Yar'Adua is suffering from heart condition

After days of silence over President Umaru Yar'Adua's state of health, the Presidency, yesterday, said Mr. Yar'Adua, who was admitted into the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, has been diagnosed of acute pericarditis (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).

Salihu Banye, the president's chief physician, who is currently with him in Saudi Arabia, said this in a statement following the rumours making the rounds in the country that the president was dead.

He added that more checks at the same hospital, where he had his last medical check-up in August, confirmed the initial diagnosis of the same condition.

In explaining the circumstances which led to the president's trip to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Banye said: "At about 3pm on Friday, November 20th, after he returned from the Abuja Central Mosque where he performed the Juma'at prayers, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua complained of left sided severe chest pain. Preliminary medical examinations suggested acute pericarditis, (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).

"It was then decided that he should undertake confirmatory checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he had his last medical check-up in August.

"The medical review and tests undertaken at the hospital have confirmed the initial diagnosis that the President is indeed suffering from acute pericarditis." According to him, the president is responding well to the treatment he is currently receiving.

"He is now receiving treatment for the ailment and is responding remarkably well," Mr. Banye said.

Understanding our president's illness Acute pericarditis is a disease which causes the inflammation of the membrane (the pericardium) surrounding the heart. This condition begins suddenly and is painful. In most cases, it results from an infection or conditions that irritate the pericardium.

The irritation of the pericardium can be caused by disease, drugs, invasive cardiothoracic procedures and chest trauma.

Its most common symptom is a sharp stabbing chest pain on the left side of the chest which grows worse when the person is lying down, coughing or taking deep breaths.

It is most common in men and research has shown that one out of five persons who suffer from this ailment has a recurrence within months of the original episode.

Governance goes on Olusegun Adeniyi, the President's spokesperson, said "The vice president is now acting on behalf of the president. He takes charge in the absence of the president." In this light, he will today receive Muslims at the Presidential Villa as part of activities marking the Id-el-Kabir.

While fielding questions from journalists, the spokesperson said Mr. Yar'Adua felt really bad that people rumoured him dead.

"He is a human being, naturally he will feel bad. This is not the first time, the President was aware of the rumour. He felt bad about it as any normal human being would," Mr. Adeniyi said.

No plans for the Hajj Mr. Adeniyi also refuted claims that the president was going to perform the Hajj.

Reuters, yesterday, quoted a spokesperson for the hospital where Mr. Yar'Adua is receiving treatment as saying, "The Nigerian president is in good condition. He underwent routine internal medical checks and had lunch today at the hospital.

"He may well leave tomorrow to perform a pilgrimage to Mecca." However, the president's spokesperson said, "It is definitely not true; even before the President travelled, he knew that he was not going to perform the Hajj. Even when I did the first draft for the statement, I stated that the President will do medicals and undergo Hajj, but he said no, I am not going to do Hajj. So there is no way he is going to do Hajj," he added.

The statement which Mr. Adeniyi had issued upon the president's departure was silent on the ailment he suffers.

Yesterday's disclosure by the president's physician was the first time an official statement was made on his ailment since rumours about his poor health became popular.

Saudi visa delayed president's trip On the day of his departure, the president was said to have left late in the night instead of at the planned time. The delay was attributed to the holiday in Saudi Arabia.

"Actually what happened was that the President was supposed to leave earlier in the day but because of the holidays in Saudi Arabia they couldn't procure his visa in time," Mr. Adeniyi said.

Once in Saudi Arabia, our president sought care at the 894-bed hospital which commenced the provision of medical services to Jeddah city and to the Western Region of the Kingdom in March 2000.

It is fully equipped with the most modern medical equipment and technology available.

It observes a full compliance with royal directives which is consistent with its healthcare leadership role in the community, and regards smoking as harmful to health. Smoking is prohibited throughout the hospital buildings and in all hospital vehicles and buses.

There are also reports that Isa Yuguda, the governor of Bauchi State who is also an in-law to the president, and his wife, Nefisah, have travelled to Saudi Arabia to join the president's wife and other members of the family.

Eid-Kabir: Price of Rams, Foodstuffs Double in Kano

Kano people may not likely sacrifice animals during the forthcoming  Eid-El Kabir sallah celebration due to the skyrocketing prices of rams and even foodstuffs because of double increase of price.
  THISDAY in Kano investigation  yesterday at metropolis revealed that the price had jumped  from N25,000 to as much as N60,000  and in some places there are those nearly selling N80,000.
It was learnt that a moderate ram is being sold at about N35,000 , a situation which made many people both within the cycle of workers and business community to suspend the purchase for now.
  All over the city of Kano, ,  ram sellers were going round with bulk number of their commodity while some had stationed themselves in strategic locations, selling both rams and cows.
Mallam Mansur Kura, a ram dealer  told THISDAY that both the buyers and the sellers are suffering this year, saying  there were no much purchases because of the scarcity of funds.
  He said he cannot remember the time when the market was so dormant, adding that many of them do go back to their villages without selling two or even one ram.
  A civil servant in Kano told THISDAY on anonymity that  even though the government will give them 50 percent bonus of their basic salaries,  many of them would celebrate the occasion without slaughtering ram .
Along BUK road, Zoo road and Wudil roads where the dealers have stationed themselves in a strategic place, many people interviewed said they would wait till sallah day to make such a purchase while some said they have resorted going to village markets.
Our correspondent learnt that this year,  many people gave up buying rams, as majority of the people interviewed said  the current economic hardship is biting hard, calling on the Federal Government to devise means of redeeming the situation.

Jonathan: Nigerians’ll Stop Using Generators Next Year

From Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan came a bold declaration yesterday: that Nigerians will no longer use generators for their industrial and private power needs by this time next year.

Speaking in Kaduna at the inauguration of a production line for Peugeot 306 Sedan, Jonathan reisterated that Fed-eral Government is putting necessary machinery in place to meet all its targets in the power sector, beginning with the generation and distribution of 6,000mw scheduled for December.

He said Federal Govern-ment’s plan to re-stimulate the manufacturing and transport industries in the country is anchored on the provision of key infrastructure such as power, railway, roads and waterways, as well as creating a positive environment for investment to thrive.

He said in view of the current global economic meltdown, the government has set up a committee to interface with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in order to arrive at concrete intervention measures across different sectors of the economy.

He added: “To this end, submissions from scores of organisations have been received and that will aid the committee in determining specific responses to their peculiar situations. In addition, government has taken cognizance of the need to support local industry by galvanising Nigerians to tie their purchasing power to national interest.”

Jonathan commended the management of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) for sustaining production even in the face of growing challenges that have beset the automobile industry in the world.

Earlier in his speech, Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State said the steady growth of PAN had been a source of joy and pride to the government and people of the state.

He said being the largest private employer of labour in the state, PAN has contributed immensely to the development of the local and state economy.

He however, urged the management to device means of reducing the cost of production and cost of the car to make it affordable to generality of Nigerians.

In a welcome address, the Managing Director of PAN, Dr. Haroun Aliyu, said the 307 Sedan is the first product initiated and executed under the new Nigerian management of the company.

He said despite huge challenges, the management has introduced an elaborate plan to return the company to production peak recorded in the 80s. He however appealed to governments, corporate organisations and individuals to patronise the company's products with a view to making it compete.

Jonathan’s promise of stable electricity came on the heels of a similar promise by Minister of Power, Dr. Rilwanu Babalola, who disclosed at the weekend that the power currently being generated in the country has increased to 3500 megawatts, maintaining that the 6000 megawatts target for next month is realisable.

Babalola was speaking during a working tour of Geregu Gas Turbine Power Plant in Kogi State.

The minister said: “Steady power supply is not magic. It can only be achieved through hard work and that is why I am still paying working visits to power plants on weekends to see things for myself in order to have first hand information on all the factors and challenges facing them because the government cannot afford to fail on its promise to Nigerians.”

‘Yar’Adua’s 7-Point Agenda Designed for 8 Yrs’

The 7-Point Agenda of President Umaru Yar’Adua was designed to last for a period of eight years, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Senator Polycarp Nwite has said.
Also, the Yar’Adua Vision for New Nigeria has clarified its position, saying it is committed to monitoring the various stages of implementations of the Seven Point Programme of the President.
Nwite told  THISDAY in Abuja  that there is no way the programme would last for only four years.
He said that the level of under development and decay in the country were so pervasive to warrant the implementation of the programme within four years.
“It (7-point Agenda) is designed for 8 years. It cannot be completed within four years. There is no way he can complete the seven point agenda within  four years," he said adding “the monumental destruction in this country before the President came in is not something you can solve in 12 years but as the saying goes, a million mile journey starts from the right step (and) the right step is what Mr. President has taken towards solving the ills of this country and we are going to solve it by the grace of God.”
He said that he would advise Yar'Adua to contest the 2011 Presidential election on account of his sterling performance in office.
 Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Mohammed Harilu Bello had also said that the seven point agenda was designed to last for eight years.
But  National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Prof. Ahmed Alkali said in Kaduna during a book launch that no decision has been taken by President Yar’Adua to contest or not, as consultations are still on going.
He also said that the party is yet to take a decision on whether to throw the contest open for all interested aspirants.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the Yar’Adua Vision for New Nigeria , Dr. Aminu Idris yesterday said that the main objective of the group is how to promote the implementation of the seven point agenda of the President in the 36 states of the federation.
“We are not a political party, but as a political pressure group, we are out to ensure that the seven point agenda is given adequate publicity. We are more or less ensuring that the good works of the President on what has been achieved in the seven point agenda is well publicised,” he said.

Militants’ Rehabilitation Urgent, Ateke Tells FG

Leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement (NDVM), Mr. Ateke Tom, has called on the Federal Government to hasten the resettlement of militants who have laid down arms, saying the burden of fending for his group alone is heavy.

He also requested the creation of another State from Rivers State for Ijaws in the riverine areas arguing they deserve a state of their own.

Ateke who spoke with THISDAY in his Okochiri home noted that since the repentant militants came out from the creeks, the feeding allowance promised by the government has not been regular while the cost of keeping them is borne by him alone.

“Since they gave me amnesty, I have not done anything. My boys they promised to give jobs, teach trade and send back to school have not had any of those things. I am the only one taking care of my boys.

“They said my boys should come and register and they will pay them money and for a month they have not paid them. I want them to do something fast so that the problem will go away from me. They are talking about rehabilitation but nothing is coming. They should do what they said”, he stated.

He denied that boys under his control were among those who rioted at Aluu camp where about 12 girls were allegedly raped serially by rampaging militants. He pointed out that his own group are always around him in his house.

According to Ateke, he is a chief who needs space, one of the reasons why he urged the Federal Government to engage his boys to afford him time to attend to other issues. Asked if he submitted all his weapons, he replied in the positive.

“We submitted everything we had, maybe that is why the federal government is taking their time before doing anything for us knowing we are no more armed”. On whether there are some of his boys in the camps, he answered in the negative, adding the remaining are those who take care of his poultry, fish farms and dogs. He also asked the government to assist him in his agricultural endeavours.

He expressed confidence in the amnesty programme, describing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as “sincere and honest” and capable of solving the Niger Delta problem.

Ateke said his conviction that the amnesty programme would work stems from the discussions he had with President Yar’Adua in Abuja.

He denied ever being involved in illegal oil bunkering and kidnapping except on one occasion when his boy Ota was killed by government forces prompting him to take some hostages. “Ota was sent to bring food for us to the camp and he was killed by the government. I became angry and we fought with the soldiers for a long time. Then I went and took hostages of some Nigerians and foreigners. The government asked me why and I told them that they killed my boy.

He claimed the hostages were released following an apology from the government without a dime paid as ransom. On the whereabouts of his family, he said they were at a hidden location in Port Harcourt.

Unpaid Salaries: Another ASUU Crisis Looms

About one month after an accord was reached between the Federal Government and university teachers, indications have emerged that staff unions may resume strike following non-payment of their wages during the period the industrial action lasted.
Their three months strike protesting several issues including poor pay was called off last month after a break-through in negotiations between both parties.
It followed the intervention of the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, upon the request of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
But it was gathered that zonal meetings of the university teachers that would fine tune the strategy for the fresh action are in progress across all the geo-political zones of the country.
A meeting of the Ibadan zone of ASUU comprising universities in Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, and Kwara states was held at the University of Ibadan yesterday. The meeting was ongoing as at press time.
 THISDAY checks revealed that other staff unions are spoiling for a fight as they have put their members on the alert regarding the issue.
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, had in a circular sent to all federal vice -chancellors directed them to withhold the August and September salaries of workers in observance of the no-work no-pay policy of the Federal Government.
The circular which was titled “Re: National Strike by Staff Unions of Universities: Payment of Staff salaries” stated that “the Accountant-general of the federation by my letters, Ref. NUC/ES/444/Vol.15/71 of July, 2009 and NUC/ES/444/Vol15/77 of 21 August, 2009 on the national strike by staff unions of universities was advised to effect the No work, no pay policy of government.”
The circular explained that salaries would be paid with effect from October, excluding the three months strike period.
“Following the suspension of the strike by staff unions, the Accountant-general of the federation has been advised to pay the salaries of all staff of federal universities with effect from the month of October, 2009. The salaries withheld during the strike period however remain withheld please” the circular stated.
But the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has condemned the circular, saying it violates the recent agreement signed with the Federal Government.
ASUU was reported to have quoted the last sentence in the agreement of ASUU/FG agreement which reads: “it was agreed that nobody shall be victimised in any way whatsoever for his or her role in the process leading to this re-negotiation and agreement."
When contacted, ASUU President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie told THISDAY on phone that he is not aware of a planned fresh strike action but disclosed that the organisation's National Executive Committee (NEC) would be meeting next week. He however confirmed that salaries for the three months that the strike lasted are yet to be paid.
“While we were on strike, the Federal Government said N20.6 billion had been appropriated for the new salary. Why has this not been paid? One month after the agreement was signed, the Implementation Monitoring Committee has not been set up and the National Universities Commission ought to have written officially to the Vice Chancellors about the agreement reached," said Awuzie.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, said before he went on leave, he directed the Permanent Secretary, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, to ensure the immediate appointment of the Implementation Monitoring Committee, but, he was told, that ASUU asked for some time to consult with its constituency to determine its nominees.
The nomination forms, he said, were being sent out. The minister however declined comment on the salaries, saying it was a matter between the lecturers and their employees.

Man dies in hotel room after sex

AMUKPE community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State was thrown into confusion, weekend, follo-wing the death of a middle-aged man in a hotel room in the area.
The deceased (names withheld) was found dead after allegedly committing adultery with his neighbour’s wife, a mother of five children.
According to a reliable source, the man and woman checked into the hotel in Amukpe at about 10.30am on the faithful day, having  traveled from Oghara, Ethiope West Local Govern-ment Area of the state to the hotel.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the woman raised an alarm seeing that the man was dead some hours after they had had sex.
The hoteliers and sympathisers, who were attracted, made frantic effort to resuscitate the man and rush him to the hospital where he was confirmed dead by doctors.
“The woman is a fashion designer, while her husband is a staff of Ethiope West Local Government Council.
“The husband of the woman has been appealing to the dead man to stop committing adultery with his wife, but he would not listen until he died,” our source added.
When Vanguard visited Sapele police station yesterday, the fashion designer was making useful statements to the police while the body of the late lover had been deposited at Sapele Central Hospital morgue.

Yar’Adua flies to S-Arabia for medical check-up

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua yesterday flew to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for medical check-up.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, “President Umaru Yar’Adua will leave Abuja today for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
While there, the President will call on his personal physicians in Jeddah for follow-up medical checks”, the statement said.

 
President Umaru Yar'Adua boarding the jet with his wife en route to Brazil. Photo: NAN

 The medical trip is coming just three  months after the President went on the same mission to Saudi Arabia. He was also there about a year before then.
Meanwhile, before leaving for the Arabian Kingdom, the President forwarded copies of the 2010 National Appropriation Bill to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as against his earlier plan to physically read the budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.
The President, the statement added, however wished the Muslim Ummah and all Nigerians happy Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

FG begins payment of N65,000 monthly allowance to ex-militants

THE Federal Government has commenced payment of arrears of allowances owed former militants in various camps in the Niger Delta.

A cross section of Niger Delta Militants who embraced amnesty and surrendered their weapons in Arogbo town

Each repentant militant is entitled to an allowance of N65,000 per month for the period of rehabilitation.



There are two rehabilitation camps in Rivers and Delta States.
Former militants camped at Aluu, near the University of Port Harcourt, staged a protest on November 16 over non-payment of the arrears of their allowances and alleged neglect by government.

The Media Coordinator of the Amnesty Implementation Committee, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, said yesterday on phone that the payment commenced earlier in the day.

“As I speak to you, the Federal Government has commenced payment of the arrears owed former militants at various camps in the Niger Delta region.

“Normalcy has also been restored at the Aluu camp, near Port Harcourt,’’ she added.
Koripamo-Agary said government was resolutely committed to the implementation of the post-amnesty programme and would ensure that the former militants were properly rehabilitated.

She declared: “The delay in commencing the rehabilitation programme was caused by the leaders of the former militants.

“At a meeting we held with their leaders, they asked for time to enable them to study the programme. They have not responded and we are still waiting for them,’’ she said.

The Coordinator urged the former militants to exercise restraint and patience, stressing that violence would not achieve anything.

“The former militants should adopt peaceful means of conveying their grievances to government. We appeal to them to remain calm, because the programme is on course,’’ she added.

Ex-militants clash

Meanwhile, some ex-militants yesterday clashed at their Aluu rehabilitation camp yesterday. But for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground, the development would have recorded casualties, some of the ex-militants told Vanguard.

According to the ex-militants, there are about five different groups being quartered at the rehabilitation centre.

They are boys loyal to Prince Amachree aka General Adekunle; boys of General J.J.; Osama Bin-Laden; Soboma George and others.

They said the clash erupted after one of the ex-militant leaders led about 20 boys loyal to him to attack another ex-militant leader at a drinking spot in front of the rehabilitation centre.

According to them, the situation almost degenerated to an orgy of violence but for the timely intervention of soldiers on ground who stepped in to calm frayed nerves.

They said the rehabilitation centre has already been divided along lines. They therefore urged the soldiers on ground to beef up security to avert a repeat of the clash.

Meanwhile, at press time, the ex-militants at the camp were still expecting their allowances.

They said they were assured that they would be paid that yesterday, but as at 5pm when Vanguard called, they said the Major who does the payment was yet to come to the rehabilitation centre.

Internet Scammer Dupes Victims of U.S. $96,000

Some female foreigners who were promised marriage by a 23 year old Nigerian posing as Jerry Finger, a British expatriate have been allegedly defrauded of over $96,000 via internet scam.
Okoro Osagie Victor who dropped out from the department of Chemical Engineering at the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo state in 2004 had his 'yahoo-yahoo' business exposed after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested him.

Investigations revealed that Victor started his illicit business after he dropped out of the university in 2007. Before then he had worked as a bartender in two hotels in Benin City, Royal Marble Hotel and Ede Confectionaries.
EFCC said yesterday Victor donated a large share of the money he collected from his victims to his church, Christ Embassy as tithes and offerings.
When the church inquired about the source of the money, he explained he earned the money legitimately through his job.
The suspect allegedly sent a photograph of a white male to his victims mostly female Germans and Americans posing as Jerry Finger, a successful expatriate who was in Nigeria to execute a project.


He then lured them with promises of marriage and demanded for money to execute his project which he said he would refund upon completion.
Also to camouflage his criminal activities, Victor held regular jobs as an Independent Field Advisor and Multilevel Marketer for an Insurance company in Benin.
According to EFCC the suspect denied defrauding his victims, adding "they are all my friends. I didn't defraud any one. I only asked for assistance and they were willing to help."
He was petitioned to the EFCC by a regional compliance officer with Money gram International and was later arrested on October 23 in Benin.
EFCC said the suspect has been admitted to administrative bail and would soon be charged to court.

Jay-Z, Will Smith Put Money On 'Fela!'

Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have officially signed on as co-producers of "Fela!," a new musical about Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti opening Nov. 23 on Broadway. The news confirms weeks of speculation that the three would back the show.

Although a rep for "Fela!" did not say how large of an investment the celebrities are making, their endorsement alone gives "Fela!'s" profile a significant boost just a week before its premiere. "There's going to be an enormous incentive for people to investigate Fela when they know that Jay-Z and Will Smith are all rabid fans," Rikki Stein, Kuti's former co-manager and the executor of his estate, recently told Billboard. "It's a sign that the underground is moving overground."

"Fela!" will help find a larger audience for Kuti, who pioneered Afrobeat from the sounds of James BrownPaul McCartney to the Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil before dying in 1997. Stein plans to capitalize on this exposure to cement his legacy as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. and West African high-life music, became a political icon in his native Nigeria and earned the admiration of everyone from

"I have an abiding regret that Fela never achieved the recognition he deserved during his lifetime," Stein says. "We have a long row to hoe in terms of general knowledge and acceptance."

In addition to greenlighting "Fela!," Kuti's estate has licensed his catalog to the newly revived Knitting Factory Records. The well-timed deal will result in the reissue of Kuti's complete catalog -- 45 albums -- during the next 12 years.

"The industry always talks about who the next big legacy artist will be," says Ian Wheeler, label manager of Knitting Factory Records. "It should have been Fela years ago. We're really trying to bring a new audience around the world, and particularly in the U.S., to his music."

Up first is the Oct. 27 release "The Best of the Black President," a compilation of Kuti's best-known material. The set is being sold at previews of "Fela!" and at Felabrations, a series of Afrobeat DJ parties organized by Knitting Factory Records and its marketing partner, Giant Step.

"We're a conduit for raising awareness of Afrobeat," says DJ Rich Medina, who founded the Kuti tribute party Jump N' Funk in 2001 and headlined four of 18 Felabrations nationwide. "It's a way of helping the cause."

"The first thing we're doing is galvanizing the core base of Fela fans," Giant Step founder/CEO Maurice Bernstein says, "then using the messaging to make him relevant in a universal way. You can live in Detroit and understand what [the famous Kuti saying] 'Music is the weapon' means, just like you would Bob Marley'sMarvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?' " 'One Love' or

The first batch of reissues, to be distributed by Sony RED, arrive Feb. 2, 2010: "The '69 Los Angeles Sessions," "Live With Ginger Baker," "London Scene"/"Shakara," "Rodoforofo Fight," "Open & Close"/"Afrodisiac" and "Gentleman"/"Confusion." It's not only the first time Kuti's early London recordings with Koola Loobitos will be reissued but also the debut of his catalog on vinyl, which Knitting Factory hopes will attract a new generation of music collectors who listen to African-influenced bands like Vampire Weekend.

"Every day there are traces of new people discovering Fela's music," Wheeler says. "But there has never been a swell of activity around him like this."

Though MCA reissued Kuti's catalog in 2001, Bernstein, who also helped market that series, says its potential wasn't fully realized. "MCA was a major label, and no matter how much they said they loved Fela and how important he was, he was definitely lost in the shuffle," he says.

Stein is all too familiar with labels' conflicted admiration for Kuti. In the mid-'80s, he says he met with every major about the prospect of a deal. "They all received me respectfully and saw Fela as akin to Miles Davis or any of the jazz greats," Stein recalls. "But they'd ask: 'Rikki, which three minutes of this 18-minute song do you want me to put on the radio?' "

"I'd ask Fela to write me a small tune," Stein adds. "He used to say, 'I'm writing African classical music. Don't mess with Tchaikovsky.' "

A deal nearly came to fruition in 1993, when then-Motown Records president Jheryl Busby offered Kuti a five-album deal under his new Africa-oriented label, with a $1.3 million advance for each album and another $1 million for full ownership of Kuti's catalog, Stein says. But after talking to his spirit advisers, Kuti refused to sign until April 1995. Busby left Motown the week of the scheduled signing, and Andre Harrell's first action as Motown's new president was to axe the African label. "[Andre] came from Uptown Music; we needed downtown music," Stein jokes.

In Knitting Factory Records and the producers of "Fela!," Stein has found partners who are more faithful to the cause of growing Kuti's legacy. "Fela!" re-creates the Shrine -- the Lagos, Nigeria, nightclub where Kuti played multiple nights each week with his band, Africa 70 -- in startlingly accurate detail. A collective of singers, dancers and musicians perform Kuti songs including "Shakara," "Zombie" and "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" behind lead actor Sahr Ngaujah, who has already won an Obie Award for his spot-on portrayal of Kuti in the show's Off-Broadway run last year. The effect is less stuffy theater and more raucous concert -- just as its creators intended.

"The Broadway experience can be like sitting with blinders on," "Fela!" director/ choreographer Bill T. Jones says. "This is a show you enjoy as much with your body as with your mind. It's free and communal."

"There was a constant struggle between keeping Fela's music pure and deconstructing it for the audience," says the show's musical director Aaron Johnson, who translated Kuti's Yoruba and pidgin lyrics and is also the conductor/trombonist of the acclaimed Afrobeat band Antibalas. "I've been very pleasantly surprised with the response so far."

Nor have the most controversial aspects of Kuti's life been smoothed over, from his simultaneous "wedding" to 27 women to his clashes with the Nigerian government that led to a brutal 1977 attack on his Kalakuta compound. "It's all out there," Stein says. "Fela has not been sanitized."

And there's even further proof that a Kuti revival of sorts is under way: A screenplay for a biopic is in the works, to be directed by the U.K. filmmaker Steve McQueen ("Hunger").

"I believe that with the show, the film and the reissues, a lot is going to change," Stein says. "We'll see a much wider audience for Fela. There were a million people at his funeral shouting, 'Fela will live forever.' Of course, they were right."

Corruption: Nigeria’s rating plunges, ranked 130th

Transparency International yesterday ranked Nigeria 130th out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2009 corruption perception index. This shows that Nigeria’s rating has dropped from the 121 position it occupied in the index last year.
Transparency International Perception Index which was released yesterday in Paris, France ranked Nigeria in the corruption perception index with nations like Uganda, Nicaragua, Mozambique, Mauritania, Libya, Maldives, Lebanon and Honduras.
According to the ranking, Nigeria’s Corruption Perception Index which had a record of 2.7 in 2008 dropped to 2.5 this year. The confidence range which was put at 2.3-3 in 2008 dropped to 2.2-2.7 this year.
This implies that corruption is waxing stronger despite the involvement of several agencies of the Federal Government in the war against corruption.



The Transparency International report said; “The vast majority of the 180 countries included in the 2009 index scored below five on a scale from 0, perceived to be highly corrupt, to 10 perceived to have low levels of corruption. The CPI measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in a given country and is a composite index, drawing on 13 different expert and business surveys. The 2009 edition scores 180 countries, the same number as the 2008 CPI”.
Continuing the report said “Fragile, unstable states that are scarred by war and ongoing conflict linger at the bottom of the index. These are: Somalia, with a score of 1.1, Afghanistan at 1.3, Myanmar at 1.4 and Sudan tied with Iraq at 1.5. These results demonstrate that countries which are perceived as the most corrupt are also those plagued by long-standing conflicts, which have torn apart their governance infrastructure.
“When essential institutions are weak or non-existent, corruption spirals out of control and the plundering of public resources feeds insecurity and impunity. Corruption also makes normal a seeping loss of trust in the very institutions and nascent governments charged with ensuring survival and stability.
“Countries at the bottom of the index cannot be shut out from development efforts. Instead, what the index points to is the need to strengthen their institutions. Investors and donors should be equally vigilant of their operations and as accountable for their own actions as they are in demanding transparency and accountability from beneficiary countries.
“Stemming corruption requires strong oversight by parliaments, a well performing judiciary, independent and properly resourced audit and anti-corruption agencies, vigorous law enforcement, transparency in public budgets, revenue and aid flows, as well as space for independent media and a vibrant civil society.
“The international community must find efficient ways to help war-torn countries to develop and sustain their own institutions, ” the report added.
According to the report, “Highest scorers in the 2009 CPI are New Zealand at 9.4, Denmark at 9.3, Singapore and Sweden tied at 9.2 and Switzerland at 9.0. These scores reflect political stability, long-established conflict of interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions. Overall results in the 2009 index are of great concern because corruption continues to lurk where opacity rules, where institutions still need strengthening and where governments have not implemented anti-corruption legal frameworks.”

Edo Chief Judge dies in hotel room

Chief Judge of Edo State Justice Michael Edokpayi was found dead in his room at the Nicon Luxury hotel in Abuja yesterday. Daily Trust learnt from police sources that staff of the hotel discovered him at about 1 o’clock in the early hours of Tuesday.

Justice Edokpayi, who was 61 years old, was in Abuja to attend a conference of judges. He was said to have confided in his aides upon his arrival that he felt ill. Divisional Police Office for the Central Business District was alerted by the hotel staff as soon as they discovered the Chief Judge.

Acting Police Commissioner of the Federal Capital Territory Steven Ekpe confirmed his death and said police have launched an investigation into the case. Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja Dr. Segun Ajuwon confirmed Edokpayi’s death, but said he did not die at the hospital. ``He did not die in this hospital, but he was brought in dead. His body is in our mortuary,’’ he said. A source said police would not release the Chief Judge’s remains to his family until after the cause of death is established.

When our reporter visited the late Chief Judge’s residence at Vincent  Agememome  Road  in  Government  Reservation  Area (GRA),  Benin  City  yesterday, many sympathizers  were  seen  trying  to  console  the  family.

Justice  Edokpayi  was  last  seen  in  at  St  Peter’s  Catholic  Church  in Benin last Sunday, where  he  attended  the  one  year  anniversary  in office of Governor  Adams Oshiomhole. From  the  church,  he  was  said  to  have  travelled  to  Abuja  to  attend  the  Judges’  conference.

The late Chief Judge’s wife Mrs.  Roseline  Edokpayi  told  sympathizers  at  her  residence  that  she  saw  her  husband  on  television  on  Monday  night, in a film clip on  the  judges’  conference.  “it  is  sad  to  hear  later  that  he  is  dead,”  she  said.

Among  the  early  sympathisers  at the residence was  the  Chief  Registrar  of  Edo  State  High  Court  Mrs.  Veronica  Eboriame,  who  led  other  staff  of  the  state  judiciary.

According  to  the  chairman  of  the Nigeria  Bar  Association  chapter in Edo State Barrister  Bamidele  Abina,  the  late  Chief  Judge  was  a  very  hardworking  person  who  took  his  job  very  seriously. He said, “We have missed a father, a brother and one of the most hardworking chief judges in the history of the state.  He was like a big brother to me.”

Justice  Edokpayi’s  junior  brother,  Anthony  Edokpayi,  said  the  Judge’s  death    is  a  big  blow  to  the  family. The junior Edokpayi, who is the Permanent Secretary, Edo Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey, said the family never had any premonition that his brother would die so soon. “He attended the thanksgiving of the governor where he danced very well with his wife. The death is a big blow,” said Anthony.

The late Justice Edokpayi, a native of Igieduma village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area, the judge   was born on June 21, 1949 in Eguaeholor-Isi village also in Uhunmwode Local Government Area.

He was married to Mrs. Felicia Edokpayi and had children.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1980, appointed judge of the Customary Court of Appeal in 1991 and transferred to the State High Court of Justice in 1993. He became Edo State acting Chief Judge in 2004 and was confirmed in 2005.

Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole    described the   death as very tragic.  He  however  said  God  gives  and  God  takes  lives,  praying  that  God  will  give  the  family  the  fortitude  to  bear  the  loss.

Opposition mounts against anti-students' union bill

PROTESTS yesterday trailed a bill designed to regulate the activities of students' unions in Nigeria's tertiary institutions. The bill is undergoing public hearing in the House of Representatives.
When passed into law, the bill, jointly sponsored by 27 lawmakers, will empower Governing Councils to regulate the activities of students' unions in their schools.
When the public hearing on the bill and six others initiated by the Education Committee of the Lower House started yesterday in Abuja, students and academic personnel kicked against the proposed law. They described it as antithetical to the democratic ethos.
At the forefront of the protest against the law are the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and former students' union leaders.
The House of Representatives has in the last few days also been considering another bill to muscle the Press.
Sponsored by Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a former journalist with the Nigerian Television Authority, the bill, if passed into law, would shackle the Press in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors, veteran journalists, publishers and mass communication teachers were in the House on Monday to take a stand against passage of the bill.
Also yesterday, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua decried the spate of industrial crises in Nigeria's universities and appealed to all stakeholders to embrace dialogue to resolve contentious issues and disputes.
In a keynote address at the 2009 convocation and 61st foundation day of the University of Ibadan (UI), the President said Nigerians should not be put through the psychological effect of strikes anymore.
Tagged: "Students' Union Activities (Control and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill 2008," the sponsors seek to empower the Governing Councils of the schools to sanction students and bodies.
The bill is said to contain clauses that infringe on the fundamental human rights of students.
But ASUU through its immediate past president, Dr. Oladipo Fasina, described the law as out of tune with the current democratic dispensation. He said ASUU had studied the document and concluded that it deserved a re-visit, adding that some of the clauses had the tendency to infringe on the students' constitutional rights, especially when viewed against the provisions of the Acts setting up the schools.
Fasina said: "A lot of provisions in the law may land universities and other institutions in perpetual court cases as had been seen in the past," noting that it was not part of the functions of the councils to regulate the activities of students, including the disciplining of students. He stressed that it was such arbitrary usurpation of powers in the past that led to situations where students, who were either rusticated or expelled from universities, were reinstated by the courts.
The President of the Senate of NANS, Mr. Olalekan Smart, said passing the bill into law would mean government infiltrating the student unions' rank. He said the bill that makes the participation of students in union activities voluntary was not in the interest of the students, insisting that on registration upon arrival on campus, the students become automatic members of the unions.
Dr. Chima Amadi, the executive director of the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), also faulted the bill. He warned that if passed into law, government would effectively take over the control of student unionism on the campuses.
Amadi, who confessed spending 10 years at the University of Ibadan for a four-year degree programme, said he suffered various deprivations and humiliations from the institution's authorities because of his activism, including his struggle for the re-validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections.
Mr. Alexander Machika Attah, a former president of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, decried the dangerous trend of deterioration of student union activism.
The former students' leader advocated that prospective candidates seeking elective offices into NANS be thoroughly screened to ensure that they were registered students. In addition, the Police and State Security Service (SSS) must be involved in screening such candidates.
The sponsors of the bill are Iorwase Hembe, Chuma Nzeribe, Dino Melaye, Halims Agoda, Ndudi Elumelu, Terngu Tsegba and Eziuche Ubani.
It allows a Governing Council "whenever it is of the opinion that public interest or public safety so demands, suspend for any specified period of time, remove, withdraw or expel any student (whether undergraduate, postgraduate or otherwise) from any university or institution of higher learning or similar institution.
"The powers conferred on the Governing Council, the highest decision-making body or any authority or a person in charge of every institution of higher learning in Sub-section 1 may be exercised by that body, provided that any student affected by Sub-section 1 may within 28 days on receiving notification to that effect make representation to the Visitor to the institution, whose decision on the matter shall be final and conclusive."
On industrial harmony in the universities, President Yar'Adua appealed to workers, particularly the three industrial unions, to embrace constructive dialogue instead of resorting to strike.
Represented by Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State at the UI event, Yar'Adua lamented the quality of the nation's tertiary education, saying it was regrettable that no Nigerian university was rated among the first 20 in Africa.
The President stressed the need for them to take cognisance of global best practices.
"The UI has what it takes to meet this global challenges. The institution's management should come up with initiatives to complement government's efforts in this regard."
He used the occasion to restate his administration's commitment to reposition the sector through the provision of infrastructure and teaching aids and appealed to the private sector to join in this crusade.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, also spoke on the negative effects of the prolonged industrial action by university workers on the students and the system and prayed that such would be the last to be witnessed in the sector.
Bamiro said the present system of collective bargaining between the Federal Government and the various university Labour unions must give way to collective reasoning that would centre on issues, such as autonomy, funding, governance structure as well as quality assurance.

LASU crisis deepens: …VC, Deputy’s offices sealed off with charms

The crisis at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has continued to stall academic activities in the institution, weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended its four-month-old strike. Administrative offices and lecture halls have been under lock as the university workers stuck to their guns, never to resume work unless the Vice- Chancellor, Prof Lateef Akanni Hussain, is removed from office.

Our reporter who visited the institution was greeted by the grave silence at the Administrative Unit, where fetish objects, suspected to be charms, were planted at the entrance doors to the offices of the Vice- Chancellor and his deputy. A small earthly ware was kept at the entrance of the VC’s office, while the door to the office of his deputy was sealed off with palm leaves, which traditionally signaled danger.

Academic and non-academic staff were seen in groups discussing the latest reports from their union leaders. Rumours flew in different direction at Abe-igi, the students relaxation centre, where various speakers held their listeners captive with fresh diet of lies.

Speaking to Daily Sun, one of the workers who wouldn’t want his name in print, warned that the earthly ware with its diabolical contents was a bad omen. He recounted a similar incident in the past when the management had to engage clerics to dispose fetish objects deposited in the institution. Reacting to our reporter’s questions on the fetish objects, he retorted that ‘only a fool dares a lion’.

The fear of these charms lurks in the hearts of other workers who have kept their distance from the Admin block. Most of them sat under tree shades, chatting and yearning for any bit of information that would trickle in. It was gathered that the workers have adopted serious austere measure since their salaries have not been paid for the past four months.

The protracted crisis in the university has kept over 70,000 students of the university on an indefinite holiday. The institution has been torn apart by internal feud over the second term bid of Professor Lateef Hussain as the Vice- Chancellor. Some aggrieved members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technicians (NAAT), have vociferously condemned the leadership style of the VC and called for his removal. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), LASU wing, led by the President, Mr. Gbemileke Bakare, has equally expressed its grievances, listing a legion of allegations against him.

In a paper circulated during the public hearing of the LASU crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly, the workers described their boss as an emperor with an ‘iron fist’. “Lagos State University has become a prison under Prof Lateef Hussain since he assumed office on October 10, 2005. The Vice Chancellor arbitrarily witch-hunts and sacks staff for flimsy excuses. He denies the academic and non-academic staff their deserved promotion at will. LASU has become an ‘Old Peoples Home’ where retired, tired and expired friends of Prof Hussain take sanctuary”, the group claimed.

The workers also alleged that the Vice Chancellor has a penchant for abusing process for contract- award, which led to inflation of contract sum and misappropriation of fund.

“Professor Hussain by-passes the University Tender’s Board, uses his own illegal Vice-Chancellor’s committee and get executive approval of the Chairman, Governing Council without recourse to the University Finance and General Purpose Committee. This way, Prof Hussain has been able to inflate contract values and commit other atrocities”, the group said.

Even the LASU students also have their own compilation of Hussain’s transgressions. When the embattled VC stepped into the gallery of the Lagos State House of Assembly on the day of the public hearing, he was greeted by shouts of mockery and reproach from students.

Speaking at the hearing, Prof Hussain maintained that his reform measures in the institution didn’t go down well with some people who were apparently benefiting from the rot.

Though battalions of opposing forces line against the Vice-Chancellor, he has continued to enjoy the goodwill of some workers who applaud his reform programmes that have laundered the sully image of the school. One of the workers, who spoke with Daily Sun, but wouldn’t want his name published, noted that the Vice-Chancellor waged a successful war against cultism, examination malpractice and other nefarious acts that dragged LASU’s name in the mud.

“With Hussain, it is no longer business as usual, especially at the satellite campuses. Many of them are angry”, he said.

One of the female students of the school who gave her name as Folake, praised the VC for his courage in tackling the perennial problems of the school.

According to her, “The man is not as bad as they paint him. They don’t want him to continue. But for me, he has done well as the Vice Chancellor”.

Like a lone voice in a crowd of opposition, the likes of Folake hold their tongues in their cheek as other workers have continued to prophesy an imminent fall of Hussain’s empire. Some of the workers who spoke with our reporter rejoiced that the recent vacancies declared for the positions of the registrar, bursar and the university librarian have raised their hope of victory. They reasoned that changing the leadership of the key positions, which were earlier held by staff loyal to Prof Hussain, would inevitably usher in a wind of change in leadership.

The Governing Council of the university has not rested in its effort to bring a peaceful end to the conflict. Recently, it held up an olive branch to all student activists, especially those whose names are in the black book for leading the protest against the VC.

To calm the troubled sea, the council, chaired by the University Chancellor, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, met to address the students’ grievances.

“In the spirit of amicable resolution of all conflicts, council agreed to a general amnesty to all students, who have been involved in the past and present crises in the university. Council assures students that on no account will any student be victimized on the account of the role played in the current crisis on the various campuses of the university”.

The council also called for the release of students’ union dues for 2005/2006 academic session and balances of dues of subsequent sessions warehoused by the university management.

The Governing Council acceded to the union’s demand for the payment of fees by full-time students in two instalments of N15,000 and N10,000 during the first and second semesters respectively.

The landmark in their resolution was the setting up of the Students Advisory Committee to replace the Students Welfare Committee. In order to strengthen the committee, the council directed that the body should be headed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university.

Speaking on the charm deposited at the Admin block, Pastor Anayo Odimkpa of Trumpet Sound Deliverance Ministry, decried the use of diabolical means to achieve selfish ends. He warned that the sanctity of the academic institution has been desecrated and called on the management to conduct purification prayers before resuming academic activities.

“It is quite unfortunate that people’s inordinate ambitions drive them to the height of insanity. In this modern age, people in the university who are supposed to be excellent models are resorting to fetish charms to change leadership. May God save us from evil”, he said.

On his part, the Supervisor, Post Primary School Management Board, Obollo-Afor, Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Paulinus Ike Ogara, said that it was laughable for educated people to condescend to the level of using voodoo powers in an age marked by stupendous breakthrough in technology.

“When university staff relapse into fetishism as a means of settling scores, then wisdom has fled to brutish beasts. What do these people want to teach the students? The learning environment has been polluted. Knowledge is a gift of the Holy Spirit. How would it come in such an ungodly environment? The perpetrators of these evils should repent and join hands to save the institution from further troubles”, he added.

As the tussle for power rages on, thousands of LASU students are left to lick their wounds at home. Worst affected are the final year students who are trapped in the cross fire of this unending crisis.

Nigeria risks hurricane if global warming continues

Yemi Ogunsanya remembers with nostalgia, about 20 years ago, how his father used to park his car on the road at the popular Bar Beach, in Victoria Island, Lagos. Afterwards, they would walk on the sandy beach under coconut trees for several metres before getting to the ocean front. But today, he needs not walk that distance; the ocean is now just by the road, close enough for passers-by to see.

A professor of Climatology at the Osun State University, Osogbo, Temi Ologunorisa, describes the phenomenon of the ocean encroaching on the Bar Beach as one of the effects of climate change in Nigeria.

Climate Change, according to a United Nations body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), is defined as change in the weather over a period of time due to natural causes or human activities. “Because of global warming, much of the beach is taken over,” says Mr. Ologunorisa.

Pointing at the pegs put in place by the Lagos State government to stop the advancing ocean, he adds; “Without these setbacks, this whole place would have been taken over by now.”

Mr. Ologunorisa, who is the director of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research at the university, explains; “As the global temperature rises, the ice caps in the polar region melt, and they go down into the ocean. This causes the volume of the Atlantic to increase.”

Hurricane remains a possibility

Stressing the importance of oceans in world climate, he says if temperatures continue to rise, there is a possibility of natural disasters like hurricanes developing even in areas which are naturally not prone to it, for example Nigeria. (Hurricanes are large tropical storms with heavy winds). “If global warming continues like this, we may not rule out the possibility of a hurricane in Nigeria in the next 30 years.”

Explaining the conditions of a hurricane, he says the condition for a hurricane to form is temperature of as high as 27 degrees centigrade.

“At the moment we record a temperature of 26 to 26.5 degrees; as you see we are approaching 27 degrees which is the condition to generate a hurricane, if global warming does not stop.”

However, another expert, Jide Ayinla, the executive director of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, thinks it might be too early to start thinking about hurricane. “We are in a very delicate situation now, so what we are doing is to reduce the level of erosion of the Bar Beach and we are still monitoring the early warning signs,” Mr. Ayinla says, adding, “But we have not found anything that a hurricane might occur soon.” Still stressing the importance of oceans, Mr. Ologunorisa says most of the big cities are located in the coastal areas and this may affect the economy. “For instance, if the sea level increases in Lagos, this will affect industries, economy, commerce of the country. And the sea level has been predicted to rise by 0.5 metres in the next 50 years,” he said.

“I know the Nigeria Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research has done some studies on the Bar Beach, but this is not enough. We have many coastal areas in Nigeria – Lagos, Port Harcourt – so the government needs to fund research into this because if we don’t, it will affect us.

“Other impacts of climate change is already being felt in the country; a few are rise in incidences of diseases such as malaria, meningitis in the North, deforestation, desert encroachment and flooding.”