The Nation Newspaper

Tag: questions

  • Questions for Mimiko

    SIR: Despite many harsh and unreasonable policies of his government, I have always surmounted the temptation of assuming the figure of critic of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko-led administration in Ondo State. Alternatively, I have consistently offered suggestions and constructive criticisms via close acquaintances who serve in the government. However, since this is the era of false alarm, the government must hear some open truths.

    For instance, I don’t know what sense to make of a government policy to build ‘mega’ primary schools at the cost of N3.2billion each. As fantastic as the idea seems, it is wasteful and has failed to solve any of the challenges confronting primary education in Ondo State. On the construction of about 36 of such primary schools, the Mimiko-led government wasted a huge N120billion. The lame defence tendered by the government the other time was that the idea is to protect the children of the poor and to make the children of both the poor and the rich study under one roof. Dr Mimiko got it wrong. Class segregation is hardly an issue with primary education in Ondo State. The challenges remain: lack of adequate teachers, shortage of qualified teachers, indiscipline on the part of both teachers and pupils, lack of culture of periodic training for teachers, poor monitoring and oversight functions on the activities of primary schools, and poor funding amongst others. I am afraid the N120billion wasted on few buildings has not addressed any of the highlighted challenges. If the huge N120billion was channelled to the creation of small businesses in Ondo State, Governor Mimiko himself will be amazed and flabbergasted at the enormous rich families he would have created.

    Also, I cannot fathom why any responsible government will abandon the ýreticulation project of Owena Multipurpose Water Dam. This is a project that was designed to supply water to six local governments of Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore, Idanre, Ondo West and Ondo East. The project was awarded by the administration of the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu and contractors have been on site until Dr Mimiko terminated the contract. The defence from the government was that the contract lacked route survey. Nigerians, let’s even concede without admitting the no-route-survey excuse. The government claimed the project lacked route survey in 2009. Six years after, nothing significant has happened. For God’s sake, how many years will it take the Mimiko-led administration to do a route survey and mobilise contractors to site? Those who have been writing and sponsored to write about the development and miracle in Ondo State should know that drinkable water is still a big issue in Akure, the state capital. The abandoned water reticulation project is, perhaps, the face of the development in Ondo State. No matter the propaganda and outright falsehood, the people can see through what they now call cosmetic development under the Mimiko-led administration.

    • Kayode Fakuyi,

    Okitipupa, Ondo Stateý.

  • Our children’s unanswered questions

    I recall a recent event in which some children did not only thrill us but asked questions that left many parents bewildered. With songs, drama and speeches, they held an audience spellbound as they took everyone down the memory lane of the nation’s journey since independence. They drew our attention to the maladministration of the nation’s different sectors. They demanded the whereabouts of the over 200 girls abducted from Chibok, Borno State and asked if they would ever return home. Then they came hard on insurgents and demanded to know their sponsors.

    The occasion took place in Abuja about a year ago during the launch of the Federal Government’s Victims Support Fund, chaired by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd). Present at the occasion meant to raise funds for the rehabilitation and upkeep of the victims of insurgency were President Goodluck Jonathan, state governors, service chiefs, captains of industry, members of the diplomatic corps and who is who in the country. The performance of the children, who were drawn from various tribes, provoked and prodded sane minds. To men of conscience, the children could just not be ignored. And from the look of things, some of the questions the children asked are receiving attention even though some others may go unanswered.

    Of all the questions the children asked, the one that has continued to agitate the mind is the one that formed the basis for this article, namely: “Are there no sponsors of Boko Haram?” Or, put differently: “Where are the sponsors of this heinous crime?” When Al-Shabab, the militant Islamist group attacked a shopping mall in Kenya, the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta responded with the speed of a meteor. One of the immediate steps was to locate the possible sponsors of the dastardly act living within Kenya. In the process, about 80 people or sources were identified and their accounts were immediately frozen. In the process, it was discovered that some government functionaries were suspects.

    Similarly, when the Al-Shabab assaulted Garissa University and left 148 people dead, Kenyan fighter jets went into immediate action, bombing the two camps of the group in the Gedo region. Investigation further revealed that the son of a Kenyan government official was one of the masked Al-Shabab gunmen who stormed Garissa University College. Kenyan Interior Ministry said Abdirahim Abdullahi, who was the son of the government official in question, was among the four attackers killed during the attack.

    News from Niger Republic revealed that 643 people have been detained and charged to court for acts of terrorism and criminal conspiracy since February 2015. This was announced to the Niger Parliament by Hassoumi Massaoudoy, the Niger Security Minister. According to the Minister, Niger has deployed 3,000 soldiers to a joint regional force formed with Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria in order to quash the Boko Haram insurgency. Hassoumi further told the parliament that several Boko Haram networks and sleeper cells had been dismantled in Niger’s Southern Diffa region, which is on the border with Nigeria, and troops deployed there. In the words of the minister, “If this measure had not been taken, we could have had an uprising in the very interior of Diffa.”

    In Nigeria, it was recently announced that about 300 of the over 500 suspects of terror attacks would be charged to court for terrorism and conspiracy.

    Militarily, the war against insurgency has been intensified. The tail end of the erstwhile administration of President Goodluck Jonathan saw more heat on the insurgents with the liberation of more local government areas from the hitherto strongholds of the Boko Haram sect. Today, vigorous military action by the Buhari administration aimed at total liberation of the entire North East from the shackles of Boko Haram is ongoing, ironically provoking the intensification of attacks by the insurgents, especially on soft targets, which include churches, mosques, markets and defenseless civil populace mostly in the rural areas as well as in the cities through suicide bombing and outright gun attacks.

    In this renewed intensification of attacks by the insurgents, hundreds have been killed while many were injured with incalculable damage to property. All these unprovoked attacks by the insurgents, apart from being self-seeking, is to further create fear and intimidation in the minds of the people who would in the ultimate be made to feel that the government of the day is incapable of protecting the citizens. This perception of the insurgents, who by all intents and purposes are war mongers and demons of division, must not be given credence or approval.

    From the present severe heat and intensity of air and ground attacks on the insurgents, it is predictable that sooner than later, the Nigerian military will heave a sigh. Yes, militarily, the battle would be won, but the war is still on. And one of the ways to end the war is to locate and bring to book the local sponsors of this man inhumanity to man. It is obvious that without local sponsors and conspirators, the overbearing strength and orgy of destruction perpetuated by the Boko Haram sect would not have manifested. The local sponsors serve as the window or link for the external collaborators or sponsors to get into Nigeria. Identifying the local sponsors and block their sources of funds locally and externally will no doubt have positive effect on the war against insurgency.

    It is no longer a secret that local sponsors of insurgency are in our midst. What is surprising is that up till now, the Nigerian public is still in darkness with regards to the identity of the concerned individuals or groups who through outright sponsorship, aiding and abetting, continually desecrate Nigeria, especially North-East, with the blood of innocent citizens. Even as President of the nation, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan publicly declared that there are Boko Haram members in his administration. These so called members of the sect might not just be members but sponsors. Who are these and where are they now?

    The war against insurgency must not only be won but must be seen to have been won. The Nigerian Army has been forthcoming in this regard. It has demonstrated of recent the capacity and capability to defend the sovereignty of the Nigerian state. Besides, the military is purging itself of various ills or afflictions through court marshalling suspects for various offences, including aiding, abetting the enemies and abandoning the war front.

    Our security agencies, especially the intelligent units, must brace up and be pro-active to counter all moves by the insurgents to mar the peace and destabilise the nation. Above all, they will have to think ahead and set in motion pre-emptive moves or forces to counter the plans and forces of the enemy. They have to reach out to concerned groups, stakeholders and individuals, low or high.

     

    • Victor Izekor, a journalist and public affairs analyst writes at victorizekor@gmail.com

  • Questions after checkpoints withdrawal

    It was thought that the withdrawal of non-essential military checkpoints would give the police a golden opportunity to prove their mettle and adequately take charge of internal security in line with constitutional provisions. That has not happened.

    On June 22, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the dismantling of the checkpoints across the country, directing the force to step into the vacuum that will be created by the exit of the soldiers.

    Before that directive was issued, not a few Nigerians had negative memories about the force.

    So Buhari’s order, no doubt, gave room for the police to exploit the directive fully in order to worm its way into the hearts of these Nigerians, who mostly recall the ugly scenes.

    But within two weeks of the directive, it seemed as if the police were yet to put their acts together and live up to expectation.

    The internal security appeared to be falling apart and growing worse than when the soldiers’ checkpoints dotting many parts of the country.

    Besides the terrorists, Boko Haram, intensifying attacks in Borno State in the first two weeks of the directive, they have also ventured out of the area, which they have been restricted to many weeks back, to now carry out fatal attacks in new places.

    Some of the new attacks within two weeks of the directive took place in Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Adamawa, resulting in the death of more than 400 people.

    This increasing onslaught by Boko Haram has now started to generate some unanswered questions among Nigerians on its likely causes and who should actually be blamed for the fresh attacks that have also injured many Nigerians.

    Some of the questions bordered on whether there was any error in dismantling some of the essential military checkpoints that would have ensured that the sect did not leave where they have been restricted to until they are eventually smoked out.

    There were also worries whether the attacks were being fuelled by those who want to create fears in the minds of Nigerians so that the innocent Nigerians can pressure the government for the return of all the dismantled military checkpoints in the country.

    Could anybody be really benefiting from those military checkpoints?

    Another question is whether the police should be wholly blamed for the rising attacks?

    The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, had before the end of that administration ordered dismantling of all police roadblocks in the country.

    The police, under him, were expected to take advantage of the dismantling of military checkpoints by introducing measures that would boost internal security to the outfit’s credit.

    How successful any measure introduced to boost internal security by the police, in the first two weeks of the directive, has not been very visible as Boko Haram seemed to be having a field day.

    Rather than do everything possible to remove the dents on their image by properly securing the country, some of the policemen on the roads, in the first two weeks of the directive, were said to be involved still in extortion from motorists, especially at nights.

    Many of them, who dared not mount the outlawed roadblocks, appeared on many roads in the cities, the moment darkness set in, doing the job the way they know how to do it and flashing their blinding torch lights on the faces of motorists.

    But when the situation appeared to be getting out of hand, the Police Force last Tuesday was said to have signaled commencement of special Stop-and-Search operations on highways with emphasis on roads in and out of major cities/towns, nationwide.

    It is however not clear why it took the Police Force two weeks to give the stop-and-search order after Buhari’s directive was given.

    It was however a welcome development on Wednesday when news filtered in that the masterminds of the Jos and Zaria bomb blasts have been apprehended.

    A statement issued by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abayomi Shogunle, announcing the new order in the Police Force, had also urged the public to report any unprofessional conduct by policemen at www.stopthe bribes.net or nearest Police station.

    While hoping that the new move will go a long way in boosting internal security, it is also prayed that no Nigerian who responds to the call by reporting such unprofessional conducts at any of the police stations will not be victimized and end up in the police net.

    Besides the issue of Policing, another question agitating the minds of some Nigerians is whether there was any withdrawal of key equipment, tools, weapons or group of fighters from the battle against the sect, which have been very critical to the successes said to have been recorded in the tail end of Jonathan’s administration. Or are the fresh attacks just desperate moves of a sinking sect?

    While it is difficult to really pinpoint where the problems are coming from, which has led to rise in attacks by the sect, it is expected that other key players in security issues would urgently reassess the situation and take steps to stop the rampage.

    Everything must be done now to stop the massacre and destruction by ensuring peace and safety in all parts of Nigeria.

     

    Villa visit excites #BBOG group

     

    The joy and happiness on the faces of members of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) group led by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili and Mariam Uwais knew no bounds last Wednesday.

    They were happy that they were formally received at the Presidential Villa by President Muhammadu Buhari after 450 days that over 200 secondary school girls were abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State.

    Apart from the previous attempts by the group to access the seat of power and have audience with former President Goodluck Jonathan thwarted by the last administration, many of the members have not been spared by attacks on the social media.

    The group, which was harassed by many government agencies under Jonathan’s administration, was also labeled as an arm of the then opposition party and now ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The group, at the meeting with Buhari, did not fail to maximize the opportunity as about eight persons from the group delivered one speech after the other thereby holding up Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for close to two hours at the Council Chamber briefing room.

    Painting the hall red with their T-shirts’ colour, the selected members of the group in the hall numbering about 150, also took every available opportunity to render their solidarity songs.

    They also posed for photographs with the President and his team in the hall.

  • Re: Questions from Nigerians for PMB

    SIR: Mobolaji Sanusi’s piece on why the president is slow in appointing Chief of staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and delaying in the selection and presentation of his ministers to the National Assembly is well posited but untimely.

    The eagerness behind the asking of these questions can be  understood from the point of view of the unarguably high hopes of the electorates who invested their votes in. causing change in governance so that the challenges that have plague this country  can start to be fixed differently without delay.

    There is definitely a thin line between the personal virtue of the president and his performance which is not an end in itself but a means to achieving the end of honest, effective and efficient service delivery. In the circumstance in which the APC has found itself as a result of reward expectation fight-back,  which was never envisaged, it has been difficult to send the list of ministers already selected to the National Assembly which presently is divided against itself. With the appointment of people into the principal offices of the two chambers of the National Assembly, against the zoning formula sent to the assembly by the party and barring any reconciliatory concession to vacate already filled offices, there will be a need to readjust the ministerial list in consideration of the unexpected emergency. Unless the party and the president know those who will finally be retained in offices or those that will thread on the path of party discipline and yield position from their already occupied positions, there cannot be a standing list of ministers because there will be need to balance the selection of ministers already selected, so as not to over concentrate appointment in a zone while others are denied opportunity.

    As it is now, the president would seem to be combining diplomacy with conciliation to make peace the cornerstone of all action he might intend to take to prevent this from happening. This obviously is the main reason why all the appointments mentioned in the questions are being delayed. Those who have shared position in the Houses come from certain geo-political zone and need to be balanced with appointments to other zones when the party is sure that no further changes would be made in the list of those appointed. All these have made it impossible for the appointments to be made in just 30 days. The president with his endowment of honesty, courage, passion, and commitment to deliver on promise can never be confused. He knows the direction he wants to go and understands what his party mantra of change stood for in the life of the people hence he cannot afford to offer excuses for failure.

    The President is too experienced and exposed to be misdirected when talking about fixing the problems of   16 years of unproductive, fraudulent and clueless government of the PDP.

    Reasonable Nigerians know that kick-starting a good government should follow on the foundation of due process built over the rubble of the old order left behind by the PDP and need not be rushed in other not to play into the waiting hands of the same opposition that is bent on discrediting the new government on every step it takes to expose the government and present it as a non-starter and inexperienced.

    The President needs not be stampeded into taking actions at the prompting of the PDP which has been thoroughly discredited by its own failings in strong leadership and good governance.

    Granting the desired patience, it is certain that Nigerians within a short period of time will start seeing, feeling and enjoying   the positive effects of the efforts presently being made by the president to reposition the country and re-order its priorities especially  when the teething problems being encountered in the National Assembly is finally resolved.

     

    •Comrade Mashood Erubami

    Ibadan, Oyo State.

     

  • Questions Ladoja refuses to answer

    Immensely dislike it when someone self-titles himself without reflecting on the nuances of that appellation. Our politicians are most guilty of this. Many politicians blissfully preen when called “godfathers” while joyfully oblivious that the pejorative term is actually derogatory. Among several other titles now flying in our political space is “the issue.” Oyo State’s former Governor, Senator Rasidi Ladoja recently gave this new word a fresh meaning in the dynamics surrounding his latest quest to become the state’s governor again.

    Now, about Senator Ladoja. In my observance of Oyo State’s political terrain before now, I found him excitedly refreshing, especially during his infamous tug-of-war with late Lamidi Adedibu during the latter’s halcyon days of single-handedly bearing Oyo’s political fortunes in his pocket. I felt Ladoja’s doggedness and grace under pressure during those trying times marked him as a progressive worthy of favourable continued scrutiny.

    But, the same feat which should have earned Ladoja national greatness, heralds his personal tragedy. Maybe, those incidents which led to his impeachment and ostracisation within his former party apparently aged his spirit, stunted his mindset and failed to broaden his outlook. Since his removal from the gubernatorial chambers, he has not convincingly articulated the formerly-noticed endearing virtues that were associated with him. Bit-by-bit, Ladoja has become ensnared in undesirable traits which he accuses the opposition of.

    This new Ladoja is glaring in the volley of exchanges between him and incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi. The exchanges reveal the former governor’s readiness to stumble over the pits of infamy in order to join the ranks of destructive critics of the governor. This is especially buttressed by his evasiveness in pointedly answering questions posed to him by a group called Oodua Truth Seekers in an advertorial published in a national daily on February 17.

    The group query is straightforward and unequivocal. Some of the questions posed at him are as follows: “Can he tell the people of Oyo State what actually destroyed Trans International Bank (TIB), the only bank with headquarters in Oyo State, owned by indigenes of the state, thereby throwing thousands into the unemployment market? Did his government actually move Oyo State funds out of TIB and into First City Monument Bank Plc. (FCMB)? Does he remember Tola Duro-Ladipo, Dr. Shehu Ladoja, a driver and four policemen who died in an accident involving his convoy? Did he not drive straight to the Governor’s Office, even when the accident occurred, with the dead still swathed in their pool of blood and the injured writhing in pain? Did he wait after the accident that involved the latter to sympathise with and get help to save the lives of these aides of his? Was there a spiritual dimension to these deaths? Did he not abandon the families to their fates? These questions are too simple to warrant an evasion. Once he gives his answers, he would be free in the court of public opinion which thinks otherwise.

    Initially, I viewed Oodua Truth Seeker’s questions as one of the extremes of politicking in our clime. But, that idea became obliterated upon recalling that democracy’s elegance best shines during challenging moments like this as the wheels of political juggernauts criss-cross plains and valleys in scouring for the highest percentage of votes to secure power. Moreover, the public is afforded the chance to know salacious details of wheeling and dealings in quaint demonstrations of freedom of expression which, apart from titillating the masses on the happenings behind the shadowy power curtains, also shapes their voting choices during elections, the ultimate demonstration of expression.

    On that basis, I, alongside many other political watchers, waited with tense expectation for Ladoja’s swift and unapologetic answers to the group’s queries, especially as they are damning enough to hurt his current gubernatorial ambition.

    It never came. Instead, Ladoja responded through the simultaneously-timed issuance of a press release and advertorial. The press release described Oodua Truth Seeker’s advertorial as a “farago of lies and malicious doctoring of facts” and the advertorial introduces Ladoja’s self-title as “the issue” in Oyo politics. What manner of issue? “The issue” that Oyo stakeholders rather want as the recurring decimal is the continuing provision of affordable and qualitative education, sustainable health reforms, employment opportunities, good infrastructure and security. Calling himself “the issue” in order to score cheap political points insults Oyo people’s sensibilities. Nigerians generally have suffered so much and have been betrayed frequently often by those in whom they repose the strongest confidence, that it is natural that they should be suspicious of any whiff of wrongdoing.

    Probably, Ladoja sees himself as “the issue” for, according to him, embarking on road constructions and renovating classrooms eight years ago. But, Ladoja need know that government is a continuum; if he addresses some sectors, subsequent government would not duplicate efforts in focusing on such areas again. Rather, successive administrations would examine new challenges to address. Since Ladoja said his administration tackled all that effectively, it is imperative that Ajimobi tackles areas which the former senator failed to work on, like healthcare reforms.

    However, whatever records Ladoja recorded in office is inadequate reasons for discountenancing answering these latest accusations because the dowry of genius is not limited to Ladoja’s administration. In his advertorial, his Man Friday said “he is a man much loved by the people.” So, Ladoja should abandon this Robin Hood mentality of attempting rousing sympathies with patronising and diversionary references to his performance of normal governmental duties he constantly drones about in justifying his refusal to answer the posers raised in the advertorial. Particularly, he should answer Oodua Truth Seekers and Oyo people their queries.

    Rather than respond to these, Ladoja calls himself “the issue” in Oyo. I am unsure if his handlers are aware of the phrase’s double entendre. Stripped bare of any niceties, its nuances basically mean ‘problem, obstacle, hindrances.’  Judging by recent events, maybe Ladoja means he is synonymous with such negatives in Oyo State.

    While he wallows in self-absorption however, the present “issues” raised by the group are already rife from within crowds at Mapo Hill to traders at Ogbomoso markets and rallying talk among Saki weavers, including all lovers of Oyo State. Ladoja, with his attempt at wishing away these “issues” with his silence, now has giant question marks clouding his much self-vaunted integrity which he should address now, rather than brow-beating Ajimobi’s upward pendulum of progress with accusations and lawsuit threats.  Ajimobi has displayed that the hopes and fears, the hatred and bitterness, of past Oyo rulers are centred upon his shoulders at this time, not distractedly fixed on Ladoja.

    Ladoja’s advertorial says he “is a passionate leader of repute whose integrity cannot be questioned”. He should exemplify these attributes because remaining quiet is certainly not golden now. Ladoja should answer the posers raised against him with cold, hard facts. Now, is time for inflexible discharge of propriety. Act right, Senator Ladoja.

    • Abiola is a teacher.

  • ASUU workshop tackles ethical questions

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has urged lecturers to be mindful of their behaviour while discharging their duties.

    The union organised a workshop titled: “Academic ethics and principles of ASUU”, to address issues of ethical behaviour of lecturers on the campus.

    Its national president, Dr. Nasir Fagge, in his address,  said the union faces a moral challenge regarding the conduct of its members, which may not tally with the ideals of the group.

    Fagge, who was represented by the Vice-President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, said: “You people are always asking government to put more money into the universities. You don’t monitor how the money is spent. Despite the review of your salaries, you still go ahead to exploit your students and some of you still sell scores for favours.”

    He underscored the need for members of the union to maintain their integrity.

    “We, as a Union, our greatest asset is our integrity. The moment we compromise our integrity, the respect for the Union would diminish,” he warned.

    At the event, FUNAAB Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Olusola Oyewole said issues raised at the workshop went beyond the requirements of ASUU to extend to the expectations of the university concerning lecturers’ conduct.

    He said lecturers should seek answers to the following questions: “What are the dos and don’ts of this community and this profession? What are my rights and privileges? What are the things I need to avoid as a lecturer? How can I operate with integrity as an academic staff? How can I meet with the demand of this profession of research and teaching?”

    He also appreciated the ASUU FUNAAB Branch for organising the workshop and engaging renown academics such as Prof Omotoye Olorode and Prof Ololade Enikuomehin.

    Oyewole said Olorode was already an established academic when he (Oyewole) was an undergraduate student at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.  He also said Enikuomehin was forthright.

    “I have been in this University for so many years and I have had great interactions with many people and one of the people that I know stand for that which is right or good is Prof Ololade Enikuomehin,” he said.

    On his part, the ASUU-FUNAAB Chairman, Dr Festus Adeosun, said the workshop was organised to enlighten members on their roles as lecturers so they could align with the union’s desire for members to live above board, and the university’s vision as it expands.

    “As a fall-out from this workshop, we expect that we would individually and jointly adopt the outcomes of this deliberation with the seriousness and the gravity they deserve and come out with concrete means and suggestions to implement and evaluate the outcomes,” he said.

    He said after the training the union expected that “breaches hitherto observed, will be a thing of the past”.

    Meanwhile, Fagge said the last national strike of 2013 achieved its objectives.  As a result of the federal government’s agreement with the union, he said, no Nigerian university would have less than N3 billion in its coffers in the next three years.

     

  • Questions, comments

    I am diagnosed  to have chronic hepatitis B infection. My results read;  HBsAg  +ve,  HBe Ag  -ve  HBs Ab-ve, HBe Ab +ve, normal liver function test in April and  I am on Livolin. I don ‘t have yellow eyes,or dark colored urine. What can I do to know if I am not at risk of liver cancer ? Can I stop the Livolin?

    Please try always to  give  your age, sex,  occupation and country when making enquiries on health matters

    Your  hepatitis B serology results  can be explained; HBsAg  +ve  shows current infection with the virus   whereas HBe Ag-ve  means  you do not currently  have active infection . On the other hand  HBe Ab +ve means   that the virus is present but not active . Though one may be tempted to think that you have  just chronic hepatitis as you have been told,    acute on chronic  hepatitis B   may build up  gradually  from this kind of  situation,   but because  this  impression is not in line with  your current  clinical status my humble opinion is that you  go to another Medical  lab so we can compare.  What about your wife or partner?  Hepatitis B is  sexually transmitted. Could  there be a reservoir  where you are being re infected ?

    Livolin is not the main treatment for hepatitis B infection . Rather, it is a liver support drug  that in terms of pharmacology is not entirely different from multivitamins; the treatment for that condition is a drug that is given once every month  until  lab tests show  zero  copies of the virus in your body.  You can not stop the Livolin, just like that for several reasons;  even when you  have laboratory(virological)evidence of cure,  damaged liver cells(hepatocytes have to be given time to be removed and replaced.   The end result of untreated  or poorly treated cases of hepatitis B is liver cancer , and you should avoid going  down that path where  cancer becomes an inevitable outcome. Stop Alcohol if you drink. Stop smoking, and eat less meat  but  more vegetables and fruits . Take out time for bed rest

     

    •I read your article on Ebola virus where you said we should avoid bush meat

    First of all, it is not my portion, I will not surfer this disease, but I will continue to eat bush meat.  We were all bred and brought  with bush meat, my father  ,all of them. People die only when their times  have come.  Any where we find it we destroy it our own traditional way What of all the  hunters  who don’t get sick Thank you for your work all the same

    What ever may be your religious background or level of education, it is important to stress that  no  Nigerian has yet been diagnosed of  the  disease , but that does not mean it is not there . Genetic polymorphism at different levels may  protect some people  in the rain  forest regions  of the world including Nigeria .We are talking about something you can not and will never see with the unaided eyes. It is so small that even the  common microscope can not see it. It is one of the reasons it is not possible to diagnose the infection in many countries because it requires  the use of diagnostic equipment beyond the reach of many resource poor countries.  Let me also correct the wrong interpretation you  seem to have made. I did not say you can not eat  bush meat.  When meat is cooked properly all the bacteria and viruses are likely to perish.  I only specified that  whereas the host  for Ebola virus has been  identified to be the fruit bat,  different forms of the virus have been  discovered in other  animals like chimpanzees and  monkeys.  Interactions  at various levels with the body fluids  such as faces, urine , blood and saliva of popular bush animals as Antelope, Porcupine,  Pigs and Rats will from common sense predispose them to infection and this is particularly high when outbreaks such as is being currently experienced occurs.  Enjoy your self but know the risks ; there is no cure ; the virus kills  60-90% of the people it infects  . Whoever comes in contact with the person infected  from the time of infection through death and burial may also become a victim of the virus.  The purpose of health education is to create awareness and hope that awareness translates to knowledge so that when you are infected, you will at that moment  present yourself to the nearest Health center for further action.

     

    •I went out with a woman for just six months in 1997 and we decided to call it quits  because of many problems.  She had told me then that she was carrying three months pregnancy which to me was not possible. She came to me with a male child two weeks ago  with members of her family . I need your advice about blood test

    In the first place my humble advice is to  act  softly and be careful the way you  talk about going to  the Police, court  and what ever.  You need  a high level of emotional intelligence  in this matter; the child in question  will grow and become somebody  and you can not at the moment predict what God has in store for him . He should never have the intrapsychic conflict of  knowing you are  actually  being forced to accept paternity especially if it turns out he is your biological child . Women only know the true biological fathers of their kids and from the way the woman is going about it she seems pretty sure you  are the father of this boy. The only reliable test  to know if  indeed he is your biological son is DNA analysis . There is a centre in Lagos where this is done.  I understand they do  a confirmatory test ,but additional confirmation can be done overseas if you have the money.

     

    ‘Gudevenig Sir Dr Mike

    Please I need your advice and guidance . I have this problem of quick ejaculation so what is the problem . What is the remedy ?

    Response .- Remedy is simple ; STOP trying to  do macho  .Why hurry? Stay in her and simply  relax; talk about sex as you do ;what she likes about it how she wants it ,anything  usual for  two souls united in peace, love and harmony,  straight and for legally married couples . Avoid being adventurous or wanting to please, when you don’t even know if she likes it that way .  Additional info  provided via e mail

     

    •I am a regular reader of your column

    When ever I urinate or have sex with my husby, I discover blood when cleaning my body. What drug should I take

    I would not  make a dash for drugs if I were you.   First thing is to stop Postinor (LNG) if you are using it.  Next have lab tests done; urinalysis,  test for schistosomiasis  and  then have intracervical swab  sent for culture, followed by cervical smear /pelvic ultrasound scan.We  look  at  these  very carefully  and  then know whether we need additional tests

     

    •Is it true that   garlic alcohol, aloe and  ginger can protect the stomack against Ebola virus

    Response.  To my knowledge,  that is not correct. For now, there are no known vaccines or curative drugs.

  • Investment firm raises questions over Afribank liquidation

    Investment firm raises questions over Afribank liquidation

    Nigerians may not have heard the last word from Intangis Holdings, the American based investment company which claimed to have bought majority shares from Afribank PLC before it was taken over by AMCON, as the firm says it has evidence that the liquidation of Afribank and subsequent transfer of its assets and liabilities to Mainstreet Bank in August 2011 is illegal.

    In a statement issued on behalf of the firm by African Media Agency from Dubai and made available to The Nation, Intangis said: “Nigerian Bad Bank, AMCON, which was mandated to only deal with Afribank’s non-performing loans invested in its share capital, then liquidated the bank and transferred all its assets and liabilities to Mainstreet Bank, which it wholly owns. Afribank’s shareholders and creditors, including Intangis Holdings have been stripped of their rights, “said Jean Missinhoun, senior partner of Intangis Holdings.

    On July 1, 2014 Intangis Holdings filed a claim for damages for tortuous interference against AMCON in the Supreme Court of the State of New York to assert its rights.

    “The suspension of the ICC arbitration is a matter of procedure – Intangis Holdings has been substituting for the payment of Mainstreet Bank’s share of the advance on costs. This decision does not affect the outcome of the case. Intangis Holdings is fully focused on the action against AMCON in the Supreme Court of the State of New York,” confirmed Jean Missinhoun.

    AMCON  the firm stressed, had taken steps to divest from Mainstreet Bank from 15th of September 2014,  while omitting to make provision as required by the international accounting rules (IFRS) for certain liabilities of the bank, estimated by Intangis Holdings at US $ 1.4 billion.

    At the time AMCON invested in its share capital, Afribank with total assets of US$ 3 billion was ranked 16th among West African banks according to the 2009 league table “The top 200 African banks”, published by Jeune Afrique magazine. Afribank was also listed in the Dow Jones index “Africa Titans 50.”

  • Ogunbote questions Crown’s tactics

    Ogunbote questions Crown’s tactics

    Sharks head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, reckons his job was made easier in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat of Crown FC in the Premier League because the visitors showed too much respect for his team.

    Danladi Isah and Ifeanyi Inyam scored in the 16th and 20th minutes respectively, to put Sharks in the driving seat before Frederick Obomate completed the rout on 64 minutes.

    The attacking play of Sharks had Crown chasing shadows for most of the game, and though the newly-promoted side showed some grit, it was only in the initial exchanges that they looked capable of holding their own.

    Ogunbote said the Ogbomosho side fell apart a little too easy and were always up against it after conceding two goals in quick succession in the first half. He insisted Sharks were gradually getting to the level he desires, but are still work in progress.

    “Every team in this tournament (league) should be respected. However, I want to say Crown over-respected us. It was always going to be difficult for a young team like Crown to come back into the game after conceding two early goals. That is the price they paid, but that does not mean we have a championship winning team yet. My team is still work in progress, but I know we will get there soon,” he told supersport.com.

    He said scoring as many as three goals was a sign the team was improving.

    “You can see today (Saturday) that we were still wasteful, but all the same it wasn’t as bad as we had it in the last three games. We scored three goals, but we’re still working to ensure we take our chances as they come.”

    Crown boss Lawrence Akpokona admitted his team made too many mistakes and got punished.

    “It was not the kind of result we expected, but unfortunately we made too many elementary football mistakes. Two of the goals were just giveaways. The second goal was from a counter-attack, while the third was from a goalkeeping error. Mistakes are part of football, but when you make so many you get punished. And that is what happened to us,” he said.

    Sharks have now moved up to second place in the Premier League with seven points, while Crown FC dropped to fifth on six points.

  • Questions for NNPC over ‘missing’ oil money

    Questions for NNPC over ‘missing’ oil money

    Does the ‘missing’ oil money have anything to do with the 2015 elections? AFP reports that commentators believe there may be a nexus

    Africa’s biggest oil producer Nigeria is facing questions about where billions of dollars in oil money is going, amid suspicions of fraud and it being syphoned off to fund election campaigns.

    The issue has been rumbling on since September, when the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation of withholding $49.8 billion in oil revenue.

    Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who steps down as central bank chief in the coming months, later revised his figures down to $12 billion, sparking claims of political pressure.

    But this week he again claimed that the state-run NNPC owed the central bank money — this time $20 billion from the $67 billion earned from oil between January 2012 and July 2013.

    “It is now up to NNPC… to produce the proof that the $20 billion unremitted either did not belong to the federation or was legally and constitutionally spent,” he told a parliamentary committee.

    Nigeria produces about two million barrels of oil per day, and crude exports account for about 80 percent of government revenue.

    Government figures indicated it earned some $49 billion in export revenue in 2012, down from $54 billion the previous year.

    Some of the funds go into a rainy-day fund, called the Excess Crude Account (ECA), to ensure the government budget is financed in case world oil prices fall sharply.

    Last year, as global oil prices held above $100 per barrel, revenue above a benchmark of $79 per barrel set by the government and lawmakers went into the fund.

    According to the latest central bank figures, the ECA held $11.5 billion at the end of 2012, but this had dropped to $2.5 billion in January this year.

    The reduction comes at the same time as a decrease in foreign reserves.

    Last May they stood at $48 billion but are now at about $42.7 billion, according to CBN data.

    “It’s unfortunate that the government has indulged in a spending jamboree without any noticeable improvement in the standard of living of the people,” said Lagos economist Abolaji Odumesi.

    “The ECA is meant to protect Nigeria in the event of price shocks but the purpose for setting the fund aside is now being defeated,” the former banker told AFP.

    “Those in government are not thinking of tomorrow. They are not bothered about what becomes of the economy if the ECA dries up and there is drop in the international price of crude.”

    Nigeria’s influential governors’ forum, led by Rotimi Amaechi of the oil-rich Rivers State, has accused the federal government of unilaterally taking money from the account.

    The group even went to court to challenge Jonathan’s withdrawal of $1 billion for a new Sovereign Wealth Fund, set up to invest the savings from the difference in budgeted and actual oil prices.

    Suspicions abound that the money has been used to weaken states controlled by the opposition, which has been boosted by the defection of dozens of members from the ruling party.

    Amaechi, who switched from Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress last year, has long argued that his state is being short-changed.

    For their part, the NNPC and the government say the money has gone to legitimate projects and that oil theft and vandalism have contributed to the reduction in revenues.

    There is a widespread consensus that oil-theft, or “bunkering”, is a problem in Nigeria.

    Estimates range up to 150,000 barrels per day being stolen, robbing the exchequer of about $6 billion a year.

    Anti-corruption campaigners allege the money may have been diverted to fund the 2015 election campaign, which looks set to be the closest since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.

    “The Jonathan administration is merely syphoning money to prosecute its re-election agenda,” said Debo Adeniran, of the non-political, non-profit Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders.

    “It is absurd that at a period when our oil is sold $30 above the benchmark price, the foreign reserves and excess crude accounts are going down.

    “The only explanation for this abnormality is that politicians and officials are stashing money for elections.”

    Adeniran praised Sanusi for blowing the whistle on what he called a “monumental fraud”, but said it was wrong for the NNPC to have spent the money — regardless of how much was involved.

    “The NNPC has been a haven for corruption and inefficiency in this country,” he said.

    “It does not have the power to spend any money without appropriation.”