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Dead broke: Nation’s crisis of parasitic governance

News

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Traders protest plan to transfer B’Haram prisoners to Anambra www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 5 No. 25

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Senate Presidency

National Mirror Online

@NationalMirror

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How I escaped being kidnapped –Saraki

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...says I smuggled myself into NASS, denies pact with PDP

Ambode demolishes SURE-P HQ

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OOU students forcefully evacuate colleagues’ corpses from mortuary P.8

PASSION

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A Lifestyle Magazin e

Sunday June 28, 2015

Workers yesterday washing off blood from the scene of the massacre at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel, Tunisia where 38 people were killed in a terrorist attack on Friday.

PHOTO: DAILYMAILONLINE

SE APPLAU name ’s ‘My father for me’ opened doors >>27

Desperate actresse offer their bodies fos movie roles –Mary Ur che

Borno: Four killed in twin suicide bombings

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Gunmen kill two, burn truckloads of cattle in Plateau

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News

NDLEA arrests 35 drug barons, seizes 1.4 tonnes of narcotics

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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What’s new Politics

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Seven Days TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK

JUNE 28, 2015 The Obama’s administration “President Obama will host Nigerian President Muham- had faced criticism for not planHouse of Representa- guno (Borno) as Whip, and madu Buhari at the White ning to visit Nigeria during tives erupted in a two-hour Hon. Pally Iriase (Edo) as House on July 20. The visit will a two nation Africa tour, also fracas yesterday over at- Deputy Whip. mark our support for the Nige- slated for July. That trip will But the Speaker, who tempts by the Speaker, rian people following their his- take him to Kenya and EthioHon. Yakubu Dogara to walked into the Chamber at toric democratic elections and pia, countries which have held close plenary without 11:02am, directed the Acting peaceful transfer of power,” a highly questioned elections in reading a letter from the Leader, Hon. Orker Jev, an recent memory. statement said.

All Progressives Congress, APC member from Benue Nigeria, ECOWAS, ECCAS to agree on new summit date on Boko Haram APC, endorsing Hon. Femi State after prayers, to raise a At the meeting, Buhari restated President Muhammadu BuGbajabiamila and others motion for a closed session. hari yesterday welcomed efforts his view that greater regional and But midway into Hon. as principal officers. to strengthen and expand coopera- international cooperation was The party on Tuesday Jev’s motion, the House tion between Economic Commu- needed to ensure victory over terwrote the Speaker, notify- busted into a protest, as Hon. nity of West African States, ECOW- rorism in Nigeria and other couning him on the decision Balarabe Abdullahi Salame AS, and the Economic Community tries. to endorse Hon. Gbajabi- (Sokoto-APC) and other colThe President assured Oueof Central African States, ECCAS, amila (Lagos) as House leagues who claimed to be draogo that Nigeria would hold on the war against terrorism.

Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa loyal to the party, made for A statement issued by special ad- further consultations with other (Kano) as Deputy Leader, the mace and the seat of the viser to the President on Media and stakeholders to agree on a new date Hon. Mohammed Mon- Speaker.

Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Bu- for the ECOWAS-ECCAS security hari spoke at a meeting with Presi- summit on Boko Haram, earlier dent of ECOWAS Commission, Mr. scheduled for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on April 8, 2015.

Kadre Desire Ouedraogo.

Lagos State Governorship winner of the election.

Election Tribunal headed by At yesterday’s proceedNASS leadership: Senate, Reps reject APC’s candidates Justice Muhammad Ibrahim ing, the tribunal proposed The Senate and House of Rep- day, forwarded a letter to the Sirajo, will today decide on that all preliminary objecresentatives yesterday rejected Senate President, containing the whether to hear the prelimi- tions should be taken along preferred candidates of All Pro- choice of the party for the four nary objection filed by Gov- with the petition, asking gressives Congress, APC, to fill the principal offices of the senate ernor Akinwunmi Ambode, the parties in the matter to yet to be filled. remaining leadership positions. against the petition filed by make their submissions.

The party, in the letter, nomiIn the Senate, Senator Bukola Peoples Democratic Party, Counsel to Agbaje, Clemnated Senators Ahmad Lawan Saraki halted a move by some PDP, candidate, Jimi Agbaje, ent Onwuenwunor, aligned (Yobe North), as Senate Leader APC senators to read a letter in the April 11 election. himself with the proposal while George Akume (Benue written to the Senate President It would be recalled that of the court saying that the North West), was recommended by National Chairman of the Agbaje is challenging the dec- proposal represents the pofor the post of Deputy Senate party , Chief John Odigie-Oyelaration of Ambode by the In- sition of the law contained Leader. gun, to effect the preferred candependent National Electoral in paragraph 12 of the ElecOthers are; senator Olushola didates to fill the positions of Commission, INEC as the toral Act, 2012 as amended.

Senate Majority Leader and the Adeyeye (Osun Central), nomiCourt sets July 1 for fresh request to arrest Kashamu deputy, as well as Senate Whip nated for the position of Chief Whip and Abu Ibrahim (Katsina and its deputy.

A Federal High Court Kashamu, who is repreOdigie-Oyegun had on Mon- South) as Deputy Chief Whip. sitting in Abuja yesterday senting Ogun-East Sena-

House of Reps’ show of shame

APC still mired in crisis 16

Tribunal to hear Ambode’s preliminary objection to Agbaje’s petition

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fixed July 1 this year to rule on a request by the Federal Government to issue it warrant of arrest to produce a serving senator, Kashamu Buruji, in court.

torial District in the National Assembly, is alleged to be wanted in the United States for prosecution over purported drug related offences.

NASS leadership: Senate, Reps reject APC’s candidates

Desperate actresses offer their bodies for movie roles –Mary Uche

After a relationship that was about to culminate in marriage crashed, Mary Uche is still nursing her pain.

This graduate of Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt mention how some new actresses offer sex as a bait to outshine superior colleagues in the industry.

The Senate and House of Representatives yesterday rejected preferred candidates of All Progressives Congress, APC, to fill the remaining leadership positions.

In the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki halted a move by some APC senators to read a letter written to the Senate President by National Chairman of the party,

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to effect the preferred candidates to fill the positions of Senate Majority Leader and the deputy, as well as Senate Whip and its deputy.

Odigie-Oyegun had on Monday, forwarded a letter to the Senate President, containing the choice of the party for the four principal offices of the senate yet to be filled.

Obama to host Buhari July 20, says White House

President Barack Obama of the United States is scheduled to host President Muhammadu Buhari on July 20 as a symbolic show of solidarity after the peaceful transition of power.

According to a statement from the White House, dis-

cussions between the two leaders would focus on ways to strengthen collaboration in the fight against the Boko Haram sect. A Multinational Joint Task Force made up of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon is already in place to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency.

Tokunbo Adeyemi MD/CEO TAZAL INITIATIVES

MON

Passion

FRI THU WED TUE

Having a good night’s rest cannot be overemphasised. Quality sleep is therefore imperative.

Even without fully grasping what sleep does for both human and animals, we know that going without sleeping for too long makes someone feel terrible.

And that getting a good night’s rest can get you feeling ready to take on the world.

I’m an actor, model and a business man. Tazal Initiatives is about showbiz. I do modeling, movie and commercial adverts. On Mondays, I review what I had done the previous week and ensure that everything is in place. After that, I will know what next to do and how to go about it.

I’m set for the week already, so I visit whoever I want to, go for locations, studio sections and do other things I have to outside my office premises.

I check all the details for the week and make sure they’re going according to the way I planned.

I will make sure everything is done today. If not, I tidy things up for the weekend.

I work light today. I make it is a short working day. In the night, I’ll go to club to dance.

SAT

Benefits of a good sleep

I relax for church. To prepare, I take my time to iron my clothes. If there is any event or show to be attended later in the day, I’d do so.

SUN

Wellness

I go to church. When I come back, I’d relax and get prepared for the new week. *By Adaeze Amos (08023012293)

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION JUNE 28, 2015

Dead broke:

Nation’s crisis of parasitic governance

The fallacy of overreliance on the monthly dole from Abuja by the states, which is itself tied to the fortunes of the crude oil market has been recently unraveled as evidence in the virtual collapse of government in about half of the 36 states that cannot pay salaries for up to eight months. This is a result of a bloated, corrupt and inefficient government structure that takes most of the nation’s resources.

Paul Omo Obadan looks at the evils of high cost of governance in Nigeria and why it must be addressed.

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ormer US President John F. Kennedy famously charged citizens to “think of what you can do for your country, and not what your country can do for you.”

This maxim however appears to be lost on Nigeria’s political leaders given their age old penchant to rely on government resources, earned or plundered to sustain themselves and their largely opulent lifestyles.

Nigeria is at a crossroads. It is currently mired in a vicious cycle of underdevelopment occasioned dominantly by the oil curse, destructive politics and emasculation of state institutions that have stultified chances of a prosperous future.

It is a paradox that Nigeria, a leading world producer of crude oil has been unable to produce enough for its domestic use. The new administration is expected to address this anomaly, which has been a matter of ridicule to country among other oil-producing states.

One of the key problems the nation is grappling with is the allocation of collective resources largely to support the government itself.

‘PUBLIC SERVANTS TAKE MOST OF NATIONAL RESOURCES’

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The reality is being brought closer home with the current state of affairs where the movement at all levels is struggling to pay salaries of civil servants.

As it is government spending going by the budgetary allocation over the years have been largely in favour of paying political office holders, civil servants and sundry overheads with little or nothing left for capital projects or provision of social goods and services which is the primary function of any government. It is a case of the government, by the government for the government.

This why new government of led by Muhammadu Buhari is being urged to drastically cut the cost of government, which is arguably among the most prohibitive in the developing world.

While Buhari has taken some tentative steps such as ordering the sale of nine aircraft on the Presidential Fleet, stakeholders insist that the retinue of top government appointees with overlapping functions and attendant jumbo salaries must be trimmed to the barest minimum, in addition to identifying and CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

‘COST OF GOVERNANCE MUST BE TRIMMED’

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The Big Read

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Public servants take most of national resources’

Saraki

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 painstakingly blocking all leakages in the economy.

Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai appears to have taken a cue by announcing 50 per cent reduction of his salary and that of his deputy, Barnabas Yusuf Bala, as a result of dwindling economy situation of the country.

The Kano State government went a step further by cutting salaries of all political appointees by 50 per cent.

The Nigeria Labor Congress , NLC on its part, insists that federal lawmakers must further cut their N120 billion budget in line with economic realities.

The Joe Ajaero-led faction said in an interview with Sunday mirror, said that the reduction of the National Assembly’s budget from N150 billion to N120 billion “is too token and not far reaching enough”. It threatened a mass revolt should the lawmakers and the executive fail to bring down their recurrent expenses.

The faction’s Deputy President, Comrade Issa Aremu, who is also the General Secretary of the Textile Workers Union, advised National Assembly members to appreciate the mood of the nation for leadership sacrifices, resource allocation for national development and common good as opposed to self-help.

But a House of Representatives member, Mohammed Abdulkadir, said the N120billion is not all for salaries. Labour said, “nations prosper when their leaders are willing to sacrifice; while nations fail when leaders engage in selfish self-help agenda.

Putting the issue into perspective, the union asked: “Should 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives gulp as much as N120 billion in a year, which is twice the 2015 budget of Ekiti State (N80.774 billion), a state with the population of 2,384,212 people? “How equitable is it for less than 500 national legislators to gulp N120 billion annually when Osun State with a population of 3,423,535 people and unfunded 2015 Appropriation Bill of N201 billion is yet to pay salaries for seven months? “Benue State has as many as 4,219,244 people; it budgeted N98.54 billion; Zamfara has 3,259,846 citizens and budgeted N92.80 billion; and Ebonyi, budgeted N80.02 billion for 2,173,501 people.

“The respective budgets of these three states are half of the budget of the National Assembly. How equitable is that? There has been illegal and unconstitutional concentration of scarce national resources in the hands of our legislators and Executive office holders alike that must be reversed now. For instance, Kano State budgeted N210 billion in 2015. Kano State has 9,383,682 people. The budget per capita of Kano, estimated at N22,379, is miserable,

Okonjo-Iweala

Melaye

El-Rufai

compared to budget per capital of the National Assembly at N293,398,533! No country can prosper with this wide and widening gap in resource allocation between the governed and some elected government officials. The National Assembly members should take the advantage of the current goodwill of Nigerians in making ammends failing which they provoke mass revolt of the people.NLC, therefore, is advocating that the first step is that the National Assembly budget should be reversed to 2003 budget of N50 billion, which will certainly cut the existing budget of the assembly by more than 50 per cent. It stressed that since 2003, the number of members remains the same while most of their infrastructural needs have been met. Secondly, the national economy can hardly afford this legislative pay.

The eighth National Assembly must make a difference.

It should be accountable to Nigerian people, just as many Executives have done. The eighth Assembly must complement President Muhammadu Buhari in his resolve to cut cost of governance fuelled by corruption, the worse form of which is outrageous pay for public office holders.

The labour leaders also insisted that the legislators must reject the “Greek allowances” the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) generously accorded them. “These allowances are unsustainable. They are not based on needs in a depressed economy.

For instance, why pay legislators who already collected over a million naira, wardrobe allowance? It will take a minimum wage earner about two years and five months to earn what legislators earn as wardrobe allowance of N506,600. The eighth National Assembly should rightly redirect national resources to priority sectors, such as

education, health and road construction. The assembly must also urgently review the minimum Wage Act of 2010 which, according to the Act, expires next month.

A couple of senators and house of representatives members have also toed this line, which analysts say is a welcome development.

As global oil prices continue to fall, austerity measures are being taken by the government to ensure Nigeria’s revenue can fund its budget.

With crude oil mineral resources constituting more than 80 per cent of Nigeria’s revenue stream, the country’s liquidity condition has, expectedly, been when prices at the international market headed downwards until recently when it began a gradual recovery.

The slide downwards has made it very difficult for the funding of the capital components of the 2015 fiscal plan as envisioned. Consequent upon this, the current fiscal plan still with the National Assembly presents a very tight and austere budget with some of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) getting zero allocations for capital expenditure, the scrapping of certain redundancies within the public service and introduction of alternative areas of revenue generation to make up for the more than 50 per cent drop in revenue from the petroleum sector.

And with retrenchment one of the measures that seem easiest for the government, judging from antecedents of previous governments, some stake holders and pressure groups have warned government to desist from retrenchment of the civil force.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Big Read

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‘Cost of governance must be trimmed’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 ASCSN, recently spoke of dire consequences if the Federal Government retrenched workers.

The workers, in a statement by the association said that any attempt by the government to use austerity measures as an excuse to sack workers or reduce their salaries, would amount to a declaration of war on Nigerian workers and would be resisted by the labour movement.

“Today, the meagre N18,000 minimum wage approved in 2011 by the Federal Government has not been fully implemented by some state governments and as such it will be the height of insensitivity for any government to contemplate sacking civil servants or reducing their pay in the name of austerity measures,” it said.

The association also lamented that its advice in the past that the government should reduce the huge salaries and allowances of political office holders and check other leakages that encouraged corruption in the system, has been ignored.

“Records will also show that this union, on several occasions, cautioned the Federal Government to stop the depletion of foreign reserves and needless rush to seek foreign loans for white elephant projects, because such mindless profligacy can only lead to the collapse of the economy.

“It is very sad that it took a drastic drop in the price of crude oil in the international market for the managers of the economy, including self-styled experts, to realise that government must exercise restraint in the squandermania that has been going on, including plugging of loopholes to beef up government revenue base.”

ASCSN urged the government to learn how to conserve fund and avoid conspicuous consumption such as competition by political office holders to own private jets.

“If political office holders do not check their greed, no amount of belt-tightening will save the economy. As we write, the lifestyle of those in government does not match the noise being made about austerity measures.

“This means that the measures are meant for the poor masses of this country as opposed to the rich ones which the government wants us to believe. We once again call on the government to close all avenues that encourage corruption in the system and drastically reduce the humongous emoluments of political office holders to bring them in tandem with remunerations in other segments of the society,” the ASCSN stated.

Government Expenditure Many Nigerians want governments across the three tiers to reduce the cost of governance so that more resources could be channeled towards development projects that impact positively on the quality of lives of the people.

Government expenditure is broadly divided in to two main categories, namely recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure. Recurrent expenditure is the type of expenditure that happens repeatedly on daily, weekly or even monthly basis. This includes for example payment of pensions and salaries, administrative overheads, maintenance of official vehicles, payment of electricity and telephone bills, water rate and insurance premiums etc.

Capital expenditure on the other hand refers to expenditure on capital projects. This includes construction of houses, roads, schools and hospitals, human capital development (expenditures on education and health), purchase of official vehicles, construction of boreholes and electrification projects, etc.

Public finance literature is in consensus that cost of governance is associated with current expenditure, which is the expenditure ascribed to the maintenance of government itself and not for the benefit of the society and the economy as a whole. Stakeholders argue that increase in government expenditure on socio-economic and physical infrastructures encourages economic growth.

Queen Asowata, a public affairs analyst, for example, said government expenditure on health and education raises the productivity of labour and increase the growth of national output.

Similarly, expenditure on infrastructure such as roads, communications, power, etc, reduces production costs, increases private sector investment and profitability of

Labour union protesting non-payment of salaries

firms, thus fostering economic growth, she said.

“A point of consideration is to consider how the state governments’ budget is divided strictly between recurrent and capital expenditures. Where a rising proportion of government budget, at whatever level, is used to support the administrative structure of government, poverty is bound to be pervasive as economic growth slows down or even stagnates. What this implies is that maintaining government administrative structures comes at gargantuan costs to the economy, as available funds are barely sufficient to finance projects in vital sectors of the economy.

She pointed out that the enormous administrative expenditure is not only used to finance an unusually large, inefficient and corrupt civil service personnel, but also a larger than optimal executive cabinet, and an ineffective legislature.

The net effects is that citizens would perceive government as a burden when its recurrent expenditure is repeatedly higher than its capital expenditure, which should impact positively on the economy, especially in the areas of employment generation, investment and other activities that induce growth.

A member of the executive of national union of road transport in Lagos state Mr Tokunbo Seriki who heads finance says it is ridiculous the rate lawmakers are turning themselves into in this country. it is a shame when politicians turn themselves to boxers just because of positions. it is very clear why they earn such huge amount on wardrobe allowance I wonder if they consider the masses in there sitting and if they know what is going on in the country with the economy crisis where government are unable to pay workers salary and you as law makers earning such as wardrobe allowance it is not right leadership is all about service not enrichment. They should focus more on how to make laws that will benefit the masses.

The Lagos state chairman Lagos state road transport employers association Alhaji Musa Mohamhed also lend his voice to the warddrobe allowance of the national assembly and leadership in Nigeria. According to mohamhed, it is disheartening when one hears such figures of wardrobe allowance and taking into consideration the plight of the masses of the country. In my own view, it is insensitive for law makers to earn such high cost which will be a burden to the country and government, I think it is high time we thought on how to serve rather than to enrich ourselves when there is call to service.

Executive Chairman Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, in an interview with Sunday Mirror said that Nigeria’s problem is dearth of leadership and misplaced priorities on the part of our leaders.

“The current leadership crisis rocking our polity is not anything about the concern for the good of the generality of Nigerians may not be far from the truth. As a matter of fact, the crisis is more of politicians’ selfish need and desire to acquire power, influence and glory that they barely deserve.

“It is a known fact that most of those competing for the top positions, especially in the National Assembly are those whose antecedents we know as suspected fraudsters and suspects of corruption crimes, electoral manipulators.

“They have shown enough evidence that they really don’t love the people the way they pretend. They seem to prefer to keep the people perpetually disempowered so that they will continue to lord over the masses for as long as they wish and pass the baton, when they are done, to their offspring at the detriment of the generality of the Nigerian masses.

“Those that have been governors before were governors just in name; their performances in office didn’t meet the aspiration of their citizenry. However, they bamboozle the people with crumbs that fall from their tables to deceive people that they are generous, whereas, they deprive the people of the larger chunk of the common-wealth accrued to their states”, he said.

According to him, “Those that are in one assembly or the other have not brought the desirable change that the people expect through their legislation or the oversight functions they play. They only legislate on matters that would bring in income, opportunity and political influence to them. They legislate on issues that give their cronies or godfathers access to national resources which when they steal, they do not retain within the environment where it would have been able to benefit the generality of the masses. They either fritter it elsewhere overseas or retain it in their bank vaults or invest it in ventures that are not productive to the state or the people such as real estates.”

Adeniran pointed out that legislation, as far as Nigeria is concerned, has not protected the interest of the poor in the country.

“Our various assemblies’ legislation, rather than reduces the cost of governance, increases it; their legislation rather than ensure equitable distribution of the national CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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The Big Read

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Political elite living fat’

Yerima

Adeniran

Aremu

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 wealth, diverts the nation’s wealth into the coffers of the lawmakers and those of their cronies. Slashing their current salaries should just be the start point while remitting it in entirety should be ultimate.

“However, everybody in government should be made to publicly declare their assets both at the point of entry and exist and the Code of Conduct Bureau should be empowered and enabled by funds, training and protection to verify the assets so declared. Apart from making things available in their own estates and for the private concerns, majority of Nigerians are left to struggle to get all the good of life for themselves.”

He also claimed that public educational system is made available just as a means to bamboozle the international community that provides the funds but the necessary amenities needed to deliver good qualitative and worthwhile educations such as equipment, necessary facilities like building, library, laboratory and workshops, furniture, conveniences and utilities e.g. electricity, potable water, good road, communities etc. are not in place.

“Teachers, tutors, instructors and lecturers are not well motivated to engage in optimal utilisation of their train-

ing, experience and guidance with which learners could have the benefit of quantitative tutelage.

“Same importing happens in hospitals where they import equipment just to create opportunities for their friends and cronies to have access to government coffers, not because they want the equipment to work for the common good of the people. As a matter of fact, since they don’t utilise services provided by this institution, they care less whether the health institution works or not.

“Most of Nigerian road are dilapidated and in utter state of disrepair. Rather than for them to ply these roads and feel the agonies the ordinary Nigerians face daily, they buy helicopters, private jets, choppers etc. meanwhile all these luxuries they acquire are from the commonwealth of this country, which comes from the same deprived and impoverished lowly-placed Nigerians.

“Basically, it is antithetical to the spirit of democratic practice for rulers to live in obscene opulence when the masses are deprived of the basic amenities and die of preventable and treatable causes even after they must have engaged in hard work and forced to pay their taxes, duties and rates as at when due. These same masses suffer the outcomes of greed and profligacy of the leadership.

“The political elites have made it almost impossible for the masses to have a say in the governance of the country, they use the wealth they fraudulently acquired to suppress the masses, they ensure that anti-graft and other law enforcement agencies are starved necessary facilities, trainings, protection and resources required to perform optimally so that anti-graft law enforcement and regulatory would not be able to catch up with them.

“They acquire more wealth with which they keep the people perpetually divided and that is why it is difficult for the people to stand up for their own emancipation. Political leadership in all parts of the country has become occultic. They are made up of the initiates who protect one another against the action of the masses.”

The CACOL leaders however aid that to effect the desirable change, political office should be made a call to service and only those who are ready to volunteer their time, expertise and energy would bring themselves out to contest the elections.

Accordingly, the monetization of electioneering should be outlawed to the extent that individual will not be allowed to spend their money on the electioneering and campaigns and everything they need to do would be provided by the government.

“According to him, “Any politician that spends personal money for electioneering should be disqualified. They should not be allowed to take money from any ministry or agency they head. They should be contented with what the government gives to them as subventions.

“The number of aides that each of the political office holder would have should be spelt-out and gazetted, including the amount such aides would be paid by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the duties they are expected to perform.

“They (politicians, legislators) should be encouraged to do whatever they want to do as volunteers and be paid sitting allowances only when they sit and when absent they should not be paid for the days absent.

“Overseas trips should be minimized and estacodes should reflect the situation of the economy. National Economic Assistant Treaty should be entered into with several countries in UN, AU, etc. to ensure that stolen money is not stashed or invested in their countries, corruption criminals are not given visas or granted asylum while those suspected criminals already living in those countries be promptly arrested, deported or extradited to come and face justice in Nigeria. Those in Nigeria should have their travel passports confiscated to prevent them from escaping abroad.

“For those that cannot afford accommodation, they should only be given interest-free loans to buy houses if they desire to buy houses for themselves. Every elected official should be provided official quarters. Those who desire to buy houses should be considered for interest-free loan payable before the end of their running term of office and they must have served for not less than one term

before they are deemed qualified for such loans.

“There should be a national ideology that will make it impossible for any political elite to engage in primitive accumulation. There should be an upper ceiling as to how much property every individual can acquire. Even if a corporate entity has all the money, it should not be spent on raising social status of individuals, rather more industries should be established, and investment in private sectors should be encouraged to create more jobs and opportunities for the people.

“The national ideology should emphasise equitable distribution of work and wealth in Nigeria. As long as every individual is assured of proportionate remuneration for his labour inputs, he is not likely to be envious, jealous or covet the property of his counterpart that has more. Such a person would not be infuriated into anger that could make him engage in violent activities like insurgency, militancy or brigandage hence security and welfare of the people would be enhanced.”

Also speaking on the subject, Activist and President, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Shetima Yerima, said for Nigeria to evolve a sustainable and stable economy, she must exercise prudence and transparency in governance and employ the vast oil revenue which is its major national income to diversify her economy.

“This simply means that reducing the yearly budget on recurrent expenditure and correspondingly increase her capital expenditure to enable her provide the infrastructure necessary for economic growth. If Nigeria is to attain the much orchestrated vision 20:2020 to be one of the most advanced economies of the world, her leaders must need to look back to the good old days of the 1960s and learn how past leaders were able to prudently manage the economy ( without much oil revenue) so well that Nigeria by 1966 was rates amongst the fastest growing economy in the world.

For him, the question of efficiency in governance is about ensuring that each amount of public funds is spent judiciously.

“Good governance can only achieve the desired objective if corruption is addressed and completely eradicated from the society because no programme can be successfully implemented under a corrupt environment. Revenue leakage is a growing problem in public governance in Nigeria. To get the most out of a revenue engagement, it has to be carried out as part of a government performance strategy – and not be just a leak detection exercise.

The task of reducing cost of governance for revenue assurance at states level does not rest on the executive legislature and judiciary alone. It is task demanding the collective effort of all stakeholders.

“Petroleum alone can and must not remain the country’s mainstay. A deliberate and concerted foray into agriculture, mining and industrial technology among others would not only be a panacea to the current glut in the oil sector and swell foreign exchange earnings; it would also provide jobs for the army of unemployed youths, who have become ready recruits for insurgents and other criminals.

He pointed out that the tasks before the Buhari-Osinbajo administration are enormous but believes that with proper and prudent management of the economy, the country can achieve the projected annual growth rate of 12 per cent and reduce poverty and unemployment significantly over the next four years.

According to him, “All that is required is to ensure the right policies are implemented to tackle corruption, insecurity, electricity and related infrastructure. No condition is permanent. History teaches that one can only delay but not stop an idea whose time has come. When necessity foists a certain imperative, we can only ignore it to our peril. The change will not come through the normal course of present day politics: it must be engineered!

While it is crystal clear that a major change in direction is required by the nation’s leaders to trim governance costs, diversify the economy, plug loopholes and indeed do the needful especially immediate payment of workers’ salaries, it remains to be seen whether beyond the lamentations, the new government can get to work to pull the nations out of the present mess.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, June 28, 2015

7

Senate Presidency: How I escaped being kidnapped –Saraki ...says, I had to smuggle myself to NASS, denies pact with PDP GEORGE OJI ABUJA

S

enator Bukola Saraki has explained the intricacies and strategies he underwent in order to actualise his ambition to emerge as the Senate President.

Saraki disclosed this yesterday saying that he had to smuggle himself into the National Assembly on June 9, the day of inauguration, when he learnt of plans to abduct him in order to make him unavailable to stand for election as senate president.

While speaking to journalists yesterday, he maintained that he never got any message to go to the International Conference Centre for a meeting with

President Muhammadu Buhari.

His words: “First of all, as regards the meeting on the morning of the inauguration, I didn ’t finish meeting until 4:00 a.m. of that day and I had got information that efforts would likely be made to make sure that I didn ’t get access into the chambers.

“So, as early as 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., I had made contingency plans that I must get into the National Assembly because the plan before was that senators-elect should go to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel around 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. to proceed to the National Assembly.

“But I was advised that it would not be safe or secure for me to do that because some people made

sure...if I didn ’t get into the chambers, it would not be possible for me to be nominated, for the nomination to be seconded and for me to accept the nomination.

“I can tell you today that I was in the National Assembly Complex as early as 6:00 in the morning and I stayed in a car in the car park, from 6:00 in the morning till quarter to 10 a.m. This is the truth.

I stayed there and I was there with no communication whatsoever.

“So, anybody who said they spoke to me to go to the ICC was not saying the truth because I didn ’t even know what was going on.

All I was monitoring was how people were arriving in the Complex. It was at quarter to 10 that I got in-

formation that the Clerk of the National Assembly had entered the chamber.

“So, I got out of the small car I was inside, stretched myself and put on my Babariga because I didn ’t have it on before then.

“I walked from the car park into the chambers.

That was why some of you would have seen that I looked very tired on that morning.

“Even when I was in the chamber, I didn ’t know what had transpired earlier on. The only thing I observed was that it appeared that some of our senators were not in the chamber but the fact that my colleagues arrived in batches, I had the opinion that they were on the way and by 10:00 a.m., the pro-

L-R: Executive Director, People Against Drug Dependence and Ignorance Foundation, Mr. Eze Eluchie; Director, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, Mr. Ronald Kayanja; Guest of Honour, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and Convener, Human Rights and Justice Working Group, Mr. Goodluck Obi, during the 2015 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking organised by UNIC in Lagos at the weekend.

Twin suicide bombers kill four in Borno INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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win suicide bombers yesterday suspected to have been targeting a locally established market in Molai village at the outskirts of Maiduguri detonated their explosives at the main gate of the missionary Leprosy and general hospital Molai killing two passersby including the suicide bombers.

The incident took place at about 3 p.m. when the newly established market

was at its peak. Molai village is in the south and about 10km drive to Maiduguri along the closed down Maiduguri-DamboaBiu road.

After the closure of Dalwa main market which is a walking distance from Molai, another market was established for people around neighbouring villages.

An eyewitness, Mallam Ali Usman, a taxi driver who plied the road from Maiduguri to Molai, told our Correspondent that the “twin male suicide

bombers were sighted from a nearby trench dug by military operatives who were suspected to have sneaked into the area from Sambisa forest.

He disclosed that when they realised the tight security put in place around the market, they had no option than to detonate their Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the hospital entrance before reaching their main target.

“It would have been a deadly incident had these twin suicide bombers

succeeded into the market that is now attracting more traders and buyers from surrounding villages and Maiduguri Metropolis, ” Usman said.

A source told our correspondent that the dead bodies of the suicide bombers and the two innocent civilians were still lying scattered as at the time of filing this report.

Efforts to get the Police Commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun ’s confirmation proved abortive as his cell phone could not be reached at press time.

gramme started.

“Before I knew it, my election had come and gone. Even my people were worried; it was only when I got into the chambers that they were relieved. ” Saraki also dismissed insinuations that for him to win, he had to enter into a pact with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He reiterated that rather, it was the absence of APC senators in the chamber that ensured the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy.

“Never in our wildest imagination did we envisage that some senators would not be present on the day of the inauguration. In my own view, and in the view of some of those who worked closely with me, I worked hard for my election, I had direct contact with every single senator, one on one; weeks leading to the election I did not rely on anybody. I worked hard, both in our party, the APC and out of it.

“I approached every senator, I talked to them... we built confidence, not only in the APC, but, also, in the PDP. I talked to them. That was why I laugh when people said I had a deal with Ekweremadu or I had a hand in the emergence of Ekweremadu. I didn ’t need any deal to win. I had penetrated... There was no deal; I didn ’t need any deal in the first place. I had worked hard such that everybody who was a senator, I campaigned hard and canvassed for their votes and won their confidence.

“At one of the meetings held at Transcorp Hilton Senator Godswill Akpabio co-chaired with Senator Ibrahim Gobir and a few others, which had both APC and PDP members.

“At that meeting, if you heard most of them there, the position they took was that ‘this is the Senate President they want ’.

Across party lines, they believe in me and that this is the Senate President that can lead us...there was no deal.

“Sometimes, I wonder how some of our col-

leagues found themselves at the ICC. “First of all, the PDP senators had announced to the public that they were supporting me without even meeting me because in their own meeting, the majority had decided to vote for me.

“In their own interest, strategically, they decided that, look, this is a fait accompli because 30 of their own senators were going to vote for this man anyway and the remaining felt it was better to join.

“It wasn ’t until 2:00 a.m. that they called to tell us their decision. With regards to the deputy, when they told us that they had a candidate, we, too, told them we had a candidate for Deputy Senate President in the person of Senator Ali Ndume.

“After our own meeting, it was our thinking that it was after the election of the Senate President that the two groups in APC would meet and we would agree on a candidate.We never in our imagination thought they would not turn up.

“By the time we got there, we were only 24 while the PDP were more than 40.

“In an election, there ’s no way they would not have defeated us and that was what happened?

Now, when people say it was a deal, I say that if the CNA had started the procedure in the House of Representatives first, and moved to the Senate thereafter, today, we, the APC, would have had a Deputy Senate President. ” Saraki stated further that, “It is unfortunate that we have a PDP man as deputy Senate President. It is painful. It is painful for any APC member because when we went through the struggle, that was not what we signed for.

“But it has happened; it is unfortunate and it is not fair to put the blame on one side because it is a combination of errors and miscalculations that led us to have, in that morning, some Senators at another place instead of being there.

8

NEWS

Sunday June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ortom vows to end Fulani herdsmen, natives’ conflict HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

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overnor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, at the weekend said he would initiate a long lasting process towards bringing to an end the protracted dispute between Fulani herdsmen and peasant farmers in the state.

Ortom made this known while speaking

with members of the Myetti Allah Association, the umbrella body of the Fulani herdsmen led by Alhaji Bala Usman, who paid him a coutesy visit at the Benue People’s House in Makurdi.

He stated that the crisis had prolonged ceaselessly, defying all solutions proffered in the past, adding that he and his villagers were vic-

tims of the prolonged feud.

“Frankly, we must involve all stakeholders and dialogue with a view to finding a permanent solution to tackle the challenge,” he said.

The governor noted

that he had identified criminals within the two groups who are the promoters of conflict and had met with the Inspector General of Police for assistance to fish them out.

He disclosed that after

separate meetings with the Tiv and Idoma Traditional Councils, he would convene a meeting with cattle breeders to further deliberate on the matter.

Leader of the delegation, Alhaji Bala Usman, pledged on behalf of the

herdsmen that the two parties would work assiduously towards resolving the dispute just as he pledged to render support to the new administration for amicable resolution of the impasse.

Plateau loses first-class monarch JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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he people of the Ngas nation of Pankshin and Kanke local council of Plateau State have lost their traditional ruler, the Ngolong Ngas, Nde Shedrack Dimlong.

The monarch died in Jos last Friday after a protracted illness.

Chairman of Kanke local government area, Mr. John Gatau, it was gathered announced the death of the traditional ruler to the Kanke /Pankshin joint traditional council.

His death is expected to be officially announced by the state governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, who arrived in the state on yesterday after a trip to Brazil.

LASG demolishes SURE-P task force HQ, criminal hideouts FRANCIS SUBERU

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he headquarters of the defunct Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P task force in Lagos has been demolished by the state government; tagging it a criminal hideout.

The building which was located at the old tollgate on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was demolished in the early hours of yesterday following the order of the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Information gathered from the office of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) had it that the order to demolish the structure came from the governor on Monday but the order could not be immediately effected due to some exigencies.

Former governor, Babatunde Fashola, had before leaving office expressed serious concern about the security challenge the building and people occupying it posed to the state.

He once wrote to former president Goodluck

Jonathan over the presence of the officials who claimed the place was established by the office of the president to control traffic on federal roads in Lagos State.

The SURE-P task force was expected to commence enforcement in December 2014; but met great resistance and after the fallout of the last general elections, the task force died a natural death.

Chairman of Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit), Superintendent Hakeem Adedeji, in an interview said he believed the governor must have issued the directive based on the abandonment and conversion of the building into hideout by miscreants.

His words: “In fact, when we arrived, we could not find any Federal Government official inside the building, rather the street urchins and there is need to avoid that. That was why we believe that if the building is demolished, no one will convert it as hideout.”

L-R: Founder, Heeba Foundation, Abuja, Mrs. Fatima Abdu; Deputy Director, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Hajia Gana Wakil; Initiator, Hope for Borno, Mrs. Iby Ikotidem and Creative Director, Qhaflani Coutive and Life Style, Hajia Hauwa LaPHOTO: NAN wan, during the unveiling of Hope for Borno Initiative in Abuja, yesterday.

OOU students forcefully evacuate colleagues’ corpses from morgue in Sagamu FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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he peaceful atmosphere of the ancient Remo town of Sagamu was yesterday disrupted when scores of grieving students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), AgoIwoye stormed the town in search of the morgue containing corpses of their colleagues crushed to death by a container which fell from a moving truck last Friday.

Sunday Mirror gathered that the action of the grieving students was precipitated on their inability to locate the morgue where corpses of their colleagues were being kept.

It was further gathered that the students and some members of staff of their institution which included the Head of Students Affairs, Professor Lekan Arikewuyo, and the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Rasheed Adekunle, had earlier combed all the private

morgues in Sagamu to no avail when they discovered that corpses of their colleagues were not deposited at the morgue of the institution’s Teaching Hospital as earlier claimed by the rescue teams which evacuated the victims.

The enraged students eventually stormed the morgue of Ade Maternity Home, a privately owned hospital where the corpses were kept, forcefully evacuated their dead colleagues without paying a dime and moved them to the morbid anatomy unit of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) Sagamu.

The angry students refused to yield to the demand for payment by the hospital before the corpses could be released.

The highly grieved and rampaging students also threatened to deal with the management of the private hospital should it insist on charging the N20, 000 per corpse before their dead

colleagues were released to their families.

Policemen in Sagamu also had a hectic time trying to keep the students under control.

When contacted, the man in charge of the morgue of Ade Maternity Home who identified himself as Bayo Fasanya told journalists on the phone that the corpses were those of the students of OOU and had all been taken away.

He noted that calm had return at the hospital but rued that nobody had yet paid him.

He told the reporters that the Sagamu Area Command of the Nigeria Police had said he should let it see the morgue’s service bill when it is ready.

Earlier yesterday, Agboola, an associate professor who also doubles as the chairman of the OOU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said grieving relatives had initially besieged the OOUTH thinking the

victims were kept there.

He added that the head of the Students Affairs and chief security officer of the institution decided to comb private morgues in Sagamu in search of the remains of the student-victims of the accident until they were found at Ade Maternity morgue.

It would be recalled that 12 students of OOU travelling to Lagos State for the weekend were on Friday afternoon crushed to death and one other gravely injured at the Sagamu corridor of Lagos-Ore-Benin expressway when an unlatched 20-feet container from a moving truck came off and fell on the roof of a passenger bus conveying them.

The weighty container press-pinned the bus to the ground killing the passengers in the accident which involved a truck marked (LAGOS) BDG 779 XE and a Toyota Hiace passenger bus bearing (Lagos) XV 311 MUS.

Gunmen kill 2, burn truckloads of cattle in Plateau JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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unmen yesterday attacked two truck-loads of cattle in Plateau State and killed two persons.

About 20 cows were also burnt to death yesterday in two vehicles conveying them in an attack launched on the vehicles in Riyom local council of the state.

A witness, Mallam Dauda

Adams, said seven other persons in the affected vehicles were injured by the attackers.

Adams said, “It is a major concern that there has been this killing of people and burning of cattle in vehicles carrying them to Abuja.

The victims were people who visited Jos from Kaduna and bought animals at Bukuru Cattle Market, only for them to be attacked a few

hours later in Hawan Kibo.”

Adams, who is the vice chairman of the Plateau State chapter of Cattle Traders Association of Nigeria, said the attackers blocked the main road, shooting sporadically, killing two passengers instantly, injuring some others, and setting the two vehicles on fire with the cows in them.

“We reported the incident to Plateau State Police

Command and the Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki, directed the DPO in charge of Bukuru Division to go to the scene of the attack.

We got there and saw the two vehicles burnt with the animals inside,” Alhaji Dauda said, calling on the state and federal governments “to ensure that the safety of our members is very important”.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kidnapped VC freed in Rivers

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he Police in Rivers State yesterday confirmed the release of Prof Rosemond Osagholu, the Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University, Port Harcourt.

Ms. Osagholu, was abducted by gunmen on June 20 as she was leaving the campus of the Rivers Governmentowned institution.

The Police Public Relations Officer in of the State, Ahmad Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt that Ms. Osagholu was released on June 26.

He did not, however, disclose the exact location of her release or if any ransom was paid for her freedom.

“I can confirm to you that the Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University has been released.

She is in good health and has been reunited with her family,” Mr. Muhammad said.

He did not also say if any arrest had been made.

The abduction of the vice chancellor threw the academic community into a state of shock.

Unions, associations and groups in the academic community mounted pressure on the police to rescue her.

Kidnap for ransom is rampant in Rivers and neighbouring Bayelsa State.

National News

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Integrity, tool to fighting corruption –Osinbajo ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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ice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said that integrity in business, other aspects of human endeavour and social responsibility were the major tools for fighting corruption.

Osinbajo said this in Lagos at the 3rd Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity, just as he reiterated the present administration’s commitment to fighting corruption.

Speaking on the theme of the lecture “Beyond Compliance: Imbibing a Culture of Business Integrity” Osinbajo said it was not possible for anyone without integrity to be successful in their business.

“Integrity must reflect

in behaviour, it is an accepted standard,” he said.

Osinbajo said that the vision and mission of the present administration was to give meaning to the life of every Nigerian.

The vice-president said that the decision to fight corruption was in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

In his remark, Dr Christopher Kolade lamented the rate at which corruption has penetrated into all sections of the nation’s life.

“If we look at our society today, we have almost resigned to corruption.

The world would be a better place if everyman can stand for integrity.

“Integrity is something that is meant to be natural to human being but with the situation of the country it is hard to practice integrity,” he said.

Speaking on the Convention on Business Integrity, CBi, Kolade said the Convention was established the Business Action Against Corruption, BAAC, project in 2006, aiming to use collective action to improve corporate governance and reduce corruption in the Nigerian business environment.

He said the programme also supported practical initiatives, which promoted good governance and improve the investment climate.

“We achieve this through working with industry at strengthening self-regulation of business, its compliance with government regulation, stakeholder activism and a public vigilance over the arrangement.

“The BAAC Nigeria Projects seeks to strengthen

self-regulation of business, business compliance with government regulations, stakeholder activism and a public vigilance over the arrangements. It builds relationships with two principal regulators, the Nigerian Stock exchange (NSE), Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and work with the NSEG, and Institute of Directors to build partnerships to strengthen corporate governance practices by raising standards of board leadership across the economy.

“BAAC is in effect creating partnerships between business and government to fight corruption and fraud through facilitating collective action, research, education training as well as the development and dissemination of best practice tools and guidelines.”

Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, leading officials to the destruction site during the exhibit burning ceremoPHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA ny in Abuja, at the weekend.

Insecurity: El-Rufai establishes forensic laboratory A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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aduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday announced the establishment of forensic laboratory under the control of state internal security outfit - Operation Yaki - to enhance the investigative capacity of law-enforcement agencies.

Addressing residents at the first town hall meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Kaduna state Government, held at the Hassan Katsina House, Kaduna,El-Rufai said comprehensive security plan was designed for Southern Kaduna, Birnin-Gwari and Giwa axis to end attacks in

the areas.

El-Rufai added that Kaduna State is working with Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger States to design a collective approach to common security challenges in the forest ranges that strides the respective states.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari, has being briefed and updated on the security challenges in state, and the president has pledged federal government’s support for the comprehensive security plan.

According to him: “Interstate cooperation; Kaduna State is working with Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger States to design a collective approach to common security chal-

lenges in the forest ranges that strides our respective States. A meeting is being held today with the respective State Governors and Security Agencies to advance the implementation of this initiative.

The governor noted that, during the campaign, he promised to engage and interact with the public regularly: “We pledged that we will provide you regular updates and listen to your feedback, including criticisms and suggestions.

Here we are before you today to do as we pledged.

As we have started, so we intend to continue, always striving to get better at achieving results” On transportation, El-

Rufai said, “Our multi layer transport architecture will be executed. That includes preparations, studies and projects to put in place: The new cab scheme and expanding to Zaria and Kafanchan, a BRT system for mass transit starting with Kaduna, a major project to establish Kaduna-Zaria light rail system between Shika and through the Kaduna Metropolis and up to the refinery, new bus and truck terminals in Kaduna, Tafa, Mararaban Jos and Zaria”.

He explained that he took briefings from the ministries, departments and agencies in the very first week and “the depth of the financial problem became clearer to us as well

as the impact the decades of impunity have had on the mental attitudes of the institutions that constitute the public service. As one astute observer of the situation commented recently, the public service does not serve the public; rather it considers itself as the public and thus serves only itself.”

“We emphatically reject this mentality. The new government of Kaduna State has therefore declared that the resources of the state will be devoted to serving the public, with schools, hospitals and roads; aiding our farmers and doing our utmost to create jobs. To do that, we must cut the cost of running government.

9

Looming epidemic:

Lagos laments unhygienic state of police barracks FRANCIS SUBERU

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agos State Government yesterday lamented the poor and unhygienic condition of police barracks across the state, saying it may lead to outbreak of epidemic if the barracks are not urgently sanitised.

The State Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Adebule, who disclosed this after the June edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise monitored at Iru Victoria Island Local Council Development Area appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the deplorable condition of the police barracks.

Adebule said, “I must say this that the state of the Victoria Island Police Barrack is in a deplorable state. With this state, something must be done to prevent epidemic.

“I want to appeal to the Federal Government to pay utmost attention to the barracks. We realized that over the years, the infrastructures in the police barracks are dilapidating. And we are not comfortable with this.

“As we are campaigning for cleaner Lagos, we believe that the central government should also assist the state government to attain a cleaner environment. They should adopt any strategy that could help improve the state of the infrastructures in the Police Barracks within Lagos.”

She explained that the essence of the sanitation exercise was to sensitize the public on the need to cultivate the culture of cleanliness in the state.

Adebule noted that though the residents of state are working to ensure that the state remains cleaner, they need to put in more efforts to attain higher level of cleanliness in the state.

She added that Lagos is cleaner, epidemic would better be prevented.

“We have been to the major points where we have issues in this council and what we are trying to avoid is persistent flooding. We have noted all the areas.

Work will commence soon to address the problem,” she said.

10

Interview

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER JUNE 28, 2015

Buhari should investigate failure of elections in South-East –Umeh Chief Victor Umeh, the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, is still bitter with how the general election turned out particularly in the South-East. In this interview with OBIORA IFOH, he expresses his disappointment with former President Goodluck Jonathan and his party on how they reneged on the understanding with APGA. Excerpts: After several years of struggle, you have finally transferred the party to a new leadership, how do you feel about the development?

Well I feel happy, at least you were part of the beginning, you were present when the whole thing started. From a journey that was laden with uncertainty, we were able to hold forth and crystalise our vision for this party, that today, despite the turbulence that we passed through over the years, we were able to firmly establish APGA within the political land scape of Nigeria.

Today APGA is fully alive, under no threat of extinction. We have laid very formidable structures, having a governor still standing on the platform till 2018, 41 members of the Houses of Assembly now, four members of the House of Representatives.

So no matter the criteria used by INEC to deregister political parties, APGA will never qualify. So any time elections are called, if the elections are credible, APGA will continue to increase its strength.

The 2015 general elections have come and gone, we had hoped that the leadership will increase the fortune of the party in that election but unfortunately, the elections turned out to be fraudulent in our strongholds in the South-East. We are in the tribunals and we are confident that by the time the petitions are disposed off by the tribunals and all the appeals that will arise there from, also concluded, APGA will have more governors, we will have Senators, more House of Reps members and more Houses of Assembly members.

So we thank God that at this time we are exiting, having served the mandatory eight years permitted by the constitution, we are living behind, a party that is full of potentials ahead. We have also been able to stabilize the party out of trouble. The various litigations that were unleashed against the party and its leadership, have largely been disposed off, by the courts , to the extent that I can say that the new leadership that is taking over from us, will experience more peace, more stable environment to operate from to execute the party ’s programmes.

And I want to say that we are happy that we have elected also, at the last convention, very credible people and very capable hands to pilot the affairs of the party.

Nobody would have believed that Labaran

WE DETESTED, COMPLETELY, THE WAY THE PDP BETRAYED THAT RELATIONSHIP, BY COMING ALL OUT WITH UNDERHAND PRACTICES AND THE USE OF SECURITY AGENCIES TO ANNIHILATE APGA, IN THE SOUTH-

EAST, TAKING AWAY THEIR VICTORIES, GIVEN BY THE ELECTORATE.

Umeh

Maku, former Minister of Information and co-coordinating Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will become National Secretary of APGA. This shows the level we have reached and the Chairman who have taken over from me, Dr Victor Ike Oye,is very strong and a veteran journalist and communications expert. So he has the experience, both in the political arena and in journalism, to continue projecting APGA at the political space.

At a point before the elections, there were complaints from the leadership of APGA, concerning the role that Peoples Democratic Party members were playing in the South- East, notwithstanding the fact that APGA was into alliance with their party, es-

pecially at the Presidential election level.

Will you say now that you regretted going into that alliance?

Well, we are not happy but regret will not be the correct word to use. Regret comes when somebody denounces his action. What we did was what we considered to be in the best interest of the party and the people we represent. APGA represents Nigerians as a whole, but at the same time, we are carrying the burden of certain people on our heads. So you know, we agreed to support Jonathan in the last election because we were pursuing our interest.

After the National Conference of 2014, we believed that Jonathan ’s Presidency will help us to resolve most of our nagging problems, particularly as he promised that he will implement most of the recom-

mendations of the report of the National Conference which would have seen the Igbos getting an additional state so as to make our own six. Our marginalization has been a critical issue, affecting our people, through the structural disadvantage which we are subjected to, as an incidence of the war.

So while we were supporting him, we were doing that with the hope that if he wins the election, he would be able to take the report of the National Conference to the National Assembly where the implementation will see us coming out of our disadvantage. But it didn ’t turn out to be so. That the election was not won will not make us regret.

But we detested, completely, the way the PDP betrayed that relationship, by coming all out with underhand practices and the use of security agencies to annihilate APGA, in the South- East, taking away their victories, given by the electorate. So that was an action done in bad taste. Our CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

11

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES JUNE 28, 2015

Senate ofcers: How Saraki crushed opposition, installed his loyalists P 12 & 53

P 52

AFTER THE ELECTION, WHEN I SAW MY CHAIRMAN COMING TO ACCEPT DEFEAT BY ACCEPTING SENATOR SARAKI AND HON. DOGARA, I FELT THAT AFTER DOING THAT, HE SHOULD HAVE RESIGNED BECAUSE IT CAME TOO LATE. –COMRADE TIM FRANK, APC DEPUTY NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY

APC still mired in crisis

Tinubu

AYO ESAN

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or the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold. The crisis which engulfed the party when the National Assembly was inaugurated on June 9 has continued to widen and it is getting deep that it is clear even to the blind that the issue may not be resolved on time.

Last Thursday, the party ’s crisis snowballed into a free- for-all on the floor of the House of Representatives when members threw decency and decorum to the dustbin and displayed their boxing and wrestling skills to the amazement of discerning Nigerians.

The fracas that lasted over two hours was due to an attempt by the Speaker, Yaku-

Buhari needs to address growing poverty –Balogun Briefly

Yoruba Unity Forum seeks support for Buhari, Osinbajo

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oruba Unity Forum, a Socio-Cultural Group has appealed to the All Progressive Congress, APC Chieftains, other members of political Class and the National Assembly Leadership, to urgently arrest the ongoing feud just as it throws its support for President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration .

It further called on them to be very magnanimous to resolve it soonest, so that it does not blow beyond proportion, at the expense of the Nation ’s peace and stability and at the expense of the teeming electorates that voted them to power.

Rising from its Executive Council meeting in Ikenne Ogun State, the forum also called for an unflinching support and co-operation for President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo administration, “especially in its dogged strides for such an egalitarian Society and Nation, where no man is oppressed, ” through the much amplified change, which has since eluded the nation Nigeria and the people, over the years.

The meeting further resolved to host the Osinbajo to a very grand reception soonest at Ikenne, Ogun State, his home town.

It will be recalled that the Vice President, Prof. (Barr.) Oluyemi Osinbajo, is the very Son-In-Law of the Late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo as well as the Monarch, the Yeye Oodua of Yoruba Race and the Forum Chairman, Chief Dr. Mrs. H.I.D Awolowo.

The Forum also congratulated former Chief of Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya (Rtd) on the full restoration on his ranks as the former Chief of General Staff, gazetted recently by the Federal Government.

Saraki

bu Dogara, to close plenary without reading a letter from the APC endorsing Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and others as principal officers.

With the situation on ground, it shows that the party leadership led by chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the National Assembly leadership led by Saraki and Dogara are still not working in the same direction.

After the incident of June 9, which led to the emergence of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House, the party though initially said it would not recognise the two officers because Ahmed Lawan and Gbajabiamila were the choice of the party for the two positions.

But after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Odigie-Oyegun agreed that the party had no choice but to recog-

nise Saraki and Dogara, saying there was nothing the party could do than to accept them.

Some governors of the party who felt disappointed with the changing tune of the chairman last week also called for his resignation as they said he was not firm enough in resolving the crisis that befell the party.

As eminent party leaders and the presidency were trying to resolve the issue, the party further dabbled into the issue of NASS leadership when it sent a letter to the Speaker informing him of the party ’s choice for the post of Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip. Another letter was sent to the Senate President intimating him with the choice of the party for the four poCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Buhari

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Politics

Sunday, June 28, 2015

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Senate ofcers: How Saraki crushed op Again the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was able to deploy both tact and wit, to push his way through concerning the appointment of the principal officers of All Progressives Congress in the Senate in open defiance of the party leaders. GEORGE OJI reports.

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fter the rigours and politicking that marked his election as the Senate President on June 9, the immediate challenge that confronted Senator Bukola Saraki and threatened his Presidency was the issue of the composition of the principal officers of the senate. The emergence of Saraki as the Senate President in the first instance was considered a very serious affront to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who had preferred Senator Ahmed Lawan for the office. The same scenario also played out at the House of Representatives, where Hon. Yakubu Dogara emerged against the wishes of APC as the Speaker of the House.

Having made that initial mistake, the APC was determined not to let history repeat itself with the constitution of the remaining principal officers of the senate, albeit, the entire National Assembly. In the senate, there were two major groups that played key roles in the contest for the office of the Senate President.

There was the “Senators of Like Minds ”, and the “Senate Unity Forum ”.

The senators of like minds backed the candidacy of Saraki while the senate unity forum lined up behind Lawan.

While the members of the senate unity forum depended on the support

of the party apparatus, their rival senators of like minds knew quite clearly that they were on their own and held their fate in their hands.

Having succeeded in installing Saraki as the Senate President, it was clear to Saraki and his group that the battle was not yet over.

So, when the party came up with this decision that Senators Ahmad Lawan ( Yobe North), should be made the Senate Leader while George Akume ( Benue North-West), was recommended for the post of Deputy Senate Leader respectively, Saraki and his group knew straight away that the battle was not yet over for them.

The other recommendations of the party for the rest other principal offices were; Senator Olushola Adeyeye ( Osun Central), nominated for the position of Chief Whip of the Senate and Abu Ibrahim ( Katsina South) as Deputy Chief Whip. The position of Saraki and his group was that it was inconceivable for them to accept the recommendations of the party on this matter.

Their argument was that accepting the decision of the party would amount to political suicide for them.

This is because, allowing the Lawan group to form the nucleus of the senate principal officers would mean allowing one ’s enemies unfettered access to one ’s sensitive and volatile

territory. So, straight away, they drew the battle lines.

On their part, the senators of like minds drew up their own preference list for the vacant positions. The list showed Senator Ali Ndume (Northeast) as Senate Majority Leader and Sanni Ahmed Yerima (Northwest) as the Chief Whip of the senate. The group maintained that it can only concede the position of the Deputy Majority Leader and Deputy Whip to the rival group.

However, with the backing of the party, the senate unity forum group insisted that it was either the supremacy of the party or nothing. Neither of the two separate closed doors meetings called by Saraki could help resolve the matter, as both groups stuck to their grounds.

Then on Tuesday June 22, the National Chairman of APC forwarded two separate letters to Saraki and Dogara respectively. The letters contained the list of the candidates the party said were drawn up after wide consultations.

The list for the senate contained the names of Senator Ahmed Lawan (Northeast) for the position of Senate Majority Leader, Senator Sola Adeyeye (Southwest) for Chief Whip, Senator George Akume (North central) as Deputy Majority Leader and Senator Abu Ibrahim (Northwest) as

Sara aki

Deputy majority Whip.

That of the House, listed Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Southwest) as the preferred candidate for the House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Northwest) as Deputy House Leader, Hon. M. T. Monguno (Northeast) as the House Chief Whip and Hon. Pally Iriase (South-South) as the Deputy House Whip.

At the beginning of plenary on Wednesday, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) rising under a point of order and citing order 15 of the Senate ’s standing rule that deals with matter of breach of personal

APC still mired in c CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

sitions.

Both Senate President and Speaker did not agree with the party choosing those to fill the positions, rather they said that the Senate and Rep caucuses should pick officers to occupy those positions. Thus the party and Senate President/Speaker were once again at loggerheads.

While the disagreement raged, the 22 Governors on the platform of the party tried to wade in the leadership tussle rocking the National Assembly. They took the step after a meeting with President Buhari in Abuja last Wednesday.

The Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, said that the governors were worried by pockets of disagreements at the NASS. He explained that they had resolved to ensure that party supremacy prevailed in the choice of principal officers of both chambers of the NASS. Owelle Okorocha said the crisis in NASS was a distraction to the steps taken by President Buhari to address myriad problems confronting the nation.

“We are meeting with the President because we are not happy with what is happening among our senators in the National Assembly. We thought we should rub minds with Mr President and to commend him for the steps taken so far to address the issue of the economy of the nation which is totally in shambles.

“The meeting we had with Mr. President this morning is reassuring that there is light at the end of the tunnel, ” he said.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said the senators should adopt the position of the party “because we all got elected on the platform of the party. ” He noted that the governors would call the senators and explain our reasons to them. ” Oshiomhole disclosed that the governors would not allow individual interests to supersede party supremacy.

But Saraki and Dogara as well as their allies in the Senate and House would not succumb to pressure as they maintained their position. Last Thursday ’s fracas marked the open display of the APC crisis in the market place.

The party on Tuesday wrote to the Speaker, notifying him of the decision to endorse Gbajabiamila (Lagos) as House Leader, Ado Doguwa (Kano) as Deputy Leader, Mohammed Monguno (Borno) as Whip, and Pally Iriase (Edo) as Deputy Whip.

But the Speaker, who walked into the Chamber at 11:02 a.m., directed the Acting Leader, Orker Jev, an APC member from Benue State after prayers, to raise a motion for a closed session.

But midway into Jev ’s motion, the House bust into a protest, as Balarabe Abdullahi Salame (Sokoto-APC) and other colleagues who claimed to be loyal to the party, made

for the mace and the seat of the Speaker.

While Hon. Salame, who was clad in a sky-blue overflowing Babariga with a tapestried fez cap, made for the Speaker ’s chair, asking him loudly to get up, Hon. Doguwa went for the mace (the symbol of authority of the Speaker).

Doguwa was however resisted by Chamber staff and parliamentary security and the mace snatched from its platform and taken to the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives from the exit door, as the fracas continued. Doguwa later mounted the mace platform shouting expletives and demanding the ouster of the Speaker, before he was stoned off the table with several voluminous books (copies of laws of the Federation) by Hon. Chukwuma Onyema, PDP, Anambra).

Some anti-Dogara protesters formed a cluster around the mace platform, shouting hoarse. Others in the middle of the Chamber raised cardboard-paper placards with the inscription, ‘Nigerians Voted for Party; Party is Supreme ’.

While Dogara ’s supporters (both APC and PDP) formed a protective ring around him on the dais, shouting “Sai Dogara ” and “APC shame ”, others loyal to Gbajabiamila shouted “APC ” and stressed their belief in the supremacy of the party.

While the fight lasted, Hon. Gbajabiamila was calm. When the heat was apparently becoming unbearable for the Speaker, he

Odig gie-O Oye egun n

summoned the ex-Minority Leader (Gbajabiamila), for a tete-a-tete that lasted for about five minutes and calm was restored shortly after at 12:32 p.m. After the agitated legislators returned to their seats, Hon. Jev moved a motion that brought the House to order, before the plenary was summarily adjourned to Tuesday, July 21.

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Politics

Sunday, June 28, 2015

House of Reps ’ war: Green chamber turns boxing ring UBONG UKPONG ABUJA

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istory again, repeated itself on Thursday, June 25, when supposed honourable members of the House of Representatives in Abuja, demonstrated that the 8th National Assembly could not be different from others when it comes to dishonourable practices especially outright fighting on the floor of the House and attempts to snatch the mace.

It is on record that the House of Representatives is known for physical combat, especially, during plenary, over matters that are not of urgent public importance, bur urgent personal importance.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, the story has been the same, as almost all succeeding House witness rowdy plenary leading to free-for-all fight.

At least the same scenario was witnessed under Dimeji Bankole and Patricia Etteh, whose opponents, led by now APC Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, fought dirty on the floor and ensured her removal in what was described as an unjust manner, which scar remains.

Like a generational curse, it has spilled into the 8th House, as an aggrieved faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC Representatives, led by Femi Gbajabiamila, held Speaker Yakubu Dogara and hostage and shamefully, disrupted the House ’s plenary, leading to an abrupt adjournment until July 21.

Nigerians saw this coming when the All Progressives Congress, APC, could not put its house in order to manage elections victories gotten on the platter of gold by the grace of God and Nigerians.

Described as a party of strange bed fellows, the APC had always been predicted for such crisis in view of the divergent interests in the amalgamation.

It is now not unclear that the interests did not agree on what would be their benefits, the sharing formula or zoning as it is called in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is now working against it, having won the national elections.

The APC had gone into several retreats with its elected federal lawmakers in the 8th Assembly, to harmonise leadership positions but the efforts appeared quite belated as personal interests seemed to have already overgrown party interests.

For the House of Representatives, the APC ab initio, seemed interested in having Gbajabiamila as Speaker, but this was said to have come very late, as Dogara had already taken the floor and was confident of victory.

While Gbajabiamila and his group, which they called loyal APC group, depended heavily on party ’s machinery and supremacy, Dogara on the other hand, seemed to have got it right by looking the way of the peoples machinery and supremacy.

Consequently, while Gbajabiamila defeated Dogara at the APC straw poll, which Dogara opted out out, maintaining that House election was not party ’s affair, he went to the floor of the House and defeated Gbajabiamila to cruise home with victory as the Speaker of the 8th House.

From that moment, it was clear that the battle had just begun. While Gbajabiamila rejected the position of Deputy Speaker he was offered, it was clear that he was being propped by the party for the position of House leader, which is more advantageous

House of Reps in rowdy session.

APC HAD GONE INTO SEVERAL RETREATS WITH ITS ELECTED FEDERAL LAWMAKERS IN THE 8TH ASSEMBLY, TO HARMONISE

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS BUT THE EFFORTS APPEARED QUITE BELATED AS PERSONAL INTERESTS SEEMED TO HAVE ALREADY OVERGROWN PARTY INTERESTS.

to him, his group and the party.

On the other hand, Dogara and his group have their own agenda and would not be entrapped by the idea of party supremacy in an issue they felt is the prerogative of House members.

The party had forwarded a communication to the House conveying the list of those who should occupy the four principal offices left to the party. The letter dated June 23, 2015, was addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, signed by the party ’s Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

Titled, “Party ’s position on Principal Officers of the 8th House of Representatives ”, the letter sought Dogara ’s support to make Femi Gbajabiamila, Wouth West, House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, North West, Deputy House Leader, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, North East, Chief Whip, Pally Iriase, South South, Deputy Chief Whip respectively. This is even as the South East and South South had on the previous day, on Wednesday, cried out for being sidelined and undermined, with House positions clustered around South West and North East.

Already, analysts could predict that there would be such commotion in the House on Thursday upon resumption of plenary. True to it, the House was set on fire on Thursday.

Upon resumption, the Speaker, after the House prayer, called for the House to dissolve into an Executive Session, which was usually employed by the Leadership to discuss and resolve any issue that may require urgent attention of members or that may be

contentious and only members are participants.

The Speaker had hardly finished calling on the Chairman of ad-hoc committee on Rules and Business to move a motion to that effect, when some APC members interrupt and disrupted the House proceedings, asking the Speaker to read the letter from the APC Chairman.

The members who said they were loyal party members, acted in a premeditated way as some of them even carried placards with inscriptions on them, some displaying copies of the letter, showing that they were ready for the day ’s trouble.

They advanced towards the mace, grapped it, struggled with it, may have even defaced that symbol of authority of the House amongst sundry sins of fighting, fracas, misconduct, denying the Nigerian people of opportunity to have matters of urgent public importance on the order of the day discussed, all actions which are clear contempt of parliament.

Rising from that fighting session, the APC Caucus, which constituted mostly of the loyal fighters, told journalists at a press briefing that the fracas was motivated by the Speaker ’s breach of their privileges and rights as contained in the 1999 constitution and the House extant law, by refusing to read the letter from the party, which was in his possession.

Speaking on their behalf, Hon Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura, APC Katsina state, explained that they were aware of a letter

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sent by the Party, dated June 23, conveying the approval of the Party ’s Principal Officers vis a vis the APC House Leader, the APC Chief Whip, the APC Deputy House Leader and the APC Deputy Chief Whip for the House of Representatives.

“This letter by the Party is in compliance with the expressed wish and mandate of the Majority Members of the All Progressives Congress APC Caucus in the House of Representatives.

“This action of the Party and the APC House Caucus is in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the House Rules and Parliamentary tradition, practices and precedents in Nigeria and all over the World.

“But to our surprise and in breach of our privilege and rights as contained in the Constitution and extant House Rules, Mr. Speaker refused to read the letter from our party.

“This action, by Speaker Yakubu Dogara cannot and will not be allowed to stand as it will set a dangerous precedent in our parliamentary practice as it will give the Speaker the right and authority to appoint, Choose, Select, Dictate or even provide guidance on how Principal Officers emerge or are elected or selected by the Majority and Minority Parties in the House of Representatives. This action is capable of truncating our democracy ”, Hon Daura stated.

Speaking on the claims that a particular zone should not be allowed to produce more than one Principal Officer, the APC caucus said that “This claim is absolutely RUBBISH! ” Daura said precedence were set in the 6th & 7th Assemblies where a single zone, the Northwest, produced two and three Principal Officers, respectively.

“We the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the House of Representatives are fully committed in ensuring that our party ’s and President Muhammadu Buhari ’s manifesto, agenda and positions prevail despite the efforts and shenanigans of the opposition party(s) and the few disloyal and undisciplined APC party members in the House of Representatives. ” He said they were determined in their efforts, to utilise all legislative strategies available to them, so as to ensure the compliance with due process and democratic norms and values.

“We shall persevere, come rain come shine!

“We the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the House of Representatives and the All Progressives Congress have dished out enough of the carrots, it ’s time to crack the whip so as to ensure party discipline and maintain order.

He appeal to the APC group that they must have respect for the rule of law in their actions no matter the scenario, “they must be prepared to abide by due process and rule of law with emphasis to transparency.

“I want to appeal specifically to the leadership of APC that there are clear processes in addressing issues. This approach will not solve any problem. They have crisis within their own party, they should be able to resolve it than bring it to the green chamber.

I find what happened today very embarrassing and if this is the kind of leadership and change they are trying to bring to Nigerians, we are not going to accept this modality of change ’, he said.

Ogopr also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to try to call this APC ’s “group of rioters ” to order saying, “it is in our collective interest that we respect the principles of democracy.

“In every democracy, the majority will always have their way and the minority will have their say. When elections were conducted, that election was very transparent and which Dogara emerged.

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Opinion

Sunday June 28, 2015

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

E-mail: sheffie2004@yahoo.co.uk 08094217972 (SMS only)

T

he recent odious and shocking happenings in the ruling party consign the significance of its broom to the wastebasket.

The bunch of broomsticks, the All Progressives Congress (APC) logo means two important things. First, it demonstrates the value of togetherness and cooperation towards achieving a progressive goal. Second, is that the broom is a locally crafted instrument for sweeping off dirt and wastes to make the surroundings clean. Thus, the broom as the APC emblem resonates in the party’s mantra of change, for, when a surrounding is swept clean, it has a changed outlook. For the APC, the erstwhile ruling party was the filth that must be swept off and hurled out of power!

And the “bulala”? It is Hausa slang for the horsewhip. It is also called “koboko”. Sometime in the history of pre-colonial Northern Nigeria, a menacing group, the Bulalas from Chad or Niger terrorized Kanem-Borno and the Hausa States for decades. It was probably this horrific symbolism that informed the choice of the name “bulala” for the horsewhip. The current developments in the APC no longer show the camaraderie that the broom underscores; many party “un-faithfuls” seem to be taking the plunge instead, for the horsewhip.

When the APC won the elections for the post of the president and more states in the gubernatorial elections as well as more lawmakers in the two legislative chambers, it was gen-

Safety Tips with

Jonas Agwu

Email: j.agwu@Ofrsc.gov.ng Tel: -8033026491, 8077690055

I

t is about ten days since the summit on haulage operations in the Country was held to address the recent spate of crashes involving articulated vehicles. While some are awaiting the outcome of this talkshops, reactions have already trailed it with Sokoto State governor,Aminu Tambuwa giving kudos to the summit. He spoke during NUPENG/PTD NEC meeting which was held in Sokoto, the Sokoto State capital, saying that the summit was essential in eradicating road traffic crashes involving tankers. Two prominent players on whose shoulders the success or failure lies were also quick to assure Nigerians that the summit was not cosmetic.

The first to give this assurance is my boss,Boboye Oyeyemi who while speaking at the same NEC meeting of NUPENG assured that the all resolutions will be implemented; a position reechoed by NUPENG/ PTD Chairman, Salmon Oladiti who said his Union was establishing a data bank for usage of the FRSC and other road traffic agencies to ease enforcement. While we all hope on these assurances, what really were the action plans arrived at by the summit?. Today I wish to run through the plan of action of the summit with few side comments.

The one day summit resolved on the following as the way forward under four classifications; standards, enforcement, institutional capacity and legal: Let me start with

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From broomsticks to ‘bulala’ erally deposited that the bunch of broomsticks had swept off and out, the torn umbrella of the PDP, which had constituted much filth-points around the country. Technically therefore, an abrupt and unexpected end had come to the sixteen-year “Czarist” reign of the former ruling party and power had thus left the elite for the masses. But before and after the elections, there had been a deluge of decampments from the embattled and vanquished party to the APC. The APC had been a merger of four political parties- the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

But there was a fifth group, a powerful and influential breakaway faction of the PDP (called the New-PDP or nPDP) led by a former interim National Chairman, Baraje and Saraki and a league of state governors, including Kwakwanso and Amaechi. In this new mega party were also past power brokers in the PDP, such as Atiku Abubakar (former VicePresident), Audu Ogbeh (a former National Chairman) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (former PDP National Secretary). The combination of all these heavyweights posed a big threat to the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, which devised all possible means to disrupt the move. For instance, similar parties with the same APC acronym were allegedly sponsored by the PDP and floated with the aim of being registered and creating confusion in the polity.

The failure of those attempts is not what is significant at this point, but the apprehensions that the mass exodus of elements from rival PDP to the APC before and after the 2015 elections would spell doom for the party as struggle for power, superiority and relevance; sharing of positions, and ideological or interest conflict would someday ultimately culminate in bitterness, bickering and possible flattening of the party. These were the crucial footnotes. Observ-

ers had noted that the infiltration of the party by mere political fortune-hunters, jobbers and position grabbers would whittle down the originality, intent and objective of the blueprint of the party’s founding fathers. But in politics, numbers count and the more, the merrier for the APC, which desperately sought dominance at all levels of government.

However, weeks after the swearing in of the president, governors and lawmakers, the doomsday prophecies of the past seemed to be playing out in the power tussle in the 8th National Assembly. Dogara and Lasun, against the script and direction of their party, stuck their recalcitrant heads out and beat the ‘anointed’ candidates (Gbajabiamila and Mungono) to emerge as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. Yet again, contrary to the stipulations of the party after, Saraki won, unopposed, the seat of President of Senate. The APC had “voted” that Lawan and Akume assume those positions. Saraki had boycotted a pre-inauguration settlement meeting, allegedly called by President Buhari, which all but eight of his other fellow party members had opted for at the same time of the National Assembly inauguration. In their absence, Saraki and Ekweremandu, a PDP candidate were nominated and won. While this has been described in many quarters as a civilian coup; however, the most worrisome development in this circumstance is that the APC has technically lost the Senate to the opposition PDP, as the PDP have not only synced aspirations with Saraki and voted him in as their own stooge, they have also given the APC Senate President a close marking by producing his Deputy. It is therefore a minus-one situation for the new ruling party.

The APC could have picked up the bits and pieces and moved on in spite of all, but the subsequent acts of Saraki and Dogara of both Houses have been a huge let-down and embarrassment to the ruling party. The party’s pre-

ferred candidates for the remaining principal officers have also been blocked by the two ‘Macbeths’ and while Saraki seemed to have picked his own preferred candidates in obvious flagrant disregard for his party and even failed to read the APC Chairman’s letter on the Floor, Rt. Honourable Dogara not only blocked the reading of the letter as well, but also attempted handpick his own preferred candidates, which led to a total loss of commonsense and pugilism among the “honourable” lawmakers beamed live on national television. .

Both legislative chambers- like the contempt during the sittings earlier- adjourned till July 26, thus showing that the leadership of both Houses had been in correspondence and tacit alliance, with the help of a factious APC caucus and their numerous PDP accomplices, conspiring to frustrate the APC and tear it apart. In partisan politics, all of this is to be expected, but what is equally desirable is for reason to prevail and for the APC National Leaders, particularly the President to act fast before there is a success meltdown. What is playing out appears to be lack of capacity to manage success and yet incapacity to assert leadership and handle ordinary party infractions. Indifference of the President is not detrimental to any other person than the President himself. The party crisis and PDP infiltrations and seeming control of the National Assembly might portend grave dangers to the APC presidency and leadership. The President cannot afford to be a spectator in a matter that directly affects him. He certainly cannot belong to nobody to the extent that the edifice that produced him crumbles right before his own very eyes.

• Dr. Folarin, an Associate Professor, is the immediate past Head of Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

Taming articulated vehicle drivers the challenge of standards where it resolved that more attention is required to be focused on vehicles’ technical wellness/characteristics by haulage operators to ensure reduction in crashes arising from mechanical deficiency. It also upheld the need for modern vehicle testing to be introduced in all states of the federation to ensure sustained vehicle technical wellness stressing that there was the need to establish age limit for trucks to be used for haulage purposes and the need for comprehensive welfare package for haulage drivers by their employers in other to motivate them. The implementation of standardized speed limiters installation in all newly manufactured vehicles in Nigeria was also upheld in line with the resolve of the Federal Road Safety Corps to commence full enforcement with effect from 1 September 2015.

As a plank to improve enforcement which it identified as weak, the summit held that this can be achieved by the establishment of safety standards for haulage operators through enforcement of safe-to-load program .Considering Nigeria road network density and length vis-a-vis, compulsory rest and rest period of 30minutes to be observed after 4hrs of unbroken driving, there is the need to decentralize the concentration of tank farms within the same location and accessibility in lagos as well as close down the illegal ones.It observed that indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the highways (road shoulders) should be checked while all deviant drivers should face the wrath of the law when apprehended in addition to the need the nation’s roads to be improved upon, potholes mended while better network are to be constructed to ease traffic flows, illegal location of markets and other road encroachments on the high-

ways are to be eliminated. It urged the Corps to sustain continuous public enlightenment at the centers where tankers and trailers load products or (rest areas).This is to be complimented by the setting up of task force to check on drivers’ activities especially to decongest Lagos’ ports roads and at the rest areas, by stakeholders including frsc.

While acknowledging the Commitment elicited from NNPC/tank farms of major independent marketers, it insisted on minimum standards by trucks that lift products: ditto for cement companies, flour companies etc ensuring stoppage of indiscriminate parking along the highways (road shoulders).Full compliance with the road transport safety standardization scheme (rtsss) provisions.

The nod on the RTSSS exited me because this is one policy that has the potential of addressing most if not all the issues raised. The Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme, which is designed to regulate the activities of fleet owners and leading to certification and grading of fleet owners in Nigeria has remained a reference point in Africa. On the Implementation of the maximum road speed limiter for vehicles, it endorsed commencement of subtle enforcement (with no booking) from 1st June, 2015 and full compliance effective 1st September, 2015 and called on all haulage drivers to respect road traffic regulations and traffic officers to stem constant conflicts on the highways.

On the issue of institutional capacity, it maintained that training / retraining of tankers and trailers drivers need to be intensified and sustained and this should be done in conjunction with the frsc.The summit held that there was the urgent need for renewal of petroleum tankers and other haulage vehicles

through fleet acquisition renewal scheme with collaboration with financial institutions i.e. bank of industry or the infrastructure bank, urgent need for life insurance for all Nigerians for ease of compensation of citizens in case of loss of lives in road crash incidence.

Modernization of law enforcement (personnel and equipment) – training and retraining, and logistics enhancement to ensure more effective discharge of duties was equally endorsed. The need to repair broken down petroleum pipelines to ensure decentralization of supply was also upheld in addition to the re-introduction of the weigh bridges to check excess axle loads.

The summit called on government to prohibit importation of substandard and fairly used tyres, (tokunbo), ditto for sub-standard vehicle spare parts, dedication to tankers/ trailers crash investigation by frsc.It urther urged government to utilize other ports in the federation so as to decongest Lagos ports while State governments are to relocate markets away from highways as a matter of urgency and provide standard garages and rest areas.

On the need for proper legislation it focused on the best time for tankers and trailers movement noting that it has become a necessity and should be established given the high density of vehicles on Nigeria roads and possible spiral effect in case of crash occurrence in addition to the need for the prosecution of recalcitrant haulage drivers, which must be intensified by all law enforcement agencies.

•Agwu, an Assistant Corps Marshal, is Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 7HQ of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Man in the News Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

Paying the price of indecision AYO ESAN

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ational Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has been under intense pressure to resign following the crisis that befell his party over the election of the National Assembly principal officers. He has been asked to quit his position for what most of the party stalwarts described as his inability to bring the crisis to a halt. The latest call for his resignation was made by about eight governors of the party in what political observers see as a worsening of the crisis in the party which they described as assuming the dimension of a full scale war.

It was gathered that eight APC governors asked Oyegun to resign honourably when they paid a surprise visit to him at the party ’s national secretariat in Abuja last Tuesday after their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. They reportedly conveyed their demands to the chairman in a closed doors meeting with him.

The governors who visited Oyegun included Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Abubuakar Badaru (Jigawa). They were said to have expressed their sadness over Oyegun ’s poor handling of the crisis bedeviling APC on the heels of the recent National Assembly elections that enthroned Senator Bukola Saraki and Rep. Yakubu Dogara as senate president and speaker, House of Representatives respectively.

It was further gathered that the APC chairman may have started plotting his own agenda to ensure that he did not fall victim to the plot to force him to resign barely one month after the inauguration of the APC-led government of President Buhari.

First, it was the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Timi Frank, who called for the resignation of Oyegun over the poor handling of the National Assembly crisis.

Frank had called for the resignation of Oyegun, blaming him for the woes that befell the party in the struggle for the National Assembly leadership.

“The party ’s national chairman caused it because times without number, some of the leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was asked to take a decision and let people follow that but he didn ’t do that.

“They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minutes when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate. In the Western world, by today the

party ’s national chairman would have resigned honourably, ” he said.

However, a group, Fresh Hope for Nigeria, FHN, has identified with the course of the APC national chairman and has come down hard on those call-

ing for his removal. In a statement released in Abuja by the national coordinator of FHN, Comrade Tamuno Banigo, the group stated that Frank outright acted in error to have attacked the leadership of his party on the pages of newspapers and disowned him as a member of the party ’s National Working Committee.

“He has even gone ahead to call himself a member of the National Working Committee, this is a lie, Timi Frank should not continue to confuse the members of the public. He is not known as a member of NWC, ” the group retorted.

While reacting to some of the issues raised in the report, the group explained that the policy of the party was that they wanted to present one candidate for the National Assembly leadership election and to provide a platform to achieve that, explaining that, that was what has been guiding the party in all the primaries that have been organised on the basis of providing a level playing ground for all the members of the party.

Banigo said, “Nobody is allowed to dictate for the party on how that should be done. ” Speaking on the mock election conducted before the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, he said what the party did was to provide platform for all its members to freely choose their preferred candidates for all the positions.

“This is what the party feels it owes its members and we will continue to do that, ” he reiterated.

John Odigie-Oyegun was born on August 12, 1939, in Warri, Delta State.

He attended St. Patrick ’s College, Asaba, and later went to the University of Ibadan where he obtained a Bachelor ’s degree in Economics. He then served in various capacities as a federal civil servant working as a development planner.

Oyegun was elected as civilian governor of Edo State on the Social Democratic Party, SDP, platform during General Ibrahim Babangida ’s transition programme and served from January 1992 to November 1993.

He was removed from office after General Sani Abacha seized power. Later, he became a leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. In 2009, he was chairman of the Technical Working Committee of Coalition of Democrats for Election Reforms, CODER. On June 13, 2014, Oyegun was elected as national chairman of the APC. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu , the APC national leader, is thought to have played an important role in the decision.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES June 28, 2015

Benefits of a good sleep TITILOPE MORAKINYO

H

aving a good night’s rest cannot be overemphasised. Quality sleep is therefore imperative.

Even without fully grasping what sleep does for both human and animals, we know that going without sleeping for too long makes someone feel terrible. And that getting a good night’s rest can get you feeling ready to take on the world.

Scientists have gone to great lengths to fully understand sleep’s benefits. In studies of humans and other animals, they have discovered that sleep plays a critical role in promoting physical health, longevity, emotional well-being, immune function, metabolism, memory, learning and other vital functions.

This explains why, after a good night’s sleep, you feel better, think are clearer and your emotions are less fragile.

Without adequate sleep, judgement, mood and ability to learn and retain information are weakened. Being asleep acts as the body’s rest cycle, a state when our senses and motor activity are relatively suspended. There is total or partial unconsciousness and all voluntary muscles are inactive. It is more reversible than hibernation but responds less to stimuli than quiet restiveness.

Sleep is a heightened anabolic state, a period when the bodies are producing new bone, muscular and nervous tissue and a period when growth and repairs occur.

According to the National Institutes of Health, they discovered that a number of central tasks are carried out by the human body during sleep to help maintain good health so that we can function at our best, and not getting enough sleep can be dangerous for both our physical and mental health.

Most people find it hard to fall or stay asleep as a large number of men and women suffer from chronic insomnia.

Sleep requirements vary according to age and lifestyle In an interview with Sunday Mirror, a medical practitioner with St. Cartel Hospital, Lagos, Dr Timothy Dada, explained more on the benefits of sleep.

“Over time, chronic sleep deprivation may lead to an array of serious medical conditions including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even early mortality. People who get the appropriate amount of sleep on a regular basis tend to live longer, healthier lives than those who sleep too few or even too many hours each night. Sleep helps to repair

the body, it produces extra protein molecules while sleeping and helps strengthen ability to fight infection and stay healthy.

“These molecules help the immune system to mend the body at a cellular level, especially when one is stressed or have been exposed to compromising elements such as pol-

NDLEA warns against menace of drug abuse Nigeria has the highest number of persons serving jail terms for drugrelated offences worldwide, so says the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. The NDLEA Commander in Niger State Mr. Iweajunwa Okechukwu, disclosed this at the weekend while celebrating the 2015 UN Drug Free Day in Minna, the state capital.

“There is no doubt that as a country, the menace of drug abuse and trafficking is one of the biggest problems staring us in the face today.

“All over the world, Nigerians are notorious for drug trafficking. We

have the highest number of traffickers serving jail terms than any other country in the world,’’ he said.

Okechukwu said the recent Indonesian saga involving Nigerians was a pointer to the claim.

He said that in Niger there was a serious issue of drug abuse, especially the prescription of drugs and psychotropic substances such as tramadol, rohypnol and diazepam.

According to him, other drugs abused in the state include Librium, cough syrups with codeine, sukudia (suck and die), glue, solutions, petrol, gutter dirt, zakami, lizard dung

and cannabis sativa (Indian hemp).

He said the harmful habit was common among the youth, married women, secondary school students and primary school pupils.

The agency’s commander urged parents, teachers, religious leaders, state governments and traditional leaders to see drug abuse as a societal problem that must be tackled by all stakeholders toward minimising it.

Okechukwu advised the people of the state to desist from abusing drugs and report illegal drug dealings to the agency.

lutants and infectious bacteria, he said.”

Dr Dada added that sleep helps to keep the heart healthy, adding that the cardiovascular system is constantly under pressure and falling asleep helps to reduce the levels of stress and inflammation in the body. He said while high levels of inflammatory markers are linked to heart disease and strokes, sleep can also help moderate blood pressure and cholesterol levels which play a role in heart disease.

The medic revealed that a good night’s sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevate levels of stress hormones, which are a natural result of today’s fast paced lifestyle.

“High blood pressure can be life threatening and the physical effects of stress can produce wear and tear on the body and degenerate cells, which propel the aging process. Sleep also helps to slow these effects and encourages a state of relaxation. To feel good and stay healthy, an average adult needs seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night while school-aged children need anywhere from 10 to 13 hours a night and teenagers require eight to nine hours for the greatest benefits and performance.

The medic explained that if you regularly sleep four to six hours a night, you’re building up considerable “sleep debt” that would need to be repaid or your health may be compromised.

“Patients will also experience the side effects of sleep deprivation, which can negatively impact many aspects of daily life,” he maintained, “To improve the quality of sleep, you need to make sleeping a top priority in life, such as setting up a regular bedtime. To get a good night’s sleep, the body needs the foundation of a regular bedtime as the habit of following a certain pattern of events and behaviours every night before bed helps prepare the brain and body for sleep. A soothing, pre-sleep ritual helps reduce the stress and worries of the day and enables you to ease into sleep faster,” he advised.

Dr Dada said people should be careful not to sabotage a good night sleep with activities that over stimulate the brain or body in the two or three hours before bed. Watching movies on the television, reading a suspense novel, exercising, checking e-mail, or eating a big meal are examples of activities that can cause you to stare at the ceiling for a while instead of enjoying sweet dreams, he said.

“The bedroom should provide peaceful, comfortable surroundings that help prepare you for sleep. Remove excess clutter, make the bed inviting with nice sheets, soft pillows and a good mattress; use light-blocking curtains, remove your television, computer and other electronics and keep the bedroom smelling fresh and clean,” Dr Dada urged.

HEALTH NEWS

Kano Govt urges community participation on environmental sanitation Kano State Government at the weekend called for more community participation in order to ensure effective environmental sanitation and a healthy environment.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ali Makoda, made the call while monitoring the monthly sanitation exercise for markets, motor parks and office premises.

Makoda urged members of the public to support the state government in the task of cleaning the environment, evacuating and

managing the waste.

The commissioner expressed satisfaction with the contribution of traders at the watermelon market at Na’ibawa.

Makoda also lauded the Kumbotso and Tarauni local governments for complying with government’s directive to construct drainage at Na’ibawa abattoir.

He then urged Kano residents to come out en masse and clean their houses and surroundings during the Saturday environmental sanitation.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR  PUBLISHER All the Facts, All the Sides

SUNDAY OLAJIDE  MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON  ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI  SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN  SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA  COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE  EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ISE-OLUWA IGE  ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN  ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Declining fortunes of Nigerian football

I

f there is anything discerning Nigerians, sports enthusiasts, football aficionados and analysts are agreed on the state of football in Nigeria, it is that the round leather game is on a painful spiral fall, with troubling consequences for national honour and prestige. This is not just an assertion arising from uncontrolled emotionalism; painfully, the facts available support the wellconsidered verdict. As recently as this month, both the Flying Eagles and the Super Falcons posted horrible performances in the 2015 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in New Zealand and FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted

by Canada respectively such that they could not go beyond the first round stage. Coming on the heels of the absence of the Super Eagles in the 30th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held early this year in Equatorial Guinea and the elimination of all the country’s representatives - Enyimba FC, Kano Pillars, Warri Wolves and Dolphins - in this year’s CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, a very troubling pattern of endemic rot in the nation’s football has been poignantly established.

The painted scenario above contrasts with the heroic exploits of Nigeria in Africa’s age grade football competitions, especially her dominance of African youth championships, both in the male and female categories. For example, since inception of female football competition on the continent, the Super Falcons have dominated the senior category. Since their first appearance in 1991, the Nigerian senior female soccer team won the continental championship for a record nine times (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2014). The story is the same in the All Africa Games. In the male category, Nigeria was rated 9th at the US ’94 and later climbed to number 5 in the world in the Federation of International Football Association’s (FIFA) ranking. In the global age grade competitions, the country’s Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles had done Nigeria and Africa proud. That was then;

the reality today is that the country is nowhere in the top 40 in the global soccer ranking conducted by FIFA. For a football-loving nation and the fanatic passion Nigerians display towards football, this unwholesome development is, for many, unacceptable. The prospect of Nigeria losing her preeminent position in African football and the concomitant effect of a seriously diminished global status is too hard to contemplate.

There is, therefore, a bounden duty on the part of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to order a diagnostic review of football administration in the country to unravel the underlying

AN IMPORTANT REVELATION FROM THE OUSTER OF THE COUNTRY’S REPRESENTATIVES

2015 VERSIONS OF THE FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP AND FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP IN THE

IS THE APPARENT DEFICIENCY OF OUR COACHING CREWS IN CORE TECHNICAL AREAS OF THE GAME. THERE IS A GAPING KNOWLEDGE GAP BETWEEN OUR COACHING CREWS AND THOSE OF THE EMERGENT FOOTBALL POWERS IN THE WORLD

factors behind the rot with a view to taking the necessary measures to arresting the dangerous slide.

The factors for this sordid development are well documented. Top on the list is the increasing politicisation of the processes that throw up the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the nation’s football ruling body. While we accept that the federal structure of the country makes it mandatory for a balancing act that would make appointments into the body inclusive in deference to the sensibilities of the nation’s ethnic nationalities and sub nationalities, a high standard of recruitment into the soccer ruling body that takes cognisance

of professionalism, qualification and experience has become imperative to ensure that only the best are brought on board to serve the cause of Nigerian football development.

An important revelation from the ouster of the cou ntry’s representatives in the 2015 versions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup is the apparent deficiency of our coaching crews in core technical areas of the game. There is a gaping knowledge gap between our coaching crews and those of the emergent football powers in the world. The time has come for us to weigh the options of employing foreign technical hands to complement the expertise of our indigenous trainers and coaches.

The issue goes beyond nationalism. It has been acknowledged that the difference between success and failure in global sports competition is the in-depth reading of the game as it progresses and deploying the information so garnered.

A well grounded national ruling soccer body should know what to do to make the nation’s coaching teams more functional and up to date with the knowledge required for success.

This is why the nation’s political authorities must be very circumspect in the choice of members of the NFF. Respected professionals must be saddled with such responsibility; and when this occurs, meddlesomeness from the political leadership as witnessed in the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration must be avoided as such only promotes mediocrity and impunity.

Having the right people to tend soccer administration in the country would result in necessary prominence given to grassroots development to tap the abundant talents that abound in the country; it would make possible the exploitation of the infinite opportunities in the organised private sector for the needed funding for sports development. The underfunding of football is responsible for the ill preparations of national teams for global and continental competitions.

Reminiscences JUNE 28 IN HISTORY 1997: U.S. - Mike Tyson bites Evander Holyfield’s ear Mike Tyson was disqualified after biting off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear in a world heavyweight boxing fight.

1837: UK - Queen Victoria’s coronation, June 28 Queen Victoria moves to Buckingham Palace, and the coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey on June 28th.

1919: France - Germany signs Treaty of Versailles Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles with the Allies, officially ending World War I. 1940: England - De Gaulle moves French troops Following the German occupation of France, General Charles De Gaulle set up headquarters in England for free French forces and is recognised as the leader.

1952: Nelson Mandela jailed Police struck at the heart of the resistance to segregation in South Africa by jailing top leaders of anti-apartheid movement for crossing forbidden race barriers; the leaders included Nelson Mandela.

1958: De Gaulle frees 30 political prisoners With tensions increasing in Algeria and the call by Muslim nationalists for independence, General Charles de Gaulle has announced the release of 30 Algerian political prisoners prior to local elections in Algeria.

1972: Nixon announces change on Vietnam President Nixon announces that no more draftees will be sent to Vietnam unless they volunteer and a continuing decrease in U.S. troops in Vietnam will continue.

1991: Margaret Thatcher quits parliament The former British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who has held her Finchley seat for more than 30 years has announced she is to give up her seat (Member of Parliament for Finchley) in the House of Commons at the next general election.

1992: U.S. - Earthquakes hit California Two of the strongest earthquakes ever to hit California strike the desert area east of Los Angeles, a 7.3-magnitude quake in Landers, 100 miles east of Los Angeles.

2008: China ready for Olympics The main venue for the Beijing Olympics, the Bird’s Nest, was completed and declared operational. The $500 million project was the last to be completed of all the Olympic buildings and made to host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as other sporting events.

2013: 35 killed in China riots The death toll of riots in the Xinjiang region of China rose to thirty-five. Rioters had reportedly attacked police stations with knives and had killed twenty-four people.

Police had killed eleven of the attackers and arrested four others.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Praise Worship E-mail:yemiolakitan@gmail.com

E-mail:cossyodi@yahoo.com

EDIFYING GOD Sunday June 28, 2015

Preparing for the divine visitation 24

QUOTE He sought again for permission, through sacrifice to God to go, and not only did God permit Balaam to go with the men but God cautioned him to act according to further instructions.

Pastor Bola Bello

Obtaining The mysteries y God’s mercy, of prayer

by Prophet Oloruntimilehin 42

41

Polygamy among Christians

22 & 23

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

20

Vineyard

Briefly

TLCCRM holds crusade

Celebration

T

he Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries has concluded plans to hold a twoday power packed programme entitled, ‘It is God’s time’.

The two-day crusade which starts at 8 a.m. daily will hold on July 4 and 5, at the Chosen Revival Ground, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha, Bus Stop, Lagos.

General Overseer of TLCCRM and host of the event, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, who is calling on people irrespective of religious affiliation to avail themselves of this opportunity to meet with the God of all solution, assured that God is able to deliver all.

Participants are expected to come and receive solution their needs and problems which include salvation, sanctification, Holy Ghost baptism, deliverances from spiritual limitations, demonic possession, barrenness, intellectual and financial deficiencies, physical challenges and paralyses of all kinds, diseases among others.

PGEM holds crusade

A

ll is set for the annual crusade of Peculiar Generation Evangelical Ministries at God of all possibility praying ground located at Emuren Road, Ijebu-Ode Express Way, Imota-Ikorodu, Lagos.

The programme tagged “God of all flesh” will begin on June 2425, 2015 from 5pm and will continue on 26-27 with 24hrs marathon prayer starting from 12pm. The on Sunday, June with Thanksgiving service from 7am The host prophet Emmanuel Ademola Adeagbo revealed that God commanded the programme for the liberation of all who are in bondage of the enemy through flesh adding that all will receive blessing even as the crusade is set apart to pray for the nation, Lagos State and success of the new government.

POWEM for prophetic session

T

he annual prophet Obayemi World Evangelical Ministry programme has begun with its Prophetic Tuesdays Total Intervention tagged “Seven seals” with seven anointed prophets in attendance.

The programme which commenced on May 26 will come to an end on July 7, 2015 at the church’s national headquarters, Prayer and Praises Bible Church International located at 7/9, church street, off Taike, ketu, Ikosi/Isheri, Lagos.

The chief host prophet Kehinde Obayemi stated that the programme is an annual session set apart for prophets to converge to intercede for worshippers and attendees who are looking unto God for divine solution over there challenges.

Other clerics expected are Prophet R.O. Oluwalana, Prophet Daramola Kolade, Prophet J.O.A. Fajobi, Prophetess Felicia Ogunsola, Prophet Emmanuel Adetuberu, Prophet Olu Ayeni, and Prophet Taiwo Adeyemi

Sunday June 28, 2015

Salvation not transaction between God and man, Xtians told

…as Anglican Communion holds Synod

A cross section of clerics at the event

ODINAKA URUAKPA

I

t was deliberation time all the way when the Diocese of Akoko, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion recently held the first session of its 11th Synod under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the able leadership of the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt. Rev’d Gabriel A. Akinbiyi.

The event tagged “Salvation by grace through faith and for good works” which took place at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen Ikare-Akoko from June 11 to 14, 2015 had in attendance the houses of the bishop, clergy, laity, dignitaries and distinguished personalities from all spheres of life.

After extensive deliberations, the Synod through the leader, Rev’d Akinbiyi reached a consensus on salient issues that were of great importance to move the diocese and country forward.

Going by the text chosen, emphasis was laid on salvation, grace and faith respectively as attention was drawn to the alarming rate of wrong teachings on salvation that was noted to set aside the grace of God and reducing the death of Christ to nothing.

“We are being called upon to realize that we are saved by grace; it is the gift of God and our part is to simply accept it. It is clearly stated that good works can never earn salvation, but there is something seriously wrong, if salvation does not produce good works, works play no part at all in securing salvation hence, the Christian has nothing of himself to boast about. We must never think of salvation as a kind of transaction between God and man in which we contribute grace and faith. Some people are now going about trying to add something to the completed work of salvation that Christ has done for us; they teach, ‘do not handle, do not taste, do not touch or do not wear jewelries if you want to be saved.’

These are all based on human command and teachings which is the appearance

of human wisdom and their self-imposed worship’, he revealed.

The Synod called upon Christians in Nigeria to put salvation in action through the grace of God they have received so the nation could be transformed through their simple way of life.

It also noted with admiration the peaceful conduct of elections in the country as it congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and appreciated former President Goodluck Jonathan for organising free and fair elections and conceding defeat to the winner of the presidential election and for a smooth handing over of power.

“We note the concern of the new administration, particularly on the poor state of the nation’s economy and focus on the main agenda which includes the adherence to rule of law, liberation of Chibok girls, curtailing insecurity and tackling corruption head long. We call on the government to squarely address the problems of unemployment, power supply and the petroleum industry; the problem of insecurity deserves urgent attention. The president’s visit to Chad and Niger Republic to discuss on how to put an end to the Boko Haram menace is highly welcome and commendable”, Akinbiyi said.

While enjoining Nigerians to live honest lives, the Synod lamented on the rate of corruption and obvious incapacitation of anticorruption agencies in the country. It also implored the government to strengthen relevant agencies to stem the current upsurge of corruption in the country.

“Due to the upsurge in the get rich syndrome in the country, there is increase in cases of kidnapping, baby factories and wanton killings of people for rituals. We strongly condemned these wicked acts as we urge citizens, Christians in particular to go back to God, shun all temptations and engage in decent business as they support the President in his commitment to turn things around”, he said.

He appealed to the Federal Government to consider the federal roads in Akoko, which are in bad shape for repairs so as to put an end to accidents that occur on those roads.

“Akoko, which spans four local governments is an integral part of Nigeria and it deserves

the attention of the Federal Government.

We also appeal to the Federal Government to complete rehabilitation work on Ipele junction road to Kabba; this will reduce heavy traffic on Akoko roads for Abuja and northern bound vehicles”, he revealed.

The Synod however called on religious leaders to stay away from partisan politics and politicking noting that as spiritual guardians of the people, they should steer clear of politics adding that this will enable them to tell the truth at all times.

“There should be heavy investment in agriculture, which can generate massive employment. Nigeria has the capacity to be the food basket of Africa because of her massive and fertile agricultural land suitable for the production of wide varieties of crops like maize, rice, yam, cassava, millets, guinea corn, wheat and fruits; there are great opportunities for animal husbandry and aquaculture”, said Akinbiyi.

The Synod while lamenting on the present situation on supply of petroleum advised the Federal Government to expedite action on reactivation of existing refineries and encourage private companies and individuals who have the wherewithal to establish small refineries especially in all oil producing states.

“Pending the time recommendation when the above recommendations are implemented, we can sell crude oil direct to refineries abroad who will in turn supply us with refined oil rather than through oil marketers as practiced currently”, Synod advised.

Defining democracy to be government of the people by the people and for the people, Synod observed that in the last six years in Ondo State, there has never been any form democracy in the third tier of government in the 18 local government areas of the state.

“The use of one man caretaker at the grass-root level is discriminatory and alien to democracy. Synod hereby calls on the state government to conduct local government elections to enable the populace feel the direct impact of governance through active involvement and participation’, said the leader.

The Synod noted with dismay that Ondo State, which was relatively peaceful no longer enjoy peace because of cases of kidnapping armed robbery attack which has become the order of the day and enjoined the government to take appropriate action to stop these activities.

In conclusion, the delegates and members were enjoined to always realise that we are Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as a result of any effort, ability or act of service on our part.

“Out of gratitude for this free gift, we should seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build the church for the hope of mankind and eternity with God”, Akinbiyi submitted.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit 21

Sunday June 28, 2015

Don’t give up!

Miracle Arena with Bishop

S

Theo Ugochukwu

ome people make a good beginning, but in the middle get discouraged and quit. It is important to know that quitters never win.

The children of Israel, on their way out Egypt, on sighting the Red Sea, got discouraged and nearly gave up the journey but God, through Moses commanded them to move forward. If they had not moved forward, the Red Sea would not have divided, and they would have remained slaves to the Egyptians.

When the devil recognizes you as the person who is easily discouraged and always in the business of quitting at the slightest challenge, you will definitely become his fulltime business.

In any good thing you are doing, try to avoid discouragement, even when it happens, don’t allow it to deter you from pressing forward. Let it be shown in your commitment that you are determined not to give up because very soon, you will sing a victory song. It is obvious that Satan must come to stop you, but the Bible says that if you resist him, he will flee from you {James 4:7}.

The scripture in 2nd Cor.11:24-29 contains the list of what Apostle Paul went through in his ministry. He did not give up, neither did he doubt the possibility of what God can do, but he was determined to press on, and at the end of his ministry,

he had great and wonderful testimonies.

In your life, you need a good testimony and it is important you must end every journey with a good testimony.

Some years back, in my Tuesday counseling, a young man of below 30 years of age was brought to me by a member of my church for prayers safe journey for the young man to go and resettle finally in the village that his business has collapsed and his shop wound up completely. I told them that I will not pray for such an able bodied young man to retire to the village at his tender age, rather I counseled him and prayed for him to go back to that his shop and continue from where he stopped, never to give up.

He must give God a chance to prove Himself. Few days after, a friend saw him and expressed surprised, that it’s been long he saw him last, and after narrating to his friend of his situation, that his friend gave him the sum of N50,000 which he injected into his business, and some months later, that his business bounced back, and not quite long he start making business trip outside the country, and today, the young man has got married, with kids and a good Highlander Jeep for himself. That is what God can do when you refuse to bow to the challenges of life. Don’t give up!

The Bible says in Psalm 139:14 that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. In other words, God did not create you a failure.

One can only be a failure when one fails and remains on the floor, it is then failure becomes your identity or title. Jesus DIED but did not remain in the grave and therefore, He is never associated death. He ended His ministry with the testimony of His RESURRECTION. When you fall and rise, you will have nothing to do with the

floor, your place and your address will not be on the floor. If you are still staying on the floor, I urge you in the name of Jesus Christ to rise up and never give up. The Bible says that the righteous falleth 7times and 7times shall he rise again.

This should be your portion.

In Gen.26:18-33, Isaac dug a well and the enemy strove with him over the ownership of the well, he left it and dug another well,, the enemy came the second time, strove with him again, he left it and went and dug the third one, this time, they did not strive with him and the Bible recorded that that he began to prosper. Isaac did not get tired rather the enemy got tired and gave up. Do not give up because your enemy will soon give up on you.

The problem will get fed up of your stubbornness and determination. Every problem has an expiration date. My advice is that you should hang on and keep praying. Keep moving forward and believe that the problem will expire very soon.

Refuse to be a failure for very soon you will sing a song of victory. Hannah refused to leave Shiloh when others had left but went to the altar with bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord, wept sore. She was determined and God had no option than to open her womb. If people write you off, don’t write yourself off. I was married for over 8 years without a child. Medical report showed that my wife will never conceive in her womb.

The report labeled her barren.

I presented the medical report to God for Him to rewrite. I went to the market and bought baby dresses, washed them and spread them in the sun, and when my neighbours saw them, they were mak-

ing jest of me. Today, I want to thank God for rewriting the report of the doctors concerning my wife’s womb.

Through that same womb, I have 3 children. The children started coming after 8 years of marriage. Those who made jest of me before turned around to celebrate with me. I want to announce to you that those who have written you off will turn around to be part of your celebration, only if you refuse to give up. In Gen.26:28, after striving with Isaac on the well he dug, Abimelech came back to plead with him for a peaceful relationship.

Before the end of this year, barrenness, infirmities, poverty and failure will relocate away from you in Jesus Name.

The project in your hand will not end up a laughing stock. If Jesus who died in your place did not remain in the grave, in the name of Jesus, you must triumph.

Every abandoned project must experience revival now. Reject every spirit of abandonment and defeat.

Rebel against failure in your life, for your place and position is on the top and not below. Before the end of the year, if you don’t give, God will locate you with a song of victory in Jesus name.

•For more information, contact: Bishop Theo Ugochukwu – General Overseer, Miracle Assembly Bible Church, a.k.a. The City of Joy, 80, Ajose Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos; Tel: 08033461482.

Email: bishopgracemiracle@ ymail.com

Be an ambassador of Christ Hour of Change with Primate

I.O

Oyelowo

N

ow then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God’’. 2 Corinthians 5:20.

Who is an ambassador? He is an official who lives in a foreign country as the senior representative there of his country . it will be noted that ‘’Senior’’ was mentioned in the definition.

Pastor, Pastor and other people who hold position of responsibility are senior citizens. God place adem and Eve in a garden of pleasure as a senior citizens with oversight function over all other creatures. Our homes the Church serve as embassy and or garden. Ambassador functions from his office. ‘’The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tell and keep it’’. Gen 2:15 Right enjoyed by ambassador Ambassador is granted immunity from prosecution while he is performing his lawful duty in the country of his posting. If he does anything wrong his country is notified where upon he is

recalled. Ambassador of Christ enjoys greater privilege than that. ‘’Saying touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm. ‘’psalm 105:15. (a) The Christ ambassador is immuned from sickness. The reason behind this immunity is because he is placed in a garden of pleasure which served as a place of security. Jacob and his children were given land in Egypt called Goshen which served as their embassy. (Gen 4-6) if ambassador of Christ walks with God faithfully and righteously, there is tendency the he will be free from the attack of sickness. ‘’And I will take away sickness from your midst’’. Exodus 23:15. (b) Immunity from enemy’s attack. The embassy of a country can not easily be attacked by the enemy because it is located in a secure place with soldiers and other security agencies mounting surveillance day in day out. ‘’ I will send my terror before you, and I will throw into confusion all the people against when you shall come and I will make your enemies turn their back to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drives out Hivite, Canaanite, and Hittite before you’’. Exodus 23:27-28. (c) The ambassador of Christ has a small territory called the church which is the pillar of the living God and from which the gospel of Christ is proclaimed un- hindered. The church is a place where people’s souls are refined in order for them to conform to the image of Christ. ‘’if am delayed, you may know how one ought behave in the household of God, which is the

church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth’’. 1 Tim 3:15 (d) Long life as heritage. The ambassador of Christ is assured of long life if he allows his life to be ruled by the holy spirit. ‘’ I will fulfill the number of your days’’.

Exodus 23:26 Duty/obligation of the ambassador There is an adage which saye ‘’to whom much is given, much is expected’’. As the ambassador enjoys some privileges, so he is expected to perform certain obligations.

Some of these functions are (a) the ambassador must understand both languages of this country and that of the country of his posting. The Bible is the language of his home country which is heave. His native language is the language of the country to which he is posted in order to propagate the gospel effectively and efficiently. ‘’And what you have heard from me before many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who we be able to teach others also’’. 2 tim 2:2 (Tim 4:13) (b) It is the duty of an ambassador to take care of or protect the staff under his jurisdiction. This can be in form of training, promotion and other benefits. A Christian ambassador is charged with the responsibility of looking after the congregation in his Church. He must be inquisitive enough to know their problems, feelings in order to profer solution. Their needs may be either spiritual or physical or both. ‘’Tend the

flock of God that is your charge, not by construct but willingly; not for shameful gain eagerly. Not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock’’. 1 Peter 5:2-3 (c) Support prosperity. Nine gifts of the Holy spirit are given to the church for it to develop and grow physically and spiritually.

It behoves on a shepherd to discover those who have these in his domain and nurture them so that they can become worthy vessels in the hand of God. As the church is growing the shepherd will grow as well. (1 Cor. 12:4;10 Romans 12:4-8). (d) Work for peace. This task can grow into a fight against vices listed below. Because the saints in the church came from different family ground, they are susceptible to various vices. These vices include fornication (1 cor.

5:1-8); Drug consumption and trade, bribery and corruption (Exodus 23:8) and many others mentioned in Galatians 5:19-20. These must be tackled head long if the church doesn’t want to tarnish the reputation it has been building for a number of years. It is likely the fight will be resisted by the affected people, but with God on jis side couple with the courage he displays, the battle will be won and peace will reign supreme in his domain.

•You can contact us at: The Word of Life, Agbo Igbala Ti Kiish Aladura Church 70 Patey street Lagos State. Tel: 07040517413

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Polygamy among T

he issue of Christians practicing polygamy is actually an interesting one in that most people today view polygamy as immoral while the Bible nowhere explicitly condemns it. The first instance of polygamy in the Bible was recorded in Genesis where Lamech married two women. Several prominent men in the Old Testament were polygamists. Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and others all had multiple wives.

It is also recorded in 2 Samuel 12:8, when God, speaking through the prophet Nathan, said that if David’s wives and concubines were not enough, He (God) would have given David even more. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, as recorded in 1 Kings 11:3. With these instances of polygamy in the Old Testament, there are three questions that need to be answered; firstly, why did God allow polygamy in the Old Testament? Secondly, how does God view polygamy today?

While pondering on the above questions, the Old Testament records on polygamy and God’s stance on the issue, we need to be reminded and as some clerics and Christians would argue, in the book of Genesis, when God created the first man (Adam), He (God) caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took a rib from Adam and made Eve, his wife, companion and helpmate. So we continue to ponder on this question ‘why did God allow polygamy in the Old Testament in the first instance since it was His plan to give the first man He created just one woman to live with?’

Reacting to the issue, the General Overseer of Calvary Kingdom Church, Arch Bishop Ojo Joseph explained that the Bible only prohibits ordained ministers of God from practicing polygamy as it instructs them to be husbands of one wife.

“Scripturally speaking, the Bible says in the first book of Timothy that the Bishops should be the husband of one wife, likewise the deacon and the elders of the church. The ordained minister is supposed to be husband of one wife; there is nowhere it is stated that Christian or ministers should marry more than one wife. Scripturally, Jesus also said when He created man and the wife; He made them male and female, but for the hardening of people’s heart, He gave them liberty to give letter of divorce. The truth of the matter is having more than one wife, if the person is not a leader; I don’t see it as an unpardonable sin. It is only ministers that are supposed to have one wife and this is what the Bible says. For those who are already married to two or three, it does not exclude them from gaining salvation; they and their household can actually be saved and they can actually make the kingdom of God and that is the truth”, he said.

On men of God like Jacob and David of the Bible days who had more than one wife, the Bishop said that they lived in their own time and age when such a practice for people close to God’s heart was not a crime.

“Today, if somebody is marrying more than one wife; the only thing the Bible says is that he is not qualified to be a church leader i.e. an ordained bishop, pastor deacon or elder; that is what the Bible says, it doesn’t exclude him from being a Christian or going to heaven and that is the truth. There are people whose dogma is that it is a sin

A groom with multiple brides

Polygamy has been traditionally viewed by Christians as something which should be abhorred by people who truly practice the religion, but this notwithstanding, the practice seems to be favoured and on the increase even among the Christian fold; moreover, some great men of God in the Bible were known to be polygamists and the Bible has in no way condemned this act. ODINAKA URUAKPA speaks to clerics to get clarity on the issue of polygamy among Christians. for Christians to have more than one wife, but that is not true. The Bible says let the deacon, the bishop and elder be husband of one wife, if everybody were to be married to one wife, there would have been no need for the Bible to make that statement in particular where it classifies and clarifies and explains what should and what shouldn’t be”, he argued.

When asked if the above argument gives Christians the license to practice polygamy, he explained that people need to understand the provisions of the scripture.

“Literarily, if the scripture says let your leader be husband of one wife, it therefore means the others who were not leaders had more than one wife so that is scripture. If I preach to a man who has more than one wife, I preach salvation to the person and not to divorce or drive away any of the wives; it is not right. We should preach salvation for the person to accept Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved; that is the scripture that is the Bible”, he explained.

According to Pastor K.I. Bona, General Overseer of Chapel of Holiness and Testimony, since God made one man and to that one man, he gave one woman, there is no need for any true child of God to have more than one wife.

“The Bible made it clear when Jesus came that every true child of God should go according to the laid down principle that God had already made from the day of creation. God made one man and to that one man, he gave one woman. There shouldn’t be any need for any true child of God to talk

LITERARILY, IF THE SCRIPTURE SAYS LET YOUR LEADER BE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE, IT THEREFORE MEANS THE OTHERS WHO WERE NOT LEADERS HAD MORE THAN ONE WIFE SO THAT IS SCRIPTURE.

about having more than one wife not to talk about multiplicity of wives. A true child of God that is really born again must have only one wife, which is the principle handed over to and standard handed to us as Christians.

All the people you see who say they are Christians who go and marry more than one wife are not born again”, he claimed.

Concerning the men of God of old who married more than one wife, he said before the coming of Jesus Christ, God’s children were at liberty to marry more than one wife.

“In the olden days and before the coming of Christ, men of God were allowed to marry more than one wife; David, Solomon, Jacob and a host of others did marry more than one woman, but when Christ came, He made us to know that marrying more than one wife is not the original plan God had in mind when He made man and one woman for him (man).

This act of marrying more than one wife is as a result of our lust and inability to control our emotions, that is why God permitted it at the time”, he asserted.

The cleric argued that immediately after the creation of man, God made him to fall into a deep sleep and from his ribs; He (God) made one woman to live with him as wife and

this means that those men of God of old who married more than one wife actually went against God’s original plan for marriage and for this reason, Jesus Christ came to set the records straight.

“Like I said before, it was lust and the inability to control his emotional feeling that people went marrying more than one wife, but Jesus came for us to know that we should go back to that way that God made.

Also speaking on the issue, Pastor Folarin Adebola of the Freedom Christian Miracle Assembly said though some men of God of old practiced polygamy, the Bible did not explain why God allowed it.

“The Bible does not specifically say why God allowed polygamy. As we speculate about God’s silence, there are a few key factors to consider. First, we must consider that due to women having longer lifespan, there have always been more women in the world than men. Assuming the same happened in ancient times, if multiplied by the number of people, there would be tens of thousands more women than men. Second, warfare in ancient times was especially brutal, with an incredibly high rate of fatalities. This would have resulted in an even greater percentage

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Christians of women to men. Third, due to patriarchal societies, it was nearly impossible for an unmarried woman to provide for herself. Women were often uneducated and untrained.

Women relied on their fathers, brothers, and husbands for provision and protection.

Unmarried women were often subjected to prostitution and slavery. The significant difference between the number of women and men would have left many, many women in an undesirable situation”, he explained.

He further said that God may have allowed polygamy to protect and provide for the women who could not find a husband otherwise.

“A man would take multiple wives and serve as the provider and protector of all of them. While definitely not ideal, living in a polygamist household was far better than the alternatives which include prostitution, slavery and starvation. In addition to the protection/provision factor, polygamy enabled a much faster expansion of humanity, fulfilling God’s command Genesis 9:7, to be fruitful and multiply on the earth. Men are capable of impregnating multiple women in the same time period; causing humanity to grow much faster than if each man was only producing one child each year.

On how God views polygamy in the present day, the cleric said: “Even while allowing polygamy, the Bible presents monogamy as the plan, which conforms most closely to God’s ideal for marriage. The Bible says that God’s original intention was for one man to be married to only one woman; for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife; not wives and they will become one flesh and not fleshes (Genesis 2:24). While Genesis 2:24 is describing what marriage is, rather than how many people are involved, the consistent use of the singular should be noted. In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God says that the kings were not supposed to multiply wives or horses or gold. While this cannot be interpreted as a command that the kings must be monogamous, it can be understood as declaring that having multiple wives causes problems and this can be clearly seen in the life of Solomon in 1 Kings 11:3-4.”

He further said that Ephesians 5:22-33 speaks of the relationship between husbands and wives adding that when referring to a husband, it always also refers to a wife.

“The Bible states; for the husband is the head of the wife. He who loves his wife loves himself. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. While a somewhat parallel passage, Colossians 3:18-19, refers to husbands and wives in the plural, it is clear that Paul is addressing all the husbands and wives among the Colossian believers, not stating that a husband might have multiple wives.

In contrast, Ephesians 5:22-33 is specifically describing the marital relationship. If polygamy were allowable, the entire illustration of Christ’s relationship with His body (the church) and the husband-wife relationship falls apart”, he explained On why God allowed the men of old to

Christian faithful

GOING BACK TO THE DAYS OF ADAM AND EVE, POLYGAMY WAS NOT GOD’S ORIGINAL INTENT; GOD SEEMED TO HAVE ALLOWED POLYGAMY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, BUT IT IS NOT THE IDEAL. IN MOST MODERN SOCIETIES, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR POLYGAMY. take more than one wife when it was His plan that a man should have one wife the Pastor Adebola said that it is not that God disallowed something He previously allowed, but He (God) through Jesus Christ restored marriage to His original plan.

“Going back to the days of Adam and Eve, polygamy was not God’s original intent; God seemed to have allowed polygamy to solve a problem, but it is not the ideal. In most modern societies, there is absolutely no need for polygamy. In most cultures today, women are able to provide for and protect themselves; removing the only positive aspect of polygamy. Further, most modern nations outlaw polygamy. According to Romans 13:1-7, we are to obey the laws the government establishes. The only instance in which disobeying the law is permitted

by Scripture is if the law contradicts God’s commands (Acts 5:29). Since God only allows for polygamy, and does not command it, a law prohibiting polygamy should be upheld”, he said.

When asked if there were instances in which the allowance for polygamy would still apply today, Adebola said it is unfathomable that there would be due to the one flesh aspect of marriage.

The need for oneness and harmony in marriage, and the lack of any real need for polygamy, it is our firm belief that polygamy does not honour God and is not His design for marriage”, he averred.

The Church of Christ of the Latter day Saints also known as the Mormons used to practice polygamy in the United States about a century ago based on biblical commandments.

According to the church, “At various times, the Lord has commanded His people to practice plural marriage. For example, He gave this command to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1). At other times

the Lord has given other instructions. In the Book of Mormon, the Lord told the prophet Jacob “for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife: and concubines he shall have none... for if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things (Jacob 2:27-30).

“In this dispensation, the Lord commanded some of the early Saints to practice plural marriage. The Prophet Joseph Smith and those closest to him, including Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, were challenged by this command, but they obeyed it. Church leaders regulated the practice.

Those entering into it had to be authorized to do so, and the marriages had to be performed through the sealing power of the priesthood.

However, in 1890, the church leader, Wilford Woodruff received a revelation that the

leaders of the Church should cease teaching the practice of plural marriage (Official Declaration 1).

The Lord’s law of marriage is monogamy unless he commands otherwise to help establish the House of Israel, he had said.

More recently, Gordon B. Hinckley, prior president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made the following statement in 1998 about the Church’s position on plural marriage: “This Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church.... If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose.

Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.”

News

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BSN honours Kolade, others

he Bible Society of Nigeria will on July 2, 2015 honour Dr. Christopher Kolade, former Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Mrs. Cecilia Osipitan, Managing Director/CEO of Great Nigeria Insurance and Reverend Felix Meduoye, General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria with the Prestigious Bible Award.

According to the Deputy Manager, Church/Public Relations, Benjamin Mordi, the award with the theme “Building for the master’s use” which holds at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, is part of events marking the 11th Annual Luncheon of Special Members Forum of The Bible Society of Nigeria.

“The occasion is to brief the public on how far Bible work has progressed in Nigeria, raise funds to support same as well

as honour those who have been supporting the Bible cause.

The Guest Speaker for this year’s occasion is the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Uche, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN is Special Guest of Honour while former Head of State and Patron of BSN, General (Dr.) Yakubu Gowon is father of the day; the event will be chaired by Dr. Olatunde Ayeni, Chairman, Skye Bank Nigeria Plc. The Bible Society of Nigeria is a nonprofit interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for the Bible work. So far we have complete Bible in 24 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages.

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From the

Pulpit Sunday June 28, 2015

Preparing for the divine visitation General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this piece, reassures believers of God’s readiness to confront their enemies. Excerpts:

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mos 4:12 says, “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel”

Whenever it falls on us to receive any visitor in our homes or offices, one thing that will be paramount in our mind and schedule is to prepare ourselves for the visitation. We all know that the level of our preparation is always according to the respect we have for the expected visitor. There are classes of visitors which range from kings, Presidents to Governors, mayors, traditional rulers, etc. In all these classes of people, the measure of preparation for each is determined by the respect, expectation and passion we have for the visitor.

If a president is scheduled to pay a visit to somebody who is in need of food, it is expected that the host will be better off after the visit. This is because it will be very unethical for a President to pay a visit to a needy without meeting him at the point of his need. The only p y essence of the visit of the President or superiors is to give succour to the less privileged host. And because he is expected to give succour to his host, the degree of preparation for his visit will be done magnificently than any other.

When this splendid preparation described above is meant for an immortal man, what then will be our preparation when the visitor is no other person than the King of Kings? It is a thing of joy to state that comes this weekend; God is coming in His Majesty to address the need of His people in a 2-day Special program titled, ‘IT IS GOD’S TIME’. Indeed, it will be God’s time to change your situation after all the toiling this year which has not produced your desired expectation. It is time for your expectation to receive divine touch. This divine visitation will definitely bring succor to as many as are prepared for the visit and actually participated in the program. I am very sure God will intervene in their circumstances. But before we get to know the type of preparation that should be made for our God, it is very important we should have the knowledge of His nature to enable us meet Him and have Him bless us.

Lev. 19:2 says, “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall holy: be for I the LORD

your God am holy” Moses was commanded by God to let the people He has called and made special people to Himself to be on familiar terms with His nature and ensure they conform to that nature. He made Moses understand that He is one who is devoid of all pollution, idolatry and superstition both of soul and body.

Thus He required all that will come to Him to conform to His nature. Moses must make known God’s statutes to the entire congregation, and proclaim such through the camp. It is required that Israel should be a holy people, because the God who called them is holy.

Their distinction from other people by laws and customs was intended to teach them a real separation from the world and the flesh, and an entire devotedness to God. 1PT 1: 15-16 says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because holy” it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy We should remember that God is not a man. While men have sinful nature, God has a holy nature. He is pure and holy and thus no unholy person can be allowed to be in His presence. We are the followers of the holy Jesus, and therefore must be, according to our capacity, consecrated to God’s honour, and conformed to o His nature and nd d will. So, for us tto o be among those e He is coming to their address and problems succor bring to their needs comes this special program this weekend, we must prepare to be holy. If you wish to be blessed

by the Holy God you must endeavour to be holy. If you desire to be delivered on the day of His visitation, you must endeavour to clean yourself from all pollution both of the heart and body. If your case is disappointment and lack of promotion, and you want to experience favour, you must prepare to be holy in order to be allowed in His presence. If you are a pertinacious sinner and you are looking for mercy, He is coming toward us in mercy but you must be holy to meet Him. If you are barren, and you wish to be fruitful, you must be holy. He has given us promises to encourage us to prepare, we must therefore prepare to meet Him. The will of God in the Old as well as the New Testament Church was not locked up in the repositories of an unknown tongue, but communicated plainly and openly to the people. He said, ‘Ye shall be holy, for I am holy’. There is no ambiguity in God’s requirement. The people of God must be separated from the world, for they are required to be holy, for His character, His llaws, la ws, and services v vi ces are holy.

1Thes. 4: 7 says, “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” When He called us to be His followers, it was not that we should lead lives of impurity, but of holiness. We should, therefore, fulfill the purposes for which we are called into His kingdom. The Christian calling demands purity of life both in the physical and spiritual. Holiness is the sure foundation on which our hopes of perseverance and eternal life are built upon. God is the creator of male and female and He has called men and women to the state of holiness.

Exodus 19: 10-11 says, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai” In the days of Moses, whenever God proposed to visit the Children of Israel, He must direct Moses to sanctify them to conform to His nature of holiness. This is because without holiness no eye shall see the Lord. Moses accordingly would cause them to cleanse and prepare themselves. The outward washing of clothes commanded was a sign of the inward cleansing of the heart from sin, which God required of every one. During those Bible days, two things particularly were w we re prescribed as instances of their preparation. p reparation. First, in token of cleansiing ng of themselves from all sinful polllutions, utions, they must wash their clothes.

Not N ot that God regards their clothes, but while w hile they were washing their clothes, He H e would have them think of washing ttheir heir souls by repentance. It becomes us to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean hearts are required in our attendance when preparing for the coming of our God. Secondly, in token of their devoting themselves entirely to spiritual exercises exercises like evangelism, fasting and prayers upon this occasion, they must abstain even from lawful enjoyments during these three days, and not even come at their wives. In so doing the Lord visited visi vi s ted as He promised and blessed them.

This we ought to do

CONTINUED ON PAGE 41 Pastor Muoka

PASSION A Lifestyle Magazine

Sunday June 28, 2015

E S U A L APP e m a n s ’ r e h t a f y ‘M ’ e m r o f s r o o d d e n e p o >>27

Desperate actresses offer their bodies for movie roles –Mary Uche >>26

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Desperate actresses offer their bodies for movie roles –Mary Uche After a relationship that was about to culminate in marriage crashed, Mary Uche is still nursing her pain. This graduate of Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt told Adaeze Amos how some new actresses offer sex as a bait to outshine superior colleagues in the industry.

How did you come into acting?

I started acting in 2008 when I was still in the University of Port Harcourt. I would say my acting came as a miracle. I keep saying that because I had this junior friend that was in school with me in the same department, who watched me when I was on set; she also had a producer brother. She kept singing to him about the girl in her school who could really act. The brother in return told her that they don’t go for artistes, that if I’m really good, I should come. He told her I should call him.

His brother said I should come to the office. He gave me a script to read. My first film was ‘City Girls’ (Jackie Appia and I featured). He gave me my second one, which was ‘Adam’s Desire’ (Myself, Monelisa and Jonjo Melo).

What was your first experience before the camera; were you jittery?

I wasn’t nervous be-

cause it had always been something I had passion for, I wasn’t really nervous. Apart from studying Theatre Arts, acting is in part of me. It was even smooth acting with such a big actress as Jackie Appia. She is good, encouraged me on set and made the work easier for me.

That was when my parents realised that acting was my calling. They encouraged me.

What movie brought you into the limelight?

‘Adam’s Desire’ did the magic for me because it is a movie that everyone who knows me today has seen.

It’s a film I played with Monalisa Chinda (I played as a daughter) and Jonjo Melo. That’s the movie people know, they could tell you: ‘oh that girl that did ‘Adam’s Desire’. Amazingly, I did not even go for the audition.

That was the second movie that the producer gave to me.

What is your selling point?

My legs are my selling point. I flaunt them a lot; though I know I’m beautiful, the legs keep me going.

What challenges did you have as an upcoming actress?

Challenges are everywhere; I wouldn’t say it’s just me. Sometimes you look at the industry and you feel sad; when you know this is your passion and why you came into the industry. But all of a sudden you see some people that you know that are not just worth playing a particular character getting the role, especially when you go to auditions. You keep asking yourself what’s up. Some of them, like they say, offer money, their body, but that is just it.

You see yourself still dragging forward but I still believe something, that when you know who you are, you keep to it. It’s all about staying focused, knowing what you can do and being prayerful.

When you see such things and your spirit is down, what gives you inspiration?

It is only prayer. I do a lot of praying, that is what I will say that keeps me going; no other thing or person. But I know that God has been so faithful. It’s God all the way, I tell you the truth.

Which movies have you starred in?

I have done so many movies in Nollywood and MNet. When it comes to MNet, I have done ‘Fit’ (with actor Chinedu Ikedieze), ‘Homecoming’, a n d

‘Hired Husband’. The movie that really struck k it is ‘Fit’.

For Nollywood, the top ones are ‘Adam’s Desire’, re’, ‘Illicit Women’, ‘Girls in the Mood’ and ‘Ike the Stubborn born Gateman’.

Which gave you the greatest challenge?

‘Unknown’, though not out yet where I played as a university girl dating a cultist, I did a lot of stunts, jumping and I broke my arm so it was really y challenging for me. I’m actually waiting for this movie e to be out because it was really challenging.

Which of the actresses did you look up to as you were emerging or rising?

I love a lot of them but in Nollywood, I would ould go for Rita Dominic. I see her as someone that really ally interprets her character very well. To me, she is really outstanding. Genevieve is also good but I go for Rita Dominic. But in Hollywood, I always go for Angelia a Jolie; she is my role model.

Can you assess Nollywood?

I would say that we’re still going places. We’ve e’ve not arrived yet – we’re still going places because I know that a lot of beautiful actors and actresses are really coming lly com min i g up.

What about marriage?

I’m single but I’m in a relationship.

Who is he?

This is personal; I wouldn’t want to mention ention his name.

What attracted you to him money?

No! For me, I’m not after money, I’m not after wealth.

I look out for a man that has the fear of God, conscience and loyal - it’s not just about money. If I see you are focused and heading somewhere; I can start up something with you that I know tomorrow we’ll build together.

Which part of your body is your favourite?

My legs, I’ll keep saying it.

What about your worst moment?

My worst moment was when I lost an eight-year relationship. Leave it at that.

What drives your fashion sense?

Simplicity! I like being simple.

Have you ever been sexually harassed?

No. I keep telling people that when you know what you’re doing and you’re good in it, I don’t think these things will come to you.

Can you marry an actor?

Why not? I don’t

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Applause

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‘My father’s name opened doors for me’ ADAEZE AMOS

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mind because I believe he is someone that knows what I do and I know what he does. I think we’d be very comfortable, that would be if we don’t listen to rumours.

If in the future your man goes to a location for so long, how are you going to cope with your sexual urge?

I believe every woman should have self-control.

How do you cope with fame?

Your fans make you. Everywhere you go, you hear people calling you but at the same time, you know how you manage it - you love them. You snap with them, it doesn’t take anything from you or make you less.

What aspect of you do people criticise in the industry?

I know I have improved a lot. When I started, I always eat my words but as time went, as I was growing, I worked on that.

Have you ever wished you did better in a particular character?

All I do is that anytime I hear a particular movie that I did is out, I try as much as possible to get that film. Once I get it, I sit down and watch it. When I see my lapses I try to correct them.

part from the fact that Love Idoko is a fashionista, this black beauty and diva is also one of the most popular persons in the entertainment world, media and event planning. This daughter of a former chief judge hails from Benue State where her father, now deceased, served for 15 years.

After receiving a degree in Microbiology from Kogi State University, Love proceeded to West End College in the United Kingdom to study event planning. Today she is one of the most sought after event planners in Benue State. But she isn’t satisfied with just that.

“I veered into publishing, a venture that gave birth to Motivation Magazine and later on started a TV programme that got rave review when it made a strong debut on AIT two weeks ago. One of the things that made me tick is the fact that I always love to inspire people right from a younger age. That was why I delved into TV production. I first started a radio programme “Activating Success” three years ago and I enjoyed widespread acceptance. So I decided to start it on TV. I always wanted to be an encouragement to people. At 17, I wrote my first book, ‘Celebrating Change’, she recalled, with a glint of joy.

According to her, “growing up wasn’t adventurous. I was an introvert and not friendly. I was very shy, quiet, too serious and always kept to myself. But I became a bit friendly in the university,” she remembered.

Being the daughter of a chief judge never got into her head in any way while growing up.

“I hardly mentioned my dad’s name. He was a very humble and God-fearing man. I used to tell myself all the time that I needed to work very hard so as to him proud.

My father was a good man, and he touched so many lives positively. He was a chief judge for 15 years, so a lot of people knew him and his name definitely has opened doors and I believe it’s all part of God’s master plan for my life,”

she emphasised.

Love recently opened an event centre in Makurdi for good reasons.

“I’ve always been passionate about events planning. In 2009, I did a certificate course in events planning at West End Collage London. Prior to this time, I had planned numerous weddings, campaign rallies, conferences and the like all over the country and I decided it was time I had my own events centre,” she stressed.

Apart from planning wedding ceremonies for others, she has indeed started gathering momentum to plan her own wedding, an indication that soon, wedding bells will toll for her.

“Yes, very soon I’m more likely going to settle down,” she giggled.

This black beauty said she has God as her motivator.

“He loves me more than I love myself. He believes in me when no one sees a future in what I’m doing. Knowing that I have God motivates me. My mum also motivates me.

She has been through hell and high waters but she never gives up. She is still very hard working,” she disclosed.

When asked to describe her kind of person, she never hesitated.

“I know I work hard. I don’t have too many friends. I love to help people a lot. I wish people well because I believe life is a seed. What I wish for the next person would also happen to me,” she said.

How did she cope when she lost her dad whose good works and name helped to open doors for her?

“When God called my dad home, I realised immediately I was connected directly to the source – God! Even though I was heartbroken by his death, I was very positive that God will not leave me stranded. Today, I look back and I’m thankful to God because He has been faithful. Remembering my father, I knew him to be my confidant, best friend, teacher and role model. We were close. I could tell him anything. His death made me sit up, work harder and determined to be productive,” she emphasised.

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

GROWING UP with

Aunty Titi

Hello children, How did you find your class work? Ensure you pay attention to your teachers in the class and read your books always to stand out in your studies. There are interesting stories, jokes, riddles and other articles for you. Remember to always examine cleanliness. Also, don ’t forget to send in your questions.

Once upon a time

What goes around comes around

O

ne day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn ’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold.

He knew how she felt. It was those chills which only fear can put in you.

He said, “I ’m here to help you, ma ’am.

Why don ’t you wait in the car where it ’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson. ” Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire.

But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through.

She couldn ’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me. ” He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home,

disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair.

She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn ’t erase.

The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.

The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.

Then she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don ’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I ’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you. ” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written.

How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard ….

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything ’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson. ”

Children, you can send your contributions and pictures through this email address jokkyisland@yahoo.com or call telephone number: 08050324794

Hippopotamus

T

he common hippopotamus is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family of Hippopotamidae. The name comes from the ancient Greek for “river horse ”. After the elephant and rhinoceros, the common hippopotamus is the thirdlargest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyls. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans from which they diverged about 55 million years ago.

Common hippos are recognizable by their barrel-shaped torsos, wide-opening mouths revealing large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies, columnar-like legs and large size; adults average 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) and 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) for males and females respectively, making them the largest species of land mammal after the three species of elephants and the white and Indian rhinoceros.

Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it is capable of running 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. They are incapable of jumping but do climb up steep banks.

The hippopotamus is a highly aggressive and unpredictable animal and is ranked among the most dangerous animals in Africa. Nevertheless, they are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth.

The common hippopotamus is semi aquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of five to 30 females and young.

During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water.

They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses.

While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.

Male hippos appear to continue growing throughout their lives while females

reach maximum weight at around age 25.

Different from all other large land mammals, hippos are of semi aquatic habits, spending the day in lakes and rivers.

The eyes, ears, and nostrils of hippos are placed high on the roof of their skulls. This allows these organs to remain above the surface while the rest of the body submerges. Their barrelshaped bodies have graviportal skeletal structures, adapted to carrying their enormous weight, and their specific gravity allows them to sink and move along the bottom of a river.

With the exception of eating, most of hippopotamuses ’ lives – from childbirth, fighting with other hippos, to reproduction occur in the water. Hippos leave the water at dusk and travel inland, sometimes up to 10 km (6 mi), to graze on short grasses, their main source of food.

They spend four to five hours grazing and can consume 68 kg (150 lb) of grass each night. Like almost any herbivore, they consume other plants if presented with them, but their diet in nature consists almost entirely of grass, with only minimal consumption of aquatic plants.

Hippos are born with sterile intestines, and require bacteria obtained from their mothers ’ feces to digest vegetation. Hippos have (rarely) been filmed eating carrion, usually close to the water. There are other reports of meat-eating and even cannibalism and predation. The stomach anatomy of a hippo is not suited to carnivores, and meat-eating is likely caused by aberrant behavior or nutritional stress.

Hippo defecation creates allochthonous deposits of organic matter along the river beds. These deposits have an unclear ecological function. Because of their size and their habit of taking the same paths to feed, hippos can have a significant impact on the land across which they walk, both by keeping the land clear of vegetation and depressing the ground. Over prolonged periods, hippos can divert the paths of swamps and channels.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Dude Style

victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

I express myself with tattoos London-born Nigerian artiste, Ahamdi McErnest, aka A.M, loves music and it shows.

He believes in the platform of music to impart his generation. Early in the year, he dropped his latest single, ‘Imaka’, meaning Beautiful. He spoke to Victor Udoh in this interview.

What kind of book do you read?

I am not the kind that likes reading books. The only book I have read is that written by the wife of Bob Marley.

I learnt so much from that book, it inspires me. It documents a musician who stood his grounds, someone who didn’t take no for an answer.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

My growing up was cool. I was born in London, then came to Nigeria when five years old. My father was a member, House of Representatives in the early ‘90s. I did my primary school in Imo State and my secondary education in Abuja. I lost my father when in JSS 3. Later, I left for the United Kingdom after my secondary school, where I went to university. After school, I started a fitness outfit in London and I only just returned to Nigeria.

You are into hip-hop and R&B. Do you think your kind of song can make a big splash in our music scene?

For me, I believe in hard work, persistence, be who I want to, try to be at the right place at the right time and network with the right people. I believe with that I will break into the Nigerian music market.

What kind of person are you?

I am a very simple and blunt person. I like to be straightforward. Also, I hate cutting corners.

Where are Nigerian musicians not getting it right, what area can we improve on?

A lot of people are playing good music. I believe where they are not getting it right could be in the area of management. I would first look at the sound, which is very important in music. I recall once listening to Nigeria jams and feeling they all sounded alike. That’s why I am bringing a different kind of sound, beat and lyrics from what people are used to listening to. It is a good fusion which a lot of people would embrace.

When did you drop your debut single?

I made my debut single in March when I came to Nigeria.

How do you relax?

I am not the sort to relax; I am always up and doing, trying to make much out of the little time I have. If I am not at the studio, I would be at the gym or creating something new for myself. I am not the kind of person that likes to sit down, I am restless.

What fashion item takes the major part of your wardrobe?

I will say that is my belt and shoe.

Who is your mentor?

I don’t really have anyone. When I wake up, all I do is to pray and seek God’s direction to enable me bring out the best in me.

What is your philosophy of life?

Until purpose is discovered, existence has no meaning.

Apart from music and fitness house you run, what else are you into?

I am into TV show. I don’t do movie because they are not so real. I like being real, that is why I am trying to do my TV show, which I will try as much as possible to distinguish from the regular show. That is what I would be doing when not hanging out with friends.

What projects have you at hand?

I am working on a few songs, which I will feature some popular artistes as well as best producers.

ents inspire me a lot. A lot of people such as the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and others, who have really worked hard to contribute to nation-building, inspire me. These people have really made a difference in my life. Even when they pass on, their legacy lives on.

What is your advice to your fans who are looking up to you?

I say be yourself; don’t try to imitate what others are doing. Just remain focused and be prayerful, and God Almighty will see you through. Don’t impress anyone, just do your thing your way and people will surely look for you.

How do you derive inspiration?

I am inspired by everything around me; even my par-

How can the new government improve our music industry?

I would want the government to help grow our music industry because it’s one of the biggest platforms that can ensure a buoyant economy. They should get the system working properly so there would be more opportunity for the upcoming artistes. Government should build music schools and invest in a structure to train and promote artistes.

Why do you have tattoos all over your body?

Tattoo is a way I express myself. Moreover, all the tattoos on my body have a purpose and they send a message.

&

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Weddings Engagements You have a story to tell us about your wedding/engagement, or your new born baby.

You can call this line 08050324794

CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS JUNE 28, 2015

Josephine has a good heart –Ore-oluwa TITILOPE MORAKINYO

S

aturday, June 20 was a day of joy for the families of Most Reverend E. Adebola Ademowo and Reverend Emmanuel Olasunkanmi Oladipo. Their children, Josephine Adeola Oladipo and Oreoluwa Abisoye Ademowo became wife and husband.

The solemnisation of their marriage took place at St. Stephen ’s Anglican Church, Ora-Igbomina, Osun State, while the reception followed immediately at Ora High School playing ground, Ora-Igbomina, also in the state.

The couple first met on December 26, 2014 and were introduced by a close acquaintance, Mrs Olukamaiye, the wife of the Archbishop of Osun North diocese. They did not engage in much discussion but pleasantries. However, they exchanged mobile contacts and became platonic friends.

Speaking with Sunday Mirror, the beautiful bride could not hide her feelings.

“The day I met my husband was great; I met him in the church. We had a prayer and fasting programme. I don ’t know what brought the attraction because it was a church programme and I had pimples, my face was rough; but I would

say that it is the handwork of God and his appointed time. I am very happy that this is happening in my life today, ” she said.

The groom said: “She has a good heart and she is a great organiser. When she helps you organise things, you would be surprised at the way it comes smoothly. She is an encourager because when faced with challenges you think would be difficult to surmount, she would tell you that by God ’s grace, you are going to make it; she is great at putting people ’s mind at ease, she is actually a winner.

“I pray God will continue to help and give her energy because she is involved in church activities which she doesn ’t joke with, so I pray that God would continue to strengthen her as she continues to win souls for Him, ” he wished.

On her advice for single ladies, she said it is good to wait for God ’s time though people may make mockery of you, but when it is the right time, your husband will surely come. “Pray before choosing your partner, you should seek God in prayer so that the person who you eventually end up with will be the man of your heart, ” she counselled.

BABIES OF THE WEEK Hamzah Olarewaju Salako

H

amzah Oluwatobiloba Olarewaju Salako was delivered at Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos to Nurudeen Salako and Basirat Salako. He was delivered at exactly 5:40 a.m. and weighed 2.7kg.

Mrs Basirat told Sunday Mirror that during her pregnancy, she desired fruits.

“I craved for watermelon, mango, apple and my normal diet remained the same. Nothing irritated me, ” she said.

She however explained that there were not much body changes besides the growing stomach and vom-

iting.

What do Hamzah ’s parents love about their son?

According to the father, he has been a blessing and great source of joy ever since they noticed his arrival and he loves eating and smiles a lot.

He said Hamzah means strong and steadfast and Oluwatobiloba stands for God is a great king.

What does Basirat want him to become in future. “ God who gave him to us has already known what he will become and ours as the parents is to guide him as he strives for the best in life, ” she said.

Jedidiah Oluwafehan Ogunjumelo

Aderonke is gentle –Christopher

A

ll roads led to Yidi Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State recently when Aderonke and Christopher celebrated their matrimony with excitement.

The wedding took place at the Living Faith Church, Bashorun, Ibadan. The reception followed immediately at the Apex Civic Centre, Yidi Agodi, Ibadan Sunday Mirror learnt that the courtship which led to the wedding started in April 2011.

The groom, who works as a tour operator said, “We met coincidentally in a cab in which I left my already boarded cab, because it was not getting occupied by other passengers. I decided to do a stopover with another cab in order to make my journey quicker, unknowingly I was sitting next to my wife.

“We became familiar with each other and chatted like friends who had known each other for long and talked about many issues. After three weeks

of the friendly familiarity, the response of my wife when I asked her out was that she will only say YES to the relationship if it is going to result in marriage. To me that was a very deep statement which made me more focused, ” the groom recalled.

The bride on her part could not resist Christopher who she showered encomium on for being hardworking, wise, intelligent, respectful and God-fearing.

On what the groom loves most about his wife, he said “she is very gentle, calm and loving ”.

According to him, it is not a mistake that they are going to spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife The families were full of praises as they gave thanks to God for making the day to come true in spite of the challenges that threatened to hinder the wedding.

J

edidiah Oluwafifehan Ona Abayo Ogunjumelo was born at the Redeemed Maternity Centre, Shomolu Lagos to Adeola and Paul. He was delivered at 6.50 p.m.

What did Adeola desire during her pregnancy?

According to her, she craved for eko and Moi moi, jollof, fried rice, amala and two-three-day eba.

According to Adeola, “The obvious physical body change during the pregnancy was my swollen legs; I vomited once in a while and not much morning sickness but I didn ’t spit at all ”.

What do Jedidiah ’s par-

ents love about him? “Everything is lovely about him; he is cute, hairy and smiles a lot, ” Paul explained.

On the choice of his name, the mother explained that oluwafifehansimi means “extending God ’s love to me ” while Ona Abayo means “the way out ”.

She further explained that they didn ’t deserve such gift but God extended his hand of love towards them.

What do they want their son to become in future? The “We want him to become a man after God ’s heart, ” they said.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

What to wear ‌music awards JUNE 28, 2015

ADAEZE AMOS

A

re you a diva, musician or a songstress who has been invited to come and receive an award owing to your fame or hard work? Good news indeed. Or are you a friend to a good diva who is getting set to pick up an award and you want to escort her? Beautiful! If you are contemplating on what to wear to appear cute that day, you need not worry.

The picture on this page has solved your problem.

Wonder who she is! She is no other than Jennifer Hudson an international diva. This was what she wore to American music awards two years ago - a simple orange, body-hugging mullet dress. Check her out, cute right?

You too can slip into this style. Mullet trend is still the rave of the moment.

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Perfect Cut

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mullet trend ever present on the fashio ADAEZE AMOS

T

hough this trend became hot in the style world two years ago, it has not relented.

Fashion pundits cherish and still have this style in their wardrobes. Watch out in red carpet events, style enthusiasts still wear it with shoulders high.

This style that has its rear longer than the front is seen in both dresses and tops. And it is better made using light fabric. Thus, what are you waiting for? You can’t afford to wait for it to die down in fashion before you slip into it.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

on radar

Perfect Cut

Sunday, June 28, 2015

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African Look Get panty in African prints ADAEZE AMOS

O

ne thing that amazes models and style icons is that African print fabrics are so versatile that they are good to design all sorts of wears.

This includes skirts, blouses, tan-tops, beach wears, cat suits and pencil pants that are in vogue now.

There is much ado about pencil pants made with African prints.

Check around you, it would astonish you how this very style is getting hotter in the fashion circle.

So, if you have three yards of African print fabric in your wardrobe and you want to go panty, why not? Go ahead.

Opt for a simple polo top and you are good to go. Take a closer look at the models on this page and catch the feel.

L

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OVE

TALK

Sunday, June 28, 2015

with Yemisi

Adeniran

The fun of the ‘cap’ W hat comes to your mind at the mention of Condom, is sex. This is justifiably so because Condom is specially created for sex and its services basically to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted disease. However, its use has been extended to the prevention of pregnancies while, to some men, it is a “staying power”. That is, it makes them to last longer in the game of sex.

There are different angles to the use of Condom.

While some believe that condom denies the real pleasure of sex which comes with the flesh of the man and the woman touching each other, others still find it pleasurable. In fact, some believe that it gives them confidence in that they don’t have to bother about whether it would result in pregnancy or that diseases would be transmitted from one person to the other.

For those who experience less pleasure as they would ordinarily have had when their partners use Condom, all they need to do is to use lubricant to help decrease fiction between their skin and the condom.

Despite the constant use of Condom, one basic truth is that many don’t know how to fix on one during sex.

Or put in another way, many, under the pressure or anxiety of sexual experience, end up not fixing contraceptives well, thus destroying the essence of using it.

However, before going into the major tips of how to use the condom, let us take a question that is often asked: Who should wear the condom for the man? The answer is simple. Any of the participants – man or woman –

can wear it for the man. As long as it is put on properly, anyone can put it on for the man. And that should be before the intercourse. In fact, having a condom put on by a partner can be an erotic opportunity, loaded with creative potential. Making use of the mouth and tongue is sure to add some spice to dressing the penis with a condom. All you need is to be sure that you leave some space at the tip and that the condom is rolled to the base of the penis. Let me state again that the condom is best worn when the penis is erect and before it makes any vaginal contact. Apart from this, there is no hard and fast rule about when to put on the condom.

So, how do you put on the condom? Here are some tips: Note that most packs of reliable male condoms come with step-by-step instructions, which you should follow carefully. Try not to get so carried away with passion that you rush things. Use this guide to help you.

•Take the fresh condom out of the packet carefully.

Avoid ‘catching’ it on your nails.

•Do not blow it up.

•There’s usually a ‘teat’ at the end. Squeeze the air out of it.

•Now roll the condom onto the erect penis. (Don’t try putting it on before you’re hard.)

•Roll it all the way down to the base of your penis.

•Some men lose their erection - through nerves while rolling the condom on. If this sometimes happens to you, then get your partner to put it on for you - rub-

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

bing you at the same time.

•If the vagina is dry or more lubricant is needed you need to use water-based lubricant. Never use oily lubricants such as baby oil or Vaseline as the condom will break easily.

•As soon as you’ve climaxed, hold the condom firmly onto your penis with your fingers, and withdraw from the vagina. Take care not to spill any fluid.

•Now, take off the condom, wrap it in paper or tissue, and dispose of it in a bin.

Do not flush the condoms down the toilet.

•If you’re going to have sex again that day, wash your penis and put on a new condom.

•Never try to ‘re-use’ a condom.

Now that you know how to go about the use of condom, why not try one today and feel safe from unexpected pre gnancy or some diseases.

Models

Sexual solutions and love products for adults My wife cheated on me recently. I have been so heartbroken and I can’t eat or sleep well. I had to ask her why she did it and the only thing she could say was that I her life with me is boring. A part of me wants a divorce but there is also a part that does not want to lose her to her lover because then, he would have won. But what if I stay with her and she cheats again? After all according to her, I am boring? –Gabriel I am sorry for your predicament. Nothing is ever the same after cheating has occurred. What if you forgive her and she cheats again? That happens sometimes. And what if you choose to divorce her and it turns your lives upside down? Divorce is complicated and messy and there is no such thing as a clean break from your past, especially if you had children with your ex. The kids suffer the most, years after the divorce. So this is a tricky situation and frankly, there is no right or wrong answer to the matter.

So here is what I suggest. First, you must find out from her whether she wants to stay with you and work on your marriage. If she is remorseful and wants to stay, that can be a good sign although most people will pretend to be sorry after they have been caught. Secondly, ask her the kind or relationship she desires with you going forward. The answer to this can be the key to your future. Making practical changes to your daily life such as going out more often, traveling, eating out at different restaurants, an occasional weekend at a hotel, a change of wardrobe, redecorating your house, shopping, renting movies and going to the theater can make life more exciting. Adding variety to the sex you have with her can also help. But most importantly, does she want to stay with you? That is the bottom line. If she is no longer interested in being married to you, it is over. But I wish you luck. Lots of couples have been through this and survived it. I hope you survive it – Uche I have been married for eleven years and I am very depressed. I never enjoy sex – Bolanle A vibrator, an orgasm gel and some adult movies can work wonders for your love life even when you are

stuck with a sexually clueless lover. The Extreme Tri Twister Rabbit vibrator is a top of the range vibrator for women that rotates in two different directions and is capable of simultaneous penetration, clitoral stimulation and internal G spot stimulation. I recommend it. And for the orgasm gel, take the Mood Arousal Gel. It comes in three different flavours. Massage it on the clitoris minutes before intercourse or when using your vibrator. This will help you enjoy intercourse or your vibrator. An adult movie makes the experience of using a toy more real. So I recommend films like The One and Moving Out. It is also important that you tell your husband that you don’t enjoy sex. This should motivate him to do something about it. Both of you can also visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com for more ideas on how you can improve your love life – Uche I have started using my Magic Mike supplement for hard erections and performance and it is working but I also want a penis enlarger. Can I combine it with Big Bam Boo? –Austin Both products are similar and cannot be combined. However, you can combine your Magic Mike with a Penis Enlargement Pump or an enlargement cream like Maximus Enlargement Cream – Uche I am using Stud Extender Sleeve now and it really does make me look bigger and my woman likes it. Please for how long can I continue to use it? Wale Wale if you use it frequently, then you can change it after two or three months. The material is very thick and reusable. But of course it is subject to wear and tear after a while. So you can change it after using for two to three months – Uche Your adult education project changed my life. Before I started reading your column, I did not even know what a vibrator was. Now I have learned so much and I bought a lubricant from you for my wife and it has really helped us. Well done –Usman

You are welcome. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can reach us on 07086754515 or 08053911233 to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia. com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com –Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Amaka Anakwe

08023012293 (SMS ONLY)

It’s exciting to feel your baby kick H ave you run a pregnancy test and you are positive? Good! But have you felt your baby’s first movement which is tagged ‘quickening’ in the medical world?

Between weeks 16 and 25 of your pregnancy, you are more likely going to start noticing its (fetus) movements in you. But if it is your first pregnancy, you may not feel your baby’s move until it is closer to 25 weeks.

But if it is your second pregnancy, don’t be surprised that as from early as 13 weeks you start to feel its movement.

Naturally, every pregnant woman feels happy when her fetus moves. One of the most exciting moments in your pregnancy is when you feel those first little flutters of your baby kicking.

These tiny movements reassure you that you are carrying a life and that your baby is developing. This makes you feel closer to the little life inside you.

Remember you’re more likely to feel the baby’s movement when you’re in a quiet position, either sitting or lying down.

Pregnant women describe their baby’s movements as butterflies, nervous twitches or a tumbling motion. At first, it may be hard to tell whether your baby has moved. Second- and third-time mothers are more adept at distinguishing those first baby movements.

By your second and third trimesters, the movements should be more distinct, and you’ll be able to feel your baby’s kicks, jabs, and elbows. Aren’t you thrilled? Or are you bent on knowing how often should you feel your baby moving? Early in your pregnancy, you may just feel a few flutters every now and then. But as your baby grows - usually by the end of the second trimester - the kicks should grow stronger and more frequent. Studies show that by the third trimester, the baby moves about 30 times each hour.

‘I told my mum lies about my elder sister’

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They tend to move more at certain times of the day as they alternate between alertness and sleep. They are usually most active between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., right as you’re trying to get sleep. This surge in activity is due to your changing blood sugar levels. Babies also can respond to sounds or touch, and may even kick your partner in the back if you snuggle too close in bed.

Once your baby’s movements are well established (usually by week 28), some doctors recommend keeping track of all those little punches, jabs, and kicks to make sure your tot is still developing normally. There isn’t any real scientific evidence to prove whether this method is a good indicator of the baby’s wellbeing, so check with your doctor to see what he or she recommends.

he naughtiest thing I did happened when I played on my parents’ intelligence concerning my elder sister. I lied to my mother that my elder sister was dating a Mallam who sold candies in our street at the time.

It was on April Fool’s day, and I called my parents that my immediate elder sister, then an undergraduate, was dragging the name of the family in the mud by parading herself with a known Mallam candy hawker in our neighbourhood.

My mother was shocked when she heard that.

She sprang up from her chair to hear me well and I persisted in the lie. I chose that lie because my mum was always saying that my elder sister would marry a man that would bring her joy based on the popular Igbo saying that a good in-law is always helpful.

I looked serious when I was telling the lies so that she would believe me. I told her that she needed to see how everyone was laughing at me and my other sisters because of that. And that they had already started calling us names as a result.

I knew that my mother abhorred scandal. She placed her left hand on her chest as if her heart wanted to drop into her tummy. But I continued. She was only asking God what she did that she was being punished that way. When I saw she was on the verge of crying, I had to apologise to her reminding her that it was April fool - that my elder sister wasn’t doing that. She stood up, pursued me, wanting to hit me and I fled.

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Carrot Rice

his is a very delicious and nutritious variety of rice made from groundnuts, carrots and spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

Ingredients: 2 cups of rice 2 onions 5 carrots 2 tsp fried groundnuts 2 teaspoon of oil a small piece of cinnamon 1 tsp broken block gram 2 cloves 1 teaspoon of mustard 1 teaspoon of Bengal gram A few sprigs curry leaves Salt for taste For Masala: 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 3/4 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp grated coconut 4 red chillies

How to prepare: Heat the pan, pour 1 tsp oil.

Add red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fry till it turns brown.

Add grated coconuts and remove from the heat. Grind it after it cools down.

Grind separately, the fried groundnuts coarsely.

Cook the rice and let it cool.

Put the carrots in warm water. Grate it without peeling the skin.

Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, mustard, broken block gram and Bengal gram. Fry them.

Add curry leaves and chopped onions.

Once the onion is cooked, add the grated carrots. Fry till the carrots are cooked.

Add rice and fry in a low flame. Add salt and the ground masala powder. Mix well with the rice.

Lastly, add groundnut powder and remove from the flame.

Serve hot.

Carignan wine

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he Carignan wine suffers from the curse of high yields. Until recently the most widely planted red-wine grape in Franc, Carignan comes from vines that can produce as much as 11 tons of fruit per acre. These high yields mean that there’s plenty of wine to go around; often more than the market can handle.

This lack of interest is exacerbated by the tendency of high-yielding vines to grow poorly concentrated fruit, especially in the absence of devoted efforts at pruning in the vineyard.

Certainly, there is fine justification for the efforts, sponsored by the European Union, to pull Carignan vines from vineyards in France in the last decade. The surplus of wine was undeniable. Much of this wine had little to recommend it.

But when produced from very old vines that are carefully tended, Carignan can help craft characterful and concentrated wines. The best examples of this grape come from the Coteaux du Languedoc appellation in southern France. Even here, Carignan is rarely used to make single varietal wines, as AOC regulations require that it be blended with other grapes. Consequently, it is generally mixed with Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache. Other appellations in southern France, including Costières de Nîmes, Corbières and Minervois, also produce interesting, and reasonably priced blends incorporating the Carignan grape.

For single-varietal expressions of Carignan, look to Sardinia. Here, the grape yields palate-caressing wines with aromas and flavors of red cherry and nutmeg.

Again, the success of the grape is highly dependent on the wine-maker, but with the proper care, these wines can be quite interesting. Look to wines from Santadi, arguably the best cooperative on the island.

Some California producers have also begun making single-varietal bottlings of Carignan from old vines. Look to Ridge Vineyards and Bonny Doon for reliable examples.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Growing Up

Sunday, June 28, 2015

POP

TONGUE TWISTER

Debrillator was created by William Kouwenhoven

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Esau Wood sawed wood.

Esau Wood would saw wood with a wood saw.

Esau ’s wood saw would saw wood!

One day, Wood ’s wood saw would saw no wood, So Wood sought a wood saw that would.

Then, Wood saw a wood saw saw wood as no Wood saw Wood ever saw wood sawed wood.

So Wood sought the wood saw that sawed wood As no wood saw Wood ever saw ever sawed.

Now Wood saws wood with the wood saw Wood Saw wood as no wood saw Wood ever saw would wood saw wood.

WORDS ON MARBLES

The best artist has that thought alone which is contained within the marble shell; the sculptor’s hand can only break the spell to free the figures slumbering in the stone.

–Michelangelo

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

WHO INVENTED WHAT? he external Defibrillator as known today was invented by William Kouwenhoven in 1930. William studied the relation between the electric shocks and its effects on human heart when he was a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Engineering.

His studies helped him to invent a device for external jump start of the heart. He invented the defibrillator and

An ofce boy

A

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tested on a dog, like Prévost and Batelli. The first use on a human was in 1947

by Claude Beck, professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University.

Beck ’s theory was that ventricular fibrillation often occurred in hearts which were fundamentally healthy, in his terms “Hearts that are too good to die ”, and that there must be a way of saving them.

jobless man applied for the position of ‘office boy ’ at Microsoft, the HR manager interviewed him, and gave him a test: clean the floor. The man passed the test with flying colors.

“You are hired, ” HR manager informed the applicant, “give me your e-mail address, and I ’ll send you the application for employment, as well as the date you should report for work. The man replied “I don ’t have a computer, or an email! ” “I ’m sorry, ” said the HR manager. “If you don ’t have an email that means you do not exist. And we cannot hire persons who do not exist. ”The man was very dis-

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DO YOU KNOW?

he human heart which an organ that pumps blood throughout the body through the circulatory system is so powerful that it can squirt the blood in no less than 9metres high, this is because its programmed to deliver the blood even in the less accessible areas of the body such as the toes and the fingertips, in order to achieve this it is necessary for the heart to create lots of pressure inside the veins.

JOKE appointed.

He didn ’t know what to do. He only had 100 naira with him. Once that is spent, he won ’t have any money to buy any food. He went to the supermarket and bought a crate of eggs with his 100naira.He went from door to door and sold the eggs in less than two hours.

He doubled his money.

He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with 6000naira he realised that he can survive this way. He started to go every day earlier, and return late.

He doubled or tripled his money every day. Soon, he bought a cart, then a truck. In a very short time, he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

Five years later, the man became one of the biggest food retailers in the country. He started to plan his family ’s future, and decided to have a life insurance He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan.

At the end of the conversation, the broker asked him for his email address. The man replied: ‘ I don ’t have an email. ‘The broker was dumbfounded. “You don ’t have an email, and yet have succeeded in building an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email? ” he exclaimed.

The man thought for a while, and replied, “An office boy at Microsoft! ”

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Movies & Music

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

& usic M Movies With Victor Udoh 07067124302 e-mail: victorudoh804@yahoo.com

Korede Bello gives away money on Twitter

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igeria’s Mega Star and Mavins Artiste, Korede Bello who recently dropped the video to his smashing hit single ‘Godwin’ took to Twitter on Monday, June 22nd 2015 to reward fans.

The giveaway, which started around 10:45pm on the social networking platform, twitter got massive engagement from his fans who are fondly called ‘Bellovers’.

Korede centered the giveaway on his new Godwin video, putting up questions from scenes in the video. It was clear that only those who have watched the video could answer the questions correctly.

At the end of the giveaway, More than 20 fans were rewarded with a total sum of half a million naira.

Speaking at the end of the giveaway, Korede Bello tweeted: This is just my own little way of appreciating you guys for the support and love you keep showing me.

He further posted a screen shot of #GodwinAlert twitter trend on Instagram with a caption.

Bello

Awilo makes long awaited comeback!

S AY and Elenu

Elenu, MI compete with Star Radlar at AY Live

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he stereotypical picture of the average Abuja crowd is that of a high maintenance group of people with their noses in the air and their feet slightly off the ground. Abuja is often typified as a cold, unsociable city of people who have no time for each other.

On Sunday June 21 at A.Y Live which held at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, this stereotype was blown apart comprehensively as audience members seemed to forget the “Abuja code” while falling over each other to check out a sexy new attraction.

The cause of the commotion? A new product from STAR called Star Radler. The drink, which comes in a colourful can, is an exciting mixture of beer and fruit with an alcohol content of 2% vol. To the normally docile Abuja crowd, this was a very big deal – punchy, classy fruits, sexy packaging and just enough of an alcohol content to retain street cred.

Elenu, I Go Dye, Helen Paul, Akpororo, M.I and Phyno just about managed to compete with Star Radler for the attention of the crowd. It seems that Star has hit a home run here.

uperstar Congolese music exponent Awilo Longomba immortalised these lyrics across Africa and beyond in the late 90s and early 2000s as Makossa and Soukouss music took Nigeria by storm. Following a long break from Nigerian music charts stretching back over a decade, he finally makes a comeback on this week’s MTV Base Official Naija Top Ten, coming in at number eight with“Enemy Solo” featuring P-Square.

This week’s episode of the countdown, hosted by rising star Endia sees three tracks make their debut as Sean Tizzle’s “Bottles”, DJ Xclusive’s “Tonight” and MI’s “Monkey” all drop off the chart. In the course of the show, Endia, who also performs a ragga freestyle, announces a giveaway of the pair of glasses he wore in the video of his breakout 2012 hit ‘48”. These glasses, he reveals, are very close to his heart but his fans are closer.

Elsewhere on the chart, last week’s top four remain unchanged as Patoranking’s “Daniella Whine”, Mavins’ “Looku Looku”, Sheyi Shay’s “Janigilova” and Phyno’s “Oringo” hold down number one to four in that order. “Shuperu Remix” by Orezi featuring Davido is the week’s highest debut track at number five, while “If I Fall” by Praiz debuts at number ten.

“Gbagam” by Timaya featuring Phyno and Deettii drops down two spots to number 9, while Cynthia Morgan’s “Come And Do” rises three spots to Awilo number seven.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies M ovies & M Music usic

Sunday, June 28, 2015

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Ozokwor, Afolayan, Omotola, Ukeje dazzle at AMAA 2015 nominees party

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op Nollywood and Hollywood stars on last Saturday, June 20, 2015, attended the nominees unveil party of the 2015 Africa Movie Academy Awards, AMAA in Los Angeles, US The event, which was held at the L.A. Live Downtown in Los Angeles, had in attendance Nollywood queen, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Patience Ozokwor, Kunle Afolayan, Faithia Balogun Williams, Chioma Akpotha, OC Ukeje, Jimmy Jean Louis, Thomas Gumede, Lydia Forson, Doris Simeon, Emem Isong. Some of the Nollywood practitioners who also attended the event and other African counterparts include Kingsley Ogoro, Paul Okoli, Emem Isong, Doris Simon, Eniola Badmus, Aki and Paw Paw, and Ghana-born Lydia Forson, who is also AMAA brand ambassador Nigeria’s soulful singer, Asa and her band entertained the guest all in a bid to showcase the best of Africa’s music and fashion to the rest of the world The Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, Dayo Ogunyemi, said that the leadership of the award body decided to take the nominations event to Hollywood this year to begin the concrete step of taking African cinema to the home of global cinema for a mutually and economically viable cooperation.

‘A unique aspect of the nomination event this year is that AMAA’s parent organization, the Africa Film Academy (whose advisory board Danny Glover co-chairs) is developing a slate of ten films that will be co-productions between black filmmakers across the globe. The stories to be pitched within this slate will have a global appeal but will speak to the aspirations and stories of the global black community. Accordingly the attendees for this event have been selected with a view to ensuring the highest level of returns and enhancing the global value chain for black filmmakers’’ Meanwhile the Jury of African Movie Academy award has released the nominees for the 28 categories of the continental awards for motion picture practitioners in Africa and the Diaspora.

At a nominations gala night in global entertainment headquarters, Los Angeles, United States, the 2015 AMAA Jury chaired by the Zimbabwean, Mr. Keith Shiri, announced nominations that have Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Angola and Mauritius leading the pack in the numbers of films from the countries in competition while United States led the pack in the films from the Africans in Diaspora.

Films from Nigerian filmmakers such as October 1, Cheetanah, Iyore, and Dazzling Mirage are very prominent on the nominations list while Triangle Going to America from Ethiopia, Timbuktu

from Mauritius and Queen of Angola from Angola are very strong in various categories of the award.

In a move that may not surprise pundits, Ghana-born actress, Jocelyn Dumas and her Nigerian counterpart, Ini Edo are once again in big battle for the best Actress category for their roles in While You Slept and Silver Rain. The two leading female actors were nominated in the same category in 2014.

Two new revelations in the Most Promising Actor/Actress category are Demola Adedoyin for his role in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1 and Kemi Lala Akindoju for her role in Tunde Kelani’s Dazzling Mirage.

At a ceremony attended by the cream of top Hollywood filmmakers and their Nigerian counterparts, the Chairman of the College of Screeners and member of the Jury, Mr. Shaibu Husseini noted the improvement in the quality of films coming to AMAA every year since inception 11 years ago. ‘’It is gratifying to note that filmmakers from the continent and beyond are investing more into their trade and the evidence of their investments are the quality films we see even though there will always be room for improvements,” said Mr. Husseini while giving details of the nominations.

The Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, Dayo Ogunyemi said that the leadership of the award d body decided to take the nominations event to Holllywood this year to begin the concrete step of takking African cinema to the home of global cinema a for a mutually and economically viable cooperaation.

‘A unique aspect of the nomination event thiss year is that AMAA’s parent organisation, the Affrica Film Academy (whose advisory board Danny y Glover co-chairs) is developing a slate of ten filmss that will be co-productions between black filmmmakers across the globe. The stories to be pitched d within this slate will have a global appeal but will ll speak to the aspirations and stories of the global al black community. Accordingly the attendees forr this event have been selected with a view to ensurring the highest level of returns and enhancing the e global value chain for black filmmakers’’ It will be recalled that the AMAA 2015 College e of Screeners received over 800 entries from over 500 countries of the world within and outside Africa a covering feature films, short films, animationss and documentaries.

AMAA main event which is the award nightt will hold in South Africa in September and it will ll be the first time the continental awards will take e place outside Nigeria in its 11 years having held 100 previous editions in Nigeria.

Is Opeyemi Aiyeola’s marriage in crisis?

Omotola

Obesere becomes caterer

F

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he marriage of Yoruba star actress, Opeyemi Aiyeola, is alleged to be on a slippery side.

Movies and Music learnt from a reliable source that the star actress is no more staying with her London-based husband, and has since relocated to the country.

Our source said she now moves with another man.

Movies and Music’s several calls to confirm the veracity of the story with Opeyemi were not picked.

“She has been in the country for many months now, going about with a man who we learnt is her new man. She is putting a picture, claiming that the man is just her friend, but they are more than that. You need to see the way they always cuddle in any event,” the source close to the family alleged.

Ukeje

Aiyeola

oremost Fuji Musician, Alhaji Abass Akande popularly known as Obesere, who is known for his lewd music, has expanded his chain of businesses as he recently opened another hospitality business which he named Obesere Catering & Events Management.

Akande Alashakasha (the lewd singer) as he is fondly called, is also the Chairman of ATC Integrated services Limited (an indigenous Oil & Gas Servicing company in Nigeria) but we learnt has been running the business for long before deciding to open it officially. The new business is said to be managed by Princess Yetunde Sogade Ajulo, a Nigerian who is based in England and has been practicing the profession for over 10 years. She is the boss of Adunni Foods located at Canning Town, East London.

According to Obesere , “I am not a novice in the business, it is what I have been doing for a very long time but lately, I decided to make it official and also show my face as the chairman. It’s a long time dream which I thank God that I am actualising now.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Lessons of Life TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

ADAEZE AMOS Adanneamos@gmail.com 08023012293 (sms only)

‘My husband has abandoned me for his father ’s widow ’ When Pa James married Clementina his last wife at the age of 72, little did he know he wouldn ’t enjoy her for more than five years before his health started deteriorating. His own prostate enlargement came to him suddenly because he wasn ’t going for annual health check.

S

o when it started enlarging, his first problem was inability to pass urine on his own. He was taken to a specialist hospital where his bladder was emptied.

Before he was discharged, he was taught how to pass urine with the aid of foley catheter, a flexible, thin, sterile tube which was inserted into his bladder through his urethra to drain urine. The tube could be left in place in the bladder for a period of time. The catheter was seen in many sizes. Pa James used a bigger size at night and the small size in the day and his first wife was the one who helped to empty his bag of urine every morning and ensured that his bedroom was tidy. That was his condition for two years, but that never prevented his prostate from enlarging the more.

When he was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, he battled it for two years. His first wife Abigail stood by him while Clementina his last wife avoided him like a plague.

Abigail was the one who apart from helping him to empty his urine bag, cleaned him up, gave him food, pampered him and prayed for God ’s miracle.

He laid beside her the night he died. He confided in her that the mistake he made in his life was marrying Clementina who gave him two children, a boy and a girl. He was 30 years older than Clementina, if not more as was speculated. No one knew

why James married a second wife at the time he brought Clementina.

Maybe it was her beauty that trapped him, more so as his first wife had already given him both male and female children, so people wondered why he opted for a second wife.

His first son Maxwell should even be Clementina ’s age mate. He was regularly seen with him irrespective of the fact that he was also married (to Ruth) who has two children. When Pa James died, Clementina and Maxwell ’s relationship became so cordial that everyone in the family suspected they were dating.

“When I confronted my husband about what he was doing with his late

father ’s widow, he fumed and warned me to leave him alone, that he was old enough to know what he wanted in life, ” said Ruth.

“My inkling that my marriage was in for muddy waters when I approached Clementina to leave my husband alone and mourn hers who died not up to six months, she swore that she would never do that. She said I was only angry because ‘my thing is sweeter than yours and that is why you are here to disturb me.

Well, it ’s not my fault that I ’m prettier and better in bed than you. He even told me that my dishes are better than yours. So go to hell! ’ “I was short of words when I heard all she

said. She sounded as if she was prepared for me already. Clementina was known for her vulgarism, so I wasn ’t surprised when she said those crude things boldly. What pained me more was that Maxwell my husband heard all that she said and was mute. Even when she said that I should allow my husband choose between both of us, he still didn ’t say anything. He only blamed me for approaching her first, ” she bemoaned.

What shocked Ruth to her bones was the incident that happened immediately after the family meeting which they held concerning Clementina and Maxwell.

To be continued.

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I am Okafor Frank, a student based in Onitsha, Anambra State. I want a sugar mummy who will take care of me –08062347305.

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A model

NOTICE: Please note that we don ’t do personal connections outside this column. Calls to connect privately are not allowed. Just send an SMS or email and we ’ll get your request published. The request is published on first come first served basis. Thank you!

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From the Pulpit

Sunday June 28, 2015

41

Obtaining God’s mercy, by Prophet Oloruntimilehin T

he faces of many people are yearning and asking for the mercy of God but not all the people that request for mercy receive it.

This is based on what the scripture says in Exodus 33:19 “…I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”. The above God’s expression is so powerful and implies that a person’s request for mercy does not guarantee his or her receipt of God’s mercy. Many blind people were before Jesus Christ but the one that was shown mercy and the sight restored was recorded ded in the Bible. Mark 10:46 – 52 says, “And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho o with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David,, have mercy on me. And many charged him that hat he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy rcy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded d him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment,, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered d and said unto him, what wilt thou that I should uld do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesuss said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made de thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way”.

Similarly, many barren women existed xisted but the ones shown mercy and who bore children were recorded in the scripture. ure. A lot of people were with problems but few w that received the mercy of God were saved. d. All these people could be saved but which h soul was ready to receive mercy? The soul must be firstly prepared to receive mercy before ore he or she could be shown mercy. The Bible e says in Mathew 7:7, “Ask and it shall be given ven to you, seek and you will find, knock and nd the door will be opened to you”.

In the same vein, the Bible says you u ask but it was not given to you because if you ou receive, you would use it for the lust of the e flesh (James 4:3). The two Bible verses encourage urage

General Overseer of Omnipotence Mission of God, Prophet Joshua Daramola Oloruntimilehin, in this admonition, harps on the mercy of God. Excerpts:

and discourage people from requesting from God. These two statements are working but then who could God have mercy on? Who deserves the mercy of God? What work do people do to warrant the mercy of God? Who are people that can receive God’s mercy?

There are some people that have pure heart, they do not jealous, they bless and embrace good things. These kinds of people prevent the destruction of good things to happen no matter the physical and financial involvement. They would go extra miles to mend things. Imagine Sarah, sister and wife of Abraham, left all the affluence to follow Abraham on his journey. She did not discontinue the journey with her husband despite the problems they encountered in their journey. In the course of the journey, she discovers that the house of wealth could be destroyed if there is no child for them.

She had been crying for child bearing but to no avail. So if her husband and she die, then their calling and existence would be in vain. These are the kind of people God shows mercy on because they always think about tomorrow or the future. I pray God will show us mercy in the name of Jesus.

If God shows you mercy, then you have gotten everything. Anyone that receives God’s mercy, also the mercy is extended to the children, wife and husband.

He or she d o e s n o t

need to worry about anything because the mercy of God is following him or her and such a person is satisfied and contented.

How many women can think the same way as Sarah who gave her maid servant to her husband if she could through her have her own child?

It is not c o m mon to find such women because they do not want their husb a n d s to have another wife who

Prophet Oloruntimilehin

‘Preparing for the divine visitation’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

now that God has remembered us and has promised to visit and give us answer to our prayers. For we are very sure His visit will change our lives and make us better, because when He comes into a situation, there is always a solution.

Jer. 29: 11-14 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive”.

The Lord will give you in this His coming, not the expectations of your fears, or the expectations of your fancies, but the expectations of your faith in prepara-

might bear them a child till the end of their life (Genesis 16, 17, 18). The maidservant, Hagar, was not a compassionate woman; she wanted to dominate the husband alone. She had forgotten the woman that invited her to be part of the family. Hagar was unpleasant and intolerant with Sarah.

Then Sarah ill-treated her and she fled from her mistress. It was the angel of the Lord that instructed her to return to her mistress and be submissive. On her return, Sarah accepted her. Based on all the thinking and deeds of Sarah, God showed her mercy and she had her own son called Isaac.

Sarah had portrayed a woman with love and compassion. Brethren, some people are suffering now but they are not supposed to suffer. Another person’s suffering is being suffered by another person.

Some people are suffering because of their country or town. I pray you will not suffer another person’s suffering in Jesus name.

•For more enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288; facebook.com/ pastoroloruntimilehin

tion. The various packages of blessing He is coming to deliver to us will not depend upon our merits, but upon His own mercy, and kind thoughts and purposes He has for the seed of Abraham His servant.

Our required preparation and example of old Amos 4: 12 says, “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” Everybody must be in attention to receive God’s blessing of intervention comes this program ‘IT IS GOD’S TIME’.

There is no doubt that after that day our lives shall never be the same again.

The dumb shall speak; lame shall walk, blind shall see and the afflicted delivered. If we could honour human beings, the honour we have for God should be higher. If we believe that God is higher than the President, we must therefore prepare to honour Him in a special way. We must not come alone as that will amount to greediness. We must

all go out to invite people that are deaf, insane, blind, afflicted etc. When we invite them with faith and believe that God will heal them, am assuring you my God will give answer to their problems.

It is no longer in doubt what our God can do. This is because testimonies are everywhere to attest to what He can do.

Mt 9:32 -33 says, “As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. 33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel” Mark 2: 1- 5 says, “And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When

Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” In the Scriptures above, it was very clear that wherever our Lord Jesus Christ went during His earthly sojourn, He was always greeted with multitude of afflicted people and He healed them. Those that have knowledge of His visitation went about inviting people to come and the people they invited did not regret honouring the invitation. Likewise, you are expected to go about inviting people for this crusade as a matter of preparation. And in so doing God will see your good work and intervene in your situation.

Rev. 22: 12- 13, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” Christ is talking to you, He says He is coming to establish comfort and support for His followers. So take advantage of this visitation and get yourself prepared for He will turn around your situation for better in Jesus name.

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From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

P

Email: profkunlemacaulay@ yahoo.com (08023032698, sms pls)

rayer is one of the practices of Christianity. It is said to be a time when a person enters into the realm of communication with God. It is in prayer that the spirit of man finds anchorage and stability. Many people believe that prayer is simply talking to God or presenting a list of wants before him. A failure to explore the potentialities of prayer normally results in shrinkage of spiritual life.

Many people receive the benefits and blessings of prayer without understanding its mysteries. Sincerely speaking, it is difficult to define prayer. It is as indefinable as life itself. Prayer is said to be a dialogue and not a monologue. It is also considered to be the opening of the heart’s door to the influence of God’s prompting. To pray is to be with God and talk to him. God is always willing to bring blessings to those that believe in Jesus Christ. Abraham Lincoln said, ‘’ I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day’’.

Effective praying is human weakness casting itself upon divine strength. Spiritual discernment and sensitiveness are impossible without prayer. A Christian without prayer is like a human skeleton without flesh and blood and muscle. Prayer is the highest sense desire to find the will and guidance of God for human experience. It is not to ask what we wish of God but what God wishes of us. Some people believe that they can command God or have the right to

Sunday June 28, 2015

The mysteries of prayer force God to obey them while some do not pray until they have problems then they believe that God is under obligation to answer their prayer. There is no doubt that prayer is a refuge for a disturbed and troubled spirit. The Psalmist said, ‘’ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, he is my fortress. I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.’’. Ps 62 : 5-8.

Some people give the impression that prayer is a battle and it is necessary to agonise in prayer to receive from God or to struggle with God to receive from him.

Phillips Brooks truly explained, ‘Prayer is not conquering God’s reluctance, but taking hold of God’s willingness’. All the agonising, all the tears and struggle cannot bring blessings from God except self is entirely surrendered. It is not human effort but human surrender that can bring God’s blessings. Jesus said in clear language, ‘For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened….. LK 11: 10. Receptivity is a state of relaxation and trust. The Bible says ‘Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God’ Phil 4:6 Many Christians move from one church to another and from one revival service to another seeking signs and miracles. They seek external and outward evidence before they believe that prayer can be answered.

Jesus said, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign….’

Matt 16:4. God desires to bring conviction from within and not from without. Many

people desire external answers to prayer instead of inward answers. Paul said, ‘I can do everything through him who gives me strength.’ Phil 4:13. It is the wish of God to make individuals inwardly strong by his presence, so that they may move from heart motivation instead of external coercion.

Demanding for signs or miracles is a sign of lack of faith and spiritual immaturity.

Many prayers offered today are selfish.

They revolve around the needs and wants of the prayerists. Jesus said, ‘When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures’ James 4:3.

The best prayer is where self is completely forgotten. Intercessory prayer is unselfish prayer. It is where self-centeredness is completely removed.

The vitality and effectiveness of any prayer is determined by the relationship of the person that prays with God. Moses was not selfish when he prayed, ‘But now, please forgive their sin -; but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written’ Ex32:32. John Knox pleaded, ‘Give me Scotland or I die’. Jesus once prayed for Peter, ‘But I have prayed for you Simon that your faith may not fail ’ LK 22:32. Samuel considered it a sin not to pray for others. He told Saul the king of Israel, ‘As for me, far be it from that I should sin against Prayer is the avenue of approach to God. Some Christian leaders depend on human organizations, intellectual discipline and education. It is observed that such churches are big in size with great number of followers but spiritually dry. The Bible said that the first century Christians ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer’ Acts 2:42. There is no doubt in my mind concerning the success of these

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people because prayer is the key that unfolds all the mysteries and supernatural evidences of this early church. The success of any church depends solely on its spiritual potency. It is said that a prayerful man is a powerful man. True Christians realize that prayer is a source of spiritual life and vitality. Prayer confirms our helplessness.

It is recognition of our inability to help ourselves; hence, God is needed to help us.

The Bible confirms the need to have faith in God, in the atoning work of His son Jesus Christ and in the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God. It says clearly that without ‘faith’, it is impossible to please God, receive remission of sin or to obtain the fitness to see God in peace. The world is finding it difficult to believe in its creator because of strange teachings by modern Christian leaders. Job said, ‘He ( God) is wise in heart and mighty in strength, who had hardened himself against him and had prospered’? Godless philosophies which ignore God have come to offer frustration, confusion and impotence.

The Bible says ‘….for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him’.

Christian leaders must encourage people to pray to God on their own. Prayer contract must be discouraged and payment for prayer of any kind must stop to prove that prayer is a relationship with the living God through His son Jesus Christ.

The use of ingredients like soap, handkerchief and candles to achieve spiritual results is magical, paganistic and unchristianly.

•Prof. Kunle Macaulay is the Director of Studies of United Bible University, Lagos. Phone: 0802 – 303 – 2698; email : profkunlemacaulay@yahoo.com; Twitter. com/Kunle Macaulay1

‘Why Nigeria must pray’

The Shepherd with Pastor Akinyele

Aluko

I

am thrilled by this new political dispensation.

Ask me why? For the first time an ordained priest is occupying the number two position in the country and so Aso Rock Villa will be playing host to powers from the throne of God and whether we like it or not, there must be some shift; a real dominion shift. However we have to make it happen as Christians and true soldiers of Christ Jesus for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (1John 4:4). The big question is whether we realize this or not.

It is unfortunate that the Arts, Social Sciences, the core Sciences of Medicine and Pharmacology, Engineering, Computer Sciences and Space Science seems to have taken over the world that most people think that virtually God is not needed in governance. The second issue is that we think that we are a praying nation whereas we are merely praying individuals. Let us take time to learn from the so called developed nations of the world.

The United States of America recognised the powers of God in the affairs of men when in 1863; President Abraham Lincoln signed the declaration for a Day of National Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer. Part of the declaration noted: “And whereas it is the duty of nations, as

well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is Lord.”

Whether we believe it or not, this declaration went a long way in building the present day America. Only the highly spiritually minded will understand.

Nigeria is in a deep national crisis. We have sunken deep into an abyss of self inflicted war in all fronts of our national life. They may look ordinary to us but the Boko Haram crisis, the fuel scarcity; corruption and stealing all have deep spiritual underlying that transcends mere changing of guards in the various government houses and Aso Rock Villa. We may look at the retreat of our troops from the battle fronts as cowardice and mutiny but the spiritual takes precedence over what we think is mere human failings. Take this. In 1980, April 24 to be precise, America in an attempt to rescue 52 embassy staff held as hostages in Iran launched the “Operation Blue Light”.

Eight highly sophisticated helicopters were sent to the first staging area, Desert One, but only five arrived in operational condition. One encountered hydraulic problems, another got caught in a cloud of very fine sand, and the last one showed signs of a cracked rotor blade.

The commanders asked President Carter for permission to abort and Carter granted the request. As the U.S. force prepared to leave, one of the helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft

which contained both servicemen and jet fuel.

The resulting fire destroyed both aircraft and killed eight servicemen. Its failure, and the humiliating public debacle that ensued, damaged US prestige worldwide and Jimmy Carter lost his bid for a second term in office. Failure of Technology you would say, but the world later learnt that the Iranian Spiritual Leader then, Ayatalloh Khomeini got security reports of the impending attack. He knew there was no way they could tackle America on the battle field and so decided to go spiritual. For twenty days consecutively he led Iranian Youths in intercessory prayers while the American were busy doing military drills and rehearsals. Psalm of David 29 is very explicit on this, when the voice of God roars, even the most sophisticated technology or nature cannot stop Him. America as at then had forgotten the powers of God in the affairs of men. They thought they could re-enact the Israeli Entebbe raid without a spiritual backing.

One of my admired Christian writers is Derek Prince, born in India of British parents served in the British Army during World War 2. He had a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ during the war and came to two conclusions. First that Jesus Christ is alive, and second that the Bible is a true, relevant, up – to – date book. He authored forty Christian books and one of them is titled “Shaping History Through Prayers and Fasting” a book he described as: “How Christians can change world events through simple yet powerful tools”. The book was published in 1973, the year I started secondary school in Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “If my people, which

are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Prince stated Rulers are God’s Agents. His argument was simple. Psalm 75: 4-7 says: “I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn: Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Supporting this he quoted Late President J. F. Kennedy who said “…there is no program of vocational training for the presidency; no specific area of knowledge that is peculiarly relevant. Nor are qualities of great leadership drawn from any particular section of the country…” In Israel, David was a mere Shepherd boy. He however knew God, loved Him and served Him. Let’s look at an example of what prayers can do in the affair of a nation in times of a national crisis. The battle of Britain during World War II in September 1940 was a good example of how prayers and intercessions sincerely done to God can alter the affairs of a people even in the face of a very powerful enemy. After the war, Air Chief Marshal Lord, Dowding, Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, made this significant comment:

•Apostle Pastor Akinyele Aluko is the Shepherd of the English Service Chapel, Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere Sub-Headquarters, Ayo Ni O.e-mail: eyealuko2002@yahoo. co.uk, 08050463889.

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T

o keep your fire burning and not suffer marital breakdown or dislocation, the following steps need to be taken.

1 You must discipline yourself daily by praying. You must force yourself because you will never feel like praying!

2.

Avoid procrastination - don’t ever postpone your prayer or bible study time.

3.

Read your bible everyday.

4.

Don’t harden your conscience by living in sin. Avoid secret sin. Sin fascinates before it assasinates!

5Forgive easily – people will offend you all the time, but you must forgive them. Vengance is god’s. Let go and let god.

If you can do these things, the fire to o secure your marital settlement will neverr go down.

Matt 11: 12 says right from the dayss of john the baptist, god’s kingdom suffered ered violence and the violence took it by force. rce.

Your body will not allow you to pray when hen the economy is hard and there is fear everyerywhere. You must pray and study the word by force! Tthats one of the strong purpose e of our daily manna devotional. Also you must listen to powerful messages from anointed nted men of god. Create an atmosphere of jubiubilation around yourself and let every satanic anic cloud of depression fade away.

In marriage, forgiveness is a full-time job of husbands/wives. You have no choice but to forgive each other till you die. God says: ays: ‘vengeance is mine.’ Unfortunately, people ople will offend you deliberately but bible does not allow us to revenge. Leave the revenge nge to god. God knows how to avenge for you because he has tied your hands from revenge. Note however that forgiveness has as a time limit within which it is no more ac-

Priesthood House with Pastor Bola

B

“

Bello

ehold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Pe’or, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD”.

The falling away of the people of Israel during their exodus, was instigated by Balaam the false prophet and, the falling away of the Christians would also be instigated by false prophets in the day to come. Presently, whopping serial instigations are on by these false prophets in some Churches to cast men away from faith.

The story of Balaam the false prophet was interesting and its similarity is seen by the activities of certain “so called prophets” of today. Balaam, a man possessing the gift of prophecy was only relational to God when he required a need.

He was found of making sacrifices to God, not because he was obliged to express submission to God, but simply to make a demand from God who will always respond to the principles of sacrifice from the ancient times. Thus the sacrifice of Balaam was a sort of “divination” to satisfy his greed and to seek for information from God who is without respecter of person but have respect for his principles.

Underlying all methods of divinations, there lay the strong believe, though, scriptural, that the Super-being or the Spirit possess the secret things desired by men and that on certain conditions, such is reveal to those who seek for it. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are re-

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Sunday June 28 , 2015

Secrets of marital settlement (4) MANNA DIGEST with Bishop (Dr) Chris Kwakpovwe, publisher, Our Daily Manna ceptable. But it’s only god who determines when forgiveness has lapsed. Reconcile with people and don’t keep malice. If you are not married and cannot forgive in courtship then it means in marriage, you eventually cannot forgive.

If your wife/husband has a bad trait, you have to learn to live with him/her forever.

It takes tolerance to escape misery in marriage.

No room for bitterness or quarrel. Bitterness can block or hinder the flow of blessing in your marriage. You must pray rather than nag your spouse to change. Prayer is the main life changer but sometimes, growth, maturity or age will change your husband/ wife.

If he/she does not change, then you must be prepared to live or die like that! No careless divorce or separation! Marital separation – pending resolution of contentious issues f r o m e a c h other

could only be allowed when violent and physical abuse is involved. If you are a man and you engage in beating your wife always, it means you do not have jesus christ. Learn to forgive.

May marriage not take you to hell! The bible says you must live as though y o u are not married.

There i s mar-

no

riage in heaven (see 1 corinthians chapter 7: 27-31).

There are some men or women before they were married, they had great fire for god.

But that dies down once they married.

Repent!

The word says you must live as though you are not married. Still go for evangelism and have your own encounter time with god.

Still be zealous for the things of god – marriage or no marriage! See 1 corinthians 7: 2731 and get back to god.

Prayer: •In jesus name, i have a new fire of forgiveness/holiness/purity today. I forgive that man/woman/neighbours/friends in jesus name. May marriage not send me to hell fire.

• May marriage not swallow my fresh fire.

• Oh god, pour a new fire on me. I refused to sit on the fence.

•For more information, contact: Our Daily Manna/ Manna prayer mountain ministry Interdenominational.

•8 –10 Omotayo Banwo street, before Moble police Barracks, Orioke Ogudu, Lagos. Email: testimony@ ourdailymanna.org Tel: 234-8056241771, 23418179023, 234-08023154316

Church as God designed it – Joggling in the prophetic streams (7) vealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29}.

It therefore implies, seeking for secret things is the prerogative of man but must be sought according to the endpoint of revealing it. It must also be sought through legal means, not by divination, or necromancy or through familiar spirits. It must be sought through legitimacy. This was why Balaam became false prophet before God since the intention of that revelation was intended to cause a falling away of Israelites from God. Israelites became evil workers because of the activities of Balaam.

Iniquities and lawlessness became the order of the day. This was, though, intercepted

by God at the end. In compliance with God’s command, Balaam refused to go with elders of Moabites. However, he was enhanced and induced by the more alluring and enticing promises of gifts by the high ranking elders.

He sought again for permission, through sacrifice to God to go, and not only did God permit Balaam to go with the men but God cautioned him to act according to further instructions. A great lesson should be learnt by this singular act. That, in the process of our services to God, result does not validate the lawfulness of certain act. What validates the correctness of our works is the authorization of God’s word. Prophets can ask you to fast and make sacrifice by giving gifts, God will respond to your fast and gifts but would demand from you sanctification and faith in his name than all sorts. He will demand obedient to faith, the end of your salvation.

The attitude of the Bible is hostile against divination and it was represented (Deut. 18:10) by wrong prophetic attitude, demands and behaviors which could be similar to it. Unfortunately, its subtle nature could not allow the people to notice the veil nature of what the

false prophets called “prophetic works”. Its looks ordinary but they are veiled in idolatry and similar to gentile operations.

When an individual prophet is asking his followers to immerse in the water seven times and for seven days for miraculous manifestations, it is a witchcraft operation veiled with inaccurate scriptural backing. The warning of Jesus Christ is sufficed against those who call him LORD but their works are not from the same streams and the same page. Apostle Peter’s reaction was sharp to those gullible disciples of false prophets. “And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in the dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts (2 Pet 1:18-19). Peter compares the prophetic word to a light which shines in the dark place and enable the hearers to embrace the light of salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

The prophecy of Christ is to the extent of saving souls through adherence to faith in his sacrifice rather than the works of men.

As thick as darkness could be, the word of God comes with more powerful light to liberate souls from such darkness. It is therefore, instructive, that when doctrines or activities of ministry officers does not establish the saints, does not teach endurance, does not teach long suffering and does not enthrone Christ in the hearts of men, such is operating in falsehood.

God entrusted prophetic gifts to Daniel when he sought for it, dreams and interpretation of it, vision and knowledge of secret things (Dan. 2:22) with one major intention, to establish the kingdom of God in Babylon.

Joseph discreet knowledge of (Gen.41) Pha-

raoh’s dreams, the interpretation of dream in the prison and his shrewd handling of government businesses was done with intention to reveal the God of Israel for men to acknowledge him in their affairs. This should be the works of prophets. We are called to heed unto God’s word and to establish the kingdom and not lean on the ideas and suggestions of man which only promote the agenda of men rather than that of God. The word of God is the only dependable truth which has the capacity to save to the uttermost. Christ is the Day Star which appears when things are the darkest. He is the Sun of Righteousness which comes with healing wings to his own who is trustful of his capacity. Christ may not be instant; he is nevertheless slack concerning his promises. Christ may not be felt; he is notwithstanding, far away from those who call on him. All men are granted access with one route to come to God, which is Christ. Any other access is illegal routes and Christ called them windows of thievery. The instruction of Christ is clear enough. “Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. 17:15), the identity of these prophets is their fruits.

Fruits basically are the end product of a tree. The word “fruit” was first mentioned (Mat. 3:8) in relation with those who were running to John the Baptist for baptism as rites for forgiveness. He however, warned them that a baptismal rite does not produce forgiveness but what does is repentance. Producing fruit is not about activities and works but genuine turning away from what is evil, idolatry and compromise attitudes.

•Pastor Bola Bello – The Priesthood House, bolabelo@gmail.com 08033704564

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From the Pulpit

Sunday June 28, 2015

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God hides in plain sight

G “

od is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). He is “the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). So true!

However, while there is no darkness in God, there is darkness around Him. He dwells in a cloud of darkness. He is enshrouded in mysterious obscurity. The Lord declares: “I form the light and create darkness” (Isa 45:7). What a paradox! We flee the darkness of sin into Christ who dwells in the secret place and clothes Himself in thick clouds.

Oh, the wonders of God! Who can know His mind? God is the Master of Mysteries who hides Himself.

In His incarnation, He enshrouded His divinity in the darkness of human frailty. He left His light and took on our darkness so He may lift us from our darkness into His light. On the mount of transfiguration, while Jesus spoke, “there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud and there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, ‘this is my beloved son: hear Him’” (Luke 9:34-35).

On the cross, darkness covered the land for a space of about three hours while the Son of God experienced the deepest dregs of divine darkness (Luke 23:44-45). Then, dark-

The Bride’s voice with Pastor Moses

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Alu

ow, if this scripture will not make us fear this God we serve, no other scripture will. So, sister, the Bible makes it clear that we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers but t s an unbeliever you want to marry because he has so much money. Your thinking is, if I want to marry because he has so much money. Your thinking is, if I marry this man, my life wills he better. The man promised to build me a house in my village. He said he will take all my family abroad. He said he will buy me a car. I have suffered enough. I won’t allow this opportunity to pass. God will understand. But since I am a member of the Bride Assembly, let me go and see a prophet so that he can enquire for me. It is not every prophet this sister will come to. She then decides to see Prophet Thomas Nwoke.

Hallelujah. The Bible says that thing that you have made up your mind to do, once you get to the prophet, before you seat down, the prophet will tell you, you have come to know if the man that wants to marry you is actually your husband? Within yourself, you will say, I know there is God in Bride Assembly and He will definitely answer me.

The prophet will go on and say, the man attends a white garment church? He has a shrine in one of the rooms? You will say ‘Yes’. The prophet will then say, God says that man is your husband. The sister will then say, I knew God was going to answer me. He still speaks through His prophets.

You will then leave. The Bible had already warned you not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. You knew what you were doing was wrong but you have made up your mind. When you come before God in that

ness veiled Christ’s anguished face as He experienced, on behalf of all humanity, the absence of God-His Father as no one else ever had; not even in the greatest extremity. These represent the dark cloud of God’s pavilion that engulfs believers at one point or the other: sometimes overwhelmingly and painfully! Oh that in such moments we may hear the voice of God and receive deep and life-altering revelation of the divine.

After His resurrection, He walked with His disciples on the road to Emmaus in the dark.

Christ, the Source of their visions and aspirations was totally clothed in shadows. In the meantime, their hearts burned within them as they searched the scriptures and He revealed the treasure of resurrection’s light to them.

When Christ later opened their eyes as He broke bread, their faith was rekindled and a door into a greater glory was wide opened before them.

Truly, the place of deepest darkness is more significant because it ushers in God’s true light!

Greater glory is seen in the darkest season.

“Your darkest hour is His greatest opportunity to reveal His goodness,” notes Ian Johnson. When Moses entered the dark cloud that overshadowed Mount Sinai, Moses obtained the revelation of the glory of God and saw the goodness of God in the darkness (Exod 24:15-17; 33:18-19). It takes faith to walk into the cloud, to walk outside of our intellect and our rational thoughts and into the deep things of God, as well as into treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places.

God has a ministry of absence. In his book: The Elusive Presence, Samuel Terrien describes God’s absence-in-presence and pres-

ence-in-absence. Similarly, Blaise Pascal wrote that “A religion which does not affirm that God is hidden is not true…and a religion which does not offer the reason [for this hiddenness] is not illuminating.” Paradoxically, God hides Himself in the midst of revealing Himself.

“Presence-in-absence is the theme of His selfdisclosure.” This interplay of God hiding Himself while revealing Himself is integral to His providence and divinity. God hides Himself from us because He is God, and God reveals Himself to us because God is Love (1 John 4:8).

Walter Chalmers Smith’s 19th century English hymn acknowledges that God is hidden in light inaccessible, and yet He is the immortal, invisible, only wise, most blessed, most gracious, most glorious, almighty, and victorious Ancient of days. On one hand, God is “unresting” and “unhasting” while on the one hand, God is “silent as light.” This is because God is always at work in our lives though His presence is often so subtle that we may fail to perceive it.

God conceals His treasures in darkness.

God promises: “I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that you may know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel” (Isa 45:3). The Bible insists: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but it is the honor of kings to search it out” (Prov 25:22). Why is it glorious for God to conceal things from people? Just as gold is so valuable because it is a rare and precious commodity, God conceals the knowledge of His mysteries because they are more valuable than gold! Notably, honor comes to the king who searches out and finds the hidden

treasures of God. Indeed, anyone who pursues such knowledge with passion shall attain that kingly honor bestowed by God Himself.

Human beings are blinded by the light of the sun from seeing the glories beyond the skies. At night, when the sun disappears below the horizon, a spectacle of divine wonders unfolds in the skies above. There is an infinite depth of space that comes into view. On a clear night, approximately 2,500 stars are visible to the naked eye. Each of these stars are at least a solar system by themselves, some are even galaxies of countless stars. In our Milky Way galaxy alone, there are over 100 billion stars, located many billions of light years away. The truth, according to Ken Raggio is: “Many of the universe’s greatest mysteries can only be seen in the darkest darkness. Otherwise the view is blinded by the light.”

Similarly, the temporal lights of our material world often blind the eternal treasures of God. The things of this carnal world, including our greatest pleasures and successes, mesmerize us and block our view of infinitely more glorious things in the vast world of God. Right now, we only know in part! Only in the dark can you see the treasures of darkness.

Moses didn’t see the fullness of the Glory until he entered the thick darkness of the cloud and thick smoke of God’s presence. If he stayed in the sidelines like the other Israelites who observed the awesome glory from a distance, he would have missed it too! The further we venture into the cloud that surrounds His throne, the more we see His true glory revealed. Jesus delights in giving “sight to the blind” (John 9:39).

Be not unequally yoked state. God will answer you according to your heart’s desires.

Is that not how He answered Ahab? Ahab had already made up his mind to go to Ramoth Gilead and whether those 400 prophets spoke the truth or not, he was not going to change his mind. If not, why didn’t he listen to Micaiah? He had made up his mind.

Opportunity was given to him to know the correct one and the wrong one. He chose the wrong one because that was the one in his mind. And everyone that makes that kind of choice will end up the same way Ahab ended. But you are saying, but it was God that showed me. Can God deceive me? Well, you can see now, God can deceive! He deceives you to make you go the way you have made up your mind to go!

What of the 400 prophets? What will happen to them? Those the Lord used to deceive Ahab, what will happen to them? And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD has deceived that prophet, and will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. If the prophet be deceived, what will happen? And if the prophet be deceived when He had spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Who deceived that prophet? Are you tired?

I am reading the Bible. Who deceived those prophets? The Bible says, I God has deceived them. If the prophet be decided what will he do to that prophet? The same way Ahab went, the same way those Prophets will also go!

Why? I said that the sister that came to me the prophet knew the prophet to meet.

It is not every prophet she will want to see.

That sister that wore trouser and stood before a gifted sister, may be that sister. I don’t know who it was among you, was it sister Ijeoma? If that sister was going to meet

another sister that wears trousers like her and she is going to direct her to a prophet in Bride Assembly, will she ask her to see sister Ijeoma? She will tell her. When you get to the Bride Assembly there is one girl there, she looks like this (demonstrates and describes her) don’t go to her because if she sees you looking like this. She will not attend to you.

She will now ask, which of them do I see? She will now describe her preferred prophet. There is a minister that was here, bro Ndubuisi. What was his nickname? We use to call him Micaiah. It got to a point if you paint your face or you wear earring and come to that brother, he will not only tell you to remove them but also help you to remove them. If you refuse, he will tell you to go away. He will not attend to you. This was happening until we heard and had to caution him. We told him to first preach to them, especially first timers (show them scripturally why they cannot wear earrings, neck chains, etc). if they scripturally why they cannot wear earrings neck chains, etc). if they agree to remove them, fine If not he should leave them. So back to our sister. If she is directing this sister, will she direct her to Ndubuisi? No! She will specifically tell her not to go near Ndubuisi.

I was saying something on Tuesday and I want to say it here. I said some brethren came o tell me what they have observed among our sisters in the church; that there are more sisters now wearing earrings, painting their faces and nails. I agreed with them. But they when further to ask me to do something. And I told them, it is not pastor that should do something. I asked them if I was the one praying for those sisters, or the one they meet for prayers and counseling.

It is the responsibility of the ministers and prophets they meet to pray for them. If these ministers cannot counsel them on why they should do away with these things, it isn’t I that should do it? It I preach against these

things on the pulpit and the sisters wear earring and go to them for prayers and the ministers do not tell them, they will think it is a Pastor Moses affair and not a scriptural affair.

So, it is not their fault or my fault but the ministers and prophets that attend to them.

They are not telling them the truth and God will judge any minster or prophet that God will bring His daughter or son to you to minister to so that she/he will see the light and you refuse to show them the light and you concentrate on other things. God will judge was because he gift is a pull for that sister or brother to come so that she. He will embrace the message!

Blessed be the name of the Lord Hallelujah. But we have a comfort from Apostle Paul in 2 Thess. Chapter 2. Can we stand up to read that? Read it from verse 13. If you are there, I will read from verse 13. Are we there? Please let everybody stand up. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

14. Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath gin us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.

17. Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen.

•Pastor Moses Alu; The Bride Assembly, Odofin Park Estate, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha Bus stop 08033524903 : Email: pastormosesalu@yahoo.com

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From the Pulpit

Sunday June 28, 2015

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The power of covenant Covenant is a powerful tool that can bring you to the place of your destiny. All that is needed to be done is for the covenant to be activated in one way or the other. I shall be talking this week on getting out of pit to the throne through the power of covenant.

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ne of the questions that beg for answer is what did Prince Mephibosheth do that made King David to honour and favour him in that magnitude? One would ask whether he bought the favour he enjoyed from King David or such favour was merely earned. But the truth remains that, he enjoyed all those things through the power of covenant. Covenant was the basis for Prince Mephibosheth’s sudden fortunes.

And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

2 Samuel 9:1 His father, Jonathan had a covenant with David. It was not clear whether Prince Mephibosheth was born at the time that that covenant was consummated. But the covenant was for the seeds of Jonathan and those of David’s. Covenant is an endless agreement between two people. Such agreement could only be averted when the two parties agree to renounce it. But in the case of the duo of Jonathan and David, there was no place that the bible revealed that it was renounced. King David was therefore looking for a way to keep the covenant he made with his friend; therefore, blessing his friend’s son was the sure option that he had.

You will agree with me that, Mephibosheth did not need to do anything to enjoy the cov-

Bishop Opayinka

enant because he was born by Jonathan. He was to freely enjoy it, because he was born by a man of covenant. His father’s part of the agreement qualified him to enjoy the dividend of the covenant.

Jonathan said to David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not to you, and show it you; The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do you evil, then I will show it you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

And you shall not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD that I die not: But also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the face of the earth.

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

1 Samuel 20:12-17 Lodebar is not meant for people of covenant. No one can oppress a man of covenant.

A man that is operating under a covenant is always visible to good things regardless of where he lives. Prince Mephibosheth had to enjoy all those fortunes because his father entered into the covenant. He left Lodebar because of the Covenant of his father. He was made prosperous because of the covenant of his father.

Every child of God is a covenant child. One of the reasons why we always advise people to first give their lives to Christ is because; being born of God brings you in to the covenant of God. The top is only meant for the covenant children of God. God’s covenant is meant for His children and not for the strangers in the house of God. There is a covenant between us and God through Christ Jesus. Any one that is in Christ is in covenant with God. If you have given your life to Christ already, then you are in a covenant with God. Christ is the center of that covenant and through Christ you are a covenant Child of God. Understand that, the new covenant we now have in Christ is not meant for the Israelites alone but it also meant for those who are in Christ Jesus.

We have a new and more powerful covenant with God through Christ Jesus. That is your basis for good things and favour. That is your basis for departing from the pit and move to the top of life’s enjoyment. This is the most powerful covenant ever known on the surface of the earth.

Christ is the surety of this covenant. In another word, Christ is the collateral of the new covenant that we have with God. It implies that, for this covenant to fail, Christ has to first

fail. And it also means that, if the covenant fails to work, Christ should be accused for it. But you and I know that, Christ cannot fail. He has never failed and He will never fail. Therefore, our covenant in Christ can never fail. It is this covenant that gave us the access to Abrahamic blessing. It brings us to the very blessing with which God blessed Abraham. It means that, the same way, Isaac enjoyed the blessing of Abraham, so also you have the right to enjoy the blessing of God because through Christ, you have become a seed of Abraham.

Your healing lies in the covenant that you have with God. Whatever you are looking for is in the covenant. The covenant is your nexus with God. It is your nexus to every good thing in life. The covenant is what attracts God into your situation. A covenant child can never be poor because God who is party to that covenant is a rich and wealthy God. Covenant is the panacea to poverty.

Be a covenant conscious believer. Learn to become a covenant professional. Always think about the covenant you have with God than the predicaments that are confronting you. One good thing about covenant is that, it makes you to love God. It draws you back to God. It makes you to be a dedicated child of God. A covenant youth who wants to be on top will always think about the things of God and not on how to be chasing girls.

See you next week as we journey to the throne together.

Bishop Joshua KolawoleOpayinka is the presiding Bishop of Glorious Tabernacle International located Behind Ondo State Cultural Centre, Akure, Ondo State capital. Share your testimonies and prayer points with me at: O8060297831 joshuakolawoleo@yahoo.com

Overcoming the forces of wickedness

Prophet Lai Bamidele, General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-time Evangelical Ministry, AbuleEgba, Lagos, in this exhortation, teaches on the forces of wickedness. Excerpts:

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very where you go today all over the world, you see injustice, murder, and all firms of wickedness. That is why the Bible says the wicked will do more wickedly i.e Rev 12:12b says “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the seal for the devil, is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Wickedness is real.

The wickedness of the work is not suppose to have an hold on the children of God as the bible clearly stated that darkness cannot overcome light.

When you are child of God that knows his onion, the devil cannot mess up your life.

The level at which people made reference to satan is much more than the level at which they mention God’s name.Most Christians live under the yoke of the fear of the devil.

Remember the bible emphasized that he that is in us is greater then he that is in the devil.

The devil is powerless, but he only has tricks, and devices, as he his subtle in his activities. If we go through the bible very well, a believers main adversary is Satan the devil. Once you know how to deal with the devil, you will live an enemy free life.

Whenever happens you will begin to see them as a time of the trial of your faith not seeing it as devils oppression. Because of believer’s ignorance Satan the devil took an advantage of them, so many Christians when they see a common cockroach in their house they begin to run helter skelter that devil is at work. When you glorify Satan he make a means meat of you. So many Chris-

tians have glorified Satan to the extent that they see Satan as a king. When you confront the devil spiritually he will flee away from your domain. Our common enemy as a believer is Satan the devil, and the only way you can overcome him is to overcome him in prayers and is declaration of God’s power and his words.

When you declare God’s word Satan the devil will naturally flee away from you. In the book of John 10:10, the bible emphasized that the devil “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, to kill and to destroy that word called the thief is the devil i.e your enemy take for instance anywhere there is God, the devil also like to proof a point to counter what God has spoken or had planned to do, but the devil naturally always and up a looser.

It is the knowledge of God’s word that make you to obtain victory over the forces of the devil.

When you carry the understanding that the devil cannot do you anything, when he wants to come or show case his antics against km or flex his muscles around you, you use the power of God and his word to drive him away. Sometimes about 15yrs ago I had a terrible attack of severe headache, after treating it for so many months in Kano, and it seems there was no solution in sight. I decided even if I will die I’d better run to my village. that was how I boarded vehicle and I was dropped at a nearby village to my town which is a distance of 8kms. It was night about 12midnight, because of the pains I was going through I

proceeded that same time in trekking to my village. Some vigilante people sighted me and told me that I shouldn’t dare it, that if I try to go that there are spirits on the way that will kill me. They even claimed that I will meet some hunters of the village that is in between where I dropped are my own village, that on sighting me they might kill me. At the time this things were happening I’ve not known God but I was a bold and, fearless man. I proceeded to my village all through my journey I could not hear anything except a hunter (buch hunter) I met on the way and I greeted him and instead of the man to respond to my greeting’s he started reciting all manner of incantations, thinking himself that am a spirit, could you believe I got home without any problem at 3am. If I had listen to what I was told by the vigilante group maybe I wouldn’t have lasted the following day, but could you believe that as I arrived home that late hour my father went out to procure some leaves and as I use it that was the end of the headache I’ve treated for months without solution.

The fear of the unknown is the beginning of failure because fear leads to failure.

What you fear has a potency to run you.

That is why a christian should not wait until the day of trouble before you start running helter skelte. that is why I often tell believers that “it is better for you to pray” so as you don’t become a pray for the devil.

When you are empowered by God Satan will naturally run (flee) away from thee.

The knowledge of the word of God is very crucial in the fight against the wick-

Pastor Bamidele

edness of the world, once you declare the word, Satan will flee. Even in the natural, you don’t wait for the battle before a solder is trained before he gives for the battle in the war front. That is why God said in the book of Isaiah 2:3-2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Believes stop crying over spilled milk. What are you doing with tears at the trial of your temptations tears hold no hope for victory, God is not moved by your tears, What moved God is the word spoken or declared in faith from a heart full of God’s knowledge of his word. in conclusion if you want to overcome wickedness, you must run away from sin.

When you sin, you will sink but before you sink you will stink. You must not serve any other God or any graven image of likewise.

Knowledge strengthens you and stabilizes you while weeping and anxiety destabilizes you.

•For counselling, contact: Pst_lai@yahoo. com.

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From the Pulpit

Sunday June 28, 2015

Power of visitation (2) the growth of the ministry of church 12.

Laziness 13.

Procrastination 7 reasons why a leader must not visit their God’s given followers or members 1.

To receive money or any form of help 2.

To eat Pastor 3.

To have an all night without a urgent Moses A Omogbehin reason or purpose 4.

To sleep in their house 5.

To borrow money 6.

To visit in order to relax “ Continued from last week 7.

To watch television.

I greet you my readers as I conclude the topic: Power of visitation Note this, not every problem can solve in the church or during service. Many cannot be 14.

A visit makes a follower a perma- solved by a phone call, but many can be solved nent church member by more visitation.

15.

Totally neglecting the follower to When you as a leader visit God’s flock you the sin of abandonment will realize how many problem people have .let 16.

Every follower expects a visit us consider this scripture.

17.

God expect every leader to visit the ‘’The disease have ye not strengthened, member neither have ye healed that which was sick, 18.

God will be glorify neither have ye bound of that which was 19.

They will be more committed to BROKEN ,neither have ye brought again that their leader which was DRIVEN AWAY, neither have ye 20.

They will grow to follow the same sought that which was lost ;but with force and path with cruelty have ye ruled them.

21.

Then intensity of their love for In addition, they were scattered, because God and for your Gods given Ministry or there is no shepherd: and they became meat to church would increase all the beasts of the field when they were scat22.

It is true prove of your love and tered’’ EZE 34:4, 5. commitment to your follower There are tips that make every visita13 reasons why leaders will not visit their tion easier by every leader. followers or members The Bible say,”God walking in the garden 1.

As a result of their experience that in the cool of the day” Gen: 3:8 a and b was not favorable.

The cool of the day connotes the following 2.

P ride: some leaders are just proud tips.

3.

In experience 1.

Your comfortable and confident time 4.

I don’t care attitude of the day 5.

Frustration as a result of the work 2.

It means or connotes very early in of the ministry the morning 6.

Side attraction and distracting of 3.

It also connote the very time of the life ministry day which also connote for your follower 7.

Immaturity 8.

Insincerity Let us consider thirteen reasons that 9.

Inability to re-call how some of make visitation more easier for leaders them were being visited why they are also a 1.

Do not be afraid of visiting in the follower. night but it must be done in pairs. Luke 12:38.

10.

Lack of knowledge and under2.

Combine your journey to and from standing of visitation. church with a visit.

11.

Hindrances of the enemy in other 3.

Combine your journey to evangelism

(The Coach)

Let’s go

BIBLE with Favour

Tioluwani Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

Continued from last week Our counselor wanted us to change churches since both of our “pasts” were involved at our church. This was harder than just attending somewhere else, as our entire married life had been centered around that church—spiritually and socially.

During all this confusion and chaos, I got pregnant while on birth control. We saw this as God’s intervention and realised he was reconstructing our family.

(I have to admit that I sometimes thought it was more of a punishment than a blessing.) That’s when we decided to move. Since we needed to change churches anyway, this seemed like the easy answer to all the “why?” questions.

Our goal was to recover our marriage,

and from prayer walk with a visit.

4.

Combine your journey to and from work with a visit.

5.

Visit all the people living in the same area in one trip.

6.

Always do multiple visits in one trip.

7.

Visit people at work or in school when you cannot get them at home.

8.

Use Sundays as your most valuable day for visitation.

9.

Visit people whom you are led to in one trip.

10.

Visit people whom are sick in one trip.

11.

Visit people whom are celebrating in one trip.

12.

Visit people whom are not committed in one trip.

13.

Visit people whom are very committed in one trip.

Five guidelines for fruitful visitation Jesus accomplished glorious thing during His three –year visit to the earth. Jesus did not waste time during His day.

Jesus Christ accomplished these threethings during His visit.

(A) He taught the people the word of God. (B) He preached the word (C) He ministered to various people base on daily various needs, He provides meals to some, He heals, and also prophesy unto many. John 1:11-12. John 21;25 Luke 2:51-52 1.

A visit must have a powerful lasting impact 2.

Every pastoral visit must end with a power prayer 3.

Every visit must accomplish something great 4.

Every visit must begin with a relaxing social segment 5.

Every pastoral visit must be a spiritual event with a spiritual impact Hear the scripture Eph 6:12-13 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.”

This truth must sink into our heart as a

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leader. Spiritual battle cannot be handle and overcome with a physical sense or way. Things of the spirit must be handle in a spirit manner while things of the secular or of the world must also be handle in the same way. Let’s check the manufacturer’s manual “for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the blood cannot please God” Romans 8:6-8.

Another word of revelation for this particular verse,” so then they that are in the blood cannot please God” means that can have an expected or ordained result.

Eight secrets that will be revealed when a leader visit their god’s given members “For when for the time ye ought to be a teacher,ye have need that one teach you again which the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need if milk and not of strong meat.

For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word if righteousness: for he is a babe.

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” Heb 5:12-14.

Visitation in action When God created Adam and Eve, our great forbears, He put them in a very beautiful garden called Eden.

He committed the unkeep of the garden into the hands of Adam and Eve who were the occupants but, did God just leave them all alone to themselves? No. God visited them as a matter of habit _ “in the cool of the day” Needless to add, it was in the course of such visitation that he met them in their rebellion to his command against eating of the forbidden fruit.

•I know this teaching has blessed and imparted you. Please, write and share your testimony with me through: Covenant and Fulfillment Ministries, 10, Onuwusasoigwe Close, Hostel Bus Stop, Egbe, Ikotun, Lagos.

Email: omogbehin31@yahoo.com or Call: 08034980921, 08054120540

Falling into Satanic traps (2) and we felt we had to pay whatever price was necessary. Although moving seemed to be the easy way out in some regards, it added to our stress level, as I was still struggling emotionally, much more than Tony, with the whole thing.

The pain during this time was more than I could imagine. More than I could bear. More than I thought I could live through.

But God’s grace abounded. The recovery year was long and daily. (My mind stayed very active thinking and rethinking millions of past interactions and conversations.)

It was hellish: every morning when I thought of getting through another day, every time I heard any number of songs that conjured up a memory of any kind, every time I heard her name in conversation with others, every time Tony was late getting home, every time a TV show laughed about infidelity, every time I tried to sleep—or get up.

The Bible verse that I clung to in my deepest times of depression was Ephesians 6:12(paraphrased), “For my strug-

gle is not against flesh and blood [Tony, his past, my past] but against spiritual forces of darkness.”

I had to keep my eyes and mind focused on the real enemy, Satan, as well as the real victor, God himself, working in my marriage.

Restoring trust in each other also took time.

The greatest thing we did was signing a covenant agreement with each other, in the presence of our counselor, that we would never entertain the idea of infidelity—physical or mental. We knew we each meant it. We prayed together.

We spent a lot of time together with the kids.

(We didn’t have many friends in our new neighborhood or our new church, so this part was fairly easy.) Slowly the tears and the anger lessened.

Was God faithful? Absolutely.

It was an almost unbearable time.

Did we recover? Absolutely. If I signed my real name to this, our friends today would be shocked and amazed.

People are always telling us that they

love to see us together, that we seem “so in love.” We are in our fifties now.

By anyone’s measurement, we have a marriage that is more than grand. We are deeply in love. We have lots of fun together. By God’s grace we are active in our church and other ministries.

We have talked about telling our children, but so far there has been no reason. We have also talked about counseling other couples who are recovering from the same sin, but this article is our first attempt at allowing God to use it for someone else’s encouragement.

God has, in his bountiful grace, given us back a marriage that is “exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think.”

That is his promise—for everyone, and he always keeps his promises! We know.

•You can send in your QUESTIONS and the Holy Spirit will be set to give you the ANSWERS. Barr. (Mrs.) Favour Tioluwani Tel: 08050272259 or 07062738213. Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday June 28, 2015

47

News

A

Put your house in order, Martins tells APC, NASS

s the leadership crisis rocking the National Assembly continues to heat up the polity, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins has advised the law makers and indeed the All Progress Congress to put their house in order in the interest of the nation.

According to him, the interest and well being of the entire nation should, as a matter of priority, take precedence over those of the party and its members, hence the continuous bickering in the Senate and House of Representatives should be resolved soonest to allow for smooth governance at the federal level. So much time has already been wasted while the people watch with great concern and anxiety.

The Archbishop who gave this advice in a recent press release signed by the Direc-

Endtime Revelation with Bishop Bernard

Ojemeni (JP)

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evelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” John the beloved who was shown the description of Jesus Christ in His glorious form and the 7 Churches of Jesus Christ in Asia Minor which we have also considered the ages they represent, is now asked to come up to Heaven to be shown future events. Afterall the book of Revelation deals with 3 aspects.

(1) The description of Jesus Christ in His glorious form. (2) The things present – talking about the 7 churches and the ages they represent. (3) Future events.

Having considerably treated the numbers 1 & 2 aspects in my previous writeups, we are now going to treat the future events which lead us to the New World Order of the anti-Christ, immediately after the rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. Revelation 4:1 is a type of rapture.

In analysis of the book of Revelation, it is at the point at which the rapture will take place. John being a representative of the bride of Christ was asked to come up to Heaven immediately Laodicean church age elapsed. Listen to it again. After this, he heard a trumpet voice asking him to come up to Heaven.

The ‘this’ in question is the Laodicean church and the age it represents. That is why we know that the Laodicean church age is the last before the rapture. But looking at the picture of the Laodicean church and the age it represents, we will discover it is a Lukewarm and materialistic church, a type of 10 virgins in their slumbering and sleeping state.

It is today’s church age and the only solution or cure for today’s Church of Christ is REVIVAL. If you take a look at the Church of Philadelphia, the church before Laodicea, you will discover that the Philadelphia church and the age it represents is the church of rapture. Revelation 3:7-13 “ The Philadelphia church age is 1750 A.D. – Rap-

tor, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr Gabriel Osu, warned that failure of the ruling All Progress Congress to put its house in order and resolve all contending issues amicably, would amount to anarchy and further polarize to fragile unity of the nation. This infighting is inimical to the effort and determination of the present administration headed by President Muhammadu Buhari to engender the much vaunted positive change promised Nigerians during the party’s recent electoral campaigns.

“We are worried that the positive change in the fortunes of our people is being put at abeyance by this narrow self interest that is being exhibited in the Senate, in these past few weeks. I want to use this medium therefore to call on the leadership of the All Progressive Congress and indeed all its members, particularly those in the national

assembly, to, as a matter of national interest, put its house in order and resolve the crisis that has been plaguing it in recent times, particularly over the leadership of the National Assembly. Nigerians voted APC at the last elections because they believe it has the capability to bring about the much needed positive change in all aspects of our lives. But the continuous bickering within the party’s fold is slowing down the business of serious governance, thereby sending negative signals to the masses of this great country over its readiness and ability to deliver on the change it promised the nation.

I therefore urge the Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the entire leadership of the National Assembly to shed all selfish and parochial interests for the well being of the Nigerian masses. The warring parties must

sheathe their swords now and allow peace to reign in the interest of the nation.”

On the controversy surrounding the huge remuneration being offered public office holders, Archbishop Martins re-iterated that present realities necessitate all to make sacrifices; hence it was imperative for the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Planning Commission to embark on a drastic downward review of the salaries and allowance of all politicians.

While applauding President Muhammadu Buhari for effort made so far in repositioning the country towards the part of economic prudence, Archbishop Martins tasked all the state governors to quickly follow suit by pruning down on the cost of governance in order to ensure prudent management of available resources for the benefit of the masses.

What next after the Laodicean church age?

Bishop Bernard Chukwuma Mbamalu Ojemeni, General Superintendent of Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc, in this piece, gives an insight into the New World Order. Excerpts: ture. We had series of Revivals in the 18th century in Europe and the British Isles spreading even to America.

Also 19th century and early 20th Century witnessed great Revivals by people like Maria Woodworth Ether, Evan Roberts, Charles F. Parham, etc which featured under the 2nd & 3rd great awakening.

In Nigeria we also witnessed great Revivals in the early 70s immediately after the Civil War and it lasted till mid 80s. It is a time when somebody is born-again; you will see it in him or her in every area of his or her lifestyle. I was converted under Scripture Union in 1972 while in secondary school and to be born-again in those days was unfashionable.

But then there was love, in fact all, the fruits of the Holy Spirit can easily be found in the lives of the believers. In those days unbelievers who are company directors will only go for born-again Christians to man sensitive areas of their operations.

The born-again can be trusted with their finances, they will be their Cashiers. A woman whose husband cannot be trusted in dealing with girls can only permit her husband to have a female secretary who is born-again, because under no circumstances should she compromise her faith in Christ. She is ready to quit the job instead of defiling herself.

Today the story is different. I could recall my first arrival in University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1980. I had no accommodation but because I am born-again, after our fellowship in Lagos Varsity Christian Union (LVCU) I met our President, then Brother Wale Oke, now Bishop Wale Oke to tell him my story.

I was not a jambite, I came through direct entry and so we were not given accommodation.

He simply asked to know my bornagain experience. Immediately I finished, he knew I am born-again and took me to his room in Jaja hall and accommodated me until I got my accommodation. This is the type of love and trust prevalent at that time. I know he must have forgotten about this because that was in his final year, when

his attention was to round up his program.

If today’s church will qualify for the rapture, we must go back to the drawing board.

We must go back to the old time religion.

There is this prayer point, Bishop Wale Oke used to ask us to pray in the fellowship.

That it will be unfashionable for any one not to be born-again. Today I can say that that prayer is answered. Almost anybody you ask about born-again will tell you he or she is born-again.

Good, but I am saying that we all should go back to the old time religion when fear of God, holiness and righteousness are the order of the day.

That is when we can say we are making impact. Jeremiah 6:16 “This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.”

It is as many as in this Laodicea church age, who will take clue from the Philadelphia church/age that will be the five wise virgin who will make it to the rapture God said, though they have little strength but they have kept His word and have not denied His name. He promised to give them open doors which no man and to save them from great tribulation period.

They will be air-lifted from the planet earth before the troubles that consume the whole earth. The churches should begin to embark on Revival program and invite genuine End time Ministers for End time teaching which will instill the fear of God in our teeming population which will in turn give rise to Holiness and righteousness among the believers.

Thereby preparing our members for Heaven and rapture. The End time message has that ability to cause great revival in churches. It is a revelation knowledge. They are mysteries that had been concealed for a long time until towards the end of time until towards the end of time, the Lord made it open to His few servants whom. He has prepared for this time to make it known to His people. Deuteronomy 29:29, Proverbs 25:2. The things God has made known to us

in the End time ministry are for the body of Christ.

The Lord has made us the sons of Issachar of this End time generation and what we are asking the churches to do is to enquire for our services.

It is free of charge. Freely we receive, and freely we shall give out. So many people have asked me, how do I get the revelations contained in my book Endtime Trumpet. I told them that, it is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and it is because the Lord has ordained me for this course.

But I noticed that many churches are satisfied with the knowledge they have and they want to keep their members within that knowledge.

But it was not the case with the Israelite.

The scripture said all the children of Israel listened to the children of Issachar because they have the knowledge of the times.

In many churches where I have been opportuned to share the totality of the End time message, the revival that takes place after is great.

Do not be afraid of loosing any member, when I come to your church, there is nothing like that. Ask the churches I have visited, they will tell you just give me a chance and you will never live to be grateful to God that you do.

After hearing the totality of End time message as contained in God’s prophetic calendar and you are not revived, it then means you are not among the five wise virgins. It is the End time message that woke the 10 virgins and the five wise virgins then made use of their extra oil, which is their saving grace.

Please if you have not given your life to Jesus, do so now and come and join us in our Holy Ghost Service on Sunday 9am at the address below. And I will give you a copy of Endtime Trumpet. Remain blessed as you come.

•For further information, contact us at: Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc.16/18, Johnson Street, off Kajola Street, Yakoyo, Lagos. Tel: 08023261219, 09095268897, 08036116881; Email: bishop.bernard@yahoo.com

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From the Pulpit

Sunday Mirror Sunday June 28, 2015 www.nationalmirroronline.net

NEWS Deliver on your promises and receive divine support, cleric tells Buhari

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he Founder of The Omnipotence Mission of God Worldwide, Pastor (Dr.) Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola has called on President Mohammadu Buhari to adhere strictly to the Lord’s message as revealed to him (Oloruntimilehin).

Oluruntimilehin revealed that for the President to receive mercy and favour from God, he should not look back before he does all the works he wants to do adding that in doing this, he would offend people and step on toes including those who assisted him in winning the elections, it is better he

Chapel of Holiness and Testimony with Pastor K. I.

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Bona

efore digging deep into this deliverance subject, may I first complete the teaching of the principles of our faith. Last week, five out of the seven principles were taught. Today I continue on the sixth and the seventh principles. Deep analytical study of the whole Bible has shown that Biblical doctrine is based on principles not on technicalities.

In 2nd Timothy 2:19 Says, Nevertheless “the foundation of God standeth sure give, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Explaining this scripture; that foundation that standeth sure by which God knows those who are his, are the principles of God unchallenged, and unquestionable.

When anyone stands on this foundation he/she becomes God’s. Such a person is qualified to draw from the well of heavenly treasure, and a bonafide partaker of Abrahamic blessings though the covenant of faith.

6) The principle of receiving favour and divine connection Luke 6: 38” Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure pressed down, and shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom.

For with the same measure that ye mete with all shall be measured to you again.”

From this scripture we realize that giving brings open doors; it brings favour and positive connections.

The measure you measured out to someone shall be the measure heaven shall order out on your behalf.

7) The principle of living a life of dominion and victory over the devil. To be in dominion is to be in charge. This principle when observed vest’s power and authority upon you.

Observing and following the principle is to observe the rule and doctrine of fasting and prayer.

A prayerless Christian has always been a powerless Christian. Through prayers authority and dominion to rule over your environment is given. People today live in fear and in torment of witchcraft powers because they do not pray. The only available weapon God gave us against the devil is the weapon of prayer. For it is written in 2nd Corrinthians chapter 10:3-6 says “For

offends them than to offend the masses.

The cleric reminded the president that during his campaign, Buhari promised Nigerians that he would tackle corruption in the country and since he has made this pronouncement, it is divinely bound.

“The Lord said if Buhari can deliver on his promise, he would receive divine support, but if he fails, he would face the repercussion before the end of his tenure.

Oloruntimilehin advised the President to stand firm in carrying out his promises

particularly the anti-corruption crusade adding that he should expect pressure and threat from people aiming for him to deviate from his task.

He further advised the president not to lose focus as he carries his anti-corruption crusade to all nooks and corner of the country.

“The President should not intervene in religious matter but continue to worship and serve the God he knows”, he advised.

While recalling his revelation to for-

mer President Goodluck Jonathan that he should ensure the provision of uninterrupted power supply in the nation that if he failed to do this, he would not be guaranteed of his second term in office.

“When I got this revelation, I made it known and it was published on pages of some national newspapers, therefore, I am giving this revelation to the president and for him to experience hitchfree governance, he should obey the Lord’s message”, he admonished.

Breaking the powers of evil family altar (2) though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Are you being harassed by a satanic agent in your neighbourhood, or are you being pressed and or oppressed by strange powers in the night? Go for prayers. If your prayers are not strong enough to silence your enemies, then seek help through strong deliverance ministries. Some people cannot be alone in the dark, or stay alone in the house, in the day time when no one is around, because of fears, of images, shadows or strange movements. Such people are in serious spiritual bondage.

I advise them to engage themselves into stubborn fire prayers. If this decision is taken and implemented it will surely give them freedom.

A sister came to us, for over a month, the house she rented she could not go in to sleep because according to her, any time she sleeps in that house, in the night, a strange being in a man’s shape would come to sleep with her. She said, this was not a dream experience that, it happened physically. She would be conscious she was not sleeping.

She would be helpless and powerless; she would not even scream, because all strength to scream or offer any resistance would be drained in her. She would only watch and see herself being ordered about by that strange spirit.

This strange spirit would have her all through the night; in the morning she would be so tired and sick. She said that she had this experience two times since she parked into that house.

The fear of this made her to run away from that house. She went to her friend’s house.

That was where she was when she was directed to our ministry. What did we do?

We only gave her three prayer points with relevant scriptures and encouraged her to pray them violently before she go to bed.

The prayer points area) You strange spirit in a shape of man sharing this house with me every night anywhere you are hidden in this neighbourhood be exposed by fire and be roasted in the name of Jesus – Isaiah 59:19

b) You occult man living in this neighbourhood that transforms into a spirit molesting me every night I sleep in this house, anywhere you are I command you to receive the judgment fire of God and die in the name of JesusJeremiah 17:18 c) Today, I break and loose myself from every conscious and unconscious covenant attracting this spirit being into my life by the power in the Blood of Jesus in the name of Jesus – Colossians 2:14-15 We gave her a bottle of blessed anointed oil and the told her to properly anoint every corner of that house at the end of her prayer. Then she should go to bed. Beloveth since then she has been living comfortably in that house, without any spirit embarrassing her at night.

Dear child of God, I may not know the level of spiritual challenges, frustrating your faith. Which has either pushed you to seek for solution in a wrong place, or is about pushing you to seek for a way where there is no way.

Come to Jesus because the scripture said that he was manifested to destroy all the works of satan. You may say I am already in him. Yes, that you are already in him is not doubted. All we are saying is that you should decide to take a step and walk away from the bondage of satan in the name of Jesus. Taking a step is getting up and getting out.

Those who remain where they are cannot cross their Jordan. There is a spiritual Jordan for every true child of God to cross.

That was why God, commanded Joshua to get up and stop mourning for Moses, because there was a Jordan to cross and a wall waiting to be pulled down: Those Christians who sit complacently mourning there spiritual challenges cannot effect change. Crossing Jordan and pulling down of the wall of Jericho is a step that effect change.

Countless number of many Christians today have nothing to show, as an evidence of new life in Christ.

This is because they have refused to embrace the doctrine of deliverance.

For every child of God born again there was a foundational strongman/woman that had held his/her family bondage, before his/her repentance. His/her repentance is a ticket of salvation given

to him/her for believing and confessing Jesus as the only son of God given to humanity for salvation. For it is written in Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thou mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and will the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” You see, confession by the word of mouth is made unto salvation. Likewise, getting up and stepping out of bondage by your legs is also made unto deliverance, all in Christ Jesus.

The weapons of our deliverance are: a) The word of God b) The name of Jesus c) The blood of Jesus d) The power of the Holy Ghost e) The power of the cross of Calvary f) The power of resurrection Beloveth, with all these, I suggest that you go for deliverance so that you can freely enjoy all the numerous blessings God has lavished on us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. To continue next week. Remain blessed.

Testimonies Healed from paralyses For more than four weeks now, I got up one morning and discovered I could not move one side of my body. That is my right hand and my left leg. As days were passing, it became more severe I could no longer walk well. I could not hold anything with my right hand.

At a point I discovered I could not eat with that my right hand I began to have waist pains, my legs could not move well.

My movement was changed. Those who know me were surprises at the sudden change of my movement.

I went to the hospital, the drugs given me was not effectual. I came here last week, the man of God prayed for me and gave me some prayers to do. Today, I am healed you see I can wave this my right hand, I can freely move my legs. My movement has normalized. I can eat with my hand now, praise the Lord!

Sister Lilian ADDRESS: Pastor Kingson I. Bona General Overseer Chapel of Holiness and Testimonies Ministries No. 6, David Egbetuyi street, Fagbile Estate, Ijegun-Ikotun, Lagos 08023404926, 08038206508

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday June 28, 2015

NSDP now contract-awarding jamboree, say ship owners

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he President, Shipowners’ Association of Nigeria, SOAN, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, has described the National Seafarers Development Programme, NSDP, of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, as a contract awarding programme.

He said this yesterday at the International Press Centre in the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN), when they celebrate the 2015 international day of Seafarers tagged, “Seafarers in the democratic dispensation: “How far have we fared?”

Ogbeifun who thumped down NSDP said the programme is structurally defective and amount to waste of government resources.

He also said it was wrong for NIMASA to turn the program into a contract awarding jamboree.

He said, “With due respect, the NSDP get to a point where it became a contract awarding thing that people get contract to train cadets around the world.

The evidences are bound.”

“I am speaking from first hand information, NSDP have been turned into a contract awarding program and that is wrong.

“For instance, one of the contractors that get the contract took the cadets to Poland and when they fin-

ish in the class room they were told to come back to Nigeria to get their sea time and that was why you see them advertise they need training vessels.

He said the scheme was originally structured to fail because of the defect such as non provision of training berth by the foreign institutions.

“If the scheme is working or well structured you tied the institution to train your cadets but, no foreigners will want to see a Nigerian on his ship because they believed if they are trained,

they became an asset.

“When the gentle man from Poland came, I told him he will pay me because he got it as a contractor and I must also participate because I will feed them and equip them so, he paid me and I put them on my ship.”

Ogbeifun, who is a member of the 2012 presidential Maritime retreat committee of the federal government said ship owners would rather prefer cadets from Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron or Regional Maritime Academy, Ghana than foreign trained cadets with no practical experience.

“If a product of NSDP come into my office and say I am one of the cadets of this scheme and I went to Malaysia or Philippines and I came out with first class I will congratulate him but we ship owners do not need graduates but professionally trained cadets that come out from Oron or maritime institutions or a structure like regional university at Ghana that have affiliation with ship owners.

He also said the NSDP programme made it impossible for the Cadets to have an identity attached to.

“These students are going out there (abroad) with

no identity because they have nothing to be tagged to. If you travel to see this student and hear their story you will weep.

Also speaking, the Vice President, National Association of Masters Mariners, Capt. Jide Ologunwa, said the agency neglected critical stakeholders while setting up the program.

He however said the NSDP is a jamboree that must be restructured.

He said, “NSDP must stop being a jamboree. It must be redesigned to benefit the country and it must be tied to the opportunity in the country,” he said.

L-R: CEO, Graeme Blaque Advisory, Nigeria, Zeal Akaraiwe; Managing Director, EMEA Payment and Receivables, Ireti Ogbu; Head, Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citibank, Bola Lamidi and Senior Euro Finance Tutor/Director, Transaction Banking.com, UK, Peter Green, during the Euro Finance’s 5th Conference on Treasury, Risk and Cash Management in West Africa, recently.

Stakeholders disagree over success of Contributory Pension Scheme

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takeholders in pension fund administration, industrial relations and labour are divided over the success of the Contributory Pension Scheme for the benefit of pensioners in Nigeria.

Olabisi Omolaja, an insurance broker, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Ibadan that the 2014 Amended Pension Reform Act would protect the interest of workers.

Omolaja, General Manager of New Alliance Insurance Brokers, said the

previous 7.5 per cent of emolument paid by the employee and matched equally by the employer had been increased to 18 per cent in the amended act.

He urged labour unions to ensure that their members were well informed about deductions from their salaries and remittances. But some labour leaders have expressed pessimism about the scheme.

Mr. Bashir Olanrewaju, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in

Oyo State, said many pensioners were complaining about the scheme.

“Instead of securing pensioners at old age, the Contributory Pension Scheme is death for pensioners by installments,” he said.

Olanrewaju said apart from the fact that many pensioners experienced delays in getting their benefits, there were challenges of non-remittance by employers to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

On his part, Mr. Wale

Akinremi, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, University of Ibadan, said the terminal benefits of workers should be reviewed.

“This should be calculated based on the last salary of the retiree that actually had been the most fundamental challenge,” he said.

The Secretary of the Ogun chapter of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Dr Bola Lawal, called for a review of the scheme to allow for lifetime

pension.

Lawal, who spoke to NAN in Abeokuta, said “it is doubtful if the 2004 Pension Act can guarantee happy old age with its current provision and the way it is being operated.’’

He expressed preference for the old scheme, saying it ensured substantial payment of gratuity.

“The new pension scheme allows pension managers to pay retirees only half of their gratuities while the other half is kept with them.

Prices of potatoes rise sharply in Taraba

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he price of Irish potatoes has gone up astronomically in some markets in Jalingo, a survey on Saturday by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, has shown.

The survey conducted showed that the prices of Irish potatoes had increased by over 40 percent at Kasuwan Pera , Barde Way and Jalingo Main Market.

The exercise showed that one bag of potatoes which sold for N16, 000 some months ago now sells for N26, 000.

It was showed that a medium basket which used to be bought at N2, 000 now goes for N3 000, while a small basket that went for N1, 200 now costs N2, 000.

Alhaji Umar Garba, a potatoes seller at Barde Way, Jalingo attributed the sharp rise in the price of the commodity to late rain which stalled the cultivation of new potatoes.

“Many of the potatoes you find in Jalingo are transported from Plateau state where it is cultivated.

“The shortage of rain this year has hampered the cultivation of new potatoes. Therefore, the potatoes we have now are old ones and not enough to meet market demand.

Ezekiel Musa, a potatoes seller at Kasuwan Pera, said the recent hike in petrol pump price had also affected the prices of the item in Jalingo.

He told NAN that though the prices were on the high side before the fuel scarcity, the fuel scarcity had worsened the situation.

NAN, however, learnt that the prices of potatoes, locally produced in Gembu and Gashaka areas of the state were low, but they are not well patronised because they are not tasty.

Alhaji Bilya Yunusa, who sells potatoes at Jalingo main market, said customers preferred buying Jos potatoes because it was soft and more delicious.

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NIPC workers raise alarm over plan to disrupt commission ’s activities OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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igeria Investment Promotion Commission, (NIPC) ’s workers have accused the immediate past executive secretary of the commission, Mrs. Saratu Umar of alleged plan to disrupt the commission ’s activities through a group, Nigerian United Against Corruption.

Apparently reacting to a

publication in a national daily in which the group threatened to protest nude in front of the commission ’s office, the workers under the auspices of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, alleged that the publication was sponsored by the former NIPC boss.

Chairman of branch association, Mr. Ahmad Isah Ghondi, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, said “motive by the publication is

an attempt by the sacked executive secretary, Ms. Saratu Umar to distract and disrupt her successor, Mrs. Uju Aisha Hassan-Baba from her efforts to restore sanity, professionalism and positive image of the commission ”.

According to Ghondi, the commission was just “recovering from one year of brigandage, executive recklessness, incompetence and immature leadership that had taken NIPC several

years backward ” and would not tolerate any act that could truncate its activities.

He vowed that the union would resist any attempt by any faceless organisation to disrupt the commission ’s activities and cause chaos in the headquarters.

“The NIPC has been enjoying considerable peace since the exit of Mrs. Saratu Umar whose tenure recorded no single achievement and was characterized by

high level of incompetence.

“Mrs. Saratu ’s one year administration in NIPC did a lot of damage to the corporate image of the commission. It frustrated investors away from Nigeria and undermined investors ’ confidence in NIPC and Nigeria ”, he said.

Ghondi explained that it was former President Goodluck Jonathan who appointed Mrs. Umar that also sacked her “when her level of incompetence became unbearable ”.

He accused the former

executive secretary, who he alleged was sacked at NEXIM Bank based on incompetence, and came to NIPC to bastardise the system by keeping over 600 files unattended to up till the time she was sacked from office.

The union leader challenged Umar to release information she has about any corrupt practices in the commission after her sack, saying she was actually the most corrupt NIPC management employee as exhibited during her tenure.

Osun donates land for youth agricultural programme BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

O Director-General, NEMA, Muhammad Sidi (left); Executive Secretary, Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Air Commodor Yusuf Anas (right); Public Relation Consultant, CCC, Mr. Yushan Shuaibu (2nd right), during a courtesy visit to Sidi in Abuja, at the weekend.

LASPOTECH ’s staff unions laud Ambode for Rector ’s appointment

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hree staff unions of the Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH, yesterday welcomed the appointment of the 10th rector from within the institution.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the unions had in April vowed to resist any effort by the state government to appoint an outsider as the rector.

The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic , ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, SSANIP).

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode Lagos had on June 25 announced the appointment of Mr. Oluyinka Sogunro as the rector to replace Mr. Abulazeez Lawal whose tenure expired on June 1.

Sogunro joined the polytechnic in January 1990 as Lecturer III in the Department of Mathematics and was the institution ’s Deputy Rector, Administration.

Representatives of the unions in separate interviews with NAN said the appointment had put paid to their collective struggles for the appointment of a serving staff as rector.

The Chairman of SSANIP, Mr. Thomas Awoyemi, said: “It is good news. We just need to appreciate the state government for giving us what we want that settles it.

“As long as the person that was appointed is an internal candidate that is how I and my union want it.

“He has been on ground for many years; in other words, whoever is to be ap-

pointed would have known the problems before assumption of duty.

“It will be easier tackling the issues and lead the staff.

Even those of us who are to be led would have known the antecedents and character

of such a person.

“We expect him to provide the best leadership -- meeting the requests of staff within the available resources, being transparent, and also making judicious use of resources. ’ ’

sun state government has donated 40 hectares of land to support an initiative of Ife Development Board, IDB, under which youths are being trained in agriculture and entrepreneurship.

This was disclosed by the former Osun state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Prof. Muib Opeloye, in a chat with 25 youths trained in the first phase of the training programme at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan.

Opeloye, who is the chairman of IDB, the flagship group of indigenes of Ile Ife, said under the programme tagged “agricprenuers ” interested

unemployed educated youths are being exposed to training while land and funds will be provided for them to establish cassava and maize farms.

According to him, the IDB through the assistance of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, has also secured a 200 hectares of land in Onikoko village, in addition to 40 hectares the state government donated, where youths trained under the programme will be settled.

He added: “20 hectares have been acquired for our purposed cassava and maize processing factory also at Onikoko. The land has been surveyed and its layout has been accomplished. Full architectural drawings for the factory, as well as, mechanical and electrical drawings have been completed. ”

FAAN sets up task force on revenue enhancement

I

n a bold move to improve the revenue base of airports across the country for greater productivity, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engr. Saleh Dunoma has established a special task force on revenue enhancement. The task force will be headed by the Managing Director himself.

Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, in a statement said

that FAAN MD at a meeting with Regional and Airports Managers urged them to recover revenue at the point of collection as and when due, with applying sanctions where necessary.

The Airport Managers were also mandated to step up efforts in recovering debts and initiating non-aeronautical revenue streams in order to meet up with revenue targets based on the Authority ’s 2015 approved budget.

During the meeting which was attended by the top management of the Authority, Engr. Dunoma reiterated the Authority ’s commitment to delivering services at international standards of quality, in line with its mission statement.

Speaking further, the Managing Director charged the Managers to promote a healthy working relationship between the Authority ’s Aviation Se-

curity Services and other government agencies at the airports, to discourage misunderstandings between various agencies at our airports.

In their separate remarks, some of the participants in the four-day training said they have been exposed to the mechanised method of farming and promised to make proper use of the opportunity to become employers of labour in no distance time.

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Opinion

Sunday June 28, 2015

51

Building a sustainable and great Nigeria ADEMOLA HAMMED ANIMASAHUN

T

he recently concluded election has yet again provided Nigeria with a golden and once in a life time opportunity to lay the foundation and start the building of a sustainable and great nation.

Nigeria has all it takes – people, resources and geographic location. Our country has had many opportunities to build one of the best countries in the world, however at each occasion, the leaders failed woefully to capitalise on the opportunities presented. For instance, the recent commodity super cycle coupled with the era of cheap money, when oil price was as high as $140 USD per barrel, provided a unique opportunity to restructure and diversify our economy.

I would like to proffer that this new democratic regime and dispensation is and should be different for many reasons: Nigerians are ready for CHANGE. The vote for Muhamadu BUHARI and Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN (not the APC) is a vote for change. This change readiness provides a fertile ground to get the buy-in of Nigerians to accept major reforms, painful as it may be. Secondly, the recent crash of commodity prices including oil has once again shown the vulnerability of the Nigerian economy to oil and to external shocks.

Furthermore, our democracy is maturing and the calibre of people being elected to our national and state house

of assemblies are gradually looking better. Also, the recently revised size of the Nigerian economy has confirmed her regional power status and there is a type of sophisticated behaviour required from a country of that stature.

Another important factor is the power of private enterprise and capitalism.

The Nigerian capital market has developed over many years and now has foreign investors and foreign capital being major players. It is clear that Nigeria can attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) if she gets her house in order. The contrary also applies, if Nigeria messes up, there will be capital flight!

How do we move forward? First and foremost the new regime should run government like a proper business. The job at hand requires professional managers with vast experience. We also need to be realistic in our deliberations and planning. The Nigerian population is impatient and they want results and quickly for that matter! More importantly, politicians’ time horizon is not more than three years, as they have to deliver on their promises to win election. Therefore the new regime needs a mixture of policies that deliver short term wins and those that lay the foundation for long term success.

The professional managers required are those with skills in visionary leadership, setting strategic goals and objectives (that will align with the vision and mission of the new regime which is precisely what they have been voted to do), financial control and management, putting in place processes to achieve those goals, spotting

and hiring the right talents to execute, project management, performance management, reporting, leveraging technology to achieve superior performance and communication.

The electoral promises form the social contract with Nigerians. The starting point is to develop strategic goals and an implementation plan with key ownership and responsibilities to deliver on these promises with key deliverables and performance indicators.

Without attempting to prescribe policies, I would like to suggest economic policies focused on the following: Economic Infrastructure development, in particular power and transportation (rail, road, air and waterways) should be a major focus. These two are essential to unleash the economic power of the country. It is clear that the current electricity privatisation has not delivered.

I should also state unequivocally that the Nigeria government cannot afford to cancel or unwind the current privatisation; as it will be too expensive, there will be anarchy and it could bring the country into disrepute in the international capital market. But the government should not subsidise these privatised power companies.

They should be allowed to face the discipline of the free market. The government should now focus on an alternative plan by creating key geographic industrial zones with its own generating and transmission capacities. The rapid roll out of the gas pipeline will assist in this

services we render, the media is left to fend for itself; hence the many stories of unpaid salaries in media houses running into several months.

The state governors, on the other hand, have no excuse whatsoever not to pay their workers’ salaries. They have a steady stream of income from the federation account. They can also readily draw revenue by engaging in businesses and mopping up taxes. Unlike in the private sector (where the media mostly falls in), state governments have the ease of creating its own market and forcing payments.

As much as I would have loved to join the vociferous condemnation of this situation particularly singling out Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue (it is alleged that theirs is the worst case scenario) to be specially pilloried, I think it would be more productive to focus more on positive developments in states where their chief executives have demonstrated savvy in the salary matter.

For me, I will pick two states to make my illustration. One, Abia, and two, Anambra. Yes, Abia owes salaries. But Anambra does not.

The new helmsman of Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu, for me, has demonstrated that the lesson on the current dilemma of governors in the country is not lost on him with his recent policy direction to rehabilitate Aba, the sprawling commercial hub reputed as the largest market cluster in Africa.

Okezie understands that it would be folly building expectations on a rent based federal allocation. Oil, as economic wonks would tell

you, is a wasting asset and non-sustainable.

By rehabilitating Aba, the governor intends to create real value chain that can be taxed on a more sustainable level. There are market projections that puts revenue turnover of Aba at N4 trillion monthly. But it can only happen if the business hub lives up to its ‘Taiwan of Africa’ sobriquet. For a start, the state governor created an urban renewal office, special purpose and strictly for Aba township alone. Secondly, Okezie relocated his office to the commercial hub. The immediate effect of these actions are that the governor can personally oversee the work, which translates possibly to better job done; and it would afford prospective investors a first-hand feel of Aba, rather than from the more metropolitan Umuahia, the state capital. In the long run, the action will help the governor streamline the tax collection system in the state, which, from what I hear was more in a state of shambles under Okezie’s predecessor.

I am optimistic that these measures will work. This is because there has been a similar precedent in neighbouring Anambra State. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra, tried something similar to Ikpeazu’s policy. Obi leveraged on mopping up revenues from two commercial hubs in his state: Nnewi and Onitsha, second largest market to Aba’s Ariaria. Nnewi, on the other hand is West Africa’s first destination in vehicular spare parts market/fabrication industry.

Anambra evolved tax collection regime that upped its internally generated revenue,

process coupled with the right energy mix. This will be achieved through the right IPP with proper incentives and credit enhancements. Priority should be given to the privatisation and concession of the railway in particular, creating policies to encourage rail freight transport.

There is also need to embark on Education Reforms. The federal government of Nigeria at this point of our development has no business in providing primary and secondary education. All the primary and secondary schools owned by the federal governments should be transferred (sold) to state governments. The role of the federal government should be in regulation, monitoring and assistance. The effort of the federal government should be focused on creating tertiary technical colleges and centre of excellence universities that will be needed to train skilled labour for the economy and create a knowledge economy.

The capital market should be properly regulated to attract foreign direct investments and facilitate efficient allocation of capital. Economic policies that target supply side policies and boost domestic consumption of goods and services that are produced locally and use local content and labour should be encouraged.

This will reduce the dependence on foreign goods, reduce Naira vulnerability and preserve much needed foreign currency for capital goods.

Animashahun is the Executive Chairman of Aspire Financial Services Group, based in South Africa.

Of unpaid salaries, Aregbe and co My point exactly!

NICK

UWERU E-mail: nickuweru@gmail.com 08182042961

O

f all the things that happened last week, nothing grabbed my interest more than the unpaid salary mess state governors in the country got themselves into. There is nothing pathetic about it when you dwell on how the governors got themselves into the dilemma in the first place.

But of course, my heart goes out to the long suffering civil servants and pensioners affected.

Now, I want to be careful on my comments on the non-payment of salary matter currently trending because the trouble is not peculiar to civil servants alone. As a matter of fact, my industry, the media, is worse hit by the problem even though journalists have played Afganisternism on the matter to a large extent.

The case of the media industry is quite understandable though. The Nigerian media is practically at the mercy of government and advertisers’ patronage. Even so, where government should have introduced palliatives in terms of rebates in duties, taxes and even bailouts on account of the critical social

IGR, to a point where money was taken from the purse to fund major capital projects. As a result, Obi, at the expiration of his tenure, bequeathed his successor an estimated N70 billion savings. Ikpeazu intends to do something bigger. Aside raising the revenue profile of Aba, the governor believes that the hub could attain iconic status like Dubai, Taiwan and like economic hubs around the world.

It is no surprise that Anambra, under Willy Obiano, Obi’s successor, does not owe salary in his state.

But of course, critics sympathetic to these shameless debtor governors would readily claim that federal allocations to the states are not equal; that both Abia and Anambra enjoy fatter allocations on account of being oil producing states (hence entitled to 13 percent oil derivation apart from statutory allocations).

To this, they must also consider the examples of Kwara, Gombe and Jigawa. How have these states been able to pay salaries even with smaller allocations and IGR profile?

If the truth must be told, Aregbesola and his club of debtor governors have a ninny capacity for resource management. That having been said, I would strongly urge that Federal Government take up the matter of unpaid salaries with utmost seriousness. In fact, if the constitution allows for it, President Buhari could declare emergency in Osun and Benue and take over running of these states. We need to save Osun and Benue workers from their governors. After all, was it not part of the pledge Buhari made at his inaugural speech that he would not sit idly while things go awry in the states?

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Buhari needs to address growing poverty –Balogun Senator Lekan Balogun is the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview with Ayo Esan, he speaks about the state of the PDP, recent events in the National Assembly and why Buhari must be everybody ’s president. Excerpts: Let ’s start with the crisis that came up after the election in the Oyo State chapter of the PDP where we learnt that you and some other leaders were listed for suspension. What is the situation now?

I think the media got the story wrong; it wasn ’t me they want to suspend. I think they were mistaking me, Dr Lekan Balogun for Dr Saka Blaogun .It wasn ’t me. However it is wrong for anyone to want to suspend anybody without subjecting the person to the trial of the party system. They were not alleged of any offence nor were they taken before a disciplinary committee. You don ’t just conclude on suspension without trying them. It is like sentencing somebody without trial. It is not done. Although like I said, it was Dr Saka Balogun that they mentioned not me.

But their position was that those leaders failed to support the party ’s candidate for the gubernatorial election.

But I supported the PDP candidate. I did. I don ’t want to elaborate on the issue but I was not listed for suspension.

But before the election, many of your party members left for different parties, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala went to the Labour Party, Seyi Makinde to SDP. Is there any move to bring these people and others back to the PDP? I keep telling you media people that life is dynamic. The process of resolving the crisis or the problems is already on.

You will hear when the final bell sounds that people are back in the fold. It is not a one day process; it takes time, so we are talking. And I believe that at a time that they will all be back as one family once again.

The South-West PDP is still divided, as one of the leaders of the party what measures are you putting together to foster unity?

The consequence of the election is such that patience is a necessity. The outcome of the election has to become stable before you can start taking decisions. Direction of the party will emanate from the stability of the event that led to the collapse of the PDP government and the emergence of the APC government. But it takes some time. With time, you will see that the party will be stable again.

The collapse of the government was brought about by the leaders of the party in government. But again it is not time to talk about it. I will even give you example at the right time. And we warned them that they would destroy the Presidency and I have text messages on my phone to show that we warned them. I mean those who destroyed the government. Even the man whose goodwill led them to become ministers they ignored his interests, they ignored the party ’s global interest.

They were just busy pursuing self interest and that is what led to the collapse of

Ballogun

THE PROBLEM WITH OUR COUNTRY IS THAT OUR POLITICIANS WORK FOR SELF INTEREST. THEY DON ’T WORK FOR THE GLOBAL INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE. WHY SHOULD THE ELECTION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP LED TO A CRISIS. the Presidency. Not just the government but even the Presidency. And it wasn ’t that nobody warned them, some of us warned them seriously. I won ’t mention names at this stage but I will mention names at the right time. They destroyed the presidency. A man whose goodwill made you to become minister, they were not working to repay the goodwill, they were not. They were busy serving themselves and that was what led to the collapse of the government.

The consequence of what you have just said is that the PDP found itself in the opposition after ruling for 16 years. Do you think the PDP can effectively play the role of opposition in the country?

The party doesn ’t have a choice. There is no option; it is only that new leaders can emerge. Those who are more in tune with latest development. The opportunists will likely opt out of the party because they are opportunistic. They were there because the party was in government. And now that the party has left

government they will move elsewhere.

These are hustlers in politics. I am sure you have examples in your mind. But if you think I will be mentioning names now, I am not ready to do that . We will talk about such people too at the right time.

So what do you think is the way forward for the PDP in the country ’s politics?

I mentioned earlier that the party leaders are putting their heads together in Abuja and across the country; we hope that the way forward will emerge from the ongoing discussions. But not let me pre-empt that way forward.

APC is now at the helm of affairs at the centre, which areas would you want the government to give priority attention?

Well I think the Buhari ’s administration should concentrate on leading Nigeria correctly, governing Nigeria properly and forget about being the president of a particular party. He should run the country very well, take care of the Boko

Haram, take care of unemployment and take care of people who are working without salaries, without an income. At this stage one could say we are at the worst stage of our history as a country.

People will go to work and they will have no income. For the first time in my adult life, I see a lot of poverty around me.

People who were seeking help for medical reasons, for school fees of children are now seeking help for food, day to day livelihood. And yet they are working, they are civil servants, they are teachers, they are all over. The presidency must look into it and ensure that this trend is reversed. That way Buhari will become everybody ’s president and not a particular party ’s president.

The government should not be chasing shadows, there are real socio-economic issues on ground for them to tackle and I don ’t have a doubt that the self-discipline of the new president will ensure that something is done. Otherwise we will be in trouble as a nation. Poverty for one is starring everybody in the face. We have always had large scale unemployment.

But at least, those who were working were able to help those who were not working. But those who are working now don ’t have an income, they are just working. I can tell you the story of my experience with some people in recent times.

Some will say they have three kids and a wife and they have nothing to live on and they are working, they are employed.

Some will send you text messages saying, the child is ill, the child even collapsed this morning, the child is dying and there is not a kobo for him or her to take care of the child. So the presidency must look into this problem of poverty, in the land, hunger in the land and ensure that anybody who goes to work has an income.

This is apart from tackling high level of unemployment.

But the party that is in government is already enmeshed in crisis over the election of the National Assembly leadership, will that not be a clog in the wheel of progress?

The problem with our country is that our politicians work for self interest.

They don ’t work for the global interest of the people. Why should the election of National Assembly leadership led to a crisis. I was in the Senate; you elect the senate president on the floor of the senate. You don ’t go to one bukateria to wait for the party to impose a candidate as senate president. What they did when they elected Saraki was right and that is the way it is done. The tradition is to elect your senate president on the floor of the senate, which was what happened.

That should not lead to a crisis. I read several reports that APC is shocked with what happened. But what happened was the right thing and it was the tradition.

It wasn ’t that they went out and chose a non- senator to become the president.

That shouldn ’t have been a crisis, the person elected is a senator and he is from the country. Our politicians just use party platforms to pursue selfish interest and it is not right for the country.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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Politics

Sunday, June 28, 2015

53

pposition, installed his loyalists

Ndu ume

privileges, argued that the refusal of the Senate President to read the letter or give it consideration in anyway within the last 48 hours in the face of the Senate not having the needed principal officers in place yet, glaringly shows a contempt of breach of his privilege had been committed. He also cited order 28(1), 29(1), 30(1) and 31(1), which states that principal officers of the senate from the Leader, down to the Deputy Chief Whip shall be nominated from the party with majority seats in the senate.

According to the lawmaker, “A letter that

was written by the chairman of our great party, the largest party in Africa, the APC, was sent here and by the special grace of God, we expected that that letter which has been received in your office, with due respect, would be read in order to see to the resolution of the party ’s leadership tussle. ” Ashafa further submitted that, “Mr. President, by virtue of the privilege of being one of the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and coming from our party, I believe that that letter should have been read to the hearing of all senators here present.

Perhaps, that will be the solution to the leadership tussle in the Senate. ” Surprisingly, Ashafa ’s request was opposed by another APC senator, Bala Ibn Na ’Allah (Kebbi South) who through a counter point of order, urged the senate to ignore Ashafa ’s request.

He said: “I am proceeding on the same order 28 just to offer explanation. By the popular rules of interpretation of documents that have been agreed by parties, the ordinary letters and words used must be given their effective meaning. With your permission, I am going to read sir: ‘There shall be a majority leader of the Senate. The Majority Leader shall be a senator nominated from not by ’.

What this seems to do is to debar the internally displaced side from nominating the majority leader and to confer it on the All Progressives Congress which incidentally happens to have the highest number in the 8th Senate.

“So with due respect, the point of

crisis

HOWEVER, WITH THE BACKING OF THE PARTY, THE SENATE UNITY FORUM GROUP INSISTED THAT IT WAS EITHER THE SUPREMACY OF THE PARTY OR NOTHING. NEITHER OF THE TWO SEPARATE CLOSED DOORS MEETINGS CALLED BY SARAKI COULD HELP

RESOLVE THE MATTER, AS BOTH GROUPS STUCK TO THEIR GROUNDS.

order raised by my bosom friend and brother, Ashafa, even goes further to explain the raison d ’être, as to why the president shall not proceed to read that letter allegedly sent to this chamber by the All Progressives Congress and therefore we should go ahead with the functions and exercise of this Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria based on what we have accepted as majority party, that change is the platform that we will ride to move this country forward. So, I urge that this matter cannot stand. ” Ruling on the two points of order, Saraki sustained that of Ibn Na ’Allah and overruled that of Ashafa by saying, “I have listened to Senator Gbenga Ashafa and Senator Na ’Alla and in going by our rules and in going by what I said earlier, I would just note what Senator Ashafa has said, I think we will leave the matter for now and in that case, I rule Ashafa out of order. ” Meanwhile, after the two closed doors meetings called by Saraki to re-

WE ARE MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AMONG OUR SENATORS IN THE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

Dagora

As if ashamed of their action, the House later through an acting spokesman, Hon. Sani Zoro (APC-Jigawa), apologised to Nigerians on behalf of his colleagues for the fight on the floor.

“The House therefore sincerely apologises to Nigerians for the ugly events of today. We reiterate the admonition of the Hon. Speaker, Yakubu

Dogara, that the 8th House in fulfilment of its electoral mandate shall devote its time and energy to address the hydra-headed problems confronting the nation, ” he said.

The situation in the Senate was a bit better but it still showed that the party is far from being united. On Thursday, loyalists of Saraki emerged as principal officers. Senator Ali Ndume (Borno, Northeast) became the new Majority Leader while Senator Bala Ibn Na ’Allah (Kebbi, Northwest) was named the new Deputy Leader.

Also, Senator France Alimikhena (Edo, South-South) became the new Deputy Chief Whip. The trio emerged from the three zones as the choices of the people for the three principal offices zoned to those regions.

They were elected by APC senators from the zones. Saraki at the resumed sitting of the Senate read out the three separate letters addressed to him by the APC Senate caucuses from the North-East, North-West and SouthSouth, listing the trio as those chosen by the

zones to occupy the vacant principal offices. Saraki was, however, silent on the Chief Whip because members of the South-West caucus, who were expected to produce a representative, did not write any letter to him to that effect.

He subsequently asked the Sergeant-atArms to lead the three principal officers to their respective seats to assume offices immediately.

Saraki again frustrated attempts by the senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabiru Marafa, to read the letter from the National Chairman of the party, Chief Oyegun, containing lists of the principal officers which were chosen by the party.

Marafa cited Senate Standing Order 28 (1) and the Constitution ’s point of order Section 65, (1E), to drive home his argument.

He said: “According to the provision, there should be a Majority Leader of

solve the issue failed, the Senate President also convened another meeting of the APC caucus at the Senate Hearing Room three, where the issue once again took centre stage.

At the all inclusive meeting, efforts to resolve the matter amicably again failed, almost resulting to a free for all. It was reported that Saraki told the senators that each zonal caucus should meet and present their choices for the offices.

Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), a member of Senate Unity Forum, was reported to have rejected the suggestion of Saraki, saying it was rather the exclusive preserve of the party to do that. He insisted that the party would bring the names of the officers.

Senator Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), the lone South-west senator who belongs to Saraki ’s camp, was said to have shouted Hunkuyi down, saying “Nooooh, the party will not decide for us, ” even as he questioned CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

the Senate, who should be a senator nominated from the party with the highest number of senators.

“This point of order was raised yesterday and another colleague raised another point of order distinguishing between the word, from and by, which was used there.

That is why I am joining it with order 65 (1d) of the constitution. It says subject to the provisions of section 66 of the constitution, a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the Senate if he or she is a member of a political party and sponsored by the political party.

“Mr. President, there is a communication from the APC which is the party with the majority representatives in the Senate. However, for reasons best known to you Mr. President, you declined to read it yesterday (Wednesday) on the floor of the Senate when your attention was drawn to the communication from the party. The constitutional provision just cited clearly put the party ahead of any other caucus from anywhere. Therefore, if the communication from the party can so be regarded, I suggest that you, Mr. President cannot read any communication from any caucus because there is no caucus that is bigger than the political party. ” Marafa was immediately tackled by Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), who urged the Senate President to disregard his submissions because the same issue raised by him had been ruled upon.

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‘How Saraki crushed opposition, installed his loyalists ’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

the rationale for the choice of Adeyeye by the party for the office of the Chief Whip, suggesting instead that Senator Ajayi Borrofice (Ondo North) would have been a better choice.

This submission was said to have infuriated Senator Kabir Marafa (Zamfara Central) who accosted Alasoadura in anger and pushed him violently, prompting other senators to rush to the scene to rescue him from Marafa ’s hands.

It was learnt that Saraki ’s group had made the choice of Francis Alimikhena, the only senator from the South-south on the platform of APC for the office of the Deputy Chief Whip and Ibrahim as Deputy Senate Leader. But the party eliminated Alimikhena and opted for Akume who, like Saraki, hailed from the Northcentral.

Saraki had in his opening remarks before the commencement of the meeting explained that he was ready to work with everyone without any ill feelings with a view to achieving focused leadership as he enjoined his colleagues to bury the hatchet and resolve to work together in the spirit of unity. He also enjoined them to promote a family affair.

“It is time to bury the hatchet and renew that spirit of love, cooperation and trust in one another. The leadership of our party expects us to hit the ground running and the Nigerian populace is waiting to see us in action to deliver on our promises and commitment. Let us start this journey of unity today and let the world see that yes, in the eight Senate, we are one family. We should not allow ourselves to be distracted by the people around us or be carried away by the noise out there. Let us remain focused and determined, ” he pleaded.

Hunkuyi, who later spoke to newsmen on what transpired at the meeting said, “The group that gathered here

Law wan n

Na ’ ’Alla ah

was the under the auspices of All Progressives Congress Senators caucus.

The APC senators ’ caucus is not an instrument of the constitution of the APC. The issue of leadership of the chamber that belongs to the group of APC cannot be decided here. It is common reasoning and common sense. We have a leadership of the party.

“The leadership of the party, that is, the APC still reigns supreme to decide the four positions of leadership where it should go and who shall have it. An attempt here to do otherwise is the cause of this rancour. We are just coming from the national headquarters of the party and we are aware the leadership of the APC is doing all it can to curb part of what should not have happened in this chamber now.

“Therefore, simply put, the cause of the rancour is an attempt by the leadership that has emerged, in otherwise fishy circumstances to again force their will on the majority of the

senators of the APC, notwithstanding the fact that there is a leadership of the APC that has not come with the final decision.

“You could see it ’s a very simple thing but we believe it is an attempt, but a very bad one for that matter because it cannot happen. The Peoples Democratic Party that is even trailing behind has a procedure.

“The leadership of the PDP will definitely suggest and come up with procedure to give leadership of their own group which is four in number. Why is somebody trying to impose something else through another means, through another procedure that is not constitutional to APC? That will not happen, ” he vowed.

Before the meeting eventually parted, a resolution was taken to allow the senators from the various geo political zones meet separately and conduct elections to determine the winners who would take up the various

slots of the principal officers zoned to the region.

On Thursday, June 25, the Senate President read three different letters from the North-East, North-West and South-South caucuses of APC, intimating Saraki of the outcome of their various caucus elections.

A letter from the North-East geopolitical zone showed that Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) emerged the winner of the zone ’s polls. Ndume polled 11 votes to defeat Lawan who polled two votes. That was how Ndume was declared the Senate Majority Leader.

From the North West, the outcome of their own poll showed that Senator Bala Ibn Na ’Allah (Kebbi, Northwest) emerged winner, and was thus declared the new Deputy Leader. In the South-South, Senator France Alimikhena (Edo) was returned unopposed as the new Deputy Chief Whip of the senate. By the way, Alimikhena is the only APC senator from the South south zone.

Meanwhile, efforts by Senator Marafa to compel the Senate President to read the letter written by the National Chairman of APC on the floor of the Senate was rebuffed by Saraki.

Rising under order 15 of the Senate standing orders 2015, which deals with privilege, Marafa argued that it was wrong for the Senate President to have read the letters from the zonal caucuses of the APC senators on the floor of the Senate and at the same time refusing to read the letter from the APC National Chairman.

Saraki again, did not waste time to rule Marafa out of order, again citing order 53(6) of the Senate standing orders, which states that the Senate cannot go back on a matter it had already taken a decision previously.

Reading the letter from Oyegun publicly by Saraki would have meant the endorsement of Lawan and Akume as the Senate Leader and Chief Whip respectively.

‘Buhari needs to address growing poverty ’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

But some people believe that what happened in the National Assembly was really to cut the influence of a particular leader within the APC. What role you play should be determine by the wishes of the people, you shouldn ’t lord yourself over the people. I don ’t know anything about what you are saying but I am only reacting to what you said. I think it is wrong if that is what he is doing, he should wait for democracy to take its process, to get the process to assign roles to people. Don ’t scheme to lord yourself over anybody. That is not democracy and by the way what happen in the National Assembly is not bad it will change that tendency if actually some of their leaders have such tendency.

But during the Jonathan ’s dispensation there were complaints that South West was marginalised. Do you nurse the fear that the South West will be marginalised again under this government especially after the National Assembly leadership

After the election, it was alleged that some of the PDP leaders worked against the interest of the party and former President, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan. What is your take on that?

The more reason the president should be everybody ’s president. I am inferring that from what you said. I didn ’t know that some PDP leaders didn ’t work for Jonathan. I don ’t know and I don ’t want to comment on something I don ’t have facts on. But if it is true, the more reason that Buhari should be everybody ’s president. President of all Nigeria. That is very democratic too. President that promotes the interest of all Nigerians.

within the Oyo State PDP helped Senator Abiola Ajimobi to break the second term jinx and got elected for another four years. What will you say of that?

I don ’t want to comment on that. The relationship within the PDP wasn ’t too good but I don ’t know if it led to the victory of Ajimobi in the state. Let see what happened to the matter filed in court by Senator Rashidi Ladoja, the matter is not concluded yet. Let see the end of Ladoja ’s litigation. We will be pre-empting the court processes if we start saying Ajimobi won. When the court declared that he won then we can say he has won.

The polarization you mentioned also confirms that Nigerian politicians use party platforms to pursue personal interest. I had spoken to many of them before it happened and they said Baba I would rather lose fighting alone than fighting for somebody else victory. That was their position but it was not logical.

People also believe that the disunity

But we know that the SDP Governorship

election?

Nobody knew Bukola Saraki will emerge as senate president but he has emerged. There will be a lot of more surprises to come. I don ’t have the slightest fear that South-West can be marginalised. I don ’t think so.

candidate in the last election in Oyo State Mr. Seyi Makinde is your political godson. How do you feel about his lost of the election?

I am not happy about it. He is a very nice person, a very good person and a potential material for the future. I am not happy that he didn ’t win the election, but he still has potential.

As one of the leaders of the PDP in the South West how do you feel that your party in this region once boasted of six governors but now it has only two?

I don ’t feel too good but like you know I don ’t have political aspiration for myself anymore. I am like everybody ’s father but it is not too good for the PDP, and I expect the leaders of the party to do all they can do to reverse it. The way democracy works and based on law of dialectics, events will sort themselves out with time. Politics is not one plus one is equal two, in politics one plus one can be three or four. But these problems will resolve themselves.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview

Sunday, June 28, 2015

55

Jonathan suffered for betrayal of APGA –Umeh South were penciled down for experiment as guinea pigs, to make Jonathan win the Presidential election. In other words, they were slated to be used as swig zones for Jonathan, therefore, anything normal should not be allowed.

That is why in that election, it was only in the South-East and South-South that Card Readers were not allowed to function on the day of election. We were anticipating that Card Readers may fail in one unit. INEC assured us as a political leader, I was there in a meeting when (Prof Attahiru) Jega assured us that they have 180,000 card readers and that 120,000 would be deployed to the 120,000 polling units that we have. And if anyone has a problem on the day of election, there is a backup plan to deploy another one within an hour.

At the time he was making that bogus promise, he never realised that the whole card readers were going to fail. So on the 28 0f March, it was as if a bomb was dropped.

People couldn ’t understand what was happening. Elections couldn ’t hold till after 2pm. When manual accreditation was permitted by the Chairman himself. So you could see that it was not a question of Electoral Act but that of sabotage. I have said it and from what I learnt recently, MTN has to be investigated because what happened was that all the SIM cards put in the card readers in the South-East, were denied signal on the day of election. So it was a clear act of sabotage.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 people say that once beaten twice shy. We have learnt our lessons and our actions in the future will show clearly that we hold the PDP in very bad taste, following that ungentlemanly conduct. . The President, I was involved in not less than three meetings with him ,where he promised that since we are supporting him in the SouthEast, anybody who wins the votes of the people, should be allowed to go, whether PDP or APGA since we are united in supporting him.

So we took him seriously on that promise but when the time came, he did otherwise. But there Is no point brooding over it because he himself suffered for that betrayal of APGA by allowing the PDP the use of machinery of the Federal Government, Army, the police,, SSS, INEC, to overrun APGA and its candidates. He never imagined that his own party people would sabotage him during the election.

Instead of working for Jonathan to win, they were working for themselves to win their seats in the National Assembly and they abandoned the President. I can say clearly, without equivocation, Jonathan lost the election in the South-East because if the atmosphere had been convivial, there would have been collaborative effort to ensure that he got maximum votes from the zone but his party people were more interested in getting APGA National Assembly candidates down, than seeing Jonathan win the election. I commented on this after the election. So we bear our own losses, his own he didn ’t even go to the tribunal. But we are in the tribunal.

Immediately after the election, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willy Obiano, visited the current President who was then President-elect and I am sure he must have raised some of the issues you said made APGA to support Jonathan.

Was he able to extract any promises from the President regarding some of the problems of the South-East.?

His Excellency Governor Willy Obiano, did not visit the President because of our failed election arrangement with Jonathan and the PDP. NO, I am talking about some of the projects you spoke of earlier. You said that if Jonathan had won, the South-East would have been given one additional state?

The Governor did what he should do.

President Muhammadu Buhari, then President –elect, won his election to be President of Nigeria and Anambra State is a federating unit in Nigeria. We are part of Nigeria so he did the right thing by first of all, going to congratulate him, for winning the election and assured him of his cooperation and the cooperation of his state government , in the President ’s quest to give Nigeria good governance.

At the same time, as a leader of repute coming from Igbo land, he used the opportunity, as he addressed the press when he came out, to ask President Muhammadu Buhari, then President –Elect, to be even handed in his actions, that he should carry the South-East people along in his administration. It will be wrong for him to say that our people did not vote for him, no, that will be bad politics. Our people do not hate Buhari. They like him especially because of his strictness. By record of his first coming into office as a military Head of State, he

Umeh

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN ABIA STATE. SOME INEC OFFICIALS WERE ALSO CAUGHT TAKING AWAY CARD READERS FROM THE CUSTODY OF INEC TO GO AND UPLOAD FICTITIOUS FIGURES. THEY ADDRESSED PRESS CONFERENCES, MADE NOISE, WE HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT ANYBODY BEING ARRAIGNED.

was very firm on the issues of corruption.

Himself with Idiagbon combined made Nigerians to become alert when they were in charge. They introduced the War Against Indiscipline [WAI]. He made sure that everybody watched his back. So we know he has that capacity. Our people decided to support Jonathan because of that report of the National Conference. And APC boycotted National Conference. I was a delegate to the National Conference and APC was not there. So we were very uncertain about what Buhari would do with the report of the conference.

That was why we voted for Jonathan and if votes counted, Buhari wouldn ’t have scored as he did in the South-East. There were many people who were convinced in his character. If the election had gone well in the South-East, he would have got better performance in the South-East. But the way the elections were conducted looked like he was rejected, no. I knew people around me who voted for Buhari. So if they had allowed the election to go very well, this feeling wouldn ’t have been there.

But in his inaugural speech, he avoided anything about the National Conference, which tells you were right in supporting

Jonathan for that promise he made that he was going to implement the National Conference Report.

Talking about your experience at the election concerning election rigging which has been occurring for many years now. What recommendations will you like to see in the Electoral Act before the next general election?

Well, I think the elections in the SouthEast did not have anything to do with Electoral Act or any other thing for that matter but PDP as a party. The PDP elements in the South-East always make use of Federal Government officials to rig elections. While other zones in the country do not suffer this malaise, the hawks in the PDP in Igbo land have never won any election through the votes of the people.

They have always relied on rigging. This is the truth and they know it. They never allowed elections to take place anywhere in the South- East .They always use the army, the police and INEC to do this, with the collaboration of the Presidency. The 2015 election was the worst. Because while other zones in the country were experiencing good elections, South-East and South-

Certain individuals were actually caught getting involved in this electoral manipulation. What do you think should be done to them?

Well, the law is there. Those who were arrested were many in the South-East especially and before you know it, these things would be forgotten. INEC should move to arraign these people in the court and prosecute them for electoral banditry. A lot of people were arrested in Abia State. Some INEC officials were also caught taking away card readers from the custody of INEC to go and upload fictitious figures. They addressed press conferences, made noise, we have not heard about anybody being arraigned.

One thing that is very important is that, like I also advised the President, he should investigate the failure of elections in the South-East. And the South-South and some other states in the North. There are some places elections failed too. Like in Zamfara, there was no election in Zamfara. They just wrote results there. He must investigate what happened to the election in the SouthEast and South-South. If he doesn ’t institute an inquest or inquiry into that, then we will be allowing that to repeat .

All the senior INEC officials, all the Resident Electoral Commissioners who worked in the South-East and South- South are due for retirement. They collaborated in the massive fraud openly because they were taking adhoc staff from PDP candidates and posting them in elections which they were contesting. If you allow me to bring adhoc staff for my election, then I have defeated my opponents. So they did it deliberately.

So it is important that all those Resident Electoral Commissioners in the South-East and South- South should be summarily dismissed from office because what they did is sabotage to democracy, sabotage to integrity, sabotage to due process. These are real things I am talking about. He doesn ’t need to gloss over that.

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Politics

Sunday June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aso Rock Villa bounces back to life as Buhari takes charge ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

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he lull in activities at the Presidential Villa picked up last week when President Muhammadu Buhari relocated to Aso Rock, the seat of power after operating from the Defence House for about three weeks after his inauguration on May 29.

The delay in the movement was primarily because of the renovation work that was carried out after former President Goodluck Jonathan quit office.

On his relocation to the Villa last Sunday evening, Buhari broke his fast with his family and some of his close associates and thereafter prepared for the next day, which happened to be his first day at work inside the Villa.

The Aso Rick Villa bounced back to life as the President settled down for work on Monday morning. He did not waste any time to attend to official duties as a closed doors meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his key principal aides was held to strategise on the work schedule ahead.

He also summoned the Service Chiefs to a security meeting to brief him on the security situation in the country and the progress report on the fight against the Boko Haram sect.

The meeting lasted for over three hours after which the President ordered the Nigerian Army to withdraw soldiers from military check-points in relatively secure parts of the country and concentrate more on ending the Boko Haram insurgency.

The President, however, said that military check-points could be retained in areas outside the North-Eastern states where the military considered them absolutely essential for the maintenance of national security.

Buhari, who was also briefed on the refurbishment of existing military platforms and the acquisition of new weapons for the Armed Forces, applauded the progress report he was given on the implementation of his order that the Military Command Control Centre be relocated to Maiduguri.

During his inaugural speech, Buhari had said that the security challenge in the country and winning the war against the Boko Haram sect would be his priority.

Present at the security meeting were Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant- General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Air Staff and Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

After his meeting with security chiefs, Buhari had a brief meeting with State House correspondents where he solicited media support for the success of his administration He also disclosed that he inherited a virtually empty treasury and huge debts running into millions of dollars.

The President said it was a total disgrace to the nation that both the Federal and state governments could not pay workers ’ salaries, stressing that bad management of resources was responsible for the situation.

“I hope we are starting and this culture of 100 days is bringing so much pressure with treasury virtually empty, with debts in millions of dollars, with state workers and even federal workers not paid their salaries, is a disgrace for Nigeria. I think Nigeria should be in a position to even pay its workers, this bad management that we find ourselves in we really need your help to protect us from people before they march on us, ”

Buhari in his office.

WE WILL TRY AND PUT THE SYSTEM BACK INTO THE RIGHT POSITION. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SECOND REPUBLIC HAS APPARENTLY HAPPENED AGAIN, AND EVEN WORSE, BUT WE WILL RESTORE SANITY TO THE SYSTEM. Buhari said.

During the week, the President also met with State Governors where he made it clear that the days of impunity, lack of accountability, and fiscal recklessness in the management of national resources are over in the country.

He assured that that funds stolen by government officials who abused their offices in the recent past would be recovered and systemic leakages stopped.

The meeting which held inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa was to find solution to the issue of unpaid workers ’ salaries by both states and federal government.

At the meeting with the governors, Buhari said, “there are financial and administrative instructions in every government parastatal and agency. But all these were thrown to the dogs in the past. Honestly, our problems are great, but we will do our best to surmount them. The next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered, and we will do our best, ” the President told the governors.

While expressing surprise that the governors had tolerated the atrocities allegedly committed with the Excess Crude Account since 2011, Buhari promised to tackle the issue decisively.

The President declared that the payment of national revenue into any account other than the Federation Account was an abuse of the constitution, adding that what he had heard was going on in many agencies and corporations, particularly the NNPC, was clearly illegal.

On the refund of moneys spent on federal projects by state governments, Buhari assured the governors that the Federal Government would pay, but insisted that due process must be followed. The President promised special assistance for the three

North Eastern states badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. He also said that a comprehensive statement on the economic and financial situation inherited by his administration would be made to the nation within the next four weeks.

“We will try and put the system back into the right position. What happened in the Second Republic has apparently happened again, and even worse, but we will restore sanity to the system, ” Buhari assured the governors.

On an immediate lifeline for states that owe salaries running into many months, Buhari said that a committee headed by the Vice-President would look at the Excess Crude Account and see what can be shared immediately.

The governors, led by Chairman of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, had presented a wish list to the President including Obedience of extant Supreme Court ruling that all moneys go into the Consolidated Federation Account and an order from the President that all revenue generating agencies must pay into the Consolidated Federation Account.

The governors also demanded the review of the revenue Allocation Formula, refund of the moneys spent by states on federal projects as well as a special consideration for the three states of the North-East under Boko Haram infestation.

They also asked for the full details of the amounts that accrued into the Excess Crude Account from 2011, and how the money miraculously shrank without official sharing.

Buhari also had a meeting with Cameroonian Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, Mr. Sadi Rene Emmanuel. During the meeting, he accepted an invitation from President Paul

Biya to visit Cameroon at his earliest convenience after the Ramadan fast for talks on the intensification of cooperation between Nigeria and neighbouring countries in the war against Boko Haram and terrorism.

Buhari, who said that he was putting his experience as a former soldier to good use in the war against Boko Haram, re-emphasised that greater regional and international cooperation was needed to end the atrocities of the terrorist group. He commended the efforts of all regional governments, including Cameroon to support Nigeria in the war against Boko Haram, but called for even greater collaboration.

While also meeting with northern traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa ’ad Abubakar III, the President said his administration had received firm assurances of cooperation from the United States and other countries on the recovery and repatriation of funds stolen from Nigeria. Buhari said that it was now up to Nigeria to provide the international community with the facts and figures needed to drive the recovery effort.

“In the next three months, our administration will be busy getting those facts and the figures to help us recover our stolen funds in foreign countries, ’ ’ the President told the traditional rulers.

Citing the report submitted by the Ahmed Joda-led transition committee, Buhari said that several revenue-generating institutions in the country have been compromised leading to a weak economy.

On insecurity, the President said that the traditional rulers could play a key role in stemming the surge in terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria by assisting the government with cost-effective intelligence gathering.

Buhari also assured the traditional rulers that his administration was working hard to end insecurity and terrorism in the country in the shortest possible time with the cooperation of neighbouring countries and the international community. Acknowledging that Nigerians expected a lot from his administration, the President appealed for patience and understanding while his government worked diligently to speedily overcome the huge national challenges it inherited.

The Sultan had earlier presented the Northern Traditional Rulers ’ recommendations to the President on issues related to national development. He told the President that as custodians of tradition and stakeholders in the Nigerian project, the traditional rulers had a responsibility to always advise political leaders on the ‘path of truth and justice ’.

“We have always advised our leaders, but their acceptance of our advice is their own prerogative, ” the Sultan said.

The traditional rulers assured the President of their unflinching support for his administration ’s efforts to fulfil its promises to Nigerians.

Buhari also met with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, where he welcomed efforts to strengthen and expand cooperation between ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on the war against terrorism. Speaking at the meeting, he restated his view that greater regional and international cooperation was needed to ensure victory over terrorism in Nigeria and other countries.

The President assured Ouedraogo that Nigeria would hold further consultations with other stakeholders to agree on a new date for the ECOWAS-ECCAS security summit on Boko Haram, earlier scheduled to hold in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on April 8, 2015.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

57

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU Sunday June 28, 2015

Delivered from hail of robbers’ bullets

Landlord recounts face-to-face encounter with death

OBASOLUYI TELEWA

O

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pen the door, armed robbers please cooperate. I said armed robber ke, I don’t want to see armed robber o, please armed robber go away. Go to your house “. They fired several shots at me but did not hit me, I thank God”.

These were the words of happiness and praise from Mr. Olusoji Jolaoso, the 59-year-old grandfather from Ogun State ,while speaking with Sunday Mirror, at his Shorunmi Quarters, Igbore, Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the weekend.

Call him mystery man or ecumenical spirit, you may be right. Truly, Jolaoso is alive today to tell the story of narrow escape from death. He is alive to still play with his children and grandchildren.

“My name is Olusoji Jolaoso, I come from Shorunmu Quarters, Igbore, Abeokuta, Ogun State. I am 59 years old.

At the age of 15, I lost my father and my mother had to care for me and other siblings.

Something happened to me recently at my house in Lagos that I will not forget in a hurry. It was the day some armed robbers came to my house around 2am.

According to the estate and property manager, “Initially, the armed robbers’ destination was not my house, they only gate-crash. It was the house at on Eleshin Street that was occupied by a beautiful lady in her 30s that they came for operation.

After finishing their assignment with the woman they robbed and raped serially, they were looking for the shortest route to escape with their loot.

“They saw our security and quickly

engrafted him. They asked him who is the man that has money in this street and the security man brought them to my house.

“I like to accommodate people and the security men used to come like that and I would open the door for them. At times when it was raining they would come and I would put on the television for them and equally entertain them.

“After the rain must have subsided I would tell them oya, go back to your duty post. So when I heard the voice of the security man that early morning thought similar situation had occurred so I headed straight to the door to open it.

But to my chagrin, as they knocked and I opened the door, they said “armed robbers, please cooperate”.

“I said ah, armed robber ke, what do you mean by armed robber, armed robber please go away, to your house, I don’t know you before. I shut the door back against them. They started pushing and I held onto the door. That was getting to 2.30am then. When they could not forcefully open it they went outside to bring a big stone. When they hit the door this time around and the door carved in”, he stated.

That is why that wooden door is not good. If it were to be iron or security door it is better. They would not have gained assess easily before help could come”, he added.

When they came in, they ransacked the whole house and carried what they could carry including money and my wife’s jewelries. After collecting everything inside, they asked me what about the remaining money. I told them I did not have money in my hands again but for the little change inside the car.

Mr. Olusoji Jolaoso

I gave them the car key and they went there to open it. They took the money and car radio but did not carry the car.

By that time, I had just collected some money from the tenant. Maybe they got wind of it I don’t know.

Meanwhile, the woman they went to her house, they collected all her money and raped her. That same day, the woman packed all her belongings and ran away from our area up till this moment we have seen her again because of the horrible experience of that day with the armed robbers.

When armed robbers come to your house please don’t struggle with them just give them what they want. That day for struggling with them, they punished me.

They fired four shots at me. I only felt the breeze pass my eyes side. I thank God it did not enter me”, he maintained.

The first three shots they fired went off the mark. It was then I realized that their oga was stationed outside to monitor proceedings and be on guard should there be anyone to cross their part.

“Because the man outside asked them has the man fallen down, shoot the man now. They fired the fourth shot but did not touch me. Maybe sensing danger they took to their heels.

Why I did not die that day I did not know. When the robbers were working on me, my wife was already frozen where she was in the room. Truly I neither use juju, ayeta, okigbe nor otumopor to defend myself against their bullets that day but it was just God” he told Sunday Mirror .

“But I could remember one thing, you know during the Nigeria/ Biafra civil war I followed my brother, Captain Afo-

labi Jolaoso, to Aba where he was posted to .We were living in the barracks at Ngba then. That was where I had my elementary education before returning to Abeokuta and eventually Lagos. My father was also a fanatical Agbekoya at that time. They used to fight.

“But I remember that when my father and others were going to the war front because he fought on the side of the Federal Government.

Then, they used to gather all the women and young children around together and gave us something to eat. “ Sometimes, they will put something on the ground and asked us to put our two hands on our back and bend down to pick it with our mouth and eat.

They often asked us to sit on a mortar, that thing used for pounding yam and cassava.

“May be those things did the magic years later, I do not know but I know it was God that saved me. I had no skeleton in my cupboard to warrant my being killed,” he said.

“So, at day break when everyone had gathered to sympathise with me and my wife, we saw bullet holes on the wall and ceiling. We its pellets scattered everywhere yet it did not touch me. His friend, Mr. Ojo Ayeni, while expressing joy describe him as a lucky man that will live for long having miraculously cheated death in the attack.

“Because of fear of further attacks, I did not report the matter to the Police.

The landlord association asked me not to do so.

They feared that doing that can make the robbers come back in a more daring fashion and kill me”, he told our correspondent at Abeokuta.

58

North

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NDLEA arrests 35 drug barons, seizes 1.4 tonnes of narcotics IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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he Nasarawa State Command of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said that it has arrested 35 drug barons and seized about 1.4 tonnes of narcotics in the state between January and June this year.

State commander of

the NDLEA, Mr. Sumaila Ethan, disclosed this during the commemoration of 2015 United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Lafia, the state capital.

He explained that out of the 35 drugs barons arrested, 12 convictions were secured at the Federal High Court, Lafia, while 76 drug addicts were

counsel and rehabilitated by the agency.

According to him, “Four sensational arrests were recorded within the period under review which include the arrest of two barons in Keffi with 452 kg and 295 kg of narcotic drugs. “Another drug baron was arrested in Akwanga with 131 kg of cannabis in a Mercedes Benz car, ” he main-

tained.

That was even as he disclosed further that another drug baron was arrested last week in Lafia, behind the Emir ’s palace, with 420 kg of the deadly cannabis sativa weed.

He stated that NDLEA ’s statistics to this regards showed an increased in the number of arrests and seizures above last year, translating that more and

Kaduna and Katsina Area Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Maitama Kura, inspecting some textile materials at Magama-Jibiya border in Katsina, PHOTO: NAN yesterday.

Kogi blames poor electricity supply for water shortage WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Kogi State Government has attributed the epileptic power supply to the acute shortage of pipe borne water to the resident of the state.

The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Olatunji Oshanisi, who disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists in Lokoja yesterday, stated that the state government is working round the clock to ensure adequate supply

of portable water to the people of the state.

Oshanisi explained that the poor electricity supply has hindered the Lokoja Greater Water Scheme to supply water, stressing that even if there was electricity supply the current is so low to extent that it could not power the pumping machines.

He stated that he had personally met with Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDCO, on the way forward, nothing that the distribution company could no longer supply

six hours to the Lokoja Greater Water Scheme as capacity had been reduced to only two hours daily.

The commissioner noted that this was as result of sharp drop in national power generation from 4,000 megawatts to 1,700 megawatts in last few weeks, adding this had caused untold hardship to the people.

Oshanisi pointed out that as part of efforts to improve the acute shortage of water in Lokoja and its environs, the state government had proposed to source large

quantity of diesel at all cost to power the pumping machines to provide water for the people.

On the reticulation of water to every nooks and crannies of the state capital, the commissioner added that work would soon commence on it when every part city will be connected with water.

He disclosed that the state government had ordered for 6,000 metres which will be connected for distribution of water and collect water rate every month.

PDP begins ward delegates congress WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kogi State Chapter has commenced ward delegate congress in the 329 wards in the state.

The Chairman of Kogi State Ward Congress Committee, Col. Austin Akunde (Rtd), who disclosed this

while addressing the 42 Returning offices for the 21 local government area of Kogi State, stated that it is time for PDP to regain the lost ground during the last general elections in the state.

Akunde told the Returning Officers that this recovering point after the terrible defeat by the opposition Party (APC) at all

levels.

The Committee Chairman pointed out that the success of the Ward Delegate Congress will help the PDP to regain the lost ground.

He noted that the importance of the ward congress cannot be over emphasised because Kogi State is the surviving state in the North Central of Ni-

geria, adding that the success of the exercise will determined whether the party will bounce back to the winning streak again.

He therefore warned the Returning Officers to ensure transparency and allow people to participate in the ward congress, noting that they have to take it as personal challenge to ensure success.

more people are involved in the consumption and trafficking of these substances in the state.

Mr. Ethan concluded that the agency ’s opera-

tional activities within the past six months in the state have shown that efforts towards eradicating the scourge would have to be increased.

Shettima breaks fast with IDPs, assures restoration of peace NUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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overnor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari IbnUmar Ibrahim Elkanemi at the weekend broke their Ramadan fast (Iftar) and prayed together with thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were taking refuge at the Yerwa Government Girls Secondary School camp in Maiduguri, the state capital.

There are 22 camps with over 150,000 IDPs who were sacked by activities of insurgents in Maiduguri metropolis and Jere council area of the state.

Shettima who was accompanied by the Shehu of Bama and other top government officials amid tight security said, he was in one of the camps to identify with the IDPs who despite their suffer-

ings as a result of displacing them from their communities by insurgents have remained supportive to the government of the day.

He said government will do everything possible to ensure that peace is being restored so that the IDPs will go back to their homes.

“I am here to thank you for your support, despite your predicament, you have been very supportive to this government and I want to use this opportunity to call on all of you to use the period of the Ramadan Kareem to continue pray fervently for the restoration of peace to our dear state.

“As government, we are aware of all your sufferings, but we will continue to do our best to ensure that you are adequately taken care of in terms of feeding, healthcare delivery among others.

TY Danjuma Foundation boosts medicare of IDPs in Taraba JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

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isturbed by the condition of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Taraba State, TY Danjuma Foundation through Chagro Care Trust, a non-governmental organisation, NGO, yesterday commenced medical intervention in the IDPs camps in the state.

Programme Assistant of the Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Ishaku, speaking at the flag off of the distribution in Jalingo noted that the foundation had done a base line research and discovered that the immediate needs of the IDPs were medical care and food.

He added that the foundation had gone into partnership with many credible NGOs with skilled personnel to handle various health challenges facing the IDPs in

the state.

Executive Director of Chagro Care Trust, Mr. Danjuma Adda, on his part said the organisation was moved by the plight of IDPs and decided to approach TY Danjuma for sponsorship and the foundation graciously accepted.

Adda noted that the organization ’s effort was aimed at supporting government effort in ensuring a better living condition for all citizens.

“Our areas of intervention include free HIV/ AIDs testing, malaria testing and administration of drugs, distribution of deworming drugs to all the IDPs and distribution of condoms.

“We have also brought 70 bags of rice, 15 bags of maize, 13 bags of beans, 300 pieces of sanitary pads among others to support government in taking care of people affected by the crisis, ” he said.

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Traders protest plan to transfer Boko Haram prisoners to Anambra CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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housands of traders at the various markets in Awka, Anambra State capital, yesterday closed shops and staged protests across the major streets in the capital city over the alleged plan by the Federal Government to transfer Boko Haram prisoners to the prisons in Anambra.

During the protest which started in the morning after the Saturday sanitation exercise, the

traders of which included market women who carried placards marched through the Arthur Eze Avenue and down to the ever busy Regina Caeli Junction of the Awka to Onitsha Expressway, which was barricaded as they chanted solidarity songs and voiced their rejection of the alleged move by the federal government to move Boko Haram prisoners to Anambra.

The traders who were led by the President of Awka Traders Association, Emeka Jude Aguma-

du, insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari jail the Boko Haram prisoners to the North, where they rightly belong.

And as the protesters continued in their action, they created heavy traffic jam that lasted for several hours, before security agents stormed the Regina Caeli junction of the Awka to Onitsha Express Way Expressway, branshing guns and tear gar canisters apparently to frighten the protesters, who remained defiant until their leader directed them

to clear from the Expressway and move towards the old Awka to Enugu road (Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue) where the protest would continue.

The protesters displayed anti Buhari placards bearing the inscriptions like, “Buhari, Anambra is not Borno State ”, “Bring federal investment to Anambra State not Boko Haram ”, “We don ’t want Boko Haram prisoners in Anambra State ”.

The restive traders urged Buhari to realise

that their collective wish is to the effect that if he wants to help Anambra State that he( Buhari) should give Anambra ministerial positions, schools and other developmental projects, stressing that they don ’t want Boko Haram prisoners at all.

Agumadu who spoke to the journalists at the Regina Caeli junction of the Awka to Onitsha Expressway, said they used their protest to send signal to Buhari to take the prisoners to another state.

Agumadu stated that they have since sent their

protest to the governor and that no market was opened for routine trading and other commercial activities throughout the state yesterday.

Similar protests which were accompanied with markets closure, also took place in Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia among others and it started after the environmental sanitation exercise when the traders got to their respective markets to open for the days business, only to be told that all the markets were shut for the protest.

80 prosecuted in Ebonyi for environmental offences

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Funding Director, Ijaw Council for Human Rights, Mr. Patterson Ogon (left), presenting heroes award to Chairman of the occasion, Rear Admiral Ocheago Fingesi (rtd), during Rivers Ijaw Youths Heroes Award in Port Harcourt, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Calabar garment factory ready in two months –Ayade RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

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ross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade, has disclosed that the construction of the Calabar garment factory will be completed before the end of two months.

The governor, who disclosed this to news men during the inspection of the project site along Goodluck Jonathan Bypass, said the garment factory is one of the projects earmarked by the state government for actualisation within his 100 days in office.

Upon completion, the factory is expected to generate about 1000 jobs, the bulk of which would be women, particularly widows.

According to the governor, “Equipment for the factory has been procured

and when fully completed, will be a major employer of labour, especially widows as its work force. Investigations show that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh employ mostly women in their garment factories while in Turkey, women constitute 40 percent of its work force. ” Governor Ayade further hinted that “Apart from women, the factory will also provide employment to some teeming unemployed youths roaming the streets. ” The factory which seats on three hectares of land, will provide fabric for the production of school uniforms, army uniforms, police and other paramilitary uniforms.

On the choice of the factory, Ayade revealed that “During the just concluded political campaigns, we discovered that the T-

shirts and caps worn by party members all across the country were imported from China, and Cross River being a border state, and with the support of the federal government, will supply these items to the neighboring states and countries. ” According to the governor, “The factory is also expected to enhance the revenue profile of the state which apart from creating employment, will improve on the state ’s internally generated revenue (IGR). ” The governor, however, said that with government being a poor manager of business, the factory will be run under a PPP structure to allow the state have a small percentage of ownership, emphasizing that, “work has started and progressing well and both the electrical and mechanical drawings have been com-

pleted, while the choice of this location is to create an industrial area where other investments can grow. ” Ayade therefore directed the Ministry of Lands and Town Planning through its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Ita, to stop issuing further approval for construction of houses on both sides of the bypass, adding that such an approval should henceforth come directly from his office, adding that he wants standardized buildings of four storeys on both sides of the road.

A representative of the host community, Chief Jacob Etim Asuquo, while assuring the governor of their support and cooperation to ensure the actualization of the projects, appealed that access be created to link the adjoining communities.

o fewer than 80 persons were prosecuted yesterday by the Ebonyi Environmental Court for violating environmental offences during the sanitation exercise in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offences include travelling, loitering and engaging in recreational activities among others.

The offenders were given jail sentences ranging from two months to one year and options of fines ranging from N2, 000 to N20, 000.

Interacting with newsmen after yesterday ’s monthly sanitation exercise, Mr Omebe Chikere, a Director in the state Environment Ministry, said that the importance of

environmental cleanliness could not be over-emphasised.

Chikere said that to ensure overall environmental cleanliness in the state, the government would sustain the on-going refuse evacuation initiative in major cities of the state.

According to him, the new administration in the state is determined to address the state ’s numerous environmental challenges.

Chikere said that the state government had already formulated various policies to actualise this objective.

“Sustained refuse evacuation is a cardinal policy because refuse is generated on daily basis and anything short of sustained evacuation would be counter-productive.

High unemployment rate blamed on poor quality graduates BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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he prevalent high number of unemployed graduates has been blamed on poor quality of graduates coming out of various higher institutions in the country.

The trend may however continue unless necessary changes are effected in the curriculum being used in higher institutions to reflect the reality of the present day.

This was the position of the founder of Fola Ogunsola Foundation, Mrs. Fola Ogunsola, while addressing participants at a programme organised by the foundation for students

and unemployed graduates at Redeemers University, Ede, Osun state.

According to her, with the quality of training students are exposed to in higher institutions in the country, many of the graduates usually enter labour market without the necessary skills.

“This is the main cause of unemployment because the employers do not want to employ someone without skill. They prefer those have been trained or have been on a job before to fresh graduates and until we review our curriculum or we institute training programmes for fresh graduates, the situation may persist ”, Ogunsola said.

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Sport S port I wanted to go out on a high –Forlan P. 62

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JUNE 28, 2015

P. 61

: p u C d l r o U-20 W

Ugbade blames foreign-based players Ugbade

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igeria U20 assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade feels that the technical crew’s limited time to work on the foreign-based players was the key reason why the Flying Eagles failed at the 2015 Fifa U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Manchester City prodigy Kelechi Iheanacho, Tottenham’s Musa Yahaya and Granada striker Isaac Promise were all left to play mini roles in Nigeria’s campaign.

Many had expected Manu Garba’s team to rule the world after their brilliant display at the African Youth Championship where they emerged winners, but they crashed out on the world stage in the second round after losing 1-0 to Germany.

“That was not what we expected considering what the team has achieved all through the year but at this point, it is very difficult to analyse what the situation is,” Ugbade said.

“The error we made was bringing the foreign-based players into the team and not having enough time to work with them. It really affected the team psychologically and it became very difficult to come out of it till we crashed out of the competition against Germany.

“For almost one year and a half, we had not worked together. The fitness level and tactical approach in U-20 were totally different from what was obtainable at U-17.”

“At the U17 level, it was training to compete while at the U-20 level it was high performance. This affected our psyche. In our first game against Brazil, we were supposed to win because we created a lot of chances,” he continued.

“In terms of playing, there was limited technical ability on the part of individual players when compared with the South Americans, this really affected the team.

“Psychology comes into a game such as that coming from the belief that they scored a lot of goals in the group stage. The weather was too cold in Christchurch as well as the one in Plymouth and it affected us a lot.”

Ugbade admitted that it was going to be difficult keeping the team together but is sure if the boys are well managed, they would someday rule the world.

“One is not going to be able to keep them together for a long period of time because of the trend in world football.

Most of the players would get teams abroad, while some will remain in the local league,” he added.

“The key thing here is for us to correct our mistakes in New Zealand and hope for a brighter future. If against all odds Serbia could win the U-20 World Cup, who says these boys in many years to come can’t win the FIFA World Cup for Nigeria?,” he concluded.

Return Super Eagles to Lagos, says Oliseh F

ormer Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh has clamoured oured for the Super Eagles’ return to the National Stadium, Lagos forr their international matches.

In the space of 12 months, the former African championss have played in several stadia in the country where they have recorded contrasting ntrasting results.

According to the former Borrusia Dortmund star, the surest est bet for the country to remain invincible at home is by bring them m back to their former fortress in Lagos.

“It’s a lot easier now to play for Nigeria and I guess that iss one of the reasons we are not doing so well now. In those days, you ou go to the National Stadium, Lagos in front 100, 000 fans,” Oliseh said during an interview with Brila Fm. “After 20 minutes, you have not scored, the fans go crazy and nd your family lives in Lagos; that is pressure. When you go to the he Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup and you know thatt second is not enough; that is pressure. When you have to play and the future of your family is at stake; that is pressure.

Oliseh “I’m overtly telling them that if we want to go back to the top; we need to bring the Super Eagles back to Lagos “If England have an important match to play, they play you at Wembley because that is where they have the greatest number of fans and that is where it becomes emotional forr the players. The National Stadium is our own Wembley.

“I played for Nigeria for 10 years and we never lost at the Nationational Stadium. That shows you how mythical it was to play there. e. The players need that kind of atmosphere to perform,” he concluded. ded.

Ugbade

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Sport S port I wanted to go out on a high –Forlan P. 62

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JUNE 28, 2015

P. 61

: p u C d l r o U-20 W

Ugbade blames foreign-based players Ugbade

N

igeria U20 assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade feels that the technical crew’s limited time to work on the foreign-based players was the key reason why the Flying Eagles failed at the 2015 Fifa U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Manchester City prodigy Kelechi Iheanacho, Tottenham’s Musa Yahaya and Granada striker Isaac Promise were all left to play mini roles in Nigeria’s campaign.

Many had expected Manu Garba’s team to rule the world after their brilliant display at the African Youth Championship where they emerged winners, but they crashed out on the world stage in the second round after losing 1-0 to Germany.

“That was not what we expected considering what the team has achieved all through the year but at this point, it is very difficult to analyse what the situation is,” Ugbade said.

“The error we made was bringing the foreign-based players into the team and not having enough time to work with them. It really affected the team psychologically and it became very difficult to come out of it till we crashed out of the competition against Germany.

“For almost one year and a half, we had not worked together. The fitness level and tactical approach in U-20 were totally different from what was obtainable at U-17.”

“At the U17 level, it was training to compete while at the U-20 level it was high performance. This affected our psyche. In our first game against Brazil, we were supposed to win because we created a lot of chances,” he continued.

“In terms of playing, there was limited technical ability on the part of individual players when compared with the South Americans, this really affected the team.

“Psychology comes into a game such as that coming from the belief that they scored a lot of goals in the group stage. The weather was too cold in Christchurch as well as the one in Plymouth and it affected us a lot.”

Ugbade admitted that it was going to be difficult keeping the team together but is sure if the boys are well managed, they would someday rule the world.

“One is not going to be able to keep them together for a long period of time because of the trend in world football.

Most of the players would get teams abroad, while some will remain in the local league,” he added.

“The key thing here is for us to correct our mistakes in New Zealand and hope for a brighter future. If against all odds Serbia could win the U-20 World Cup, who says these boys in many years to come can’t win the FIFA World Cup for Nigeria?,” he concluded.

Return Super Eagles to Lagos, says Oliseh F

ormer Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh has clamoured oured for the Super Eagles’ return to the National Stadium, Lagos for their international matches.

In the space of 12 months, the former African championss have played in several stadia in the country where they have recorded contrasting results.

According to the former Borrusia Dortmund star, the surest bet for the country to remain invincible at home is by bring them back to their former fortress in Lagos.

“It’s a lot easier now to play for Nigeria and I guess that iss one of the reasons we are not doing so well now. In those days, you go to the National Stadium, Lagos in front 100, 000 fans,” Oliseh iseh said during an interview with Brila Fm. “After 20 minutes, you have not scored, the fans go crazy zy and your family lives in Lagos; that is pressure. When you u go to the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup and you u know that second is not enough; that is pressure. When you have to play and the future of your family is at stake; that Oliseh is pressure.

“I’m overtly telling them that if we want to go back to the top; we need to bring the Super Eagles back to Lagos “If England have an important match to play, they play you at Wembley because that is where they have the great-est number of fans and that is where it becomes emotional al for the players. The National Stadium is our own Wembley.

“I played for Nigeria for 10 years and we never lost at the e National Stadium. That shows you how mythical it was to play there.

The players need that kind of atmosphere to perform,” he e con-

Ugbade

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Sport

Sunday June 28, 2015

Siasia: Port Harcourt is home for U-23

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor

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oach Samson Siasia has affirmed that he is much comfortable with the choice of Port Harcourt by the Nigeria Federation Federation as venue for next month’s African U-23 Championship final round, first leg qualifying match against Congo.

“Port Harcourt is home for me, and I want to assure Nigerians that my boys will find the place to be home as well.

I am appealing to the people of Port Harcourt and indeed the adjoining towns and States to come out en masse to support the Dream Team against Congo, so that we can win well and render the return leg a formality.

“As far as we are concerned, the choice of Port-Harcourt by the NFF is a commendable one. We are working on a plan to see that we move over to the Garden City in good time before the game so as to get used to the pitch well ahead and also get used to the people of the city.”

Expressing satisfaction with the performance of his team so far in the build up to the Congo game, Coach

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08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

Minimah Open championship kicks off today

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Siasia

Siasia said for now he will still release players to their clubs for weekend League matches. He however appealed to the clubs to understand that two weeks to the game, any player selected will not be released for such games as he needs all his players to be in camp and concentrate on the crucial en-

counter.

In the friendly game, the Dream Team parading players like Umar Aminu, Junior Ajayi, Shehu Abdullahi, Moses Ekpai, Daniel Etor amongst others defeated the Abuja based Amakson Academy 2-0 with goals from Ekpai and Adigibe Uzo.

he maiden edition of Kenneth Minimah national men and women open boxing championship will kick off today at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Secretary General of Nigeria Boxing Federation, Olusola Luke told our correspondent that the championship which will also serve as selection trials for the 2015 All Africa Games slated for Congo Brazzaville in September noted that there will be bouts in ten different catego-

ries for men while female s will compete in six weight divisions which includes, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 69kg and 75kg weight class.

He further stated that today has been set aside as arrival date while the championship proper will kick off tomorrow and end on July 4.

Meanwhile, President of Nigeria Boxing Federation, Kenneth Minimah has advised states to take advantage of the championship as only boxers who featured in the tournament would be selected for the All Africa Games.

Kayode makes Austria Wien debut in style

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x-Nigeria youth international Olanrewaju Kayode debuted for Austrian club Austria Wien in fine style as they thrashed lower league side SC Guntersforf 5-0 in a pre-season game on Friday.

The former Maccabi Netanya of Israel striker played the first 45 minutes of the game before the new coach Thorsten Fink changed the entire team for

the second stanza of the game.

Kayode told AfricanFootball.com he is happy to play his first game for the Austrian team.

“I am so happy and excited to play my first game for my new team. I am looking forward for more of it,” Kayode told AfricanFootball.com He joined the Austria Wien this summer on a three-year deal.

Wale ‘Lucky Boy; Omotosho (L) exchanging blows with Sammy Vasquez during their welterweight clash at the MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas

Omotosho promises to bounce back

Kayode

Glo League: ‘Heartland won’t abandon the race’

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he Nigeria Premier League side, Heartland have vowed to finish the title race notwithstanding the financial challenges.

The Naze Millionaires will be the guests of the Garden City landlords, Sharks in Nigeria Professional Football League match day 14 clash on Sunday at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The Owerri outfit had within the week cried out for financial help from the financiers, Imo State government to enable the side prosecute the clash at Sharks.

However, an official of the side, Cajetan Nkwopara said the side are determined not to drop the anchor under the financial stress as they have implicit confidence in the financiers to come to their rescue.

“We won’t surrender the title race no matter how heavy the financial burden and challenge is upon us.

“We strongly believe the government will do the needful to help us overcome the difficulties.

“We never lost hope in the capability and capacity of the government to intercede and intervene meaningfully in our plight.

“Already we have received solid assurance that in the shortest time our issue will receive prompt atten-

tion.

“Of course, everybody knows we are paying salary right now unlike in the past when the side pay sign-on fees.

“So the players have heeded the management clarion call on them not to abandon the side in her hour of need but proceed to Port Harcourt for the clash against Sharks.

tosho stated that he sees the defeat as a temporary setback which he will soon overcome, insisting that he still has a lot to offer the welterweight division.

“It is true that I lost to Vasquez but I take the loss as a temporary setback which I will soon overcome because I still have what it takes to rule the welterweight division.

“Right now, I am going to have a second look at the fight with my team and know where to make amends in subsequent fights which I hope will be better that this one.

Hatton warns De La Hoya against comeback

Heartland FC players

Taye Taiwo to return to Serie A

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igeria defender Taye Taiwo, who has featured for AC Milan in Italy, may return to play in Italy again after he became a free agent on leaving Bursaspor of Turkey.

According to a report in Italy, the left back is likely to make a return to Italy and he is currently training in

Taiwo

A

fter losing to Sammy Vasquez, (18-0, 13 KOs) in their welterweight clash, United States of America Nigerian based boxer, Wale “ Lucky Boy” Omotosho (25-1, 21 KOs) says that he will soon bounce back to the ring.

Omotosho last Sunday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas lost by a unanimous decision of 9892 in all judges cards to his bloodied opponent.

Speaking on the outcome of the fight, Omo-

France.

He was most recently on trials with Polish club Wisla Krakow.

According to the transalpine foot365.com, the Nigeria defender could again feature in the Italian Serie A as he is being monitored by several clubs there.

Taye Taiwo played four games for AC Milan.

F

ormer Light welterweight champion, Ricky Hatton has advised former six-weight division champion, Oscar De La Hoya against staging a comeback to the ring.

Hatton who three years ago made a brief and illfated comeback against Vyacheslav Senchenko noted that De La Hoya could be flirting with disaster if he comes back to the ring.

De La Hoya, 42 who retired in 2008 after losing to Manny Pacquiao in a recent interview noted that he is “very serious” about making a return to the ring;

saying that the only reason he would come back is because he missed the opportunity of fighting the very best.

However, Hatton believes that it will be a very big gamble for the former champion to consider a comeback because he will not achieve anything.

“It never really surprises me when a boxer wants to make a comeback especially a fighter with so many successes like De La Hoya.

“But I believe it is not the right decision for him to take because at the age of 42, he should not be thinking of a comeback.

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Sport

Sunday June 28, 2015

Sunday Mirror

Forlan:

I wanted to go out on a high In interview with FIFA.com, Diego Forlan spoke in the same calm measured ured tones as he did back on 11 March, when he announced his retirement from international nternational football. Nearly three months have elapsed since that difficult decision was made public, and in reflecting on it the striker is certain that it was the right one. e.

The man they call Cachavacha remains very much part of the Celeste set-up, however, and not just because he is still an active member of the national team’s Whatsapp group. Forlan is, quite simply, one of the greats of Uruguayan football, having won a national-record 112 caps for his country, and become its second-highest all-time marksmen with 36 goals.

He cemented his status with superlative contributions to Uruguay’s fourth-place finish at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, where he walked away with the adidas Golden Ball, and to their Copa America 2011 011 triumph. Now based in Japan with second-division Cerezo Osaka, Forlan an spoke about all that and more with FIFA.com.

Forlan

FIFA.com: Diego, how much did you miss seeing your name in the squad for Copa America and having the chance to meet up again with your Uruguay team-mates?

Diego Forlan: Whenever a phase in my life comes to an end I make a conscious effort to move on, and I try not to think about moments like that.

It’s better to try and put it out of your mind because obviously you do miss it. It helps that you’ve got your own things to think about, like playing matches, as does living far away. It makes you read the news in a different way. Then there’s also the fact that I really enjoyed my time in the national team, because it makes it easier to bear. The last few years, from 2010 to now, were superb. I wanted to go out on a high.

In reflecting on the highs of the last few years, did you not feel like carrying on?

The enthusiasm and desire is still there, which makes it difficult to stop. You always want more, especially if you still feel in good shape.

The problem is, that can lead you to make the decision at the wrong time, and you end up playing on for too long. That’s why I thought it was a good idea to do it before the Copa America and the World Cup qualifiers, which are important competitions. There are new players coming through, the generational handover is underway, and they need to be tested in competitive matches.

Did the fact that you weren’t such a central figure in Oscar Tabarez’s starting line-up influence your decision at all?

No, absolutely not. You can spend more or less time on the pitch, but there are young players coming through the whole time and they have to play.

That changeover is happening now.

And it wasn’t as if I didn’t feel so important any more. It was mostly a personal process. I spoke to my father and brothers a lot and decided to make the call. When you’re far away, you can think things through more calmly.

How much did the mental side of things influence your decision to retire from the national team? As a footballing superstar, it can’t be the same to play

in Europe’s major leagues es as it is Brazil or Japan.

(Pause) When you play y in different places, you realise that there’s e’s no such thing as easy football. You might ght be playing in a lesser league, but as a striker you still have to go out and score e goals. Just because you get goals in Italy aly doesn’t mean you’re going to go and score ore lots in Spain or England. The same goes oes for any place you play. It also depends on how you adapt as a player. I came to Japan apan because it’s a competitive league. It’ss not Europe, but they’ve got a good national al side and players who are doing well in European ropean football. If that hadn’t been the case, e, I wouldn’t have come.

Talking of footballers who o are doing well in Europe, are you surprised d by how quickly Luis Suarez has adapted to life at Barcelona, where he’s scoring goals s and laying them on?

Not at all. When you’re e as good as Luis it’s easy to adapt to teams like that. at. He’s always laid goals on in the national team, but now it’s easier to see that side of his game because cause he’s playing alongside the best player in the world. You got the feeling that he was always going g to have more chances to score and create goals at Barcelona, and that he’d have more chance to show ow off his full range of attacking skills. When you’ve ou’ve got [Lionel] Messi and Neymar with you, you’re going to have more space and better finishers inishers around you.

The three of them raise each ach others’ games.

You finished top scorer in n the Spanish league on two occasions, s, which is no mean achievement. How w do you feel when you see Messi and d Cristiano Ronaldo make it look so o easy?

It’s amazing. I think I was the last one to win the Pichichi (La Liga’s leading goalscorer accolade) before re they started to share it between themselves. mselves. It’s the same with the European Golden Shoe, except the year in which Luis uis shared it with Cristiano. You just can’t compete with them. I can’t see anyone else taking over er their mantle just yet, yet not

with the competition between them and their desire to outdo each other.

They’ve still got a few years ahead of them too.

One last question.

Of all the records you’ve set with La Celeste, which one are you most proud of?

A big one for me is belonging to a family with three generations of players who’ve won the Copa America, a unique achievement in the history of world football. My grandfather won it twice, my father once and me once. I’m also amazed by the number of games I played. When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to the stadium for free. That was because the Uruguayan FA gave him a free ticket for having played over 45 matches with the national team. I feel so proud to have played more than 100 times for my country, especially when I think of all the great players the country has produced over the years.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday June 28, 2015

Cech has Arsenal medical –sources

Toure targets becoming a City legend

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aya Toure has restated his desire to stay at Manchester City in order to pay back the faith shown in him from the Etihad Stadium faithful by becoming a club legend.

Former City boss Roberto Mancini has talked openly about his desire to be reunited with the powerhouse midfielder at current club Inter.

Mancini claims that Toure has spent “six months telling me that he wanted to come to Milan”, but the Ivory Coast star insists he is committed to City, where he has won the Premier League twice and the FA Cup and League Cup once.

Talking about the backing he has received from City supporters over his five years at the club, Toure told the Manchester Evening News: “It is very, very important as a person and as a football player as well when you see people are following you.

“It is difficult sometimes to disappoint them. The fans are doing brilliant for this club.

“When people show you loyalty, nothing is going by. That’s why I want to stay at City. I want to stay long.”

Back in April, Toure spoke of being open to the possibility of taking on “new challenges”, which was interpreted by some as a suggestion he could leave City.

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etr Cech has undergone a medical at Arsenal on ahead of his move from Chelsea, sources confirmed to ESPN FC.

Toure

Arsenal agreed a fee with London rivals Chelsea earlier last week after the Premier League champions reluctantly sanctioned the sale of the Czech Republic international.

The 33-year-old, who was due to enter the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge,

Tevez completes Boca Juniors move

A

rgentina striker Carlos Tevez has completed his move back to Boca Juniors from Italian champions Juventus.

Tevez, 31, started his career at Boca before leaving in 2004 and returns to Argentina after nine years in Europe.

Former Manchester United, Manchester City and West Ham forward Tevez struck 20 Serie A goals last season and had been linked with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Paris StGermain.

Argentine side Boca Juniors announced the signing on Twitter.

Tevez

made a request to the club’s hierarchy to let him move on in search of regular football after finding himself as backup to Thibaut Courtois last season.

A number of clubs including Paris SaintGermain expressed an interest in Cech, but the player’s preference was to stay in the Premier League and London, paving the way for Arsenal to secure his signature.

Arsenal have been chasing a new goalkeeper for some time with Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina having alternated as first-choice keeper last season.

Cech’s arrival will be something of a coup for Wenger as he looks to build a squad capable of mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title.

Cech

Benteke

Liverpool to bid £25m for Benteke

L

iverpool will continue to splash the cash, even after stumping up £12.5million to make Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne their sixth signing of the summer.

And the Reds are expected to return to Aston Villa within the next few days with a massive new offer for Christian Benteke.

Boss Brendan Rodgers has had one bid of around £22m rejected by the Midlands club, who insist they will not come to the table concerning the Belgium international until a release clause of £32.5m is triggered.

But Benteke has told his Villa Park bosses he won’t be signing a new contract to stay beyond the 24 months remaining on his current deal. The centre-forward - who has scored 49 goals in 99 Villa games since his £7m move from Genk in his homeland in 2012 is currently on holiday, but it is thought he will return this week to reiterate his desire for a move.

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Martinez confirms Atletico deal

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orto striker Jackson Martinez has confirmed he will join Atletico Madrid on a four-year deal after turning down an offer from AC Milan. of f The La Liga club have agreed to Porto’s £24.8m release clause and the Colombia strik£2 2 err will have some time off before heading for Spain to complete formalities on the deal.

Sp p The 28-year-old look destined for a switch to o AC Milan earlier in the summer before a deal de d e with the Serie A giants fell through.

“I can confirm I am going to Atletico,” said Martinez after Colombia’s Copa America deM feat fe e to Argentina in Vina del Mar on Friday night. n ni i “I am going there for four years, but I still don’t know when I will be introduced. do o “It’s all ready. I’m going to enjoy spending time with my family for now and then ssome so o travel to Spain to introduce myself to my new tr r club,” said Martinez after Colombia’s 5-4 decl l ffeat fe e on penalties.

Martinez

N I G E R I A

N117bn Vol. 5 No. 24

Sunday JUNE 28, 2015

Back Page

Comment E-mail:

nwaunah@yahoo.com Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Dean, School of Languages and General Studies, The Premier University of Sao Tome and Principe

with Jim Unah

S

ome Nigerians were getting concerned about the spate of quarrels arising from the rejection of defaced and mutilated Central Bank naira notes by members of the public during commercial transactions. I had separated a couple of duels at petrol stations between petrol attendants and their customers over the rejection of naira notes on account of the fact that they had been defaced and would not be acceptable in subsequent transactions.

I had personally been victim of the embarrassment of refusal, by petrol attendants, to accept defaced naira notes just collected directly from the commercial banks. My contention had always been that since the notes were packaged and cashed to me by the banks, the recipients should take them back to the banks if the regular customers refuse to accept them.

On those occasions, I had bluntly refused to change the rejected notes, often warranting the intervention of

www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

-The amount Nigerian Custom Service sets to meet as target for the 2015 fiscal year

N

F I G U R E S

The money NULGE N3bn -tasked Kaduna State

government on leave allowance

Defaced and New CBN Naira notes

proprietors of such petrol stations to urge their staff to accept the money, only after painful explanation of how the banks also refuse to accept defaced naira notes from the banks’ customers.

After my last encounter with petro attendants over the rejection of mutilated and defaced naira notes, I resolved to investigate the matter to find out why the Central Bank of Nigeria— CBN—should allow the circulation of such trouble-causing, rotten bank notes to members of the public. I was on the verge of finding out what was going on when the news broke, last Monday that some six middle level staff of the CBN colluding with some sixteen officers of un-named commercial banks had been swapping the defaced and mutilated naira notes already marked for routine destruction at the Ibadan branch of the Apex bank.

According to the CBN, some N8 to N10 billion of such defaced and mutilated naira notes stacked for destruction were fraudulently swapped and passed on to commercial bank customers, for re-circulation to members of the public. Can you now see the source of the embarrassment and public nuisance of the nation’s currency? Unpatriotic, fraudulent staff of the banks!

It is gratifying to note that the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has taken action to visit the culprits with

the full wrath of the law. None of the offending parties so determined by the regular courts of the land, should be spared from commensurate punishment, no matter how well connected and highly placed.

There is yet another worrisome aspect regarding the handling of the CBN naira notes that should engage the attention of the Apex bank.

It is the new naira notes that are never issued to bank customers, but are parceled out to private vendors who sell the new naira notes called “mint” at weekends in social parties—marriages, naming ceremonies, obituaries, et cetera.

Isn’t it a shame that premium bank customers cannot have access to the new naira notes from their banks, only to see stark illiterates vending the clean, fresh naira notes, at social events? Why should bank customers not have access to the clean naira notes? Why should they be made to buy it outside the banks? What manner of administration of the CBN notes can we call this? I think that the CBN should be concerned about this ugly development and put a policy in place to halt it. The CBN should not allow a regime of the naira where decent bank customers are denied new currencies that are then sold out to vendors for circulation at a cost to the user.

Eaglets shine in six-goal thriller igeria’s U-17 team, Golden Eaglets on Saturday showed their strength in depth by forcing Jay-1 Football Academy to a 3-3 draw at the NFF\FIFA Goal Project pitch in Abuja.

The Abuja-based academy under coach Chekwas Obinna, gave the Emmanuel Amunekeled side a run for their money but surrendered a rare 3-1 lead following second half goals

by Emmanuel Robert, Samuel Gero and Emmanuel Justin.

In between, Tunde Azeez who is one of the new lads fielded by Amuneke, grabbed his first for Eaglets but it was there for all to see that the new recruits still have more work to do in order to break into the Chile 2015 World Cup-bound squad.

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With defeat starring the team in the face, Amuneke brought in experienced captain Kelechi Nwakali; Striker Victor Osimhen and Nduka Ebere and those substitutions barely 20 minutes to the end of regulation time, proved fortuitous against the now wearied opponents.

Gangling Osimhen pulled a goal back for the Eaglets in the 72 minutes and Nduka had the last word with the best of the match when he struck within seconds to spare.

An impressed Udeh saluted the fighting spirit of the Golden Eaglets, explaining the match

ACCORDING TO THE CBN, SOME N8 TO N10 BILLION OF SUCH DEFACED AND MUTILATED NAIRA NOTES STACKED FOR DESTRUC-

TION WERE FRAUDULENTLY SWAPPED AND PASSED ON TO COMMERCIAL BANK

CUSTOMERS, FOR RE-CIRCULATION TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

People want to see a robust naira regime that shows respect for the nation’s currency; a regime that outlaws the circulation of rotten, defaced and mutilated bank notes; a regime that battles with other financial institutions at home and abroad to firm up the exchange rate of the naira with other currencies, that is, a regime of the naira in which interventionist policies are utilized to boost productivity in the real sector to result in wealth creation and job creation for Nigerians.

I thrust that the CBN Governor can superintend such regimes and put clean naira notes in our pockets.

had the trappings of a cup final:” This was a match we thought we had won but the Golden Eaglets showed they are the more experienced side and I really want to commend them for not giving up even after we took the lead.”

Amuneke

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