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Tag: calm

  • Calm returns to LAUTECH’s school after hijab crisis

    Two days after a crisis broke out on the use of hijab at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) International School in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, normalcy has been restored in the school.

    Our correspondent, who visited the school yesterday, reports that academic activities have resumed without hindrance.

    On Monday, over 50 female students wearing hijab on their school uniform were barred from entering the school premises; others were forced to remove the Islamic veil before they were allowed into the school.

    But the matter was resolved after a peace meeting between Muslim pupils’ parents, the school management and security agents as well as other stakeholders.

    The parents, who said they had waited for several years to ensure that their children were allowed to use the hijab, urged the school management to expedite actions on the matter.

    They advised the school authority to consider the development as an emergency situation that should be treated with expediency.

    The parents, under the auspices of LAUTECH Staff School and LAUTECH international college, Ogbomoso, Muslim Parents’ Forum, expressed grievances about the failure of the school management to address Muslim parents early enough.

    In a communique issued to reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after a peace meeting with stakeholders, the parents argued that “the school process is a continuum and nothing should retard the ongoing efforts of the committee that has been put in place to address the issue of hijab”.

    Those at the meeting were: the Chairman of the Governing Board (LAUTECH International College, Ogbomoso); the Chairman of the Governing Board (LAUTECH Staff School); the Chairman of Ogbomoso Parapo; the Chairman of the Parents’/Teachers’ Association (PTA), LAUTECH Staff School and the Chairman of PTA, LAUTECH International College, Ogbomoso.

    Also there were the Chairman of LAUTECH Security Committee; the Director of State Services (DSS) in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area; the Head Teacher of LAUTECH International College, Ogbomoso; the Headmistress of LAUTECH Staff School; representative of the LAUTECH Public Relations Unit and representatives of Muslim Parents.

     

     

     

  • Calm in ISI after row

    There seems to be some peace in the row over the use of hijab by Muslim pupils in the International School of the University of Ibadan (ISI). The uneasy calm was due to the intervention of the University of Ibadan Muslim Community. But how far this stillness can go remains to be conjectured. TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO reports.

    The International School Ibadan (ISI) has been in the news lately; albeit negatively over the issue of dress code. There are diverse opinions to this issue which many maintain is insignificant.

    Despite that the school has a dress code which the students have been observing since the school was established on October 13, 1963, the row began when parents of Muslim students of the school allegedly demanded that their children and wards be allowed to wear hijab; a Muslim dress code as part of the school uniform.

    Their demand was said to have been turned down by the school authorities on the grounds that the school’s dress code is meant to be secular, even as the school authorities are said to have maintained that children of different faith attend the school.

    The said refusal to grant their requests by the school authorities allegedly irked parents of Muslim students. And, it was alleged, they reacted angrily. Happily, there has been calm after the row.

    But before the calm, some concerned Muslim parents under the aegis of the ISI Muslim Parents’ Forum, protested what they referred to as trampling on the rights of their children and wards.

    The school had resumed academic activities without any hindrance and pupils were going about their academic activities as if nothing happened.

    This, Southwest Report learnt, is due to the intervention of the University of Ibadan Muslim Community.

    The Muslim Community, it was learnt, prevailed on the leadership of the Muslim Parents’ Forum to allow them handle the issue.

    This definitely may not be the last to be heard about the controversy. The University of Ibadan Muslim Community knows that they have an onerous task before them and resolving the crisis will largely depend on their ingenuity.

    The management of the school, led by the Court of Governors headed by Prof. Abideen Aderinto, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and the Principal, Mrs. Phebean Olowe, are insisting that hijab is not part of the school dress code.

    The Muslim Parents’ Forum, led by Alhaji AbdurRahman Balogun, a journalist said hijab is the right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for pupils that deem it fit.

    The two sides have been at daggers drawn since early last month, leading to the closure, opening, and closure and re-opening of the school by the school authorities.

    The ISI Muslims Parents’ Forum, on October 29, this year, wrote a letter to the school management, wondering why “our willing Muslim girls have not been adorning the head scarf (Hijab) in line with their religious belief just as their counterparts elsewhere do.”

    Signed by Alhaji A. A. Balogun and Mrs Bilikis Badiru, the letter reads in part: “Part of what distinguishes an institution is the ability to demonstrate a high level of tolerance of the rights of every child, including female Muslim children, one of which is the use of hijab as desired by their parents, enjoined by their faith (Islam) and also permitted by the Nigerian Constitution.

    “It is our considered opinion and resolution that the school should not disallow or discourage willing Muslim girls who wish to wear uniformed mini-hijab to protect their chastity in line with their belief.

    “That the Muslim girl is not using the hijab in ISI is a mere tradition (a colonial heritage) without a justification in the school dressing code.

    “This forum hereby puts the school management on notice of this resolution on the rights of our female children to commence the use of hijab from this academic session of 2018/2019.”

    The leaders of the Muslims Parents’ Forum were invited for a closed-door meeting with Prof Aderinto, the Vice-Chancellor (Academics) on November 10 at 5:00 p.m..

    The meeting was stalemate

    On Monday, November 12, the Muslim parents gathered at the ISI car park to distribute hijabs to their wards.

    On sighting the pupils in hijab, the Principal, Mrs Olowe, was said to have directed that the assembly be cancelled, even as classes were not held that day.

    On Tuesday, November 13, an emergency Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting was convened. Unfortunately, the session became rowdy and chaotic as the few Muslim parents that were pro-hijab in their views were overwhelmed and shouted down by others which resulted in their walking out of the meeting.

    It was alleged that the Christian parents insisted that they couldn’t stand having their children in the same class with hijab-wearing pupils.

    On Wednesday November 14, pupils, who wore hijab during class session, were told to remove them.

    While some complied, Southwest Report learnt that eight of them were unmoved.

    Balogun alleged that the eight pupils were locked up in the library and manned by security men.

    “They remained in there until the end of the day. During the period, two tests were quickly conducted across various classes and the eight pupils missed the tests. This was intended to put them at academic disadvantage compared to their peers,” he said.

    On Thursday, November 15, the number of the students with hijab increased to nine. They were allegedly not allowed into the school and were locked outside the school premises throughout the day

    On Friday, November 16, the number of the students again increased to 10. They were allegedly not allowed into the school as they were locked out throughout the day.

    On Monday, November 19, the Oyo State Muslim Community, in collaboration with University of Ibadan (UI) Muslim community staged a peaceful protest. The school was shut down till further notice.

    On Thursday November 22, the Christian parents were said to have had their own demonstration to the office of the Vice-Chancellor, restating their disagreement over the use of hijab.

    On Friday, November 23, an expanded management meeting of the University of Ibadan was held.

    Their resolution, according to a statement released by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), showed that “there is a need to take a dispassionate look at the rules and regulations governing not only dress code but also general conduct of students in the International School, Ibadan. Such perspective will enable a deeper understanding of the principles underlying the establishment of those rules.

    “The status quo as regards students’ dress code as contained in the school rules and regulations should be maintained.

    “Individuals or groups that may seek a change in the dress code, or any other aspect of the rules of the school should follow due process of requesting for such but the final decision on any such change still lies with the Board of Governors.”

    Prof. Aderinto earlier said: “ISI is a private school. UI does not fund it. It is funded by the fees collected. It is unfortunate that this is coming up now. Even the Parent-Teacher Association is not aware of the idea by this group.

    “Since its establishment in 1963, the school has not experienced any religious crisis and we would want to guard against it. The Muslim and Christian students have a place to worship in the school.

    “Whoever desires to change the rules should go through the process. The teachers do not feel safe and so could not have taught anybody because it is a strange development”.

    Reacting to the school closure, Balogun expressed surprise that the school was shut because the Muslim female pupils wore hijab to school.

    Balogun decried the decision of the school to cancel the assembly and classes because some pupils wore the hijab, adding that it was contrary to Section 7 (1-8) of the school rules and regulations which has to do with the dress code in the school.

    Balogun said: “I am a parent of ISI. I am here to drop my children. We gave the school notification that in line with the constitution in all ramifications is it the school rules and regulations, norms and Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria that our daughters should be made to wear hijab.

    “But, I am surprised and shocked that classes were shut and assembly was also cancelled because students wore hijab today. I don’t know the correlation between the two, pupils wear hijab and the classes were shut. We will not accept anything until our daughters are allowed to wear hijab. “I want my daughters to wear hijab because there is nothing that says that they cannot wear it even the school rules and regulations. Go and check page four, Section 7 (1 to 8) of the ISI rules and regulations that has to do with dress code. There is nothing there that forbids a Muslim girl from wearing the hijab.

    “So, wearing hijab is in conformity with the school rules and regulations and the extant law. We are here as law-abiding citizens; you can see that this is one of the parents, these are parents, we want our daughters to wear hijab.”

    Christian and traditional religious groups also protested the closure of the school, expressing their displeasure against the Muslim Parents’ Forum.

    In a letter signed by the trio of an Ifa Priest Awosanmi Abe, Olalekan Thani, a lawyer, and Olusola Aleshin, they said: “We wish to state that the current dress code/uniform of the students of ISI, which has been in use since inception (about 55 years ago), has no religious colouration, it’s good enough and sufficient to fulfil our moral obligations to the children. It should not be a subject of discussion out of the jurisdiction of the constituted Board of Governors as done by this Muslim Parents’ Forum.”

    General-Secretary of Muslim Community of Oyo State, Sheikh Ismail Busari, who led another protest, argued that the claim by the management of the school was untrue.

    Busari said: “When has ISI become a private establishment when the UI DVC Academics is the Chairman of the Board.

    “And section 32 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution as amended guaranteed the right of Muslim ladies to adorn hijab. We are operating common law but as you can see, the common law is not common in Nigeria.

    “Even in Europe, Muslims and Christians learn side-by-side. It is allowed in Europe, even not only for students but also for military men and uniformed men. Hijab is decent, it is for protection and their appearance distracts nobody”.

     

  • Calm as Senate resumes plenary after long recess

    There was calm in the Senate chamber yesterday contrary to anticipated break down of law and order.

    It was learnt that the Senators who reconvened yesterday after over two months recess “reached a gentleman agreement to give peace a chance in the interest of the institution of Senate and national unity.”

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators had been boiling over the defection of Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki from the APC to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The arrow heads of the anti-Saraki campaign have insisted at various fora that Saraki must go or be forced to vacate his seat.

    The Senate after resumption of plenary went into a closed session where members were said to have had “frank discussion about the future of the Eighth Senate as it goes into its last stage.”

    A source said “the APC Caucus leadership extracted a promise from Senate President that national interest will continue take precedent over any other consideration in the activities of the Senate.”

    It is not clear what may have informed the change of heart to pursue peace and conviviality by the Senators.

    An insider noted that the high number of Senators who lost the ticket to return to the upper chamber in 2019 may have sobered some the lawmakers.

    Others, he said, may have considered that the time was too short for a change of leadership in the Senate.

    It is also not clear what situation in the chamber may turn to in days ahead.

    Before the Senate President entered the chamber, the Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye approached Saraki’s seat, fetched a white handkerchief from his pocket and dusted the seat.

    While some of his colleagues did not find what Melaye did funny, others laughed over it as part of the lighter mood in the Senate.

    The Senator representing Ekiti South, Biodun Olujimi, took over the seat of the minority leader of the Senate vacated by Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Olujimi who was formerly deputy minority whip has however not been officially announced as Senate Minority Leader.

    President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded the name of Olanipekun Olukoyede for confirmation as the secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The request for confirmation of the appointment was read by the Senate President.

    President Buhari said that the request was in compliance with the provision of Section 2(3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act 2010.

  • Cool,calm Adeolu Adeboye

    Cool,calm Adeolu Adeboye

    Being the son of a famous man certainly comes with some perks. But it also comes with some burdens and expectations. As the first child of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), about the most influential religious figure in the country, Adeolu Adeboye has pretty big shoes to fill.

    Fortunately, the suave gentleman has been going about his business with the class and composure that testifies to a cultured upbringing. He and his wife Tope have been setting the upscale fashion scene alight with Wisemen Apparel and Duchess, catering to the robing pleasures of the genteel class.

    Both bona fide members of the celebrity cadre, they have been lying low in recent times, it seems. Those who know say the development is not unconnected with Adeolu’s status as a high profile worker in the Lord’s vineyard, a responsibility he has taken with utmost seriousness in recent times.

    As the leader of Team Nehemiah, it falls to him to control the flow of traffic in and around the Redemption Camp Headquarters of RCCG. Tope, on her part, assists her husband in ensuring that nothing is amiss while she takes a more hands-on role in their private business.

  • Ile-Ife: Calm after the storm

    Ile-Ife: Calm after the storm

    Ife is our home, Hausa traders say as they return to Sabo
    ‘They’re welcome back’

    Ile-Ife1PEACE has finally returned to the ancient town of Ile-Ife, Osun State, after a violent clash between the indigenes and members of the Hausa community in Sabo area of the town resulted in many deaths. But in various chats with our correspondent, many members of the Hausa community in historical Yoruba town were still at a loss on how the bond that had existed between them and their Yoruba hosts could take such a tragic turn.

    Before the bloody clash, the two tribes had lived peacefully together for more than 200 years, a situation that has caused many stakeholders in the community to pray earnestly that the various investigation panels set up by the Osun State Government as well as the Ooni and the Inspector-General of Police would result in a lasting solution to the problem. And it would seem that the efforts of the state government, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and other notable Nigerians to ensure that bad blood does not persist after the crisis are already yielding dividends. Members of the Hausa community, who fled the town in the heat of the clash, are already returning to their base in trickles.

    The Oja Tuntun, which was ordered shut by the Ooni for one week, has been reopened. Some affected residents were seen sitting in groups in the ruins of their razed houses and shops, some carrying out skeletal commercial activities. The Afobaje of the Hausa Community in Ife, Alhaji Malami Nasidi, told our correspondent that many of his kinsmen who had fled the town would soon return as they had been seeking information on the situation of things for them to know when to return.

    He said, however, that many people had been calling from Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and other parts of the North to know the whereabouts of their people who were yet to be found. He expressed the fear that there could be more to the clash than meets the eye because Ife people are too accommodating to engage in a violence of the magnitude that occurred on Wednesday March 8, 2017.

    He said: “We and our Yoruba hosts had been living in peace for decades. Many of us have Ife indigenes as our wives. The first child of the woman, Kubura, who started this crisis, was fathered by a Hausa man. A day before this crisis, she complained to me that a Hausa boy had messed up the frontage of her shop with soup. She slapped the boy and the boy slapped her back. Her husband, one of the leaders of the Abuja Garage in the town, them mobilised his friends to beat up the boy and everybody here.

    “We thought the matter had ended there, but the following day, very early in the morning, they started burning our houses and attacking us, maiming and killing our people. They also looted our property before they set our houses on fire.”

    Nasidi said Ife is the only place they see as home, adding: “I was born in Ife. So also was my mother and grandmother. Any time we travel up North, after five days, they would be asking us when we would return.”

    But for Sade, a trader and Ife indigene, the Hausa residents of the town are too violent for her liking.  She said: “They were the first to attack the Yoruba. They killed an Ife man before Ife people stood up to them. They thought they had monopoly of violence, but it was when they saw that the will of the people in Ife was stronger that things changed.”

    From the two sides, it has been accusations and counter-accusations. While the Hausa are saying the clash was a complete aggression against them by the indigenes, Ife indigenes too claimed it was a fight between both parties. This is the more reason, a socio-cultural Yoruba group, the Afenifere, is accusing the police of bias in the alleged arrests of only Yoruba suspects, while no single Hausa man or woman had been arrested.

    On Tuesday, the Afenifere, led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Olu Falae, came on a condolence visit to the Ooni, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, over the incident. In his remarks, Chief Adebanjo described the incident as unfortunate. He bemoaned the “one sided” arrests by the police and called on the authorities not to hide the truth about the incident. Using the non-arrest of Hausa people in the Southern Kaduna crisis as an example, the Yoruba leader said justice must be done in respect of everyone involved in the crisis or affected by it.

    He said: “The mode of arrests by the police is partisan. We want true justice and thorough investigation on the crisis. We are not happy with the crisis. The reason for the clash is still surprising because for over 40 years that the Yoruba and Hausa have been co-habiting, there had not been any record of violence between the two tribes.

    “Even during the Ife/Modakeke crisis, nobody attacked the Hausa in Ife. The police are to blame for this crisis. They caused the crisis. They arrested only Yoruba people after the crisis. It points to the fact that the arrest was pre-planned. The Police appear to be against the Yoruba, and the Inspector General of Police has said he does not have any apology. What Afenifere is saying again is that the arrests are one-sided. Some of the people that died in the clash are Yoruba and their houses were torched. Nonetheless, we are here to sympathise with both the Yoruba and Hausa residents of Ife.”

    Oba Ogunwusi observed that peace is paramount and warned politicians not to politicise the clash, saying that the crisis might have had an ethnic outlook but it must not be turned into an avenue to gain cheap popularity and influence. According to the traditional ruler, the efforts of the Afenifere to fight the cause of the Yoruba on the issue are commendable, but it should be pursued with care so as not to inflame the situation.

    He said: “The efforts of the Afenifere on the treatment of the Yoruba are commendable. However, we should not be too reactionary on this matter so as not to cause more harm… So, I will want us to be careful and don’t let them play politics with this issue. Please, let us remain peaceful and let the brotherly love continue.

    “The unity of this nation is very important and we must all defend it. We must all ensure peaceful co-existence. Painfully, the misfortune has happened, but we just have to allow peace to reign.”

    A Yoruba elder, who prefers anonymity, also appealed to both sides to let the sleep dog lie, saying: “This is not the time for blame game.”

    “What happened is unfortunate. Like others have wondered, even when Ife and Modakeke people fought several times in the past, no Hausa man was attacked. So, we should not allow the enemies to come in between us again. Let us allow the various panels set up to do their job and find lasting solutions to the problem.

    Ile-Ife2“Our Hausa brothers are welcome back. By God’s grace, we will not allow such bad blood between us again. Like our father, Ooni Ogunwusi, had warned, let us all watch our utterances for the sake of the nation’s unity.”

  • Herdsmen attack: Uwazuruike calls for calm

    Founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) Ralph Uwazuruike has warned against reprisal attacks against herdsmen, who ambushed women and children in Umunze, Anambra State.

    The separatist leader was reacting to the  raping of women in Umunze ,Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    Uwazuruike who spoke through his Director of Information, Sunday Okerafor, in Owerri, maintained that the  herdsmen were only trying to cause anarchy and disaffection in the Southeast.

    He added that the attacks were deliberate provocation and affront against MASSOB members, but asserted that the group will not resort to violence irrespective of the provocation.

  • Calm after herdsmen storm

    Calm after herdsmen storm

    Cautiously, residents of Ukpabi Nimbo, Enugu State, return to their devastated community after suspected herdsmen’s attack. CHRIS OJI reports

    It has drawn blood, tears, anger, panic and exodus but after suspected herdsmen struck last week in Ukpabi Nimbo, Enugu State, a semblance of calm is returning to the community. There was armed police presence as residents who fled the attack cautiously made their way back to their devastated community.

    It was a tragic week. No fewer than 48 people were reported killed in the attack. The state governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi visited the community a day after the attack and was moved to tears at the scale of bloodshed and destruction.

    He also did his best to reassure the residents, even praying that God will protect them.

    Other leaders took their turn condemning the violence, some saying the people may have no choice but defend themselves if their attackers would not forbear while the authorities looked helplessly on.

    Economic activities and social activities have started picking up gradually, but farming, their mainstay of livelihood, was yet to resume as the fear of the herdsmen still hiding in the bushes remained strong.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) dona-ted trailer-loads of relief materials to the community in Uzo-Uwani council area of the state.

    There have been other visitors since the attack.  Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who was accompanied by the senator representing Enugu North zone, Chuka Utazi, as well as members of the House of Representatives including, Dr Chukwuemeka Ujam (Nkanu East/Nkanu West), Dennis Agbo (Igboeze North/Udenu), Pat Asadu (Nsukka/Igboeze South), Toby Okechukwu (Aninri/Awgu/Oji-River) and Dennis Amadi (Udi/Ezeagu) who visited the community at the weekend described the damage done to the community as devastating.

    They also visited the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, where some of the injured are receiving treatment. The lawmakers expressed shock at the casualty figures.

    Ekweremadu announced his donation of a transformer to the community in addition to N2 million by the Enugu lawmakers in the National Assembly.

    “We are going to ensure that roads here are given clear attention,” said Ekweremadu. “After four years, the story of Uzo-Uwani will change. I will also give you a transformer within the next three to four days.”

    Both Hon. Patrick Asadu and Hon. Dennis Agbo representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South and Igbo-Eze North/Udenu federal constituencies, said “enough is enough”, maintaining that the attack on Nimbo would not be taken for granted.

    “They have been doing this and going scot-free but this attack on Nimbo will be the last. The people doing this are not just cattle rearers; they are terrorists, Boko Haram elements; we are not going to take it,” said Asadu.

    The Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Nimbo, the Rev. Fr. Okeke Obetta, had told the delegation how some of the herdsmen numbering over 50 descended on the church and vandalised it after several attempts to set it ablaze failed. He said while the carnage was going on, there were 14 parishioners in the chapel praying. One of them out of fear attempted to escape and was felled by the herdsmen’s bullet.

    “There were three generator sets in the church. But they were all empty without fuel. The herdsmen turned them upside down and shot them with their rifles with the intention to set the church ablaze. But the generators miraculously did not catch fire,” the man of God narrated.

    The traditional ruler of Nimbo community, Igwe John Akor, a former senior editor with the rested Concord newspaper,  made a passionate appeal to the federal government to address the security challenge facing his people, noting that the continued loss of lives and property in the hands of the herdsmen would no longer be condoned.

    “There is no single day that passes without one skirmish with the Fulani herdsmen. They are taking too much. A lasting solution to their impunity should be found. Otherwise our people will continue to sleep with one eye open,” Igwe Akor stressed.

    Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammad Sani Sidi  sympathised with the people, saying also that the federal government shared their grief and pain.

    Sidi, represented by the Southeast coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Martin Udeinya, described it as a barbaric act.

    He said, “We are here today to present relief materials to Nimbo community after carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the damage done to the area recently. These items will help to cushion the extent of the damage in the community.”

  • Calm returns to Mile 12

    Calm returns to Mile 12

    •Ambode, security chiefs visit scene of violence

    Calm has returned to Agiliti near Mile 12 in Lagos after last Thursday’s bloody clash which claimed 14 lives.

    Most of the residents, who fled in the wake of the riot, have also started returning home.

    They were seen moving their things back into their homes.

    Men, women and children clutched bags containing their personal effects.

    There was also buying and selling on the streets.

    Alhaji Aminu Dogara, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Lagos, which led his members to visit Agiliti, Maidan, Adebimpe and Mile 12 market yesterday sued for peace.

    The group described the clash as most unfortunate, stressing the strategic nature of Mile 12.

    “The purpose of our visit is to commiserate with all affected in the clash. We have visited the Baale of Mile 12, who represents the Yoruba people, unfortunately, we met his absence.

    “We have also visited the Seriki of Hausa people here. We appeal to all to allow peace to reign. What happened here is a big shame to us all.

    “Nigeria is predominately Christians and Muslims. None of these religions preaches violence. It pains me to hear people play the ethnic card. We are all one. We came to put heads together on how to forge ahead. We must learn from what happened in Libya, Sudan and other countries in conflicts.

    “If we don’t learn from what happened in those countries, we are going to be in trouble,” he said.

    Also yesterday, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode visited the area, with Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigeria Army, Major General Bulama Biu; Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, Captain Abraham Adaji; Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni and Director, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Kunle Ajanaku.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef has urged Nigerians not to give the skirmish ethnic coloration.

    He described the clash as “man injustice to man”.

    The Commissioner said: “People should remember that we are from the same father – Adam. We must not hate anybody on the account of religion, race or ethnic differences.

    “A criminal is a criminal; we should stop attaching criminality performed by an individual to his or her religion or tribe.”

    AbdulLateef, who noted that difference in language, tribe and tradition, should not be allowed to disunite Nigerians explained that the most pious individual is the one that fears God.

    “It is possible for the Creator who created our forefather Prophet Adam without father or mother, created Prophet Isa (Jesus) without father to make Nigerians one tribe, being an Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba is nothing but for identification.

    “An Hausa man is a human being like a Yoruba man and both of them are not in any way be different from an Igbo man.”

    Mile-12 Market Chairman Alhaji Haruna Muhammed has said the market’s partial closure has added to the traders’ woes following the clash.

    Muhammed said over N500 million was lost in unsold food items, urging the government to reopen the market.

    According to him, the market’s partial closure affected mostly those selling perishable foodstuffs and fruits like tomatoes, pepper and all kinds of fruits.

    “As I speak with you, we have 25 trucks with perishable foodstuffs in them yet to be offloaded due to the partial closure of the market.

    “The traders are only waiting for government’s directive. But for those that brought in tomatoes, they are at loss because the tomatoes had spent some days in the truck before getting to Lagos.

    “There are many more trucks that would have been here now, but we asked them to wait in Ibafo in Ogun State, until this issue is resolved,” he said.

    The chairman dissociated the traders from the clash, stressing that the market was closed because of its nearness to the riot scene.

    He said: “The clash that led to the death of people and destroyed properties was most unfortunate. Hausa and Yoruba in Mile 12 have no problem living or trading together.

    “It is true majority of the commercial motorcyclists in Mile 12 area are Hausa people; it is the same with the market traders.

    “We in the market are selling foodstuffs; we have no connection with commercial motorcycle riders.

    “We have advised the government to ban their operation in Agiliti and allow only tricycles to operate.

    “There is need for the people of different ethnic groups to work out how to co-exist in peace.”

    Some of the residents of Agiliti are calling on the government to investigate security agencies’ role in the clash.

    According to them, some security agents supported one party in the clash.

    “Most of the destruction in Agiliti would have been prevented if the security agents had acted neutrally.

    “They used tear gas on one party against the other,” Mrs Funke Lamidi said.

  • Uneasy calm at CBAAC

    Uneasy calm at CBAAC

    There is an uneasy calm at the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), over allegations and counter allegations of high-handedness and administrative lapses.  Edozie Udeze reports

    These are not the best of times for the culture sector, more so the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC).  Crises of confidence is brewing amongst members of the management of the Centre on one hand, and some members of staff and the Director-General, Sir Ferdinand Anikwe on the other. The points at issue rest over whether some certain important official decisions and actions taken by the Anikwe-led administration strictly conformed to his call to duty and in compliance with the civil service rules.

    CBAAC is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation established soon after FESTAC’77 to take care of all the relics and historical materials and cultural artifacts used by numerous countries of the world for the festival.  Nigeria is only a custodian of the monuments on behalf of all Blacks in the world.

    Anikwe was seconded in August 2015 from the Enugu State Ministry of Information where he was a Permanent Secretary to head the Centre as its fourth D.G.  But since taking over tongues have been wagging and tempers rising as to whether all have been well for the Centre in the past one year.

    Origin of the storm

    Spearheading the battle against some decisions so far taken by Anikwe is Mrs. Nkechi Agubuzor, who was until recently the secretary to the CBAAC Board.  She alleged in an interview and some printed documents made available to The Nation that most of the issues bordering on the welfare of the Centre were not handled with the expediency they deserved.

    According to her, “I was employed as a Legal Officer by CBAAC in 2010.  At a point, I was made the secretary to the Board.  Now, my issues with the management started in August this year.  These have to do with some issues of irregularities.  First, I discovered that due to the position I held, there were certain official issues I needed to bring to the knowledge of management; in fact, those issues needed the urgent attention of the Director General.”

    Agubuzor stated how she brought some of these issues to the notice of the D.G. Some of these are the huge insurance money owed CBAAC staff by the NICON Insurance which was not being strictly adhered to.  “This matter was at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which involved CBAAC and NICON Insurance in which N138 million was involved.  The amount arose from the pension fund paid to us by the federal government.  This, NICON did not remit to us.  This was why we had to take NICON to court.  Instead, NICON decided to sue us along with other parastatals and corporations.  We were to be in court because the case had been on since 2014.”

    In the interim, according to her, CBAAC did not deem it fit to be in court, or even made any representation.  “There was already a ruling in the case.  I therefore directed the attention of the D.G. to the matter.”

    At this point, Agubuzor alleged, she was able to discover that the lawyer who was made to stand in for CBAAC was a relation of the D.G. and that due process was not followed in selecting him.

    Although a few staff of CBAAC who spoke anonymously could not ascertain whether this allegation made by Agubuzor concerning the lawyer was true or not, they only insisted that the lawyer in question whose name is Edwin Aniekwem has been CBAAC’s lawyer for a while.

    “Even from the sound of it, Aniekwem and Anikwe do not mean the same thing,” an impeccable source revealed to The Nation, saying “the only thing we are aware of is that the office of the lawyer is located in Ikeja area of Lagos State.”

    However, when the issue of Aniekwem became much heated, another legal practitioner NEDMEX Solicitors was brought in to serve as the legal representative for the case.  In this regard, Agubuzor noted that both Aniekwem and NEDMEX shared the same office address and telephone numbers.  At the end, N2.450 million was paid NEDMEX for the services, which Agubuzor, claimed that they did not deliver diligently.

    “Even when I applied to attend to the matter, the D.G. said it was not necessary.  As a matter of fact, he asked me to provide an invitation to be in court in Abuja for the matter.  He said we should allow the lawyer to handle it but I told him that the lawyer was not handling it well.”

    Just like Agubuzor, some older members of staff of the Centre were worried that the issue of pension concerning them might soon become a bigger case.  It was discovered that the judgment delivered by the court in Abuja was not in total compliance with the Pension Act of 2014.  As at now, the trust deed still being used by CBAAC for the administration of the pension fund is the trust deed of 18 years ago.  This trust deed is not only rustic, but outdated and out of use.  And for the funds to be properly administered and disbursed, the act has to be duly updated and followed.

    The cross fire 

    However, in reaction to this allegation, Anikwe made it clear that Agubuzor, in the first place, was not qualified to be the Board Secretary of CBAAC.

    According to him, “This woman is totally insubordinate.  She refused to obey the transfer order given to her.  In fact, the reason we posted her to the new place was that she applied to to go to the Federal Appeal Court in Abuja while the court was on recess.  And she also claimed that a case that had already been delivered in our favour was against us.  I couldn’t understand why she, as a lawyer, could take such a stand when the case had already been made clear.  She claimed she was going to search for materials for that case and I felt that it was bad for a lawyer to do this.  Based on this, we decided to transfer her.  Since then she has been going to town, publishing all kinds of stories, very unprintable things against my person and CBAAC.”

    Even though some members of CBAAC Board kept sealed lips over the issue, it was discovered that some of them saw in Agubuzor an overzealous worker who was not always well-disposed to her official duties.  “Even if you have a good point to make on certain issues, you shouldn’t make it personal.  It is clear that there are some decisions we should question here from time to time in order to function well, but we told ourselves that no one should make it a personal battle just to score cheap publicity,” an insider source told The Nation.  The source, a top management staff agreed that the internal squabble in CBAAC might tear the place to pieces if care is not taken.

    Based on the NICON Insurance imbroglio, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was made to stand on behalf of all the government departments and parastatals involved to defend them all in court.  “Yes, the court said NICON should pay us.  And we were already getting ready to be paid.  And now for a lawyer that should have briefed me to have missed the information… I didn’t want to punish her for that.  I only transferred her to another department within CBAAC,” Anikwe stated, insisting that Agubuzor disregarded an official order for her to handover her office key to the management.

    Concerning the issue of her suspension for three months without pay, Agubuzor explained it thus:  “The person who was made to take my position is not qualified to be there.  My suspension started from September 5 to last for three months without pay.  Before then I was made to face a panel.”

    She went on to claim that section 2 (9) of Karma Law stipulates that for the secretary to any public office to be so appointed, he or she must be a lawyer, a chartered accountant or a chartered secretary.  “But I told him he had no right to remove me as the secretary to the board, more so when I was not properly placed on my level at the point of employment.”

    Explaining that Agubuzor’s placement on the position was temporary, Anikwe observed, “In the first place, she is not qualified to be a board secretary.  She is on level 9.  The position of the board secretary was advertised at a point to show you how important it is, not only in CBAAC, but in other government establishments.

    “For you to be a board secretary, you have to be on at least level 12.  And it does not necessarily have to be a lawyer.  Apart from that, we found her incompetent to do the job.  As at the time she was suspended she had not produced the minutes of the last board meeting.  Even the queries given to her, she did not answer them.  The papers given to you by her did not get to us,” Anikwe explained.

    Another allegation leveled against Anikwe includes his employment of new staff for CBAAC without following the Federal Character Commission stipulated rules and norms.  Even though Agubuzor alleged that he employed over 100 new staff without due process, a document made available to The Nation on the issue shows only 85 names that were employed by Anikwe.  The information shows that 23 candidates were employed based strictly on the federal character commission.  Even when six of them were sponsored by Anikwe, the rest were candidates of mostly board members and top management personnel of the Centre spread also across the six-geopolitical zones of the country.

    Lull in activities

    Describing the employment as lope-sided, an aggrieved member of staff posited thus, “may be this is why some of us do not feel at home here any longer.  And I must tell you that many of us are not comfortable with this sort of setting.  The Centre should come up with a clear-cut programme that will make CBAAC a household name again.  You see, we were at a point when we were up to the bidding as a pan-African Centre.  But today everything has crumbled or are about to do so,” the source who pleaded anonymity, said, alleging also that most of the monthly overhead sent to run the Centre are no more used to organize regular programmes to keep the Centre alive.  “We are almost redundant here.  Before now, this place used to bubble with programmes and activities and the general public was in the know about CBAAC.”

    “This is not true,” the DG replied.  “The issue is indeed unnecessary.  You can see from what happens here in CBAAC that people are working.  Are they not working?  The offices are clean.  Has any infrastructure broken down here and we are not able to fix it?  Just like overheads in other establishments are being utilized, so are ours.  So far, I have attended so many fora on culture where I presented and defended the issues of CBAAC and its place in the annals of the world.  We have to do more but the economic situation of the country as at now is the determinant factor for whatever we can achieve.  In fact, we are working.”

    Anikwe, who noted that his relationship with members of staff is cordial and friendly, insisted, “we are working well to promote the ideals of CBAAC.  Even one area they said I did not do well for them was in the area of staff promotion.  But this is what I met on ground.  The older directors here did not provide room for the younger ones to come up and so there is the problem of where should they go if they are promoted.  But I have promised to ensure their promotions based on the normal process.  In fact, they are supposed to be given their promotion like others because we engage in research and we say those who have been getting theirs are not better than us.  If there are flaws in the law that brought us into existence, I can do a memo and take it to the National Assembly.”

    Concerning one Mr. Chukwuma Sunday Okoli, whom he employed as a Personal Assistant and which some people have described as improper, Anikwe said, “It is a political appointment.  It is a political appointment and I am entitled to one.  It was even an appointment approved by the board which they can confirm if you ask them.  Have I committed a crime?  Is he not qualified?  Or is he not a Nigerian?  Even if he is my brother like it has been alleged, the issue is, is he not qualified to be made my Personal Assistant?  It was even Agubuzor herself who advised me to employ him in the first place.  So you can see what has happened here.  And how it has now become an issue beats my imagination.”

    In the meantime, the internal rancour and squabble at CBAAC continues unabated because a lot of them are not comfortable with the new postings and the reorganization of some departments.  While some on one hand, insisted it was based on favouritism and nepotism, others accepted that everything has been done to reposition the Centre.  Whatever the situation, there is an uneasy calm as even the division among the rank and file of the staff grows more and more every day.

    On the whole, some members of staff are accusing a section of management to have constituted themselves into a cabal. They said, “There has to be a level playing ground for those of us who are due for promotion.  The other day while a promotional examination was in place, one of these powerful directors directed that one of the senior staff sitting for the exam should be ordered out of the hall,” a close source revealed to The Nation, adding “this woman’s promotion has been delayed for too long.”

    It is an issue like this and more that those in-charge should address forthwith if CBAAC wants to restore confidence in the staff.  As at the time of filing this report, most of these cadre of staff go about with long faces and congealed countenances depicting their sorrow and disappointment but hoping for the best to happen to ameliorate their condition.

    It is hoped however, that when some of these issues troubling the Centre are properly thrashed out and resolved amecably it will help the culture sector to make a leap forward.

    It is not only for the good of the country, but for all the Blacks in the world whose interests are protected and catered for by CBAAC.

    CBAAC should always remain a cynasure of all eyes for the good of Blacks whether in Africa or in the Diaspara. This is the whole essence of the beauty and place of the Centre deliberately established for cultural promotion and research on different fields concerning the black race.

  • Enyimba captain calm despite 10-match unbeaten streak

    Enyimba captain calm despite 10-match unbeaten streak

    League Leaders Enyimba extended their unbeaten streak in the second half of the season to 1o matches capping a enticing 4-0 win – their biggest of the season-over oriental moneybags FC IfeanyiUbah in Aba Wednesday.

    Speaking to www.footballlive.ng after the exciting result, captain and centre back, Chinedu Udoji insists there’s still much to do and the team will not be complacent in the final stretch of the season.

    The Aba Elephants will not defend their Federation Cup title after their round of 32 exit and will very well compensate with a bigger price in the League crown.

    “We’ve been working hard since the kick off of the season, and though we’re not there yet we know there’s still much to do. I did not know we’re on a 10-match unbeaten streak. I don’t like to look at results in terms of records but I can’t deny it’s also significant to achieve something this impressive.

    “We are not celebrating just yet, we have 11 matches to go and we want to win home and away from here on starting with he Jos game and hopefully it’ll be a good travel for us.”

    Enyimba now have 52 points from 27 games and are now clear of closest rivals Sunshine Stars and Warri Wolves who remain 5 points adrift.