April 9, 2016

Vol. 6 No. 15

Saturday, April 9, 2016

LIVING

National Mirror Online

People

Love conquers all for deaf and dumb couple P.15

Boko Haram:

King in Ghana, mechanic in Germany P.32

N150

@NationalMirror

Saturday Starter Are more P.3 women killing their husbands?

P.3

No amnesty for insurgents —Military P. 6

L-R: Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson; Mrs. Margaret Alamiyeseigha; former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, during the Service of Songs and Night of Tributes in honour of the first civilian Governor of the State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Panama Papers

Nigerian government’s silence worrisome, repugnant — CACOL

P.2 Yem 0 i

P. 7

I’ll not resign — Saraki

P. 7

Sealxk How much sex do you need to be happy? P. 34 T

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Top Stories

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lagos police beat lawyer to stupor Patience Ogbo

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Lagos based lawyer is receiving treatment in a hospital following a severe beating he allegedly received from policemen attached to the Onipanu Division Lagos State Police Command. The lawyer, 42-year-old Sunday Elimihe, is also claiming that he has gone partially blind following the beating he recieved.

Elimihe while narrating the incident from his hospital bed at Shomolu General Hospital, further alleged that the policemen stole his N150,000 in his vehicle’s pidgin hole after they assaulted him.

He said, “On my way coming from Lekki where I went to check a property with my client, I decided to use the Onipanu police station road, by Apata.

“Immediately I drove into the street close to the station, one Corporal Alonge stopped me, demanded for my vehicle particulars. I gave them to him, then he demanded for my driver’s license, which I also gave him.

“When he discovered I did not commit any offence, he asked for my tinted glass permit which I gave him.

“He told me I was using a forged tinted glass permit. I told him I could not have forged a police document as a lawyer. He became furious and said he was going to arrest me.

“He jumped into my vehicle and insisted I must give him N1, 000 to bail myself. I said I was not going to give him any money since I have not committed any offence.”

“He pounced on me and cocked his gun threatening to shoot me if I make a move. Another policewoman who sighted us came and dragged the gun from him.

“The policeman after being disarmed descended on me and gave me the beating of my life.

He pushed me into the cell and another policeman came inside the cell, locked up the cell and beat me for 30minutes.

“I see this as intimidation of the highest order, not because I am a lawyer, but because I am an average Nigerian. I was humiliated like a common criminal.

“This is oppression. One of

my eyes is partially blind. I have been vomiting blood since yesterday. It was the intervention of a good policeman in the station who warned them not to kill me. I would have been dead by now.”

The victim called on President Muhamadu Buhari and the state Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to come to the aid of

innocent Nigerians are daily being brutalised by policemen for no just cause.

A police source informed our correspondent that the state Commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni, have ordered the arrest and detention of the officers involved for questioning at the command headquarters.

Ojo Oyewamide

The matter was reported at the state police command and a party was organized to search for the victim.

But the decomposing body of the security guard was discovered a couple of days after inside a pool of water which is a few kilometers to the farm The State Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, declined comment on the latest attack on the farm of the former Finance Minister and killing of his guard.

Joseph said all questions regarding the attack should be directed to the State Police Commissioner.

The Personal Assistant to

Elimihe

Fulani herdsmen kill Falae’s security guard

AKURE

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uspected Fulani herdsmen have killed one of the security men guarding the farm of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Chief Olu Falae.

The deceased whose identity could not be ascertained last night was said to be a member of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC. It was learnt the herdsmen had last weekend invaded Falae’s farm at Ilado in Akure North Area of Ondo state and kidnapped the security guard.

chief Falae, Moshood Adekunle Raji, said he could not comment on the matter because the police were still investigating it.

The mobile telephone of Chief Falae was switched off permanently yesterday while his ObaIle residence was deserted last night.

Five fulani herdsmen are currently standing trial at the state high court over the kidnap of chief Falae in October last year.

The suspects had invaded Chief Falae’s farm and abducted him.

The state government had to pay a ransom of N5m to the kidnappers before the politician was released.

Falae

UNILAG Closure: Some students vow to stay on

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r. Karo Ogbinaka, the Deputy Dean (I), Students’ Affairs, University of Lagos, has described the action of the students that led to the closure of the institution as unfortunate.

Ogbinaka disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

According to him, the agitation carried out by the students over poor electricity and water supply is simply shopping for reasons.

NAN reports that the university was shut on Thursday, April 7, by the university management after an emergency Senate meeting to forestall law and order on campus.

Ogbinaka said ``I want to say that the action of the students is quite unfortunate and uncalled for, going by what everybody is experiencing today in the country. ``I think the students were merely shopping for reasons and I think their action remained a big disappointment to the university

management. ``RecallthattheVice-Chancellor had in his magnanimity ceremony reinstated the students’ union during the institution’s 2015 convocation ceremony 10 years after it was banned. ``The same union is now creating instability on campus. In the light of the current situation in the country, the university still does its best to give students electricity every morning during lessons but they all want 24 hour power supply. ``There is no way we can give them that because it is being rationed.’’

Meanwhile a statement issued

by Mr Toyin Adebule, the Deputy Registrar, Information, issued on Friday in Lagos stated that the institution would remain shut till further notice.

The statement noted that it considered the difficulty faced by the large number of students living off campus to attend classes

as a result of the fuel crisis.

It quoted Adebule as saying the senate noted that the problem of poor municipal services was a national issue that governments at both state and federal levels were addressing.

He noted that ``however, in order to forestall further breakdown of law and order on campus, senate resolved to take the following decisions until the situation normalises.’’

He said all students were to vacate the various halls of residence with immediately effect. ``No student should remain in the halls of residence after 10 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016. ``A decision to re-open for normal academic activities will be taken as soon as municipal services improved ``All members of the university community are enjoined to go about their normal activities as adequate security measures have

been put in place.’’

Meanwhile, students were seen leaving the campus from their respective halls of residences in large numbers to beat the deadline.

However, even with the heavy security presence on campus to ensure that the students complied with the directive, some others had vowed not to leave.

The students said that their rights were being trampled upon by management.

When asked why they were hesitating to leave as directed, some of the students who vowed to fight on had practically chased the security men away from the campus and had taken over the two entrance of the institution’s gate.

Attempts to get across to the students’ union president failed as his phone was switched off.

(NAN)

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APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Starter

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Are more women killing their husbands?

According to experts, it seems domestic violence against men has become a very common problem. As women break free from the stranglehold of traditional thinking and morality, work, earn - and in many cases drink - as much as the menfolk, among other factors, the dominant force in many relationships is no longer male and some women are lashing out. Many men are ending up with humbling injuries, and in some cases, death.

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s far back as the 1953, Ada Esther Johnson, popularly known as Ada Ocha Ntu, murdered her British lover, one Mark Hall, after she found out he had used the 400 pounds, which she loaned him for business, to marry an English bride back in England.

According to history, Mark even used part of Ada’s money to buy his new bride a car, which she

would use to start a transport business in the UK. He returned to Nigeria and told Ada what he had done with her money. A very furious Ada used a pair of scissor to stab Mark. Mark eventually died from injuries sustained from the attack.

Ada was tried and convicted in 1956. She was placed on death row at Broad Street Prison

in Lagos. She was, however, pardoned in 1963 by then Head of State, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, who changed her death sentence to life imprisonment.

Only time will tell what Yewande Fatoki-Oyediran’s fate will be. She is accused of murdering her husband, Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku, a Nigerian businessman who was resident in Paris (France)

until 2014 when he returned to Nigeria to settle down with his wife, a lawyer working as a Principal State Counsel at the Ministry of Justice Oyo state Nigeria.

All was well, or at least manageable until February 2, 2016, when Lowo and his wife Yewande had an argument in their Akobo home in Ibadan, Oyo State over his proposed

business trip scheduled for later in the week. Lowo was to travel to Europe for business purposes and then stop over to visit his child (from another woman) who’s also living in Europe with the mother.

Sources say the business of the love child did not go down well with Yewande. A squabble ensued and continued into the night. Somewhere along the line, Yewande allegedly stabbed her husband on the shoulder, missing his heart by just few inches.

Their neighbor, who was also their landlord intervened in the matter and took Oyelowo to a nearby hospital for treatment as he bled profusely. After CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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4 6 ‘She crushed his testicles’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

treatment he was released to return home and instructed to rest as he had lost a lot of blood.

On arriving home, the landlord’s son offered Lowo his room to pass the night.

But he declined the offer, stating clearly that “all was fine.” He probably trusted his wife and believed she didn’t mean to harm him.

A few hours later, a shout was heard again. It was the cry of a man in agony.

This time, blood was gushing out of Lowo’s neck and mouth.

Yewande had stabbed him yet again.

Unfortunately, this time around, it was in the neck, a very delicate part of the body.

He was whisked to the hospital where he was certified dead on arrival.

Temitope Adebamiro, 35, a Nigerian, has also been charged with killing her husband, Adeyinka Adebamiro, 37, over infidelity claims. The culprit told New Castle County (USA) police that her husband cheated severally on her, including with her sister and their nanny’s daughter.

Following a distress call from the couple’s 1300 block of Healy Court home that fateful Thursday in April 2015, the police said they found Adeyinka in a pool of blood and a knife pierced deep into his neck. Adeyinka died some hours later.

Temitope told investigators her husband had been cheating on her with various women and had ordered her back to Nigeria multiple times to enable him time to frolic.

Temitope, with whom Adeyinka had two children, explained they had been married for more than 10 years, during which time she told investigators that he’d physically abused her, even while pregnant with their children.

She said her husband sent her to Nigeria for several months, and upon her return in December, she had to stay in a hotel near the Philadelphia airport for four days because her husband refused to let her into their home. He, later, paid for her to fly back to Nigeria for a few more months, and about this time, she learned that her husband had spent Christmas with the nanny’s daughter.

The husband later flew out to Nigeria and flew back with her to Philadelphia.

As he showed her the cameras inside their home over his cellphone, Temitope saw the nanny’s daughter inside the home.

At one point, Temitope saw several texts and images in her husband’s phone, which she took pictures of using her cellphone. Some of the pictures included images of her sister and the nanny’s daughter.

Temitope said an argument ensued between them after he discovered the photos she’d taken on her cellphone and he began erasing them.

As he yelled at her, Temitope told police there was a power outage at which time she went to the kitchen until power returned. Investigators checked with

News Feature Saturday Starter

Delmarva Power, which indicated no such power outage occurred at that time, police said.

Temitope then told police that when the power returned, she found her husband in the first-floor bedroom lying in the bed. As she got closer to him, she saw a knife on the ground which she picked up and took to the kitchen. As she put it away, she noticed blood on the tip and that’s when she realized that he was stabbed Temitope was charged with firstdegree murder and other charges, arraigned and committed to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution where she is being held without bail.

Another Nigerian woman, Uloma Walker-Curry, was arrested and charged with aggravated murder, after it was established that she conspired with a group of young men to kill her Cleveland, USA, firefighter husband so she could collect on a life insurance policy and cover up financial fraud she committed in her husband’s name.

The then 44-year-old woman was indicted on aggravated murder, conspiracy and felonious assault charges in the November 2013 slaying of Fire Lt. William Walker, 45, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Walker was shot to death in the driveway of his home after the trio of Chad Padgett, 21, Christopher Hein, 22, and Ryan Dorty, 23, laid ambush on him after being hired by his wife.

A court heard how Walker-Curry hired Padgett, who was dating her daughter at the time, and Padgett in turn recruited his cousin, Hein, who turned to Dorty, who allegedly pulled the trigger on Walker.

Homicide detectives initially followed leads provided by Walker-Curry that neighborhood drug dealers might have killed her husband to stop him from complaining about them. But a Crime Stoppers tip and cellphone technology, including text messages, led detectives to investigate Walker-Curry, and it was discovered that she had her husband killed so that she could lay claim to his insurance money.

A female police officer serving with

the Ugwashi Ukwu Police Division of the Delta State Police Command, identified as Helen, was also arrested along with three thugs, for allegedly beating her exhusband to death.

Helen, according to the police, was married to the deceased, whose name was given as Kelechi, for some years before they parted ways due to some disagreement. But it seemed she had

not gotten over the separation and had been nursing her revenge for years till she organized the boys to attack the man, a fellow police officer but serving in another state, when he went to the town to supervise his building project.

While entertaining old friends at a drinking joint in Umokwe, Ugwashi Uku, he saw one of his children and not knowing that death was lurking in the corner, he followed the boy to the house where his former wife lived with his children.

But on getting to the house, the bitter woman ordered him to leave or she would unleash terror on him. Not taking her serious, Kelechi refused to leave and she raised an alarm, screaming that the man was a kidnapper.

Following the alarm, some occupants of the house including some thugs descended on the man, beating him mercilessly. One of them brought out a hammer and hit the man on the head and he slumped and died.

Confirming the arrest of Helen, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, said the

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APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Starter

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5 ‘She stabbed him in the neck’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

woman and the other attackers has been arrested and investigation had been intensified to unravel the circumstances that led to Kelechi’s death.

A 17-year-old Benin Republic national, Kwenume Ojo, was held by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly poisoning her husband, Jimoh Ojo, because she preferred her boyfriend.

According to reports, the incident happened in the Makoko area of Lagos State, when Kwenume, who was forced into marrying the 32-year-old Ojo, put the poison in a soft drink and forced it down his throat while he slept on the bed.

She reportedly got the poison from a relative of her boyfriend after she was forced to marry Jimoh, who was said to have some mental health issues which made it impossible for him to get a wife on his own. The marriage of convenience was arranged by both families.

Reports also added that shortly after the marriage, Kwenume became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl, but it was clear she was not comfortable in the marriage and wanted to be with her boyfriend who she was still sneaking to meet. It from his relation, a herbalist, that she collected the poison with which she snuffed life out of her husband.

14-year-old Wasilat Tasiu also reportedly confessed to killing her 35-year-old husband, Umar Sani in Kano State. She was forced to marry the much older man even though she insisted on being sent to school.

Not satisfied with her situation, the child-bride allegedly mixed rat poison into the food she served the husband and unfortunately, his three relatives who ate the food also died from the poison.

According to the police then, she admitted to killing her husband. The young girl confirmed the reports that she had killed Sani with rat poison and signed a police confession to that effect with a thumbprint because she cannot write. Wasila’s case was transferred to a Kano State High Court over what judicial sources attributed to “lack of jurisdiction by the lower court. She was subsequently tried and found guilty of murder.

For sending out a 14-year-old housewife from her son’s house, a mother-in-law, also in Kano State, had the pain of seeing her 10-year-old son killed by the bitter wife whose name was as Nafida. The young girl was so angry for being sent parking by her husband’s mother that her only means of revenge was to kill her young brother-in-law to punish the mother.

After killing the 10-year-old boy, the child bride allegedly threw his corpse inside a deep well.

Another Nigerian woman was arrested in Anambra State on a charge of murder after allegedly killing her husband by crushing his private parts because he had an affair with another woman. The pregnant woman, who was not identified, allegedly crushed her husband’s private parts while he slept.

According to the police investigation, the woman came home and accused her husband of cheating on her with another woman. The husband denied the allegations, and went to sleep. Later that evening, the suspect approached her husband and crushed his private parts.

The husband fell unconscious and died of his injuries.

A young man named Ajayi Thierry Charles also recently took to his Facebook page to narrate how his exgirlfriend poured hot water on him just because he had called it quits with her.

Charles who showed photos of his scalded body, took time to narrate how the lady, Josephine Oriwoh, bathed him

with hot water two years after their relationship ended after she was invited for his elder sister’s wedding since she was known by all members of his family.

But tragedy struck the night before the celebration when Oriwoh carried out her dastardly action. Anyone who saw pictures of his scalded body knew he was lucky to have lived to tell the story.

Apparently, these things don’t happen only in Nigeria. A jealous 49-year-old Taiwanese woman committed suicide after stabbing her husband to death when she found out that he had got another woman pregnant. The woman, who could not take the fact that another woman was carrying her husband’s child, decided to

kill him as well as kill herself.

The police were alerted to the scene by one of the couple’s neighbors who’d noticed that there’d been no activity within the house for several days. When the officers broke into the home, they found the 56-year-old man dead in his bed after having been stabbed multiple times.

His wife’s body was discovered in the bathroom where she had sealed off the door and died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Police found a suicide note from the woman saying that she had found out about her husband’s affair after being contacted by his mistress, whom he’d apparently gotten pregnant.

In the note, she explained that she didn’t want to go through the scandal that comes with divorce, so she had to kill him and then herself since she couldn’t live without him.

In 2015, a 32-year-old Zimbabwean woman, Sphiwe Moyo, also allegedly connived with her husband’s brother, Witness Maphosa, her secret lover, to murder her husband, Knowledge Maphosa, so that she could continue sleeping with the brother.

According to newspaper reports, Moyo allegedly paid Witness the sum of $40 dollars to snuff life out of her husband so that the coast would be clear for them to continue their adulterous affair and the lovers hatched a plan to eliminate the older Maphosa.

The next day, they sneaked into the hut where the elderly Maphosa slept and Witness got hold of an axe with which he struck Maphosa three times on the head, opening his skull.

Afterwards, they placed a rock over his head and covered the body with clothes.

Moyo then sprinkled mealie-meal over the blood, locked the door from outside and disappeared into the night.

Moyo was arrested few days later when she would not return home and during interrogation, she implicated Witness, who was subsequently arrested.

A 41-year-old woman, Karlita Desean Phillips and her 17-year-old boyfriend, Tavirous Dequan Settles, were arrested for the murder of her brother-in-law, instead of her husband, reports Metro UK. Phillips of South Carolina (USA), had mandated Settles to murder her estranged husband. But in a case of mistaken identity, Settles managed to kill 31-year-old Jamil Phillips, her husband’s younger brother.

Phillips was sentenced after she was convicted of accessory before the fact of murder and soliciting a minor to commit a felony. She was sentenced to life in prison while the teenager was sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Investigators said that the teenager had ambushed Jamil Phillips while he was in front of his home in Abbeville.

Settles told the court that he and Karlita were in a sexual relationship and that she hired him to kill her estranged husband.

To be continued next week

ents must face processes of law to be reintegrated PAGE

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NATIONAL NEWS

APRIL 9, 2016

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Boko Haram: No amnesty for insurgents —Military ‘Repentant insurgents must face processes of law to be reintegrated’

Ubong Ukpong

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hief of the Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, yesterday, clarified that the military had no amnesty for Boko Haram insurgents, insisting that the Operation Safe Corridor for repentant insurgents was also not automatic.

While the Air Chief said that only the political authority was in position to grant amnesty, the military was offering this programme to help the repentant insurgents, but insisted that they must face the processes of law to benefit.

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, had earlier in the week, announced the Operation Safe Corridor programme to rehabilitate, empower and reintegrate repentant Boko Haram insurgents into the society, but it was otherwise taken to mean amnesty.

However, addressing a press conference in Abuja, as part of activities lined up to celebrate the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, at 52, the Air Chief said that there were laid down lawful procedures for such programme and that they would be judiciously followed in order not to put Nigeria in jeopardy.

Part of this is profiling and disarmament, which he said any insurgent were willing to come out would surely undergo.

“If you want to come

out, we will profile you. We will disarm you and make you go through the processes of law. The idea is that those who are willing to stop fighting surrender and go through our processes”, Abubakar said.

Already, he stressed that the insurgents were tired of fighting due to the intensity of military operations and were already surrendering in large numbers.

The CAS reassured on the commitment of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, to swiftly eliminate the remnants of insurgents in the North East.

He said although there were still pockets of insurgent attacks on soft targets, the battle was already being won, urging local communities to offer credible intelligence to security forces.

“Looking at where we are coming from, I think we have done substantially well. In those days in 2014, you had convoy of vehicles moving round villages and killing Nigerians but it is no longer so.

“I believe that very soon, God willing, we shall come to the end of this problem.

We are at the tail end of this operation” he said.

Abubakar added that available intelligence showed that many of the terrorists were exhausted and want to stop fighting, saying that some of them are trapped and they do not know how to come out.

According to him, it was this development that made the Defence Headquarters to create the Operation safe

FEC considers details of 2016 budget

•Buhari absent at FEC, Osinbajo presides over meeting Rotimi Fadeyi

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he Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday described the 2016 budget estimates submitted to the Presidency as a work in progress.

Briefing State House Correspondents on the issues discussed at the emergency meeting of the council, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said cabinet Ministers had been given the mandate to study the budget details as it affects their respective Ministries.

Mohammed said, “As you all know, we received

the details of the 2016 budget from the National Assembly yesterday. An extra-ordinary meeting of the Federal Executive Council was called this morning for the available ministers to look at the details of the budget and how it affects his or her ministry.

“Let’s say that at this point, it is still a work in progress”, he said.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided over yesterday’s FEC meeting in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari. No official reason was given for the absence of the President.

corridor for repentant Boko Haram fighters.

He maintained that the corridor was meant only for those willing to surrender their arms and be reintegrated into the society.

“So, we came up with the idea of ‘safe corridor.’ If you want to come out, come out and then we profile you, keep you under watch before taking the next step. So many of them are surrendering in large numbers.

We have seen that they are surrendering because they know that there is no escape,” he stated.

On whether the leader of the group is still alive or using a look-alike in releasing propaganda videos, the Air Chief said that the Defence Intelligence Agency

DIA was currently analysing the latest Shekau video to make “sense” of what is contained therein.

He said despite the enormous challenges caused by the situation in the Northeast, the air force was not overwhelmed, as in the last nine months, its fighter jets in the area have flown for over 3, 000 hours which translated to a consumption of 3.7m litres of Jet A1 fuel.

Also, he said over a thousand personnel were trained within the last nine months both locally and internationally in order to meet up with current demands of the job.

Abubakar also hinted of the resolve of the air force to embark on certain local

maintenance of its equipment as some of her young officers now have PhD’s in aeronautical and space engineering while more are undergoing further studies.

According to him, the NAF has invested heavily in the area of Research and Development while also collaborating with about 15 Nigerian universities.

With such collaboration, NAF now produces its own electrolytes and hydraulic diaphragms, rather than having to wait for six months to procure same from abroad.

He said highlights of the 52nd celebration which holds from April 12-15 in Bauchi state would be lectures, novelty match, flypast, CAS open forum, re-

union variety night, CAS awards, jumat prayers, church service and humanitarian outreach.

There would also be a reunion of serving and retired officers in order to brainstorm on key challenges, hence the team of the anniversary, “Reuniting for Enhanced Service Delivery and Operational Effectiveness.”

Abubakar said lessons drawn from the reunion would form the basis for the review of its tactics in tackling emerging challenges in the 21st century.

Established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament, the Nigerian AirForce was designed to be a full complement of Nigeria’s military defence system.

Traffic on Funsho Williams Avenue, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Ibas reshuffles top echelon of Navy Ubong Ukpong

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hief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, yesterday, carried out a major shake-up in the top echelon of the Nigerian Navy with the appointments of new management team and Flag Officers Commanding, FOCs. On the whole, 34 Rear Admirals and four Commodores were affected in the new appointments and postings contained in a statement issued through the Director of Information, DINFO, Commodore Christian Ezekobe.

From the statement, the

• Changes FOCs, NHQ team Flag Officer Commanding, FOC Naval Western Command, Rear Admiral R. O. Osundo is to hand over to Rear Admiral F D Bobai, who until now was Navy Secretary.

Rear Admiral J. O. Oluwole has been appointed to take over from Rear Admiral A. S. Abdulkadir as as the new FOC Eastern Naval Command.

Also, the FOC Central Naval Command, A O Suleiman, has been directed to hand over to Rear Admiral T. Dick as the new FOC. Rear Admiral J. O. Okojie, has also been appointed

and directed to take over from Rear Admiral A. A. Osinowo, as the FOC Naval Training Command, while FOC Logistics Command, Rear Admiral E. G. Ofik, has been asked to vacate for the new man, Rear Admiral SAG Abbah.

At the Naval Headquarters, the CNS has also changed his team with Rear Admiral J A Ajani becoming Chief of Policy and Plans, CPPLANS, and Rear Admiral O C Medani, Chief of Administration, COA. While Rear Admiral H. H. Babalola has been appointed Chief of Naval

Transformation, Rear Admiral A A Osinowo returns from his FOC job to be the Chief of Trainings and Operations, CTOPS and Rear Admiral E. G. Ofik too returns to NHQ as the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards, CNASS. Equally, Rear Admiral A. O. Odeh takes over as Chief of Naval Engineering, CONE, while Rear Admiral I O Mohammed takes over as Director of Projects Implementation Directorate, DPIMED, and Surgeon Rear Admiral E. E. EneChukwu becomes Director of Medical Services, DMS.

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PanamaPapers: Nigerian govt’s silence ‘worrisome, repugnant’ — CACOL T

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, an anti-corruption group, has called on the Nigerian government to commence immediate investigations into the “gruesome revelations” contained in the #PanamaPapers offshore assets series.

In a statement signed by Debo Adeniran, CACOL ‘s executive chairman, the group said the government’s “indifference” to the scandal was “worrisome and repugnant”.

“The Nigerian government’s attitude to the gruesome revelations from the Panama Papers leaks becomes worrisome and repugnant, as the attitude is apparently lackadaisical and indifferent,” Mr. Adeniran said.

Mr. Adeniran lamented that the Nigerian government’s failure was unacceptable because several other world leaders caught in the same scandal have been turning in their resignation letters.

“When in other places, heads of the ‘mighty’ have ‘rolled’ over the Panama papers leaks, (notably in Iceland where the Prime Minister was forced to resign from office following protests by Icelanders) the Nigerian government’s reaction or better put inaction and insensitivity over the Panama papers is unacceptable and reprehensible,” the group said.

Mr. Adeniran warned that any failure by the Muhammadu Buhari administration to immediately address the situation

will not augur well for the much-touted anti corruption drive of his administration.

“With such a lackadaisical or indifferent attitude on the part of government toward global issues like the Panama Papers leak especially when so-called leaders from Nigeria are mentioned in the scam, the celebrated anti-corruption drive of the government and the anti-corruption poise of the present regime may as well just be described as a ‘ruse’.”

Mr. Adeniran, therefore, demanded that the federal government should launch a far-reaching investigation into the scandal and bring all those found culpable to book.

“Consequently, the Coalition Against Corrupt Lead-

ers, CACOL is demanding that a special attention should be paid by the Federal government and the anti-corruption agencies to the revelations from the leaks with a goal of acting on them and with the view of verifying the facts; carrying out investigations, probing, prosecuting and recovering all the loots stolen from our Commonwealth that are hidden in the tax havens and offshore companies.

“Additionally, those found culpable must be punished accordingly no matter how ‘highly’ placed or influential they are in the society. Those specifically mentioned; Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd), Dr. Bukola Saraki, Mr. James Ibori, Senator David Mark must be invited by the anti-cor-

ruption agencies; interrogated and prosecuted if enough evidence and facts confirm their involvement in the global scam revealed in the Panama Papers.”

Adeniran said Saraki has disgraced the country and must resign from office, failure of which Nigerians should rally their lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings against him.

“Dr. Bukola Saraki, the sitting Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly with all his baggage of corruption charges is, once again, topping the charts in the Panama Papers.

“This is totally disgraceful and very tarnishing for the image of the country and calls for drastic action of government and good people of Nigeria. Saraki, who is currently facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on a thirteen-count charge, on the bases of corruption and false assets declaration is reported to have continued receiving salaries even after leaving office as Governor in Kwara State and used state funds to pay for private properties.”

“With the addition of the Panama Papers indictment to his ‘multi-coloured coat’ of corruption, it is time for

Nigerians to call for Saraki to step down as Senate President and as Chairman of the National Assembly pending when he has successfully cleared his name and clean the ‘smears’ all over him.

“If he fails to resign, Nigerians must rally and mandate their representatives in their various constituencies to commence his impeachment process of based on moral and ethical grounds.

“Nigeria cannot be respected among the comity of nations if the Head of the Law Making Body, the third in hierarchy in the leadership of the country oscillates between being a corruption criminal suspect in the criminal suspects’ box at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and as the Chairman of the National Assembly and while also ranking very high amongst those mentioned in the gruesome global scams activities revealed in the Panama Papers leaks.”

“The Nigerian Government must seek and ensure that James Ibori, after serving his term in the UK prison is repatriated to Nigeria to answer for the charges against previously and his involvement in the Panama Papers scam.”

(PREMIUM TIMES)

I’ll not resign — Saraki

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Accident caused by reckless driving at the city gate on Airport Road in Abuja, yesterday.

Court stops FRSC from choosing where motorists can buy speed limiters

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n Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday ordered the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to desist from monopolising the vehicle speed limiters market.

The presiding judge, Eyo Chukwu, however upheld the commission’s power to implement the installation of the device on all vehicles in the country.

The judge ruled that the FRSC had failed to cite any law that enabled it to recommend to Nigerians

where they could buy their speed limiters.

“What I must state here is that there’s no Act that entitled the directive by the 1st defendant (FRSC) to limit the scope of where Nigerians can buy the speed limiter nor did the Act allows them the monopoly to install the device at an astronomical price of N36,000 on Nigerians who are groaning in abject poverty,” Mr. Chukwu said.

The FRSC had mandated Nigerians to purchase speed limiters for their

vehicles from the commission’s accredited dealers only.

The plaintiff, Registered Trustees of International Human Rights & Anti-Corruption Society, in suit number FHC/Abj/ CS/805/15, argued that the FRSC had no power to seize vehicles of those who failed to install speed limiters.

The House of Representatives had directed the FRSC to postpone the deadline for installation of speed limiters indefinitely.

The judge, however,

held that the FRSC has the power to compel all drivers to install speed limiting devices on their vehicles, and immediately discarded the case for lack of merit.

Reacting to the judgement, FRSC’s spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, said the judgment further emboldened the FRSC’s longstanding resolve to keep Nigerians safe on the road.

“Certainly, this judgment will equally propel us to do more in curbing rate of road crashes in Nigeria,” he said.

mbattled Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday said he would not yield to growing calls from Nigerians that he should step down amid growing corruption scandals.

Mr. Saraki said those calling for his resignation were being sponsored by politicians who had always opposed his leadership since he emerged Senate President last June, He added that his detractors were trying to circumvent the country’s judicial system.

Mr. Saraki was responding to a story a newspaper story in which the Transition Monitoring Group lend its voice to a growing call for the Senate President’s ouster.

In a text message sent to by his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said he was not contemplating resignation.

“There’s a case in the Tribunal and a resultant appeal at the Court of Appeal,” the statement said. The underlining philosophy of our legal system is that an accused person is presumed innocent until found guilty.

“Those who are contemplating calls for resignation want to circumvent the judicial system. They are obviously being sponsored by some politicians.

“The Senate President is not contemplating any resignation. He will surely have his day in court.”

(PREMIUM TIMES)

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NATIONAL NEWS

Court declares Secondus arrest unlawful...

•Slams N10m damages on EFCC Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

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ustice James Tsoho of a federal high court sitting in Abuja yesterday declared as unlawful, the arrest and detention of former Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Uche Secondus.

The court also awarded N10million damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Secondus had approached the court to enforce his fundamental human rights, which he claimed was infringed upon by the abti-graft agency.

In the motion before the court, he asked Justice Tsho to declare his arrest and detention as illegal.

He also asked the court to award damages against the commission.

In his ruling, the court said, “The first prayer of the applicant is hereby granted and the sum of N10million damages is hereby awarded against the respondent.”

The anti-graft agency had about a month ago arrested Secondus over alleged corrupt practices.

He was accused of illegally receiving buses on behalf of his party.

The anti-graft agency had asked him to return the buses. But his party, through the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon, said its officers were being treated unfairly.

“The party alerts the nation that the arrest and detention of it Prince Uche Secondus, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is part of the grand script by the APC-led Federal Government to decimate the opposition,” a statement by Kwon said.

APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obasanjo visits Buhari ... denies signing budgets without details

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday debunked claims by the National Assembly that he signed budgets without details while in power.

Mr. Obasanjo was president between 1999 and 2007.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmimuni Jubril, had said that there were occasions when the former president signed budgets the federal legislature transmitted to him without seeing the details.

The lawmaker was explaining why the National Assembly recently sent the 2016 budgets it passed to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent without accompanying details.

Mr. Buhari refused to sign the budget which details were subsequently sent to him Thursday.

Mr. Obasanjo, who was on a visit to Mr. Buhari, told journalists at the presidential villa that he was surprised by the lawmaker’s comment.

He said the legislature should be contacted again to prove the authenticity

of its claim.

“Emm, I signed budget without details? Anybody who told you that, go and ask him again,” he said.

He said he would not only talk about his feelings about the budget because he had not read the document to know what it contained.

On the delay in signing the budget and its impact on Nigerians, Mr. Obasanjo explained that the constitution allows the government to spend money up till the middle of the year before a new budget is approved, though it should not be

more than a certain percentage of the previous year’s budget.

He said, “No. The constitution allows you to continue with the budget provided you did not go beyond the previous year and that can be done up till the middle of the year.”

Mr. Obasanjo kept mum when asked to comment on the trial of the senate president, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false asset declaration.

He merely said, ““Emm, What is happening to him?”

EFCC nabs fake operatives Court strikes out Metuh’s petition against ‘classmate’ judge in victim’s home

Former Senate President, Sen. David Mark (left), receiving birthday card from Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Zone C, Benue State, Rev.Fr. Emmanuel Odufu, during the thanksgiving mass in honour of Sen. Mark’s 80th Birthday in Otukpo, Benue State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

…after collecting N100,000 M arcus Fatunmole

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wo men were apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday for offences bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.

The men, Abbas Attahiru and Mohammed Sufiyanu, were picked up following a complaint by a would-be victim, that the suspects, who claimed to be staff of the commission, informed him of a petition purportedly written against him.

A statement made available to Saturday Mirror by head, media and publicity of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujar-

en, said the suspects promised to give him a “soft landing” provided he was ready to part with some money.

“Suspecting a foul play, the complainant contacted the commission and he was asked to play along as the EFCC does not solicit for, nor accept payments/gratification from persons or organisations under any guise to settle matters.

“The suspects were apprehended at the complainant’s home after collecting N100,000 which was part of their “agreed fee” to “kill the case”.

The suspects would be charged to court as soon investigations are concluded,” the statement said.

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ederal High Court in Abuja has refused the application of the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, asking the trial judge, Okon Abang, to discontinue with the matter over perceived bias.

Mr. Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of fraud.

The court had on March 24 adjourned the matter to April 8 for ruling on three applications.

Mr. Abang had on that day stated that the court would determine whether he (Mr. Abang) should continue as the trial judge.

He also said the court would entertain the second petition, seeking the case to be set aside pending the determination of a related petition at the Court of Appeal and the third application regarding an adjournment sought by Mr. Metuh’s lead counsel, Onyeachi Ikpeazu.

But on arrival in court on Friday, the second defendant, Destra Investment Ltd, was represented by a new counsel, Tochukwu

Onwuibufo, who prayed the court to adjourn the matter to allow him acquaint himself with the case.

But Mr. Abang held that the court could not be led to adjourn because the second defendant, Destra Investment Company, “elected” not to be given fair hearing.

Mr. Abang ruled that during the previous sitting, Destra was represented by Emeka Etiaba and that he (Mr. Etiaba) was in court on Friday.

In view of this, the judge ruled that the second defendant could not force an adjournment based on a perceived lack of fair hearing.

Responding, Mr. Etiaba said it should be put on record that he was not allowed to air his view before the court’s March 24 ruling.

He also said the crux of their application was not just that Mr. Abang was a classmate of the first defendant, but that he claimed not to have known him (Mr. Metuh).

Mr. Etiaba said it had been established that Mr. Abang met Mr. Metuh at several places and that the former even attended an award ceremony held in honour of the latter.

Mr. Etiaba therefore submitted that recent development gave room for a perceived bias.

The trial judge then went through his record to determine whether any previous record of Mr. Etiaba’s consent was taken before the previous ruling.

Being unable to find such a record, Mr. Abang made a judicial notice of Mr. Etiaba’s notice.

Mr. Etiaba represented the first defendant, Mr. Metuh, in Friday’s sitting.

In his argument, the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, said there was no basis upon which any reasonable mind will regard the trial as biased.

He therefore prayed the court to dismiss the application.

Ruling on the matter, Mr. Abang said he had carefully considered the application by Mr. Metuh and the

various grounds on which the application was made.

Mr. Abang ruled that there was no evidence that the court had been biased.

He added that the Chief Judge had indicated that he was satisfied with his explanation regarding the petition, adding that the record of the statement of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court formed part of the court’s record.

The trial judge therefore ruled that the application seeking his discontinuation with the matter lacked merit and was therefore dismissed.

Earlier, the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta had issued a letter, notifying Mr. Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba, of his (Mr. Auta’s) decision to allow Mr. Abang continue with the matter.

Mr. Auta stated in the letter dated March 24 that the first defendant had the right of appeal if he was not satisfied with the proceedings at the Federal High Court.

(PREMIUM TIMES)

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 9, 2016

Nursing graduates’ 100 per cent pass excites teaching hospital Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

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he Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI) rolled out the drums yesterday to celebrate the 100 per cent pass recorded by the pioneer students of its School of Nursing in the professional examination conducted by Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCM).

FETHI Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Majekodunmi Ayodele, who expressed surprise at the feat in spite of challenges of dearth of personnel and facilities encountered by the three-year-old nursing school inception, hinged it on competence and dedication to duty.

Ayodele said while celebrating the 100 per cent success at Ido Ekiti that “this is a very rare feat in this country for the final year of an institution that is just three years old to pass all the examinations.

“This is as a result of competence and thorough dedication to duty. We are committed to raising the bar of medical practice in this hospital and we are starting by producing students that can compete anywhere across the globe.

This is a feat we cannot but sustain,” he said.

The consultant psychiatrist praised the staff of the school, particularly the Chairman, Medical Advisory Council, Dr Raymond Okere, who superintends over the nursing school for his dedication, adding that

the management would compensate the 39 graduating students and their lecturers during convocation to serve as impetus to those comingbehind.

Ayodele made a case for more thorough qualifying professional examinations for medical personnel across the country in a bid to shore up professionalism and competence among them.

He said that although all the medical professionals in the country have statutory qualifying examinations, all such examinations must be re-examined to foster competence and dedication by members.

The Principal of the institution, Mrs Foluso Adelegan, said the outcome of the examinations had justified the ‘motto’ of the institution to be a trailblazer in the area of academics in the country to prevent people from traveling abroad for medical treatment.

Adelekan said: “We don’t condone incompetence here, neither do we over-pamper our students. All we do is to get ourselves ready for more sacrifices and see that students are made to see hardwork as a way oflife.

“We have competent hands to sustain the feat.

The facilities and qualified staff being provided by the hospital management would automatically make the sustenance easier by the time we will churn out the second set of our graduates”, she promised.

Ajimobi, IGP, others pay tribute to former IGP, Adewusi Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State yesterday described the late former Inspector General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi, as an extremely brilliant police officer who left an untainted legacy.

He said this at the Beulah Baptist Convention ground, Ogbomoso during the final funeral service for the former IGP. It will be recalled that Adewusi who died on January 26, 2016 at 79 years at the National Hospital, Abuja, took over from Adamu Suleiman as the Inspector General of Police in 1981.

He said,” Pa Adewusi was a great man of honour and integrity. We are very proud to produce such a man of impeccable character and brilliance.

“He is very tribalised.

He was extremely Godly and religious. He served humanity, Nigeria and Africa. He was the youngest IGP Nigeria ever produced, who was honoured with GCON. Within a span of 26 years he became IGP. I envied him so much.

On behalf of the government of Oyo State, I pray that he has a perfect place beside God.” The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in his own tribute, said the late Adewusi was the Nostradamus of Nigeria Police who foresaw the future of Nigeria police and prepare for its tomorrow.

“We shall also continue in that perspective.

We will not bury him with his virtue and legacy. His legacy and virtue shall be kept. He was a personal mentor to me”, he said

SOUTH WEST

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9

Oyo NLC shelves strike over unpaid salary arrears Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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yo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has shelved its proposed strike over unpaid five-month salary arrears.

The state NLC Chairman, Comrade Waheed Olojede, who made the disclosure while speaking with journalists at the NLC Secretariat, said the union made the resolution to stop the strike following a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that signed

by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi and the labour leaders.

He said, “ We arrived at the new MOU after a meeting with the governor on Thursday evening. It stated that the entire monthly allocation released to the state by the Federal Government should be used to pay workers salary.

“Initially, 90 per cent of the allocation was used to pay workers salary, but we discovered that it has not solved any problem, so we asked the government to give us the entire allocation which is 100 per cent”.

According to him, the labour union expects that the allocation giving to the states will be increased since the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) has promised not to deduct money owed by them for the next two years.

The labour leader further said that labour and government have agreed to work together to increase the Internal Revenue Generated (IGR) in the state with the setting up of a by choosing committee to do this.

“So we agreed to name it

the ‘Joint revenue Mobilsation Committee’ and it will be inaugurated soon. The duty of the committee will be to improve and increase the IGR in the state,” he said.

He however appealed to workers to be patient and allow the government and labour put into operation the new MOU. It will be recalled that the NLC on the 29th March gave the state government a seven day ultimatum to embark on strike if the workers’salaries were not paid.

L-R: Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Lagos State, Otunba Henry Ajomale; his wife, Chief Adetoun; President General, Saint Jude’s Primary School, Ebute-Metta, Mr. Moses Akinsehinwa; Representing Governor Akinwumi Ambode (an old student of the school), Mr. Tunde Durosimi-Etti and Chairman of the occasion, Sir. Biodun Akinyemi, at the 132nd Founders Day celebration of the school, held at the school premises, in Lagos..

COAS, DSS, NNPC petitioned over killing of security guard Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

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he Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, the Director-General of the State Security Service (DSS) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), have been petitioned over the killing of a security guard, Adura Omoboye, on Wednesday in Ogun State.

A pipeline surveillance outfit, King Young Lion Security, in the petition signed by its Media Director, Mr. Abdul-Kabir Akinpelu, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the

Oyo State capital yesterday, accused some men in military uniform of behind the killing of its staff.

According to him, Omoboye who was alongside his other colleagues part of the surveillance team assigned to keep watch over the petroleum pipeline at Idi-Mangoro Tent, Sagamu, was gruesomely murdered at about 9.am on the day.

While calling on the relevant agencies to ensure that the culprits are brought to book and forestall future occurrences, he described the killing of the deceased as unfortunate and uncalled for.

He said,” The men who were dressed in military uniform and came in a Mitsubishi L300 pickup truck with number plate registered as NA 003 ostensibly came to steal fuel from the pipeline as they bore several empty jerry-cans in their vehicle”.

He stated further that the several efforts made by the surveillance team to intercept the vandals led to the engagement of the team and this resulted into the death of Omoboye.

Akinpelu disclosed that while all the uniform men escaped in the confrontation that led to the death of Omoboye, the team was

able to recovered items such as the Mitsubishi L300 pickup truck, three jungle hats, a gun magazine and a mobile telephone.

‘At this juncture, we call upon the army authority, the directorate of the state security service, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as well as all other relevant government agencies to probe this matter to forestall the likelihood of a reoccurrence, since the vandalization of this vital facility has clearly become second nature of some unpatriotic men of the armed and paramilitary forces of Nigeria”, he added.

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NUP tackles Bauchi govt over nonpayment of 9,000 pensioners Ezekiel Titus

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here are strong indications that the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) may be on their way to industrial disharmony with the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in Bauchi State.

This followed the non-payment of about 9,000 pensioners in all the LGA’s of the state in three months.

This was just as NUP urged the State Governor, Abubakar to toe a path of honour and effect the payment of pensioners in the state.

Bauchi State NUP Secretary, Comrade Yakubu Muhammed, who made the statement in a chat with selected newsmen in Bauchi State said the ugly development has caused untold hardship to pensioners.

Muhammed regretted that the Union appears to have exhausted all efforts to ensure its members are being paid, yet government has refused to give positive response to the plights of pensioners.

“We are almost going spiritual to demand the immediate payment of our members across the state because lack of payment of their monthly entitlement has even forced some of them to their early grave considering the adverse economic situation,” Muhammed lamented.

He debunked claims that the delay in payment of pensioners is related to ghost workers, saying the time frame of the verification was not feasible.

According to the secretary, the Union will not succumb to any pressure in the pursuit of its members’ demands, apparently to address their plights.

He said that the Union may be left with no any other option than to scramble the treasury office with all its members if the government fail its responsibilities.

Muhammed therefore, urge pensioners in the state to remain law abiding citizens as efforts are being intensified to address the ugly trend.

NORTH

APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

el-Rufai lays foundation for N30bn poultry in Kaduna A za Msue, KADUNA

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aduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has on Friday laid the foundation of N30 billion biggest West Africa poultry/hatchery establish by Olam Group in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

In his speech titled “Business is happening in Kaduna”, Governor el-Rufai, who performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the Olam Integrated Feed Mill and Poultry project in Chikpiri Gabas village, said the project was not about the size of the facility, but jobs that would be created in building and running the poultry project. el-Rufai said he believed that the return of vibrant economic activity, and the reduction of poverty will drive prosperity and reduce the divisions that became

pronounced as the state’s economy entered dire straits from the late 1980s.

According to the Governor, “I am delighted to welcome you all to this ground-breaking operation for the largest agro-allied investment project in Kaduna State. We acknowledge the confidence that the Olam Group is displaying in the soundness of our policies and in the prospects of Kaduna State by choosing to cite this USD 150 million poultry project here.

“When I led a delegation from the Kaduna State Government to Olam’s headquarters in Singapore for discussions with their senior management in September last year, we went with a clear message that Kaduna is open for business, and that the government views the promotion of investments as vital for the realisation of inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Olam

was persuaded, and they have pleasantly surprised us by the sheer scale of the investment project they have embarked on” el-Rufai added: “Thanks to Olam, Kaduna State will be host to the largest poultry farm with integrated feed mill in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The farmers that have an expanded market for their grains through the demand from the feed mill and other value-chain activities that are stimulated.

“We are today taking another significant step in advancing our governance agenda to create jobs and improve life chances for the people of Kaduna State.

Amidst the challenges that confront us, we are drawing attention to the opportunities that abound. Kaduna State has comparative advantage in agriculture and mining; the government is delighted that many investors agree that we in deed offer a decent business prop-

osition,” el-Rufai said.

“Others are beginning discussions on new projects.

We hope that the projects announced will be coming on stream with similar promptness like Olam’s.

The government of Kaduna State gratefully acknowledges and thanks all the companies that are supporting our quest to develop Kaduna State,” he said.

On his part, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who spoke through a director, Obina George Opera, said el-rufai’s investment drive has started yielding fruits, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification of economy from oil to agriculture will remain the administration’s top priority.

Ogbeh, however, challenged Olam to embark on research to find vaccine against Alvan Influenza and other poultry related diseases.

L-R: Managing Director, African and Middle East Olam International, Mr Venkataramani Strivathsan; Sir Gbagyi, Chief Danjuma Barde; Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai; Former Chairman, SCOA Motors, Alhaji Ahmed Joda and representative of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Obina Okpara, at the groundbreaking of the Animal Feed and Protein Company in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Commissioners list tears Gombe Assembly apart •Speaker faces impeachment Williams Attah GOMBE

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he submission of commissioner-nominees list

by Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo to the Gombe State House of Assembly eleven months after his inauguration for a second term of office is causing fracas within members.

Deliberations on the much awaited list of commissioners in the office of the Speaker was disrupted during the House pre-sitting session last Thursday afternoon when tempers rose as a result of disagreement resulting in the inability of the House to have their normal sitting.

It was reliably gathered that Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo sent a list of commissioner-nominees to the House containing several old hands, who served during his first tenure and previous administrations which did not go down well with the members.

But in a telephone interview, majority leader of the House, Honourable Amos Fabulous, who confirmed the development however, said there was no crisis in the House within the members, but that they only refused to deliberate on the list due to the absence of a name from Kwami Kwami Local Government Area.

Speaking to reporters in Hausa, Honourable Fabulous said: “We did not proceed with our sit-

ting because we would have preferred to see a name from Kwami Local Government before we can sit and deliberate”. He did not however confirm whether the list was with the members of the House or it was returned.

A source in the State House of Assembly who preferred anonymity disclosed to reporters that the pre-sitting session ended in rancour Thursday afternoon, adding that the heated argument did not favour the Speaker, Honourable Nasiru Abubakar Nono, who was alleged to be defending the Governor.

According to him, most of the members came out of the meeting with an expression of anger and displeasure over the attitude of the Speaker as they

went straight to their cars. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the official sitting days of the House.

When contacted, Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s Elders Forum in the state, Alhaji Adamu Danjarida, said he was not aware of any rancour or disagreement within the party nor in the State Assembly where the party has the majority. He said no one has reported or complained to him.He stated however, that members of the House may agree and disagree as they all have different interests.

It was also gathered that the State Governor, in preparation for the submission of the list of nominees to the House, had had a meeting with stakeholders of the PDP in the Government House which lasted till late Wednesday night.

Corruption: EFCC arraigns five former UMTH staff over N200m fraud Inusa Ndahi MAIDUGURI

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ive former staff of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) were on Thursday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal High Court in Maiduguri for allegedly defrauding the hospital to the tune of over N140 million.

The crimes were allegedly committed between 2008 and 2011 by the defendants while working in the Finance Department of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

They were arraigned before the court for fraud, forgery and diversion of the money to the tune of over N140 million in five different cases.

The accused are: Mahmud Sambo, former Assistant Director Finance, Bukar Musty, Chief Accountant, salaries; Haruna Gadangaria, International Auditor; Saleh Mohammed and Alkali Bukar Goni.

Bukar Musty and Mahmud Sambo were arraigned on three count charges while 17 count charges were slammed on Bukar Musty, Haruna Gadangaria, Mahmud Sambo and Alhaji Bukar Goni.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty as the Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Tanko Salihu, denied them bail and directed that they be remanded in prison.

The first case was adjourned to the 9th and 13th of May while the second case was adjourned to 30th and 31st May 2016 for hearing.

APRIL 9, 2016

POLITICS

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Saraki’s battle for ‘life’ Lekan Adejuwon

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t is no longer news that the embattled Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki is fighting a battle of his life going by the ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal CCT, but the pertinent question is whether the former governor of Kwara State would either swim or float after the stormy trial even as many have predictably assumed that the proverbial ‘banana peel’ may be waiting to consume its next victim.

Armed with a record 90 senior lawyers led by his lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, the Senate President left no one in doubt that he meant business even as accusing fingers were being pointed in some quarters that the embattled lawmaker may be fighting dirty to intimidate the judiciary.

But indeed, the outgoing week has been both traumatic and engaging for the Senate President when on Tuesday, a whistle blower, allegedly opened another Pandora box of Saraki’s alleged dirty past as the Senate President’s family and a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, were among some prominent Africans named in a newly discovered secret offshore assets scam released by a German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

It would be recalled that the Senate President on Monday failed to stop his trial at the CCT which commenced in earnest as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s investigator reeled out in astounding details how the former Kwara State governor allegedly laundered money belonging to the state government Saraki, had earlier asked the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to order stay proceedings of his trial on charges of false and anticipatory asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

He filed the motion for stay of proceedings along with his nine-ground notice of appeal on Monday to stop his trial which begins at the CCT on Tuesday.

The notice of appeal was filed to challenge the ruling of the CCT which, on March 24, 2016, dismissed the Senate President’s application, challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the charges against him.

However, the two-man panel of the CCT, led by Mr. Danladi Umar, had, after dismissing Saraki’s application on March 24, fixed April 5 (Wednesday) for the commencement of trial.

With the commencement of the trial proper, Michael Wetkas, a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made some heart rending revelations as he disclosed in graphic detail, how Saraki allegedly used fictitious names to launder billions of naira.

Testifying against the senate president at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), the EFCC detective also claimed that Saraki’s personal account at GTB had an inflow of about N4 billion between 2005 and 2013.

His words: “When the defendant was governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011 the commission received several petitions from various groups. One of the petitioners was Kwara Freedom Network.

They brought several petitions all bordering on abuse of office by the defendant, misappropriation of public fund and money laundering.

“Sometime in 2014 the then executive chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde received intelligence reports of suspicious transactions involving the defendant. He set up a team of investigators. Our task was to investigate the intelligence reports.

“The investigation report was reviewed by my team. In the course of our investigation, we discovered that there were several companies which were linked to the defendant “ Some of them include Carlisle Properties Investment Ltd, Skyview Properties Ltd, LimKvars Ltd, and TIly-lie Ltd. Some of the companies maintain accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Zenith Bank, Access Bank, and other banks.

“From the investigation, it was discovered that the defendant maintained three accounts at GTB. The first account is a naira currency account; the second is a US dollar account, and the third is a pound sterling account.

“The naira account was analyzed, and it was discovered that between 2005 and 2013, the account had an in-flow of about N4 billion. The major source of in-flow into the accounts was loans taken from GTB within the period. The loans were about N2.5 billion, and the other source of in-flows into the account was massive lodgments by individuals. “ Other in flows into the account were from the companies”.

In a new twist, a German newspaper on the same day, released the Panama Papers, believed to be the biggest leak in the history of data journalism, publishing online 11.5 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Indicating the global dimension of the fraud, the documents also showed how world leaders, celebrities, athletes, FIFA officials and criminals hid money using anonymous shell corporations across the world.

According to the documents, the assets were allegedly not part of the ones declared by the Senate President nor his wife, Toyin when Saraki became the governor of Kwara State and after he was sworn in as the nation’s number three citizen.

In a swift reaction, Saraki said he had fully complied with the provisions of the law on the declaration of assets by public officers.

He stated this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

According to him, his different asset declarations, included properties owned individually by himself and his wife.

Saraki He explained that the property in question formed part of his wife’s family asset.

The statement read, “It is public knowledge that Mrs. Saraki comes from a family of independent means and wealth with numerous and varied assets acquired over decades in family estates and investments.

“Furthermore, the law only requires a public officer to declare both his own assets and those held by his spouse and his children under 18 years of age. The law does not require a public officer to declare assets held by the spouse’s family.

“It is not expected by the law that a public officer should declare such assets held in the spouse’s family estate. Indeed, the Code of Conduct form does not make provision for declaration of spouse’s family assets.”

But in what appears a comical error, the claims by Saraki was blatantly contradicted by his wife’s lawyers who said the assets in question belonged to no one else but Mrs. Saraki alone.

The London-based law firm of Harbottle & Lewis, who are lawyers to Mrs. Saraki, in clarifying the legal position of the controversial assets, said its client solely own them.

“Our client is the sole shareholder in Sandon Development Limited. There are not and have never been any other shareholders in Sandon Developments Limited,” Harbottle & Lewis stated in a response to enquiries by the ICIJ in a letter dated March 19, 2016.

Similarly, the law firm also confirmed that Mrs. Saraki was the “sole shareholder of Landfield International Developments Limited from incorporation until January 2015,” when she sold her shares to a third party.

As would be expected, reactions have been trailing the new dimension to the Saraki’s trial even as many have been calling for his resignation as a mark of respect for the exalted office of Number 3 man in the country The Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said the group could no longer be shocked by any such a revelation, given that the Saraki’s family had been in public

office for long and had had for long had access to the country’s resources.

Also, a former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said it was time Nigeria tightened its anti-corruption/ money laundering laws.

He noted that our laws as they were appear to threat economic crimes with levity.

According to him, it is sad that most of our government officials both elected and appointed think more of enriching themselves as soon as they enter office instead of working for the common good.

Tsav said, “The best thing our government can do now is to strengthen our laws to prevent people who stole our common wealth from taking such monies abroad either by themselves or through proxies using offshore accounts.

Meanwhile, the embattled senate president in his official reaction to his predicament has said he is glad that his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on asset declaration in 2003 has finally commenced.

Saraki said the proceedings of last Wednesday has given him confidence that if the trial is conducted fairly he would be vindicated.

The Senate President noted that even though the prosecution tried to bring in some dramatic narratives, it was clear that they were merely thrashing around and hoping to titillate the public with salacious tales.

He added that he was hopeful however that when the time comes, his lawyers will have the opportunity to present his case.

In a related development, the senate during the week, appeared divided over the fate of Saraki in the aftermath of his trial at the CCT. The bone of contention is between the APC and PDP senators as the PDP lawmakers said should the banana peel fall on Saraki, the party would eventually take over the leadership of the senate, but the ruling APC senators said the PDP has gotten its calculation wrong However, many observers have argued that the embattled senate president has been walking on a familiar road which is not too smooth.

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POLITICS

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APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Let Modu Sheriff be -Hon Akinlaja There have been calls by members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP including leadership of the various organs of the party to give peace a chance by supporting the appointment of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the Interim Chairman of the party. One of such notable figures is a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja representing Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, who urged PDP members not to allow Sheriff’s choice to become a source of rancor or bitter acrimony within the party. He also spoke on other national issues including the ongoing war against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari, economy crisis, Mimiko’s administration, forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State among others. LEKAN ADEJUWON brings the excerpts:

The emergence of Senator Modu Ali Sheriff as the interim chairman of PDP has become a source of division among some Peoples Democratic Party members with some backing his appointment and others kicking against it, how do you see that development?

There is no cause for alarm. It is all part of democracy in action. Irrespective of whatever opinion any PDP members have about Sheriff ’s emergence, we are all still remain members of the same family. I will however appeal that we should all let Sheriff be.

This is not the time we should allow any division in our rank. Sheriff ’s appointment is an interim one, and he is qualified to hold the forte pending when formal process would be followed to elect a substantive chairman.

PDP’s fortune is on the rise, we should not allow anything to divide us. We should not play into the hands of our political enemies.

Some people have declared that PDP is politically finished with the 2015 presidential election loss to APC, while others say that the party should not yet be written off, how would you rate PDP today?

PDP is still much alive, waxing

Akinlaja

stronger and stronger. Even recent elections in Rivers and Bayelsa States have shown that PDP still remain the party to be beaten. You can’t expect the party to be in power till eternity, we have put the loss of 2015 behind us and we are rebuilding the party, we are restrategising and I believe that come 2019, PDP will beat APC hands down in the general election. PDP will surely bounce back in 2019.

Why do you sound so optimistic?

Do you even need a soothsayer to tell you that PDP is coming back as the ruling party? Many Nigerians are clamouring that PDP should come back.

One year after APC took over power, Nigerians are already tired. They want PDP to come back. They are missing PDP. They believe that PDP is the party that knows how to address multi-various problems confronting them. Many Nigerians that thought they were tired of PDP now knows better. They can compare the difference between APC and PDP now.

How would you assess the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari so far?

What I will say is that Nigerians are still expecting dividends of democracy.

Something has to be done about the erratic power supply. Even Mr President had acknowledged the problem in that sector when he recently declared that power supply problem is no longer a laughing matter. Then what about the jobs promised unemployed youths?

One year after unemployment is getting worse then you also have the problem of fuel supply challenge. The main essence of governance is to provide succor for those being governed, and

Nigerians are still yearning for dividends of democracy.

But many have lauded the anti-corruption war by the administration ….

Cuts in.. War Against Corruption is good, but even at that I believe that the war against corruption should not be seen to be selective. So far all the arraignment are tilted against PDP. How many APC members have been arrested by EFCC and put on trial? Are we saying that APC is party of saints? War against corruption should go round, and it should not appear as if it is only one political party and certain individuals that are being targetted.

Gubernatorial election is coming up in Ondo later this year, how will you assess the chance of PDP against the backdrop of recent defections of some top notchers of PDP in the state to APC? In Ondo State today, APC is politically dead. Forget all those propaganda.

APC is only good in propaganda, but on the ground, they are mere paperweights. I pity those PDP members that defected to APC. By crossing over to APC, they can no longer be relevant politically again.

PDP is solidly on the ground in Ondo State. Don’t forget that we control 21 out of 26 seats in the state House of Assembly. Our current governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has been doing a yeoman’s job. He is a revolutionary, a silent achiever.

But the same Governor Mimiko you are commending has been described by some critics as a dictator, and bad administrator, what is your take on that?

Those saying all manner of things should be ignored. Some of those critics who were his former aides and political associates that crossed to APC are bread and butter politicians. They left PDP in annoyance and out of frustration because Mimiko refused to steal Ondo State’s money and share it with them.

Some of them even say that Mimiko is too tight-fisted. Yes, Mimiko is tight-fisted because he doesn’t believe in looting the treasury and sharing Ondo State’s money with few selfish individuals.

Rather than stealing or looting or sharing Ondo State’s money with these shameless politicians, the governor has embarked on massive construction of roads, hospitals and cottage industries.

The governor believes in empowering the people by providing job opportunities for them. He believes in creating jobs rather than sharing money.

Ondo State recently turned 40, how would you describe the journey so far?

We have every cause to thank God that we are alive to witness the celebrations. It has been a journey of mixed fortunes. Ondo State is blessed with natural resources like crude oil and bitumen. These natural resources, especially bitumen is yet to be fully exploited for commercial benefits to the state and the nation.

I will also say that Ondo State has been making steady progress with uncommon and unusual transformations taking place in the last 7 years. Ondo State is fast developing but there is still room for development and that is why I’m praying that whoever will take over from Governor Mimiko should be somebody that will be able to sustain the current tempo of development, and even surpassed the achievements of Mimiko.

On the economy, what do you think can be done to get the nation out of the present economic crisis?

I believe that one lesson we have to learn from the slump in oil prices which badly affect our economy is on the need to diversify the economy. Our over-dependence on oil as sole source of revenue has proved costly. We need to develop the agric and solid mineral sector. Nigeria is abundantly blessed with solid minerals like gold, iron ore, tin, coal and others, why not develop the sector to become a source of generating revenue for the nation. The same thing goes for agric, there was a time Nigeria was one of the leading producers of cocoa, cotton and palm oil.

Why can’t we return to the farms? The president also need to have a strong economic management team to regularly advise him from time to time on economic matters.

APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

TALKING POLITICS

‘16 years of PDP a waste’

—Olisa Metuh, PDP National Publicity Secretary

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‘APC can’t stop blaming PDP’ —Mr. Osita Okechukwu, South east APC spokesperson

“W

e regard the statement credited to the National Chairman of the PDP Sheriff to the effect that our great party, the APC, and by extension President Buhari should stop bashing the PDP) for the severe socio-economic hardship ravaging the country as theatre of the absurd of Nollywood fame.

“It’s sheer bunkum, a speech meant to cover a deep wound inflicted on the soul of Nigerians. In all honesty, how can the APC or President Buhari stop bashing the unconscionable PDP-led federal government of the last 16 years that dislocated our economy?

“As Buhari said, PDP squandered our rainy-day commonwealth which accrued in bounty seasons of crude oil sales? It’s a hard fact and facts are sacred.

“How can we forget the 1,310 kilometre old gauge Kano-Lagos railway line for which an $8.3 billion contract was awarded to the Chinese, when almost at the same time the Chinese awarded $4.2 billion for the modern gauge Lhasa-Bei-

f course, Nigerians are willing to support and cooperate with the President, but we are worried that the pictures emerging from his presidency and his party do not in any way inspire hope in the citizenry, especially as they have continued to show that theirs is ostensibly a matter of obtaining power by false pretences.

“President Buhari and the APC must

know that Nigerians did not give them the mandate to engage in frivolous excuses and pleas but to hit the ground running with solutions and quick fixes they promised during the campaigns.

“We ask, is President Buhari’s statement an admission of poor knowledge of national and international economic affairs or does it underscore the lack of capacity and skills by the administration to effectively harness and galvanize resources and potential inherent in Nigeria which has already been nurtured as Africa’s largest economy and one of the fastest growing in the world.

“Even if Nigerians decide to wait endlessly, we wonder how much the President can achieve amidst the flip-flops from his presidency and cacophony of interests from his party leaders struggling to enlarge their selfish political and economic frontiers.”

‘Nigerians suffering from 16 years of PDP misrule’

—Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader

“N

igerians are impatient for what? I research on Nigerians, they just want to see

jing line of 4,000 kilometres? This could have tremendously improved NorthSouth transportation.

“We want to clear the mess the PDP created for 16 years. For 16 years, the PDP destroyed this country. We can’t be emotional and in self-denial [because] if they (PDP) have done what was necessary, we will not be having the current fuel scarcity. If they had done the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, if they had done the railway, if they had made electricity a priority, we will not be lamenting today”.

‘APC misrule worse than Boko Haram’ ­­—Former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri

“W

e have two insurgency in Yobe; we have the Boko Haram insurgency, which is criminal, but we have political insurgency of misrule of Gov. Ibrahim Geidam of APC. “If Nigerians are blaming PDP for 16 years of misrule, we PDP of Yobe are blaming ANPP/APC for 16 years of misrule.

“If there is change, we will start the change from Yobe.”

“The PDP is on a journey to redeem itself so that it can reclaim its lost glory.

13

‘APC should stop excuses, face governance’

­­— President Mohammadu Buhari n the First Republic, more enduring infrastructure was built with meagre resources.

“But in the past 16 years, we made a lot of money without planning for the rainy day.

“We showed a lot of indiscipline in managing our economy, and that is why we are where we are today.”

PAGE

‘Buhari’s govt wallowing in confusion’

—Ebun Adegboruwa, Human rights lawyer

“If we do the right thing just as we have started, I assure you that the seat we won 1999, we can still win it back,” .

the direction of the economic policy and want to be certain of the future that we will not continue in the direction of leaderless, directionless and hopelessness of the past 16 years.

“The fact is that Nigerians did not want to continue to import toothpicks, we can make toothpicks out of our bamboo trees. Nigeria does not want to import rice or plastic or call them chicken, Nigeria does not want to continue in the direction of the past 16 years. What did they leave behind in our account? Where should certain things that we bring to this country become our priority? Why do we have to bring those things that we can produce?”

“W

hen Buhari’s government was inaugurated almost a year ago, power generation was about 5,000 megawatts,

but it had drastically reduced now and nearly all parts of the country are in one crisis or the other. “ Militancy is back in the Niger Delta; it is a sad story that it appears that we are now in a war situation than we were before the current government took over power.

“It means Buhari is inefficient; his government is wallowing in confusion and has no direction.

“If the President insists that there is problem with the budget, it shows that the President has failed because his party is the one in charge.”

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LEISURE

APRIL 9, 2016

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APRIL 9, 2016

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Love conquers all for deaf and dumb couple

Unlike most physically challenged persons that line Nigerian streets or live under the major bridges across the nation begging for alms, deaf and dumb Taiwo Olajide, has apparently said no to such lifestyle while adopting a normal life with his newly-wed wife, who also suffers similar disability as him. He told JULIET UMEH the story of his life

L

ooking at Titus Taiwo Olajide, 44, dressed in his brilliantly styled suit and his newly wedded spouse, Ayokunmi, sporting an attractive wedding gown, hardly would one believe that the two lovebirds cannot hear or talk like every other normal person. The hard truth, which may not so obvious to the best observer, is that the duo cannot communicate normally except by two special communication channels they have been training on: sign language and writing.

Osun State born Taiwo was attacked by measles, one of the killer diseases that send children to their early graves before age of two years in Nigeria. But just only three months on earth, before they could start to enjoy a normal life of an infant, he

and his twin sister, Kehinde, were attacked by the disease; they became ill, but disgraced death. Speaking to Saturday Mirror through the assistance of an interpreter, he told the story of his deformity: “According to my parents, my deaf and dumb challenge started three months after I was born. Kehinde, my twin sister, and I, suddenly took ill; and after some time, there were rashes all over our bodies and we were taken to a hospital, where a doctor said the sickness was measles. But after we took the recommended drugs, my sister responded to treatment and became well again while my own condition lingered resulting in some other complications.

“The measles however left me after some time, but it left behind some ugly landmark

defects in speech. I could not talk or hear like my sister and my mother took me to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba Lagos (LUTH), so that they can examine my tongue and see why it wasn’t functioning properly; but the doctor confirmed that there was nothing wrong with my tongue. Unfortunately, the measles’ effect didn’t only affect my speech and hearing; the aftermath almost got me crippled as I could not walk until I was five years, whereas Kehinde, my sister was already walking.”

Similarly, Ayokunmi, Taiwo’s bride, who cannot also say or hear a word owing to the effect of almighty measles, also shared with Saturday Mirror, almost a similar unhappy experience as her husband’s. The 33-yearold hairdresser, who operates her hair beauty business in a well-equipped shop, that boasts modern equipment bought by her parents, through the help of an interpreter, also narrated the sordid story of how she was also struck by the dreaded killer disease, measles, at her tender age and its damaging effect to her speech.

However, all is now history. Now the news about them is that disability or no disability, like all male and female human beings with wholesome emotional feelings, they were able to express love, true affection and even fall in love. So were they destined for each other that the divine forces arranged their paths to cross in a house of God, the popular

Redeemed Christian Church of God, in 2015, in one of its parishes in Iju area of Lagos.

Their romantic relationship was not just happenstance, but a union alrady planned from heaven, because the couple devoutly worship in the church and even belong to a special group that takes care of the deaf and dumb in the church lead by able Evangelist Mrs. Akinwumni, popularly called ‘coordinator’ by members of the group.

Since love know no age or weakness, also a feeling that develops and grows, when the romantic feelings he had for Ayokunmi became full, Taiwo could not pretend the peak of his strong emotion. He told Saturday Mirror, “Out of all other girls in the church, I saw Ayokunmi and liked her. I therefore told the coordinator that I love this girl and would love to marry her.” The bride, who may be might have been longing for a deep relationship since she guessed Taiwo was closely relating with her in the church’s group, confessed she never experienced love in her life until she met her heartthrob. She said Taiwo is the first and the only suitor she ever had, and decided to marry him because “I love him.”

Recently, the union of the two ‘special’ beings, who never allowed the love they had for each other to be affected by their natural limitations, was quietly cemented recently at a registry in Ifako, but the social event

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‘He rejected ladies without speech, hearing defects’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

that followed was grand and marked with dance, music and ceremonies as conveners of the event and parents of the couple rolled out the drums at the venue of reception, the bride’s father’s compound at Agege, a suburban Lagos.

Also on the D-day, the bride and the groom’s happy parents, who were both on blue traditional attire matching with coral headgear, were so excited seeing their physically-challenged children exchanging marital vows like any other normal children.

Relatives, friends and well-wishers weren’t left out of the glamorous event as they all were on purple Ankara, uniform for the event, which made the occasion a memorable one for the couple who many must have written off as unqualified for marital union because of their deformity.

‘Beauty’ as it is often described to be ‘in the eye of the beholder,’ Taiwo, the proud winner of the ‘young’ lady, told Saturday Mirror, why he ‘voted’ for her instead of other girls including those who can hear and talk: “Her beauty was one of the things that attracted me to her among other things.”

But Taiwo may be scarcely used to women if what her mother, retired teacher, who was outside the country on a visit to one of her daughters when the couple started their love affair, told our correspondent is considered: “I was in Canada when people at home called me to tell me that Taiye had a girl, they sent her picture to me. When I saw her picture I love her, she is a beautiful girl, I then called back to tell them that I love her.”

The important question on minds of many may be: Didn’t Taiwo or his family try to approach any other girl without speech and hearing defect to marry their son? Responding, Mrs. Olajide, his mother, confessed that such move was made, but her son vehemently objected to having a lady without speech defect as wife. “I later realised his reason for the rejection because I felt that if I should insist on someone who can talk, they will not understand each other. Apart from that, he told me earlier before now that he would love to marry somebody like him that would understand sign language,” she said.

However, Taiwo has bad memories about his formative years, but he has refused to live in the consciousness of those challenges: “My growing up was filled with different challenges. I was already five years old before I could walk while my twin sister was already walking. As if the trouble measles posed was not enough, there was another ugly landmark in my life again between the age 10 and 12. I had an accident when I was pushed out of the train that I was boarding to school; it was only God that saved me from the fatal train accident. One of my legs was almost amputated, but the doctor who handled my case tried to save the leg by cutting some flesh from other part of my body to cover my bone “We spent about two years at Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi , Lagos. This was the most difficult and most challenging period of my life. After the leg got healed, I was admitted to Wesley School for Deaf Children at No 36, Ajao Estate, Surulere, Lagos State, where I became a border so that I could catch up with all the lost years,” Taiwo narrated.

But does the couple understand love, or are they naturally romantic? His mother expatiated: “Obviously they understand what love is. Let me give you an example.

One day I wanted to take something from their room; then I saw Taiwo romancing with his wife. Despite the fact that they aren’t talking, every other organs of their bodies are fully functional and healthy,” she declared giggling.

Maybe the belief that they virile and robustly healthy made the couple so optimistic their union will be a fertile one, hence they are hopeful that their children shall not suffer the same fate as them. While answering Saturday’s Mirror’s question on the number of children they intend to have by the help of God, Taiwo responded:

ting it down for everyone to see. Therefore, who wins in this contest? It is left for events to unfold to know who carries the day.

Becoming husband and wife now realised, making their marriage blissful is apparently among sad realities the couple could be grappling with now because the harsh economic reality searing on the strong and healthy is ruining most able bodied people in Nigeria today, let alone people with disability. The question therefore in the minds of many could be how will Taiwo provide for his home? The new husband is currently jobless but as a professional painter and decorator, who obtained a certificate at Federal Technical and Science College, Yaba, Lagos, he has been attending job interviews after quitting his job with All Saints Special Units Ifako-Ijaiye Agege La-

Out of all other girls in the church, I saw Ayokunmi and liked her. I therefore told the coordinator that

I love this girl and would love to marry her

“I will love to have four children with a boy coming first if I were to design their arrival, preferably, two boys, two girls.” But the fancy of the new wife about procreation and the number of children they would have is at contrast with that of her husband. Listen to her: “I want to have six children,” she clearly stated dramatising it by slowly wit-

gos where he ignorantly did voluntary job for close to two years through the help of his mother.

“Before I got the teaching job in the public primary school, I wasn’t doing anything but was on the look for what to be doing. But coincidently, I was walking along the street one day when I saw one of my former teach-

ers. She swiftly recognised me and after exchanging pleasantries, she asked me what I was doing and I told him I wasn’t doing anything; she then asked me to tell my mother to come and see her. After her meeting with my mother, I didn’t know what transpired between them. The only thing I know is that after some time I was offered a job in All Saints Special Units Ifako-Ijaiye Agege Lagos,” Taiwo explains.

However, Taiwo’s mother revealed the discussion between her and her son’s former teacher. “When the woman sent for me, she told me that instead of Taiwo staying at home that it is better he starts teaching with the school, though government school.

She told me that they will not pay him since government is not aware of the job. I then told my son that they had offered him job, but no money was attached, he rejected the offer.

“But because he has become so irritable sitting at home doing nothing, together with his speech defect, I was sad at the whole situation and I told the teacher that I’m going to be paying him N10, 000 from my pension at the end of every month. So I came back home to tell him that they said he should come and resume work as primary school teacher in the school, but he also declined the offer on the ground that the money was too poor. I therefore had another discussion with the woman telling her that I will make it N15, 000. That was when he accepted the offer.

“Unknown to him, after the end of every month, I will write his name at the back of an envelope and enclose the money and send it to school. I did that for one and a half years. Thankfully, the present local government chairman of Ijaiye, on hearing that had to assist me by helping out in two months. I am indeed grateful to him and God will bless him,” Mrs. Olajide recounted.

While flashing back at her son’s many challenges and what God has done so far, Taiwo’s mother solemnly thanked God as she wiped her tears of joy because of the castigations and name-calling by members of the public and because of what God has begun in his life as a husband to a woman.

She says: “I want God to bless them to have their own children. I want Taiye to find work so that he wouldn’t be sitting at home so as to help his family,” she prayed.

But, will their speech and hearing impediment not have effects on their marriage? It may not as long as they revel in love and joy of the moment. But time will tell.

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

Fashion Frenzy

Glowing Glowing in in white white P.24

Relationships

Between love and loyalty P.34

Sex talk

How much sex do you need to be happy?

P.24

Tiwa ... rising songstress

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APRIL 9, 2016

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Adam & Eve by accident

­—Modupe Ogunlesi Modupe Ogunlesi is the wife of Lanre Ogunlesi, popularly known as Sophisticat, and managing director of Adam & Eve, the home décor superstore where celebrities and socialites do their shopping.

OSEYIZA OOGBODO met her and she told him how Adam & Eve has survived for almost twenty years and why she even established it.

What inspired you to start Adam & Eve? Accident. Accident. I got married at 23 years, and my daughter at 21, so at 45, I was about to become a grandmother, and at 45, there was no way I could say I was retiring, because I had the advantage of my mother. My mother would never let me leave home with the children and my househelp. If I’m going out, I drop the househelp and children with my mother.

And it doesn’t matter when you’re coming back. If you’re going to a party and staying there half the night, then the househelp and children stay the night with her. My parents were very supportive in raising up children. At 45, there was no way I could offer that kind of support to my daughter, so I told them that, look, it’s no use both of you going out to work.

The househelps will do whatever they like because they know you wn’t be home before 6. So, to avoid that, it’s better to have a business that you can run between the two of you, so they can never be sure when either of you will drop in at home. So that way, the children will be better looked after. So that was the genesis of okay,

what would you like to do? And it came up that when you wanted to get married, you wanted a shop that you could pick all your wedding things in and there wasn’t one, so maybe that’s the kind of shop you should start, and as an accountant, I’ll give you five years of accounting advice. By then, the incubation period should be over and you’ll know where you’re going with it. But three years down the line, both of them came to me, my daughter felt the job is too sedentary, she would prefer to run a night club, her husband too had other interests, so I said, OK, your first child is three years, you can move on. So I had to buy the business from them and I’m still running it, because I really enjoy it.

18 years of Adam & Eve. How has the journey been? Easy or challenging?

There’s no business that’s easy in Nigeria. Except he president is your brother and he gives you monopoly. I say one thing, though. When you’re doing business in Nigeria, don’t let anybody deceive you, the incubation period is a minimum of five years, so you just tighten your belt during that period, and afterwards, most things you’ll be able to weather. When I say tighten your belt, it is don’t assume that profit is your profit. You must learn to plough back.

Now I’m saying five years is not enough.

One, your generator breaks down when you don’t expect. The air conditioners give problem. You know, things just happen.

Don’t think you’ve arrived before you have.

What’s your most memorable moment so far in running Adam & Eve? Many. But really, till today, what I find very inspiring is someone’s who’s never been to Adam & Eve comes in and he’s like ‘wow.’ That makes me feel the journey’s been worth it. I find I enjoy the shopping.

If you see me at a fair, you’ll know I enjoy it. I can hit the fair by 9am, and I’m on my feet, I don’t stop for lunch and suddenly, it’s 7 o’clock, they are closing for the day.

So I enjoy the shopping. But if you enjoy the shopping and nobody appreciates your effort, it’s disheartening.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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with

Oseyiza Oogbodo 08036961187 kingseiza@gmail.com

Publicity stunt latest!

I’m now writing books

— Eva Alordiah

L

Eva

R

espected singer, J Martins, has come out to decry the current crises Nigeria is in. He also lambasted supporters of president Muhammadu Buhari who are inferring that anyone who criticizes the country is not in support of the President.

Not mincing words, he said, “Ladies and gentlemen of the federal republic, complaining about the present situation of things in the country doesn’t make one anti-Buhari/APC or pro-GEJ/PDP. “For all you partisan voltrons, not everyone is into your hypocrisy-filled pontifications of party ideology, because in all honesty, you people have none. Many of us just want light, fuel, friendly business clime, better health, agriculture and educational infrastructures, and a better country, generally.

“I’m willing to give the government time to correct things, but the government has to give me a timeline, the wait cannot be endless. Kindly give us a timetable.

We have seen many that never came to fruition, but just give us schedule to work with please. ”I’ve spent almost nine times my planned budget for three months in two weeks, with no corresponding increase in income. If I’m expected to act like it’s absolutely normal and keep mum for fear of being branded anti-Buhari, or a wailer, hell no, I won’t!”

We feel your pain, bro.

ast week, the news everywhere about Eva Alordiah, the hip-hop music artist who’s still struggling to become a genuine success, was that she was that she had quit music.

Die-hard music fans however didn’t believe her quit declaration, feeling that it was just a publicity stunt, which is now rampant in the game, and they’ve been vindicated as Eva has come out this week to say she’s not quitting.

“Hey you,” began her explanatory letter. “I have been wanting to write you for some time now, and while I sit here waiting to board a flight to Abuja, I have finally found some time to squeeze a few words in.

“How are you? Hope you had a wonderful Easter? I spent mine with family and

the holiday seemed a tad too short, I must say.

“Now let’s get to the real sh*t.

“When I said Eva Alordiah Live 1 was my last show as a music artist, what I meant to say was I am ending that chapter where I played out the role of just being a music artist and beginning a new, even more fulfilling role as an all encompassing creative artist.

“I am sure it would gladden your heart to know that my first book which is a collection of short stories will be released with my debut album, 1960, and there is something about the tenth of April.

“OK! I have said enough now. I hope to write you again. Please write me back.

Love, Eva.”

J Martins blasts Buhari’s Babaeko, X3M music boss, celebrated supporters

C

Martins

hivas Regal has celebrated Steve Babaeko, CEO, X3M Group, at the latest edition of its Taste of Luxury series which held last Saturday.

Explaining why Babaeko was celebrated, he was cited as being “a giant in Nigerian advertising, having contributed immensely to the growth and evolution of the industry, by nurturing and mentoring young talent.

“As top industry talent, Babaeko is synonymous with a good number of the leading and most engaging advertising campaigns of the last two decades, building an impressive portfolio of hugely successful local and international brands during this period.

“Babaeko, in his passionate commitment to building young and future talent, exemplifies the ‘Success Tastes Better When Shared’ sensibilities of the Win the Right Way Chivas Campaign. He is therefore the very embodiment of the brand and its values.”

Popular singers, Simi, and Praiz, are signed to Babaeko’s record label, X3M Music.

Babaeko

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Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, others live their music at #HeinekenGidiFest

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he highly anticipated third edition of the #HeinekenGidiFest went down recently with performances by several A-list artists and the first ever Heineken Live Your Music - THE TAKEOVER session in West Africa.

The event which held at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, had performances from D’Banj, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Phyno, Timaya, Adekunle Gold and others.

Fans were treated to THE TAKEOVER, a unique music experience which allows them to ‘take over’ from the music DJ using customized wristbands provided by Heineken Nigeria.

“Heineken is as into live music experiences as their fans are. That’s why it celebrates, encourages, and enables music fans to be more active music live-rs,” said Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Heineken Nigeria. “Because to fully experience music, it’s not enough to just listen to it, you have to live it.”

The event was hosted by Nigeria’s Sensei Uche and South Africa’s Nomuzi, while THE TAKEOVER session was hosted by David Jones David.

Heineken also provided free transportation for music live-rs as part of its commitment to the ‘Don’t Drink & Drive – Enjoy Heineken Responsibly’ message.

BISK drops Topper One

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frobeat artist, BISK, is back with his brand new single, Topper One, released via his Swiissh Music record label. Produced by Ayobeatz, who has worked with global stars such as Jason Derulo, Labrinth and Wretch 32, Topper One is a smooth and infectious offering from Bisk, appreciating all the ambitious ‘topper’ women of Africa and the world.

Bursting onto the scene in 2014 with the singles, Electrifyin and I No Send to rave reviews, BISK has already been championed by several leading African music tastemakers, and has shared the stage with the likes of Kiss Daniel, Mista Silva, Dizzy VC and YFS among others, while collaborating with award-winning director, Moe Musa, for the video for Girl Dem Know with P Dubb.

BISK

Savage

Alade

Moelogo unveils long awaited sophomore EP, Iréti

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n the back of a breakthrough 2015, which culminated in him being nominated for Best African Act at the MOBO Awards, and ‘Diaspora Artist of the Year’ at the NEA Awards, with collaborations with Tinie Tempah, Wretch 32, Avelino, Sneakbo, and Geko among others, British-Nigerian afrobeat artist, Moelogo, is proud to debut his long-awaited highly anticipated sophomore EP titled Ìréti, premiered via The FADER. Backed by its critically acclaimed lead single, Penkele, which has been playlisted by Rinse FM, Bang Radio and Reprezent FM, with further support coming from Apple Music’s Beats 1, BBC 1Xtra and Capital Xtra, the Ìréti EP is a perfectly rounded 5-track affair, highlighting Moelogo’s compelling artistry and musicianship, infectious afrobeat and dancehall sensibilities, and captivating R&B flavours.

The EP sees Moelogo collaborating with fast-rising producer P2J (Krept & Konan, Trey Songz) to bring all five songs to life, with Mark Asari (LuvBug, Giggs, Angel) co-writing the EP’s opening track, Plenty Plenty, and Ari Pensmith (Trey Songz, Davido, Conor Maynard) assisting on the introspective Some Say, and the dancehall-tinged ode to Moelogo’s Peckham hometown, My City.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the EP, Moelogo said, “Ìréti is about one thing - hope. Hope and belief in my abilities as an artist, despite the many setbacks; hope that my talents will get

my family and I to a better life; hope and faith in God; hope that if I continue working hard, all my dreams will come true; searching for hope in a world filled with doubt and despair”.

From Moelogo’s first foray into the UK music landscape in 2013 with the BBC 1Xtra-playlisted Pangolo and his critically acclaimed debut EP, to his 2014 underground hit, The Baddest, featuring UK rap icon Giggs, to his partnership with Island Records last year, Moelogo is one of the most exciting artists coming out of the UK, fusing his African heritage into British urban music to glorious effect.

Moelogo

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLASSICAL LYRICS

Woju

Artist: Kiss Daniel

Intro Na so na so na so Kiss Daniel G-Worldwide Yeh Verse 1: Nor be you I carry come But na you I go carry go Sisi Agbarigo eh ya Yo wey Nor be you I dey check on o But na you I wanna know know know know know Sisi Ferari o eh ya Yo wey Refrain Very sweet Very nice Baby tu di du di du Odikwa tight (Odikwa tight) Sho’ mo pe o sexy Ma lo rogo ya lo ni Otun mo pe o de wa pa O wa fe ma buga si emi Chorus Woju o Le le le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o Le le le le le le Ko ya woju o Omo de yi le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o La la la la la la Verse 2 Nor be you I want to carry But na you I want to marry Sisi Agbarigo eh ya Yo weh Nor be you I dey give eye o But na you I want to give my life to Baby o o Refrain Very sweet Very nice Baby tu di du di du Odikwa tight (Odikwa tight) Sho’ mo pe o sexy Ma lo rogo ya lo ni Otun mo pe o de wa pa O wa fe ma buga si emi Chorus Woju o Le le le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o Le le le le le le Ko ya woju o Omo de yi le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o La la la la la la Repeat Verse 1 Nor be you I carry come girl But na you I go carry go Agbarigo o eh ya Yo wey Nor be you I dey check on o But na you I wanna know know know know know Baby o Yo wey Refrain Very sweet Very nice Baby tu di du di du Odikwa tight (Odikwa tight) Sho’ mo pe o sexy Ma lo rogo ya lo ni Otun mo pe o de wa pa O wa fe ma buga si emi Chorus Woju o Le le le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o Le le le le le le Ko ya woju o Omo de yi le le le le le Baby ko ya woju o La la la la la la Your boy Kiss e (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) So fun ko ya lo joko o (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) Your boy Kiss (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) So fun pe ‘wa la l’eko Awa la l’eko (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le) (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) So fun pe ‘wa la l’eko (Le le ma ma le le ma ma le le) It’s your boy Kiss

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Again, Wizkid and Linda Ikeji bicker

Wizkid

T

here’s a running battle between celebrated singer, Wizkid, and celebrated blogger, Linda Ikeji. They’re always having spats that make them say childish things.

Their latest spat is as a result of Ikeji carrying a story that Wiz has been given an eviction notice from a house he purportedly bought.

Mad at her, Wiz came really down on her and claimed that one of his directors slept with her. And Ikeji says she had to refute the director-slept-with-her part of his reaction so she penned the words below.

“So my darling little ‘friend’ Wizkid came on my Instagram page to blast me for writing that he was given quit notice at the Lekki home he claimed he bought some years ago, which he actually rented.

He threatened to beat me up … called me an ugly old b***h (I’m ugly? lol), says I don’t have a man (crying over that) and called my mum a loser (what a child).

“Anyway, all that don’t matter, people have said worse to me. What I wanted to address is the part where he said I slept with his director and he left me in a hotel … that one I will definitely want to address because some people actually believe it.

That my dear friends, is a lie!

“First and foremost, I’ve never met Wizkid one on one. I’ve only seen him once in real life on stage at a show a few years ago.

I’ve never met anybody who is his director.

Guess he put that line in his comments to

defame me. You that mad that people now know the house is not yours? Lol. “Trust me, if I knew someone was Wizkid’s director, I’d rather kill myself than sleep with him or any other entertainer for that matter (except maybe he’s my husband … hehe) because I know how some of these entertainers are … they kiss and tell a lot.

You can’t afford to be messing around in their circle. So, no, I have NEVER slept with Wizkid’s director. I live a celibate life … most of the time. (Though, that has to end soon … I’m getting old and missing out on that part of life … lol).

“I’ve always been an advocate of women respecting their bodies and owning their own. And I feel sex should only happen when you’re in a committed relationship (that is if you can’t wait till marriage) and I recommend celibacy for a long as you’re not committed to someone. There’s absolutely no dignity in sleeping around and messing around with different men.

It’s ugly and God don’t like ugly. So no, I’m not that woman, and will never be that woman. Nice try, Wizkid!

“Having said that, I’m sure, you wonder why Wizkid is so mad at me? To be honest, I don’t know either. All I know is that his beef with me started a long time ago but he decided to start bashing me online after I refused a meeting with him. A few months ago, he asked his PR people to contact me, that he wanted to talk to me. For some reason, he thought I didn’t like him and I was hurting his image online. He wanted to

Ikeji

see how I could write more positive things about him but I turned down the meeting.

Not that I have anything against him, I sincerely don’t! I think he’s an amazing talent and one of the few music stars in Nigeria with a midas touch. So this wasn’t personal. I just didn’t want to meet him. If he lobbies me, then it means I won’t be able to write anything about him anymore … and my job is to write … about everything, including entertainers.

“I am cordial with some of them … many of them I have never met. I try to stay away from gatherings where they are because the more friends you make in the entertainment industry, the less you can write. And that will inadvertently affect your work. The few ones that I call acquaintances, it’s hard to write about

them because you feel you’re cool with them and even when you write, they call you to complain. So, the fewer ‘friends’ I have in the entertainment industry, the better my job will be.

“So Wizkid can bash me all he wants … but I will continue to do my job. Maybe he thinks the more he bashes me, then I will stop writing about him? Won’t work. But meanwhile, if he tells a lie about me, I will address it.

“Oh and by the way, did I mention that his Porsche car is also on hire purchase?

Oh shit, I just mentioned that! And no, darling, you’re not 25! We know your real age! Continue to have an amazing career while I watch and continue to celebrate you.

“Kisses.”

EVENTS

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APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Hush premieres with celebrity guests

Hush premiered, last week in Lagos, and it was a grand affair with many socialites and celebrities in attendance. Toke Makinwa and Gbenro Ajibade were some of them.

Adesua Etomi

Daniel K Daniel

Gbenro Ajibade

Ifan Ifeanyi Michael

Meg Otanwa

Michelle Dede

Shade Ladipo

Toke Makinwa

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Style & Glam

APRIL 9, 2016

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

r u o m a l g f o s l i Ta F

or a woman who wants to stand out, to create attention, the tail dress is just the answer. Taily dresses are designed for the woman who is not afraid to her curves and hot legs wherever the dress’ tail starts from. And they are best as casuals and all informal dates. You can make your own design with an Ankara fabric, lace or guinea brocade materials depending on your taste. They can be in plain colours and can be mixed up with any friendly material. One good thing you can never take away from this particular style is the elegance and gorgeous compliments that follow their adorners. Pair them again with your choice of statement jewellery and heels of taste and you sure will appear sexy and glamorous. Here are some images to stir you up.

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Style & Glam

APRI 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRI 9, 2016

Fashion frenzy

e t i h w n i g n i w Glo

aso- oke l woven kente, fu ur lo co isp and widely ic infused with n time past, cr or Ankara fabr e it s and scarves. e wh eous laces, trim rg accepted as th go pear, they press your own colour might ap You can also ex ired e m r in ethnic insp ited to so dividual glamou in were strictly lim ials. er e, at it m y wh it high qual styles. The of en es ev ri s lle on we si je ca oc and e Swarovski is seen as clean This may includ orthodoxically, inestones, holies alone. tals, vintage rh ys cr meant for the d an ty ads, glass of creativi ls, tiger eye be ra co In this season , es yl s, wood and of personal st turquoise nugget s, ad be free expression be long and ken a new toll. ells. They can sh a se the story has ta e. Though e white fabrics, , short and dens ce ar sc The face of th en with the it may be has be y are at home an m t no whatever form h it W al outcome of stic designers. number, the fin e it wh uplifted by arti arer a high usual palette of bo offers the we m co is th a touch of an un e ow that tary colours, th nfidence and gl co of l ve le vivid complemen it su attraction. ve been made to u the centre of yo es ak m white fabric ha the with one well as making e your wardrobe at pd U all occasions as paradise still. today. wearer a bird of it, you can To lift your spir own with a accessorise your

I

Fashion frenzy

Style & Glam

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SOCIETY Mirror

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

with Deola Adeoti.

Tel: 07055695565, mofat07@yahoo.com

Dagrin’s sister, Busola Olaonipekun weds in style T

he joy of Chief Balogun Olaonipekun, Dagrin’s dad knew no bounds penultimate Saturday, April 2, 2016, as his daughter, Omobusola Olaonipekun, Dagrin’s immediate younger sister, tied the wedding knot with her charming dude, Wale Gbojuwo.

The nuptial, which took place at Meiran, Lagos State, was well attended by royal fathers, top class celebrities as well as the crème de la crème of the society.

Part of royal entourage was Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Adeola Ishau

Balogun, the Olu of Oluke Orile, Baale of Alabelapo and other revered chiefs, all from Itori Kingdom, Ogun State.

The wedding started with the traditional courtesies as the Olaonipekuns and the Gbojuwos get to know one another, and this was immediately followed with a grand reception which ended in gaiety and hysteria.

According to findings, Wale works with Jumia, a notable online retail store while Busola is a professional fashion designer.

And both families are said to be from Ogun State.

Meanwhile, while it could be said that the Olaonipekuns have put behind them the tragic death of their late son, Dagrin, the family also took time at the event to remember him as they played his many hit tracks and danced to it heartily.

Dagrin’s dad was the cynosure of many eyes as he took to the dance floor to show his dancing steps when Dagrin’s music were played.

Chief Balogun Olaonipekun is a big player in the real estate business and also in the entertainment world.

Lagos youngest Oba, Saheed Elegushi comes of age W hen Oba Saheed Elegushi, the Kusenla III, assumed the throne of his forefathers in 2010 as the Elegushi of Ikateland in Lagos Island, many did not reckon well with him because of his age. He was just 34 then. But the young Oba not minding his age did not shrink back in facing his people. He began to ingratiate himself with the people, partly for self-preservation and partly by way of securing power. In his first year, the young king gave himself to hard work, ensuring that his kingdom benefits from all governments policies and plans.

And it did not take that long before his effort begin to manifest. This was enough to convince his cynics and doubters. But while many expected him to stop there, he became insatiable, trying to blaze his

own path, mediating in the state affairs and as well proving his dominance.

Today, the then young Oba has come of age as he’s now clocked 40 years on earth. And to mark the occasion, the sociable monarch has carefully selected close friends, including Fuji music King, K1 de Ultimate, royalty, Oba Dosumu, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, business associates, eminent chiefs in his cabinet and a retinue of aides to join him on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Mecca, for a special prayer.

The monarch and his entourage were sighted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos last Wednesday evening boarding Emirates airline to Mecca enroute Dubai, and sources say on his return he’s bound to throw a jamboree to celebrate his birthday.

Tube gal, Seun Olagunju adds another year

F

orget that youthful appearance, Seun Olagunju, the beautiful and brainy broadcaster has surely come of age. Unknown to people, the golden girl of the tube is now 41 years old. She clocked this age actually on April 5, 2016.

Ordinarily, going by the virtue of her status in the society, one would have expected her to put up a grand ball for the birthday celebration just like she did last year when she clocked 40, but Seun didn’t do that. Instead of a ball filled with gaiety, the cerebral and modest woman celebrated her day at work.

However, Seun is not an ascetic. Like her husband, Dr. Kayode Olagunju, an ACM in the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), who is a gregarious dude, Seun is a joyful person and she spread this joy on the faces of those who came to celebrate with her in her office by treating them to the hilt with sumptuous meals and drinks. Part of the celebrities who thronged into her office is

Focus Nigeria presenter on AIT, Gbenga Aruleba, her husband and a host of others.

In the mood of the celebration, Seun’s husband was full of praise for her. In his eulogy, the vibrant cop described his wife as “wonderful mother” and “beautiful soul mate.” His words read in part:” Please, join me in wishing Seun, my love, happy birthday. I pray for you long life, prosperity, more giant strides and a better tomorrow.

May your star never dim. Have a splendid day, my sweet angel.

Thanks for being there for me always. Enjoy your day love.”

Apart from her husband, the ‘birthday girl’ also received torrents of birthday wishes and gifts from friends, relatives and co-workers. At work, Seun is known for her brilliance and dedication to work. Based on her outstanding achievements, she has won the Television Newscaster of the Year Award for the eight times at the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA).

Tunji Okusanya’s family in bitter feud

I

t is now two years and six months since late Tunji Badejo Okusanya, founder of Nigeria’s biggest funeral services company, MIC died in the Associated Airline plane crash in Lagos. Okusanya died in the crash along with his son, Tunji (Jnr) in the ill-fated chartered flight en-route Akure for the burial of late former Ondo Governor, Olusegun Agagu. Now in death, it remains to be imagined if the late MIC boss, who was loved by many during his lifetime would be happy, if the latest development in the family is anything to go by. We gathered that there has been a big split in the family for over one year now, the peak of which was the setting up of LTJ Funerals (which does same business as MIC) by the first child of late Okusanya, Bolanle.

Bolanle Badejo-Okusanya shocked not a few when she set up LTJ Funeral Services last June. This was more so because prior to this, she was in charge of running her late father’s MIC. Her decision to quit MIC, we learnt followed a disagreement with members of her family (including the elders) and most

of her siblings.

Late Okusanya’s first son, Olatunji Okusanya (Jnr.) was already taking after his father in the profession too before the unexpected happened on October 3, 2013 and he died with his dad in the air crash in the course of performing what they know how to do best. Mrs. Bolanle Okusanya-Feyita, the first child of late Tunji Okusanya, who is married with two kids and was based in London relocated to Nigeria and took over her father’s the business.

But Bolanle was just in MIC for six months before she disappeared and many were wondering what was happening to the thriving business. She returned again, but this time with a new company, LTJ.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Guest G

‘Your style is your signature’

Ejiro Tafiri is a Nigerian designer of note. She spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on her take on nude modelling and the right mode of dressing.

Problem foods as you age

Grapefruit It may be surprising, but foods can affect how your medicine works. That’s why it’s always best to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should avoid any foods. For example, if you take medicine for high blood pressure, anxiety, or insomnia, grapefruit juice may interact with your drugs. Don’t miss out on the vitamin C and potassium that grapefruit holds. Instead, enjoy other citrus fruits like oranges and limes.

Beans Some people avoid beans because of the gas and stomach pain they can cause.

But if you’ve banned beans from your diet, you may want to reconsider. An excellent source of fiber, beans are also high in protein and iron and low in fat.

The trick is to add beans to your diet slowly. Start by having a small serving a few times a week. Or try using a digestive enzyme that’s sold over the counter to reduce gas.

A

lot of ladies are today crazy about baring - it - all style of dressing. What’s your take on that?

I am not in support of going out naked because it does not add anything to one’s beauty. It’s all bad sense of dressing, it is not stylish neither is it complimentary. For all you care, it speaks more volumes of negativity about the person than positivity. In fact, as far as I am concerned, we look more beautiful and desirable when we cover our sensitive parts than when we don’t.

Honestly, I have confirmed this in some of the pictures I took and from what I have seen of my friends. In addition, we look more respectable

when we are well dressed than when we are not. In short, I am not in support of it.

But you are fashion model, are you saying you cannot pose nude if the need arises?

I will never pose nude for any reason because I have another life which is more real outside this job Not even for all the money in the entire universe. I have a fashion outfit and I dictate the pace.

So, what is style to you?

It is a person’s personal way of dressing and doing things. It can be weird, it can be simple. Whatever a person’s choice, I believe, anyone’s style must be outstanding. It must single one out. It is one’s signature.

Alcohol Moderate drinking may reduce your risk of heart attack and some types of strokes. But as you age, alcohol may affect you differently, even if you’re used to a glass of wine with dinner or a beer with TV. Alcohol disrupts sleep and can raise your blood pressure, too. Alcohol can also cause hypoglycemia in people with diabetes. It even affects the way medicines work. Talk to your doctor about your alcohol use.

Dairy You may have trouble digesting milk or dairy products as you age. But you may not have to give up all dairy products and the calcium and protein they provide. Many people can have small amounts of dairy with no stomach up-

set. And some dairy products are better tolerated than others. Or try lactose-free dairy products.

Caffeine Although caffeine may not be a problem for everyone, it can make some people feel anxious or jittery. Caffeine can also increase your heart rate and cause sleeping problems. If you’re trying to cut back, be sure to taper off slowly.

Stopping caffeine too quickly may cause headaches, nausea, or vomiting. Slowly replace caffeinated drinks with water, herbal tea, or decaf.

Meats Some of the healthiest cuts of meat, such as lean steak, can be the most difficult to chew. While hamburger is much easier on the teeth, it’s often a less nutritious choice. It can contain 20% to 30% fat. Instead, look for lean beef. Or for a healthier protein source, try fish.

High-salt foods If you’re 51 or over or in a high-risk group, experts recommend you get no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day. Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure and put you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. The main culprits? Processed foods, such as frozen foods, snack foods, salad dressings, and processed meats. Read labels carefully and look for “sodium free,” low-salt, or no-salt alternatives.

Fruit Fresh fruits contain an abundance of vitamins, fiber, and other important nutrients. But if it’s hard to eat your “apple a day” eat softer fruits, such as bananas and melons. You can also blend your favorites into a fruit smoothie.

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

WOMAN

‘Women are healthy competitors of men’ One virtue that cannot be taken away from Mrs Callista Ifeyinwa Akubu is her down-to earth nature. An indigene of Eluama in Orlu Local Government of Imo State, she spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on her marriage of many years and how Nigerian women can gain better grounds in politics come 2019

T

ell us some fond memories of your childhood?

I was brought up in a home where my parents believe so much in God. We are made to key into church activities as much as possible. Each of us was made to belong to one department or the other. I was brought up in a Catholic home and was groomed in the charismatic way of faith which saw me till today. The fear of God was instilled in us and it’s just part of us till today.

Much time was dedicated to our upbringing and this I have also imbibed and passed down to my children.

The mistakes so many homes make today is that parents, mothers especially placed their career above their

kids and home. We did not experienced this and we are enjoying it today. There were no issues of rape and defilement like we have today because of adequate and quality attention from mothers.

I simply have a wonderful childhood and I glorify God for this.

How did you meet your husband and what was the attraction?

I was attracted to him because I see the fear of God in him because I have always prayed for a man that fears God. When he came, I had several suitors but his disposition to God swept me off my feet.

Where did you meet him?

I was posted to Lagos for my Youth Service and there was this woman sell-

ing roasted plantain. That was where we met. He saw me and winked at me.

Unknown to me, he followed me to the office. When I was told that I had a visitor and I saw him, I told the security men to walk him out but he refused.

He kept on pestering me so much that I couldn’t but fall for him.

What is your take on the role of women in politics so far in Nigeria?

As far as I am concerned, Nigerian women performed fairly well in the last political era. At least, we had some of them contested for high positions. But, I will say they still need to do more. Until we have women in top positions like presidential, governorship and more ministerial posts, we won’t be said to

have done well enough. Nigerian women should see themselves as healthy competitors with their male counterparts and not the other way round.

In addition, I will solicit for su[p[port from men as they are our husbands and also support from fellow women to really win outstandingly come 2019.

How do you combine your work with the duties of a mother and wife in the home?

When I was doing my MBA at University of Lagos, there was this professor that lectured us. He was used to saying that planning is most important in whatever one does in life. This is exactly what I employ and it is working for me. I plan my movement everyday

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to ensure that none of my duties and expectations fails. I give my children quality time, my husband and my business. I am in business because of my children and husband, so, the business must serve them and not the other way round.

What’s your view on broken marriages?

Broken homes in my own view have become a common place in Nigeria which is very unfortunate. Today’s couples or let me say youths are so impatient and intolerable which is why we have the case on the high side today.

Unlike what we have in the past where marriage was for better for worse, couples today love convenience; they won’t endure pain and discomfort. Once this plays up in their relationship or marriage, they simply call their marriages off as if it is a meeting. They are more selfish than the couples of old, they want things to be seen from their angle only, they are inconsiderate and this is bad. We can only pray that God will intervene in the situation. Parents again must see to a better tutelage of their wards so as to help them understand the institution of marriage and all that it takes to have a successful home. They need have in mind all the time that charity begins at home. A good home training and healthy exposure will help improve marriage tenureship in Nigeria. Couple should know that challenges are part of life, so when they come, it should not be any big deal because they will go the same way they came. In a man life, there are periods we go through the wilderness of life, but what matters is that while you are going through your wilderness, you must come out victoriously.

Change, they say is the only thing that is constant, we are bound to go through hard times in life.

Is it possible for one to really know his or her spouse before making a permanent choice?

There is no criterion for this but I will say it is important that one takes time to understand who he or she is involved with. They must pay good attention to instincts; they have a way of directing or leading us.

What is the way out of broken home today?

I have mentioned some but I will add that families should endeavour to pray together, a family that prays together, stays together. Couples should again find times to talk issues out within themselves. They should give a listening ear to their children. They should not compare their home with other homes; they should know that there is no perfect marriage.

What does Eluama, your association stands for?

The union is the Lagos branch of indigenes of Eluama in Orlu Local Government of Imo State. Every year we mark the end of year with a party to appreciate God and ourselves. I am one of the four patrons and matrons recently appointed. The union has been

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APRIL 9, 2016

Unlike in the past when marriage was for better for worse, couples today love convenience; they won’t endure pain and discomfort.

Once

this comes up in

29

Keeping ABREAST Diamond watch

Largest pink pear-shaped diamond ever to sell for £27million

•Supremely rare and exceptional diamond weighs 15.38 carats •Classified as ‘fancy vivid’ and has received highest possible colour grade

their relationship or marriage, they simply call it off existing for about 10 years but the appointment was just a development that just took place. It is something that has not happened before and it’s really a joyful thing.

Since Lagos is not our home, we are using the avenue to recognise ourselves and to come together as a group.

Apart from the yearly meeting or celebration that I mentioned earlier, we also come together every month to meet and deliberate on issues that border on us and our community with a view to improving our members’ and community lives.

How would you say the association has fared in the last 10 years?

So far, I cannot but say God has dealt well with us. It has brought us together, encouraged love and familiarise us with each other’s problems like never before. It has paid everyone well.

What is your greatest regret in life?

If there is anything I feel bad for, it is the death of my mum. I regret not stamping my foot to insist on what I should have done.

If I am to ask your kids how they rate their mother, what do you think their answer will be?

My kids will tell you that their mum is great because she gives them all the time in the world whenever they want it.

What is your advice to the singles out there?

They should put their eyes down to make the right choice of life partners.

It is very important because any wrong step they take now will cause them a pain of a life time.

If there is a reincarnation, would you want to marry your husband and have your children all over again?

I have a wonderful family and if there is anything like reincarnation, I would gladly marry my husband again and gladly ask God to give me my children again. Like I said, my husband is a God- fearing man, he is a man that respects his woman, he is a father, a husband, he is just the best thing that has happened to me.

T

he largest pink diamond ever offered at auction is expected to fetch more than £20million when it goes under the hammer next month.

The diamond, nicknamed ‘Unique Pink, which has been described as ‘supremely rare and exceptional’, is a ‘fancy vivid’ pink diamond and weighs 15.38 carats.

As well as receiving the highest possible colour grading for a pink diamond from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the ‘Unique Pink’ has been found to be Type IIa, displaying ‘exceedingly pure structure’.

It is the largest fancy vivid pink pearshaped diamond ever offered at auction.

The term ‘fancy vivid’ refers to the intensity of the colour of the diamond, which in this case is a rare pink.

The diamond has stunning clarity and exceptionally pure structure.

Bidding is estimated to reach between £20 and £27 million at the Sotheby’s auction in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17th.

David Bennett, Worldwide Chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division, said: ‘It is difficult to imagine a diamond that better illustrates the term Vivid Pink than this outstanding stone.

‘The colour is simply astonishing and, for its size, it is in my experience truly unique.’

The discovery of any gem-quality pink diamond is extremely rare. Of all diamonds submitted to the GIA each year, no more than three per cent are classified as coloured diamonds, and less than five per cent of those coloured diamonds are predominantly pink.

The auction, called Magnificent Jewels & Noble Jewels, will feature an impressive spectrum of coloured diamonds, the highlight of which is the ‘Unique Pink.’

Other well-known pink diamonds include the ‘Sweet Josephine’, which sold for £18.8 million in November 2015. The 16.08-carat rare gemstone was the largest cushion-shaped stone classified in the elite ‘fancy vivid’ category to ever come to auction.

The ‘Graff pink’, a rare pink diamond was sold for a record-breaking £29million

by British billionaire jeweller Laurence Graff, 72, in 2010.

A pink diamond holds the current world record for sale at auction, set by Sotheby’s in November 2010 in Geneva, when a 24.78-carat pink diamond sold for $46m.

In May, the biggest blue diamond ever to be auctioned is expected to fetch £31million at Christie’s.

The huge rectangular-cut gemstone is called a ‘fancy vivid’ for its very rare medium to dark tone and has been branded ‘the gem of gems’.

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divorce court

‘She is into extramarital affairs’

APRIL 9, 2016

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.

• I am not into extra-marital affairs as he claimed. The day he did not meet me at home, I went to my friend’s house at Akute. I could not come back home to sleep same day because I was held up in traffic, so I went back to sleep in my friend’s place —Wife

A

n Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State has dissolved the eight-year marriage of a herbalist, Mr Abiju Olaifa and his wife, Kehinde, over childlessness.

The 60-year-old herbalist, who resides at Olaifa St., Gbaga, off Ijede Road in Ikorodu, had approached the court seeking the dissolution of the union.

The President of the court, Mr Olu Adebiyi, ruled that the couple should go their separate ways as the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

He also ordered the petitioner to pay compensation fee of N50, 000 to the respondent.

Olubiyi also ruled that the respondent should vacate the petitioner’s premises with immediate effect.

Earlier, the herbalist had told the court that his wife is not trustworthy, very stubborn and arrogant.

“After three months of our marriage, my wife conceived, but I told her to move into my apartment for proper care, but

she refused, not quite long, she had a miscarriage. ``There was a time she left home without informing me, and came back the following day; I believe she is into extra-marital affairs. Please separate us I am no more interested in the marriage.

Kehinde, 43, a food vendor, denied the allegations leveled against her. ``Although we don’t live together, my husband sleeps in other wives’ apartment most of the time. ``I am not into extra-marital affairs as he claimed. The day he did not meet me at home, I went to my friend’s house at Akute. ``I could not come back home to sleep same day because I was held up in the traffic, so I went back to sleep in my friend’s place. ``It is not my fault that I don’t have a child, although I had one child for him who later died. ``Please help me beg my husband, it is only God that gives children,’’ she earlier pleaded.

(NAN)

‘She is a pest in my life’ • He maltreated me during the pregnancy and did not pay my hospital bills when I was delivered of the baby.”I love and respect everyone around my husband, but what usually causes misunderstanding between us is the issue of money —Wife

W

ith these words, Pastor Ope Balogun pleaded with an Orile Agege Grade ‘B’ Customary Court, Lagos, to dissolve his three-year marriage to his wife, Taiwo,who he accused of troublesome acts and nagging.

The 54-year-old cleric, who lives at 7, Ilupeju Street, OkeOdo, Agege, testified that he had not known peace since he married his wife. ”My wife, Taiwo, is a troublesome woman. She fights me at the slightest opportunity.

She has driven almost all my church members away”, the petitioner stated “My children from my previous marriage cannot come to our house because they are afraid of my wife. My family members cannot visit me as well.”My Bible school students cannot continue their studies because of her incessant troubles and even some pastors working under me left the church” Balogun also alleged that

his wife drove him out of his house on Nov. 2012.”She pursued me from the house and she still came to damage the windows of where I am taking refuge,” he said.

Meanwhile, Taiwo, 36, denied the allegations. She said, “I am the ninth wife of Pastor Balogun. Trouble started when I took in and he told me that he did not want a child again but sex. ”He maltreated me during the pregnancy and did not pay my hospital bills when I was delivered of the baby.”I love and respect everyone around my husband, but what usually causes misunderstanding between us is the issue of money. ”He does not give me and my child money for feeding.”After the delivery, he told me that I should be eating once a day, so how do you expect the house to be peaceful?”

The defendant told the court that she doesn’t want to leave her husband because of her child.

‘She hugs, kisses strange men’ • My wife is having affairs with many men, I saw her enter into a house with a man hugging and kissing —Husband • My husband was the one cheating me. I once heard his conversation with the lady he impregnated that he would send money for her ante-natal —Wife

A

n Igando Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved a six-year marriage over heavy drinking and adultery.

The President of the court, Rasak Adeyeri, said that all efforts to reconcile Samuel Ajibode, a businessman and his wife Rebecca had proved futile.

He said the court had no option than to dissolve the union for them to go their separate ways.

“Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways,” Adeyeri ruled.

The Petitioner, Ajibode, 53, had

filed a suit seeking the dissolution of the marriage over wife’s infidelity and excessive alcoholic consumption.

He told the court that his wife was a slut, who was in the habit of cheating him.

“My wife is having affair with many men, I saw her enter into a house with a man hugging and kissing.

“But, she is now accusing and fighting my first son for telling me that she is dating the man,” he stated.

Ajibode described Rebecca as a drunkard, saying that she often gave their son alcohol to drink and both would start misbehav-

ing after.

He accused Rebecca of always maltreating her step children.

“Rebecca detests her step children, she does not give them food and she once poured hot water on my first He said that Rebecca was a troublesome woman and that due to this, “I had to leave the house for her and moved to my brother’s house’’.

The petitioner said that Rebecca also colluded with his tenant, a herbalist, to sell his house.

“That day, I saw three people in my compound inspecting the CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

‘He gives me N80 to feed two children daily’ • I pray the court to separate us so that I can have peace ­­­­­—Wife • All I want is for her to return my children and I will take care of them —Husband

A

n Osogbo Grade II Customary Court has dissolved the nineyear marriage of one Bilikisu Odekanle and her husband, Taofeeq, over lack of care.

Bilikisu had approached the court to dissolve the marriage because Taofeeq did not take care of her and their children.

“He does not take care of us.

He only gives me N80 to feed our two children and me daily. As a result of the lack of care, I left his house about two years ago.

“I have come to court to seek divorce because one of our children was sick and I took the child to him, he told me that he was responsible for the child’s sickness in order to punish me.

“He also told me that he is expecting me to bring a dead

child because if the child dies, I will be at loss. I pray the court to separate us so that I can have peace,” she said.

Taofeeq, however, denied the allegations, saying that he took care of his family within the available resources.

“All she said is not true. I give her N200 daily that is after I have bought food in the house.

“I refused to take care of the sick child because there was a disagreement between her father and l. All I want is for her to return my children and I will take care of them,” he said.

Chief Bolarinwa Popoola, the President of the Court, said that “the plaintiff has proved her case that the defendant did not care for the family”.

“The defendant confirmed his

lack of adequate care although he denied the charge of giving N80 for feeding.

“Both parties have agreed that the marriage cannot go on which the court now grants with immediate effect.

“The child, who is 8-year old, will go to the defendant while the younger child, who is 2-year old, will remain with the plaintiff.

“The upkeep of the younger child will be borne by the defendant by paying N2000 monthly through the court; he is also responsible for the child’s education and hospital bills.

“The court grants both parties right of access either through the court or as mutually agreed,” he ruled.

(NAN)

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31

divorce court

‘ My wife is a slut’

• My wife is a flirt; men have been picking and dropping her at home. There was a day I trailed a man on a motorcycle who came to pick her and took her to an eatery for dinner. On another occasion, I saw her with another man coming out of a supermarket with some items bought for her and they both went away in the man’s Jeep —Husband • I am not promiscuous. The men my husband used to see with me were helping me to secure loans for my business —Wife

A

46-year-old businessman, Richard Olisa, who accused his wife of promiscuity, has asked an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 12-year marriage.

Olisa told the court that his wife, Cordelia, was a slut and had committed adultery. ``My wife is a flirt; men have been picking and dropping her at home. ``There was a day I trailed a man on motorcycle who came to pick her and took her to an eatery for dinner. ``On another occasion, I saw her with another man coming out of a supermarket with some items bought for her and they both went away in the man’s jeep,’’ he said.

The petitioner also accused his wife of threatening him with dangerous

‘My wife always attempts to slap me’

• I left her and ran for my dear life because she attacked me with a broken bottle and a knife. I did not beat her, rather she was always making attempts to slap me whenever we had any misunderstanding —Husband

A

n Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos State has dissolved an 11-year marriage over battery and absence of love.

The court’s president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, said the marriage between Balikis and the husband Jamiu Ibrahim had broken down irreparable.

“Starting from today, you ceased to be addressed as husband and wife; you shall go your separate ways and maintain the peace anywhere you see yourselves.

“The custody of the children is referred to the Ikeja Family Court for final decision, but in the interim, they remain with their mother.

“The man should be giving N8, 000 monthly for the

children’s upkeep and also be responsible for the medical and educational bills of the children,” he ruled.

Omilola added that Ibrahim should secure a room apartment for Balikis and her children.

Balikis had approached the court where she sought the dissolution of the marriage, citing battery, lack of care and threat to life.

Balikis, 36, a trader, who lives at 15, Adebowale St., Pleasure Bus-Stop, Oke-Odo, a suburb of Lagos, told the court that her husband derived pleasure in beating her.

“His hands are always in a hurry to beat me whenever we have a misunderstanding, beating has now become the order of the day for me while

in his house.

“He went to my father’s shop and threatened to kill me if he does not take me from his house. Also, he `womanizes,’ he has married two other women after he threw me out of the house.

“He was not paying the children’s school fees, neither did he know how they were being fed even while in his house,” she said.

The mother of two children, aged six and nine, urged the court to dissolve the union and grant her the custody of the children.

Her husband, Jamiu Ibrahim, 38, a driver, who lives at 31, Babs Salaam St., Abule Egba, a suburb of Lagos denied the allegations.

“I did not send her out but

she packed out of our matrimonial home when she knew I was not coming back to her again.

“I left her and ran for my dear life because she attacked me with a broken bottle and a knife.

“I did not beat her, rather she was always making attempts to slap me whenever we had any misunderstanding, and was always behaving like somebody without a husband,” he said.

Jamiu said that he loved his children and was always providing for them and paying their school fees.

He, however, said that he did not love Balikis again, and expressed his support for the dissolution of the marriage.

weapons for challenging him. ``My wife had used a rake and an iron rod to hit me on the head during a disagreement. ``I am no longer interested in the marriage, I want the court to dissolve it.’’

The estranged wife, a 45-year-old trader, denied all the allegations, saying ``I am not promiscuous. The men the man (husband) used to see with were helping me to secure loans for my business. ``He has stopped eating at home on the excuse that that he was praying,’’ the mother of two told the court.

She, however, urged the court not to dissolve her marriage.

The President of the court, Mr R.I. Adeyeri, adjourned the case for judgment

‘She hugs, kisses strange man’ .

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 environment. I accosted them and asked them what they were doing in my compound.

“One of them said he came to show his brothers the house he wanted to buy from my wife and my tenant,” he said.

He begged the court to dissolve the marriage as he was no longer interested and that he had fallen out of love.

Rebecca, 33, a food vendor, denied the allegations but accused her husband of infidelity.

“My husband was the one cheating me, I once heard his conversation with the lady he impregnated that he would send money for her ante-natal.’’

She explained that Samuel had tried many times to sleep with his own daughter and that she was always the hindrance.

Rebecca said further that Samuel usually did not drop enough money for feeding and that was why she did not give her step-children food.

The mother of three, however, begged the court to save the marriage because she was still in love.

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People

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 9, 2016

Meet African monarch who works as German mechanic

D

ressed in all his royal finery, Céphas Bansah, helps to govern more than two million Ghanaian and Togolese people. But despite being regarded as a ‘superior and spiritual chief of Ewe people’ in Togo, he also works as a full-time mechanic in Germany - governing his people over Skype.

The 67-year-old’s official royal status is ‘King Togbe Ngoryifia Cephas Kosi Bansah’ - but he spends most of his time in oily overalls fixing cars in Germany.

Céphas grew up in Ghana and moved to Germany in 1970 before he was appointed king. His kingdom, Gbi in Eastern Ghana on the border of Togo, consists of 300,000 Ewe people.

He originally moved to Germany when his grandfather, the then king, encouraged him to train there as a mechanic. After finishing his studies and gaining full citizenship, he settled and set up his own garage in Ludwigshafen.

He continued living a peaceful life until 1987 - when he received a Fax which would change his life forever.

His grandfather, the King of Hohoe, had died and Bansah’s father and eldest brother were deemed unfit to rule because they were left-handed, which the Ewe people considered to be ‘unclean.’ This meant that Céphas was his grandfather’s successor, and the new king.

He now lives in Ludwigshafen with his wife Gabriele Bansah, 57 and his two children Carlo and Katharina, continuing his job as a mechanic and his role as King. He uses Skype to govern his people and still visits Ghana up to eight times per year.

In his role as king, he also works on a number of aid projects including building schools and is currently raising money to build a women’s prison.

To fund his aid projects, Céphas also sells his own beer, called Akosombo even though he never drinks alcohol himself.

German photographer Christina Czybik spent the day with the king at his home and managed to capture a fascinating insight into his life.

Czybik said: “The mix of cultures is an interesting one. Bansah told me that the people in Ghana are very religious. They are mostly Christian, but a lot are also into Voodoo. But not in a bad way.

Céphas Bansah leads two very contrasting lives - as a part-time monarch and a full-time mechanic

King Bansah and people

King Bansah in royal robes

“King Bansah has a small Voodoo shrine in his living room with a small handmade sign that reads ‘Michael Schumacher shall recover soon and fast’.

“He invited me to join his delegation to travel to Ghana

this September. I’ve actually booked my flights.”

Even though Ghana is a democratic state, traditional kings such as Céphas Bansah still have an important function within the communities as carers of their people.

King Bansah at work as mechanic in Germany

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APRIL 9, 2016

33

Parenting

Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression

How to win your daughter’s heart

M

ost mothers run into conflicts with their daughters as soon as they come of age. Meanwhile this is not supposed to be so as the two of them are supposed to be closely knit in love. Here are most causes for conflicts between the two and ways to sort them out:

Avoid critical remarks

Some girls often complain about their mothers’ making critical remarks about them. Although its a mother’s prerogative, if not her obligation, to make sure her daughter looks her best, she is expected to be mild in her comments on their appearances.

One good way to go about your observation is to let them see the good part of your remarks and not only the critics. For instance, if a mother prefers that her daughter change a particular dress probably because it makes her look much of a whore, she should employ a permissible language otherwise, the girl might be put off or see her as wicked and an old school. You must try as much as possible not to be harsh and mean in your criticism, that way, she would appreciate you and your advice. Be careful not to despise the power of praise.

Listen and respect what she has to say

Whenever there is an issue of discussion between you and your daughter, learn to listen to what-

ever she has to say and her own side of the discussion. If it is on relationships, learn to consider her feelings before making your comments. If you are too hasty and edgy, your action might present your intention negatively to her. If you will choose to criticize her on her choice of career, friends and opinion without considering her feelings, you may end up pushing her off you. Let them have it their way too though not all the time. They would appreciate it if you consider their choices too. A good way is to find a good time to talk with them. They usually have things to say but might be put back if you are too busy to listen to them. Make them understand that you are accessible. You shouldn’t wear a look of disapproval when your daughter walks up and says “Mom, there’s something really important I want to talk to you about” Give them a consent, and don’t rebuff them even though you have too many things to think about as well.

Don’t choose her friends

Let her visit friends especially those that you know she really likes. Don’t choose friends for your daughters because these friends are those they share their intimate feelings with when they find them too confidential to share with you. Not only that, encourage her friends to keep coming and don’t always appear

ParentingUpdate A

too harsh when her friends her around looking for her, it destroys their friendship eventually because they would end up talking about how unwelcoming you were when they visited your daughter.

When you see a friend with a bad trait, don’t chase them yourself, talk to your daughter about him or her later instead of calling your daughter to the room when the friend is still around. Talk to her about the friend you don’t like and give reasons for your disapproval, you would be surprised that your daughter would come home one day and say “ Mom, I’m no longer friends with so so person, I found out that he pretends.”

That’s because she has taken time to study him after your comment.

try to paint her father black, if you do, you will be influencing orientation and this might make a distance between the two of you. Instead, sit her down and explain things though not in a way that would speak ill of the father anyway.

Most mothers seem to believe that their own childhood was

normal, and so try to impose their childhood norms on their children. You can’t possibly build her into a wonderful woman that way. It is good to ensure always that the communication gap between you and your daughter is filled. With that, you would have a long lasting relationship that you’ve always wished for.

Tiny Feet

Do not try to incite her against her father

A daughter may believe that her mother is a victim of a bad father, and sympathize with her mother. If a daughter supports her mother’s criticism of her father, they may feel more closely bonded which is wrong. As an adult, the daughter may unconsciously seek a partner, who is like her perception of her father, and treat him in much the same way as her mother treated her father and drag her own children into the fight. But going by the reverse, if your daughter supports her father in any of your conflicts with each other, do not

NAME: Rahma Olayiwola BORN TO: Mr. and Mrs. Olayiwola AGE: 8 days BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Teenager who gave birth in toilet had NO idea she was pregnant •She still had periods and didn’t gain weight

teenager who assumed she had severe constipation was astounded when she suddenly gave birth on the toilet seat.

Jenika Tailor had no idea she was pregnant, having had regular periods and suffering no weight gain, cravings or back pain.

The 19-year-old woke in agony last month and went to the toilet, assuming she had severe period pain or constipation. But when it got worse, she called for her mother, who rushed to her side and noticed she was bleeding. Baby Zara was born just seconds later, weighing 4lb 3oz.

Unaware she was pregnant, Miss Taylor had drunk throughout her pregnancy and despite not using contraception,

she claims she didn’t think she would get pregnant. She is telling her story to raise awareness of safe sex.

Describing the birth, Miss Tailor, who is studying forensic science at the University of West London, said: “In terms of the pain, I was on red alert. I am usually a pretty calm person. At first I didn’t realise I was in labour. I called my mum and sat on the toilet while she rang the paramedics.

“Then she put her hand under me and said she could feel a head. I got up, took five steps and Zara landed in my mum’s hand. I didn’t even push. I didn’t even realise I was about to have a baby until that point.”

Miss Tailor was too stunned to speak

as the paramedics took her and baby Zara to hospital.

But despite being born at seven months and weighing 4lbs 3oz, three weeks on, Zara is a happy and healthy baby and is doted on by her mother’s boyfriend, Sukith Fernando, also 19, who is also said to be besotted by his daughter.

Now considering becoming a midwife after her daughter’s whirlwind birth, she added: “I didn’t think things like that really happen, I want to show people that it does.

“Zara is a lovely baby. She barely cries, she just sleeps all day and does what normal babies do. She is also gaining weight. It’s been hard, but also so amazing.”

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Male

Jide animashaun 08034710902

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Angle

Between love

Love will always find a way

I

t is amazing how a lot of people always try to rationalise the way people treat them especially if it involves being hurt through a betrayal of trust and loyalty. We all at one time or the other have been involved with same and when we sit back and take a pause to recollect what happened, it becomes obvious that we would have been better off reacting or behaving in a certain way totally different from the way we acted when that issue occurred. For us to talk about loyalty in a relationship we must talk about being reliable and always true to one’s words. It is being protective of your partner and their feelings or like your trusted dog, being there for your partner always.

Loyalty is about fidelity.

Most people think that it is only when couples are sexually faithful to each other that one can talk about loyalty and faithfulness. Let’s be honest here, a lot of people in relationships cheat, lie, and generally do not consider their partner’s feelings in a lot of things in the relationship. Loyalty in relationships go beyond the issues of sexual faithfulness. In truth, refraining from sex with other partners is not the full extent of what it means to be faithful or loyal in marriage or in a relationship. What about keeping information, money and other valuables away from the knowledge of your partner or getting involved with someone other than your marriage mate in any form of social liaisons while keeping such information away from your mate? Could a close friendship with someone of the opposite sex without the knowledge of your mate not become a form of “infidelity” if you know that your partner will not be comfortable with such friendship?

Lots of people talk about being in love yet their idea of love is totally and awfully self-serving. Real love is a twoway street, and in most cases it requires giving up or avoiding things that would hurt your significant other. If you’ve decided to commit to a relationship, you can’t allow that commitment to be shaken at the first temp-

tation or bump in the road. A huge part of love is trust. Trust is something to be valued and cultivated in a relationship.

It takes time to develop as you open yourselves to each other and expose the most secret parts of your heart. Trust takes a long time to build, yet it can be shattered in moments. There are few things less loving than betraying another’s trust. It’s simply a line that shouldn’t be crossed. So if you don’t feel that you can commit to a framework of being in love with your partner in a way in which you both agree, you absolutely must make that clear from the start.

That way, you both have a clear picture of what lies ahead.

Now looking at the issue from a realistic point of view and taking into cognizance of the fact that emotional sentiments may be allowed, while thinking of the next steps to follow, I am of the opinion that there is nothing really wrong with still being in love because love is an expression of emotional closeness that cannot be wished away overnight. A breach of trust can take a long time to repair I know, and though your significant other might forgive you right away and there may always be a lingering doubt in his or her mind, the truth is that given time, all wounds whether emotional or otherwise will always heal though it might be very difficult for him or her to fully trust you again for a very long time. When a spouse has developed a relationship that compromises his or her loyalty or fidelity, he or she should be humble enough to take the necessary steps to restore the marital relationship. It is on this basis that one can start talking about forgiveness and till being in love after a loyalty issue. This is more so because how partners treat each other is not a reflection of each other’s worth. It is also not a reflection on anything one of the partners is lacking or is not doing, but a reflection of who you truly are and can be therefore, a reflection that one can still be in love even after a betrayal of loyalty issue.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

How much sex do you need to be happy?

A

n active sex life is important to couples’ happiness, and they don’t have to go at it like rabbits. Those who make love once a week are happiest, a new study suggests.

More frequent sex isn’t a buzzkill for a relationship. It just doesn’t pack the same punch, Canadian researchersin the journal titled Social Psychological and Personality Science.

“Our research suggests that couples do not need to aim to engage in sex as frequently as possible, but instead aim to maintain a connection with their partner,” said study lead author, Amy Muise, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

The findings are based on three studies involving more than 30,000 people in all.

At issue: How does sexual frequency affect well-being?

Not surprisingly, the research showed that sex is good, and more sex is better,

Muise said. Regularly having sex emerged as even more important to a happy relationship than money was.

But researchers haven’t understood whether there’s a point where more sex stops translating to more happiness, she said.

To gain insight, Muise and her colleagues first looked at results from a survey conducted in the United States every other year between 1989 and 2012.

They focused on responses from more than 25,000 people, aged 18 to 89.

Among other things, participants answered questions about sexual frequency (from not at all to four or more times a week) and their perceptions of their happiness.

In a second study, researchers surveyed 335 people online. They analysed findings from a third study, a 14-year survey of married couples.

Among couples, those who had more sex

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Female

Angle

YEMISI ADENIRAN 08029894772 email: ydiran@yahoo.com

e and loyalty E

This column is x-rated were happier to a point. The boosts in well-being “leveled off once couples reached a frequency of about once a week,” Muise said. “It wasn’t bad to engage in sex more frequently than once a week. It just wasn’t associated with greater well-being on average.”

The researchers saw no differences in the findings based on gender, age or length of relationship.

However, the findings didn’t prove that frequency of sex affects happiness, since the research wasn’t designed to prove cause-and-effect.

For single people outside committed relationships, however, the results were very different. For them, Muise said, more frequent sex didn’t significantly translate to more happiness.

Perhaps any link between sex and happiness for singles depends on the relationship context or how comfortable people are with sex outside of a relationship, the researchers said.

The study also found that lovemaking once a week was the average frequency among couples.

“Perhaps this is the average since

This column is x-rated it seems to maximize the benefits for well-being,” Muise said. “It is likely that weekly sex is enough for the average couple to maintain their intimate connection and to feel like they have an active sex life, and this is why we see this as the leveling-off point.”

Russell Smyth, a professor of economics at Australia’s Monash University who studies sexuality, said frequency of sex isn’t the only factor that affects well-being.

His own research has provided evidence to support assumptions that may seem obvious: Couples are happier when sex is better, he said, and “men are more likely to get happiness from the more physical aspects of sex, while women’s happiness is more attached to the emotional aspects.”

Even if that’s all true, why wouldn’t more be better?

“It is like having ice cream,” Smyth said. “You enjoy your first ice cream.

You also enjoy your second ice cream, but not as much. You might also get some enjoyment from your third one, but even less because you are fuller, concerned about calories and so on.”

It takes commitment

very marriage or relationship blossom with some level of loyalty.

Loyalty in this regard is all about keeping trust in a relationship, holding tight to the agreement between the two parties involved. It is about a strong determination to avoid everything and anything that can hurt the other person no matter how big, small, easy or difficult it turns out to be.

Although, most of the time, it is cases of infidelity that usually break couples’ trusts and tears them apart, there are other issues that may make one feel betrayed. For instance if one’s partner is a kleptomaniac, a perpetual liar or a busybody who chatters the most sacred secret away carelessly, his or her partner may not find it funny. If an information that should be kept sacred between them got flown out through the windows and it becomes a common knowledge of the public, his partner might feel betrayed and sold out.

In the case of infidelity that usually come with so much pain of betrayal of trust, I can categorically say that if the two people involved still love each other, there will be a way out. They can still mend fences, after all, love, the Holy Bible says conquers all.

But whenever there is an issue of betrayal of trust and a partner quickly finds it easy to move on or call off the relationship, let it be said loud and clear here that the person definitely, must have been looking for a way out of the relationship long before the occurrence of the issue at hand. He or she is only using the issue at hand as an opportunity.

Love, they say is patient, it endures tough times and really it is not easily shed off if it is natural. It comes with memories, real memories that can quickly and easily bring partners back if of course they so wish.

Real love comes with a high level of trust and strong standing. It comes with a lot of maturity and strong feelings that does not easily have its fire put off at the slightest provocation.

Unfortunately, all of these work easily with women and not men. Women, easily forgive and take their eyes off issues of loyalty or betrayal than men. It is very hard to have women move out of their matrimonial homes or beds on the discovery of their men’s infidelity or other forms of disloyalty. They would rather console themselves with their kids and other things that may be a bond between them. In fact, nature and the African culture will never support a woman abandoning her man or home because of an event of disloyalty.

But this is not so with men. An average Nigerian man sees himself as a fool to continue with a relationship dented by an instance of betrayal. He quickly clings to his ego and finds an alternative woman.

And what does this implies? It simply means that the love that most men claim to have for their women is not always as deep as they profess.

As far as I am concerned, issues of loyalty are the best way to test or evaluate a partner’s true commitment to a relationship. It is the best measure of test, a determining factor. If a relationship sails smoothly without a hitch, the partners involved should not rejoice yet. Until there are issues of loyalty, no one can say that he is indeed in love.

Most men are often guilty of abandoning

their wives at instances of HIV positive status or cancer. They commence dating other women even when the woman still lives. Some men have been found to be sleeping with other women just because their wives were on a sick bed for a period of time.

These are instances of disloyalty that most women would never be guilty of. Some men have proven dumb enough to have dated other women on the basis of their wife’s inability to give birth to a male child.

No woman will attempt dating other men as an alternative to having male children.

Meanwhile, where women have discovered that their men were guilty of such errors, they simply stay glued to their men through thick and thin with a high hope that things will turn out in their favour. Indeed, women are better lovers.

They are more committal where love and relationship are concerned. No wonder, even on the loss of their husbands, most women will rather stay unmarried than get hooked to other men. For men, however, it is usually an opportunity to have a taste of other women who they might have been eyeing before the death of their wives.

Nevertheless, cases of betrayal or disloyalty do not have to lead to divorce or breakup. The good news is that trust can be rebuilt and the relationship can be better than ever. As long as there is love, it can only take more work and effort to patch things together. You can try the following to rebuild the lost trust.

• Take full responsibility for your actions and choices. This means taking a deep, hard look at why you have erred and how you can make sure you never go wrong again.

• Be sure that all promises you make now are promises you will keep. Your words, actions and deeds must come from total and unwavering integrity. Simply put, what you say you’re going to do, you DO. No lies. No excuses. No exceptions.

• Practice the three A’s: Affection, Attention and Appreciation daily. Show your partner how much you love and appreciate them in big and small ways every day.

• When you or the relationship feels like it is stuck and struggling, remember to stop and ask yourself the following question: “How would love respond?” If something sets you or your partner off, or it feels like a cold iceberg has drifted between you or the conversation suddenly shifts from reunion to break up, be sure to do this: Lean in, look your partner in the eye, take deep, long breaths and say these words.... “I love you.

You are the one I want. We matter. I am so sorry for the pain I caused you and us. It feels scary right now, but we’ll get through this.”

You can build a more honest, healthier and happier relationship on the other side of the mess, whatever it is.

Remember, however, that it takes only two people committed to staying in, staying strong and working on it together. Just believe and hold on to the fact that you’ll both get through it, no matter how shaky it seems at the moment.

Take it one day at a time, one week at a time, and be determined not to be swept off by the situation. Before you know it, your relationship will grow closer, more loving, solid and strong.

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Fuel scarcity

Business booms for black market operators

For a long time now, the scarcity of fuel has made life cruel and hard for the regular citizens of the country. This has created impromptu dealers and marketers of petroleum products otherwise known as black marketers. ERIC ELEZUO visited some fuel stations and selling points of black market operators and filed these reports.

P

etrol scarcity is not new in Nigeria, and has been a recurring decimal in the life of every administration, irrespective of who was or is in charge. This is because, according to stakeholders, of the volatile nature of the product, and also because it is the defacto means of Nigeria’s foreign transaction. It is also one product that could be disposed of no matter the quantity or who is trading it.

Consequently, in the recent times, approximately some three months before now, the product, precisely petrol, also known as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which has been very elusive among Nigerian users, has become the most special bribe as a lot of respect is bestowed on whoever is privileged to own some quantity. As a result, with the endless queue and the Minister of State for Petroleum’s initial pronounce-

ment before he was meant to eat his words, that fuel scarcity will continue till May, the black market operators have intensified their efforts in lording over the oil and gas business as they alone seems to know the easiest way of procuring the very elusive product.

At the Total Filling Station at Iyana Isashi Bus Stop, along the Badagry Expressway, our correspondent bumped into a motorist who was furiously slugging it out with a black market operator and a fuel attendant. The black market seller, who was tattered dressed, was adamantly walking away unmindful of the tantrums which the motorist was railing.

“Could you imagine, I was here not long ago when the guy passed with his cans, only to come out after a short while with the same cans filled with the items I been queuing for since morning. Just check the time; I have been here since 8am and this

1:30pm. How did he manage to get his own so soon andwe are still here?

This is not fair at all. It is cheating of the highest order,” the motorist blurted when he was confronted.

He was not alone in the complaint as other motorists and those who queued to buy fuel joined and raised their voices in solidarity with the one that has spoken.

However the man in the midst of the storm surprisingly returned within minutes with empty cans which were filled a moment ago. In his mangled English Language interwoven with intermittent Yoruba, he said that he and his colleagues are the brain behind the boom of the petrol business for the marketers and the attendants more especially.

He added that for maximum profit, he and his likes must be involved.

“Na we dey make this business move. If the sellers no see us, dem no go sell,” he said.

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‘Black marketers have never had it so good’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

When asked how they managed to get the fuel even as the queue elongates, and without being spotted by prying eyes, he said: “We go through the back, where a designated attendant is stationed and waiting. The biggest deal thereof is the cost we buy which is effective and appropriate for them. We in turn sell at the price that pleases us.

They are happy and we are happy.

Even when they are not at the back as a result of some reasons, they meet us at the pump site, and give us immediate and VIP attention. They won’t even listen to anyone’s complaint.”

However, as the fuel crisis bites harder, the so called black market operators are heavily smiling to the bank with the constancy of supplies.

A cross section of many of the operators spoken to replied heartily that the fuel crisis is the best times they would ever have, simply because they are on a daily basis running to the bank to make deposits as a result of the boom from the business.

“Each day since this crisis started, I make between 7000 and 12,000 naira daily and that is not a small deal.

Honestly, if this crisis continue, which I pray for, I will really hit hit big time,’ a black market dealer who gave his name simply as Oke, said in his heavily accented English In Onisha, at Conoil Station, located at the popular Upper Iweka Market, dealers flock in and out, brandishing empty cans at one time and filled up ones at another time, and vice versa. They explained to Saturday Mirror that it has been boom since the scarcity hit town. Most of the hawkers who Saturday Mirror attempted to speak to rebuffed the effort, saying that their precious time was being wasted, adding that there is no time to engage in frivolities when business was around the corner.

At Ikorodu Road where most of the filling stations are owned by the major marketers, black market dealers were seen hovering from one vehicle to another, displaying and selling their wares to customers, who had little option at bargaining, but buys at the price declared by the dealers.

A dealer, who said his name was Jamiu told Saturday Mirror as he sat counting his money that he had never had it so good as regards making returns in business. He said it is his wish that the fuel scarcity continues so that he can have the capacity to meet the needs of his family as much as he can. He declared that

at that part of the town, motorists hardly bargain the price of the prod-

“Oga, I am very happy. I just wish this situation continues,” he said

Each day since this crisis started, I make between 7,000 and 12,000 naira daily and that is not a small deal. Honestly, if this crisis

continues, which I pray for, I will really hit big uct, but are ready to part with their money just to have their vehicles running.

oblivious of the fact he was talking to a journalist.

At the Barrack area of the

Badagry Expressway, the number of hawkers was unprecedented. The number includes young and middle aged men, women of all ages as well as girls. The scene look like the business is a community business as everyone tries to outdo the other in the competition to draw customers.

According to one of the dealers, the number of the dealers notwithstanding, everyone goes home with empty cans everyday and pockets of money. He added that most times when they have ran out of supplies, customers still besiege them demanding products.

“As many as we are notwithstanding, we always exhaust our supplies and go home with our monies. Sometimes, we would have concluded sales before someone rushes in demanding to be served. There is space for everybody,” a dealer who called Landlord said.

He added that while the fuel station with all its queues sell at the rate of N150, they sell between N200 and N 250 per litre, adding that one need not queue at their ‘own station’.

“If this thing reach May as the Minister talk, I fit start better small business,” he said.

Across the nation, the story is the same. Just as some sections of the populace are going through a tough time as a result of the fuel crisis, many others are one way or another making brisk business, and smiling to the bank on a daily basis.

The populace awaits the April 7 deadline when the scarcity will end to know if the reverse will be the case in enjoyment and suffering

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Who has typhoid?

I

n Nigeria, that would be almost everybody. It is a general belief that when you treat malaria and you don’t get better, the next thing to do is treat typhoid. So you either have “malaria /typhoid” or you have malaria and typhoid. It is difficult to convince those holding this belief otherwise. To them, you either accept it or you are not knowledgeable enough to know. As such, knowing the actual numbers of typhoid cases becomes a challenge. Is it the real typhoid or the presumed typhoid? Your guess is as good as mine.

Here we will discuss the two ‘Types’ of typhoid. Resistant malaria/self diagnosed ‘Typhoid’’. This type of typhoid is commonly self-diagnosed.

The individual will treat self for malaria without getting better and with or without the benefit of medical tests, will conclude that it must be typhoid and antibiotics treatment will be commenced immediately.

In other cases, diagnostic tests would have revealed persistent malaria parasite despite previous anti-malaria medications. The doctor would have subsequently suggested further treatment for malaria or simple rest. But the patient will be quick to dismiss the doctor as not competent and go ahead on the advice of ‘’friends’’ to swallow antibiotics before getting ‘’better.’’

Another group of people will insist from the beginning that since they were born, they have not been sick of malaria. Rather, typhoid has been their problem, and it can only be resolved with the flushing of their system with “drip.” A smart doctor who has tried without success to convince the patient will likely go along; so long as the drip will psychologically heal the patient without any harm and it will be “paid” for. It must be mentioned that a significant number of typhoid treated in Nigeria fall into this category of ‘’if it is not malaria, it must be typhoid.’’

Real Typhoid: Typhoid fever is caused by the Salmonella typhi bacteria or its paratyphi variant. It is a disease that is known to infect humans only and has been known in ancient time to wipe out a whole settlement of people. With the advent of antibiotics, death due to the disease which used to be almost 50% high is now much lower than 10%.But typhoid fever remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in countries where hygiene and clean drinkable water is a challenge. Currently, India and other parts of Asia witness about ¾ of typhoid cases in the world, with Africa having a fair share of the rest. In total, about a quarter of a million people annually still die of the disease worldwide.

The real incidence of typhoid in Nigeria may be difficult to quantify with prevalent abuse of antibiotics and paucity of data, however, as highlighted above, it can be said with some degree of certainty that its occurrence has been greatly exaggerated by both the patients and medical personnel. With an incubation period of about 7-14days, typhoid fever is transmitted faeco-orally through the consumption of water and foods already contaminated by the salmonella bacteria. An important mode of transmission is through carriers who have had typhoid fever previously, may not be currently ill but have a large reservoir of the organism in their system which they shed continually in their stool. These set of individuals have the potential to infect several people with typhoid, especial-

ly if they are involved in food preparation.

Symptoms: Typhoid infection manifests with different symptoms based on the stage at which the disease is caught. Over a four week period varied signs and symptoms are seen.

In the first week of infection, symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, constipation/diarrhea, and headache are seen In the second week, if treatment has not been commenced, there is a progressive worsening of the above symptoms and there could be abdominal distention, development of rashes and slowing of the heart beats.

The third week witnesses more debilitating happenings, with fever still persisting, intestinal bleeding /perforation, confusion, apathy and outright psychosis.

By the fourth week, if the patient is not dead, he or she will start observing improvements in symptoms and then begin a recovery spanning a long period of time with significant complications.

Diagnosis: In our setting, the common and most popular test for detecting typhoid is the Widal test. By no means the gold standard, widal test has been in use since Mr Widal formulated it at the end of last century.

Though the best methods for detecting typhoid is culture of the blood ,stool or urine, the associated cost and other factors, have greatly limited their use in most developing countries. Widal test, a rapid

diagnostic test which tests for antibody against typhoid has become the most widely used instead for diagnosing typhoid. But its accuracy has been queried and its tendency to diagnose typhoid false positively has been well documented, especially if the test is not appropriately interpreted.

For Widal test to be significant: It must be carried out from the second week of infection, at which time the O and H antibodies are usually at their peak. But this is usually difficult in practice as delay in treatment may be fatal More than a single test must be carried out to demonstrate a rising titre. Again this is not practicable It must be done prior to application of antibiotics, a difficult situation in environments where antibiotics is commenced even before presentation at the hospital The values must be higher than the average titre in the population. Because this varies from for different region of the world, a value of 1/80 may be high in a particular country but low in another.

The previous typhoid history of an individual must be known, as the agglutinins are known to persist after an old infection, and may give a picture of an ongoing infection.

Overall, the doctor is the best person to diagnose Typhoid fever, relying not only on the widal results but also on the clinical picture and previous medical history of the patient.

Treatments: This is another area where many Nigerians are consultant physicians. Any adult will easily tell you that ciprotab is the drug to grab off the shelf if you have typhoid.

While this may not be incorrect, as quino-

lones, the group to which ciprofloxacin belongs are effective in typhoid treatment; indiscriminate use of antibiotics may easily lead to resistance.

Prevention: Nothing beats good hand washing and general hygienic practices when it comes to preventing typhoid fever. In addition, food handlers test should be carried out to detect carriers of the infection. Such carriers until cleared of all traces of the organisms are not qualified to prepare meals for others.

Vaccination: Though not routine in Nigeria, typhoid vaccination is recommended for anyone who wants to be doubly sure of their protection against typhoid and can afford it.

Two types of vaccines –oral and injectable -are available. The injectable can be given from the age of two years and above, while the oral can only be taken from the age of six years. The protection from the vaccines lasts an average of 3years, after which a booster dose may be required if the individual is still considered at risk.

Conclusion: In conclusion, most people in Nigeria who have ‘typhoid’ are actually suffering from malaria or other febrile illnesses and not typhoid fever. But as long as patients insist they have typhoid and are willing to pay for the treatment, diagnosis of typhoid will continually be made and ‘treatment’ proffered.

So, next time you have ‘typhoid’ just ask yourself, do I really really have typhoid?

You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng.

Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)

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Enyimba FC

CAF Champions League: Enyimba, Etoile rekindle rivalry in P/ Harcourt Ifeanyi Eduzor

T

wo-time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba Fc of Aba will tomorrow at the 45, 000 capacity Adokie Amiesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt face familiar opponent and current CAF confederation champion, Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the first leg of this year’s CAF champions League round of 8 qualifiers.

Both teams are not new to each other with their last meeting being the 2004 finals when the People’s Elephants, defeated the Tunisians before their vociferous supporters on penalties after a 3-3 tie on aggregate to emerge winners of the lucrative competition.

To get to this stage of the championship, Enyimba, the only surviving Nigeria club in the continental club championship defeated Burundian champions, Vipers by a 2-1 aggregate win before recording a 6-3 aggregate victory over Vital’O of Uganda while their Tunisian counterparts Etoile drew a bye at the preliminary stage before eliminating Moroccan side, OC Khourigba 3-1 on aggregate to get to this stage of the

championship.

The outcome of this encounter is very difficult to predict considering the pedigree of the two teams in African football but It is expected that the reigning Nigerian champions will be aiming for a comprehensive win in tomorrow’s encounter to make the second leg at the Stade Olympique de Sousse in two weeks time a mere formality.

However, it must be noted that playing against the Tunisians who are the 2007 champions of the competition after emerging runners- up in 2004 and 2005 respectively as well as holds the enviable record of the first team to have won all the competitions in the continent requires absolute seriousness which Enyimba’s handler, Paul Aigbogun has promised that his players will do when they confront the North African team that has won its country’s league nine times and Tunisian President’s club ten times.

While, Enyimba who are prosecuting this game in their adopted home ground because of the renovation work going on at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba will be banking on the goal scoring prowess of Mfon Udoh who is the alltime top scorer in the domestic league,

to be assisted by the likes of Joseph Osadiaye, Stephen Chukwude, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, Leonard Ugochukwu, Christian Pyagbara and Nzube Anaezemba amongst others, their Tunisian counterparts will be counting on the attacking prowess of Ahmed Akaichi, Michailou Drame, Hamza Lahmar, Alaya Brigui and others to ensure they get a good result in the first leg.

As is expected in this type of explosive encounter, coaches of both teams have assured their supporters that they are going to grab the maximum points at stake in tomorrow’s game.

Enyimba handler, Paul Aigbogun, who re-joined the team at the start of the season, speaking on the encounter noted that while they respect their opponent, was optimistic of recording a resounding victory against the Tunisian champions.

“We are aware that Etoile is one of the best teams in the continent with good players and an experienced coach and that is why we are giving the game 100% concentration.

“One good thing about this round is that there are no more unknown teams.

We have some details on how our oppo-

nent play just as we are sure they also know much about us. We shall approach the encounter as if it is the final of the competition. Our target is to score as many goals as we can and I am happy we have the players who can do the job.

Also speaking on the match, Etoile Coach Faouzi Benzarti while acknowledging that it will be a tough match expressed optimism that they will get a good result in Port Harcourt to enable them progress to the group stage of the championship.

“We are no strangers to Enyimba because we have met before in the finals of the competition with the Nigerians running away with victory. We are quite aware that Enyimba is a difficult opponent but we are going to do our best and ensure we leave Nigeria with good result. “ The match is going to be difficult considering the caliber of players the Nigerians parade but we are going to keep to our game plan which I hope will give us good news at the end of the full 90 minutes”, the coach concluded.

Overall winner of the two legs will qualify for the group stage of the lucrative Champions League.

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APRIL 9, 2016

Tel: 08023367071

Woosnam surprised by Hall of Fame snub

V

ictorious Europe Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam says he cannot understand why he is not in World Golf’s Hall of Fame.

Woosnam, 58, was overlooked for the ‘Class of 2015’ inductees, despite being a former world number one and winning the Masters in 1991.

“I can’t really understand why I’m not in there when there are other players in there who have not got the pedigree that I’ve got,” Woosnam told BBC Sport.

The Masters is his only major title, yet fellow Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie who has not won a major or been world number one but did secure eight European Tour Orders of Merit is already in the Hall of Fame.

Woosnam, who is seventh in the all-time weeks at number one list after spending 50 weeks in the top spot between April 1991 and March 1992, has won 52 professional titles, more than 2015 inductees Mark O’Meara and David Graham, who have 34 and 38 victories respectively.

E

S Woosnam

He also has won a joint-European record 10 and a half four-ball points in eight Ryder Cup matches.

Hall of Fame President Jack Peter said: “Ian has had a wonderful career and has received an overwhelming amount of support from media, fans and voters in our World Golf Hall of Fame induction process.

“Based on Ian’s career resume, he has and will continue will receive consideration for enshrinement.”

Hall of Fame membership provides entitlement to play the American Champions Tour.

meat of the season now with the majors and the World Golf Championship events taking place and that’s where you would expect the seasoned veterans to step up a little bit.”

A

bout 250 karatekas are expected to participate in the forthcoming National men and women Open Karate championship which will hold from April 11- 16 in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

President of Karate Federation of Nigeria, Donatius Agu- Ejidike told National Mirror that the tournament will begin with coaches and referees course from April 11 – 13 while the championship runs from April 14 – 16 at the Asaba Township Stadium. “ I am happy that the tournament which was earlier postponed because of logistics problems is holding this month and I want to advise all states, clubs and Para- Military organizations to

ecretary General of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Tunde Popoola has charged the new executive members of Nigeria Roller Federation to map out strategies that will sustain peace in the Federation and make it one of the best sporting Federations in the country.

He gave the charge Thursday when he inaugurated the members at the board room of the NOC in Lagos.

According to him, it is a thing of joy that after series of crisis that engulfed the Federation, the combatants were able to put aside their differences and pledge to work for the progress of the association, promising that the Olympic body will always ensure stability in all the sporting Federations as that is the only way to move the country’s sports forward.

In his response, President of the Federation, Comrade Joseph Evah while commending the NOC scribe for the role he played in bringing peace to the association pledged

Woosnam

that they are poised to reposition the game which is an Olympic sport.

Those inaugurated to pilot the affairs of the Federation includes; Comrade Joseph Evah as the President, David Onyekachukwu, 1st Vice President, Effiong Nyong, 2nd Vice President, Awole Helen Iloh, Secretary General and Philip

Oyede , Assistant Secretary General. Also inaugurated are Andrew Elijah, Financial Secretary, Donald Ogbukeze, Treasurer, Princewill Ngbor, Technical Adviser, Kings Kedron, Chairman Technical Committee and Eno Abasi Sunday, PRO. Others are Biola Lawal, Marketing/ Strategy and Dr. Mena who

U-16 league record which they are already working on just as he stated that the management of the Bank has given them necessary support needed to do well in the league.

“I am happy that my players are dominating proceedings at the cadet championship and we are poised to emerge the overall winners at the end of the tournament.

“It is true that we are poised to win the championship but our

major focus is to do well at the Super league where we hope to compete with the best tennis players from across the country. We hope to achieve that target considering the moral and financial support extended to the team by the bank’s management”, he stated.

Banking on the likes of Alimot Ayinla, Nimota Aregbesola, Bose Odusanya and Augustine Emmanuel, the Union Bank sweat merchant, said the bankers are fully set to win again.

wrestler that will challenge me at the competition whether in the tag team or individual event and that is the reason I have been training hard for the championship.

Zion Lion, who combines with Mr. Sharp man as tag team partner, noted that he is not limiting his training to tag team fight alone and was quick to add that the tactics he used in defeating Flying Danko and Hulk Power of Benin Republic in the past is what he will use to

subdue his opponents.

The sensational wrestler while promising to give fans the best entertainment at the tournament appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government to mobilize citizens of the state and storm Asaba Township Stadium to see what their son is capable of doing just as he appealed for financial assistance from the State Government to enable him win laurels not only for the state but for the entire country.

Union Bank targets NTTF Super League

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ollowing its impressive performance at the ongoing Nigeria Table-Tennis Federation U-16 men and women League which ends in Lagos this week end, the Union Bank Table-Tennis club said their next target is to do well at the forthcoming 2016 National Super League holding next month.

Coach of the team, Samson Ajayi, told National Mirror that their mission is to excel at the super league by surpassing their

Wrestling: Zion Lion set for battle of Asaba

Clarke

250 athletes for Karate championship

Ifeanyi Eduzor

NOC inaugurates Roller Federation Stories by Ifeanyi Eduzor

Clarke expects Ryder Cup veterans to regain form

uropean captain Darren Clarke expects Ryder Cup veterans such as Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood to return to form over the coming weeks as the “meat of the season” starts with the Masters at Augusta.

2011 Open champion Darren Clarke has struggled for form in recent seasons and he admits that his preparations for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in the autumn means that his own golf will continue to take a “back seat” this year.

“At the moment, there are a lot of guys who haven’t played Ryder Cup before who are pushing for places,” said Clarke, 47.

“But you are getting into the

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ensure their athletes are part of the tournament because it will be used to select athletes that will represent the country in the continent”, AguEjidike said.

Agu – Ejidike advised states and Para-Military bodies in the country to make their athletes available for the tournament which will be used to select athletes that will represent Nigeria at the forthcoming African karate Championship.

Meanwhile, secretary General of the Federation Anthony Idaye has advised states that were yet to pay their annual affiliation fee to do so on or before the commencement of the championship as that is one of the conditions for participation even as he reminded states that they will be responsible for accommodation and transportation of their athletes for the championship.

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s the countdown to Africa (PWA) wrestling heavyweight title defence between the champion, Nigeria’s Power Lee and his challenger Angolan, Marvelous Buffalo begins; Light heavyweight wrestling sensation, Zion Lion has declared his readiness to defeat any challenger that will come his way at the championship.

Tagged “ The return of Glory” 2016,the title defence is slated for May 1 at the Asaba Township Stadium, where the reigning African heavyweight champion Power Lee is expected to make his first title defence since winning the belt from Cameroonian champion, Michel Noudem September last year at the Palais de Sports, Yaoundé Cameroon The wrestler whose real names are Sunday Philip and hails from Obot Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State noted that he is physically and psychologically fit to face any wrestler even as he stated that his plan is to rule the mats man game.

“I am fully prepared for any

Zion Lion

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Wenger issues West Ham warning

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rsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes today’s match with London rivals West Ham will prove the acid test of their lingering Premier League title hopes.

The Gunners are currently third on the table, 11 points behind leaders Leicester with a game in hand ahead of their trip to face the sixth-placed Hammers at Upton Park.

Arsenal have seven league games left to play this season and defeat this weekend would all but scupper their chances of overtaking Leicester.

“West Ham is a tough proposal, yes, away from home,” said Wenger, whose side opened the season with a 2-0 home loss to West Ham.

“They have had a very good campaign. When you look at the quality of the players they have, individually they have a good midfield, good strikers and they are solid at the back”, noted Wenger.

Wenger

Siasia gets Supporters club backing Ifeanyi Eduzor

M

embers of Nigeria Football Supporters Club have thrown their weight behind Super eagles caretaker coach Samson Siasia, describing him as the best person to handle the senior national team.

In a statement by the club signed by its Secretary General, Rev. Sam Ikpea, the club noted that Siasia having taken Nigeria to the 2008 Beijing Olympics before qualifying the country for the Rio 2016 Olympics, Siasia is an indication that he has all it takes to handle the Super Eagles even as it commended his approach to the last two AFCON

2017 qualifying games between the Super Eagles and Pharaohs of Egypt.

The statement noted that what the Super Eagles needed most is a coach who understands the psyche of the players and a good manager which Siasia represents just as it appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation to assist in capacity building of coaches.

“With regards to the current reality on ground, we believe that Siasia has the pedigree to handle the Super Eagles especially when one considers his track record. What we want the NFF to do is to assist Nigerian Coaches through capacity building to enhance their proficiency”, the statement concluded.

NTF championship light up Niger, Kaduna states Ifeanyi Eduzor

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he Nigeria Tennis Federation is taking full advantage of the current school holiday to organize some programmes aimed at developing tennis in the country; such as the Niger holiday tennis clinic holding in Minna and the inaugural Alhaji Adewale Issa memorial tournament holding in Kaduna with over 100 players participating.

Coordinator of the Niger holiday clinic, Seidu Musa told Saturday Mirror that over 40 kids drawn from primary and secondary schools from the state are being introduced to the game in order to avoid the vacuum that will be created when the senior

Ndanusa

MIRROR SPORT

APRIL 9, 2016

players retire.

Musa, an ITF bronze badge referee, who has officiated in grand slams such as Wimbledon Open, Australian Open and US Open as well as the Olympics, said the kids are being familiarized with the latest techniques in the sport under its catch them young programme.

He commended the NTF for its support for the week-long clinic which will end today disclosing that the Federation provided all the balls and rackets and other logistics for the clinic.

Similarly, the maiden Adewale Issa memorial tournament holding at the Kaduna Clay Court equally attracted over 60 kids. Among the participating states for the event that is also enjoying the full backing of the NTF are Abuja, Kano, Jigawa, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue Plateau, Katsina and host Kaduna.

The programme is being facilitated by Arinola Isa, an ITF white badge official with support from Mohammed Ubale, Nigeria Junior tennis head coach. Boys are competing in five categories namely U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18, while girls are competing in U-10 and U-14 categories.

Alhaji Issa, who died in March 2015, is reputed to hold the record as coach with the highest discovery of tennis stars in the country with the likes of Sadiq Abdullahi, Sule Ladipo and a host of others getting their breakthrough in the game under his tutelage.

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NFF files appeal to vacate Jos High Court order

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ollowing a Jos Federal High Court ruling yesterday nullifying the election that brought NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and his board into office, Nigeria Football Federation has filed an appeal to vacate the order and a motion for a stay- of execution against the judgment.

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos and presided over by Justice Musa Haruna Kurya yesterday declared the election that brought Pinnick into office illegal and directed that Chris Green should take over as the football’s helmsman.

A statement by the NFF noted that the Court decided to re-list a case brought by Ambassador Chris Green against the validly elected NFF administration of Amaju Pinnick and in re-listing the case for hearing on Monday May 30; the court shockingly restored the order that the election and congress of 30th September 2014 be nullified even as the statement noted that since an appeal and a motion to vacate the order and a stay-of-execution has been filed, on the same day as the judgment, the status quo remains.

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick

“This is a sad one primarily because we have enjoyed a period of peace and have been able to work without the court-today-court-tomorrow situation of the last half of 2014.

“We have filed for stay-of-execution and that means the status quo remains and anything done is done at the actors’ peril. I can assure football loving Nigerians that there is no reason to panic as we are in full charge and there is no trouble whatsoever. There

is no order for the Giwa group to take over the Glass House. In fact many of his so called board members have called to dissociate themselves from the matter,” NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi said.

It would be recalled that the Ambassador Giwa led group had gone to court and withdrawn the case in October 2014, but then later went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which threw out their case.

espite its inability to feature in the 2015 edition of the ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championship in Mauritius, Nigeria returns to the world stage at junior level after joining Egypt’s male team to secure a place in the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championships holding in Pretoria, South Africa.

Top seed Egypt continued their unbeaten run in the competition to seal their place at the World Juniors after beating Congo Brazzaville in the semi-fi-

nal to make it to the final of the tournament holding in Algiers, Algeria.

Nigeria’s road to South Africa was not without efforts, as the West African giant had to fend off host Algeria in the quarter-final before setting up a semi-final clash against the highly-rated Tunisia.

As the last match on Day Two of the championship, the clash between Nigeria and Tunisia had all the suspense expected of such game being the deciding match to determine the two first teams

to qualify for the World Juniors.

Algeria Junior Open Champion, Tunisia’s Omar Ammous could not save his team from the hand of the Nigerians despite winning his match against Azeez Solanke with Amadi Omeh and Abayomi Animasahun recording emphatic victories over Saadaoui Mootezz and Oueslati Raed.

The winners of the semi-final matches will automatically qualify for the World Juniors while the winner of the third place will complete the continental three team slots.

Ifeanyi Eduzor

that they are to come for the championship with 20 players and three officials, one of which must be YSFON official just as it reminded teams that arrival date is Saturday, 16th April, 2016 and

that a member of the national organizing committee and F.C.T. YSFON Officials shall be on hand to receive them at Old Parade Ground Area 10 football field.

On modalities for the game, the statement explained that accommodation shall be provided at school hostels for all participating teams while all players shall present three passport photographs for license while screening of players will take place on Sunday, April 17.

Teams were reminded that late arrival will not be entertained with an advice to make provisions for feeding and transportation of their players and officials just as they were reminded that only states that have paid their affiliation fee will be eligible to participate in the tournament.

ITTF Africa: Nigeria, Egypt qualify for World juniors

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Chief of Naval Staff tourney holds April 16

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rrangement has been concluded by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria to organize the 15th edition of the annual Chief of Naval Staff U-14 boys and the 7th edition of the Naval Officers Wives Association U-17 girls’ football tournament from April 16- 23, 2016.

According to a statement by the Federation signed by its National Secretary, Patrick Okpavuerhe noted that the championship which will be held in Abuja is strictly for players under the ages of 14 years for boys and 17 years for girls as at April 30, 2016 with body weight of 51kg and maximum height of 1.58m for boys, 60kg and 1.78m for girls.

The statement further advised participating teams

Vice Admiral Ibok

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NATIONAL NEWS

APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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APRIL 9, 2016

Crime Watch Police arrest Lorry driver for killing Inspector Patience Ogbo

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olicemen attached to the Ishielu Police Station, Ebonyi State Command have detained a lorry driver over allegation he ran over and killed an Inspector of police attached to the station.

Police sources said the unnamed driver allegedly drove recklessly and ran over the Inspector of police identified as Michael Udoh Idiong and after spending days in the hospital without proper medical attention, Inspector Idiong died as a result of the injury.

Raymond Michael the deceased Inspector’s son narrated how his father was allegedly killed.

He said “ At about 6am on the 19th of February, 2016, I saw a missed call from my now deceased father’s phone number but I did not immediately call back, hoping that my father would call me back.Shortly after, my mother called and told me that someone had also called her with her husband’s (my father’s) phone number and informed her that her husband had an accident the previous night, and asked if there was anyone in Ebonyi who could come and stay with him at the hospital, as he (the caller) wanted to leave the hospital.

My mother immediately left Calabar for Ebonyi that same moment, and when she subsequently made calls to the number, the caller never picked again until she arrived at my

father’s station- Ishielu Police Station, Ebonyi State Command. On getting to the police station, my mother was taken to Maria Ines Hospital, Umuzoke - Ezillo Abakaliki, the hospital where my father was receiving treatment.

She met him unconscious, with plasters on his head and a deep cut on his hand.My mother inquired to know what happened to her husband and how it happened, but she was told ‘you should even thank your God you met him alive”.

Raymond further stated that his mother approached the Divisional Police Officer of Ishielu Police Station, Mr. Amah Bethel and the DPO told her that his father had an accident involving a 911 Lorry, but failed to offer any explanation as to how the accident happened.

He said “ My father regained some consciousness, but could not say what happened to him; he only managed to mumble few incomprehensible words, not relating to what happened to him.

On the 22nd of February when the plaster on my father’s head was removed to dress the wound, my mother discovered that he had a stitched deep cut on the head. On the 25th of February, the Doctor who had been attending to him took a day off and another Doctor took over treatment. But when the first Doctor resumed the next day, he complained that the second Doctor and the nurses were not treating him according to his prescriptions in the patient’s file.The DPO told my mother that the lorry driver was detained at the police sta-

The late Inspector Michael Udoh

tion awaiting arraignment in court” Mr Raymond added that his late father did not receive the necessary medical attention and this led to his death. The family has since petitioned the Inspector General of Police

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through the Network For Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) allegeding that the Inspector died as a because of the shabby treatment he received from the Hospital which lacked equipments such as Oxygen, needed to sustain him coupled with alleged negligence from the police authority to cater for him.

The petition signed by Okechukwu Nwaguma the National Coordinator of NOPRIN urged the IGP to investigate the hospital and the policemen in the Division over the demise of the Inspector.

He said “ NOPRIN hereby requests the IGP to order an investigation to establish the actual cause of death The police also refused to carry out an autopsy on the body of the deceased Police Inspector who had served the Police Force for 33 years going.The deceased Police Inspector was awaiting a promotion to the next rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) between March and April 2016.

The petition further read “ The family learnt that the Inspector was on night duty with his colleagues on that fateful night when the ‘accident’ happened .Before the Inspector’s corpse was conveyed from Ebonyi to Calabar, the DPO had on Monday, 29th February, told the Inspector’s wife that the Lorry driver had been charged to court, although the family never had the opportunity to see him and ask him questions or to even hear from any of the other officers who were on duty with the Inspector”.

Sergeant on the run for robbing business man Patience Ogbo

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police sergeant simply identified as Oluomo attached to the OPG “ B” OPs Lagos state police command has gone awol after he allegedly led a gang

Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni

•Police arrest gang members

to rob a businessman of N620,000.

The police attached to the Area E command Festac Town Lagos however arrested two members of the gang. One Corporal Ewenta a traffic Officer attached to the Trade Fair police station and one Ayorinde a dismissed Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) official identified simply as Ayorinde after the business man raised alarm.

The business man who requested anonymity narrating how he was robbed said “ I was driving to Apapa but when I got to Malu road to link Apapa road, two policemen on black mufti rode a motorcycle and blocked my car. They told me to alight. As I was asking them what my offense was, one of them approached me in the car and snatched my car key and ordered me out of the car. He took over the wheel of the car and a third officer also dressed in black trousers and brown vest entered my car. He said he is a LASTMA official and

accused me of taking one way. I told them that road is not one way but they drove me off in my vehicle. They started driving me round Apapa . They told me that they will take me to thier office and I will get a fine of N250, 000 for driving one way. They said but they can let me go if I pay them N125,000 half of the official fine. At that point they searched my car and found N500,000 I hid.

They took the money and started making calls that they are bringing me. I thought they were kidnappers and I pleaded with them. They drove me round and round for three hours and I kept begging them to have mercy on me. They told me that I still have to pay them N125, 000 and they told me to go to the bank to withdraw the money. They drove me to Old Ojoo road where my bank is and one of them entered the Fidelity bank with me while one stood outside the bank. The third guy whom them referred to as Oluomo ,thier leader drove off with my car. At a point I had my phone and I secretly called

a friend that I had been kidnapped. I told my friend to call for help. They later collected the phone but they dropped it again. I took the phone when they were not watching and secretly again , texted my friend to notify him that I was at the Fidelity Bank at Maza Maza. My friend had gotten the Area Commander of the Area E Command at FESTAC Town and the DPO ( Divisional Police Officer) of Statelite Police station and they were trailing us. I withdrew N120,000 and the one that is the dismissed LASTMA official who followed me to the bank , took the money from me . I looked round for police but they were no where as we got out of the banking hall, I summoned courage and raised alarm. I held one of them and started calling them thieves and shouting at the top of my voice and held them.

That was how my shouting attracted people and they pounced on them. The police later arrived and arrested two of them while the third man fled after he abandoned my car”.

Saturday Mirror learnt that the police had arrested Oluomo last year for armed robbery and he was detained and investigated at the Special Anti - Robbery Squad SARS Ikeja but was later released.

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Crime Watch

Patience Ogbo

N

igerian Naval personnels have recovered a service AK47A rifle snatched from policemen by suspected hoodlums in Lagos.

The rifle marked 22690 was snatched at about 4am from four policemen on March 19 while the policemen were at a routine patrol at the Ijora area of the state.

In the course of pursuit, the hoodlums, numbering about four were said to have thrown the rifle under an abandoned vehicle around Marine Beach.

A Vulcaniser identified as Banjo Adeboye, it was gathered found the rifle the following morning at his shop and immediately alerted the Naval Taskforce deployed to the area.

The Navy men were said to have retrieved the rifle and brought it to the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT’s base in Apapa.

Handing over the rifle to policemen on Monday from the Ijora Division armoury, the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commordore Abraham Adaji said the rifle had 30 rounds of 7.62mm live ammu-

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 9, 2016

Navy recovers police rifle nition.

He stated that upon receipt, the navy discovered that it had police markings all over it and so, contacted the police.

“In the course of investigation we got information that some hoodlums attacked a police patrol vehicle on March 19 and attempted to snatch the rifle away. The policemen pursued the hoodlums and in that process the hoodlums the rifle under one abandoned vehicle but the manhunt for them continued.

“As I speak with you, the rifle has been recovered and some of the men involved in the incidence have been arrested. What we have done is a formal handover of the

rifle to its owners-the armoury of the Nigeria Police- after the have presented evidence that substantiated the navy’s investigation.

“The rifle was found by a Vulcaniser near his place of work. He just came across the rifle and immediately alerted naval men in the area that were on duty in the area.

“We are delighted we have Nigerians that are not only patriotic but also security conscious. The havoc that rifle would have caused in wrong hands can best be imagined,” he said.

Meanwhile it was gathered that two of the suspected hoodlums have been arrested by the police and efforts were on to arrest the others.

Man stabs wife’s lover to death A 25-year-old farmer, Mohammed Tanko, was on Tuesday ordered to be remanded in prison for allegedly killing his wife’s lover. Tanko of Gorobani village in Kaiama, Kwara, was charged be-

fore an Ilorin Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing to death one Boka who he suspected to be having extramarital affairs with his wife. The Prosecutor, Cpl. Abideen Oderinde, told the court that on Feb. 25,

the accused assaulted Boka because he suspected him having sexual intercourse with his wife (Daya). “As a result, fight ensued between them and Mohammed Tanko stabbed Boka with knife and he died instantly.

“Investigation conducted

revealed that the accused callously stabbed Boka to death based on information he heard that the deceased had sexual intercourse with his wife,’’ Oderinde said.

The prosecutor said the accused is facing a onecount charge of culpable

homicide. He said that offence contravened Section 221 of Penal Code Law. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate, M. F. Adebola, ordered the remand of the accused at Federal Prison Oke-Kura, Ilorin. Adebola adjourned the case to April 14, for further mention.

Cable thief arrested in Lagos A

member of a notorious cable robber who are alleged to have constantly vandalized cables for the Light Up Lagos Project has been arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad in the Ogudu area of Lagos State.

According to the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson Dolapo Badmus a Superintendent

of Police (SP) one of the suspects who was found in possession of a 35 meter - long armoured cable is telling the police how is gang have been vandalising cables in Lagos State .

She said the arrested suspect 29 year old Lucky Udeagwu who hails from Delta State, was in company of his two accomplices, now at large.

She said “ on that fateful day, the gang members were sighted coming out of the bush towards Ogudu Bus Stop by RRS operatives on routine surveillance around 3:00 a.m. carrying a big sack containing the armored cable and following a directive from the State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad Assistant Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu to instruct his officers and men to always keep watch over the Light-Up Lagos Project against the backdrop of some pending cases of vandalization and theft of armored cable that powers the streets light in the metropolis, the Commander swung into action detailing his men to apprehend anyone found tempering with the said armored cables. The RRS Monitoring group, led by Insp. Bello Kabir was on their routine patrol of Oworoshoki Express way inward Alapere at

the early hours of Saturday morning precisely at 300am when they spotted one Mr. Lucky and two other young men carrying a big sack coming towards Ogudu Bus Stop and on getting to the bus stop, they dropped the bag.They were waiting for a vehicle to convey them and their goods, when they sighted an RRS vehicle and immediately took to their heels in different directions and that the operatives gave the fleeing suspects a hot pursuit and caught up with Lucky while his two accomplices made good their escape” While narrating his encounter with the suspects, Inspector Bello said that “We were suspicious that what could make them run when they saw us must be something criminal. We checked the bag and we saw a 35 meter long armored cable. Beside the bag was a camouflage cap”.

He recalled that prior to

the instruction from their Commander to monitor cable installations of Light - Up Lagos Project. “There were reports of cable theft in some parts of the metropolis, particularly, in the area the suspect was arrested, stressing that when they conducted an on the spot search on the arrested Lucky, they found in his small bag, screw driver, a size 10 spanner and a T shirt. The size 10 spanner is the size of the bolts covering the street lights in this area”.

In an exclusive interview with Saturday Mirror, Lucky Udeagwu whom the Police alleged to have given three different addresses of which one is an uncompleted building, denied involvement in the said cable theft.

His words “I got to Ogudu Bus Stop something to 3:00 a.m. on Saturday. It is true those boys watched the express before dropping the sack containing the cable; I got out early because I was searching for work. I wanted to get to

Ikorodu early so that I can get site job. I saw those two boys brought that bag from a nearby bus and as soon as they saw the police, they ran and I followed them. “ Asked about the tools found in his bag, he quipped that “Those working tools in my bag are what I use to service my generator but it been up to a year I sold that generator. It is true I was arrested at about 3:11 because the officer a showed me the clock in his car. I am not one of those boys” , he said.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, has used the occasion to reiterate the command’s resolve to bring to justice persons vandalizing and sabotaging governments’ installations.

The suspect has been transferred to SARS’s office in Ikeja for further interrogation while the man hunt for the fleeing suspects have been intensified.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 9, 2016

SOUTH EAST

Gunmen kill police officer, injure NSCDC personnel in Ebonyi U

nidentified gunmen had shot and killed a policeman and injured a National Security and Civil Defense Corps personnel early Friday, the police said.

It was learnt that the gunmen, who were returning from a robbery operation along Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway,

shot sporadically, and as a result, killed a policeman and wounded several others.

The Commandant of NSCDC, Ebonyi State Command, Jibril Shyabu, who explained that his wounded staff, a driver, was already at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, receiving treatment, described the

incident as unfortunate and ugly.

According to him, the incident has brought about the need for effective synergy among security agencies in the state, and assured the members of the public of adequate protection by the security agencies in the state.

He confirmed that his staff sustained both hand

and leg injuries resulting from gunshot wounds as he was about to be taken into the theatre for emergency operation to remove the bullets lodged inside his body.

A source who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that the hoodlums operated on motorcycles and killed the officer at the Mobil

Filling Station of the express road.

The situation affected vehicular movements across the capital city as heavily armed police officers cordoned the roads, especially the Abakaliki end of the Federal highway.

They thoroughly searched vehicles and motorcycles which they

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impounded and stuffed into big operational vans.

The State Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah, confirmed the incident, noting that the investigation into the matter has commenced.

She said: “The Command is preparing a release on the matter and would make it available to the press soon”.

Court sends 5 suspected kidnappers to prison in Anambra

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L-R: General Manager, Mobil Network Operations and Engineering, ntel, Mr. Anthony Adegbola; General Manager, Program Office, Ms. Yemi Keri; Chief Executive Officer, ntel, Mr. Kamar Abass; General Manager, Product and Services, Mr. Jide Mafolabomi; Director, Human Resources, ntel, MR. Ibrahim Umar and Director, Consumer Marketing and Sales, ntel, Mr. Inusa Bello, during the announcement of the commencement of ntel 4G LTE Network into the Nigerian market, yesterday.

SESSPN proposes rebuilding of Southeast/Southsouth regions

ERIC ELEZUO

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group under the aegis of South East, South South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN) has declare its intention to redirect the economic development trajectory of the South-East and South South zones from its present ‘sorry state’ back to its original preoil era of focus and dynamism.

The group made this known during a press conference it organized to sensitise the public on the group’s preparedness to forge a new South Region.

In his opening speech during the event held at the Prime Chinese Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos, the

President of the body, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, reiterated the need to restore the divine master-plan of the regions, saying that time has passed when a region so blessed as the South should play second fiddle in development. He stressed that the intention of the SESSPN is to reestablish contact with the powers that be from every corner, and see to the round development of the regions, in both technology and otherwise.

In his own speech, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the SESSPN Development Forum, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, who also doubles as the Chairman, African Centre for Business Development

and Innovation (ACBDSI), declared that the forum, which was formed about three years ago, is holding its second development forum.

He stated that forthcoming forum, which has as theme: A New Roadmap for Regional Integration and Economic Development of the South-east and South-south, a 20 Year Development Agenda (DASESS 2035) will be held in June 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

According to Mazi Ohuabunwa, the forum will focus on “Fine turning and updating the regions 20 year development blueprint … as well as the promotion of massive investment in human capital development via entrepreneurship

and innovation as stimulants and sustainers of economic transformation.”

The forum is expexted to be chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, with the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, as the Guest of Honour.

Others are the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike as the Chief Host; Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Mr. Tony Elumelu among others.

The event among other things will instigate the transformation of the South-East and South-South regions into a global investment destination.

n Nteje Magistrate court in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, presided over by Chukwuma Ibemesim, has remanded five persons in Onitsha Prison custody for allegedly kidnapping one Bartholomew Obinma, younger brother to Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma (Fr. Ebube Muonso), a popular religious leader in the state, and three others all from Uruebo Village, Nkwelle Ezunaka also in Oyi Local Government Area of the state.

Their remand in custody followed their arraignment before the court by the police on a 14-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and ransom taking. Ibemesim had after overruling the defence lawyers who reminded the court of a subsisting order of an interim injunction made on March 18, this year by an Otuocha High Court presided over by Justice DOC Amaechina which restrained the InspectorGeneral of Police, IGP from arresting the accused persons in connection with the matter, ordered that the original Police file containing the matter and the inventory of the exhibits be transmitted to the Attorney-General’s Office, while the Assistant Registrar of the Court, ACR forward the proceedings of the court to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP in Awka.

Counsel to the defendants, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, who appeared with Humphrey Udechukwu and Onugbogu, had drawn the attention of the court to a subsisting interim injunction made

by Amaechina, asking the court not to allow the prosecution to arraign the defendants based on the earlier High Court which the police flouted and went ahead to arrest and arraign them on trump-up charges of kidnapping.

But the prosecution vehemently opposed the submissions of the defence counsel to the effect that a High court had earlier restrained IGP from arresting the accused persons, arguing that the interim order cannot stop the Police from carrying out their duties of investigating criminal matters.

In his ruling shortly after the charges were read and both counsels made their submissions, Magistrate Ibemesim, who adjourned the matter to May 31, this year, ordered that the prosecution witnesses be bound over to the High court in the sum of N40,000 each.

The Police prosecution had alleged that the five accused persons conspired among themselves, armed with guns and other offensive weapons and allegedly kidnapped their victims and collected some amount of money from their families as ransom. The prosecution further alleged that the accused persons also collected N160,000 ransom from Obinma to release him, N3,700 from Godwin Okoye, N66,000 from Izunna Edogwugu and N56,000 from Francis Onwuzurike who were their victims.

However, at the centre of the case was a land dispute between the two parties who are from the same Uruebo Village in Nkwelle-Ezunaka Community.

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APRIL 9, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rivers Assembly approves N10bn loan for Wike

DENNIS NAKU, PORT HARCOURT

T

he Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday passed a resolution authorizing the state Governor, Nyesom Wike to obtain a N10 billion loan from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

The approval, which was made through voice

vote by the lawmakers present at the sitting, was sequel to a letter of request from the governor to the House.

According to the letter dated April 5, 2016, the loan when obtained will be used to fund some development projects in the state.

“You are aware of the huge infrastructure devel-

opment challenge and our efforts to address the situation. Since we came on board, we have not only remobilized all contractors handling major road sites, but have also awarded new contracts for the construction and reconstruction of new roads and other projects.

“We have also advertised for tenders for the

Bori-Saakpenwa road, the Obiri Ikwerre-Airport bypass, while the contracts for the comprehensive rehabilitation of eleven secondary schools and some of the dilapidated general hospitals are also due for award.

“However, our major constraint is inadequate resources, which is worsened by shrinking returns

NYSC Corps members carrying the casket bearing the remians of their Colleague, Chukwudumebi Okonta who was killed during the last Rivers rerun election after a Requiem Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church Ajaji Illah, Oshimili North LGA, Delta State, yesterday.

Ijaw Youths Council to immortalise Alamieyeseigha T

he Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) says it will organise public lecture every year to immortalise the late former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Mr. Alamieseigha died on October 10, 2015.

Udengs Eradiri, president of the IYC, stated this on Thursday in Yenagoa, preparatory to the funeral rites of the late politician.

He said the annual public lecture would focus on true

federalism, fiscal federalism and resource control, which were some of the ideologies the deceased politician stood for.

“We will be holding annual public lecture on true federalism and fiscal federal as a mark of honour to immortalise DSP Alamieyeseigha.

“Every year, on the date he died, we will organise annual public lecture to look at issues concerning resource control and true federalism,” Mr. Eradiri said.

He alleged that late Mr. Alamieyeseigha, fondly called the Governor-General of Ijaw nation, suffered political victimisation and persecution for his belief in the Ijaw struggle.

Mr. Eradiri described the late Mr. Alamieyeseigha as “a shoulder for every Ijaw to lean on” He said the late ex-governor was also magnanimous to Ijaw people by awarding them scholarship and appointing them into public of-

fices without discrimination.

“When he was governor, he mobilised other governors for good causes in the polity.

Till date, nobody has done the kind of mobilisation that he did.

“These qualities endeared him to all who called him as the Governor-General of the Ijaw nation.

“But the establishment and Abuja did not like him.

They were not happy that he became a voice for the Ijaw nation,” Mr. Eradiri said.

Edo School of Health Technology matriculates 334 students

T

he Edo School of Health Technology, Benin City, has matriculated 334 students into various programmes of the school for the 2015/2016 academic session.

This is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Benin by Mr Joe Apili, the Public Relations Officer, Edo Ministry of Health.

According to the

statement, the 30th edition of the institution’s matriculation was held on Wednesday, April 6.

Edo Commissioner for Health, Dr Aihanuwa Eregie, who spoke, urged the students to be of good conduct in order to achieve the purpose for which they were admitted.

“The manpower produced by schools/ colleges of health tech-

nology played important roles in the implementation of primary health care services around the world.

“Primary health care remained the pivot of health care policy in the state, hence the need to produce the needed manpower to implement such services in the state.

“The state government decided to pro-

vide the school with all necessary facilities and support materials to ensure enhanced teaching and learning.

“Be of good conduct and abide by the rules and regulations of the institution,’’ the statement said.

Principal of the school, Nurudeen Aliu, said that the school was established in 1964 for the training of health auxiliaries.

“This institution has progressed to an institution that trains eight cadres of health workers and a certificate awarding institution.

“The school currently offers programmes such as Public Health Nursing, Environment Health Technology, Community Health, Extension Worker and Medical Laboratory Technology,” it said.

from the Federation Account.

“On the Strength of the above, it is my desire to obtain a Ten Billion (N10, 000,000,000.00) loan facility from the Excess Crude Account to continue funding our numerous development projects.

“The loan, which attracts a single interest of nine percent and 20 years repayment period, is quite favourable to the reality of the state’s economy,” the letter read.

In their various contributions, lawmakers supported the loan saying it will facilitate the governor’s drive to develop the state.

Speaking, Hon Opurum Iruanya, representing Etche I, submitted that the road projects embarked by the governor has yielded positive results and called on the

House to approve the loan.

Also, Hon Deeya Barine representing Khana I, said, “I am gladdened that the Bori-Saakpenwa road is one of the projects that this loan is meant for and I know it would open the gateway to Ogoniland.

“I also support the loan because all the projects highlighted there; rehabilitation of schools and rehabilitation of general hospitals are worth the value for the loan,” he said.

Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Dabotoru Dima, said the loan is worth it, considering the percentage interest rate and the projects for which it will be used for.

Eight lawmakers including the Speaker were present at the sitting. The House later adjourned sine die.

N1.27bn oil spill palliative: Mobil commences execution of projects in Eket communities

M

obil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, has commenced the construction of projects in Eket communities of Akwa Ibom, under the N1.27 billion oil spill palliative fund.

Mrs Regina Udobong, Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Qua Iboe Terminal, stated this on Friday in Eket during the ``Project Kick off Meeting and Safety Training.’’

She said that the company had released 25 per cent of the money for the execution of projects, adding that the money would be paid in four installments.

She said that the next payment would be 15 per cent of the balance.

“After today, we expect the project managers to start with the disbursement of funds to the local contractors.

We are talking of N1.27 billion for projects in Eket communities,’’ she said.

Udobong said that materials to be supplied should be done by local contractors, adding that everything had to be done by members of the communities.

She said that the Projects Implementation Committee

was set up for the execution of Special Projects 11, for eight communities in the state affected by the oil spill.

According to Udobong, ExxonMobil set aside allocation to carry out Special Project 11 in eight local government areas of the state.

“The communities from the eight local government areas set aside different projects in the communities to be executed by the community themselves.

“We have 30 per cent of the amount for Ibeno, 26 per cent for Eket, 24 per cent went for Esit Eket and 20 per cent for Onna local government areas respectively,’’ she said.

She explained that the communities were given a free hand to select specific projects of their choice for execution in their areas.

Responding, the Paramount Ruler of Eket, Etim Abia, expressed displeasure over the delay in the execution of the special projects for Eket, while other local governments had almost completed theirs.

He, however, called on the people of Eket to cooperate with the contractors to ensure timely completion of the project.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 9, 2016

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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47

U.S. commemorates Rwanda genocide, pays tribute to 800,000 killed

T

he U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, on Friday said his government was joining Rwandans in paying tribute to 800,000 people murdered in the country’s genocide in 1994.

Mr. Kerry said in statement that the U.S. government was committed to working with the people and government of Rwanda in preventing a recurrence of genocide in the country.

“We stand with the people of Rwanda in paying tribute to the more than 800,000 men, women, and children who were savagely murdered in the Rwandan genocide 22 years ago.

“We grieve for those innocent lives lost for the families and friends who will forever cherish them.

“We also grieve for the survivors who suffer as both victims and witnesses to one of

bout 300 workers and contractors have been released days after ISIS-linked militants took over a cement factory in Syria, the ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency reported Friday.

The report has not been officially corroborated.

The militants had taken over the massive plant near Damascus on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Amaq reported that

workers were released after being investigated and found to be Muslim and not members of the regime. But 20 people believed to be part of regime militias were still in custody, and four others were executed for being from the Druze sect, according to the report.

Al-Badiyeh Cement Co. had said the militants were holding hundreds of workers and contractors,

the most unspeakable acts of evil of our lifetime,’’ it said.

The statement restated the U.S. government’s commitment to preventing the horror of mass atrocities and genocide from occur-

ring again.

“We are set to work with the people of Rwanda and the international community to finish the task of bringing those responsible for the heinous acts to justice,’’ it said.

Paris terror suspect ISIS releases 300 workers Mohamed Abrini A arrested in Belgium

B

elgian authorities announced the arrest Friday of Mohamed Abrini, suspected of driving those involved in the Paris terror attacks.

Abrini was one of two people arrested, said Eric Van der Sypt, a spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office. He identified the other as Osama Krayem.

Abrini, a 31-year-old Belgian-Moroccan, had been among Europe’s most wanted and was considered “armed and dangerous.”

“For French investigators, this can be very big,” CNN’s Nic Robertson said.

The arrest would mean authorities now have captured two people suspected of playing a direct role in the November 13 attacks that killed 130 people, including Salah Abdeslam, the alleged eighth planned attacker. Abdeslam was arrested last month in Belgium shortly before the Brussels attacks.

“As an investigator, this gives you a much stronger position to be in to get to the truth ... to run other terrorists on the run down,” Robertson said. “And also to understand precisely what happened in Paris.”

According to a European police cooperative known as ENFAST, video showed Abrini with Abdeslam on November 11, two days before the massacre in the French capital.

The same Renault Clio that Abrini drove was used in those attacks, ENFAST reports. Abdeslam told authorities he drove a car of that same make and model to the Stade de France -where suicide bombers detonated explosives outside a soccer game -- and abandoned it.

He then wandered into the subway and allegedly “contacted one person,” Abrini, CNN’s French affiliate BFMTV reported.

Abrini has a criminal record of violent theft. He also had a younger brother killed while fighting for ISIS in 2014, and he was in Istanbul, Turkey, briefly last summer and possibly in Syria.

Relatives have insisted Abrini was in Brussels the night of the Paris attacks.

according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, citing a source in Syria’s Ministry of Industry.

Local official Nadim Kreizan told SANA that witnesses saw about 125 “abducted workers” being put on buses headed toward areas more firmly under ISIS control.

Ramdi Abdulrahman, head of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told CNN

he believes 150 to 250 factory employees were missing. The observatory later said that at least 140 employees of the factory were able to escape during the attack, while no fewer than 170 were captured.

The factory is in Al-Dhmeir, a town 48 kilometers (about 30 miles) northeast of Damascus, the Syrian capital and the base of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Charlie Sheen under investigation

C

harlie Sheen may be in trouble again.

The actor and Hollywood bad boy is a suspect in an ongoing criminal investigation involving alleged threats Sheen has made, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD is not releasing more details at this time or naming the victim, due to the nature of the crime.

The criminal investigation is the latest in a string of bad news for the former “Two and a Half men” star. His former fiancée Scottine Ross filed a lawsuit in December accusing him of assault, battery, false imprisonment and failure to disclose to her that he was HIV-positive.

The lawsuit alleges that, on several occasions, Sheen locked Ross in the bathroom, pushed her, dragged her by the arms, placed her in a chokehold and pointed an unloaded gun at her and repeatedly pulled the trigger.

Ross, an adult film actress known as Brett Rossi, and Sheen were in a relationship from November 2013 to October 2014, according to the

suit.

Sheen’s attorney has denied the allegations, saying Ross is trying to extort money from the former “Two and Half Men” star.

Representatives for Sheen did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment.

The actor has been mostly out of work since his FX series, Anger Management, was canceled in December 2014.

After several years of erratic behavior, Sheen, 50, announced in November that he is HIV-positive and that his hard-partying days were behind him.

The LAPD said its Threat Management Unit is leading the Sheen investigation.

Charlie Sheen and former fiancée Scottine Ross, a.k.a. Brett Rossi

13 North Korean restaurant workers defect They’d left North Korea to work at a restaurant owned and operated by the reclusive Asian nation.

And they’re not going back.

Instead, these 12 women and one man defected after “feeling pressure from North Korean authorities” to send foreign currency back to their homeland, according to a South Korean government spokesman.

“Our government decided

to accept them on humanitarian grounds,” South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said Friday.

A day earlier, the 13 arrived in Seoul. Jeong would not say how they’d escaped or which country they’d come from -- a handful of countries around Asia have restaurants like the ones they apparently worked in.

They haven’t talked to the media, with the Seoul gov-

ernment only releasing a single photo of them walking with their bags, their faces blurred or covered with masks and hair.

The South Korean spokesman may have offered a clue when he said, “The group said that they are feeling tense and fatigued from long-distance traveling.” Another hint was that they’d been somewhere with ready access to South Korean media -- which, according to

Jeong, spurred their decision.

“The workers said that they learned about the reality in South Korea through South Korean TV, soap operas, movies and (the) Internet,” he said, implying that this ran counter to Pyongyang’s overwhelmingly negative depiction of its longtime rival. “(They also) learned about how North Korea’s propaganda was fabricated.”

Quote of the day If you know the dangers of corruption, you will know that all Nigerians should come together and say enough is enough. The rich man is a victim, the poor man is a victim, the old man is a victim and the child, the young man and the students are victims. Those who are looking for jobs are all victims. So, it is time that we all support this President to say enough is enough. — Ex-EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri, on the ongoing corruption fight in the nation.

BACK PAGE

Conspiracy of convergence: Any political distance?

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

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he world has conspired to converge (a flat world) – to share blessings. But what was not envisaged is the sharing of curses! A conspiracy of the convergence of one world! Whose interests and what next?

What political agenda for the convergence?

What political paradigm to be adopted and whose interests? Before globalization, every county adopted any form of political dispensation and practice. To some, it was all about democracy, proclaiming equality and the rule of law with emphasis on strong judicial system where there is respect for law and social justice. Some nations preferred military government where there is maximum rulership demonstrating authoritarianism.

Some nations simply continued with communism. To them, it was about the welfare of every one.

Others practiced the traditional system that gave the entire country to a single family which ran the state as a personal estate!

Globalisation is aimed at leading to convergence towards one dominant (political, economic and cultural) system, as put

by Fukuyama in the End of History, Sachs and Warner in The Convergence of test, or Jimoh Ibrahim in Conspiracy of Convergence, a process leading to greater interindependence and mutual awareness among economic, political and social units in the world and among actors in general.

Those who argue for a convergence of the world argue in sympathy of the need for the entire world to be celebrated as a flat world. They insist that the celebration of the 21st Century can only be in a world that is in

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vote for one political system is key to the unity of the world .

A n imposed political system is preparation for the T hird W orld W ar. G od forbid ! T he barrier of political distance , as it stands , leads to the question : W ill the conspiracy of convergence succeed ? convergence. Thomas Friedman leads the arguments in this regard.

Regrettably the mythological paradigm of the conceptualisation of the United Nations is almost being kissed good night today. The conspiracy is to keep the United Nations aside while the discussion is ongoing or to force her to arrange some meetings!

There is nothing to demonstrate the defence of Article 2(4) “Prevention of the use of force,” and Article 2(7) “Non interference in the domestic and internal political affairs of member nations.”

Specifically, the United Nations’ Article 2(7) provides the argument

postulated by Friedman, which almost gives no room for doubt that the conspiracy of the convergence is already a success. According to Friedman, “distance is dead, the wall has been taken down, and Americans have gotten lazy!”

So if one country has “gotten lazy,” then the world is captured in convergence - apologies to Friedman. Does that mean that it was America that was holding the convergence?

Pankay Ghemamat wrote much from the influence of business. To him, if we redefine global strategy, there is nothing to suggest that a flat world is in the offering, for “we

are more wire, but no more global, or “globaloney.” The policies that we fickle humans enact are surprisingly reversible and international economic integration may be inherently incompatible with national sovereignty.”

The main question, beyond the happiness of Friedman, is to ask if the world was connected and if there was integration that was beyond the praxis of the United Nations?

Which political system do we adopt? Should we opt for the western democracy of Britain and America, with their followers? Or do we prefer China’s communism, or the kingdom hierarchy of Saudi Arabia? Do we follow the Sheiks of UAE? If we adopt the Saudi political system and the wisdom of monarchies, we simply say goodbye to democracy! Who will protest?

Why? If that is not good enough and we opt for the communism of China, we do not need the strong institutions and we can accommodate corruption as it is in China. We again say goodbye to democracy! But what is wrong with that and where are complaints going to come from? Will the minority impose their political system on the majority? God forbid!

Which way do we go? Which one should we adopt? The new convergence cannot operate two different political systems for one flat world. If we do, the convergence is not complete politically. A vote for one political system is key to the unity of the world. An imposed political system is preparation for the Third World War. (God forbid).

The barrier of political distance as it stands, leads to the question: Will the conspiracy of convergence (a flat world) succeed?

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