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Leaders
of the various militant groups in the Niger Delta, prior to the grant
of amnesty in 2009, will make the last batch of rehabilitation training
for ex-militants. This is to ensure that all those who were involved in
kidnapping and occasional destruction of oil facilities in the
respective groups properly turn a new leaf, the Special Adviser to the
President on Niger Delta Affairs, Timi Alaibe said yesterday.

Speaking at the
conclusion of training for the second batch, Mr Alaibe said the Federal
government was doing everything within its power to ensure the success
of the Post Amnesty Programme.

Mr Alaibe said
government’s commitment to the programme accounts for the huge
expenditure on it and urged beneficiaries to take the exercise
seriously as it was only a stepping stone to more good things.

“The Federal Government will not fail in its efforts to reintegrate you into the larger society,” he said.

Some of the
trainees in the camp said they have embraced the amnesty and hope that
the government will sustain it to prevent them from going back to the
creeks to commit atrocities.

“Government has
selected local and offshore training centres that will provide training
opportunities in the areas of vocational skills and formal education,’’
Mr. Alaibe said, stressing that a total of 150 courses have been
identified to be undertaken by the repentant militants.

He maintained that
the government has designed a programme that will ensure that selected
training institutions incorporate entrepreneurial training in the
various courses to enable the participants to be self-employed.

The presidential
aide added that more than 1,140 participants from the first batch
already allocated to the vocational training centres will commence
training at those centres on August 20.

“The placement of
other trainees in the first batch is ongoing while the second batch
will also go through the same arrangement,” he said.

Principle of non-violence

He also urged the
repentant militants to manifest the principle of non-violence which
they learnt in camp as they begin another crucial phase in the Post
Amnesty programme.

The third batch of ex-militants are expected to report at camp on August 13.

The new arrangement means that Tompolo, Ateke Tom and other leaders
of militant groups will make the rear of those billed for
rehabilitation at Obubra NYSC permanent orientation camp. The camp has
undergone a comprehensive facelift for the comfort of the former creek
boys. This is even as the rehabilitation programme for female former
militants is now uncertain. Before now it was revealed that women
militants were going to be the last batch in the training exercise.

The House of Representatives seemed to
have called the bluff of the Independent National Electoral
Commission’s deadline on the new voters’ register, declining to pass
the N89bn budget earlier approved for the exercise by the senate.

The INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, had
said during a previous meeting with the lawmakers, that the pressure of
time for the exercise makes it crucial that funds be made available
within two weeks elapsing yesterday August 11, 2010. A failure would
result in the impossibility of conducting the vital exercise ahead of
the 2011 elections which, on its own, may also face the consequences of
such failing, he warned. But the House stood down the appropriation
bill on Wednesday after it had gone through the second reading,

heightening a frustration the
legislature supposedly faces between the challenges of proper
appropriation and timely delivery of the bill.

Members of the House, like the
senators, spoke of a budget they said is questionable which is however
difficult to be scrutinized chiefly for not wanting to be seen as
delaying the time-frame of the electoral exercise. “It would be wrong
to just approve the proposal hook, line and sinker,” said Abdul Ningi,
the former House Majority Leader. “Clearly some items on this proposal
were already taken care in the 2010 Appropriation Act adding and it
would be wrong to pretend that all was well it just because the time
left is very short.”

Wait for a day

The House minority leader, Mohammed
Ndume, said the proposal by the electoral commission to purchase
150,000 Transparent Collapsible Boxes at N3billion, is too high and
must be reviewed. A former speaker protempore, Terngu Tsegba, in as
much as the voters’ register is the “bedrock of credible elections”,
the House of Representatives in considering the money Bill, must be
meticulous. He said the lawmakers should guard against the estimates,
possibly having mix-ups that may put the economy in jeopardy. “How can
you use the money that was sourced locally to purchase election
equipments abroad,” he argued.

But the arguments, though acknowledged
by other members, need not overshadow the approval which the house in
the first place reconvened for. “Since Independence, this is the first
time a president would appoint an electoral umpire with character and
if you give a man of character a job to do, you must give him the tools
to do it. I want the parliament to be motivated by sense of duty to do
what is right,” said Patrick Obahiagbon, a member from Edo state.

The choice of what is right appeared split between those asking for
a thorough vetting, those supporting an unquestioned passage and the
legislators urging for the both-scrutiny and timely delivery of the
budget. After the debate, the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, announced the
document presented with the same figures passed by the senate, will be
considered Thursday and assured of its passage. The bill will now be
considered by the House Committees on Finance and Appropriation.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji
Bankole, yesterday brushed aside attempts by his colleagues to question
allegations made by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that federal
lawmakers are corrupt.

At an event in Niger State last week, Mr Obasanjo
accused the lawmakers of high level corruption during his years as
president, detailing how he failed to know their true earnings and how
legislators often stuffed federal budgets, without request from the
executive arm of government. He said the constituency projects which
members carry out, is a “conduit pipe for corruption.” At the chamber’s
reconvening yesterday, for the approval of the Independent National
Electoral Commission extra budget, Mohammed Maifata, from Kano state,
said his privilege as a member was breached by Mr Obasanjo’s comments.
He prayed the House to decide collectively to institute legal action
against the former president if there was no retraction in two weeks,
failure which he will proceed on a individual litigation. “One man
called Olusegun Obasanjo cannot just begin to make allegations and call
people thieves,” he said.

Some members, though willing to share with the criticism, opposed
Mr. Maifata’s style of referring to the former president. Mr Bankole
urged his colleagues to recall the essence of the emergency session,
and leave other issues. “I appeal to you to leave the issue because of
the very pressing assignemnet that we have to deal with,” he said. But
another member, Igo Aguma, who represents Port Harcourt, Rivers state,
insisted that even where the issue is to be allowed, the leadership
should make clear position on the truth about the much-criticized
consitutency projects. Mr Bankole clarified that projects are only
influenced by the members, but are often carried out through the office
of the Millenium Development Goals.

A woman charms a man into marriage and they live a deceptive
life for about 50 years and the magic fades, either by sheer luck or divine
intervention. The scale falls from the eyes of the man, but it appears too
late.

Children and grandchildren are now involved, families are
already knitted together, grandsons and grand-daughters-in-laws have extended
the family tree; a lot of events and activities that one cannot just wish away
have taken place.

The fact, however, is very disturbing. The man’s eyes are now
open, his mind is free. He can now think his own thoughts and say his own
words. Should he remain silent and complacent, or does he try to change things
objectively for the better?

Even if he is able to chase the wife away, he has to live and
work with his children, grandchildren, and the in-laws that have sprouted all
these years of unholy union.

This seems to be our dilemma these past years in Nigeria.

It is troubling when a society, made up of different people,
different ethnicities, and different religious backgrounds, begin to speak with
one voice and sing the same song when it is obvious that they are not
developing; and some people still want them to continue to paddle this same
canoe on this river of backwardness and stagnation that will lead them into the
final sea of destruction. More so, when it is a democracy where the majority
seems to always have its way.

Decisions made during the years of bondage, even if they seem
palatable but unjust, must be changed. Some people have decided to correct all
the injustice that have happened during the years of voodoo, the years of
deafness, blindness, and uselessness.

Many people have criticised the federal character principle. It
has now given birth to zoning and, like its father, zoning is suffering a
similar fate. I believe if we open our eyes wide enough, we would understand
better why our country’s development has stagnated for this long; why some
people relish laziness, why a lot more enjoy corruption, and a great majority
see looting as their birthright. All these destructive elements are camouflaged
in ethno-religious extremism.

Some Nigerians are so used to sitting down in their seating
rooms, playing cards and controlling an unfortunate illiterate crowd of
teenagers into committing all sorts of crime in the name of ‘self
preservation’. Fortunately, some eyes are beginning to open. Even the half
literate ones are speaking up and taking their destinies in their own hands.

Open eyes

Our situation in this country is a rather peculiar one. One
group of a particular ethnic zone, and it is debatable whether they are the
majority, have been having their say and their way. Inception and destruction
loom, like the hangman’s noose, over our heads if we continue to behave like we
are still under their spell. The scale has fallen off our eyes, and it just
cannot continue to be business as usual. That is why the position of the
Northern youth, as well as the recent position from the Northern leaders
summit, is a very welcome development. It has rekindled the dying hope inside
most of us that we can indeed be one Nigeria.

Saul was the king, but Jonathan his son could not sit and do
nothing in the face of selfish and tyrannical decisions of his father against
David, his father’s perceived enemy, but his own bosom friend. He acted against
his father’s orders. That is maturity, that is progress, and that is genuine
love.

The end of the reign of quackery, laziness, wickedness,
illiteracy, and thievery is imminent; excellence can no longer be sacrificed at
the altar of federal character, quota system, or zoning.

We are beginning to think and speak for ourselves, and we have started
acting for ourselves. We are in the days where even if you are in the majority,
you cannot continue to hold us down. The ship of progress is sailing, and
people should climb on the bandwagon or jump over board. We are counting down
to the days of meritocracy and genuine growth.

The selection of a
new Deji of Akure became more complicated yesterday when one of the
royal families jostling for the seat, Faturoti, sent five new names to
the Ojijigogun ruling house.

Previously, the
ruling house had short listed nine candidates for the vacant stool:
seven from the Adesida royal family and one each from Arosoye and
Faturoti royal families.

The Faturoti family
said in letters to the Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko and the
Chairman of Akure South Local Government, Tayo Oluwatuyi, that the
candidate it sent earlier didn’t have the full approval of the three
groups in the family.

According to the
letter signed by the head of the family, Adepoju Adegoroye, the family
finally decided that six candidates should represent it on the basis of
two persons from each lineage. The six candidates presented to the
royal family for screening include: Adewale Adegoroye, Olusola
Adegoroye, Aderemi Adegoroye and Ademola Adegoroye, Akinlade Adegoroye,
and Idowu Adegoroye.

NEXT learnt that a
leader of the Faturoti royal family, had single-handedly presented the
name of a candidate to the ruling house without due consultation with
other families.

His action was said to have incensed other members who accused him of compromising the family’s chances.

Not capable

Mr Adegoroye, in
the letter to the state governor, claimed that the action of his
relative was not in the best interest of the entire family which it had
potrayed as lacking capable candidates to fill the vacant stool of Deji
of Akure.

“As the head of the
Adegoroye/Faturoti family of the Ojijigogun ruling house, I was out of
the country when the issue of selection of candidates came up. My
Deputy acted in my capacity when I was away,” the letter reads.

“But, when I came back, I was amazed to hear that the family could
only boast of one candidate as large and as saturated with elites (as
we are). This is not only unfair to the whole family, but posterity
will not forgive us and our descendants will spit on our graves if we
fold our arms while the kingmakers are being hoodwinked to believe that
Adegoroye is virtually non-existent”.

The Edo State government has placed a ban on the defacing of public structures, buildings,

walls, pavements, and signboards, with posters – including political campaign posters.

The state ministry of environment and public utilities, which issued the warning yesterday, said violators will be sanctioned.

A senior official of the ministry said
government is against people “puting posters in public places,
especially where we have worked on, like the King’s Square area.” Some
weeks ago, the ministry had removed all posters from the newly upgraded
square, including campaign posters of senior party officials. The state
government has recently embarked on a campaign to improve the living
environment in the city and the commissioner for environment and public
utilities, Clem Agba, has won the praise of residents of Benin City in
his efforts to give the town a facelift.

To create awareness to that effect, a
press briefing was organised by the ministry and special announcements
were also sent round the various local media houses while a bill was
sponsored to the state house of assembly.

Posters everywhere

Until recently,
posters of churches, product advertisements and political campaigns
have taken over every available space in the city. Hardly any public or
private property was spared, making the city look dirty and unkempt.

Amadasun Osadolor,
whose house was until recently defaced by several posters, said he was
delighted that the government has at last placed a ban on what he
called “the dirty and criminal activities of some people, especially
politicians and church pastors.” Mr. Osadolor said his only concerned
was with government’s ability to keep enforcing the law.

“It remains to be
seen if the government will be able to enforce the law. But I will
personally be very happy if they can enforce the law. It has been long
over due,” he said.

The United States
Ambassador to Nigeria, Renee Sanders, on Thursday, commended the
efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) towards
ensuring air safety in the country.

Speaking to
journalists in a joint conference in Lagos, Mrs Sanders lauded the
federal government on the successfulcompletion of the United States
Federal Aviation Authority assistance program in readiness for
International Aviation Safety Assessment audit which is also a step
necessary for acquiring the coveted Category One Status. The ambassador
said that though there is still more to be done by way of improving
certain elements of the aviation sector, it is important to celebrate
the tremendous progress and success the government has made with making
Nigerian air travel the safest it has ever been. “Although Nigeria has
not obtained Category I Status yet, the progress to date continues to
put Nigeria on the right path,” she said.

Progress made

Mrs Sanders
congratulated the nation’s civil aviation regulatory agency for its
inaugural issuance of an Air Operator Certification (AOC) to Arik Air,
the country’s largest commercial carrier, adding that the United States
was pleased by the progress so far achieved.

Explaining that
additional air carrier options would expand the breath of Nigeria’s
aviation market, Mrs. Sanders disclosed that the development would
offer prices and services not offered currently. “This competition will
create incentives for both the carriers and the consumers,” she said.

Harold Demuren, director general of NCAA, said that he was grateful
for the support given by the Mrs Sanders-led team to the aviation
industry and to Nigerians. He, however, said that the government is
working towards eradicating any form of terrorism in Nigeria, an called
for continued support from the United States. “We mean business on
this,” he said. “The federal government has ordered for ten body
scanners, our people have been trained. We have put in additional
measures which makes secondary screening mandatory for our airlines. We
are able to sign MOU for the Air Marshals and we can look at your (Mrs.
Sanders) tenure in Nigeria as a major success and a big plus for
Nigeria’s aviation.”

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, officially
unveiled the clock to commence the 50 day countdown to Nigeria’s 50th
Independence Day celebration on October 1st.

In his address, at the event jointly organised by
DAAR Communications and Integrated Management Resource at the Banquet
Hall of the presidential villa, Mr. Jonathan directed that the
countdown clocks be placed in strategic places across the country ahead
of October 1, where Nigeria intends to reenact the same event of
lowering of the Union Jack and the raising of the Nigerian flag 50
years ago.

“This event is to officially begin the countdown to
the 50th year anniversary which will be celebrated on October 1, 2010.
I have directed that the counting down clocks be placed at strategic
places as a constant reminder of our jubilee independence anniversary,”
he said.

“I dare say that current challenges notwithstanding,
Nigeria has a glorious past worthy of celebration that should arose in
us all the good things about Nigeria.

“We must rededicate ourselves to those patriotic
ideas and creative potentials in us all. It is worthy of note that the
event to celebrate our 50th independence anniversary is purely private
sector initiative sponsored by Integrated Management Resources in
partnership with DAAR Communications PLC, those organizations deserve
our special commendation for the patriotic vision.”

Mr. Jonathan also stressed that Nigeria has reasons
to celebrate the past 50 years adding that the world views Nigeria as a
great country not in terms of its population but what it has been able
to do in the past 50 years.

“If we have not made any impact globally this past 50
years we would have been written off long ago. We have our challenges
we know that very clearly which is why this time around we are
committed to move this country forward but we have every reason to
celebrate the past 50 years” he added.

Media attention

The Chief Executive Officer, Integrated Management
Resource, Oluwafemi Victor Walsh, said his belief in the Nigerian dream
fostered his organisation to partner with DAAR Communications to put up
the event.

“We believe in the Nigerian Vision and we believe in
Mr. President. We believe Mr. President became President by divine
intervention and that is why we are supporting this Nigeria at 50
project at our own small level,” he said.

Mr. Walsh further regretted that the tradition where
kids used to match to celebrate the nation’s independence has been
abandoned adding, “Nigerians now see it as a day to rest at home but
this celebration gives us all the opportunity to immortalize and lay
foundation for the next 50 years. If we cannot celebrate our past then
let us celebrate our future”.

The company is putting together a project that will
put Nigeria in the Guinness Book of World Records. It plans to unveil
the 65, 000kg World’s largest cake at the National Stadium on 1st
October 2010, aimed at rebranding Nigeria on the day.

“We enjoy the greatest global media attention since 1960,” he said.

Goodluck
Jonathan has urged Muslims to use the season of Ramadan for deep
reflection and spiritual rejuvenation towards greater service to God
and the nation.

Mr Jonathan, in a
message to Muslims in the country and around the world to herald the
month-long Ramadan fast, noted that fasting is a profound religious
experience that brings people closer to God. He thus enjoined Muslims
to use the season to re-evaluate their service to God and mankind.

“Let us seize this
period of Ramadan to rededicate ourselves to the service of God and
country. Beyond abstaining from food and drink, we must resolve to make
the greater sacrifice of eschewing vices that slow down the progress of
our beloved country,” he said.

President Jonathan
also asked Muslims to reflect on and strengthen their relationship with
the Almighty Allah and all men and women of goodwill the world over
during the fast.

“The great Prophet
of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), described Ramadan fasting as a shield
against vices. Thus, we must use this year’s Ramadan as a shield from
worldly allure and sundry temptations,” he said.

Mr Jonathan also
urged all Nigerians to advance the frontiers of love and responsibility
to one another, saying “we must seek avenues to advance the cause of
peace and good neighbourliness no matter where we find ourselves”.

The President extended best wishes to all Muslims and prayed for Allah’s blessings during the month of Ramadan.

Nigerian Muslims today joined their compatriots around the world to
commence the annual month of denial and piety. Fasting is one of the
five pillars of Islam. The others are belief in the Oneness of God and
the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad; the five daily prayers;
Concern for and almsgiving to the needy; and pilgrimage to Makkah for
those who are able.

he
capital market regulator, the Security and Exchange Commission, said
yesterday that about 260 persons and organizations are to face charges
over the crisis in Nigeria’s capital market, a week after the head of
the Stock Exchange, Ndidi Okereke-Onyuike, was fired.

Director General of
the SEC, Arunma Oteh, announced Tuesday while meeting with the House of
Representatives members, that the commission has names of individuals
and groups who will be brought before the Investment and Securities
Tribunal, for various financial offences.

“We have also been
working very hard on some of the complaints that ordinary investors
have shared with us as to some of the things that happen in our
market,” she told the House committee on Capital Market, headed by Umar
Jibril. “As a result of that, we are going to take about 260
individuals and entities to the Investment and Securities Tribunal for
different types of allegations of share price manipulation and insider
dealings.” The Former Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange,
Okereke-Onyuike and the former president of the Exchange, Aliko
Dangote, were removed from office last week by the commission, at the
climax of squabbles between the both parties. They had accused each
other of administrative and financial mismanagement.

In a major move,
the commission ordered independent investigations into the allegations,
and appointed an interim administrator for the Exchange, in a process
that has also helped emphasize its regulatory capacity, which has been
missing in years.

The House committee
summoned Mrs Oteh, Mrs Okereke-Onyuike and Mr Dangote yesterday in the
aftermath of the sackings, holding hours of meetings behind closed
doors with Ms Oteh after the others failed to appear. They are to now
appear today.

Mr Jibril said the
invitation was based on worries over media report on the removal,
saying the lawmakers needed to act to guard against unwarranted effects
of such actions on the nation’s economy.

Fragile capital market

Ms Oteh, however,
said the commission intervened to save the fragile capital market that
has already been hit by allegations of various malpractices, including
insider trading and share prices manipulation.

“Like you know, our
call and mandate is to protect public interest and to protect the
investor, particularly what I will consider the voiceless masses of
people,” she said.

She acknowledged
the widespread allegations of increasing insider dealings, share price
manipulations, of weakness in enforcement of excessive risk taking in
the market environment, saying that informed the plan to possibly bring
charges against those listed.

The irregularities,
she said, have arisen as a result of poor regulation, which also partly
was responsible for the huge crash of stock from N12 trillion to N5.5
trillion in 2008.

“We’ve seen concern as to whether regulators had really been playing
their roles. As a result, since the crash, the SEC has spoken on trying
to enhance its own capacity to regulate the market has tried to focus
on addressing the issues that led to the crash, some of which relates
to the global financial crisis, some which relates to market integrity
issues in our market,” she told the lawmakers before the closed session
meeting.</