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Dogara sets up committee to repeal military decrees, obsolete laws P.2

Vol. 5 N0. 1163

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Friday, July 24, 2015

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Saraki indicts NLC S over $150bn oil theft ...as labour asks NASS to review anti-corruption law

FEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

enate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday said Nigerian workers were complicit in the mindboggling corruption in the petroleum sector. President Muhammadu Buhari had, this week in the United States, alleged that over $150bn in oil revenue was stolen by public office holders in the last decade. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

NUC rejects Mariam Abacha varsity’s certificates

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B’Haram plans to bomb VIP’s houses –Osinbajo P.8

President Muhammadu Buhari (right) being received by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right), during President Buhari’s arrival at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after a 4-day official trip to Washington DC, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

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Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saraki indicts NLC over $150bn oil theft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

But responding to a request by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, that the National Assembly should come up with laws to strengthen the capacity of anti-corruption agencies to deal with cases involving sleaze, the Senate President

alleged that workers who are members of the labour movement at the nation’s terminals aided oil theft. NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba visited the Red Chamber to meet with the leadership of the senate to deliberate on various economic issues as they touch

on the plight of the Nigerian workers. He was at the meeting with top NLC officials and members of the affiliate unions. In his presentation, Wabba stated that the revelation by the President that $150bn had been lost to corruption

in the last decade, underscored the helplessness of the nation’s anti-corruption laws. In order to address the drift, the NLC boss called on the National Assembly to strengthen existing anticorruption laws to promptly dispense with all issues

bothering on graft. He said: “Only this week, in the United State, during his state visit, President Buhari disclosed that in the last decade alone, over $150bn of our commonwealth was stolen by public officers and stashed away in foreign banks.

L-R: Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Mr. Ade Ipaye; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the National Economic Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

Dogara sets up committee to repeal military decrees, obsolete laws TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila’s camp’s choice for Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APCBorno), yesterday said his group was working to reconcile with the Speaker Yakubu Dogara, over the leadership crisis in the Green Chamber. Monguno, who has mended fences with the Speaker and has since been named by Dogara as a member of a Committee to review laws of the Federation, said the leadership crisis would be settled before their resumption for business next week Tuesday. Monguno was the All Progressives Congress, APC’s, choice for Deputy Speaker, while Gbajabiamila was tipped to be the Speaker through a mock vote. But Dogara, who rejected the result of the mock election, later emerged Speaker in a vote

on the floor of the House on June 9, with the support of dissenting party members as well as the minority Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. A letter from the party later, asking the Speaker to allow for the choice of Hon. Gbajabiamila as Majority Leader of the House with Monguno as his Deputy also fell on deaf ears, as Dogara has insisted on the choice of Hon. Ado Doguwa (Kano-APC), one of Gbajabiamila’s erstwhile loyalists as Majority Leader with other positions conceded to Hon. Pally Iriase (Edo-APC), while Hon. Buba Jibril (Kogi-APC) was picked as deputy leader. Hon. Monguno in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday, said there was no cause for alarm, as both camps were already gliding towards reconciliation before next week. “Nigerians should expect a unified National Assembly, devoid of the fights we have seen in the past few weeks when we resume. We are going to resolve all the

issues before Tuesday next week. There will be no crisis when we resume,” he assured. The Speaker is expected to announce the names of Doguwa (Majority Leader) Iriase (Whip) Jibrin (Deputy Majority) Leader and Hon. Austin Chukwukere (APC-Imo) as Deputy Whip. Meanwhile, the Speaker has mandated a twentythree member committee comprising lawmakers, President of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, and other eminent personalities to prepare military decrees and sundry obsolete laws for repeal, amendments and re-enactment by the National Assembly. The members of the Committee are Hon. Monguno, who was also a former Attorney General of Borno State, former Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Razak Atunwa, former Attorney General of Rivers State, Hon. Ken Chikere, Hon. Madubueze Peter Obiano, Legal scholar, Hon (Dr).

Olabode Ayorinde, and Hon. Simon Arobo. Other members are NBA President, Mr. Austin Alegeh, SAN, the Secretary of the Association, Mr. Afam Osigwe, Prof. C.O. Okonkwo, SAN, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, Dr. Ladi Hamalai, Director General National Institute for legal Studies, NILS, Prof. Okechukwu Oko and Dr. S.A. Danwanka. Others are Mr. Kefas Magaji, Acting Chairman Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Mrs. Oguneye, Secretary Nigeria Law Reform Commission, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr. M.A. Sani Omolori, Director of Legal Services, National Assembly, Dr. Adem, Hon. CID Maduabum of the Office of the Speaker. The Speaker, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja yesterday, mandated it to recommend for repeal, some military decrees,

edicts and obsolete acts in three months. In his inaugural speech, the Speaker stated that the panel was to review outdated laws in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. “The major reason that informed the setting up of this committee is the urgent need to review the various laws that dot our statute books, some of which have become obsolete, anachronistic, outdated and spent. “As you well know, by reason of the provision of sections 315 of the Constitution, all existing laws including the military era legislations were deemed to be Acts of the National Assembly to the extent that they are laws with respect to any matter on which the National Assembly is empowered by the Constitution to make laws. “The review of the laws since the coming into effect of the 1999 Constitution has been very unsatisfactory as our existing laws still conCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

“Amidst these developments, the feeling and perception of Nigerians is that our anti-corruption laws are either overwhelmed or do not have the requisite edge to respond to the renewed assault on our collective conscience by those taking advantage of their position to steal and loot our commonwealth, without any qualms. “The NLC believes that the National Assembly has a key role to play in ensuring that justice is not only done but truly seen to be done. One of the most credible ways of doing this is by strengthening the existing anti-corruption laws so that people who steal our collective wealth can be brought to justice far much quicker than we have at present.” The Senate President who stated that Nigerian workers could not be exonerated in the frightening corruption in the downstream sector, however promised to meet with the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, with a view to ensuring that corruption cases are speedily dispensed with. According to him, the senate has already met with Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. “We have met and engaged with the ICPC and we are ready to also meet with the EFCC to look at where the National Assembly can assist to ensure that the fight against corrupting can be improved upon. It is time for all of us to show serious commitment, including Nigerian workers. “When we talk about the oil theft, we have our workers at the terminals, who surely must know about these things that are going on. We now have a great opportunity that we have a leadership led by President Buhari who has the political will to fight corruption,” he said. Saraki said the nation must get its refineries to work in addition to ensuring that those who do not have any business in petroleum business are completely eliminated. He said: “We must get our refineries to work. We must also be able to fight corruption that is going on in the sector. People that do not have business in fuel imporCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Photo News

Friday, July 24, 2015

L-R: PRO, National Association of Nigerian Students, Comrade Jeremiah Olatinwo; Zonal Coordinator, Asefon Sunday; Vice President, Ogunkude Oluwatosin, joint committee member, Sanusi Suleiman and former Student Union President, Yaba College of Technology, Babajide Salvador, during the world press conference on the state of campuses and vote of confidence in the leadPHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN ership of Yaba College of Technology, in Lagos. yesterday.

L-R: Managing Director, Murphy Shipping and Commercial Services Ltd, Ms. Moji Agbabiaka; President, National Association of Stevedoring Companies, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola; executive member, Nigeria Ports Consultative Council, Alhaji Abayomi Adigun and Chairman, Otunba Kunle Folarin, during a roundtable on the maritime section and the port industry in Lagos, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Former Group Managing Directors, NNPC, Dr. Edmund Ayoola, Chief Chambalan Oryibo and former President, Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Dr. Maria Sonuga, during the NMGS annual lecture in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Patron, Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, Oba Otudeko; Treasurer-General, African National Congress (ANC), South Africa, Dr. Zweli Mkhize and Consul-General, South African High Commission, Amb. Mokgethi Monaisa, during the monthly breakfast forum of Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce in Lagos, yesterday.

National News

Arepo pipeline fire: NNPC shuts fuel supply

he fire from the explosion at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipeline at Elepete, Arepo in Ogun State had been put off. The corporation has also shut down product supply through the pipeline. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, who visited Arepo to check the effect of the explosion reports that the area is calm. NAN, however, observed that there were about five speed boats carrying some men suspected to be vandals, who came to the scene of the incident to search for their dead colleagues. NAN reports that each boat left the scene after about an hour carrying suspected dead bodies. Some policemen, who were in mufti were seen around with one of them carrying his rifle. Some of the residents of Beachland Estate, who spoke to NAN, said the explosion and vandals’ activities were becoming worrisome to them. One of the residents was

said to have died of heart attack when the explosion happened. When NAN in the company of other media men visited the street where the victim died, they were told to leave the area so as not to put the family in trouble. “We don’t want press people here. The man that died was a banker not vandal,” a resident said anonymously and gave no further detail about the deceased. Pension directorate uncovers 3,000 police ghost

pensioners Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, has discovered 3,000 ghost pensioners in the police pension scheme, the Director-General, Nellie Mayshak, has said. Mayshak made the disclosure at a two-day sensitisation workshop in Abuja yesterday. He said: “When PTAD was first given the police pensions payroll, it contained 18,000 pensioners which we thought were all genuine.

“But when we went around the states to verify, we discovered that there were 15,000 pensioners in the police. “If we had not made this discovery, we would have been paying pension to these non-existing 3,000 pensioners.” Mayshak said the directorate saved the Federal Government more than N100m monthly which would have been paid to the ghost pensioners. She said PTAD was partnering Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission to ensure that pension fraudsters were eliminated in the system. Mayshak advised pensioners to submit their pension records to PTAD so that it could access their liabilities and advise them appropriately. She said the workshop was to sensitise stakeholders, particularly the pensioners, to what they were expected to do to access their

entitlements seamlessly. Mayshak said that PTAD was handling the payrolls of 132,000 pensioners from the civil service, agencies and the police. According to her, there are 104,000 pensioners in the civil service, 13,000 in agencies and 15,000 in the police. She said PTAD had sensitised pensioners through their unions, radio commercials, newspapers advertisements and SMS not to pay money to any person before their files could be processed.

“Two of the illegal refineries were destroyed in Egbokodo, while others were ruined in Kantu,” Sule said. Sule added that the command would continue to checkmate perpetrators of illegal bunkering until the criminal act was completely eradicated. “In Kantu forest, we destroyed 10 illegal refineries and I understand there are more, so, we are going back to the place to destroy them.

“I understand that place is full of illegal refineries, that what we have just done was a tip of the iceberg, so we will not stop as long as they don’t stop,” he added. The commander said intelligence gathering was very vital in winning the war against oil theft. He urged the public to always supply his personnel with useful information to stop illegal bunkering in the state. Sule, who decried the ecological effect of the il-

licit trade on the environment, said destruction of the ill-gotten products was part of their regulations. One wooden boat laden with a product suspected to be crude oil was burnt in Egbokodo. Two pumping machines, five tents and over 20 metallic and plastic drums filled with illegally refined diesel and petrol were also destroyed in Kantu. Sule said the command on Wednesday showed newsmen four suspected

marketers of illegally-refined crude oil apprehended at the old Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, in Warri. “The suspects, who are middle-aged men, are still under our custody. “They were alleged to have been in possession of 33 drums and 254 jerry cans filled with diesel and other products. “We will hand them over to the relevant authority for prosecution as soon as investigation is concluded,” he said.

Navy destroys 12 illegal refineries in Delta

ommander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Aliyu Sule, yesterday said 12 illegal refineries have been destroyed in Egbokodo and Kantu communities of Delta State. The commander made this known to newsmen at the Warri Naval Base. Egbokodo and Kantu communities are in Warri South and Warri South/ West Local Government Areas of the state respectively.

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Friday, July 24, 2015

Security agents bar Patience Jonathan from P’Harcout airport VIP lounge ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

ife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, yesterday, expressed shock and sadness over what she called “disrespectful refusal” by security personnel, who denied her access to the VIP lounge at the Port-Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State. The refusal was alleged to be as a result of a purported directive of the “powers-that-be from Abuja.” Patience Jonathan, who said she had received the shameful treatment, twice, in the last seven days at the airport, vowed to formally protest the conduct of the security personnel to the relevant authorities. She said she found it

hard to believe that such instruction would come from the Presidency as they made her to believe. Explaining what actually transpired, an eyewitness and family friend of the First Lady, who did not want his name in print told National Mirror that Dame Jonathan was on her way to the burial of her late Chief Security Officer, CSO, Tamuno Jacob Igbomie, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who was allegedly shot dead by unknown assailants penultimate Friday. Igbomie’s corpse was found in his Honda Accord car along Airport Road, Abuja with all his phones, wallet and other personal effects intact in the car. The source further said: “That last Friday, July 17, the former First Lady arrived Port Harcourt Inter-

Naira gains 0.17% as CBN adjusts exchange rate peg JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he naira yesterday recorded 0.17 per cent gain in value against the dollar for the first time this week, trading at N197.66. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed adjustment of exchange rate peg to N197 against the dollar from the N196.95 it set last week. The adjustment is the fifth since the bank introduced a tight control on the foreign exchange market in February when it stated that it would sell dollars only at N198 to customers through the interbank based on direct orders by banks. The currency traded at N199.50 to the dollar on the interbank market, compared with the N197 per dollar rate it closed the preceding day. At the parallel market, the naira slid to N243, down 0.83 per cent from the previous day. Analysts have hinged the persistent decline of the naira in the parallel market on the introduction of new measures by CBN last month, restricting access to hard currency at the interbank in a bid to conserve dwindling foreign exchange reserves.

While dealers said the outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting of the CBN ending today could affect the naira exchange rate, a poll by Reuters indicated the apex regulatory banking institution could maintain the interest rates for now. However, rates within the Nigerian Inter Bank Open Rates, NIBOR, space continued its upwards swing yesterday, driven largely by the Call rate which recorded a 20.08 per cent this week. According to Meristem Securities Limited, the average NIBOR instruments closed the day at N19.94, reflecting a 2.37 per cent increase. “Investor activities ran against the recent treasury bills’ bullish trends as the average yield across the instruments rose by 0.37 per cent to close at 13.68 per cent. “The sell pressure was more evident at the longer end with the 9M and 12M instruments’ yields, rising by 0.47 per cent and 0.55 per cent accordingly. “In contrast, the FGN bond instruments continued a bullish run across most instruments, as the average offer yield declined by 0.04 per cent to close at 15.02 per cent,” Meristem said.

national Airport and made for the VIP lounge as had been the practice, thinking she would still be given her due recognition in the society. But she made a very big mistake as she was practically locked out and prevented from accessing the lounge.

“All efforts by the former president’s wife and the few people by her side to pacify the security agents to allow the long known protocol be, were rebuffed as they stood their ground swearing that they were acting on the orders from Abuja.”

The source added that similar thing happened to the former First Lady while coming back. He said: “On Dame Jonathan’s return from the burial, the same fate attended her with the same excuse prompting observers to ask if Abuja

would give such a directive against the personality and family of the immediate past president. “The former first lady, however, took the development with equanimity while she waited to board her flight back to Abuja.”

L-R: Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, President, Nigeria Labour Congress , Comrade Ayuba Wabba and his deputy, Comrade Najeen Usman Yasin, after a courtesy visit to the Senate President at the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday.

Saraki indicts NLC over $150bn oil theft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

tation are into petroleum business. These people do not have storage facilities, no stations. “Meanwhile they can get a document, go to DPR and they collect billions. And there are workers at the Port. When a vessel comes in and it is 20,000, they discharge 5,000 and carry 15,000 away and the workers will sign as if it is 20,000 that it discharged.” He however assured that the National Assembly would give its own input to the fight against official graft, calling on other stakeholders, including Nigerian workers to play their own role. The meeting also de-

liberated on other issues, including high cost of governance, deregulation of the petroleum downstream and subsidy removal, crisis of unemployment, devaluation and new National Minimum Wage and National Assembly leadership crisis. Wabba told Saraki that NLC will soon submit a new Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly for approval. He said in spite of the fact that the minimum wage had attained its five-year period before a review, the current exchange rate and economic realities made the wage unrealistic. “The last Minimum Wage Act was promulgated

by the National Assembly in 2011. As we also indicated in this year’s May Day address, the five-year circle during which the National Minimum Wage is due for review is here. “In addition, the devaluation of the naira from 150 to one dollar to about N242 to one dollar today, underscores grim situation for salary earners in the country. “The devaluation in simple economic terms means that the purchasing power of the ordinary Nigerian wage earner is grossly devalued. “The N18,000 minimum wage is no longer realistic as a minimum wage. “As a result of this grim eco-

nomic reality, Congress will soon submit a new Minimum Wage demand, which we hope will be negotiated by the tripartite negotiating team. “Our hope is that when the end product of that negotiation is brought before the National Assembly for legislation, it will be treated with dispatch,” he said. The NLC President also queried the National Assembly budget, seeking clarification to the quantum leap from N23bn in 2003 to a whooping N154bn in 2011. He pledged the commitment of the congress to partner the National Assembly in making people-friendly input to bills during public hearings.

Dogara sets up committee to repeal military decrees, obsolete laws CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

tain many anachronistic provisions and out-of-date sanctions for any breach. Fines of N20 or N50 for major infractions still exist in our statutes,” he said. He added that the committee would be expected to expedite action on the exercise and come up with recommendations on the laws or decrees that should be thrown overboard.

“The need also for legal reform of various sectors of our national life requires urgent attention. Law reform is one of the most critical and indispensable part of all reforms in a given society. It is the harbinger of all reforms. Without law review and law reform, the economic, political and social advancement of any nation would be diminished,” he added.

The Speaker said the reforms would be in line with the regime of change been established in Nigeria at the moment. “In Nigeria, we are in a new era where things are now expected to be done differently, more efficiently and more effectively. The change expected in the Nigerian society cannot be achieved without an effective legal framework that serves the

needs of our people. “Your committee is being inaugurated to assist us in cleaning up our Statute books and bringing all our laws up to date in order to meet the social, political and developmental needs of our country. The 8th Assembly has had a few distractions, but it is time to get on to the job for which we were elected,” the Speaker said.

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Friday, July 24, 2015

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Group wants AGF, others to disclose states’ debt profiles ... assets declaration of 74 public officials

ise-Oluwa ige ABUJA

ine members of a non-governmental organisation, Policing Nigeria Awareness Initiative, PNAI, yesterday filed a class action before a Federal High Court in Abuja to secure a mandamus order compelling relevant agencies of the Federal Government to disclose records of account showing allocations from Federation Account to the various state governors between May 29, 2007 and May 29, 2015 and their debt profiles. The group is also seeking an order compelling the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, to make public contents of asset declaration forms filed by current governors, their appointees and immediate past governors. The requests formed part of several prayers contained in the suit which is yet to be assigned to any judge at the time of filing this report. The suit marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/607/2015 has 19 federal institutions, the two main labour unions in the country and incumbent

governors, who are in their second term in office and their immediate past counterparts as defendants. The federal institutions listed in the suit included the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC and the Debt Management Office, DMO. Also listed are the Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Federal Ministry of Finance, FMF, Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Minister of Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Also on the list are the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Federal Ministry

of Education, DirectorGeneral of the Federal Inland Revenue Services, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC. The nine plaintiffs led by Tony Akeni said the suit, initiated under the Freedom of Information, FoI Act, is aimed at compelling the respondents to make public information in relation to the management of public funds. They explained that the

students do not meet requirements for admission into tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria. According to him, most of schools that fall short of NUC’s standards admit students from the country for profit and not to impact knowledge being sought. Yakassai said the commission has been inundated with enquiries from Nigerians students who had been offered admission at the Mariam Abacha American University. He said courses that are supposed to be run on full-time basis are run by the university on part time, and within very short period. “For the record, in Nigeria the duration for a full-time degree programme is not less than three years for direct entry. And, at least six years, which is 50 percent more for part-time; while professional programmes like science, engineering

and health sciences including nursing, medical laboratory science, public health are not offered on part-time basis in Nigeria. Also, part-time crossborder is not allowed in Nigeria. “Now, instead of the Mariam Abacha University to address all issues raised in our statement, they issued a paid announcement which contained mostly mischievous allegations on the commission. The NUC has never questioned approval status of universities outside Nigeria which are mostly covered under bilateral agreement. But, we will continue to ensure that only certificate obtained from reputable institutions are accepted in Nigeria,” he stated. He further noted that NUC has had cause to warn Nigerians on some other universities, especially on the West African Coast, in Republic of Benin, in Togo and some in

suit was informed by the inability of governments at both the federal and state levels to pay workers’ salary and the consequent clamour for bailout by state governors. The plaintiffs seek an order of mandamus, directing the affected listed federal agencies to produce among others, records of account showing allocations from Federation Account to the various state governors between May 29, 2007 and May 29, 2015. They also seek an order of

mandamus compelling the relevant agencies to provide the court with information on the local and foreign debts of the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory within the same period. The plaintiffs equally want the court to order concerned government institutions to produce records of the capital expenditures of the 36 state governors and the FCT within the four years period. They also want the court to order the Code of Conduct

Bureau to produce the asset declaration forms submitted by incumbent and the immediate past governors along with their commissioners, special advisers and other categories of their aides. Akeni stated, in a supporting affidavit, that provisions of the Freedom of Information Act support the enquiry the plaintiffs have urged the court to make in the suit brought under Section 1(2) and (3) of the FoI Act. The case filed late last week is yet to be assigned to any judge.

L-R: Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Wale Adeniyi; Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman and Commander, Special Investigation Bureau, Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col. Kennedy Okoro, during a news conference on the arrested syndicate that specialised in extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public under the guise of enlisting them into the Nigerian Army, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

NUC rejects Mariam Abacha varsity certificates Governors’ forum to partner Marcus fatunMOle ABUJA

ational Universities Commission, NUC, yesterday said certificates from Mariam Abacha American University, located in Marabi, Niger Republic would not be accepted in Nigeria. Director, Public Relations in the agency, Ibrahim Yakassai, stated this while briefing journalists. He said the university falls short of standards set by NUC for admission and running of academic programmes. This is even as he warned that all certificates earned from online degrees by Nigerians would not be accepted in the country pending when the decision is reversed. He informed that many universities outside the country admit Nigerians because such prospective

East Africa, especially in Uganda against fraudulent admissions. “However, NUC wishes to note with satisfaction and appreciation the decision taken by the Ghana Accreditation Board, banning 53 tertiary institutions in Ghana from advertising and admitting students, saying they were unqualified to do so. The list of the 53 banned institutions includes some of the schools we alerted Nigerians about. And the commission feels vindicated and encouraged to always say the truth and do its job,” he added. He maintained that all countries are at liberty to accept or reject certificate from any foreign university that they feel is operating below their acceptable standards. He also urged parents and guardians to always cross-check with the commission before sending their wards beyond the shores of the country.

FG for functional NHIS ObiOra ifOh ABUJA

overnors of the 36 states of the federation under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, ended their meeting Wednesday night with the resolve that they would support President Muhammadu Buhari to make the National Health Insurance, NHI, scheme operational. The forum also stated that it would aggressively support the total eradication of polio in the country as a follow up to its presentation by the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation. The governors, whose meeting lasted into midnight, said they would ensure the one per cent funding provided for in the national budget to accommodate this critical layer of health services to the citizenry. Stressing that governors

never received any bail-out money from the federal government, the forum said it would continue to demand it’s legitimate earnings in the Federation Account. Chairman of NGF, Abdulaziz Yari, stated this while reading the communiqué of the governors’ meeting. He said the NGF also resolved to work with the President in providing and pursuing policy direction that would evolve and accelerate domestic production for the stability of the economy, even as it assured that governors would meet the president to seek lasting solutions to the worsening macroeconomic challenges confronting the nation. The NGF chairman said: “Discuss with the President to get lasting solutions to the worsening micro economic challenges confronting the nation, especially on foreign exchange stability

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Friday, July 24, 2015

Protest trails abduction of 92-year-old Bayelsa monarch

NPF warns against illegal police guards

O sahOn j ulius

Omeiza ajayi

YENAGOA

he kidnap of a 92 years old paramount ruler of Tombia community in Gbarain area of Yenagoa Local Government of Bayelsa State, His Royal Highness, Christian Otobotekere, yesterday triggered protest in the state. The 92 years old traditional ruler is the father of former state Commissioner for Science and Technology and Former Chief of Staff under the administration Governor Seriake Dickson. Meanwhile, members of the Yenagoa Book Club, YBC, have expressed dismay over the abduction of the monarch and called for his immediate release. President of the association, Ebiowei Lawal and Secretary! Princewill Sede in a statement issued in Yenagoa yesterday, lamented the increasing cases of kidnappings without the police making any arrest.

“To us the act of the kidnappers is not only barbaric and wicked; it is an insult to the literary community in Bayelsa State and the nation at large. “Therefore, the YBC is calling on the Nigeria Police Force Bayelsa State Command to do all within its powers to ensure that Otobotekere is unconditionally released in good health without further delay. “We also want to use this medium to urge the kidnappers to release him speedily, because if the Niger Delta foremost poet and regent of Tombia community who is over 90 years old suffer any form of harm, his case would be one meat they cannot chew. “We want to assure the international literary community that we will not relent in our fight to pressure concerned authorities to facilitate his release, as we will protest, continue to protest and protest until he is released alive and unconditionally.”

FCTA restates ban on illegal parking Omeiza a jayi

ederal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has again restated its ban on indiscriminate parking of vehicles in the territory. It said its ‘Park and Pay’ scheme which was suspended in April last year after several court cases nullified it will still take off in Abuja better than it was. The administration announced this at a media interface organised by the Acting Director, Information and Communications department, Mrs. Stella Ojeme in Abuja. Speaking at the parley, the Director of Traffic Management Department, Vincent Igberaese, lamented that many motorists have become unruly since the suspension of the scheme. Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services,

DTRS, otherwise known as VIO, Danjuma Garba, said the traffic laws of the city must be adhered to. He urged resident to cooperate with the agency to sanitise the city. According to him, the administration has so far tested 8, 000 vehicles through the computerised vehicle testing centre. He added that six additional licensing centres have been added to the Mabushi and Secretariat centres for better service delivery across the federal capital city. He said: “We have made the registration of vehicles seamless. Less than 48 hours” urging illegal car marts and mechanics to redeploy as, there is no city in the world that does not have rules and regulations and FCT is not an exception. ‘’The law of the government must be obeyed. Enforcing the law begins with the public,” he stated.

nspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, has warned individuals and organisations against hiring policemen for guard duties without recourse to his office. He said it has come to the

notice of the Police High Command that some corporate bodies and individuals have taken the illegal route of hiring police personnel for their services. The IGP recalled a recent case in which an oil servicing company hired a dismissed police officer, who in turn procured miscreants, dressed them in what

looked like police uniform and armed them to serve the company. Giving the warning in Abuja yesterday, Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, said it is the duty of the Nigeria Police Force to warn the public of the dangers inherent in such unlawful practice.

According to him, the Special Protection Unit of the Force is available and equipped to meet the special protection needs of corporate bodies and individuals. “Those interested are to route their application to the Inspector-General of Police for approval,” he counseled.

DSS intimidating electoral officers, say Rivers NASS members TOrdue salem ABUJA

ivers State Caucus in the National Assembly has faulted the Department of State Services, DSS, invitation to the Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, Mrs Gesila Khan, INEC officials and the panels handling the election petitions arising from the conduct of the 2015 elections, accusing the agency of partisanship with the intention of influencing the outcome of matters before the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunals. It raised the alarm over what it described as “creeping dictatorship” and called on the DSS to be unbiased, non-partisan and patriotic. The group which carpeted the operatives of the DSS specifically alleged that the security agency had recently resorted to intimidating electoral officers connected with the handling of matters relating to the 2015 general elections held in Rivers State. Leader of the caucus, Senator George Thompson-Sekibo who addressed a press conference in Abuja Thursday, noted that the functions of the DSS were limited to crimes bothering on internal security of the country such as the Boko Haram threat, but wondered why the agency was enmeshed in matters relating to election petitions in Rivers State. Sekibo, accompanied by other members including the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Rivers State caucus, Betty Apiafi, accused the DSS of plotting to “witchhunt, coerce and intimidate” electoral and judicial officers connected with the handling of the matter, saying the arrest and detention of Khan was one too many. Giving insight into the matter, the Senator disclosed that the Rivers State REC and her officers were orally

invited to the DSS office in Abuja over a petition by a litigant at the election petition tribunal and she honoured the invitation with her senior officers on Tuesday 22, July 2015, “only for her to be arrested and detained till about 10pm on Wednesday 23 July with further instructions to report to the DSS daily. “The invitation and subsequent arrest of Mrs Khan followed the private visit of the Ex-Governor of Rivers State, Amaechi Rotimi to the Director SSS on or about Tuesday July 7, 2015. “We are constrained to conclude that part of the script being played by the

DSS is to concoct evidence in support of the petitioners case at the tribunal where the petitioners pleaded that they shall rely on security reports at the trial, particularly ‘the SSS report’. “It is also not a coincidence that the invitation to parties (INEC officers) came after the private visit of the Ex-governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi to the Director SSS on or about Tuesday the 7th day of July 2015. Shortly after his visit, Amaechi assured the petitioners that “the DSS is game.” The federal lawmakers, while condemning the action of the DSS, urged the security agency to continue to

play its role as an unbiased, non-partisan organisation with the aim of defending the state security. “The ultimate goal of the present administration, we believe is the unity and sanctity of a Nigerian state where rule of law against the rule of force would reign supreme. Therefore, political biases or primordial sentiments should not becloud our collective drive to achieving that. “We condemn very strongly this action of DSS and call on them to desist from further politically motivated arrest of citizens, but continue to play the role as an unbiased.”

South West

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Osun Summit: Heavy security presence forces change of venue BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

L-R: One of the teachers of students with best result in English Studies at NECO BECE 2014, Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, Miss. Nwogu Favour; Principal, Mrs. Ijeoma Ugorji and another teacher, Mr. Adebayo Femi, during the school’s prize giving ceremony in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Boko Haram plans to bomb VIP’s houses –Osinbajo ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

ice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday disclosed that available security reports revealed that there are plots by the Boko Haram insurgents to use scavengers to dump refuse-laden with bombs at the residences of top personalities in the country, calling for vigilance by all Nigerians. Osinbajo disclosed this when he presided over the meeting of the National Economic Council, NEC, held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa which was attended by state governors. The vice president regretted that insurgency has affected the economic life of the North East and the country as a whole. He also called for the council to speak as a team to put pressure on the new Service Chiefs to increase their effort in fighting insurgency, while also calling for increased sensitisation and education on channels like radio and television. The resolution released at the end of the meeting reads; “The Vice President regretted that insurgency has affected the economic life of the North East and the country as a whole. “He called for the council to speak as a team to put pressure on the Ser-

vice Chiefs to increase their effort in fighting insurgency. “There should be increase in sensitisation and education in channels like radio and television” “The Vice President also disclosed that security report has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs at the residences of highly placed Nigerians.’’ It would be recalled that Osinbajo had recently visited some states in the North East that were affected by the activities of the Boko Haram sect There was also a bomb attack by the Boko Haram sect shortly after Osinbajo left Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Also yesterday, Governors Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and Kassim Shettima of Borno State also told the NEC that five council areas in their states have been captured by the sect. The governors said that the insurgents were still hiding in Sambisa forest while calling for increase in military deployment and provision of sophisticated military equipment in those areas. On the issue of cattle rustling and banditry, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai, disclosed that most of the cattle rustlers are in Kumuku National Part

and that if not properly handled could result to another Sambisa forest. He disclosed that security network is being put in place to deal with the situation and other issues that could threaten the peace of the state. Also at the meeting, Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola suggested that special economic angle should be introduced in addition to military intervention to deal with Boko Haram problem. The council also received a presentation from the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele on the update of restructuring of the bail out for the states and payment of salary arrears. The CBN governor informed the council that following meetings with banks, it was agreed that existing loans should be restructured for the minimum of 20 years, while salary arrears should also be restructured for the minimum of 15 years and not exceeding more than 20 years. Emefiele said that the two options opened to the states are the bond option which would attract market rate and the Dent Restructuring Option which would attract single digit rate Following the presentation, the council resolved that a four- man team

made up of the governor of Bauchi, Rivers, Ondo and Osun states should follow up with the CBN to ensure that the issues of Excess Crude Collateral for the states were sorted out by next week Tuesday. The council also received a presentation from the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance on the Excess Crude proceeds. The Permanent Secretary took the council through the summary of inflow and outflow of Excess Crude savings account from January 2011 to 21 July 2015. According to the Permanent Secretary, the ECA currently stands at $2.078 billion The council directed that the committee on ECA should work with the Accountant General’s office to resolve the gaps observed in the presentation. While briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode said states governors have been told to reduce the cost of governance in their respective states. Ambode, who briefed in company of Governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), said NEC agreed that the current cost of running government was not sustainable.

eavy presence of security agents yesterday forced last minutes change of venue of the summit organised to discuss the affairs of Osun State by a group called Osun Stakeholders, OS. The summit, which has been subject of verbal exchange of words between the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was billed to hold at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, but was later moved to Aquarium Event Centre, Ile Ife. None of the former governors, speakers and national assembly members from the state attended the event, while the chairman of the summit, Justice Olu Adekeye was represented by Professor Olatunji Lawuyi. Other dignitaries at the summit include; former Minister of State, Water Resources, Engineer Bashir Awotorebo, former Osun Head of Service, Mr. Segun Akinwusi, and the governorship candidate of Accord Par-

ty, AP, in August 9, Osun governorship election, Barrister Niyi Owolade. In the communiqué issued at the end of the conference, the summit demanded restructuring of the country’s federalism to enable states explore mineral deposits in their domain for development. Reading some of the resolutions of the summit, one of the conveners, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said with none exploration of mineral deposits by states and illegal explorations by unauthorised persons, the country loses over N50 trillion annually. He added that fundamental crises bedevilling the nation can only be resolved through devolution of power to states and proper monitoring of how the funds generated are being expended. The summit subsequently called on anti-corruption agencies to carry out investigations into Osun State Government’s finances, saying from 2011 to 2014, the government had allegedly declared that it got N103 billion, while from its findings, about N183 billion had accrued to the state during the period.

Okada riders protest new Ondo transport policy OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

embers of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria, ACOMORAN, yesterday marched through the streets of Akure, Ondo State capital to protest transport policies of state government. The protest, which lasted for several hours, paralysed economic activities and disrupted traffic flow on major roads in the state capital. The state Ministry of Transport had last week given commercial motorcycle operators in the state a week ultimatum to obtain commercial number plates. The ultimatum expired on Wednesday, prompting security operatives to arrest any Okada operator who has not changed from private to commercial

number plate. While some of the demonstrators drove dangerously around the town as early as 8am, others blocked the entrance to the Ministry of Works premises, where Ministry of Transport is also located. Some demonstrators, who spoke with National Mirror, said they could not obtain another number plates at N8,000 since it was the State Licencing Office that gave them the ones they were currently using. They also said it was wicked for the state government to impose on them the Residency Card called Kaadi Igbe Ayo at the rate of N2, 000, vowing not to obtain the card since they did not know its usefulness. One of the protesters, Akimtemi Adebayo, decried the manner in which Okada riders are being treated in the state.

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South West

Friday, July 24, 2015

Electricity tariff: Court strikes out NERC objection WALE IGBINTADE

Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused a preliminary objection filed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, challenging a suit filed by a lawyer, Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi against the proposed hike in electricity tariff across the country. Justice Mohammed Idris also struck out an application seeking to discharge an order of court restraining NERC in concert with electricity distribution companies from increasing electricity tariff pending the determination of the suit. NERC had filed a preliminary objection challenging the locus standi of the

lawyer to file the suit. The commission had also argued that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action, and that the applicant failed to comply with relevant provisions of the law, as the suit was wrongly instituted. Also, in the motion to set aside the interim order against electricity hike, NERC had equally argued that the lawyer misrepresented facts before the court, and misled the court to grant same. In his ruling, Justice Idris, held that from the processes before the court, the defendant, NERC, failed to comply with the mandatory provision of Order 29 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules to the effect that such objection must be filed within 21 days

after service. The judge disagreed with NERC’s counsel that the provision was discretionary, adding that the operating word “Shall” makes it mandatory for the court. “The objection is incompetent and it is hereby struck out having been filed outside the 21 days stipulated by Order 29 Rule 4,” Justice Idris ruled. On motion to discharge the interim order, the judge equally held that it was not filed within seven days as stipulated by Order 26 Rule 11, and no order for extension of time was sought. The development, according to the judge, equally rendered the motion incompetent, and accordingly struck it out. “The ex-parte order of this court restraining hike

in electricity tariff is valid and still subsisting, Justice Idris held. The matter was consequently adjourned to September 23, 2015 for hearing of the substantive suit. Adebiyi, in the suit, is seeking an order restraining NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff without a meaningful and significant improvement in power supply at least for 18 hours in a day in most communities in Nigeria. He also wants an order restraining NERC from foisting compulsory service charge on pre-paid meters not until “the meters are designed to read charges per second of consumption and not a flat rate of service not rendered or power not used.”

Ekiti tasks monarch on investment drive ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

he new Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu, has been urged to make good use of his wide experience and connections to attract investors for the industrialisation of the town. Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr Kolapo Olusola, said there were many illustrious sons and daughters of Ikere Ekiti and other Ekiti towns who could be approached to facilitate the industrial development of the community. Olusola, an Ikere Ekiti indigene, also urged people of the town at home and in the Diaspora to give the monarch total support for his reign to be peaceful and usher in unprecedented developments. The deputy governor gave the charge while paying homage to the monarch who recently moved to his palace following completion of necessary traditional rites. Olusola said the community could only develop in an atmosphere free of

rancor and acrimony, calling on every member of the town to join hands with the monarch to move it to the next level. While congratulating the chiefs and indigenes for the choice of the monarch, he praised the people for allowing a level playing ground in the selection, which ultimately produced Oba Adu as the Ogoga. Olusola, who was accompanied on the visit by his wife, Deaconess Janet Olusola and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders and members in Ikere Ekiti, prayed for peace and development of the community. The Deputy Governor, who prayed for long life, sound health and a peaceful reign for the Ogoga, also presented him with two copies of the Holy Bible, urging him to use the wisdom contained therein as the guide for his successful reign. Oba Adu praised the state government for putting up structures that allow for transparency in the selection of Obas in Ekiti State.

Army parades fake recruitment kingpin UBONG UKPONG ABUJA

T L-R: Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija-Epe, Lagos, Prof. Olu Akeusola; Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education(AOCOED), Otto\Ijanikin, Lagos, Mr. Olawale Bashorun and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, during AOCOED 35th convocation ceremony, recently.

Customs intensifies anti-smuggling operation in S’West

igeria Customs Service, NCS, on Thursday said its new anti-smuggling squad ‘’Hawk Descend’’ would dismantle illegal routes within the South-West. Mr Wale Adeniyi, Public Relations Officer of the service, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that the area was very notorious for the smuggling of poultry products. Adeniyi stressed that imported poultry was still on the prohibition list, adding that the clamp down on smuggling of the products would be extended to other zones in the country.

He said the squad known as ‘’Hawk Descend’’ was established to cover the South-West area for a period. ‘’The focus on the SouthWest zone is because we discovered that access for smuggling of the products through the border areas from Benin Republic is highest. “We did this to ensure that the concentration of the ‘force’ to fight the smuggling activities become hard enough to break the guard,” he said. He disclosed that in the first week of its operation, ‘’Hawk Descend’’ impound-

ed frozen poultry worth over N12 million. Adeniyi said that the seizures consisted of 1,803 cartons of the banned products. According to him, a significant number of the seizures were made on the Iyafin-Badagry waterways, which stretched through the Nigeria and Benin Republic border. It would be recalled that operation ‘’Hawk Descend’’ was launched by the NCS on July 8, to check the activities of smugglers of frozen chicken, turkey and other poultry products.

At the ceremony in Lagos, Comptroller General of the NCS, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, said that the squad would operate in the border area of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states. He also said the operation would be for an initial period of three months, from July to September, 2015 He had explained that the exercise was aimed at achieving national food security and protection of the Nigerian economy against saboteurs, adding that the service had zero tolerance for importation of frozen poultry products.

he Nigerian Army yesterday paraded a suspected fake recruitment kingpin. Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, who identified the suspect as Samuel Omoh Eromosele, told journalists in Abuja that the suspect had defrauded over six unsuspecting job seekers to the tone of N32,000. “Samuel Omoh Eromosele, on the 9th of May 2015, posted an advertisement in the comments section of the website known as ‘www.nigerianbestforum.com’. The advert was entitled Nigerian Army Direct Short Service Commission 2015/2016 online application form,” where he demanded that interested persons paid N4, 500 each as application fee. Consequently, the DAPR said that an investigation by the Military Police showed that the suspect, who posed as Balogun Pre-

cious Ehi, received N4, 500 through his First Bank account and N28, 000 through his Fidelity Bank account. Shortly before his arrest on July 17, he was said to have posed as Precious Ehi and posted an advertisement via another webwite calling for applications into the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS 2015/2016 batch online. While regretting that these cyber criminals were tarnishing the good image of the Nigerian Army and other Services, Usman said that the Army was however, tracking similar fraudsters. Speaking also at the briefing, the Customs Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, said that these cyber criminals were saboteurs, exposing the country’s security to serious risk. He warned potential victims to raise alarm over this kind of issues, when they are asked to pay money to join government services.

South East

Igbo APC members confident of President Odinaka UrUakpa

embers of All Progressive Congress, APC, from South East resident in Lagos State yesterday expressed confidence in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, and advised Ndigbo not to entertain any fear of being marginalised. The group also expressed satisfaction over political appointments of Buhari, claiming they are based on merit and should not be business as usual. Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha and the Imo State Liaison Officer in Lagos, Alfred Ononugbo, spoke at a press conference organised by the Liaison Office in conjunction with Southeast APC Forum and communities in Lagos. The event was held to prepare for a solidarity rally and grand reception for Okorocha in Lagos.

Ononugbo explained that political patronage should not include managing the commonwealth of Nigerians, but the exclusive reserve of competent, responsible and accountable leadership. The Imo official, while informing that the event would hold at National Theatre, Lagos on July 25, noted the need to give the administration some time, due to the long infrastructural decay. While calling on all Igbo to support the Buhari administration, Ononugbo stressed that Ndigbo have competent people, hence the federal government should consider them for appointments. He said the solidarity rally was to celebrate APC’s victory in the last election, provide opportunity to interact with South West party leaders, whose sacrifices and commitment ensured APC became the ruling party in Nigeria.

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Buhari should disprove hatred of Igbo’ aliUna gOdwin ABAKALIKI

relate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, MCN, Dr Samuel Kanu, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to carry all tribes and regions in the country along in his administration, if he must win the next general elections in the country. The prelate disclosed this in Abakaliki shortly after dedicating Corper’s lodge along Onwe road built by women fellowship of the church in Ebonyi State. He advised the president not to see himself as merely the leader of his party, All Pro-

gressive Congress, APC, but as the leader of Nigeria and shun attempts, either by individuals or party, to control him. He therefore urged Buhari to disprove his alleged hatred for the Igbo by implementing the principle of charter of equity to accommodate all tribes in his appointments of aides. “We should be patient with President Buhari, he just started. I believe that he will balance the equation (in appointments). Each tribe should have a sense of belonging, because if any one alludes that the Igbo did not vote for him, I believe that there are Igbo stalwarts in

his party, APC. “And the way to win them over for the next election is to ensure he shows that he loves the Igbo and thus disprove that apathy or sense of insecurity by people who think he does not love the Igbo. He should demonstrate love and concern for the Igbo as a national leader and not party leader. “He should carry along all tribes and regions with sincerity, fairness and equity. He should try not to wrong any zone for the purpose of democracy.” On the new wave of attacks by Boko Haram in the North East of the country, Kanu said: “We don’t know

what they (Boko Haram) are fighting for. We don’t know who is sending them. The bombings are uncalled for.” He further expressed doubts as to the involvement of the presidency in the attacks as speculated in some quarters. His words: “I don’t think the president is behind it and no true Muslim would be behind it, but you know that terrorism knows no boundary.” On the crisis rocking the National Assembly, the cleric cautioned the leadership of APC to stop further interference in the affairs of the House, stating that any aggrieved member can seek redress in court.

Land tussle: Feuding Enugu communities petition govt dennis agbO ENUGU

raditional ruler of Neke Uno, Nike in Enugu East local government area of Enugu State, Eze Geoffrey Ogbu, has appealed to the state and federal governments to assist his community by demarcating the boundary between Neke Uno, Nike and Ukehe community in Igbo-Etiti local council. Ogbu lamented that the two communities from different local governments had been at loggerheads over a parcel of land (Anaoji) for many years, and even gone to court over it. The royal father made the call yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit on the House of Assembly Speaker, Edward Ubosi in his office. Ogbu further lamented that the matter had been lingering in the courts whereas Ukehe people have continued to build on it. To avoid escalating the matter, the royal father suggested that the government urgently wades in and demarcates the boundary to forestall possible breakdown of law and order between the two communities,

Neke Uno and Ukehe. While insisting that Anaoji land belongs to his community, the traditional ruler begged government to hasten intervention. The royal father who was accompanied on the visit by the Chief Security Officer of the community, Raymond Agbo and Comrade Aloy Ogbu, said he brought the matter before the former speaker, Eugene Odoh who hails from Ukehe but he did nothing and was now appealing to Speaker Ubosi to use his good offices to address their request. He used the occasion to appeal to the Enugu State government to complete the construction of Neke Uno, Idodo River by Old Road known as Neke Uno/ Umunko Road embarked upon by the community through communal effort. He pointed out that the community had spent over N250 million on the road and was now financially handicapped to continue up to asphalting. Responding to the appeal on land demarcation, Ubosi told the delegation that boundary adjustment and demarcation is being handled by the office of the deputy governor.

Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe (middle); new President, Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr. Uche Apakama (2nd left); Vice-President (Finance), Chief Kevin Obieri (2nd right) and others, during the opening of the 8th annual lecture of ONICCIMA in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Imo disowns N2bn agric loan scheme Chris njOkU OWERRI

mo State government has raised an alarm over a purported letter on facebook credited to the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, SGI, Sir Jude Ejiogu, urging Imo farmers to cue into a N2 billion agriculture loan by picking a form at the Ministry of Agriculture. The false announcement posted on Facebook by fraudsters that claimed to be from the SSG’s office stated in part: “The government of Imo State is proud to announce a first of its kind N2bn scheme exclusively for Imo farmers and workers with loan tenure of three

years including moratorium period of 6 – 12 months and interest rate of 7% p.a. Beneficiaries: Individuals and corporate organisation involved in small, medium or large scale enterprises.” The letter urged those interested to pick “the form at the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Block 2, Imo state secretariat complex, Port Harcourt Road, New Owerri capital territory, or contact the commission @commissionloan@yahoo.com for free application forms.” Reacting in a statement issued yesterday by Special Assistant on Media/Publicity to the SGI, Ikenna Onuoha, the state government urged members of the pub-

lic to disregard the information as it never emanated from its office. “The attention of Office of the Secretary to the Government of Imo State has been drawn to a deceptive letter on Facebook purportedly credited to Sir Jude Ejiogu as if he is the owner of the Facebook account, urging innocent Imolites to embrace and purchase a N2 billion Agric Loan form at the Agriculture Ministry. “The scammer, not wise enough, claimed to be the Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Special Duties in Imo State, with little or no information that Sir Jude Ejiogu is now the Secretary to the Government

of Imo State. “For the avoidance of doubt, Sir Ejiogu is the SGI and ceased to be the Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Special Duties since June 8, when he was sworn in for his new position,” the statement said. It warned the public to desist from further reception of information of any kind from the impostor, claiming to be the genuine Sir Ejiogu with the intention of transacting any business whatsoever on the internet or social media platforms. It advised the swindlers to refrain from the criminal act as security operatives had been detailed on the latest development.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Explosion hits major gas line in Delta Theophilus onojeghen WARRI

s Nigeria battles with insufficient gas supply to boost power (electricity supply) across the country due to the activities of vandals, the nation was yesterday thrown into more shortage as yetto-be identified hoodlums have reportedly blew up the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC’s high pressure gas pipeline in Ighwrenene community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The explosion is second in four months. It was blown up in the early hours of Thursday morning, National Mirror, reliably learnt from community sources. The affected pipelines is believed to be a major gas trunk line belonging to NPDC, even as officials say the damage would further caused serious gas shortage nationwide. A source in the community told our correspondent that the incident occurred around 1:50am on Thursday with heavy explosion, a development which threw the community into panic. At about 9am yesterday, officials of the NPDC and

osahon julius YENAGOA

ension and apprehension grip the Niger Delta region yesterday, following the decision by the former exmilitant leader, High Chief Government EKpemupolo, (aka Tomploo), to summon a meeting of ex-militant Generals to a meeting in Bayelsa State under the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND. The summon, which was contained in a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Bebeminibo and signed by Tompolo, stated that the meeting is fixed for Saturday July 25th. “My dearly beloved commanders and leaders of various wings of the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, I greet you all. It is my pleasure to humbly invite you to a very crucial meeting,” the summon reads. Tompolo, had his multimillion naira surveillance contract with the Nigerian

South South

Friday, July 24, 2015

Delta State Fire Service were seen battling to put off the fire due to the bad terrain where the incident occurred. Newsmen including our correspondent who rushed to the scene could not get access to the location due it waterlogged nature which also made fire fighters seen helplessly as their trucks and vans were stocked kilometers away from the point of the explosion. An NPDC official who pleaded not to be quoted told journalists that; “We are making attempts to switch off supply to the line, but till that happens, we are helpless and can’t gain access to the point of explosion owing to the flooded terrain of the road. Although, no group has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s incident, militant group, Urhobo Gbagbako had in the past claimed responsibility for similar explosions including that of April 3rd at Ighwrenene community. When contacted on the development, Mr. Ugo Atugboko , Manager, External Relations could not immediately confirmed the incident. He pleaded for time to verify the incident and promised to call back.

CICC to get management bureau —Lawmaker RichaRd ndoma CALABAR

he Chairman, Cross River House of Assembly Committee on Culture, Tourism and Event Management, Hilary Bisong, on Thursday said arrangement has reached an advance stage for the assembly to introduce a bill that will create a Management Bureau for the Calabar International Convention Center, CICC. Bisong disclosed this

in an interactive forum with journalists in Calabar stressing that the lawmakers were fully prepared to assist government in making legislations that would better the lots of the people. Hillary who represents Boki II State Constituency in the Cross River State House Assembly said: “We will assist the government through making legislations where and when necessary. “You have the CICC which you can not appropriate money to because it

is not an agency of government. So what we are to do is provide a suitable legislative framework for it to operate like creating a Bureau for the Convention Centre. “All over the world, convention centres are used to host world class events. When multinational companies want to hold their general meetings they don’t just wake up and go for conventions, you have to bid to attract them to come, you have to meet them. “Take a look at Kenya

Convention Center for example, they earn revenue from it and ours won’t be an exception. “You need to have a bureau to bid on behalf of the state, so you see it is a standardised global practice that you need a bureau to go and bid for these conventions as their primary focus is to market the convention centers. ‘’All over the world, where there is a convention center, there is always a bureau managing it.”

L-R: Adviser, Ijaw National Congress, Lagos State chapter, Mr. Regent Youmor; students of Elifriulia Helicopter Centre, Ronchi Trieste Italy, Messrs Uwawah Barnabas, Laboard Innocent and Suyei David, during a ‘save our souls’ plea to President Muhammadu Buhari, to release funds for the Amnesty Programme, in Lagos, yesterday.

Tompolo convenes ex-militant Generals’ meeting Maritime Authority cancelled by the administration of President Mohammad Buhari. Although MEND has been declared non-existent during the trying days of the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, the meeting of the ex-generals may be to revive it. It was learnt that the agenda for the meeting is being close guarded by the ex-militant Generals. But sources said they may deliberate over issues concerning the recent position put forward by Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo that the alleged poor performance of Former President, Goodluck Jonathan will continue to affect the Niger Delta region. Also slated for discussion are the issues of alleged plan by the present administration to probe, arrest and jail the former President, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan and the refusal

to accede to the plea by the people of the region for the quick appointment of a substantive Special Adviser on Amnesty Programme and payment of outstanding payment of three months allowances and scholarship fees to ex-militants undergoing

trainings in Nigeria and abroad. An ex-militant General, who was a member of the defunct MEND, told newsmen under condition of anonymity that the meeting may also deliberate on the formation of a new MEND and take

a position on the actions of President Mohammad Buhari since his assumption of office, “we are not meeting to declare war. But the meeting will carefully discuss issues of interest as it affects the Niger Delta region.” Paul Bebeminibo, the

Gunmen abduct Bayelsa monarch osahon julius YENAGOA

ew days after abducting a Professor in Odi, Kolukuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area of the Bayelsa State, suspected kidnappers yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, abducted the monarch of Gbarain clan in Tombia Community, His Royal Highness Chief CAO Otobotekere and whisked him to unknown destination. The community traditional ruler was abducted early on Thursday by heavily armed five-man gang in

his residence in Gbarain clan and force the chief into a car and drove to Amassoma/Tombia bridge. The ransom seeking kidnappers later set the car ablaze and took the victim away in a waiting speed boat to an unknown destination. Our correspondent learnt that a stray bullet from the kidnappers’gun injured a food vendor who is currently receiving treatment at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri. Contacted for confirmation, Police Public relations Officer, Bayelsa Police Com-

mand, Asinim Butsawat, said a combined search of marine Police, Joint Military Task Force, JTF, and the Anti- kidnapping units have moved into the creeks for rescue and possible arrest of the suspects. Although no group or persons has claimed responsibility of the abduction of the Tombia monarch, even as the family has not establishment contact with the kidnappers It would be recalled that Police Command in Bayelsa State few days ago confirmed the abduction of Professor Zibokerre Daukiye, Chairman of Odi Com-

media aide to Tompolo, while confirming the summon for the meeting, said the meeting is to deliberate some important nation issues, “it is a meeting that will discuss range of issues including those that affects the Niger Delta region.’”

pensation Disbursement Committee, In Kolokuma /Opokuma Local Government Area. Police said the Professor was kidnapped on Friday morning and whisked away in a speed boat to an unknown destination.

Arase, Police boss

North

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gombe bomb blasts: Death toll hits 36 WILLIAMS ATTAH GOMBE

neasy calm now pervades Gombe State following Wednesday night’s multiple bomb blasts that killed no fewer than 30

people at two motor parks in the state. Investigations by National Mirror during a tour around various hospitals in the state capital where explosion victims were kept, revealed that the death

toll has risen to 36 with no fewer than 55 still receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital and Gombe Specialist Hospital. At the State Specialist Hospital, the Medical Director, Dr. Reuben

Maifantaya Ardo, told National Mirror that 56 persons were treated and discharged that Wednesday night after the blast, but that 15 persons were still on admission. He, however, stated that 15 corpses were deposited at

Representative of the Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman (left), welcoming Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, during his courtesy visit to the Government House in Bauchi. PHOTO: NAN

Nigeria celebrates one year without polio MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

igeria today celebrates a year without poliomyelitis, popularly called polio virus, and is now on the verge of attaining poliofree status. If the current position is maintained, and immunisation of children is increased across the country, the nation would be certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation, WHO, in 2017. These were contained in a statement jointly released yesterday by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, and United Nation’s Children Fund, UNICEF. The statement was signed by the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Ado Mohammad. Nigeria is the only remaining country in Africa fighting polio. It trails Afghanistan and Pakistan currently faced with the scourge. Nigeria’s crisis-ridden North-East is the only area where there have been fears

of possible case, but health officials have been at their best, locating mothers and children, even at the Internally-Displaced Camps, IDPs and distressed communities. Nigeria has lost hundreds of her children to polio, with thousands others paralysed. Tagged ‘Nigeria on the Road to Polio Eradication in 2017,’ the statement said “Nigeria is one step closer to achieving the goal of eradicating polio in 2017, as it has been one year since the last case of polio was reported in the country. “The last case of polio in Nigeria was reported exactly a year today. The patient was a 16-monthold boy from Sumaila local council in Kano State. “If all pending laboratory investigations return negative in the next few weeks, Nigeria will officially be taken off the list of polio-endemic countries. “However, Nigeria will only be certified polio free by WHO in 2017, provided it maintains its zero case status, further strengthens its surveillance system,

improves routine immunisation and maintains high quality campaigns. “Consequently, achieving one year without polio is just one of the hurdles the country needs to surmount before being certified polio free in 2017. “As early as 2012, Nigeria with 122 poliovirus cases, had reported the highest number of polio cases globally and the polio epicentre of the world. “As the immediate past Minister of State for Health, Fidelis Nwankwo, said, “Our eyes are on the prize, but this is the most critical time in the programme. Because the stakes are so high, we know that the eyes of the world are on us all to deliver and there is no room for complacency until we

achieve eradication in 2017. We are far from there yet. “We’re really excited by the historic progress that has been made here in Nigeria. However, we can’t get distracted by this progress. We are now looking ahead to our next challenge which is to sustain the momentum on an emergency footing until 2017, with strong government oversight and continued levels of funding, so that Nigeria can hit the three-year mark with no cases, and finally eradicate this crippling disease,” it added. While restating government resolve to put in more effort to defeat the scourge and be out of its bad book, the statement argued that wherever there is polio anywhere in this world, every child is at risk.

the hospital mortuary. At Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Haruna Abdulrashid, said they have a record of 21 deaths from the blast while 36 were still on admission with nine persons already treated and discharged. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up by security agencies and individuals following the renewed offensive launched by insurgents since last Thursday, eve of Eid-el-Fitr festivities where over 50 persons were reported killed after a twin bomb blast at the Gombe Central market in the evening. As residents gradually returned to their businesses, another tragedy struck yesterday sending many to their untimely deaths. Yesterday’s blast occurred at Dadin Kowa

Bindow lauds Buhari’s stance on same-sex marriage LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

damawa State governor, Mohammed Bindow, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over his successful trip to the United States of America, and expressed satisfaction with the administration’s stand on same-sex marriage. Bindow in a statement signed by him in Yola yesterday congratulating President Muhammad Buhari for the successes recorded in his official trip to America, said he was in total support of the President’s rejection of any concession with respect to the issue of same-sex marriage.

PDP supports FG’s fight against corruption –Metuh WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

ational Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisah Metuh, has said his party is fully supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s war

against corruption for the benefit of the country. Metuh, who is the Kogi State Chairman of PDP state Congress, disclosed this to journalists yesterday in Lokoja, stressing that the fight against corruption is a welcome development in the interest of

and Tashan Dukku Motor Parks in Gombe metropolis. It was gathered that the first blasts at the Dadin Kowa Park went off close to a mosque as people prepared for the late evening prayer, while the second one was close to a meat seller by the park’s gate. While the evacuation of the Dadin kowa blast was ongoing, another twin blast at Dukku Motor Park, also in Gombe metropolis, went off. Eye witnesses said the Dukku park blast went off around 9pm at the entrance of the park barely two hours after the Dadin Kowa motor park incident. Spokesman for Gombe Police Command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the explosions but said the death toll was only 29 with 99 injured.

the economy. He explained that it does not matter if PDP members were involved because everyone must account for his/her deeds, but said the President must apply due process in doing so, to discourage the view that he is persecuting the opposition.

This is even as he commended Buhari for the renewed dignity and respect accorded Nigeria in the eyes of the world, noting “We are indeed very proud that this historic visit has gone a long way in restoring the dignity of Nigeria as a nation and pride of Nigerians as citizens of a great country. “We are also in total support of the President’s rejection of any concession with respect to the issue of same-sex marriage. “We know that President Muhammad Buhari is fully aware that he leads a country anchored on fear of God and so cannot support anything that offends the sensibilities of the Nigerian people.” The governor further noted that the state was particularly delighted over Buhari’s visit to the United States, as it raised the prospect of a quick end to the challenge of insurgency and consequent plight of internally displaced persons, which he said were adequately addressed by the visit.

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Challenges of local government administration in Kogi

Niger-East not marginalized –APC PriscillA Dennis MINNA

iger State All Progressives Congress, APC, has justified the appointments so far made by the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, saying the claim by the senator representing Niger East senatorial district, Senator David Umaru, that zone has been marginalised was not true. It would be recalled Umaru has accused the governor of lack of adherence to the principle of Federal Character in the appointments so far made, particularly, insisting that the appointment of Secretary to the State Government, SSG, from where Bello hails from has short changed zone B, after zone C and A had shared the positions of governor and deputy governor. APC stated that it was not proper for party men to always go public with whatever grievances they have, especially when such issues could be resolved in-house. In a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, Niger APC posited that it would not sit down and allow the people of Niger East to be marginalized, especially when its state chairman is from the zone. Vatsa said: “We always maintain that the appointment made by Governor Bello so far was his prerogative and should not be subjected to any political consideration, though he consulted the party and we told him to put all the zones into consideration The Chief of Staff, CoS, is from Niger-East, SSG hails from Niger-North and the Head of Service, HoS, is from Niger-South. The governor is from Niger-North while his deputy is from Niger South while the Speaker of the House of Assembly is from NigerEast.” APC noted that two members of APC Board

of Trustees, BoT, from the state are from Niger-East, while the national officer from the state, Hon Abubakar Lado, before he contested election to the House of Representatives was also from Niger-East. It said the appointment of the SSG was that of the prerogative of the governor, adding that in 1979 the first executive governor of the state, Awwal Ibrahim, appointed his SSG, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, from the same Niger-East where he hailed from. It added that the immediate past government at a time appointed the SSG from the same district as the governor, saying: “We therefore urge all party men irrespective of the zone to be patient with the government. “Moreover, a minister is not yet appointed, many other positions are yet to be allocated, we should emphasise on competence, merit and track record of service more than primordial political considerations. “We cannot effect the desire change without allowing it to start from us, if we must bring about the change the people desire, we must be disciplined and loyal to the party.”

Adebutu charges indigenes on Ogun devt olAjiDe omojolomoju

he member representing Remo federal constituency of Ogun State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, has appealed to Ogun State indigenes both at home and abroad to join hands in developing the state. Hon. Adebutu, the Otun Ajagunbade of Remo kingdom, made this appeal while speaking with journalists shortly after paying

homage to the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remo kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, in Sagamu, as part of activities marking the 25th coronation anniversary of the monarch. Opining that Ogun State should use its proximity to Lagos as an advantage of further developing her potentials, considering the congested nature of Lagos, Adebutu said: “Ogun State is ours, it is arguably one of the most cosmopolitan states in Nigeria, we must

collectively develop it to a land of our dreams, as we replicate some of the developments and avoid the mistakes in neighbouring Lagos State.” In a release by his legislative aide, Hon. Seye Sonuga, Adebutu promised to continually work towards creating enabling environment that will engender promotion of peace, harmony and prosperity among Ogun people. Commending the monarch for his sterling leadership qualities, which have

resulted in the unprecedented socio-economic growth of Remo land, the lawmaker said: “Our royal father, the Akarigbo, has done wonderfully well for Remo; it is in appreciation of this that we, his sons and daughters, have come together, devoid of political lineage, to pay homage and rejoice with him on this 25th anniversary of his ascension to the throne of his forefathers, while also wishing him more resounding years ahead.”

L-R: Wife of the member representing Remo federal constituency of Ogun State at the House of Representatives, Yeye Adenike Adebutu; the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remo kingdom, HRM Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo and Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, during a homage to the Oba at his palace in Sagamu as part of activities marking his 25th coronation anniversary.

Why LG poll may not hold in Igboeze South Dennis Agbo ENUGU

he anticipated December 2015 local government election in Enugu State may not take place in Igboeze South Local Government Area afterall. This is because of a suit instituted in an Enugu High Court by a chairmanship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Princess Edith Ugwuanyi, challenging her wrongful exclusion from the party’s primary during the last local council election in 2013. Ugwuanyi is asking the

court to nulify the election in the area and order for a fresh party primary election to enable her participate in the election. Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC, had announced the incumbent chairman, Hon. Festus Ozioko, as winner of the chairmanship polls for Igbo-Eze South but Ugwuanyi alleged that on the day of the PDP primaries and at the venue, the returning officer, to her greatest chagrin, announced her disqualification, chased her supporters out of the venue and declared Ozioko as unopposed candidate.

When the matter came up at the High Court, yesterday, counsel to Ozioke, the first defendant, C. A. Ugwu, pleaded for standout of the case as his case file was not immediately available to proceed with the matter. Ugwu also claimed that his client had filed a counter affidavit which counsel to plaintiff; C.D Ezeh, said he was served while the counsel to the PDP, Vincent Eneh, said he has no objection to however the matter proceeds. The PDP counsel expressed surprise that the matter was still on-going, disclosing that they may eventually settle out of

court. The trial judge, Justice Ngozi Emehelu, however fixed hearing for notice on preliminary objection as filed by the ENSIEC and adjourned the matter to October 27. Justice Emehelu said she would henceforth give the matter accelerated hearing, adding that the matter was ripe, if the parties to the suit did not settle before the next adjourned date. Ugwuanyi’s counsel, Mr. Ezeh told journalists after the court session that “before the primary election, ovation was high on her part and she was cleared among other can-

didates but right at the place where the primary was being conducted, her name was removed by the person who was to conduct the election just before they started the election. And in a jiffy they just announced that only one person emerged. “So we are challenging the unlawful manner the plaintiff was barred from participating in the PDP chairmanship primary election at Igboeze South Local Government. Eze said that even though the chairman had been sworn-in, “it doesn’t matter because the court has the right to make consequential orders.”

Politics

ocal government administration is statutorily recognised as third tier of government in Nigeria to bring governance to the people at grassroots level and bring about the much desired development to rural communities. The creation of 774 local government councils is not out of place, but in line with 1976 local government reforms objectives. The reforms stipulated roles, functions and responsibility for local government councils in their locations. However the question agitating the minds of observers is: why is it that local government councils can no longer perform their statutory functions? With the return to democracy and civilian administration in 1999, local government administration has become appendages of some state governments in Nigeria, which introduced series of policies that rendered local government administration ineffective. The councils also became a conduit pipe to siphon tax payers’ money as those saddled with responsibilities in local concils became millionaires as there was no meaningful development to show for the monthly allocation from the federal purse. Kogi State is not an exception to the scenario painted above, especially, during the oil boom between 1999 and 2007, when huge funds were allocated to local councils without corresponding development in the 774 local government areas in the country as a result of corruption. A time there was when some state governments had joint accounts with local councils with a pledge to use the money for the development of councils, a promise that never saw the light of the day. A typical example of this was Kwara State, where councils were held hostage for a long time. Although the approach to running local councils differs from state to state, but the situation was characterised by inability to discharge their statutory responsibilities of paying primary school teachers as well as staff salary and have adopted percent salary payment which has generated untold hardship on local government workers in the state. In Kogi State, which was not an exception, apparently worried by the inability of the state government to pay workers’ salary, the state governor, Captain Idris Wada during his working tour of Ogori-Magogo Local Government headquarters, Akpafa, ordered all council chairmen to immediately commence the payment of full salary to workers in all the 21 local councils of the state The council workers had welcomed Wada to Ogori/Magongo council with placards bearing different inscriptions like: “Captain Idris Wada save our soul, we are dying”; “No Salary for Months”; “Council Chairmen Have Refused to Pay us Our Salary”; and “Enough of 30 Per Cent Salary Payment.” This, National Mirror gathered, did not go down well with Captain Wada. The situation was not only pathetic, but also embarrassing, such that the governor, who was obviously disturbed by the ordeal of the local council staff ordered council chairmen in the 21 councils to pay full salary immediately in the course of his speech before he left the council. Prior to this sad encounter, Wada had set up a committee of inquiry to look into the mess in the councils under the defunct council chairmen who were sent packing by a Koton Karfe High Court judgment in December 2014, which many described as “good riddance to bad rubbish.” The Akpafa episode was a reflection of the predicament of most of the councils’ employees in the state. And like any other council in the country, the problems of local government administration in Kogi State are numerous. Top on the list of these challenges is inadequate funding of the local councils and it has no doubt crippled the activities of the third tier of government in the state. As matter of fact, inadequate funding is one problem that has brought the leadership of the respective councils on collision course with the workers across the country. The present scenario in Kogi State has also continued to impede good governance in that tier of administration; as it has become one problem that is giving Governor Wada sleepless nights. The challenges confronting the councils are so enormous and this has led to critics of the present administration capitalizing on these challenges to deride the government as non performer. The revelations form the committee set up by Wada were tarling and mind-boggling, as It was established that most of the councils in the state have been carrying more loads than they can ordinarily shoulder. Apart from the alleged financial recklessness of some of the former elected councils’ chairmen, many of the councils, according to the committee’s investigations, are over-staffed; and as if that was not enough, to compound their problems, other

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Challenges of local government administration in Kogi WALE IBRAHIM examines the various challenges in administering the local government councils in Kogi State.

Wada

serious challenge is the issue of minimum wage which its implementation has continued to raise dust among councils’ employees, as it on still been put on hold due to paucity of fund. Investigations revealed that the statutory allocation accruing to the state and the 21 local councils ranges between N3.3 and N3.7 billion monthly. lt was also discovered that the entire allocation due to the councils do not get to the councils because of what is known as ‘statutory deductions’ for other sectors. A competent source confided in National Mirror that it is after the statutory deductions are made that the balance is shared in line with laid down indices. The statutory deductions include the primary school salary paid through the state Universal Education board, SUBEB, one per cent for Local Government Service Commission, one per cent to service the Joint Allocation Account, JAC, and five per cent for traditional council and one per sent to the state university. All these, it was learnt, are essential statutory deductions on first-line-charge. National Mirror checks also revealed that in some of the councils, there are other deductions that are often made to meet other obligations; among which about 18 councils have outstanding commitments to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS. Others includes: payment to former political office holders, who secured court orders to that effect; common projects, which took off in July and Cost of Transaction, CoT; and deduction for vehicles, cars and motorbikes, purchased by the councils from a joint pool, including deductions to meet pension obligations. It was gathered that some councils that were indebted to FIRS had to pay about N500,000 monthly, deductable from source. The consequence is that these deductions further deplete the amount accruing to the concerned council which led to lack of meaningful development at grass root level. It was also revealed that the sources of funds to local councils are fixed. They are statutory allocation, Value

The presenT scenario in Kogi sTaTe has also conTinued To impede good governance in

ThaT Tier of adminisTraTion; as iT has become one problem ThaT is giving governor

Wada sleepless nighTs.

Added Tax, VAT, Excess Crude and SURE-P. VAT and SURE-P are not subject to any form of deduction. Excess Crude is no longer applicable since the removal of fuel subsidy. It now comes as SURE-P funds which are targeted at infrastructural development. And with the fall in oil price in the international market, the SURE-P fund is worse off, with serious consequences on the councils’ projects. Other reasons why local councils could not perform their functions is that after the final amounts are released to the councils, there are some internally approved deductions necessary for the smooth running of the councils. These include: salaries, security votes and departmental imprest. These too are said to be on first-line-charge; so with all these deductions from what accrues to the councils, coupled with alleged sharp practices by some of the then council chairmen, it become practically impossible to initiate any projects at the third tier of government. Ainoko explained that the continued short-fall in allocation from the federation account is hampering governance at the third tier of government in the state, stressing further that the story in the Confluence State is the same sad tale in about 30 states in the country. He pointed out that the situation in Kogi State is even better than some other states, because somemething is being paid as salary at the end of every month; even though it is being paid on pro-rata basis. The state Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, disclosed that the government is worried about the continued shortfall in the funds accruing to the councils, lamenting that there was no iota of the truth in the allegation making round that the state government was tampering with councils’ fund. Describing the allegation as unfounded, Awoniyi stated that it was the figment of the imagination of those who are bent on discrediting the administration of Captain Wada. President of Kogi State chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Tom Abutu, denied of any extraneous deductions, arguing that many of the councils are carrying more loads than they can bear. He called on the state government to find a way of ameliorating the hardship being faced by his members, advising council leaders to cut down wastages in the system. Abutu lamented the high cost of governance at local government level, saying that even with the absence of political appointees at the councils in the state, nothing seems to have changed. He noted that money accruing to the various councils have continued to dwindle on a monthly basis, saying the essence of Joint Account Committee, JAC, is to enable the state augment what accrues to the councils. He said: “Whatever the state gets as internally generated revenue, IGR, it gives the councils a certain percentage.” An employee of one of the councils, Abayomi Daramola, said the situation was so bad that most of the councils under the former chairmen could not pay their employees, claiming short fall in revenue as reason. But things seem to have relatively changed when the supervising ministry took the bull by the horn and effect some changes under the directive of the state government. Daramola added: “At least, we now take home something at the end of the month, unlike before. We hope for improvement as time passes-by.” Determined to find a lasting solution to the litany of problems confronting the council, the state government had ordered an audit of workers in the various councils. It is also making frantic efforts to ensure that what goes to SUBEB monthly is not over-bloated. The measure was instrumental to the auditing of teachers in the state recently. With these revelations, experts posited that for a lasting solution to the challenges facing the councils in the state, statutory allocation and deductions at the centre must be reviewed for life to return to the councils in the country, stressing that the state government too has to initiate moves to improve internally generated revenue at the council level to improve the fund accruing to the third tier of government.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

olajiDe omojolomoju

he member representing Lagos Mainland federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon AbdulRahman Olajide Jimoh, yesterday explained why he took the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, to court over the lingering crisis in the House on the election of principal officers. Jimoh said that as a stakeholder, he and another member from Niger State, Hon Abubakar Lado Ibrahim, have gone to court seeking an order

Politics

Friday, July 24, 2015

House crisis: Why I went to court –Hon Jimoh “to restrain the House leadership from stopping the announcement of the names of principal officers recommended by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC.” He said as a loyal party man, he aligns with the position of the leadership of the APC on the House leadership positions. He said: “The court is to determine whether section 14 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with the Principle of Federal Character is applicable to the sharing of principal offices in the Na-

tional Assembly.” Jimoh said that throughout the cirisis, he had stayed on the side of the party, adding: “My position is in tandem with the party. That is, ‘party is supreme’. I am a party man to the core, loyal and committed and I promise to abide by the advice, directives and dictates of APC.” He said that what is playing out in the House of Representatives and being witnessed by Nigerians is “display of legislative parochial interest, as a result of selfishness on the part

of winners who are not magnanimous in victory.” He added: “The Speaker should be magnanimous in victory and allow the House to be run in accordance with the Nigerian constitution, as amended and the rules of the House of Representatives. The other positions in the House are principal positions which are party positions. “Order 7, Rule 27 is very explicit. In our rules, there is nothing like zoning or House caucus. Without primary, there cannot be

secondary. Without being a party member you cannot be elected not to talk about being a member of the House of Representatives. The general interest should be paramount to the newly-elected members of the House of Representatives for posterity to judge us.” He said he had however been carrying along his constituency in his role in the crisis, adding that he had briefed his constituency twice, the outcome of which he said was the passing of vote of confidence

on him and urging him to continue to tow the party line in the crisis. Attributing attainment of any position of authority to God, who gives and takes power according to His wishes, Jimoh said: “Whenever power or wealth or influence or any good thing is transferred from one person or group of persons to another; it involves added responsibilities to the person receiving these advantages. Mr. Speaker and his group must be zealous but not overzealous.”

Ekiti APC warns gov not to misapply bailout robert awokuse

kiti State All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned Governor Ayodele Fayose not to misapply the bailout cash he collected from the Federal Government to settle workers’ salary. The warning came on the heels of persistent denials by the governor that he had collected the cash. In a statement made available to National Mirror, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said Fayose did not keep to his promise to announce receipt of the bailout when he received it, noting that rather than keep to his promise, the governor without disclosing if he had collected the cash or not, embarked on overseas trip. Olatubosun also debunked claims by the governor that the cash he received was normal allocation from the federation account and not special fund to address workers salary issue, describing it as “most wicked attitude to misinform Ekiti people and put workers at the peril of dashed hope over settlement of their salaries and other entitlements.” He said: “We state categorically that just like other states, Fayose has collected Ekiti State share of the bail-out cash, which we believe should be spent on workers’ salaries according to the mandate of that gesture. “Pensioners are being owed five months. Traditional rulers are owed for five months, all higher institutions in the state have not received subventions for five months while Ekiti State University Teach-

ing Hospital and School of Health Technology, IjeroEkiti, have not received subventions for five months but there are enough for frequent trips to South Africa and Dubai.” Expressing worry over the governor’s penchant for misinformation and barefaced lies, Olatunbosun lamented the lack of transparency in the governor’s dealing with the people. He said: “There is a constant pattern of behaviour anytime the governor collects Ekiti money from Abuja. He would travel to Dubai and South Africa where reports alleged he is building properties and five-star hotels, while the constant song at home is that Ekiti is down with Fayemi’s debt.” Olatunbosun also described as wickedness and greed the shortchanging Oja-Oba market women displaced for a new market by the governor and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to beam its searchlight on the governor over the unlawful diversion of the allocation for the women.

L-R: Governors Willie Obiano (Anambra), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), during the National EcoPHOTO: NAN nomic Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

Gombe multiple bomb blasts national tragedy Deborah DiDi

rewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has described the multiple bomb blasts on Wednesday evening in Gombe motor parks, killing about 30 people, as national tragedy. Expressing shock by the sad news, the ACF, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, and

made available to National Mirror, condemned in the strong terms the use of suicide bombers by Boko Haram terrorists to kill innocent citizens in the name of a religious war, saying that no religion condones such cruel and barbaric act. It said: “This act is cruel, barbaric and inhuman. Killing innocent people is certainly not a solution to whatever grievances Boko Haram members have against the government or

any group or individual.” It would be recalled that Gombe town had in the past few weeks witnessed many of this dastardly act of suicide bombers, where innocent souls are unjustifiable killed in markets and motor parks by suspected Boko Haram members. Calling upon perpetrators of this crime to rethink and accept the olive branch offered by President Muhammadu Buhari to dialogue if they are sin-

cere and willing to stop this carnage, the ACF also commended the military and other security agencies for clearing the land mines planted by Boko Haram terrorists along DamaturuBiu and Biu-Damboa-Maiduguri roads, describing it as “a good development and a clear sign of the determination the new Chief of Army Staff, CoAS, to end the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region.”

Ortom charges cabinet to be courageous despite challenges

henry iyorkase MAKURDI

enue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday urged members of his cabinet never to be morally dampened by the current wave of challenges confronting his administration, requesting that they channel their useful energies towards finding solutions to resuscitate the state with a view to enhancing accelerated development. Governor Ortom gave the charge while declaring open a three-day retreat for

commissioners, advisers, permanent secretaries and council caretaker chairmen at the new Banquet Hall of the Peoples House in Makurdi. He said: “The same God who assured me in 1992 that I’ll be governor and it has come to pass also told me that during my tenure gold would be found in the state. “The enemy will surely be on the way to hinder, principalities and powers of darkness will fight us, but God will surely give us the victory as contained in our campaign anthem, if

we move on the righteous side of God.” He said the story of how God raised him from grass to grace and also caused him to win elections has been one that has caused unbelievers to seek to know God and strengthened believers in their walk with the Almighty. He stated that success or failure recipes could be found in Job 36: 11 and 12, as well as Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 and 15-68 and appealed to the appointees to seek and obey God’s counsel so that they could succeed

Governor Ortom added: “My cabinet is God ordained and bound to succeed amidst difficult challenges.” He stressed that the appointees were chosen after much prayers and fasting in the most transparent manner, urging them to offer quality service to the people of the state, assuring that as captain of the ship, he would promote a common bond among them and provide them with an enabling environment to discharge their responsibilities. The governor stated that

the event was organised to sensitise the appointees to imbibe the philosophy of his administration, stressing the need for them to shun acts such as rumor mongering and gossip as well as work in synergy so as to effect the needed change being canvassed by Nigerians. He said he would always subject himself to superior argument in acknowledgement of the fact that no one had monopoly of knowledge and that God created human beings to complement one another.

Editorial

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

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

With Oliseh as Super Eagles Coach

unday Oliseh, a veteran Nigerian-born footballer was lately unveiled as Super Eagles coach by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). He replaces Stephen Keshi, the man the football house terminated his appointment for allegedly infracting the terms of the coaching contract he entered into with the NFF. Oliseh is on a threeyear contract; and is reputed as the fifth player from the 1994 football set to manage the Super Eagles, the rest being Austin Eguavoen; Samson Siasia; Daniel Amokachi and the immediate past coach, Keshi. Oliseh’s coaching experience may not be that flattering. For, reports indicate that he only had a coaching stint between 2008 and 2009 with a Belgian Fourth Division team – Vervietois. But reports indicate the new Super Eagles coach has in his possession the coaching certificate most sought-after foreign coaches have; and is the first Nigerian coach with such a qualification to handle the Super Eagles. Indeed, going for him are such positive attributes as in-depth technical knowledge of football, facilitated by his many years of playing career football abroad. He was appointed into FIFA’s Technical Study Group after his brief coaching experience. To his credit are also

records of discipline and positive approach to football; as well as his impressive organizational prowess, ability to identify and insist on working with the right backroom staff; and streamlining the invitation of players to the Super Eagles camp by focusing only on players featuring in top leagues of Europe with a view to raising the standard of the Nigerian team. Naturally following from the above would be the setbacks that eventually compelled the NFF to boot Keshi out of office, despite the strange, soft spot and presidential backing he enjoyed while erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan was in power. They included the former coach’s refusal to subordinate himself to the authority of the NFF as was buttressed by his persistent invitation of ‘inactive’ players from abroad; inability to control the dressing room, leading to disunity in the team; not being submissive to NFF’s technical committee in terms of bringing forward players for necessary screening before invitation letters were sent to them; his unilateral deals with marketers and appearing on products’ adverts without NFF’s knowledge or clearance. Keshi was likewise accused of managing and selling players, etc. It is a cheering piece of news,

THE TEAM WORK NIGERIA NEEDS TO MAKE HEADWAY… IS NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE FIELD OF PLAY therefore, that the NFF has eventually put to rest what seemed an intractable problem, as the Super Eagles wondered about with no stable coach for almost a year. However, the belated decision was orchestrated by NFF’s administrative flops and infighting; and is coming midway into the 2017 AFCON qualifiers which Nigeria risks crashing out from except it trashes Tanzania, Chad and Egypt for the sole ticket. It is not surprising, therefore, that Nigerians are demanding that Oliseh should hit the ground running, especially with the September 6, 2015 tie between Nigeria and Tanzania in Dar es Salaam fast approaching. The team work Nigeria needs to make headway in the 2017 AFCON competition, the 31st in the series to be hosted by Gabon, among others, is not just limited to the field of play. It is that which ensures that there is the unity of purpose and cordial relationship between the NFF, Super Eagles coach and the players; as well as within the NFF as a football governing body;

ON THIS DAY July 24, 1982 Heavy rain caused a mudslide that destroyed a bridge at Nagasaki, Japan, killing 299 people. Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. The city was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District. It was a center of Portuguese and other countries’ influence.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

July 24, 2002 Democrat, James Anthony Traficant Jr., was expelled from the United States’ House of Representatives on a vote of 420 to 1. Born May 8, 1941, Traficant Jr. was a politician and US Rep from Ohio. He was expelled after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering, etc. He was sentenced to prison and released on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year jail term.

and team work by the players during each of the tournaments ahead. This can scarcely be achieved through administrative ineptitude and shoddy preparations, which are still the bane of Nigerian football. Nigerians will not jettison in a hurry the shame of the crisis that rocked the Super Eagles camp at the 2014 FIFA World Cup outing in Brazil, which pitted the NFF and players against Keshi; and players against players. Gross indiscipline engendered by the non-payment of match bonus at the right time was also evident. Likewise the embarrassment the nation faced due to the nonqualification of the Super Eagles to defend in 2015 the AFCON cup they won in South Africa in 2013. While wishing Oliseh the best of luck as he takes up the sensitive task of leading the Super Eagles, we advise that he avoids Keshi’s pitfalls; especially as it affects NFF-coach relationship, coach-players relationship, selection of players, discipline and so forth. The new helmsman should be guided by these words he uttered at his inauguration: “I have come to serve, and the NFF has promised to give me all the support I need to succeed. They are the employers and I am the employee. That distinction has to be appreciated at all times”.

x July 24, 2013 A train on high speed derailed in Spain while rounding a curve with an 80 km/h (50 mph) speed limit, killing 78 passengers. The train’s data recorder showed that it was travelling at about twice the posted speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) when it entered a bend in the line. The crash was recorded on a track-side camera which showed all thirteen vehicles derailing and four overturning.

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Friday, July 24 2015

Revisiting the fuel subsidy debate NEW HORIZON Wale Ajao With

waleajao2002@yahoo.com, 08023112006 (sms only)

he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, last week said that anyone trying to remove fuel subsidy should bear in mind the legal implications. Dogara suggested that a repeal or amendment of existing price control law will be necessary before subsidy removal. He gave the advice while receiving a delegation of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in his chamber. “We cannot achieve fuel subsidy removal without repealing or amending the price control act, if we do that, it will be ultra-vires. Democracy is about dialogue and rule of law”, the Speaker had said. Dogara’s comments afford Nigerians an opportunity to revisit the unending debate over the propriety or otherwise of fuel subsidy removal. President Muhammadu Buhari recently indicated his reluctance to buy the argument of those who believe that petrol subsidy should be withdrawn because the issue of petrol subsidy is a controversial one. There are

those who argue that Nigeria is spending about N53 to subside a litre of petrol. In other words, while buyers are paying N87 for a litre, they ought to pay N140 if marketers were allowed to sell at the economic cost of getting a litre to the consumers. The difference between N87 and N140 is supposed to be the subsidy. To some economists and commentators, petrol should not be subsided. Their argument is that petrol, like any other commodity, should be available in accordance with the forces of demand and supply. This means there should be no price regulation. This is probably why the Speaker has referred to the existence of price control law. In a similar way of thinking, complete operation of market forces in buying and selling of petrol will obviously affect the existence of agencies such as the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPRA). If we are going to have a complete withdrawal of petrol subsidy, then we should scrap PPRA and other related agencies. Pro petrol subsidy removal have maintained that we should not be subsidizing the rich and the poor at the same time. The assumption here is that the rich use petrol more than the poor. Or how else can one explain the controversial argument that petrol subsidy is subsidizing the rich? Yet another view point by the opponents of petrol subsidy is that it is making corruption unstoppable in the

THOSE WHO SUPPORT PETROL SUBSIDY HAVE ALSO SAID THAT THE POOR ACTUALLY USE MORE PETROL THAN THE RICH downstream sector of the oil industry. The ugly revelation that many businessmen collected billions of naira and did not import fuel during the regime of former President Jonathan reinforced this idea. It is true, however, that even up till now the nation has not been told how much has been recovered from those who were involved in the petrol subsidy scam. So in truth, petrol subsidy money has unwittingly become another source of corrupt enrichment for our political and business elite. Those who support petrol subsidy have argued that if you carelessly handle its price, you may have so many cataclysms on your hand. Ask former President Jonathan what happened in January 2012. Indeed, the fact that petrol is a commodity that affects transportation, which in turn impacts on all other sectors of the economy makes it easy to understand why high petrol price means higher cost of production and consumption. It is in the context of social unrest that usually follows higher fuel prices

that supporters of petrol subsidy have argued that we are not yet ready for complete withdrawal of petrol subsidy. The connection is that there is a multiplier increase in fuel price on virtually other sectors of the economy. Those who support petrol subsidy have also said that the poor actually use more petrol than the rich. This is a controversial part of the view point of this group of people. Maybe the National Bureau of Statistics will have to do a study on which class of people uses petrol more than the other. This is important because we need to know whether the welder, hairdresser, caterer and others who use petrol for their generators are not using petrol more than the few industries we have. Somebody said recently that if the state is to protect the society then the people must derive concrete tangible benefits. If a state exists and the people have little or nothing to gain, the state is on its own. The people cannot rise in defence of such a state. In Nigeria, petrol subsidy, as some have argued, remains probably the only tangible benefits the rich and the poor are getting from the Nigerian state. It is, therefore, advisable to retain fuel subsidy. Signing out! Beginning from next week, this column signs out with thanks to all its loyal readers.

Unceasing insurgency and the challenges ahead

very traitorous terrorist group like Boko Haram is guilty of violating a country’s feeling, peace and sensibilities, the result is irrevocable damage and grief. It can be seen that the task assigned to each of our law enforcement workforce requires commitment, integrity, professionalism and loyalty, because they are unique in their various jurisdictions. Sincerely speaking, any citizen, whether civilian or not, who can make good use of his or her experience to predict and take precautions against damaging incidents such as the BH-induced chaos and mayhems, is doing so on behalf of the country. Individuals are the focus and objects of study in the science of terrorism like we are facing for almost six years now. This is because an individual is always central to any conceivable situation, where violation of right to life and freedom of movement is seen as a way of life. Any behaviour that endangers life usually involves citizens as targets, which is why BH remains a national threat. Many countries like us are not adequately prepared to deal with terrorist intrusions because they rely on reactive measures, which have proven extremely disastrous due to lack of technical and good intelligence gathering in their counterterrorism templates. The result is that when attacks or intrusions are detected, many decisions are made in haste without proper analysis, and that reduces the ability to understand the source and extent of their capabilities. Even if analysed, certain processes are ignored before putting end results into the public domain. Such processes include timeliness, reliability, accuracy and applicability of that intelligence. The failure

RUNNING FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER IN SEARCH OF SOLUTION AND HELP CANNOT PROVIDE THE MUCH REQUIRED OUTCOME to analyse raw intelligence, ask questions to better understand the intention, capability and vulnerability, have been the driver of the self inflicted injury we have suffered to date. The primary counterterrorism principle stipulates that even if we have sophisticated short term prevention measures put in place today, Boko Haram may still record some success in carrying out its evil activities, hence the members have reverted to their initial hit and run soft targeting and suicide bombings. The key event is that the sect out smarts our law enforcement workforce due to lack of adequate intelligence and infiltration (covert) action. Although, since the multilateral cooperation between Nigeria and some West African countries and the installation of the new APC administration, Boko Haram has intensified its hit and run techniques, a sign of pressure, fatigue, disorganisation and cluelessness. This is an indication that probably its threat circle is coming to an end; but that’s only a supposition. What we need now is changing our own strategy by building strong intelligence gathering capabilities which may include preparation, detection and response before they strike. When a country is in crisis like we are today, it may be necessarily

reasonable to skip the first two preparatory practices and move immediately to the third practice – response. Once we can improve in this area, our response and recovery processes need a review to implement the preparatory practices since we strongly rely on offensive approach alone as our only options to date. If we continue to ignore the above stated options or dialoguing with the sect, at least to know its position, it will be difficult if not impossible to determine when and where BH’s next target will be; the reason being that it is not possible to install ultra wide band, electromagnetic pulse or CCTV cameras at every corner in the most affected areas. Although, CCTV cameras can be installed, less can be done if the suicide bombers die in the process. Meaning, our success in controlling the current trend by the sect still lies on traditional effective intelligence gathering approach with advance preparatory option. Thorough advance preparation may give us the edge. It constitutes all source consideration of our counterterrorism policy, supporting procedures, critical analysis of information presented, source of information and why information was given in the first place. Extracting information from detained members of the sect may prove valuable and effective counterterrorism approach. Conventional warfare and usual offensive approach may yield little or no result given the current development, particularly as dialogue, which may prove an effective long term solution, seems not to be considered to be an option at all by us. Probably the new service chiefs and National Security Adviser may provide the

Counter-terrorism Tips With

Ethelbert Oney ethelbertoney@zissltd.com, 08029929121 (sms only) missing links by collaborating with counterterrorism experts in order to expand options particularly boosting intelligence gathering, training on infiltration (covert action) and community based approach. Running from one country to another in search of solution and help cannot provide the much required outcome because we have enough experts, scholars and academicians on counterterrorism, who can provide lasting solution to our problems. It is only Nigerians that can solve Nigeria’s problem with no conditions attached. The British and the United States may come to our aid if they consider it a good investment. Although, fighting terrorism is a collective effort, we must show commitment and be in the lead role since he who wears a tight shoe knows where it pains. It is unheard of that one wearing a painful shoe asks his friend to tell him where this shoe is paining him. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Friday, July 24, 2015

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Can we trust Buhari to bring change?

T Nigerians should intensify their prayers

oing by the many calamities and tragedies that have been befalling the nation, I want to state prophetically in this 2015 that Nigeria’s problems are more spiritual than physical. Therefore, we need to go spiritual first before human efforts can have the desired results. Nigerians must seek God’s intervention now if we want peace, progress and prosperity to reign in our land. We have a case to answer with God and unless and until we settle our case with God, we will continue to live in fear and confusion. As a minister of God, I say [rophetically that we have sinned greatly against God and He has turned His back against us and our nation, which is why we are contending with seemingly intractable problems, foremost of which is the Boko Haram insurgency. We take God’s grace for granted and engage in acts of vanity that are detestable to Him. Life is very cheap in Nigeria. People are slaughtered on daily basis through accidents and for rituals. One of the most offensive of our entire wicked attitudes is the daily ritual murder of God’s children for satanic power. Those entrusted with leadership are fully aware of this great evil and some of them are unfortunately active participants. God is greatly displeased. When you have depended on your wisdom, on your own devices and that have failed you, is it not time to cry unto God for help? To what extent shall we fall before we realize that we need help from above? As far as I can see, this is the time for every Nigerian to call upon God to come to our help, because our own efforts can no longer avail us. Prophetically speaking, I foresee Boko Haram insurgency as a pestilence allowed by God to torment Nigerians so as to wake up to the reality that there are many things we are doing wrongly. As we have read in the Bible, when God allows a pestilence to torment His people so that they can repent of a particular sin or sins, the answer is a spiritual action, repentance, acceptable sacrifice, atonement for the sins committed and a crying out to God for help. Pestilences have no human solution. President, The Way of Reconciliation Evangelistic Ministries (TWOREM) Int’l, Lagos.

Letters to the Editor

he tension and anticipation that heralded the March 28, 2015 presidential election will not be forgotten in a hurry. With General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) screaming “change” and Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shouting “transformation” it was clear that each party recognised that Nigerians were tired of the status quo. When “change” eventually carried the day, Nigerians were certain that a new

era had begun. What most of us did not realise, however, is that “change” or national transformation comes at a price. And that price will not be paid by the President alone, but by every one of us. So, the question is: Are we ready to pay the price? As depicted by a cartoon that went viral before the elections, everybody wanted change but nobody wanted to change. Members of the National Assembly want “change” but not at the expense of their personal

A kid petrol seller waiting for buyers as she sleeps off.

comfort or even official luxuries which have continually puffed up our recurrent expenditure. State governors want “change” but only to the extent that it serves their interests. For instance, why would a governor cripple the judicial system of a state or prevent local councils from functioning as they should? Why would a governor pay workers 50 percent of January salary in mid-July, yet refuses to acknowledge that there’s a problem? Apparently, the vast majority

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Let Nigerians be patient with Buhari

hy are Nigerians in a hurry? Hurrying is an act of evil. The administration of General Muhammadu Buhari is unnecessarily being stampeded. Initially, I had decided to fold up my hands and hush up my mouth over the development, especially on political developments in the country, especially during the holy period of Ramadan. With Ramadan gone, it becomes necessary to join the fray. I take exception to anyone calling Mr. President Baba Go Slow. Anyway, they can call him whatever they want, but remember “A journey of many

miles starts in a second” and “Rome was not built in a day”; so PMB’s silence is the best answer to this political nuisance. Fellow Nigerians, President Buhari needs more time to form a well structured and aligned government against the backdrop that he inherited a badly damaged country with empty treasury. It stands to reason that he needs time to study things before moving forward. More importantly, this is the first time we have experienced transfer of power from one party to another; it is, therefore, not an easy

thing to for the President to hit the ground running, like some people expect. So far we have started witnessing some achievements that can translate to enduring dividends of democracy. Fellow Nigerians, let us believe in PMB; we voted for him to save the country from the predatory cabal that held us by the jugular. Go ahead Baba Buhari, you are on the right course. History will prove you right. Comrade Kassim Abubakar Gamawa, Bauchi State (a concerned citizen & Sardaunan Gamji)

Why Oshiomhole should withdraw from NNPC/ECA Probe Panel

overnor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is taking the issue of mismanagement of the Excess Crude Account and NNPC self appropriated oil money personal. His ceaseless hot exchanges with the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are indications he has come to conclusion even

before the probe begins. For justice and fairness, he should be dropped from the four-member committee set up by the National Economic Council to unearth what transpired. The Comrade Governor, with his recent remarks, comments and daily accusation against Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is more or less playing the role of the accuser and judge. With the

Governor’s approach, it will be difficult to make the probe panel credible and unbiased; and whatever it turns out will be easily termed a planned work, especially if Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is indicted. Under this situation, it is better if Comrade Oshiomhole is dropped from the committee. Adeolu Isadiran, Lagos.

of our elected leaders are only interested in fulfilling their personal aspirations and securing a fortune for themselves. That is why we cannot afford to leave the business of government in the hands of politicians alone. We must rise up as engaged citizens to demand, and when necessary enforce, good governance. However, we cannot do this if we don’t learn to take personal responsibility for effecting positive change within our immediate spheres of influence. This begins with simple disciplines like obeying traffic rules, using the waste bin (instead of littering our streets and roads with empty sachets and cans, for example), staying on the queue, and refusing to bribe or be bribed. Nigeria will not change because we have new senators, representatives, governors or president. Nigeria will change because we have new Nigerians with a new mindset. Every citizen must imbibe a culture of responsibility and accountability. We must all be committed to a disciplined pursuit of the common good. Only then can we set the stage for real change and lay the foundation for national transformation. You know what? Regardless of his perceived competence, experience and good intentions, President Muhammadu Buhari cannot bring the desired change without the support of dedicated lieutenants and committed citizens. Like Kofi Annan observed, “Whether our challenge is peacemaking, nation-building, democratisation or responding to natural or man-made disaster, we have seen that even the strongest amongst us cannot succeed alone.” It is, therefore, important that every Nigerian commit to the process of national transformation. To this end and in addition to modelling good citizenship, our leaders must paint a clear picture of the change that we seek. If we don’t know exactly where we’re going, how do we know the route that will take us there? In addition to having a clear and easily comprehensible vision, we must put systems in place – starting from the educational sector – to ensure that every citizen and resident of this nation understands the vision and aligns with it. I believe that with purposeful leadership and engaged citizenry, Nigeria will change progressively until it becomes the most desirable nation to live in. God bless Nigeria. Philip Amiola, Lagos.

Send your letters The Editor reserves thethe right letters or or mails mailsto toPMB PMB10001, 10001,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,or orour our Email: Email:mirrorlagos@yahoo.com mirrorlagos@yahoo.comand andinfo@nationalmirroronline.net info@nationalmirroronline.netoror08056180209, 08054103275,07033375481 07033375481(SMS (SMSonly). only). The Editor reserves right to to edit and reject letters photographs. Psuedonyms may used, must clearly marked such. edit and reject letters or or photographs. Psuedonyms may bebe used, butbut must bebe clearly marked asas such.

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Flavour

Friday, July 24, 2015

Arty past twenty years and pledged their support to assist in its development. The National Film Institute Jos, was established in 1995 to provide training and capacity building of the highly specialised manpower needs of the Nigerian film industry. For its certificates, diploma and degree programmes which are approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Universities Commission, the NFI admits candidates who sit, meet the approved cut off point marks of the unified tertiary matriculation examinations (UTME) by JAMB, and have obtained 5Credits (WAEC/NECO) including English Language, Mathematics and Literature in English or Physics.

The NaTioNal Film iNsTiTuTe Jos, was esTablished iN 1995 To provide TraiNiNg aNd capaciTy buildiNg oF The highly specialised maNpower Needs oF The

NigeriaN Film iNdusTry

WEEKEND STARTERS

Comedy show with Seyi Law

ome crack your ribs with laughter at MVP Lounge on Sunday 26th July at Plot 16, Block 46, Bisola Durosinmi, off A d m i r a l t y, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State. One on Nigerian’s finest comedians, Seyi Law will be hosting the event and other comedians will be present too. Seyi Law

Live Theatre at Unity Centre

Art exhibition at Banana Island

ive Theatre on Sunday presents Wole Soyinka’s King Baabu, Dapo Adelugba’s That Scoundrel Suberu and Adelarin’s What Men Want on Sunday 26th July at Davidhouse Multimedia Limited at the Unity Centre, 28, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA. LiveTheatre has worked with notable talents in the Nigerian entertainment industry such as Yinka Davies, Gabriel Afolayan, Matse Uwatse, Igos, Omonor Somolu, Ego, Taiwo AjaiLycett (OON), Toyin Oshinnaike, OC Ukeje, Omoye Uzamere Brown, Marcy Dolapo Oni, Bimbo Akintola, Nedu, Manny, Ben Ogbeiwi, Igos- the Prince of Wazobia 95.1, Abiodun Kassim amongst others in plays by Wole Soyinka, Dapo Adelugba, and Femi Osofisan.

Wole Soyinka

frican Artists’ Foundation (AAF) is bringing artists together for an exhibition where they will use diverse media – film, fashion, paint, photography, digital collage, and sound – to show the diversity and complexity AAF of each of their worldviews: complete, distinct, nuanced and fantastical. They design and manifest their own distinct realities. Featuring in this events are female artists like: Joana Choumali (Côte d’Ivoire), Nkechi Ebubedike (Nigeria/ USA), Akwaeke Emezi (Nigeria), Modupeola Fadugba (Nigeria), Selly Raby Kane (Senegal), Nkiruka Oparah (Nigeria), Moonchild Sanelly (South Africa) and The Venus Bushfires (Nigeria). The event will hold at Ford Foundation, 105 Close, Banana Island, Lagos from Friday July 24th to Sunday July 26th 2015 from 10 am to 4 pm.

Inside FCT P. 24-25

NFI Rector who spoke on the essence of the Interactive Forum, said the forum was to sustain the awareness campaign on film education in Nigeria at the NFI and the opportunities it offers; in the development of the nation. This, “is a concern for all stakeholders”, she said. Prof. Best commended alumni of the Institute for being good ambassadors, just as she enjoined parents and guardians to constantly engage their wards on the training and studies undertaken at the Institute. Parents, guardians and others who spoke at the forum commended the management of the Nigerian Film Corporation (proprietor of the Institute) for the achievements recorded in the

Critics P. 22-23

L-R Mr. John Mfon Registrar NFI, Prof. Christiana Best, Rector NFI, Dr. Danjuma Dadu, Chairman NFI Governing Council, and his wife Mrs. Victoria Dadu (A Parent)

Mirror Mongers P. 26

ational Film Institute Jos recently celebrated her twenty years of existence with significant reforms being recorded by the institute. Part of the events that marked the celebration was the 2015 edition of the annual Interactive Forum of the National Film Jos, where issues of critical infrastructure and expanded academic programmes were extensively discussed. With the celebration of the event, parents, guardians, stakeholders, film makers, students, and alumni gathered at the main auditorium of the institute to participate in the interactive forum held with the theme, “Opportunity In Film Training And Capacity Building” with ovations coming from the audience at the announcement of the approval for the equipping of its ultra modern Sound Stage, the set up of a 100 One Hundred Computer Laboratory, provision of Students Hostel Accommodation and the soon to take off Post Graduate School of the National Film Institute. The Chairman of the Institute’s Governing Council and Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Dr. Danjuma Dadu, while addressing participants at the forum revealed that the provision of the critical infrastructure, physical development and the expansion of the academic programmes of the Institute were intended to bridge the gap between Film and other Media Arts courses. He also reiterated the institute poise to positively overhaul the system by announcing the furnishing and equipping of the ultra Sound Stage of the Institute which is to commence soon and this is intended to add up to existing training

and film production facilities to cater for envisaged increase in the number of candidates seeking admission into the Institute. Other projects in the pipe-line as announced by Dr. Dadu is the planned restoration of hostel accommodation, ahead of the completion of those at the permanent site of the Institute at Lamingo, which is to address the challenges faced by the students, seeking accommodation in Jos. Twenty years down the line, Dadu said that the Institute has remained the cradle of film training in Nigeria with its graduates competing favourably with their counterparts from around the world. Dadu also announced the expansion of academic programmes of the Institute, which will begin with the introduction of other Media Arts courses and the commencement of the Post Graduate Diploma certificate in film studies. According to the chairman, “the introduction of these programmes are to carter for those who intend to undertake career and professional practice in film, especially in film marketing, distribution and exhibition, but who have no basic and requisite training background in film studies”. The successful implementation of the 5, 10 and 20 years development plans for the Institute will witness massive physical infrastructural development, to include lecture halls, production theatres, offices, screening auditorium and students’ hostel accommodation. Similarly, increase in film training equipment, camera and edit suits, makeup, costume and props production facilities, as well as increase in the numerical strength of lecturers and students within the development period will be achieved. Professor Mrs. Christiana Best, the

News P. 32, 33

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

Film: Hope rises as NFI marks 20 Ngozi EmEdolibE

Artman In The House

hy did you suddenly go off the radar? I took a break and it was in the news. I was involved in an accident. I had a third album and was working on a video and around that period, I was involved in an accident somewhere between Akwanga and Lafia. The same month, I lost my immediate younger sister and then I decided to take a break. It’s been quite a journey, God has been faithful and I am back here. It’s a blessing that people think that I still have something to offer and some would say there is a void where you left off while others would say ‘why did you stop’, we were enjoying your stuff. It was encouraging because I didn’t relent or stop writing. And so, all that has culminated into the singles that I just dropped recently, they are online for Six Foot Plus now. Come back song and Gilashi by Six Foot Plus are on several social media platforms, people have been downloading them and the response has been positive. You know you can’t stay away for a while and then you don’t have something to offer because people think it’s nice and want to recommend it. So, I’m grateful for the privilege. Are you sticking with the kind of music you were known for back then or you have changed your style? I think I’m continuing from where I left off because there always has to be a message in music. Also, you can do art for art sake, which is allowed, but some of us just feel responsible to the society. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I know I have to put something somewhere. Also, at the risk of beating my own Konga or anything, I will say listen to the song and make your own deduction because as far as I’m concerned, a piece of art work should be spoken of by critics and not the creator. I can just tell you that I’m trying to come up with something nice, pleasurable, excellent or good enough for people to digest, it’s left for you now to digest it and say, this is like this and this is how it should be. But most times, a work of art speaks for itself because I don’t tell you I’m the greatest dancer without being able to show you how much I can dance. I can’t say I’m the best painter and you haven’t seen any of my paintings. So, I can’t say I’m the best. I’d rather leave you to listen to the song and then, you’ll be the judge of whether I’m continuing

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

I’m continuing from where I left off –Six Foot Plus One of Nigeria’s foremost rappers, Alfred Atungu aka Six Foot Plus, famed for his hit track, Anwuli, is back with two singles, Gilashi and Comeback Song. The rapper brings to the fore his long break from the music scene and what inspired his recent works in this interview with REGINA OTOKPA Excerpts: from where I stopped or not. dropYou mentioned drop ping two tracks? Yes, back to back. One was a week after the other. onWe are now doing the on line promo for Gilashi and Comeback Song. Also, we are thinking of graduating to radio, videos and then TV. I’m actually taking my time. What inspired the new works you have? I had a business deal with someone years back and one of the agreeagree ments was that once evev ery year, I would put a single out but nothing strenuous. Soon after we started working, I did some songs but the person in question was of the opinion that I should do a song that would promote me and I began to think of what to write about, even though sometimes, topic doesn’t quite matter, it’s your mode of presentation that does. There’s a way I think, which is the reason why I said ‘why don’t I call it the come back song?’, then Gilashi is the second single I dropped. It’s a play on words, it’s poetry, and also addresses the vanity of wealth. I used Hausa, Pidgin and Yoruba in the opening, and English language later in the song. I’m multi lingual so I expressed myself in those languages. I feel blessed. When you listen to them, you can see what I mean. Some of your fans expect that you would have featured one of the known faces like others do, to make the songs sell but It seems collaboration is not your thing? I quarrel with people with such mentality because they think that’s the surest way to put you in the limelight. But my argument is that lots of people have fea-

I used Hausa, PIdgIn and Yoruba In tHe oPenIng, and englIsH language later In tHe song. I’m multI lIngual so I exPressed mYself In tHose languages. I feel blessed

tured 2Face, how many of them do you know honestly? Can you count? That’s not what it boils down to and that’s why lots of people get lost by trying to show off with collabos . Then what’s your essence? That’s why I think that to do a comeback is about me and not about any other person. If there would be collaborations, let it be down the road. I don’t think I have to rely on someone to be something. I have no problem with collaborations, most likely, I’ll do it when I’m ready but it’s not the middle of my galaxy. I have a mind of my own and I believe you should be known for something. We know people who did collaborations with people and got lost in the process because they were trying to conform to a certain way of life. As a matter of fact, if you are a budding musician thinking of fame and you are eyeing collaboration, I will advise you that it’s not the best way to go. People need to know the style that they have. If you check, some people come out and they are successful; they put out a single and the thing blows up and it’s all over the place and before you know it, some other people have arranged collabos with them, probably for some of the shine to rub off them as well. But do you know what it does to you, even you the owner of the song? It takes away the shine from you because the people you

are featuring can also perform that song in your absence. We don’t have to wait for a Tony to do his song when we know that when a John performs the same song, we will see it. So, if Tony will charge me N1 billion to do this thing, I’d do well to go and look for probably someone who will take less. But if it’s Tony’s, it’s Tony’s and it’s exclusive to Tony. If you check, how many people really made it through collaborations? Sometimes, you see people who have something to offer rubbing off other people who also have something to offer, but I don’t think it’s the best thing if you are doing a comeback. I have heard it many times that’s why my response is the way it is. What’s your perspective of the Nigeria music as of today? It’s quite interesting and encouraging. Our videos are world class now. The music, well everything is moving forward and the trends are changing, people are bringing down content, but there are some who have stayed focused and at the end of the day, some people would say do what works for you. If you feel this works for you, fine because people will still do what they do and you know sometimes people ask your advice not because they plan to take it; they have made up their minds what they want to do before they ask for an advice. Sometimes there are various ways of influence. What should we be expecting from you next? Expect music for now because I’m a man of many talents. There is need to be focused when doing stuff. You can’t do everything at the same time. Nobody has divided attention and succeeded in doing anything. I have other plans in the works that would be subsequently not a gist for now. You have the single, manage it for now.

Performing his song

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Artman In The House

Friday, July 24, 2015

Challenges before Nigerian TV producers â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Zik Zulu Okafor So many factors are militating against the average Nigerian producer operating in both the film and television industries. While having a formidable union to present their issues for a policy direction is necessary, more still needs to be done in sensitising the society about their role. Producer Zik Zulu Okafor talks about this and more in this interview with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE. Excerpts:

ebt recovery from agencies is a big problem for producers, how are the producers addressing

this? There is a body of independent producers, primarily concerned with this, and over the months discussions and meeting have been going on. There are positive signs that things will improve. The truth is that the problem is a chain. As an independent producer, you will source money and pay the actors and also pay the television stations, only for the advertising agencies to owe you, probably because the company manufacturing the products also owes them. So it is a chain. But one of the greatest challenges is the exorbitant fees independent producers pay to show their programmes on television stations. It runs into millions of naira. Of course, the actors you want to hire will not want to know how you go about this. The NBC insists television stations were not licensed to vend air time to

independent producers? I think the NBC is aware of these challenges the producers are facing. It is not strange or news that independent producers pay so much in Nigeria to show their programmes on air. What is your perception of the film industry in Nigeria at the moment? There is no doubt that things are bad in the sense that we can do better, but a lot is going on in the area of addressing the basic problems. The Nollywood of our dreams is yet to be attained but we hope to do this, and every one of us must take part in building it. I thank the government for the efforts they have been making in this regard. Whether we like it or not, the industry is full of potential and this needs to be well-harnessed to make the changes we desire. Why is the financial sector shunning the film industry? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because there is no structure on the ground. This is what we need to urgently address The little recognition we have, came from some institutions, especially Africa Magic, which put our films in most households in Africa. They brought the honour because they have put Nollywood stars at every home in Africa. Today Nollywood has become a phenomenon, and people feel like identifying with it. Financial institutions are articulate and will like to know how the money they want to put in the project would come back. One of the things we need in the industry is cinema houses. If we can get cinemas at most city centres, then the banks will know that the framework to recoup the investment is there, and I bet you, they will come. A producer once told me the endorsements from the telecoms sector do not contribute anything to Nollywood. Do you share this view? Absolutely; it is all part of the exploitation we are talking about. The telecoms company can come and pick one

Zik Zulu Okafor

actress and make her the ambassador with millions of naira, but the money goes into her pocket and does not come to the industry. The only way the telecoms can make meaningful contribution to Nollywood is by also encouraging the producers. Meanwhile, the actress that is being appointed as an ambassador was actually built by the producer. So the intervention by the way of appointing ambassadors, are just exploitative. Can you recollect your experience shooting your first film? Yeah, after I got a masters degree, I took a plunge into the movie industry because there was my passion. But it was not easy. It was so tough that I once wondered if the

One Of the greatest challenges is the exOrbitant fees independent prOducers pay tO shOw their prOgrammes On televisiOn

statiOns. it runs intO milliOns Of naira.

cOurse, the actOrs yOu want tO hire will

nOt want tO knOw hOw yOu gO abOut this.

Zik Zulu (middle) with colleagues in Nollywood

decision to be here was actually the right one. Along the line, I ran into a good friend of mine, Jude Okonma, who was very supportive. He wanted to know what was happening to me, and after I explained to him, he gave me N300,000. With this money, which was okay then, I teamed up with my friends Chico Ejiro and Mike Nliam to make my first film, Nightmares. Nightmares was unique in that it was the work that introduced Pete Edochie and Onyeka Onwenu into Nollywood films. Pete had acted in Things Fall Apart, but not a Nollywood film then. How commercially successful was the film? It was not a bad experience. We were able to pay for logistics and also made a little profit. It was quite encouraging, because the film was special. The success inspired me a lot to continue. How has journalism helped your career in film making? The reality is that I still practice journalism. I would have been a successful journalist, if I had remained fully in journalism, because during my days at TSM, I used to sit and write eight pages. Up till now, I still write and get published in some national newspapers. But I thank God that I never really detached completely from the media; that is why I am able to do media consultancy for people, institutions and government. Let us get personal. How do you relax and take time off work? I travel with my family. I go on holidays a lot and when I do, I do not do anything apart from resting. At home, I like to jog, because I have a gym and a field in my house. I exercise and then find time to also swim in the compound.

Critics

MUSIC

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigerian artistes and international collabos

Let me formally acknowledge Japheth J Omojuwa’s piece. It is an eye-opening one; as it aims to show the other side of music. UgochUkwU FavoUr-mayor

ith a questioning caption: “Nigerian Artists and International Collabos: What’s Next?” The purpose is to pull our hip-hop musicians in the direction of meaningful economic reform. Yes, economic reform, whereby adding extra value and gains to what they do. Content is becoming a serious business in Nigeria, and Africa as a whole is responding to it. After showing the way, I don’t think it will be nice for Nigeria to lag behind. We can’t afford to stay behind, after the much investment of time, talent and resources. We need to set a pace further, in line with reasonable gains and recognition. For the very admit that he is not a music expert, yet Omojuwa unraveled some strategic points, along with expository terms to them. He conveyed what is difficult to understand in a language that it could appeal someone who is not into the business. Yes, Omojuwa may not be in the music business, but as a showbiz writer and stakeholder, it stakes within me

TELEVISION

Nigerian musicians to follow such an objective line of telling our artists what they ought to know about the business they are into. It is no longer doubtful to agree to the terms that we have conquered the international scene, music wise.

We have done the necessary collaborations. In fact, let me say that we have fooled to get what we want. And we have lost millions in exchange of such transaction, which I would describe as a door opening one. And of course, it was door opening that international collaborations brought. Let me even ask: Did they take our music to the consumers? No. Did they attract appeal and acceptance for such ventures? Somehow!

Inside ‘Glass House’

Victor Olaotan, Moji Olaiya and other talented thespians sizzle in Glass House, a soap opera by Jerry Isichei Ngozi EmEdolibE

aches Multimedia has a new work, ‘Glass House’, a television drama. The progarmme kicked off on some television stations across Nigeria. According to the production company, ‘Glass House’, which is a drama shot on HD format will run for thirty minutes per episode on television stations like Africa Independent Television, Silverbird Televisions, Superscreen, ITV Abuja, ITV Benin, ABS OnItsha, NTA Aba, DBS Asaba, RSTV PH and ESBS Enugu. The drama series which is directed and produced by Jerry Isichei has a stellar cast which includes: Victor Olaotan, Kiki Omeili, Moji Olaiya, Michael Okon, Kelechi Ejelonu and Jumoke Poopola amongst others. According to the director cum producer, Jerry Isichei, the production which took long to complete was delayed because the crew wanted to give the audience the best. “It should have been out before now, but we wanted to give the best to the audience. We took time and I thank God for everything because the ultimate is to get the audi-

Cast of Glass House ence involved in the drama, which is miles away in terms of quality from its counterparts on the scene presently. It is running on the HD format, which is a step further, which will cer-

It Is runnIng on the hD format, whIch Is a step

further, whIch wIll certaInly

DelIght auDIences.

tainly delight advertisers”. On efforts that have been made to ensure continuity, the producer said that was part of the logistics issues they took time to iron out before bringing the television drama on TV. “We have been through this road several times. This is not my first brush with TV soap opera. We are behind ‘Footprints’ which has been running for many years on over fifteen TV stations and the experience we got from that has helped us in making ‘Glass House’ bigger and better. We just did not want to come out for coming out sake. We took our time, and the price we had to pay was that this was de-

layed. Like I said initially, it is better we come out late than coming out and recoiling after a few months. We have content that will last for years. With the right partnership in terms of sponsorship, we would be engaging our team of writers to develop the suspense and plot that would make this real life experience drama the hit that it is supposed to be.” He also disclosed that the production company in line with its policy of making sure that the audience gets the desired results have sent out a feedback mechanism where the audience would participate in making the show greater by sending responses to the production crew.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Critics

Friday, July 24, 2015

As long As we wAtch the unveiling of

things, informed minds will continue to Argue the Authenticity of All these collAborAtions Past collaborations we did, I will describe them as what Lagos boys call: “marching ground fee.” After paying for the land rate for spaces, our celebrities were left to hustle their ways into the market for consumers’ acceptance. Permit me to ask this question again, a delicate one. What was the content of agreement reached before all these series of collaborations got recorded? Did our artists go to them like criminals, whereby taking their voices through the backdoor without due agreement with their managements? As long as we watch the unveiling of things, informed minds will continue to argue the authenticity of all these collaborations. That after featuring or having an international artiste drop his own verse on an assigned track, at the end, he fails to tweet its link for downloads. Not even acknowledging how dope the song was? It’s somehow insulting. I wish not to reduce the enthusiasm or confidence of our artistes through this rejoinder piece. From where Omojuwa paused, and to what his objective represents, I wish to maintain on the lane of hailing them while urging for advancement. We have to look beyond the euphoria of featuring an international artist. For the little we have seen, we are very much proud of our artists; they’ve conquered barriers. Let me borrow some lines from Omojuwa’s piece: “Gone are the days where the Nigerian or African music consumer is excited about a collabo between our artists and those from across the ocean, mostly from the U.S. Hip-Hop community. We have seen 2Face and R.Kelly, we have seen D’Banj and Snoop Dogg, P-Square and Rick Ross, Vector and Movado, Akon and everybody, Davido and Meek Mill and down to the most recent one, Wizzy, Skepta and Drake.” Our music is taking centre stage of activities in the world. We have to add value to the little we have achieved. Let’s consider the revenue aspect, by reviewing contract terms of these collaborations. After collaborations, the involved artiste should be charged with the duty of adding his/her little effort in promotions. What will it cost them? Just a tweet or upload on their platforms will go a long way. Another pointer to this enumeration came when Drake and Scepter dropped verses on Wizkid’s hot single, Ojuelegba. Within the night it was released, Ojuelegba had a smooth trend online, at least as a song and as a place. What destination? Nigeria! What an international exposure for a small city. But you know what pissed me? I think it will be the thrust of Omojuwa’s annoyance to his piece; though he never mentioned it. It was when I saw Wizkid retweeting in acknowledgement, but I looked through Drake’s wall page, I couldn’t find any remorse or reaction. •Ugochukwu Favour-Mayor is a media personality and author of Most Influential Igbo Personalities.

BOOK

Getting the American dream

Emmanuel Olawale’s new book, The Flavor of Favor: Quest for the American Dream; a memoir, narrates explicitly the challenges associated with new and young immigrants in America. Olusegun KOiKi

he author, Emmanuel Olawale was born in Lagos, a product of a humble background. The only advantage at his disposal was his determination to succeed despite all the obvious unfair class strata created by the society. Things were hard for him at a very early age as he juggled holiday jobs even without the consent or knowledge of his disciplined parents, yet, he struggled to remain alive, but the ladder of success eventually yielded itself to him and he climbed up rapidly in his new adopted country as he determined to be a role model to the younger generations and helped the growth of his Nigerian family. Measured and elevated language is employed throughout the 366 pages book with 23 chapters and this is one book that informs and edifies, whether it is discussing the challenges of a younger beginner or the need to input God in our efforts to reach the desired goals. Throughout this revealing literature, the author clearly hammers down every point using relevant examples, allowing readers to fully key into the main theme of the book – to reveal how young and vibrant Nigerians with goals can set them and reach their targets. The author in the narration of his growing up in Nigeria, painted a picture of a society that abhors indiscipline, yet some basic elements or unscrupulous people in the same society made life uneasy for the citizenry through intimidation. Chapter one, ‘The ‘Marked’ Boy’, took the readers to the early education stage of the author who as a Primary Two pupil met obstacles from co-pupils and almost killed by two of his classmates for simply being “nominated the class captain as well as being the teacher’s favourite student. In particular, I’d earned their enmity because I presided over the class in the teacher’s absence and was responsible for reporting any delinquencies upon her return.” One page eight with the topic, ‘The Burning Man’, the book painted a gory picture of jungle justice in the Nigerian society and the reaction of the immediate environment. A particular scene was about a young man who was burnt to ashes with tyres and petrol for allegedly stealing a car radio! The author on 111-112 narrated the inhuman killing of the man in the presence of jubilant parents (who were supposed to plead on his behalf) and the law enforcement agencies who looked the other way. According to the author, the alleged naked thief was dragged on the tarred road, hit with pebbles, sticks and several other objects before being set ablaze by the death-happy crowd. Yet, mothers saw nothing wrong with the callous treatment and killing being meted out to a fellow human being! This and more are some of the jungle justices that still pervade the Nigerian society even in the 21st century. Rather than follow the due process of law, the populace prefer to take law into their hands. At a stage in his life, after experiencing poverty and hawking wares in order to be able to eat daily, Olawale decided to depart the shores of Nigeria and seek greener pastures else-

where. His hope of getting the eluded greener pasture was in the United States. When the author was departing the shores of Nigeria in 2007, he thought the streets of U.S. were laced with gold and diamond, but reality downed on him that to be successful in the new abode, he would have to roll up the sleeves of his shirts, engaged in at least three menial jobs daily, pursued his degree programme and still seek better life. On page 183, the author expressed shock to see poverty on the streets of New York; “I was taken aback by the ferry and subway musicians, singing and playing music for nickels, pennies and dollars. I’d never imagined anyone could be poor or homeless in America...I’d thought everyone in America was rich and had more than enough to eat and wear. The existence of poverty in the City of New York amid the plenty was something beyond my imagination.” He pursued his degree course in Communication, Media Studies and Journalism in the U.S. and finished a course of four years within a record three years and still came out with Distinction despite working three jobs; two fulltime security jobs and part-time home health aide. After the degree porgramme, he proceeded to read Law at the Capital University Law School in Ohio where he also graduated in flying colours, but the turbulent moments began when he lost his clerk job in a law firm exactly a week after his tying the knot with his wife, Jummy. Olawale who was choosy about jobs and ran after by several firms because of his brilliancy, suddenly became jobless for nine months without any hope of where the next meal would come. But, he weathered the storm as he sewed a seed with the last $48 in his savings and within 24 hours, doors of opportunities once again opened to him and gained all he lost within 48 hours with Unemployment Compensation Hearing Order for three months totalling $6,000 and another law firm clerk where he was later offered a job as an assistant attorney even before he graduated from the law school. Chapter 19 with the head, ‘The Litigator,’ had 25 pages and thereby contained the largest in the book. This chapter can conveniently be renamed ‘The First Trial.’ Olawale as a young lawyer was given a brief, w h i c h even other established lawyers had turned down while his firm already lost hope of winning the case, but he won and instantly became a household name in his chosen profession. However, the migration of the author to the U.S at early age of 20 definitely has some impacts in the construction of words and mixture of such. The author in almost all the pages has mixture of Queens and American English. In all, there are about 346 words written in American English, which makes the book more appealing to Americans, rather than the Nigerian audience especially the country’s students. But, the author can take solace in the fact that some prints, including newsp a pers in the country today proudly display American English in their contents and headlines. Also, on page 184, there was an error of currency conversion. The $10 mentioned for his haircut and

in All, there Are About 346

words written

AmericAn english, which in

mAkes the book more AppeAling to

AmericAns, rAther thAn the nigeriAn Audience converted to N15,000 is inaccurate. Even in today’s exchange rate, the conversion is just N2, 450. The consistent of talk of Junior High School by the author when writing about his secondary school experience in Nigeria was inconsistent with the Nigerian environment. What is used in Nigeria is Junior Secondary School, J.S.S., fallout of the 6-3-3-4 academic system. Besides, there are some construction, statistical and spelling errors on pages 96, 126, 132, 139, 228, 230, 274, 325 and 356. However, these errors can be corrected in the second edition of the book. The Flavor of Favor: Quest for the American Dream; Memoir is professionally crafted and gets the readers glued to it from the beginning to the end. The book is one of the most comprehensive and insightful memoir written in recent time with double spacing characters, which makes it easier for booklovers to read. It is a masterpiece that every library and result-driven individual in Nigeria or any other parts of the world would require to grow. The book is recommended for all classes of people especially students and younger generations who aspire to attain growth in all their endeavours. Olawale has rendered a masterpiece with a scalpel soaked in ink; he has dissected this body of classical performances with the touch of a maestro and the cover designer deserves special commendation for a splendid book cover.

Flavor

Inside FCT

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Furore over Sure-P taxi scheme adeOla tukuRu

he Sure-P taxi scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has cost more to Abuja drivers in the last year than the support it provided.

Indications shows that agreements between the taxi scheme managed by Abuja Investments Company Limited and operators were breached as the vehicles were not new but refurbished and that the market price was N1.2 million each as against N2.7 million which was given to the drivers. Some of the drivers, who spoke to Inside FCT, lamented that they only got to know the contents of the agreement in a recent letter sent to them by the Abuja Investment Company Limited, adding that the terms were not in their favour. A driver taxi driver, John Eze, said the Sure-P taxi scheme which was supposed to be a blessing to them is now a curse to them as the spare parts is not available in the markets. Also, the Chairman, Abuja Painted Taxi Nigeria Limited, Mr. Shehu Yar’Adua, said that the Sure-P taxi scheme was introduced by Senator Bala Mohammed, the former Minister of the FCT in 2014, as a subsidised vehicle scheme for taxi drivers. He said the terms of agreement for the Sure-P contract were not favourable to his members and that there were seeking an urgent review of the agreement. According to him, the agreement was onesided because neither the drivers nor their representatives were given the privilege of studying the contents before signing it. He claimed that they were coerced to hurriedly sign the agreement because the minister wanted the taxis to start operating within that week, so there was no time to preview it. Yar’Adua said they only got to know the contents of the agreement in a recent letter sent to them by the Abuja Investment Company Limited, adding that the terms were not in their favour. According to him, the vehicles given to them were supposed to be brand new and at the rate of N2.7 million each. Yar’Adua said the amount was to cover the cost of vehicle, one year comprehensive insurance, GPS tracking system, registration/number plate as well as painting and branding. However, he said that all these agreements were breached as the vehicles were not new

but refurbished and that the market price was N1.2 million each as against N2.7 million which was given to them. “We need a total review of the Abuja SureP taxi agreement because when the minister came up with the palliative, we thought we would enjoy the system, so we didn’t hesitate to sell our old vehicles so that they can give us the taxis at a subsidised rate. But we have discovered now that the vehicles were not given to us at a subsidised rate and that the vehicles were refurbished. “Most of those vehicles did not even last for four to five months before they ‘knocked down’ and they are expecting us to pay for them. We have some that have been grounded for over two years now and we have requested the Abuja Investment Company Limited to come and discharge their own obligation by replacing them. “Up till today, they have not come, the vehicles have been parked now for over one year yet they keep expecting us to pay. The irregularities in the contract could be the reason they were hurried into signing the agreement.” He said that the cars were given directly to drivers, through the operators and at the end of the day the drivers would own the cars, adding that they discovered that there were no spare parts for the vehicles because they were not available for purchase anywhere. He said the initial agreement was that they would organise a workshop where they would interact with the vehicle suppliers and then buy those spare parts but the workshop was never organised. He also said the condition of service was not favourable for members of the organisation, as they were to remit N63,400 to Abuja investment company monthly for 35 months after the initial payment of N130,000. Yar’Adua said that most of the vehicles that developed major problems had been grounded for 24 months, and that the ones still on the road were due to the personal effort of the drivers. It would be recalled that Abuja Sure-P taxi scheme is a new transport initiative of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). The taxi scheme is being managed by Abuja Investments Company Limited. The new Taxi Scheme was initiated as a palliative for transport operators who were affected by the new FCTA transport policy banning green buses from operating in the

Sure-P taxis

City Centre. Under this scheme, a thousand brand new taxis are to be provided to these operators to use as a substitute. A hundred and sixty of these taxis have already been purchased in the first batch of the scheme and were launched on the 17th of June 2013 by the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Arc Namadi Sambo who said, “Transportation is to a city, what blood is to the body. Therefore, a city can only be as active as its urban transportation system. Abuja carries the banner of our national ideals, and, therefore, the city must live up to its excellent reputation as a safe haven. This laudable initiative will, no doubt, enhance the effectiveness of our security system by nipping crime in the bud. It will also add to its aesthetic beauty and reduce both road accidents and environmen-

tal hazards. The Abuja taxi scheme and the Abuja Community Service Women and Youth Employment programmes are indeed tied to welfare of our citizens and enjoy our admiration and support.” According to ex Minister Bala Muhammed, the scheme was to evolve into a self-sustaining semi commercial transport venture that will provide residents of the FCT with a modern, secure and reliable taxi service. He said each of the vehicles was procured at the cost of N2.6 million, while the FCT administration would offer price subsidy to the beneficiaries. “We have decided to give subsidy to the drivers so we reduced the cost of each taxi by N120,000, but we will be expecting a monthly payment of N63,000 and the period of payment is 36 months so that they will be able to pay and others will be able to get it.”

the vehIcles have been parked now for over one year yet they keep expectIng us

to pay.

the IrregularItIes In the contract

could be the reason we were hurrIed Into sIgnIng the agreement

Rainy season: Mixed blessings for Abuja residents Regina OtOkpa

he beginning of the rainy season this year in the Federal Capital Territory witnessed limited rainfall and shortly afterwards, it ceased totally giving room to many persons to have attached the drought to several reasons. Scared of the economic implications and food security within the rest of the year and next year, most residents, although crying for the rains to descend once again, were not prepared for it when it eventually answered their prayers.

Before the unanticipated comeback of the rainy season after months of a dry sky, most residents step out of their homes relaxed compared to this same period in previous years when everyone prepares for any eventuality to avoid getting unnecessarily wet, or getting some

sensitive properties destroyed as a result of carelessness. However, the first of the series of rains this past week has gotten everybody back on their toes. Traders and workers who had left their houses without anticipating a rainfall have been recounting their ordeal before, during and after the heavy downpour which lasted over thirty minutes. According to Favour Okala, the rain caught up with her just as she dropped at the bus stop and was trying to get a motorcycle commonly known as Okada to church. “I left the office early enough so I wouldn’t run late for the programme going on in my

church but unfortunately, the rain started just immediately I dropped off the vehicle on hopped on a bike and before I could get to church, I was already very wet. “I had just fixed a weave-on over the weekend but because I didn’t envisage it would rain, I didn’t step out with an umbrella or shower cap neither did I have a spare nylon in my bag. I would have to find a solution to this hair, what I never bargained for before it starts dispelling an offensive odor,” she said. Pius Adeyi told Inside FCT he got home to discover some of his properties had been destroyed by the rain “ the temperature has been quite hot of late so I got accustomed to leaving my win-

I used to buy one bag of corn every day; because of that raIn, I can’t buy more than half a bag Abuja

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Inside FCT

Friday, July 24, 2015

Hawking returns as school year ends Marcus FatunMole

any children in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have taken to hawking following long holiday embarked upon by both primary and secondary schools in the city. Many children in the FCT take delight in hawking, as they engage in it on “part time” basis while in school and go “full time” when on holiday. Schools in Abuja have proceeded on break and would resume in September. Though a city supposed to possess requisite tools for fighting poverty, the rich-poor gulf widens daily among the population. Abuja typifies basic social stratification of any society, especially a developing nation like Nigeria. It hosts the upper, middle and lower class. Put succinctly, as the multi-million naira mansions, cars flood the vast landscape of Abuja, so are the poor, the miscreants, raggedly-looking poorest of the poor. They may put on pretty uniform and strapped beautiful bags to their backs with shoes to match while going to school, children in the nation’s capital come from homes characterised by various conditions. Some live on hawking to survive; others live in stupendous wealth and would never allow anyone around their homes engage in hawking. No doubt, street trading is not an ideal thing for any child. Different governments in the country have at various times banned it. But, those who do it claim they must survive following increasingly tough living condition they face daily. They claim they complement their parents’ little earnings with their proceeds from hawking. Ishakwu Ruth (not real name) who lives in Giri along Gwagwalada aptly captured the ills in this practice. She told Inside FCT recently when seen hawking during school hours along the Airport Road. She was hawking plantain chip in the traffic. She told our correspondent that, “I know hawking is not good, but that is what my sister asked me to do. I go to school early and return home during break time (11:00am). My sister doesn’t

Street hawking in Abuja

allow me to go back to school again after break time. I would take the plantain chips to anywhere there is traffic gridlock. If I refuse to stay in the school beyond break time, she would beat me. I have done this for three years that she brought me from the village to live with her.” Like many of her contemporaries, Ruth is a teenager who is vulnerable to sexual and other abuses by mischievous persons. While government does well in condemning hawking, especially by children, it has from the time of Independence of the nation failed woefully to address common cause of poverty. There are no sustainable social programmes that adequately mitigate snowballing liv-

ing costs. The haves keep acquiring, and the have-nots are persistently being kept away from partaking in the common wealth; hence, the option for the odds. Must this trend continue? Mustapha Aminu, a a newly-wed private school teacher in the nation’s capital provides the answer: “It is difficult to stop hawking, but it must stop. The solution lies with both the leaders and the led. It is shameful to see young children selling sachet water, chin-chin and the likes during school hours and any time at all. It is not the duty of children to hawk. There is no justification for that; it is absolutely an abuse of the child, a gift from God. It is simply a response to God that He shouldn’t have given me this child; I lack the capacity to care for him or her.

It Is dIffIcult to stop hawkIng, but It must stop. the solutIon lIes wIth both the leaders and the led

dows open. “Iwouldn’tsayIforgottolockthemupbefore leavingforworkbecauseIneverknewitwould rain.WhenIgothome,mymattresswastotally soaked,myelectronicshadreceivedabathand mostof mybooksweretoosoakedtoberestored. Nicholasalsodidnothaveahappytaletotell “forawhilenow,Ileavemygeneratoroutside.I rememberitwasaTuesdayandIhadgonefor fellowship after work. Whentherainstarted,Iwasstillcomforting myself it won’t be too serious but when itbecameseriousandwentonpouringdown non-stop,Ibecameveryuncomfortableknowing what I would find when I get back home. AmakaDamianspeakingtoInsideFCT,lamentedherfoodstuffswhichhadleftoutsideto dry got destroyed by the rain. “During the dry season, I leave my yams, onions,Irishpotatoes,dryfishandsomeother thingsoutsidebutoncewestepintotherainy season, I monitor the weather to know if I should bring them out or not. “Followingthedroughtof rainfall,Istarted

That is nothing but the truth. “But, when you look at it critically in our national context, you will agree with me that it is better to allow the child do that than go into crime. We have many children that lack parental care. Many are orphans while others have parents who don’t care about their welfare. And, they want to succeed. If doing that will help them to succeed, government must find alternative for them before seeing them as law-breakers. And, it is high time we looked at our birth control. Many parents give birth to more than children they can cater for. “However, the larger bulk of the blame rests with the government. We have seen in Libya under Maumau Gadaffi and the current President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, where families benefit from social programmes. Government must begin to look at how to have some packages for the underprivileged. Once this is in place, all the nonsense we see on our street today will be gone. We can’t continue like this forever,” he added. bringingthemoutagainbeforeleavingforwork. Withmysonbackhomeforholidays,Ibecame even more relaxed. “Iwasyettobehomeandhehadgonetothe fieldwherehenormallyplaysfootballwhichis farfromthehouse.Well,everythinggotsoaked includingtheegusiandcrayfishleftouttodry before grinding” MamaJoeassheinsistedtobeaddressedon print,sellsroastedcorn,pearsandcoconuteverydayfrom3pm.Herbigumbrellacouldnot saveherfromtheheavyrainfall,asshebattled to protect her wares. ShetoldInsideFCTthat,“Iusedtobuyone bagof cornandIsellthemoff everydaybutbecauseof thatrain,Iwenthomewithmorethan half a bag. When the rain started, of course people won’t be on the streets, they will look forwheretostaytillitstopsandwhenitfinally stopped,thefewpeoplewhowantedtobuycorn couldn’tgetfrommebecausemycharcoalsboth the one in the coal pot and bag were wet and I wasfindingitdifficulttobuildanothercoalfire so I had to close for the day.”

Mirror Mongers

Friday, July 24, 2015

Bill Clinton to speak at your event?

Bill Clinton

ill Clinton, the former American President has the panacea to the mindset that makes African leaders either despots or looters, if what leads to such aggrandisement is fear of what to do after office. Bill proved this

with the kind of huge earnings that come his way as a guest speaker at events all over the world. Getting Bill Clinton to speak for about one hour, according to our buzz, is only possible with at least two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Aside this, provision will also be made for about fifteen of his personal aides, who are always travelling with him, and most times, the former US leader travels in chartered aircrafts, bearing members of his team. At an event in Lagos Bill Clinton also proved how busy post-presidential life could be, by jetting off immediately after his lecture at the This Day Awards ceremony. This is a huge lesson for some African leaders who think, life outside the government house is unimaginable.

Like Tuvi James ….like D Banj

Tuvi James

Piracy in China

ollywood producer and boss of Oketex Productions Limited, Mr. Okeke Amarachi George is set to drag the Chinese government to court over an alleged piracy of one of his latest films, The Jungle Is Mine. The crime is allegedly being perpetrated by Chinese hotels and resorts that regularly show the pirated work to visiting tourists and business men who frequent Guangzhou, China. Amarachi, disclosed that his big budget movie is currently airing illegally in major hotels and public places in Guangzhou, especially in Nigerian com-

munities. How did he find out? “I have been demoralised since friends started calling from China to congratulate me on the success of my film over there. We just released the movie – The Jungle Is Mine, a couple of months ago here in Nigeria, just early this year. It is still very fresh in the Nigerian market. And pirates are already feeding fat on my sweat, which I’m yet to reap the gains, in faraway China. It is an evil collaboration between these Chinese and their Nigerian syndicate.” Amarachi, said they are still investigating the matter and would definitely take legal actions.

So many Nollywood fans may not be remembering Tuvi James again since he ‘melted’ in the hands of his South African wife and literally vanished in Nigerian films as well. It could love; which is nice, but that is also raising concerns about Koko master, D’Banj, who is gradually ‘melting’ in the hands of another South African lady, Bonang Matheba, often regarded as the Kim K of South Africa. Their affair got the search light when the

Ripples at NAFDAC

he crisis rocking the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control has taken another twist as the redeployed former Finance Director, Ademola Mogbojuri, accused the NAFDAC’s Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, of corruption. Mogbojuri accused Orhii of financial recklessness, saying he had evidence of inappropriate financial transactions involving the DG. Earlier, the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of the agency addressed a press conference during which they also accused Mogbojuri of gross misconduct and financial impropriety. He allegedly said: “I am not the one who wrote to Sahara Reporters or even petitioned the Federal Government on the crisis in NAFDAC as widely claimed. The truth of the matter is that the DG is quite reckless with spending. Before

he joined the agency in 2009, the annual total revenue of NAFDAC was about N2.5bn and he met around N600m in the account. Now, the total internally generated revenue is about N9bn and the agency owes about N5bn in debt. Some of the companies they use to carry out the deals have collected over N6bn in the last two years. Towards the general election this year, he collected a lot of money and used it to buy vehicles, which he branded and gave to a governorship aspirant in his native Benue State. The financial recklessness of the DG has brought NAFDAC onto its knees. The DG swapped me, a trained accountant with a statistician, who used to head the Planning, Research and Statistics section but I never protested. The posting they did on Thursday in which they moved me to Kaduna, I have not received the letter even as we speak, so how do I say I am resuming anywhere?

ONE-SECOND &

With

KATE HENSHAW

DBanj

a lot of Your divorce came as a shock to people?

Pessimism often trails marriages in the entertainment industry, probably because they are in the limelight. Actress Kate Henshaw reacts to the issue:

who have hock? Haven’t you seen people have dirs been mar ried for 20 to 25 yea We all is. one no , vorced? I’m not perfect I’m a n mea sn’t doe It s. ent have our low mom hes patc bad ugh thro s goe ody failure. Everyb e mak and n dow in life. If you intend to stay is e tinu con and it it your focus or rise out of er to par t under what matters. It’s always bett someone to be for n tha ces stan good circum ling insults at in jail, or to die, or to be hur that. for d each other. There is no nee

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two love birds attended the 2015 edition of the MTV Africa Music Awards, MAMA 2015, and actually stole ( not demonstrated) a kiss on the stage. If you are wondering who the lady is…read this: “Born June 25, 1987) Bonang is a South African television host, radio personality and business woman. She is most recognisable for having presented the popular SABC 1 music show, Live Amp previously known as “Live”. She currently is a presenter on South Africa’s television magazine show SABC 3’s Top Billing. Bonang has been dubbed the “IT” girl of South Africa by celebrities and fans because of her extraordinary sense of style which earned her an SA Style award and an AG Sport style award. She has graced the covers of national and International magazines including Elle, Grazia, FHM, Cosmopolitan South Africa, and Cleo. She is also a radio host presenting the show “The Front Row” on SABC’s radio station Metro FM with more than 6 million listeners. She is an International Master of Ceremonies and has hosted events like Sentebale Gala Dinner,The Channel O Africa Music Awards and Glamour Women Of The Year Awards amongst others. So you now know ‘how biiiiig’ D’Banj has hit it.

Friday, July 24, 2015 8 Shawwal, 1436

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Call to Worship

On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”

RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

Personal qualities required of a Leader Wisdom

wise man is guided aright by his wisdom and fortified by his sound judgment, so what he says is sound and what he does is commendable, while an ignorant man is caused to go astray as a result of his ignorance; so what he says is unsound and what he does is objectionable. The merit of wisdom is that one can judge what one has not witnessed according to what one has witnessed. So he who can judge what he has not witnessed by what he has witnessed is called wise. Yet wisdom has its own defects which prevent it from being beneficial; these are caprice, envy, arrogance and the like.

Learning Among the qualities commendable both for leaders and others is learning (ilm). And know that the man most in need of (money to pay) expenses is the man who has the largest number of children, followers, retinue and friends, and all people deprive fine qualities from the leaders and are indebted to him for regulations, the checking of quarrels and settling of disputes. So, more than any other of God’s creation he is in need of being acquainted with learning and gathering (knowledge) of the law.

Clemency Among the qualities commendable both for leaders and others is clemency. God has said: ‘surely Abraham was clement, compassionate, penitent. Again, addressing His Prophet; ‘Pardon, then, in a gracious fashion’ A tradition says, God’s love will surely come up a man who is angered and shows forbearance.’ One of the most clement of men was Ishmael to whom it was said: ‘I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you; consider than, what thickest thou? He said, ‘O my father! Do as you are bidden; you shall find me, God willing, one of the patient.” Ahnaf said that he had found clemency of more help to him than men. He also said: “Beware of the advice of scoundrels’. When he was asked who they were, he said, ‘Those who view pardoning and clemency as shameful.’

Generosity Among the quality commendable both for leaders and others in generosity which means that one should not find it a difficult matter to be liberal. God has said: ‘And preferring others above themselves, even though poverty be their portion’, The Prophet said, ‘The generous man is near God, near to men, near to Paradise and far from Hell; the miser is far from God, far from men, far from Paradise and near to Hell.’ Know that generosity is of two types: the worldly type which comprises liberal giving, and bestowing, unselfishness and forbearance. God has said: ‘And whoso is guarded against the avarice of his own soul, those are they who prosper’.

What next after Ramadan? 28

The sign of generosity is to not hoard (money) and to dislike amassing wealth and to spend money on friends while your heart is delighted at doing so. The other type of generosity is religious. This consists in being so generous with your should that you wear it out for the sake of God.

as in God’s Word: ‘And as for your Lord’s blessing, declare it’. The essence of it is to praise the Beneficent for His beneficence. The third, which is gratitude from the bodily members and to worship Him with all of them. On this subject there is God’s Word: ‘Labour, O House of David, in thankfulness.

Kindness

Leniency and Avoidance of Harshness

Among the qualities commendable both for leaders and others is kindness, which encompassed them all. God has said: ‘Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorance’. It is to forgive one who wrongs you, to give to one who does not give to you and to be friendly to one who cuts off relations with you.

Among the qualities commendable both for leaders and other is leniency and avoidance of harshness. God has said, ‘And lower your wing (in kindness) to those believers who follow you’. Again: had you been hard and harsh of heart, they would have scattered from about you’.

Righteousness Among the qualities commendable both for leaders and others is righteousness. God has said: ‘And help one another to righteousness and piety; do not help each other to sin and enmity’.

Quoted from: Principles of Leadership According to the Founding Fathers of the Sokoto Caliphate Collated and edited by Hamid Bobboyi with the Compliments of His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar mni, CFR, LLD, Sultan of Sokoto

Patience Among the quality commendable both for leaders and others is patience: know that patience is the halter of all the other good qualities. God has said: ‘Surely the patient will be paid their wages in full without reckoning.’ Again: ‘And perfectly was fulfilled the most fair Word of their Lord up the Children of Israel, for that they endured patiently’. Again: ‘But if you are patient and god-fearing – surely that is true constancy.’ Again: ‘O believers, be patient and outdo all other in patience.’ Again: ‘seek you help in patience and prayer’. And again ‘Surely, God is with the patient.’ There are numerous examples of this in the Qu’ran. The Messenger of God said, ‘Patience is half of faith (especially) patience in the face of the first blow.’ Patience is of two types: patience with what God has commended and patience (to resist) what God had forbidden’.

Gratitude Among the qualities commendable both the leaders and others is gratitude. God has said: ‘Few are those that are thankful among my servants’. Gratitude is of the three degree. Gratitude from the heart, from the tongue and from the bodily members. The first is to recognize that blessing comes from God alone. On this subject there is God’s word: ‘Whatsoever blessing you have, it comes from God’. The second, which is gratitude from the tongue, is to talk about that,

Moment for common sense 29

The significance of Jumu’ah prayers 30

Call to Worship

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

8 Shawwal, 1436 Friday, July 24, 2015

What next after Ramadan?

ust a week after Ramadan, many are already throwing cautions into the winds. Various forms of vices like abandoning or combining Salat, shunning Tahajud, alcohol consumption, fornication, adultery, telling lies, etc are back full force. If we can avoid all these in the whole month of Ramadan, why can’t we do so throughout one’s life time knowing fully-well that no one knows when death will come. Even after Ramadan, let us exhibit fear of Almighty Allah in all our private and public dealings. We must fear Allah because we have no hiding place as Allah is well-aware of what we do all the time whether in private or public. The spirit of piety must continue. That is the essence of Ramadan. What differentiates a believer from a non believer is Salat. Let’s continue regular observance of our Salat with patience and humility at the prescribed time. For whatever good you do, you shall find it with Allah because Allah, the Most-High, sees all that we do always.

Equally, Muslims must desist from Shrik, associating partners with Allah by visiting soothsayers or believing them. Let us put our trust in Allah alone. We must always remember Qur’an 4:49 which says; “Surely, Allah will not forgive that any partner be associated with Him...And whosoever associates partners with Allah has indeed committed a very great sin.” Our behaviour as Muslims matters a lot. We need to

The spiriT of pieTy musT conTinue. ThaT is The essence of ramadan. WhaT differenTiaTes a believer from a non believer is salaT

MURIC condemns Hijab ban

he Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the idea of placing a ban on hijab. “It is as laughable as it is preposterous. It is the height of provocation. It is an attempt to ridicule Muslims in public. It is nothing but a hidden crusade against Muslims. The proponents are simply intolerant, parochial and fanatical Muslim-haters who have drowned themselves in the ocean of Islamophobia.” Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director of MURIC said any attempt to ban hijab in Nigeria will tantamount to a brutal assault on Allah-given fundamental rights of Mus-

lims. It will be a contravention of Section 38 (ii) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “The same bigots have been opposing the use of hijab by female Muslim children in Nigerian public schools. The same overzealous extremists have always treated Muslim women in hijab with disdain even in government offices. They ask Muslim women to remove their hijab while following procedures for obtaining international passports and driving licences.” “How many Muslims are in CongoBrazaville for instance? We know our rights and our rights are our rights. Is

Don’t use Umrah as excuse –NACOMYO to NASS

he postponement of the resumption date of National Assembly, NASS, from July 21st to 28th, purportedly premised on members who went on Umrah (lesser Hajj) as claimed by certain members of lower legislative house was a sheer deceit and playing on the intelligence of Nigerians. Alhaji Kamal’ddin Akintunde of NACOMYO frowned at the use of Islam as a cover-up to deceive Nigerians. While noting that the distinguished senators and honourable members of House of Representatives have right to fulfill their religious obligations as required by their faith, it argued that those who performed the lesser Hajj knew of the resumption date before they departed

the shores of Nigeria and therefore, it became expedient for them to arrange their return trip to suit the house calendar. NACOMYO further argued that the number that went on Umrah could not have been significant as to prevent the houses from resuming for legislative business. The group reminded the federal law makers of the high expectations from them by Nigerians, urging them to be more committed and deliver on their mandate. While urging them to avoid a seemingly impasse in the leadership brawl rocking the NASS, the umbrella Muslim Youth body noted that national interest should override sectional or personal concern and as a democratic imperative for good governance.

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THE PLATFORM with

Sekinah

Lawal E-mail: sakinah207@yahoo.com t: 08055102994 remain truthful, sincere, keep promises, have good attitude towards others, be compassionate, tolerant, fear Allah in business dealings, cheerful, patient, among others. In conclusion, those calling for the banning of Hijab in the name of fighting BokoHaram should desist from such. Since they have been using army uniform, suits and other forms of dressing to detonate bomb, nobody called for their ban, so why Hijab? Lastly, let us not forget the six days of fasting in Ramadan with its numerous benefits too, may Allah make it easy for us. May Allah perfect our light for us and grant us forgiveness, Aamin. Let the decorum of Ramadan remains so that we will keep attaining higher degree of Iman and Taqwa.

it not in this same Nigeria that armed robbers often disguise in police uniform to rob, maim and kill innocent people. Has anyone ever suggested that police uniform should be banned? Where were those calling for a ban on hijab when Boko Haram insurgents were using Nigerian Army uniform to carry out their nefarious activities? Why didn’t they call for a ban on army uniform because of that? Assassins have struck on many occasions donning suit-up (trousers, shirt, tie and coat), why haven’t they call for a ban on suit-up? “By the way, are these Muslim hat-

ers unaware that there are hundreds of non-Muslims among Boko Haram insurgents? Let us all come together, Christians, Muslims and traditionalists to fight these heartless and unscrupulous Boko Haram marauders to a standstill. Instead of stigmatizing Muslim women, Nigerian security agents should be more professional. They should be proactive. Intelligence gathering and forward-looking anti-crime tactics is the in-thing in serious security outfits everywhere in the world today.” Finally, the group appealed to Muslims to remain calm and law-abiding.

Ahmadiyyah Lagos State blood donation

hmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Youth Association Nigeria donated blood in Lagos to mark the world blood donation day. Consequently the lagos state min-

istry of health have applauded the kind gestures of the ahmadiyya Youth. A letter of appreciation was sent to the head of the Muslim Youth or-

ganisation. The letter urged other Youth organisation s in nigeria to emulate the initiative of ahmadiyya youth association as role model.

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Moment for common sense O ur failures to learn from history will not but repeat its horrendous catastrophe. All that address the public must exhibit intelligence by avoiding sensitive issues, especially religious. Nigeria today is more of religion than irreligion and secularism. It is a common adage in my local parlance that severing the head off the neck is not the medicine for headache. If the enemies of the nation have used different strategies to attack and kill, what logic does it make singling out just one to be banned? Does it also guarantee that if that is done, the criminal acts will end? If the so-called BH has adopted

head gear of the nuns, will such ban have been recommended? If it will, how would the Catholic sisters have reacted to it? Why are Muslims common enemies to all? It was in this same Nigeria (the western region especially) that Muslim students were compelled to change their names before they could attend schools; that the Muslim children in public schools are forced to sing the song of Praise (SOP); and disallowed to observe Jum‘ah in public schools simply because the heads of such schools were Christians; we have witnessed how some groups publicly burn Hijaab to slight the Muslims.

We have seen how France and others banned wearing of Hijaab! We witnessed how some Muslims were banned from fasting in China and even forced to break it. The genocide against Muslim in Burma is still on unabated. When will all these stop? Let us apply common sense and work for a true human society, living with our differences and discussing them for better understanding. The making of a Muslim woman is her Hijaab. It is what makes her different from all women of the world. Allah (SWT) grants that unique outfit and only uncreated or unborn mortal can deny her the

Chief Imam of Dowomu Central Mosque, Dopemu-Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Alaga (middle) delivering the Eid-ul Fitri sermon.

Kogi 2015: Dr. Habeeb seeks people’s support …urges them to uphold Ramadan blessings StorieS by Sekinah L awaL

he Kogi State governorship aspirant under the platform of APC, Dr. Yaqeen Habeeb has called on all Kogi indigenes to support the new era of change in the state by giving him their support in the coming primaries and elections. While felicitating with Muslims on the completion of Ramadan fast, he urged them to take the blessings of the month beyond it. In his Eid message, the economic guru-turned politician solicited for the support of Kogi indigenes to give him their mandate at the forthcoming primaries and general election to lead the good people of the state as governor. He made it known that his focus is to develop the state through industrialization by creating jobs to drastically reduce unemployment as well as improve infrastructure in the state. He also called on other politicians to be guided by the principles of service to their father land rather than self-interest in the build up to the elections so

Call to Worship

Friday, July 24, 2015 8 Shawwal, 1436

that the electorates can enjoy the much needed dividends of democracy. He reiterated that the lessons of Ramadan includes but not limited to building self-control, self-restraint, self-education, selfevaluation, and sacrifice. “These virtues are required for peaceful co-existence as well as for building a strong and reliant economy.” According to him, fasting in the month is essentially to imbibe righteousness and striving to please God by performing acts which positively affect the wel-

fare of others and enhancing all acts of worship. “By enduring hunger through fasting, we get closer to the condition of the poor who cannot afford regular daily meals. As a result, we become more sympathetic to the needs of the poor and thereby help them.” Conclusively, he called on Muslims to intensify their support for the needy even after the completion of the fasting and also encouraged the well-to-do members of the society to invest their wealth in economic activities where the needy and jobless can be employed.

IN HIS LIGHT with

USTAZ

A. ZAFARAN e-mail: zatabumuneeb@yahoo.com

If the enemIes of the natIon have used dIfferent strategIes to

attack and kIll, what logIc does It make sInglIng out just one to be banned?

use. Wearing it with its values depicts her intelligence. Rather than combat our real enemy with intelligence, we create digression to unleash our hatred. It is adding insult to injury when somebody claims he is a Muslim and subscribes to the ban of Hijaab as clue to BH attacks! He must have been by mistake! It is equally a shallow and insensitive talk for a discussant to have recommended the ban as a solution. He misfired because he cannot express freedom of opinion on what is my right. The social media platform is laden with confused, acrimonious and straight to the heart responses by people of common sense. Absolute free speech exists nowhere in the current world. The whole world must desist from acting scripts written by uncanny enemies of humanity. Two wrongs, of course, can never make a right. The position of Islam on every issue in the world is clear in its primary sources. You cannot kill innocent people or destroy their properties. Even during war, you cannot destroy trees not to talk of killing innocent human beings. Non-use of Hijaab is some people’s religion. When Nigeria became one, it was not without Muslim women wearing Hijaab. On the ground of human right, just as some people have right to expose their head or body, the Muslim lady has a full right to cover up. Attempts to deny them

are sacrilegious. It is their moral right to be decent in appearance so as not to lure or be lured into fornication. It is their right to emulate the mother of Jesus who wore a flowing gown and covered her head as some have also taken after the so-called models, beauty pageants or sexhawkers and nobody is against it. All oppositions to Hijab are Islamaphobic. It lacks spiritual, moral, religious, social and cultural justifications. Allah (SWT) has myriads of ways of promoting His religion. One is for the bloody ignoramus to mouth shoot about it which will then ignite discussions by all and sundry, it will compel the upholders of truth to defend their values which are always presented in intelligent and beautiful ways. During the sharia saga, whether those that championed it believed in it or not, it provided opportunity for a larger people to be enlightened. You will also recall the Islamic banking issue; it was a stupendous and auspicious moment to educate on Islam. This on Hijab too provides another chance for all to know about Hijaab, let us start the enlightenment now. It is their sinister motif in the name of free speech to attack Islaam with their mouth but Allah will ever perfect His light even if the whole world of unbelievers and polytheists and their mastermind plot from now till eternity. Islam forever, Hijab unbanable.

Keep Ramadan spirit alive –The Companion

he National Amir, The Companion, Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso has called on all Muslims to ensure that the lessons of Ramadan are not lost on them. In the Eid message he signed, he said the spirit of love, sharing, caring and forgiveness including tolerance and righteousness which were imbibed and demonstrated in Ramadan should

continue to be our guide and watchword in our daily lives throughout the year and beyond. “We call on all Muslims to continue to pray to Allah for unity, peace and progress in Nigeria. We should not forget to ask Allah to guide our leaders to love Nigeria above self and tribal consideration. As we celebrate let us remember in prayers; our

brothers and sisters in Nigeria and abroad who are in trials and afflictions of one for m or the other. The Boko Haram and ISIS have jointly put the lives of millions of people in jeopardy in Nigeria, other parts of Africa and the Middle East with daily threats and terrorists acts.” The Companion urged all citizens to cooperate with

gover nment and give useful infor mation to relevant authorities to nib in the bud the incessant bomb attacks in the country. “We also call on the National Assembly and indeed the federal and state gover nments to align the remunerations of political office holders with the realities and economic conditions of average Nigerians.”

Call to Worship

8 Shawwal, 1436 Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Every Friday with

Khalifatul

Ahmadiyya

The significance of Jumu’ah prayers

ye who believe! when the call is made for Prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah , and leave off all business. That is better for you, if only you knew. And when the Prayer is finished, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah’s grace, and remember Allah much, that you may prosper.’ (62:10-11) The month of Ramadan is coming to an end. In places today is the last day of fasting and in places tomorrow will be the last day. And thus the fixed number of days of Ramadan will be over. Many among us would have attained the beneficence of Ramadan and would have gone through new spiritual experiences. Now the prayer and effort should be to make these spiritual experiences a part of life and steps taken towards God during Ramadan should not halt but should ever be onwards and upwards and may each of these steps garner limitless blessings. Today is Friday, a day vast majority of us regularly observe but there are also many who give a lot of significance to [only] the last Friday of Ramadan. The Jama’at is expanding all over the world and people from various sections of society are entering the Jama’at and their previous practices leave an impression. There will be some who will give special significance to the last Friday of Ramadan and consider that attending this Friday Prayer, which is called Farewell Friday, will be a means of salvation from their yearlong ills and perhaps by observing this Friday Prayer they will fulfil the dues of Fridays of the entire year. Even if such people are very few, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih reminded them that attending this Friday does not fulfil the objective of our life. It is evident from the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) that only attending the last Friday of Ramadan is not a source of our salvation. Our youngsters and those who are negligent about Friday Prayers should remember that there may be a concept of Farewell Friday among nonAhmadis, but in accordance with the teachings of God and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) Ahmadis should not hold such a concept. Indeed, if a person attends the Friday Prayer on this day with special attentiveness, mindful of ridding himself of his weaknesses from today, then certainly this day and this Friday is of special significance. For him this moment of pure change will become Lailatul Qadr (Night of Destiny) for him; where he will enter into light after a night of darkness. As explained in last Friday sermon the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) expounded that Lailatul Qadr is also the time of purification for a person when he turns to God. As the aforementioned verses clarify that God has drawn attention to attend Friday Prayers with righteousness and by putting

The holy ProPheT

(Peace and blessings of allah be on him)

At the Middle, Amir; Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Dr. Mashood Adenrele Fashola presenting Volumes of Arabic commentary of Holy Quran to the new Chief Imam of Ibadan; Fadhilatu Shaikh Abdul Ghaniyu Abu Bakar Agbotomokekere at his residence in Ibadan recentiy.

said ThaT Those

who come To friday

Prayers firsT are

deserving of much sPiriTual reward everything else aside. There is no specific mention of Fridays during Ramadan or indeed the last Friday in Ramadan. Rather, the significance of Friday without any exception is stated and it is stated to leave off one’s businesses on the day and attend Prayer, stressing the significance of attending an important aspect of faith. Those who do not attend Friday Prayer with no warrantable/ genuine excuse should be concerned about the state of their faith. Those who come to Friday Prayers late should also think about it. They should wrap up their work in good time to come to Friday Prayers. Everyone knows the fixed time of Prayers. In European countries people should leave a margin for travel time and be mindful of traffic and time allocated to parking the car. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that those who come to Friday Prayers first are deserving of much spiritual reward. He said on Friday angels stand on each mosque door and they write names of those come first to the mosque at the top of the tally and prepare a list of those who come to the mosque until such time that the imam finishes his sermon. This is when the angels also close their register. Each person coming to mosque for remembrance of God gains spiritual reward. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) specifically warned against not giving importance to Friday Prayers and said that whoever knowingly leaves three Friday Prayers has a seal set on his heart by God. Thus, neither God in the Holy Qur’an nor the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) laid emphasis on the last Friday of Ramadan. Rather, all Fridays are of significance. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said God has made Friday a day of Eid for you. You should bathe and get yourself ready on this day. This demands that we take time off from everything on Fridays and go to the mosque. Ahadith show that Friday Prayers are obligatory on every believing person in order to raise their standard of faith. Likewise the negative aspect of those who are negligent of this is also stated. It is cause for grave concern for them and they should selfreflect on the matter.

L-R: Fadhilatu Shaikh Abdul Fatai Adio Alaga (Alfa Agba of Ibadan Land and grand Mufti of Oyo State, Amir; Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Dr. Mashood Adenrele Fashola, Chief Imam of Ibadan; Fadhilatu Shaikh Abdul Ghaniyu Abu Bakar Agbotomokekere, Naib Amir Special duties Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria; Alhaji Engr. Hamed Al-Hassan, Circuit President Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Apata Ibadan; Alhaji Bayewu. During a Courtesy Visit to Chief Imam of Ibadan recently

Group photograph

MUSWEN cautions CAN on NIREC issues

he Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria, MUSWEN, has cautioned the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on a press statement entitled ‘OLOYEDE, NIREC and MERCHANT OF LIES’ purportedly issued by CAN and signed by one Sunday Oibe who claimed to be the Director of CAN’s national issues. In a release signed by Femi Abbas for MUSWEN, issuing such a baseless and inflammatory statement to attack the topmost leadership of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah at this time con-

firms the fictitious source of the obnoxious statement and called on genuine CAN leaders to take a second look into the statement with a view to investigating its source because we do not think that such a statement could have emanated from CAN. “Ordinarily, the CAN we know very well which consists of decent gentlemen and women of dignity would not have issued such an unguarded statement especially at this festival period of Eidul Fitr when congratulatory message from Nigerian Christian brethren to Nige-

rian Muslim Faithful was as usual expected. Thus, we refuse to believe that such a reckless statement attacking the personality of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) as well as that of the NSCIA Secretary-General was issued by CAN.” MUSWEN also advised NSCIA to maintain its usual cool-headedness and maturity in consigning the statement to the refuse bin of nuisance without value where it rightly belongs.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, July 24, 2015

L-R: Chairman, African Corporate Governance Network (ACGN), Jane Valls and President, African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, at the Closing Gong Ceremony in commemoration of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASEA and ACGN at the Exchange.

L-R: Managing Director, Pivot Engineering Company Limited, Mr. Soji Akintayo; Executive Director, Honeywell Group, Mr. Obafemi Otudeko; Chairman, Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko, and Managing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc., Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola, at the graduation ceremony of the 9th Class, Honeywell Excellence Programme, in Lagos.

L-R: Representative of Chief of Air Staff, Air Commodore Hyacinth Ezeh; President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Mr Balami David; Chairman on the occasion, Capt. Bayo Araba and one of the lead discussants, Capt. Prex Porbeni, during an Aviation Stakeholders Forum in Lagos.

L-R: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Officer, Fidelity Bank, Victoria Abuka; Representative of Catholic Arch Bishop of Lagos, Rev. Fr. George Egbetu; Principal, Pacelli School for the Blind, Rev. Sis. Jane Onyeneri; Divisional Head, Marketing Communications, Fidelity Bank, Charles Odibo; Head, CSR, Fidelity Bank, Chris Nnakwe – at the graduation ceremony of Pacelli School for the Blind, at the weekend.

People In The Mirror

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman,Techno Oil, Mrs Nkechi Obi; President/Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Management Dr. Nelson Uwaga; former President, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole; and Executive Director, Uniport Foundation, Dr.Ngozi Odu during the Women in Management and Leadership Conference in Abuja.

L-R: District Governor, Rotary Nigeria, Otunba Bolaji Olugbenga Onabadejo; former President of Rotary Club of Ikoyi, Nike Maiyaki and new President of the club, Rotarian Remi Akinterinwa during investiture of Rotarian Remi as 31st president of the club, in Lagos.

L-R: Children of a celebrant, Mrs Bolanle Ayo-Phillips; Mr Gholahan Akinsanya; Celebrant/former chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Lagos chapter, Alhaji Prince A.I.M Akinsanya; his wife, Alhaja Omolara; and other children, Mrs Modupe Oshin; and Dr Olabode Akinsanya during Alhaji Akinsanya’s 70th birthday celebration, in Lagos.

L-R: Elder Benjamin Oluseun Ajiboye; Chairman Board of Governors, Jextoban Secondary School, Pastor Emmanuel Ojo and his wife, during the 17th Valedictory/Graduation ceremony at the School’s Multipurpose Hall, Lagos -Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

Arty News

Friday, July 24, 2015

Best of opera at AMEMUSO concert

AMEMUSO concert

Regina OtOkpa

he melodies erupting from the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton over the weekend was one to hold just any one spellbound as the children arm of the Abuja Metropolitan Music Society (AMEMUSO) under the tutelage of the founder, Maria Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen, wife of former Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, filled the night with angelic tunes and sounds. The opera group, AMEMUSO complementing the efforts of the younger wing, AMEMUSITO as they are called, serenaded guests with several classical vibes blended with local Nigerian compositions, during the concert with a special and beautiful rendition titled ‘We are the Earth,’ the theme of the concert. Commenting on reasons behind the theme, Toledo de Schmillen told our reporter, “You can compare a seed to kids, those kids what you plant on them, what you do on them, what you tell them to believe is what they will give you in the future. It is what will grow on them in the future and that is the reason why we called this: We are the Earth’. “It is a beautiful song in the concert called we are the earth and it is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard,” she maintained. The AMEMUSITO concert

was also an avenue to aid in raising funds for the construction of a N5 billion AMEMUSO Performing Arts Centre (APAC) and a music school for children in Abuja. According to the renowned Opera singer, the APAC when constructed, would not only have acoustics fitted by some of the best acoustic engineers in the world, but would be the first of its kind in West Africa. Lamenting the financial constraints stalling the project, she said: “History can be made with the building of this theatre in the FCT, it could change the image of this city because there is no theatre with same specifications in the whole of West Africa. The design is fantastic but we are stuck.” She also disclosed that the AMEMUSO opera abuja would come up in November this year with performances featuring Grammy Award Winner, Suzannah Barca, Omo Bello Joe Okpara and other rising musical talents alongside the presentation of the AMEMUSO album which was done in collaboration with some Peruvian acts and edited in the United States. Toledo de Schmillen, an opera singer from Chile, started AMEMUSO during her husband’s tenure as the German envoy to Nigeria in 2006. Recognizing the huge untapped potentials laying waste in Nigerians musically, she invested all to help talents recognize and develop their God given talents in music.

Nigerian artistes at MAMA 2015

he 2015 MTV MAMA awards took place on June 18th 2015 at Durban South Africa, The event featured various artist from Africa in which Nigerian music stars maintained their dominance at the African music scene as they walked home with the major awards, emerging as the biggest winners. It is no doubt that Nigerians are talented especially when it comes to any form of entertainment. Seven awards went to Africa’s biggest centre of music and pop culture, Nigeria! The Award includes ‘Best Male Act’ won by Davido, ‘Best Female Act’ Yemi Alade, ‘Evolution Award’ goes to D’banj. ‘Best New Act’ Patoranking, The Mavin crew walks home with the award for ‘Song of the year’. Best collaboration of the Year goes to Burna boy and P’square emerging as the ‘Best group’ respectively. It was a great surprise that Olamide and Phyno lost out in the ‘Best Hip Hop Act’ category as South African Golden Boy Cassper Nyovest beats the two kings during the voting process of the category. The good news about the event is that it stands as meeting point to settle ills and fights

Leo’nel

P-square

between some notable Nigerian musicians whom see themselves as Rivals in the Industry, people like Davido, Wizkid, D’bang and the Mavin Boss Donjazzy resolve matters with each other as Mavin Boss join D’banj to receive his award and

the announcement of the new collaboration between ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ Davido and the ‘Pakurumo Coroner’ Wizkid. The event remains one of the great events to remember in the industry and among Nigeria music fans.

Unveiling ‘The Legendary Show’

he legends cut across all sectors of the society, some of which include music, literature, performing art, sports, politics, artistry and many others. They have also been grouped into five categories: Perennial Legends, All-Time Legends, Today’s Legends, Next Generation Legends and Kids’ Legends; which

serves to reiterate the reason for the show- Celebrating legends, Making legends, and Inspiring legends Honoured in the first season were legendary Rasheed Yekini, legendary Jimi Solanke, legendary Raskimono, legendary Patrick Doyl, Llgendary DJ Jimmy Jatt, Legendary 2Face Idibia (now known as 2Baba),and many

others across all five categories. Filming for Season One of The Legendary Show started on Friday, 19th June2015 and ended on Monday, 22nd June 2015. With insightful interviews, incredible performances, the stamping of each legend’s footprint on the Sand of Time, and the actual presentation of the footprint-turnedaward, every segment of the show was remarkable and entertaining. The Legendary Show is sure going to be the biggest television show on African TV and one of the best in the global entertainment industry. The Legendary Show is one of many TV contents from Glass House Entertainment, a fast growing media and entertainment company in Nigeria.

ago and since then had not looked back. “I am currently working on releasing my full album in an elaborate album launch ceremony in Lagos before the end of this year.” On why the video of Roll is being shot in the UK, the youngster said: “I have shot the videos of most of my songs such as Baby Joor, Rockstar and Uju in Nigeria so I just wanted to experiment further by coming to the UK to shoot this one (Roll). Really, I am not crazy about where a video is shot in so

far I am given the kind of quality production I seek. You know I am a professional in that field so I know a quality job when I see one. I have been given real quality in Nigeria but I just felt I should do this one here in the UK.” Leo’nel has been singing from a tender age but decided to go into it properly in 2007 by recording his first song in the studio and since then; he has been working hard towards achieving his dream and also making good music.

Solanke being honoured

‘Roll’ from Leo’nel elf-produced in Lagos, Leo’nel is currently in the UK to shoot the video of Roll. The latest song is coming on the heels of the release of the video of his hit single Uju which featured his dad, legendary Nollywood actor Zack Orji. Both song and video are still enjoying good airplay on different radio and TV stations across the country The latest effort, Roll, has begun to get airplay on different radio stations while the video shoot is under

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way in the UK. “Roll is a sharp deviation from my past works. Well, I try as much as possible to sound different in all my works so as to keep my fans yearning for something new all the time,” Leo’nel said in a statement signed by his media Company last week. The University of Bradford, United Kingdom, Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies/Television graduate shook the entertainment industry with two singles Baby Joor and Rockstar about three years

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Arty News

Friday, July 24, 2015

How did you discover the name, ‘Senator,’ and at what year? The name Senator came up when the need to brand myself aroused. In 2003, and all in the steam of democracy, I decided to carve niche into the political figures: Senators, who were seen as legislators and representatives. This time, I saw myself as a representative of Humour and Laughter. So, when did you discover your talent as a comedian? Comedy for me was a usual phenomenon. I studied Theatre Arts in the university. I majored in directing and choreography. Then, I was so prone to either acting or directing comedy plays. Most times, I was never given serious or tragic roles because they usually end as comedy. Instead of crying and being sober, the audience goes home laughing and rejoicing over people’s tragic situations. So, comedy was a usual thing for me. But standup comedy just came in as a new trend. So as it grew into a profession, I saw myself switching into it. When did you decide to do comedy professionally? I started comedy professionally in 2004 as a radio comedy presenter on Ray power FM, Jos. But way back then in the university, I used to do mock acts on stage. I used to mime Baba Fryo’s song. Then we had just three steaming acts who thrilled the university environs: Baba Fryo, organised Confusion, and Smooth Criminals (now P’Square). These groups were a toast any day. I left Ray Power in 2006 to do my own thing. I created my own show, ‘Check Your Blood Pressure’ which was a huge success then. I had Nigga Raw visiting Jos for the first time then. Shortly after then, I graced my first ever big stage at Julius Agwu’s Crack Ya Ribs in Abuja, 2006. Ever since then, I have graced various stages till date. What inspires your jokes? Environment, people’s actions, character, my power of exaggeration and divine inspiration from God. How has it been since you started? The journey has been quite challenging, but I have been very consistent and determined. And with the help of God I have made great success and grown as a brand. What is your most memorable experience? Honestly, every experience is always memorable. There is always something new to learn. Tell us about some of the stages you have performed on? I have graced all meaningful stages, you just name it; Crack Ya Ribs, AY Live, Nigerian Kings of Comedy, African Kings of Comedy, Night of a thousand Laffs, Glo laughter fest, Laff Patter, Star trekk, Heinekein Skyfall tour, Montreux comedy Festival, Switzerland (where I was the first African to grace the stage), including a lot of co-operate events. I have also worked with international brands like; Brandy, Joe, Keri Hilson, Loyiso Gola (South Africa), Ndumisho (South Africa) etc.

Nigerian comedians should target global market –Senator Bethel Uzoma Njoku otherwise known as Senator in this interview with UGOCHUKWU FAVOUR-MAYOR explains what it takes to entertain an audience Excerpts: bodies find it quite comfortable working with me because of these abilities. Who are your role models in the global comedy scene? My comedy role models are vary: Danny Davito, Kevin Hart, David Chapelle, and Chris Rock. In Nigeria, I have Ali Baba, Julius Agwu and Basket Mouth as my role models.

Senator

geNres

Well, my academic background danced like the waves at the primary school level. This was so because my father worked with the Federal Civil Service and as such couldn’t stay too long in a particular location. So, I started my Primary school in Bauchi state, went on transfer to Yola, before I finally settled in Jos. In Jos, I attended Fatima Private School. And at the Secondary level, I spent a year at Methodist High School and eventually joined the popular Government College in Umuahia.

Would you say the comedy industry has come of age in Nigeria? I would say that comedy is on the wake. There are still other forms of comedy yet to be explored. Nigerians are still occupied by the standup comedy genre. But in no time, this will make way for other genres. The challenge for the other genres are on the high with the saturating standup comedy market. But in conclusion, comedy in Nigeria has steamed a lot of influence and is still quite prospective.

From Government College Umahia, I came back to Jos for a Diploma course in Theater Arts in the very dynamic University of Jos. I eventually ran a full degree programme in Theater Arts. I graduated with a second class upper degree, Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts. Also, I received a University convocation award as the best graduating student in play writing 2004/2005 session. From there, I went to serve my nation at the NYSC level in Bauchi State. Presently, I am gradually warming up for my MSc.

Do you have youngsters you are helping up? Well, I have younger colleagues who have benefitted from my conscious and unconscious tutelage. Even the senior ones too have benefitted from me.

What style of comedy do you advance? My style of comedy is spontaneous, interpretative, intellectual and analytical. Dominantly, prone to corporate markets, though I am also versatile.

NigeriaNs are still occupied by the staNdup comedy

geNre.

but iN No

time, this will

make way for other

What is the long term plan for your comical style? As a trained Theatre Arts practitioner, I am armed with all the skills of the trade. My major concentration shall be to provide content. Content is the future of entertainment. I will explore more of other genres of entertainment. Give me an idea of your academic background?

How different is it from other brands being pushed by your notable and upcoming colleagues? My style is unique and possibly different because it is always refreshing. Genuine creativity is always functional. I don’t do Art for art’s sake, I do it for functionality reasons. I guess that is why as much as my jokes have been plagiarized, but I still remain refreshed and functional. My skill of observation keeps me on the upgrade, corporate

What challenges did you face coming up? The challenges were much. At the first level, it was in my school when certain lecturers didn’t want me to break, even when I was a bright student who had guts. Then to the family level where my father felt Theatre Arts was a study for lazy people. My father felt I was escaping hard work by being an entertainer. But today, because of my success so far, he claims entertainment runs in our family blood. Making an excellent result in the university, most people felt I should work with the bank, telecommunications etc., which I refused because of my passion for the Art. My mother always stood by me, believing in my passion. She alone supported me all the way. In fact, I used her as my audience each time I had a new joke. She has a good sense of humour. When I eventually relocated to Lagos, I faced the challenge of “who be this Jos person again?”. Some of my colleagues hid useful details from me for fear of losing clientele. In some other cases, people said because I was not from a certain ethnic group, I didn’t deserve certain jobs. But like the Holy book says, ‘A man’s talent maketh way for him’. Today, it is a new song. What really inspires me are challenges. It makes me to be more daring. How can entertainers help quell the tension in Jos? For the crisis in Jos, it is not different from what we have in other states; the Bokom Haram in Maiduguri, the bombing in Abuja, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna and the kidnapping in the East etc. I just think that they are all national issues which must be discussed with all sincerity. What do you expect to see in the industry? Development is what I hope to see in the industry. I am expecting to see more government participation and support to the industry. More private corporations should get more involved in the industry. Comedians too must open their minds towards the global advancement which is taking place. They should plan for the international market and not get too relaxed with the Nigerian market.

Escape

The country includes the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, the islands of Agalega and the archipelago Saint Brandon.

he country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural; most Mauritians are multilingual, and English, French, Creole and Asian languages are used. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system. Mauritius is highly ranked for democracy and for economic and political freedom. The total land area of the country is 2040 km2, which is the 180st largest nation in the world by size. The Republic of Mauritius also incorporates the island of Rodrigues, situated some 560 km to the east and is 104 km2 in area, theAgalega islands situated some 1,000 km to the north of Mauritius and Saint Brandon situated some 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius, both with total land area of 71.2 km2. Mauritius claim sovereignty over Tromelin islands, small islands that lie 430 km to the north-east of Mauritius. The nation’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) cover about 2.3 million km2 of the Indian Ocean, including approx. 400,000 km2 jointly managed with the Seychelles. The Island of Mauritius is relatively young geologically, having been created by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago. Together with Saint Brandon, Réunion and Rodrigues, the island is part of the Mascarene Islands. These islands have emerged from the abysses as a result of gigantic underwater volcanic eruptions that happened thousands of kilometres to the east of the continental block made up by Africa and Madagascar. Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 m to 800 m above sea level. The land rises from coastal plains to a central plateau where it reaches a height of 670 m, the highest peak is in the southwest, Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire at 828 metres (2,717 ft). Streams and rivers speckle the island; a lot of them are formed in the cracks created by lava flows.

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Mauritius: Island nation in Indian Ocean

cuisine are popular. Former slaves, Indian workers and Chinese migrant during the 19th century have also brought dishes and practices into the culinary traditions. Seafood is a staple of the island nation’s cuisine. Rum is popular.

April, with a mean temperature of 24.7° and a relatively cool dry winter from June to September with a mean temperature of 20.4°. The temperature difference between the seasons is only 4.3°. The warmest months are January and February with average day maximum temperature reaching 29.2° and the coolest months are July and August when average night minimum temperatures drops down to 16.4°. Annual rainfall ranges from 900 mm on the coast to 1,500 mm on the central plateau. Although there is no marked rainy season, most of the rainfall occurs in summer months

Music and folklore

Flora and fauna The country is home to some of the world’s rarest plants and animals but human habitation and the introduction ofnonnative species have threatened its indigenous flora and fauna. Due to its volcanic origin, age, isolation and its unique terrain, Mauritius is home to a diversity of flora and fauna not usually found in such a small area. Before its discovery by the Portuguese in 1507, there were no terrestrial mammals on the island. This allowed the evolution of a number of flightless birds and large reptile species. The arrival of man saw the introduction of invasive alien species and the rapid destruction of habitat and the loss of much of the endemic flora and fauna. Less than 2% of the native forest that once stretched from the mountain tops of the central plateau to the shore now remains,

Dodo bird, Mauritius

concentrated in the Black River Gorges National Park in the south west, the Bamboo Mountain Range in the south east and the Moka-Port Louis Ranges in the northwest. There are also some isolated mountains which areCorps de Garde, Le Morne Brabant and several offshore islands with remnants of coastal and mainland diversity. Within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius, the once abundant dodo became a rare bird. The last one was killed in 1681. The dodo is prominently featured as a supporter of the national Coat of arms of Mauritius.

Language Being both an English-speaking and French-speaking nation,

Mauritius is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and the Francophonie. The Mauritian constitution makes no mention of an official language. It is only in the Parliament that the official language is English; any member of the National Assembly can also address the chair in French. However, English is generally accepted as the official language of Mauritius and as the language of government administration, the courts and business. French is mostly used in the media and literature.

Cuisine They have a blend of Creole, Chinese, European and Indian influences in the history of Mauritius. Dishes fromFrench

The most typical folkloric dance of Mauritius is the “Sega” of African origin. This dance is pulsated by the beat of the ravane, a circular drum, and other rhythmic instruments like the maravane and triangle. Danced and sung by the slaves, the Sega has been adopted by all Mauritians and is played on all occasions. More recently, a new sound, a mixture of the Sega and Reggae music, has found its way into their musical culture. This fusion music called the Seggae, is a melodious and entertaining new rhythm that reflects the mixed aspect of Mauritius, emerged in the 80’s. Originally the music of the Rastafaris and the poor suburbs of Port Louis, it has found its way to the nightclubs and the mainstream of Mauritian local music. Western music is also well represented in the Mauritian culture. This includes the mainstream music amid rap, hip-hop, rock, Jazz band and other more traditional music like the waltz as well as all types of ballroom dancing. There is also a strong following for the 60’s to 70’s oldies, with the likes of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Englelberd Emperding being part of the

Environment and Climate The environment in Mauritius is typically tropical in the coastal regions with forests in the mountainous areas. Seasonal cyclones are destructive to the flora and fauna, although they recover quickly. Situated near the tropic of Capricorn, Mauritius has a tropical climate. There are 2 seasons: a warm humid summer from November to

trou au biches

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Escape

Friday, July 24, 2015

The first resort you will come across is the Maritim Hotel, which has 221 rooms, free water sports and the best sunsets. It’s also possible to see traditional Sega dancing, the national dance that originated in the days of slavery. Further north is Trou aux Biches, situated on the bus routes from Port Louis. Like the Maritim, Trou aux Biches Hotel offers a vast array of watersports, wholesome food, and sublime rum cocktails. The locals are usually amenable to visitors accompanying them on their fishing trips, but one will have to be on the beach very early. Usually there’s no charge, but it is advised that one checks before boarding their tiny boats. One of the best ways to explore this area and the nearby Grand Bay is on hired bicycles, which are readily available.

Flic Beach

Botanical garden

Ile Aux Cerfs Crystal clear waters and white sand beaches shaded by casuarina and palm trees surround this tiny island which caters for those seeking peace and solitude or the thrills of parasailing and other watersports.

Rodrigues Calcare

Mauritius attractions

national musical heritage.

Main attraction of Mauritius Mauritius is a sparkling jewel set in the brilliant turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Sunkissed beaches, stunning mountains, calm lagoons, bustling villages, patchwork sugar cane fields and swaying palm trees. Mauritius is a tropical island of colourful contrasts where the welcoming smiles of the people reveal the true magic of this enchanting land. Mauritius has a rich and varied past. Settled by the Dutch and colonised by both the French and the British over the centuries, the cosmopolitan population is now a fascinating mix of Indian, Chinese, African and European origin, creating a kaleidoscope of customs and religions. This marvellous blend of cultures is best reflected in the island’s cuisine - a delicious fusion of vibrant tastes and subtle aromas. Mauritius offers the classic tropical holiday pastimes - relaxing on sun-kissed beaches, sailing to beautiful deserted islands, exploring the wonders of the coral reefs. The island abounds with places of interest to amaze and entrance the visitors.

Port Louis Port Louis, the island’s main city located at the north-western end of the island, against a backdrop of mountains. With a population of just 138,211 inhabitants, Port Louis is a flourishing capital complete with an established infrastructure, markets selling fruit, vegetables and spices, and is the island’s only port. The commercial hub of the nation, Port Louis gives the visi-

tor a scintillating introduction into this melting pot of cultures. The capital city brims with life, the bustling market, the museum displaying the famous Dodo, the Caudan and waterfronts bursting with restaurants and shops and the busy streets teeming with exotic foods and merchandise. Anchored at Le Caudan Waterfront, you will be able to see ships from all over the world. Not far away is La Bourdonnais Square. Here stands the statue of Mauritius’ most eminent French governor, Mahé de la Bourdonnais, amid tall palms. A little way up the tree-lined road is Parliament House, with a statue of Queen Victoria at the entrance. In summer, the distinguished lady is surrounded by scarlet flame trees.

Life on an island Curepipe, the third largest urban area with 80,554 citizens, is renowned for its model ship builders, tea industry and the nearby dormant crater of Trou aux Cerfs, which offers breathtaking panoramas of the island’s landscape. Here, one can view a statue of the fictitious lovers, Paul and Virginie, from Bernadin de St Pierre’s 1788 novel of the same name. Also of interest are the local botanical gardens and the Tamarind Falls, which require transportation and hiking boots but are well worth the effort. Tamarind gets its name from the sour fruit that grows on large local trees called tamarinds. The bay is best known as an international surfing spot, especially in June and July, thanks to the gen-

Pamplemousses Gardens World-famous for a unique collection of indigenous and exotic plants, the gardens offer a peaceful haven in which to stroll and admire the giant lily pond, the beautiful Chateau Mon Plaisir, the lumbering giant tortoises and the replica of a 19th century sugar mill.

The Coloured Earths

Ganga talao

tle play of southeast trade winds on the water. The road from Curepipe leads to Mahébourg on the south-eastern tip of Mauritius. Although it is closest to the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport, this small town with just 17 031 inhabitants does not see all that many tourists. Its biggest attractions are the silks, saris and other materials on sale. There are also lovely

sea views of three small islands, one of which boasts an old disused lighthouse that stands guard over the seas. The island’s largest fishing fleet is based in Mahébourg, and it was in the mansion that now houses the Naval Museum that the French and British admirals, both injured in the Battle of Grand Port, were treated in the same room according to legend. Pirate stories abound, of course, and apparently, there are more ghosts in this town than in Port Louis!

Perfect beaches

Black river gorges

In the north of Mauritius are the pristine white beaches that make the island famous. Surrounded by turquoise seas, a number of stunning resorts dot the coast. This area is also a water sports lover’s paradise.

These multi-coloured mounds of earth, ranging from ochre through to various shades of purple and red, are the extraordinary result of long-distant volcanic activity and provide a truly amazing spectacle.

Black River Gorges A trip into the mountains will reveal the lush green and unspoilt beauty of this National Park. You may be lucky enough to spot a kestrel or straw-tailed tropic bird as you gaze towards the far-distant ocean and enjoy the calm beauty of the surrounding countryside.

Tamarind Falls The Tamarind Falls or Tamarin Falls are a scenic attraction of southwest Mauritius. They are a series of seven cataracts located on the Rivière Tamarin, two kilometers northwest of the large lake Mare aux Vacoas.

Blue Penny Museum The Blue Penny Museum is a stamp museum at Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. It opened in November 2001. The museum collection includes the 1847 Blue Penny and Red Penny stamps.

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Ban on Okada: Anxiety mounts as operators defy regulatory directive

ith the expiration of the ultimatum given by the lagos state government to clamp down on motorcyclists and tricycle drivers, who flout the order restricting their operations to inner roads and side streets, it has been observed that operators are still having a field day on such roads. following the return of the commercial motorcycle operators to the restricted roads and bridges immediately after the departure of the former governor babatunde fashola, who signed the lagos state road traffic bill into a law in august 2012, restricting their activities on about 475 roads, of about 10,000 roads, in the state, the secretary to lagos state government (ssg), tunji bello, had on july 1, after a consultative meeting with the leadership of the various associations of both the motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state, reiterated the subsisting restriction traffic law, and thereafter issued a 21-day ultimatum to motorcycle (okada) and tricycle riders to vacate restricted routes in the state or face the full wrath of the law. at the meeting, the state government frowned at the recalcitrant attitude of the operators by flouting with impunity the stipulated procedures guiding their operations. bello told them that the state government would not allow a return to the recent past before the enforcement of the 2012 road traffic law where crime rate and road accidents caused by unruly motorcycle riders were prevalent. he therefore directed them to

call their members to order. the ssg stressed the fact that the state government realizing their value and contributions to the economy restricted them on 475 roads out of 9100 and refused to outrightly ban the use of motorcycles for commercial transportation like some other states, but warned that the operators should not test the might of the state government. he said further that the lagos state government being a listening and compassionate government has directed a massive public enlightenment that will precede the full enforcement of the restriction order to sensitize the operators and the generality of lagos residents on the need to conform with the dictates of the road traffic law. the leadership of the motorcycle and tricycles operators had thanked the state government for taking them into confidence, promising to pass the message to their members and carry out their own enforcement before the state’s deadline. also speaking on the same issue, the permanent secretary ministry of transportation, mr oluseyi coker, had also warned that defaulters risk a threeyear imprisonment or community service. according to coker, contrary to the belief being held by the operators of okada that fashola had gone with the law restricting them on the roads, he noted that the lagos road traffic law (schedule 11), which restricts the operations of motorcycles and regulation 16 subsections 4, 5 and 6 of the law are still in force. according to him, section 3 sub-section 1 of the law stipulates: “no person shall ride, drive or propel a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on any of the routes specified in schedule 11 of the law.” coker, who lamented the resurgence of motorcycle operators on the restricted roads, especially in ikeja, isolo, apapa, agege, epe, ijede, shomolu/ bariga, ifako ijaiye/ojokoro, ikorodu, mushin, ketu, ojota, lagos island, ojodu and badagry, added that the administration of governor akinwunmi ambode would not fold its arms and allow lawlessness, indiscipline, disobedience to law and order, loss of lives and property of innocent citizens of the state to continue unabated. coker appealed to the leaders of the transport unions and motorcycle associations to ensure

Okada operators riding against traffic

‘

What We are saying is that, We have

reduced death from 192 per year to maximum of 6 per year. We have saved about 465 lives since october 2012 to date. We have also prevented an

‘

Three days after the expiration of the ultimatum given by the Lagos State government to clamp down on motorcyclists and tricycle drivers, who flout the order restricting their operations to inner roads and side streets, the operators are still having a field’s day on Lagos highways raising fears that the end to motorcycle-causing deaths may not come soon in Lagos State. Adejuwon Osunnuyi writes.

average of 465 okada related injuries monthly and 5,172 yearly that their members adhere to the transport laws. coker said when enforcement begins, operators who fail to comply with the law either prison or forfeited his vehicle to the state. coker warned motorcycle operators who drive against traffic, especially on the oshodi-apapa expressway, lagos-abeokuta expressway and ikorodu road, among others, to desist to save lives of their passengers and other road users. according to him, many lives have been lost through this dangerous act. it would recalled that the former commissioner for transportation, comrade kayode opeifa while reviewing the state of transportation sector shortly before the expiration of former governor babatunde fashola had decried the resurgence of okada saying that okada related accidents had increased by 34 per cent. giving a break down on the success achieved since the ban or restriction on okada as the case may be, opifa had noted, “since august 2012, we have continuously sustained our gains as

Ambode

we recorded 81 per cent reduction in the number of motorcycle related accidents reported in our public health institutions. We have had 80 per cent reduction in motorcycle related deaths reported at our public hospitals. “What we are saying is that, we have reduced death from 192 per year to maximum of 6 per year. We have saved about 465 lives since october 2012 to date. We have also prevented an average of 465 okada related injuries monthly and 5,172 yearly. by implication, we have prevented a total of 14,220 okada accidents re-

lated injuries since 2012.” opeifa said. While the deadline had initially expired last thursday, the government had said the enforcement would begin immediately after the sallah holidays. checks on major roads across the state yesterday showed that it was still business as usual for the operators as the government, police and other security agencies that are to implement the law are unprepared to enforce it. motorcycles were seen on major roads, such as the apapa- oshodi expressway, lagosabeokuta expressway, oshodi, mushin roads, ikorodu road, among others. most of the cyclists said they were unaware of the return of the enforcement. for instance, amidu adamson, a commercial motorcyclist who operates along iju road, one of the restricted roads, said that he thought the government had decided to leave the okada operators alone. according to him, he was unaware the government gave a 21 days ultimatum for them to move out of all restricted roads. akeem adenekan, one of those operators who believed that the restriction of motorcycle operation was in good faith, especially as long as it is meant to enhance safety of all stakeholders: the operators and the commuters in the state said that he supported the banning okada operators from operating on the highways and other specified roads. “i believe it is in our interest. i live in ikotun and operate in itire. i have two motorcycles but i dare not ride okada from my house to my area of operation. i’ll rather use the public transport to commute from there. it’s good to streamline okada operations because at a time, the menace of okada in the metropolis became unbearable even to the chagrin of some okada operators in the business”, adenekan said. meanwhile, a top official of the ministry of transport, who pleaded for anonymity, said the government would soon swoop on the cyclists. While confirming that the deadline has expired, he noted that government would not hurry into enforcement because it would want maximum impact when the enforcement eventually begins. he said government wants to avoid a situation in which “these people could gang up and molest any official out to enforce the law.”

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Friday, July 24, 2015

Toyota unveils new generation seven-seater Fortuner

oyota has launched a second generation of its famous sport utility vehicle, Fortuner, riding on the global success of the outgoing model. While no date has been fixed yet for its launch in Nigeria, the 2016 seven-seater family SUV was unveiled simultaneously last week in Australia and Thailand. Like its other Toyota siblings, the Fortuner has been rated well among its peers and enjoys a topnotch position in its segment. Coming in the middle of the RAV4 and the Land Cruiser Prado (Lexus GX), the Fortuner is the Toyota’s challenger to the new Ford Everest, which is similarly based on the Ranger pickup, says a report by Autoblog. The report describes the vehicle as all-new from the ground up, featuring an updated ladderframe platform, new design, premium interior and a new range of engines. The Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Toyota Australia, Mr. Tony Cramb, says, “Fortuner shares the rugged underpinnings of the ‘unbreakable’ HiLux, al-

lowing owners to travel to — and return from — places m a n y other SUVs simply can’t go. “Its strength and refinement ensure that the vehicle is equally at home on the school run as on the toughest off-road trails. At the same time, Fortuner’s unique design suits the advanced tastes of modern SUV buyers while being equipped with a comprehensive list of features appreciated by families and business owners. “Fortuner provides a diesel alternative to the petrol-only Kluger range as the new entry point for customers looking to purchase a large Toyota diesel SUV.” The Toyota Fortuner comes in two diesel engines and one petrol unit spread across four different variants. The diesel variants consist of the 2.4G 4×2 6MT, 2.4V 4×2 6AT, 2.8V 4×2 6AT, 2.8V 4×4 6AT, while the only petrol offering is the 2.7V 4×2 6AT.

It was part of a global programme to mark the Suzuki’s 50th anniversary, which was attended by representatives of Suzuki from Japan. The Managing Director, Boulos Enterprises, Mr. Julian Hardy, said the company felt the need to continue to contribute to the wellbeing of the society, particularly its host communities, as part of its corporate social responsibility. He also spoke on a number of products just introduced by the company to the Nigerian market, including the fourstroke outboard engine, which he noted as suitable to the country’s climatic and water conditions.

Boulos Enterprises Limited during the Beach Clean up campaign exercise held at Orimedu Beach, Ibeju Lekki

Kia’s K900 (Quoris) luxury car tops happy buyers’ chart

Another report by Indianautoblog also presents the standard features in the new Fortuner. For instance, it says the vehicle comes equipped with smart key system with keyless entry, start/stop button, knee airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control system, Hill Assist Control, emergency light system. Its other interesting detail divulged is that the dashboard panel looks different from the Hilux Revo. The next generation Toyota Fortuner is expected to arrive from March 2016. From a distance, the Fortuner shares the rugged look of the Toyota Hilux pickup. The 2.7 litre petrol version of the vehicle is currently being distributed in Nigeria by Toyota Nigeria Limited.

Boulos, Suzuki reiterate commitment to environmental Hardy said the old two-stroke up all forms of dirt and othsafety, cleanliness ing engine had been phased out due er debris around the area. oulos Enterprises Limited and Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan have canvassed the need to always have a clean the environment as part of safety measures for sustainable living. In line with its corporate social responsibility, aimed at improving the safety of the ecological system as well as reducing environmental pollution harmful to human existence, the two companies took the campaign to Orimedun Palma Beach, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos last week during its beach cleanup campaign. The event provided an opportunity for dealers, users of Boulos products and the public to tidy up the sea shore by pick-

megacrown1@yahoo.com 08025237926

to its pollution but regretted that it was still being smuggled into the country. The new four-stroke, he said, came with a lot of benefits such as fuel efficiency; no pollution and less noise. He said that the cleanup programme was meant to enlighten fishermen, market men women and schoolchildren on the need to keep the environment clean at all times. “Suzuki marine always aim to provide “excitement and satisfaction” and give our customers a great day on the water, in a clean and healthy environment. To do our part as the major distributor of Suzuki outboard in Nigeria, Boulos Enterprises Limited organized the Beach Clean up campaign.” Stanley Evans, General Sales and Marketing Manager, Boulos Enterprises Limited said. The exercise took the team to four communities – Tolu, Oniyomi, Magbon and Orimedu. The Principal of Orimedu Community High School, Mr. Omoboriowo, commended Boulous Enterprises for coming up with the awareness programme, adding that the entire community had benefited immensely from the event.

hen it comes to being happy with your new car, owners of Kia’s new luxury car are the happiest of all, a new survey finds. Kia scored highest when it came to a single model, but didn’t win the most categories, finds the 19th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. It came in second, with four, behind General Motors, with five. Nissan had three. “Competition is fierce and no one automaker dominates the results,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. The new survey buttresses another closely watched index in the auto industry, J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study,

which also showed big gains by South Korean automakers Kia and corporate cousin, Hyundai. “Kia and Hyundai are continually improving owner satisfaction in key areas like reliability and quality, yet are also hitting the mark with safety, braking, handling, styling and seat comfort, not to mention a very satisfying warranty program,” Peterson says. All told, the survey considered 66,000 responses involving 274 models from 33 brands for the 2015. Among brands, big gains were seen by Jaguar, which moved up 11 positions, and Volkswagen, which moved up 10.

Ford develops camera-based lighting system to aid driving

ord Motor Company says in continuation of its role as a leading innovator in lighting technology, it is developing advanced lighting system that will enable drivers to easily see potential hazards such as pedestrians, cyclists and ani- Ford’s Camera-Based Advanced Front mals when driving at Lighting System illuminates a pedestrian standing on the side of the road night. The camera-based advanced uses an infrared camera befront lighting system, it says, hind the grille, and is similar to uses the Global Positioning but less complex than systems System and a video camera in employed by Mercedes-Benz the rear-view mirror housing and Audi. Giving a description of how to move the adaptive headlights it works, the automaker says with the road terrain. According to Ford, when the when the infrared camera decar detects a roundabout or an tects a potential hazard like a intersection, for instance, the person or an animal in or near light beam widens to offer a the road up to 390 feet ahead, it bigger view of what is coming can shine one of two LED spotfrom the side. If the GPS detects lights on the danger. A display in the dash cluster the intersection, the location is tagged so that the beam auto- will highlight the object with a matically widens when it is en- yellow or a red box, depending on the how close it is and how countered again. The spot lighting system dangerous it might be.

Kia improving performing performance in Europe

ia Motors Europe has recorded its best ever quarterly and half-year sales in the company’s history, as the brand’s year-on-year growth accelerated to 7.6 per cent, according to the latest data from ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association). During the first half of 2015, Kia posted sales of 200,038*, representing the best-ever six month period recorded by the Korean brand in Europe. Compared to the first half of 2014, this represents growth of 7.6 per cent. At the same time,

the second quarter of 2015 was the brand’s best-ever quarterly sales total, with 103,946 units registered – the first time Kia has broken through the 100,000 barrier in any one quarter. Michael Cole, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motors Europe, commented: “2015 to date has been a great period for Kia in Europe, with sales records tumbling and new highs reached. We’re delighted that Kia continues to grow, consistently and sustainably, and that an increasing number of motorists are drawn to our range of high quality, high value cars.”

Cocktail

Friday, July 24, 2015

Spider interrupts meteorologist during live broadcast

RAND RAPIDS, Mich., July 21 (UPI) -- A Michigan meteorologist using a live stream from an outdoor camera during his report was interrupted by what appeared to be a giant spider catching breakfast. Garry Frank, a meteorologist for WXMI-TV, was using a live video feed of the sunrise from a camera atop the River House building in Grand Rapids when the gi-

ant image of a spider came into view on the live stream behind him. “That’s not a cloud!” Frank said when the giant spider image -- actually a normal-sized spider crawling directly on the lens -- appeared. Frank decided to let the camera continue to play for a moment. “But we’ll just kinda sit here and watch this guy,” Frank said. “He’s gonna catch one of these flies.”

Angry man head-butts bus over $2 fare

olice are working to identify a Florida man who apparently knocked himself out for a few seconds by head-butting a bus out of anger over a $2 fare. The Winter Haven Police Department, which posted video of the incident to its Facebook page, said the man got off the bus about 11:35 a.m. Saturday when it arrived at its stop. Police said the man told the driver he wanted to go to another location, and he became “extremely agitated” when the driver told him it would be an additional $2 fare to travel to the other location.

The driver locked the bus and went inside the enclosed part of the bus terminal, leaving the passenger sitting alone on a bench. The man walked away, but returned to the still-locked bus four minutes later. The video shows the man get a running start before head-butting the door of the bus, shattering a glass window. The man falls to the ground and appears to be knocked out for a few seconds before collecting himself and running away. “File this under what NOT to do when you get mad regarding bus fare -- ouch,” police wrote on Facebook.

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Oddities Oddities

Couple swim in homemade shark cages in beach

he couple featured in a viral video of a North Carolina lifeguard stopping two people from swimming in homemade shark cages said the objects were a joke. A video posted to YouTube Tuesday by Jordan Cutrell of Camden, N.C., shows the two people at a beach in the Outer Banks walking into the water wearing what appeared to be homemade shark cages Sunday. “These people are going swimming in their sharkproof cages,” Cutrell says incredulously in the video. “They don’t wanna get bit.” A lifeguard blows his whistle at the couple and they exit the water to have a conversation with the man out of range of the camera’s microphone. “Everyone was curious of what was going on and was in awe,” Cutrell told WBTV. “As many times as I have been to the beach, I’ve

never seen anything like it.” Cutrell said the cages appeared to be constructed from PVC pipe and “obviously wouldn’t and couldn’t be seriously used to go swimming with sharks.” The couple from the video, Sandi and Scott Bergman, said they spent about eight hours building the cages as a means to amuse friends and family.

“There’s just so much serious going on the news right now. We wanted to be light-hearted,” Sandi Bergman told WWBT-TV. The couple confirmed the cages, which they dubbed “Blokjaw,” were made from PVC pipes, bolts and plastic. “People started walking up to us [and asking], ‘Are these shark cages? Can I get

in the shark cage?’ ‘Yes, you can get in the shark cage’,” Sandi Bergman said. “So on the shark cages go, and we were taking pictures with their phones and then we pick them up and start to leave the beach... and then people who were a little way’s away from us, as we walked by them... ‘Hey wait a minute. Are those shark cages?’”

Sandi and Scott Bergman speak with a lifeguard about their homemade “shark cages” at a beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Business Maritime

Delayed passage of maritime industry bills undesirable for economy –Experts The failure of the National Assembly to pass into law some maritime industry bills such as the Ports and Harbours Bill and the National Transport Commission NTC Bill nearly 10 years after the completion of the port reform programme is seen by experts as a missing link in government’s sustained efforts to optimize the industry’s potential for the nation’s socio-economic development. FRANCIS EZEM reports.

he Ports and Harbours Bill, which passed second reading more than eight years ago, was forwarded to the National Assembly sometime in 2006 to give a legal backing to the port concession programme, especially given the limitations inherent in the Ports Act 1999 in terms of the powers of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA to go into long term lease. Similarly, the National Transport Commission Bill, which is a consolidation of many other maritime and transport industry related bills, was also sent to the National Assembly about five years later when it dawned on the Federal Government that the creation of an economic regulator was required to oversee the effective management of the ports. This is given the adoption of the Landlord Port Model fashioned after the Port of Antwerp of Belgium. The failure of the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration to pass these two critical legislations before the commencement of the reform programme underscored the haste and uncoordinated nature in which critical national assets such as the seaports were handed over to private investors both foreign and indigenous ones. The implication of this laxity for the economy is that the government failed to put in place the legal and regulatory framework that would drive the post concession era before embarking on the exercise and immediately after, which still haunts the exercise till date. It was in response to government’s failure to pass these two bills, especially the Ports and Harbours Bill, which was partly to protect the investment of the private port concessionaires that most of them introduced arbitrary charges as part of efforts to recoup their investments, also given the instability and uncertainties in the nation’s economy. This also informed the decision of the government to quickly package the NTC Bill, which is expected to enthrone a regime of institutional regulatory framework in order to promote efficiency, reduce the cost of doing business at the ports, make then competitive and above all, check monopolistic tendencies. Former President Goodluck Jonathan had following the delay in the passage of the NTC and other related maritime bills, appointed the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, in February last year as the nation’s ports regulator to oversee the tariffs and charges.

Saraki

Igbokwe

Bello

The move was also part of efforts to checkmate the indiscriminate imposition of arbitrary tariffs and charges on importers and freight forwarders by the terminal operators and shipping companies. Some of the illegal charges, which were reversed on the orders of the former Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar include, Tally Clerk, COT and Container Cleaning Levy, among several others numbering over 39 charges, among several others. A maritime lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said: “The focus of the NTC Bill, is to provide regulatory framework for the transport sector, which is critical to the nation’s economy, given the strategic role transportation plays in the growth and development of any economy”. He also said that the NTC Bill aims at creating an Economic Regulator for the nation’s seaport industry, given the land lord port model being operated in Nigeria after the concession. It is expected that when passed into law, the economic regulator that would be created would ensure that there is fairness and

level playing field for all, a development that would in turn promote competition and efficiency. For instance, section five (A) of the Bill, which spells out the functions of the commission provides that it would provide effective competition, promote competitive market conduct and ensure that the misuse of monopoly or non-transitory market power is prevented in the provision of transport services. Similarly, section five ( C) provides that the commission is to promote private sector in the provision of transport services, ensure that operators and users have equitable access to the use of the level of competition in and efficiency of the regulated transport industry, among others. Investigations also showed that the scope of the Bill would cover economic regulation of the entire transport sector covering the ports, land transportation, including rail and road, as well as the inland waters, especially in terms of fixing tariffs and charges. Section 26 of the Bill states: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the commission shall have the power to reg-

ulate tariffs for or in respect of prescribed goods and services supplied by or within a regulated transport industry, among others” Maritime lawyer, Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN, who spoke in an interview noted that non-passage of these bills, including the Anti-Piracy, portended great danger for the maritime industry. He noted that the current National Assembly should do everything in their powers to ensure that these bills are urgently passed into law, given the critical roles they would play in re-directing and re-focusing the maritime industry. Given the uncertainties in the oil and gas sector occasioned by the free fall in the price of crude oil, industry experts believe that the passage of the pending bills and adoption of other fiscal and regulatory measures could translate the maritime industry as an alternative and sustainable source of foreign exchange earnings for the country. They argued that this worrisome fiscal situation of the country should serve as the springboard for government at all levels to begin to reposition the industry and get more committed to the agenda of passing the pending bills before the National Assembly into law. According to the analysts, doing otherwise will not only continue to jeopardize the nation’s economic interest in the industry but also showcase clearly the insincerity of governments about its campaigns for improve efficiency and transparency in the industry over the years.

THE FOCUS OF THE NTC BILL, IS TO PROVIDE

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE TRANSPORT SECTOR, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO THE NATION’S ECONOMY, GIVEN THE STRATEGIC ROLE TRANSPORTATION PLAYS IN THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANY ECONOMY

Business Maritime

Friday, July 24, 2015

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CBN’s forex policy may reduce imports –Group STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM

trong indications emerged that the sharp decline in the value of the naira against major foreign currencies, especially the dollar, with the attendant strict foreign exchange control measures put in place by the Central Bank of Nigeria might drastically reduce the volume of imported goods into the country. Available records show that the currency exchanges for between N245 and N197 per dollar at the black and official markets respectively. The apex bank had recently released a list of 11 items, including toothpick, which have been prohibited from access foreign exchange, a development many economic watchers said was a right step in the right direction. President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, who spoke in an interview, noted that the moves made by the apex bank to curtail the continued slide in the value of the naira was good and should be encour-

Emefiele

aged. He however noted that a direct implication of these strict foreign exchange regulations might be a drastic reduction in the volume of goods imported into the country, which would also on the other hand reduce government’s revenue from import duty and other port activities. He argued that no nation leaves her currency to the vagaries of global market forces of

Dikko

demand and supply, which sometimes makes it necessary to adopt some measures to protect the local currency. According to him, the Nigerian situation is further made critical and precarious by the fact that the country is importdependent, as she depends on imported goods to cater for her over 170 million population, which he said is not the best. “The fluctuations in the international crude oil market, which

has led to a sharp decline in the price of the black gold from N120 per barrel some years ago to less than N65 per barrel currently, which has helped to put pressure on the value of the naira, given that Nigeria has no other exports”, he said. He noted that the current fall in the value of the naira is coming at a time the seaports are trying to regain the volume of imported goods, which dropped significantly in the first quarter

IMB raises fresh concerns over increase in global piracy

lobal piracy on the high seas is on the rise once again and a small coastal tanker is hijacked by pirates in South East Asia every two weeks, according to a new report. The joint report by the International Chamber of Commerce ICC and International Maritime Bureau IMB found that South East Asia accounted for 55 per cent of the world’s 54 piracy and

armed robbery incidents since the start of 2015. The report also found that after a steady drop in global piracy over the last few years, attacks rose 10 per cent in the first quarter of 2015. Worldwide, pirates took 140 hostages in the first three months of 2015, three times as many as during the same period in 2014. A total of 13 seafarers were assaulted and three injured.

IMB recorded 23 ship hijackings in South East Asia since April 2014. Most attacks were by armed gangs targeting small coastal tankers to steal their cargoes of fuel. “The frequency of these hijackings in South East Asia is an increasing cause for concern. There’s a risk that the attacks and violence could increase if left unabated,” said Pottengal Mukun-

Egypt on alert ahead of Suez Canal inauguration

gyptian authorities have raised the alert level to the maximum across the country ahead of the opening of the expanded Suez Canal set for August 6th. Security checks of local residents and naval patrols have been under way, according to Anadolu news agency, so as to rule out possible security threats to the opening ceremony. The heightened security measures have been put in place following recent bomb planting around the country’s major waterway earlier this month and, more recently, an attack on a moored Egyptian coastguard vessel in the Mediterranean Sea

near the Sinai Peninsula by the so called Islamic-state forces. As the upgrade project nears completion, with nearly 97 per cent of dredging works finalized, the preparations are under way to start with the trial operations in the expanded lane. The trials are set to begin this Saturday, Mohamed Sakr, the head of navigational management department at the Suez Canal Authority, told Al-Ahram newspapers, adding that different size ships will take part in the test operations. Head of Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish asserted on Sunday, July 19th, that the new project is a fully integrated one

fitted with navigational signs, maps, electronic navigation devices and highly-trained guides to secure ships crossing the waterway. Mamish added that logistical and security preparations had been made for the inauguration of the New Suez Canal project. Once the two-way highway is completed, Egypt expects that up to 20,000 ships will transit the route on a yearly basis. The expansion project will pave the way for a transit of ships of up to 20 meters in draft, thus increasing the revenue of the canal to up to USD 17 billion a year. (Source – World Maritime News)

dan, Director of IMB, which has been monitoring world piracy since 1991. Indonesia accounts for the highest number of attacks - almost 40 percent of 2015 attacks, with two vessels hijacked and 19 vessels boarded. IMB report said that the majority of incidents were low-level, opportunistic thefts, though the attackers were usually armed with knives, machetes or guns.

of the year due to the uncertainties in the political and economic spheres in the country due to the preparations for the general elections. “This is however a good but bitter lesson for the Nigerian government to begin to look inwards towards diversifying the economy from its current monolithic nature to a multi-product nature which would provide the needed shield from fluctuations from the global economy”, he also said. He therefore called on importers to also concentrate on the importation of things that cannot be produced in the country, especially raw materials and other unfinished goods, citing the importation o toothpick with the nation’s scarce foreign exchange, which he described as wasteful. Most stakeholders have been reacting to the release of the 11 items by the CBN, which would not be entitled to foreign exchange, as many of them have called on the apex bank to further tightens the nation’s foreign exchange policy. The stakeholders had argued that some importers live on buying foreign exchange market from the CBN at the official rate only for them to resell at the black market, through which the country has lost so much. They also called on the CBN to liaise with the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure that every foreign exchange sourced from the official market is accounted and audited after the importation has been made in order to sanitise the industry. Many have also called for the unification of the parallel and official markets so that the value of the currency would be determined by the forex of demand and supply.

Golar seals deal for Third GoFLNG

ondon-based liquefied natural gas shipping company Golar LNG Limited has executed agreements for conversion of the 126,000 m3 LNG carrier Gandria to a Golar floating liquefaction facility (GoFLNG) with Singapore’s Keppel Shipyard Limited (Keppel). The Gandria conversion contract marks the exercise of the second of two options that formed part of the initial 2014 Hilli conversion contract and is worth approximately USD 684 million. Keppel Shipyard will provide the design, detailed engineering and procurement of the marine systems and all of the conversion-related construction servic-

es. Black & Veatch will provide its licensed PRICO® technology, perform detailed engineering and process design, specify and procure topside equipment, and provide commissioning support for the GoFLNG topsides and liquefaction process. Golar said that the decision to go ahead with the third conversion project was taken following a thorough review of the growing portfolio of business development opportunities for GoFLNG, which has shown potential demand from several possible customers for delivery of floating liquefaction facilities as early as 2018. (Source – World Maritime News)

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Capital Bancorp’s forum harps on imperatives for capital market growth

articipants at the Capital Bancorp’s maiden Investor Forum yesterday identified investment opportunities in Nigeria and proposed practical solutions to reinforce investor confidence as a strategic step towards sustainable growth of the nation’s capital market. The forum which attracted key speakers from the financial market agreed that advent of Over-The-Counter (OTC) market has expanded investment platform in Nigeria. An economist and Chief Executive Officer of RTC Advisory, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, spoke extensively on investment opportunities in Nigeria. He explained that privatization policy of the Federal Government should be vigorously pursued to enhance economic activities. Agbaje re-affirmed the imperative of privatization of the power sector, investment in Agriculture for enhanced export and institutional reforms to attract investment into Solid Minerals Sector. According to him, policy failures in the management of external reserves, electricity distribution, budget structure, oil structure and cost of governance among others were some of the factors responsible for lack of investor confidence in Nigeria. Capital Bancorp Plc’s Managing Director and Chief Executive

Business News

Friday, July 24, 2015

Officer, Mr Aigboje Higo, argued that everybody that invested in the post 2009 era had realized good returns. Higo, who substantiated his views with statistical analysis from market data, noted that many of the investors had realized an average of over 50 percent returns while some realised above 200 percent. He, however, listed some factors responsible for investors’ apathy to the nation’s capital market as including, loss of investment, sharp practices amongst some operators, ineffective regulators, perception that the market is not fair, bottlenecks associated with the payment of dividend and bonus shares and lack of market liquidity. Speaking on the operations of Over-The-Counter (OTC) market, the NASD Plc’s Managing Director, Mr Bola Ajomale, explained that the OTC market had expanded trading platform for investors in the Nigerian Capital Market. According to him, only publicly registered companies’ shares are traded and NASD ensured investor protection through its disclosure mechanism and constant notification of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange on any observable lapses on the part of the quoted companies.

World Bank predicts weak commodity prices in 2015 TOLA AKINMUTIMI

espite the slight rebound in oil prices in the second quarter of this year, the World Bank has predicted that commodity prices would remain weak in the global markets. The multilateral institution gave this forecast despite the fact of a slight nudge in oil prices at average $57 dollars per barrel in the April to June period, representing 17 per cent above its $53 per barrel forecast last April. The latest forecast is contained in the bank’s Commodity Markets Outlook released on Wednesday. While noting that energy prices rose 12 per cent in the quar-

ter, with the surge in oil offset by declines in natural gas and coal prices, the Bank however still projected that energy prices would average 39 per cent below 2014 level. The Bretton Woods institution stated: “Natural gas prices are projected to decline across all three main markets including the United States, Europe and Asia. Coal prices are likely to fall 17 per cent.” According to the Bank, whereas the global market recorded a two per cent decline in prices for the quarter with the exclusion of energy, non-energy prices would average 12 per cent below 2014 levels this year. The Lead author of the report and Senior Economist at the

Bank, John Baffes projected that demand for crude oil was higher than expected in the second quarter, despite the marginal increase in the price forecast for 2015. He, however, pointed out that large inventories and rising output from OPEC members suggested that prices will likely remain weak in the medium-term. The bank stated that Iran’s new nuclear agreement with the U.S. and other leading governments, if ratified, would ease sanctions, including restrictions on oil exports from Iran, adding however that downside risks to the forecast included higher-than-expected non-OPEC production supported by falling production costs and continuing gains in OPEC output.

L-R: Representative of Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD, Mr. Damilola Eniayeju, Director Planning and Policy Coordination FMARD, Mrs. Rabi Idi Adamu and Head of Publicity and Advocacy AGRA, Mr. Blackie Keizire at the Ministry last Wednesday in Abuja.

Frozen food traders lament N20bn importation ban loss TOLA AKINMUTIMI

rozen food traders in Lagos yesterday decried the estimated N20 billion yearly loss by their members to Federal Government’s ban on the importation of frozen poultry products. The President-General of the Ajeromi Frozen Foods Market Association, Alhaja Afusat Popoola, disclosed this during an

interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. She recalled that before the policy restriction on importation, the members used to receive daily more than eight trucks of frozen food items which include chicken, turkey, fish, shrimps, gizzard and prawns, lamenting that businesses of the association are now suffering substantially due to the policy. Popoola urged the govern-

ment to provide alternatives to the banned poultry products in view of the inadequacy of local farmers and processors to meet market demand. In her remarks, the Chairperson of the association at Ijora, Mrs. Chinyere Egbune, urged government to assist local poultry farmers financially to bridge the demand gap created by the ban. She claimed that the ban caused about 300 per cent in-

crease in the price of the poultry products. She clarified: “People prefer to buy imported one because with just N1, 000, one can cook a pot of soup, compared to the local one that costs more than N2, 000. If the government insists that we should eat the local ones, they should subsidise the local production so that it will be cheaper in the market.” The Federal Government had

banned the importation of frozen chicken and turkey in 2003 but since then the items continued to be available in Nigerian markets. Recently, the enforcement of the policy by the Nigeria Customs Service is causing the prices of poultry products to rise from between 25 and 35 per cent, depending on the market of purchase.

TeamFest Africa 2015 urges SMEs to showcase crafts PAUL EREWUBA

mall and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) have been urged to exhibit, connect with other competitors during this year’s all African Business Festival/Expo scheduled to hold next month in Lagos. Olsen Decker Nigeria Ltd,

organizers of TeamFest Africa 2015, stated that the annual business festival would focus on showcasing and galvanizing the immeasurable importance of good leadership and teambuilding among African organizations with the aim of exposing them to connect with potential business ideas and customers all over Africa. In addition, the organizers

of the event indicated that the expo would enable the micro and medium entrepreneurs to exhibit to over 5000 participants and investors, get hired by over 200 participating companies and agencies and learn from Masters in different Industries, including world renowned business strategist from the UK. Speaking in Lagos, Head of TeamFest Africa, Joseph Ad-

amu, explained that a lot of SMEs do not understand the dynamism of market trend. Adamu said:“In business, SMEs need to be forward thinking. You have a product, how do you market it? SMEs need to have a lot of information about their products. “Beyond being dynamic, you have to be innovative. Business does not fly until it ends on the

consumer’s table. So, TeamFest is providing that sales platform for SMEs”, he added. He explained further that participating businesses from Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are expected to join in the three-day activity, specifically designed for corporate bodies, SMEs, Young professionals and entrepreneurs.

Business News

Friday, July 24, 2015

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FG partners AGRA, Agric Business Group on sector’s micro reforms TOLA AKINMUTIMI

he Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has resolved to partner with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) to implement some micro reforms in the agricultural sector in Nigeria. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Arc. Sonny Echono, made this disclosure at the launch of Micro reforms for African Agribusiness in Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja. Represented by the Director, Agribusiness and Marketing, Engr. Ohiare Jatto, the Permanent Secretary explained that Nigeria’s agriculture had been receiving a major boost now that the private sector has taken the centre stage of activities in the sector. He explained that the goal of government is to attract private sector agribusinesses through investment facilitation from early stage and going through the investment lifecycle, using reforms, regulations, laws and administra-

tive practices adding that, “the private sector has become the engine of Nigeria’s economic growth”. Echono commended the efforts of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group for joining hands with AGRA in accelerating investments in the agricultural sector through advocacy for options in policies and incentives. While identifying inconsistency in policies and regulations as one of the major constraints facing private sector agribusiness investors in the country, he listed

issues of affordable financing and innovative insurance products, infrastructure and lack of security of supply of raw materials for food processing as major amongst the challenges. Echono expressed his satisfaction with the approach adopted by AGRA in helping to identify ambiguous, economically flawed and poorly implemented micro reforms across selected African countries. He said: “Nigeria’s choice by AGRA as a case study would pro-

vide a benchmark for other African countries in growing the agricultural sector across Africa”. Earlier in his remarks, the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Dr. Agnes Kalibata, represented by the Head of policy and Advocacy, Mr. Boaz Blackie Keizire, disclosed that AGRA was formed with a vision of developing agricultural technologies in close communication with farmers. She recalled that AGRA had

supported the growth of Agro entrepreneurs in seeds and fertilizers across the continent, adding that over 25,000 Agro dealerships had been created by the organization in Africa. Kalibata explained that the role of AGRA was to build the capacity of agricultural systems from technologies to agro enterprises and maintained that Nigeria would play a critical role in making green revolution happen in Africa.

Anambra Assembly lauds Governor on agricultural programmes FRANCIS EKPONE ONITSHA

he Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday commended that State Government for its various initiatives aimed at improving the contributions of the agricultural sector to the state’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, achieve food security and create jobs for the unemployed. The commendation of the Legislature was given at its plenary yesterday.

Presenting the motion in the floor of the chamber, the member representing Ayamelum constituency, Hon. Uche Okafor, urged the ‘House’ to commend the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano for flagging off two commercial agricultural programmes at Anaku and Omasi in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra state with the aim of addressing food security and enhance economic development and as well, create employment for Anambrarians. The farm at Anaku is believed to have a production capacity

of 12,000 tons of rice per annum while the N16 billion farm at Omasi focuses on processing and cultivation of tomatoes in large quantity. Hon. Okafor, however, observed that the initiatives by the Governor were geared towards making agriculture an attractive venture, with a view to reducing unemployment and enhance the living standard of the people of the State and indeed, called on the governor to ensure continued support and encouragement to the two agricultural programmes.

He described agriculture as a rewarding occupation that still needs to be harnessed and developed across the state, adding that about 70 percent of the estimated 10 million hectres of land in Ayamelum is arable but only 40 percent of it is being utilised productively. The motion which was seconded by the member representing Oyi Counstituency, Hon. Vivian Okadigbo was supported by many members of the States Assembly including Hon. Chigbo Enwezor of Onitsha 11 constituency.

U. S. records lowest unemployment rate in 42 years

L-R: Manager, Murtala Mohammed Way branch (Kano) of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Ali Yahaya; Zonal Head, Kano East, Mr. Habib Isa-Dutse; Manager, Katsina branch, Mr. Kabir Garba; Executive Director, Abuja & North, Mr. Adam Nuru and the Zonal Head, Kano West, Mr. Abdullahi Mainasara, during a courtesy visit by the Bank’s officials to Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, on Wednesday

he fewest Americans in four decades filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, continuing to unwind an early-July surge that was probably tied to mid-year factory shutdowns and school vacations. Jobless claims plunged by 26,000 to 255,000 in the week ended July 18, the fewest since November 1973, a report from the Labor Department showed on Thursday in Washington. The median forecast of 47 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for 278,000. Volatility is typical for this time of year as auto plants retool for the new model year and school staff varies with summer holidays, a de-

Japan’s Nikkei buys Financial Times in $1.3bn deal

apanese media group Nikkei has agreed to buy the Financial Times from Britain’s Pearson for $1.3 billion, putting one of the world’s premier business newspapers in the hands of a company influential at home but little known outside Japan. The deal, struck after Nikkei beat Germany’s Axel Springer to the prize, marks the biggest acquisition by a Japanese media organization and is a coup for

the employee-owned firm which lends its name to the main Japanese stock market index. In the Financial Times it has acquired an authoritative global newspaper that commands strong loyalty from its readers and has coped better than others with the shift to online publishing. It was one of the first newspapers to successfully charge for access to its website. Established in 1884 and first

printed on pink paper in 1893 to stand out from rivals, the FT has employed some of the leading figures in media and politics, including Robert Thomson, Chief Executive of News Corp, former British finance minister Nigel Lawson and Ed Balls, an adviser to former British prime minister Gordon Brown. “I am extremely proud of teaming up with the Financial Times, one of the most presti-

gious news organizations in the world,” said Tsuneo Kita, chairman and group CEO of Nikkei. “We share the same journalistic values.” The Nikkei newspaper, which has a circulation surpassing 3 million for its morning edition alone, enjoys a must-read reputation for financial and business news in Japan but has struggled to break out of its home market. (Source – Reuters.com)

partment spokesman said as the data was released to the press. Claims continue to hover near historically low levels as employers are retaining workers to cater to a pickup in demand following a slump in early 2015. Combined with steady hiring across states, the improvement will help sustain household spending, the biggest part of the economy. “Companies are holding on to employees because they’re needed not just to satisfy current demand but also for growth initiatives,” said Russell Price, a senior economist at Ameriprise Financial Inc. in Detroit, who is among the best claims forecasters over the past two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “It’s yet another sign we’re likely to see solid economic expansion in the second half.” C ince early March, claims have been below the 300,000 level that economists say is typically consistent with an improving job market. Auto plants typically close around this time of the year as they retool operations for new models. The timing often differs from one year to the next, making it difficult for the Labor Department to adjust the claims figures for these seasonal swings. (Source – Bloomberg.com)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Friday, July 24, 2015

FAAN charges Benin airport contractor on materials’ specification OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has charged the contracting company working on the Benin Airport, McZoll Resources to adhere strictly to specification and high standards in the on-going rehabilitation of the airport runway. The Managing Director of the Authority, Engr. Saleh Dunoma made the call, while embarking on inspection tour of the project, to determine the standards of work being done and the pace of work, in order to deliver the project on the estimated date of completion. Dunoma also appealed to travellers and other users of the airport facility to bear with the inconveniences caused by the closure of the airport, stressing that safety would continue to be prioritized in the agency’s agenda aimed at serving air travelers

and other users of the nation’s airport better. Dunoma, who was accompanied by the Director of Airport Operations, FAAN, Capt. Henry Omeogu however commended the contractors for the level of work done so far, but advised on the need to speed up the work in order to meet up with the estimated deadline. The agency had early last month announced the shutdown of the airport from June 20 to July 10, 2015 for the purpose of repair and maintenance. The Deputy General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mr. Onyekwere Nnaekpe, explained that the temporary closure was to facilitate rehabilitation work on the airport’s runway. Nnaekpe, however added that the agency Notice To Airmen, NOTAM, had been sent to adequately inform airlines’ operators and passengers of the development. He said: “The Management

of FAAN wishes to inform members of the public, especially airline operators, airline passengers and other airport users, that the Benin Airport will be closed to flight operations from Saturday, June 20 to Friday, July 10, 2015 to facilitate rehabilitation work on the airport’s runway “A NOTAM has already been issued to all operators of scheduled and non-scheduled flights to the airport, to enable them make alternative arrangements for their flight operations during the period of the closure of the airport”, he added. He had noted that the runway rehabilitation work was part of a routine maintenance programme designed by the authority to ensure that airport runways and other ancillary facilities do not fall below standards recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO.

L-R: Manager, High Value Sponsorships and Events, Etisalat Nigeria, Opeyemi Lawal; Director, Brands and Experience, Enitan Denloye; winner of the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Innovation Most Innovative product/service category, Anthony Oniwon and Specialist, High Value Sponsorships and Events, Amaka Agu, during a prize for innovation meet and greet session, on Wednesday in Lagos .

Connect Marketing hosts technology leaders today ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

onnect Marketing, one of the Nigeria’s marketing company will today host a two-day technology leader’s conference in Lagos. The event, known as Tech+, will feature technology experts and brands where discussions will centre around leadership in digital technology as well as an exhibition. Sponsored by MTN Nigeria, the forum will not only highlight the special appeal of technology

in the daily interactions of man but also attract participation from a broad range of international speakers and discussants, exhibitors, developers, policy makers, innovators, manufacturers, service providers and technology consumers. Industry leaders expected to play key roles in the panel discussions drawn from local and global brands include, Jim McKelvey (co-founder of Square), Wael Fakharany (Google X Middle East and Africa), Nicolas Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Jumia

Africa and Mike Ikpoki, Managing Director, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited. Others are, Omokehinde Ojomuyide, Vice President & Area Business Head for West Africa, MasterCard, Abiola Olaniran, Founder and CEO, GAMSOLE, Don Pedro Obaseki, and Chief Executive Officer, ACC Broadcast Multimedia Limited, amongst others. The event will also feature exhibitions, the digital school, gaming sessions, programming, plenary and break-out sessions.

Trade integration key to poverty alleviation, growth in Africa –DHL

he Managing Director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr.Charles Brewer, yesterday identified trade integration as key to poverty reduction and promotion of economic growth in Africa. Brewer was quoted as making the observation in a statement by the company said on Thursday in Lagos that Brewer made the assertion while speaking on ``The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty Report’’ recently released by the World Bank Group and World Trade Organisation. ``Africa continues to remain vastly unexplored, and making Africa’s most remote regions accessible for trade will not only promote prosperity in those re-

gions, but also elevate the continent’s continued growth path,’’ it said. The statement said brewer explained the role that international trade played in development and poverty reduction in Africa. It said the report stated that the value of trade was measured by the extent to which it delivered better livelihoods, measured through higher incomes, greater variety of choice and a more sustainable future, among others. ``While countries need to continue to establish better trade relations with international partners, enabling trade routes within the continent can yield numerous benefits for the region and its people,” it said.

GE announces $14.7m commitments to healthcare programmes in East Africa

eneral Electric, GE, yesterday announced the establishment of the GE Healthcare Skills and Training Institute in Kenya, being the company’s first-ever dedicated healthcare skills advancement center in Africa. It also hinted of a $1.7million GE Foundation grant for Biomedical Equipment Training and Safe Surgery programs in Ethiopia. According to the company, these programmes, which were unveiled ahead of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, are aimed at addressing some of the most critical health challenges in East Africa through a sustained focus on skills development and capacity building. Farid Fezoua, President & CEO of GE Healthcare Africa said: “In-

vesting in the training and education of healthcare professionals to strengthen capability building is one of the greatest enablers for sustainable healthcare development. “GE Healthcare’s education strategy integrates technology and localization in the design and deployment of tailored education solutions including the establishment of new healthcare training centers, locally configured curricula and a range of education partnerships with leading regional academic institutions and global partners. “As a major force for change, we aim to increase access to localized education, training and skills development programs for more healthcare workers across Africa.”, Fezoua added.

E-PPAN, CBN E-govt summit garners support ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

he yearly e-government summit usually hosted by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN) has continued to get several support from all spheres of country. A statement by the organisers, indicated that Anambra State Government was supporting the summit holding next week in Abuja. According to E-PPAN, the Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele will chair the event which will be officially declared open by Anambra State Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano. According to the Chief Ex-

ecutive Officer and Executive Secretay, E-PPAN, Mrs. Onajite Regha, the summit will focus on seven key developmental areas including; the payment system; agriculture; financial inclusion; insurance; pension; mortgage, and micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). She stated: “The various presentations at these sector focused technical sessions will help prepare participants to combine strategy and execution in a single learning experience. It will also help to create awareness about the significance of E-government in the present day Nigeria and the need for publicprivate collaboration to foster a sustainable national development.

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Operating environment undermining agric sector devt –NACCIMA STORIES: ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

FOREIGN BRIEFS Ghana’s Vision 2050 Forestry to help farmers, boost ecosystems

he National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture, NACCIMA, Chief Bassey Edem, has charged the Federal Government to improve the operating environment for businesses to grow in the country. Edem canvassed the need for the government has to take deliberate steps to improve provision and/or facilitation of access to security, power, finance, processing, storage and marketing facilities. In addition, he also said that the Government should focus on appropriate policy formulation strategies and to secure the active involvement of the private sector in policy implementation to ensure sustainability of agricultural programmes. He added that there was also the need for a Committee of relevant stakeholders to agree and develop a strategic roadmap for agricultural development that can outlive successive governments in order to avoid policy summersault in the event of change of government. Edem lamented that despite the involvement of over 60 per cent of her population in agriculture, agriculture in Nigeria still remained focused on food crops

Buhari

for the domestic market, while the country continued as a net importer of food largely because of the small scale nature of agricultural operations. The NACCIMA boss charged the Government to develop a deliberate policy of restricting importation of agricultural products that can be produced locally in Nigeria and provide incentives for large scale mechanized farming to create employment, achieve increased productivity and self-sufficiency in food production for local consumption and export. According to him, if pursued vigorously this strategy would save the country scarce foreign

Edem

exchange expended on importation of food, estimated at over $50 billion annually. He clarified: “There should also be a deliberate policy for the protection of local investors against dumping.Government should encourage complimentary investments in the various aspects of the agricultural value-chain, such as land clearing, seed production, fertilizer distribution, storage, processing and marketing. “This way there will be economies of scale, increase in production capacity and low cost of production. It should facilitate access to affordable financing and develop/or facilitate the de-

velopment of infrastructure that support and enhance agricultural production and profitability. “These include construction and/or maintenance of rural or feeder roads, facilitation of transportation services, and ensuring that funding gets to the right farmers/quarters. He also advocated the development of a National Policy on Grazing and re-create designated grazing fields across the country, to forestall regular clashes between cattle rearers and farmers as well as review the existing Land Tenure System and ensure availability of land for large scale investment in mechanized agriculture.

Local agro chemicals better for improved yields –Candel boss

he Chairman, Candel Company Limited, Mr. Charles Anudu, has said that Nigerian agricultural sector needed more of the locally produced agrochemicals for better yield and growth as most of the imported ones were of low quality. He made this observation on Tuesday at the commissioning of the first Nigeria agro chemicals manufacturing plant by his company at Lekki Free Zone in Lagos. Anudu, who noted the improving participation of Nigerians in the agricultural sector, said that government should create enabling environment to retain those who have embraced agriculture and attract more people

into the sector as well as using the opportunity to diversify the economy from focusing on oil as only product for foreign revenue. He explained that a lot of agrochemicals products imported from overseas were 20 per cent less in terms of quality, which failed to give desired yields to Nigerian farmers. The agribusiness investor clarified that the situation and concern on how to help farmers address this problem and also save the country from huge amount of money on low quality agrochemicals products informed the investment in the plant. He said: “I think the new government should embrace agriculture, it is a gift this current drop

in oil price has given to us. The drop in oil price is a blessing in disguise; the government should use agriculture to diversify the economy. If you rely on one product for 90 per cent of your foreign earnings, if anything happens to that product you are bound to suffer and if you produce nothing locally what then happens is that everything has to be imported and also using the scarce foreign exchange to import goods. “The biggest role agriculture plays is that it is a big employer of labour, if the government wants an easier way of creating employment, it should furnish agricultural sector.” Anudu explained that when farmers use the imported agrochemicals, they did not really see

the benefits which discourage them from using more, adding that it is in appreciation of the challenge that the company is coming in to improve on the quality of agrochemicals products for the famers’ and the nation’s economic gains. “In Nigeria, there is no company producing agricultural chemicals, this is the first and we are right from day one looking at international standards. If you look at anything around the plant, there is nothing like low standard and it doesn’t mean that Nigeria is inferior and that is what we are trying to prove here so, we want to do better than anything made anywhere in the world and imported into Nigeria”, he added.

ision 2050 Forestry is calling for renewed and expanded investment in rural Ghana to help farmers, alleviate poverty, and reforest the landscape that has been embattled by illegal logging and deforestation. Ghana’s forest cover almost halved since 2000 with just 4.6 million hectares remaining by 2011 and currently experiencing an annual deforestation rate of 2 per cent (135,000 hectares a year). Only 1.6 million hectares remains in actual forest reserves (The World Bank). Vision 2050 Forestry’s Reforestation and Agro-Forestry Projects are already working in 850 rural communities, helping over 300,000 farmers. They provide saplings along with the expertise to plant, nurture and raise these trees in blocks as afforestation or around agricultural land as agro-forestry projects. Trees that have economic value as biofuel, others that can be harvested for timber in future years and of course trees to be left standing, thereby benefitting the ecosystem. “Supporting the rural economy and developing additional income streams is of key importance when revitalising livelihoods and bringing sustainable development into rural and agricultural areas of Ghana’s delicate landscape,” clarifies Frank Kofi Frempong, Chairman of Vision 2050 Forestry. He added, “We have projects underway to plant one billion trees over the next five years, aggressive targets that will have wonderful benefits for rural communities, the Ghanaian landscape and are important for ecosystem services including water cleanliness and availability. “These projects are in constant need of funds and donations; we call upon the international community to boost donations and join Vision 2050 Forestry as partners in fighting desertification and deforestation in rural Ghana.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, July 24, 2015

Index drops further by 0.16% as earnings disappoint Johnson okanlawon

rading in equities continued on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as more companies declared disappointing earnings. The All Share Index lost 0.16 per cent to close at 31,216.72 points, compared to the decline of 0.21 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 31,267.51 points. Market capitalization shed N17 billion to close at N10.68 trillion, compared to the decrease of N23 billion recorded the preceding day to close at

N10.70 trillion. Research analysts attributed continued bearish trends to the uncertain economic policy of the current government and poor earnings reports from corporate organization. Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited said, “In line with our expectations, most company releases thus far have been largely unimpressive owing to the frail state of the economy amidst the continued depreciation of the Naira and falling global oil prices. We advise investors to trade in fundamentally justi-

fied stocks.” However, Berger Paints Plc led the gainers’ table with 95 kobo or 10.15 per cent to close at N10.31 per share, while Neimeth International Plc rose 14 kobo or 9.66 per cent to close at N1.59 per share. Caverton Plc appreciated 18 kobo or 4.89 per cent to close at N3.86 per share, while 7UP Plc increased by N9.00 or 4.86 per cent to close at N194.00 per share. Beta Glass Plc added N1.80 or 4.77 per cent to close at N39.00 per share. Conversely, Nigerian Police Microfiance Bank Plc

shed 90 kobo or 4.99 per cent to close at N17.15 per share, while Ikeja Hotel Plc dropped 20 kobo or 4.98 per cent to close at N3.82 per share. Red Star Express Plc depreciated 22 kobo or 4.86 per cent to close at N3.82 per share, while Jos Breweries Plc was down eight kobo or 4.82 per cent to close at N1.58 per share. Air Service Plc lost 10 kobo or 4.81 per cent to close at N1.98 per share. A total of 208.4 million shares valued at N3.24 billion were exchanged in 3,725 deals.

Union Bank nets N10bn in six months Johnson okanlawon

nion Bank has declared a profit after tax of N10.1 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2015, an increase of 54 per cent when compared to N6.6billion recorded in the same period of 2014. The bank’s loan book also rose 17 per cent, loan to deposit ratio increased by 69 per cent from 64 per cent it stood in the corresponding period of 2014. According to the result presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, net interest margin rose 8.94 per cent, while cost to income ratio reduced to 73 per cent, from 81 per cent in 2014 half year. Analysis of the bank’s

balance sheet showed a total assets of N1.0 trillion in the review period, from N921 billion in 2014, while net operating income was up 10 per cent to N38.0 billion, from N34.7 billion in 2014. Commenting on the result, the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, noted that the successful implementation and migration to a new banking platform, Oracle FlexCube UBS, has provided a more stable operating environment for the bank to serve customers and process routine transactions quicker and more efficiently. He said that in spite of economic headwinds and regulatory changes impacting the financial industry, the bank remains on a stable growth

trajectory as it implement initiatives to grow its core banking segments. He said, “Our gross earnings grew by 17 per cent in the first half of 2015 compared to half year of 2014, and notwithstanding the significant volatility across the macroeconomic landscape, the bank delivered profit before tax of N10.2 billion, a 53 per cent increase over the same period in 2014. “Excluding the gain on the sale of subsidiaries, the bank delivered profit before tax of N6.7 billion, a 134 per cent increase over the first half of 2014. Deposits also continue to move in the right direction with eight per cent growth when compared to December 2014. Non-volatile deposits

alone grew by N55.7 billion during the first half of 2015.” According to him, as more clarity emerges in the macroeconomic environment in the second half, the bank expects to consolidate the gains made in the first half of the year; maintaining its focus on delivering operating efficiencies across our operations and proactively managing risk whilst exploring emerging opportunities in the economy. The bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Oyinkan Adewale said, “This was a good performance for the bank across most financial metrics, which can be attributed to our improving fundamentals and operational discipline.”

Corporate results weigh on shares, dollar cuts losses

isappointing earnings results from corporate bellwethers weighed on equity prices in Europe and on Wall Street on Thursday, while strong US labour market data helped the dollar narrow losses. Gold got a lift from the softer dollar and backed away from five-year lows to briefly trade above $1,100 an ounce, while oil prices held steady. Coming off a two-day dip, US stock indexes were mixed. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 38.28 points, or 0.21 percent, to 17,812.76, the S&P 500 declined 1.81 points, or 0.09 percent, to 2,112.34 and the Nasdaq Composite

added 17.03 points, or 0.33 percent, to 5,188.80. Caterpillar shares fell as much as 3.4 percent to a four-year low of $77.03 after the world’s largest construction and mining equipment maker reported sales declines in key markets in a sluggish global economy. American Express fell 2.8 percent to $77.75 as revenue missed expectations, while 3M was down 2.5 percent at $151.44 after the diversified manufacturer cut its full-year forecast. “Companies such as Caterpillar are a litmus test for the global economy, especially when the market is concerned about China’s economy,”

said Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia. European equities fell in late trading after disappointing updates from companies including Aberdeen Asset Management and British energy supplier SSE. In currency markets, the euro briefly traded above $1.10 for the first time in a week, as the Greek parliament signed off on reforms needed to start negotiations with lenders in a bid to avert bankruptcy. The dollar index pared earlier losses on news that US weekly jobless claims fell to their lowest level in more than four decades. It

was last off 0.40 percent. The data made rate hikes by the Federal Reserve appear more likely. Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

Crude oil price

$58.96

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

N197 Market indicators All-Share Index 31,216.72 points Market capitalisation 10.69trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

BERGER

9.36

10.31

0.95

10.15

NEIMETH

1.45

1.59

0.14

9.66

CAVERTON

3.68

3.86

0.18

4.89

7UP

185.00

194.00

9.00

4.86

BETAGLAS

37.70

39.50

1.80

4.77

NASCON

6.65

6.90

0.25

3.76

FCMB

2.81

2.90

0.09

3.20

HONYFLOUR

3.04

3.13

0.09

2.96

STERLNBANK

2.10

2.16

0.06

2.86

DANGFLOUR

3.23

3.30

0.07

2.17

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

NNFM

18.05

17.15

-0.90

-4.99

IKEJAHOTEL

4.02

3.82

-0.20

-4.98

REDSTAREX

4.53

4.31

-0.22

-4.86

JOSBREW

1.66

1.58

-0.08

-4.82

AIRSERVICE

2.08

1.98

-0.10

-4.81

COSTAIN

0.67

0.64

-0.03

-4.48

EVANSMED

0.67

0.64

-0.03

-4.48

TRANSEXPR

0.95

0.91

-0.04

-4.21

TRANSCORP

2.37

2.29

-0.08

-3.38

MAYBAKER

1.40

1.36

-0.04

-2.86

FGN Bonds

Offer

Bid

Description

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.07

98.18

14.93

98.33

14.77

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.76

100.55

14.69

100.70

14.59

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.93

103.58

14.76

103.88

14.66

15.54 13-FEB-2020

4.56

103.37

14.49

103.67

14.40

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.52

106.49

14.80

106.79

14.73

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.64

97.17

14.78

97.47

14.72

Closing Market Prices of July 23, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

Exchange

Rates (N)

29-Oct-15

13.68

14.20

WAUA

270

USD

197

21-Jan-16

12.82

13.70

EURO

214

02-Jun-16

12.80

14.39

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

202

O/N

29.5417

POUNDS STERLING

293

15.7357

16.9407

SDR

273

17.5568

NIBOR

The Fixings of July 23, 2015

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, July 24, 2015

Stock exchange daily equities summary Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011

Equities as at July 23, 2015

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011

No Debt Trading Activity

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

1st Tier Securities

Daily Summary (Equities)

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 14 15 29

Current Price 26.00 31.19

Quantity Traded 24,100 121,745 145,845

Value Traded 642,528.10 3,813,602.30 4,456,130.40

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 37 37

Current Price 2.00

Quantity Traded 1,940,090 1,940,090

Value Traded 3,884,140.90 3,884,140.90

2,085,935

8,340,271.30

Quantity Traded 15,122 100 13,263,367 427,620 13,706,209

Value Traded 16,341.63 94.00 31,107,692.97 17,702,462.91 48,826,591.51

13,706,209 Quantity Traded 1,025,630 200 Page 1,025,830

48,826,591.51 Value Traded 667,029.20 2,748.00 12 1 of 669,777.20

AGRICULTURE Totals Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE CONGLOMERATES Totals Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. G CAPPA PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Symbol AGLEVENT JOHNHOLT Daily Summary TRANSCORP UACN

Symbol COSTAIN GCAPPA

No. of Deals 9 1 (Equities) 160 56 226 226 No. of Deals 26 1 27

Current Price 1.10 0.94 2.29 41.51

Current Price 0.64 14.46

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 47.97

Quantity Traded 2,900 2,900

Value Traded 132,182.00 132,182.00

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 28 28

Current Price 9.80

Quantity Traded 263,371 263,371

Value Traded 2,695,468.67 2,695,468.67

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 20,000.00 20,000.00

1,294,101

3,517,427.87

Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015

Printed CONSTRUCTION/REAL 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES Activity Summary on Board EQTYPLC. JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. CONSUMER GOODS NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Symbol

No. of Deals 9 43 7 1 109 No. of Deals 169

Daily Summary (Equities) CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW JOSBREW NB Symbol

Current Price 5.42 141.80 18.74 1.58 129.00 Current Price

Quantity Traded 130,500 65,565 60,057 132,761 1,681,451 Quantity Traded 2,070,334 Page

Value Traded 709,950.00 9,231,007.50 1,113,889.20 209,762.38 218,339,576.11 Value Traded 229,604,185.19 12 2 of

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 48 48

Current Price 194.00

Quantity Traded 613,601 613,601

Value Traded 118,885,980.64 118,885,980.64

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM

No. of Deals 24 37 114 21 42 1 239

Current Price 3.30 6.00 29.90 3.13 6.90 17.15

Quantity Traded 687,292 600,350 831,510 212,550 991,214 99,500 3,422,416

Value Traded 2,254,239.20 3,579,765.90 24,926,285.86 668,048.60 6,721,937.05 1,706,425.00 39,856,701.61

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 8 37 45

Current Price 35.05 850.00

Quantity Traded 43,595 2,008,433 2,052,028

Value Traded 1,451,713.50 1,707,312,407.92 1,708,764,121.42

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 37 2 39

Current Price 5.66 1.24

Quantity Traded 2,741,451 20,000 2,761,451

Value Traded 14,994,695.82 23,600.00 15,018,295.82

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 33 48 81

Current Price 30.00 37.32

Quantity Traded 103,358 638,917 Page 742,275

Value Traded 2,998,490.77 12 323,917,276.44 of 26,915,767.21

Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015

Food Products--Diversified Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG Activity Summary onPLC. Board EQTY VONO PRODUCTS PLC. HouseholdGOODS Durables Totals CONSUMER Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER PLC. © Published by The NigerianNIGERIA Stock Exchange Personal/Household Products Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 DIAMOND BANK PLC Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC ActivityUNION Summary Board EQTY BANKon NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Micro-Finance Banks FINANCIAL SERVICES NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Published by The Nigerian Banks Stock Exchange Micro-Finance Totals © Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

621

Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

11,662,105

2,139,045,051.89

Current Price 5.20 3.90 19.89 1.58 25.31 2.12 2.16 4.30 8.50 2.24

Quantity Traded 17,494,793 442,200 332,130 2,285,768 9,208,230 3,050,511 1,585,906 3,520,989 310,617 1,082,239

Value Traded 90,908,823.04 1,725,987.00 6,549,770.73 3,570,393.86 234,348,820.56 6,442,659.31 3,407,621.45 14,866,209.96 2,624,603.58 2,393,948.80

No. of Deals 34 215 1,097

Current Price 0.92 17.72

Quantity Traded 2,227,392 5,098,870 46,639,645

Value Traded 2,059,344.14 90,690,579.43 459,588,761.86

No. of Deals 1 37 7 1 7 13 4 39 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 (Equities) 4 124

Current Price 0.50 0.92 0.85 0.50 0.50 2.75 0.50 0.63 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 700,000 2,320,524 Page 65,633 10 8,056,246 117,000 3,200 7,680,183 34,513 10 10 10 400 1,000 1 7,400 18,986,140

Value Traded 350,000.00 2,101,722.10 12 4 of 55,030.89 5.00 4,028,123.20 311,320.32 1,600.00 4,894,797.58 17,256.50 5.00 5.00 5.00 200.00 500.00 0.50 3,700.00 11,764,271.09

No. of Deals 14 No. of Deals 14

Current Price 1.06 Current Price

Quantity Traded 220,000 Quantity Traded Page 220,000

Value Traded 227,600.00 Value Traded 12 5 227,600.00 of

No. of Deals 41 11 403 71 77 70 673

Current Price 2.70 4.00 7.81 2.90 22.99 1.35

Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 101 DIAMONDBNK 29 ETI 48 FIDELITYBK 56 GUARANTY 333 SKYEBANK 65 Daily Summary (Equities) STERLNBANK 51 UBA 88 UBN 57 UNITYBNK 20

Symbol WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

Symbol AFRINSURE AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS PRESTIGE REGALINS STACO STDINSURE UNITYKAP UNIVINSURE Daily Summary WAPIC

Symbol NPFMCRFBK Symbol

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB STANBIC UBCAP

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals

Company name

Daily Summary (Equities)

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Diversified Industries Totals

Sector

1,908

Quantity Traded 218,255 203,764 12,648,577 6,908,311 1,531,959 1,963,594 23,474,460

Value Traded 593,908.23 814,836.10 98,649,846.01 19,930,447.89 35,386,568.15 2,688,598.26 158,064,204.64

89,320,245

629,644,837.59

Symbol UNIONDAC

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 70,000,000 70,000,000

Value Traded 35,000,000.00 35,000,000.00

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

No. of Deals 24 6 22 21 15 88

Current Price 0.64 3.31 43.50 1.36 1.59

Quantity Traded 950,377 56,000 123,404 287,950 2,721,000 4,138,731

Value Traded 608,241.28 177,035.00 5,102,770.40 401,330.90 4,305,933.46 10,595,311.04

Page

HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE Totals ICT IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals

Symbol CWG NCR

No. of Deals 5 8 13

ICT Totals Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 INDUSTRIAL GOODS Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC ActivityDANGOTE Summary on Board CEMENT PLCEQTY DN MEYER PLC. INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Packaging/Containers Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol AFRPAINTS ASHAKACEM BERGER Daily Summary CAP CCNN DANGCEM DNMEYER

ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS Activity Summary on Board EQTY PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals SERVICES Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Employment Solutions Totals Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 Hospitality Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 TANTALIZERS PLC Hospitality Totals Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY Hotels/Lodging Totals SERVICES Printing/Publishing Employment ACADEMYSolutions PRESS PLC. CLEARN & I LEASING AFRICAPLC. PLC Employment Solutions UNIVERSITY PRESSTotals PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC Road Transportation Hospitality TotalsBUS COMPANY PLC ASSOCIATED Road Transportation Totals Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLCServices Transport-Related TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 Hotels/Lodging Totals HANDLING COMPANY PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 Printing/Publishing Published by ACADEMY The Nigerian Stock PLC. Exchange © PRESS LEARN AFRICA PLC Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011Totals Printing/Publishing

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC SERVICES Road Transportation Totals Transport-Related Services Transport-Related Services Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES Support and Logistics AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY SERVICES CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLCPLC

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Transport-Related Services Support and Logistics Totals

Transport-Related Services Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © SERVICES Totals Support and Logistics OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC EQTY CAVERTON Board Totals Support and Logistics Totals

No. of Deals 42 204

Current Price 99.00

Quantity Traded 2,274,373 4,384,095

Value Traded 224,983,612.95 259,312,444.10

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 1.50

Quantity Traded 21,666 21,666

Value Traded 32,499.00 32,499.00

Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 39.50

Quantity TradedPage 62,015 62,015

7 of 12 Value Traded 2,446,066.25 2,446,066.25

213

Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 5 5

STANBIC IBTC ETF 30 VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Equity Activity Totals

ETP Activity Totals 12

Current Price 4.86

4,467,776

261,791,009.35

Quantity Traded 11,510 11,510

Value Traded 57,319.80 57,319.80

11,510

57,319.80

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 240 240

Current Price 13.80

Quantity Traded 3,448,165 3,448,165

Value Traded 47,739,199.76 47,739,199.76

Symbol BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 1 15 20 51 42 2 31 162

Current Price 0.50 40.85 2.08 190.00 153.18 49.66 163.00

Quantity Traded 20,000 Page 17,964

264,399 69,322 99,907 55 61,859 533,506

540,295.60 12,899,690.98 15,341,855.18 2,594.90 10,032,726.48 39,524,519.02

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 319.00

Quantity Traded 2,154 2,154

Value Traded 697,671.04 697,671.04

3,983,825

87,961,389.82

Quantity Traded 63,301 63,301

Value Traded 43,044.68 43,044.68

Quantity Traded 237,300 974,868 1,212,168

Value Traded 1,025,135.00 896,594.60 1,921,729.60

409

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.71

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

Value Traded 10,000.00 of 12 697,355.88

6 10 16

4.31 0.91

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 21 21

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 3,765,139 Page 3,765,139

Value Traded 1,903,879.39 9 of 12 1,903,879.39

Symbol TANTALIZER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 100,000 100,000

Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL TRANSCOHOT

No. of Deals 8 4 12

Current Price 3.82 7.86

Quantity Traded 510,000 102,000 612,000

Value Traded 1,948,204.00 761,940.00 2,710,144.00

No. of Deals Current Price No. of Deals2 Current Price 0.91 216 0.50 1.14 21 12 6.03 20 No. of Deals Current Price 1 0.50 No. of Deals Current Price 13 0.52

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 21,900 3,765,139 52,357 3,765,139 271,330

Value Traded Value Traded 20,805.00 1,903,879.39 59,583.71 1,903,879.39 1,479,529.70

345,587 Quantity Traded Quantity100,000 Traded 100,000 39,000

1,559,918.41 Value Traded 50,000.00 Value Traded 50,000.00 20,310.00

3 No. of Deals Current Price 8 3.82 No. of Deals Current Price 44 7.86 1.98 12 21 4.62

39,000 Quantity Traded Quantity510,000 Traded 102,000 125,784 612,000 93,240

20,310.00 Value Traded 1,948,204.00 Value Traded 761,940.00 249,252.32 2,710,144.00 442,731.69

Quantity Traded 21,900Page

Value Traded 12 10 20,805.00 of 59,583.71 1,479,529.70 1,559,918.41

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol Symbol ACADEMY CILEASING LEARNAFRCA UPL Symbol TANTALIZER Symbol ABCTRANS Symbol IKEJAHOTEL Symbol TRANSCOHOT AIRSERVICE NAHCO Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA Daily Summary UPL

No. of Deals 2 6 (Equities) 12 20

Current Price 0.91 1.14 6.03

No. of Deals 3

Current Price 0.52

Symbol ABCTRANS

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals3 Current Price

25 No. of Deals Current Price 1.98 No. of Deals4 Current Price 21 4.62 13 3.86 No. of Deals 13 Current Price 25 116 No. of Deals Current Price 13 3.86 3,725 13

Symbol AIRSERVICE Symbol NAHCO CAVERTON Symbol

Symbol CAVERTON

52,357 271,330 345,587 Quantity Traded 39,000 39,000 Quantity Traded 219,024 Quantity Traded Quantity 125,784 Traded 93,240 1,330,736

116

7,686,955

13,773,309.24

3,725

208,438,096

3,239,020,629.70

1.26

Quantity Traded 60,500 60,500

Value Traded 72,600.00 72,600.00

Current Price 1.26

60,500 Quantity Traded 60,500 60,500 60,500

72,600.00 Value Traded 72,600.00 72,600.00 72,600.00

208,498,596

3,239,093,229.70

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price MCNICHOLS

Symbol MCNICHOLS

Daily Summary

2 2 2 No. of Deals 2 2 (ETP) 2

3,727

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD STANBICETF30 VETGRIF30

Value Traded 20,310.00 20,310.00 Value Traded 691,984.01 Value Traded 249,252.32 Value Traded 442,731.69 4,872,299.15

Quantity Traded Value Traded 1,330,736 4,872,299.15 219,024 12 Page 10 691,984.01 of 7,686,955 13,773,309.24 Quantity Traded Value Traded 1,330,736 4,872,299.15 208,438,096 3,239,020,629.70 1,330,736 4,872,299.15

Daily Summary (Equities)

Equity Activity Traded Totals Fund Exchange

CONSUMER GOODS Totals Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF ASeM Board Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FUND (ETF) NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED

468,110.29

Symbol WAPCO

Activity Summary on Board ASeM EQTY Board Totals

CONSUMERGOODS GOODSTotals CONSUMER Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC ASeM Board Totals Food Products Totals

80,704

Value Traded 2,072.00 3,616,336.45 4,608,020.26 4,041,445.70 11,777,012.24 10,282,115.70 1,828.80

SERVICES Totals

CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 Activity on Board ASeM Food Summary Products Totals Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011

Value Traded 142,478.24 325,632.05 468,110.29

Quantity Traded 800 170,539 450,370 102,473 1,322,534 60,466 2,540

OIL AND GAS Totals Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 SERVICES Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Quantity Traded 50,704 30,000 80,704

Current Price 2.72 21.92 10.31 41.00 8.90 170.00 0.73

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC on Board EQTY Activity Summary Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals OIL AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC Published by The Nigerian CONOIL PLCStock Exchange ©

45,595,311.04

No. of Deals 1 26 22 (Equities) 23 62 23 5

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals Daily Summary as of 23/07/2015 B.O.C. GASES PLC. Printed 23/07/2015 14:32:11.011 Chemicals Totals

Current Price 2.95 11.02

74,138,731

2 No. of Deals 1 2 1 1 3,727 1 4

Current Price 10.18 2,112.00 95.00 14.23

60,500 72,600.00 Quantity Traded Value Traded 10 101.80 60,500 12 Page 11 111,936.00 of 72,600.00 53 500 47,500.00 208,498,596 3,239,093,229.70 15 213.45 578 159,751.25

Page

578

12 of 159,751.25

159,751.25

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror In our efforts at combating the activities of Boko Haram the new government has sought and obtained the support of not only our neighbours, but other international friends and partners. President Muhammadu Buhari

Task force arrests hoodlums in Oshodi Dare akogun

agos State Special Task Force on Environmental in conjunction with the Rapid Response Squad, RRS on Wednesday arrested no fewer than 93 hoodlums in Oshodi area of the state. The suspects who were arrested at different location under the popular Oshodi Bridge and hideouts of suspected criminals in the neighbourhood included three underage nursing mothers and twenty three juveniles, who were reportedly caught at some of the criminal hideouts in the area. The renewed onslaught on the hoodlums was parts of the

efforts to fulfill the commitment of the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure safety of lives and properties in the state. It was gathered that 46 of the arrested suspects were later arraigned before a court, after preliminary investigations. The commander of the Rapid Response Squad, Olatunji Disu who confirmed the arrest of the suspects to Community Mirror disclosed that the 23 juveniles and 24 others were as at Wednesday evening still being detained at the Task force Office. He also added that 46 of the suspects were charged to court, after preliminary investigations suggested that they were

either homeless or miscreants. Disu also stated that the clamp down exercise would continue as part of the efforts to rid every parts of the state of criminals.

On those who were still being held, the RRS commander said that the police were still investigating them before would be charged to court or released. He also added that the Min-

istry of women Affairs and Poverty alleviation as well as the Ministry of Education had been invited to assess the juveniles and the nursing mothers on ways to develop them.

Youths advised on danger of social media aDesanya aDeleke

ouths have been advised to eschew excessive usage of social which may taunt their lives if not properly managed. Speaking at the third annual lecture of a nongovernmental organization, Solid Growth Foundation, in Lagos, a renowned entrepreneur in the country, Mrs. Ibuku Awosika advised the youths, on the need to be careful with the usage of the social media, especially the ones which do not add value to any sphere of their lives. Awosika, while speaking on the topic ‘Attitude of a champion’, also charged the youths on the need for adequate plan which will help them in fulfilling their future goals, adding that Nigeria as a country will only survive with youths who have a clear vision. She also charged parents at the event not to relent in their parental responsibilities to guide the youths on the right paths which will help them to be useful in life. According to her, “Parents should endeavourer to guide their children on their life plans because sometimes it take age

and maturity to take some decision that will be helpful in life. “Likewise, youths must be trained on how to be disciplined to eschew patronizing social media which has nothing to benefit their lives.” The founder of Solid Growth Foundation, Mr Olumide Ajayi, while speaking at the programme expressed delight over the event, saying that the third annual lecture held by Mrs Awosika is purposely to encourage the youths to fight for success in their endavours. He also expressed gratitude to different donors whose immense contributions helped to record success of the programme. Olumide, while highlighting on the success programmes of the nongovernmental organization, SGF, elucidated that, “our Partnership for Skill Enhancement of Teachers and Students, PSET, initiatives in Mathematics and English have so far shown 60 per cent improvement as several testimonies have been recorded by the participants”. The highlight of the annual lecture of the nongovernment al organization include award of different categories among which was won by a six years old boy, Isreal, who is now the best mathematics student in his school.

Underage children hustling at Yaba, Lagos. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Court remands 2 suspected cultists Bosun olanrewaju

Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, suiting at Yaba, on Thursday, ordered the remand of two suspected cultist in prisons custody. The two alleged cultists, Alamu Olaigbe, 29, and Sheriff Oshilaja,27, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Philip Ojo led-court on a three count-charge bordering on conspiracy, causing grievous body harm, and attempted murder. The two accused persons, Nigerian Pilot learnt had on July 17, during Sallah celebration, led other members of their gang and invaded number 4, Shofunwa street, Bariga, where some merry makers were celebrating

with one of their friends, who recently secured an apartment in the building, with dangerous weapons such as broken bottles, cutlasses and guns. It was further learnt that during the attack on the merry makers, one Niran Atoyebi and two other persons were badly injured. The accused persons were however arraigned three counts charge of conspiracy, causing bodily harm of the victims, and attempted murder. The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Anyanwu Godwin, an Assisrant Superintendent of Police, are punishable under sections 409, 245 and 228 of the criminal laws of Lagos state, 2011. The accused however pleaded not guilty to the

charges. Upon the plea of the accused, the presiding magistrate, Mr. Philip A. Ojo, admitted bail to them in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in the same like sum. Other bail conditions to be produce by the sureties, according to the Chief Magistrate Ojo, includes a three year-tax payable to the Lagos state government; evidence of means of livelihood, and have their residences verified by the court’s prosecutor. The Chief Magistrate however ordered that both Alamu and Sheriff be remanded in prisons custody pending the time they are able to perfect the bail conditions. The matter has been adjourned till August 24, for mention

Transition

Friday, July 24, 2015

Aminu Saleh

of Administration, Zaria, and earned a diploma in accounting 1957. He was on an evening university degree course in University of Lagos 1963-67 .He had attended post graduate course in management in University of Wisconsin in USA. He is survived by one wife, 13 children and grandchildren. Among the children are Kabiru Saleh, his eldest son and the immediate past deputy Governor of Bauchi state; and Sagir Saleh.

former Secretary to the Federal Government, and finance minister, Aminu Saleh, has died after a protracted illness, aged 82. Mr. Saleh, who served as the SGF under the Sani Abacha military government, died at the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi state, Wednesday morning. According to a family

source, Aminu Saleh will be buried on Wednesday evening according to Islamic rites. Aminu Saleh was born in 1933 in Azare, Katagum LG, Bauchi State. He attended his elementary school in Azare between 1941 and 1944. He attended Bauchi middle school (1944-49), clerical training college Zaria, (1950-51). He attended the Institute

Yohana Dickson

former Military Administrator of Taraba State during General Sani Abacha era, Col. Yohana Mamman Dickson (rtd) is dead. He passed on at the age of 65. The former administrator died at Barau Dikko General Hospital, Kaduna on Tuesday, 14th July, 2015 after a brief illness. Dickson died at Barau Dikko General Hospital, Kaduna on Tuesday, July 14, after a brief illness. He will be buried at his

home town Ungwan Baki, Kanikon, Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State today Friday July 24, 2015. Born on 28th December, 1950 into the family of Mamman Dickson, he was enrolled into Junior ECWA Primary school in 1958 and in 1962; he proceeded to Senior ECWA Primary School. In 1965, he attended St.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Edna’s Teacher College, Zaria. On 16th April, 1970, he enrolled into National Defence Academy (NDA) for 8th Regular Course, after passing the examination and interview. He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on the 9th September, 1972. Late Col Dickson attended many military courses within and outside the country and

held many military service appointments. His last military assignment was his appointment to serve the nation as a military administrator of Taraba State in December, 1993. He voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Army after 27 years of meritorious service on 31st January, 1997.

After his retirement from the military, he joined politics as a member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and contested the Southern Kaduna Senatorial seat on four occasions but could not succeed. Late Col. Dickson will be remembered for his uprightness and open-door policy.

News

Hoodlums hampering our service in Lagos –Fire fighters Dare akogun

ederal fire service Lagos command, has raised alarm over series of turmoil encountered in the hand of hoodlums in the state which it said has been hindering its effectiveness in the state. The head of the command, Comptroller Theophileus Aderemi, while addressing some carefully selected journalist in Lagos, explained that his command, despite series of efforts

to save lives and properties in the state, has suffered series of setback from hooligans in the course of their operation. The state commander who assumed office three months ago also blamed ineffectiveness of his command to negligence suffered in the hand of government. According to him, the state command is neglected to the extent that it could not account for any good equipment which could help it deliver good service effectively. “In the area of equipment

which includes fire trucks, salvage tenders, ambulances, communication gadgets and others, we are as handicapped as virtually all these are about thirty years old in use without replacement in this command. As we speak today, they are all obsolete. “The lack of equipment has equally exposed my men to frequent attack by the public during emergencies and most times the hoodlums take advantage to maim my men and destroy government properties around

ceased, a passenger on a motorbike, met his untimely end when the motorcyclist lost control while attempting to overtake the truck, resulting in the crash. The incident threw residents, motorists and commuters in the area into panic.

The accident caused a massive traffic gridlock on the Iworoko Road which attracted men of the Nigeria Police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Spokesman for the police in the state Alberto Adeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said that the body of

the deceased had been deposited at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH). Adeyemi said that the driver of the truck, who had been arrested, was undergoing interrogation, adding that the truck had also been towed to the nearest police station.

cy of Lagos state fire service operatives who he often beckon on whenever there is inferno to fight. “My command has only been surviving with good relationship which I maintain with the people of Lagos state fire service, and they have been helping by coming to our aid to fighting fire accident in most cases. But we cannot continue existing at the mercy of a state fire service, instead they suppose to look up to us for better equipment, but since reverse is the case there is nothing we could do. He however, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari led government, Lagos state government, the Controller General of Federal fire service as well as well meaning Nigerians to save the service from going moribund. Aderemi also called on the general public to be safety conscious, adding that prevention is the best form of fire fighting.

Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday that the equipment were part of government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people and reduce crime in the area. ``The over 300 beneficiaries of these items which we are giving out free were selected

from the 20 wards that make up this local government area. ``We asked the councillors from the various wards to select 15 persons that will benefit from the donation. ``I hope that the beneficiaries will put these items into good use to improve the living

standard of their families.’’ Ozoemena said that he also distributed 100,000 exercise books to pupils in the council area to encourage them to study harder as education was the bedrock of any good society. He said that the exercise

books were distributed equally among all the primary schools in the council area. ``The essence of all these gestures is to give my people a sense of belonging, for them to benefit from democratic rule and rekindle their trust in government.

Truck crushes butcher in Ekiti abioDun nejo ADO EKITI

commercial truck yesterday crushed a meat seller to death at the Mojere Market in the Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. Eyewitnesses said the de-

them including our rickety trucks,” he pointed. Recalling the recent attack suffered by his men in the hand of the hoodlums, Aderemi maintained that, “Last weekend, Lagos headquarter was attacked and my men narrowly escaped being lynched by hoodlums”. While fielding question on how the command has been managing to service people of Lagos state since it lack necessary equipment, Aderemi, explained that his command has only been surviving at the mer-

LG boss donates sewing machines, hair dryers to less privileged

he Chairman of Igbo Etiti Local Government Area, Chief Festus Ozoemena, has distributed 200 sewing machines and 100 hair dryers to the less privileged people in the area to make them self-reliant. Ozoemena told the News

Friday, July 24, 2015

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World News

Kerry defends Iran nuke deal to US senate

Paul arhewe,

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

he United States will review its relations and level of aid to Burundi over the next two months after the central African nation held elections that Washington says were not credible, the U.S. ambassador said on Thursday. The United States provides training and equipment worth about $80 million a year for Burundi’s military and security forces, along with other aid, supporting a nation now in crisis after President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a third term. Opponents said he violated the constitution by running in Tuesday’s race. Washington and other donors had urged Nkurunziza to stick to the two-term limit laid down in a peace deal that ended civil war in 2005. Results are due on Friday. Nkurunziza, who cited a court ruling saying he could run, is expected to win after an opposition boycott. “Over the next couple of months we will be reviewing very carefully the level of our assistance, what programs will be continued or not,” Ambassador Dawn Liberi told Reuters, adding it would be driven by policy concerns and administrative issues. “It is a process that will obviously continue depending on what happens politically,” she

I’ll never run for office. I’m too aggressive, and nobody will ever vote for me.

–UNITED STATES FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, HILLARY CLINTON

US to review Burundi aid over poll crisis

Zuma’s home upgrade not worth $23m – S’African lawmakers A South African parliamentary committee has found that work on President Jacob Zuma’s private home were not worth the $23m (£15m) it cost taxpayers. A visit to the residence in Nkandla also revealed that the upgrades suffered from poor workmanship according to the MPs. The government said the refurbishment was for security reasons. But a 2014 corruption investigation said the president “benefited unduly” from state money. In a more than 400-page report, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela accused Mr Zuma of unethical conduct. Her report found that a pool, chicken run, cow enclosure and amphitheatre had also been including in the controversial upgrades, and she recommended that the president repay some of the money.

Kenya demands CNN apology over terror comment Residents looking on as police and soldiers guard a voting station in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura during the country’s presidential elections, on Tuesday.

said, calling for steps to ensure full democratic freedoms, disarming militias and lifting curbs on the media after private radio stations were shut down. “What we are calling for is for all parties to go back to the mediation process and try to forge a way forward that is in-

clusive,” she said. The aim, she added, is to ensure U.S. aid to the health and other such sectors is not affected. Weeks of protests in which demonstrators clashed with police preceded the June 29 parliamentary election, while explosions and gunfire erupted in

Bujumbura before the presidential vote. The government says the elections were fair and accuses the opposition of stoking tensions. Burundi, which relies on aid to fund half its budget, says it wants good ties with donors but will not let them dictate policies.

Liberians face pressure to sell land

ommunities in Liberia are being pressured to sign away their land to make way for palm oil plantations, according to a campaign group. Global Witness says Liberians have been beaten and arrested for refusing, and wants a govern-

AFRICAN BULLETIN

ment investigation. The group says that the company behind the plantations, Golden Veroleum (GVL), ramped up land clearances during the recent Ebola outbreak. GVL said the allegations were “wrong” and “unfounded”.

A farmer harvesting palm fruits from a plantation.

Palm oil is a multi-billion dollar global industry, almost every major food manufacturer uses it in their products. The oil has become a cornerstone of Liberia’s development. In 2010, the Liberian government agreed to lease GVL

544,000 acres of land for over 60 years. Global Witness says GVL dramatically expanded its operations in Liberia at the height of the Ebola outbreak last year, clearing thousands of acres of land while community support groups were busy dealing with the crisis. GVL said in a statement that “70% of all land preparation activity in 2014 was undertaken prior to the major outbreak of Ebola in August, and from that point activity was significantly scaled back”. In the report, Global Witness calls for legislation to be passed recognising “that rural communities own their land”. In May, there were violent protests at a GVL plantation. Protestors in the south-east of the country reportedly took several people hostage before they were freed by police.

Kenya’s interior minister has called on US news channel CNN to apologise for calling East Africa a “hotbed of terror” ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit on Friday. It would make an apology “if it was civilised enough”, Joseph Nkaissery said at a news conference. The hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN is trending worldwide as Kenyans condemned CNN, which has not yet commented. Its report focused on the threat posed by the al-Qaeda linked al-Shabab group. Obama was “not just heading to his father’s homeland, but to a region that’s a hotbed of terror”, said the CNN report.

ISIS bigger threat than al-Qaida, says FBI chief The Islamic State group’s effort to inspire troubled Americans to violence has become more of a terror threat to the U.S. than an external attack by al-Qaida, the FBI director said. FBI Director James Comey told an audience at the Aspen Security Forum that the Islamic State group, which has proclaimed a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq, has influenced a significant but unknown number of Americans through a yearlong campaign on social media urging Muslims who can’t travel to the Middle East to “kill where you are.” Twitter handles affiliated with the group have more than 21,000 English-language followers worldwide, he said, thousands of whom may be U.S. residents.

World News

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Kerry defends Iran nuke Laoye Schools Celebrates Graduating Students deal to US senate U I S Secretary of State John Kerry has defended a nuclear deal with Iran, calling it the “only viable option” to a peaceful resolution of the issue. He told the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee: “We set out to dismantle [Iran’s] ability to build a nuclear weapon and we achieved that.” Mr Kerry is expected

to face tough questions as Congress reviews the deal over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Iran’s president has also been defending last week’s accord. Hassan Rouhani, in a speech broadcast live on television, said the deal represented “a new page in history” and was wanted by the Iranian people. Negotiations between Iran and six world powers -

Kerry

the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - began in 2006. The powers suspected Iran of pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons programme, but Tehran has always insisted its nuclear ambitions are peaceful and energy-related. Mr Kerry told the committee hearing that the US administration came to the negotiating table with one clear objective - to address the issue of nuclear weapons. He said that it was pointless to insist on dismantling Iran’s whole nuclear programme, as it already had experience in nuclear technology and enough fissile material to build 10-12 nuclear bombs. “The choice we face is between an agreement that will ensure Iran’s nuclear programme is limited, rigorously scrutinised and wholly peaceful - or no deal at all.”

t was celebration time for Laoye Schools, Akoka , Lagos as the school celebrated the graduating students in an elaborate ceremony last week. The event which kicked off with a church service at the Foursquare Gospel Church was graced with the three levels of graduating students the school was celebrating alongside their families and well wishers. These categories included; the Nursery 2 students proceeding to basic 1, the basic 6 students proceeding to JS 1 and the outgoing SS 3 students. The school Proprietress, Pastor (Mrs) Elizabeth Olusola Omolaoye in her welcome address rekindled the fond memories of the beginning of the road for the 3 levels of graduating students and stressed that it was only through the grace of God that they could find themselves today at the end of the road which began with challenges and temporary difficulties. She concluded by categorically stating that the next phase the graduands were poised to face will not only require hardwork and courage ,but also, the same grace of God that had seen them this far. The guest speaker of the occasion, Dr (Mrs) Jumoke Mekiluwa, the Deputy Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, gave a motivating speech on integrity and explained how the students must inculcate this virtue as it would do them a lot of good in the end. She stressed that a foundation of integrity and good moral character was pertinent to enjoy long lasting success. She used the biblical story of Joseph to buttress her point on how it took good character, moral uprightness and integrity to attain success in life. She concluded her speech by encouraging the students to raise the flag of integrity high above their heads wherever they went and must be careful to draw inspiration from upright Nigerians who have attained good success from being virtuous people.

Greece warned over recession as bailout talks set to begin

reece’s most influential think tank warned yesterday of a sharp drop back into recession in a report that came hours after parliament approved a second package of reform measures aimed at securing a new bailout from international lenders. In its quarterly report, the IOBE institute said that capital controls imposed last month to stop a bank run pushing the financial system into collapse would exact a heavy toll across the economy. Reversing a forecast for growth this year of 1 percent made as recently as April, it said the economy would contract by as much as 2.0-2.5 percent after growing 0.7 percent in 2014 and would remain in recession next year as well. The report underlined the headwinds facing leftwing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who must negotiate a bailout worth up to 86 billion euros with sceptical lenders, while struggling to hold his divided Syriza party together. While his own personal popularity is high, a renewed drop into recession

after a modest recovery last year would test his government’s ability to push through the tough mix of tax hikes, spending cuts and economic reforms demanded by the lenders. Formal negotiations with officials from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund are due to start in Athens on Friday with the aim of wrapping them up by Aug. 20. But already there have

been doubts about whether the severely weakened Greek economy can support the program after a six year-long slump that has cut national output by a quarter and sent unemployment over 25 percent. Banks have re-opened after the ECB restored emergency funding last week but capital controls remain in place, hobbling companies that deal with suppliers outside Greece and highlighting the fragile state of the financial system.

Proprietor, Pastor James Omolaoye and Proprietress, Pastor Mrs. Elizabeth Omolaoye with Nursery 2 students proceeding to basic 1

Guatemala mayoral candidate, guards shot dead

mayoral candidate and his three body guards were gunned down in San Miguel Duenas, Guatemala, his party said the second member of the group killed in less than a week. Mayoral candidate Horacio Quinones of the Todos political party received a death threat weeks ago, and authorities had launched an investigation into the incident. A deputy mayor candidate for the party was killed in the municipal-

ity of Nueva Concepcion Thursday. After Quinones’s death, the only person left in the mayoral race is an opposition party candidate. “These events are the result of the wave of violence that prevails in our country, following a collapsed system where serious reforms are essential to rescue the country facing crisis,” the Todos party said in a statement condemning the killing. Guatemala has one of the highest rates of violence in Latin America.

Proprietress Pastor Mrs. Elizabeth Omolaoye with Outgoing S.S 3 students

Proprietor, Pastor James Omolaoye and Proprietress, Pastor Mrs. Elizabeth Omolaoye with basic 6 students proceeding to JS 1

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North

Friday, July 24, 2015

Katsina to recall retired teachers

atsina State Government on Thursday said it would recall some retired teachers to active service as part of efforts to address the falling standard of education in the state. Governor Aminu Masari said this in Batagarawa, Katsina State, during a visit to Government Science Secondary School, GSSS, Batagarawa and Government Girls Science Secondary School, GGSSS, Ajiwa. The governor directed the state ministry of education to write to retired professional and hard working teachers on the matter. Masari said the state government would collaborate with the Na-

tional Teachers Institute, NTI, to train teachers on modern teaching techniques so as to enhance their performance. The governor also said that the state government would give special attention to teachers’ welfare, training and retraining programmes to boost their performance. He urged the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, to encourage members to re-dedicate themselves to their duties for the attainment of the desired objective. Masari also assured teachers that the state government would provide facilities that would enhance teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools.

...gets committee on health plan JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

orried by challenges facing the health sector, Katsina State Government has yesterday inaugurated a 15-man committee to come up with a comprehensive health sector plan for the state. The plan is to look into the problems facing the sector and come up with ways to deal with same. The Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, who inaugurated the committee, called on its members to assess all healthcare infrastructures with a view to transforming them. He said the committee should work out modalities for the establishment of a Drug Management Agency for the state as well as come up with recommendations on how to revamp the sector in general. He also called on them to undertake assessment of existing manpower need of the sector at all levels in the state, and to look at ways to engage services of retired health personnel into the state civil service. Inuwa said the committee is to ensure the implementation and re-

structuring of primary health system to meet up with current realities. He added that the committee’s inauguration was crucial in view of the sorry state of the sector in recent years, with fourweek duration given the committee to complete their assignment. In his response, chairman of the committee, Dr. Labaran Doro, commended the state government for coming up with the committee, even as he called for a memorandum from stakeholders for smooth conduct of the committee’s assignment.

AZA MSUE KADUNA

non governmental organisation, Kaduna Human Rights Association, yesterday urged Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, to probe the immediate past caretaker committee chairmen for the 23 local government areas of the state. In a letter signed by the group Executive Director, Sadau Garba, and addressed to the governor, the group insisted that the immediate past caretaker chairmen appointed by former Governor Mukhtar

L-R: Coordinator, Health and Education Service, Voice of America (VoA), Nigeria, Malam Sani Malumfashi; Vice Chancellor, Kaduna State University, Prof. William Qurix and Head of Mass Communication Department, Dr. Joseph Ayodele, during the presentation of communication equipment to the institution by VoA as contribution to the mass communication department, in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Bailout fund not only for salaries –Ahmed WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

overnor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday said the bailout fund given to Kwara State as helping hands was to enable the states pay off their loan and debt obligations and not to pay only salaries as widely believed. The governor made the clarification while featuring on Radio Kwara programme; ‘The Governor Explains’. He said the bailout was to make the states settle their outstanding debts. It would be recalled that, striking council workers in the state have appealed to stakeholders in the state to help appeal

to the state government to use the bailout funds from the Federal Government to the state to offset their outstanding salaries and allowances. But, Ahmed during the personality programme said; “the bailout has to do with restructuring of existing loans because states had not been able to pay salary of workers because of two things, first, is that there is drop in federal allocation and second is that, states have incurred debts that had made their cash flow to be under pressure. ‘This is because by the time they pay the loan, they would have little left for normal business of governance. And you know that the loan is first line charges and that is

why states are under pressure. “However, the issue of bail out which people expects that money will be sent to states from the Federal Government to pay salary and other commitments, that is not how bailout is going to work. What we mean by bailout and what the Federal Government meant by bailout is the restructure of existing loans that the states owe banks and other financial institutions in such a way and manner that the pressure on monthly payment is lessened so that it creates an additional head room for states to perform other financial obligations. “In other words, the bailout is just being worked on. It has not gotten to any

states yet because we are just submitting the level of debts all the states have incurred. For example, states are burdened by loan so that they cannot do much business. But in Kwara, our loan profile is small compared to other states. So, if the loan is restructured, we will not benefit much in the much talked about bailout”. On the way out of the financial challenges facing the states of the federation, Ahmed said there should be an intensive Internally Generated Revenue,IGR, drive in the states in order to help the states to meet their financial obligations and payment of workers’ salaries and allowances as at when due.

Probe ex-council chairmen, group tells El-Rufai Ramalan Yero, should be probed in view of financial recklessness allegedly perpetrated by the them. The group maintained that there was no development under the administration as public resources were not judicially spent, but siphoned. The letter which was obtained by journalists in Kaduna reads in part: “In order to have a durable political system in the state, we humbly advise your government to order a probe into the financial

activities of the defunct 23 local government caretaker committees. “The local governments have not felt the impact of any dividends of democracy despite the substantial amounts of money alleged to have been released to the local government councils through the state Joint Local Government Account. “In fact, in 2013 we undertook serious legal battle against the Kaduna State Government regarding the state’s finances. See Suite No.KDH/KAD/820/2008.”

Declaring support for the revocations of public lands illegally acquired in the state, the group said: “We delightfully wish to express our profound appreciation and support to your foresight and vision, though expected from you, over the recent revocations of all carved-out plots of land from public lands within educational and health institutions in the state. “Over the years, Kaduna State has witnessed the coming of visionless, pur-

poseless and self serving political leaders who superintended over the wrecking of the state. We respectfully urge you to forge ahead in restoring the lost glory of Kaduna State. You have our unalloyed support.” The group further advised the governor to set up projects monitoring committee comprising government officials and non-governmental organisations to oversee the activities of the present local government administrators in the state.

Friday, July 24, 2015

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Ikeja Rotary donates to Lagos communities

otary club of Ikeja in conjunction with Nigeria Air-Force Officers’ Wives Association, NAFOWA, Lagos has distributed materials worth millions of naira to various categories of poor people to alleviate poverty and meet the first target of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, which is eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. People of NAFOWA, Agidingbi and Ikorodu communities were the beneficiaries of the items that included sewing machines, hair dryers, camera and camp gas. Making the presentation, the DG Rtn Bola Onabadejo said the exercise, which has been going on for years, is one of the ways Rotary puts smiles on faces and improves living CHANGE OF NAME

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condition of people in the communities. He commended the charity club’s partners including NAFOWA and enjoined the beneficiaries of the various items to make good use of them to improve their quality of life. President of the Ikeja club and host of the event, Tosin Kadiri, said various needs in the communities spurred the donations. He said the club was carrying out various other programmes to meet developmental needs such as free eye tests at Ikeja High School, sponsorship of people to study Conflict CHANGE OF NAME

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Resolution at University of Lagos “to educate and create awareness that will inevitably lead to

ending conflicts around the globe” and Feed the Poor, among others. NAFOWA representa-

tives, Flt.Lt Temitope Akinduyite and Ms. Olufunmi Thanni, who commended the initiative,

however called for more support to ensure greater number of people benefit.

‘40 migrants drown after boat sinks off Libyan coast’

p to 40 migrants who were seeking to reach Europe are feared dead after their inflatable dinghy sank off the coast of Libya, according to survivors interviewed by the UN refugee agency yesterday. “My colleagues are interviewing the survivors... who arrived this afternoon in Augusta (Sicily), and they are talking of 35 to 40 people missing at sea,” UNHCR’s spokesman in Italy, Federico Fossi, told CHANGE OF NAME

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a news agency of the accident on Wednesday. The refugee agency said most of the migrants were men from sub-Saharan African countries, including Somalia, Eritrea, Benin and Mali. Italian daily La Reppublica said three dinghies set sail from Tripoli but one of them, with 120 people on board, started filling up with water and eventually sank. The migrants fell into the water and most were CHANGE OF NAME

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Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Uchella Chinenye Jessica, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ezirim Chinenye Jessica. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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FAKUNLE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatimilehin Abosede Fakunle, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatimilehin Abosede Owologbonafo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANIDI: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anidi Maria Ebere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ozoali Maria Ebere. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OCHEI: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Marian Ngozi Ochei, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Marian Ngozi Okwudishu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

rescued by a commercial boat and then by a German navy ship, the Holstein, which brought a total of 283 people to safety. One 22-year-old Ghanaian cited by the newspaper claimed that some 30 of his fellow travellers had died. International NGO Save the Children said women and children were among those missing. “We have spoken to several (survivors) and their versions match. I have in front of me a young boy in CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Oludamilola Oluseun Ruth Dahunsi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oludamilola Oluseun Ruth Osinubi. All former documents remain valid. NOUN and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Titilayo Mojisola Arowolo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Titilayo Mojisola Sonubi. All former documents remain valid. Central Bank and General

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as James Tomiwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayeni Tomiwa Tolu. All former documents remain valid. GTB and general public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Ogunleti David Timilehin, now wish to be known and addressed as Josiah David Timilehin. All former documents remain valid. Lagos Baptist Senior Secondary School 11(LABASCO 2) and the general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Schlegel Veronica Tietie, now wish to be known and addressed as Schlegel Veronica Abeke. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mr. Bamidele Michael Ashiru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Bamidele Michael Omotayo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EZEMA: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ezema Chinwendu Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ezeh Chinwendu Joy. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHIGBO: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Chigbo Ebere Lovina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nnamani Ebere Lovina. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

tears, who says he has lost his brother. The victims are all from sub-Saharan Africa,” Save the Children spokeswoman Giovanna di Benedetto was quoted as saying by La Reppublica. More than 1,900 migrants have died so far this year making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe, out of around 150,000 people who have made the crossing, the International Organization for Migration said earlier this month. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Salako Abimbola Anuoluwapo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Egbeyemi Abimbola Anuoluwapo. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State SUBEB and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Tolulope Oladunni Adeleye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tolulope Oladunni John. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunjobi Ajoke Fisayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Hassan Ajoke Fisayo. All former document remain valid. Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, Local Government Education Authority, Ado Ekiti and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMUSAN: Formerly known and addressed as Amusan Funmilayo Ibironke, now wish to be known and addressed as Osungbade Funmilayo Ibironke. All former documents remain valid.. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Okeke Rosemary, but now wish to be known and addressed as Nnamani Rosemary. All former documents remain valid. General public please should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MBAKWE: Formerly known and addressed as Mbakwe Uchenna Johnbosco now wish to be known and addressed as Okoli Uchenna Johnbosco. All former documents remains valid. Generla public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EZEIGBO: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ezeigbo Chioma Gift, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onunze Chioma Gift. All former documents remain valid. Pace Land College of Education and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NWOBODO: I, formerly known and addressed as Nwobodo Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Nnamani Chukwuebuka Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AUCTION AUCTION AUCTION

This is to inform the general public that approval has been given by the board of trustee Anambra State Trust Fund Government House Awka to disposse by public AucƟon some of their unserviceable vehicles packed at Army Barracks Onitsha on 31/7/2015 by 10:00am prompt. Intrested buyers are to inspect the alloƩed Vehicles during working hours at 302 ArƟllary regiment workshop. Nigeria Army Barracks Onitsha. Announcer

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, July 24, 2015

T:table senior: Quadri rides Lashin to final

I am here in China with a new life to live. But I have not stopped being committed to my country

Sport

–Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan

Super Eagles line-up against Chad in Kaduna

Ahead Tanzania:

Oliseh wants patience

uper Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh, has called for calm and patience among Nigerians as he and his assistants prepare for the tasks ahead. Nigeria will travel to Tanzania in September for a crucial 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier and later confront Burkina Faso over two legs in October for the Africa

Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers and the second round of African qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in November. Oliseh said the technical crew went to work almost immediately after he was unveiled in Abuja due to the busy schedule. “We have no choice but to hit the ground running. Jean Francois (first assistant) and I have

been busy combing and tracking players in Europe while Salisu Yusuf has been doing same with our home based stars. “Alloy Agu who is still involved with the Under-23 team will join him once they conclude their qualifiers against Congo,” said Oliseh to the NFF official website, www.thenff. Oliseh said the double

pronged approach has become necessary because he wants preparation for the CHAN qualifiers against Burkina Faso to begin immediately after the AFCON game against Tanzania. “We have to cover all ground and be adequately prepared for all the competitions we are involved whether the CHAN, AFCON or World Cup qualifiers.

“Our list of invited players for the CHAN team will be out in the first week of August while that of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania should be out mid August. “We urge everyone to continue to support the team and join their efforts with ours in ensuring that the Super Eagles succeed on all fronts,” said Oliseh.

Oshoala, Onome return for E’Guinea Joel AJAyi ABUJA

arring any indecision by their clubs, Super Falcons duo, Asisat Oshoala and Onome Ebi, will be in the team expected to prosecute the second leg Olympics qualifying match between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in Bata. Both play makers were ab-

...as Falconets’ Liberia opponents storm Abuja

sent in the first leg encounter inside the National Stadium Abuja which ended 1-1. With the result, Equatorial Guinea are in advantage to clinch the 2016 Rio Olympics ticket should Nigeria slip during the return leg. Falcons interim coach, Christopher Danjuma, insists that his full squad will face their

Guinean opponents in Bata. “Half of our players were not at the first leg and by the grace of God, all of them will be in the team before the second leg game and we shall get the maximum points in Malabo.” On whether Oshoala’s injury will allow her to feature for Nigeria in a fortnight, Danjuma said, “I don’t want to think that

injury will take her out like that because when I spoke with her coach, he assured us that she would come.” Meanwhile, the delegation of U-20 Women National Team of Liberia to Saturday’s 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against the Falconets is expected in Nigeria today. Inspired by a hat-trick from

Yetunde Adeboyejo and a double by Amarachi Orjinma, the Falconets crushed their hosts 7-1 in the first leg played in Monrovia two weeks ago. Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed officials from Togo to take charge of the encounter, taking place at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja.

Sports

Friday, July 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

T/table Seniors:

Quadri rides Lashin to final N

igeria’s Aruna Quadri yesterday caused the biggest upset of the ITTF Seniors Championship in Yaounde, Cameroun after beating defending champion and number one, Egypt’s ElSayed Lashin, 4-2 in the quarterfinal match of the men’s singles. The encounter attracted huge crowd to the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Yaounde with both players thrilling the fans as their performances drew applause. Quadri dug deep on his reservoir to silence Lashin at 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 8-11. “It was always a tough encounter between the two of us as we both play same style I had difficulty initially even the sixth game I was leading 7-2 for him to level up at 7-7,” the Nigerian said.

“I inin tend to give my 100 percent in subsequent games,” he added as he prepared to meet the winner between Egypt’s Omar Assar and Mohammed El-Beiali in the final. Quadri’s compatriot, Funke Oshonaike, settled for bronze af after losing 4-1 to Nadeen El-Dawlatly in the semifinal of the women’s singles, while number one seed, Egypt’s Dina Meshref, also defeated Algeria’s Islem Laid 4-0 in the second semi final.

Aruna Quadri, during his match yesterday

Laloko lauds S/West football FA AfolAbi GAmbAri

ormer technical director of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Chief Kasimawo Laloko, has described the newly-formed South West States Football Association as timely and relevant to concrete development in the zone. The SWSFA, a brain child of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, will be launched in Abeokuta, Ogun State today with football stakeholders from the host state as well as Oyo, Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti participating, even as the Headquarters will be located in the historical Onikan Stadium, Lagos. National Mirror gathered that dignitaries across the South West that include former CAF and FIFA technical instructor, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, are already in Abeokuta for the one-day summit. “At no other time can this initiative be more commendable and credit must go to Barrister Akinwunmi for his wonderful foresight,” Laloko, who is also Director of the Pepsi Football Academy and Proprietor of The Football College, Orile-Imo, Ogun State told National Mirror yesterday. “I believe an even development of football can be guaranteed across Nigeria if each of the six

geo-political zones forms a forum like this, instead of the prevailing situation where every zone looks up to Abuja every time to get things done. “For instance, someone from Osun State who desires a football coaching course will find Lagos more accessible and cost effective than travelling all the way to Abuja to achieve the same objective.” Barrister Akinwunmi, who is also Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association, is in charge of football development at the Football House in Abuja and the SWSFA initiative is one of the efforts he has projected to turn the sport around in Nigeria. “We in the South West have resolved to give him all our support and I think other zones should also support him in the overall interest of our football,” Laloko added.

L-R: President, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Barrister Rotimi Edu; Chairman, 120th Anniversary Committee, Gbenga Lufadeju, and the immediate past president of the club, Sam Egbuchunam, at the unveiling of anniversary logo in Lagos yesterday

Tennis Club unveils anniversary plan ifeAnyi eduzor

Chief Laloko

agos Lawn Tennis Club is planning to establish a tennis foundation to encourage upcoming young players, unveil the portraits of its past leaders and launch the club’s compendium to keep the public abreast of the history of the oldest tennis club in the country as part of programmes for the club’s 120th anniversary. President of the club, Rotimi Edu, told National Mirror at the unveiling of the anniver-

sary logo and mascot that the founding fathers’ dreams had been achieved, listing the hosting of Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, in Lagos among the club’s laudable highlights. “It is on record that the biggest annual tennis tournament in the country, the Governor’s Cup, has not only attracted national and international players, but has also placed the club on the world map,” Edu said. Chairman of the Anniversary Committee, Prince Gbenga Lufadeju, disclosed that the four-month celebration would

begin with Jumat and Church services on Friday and Sunday respectively and would be rounded off with a Christmas Party on December 18. “Other activities lined up for the celebration include coaching/training for club members’ children from August 1 to 31, a visit to Heart of Gold Orphanage Home, Public Lecture on the state of the nation, children’s party, walk for life, quadrangular games with other clubs, cultural day, raffle draw and gala night,” Lufadeju, who is also Vice President of the club, added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Premier League first stanza earns Glo applause

lo Premier League Clubs have been commended for their high competitive spirit and excellence by the Title sponsor, Globacom, as the first stanza of the league season ended last Sunday. The 2015 season is currently on a two-week recess after the Week 19 games on Sunday, with Sunshine Stars of Akure leading the league table. The team tied on 36 points with former champion, Enyimba FC of Aba, while Wikki Tourists of Bauchi and Heartland FC of Owerri trailed with 33 and 32 points respectively. The reigning champion, Pillars FC of Kano occupies the ninth position with 27 points. “The teams have so far lived up to expectation in terms of the competitiveness of the league matches and we are happy that it has also rubbed off positively on the league’s standard,” Globacom said in a statement in Lagos yesterday. “Teams like Kwara United, 3SC and Rangers who had a rough

patch in the early weeks have also bounced back to reckoning, while Pillars is also gradually bouncing back to reckoning,” the statement said, adding, “All these indicate that more intense competition should be expected when the league resumes.” The total ICT solutions provider also commended managements of the clubs for motivating the players and technical crews towards achieving greater results. “We have noticed this positive trend which we believe will help the league grow exponentially ,” the statement further said while also commending the League Management Company for its progressive measures aimed at uplifting the league. “We also wish to commend the fans that trooped to the various stadia to watch the teams and the peaceful manner in which they have conducted themselves at the venues and we encourage them to continue with this trend when the league resumes in a fortnight,” the statement concluded.

Pillars stalwarts Rabiu Ali (l) and Gambo Mohammed

Lagos SWAN Cup shifted

he kick off of the 2015 Lagos SWAN Cup earlier scheduled for today has been shifted to Sunday. The Executive Committee of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, explained that the postponement was in deference to the South West Sports Summit and the Elective Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists which holds today in Abeokuta and Abuja respectively. “As a responsible organisation, Lagos SWAN cannot ignore the importance of the South West Sports Summit to chart the path of development for sports in the region nor can it afford not to be part of the national congress of the NUJ,” Lagos SWAN Chairman, Fred Edoreh, said. Chairman of the sports committee, Debo Oshundun, however said that the shift did not affect other events and dates of the SWAN Week.

Sports

Friday, July 24, 2015

“The group matches will still hold on the following Monday and Tuesday, the annual Lagos SWAN Seminar on the future of our sports in which the DG of the National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut, and NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, will speak on different topics on July 29, while the semi finals and final of the SWAN Cup will still hold on July 30 and 31,” Oshundun said.

SWAN boss, Edoreh

MANDATE

THE

SylveSter Ikuejamoye

mopheys13@gmail.com 0805-407-1194 (SMS only)

AAG: Another Games year is here

he 11th All Africa Games should be holding, barring any unforeseen situation, from September 4 to 19 in Brazzaville, Congo. Nigeria has participated regularly in the games since its inception in 1965. That, of course, is no news. What is of major concern to well-meaning sports loving Nigerians should be the results of our participation. In the 50 years of the All Africa games history, the period between 1991 and 2007 stands out as the golden era of Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Games as well as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games based on available records. This does not mean we should not have done better Pinnick but this is the available record we should work harder to beat. Participating in major international competitions like All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games is money consuming with several millions of tax payers money spent to prosecute Nigeria’s participation in such competitions. Unfortunately a lot of people do not look at the quantum of funds expended but are more concerned about the outcome. It is important to stress here that I’m not an apostle of winning by all foul means but an apostle of a good and diligent lay-out road map for better result. If every result of the current outing is worse than the preceding one, then the implication is a clear case of decline in the fortunes of our sports development and growth. This, certainly, calls for concern with all well-meaning stake holders, particularly the ones with the required experience and knowledge to come together and find a way out of the log-jam. It has almost become a recurring decimal to always engage in last minute rush to prepare and participate in major championships even with 4 years prior notice advantage. It must be stressed that to prepare adequately, early release of money

is central and fundamental to its success. It has also been established over time that money released very late for major championships create room for abuse and subsequently fails to achieve its main purpose. Simply put, the purpose is already

Okagbere

compromised and brutally defeated with private pockets of individuals the better for it. It should be noted that release of funds for preparations for participation in major championships or competitions should not be tied to the four yearly events. There is the need to provide facilities and maintain the existing ones. The readiness level of athletes is basically tied to availability of facilities. It is more reasonable and beneficial to provide funds for regular maintenance of the available facilities to keep the athletes and the technical crew in good shape. One of the major daunting problems we have as a nation is the lack of maintenance culture. A good example is the edifice in Lagos, called the National Stadium in Surulere, which has become a major national embarrassment. No sane patriot on a visit to the Lagos National Stadium will leave there without shedding painful tears. Most Nigerians are known to be more interested in awarding contracts than maintaining the existing infrastructure or facilities for obvious selfish reasons. There is need for a clear departure from the past if we are serious for a better tomorrow.

There is need to improve on efforts to at least meet up with what can be tagged the golden era of Nigeria participation in global sports fiesta. This period of 1991-2007 may not particularly be too spectacular for drum and trumpet roll out reference but certainly is the best period we can refer to in our chequered history of participation in major international sporting competitions. The records of our participation since the inception of the All Africa Games will be fully x-rayed and graphically presented in this column next week for clarity. Our mission at the games should not be seen to be just to make up the numbers but must be with the aim of winning fairly and squarely. Scarce resources that could be deployed to other areas of meaningful development should not be wasted on mere participation in competitions without preparing enough to make an appreciable impact at the games. The 11th All Africa Games is around the corner with most sports federations battling for funds to prepare athletes for the games. Lack of funds has been an obstacle to the programmes of most of the sports federations listed for the games. The success and failures of our outing cannot be separated from the roles and responsibilities of the various boards of the federations. Therefore, if we are indeed serious and desirous of making appreciable impact at the games, there is the urgent need to release money for their programmes and activities with particular reference to trials and camping where applicable. In line with the mood of the present administration on probity and transparency, it is hoped and strongly advised that only those with relevant roles to play at the games should be in the train to Brazzaville, Congo. My humble advice is that there should not the any form of jamboree where accompanying officials are more than athletes. This can be counter-productive with bitter taste. I have no doubt that with dedication and determination to excel, Team Nigeria should make commendable impact and make Nigeria proud. My wish for the team is, The Very Best of Luck.

Hard but the bitter truth Fingers are not equal and will never be equal. Learn to accept divine settlement and what you cannot change. Not appreciating the grace can only lead to disgrace. Hard But The Bitter Truth Until next week Friday, stay out of trouble and God bless Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Largest trick roping loop by a male

Vol. 05 No. 1162

Friday, July 24, 2015

N150

The largest trick roping male was achieved by Charlie Keyes (USA), who spun loop around him fed to 107 ft 2 in, at Will Rogers International Wild West Expo in Claremore, Oklahoma, USA; 22 April 2006.

Pilgrimages as Nigeria’s gaping conduit

or several decades, state sponsorship of Muslim and Christian pilgrimages has constituted a major drain-pipe to the nation’s resources. Through it, the Federal Government and states fritter away humongous amount of funds from the nation’s coffers. The Nigerian Constitution (1999 as amended) never discountenanced the relevance of religion, anyway. This will help explain its inclusion of the freedom of thought, conscience and religion as a fundamental human right. The Constitution, in Section 10, provides, in addition, that the government of the federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion. But in their words and deeds, however, the FG and states have been observing these portions of the Constitution in the breach. Without batting their eyelids, they compete in lavishing state funds on pilgrimages as if Nigeria is a theocratic state. Huge agencies established and funded by the government

iverpool Manager, Brendan Rodgers, says the club’s decision to buy Aston Villa forward, Christian Benteke, is its desperation for goal scorers going into this summer. “It was just clear we needed to score more

FRIDAY WITH Dozie Okebalama

dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) through annual budgetary allocations are assigned the responsibility of managing pilgrimages in this so-called secular state, Nigeria. In existence, for example, is the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for Muslims. There is the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPCO) for Christians; as well as their counterparts at the state level; whereas the Constitution confers no authority on any government in the country to sponsor pilgrimages. Parody par excellence! An online medium, ‘Forum Nigeria’, in a recent report, gave insight into how state governments, including those down with unpaid workers’ salaries, some organisations and individuals were bracing up to spend at least N70 billion this year on pilgrimages to Mecca and Jerusalem, among others. NAHCON was credited as having announced recently that 76,000 slots were allocated to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia for the 2015 Hajj. Of the number, NAHCON Media Director, Alhaji Uba Mana, said 66,000 had been allocated to the nation’s 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Armed Forces; while the remaining 10,000 was set aside for ‘international pilgrims’ or tour operators. The conservative figure for Christian pilgrims visiting Israel, Rome and Greece, based on 2014 statistics, is 30,000; meaning that a total of roughly 96,000 Nigerians are expected to perform pilgrimages this year,

WHAT DOES NIGERIA GAIN, FOR INSTANCE, EXCEPT SPIRITUAL SLAVERY, THAT COMPENSATES FOR THE GARGANTUAN FUNNELLING OF PUBLIC FUNDS INTO ANNUAL PILGRIMAGES? majority of them at government’s expense. Forum Nigeria says the Hajj fare announced by NAHCON for 2015 is N758,476.59 minimum for each Muslim departing from the northern part of the country; and N766, 556.59 minimum for each of those going from the southern part. For Christians, it would cost each pilgrim whose destination is only Israel N379, 840; Israel/Rome, N462, 510; and Israel/Greece, N462, 510. The package includes air ticket, visa fee, feeding, accommodation and tour to holy sites for 11 days. For the 76,000 Muslims performing this year’s Hajj, their total spending would be about N57.6 billion; and for the 30,000 Christian pilgrims, even if they end up in Israel alone, their spending would be about N11.3 billion, this year alone. Year-in-year-out, reports filter that the government and leaders of the two dominant reli-

gions in the country – Muslim and Christian – are working on the review of state sponsorship of pilgrimages or assessing whether pilgrimages deliver any return on investment. For many Nigerians, however, embarking on religious pilgrimage, apart from being turned to one of the weapons of patronage the government deploys as it pleases, is a luxury that should be left for those who can afford it, whether Muslim or Christian. Indeed, five years ago, John Idumange, a university teacher and activist, among several other critics, was insistent in his piece on this subject that religion is “no longer a touchstone of goodness and morality, which are essential for nation building”, but “has been transformed into a divisive element and an instrument of violence”. Religion, performing the rites attaching to it and the pursuit of salvation are strictly personal matters, not government obligation as they have been curiously and dubiously elevated in the country. It is shocking, therefore, the recent imprimatur President Muhammadu Buhari gave to unlawful government sponsorship of pilgrimages through his recent approval of concessionary, state-subsidized exchange rate of N160 to $1 for this year’s Christian pilgrims; particularly when the economy is in tatters, with the official exchange rate of the naira to the dollar dangling between N230 and above. Bad enough were also reports that entrepreneurs who desperately needed such concession for their productive concerns were sent away empty handed by the same Presidency. Could this be one of the reasons dispassionate critics, especially leftists, define religion as the spiritual opium at the root of the under-development of most backward nations? What does Nigeria gain, for instance, except spiritual slavery, that compensates for the gargantuan funnelling of public funds into annual pilgrimages? Therefore, whatever reasons the Presidency may advance for the forex concessionary misadventure are objectionable. Mr. President should be seen as striving to halt the age-long waste of public funds through religious pilgrimages, not encouraging it.

Sport Extra Transfer: Why we aim at solid strikers –Rodgers goals,” Rodgers said yesterday. “A few years ago we needed to improve our goal tally and we did that and it gave the team a little bit of profit. I feel it was the same this sum-

mer. “We were down on our goals. Overall, it is the balance we need to improve offensively and defensively and the players that will contribute to both.”

Benteke was acquired for £32.5m and the Belgium international completed his Anfield move after a medical on Monday. Liverpool netted only 52 Premier League goals

last season, a huge disappointment following the 101 the Reds scored in the previous campaign thanks largely to the dual striking combination of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

Rodgers

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