The Nation Newspaper

Tag: eye

  • Supreme Court in the eye of the storm

    Addressing the Nigerian community in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa recently, President Muhammadu Buhari inter alia lamented that Nigeria’s judiciary is a major cog in the wheel of his administration’s anti-corruption fight. There is no doubt the President’s angst and displeasure derive from the numerous reported cases of the involvement of officials of the judicial branch of government in seedy and sleazy conducts. Thus, a number of magistrates and judges and justices have, at one time or the other, come under suspicion of corruptive miscarriage of justice. In fact, there have been some proven cases of the complicity of members of the bar and the bench in an unholy alliance and the peddling of undue influence leading to perversion and twisting of the law to achieve predetermined outcomes.

    Actually, this is really nothing new. Sadly, for a long time in the beleaguered history of Nigeria’s judiciary there have been cases of corruption of varied hues ranging from malfeasance through misfeasance to nonfeasance, all occasioning miscarriage of justice. One easily remembers the celebrated case of Justice Okoro-Udogu, who presided in the matter of the State versus Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on the charge of illegal exportation of foreign exchange in 1984, in which the Justice was said to have sought out the later in Maidugiri, Borno State to apologise for his wrongful imprisonment.

    For instance, in January 27, 2012 letter to former President Jonathan, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, a former CJN, admitted that the judiciary was “already integrity-deficient” and “bereft of public confidence” based on the perception of corruption and impunity and called for an urgent effort towards the “redemption of the image and credibility of the judiciary”.

    Another former CJN, Muhammadu Uwais, is also on record to have publicly spoken of the need to re-jig the structure and processes of the judiciary as an institution that like Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion “…in order to maintain the integrity of the judiciary and to assuage public feeling and restore confidence in both the bar and bench”.

    The respected Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has also weighed in by cautioning on the dangers of denying the people justice, stating that “the country is being affected by the burden of untreated justice, and that social injustice could only thrive for a while; further admonishing that “where justice appears to be lost, a higher order of restitution takes over”. This is in line with the observation by John F. Kennedy that “Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.”

    Perhaps at no time in the history of the nation’s judiciary has the stock of the once revered institution come to the lowest nadir as since the slew of decisions concerning the governorship election petitions, especially since it made its bewildering pronouncements on the 2015 governorship elections in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states. In each of these elections, independent local and international election observers reported large scale electoral fraud. The respective legal teams provided overwhelming evidences of the electoral fraud, and marshalled compelling arguments and grounds. In each of the cases, the Court of Appeal upheld the petitions. But, hey presto! The apex court, the Supreme Court became the supreme kill-joy, hiding behind a transparent fig leaf of legal technicalities to the detriment of dispensing justice to the people.

    By its counter-intuitive decisions in each of these cases, the nation’s apex court, which had a good opportunity to restore its reputation and uphold a veneer of integrity as the ultimate refuge and last hope of the common man, has turned itself into a macabre monster that dashes the collective yearnings of the people in the affected states to effect peaceful change in their respective polities. It would be foolhardy for this court to think that it would sleep easy when the majority of the people feel cheated and believe that its judgments deny them of justice. For, no nation can thrive in peace and progress where there is no justice.

    By its putative injustice, the Supreme Court appears to be encouraging election riggers by putting out the message that you should “do everything you can to get INEC to return you as elected and go home to sleep as we will always affirm you as winner if you know your onions”. To fit this straight jacket, the Supreme Court through its serial insensate pronouncements that defy any shred of logic or rationality, is sowing the seed of ferment and the potential recourse of the people to seek change by other means.

    In the context of this recent happenings, the call during the 10th Gani Fawehinmi Lecture in Lagos sometime ago by Justice Ayo Salami, former President of the Court Appeal, for the scrapping of our present Criminal-Justice architecture in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria is also the chairman of the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), the body responsible for the appointment and discipline of judges begins to assume new importance and poignancy.

    Nigeria need not delay further in hearkening to the 2012 Uyo Call by Justice Dahiru Musdapher, during a roundtable organised by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in conjunction with Royal Netherlands Embassy in Akwa Ibom State for drawing up of a new judicial code of ethics to reflect current realities and challenges to tackle judicial corruption in the country, so as to ensure that “judges and the judicial system remain politically neutral and rise up to safeguard our fledgling democracy, and to minimize the entire judicial system against all identified iniquities.”

    As has been eloquently argued elsewhere, tackling corruption in the justice sector is a pre-requisite for tackling corruption in the larger society, as this would make it more likely that corrupt persons in other sectors will be diligently prosecuted and punished. This would up the ante against corruption and discount the rewards derivable there from. In the same vein, tackling corruption in the electoral process is a sine qua non for the entrenchment of good governance as the choices of the people are then more likely to get elected in free and fair contests. There is, therefore, a need to tighten our statute books to make electoral offenders pay for their crimes and to not reward stealers of mandates with honorific titles. For instance, someone who rigged his way to become a governor should never addressed as “His Excellency” or referred to as “Former Governor”. In other words the period during which he held sway should be left blank in all public records.

    Is it not somewhat perplexing that despite the lip service that is paid to the fact that our democracy is built on the principle of “checks and balances”, that whilst the activities of the legislature are subject to scrutiny by the constituents (who have the power to recall an errant legislator) as well as the judiciary, and the  executive branch and the President are subject to oversight by the legislature and censure by the courts; the judiciary on the other hand and especially the CJN, apparently, is answerable to no one, since the NJC is ostensibly designed to check and “discipline all judicial officers” is under his purview? The million naira question is: “What is the recourse and relief available to the people if a CJN chooses to act appallingly?”

    Indeed, allowing an incumbent CJN to chair the NJC in situations such as the Supreme Court’s controversial judgments in respect of the governorship election petitions in Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States has brought to the fore is akin to allowing the President to be the chairman of the body established for charging, investigating and impeaching the self-same President. Can any rational person expect the NJC to be effective in investigating and indicting a Supreme Court panel which he (the CJN) not only constituted but was also a member for any perceived judicial perfidy?

  • Saving Nigerians from eye problem – CEO Bohus Biotech

    Saving Nigerians from eye problem – CEO Bohus Biotech

    [dropcap]C[/dropcap]hief Daniel Chuks Ogbonnaya is president and founder of Bohus Biotech AB, a Swedish biotechnology company. With a long history of developing and manufacturing hyaluronic acid raw material and products through the use of research, Ogbonnaya who has developed a wide range of pharmaceutical products used across five continents in eye surgeries, as well as anti-aging formula amongst others, spoke with David Lawal about his new eye clinic in Nigeria and factors responsible for the increase in blindness among children.

    Your company Bohus Biotech was established in Sweden in 1992, tell us about it.

    Before I founded Bohus Biotech in Sweden, I worked in a big company called Phamarcia. It was the biggest pharmaceutical and bio-technology company in that country and it was founded in Sweden in 1911. The company merged with the American pharmaceutical company, Upjohn in 1995. At that time, I was on Research and Development Session. Already, I was involved in a process whereby we will help sell the technology and eye products to Nigeria. But then, the idea did not materialise for one reason or the other – most likely, political. Later on, around 1999 or 1998, I was called by a friend from Germany, Professor Cock, who told me he had contacts in Nigeria and that the ruling party at the time, under President Obasanjo, wanted to do something for the grassroots. Naturally, we were very happy. Another Nigerian in Germany, one Prof. Anyanwu was also involved in that project. We met and they gave us the contact in Northern Nigeria, but unfortunately, the whole thing, as usual, ended in the sand.

    Why, if I may ask?

    To be honest with you, I don’t know. All of a sudden, the money was just not there. It was a lot of gigantic plans. The plans were perfect to get the doctors from Sweden and Germany. We were to be flying them around the country to help treat eye problems and give them medications, which was fantastic. As at that time, the population of cataracts sufferers was at 2.5 million. You can imagine, I am talking of 1999. Can one imagine where we are today, if there is any statistics on it. So after the failure of the project, I realised that somebody must do something. I started planning to maybe start from small scale; but at least to show to the people that we can do it.

    So now, 24 years after, you have finally established an eye clinic in Nigeria. What brought you home this time?

    I have been working on this for the past 5 years. We were trying to put up the complete eye clinic for cataracts operation and correcting eye defects, but the cost of putting up such project really caused the delay.

    Also, at a time, the Rotary Club in my town in Abia State was involved. They wanted to help but when I explained the cost implications amounting to about N3million, they pulled out because it was too high for them. Meanwhile, the clinic has always been my dream; to help people to see and not go blind. Then I concluded on my own to go ahead with it. Finally, the dream came through on the 6th of January, 2016. We were able to inaugurate the eye clinic, GOK Eye Centre in a town called Uzuakoli in Abia State.

    Talking about an eye clinic, why Abia State and not somewhere in the North, where eye diseases are predominant?

    I was born and raised in Abia State and that is the place I know best. That is where I got the idea from that, okay this is a problem in this part of the world. Besides, I have not travelled a lot in Nigeria. I usually come into Lagos and then to my home town.

     

    Before GOK Eye Centre in Abia, how else has Bohus Biotech impacted Nigerians?

    We established the daughter company here in Nigeria in 2010 and that is in Lagos. By then, we had two employees working with our help from Sweden to distribute our products nationwide; today we have about 15 covering 50% of the country. Meanwhile, the goal is to cover the whole of Nigeria and supply them with the products which will be used for treating eye diseases.

    What is your disposition to the need for political involvement before any major project can be implemented?

    I do not believe in political involvements because politics complicate things.

    Are you speaking from experience?

    Yes. Take for instance the project I just spoke about that was to take place under Obasanjo, that was a political involvement. The idea was that the PDP wanted to show the grassroots that they could do things for them.

    What’s your opinion on the increasing rate of eye problem among children?

    I think a lot of things are involved. Firstly, the environment in which we are living. This includes the weather; the sun, then the food we eat. Some diseases can be linked with diet. And these days, Nigerians are moving away from our local delicacies. Now, we want to copy the Europeans. You see people eating all sorted of imported foodstuffs. Of course, that really contributes to the increase of eye problems in this country.

    What habits do you think Nigerians engage in that can trigger eye problems?

    From the scientific point of view, there are claims that the Ozone layers are becoming thinner and thinner, and the more it gets thinner, the more it affects the eye. For example, in Australia, you have to make use of a Sun shade. Also, you have to swim with your clothes on. You don’t go around with bare body. Another thing I observe in this country is that people shave their hair? The hair is protective to you. God gave us to use to protect the skull from the heat of the Sun, but now everybody is shaving. The implication is that tomorrow they would suffer one diseases or the other and they will say it is my neighbour that wants to kill me, not knowing that they are the ones killing themselves. I mean, when you are talking of temperature of between 30 and 35C, the ground must be really cooking. So why should anyone be shaving their hair? It’s not good.

    Also, we should wear clothes that reflect the Sun and not the ones that absolve the Sun. It is very important. That’s something I usually forget as part of the factors contributing to it when you asked me. Also, watching the television.

    Watching television or closeness to the electronic set?

    I mean watching television, it does not matter the proximity. What matters is how long you stay watching it. Then exposure to computer screen. You can see that if you are on the computer for a long time, after a while you start blinking more, that’s because the eye is tired.

    Painfully more and more kids are exposed to computer games, television and computer…

    Ooh yes, you see more kids carrying Tablets, iPads, playing with it and then the parents are happy for giving the kids something, not knowing they are destroying them. Anyway, there is nothing wrong with those things but we should limit their usage and over-dependence on them. You can say okay, you watch television from this time to that time; not leave the kids to themselves.

    How do you think the use of preservatives affect us as a people?

    Of course, it does affect us. Any chemical that you pump into the body, it does not matter where, has a side effect. If you look at our eye-drop, it is preservative-free. Because we do not know what happens if you have preservatives in the eye-drop and somebody puts it in the eye in this part of the world and then is exposed to the heat. What could be the reactions?

    Sadly, you have not been to the North at all…

    Not for many years now. Before I left for Europe, I used to live in Kano, so I know very much about the North. I was in Jos, Plateau State; Zaria in Kaduna State, but I haven’t been there for some time now.

    A lot of things have changed

    Of course. It is my goal one of these days to travel up north, just to see what Kano looks like. It will definitely happen. In fact, I have not been to Abuja recently.

    Besides Abia State where you recently inaugurated the clinic, where else do you wish to move to next?

    Like I said earlier, I think somewhere in the North will be okay.

    Will it take almost same time as the first clinic?

    No, it won’t because from what we have done, we may get some hands to help us facilitate our building of subsequent clinics all over the nation.

    Finally, what’s your advice to Nigerians on how to manage their eyes? What kind food would you recommend?

    We should go back to nature. Meaning we eat those food stuffs that are our local foods. There are some fruits that are good for the eyes. Vegetable like okra is very good for the eye because it contains those elements that are good for the eyes. Then vegetables like pumpkin leaves have been tested to be good for the eyes. Finally, eat a lot of fruits; pawpaw, mango, oranges are very healthy both for the body and the eyes.

  •  20-year-old needs N2m for eye surgery

     20-year-old needs N2m for eye surgery

    On February 15, 1995, jubilation and joy enveloped the family of Mr and Mrs Gabriel Ogene who are residents of Lagos but indigenous to Kwale in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State. That was at the birth of their handsome son, Holy Ogene who is now 20 years old.

    At the time of his birth, his eyes glowed as the Northern Star. While growing up, he was so promising so much so that he won Governor Babatunde Fashola-organised essay competition in 2009; having represented his school, Babs Fafunwa Millennium Secondary School, Ojodu Berger Lagos State.

    The young Ogene was bubbling with life and was doing well in his academic career until when he was in primary school when the unexpected happened. He developed eye problem.

    His caring parents took him to several hospitals, including MaxiVision and Eye Foundation, all in Lagos. At first, the young Ogene underwent surgery on the right eye, albeit, at a local medical facility. Unfortunately, the left eye was affected; thereby rendering him somewhat blind.

    His parents thought it was a minor challenge. It never was.

    Since then, Ogene has neither been himself again nor able to be so active in her music career; being a rap artiste. He always feel sad as the supposedly minor eye problem snowballed into glycoma which may prevent him from actualising his  dream of becoming one of Nigeria’s intellectually-endowed music stars which will enable him to contribute to his quota to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political advancement.

    Doctors recommended that he undertake profound surgery on the two eyes. Due to the fact that he was very young, his father objected to the idea and suggestion. Ostensibly, he was afraid that he might lose his handsome son. But the doctor insisted on the surgery taking place because young Ogene’s eyes had shifted out of their normal positions; hence the urgent need to carry out the surgery.

    Gabriel, his father could not take any of that. So, he kept on managing till when he was 14 years of age. His left eye finally had cataract, and then there was no money to remove it.

    He continued to live life with only one eye, until he attained the age of 16. It was then that he noticed he could not see any more. He went for eye test and the doctor confirmed he had glycoma. Proffering solution, the doctor said it would cost N2 million (Two million Naira) for the surgery to be carried out in India.

    His parents and relations had already spent millions of Naira, thus stretching the family’s resources beyond its malleable limits, even as it has plunged them into massive debts.

    Again, her parents, especially her mother who has developed what could be described as acute high blood pressure because of her son’s predicament, have been in shock as they watch their handsome and talented son saunter about or led by the hand as his condition deteriorates.

    Afraid that handsome Ogene would be snatched by the wicked hands of death should they continue to save money on their own to enable their son to carry out the surgery, Ogene’s parents and friends have been forced by the degeneration and the piercingly agonising misery which Ogene has been in for some time now, have decided to appeal to their fellow Nigerians for financial assistance.

    They are appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians to help them raise N2 million required to finance his eye surgery in India.

    To this end, a Save-Ogene dedicated account number: Diamond Bank. Account Name: Holyo Famous, Account No: 4443534394 has been opened to enable benevolent individuals who wish to help this up-and-coming music star regain his sight and live his normal life again to make their donations.

    Every kobo donated towards making Holy Ogene to regain his normal life goes a long way to retrieve him from the cold grip of death.

    Ogene’s heartfelt appeal goes to governments at all levels, philanthropic organisations, corporate bodies, professional bodies, women groups, parents who understand the pangs of labour and other distinguished Nigerians who, we are sure, cannot sit by and watch this ailment waste Ogene.

    Ogene’s statement of appeal reads:

    “My name is Holy Ogene and I am a Political Encyclopedia. I was born on February 15, 1995 and since I have been going through minor eye issue. I have been on drugs and eye glasses till a faithful day the doctor asked me to undergo eye surgery.

    “I am appealing to well-meaning individuals, government officials, churches and President Muhammadu Buhari and the member House of Representatives, Ossai Nikolas Ossai for them to please help me.

    “I thank Oyibosochukwu Nwabueze the Tojbesu of Delta State for all his assistance.”

    Those who are parents would better appreciate a situation where they watch a dear son or daughter in such a very distressing condition and lack the wherewithal to do anything to halt the heart-rending situation. What a scary thought it would be!

    Nigerians are noted for their large-heartedness. Those who are moved by Ogene’s optimism that, he would not die but live to testify the goodness of the Almighty and the benevolence of fellow Nigerians in the land of the living should not delay or hesitate to come to his rescue.

    Right now, the most consuming desire of this handsome young man is to regain his sight. Nigerians, known for their eagerness to compassionately respond to distress call such as this would not let Ogene down and allow the unrelenting glycoma disease to waste his young life.

    The earlier he travels to India for the eye surgery, the more sure we are that Ogene will live to become one of Nigeria’s famous contributor to her development.

    Please, help him as God Almighty whose other name is Mercy, would watch over you and your entire household, even as He takes care of your needs. For more enquiries, contact Ogene on 08134223156 or 08104974780.

  • In the eye of the law

    AT LAST, Senate President Dr Bukola Abubakar Saraki had his day in court last Tuesday after his unsuccessful attempts to stop his trial. He did virtually everything to stop the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from trying him for the 13-count charge of false and anticipatory declaration of assets preferred against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). To Saraki, the charge was not properly brought because it was not filed on the instruction of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

    It was a technical issue and many lawyers are wont to rely on technicalities, if that will help their case. Saraki took offence to the charge against him because it was not initiated by the AGF as stipulated by the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Knowing full well that there is no substantive AGF, the Saraki legal team thought it had found a loophole to knock out the case without the Senate President being formally charged – that is to take his plea while standing in the dock.

    All the Saraki team wanted to avoid was seeing the proverbial African big man in the dock. Big deal? No, it is not. The law is no respecter of persons. The law says that an accused must take his plea from the dock, no matter his status. Saraki may not have had things his own way, but the development is good for our democracy. It shows that those in power can no longer see themselves as being above the law.  Let us look at aspects of this judicial rigmarole.  Last Thursday, Saraki through his lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN),  urged Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja to stop his trial slated to begin the next day. The judge refused, directing the respondents – CCT, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Office of Attorney-General of the Federation to appear before him on Monday to show cause why Saraki’s prayer for interim injunction should not be granted.

    On Friday, the matter took a dramatic turn when CCT Chairman Justice Danladi Umar issued a bench warrant for Saraki’s arrest because of his absence in court. Justice Umar rebuffed all entreaties by Saraki’s lead counsel Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN) not to order his client’s arrest, promising to bring him to court on Monday. Daudu, who said he was also challenging the tribunal’s power to try his client before the Federal High Court, urged Justice Umar to be cautious about how he handles the case because of its political implication. This is the problem with this case. The defence seems to believe that the charge against Saraki has political undertone. Saraki shares similar sentiment. He has been dishing out statements to the effect that he is being persecuted and trying to link his travail with how he emerged as Senate President last June 9. These are two different issues. Saraki may have his differences with the leadership of his party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) – but those are political matters, which should be sorted out at that level. I find it hard to believe that the party leadership could have within just four months got the CCB to investigate Saraki and file a charge against him for false and anticipatory asset declaration.  I do not think  CCB could have concluded the investigation into this Saraki case in such record time.

    The charge covers the period when Saraki first declared his assets in 2003 and his last declaration in 2011. In all, he was said to have made four declarations. Could the CCB have investigated all these within four months and move swiftly to charge him to court? What those claiming that Saraki is being witch-hunted should know is that the offence for which he is charged is not statute barred. The CCB or any organ so authorised could decide to bring a charge against him even 20 years after he might have left office if it so wished. What if all these years EFCC had been investigating the matter to enable it present a watertight case against him? I am not commending CCB for moving against Saraki; no far from it. What I am saying is that we should not impute motives to what the commission is doing because Saraki is at the receiving end. I strongly believe that CCB  should have acted before now, not only in the Saraki case, but in similar other matters that may even involve many of those who escorted him to the tribunal on Tuesday.

    What is happening today is good if we are serious about building a new Nigeria, which will hold its head high in the comity of nations. To build that Nigeria, we must clean our country from the top. Did Saraki commit the offences in the charge against him or not? This is the question that should engage the minds of his lawyers because at the end of the day that is what the tribunal will look at in determining whether he is guilty or not.  The tribunal will not look at their political shibboleth because that is not the issue before it. As Saraki said before pleading not guilty to the charge, ‘’we are all before the world and not just before Nigeria and we ought to be seen how we conform to due process’’.

    It is noteworthy that he submitted himself to the rule of law by appearing before the tribunal (whether willingly or unwillingly that does not matter). As the nation’s chief lawmaker, he has no choice than to so act. By virtue of his position, Saraki should not only lead by example, he must also be seen leading by example. May it not be said of him that as Senate president, he used his office to trample upon the judiciary, the third arm of government.

    Adieu, Mama

    WHEN the sage, Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, died in 1987, many did not give his ‘’jewel of inestimable value’’, Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID), any chance to live long. They feared that she would not be able to bear the loss of her husband. But she lived for 28 years thereafter. Mama lived to the ripe, old  age of 99. She was looking forward to her 100th birthday on November 25 when she died last Saturday. She was a true mother and a woman of valour who stood by the legendary Awo through thick and thin. I was touched by her statement on the loss of her son, Oluwole, in 2013. When former President Goodluck Jonathan visited her in her Ikenne, Ogun State country home, mama lamented that in her old age, she is witnessing the death of some of her children. Wole Awolowo died shortly after her sister, Mrs Ayo Soyode, passed on. Rest in the Lord’s bosom, mama.

    Free Falae now!

    IT WAS Chief Olu Falae’s birthday last Monday, a day when he should be in the midst of friends and family members sharing the joy of the occasion. But what did he get? Some bad boys abducted the septuagenarian on his farm at Ilado village in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. The kidnappers first demanded N100 million ransom to be paid within 24 hours. They have cut the ransom to N90 million. What do these people want from this 77-year-old man? What will they lose by releasing him today?

     

     

  • Ex-super minister in the eye of the storm

    Ex-super minister in the eye of the storm

    Although she occupied the prestigious position of Vice-President and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group, the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was largely unknown by Nigerians until she was appointed the Minister of Finance by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on July 15, 2003. Coming in with the aura of a superstar, it took the first female finance minister no time to establish herself as one of the most influential figures in Obasanjo’s cabinet.

    Seeing how much confidence she enjoyed from the President, she did not only command the respect of public office holders, government contractors and others who had dealings with government in one way or the other, she was regarded even by other members of the cabinet as the numero uno (first among equals).

    Once she settled down in office, she began to take measures that were hailed by many as capable of promoting transparency in the nation’s financial system and stabilising the economy. She introduced a monthly publication of each state’s financial allocation from the federal government in the newspapers, a measure believed to be instrumental in the ability of Nigeria to obtain its first ever sovereign credit rating (of BB minus) from Fitch and Standard & Poor’s. The cocktail of measures she introduced in the administration of the nation’s finances ultimately culminated in the debt forgiveness deal she led a Nigerian team to strike with the Paris Club in October 2005. The deal saw Nigeria paying US $12 billion of its external debt and had the balance of $18 billion written off. Before the partial debt payment and write-off, Nigeria was said to have spent roughly US $1 billion every year on debt servicing while the principal sum remained outstanding.

    But her smooth sail with Obasanjo developed a hiccup sometime in June 2006 when the former President redeployed her from the Ministry of Finance to that of Foreign Affairs. The reason for the redeployment remains yet a matter of conjecture, but it was an experience she did not find funny. She resigned her ministerial appointment two months later.

    Her exit turned out to be only temporary. As soon as he was elected President in 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan, apparently a big fan of Okonjo-Iweala, re-appointed her not just as the Minister of Finance but also as the Coordinating  Minister for  the Economy. As finance minister under Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala virtually became an institution, leading many to tag her as the de facto president. It was even said in some quarters that if there was anything the Jonathan government did not do, it was because Okonjo-Iweala did not want it done.

    And that would hardly be disputed. With Okonjo-Iweala in the saddle, the Jonathan administration initiated many unpopular economic policies. Not a few would forget how Nigerians woke up on January 1, 2012 to the shocking realization that the pump price of fuel had been jacked up from N65 to N141 per litre. It was a policy that threw the mass of Nigerian people in serious economic predicaments. Transport fares shot up instantly, leaving millions of ordinary Nigerians who had travelled to their various communities for Christmas and New Year celebrations stranded.

    It took a lot of pressure from the labour union and civil society groups to get the new fuel price reversed to N97 per litre. Okonjo-Iweala had boasted to the world then that the Federal Government would put some measures in place to cushion the effects of the fuel price increase through an economic initiative known as SURE-P (Subsidy Re-investment Programme). But four years after, Nigerians are still awaiting the fulfilment of that promise.

    Today, the 61-year-old former finance minister is in the court of public opinion over an allegation by the National Economic Council (NEC) that she withdrew unauthorised sum of $2.1 billion from the excess crude revenue account (ECA). Edo State Governor and member of the council, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had belled the cat when he spoke with journalists after the NEC was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 29, saying that the sum of $2 billion the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) said was left in the account was $2.1 billion short of the $4.1 billion Okonjo-Iweala had earlier declared.

    Oshiomhole said: The last time the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, reported to the council, and it is in the minutes, she reported by November 2014 that we had $4.1 bn. Today, the Accountant-General Office reported we have $2.0bn. Which means the honourable minister spent $2.1bn without authority of the NEC and that money was not distributed to states, it was not paid to the three tiers of government.”

    Okonjo-Iweala promptly responded to the allegation in a statement issued by her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, describing the allegation that she made the withdrawals without authorization as false and malicious, insisting that the withdrawals had the blessing of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings attended by finance commissioners of the 36 states of the federation, issues relating to expenditure were usually discussed.

    The statement reads in part: “The allegation by some governors that former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, spent $2.1bn out of the Excess Crude Account ‘without authorisation’ is false, malicious and totally without foundation.

    “It is curious that in their desperation to use the esteemed National Economic Council for political and personal vendetta, the persons behind these allegations acted as if the constitutionally recognised FAAC, a potent expression of Nigeria’s fiscal federalism, does not exist.

    “But Nigerians know that collective revenues, allocations and expenditures of the three tiers of government are the concern of the monthly FAAC meetings.”

    The former minister was mistaken if she thought that the matter would end there. The FAAC has since taken exception to the Okonjo-Iweala’s claim that it (FAAC) was privy to the withdrawal of the said sum. In a statement issued on its behalf by the Forum of Finance Commissioners in Abuja, the committee said Okonjo-Iweala’s explanation was “far from the fact and misleading,” adding that the law that set it up did not give it the power to approve withdrawals from the ECA.

    It said: “It has come to our notice the statement credited to the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the Federation Account Allocation Committee approved the withdrawal from Excess Crude (Foreign) Account the sum of $2bn. This statement is far from the fact and is misleading.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that the FAAC does not have the authority to approve withdrawals from the ECA, and, therefore, could not have approved the withdrawal from the Excess Crude (Foreign) Account the sum of $2bn.

    “According to the law setting up the FAAC, which pre-dates the ECA, it cannot approve withdrawal and has not done so in the past.

    “If anything, the FAAC, as records of its meetings indicate, had often queried the activities on the ECA, and, therefore, did not decide any withdrawal.”

    Apparently rattled by the FAAC’s reaction, Okonjo-Iweala shifted the blame on former President Goodluck Jonathan on whose directives she said the withdrawals were predicated.

    “Payments made were used for paying for petroleum subsidies for the Nigerian people and were approved by Mr. President,” the former minister said in another statement Nwabuikwu issued. “Therefore, there is no question of mismanaging any resources here.”

    Speaking at a seminar organised by the Edo State Government for permanent secretaries, directors and deputy directors in Benin, the state capital, on Monday, Oshiomhole again accused Okonjo-Iweala of illegally taking $1 billion from the ECA to fund the failed re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Explaining how he arrived at the figure, Oshiohmole said the former minister’s claimed that the $2.1 billion alleged to have been illegally withdrawn for subsidy payment had been refuted by fuel importers who said they got only $1 billion.

    “If you talk to those oil marketers, they will tell you that within that period, they were paid $1 billion not $2.1 billion. So, in truth, about $1 billion was taken for election purposes,” Oshiomhole said.

    The ‘unauthorised’ spending of $2.1 billion, according to the economic council, is one of the numerous anomalies discovered in the management of the nation’s economy under Okonjo-Iwela’s watch. Within the period, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was said to have earned a total of N8.1 trillion but remitted only N4.3tn.

    Will the former super minister come out of the controversy with her reputation intact? Only time will tell.

  • Hope’s eye surgery deferred

    Hope’s eye surgery deferred

    Any improvement on little Hope Dim-long’s left eye since February when we published her story?

    Well, sort of.

    The three-year-old was playing with a mate near her house in Plateau State when her partner accidentally struck her in the eye with an object. Since then Hope has been in danger of not only losing the eye; she has also been screaming due to the pain. Her parents said they could not afford a surgery.

    Luck came her way. Although she was earlier scheduled to be taken to her grandmother, Hope managed to join her schoolmates to receive Senator Gyang Pwajok, who was on a campaign tour of Jos North, the district he represents at the Senate. The lawmaker was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11election.

    As Pwajok passed by, he reportedly noticed little Hope among the children and asked what happened to her left eye.

    Thereafter, the lawmaker arranged that the girl be taken to hospital for treatment on his account.

    He had surgery in mind, but medical advice in Jos, the state capital, required that Hope be first treated with medication for some time before the surgery.

    The eye specialists discovered that Hope’s case had become complicated due to long delay in seeking medical attention. They recommended that before the surgery, the girl be placed on certain drugs for a period of four months before the surgery.

    So, Hope is receiving treatment preparatory to the surgical procedure.

    Her mother Christiana, the entire family and the school management are full of gratitude to Senator Pwajok.

    Mrs Christiana Dimlong said, “The coming of Senator Pwajok is like a miracle to me; he is God-sent. I’ve hardly slept since the accident, I keep praying for help because it is beyond my power. Because of the psychological trauma I was passing through over my daughter’s case, her grandmother was to come and pick her to the village. But God caused a delay so that divine help will come. If not for God, the girl would have been taken away and the Senator would not have met her, but God had arranged it to happen this way for her to get help, so I thank God. I thank Senator Pwajok, I never knew the senator before now; he has touched my life and that of my daughter and the entire family.

  • EYE catching brights

    Fashion buffs would tell you that the masculine look can be deceptive because it contains a whimsical element and that is actually the humorous tribute of the female silhouette. It is all in the mix, depicting the softness created by the fabrics that we love to wear. Here you can make use of fabrics like sensuous silks, satin as well as the flirty tunics.

    This can be contrasted with the slouchy trousers and tuxedo pants depending on the event. It is however important to choose a design that flatters your figure, as well as a colour that suits your skin tone.

    You always stand out in the crowd, when you put panache and some attitude into, what you wear. For instance, a soft skirt and blouse ensemble, broken by a different textured waistline, gives you the ultra feminine silhouette especially when combined with colourful accessories.

  • Free eye treatment for Oyo community

    Free eye treatment for Oyo community

    One of the objectives of establishing the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in 1973 was to help in the accelerated growth of the nation’s economy.

    In order to make this objective workable, corps members were made to belong to various Community Development Service (CDS) groups through which they would reach their host communities in terms of rendering services that would impact positively on their lives.

    In the course of carrying out this aspect of the assignment, one of the youth corps members who studied medicine has been applying the cognitive skills and training for the benefit of Oyo town, her host community and its environs.

    A batch “C’’ Corps member, Dr. Esther Irabor Agbator’s state code is OY/2013C/2345 and NYSC/BEN/242612. She is serving at Oyo-East Local

    Government Area and her primary assignment is at the state hospital Oyo.

    She is carrying out personal community development project which aims at enhancing the well-being of the people and further the objectives of the NYSC.

    The project which being carried out in three phases include equipping and reviving the moribund eye clinic in the hospital, providing  eye test and distribution of frames and lenses to residents who are suffering from eye problems.

    Until recently, residents who have eye problems had no access to health care services due to lack of facilities and qualified personnel.

    As a result, those in dire need of health care services travel to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, the Bowen Teaching Hospital both in Ogbomoso, or the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

    However, Dr. Agbator resuscitated the eye clinic by procuring needed equipment, after which she organised an awareness campaign programme for the residents. This singular action went a long way in saving the lives of people who have eye problems from endangering their lives along the deadly Oyo/Ogbomoso Road.

    The humble, caring, dedicated and dutiful Optometrist, who hails from

    Ekpoma in Edo State, resumes work on or before 8:00 a.m. waiting for the patients to come for either eye test or treatment.

    To the surprise of patients, Dr. Agbator consults and provides eye tests free of charge.

    Frames and lenses were also distributed free for hundreds of indigent residents. Her fellow corps members were also not left out.

    The youth corps member is also an ardent crusader of Educating a Rural Child (ERC), a pet project of the wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Ajimobi.

    Two of the patients, Mr. Nuru Ola-Oluwa and Mrs Lydia Ojoayo shed tears of joy after their eyes were tested and provided with eye lenses and frames free.

    Both women in their middle-age explained that they had spent a lot of money so much so that they are indebted to some hospitals where they visited for eye treatment.

    In a chat with our correspondent, Dr. Agbator said the personal effort provides her opportunity to contribute positively to the development of the ancient town and its environs, even as it enables her to appreciate other Nigerians.

    “You can do your CDS either individually or in groups. It is all-year-round, just like the primary assignment.  Individual corps members also carry out personal projects as a means of extending their love to their host communities and state of deployment at large.

    “I observed that a lot of people are really suffering from abject poverty and cannot afford the cost of their health care. We can’t watch them dying with the ailment but to show concern and assist even where government is seen to be lacking,” she said.

  • Lagos school eye screening records results

    Many parents came out to testify of how the Lagos State government rescued their wards from sudden blindness at the kick-off of School Eye Health programme in Education District VII which chose Owoseni Primary School, one of the schools in the district as venue.

    Mr Kehinde Adegbesan, whose daughter, Ireoluwa, developed visual impairment in Primary 5, said but for the alertness of her teacher, his daughter would have been dealing with “serious sight problem”, which he said, could lead to blindness.

    This was one of the testimonies at the event graced by the Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris, Dr Tofunmilola Shokunbi, and his counterpart in  Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by Mr Kazeem Mohammed Muftau.

    Also in attendance was the District Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Mrs Iyabo Osifeso and officials of the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area.

    Adegbesan said: “My daughter developed a sight problem during the first term but she never told me and her mother. It was her teacher that discovered and sent for us. This almost stopped her education because she could not see properly again. But the teacher advised us not to panic and gave us a form for free treatment.

    “We filled the form and took it to the General Hospital in Ikeja. The officials attended to us decorously. They told us the treatment was free. Although, Ireoluwa is yet to get the free glasses from the Lagos State government but we have been assured it would be ready soon.”

    The Lagos School Eye Health Programme was established in 2006 under former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevent blindness and provide free treatment to pupils with eye defects.

    The programme was scaled up by his successor Governor Babatunde Fashola with the training of teachers to carry out the eye screening tests every session to discover pupils with sight defects through the installed vision screening kits.

    After the screening, pupils with eye disorders and defects would meet eye experts deployed by the government for free correction and treatment.

    Over 92,000 pupils in Lagos school have benefited from this programmes, Dr Shokunbi said of the lot, she said, 2,882 pupils were discovered to have eye disorders and defects, adding that 549 pupils were given corrective eye glasses free.

    Shokunbi advised pupils not to hesitate to inform their parents whenever they feel unusual sight. She also urged pupils to read with bright light and not to expose their eyes directly to sunlight, saying such might result into impaired vision.

    Osifeso said the eye health programme had lowered the rate of school drop outs.

    “Instead of straining their eyes for not seeing what teachers are writing on the board, this programme gives them the opportunity to have their sight corrected and remain in school. If their condition warrants giving them corrective glasses, it will be given to them. And if it is drug, it will be made available for them free,” she said.

  • C. Palace, Huddersfield eye Nwoko

    C. Palace, Huddersfield eye Nwoko

    English Premier League newcomers,Crystal Palace have handed a trial to Maltese – Nigerian attacker, Kyrian Nwoko, with a view to a potential transfer.

    The 17 – year – old will have the opportunity to show his qualities to the Under-21 coach from July 21 – 25 at their training camp in Brighton ahead of the start of the season.

    Kyrian Nwoko is regarded as one of the top youngsters in the Maltese Championship, having made his league debut for St Andrews at the age of 16, four years after he joined their Academy.

    He featured twice for the Island Nation in the European Under-17 Championship held this summer, starting in the 0 – 3 loss to England while he came off the bench against Holland.

    Not only Crystal Palace are interested in the acquisition of Kyrian Nwoko, as Huddersfield Town manager, Mark Robins, will run the rule over the youngster starting from Monday.

    The 6 ft. 2 inch forward has the same playing style as retired Arsenal and West Brom hero, Nwankwo Kanu, and has been touted as the ‘Maltese Kanu’.

    And like the Nigeria legend, he’s not the quickest but has good feet, very good with his back to goal, and brings others into play.

    Despite being eligible to represent Nigeria, Kyrian Nwoko also holds a Maltese passport, and, therefore would not require a work permit to play in the English Premier League.