2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
CVR Surge: INEC
Killers of Afenifere leader’s daughter to
die by hanging — Court
By Dayo Johnson,
Akure
An Ondo State High Court
yesterday sentenced three
out of four suspected killers of
the 58 year-old daughter of
the national leader of the Pan
Yoruba Socio- Political Group,
Mrs Funke Olakunri to death
by hanging.
Mrs Funke Olakunri was
murdered along Ore/ ljebu
Ode Expressway on July
12th, 2019.
They include Muhammed
Shehu Usman, Adamu Ada-
mu, and Lawal Mazaje.
Justice Williams Olamide
who convicted them on the
eight count charges, dis-
charged the fourth suspect,
Awalu Abubakar for conspir-
acy, aiding and abetting
The trial judge sentenced
the three to death by hang-
ing or firing squad for offences
ranging from conspiracy to
murder, kidnapping and
armed robbery.
The convicts also attacked
and killed one Matthew Ogun-
biyi, a hunter in the forest
while they also kidnapped a
German-Nigerian who was
released after the payment of
ransom.
The Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice,
Charles Titiloye had preferred
eight-count charge which in-
clude included murder, kid-
napping, armed robbery, aid-
ing and abetting against four
suspects.
The first to three suspects
were charged with murder
contrary to Section 316 and
punishable under section 319
of the Criminal Code CAP 37
Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State,
Nigeria, 2006.
They were also charged
with conspiracy to commit
armed robbery and actual
commission of armed robbery
contrary to Section 1 (2a&b)
for the Robbery and Firearm
Special Prohibition Act CAP
R11, Volume 14, Laws of the
Federation.
They were also charged
with conspiracy to commit
felony with kidnapping, con-
trary to and punishable un-
der Section 516 of Criminal
Code CAP 37, Volume 1, Laws
of Ondo State.
During the trail, the culprits
pleaded not guilty to the eight
charge counts preferred
against them.
•Verdictshowscriminalsaren’tinvincible,abovelaw,saysAfenifere
The suspects, in their evi-
dence in court, said they were
not part of the kidnapping
gang that killed Olakunri, not-
ing that the police extracted
false evidence against them.
On his part, Usman said he
was a driver who was on tran-
sit to Ondo State from Agbor,
Delta State when he was ar-
rested with N500,000 cash
and expired drivers’ license,
and was charged because he
could provide the bribe de-
manded by the police.
Lawal said he was arrested
by the police because he fol-
lowed Usman to the police sta-
tion because he understands
Hausa language. He denied
complicity in the murder of the
Afenifere leader’s daughter.
Delivering judgement, Jus-
tice Olamide dismissed their
claims on the ground that
their evidences were after-
thought to escape the wrath
of the law.
Justice Olamide said “the
prosecution was able to prove
Tinubu visits Bello, says he harnessed youthful Bahari names Uzodinma, others
energy during campaigns
By Dirisu Yakubu
P RESIDENTIAL candidate
of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu,
Friday, visited his co-contes-
tant and Kogi state governor,
Alhaji Yahaya Bello in Abuja,
saying the latter leveraged on
the energy of the youths dur-
ing the campaigns for the Pres-
idential convention.
Tinubu arrived at Governor
Yahaya Bello campaign office
accompanied by Lagos state
governor, Babajide Sanwo-
Olu, his Zamfara and Kano
state counterparts, Bello
Matawalle and Abdullahi
Ganduje respectively as well
former Edo state governor,
Adams Oshiomhole.
Describing Bello as “my son,”
Tinubu said Nigeria would hit
the glorious height of old with
the cooperation and support of
all, irrespective of party affili-
ations.
Welcoming the APC Presi-
dential candidate, Governor
Bello announced the collapse
of his campaign council and do-
nated the same to the former
the case of conspiracy to mur-
der, kidnapping, armed rob-
bery and aiding a.nd abetting
against the first to third defen-
dants.
“Verdict shows criminals
aren’t invincible, above
law”
However, the Pan Yoru-
ba Socio-Political Group,
Afenifere, has said that sen-
tencing three killers to death by
hanging, signalled that crimi-
nals are neither invincible nor
above the law.
General Secretary of the
group, Chief Olusola Ebiseni
said this while reacting to the
court verdict.
Recall that an Akure High
Court sentenced the three sus-
pects to death after killing the
deceased in 2019.
Ebiseni, in a statement issued
in Akure, said that “Though
not able to bring back the dead
unfortunately, the judgement
sentencing to death of the mur-
derers of Mrs. Olufunke
Council members of E-Government
•I’m committed to lead APC to victory
Lagos state governor.
Bello said, “Today, I have col-
lapsed my Presidential Cam-
paign Organisation. I am donat-
ing my campaign organisation
secretariat to you. I have learnt
a lot from the little lecture you
gave to us. What elders see
when they are in the valley, the
younger ones won’t see it.
“The exercise (convention/
primaries) has come and gone.
I will be on the streets to lead the
youths to ensure that we win
convincingly. Never again will
the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP lead this country. Thank you
all my colleague governors for
giving me the opportunity to learn
from you.
On his part, Tinubu said:
“Yahaya Bello is my son; you
mobilized the consciousness of
the youths in the county. You re-
minded us of what the nation
wants to be.Today, we take a very
good step to say we want to work
for one united country that is con-
cerned about prosperity. Thank
you to all members of the Yahaya
Bello Campaign Organisation.
You all made a mark, you were
Olakunri, daughter of the
Afenifere Leader, Chief Re-
uben Fasonranti, neverthe-
less is most welcome in sev-
eral ways.
“First, the families, friends
and other well meaning cit-
izens will have a sense of re-
lief that justice has been
done, notwithstanding that
these murderers have a con-
stitutionally guaranteed
rights of appeal up to the
apex Court.
“Besides, it is a signal to
these criminals that they
are neither invincible nor
above the law of the land.
“For too long, it is unfortu-
nate that the Federal Gov-
ernment which monopolis-
es the instrument of coercion
and security, has given Ni-
gerians and the world that
these criminals who parade
themselves as cattle rearers
are above the law of the land
for which they make the
lives of the citizens was than
in the State of nature.
resolute.”He also commend-
ed the leadership of the par-
ty for ensuring that the con-
vention ended peacefully
saying, “The opposition
thought there would be cha-
os and crisis. But we saw
peace,” he said.
deploys more machines
in S’East, Lagos, Kano
T HE
By Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja
Independent
tional Electoral Commission INEC said it has received
Na
reports from States indicating an unprecedented surge in the
number of citizens wishing to register as voters and the chal-
lenges they face across the country.
Accordingly, the commission said it has released more ma-
chines to address the development.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information
and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye disclosed
this in a statement issued Friday night in Abuja.
He noted that in some States, the sudden turnout of prospec-
tive registrants is overwhelming.
“Consequently, the Commission convened an urgent meet-
ing with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) yes-
terday Thursday 9th June 2022 to review the situation so that
eligible Nigerians who wish to register are able to do so.
“The necessity to urgently deploy more voter enrolment ma-
chines to ease the congestion at the registration centres was
identified as a priority”, he stated.
In response, “the Commission has immediately released ad-
ditional 209 machines deployed mainly to the five SouthEast-
ern States, Lagos and Kano where the pressure is most acute.
“The Commission will monitor the situation over the next
few days. Thereafter, it will meet to review the progress of the
exercise.
“Every step will be taken and all options will be explored to
ensure that eligible Nigerians are given the opportunity to
register as voters.
“The Commission appeals for patience and understanding
of all citizens. Every Nigerian who is 18 years of age and above
has the constitutional right to register and vote in any part of
the country he/she resides without let or hindrance.
“The sudden surge is an affirmation of the increasing confi-
dence Nigerians have in our electoral process. The Commis-
sion will continue to ensure that this confidence is sustained”,
P RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Friday appoint
ed the Imo State Givernor, Senator Hope Uzodin-
ma into the presidential Council on E-Government and
Digital Economy.
Uzodinma along with 26 other Nigerians will hence-
forth fashion out ways in which digital technologies will
be employed to transform every sector of the coun-
try’s economy.
At the inauguration of the Council, President Buhari
said the choice of Uzodin-
ma and others was arrived
at after “a painstaking and
thorough process.”
He told Uzodinma to en-
sure that he works hard to
justify the confidence the
nation has reposed on him.
He said the Imo State
Governor will be working
alongside five other gov-
ernors, ministers and
members of the private
sector to realize the feder-
al government’s goals in
E-Government and Digital
Economy.
He tasked Uzodinma
and the other members to
consider their appointment
as a national assignment
that requires utmost dedi-
cation.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 3
4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 5
6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
Atiku, Tinubu, Obi’s emergence fuel PVC
registration, collection, transfers by Nigerians
By Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja
W ith the outcome of re
cent primary elections
in the country, Nigerians have
shown renewed interest in
registering, collecting and /or
transferring their Permanent
Voter Cards PVCs ahead of
next year’s general election.
Specifically, the emergence
of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu as presidential
candidate of the ruling All
Progressives Congress APC;
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the
main opposition Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and
Mr Peter Obi as candidate of
Labour Party, LP, has seen
many Nigerians making
enquiries as to how to register,
collect or transfer their PVCs.
Many political reporters in
the country have continued to
receive calls from scores of
Nigerians seeking
information and guidance on
the subject matter.
INEC had on May 30,
suspended its online pre-
registration for the
Continuous Voter
Registration, CVR and has
announced June 30, for the
suspension of the CVR itself.
“This will enable the
commission to clean up the
registration data, print the
Permanent Voters’ Cards
(PVCs) and compile the
register ahead of the 2023
general election,” INEC
Chairman, Prof. Mahmood
Yakubu had said.
However, some Nigerians
have raised concerns about
their inability to complete the
online pre-registration before
it was closed.
One of them, Emmanuel
Dada said he tried severally
to no avail to upload his
details before the portal was
shut down.
“I think INEC should
extend this registration for us
because someone like me, I
tried to pre-register about
three times and it appeared
that the network was bad. I
couldn’t complete the
process,” he stated.
Some residents around the
Greenville Estate in Lagos
have for instance also
complained about the
attitude of personnel deployed
to handle the CVR.
“Last week, they came late,
stayed for two or three hours
and left. Throughout this
week, they didn’t come at all,”
said a resident who identified
himself simply as Habeeb.
However, there are efforts
by individuals to ensure
massive registration and
collection of PVCs ahead of
the polls.
Already, a Christian cleric,
Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere,
the General Overseer of
Omega Power Ministry,
OPM, has released all 300
branches of his church across
the country for use by INEC
as PVC registration and
collection centers.
“While our normal church
service still holds, we are
borrowing INEC space inside
our church for PVC
registration. So, all members
of OPM that have not been
chanced to register for PVC,
it is now at your door post. As
you come to church service on
Sunday, you register for PVC.
“If INEC staff don’t work on
Sundays, OPM church is
ready to contribute small
G overnor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has imposed
*Eligible registrants ask INEC for extension
From right: The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Dumebi Kachikwu; the National Coordinator, Electoral Matters and INEC Liaison,
Chief Anayo Arinze; the National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu
and the Chairman, National Convention Committee, Major General Ekundayo
Opaleye (rtd), after the presidential primary election in Abeokuta Ogun State.
allowances for them to show
up on Sundays, while other
working days will be paid by
INEC”, he stated.
Also, an Awka-based law
firm, Antonio Lex Firma has
given a two-day leave for its
staff to register and collect
their PVCs or risk not
receiving their salaries.
An internal memo signed
by the Company Secretary,
Nkechi Duru sighted by
Saturday Vanguard gave the
staff Thursday and Friday as
work-free days.
“I am directed by the
Principal Partner of Antonio
Lex Firma, Barr. A.K
Agbasiere (KSJI) to inform
all the staff of the firm and his
domestic staff that 9th and
10th of June, 2022 will be
work free day.
"This is to enable all the staff
to go and register and get their
PVC. Consequently, anyone
without PVC will henceforth
not receive salary,” the law
firm stated.
INEC reacts
The electoral umpire has
however promised to meet on
the matter, assuring that no
eligible registrant would be
left out.
In Lagos where there was
an ethnic slant to the activities
of some officials, INEC said
it has obtained adequate
security and also provided
more machines for the
exercise.
Administrative Secretary of
INEC in the state, James
Oludele Popoola in a
statement said:“The
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, Lagos State, has
observed with concern recent
happenings in the ongoing
Continuous Voters
Registration exercise in the
state.
“The commission at this
point wishes to inform and
assure all residents that
adequate security and
machinery have been put in
place to capture all eligible
voters.
“To this end, the
commission has provided
more registration machines in
the state and these IVED
machines will be deployed to
the 20 local government
areas in addition to what they
already have. This
deployment will start from
Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
“Also, the commission will
communicate necessary
information surrounding the
deployment of the machines
within the state to
stakeholders and leadership
of various interest groups.
“All eligible citizens are
thereby advised to remain
calm and also encouraged to
go to the nearest INEC
registration centres closest to
them.
“The commission will
continue to ensure a seamless
and stress-free procedure for
all Nigerians who wish to
participate in the electoral
process”, he added.
Also, INEC Chairman, Prof.
Mahmood Yakubu at a
meeting with Resident
Electoral Commissioners
RECs in Abuja on Thursday
recalled that the introduction
of the online pre-registration
system and the new INEC
Voter Enrollment Device
(IVED) helped to reduce the
long queues witnessed in the
previous registration exercise
in 2017 and 2018.
He said unfortunately, in
some places the exercise was
disrupted by general
insecurity, including violent
attacks on its registration
officials leading to the killing
of one of them.
Yakubu noted that as the
deadline for the suspension
of the current exercise
approaches, the
Commission has received
reports of a surge in the
number of prospective
registrants that daily throng
its State and Local
Government Area offices as
well as designated centres in
many States across the
country.
“I wish to reassure
Nigerians that the
Commission remains
committed to ensuring that
all citizens who wish to
register are given the
opportunity to do so. This is
one of the reasons why this
meeting has been convened.
“Already, some of the
Resident Electoral
Commissioners have
requested for more voter
registration machines to ease
the congestion. The
Commission will deploy
additional machines to areas
of need immediately.
“Thereafter, the
Commission will meet to
review the progress of the
exercise and take further
decisions. We will always
respond positively to the
needs of Nigerians and
therefore appeal to all
citizens to be patient with the
Commission as we strive to
serve them better. We
appreciate the desire of
Nigerians to register as
voters. Let me reassure all
eligible registrants that no
one will be left out”, he
stated.
Ugwuanyi imposes dusk-to-
dawn curfew on Igbo Eze North,
South LGAs
a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-
Eze South Local Government areas of the state, between the
hours of 6pm to 6am.
According to a statement by the Secretary to the State
Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, the dusk-
to-dawn curfew commenced yesterday.
The statement disclosed that the curfew was “Pursuant
to Executive Order No. 3, 2022 and consequent upon secu-
rity challenges in Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South Local
Government areas of Enugu State.”
Prof. Ortuanya added that Gov. Ugwuanyi imposed the
curfew in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Sec-
tion 215 (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Repub-
lic of Nigeria (as amended).
The statement directed the Chairmen of Igbo-Eze North
and Igbo-Eze South LGAs as well as Forest Guard and Neigh-
bourhood Watch Officers of the affected two council areas to
ensure strict compliance with the executive order.
It also directed the Enugu State Commissioner of Police to
take all lawful measures to enforce the order, “including
arrest and prosecution of defaulters”.
Osun Election: Defeat already
staring PDP in the face
— Oyetola’s Campaign DG
*Says gov enjoys support from civil
servants
T he All Progressives Congress, APC, Campaign Council for
the Osun 2022 governorship election, has described as
laughable and unfounded, the claim by the Peoples Democrat-
ic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ademola Adeleke that Gover-
nor Adegboyega Oyetola was asking civil servants in the state to
surrender their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.
A statement signed by the Director-General of the Campaign
Council, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said the PDP was now run-
ning from pillar to post because defeat was already staring it in
the face.
The Oyetola campaign team wondered where PDP and
Ademola were when the workers’ union in the state openly endorsed
the incumbent governor as its preferred choice one clear year
before the election. It added that with what Governor Oyetola had
done for workers in particular and generality of Osun people, he
needs not coerce the electorate to vote for him come July 16.
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the allegation by the
Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council because it is laughable,
unfortunate and unfounded. However, because those outside
the state may be tempted to believe their lies, we felt compelled to
puncture it with facts.
“It is sad that the Adeleke Campaign Council has consistent-
ly chosen the path of falsehood and misinformation as a cam-
paign method and strategy. This is an indication that the PDP
in Osun is down and it should stay down, accept its misfortune
and stop making things worse for itself by polluting the political
space with falsehood and propaganda.
“One, it is on record that since the creation of the state in 1991,
this is the first time all workers’ unions will be unanimous in their
decision to support a governorship candidate. Why does a popular
and loved government need to threaten the workers that have
already endorsed it for a second term? Why can’t the PDP
candidate’s campaign council keep quiet when it has nothing
meaningful to say? Must the Adeleke people embarrass themselves
everywhere, everyday?
“Two, this is the first time workers will devote May Day to the
adoption of a governorship candidate. They did it last year.
They adopted our candidate even before his emergence. This is
because he (Governor Oyetola) has consistently prioritised their
welfare and fulfilled all the pledges he made to them. Our can-
didate has delivered the goods and the civil servants are hap-
py.

Owo massacre: FG’s conclusion on ISWAP
too hasty — Akeredolu
•Says it’s time for state police •Police, Govt, Olowo deny arrest
of suspect as protesters besiege palace
Dayo Johnson Akure
G OVERNORRotimiAk
eredolu of Ondo State,
has described as hasty the
Federal Government pro-
nouncementthatISWAPwas
the terrorists responsible for
the attack of worshippers at
St Francis Catholic Church,
Owo,Ondostate.
This is coming as the state
police command, the gover-
nor and the Olowo of Owo,
ObaAjibadeOgunoyedenied
the alleged arrest of the kill-
ers.
Recall that the palace of the
traditional ruler was under
siege by youth from the an-
cienttowndemandingforthe
perpetrators of the last Sun-
dayattackonSt.FrancisCath-
olic church in the town.
The youths in their hun-
dreds trooped to the Palace
following alleged reports that
the suspected terrorists have
been arrested by the com-
binedteamofNigerianArmy,
Amotekun Corps and other
security forces and taken to
the palace.
They demanded that the
suspected terrorists should
behandedtothemandplead-
ed to the traditional ruler not
to transfer them to Akure, the
state capital.
It took several hours for the
monarch to convince the
youth that the information
was untrue.
Meanwhile, governor Ak-
eredolunotedthathetookthe
Federal government’s con-
clusion with a pinch of salt,
addingthatISWAPareknown
to take responsibility for their
attacks.
He said this during a zoom
interactionwithaSwiss-based
Christian human rights Or-
ganisation, Christian Solidar-
ity International (CSI).
“The statement is too hasty.
I take their conclusion with a
pinchofsalt.ISWAPdon’thide
their attack. If they had done
it,theywouldhaveownedup.
We are yet to know and our
security people are still on
their trail.”
Akeredolu, who said the at-
tack was a crime against hu-
manity, noted that the South-
Westregionhasbeenapeace
haven before the horrific at-
tack. The governor said de-
spite the attack on the psyche
ofthepeople,thepeopleofthe
state are indomitable and
ready to fight insecurity.
Government, according to
him “ is determined to help
the victims of the attack, par-
ticularly those who lost their
loved ones and those on ad-
mission in the hospital.
“We have a plan to help the
victims of the attack, includ-
ing those who lost their lives
and those who are in the hos-
pitals. Deliberately, we have
people who have offered the
state government some assis-
tance. Some people have do-
nated to the Catholic
Church.”
Akeredolu also reiterated
his stand on state police, not-
Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd)
presenting NDLEA magazine to Nick Fowler, Director, Home Office International
Operations during a visit of the Home Office Int'l Operations to NDLEA office in
Abuja recently.
ing that the time for state po-
lice is now.
He empathised that the
present security architecture
in the country can not pro-
vide security for lives and
property.
“A single police command
can not guarantee safety in
this country. We must have
state police now.Amotekun
suffers a lot of limitations in
getting all the equipment we
need to fight these criminals.
The governor commend-
ed the international commu-
nity for their reaction to the
killinginOwo,sayingtheirre-
action was unprecedented.
SpeakingwithSaturdayVan-
guard, the Special Assistant
MediatoOlowoofOwo,Sam-
uel Adewale, said there was
noarrestandthepalacewon-
dered the source of the infor-
mationleadingtotheinvasion
of the palace by the angry
youths, Adewale said:” The
rumour was not true, there
was no arrest and we don’t
know where the information
emanated from. We have as-
sured the youths that the se-
curity agents are still after the
2023: Peter Obi receives LP certificate of return, promises to fight
poverty, create jobs •Aisha Yesufu endorses him as Nigeria’s next President
T
HE Labour Party
has issued former
Anambra state governor,
Mr Peter Obi, his certif-
icate of return as the par-
ty’s flagbearer after his
recent victory at the LP
Presidential primary.
This is just as Human
Rights Activist and co-
convener of #Bring-
BackOurGirls, Aisha
Yesufu has endorsed him
as Nigeria’s next
president saying
National Chairman of
the party, Julius Abure,
handed over the certifi-
cate to Obi at a ceremo-
ny at its National head-
quarters in Abuja,
yesterday. While
handing over the certif-
icate, Abure described
perpetrators.”
Also, the Chief Press Secre-
tary to the Governor, Richard
Olatunde,deniedthearrestof
the suspects.
The State Police command
imagemaker,FunmiOdunla-
mi, also said no arrest was
madeinrespectofthelastSun-
day attack on the Church in
Owo.
Odunlami said that mem-
bers of the public will be duly
informed if any arrest was
madebythesecurityagencies
in respect of the Owo attack.
“Verdict shows crimi-
nals aren’t invincible,
above law”
However, the Pan Yoruba
Socio-Political Group,
Afenifere, has said that sen-
tencing three killers to death
by hanging, signalled that
criminals are neither invinci-
ble nor above the law.
General Secretary of the
group, Chief Olusola Ebiseni
said this while reacting to the
court verdict. Recall that an
Akure High Court sentenced
the three suspects to death af-
the ceremony as a mile-
stone in the life of the
party.
He said, “I said so be-
cause it is a new dawn
for the people of this
country. It is a new dawn
because the people have
been enslaved over the
years and a new move-
ment has begun that will
liberate them from the
slavery of hunger, pov-
erty, employment, bad
governance and insecu-
rity in the land.
“Today we have start-
ed this movement and
nothing, no amount of
intimidation, no amount
of pretence of factional-
ization, no amount of
stopping us from regis-
tering or preventing us
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 7
ter killing the deceased in
2019. Ebiseni, in a statement
issued in Akure, said that
“Though not able to bring
back the dead unfortunate-
ly,thejudgementsentencing
to death of the murderers of
Mrs. Olufunke Olakunori,
daughter of the Afenifere
Leader,ChiefReubenFason-
ranti, nevertheless is most
welcome in several ways.
“First, the families, friends
and other well meaning citi-
zenswillhaveasenseofrelief
that justice has been done,
notwithstanding that these
murderers have a constitu-
tionally guaranteed rights of
appeal up to the apex Court.
“Besides,itisasignaltothese
criminals that they are nei-
ther invincible nor above the
law of the land.
“For too long, it is unfortu-
natethattheFederalGovern-
mentwhichmonopolisesthe
instrument of coercion and
security,hasgivenNigerians
andtheworldthatthesecrim-
inalswhoparadethemselves
ascattlerearersareabovethe
law of the land for which they
make the lives of the citizens
from participating in the
ongoing voter registra-
tion will stop this move-
ment.
“Wherever I have
been to people have
confronted me on how
am I going to deliver
Peter Obi since you have
no structure and my re-
sponse has always been
that a people that have
decided to liberate
themselves you can nev-
er stop them.
Aisha Yesufu endors-
es him as Nigeria’s next
President
Meanwhile, the cam-
paign on social media
for the Labour Party’s
Presidential candidate,
Peter Obi to become the
country’s next President
UK promises £1million support to
NDLEA as Marwa seeks more help
T HE United Kingdom has said it will provide One Million
Pounds (£1million) worth of support to enhance the oper-
ations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA
in 2022 and additional provision over a period of three years.
This was disclosed by the Director, Home Office International
Operations, Nick Fowler when he led a team comprising Julie
Hartfree, Africa Regional Director and Kris Hawksfield, West
Africa Regional Manager, both of Home Office International
Operations on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Execu-
tive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) on
Thursday 9th June.
In his welcome remarks, Marwa expressed appreciation to
the visiting UK team and the British government for past sup-
port to NDLEA. He said with the expansion of the operations,
commands structure and staff strength of the Agency, he would
need more support and collaboration from the UK government.
While stating that the President Muhammadu Buhari led
Federal Government has been very supportive of the work of
the Agency in critical areas, Marwa asked for strengthened
intelligence sharing collaboration, provision of essential opera-
tional logistics and training among others from the UK govern-
ment.
In his response, Nick Fowler commended Marwa for the huge
success NDLEA has become under his leadership. He said the
Agency has been able to play a significant role by intercepting
loads of illicit drugs going to the UK. He assured that his office is
now well positioned to share intelligence with NDLEA.
The UK top official also said the British government is willing
to enhance NDLEA’s operations with provision of strategic equip-
ment, logistics and training as part of a £1million plan, to be
implemented in 2022 with additional support over the next
three years.
Double Diamond Award: Utomi,
Jepherson speak on state of the
nation
R
ENOWNED economist, Prof Pat Utomi, Bishop Bank
Jepherson and other distinguished personalities
are expected to speak at the Double Diamond Platform
Global annual anniversary and awards presentation,
holding Thursday June 16, 2022 at Excellence Hotel,
Ikeja Lagos.
The ceremony themed, “A Nation In Search Of True
Leadership” billed to kick off at 11 am prompt, will also
be graced by the Commissioner for Information and
Strategy, Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, as Special
Guest of honour; Hon Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour rtd,
CFR, patron and father of the day; and Amb. Dr Peter
Dongo Isibor JP, as the Chairman of the Occasion. While
announcing the programme, the Convener, Dr. Prince
Ezeonye Obed, disclosed that this year’s Award marks
the group’s 2nd year anniversary, adding that, the theme
is relevant because of the political situation in Nigeria
and the current state of the nation. His words, “Double
Diamond Platform Global is an Online Inspirational Me-
dia Organization. We redefine success ( God perspective)
and promote excellence.
in 2023 received a boost must not make you
yesterday as a human forfeit your rights! The
rights activist and co- #OfficeOfTheCitizen
convener of #Bring- remains the highest of-
BackOurGirls, Aisha fice in the land!”
Yesufu endorsed the
former governor of
Anambra State.
Yesufu, on Twitter, said
that the country does not
need an emperor but a
President, therefore,
urging Nigerian people
not to forfeit their rights
to vote by desperation.
In her twitter handle,
the activist tweeted that:
“We need a President
and not an emperor and
the only person that is
going to be “OBEDI-
ENT” or “OBIDIENT” is
Peter Obi! Desperation
8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
We buy Military uniforms for N20,000 to operate By Egufe Wilson
— Kidnap gang •Explains why victims were raped, killed T WO officials of Rivers state All Progressives Con
By Evelyn Usman
O PERATIVES of the
Force Intelligence Bu-
reau - Intelligence Response
Team,FIB-IRT have arrested
14 self confessed members of
a notorious kidnap gang that
have been on its wanted list
over series of kidnappings,
armed robberies and cattle
rustling in the northern region
of Nigeria.
The susepcts among who
were thier arms suppliers, re-
vealed how they raped female
victims , with a threat to come
back for them if they opened
up on the rape.
They also revealed how
they bought Military uni-
forms used during operation,
from thier contact.
Luck ran against members
of the gang following the ar-
rest of one of them,Abdullahi
Abubakar a.k.a Abdul Law-
yer while he was having a
meeting with an alleged in-
formant on a planned kidnap
operation in Plateau state.
Saturday Vanguard gath-
ered that Abubakar, a herder
was once arrested and de-
tained at Bokkos Divisional
Police headquarters for the
offence of criminal conspira-
cy, armed robbery, cattle rus-
tling and kidnapping. But un-
known to the policemen, one
of his gang members posed
as a prominent person, to ef-
fect his release on bail
During interrogation
Abubakar, revealed that he
was introduced into kidnap-
ping by one Iliyasu Saidu,
a.k.a. Yellow and Sky broth-
er. He gave identities of other
members of his gang as : Ili-
yasu Saidu (a.k.a. Yellow),
Badamosi Ardo Yakubu, Sky
Bokkos, Zaki Bokkos, Yaku-
bu Joshua Bokkos and Annas
Iliya, all of them living and
operating from Bokkos, Pla-
teau State.
He said: “I have participat-
ed in an uncountable num-
ber of armed robberies in all
the villages around Bokkos,
Mangu and others in Jos.
“We have six AK47 rifles,
and some of us used to ap-
pear in Nigeria Army uni-
forms which we bought from
one IK in Daffo village for
N20,000 each. We also have
a tailor that sewed the uni-
form for us in Bokkos.
“We have someone who
supplies arms for us. He is Alli
Ibrahim. I bought one AK47
Owo terror attack a message to us —Soyinka
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
•A dagger has been drawn to our hearts —Akeredolu
N Professor Wole us.
OBEL Laureate,
Soyinka has described
That is why I’m here.
I want the Governor to
last Sunday’s massacre of
worshippers in Owo,
Ondo state as a message
to the people and the re-
sponse of the people
would be that they were
not slaves. Professor Soy-
inka made the remarks
when he paid a condo-
lence visit to Governor
Akeredolu in his office in
Akure yesterday over the
terror attack.
The Nobel laureate also
noted that the attack was
on Governor Akeredolu
who has been showing
leadership in terms of in-
ternal liberation.
His words: “He (Gov
Akeredolu) was targeted
and there is no question
about that. It was not an
accident, and it is passing
a massage to the rest of
gress, APC, on the delegates team who attended
•Exposes identity of arms suppliers
Monday through Wednesday’s Special National Con-
rifle from him for N370,000.
For the ammunition, a 30-
round was sold by one Yaku-
bu Joshua for N30,000,
sometimes it could be
N160,000, depending on
one’s power of bargain”.
Kidnapped victims
Abubakar, who stated that
he had participated in three
different kidnap operations,
highlighted some of them.
He said “We kidnapped one
Challa in Bokkos. That work
was given to us by Yakubu
Joshua. We took the victim to
Mangar Forest where he
spent one day with a ransom
of N700,000 paid before he
was released. I got N75,000
as my share.”
“The second operation was
at the Plateau State Univer-
sity ,Bokkos, where we kid-
napped three female students.
We took them to Mangar for-
est and demanded N300,000
ransom.
Six of us: Annas Ilya, Iliya-
su Saidu (a.k.a. Yellow), Bad-
amasi Ardo Yakubu, Sky
Bokkos , Zaki Bokkos and
myself participated in that
operation. They spent a day
with us. We raped them inside
the bush before releasing
them and gave them stern
•From left: High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe newly promoted Otun
Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja and High Chief Kola Adeg-
bola after his promotion by Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Mohood Olalekan Ba-
logun. Photo: by Dare Fasube
“I have been on this is-
sue for quite some times.
know that we have re-
ceived the message. We
understand it and we came
to sympathize with him
that he was selected as a
medium of that message.
“So, the answer we must
give to the message we all
received is that we are not
slaves. Here, on our own
soil, having had the expe-
rience of century of dis-
dain, contempt about us
as black people. Again
some characters come
along calling themselves
whatever, ISWAP, Boko
Haram. So, all those
groups including those
who are just opportunists
- the herdsmen, they are
making a mistake. I want
the Governor to realize
they are making a mis-
take.
warning not to make men-
tion of the rape, otherwise
we would come the second
time and do worse . I got
N50,000 as my share.
“The third operation was
the kidnapping of a Challa
man at Ampak village in
Mangar Local Government
Area of Plateau State. We
took him to Tamushu Forest
where he also spent one day
with us after collecting
N300,000 ransom. Yakubu
Joshua gave us the job and
six of us participated.
When the victim refused to
follow us, Sky shot him dead
in the compound with an
AK47. Thereafter, we took his
elder brother and held him
captive for two days until
N300,000 ransom was paid
for his release. I also got
N50,000, as my share”.
Robberies
Apart from kidnappings,
he said, “ I also participat-
ed in armed robbery opera-
tions with Yellow, Badamo-
si, Sky, Zaki and Joshua,
along Mbot road, where we
robbed people of their cash,
phones and other valuables.
I got a share of N10,000
from that operation.
ka said.
Governor Akeredolu
This invasion has been on
and these herdsmen are
all over the forests. We are
dealing with people who
are obsessed with domi-
nation; it is in their blood,
it is in their creed, their
psyche that they need to
dominate. At a time we
thought it was Boko
Haram, we didn’t know
that Fulani herdsmen
were capitalising on the
fundamentalist insurgen-
cy and brutality.
“And that is why we see
a nexus of operation be-
tween ISWAP, Boko
Haram and Fulani herds-
men. They work singular-
ly, individually and they
work collectively. I know
Ondo State has always
been at the forefront of
awareness.” Prof. Soyin-
“ In another operation,
we broke into one shop at
Mangar . When the guard
fired some shots to scare us,
Badamosi shot him dead.
“ Again, we ambushed
some herders and robbed
three cows, took them to Jos
Town , where we sold them
to one Biran man living at
Kara Jos, for N200,000
each.”
Recovered arms, ammu-
nition Police sources hinted
that an Indian-made AK47
rifle with 23 rounds of live
ammunition were recovered
from the suspect.
Other arms and ammuni-
tion recovered from his gang
included: Two locally made
AK47 rifles with 10 rounds
of live ammunition; one lo-
cally-made SMG Gun with
33 rounds of 9mm live am-
munition; two locally-made
G3 gun and two locally-
made Barreta pistols.
In addition were 33
rounds of live ammunition
for the AK47 rifle and 33
rounds of 9mm live ammu-
nition for the locally made
SMG.
Police sources hinted that”
the suspects have been giv-
ing us useful information
about their criminal activi-
ties and tactics . They would
be charged to court soon.
appreciated the Nobel
laureate for the condo-
lence visit, saying that
the state would remain
hugely indebted to him.
“It is a cause that he has
dedicated his life to, and I
thank God for his life. The
state wants to appreciate
you for finding time to
come at this hour of grieve.
This is like a dagger drawn
to our heart, and it is an
assault on our psyche. The
psyche of those of us in the
South-West and Western
Region.
“I think they think they
can create some fears in us
but they made a mistake
because this will make us
more fierce in our condem-
nation of their actions. And
we are not hiding it.” Gov-
ernor Akeredolu said.
APC CONVENTION TRAGEDY: Rivers
delegation lost two lives in Abuja
auto crash – Dakuku Peterside
vention have been confirmed dead in an Abuja auto crash
in which others are nursing various serious injuries.
The tragedy was confirmed yesterday in a condolence
reflection by former Rivers APC governorship candidate,
Dakuku Peterside, who expressed shock over the inci-
dent said to have happened along Gwagwalada Road as
the victim set on the return journey to Port Harcourt.
Peterside’s condolence note avoided revealing names
of the victims, but reports emerging indicated that the
dead include Secretary of APC, Akuku Toru Local Gov-
ernment Area, Onimitein Vincent Samuel who report-
edly died Friday morning.
Peterside, in grief, said, “Even as it is natural to grief
when death strikes in families like in this instance, I
have the confidence that the sacrifices they made in their
lifetime to build the APC in their respective local chap-
ters into a viable democratic institution, shall not be in
vain.
“They have planted, completed their parts and left
though leaving us in tears, but their democratic creden-
tials should always spur us to greater service.”
He tasked APC faithful in Rivers State to rally round
the bereaved families as they left young wives and chil-
dren, even as he noted that if there was any time APC in
Rivers State must show love to them, it was now.
CBN to sell N1.2trn Treasury Bills
by Q3’22
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
T
HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, said it will sell
N1.2 trillion worth of Treasury Bills (TBs) in the
third quarter of 2022 (Q3’22).
The apex bank disclosed this in its Nigeria Treasury
Bills Issue Programme for Q3’22.
TBs are short term debt instruments used by CBN to
borrow money from the public on behalf of the federal
government. The apex bank also uses TBs to control
money supply in the economy.
The TBs would be issued in tranches with the first
tranche rolled out on June 2, 2022, while the last tranche
is scheduled for August 25, 2022.
During the period, the apex bank will issue TBs worth
N33.4 billion on 91 days tenor, N22.9 billion on 182
days and N1.17 trillion on 364 days.
A breakdown of the programme revealed that in June,
the apex bank plans to sell N376.05 billion worth of
TBs, comprising N22 billion worth of 91 days bills, N4.05
billion worth of 182 days bills, and N350 billion worth
of 364 days bills.
In July, CBN plans to sell N407.48 billion worth of
TBs comprising N6.7 billion worth of 91 days bills, N4.98
billion worth of 182 bills and N395.8 billion worth of
364 days bills.
In August, CBN plans to sell N446.12 billion worth of
TBs comprising N4.57 billion worth of 91 days bills,
N12.85 billion worth of 182 bills and N428.7 billion
worth of 364 days bills.
Doctors barricade Abia govt house,
demand release of kidnapped colleague
•Give 48-hour ultimatum
By Steve Oko
D OCTORS in Abia State, Friday barricaded the major
entrance gate to the Government House Umuahia, de-
manding the immediate release of their Kidnapped colleague,
Professor Uwadinachi Iweha. Professor Iweha was Kidnapped
on Sunday, June 6, 2022 inside his dark-blue Highland Jeep
while driving out of his house at Umuokpara in Umuahia South
Local Government Area.
The doctors who carried placards with various inscriptions
such as:”Doctors lives matter”, “Dr Iweha should be released to
his family”, “ Doctors have the right to live”, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the doctors during the peaceful protest,
Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Abia State
chapter, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, said that the abduction of the
medical doctor had thrown the medical community in the state
into confusion and apprehension. He expressed concern that
since the sad incident on Sunday, every effort made towards
securing his release from the captors had not yielded any fruit.
The doctors sought the Government’s urgent intervention to
rescue their Kidnapped colleague, while decrying the rate of
abductions in the country.
The NMA Chairman, threatened that if after 48 hours their
Kidnapped member were not released, doctors across the state
might have no other option than to down tools as their safety
could no longer be guaranteed in the state.
Dr Iweha was kidnapped exactly two weeks after the Prelate
of Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Uche
and two other clerics traveling with him were abducted by un-
known gunmen suspected to be herders around Lokpa axis of
Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway. The Prelate who was released
two days later after a ransom of N100 million was paid, alleged
that his captors were Fulani herdsmen.
Meanwhile, the NMA Chairman later read a communiqué
issued at the end of an emergency general meeting of the med-
ical body held at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia before
the protest. According to the communiqué jointly signed by the
Chairman, Dr. Okwuonu, and the Secretary, Dr Robinson Ug-
wuanyi, NMA said it had worked tirelessly but without success
to secure release of Prof. Iweha.

•Ifeanyi Okowa •Chief James Ibori
AFTERMATH OF 2023 PRIMARIES:
Ibori, Imoke’s
silence alarms
Delta, C’River
PDP stakeholders
•Okowa, Oborevwori, Esiso, PDP leaders plan rapprochement
•Wike, Amaechi broaden enemy grounds in Rivers
•Akponudoedehe refuses to bow to Akpabio in A’Ibom
By Emma Amaize, Regional
Editor, South-South, Egufe
Yafugborhi, Ike Uchechukwu
and Chioma Onuegbu
P
REVALENT strategic muteness of two
former governors, Chief James Ibori and
Senator Liyel Imoke, more than two
weeks after the just-concluded primaries of
their political party, Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, have evoked dissimilar signals to
stakeholders in the ruling and opposition
parties in their states, Delta and Cross-River
States respectively.
The sway of the primaries on political
godfathers and stakeholders in the South-South
is not only in Edo and Cross River, in Rivers
state, the detached battles by the governor,
Nyesom Wike and former Minister of
Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, to
control the structures of their parties ahead
the 2023 elections have stretched out the
gradient of their political rivals.
While in Akwa Ibom state where Governor
Udom Emmanuel has seemingly managed to
tame the intra-party rebellion over his choice
of PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator John
Akponudoedehe has bluntly refused to
succumb to former Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, decamping
from All Progressives Congress, APC, to New
Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, to pick its
governorship ticket.
•Sen. Liyel Imoke
PDP leaders design
meeting Ibori, others
Since the May 25 governorship primary in
Delta state, many stakeholders expected that
as a national leader of the party in the state,
Ibori should have publicly congratulated a
member of the Ibori political family from
his senatorial district, Rt. Hon Sheriff
Oborevwori, who won the 2023 governorship
ticket, but he is not known to have done that.
His failure to do that has raised concern
among PDP stakeholders, who wonder if he
was going to be apathetic to party’s affairs
because his preferred governorship candidate
lost.
Leaders of the rival All Progressives Congress,
APC, are, however, happy with anything that
suggests that the governor, Senator Ifeanyi
Okowa, is having problem with Ibori, as that
will give them the chance to lobby Ibori to
support the gubernatorial ambition of a former
member of Ibori political family, Senator Ovie
Omo-Agege, who is the 2023 All Progressives
Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the
state.
PDP tacticians do not, however, see how Ibori
will leave the party for another after his
associate, Chief Ighoyota Amori, became the
PDP senatorial candidate in Delta Central and
his daughter, Hon Erhitake Ibori-Suenu the
PDP House of Representatives candidate for
Ethiope federal constituency. A host of his
other loyalists also won PDP tickets.
Unconfirmed reports that few privileged
leaders of the party went to the 2023
Presidential Candidate of the party, Alhaji
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—9
Senate emerged the party’s 2023 governorship
candidate. Nobody knows Imoke’s mind at
the moment.
Imoke’s desired candidate, Senator
Gershom Bassey, who lost to Onor has not
also acknowledged the standard-bearer,
whereas Daniel Asuquo, Sir Arthur Jarvis
Archibong and other aspirants that
lost out have congratulated him. The
situation has, indeed, generated a lot
of bad blood in the party.
As it stands the leader of the party
remains Sen. Imoke but the complete
structure is definitely not under his
total control any longer. Already some
aspirants that lost were said to be
lobbying to become running mate.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers
state was understood to be a friend
and godfather to Onor, which gives
him auxiliary strength.
Cross River state had been a PDP
state since 1999, but became an APC
ruled state on May 20, 2021,
following the open defection of
Governor Ben Ayade, elected on its
platform in 2015.
Ayade who allegedly wanted his
Commissioner for Finance, Asuquo
Ekpeyong Jr. to take over from him
did not have his way as most of the
gubernatorial aspirants kicked
against his plan.
Etubom Bassey Ndem led the
Akpabio protest but Sen. Bassey Otu
•Sen. Godswill
eventually emerged as a consensus
candidate.
Wike, Amaechi thicken
enemy range
The political set-up in Rivers state
is hard-hitting after Governor Wike
and Rt. Hon Amaechi practically
decreed immediate past Accountant
General of Rivers state, Sim Fubara,
and billionaire investor, Tonye Cole,
as PDP and APC gubernatorial
candidates correspondingly.
No politician in the state can
openly challenge the supremacy of
Wike and Amaechi in their parties.
Member representing Bonny/
Degema federal constituency and the
only Rivers PDP member, who dared
Wike on power sharing in the party
is currently languishing in a Port -
Harcourt Correctional Center. Kept
on remand, he is standing trial for
alleged criminal breaches over
which he pleaded not guilty.
For APC which went into her
primary under lingering Amaechi
and Sen. Magnus Abe’s feud, party
•Sen. John stakeholders loyal to Abe publicly
declared they would not support
Akpanudoedehe Amaechi’s presidential bid,
declaring support, instead for Bola
Tinubu.
The primaries may have altered
permutations towards the general
elections, however, the circle of
aggrieved persons widened within
ruling PDP and opposition APC.
Akpanudoedehe,
Akpabio feud rages
The people of Akwa Ibom state
are watching to see how the
pyrotechnics between Senator John
Akpanudoedehe, who dumped APC
because of the Akpabio to pick
NNPP gubernatorial ticket will end
in 2023.
At the time of this report, there
was no sign that former Minister
of Petroleum, Chief Don Etiebet,
Mr. Umana Okon Umana,
Archbishop Sam Akpan
and Augustine Ekanem who
were in Akpanudoedehe- led
faction in APC before his defection
Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja to work
against nomination of Governor
would join forces with Akpabio,
whose camp produced current
Okowa as his running mate APC gubernatorial standard-
rankled some stakeholders, who bearer, Akan Udofia.
insisted that matters arising Although Udofia joined the
from the primaries should be APC in less than three weeks to
quickly resolved.
Sources told Saturday the primary, he was able to beat
other formidable contestants
Vanguard that Governor
Okowa, who respects Ibori as his because of Akpabio’s relationship
with the national leadership of the
political mentor has initiated
rapprochement moves to reach party.
out to not just Ibori, but also other In the ruling PDP, there is
uncommon quietness since the
party leaders and aspirants, who
felt offended one way or the other conclusion of the gubernatorial
in the course of the primaries. primary, but Governor
Selected leaders of the party Emmanuel was putting in place
have been contacted and were machinery to bring all aggrieved
putting finishing touch to the aspirants, stakeholders and
reconciliation plan. Also, the indeed all members back into the
gubernatorial candidate, party.
Oborevwori and state party Although there are 18
chairman, Olorogun Kingsley registered political parties in
Esiso were reportedly in touch Akwa Ibom State, checks
with Okowa on resolution revealed that not all have
strategies. nominated there governorship
candidates as at the time of filing
Still difficult to this report. So far, gubernatorial
candidates for the 2023 general
figure out Imoke elections in the state are Pastor
In Cross River where former Umo Eno (PDP), Mr. Akan
governor Imoke has been a Udofia (APC), Arc. Ezekiel Nya-
godfather since the inception of etok (ADC) Mr. Nyeneime Andy,
PDP, the political avatar has also Young Progressives Party (YPP)
not uttered a word since Senator and Senator John James
Sandy Onor representing
Akpanudoedehe (NNPP).
Central senatorial district in the
10—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
DELTA 2023:
Ibori political
family steady
but shaken
•What transpired was family affair, nobody betrayed
the other – Okubor, Chief Political Strategist
Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South
D
I D Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, tell it as it is when he said
weeks before the just- concluded Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP primaries in Delta State that the famed Ibori PDP
political family commanded by a former governor of the state, Chief
James Ibori, was still intact and the noticeable spectacles
were all politics? In his words: “The Ibori family as you
call it is still intact, the PDP family in Delta State is
still intact, and whatever you are seeing at the
moment is just politics”.
Naked fact
To properly interrogate the matter, it is
pertinent to understand that Ibori had a
favorite candidate for the party’s 2023
governorship ticket, whom Okowa did not
give backing for palpable reason. The
governor also had a diversionary strategy
which his political mentor could not put
his finger on.
However, a PDP leader from Delta
South senatorial district, Chief Joseph
Otumara, who tried to diagnose the
opinionated disorder, earlier in April,
stated that close to every election year in
the state, the party usually faced turbulent
times in nominating its governorship
standard- bearers.
”I have discovered that close to this
period, governors find themselves in a
tough position, even during the period of
ex-governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, it
was not an easy thing, and we are seeing a
second one in this new political
dispensation.
“The truth is that you cannot arrive at
a compromise, which everybody is
agreeing on a particular person, you must
go to the field to test your popularity.
“And once that is done, any candidate
that emerges will have the ears of every
PDP member. Politics is about number,
voting, scheming, calculation, secret deal
and all that and they can be arranged at
the end of the day”, the senior politician
adumbrated.
Mystifying
game of power
Okowa’s claim that the machinations
were all politics could be discerned from
Otumara’s illumination but what
remained to be seen after the leaders tested
their popularity in the May 25
governorship primary that threw up the
Speaker, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori as
the party ’s gubernatorial standard-
bearer, is the ensuing backslapping and
merriment.
Sometime in May 2021, the governor
observing the scramble by leaders and
stakeholders to produce his
successor, cautioned: “We are politicians
and politics will have to be played. I can
see that a lot has been on in our dear state,
especially the scramble on who will
replace
Ifeanyi Okowa
Dr.
come 2023.”
“Unfortunately,
some are not
even patient,
they started
t h e i r
campaigns in
the first three
months of my
second term in office.
“I want to charge our leaders and
people to be cautious because politics is
such that if you do not read it rightly, you
will directly throw your people into fire.”
When it finally came to brass-tacks in
2022, Okowa who had understudied the
people and understood that politics is a
game of power devised elusive and
democratic yet crafty tactics to achieve
his purpose.
He enchanted challengers that sought
to trap him through direct mode by
undertaking ultimate power using knock-
on technique. As a rule in the power game,
you must keep you intentions obscured,
so Okowa disguised his targets and swung
smokescreens to distract competitors.
What bamboozled many was his
hovering and not landing all the period
he was expected to roost.
Losers, victors belong
to Ibori family
Though the governor and Ibori did not
strike any known compromise
on governorship candidate before the last
primary, when a similar scenario
emanated 2006 in the Ibori political
family, some top members, including
Okowa and Deputy Senate President and
current All Progressives Congress, APC
gubernatorial candidate in the
state, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege tackled
Ibori on his choice of successor until the
straddling tension was nipped.
The Ibori political family cringed
again in 2014 when Uduaghan picked an
outsider, the late Tony Obuh, as his
preferred gubernatorial candidate
until forces prevailed on him to dump
him for Olorogun David Edevbie, who lost
in 2014 to Okowa.
The family was not torn apart but
segregated into Uduaghan and Okowa
•Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa
camps till after the
primaries when the
members reunited.
In the last primary,
some of the unsuccessful
and successful aspirants,
including Hon Ejaife
Odebala and Oborevwori,
are all members of the
Ibori PDP family.
No, betrayal,
its family affair
—Dr. Okubor
Chief
Strategist
Political
to the
Government, Dr. Festus
Okubor, explained to
Saturday Vanguard: “Yes,
the PDP political family
founded from the days of
Grassroots Democratic
Movement, GDM, is very
intact. The family is made
of self-willed and self-
elected politicians driven
by an undying
determination for the
continued betterment of
our state, Delta.”
“As politicians, we are
bound to have differing
opinions on issues and
when not able to agree, a
division is called and the
majority position becomes
the position of the group
and we soldier on from
there.
“That was what
happened in the primaries
and the leader of the party,
having ensured a Delta structure to overwhelm any
remarkably free and fair
primaries for every member to express his
position, the majority position on all
offices have been made known and as
usual, we soldier on from there. You will
note the peaceful nature of the primaries.
”That was evidence that horns were not
locked in any fight anywhere. It was a
family affair. The openness, fairness and
transparency of the primaries also make
you not hear of protestations and
petitions. Everyone was a winner in the
true sense of political family affairs.
Edevbie was not the issue. The issue was
for us to choose a candidate and that done,
we were all successful, including
Edevbie.”
On allegation that the governor
betrayed Ibori, he chuckled: “Betray? I do
not understand, Sheriff Oborevwori is a
member of Ibori political family. And he
is the choice of the entrusted delegates and
now the party ’s candidate. It was a
family affair and there was no one to be
betrayed. Okowa did no wrong.”
Clout game continues
in Abuja
C o n t r a ry to Okubor ’s position, a
member of the Ibori family who did not
deflate the claim that the collection was
intact, maintained that the governor
stunned Ibori, who is
understandably livid at
Edevbie’s rejection.
Since Oborevwori emerged
as the party’s 2023 candidate,
Ibori has not publicly passed
on good wishes to him or
Okowa, the party leader and
top shot of the Ibori political
family for the fruitful exercise.
An informed source, who
hinted Saturday Vanguard
that Okowa and Ibori only
met after the Delta
primaries at Abuja and
there was no conversation
on Oborevwori’s emergence
between then, added: “Okowa
still hold Ibori in awe even
with the outcome of the
governorship primaries and
would continue to maintain the
respect, characteristic of his level
headed temperament.”
An ally in whom Ibori is well-
pleased and the party ’s Delta
Central senatorial candidate, Chief
Ighoyota Amori, has, however, by
his conduct showed the Ibori
family was intact as Okowa
asserted. He was right
there at Government
House Chapel,
Asaba with
O k o w a ,
Oborevwori
and others to
thank God
immediately
after the May
2
governorship
5
primary.
Amori,
who is the
chairman of
D e l t a
Central-
2023, the
D e l t a
Central senatorial district lobby group for
2023 PDP governorship ticket was with
Oborevwori when the latter received his
Certificate of Return as the party ’s
governorship candidate, Tuesday, in
Abuja. His look revealed his happiness
with Oborevwori.
It is possible that after the politics of
running mate to the Presidential
Candidate of the party, Alhaji Abubakar
Atiku, which both Ibori and Okowa are
thickly involved in Abuja, but with
divergent sentiments, the twosome who
know that politics is game of power will
return home to put Ibori house in order
for 2023.
APC waits for
tactical opening
Doing otherwise will be positioning the
arena for ex- members of the family: APC
gubernatorial candidate in the state,
Senator Omo-Agege; Delta North APC
senatorial candidate and former state
chairman, PDP, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi;
current Delta state APC chairman, Elder
Omeni Sobotie; and former Chief Political
Strategist to the Delta State Government
and APC vice chairman, Delta Central
senatorial district, Chief Paulinus Akpeki,
to throw PDP out of Government House,
Asaba in 2023.
Ibori won’t
make such slip
D r. Okubor dismissed such an
unpleasant development, saying: “Ibori
is a foremost PDP leader. He is very large-
hearted and a team leader. He will work
assiduously for the party’s victory at all
elections. In the family, we have great
disciplined minds and overwhelming pan-
opponent or combination of opponents.”
 SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—11
for concern will be highlighted.

“NEXT LEVEL IS
PURE ANARCHY
“The Katsina State Government has
cancelled all activities lined up for the
inauguration ceremony of the new

What I predicted
administration in the state.”

PUNCH, May 24,

2019, p 2.
The government gave its reasons.

about Tinubu, Atiku,

“The decision on a low-key celebration
was taken following the unfortunate
incessant attacks by bandits in some
areas of the state which led to the
death of many people and left several

Nigeria
others injured or homeless.” Katsina, it
needs to be repeated, is Buhari’s own

Buhari,
state. Unless charity no longer begins
at home, we have the scary scenario of
a leader who cannot defend his own
home assuring the rest of us of our
safety. Anarchy is here. When Buhari
is sworn in on May 29, 2019 for his
second term (which cannot end soon
enough for me) his state would have
been on record for posterity as the first
state to succumb to the dictates of
BY DR. DELE SOBOWALE hoodlums – now called bandits. When,
“Prophets are accustomed to being ignored.” Anonymous. a few weeks ago, the article FROM
BEGGING TO BANDITRY: REVOLT
Accurate prophecy is a divine gift; it should not be OF THE ALMAJIRIS was published, a
commercialised. I am a prophet in a small Church, but, I lot of things were deliberately omitted
from the facts presented in order not to
don’t do it for profit. I announce what the spirit directs only; frighten too many Fellow Nigerians –
no more no less. That is why my predictions are always especially those who we were told
provided Buhari’s winning margin.
precise and almost always true. Here are a few. There are Katsina was one of them. Close to
more for 2023 ready to be released. They all point in one ninety-eight per cent of the voters
there voted for their “Baba”. I have
direction. NIGERIA bad news for them. A Baba is
supposed to take good care of his kids
in any society. Otherwise he is
unworthy to be called “Father”. The
NEEDS A LOT government’s submission to the will of
OF PRAYERS. bandits is the beginning of more state
What follows was published in the surrender of power to unelected
SUNDAY VANGUARD in August 2021 governments called warlords
– eight months ago. controlling certain areas of the state.
Let me cite another one.
Unknown to Nigerians and perhaps
“ATIKU VERSUS also unknown to their Baba, the
TINUBU IN 2023 criminals have already CHANGED the
annual farming calendar in the state.
UNLESS… 1 Hitherto, farmers, mostly women, start
“If you don’t know where you are as early as the end of harmatan to
going; you’ll wind up somewhere prepare the land for a new year. This
else.” year, not only in Katsina but in all the
Yogi Bera, US Comedian. states of the North, the bandits have
Ask many non card-carrying citizens already driven millions of subsistent
about the two major political parties in farmers off the land.”
Nigerian today, they will probably tell
you that the All Progressives
Congress, APC, and the
THEN ON JANUARY 1,
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 2022 YOU READ THIS IN
have failed the country since SATURDAY VANGUARD.
return to civil rule in 1999. The article was submitted a week
Some will even offer the before the end of December 2021.
opinion that we need a third Specifically, on exchange rate here
party – in order to make a clean was the forecast.
break from the past. If you “exchange rate will rise over $600/
believe them, then you must be US$1.”
ready for a surprise in 2023. •Atiku •Buhari This was the forecast in the section
Unless certain events occur,
•Tinubu
under ECONOMY. To be candid, I
then you might as well brace was expecting the country to reach
yourself for a contest between that dreadful milestone by August.
two old men of Nigerian for that projection, permit me BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ p 20. But, here we are in June and the rate
politics in 2023 – Alhaji to say that this is not my wish. These are the battalion commanders in at the parallel market is already N610/
Abubakar Atiku as candidate of But, the unfolding political Nigerian politics as we move towards US$1. Prices are spiralling out of
the PDP and Alhaji Ahmed drama – including behind the 2023.” control. Next level for exchange rate –
Tinubu as the candidate of the scenes activities – indicates
N650/US$1.
APC. My advice to those that the people of Nigeria
would have been boxed into a
THIS WAS WRITTEN
opposed to any of those as
successors to Buhari is simple. corner resulting in only these IN MAY 2019 WHO WILL
If you don’t want it, start options. Certainly, the usual Just before Buhari started his second
term; after Nigerians were lured into
WIN IN 2023?
working hard now. When a adventurers, independent Unless something unexpected
candidates and third party the trap by the slogan of ”Next
thunderstorm is predicted, it is happens to the two men of “calibre
aspirants will contest. They Level”, this was published to warn
of no use to insult the Weather and timber”, the next President will be
will have no chance. “God is Nigerians. Today, most Nigerians will
Forecaster on television. Get one of them. I know you are curious to
always on the side of the big agree that we are experiencing the
ready to do the needful to know who. But, that declaration now
battalions. Marshall Turene, closest thing to pure anarchy now.
protect yourself. will spoil the game for everybody. You
1611-1675, VANGUARD Read first and the some of the causes
Before going into the reasons will soon read it in VANGUARD.
12—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
APC: The intrigues that
swallowed up Buhari’s
secret candidate
By Emmanuel Aziken
A t the beginning of the final full year of his
administration, President Muhammadu
Buhari had in one of the interviews he granted
Channels Television in January 2022 said that he
had a preferred successor whose identity he would
safeguard to protect such from political or physical
harm.
Buhari with the air of an authoritative leader
who knew where he was going had said he had a
potential successor whose identity would remain a
secret.
“No, I wouldn’t say because he may be eliminated
if I mention. I better keep it,” the President stated in
the interview aired on January 5, 2022.
However, as the nation progressed, the president
appeared to demur in May when after the Eid-el-
fitr prayers he told reporters that he had no preferred
successor.
His assertion of a lack of a succession agenda in
the consideration of many was in keeping with
diplomatic and political culture. After all, no leader
would be expected to show forth his hand even
before the beginning of the game.
Whatever, the general inclination was that the
president and those who form the powerful cabal
around him were not inclined to some particular
persons as a successor.
Among those severally mentioned were Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu and his protegee, Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo.
Multiple reasons were speculated for the
opposition to Tinubu. However, no evidence was
produced by his opponents to back their claims
against the former Lagos State governor.
Indeed, a powerful cabinet member from the
Northwest was known to have for about two years
up till recently held monthly meetings with selected
powerful political actors with a representative from
each state of the country with the single aim to
stop Tinubu.
Vice-President Osinbajo was also not reckoned
with essentially because of actions he took as acting
president in 2018 which the cabal felt undermined
it.
As the reality of the transition dawned, Tinubu
was about the first to make an open declaration for
the succession when he visited the president to
inform him of his intentions in January.
Expectations from the Tinubu camp that Buhari
would pay back the favour that the former Lagos
State governor gave when he backed Buhari in
2014 were far-fetched.
The most that Tinubu asked for was for a level
playing ground from the president. That too was
apparently not forthcoming.
In the days following Tinubu’s consultation with
the president several others also approached the
president for the same deed with all going about
with the claim that they were encouraged.
An indication that Buhari was determined to
have his way in the succession came when the
president threw up Abdullahi Adamu as the
national chairman of the party.
It was a last minute move that seemed to cause
dread in the Tinubu camp. Before Adamu emerged,
Senator Tanko Al-Makura had appeared the major
candidate for the chairmanship of the party. His
bid was pushed by elements in the old Congress for
Progressive Change, CPC who thought that with
him as national chairman that the Buharists would
have a sort of refuge in the post Buhari years.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that the Tinubu camp
was also quick to seize the initiative, with the
permutation that a national chairman from the old
CPC would help to push the argument for the
presidential candidate to come from the old Action
Congress of Nigeria, ACN from where Tinubu came.
There were allegations that Tinubu quickly
moved in to support al-Makura even while still
subtly supporting his old friend, George Akume for
the same position. However, as the election
approached, word apparently leaked to the
presidency that Tinubu was quietly in bed with al-
Makura and the chairmanship project became
doomed despite the huge investment already made.
Meanwhile, the powerful club of governors who
were mostly from outside the old CPC bloc were
also trying to get their foothold on the party ahead
of the national convention. So, away from the
popular campaigns done by al-Makura, Akume,
Senator Ali Sheriff among others, they quietly
zeroed in on Alhaji Bawa Bwari, former minister of
solid minerals.
Bwari, a former chief whip of the House of
Representatives between 1999 and 2007 was
popular among all the different tendencies. And
that actually appeared to be a problem too because
he related well with Osinbajo and Tinubu, two
men who had been zeroed in not to get the APC
presidential ticket by the cabal.
However, as the final days of the National
•Buhari
Convention approached last March, the governors
appeared for once to put aside their differences and
worked out a unity list for the offices available at
the national convention. They shared it among
themselves and out of courtesy left the position of
national chairman for the president who threw in
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, a former prominent
stalwart of the PDP.
Out of the six names put forward by the cabal,
only that of the national chairman was approved in
the unity list, a reason for which many claimed
delayed the president’s appearance at the
convention ground last March. The cabal it was
said wanted to call off the bluff of the governors by
aborting the convention by the president’s absence.
However, the president insisted and went for the
convention.
The bounce from the convention appeared to
strengthen the governors who now felt that they
had the momentum leading to the presidential
primary. Having given the president the national
chairman, the long quest of the governors to provide
the presidential candidate and running mate from
their midst seemed about a foregone conclusion.
Meanwhile, the emergence of Adamu as a
national chairman was received as a big blow by
the Tinubu camp which saw him as a mortal foe.
“Asiwaju and this man (Abdullahi Adamu) have
never crossed paths, they are not friends,” a source
within the Tinubu camp disclosed. For them, the
emergence of Adamu was a calculated move by
the presidency to shoot Tinubu down.
Adamu did not hide his inclinations in any way.
First, he appeared to demur on the issue of rotation
of the presidency to the South and when he saw
an opportunity for the kill after the Tinubu Abeokuta
verbal missile, he threatened Tinubu with
sanctions.
Meanwhile, the president despite the claim earlier
in May of not having a preferred successor on the
last day of the month opened up in a meeting with
the governors to allow him choose a successor.
In a meeting with the governors on May 31
Buhari said, “In keeping with the established
internal policies of the Party and as we approach
the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to
solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors
and other stakeholders in picking my successor,
who would fly the flag of our party for election into
the office of the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria in 2023.
“We gave governors re-election tickets or
opportunity to pick their successors; allow me pick
my successor.”
The basis of the plea was also primed on the fact
that the governors had the delegates, having
supervised the emergence of the three ad-hoc
delegates per state for the presidential primary.
Meanwhile, the presidency continued to dilly-
dally on the issue of the ticket apparently wanting
to pounce on the last minute against the governors
as it did in the case of the national chairman.
The presidency also saw the division in the camp
of the governors as some of them were with Fayemi,
others with Tinubu. Governors Yahaya Bello, Ben
Ayade, and Dave Umahi were on their own.
Unlike the last national convention when the
governors were able to share different offices among
themselves, there was not much to share this time.
It was just one ticket and this made it possible for
there to be division not to go as a united front
against the president.
However, for many of the Northern governors,
personal interest and political expediency also
appeared to favour a push to the South. The only
serious candidate from the region was Senator
Ahmad Lawan. Lawan initially was believed to be a
prop for Tinubu, a move that made the Fayemi
camp to urge Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa
to also pick up the form. It was only later that they
would learn that Lawan was on his own mission.
For some geopolitical reasons, the Hausa Fulani
oligarchy could also not contemplate, Lawan, who
is Bade, a minority of minorities arising to empower
Northern minorities as president. Even more, many
of the governors were also fixed on becoming vice
president to a Christian president who they were
priming to be Fayemi.
What appeared to be the first punch against the
presidency from the camp of the governors was the
communique issued by the Northern Governors
last Saturday in which they resolved that power
should shift to the south.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our
firm conviction that after eight years in office of
President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential
candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should
be one of our teeming members from the southern
states of Nigeria.
“It is a question of honour for the APC, an
obligation that is not in anyway affected by the
decisions taken by another political party. We affirm
that upholding this principle is in the interest of
building a stronger, more united and more
progressive country,” the governors submitted.
Following that communique the governors also
met with the president during which he asked for
five names. After receiving the list of five names
which included Osinbajo, Tinubu, Fayemi,
Amaechi, and Governor Dave Umahi, the president
still did not act on it prompting suspicion in the
camp of the governors who now started preparing
a Plan B.
It was while they were considering this that on
Monday the national chairman told members of
the NWC that he had received the name of Senator
Ahmad Lawan from the president as the consensus
candidate.
Outraged members of the NWC hit back at the
chairman, immediately leaked it to the governors
who rallied together to confront the president who
promptly denied Adamu.
It was at this point that the governors reportedly
triggered their plan B for a powerful individual to
fight off Lawan.
While Osinbajo had appeared as the most likely
beneficiary of the revolt, the fact that he was part of
the Buhari government appeared not to favour
him as the fighter needed.
At that point too, Southwest political leaders who
had been in constant meetings with their northern
colleagues also brought pressure on aspirants from
the region to step down. There were reports of
deals made at the last minute and on the
convention ground that involved governors North
and south which appeared to have also helped the
Tinubu campaign. Saturday Vanguard does not
have evidence of the nature of the deals whether
financial or political that was made to swing
loyalties.
The reality of Lawan becoming the candidate
appeared to have been the momentum that stirred
the rebellion on the convention ground.
Meanwhile, besides the deals that the Tinubu
camp worked out, the camp also had a strong
relationship with a key player within the inner
circle of the president. That person was said to
have also played a key role in keeping the president
away while the governors fought off Adamu and
allowed for Tinubu to gain the momentum.
So, the president even if he had sent Adamu or
not to sell Lawan had to watch agape, sitting down
as a duck as the momentum went the way of
Tinubu. It is no wonder that as the convention
finished that Buhari is this weekend being
described as the lame duck president.
Buhari inaugurates
Presidential Council on
e-Government
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
P RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Fri
day in Abuja inaugurated the Presiden-
tial Council on Digital Economy and E-gov-
ernment, promising that his administration
will continue to take advantage of digital tech-
nologies to transform every sector of the econ-
omy.
The President directed the Minister of Com-
munications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa
Ali Ibrahim Pantami, to chair the Council on
his behalf and give him regular updates.
President Buhari tasked members of the
Council to work towards further strengthen-
ing the capacity of government to develop,
adopt and deploy digital technologies to make
government more efficient and transparent,
thereby improving Nigeria’s global standing
in the ease of doing business index.
The President noted that the Council, whose
members have been arrived at after a pains-
taking and thorough process, would provide
the oversight needed to bring about a verita-
ble structure for accelerating achievements in
digital economy and in the implementation
of e-government in the country.
He enjoined every member of the Council to
consider the task as a national assignment and
justify the trust reposed in their ability to sup-
port and significantly enhance the digital trans-
formation of Nigeria.
He said, ‘‘I launched the National Digital
Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) on the
28th of November, 2019 and expanded the
mandate of the then Ministry of Communica-
tions to include Digital Economy.
‘‘The implementation of that policy and
mandate has enabled us to achieve significant
progress and record a number of unprecedent-
ed achievements.
‘‘The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
the global economy showed that the steps we
took in developing and implementing NDEPS
were indeed timely.
‘‘For example, the Information and Com-
munications Technology sector was the fast-
est growing sector in both the fourth quarter
of 2020 and the entire year 2020, based on the
Report by the National Bureau of Statistics.
‘‘The sector’s 14.70% double-digit growth
rate was instrumental in supporting our coun-
try to exit the recession triggered by the COV-
ID-19 pandemic, far earlier than predicted by
experts.
‘‘The significant contribution of 17.92% by
the ICT sector to our GDP in the second quar-
ter of 2021 is another example of the impor-
tant impact of the digital economy on the over-
all economy.
‘‘In the same vein, the growth of our digital
economy sector enabled us to cope with the
effect of the lock-down as both activities of the
government and private sector, as well as edu-
cational activities, were able to move to on-
line platforms,’’ he said.
Furthermore, President Buhari expressed de-
light that the approval of the National Policy
on Virtual Engagements for Federal Public
Institutions has helped to formalise govern-
ment online meetings.
He noted that statutory meetings like the
Federal Executive Council (FEC), Council of
State, and other meetings can now effectively
and legally take place online.
He added that Nigeria’s progress in e-gov-
ernance has been noted by the international
community, eliciting recognition from inter-
national stakeholders including the appoint-
ment of the Minister of Communications and
Digital Economy as the Chairman of the 2022
Forum of the highly regarded World Summit
of the Information Society.
DITTCO graduates hold
Inaugural Get-Together
June 18
G RADUATES of the Divisional Teacher
Training College (DITTCO), Ikirun,
Osun State, have slated their inaugural get-
together for Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Ibadan
where they are expected to formally launch
the Old Students’ association and possibly
elect their first ever executives to run the af-
fairs of the body.
A statement from the interim National Pub-
licity Secretary of the association, Alhaji
Razaq Bamidele made available to the media
in Lagos Thursday, informed that, “After ex-
haustive deliberation on the issue of first batch
of 78/81 set inaugural meeting, the ad-hoc
planning committee has resolved to hold the
meeting on Saturday, June 18, 2022 by 11am
at T. L. Oyesina Model School, Monatan,
Along Ibadan-Iwo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Members are therefore urged to be punctu-
al as matters of personal and national inter-
ests would be discussed.

OWO MASSACRE:
Native leaders ‘ll henceforth
protect us, our churches
—Catholic Bishop
•Says, we know how to do it better, security
agencies can’t be trusted anymore
•No more confidence Buhari government
can protect anybody
•Yorubaland ‘ll not be like Zamfara, we
can’t be displaced from our land
Dayo Johnson Akure
A
s condemnations continued to trail the gruesome murder of over 50
worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state last
week, Saturday Vanguard cornered the Catholic Bishop of Ondo
Diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade. He lamented that the security
agencies acted dumb and unprofessional on the killings, and that
Nigerians and the church have lost confidence in the Buhari's
government securing them. He stressed the need to resort
to self defense.
Excerpts
H ow will you describe last weekend
attack at Saint Francis Catholic
Church in Owo by gunmen?
I’m very disappointed, very angry and
humiliated. In a country that has a history
of cohesion, unity, collaboration among
citizens, in a country that we have lived
together for more than 60 years as a nation
and having built this country together, all of
a sudden we are experiencing an
unprecedented division to the point that
tribes no longer trust one another. Just
within these few years, one tribe is trying to
dominate others, one religion is trying to
dominate another and the passion with
which a group within the entire nation is
working to overrun other parts of the country
is quite troubling because we all came
together and voted APC government into
power. So I feel disappointed that those we
elected into power in Nigeria are not
carrying out their primary responsibility.
Their number one responsibility is to protect
the lives and property of Nigerian citizens.
Are you comfortable with the promises
made by top government functionaries,
who visited the town to console with both
the victims and the church?
Again, how can we trust this kind of
government. They promise they would
rescue the Chibok girls but it was an empty
promise. This is the 7th year that promise
was made. They promised to arrest these
terrorists and some of those who were
arrested, they claimed they have
rehabilitated them and we know the result
of their rehabilitation but nothing has been
done to resettle those whose villages and
lands have been taken over. And if what we
are hearing in the news is true that these
villages have been renamed by this group of
people trooping into the country, so how can
we just sit down and feel that everything is
alright. Everything in Nigeria is not alright.
What is the official figure of the
casualties?
People have been asking me about the
figure of those who died. The figure that we
can account for presently is 38. But we know
that many people were taken to private
hospitals. Even some people came to take
the bodies of their loved ones. We are trying
to trace those people so that we can have a
recount for all. But in the catholic hospital
which is Saint Louis Hospital in Owo and
the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, we have
38 bodies. There were reports that the
security agencies failed to respond to distress
calls while the terrorists were operating in
the church. It is the same story all over
Nigeria. Even when it happened, we called
the military and the police who went there.
That night there were no security men in
that compound after all that happened. In
my little experience, when a place is a crime
scene, you have to secure the
place but you allowed the
whole crowd to mess up the
entire crime scene.
So, the police could not
secure the crime scene and
do proper investigation?
Do you know that it was
that God saved us? I don’t
want to say this because it
will embarrass the whole
nation. But the police later
discovered undetonated
explosives inside the church
after the attack. I went with
the governor to the church,
the police were with us, the
highest level of security
outfits in Nigeria were there.
We went through the entire
compound and left. But later
the anti-bomb squad came
in, just where we were
standing, they discovered
that there were two explosives
there and the police could
not recognize that we were
in danger at that point. God
forbid, if one of them had
exploded. This is what I’m
saying, there is a crisis in our
country, and that crisis is
begging and calling for
remedy, for experts to come
in and rectify the situation.
There is no country where
people behave like this.
What do you think went
wrong and your candid
advise
I understand when people
behave professionally and
when people play dumb.
Nigeria is a regional power.
We went to Sierra Leone,
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11 , 2022—13
Church on this unfortunate incident?
Catholic Bishops’ Conference has been
issuing communique upon communique
about the situation of Nigeria. We have even
threatened, we have used all kinds of strong
statements and what we get is just cold
silence. Even the entire country has screamed
that it has never happened that all the leaders
of all the military and para-military outfits
in Nigeria are headed by one tribe. The
President just ignored everybody, what kind
of thing is this? Do we still own this country?
What is this agenda about? I have called on
international community, I have called on
anyone that cares to listen and I have called
on Heads of States all over the world to
please ask the leadership of Nigeria what is
going on. Ask our President, sit him down
and ask him, this is not the Nigeria we used
to know.
You alleged during the visit by some
state governors that the attackers have
some powerful backers, what exactly do
you mean by this?
Everybody knows that, even the
government knows that. In the papers
sometimes ago, we read that UAE had
submitted the names behind this attacks
even to Nigeria. Some Nigerian Generals
have come out that they have identified those
behind this evil to government and cold
shoulder was turned to them. And that is
why I’m asking what is going on?
What is the church doing in respect of
the victims, many of them are groaning in
pains in different hospitals?
We are making all efforts at this point. We
have started to reach out to them to make
sure that they all have whatever they need.
Our hospital here in Owo are all occupied
fully and we are doing everything to make
sure that their needs are met in the shortest
time possible. Their treatments are going
on, surgeries have been done and nobody is
going to be charged for anything. I don’t
speak for the government but the church
will make sure that every bill is paid.
It’s a pity that Nigerians
seem not to believe in
this government
anymore as
regards securing
their lives, where
do we go from
here?
Nigerians no
longer trust their
government and
we have no
confidence that the
government can
protect anybody.
In that kind of
situation, you
protect yourself.
What happened in
Owo is a
challenge. I’m
challenged by the
N i g e r i a n
constitution, I’m
challenged by the
system. When the
system does not
• Bishop Jude work for me, I look
Arogundade for a way to work
for myself and that
is not against the
law, self protection
Liberia, and other places to fight; the same is not against the law. We will protect
Nigeria that other countries bow to her ourselves and we know how to do it better.
professionalism. All of a sudden, a group of
What’s your pastoral message to
thugs, criminals who infiltrated our country members
of the Catholic Church, Owo
are over running Nigerian military? This is My message to the entire catholic in Ondo
unacceptable.
Diocese and all over Nigeria is that this is
There’s this insinuation that the attack not new in the church. There has been
at Owo, the governor’s country home was persecution right from the time of Christ
a reprisal attack to cow the governor for who founded the church, persecution is part
of the history of the church, persecution
evicting Fulani herdsmen from the state.
Whatever reason those attackers have, they doesn’t weaken the church, it strengthens
didn’t have to do it in a church. Even in a the church. So that is my message that they
situation of war, people tried to avoid the should all be strong, that we will come out
churches and the mosques. Even in war of this stronger and vibrant.
ethics, when an enemy runs into a church or
mosque you leave him. You can surround affect Don’t you think this ugly incident will
the church programmes across the
the church and the mosque and wait until churches
he comes out. We even have it in Yoruba in the state.
We cannot even reach the security people
tradition. When a father is running to beat because
up his son or to punish his son and the son moment from nobody trust them anymore. Any
now, we will start to call native
runs to another elderly person, you dare not leaders, community
touch him because he is seeking refuge. We to protect themselves,leaders to begin to try
protect our churches.
have it in our culture. Anyone who goes into Yes, we do not have sophisticated
the church to seek refuge in the presence of way they have but we will do everything guns the
God, you dare not, you don’t do it. During within our own ability to secure all of our
war, you don’t even kill priests. Priests go environment.
into the war to administer sacrament. Two
enemies will lay down their guns and make
the priest attend to them. When the priest this What lesson has the church learnt from
incident?
leaves, they can start fighting again. This is
war ethics. In a war you do not kill children. theThere is no lesson to learn from evil but
church has always matched evil with
If you go and watch all the movies in this goodness.
world, no matter how dirty the movie is, a darkness with The church has always confronted
the light. So, the lesson that I
child may even carry gun and shoot a want all of us to
General and when the child is no longer protect ourselves. know is that we should all
armed, you take the child. But here, without to secure your life,Do whatever you can do
provocation, without any form of political members, your the lives of your family
business and your
agenda that the church have in this community so that we
environment, somebody will come from like Zamfara where the don’t become places
local natives have
nowhere to attack the church in order to been displaced to give way
make a point. What point is there to make? who are coming in, whichfor other people
What do they hope to achieve by this action? And I want the government is the agenda.
Whatever they hope to achieve, they never disprove that. This agenda to come out to
will not work
achieved anything.
because it is now very real and very clear to
What’s the position of the Catholic everybody.
14 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022

AFCON 2023 Qualifiers:

What Peseiro must know
5 big omissions from
about Sao Tome and
Peseiro’s first Super Principe, Guinea Bissau
Eagles squad list A fter the hard fought 2-1 victory against
Sierra Leone in Abuja Thursday, the Super
Eagles will now engage Sao Tome and
came against Togo ahead of the 2000 Ghana
and Nigeria co-hosted tournament. It,
however, ended in disappointment as they

J
ose Peseiro has released a 27-man list to prosecute the Super Eagles’
2023 AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome.
The squad list is Peseiro’s first in charge of the Nigeria national team
even though the Portuguese tactician had already taken charge of two
games.
PeseiroledNigeriaintworecentfriendliesagainstMexicoandEcuador
but the squad had already been selected before his appointment so it
technically was not his team.
Andnowwithhisdebutlist,theex-Portobosshasmadesomeinteresting
choices, especially with those not on the list. Here are the five most
notable omissions from Peseiro’s first Super Eagles list.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Principe in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
(AFCON) qualifiers.
Sao Tome were originally thrown out of the
qualifying series last month after Mauritius
Football Association reported them to CAF
Disciplinary Board for fielding an ineligible player.
The country’s Football Association appealed to
the CAF Appeals Board, and successfully won
their bid for reinstatement.
The Super Eagles were, in April, originally
drawn into Group A of the qualifying series
alongside Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and
either Sao Tome & Principe or Mauritius.
Sao Tome and Principe: Head-to-head with
Nigeria
In its existence, the men’s senior national
team of Sao Tome and Principe has only played
57 international matches. None of these games
were thrashed 6-0 over two legs.
Since then, the story has remained the
same as they either failed to qualify for
subsequent AFCONs, withdrew from the
qualifiers, or did not participate in the
qualification process at all. •Inie
Players the Super
Eagles must look out
for
UDRA’s midfielder Iniesta could
play an important role for the Falcons
when they take on the Super Eagles. He
scored Sao Tome’s only goal when they fell
to a 3-1 defeat against Ghana during the P
2021 AFCON qualifiers. Iniesta
Jokceleny Fernandes ‘Iniesta’ Carvalho
(4th from left) and the Sao Tome and Príncipe

U sually one of the first names on a were ever played against the Super Eagles. starting XI against Ghana in March 2021
Super Eagles list when available for Another important player for the Falcons
selection, Kelechi Iheanacho has now Previous AFCON qualification is 34-year-old striker Luis Leal. Leal has
scored 8 goals in 19 appearances for Sao
been left out of consecutive squad lists. history Tome and is their all-time leading goalscorer.
There is currently no report of an injury Their first attempt to qualify for an AFCON
or any particular reason given for
dropping the 25-year old forward but one
can only assume he is not available.
He ended the season with eight goals
We gave Super Eagles too much respect
and nine assists in all competitions for —Leone Stars captain, Caulker Caulker accepted Nigeria’s superiority in the game,
but insisted some of his teammates were intimidated
S
Leicester City and his quality cannot be ierra Leone captain, Steven Caulker has claimed the

disputed. Leone Stars didn’t stand up to the challenge of the
Super Eagles at some point in their 2021 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier on Thursday.
Paul Onuachu John Keister’s men took a shock lead on 11 minutes
when Jonathan Morsay nodded home Musa Kamara’s
delightful cross from the right.
2 8-year old striker Paul Onuachu has
been a regular in Super Eagles squads in
The Super Eagles, however, rallied back with Everton
winger Alex Iwobi equalising five minutes later and Victor
P
by the big names in the Super Eagles team.
“It’s a young team. We have a lot of youngsters in
the team. We are building for the future,” Caulker said
during his interaction with the media after the game.
“Obviously, we gave Nigeria too much respect and
they scored two good goals against us. They have a lot
of quality players in their team. c
“We made a lot of mistakes, obviously we will correct them

C
Osimhen netting the winner four minutes before the in subsequent games,” he said.
the last few years albeit on the bench but at The Leone Stars will face Guinea-Bissau in their game in
least he was almost guaranteed a spot in the break. the qualifiers at the General Lasana Conte Stadium, Conakry
team. The hosts failed to add to their lead after the break got
despite creating some clear cut scoring chances. on Monday. seri
It appears Jose Peseiro feels differently
about the big centre forward though as The
Onuachu is nowhere to be found on this list bea
that includes nine forwards, five of which are doo
strikers.
Onuachu scored 23 goals in all
competitions for Belgian club Genk this
Lessons learnt from Nigeria’s 2-1 win Abu
“I
stra
season and is currently holidaying in Nigeria
after recently getting married. against Sierra Leone brie
“W
thin

T he Super Eagles of Nigeria kicked off their AFCON almost gave away an equaliser in the second half bett

Maduka Okoye 2023 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win at home

to Sierra Leone.
as Amadou Bakayoko stole ahead of him from an
unlikely angle to poke the ball past Uzoho but the
ball hit the side netting.
“W
mor

N igeria’s first-choice goalkeeper is The game was new boss, Jose Peseiro’s first competitive
match in charge of the Super Eagles having previously Captain Troost-Ekong would eventually get
missing from the list to play two
important games which is good news for
Francis Uzoho.
led Nigeria to two friendly game defeats against Mexico
and Ecuador.
Nigeria’s road to Ivory Coast in 2023 kicked off with a
stretchered off in the 80th minute with a nasty
injury which ended his involvement in the game. Tro
Maduka Okoye reported requested to
be excluded from the squad for the
much-needed win in Group A of the qualifying phase,
here are three lessons learnt from the game. The enemy within
For all of Sierra Leone’s offensive impetus, the
W
stretc
i
i
friendly games against Mexico and
Ecuador.
And although his reasons were unclear,
Jose Peseiro the risk taker biggest threat to the Super Eagles in this game
turned out to be the groundsman or whoever is
responsible for the state of the pitch at the MKO
again
The
in the
it is difficult to tell if his wishes are still If his first three games as Super Eagles handler have taught Abiola Stadium in the Abuja.
us one thing, it is that Jose Peseiro is not afraid to replac
being respected or if he has now been experiment and take risks tactically. To put it mildly, this country has corn The
dropped. He started this game against Sierra Leone fields with a more conducive surface for a s
with an attacking 4-4-2 formation without for football than the pitch on which has m
playing any natural central or defensive Nigeria defeated Sierra Leone. “Fir
A patchy-looking, rough new A
Taiwo Awoniyi
midfielders to shield the defence. surface that impedes smooth
Two attack-minded players in Joe Aribo movement and ball progression,
and Alex Iwobi started in that central the pitch rather ironically but
T
W
he downside to Nigeria having such a midfield role for the Super Eagles which accurately mirrors the state of
large pool of Super Eagles quality made the Nigerians susceptible to Sierra the nation.
strikers is that they all can’t make the Leone’s blistering counterattacks. Perhaps Nigeria could have
squad. And although the top-heavy won by more goals had they
But on the basis of the season he’s just formation gave Nigeria more offensive played on an actual football

m
had, Taiwo Awoniyi should be on this list impetus, Peseiro brought on pitch, a 54th-minute miss by
if he’s available for selection. Oghenekaro Etebo in place of Sadiq Samuel Chukwueze is a good
The 24-year old netted 20 times for Umar at halftime to restore balance to example of how the surface
Union Berlin across all competitions but the midfield and provide some sort of affected the result.
that is apparently not enough to get protection for the vulnerable defence.

P
Peseiro’s attention. Chuckle brothers unite!
Speaking of vulnerable defence, the centre-
backs, William Troost-Ekong and Semi Ajayi
were consistently the weakest links for the
Super Eagles throughout the game.
Valentine The pair delivered displays worthy of
the tag “chuckle brothers” and the

Ozornwafor
fast Sierra Leonean forwards didn’t
hesitate to take advantage
JPesei
oe A
onl
whenever they could. again
U nless there is some sort of mix up or an
unannounced injury, Valentine
Ozornwafor should be on the Super Eagles
Troost-Ekong was beaten way
too easily by Musa Noah Kamara
in a one-on-one situation while •Ekong
The
in the
the p
list. Ajayi lacked awareness and Abiol
His club, Charleroi, for whom he has had appeared to be strolling back on a •Ajayi Des
a great season announced some days ago counterattack as Jonathan Morsay looke
that Valentine had been called up for these connected with the cross to head Sierra a big
crucial qualifying games. Leone in front. Leone
Whatever prompted the u-turn had to have Ajayi gaffed with an air kick in the 22nd in the
been serious because Ozornwafor has minute but was lucky the goalkeeper, The
arguably been Nigeria’s most consistent Francis Uzoho was alert to clean up his mess. under
centre-back in Europe this season. Semi Ajayi continued to play poorly and

Owo Catholic Church killings:
Boy, 15, soils self with blood to
deceive killers, carries body of sister
to mortuary after seeing father shot
Now, heartbroken
mother wants
to take
her life
By Emma Nnadozie,
Crime Editor
T
he attack on worshippers last
Sunday in Owo, Ondo state took
every one by surprise. No one saw
it coming, although there had been
clashes with herdsmen following the
enactment of a law banning open grazing
by the state government. But the clashes
happened in the forest and not in the
town.
For many families, in Owo, last Sunday’s
attack in broad daylight will remain a sad
chapter of their lives as their loved ones
were killed. Some of the families have
been expressing their pains and sorrow.
The younger brother of one of the
victims of the gunmen attack,
Christopher Nwanyi, has given a heart
wrenching account of the tragedy that
befell their family inside the church last
Sunday. The 45-year-old timber dealer in
Owo said he would forever live with the
trauma of the death of his 55-year-old
elder brother and his niece whose lives
were brutally cut short last Sunday during
the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church,
Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo state. He
gave vivid details of the ugly incident.
His account
“I was not in that church on the day of
the tragic incident because I was in
another parish. My elder brother and his
family attended the church where the
attack took place. He went with his son
but his wife didn’t go to church that day.
She said she had pains on her feet and
wouldn’t be able to attend. Their 15-year-
old son, victor, who is in SS1, however
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—15
miraculously survived the
attack. When the gun men
started shooting inside the
church, he laid down flat on the
ground. He decided to lie in a
pool of blood so that if the
attackers saw him they would
think he had already been shot.
That was how he laid down
until the attackers finished
and left. By the time he stood
up, he discovered that his
father had been shot. He then
began to look for his sister and
and at the same time seeking
help for his wounded father
because he was still talking
but gave signs of giving up.
When help eventually came
and he was taken to Federal
Medical Center, FMC, he was
however rejected for lack of
space. They then rushed him to •Victor, 15yrs, that •Late Chidogo
St. Loius hospital which is also narrowly survived and Nwani, 11yrs
a Catholic hospital in Owo.
That was when they discovered took his sister's body
he was dead. I didn’t know to the mortuary
what was happening as I was embalmed the bodies, I later gave them
searching for them, before I the details of my late brother and his
corpse from him and took it to the daughter.
heard that his father had died. mortuary. And we started consoling
“I asked about the children “The deceased girl was in primary six,
him, that at the age of 15 years he her father, who was my elder brother was
and I was directed to go and could summon the courage to carry the Bursar at Technical College, Owo. He
check at the mortuary. As I was
going towards the mortuary, I
the corpse of his sister. The sister
was eleven years old.
was 57 years old. I am a wine seller, I am
saw the son on a bike on his way a graduate but I am self employed. My
“The event is heartbreaking, I’m late brother was born in Owo. I was born
to the mortuary and when I in pains. We were confused on
asked after his father, he told here but I didn’t school here. I graduated
what to do to ensure that the from University of Jos in 1996. My father
me he was dead. I asked after deceased were properly
his sister and he showed me her and mother are dead, I am the only son
documented because the day we in my family now, my other siblings are
corpse which he was taking to took the corpses from the hospital
the mortuary. Immediately I women, I have six sisters.
to the mortuary, all the dead bodies
started crying, sympathisers were on the floor. After they had Continues on page 16
gathered, they carried the
16—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022

‘Owo massacr
for evicting cr
•The man killed
with his daughter,
•Christopher
Nwani, yonger
Indigenes, Ooni of Ife, other lea
Chief Nwani, 59 brother to the victim Dayo Johnson Akure proceeded to establish a security architecture, codenamed
Amotekun. Other governor’s have since structured their

T
state security outfit after Amotekun because of the
he 5th, of June, 2023, was indeed a black
Sunday, not only for Ondo state, the successes recorded so far.
Yoruba, but the entire Nigeria nation. All these put together and Akeredolu’s insistence that
The reckless wastage of defenceless the impunity and unholy activities of herdsmen in the
state were, according to residents led the gunmen to react
worshippers by terrorists at St Francis Catholic
Church in Owo, Ondo state last Sunday at the with Sunday’s operation.
peak of a mass was callous and unarguably a Corroborating this, the member of the state House of
deadly message to the Southwest. Assembly representing Owo Constituency 11, Hon
Olayemi Adeyemi, identified the herdsmen as the
Peace, hitherto enjoyed in the region following
the ban on open grazing and the establishment perpetrators of the attack.
of Amotekun, the regional security outfit in Hon Adeyemi said “ the attack was a reprisal aimed at
Yorubaland was tampered with sending a message
as blood, tears and sorrow to Governor
enveloped the ancient town of Akeredolu who
Owo. No doubt, the region has chased away violent
been thrown into fear and Fulani pastoralists
confusion by last week’s ugly from the area.
incident. “Locals around
More than 40 innocent the church
worshippers, including children, premises saw the
men and women, nursing attackers who were
mothers were murdered in cold on the run after
blood by gunmen, as they unleashing the
gathered for Pentecost day on horrific act on the
Sunday at about 11:15 am. In
some cases some families were
wiped out.
It’s of note that the attackers By Prisca Sam-

T
‘launched’ their operation in
Ondo, most vocal state against he Owo massacre
herdsmen attacks and menace June 5, 2022, will g
of open grazing. It is the state history as the mo
•Late madam •Late Allen with governed by the Generalissimo terrorist attacks in the S
Ugwummadu his younger brother of Amotekun. of Nigeria. Losing score
Indigenes say the deadly beings and injuring m
attack was deliberate and who were full of life b
intended to turn the southwest went to Church, in a tw
Owo Catholic Church killings: into another wasteland,
following the successes
recorded by the state
eye, is unbearable.
innocent worshippers
have believed that if not
Amotekun since it’s of worship, where else
establishment in the state by safe in a country terro
Continues from page 11 would die. It was my mom that helped him. governor Rotimi Akeredolu. bones.
I was born in Akure. My father came to Owo That the gunmen chose to The Owo attack as w
after the war. We were born and bred in Owo, it launch their dastardly attack was not the first. Recall t
was only higher institution that took us out of in the home town of the Church Ozubulu killin
Owo in Ondo.
Any premonition of For now, most of the dead bodies are yet to be
chairman of the SouthWest
Governor ’s Forum, Rotimi
06 August, 2017); Chr
killing in Madala, 2
the sad incident ? released to their families. My nephew who is two
years old sustained injuries, he had bullet wounds Akeredolu and the Palace of the killings in other den
in Kaduna State
We had no premonition about the incident before paramount traditional ruler of
on his back. He is the younger brother to Ekene, the town, the Olowo of other stat
it happened. My late brother was a practicing my niece that was killed with my mother. Yesterday,
Christian, most of the time he was the one who I saw the video of how my mother and my four- Owo,Oba Ajibade Ogunoye,
made the announcement during the Sunday which is less than 200 adds
year-old nephew were murdered. It is uncalled for. weight to the news making the
service at the altar, it was while he was coming Look at my mother, we were preparing for her 70th
down from the altar that the attackers started birthday next month. rounds that the attackers were
shooting and was hit on his chest. on a mission to counter
“I am the first son, but I have an elder sister. I government anti-open grazing
“Since the incident, his wife has been crying, was not in the Church when the attack occurred.
threatening to take her life. I learnt her blood I was at a meeting after the church service in policies.
pressure has risen beyond normal. His wife’s name Indigenes insist the
Akure when my brother called me to say that his operation was
is Florence, we are from Amy in Igbo-Etiti Local wife called to say that some gun men came to St.
Government Area of Enugu State. Francis Catholic church, Owo and that they killed intentionally to cow
“The entire incident is devastating because, in Akeredolu for his
Mama, and our nephew. Immediately I left for Owo principled stands on issues of
my town, whenever we were having any and on getting there, I went straight to FMC and
engagement, it was my brother who would I saw how my deceased nephew. national interest.
represent our village as the eldest. But now the Recall that Akeredolu, rallied
mantle of leadership has fallen on me at this age. his colleagues in the region to
That is the challenge. And how the wife will be How some worshippers evict the herdsmen from
government forest reserves
able to cope with the teenage son is the problem.
I have my own children also, I am 49 years old, I escaped and enacted law
have four boys. The way Catholic Churches are built is that you banning open
The location of the Church is inside the town. It have the pew on the left and on the right. Those grazing and
is the first Catholic Church in Owo, it is a big on the left pew didn't suffer much casualties unlike a l s o •St Francis Catholic
Church like a cathedral. So, the question is, how those on the right which recorded more casualties. Church, Owo
did they enter the church and they started Most of the people who escaped sat at the left side
shooting without anyone coming to rescue in the church.
anybody till they left. The people who attacked the church came from
the entrance that faced the main road. The few
people that escaped passed the other entrance to
Any previous attack or threat? the toilet.
The state government passed the law on ban Everyone in the family will miss the small boy,
on open grazing. Since then, there have been he was very intelligent and smart. I cried so much
clashes which usually happened in the bush not yesterday.
in the town. My mom was an easy going woman who could
Kelechi Ugwummadu is a timber dealer in Owo. not hide anything from anyone. Anytime you asked
He lost his mother and a niece during the attack. her for anything, unless she didn't have, she would
His account: "My daddy has been down; I was just always give. She was the best woman. She was
trying to console him. He said he can't forget my not a troublesome person. When I saw her corpse
mother because my mother saved his life twice. at they mortuary yesterday, I cried bitterly.
When they were young, he was sick and thought he

re a reprisal attack
riminal herdsmen’
aders vow to defend Yorubaland
church.
“ They were armed herdsmen from the Fulani extraction,
a tribe accused of spearheading insecurity across the
country.
“Fulani herdsmen entered our community and started
shooting, they killed several people and dozens were
severely injured.
“We had enjoyed improved security since herdsmen were
driven away from our forests by this administration,” This
is a reprisal attack to send a diabolical message to the
governor.”
Meanwhile, Nigerians across the country, in their
reactions have condemned the attack and encouraged
governor Rotimi Akeredolu, not to be distracted or cowed
by the attack ostensibly targeted at him for being vocal and
principled.
In it’s reaction, the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group,
Afenifere “ lamented that the present administration was
“helpless and irresponsible in securing life and property, an
irrefutable sign of the failure of the Nigerian State.’
It’s General Secretary, Chief Sola Ebiseni declared that “
the horrendous incident at the St. Francis Catholic Church
in the ancient Yoruba city of Owo, Ondo State, is not just
an attack on the Church and the psyche of all decent
people all over the world but also a deliberate show at
testing the self-defence strength of the Yoruba people in
-Duru Northern part of the country. A good number
of worship places have been terrorised on
on Sunday several occasions; sadly, nothing has been
go down in done to punish the killers or stop further
st brutal of attacks. Rev Father Joseph Bako Aketeh who
South West was kidnapped and later murdered by
es of human bandits in Kaduna, in March 2022, has just
many others been buried without the corpse. What a
before they tragedy!
winkle of an As usual, all we get are condemnations
They were from different quarters. The Secretary-
s and must General of the United Nations, Antonio
in the place Guterres, issued a statement, condemning
can one be Sunday’s gory attack on St Francis Catholic
orised to its Church in Owo, by suspected terrorists. He
also demanded that the murderers be
we all know brought to justice. The British Government
the Catholic through its High Commissioner to Nigeria,
gs (Sunday Catriona Laing, on tweeter, condemned the
ristmas Eve heinous killing of worshippers. In same vein,
2011 and, President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian
nominations politicians including those among them that
as well as imported terrorism into the country, the Pope
es in the and, the entire world have condemned this
unspeakable act of violence unleashed on
innocent worshipers. That’s quite
compassionate of them but the question is,
was that the first of its kind; after the
condemnations and expression of shock,
what next? Is there any help coming
from international community and
Nigerian government to
forestall such future occurrence
or they are just waiting for
another tragedy to occur so that
they can condemn and express
shock and tell us its demons
from the pit of hell. Well, yes!
We know these terrorists are
demons and the government
has a duty to crush them. The
security situation has so
degenerated that many now see
the failure of security personnel
to quash these perpetrators of
violence, as deliberate. It’s also
viewed as a sign of
government’s unwillingness to
do its job rather than a case of
incapability.
It has been a long week and
Nigerians are still struggling to
recover from the attack on St
Francis Catholic Church, Owo,
Ondo State. They have painted
the entire globe with their pain,
fear of who will be next to die in
the hands of rampaging
terrorists in their father land, as
well as disappointment on those
who should help but refused to
do so.
“Massacres in churches;
resisting the importation of the horrible culture
of violence into our land.
Ebiseni lauded Akeredolu “who, in spite of all
constitutional odds, has held his head high on the
issue of our people’s security.
Another Chieftain of Afenifere, the National
organising secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu, was
more direct as he said that “ the massacre in Owo
Catholic church was a direct attack on Yoruba
land.
“It was directed at gov Rotimi Akeredolu for his
unflinching support for security in Yoruba land by
championing the Amatekun security outfits, his
stringent upholding of the anti- open grazing law
and for his “ big mouth” about Southern co-
operation for equity and justice in Nigeria.
“We will not succumb into terrorist threat or
attack, they will not be allowed to bring down our
civilisation.
“This attack is to cause confusion and war. We
should not play into their hands.
Killers are enemies of
God —Ooni of Ife
Also, the Ooni of lfe, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi,
Nigerians bare hearts to FG
Owo: Sunday 05 June, 2022; Ozubulu:
Sunday 06 August, 2017. Before then there
was the 2011 Christmas Eve killing in
Madala. My condolences to the families.
Attacks on churches in Southern Nigeria are
rare. The three on focus were on Catholic
churches.Nobody was punished for Ozubulu,
with all the “concerns” we had, right noises,
and lines like “the killers won’t escape justice”.
Hopefully, Owo would be different. The
investigations should be robust. While we
attribute all crimes to “terrorists”, other
criminals have not vanished”, Ikeddy Isiguzo
wrote on his facebook wall.
Also on his Facebook wall, Mark Idiahi
penned his thoughts on the massacre. “It’s a
new week but it’s hard to wave the feelings. A
three month old baby survived this massacre
but the mother couldn’t but I have a question;
what happened to the NIN and SIM
connection for security? Why has the
government normalized the sending of
security after critics but send condolences
after mass murderers?”
Opening Monday’s Arise TV News segment
with quotes from President Buhari’s speech,
“…No matter what, this country shall never
give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness
will never overcome light. Nigeria will
eventually win”, Rufai Oseni asked his co-
presenters, “Is Nigeria winning?” “We will,
we will get there but I don’t know how many
people will have to die before we do”, was
Tundun Abiola’s response. That’s really the
issue. What quantity of innocent people’s
blood is required before there’s peace in
Nigeria. “This is the tragedy here and this is
not the first time it’s happening in Nigeria. It’s
really sad indication that we could be heading
backward. It happened in 2011 on Christmas
day in Madala near Abuja. Gunmen killed 37
people and injured scores. According to global
terrorism index Nigeria is the 6th most
terrorised countries in the world. “We are
seeing a lot of motion without any real
movement. That is my fear and my other fear
is where is next?”, she added.
“Well all the right adjectives have been used-
‘vile’, ‘cruel’ and ‘attack on humanity’ and how
this is the hand work of demons according to
the president. But the question is Nigeria
continues to fail its citizens whether it’s in the
North East, North West, or in the Eastern part
of the country and now the South West”, Dr
Ruben Abati stated.
According to him, the most important
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—17
who described the attack as barbaric said “the
Yoruba cannot be overrun by anyone.”
While describing the incident as a gruesome
massacre dastardly targeted at turning Yorubaland
to a war zone, the monarch said Yoruba people
have the capacity to defend themselves even
though they are peace-loving.
Oba Ogunwusi warned against plan by a group
of bloodsucking enemies of God who had vowed
to destabilise the Southwest region.
“ There have been reports that some criminals
are currently working to invade and wreak havoc
in Yorubaland like the one that just happened in
Owo.
“When calamities like this one befall us without
a single trace, the interpretation is that the
intelligence unit of our country’s security
architecture is probably faulty or completely
missing.
“However, we the descendants of Oduduwa
cannot be overrun in our own home as we are
prepared and ready to defend ourselves against
external invaders.
“The six governors across the south west region
and their brothers nationwide as well as the
President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal
Government, should live up to their oaths of
securing Nigerians and ensuring safety for the
citizenry.”
question is, “Which part of the country
can confidently be considered safe? As
we can see, Sunday, 5th June was a
black Sunday at the St Francis Catholic
Church, Owo. And it was the day of
Pentecost; day when people went to
Church and assumed that the Church
should be a safe place they can look up
to God. “The Pope has also issued a
statement to commiserate with families
but these commiserations have been
very loud, very detailed from every
direction but the issue is, will this not
happen again?”
“This is coming just a week after the
Prelate of the Methodist Church,
Samuel Kalu Uche was abducted along
with two other members of the Church
in Abia State. The only problem is that
the people that have been killed, did
not need to die but the problem they
had was that they were Nigerians; in a
country where you may not be safe at
home, on the road, inside a vehicle,
inside the train and we keep getting this
reports all the time and all you get is
just statements of sympathy, condolence
to the affected families”.
Dr Abati questioned at what point the
security operatives arrived the scene of
incidence considering that the presiding
priests said they sent distress calls.
Another issue is whether the ugly
incidence had any political undertone.
“What is the implication of this for the
unfolding political process in Nigeria.
Are there some 5th columnists who
want to cause problem? It’s particularly
sad because Ondo State and South West
have been relatively peaceful when you
look at the other parts of the country.
Since Owo is close to Lagos, the trouble
is almost in the country’s commercial
capital and that’s why, the level of alert
should go up as the threat level is going
up because it looks like some people
are probably targeting… bringing their
madness to the Atlantic Ocean and
Nigeria should not wait until that
happens”.
In the contest of election, Dr Abati
continued, “Every effort should be made
to make sure that nobody sabotages the
electoral process. It’s very frightening,
and I’ve read quite a number of
commentaries on this and everybody is
It’s an affront on Yoruba
nation —Olubadan
Also condemning the killings, the Olubadan of
Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, said such wicked
act must be the last in the Southwest.
“This is not time to seek political correctness at
the detriment of the people that elected you into
offices as their governors. It is time to prioritize
the safety of lives and property, because, you are
first a Yoruba person before becoming a Nigerian.
Akeredolu who directed flying of flags at half-
mast in honour of victims, vowed not to bow to
terror.
The governor said the attack on innocent
worshipers was a deliberate and calculated assault
on the people of the state.
We’ll fish out perpetrators,
bring them to book
—Agbekoya
The Agbekoya Farmers Society of Nigeria,
reiterated its commitment to “defend Yoruba land
from the incursions of the criminal Fulani bandits
and kidnappers.
“We also want to assure sons and daughters of
Yoruba land of our resolve to fish out the
perpetrators of Owo Catholic Church brutal killing
of innocent Nigerians and bring them to book.
Killers are animals in human
skin, says Akeredolu
Governor Akeredolu while receiving Catholic
Bishops from the South-West, led by Reverend
Leke Abegunrin, said “What we witnessed in Owo
on that Sunday, I have been looking for a word to
describe it but I’m not too sure I can find one
because it is indescribable.
“There is no word to describe it. If you say
horrific, dastardly, horrendous, all those ones are
common words and we use them for many
things.
“But I have been looking for a better word to
use because we have witnessed barbaric
elements, animals in human skin.
“If you are humans you would not do what
they have done. May be there are areas where
they will do such a thing and they are not
worried.
“But here, we’re are worried because it is not
something we are used to. Human life means a
lot to us.
Bishop Abegunrin, in his response, said “It is
very painful, it can provoke people to retaliate
and do what is ungodly but we are people of faith;
we leave everything to God to judge but humanly
speaking, we heard what you have been doing in
the state and the promise that those people who
did this havoc to us will be brought to book before
long; we are happy about that.”
in unison that we have every reason to
be afraid because of the way things are
going in Nigeria. “Christian community
will see this as an opportunity to remind
everyone that there’s an attack against
them in Nigeria that is premeditated,
and deliberate whether it is on
blasphemy or persons from the
underworld going with improvised
explosive devices to attack a church and
following up with a massacre. The Owo
massacre is unacceptable”.
Referencing Nigerian singer, Bukola
Elemide professionally known as Asa’s
song, ‘There’s fire on the mountain and
nobody seems to be on the run’, Rufai
Oseni said, “That’s the case of Nigeria”.
“But it didn’t just start and that’s why we
should be careful. The states should
stand strong because you can condemn
all you want but once you don’t create
solutions, the problem continues. “I ask,
what solution was created to the Igogo
killings, Ibarapa area- the people that
were killed; the skirmish that resulted,
what solution was created? What
solutions have the State created to the
killings in the East. What solutions did
the state create to various blasphemy
murders like the one that happened in
Abuja recently, again. What solution is
the state going to create to this Owo
killings”.
According to him, those questions are
asked “specifically because we want the
betterment of our country but the states
have to stand strong. We need to speak
truth to power. Let us say it the way it is;
the only reason people died in Owo was
because they are Nigerians and their
state has failed them. We want Nigeria
to be good, we want Nigeria to win but
the state has to show willingness that it
wants to win this conflict. We can’t build
a country where people speak truth to
power then you call them to come and
answer to security agencies and you try
to shut them up”.
Carrying on with lamentations on
Facebook, Yinka Olatunbosun wrote,
“Blood on Bible made me cringe”.
Iquo DianaAbasi wrote, “Nigeria just
weakens one. Sucks away the very air
you breathe.
read more on
www.vanguardngr.com
18—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
F
or Robert Azibaola, a man is not
complete except he embraces life from
different perspectives.
To actualise this, the Bayelsa State-born
environmentalist, social thinker, entrepreneur
and lawyer, who later turned engineer, recently
embarked on a 14-day sojourn into the deep
rainforest of Bayelsa.
For Azibaola, it was a homecoming to
showcase to the world, the rich flora and fauna
hidden in his home state of Bayelsa. This is the
story of an indigene going deep into the depths
of the forest, an exploratory voyage, if you
would, into the depths of Bayelsa’s rich forest
and, through his eyes, we see the impact of
human interactions, over the years, on the
environment, and how some flora and fauna
are endangered as well the huge economic
potential lying waste in the Niger Delta.
Just as Everton- Nigerian player, Alex Iwobi,
is championing wild conservation efforts,
Azibaola a believer in Climate Change,
returned to Bayelsa, to showcase, first hand,
how climate change is affecting the local
people, their ways of life and the use of the rich
biodiversity of the Niger Delta rain forest.
The journey into the rainforest, by Azibaola
and his colleagues at Kakatar and Zeetin
Groups, saw the team traverse the deep forest
of Bayelsa with so much excitement and gusto,
aired on the African Independent Television
(AIT) on June 5, 2022.
The first story is that of a bush canoe, which
is practically left in the bush, for the use of
whoever comes across it, in high or low tide,
but has the burden of keeping it in pristine
condition, for the next user!
Owo church killings:
Nigerians ‘re tired of govt condolences
to bereaved families — Activists
•Task govt on constant monitoring of operatives to punish, weed bad eggs
•Want private investigators, security outfits
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
and Chioma Onuegbu Uyo
F ollowing last Sunday’s massacre of Christian
worshippers in Owo Ondo state by gun men,
Nigerians have tasked the government on what
must be done to stop the killings saying they were
tired of government sending condolence messages
to bereaved families.
According to Comrade Morris Alagoa, a Niger
Delta environmentalist “while that last Sunday
attack and killing has added to the increasing
statistics pushing this country among the list of
most unsecured spaces on Mother Earth, I must
first of all condemn the act of wickedness and crime
against humanity by perpetrators. Again, this
condemnation extends to wherever such has
happened and happening in the nation, no matter
the region, ethnicity or religion of perpetrators and
victims.
Having said that, let me say Nigerians are tired
of hearing about condolences to bereaved families
from the government; only actions that would
effectively contain the ugly situation would be good
enough. In this regard, the Federal Government
should step up the police per citizens ratio in line
with the United Nations recommended standard.
“Security operatives should be out to serve all
Nigerians and not only to secure political office
holders and heads of security agencies. “The
commercialization of the police should be stopped,
as all Nigerians need to be protected from harm,
:
z i b a o l a
R o b e r t A
Saving Bayelsa’s
rainforests
In that documentary, Azibaola told the story
of his people and the abundant natural
resources inherent in not only Bayelsa but also,
the entire Niger Delta.
Azibaola, who was obviously in a familiar
terrain, in the process encountered strange
fishes (such as the snake fish, which is a snake
but is actually a fish!), reptiles such as Iguanas,
rare tortoise, and other animals such as the
pangolin which inhabit the forest.
He seized the opportunity of the adventure
to campaign for the preservation of these rare
animals which are fast going into extinction;
as corroborated by local hunters in the
documentary.
In the course of his voyage, he exposed the
inherent medicinal plants embedded in the
forests which God has blessed man with. To
back up action with words, some plants were
extracted and their liquid extracts were applied
to a section of his entourage. All Azibaola
wanted to prove was that there is healing in
Nature and the forests have natural, effective
treatment of ailments of all kinds that afflict
humans.
In the documentary, Azibaola explained that
Operatives should also be
including their property. Instead of security
operatives paid from our commonwealth doing
selective security operations by guarding the rich
in the society, private security outfits should be
licensed to bridge the gap in that area so that
there would be enough operatives to do what
they were engaged to do for the country. Private
investigators should also be encouraged,
especially experienced retired security personnel
or those who qualifies by study or other acceptable
criteria. Leaving the issue of security or crime in
the hands of only formal security agencies too is
not healthy as they can kill genuine matters
which are of public interest.
“Apart from recruiting more qualified Nigerians
into the relevant security agencies, efforts should
be made for proper training and equipment of
officers and men. “Locals should be engaged into
these security agencies and posted back to their
localities for effective monitoring, preventing and
combating of related crimes. The significance of
local knowledge of the geography of the
environment cannot be over emphasised.
“Crimes should be followed up and investigate
them to the logical conclusion by prosecuting
perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others. No
matter who is involved, the matter shouldn’t be
swept under the carpet, but be followed through.
“There is also the need for government to come
out and encourage citizens to report crime,
especially giving lead to the arrest of suspects.
Security operatives should be properly monitored
to ensure bad eggs are punished and weeded.
the expedition into deep forest was 25
kilometres radius from any civilisation, a vast
land of fresh water forest, with no human
community.
“At the end of the day, we had minimum of
properly
remunerated to boost their morale. If the
gaps are bridged, it will take away the
concerns law abiding citizens currently
have, which necessitated calls for regional
security outfits. I support call for regional
security outfits, for self-defense or Nigerians
should be allowed to bear arms.”
Eric Omare, a legal practitioner and former
President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)
worldwide said: “Government needs to
increase intelligence gathering and be more
proactive in preventing crime. It is a mark of
failure of our security apparatus for us to be
reactive all the time. And generally, I think
there is need for general overhauling of the
security apparatus to ensure result. Things
are not working and there is something
wrong somewhere. Something drastic
needs to be done.”
Mr Chris Odi, a minority rights acactst
and community leader said: “In the short
run, government should re-jig the security
architecture while in the long run, I think
the government needs to begin to think
seriously about state police. State
governors cannot bear the appellation of
chief security officers of their states when
commissioners of police are not answerable
to them. A central police as we have now is
not working.
“The Owo massacre is a clear indication
that the nation’s security apparatus is
collapsing, if it has not already collapsed.
The way forward, for me, is the
25 kilometres to make it by foot to where
humans live. Being here is a kind of experience
that makes it worthwhile. There is no other
pleasure than being in the depth of the forest of
the Niger Delta,” he said and added that
alongside his team, they covered over 400
kilometres of fresh waters, continuous tree
canopies, swamps, while experiencing the rich
biodiversity of the Niger Delta.
Asked why he embarked on the expedition,
Azibaola replied that he is a believer in climate
change and that the world has now realised
the adverse effects the negative use of the
environment has caused mankind.
“There is a lot of environmental damage
that has caused clamour for a break in the use
of earth’s resources across the globe. The Niger
Delta rainforest is a precious forest that gives
mankind oxygen, just like the Amazon
rainforest in Brazil. “Africans need to take
action on climate change issues and link up
with the global community so that our inactions
will not derail the global efforts. It is important
we know that mankind’s survival in the future
depends on the careful use of the environment.
“The Niger Delta rainforest needs protection
as are other important forests across the globe.
This could be done by exposing the issues and
proper education of the local people. “And,
this is the reason why I decided to embark on
this once-in-a-lifetime expedition.”
Speaking on what he set out to achieve,
Azibaola said his aim was to highlight the
negative impacts of the use of the Niger Delta
rainforest, such as indiscriminate wood
logging, environmental pollution as a result
of crude oil exploration, indiscriminate
hunting and killing of wildlife, cutting down
of trees which affects the oxygen levels.
“It was also important to educate the local
people on issues around depletion of scarce
forest resources and the beneficial use of the
rainforest for the benefit of future generations.
It is also imperative to create an alternative
means of livelihood by highlighting the diverse
beautiful nature of the Niger Delta rainforest
and encourage national and international
tourism to create employment for indigenous
people and curb dangerous crimes amongst
youth that breads insecurity in the region.”
He, however, said a solo expedition would
have been a wrong move.
“The choice of going with the Karkatar and
Zeetin team, instead of going solo, was for
more inclusive participation of all segments
of society, including women and youths, to give
a sense of ownership of the issues. It is also
intended to be annual expedition and the
quality and number of participants of this first
edition were carefully considered and
selected,” he said.
On experiences learnt from the expedition,
Azibaola disclosed that they found out that
their fears were confirmed that the Niger Delta
rainforest was being indiscriminately
decimated.
“That there is high rate of deforestation
taking place daily; trees falling for farming,
wood logging, crude oil spillages. That the
ability of the forest to produce oxygen is being
inhibited. That the community people are
ignorant of the lasting impacts of the negative
activities. They are ignorant on issues of
climate change and forest protection and
conservation. They are ignorant of the
alternative use of the forest resources for
income generation.
Read more on www.vanguardngr.com
decentralisation of the Police Force for us to have
state police as practiced in the USA and other
democracies, where every state has its own police.”
Akwa Ibom leaders and activists, on their part,
stressed the need to ensure that a proper
background check is done for persons being
recruited into the various security agencies. Former
member, House of Representatives, Hon Eseme
Eyiboh, who is currently the APC candidate for
Eket Federal constituency for next year’s general
election, noted that “one cannot rule out the
speculations that bad eggs in the security agencies
maybe assisting the criminal elements to be
successful in their attacks.
According to Eyiboh, “the recruitment process is
faulty. How do we recruit people into security
agencies. For instance if the Police want to recruit,
they will take them to the training School and after
that post them out. Did they take the trouble to do
proper background check to know the character of
those people and their background?”
Eyiboh also faulted the process where
government appoints Security Heads based on
political considerations instead of on merit.
“Again, the issue of killings, terrorism, kidnapping
in the country is an outcome of poor security
consciousness on the part of many Nigerians. These
criminals live in the communities and most members
of the communities know them, but they don’t
report them to security agencies for fear of being
killed” Eyiboh added.
In his contribution, the Executive director of
COMMPART foundation for Justice and Peace
Building, Mr, Saviour Akpan said government must
take the issue of security of lives and property more
seriously.
“Government must stop politicising security by
sloganeering security. And government should
equip our security organisations so that they would
be able to carry out their duty in line with current
security challenges.
“ Nigeria government must understand that
security challenges are dynamic, our security forces
should be proactive. Currently what we have in
Nigeria is a reactive security strategy. And to be
proactive is that they should ensure that our
security situation is intelligence-led”, Akpan said.
 SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 19

Guinea-Bissau
Head-to-head with Nigeria
esta
N igeria and Guinea-Bissau have
met only once in their history.
At the recently-concluded 2021
Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
The meeting saw the Super
Eagles, easily come out tops
thanks to second-half goals from
Umar Sadiq and William Troost-
Pix Ekong.
The 2023 AFCON qualifying
draw which saw both nations in
Group A, will see the Super Eagles play
the Djurtus for only the second, and
third time, ever.
Previous AFCON qualification
history
returning to the dark days of their football
when they couldn’t make it to major
competitions.
A player the Super Eagles must
look out for
For a winger like Jorginho, the Super
Eagles must be wary and on alert at all
times around him. The 26-year-old was
instrumental in helping Guinea-Bissau,
qualify for the 2021 AFCON by scoring
against Eswatini and Congo in the
qualifying series.
His talent has also seen him score in the
UEFA Europa League while playing for
CSKA Sofia and also play in the Champions •Kadima (m) with his coveted prize
League with Ludogorets.

Gotv Boxing Night 25:

Since first qualifying for the 2017 He finished as a runner-up in the 2014
AFCON, Guinea-Bissau has UEFA European Under-19 Championship
participated in every AFCON when representing Portugal at the youth

•Caulker tournament: including the 2021
tournament in Cameroon.
They have since, escaped
A star is born
level. After signing at the age of 17, he
progressed through the Manchester City
development system before leaving in
2016.

Peseiro: Super Eagles By Jacob Ajom cruiserweight class. When they mounted the ring,
the fight began on a ferocious note as both boxers

L
wanted to end procedings in no time. Godwin,

can do a lot more

Coach Jose Peseiro has said the Super
Eagles have to improve even after they
off to a winning start in the qualifying
ies for the 2023 AFCON.
e Eagles fought back from a goal down to
t visitors Sierra Leone 2-1 behind closed
ors at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in
uja Thursday.
I am happy we won, but the football was
ange,” said Peseiro, in a post match
efing.
We were better than Sierra Leone, but I
nk this squad, these players can play much
ter.
We deserved to win because we created
re opportunities, but we need more time
oost-Ekong allays fears over injury
illiam Troost-Ekong has said his injury
isn’t as bad as first feared after he was
chered off the pitch in Nigeria’s 2-1 win
nst Sierra Leone on Thursday night.
e Watford defender copped a groin injury
e 80th minute of the game and was
ced by Leganes’ Kenneth Omeruo.
ere were fears the defender could be set
spell on the sidelines, but Troost-Ekong
moved to douse tension after the injury.
rst game and first win to set us off on the
AFCON 2023 campaign. Thanks for the
We ‘ll improve with
ast weekend, the famous Liberty Stadium,
now ObafemithAwolowo stadium in Ibadan
hosted the 25 edition of GOtv Boxing Night.
for the second time. There event had all the
to improve.” trappings of another big night for boxing
Midfielder Joe Aribo also enthusiasts who thronged the New Gymnasium.
agreed with the coach that the The organisers ensured the event began on
time. As early as 5 pm, the first fight was was on. It
Eagles can do more.
“This was our first time as was a national super welterweight challenge
between Bashiru “K Bash” Kabiru and Jafar ‘Armor
a group, we’re working with
new tactics, new Tank’ Sulaimon. It was an 8 round contest that
saw the two pugilists give their all. However, it
philosophy. We can only get
better,” he said. didn’t go the distance as Jafar, the Armor Tank
stopped his opponent in the third round via TKO.
Guinea Bissau lead
Group A after they True to his pre-fight boast, Olarewaju “Larry
King” Adebiyi a heavyweight made nonsense of
walloped Sao Tome and
Principe 5-1. Solomon “Iron Fist” Imole, who was the biggest
disappointment on the night.
The Eagles next take on
hosts Sao Tome in Morocco Handsome and hugely endowed with a good
muscular build, Imole stepped into the ring, raised
on Monday.
his fists to acknowledge cheers from his ‘teeming’
fans. He shadow boxed briefly before steadying
himself for the big moment. His opponent,
meanwhile, was being ushered into the ring. He
looked more businesslike. The bell rang signaling
the commencement of the bout. Before one knew
messages. I will be back soon,” the what was happening, Solomon Imole, unable to
defender wrote on his Twitter handle. absorb more of the barrage of punches from
It remains to be seen whether Olarewaju, went down on one of his knees. The
Troost-Ekong will be able to game was over and he was knocked out in less
shake off the injury before than two minutes in the first round.
Nigeria’s next game against Then came the turn of two very good boxers in
Sao Tome and Principe on Stephen “Freeman” Kadima and Michael
Monday. “Emirate” Godwin. They fought in the
Omeruo, Leon
Balogun, Chidozie
Awaziem and Semi Ajayi
are the other centre-
backs in the team. Partey changes name to Yakubu
after marrying Morccan woman
T he 28-year-old Ghana international midfielder
Thomas Partey has reportedly made the
change of name following his marriage to
who looked like a heavy weight showed more
experience and resilience. While he chased his
more youthful opponent about the ring, Kadima
was always on his toes, dodging the former’s
ferocious advances, while delivering pinpoint jabs.
He did that with finesse and rehearsed accuracy.
But for the size of Godwin, Kadima could have
registered a knockout because he was a class
ahead.
The younger man tortured Godwin all through
the rounds as he was smarter, younger and
technically superior. It was an amazing performance
for a rookie who was making only his second
professional fight and his first appearance in the
GOtv Boxing Night series. Indeed, for all those
that were present at the arena and millions of
those who watched Gotv Boxing Night 25, the
choice of Stephen Kadima as the best boxer of the
series was incontrovertible as this was
authenticated by the judges who scored 58-56,
60-54 and 59-55 in his favour. Should he continue
this way, it would be safe to say, a star is born.
But the other lightweight of the night ended in
defeat for another Ibadan-based boxer, Ademola
Ibrahim, as Segun “War” Adeyemi was declared
winner by unanimous decision.
The light heavyweight tie was decided by a
unanimous decision in favour of Segun “Success”
Olanrewaju, who faced a spirited challenge from
Victor Bennet all through the eight-round duel
The light welterweight duel between Sadiq
“Golden Boy” Oyokojo and Azeez “Latest” Ayobami
ended in a draw.
However, while playing for Arsenal. The
Ghanaian midfielder will still be referred to as Partey
due to his documentation.

more games under

Moroccan Sara Bella. The name of his shirt will also be Partey despite
the recent name change.
Partey told media his country Ghana back in
March that he is now a Muslim due to his
partner Bella.

Peseiro —Aribo
Aribo has insisted the Super Eagles can
ly get better under new head coach, Jose
ro after the team laboured to a 2-1 win
nst Sierra Leone on Thursday night.
e Super Eagles dominated proceedings
e game, but were sometimes hindered by
poor playing surface of the Moshood
la Stadium, Abuja.
spite their dominance, the Super Eagles
ed shaky at the back at times and needed
save from Francis Uzoho to prevent the
e Stars from taking a two-goal lead early
e game.
e win was the first for the Super Eagles
r Peseiro after the defeat against Mexico
Speaking about the decision to change his
name, Partey said, “I have a girl I love, I know
my side chics will leave me but it’s no problem.
“I grew up with Muslims so at the end of the
day it is the same thing. I am already married
and my Muslim name is Yakubu”.
and Ecuador. After tying the knot with Bella, Partey has
Despite the nervy nature of the victory, further devoted himself further to Islam by now
Aribo is confident the Super Eagles will taking on the name Yakubu.
improve with more games under the The recent development about Partey comes
Portuguese. after he was given a chieftaincy title in his
“It’s important to win our first game of hometown of Odumase Krobo, Ghana.
the qualifiers. We can play better, we will The “Mahefalor’ title which means the as
continue to improve and we will get better,” defender of the area was given to Partey after
the Rangers midfielder told reporters after he helped the Black Stars of Ghana secure a
the game. ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar by
“We are working with the new manager knocking out the Super Eagles of Nigeria
and following his philosophy,” he added. Partey, who suffered a severe injury,
The Super Eagles will now shift attention to Mr & Mrs Partey continues his rehabilitation and is expected to
Monday’s matchday two encounter against play a key role for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta
Sao Tome and Principe. next season.
20—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
Television cameras never tell all the truth.
The APC Presidential Primaries was my first
time at a major political event. A roadblock
was installed two kilometres from the entry
gate. Hawkers of second-hand clothes and
burantashi jostled for customers. Chaos was
everywhere. Raggedy musical bands hired by
some contestants marched like drunkards. The
feeling that there were more pickpockets than
human beings filled the festive atmosphere.
At the gates, disorder held the reins. I was
advised to tuck in anything that could be
snatched, including the accreditation card
dangling on my chest, and get ready for a
push-and-shove. The policeman looked fierce.
Instigated by turbulence at the rear, the crowd
surged forward. A bootlicker’s attempt to shove
humans aside for an arriving VIP. The human
wave crashed at the gates. The police casually
detonated a tear gas canister. The billow
gushed straight into my nose and flew into my
brain. I staggered backwards. While I
contemplated quitting, my friends, conversant
with the rough and tumble of party politics,
surged forward, determined to squeeze
through the gate. Dizzy, but desperate not to
be detached from my group, I changed my
mode. The police officers pushed the gates,
but we were in. We showed them our
accreditation cards. They smiled at us. What
was the purpose of accreditation? Too many
security men. Yet nobody was screened. The
second gate was busy, but not riotous. In such
places, at such times, everyone struggled.
Inside the grounds, the confusion was only
beginning. People milled around and hawked
fake drugs, moimoi and aphrodisiacs. How
did the hawkers get in when we could barely
force ourselves in with our accreditation. The
delegates were in their asoebi. The Osun
delegation wore shiny hats, advertising the
4+4 ambition of their state governor. Perhaps
they said they belonged to Oyetola and not
Aregbesola. Such messages were everywhere.
A certain Aliyu seeking to represent Jos North
in the House of Representatives had his
pictures roving the arena. A rowdy carnival
was afoot.
Soon loudspeakers started booming. Abike
Dabiri hadn’t relinquished her role. Shina
Peters, an old redoubtable, came on stage to
By Ishola Balogun
R ELIEF came the way of over 500 peo
ple who had different health challeng-
es as the wife of the Presiding Bishop of
The Redeemed Evangelical Mission
(TREM) and the Resident Pastor of the
Headquarters Church, Dr. Peace Okonk-
wo dazzled them with healthcare services
and food items.
The medical outreach programme was
aimed at giving succour, empathy and show
of love to vulnerable people suffering from
different forms of health challenges to mark
the 70th birthday of Dr Peace Oknonwko.
From far and near, members and non-
members, converged at the TREM Nation-
al and International Headquarters in
Gbagada, Lagos, to receive treatment. Ben-
eficiaries were tested and treated for blood
pressure level, sugar level, breast cancer,
prostate cancer for men, typhoid and ma-
laria.
The occasion also witnessed donations of
food items and clothing materials to the in-
digent and needy.
As if the crowd was envisaged, no fewer
than 14 doctors, 16 nurses, a lab scientist and
several pharmacists with fully stocked draugs
were on ground to take care of all the people
who needed medical attention and satisfac-
torily too.
The urge to care for others
According to the World Health Organisa-
tion (WHO), currently, at least half of the peo-
ple in the world do not receive the health serv-
ices they need, while about 100 million peo-
ple are pushed into extreme poverty each year
because of out-of-pocket spending on health.
In order to make health for all a reality, this
assertion is no less a spur for individuals with
large hearts individuals who have access to
high-quality health services to take care of
others who could not access good health care.
The new septuagenarian, Dr Peace Okonk-
wo while speaking with newsmen said she
acted on her urge to help members of the
society who could not afford to get medical
attention irrespective of whether they were
members of TREM or not.
Dr Okonkwo said: “When I turned 60, I did
an outreach on the prevention of cervical can-
cer. But this time, I decided to be more practi-
cal and reach out to people in the society. There
are people who are suffering from different
illnesses and do not have enough money to
pay their medical bills. That is what has in-
formed my decision to help them. There are
qualified doctors here in this outreach who I
believe can help these people in need.”
She urged other wealthy women to reach
them had gone to the house of a certain
governor from the North Central to collect
2000 dollars each. Even spirants who stood
no realistic chance shared dollars like
confetti. The Imo delegates were shocked
because they knew the white lion’s ambition
was a desperate white elephant project. Soon
after they returned to their nest, the Imo
delegates were instructed to vote for Lawan.
Order from above. When Lawan was dropped
from the list by the governors, dumbfounded
Imo delegates were told to await further
instructions. Aspirants visited delegates at
night in their hotels and left gifts. Imo
delegates received 5000-dollar messages
A night at the Eagle’s Square from two aspirants. At 2 am on the day of
voting, they were quietly instructed to still
vote for Lawan. No scruples.
All through the night at the Eagles Square,
render afro juju, perhaps a fitting Trump, their faults won’t count. Down the road one fake prophet and a mad man stayed
commencement for what would be a night of in the ceremony, one of the less remarkable beside me. While the prophet sang and prayed
afro-abracadabra. As aspirants arrived, they aspirants mounted the stage to ask those who for fire to fall from heaven to help Amaechi,
walked around the arena loved Buhari to raise up their the mad man helped the prophet to chase
and waved at the cheering hands. It was such a night. away intruders. Were it not for the mad man,
and, sometimes, smirking When Ogbonnaya Onu the boys that fought over food like ravenous
delegates. The delegates emerged, he wasn’t smiling. bulls would have dislodged the temporary
rarely booed. Forlornly, he asked for the shrine. Because the boys fought for an hour
The president arrived with whereabouts of Justice. Poor and spilt their blood after spilling the food. It
sirens, and the ceremony man. took over a dozen police and DSS and a
began in earnest. The only In politics, the polite man Before Akpabio started the thousand strokes of the cane to separate the
cascade of stepping out and
oasis of order was the state is called weak. Whether it’s falling down, it had all
locked horns of the crazy bulls.
box. Everywhere else was It had seemed a close contest. But once the
Jankara market in full politeness or aloofness, the seemed tense. After Badaru Tinubu Tsunami started, the result was
bloom. Aspirants filed out president hasn’t been a threw in the towel and foreseeable. At Dawn, more than 5000 men
alphabetically to address the meddlesome interloper. If prostrated before the
Jagaban, the contest became
and women of all ages and occupations lay
delegates. Only a few on the bare ground, exhausted, unmindful of
listened. Asiwaju started Buhari had started predictable. Nevertheless, the filth beneath them. Television cameras
because someone thought unsettling the party at the strange things continued don’t tell all the truth. If they did, viewers
first names were more state levels and seeking to happening. Emissaries darted
around, ferrying messages
would have seen the underbelly of the Eagle’s
important than surnames. Square. Filthy like hell, littered with plastic
My friend said it was a impose local candidates, from aspirants and their bottles, plates, half-eaten and rotting foods.
deliberate mistake to create the governors would have surrogates to and fro There were no visible not waste disposal
an advantage. That must long signed up to a peace delegates. Hordes of delegates
went around discussing with
facilities. Someone said there were mobile
have been a sign that the toilets somewhere. We have work to do.
gods were with him. He had pact aspirants. Swollen Ghana- If there were Emergency Exists, we were
boisterous followership in Must- Go bags travelled from not told. Fortunately, no stampede happened.
the arena. When he showed place to place. But it wasn’t difficult to see that such
signs of frailty with the clumsy handling of his The Eagles Square was where things went gatherings organised by clowns are disasters
papers, his fans started cheering. A politician fever pitch. But before the main night, waiting to happen. I was happy I attended.
must cultivate both blind and critical delegates had been busy in their hotels. Before Congratulations to Asiwaju Tinubu.
followership. With a large blind battalion, like Imo delegates arrived at the arena, some of Our politics needs a thorough-going
reformation
nerable and need more medical attention free
of charge . “The church has a non-governmen-
tal organisation called Caring Heart Heritage
Initiative which helps to extend the
helping hand to those who need it.
Asides from that, the Care Department
m e n ,
in church has already gotten some re-
u r f o r w o
ports of people who need further med-
Succ o
ical help and we intend to get it for
them soon,” he said.
indigents as TREM
Beneficiaries speak
Patience Abraham, a beneficiary
who was not a member of the church,
said that she was glad that the out-
reach was held despite the poor fi-
e o p l e
p
nancial situation of many people in
v e r 5 0 0
o
the country. “She (Dr. Okonkwo)
give s
doesn’t have lots of money or a place
where she gets money from but she
has a giving heart and just wants to
free medical aid
fulfill a passion. God will continue
to bless her and everyone that con-
tributed to the success of the out-
reach,” Abraham said.
Another beneficiary, Bunmi Ade-
jaro, a resident of Gbagada thanked
the church for impacting in the lives
of people in the community.
“I am not a member of the church but I just
finished undergoing the blood pressure and
the wrong candidate later sugar level tests and I was directed to the phar-
emerges,” she said. macy to get some drugs,” she said while ap-
preciating the efforts of the celebrant.
The Caring Heart Herit- Aside from being socially responsible in lend-
age Initiative ing a helping hand in the area of bringing suc-
Chairman of TREM’s non- cor to women. Other areas in which she has
governmental organisation affected the lives of thousands of Nigeria, es-
called Caring Heart Heritage pecially women are through the International
Initiative, Mr. Frank Nabena, Women Prayer Conference (IWPC), Rehoboth
gave an insight into the med- Homes and Skills Acquisition Centre, Wid-
ical outreach. According to ows Empowerment Initiative, Children Edu-
him, cation Support, Orphanage Support and Free
“There are about 14 doc- Cervical Screening. Bishop Peace has taken it
tors, 16 nurses, a lab scientistupon herself to reach out to women suffering
and several pharmacists on from this ailment, picking their bills for screen-
ground to take care of all the ing. This initiative has successfully screened
people who need medical at- about 10,000 women over the years.
tention.
“People can
be tested to
check for
blood pres-
The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evan- sure level,
sugar level,
gelical Mission (TREM) Dr. Mike Okonkwo breast cancer,
and his wife, Dr, Peace Okonkwo during the prostate can-
free Medical Outreach to mark the 70th birth- cer for men,
day of Dr. Peace held recently. typhoid and
malaria.
There are also
out and give back to the society. She also urged drugs avail-
women to come out and vote in their numbers at able which the pharmacists
the forthcoming general elections. “Women who will dispense to those who need
have the means should find their area of calling them at the prescription of the
and give back so that God can use them to bless doctor,” Nabena said.
others. As the elections are coming up, women He said the Care Depart-
need to come out and vote because if they refuse ment of TREM took responsi- Dr Peace Okonkwo (left) distributing food
to carry out their civic rights, they will inadvert- bility to help those who are vul- items to some beneficiaries
ently lose the right to complain in the long run if

T
he recent killings in the ancient city of
Owo in Ondo State were as
reprehensible as they were totally
unexpected judging from the profile of States
that had erupted in violence in recent times.
Owo doesn’t fit that profile. Owo, a culturally
rich town, has always been relatively peaceful.
Its internal squabbles in the past were
centered around its culture and its politics.But
these seem contained. Its relationship with its
residents and neighbours have usually been
peaceful. Like many Yoruba towns, it has of
recent complained about the infestation of its
forests by herdsmen, now otherwise known
as bandits. But nothing suggested the situation
had reached a tipping point – we did not hear
of a seemingly innocuous fight in the market
place or a farmer/ herdsman infraction in the
bush or a religious argument that got out of
hand.
The suddenness, the ruthlessness and the
timing of the attack have led to a
mushrooming of conspiracy theories. June 5
was Pentecost Sunday. It signified the birth of
the Universal Church otherwise known as the
Catholic Church. It was also the anniversary
of the day Moses received the Ten
Commandments. So it was an important day
in the church calendar. Was it therefore a
religious attack?Did the attackers know about
Pentecost Sunday and decided to use it to press
home its Islamisation agenda? Owo is the
ancestral home of the Governor of the State.
Akeredolu has been quite vocal about the
security of Yorubaland in general and Ondo
State in particular. He was a strong advocate
of the ‘Amotekun’ security outfit. He was also
known to be opposed to open grazing. Was
the attack ethnic? Was it a show of power? Of
ethnic superiority? Again, Akeredolu had been
in the forefront of zoning the Presidency. He
had been the conscience of the party in a way
that made those who didn’t want the
Presidency zoned to the south uncomfortable.
He had been effective in lobbying his fellow
Governors from the North who officially
conceded zoning the Presidency to the South
much to the discomfiture of some people. This
concession took place barely a day before the
attack. Was the attack then political? And was
the choice of Owo deliberate in order to punish
its ‘son’ for his ‘meddlesomeness’?Finally,
there are those who believe that Yorubaland
has been surrounded by militias also known
as bandits who may be waiting for a
M any who underestimated
the sheer grit and
greatness of Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu’s political machine
were brought to submission last
Wednesday as the national leader
of the All Progressives Congress,
APC overwhelmed his political rivals
to emerge the presidential candidate
of the party.
What became a turning point for
your correspondent was the moment
two famed Southwest rivals of
Tinubu’s; Ibikunle Amosun and
Governor
capitulated.
Kayode Fayemi
It was initially difficult to down for him was surprising.
understand Amosun’s entry into the It has been suggested in some
race especially given the fact that quarters
he did not do much of a campaign. surrendered
His declaration at the Shehu to position himself in the local
Yar‘Adua Centre was, however, a fight against Governor Dapo
showstopper. Your correspondent Abiodun who is aligned to
sighted a number of
vehicles bearing
State House number
plates at the venue. A
representative of the
First Lady was also
present. These
provoked thoughts as What became a
to whether Amosun
was really the secret turning point for your
successor that correspondent was
P r e s i d e n t
Muhammadu Buhari
the moment two
had famously been famed Southwest
quoted to be
grooming.
rivals of Tinubu’s;
If it was difficult Ibikunle Amosun and
understanding
Amosun’s presence
Governor Kayode
in the race, his exit Fayemi capitulated.
and stepping down
was even more
difficult to
understand. For a man that had
been long regarded as a political foe is another matter.
of Tinubu’s, the decision to step Governor Kayode Fayemi’s
decision to step down was even
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—21
the North-central as their godfather. Nothing
happened to the two ex-Governors beyond
newspaper indictments. Instead, they got
‘promoted’ to the Senate and they both came out
recently to vie for the Presidency. It was a case of
daring ‘ whoever is without sin’ among
thepolitical leaders to cast the first stone. These
days, when we say a politician has ‘structure’, it
might be another word for saying he has
enforcersand guns in strategic places. Our
politicians operate like the mafia. They carve
out fiefdoms and install operatives who do their
bidding in exchange for protection. This bidding
covers everything from registration of voters to
The promoters of violence intimidation and even murder. Their machinery
is oiled through graft and grime.Many politicians
with the so called ‘structure’ and ‘grass roots
command to invade whenever the occasion in their chosen house of God to unleash support’ are promoters of violence and coercion.
demands. Was the attack a sample, an carnage and violent deaths. We leave it at We cannot ignore that many of the flashpoints in
enactment of such a command? Is there this time to investigators to tell us who the the country are manipulated by politicians for
something sinister brewing in Yorubaland people were and what the motive was. ulterior motives. We cannot dismiss that the
that its people need to be more wary of? Unfortunately, a fact, bolstered by evidences massacre in Owo had no political hand.
I do not normally of past assaults, is that The special conventions of the two major
indulge in conspiracy the perpetrators may parties have shown us the power of money and
theories. The problem of get away with it. ‘structure’. It is a shame what we came up with in
a conspiracy theory is that Another fact is the a country brimming with brilliant and
it usually takes a set of facts failure of intelligence. resourceful people. It is a shame how pedestrian
which may not even be How did these people and insulting the criteria for choosing the
completely true as a get into a sleepy town, candidates were. This is possible becausein the
foundation to build not Akeredolu has been position themselves, end, it is not about the future of the country. It is
just one edifice but several commit mass murder not about addressing the poverty and
quite vocal about the and slip out without unemployment in the country. Yes, the two
skyscrapers which might
not withstand the constant security of Yorubaland in being noticed? One conventions showed us how rotten and decadent
wind of truth. general and Ondo State glaring fact is that our system is.
Unfortunately, it usually in particular. He was a there are way too It is easy to give up on Nigeria after watching
results in a heightened fear many guns in the the entire charade called special conventions
or even paranoia for those strong advocate of the country and many of wherethose who had no ‘structure’ or money were
who choose to believe – ‘Amotekun’ security outfit. them are in the wrong treated as jokers by the delegates irrespective of
this is not to say conspiracy He was also known to be hands. How do they their brilliant submissions- it is obvious Obama
theories are completely come into the country? could not have emerged in a country like
baseless and those who
opposed to open A n o t h e r Nigeria.It is telling the reasons some gave for
peddle them have no grazing. Was the attack unacknowledged or stepping down for their preferred candidates.
cause. Fortunately, the ethnic? Was it a show of understated fact is that Those who thought 2023 would birth something
profession I have many of these guns are new have been shocked at the role money and a
embraced for almost half
power? Of ethnic controlled and sadly Machiavellian attitude played in the whole
a century does not superiority? often deployed by the electioneering process. The parties have settled
encourage them. In fact, it very people we elect for politicians with ‘structure’ and ‘grass roots’
holds conspiracy theorists at an arm’s into public office.In order words, our support; people they believe ‘can win’ the
length. Much like the legal profession, politicians. presidential election – we now know what that
journalism thrives on facts and the Less than four years ago, an outgoing means. Those who hoped for a ‘lift’ through fresh
presentation of evidence. The fact in this Governor from the South-west was ideas from younger contenders are again saddled
case is that a group of people mindlessly apprehended for being in possession of a with the tired faces of men who are old in ideas
and without any discernible provocation, cache of arms. Before then, some hoodlums and age. In Nigerian politics, the more things
descended on people who were worshiping raided a bank killing innocent people. change, the more they remain the same.
Investigations led to an ex-Governor from
emergence as president.
One day in the immediate future the
truth behind what made Fayemi and
other governors to cave in would
emerge.
Wily-nilly, with the ticket in hand,
Tinubu is now on course towards
achieving his life ambition. That is, if
he is able to muzzle his way to remove
the challenge from his friend, Atiku
Abubakar.
How President Tinubu will He also has the challenge of battling
the social media campaign behind Mr
Peter Obi. Indeed, if that campaign
reckon with Buhari should in any way find root on
ground, Tinubu and indeed, Atiku
more difficult to believe. For a man could find what has been their life
who had been long in planning his ambition torpedoed.
that Amosun way to the presidency, the But looking beyond now in the event
to Tinubu in order explanation of giving-in to his Tinubu finally achieves his life
“mentor and leader ” was ambition, the question to project now,
unbelievable. would be what role could Buhari play
After spending N100 million on in the Tinubu administration?
Tinubu’s rebel the presidential nomination forms President Buhari remarkably has
political son, and even more reaching out to made it easy for his successor with his
Prof. Yemi delegates across the country, the pledge that he would retire quietly to
Osinbajo. After decision to step down without a his cows in Daura.
all, the saying fight was bewildering. Indeed, despite the fact that the
goes that my It was even more shocking from national headquarters building is
enemy’s enemy is Fayemi given the resolution of the named after him, it is unlikely that
my friend. The Buhari would again visit the premises
p r o s p e c t s
Northern governors on power shift
to the South.” after he leaves office. The possible
undoubtedly Fayemi was certainly the most President Tinubu, however, would not
look dire for likely beneficiary of that resolution rename the house.
G o v e r n o r given his position as the chairman Unlike President Olusegun
Abiodun who of the Northern Governors Forum. Obasanjo who keenly wanted to play
Tinubu as an
aspirant had
All sorts of theories are being a role in the party as chairman of the
Board of Trustees of the Peoples
propounded as to what happened.
s a r c a s t i c a lly Some especially from the Fayemi Democratic Party, PDP immediately
d i s m i s s e d camp claim that they surrendered after he left office, Buhari would have
penultimate to the wish of the president on no such aspiration.
Thursday in Tinubu. But few believe them Between tending his cows and
Abeokuta. What especially given the body language perhaps writing his memoirs, Buhari
happens to that was against Tinubu. would continue to mutter on how he
Abiodun if and A terse State House press lost it this week when what almost
when President statement had also denounced the everyone had predicted can never
Tinubu emerges penultimate speech made by happen, happened and Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu at Abeokuta in which the Tinubu with his formidable machine
former Lagos State governor had enthroned himself as the presidential
claimed credit for Buhari’s candidate of the ruling party.
22—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
Lsupposed to be a major
ast Saturday, May 29, was
anniversary marking seven years of
Gen. Mohammadu Buhari’s
presidency which began in 2015.
Also, the Fourth Republic incepted
on May 29, 1999, that magical
ending of a millennium, and the
birth of a promising new. It was as
though the world was rejoicing with
Nigeria as there was a feverish
world-wide preparation for a giant
party. Some of the readers would
have been old enough to remember
the monster pop music hit which
ruled the waves then: “We Gonna
Party Like It Is 1999” crafted by the
late superstar, who was widely
known as Prince.
And Nigeria did throw a party.
Hope was renewed. Many of the
state governors (the Donald Dukes,
James Iboris, Orji Uzor Kalus, Lucky
Igbinedions) were young and the
smiles on their faces hinted of the
goodies to come. Gen. Olusegun
Obasanjo, the president, was no
neophyte. He had not only been a
military Head of State (1976 -1979)
he had been almost so superlative
in office then, providing leadership
to the African continent, standing
up to the West in Africa’s fight
against the accursed apartheid
system in South Africa, that
Nigerian university students
adopted him as an uncle (uncle
sege). He had an additional
qualification for that high office; he
had been unjustly jailed by the
despotic Head of State. Gen. Sani
Abacha. So, on Abacha’s death in
June 1988, Gens Ibrahim
Babangida, T Y Danjuma and Aliyu
Gusau schemed for him to become
president, a position that could
without question have gone to the
late Alex-Ekwueme, who was Vice-
President to President Shehu
Shagari in the 1979-1993 Second
Republic.
It was as though Obasanjo was
doing Nigeria a favour by accepting
to be president for a second time.
His ego towered higher than Mount
Everest even as his achievements
S trange things are happening in
Igbo land, from the banks of
River Niger to the thick forests of
Nkalagu down to the creeks of
Egbema. It is wake up time for the
people and Governors Charles
Soludo and Hope Uzodimma must
unite for good. Soludo is the fresh
air in the Anambra space while
Uzodimma tries to solidify in Imo.
These two have more years than the
other Igbo speaking governors. It
is therefore important to let them
know that uneasy lies the head that
wears the crown.
Anambra and Imo are important
in Igbo history of Survival. I do not
want to limit the Igbo story to Biafra
accountancy. However, you cannot
sequester the Civil war from the
Igbo journey to the present and
projections for the future. Dr.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was the face of Igbo
politics during the colonial period
and emerged as the first president
of Nigeria in 1960. General
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
led Biafra during the crisis, between
1967 and 1970. Their homes are
located in Anambra.
The last capital of Biafra was
Owerri and Ojukwu lived in Etiti. The
last headquarters of the Biafra Army
was at Isu Grammar School. The first
Biafra Army Chief, Col. Hilary Njoku
and the last, Brigadier Patrick
Amadi hailed from what we know
today as Imo State. The last location
of the famous Radio Biafra was
Obodoukwu, Urualla while formal
talks of surrender were held in
Amichi. Soludo and Uzodinma were
young enough to belong to the Boys
Company. They understand why
Anambra and Imo must set the
pace. These two governors should
as a matter of urgency set out a day
to be celebrated as Igbo Memorial.
I do not want to tag it Biafra
dumb. All those clerics, lawyers,
politicians, NGO, etc, personalities who
took to the streets to protest against the
petrol scarcity that blighted the days
when Jonathan was president have gone
lame, blind, dumb and deaf. All those
columnists who wrote scathing columns
deriding Jonathan and the PDP have
seemingly stopped writing. All the
pretenders to the position of super-patriots
who peppered the Umaru Yar’Adu
administration with endless criticisms
have gone tongue-tied.
Ma
Mayy 29; another anniver sar
saryy
anniversar The Kaduna state Governor, Nasir el-
Rufai allegedly once wrote a memo to
President Buhari and it was later leaked
of Nigeria’s dashed hopes to the public and newspaper vendors made
photocopies for sale. If that memo titled
the “IMMEDIATE AND MEDIUM-TERM
sank deeper than any valley in the extreme poverty. In 2018 the IMPERATIVES FOR PRESIDENT
world. MUHAMMADU BUHARI -SEPTEMBER
number of people suffering from 22, 2016 mirrored el-Rufai’s own, then
Yet, we have to leave the egoistical extreme poverty in India fell to a new
Obasanjo alone for now and put the and favourable low, and the world he could in future distance himself from
dashed hopes in true perspective. It was those who suddenly became blind, deaf
applauded India for and dumb. The version sold publicly had
clear by the turn of the that magical
millennium that “the most a caption: “YOU HAVE FAILED.” That was
achievement. But written in 2016 and since then, the
pressing moral, political and what about our
economy has grown worse, the Naira
economic issue of our time is country, Nigeria?
third-world poverty,” as the value has plummeted further, the
Under the President number of the absolute poor has increased,
Economist of London wrote
then. By that time, the UN Under the President B u h a r i
administration,
the level of electricity supply has reduced,
had been blaring about the Buhari administration, Nigeria overtook the price of petrol, diesel, rice, yam, bottle
Millenium Development of ground nut, sachet water, a loaf of
Goals for all to hear. The Nigeria overtook India over 99 million
India in poverty as bread, any measure of gari—cost of
MDGs were aimed at cutting in poverty as over 99 Nigerians everything bought and sold in Nigeria-
fell soared. Not even the much-advertised rice
the number of those that lived
in abject poverty—$1.90 per million Nigerians fell beneath the safety
net and came to
pyramid showcased on National TV as a
day or less,by half. The MDGs beneath the safety net live below the superlative achievement has had an
also had other areas of focus impact on the price of rice, which has
such as education,housing, and came to live
poverty line. And more than doubled since Buhari became
with that Nigeria president. And local rice production has
health, water provision. As below the poverty line. became the poverty
poverty is our focus today, we been special to this administration. The
should forget about the other And with that Nigeria And this shameful
capital of the world. unbounded optimism and fierce ambition
sectors. By the turn of the became the poverty fact chanced on in the Nigeria of 1999 has turned into
millennium, nearly 1.7 today’s dashed hopes, rotten
billion unfortunates fell into capital of the world
Nigeria during the bureaucracies, profound economic
tenure of an problems, unmitigated and galloping
the poorest of the poor administration
category globally, and a clear one billion which had promised to take Nigeria poverty, widespread hardship and the
absence of safety nets – spreading despair,
of them lived in just two Asian countries; to “The Next Level.”
China and India. That was in year 2,000 yes despair – as Buhari has presided over
So, May 29, should have made a period of a total slowdown. This failure
when there was unbounded optimism in Nigerians introspective. Yet, little
has surpassed the failings of all the
Nigeria. Today, general despair (as introspection is taking place. There
opposed to optimism) reigns in Nigeria is the quiet of the grave-yard preceding administrations – including
while unbounded optimism reigns in both everywhere. All those super-critics of Buhari’s stint as Military Head of State.
Surpassing failure? Yes, that phrase
China and India. For instance,in 2021, the President Yar’adua/Jonathan
should be reserved for this
China announced that it has eradicated era have grown blind, deaf and
administration.
Prof. Emma Okocha, author of blood on
the Niger. Through him, the world got
to know of the genocide committed in
Asaba. Other parts were not spared,
churches, hospitals, schools and even
markets were bombed.
Soludo and Uzodimma need to put
heads together for this Igbo Memorial.
And it must also involve non Igbo. Gen.
Why Soludo needs Uzodimma
Philip Effiong is dead but fellow Ibibio,
Col. Assam Afaha Nsudoh is still kicking
and serves the Lord as a Bishop. Venue
Memorial because the Igbo are of this memorial should be Dan Anyiam
beyond Biafra. The day should be Saturday Vanguard, Onochie
Anibeze has not seen his father in Stadium, Owerri. Yes, Owerri because
used to remember and celebrate it was the last capital of Biafra and the
Ndigbo, from Delta to Jamaica. the last 56 years. The family lived
in Kano until the mass killings that only town that was recaptured by the
The spirit of Igbo dead is strong, Biafra Army. Anyiam was a Major and
hovering and wandering. Those who followed the July 29 coup.
Bright chaps lost their lives in the part of that battle. An
perished in the Atlantic Ocean during Interdenominational service should be
the slave trade, mothers and battle field. Mike Ezetoha, was
exceptional at Government held and prayers said for the repose of
children who were sold into slavery, the souls of Ndigbo who died in various
virile young men who made it to the Secondary School, Afikpo. He
studied Geology at parts of the world during the slave trade
new world but could and in Nigeria during genocide and Civil
not take the Nsukka and was the
best graduating War. The living should also be
inhumanity of man. recognised. Gen. Alex Madiebo who
During Biafra, lives student in 1966. The
young man marshalled troops is 90. Enugu Rangers
were wasted. Before International represent the fighting
the war, pogrom took succumbed to friendly
spirit of the Igbo. Anyiam was the first
place in many parts of An interdenominational fire as a Major. Biafrans coach. Some pioneer members of that
Northern Nigeria. service should be held also killed fellow team are still with us. They must be
After the war, lives Biafrans. Capt. Sunny
have been lost in and prayers said for the Nweke, a well trained
recognised. Emma Okala can help with
contacts of Kenneth Abana, Dom
different parts of the repose of the souls of Signals officer was Nwobodo, Peter Okeke, Sam Okoh,
country. The blood of Ndigbo who died in executed by his own Teddy Anikputa, Emma Ojirika, Godwin
these people will troops who did not
Adimachukwu, Ray Ohaeri and Pat
continue to trouble the various parts of the understand the
Ozuah. Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike
rudiments of war. Col.
land. world during the slave Joe Achuzia shot Edozien and Amanyanabo of Opobo,
I will attach names to
these accounts. People trade and in Nigeria soldiers carrying the
Dandeson Jaja should play important
spiritual roles. No mention should be
must believe. Philip during genocide and corpse of their
made of core or peripheral Igbo. It is a
Anaedozie Uduezue Civil War commander, Maj. Theo
Atumaka, mistaking taboo and disturbs the spirit of the
and Brown Agbogu dead, over five million souls.
were Tin miners in them for deserters.
Some of those who survived the war, Former Imo State governor, Achike
Bukuru, near Jos. They remained in Udenwa should be involved. He fought
Jos after the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado did not survive the peace because
their investments in Port Harcourt as a captain. Soludo and Uzodimma
Bayero, said the Igbo were free in the should put politics aside and organise
North. They are still missing since became abandoned property.
Uzodimma’s ally, Nnamdi Anyaehie this Igbo Memorial. Peace will return
1966. Thousands were murdered and to Igbo land and true political leaders,
unaccounted for. The Editor of knows more about this. Ndigbo
must remain eternally grateful to not dollarised delegates, will emerge.

Igwe Gabosky:
My tale of woes in Nollywood
Says: 'I'm taking a break
from showbiz'
By BENJAMIN NJOKU
A
front-line movie producer and
distributor, Gabriel Okoye, popularly
known as Igwe Gabosky,will live with
the sad memory for a long time of his efforts
to create an enabling environment for
stakeholders in the Nigerian movie industry
but ended up bruising himself in the
process.
The bandana loving producer of
Nollywood classics such as 'Nneka, the
Pretty Serpent', 'The Battle of Musanga',
'Beyond the Vow', 'Wedlock of Blood' among
others was one of the beneficiaries of the
Bank of Industry intervention fund aimed
at developing the creative industry some
years back.
He was empowered by BoI with over NI
billion to create the biggest media
distribution company for intellectual
property in Africa.
Gabosky recalled how he had set up a
nationwide distribution platform better
known as G-Media in 2013. But he never
reaped the fruits of his sweat as movie pirates
wrecked his project and left him bankrupt.
Narrating his ordeal in a recent chat with
our reporter, Gabosky also blamed some
industry stakeholders for his woes, claiming
that they ganged up against him.
According to him, some cinema owners
who initially agreed to work with him in
terms of distribution and exhibition of the
movies, suddenly turned against him while
enjoying support from some staff of BoI.
He narrates: “I got my fingers burnt after
my sad journey with Bank of Industry. I have
been a businessman since 1987. I have never
recorded any failure in my business
dealings. I have never borrowed money in
my life to run my business until I came in
contact with the Bank of Industry in 2014.
That was when I borrowed money for the
first time from a bank. And that was the
beginning of my woes.”
“ I didn't know that there was a gang up
waiting for me, as we were running promos
for the business, for my association, my
I was challenged to tackle
gen der-ba sed violence in my new
movie ---Vincent Okonkwo
ender-based violence is a distu rbing issue that has been taken with
G among other nota
soci ety. But filmmaker, Vincent Okonkwo of
utmost laxity in the fron t again thro ugh the medium
ter to the fore
poised to bring the mat
film.
His latest project, "Wildflower" whic the issu e of gen der- based violence
the country yesterday ,dea ls with
roach.
without being preachy in its app movie stars, the likes of ‘Nearly
Directed by Biodun Stephen, the er, Dam
The Men in Lagos are Mad ’ writ
Vanguard, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2022 —23
Afrinolly and late Chris Ekejimbe to access
08111813022 funds from the bank to digitize their studios
to the best of global practice.”
“And everybody appreciated my efforts.
None of them got less than N50 million to
digitize their studios. When we produced
the first set of movies, some cinema owners
went behind to frustrate the effort, refusing
to distribute the films. They claimed they
were the only operators that would act as
exhibitors and distributors. As if that was
not enough, they collaborated with an
official of the Bank of Industry to frustrate
my effort.”.
“That was how I decided to withdraw
from the project as they ended up messing
the industry because of greed. I had to close
down all my distribution platforms
nationwide because of the fact that I had
no money to sustain the business any
more. More so, BoI refused to release
the last phase of the funds to me. Till
date, the bank is still in custody of my
property which I used as collateral. I
•Gabosky have put everything behind me and
moved on with my life. My plan is to
venture into other business outlets and
forget about the entertainment
collaboration and my industry for now,” Gabosky lamented.
Gabosky was empowered by BOI
cooperation with the Bank of
Industry to better the industry.” with over NI billion to create the
“BoI meant well for the biggest media distribution company for
industry as they were intellectual property in Africa. The
providing sponsorship in the Nollywood film investor had set up a
area of distribution networks nationwide distribution platform better
a situation that changed the known as G-Media in 2013. The project
equation in Nollywood. But which kicked off in 2014, involved
immediately I unveiled my distribution establishing about 25 stores spread across
platform, pirates increased their illegal the nation, 30 regional distributors as well
acts, pirating almost all the films as 4000 community distribution stores.
I released at that time. So, all my But after all these futile efforts, the
efforts amounted to nothing.” popular producer is still counting his
Gabosky who last shot a losses in a hard way. His foray into
movie in 2010 which is yet to be released?, added that following Nollywood dates back to 1992, after
his ordeal he has resolved to venture into other businesses and some filmmakers led by Okechukwu
forget about the entertainment industry for now. I Oguejiafor asked him to sponsor the
He continued, “ I commissioned film makers to producer now remake classic, 'Nneka the
the best of Nigerian films as well as prevailed on BoI to Pretty Serpent.' The movie, which
sponsor digital video editing suites and studios which I cost him N4.5 million, was an
got the likes of Kingsley Ogoro, Kunle Afolanya, Chike of instant hit.
Memorable music, the Uganda-born
singer said "music is
something that runs in
the blood of my
moments I had with family"; adding “God
and music are what
unite us as a family.”
According to
Burna Boy as his him, “it made a
huge impact on us
as a family, and I
started to take it
back up vocalist •Christina
seriously from the
age of 8, when I joined
various church choirs and
performed at birthday
---Uganda-born singer Matovu parties. One of my core
influences is my brother who
has been producing music
By Chinasa Afigbo Madison Square Garden,MSG, New York, for a long time since our childhood. He had
“
As the day comes, as I go on, guide two months ago. a band back in the days called “The Extreme
and watch over me, oh lord, I cannot The African giant’s backing vocalist Impacts".
trust my neighbour.” Christina Matovu has been embedded in “And we travelled around with him as a
These were the profound lyrics of Burna music from a very young age and attests to family, supporting him in shows and
Boy ’s “Bank on It” that singled-out the influences she got from her family and competitions that he would win with his
Christina Matovu’s silvery vocals during the community she lived in back in London. bandmates. I learnt a lot from them and
the One Night in Space concert held at Narrating her foray into the world of incorporated them into my musical
journey.”
Through her years of experience,
Christina discovered and is revelling in the
healing power of music. “Music is the balm
to my soul,” she enthused.
Continuing, she added, “It adds to my
healing in so many ways, it is my form of
worship, my form of meditation to
overcome, a form of bringing myself back
to a state of peace.”
She said, meeting Burna Boy was the
climax of her long term career, to work with
someone she had admired for years.
“You meet people that you admire in your
el Unigwe, Rachel Emem Isaac craft or fieldwork and it's encouraging.
Eboh, Kiki Omeili, Eso Dike, Ang
acto rs. From that turning moment, I promised
ble
is
Speaking at a sneak previewIslan of the movie at the FilmHouse, myself to always do my best", she said
oria d, Lagos, last Sunday, Okonkwo The rest is history for Christina, starting
Landmark Even t Cen tre, Vict
ed to mak e the advo cacy movie, following the from her first concert with Burna Boy at
ss said he was chal leng
h premiered in the cinemas acro ety trea ts gen der- based issues.
way and man ner the soci
the prod ucer of “Pon zi” a feature-length project
Hammersmith Apollo in October 2016; she
Okonkwo, who 's also has been working with the Afro-fusion
2016 MM M Ponz i sche me said the script was
All based on the victi ms
s with in a peri od of two years before it was singer ever since then, a journey that is
ilare Kuk u as the lead character reworked abou t five time getting to its 6th year of mind-blowing
alongside ready for production. . no to domestic violence andthat child progressions.
Deyemi "We are saying no to rape,Wild flow er is a tropical story is Working closely with Burna Boy has
molestation. To som e exte nt,
Okanlawon, issu es, advo catin g gen der equality. shown the Ugandan-born singer the true
addressing trop ical face
To y i n
“It tackles sexual violence andform explores how different womenbon d
colours of hard work and dedication.
Abraham,
ult in diffe rent s and how they can easily “Damini works very hard to attain all that
Sandra trauma and assa he has now. He prides himself in the fact
over this, ” Oko nkw o said . the
Okunzuwa,
The feature-length movie writ ten by Nneka Ojor addressescate that he does not take the elevator; he takes
J i d e e and viole nce agai nst women. It aims to edu the stairs. And we have been on the stairs
Kosoko, issue of sexu al abus to
people on the experiences som e women go through with a view with him,” she said.
Z u b b y
ace of abus e and spar k a conv ersation that helps Speaking on her most memorable
Mic hea l, curbing the men perpetrators to book.
society speak up and bring such performance with Burna Boy, she gives an
Etinosa
follo ws the story of thre e women’s tragic tales of domestic account of her experience during their
Idemudia, 'Wildflower' the cour age of one woman. With this
violence and abus e spur red by Hollywood Bowl concert in 2020. “I can’t
Nosa Rex,
o reop ens conv ersa tion on the issue of gender-based really describe the way I felt on that day,”
I m o h movie, Okonkw
violence in the soci ety. she said.
24—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
Thailand legalises cannabis and
people can now grow it at home
P
eople in Thailand are now free to
grow and own marijuana plants at
home after its government
officially removed cannabis from its list
of banned drugs.
It is the first Asian country to legalise
weed in a region known for its strict
anti-drug laws.
Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul
celebrated the news by announcing his
plan to send more than a million
cannabis seeds across the country, as
he seeks to rebrand Thailand as a 'weed
wonderland'.
Under the new rules citizens are
PURE EVIL
P
huong Ratha, 27, had inflicted
months of abuse upon his 23
year old wife, Ly Srey Nouch,
before he eventually cut off h e r
head with a meat cleaver
last week.
The evil husband
allegedly attacked his
wife in a jealous rage at
their home in Phnom
Penh, Cambodia, last
Friday evening, May
27.
After cutting off her
head and stuffing it in
a sack, Phuong Ratha,
27, rode away on a
motorcycle and
dumped it in a
nearby wasteland.
Ly's dismembered corpse
was found on the family home's
white-tiled floor next to empty beer
cans and the blood soaked knife by
the couple's horrified neighbor, Phan
Sreyphet, 48.
Mr Sreyphet went to check on the
couple late in the day after hearing
Phuong shouting at his wife, but was
stunned to discover the gruesome
scene. An urgent manhunt was
allowed to grow, eat and sell marijuana
on a medicinal basis - although smoking
it recreationally is still technically illegal.
The government has also set
restrictions on the THC level of
products allowed to be sold, in an effort
to dissuade smokers from using it to
'get high' instead of as pain relief.
But advocates claim the move
effectively decriminalises the product in
all but name.
The government, banking on the
plant as a cash crop, hopes the
upcoming cannabis boom will kickstart
the economy following the post-Covid
carried out by police, and Mr Ratha was
found around 60 miles away the next
afternoon, May 28.
Phuong allegedly told police he slit
his wife's throat in a jealous rage
before attempting to
hide her
severed
head.
He said:
"I was
jealous
because I
felt like my
wife was
a c t i n g
differently. I
08116759759
recession.
Chokwan Kitty Chopaka, who owns
a shop selling cannabis gum sweets,
said: 'After Covid, the economy going
down the drain, we really do need this.'
Some Thai advocates celebrated the
news this morning by buying marijuana
at a café which was previously limited
to selling products made from the parts
of the plant that do not get people high.
The dozen or so people who turned
up at the Highland Café in Bangkok
were able to choose from a variety of
buds with names such as Sugarcane,
Bubblegum, Purple Afghani, and UFO.
didn't beat her before I killed her.
"I used a white knife to cut her throat."
The couple had moved into a rented
property in February with their one year
old son to start a new life.
But neighbours told police the
depraved husband was "violent and
abusive", and would berate his wife over
jealously accusing her of talking to
other men.
Phan, the neighbour who found the
body, said: "I heard them arguing a lot
and the husband would often shout.
He was very jealous.
"I was worried about the wife and
checked on her in the evening.
"That's when I found her body on the
floor."
In a statement released by the
Boeung Kak district police, an officer
said that the victim's mutilated body
was found in a pool of blood by
neighbours.
They immediately called the
authorities around 7:00pm.
They said: "The victim was found face-
down on a tiled floor with her throat
cut. Only the couple lived in the rental
unit.
"There are no other suspects and the
husband has confessed."
Lieutenant general Song Ly, Deputy
Commissioner for Criminal Planning at
the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, said
the husband had been driven by
jealously.
He said: "The attack was motivated
by anger and jealousy. An arrest
warrant was issued and the suspect was
caught.
"He has admitted to murdering his
wife in a violent and brutal way.
"He will formally face the charges in
court." The suspect appeared at the
P h n o m
P e n h
Municipal
Court on
Monday
morning,
May 30,
where he
w a
remanded in
custody for
sentencing.
Rittipong
Bachkul, 24 and the
day's first customer,
said: 'I can say it out
loud that I am a
cannabis smoker. I
don't need to hide like in the past when valuable, and should be promoted.'
it was branded as an illegal drug.' The minister said the government
So far there is no limit to the amount prefers to 'build an awareness', which
people can grow and smoke at home, would be better than patrolling to check
outside of requiring them to register on people and using the law to punish
on a government app called them.
'PlookGanja' before they start. The Thai government also announced
'We should know how to use its intention to release more than 4,000
cannabis,' said health minister and
prisoners convicted of cannabis-related
deputy prime minister Charnvirakul, offences.
who hopes that the move will see
A wider draft law on cannabis control
Thailand become a major player in the is currently being considered in Thai
medical marijuana market.
parliament, with advocates claiming the
'If we have the right awareness, coming years could see a gradual relaxing
cannabis is like gold, something
of the rules governing its use.
Moment gang leader called Cute Chubby
walks out of prison dressed as a woman
A top drug lord in Latin America
casually walked out of his prison's
main gate while disguised as a woman.
justice ministry to find out if they helped
Ortíz.
After his arrest, the drug lord was taken
César Ortíz, 36, is believed to be second to Emboscada National Penitentiary in
in command of the Rotela Clan - a gang the town of Emboscada, which is 32 miles
involved in an ongoing war for control away from where he was in Asunción.
of the drug trade in Paraguay's jails. His wife Jessica Salinas has called for
Ortíz has been behind bars in the Ortíz to be brought back to the capital for
notorious Tacumbú National his safety - in relation to the drug war his
Penitentiary, in the capital city gang is involved in.
Asunción, for the last three years. He This is not the first time Ortíz has
was jailed for robbing about $4,400 caused trouble at the Tacumbú prison.
(£3,500) from a petrol station in 2019. He led a riot in February last year,
The criminal, also known as Cute after jail guards found out about an
Chubby or Gordito Lindo, planned an underground tunnel inmates were
escape with the help of guards and digging for planned escapes.
friends on the outside on May 29. At least seven inmates were reportedly
That day a woman came to visit Ortíz decapitated by fellow prisoners who
and they went into a private room believed they had revealed the tunnel.
together, according to local media. Ortíz was then charged with murder,
It was during this visit that Ortíz hostage taking, arranging a prison riot
changed into an olive blouse and a and for being associated with a criminal
blue skirt, painted his nails, put makeup organisation.
on and wore a wig.
Then, Ortíz walked past several
check points without being detected
at all.
Unbelievable footage shows a guard
opening a jail gate for Ortíz to leave
through.
But the gang leader was only busted
a few blocks away from the prison, when
police officers spotted Ortíz and
arrested him.
At least four other people were also
s taken into custody for their roles in
the escape, including officer Rolón
Figueroa - who was allowed to join the
police force last year despite previously
serving a six-year drug sentence.
Some 20 jail guards are currently
being investigated by Paraguay's
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 25
26—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
than to jettison my
education to enable me
adequately concentrate on
learning the skill. My
decision satisfied my
conscience and indeed, it
was worthwhile because
that informed my
proficiency in the weaving
craft. I did various amazing
designs in Asooke which
astonished my

‘I abandoned
contemporaries in the craft
business; I surpassed my
father who was the guru that
trained me and other
members of my family who
are also good in the craft.
“Virtually all my siblings,

education for
both male and female are in
the weaving craft business,
it is our cultural heritage.
Amazingly, Ghanaian
females show more interest
in the craft than their male
counterparts. Sequel to my
dedication and versatility in

Aso-Oke designs’
By Simeon Ndaji
W hat drew my attention to his relaxed
ambience of his open shade was the cool
breeze made available by nature within the
precincts of Ifedayo Estate, Ajuwon, Ogun
State. The existence of shrubs, Dogoyaro tree,
orange tree and other unfamiliar plants added
to the cool atmosphere. Some branches of the
trees were resting on the shade’s roof where
Mr Seth Katako,40, a craftsman sat sprightly
and clasping a carved wooden apparatus
neatly fixed with a bundle of a colourful
weaving thread as his hands were busy with
the manual art, weaving to produce samples
of Asooke designs according to customers’
specifications.
I arrived the Ifedayo Estate at 8.45 pm. I
would never have imagined that someone
could be very busy working there at that late
time, but the torchlight and the sound of the
very busy young man at his craft which
reverberated caught my fancy, and I decided
to interview him on his skill, Asooke designs
and its production.
“It is quite amazing how committed and
dedicated you are to your business of Asooke
production. From my observation, you are
busy all day with your craft, from morning till
night daily, even on weekends, you are rarely
tired of working. One would imagine the
secret,” I started the conversation.
The young man paused momentarily from
his work and took a deep breath before
responding. Then he said, “I love my work
which I’ve been doing for years, and I am
always busy from morning till nightfall
because I don’t want to fail in my duties and
disappoint my customers. I try my best to satisfy
them so that they can always trust me, and we
•Seth busy with his craft.
maintain good customer relationship. I have
no reason to be idle and disappoint anybody
because I have no other work or business, so, I
stick to the one I have. My primary challenge
is to meet my customers’ target. The raw
materials I use such as cotton, sewing
materials, thread of assorted colours and net
are available everywhere at Ajuwon, Agege
and Lagos.
“Asooke is in high demand because people
who are planning for marriages, traditional
weddings,burial ceremonies, long-service
award, house-warming, birthday celebrations
etc. place orders for bundles and one bundle
contains eight yards. This is what keeps me
busy all day and night in some cases.”
Also imagining how long Seth has been in
the business, he said, “I started learning the
craft from my father at the age of five in Ghana
and I was going to school then. Combining
education with weaving craft was not easy for
me as skill acquisition needs time and
dedication to grasp and I have developed a
keen interest in the skill. Schooling was
therefore a distraction to the skill learning
which was my preference. And as I grew older,
my skill increased. I therefore had no choice
the weaving craft and
designs for the past 20 years,
I have trained many people
and I relish training people.”
Seth spoke more about
training. According to him,
“training takes time, a
maximum of three years is
required. And one common
requirement that qualifies
anyone for apprenticeship is
interest in the weaving craft. If you have
interest in the skill, you will automatically love
it, and because it’s time-consuming, you will
be patient to learn. If you lack patience, the
skill will appear boring to you and you may
withdraw in the long run. Naturally, if you have
love for something, you will be patiently
dedicated to it. Designing takes time like
building a house and architectural designs.
In designing, there is no rushing if you have
cravings for quality. Anyone desiring to be
trained in the craft and design must be patient
and willing to learn. The person who wants to
learn the skill will bring two crates of soft-
drink, one dry alcoholic spirit( Schnapps)and
twenty thousand Naira to start apprenticeship.
That is all that is required until the apprentice
qualifies”.
Having done so well in the weaving craft
business and training, you need to expand and
create awareness for further training of jobless
youths, and you would have delivered them
from unemployment, crimes and criminality
ravaging our society which is posing a grave
task for government and parents to contain.
I’m convinced that if you are a Deltan or you
are operating in Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa will support you financially to train
youths to curb unemployment and crimes. I
believe also Lagos State, Ogun State and other
state governors can imbibe the idea of any
training that can help unemployed youths.
“My major preoccupation is to train my
children to university level if they are willing
and for those of them who are interested in my
skill acquisition, I’ll train them. My most
important challenge is to build my own house
here, and take good care of my family. And by
the grace of God with the proceeds from the
craft business, I’ll fulfil my desires”.

Enugu community seeks govt intervention on

vacant throne crisis
By Dennis Agbo have been in ruins since the Central Executive Commit- Critical Stakeholders in col-
death of our traditional rul- tee (CEC) of EDU-N was the laboration with the CEC of

M EMBERS of the Con

cerned Emudo Devel-
opment Union— National
(EDUN) Stakeholders Forum
in Aninri Local Government
Area of Enugu State have
raised concern over possible
breakdown of law and order
in their community.
The Coordinator of the
group, Mr Udeinya Ukegbu
made the disclosure in Enugu
while briefing newsmen on the
security concerns in the com-
munity.
Ukegbu said that it had be-
come necessary to speak out
and seek government’s inter-
vention following the succes-
sion crisis rocking Emudo
Nenwe Community.
He said that the commu-
nity had known no peace
since the death of their tradi-
tional ruler several years
ago, adding that the tradi-
tional stool had remained
vacant.
He said that the commu-
nity had delicately been po-
larized due to the several in-
terest groups which sprang
up, claiming to be in charge
of the town union adminis-
tration.
“Our traditional stool and
town union administration
er. The community has been
thrown into despair and this
could affect our generations
unborn if nothing is done to
resolve it,” he said.
According to Ukegbu, the
Alaba Mart: Jandor condemns alleged attacks on
traders for shutting stalls to get PVCs
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
T
HE Lagos Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP
Governorship candidate in
2023 poll, Dr. Olajide Adedi-
ran, popularly called Jan-
dor, has cautioned the All
Progressive Congress, APC
government in Lagos State
to desist from alleged ha-
rassment and intimidation
of residents in the process of
exercising their civic respon-
sibilities.
Reacting to the reported
intimidation of Alaba Mar-
ket traders who shut their
stalls to ensure they register
before the closing date, Jan-
dor warned that “this time,
Lagos PDP will not put itself
in the defensive.”
Jandor therefore, charged
the Independent National
Electoral Commission,
only standing constitutional
organ that could intervene
in the crisis in the communi-
ty.
“It is on this note that the
Generation of Concerned
•Says new Lagos PDP ‘ll resist APC attempts to
disenfranchise electorate
INEC on the need to take
proactive measures in fore-
stalling rising incidences of
glitch in the exercise.
He said rising complaints
from residents at various
registration centers across
the state on the slow pace of
the registration exercise re-
quire urgent attention.
Some residents in Amuwo
Odofin, Ajeromi/Ifelodun,
Ojo, Oshodi-Isolo and a few
other Local Government Ar-
eas in Lagos West Senatori-
al district, had on Thursday,
expressed disappointment
over their inability to regis-
ter for the permanent voters
card (PVC) due to what they
described as deliberate at-
tempt by INEC officials in
EDU-N wishes to appeal to
the various branches to pre-
vail on the various factions
to sheath their swords in the
interest of our dear commu-
nity,” he said.
collaboration with the rul-
ing party to disenfranchise
them.
Traders from Alaba Inter-
national Market who shut
their stalls to allow them
participate in the continu-
ous voters registration exer-
cise were frustrated with the
lackluster performance of
the INEC officials.
It was reported that some
of the traders were attacked
by politically motivated
thugs because of their per-
ceived sympathy for the PDP.
Jandor in his reaction,
called on INEC to respond
swiftly to the reactions of the
affected residents who are Wedding: Miss Somto Ekekezie was joined in a holy mat-
willing to perform their civ- rimony with Nnamdi Ozor at Church- Illumination Assem-
il obligation before the dead- bly Lekki-Ajah,Lagos. The reception took place at Event
line set for the exercise. Centre, Lekki. It was in deed, memorial,blissful and great.
 SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022—27

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Some women want to be the ones that bring in the Bacon!

Y ou must have attended
one of such parties in the
past. It used to be the type
of parties women dressed up to
the nines for. The band in
attendance was usually a leading
one and most women would
dance with such a frenzy that
some appreciative men on the
prowl for flings would plaster
their foreheads with money –
real money. Today, the picture is
different. Most women who
attend ‘heavy’ parties no longer
go home to eagerly count their
spoils. No, they invariably go
home to take an inventory of how
much they have foolishly
frittered away and to fume at
how they’d been out-sprayed by
other ‘classless’ women.
What exactly is going on?
Aren’t the simple things of life
important anymore? And has
money become so obsessively
vital that a lot of women would
literally kill to get it? It is a
throw back that dreaded oil-
boom era. Heaven only knows
what that era will finally signify
in the history of Nigeria.
Suddenly, men who were drop-
outs, who couldn’t string a few
words of intelligence together,
started clutching briefcases,
wearing designer clothes and
telling tales, of their jaunts all
over the world. It was all thanks
to those crazy contracts that you
could virtually pick up on the
floor of your toilet! These have
recently given way to what you
can make in politics or as a top
civil servant!
In the wake of the mini-
millionaires, several women
were left in the lurch either
because they did not fit into their
men’s new status or because
their men have acquired a few,
other women as classless as they
(the men) were. So, naturally,
these abandoned women
became bitter. They knew a few
of the tricks their men used to
get rich quick. And didn’t
someone mention drug
trafficking and financial scams?
They quickly became
mistresses of the game.
So, at parties these days, you
see a group of the same women
– all professionally bleached, all
wearing expensive lace, silk or
God-knows-what-else materials
and expensive jewelries to boot-
spraying each other and making
the band leaders almost eat at
their feet. The men have since
realised that they have lost in the
Nairamania race. They sit
quietly and dare not venture on
to the dance floor. The few that
usually do always put a straight
face on. They make for the
celebrant, clumsily spray
whoever it is and hurry back to
their seats, pointedly ignoring
the sniggers of other women on
the dance floor! Poor men! The
current financial crunch hasn’t
done much for their ego either.
Money, money, money. The
last of such parties I attended,
the spendthrifts were there as
usual. The band leader, noticing
this, wasted little time on his
“testing, testing” caper! He
started praising the women in
turns until he came to a
particular one who was
conspicuously absent. The poor
band leader thought she was at
the party, as it was a member of
her group that was the
celebrant. He started extolling
the bogus virtue he’d tagged her
with and some of the guests were
appalled.
“What’s the matter with him?”
hissed one of the women. In
minutes, there were furious
whisters as to how the woman
in question was now a guest in
one of the prisons of the
government of the United States!
Poor greedy woman! She’d tried
to find another warehouse to
traffic drugs in and an X-ray
room showed the authorities her
new methods.
A few months ago, a colleague
said he was speechless when a
friend of his girlfriend’s came
to warn him that if this
particular girlfriend didn’t stop
trafficking in drugs, she might
be caught – and soon too!
“I went to her house
immediately ”, said the
colleague. “I was convinced that
this friend was raising an
unnecessary alarm. I was
instantly on my guard when I
saw some few newly acquired
expensive items in the living
room. She then asked jokingly
if I’d come to take her to dinner.
‘Dinner ke?’ I crowed, ‘ where
would I get that kind of money
at such short notice?’
If it was a matter of a little item
like money she said, then she
would take me!
I began to feel amused by this
sudden sow of wealth. As I led
the way towards my nine-year-
old tokunbo Benz, she said she
would like-me to have a feel of
her new car – a brand new Jeep!
“That did it! When we got to
the restaurant, I warned her not
to do anything dangerous as I’d
heard some nasty rumours about
her. She sneered that most of her
friends were just jealous. That
she now travelled strictly for
business and would stop as soon
as she hit a certain ‘target!’. The
problem with jealous Nigerians,
she said, was that they were
always attributing honest wealth
to shady deals.
“Well, that was the last I heard
of her. She was caught on her
last ‘trip’ and the landlord has
thrown her things out of the flat”.
The saddest part of the whole
sordid detail is that not only
illiterates are resorting to
dangerous means to get money.
A respectable old man whose
daughter was jailed abroad
recently said he was sorry she was
caught abroad. He would have
wished that she were caught here
and if possible paraded on the
pages of the newspapers and
shown on the tube like the cheap
criminal she was. That might
just serve as a deterrent to other
would be criminals. But would
it?!

Negative Tik-Tok campaign not reflection of our brand- Tasty Time

To help fight that cold and flu
W e’re still in the rainy season which wreaks a lot of havoc on
our health. The most irritating is the colds and flu. If you’re
T he management of Tasty Time
Nigeria Ltd, makers of Tasty
Time food and beverage drinks has
blackcurrant drink.
“While we recognise the freedom
of people to do whatever they like
“Our Tasty Time drinks including
the blackcurrant brand do not
contain alcohol or any high
currently battling with either of them, medical experts proffer these condemned attempts to damage the on the social media, we find it intoxicating substance as is being
tips”- company’s image through negative distasteful that our brand is being depicted in the trending tik-tok
Unblock your nose: Using a nasal decongestant will open your social media campaign. deliberately targeted by some campaign.
breathing passage. However, don’t use one for more than three days In a statement yesterday, the disgruntled individuals through a “We believe that the Tik-Tok
in a row, or you may suffer a ‘rebound effect’ and end up more company said that the trending Tik- negative drug intoxicating campaign is the handiwork of
congested than you were to begin with. Some doctors suggest you Tok campaign where one of it’s campaign. detractors who are bent of soiling
use a saline spray instead of a nasal decongestant. It works more premium blackcurrant drink is “For the record, Tasty Time our hard earned reputation as the
slowly but has no rebound effect. being depicted as a highly variety of beverage drinks are non- best loved and leading food and
Stop the spread: Washing your hands properly is the best way to intoxication drink is untrue as all alcoholic and produced under the beverage brand.
stop the spread of germs. Consider carrying an antiviral hand foam it’s products are non-alcoholic. best industry standard. “We enjoin all our customers to
with you if you don’t have access to soap and water. Catch it and bin The company warned that those “For decades, we have ignore the campaign and be rest
it: Always sneeze cough into tissue. This keeps droplets carrying behind the campaign would soon maintained the best hygienic and assured that we are taking
the virus from spreading in the air and infecting people around you. be apprehended and handed over to safety standards in the production appropriate measure to ensure that
Dispose of used tissues straightaway. law enforcement agencies. of all our brands and this can be those behind the campaign are
Boost your immune system: Drink plenty of fluids, eat healthily, The company’s statement reads: attested to by our large customers apprehended and handed over to law
get plenty of rest and consider taking vitamin C and Zinc “The attention of Tasty Time Nigeria base across the country. enforcement agency.”
Supplements. Even if they can’t preventing cold, there is evidence to Ltd, makers to Tasty Time variety of
suggest that they may help shorten the duration of one. Try natural beverage drinks, has been drawn to
remedy: Remedies that contain pelargonium extracts are a trending derogatory tik-tok
specifically licensed for the treatment of upper respiratory tract challenge using our popular
infection.

EveryNanny provides vetted nannies for new moms

E veryNanny, a foremost
caregiver and recruitment
agency in Nigeria, has launched
a programme tagged: “Gift A
Nanny ” to provide vetted
professionals to new moms for
a period of one to six months.
The agency, which is a one-
stop caregiver platform that was
created to help families with
stress-free parenting, elder care,
housekeeping, and office
cleaning services, has verified
and trusted service providers
registered to help those who
require it.
In a statement issued by the
agency in Lagos recently,
Adaobi Ugha, Team Lead with
EveryNanny, said potential
users should visit the agency’s
website to browse the list of
professional caregivers. She said
that visitors to the website may
select a nanny and the duration
of time they want to have the
nanny in employment based on
budget, skill requirements,
accommodation preferences,
and more.
According to her, vetted
professionals listed on the
website include babysitters,
housekeepers, live-in nannies,
and live-out nannies. She
described the babysitter as a
caregiver who looks after a child
or children on an hourly basis
only and is usually much younger
in age.
She explained that the
housekeeper performs a variety
of household services for an
individual or a family, including
general maintenance, while the
live-in nanny lives in the
employer ’s home permanently
and is expected to undertake all
nursery duties only.
According to her, a live-out
nanny is a temporary nanny who
does not live in the home but
works on agreed-upon days and
times.
She added that the service
targets both women in Nigeria
and the Diaspora. It also targets
expatriates, families with
children, and affluent and
successful young urban
professionals, among others.
Adaobi said that, EveryNanny
was founded to promote stress-
free parenting because the
agency understands the L-R: Vice Principal, Admin, Eko Akete Grammar School, Mr. Rafiu
Sobanke; Head, Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, Wema
importance of finding the right
caregivers for children because Bank, Mrs. Abimbola Agbejule; Head, Branch Service Coordination,
Wema Bank, Mr Oluwole Esomojumi; Principal, Eko Akete Grammar
they are God’s precious gifts, and
it is critical for people who want School, Mr. Iyun Oladunjoye; Vice Principal, Academics, Mrs Christie
Akinmutimi; Director, Eko Akete Senior Grammar School, Mr. Olawale
to provide care and support to
new moms to be able to relieve Ogunjobi; during the handover ceremony of Borehole Facility to Eko
Akete Grammar School, courtesy Head office/ALAT 2022 Salary for
some of the stress that comes
with having a newborn baby. Love project by Wema Bank staff in Lagos...
28—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022
Excit
Excitement trails Fir
citement stBank V
Firs er
ervve
Ver
Card Campaign, as more customers
get rewarded with its e
rew xt
extension
xtension
Stories by Moses Nosike
T he FirstBank Verve Card
Campaign promo launched
earlier in the year to appreciate and
reward FirstBank customers and
verve card holders for their
consistent usage of the card has been
extended with more customers
winning exciting prizes as the
promo is billed to run July 1, 2022.
With the extension, 30 lucky
customers have the opportunity to
win 32 inches LED television with
the grand prize of a brand new
saloon car, also to be won.
A minimum of 4 transactions
weekly qualifies the customer to
stand the chance of winning the 32
inches LED TV. And for the star prize
which is a brand new car, customers
must carry out 16 transactions
during promo period.
So far, the following prizes have
been won since the promo was
launched; N10,000 Airtime – 800
customers, N10,000 Cash Prize –
800 customers, N20,000 Cash Prize
– 800 customers, Generator,
Refrigerator & Gas Cookers – 100
customers and N50,000 cash prize
– 100 customers.
On the first stream of winning,
Aluko Pius Olakunle won himself a
refrigerator. In a media chart during
the presentation of the prizes, Aluko
said, “when the call came claiming
from FirstBank, I went to the bank’s
headoffice to confirm the true source
of the call. “After the confirmation,
not quiet long I was called to come
and pick the item from the bank’s
headoffice, Marina, Lagos. “I
appreciate what FirstBank has
done. Since my youthful days
Firstbank had been my first choice
of bank”.
Another winner, Ajao Tawakalit
Abiola who won gas cooker said, “I
was sleeping when the call came and
as I woke up to pick it, the caller
introduced herself and told me she
is from FirsBank that I had won gas
cooker. I didn’t believe her because
I knew I didn’t involve in any raffle
draw. The following day, she called
me again to come and pick a gas
Clergy urges Nigerians tto
o obser
observve 7-da
7-dayy ffas
prayer ahead of 2023 election
T he founder of the Gospel Pillars
International Churches and
Pray Nigeria Movement, Prophet
Isaiah Wealth, a man whose
philanthropic activities cuts across
race, tribe, and religion to deliver
top-notch humanitarian services in
different continents, through
OneSound Charity, which currently
operates fifteen NGOs catering for
the needs of women, children, and
less privileged in the society,
especially in Nigeria, is urging
Nigerians and the Diaspora to join
in a seven-day fasting and prayer for
Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general
elections.
The clergy who sees hope for the
nation Nigeria therefore encourages
Nigerians not to loose hope despite
what is happening in the country now.
“As Nigeria has long had a promise
from God that our nation will be
great again but sadly, things seem to
be deteriorating and on perpetual
decline into anarchy.
Prophet Wealth, who was
represented by the Public Relations
Officer, Apostle Agbi Abrich, for Pray
Nigeria Movement (PNM), said one
million Nigerians would fast and
pray for Nigeria on June 12, a prayer
and fasting event scheduled to hold
from June 13th to June 19th, 2022
and would be aired on the One
Sound Revival TV, platform,
globally.
“Although June 12 in the history of
the country symbolizes the unity,
L-R: Olayinka S Abolade, Team Lead, Debit Cards, e -Business &
Retail Products, FirstBank; Aluko Pius Olakunle, refrigerator winner;
Ajao Tawakalit Abiola, gas cooker winner and Adebayo O Olarewaju,
Head, Digital Channels, e -Business & Retail Products, FirstBank at
the presentation of prizes to winners in the FirstBank Verve Card
Transact & Win Promo held last week at the FirstBank head-quarters.
cooker I won. I told my husband and
he encouraged to go. “Today, I have
a gas cooker from FirstBank and I
pray that FirstBank will continue to
be first in everything”.
At the second set of the prizes
presentation, Falaye Olatunbosun
Morohunfolu, who won refrigerator
was represented Mr. George.
Sergeant Kusalu Babatunde
Solomon who also won a power
generator said in a media that he
was excited and prayed that God
should continue to promote
FirstBank.
Continuing on the reward
presentation by FirstBank,
Aitsegame Harley Ani Otsemobor
who won refrigerator said “when I
received the text message in which I
thought it was one of those
scammers flying all over the places,
so I didn’t respond to it, until two
as ting,
asting,
L-R: Princess Anath, Mr Eke Uguru; Public relation officer Pray Nigeria
Movement Apostle Abrich Agbi, Thelma Onuoha.Willie Egamah ,and
Engr . Salvation Alibor, during a press Conference for the 7-day Fasting
Program ahead of 2023 General Elections, held Lagos.
tolerance and peaceful co-existence,
championed by Nigeria’s founding
fathers and President Muhammadu
Buhari initiated June 12, as
Democracy Day.
“ The June 12 prayer,( Pray Nigeria
Movement) is a vision and the
revelations for a new Nigeria and
emergence of a new leader for such
a time as this. It is not politically but
spiritually motivated to bring
Nigeria to its destiny path.
Prophet Wealth explained that the
seven days fasting and praying event
was organized due to the urgent
need to seek God’s intervention in
security challenges of the country
days later when somebody called
me again from FirstBank and told
me that I have won a refrigerator.
At that point, my mind now flashed
back to the initial text message I
received. When I got there, it was. I
appreciate FirstBank for doing this
to their customers”.
Saka Adelaja Lateef, who won
refrigerator said, I’m so happy
about this and I pray that God will
bless the management of FirstBank
and their staff members”.
In the same vein, Bilau Oladimeji
Lukman who won refrigerator, said
“it came to me as a surprise, I never
expected this”. He said “for this
thing FirstBank has done, I will
always remain grateful to the
bank.”
It was recorded that the total
number of winners now stand at
2,600.
and the inauguration of the next
President.
“The prayers basically was a
specific revelation though with June
12 significant in Nigeria’s
Democratic history. We are calling
on one million people to join us
globally as humble our nation
before God.
Expressing sadness over the recent
attack and killings of church
worshippers at St. Francis Catholic
Church, Owa-Iuwa Street, Owo,
Ondo State, the cleric said that we
need to physically beef up security
around the church, while we pray
read more on
www.vanguardngr.com
Ser vice tto
Service o humanity
humanity,, motive
motive
behind Ivy Luxuria estate
P resident, Marcopolo Properties Limited, Chief Emmanuel Frank
Okafor has said that service to humanity is the motive behind his
newest housing scheme, Ivy Luxuria Estate, Lekki.
According to him, I have looked around the country and realised that a
lot of people need shelter and I felt that if I could provide this, I will have
helped humanity. That is what drove me into this business.
At the unveiling of the Ivy Luxura Estate in Lekki, Lagos, Okafor said that
though the houses in the estate are not at all for free, his concept is different
in the sense that his company is poised to give the service at a minimal cost.
“We are not out to make the whole profit in the world. Our goal is to give
the structure to humanity at a minimal based cost, that is as if you are using
your money to build it.
He who said that the estate has 100 housing units for families, revealed
that Marcopolo is a brand that provides for the lower, middle and high
classes in the building sector.
Conscious of the dilapidating road network in the Lekki-Ajah axis, Okafor
said that estate owners in the area are talking to the Lagos State government
on the need for intervention, saying further that we believe we have a listening
governor in place of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and we are talking to him
because one of the important aspects of a community is the roads and
power supply.
“We have been talking to the governor and we believe very soon they are
going to come up on board to ensure the roads are made accessible”.
Ivy Luxuria Estate is an upscale residential development situated a few
minutes from Chevron Drive, off Orchid hotel road. The estate is developed
by a premium real estate development company, Marcopolo Properties
Limited.
Residents will enjoy amazing facilities such as a gym, swimming pool,
playground for kids, water treatment plant, 24/7 power and security will all
be provided.
L-R: Nigeria music star, Naeto Chikwe (Naeto C); President
Marcopolo Properties Limited, Dr. Emmanuel Frank Okafor and,
Chief Obi Ujunwa Lambert during the official commissioning of
Ivy Luxuria Estate, Ajah, Lagos
Morgan S Sttanle
anleyy pic ks TTeesas
picks eesas
for the 2022 sustainable
solutions collaborativ
collaborative e cohor
cohortt
T eesas, a Nigeria-based EdTech startup, delivering curriculum-aligned,
online educational content to elementary school students across the
African continent has been named among five winners of the 2022
Sustainable Solutions Collaborative cohort according to a press release
published on the Morgan Stanley website on Thursday 26 May.
The Collaborative, launched in 2020, aims to identify breakthrough
innovations that address systemic change to support a sustainable future.
The second cohort of five winners will join a bespoke yearlong strategic
collaboration with the Institute where they will tap into the full range of
Morgan Stanley’s expertise, networks and resources to help them achieve
scale. Each winner will also receive an award of $250,000 to increase the
impact of their initiative.
The 2022 Sustainable Solutions Collaborative cohort is comprised of a
diverse group of organizations. The other organizations in the group are
CarbonBuilt, a startup from Los Angeles, California, delivering a scalable
concrete product that reduces embodied carbon by 70 to over 100%
compared with traditional concrete, without compromise to performance
or production cost; ISeeChange, the data company from New Orleans,
Louisiana, that
e m p o w e r s
communities to report
and track real-life
climate change
impact; Notpla, a
sustainable packaging
startup based in the
UK, that delivers the
convenience of single-
use plastics without the
environmental impact
and OceanMind, a
nonprofit based in the
UK that powers
enforcement and
compliance to protect
the world’s oceans. CEO and founder, Teesas,Osayi
“Each of these Izedonmwen
organizations has the
potential to scale and
contribute to creating
the type of systemic change needed to achieve a more sustainable future,”
said Matthew Slovik, Head of Global Sustainable Finance at Morgan
Stanley.
In 2020, Morgan Stanley launched the Sustainable Solutions
Collaborative to boost sustainability initiatives that would benefit from
partnerships across private and public industries.
read more on www.vanguardngr.com

NGENE
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OB
ADEYEYE
My name was written on my
BVN as ADEYEYE
ADENIYI, now wish to add
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OLOHIGBE, now wish to be known
and addressed as MRS. OGBIDI
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JEMEREGBE
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addressed as Miss Jemeregbe
Omogho Lilian, now wish to
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KOR
This is to affirm that the names
Kor Tavershima Joseph and
Kor Shima Alex as they appear
on my various documents
belong to one and same person,
hence all documents bearing
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NNADI
I, Formerly Known And
Addressed As MISS NNADI
VERONICA CHIAMAKA,
Now Wish To Be Known And
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ODIMEGWU
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called MISS ODIMEGWU
CELESTINA ONYINYE, now
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public please take note.
ABU
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ABUBAKAR ABU, now wish
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ABU YAHAYA. All former
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Banks, concerned authorities
and general public should
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ADEKUNLE
In my BVN registration my
name was wrongly wrote as
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instead of Waheed Taofika my
true and correct name is
Waheed Taofika, all former
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I, formerly known as Miss.
Alayerogun Alaba Fayoke,
now wish to be known as
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CHANGE OF NAME
AINA
I, formerly known as Patience
Temitope Aina, now wish to
be known as Mrs Temitope
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JOHN
I, formerly known and addressed as
JOHN MURUAKO
O G O M E G B U N N E M
O N Y E A C H O N N A M
NKEMAKONNAM OBIALO. Now
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OLATUNDE
My name was written as
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OLATUNDE, instead of my
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OMOYEMEN
This is to confirm that
ENOKEBHAGBE GODWIN
OMOYEMEN and
ENOKEBHAGBE GODWIN is the
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OKHUARBO
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ADDRESSED AS COMFORT
OKHUARBO, NOW WISH TO BE
KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS
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OLUGBILE
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ADERONKE OLAYEMISI
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AREMU
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Gbenga Emmanuel. Now wish
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AKPOVOKE
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called MISS BRIGHT ESTHER
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ORHORHORO ESTHER
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AKOH
This is to confirm that the
name AKOH BLESSING
MAWEDO and SHAIBU
BLESSING AKOH belong to
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NWORIE
I, formerly known as MISS
NWORIE RUTH URUNNE,
now wish to be known as MRS
IBEKWE RUTH URUNNE.
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UZOR
I, formerly known as UZOR
MONDAY, now wish to be
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K E N N E T H
IFEAKACHUKWU. All
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PATRICK
I, formerly known as Miss
Patrick, Ngozi Gift, now wish
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UKAMAKA
I, formerly known and
addressed as NDUEBUNE
MARYJANE UKAMAKA.
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DOSUNMU
I, formerly known as Miss
Dosunmu Damilola
Kafayat, now wish to be
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OKOROR
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OSAGIE, now wish to be
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SALAU
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addressed as Salau Sakirat
Adeparusi and Salau Sakirat
Oluwayemisi, now wish to be
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NNAMI
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CHIDI JUDE. Now wish to be
known as NNAMANI
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public take note.
ATILOLA
I, formerly known and
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Roseline Atilola. Now wish to
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IKPORIKPO
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addressed as IKPORIKPO JOY
OGHENETEJIRI, now wish to
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OGBEIDE
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MASSAH
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addressed as Massah Seleke-ere
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ESIKE
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SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 29
GEORGE
In my Bank account, l used the name
CHINENYEWA CAROLINE
GEORGE and in my NIN: I used
CHINENYEWA CAROLLE
GEORGE, Now wish to state that
CAROLINE is the correct spelling
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public please take note.
NWAOCHA
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ONYINYECHI NWAOCHA.
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ONYINYECHI JEJELOLA.
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OD
FREGENE
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OD
INEOMON
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ONOSAMUDIANA, now wish
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O N O S A M U D I A N A
ESEOGHENE. All
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OGBOMO
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OSHONE
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JAKPA
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UMUVULE MOSES, now
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UTHO
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NWOSU
OHWOFASA
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addressed as MISS.
UGOUGOBO AMAKA
MARY, now wish to be known
call and addressed as MRS
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As MISS NALIKWU OLUCHI
PEPERTUA, Now Wish To Be
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OMIMI
I, formerly known addressed
and called MISS OMIMI
CHARITY, now wish to be
known, addresssed and called
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AZU
I, Formerly known and addressed as
Miss AZU ELIZABETH ISHAWA,
now wish to be known and
addressed as Mrs BESHEL
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public and authority concerned
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JOSHUA
I, formerly known as Joshua
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note
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ISOBOM
I, formerly known as
DOUGLAS CHRISTABEL
ISOBOM, now wish to be
known as DOUGLAS
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Three armed
robbery
suspects in
Police net in
Ogun
By James Ogunnaike,
Abeokuta
M
en of Ogun State Po
lice command on the
8th of June 2022, arrested three
members of a robbery syndi-
cate who were on their way for
operation.
The command spokesman,
Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed
this to newsmen in a statement
made available in Abeokuta,
the State capital.
According to Oyeyemi, the
suspects, 27 years old Ibiyemi
Wasiri a.k.a fellow, 20 years old
Alabi Ojugbele and 18 years
old Obe Lekan were arrested
at Orita area of Ilaro, during
the joint routine patrol carried
out by men of Ilaro Area Com-
mand and Ilaro Divisional
headquarters.
“The suspects, who were on a
Bajaj motorcycle with defaced
number plate, jumped down
from the motorcycle when they
sighted the policemen and they
ran in different directions”, he
said.
“They were hotly chased by
the policemen and were all ar-
rested”.
The PPRO added that search
was conducted on them and
one locally made pistol, four
live cartridges and assorted
criminal charms were recov-
ered from them.
“On interrogation, Ibiyemi
Wasiri informed the police that
he was an ex -convict, and that
he still has a pending case of
unlawful possession of firearms
in a magistrate court”.
IMSG signs
MoU for 5,000
low-cost houses
By Chidi Nkwopara,
OWERRI.
I
mo State Government has
signed a Memorandum of
Understanding,MoU,withCon-
temporary Architecture Limited,
for the construction of 5,000 low
cost housing units in the state.
Speaking after signing the
MoU, the Commissioner for
Budget, Economic Planning
and Statistics, Dr. Christopher C.
Osuala, disclosed that “1,000
housing units would be con-
structed during the first phase of
the project”.
While commending the Com-
pany for “opting to assist in ame-
liorating the housing deficit of
the state”, the Commissioner
also expressed hope that the
Company would build comfort-
able houses for Imo citizens at
affordable price. Continuing, Dr.
Osuala said: “The first phase of
the project would commence
with the construction of 1,000
housing units and the target of
5,000 units, is expected to be
achieved quickly. Government
will provide the land for the
project.
“Part of the housing units will
be situated around the Otamiri
Layout, Owerri, and the govern-
ment will broker a cordial rela-
tionship that would facilitate the
acquisition of some hectares of
landforthetake-offoftheproject”,
Osuala said. While disclosing
that the developers would be
given a period of 90 days to com-
mence work, the Commissioner
also described the housing
project as a fulfillment of one of
the promises of Governor Uzod-
inma in the 2022 budget, to bet-
ter the lives of the people.
30—SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022

Peace in Nigerian sports – going back to the future!

N IGERIANS are tired
and frustrated with the
unending crisis in some na-
tional Sports Federations.
The particular case of the Ni-
geria Basketball Federation
has compounded the situa-
tion as the Ministry of Youth
and Sports, frustrated by the
endless crisis, took a desper-
ate decision that appears to
have added salt to the injury.
The crises in some national
sports federations are not
new. They were inherited by
the current Sports Minister,
Chief Sunday Dare, and have
existed for at least 4 genera-
tions of ministers before him.
He is only now being called
upon to nurse back to health
what have become very sick
‘babies’.
It is not an easy task to ac-
complish because the virus of
abnormalities introduced at a
time past have grown into
cancers, and the new normal.
The simple processes in
sports associations (federa-
tions) at the birth of modern
sports administration in Ni-
geria, have been smudged and
obscured by inadequate ad-
vice of the dwindling pool of
experienced and knowledge-
able administrators on what
needs to be done to connect
the roots of the past with the
state of affairs of the present,
and serve as a compass into
the future.
Without being disrespectful
to those presently advising
the sports ministry, there is a
clear disconnect with history
in some of the Ministry’s de-
cisions. Without going back
to the genesis of the crisis, a
step that requires courage and
wise counsel, there may nev-
er be a way out of these seem-
ingly impossible situations.
There are too many previous
pitfalls and potholes along the
way that the ministry is fall-
ing into that could have been
avoided but are not
If the sports ministry did not
think it had run out of patience
and simple solutions, it would
never have taken the huge and
unprecedented step of with-
drawing Nigeria’s national
teams from all international
basketball events, something
that brings unquantifiable ho-
nour and glory to the country,
provides a whole world of op-
portunities to the gifted youths
of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s absence creates a
big hole in the global basket-
ball industry, and does irrepa-
rable losses in the lives and ca-
reers of innocent athletes who
would never get a second
chance at the present lost op-
portunities… again.
The problem in this whole
brouhaha is a ‘virus’, a few ar-
ticles in the federations’ con-
stitutions, smuggled into them
at a point in Nigeria’s sports
history, to serve some narrow
interests. They served those
purposes well, were not ex-
punged, became the new ‘nor-
mal’, became further engrained
and are now almost impossi-
ble to get rid of because those
that planted it are no longer
around to recant their ignoble
acts, and those benefiting from
the act now will never easily
give up their new found pow-
er, source of influence and
glamourous living.
The era of electing only au-
thentic members of sports or-
ganisations as leaders of the na-
tional federations may be gone
forever, unless some drastic
steps are taken. Hence, the control can go back to the
‘hard’ stance of the Sports rightful owners of the game,
Minister that has now back- persons who are ready to work
fired only because the ‘sin- with the Sports Ministry and
ner’ is free and the victims, carry out clearly separated
without whom even the fed- roles and mandates, without
erations would not exist , are conflict, friction or rancour?
suffering!
My humble suggestions?
Since the announcement
that shocked the entire world,
rather than calm the situation,
1. The ministry should re-
trace its steps. It has not
criticisms, concerns and con- found any support from any
demnation have followed, section of the global sports fra-
and have been very loud, ternity. It should withdraw
sustained and global. The de- its withdrawal of national
cision is not producing the teams from international com-
desired and anticipated re- petitions as soon as ‘yester-
sults. •DASHED DREAM: Nigerian women day’. It is an unpopular deci-
There are now genuine calls basketball players after qualifying for sion because it punishes, in the
for the ministry to take an- Sydney 2022 FIBA World Cup end, the wrong persons for of-
fenses they did not commit.
other look at the whole mat-
ter, review its withdrawal tion in the country. They even 2. The Ministry should get
ria Football Federation’s Ex- more advice about how to man-
from international competi- usurp the Ministry’s statuto- ecutive Committee over which
tions, and find another route ry responsibility clearly age the present situation with
the ministry superintends the NBBF without infringing
to solving its greatest prob- spelled out in the constitution comes up in October.
lem. of the country and leave sports on subtle ‘rules’ in sports that
There is an ‘irritant’ law suit exposes it to the clause of ‘in-
The good thing is that, in in the country to be swallowed in a court in Bàyelsa State filed
the Ministry’s action, we up in the swirling pool of ig- terference in the internal affairs
by some stakeholders against of its member’.
now see clearly the frostiness norance and the absence of the NFF. The court has tem-
in relations between it and clear roles and responsibilities. 3. The matter of a Court of
porarily halted the entire pro- Sports Arbitration to be estab-
some of the national federa- To compound the challeng- cess that should lead to the
tion leaderships. es of the sports ministry, even lished in Nigeria should be
elections. One of the matters quickly revisited so that a
The reagent of the crisis in as the basketball saga goes on, before the court is very ger-
the various in October learned, independent, accept-
mane as it raises the fundamen- able, and neutral arbiter to deal
federations is, 2022, the tal issue of the present consti-
with the complex issues in
once again, the Without doubt, ‘Mother of all
crisis’ looms.
tution of NFF. Unless and un- sports is put in place to re-
process of
board elec- the sports minis- Unless the til that case is resolved quick-
ly, Nigerian football may be
solve differences and restore
ministry uses control of sports to their right
tions fueled
by a few dis-
ter faces a com- u n c o m m o n heading for the rocks…..once constituencies. 4. The mat-
puted articles plex situation wisdom and again. Without doubt, the sports
ter of the NFF in various
courts can surely be managed
in the consti- its awesome
tutions of the
that most people but idling
minister faces a complex situ-
ation that most people do not
better and settled with the in-
bodies that do not fully un- powers to fully understand, and with his- tervention of the Ministry. It
should invite all the key-par-
were altered
and have now derstand, and amicably solve the mat-
re- tory taking its toll on the mind,
it appears things are becom-
ties in the conflict to a round
table, settle the personal dif-
birth a situa- with history tak- NFF quickly, ing even more complicated.
ter of the
ferences between them, and
tion where un- Even the advisers of the
qualified and ing its toll on the there shall be sports minister appear to be
then embark on the tortuous
and difficult process of re-
undeserving mind, it ap- an ‘explosion’
into a fresh
lost in the labyrinth of the writing or expunging unwant-
persons ma-
nipulate their pears things are round of cri- present confusion, and cannot
find their way back home to
ed articles from the mutilated
constitution of the NFF which
way to the
boards, and
becoming even sis that may
even consume
the start of this ignoble jour- must be normalised in order
ney. What can be done now?
hold on with more complicat- the ministry How can the knots that were for final peace to return to Ni-
gerian football. The Sports
a vice-like- itself, if care is
grip to the le-
ed not taken.
tied selfishly by narrow-mind-
ed former ‘pilots’ in the min- ministry must go back to the
vers of sports The elections past to find the ambiance re-
istry at a time in history, be
administra- into the Nige- undone so that the levers of quired for a peaceful transition
into a brighter future.

CD Leganes officials visit Jos for talks with
Mees Palace Football Academy and also saw
T he International
Sporting Director and
Coordinator of Spanish
Segunda División club CD
Leganés Faissal Chehade
and Guillermo Gazapo
visited Mees Palace Football
Academy (MPFA) for four
days ahead of a potential
partnership signing
between the Spanish Club
and the Jos-based football
academy.
The conversations were
initiated by the global
league body of Spanish
Football in Nigeria, LaLiga
in November 2021 after
Zidane to take PSG job
Z INEDINE ZIDANE is ex
pected to take over as the new
manager of Paris Saint-Germain de-
spite being a life-long Marseille fan.
PSG are set to sack former Tot-
tenham manager Mauricio Pochet-
tino and appoint Zidane as his suc-
•Zidane
the club sent merchandise
and kits to help support our
club during the annual Jos
Chillin tournament.
After a series of meetings
in the first three months of
this year, the club decided
to visit MPFA to see
firsthand the work that
has been put into it for half
a decade. The last four days
provided them with an
opportunity to appreciate
the work put in place so far.
Both Faissal and
Guillermo had a tour of the
facilities at D’ Cathedral
cessor.
According to Mundo Deporti-
vo’s Ramon Fuentes, Zidane is trav-
elling to Qatar to finalise the agree-
ment, with formal completion ex-
pected by tomorrow. However,
Zizou would be taking up the job at
the French Champions despite his
love for long-standing Ligue 1 rivals
Marseille. In 2017, while he was
still Real Madrid manager, Zidane
revealed his love for the city he was
born in. He told Europe1.fr:
“Marseille is the club of my heart.
“It is good to see Marseille coming
up slowly and beginning something
special but it is a long-term job. “I
was in the stands when I was little,
Marseille is Marseille! This is my
city.” Zidane, 49, won an unprece-
dented three back-to-back Champi-
ons League titles while manager of
Real Madrid between 2016 and
2018. After less than one year away
he then re-joined Los Blancos in
March 2019 and was in charge until
June of last year.
the
permanent site, located
about 40km away from the
current facility.
Afterwards, they both
made their way to Mees
Palace partner school, St.
Johns College, as well as a
tour of Our Lady of Apostle
Hospital, a partner Hospital
for Mees Palace players.
The tour was rounded off
with a coaching clinic with
the technical crew.
UEFA Nations League:
Germany, Italy, others clash
I t will a busy Sunday head
lined by Spain hosting Czech
Republic at La Rosaleda in Mala-
ga at 6:45pm with coach of the
visitors, Jaroslav Silhavy, hoping
his side can bounce back from the
disappointment of failing to qual-
ify for the 2022 World Cup by
putting up a strong showing in
the UNL.
“It was a blow to our long-term
ambitions and the hope that we
can bring joy to our nation,” ad-
mitted Silhavy on not securing a
berth at Qatar 2022. “But we can
only look forward now and try to
improve. In the Nations League
we face some very tough oppo-
nents, but we will become a bet-
ter team for the experience.” The
encounter and others will be
broadcast live on DStv and Gotv
and viewers can look forward to
all the fixtures set for tomorrow
through Tuesday 14 June.
Monday features will see
France hosting Croatia as well as
Denmark hosting Austria. The
Danish Dynamite have been su-
perbly led by coach Kasper Hjul-
A nthony Joshua’s new train
er Robert Garcia, 47, has
claimed the British fighter is the
best heavyweight fighter in the
world and called him ‘special’.
The former super-feather-
weight world champion has been
drafted in to help Joshua, 32, to
reclaim his IBF, WBA (super), IBO
and WBO titles from Oleksandr
Usyk, 35, having lost to the Ukrai-
nian fighter in September 2021.
Garcia also described Tyson
Fury, 33, - a long-term rival of
Joshua’s - as ‘a different monster’,
butheexpressednodoubtsthathis
new charge has all the attributes
mand, who recently lent his
support to England captain Har-
ry Kane’s plan to unite with oth-
er national team skippers around
concerns over the Qatar World
Cup and human rights issues.
“It’s up to [Denmark captain]
Simon Kjaer and Harry Kane.
It’s not my decision but I think
it’s a good idea to talk,” said Hjul-
mand.
The Nations League action for
June wraps up on Tuesday 14
June with 12 matches around
Europe, but the definite head-
line fixture sees Germany host
Italy at Borussia-Park in
Monchengladbach.
2022/23 qualifying school: PGA Nigeria 'tees off'
programme for students cording to the release was from
June 1, 2022 to terminate in May
T he Professional
Golfers’Association (PGA)
of Nigeria has for the first time in its
53 years of existence taken golf to
schools as the 2022/23 Qualifying
School academic programme for
male and female students teed off
Anthony Joshua has INSANE
power — Trainer
todominatetheweightclass.
Garcia told Little Giant Boxing:
‘Tyson Fury’s a different beast, a
different monster. Oleksandr
Usyk’s very technical and difficult.
‘Deontay Wilder has tremen-
dous power. But overall talent, for
me, I pick Joshua.
‘Another thing is that Anthony
Joshua also has insane power. He
has great power, more than any-
body else I think. •Anthony Joshua
LaLiga SmartBank promotion
play-off: CD Tenerife battle Girona
for promotion ty.
It is already an achievement
T
he Spanish football season
for both teams to be in this fi-
has almost reached its nal. After finishing fifth in the
conclusion, but there are two
more hugely significant fix-
LaLiga SmartBank table, CD
Tenerife had a Canary Islands
tures remaining as CD Tener- Derby against fourth-placed
ife and Girona FC will face each
UD Las Palmas in the semi-fi-
other over the two legs of the nals and won 3-1 on aggregate,
2021/22 LaLiga SmartBank
thanks to two Enric Gallego
promotion playoffs final. The goals in the second leg in Gran
first leg will take place in Giro-
Canaria. Girona FC, mean-
na today and the second will while, finished sixth during the
be held the following Sunday
regular season, but eliminat-
in the Canary Islands. The ed third-placed SD Eibar
prize is promotion to LaLiga
thanks to Cristhian Stuani’s
Santander and both clubs will 23rd goal of the season in ex-
be giving their all as they try
tra time, following a 1-1 aggre-
to seize this golden opportuni- gate scoreline after 180 min-
utes.
simultaneously.
2023, just as the course work has
The development was made
known Friday in a release signed been expanded to meet global stan-
dards.
by Uchenna Ezebuiro, Director
Operations, PGA of Nigeria after “The Executive Committee of the
PGA of Nigeria at its recent meet-
its earlier Executive Committee
meeting declaring the school open. ing has declared open the Qualify-
ing School 2022/23 session with
The resumption of activities, ac-
effect from 1st of June 2022.
SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022 — 31
 SATURDAY Vanguard, JUNE 11, 2022

CROSS WORD PUZZLE

SOLUTION ON PAGE 6
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