Weekly political notes

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Former Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu

I Got Seized N3b As Gifts During Ceremonies –Yakubu
Former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, has restated his claim that the $9,772,800 and £74,000 recovered from where he kept them in a house in Kaduna last month were gifts he got over a period.

In an affidavit, which he filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, the ex-NNPC boss, however, stated that the money, which amounted to about N3b, were not gifts he got “as a public servant or while he was a public servant.”

He explained that the funds were gifts he got through goodwill, which he enjoyed during various celebrations and ceremonies he hosted in a period of five years.

But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has maintained that the money is part of proceeds of crime, adding that the ex-NNPC GMD did not declare them as part of his assets when asked to do so as far back as 2015.

Yakubu, hope you have the comprehensive list of those who gave you these foreign currency gifts, the amount and the ceremonies you convened at which they presented it to you? Hope these cheerful givers are ready to be disclosed and will accept responsibility for the gifts, especially where there may be no documentary evidence? Nigerians may also like to know what you did for them, where and when, to have attracted such mind-boggling foreign currencies as gifts. It will be good for you to know and have these facts intact.

This is because, just like the case of Dame Patience Jonathan and her alleged N15m dollar gift, which is under investigation, questions will be ask, how did Yakubu got N3b gift. Or is Yakubu saying that the cash gifts were given to him, the same way it was allegedly given to Patience Jonathan? So, it is like Patience, like Yakubu.

If Yakubu claimed that these gifts were not given to him when he was a public servant, he should be ready to disclose his income and its sources before becoming a public servant, specifically as helmsman at NNPC.

EFCC should be ready to show evidence too that the money is a part of proceeds of corruption. It is not enough for the anti-graft agency to allege without substantiation.

Buhari’s Health: Presidency Should Stop Using Phone Calls to Deceive Nigerians, Says CNPP
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to stop the phone call gimmick with President Muhammadu Buhari and face governance issues that would alleviate the suffering of the masses.

The conference observed that the continued media hype of the president’s calls to different individuals was unnecessary since President Buhari has transmitted power to Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, who should not be distracted at this trying times.

CNPP in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, called on the National Assembly to openly investigate President Buhari’s health status, adding that since the president has officially handed over power to acting President Yemi Osinbajo, he should be allowed to work.

While it is obvious that nobody is stopping the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo from performing presidential duties, it is important to remind the cabal handling President Buhari’s extended medical vacation that Nigerians are not fools. However, making Nigerians to look as though they have no understanding with improbable phone calls is the height of desperation and hypocrisy.

They should be reminded that every lie has expiry date and truth cannot be suppressed for too long. President Buhari is the president of Nigeria, who was voted into office by Nigerians and not by the handful of persons, Buhari has allegedly selected to call from his overseas base.

It is a fact that President Buhari has the right and freedom to call whosoever he wants to call; such calls should remain a private call, so far they were not made to the public. It is of no use politicising it, because Nigerians are wiser now.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege

Defection: Labour Party Asks INEC, Senate to Declare Omo-Agege’s Seat Vacant
Following the defection of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, his former party, Labour Party (LP), has asked the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately declare his seat vacant.

The Labour Party also asked the INEC to set in motion processes to organise election within the next 60 days to fill the vacant seat as required by law.

Omo-Agege had while declaring for APC at the plenary claimed that his decision to leave the LP for the APC was supported by leaders and members of his constituents in Delta State.

He further stated that there was a division within the national leadership of LP; with Comrade Bobo Atare Adou and Alhaji Abdukadir Salam now simultaneously laying claim to the national chairmanship of the party.

However, in reacting to the defection, Labour Party’s National Public Secretary, Ebere Ifendu, said at the party national secretariat that the claim of division within the party by the senator Omo-Agege was not true.

There is nothing new in the narrative of the Labour Party leadership. After all, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership said so when the likes of Senator Joshua Dariye, Babajide Omoworare, Andy Uba, Nelson Effiong and others defected to the APC. Today, these defected senators are yet to lose their seats. Neither the leadership of the PDP, nor its caucus in the Senate has approached any court to challenge the defection. Instead, more PDP senators are making moves to defect to the APC, citing crisis in the party as reason.

So, it may not be surprising if the outburst of Labour Party leadership ends up a mere say. If the party leadership is truly serious about reclaiming Omo-Agege’s seat, it should quickly approach the court with evidence. But where will the party leadership raise fund for such litigation, considering that Omo-Agege was the major financier of the party, before the leadership crisis erupted?

Ex-Adamawa Governor Ngilari Jailed Five Years For Corruption
A Yola High Court, on Monday, sentenced a former governor of Adamawa state, Mr James Bala Ngilari, to five years in prison without the option of fine. He was found guilty of the corruption charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The case was filed in September 2016.

The court presided over by Justice Nathan Musa, acquitted the former Secretary to the State Government, Mr Andrew Welye, and Former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Sunday Lamurde, who stood trial with the former governor on same offences of 17 count charges.

Delivering judgment, Justice Musa, said that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Ngilari violated the Public Procurement Act of the state, by awarding contract for the procurement of 25 vehicles for his commissioners at the cost of N167 million without following due process.

Not many Nigerians, including Ngilari himself would have believed that he could be sent to prison just like that. But that is the irony of life. Ngilari served only for few months considering the circumstances that brought him into office as governor of Adamawa state. Added to his background as a lawyer, not many had expected him not to be smart enough to tidy his act.

Meanwhile, because the judgment was delivered at the State High Court, Ngilari has right to appeal at appellate court and he has said he will go on appeal.

Hope Ngilari’s case will serve as a deterrent to incumbent governors and other public office holders, who carried on as if they are lords unto themselves and are above the law. They should be mindful of the fact that there must be a day of reckoning, when neither immunity nor looted fund will save them. There may be many Ngilaris out there walking free for now. It is just a case of all dogs eat shit, but anyone caught eating shit is the culprit.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2noUgjq

VW pleads guilty in ‘dieselgate’ case, ending US case

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(FILES) This file photo taken on October 1, 2015 in a car workshop in Frankfurt an der Oder, eastern Germany, shows a measuring tube sticking in the exhaust pipe of a Volkswagen Golf 2,0 TDI car during an emissions test. German car giant Volkswagen is the target of 1,400 legal cases from investors claiming a total of 8.2 billion euros in compensation over its emissions cheating scandal, the state court in Brunswick said in a statement on September 21, 2016. PHOTO: Patrick Pleul / dpa / AFP

German automaker Volkswagen AG on Friday pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the emissions-cheating scandal, closing an important chapter in the saga that has rocked the company sice 2015.

The company in January agreed to plead guilty and pay $4.3 billion in criminal and civil fines to settle charges that it defrauded the United States and conspired to violate the Clean Air Act by installing so-called defeat devices on diesel-powered cars that evaded emissions standards.

“Volkswagen deeply regrets the behavior that gave rise to the diesel crisis,” Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said in a statement.

“The agreements that we have reached with the US government reflect our determination to address misconduct that went against all of the values Volkswagen holds so dear.”

The settlement with the Justice Department also requires the company to hire an outside compliance monitor for three years.

The guilty plea entered Friday is in addition to $17.5 billion that the company already agreed to pay in settlements with car owners, dealers and for environmental cleanup.

One aspect of the case that remains unresolved is the fate of VW executive Oliver Schmidt who US authorities arrested in Miami in January, one of six company officials charged in the matter.

Prosecutors this week rejected defense arguments that Schmidt should be released pending the outcome of his case and described him as a flight risk. The other five company officials charged are believed to be in Germany.

Regulators in 2015 discovered that Volkswagen diesel cars marketed as clean in fact spewed up to 40 times the permissible limits of nitrogen oxide during normal driving, but this was hidden during emissions testing.

As many as 11 million vehicles sold worldwide were configured to cheat emissions tests.

The company developed the illegal technology in 2009 and, according to court documents, prosecutors believe senior employees attempted a coverup after learning of the illegal technology in 2015.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mvAftO

Rare Bowie to be reissued for Record Store Day

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David Bowie. PHOTO: cavalier.cz

Two rare recordings from rock legend David Bowie will be reissued next month for the 10th anniversary of Record Store Day, the global celebration of vinyl’s rebirth, his label said Friday.

The albums, to be released in limited quantity on Record Store Day on April 22, include a three-LP live album from 1974 called “Cracked Actor.”

The concert in Los Angeles came as Bowie, who earlier defined glam rock, embraced the soul music scene of Philadelphia.

The 1974 concert featured Bowie sharing vocals with soul great Luther Vandross.

While parts of the show had featured in a BBC documentary, “Cracked Actor” marks the first time the concert recordings have been put together. They were recently remastered by Bowie’s longtime producer Tony Visconti, the Parlophone label said.

The second reissue is “Bowpromo,” a rare 1971 promotional release with alternative versions of tracks that would come out later that year on one of Bowie’s classic albums, “Hunky Dory.”

The B side of “Bowpromo” features unrelated songs by an artist on the same promotional roster as Bowie, Dana Gillespie, an English singer best known for appearing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Bowie was famous for the constant evolution of his music, even on his last album “Blackstar” which came out last year two days before the rocker stunned the world by dying from an undisclosed battle with cancer.

Record Store Day was launched in the United States in 2007 in a bid to highlight locally owned stores.

It has since become a worldwide celebration with special releases and events inside stores.

Vinyl sales have soared in the past few years in the United States and a number of European countries, providing a welcome but still tiny boost to the long beleaguered music industry.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2noIup6

Mikel converted to central defender in China

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Mikel

Tianjin Teda Get First Draw
Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel impressed in a new position as a central defender yesterday as Tianjin Teda were held to a goalless draw by Jiangsu Suning at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, according to allnigeriasoccer.com.

Tianjin Teda coach Jaime Pacheco was worried that his team conceded so many goals during their warm-up games in pre-season, and Mikel had to be drafted into the central defense in some of the matches.

Yesterday, the former Chelsea star was partnered by Pan Ximing in central defense and helped goalkeeper Du Jia to post a shutout.

Originally an attacking midfielder, Mikel was converted into a defensive midfielder by Jose Mourinho and played as a center back in two competitive matches while he was at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel has told Tianjin Teda coach Pacheco that he is willing to play any position for the team.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mvFxWe

Regulatory excellence responsible for Nigeria’s telecom success – Danbatta

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NCC Boss, Umar Garba Danbatta

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has in Barcelona Spain, told the global telecom community that Nigeria’s success can be credited to her telecom regulatory excellence.

Professor Danbatta who spoke as a panelist on the thematic Summit titled ‘Creating Incentives for Investment’ at the high profile ministerial Programme of Mobile World Congress which ended in Barcelona, Spain yesterday, said the progress under his agenda is a case in point.

He said within this space, broadband penetration grew from less than 10% to 21%, while broadband Internet penetration moved from 20 per cent to 40 per cent is an indication that the target 30 per cent growth in broadband growth by 2018 is no longer a tall order.

The NCC boss informed his audience, including Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Nigeria’s minister of Communications, and fellow ministers, ministers, regulators, vendors, service providers and experts from different countries of the world that the inclusion of operational efficiency and regulatory excellence as an important item of the 8-Point Agenda of his administration is a strategic design, which takes into account, best international standards in all areas of telecom regulation in Nigeria.

He said in the instance of spectrum management efficiency, remarkable progress was recorded in the well-known transparent spectrum auctions, one of which was 2.6GHz spectrum won by MTN on which it has deployed broadband LTE services.

Another provider, Glo has also deployed similar services, resulting in percentage growth witnessed in broadband, and broadband Internet penetration within a short period.

In the panel discussion moderated by Brian Williamson, Partner, Communications Chambers, Jolier Zoiller of United States Department of State, and Hector Huici, Secretary of Communications in Argentina, Professor Danbatta said consistent with the protection and empowerment of the consumer item of the agenda, especially with quality of service, the Commission has committed to tackling it to its logical conclusion.

“We have the capacity within the Commission, to measure key performance indicators for all operators and the entire length and breadth of the country, and we are able to say with certainty where these indicators are not being met with the standards set by the NCC.

“We have identified the operators that are not meeting with these standards and we have told them that they must meet up with the standards because we are concerned that unless there is improvement in quality of service Nigerians will not be able to enjoy services that they desire”, he said.

Professor Danbatta said it was for this reason that the Commission is set to flag off a campaign tagged: “2017: Year of the Telecom Consumer in Nigeria” to accentuate another provision in the 8-Point Agenda which is to protect and empower the consumer.

This year’s mobile congress, with the theme, The Next Element, had more than 108,000 attendees with more than 2,300 companies exhibiting products ranging from new handsets, new apps, virtual realities, connected cars, backend solutions and others.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lJksJc

‘Apollo 13’ star Bill Paxton dies at 61

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(FILES) This file photo taken on September 23, 2012 shows actor Bill Paxton arriving for the 64th annual Prime Time Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live in Los Angeles, California. Hollywood actor Bill Paxton, best known for his roles in such blockbusters as "Apollo 13" and "Titanic," has died at the age of 61, a family representative said February 26, 2017. The versatile Texas-born actor was a familiar face on US movie screens, with a string of memorable credits to his name from a career spanning several decades."It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery," said a statement from a family representative. PHOTO: ROBYN BECK / AFP

Hollywood actor Bill Paxton, best known for his roles in such blockbusters as “Apollo 13” and “Titanic,” has died at the age of 61, a family representative said Sunday.

The versatile Texas-born actor was a familiar face on US movie screens, with a string of memorable credits.

“It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery,” a statement from a family representative said.

“Bill began his career in Hollywood working on films in the art department and went on to have an illustrious career spanning four decades as a beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker.”

Although the statement did not indicate the time of death, Rolling Stone magazine said he died Saturday.

One of Paxton’s earliest character roles was as a thug in the 1984 film “The Terminator,” and he left his mark as the ill-fated Private Hudson in the 1986 sci-fi thriller “Aliens.”

Paxton played the part of Fred Haise, one of the astronauts on the Apollo 13 lunar mission, in the 1995 drama of the same name.

In 1997’s “Titanic,” he played a treasure hunter in the present leading an obsessive search for the sunken ship.

More recently, he played the patriarch of a Utah polygamist family in the acclaimed HBO show “Big Love,” which aired from 2006 to 2011.

Tributes poured in on social media.

“Nooooo. Bill Paxton is gone. Such a funny, talented, loving human. Louise & the children & family my love and & support 2 u. #truelies,” tweeted Jamie Lee Curtis, whose character was seduced by Paxton playing a used car salesman in “True Lies” (1994).

Another former co-star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, wrote: “Bill Paxton could play any role, but he was best at being Bill — a great human being with a huge heart. My thoughts are with his family.”

The actor was nominated for an Emmy Award for the television mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys,” about a bitter blood feud between two families in the aftermath of the US Civil War.

He won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the cast of “Apollo 13” and was nominated for the same award for his roles in “Titanic” and “Hatfields & McCoys.” He also won Golden Globes nominations for his parts in “Big Love” — for which he was nominated three times — and “A Bright Shining Lie” (1998).

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2m0DWIx

Aremu blames South Africa’s xenophobic attacks on leadership failure

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Issa Aremu

• SERAP urges SADC to intervene
• Students condemn reprisal attacks

A labour leader, Issa Aremu, yesterday described the xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa as the result of leadership failure.

He said: “Reprisal attacks and negative radicalism are not the solutions to the attacks, but a global demand for an all- inclusive job-led development and good governance.”

According to him: “The xenophobic attacks are reflections of the crisis of governance in Africa as revealed by the worsening poverty and unemployment rate.”

Aremu, who is the Vice President of Industrial Global Union, condemned the “reckless violent reactionary attacks and the avoidable destruction of lives and property.”

He stated that the union has over 100 affiliates and 8, 000 members mainly from Nigeria and South Africa.

Aremu, who is also a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said: “Serial xenophobic attacks have claimed several lives in South Africa. This is the third time that Africans, particularly Zimbabweans, Nigerians and Pakistanis have become targets of racist attacks by misguided South African citizens.”

He condemned the looting and burning of foreigners’ shops and business premises and warned against reprisal attacks by other African countries.

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged King Mswati III of Swaziland to intervene as the Chairperson, Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In an open letter, the group urged the monarch to “convene an emergency summit of its heads of state and government to discuss the issue.”

The letter by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, expressed concern that the South African authorities have failed to “provide effective remedy and reparations to the victims, contrary to the SADC’s mandates on regional integration and human rights.”

Also, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the reprisal attacks by some youths in Abuja on some multinational firms belonging to South Africa.

NAN’s factional National President, Chinonso Obasi, said in a statement yesterday in Abuja, that: “While we join the rest of the world in condemning the wanton killing and destruction of property in South Africa, we condemn the recent attacks against its firms in Nigeria.”

He urged the protesters to be mindful of the fact that Nigerians are part owners of these firms, which are also creating jobs for unemployed youths.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mAPe39

Biomass as a source of energy

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PHOTO: SG Preston

Biomass can be defined as organic matter generated from a living thing or a previously living thing. This biomass which can be generated from homes, agricultural farms, forests, industries, etc are sometimes classified as waste material and then disposed. Sadly, they are disposed in a manner that constitutes public health and environmental nuisance to mankind. The fact that there is need to reduce the amount of waste being generated is no longer new. What is relevant now is how to convert this waste into valuable uses like generation of energy. This will not only generate energy but will reduce the quantity of waste that requires final disposal.

Agricultural residues provide a good source of biomass for energy generation. Nigerian farmers produce large quantities of crop residues which in most cases are not put to maximum utility. Rice husk, sugar cane fibre, coconut husk, coconut shells are common agricultural residues that will readily serve as sources for biomass energy. The business as usual practice by Nigerian farmers is to burn these residues, allow farm animals to graze them or plough them back into the soil. However, some portions of these residues can be set aside and processed into liquid fuels which will be used to provide heat and electricity. Animal wastes are also a good source of biomass energy. Animal and poultry manures are easily available sources of biomass for energy generation. The business as usual practice by farmers is to spread these residues on the farms to serve as fertilizers. The challenge with this is that it causes environmental damage in form of harmful odour and contamination of water bodies when rainfall and run-offs directs the waste from the farms into water bodies. Waste from food processing and abattoirs are also animal wastes that are good sources for biomass energy generation.

Another readily available source for biomass energy generation is municipal solid waste. This includes decayable and non-decayable wastes that are usually dumped into sanitary landfills. The municipal solid waste can be converted into energy by direct combustion or natural anaerobic digestion.

Another source of biomass for energy generation is forestry residues. This includes residues generated during cutting of branches in plantations, clearing of roads for logging activities, cutting stem-wood for timber, wood processing into saw dust and wood chips. These residues which are usually left on the sites to rotten can be collected and used to provide energy. Industrial wastes are also a good source for biomass energy generation. These include residues and by-products from the food industry ranging from industrial meat production to confectionery production. It also includes foods like fruits, vegetables, pulps, starch, sugars, coffee that do not meet regulatory standards and consequently disposed off. Industrial wastes also include liquid waste generated during washing of meat, fruits and vegetables as well as pre-cooking of meat, poultry, fish. Liquids generated during wine making and cleaning activities are not left out. All these are industrial wastes which can be used to provide energy.

There are different pathways through which biomass can be converted to energy. One such pathway is thermochemical conversion. Thermochemical conversion can only be used to create energy when heat recovery is involved. Heat recovered from the combustion of biomass is then used to power turbines for electricity generation or for direct water heating. Another pathway for converting biomass into energy is biochemical conversion. It is used when the biomass has a high percentage of organic biodegradable matter and high moisture content. This involves composting the biomass in a controlled and oxygen-deficient condition which results in the production of a biogas that can be used to provide electricity and heat. The third pathway for generation of energy from biomass is physico-chemical conversion. This involves processes that improve the physical and chemical characteristics of the biomass into high energy fuel pellets that are friendly to the ecosystem.

Waste to energy reduces green house gas emission and is therefore a very efficient means of addressing the challenge of climate change. This is because it reduces the dependence on fossil fuel energy. It provides an alternative source of energy that is better than fossil fuel in terms of damage to the environment.

• Eke can be reached at martinseke@rocketmail.com

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2m0nQyy

CBN boosts financial market, sells $230 million to 16 banks

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Central Bank of Nigeria

Sixteen banks shared in the $230 million foreign exchange (forex) mart by the Central Bank of Nigeria through the forward contract agreement.

This forms part of the fulfillment of the apex bank’s pledge to ensure liquidity in the interbank market under the latest policy announced last week.

Of the 16 financial institutions, 13 are commercial banks, one is a development financing establishment, while two are merchant banks.

An analysis of the auction’s participants showed that nine commercial banks and one merchant got $162.85 million at bid rates ranging from N325/$ to N360/$, while six others got $58.52 million at bid rates between N315/$ and N320/$.

However, the first 10 banks with a total request of $162.85 million in the forwards contract have the maturity date of March 27, 2017, while the other six have a maturity date of April 24, 2017.

Consequently, the parallel market strengthened to N460 per dollar, its highest level in more than three months, following the series of interventions by the apex bank.

Last week, the regulator offered $500 million in 60-day forward contract, but ended up selling $370 million, as some banks could not back up their bids with naira equivalent or provisions.

A sub-Saharan economist for RenCap, Yvonne Mhango, said: “There are rays of light in Nigeria’s outlook…foreign reserves have risen over 20 per cent to $29 billion and a more comfortable CBN has this week announced changes to its foreign exchange policy and injected more dollars into the local market. Since Monday (February 20), the parallel market rate has strengthened,” she said.

Research analyst at FXTM, Lukman Otunuga, said that though Monday’s new foreign exchange policy, which made more dollar available for the few at 20 per cent above the official rate is already easing some pressures, it does little to solve the major problem of multiple exchanges.

According to Otunuga, Nigeria’s five adopted exchanges continue to add to the uncertainty with both firms and investors constantly left confused. The bearish combination of depressed oil prices, foreign exchange scarcity and tepid economic fundamentals continue to expose the Nigerian economy to downside risks.

Analysts at Afrinvest said: “In our view, while the implementation of the revised foreign exchange market guideline has been greeted with much optimism, we do not believe this move can sustainably address the lingering foreign exchange liquidity challenges in the economy without relaxing forex rate peg and review of list of items ineligible for forex transactions in the parallel market.”

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mB4ih3

A tribute to Nigeria’s unassuming warrior generation

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Generation come, generations go. But it is the character of each generation that will largely determine its place in the womb of posterity. Every generation holds the pencil in its hands, writing itself into history on the strength of what it is able to accomplish with what it is given and the circumstances under which it found itself. Each generation will be partially viewed from the keyhole of what it leaves behind for the generations after it.

Its story will be told by those who know about its journey and even those who do not. It is thus incumbent upon every generation to strive to define itself, otherwise those with little or no understanding of its journey will define it. Those who know nothing of the circumstances of the generation or proper appreciation of its accomplishments might just shove it down as one forgettable footnote, even when its place ought to be high up in the hierarchy. Of course, there are no guarantees for any generation on how it will be viewed or defined, but that should not stop it from placing on record its journey, perhaps it might just help the curation and possibly, the beatification process for the generation concerned.

The word, ‘generation,’ is often loosely thrown around here but it does, in fact, apply widely to ‘a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously’ or to people born between 20 and 35 years, depending on which interpretation one is more comfortable with. America, for instance, has the Baby Boomers generation, which refers to those born following World War II, generally from 1946 to 1964. Generation X is the one following the baby boomers, which usually refers to those with starting birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s and ending birth years ranging from the late 1970s to early 1980s.

So, we can, in the case of Nigeria, safely lump all of those born between 1955 and 1985 as one generation, but for the purpose here, I take the liberty, to restrict to the cohort born between 1963 and 1978. That classification might not sit well some, but it is arbitrary on my part, arrived at, for ease of making the case here. But I recognise, as a matter of fact, that the spirit, which sets apart one generation from the other cannot, in itself, be boxed or restricted to a specific generation. That spirit will often outlive one generation and transcend onto another.

It is also recognised that it is not everyone who biologically belongs to a cohort that does, in fact, represent or manifest the spirit of that generation. Some will be caught up with the past while a few others will be enraptured in their dreams that they will embrace the future ahead of the time they live in. Not everyone who falls into a particular generation will, of essence, be overtaken by the zeitgeist of that age. There will be iconoclasts and renegades in every generation. That is understandable and it, in no way invalidates the argument that the generation, in this sense, would refer to a group of whom most are approximately the same age with

Mostly similar ideas, problems, and attitudes. There are different generations in Nigeria, one called out as a ‘wasted generation.’ What would then propel this declaration of another one as the ‘warrior generation’? It is to do with the circumstances of its birth, odds it has had to face and accomplishments made, in spite of all. Some were born just before the Nigerian Civil War, many during the war and others immediately after the war. Before, during or after, they were born into crisis.

Born into war, raised under the jackboot of military rule, many members of this generation found themselves in the trenches, not by choice, but by a conspiracy of forces and circumstances. Many had to fight their way to get Nigeria from the stranglehold of an oligarchy, even if another set of people immediately hijacked it from them. They inherited a burdensome country seeking for those who will stand up to rescue her and this generation largely sacrificed itself to achieve that.

Every little progress made has had to be fought for. To end military rule, self-perpetuation in power and restore democracy, this generation has had to fight tooth and nail. Under the guidance of some progressive elements of the older generations, the ‘Warrior generation’ was at the forefront of the fight that led to the restoration of democracy. This generation was in the trenches – home and abroad, fighting – writing, marching, advocating. Some died unsung. Some lost limbs, many lost their livelihoods. They were the foot-soldiers, the army, which sent the military packing and forced them to make a retreat to the barracks.

The generation was born in the age when a good name, family values and communal living still mattered, for it is an elevated sense of courtesy and civics which compels it to speak even when others will rather take solace in silence. It abhors ado-nothing mentality, which will rather whine and wail. It will rather take destiny in own hands. It did not need much prodding before embarking on the ‘Ali must go’ protest, with even secondary school students participating. There was no Twitter then, yet the ‘Ango-must-go’ protest was nationwide. There was not then the luxury of the instantaneous social media, there was no Facebook. People took to the streets to face the Babangida and Abacha tanks. There was no Twitter yet Babangida was sent packing from Lagos, Shonekan’s interim contraption was made uneasy and Abacha was turned into a recluse, restricted to Aso Rock. It was all done on the back of the sacrifice by the ‘warrior generation.’

We do not have a culture of remembrance, we easily forget. Hopefully, someday soon, this will become a nation with respect for record and its past. A country that forgets its journey and the men and women who sacrificed themselves or were sacrificed in the process of that journey is no nation, it is only a geographical expression yet to come to terms with what it takes to forge nationhood. It is that generation of Nigerians born between 1963 and 1978 that I have taken the liberty to label Nigeria’s warrior generation, unassuming as that cohort is. To be unassuming should not leave one unsung.
• Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian Communications Consultancy.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mxRQPb

Broken – Part 2

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My eyes fluttered open and I was shocked to find myself in so much pain. I couldn’t trace the source of the pain. I looked around and I realized I was in a hospital and then it came rushing back to me. The last thing I remembered was falling to the ground after my argument with Chigozie.

My mother was sitting in a corner and as soon as she noticed I was awake, she sprang to her feet.
“Thank God, my child is alive”! She exclaimed rushing over to my side.

I wanted to speak but my throat hurt, I managed to whisper the most important word in my vocabulary at the time.
“Water”. I said to my mother.

“Ok. Are you hungry, do you want food or fruits”? She asked coming closer to inspect me.
“Water”. I managed to croak again.

“Give the girl water, and stop hovering…let her get some air”. It was my father who spoke. I wanted to look in his direction but the pain won’t allow me move my neck.

He came over to my side, and dislodged my mother from the edge of the bed. “Adesewa, I know you are confused right now but you are in the hospital because after that miscreant attempted to abduct you and you tried to escape, you were hit by a young man on a power bike. I know you are in a lot of pain right now but the doctor says you will be as good as new in a few days.” My father said.

I had so many questions to ask, especially why my father had insinuated that Chigozie had abducted me, but I couldn’t utter anymore words. My throat was really hurting now, maybe because instead of getting the water I had asked for, my mother was having a heated argument with someone down the hall. I could hear her voice even though she wasn’t in the room. She came barging in a few minutes later with the water I had requested for in her hand.

“Who were you exchanging words with again”? My father asked in a sarcastic tone.
“Can you imagine, someone came here claiming that she is that Chigozie boy’s sister and that she wants to know why her brother was arrested for an accident he didn’t cause. After almost paralyzing my daughter, his family has the effrontery to come here to cause trouble”. My mother was breathing hard and she was obviously very upset.

“Give her the water. Let me go and handle this”. My father said as he left the room.
My mother helped me sit up and used a pillow to prop up my back, then she gave me some water to drink. I instantly felt better.
“Mummy, why did you allow daddy get Chigozie arrested? You and Tunji saw me get into his car, the security guards saw me get into his car by myself. How could you accuse of him of trying to abduct me”? I asked with as much energy as I could muster.

“Do we know what happened when you were with him? He said you were trying to get out of his car when the bike hit you but what he failed to explain is why you were trying to get out of his car in the middle of the road? We assumed it was because he was taking you somewhere against your will and you tried to escape”. She explained.

“But mummy you know that’s not what happened. We were parked by the side of the road, he told me he was relocating to Port Harcourt, I got angry and opened the door without checking to see if the road was clear and I got hit by a bike. It was an accident and you all know it!” I explained.
“See, your father is very angry about this whole thing. I don’t want to get involved. My only concern now is for you to get better before your wedding. Tunji and his family have accepted our apology and decided to carry on with the wedding”. My mother informed me with a wide smile on her face.

I couldn’t believe that my parents had apologized to Tunji and his family behind my back! I wasn’t even sorry for what I had done, yet they had apologized on my behalf. I was very angry but I knew I had to stoop to conquer. “There would only be a wedding, if you ensure that daddy has Chigozie released today”. I said.

We weren’t aware that my dad had walked back into the room until he responded to my ultimatum “Then you would have to decide if you want to continue being a member of this family or not”. He said I was suddenly very thirsty again.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lTynf8

Stephanie Linus signs new brand ambassador deal

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Stephanie Linus

Nollywood star and movie producer Stephanie Linus has just clinched a new deal as the brand ambassador for Green Valley Oatmeal. The actress recently signed up with California Natural Foods to represent the brand’s interest in Africa.

The brand of high quality and healthy oatmeal is a product of California Natural Foods, a company committed to maintaining the freshness and high-quality standards of all products.

Speaking on her recent deal, Stephanie said she is honoured to be filling this role and she is poised to promote this healthy and nutritious brand to the best of her ability.

“GreenValley Oatmeal is my personal favourite and I’m so glad to be representing this unique brand. Not only is it a very healthy option, it is also very affordable and good for everyone.”

Green Valley Oatmeal comes in beautiful and attractive packaging for individual and group/family consumption. Unlike many other brands, Green Valley Oatmeal is soft and easy to prepare. Asides from the traditional oatmeal pudding mostly served for breakfast, it can also be used for other recipes such as cookies, cakes and more.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2l9x6Mv

Goldberg Excellency Tour: Otapo Bata wins drummers contest in Abeokuta

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Josiah Akinola (left) Funso Ayeni, Otapo Bata Drummers and Lucky Oiwoh during the prize presentation ceremony at the Goldberg Excellency Tour in Abeokuta.

Otapo Bata Drummers from Abeokuta have emerged winners at the traditional drummers contest at the kick-off event of the Goldberg Excellency Tour in Abeokuta on Saturday, February 18, 2017. The group outperformed four other groups at the grand finale to cart home the coveted prize of N250, 000.

Meanwhile, Ayanwale Drummers clinched the second position and won N150, 000, while Omo Aribido Drummers claimed the third spot and settled for N100, 000 on offer for the slot. The other two finalists, Ayandare Drummers and Paramount Band got N50,000 each.

At the commencement of the event on Friday, February 17, 2017, 12 groups auditioned at the cultural centre, venue of the event, with five groups emerging from the pool to reach the grand finale.

The traditional drummers contest, which was organised as part of the Goldberg Excellency Tour, kicked off with a procession through the major streets of Abeokuta and attracted a huge turnout of residents who were delighted by performances from drummers, praise singers and dancers. The procession helped to pull a large turnout of residents who trooped to the venue of the contest to support their groups during the different performances.

Speaking at the finale, the Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Funso Ayeni, stated that Goldberg Excellency Tour is scheduled for five other cities: Ilorin, Ado Ekiti, Ikare Akoko, Ile Ife and Benin City.

“The Excellency Tour will resonate the brand’s essence and strengthen its identification with the cultural values of the people of South West Nigeria,” Ayeni affirmed.

He added that in line with the brand’s ethos, the successful event in Abeokuta also helped to promote local talent, as the competition brought out the best skills from the performers who see the contest as an opportunity to showcase their talents and skills.

While commenting on their victory, the leader of Otapo Bata Drummers, Afolabi  Mufutau, said it is a thing of joy to see his group clinch the first prize after putting in putting in many hours of hard work in preparation for the competition.

The Goldberg Excellency Tour is coming on the heels of the unveiling of Goldberg lager beer as ‘Your Excellency’ in 2016 and it is in line with the brand’s unique credentials that position it in a class of its own, away from its peers in the market.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lTnYjC

Mini Ponds: A pond in a pot? Why not?

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Exquisite small pond with water plants and white medium stones.

Mini pond perfected with cute koi fish

A decorative pot of aquatic garden plants on your patio or deck or located close to the house is not only beautiful, it can provide unique gardener’s experience; it is one of the lowest maintenance gardening you will ever do. You can’t over water them and it is very difficult to under water them too. Water features are always a great asset to your garden indoors and outdoors. They add a natural setting, attract wild life; birds and frogs and provided a cool calming respite for both you and your garden visitors. When you add a small fountain you can also enjoy the sound of moving water.

Containers
A teacup or a half whisky barrel can house a water garden. From one gallon to 20 to even 500 gallons, any tub, pot, barrel, or container that can hold water can be used. Many commercial containers are available or you might consider things like small kiddies pools, watering troughs, lined whisky barrels, even old bathtubs, plastic fiber glass pots, the larger it is, the easier it will be to maintain healthy fish, if you so desire them. Pumps and fountains are not required but add to the pleasure of a water garden and can help in maintaining fish. Since water weighs eight to a third pounds per gallon, a 20 gallon container could weight 200 pounds when water, plants, soil and container are all added up. Select a location for the water garden that can carry the weight. A tall deck may not be able to hold a large container. If you add a fountain, the water garden will become a focal point for the patio or outdoor garden. If you are using wooden containers, such as wine and whisky barrels, they may contain bacteria harmful to plants and fish. If a wood container is just what you want, line it with heavy-guage plastic bag or a pre-formed plastic liner.

Planting the Garden
Plants used in the small aquatic garden are grown in separate pots and then these pots are placed into the water-filled container. Heavy clay garden soil is used as a potting media. After the plant is potted, top the soil with ½ to ¾ inch layer of pea gravel to help keep the soil in place. Add the plant and water, and you are done. Don’t use potting soil or any type of mix containing fertilizer, as many of the ingredients are too light and will float, causing the water to always be a mess. Take note the type of water used to fill your container. City water supplies are commonly with chlorine, it’s a good idea to let the tub sit for 24-48 hours before adding the plants to allow the chlorine to evaporate or you might want to purchase a product to remove the chlorine which can be purchased from pond supply dealers. Don’t use water from a water softener and don’t’ add chemicals to the water.

Large pots can be planted just like the small one with several types of plants all growing together in the container, Large containers can also hold smaller pots to make a water garden arrangement that is easily changed as the plants grow or as the gardener decides to rearrange it. If the plants used prefer different depth of water, some can be set on pedestals to raise them to the proper level. Bricks, stones and flowerpots can all be used. Solid pedestals materials like bricks replace water volume, so if fish are being added, they will have less water available. Plastic pot will float and be difficult to use upside down ,clay pots often work very well. A tub garden is a miniature eco-system of plants, water and fish. This system must come into balance, which means that the plant and animal life are able to hold the algae growth in check. It takes about 3-4 weeks for this to happen. Two weeks after you set up the garden, the water will turn cloudy with algae. In another week or so. The aquatic plants and animals keep the algae under control by reducing the sunlight entering the water and competing with the algae.

Plants for the Aquatic Garden.
Aquatic gardens need a mix of plants to attain balanced systems. These plants can be a combination of emergent, submerged and floaters. Utilizing the various types of water plants-floating leaf aquatics, oxygenating grasses, bog and marginal water plant species creates pond pots. They all thrive in water but have different growing habits and water depth requirements.

Submerge Plants are also called oxygenators and help maintain the pH balance of the pond pot’s water. Examples are wild celery, fanwort (Cabomba Canadensis) anachris (Egeria densa) feathergrass, and bloodgrass they grow deeply submerged and either sit at the bottom of the pot or float on the water’s surface.

Emergent Plants. These plants are potted and placed from 3-6 inches below the surface of the water. Some to consider are: Arrowheads, Dwarf Papyrus, Cork Screw Rush,

Deep Water Plants
Some plant like water lilies need deep water- at least 1 foot of water above their root and they need a few square feet to spread their foliage. Water lilies help cool the water and reduce algae growth.

Marginal
Marginal water plants grow 1-12 inches under water in the margins of ponds, between the shore and deep water. Marginal plants are favorites in small pond pots and visually sit at the bottom of the pot examples are horsetail and yellow iris (iris pseudacorus)

Bog Plants
Water in the pond pot should cover a bog plants soil Bog plants grow naturally in shallow water at a pond’s perimeter. In a pond pot if may be necessary to set bog plants on top of rocks or small inverted pots to create a more shallow water environment.

Floaters
These plants add finishing touch to the water surface. Floating plants such as water hyacinths and water lettuce, parrot’s feather, giant velvet leaf, water hyacinths multiply rapidly so there is need to cull some of the plant regularly.

Location And Plant’s Selection
When selecting water plants for your pond pot consider the lighting conditions where the pond will be located. Morning sun or protected, partially sunny spots are optimal locations. This mild environment protects water plants from intense heat of afternoon sun that can burn and harm the plants (and certainly threaten any fish) Tall horsetail rush, umbrella palm and floating water hyacinth are perfect combination for a partially sunny location.

Fish and Fountains
Pond creatures can be added to your water garden for added interest and to help in maintaining the ecosystem balance. You can populate your pond depending on its size with fish such as guppies, plantys or gambezi are good choices, they do well in variable water temperatures of a small patio pond plus they eat mosquitoes. Small goldfish and mosquitoes fish are recommended. Gambusia, a type of fish actually eats mosquito larvae. Gold fish and Koi will also remedy the problem of eating up undesirable mosquitoes. Koi are expensive and grow to a fairly large size, so be sure that they have the space to grow. Gold fish will grow to the size of the pot as well; it is recommended that you house 1 fish per 10 gallons of water. They (koi or goldfish) alike will do much better in aerated water, so if you do not want a fountain in your pond-in-the-pot, you can add an air stone at the bottom just to keep your fish happy and healthy. Oxygenating floating plants are also useful for this purpose. If you don’t want fish at all, then you get a mosquito ‘dunk’ a little “ doughnut” of Bacillus thuringiensis simply float it in the pot to fend off the buzzing menace from breeding in your pond pot.

Gurgling fountains can easily be installed into pond pots.
These re-circulating fountains create the comforting sound of running water and may increase the enjoyment of your water haven. There are low gmp(60-100gmp) pumps that don’t move tons of water, but just enough to make your water feature trickle pleasantly. In a container, you don’t want splashy, noisy, heavy pumps. Pond fountains will also discourage mosquitoes from breeding in the water-they don’t like moving water.

Maintenance
Amazingly and wonderfully, a pond-in-a-pot requires a minimum of maintenance. You need only top-off the pot occasionally when evaporation takes hold. Every few months, it’s recommended that you change out a quarter of the water with fresh, and at least once a year, give the pot a thorough 100% cleaning and scrubbing (no detergents). Algae can be controlled with the fish and plants etc. Other than that, your pond requires little maintenance. It’s the perfect, delicate accent to any garden, large or small. You will be proud of the end product and I’m sure you will enjoy it for a long time spend lots of time fussing with it because it’s so alive, soothing and beautiful. You’ll get a lot of satisfaction, just watching your water-lilies put out leaf after leaf, and then bloom so magnificently.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2l9DjIi

Golden face of Niger Delta berths

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Lydia Emenyi (middle) with her team during the unveiling.

Lymdatex Ventures, an event-packaging organization, has unveiled a cultural beauty contest tagged Golden Face of Niger Delta Pageant. The project, according to the organisers, aims at inspiring peace and unity through beauty in the Niger Delta Region.

During the unveiling recently in Port Harcourt, Managing Director, Lymdatex Ventures, Lydia Emenyi said the event is open to contestants from states that made up the Niger Delta Region; Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo.

Emenyi noted that Nigerians would get to vote and choose their most suitable contestants not only by beauty, character, personality and moral, but also intelligence, current affairs and their cultural/fashion consciousness of Niger Delta.

According to her, all Niger Delta indigenes residing within the land and outside the states are qualified to enter for the pageant. However, all participants should not be less than 18 years, and not more than 25 years of age to take part in camping exercise taking place at a secure accommodation in Port Harcourt. The camping part of the pageant will last seven days while the grand finale will air live on TV.

However, participants are required to pay a non-refundable sum of Five Thousand Naira only (N5, 000) to any Sterling Bank branch closest to them, and further go online to download the nomination form at http://ift.tt/2lEOZGo.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lTwXRE

Bonds to settle debts on the roads

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Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing may be accused of anything but lack of enthusiasm for the job, the capacity for doing it or constant re-tooling for the best delivery would not be on the charge sheet. When he told a delegation of the government of Enugu State that the Federal Government had concluded arrangements to refund the money some state governments spent rehabilitating federal roads in their states, that statement bore the signature of a thorough consideration. To make the refunds possible, the minister explained, the Federal Government would issue bonds, the proceeds of which would be used to repay the debts the Federal Government owes the affected states. This was in response to incessant pleas from states, including Enugu, for the refund of hundreds of billions of naira (Enugu’s is over N25 billion) they had expended in rehabilitating some federal roads that were in disrepair in their domains.

If that, as suspected, has not taken cognizance of the applicable interest amount, then the debts owed the states must have excluded another huge sum due to time value of money which can clearly be appreciated from the worsened rate of inflation in the country. The result, therefore, is that the debt to states like Enugu must really be monstrous!

Indeed, the minister was credited with confirming that the Federal Government had “carefully assessed” the various claims by the affected states but did not state categorically that the claims had been found genuine and absolutely correct. So, given the likelihood of exaggerated claims, the Federal Government must ensure that it would not refund monies not, in the first instance, used for the maintenance or rehabilitation of its roads.

Indeed, it must be very ‘careful’ not to refund monies based on bloated claims. Similarly, monies that had been corruptly siphoned into private pockets in the guise of federal roads rehabilitation and maintenance must not be refunded. Thus, a thorough forensic examination/audit, which should include physical identification of the roads and assessment of the quality of work done compared with the amount claimed, is recommended.

The intention of the government to issue bonds to settle its indebtedness to the affected states is heart-warming and the good news many had long awaited. It is a welcome development especially given the poor financial position of most of the affected states. If achieved, it would hopefully empower the states to deploy funds to other areas of critical need. And in doing so, quite a number of new jobs would be created which would positively impact on productivity and unemployment rate in the country.

Despite the benefits that will accrue from the refund of the funds by the Federal Government, the situation that necessitated states having to spend their money to intervene in the poor state of Federal Government roads should not be allowed to arise again. With the Federal Government owning a very small percentage of the roads network in the country compared to what is owned by states and local governments, it is unimaginable that the same Federal Government would be unable to maintain or rehabilitate its roads. Indeed, only negligence or irresponsibility could have prevented the Federal Government from caring for its roads to the extent that the states had to intervene to save the situation. Given its huge take from the common purse and its relatively minimal impact on the people, the Federal Government was in a better position to have intervened where the states were failing or having difficulties.

What has happened so far clearly raises fundamental issues on the identity and structure of Nigeria, one of which is the need for the entrenchment of federalism in its pure meaning in the country. If federalism had been on course, the federating units would take full responsibility for their people and directly cater for their areas, having had control of their resources, without looking forward to any re-imbursement from the central government. The second issue is the imperative of setting up a National Roads Fund that can be the responsibility of all the governments to contribute to and accessed when the need arises.

It should nevertheless be appreciated that it is ironic that the Federal Government, in the recent past, while the debts owed some states subsisted, chose to bail the states out of financial difficulties instead of repaying or reducing its indebtedness to them. That was outright financial mismanagement. In the circumstance, the wisdom that led to a bail-out is not only questionable but overreaching. Had the bail-out funds been deployed to defray the indebtedness, the need for the Federal Government to aggravate the country’s domestic debt burden via issuance of the contemplated new bonds would not arise. Given this situation, a great lesson ought to be learnt by the government that issues need to be thoroughly thought through and optional choices developed for application in the best interest of the nation.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kXN5NH