a lady experiences orgasm, she retains more sperm in her body, thereby increasing the possibility of fertilisation taking place in her womb. But couples should avoid frequent sexual intercourse during the wife’s menstrual period because she is more susceptible to infections at this time than any other.
Do you know that having orgasmic sex three times in a week burns off between 7,500 to 15,000 calories in a year? Besides, a healthy orgasmic sex is a natural antihistamine that can help combat asthma and common cold. That is why couples do not catch cold or sneeze in the middle of sexual act.
The skin is another organ that must be cared for. Couples should endeavor to have regular bath, at least twice daily, to prevent bad odour. So, when couples form the habit of washing up in the morning and at bedtime, they are very likely to end up having healthy skins, such as would be sexually appealing.
But salty food, alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes can leave the skin in a bad shape, as a result of an overload of toxins. To enjoy the service of your skin in a good sexual relationship, it will be wise to steer clear of highly salty food. Similarly, the level of alcohol intake should be minimised because it affects the liver and too much alcohol affects your ability to enjoy good sex.
The mind is another important key to building a good sexual relationship. Married couples should always strive to keep their minds free of hurtful memories, inhibiting notions and stress, in order to increase sexual enjoyment. You must, on a regular basis, make up your mind to always forgive your spouse, regardless of their offence. You may never have a healthy sexual relationship with your partner until you are ready to overlook their faults.
It is amazing how most married couples neglect their bodies, especially those parts that are essential to a healthy and balanced sex life. As I have found out, only very few couples remember to keep such sensitive parts in good shape. Many couples do not care much about the conditions that are vital to the attainment of a fulfilled married life. All that they ever care about is getting satisfied sexually. Nobody seems to consider the fact that the same organs that have helped them to achieve sexual enjoyment ought to be serviced regularly. As long as married couples fail to realise this fact, the farther they will be from marital bliss.
The breasts, for example, are one of the most prominent sex organs of the body. A wise woman would do well to keep them clean, well-packaged and closely examined at all times.
Sometimes a reddish bump may appear on a breast. If it does not grow bigger and its colour does not change, then you should consider it harmless. But if it is at least, the size of a pencil eraser and contains two or more shades of red, or has a raised rough border, it is better to have it checked out by a dermatologist, because it could turn out to be skin cancer.
If a woman feels pain in her breasts, she shouldn’t panic. A sharp pain is likely to be triggered by recent trauma to the breast. It is possible that her man played rough during foreplay and he may have injured that part of her body without realising it. The pain should subside without any medication. If the pain persists after some days, she should see her doctor.
Questions and answers
I have not been able to have penetrative sex due to the pain it causes
I’m in my third year of marriage and I am still a virgin. I have not been able to have penetrative sex due to the pain it causes when attempting it. It is always impossible because my muscles are so tense. Though, my husband has been very understanding, thoughtful, and considerate and has always been supportive, I am desperate to have penetrative sex and a baby. I really wish there were drugs or supplements available, which would loosen my muscles and save my marriage.
Mrs. Saheed Fatokun
You are not the only one facing such predicaments; many other wives have had such a challenge and do recover from it. All you need to do is first try and relax your mind. When the mind is relaxed, the body relaxes also. Secondly, let your husband finger you frequently with lots of lubricants; this will soften the hymen and also make the area less tense. Then do not always have the mind of penetrative sex during foreplay or romance, just have fun and let things just happen. Also, practise more of pelvic floor exercises.
Funny noises during sex
Some times when I am having sex; my vagina makes a noise; as if I am farting. It is so embarrassing, the noise woke my baby up the last time we had sex. What causes it, and how can I prevent it?
Beauty Asukofa.
This noisy emission is air escaping from your vagina. When you’re aroused, your vagina expands to allow room for your husband’s manhood. His thrusting during intercourse pushes air into you, which fills the space in the inner part of your vagina that has expanded. A shift in body position or a deep thrust can force that air out, resulting in the fart-like sound. It is also possible to ‘let out air’ post-orgasm, when air is expelled as the vagina returns to its pre-aroused state.
While making a gassy sound can be embarrassing, it is actually common. However, if it is getting in the way of your pleasure, try these preventive tricks: first, lie on your back and gently press down on your abdomen with the palm of your hand prior to intercourse this will expel air already present in your vagina. During sex, encourage your husband to make shallow strokes and avoid pelvic-elevated positions like doggy style, which can increase noisy emission. In addition, a good Kegel exercise normally rectifies this. Do not let a little noise restrict your sex life; just laugh it off.
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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman, in this interview with ANNA OKON and TUNDE AJAJA, speaks on the issues bedevilling Nigerian ports, reasons for delay in cargo clearance, among other challenges
For a long time now, Apapa Ports have been in the news for the wrong reasons. As the head of the agency that governs and operates the ports, what is the way out of this trouble?
You would recall that the Vice-President had visited that axis on two occasions just to facilitate any necessary Federal Government’s intervention to resolve the congestion. We have a situation where the road networks are in a very bad state. We also have a situation where truck drivers just come into the port areas even if they have no business in the port. So, one of the things we have sought to do is to ensure that trailer parks are established. NPA will now licence trailer parks and ensure that only trucks that are housed in licensed trailer parks are allowed to access the port, using a call-up system. We have advertised, calling for people to come forward to license their trailer parks.
What has the response been like?
We didn’t receive as much response as we expected, perhaps due to the land issue within this environment, or maybe people don’t have access to such land. We wrote to Lagos and Ogun states as the custodian of land in the area to notify them of the fact that NPA wishes to license trailer parks and that they should let us know the trailer parks that are allocated so we can commence licensing, and we would continue to engage them. NPA cannot construct trailer parks because it’s not within our purview. So, the solution on the one hand is that trailers should be housed in trailer parks and on the other hand, the roads should be reconstructed. And after the visit of the Vice-President, he was able to facilitate an approval for N72bn by the Federal Executive Council for the reconstruction of the road, and we’ll do concrete road. That approval was granted about four weeks ago and they are working on the agreement and I hope we would be able to start in the next few weeks. The project would be executed over a period of 36 months. At a meeting with the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and Dangote Group, which is constructing the road, we have discussed things like alternative routes while the construction work is going on, among other things. The project would be done through Public-Private Partnership, which means it would be insulated from any interference or the budgetary cycle. That means it would be completed on time and we are very excited about that. NPA is not a signatory to the agreement but I’m always calling the Controller of Works and the Minister of Works, Power and Housing to harass them over it (laughs).
Some people have questioned the concrete road option and why government didn’t give it to road construction companies. What informed the options the government took?
Concrete roads are what we need for port access, because bitumen does not provide that strength. But with concrete, as it gets older, it gets stronger and it lasts longer. We have already done Wharf Road, which NPA contributed towards and that 5km concrete road is at 85 per cent completion. It should have been completed in June, but there were public utilities buried there, like gas pipelines and electricity cables that needed to be removed. However, we should have it on stream within the next six weeks. Then, on the reason for giving it to Dangote; some people asked why we didn’t give the contract to Julius Berger. We couldn’t, because Julius Berger does not have equipment for concrete road, and so awarding the contract for the concrete road to it would mean that they would either sublet or invest in equipment for concrete road, which would translate into higher cost or the project not being delivered on time. The advantage in what we did is that Dangote has the equipment for concrete road and it produces cement, a major material for the work, so, I think giving it to Dangote was a better deal.
Beyond the bad roads and the nuisance created by the trucks, the location of the tank farms in the port has been described as a time bomb. What is the NPA doing about this?
We have notified the Department of Petroleum Resources on the need to ensure that those tank farms have commensurate holding bays for their trucks. Pipeline evacuation of petroleum products is also paramount. Carrying these products with trucks is not safe, neither is it efficient. And we have notified Dangote Refineries that is coming up in Lekki on the need to make sure their products are evacuated- using pipelines. If we don’t ensure that is done, in the next 10 years, the Lekki axis would eventually be worse than what is happening in Apapa.
There has also been suggestion about rail evacuation of cargoes, but things seem to be moving slowly. What is the update on that?
Just as we have mentioned at several forums, it’s inefficient to think that you can evacuate all your cargoes by road. So, we are working with the Nigeria Railway Corporation because rail evacuation is important. We have several applications for barge movement and we are granting approvals and any attendant waivers to enable the movement of cargoes from Apapa area to be evacuated in other locations. But we are keen on having more locations beyond Ikorodu where we can move general cargoes using the inland waterways. Nigeria Railways is also at an advanced stage with General Electric on concession agreement on the rail system and we are quite excited about that, because right now, we have minimum marginal evacuation using the rail. As we seek to have rail evacuation in 2018, we have put in a budgetary provision to deploy rail tracks to the key sides of our terminals at Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports. By the time we have an efficient rail evacuation; it would be more seamless.
A lot has been said about developing the eastern ports to complement the Lagos ports. What is your approach to this?
As you are familiar, people decide where they want their cargoes to go to; you can’t force someone to use Calabar or Onne Ports. However, we encourage importers or exporters to use other ports. But it’s important to have rail or road connections that link the ports and we have sent a list of major roads to the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, telling them to prioritise the construction of those roads linking the ports. Meanwhile, in Calabar, we have Ekon Bridge that links North-East and North-Central parts of the country, yet articulated trucks can’t pass through the bridge. So, Calabar would be more viable as the Ekon Bridge is reconstructed and we have drawn the minister’s attention to that. On the Warri Port, recently, we got approval to dredge the Escravos Channel in Warri. We are dredging it to 7.5 metres of draft and that would enable vessels coming in to that location to have seamless berthing. We used to have issues of vessels being grounded or being unable to come in during low tide. But, once this dredging work is completed in December, we would have 7.5 metres of draft, which would significantly increase cargo inflow and outflow from the port. For Calabar, we terminated our Joint Venture last year, but we are now in the process of engaging another technical partner and we have reached an advanced stage in evaluation and pre-qualification. We have also concluded on the costing and the volume of dredging that needs to be done for Calabar to be navigable. To dredge it to 10 metres would cost a total of N51bn, which is a huge sum of money. How do we justify investing a huge N50bn there and what attendant revenue are we going to get? We also asked for an estimate for the dredging up to 7.5metres, and we were given N37bn. As we seek to conclude on the funding for this dredging work, we are also encouraging the utilisation of flat-bottomed vessels, which do not need that depth of draft to access the port. Some came in last year and it was very exciting. We have gone to the people that build vessels to see how we can link them to Nigerian shipping companies for them to utilise such vessels, and that would save a huge amount of money that we would have invested in dredging. The President also recently directed that all the rails that are being deployed have to connect the port, which is very exciting.
There have been several reports on a recent award for dredging, whereby you allegedly awarded contracts to a company that had been convicted. Could you clarify this?
We had a procurement process where a company emerged. This company was convicted in Switzerland for having paid Nigerian government officials a certain amount of money and the names of those persons were listed. However, the company’s subsidiary bid for the dredging works. Meanwhile, NPA is into joint venture partnership with Bonny Channel Management Company Limited and Dredging International. We concluded the procurement process but we had a petition submitted to us that this company was convicted. Some payments were made and in Switzerland, it showed that they had made payments that were outside of their agreement and it was flagged. The proposition was that they paid those Nigerian officials a certain amount of money to facilitate the payment of their invoices by the NPA because the NPA didn’t pay them at that time. But the Swiss Court convicted them for making such payments. They also made that payment for security clearance to militants in Bonny, where they operated. They gave the names of the people they paid to. Fast forward, I received the conviction documents and I sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the Nigerian side of the conviction. I also sent to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for their information and further guidance on our activities with the company. Let me give you an illustration. I’m on the board of Agura Hotel and the hotel was convicted for corrupt practices; two directors on the board of the hotel were also convicted. However, I’m also on the board of the NPA. So, can we say NPA was convicted for what Agura Hotel was convicted of? No. NPA has a different legal profile and entities have legal personalities. Through the procurement process, we have also written to them that if we further investigate and discover that they (the subsidiary) didn’t tell us the whole truth. The Bureau of Public Procurement, which did its own independent investigation, were able to corroborate the position I have given you and they gave us the go-ahead to proceed with the procurement. All manners of agitations have been going on but our procurement processes are regulated by BPP and we made sure we did the right thing.
At such a critical time as this, we learnt the NPA is constructing a multi-billion naira office complex in Abuja, when most of your activities are in Lagos and some southern states. What is the motive behind this project?
Before the privatisation, NPA had a lot of real estate but as part of the privatisation programme, it was advised that NPA should divest from real estate. The Federal Government divested and sold all its real estate. Now, in one of the researches we did, we discovered that for New York Stock Exchange; 70 per cent of its revenues come from real estate. So, part of what ports do is investment in real estate. For example, the World Trade Centre is owned by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. So, World Bank advised us to sell all our real estate and then on checking, we realised that was what they were doing in their country. This is what we are looking to do with the Abuja office. Currently, NPA uses a rented office in Abuja. We rented a whole floor in Edo House and we have staff there. We have land that had been allocated to us by the Federal Government and what we want to do is to build our office, utilise one floor for our staff and then rent out the others for income. When they were divesting the real estate belonging to NPA then, we didn’t sell the properties NPA had in London, which were rented out and we are still getting some revenues from there.
One would think the NPA should engage the private sector some more so it can focus on its core duty of being a regulator. Why does it seem the government wants to do everything?
I also believe that government should not be in business, rather, it should regulate and provide an enabling environment. So, I seek to have us focus on our role as the regulator and get less involved in operations. As a result, we are seeking private sector participation in certain areas. When I joined the NPA, one of the things we saw was that the NPA was the way it was before the concession, and it was as if it was operating the ports. Now, we have done a new organisational structure that is built around our new role to provide an enabling environment and efficient regulation. For example, we have the need for servicing of vessels in Nigeria. NPA has dockyards but we are unable to dock any vessel efficiently. So, we are working on having the private sector come and invest in the dockyards; revamp them and then the Federal Government can now have a policy that every vessel coming into Nigeria must service in Nigeria. This is a huge industry that Nigeria needs to tap into, but now you have people taking their vessels to Senegal or Accra to service, because we do not have the level of dockyard facilities that would service them. Due to our trade volume and population, no doubt that Nigeria is strategic in maritime business.
Despite the volume of trade at the ports, there is no Nigerian ship owner involved in cargo shipping, as everything is being done by foreigners, in spite of the Cabotage Act of 2003, enacted to promote the development of indigenous tonnage. Why has this law not been fully implemented up till now?
This is really not under the purview of the NPA but this is an issue that NIMASA and Nigerian Shippers Council have been working on. One of the things is the requirements of the type of vessels that are needed, vis-a-vis what our own ship owners are able to do. The Minister of Transportation has been very passionate about this and he even led a delegation to China in trying to see how our shipping lines can take advantage of the cargo volume that we have but that is something that is still being discussed.
Apart from the bad roads constituting congestion and delay at the ports, what about the delay caused by internal operations, whereby it takes days to process documents and clear containers. What is the NPA doing to make sure that containers are not being delayed unnecessarily?
Physical examination of containers and conduct of some officers are part of the delay in clearing goods. Customs is the lead inspection agency and what we can do is to keep encouraging them to get a scanner, such that when the container comes, it goes through the scanner. Customs would compute the duty payable, other agencies would do what they need to do and the container would be released after they have cleared themselves. That is the solution to the delay. The executive order has spelt out single interface for all agencies of government to inspect cargoes, which would facilitate seamless and faster evacuation of containers.
There have been ceaseless calls on Customs to get scanners, but given its seeming reluctance, is it not possible for the NPA to buy the scanners and collect commission?
Good question. We have actually explored defining scanners as port equipment or port infrastructure, and we have discussed it with the Customs, but it seems they would want to procure it. What we have done is that through the Presidential Council on Ease of Doing Business, a team was set up, comprising myself and the CG of Customs (Hameed Ali) and they set up the National Trade Platform, which would house the scanners. It would procure and deploy the scanners to have a single window. So, it’s like a middle ground, and we are pushing to get as much done as possible. They recently got approval with FEC for three mobile scanners to be deployed.
People have said that giving target to Customs has compounded the problems at the ports as they tend to arm-twist the operators to generate funds and meet up with their target, regardless of any harm to businesses. Do you support the Federal Government giving target to Customs?
I think beyond Customs, giving target puts people on their toes; it makes people to work harder. But then, it could translate into many things, like whether it’s the correct computation or not, even if it leads to congestion, you are just looking for ways to meet up with the target. But, giving targets has its benefits and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. I think what Customs need to do is to have scanners at the ports and then cargo inspection would be done in an efficient and transparent manner.
In the inter-agency and other stakeholders committee report that all the agencies and stakeholders were signatory to in June last year, it was agreed that there should be no customs officer at the gate. But when your staff accosted the customs officials at the gate, the NPA staff were beaten up by the overzealous customs officers. Can we say Customs is overstepping its bound at the port?
I actually wrote to the CG Customs (Hameed Ali), and I get along with him quite well. So, the matter was reported to him. In that document you mentioned, everybody had their responsibility so it became difficult for us to compel other agencies to do what was agreed upon. We just looked at the one that is our responsibility and just keep on doing it.
Is it true that the NPA cannot sanction any agency at the airport?
No, we cannot. You cannot sanction anybody that is not directly under your operations. We can only write to them and implore them.
Would you say you need the power to sanction erring agencies?
I want to say that people need to be responsible. When people do what they are supposed to do, under the law and based on agreements, there would be no issues.
We have the issues of piracy and Wharf rats. What is the NPA doing about these?
The piracy issue is really bad in the South-South region of the country. Nigerian Navy has its areas where it provides coverage and I still told the Chief of Naval Staff recently that we need to increase coverage of some areas because we are seeing increase in piracy. NIMASA recently got an approval from the President for a new security architecture that would provide improved security on the waterways. We now have war insurance for vessels coming into the Nigerian waterways, which means that vessels coming into the Nigerian waterways now need to have war insurance, especially those going to the South-South, which increases the cost of our ports. Nigeria is not at war but due to the activities of the pirates. On Wharf rats, there are attendant concerns about that. They exist because of the human intervention at the ports. Once there is less human intervention, with the deployment of scanners, that issue would address itself. We are also deploying biometric access into our ports. We have done the procurement process and we have reached an advanced stage where only the people that the terminal operators need to give access to would have access to the port. We have also noticed that some staff and security agents carry people that should not be at the port in their vehicles to beat security checkpoints. That has been an issue as well. When the biometric access is deployed, it’s only with on-duty card that people would access the port. If you are off duty, you won’t have access. There will be no ‘I’m his friend’ or ‘I was here yesterday.’
When will the biometrics be deployed?
I can’t tell you because it’s subject to the approval of BPP and the Federal Executive Council, but I can tell you that work is ongoing on it.
Some stakeholders in the maritime industry have said that Nigerians ports are the most expensive in the world. What is responsible for that, if it is true?
Our ports are not the most expensive in the world; neither are they the most expensive on the continent. In order to address that, we engaged some agents to do a study on the competitiveness of our ports in terms of cost. I also made them to understand that there should be formal and informal costs. We haven’t changed our tariffs from 1990s and for the first time, we made our tariffs public and it’s on our website. One of the things that made our ports expensive is the unofficial costs, like settling certain officials before they could do their work. But when you deploy electronic system; single window inspection system, it removes human intervention and you won’t need to see such officers who would insist they would not sign without being given a bribe. So, our ports are not expensive.
There is also a concern that our cargoes are being diverted to neighbouring countries because of the inefficiency of our ports. Isn’t that embarrassing?
The cargoes that are diverted are cargoes that are banned in Nigeria, like rice and cargoes that have high tariff in Nigeria, like automobiles. That is why neighbouring Cotonou has huge record of rice importation. So, what happens is that once the rice gets into their country, they are immediately moved to the border towns. In fact, they have warehouses for rice in the border towns of neighbouring countries, just to smuggle them into those countries. Also vehicles, which have high tariffs, about 70 per cent, they also smuggle them into Nigeria through the land borders. But, like you know, Customs has banned the importation of vehicles through land borders and that has translated into an increase in the importation of cars through the ports. There is also the transshipment cargo, which Nigeria is unable to capture. It’s the cargoes meant for Niger Republic and Chad, but because we do not have the hinterland connection from our ports that links us directly to Chad ad Niger, we are unable to tap into that. It is not a significant volume but that is a volume we are now working to capture. The Ministry of Transportation is doing a rail corridor, which links Niger Republic to our port locations, which will now facilitate transshipment cargoes.
Do you monitor the equipment used by terminal operators to be sure they are working efficiently?
We are very mindful of that and we are aware of certain terminal operators not deploying the type of equipment they are required to deploy. We have instituted a review of the concession agreement. We recently got the World Bank to provide us with the technical support on the review of the concession agreement. They are now working with the draft supplemented agreement with all the concessionaires, which lists the gap between what they are supposed to provide and what they have provided. It also lists what NPA’s commitment is, what NPA has done and what it has not done. That would enable us to have a revised supplemental agreement, which recognises the gaps that exist and also put in place penalties and how they could also seek redress. We have the support of the World Bank, we have our own consultants and our own little brains (laughs). By the time we all brainstorm, we would be able to find an appropriate middle ground that would translate into the supplemental agreement, which we would sign. It would state our respective roles and we would all stick to it to ensure that the necessary equipment and operational efficiency are deployed in our ports.
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The Association of Speed Limiter Vendors of Nigeria on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a speed limiter manufacturer, Highway Digital Nigeria Limited for the local production of speed limiting device for commercial vehicles in the country.
The agreement, it was learnt, would drive down the cost of the device from about N45,000 to N25,000 per unit, thus encouraging fleet owners to purchase it in bulk at reduced rates, while also providing jobs for technicians.
Speaking during the signing of the MoU in Abuja, the Chairman, ASLON, Adekunle Oyegoke, said the partnership between the association and the speed limiter manufacturer was informed by the clamour for a reduction in the unit cost of the device by commercial vehicle operators.
He noted that the vendors expended huge foreign exchange on the importation of speed limiters from China, South Africa and Kenya, adding that this had kept the unit cost of the device at between N35,000 and N45,000.
“Consequent upon this, the executive of the association, with the support of the distinguished members, engaged one of us, Highway Digital Nigeria Limited, which has got the approval from the Technical Committee on the Implementation of the Speed Limiting Device, which comprises the Federal Road Safety Corps, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Automotive Design and Development Council, to be an indigenous manufacturer of a speed limiting device with the product name, ITMS-NANO,” Oyegoke explained.
Following the approval, Oyegoke said the HDNL would no longer be a vendor but a manufacturer of the device and would no longer sell the product directly to end-users.
“Once this MoU goes into force, the new price regime for fixing one unit speed limiter, which includes the cost of device, installation certificate of fitment and technician fee will be N25,000,” he stated.
Oyegoke, who is the Chief Executive Officer, Gifted Driving Services and Motor Solution Limited, reminded vehicle owners and fleet operators present at the event that the annual renewal of fitment certificate was as paramount as the first installation.
He commended the FRSC for the introduction and enforcement of speed limiters, noting that the corps had through the initiative created jobs for entrepreneurs and technicians, while reducing crashes on the roads.
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The National Bureau of Statistics on Friday released the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, with the rate rising from 11.14 per cent in July to 11.23 per cent in August.
The bureau, in the report that was made available to our correspondent, stated that this was the first year-on-year rise in headline inflation following 18 consecutive declines in the inflation rate.
The report stated, “The Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, increased by 11.23 per cent (year-on-year) in August 2018. This is 0.09 per cent points higher than the rate recorded in July 2018 (11.14 per cent) and represents the first year-on-year rise in headline inflation following eighteenth consecutive disinflation in headline inflation.
“Increases were recorded in all divisions that yielded the headline index. On month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.05 per cent in August 2018, down by 0.08 per cent points from the rate recorded in July 2018 (1.13 per cent).”
The NBS report noted that the urban inflation rate increased by 11.67 per cent year-on-year in August 2018 from 11.66 per cent recorded in July, while the rural inflation rate increased by 10.84 per cent in August from 10.83 per cent in July.
On a month-on-month basis, the NBS report stated that the urban index rose by one per cent in August, down by 0.23 basis points from 1.23 per cent recorded in July, while the rural index also rose by 0.96 per cent in August, down by 0.22 percentage points from the 1.18 per cent rate recorded in July.
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Unrelenting in their ploy to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, scammers, through fake bank credit alerts, have brought sorrow to many business owners, casting a big shadow over the cashless policy drive of the government, writes Eric Dumo
At only 23, Azeez Bakare, a serving corps member in Lagos, has perhaps experienced the sort of pain and agony even people twice his age would not pray to witness. A graduate of Babcock University, Ilisan, Ogun State, the last few weeks have been some of the toughest and in fact, longest for him.
Since August 2, 2018, when he ran into the hands of a fraudster in the course of carrying out his mobile phones sales business, life has not remained the same for him. Mentally and financially, the Osun State indigene has become a shadow of himself.
To support himself during his ongoing one-year National Youth Service Corps in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, Bakare, a tech freak, figured that marketing in-demand mobile gadgets and devices would be the best way to raise extra income during this period.
After winning the trust and confidence of some wholesalers in Computer Village, which is arguably the largest market for Information Communications Technology accessories in the country, the young man kicked off his marketing career early this year. For him, it was the beginning of an interesting journey. But on August 2, after his experience in the hands of a young scammer named Idowu believed to be an undergraduate of the University of Lagos, his life as a budding businessman has perhaps ceased to be interesting.
“Right now, I don’t know if I want to continue this business or not,” Bakare told our correspondent earlier in the week during an encounter. “The experience really left me traumatised and afraid of people. I find it hard now to trust people when I’m transacting a business because I fear that they could do worse things than Idowu did to me.”
Tunde Olaogun was arrested for defrauding traders to the tune of N4.5m
On the evening of that fateful day, Idowu, according to Bakare, had ordered for four sophisticated iPhones after seeing his advertisement on Instagram, a popular social media platform. The latter rushed excitedly to deliver the items at Abule Oja, a small community in Akoka, Lagos, at about 6pm – less than an hour after receiving the order. It was not the first time he was responding to such calls, so he had no reason to worry. But about 30 minutes after arriving at the place and the business deal supposedly sealed, Bakare, realised he had been lured into a trap – one that has not only affected his relationship with suppliers but also others as well.
“Ordinarily, I don’t go to deliver orders myself or attend to such at that time of the day but because of the way the guy spoke to me, I had to take the pains to go from Ikeja to Akoka despite the heavy traffic on that axis.
“I went because I thought he was a genuine customer; I never knew that it was someone that had plotted evil for me.
“The guy bought three iPhone 8 Plus and one iPhone X. Each of the used iPhone 8 Plus cost N235, 000 while the brand new iPhone X was sold at N325, 000.
“When I met him, he took me to the front of an apartment he claimed was his, but I didn’t know that he gave me a fake name and home address as well. After delivering the phones to him and he inspected them, he requested for my bank account details so that he could transfer, the money into it. Right in front of me, he paid the money into my account and the app even showed my name and bank details as if it was real. He even received a debit alert on his phone.
“Meanwhile, a day before that, I had problems with my SMS notification. Someone transferred money to me in the afternoon but I got the alert at night. So, I thought it was the same situation after waiting for like 20 minutes and not receiving it on my phone.
Jessy and Jennifer arrested in Kano for defrauding business owners
“Later, one of his friends came and began shouting at him to go and put on the generator. He pleaded with me to wait for him to quickly do that but unknown to me; the two of them had escaped through the back of the building. After waiting for more than 30 minutes, I called his number and found out what had just happened. As soon as he heard my voice, he ended the call. When I used another person’s phone to call him, he answered but ended the call when he realised that I was the one. Soon, he switched off his phone,” he said.
The incident marked the beginning of a tortuous journey for Bakare. Apart from living with the nightmare of losing such an amount to a stranger, the person he had collected items from on credit, with a promise to remit the cost after removing his profit, was breathing down his neck terribly. He was confused.
“The next day, I went to my bank to confirm if the money had entered my account but I was told that there was no such transaction on my account,” he explained. “I felt like disappearing when they told me that.
“I went back to that same house in Akoka to see if I could find the guy but I didn’t. However, one guy was picked up by the police at the place after I reported the matter at the Sabo Police Station. With that and the help of Truecaller app that revealed the culprit’s real name and photograph, the police were able to trace his parents’ house to Ifo in Ogun State.
“Idowu’s father was arrested and asked to produce him. He was later granted bail and showed up with his son and a lawyer at the station few days later. After negotiations went back and forth, the money was eventually paid to me in full on Monday, September 3,” he revealed.
Though he has managed to retrieve the total sum for the items, Bakare has yet to fully recover from the shock and trauma the incident left him. Apart from raising his awareness level by several steps, the corps member told Saturday PUNCH that he had stopped accepting mobile bank transfers as mode of payment while doing business since the incident happened. He fears he may never be able to trust people again or stay in business for much longer so as not to fall victim to such and other types of scams again.
“I have since stopped trusting people with mobile bank transfers,” he said. “As a matter of fact, even those close to me, I demand cash from them now when they patronise me.
“Before now, there were even customers that would plead with me that they had reached their daily transfer limit and would pay the next day, I usually agreed. But since this bitter experience, I’ve stopped accepting such arrangements regardless of who is involved. I have learnt a lot from that experience.
Asomba bought items worth N13m using fake bank alert
“A lot of people have advised me to stop this business because of the nasty experience I had.
“This has been the biggest challenge of my life. I was really depressed. I had pressures from every quarter. It has been a very tough period for me,” he added.
But while Bakare can at least take solace in the fact that his money was recovered after one month of heartbreak and rigorous pursuit, Barry, 30, a young man based in the Ketu area of Lagos, is still living with the pain of losing about N1,530,000 to a fraudster. Deploying an even advanced trick to the first culprit, the suspect is said to be in his mid-60s and have remained at large since August 14, 2018 when the crime was committed. He fled with a 2003 edition of Toyota Matrix, which had been put up for sale but put in care of Barry.
Narrating to our correspondent recently how the dubious transaction took place, Barry revealed that it was the first time he witnessed such since his foray into business several years ago.
According to him, the elderly man acted like a genuine customer after seeing that the vehicle was up for sale. He said that after inspecting the car on the first day and expressing satisfaction by agreeing to a price, the man called him to meet him at a bank along CMD Road, a major route in the area leading to Magodo Estate, Lagos, for him to pay for the purchase. Even though the teller stamped the slip the buyer was holding and the seller received a credit alert of the agreed amount, by the evening of that day – hours after the unknown client had taken away the car – the picture became clearer. Barry and his team had been scammed.
“Being an elderly man who looked neat and spoke good English, I had no reason to suspect that he was a fraudster when he came to show interest in buying the car,” the distraught young man told our correspondent on Tuesday.
“The next day he called me to meet him at a bank on CMD Road so that he could make payment. He said he wanted me to be there with him when he was making the payment.
“I went into the bank with him and watched him as he gave a slip to the teller who soon stamped and gave him a copy. I saw the bank’s stamp on it with the agreed amount as well. Immediately, I called the owner of the current account where the money was paid into and he confirmed that he had received credit alert.
“However, by that evening, after releasing the vehicle to the man, the owner of the account, who happens to be my brother, called me to say that he couldn’t access the cash after visiting the ATM to make withdrawals on the request of the car owner. That night, he got a message from his bank stating that the transaction was suspicious.
“The next day, we visited the bank to ascertain what was happening and it was there we were told the buyer used a fake bank draft to pay for the car and that they were investigating it. They said that I was a suspect.
“We lodged a formal complaint at the Ketu Police Station and State Police Command in Ikeja. We equally asked the bank to review the CCTV footage of that day of the incident, but they refused to do so. We asked them how such fraud could take place if indeed they verified that the originating account had enough funds to cover for what was on the draft. They declined all our requests for explanations and said that I was going to be arrested if I visited again.
“The matter is still with the police who have said that until we pay a mobilisation fee of N50, 000, they won’t do anything about it. We also visited the Magodo residential address the buyer also provided twice but didn’t see anybody.
“I am really heartbroken. I used to hear about this fake alert scam but I never knew it was real until it happened to me. I don’t think I can ever accept online payment for any business dealing after this terrible experience. I don’t know if I’ll ever overcome the pain the incident has caused me,” Barry added painfully.
Like Barry, Idiat Mogaji, a textile wholesaler in the Oshodi area of Lagos, is still licking her wounds one month after two young men, who claimed to be based in Benin, Edo State, defrauded her of the sum of N2m, using a fake bank credit alert.
Arriving at her shop at about 11:30am on August 3, the mother of five soon went from being happy to extreme excitment after realising that her new customers were not just there to cut a small deal – they had come for a mega business.
Being a Friday, there was no better wish than to make a good sale to cap the week and usher in a fulfilling weekend. From lace materials to Ankara fabrics of different grades and sizes, the young men made orders that left Mogaji’s competitors green with envy. But less than 40 minutes after leaving with her goods, the woman realised she was in big trouble. Her years of hard labour were at the verge of total collapse.
Williams and the Porsche he bought using fake alert
“To erase any kind of doubt, the guys paid around N150, 000 in cash from what they purchased while transferring N2m from their various bank accounts. I received all the credit alerts on my phones and had no reason to worry since it was not the first time that a customer was paying through that mode and I would get the money.
“But shortly after they left my shop with all the purchased items, I sent my daughter to go and withdraw some cash as I needed to pay somebody I owed money. She returned to tell me that she couldn’t withdraw the amount because the money in the account was not up to that. I didn’t believe her at first until I had to go to the nearest branch of my bank to confirm. I almost collapsed when I was told that no transaction had occurred on my account that day.
“I waited there in the bank for almost 30 minutes, hoping that they would tell me that the money was finally in and that the mix-up was caused by network issues. But that did not happen. It was there that I was told that I had been scammed with the fake alert stuff.
“Till this moment, I still don’t know what to say. Though the matter has been reported to the police, I have not heard anything positive from them. It is a big loss; I may never be able to recover from it because I know how long it took me to get to this level in business. To lose N2m in one day is a lot.
“Two weeks after the incident, I couldn’t go to the market. I was at home, confused and crying over my loss because it was a big one. I only started coming out recently after people encouraged me.
“The truth is that since this incident happened to me, I have stopped accepting bank transfers as mode of payment from customers I don’t know. Even though I need to make sales, I tell such clients about my ordeal and why I can only accept cash from them. If not for God and my children, I would have done something crazy because I was really hurt.
“Those who did this to me should know that they have not done well. God is watching them and would reward them accordingly,” she said while fighting back tears.
Two of her daughters watched on pathetically as she recalled the sad incident. It would take a long time for the family to get over the heartbreak.
Fake bank credit alerts, one of the growing number of ways fraudsters are deploying to rip off unsuspecting members of the society in recent times, have become a real menace in many parts of Nigeria today. For established and budding entreprenuers, the phenomenon is proving to be a threat that not only poses grave danger to their investments but also survival as individuals and family men with loads of responsibilities.
In the past few months, reports of such cases have been a constant feature in many news publications including on the Internet.
For example, in May this year, a 28-year-old medical doctor, Michael Williams, was arrested by the police in Lagos for buying a Porsche car worth N28m using fake bank credit alert. He is said to be a member of a syndicate specialised in defrauding exotic car sellers in Lagos and other cities in the country.
In May 2017, a 33-year-old man named Babatunde Olaogun, was also arrested by the police for allegedly using fake bank credit alert to purchase laptop computers worth N4.5m from a shop in Lagos.
“When I bought the laptops, I resold them to someone else but the person did not pay me on time,” the suspect had said. “When I could not pay on time, I pleaded with the person who supplied me the goods to give me more time but the pressure became unbearable. So, I decided to send the fake bank alert to him so as to have peace.”
There have been a series of similar cases in different parts of the country in recent months, raising fears among business owners and even individuals, who rely on the online system of payment during transactions.
To stem the tide of fraud in this category, the Deposit Money Banks in February this year expressed concerns over the issue and intensified efforts to deal with it.
According to a top official of a bank, who asked not to be named, one of the steps being considered is for banks to change the format of SMS notifications in a way that would accommodate some security features and make it difficult for fraudsters to manipulate.
“It is very easy these days for anyone who wants to send a fake bank alert to do this by closely studying the format in which the target’s bank sends its alerts.
“When the fraudster masters the format, he can, just by using Google search, send a fake alert to the target’s phone.
“Any person receiving a credit alert should contact their account officers or someone in the bank to confirm the transaction. People can also look at their bank statement to make sure that the money was in fact deposited,” the official said.
In June 2018, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System said the industry lost N12.30bn to various frauds between 2014 and 2017, many of them perpetrated through mobile and Internet banking.
The Managing Director of the organisation, Mr. Adebisi Shonubi, revealed that the figure was lost in 41,461 cases of fraud between 2014 and 2017.
Calling on financial institutions to improve their securities, Mr. Michael Odusami, Chief Executive Officer and President of MAXUT Consulting, a technology company, providing solutions to banks, described it as one of the ways to stop fraudsters from perpetrating their evil.
“Our solution as a technology company is about fraud prevention. Most transactions are not physical, they are done through electronic channels; so serious measures have to be put in place in terms of security.
“As a monitoring system, we have helped a lot of banks and financial institutions to guard against fraud. More still needs to be done to arrest this situation,” he said.
To make business transactions easier and more seamless, the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2012 introduced a cashless policy to minimise transactions done with cash. The aim was to encourage business dealings through the use of other channels aside physical cash. The scheme worked well in Lagos, forcing the government to extend it to other states of the federation. However, in April 2017, the CBN announced the immediate suspension of the implementation in 30 states of the federation, raising concerns among stakeholders.
But despite the development, a growing number of Nigerians prefer to still do a lot of transactions relying on platforms that work without physical cash. However, with the unending cases of fake bank credit alert frauds, experts fear that trust levels may be affected, thus hampering cashless business dealings among citizens.
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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission visited the Lagos head office of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria on Friday.
Reuters had earlier quoted sources as saying that the EFCC operatives attempted to arrest an unnamed executive of the bank but left shortly after the said executive barricaded herself in an office.
A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Olasupo Shasore, tweeted that the EFCC operatives were at the bank to arrest the managing director, Bola Adesola.
“Armed agents to arrest MD of international bank for commercial dispute @SCB HQ Victoria Island happening now, private sector under siege,” Shasore had tweeted.
The bank said in a statement that the EFCC operatives entered the building but left as there was no reason for them to be there.
“We can confirm that law enforcement officials entered our head office building on September 14, 2018. We are clear that there was no basis for this entry, and the law enforcement officials left the building shortly afterwards,” the statement read in part.
The EFCC, however, said it never sanctioned any raid on the headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank in Lagos, adding that the act might have been carried out by officials on illegal duty.
The EFCC said this in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday.
The commission said its modus operandi was to invite people and not to use Gestapo tactics in investigations.
The statement read in part, “Following repeated media enquiries regarding a purported raid on the head office of the Standard Chartered Bank today (Friday) by operatives of the EFCC, the commission is constrained to state that there was no raid on the bank by its officers.
“The raid by operatives purportedly wearing the jackets of the commission might have been the handiwork of errant officers, who acted without authorisation.
“The action is in flagrant violation of the standard operation procedures of the commission, as it is not the style of the EFCC to openly raid the offices of banks and other financial institutions.
“Officials of such institutions, who are wanted by the commission, are usually invited for questioning after discreet investigations. Over the years, banks have been cooperative in releasing their officers to the commission for questioning.”
The anti-graft agency promised to investigate the matter, adding that it would leave no stone unturned. It noted that it was a law-abiding agency and would carry out its duties professionally.
Last month, the Central Bank of Nigeria ordered Standard Chartered and three other lenders to repay $8.134bn for allegedly issuing irregular Certificates of Capital Importation on behalf of some offshore investors of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited.
Standard Chartered Bank received the highest fine of N2.4bn but defended its action, insisting that no offence was committed.
It remains unclear whether the move by the EFCC was related to that matter.
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