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P.7 Politics News 8 killed, scores injured We’ll expose PDP’s zz

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P.51 News 35-year-old man docked for fondling women’s breasts

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Governor Oshiomhole and bride

L-R: Senator Bukola Saraki; father of the bride, Mr. Fortes; President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Adams Oshiomhole; his bride, Lara Oshiomhole; and mother of the bride, Mrs. Fortes, during the wedding ceremony of the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday.

Nigeria stands still for Oshiomhole

...as governor weds Cape Verdean beauty Sealxk T

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

Nigeria stands still for Oshiomhole

…As Governor weds Cape Verde beauty, Lara

I

yamho. Edo State, nay Nigeria, literarily stood still for the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole, on Friday as he finally remarried after about five years of the painful mourning of his late wife, Clara Aiyebhor, who succumbed to a protracted battle with breast cancer.

In a blaze of glitz, glamour and glory, the high, the mighty and the ordinary citizens watched and celebrated with Oshiomhole, a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), as he took marital vows with the former Miss Iara Fortes, a delectable, paragon of beauty, model, lawyer and citizen of Cape Verde Islands with both of them proudly pronounced husband and wife.

Governor Oshiomhole and his bride both signed the dotted lines of “Yes, I do” at a private marriage registry opened to only family members and a few friends and associates at his Iyamho country home in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, witnessed by his mother, Hajia Aishetyu Oshiomhole and the parents of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. Fortes, who flew in from their home in The Netherlands to attend the ceremony.

Apart from the Governor’s mother, three of his five children from his first marriage, Steve, Adams Jr. and Mrs. Jane Adukwu as well as two of his grandchildren, were also on hand to support their father and his new wife.

The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) led the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo, and APC national leader, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, as well as other countless dignitaries to the wedding ceremony and reception held at the People’s White Hall inside the Governor’s country home.

Speaking, a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who chaired the wedding ceremony, stated that Oshiomhole’s wife completes and complements him even as he admonished the couple to imbibe the virtue of true love and patience in dealings with one another.

The wedding attracted the attendance of Nigerian leaders, top politicians including fellow Governors, captains of industry, security chiefs, traditional rulers and the ordinary well-wishers, admirers and supporters of Oshiomhole.

The wedding literarily closed the Benin—Auchi—Okene—Lokoja—Abuja Federal Highway as thousands of vehicles that were still coming besides thousands of others that had already parked, ran out of

space to park, resulting in some parking on both sides of the busy road with officials of Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security, Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Army, having a hectic time controlling human and vehicular traffic.

Led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors, Governors-elect and ex-Governors as well as some of those in the opposition People’s Democratic Partyu (PDP) such as House of Representatives Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Bello Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor Abdul-Azeez Yari of Zamfara State; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Governor Ibikunle

Amosun of Ogun State; ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; ex-Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State; ex-Governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State; and ex-Governor Samuel Ogbemudia of Edo State attended the wedding while many others were said to be on their way as at the time of filing this report.

Re-elected Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Domingo Obende, Senator-elect Dino Melaye; Reps Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie and Reps-elect Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and a host of others also attended the wedding.

Captains of industry, who graced the ceremony included Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Mr. Jim Ovia, Mr Femi Otedola, Captain Noggie Meggisson and

Captain Hosa Okunbor. Also, the Administrator of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Ashishana Okauru attended the wedding along with her wife and former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru.

The former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, Chief Tom Ikimi, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu and former Bayelsa State Governor, Dipreye Alamieyeseigha, also attended.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor and Senator Tunde Ogbeha were also in attendance.

Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Uyigue Igbe led a delegation of the lawmakers to the wedding; Mr. Kanayo O. Kanayo and Mr. Osita Iheme, alias Pawpaw, led a delegation of actors and actresses to the wedding; while the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri led a delegation of ranking palace chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa.

Top military and security brass that attended the wedding included the Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in Auchi, Brigadier-General M. J. Abel; Director-General of the Department of State Security who was represented by Engr. Joseph Oworuya along with Edo State SSS Director, Mr. Bello Bakori.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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May 16, 2015

Buhari

Should Buhari probe $20 billion audit report?

There are growing calls that the incoming administration of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari should probe the special purpose audit on the alleged missing $20 billion believed to have been unremitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. But analysts say that the biggest challenge to such venture may be the inconsistency in the claim and controversial nature of the whistle blower writes, NICK UWERU.

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ike a malignant boil that has refused to heal, the row over the alleged missing $20billion oil money resurfaced on Wednesday again. This time, Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, former governor, Central bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the man who started the whole controversy, ignited contest over the money.

The controversy began in 2013 after the former CBN governor alleged Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit a significant sum of federal earnings in oil into the federation account. The allegation hit up the polity, polarising the country into regional fault lines. Even so, investors were sufficiently alarmed at the prospect of such money missing.

Even with the suspension of Sanusi over the matter, the problem, intermittently, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Kerosene subsidy was never implemented’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 has resurfaced. But aiming to put a lid on the crisis, federal government contracted Pricewater Cooper, PwC, a globally recognised auditing firm to carry out a special purpose investigation into the claims by Sanusi that the said $20 billion was actually missing.

So far, PwC, ostensibly put a lie to Sanusi’s claim of such money missing. But shooting from the hips again, the emir insists that Pricewater Cooper financial audit actually confirms that the said money were unremitted to the coffers of the federal government. Rather than the $20 billion he finally stuck to a year ago before being suspended from office, the CBN governor now says that the money missing is $18.5 billion unremitted fund.

The former CBN governor in an article in the Financial Times of London titled, “Unanswered questions on Nigeria’s missing oil revenue billions”, stated that the PwC Audit Report confirmed that about $18.5billion of the NNPC’s earnings was not remitted to the treasury, contrary to what the Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, claimed is the case. “The audit report does not exonerate the NNPC. It establishes that the gap between the company’s oil revenues between January 2012 and July 2013 and cash remitted to the government for the same period was $18.5bilion,” said the former CBN governor.

Sanusi said the breakdown of the NNPC’s account of how it used that money, raises serious questions about the legality of the conduct of the state’s oil company. On this last statement, the Emir of Kano wasn’t saying anything new. In fact, PwC recommended in its report that there was need to revisit NNPC’s accounting and operation procedures. Ever before that, a bill in the National Assembly, the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, seeking to unbundle the corporation into more accountable parastatals have since been lying fallow in the legislature.

But giving details of what he described as a “scam that violated the constitution” and which he alleged resulted in the siphoning of money from the treasury,” and by extension, his suspension as CBN governor, Sanusi said the perpetrators of the exercise relied on the supposed kerosene subsidy purportedly granted by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

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At the conclusion of his written submission, he (Sanusi) posited that it could be $20 billion, $12 billion, $10.8 billion or anything in between

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Long kerosene queue: Where is the subsidy?

—Sen. Makarfi’s Finance Committee He pointed out that contrary to that view, the kerosene subsidy had been vacated, going by the statement attributed to the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pipeline Marketing Company (PPPMC). With this latest intervention, it is quite apparent that the alleged missing $20 billion will not be put to rest. As a result, more than any other ministry and agency, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its primary corporation, NNPC, have course to look beyond May 29, this year, with great foreboding.

General Mohammadu Buhari, a former federal petroleum commissioner (as Minister of Petroleum was once referred to) is set to take over as President of the country on that day. Maybe every other ministry, departments and agencies, MDA, have course to worry given Buhari’s rigid anti-corruption stance.

Earlier than Sanusi, Buhari, after winning the presidential election has had cause to make reference to the $20 billion allegedly unremitted into the federation account by NNPC, which has been a subject of controversy for the better part of last year.

The President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, revisited the matter and re-opened fresh public debate when he told a delegation of party faithful from Adamawa State that his administration would take a fresh look at the forensic audit report done by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a well known global audit firm.

This pronouncement created some stirs in the incumbent presidency. President Goodluck Jonathan, billed to handover to Buhari on May 29, quickly released report of the PwC financial audit to the public. The import

of the counter manoeuvre is not lost on discerning public.

The belief for most analysts is that the outgoing president may be trying to forestall possible wrong imputations into the audit report thereby discrediting his administration after he leaves.

It may also be, too, that Jonathan may have come to the realisation that only full disclosure on the investigation into the alleged missing money by PwC could put closure to the controversy created by Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, SLS, former CBN governor now emir of kano. This may well be so given the renewed interest the matter has generated again after it was thought to have been put to rest by the audit report from the reputed firm. Apart from Buhari, House of Reps insists too that it was going to probe PwC’s report.

But then, why is the subject of the missing money so difficult to put to rest even after an inter-agencies investigation, the senate and PwC have all looked into it? The answer may well lie with the original intention for which the whistle was blown on the matter. If sanusi’s intention was to draw attention to missing money, this may well have been put to rest by the series of probes on the matter. After all, according to Alaba Olusemore, PhD, “accounting for our oil revenue and associated expenditures need not be too complex or complicated.”

But going by the many inconsistencies in the allegation created by the whistle blower, Sanusi, there are those who believe that ulterior motives might not be far from the issues surrounding the story of the ‘missing $20 billion,’ at least given the many twists and turns that has attended the matter.

Sometime late 2013, Sanusi, in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, alleged that $49.8 billion crude oil lifting by NNPC was not remitted to the federation account as it should be done statutorily. According to Sanusi, $65 billion worth of crude oil was lifted by NNPC in 2012. But rather than the full amount being remitted, Sanusi claimed that $15 billion was returned as equity to the federation account.

What it then meant was that about $50 billion ($49.8), 76 percent of federal government earnings were diverted.

Rather than restrict access to his memo to the president, Sanusi was reported to have leaked it to the public. The revelation at the time created a major heat up in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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May 9, 2015

‘NNPC’s account should still be probed’

Dr Alaba Olusemore, FCIB, policy analyst and fellow, CIBN, says that there is need to review NNPC’s accounting procedures

Despite the financial audit by Price Water Cooper, PwC, on the alleged unremitted $20 billion by NNPC, the matter has still not be laid to rest. There are talks by the House of Reps to probe the audit of the PWC and even the President Elect, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, says there is need to take a second look at the probe? Do you think that there sufficient reasons to doubt PWC’s report?

PWC’s assignment could be regarded as a special purpose audit. What this means is that the firm was contracted by government agency to confirm or refute allegation made by the then Central Bank Governor. To be fair to the audit firm, the outcome of their investigations would have been influenced largely by the accuracy or otherwise of the information provided by the CBN that blew the whistle loud and clear.

arrive at the same figures, the following should hold true: One, the accounting records that CBN and NNPC are looking at are the same; two, the volume of transactions that is in contention are the same for both parties; three, there is no time differences in the computations; four, all the assumptions made by the CBN and NNPC should be the same; that NNPC keeps accurate, complete and transparent financial records for all the nation’s transactions on oil and gas. If all the foregoing holds though, there should be no amount to be reconciled. Financial Accounting is not complex. What is a debit to one party is a credit to another party or parties. It is a matter of Cash In and Cash Out with a possibility of a positive or negative net cash balance.

There have been several interpretations of the findings of PWC. While NNPC says it was not indicted but only asked to remit a certain amount to federation account, others insist that the oil corporation was indeed indicted and therefore vindicates the whistle blower. Why should there be different versions to a report published in black and Olusemore white?

Accounting for our oil revenue and associated expendi- with his inconsistent assertions. I hasten to say that the tures need not be too complex or complicated considering revered, as former CBN governor, was too hasty to blow the caliber of executes at the NNPC. However, the opera- the alarm before ascertaining the true amount in dispute. tors will rather prefer to make it fluid, in order to aid cor- Figures should be sacrosanct, especially when we are rupt practices. The more complex, the system is, the easier dealing with Federation Account. I agree with those who it is to manipulate numbers in order to achieve the inordi- said that a CBN governership is not a position where the nate ambitions of a few individuals that are milking the head can make unsubstantiated claims. Opinions are free nation dry. but facts are sacred! Entries to such Federation Account should be made with the highest level of professionalism There have been inconsistencies in the figures bandied and ethical practices. There ought to be several levels of by former CBN governor from the beginning of the whole controls or checks and balances. The CBN being the BankSaga. First it was $49 billion, then it went down to $12 biler to the Federal Government has onerous responsibility lion after reconciliation with relevant MDAs. But later the to determine the true state of affairs of FGN’s finances. former CBN governor put it at $20 billion. As an experiSince the transactions are in a single currency, i.e. US Dolenced ex-banker does the deposition of the former CBN lars, there ought not to have been the problem of translagovernor inspire credibility? tion or conversion, which could result in differences in the The erstwhile CBN Governor did not help the nation amounts involved. However, for the CBN and the NNPC to

How best do you think this matter can be laid to rest?

These can be done on by observing the following: The incoming government can commission another special purpose investigation into the finances of NNPC covering the period in contention. CBN should be more specific on how they arrived at their $20 billion or $10 billion missing oil revenue. The new firm should carry out their own independent investigation without reference to what PW auditing firm did. The NNPC officials and the outgoing ministers of Petroleum Resources and Coordinating Minister for the Economy should cooperate with the new auditing team. Going forward; the Accountant General of the federation and auditor general should play significant roles in serving as checks on the excesses of the NNPC executives. If there is a need to amend the enabling Act establishing NNPC, the incoming National Assembly should do the needful expeditiously. The time to plug all leakages in our public finance is now. The time to discourage people from engaging in corrupt practices, especially in the public sector is now. The time to say NO to impunity in the public sector is now. The incoming Federal Government of General Buhari has a big job in its hands. They are equal to the task given the huge experience of the President-elect in the petroleum ministry. I can only wish them well!

NNPC overpaid subsidy on petrol, kerosene—PwC country with opposition elements latching on the claim to pillory Jonathan’s administration.

As result of the attendant outrage at the alleged missing money, reconciliation exercise were embarked on by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, NNPC, Ministry of Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and other relevant agencies. It had in attendance, Sanusi himself, minister, Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, then Group Managing Director, NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu, the Director, DPR, the Chairman of the FIRS, the Coordinating Minister of Economy Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

At the end of the exercise it was established that oil lifting were supposed to be paid by three agencies. The first is the actual trading in oil by NNPC which is the $15 billion CBN admitted receipt of. The other two are through the DPR which has to do with royalty payment by the joint venture corporations and oil taxes. This later one is statutorily remitted by the FIRS. The respective departments showed Sanusi that the money had since been in the CBN vault all the while he was writing memo on a missing $50 billion. At the end of the exercise, it was agreed that what was left of the money to be reconciled was $10.5 billion. This was an outcome Sanusi himself admitted before the press.

But barely three hours later after that event at the Senate,

‘

The former CBN governor was too hasty in blowing the alarm before ascertaining the true amount in dispute.

Figures should be sacrosanct, especially when we are dealing with Federation Account. I agree with those who said that a CBN governership is not a position where the head can make unsubstantiated claims. Opinions are free but facts are sacred

Sanusi told a Senate committee on finance that $12 billion was yet to be remitted. The minister of Finance had then had to draw his attention to the earlier agreement they had.

Given the seeming confusion Ahmed Makarfi, chairman of the committee asked that the sitting be adjourned for three weeks, hoping that the government officials would put their house in order before reappearing at the hearing.

When the sitting resumed, NNPC had prepared explanation on the $10.5 billion that was yet to be reconciled. It stated that that $8.5 of the money went into subsidizing kerosene. Also, the deference of the rest went into for the purpose of strategic reserve, at the rate of 40 million litres of PMS national consumption per day because NNPC maintains about 32 days’ sufficiency of petrol.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

The cost incurred in this mandate during the period under review is $0.37bn. NNPC also said that money was spent on pipeline maintenance.

But Sanusi threw the sitting into more confusion when he stated that the missing money had again shifted from the $12 billion to $20 billion. According to Sanusi, NNPC couldn’t have spent money on oil kerosene subsidy because there was a subsisting presidential fiat removing subsidy on kerosene by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Also the former CBN governor at the sitting stated that the rest money was what NNPC failed to remit as proceeds from Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation, NPDC’s oil exploration. Sanusi contended that the money should be remitted to the federal government coffers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Makarfi, PwC say $20 billion not missing’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 But reacting to the claim, NNPC stated that NPDC though being a subsidiary of NNPC, was registered under the Company and Allied Matters Act, CAMA. “It has the right to make earnings,” said the former NNPC GMD at the hearing.

The inconsistencies in these claim notwithstanding, Sanusi got the public and indeed the lawmakers interested in the kerosene subsidy aspects of his claim.

But going by Sanusi’s claim at the Senate, NNPC, if indeed, had subsidized kerosene as it claimed by $8.5 billion, the corporation did so in disregard of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s directive of June 9, 2009, that kerosene subsidy be halted.

Explaining his position, Sanusi said that there was need for NNPC to supply Nigerians with the authority backing it to make such payments. The National Assembly, also, at the time had cause to also believe that the said subsidy money was not appropriated by it as such expenditure should have been done by law.

But pointing out why it may be difficult to substantiate any allegation that NNPC disregarded presidential order, Allison Madueke stated that the said directive was at best inchoate. While Sanusi, before the Senate Committee read out the said presidential memo directing NNPC to halt further subsidy on kerosene back in 2009, the CBN governor failed to mention other contentious part of the directive that may have rendered the order impracticable.

For instance, the directive while asking the minister to withdraw subsidy on kerosene, it curiously also ordered that “Public announcement of this measure should be avoided”. Realizing that there was no way such directive could be obeyed without the public getting to know, late Rilwanu Lukman, then Minister of Petroleum Resources, was said to have been in a dilemma. What with Yar’Adua’s failing health at the time, it was difficult for the minister to secure further clarification on the matter.

As Allison Madueke also stated at the Senate Committee, sitting, such directives were not handed to him from Lukman his predecessor. Even so, Andrew Yakubu, then GMD, NNPC, insisted that such directives, even if it had come would have been ineffectual given the Petroleum Act 2004.

For instance, Section 6, 1 and 2 of the law provides that petroleum price fixing can only be effected by an order published in the Federal Gazette. The argument of the NNPC boss is that that since removal of subsidy would alter the price of Kerosene, it acted within the law in not removing the subsidy since the said presidential order did not come through a gazette.

On the allegation that the NNPC spent the said money on subsidy without appropriation, NNPC argued that it still acted within the law. Explaining that subsidy regime is still a policy of Federal Government, Yakubu cited NNPC Act, the law setting up the Corporation, as giving it power to make subsidy expenditure. For instance, in section 7 Subsection (a) and (B) of the law, the corporation is empowered to maintain a fund from “such monies, as may, from time to time, be provided by the Federal Government by way of grants or loans or otherwise.

In part (b) of the law, it also explains how such money could be spent. “Such moneys as may be received by the Corporation in the course of its operations or in relation to the exercise by the Corporation of any of its functions under this Act, and from such fund there shall be defrayed all expenses incurred by the Corporation.”

By its interpretation of this law, NNPC believes that its subsidizing of kerosene importation is part of expenses it incurred in running the corporation and performing its statutory obligations. Going by precedents, too, the House of Representatives may have tacitly acknowledged this role. In its July 2011 resolution, the lawmakers directed the NNPC to increase its volume of kerosene imports and ensure that retail price to consumers is pegged at N50/Iitre.

Lamido-Sanusi While NNPC may have glibly explained away these facts, it failed to impress the lawmakers and indeed the public on why it failed to peg kerosene price at N50/litre, a point Sanusi has consistently harped on to show that money was indeed creamed of at the NNPC. He did so again with his latest article in the Financial Times.

“Nigerians paid N120-N140 a litre of kerosene, far more than the supposed subsidised price of N50, yet the state oil company withheld $3.4billion to pay for a subsidy that in effect did not exist,” stated Sanusi.

The former CBN governor pointed out that contrary to views that kerosene subsidy had been vacated, the statement attributed to the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pipeline Marketing Company (PPPMC) showed otherwise. “The auditors say a significant part of the unremitted funds is supposed to have gone towards a kerosene subsidy that had been stopped two and a half years earlier by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

His decree never appeared in the official gazette, leading some to question whether it ever had legal force.

“Evidence disclosed in the report suggests this is a sideshow. The executive secretary of the agency charged with administering subsidies confirmed that, acting on Yar’Adua’s orders, it had ceased granting subsidies on kerosene. There was no appropriation for such a subsidy in the 2012 or 2013 budgets,” Sanusi said.

NNPC, however, explains that the petroleum product marketers may just be the ones to answer the posers as to where all the kerosene imported into the country remain costly to procure. Explaining this Yakubu said that diversion of kerosene to neighbouring countries, industrial use, aviation fuel, sharp practices by middlemen and pipeline vandalism are reasons why kerosene is not readily available for domestic consumption.

There are quite a number of competing demands for kerosene and until these are addressed by other relevant agencies, the issue of kerosene not being readily available for domestic use will continue to reoccur every now and then.

For instance, it was gathered that kerosene is in high demand by road construction companies in the preparation of bitumen. “Kerosene allows for proper texture of the bitumen so it is in high demand from marketers,” a construction worker told Saturday Mirror.

The controversy on the said missing money did not just end with the hearings. The senate committee and PwC, at the behest of the federal government went to the matter. Their

Diezani Alison-madueke findings, in the main did not substantiate Sanusi’s claims.

For instance, The Senate committee specifically declared on Page 59 of its 73-page report that “there was never any unremitted $49.8 billion,” and noted that “the total crude oil liftings from January 2012 to July 2013 was $67 billion and not $65 billion as the CBN governor had presented.”

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led committee, in its report said: “The committee could not see how the figure of $49.8 billion was arrived at by the CBN governor in the first instance and that the CBN governor at the first hearing had forwarded the figure of $12 billion as monies to be reconciled and changed his position to $20 billion at subsequent hearing.

“At the conclusion of his written submission, he (Sanusi) posited that it could be $20 billion, $12 billion, $10.8 billion or anything in between.”

To many financial analysts, this submission by CBN governor was way too, flimsy. Olusemore, an analyst sees such shift in figures not confidence inspiring. “The erstwhile CBN Governor did not help the nation with his inconsistent assertions. I hasten to say that the revered Royal Father, was too hasty to blow the alarm before ascertaining the true amount in dispute.

“Figures should be sacrosanct, especially when we are dealing with Federation Account. I agree with those who said that a CBN governership is not a position where the head can make unsubstantiated claims. Opinions are free but facts are sacred! Entries into such Federation Account should be made with the highest level of professionalism and ethical practices,” Olusemore stated.

PwC findings went further to rip Sanusi’s allegations to shreds. One of the findings in the PwC report is that total gross revenue generated from crude oil liftings within a 19-month period (January 2012 to July 2013) was $69.34bn, and not $67bn as earlier stated by the Reconciliation Committee.

The report also shows that total cash remitted into the Federation Account in relation to crude oil liftings was $50.81bn and not $49bn.

On subsidy claims made by NNPC for petrol and kerosene, the report shows overpayment on subsidy to oil marketers by over $1bn. Also, the PwC report said it did not discover any stolen or missing fund, but it asked NNPC and its trading subsidiary firm, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to refund to the Federation Account the sum of $1.48bn, being shortfalls on sale of oil blocks.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

T

he Nigerian military has been gripped by panic following the new antics of Boko Haram insurgents and their renewed attacks in the North East.

Many lives, including those of soldiers, have been lost in the past few days as a result of the latest attacks by the terrorists group in some villages in the North East, thus shattering the relative peace that had returned to the area.

However, the Nigerian Army has said that there is no cause for alarm, vowing that the military could never be deterred by the new developments.

After losing ground to the security forces prosecuting the war in the North East, the insurgents, who had been very quiet, appeared to have restrategised and resurfaced with new antics seen in their renewed attacks in Borno State and other few places.

In the resumed attack, Boko Haram insurgents had, on Wednesday, night struck again in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, this time killing over 52 persons in various attacks

NATIONAL NEWS

May 16, 2015

7

Boko Haram: Panic in military over terrorists’ renewed attacks

•We’ve returned to the drawing board, says Army •’Latest attacks are mere distractions’ on some communities within the precinct of the state capital.

About 13 persons were reported killed near Giwa Military Barracks in the town on Wednesday evening when six women who pretended to have escaped from Boko Haram captivity detonated the explosives strapped on them.

The Boko Haram terrorists who had been routed in recent times by the reinvigorated Nigerian military along with the troops from Niger, Chad and Cameroun had suffered massive attacks as their abodes including the notorious Sambisa forest had been bombarded by the military.

The continuous and coordinated bombardments had made the insurgents unable to plan and execute any significant attack in weeks.

Boko Haram further suffered a major setback when some of its members were reportedly killed in far away Iraq, an incident which has confirmed the touted link between Boko Haram and Islamic State (IS).

A few days ago, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a school in Yobe State.

Reports said that the six adult female who carried out the attack, were seen by soldiers and some members of the youth vigilance group near the Army barracks.

But speaking with our correspondent, military

sources at the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, said at present, the military had become very worried by the development and was back to the drawing board to redesign its strategies to address the menace.

“It is not a joke that these people are at it again.

You can imagine when we are conquering and saying never again, suddenly, you are seeing all these attacks resurfacing.

“Only God knows what these terrorists are planning and they seem not to be tired or even reduced in number in spite of how we are frustrating them and

depleting their numbers.

“It is not funny. This has caused fresh worry for us in the military and we are again beginning to lose our sleep after we thought that we were seeing the end”, the source said.

However, another source at the Army Headquarters, AHQ, who preferred anonymity, said the Wednesday attack was just a distractions, which had already been nipped in the bud immediately.

“We are going to overcome all these very soon.

We are more than ever determined, we are not deterred. It is very natural

that the army cannot fear such attacks. We are very focused in the war and we are sure of victory very soon”, the source said.

Only few days ago, Chadian President, Idris Debby, had warned when he visited Nigeria that Boko Haram was only weakened but not eradicated.

Equally, Saturday Mirror had reported that the continuous silence of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, and his whereabouts were giving serious worry to the military, as it is believed that Boko Haram could be planning unpleasant surprises.

Manufacturers, experts decry labeling of Nigerian goods as made-in-Asia

S

ome manufacturers and experts on Thursday in Lagos decried the trend of labeling Nigerian goods as made-in-Asia or made-inChina.

They said that most locally manufactured products like shoes, bags, packaged food, and clothing were now labeled made in China to attract more patronage.

Mr. Frank Jacobs, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN), said that it was an ugly trend that was common among small and medium scale manufacturers entering the nation’s the market.

He also said that it was a major challenge that was limiting the competitiveness of Nigerian products and urging manufacturers to desist from the act.

“We hear of such things as shoes and bags made here in Aba, Nigeria being labeled as Made-in-US

just to attract the attention of Nigerian buyers.

“Somehow, the consumers also share a part of the blame as they carry a poor perception about made-in-Nigeria goods, and simply ignore them.

“This is very bad for our economy, and it is high time people knew that most of the things they buy are now produced in the country and not in Asia.

“We hope that dumping of foreign products are one of the major issues the new government would address, as it is really a contributing factor to this issue,” he said.

Also speaking on the issue, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) frowned at the trend, saying it was killing the manufacturing sector.

He said that manufacturers of such products should be caught and punished, as they were selling the nation’s ‘birthright’.

L-R: Managing-Director, AVS/ARTEC Nigeria, Malam Abdulrazaq Emeje; Coordinator, Kogi State, 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr. Aisha Audu-Emeje and Director-General, National Automotive Council, Mr. Aminu Jalal, during the signing of contracts for the procurement, installation and training on equipment and tools for automotive testing laboratories in Abuja, on Thursday.

PHOTO: NAN

8 killed, many injured as insurgents attack Borno village Inusa Ndahi MAIDUGURI

N

o fewer than eight people were killed in Gur Village of Biu local government area of Borno State when some terrorists suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect on Thursday invaded the community at about 12 midnight.

Residents from the area said in a telephone conversation with newsmen in Maiduguri.

Gur is about 10 kilometres drive to Biu, and Biu is South and about 185 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

The incident is coming barely 24 hours after insurgents attacked Maiduguri city on Wednesday leaving over 60 people, mostly insurgents, dead.

Sources said the attackers, after killing eight residents, also burnt down the village, while several others sustained gunshot injuries.

The attack, according to Maina Usman Gur, left many of the villagers scattered in the bush, as they ran into the mountains for their dear lives.

He said the attack which left innocent residents helpless also left his uncle dead.

“The terrorists who were armed with AK47 rifles and petrol bombs killed one of my uncles with many other injured who are currently receiving treatment at Biu Gen-

eral Hospital.

“The whole village is now deserted for fear of further attacks by the insurgents,” Usman Gur stated.

All efforts to confirm the incident from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jubrin, proved abortive as his phone lines were switched off.

With the 24 hours curfew imposed on the city of Maiduguri it was difficult visiting him for confirmation.

8

News

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pipeline vandals kill 3 policemen, injure others in Lagos

T

hree policemen attached to the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit were shot dead and many injured after vandals clashed with them at the Obadore area of Igando, Lagos State.

According to an online publication, Eagle Online, it was gathered that the armed vandals, numbering over 20, positioned themselves in strategic positions in the creeks to wade off “intruders” and ambushed the policemen.

It was heard that three policemen were killed and many others injured.

It was also alleged that nine of the suspected vandals were killed, but nobody could confirm it.

The Police authority however confirmed that three policemen were killed.

The incident was said to have occurred around 10am on Thursday.

Other members of the squad, who were able to escape, quickly radioed for re-enforcement.

Different police stations and divisional police officers under ‘Area M’ Police Command, Egbeda/Idimu, closest to the scene, were directed to the scene.

It was gathered that the team responding to a tip-off stormed the area and quickly intercepted three loaded vehicles and two empty vehicles of fuel products.

The team also nabbed a female suspected vandal simply identified as Anchika at the site.

Just as the team was about to leave with the exhibits and the female suspect, vandals, who had laid ambush, appeared from nowhere and opened fire on them.

Some members of the team quickly recovered from their shock and retaliated.

According to a police source: “At the end of the shootout, two of the policemen were seriously wounded and might have been killed. Others sustained several gunshot injuries too. I do not know

whether more suspects were arrested from the scene.”

Another source insisted that three dead and wounded policemen were taken to the Igando General Hospital.

“As we speak, there is massive operation ongoing in the area as armed policemen are now everywhere,” said the source.

Residents said nine vandals were hit during the clash.

Force spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, who confirmed the incident, said that three policemen were killed.

When the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, was called on the matter, he confirmed that Police officers from the IGP’s Special Task Force on Anti-Vandalism had an encounter with vandals, leading to the loss of some policemen.

Nwosu however insisted it was not his purview to confirm such an incident.

According to him, the Anti-vandalism unit has

an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the unit.

He said it was Ibadin’s jurisdiction.

Several calls were

made to Ibadin, but none was picked.

He also did not reply text messages.

Ojukwu said: “Some pipeline vandals engaged the IGP’s Special Task

Force on Oil pipeline Vandalism. Police have started hunting for the shooters. We do not have policemen specially classified as IGP’s men. Every police officer is from the

IGP. But the situation is under control now. We’re investigating the circumstances thoroughly and we assure you that the offenders will be apprehended.”

Fuel being sold in traffic in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Total blackout imminent as power generation drops by 1,800mw

T

here is strong indication that Nigerians may experience more of power blackouts as power generation has dropped by 1,800 megawatts.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali ,who appeared before Senate Committee on Power on Steel Development and Metallurgy, Thursday said that within the last five weeks, power generation has dropped from 4,500mw to 2700 mw .

Igali said Gas and crude Oil pipeline vandals were responsible for the drastic drop in power generation.

In a report by Eagle Online, he was quoted as saying the high rate of vandalisation carried out

by vandals on both Oil and Gas pipelines across the country within the last five weeks, had made the country to lose 1, 800 mw of power generation which was 4,500mw as at 4th of April but has now dropped to 2,700 mw.

The current power outages being experienced by electricity consumers across the country, according to him, are caused by the vandals who he said carried out their nefarious acts on daily basis.

He added that as a way of preventing them from throwing the entire country into blackout, security agencies had swung into action with 200 of the vandals already in the nets of the agencies for prosecu-

tion.

He said: “We have been able to explain to electricity consumers that the current power outage is as a result of high rate of pipeline vandalisation.

They vandalise both the crude pipelines and gas pipelines on daily basis.

“But the more sinister ones which is with a lot of pain is when people deliberately blow up pipes written clearly Gas Pipeline. They blow them up almost every day, they blow them up and that denies the power plants some gas, unfortunately our country depends on a lot of gas.

“We have hydro pipelines Chiroro, Jebba and Kanji which are the major

ones, but this dry season when the hydro does not do well. Security agencies have arrested 200 people vandalizing gas pipelines in the last two months and they are interrogating them and working with communities to solve these problems and put it behind us.

“From about 4500 mega watts on 4th of April this year, we came down to 2700 mw and that is a big loss of amount of power generation available. This is what we briefed the Senate Committee on power but the committee seems to be more interested in transmission.

“Transmission because everybody is interested in power transmission and

distribution. We briefed them on this and we are working with the contractors and the minister has reminded them that a new government is coming in few days coming and it would not be proper for him to renew the contract when there is a new government in place because the contract will end in July and we have told them to work on an interim arrangement pending when the new one comes and takes an informed position on that.”

Meanwhile the senate committee has summoned the Director – General of Bureau of Public Procurement ( BPP) , Engr. Emeka Eze, to appear before it next Tuesday unfailingly .

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

May 16, 2015

PDP: We’ll expose saboteurs –Committee Wole Oladimeji ABUJA

T

he post-election review committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday hinted that it would not hesitate to expose all party members that sabotaged the second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The committee also said it would expose those who traded the interest of the party in other elections.

The secretary of the committee, Dr. Walid Jubrin, who stated this at a press conference, declared that the committee would collect memoranda from all stakeholders in the party, noting that they would be fair to all.

He however denied that the committee did not enjoy the blessings of the major stakeholders of the party before it was set up.

He added that they got the blessings of President Jonathan; the Vice President, Namadi Sambo; Board of Trustees Chairman, Tony Anenih and the Senate President, David Mark.

Besides ascertaining the immediate and remote causes of the failure of the party at the 2015 polls, others terms of reference given to the committee when it was inaugurated two weeks ago, include to “ascertain the degree of anti-party activities, compromises and outright sabotage that may have contributed to the misfortunes of our party at the elections.”

They were also mandated “To look at the funding of the elections to determine whether or not the funds meant for the campaigns were adequate and whether disbursements were properly done.”

But Jubrin who described the assignment given to the committee as very important said “we will be very fair to all, we will not leave any stone unturned, we will not fear anybody. Anybody who is found wanting we will say so and we will state what we have found.”

He, however, appealed to aggrieved members to be calm, adding that it would be unfair to preempt the outcome of the committee’s report.

He further added that PDP was ready for repairs, adding that “we have accepted we are in the opposition and our opposition will be fair and not crude with reasoning and logic.

It will be fruitful for Nigerians. We won’t abuse anybody”.

He noted that the three weeks time frame given to them by the party would be extended if necessary.

Other terms of reference given to the committee include: “To trace the origin and process of the seeming decline of the party in its electoral performance; “To take a critical look at the preparations and build-up of the PDP to the general elections and determine its adequacies and lapses; “To review and determine the adequacy of the structures for the 2015 general elections and how those structures functioned; “To identify different groups in the party who were to play critical roles before and during the elections and determine the effectiveness or otherwise;

Shekarau tasks Buhari on education …highlights Jonathan’s achievements Marcus Fatunmole ABUJA

T

he Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, yesterday tasked the incoming administration of President-elect, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, to build on the current achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the nation’s education sector.

Shekarau made the call in Abuja while addressing stakeholders at the launch of the 2014 Annual Report of the Ministry; results of the four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2011-2015; and the launch of a new four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2015-2019.

He said President Jonathan had made giant strides

in transforming the nation’s educational system, guaranteeing equity, access and quality.

Tasking Buhari, the minister said: “Let me say that a solid foundation has been laid in the education sector over the past four years.

What is required is for this foundation to be built on. States should be encouraged because of their responsibilities to basic education to continue to be more innovative in their approach including ensuring timely access to their intervention funds which will go a long way in meeting their education delivery needs.

“The good work done in expanding school-based management committees should be built on so that communities will have greater participation in the sector; and therefore achieve greater success,”

he added.

He listed the following as some of the achievements of the out-going government: establishment of 12 new federal universities; equitable distribution of higher institution of learning in each state of the federation; and encouragement of private-sector participation in the provision of quality education.

The minister said that 20 new private universities had been licensed in the past four years by the Jonathan’s government, bringing the number of private universities in the country to 61.

He added that in a bid to promote technical education in the country, four new federal polytechnics were established, with rehabilitation of 51 existing polytechnics at a total sum of N15 billion by the Jonathan’s government.

KOGI STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ANKPA P. M. B. 1033, ANKPA.

(Office of the Registrar/ Secretary to the Tenders’ Boards)

INVITATION TO TENDER A. INTRODUCTION The Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, is desirous of competent and qualified contractors to tender for its year 2014 TETFund Special Intervention Projects as follows: Lot 1: Lot 2: Lot 3:

Provision of Equipment for Chemistry Laboratory Provision of Equipment for Physics Laboratory Provision of Equipment for Biology Laboratory

B. TECHNICAL BID REQUIREMENTS Interested and eligible Contractors / Suppliers are required to forward the under-listed items for pre-qualification: i.

Evidence of company registration with Corporate Affairs Commission ii.

Tax Clearance Certificate for the last three years (2012, 2013 and 2014) iii.

Value Added Tax registration and evidence of payment for the last three years iv.

Company audited financial statements for three years (2012, 2013 and 2014) v.

Evidence of company’s financial capability vi.

Record of past projects executed successfully over the last three years with verifiable addresses vii.

List of key staff with their curricula vitae and relevant positions that will execute the project viii.

Verifiable list of plants/machinery with years of manufacture and locations of the equipment to be used in the project. Please state whether the equipment are on lease, hired or wholly owned by the company with evidence of purchase where applicable ix.

Evidence of compliance with the PENCOM Act. x.

Evidence of compliance with the Industrial Training Fund Act C. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS Bid documents are to be collected from the Office of the College Director of Works and Services after payment of a non-refundable fee of N50,000.00 to the Bursary Department of the College and an official receipt of same presented as evidence of such payment.

D. SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS Both the technical and already completed financial documents for specific lot entered are to be submitted in the same envelope. The envelope addressed to the Registrar/Secretary, Tenders’ Board, Kogi State College of Education, P. M. B. 1033, Ankpa, should indicate the specific LOT at the top right hand corner and should be submitted on or before 12 noon of the closing date being 03rd June, 2015.

E. BID OPENING EXERCISE Technical/Financial documents must be submitted not later than 12:00 noon of 03rd June, 2015 and shall be opened that same day in the College Boardroom.

Contractors/suppliers are advised to be present or represented at the opening ceremony and should be able to produce original copies of company tax clearance certificates, if requested.

NOTE i). No submission will be accepted after 12:00noon on the closing date being 03rd June, 2015. ii). The request for invitation for Technical/Financial bid of Contractors/ Suppliers shall not be construed as a commitment on the part of Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa nor shall it entitle any Contractor/Supplier to make any claim whatsoever and or seek any indemnity from the College by virtue of such company having responded to the advert. The College will only recognize correspondence with authorized officers of the approved Contractor and NOT through any individuals or agents acting on their behalf. The College is not under any obligation to include your company on its list of contractors.

Signed

DRISU OKAI (Registrar/Secretary, Tenders’ Board)

9

10

NATIONAL NEWS

Omeiza Ajayi, Regina Otokpa ABUJA

T

he Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has apprehended two employment racketeers in Abuja.

The suspects specialise in offering fake employment letters to unsuspecting job-seekers.

Parading the suspects yesterday at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, Deputy Commandant

KADUNA

A

s part of proactive measures towards ending incidence of vandalism, Kaduna State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, has embarked on sensitisation of communities on the dangers inherent in the crime.

Leading a team of officers on what has been described as rescue sensitisation mission, the State Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, said his men had so far visited no fewer than six communities in Igabi, Kaduna-North and Chikun council areas, which are known for high incidence of petroleum pipeline vandalism.

Represented by the Head of Anti-vandal, Superintendent of Corps Abubakar Audu, the Commandant explained that the action had become necessary in view of the huge national economic loss arising from the nefari-

General of the corps, Solomon Bello, disclosed that the two-man gang was arrested at their residence in Gwagwalada, Abuja, following a tip off.

According to him, the suspects, Ibrahim Usman and Shaibu Yunusa, were found to be in possession

ous acts of vandals.

He said that Nigeria had lost huge revenue in recent times due to the adamant posture of vandals who insist on perpetrating their negative actions in spite of the incessant warnings by the corps, statutorily charged with the task of guarding pipelines.

According to him, the sensitisation tour afforded them the opportunity of interacting with traditional leaders who should serve as opinion leaders to in turn sensitise their subjects and reshape their attitudes.

Other people susceptible to the crime of vandalism that benefitted from the interaction were youth, women and children who are enlightened on the dangers of breaking oil pipelines and scooping fuel.

The Kaduna NSCDC boss declared that the corps had intensified surveillance on public infrastructure, warning that hard times awaited perpetrators of criminal acts.

of numerous fake employment letters, NSCDC letter-headed papers and forged NSCDC documents with stamps, which were being used to scam their victims in search of greener pastures.

They also allegedly designed a fake recruitment web portal for the same purpose.

The DCG also noted that following a compre-

hensive investigation, it was discovered that the suspects until their arrest, were employees of the Sharia Court, Gwagwalada, and had taken the unsuspecting applicants to Minna, Niger State, to undergo a fake documentation process, with assurances that they would be absorbed as personnel of the NSCDC. Bello added that the

ABUJA

T

he Minister of State for Education, Prof Viola Onwuliri, yesterday denied widely-reported inferno that gutted the building hosting the Federal Ministries of Education and Police Affairs in Abuja last Thursday.

Onwuliri said only smokes were seen billowing out of the building, without any flame.

The minister stated this while addressing stakeholders at the launch of the 2014 Annual Report

of the ministry; results of the four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2011-2015; and the launch of a new four-year Strategic Plan for the Development of the Education Sector 2015-2019 in Abuja.

Saturday Mirror had reported that the inferno caused panic and scampering for safety by workers and visitors to the premises.

The fire started at about 1:30pm while the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, was addressing principals of Unity Secondary Schools across the federation on

suspects would not go free saying “they have been with us; we have done all the process of arraignment and they will go to court by next week”.

One of the suspects, Ibrahim Usman, told newsmen that he had been able to obtain over N6 million from applicants who had fallen prey to their antics.

The FCT Commandant

Fuel being sold on traffick in Lagos, yesterday.

of the NSCDC, Aminu Kofarsoro, while appealing to Nigerians to be cautious, also stressed that the NSCDC was not undergoing any recruitment exercise at the moment.

“The government has a due process and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, is not recruiting and do not intend to recruit”, he said.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

AIB investigators get training on flight laboratory Olusegun Koiki

S

afety investigators of Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, have undergone a special training on the operation of Flight Safety Laboratory

in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

The training, which is aimed at developing the inhouse capacity to manage and operate the comprehensive flight safety laboratory designed and installed by Flightscape CAE of Canada was

Onwuliri denies fire outbreak in Education ministry Marcus Fatunmole and Joel Ajayi

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NSCDC: Sharia Court employees held over fake recruitment

… begin vandalism sensitisation campaign A za Msue

May 16, 2015

how best to run the institutions.

Shekarau and the principals were alerted of the event while staff of the ministry had crowded the stairs and lifts in the ministry.

The minister was however escorted to safety by his security aides.

Fire fighters including the Federal Fire Service, Guards Brigade and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, arrived the scene in succession about ten minutes after the fire, which billowed huge smoke.

The fire was put out within one hour.

There were insinuations of sabotage by some of the aggrieved staff of the ministry who spoke with our correspondent.

While some alleged some staff in the ministry might have masterminded the strange fire because of an ongoing comprehensive screening of all staff of the ministry, others alleged gross corruption was rife in the ministry; and that some staff might carry out the assumed arson.

They claimed they had originals of their credentials within the building.

conducted by Plane Sciences Incorporated of Canada.

The CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services, Mr. Jeff Roberts, told journalists that as the Africa representative of the Canadian technology company providing this capacity to Nigeria and to Africa as a whole, his ultimate wish was to see a good number of the seasoned aviation workers at the AIB, acquire and begin to grow the technology-driven skills needed to reach and maintain the highest level of safety in the Nigerian and African aviation sectors.

He emphasised that the flying public required the laboratory, stressing that as a key member of the United Nations agency - International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Nigeria was clearly pulling her weight as an equal partner and meeting her obligations to the international community.

He added that the support of the Federal Government

of Nigeria to this project was very encouraging.

Also speaking, the Commissioner, AIB, Dr. Felix Abali, stated that the laboratory would provide Nigeria with the capability to analyse aircraft flight data recorders, cockpit voice recorders, quick access recorders, radar data.

He noted that the laboratory was the first of its kind in the sub-Saharan Africa.

He added, “This laboratory will help establish a new standard with respect to government-led aviation safety programmes in Africa. Objective flight data provides the best opportunity to understand the underlying factors of aircraft and human performance so we may continue to advance safety of flight.”

CAE Flightscape software and services enable the effective study and understanding of recorded flight data from aircraft and flight simulators to improve safety, training, maintenance, and flight operations.

People

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

11

May 16, 2015

‘Behold the victory of the people’

By Joe Iniodu

O

n April 2007, Godswill Akpabio stood election with James Iniema, then of Action Congress. What followed that exercise was a mass movement engendered by the appeal Akpabio’s charismatic personality often provokes.

Many had joined his rank not so much on account of personal relationship with him but his widely acknowledged people skill. In 2011, the same attribute took centre stage when he re-contested. And so despite the hullaballoo by the opposition, Governor Godswill Akpabio trounced his opponent in that election beyond the mark of disputation. In the two elections referred to above, some kind of people oriented movements came into being and metamorphosed into what arguable became Akwa Ibom projects. All that is history now, as Akpabio is going about his last forty days of eight years in office.

But history has a way of repeating itself. An adage asserts that poor history repeats itself when victims don’t learn from it. Positive history, however, is every man’s yearning. It was therefore a glorious moment for the people of Akwa Ibom when history repeated itself and their heart’s desire in the person of Udom Gabriel Emmanuel scaled the hurdle in what one may describe as another most anxiety laden election in the history of the State. The election created a history of another mass movement. And because the election was mischievously imbued with sound and fury signifying nothing, Udom defeated his opponents with yawning figures of 996,071 votes with the closest being the APC candidate, Obong Umanah Okon Umanah trailing with 89,865 votes, while Accord party and Labour party governorship candidates followed with 10, 595 and 8,600 votes respectively.

Even before the election, it was public knowledge that the contest was between PDP, the ruling party in the State and APC, a coalition of two major regions that has just gained power at the centre with a constitutional commencement date of May 29. The turn of fortune for APC at the centre precipitated fear for many PDP States. The win at the centre bolstered the confidence of the incoming

Akpabio

party. At the State level, the party lost all caution. For them taking over the State was a fait accompli as in their thinking, Akwa Ibom cannot be in the opposition.

They pontificated on why the State must align with the centre to the point that one feared whether the constitution was going to be on suspension when APC government takes over at the centre.

Of course, APC’s envisaged fortune was considered enhanced as its rank was expanded to accommodate PDP chieftains, some of them of the hue of Board

Governor-elect Udom Emmanuel

of Trustee members but who chose to act as deserters with spoil sports tendencies.

Most of them at the run up to the election had seized the airwaves, not only to campaign for APC but to take time out to impugn the object of their hate being Governor Akpabio. The utterances even as uncivil and indecorous were to advance the cause of the APC candidate.

On another hand was a former governor, himself a BOT member of PDP doing intermittent broadcast on two major radio stations in the State urging the citizens

to vote APC and vote against a party that sponsored him as governor for two consecutive terms and which resulted in his being governor for eight uninterrupted years.

Then came the presumed bandwagon phenomenon that has always been the bane of the unprincipled and fickleminded. With the President-elect already in APC’s kitty, there was for them nothing to wait for in PDP. Again for them, the earlier they jumped ship, to begin the CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12

PEOPLE

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Behold the victory of the people’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio (right), Akwa Ibom State Governor-elect, Mr. Udom Emmanuel (2nd right) and Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. Moses Ekpo

‘

When the history of Nigeria would be written, it would be said that

Akwa Ibom

people are trust worthy people,

honest people and sincere people. It

would be said that

Akwa Ibom people

‘

early queue in APC, the better. And so from the self presumed heavy weights to the ants, all roads were supposed to lead to APC. But thanks to leaders of character like Godswill Obot Akpabio. He returned from Abuja a few days after the defeat of President Jonathan to address a mammoth crowd at Akwa Ibom International Airport. In his speech he said: “Thank you for welcoming me back as a hero” gesticulating towards the huge crowd that had waited at the airport for long hours to hear from him. “When the history of Nigeria would be written, it would be said that Akwa Ibom people are trust worthy people, honest people and sincere people. It would be said that Akwa Ibom people are not traitors and do not betray their brothers”, the governor stated. He was unsparing in his condemnation of PDP governors from the North Central whom he accused of betraying President Jonathan. He thanked the people for voting for the president noting that God would reward them. The speech cut the ice and stirred hope again in the people.

Governor Akpabio’s return to the State and the vivacious spirit he exuded reinvigorated hope in PDP faithful whose optimism and faith in the party at the State level had flagged. His return was followed with many meetings of impact. Perhaps the most invigorating was the meeting with youths of Uyo Senatorial District at the Lodge of Government House. The people returned from that meeting renewed in faith, courage and hope. Those whose hopes were forlorn were revamped and they were back on the streets to campaign for the only party that has the wherewithal to cater for the interest of the nation’s minorities. A leader inspires hope where there is despair. Godswill Akpabio with Udom Emmanuel in tow inspired that hope.

While Akpabio and Udom were busy explaining the new development and contextualizing it in terms of rights within the Nigerian federation, APC convinced the battle was won since it had already triumphed at the centre went to sleep. The PDP, led by its henchmen of Akpabio and Udom, continued with vigorous campaigns explaining the position of PDP vis-à-vis the opposition in the manner salient enough to occasion the public’s dismissal of the claim of APC. That sustained, reasonable and logical explanation did the magic. Akwa Ibom people nay the people of the South-South suddenly realized where they stand within the Nigerian federation and equation and the need to re-assert themselves within a party that would cater for their interest. These explanations, which were done by cerebral PDP chieftains who had done their researches, did the magic and turned the tide against APC in the State in particular and the South-South in general.

APC unfortunately woke up to the reality too late. The people they earlier felt were sucked into their ring had taken cast iron positions and were ready to

are not traitors

and do not betray their brothers

deliver PDP all the way in the election.

And come to think of it, PDP in the last eight years have not failed the people of Akwa Ibom State. The party has been faithful, fair, just and benevolent. It has done justice to all the Senatorial Districts of the State and shown fairness to all. It has made efforts to do good to the greatest number. And most importantly, it has a structure that has been nurtured for sixteen years and which can win election anytime. So victory was assured.

That is why this victory is celebrated by all and sundry. The governor-elect calls it the victory of the people. Exemplifying a rare grace of magnanimity in victory, he has extended a hand of fellow-

The Governor and First Lady celebrating a recent award

ship to all, urging that all hands must be on deck for us to build the Akwa Ibom of our dream by consolidating on the gains the present administration has made.

The joy of the people of Akwa Ibom does not seem to know any bounds. This victory has once again brought a seamless harmony that the victory of Godswill Akpabio occasioned especially in 2007.

This victory should reinvent our collective oneness against the parochial politics enthroned by some candidates and their warped disciples. The people confronted such rudderless and barbaric politics with the spontaneous joy that ripped through the State after Udom was announced as the winner. Udom being

the latest answer to the collective aspirations of the people declared that he has come to serve and not to engage in primitive accumulation. Such declarations are reassuring. Little wonder that the people have spent the last few days to express joy on a scale only reminiscent of 2007.

APC unfortunately have ignored the novel moral template set by the outgoing President who called and congratulated his opponent, now president-elect even before collation was completed. As patriotic Akwa Ibom people, we enjoin our dear brother Obong Umanah Okon Umanah to join the league of noble men by congratulating Udom. He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day!

News Interview

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

13

‘Begin anti-corruption crusade with reversal of jumbo pay’ Comrade Issa Aremu, Secretary General of the National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) and Deputy President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) under the leadership of Comrade Sunday Ajaero, spoke to SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN in Benin City during the third anniversary of the death of Comrade OlaitanOyerinde. Excerpts.

What is your agenda for the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), as he prepares to assume the mantle of Nigeria leadership from May 29, 2015?

The President-elect campaigned on the basis of change and promised to tackle corruption. To do that effectively and successfully, we need to quickly do something, drastically, to reduce the cost of governance; and this must start with a complete reversal of all unacceptable and unsustainable remuneration for President, Governors, Senators, Representatives, other legislators and public office holders. For the governors, the severance pay they have given themselves have nothing to do with their needs but a lot to do with their greed.

For example, why would any state build a house or houses for a two-term governor in a state and also in the Federal Capital Territory as you are seeing in the legislation of some state assemblies? Does a governor still need a house? In a country where you have huge housing deficit of about 80 million and there are no evidences that these governors built houses for the masses, why would states be building houses for governors who have retired? The most baffling thing is severance pay. I’ll give you an example of the outgoing Governor of Katsina. He is going to receive N372 million.

Both himself and his Deputy would collect N1.1 billion as severance pay and they have already paid themselves part of this payment, which is about N400 million in the case of the Governor and the Deputy, which is about N279 million.

I did the calculation and discovered that for a minimum wage earner who earns N18, 000 per month to collect that kind of money as severance pay, will take 2,000 years. Look at the gap!

Secondly, why should they pay themselves life pension? Even for the normal working people, according to our law, you are not entitled to pension except you have worked for 10 years. Governors serve only for eight years; yet, they give themselves life pension. And you also know the stories of governors. Some of them end up being Senators. Now, they will still go back and collect huge amount of money for Senators. Some are retired Generals. Some are retired civil servants. They are already on pension. And for a country in which governors could not even pay salaries for those who are existing who pays these bills? It is unsustainable. In most cases, the states are already indebted.

Aremu,

The first effort of the President-elect to tackle corruption must start with the reversal of the self-help of these governors, which they call remuneration. It is pay robbery in the light of the huge gaps that exist between them and the ordinary people that are working for this country. As I’m talking to you, many pensioners have not been paid; they are denied pay. And how much are they paid? Some are even earning less than Minimum Wage. Yet, a Governor would collect N100 million as medical allowances. Are they permanently on sick bed? If you look at the packages in some states, they are entitled to five security details etc. It is as if they are still governing even after they have retired. Who pays these bills? We have done the calculations.

President Obama does not collect the kind of pay our governors are collecting. Yet, that is the most developed country in the world with the highest GDP. Look at the

Per Capita GDP of Nigeria. It is one of the lowest. It is true that our GDP is the highest in Africa. But when you relate it to our population, it is still very low. I think President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, should start his battle against corruption with a reversal of this self-help called wages, which they pay to themselves.

We should abide by the Federal Revenue Mobilisation and Allocation remuneration rate, which is based on the reality of Nigeria; the needs of the governors: both when they are serving and when they are leaving.

It is also based on the capacity of the country’s economy. Now, what the governors have done is that they use their Houses of Assembly, which is largely made up of their sycophants, to give themselves generous wage bills. I think this is unsustainable and completely unacceptable. We also said during the last May Day that the existing Minimum Wage is due for a review. It was

bargained on five years cycle. Now, it will expire by May. We are in for a new round of negotiation. They must prepare for that.

What is the parameter for that? The last time we signed that agreement in 2010, the naira was exchanging for about N95 to a $1. Now, there is a gross devaluation of the naira. Inflation has gone up. And these are completely unacceptable given the implications for the cost of living.

The last thing I want to add is that something must be done quickly to remind those we have just elected about their electoral promises and also to remind the current (outgoing) government: President, Governors etc about their duties to governance. I am saying so because just a month ago, candidates for the Senate, for the House of Reps, for the Presidency, for the Governorship elections etc were telling us what they would do when they get to office.

They promised uninterrupted power supply, uninterrupted petroleum supply; good life and good health. But immediately we finished voting, they went back to business as usual. We are the only country presently privileged to have two Presidents: a serving President and a President-elect; 36 state governors made up of about 20 newly elected; 109 Senators. Yet, Nigerians are groaning without fuel. For me, this is scandalous. Where is governance? Nobody is even addressing us. Airlines have been grounded; no aviation fuel. You cannot travel by road; no fuel. Then, we are hearing story; they owe money. Who is in charge? Where is the President? Where is the Presidentelect? Where are the Governors? I think we should return back to governance. I think the labour movement would have to force all those who are elected to be accountable to the people.

For me, it is a lot of pain seeing the way that Nigerians are groaning with all these people that we elected. And nobody is talking to us. I have been told in some parts of this state (Edo State) that petrol is selling for about N300 when the official price is N87. So, what is going on? Who is in charge?

Who is talking to us? I think we have to call our leaders to resume governance because they are back to business as usual. The government must show us that we have not been abandoned as citizens. And for petroleum products, I think this should be the last time: the last administration that should hook us on import. It doesn’t make sense. Sixth largest producer of petroleum crude oil in the world and we are importCONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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NEWS INTERVIEW

May 16, 2015

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‘Our governors earn more than Obama’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Aremu

ing its products? It is even bad now that we cannot even import again. We cannot import. We cannot distribute. This crisis of subsidy payment that we are having is all tied down to importation crisis. It is worst that we are importing. But it is scandalous that we cannot even import and distribute again. I think we should move from importation to refinery. We have to make sure that the refineries work and create jobs for our people, so that we can have a seamless availability of petroleum products.

Are you saying, therefore, that Buhari should remove subsidy?

No. I have not said so. What is subsidy?

You create all sorts of bottlenecks. Then, you reward those who are handling the bottlenecks as they mop up the bottlenecks. The only solution is that you must refine domestically. When you refine domestically, petroleum products will be far cheaper. Nigeria is an oil producing country. In all other oil producing countries, the prices of petroleum products have gone down. Why should it be different in Nigeria? It is so because when the international price of crude oil comes down, it will affect the refinery product price. But it is the reverse in Nigeria. When we should be reaping the dividends of the collapse of the international price of crude oil, we are groaning. Those guys abroad are having cheaper rates of fuel products because they produce at home. When you produce at home, you don’t need to pay demurrage, you don’t need to pay shipping costs, you don’t need to borrow money to import.

Those are the charges that marketers are putting on us.

I think for the petroleum sector too, we must pass the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The point I’m making is that the cost of governance in Nigeria is not tied to the productivity of those we have elected. Can you imagine that we are going to have the Eight Assembly of the National Assembly? Yet, we have not passed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), 16 years on the line!

The law guiding our petroleum sector today was passed in 1969. So, what are these 109 Senators and 365 Representatives do-

Nigerians are groaning without fuel. For me, this is scandalous.

Where is governance?

Nobody is even addressing us. Airlines have been grounded; no aviation fuel. You cannot travel by road; no fuel. Then, we are hearing story; they owe money. Who is in charge? ing that they could not pass the Petroleum Industry Bill? Now, you cannot even hold marketers accountable for not selling products; no law sanctions them. And many of them have petroleum products but they are hoarding. They just hold everybody to ransom. And we have no strategic reserves to back it up. Government seems so helpless. Theirs is not strike, it is sabotage. But we still reward them. Now, they are going to issue them more cheques any moment from now. The solution is for us to refine domestically. I am optimistic that the President-elect, coming from his background of being the Head of State that built the second refinery, I think this is the time to do so. We must move from importation to local production.

We expect the NLC to be championing this viewpoint. But what have we seen? A very docile, divided and voiceless labour movement in the past five years in Nigeria…

Yes. I agree with you. That is precisely why you see the ruptures in the labour movement today. It is for us to redeem ourselves. Even at that, the forces of reaction—the same forces that pulled us down in the past five years—they don’t want us to have free and fair election. Look at it: to celebrate Oyerinde, our Comrade, they are not even on duty. I am saying so. That is the least you can do to honour your own comrades. Comrade Olaitan died as Deputy General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress. For any worker, you must honour his memory; not to talk of a worker who reached that level. I learnt they were invited. Did you see them there? I am just communicating. Those who cannot even honour the dead? That is why we represent our tendencies to redeem the NLC from these hands in a way that we can be the voice to champion the process of change.

That is why we are also saying that the issues should be understood. We have done 10 Delegate Conferences from 1978 successfully. Why should 11th Delegate Conference be different?

The difference is that they abandoned the rules guiding our electoral processes.

We had nomination that has closed. Some

Aremu

candidates were already declared unopposed. On the eve of the election, they opened nomination again. Can you imagine INEC opening nomination at the time we about to vote, calling for more presidential and senatorial candidates? Will NLC not react? When we now re-fixed the election for another time, accreditation went very well, voting went very well; when it came to sorting and counting, NLC spent three days to count 3,000 votes! At a time, they shut down for five hours! They went to Wuse Market looking for tallies to buy.

That election was not free and fair. Not only that. Why are we celebrating President Jonathan’s concession of his defeat in the presidential election? He knew that the election was transparent. Look at what INEC did when Orubebe was doing that harassment. Jega stood his ground to say no, the election must go ahead. But our own INEC collapsed under political pressure. A former President took over the counting. I am talking about Omar, the same person who lowered the standard of the NLC so that he can put his own kind of character in the office. Do you know the story of the NLC Housing Programme? The forces that collected monies from subscribers and said they want to deliver houses but could not, they are the same forces now that somebody has declared the winner. This so called leadership under Wabba has moral crisis. It can’t fly. That is why we are trying to redeem ourselves to restore the core values of the NLC under Comrade Joe Ajaero.

But I want to use this forum to thank our veterans who have been trying to resolve the problem for us. They are creating the forum for us to get a result. It is when we are united that we can have a formal voice.

As far as I am concerned, these problems that are passing through Nigeria should ginger the NLC and the TUC to work together and redeem Nigeria from those that are pushing us into backwardness.

What is the way forward to ending the division and acrimony in NLC? I think the way forward is to look at all the issues that led to this crisis. To look at them, we need proper reconciliation and

mediation by independent people. On the part of government at all levels, the issue is not to pitch sides with any of the factions. It is not about recognition. It is about reconciliation of two sides. I have no doubt that we will get there.

Let me end on this note: when I look at the agenda of the President-elect, it should be employment generation, revival of the industries, rebuilding of infrastructure, education, agriculture etc. For these programmes to be successful, we need the cooperation of the labour movement. You can’t do so when the labour movement is incoherently and improperly organized; when we have industrial disharmony. It is in the best interest of the current government as well as the incoming government to make sure that you don’t deepen the labour crisis further through unhelpful recognition of one side or the other but through promotion of the process of reconciliation in a way that we can get it done. I have no doubt in my mind that we will get it done. In anyway, our veterans are already doing a good job in this respect. The first President of NLC, the second President of NLC and other veterans that are there. We are still open to that reconciliation. I have no doubt in my mind that we will overcome because when we are united, we know the challenges that we face. Is it when we are not united that we will be able to cope with the challenges? It is in our best interest to have a quarrel in labour but the solution is not in the recognition of any side. It is in bringing all the sides together for an amicable resolution.

As you can see from the last May Day, whether you like it or not, regardless of the factions, we are all united on the need for new minimum wage; we are all opposed to removal of fuel subsidy; we are for production at home instead of importation; we have said Nigeria should produce what it consumes and it must consume what it produces so that Nigeria can create jobs.

We are all united on those issues. So, why won’t we be able to resolve our problems?

All we need is reconciliation, not recognition.

Politics

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

15

Buhari and the challenges ahead

Lekan Adejuwon

A

s the May 29 handover date approaches, the euphoria of the nationwide jubilation that trailed the event of the historical power shift from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, on March 28 is gradually tuning down. This is because, the high expectations by Nigerians from the incoming General Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration may have put the retired army general under intense pressure even as some with moderate views have been canvassing for more patience for the new government, saying Rome was not built in a day.

Indeed, the APC, in the minds of many observers, had shot itself in the foot by reeling out a number of campaign policies which appears not implementable given the reality on the ground.

However, the appeal for caution and understanding of the precarious situation the country finds itself at the moment, appear to have fell on deaf ears of many desperate optimists, including some opposition elements who feel the change which APC has been clamouring for should begin on the eve of May 29.

In what looks like a new PDP as an opposition group, the party, during the week, said it would ensure the incoming administration is held accountable to its campaign promises vowing to benchmark the achievements of the APC government.

“We are ready to hold the new government accountable and make sure that the promises they have made, we will be able to benchmark each of them appropriately so that it will not be that they have deceived Nigerians and got their votes,” the party said.

According to the chairman of the party’s post election assessment committee and Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu, “They (APC) are going to account for their statements, their promises we will hold them accountable to all their promises,” he said.

Speaking in a similar vein, Political Adviser to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, insisted that Nigerians are not ready to accept any excuses from APC. “Nigerians are not ready to accept any excuses for their failure. They promise to bring change, so they must bring positive change to the well-being of Nigerians and urgently too.”

Buhari who is obviously overwhelmed by the myriads of problems the incoming administration will inherit minced no words when he told Nigerians that he is not a miracle worker.

The President-elect has told anyone who cares to listen that there won’t be quick fixes following 16 years of what he described as “the rot” in the system.

He, however, urged Nigerians to temper their expectations from his administration due to take office on May 29 “with some justice”.

The former military ruler used the occasion of a courtesy visit by a delegation of Northern Elders Forum led by First Republic Minister, Alhaji Maitama Sule, to his Abuja residence to throw the bombshell.

His words: “The biggest message is to try and persuade the people that it is not possible to change the state of affairs.”

According to him, the ruling PDP has done enough damage in the last 16 years of governance.

“It took 16 years and those 16 years, most of you know it better that Nigeria earned revenue more than what it earned from 1914 till then.”

He also dwelt on the raging war on terror which his administration must provide an answer to in the shortest possible time.

“Now, we have invariably inherited all the problems, especially in the North-East. I am sure that you have heard or seen the children recovered from Sambisa Forest, only the children and women are remaining while all the able bodied men have been gotten rid of somehow.”

Reeling out the various sectors where the institutions of state had run aground, Buhari said: “You know we used to

Buhari

have Nigeria Airways, Nigerian Shipping Line and Nigerian Railways. Where are they now? Where is the infrastructure?

Consider what we earned between then and now and what we earned in-between and what is on ground. That is how efficiently the PDP managed Nigeria”.

Appealing to Nigerians to exercise patience for the incoming administration, the President-elect, at another forum last week, told visiting APC governors that it was obvious that the new government was going to inherit an empty treasury which might delay speedy progress, thus begging Nigerians for their understanding and patience even as he reiterated his commitment to restoring the nation’s lost glory.

“The expectation is too high and I have started nervously to explain to people that Rome was not built in a day. For this to be corrected, please give the incoming government a chance.

“So, this time around, under this system, to bounce back with the issue especially with the backlog of unpaid salaries which are of immediate concern to individuals and states, I think we should look for a better way to address the issue and think of how to persuade people to give us a chance to organise the economy immediately, and get something to pay salaries “The people will give us chance to stabilise the economy,” Buhari said.

Meanwhile following the unexpected but perennial fuel scarcity experienced across the country in the past one month with the seeming failure of the outgoing government to remedy the situation, not a few believe that the Buhari’s incoming administration is already bugged down with the predictable outrage by Nigerians immediately he takes over the mantle of governance on May 29.

Indeed, a stage appears set for a possible showdown between the President-elect and the vast majority of Nigerians.

Indication to this emerged followed the passage of the 2015 budget of N4.493tr with allocation of subsidy completely missing.

The development which is already generating tension across the country is believed by many as a booby trap on the way of the new administration even as many did not contemplate any crisis in the energy sector coming at the twilight of President Jonathan’s tenure.

How the incoming government is able to manage the fuel crisis, barely two weeks to the terminal date of the outgoing administration, will go a long way to restore confidence in an average Nigerian.

In a related development the ongoing appeal by Buhari to many expectant Nigerians has also dominated the social me-

dia and the court of public opinion in recent time.

Many have expressed disappointment that the Presidentelect, by virtue of having vied for presidency of Africa’s largest black nation for a record three times, should not be giving excuses on how to deliver on his campaign promises noting that he should have used all the years he stayed on the back seat preparing for the big task.

To this category of people, Buhari should hit the ground running by virtue of his closeness to the seat of power as a former military Head of State who has the experience and maturity to deliver the goods.

Others have argued that change is a gradual process which can only be achieved with time, noting that the 16 years of PDP regime with all its alleged malfeasance in virtually all the facets of the national life: education, power sector, economy and recently insecurity - will not evaporate within one day in as much as they did not creep into the system one night.

However, Dr. Kunle Oljide, former Secretary-General of Yoruba Council of Elders, in an interview with Saturday Mirror collapsed the thinking of the two schools of thoughts and concluded that Buhari’s second coming meant that he had a vision for the country.

“Nigerians have voted for him having been in the saddle before and having tried three consecutive times without getting it. I personally believe he has a vision for the country “I believe with his resilience, doggedness and God, having answered his prayers and perhaps Nigerians too, I think he should dig the ground well. He is not like somebody who is not prepared as we have had unprepared leaders in the country before. Now that we are getting a personality who has been head of state before and who has been itching persistently and contest to come back to this position, I believe he must have a vision for us. So I expect him to hit the ground running” In a similar vein, a strong note of warning has been issued to the President-elect not to see himself as a Northern President. Giving the warning last Monday, elder statesman and former ambassador, Maitama Sule, who sees the victory of Buhari in the March 28 presidential election as an act of God urged him to bring back the country’s lost glory.

His words: “You are the president of Nigeria, you are not the president of Northern Nigeria by the grace of God. Your Excellency we have come to congratulate you.”

Much as the outpouring of congratulatory messages have been pouring in for the president-elect, the huge responsibilities of fulfilling all the campaign promises now that power has changed hands appears to be Buhari’s task that must be done.

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May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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POLITICS

May 16, 2015

17

‘Shelle should enjoy his status as former chairman’ Acting Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Lagos State, Mr. Kamaldeen Olorunoje, in this interview with ADELEKE ADESANYA explains recent developments in the Lagos chapter of the party

H

ave you been nursing the ambition to become the chairman of the PDP in the state?

When I was called to be the chairman, I told them that they were taking me back to 1998 when I was one of the founding members of the party, when the PDP had nothing and right now we have nothing.

We are controlling neither the federal nor the state. I am not desperate to be the chairman. What do we have now that one should be desperate about? Is there any minister or commissioner list to present? What I am concerned about now is to build a better party, through strategic reformation. When Demola Seriki and Otunba Femi Pedro left the PDP, none of these people who call themselves leaders approached them not to leave. Under my watch, I won’t allow anybody to leave this party. I will beg them. Then I went to Pedro. He said I was the only one that came to tell him not to leave the party. All they want is for aggrieved people to go so they can control the party.

Some power brokers in the state PDP have described your appointment as the Acting Chairman of the party as a joke. A prominent leader of the party, Chief Olabode George has also said that the move is illegal.

What do you have to say?

A lot of people have said that to me in the PDP that I am wasting my time. I you see, I have a focus and a mission and a belief. If to some people say that it is a joke, that is their opinion. Chief Bode George is an elderly man that I respect so much.

If he tells me to come tomorrow, I will go to him and prostrate before him because I consider him to be my leader. When we started this party, I am saying this with all confidence and honour, I presented the PDP card to Chief Olabode Goerge when he joined us at Saba Court near his house. My mission is simple. I want to reform the party.

On Thursday morning, there was a mild disagreement between you and the police when you tried to enter the party secretariat. What really happened?

Shelle had instructed some police officers to lock the gate. I made them realise that he is a former chairman and that I give the orders here. And they complied.

Our members were supposed to be here for a meeting but they were not allowed in by the police. I was told that the gates were locked. On getting here, some policemen had locked the gates and said they had instructions not to open the gate for anybody. I told them to open the gate and that I am the state chairman and that I am now in charge here. It is their duty as police officers to maintain peace and order. They said they would only allow only

me to enter and I said, no, that I represent the people. The people then came in.

I only said people should be checked so that nobody carries in any ammunition, and that we came for a peaceful meeting.

We held the meeting peacefully.

Leaders of the PDP have been trading blames over the failure of the PDP in the last election. Are you not worried that the PDP? We are not trading blames. Those doing that are only trying to curry favour from the people. Our party members know the truth. I have listened to some responses about the allegations that greeted the primary. After the primaries, we were not happy. This is a party that even after the primaries, the leaders did not call a meeting to reconcile the aspirants. Shelle never called a peace meeting. The reconciliation intervention came from the President who told the Vice President Namadi Sambo to come and mediate in the crisis in Lagos PDP. The vice president came and met the aspirants. I moderated the meeting.

In that meeting I told Jimi Agbaje that I would change his name. I said, ‘ You will now be called Jimi Chukwuemeka Gbadamosi,Doherty, Kamsoon Obanikoro Agbaje.’ Those are the names of the other governorship aspirants which I jokingly added to his name to stress the issue of unity. That was the beginning of a cordial relationship with Agbaje. This had never happened before. Sambo called me and commended my efforts. People saw that all the other aspirants worked in unity for Agbaje. Where did we go wrong?

It was because the party had no strategy under the leadership of Tunji Shelle. He is claiming the merit of the votes recorded for the PDP in Lagos. This should go to the candidates because there was no direct support for them from the party leadership. It was the grassroots support they were able to build individually that helped the candidates, not the assistance of the party leadership under Shelle. Go and ask the candidates; they will tell you that the party didn’t assist them. They never got a campaign programme. As for the crisis in the National PDP, they will eventually resolve the crisis and we will solve ours.

How do you react to the allegation that you are being sponsored by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro to hijack the structure of the party?

It’s a free world and people can say whatever they want to say. I work for any party member. It is for them to keep making allegations. It is for the whole word to prove it. If they say I am working for Obanikoro, Obanikoro joined me in this party. We were both together in the NRC and GDM, and we grew up together. I

Olorunoje

have an independent mind. I was already in the PDP when he was in the AD. What is Obanikoro contesting for now? Is Obanikoro trying to be a minister under Buhari? The only person we can use the party to work for again is Jimi Agbaje through the tribunal. Jimi Agbaje cannot be replaced by Obanikoro at the tribunal. People know me that I don’t go for nonsense. I believe in the truth and the constitution. As a founding member, I know the history of this party and would not do anything that would be detrimental to this party.

There is an allegation that you are trying to frustrate the ongoing election suit in the tribunal by manipulating the election materials at your disposal and dividing the party.

If the Chairman made the allegation, I must say he was very wrong. Tunji Shelle does not even have the results sheets here at the secretariat as I speak. What we did is to ask our people not to bring the result sheets here. They now took it to the campaign offices. How can I frustrate something like that? The party should have records of election and we have to screen it. I have those of my polling unit. Shelle should have ordered that those materials be brought here in the archives of the party, but now he doesn’t have it. The allegation is mere speculation.

What is your advice to Capt. Tunji Shelle?

I will advise Capt. Tunji Shelle to demilitarise himself and be a true politician. He sent people a text warning them not to honour this meeting. Let me read out what he told you this morning. He said, ‘the meeting you are calling is illegal. Be warned in your own interest. I will not sit and watch you destroy the party.

This is not a banana republic.’ How can you tell people that signed a document for your removal not to honour a meeting that is being called on their behalf, and you are calling them illegal? I consider that a threat and this is why I said he should demilitarise himself because all this military words do not work in poli-

tics. We did not expel Shelle. We are only saying he should not lead us. How can he tell me, a founding member that I am here to destroy a party that I have built?

Shelle is the kind of people the Yoruba call “o dun a de”. He didn’t know when we were being flogged by the Alliance for Democracy thugs in Lagos for being a PDP member. Where was Shelle. What will I gain in a party that has just lost its hold on the centre and the state rather than to build it? There are two apples in the hands of the executive committee.

The excos have tasted the two so they know which one is sweeter. He should reserve his judgement. Shelle should accept our decision honourably. He should become a democrat. He should accept the decision of the executive committee.

Many of them are still coming to join and support our decision. Shelle should enjoy his status as a former chairman and play his advisory role.

Captain Tunji Shelle quoted certain parts of the party constitution to justify that his removal was illegal. What is your view?

I must say that Shelle has many other things to read in the constitution. Seven out of the total NWC members can also call a meeting, according to the constituion. Let him go and check that. Let him read the constitution very well. Like I told you, that section he quoted talks about the powers of the chairman. That is what he is quoting. We also have our powers. The constitution is very clear on power. It also gives the NWC members power to call a meeting without his consent. The constitution also makes provision for the removal of anybody trying to frustrate the progress of the party. Captain Shelle is only being economical with the details of the constitution, especially the powers arrogated to him. He submitted the responsibility of the party to a certain group. We asked him and he said it was because there was no funding from the party which we don’t accept. If you are coming to help the party, you will listen to the programmes of the party.

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May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Why I challenged past Talking presidential elections’ Politics —President-elect,Muhammadu Buhari addressing Delta State APC members

“G

oing through the court is not easy, both materially and physically, and I maintained that consistency because my view about my country is that Nigeria should be truly free.

“I understand why many of you, who were denied the opportunity to choose those you want to represent and lead you are taking the line I took in the last 12 years – in line with our constitution.

“Whether you get it or not, the most important thing is that you believe in the system and you should continue to try until the system is perfect”.

‘What happened to PDP is good for polity’

—Ikedi Ohakim, PDP Chieftain and former governor of Imo State

“W

hat happened to PDP is heart-breaking. On the positive side, it is a

good omen.

“It will offer the party the needed opportunity to rethink, remodel and

‘Don’t expect instant miracle from Buhari’

—Adejare Adegbenro, grandson of the late Premier of the Western Region, Dauda Adegbenro

“F

irst and foremost, as far as I am concerned, the incoming President, General Muhammadu Buhari will need all Nigerians’ support to succeed.

“It is God and not Buhari that can solve the myriad of the problems plaguing the country. “Therefore, we should all come together the way we did during the elections to assist him in the onerous task of nation-building.

“We should not expect miracle over-

night.

“People should not make Buhari’s work more difficult by expecting instant miracle from him.

“The man that has been aspiring to lead this country as a democratically elected president for a long time must have a master plan for the country.

“We should give him a chance and rally round him to implement his master plan and see what he has for the Nigerian people.”

‘Buhari’s inauguration will be low key’ ­ Timipre Sylvia, former governor of Bayelsa State and — member of Transition Committee

“T

here are no challenges, we are planning very well and I think we are going to give Nigerians a compact inauguration.

“We are not going to be flamboyant. We think that this country cannot afford a flamboyant ceremony this time because the economy is not in good shape right now.

“So, we are actually planning to give Nigerians a sanitised and compact event, which will be a source of pride to Nigerians.”

come back in a big way if the right things are done using the right materials.

“This unavoidable calamity will offer the party the needed opportunity to head back to the laboratory. It is part of our national psychology – psychology of hate, psychology of antiintellectual and anti-thinking. It is a national leadership challenge. It has affected our match towards greatness.

We must do something about it if we must move forward.

“Please go to the social media and review most of the debates going on and you will understand what I am talking about. It has affected PDP today and might affect any other organisation or political party tomorrow.

What happened to PDP did so because it is part of Nigeria. It was a great injury as a result of our national psychology”.

‘APC should know that campaigns are over’ — Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, to APC Spokesman

“I

t would be recalled that Lai Mohammed in a press statement last Thursday alleged that the presidency and the PDP had ‘bluntly refused to cooperate’ with the APC to ensure a successful transition and that the transition committee of the federal government had refused to hold any meeting with that of the APC. “Even after the PDP, through a statement last Friday, debunked the false allegation with facts showing that the committees of the two parties have been holding fruitful meetings, Mohammed vehemently stuck to his position, only for the head of the APC’s transition committee, Alhaji Joda, to confirm on Tuesday that the two panels have been meeting and operating on the same page and that at no time did his team complain to anybody that there was no cooperation.

“The APC spokesman must realise that his style, which is anchored on lies, has negatively impacted the polity, especially

hundreds of young Nigerians who now engage in insults and fabrications in the media, thinking that such is what party publicity is all about.

“Mohammed should know that the campaigns with its attendant propaganda are over and that Nigerians expect a more mature and patriotic behaviour from the political class. He should therefore learn to get his facts right and be truthful in his statements at all times,”

‘Emergence of Buhari is divine intervention’ ‘We are lawmakers, not law breakers’ —Prof Ajayi Boroffice, APC senator representing Ondo State

“F

irst, the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the ruling party and the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to me is divine intervention.

“It was apparent that the country was at the cross-road and sinking. “ God knows that Nigeria needs change and that change came timely.

“APC won the elections based on per-

sonalities of the people involved in the contest. “Everybody knows Buhari’s zero tolerance posture for corruption.

‘He is well disciplined, unbiased in terms of religion, though misrepresented and misunderstood by many people. His reputation speaks for him and by the time he was picked, Buhari has become a trade name that will sell anyway”.

— Senate President David Mark after the Senate reneged on plans to go ahead with constitution amendment

“W

e are lawmakers and we will not be law breakers.

We are not just lawmakers, we are very senior responsible citizens and very senior lawmakers and this is the apex of lawmaking in this country.

“Therefore on the issue of the current Constitutional Review that is before the Supreme Court, we want to assure Nigeri-

ans that we will not break any law in this country.

“We would take appropriate action that would ensure that democracy survives, but I will also want to warn that we should not be taken for granted by the executives but once more let me assure Nigerians that as lawmakers, we will not be law breakers,”

Living

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

19

Do you eat Ponmo,

Kanda or Azu-anu?

The recent campaign against the sale and consumption of hide and skin, popularly known as Ponmo, appears to have unsettled traders and consumers of the product who have vowed to resist any move to outlaw their cherished delicacy, writes JULIET UMEH As early as 7 am daily, thousands of cows and bulls in Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, states in northern Nigeria, gently wobble along, making their final journey to slabs of fate in abattoirs for butchers’ verdict on their lives which traditionally culminates in slitting open their throats and undressing their skin. Their flesh, because of northerners’ general appetite for animal protein, later transform to fried, roasted, boiled or grilled food. But their skin, pop-

ularly called Kanda, is transferred to the many tanning industries across the land for processing into leather, a raw material for the production of shoes, bags, belt, purses etc. No part of Nigeria boasts higher stock of hide and skin as the Northern states, but it is not part of their staple diet in this area.

The reverse is, however, the case among states in the South renowned for high desire for the outer skin of cattle. Known in the West as Ponmo and Azu-anu in the

East, animal skin, whether white or brown, is happily consumed by the high and the low in their homes as flavoured stew, in beer parlours as pepper soup, at motor stations as refreshment and even at parties as snacks. Summarily, southerners enjoy it cooked while northerners only explore its potential as a booster of their economy.

Prepared by shaving the skin first, either with a razor blade or by burning, it is later soaked in water for 24 hours before it is boiled in water with potash until it becomes tender.

Until more than two decades ago, in every nook and cranny of villages, town and cities in south of Nigeria, Ponmo was common ‘meat’ to satisfy the appetite of the poor, since it was cheap and made available in processed form by young girls and old women who hawked it. But in recent times, it is not only a delicacy the rich have taste for, but big business for markets and by many rich traders. Maybe because an increasing number of people have turned to cow skin to beat the high cost of beef, traders have been encouraged to make abnormal gains through underhand practices either by adulterating its quality or by adding lethal chemicals to pump up its taste.

A couple of weeks ago, in the SouthSouth state of Akwa Ibom, government

warned residents to desist from eating Ponmo because it causes health issues.

This is the aftermath of a research finding on unhealthy animal skin in markets. According to the state government, the consumption of cow skin had led to increase in cancer and liver ailments in the state.

So seriously treated was the report from hospitals that the state government considered it expedient not only to make a broadcast on the state media organisations (radio and television) and widely report it in newspapers, but ensured citizens at the grassroots also received vital information through the Veterinary Services Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, which embarked on a sensitisation campaign in some markets in the local government areas about the danger of consuming Ponmo.

One of the veterinary officers attested that he and other members of the sensitisation team went to different markets in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Ikot Abasi, Abak and Eket, speaking to people in local dialects on the need to be wary of toxic meat following reports about its importation into the country.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Agriculture & Natural Resources, Mr. Godwin Afangideh, shed light on the danger in eating insalubrious animal skin. AccordCONTINUED ON PAGE 20

20

LIVING

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Nobody can tell me to stop eating Ponmo’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 ing to him, the high quantity of salt used for the preservation of the cow skin can have adverse effect on the liver of the consumers and also increase the risk of having cancer. Also, speaking on the same subject, Akwa Ibom Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Obot Obot, informed: “Cow skin meat, which is five times thicker than ordinary skin meat, is preserved with a toxic substance called formalin, which in the long run is capable of causing cancer and liver problems.”

But Head of Department of Community Health, University of Lagos, Professor Bayo Onajole, speaking from the point of view of a scientist, told Saturday Mirror that eating Ponmo does not endanger health except it is badly processed. “A lot of cow hide or other animals’ skin goes through unhygienic processing, specifically the use of rubber or tyre as fuel to burn the hair when processing it. Tyre contains a lot of hydro carbon which is retained in the hide and if one keeps consuming it overtime, these hydro carbons, which are aromatic hydro carbons, could lead to cancer if deposited in the tissues,” he explained.

Also speaking in the same vein as Professor Onajole, the General Secretary of Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSO) Dr Iyawe Hassen, a lecturer in Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, told Saturday Mirror that, “Ponmo is actually nothing but leather or skin which does not add any nutritional value to food apart from vitamin A. It can only pose health problems if its processing is not thorough. If you want to preserve the skin for biological purpose, you can use formalin, but the chemical is irrelevant in Ponmo processing. The only thing one can use to soften the skin so that it can become easy for consumption is tenderiser,” he said.

In the course of Saturday Mirror’s investigation, it was discovered that most unsafe hides are sourced from abattoirs lacking the presence of health officials or those imported and preserved with chemicals days before they get to Nigerian markets.

Realising that many Nigerians enjoy eating this part of animal just like food, Prof. Onajole advised that a total ban on Ponmo consumption should not be advocated because it will not be effective, instead, “We should try to educate people on processing it and not choosing things like polythene, nylon, rubber to make fuel that burns it. When these things get burnt to the substance, it poses a great danger because it is not as if there is a medium protecting the material or the meat from all those substances that you are using to burn them. So all those things get into that Ponmo. And then when you eat it over time, it becomes a health problem.

“Basically, what we should be telling the general public, especially people who process hide for commercial purposes is to use better method of processing. For example, if hot water is used to remove the hairs on the skin, it may not result in danger to human health as recorded in recent times. But hot water takes a longer time, unlike tyre. That’s why the inside of some pieces of ponmo is very black because hydrocarbons and remnants of what is used to process it accumulate on it. Sometime it may even be very difficult to cleanly wash it. Therefore what is consumed as ponmo

is actually Ponmo+. It is extra and that extra is made up of hydrocarbons which studies have proved to be carcinogenic,” the professor submitted.

The professor cited a disease called Minamata in Japan to illustrate his point.

“A factory in Japan that used organic mercury, methylmercury, as part of its processes, deposited the waste into a river beside the company and people who went to fish from the river harvested the fish and sold it. People who consumed it ended up in-

after cleaning it, put it in water and boil it for a longer time. But when you use tenderiser, it reduces the time, that’s all,” he advised.

Unbelievably, despite the recent general apprehension over cow skin, many habitual consumers like Olajide Oni, feel unconcerned about the hazard its consumption can pose to health. For the motor car technician and father of four, a typical supper without Ponmo is an incomplete meal.

Even if Ponmo has not much nutritional

The use of rubber or tyre to burn the hair when processing Ponmo poses health hazards. Tyre contains a lot of hydro carbons which is retained in the hide and if one keeps consuming it over time, these hydro carbons, which are aromatic hydro carbons, could lead to cancer. gesting some bit of the organic mercury and they started manifesting central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Basically, because the water from which the fish was harvested was contaminated, the fish were also contaminated. At the end of the day, human beings who now consumed the fish started manifesting health disorders.”

The Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST), Zaria, Dr Isuwa Adamu, has also declared that Ponmo is inimical to the well-being of humans. Substantiating his fact, he said: “In fact, it is not advisable for you to consume Ponmo in the sense that some of the animals killed and used for it actually have skin diseases. Some bacteria causing the skin diseases cannot be killed ordinarily by boiling. Some of the animals, because of the ailments they have suffered, are sometimes injected with chemicals, but people don’t allow these chemicals to complete their cycle or cure the ailment before they slaughter them for consumption.

So, if you consume Ponmo, the tendency is that you are consuming the chemicals directly because the skin of the animal retains most of the harmful substances,” he stated.

However, Dr Hassen advised ponmo eaters to ensure that they process it through the normal way, explaining that tenderiser is used to fasten the process of softening.

“Otherwise you can just boil it, cut the skin

value as medical experts inform, he said: “I cannot do without it in my soup. No one will tell me not to eat that fantastic delicacy, especially in my Amala and Ewedu soup,” he boasts.

Also, despite the scary information about Ponmo by the Government of Akwa Ibom State, many lovers of animal skin across Nigeria are not worried. Muyiwa Oke, a Lagos bus driver, seems to be upset by the campaign against his favourite food. Expressing his concern, he asked, “What do they mean by that campaign, and how do I wash down my beer down at Iya Fatai’s joint if there is no Ponmo?”

He therefore, takes consolation in the fact that the campaign against the consumption of the popular meal is only in Akwa Ibom. He strongly believes that such rule cannot operate in other parts of Nigeria, especially Lagos State. “They can’t be serious. They should come to Lagos and dare this announcement. No one will even care to listen, let alone act on the directive,” he boasted.

Nonetheless, a Lagos-based businessman, Pascal Eze, sees the move by the Akwa Ibom State Government as a right step in the right direction, describing the government as a caring one. “It’s not right to use formalin to preserve Ponmo; it’s sheer wickedness. Is it not the same formalin used in the preservation of corpses?” he asked. He acknowledges the relevance

of Ponmo in the kitchen of an average Nigerian emphasising that it is good, if well prepared. “I don’t know what it is about it, but it is tasty,” Eze admitted.

However, a house wife, Juliet Iwuno, thinks the law against the consumption of ponmo, should be extended to other states of the federation. “Even though I used to eat Ponmo, I have stopped its consumption since. Not only in Akwa Ibom State should it be banned, but nationwide,” she thinks.

As for Mrs. Nnenna Okorie, she prefers that the campaign against eating animal skin should be selective. “I eat ponmo, but based on my experience, I think what should be banned is the cooked one, because I once saw a ponmo seller adding a chemical that makes it swell. So, I stopped buying the cooked one, but only the uncooked one from butchers. Forcing people to stop eating it generally isn’t right,” she suggested.

The public campaign to stop the sale of animal skin in markets has generated mild outcry by Ponmo traders in southern Nigeria who consider it as another way of creating unemployment in the country. A Ponmo seller at Iyana Ipaja market, popularly called Iya Bola, wouldn’t want the government to pass such information in Lagos State because it will only destroy her only means of income. “This is the only business I do and revenue from it I use to train my five children. My husband abandoned my children and I and ran away with another woman. If such sensitisation is carried out here in Lagos State, that means we will die of hunger,” she cries out.

Another ponmo dealer in Agege, Lagos, Mr. Kunle Adesina, said: “I started selling hide and skin, ponmo, as a butcher after searching for job for five years without success. Lagos State Government shouldn’t imitate Akwa Ibom Government because if that happens, I will be out of job.”

Also worried if the development in Akwa Ibom State becomes a national policy, the operator of Lady T Beer Parlour, Okokomaiko, Lagos, Mrs. Rose Francis, said: “Ponmo meat is what brings people to my beer parlour. Some people prefer to eat it to eating meat. Stopping people from eating it will be like driving away people from what gives them pleasure,” she said.

It could be recalled that the recent campaign against ponmo isn’t the first. In the time past, not a few experts had warned that consumption of meat substitute is dangerous to health. It was alleged that Federal Government was planning to ban it entirely because of the belief that the leather industry was adversely affected by mere consumption of hide instead of its conversion to leather in the tanning industry.

The Federal Government may, however, need to listen to Jimoh Akingbade, a bigtime Ponmo trader. He advised the government to study critically the economic and health effects of a ban on hide consumption because it will worsen unemployment, create poverty in the land and health challenges because some people have been advised to take ponmo and discard red meat, because it has high cholesterol. But the fat content of ponmo is low, having lost it considerably during processing. “A healthy people make a wealthy nation,” he concluded.

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100+ incredible orgasm facts and figures Pg.32

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o l l e B TY ... gospel queen

22

ENTERVAGANZA

May 16 , 2015

Celebrity

Radio production is as challenging as TV —Mursty Adinoyi Mursty Adinoyi, presenter-producer of Hitlist N Cruzin, is gradually becoming the hottest TV presenter-producer in town. And in this interview by OSEYIZA OOGBODO, he states unashamedly that he’s following the path that those before him like Kenny Ogungbe, Kwame, Ayo Animashaun, Tajudeen Adepetu and others took. Mursty Adinoyi is the presenter and producer of TV entertainment programme, Hitlist N Cruzin. In this interview, he discloses his plans, especially the latest one being that he’s starting the radio version of Hitlist N Cruzin.

What’s the latest about you?

The latest right now is that Hitlist N Cruzin now has its own radio studio and we want to start having Hitlist N Cruzin on radio as well. So, apart from you watching us on your TV, you’re still going to be listening to a programme called Hiltlist N Cruzin on your radio.

Is it that you’re going to be doing the same thing you do on TV on radio?

Yeah, you know Hitlist N Cruzin is about entertainment, celebrating Nigerians, and what we’ll be doing on radio won’t be different from what we do on TV. But the only difference will be that on TV we take people out, buy things for them, but on radio, it’s not going to be like that. Of course, you are going to have the latest, hottest, freshest music from Nigeria and abroad, entertainment gists that you cannot get anywhere else, so much, so much that we cannot have on TV, you’re gonna have on radio. The bottomline is that when you watch u on TV, you have something to take home. And when you listen to us on radio, you’ll also have something to take home as well.

Why did you decide to have a radio programme?

You know, as a young man, you have dreams and aspirations, and when you achieve one, you want to do more. Our leaders that we’re looking up to, the likes of Kenny Ogungbe, he has a 24hour channel on Daarsat. The owner of Soundcity, Tajudeen Adepetu, has a 24-hour channel as well on DStv and a TV station. Ayo Animashaun too has Hip TV 24 hours on DStv as well and Kwame too on StarTimes. Don’t forget that these guys started before me. So we’re looking at the steps they took and they are taking to know which way to go so as not to fall.

Also, I understand that the best way not to fall is to keep on moving, and to keep moving, you have to keep diver-

Adinoyi

sifying, keep expanding. I have people working under me, and anytime I look at them, something tells me that it’s like these guys are hooking their future on you. Because if I fail, and by the grace of God I won’t, I’m not failing alone.

Others will go with me, and the only way not to fall is to keep diversifying and expanding. And when you look at expansion, radio should be part of our expansion an entertainment production company. And God willing, if we

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

have the opportunity tomorrow, to run 24 hours on any platform, we are ready for it. So those are the expansion plans.

And the only thing is to keep on getting better, so that people under you as well will have something to take home at the end of every month.

I have a married person working under me, his child is gonna eat, his family will too, so that inspires someone like me to do more because you know that you are creating opportunity for others. And if you’re creating opportunity for others, the best way you can get better is to keep expanding.

Which one is more challenging? TV or radio production?

I would say both are very, very challenging, because you know that even to come from your house and interview me in my office, you know it’s challenging, don’t you? You have to pay transport, or buy fuel in your car, and if there’s fuel scarcity like now, you’ll buy black market, so it’s challenging, right? So, TV production has its own peculiar challenges, likewise radio too. But to me, I always see challenges as a stepping stone, because if it’s a smooth ride, then it won’t be interesting, so those things that make it hard, they are the things that make you stronger, so those challenges will definitely come and the best you can do is to get over them.

What is one profound thing that has happened to you because of Hitlist N Cruzin?

Hitlist N Cruzin has opened my horizons. It has made me see that life is about giving. That we take people on a shopping cruise, buy things for them and take them back home, we’re giving. And I think to myself, if all of us can be giving, this country will be the best country in the world.

Your giving to someone does not mean you’re better than the person.

So, as you said, one profound thing that has happened to me is that I took somebody on cruising, one Ibo guy like that, in Lagos here, and a week after the cruise, the guy called me from Asia that he’s so-so person, he’s the one I cruised last week, do I remember him, he’s in Asia, he’s a business guy, what would I want him to buy for me.

This guy bought me a camera worth N300,000. How much did we spend on taking this guy on cruising? N20,000.

So it makes you know that you giving does not make you better than the person you’re giving to.

And that experience was so profound to me that till tomorrow, it keeps me going on. Hitlist N Cruzin is not better than anybody we cruise on the show. Someone we cruised bought me camera of N300,000. So what I’ve learnt from Hitlist N Cruzin is that life is about giving.

You can imagine a situation where the government can give us light, give us good roads, give us all they need to give us and we the citizens too keep giving what we need to give to this country. Imagine what Nigeria would be like.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

May 16, 2015

TY Bello, Nikki Laoye, Frank Edwards others nominated for Crystal Awards

T

he Crystal Awards, which is regarded as Nigeria’s top gospel music awards, has announced the nominees for its third edition which will hold later this year.

The nominees were made known to the world during a nominations party which held last weekend.

Unsurprisingly, top gospel artists like Frank Edwards, Sammie Okposo, Nikki Laoye, Tim Godfrey, Lara George, Mike Abdul, Nosa and others were among the nominees, as well as upcoming gospel artists like Gospel Force Naija, Eno Michael and Gil Joe. The 25 categories they were nominated in are Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Male Vocalist, Best Female Vocalist, Best Praise Song, Best Worship Song, Best Group or Duo, Best Rap/Hip-Hop, Best Choir, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Video, Best Traditional Gospel, Best Producer, Best Reggae, Bet Video Director, BEST OnAir Personality, Best Male Artist in Diaspora, Best Female Artist in Diaspora, Best Rock, Best Use of Instruments, Comedian of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Urban/Instrumental and Best Online Radio.

Apart from the best reggae category which has five nominees, every other

Bello

Edwards

Laoye

category has six nominees each.

And speaking about Crystal Awards 2015, its founder, Timi Adegoke said this year’s nominees were not voted

for, but were chosen by a nomination committee and that the winners will also be chosen, not voted for, and that’s why they can’t reveal the names of the

people on the committees so that none of the artists can go and start meeting them to influence them to choose him, her as a winner.

Timi Dakolo drops first single in 2015 N

igeria’s king of soul, Timi Dakolo, has announced the release of his second single, Wish Me Well, off his forthcoming album, Love and Consequences.

Dakolo draws inspiration for this single from his days as a young boy in Port Harcourt just before West African Idol, going through the harsh events of life. “I have had it bad, from days with no money to pay my school fees, having to survive by selling pure water, pushing wheelbarrows for money, it has been tough. I remember when Idols came calling, I knew this was my opportunity to make it, I picked my bags and moved to see what would happen. I was scared, but if I didn’t, I wonder where I would be.”

The song which has a melodious play of several instruments and strong vocal delivery was a result of another collaboration with iconic producer, Cobhams Asuquo. Moving from the highlife tune of Iyawo Mi, Wish Me Well has a more western feel.

Says Dakolo: “When the desire to

Dakolo

be great takes sleep away from your eyes and fear from your mind, you might not know how you will make it or get there. You pick up your bags and move with just your dreams, fears and worry, for the desire to achieve is greater than the fear of the unknown, all loved ones can do is wish you well.”

Dakolo is an award-winning R&B/ Soul music artist born on January 20, 1981. He hails from Bayelsa State, Nigeria and grew up in the city of Port Harcourt where he started his singing career at age of 12, singing in his church choir.

Following his win as West African Idol first and only winner, he released his debut album titled Beautiful Noise in 2012, receiving great reviews for the work as well as chart successes. He released another single after his debut album titled Great Nation which many have described as the new National Anthem of Nigeria. He is set to release his second album Love And Consequences later this year.

24

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

E-NEWS

Rocksteady in Okporoko Biz

H

ypertek Digital/960 Music Group presents the official music video to Okporoko Biz by the multi-talented singer, songwriter and performer, Rocksteady.

Rocksteady who was recently featured on songs off 2face Idibia’s The Ascension album and Dammy Krane’s The Enterkraner gracing both projects with his unique vocal dexterity and strength is set to return to the frontlines with this music video to his recently released single, Okporoko Biz that has continuously been gaining a lot of traction online, amongst DJs and on the airwaves.

Rocksteady’s Okporoko Biz music video was directed by Ivan Mayor at various locations in Lagos.

Rocksteady

COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji enrolls with NEIHIS

F

oremost music administrator and Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has joined the ranks of highly influential personalities to enroll on the Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Scheme (NEIHIS), a private customized health insurance scheme for the practitioners of the entertainment industry.

Representatives of NEIHIS made the official presentation of Chief Okoroji’s identity card and relevant documents available to him at COSON secretariat in Lagos last week. The team commended him for being one of the first set of stakeholders to enroll on the scheme.

Speaking shortly after the official presentation, Okoroji who was full of praises for the scheme enjoined all entertainment practitioners to enroll in other to safeguard and manage their health properly. “I am happy to be one of the first set of subscribers on this scheme and I must say it has reawakened the entire industry to the need of placing premium value on our health. This is one of the best things that ever happened to our industry and I enjoin all practitioners to come on board.

This is not the time to play politics with our health.

Okoroji

NEIHIS is a private health insurance scheme for practitioners of the entertainment industry and endorsed by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Purist Ogboi unveils uplifting music video for Pray featuring Evans Ogboi I

Purist

ntroducing London-based Nigerian Gospel recording artist and songwriter, Purist Ogboi with the brand new music video for her latest single Pray, produced by MOBO Award-winning producer Evans Ogboi, which is taken from her 2013 debut EP, I Need You. Described as strikingly different, impactful and unforgettable, Purist Ogboi is an anointed worshipper, a gifted vocalist and a very versatile artist and songwriter, who fuses contemporary rock, hip hop, and neo-soul, excellently with her balladry and singer-songwriter sensibilities. Bringing a breath of fresh air to the Gospel music landscape, Purist Ogboi’s dynamic vocals, endearing quirkiness and the sincerity in her voice connects with her listener in deep and stirring fashion.

New single Pray is one that will awaken the worshipper in the listener to the glory of God. The record also brilliantly showcases Purist Ogboi’s resounding song-writing dexterity, creativity and outstanding talent. The visuals for Pray were filmed and directed by Iyke Eche for HS ideas, and brings the single further to life, as it portrays the importance of pray in every of our struggles and battles in life.

CLASSICAL LYRICS

Oruka Artist: Sunny Neji Chorus (2x) Oruka ti d’owo naa Di ololufe re mu K’o s’eni to le ya yin titi lai Titi lai lai lai lai lai lai lai lai lai Verse 1 He who finds a wife has found a good thing And obtains favour from the Lord You’ve found the harmony through the song you sing You can do anything you wanna, c’mon You are her father and her brother and her lover and her cover and her teacher and her everything She is your mother and your sister and your lover and your cover and your teacher and your everything Pre-chorus Oun ni imole aiye re So don’t take her smile away Oun ni alabaro re From today your wedding day.

Repeat chorus (4x) Verse 2 It’s your wedding day, so be happy and rejoice Whatever they say, today you made your choice This is only where one and one is one Ololufe re, together you belong Repeat pre-chorus Oun ni imole aiye re So don’t take her smile away Oun ni alabaro re From today your wedding day Repeat chorus (2x) Bridge, adlibs, refrain, coda The Lord is your shepherd you shall not want He will lead you by the still waters, He’s always there, so you have nothing to fear (Come on say) Bye bye, bye bye to mommy Bye bye, bye bye to daddy You want to be with your wifey Bye bye, bye bye to mommy You want to be with your hubby Bye bye, bye bye to daddy Mommy don’t cry Cause your baby girl has become a woman Daddy don’t cry Cause your baby boy has become a man today Ba ba bye, ba ba bye Brother don’t cry, sister don’t cry Aunty don’t cry, uncle don’t cry Bye bye, bye bye to mommy Bye bye, bye bye to daddy You want to be with your wifey Bye bye, bye bye to mommy You want to be with your hubby Bye bye, bye bye to daddy

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

E-NEWS

May 16, 2015

25

Exercise and its importance in music W

hen most people see artists displaying their six-packs and toned bodies acquired after several workout sessions in the gymnasium or through home exercises, what mostly comes to their minds is that those artists are showing off their attractive physiques.

Artists who have been found guilty of this showoff include Iyanya, Banky W, Flavour, Sean Tizzle, Mo’ Cheddah, Waje, Omotola, D’Prince, Peter P-Square, 50 Cent and LL Cool J. They show off their amazing physiques because they disciplined themselves to undertake strenuous workouts to acquire and maintain them and then feel that the world should see their achievements.

So blame them for being vain as they don’t really have to show them off.

But why do these artists work out? Is it to attract ladies (in the case of men), to while away time, to be in good health or to just show off vainly?

Well, E-News can authoritatively reveal that the reason most of your favourite artists are spending countless hours and money exercising their bodies is so they can sing or rap better, perform better on stage and thereby make more money.

According to a voice training expert, Joel Adeyemi, “the importance of exercise to artists cannot just be valued. Daily exercising helps artists use their voices better in performance and also helps them have an overall better performance as performance requires expending energy and exercising helps them prepare to properly expend energy on stage.”

Speaking further, he said, “People don’t really know that singing requires energy. But the fact is that it does. For a singer to perform long hours or hit high notes constantly during a performance requires energy and that energy is best gotten through exercise.”

Explaining how exercise actually helps artists

Waje (left) during an exercise workout

Mo’ Cheddah in the gym

Banky W too in the gym

LL Cool J

50 Cent

sing better, he said, “When you exercise, your diaphragm grows bigger and is able to contain more air. It is this air that singers use to sing. The bigger their diaphragm, the more air they have to sing. Likewise, if their diaphragm is small, it’ll contain just a small amount of air that won’t permit them do wonders with their voice. Imagine a singer trying to sustain a note to mesmerise his audience and he runs out of air in the process, his voice will become a croak and that would be very embarrassing for him.”

A voice trainer for several years now, Adeyemi said that there are many exercises available to artists but that the best of them is swimming.

“Swimming is the total exercise for an artist.

Swimming employs the use of the whole body, the internal and external organs and all the senses

and that’s why it’s the best exercise for a serious singer. Others are good as well, pushups, situps, squats, even pumping iron at the gym, but none of them compares to swimming.”

And in corroboration of Adeyemi’s revelation, a singer, Cjay, recounted his experience when he went to record a song in the studio recently.

“When the producer told me to sing so he could record, he wasn’t satisfied with my delivery. The next thing he told me was to start doing pressups right there in the studio. I thought he was joking but he appeared very serious so I started doing them. I didn’t even get up to fifteen before I couldn’t continue but he told me to keep doing it and after I had managed to do over a hundred with several pauses inbetween, he told me to go and sing and I murdered the beat the way he wanted and that I liked too and since then I’ve been exercising religiously as the producer told me that constant exercise would help me sing better.”

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May 16, 2015

Peter Okoye debuts reality show

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aquila Records gets real with Tilla, Base One

Tilla

2

015 kicks off with a true stomper as Aquila Records adds street lyricist Base One to their roster in addition to their current talents Tilla and Que Peller ahead of the main event today, SAVE THE DATE. Tilla is set to roll out a grand follow-up from Mawobe with a diversified sound on Badman produced by Tekno.

The new Aquila Records signee Base One too is set to storm the Nigerian music market with an indigenous approach on Werey Re produced by Xblaze.

The audios for the singles were released collectively on May 1st ahead of their label showcase and their respective videos will be premiered at the SAVE THE DATE event today.

Trick drops Jesus Wept Peter

P

eter Okoye, one half of the PSquare music duo, has kickedoff Dance Nigeria with Peter, a TV reality show designed to raise the bar. Dance Nigeria with Peter is the first dance reality TV show that abrogates the normal humdrum of dance competition seen on TV. It’s a show that brings about a whole new dimension to dancing in an exciting display of talents, all wrapped up with suspense and indecision of the judges/mentors. The show witnesses Peter Okoye making his debut as a judge/mentor alongside dance Queen Kaffy and Nigerian hip-hop dance choreographer, Flex.

According to Peter: “This show is going to revolutionize the way Nigerians see dance. I am so happy to have on

this project the best Nigeria has to offer when it comes to dance. We believe that dance has the power to put this nation on the map. Charity begins at home, so let’s dance Nigeria.”

The competition will be open to individuals from different dance backgrounds, be it solo, group or duet. Auditions will be held in June across four major cities in Nigeria (Jos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos) and also include street battles to make up the final 30 that will move to the competition phase.

Registration of interested candidates commenced in May where applicants/contestants are expected to text to a dedicated short code and a unique code is sent back to them to complete their registration on www.dancenigeria.com.

Image of Jesus weeping

T

opnotch Music Group recording artist, Trick, has been on the Nigerian entertainment scene for a while and we would easily recall this name from his Wayward Lifestyle mixtape, his involvement on Dapo Tuburna’s O.O.D (Officer On Duty) mixtape and likewise his participation on Toby’s Concrete Jungle mixtape; all of these would call our attention to his very impressive and lofty performance on the track titled 4:20 In Gidi which appeared on the Cosa Nostra mixtape, a project dished out by the entire Topnotch Music

Group acts [Dapo Tuburna, Toby and Trick] back in February.

The fecund and fertile and prolific rapper returns with an off his forthcoming project, Tales By the Streelights, a prelude to his Wayward Lifestyle 2, which is set to hit the streets soon. Titled Jesus Wept, and produced

by IDT, Trick drives home an intelligent level-headed piece of work as he continues building his music career which has seen him perform alongside the likes of MI, Jesse Jagz, 2face Idibia and other A-list artists.

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May 16, 2015

StyGlleam

For the working girl

and

with Yemisi Adeniran

T

(080378011

58) ydiran@

yahoo.com

his season ’s strong lo ok calls fo class lady. r a major Whether y attitude e ou are mar need this specially if ried or sin s im ple or clas you are a a mini skir gle, pregn sy look. A working t will alwa ant or oth s in g y le s e -breasted just get h rwise, you , straightigh in a va be cute for you in t simply legged bla he office. rie just free ck pant or And if you at the wais ty of skimpy billow are double y dresses t.

To take d already, or even st raight gow sleeves and this look from day t n s that are o night, lo wear bold se your ja statement them colou c ket if you earrings, b rful and r ar racelets in emember your face either silve e in one, roll up the to add the up too like r h or crysta eels if you these mod lipstick,’ s ls. ‘Make els did he ays Debbie re with a Ibinola wit w il l. h this coll Lighten ection. bright red

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STYLE & GLAM

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May 16, 2015

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Fashion

Ankara magic

sn’t it excit ing insatiable ta that the Ankara fab ric has ind ste for its eed becom colourfulne with the la e a force to ss te st that has m st y le of gett patterned be reckone ade it simp ing it in pla Ankara fab d with in th ly irresistib in colours, ric. e fashion w One good th le to every you cannot orld? There ing about it one, both y but have a is this oung and o as usual, is the cynosu n e w fa ld, man or re of all ey c it e s o a f d a it p ta a w s b e oman. And ility. Mix it you combin s. For a st wear, you e it with a rictly form with any fa can also ch n a y l o b o o o ric whethe utfit, you c f your se to have conforming r soft or h an have a it at the w to the patt ard, silky o touch of th aist area, erned choic designer. r the sleeves e patterne rayon and e. But for d Ankara p you will just or round a a casual ou Even if you atter on th dress tip. ting, the sk be don’t want e O n n y e ly ckline of a is e n ju su it as a dre st fabric from re y o th u r p a lain t the back starting po ss or top, head to to ground coo int and of you can no e; hair ban your plain l c a o n w u d rse not wit adorn yours ds, earring dresses as hout a crea elves in quir s, rings, b we have he tive rooches, ne k re. y a c c e ss ories fashio cklaces, ne ck bibs, sh ned out of oes, bags, this Africa laptop case n print s or just a s buttons o n

Fashion

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n frenzy

c

n frenzy

May 16, 2015

STYLE & GLAM

29

Fashion Guest

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STYLE & GLAM

‘Fashion is all about stepping out of the box’

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Do these things cause cancer?

Deola Onasanya is a fashion freak who believes that fashion should be bold and daring. “ Until you are able to do something bold with your style, you shouldn’t think you are stylish,” she told YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview.

You have modelled for quite a number of companies. What’s it been like?

Well, it feels good having to be showcased in the presence of many others who are possibly more beautiful than one. It is the remembrance of the glitz and applause that trailed the past days that always ginger one to go or aspire for more. I love having all the attention from people. I love it when people watch me. It has been major driving force and it really worked for me.

What do you want to achieve in modelling?

Above any other thing, I will love to preach the gospel of African culture and heritage at every fashion show I participate in. I am in love particularly with the Ankara fabric and others and I am happy the whole world has

embraced it. I love people to see the beauty and richness of our culture, adopts it and make it part of them permanently. Enough is enough of our craze about foreign products and passion. The time is now to uplift our God-given assets.

What is fashion to you?

It is anything that makes me stand out in the crowd. This is why I believe in making it bold and daring. Fashion has gone beyond those years when people just wear anything. Until you are able to do something bold with your style, you shouldn’t think you are stylish. You become fashionable to me when you are able to add your signature to whatever you are appearing in. Fashion is all about stepping out of the box.

Artificial sweeteners Despite all the talk -- and chain emails -there’s no proof that these sugar stand-ins raise your risk of cancer. Saccharine did cause cancer in rats, but their bodies react to it differently than ours, researchers say.

There hasn’t been a cancer warning label on Saccharine since 2000. A study of aspartame in people found no link either.

X-rays Even low doses of X-rays raise your chances of getting cancer, but only by a small amount. In general, the higher the dose of radiation, the more the risk. But there’s no amount of this kind of radiation that’s totally safe. That’s why radiologists limit how much you can get.

Cell phones This gadget, which you keep near all the time, gives off the same type of energy as Xrays. So far, it hasn’t been linked to cancer, but more research is needed. So what can you do just to be safe? Save your cellphone for short chats. If you plan a long conversation, use a landline. And when there’s no landline, use a hands-free device.

Meat Whether it’s processed or red, you need less of it in your life. Just one hot dog a day could boost your chances of getting colon cancer. Cold cuts and hot dogs have preservatives called nitrites, which cause cancer. Stew/soup meat is no better. Smoking meats or cooking them at a high temperature creates compounds called PAHs. Studies are under way to see how they affect people.

Bottled water If your bottle is clear plastic, it probably has bisphenol A (BPA). This chemical is used in food and drink containers, dental sealants, and other products. Does it cause cancer? Experts say no. BPA is safe at current levels found in foods. If you’re concerned, avoid canned foods and drinks in clear plastic. For hot food, use glass or steel instead.

Sex So true! Human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection, can cause cervical and other cancers. Most adults who have sex will get this virus at some point. But they won’t all get cancer. Most of the time, HPV goes away by itself. To lower your risk: Get vaccinated

if you’re a female aged 11-26 or a male aged 11-21. Use condoms during sex. Have sex with only one partner.

Dental fillings Don’t call the dentist to have your metal filings removed and replaced. Experts say your current ones are safe. Studies have found no link between fillings with mercury and cancer -- or any other disease.

Coffee If you feel your day doesn’t really start until you’ve had a shot of caffeine, you’ll love this. New research shows that drinking moderate amounts of coffee (around four cups daily) lessens the risk of some types of cancer, among them skin, liver, and colon.

Deodorant and antiperspirant Scientists say more research is needed to know for sure if these products boost the odds of breast cancer. They have different jobs -- deodorant blocks the smell and antiperspirant stops sweat. Many use chemicals that act like the hormone estrogen, which causes cancer cells to grow. These include benzylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben.

Fluoride This compound is found in water and other drinks and in food, toothpastes, and mouth rinses. Though many studies have looked for links between it and cancer, most researchers says there’s no strong tie.

Household products Many pesticides, paints, varnishes, and waxes give off gases known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). So do some cleaning, cosmetic, automotive, and hobby products. These gases have been linked to cancer in humans and animals. To cut your risk, choose products labeled low-VOC and biodegradable when possible.

Power lines Anything that makes, sends, or uses electricity gives off extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation. There’s no proof that it causes cancer. Still, experts say there’s cause for “limited concern.” To be safe, stay at least an arm’s length away from electrical devices.

Pollution Air pollution causes over 220,000 lung cancer deaths worldwide a year (most of them in Asia). There’s also a link between dirty air and a higher risk of bladder cancer. But the odds for any one person are low.

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May 16, 2015

Male Essentials How to care for your dress shoes

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

Y

ou can tell the measure of a man by his shoes. Given the high price of quality leather dress shoes, let’s take that concept at face value. Durable, comfortable, stylish dress shoes range anywhere from N20,000 to N90,000. And if you’re going to be dropping the cash on a pair of high-end shoes, you’re going to need to take good care of them. With a little know-how and a little money, preventive maintenance can make those expensive leather shoes last longer.

Use water repellent Before taking your new shoes out on their first walk, be sure to apply a coat of water repellent to the leather.

After the initial application, habitually reapply it as instructed. Most experts recommend that you use a water-based repellent to seal the leather because it allows it to breathe and the moisture inside it to escape. Moisture impacts leather’s elasticity, so keeping moisture balanced is a must; too much moisture causes the leather to stretch, while too little moisture causes it to shrink.

In both cases, the leather becomes ugly and loses its original fit. For an affordable fee, a can of spray-on water repellent can dramatically increase the comfort and the lifespan of your leather shoes.

Tip: Wipe your shoes with a clean, warm sponge before adding additional coats of repellent; this will warm the leather, making it more porous and improving its ability to absorb the product, and prevent trapping dirt between the leather and the repellent.

Use shoe polish A good shoe polish keeps leather shoes shining like a new coin. Polishing your shoes regularly does two things: It covers and repairs the damage of daily wear and tear and it nourishes and moisturizes the leather, keeping it flexible and healthy. Experts recommend using cream-based polishes and carrying your shoes with you when you purchase polish to ensure you get the one that best matches your shoe tone.

Tip: Buff the polish off your shoes with a pair of panty hose to get an optimal shine.

Like other protective options, you have multiple choices when buying shoe trees, but the experts will tell you there’s only one viable option: ones made of cedar. Cedar has the ability to absorb harmful moisture and objectionable odours. Any reputable shoe store will have shoe trees in stock, so go ahead and get this essential add-on to keep your shoes in mint condition.

Tip: Insert the shoe tree immediately after taking off your shoes; this allows the interior moisture to be instantly absorbed.

Hang your shoes on a tree

Take care of your soles

Do yourself a favour: Use shoe trees with any good pair of leather shoes; they’ll make your shoes last that extra mile. The beauty of shoe trees is that they fill out the shoe, helping the leather maintain its form. This prevents the leather from shrinking and creasing.

A house is only as solid as the foundation on which it’s built, so make sure you take steps to save your shoe soles. While there are many types of soles out there, chances are a good, high-quality pair of leather shoes will be based on leather soles. Just like the

leather on top, the leather on the bottom must be protected. The best option is to have your local cobbler attach “taps” to the froAnt and rear heels.

Acting as buffers between the heel and the ground, taps absorb the shock and damage of constant pounding, and prevent the sole from eroding. Given that the price of taps is really negligible, this is undoubtedly the cheapest way to protect the most vulnerable part of your shoe.

Tip: Don’t add taps until you have worn the shoes about 12 to 18 months; this allows the soles to conform to your gait, making for a smoother stride and more comfortable wear.

Replace your soles The soles on your shoes are like the tyres on your car: They eventually wear out and need to be replaced. According to the experts, the “upper” part of the

shoe can last as long as 20 years, but the “lower” part of the shoe, on average, only lasts around five. So, when the sole becomes uncomfortable to wear and gets ragged in appearance, the best option — rather than replacing the entire shoe — is replacing the sole. And it is more economical to have the soles replaced instead of spending more money to replace the entire shoe.

Tip: When resoling your shoes, check with the shoe’s manufacturer; many manufacturers offer discounts and packages on resoling and refurbishing shoes.

Walking on Dress shoes are an expensive investment that must be protected, and a few naira here and there will save you a bundle down the road. So, now that you know some tricks of the trade, venture forth in preventive maintenance and style.

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May 16, 2015

Male

Relatio

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Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com

C

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Do African men

No fixed way of doing it

ulture is dynamic and not static and part of the dynamism in it is the proliferation of a lot of European values and beliefs which our people especially the women have imbibed and are now trying to forcefully push down our collective throats all in the name of being up to par with their counterparts in the western world since they all come back from the euphoria of the Beijing conference. Some of them will say we African men are not romantic at all because we do not believe in the culture of giving flowers. The truth be told, in this part of the world it is only goats and other ruminants that eat flowers and other types of plants.

Giving an African woman flowers to me can only signify one thing, I want to eat vegetables and she must go and cook it for me. Hey, before you all start laughing and holding your sides while thinking this man is from the village tucked somewhere in a no-man’s land, I’d like you know that I was born and breed in a very cosmopolitan African city that has a very robust potpourri of mixed cultures and indeed a place universally revered as a center of excellence.

While having discussions with some friends and also going through some reading materials in the course of wanting to find out about other people’s opinions on this topic I was made to realise and understand that it is a misnomer to think that men don’t naturally respond to a woman’s romantic expressions and display and to give it back too while proposing. In Africa, women are grossly lacking when it comes to romance either due to culture or pretense or unrealistic ideas that a good relationship is more about finance and men taking care of their sweethearts and most times, African men have to dig deep into their hearts to get some romance that are often inadequate. The few men who try to show their romantic sides the society denounces and term promiscuous or weak.

Often romance is perceived by majority of women in our culture as something you must give out in exchange for something not unconditional and most men see

this as selfishness, and this affects their naturally sound emotions negatively. The word romance is perceptual and how you view romance determines the equation of whether African men are romantic or not. Ideologically, the African man is emotional but lacks the right motivation to express the romantic aspect of his emotions. An example is anger as an emotional expression which can be triggered easily especially when temperance is not controlled. Romance as an expression of emotion on the other hand is hardly triggered as often as hate or anger. The African lady needs to learn how to enhance the opposite sex’s romantic wing to enable them express romance by creating an enabling environment, and understanding environmental differences and cultural diversity especially from the western culture to understand how the African man expresses his emotions.

If I’m to paraphrase from what I’ve written before on African men and romance here, “people tend to forget that romance means different things to different people at different times. We all cannot be outgoing.

Some men are quiet and easy going. To them, being romantic will be on the ‘slow lane’ and not too obviously seen unlike that of the outgoing type”. Proposal of marriage therefore will be a personal thing and whatever method used will definitely not only be a reflection of the person’s character, but a lot will also be borrowed from society’s norms and cultural values too. A romantic proposal doesn’t have to follow a Nollywood or Hollywood script. Real life is not about drama or behaving in a certain way just because we want to prove a point. Whether I kneel down with a ring in my hand, with soft music playing in the background whispering in a very low voice to my sweetheart, or I’m standing in the middle of the market with a bag of goods in my hands yelling on top of my lungs for my woman to marry me, all that matters is that I’ve decided to do the right thing by making “an honest woman” out of her.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

100+ incredible orgasm facts and figures

27. Up to 60% of women have experienced some form of ejaculation, with around 10% claiming they regularly ejaculate ‘forcefully’ at orgasm. Most women could ejaculate if trained properly. But do we really want another wet patch on the bed?

28. Is struggling for that first-class degree really worth it? A German study found that 62% of women who’d been to university said they sometimes had trouble reaching orgasm, while only 38% of those who hadn’t been to university experienced problems 29. Condom use doesn’t affect orgasm quality. Women are equally likely to experience orgasm with or without a condom, dispelling myths that condoms don’t make for good sex.

In fact, condoms may help a couple spend more time having sex, as a man doesn’t have to ‘pull out’ quickly if he’s worried about ejaculating too soon.

30. As many as 80 percent of women have difficulty reaching orgasm from vaginal intercourse alone. Clitoral stimulation during intercourse can help.

31. Finding a woman’s G-spot may improve the likelihood of orgasm.

While the location may be slightly different in all women, it’s most often found inside the

vagina and is characterized by a “rougher” texture.

32. Orgasm gets better with age. Sure, there are plenty of things to gripe about when it comes to age, but your sex life may actually improve—specifically the quality and frequency of orgasm. Sexperts report that while 61 percent of women ages 18 to 24 experienced orgasm the last time they had sex, 65 percent of women in their 30s did and about 70 percent of women in their 40s and 50s did.

33. Women who mix things up in the bedroom have more frequent orgasm. It is significantly easier for women to experience orgasm when they engage in a variety of sex acts as opposed to just one act. This may be because more sex acts mean that people spend more time having sex.

34. A woman’s sexual self-esteem can affect the quality of her orgasms. Research shows that how a woman feels about her genitals is linked to the quality of her orgasms.

35. In rare cases, orgasm can happen without genital stimulation.

Some women can orgasm while sitting on a train, exercising or getting a massage. The reason for spontaneous orgasms during certain activities is twofold—increased blood flow to the

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May 16, 2015

onships

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Angle

JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

really propose?

For where?

I

This column is x-rated genitals and vibration of or contact with the clitoris.

36. A man can get a woman pregnant without orgasming. During foreplay and sex, most men can release a pre-ejaculate, which is a fluid that helps lubricate intercourse. Forty-one percent of guys produce pre-ejaculate that contains sperm—up to 40 million of the little swimmers, when, in fact, it only takes one to make a baby!

37. Semen moves faster than any man can run. The average speed of ejaculation is 28 miles per hour, which is almost exactly Usain Bolt’s world-record maximum running pace of 27.79 mph.

38. The word “orgasm” is from the Greek word orgasmos, which is defined as “to swell with moisture, be excited or eager.

39. An orgasm is the “buildup of pleasurable body sensations and excitement to peak intensity that then release tensions and creates a feeling of satisfaction and relaxation.

40. Orgasms feel generally similar for men and women. The two body parts primarily involved in orgasms, the penis and clitoris, are both originate from the same tissue in the developing embryo.

41. The spinal cord and brain are connected to the penis and clitoris by the same nerve route—a pair of pudendal nerves.

42. Anorgasmia means “lack of orgasm.” This condition, where a person cannot achieve orgasm, can affect both men and women.

This column is x-rated 43. Orgasms do not stop at a certain age. Some people can experience orgasms past the age of 90.

44. How often a person experiences orgasm varies considerably among different peoples and cultures. Some societies have recommended that men experience orgasm infrequently because orgasms and ejaculation are considered debilitating.

Other societies have considered orgasm and sexual activities as highly beneficial for vigour and health.

45. Different religions recommend different times for people to engage in marital coitus (and, presumably, orgasm).

For men, the following recommendations were made: Persian traditions: Once in 9 days, Hindu authorities: 3–6 times per month, The Koran: Once per week, The Talmud: Once per day to once per week (depending on occupation) Martin Luther, founder of Protestantism: Twice per week.

46. While orgasms usually result from genital stimulation, orgasm can occur from nongenital stimuli as well, including 1) thinking of an orgasm; 2) orgasms experienced during meditation; 3) orgasms produced by stimulating any part of the body, including mouth, lips, nipples, anus, shoulder, or toe; 4) orgasms during childbirth; 5) orgasms during defecation and “forceful urination; and (6) one woman reported having orgasms while brushing her teeth.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

f you are married, can you think back how you proposed to your wife? Was it very memorable? If it is still fresh and bubbling in your memory that you relish it, it means it was quite romantic. You rock ..my guy!! If you can’t even remember how you did it, it means it is not romantic and worth it and it also means you never –ever proposed!!! Are you kidding? Are you folks aware that most African men do not even propose not to talk of how romantic or dry the proposal was?

Now for the ladies who are reading this, can you also smile to yourself and say, ‘oohh..i can hardly forget how romantic the day my hubby proposed to me...it was out of this world..’? Or you are hissing right now and say‘Haba...biko..my girl forget it... proposal ko...romantic ni..’

Coming to the fact...the real fact that most African men do not even propose, who is to be blamed for this? Do you blame the man who was under pressure to marry a woman who was hanging 6months pregnancy on his head and insisting he must committ? In a situation like this, who cares about marriage proposals not to talk of being romantic? You see the point here folks? I do not believe that our African men are not romantic but certain circumstances during dating and courting that leads to forced / convinient marriage tie down their hands on being anything but romantic.

How can you expect a man to also propose when he has a woman already living with him for years in his house and acting like a wife? If you ask me, the popular proposals for most African men are those sweet nothings and lies they say the first weeks they start dating a woman. Period!

The women leech on to men in marriage desperation giving the men no space to woo them the way they should. So what’s new?

African men do not even ask for your permission to date you first before talking of marriage.

Sure...a man must have to ask a woman’s permission or her family to date her. It is now from dating that marriage may or may not happen which ofcourse where the main proposal comes in. Such relationship rules does not exist here in Naija...at all!!! Ever!!!

If you are in a relationship and wondering what i mean by ‘romantic proposal’ or need some practical guide on how you can propose to your angel, be my GUEST and i will be your GUIDE. Talk with me!!

No matter your location in Nigeria, i will plan simple and affordable romantic proposal that you and your girlfriend will forever cherish all through your marriage. Valentine period is a period when most lovers love to bring out their best in their love lives. Women love to be proposed to, during the month of february and due to what the month stands for, they keep it cherished as long as the month of february stands yearly. Are you men aware that no woman forgets a very romantic marriage proposal in her entire life? That the way you propose to your prospective wife goes a long way to earn lasting respect for you as the husband? Do not just bundle a woman into your life and keeps riding like a cave man.

Add some fun...some ...sizzling .....some lasting memories your woman can cherish for the rest of her life.

Women are like flowers and must be pampered and cherished for ever!. This Valentine period, take out time to renew your love/ marriage vows and make your lover/wife feel loved, admired and special. Give her some valuable pampering to make her look her best and turn heads when people see her. For the men who always quarrel with their girlfriends in the month of february to avoid valentine pampering, be a man dude and stop playing tricks and silly games on your self respect.

Women understand this games very well so if you want to keep your woman to your self and earn her respect, be a man and give your woman a good treat.

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May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Woman Women are not second class citizens – Ndidi Nwuneli Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli (MFR) is committed to the development of the Nigerian youths, particularly the female gender around the globe. The executive director of FATE foundation, LEAP Africa, NIA and a co-founder of AACE Foods, an indigenous agro-processing company, spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on her rating of women in the last general elections amongst others.

What’s your growing up like and how much would you say the experience of those years have rubbed off on your adulthood?

I had a wonderful growing up which I believed was enabled by God and my kind of parents. As far as I am concerned, no man can become or achieve anything except God helps the person. So, I give God all the kudos. He is the one who gave me my wonderful parents, He is the one who taught them what to teach me and He ensured that they taught me and my other siblings right. I am blessed with wonderful parents who gave me a good foundation early in life. I come from a closely-knit family where love reigned, where children were trained to be well focused in life.

My parents taught me all about service. I

was trained not to put my trust in money because money is not everything. They taught me about the essence of dignity, self-reliance and commitment to humanity. They taught me to see beyond beauty, fame and wealth all of which give false impression and distract one from outstanding achievements. I believe in authenticity as this, as far as I am concerned, is the hallmark of leadership. I strive to be a good model; I wish to be remembered for positively impacting on my world.

What would you want women to see apart from their beauty?

A lot. Women are not just a beauty specimen, we are more than that. Women are endowed with as much good qualities as men. We are endowed with sound intel-

ligence, god enterprise and many more.

We should stop being carried away by our beauty and invest more on our attributes that will make us stand shoulder to shoulder with men. The brain we have is as good as that of men, we are also strong enough to achieve more than what our male counterparts are achieving. All we need to do is to disabuse our minds from rating ourselves as a second class citizens. Women are not second class citizens. We should stop capitalizing on our beauty as our major strength. We should explore and exploit our other attributes and become better for it.

How would you rate Nigerian politicians in the last general elections?

I will say they have not done poorly. Their

performance was better than what it used to be but we can still do better. It is a good thing for the records that for the first time, a woman was almost becoming a governor in Nigeria. Besides, we had more women in the race and close to top positions in the elections. I am positive that with time, Nigerian women will get there.

What would you say they should do more?

They should not relent. And the society needs to help in this wise. It will be better for everyone to give good support to as many women who are aspiring for top positions in politics and in other professions. It is wrong t see such women as proud or over-ambitious. Some even see

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May 16, 2015

Most young women’s utmost ambition is to graduate from the university, settle down with a rich man and quickly give birth to a son to secure their place in the marriage. Meanwhile, it is supposed to be more than that. They should wish and desire for more them as prostitutes. These notions won’t encourage women. Nigerians should begin to see and copy god things they see in other developed countries. Women should also rise up to support their kind whenever they are found in such competitions.

We should begin to love and solidarise with ourselves. Men should give women a chance in politics because women can also perform well in top political positions if given the required support.

Many women believe in the power of their beauty. What do you have t say to this?

There is power in a woman’s beauty but we are not endowed with beauty to use it as a major weapon. I don’t support women who are always ready to use what they have to get what they want. I don’t support promiscuity. I believe in my brain and other positive measures and endowments.

Women should also see life this way and allow their other gifts a chance. Everything is not about our beauty. We need to convince our men and the society in general that we are as good as men because we also have what it takes, if not more.

You also believe strongly in the youths.

Why? Yes, I do. The reason is that youths, being the strength and the hope of any nation are worth being invested in. If the young ones are tutored earlier to be responsible and carve a good niche for themselves, a lot of problems facing the world and this nation as a whole will be avoided. And this is very simple. All they need to do is to look inwardly, see beyond the surface level, discover who they are, what excites them the more and dwell on it to be an outstanding youth and citizen of Nigeria. Whatever that brings joy to anyone is his or passion and that is what that person should be doing. If this is done well, I can assure you one will not only stand out in it, more will be revealed to one.

Do you think women are a bit laid back where professionalism is concerned?

In a way, yes. Most young women’s utmost ambition is to graduate from the university, settle down with a rich man and quickly give birth to a son to secure their place in the marriage. Meanwhile, it is supposed to be more than that. They should wish and desire for more. Women are supposed to set and pursue their professional goals just as their male counterparts. They should desire to be economically self-dependent and make great landmarks in their own time. No doubt, it is our responsibilities as women to raise good kids but that shouldn’t stop us from contributing to the nation’s development.

While it is right to applaud men who allow their women to have homes and places outside the kitchen, they should stand up to influence their worlds positively and men should encourage them. Some men in those days and few today prefer male children to the female ones because they believe male children preserve the family’s name. Some will even reflect this

in their wills, all at the expense of the female children. Women should be empowered to the level that they will do well for themselves enough to make them also write their wills and put the names of their daughters.

Will this not bring divisions in the home?

No, it shouldn’t. It is about catering for all the children as a whole. A man who does not want any division will like all his children equally. He should cater for all of them regardless of their gender. Empowering women is not to bring down the ego of the man; it is to assist him and to make the woman self-dependent. Women should love themselves and fend for themselves at all times. This is not common around here and that is why the slogan that women are their worst enemies is still flying all over the place.

Women should not be terror on other women, they should groom fellow women to step into their shoes. They should trust fellow women and not feel threatened by another woman in any way. Once you are confident in yourself and humble enough to learn from anybody, your leadership position is ensured. Women should learn to appreciate little efforts of fellow women and not just take delight in criticising fellow women whenever the latter makes a mistake. No one enjoys being discouraged and you will get the best of anybody when you will genuinely appreciate others no matter how little their effort is.

How supportive has your husband been in all of these?

Like I said earlier, he is the executive chairman of AACE Foods and has been very supportive of all that I do. We have known each other for 17 years and have been married for 10. He has been a good business partner. I must tell you that having him as business partner is an enjoyable challenge. We both have skills that complement each other, we trust each other and this has been working for us.

Why do you focus more on women especially with your newest organisation, Ndu-Ike-Akunnuba?

Ndu means life, Ike is strength and Akunnuba means wealth, all the three are needed to live a meaningful life. NIA is designed to empower female university students to achieve their highest potential in life. Like I said earlier catching them at a tender age means all the good to the nation. FATE and LEAP Africa provide leadership, ethics and management training and coaching for youths, business owners, social entrepreneurs and the public sector. When you empower women, you create an avenue for the nation’s development. While empowering women to start and grow their businesses is critical to our development, educating women is the real silver bullet. With adult literacy, inputs, processing support and access to good finance and markets, more women will be able to stand tall in their neighbourhoods.

Keeping ABREAST

Now they know how it feels!

• Men cry in agony as they are hooked up to labour-pain simulator to experience what women go through during childbirth

Man physically weeps as he experiences pain similar to childbirth

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or any of those that have ever thought women ‘exaggerate’ the agony of childbirth, many would beg to differ. These would be mostly women, but now a few brave men are included.

A group of soon-to-be-fathers have taken part in an experiment which allows those who can’t give birth to experience it, by simulating labour.

The experiment was aptly titled Labour Pain Challenge, and held in Nanchang, central China’s Jiangxi province. It was part of a special TV show to celebrate Mother’s Day in China. Twenty male participants were brought together and challenged to deal with the pain that millions of women undergo every day.

The contestants, of different occupations, were hooked up to labour-pain simulating machines and tested on their endurance for pain.

First, the men were burdened with small fake bumps as they lie on a bed in comfortable clothes. The synthetic bumps seemingly carry the same amount of weight that a real one

would, as the men hilariously struggle under their new-found back-aching bellies.

After they’ve experienced the crippling weight of a baby bump, electric pads are stuck onto their stomachs, and they are both hooked up to the simulator.

As the host turns on the machine, one of the men shrieks in shock and writhes around on the bed, clearly surprised by the sensation.

One of the men begins by laughing, but then starts to visibly weep, his head thrown to the ceiling, with his face distorted in pain.

One man bangs the bed in protest and they both wriggle around, clearly tortured.

Eventually all the laughter subsides completely and the men are left curled up in balls, panting from physical exertion, with one burying his face dramatically into a pillow.

The purpose of the pain-inflicting exercise is supposedly to remind people of how much women suffer during childbirth, and to ensure due respect is given for their contribution.

Parenting

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May 16, 2015

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

Home remedies for allergies in children

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llergies are the result of an immune system run amok; they develop when your body overreacts to a normally harmless substance, such as pollen, cat dander, or dust. About 20 percent of children at one time or the other are plagued by allergies. The hallmark symptoms include sneezing, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, itchy eyes, hives, and rashes.

For allergies to things like foods and medications, avoidance is your only option. But for allergies to seasonal things, like pollen, or those in your home, like dust mites, there’s a lot you can do to minimize the misery.

Here, the best home remedies to soothe allergies and allergy symptoms in your children.

Meanwhile, before you start any treatment, visit a doctor to be sure allergies are causing your child’s troubles. Once you know he really has seasonal allergies, these quick tips can offer muchneeded relief.

1. Stay inside. The best way to treat allergy symptoms is to avoid allergens to begin with.

So when pollen counts soar, keep kids indoors as much as possible. Pollen is usually at its peak mid-morning, early evening, and when the wind is blowing.

2. Use saltwater. Having a plugged-up nose can be one of

the toughest symptoms for children with allergies. For relief, older children might want to try nasal irrigation with a saline solution. You can buy saline at the drugstore or make your own by mixing in a squirt bottle eight ounces of boiled water to one teaspoon non-iodized salt.

3.

Stay hydrated. All that sneezing and blowing can leave a child parched. Keep a water bottle full and close to hand and encourage your children to keep sipping.

4. Warm it up. Steam from a warm shower or bath seems to offer allergy symptom relief for some so encourage kids to enjoy a little tub time.

Just be careful to make sure the shower is not too hot.

5. Keep it cool. To keep pollen out when the weather’s hot, air condition your car and home and keep windows closed.

6. Deal with dry air. A little moisture in the air makes breathing easier for most, so if the air in your house is dry, get a humidifier. But be careful: Humidity over 40% can encourage the growth of indoor allergens like mould and dust mites.

7. Go cold. When itchy eyes are driving your kid crazy, try a cold compress, which may help reduce the itch and soreness.

8. Keep your hands to

ParentingUpdate

T

ry not to take it personally, but babies find other infants’ inane babbling more interesting than anything you’ve got to say to them.

A new study has found that six-month-old babies strongly prefer listening to other babies than adults. And experts believe this could be a crucial process in learning how to speak.

Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Québec, played repeating vowel sounds to babies that mimicked either those made by an adult woman or those made by another infant.

They measured how long each sound held the baby’s attention

and found that the babies had a clear preference for the infantsounding vowels.

In fact, they listened to them 40 per cent longer on average than the adult-sounding ones.

Some of the babies showed their interest by responding to the adult sounds with neutral, passive faces, but smiling and moving their mouths as they listened to the infant sounds. It was as if they were recognising that this was a sound that they could try to make themselves, the researchers said in the study, published in the journal Developmental Science.

Senior author of the study,

yourself. Help kids to avoid rubbing their itchy eyes. Rubbing will only irritate them -and could make the itchiness even worse.

9.

Spice it up. If your kids will eat spicy foods, a dish made with cayenne pepper, hot ginger, onions, or garlic may help thin mucus and clear nasal passages.

10. Use top tissues. When kids’ allergies are at their peak, tender noses can get sore pretty fast. Look for tissues with lotion or aloe..

11. Rub jelly on it. And if your child’s nose is raw and red from blowing, you can soothe his sniffer with a dab of petroleum jelly.

12. Gargle to relieve sore throats. If drainage leaves your child with a sore throat, gargling with warm salt water made of 1-2 Tablespoons of table salt in 8 ounces of water may ease the pain.

13. Drink warm tea.

Drinking more fluids can also help sooth tender throats. Try a weak tea with honey and lemon. Bonus: The steam may relieve sinus congestion, too.

14. Get face time. Warm compresses applied to the face may also help soothe a child’s sinus pressure and pain.

15. Watch out for certain foods. If your child is allergic to some components in some food, he may also have an allergic sensitivity to some foods that may include bananas, melons, chamomile tea, sea foods, and cucumbers.

When to call a doctor • If you have a known allergy and notice any of the following symptoms, you should see your doctor: • Welts that spring up in response to exposure to an allergen, also known as hives.

They may indicate the onset of anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction severe enough to kill.

Seek medical attention promptly.

• Wheezing -- a whistling sound when you breathe.

• Asthma -- congestion of the chest severe enough to make breathing difficult, often accompanied by wheezing.

• An allergy attack that doesn’t respond to OTC medications within a week.

• Any time your allergy symptoms prevent you from doing things you want to or make you miss work or school.

Tiny Feet

NAME: Mubashir Oni BORN TO: Mr & Mrs Oni AGE: 2 Months old BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Why do babies love babies so much?

• Babies prefer each other’s voices because it helps them learn to talk, researchers claim

Professor Linda Polka, said parents may already know this, intuitively. “Perhaps, when we use a high, infant-like voice pitch to speak to our babies, we are actually preparing them to perceive their own voice,” she said.

“As adults, we use language to communicate, but when a young infant starts to make speech sounds, it often has more to do with exploring than with communicating. In fact, babies typically vocalise when they are alone, without any interaction or eye contact with others.

“That’s because to learn how to speak, babies need to spend lots of time moving their mouths the kinds of sounds they can and vocal cords to understand make themselves. They need,

quite literally, to find their own voice.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INVESTMENT

Moving over to Malaysia from China May 16, 2015

37

With growing difficulties in accessing China and the country’s slack regulation on standards, Nigerian businessmen are looking towards Malaysia, another Asian country, for investments into Nigeria. The interest this time is more than in just trades and services, writes NICK UWERU.

W

hen the first shipment of Koolman air conditioners berthed at the Apapa Port, Lagos, for sales and distribution, not a few people snorted in derision at Lanre Omoboriowo, chairman and chief executive officer, Kingsgate West Africa.

His company, since last year, entered into partnership with Koolman International, a Malaysian air conditioner manufacturing company. By the initial term of their agreement, Kingsgate would market the range of the air conditioners which include the commercial, light commercial and residential air conditioning.

But players in the market felt that Koolman may not be able to compete favorably with time tested brands from countries like Japan and South Korea.

Even more, with the massive incursions being made into the country’s market, by Chinese range of the more established brands albeit considered as substandard, some predicted that Kingsgate would be out of the market in less than three months.

Between August last year and April this year, Kingsgate has since exhausted two shipments. Significantly, too, Kingsgate and Koolman entered the second phase of their agreement that will see the Malaysian group set up its factory in Nigeria. “By the terms of the agreement, Koolman will give us technical support while I provide the land and capital for setting up the factory,” explained Omoboriowo.

But he is not the only one taking advantage of Malaysia to open up business in Nigeria. Kenneth Okonkwo, a waste manager, Ibefaro General and his partner, James Aniele, both infrastructure development consultants, were recently at the land swap unveiling ceremony in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

A novel idea in infrastructure development, the land swap project, initiated

by Bala Mohammed, the FCT minister, is meant to rapidly open the FCT to development. With paucity of cash that could be used to build infrastructure across all the districts of the FCT, Mohammed intends to parcel out large districts to developers in exchange for infrastructures in Abuja. The lucky developer would then build the districts according to the Abuja master plan,

sell or lease properties to intended members of the public. The land deal, also includes massive opportunities in infrastructure concession. For the trio of Okonkwo, General and Aniele, their connection with Malaysian investors would help a great deal in making the project work.

Okonkwo was trained in waste management in Malaysia. He believes that the land developers would find need for waste management in the new districts that would evolve from the land swap deal. There are basis for this optimism.

Okonkwo has profited immensely in Lagos State’s waste to wealth initiative.

With his consultancy firm, Okonkwo has majorly marketed waste disposal and converting equipments such as compactors.

He has also helped in training waste managers in the the country’s commercial capital. But for Abuja, the waste management is looking to something bigger. “We looking towards setting up a waste powered turbine to generate electricity in Abuja,” he said. He added that investors from Malaysia are on the standby for this.

For General and Aniele, Malaysia’s road concession module is best suited for the Abuja’s new infrastructure plan.

“The major roads in the Asian country are not done by government. They are private initiatives with tolling systems as the means of generating returns,” said Aniele. He equally pointed out that the module helps government stay out of land related controversies such as in the matters of compensation.

Omoboriowo, Okonkwo, Aniele and General are few of the growing number of Nigerian businessmen looking to bring in Malaysian investors into the economy. According to Omoboriowo, the

Aganga, Minister, Trade and Investment

Puwanto, Malaysian Ambassador to Nigeria

lack of a proper forum to bring together his category of businessmen who relate with the Asian country’s economy is a misnomer. “If not, I should be able to give you concise figures of our number who are already in the good books of the Malaysian Chambers of Commerce and Industry,” he said.

But he believes that the number of such Nigerians should be in the region 2, 500. But indeed, trade between Nigeria and Malaysia did not start with Omoboriowo et al. As the case maybe, their foray into the Asian economy may well indicate a positive shift for Nigeria in the balance of trade between both economies.

For instance, trade between both countries started as far back as the 1960s with the export of palm kernel and palm produce. But Malaysia had acquired the expertise palm oil manufacture and palm fruits from Nigeria.

They had gone to develop the produce and had overtaken Nigeria in the production of oil and its by-products. Currently, Malaysia is a leading palm oil producing nation.

As at 2011, trade between Nigeria and Malaysia stood at $450 million. $415 million of these were from palm produce imported from Malaysia into the country. The rest $35 million is made up of Nigerian’s export to Malaysia. These are however, mostly agricultural products like cocoa, rubber and others. Invariably, the balance of trade between the country and Malaysia is in the defi-

cit.

Ironically, Nigeria, a member of the D-8 group of nations should benefit more in the trade partnership given the Preferential Trade Agreement, PTA, between both countries. By the terms of PTA, Nigeria, Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran and Indonesia, members of the D-8, should have preferential treatment and cooperation in trade and investments. But with the non-diversification of the Nigerian economy from oil, the economy is short changed in other sectors like manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and other sectors.

With partnership that seeks to bring direct investment into the real sector and property and infrastructure management of the economy, moves may well be underway to correct the imbalance of trade between Nigeria and the Asian economy.

Omoboriowo, for instance, pointed out that the air condition manufacturing factory he hopes to set with partnership from Koolman international will take in no less than 60 direct staffers and another 1,500, auxiliary and part time workers. “Our product will be targeted at the West African market.

So we planning a major business operation here,” he told the magazine.

The businessmen say that a key selling point that Malaysia has is the country’s strong regulations on standards.

“As far as we are concerned, they are far ahead of China in standard of products,” said Okonkwo.

But doing business with the Asian is not all together a smooth ride. Some of the businessmen who spoke to Saturday Mirror said that the Malaysian High Commission in the country and its country must put an end to the disparity in visa expiration dates they issue. For instance, the embassy may give a three months visa to foreigner. “But you will be surprised that the Malaysian government would eject you by the second week from their country, said Omoboriowo.

The major roads in the Asian country are not done by government. They are private initiatives with tolling systems as the means of generating returns

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May 16, 2015

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‘She poured water on me and my second wife’ • He left us to fight and even took our pictures as we were fighting—Wife

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‘He wants to use my child for money ritual’ • My husband asked me to bring my first child, the one I had before marrying him —Wife • We only went to a herbalist to procure spiritual soap for mercy —Husband Stories by: Muda Oyeniran

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rs. Semiat Folashade Adebayo has told the Alakuko Customary Court of how his husband, Mr. Mathew Adesina Adebayo begged her to allow him use the first child she had for her former husband for money ritual.

According to Semiat, who is the petitioner in the case, her husband’s questionable character began to manifest shortly before their wedding on May 3, 2014 when he informed her that his vehicle broke down twice on the road.

“I borrowed him N240, 000 to repair the vehicle but to my surprise, he never did. He later told me that we shall all travel to Ogbomoso. When we got there, he took me to one herbalist who told us that he will do some charms for both of us that will make us rich. Immediately I inquired from him if the

charm would affect my child but he did not answer me”, the petitioner explained She added: “The herbalist demanded for N20, 000 but since my husband could not raise the money, he gave my number to the herbalist who kept calling me to help my husband raise the money. I sent the money to the herbalist who gave us black soap to bath with” However she told the court that after seven days of using the soap, they noticed that it was not efficacious. “We bathed with the soaps and discovered that it was not working. I got sick and was on the bed when my husband called the herbalist on phone to inform him about the development. I did not hear the herbalist’s reply but later my husband told me that he preferred the money ritual involving human being so that it would be faster”, she added The petitioner explain fur-

ther: “My husband asked me to bring my first child, the one I had before marrying him and I promise to do so after he completes his third term in school.

It was my father who said I should come to the court to report him before he does anything terrible” However in his testimony in court, the respondent, Mr.Adebayo said the real reason why he took the petitioner to an herbalist was because she was not menstruating after their wedding adding that the soap the herbalist gave to them was to attract mercy from the general public and not for ritual purposes.

“It is only for people to help us. However when the soap did not work, my wife complained bitterly and this led to a fight between us and she ran to her parent’s house. I had to take my mother along to her family house to beg her to come back”, he explained

41 year-old man, Mr. Olushola Oshilaja who resides at No 111, Iyana Ipaja road, Pako bus stop has dragged his 34 year-old wife, Mrs. Mariam Oshilaja of No 21, Liberty Avenue Aparadija, Ogun state before the Iyana Ipaja Customary Court over the latter’s violent behaviours, saying she fights constantly with him and her co-wife using dangerous weapons.

“On one occasion, she poured water on me and her cowife when they were fighting.

She also took blade to cut me at various parts of the body as well as my trousers”, he added The petitioner who is a plank seller also informed the court that his wife (the respondent) was never submissive adding that she lacked respect for his parents. “Whenever we quarrel, instead of her to face me directly, she would be referring to my parents especially to my mother’s predicament”, he said Aside this, the petitioner told the court that the respondent has refused to care for him and their children since he took a second wife. “On one occasion, the eldest child told me that she failed to give them food and she started to curse the child and said negative words to him. Her attitude has affected the child as he does not like staying at home any longer.

We have to be looking for him sometimes in the night” He added: “She would not allow him to go to Quranic School because she would leave the

youngest one for him to look after. Due to all these reasons, I am no longer interested in the marriage and I want the court to separate us” However in her response to the allegations leveled against her, the respondent who is an auxiliary nurse said things were going well between them until he took a second wife in 2013. “When his mother took ill in 2012, I went to take care of her at Magbon Alade and he was visiting us regularly at the weekend. But in 2013, he took another wife and he stopped visiting us regularly again. He also failed to meet his financial obligations to us; so I did my best to take care of the children”, she explained The respondent added: “When I relocated back home, he was giving me N250 daily.

I once invited him to eat with me but he declined because he knew that what he gave us was too small” She also denied cursing her child saying she only insisted that the child should eat whatever she provided for them On the allegation that she fight her husband and her cowife using dangerous weapon, she denied vehemently: “On the day he was referring to, it was my co-wife that did not want me to pass through the corridor and I called the attention of my husband to it, but rather than for him to call my co-wife to order, he left us to fight and he took our picture as we were fighting”

‘He impregnated our pastor’s daughter’

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housewife, Mrs Tosin Adekunle, 28, has sued her husband, Tope Adekunle, for divorce at a customary court in Ado-Ekiti, over allegations of adultery, battering, lack of affection and neglect of their two children.

She told the court that her husband had also failed to perform his conjugal responsibilities.

Tosin said that Tope had beaten her to point of death and had thrown her belongings out of

their matrimonial home.

She alleged that her husband impregnated their pastor’s daughter.

According to her, she can no longer bear the negative attitude of her estranged husband.

However, Tope did not show up in court to defend himself on the allegations.

The President of the court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, adjourned the case to Nov. 4 for further hearing.

(NAN)

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DIVORCE COURT

May 16, 2015

39

‘She almost burst my testicles’ • Oluyemisi not too long ago exposed me to public ridicule by tearing my clothes, including my underwears, and almost burst my testicles —Husband • I put an end to your marriage so that there will be peace and order. I urge both of you to refrain from one another from today onwards — Court

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n Ibadan Customary Court sitting at Mapo has dissolved the eight-year-old marriage between one Matthew Dipo and his wife, Oluyemisi, after the latter allegedly attempted to burst her husband’s testicles.

The Presiding President of the court, Mr Ezekiel Ogundipe, held that the court would not encourage any act that could lead to loss of life.

“I put an end to your marriage so that there will be peace and order. I urge both of you to refrain from one another from today onwards.

“Dipo shall pay a monthly feeding allowance of N2,500 for the upkeep of the three year-old child with Oluyemisi,” he said.

Dipo, who claimed to be an evangelist, had earlier told the court that Oluyemisi had made his marriage a misery.

“Oluyemisi not too long

ago exposed me to public ridicule by tearing my clothes, including my underwears, and almost burst my testicles.

“It took my doctor time to rescue me from this ordeal.

“She never took care of the home, let alone the children or even prepare meals.

“I had to combine evangelism with caring for the children and she even prevents church members from helping with the home chores.

“My church members were almost 50 in number at a point, but due to Oluyemisi’s domineering attitude, I hardly find one member attending any service today”, Dipo said.

Oluyemisi, however, said that Dipo and members of his family always assault her.

“He rendered me idle by asking me not to work and yet he doesn’t take care of me”, Oluyemisi said. (NAN)

‘He refused to have sex with me for 8 years’

‘My husband never performs well in bed’

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• The sex problem was there before marriage but I thought the situation would change. I am fed up —Wife • I want to have another baby because our son is 12-years-old. I am not satisfied • Truly, I have sexual weakness but I believe it can be cured. But now she has deserted me with only one child —Wife —Husband • I don’t want to risk her life She had our son by Caesarean section—Husband housewife, Mrs Adeolu Adelani, on Tuesday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her marriage to Olajide for allegedly refusing to make love to her for 8 years.

Adeolu, 39, told the court she was married to Olajide about 14 years ago and had a 12-year-old son.

“My husband refused to have sex with me since eight years now and I want to have another baby because our son is 12-yearsold.

“I am not satisfied with only one child”, she told the President of the court, Mr Hakeen Oyekan.

The petitioner accused her husband of abandoning her and their child for an unknown destination since 2013.

She added that her husband had refused to disclose where he lives and where he works, but sends his son’s school fees and house rent through her bank account.

Adeolu said her husband told her pastor that he had married another woman and had children and that she should find herself another husband.

She said she was always sad anytime her neighbours call her “rejected and abandoned property”.

She begged the court to dissolve the marriage because she wanted to move on with her life.

Defending the allegations, Olajide, 45, a businessman, did not deny of starving his wife of sex.

He said that he refused to make love to his wife because he did not want her to have an-

other child through Caesarean section.

“I don’t want to risk her life, this is why I have distanced myself from her because I want her to take care of our child.

“Besides, I did not abandon my wife but I decided to move closer to my work place due to the distance from my house.

“I did not abandoned her, I always squat with my friends and I come home once in a while”, he said.

He claimed that he had no other wife nor children elsewhere.

Olajide, however, conceded to the dissolution of the marriage because he was also fed up with the union.

He appealed to the court to grant him the custody of his son.

hairdresser, Mrs Suzy Adeleke, has urged an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her six-year marriage over alleged sexual weakness by her husband.

Suzy, who resides at No. 2, Anifowoshe St., Ewu-Elepe in Ikorodu, said that her husband, James, had not performed well on bed since they got married in 2008.

She told the court that she was having sex with her husband only once in two months when they were living together.

Suzy added that the union had not produced any child.

“I do not want the marriage any longer.

“The sex problem was there before marriage but I thought

the situation would change”, she said, adding “I later discovered that there is no more love; I am fed up”.

The petitioner submitted that she had packed out of her matrimonial home.

“I came here to seek for dissolution because he paid my dowry. Please separate us to enable me move on with my life”, she said.

Responding, James said that he and his wife had been living apart for the past four years.

“Truly, I have sexual weakness but I believe it can be cured; now, she has deserted me; I have seen her with different men.

“If she says she is no more interested, please separate us”, he prayed the court.

LIVING

40

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Can a pregnant woman’s mobile phone disturb her baby?

•Sounds from a

pregnant woman’s mobile phone may startle the foetus and disrupt its sleep - Study •Sounds emitted from phones or beepers may disrupt foetus’ sleeping •Responses include head-turning, mouthopening or blinking •However, majority of unborn children ‘get used’ to repetitive sounds •Mothers-tobe should keep phones in bag away from baby, say researchers

T

he sound of a pregnant woman’s mobile phone could startle her unborn child, according to a new

study.

The ringing, beeping and vibrations emitted by mobiles may disrupt the sleep-and-wake cycles of the foetus, new research suggests.

However, researchers said it is not clear whether or not being repeatedly startled has any effect on the unborn baby’s health or the pregnancy and birth, The study’s co-author, Professor Boris Petrikovsky, director of maternal and foetal medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York, said he wanted to see what effect mobile phones and beepers had on unborn children.

He said: “What we figured out is that if you’re a baby in-utero [in the womb]

The ringing, beeping and vibrations emitted by mobile phones and beepers may startle an unborn foetus and someone wakes you up every hour, you will not be happy.”

The sounds, and perhaps even vibrations, cause a ‘startle reflex’ which disturbs the foetus’ normal sleep cycle, he added.

As part of the study, Dr Petrikovsky and his team tracked 28 Obstetrics and Gynecology resident doctors, all of whom were in the third trimester of their pregnancy (around seven to nine months).They analysed how their foetus’ reacted to repetitive use of mobile phones. They also looked at their reactions to beepers, which are commonly used to page doctors in hospitals.

Previous research has suggested that pregnant women who are resident doctors tend to have a higher-than-average rate of pregnancy complications. These include premature birth, excessively high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) and low birth weight.

Because of the nature of their duties, doctors often carry mobile phones and

beepers close to their body, over very thin medical overalls, for long periods of time.

Professor Petrikovsky said his team could not say that noise is definitely causing the higher risks during pregnancy.

“But we can say for sure that cycles of normal foetal behaviour are definitely disturbed or interrupted by the frequent use of cell phones and beepers,” he said.

All the mobile phones or beepers were positioned near the foetus’ head, and on five occasions were set to emit a series of rings separated by five minute gaps. The women were screened with ultrasound so the researchers could see the effect on the unborn child. All of the foetuses (who were between 27 and 41 weeks of gestation) were startled when the phone or beeper went off. The responses included head-turning, mouth-opening or blinking, the study authors said.

When the devices were triggered to repeatedly ring every 10 minutes, 90 per

Why peace and quiet may be best for baby

•Listening to repetitive, continuous noise can hinder a child’s development, a

study found.

Repetitive, persistent noise may have a long-term impact on the development of a child’s brain, the research suggests.

Scientists warn that even relatively low sound - such as a television turned on quiet or the background noise of a washing machine - may cause harm if it is left on for more than a few hours.

They think it could alter the development of babies and toddlers under the age of two, creating potential problems in later life.

Neurologist Dr Jaime Grutzendler said persistent noise of more than ten hours a day may stop blood vessels being formed in babies’ brains.

Long-term impacts could include an increased susceptibility to diseases such

• • • •

cent of the foetuses were similarly startled. And 80 per cent of the foetuses continued to do so during subsequent rings, researchers found. However, they found many of the foetuses appeared to ‘get used’ to the sounds.

When the phones and beepers were set to ring repeatedly every five minutes, there was a drop in the foetus’ becoming startled in 60 per cent of unborn children under 36 weeks’ gestations. Among full-term foetuses there was a 90 per cent drop in the foetus’ becoming startled.

Even when taking this finding on board, the researchers concluded that being repeatedly exposed to the sound of mobile phones and beepers may disturb the normal behaviour of foetuses.

Professor Petrikovsky noted that there are other factors that could lead to a foetus being startled. But he pointed to research which found that pregnant women who live next to major airports, with planes constantly landing and taking off, also experience problems with their unborn babies being startled.

Therefore it is known that noise, and especially repeated noise, can affect babies, he said.

He added: “So we now recommend that women not carry cell phones and beepers in close proximity to their baby.

They should put it in their chest pocket or bag, as the further away it is from the baby, the less chance the baby will be affected,” he concluded.

Professor Petrikovsky and his coauthor, Dr Evgeny Zharov, are expected to present their research at a meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in San Francisco (USA).

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

May 16, 2015

Snake bite: DON’T tie the leg !

Doctor Talabi has answers to your health questions

Write him today at prettyprevent@gmail.com or text 09099346165 (sms only pls)

S

nakes and Humans are sworn enemies.

They have reasons to be. Symbolically, it was snakes that made man commit the very first sin, which led to his fall from grace to disgrace. Biblically, they are also perhaps the only animal given the go ahead to harm humans. And in the spirit of one good ‘turn’ deserving another, human beings also have divine license to crush their heads: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel’’(Genesis 3:15). So it all bogs down to who strikes first.

Occurrence: Snake bites occur all over the world.

It is less common in the urban compared to the rural areas. It is also commoner in certain age groups i.e. children and with occupations such as farming and snake handling. Only about 15% of existing snakes are dangerous to humans, and about a quarter of bites from these snakes are regarded as dry bites-that is no venom is transferred from the snake to the victim-. Still, thousands of people all over the world die of snake bite every year. The outcome of snake bite depends on the specie of snake, area of the body bitten, quantity of injected venom, and the health condition of the victim prior to the bite incident . Hence, a venomous bite from a poisonous snake to the face in an immunocompromised individual will almost always be deadly. Snakes are attracted to human vicinity often times by rodents which they prey on and their bites are usually to the extremities i.e. the hands and legs.

Types of snakes: There are different types of snakes.

Their spread across various continents of the world also varies . While some are native to Africa, others can be found especially in Australia or Asia. The knowledge of this helps in determining the types of anti -venom stocked by local hospitals. It also helps clinicians in ty-

ing symptoms exhibited by a snake bite victim to the likely snake type .The common groups to which snakes are classified are : Viperidae- Vipers, whose venom are more heamotoxic, affecting the blood or circulatory system, and rarely the nervous system. Hence they are likely to make their victims bleed Elapidae- Cobras, eject venoms termed as neurotoxic. Which implies they act more on the nervous system, causing paralysis in their victim.

Hydrophiidae or sea snakes target the muscles in the body, dissolving them and leading to muscle pain, and weakness.

Snakes are further differentiated by the colour of their venom which could be brown or black, by their fang marks and also by their skin colour. Not all snakes are venomous and not all venoms are deadly .

Symptoms of snake bite •There are local symptoms seen around the site of bite such as-pain,swelling,fang marks,loss of sensation, •Systemic symptoms such as bleeding disorders, bleeding gums, altered level of consciousness, muscle weakness, increased salivation, difficulty swallowing, difficult speech, visual disturbances, respiratory distress or failure, and sometimes death

When snake strikes: What to do: The traditional tying of the limb of a snake bite victim, ostensibly to prevent the spread of venom is not proper! If it had recorded any success, it was probably because the snake was not poisonous to start with. Here are some of the First Aid measures a snake bite victim requires: •Call and inform the hospital ahead •Identify and describe the snake if possible, •Calm the victim and move to a safe location away from the snake, •Let the victim lie with wound below heart level, •Keep the victim still, especially the affected body part to prevent spreading of the venom, •Cover the wound with sterile bandage AND move to the hospital, remembering not to move the affected part.

What not to do: •Do not tie the affected limb, •Do not cut a bite wound, •Do not attempt to suck out venom, •Do not apply ice or water,

Treatment: This depends on snake type and the degree of envenomation. Except in cases where it is known with certainty that the snake in question is harmless, the treatment of snake bite should take place in the hospital. This is because some of the initial signs which may appear mild worsen over time and life support may be required. Other possible treatment modalities include •Giving anti-venom, •Tetanus Toxoid, •Conservative management •Intensive care Prevention of snake bite: Avoid areas known to be populated by snakes Ensure good pest control so as not to attract snakes Wear protective foot wear Do not stick your hand blindly into hollow logs or under large rocks Conclusion: When a snake strikes, do not tie, do not suck and do not cut. Save a life instead.

42

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Visit Calabar’s nine exotic wonders!

Why spend big money to tour the world when living wonders are just next door?

Calabar, in Cross Rivers State, is more than just a capital. The colonial city may well be the tourism capital of the country. What with nine out of its many unusual mind blowing monuments and picturesque natural phenomenon, not visitors to the city capital will never failed to be impressed

C

alabar, for the purpose of administration, is divided into Calabar Municipal and Calabar South LGAs. It has an area of 406 km² and a population of 371,022 according to the 2006 census. Calabar was a designated international sea port, dating as far back as the 16th century.

The city offers a refreshing array of attractions including an International Museum, a Botanical Garden, a Free Trade Zone/Port, an International Airport and Seaport, an integrated sports stadium complex, a cultural centre, and one of the most prominent universities in the country the University of Calabar. There is also a slave history park and several historical and cultural landmarks. It also boasts of several hotels, resorts and amusement parks. The Tinapa Resort, a development by the Cross River State government, lies to the north of the city beside the Calabar Free Trade Zone. But of these interesting sites, here are the nine most sought after destinations Mary Slessor’s Residence Built conspicuously in the heart of Okoyong in Odukpani LGA is the monumental one story block that housed the famous missionary Mary Slessor.

Born on December 2, 1848 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Mary Slessor started her extensive, unique and indefatigable life saving the destitute and historic mission-

ary activities in the Old Calabar Province in 1876, and served for almost half a century.

Old Residency Building.

The old Residency building is a prefabricated wood building made in Britain before 1880s. It was shipped in parts to Old Calabar and erected on the Consular Hill in 1884. The main building is a large single storey building with spacious halls and four spacious rooms on the ground floor and an expansive sitting room upstairs. It remains one of the finest examples of the early British colonial architecture in Nigeria, during the period of its use as the colonial residence to the period it served as a ministerial guest-house and state government offices, some ancillary buildings were built in close proximity to the main building.

Kwa Falls Kwa Falls is a waterfall along the Kwa River, in Cross River, Nigeria, another spectacular waterfall, the Kwa falls is located in a narrow, steep gorge on the headwaters of the Kwa River, where it cascades down resistant basement rocks. A deep plunge pool forms at the bottom of the waterfall, which, before deforestation, was hidden under the thick canopy of the tropical rainforest.

Obudu Ranch Resort This fascinating Ranch Resort, which was established in

valleys and steep hills which are enveloped in a rainbow-like aura. Its freshness is captivating and has an alluring serenity. It is the ideal location for a vacation for getting back into nature and regaining your creative productivity and general well being.

No matter how much people troop to this exclusive resort, it never loses its luster. Obudu Ranch Resort is a good place for nature lovers.

1951, is the melting pot of Nigeria’s tourism endowment. Located at the exotic Oban-Obudu Plateau of over 5200 feet above sea level, the Ranch provides a sub-temperate climate of between 15c and 23c. The serenity, the excellent recreational and conference facilities make the Ranch a place to be and a worldclass tourist site. The Obudu Cattle Ranch is about 350kilometres from Calabar.The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, with hills and valleys as far as the eyes can see. Peaceful and close to nature, it’s easy to forget the city’s stress at the Ranch in Obudu.

as leisure and entertainment.

Some of these facilities include a total of about 80,000m2 of space for retail and wholesale; made up of 4 emporiums of 10,000m2 each as well as several lines of shops, warehouses and an open exhibition area for trade exhibitions and other events. Tinapa also features a modern movie production studio commonly referred to as ‘Studio Tinapa’ or ‘Nollywood’, an entertainment strip that comprises a casino, an 8-screen digital cinema, a children’s arcade, international standard restaurants and a mini amphitheatre as well as a night club and pubs.

Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort Tinapa is a business and leisure resort located in Calabar, southeastern Nigeria. The resort which is located by the Calabar River and the Calabar Free Trade Zone, boasts world class facilities that allow for retail and wholesale activities as well

Agbokim Waterfalls The Agbokim Waterfalls is not far from the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Located some 17 kilometres from Ikom and about 315 kilometres from Calabar, the fall consists of 7 streams, each cascading over steep cliff which provides 7-faced falls. The fall is surrounded by lush greenery,

A forest of biodiversity to delight eco tourists

Cross River National Park The Cross River National Park was created from two existing forest reserves of BashiOkwango and Oban Forest Reserves. It is famous for its unique rain forest vegetation, which according to conservation experts is some of the richest in Africa.

This park contains the last remaining rain forest in Nigeria, which is being preserved with the help of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. It has a herd of forest elephants, the whitefaced monkey (indigenous to Nigeria only), buffalo, leopards and lowland gorillas, in addition to over a thousand other animal species. The park has a tropical climate characterized by a rainy season between April and October and a dry season between November and April.

Calabar Beach This superb beach, at the mouth of the Calabar River, is about 2 miles long and 500 feet wide, uninhabited save for a solitary fisherman’s hut. The beach is virtually isolated and lends visitors the luxury of privacy in a beautiful setting off the beaten path. Since the beach is flanked by a swamp and can only be reached by boat or canoe, getting there is half the fun and enhances one’s fascination with this enchanted locale.

Calabar Museum The Calabar Museum enjoys an especially grand setting, being sited within the former British governor’s building, where it enjoys pleasant views of the river. Visitors can see a vast assortment of regional artifacts and paraphernalia relating to the slave era, the colonial days and the wealth accumulated from palm oil. There is also much information about the city’s ancient origins, when it went by the name of the Efik Kingdom.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EVENTS

May 16, 2015

Maharaja Ball for Down’s Syndrome Last weekend, the issue of Down’s Syndrome was brought to the fore as KSL Foundation held Maharaja Ball to raise awareness of and seek support for DS. Celebrities were aplenty at the ball and some of them were Mo Abudu and Olu Akande.

Anthonia Ogboro

Mariam Adeyemi

Mo Abudu

Funmi St Matthew Daniel

Nneka Araraume

Ifeyinwa Ighodalo

Daisy Danjuma

Helene Ibru

Olu Akande

Idia Aisien

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44

LEISURE

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

45

Confed Cup

Warri Wolves chase Leopards in Brazzaville

Warri Wolves players in training session ahead of their match against AC Leopards

Ifeanyi Eduzor

N

igeria’s only club still in contention in this year’s CAF club competitions, Warri Wolves FC, will today be guests of AC Leopards of Congo Brazzaville in the first round play-off of the CAF Confederation Cup. Wolves eliminated MC Etancheite from DR Congo to reach this stage for the first time in their history while AC Leopards were defeated by Smouha FC of Egypt in the Orange CAF Champions League playoffs.

While Wolves who are appearing in the competition for the third time namely; 2010 where they were eliminated in the first round as well as 2012 and 2014 where they could not go beyond the second round respectively, will be trying to improve their record in the championship as well as put up a good performance in the first leg to make the reverse fixture in two weeks time in Warri a not so difficult task, the Congolese who were surprise winners of the competition in 2012, will try to show that their drafting to the second tier continental competition was not a mistake and also maintain their invincibility on their home ground.

The Nigerians who are yet to lose a game in the competition and have conceded just once in six matches (at home against Congo DR Club MK Étanchéité in the second round), will be going into this encounter without the services of star striker, Gbolahan Salami, who will miss the game because of accumulated yellow card, but will be counting on the services of dependable strikers such as Ikechukwu Ibenegbu and Abu Azzez to trouble the Congolese defence.

It is expected that the Seasiders who have had a good away run in the tournament will also re-enact the form that made them beat MC Etancheite home and away in their last qualifying match, will not allow their Congolese opponents who are known not to lose games at their 20,000 capacity Stade Denis Sassou Nguesso, Dolisie venue of the encounter, dictate the pace of the game.

Although, Wolves boast of good away record in this year’s tournament, but there is the need for the team to be mindful of their opponents who apart from being Congolese champions in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013, respectively, parade some of the country’s national team players who will be aiming for a comprehensive

victory in Dolise to make their trip to Nigeria in a fortnight much easier.

In order to ensure they pick a ticket for the group stage of the money spinning second-tier African competition, there is the need for the Nigerian representatives to avoid complacency and defeat in Brazzaville so as not to be under undue pressure when they host their opponents at the Warri Township Stadium in the second leg.

Meanwhile, Coach of Warri Wolves, Paul Aigbogun, has assured Nigerians that the team will put up a good performance in today’s encounter even as he stated that they are not going to underrate the Congolese considering their pedigree in the CAF Confederation Cup. He told Saturday Mirror last Thursday before the team’s departure for Brazzaville that his players have what it takes to qualify for the group stage of the competition, promising that they will not disappoint in Congo.

“We are battle ready for the encounter and I can assure you that the same mentality we applied when we met their brothers from the other side of the Congo River is the same mentality we will apply against AC Leopards in Brazzaville.

“It is true that Athletic Club Leopards de Dolisie is a strong team considering that they have won the tournament before coupled with the fact that they were drafted from the CAF Champions League, we respect them for that but we are not going to give them room to operate and that is why we are not going to underrate them.

“Our target is to post a good performance in the first leg and wrap it up in Warri in the reverse fixtures to enable us play in the group stage which is the dream of any team.”

Speaking in the same vein, AC Leopards coach, Belgian Patrick Aussems expressed confidence that Wolves will not pose serious problem to his side whom he said are determined to emulate the 2012 squad that surprised the continent to win the tournament.

“We quite appreciate that Wolves parade some of the best players in the Nigerian League with an intimidating away record in the competition, but we are ready for them and I can assure you that our target is to repeat the feat of the 2012 squad that won the competition,” the Belgian said.

46

Sport

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LifeStyle

MirrorGolf

Depay: The new

With Pius Anakali Tel: 08023367071

Ajomale promises IGC members fun-filled year ...as committee sets out to work

I

keja Club Captain, Commodore Tokunbo Ajomale, (rtd) has promised members of Ikeja Golf Club, a fun filled year even as members of the 2015/16 committee set out to work.

Speaking in a chat with newsmen during the week, the Captain said he and his committee are ready to move the club to the next level, saying the next twelve months will witness greater improvement in terms of the quality of golf played on the course and infrastructural development.

“We are here to serve and I can promise my members that we will serve them to the best of our ability. We will do all we can to attract corporate presence to the club, we will do our best to attract more tournament and where possible revive others’ Ajomale said, adding that throughout his tenure the golf course won’t be neglected.

Those that will help him achieve his dream are, Akin Areola, the Vice Captain, Victor Enosegbe, the Competition Secretary, Jimoh Ogundare; Course Officer.

Nkechi Okwesa is the Lady Captain and has the task of overseeing all the activities within the la-

dies section, Wale Kalejaiye is the Membership Secretary while Ayo Akande is the clubs Treasurer.

Bidemi Babatunde is the Caddie Officer, Ofem Omini, Bar and Kitchen, Bukola Durojaiye is the Club Secretary, Jolomi Ideh is the Handicap secretary while Lambert Ofoegbu is the House Officer.

The ongoing reconstruction of the Club house, Ajomale explained further is uppermost on his agenda.

• Ajomale

Jimenez ready for title defence

M

iguel Angel Jiménez is looking forward to defending his Open de España title at Real Club de Golf El Prat this week – and has vowed to fight tooth and nail to retain his national Open.

The 51 year old Spaniard extended his own record as The European Tour’s oldest winner at PGA Catalunya Resort last year – striking lucky on home soil at the 27th time of asking and 31 years after his tournament debut.

“It’s a nice feeling that you win the Open of your country – I believe every player wants to do that,” said Jiménez.

“You come here thinking you can win – it’s the thing that motivates you to keep on playing.

“It’s nice to come here and defend the Spanish Open, it’s great and I will try to do my best and put my tooth and nails into it.”

The 21st victory of Jiménez’s European Tour career was not only special because it came in his National Open – it also occurred in the month of his marriage to Susanna.

“We got married last year on the third of May, and then the week after come to the Spanish Open and win - it was like I was expressing love for her with the

win,” added Jiménez.

While Jiménez is the defending champion this week, 2011 winner Thomas Aiken also has reason to look forward to the week ahead as the last player to lift the trophy at El Prat.

The South African also has plenty of form behind him, with last week’s fourth-place finish in Mauritius his fourth top-ten of the season.

“It’s always nice to come back to a place where you’ve won it,” said Aiken – whose victory came in an emotional week following the passing of Seve Ballesteros.

boy in town

M

anchester United new boy Memphis Depay flies to England on private jet to attend London boot launch after his £25m deal The Manchester United new boy is racking up the air miles as he posted an image of himself and three of his PSV teammates enjoying the sunshine and having ‘breakfast for champions’ in Ibiza on Tuesday.

Following his visit to England, Depay is expected fly back to Holland to watch his soon-to-be former team-mates take on Den Haag in their final game of the Eredivisie season.

Depay will not take part in Sunday’s match as PSV do not want to risk the chance of their star winger sustaining an injury on Den Haag’s artificial pitch ahead of his £25m move to Old Trafford.

Depay had wanted to play in the match and bid a final farewell to PSV fans, saying: ‘If it were up to me, I would play that game too.’

But PSV are keen to ensure nothing scuppers the winger’s dream move to Old Trafford and so the 2-0 home win over Heracles last Sunday was Depay’s final appearance.

Depay at least said goodbye in style, scoring a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque free-kick before parading the Dutch title at the Phillips Stadion.

The Holland international is likely to refresh his batteries by taking another break before eventually joining up with his new Manchester United team-mates in the summer.

Depay may have to get used to flying across the world as the Red Devils are making the transatlantic trip to America during pre-season.

Meanwhile, Queens Park Rangers midfielder Leroy Fer believes his compatriot Depay can be as good as Ronaldo and working

• Depay

under Louis van Gaal will help him develop.

Fer said: ‘He won’t be scared and that’s what I like about him. He will enjoy the comparison with Ronaldo and he will be a big player.

‘He’s not as tall as Ronaldo but he’s very talented, he’s strong, he’s quick, he’s got the skills and he can score goals. He’s a massive player and he’s going to be big in Manchester.

‘Of course he has to adapt to the Premier League and United are one of the biggest clubs, but I don’t think it’s going to be hard for him because he’s a very confident player.

‘Ronaldo is a bigger player than him right now because of what he’s done. But Memphis is only 21 and if he can be as good as Ronaldo was at United he is going to be a big player. I think he can be.’

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

May 16, 2015

MATCHDAY 9 Fixtures (17th May, 2015) Gabros

vs

Sharks FC

Giwa FC

vs

FC Taraba

Dolphins

vs

Enyimba

El-Kanemi

vs

Bayelsa United

Wikki

vs

Lobi Stars

Heartland

vs

Akwa United

3SC

vs

Rangers

Nasarawa

vs

Sunshine

Kwara Utd

vs

Abia Warriors vs

Warri Wolves Pillars

Ifeanyi Uba urges Gabros FC to sustain momentum Action recorded at Glo Premier League match

Ifeanyi Eduzor

P

roprietor of Gabros Football Club of Nnewi Ifeanyi Uba has charged his players to sustain the good run which has made them occupy the third position in the on-going Glo Premier League just as he noted that the team must maintain the momentum which made them play a 3-3 draw with Taraba Fc when they host Sharks of Port Harcourt this weekend in the week 9 of the premier league.

He noted that the good run presently being enjoyed by the club was because of his vision to bring back the lost glory of professional football in the country which was championed by the late Chief MKO Abiola, Israel Adebayo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Leventis Limited who through their clubs

namely; Abiola Babes, Stationery Stores, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Leventis Utd took their place not only in the country but the entire continent.

“My decision to go into football proprietorship was borne out of the zeal to complete what great football lovers like late Chief MKO Abiola and Israel Adebayo started which helped in rewriting the history of Nigerian football.

“As a person who believes in perfection, I am doing all within available resources to ensure we have the best professional team in Nigeria as well as a state of the art stadium which construction is ongoing at Nnewi and I believe that when the stadium is completed, Nigerian football will never remain the same.

According to the Oil magnet, the repositioning which the club also known as Ifeanyi Uba FC is undergoing has lead him to com-

Glo League: NNL teams begin race for promotion

T

hirty two teams across the country yesterday began race for promotion to the Glo Premier League from the Nigeria National League which is the second structure of domestic football in the country.

Due to financial constraint the structure adopted is a departure from the two groups of 16 teams played last season as participating teams has been spread into four groups.

At the end of the contest the leading teams in the four groups will be promoted to the Premier League.

Interestingly, the NNL is home to Insurance and Mighty Jets, two of the oldest teams in Nigeria’s league history.

After excelling at the amateur cadre, six teams: Atiba, Bussdor United, Ikorodu United, J. Atete,

Court of Appeal and Yobe Desert Stars, have joined the NNL. For Yobe Desert Stars and Bussdor, it’s a return to the NNL following their relegation in 2013.

Back in 2002, Yobe Desert Stars reached the defunct Coca-Cola FA Cup finals, but lost to defunct Julius Berger. That remains Yobe’s best achievement till date as the club has been managing to find its feet.

Another team returning to the NNL is Court of Appeal.

However, the club will have to continue life without their youngster, Jimoh Oni, who is flourishing at Premier League side, Heartland.

The trio of Atiba FC, J. Atete and Ikorodu United FC are set for their debut. Unlike Atiba and J. Atete, Ikorodu United acquired the franchise of Kaduna Bees.

mence the construction of an international stadium at Nnewi as a way of telling Nigerians that football can be managed as a viable business as is done in Europe and America.

47

Glo League Update With Paul Erewuba e-mail: ikechukwuerewuba@yahoo.com

Fed Cup: Heartland tackle Sharks in round of 32

I

t will be an interesting and explosive encounter between Heartland and Sharks when the 2015 Federation Cup round of 32 takes center stage on July 8 and 9.

The pairing is the only one involving two NPFL side at this stage of the cup competition.

Kukuruku Dragons, who sent Giwa FC packing in the round of 64, will now face Rangers and hope for another upset to progress to the next stage of the competition, while the cup holders Enyimba face Remo Stars.

League champions Kano Pillars will have their hands full when they take on Plateau United, who sent packing 3SC in the round of 64 while Lobi Stars will be up against Niger

Tornadoes just as Kano Pillars will battle Plateau United.

The fixture also indicates that Gateway Fc of Abeokuta will test the might of El- Kanemi of Maiduguri; Kwara United will face ABU with Spotlight Fc the fireworks of BJ Foundation.

Also Abia Warriors will face Crwon Fc of Oshogbo; Gabros of Nnewi is paired against Bayelsa United with giant killers, Papilo Fc facing an uphill task against Taraba Fc Other pairings indicates that Akwa United will be up against Peacemaker Fc, Atete FC will meet Prime Fc in this stage of the completion while Wikki Tourists of Bauchi will meet Tornadoes Feeders with Jalingo Fc meeting premiership campaigners, Dolphins of Port Harcourt.

Firm provides insurance cover for players Ejidike lauds organisers of NNPC/Shell Cup

S

F

ollowing the decision of the organisers of the NNPC/Shell Cup 2015 to acknowledge the expression of interest of the Office of the Nigeria Pillar of Sports to partner in this year’s edition of All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship, Nigeria’s Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Ejidike, has lauded the organisers for their visionary policy towards revitalization of schools sports in the country.

Ejidike in a statement made available to our correspondent through the Chairman, Office of the Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Prince Olayioye Ajide, described the partnership as a step in the right direction.

Ejidike said schools sports should not be left alone in the hands of government, rather, corporate organizations, philanthropists and individuals should team up and encourage the organisers through donations and provision of logistics to enhance a befitting championship.

He commended Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) and Worldwide Sports Limited for their sense of responsibility and rising to the challenge of resuscitating school sports.

Ejidike further stressed that the partnership of NSSF and Worldwide Sports is encouraging the combination of football and education among our talented students which has been on for the past 17 years.

tandard Alliance Insurance Plc (SA Insurance) has said that it would provide Group Personal Accident (GPA) cover for all the players and officials of the Nigeria Nation-Wide League (NNWL) during the five-month league.

Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, one of the nation’s frontline underwriting companies.

The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Nelson Egboboh, who revealed this during the week, said their outfit did not regret its decision to identify with the league.

Egboboh explained that this was not the first time the company would be showing this passion as it had thrown its insuring weight behind sporting activities like golf, squash and boxing tournaments at different times.

He said as a sport-loving corporate citizen, the company was always interested in joining hands with everyone towards the devel-

opment of all sporting activities in the country.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the League, Olushola Ogunnowo, has explained that the league season which ends in October will be played in Divisions 1-3, disclosing that a total of 160 clubs and over 13,000 players will be participating across the three divisions.

According to him, whereas the division two took-off Thursday May 14, the third division will commence in July.

While thanking Standard Alliance Insurance Plc for taking up the official insurer role, he charged the company’s management to remain on this unique path of identifying with events of this nature, noting that “this decision to provide our players and officials the much needed insurance cover stands the company out as one of first choice to patronize whenever we need further insurance services.”

Bayesa’s Frimpong talks tough ahead El-Kanemi clash tomorrow

D

espite playing away, Bayelsa United winger, Eric Frimpong is hopeful that his side will grab the three points at stake in Maiduguri when both sides meet in the Week 9 match of the NPFL. Frimpong was Matchday 8 hero for his side after scoring one goal and creating assists to complete a 3-0 victory over city rivals, Nembe City.

Back in 2006, Frimpong was in the Niger Tornadoes side that won bronze in the defunct

Coca-Cola FA Cup. “The entire team played well during our match against Nembe and we achieved victory for our dedication to duty. However, we have put that behind us, we now have to turn attention to our next match against ElKanemi in Maiduguri tomorrow.

Despite the fact that we are playing away, we are optimistic that if we can up our game the way we did last week, we will emerge victorious.”

48

SPORT

Cech given permission to talk to other clubs G

Pogba

Mourinho one of the all-time greats —Pulis

W

est Brom coach l i s

Tony Pubelieves Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho deserves to go down as one of the alltime managerial greats.

Pulis’ men host Chelsea at The Hawthorns on Monday with both sides having little to play for in the penultimate game of their respective Premier League campaigns.

Chelsea secured the title 12 days ago with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace while West Brom ensured their top-flight survival courtesy of a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United.

And, confirming that West Brom would give Chelsea a guard of honour, Pulis said: “I think it’s right that they are shown the respect that champions deserve.

“They are deserved champions. People have had the cheek to criticise their style but they are thoroughly deserved winners.

oalkeeper Petr Cech could be set to end his 11-year career at Chelsea after his agent said that he has been given permission to talk to other clubs.

The 32-year-old, who has been at the club since 2004, has only made 16 appearances this season, with Belgian Thibaut Courtois now first choice.

“Petr still has a contract that ends in a year,” said agent Viktor Kolar.

“I can confirm, however, that we have been permitted by Chelsea to negotiate with interested parties.”

Kolar added: “Petr has confirmed his interest to play regularly at a top club. That’s the task that we are now working on, but other than that there has not been any other change in terms of Petr Cech’s employment and the transfer period only begins on 1 July.”

When asked about the agent’s comments, Chelsea stated that they do not comment on transfer speculation.

Blues manager Jose Mourinho said last week that he wanted the keeper to remain at Stamford Bridge.

“Without Petr this season, I don’t think the club would be champions because he played six important matches in the Premier League and without these points we probably wouldn’t be champions,” said the Portuguese.

“So for me, decision number one: Petr will stay. After that, second point to go but not in England. The option I don’t want is for him to go to an English club.”

The Czech Republic international has won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League title during his 11 years with the Blues.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

May 16, 2015

Gerrard’s exit not permanent, says Rodgers S

teven Gerrard’s exit from Liverpool will not be permanent, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.

The captain, 34, will make his final Anfield appearance on Saturday when the Reds host Crystal Palace.

“He’s somebody I’d love to have working with me when he has finished playing. That opportunity for him to come back will be there for as long as I’m here,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers said that Gerrard returning to Anfield for a loan spell during the MLS off-season “may be a possibility later down the line” but it had not yet been discussed.

Previously, Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre said a loan move for Gerrard next January was “conceivable”.

Gerrard has made more than 700 appearances for Liverpool since his debut in November 1998 and has won the Champions League, Uefa Cup, two FA Cups and three League Cups with his club.

“I asked members of staff if they could describe Steven in one word, what word would that be,” added the Reds’ manager.

“It’s Liverpool. Not just Liverpool as a football clubs but Liverpool the supporters and Liverpool the city.

“What Steven has given to this city, politicians haven’t given to this city. He’s a wonderful symbol for the people here and is an icon of the club.”

•Gerrard

‘Juve must stay focused’ J

Mourinho

“Mourinho has proved he’s a great coach. He will go down in history as one of the great managers.

“There is an elitist group in any league in the world, but there still has to be a winner from among them.

“And Jose ends up being the winner. He’s proved to be very special in all that he’s done.

“He’s put himself up there to be shot at but he’s backed it up.

There is no doubt he stands up there with the best.”

•Juventus celebrating after qualifying for the finals in the Champions league

EPL FIXTURES Southampton v

Aston Villa

Burnley

v

Stoke

QPR

v Newcastle

Sunderland

v Leicester

Tottenham

v Hull

West Ham

v Everton

Liverpool

v Crystal Palace

uventus coach Massimiliano Allegri wants his team to remain fully focused at home after reaching the Champions League final.

Juventus drew 1-1 at Real Madrid on Wednesday to progress to the final on June 6 in Berlin, keeping alive hopes of a possible treble.

After already clinching a fourth straight league title, Juventus faces rival Inter Milan in the Derby d’Italia on Saturday and plays Lazio four days later in the final of the Italian Cup — a competition it hasn’t won in 20 years.

Allegri says “the Champions League was a dream. Now clearly it’s become the priority, but we mustn’t take our eye off everything else.”

Arsenal consider move for Schmeichel

A

rsenal are considering a surprise summer move for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, should they fail in their bid to sign Petr Cech from Chelsea.

The Daily Telegraph reports how the Foxes stopper has impressed during his debut season in the Pre-

mier League, and could well have earned himself a big-money transfer to one of the division’s big-boys.

Liverpool have also been mooted as an admirer of the Denmark international as well, but the prospect of playing in the Champions League probably gives the Gunners the upper hand over the Anfield rivals.

Crime Watch House boy kills boss over request for proper accounting Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

May 16, 2015

H

ad 65 year old Agnes Elue, who resided at No 293b Agbani Road, Enugu, known the depth of malevolence in her manservant, Joseph Ijeh, she would never have requested him to give her an account of the sales made in the shop for the day.

Elue would probably be alive by now because Ijeh might not have seen the need to dispatch her to the great beyond.

It was gathered that the now deceased who happens to be the proprietor of a joint located at Agbani was allegedly killed by the manservant after which he escaped leaving the dead body inside one of the rooms for some days before it was discovered and reported to the police.

It was further gathered that following the report, operatives swung into action and the suspect was arrested.

Following his arrest, suspect who gave his name as Joseph Ijeh and who had been living with the deceased as a servant for so many years revealed that on that fateful day. the madam confronted him, asking him to render account for the sales he had made within the period under review.

This angered the suspect.

Elue had gone into one of her rooms waiting for Ijeh to bring his report.

Instead, the manservant crept up to her from behind and hit her with a pestle. This blow allegedly caused the death of the woman.

The suspect has attributed the act to satanic influence. But the state police command has swung into a full scale investigation into the incident.

18-years old suspect, Joseph Ijah after his arrest

Lifeless body of the woman allegedly killed by Joseph Ijah the maidservant

We treated our victims well—Kidnap suspects

P

erhaps seeking soft landing after being nabbed by policemen for kidnapping a young lady named Titilayo Adeboye, suspects in the abduction case say that they treated her well even as she denied such claims. Adeboye stated that she refused the meals provided her by her captors for the period of the six days that she was held in captivity.

One of the gang members, Ifeanyi Chukwuleta, has said his gang treated Adeboye well.

The young lady, a Mass Communication graduate, however said that though she refused to accept the banana given to her, she ate the apple provided for her and equally gulped down the table water they gave her.

Earlier on the Lagos State Police Com-

missioner Kayode Aderanti had revealed that on the 16th of April 2015 at about 21 40 hrs a complaint was received by the Divisional Police Officer, Akodo Division that one Mrs Kudirat Adeboye has been kidnapped along Eleko -Epe expressway by six unknown armed men Aderanti further disclosed that when it became glaring that the men attached to the local police where the complaint was initially launched seem not to be making a headway, he directed the officer-incharge of the Command’s Anti- Robbery Squad Abba Kyari to commence thorough investigation that could lead to the rescue of the victim and subsequently arrest the culprits While all these was going on, he said ,the kidnappers had established contact

with the family and had demanded a ransom of fifty million naira and that when the family kept haggling with them, they reduce it to three million naira.

However, nemesis was to catch up with them, when two SARS decoy operative trailed them to Epe where they had directed the son of the victim to bring the ransom and that for some inexplicable reasons, they redirected the victims son to another location along Ijebu-Ode road The leader of the gang simply called Niyi was said to have come out of their hiding to pick up the ransom, and on noticing the SARS operative ran back into the bush and was given a hot chase. A gun duel between the fleeing Niyi and the operatives ensued and in the exchange of gunshot, he was fatally injured. Niyi it was who later

led the operatives to the spot at Epe where they kept the victim.

Aderanti noted that one double barrel pistol with two expended bullets and six live cartridges were recovered from the scene noting further that though Niyi later died from the wounds sustained from the gun duel, the police through diligent follow up and deployment of advanced technology by forensic analysis of information obtained from the cell phone recovered from late Niyi, three more gang members namely Ifeanyi Chukwuleta, Kolawole Alani and Rasheed Adetunji were arrested.

During interrogation Aderanti said the arrested kidnapers confessed to have severally engaged in their nefarious activities around Elemoro,Akodo and Epe in Lagos State and Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State.

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

50

CRIME WATCH

May 16, 2015

Customs arrest Chinese national over smuggling

•Contraband hurl estimated in billions of naira Abdulgafar Oladimeji Kano

T

he Nigeria Custom Service task force responsible for anti smuggling has impounded contraband textile material hidden in over 20 warehouses spread across Kano metropolis.

The prohibited goods which value is estimated to worth billions of naira were allegedly smuggled into the country by four Chinese nationals.

The deputy controller in charge of the national anti smuggling Task Force, deputy comptroller of customs, Hassan Shanangwa told newsmen at the site of one of the warehouse that, the suspected Chinese national were engaged in smuggling of illegal imports of textile materials through concealment of the illicit goods from security operatives and the useage of illegitimate travelling routes.

According to him, the intelligence unit of the service was tipped off on the existence of these warehouses in Kano, disclosing that, intelligence officers were dispatched to investigate and report back, the feedback from intelligence gathering confirmed the housing of illegal goods in those warehouses.

“The CGC himself got a tip off , investigated, monitored and when he was curtained that uncustom goods were being warehoused by some Chinese nationals , he gave directives to the headquarters strike force to storm the place with a view to seizing and arresting all those perpetrating this illegality.

“Upon receipt of directive from CGC, we went into Kano at Gandun Albasa, where we discovered 6 warehouses fully stocked with smuggled assorted textile materials, over twenty other warehouses are sealed and investigation into these illegalities have already commenced,” Shanangwa said. Shanangwa further said, the anti smuggling squad under his command swoop on the warehouse where contraband textile material, which

Abdullahi Dikko Inde, CFR, Comptroller-General of Customs

street value is estimated to run into billions of naira were impounded.

National Mirror reports that, majority of the warehouses were piled with large number of bales of assorted contraband textiles were situated around Gandun Albasa quarters within Kano metropolis. The customs yesterday paraded the suspected four Chinese nationals namely Gao Guoxu, Li Yang, Zhao Shaimin and Zhousin Xue alleging that they form part of a syndicate that specializes in the smuggling and storage of contraband textile, in Kano.

He described the act by the Chinese nationals as a disrespect to Nigerian laws, ‘These acts of illegalities being committed by other nationals who have chosen to disrespect the laws of our land is making rubbish of ongoing efforts of government to industrialise Nigeria.

The quantity and value of the seizure is being compiled by our valuation offi-

cers,”. The alleged leader of the Chinese nationals paraded, Gao Guoxu disclosed that, they import the materials into Nigeria through an agent who is resident in neighboring country, stating that, the biological father of the agent resides in Kano.

The gang leader Gao Guoxu told newsmen that, they do not know the name of their company, explaining that they carry out their transactions through an unnamed agent, according to him, they are ignorant of their residential address, further explaining, they are able to navigate their way from their abode to place of business, on daily basis , though never bother to memorize their residential address.

The Nigeria Custom Service said, on completion of investigations, the suspected textile smugglers would be arraigned before the appropriate court with inherent jurisdiction for prosecution.

DPO murder: CP vows to catch culprits

T

he Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, has vowed to track down everyone involved in last month’s killing of a Divisional Police Officer at Adekile area of Ibadan.

It would be recalled that Chief Superintendent of Police, Ikeokwu Nworgu, was attacked by some hoodlums while on official duty at Adekile area of Ibadan.

The hoodlums had inflicted fatal machete cuts on him and also shot him.

Katsina, who spoke newsmen, said the command had arrested another suspect who was close to the principal suspect said

to be at large.

He said: “We are getting close to arresting the second in command of those that killed the DPO. “And until I nab the last man involved in killing him, I will not rest.”

He said the arrested suspect, who had fled the area with others, was nabbed last week when information filtered in that he had returned to the area.

“The suspect was arrested around 2am in his house at Adekile.”

Katsina, who urged residents of the area to cooperate with the police by reporting the other suspects when sighted,

added that the late officer’s service pistol was still in the possession of two of them.

The commissioner also disclosed that the late officer was buried in his village in Abia State on Friday.

He said: “That marked the eclipse of a very promising, hardworking and courageous officer who died gallantly in the line of duty.

“He died leaving behind two kids.

“The eldest is nine years old, a wife, aged mother and siblings.

“His brother, who visited me, said the slain officer was the breadwinner of their family.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gospel preacher remanded over theft of Lexus SUV

A

35-year-old mobile gospel preacher, Lucky David, was on Tuesday remanded at Kirikiri Prisons by an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court 2 in Lagos for allegedly stealing a Lexus jeep valued at N1.5 million.

David, whose residential address was not disclosed, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft.

Magistrate Peter Nwaka did not grant the accused bail because he did not provide a residential address.

Nwaka said anyone willing to stand surety to fulfill the accused’s bail conditions should go to the Chief Registrar’s office. He adjourned the case to May 27 for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Corporal Oluwafemi Adeleye, had told the court that the accused on May 1 at 9am at Idimu in Ejigbo, a suburb of Lagos, stole a Lexus jeep valued at N1.5 million.

Adeleye said: “The accused on the said date impersonated as a gospel preacher, clutching a hand bell, pretended to be preaching around the residence of one Mrs. Stella Ogunfatimi.

“However, the ‘fake preacher’ was only monitoring her movement.

“As soon as Ogunfatimi came out of her jeep to pick something in her house, the accused entered the jeep and drove it away.”

Accountant in court for raping neighbour

A

33-year-old accounts officer, Stephen Itodo, who allegedly raped his neighbour, was on Tuesday arraigned in an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.

Itodo, who resides at 18, Alhaji Shehu Close, Oshodi, Lagos, is being tried for assault and rape.

The prosecutor, Corporal Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 3 at his residence.

Olatunde said the accused unlawfully raped his neighbour without her consent.

He said: “The accused forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with his 20-yearold neighbour without her permission.

“The accused sent the complainant on an errand to buy matches for him.

“The accused went to call the complainant in her room that he was not feeling fine that she should help him to buy matches.

“When the complainant came with the matches, she knocked on Itodo’s door, he told her to open the door and bring it inside that he was too weak to get up.

“Immediately the complainant opened the door and stepped inside, the accused, who was hiding behind the door, bolted it and dragged her to his bed.”

The prosecutor said the complainant shouted for help, but the accused overpowered her and forcefully had sex with her.

The offences, Olatunde said, contravened Sections 258 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 258 prescribes a life jail term as penalty for offenders.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

51

May 16, 2015

South West

Nigerians may not be patient with Buhari –Group Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO.

H

uman rights group, Pathfinder Movement, yesterday urged the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to hit the ground running because Nigerians may not be patient with him.

In a statement issued

yesterday by Charles Adeyemi, the state coordinator of the group in Osogbo, PM said so much have been reported in the media, concerning the stance of the President elect, on what Nigerians are to expect and what not to.

The group wondered why Gen. Buhari asked Nigerians to look at him a magician adding that

Nigerians may not be able to endure the present harsh economic condition for long and would expect him to, as quickly, as possible, turnaround the fortunes of the country.

The statement reads: “Nigerians didn’t vote just to be told stories of what has happened in the past or presently happening, we voted for the word

“CHANGE” so if General Buhari is now telling us not to expect miracle, what should we now expect? Same old drama?

“The constitution of the country as at today empowers the President of the federal republic to deliver on “any” of his promises made to the electorates, especially such promises that General

Buhari made during electioneering campaigns.

“Few among which are checking of free fall of naira value, permanent solution to the insecurity, changing the lots of education and state of unemployment of the teeming population of the Nigerian youths, feeding of our school pupils. Poor state of health sector is some-

thing that is calling for urgent attention all over the country.

“In lieu of this, the youths of this country reject claims of the President-elect that he is not a magician and re-affirm that what we expect from him is a big miracle, even as we pray for him to have sound health to fulfill his promises.”

Alleged money laundering:

Counsel gives PDP days to retract allegation against Aregbesola’s son Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

T L-R: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Wole Soyinka; Governor-Elect, Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Mrs. Folake Shoyinka and Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora, during the presentation of a book, ‘’Titled Dynamics of Change, the Governor Amaechi Years, in Lagos, on Thursday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Man docked for dismembering friend’s body for ritual

A

27-year-old man, Fatai Afobaje, who allegedly killed his friend cruelly and dismembered his body, was on Tuesday in Lagos arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Afobaje, who resides at 332, Oko Agbonla Irese Village in Magbon, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a twocount charge of conspiracy and murder.

The Prosecutor, ASP Elizabeth Ekuma, said the offences were committed on February 13 at about 1am at the residence of the accused.

Ekuma said Afobaje killed one Rafiu Sulaimon, 44, his close friend, who was on a visit.

Ekuma said the accused allegedly cut-off the head and hands of the friend using a knife.

She said: “The victim had gone to visit his friend and on getting there, the security man at the house of the accused allegedly charmed Sulaimon, which rendered him unconscious.

“Sulaiman was carried into the room where Afo-

baje chopped off his head and hands before he buried his trunk.”

Ekuma said when some policemen conducted a search in the premises of the accused, they discovered the chopped-off parts of the deceased where they were buried.

She added that the wife of the deceased was able

to identify her murdered husband when she saw his wedding ring on one of the chopped-off fingers inside a calabash in Afobaje’s home.

The offences, Ekuma noted, contravened Sections 221 and 231of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Ni-

geria reports that Section 221 prescribes capital punishment for murder.

The Magistrate, A.O. Komolafe, ordered that the accused should be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions.

The case has been adjourned to June 22.

35-year-old man docked for fondling women’s breasts

A

35-year-old man, Ahmed Tairu, who allegedly indecently assaulted some women by touching their breasts and buttocks, is facing trial at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The accused, who resides at No. 26, Brown St., Maryland, Lagos, is arraigned for breach of peace and assault.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 11 at New Life Hotel at No. 4, Church St., Oshodi.

According to him, the accused assaulted and touched the women’s breasts and

buttocks.

“The accused also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace.

“The accused always go to the hotel to obstruct the female staff from performing their duties and always harass the female customers of the hotel.

“Tairu had been warned several times by the management not to come to the hotel premises again, but he failed to heed the warning,” he said.

Olatunde also told the court that the accused allegedly stabbed two security guards with a broken bottle

when they tried to prevent him from assaulting the women.

“In the process, he tore their uniforms and stabbed one of the guards on the head with a broken bottle and another on his chest.”

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Akeem Fashola, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 and adjourned case to May 21 for mention. (NAN).

he chairman of Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP, in Osun state, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, has been told to retract the allegation he made that son of Governor Rauf Aregebsola, Abdulkabir was arrested for money laundering at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, within 7 days.

Olaoluwa was also told to tender unreserved apology within same period over the claim.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the PDP chairman, copy of which was made available to newsmen in Osogbo, Osun State capital yesterday.

The solicitor to Abdulkabir, Barrister Ajibola Basiru in the letter said the retraction and apology must be done in at least two national dailies with wide circulation.

He added that failure to publish the retraction with an apology within the said period may leave the client with no alternative option than to seek legal redress with its attendant consequences.

Ajibola further disclosed that his client was never arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport for the offence of money laundering, saying he was no nowhere near the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and he was not arrested at the airport or anywhere in the country at any time whatsoever.

The letter reads in parts: “It may also interest you to know that our client has never been arrested any-

where in the country or outside the country for any offence since he was born.

Our client is a young professional with a brilliant career.

However, your orchestrated lie had reduced the image of our client in the estimation of every right thinking member of the public.

“It has also injured our client’s reputation and that of members of his families as you have portrayed him falsely as a money launder.

“Our client informed us that he received numerous calls from families and friends directing him to check a news publication in two national dailies (Daily Independent not inclusive) with captions: “Osun Govt, PDP bicker over alleged arrest of Aregbesola’s son for attempted money laundering”, and “Osun denies Kabiru Aregbesola’s alleged arrest”.

“In the said publications, you (Ganiyu Olaoluwa) issued a statement on behalf of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) emphatically stating that our client was arrested at the departure wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with a lump sum of money that was not cleared but stocked in his luggage.

“Based on these false and wicked allegations you were urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to sweep the trumped up allegation under the carpet.

“Contrary to the above, our client, Mr. Abdulkabir Aregbesola, was nowhere near the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and he was not arrested at the airport or anywhere in the country at any time whatsoever.

52

REGIONAL NEWS

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

Kaduna Assembly moves to impeach Yero over alleged last minute looting A za Msue KADUNA

T

he All Progressive Congress APC Caucus of the Kaduna State House of Assembly yesterday started move to impeach the State Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero over what they described as last minute looting of funds.

Addressing an emergency news conference at the Lugard Hall premises of the state Assembly, the APC caucus in what looks like an attempt to establish a process that may see the governor being removed warned over any attempt to squander public funds before may 29 handover.

The caucus which was made up of 14 APC members led by the Deputy Minority Leader, Aminu Abdullahi Shagari, are

accusing the governor of last what they called “last minute looting and squandering of public funds” According to the lawmaker, the outgoing government is in a rush to appropriate and disburse the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, funds of the 23 local government areas that was unused.

They said: “A request submitted this week by the executive arm to the Assembly to appropriate the 2014 Sure-P Funds of the 23 local governments to the tune of N2.744bn is not only improper but gross financial recklessness.

“There is no how a local government council can judiciously execute any meaningful project within 2 weeks considering the fact that diligent due process and financial

has to be followed.” They explained.

They alleged that ceding of 50% of the said fund to be used for road project is in total violation of the laid down

regulations regarding the SURE-P funds and the fact that it was indicated in the handing over note of the outgoing government suggest an attempt of last minute looting.

“Even though an attempt was made to discuss the issue and pass it by the assembly, a resolution was made during an executive session that the funds

L-R: Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi; Kaduna State Governor Muktar Yero and his Jigawa counterpart, Sule Lamido, during the inauguration of Jigawa Broadcasting House in Dutse, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN

Gombe, UNDP train women, youths Williams Attah GOMBE

G

ombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, has commended his administration’s efforts in significantly reducing the number of volatile restive youth it met upon assumption of office about four years ago.

The governor stated this at the occasion of the flag-off of the skills acquisition training for 600 youths in six trades and 330 women in four trades organized by the State Government in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held

at the Auditorium of the Gombe State University.

Represented at the occasion by the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Alhjaji Danladi Mohammed Fantami, the governor said the success recorded in the youth sector was a result of several skills acquisition programmes and the re-orientation of the youths towards making them self employed and being responsible citizens.

He said women empowerment programmes have similarly been implemented towards tapping the huge potential investment in the women of the State which has been further strength-

ened through the pet project of his wife, Hajiya Adama Women Empowerment Programme (HAWEP).

He said the State Government had paid its counterpart contribution of #162 million for the delivery of all the components of the UNDP assistance to the State while the UNDP on its part has fully met its obligation by providing its funding component and the provision of all the needed technical and professional support to the State.

Earlier in his speech, the Country Director of UNDP in Nigeria, PaLamin Beyai said one of the major challenges confronting contemporary

global and national environments is youth unemployment which effects has manifested negatively through the increasing rate of crimes including kidnapping and insurgency in Nigeria.

He said the programme

JOS

A

n ardent supporter of the All Progressives Congress APC, in Plateau State, Mr Gayam Mayakı has arrived Jos, the state capital after trekking for over 200 kilometres to celebrate the victory of the

party’s governorship candidate, Barrıster Sımon Lalong,.

Mayakı, 49, hails from Namu Village of Qua’anpan Local Government Area of the state, a distance of about 200km from the state capital.

Accompanied by the member-elect for Quanpan South state Constituency, Mohammed

Abubarka and other party supporters, Mayakı, who looked unruffled in a sports jacket and bag, told journalists at the NUJ Secretariat yesterday that it took him six days to trek from Namu to Jos. According to him, he decided to embark on the long distance to congratulate the state governor elect and to encourage

is a second phase of a comprehensive livelihood and youth empowerment programme formulated by the Gombe State Government with support from UNDP in 2014 adding that under the first phase, about 78 master trainers

in 10 trade areas such as tailoring, knitting, tie and dye, hairdressing, welding and mental fabrication, carpentry, aluminium fabrication, electrical GSM repairs and computer operation were trained.

government area of Benue state.

Addressing press conference yesterday in Makurdi, the President of Tyoshin Development Association, Dr. Ugbegili Sylvester stated that those killed by Fulani marauders includes Mr. Orhen Agbulu at Tse Agbulu, Mrs. Anakulaga Gbesa and Mr. Agbughur Voor at Tse Atakpa village.

At Tse Abichi, one Godwin Huna was seriously matcheted by the suspected Fulani herdsmen and dispossessed of 47, 000 naira including GSM handsets and is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital at Naka, the headquarters of the council.

Dr. Ugbegili however noted that the renewed scourge of Fulani insurgents leading to the killings of innocent

citizens is unprecedented and called on the stakeholders to intervene with view to finding a lasting solution to the crises.

According to him “government and stakeholders had three months ago set up mediatory committee to resolve the crises yet to no avail as the impasse after concerted efforts was made to restore peace yet our people are still being massacred and killed like chicken in their own land” In a related development, Governor Gabriel Suswam while playing host to the delegation of Presidential committee on flood relief and rehabilitation led by Mr. John Agbo yesterday, commended the gesture of the Federal government to set up a camp centre for victims of disaster in future in the state.

3 killed in renewed Fulani attack in Benue

Henry Iyorkase MAKURDI

T

hree persons were yesterday feared dead in a renewed suspected Fulani attacks on the natives at Sengev village in Gwer west local

Man, 49 treks over 200km for Lalong James Abraham

should not be appropriated and disbursed, we hereby state categorically that we are not a party to such financial recklessness and dissociate ourselves with the move.”They said.

him to deliver on his campaign promıses because the people ın the villages have suffered so much Namu who spoke in Hausa added that he decided to make a detour to the NUJ Secretariat so that journalısts could help him pass the same message to the Presidentelect, General Muhammed Buharı.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

53

May 16, 2015

SOUTH EAST

APC rejects Nwobodo, Nnaji in Enugu

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he All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State said it had stopped the registration of former Sen. Jim Nwobodo and former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, into the party.

The Publicity Secretary of APC in the State, Mrs Kate Offor, made the announcement while briefing journalists on the outcome of its Executive Committee Meeting in Enugu on Thursday.

According to her, the party will not admit any member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into its fold until further notice.

“At an enlarged meeting of the State Executive Committee of Enugu State chapter of APC, we resolved that enlisting Nnaji, Nwobodo and others into our great party be stopped forthwith.

“Accordingly, we are outraged that some elements, without authorisation or due process, had held sinister meetings with Nnaji in his Umuode village.

“We hold Nnaji, robotic engineer and our elder

statesman, Nwobodo and other eminent sons in very high esteem.

“However, we frown seriously at clandestine moves of some people reaping where they did not sow “We stand by the immutable statements of our President-elect, Maj.-General Muhammadu Buhari, and our National Chairman, Chief John OdigeOyegun, to the effect that we do not want a one party state.

“Therefore, PDP members should stay and rebuild their party.

“When the issue of their defection came up at the enlarged SEC meeting, most members of the party raised serious objection to it.’’

Offor said the committee frowned at the way some party members in the state registered some PDP members without due process.

The publicity secretary warned that the party would not hesitate to sanction any member found to be involved in any plot to admit any PDP member until a time authorised by the party.

APGA set for ward congresses –Chairman

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he All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra says it has put in place mechanisms for the smooth conduct of its ward congresses scheduled for Saturday.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Mike Kwentoh, said this in an interview with newsmen.

Kwentoh said the party’s congresses and convention would be conducted in line with the party’s constitution and

best practices so as to evolve a credible leadership.

The party chieftain described the National Working Committee meeting of the party held last week in Abuja as successful.

He added that the May 16, May 23, May 26 and June 6 dates for ward, council, state and national congresses and convention were sacrosanct.

The chairman also said that APGA would reclaim its mandate in certain in-

stances through the judicial process.

Kwentoh, who expressed hope that APGA would become the most formidable opposition party before 2019, said it was increasingly gaining acceptance in every part of the country.

The chairman insisted that APGA was not an Igbo party but a national party with roots in the South-East region of the country just as the other major political parties.

He added that the party

had participated in all national elections since its inception.

The tenure of the current leadership of the party at the national level and Anambra would come to an end on June 10.

It would be recalled that the June 10 date was given for the termination of the four-month extension granted the leadership following the amendment of the party’s constitution at a special convention in Awka in December last year.

Kalu greets Onitsha monarch at 74

E

minent industrialist and former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu has described Igwe Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha and Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, has an uncommon paramount ruler with passion for humanity.

He noted that that the monarch has continued to channel his resources in developing his community and promoting the well -being of the people.

In a goodwill message signed by his Special Adviser, Prince Kunle Oyewu-

Igwe Alfred Achebe

mi, Kalu said,”I am indeed happy to join Igwe Alfred Achebe and his well-wishers in celebrating an outstanding personality on the occasion of his 74th birthday. Your Majesty, you play a selfless role in Igboland in particular and Nigeria in general. You stand out among your colleagues owing to your forthrightness and fairness on national issues. You are a symbol of joy, peace and unity to every Igbo son and daughter.

I pray that God will grant you wisdom, good health and abundant blessing as you steer the affairs of your great Kingdom”.

The former governor while acknowledging the role of traditional institutions in promoting peaceful co existence, urged government at all levels to work closely with them for the sustenance of unity in Nigeria.

Kalu wished the monarch and his family a joyous celebration.

Chairman, NUJ Enugu State Council, Mr. Louis Dilibe (left) and Enugu State’s All Progressives Congress, APC, Deputy governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Mrs. Chikaodili Ibekaku, during a news conference on the conduct of the elections in Enugu, on Wednessday. PHOTO: NAN

Impeachment: Speaker alleges plot to detain him in Enugu

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he Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr Eugene Odo, on Thursday alleged that the police want to detain him over a purported scam involving N12 billion naira.

Odo, who briefed newsmen in Enugu on the impasse between the lawmakers and Gov. Sullivan Chime, called on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene.

He noted that in spite of the court order by the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu which restrain the police from curtailing his liberty, granted him and

other lawmakers’ unfettered access to the assembly complex.

Odo expressed regret that up till Thursday the Monday was yet to be obeyed by the police.

He said he was rather invited by the Commissioner of Police in Enugu on phone over a petition by the governor highlighting issues raised in the impeachment notice.

“This is a legislative matter and not a police affair. I suspect a situation where we may be detained and poisoned.

“This is to bring the

matter to the attention of the public and ask the IGP to intervene.

“This is the first time legislative duties are carried to the police. Matters of impeachment is to make responses and not for the police to take over.

“I hope that Enugu State people will not allow this.

The police should obey court orders and not to restrain us to carry out our legislative functions.

“What we are suspecting is not favourable to my personal liberty and it goes to show the level of impunity going on in this state,’’ he

alleged.

Odo alleged that the police was getting involved in the saga, and urged them to do their functions.

He said that he was reinvited to report to the police on Monday, May 18, as he was not disposed to report on Thursday.

A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu had on Monday directed the police to vacate the premises of the assembly complex.

The court also granted the speaker and 14 other lawmakers’ unfettered access to perform their legislative duties.

54

REGIONAL NEWS

May 16, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH

19-year-old impersonates Tinubu

zz My mother’s ill-health pushed me into crime

A

19-year-old man Emmanuel Eto is in police custody for allegedly impersonating the All Progressive Congress, APC, national leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Eto, a National Diploma II student of Delta State Polytechnic Oghara, was arrested by officers attached to the Lagos state police command for operating a facebook account which he allegedly used for impersonating Senator Ahmed Tinubu and using his name to lure unsuspecting members

of the public to part with cash for employment offers in blue chip companies.

According to the police, Eto had successfully defrauded three persons and made them to part with N26,800 each which they paid into a UBA account.

Luck, however, ran out on him while attempting to defraud the fourth victim in Lagos.

Speaking on the arrest, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Kayode Aderanti, stated that the Command received a complaint from one retired DIG Alhaji Rahmam Akao that

someone was impersonating a renowned senator on social media and defrauding unsuspecting victims.

He said “I immediately directed the OC State Investigation Bureau (SCIB), SP Ameh Akpa Veronica to investigate the case.

SP Ameh Akpa Veronica immediately led a team of detectives who traced the suspect to Delta state where he was eventually apprehended”.

CP Aderanti further advised members of the public to verify information before they part with their hard earned money stating that desperation among

job seekers have been exploited by fraudsters to deceive many.

The suspect however blamed his mother’s ill health for his involvement in crime. He said “I am from Isoko South Local Government in Delta State I was arrested for impersonating Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“I opened the account in February 2015 with his name with the intent of luring people for recruitment. I did that because my father is late and my mother has been sick for a long while. She has high blood pressure and she has

been in and out of the hospital. She was recently discharged from the hospital.

“Three people have paid money into the UBA account. The victims usually send me friend request on facebook which I accept”.

Explaining how he lure his victims, Eto said “Once we start chatting I will ask them if they are interested in working in NNPC or any other blue chip companies.

Immediately they get carried away at the mention of such offer. I usually ask the victim to pay N26,850 to my UBA account for application forms and processing fee,” he confessed.

“It was while I was attempting to defraud the fourth person when he was arrested. I was introduced into fraud by a HND 2 student identified simply as Kelvin. I found the profile of Tinubu on his phone when I used it to browse so I decided to become a fraud star.

“Now that I have been arrested, I feel so bad and I regret my action. I am really disappointed in myself.

I want my mother to know that I love her so much that I went into fraud to enable me take care of her medical expenses so she can get better”.

C’River election tribunal chairman sues for cooperation from warring factions Richard Ndoma CALABAR

T

he Election Tribunal sitting in Calabar has urged the State Independent Electoral Commission INEC, and all warring factions who took their grievances to the tribunal to give their cooperation to the tribunal for encouragement of speedy trial and determination of petitions.

The Chairman made the appeal at the inauguration of National and State Legislative House Elections Petitions Tribunal in Cross River State.

The chairman said that though the Tribunal has original jurisdiction to hear and determine every petition that arises from the National and State Legislative Assemblies elections held on April 11, 2015 adding that the petition which has registration number EPT/CR/SE/2/2015 filed by the Labour Party (LP)senatorial candidate for Cross River South, Prince Bassey Otu, which appeared to be the main attraction of the day at the Tribunal, counsel to the petitioner, Essien Andrew Barrister Essien Andrew.

Two motion exparte were moved; one order of substituted service on the 1st respondent, Chief Gershom Bassey of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with an order directing the 3rd respondent, INEC, to produce for the inspection of the petitioner, solicitor, and forensic expert to inspect all the ma-

terials that were used for the conduct of the said election for the Cross River Southern senatorial district.

Andrew said he brought the motion for substituted service supported with five paragraph affidavit pursuant to paragraph 5 (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

Counsel to the petitioner further contended that his motion praying the Tribunal to order inspection of election materials is in pursuance of section 151 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended and it is supported with a ten paragraph affidavit to buttress the plea.

L-R: Rivers State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Ngozi Nwatarali; Chairman, National Governing Board of NYSC, Mr. Gordon Bozimo and the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajineka, during the NYSC board’s visit to the orientation camp in Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in Rivers on Tuesday.

PIB: Ijaw youths fault reps on expansion of ‘host community’ to entire Nigeria Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

I

jaw youths under the umbrella body of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, has faulted the decision of the House of Representatives to expand the application of the Petroleum Host Community Fund in the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill to cover the entirety of Nigeria.

It also described as unacceptable the reduction of the percentage of the host community fund from 10 to 7.5 as ‘ridiculous, senseless and a spat

on the face’ of the oil bearing communities of the Niger-Delta region.

IYC in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Eric Omare, yesterday, maintained that the decision by lower chamber of the National Assembly was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the implementation of the provision in the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The statement reads: “It must be noted that the provision for petroleum host community fund was not included in the PIB for the fun of it but to ameliorate the effect of oil and gas operations in the host

communities.

“The IYC totally reject both the reduction in the oil community fund from 10% to 7.5% and the expansion of the meaning of oil communities. The definition of oil bearing communities and states in Nigeria is not in doubt. The National Assembly via the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act Cap N86, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 has already defined oil producing communities and the states.”

It posited that IYC finds it ridiculous that

the House of Reps is now finding it difficult to define oil producing communities or giving another definition from what is already contained in the NDDC Act. “To give another definition of oil producing communities side by side with the definition in the NDDC Act amounts to complete illegality, legislative rascality and incompetence.

“We wish to warn enemies of the Niger Delta region not to take the collective resolve of the region to allow peace to reign for granted. The IYC

has noted the deliberate attempts by some sections of Nigeria to provoke the Niger Delta region to action at all cost.

“We call on Niger Deltans to be alert as the days ahead may be rough for the region. We must resist the resolve of the enemies of the region to enslave us at all cost”, it stated.

IYC also called on the Senate to reject the House of Representative version of the Petroleum Industry Bill and revert to the original provision of 10% for host communities which are already defined in the NDDC Act.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

May 16, 2015

Chinese baby rescued after being buried alive P olice rescued a baby boy buried alive in a shallow, unmarked grave on a hillside in southern China’s Guangxi province, according to the country’s state media.

Chinese news reports say the baby was believed to have been left alone in the wilderness for as long as 10 days, but the details remain unclear.

The boy’s family decided to abandon him because he was born with a cleft lip and a congenital defect, according to a Xinhua news agency report. In China, thousands of infants with birth defects are abandoned every year.

CNN could not verify the details reported in Chinese media because police and the Civil Affairs Bureau, which is taking care of the baby, declined to give more information to foreign media.

The boy was born on

April 20 and discharged from the hospital four days later after receiving treatment for a high fever, according to Tiandong County People’s Hospital.

“Normal parents ask the hospital to provide a birth certificate and arrange for medical insurance, but this family didn’t want a birth certificate and left immediately after paying the bill,” Wu Weili, deputy director of pediatrics at the hospital, told Xinhua.

“We do not know what exactly happened during the period of time when the baby was discharged from the hospital on April 24, and when he was admitted to the hospital again on May 4.”

On April 24, the family -- including the infant’s grandmothers -- allegedly hired a man for $290 to get rid of the baby, according to Xinhua.

That day, the hired man left the newborn to die in a cardboard box in the wil-

derness. Two days later, believing the baby to be dead, he buried him, according to Xinhua.

Later, a woman who was picking herbs on a hillside heard a wail. With the help of a few villagers, police rescued the baby and sent him to the hospital.

Wu said the baby was in critical condition -- coughing up mud, his whole body covered in scratches and bruises -- when he arrived at the hospital.

The baby weighed 7.8 pounds when he was born.

By the time he was rescued, he weighed only 5.9 pounds.

“It really is incredible,” Wu told Xinhua of the infant’s survival.

There have been improbable stories of newborns surviving against all odds -- including a report last year of a baby surviving six days at the bottom of an Australian storm drain.

Five people -- including

the baby’s parents, both of his grandmothers and the man they hired to dispose of the newborn -- have been arrested for attempted murder. His parents were released on bail and they are now trying to regain custody of the boy.

They wrote a letter of apology, promising not to hurt him, Xinhua reported.

“We worry that the baby’s parents may hurt him again,” Zhou Liying, head of the county’s Civil Affairs Bureau, told Xinhua.

“Even though they will not, this tragedy may haunt the family and affect the boy’s mental health.”

The baby is being nursed back to health and doctors say he can be discharged later this week. Local government officials say the baby would most likely be put into the care of social services.

His parents and grandfather visited the hospital to see the baby for the first time on Tuesday.

China: 10 held for killing panda and selling its meat

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olice have apprehended 10 suspects for allegedly killing a wild panda and selling its meat in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan, the country’s state broadcaster reported.

Police were tipped off last December about the illegal selling of bear meat, but further investigation and DNA tests proved an alarming discovery, the report said.

“We realized this was a serious case when test results came back saying panda. To be cautious we asked them to run the tests again, and it was confirmed, this was panda,” said Shi Qin, the forensic science director of Yunnan’s police department in an interview

Student confronts Jeb Bush on ISIS

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college student on Wednesday confronted the former Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate, asserting, “Your brother created ISIS.” Bush had blamed President Barack Obama earlier during the town hall event for contributing to the swelling power of ISIS, the militant Islamist group that the U.S. is fight-

ing in parts of Iraq and Syria.

“Why are you saying that ISIS was created by us not having a presence in the Middle East when it’s pointless wars where we send young American men to die for the idea of American exceptionalism? Why are you spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars?” asked Ivy Ziedrich, a college Democrat

at the University of Nevada.

Bush told the student “we respectfully disagree, we have a disagreement” and again pointed to Obama’s failure to broker an agreement with the Iraqi government to leave a residual force of American troops after the U.S.’s withdrawal in late 2011.

“Immediately, that void was filled,” Bush said.

“Look, we can rewrite his-

tory all you want. But the simple fact is that we are in a much more unstable place because America pulled back.”

The student also called Bush “pedantic” after he asked the student if she was planning to ask a question after she alleged Bush’s brother, former President George W. Bush, created ISIS. “Pedantic? Wow,” Bush retorted.

with China Central Television.

Three of the 10 suspects have been formally arrested and the two prime suspects, brothers surnamed Wang, confessed to the police that they shot a female panda in a tree unknowingly, thinking it was just a “big animal.”

They later sold 35 kilograms (77 lbs) of meat, and the panda’s paws for 4800 yuan ($773).

Police uncovered the pelt of a panda, parts of a skull, and other remains at the suspects’ home.

Giant pandas are one of the world’s most endangered species, and the World Wildlife Fund estimates there are 1,800 pandas living in the wild.

Death toll in Kabul hotel attack rises to 14

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Yahya Jammeh, President of Gambia, in the news again after insisting that he’ll personally slit the throats of gay people in his nation after passing a law last year that made the ‘crime’ punishable with life imprisonment

55

he death toll from an attack on a hotel in Kabul where guests were trapped amid gunfire has risen to 14, a senior Afghan police official said Thursday.

Foreigners are among the casualties from the deadly assault Wednesday night on the Park Palace Guest House, for which the Taliban have claimed responsibility.

An American citizen was killed, U.S. authorities have said. Four of the victims were Indian citizens, CNN affiliate IBN reported, citing Indian Foreign Ministry officials.

Luciano Pezzotti, Italy’s ambassador to Afghanistan, said on Italian TV that one of his countrymen was also among those killed.

And a British-Afghan dual national who, according to UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, was “working for the British Council” died as well.

“This incident brings home to us once again the courage and perseverance of the people of Afghanistan and members of the international community who support them,” Hammond said in a statement.

“These callous acts of terrorism against innocent civilians must not be allowed to threaten a more peaceful

future for Afghanistan.”

They were among people gathered at the hotel for a cultural event, according to the United Nations.

Six others were wounded in the attack, including an Afghan special forces member, said the Afghan police official, who declined to be identified. The identities of the victims have not been released.

The Taliban, which issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, have often targeted sites frequented by foreigners. In March 2014, they carried out a deadly assault on the luxury Serena Hotel in Kabul.

“These deliberate attacks on civilians are atrocities,” said Georgette Gagnon, the U.N. human rights director in Afghanistan, referring to the Park Palace attack and one on a government department in Helmand province.

The siege began at about 8 p.m. Wednesday (11:30 a.m. ET). It ended more than five hours later, Kabul police Chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said.

Security forces rescued more than 50 people from the hotel, including trapped guests, the police chief said.

There was confusion over the exact number of gunmen involved.

Quote

of

the

day

We have started a process, which can obviously not be completed before May 29 when a new government takes over.

— Presidential Committee on Review of National Defence Policy on Monday in Abuja while submitting its draft report to the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd).

Saturday, May 16, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

Paul Geroski on New Markets (VI)

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he rate of entry at the early stage of the market calls for concern and the challenges are enormous. Low barrier to entry at the early stage of the market shows that imitation is very easy.

Those who intend to enter the market at that early stage are propelled by profitability and they are ready to take the risks associated with it.

They are the bulb lighters and those who follow them later, who were merely waiting for the market to be settled, are mainly bulb followers.

Those who enter at the early stage believe in the first-mover advantage. Once the market evolves, what determines entry can be less consideration for anything other than profit. And as posited by the author, the evolution of the internet market was at the latter stage clustered with lots of activities, such as the establishment of the Dot Companies and the conviction that everyone can do it to market the profit.

In the words of the author, many people with more money than sense allow themselves to be persuaded that they ought to be involved in this new dawn.

The demand for e-business courses are more than what the business schools of universities can cope with. Specifically, the author identifies some basic reasons for the flood of entry on Page 90 of the book.

The interesting scenario is that the internet offer goes beyond providing the platform for business. The nature and the way businesses are done give room for entrepreneurs to differentiate their products in the market.

To some, the development encourages the development of their brands; companies like Amazon or Facebook come into play here.

The author finally offers three ways by which new entry to the market can be traced, while appreciating the traditional roles of demand and supply. According to him, entrepreneurs that operate in both horizontal and vertical markets

CFR

Book Review

Book Title: The Evolution of New Markets Author: Paul Geroski Publisher: University of Oxford Press Reviewer: Jimoh Ibrahim. CFR. Post graduate student of Strategy and Innovation, Said Business School, University of Oxford. have greater opportunity of sporting the chances of profitability and coordination efficiently. The other form of entry is the information highway of importance, which is mapped out by the technology trajectories which lead to the market.

This is of particular importance to the entry of new products, which is driven by supply- push arising from information technology. The entrepreneur employs skill to take advantage and positions for potential profit not driven by demand-pull, but the coordination of technology information.

The author puts this clearly on Page 93: “Anyone who is familiar with new technology is likely to be in a position to apply in particular circumstances (particularly if they partner with someone who has the particular skill, suited to the particular market being entered). Clearly, those would-be entrepreneurs who are working on branches of the trajectory which are closest to the new market are going to be more privi-

leged than those who work on more distant branches.”

The success of Adobe in the new market is better explained along that line than in the reverse. The Managing Director of Adobe had once, as a guest speaker, told a select Oxford gathering of the Said Business School that most of his “Inventions” were original and that they were not based on any historical pattern of technology, citing for instance the programme for architects, which “evolved” from mere interactions with his wife who is an architect. That is true, but Geroski’s argument is better explained by the fact that even if you claim originality of the product, you still need partnership with other technology which has practically undisputable evidence of evolution and historical pattern of its trajectory to “evolve.” This would be the internet in the case of Adobe. Nothing could have been achieved by Adobe today without the evolution of the internet. The internet’s his-

torical trajectory and partnership with other evolving technologies accounts for Adobe’s market profitability and success today.

Geroski’s argument can still be extended this way. Yes, Facebook may have been newly developed, but would it have been successful without the evolution of the Internet?

This is why the author posits that it is when technology evolves and develops that activities like Facebook or Adobe begin to cluster around it.

How fast you are or can be in the prediction of the historical pattern of its trajectory will determine your market entry and profitability.

Geroski concluded that the structure of the market and the argument on Page 97, “Aside from the exit, the main effect of all of this entry is, as we have seen, likely going to be an explosion of new product varieties.

Different entrants bring a range of different product architectures to the market, and each architecture will come clothed with a different set of peripheral characteristics enthusiastically protected by yet more entrants.” It is left for me to conclude the argument in this chapter, before moving to the transformation and the development of new products along Geroski’s argument, that the architects of new products (new or old technology) misleadingly seeing themselves as “inventors.” Not too soon will the architects of solar power or steam developed cars call themselves inventors of new trajectory. It’s too soon to forget electricity in the body of invention of Von Guericke and Christian August Hansen (1741) or John Keats’ “I sing the song of body electric,” put forward by learned Oxford Professor, Frances Ashcroft (winner of Rockefeller University’s Lewis Thomas Prize for Writing about Science) who has been described in the Wall Street Journal as “A gem that sparkles!” This may be the whole story of where electric development “evolved” from.

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