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L-R: Chief of Administration, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar; brother of the late Lance Corporal Amos Musa, Staff Sgt. Haruna Musa and Widow, Peninali, during the presentation of cheques to relatives of army personnel who died in operations against insurgents in the North-East, in Abuja, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

Boko Haram: Relocation’ll increase effect of offensive —Military …‘Insurgents’ll pay with their blood’

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June 27, 2015

THE GREAT HAUL!

NDLEA arraigns 5,148 drug suspects in 17 months

Marcus Fatunmole Abuja

he National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday disclosed it had arraigned 5,148 persons who either deal in, or consume illicit drugs in the country. Chairman of the agency, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, stated this in Abuja at the launch of National Drug Control Master Plan, NDCMP 2015-2019. Giade said the agency was strengthening its efforts to bring activities of illicit drugs to an end in the country, hence the introduction of the master plan. As part of the agency’s contribution to the nation, Giade informed that monetary value of seized drugs and cannabis land destroyed last year alone was worth 542 billion. “This huge amount is mind blowing and has the capacity to derail the most credible election. Such proceeds can either be used to subvert the wishes of the

electorates or instigate upheavals. We shall therefore continue to financially incapacitate and dislodge drug cartels,” he stated. He added: “In Nigeria, we have

fought very hard to eradicate illicit drugs from our society. The agency recorded unprecedented success in cannabis farm destruction. A total of 4409.15 hectares of farmland rep-

… grabs 277 in Kano

Abdulgafar Oladimeji

…nabs 185 in Cross River

Kano

Richard Ndoma Calabar

he Cross River State Command of the Nigerian Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday in Calabar said it has arrested 185 suspects for drug related offences this year alone. The boss of the NDLEA State Command in Cross River State, Mrs. Anthonia Edeh, pointed out that the suspects were picked with about 1.4 tons of Cannabis Sativa, 6.4035kg of cocaine and 18 grammes of heroin. Those arrested include 175 males and 10 females. Edeh added that the command’s efforts also led to the discovery of 4.741 acres of cannabis sativa farmlands at Abijan in Etung Local Government Area of the State. The farms, worth over N70 million, were destroyed by the command. “We counseled 70 drug dependent persons, while nine referrals were fully rehabilitated and reintegrated back to their families,” she said.

resenting 53,719, 342.32 kilogrammes of cannabis were destroyed and prevented from causing untold harm to Nigerians. “Also, a total of 8,826, comprising 8,322 males and 494 females were arrested or questioned during investigation, while illicit drug seized weighed 106,897.18 kilogrammes.” Speaking on those arraigned, he said the agency prosecuted 2,070 cases out of which he said 2054 were convicted last year. “Between January and May this year, the agency arraigned 3078 dope suspects and seized 170,344.704 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs. The drugs are cannabis, totaling 167,461.828 kilogrammes, while cocaine was 103.848. Heroine was 17.976 kilogrammes,” he said.

Giade

… arrests 122 in Anambra Charles Okeke wka

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it has arrested a total of 122 drug suspects in Anambra State between January and June this year. The State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Sule Momodu, who disclosed this yesterday during the celebration of the United Nations Day Against Illicit Drug Abuse and Trafficking in Awka, stated that 114 of the arrested suspects are men, while the remaining eight are women. Momodu also said that a total of 110.624kg of illicit drug were seized during the period, with Cannabis Sativa, popu-

larly called Marijuana, topping the table with 107.26kg. He listed other drugs which were seized during the period to include cocaine, 138.2 grams, heroine, 100.54grams, liquid methamphetamine 2.615 kg. and solid methamphetamine, 510 grams. The State Commander also said the agency arraigned a total of 22 suspects in court, out of which eight convictions have been obtained, while 28 fresh cases were filed in court during the period under review. He expressed the determination of the agency to fight drug abuse and trafficking in the State to a standstill, adding that all the relevant stakeholders should join hands in the war against illicit drugs.

he Kano State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Malam Garba Ahmadu, has disclosed that the agency, in its battle against illicit and dangerous drugs, has effected the arrest of 277 drug abuse suspects and traffickers, further disclosing the impoundment 2,003.672kg of assorted illicit drugs within the last six months. According to Ahmadu, the former status of Kano as the State that parades the highest number of persons involved in the use of dangerous and illicit drugs is no longer the situation, stating that things have changed for the better. Out of the illicit drugs confiscated by the agency within the period under review, Cannabis Sativa ranks highest, with 1,327.283kg. Psychotropic substances stood at 676.252kg, cocaine 90.5grammes and heroine 6.1 grammes. The Kano NDLEA boss disclosed that of the 277 suspects arrested, 125 were counseled. Eleven of them were reunited with their parents after six months of comprehensive and intensive counseling and18 suspects are currently undergoing counseling and rehabilitation. The agency secured the conviction of 83 offenders, while 83 others were arraigned at the Kano Federal High Court.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Can Aba be Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taiwan?

It all began with a cluster of shops at the swampy part of the area now famous as Ariaria. Its forebear, then located at Ekeoha, in Aba, a sprawling commercial hub in the eastern heartland, had been gutted by fire; a big inferno that not only devastated market traders but also demoralised a populace just recovering from the loss and agony of a bitter civil war in the early 70s. So, the state government decided to move the growing market to its new location. More than three decades after, that move has proven to be deft. The market has moved beyond the confines of Ariaria. Now known today as Ariaria International Market, the Aba market in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Abia State has become one stop shop for national, subregional and global trading in textile and designer wears, fabrication of industrial equipment, import and export of major commodities and merchandise with estimated turnover running into N4 trillion on monthly basis alone. Indeed, market experts see Aba as the Taiwan of Africa, a sobriquet the market hub could live up to if relevant authorities live up to their responsibility of improving on badly needed infrastructure in Aba, writes NICK UWERU.

here are no two ways about it; Okezie Ikpeazu knows the enormity of what he has taken on. As the new governor of Abia State at this material time, there can be no doubt that he is delicately patched on a hot seat. Abia is one of the state owing salaries to its workers on account of dwindling allocations from the oil rent based federal allocation. Added to this, the state suffers massive infrastructural deficit needed to assure steady investments and development needs. On paper, Abia may appear solvent on acCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Ariaria has largest shoe making cluster in Africa’

Onitsha main market

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 count of its being surrounded by oil wells like its neighbouring city, Port Harcourt, Nigeria’s second largest oil city. But oil, with its value crashing in the global markets leaves very little hope for steady revenue stream. But Abia’s big money spinner is from its industrial and trading hub concentrated in a sprawling metropolis, Aba. A 30-kilometre pipeline powers Aba with gas from the Imo River natural gas repository. This serves its industrial units that are into pharmaceuticals and other industries. Its major economic contributions are textiles and palm oil along with plastics, cement, and cosmetics and industrial fabrication companies. These have made the Ariaria International Market the largest market in West Africa. The market is divided into over 85 zones each specialising in specific articles of trade for easy shopping. Each zone is also sub-divided into lines for easy accessibility with parks where vehicles could drive in and out and load and offload their goods with ease. Most of the lines are well paved. This goes especially for the A Line which enjoys the pride of the market and joins Faulks Road, the main road linking the market with Aba-Owerri Road and Port Harcourt-Enugu Expressway. These routes serve traders coming in from Rivers and Bayelsa states. At its peak, this seamless market that

Nnewi car manufacturing line

Aba as a major continental business hub has been hobbled by myriad of limiting problems. The revenue projections by World Bank and IMF, for instance, estimate that Aba commercial hub can generate as much as N4 trillion in cash turnovers. The current revenue profile, however, is not more than N15 billion after tax cuts across three local government areas of Aba North, Aba South and Osisioma serves the West African sub-region including Cameroon and Gabon in central Africa. In the country, Ariaria has the largest shoemaking cluster in Africa. It serves Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa states. The South East see the place as their own market, comparable to Taiwan in Asia or Dubai in the Middle East. While the market and revenue generating potential is not in doubt, the reality, for many is that Aba as a major continental business hub has been hobbled by myriad of limiting problems. The revenue projections by World Bank and IMF, for instance, estimate that Aba commercial hub can gen-

erate as much as N4 trillion in cash turnovers. The current revenue profile, however, is not more than N15 billion after tax (put at between N2 billion and N3 billion by the previous government). Going by its own projection, the state government believes that with the right investment in infrastructure, proper tax regime, statutory allocations may just be an adjunct to its steady revenue source. This is why Ikpeazu, as soon as he took office laid out a marshal plan on revitalising Aba market. First, the governor, as a matter of policy would be operating mostly from Aba, rather than the state capital Umuahia. The governor further went on to established the Office of Aba Urban Re-

newal, OAUR, to demonstrate the high premium he placed on rebuilding the commercial city. Explaining the importance of this, Godwin Adindu, Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to Ikpeazu, said that the aim of setting up OAUR is to hasten the rebuilding of Aba to enhance the entrepreneurial value of the city and its economic contribution to the state. Adindu added that rebuilding roads in Aba and the general renewal of infrastructure in the city were top priorities for Ikpeazu’s administration. He said the vision of the governor was to bring Aba back to its pride of place to enable it contribute adequately to the economic development of the state. “The city of Aba is dear to the heart of the governor and this informs the reason he has decided to operate from the city in the meantime in order to be close to the people and personally monitor the ongoing projects that have been flagged off in the city,”Adindu said. Adindu explained that Aba Urban Renewal Office would serve as a key driving force of the administration, adding that the governor would show personal interest and commitment to the activities of the office in order to ensure it performed to utmost expectation. Indeed, Ikpeazu’s projections are not strange. In fact, the move to accord Aba a pride of place in his policy direction is very much in tandem with CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

‘Roads, drainage system bad in Aba’ Obi

A shoe maker in Aba

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 growing economic agitation from federal government to wean the economy from its rent based status. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra, tried something similar to Ikpeazu’s policy. Obi leveraged on mopping up revenues from two commercial hubs in his state: Nnewi and Onitsha, second largest market to Aba’s Ariaria. Nnewi, on the hand is West Africa’s first destination in vehicular spare parts market/fabrication industry. Anambra evolved tax collection regime that upped its internally generated revenue, IGR, to point where money was taken from the purse to fund major capital projects. As result, Obi, at the expiration of his tenure bequeathed his successor an estimated N70 billion savings. Ikpeazu intends to do something bigger. Aside raising the revenue profile of Aba, the governor believes that the hub could attain iconic status like Dubai, Taiwan and like economic hubs around the world. But if economic projection and expectation on Aba has been so high, what exactly has hobbled Aba from reaching into the sky, growing truly into the Taiwan of Africa? For the traders, patrons and economic experts who understand the problem, it is a combination of factors requiring both state and federal attention. Over the years, for example, major entrance to the market has become its albatross as most portions of it remain impassable especially as the rainy season has begun. At the area called

Ukwu-Mango, for instance, most of the buildings are always partially submerged. The past administration repaired the road though, but on account of the heavy traffic on the road, it soon fell into disrepair as some parts of this road have collapsed again. In part, human factor accounted for this. It was gathered that the closing of the drainage ditches planned as receptacles were closed by some unscrupulous persons before the contractor could mobilise for the second phase of the work which coincided with the security challenges the state had when Aba was literarily under siege by kidnappers, forcing the contractor to runaway. At present, Faulks Road has been washed by flood, dividing the road into two. The worst hit is between Union Bank and Hilson Filling Station, as a result of many weeks of torrential rain, making it difficult for traders from the Aba end of Faulks Road to access A Line. The portion, during the rains is often washed away. Some of the traders who spoke on the poor road infrastructure leading to the market said that the flood on Faulks Road worsened the situation as water-flow from A Line which would have ordinarily emptied into the drainage on Faulks Road is forced to return and flow into the market leaving A Line and the adjoining lines flooded. Bemoaning their plight, a trader who sells electronics along the bad portion of Faulks Road said that market is generally bad during rainy season. “I just come here

Obiano

It is not uncommon to see our traders throw the refuse they generate from their stores into the drainage when it starts raining and these are carried by the flood and deposited at the main gutters and eventually block them to relax as nobody comes in here to purchase anything because of the condition of the area,” he said. Traders along the A Line end of Faulks Road said the flood has incapacitated them as very few persons now patronise them. Some of the traders said the infrastructural challenge was minimal as most of the lanes in the market are well paved. They alleged that an arrangement reached with the state government in the past was to keep part of the revenue generated in the market to rehabilitate the internal roads was successful until that market administration’s tenure elapsed. “The internal roads in the market are in good shape; we have no problem in that area. On the contrary, modernisation of the market is going on as you can see. Our problems, road-wise, are the arterial roads leading to the market. Faulks, Enyimba and Samek roads where some parts are bad allow most people rather than wading through the flood or bad road prefer to make their purchases along the street leav-

ing us inside the market as onlookers,” one of the traders stated. However, transporters and traders who come from neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rrivers who spoke on their plight said that the Akwa Ibom/ Oron Park was partly flooded because of the heavy rain in the past few days, adding that their major problems are roads leading to Aba from their various states in the south south. Putting the fact of the flood problem in perspective, a trader said the reconstruction work on the failed portions of Faulks Road is grossly being inhibited by the rains as several attempts at making the road accessible has failed because of the continuous rainfall in the area. Another trader blamed his colleagues for what they are suffering. ”As a trader in the A Line who is among those most hit, we have to share in the blame because of our uncivilised behaviour. It is not uncommon to see our traders throw the refuse they CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘People avoid Aba labels’ Ikpeazu

Senator Eyin-Abaribe

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 generate from their stores into the drainage when it starts raining and these are carried by the flood and deposited at the main gutters and eventually block them. If you look at that failed portion of the Faulks Road, you will discover that almost everywhere, there is refuse. Nobody lives like that; it is condemnable,” the traders said. Elder Obi Ebere, vice chairman, Chosen Sub Union of Ariaria Market Traders Association, also blamed the Abia State Government Environmental Agency (ASEPA) for the lapses. He said though he is against those dumping refuses indiscriminately, the situation would have been better if the agency responsible for the environment comes to clear the refuse generated in the market regularly. According to him, every trader pays an environmental fee of N500, the agency does not come to cart them away leaving the traders to depend on children who they pay to remove the refuse. “They claim they dump them at the burrow pit but where they eventually dump them is what we cannot vouch for. As I am talking to you, if you check independently, you will not see any receptacle anywhere close to the market. Where do they want us to dump the refuse we generate here?” he asked. He alleged that some time ago when they complained, government donated a vehicle to the market to help in the evacuation of the refuse but it has since broken down.

Shoe makers at work in Aba

“For almost two years, this market has not been opened for the monthly environmental exercise in the state as traders are not allowed to go to the market on environmental days. The ideal thing would be to allow the traders go to the market but not to open their shops until the exercise is over. This would have given us the ample chance to clean up the entire market environment. The market also lacks fire service,” he stated. According to him, since the former one broke down many years ago, the market has not only lost the fire trucks but the station which is now being built as part of the market. “It is God that has been protecting us from fire outbreak if not the story would have been different. We have not had any major fire incident for years. As an alternative, the market executive at a time made an ad hoc arrangement and acquired a big fire extinguisher which also has broken

down,” he added. Another problem is that the market in the main generates its own power through a private source. “If there is a functional transformer and we get power supply from the national grid, we would be paying less and use it effectively,” added the traders’ union leader. But with the recent pledge of Ikpeazu, or these problems may just be a thing of the past. There, however, remains the matter of raising the standard of Aba products to meet world standards. Before now, Made-inAba products are viewed with much condescension. No one liked to be associated with them because they are considered inferior items worth of patronage only by the poor who could not afford foreign ones. Producers of wears, shoes and other items of fashion mainly from the South East are not unaware of the public perception about their products and as such pre-

Producers of clothes, shoes and other items of fashion mainly from the

South East are not unaware of

the public perception about their products and as such prefer to market them using foreign labels

ferred to market them using foreign labels. Thus, in supermarkets, highbrow shopping malls across the country, there is a tendency to buy Made-in-Aba shirts, trousers, bags, blazers and suits under foreign established labels such as TM Lewin, Giorgio Amani, Guchi, Prada, Hawes and Curties. But in the last two years, there has been a growing awareness of brand status of Aba made items. Especially with the now annual Made-in-Aba Exhibition in Abuja, traders bring the best of their items to show case to the world the federal capital. This exhibition is at the behest of Government’s ongoing campaign for patronage of made in Nigeria products and the outstanding success of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s constituency project aimed at bringing Made in Aba products to public reckoning. Abaribe, who singled-handed, sponsored the exhibition two times now in its series, is not only known as a promoter of madein-Aba products, he believes in it; he lives it and demonstrates it. While his colleagues in the Senate are often decked in foreign made attires, Abaribe wears Made-in-Aba apparels. So far, top politicians from Aba have since copied suit too. As matter of policy, Ikpeazu has pledged that he would always be dressed in Aba made attire throughout his tenure. How far these measures will go to fully place Aba markets in limelight both nationally and internationally may likely depend on how Ikpeazu tackles the infrastructural deficit in the commercial hub of Aba.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

Boko Haram: Relocation’ll increase effect of offensive —Military Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

he Nigerian military has concluded plans to, within one month of relocating its Command and Control to Maiduguri, Borno State, cause huge changes in the ongoing war against the Boko Haram insurgents, to justify the presence of its headquarters in the war front. This is even as it concealed the financial costs of relocating the Command and Control within the short period of directive. It vowed to make the insurgents pay back with their blood.

*’Insurgents will pay with their blood’

A military source at the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, told our correspondent in Abuja, that in view of “certain concerns, the military has decided not to disclose details about the relocation.” The General, who pleaded anonymity, said that the relocation costs government some fortune, said it was however worth the while in order to achieve the desired change in the war. According to him, “In less than a month, we will settle down there for business. You will see changes

in the war. It will no longer be business as usual, but the insurgents should get prepared too because they will pay back every kobo with their blood.” Our correspondent learnt that the military high command was working hard to announce its arrival in the region even before the 21 days it gave for the Military Command and Control Centre, MCCC, to become operational. Already, the military had said that the installations of the high-tech equipment were ongoing and expected to be com-

pleted within 21 days. Upon taking over power, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his inaugural speech, had directed the military Command and Control to move from Abuja to Maiduguri, to combat the Boko Haram menace. Although the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, LtGen. Kenneth Minimah and that of the Air Staff, Air Mashal Adesola Amosu, penultimate Tuesday, had since taken over control and commenced of the areas, our correspondent learnt that they were perfecting their cal-

Chief Imam of Aso Rock Central Mosque, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Abubakar Suleiman (standing), with President Muhammadu Buhari (4th right) and other worshipers during a Jumat Service yesterday at Presidential Villa in Abuja.

rs Farida Kabir, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving with the National Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, has developed a website for Online Training and Awareness Campaign (OTRAC) on Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF). The website was inaugurated by Dr Linus Awute, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health yesterday in Abuja. Awute said at the launch of the website that ``this is a further demonstration of the creativity of Nigerian youths, an initiative that

culations to effectively announce their arrival with a major offensive. Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, who confirmed to our correspondent that the relocation would be a game changer, said that its effects were already beginning to be felt as troops’

morale has been boosted and the presence of Service chiefs were added impetus to the war. Although he said nobody could claim that the relocation was free, he said military was more interested in achieving its aim of the relocation rather than talking about issues of costs.

Scientist worries over global environmental degradation

scientist at the University of Uyo, Prof. Anthony Udoh, has expressed dismay at the rate of environmental degradation globally. Udoh, a professor of analytical chemistry, made the observation in Uyo on Friday at the 45th inaugural lecture of the university with the theme, ‘The Covenanted Chemist’. He said that environmental degradation had been a matter of serious concern to engineers, chemists and other scientists. The professor said that scientists had made efforts to develop ameliorating conditions for the phenomenon. He said that climate change worldwide had caused a number of harmful effects apart from ozone

depletion which had resulted to heated earth environment. The scientist said that the world might face a crisis over the frequent corrosion of steel and aluminum if the problems were not addressed. He noted that steel was used for fabrication of structures while aluminum with light weight was used for fabrication of aircraft parts. “It is known that there are climate changes the world over. These changes have resulted in a number of harmful effects. “Apart from ozone layer depletion resulting in highly heated earth environment, corrosion of historical monuments, structures and buildings is very worrisome,” he said.

Corper develops website for disease awareness campaign, training will add value to the nation’s development drive. ``When you have an intelligent individual like Mrs. Farida who has added a platform of this type, then you have succeeded in making a quantum leap forward. ``I believe that with this platform, the public will be aware and better able to control such diseases.’’ Awute then encouraged other corps members who

were still in service to imbibe the idea of establishing a creative projects like this. On her part, Kabir told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview that the project was aimed at establishing a platform for online education on VHF and for healthcare givers and the general public. She said VHF were illnesses caused by various types of viruses; most of

them are zoonotic and caused multiple organ failure in humans. The illnesses were accompanied with fatigue, fever, weakness, dizziness and muscle aches and in severe cases, patients experience bleeding under the skin, internal organs or even from body orifices like the mouth, eyes or ears. Example of such diseases are Ebola, Lassa fever and yellow fever, well

known for their high mortality rate. ``The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) plays a major role in protecting and educating Nigerians, and there is currently an online training platform at the centre. ``As a result, I came up with the project OTRACVHF to contribute my quota to the development of online platforms. ``With a largely youth

population estimated at over 60 per cent in an environment of information communication technology, an interactive online media is considered a most suitable platform for effective dissemination and sharing of knowledge. ``Research shows that the audience spends 22 per cent of its time on social networking sites, thus proving how popular social media platforms have become.’’

NATIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Buhari to attend Juma’at prayers at Presidential Villa Mosque ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday participated in Juma’at prayer at the Presidential Villa Mosque. Acccording to a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President

on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari did so out of consideration for avoidable hardships imposed on members of the public by road closures and other security measures which presidential movements to the National Mosque necessitate.

Accordingly, the president has decided that henceforth he would mostly observe

the Juma’at prayers with other Muslims at the Presidential Villa Mosque.

The statement further said the president would still join the larger Muslim Community for Fri-

day prayers at the National Mosque and other mosques in Abuja occasionally.

12 die as container laden truck crushes passenger bus in Ogun FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

t least 12 persons have been confirmed dead, while one other was critically injured when an empty 20-feet container from a moving truck fell on a 13-Seater passenger bus at the Sagamu corridor of the ever busy Lagos/Benin expressway yesterday. National Mirror gathered that the accident, which occurred few meters away from the gate of a plastic manufacturing company located near the Ilisha Remo junction, involved a container laden truck with registration number (LAGOS) BDG 779 XE and a Toyota Hiace passenger bus marked (Lagos) XV 311 MUS. Our correspondent reliably gathered that the occupants of the Sagamu bound passenger bus in the accident which happened few minutes after mid day, were substantially students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye who were on their way to Lagos State for the weekend. The Ijebu - Ode Commander of the Ogun state Traffic Management and Compliance Agency (TRACE), Tommy Hamzat, who witnessed the incident, told journalists that the driver of the container laden truck drove against the traffic, which made it difficult

for the passenger bus driver to clearly understand the traffic direction and collide with the truck. Hamzat further explained that the empty container from the truck eventually fell on the bus, which caused the death of the passengers. “I was coming from Sagamu side and saw the accident. I had to hurriedly park my car, run there to see if the passengers could be rescued. But unfortunately, all the occupants of the bus were dead, including the driver. “The bus was facing Lagos, though I don’t know where it was coming from. The container truck, with no load in it, was coming from Sagamu side, but was driving against the traffic and that resulted in the collision, which eventually claimed the lives of the innocent people.” The TRACE Commander in Sagamu, Kehinde Arode, who also spoke with National Mirror over the incident, explained that only 12 people died, while one other was badly injured as against the 18 casualties widely circulated. Arode, however, said that the injured person has been taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, while corpses of the victims have also been deposited at the same hospital.

L-R: Former Nigerian Ambassador to United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Executive Director,The Convention Business Integrity, Mr. Soji Apampa and Chief Executive, Centre for Public Policy Alternatives, Dr. Folarin Gbadebo during the 3rd Christopher Kolade Annual Lecture in Lagos, on Thursday.

Cleric tasks president on nation-building

he Bishop of the Diocese of Awori (Anglican Communion), The Rt. Revd. Johnson Akin-Atere has said that the provision of basic social amenities by President Muhamadu Buhari government’s provision of will enhance the socio-economic state of the country. The social amenities, according to him, should

include uninterrupted electricity supply, good road networks and adequate employment opportunities to all graduates of universities and polytechnics in the country. Atere, who made this remark during the presentation of the “Bishop Charge” at the second session of the second synod of the Diocese of

Awori, with the theme “Grace for Grace” (John 1:16b), held at the Cathedral of St. James’, Ota, Ogun State, stressed that corruption appeared to have assumed the status of a norm rather than an abnormality. He therefore appealed to the government to strengthen anti-corruption agencies, ensure transparency and ac-

countability at all levels of government. He noted that the spate of insurgency in the country had generated widespread concern in and outside the country and charged that in spite of the efforts of the military to contain the Boko Haram insurgency, rescuing the Chibok girls remained a task that must be done.

Lawmaker condemns fracas in House of

on. Ajayi Adeyinka (Osun-APC), representing Odo Itin/Ifelodun/Boripe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, on Friday described the quarrel over principal positions in the lower chamber on Thursday as embarrassing.

Adeyinka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the commotion was a sad point in the country’s democratic experience. ``It is really embarrassing; people are beginning to understand that democracy will be about differences. ``We would learn, as

times go on, how to resolve our differences without throwing tantrums or causing rancour; that will be the next stage.`` It will be recalled that rancorous lawmakers in the lower chamber engaged in vicious exchanges over the election of principal officers of the

House. Two factions emerged in the House with one supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress’ insistence to choose the House principal officers, and the other, backing the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who insisted on defying the party. IK/YEE

NiMet predicts cloudy weather for today

he Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted cloudy weather over the central states of the country this morning. The prediction is contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast

Office (CFO), yesterday in Abuja. It explained that there would be chances of localised thunderstorms over high grounds during the afternoon and evening hours. NiMet also predicted that the coastal areas

would experience cloudy conditions in the morning with prospects of localised thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. It said the Inland areas would experience cloudy conditions with prospects of thunderstorms over

the high grounds of the South-West in the morning with chances of rain showers during the afternoon and evening hours. NiMet predicted that Northern states would experience cloudy conditions during the forecast period.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

Seven feared dead as trailer crashes into commercial buses Patience Ogbo

even persons are feared dead following a road accident at Ikeja-Along bus stop on Lagos-Abeokuta Road in Lagos on Friday. Our correspondent gathered that an articulated trailer conveying cars had a brake failure along and crashed into several buses conveying passengers to the Oshodi area of the state. An eyewitness who simply identified himself as Abbey said “I was returning from Computer Village at Ikeja at about 1.00 pm when a trailer conveying cars from the IyanaIpaja end of the road lost control as a result of brake failure and rammed into commer-

cial buses. “Several buses with passengers inside were affected and badly wounded . I saw a woman writhing in pains; there was blood all over her body and her right hand was broken. A young man could not move his body and all efforts to revive him was not yielding any positive results at the time I left the scene of the accident. “I saw several other passengers lying down writhing in pains. Some sympathizers said they had taken seven dead bodies to the hospital but I did not see any corpse. “I did not see any ambulance or emergency workers at the time I left the scene. It was a ghastly accident and unfortunate.” When our correspon-

dent visited the area, there was gridlock on the road as the trailer and other affected vehicles were yet to be removed.

Our correspondent noticed that traffic police officers were walking to the scene of the accident while impatient drivers were desperately seek-

ing alternative routes to get out of the traffic. Our correspondent’s efforts to reach the Lagos State Police spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu,

on the matter did not succeed. A text message sent was not replied as at the time of filing this report.

Editor-in-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Lawal Ado (left) and Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Ajjampur Ghanashyam, during his visit to the agency in Abuja, on Thurday. PHOTO: NAN

S’Court sets armed robbery convict, Musa Sani, free Ise-Oluwa Ige

five-member panel of the Supreme Court yesterday reversed the death sentence passed on an armed robbery suspect, Alhaji Musa Sani. The summit court held that the police failed woefully in their investigation of the case giving rise to doubt on whether the armed robbery operation actually took place. Sani who was set free yesterday was convicted for armed robbery by a Katsina State High Court in 2008. Sani and his co-convict, Ifanye Amah, were accused of robbing their victim of N940,000 and other items, including one computer set, two

cameras and three mobile phones, in Katsina on May 28, 2008 and consequently sentenced to death. A panel of Justices of the apex court headed by Justice Muhammad Muntaka-Coomassie, in its judgment on Friday, discharged and acquitted Sani, whose conviction and sentence by the Katsina State High Court was affirmed by the Court of Appeal. The panel unanimously agreed that the police failed woefully in their investigation of the case giving rise to doubt on whether the armed robbery operation actually took place. The apex court added that the trial judge ought to have discharged and acquitted Sani and his co-accused, having in his findings admitted

that the police failed to investigate the Sani’s alibi. Sani had insisted that he knew nothing about the alleged armed robbery as he was at Lunar Hotel, Katsina, at about 2.30am to 3am on the day the offence was said to

have been committed. The two men pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were arraigned before the Katsina High Court on June 8, 2009. They were charged under section 1(2) of the Robbery and Firearms

(Special Provisions) Act Cap R11, Laws of the Federation 2004, which provides death sentence for a proven case of armed robbery. The trial judge, Justice Sada Abdu-Mumini, had convicted and sentenced the two of them to

death after finding them guilty of the offence at the end of their trial. Dissatisfied with the judgment, among other grounds that the trial judge failed to consider his defence of alibi, Sani appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Stakeholders disagree over success of pension scheme

takeholders in pension fund administration, industrial relations and labour are divided over the success of the Contributory Pension Scheme for the benefit of pensioners in Nigeria. Olabisi Omolaja, an insurance broker, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that the 2014 Amended Pension Reform Act would protect the interest of workers.

Omolaja, General Manager of New Alliance Insurance Brokers, said the previous 7.5 per cent of emolument paid by the employee and matched equally by the employer had been increased to 18 per cent in the amended act. He urged labour unions to ensure that their members were well informed about deductions from their salaries and remittances. But some labour

leaders have expressed pessimism about the scheme. Mr Bashir Olanrewaju, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) in Oyo State, said many pensioners were complaining about the scheme. “Instead of securing pensioners at old age, the Contributory Pension Scheme is death for pensioners by instalments,” he said.

Olanrewaju said apart from the fact that many pensioners experienced delays in getting their benefits, there were challenges of non-remittance by employers to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs). On his part, Mr. Wale Akinremi, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, University of Ibadan, said the terminal benefits of workers should be reviewed.

NATIONAL NEWS

GOC warns soldiers deployed to Liberia over Ebola, drugs A za Msue KADUNA

he General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Kenneth Osuji, yesterday warned 700 officers and soldiers who are set for deployment for peace keeping operation in Liberia, over Ebola epidemic and illicit drugs. Gen. Osuji who also warned troops to avoid any act capable of dragging Nigeria’s image and Nigerian Army in the mud, said the army would not accept a situation where its soldiers are seen as soft targets. Osuji gave the warning while addressing the troops at the graduation ceremony marking the end of their pre-deployment training in Jaji, Kaduna State. Gen. Osuji’s Brigade made up the Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT) 36 in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said they must work with the rules of engagement of the mis-

sion and respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of Liberia people. His words: “Be reminded that the Nigerian Army will not accept any situation where its troops are seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manner such as trafficking in illicit substances of any kind including alcohol and drugs. “Additionally, you must respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of the people of Liberia. You must exhibit the highest sense of personal/environmental hygiene as Liberia is just emerging from an Ebola epidemic,” the GOC stressed. Earlier, the Commandant, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre (NAPKC), Maj. Gen. Imimitomi Birigeni, said the pre-deployment training which commenced three weeks ago was intensive and comprehensive in line with the United Nations predeployment modules.

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Buhari dissolves NNPC board …plans a new structure for it

Obiora Ifoh and Omeiza Ajayi, ABUJA

resident Muhammadu Buhari has dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The action is with immediate effect. The directive to that effect was conveyed in a letter dated 26th June 2015 and

signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Barr. Danladi Kifasi. Director, Communications in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Haruna Rasheed Imrana, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday said the president had in the letter thanked members of the dissolved board for their services to the nation.

President Buhari had since assumption of office expressed disgust at the level of rot in the NNPC. The corporation is said to be so rotten that its management does not know the number of bank accounts it currently operate. Meanwhile, Saturday ‎Mirror investigation revealed that three names, all northerners, are already being considered to drive

An accident scene at old Governor’s office area in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday.

the incoming NNPC board. It was gathered that some powerful and influential forces close to the corridors of power last week submitted a proposal for the restructuring of the corporation to the president. The restructuring which sources said is for immediate implementation, would see NNPC divided into eight structures.

PHOTO: NAN

N8b currency fraud: Allegation of judge’s bias stalls trial of accused Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

he trial of officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other banks involved in the N8bn mutilated currency fraud before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan yesterday took a new dimension as one of the counsels to the accused, Barrister Olalekan Ojo, questioned the likelihood of fair hearing and bias of the presiding judge, Justice Olayinka Faji, in case FHC/ IB/34c/2015, involving two of his clients. It will be recalled that Ojo and Mrs. Olayinka Ojo are representing the second and third defendant/ applicants in the suit scheduled to commence yesterday and the judge had pen-

ultimate Friday delivered a ruling on bail applications in four cases brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The ruling on bail applications, however, became a subject of discussion before the commencement of the trial at the court yesterday, following some pronouncements in the ruling, alleged by Ojo to be unfair to the second and third defendants. The case: FHC/ IB/34c/2015, involved the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) versus Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Toogun Kayode Philip, Ajuwon Bolade and Samuel Ogbeide and Ojo’s clients Olaniyan Muniru Adeola and Toogun Kayode Philip, were listed as sec-

ond and third defendants in the case. As soon as the counsel announced their appearances, with prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) leading a team of other lawyers which include – A.M. Yusuf, Adebisi Adeniyi, Rotimi Oyedepo and Sola Obaribirin; Ojo, informed the court of a motion filed before the court, praying it to stay proceedings or further proceedings pending the determination of his clients. According to him, his prayers were to stop Justice Faji from the trial and assign another judge of the Federal High Court for the case and an order that, the honourable court presided over by Justice Faji should disqualify itself from hearing the charges preferred

against his clients. He said the defendants could not get fair trial before the court presided over by Justice Faji, having convicted them by his pronouncements in his earlier ruling on bail applications on June 19, 2015. Ojo specifically made reference to pronouncements by the judge on the defendants on page 93-97 of the ruling. He told the court that a motion dated June 26, 2015, had been filed, to the effect, praying for “an order of the honourable court staying proceedings or further proceedings in charge N0 FHC/IB/34c/2015 pending the determination of the second and third defendants’/applicants’ appeals against the ruling of the honourable court delivered

on 19/06/2015 in which appeal the second and third defendants/applicants have requested the Court of Appeal to make an order directing the honourable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer or assign the charge No. FHC/ IB/34c/2015 to another Judge of the Federal High Court for trial. “In the alternative, to relief one supra, an order that, the Honourable Court presided over by Honourable Justice Faji should disqualify itself from hearing the charges preferred against the second and third defendants in charge FHC/IB/34c/2015 pending before the Honourable Court on the ground that the constitutional rights of the second and third defendants/applicants to fair

trial will be or is likely to be prejudiced and or impaired by reason of likelihood or real likelihood of bias on the part of the presiding Judge,” he submitted. The prayers were stated in a motion on notice, affidavit in support and notices of appeal on behalf of the two defendants and filed yesterday. The notice of appeals were on seven grounds with adjourning sections, tagged “particulars of error” made to analyse the grounds stated. Similarly, counsel to the first defendant in the suit, Otunba Olayinka Bolanle, also associated his views with that of Ojo and further informed the court of his motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court on the case.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Union decries lifting of ban on textile importation

he National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) on Friday decried the lifting of the ban on the importation of textile products into the country by the Federal government. The President of the union, Mr Oladele Hunsu, expressed the displeasure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, the Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service, on Wednesday announced that the Federal government had lifted the ban on the importation of textile and furniture products. Dikko said at the official launching of the Common External Tariff in Lagos that textile, furniture and other items had been removed from the Import Prohibition List in order to boost the Tariff provisions. Hunsu said the removal of the ban would further weaken the textile industry and eventually bring about its extinction, if the ban was not reversed. ``As regards the removal of the ban on the importation of textile products, we, textile workers, really frown at it because it will only decrease the capacity of local textile manufacturers. ``Look at the Ankara and our other local fabrics, they are being relegated to the background, and we are now wearing imported fabrics, despite the ban on imported laces and so on. ``With the lifting of the ban, it will definitely make it worse, dumping will become a normal thing, and we will be importing unemployment and exporting employment to other countries, I see this as we destroying ourselves,’’ he said. The NUTGTWN president urged that the textile industry in Nigeria be revived with the various measures that had hitherto been suggested before the borders were opened for imports.

REGIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

South WEST

102 drug suspects apprehended in Osun in six months Boladale Bamigbose

sun state command of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ,NDLEA, yesterday said it arrested 102 drug suspects across the state in

last six months. Disclosing this at the grand finale of activities marking this year’s United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse, the state commander of the NDLEA, Egwunwoke Ekaete, added that the command also secured 18 convictions out the

suspects arrested within the period. Egwunoke explained that a total of 152.34kg of india hemp and 24.3 grams of psychotropic substances were also seized during the period. She also said that 37 other suspects were counselled against drug

usage and discharged, while the remaining 47 suspects are being tried at Osogbo Federal High Court. Giving further breakdown of those arrested, the NDLEA boss, said 89 of the suspects are male while 13 female. She highlighted some

harmful effects of illegal drug dealing saying; saying the growing trend whereby under aged are used to sell of illicit drugs should be checked. In his lecture, consultant psychiatrist with Osun General Hospital, Dr. Ola Ibigbami, said the mission to eradicate illicit drug use in the society should be collective effort and must not to be left for drug enforcement agencies alone.

Fire out-break averted as petrol laden truck crashes in Osun Boladale Bamigboye

(L to R) The Director General, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Mr. Yinka Adepoju presenting a Special Award of Excellence to Globacom represented by the Director, Advertising, Mr. Tunde Kaitell at the 9th Exhibition and Poster Awards of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria at Intercontinental Hotel,Lagos on Thursday

Oyo Assembly summons SUBEB, others on review of textbooks T

he Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday directed officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), to appear before it on July 7 over choices of textbooks used in schools. The summons followed a motion moved by Segun Ajanaku (APCIbadan South-West II) over periodic review of textbooks. Ajanaku had noted that books used in public and private primary schools in the state were recommended and re-

viewed periodically. He said the review was done by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), and Curriculum Development Directorate of the Ministry of Education. Ajanaku, however, said publishers, schools and ``unscrupulous’’ officials collaborated to review recommended textbooks based on other reasons than knowledge impartation. According to him, the development has caused non-uniformity of books in schools.

He said the act also frustrated the culture of siblings inheriting books from one another. ``Urgent steps need to be taken to correct the anomalies and recommended text books should be uniform for students of the same class in public and private schools in the state. ``Recommended textbooks ought not to be reviewed at least for a period of four to five years”, Ajanaku said. Oyatokun Oyeleke (APC-Afijio), prayed the House to invite SUBEB to explain the alleged

arbitrary reviews. Other agencies to appear are the Ministry of Education and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools. The Speaker, Micheal Adeyemo, approved the invitation. Adeyemo said: ``the issue raised in the motion is very expedient and we shall be doing a disservice to the sector if nothing is done.’’ Earlier, a bill to establish a special board for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to boost revenue for the state was presented to the House.

hat would have resulted in multiple death was yesterday narrowly averted, when break of a truck carrying petrol failed and it ran into three other vehicles. The accident, which occurred around Old Governor’s Office Area of Osogbo, Osun state capital, led to gridlock, as those trapped in the vehicles affected were being evacuated. The truck with registration number, Lagos AGL804XX coming from the Gbongan end of Osogbo/ Gbongan had break failure when approaching a building traffic, forcing the driver to run into vehicles parked by the road side. Sources said the truck first ran into a Toyota car before hitting a mini bus with passengers. Three other vehicles, while making attempt to avoid the truck also ran into each other behind the tanker. An official of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, who spoke at the scene of the accident, said no life was lost, adding that those that sustained minor injuries have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

REGIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

PDP tackles Lalong over governance James Abraham Jos

he Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Plateau State has queried the manner in which Governor Simon Lalong has been running the affairs of the state since May 29,when he took over the reins of governance in the state According to the Party, while the APC- led admınıstratıon was yet to hit the ground running, a lot has happened in the 3-weeks old government in the state expressing the fear and worry that certain actions of the Lalong’s administration point to the fact that the much talked about respect for the rule of law of his campaign promise is fast giving way to impunity. State Chairman of the

PDP Youth Forum, Mr Joel Jonathan who addressed a press conference ın Jos, pointed out that the Lalong-led government broke the rule of law by dissolving tenured statutory commissions and boards in the state, adding that the Debt Management Office and others established by law are being persecuted and their tenured heads are being removed against the rule of law which Lalong swore to uphold. The Chairman also pointed out that it was wrong for the Governor to go ahead and swear in Chief Dan Dul as the Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council, while the matter is still in the Court of Appeal. He also accused the APC government of plans to dissolve the 15

elected Local Government Council chairmen before the expiration of their tenure despite repeated assurances from the governor not to do so. Other antı- people polices

whıch the PDP chieftain accused the governor of commıttıng include; making appointments based on family and ethnic consıderatıon, selectıve payment of workers salaries and allowances, vıolatıon of law on ban on commercial motorcycles and the award

of N1.8billion contract for the renovation of the Presidential Lodge/Government House, Rayfield among others. But reacting, Governor Lalong dismissed PDP allegations as baseless. A statement signed by Director of Press and Public Affaırs,Government

House, Emmanuel Nanle saıd, the APC admınıstratıon in the state was not surprised at the attempt by members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State to want to draw attention to its existence after they lose election by crying foul where there is none.

Governor of Kebbi State Atiku Bagudu (left) interacting with Students of the Government Girls Secondary School Bunza, during his visit to the school, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

CMD, FMC, Yola calls for upgrade of centre to Teaching Hospital Livinus Menedi Yola

he Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre Yola, Professor Auwal Abubakar has called for the upgrade of health the institution into a teaching hospital. He said doing so, will help to expand access to quality tertiary health care service to the North East region and reverse the dismally poor health care indices of the region due to inadequate health personnel. Abubakar who spoke to journalists in his office, in Yola over the weekend, noted that the institution which provides primary, secondary and tertiary health care services had made a case to be upgraded into a teaching hospital. He explained that the institution which has been grappling with growing influx of patient as a result of the insurgency will be able to expand its provision of quality

tertiary health services if the proposal gets the nod of the new administration. The hospital chief executive, who said the services offered in the center is at par with qualitative health services offered elsewhere in other teaching hospitals, said he expects the new administration to favourably consider its request. “We have made our case, submitted proposal and because we have the capacity just like other Federal Medical Centres which have been upgraded. I believe that once the present government settles down we may be favourably considered,” Abubakar said. He explained that the requirement for the institution which at the moment offers, primary, secondary and tertiary health services , was however not tied to the availability of a medical school in the state. “Rather, the upgrade

will allow for the expansion of access quality tertiary health

care services to the people of the North East region because of the

complimentary increase in the no. of wards, bed spaces and specialist

providing specialized health care services to the citizenry.” He said

9 bag death sentence for blasphemy in Kano Abdulgafar Oladimeji Kano

Kano Upper Sharia Court sitting at Rihiyar Lemu quarters, Thursday, passed a death sentence on nine persons for making comments that were considered blasphemous to Prophet Mohammed, (PBUH) The police had docked 13 persons before the court, on the accusation of making ‘unacceptable and profane’ statements against prophet Mohammed(PBUH), the prosecution told the court that Hajiya Mairo Ibrahim

spearhead 12 others , who conspired with her in committing of the crime. The presiding Islamic cleric, Ustaz Atiku Bello stated that, the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against nine out of the 13 persons dragged before the court. According to him, the convicted persons acted contrary to the provisions of sections 110 and 382(b) of the Sharia penal code law of Kano State of year 2000 respectively. The trial Islamic Judge said a case of prima facie had been made against the accused persons, by

the prosecution. He ordered that Hajiya Mairo Ibrahim and eight others be put to death. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against Alkassim Abubakar, Yahaya Abubakar, Isa Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar, the court then, ordered that they be discharged and acquitted in pursuant of section 404 Sharia criminal procedure law, 2000. National Mirror gathered that during the arrest and initial arraignment of the 13 persons before the court on May,

22, 2015, thousands of youths, under the umbrella of AHBABU RASUL- S.A.W. invaded the streets of Kano to protest against the blasphemous statement contained in a video, by calling on the government to prosecute the offenders. The protesters stormed the Kano state Government House and the Emir’s palace to table their demand for diligent prosecution of the alleged blasphemers. Irate youths burnt down the Shariah Court complex located at Rijiyar Lemu, quarters within Kano metropolis where the suspects arrested in connection with the alleged blasphemous comments were initially arraigned for prosecution.

Politics

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Nigerian governors and politics of debt burden Lekan Adejuwon

t a crucial meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday, the new chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulazis Yari of Zamfara State, on behalf of the 36 states governors tabled beforethe president, a “wish list” which included the refund of monies expended by states on federal government projects. The meeting was the first with the president with the governors since his official inauguration on May 29. It however came at a time when many believe that the country is at a crossroads. The development, so to speak, has confirmed the obvious reality that all is not well with the Nigerian state as a result of the worsening economic downturn foisted on the nation in the past 16 years of civilian rule. The president had, in unmistakable terms, charged the state governors that the days of impunity, lack of accountability and fiscal recklessness in the management of the nation’s resources were over. Today, it is a widespread story of inability to pay workers and the attendant hardships, poverty and misery to the workers of the affected states even as the states were yearning for what has been described as federal government’s bail out. How the country sunk to this sorry state has been a subject of intellectual debate in many circles. For instance, at the last count, about 22 of the nation’s 36 states are said to be owning between 2 to 11 months salaries and arrears to their workers, a development which many believe, is unprecedented in Nigeria’s history. However, not a few have pointed accusing fingers on the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for plunging the nation’s economy into the present quagmire amidst damning allegations of uncontrolled corruption in the system. Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Monday at an International Conference on Disability, the Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Al-Makura, practically hit the nail on the head, blaming former President Jonathan for non-payment of salaries by states. According to him, most of the states that are faced with challenge of salary payments inherited the hardship from the poor economic condition left behind by the immediate past administration. His words: “I think the challenge dated back to the kind of attitude put up and ways the previous administration ruined the economy of the country which culminated in all these; we all saw the different games that played themselves out about six months to the end of the administration thereby leading to series of problems inherited in those states.” Buhari, in his maiden address to the governors, made a definite statement with a vow that funds, stolen by government officials, who abused their offices in recent past, would be recovered while systemic leakages would be plugged. However, aside from the sharp drop in oil revenue and the attendant drastic reduction in the monthly allocation to the states, investigations have revealed that many of the embattled states of the federation had been groaning in silence over injustice meted to them by the outgone administration. Findings have revealed that one area where the states had been crippled economically is the undue politicisation of the refund of payment of what was regarded as the ‘first line charge’ of foreign loans and interests. According to reports from the Debt Management Office, DMO, the process had been one of the punitive measures to weaken the economic base of affected states

Abdulazis Yari of Zamfara State

as some states which are controlled by the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, whose foreign loans reconciliation were concluded and refunded between 2008 and 2012, while others were refused for obvious reason of political considerations. Taraba, Adamawa, Kwara and Kano states were said to have been given a clean bill of health under this arrangement while a state like Osun, Edo and other opposition party controlled states where a staggering sum running into billions of dollars was deducted by the federal government for loan repayment and loan interest under the first line charge was said to have been excluded from all the reconciliations carried out prior and post exit of the Paris and London Club debts. The development was perceived in many quarters as a desperate move to cripple opposition party and the states it controlled where such first line deductions were never refunded. To worsen the already grave situation, the immediate past Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, upon the persistent agitations by states for refund of the alleged outrageous deductions, instructed one of the key agencies to close the books. It has been suggested however that the new administration in collaboration with DMO would act with dispatch by dusting the books in order to reconcile the figures and effect refunds to the affected states so that they can meet their obligations to their respective citizens. In view of the ongoing development, the Zamfara State governor, in a related development had also hinted, during the week that the governors also brought to the president’s notice that states would be relieved if most of the loans owed by them could be stretched to 20 years. According to him, “We also brought to his (President) notice that most of the loans owed by the states, some between four and seven years, if they could be stretched to 20 years, the states would be able to get some relief and would be able to continue other businesses includ-

ing paying salaries.” Also, like a recurring decimal, the contentious issue of Excess Crude Account came on the front burner as the governors made a strong case for its removal. “Also, we urged the president to follow the constitution with respect to the sharing of revenue as Section 80 is very clear that all monies should go to the Consolidated Revenue Account for that purpose, no account should be kept anywhere else, because this is what the constitution says. “And Section 162 also is explanatory that whatever is going to happen to the money will be after it is shared to the three tiers of government, that the NNPC or any other revenue generating agency should not have the first line charge of the Federation Account.” Without mincing words, Buhari promised to tackle the issue decisively. According to him, the payment of national revenue into any account other than the Federation Account was a gross abuse of the constitution. Buhari said he was at a loss as to why the governors had tolerated the atrocities allegedly committed with the Excess Crude Account since 2011, adding that what he had heard going on in many agencies and corporations, particularly the NNPC, was clearly illegal. However, with the last Tuesday meeting with the president, not a few believe that there may be light at the end of a dark tunnel for many states governors as a number of far reaching decisions were made to cushion the effect of the economic retardation facing their respective states. On the request for refund of monies spent on federal projects by state governments, Buhari assured the governors that the federal government would pay but insisted that due process must be followed. Also, the president has hinted (against the backlog of unpaid salaries bedeviling the states), that a committee headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would look at the ECA and see what could be shared immediately. Corroborating the move, the Bauchi State governor, who had earlier denied claim that the meeting was about sharing money but a cross fertilisation of ideas said, “Let us understand first and foremost that the meeting was not about sharing, it was about the cross fertilisation of ideas between the president and the governors. “All we are saying is that if there is sharing, it should be done in accordance with the constitution of Nigeria. Let’s abide by that constitution. “If you heard anything about sharing, it refers to Excess Crude Account and you know that as at today, the excess crude account has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Nigeria; so any account apart from the consolidated revenue fund account is unconstitutional.” In what many have reasoned to be Buhari’s deft political move to probe the outgone PDP-led government, the president had told the governors of his resolve to recover billions of looted funds back to the treasury, saying that the country is back on the threshold of another history of profligacy in power only witnessed in the Second Republic. “We will try and put the system back in the right position,” Buhari assured. “What happened in the Second Republic has apparently happened again and even worse, but we will restore sanity to the system,” he said. For him, “the next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered and we will do our best.” Can President Buhari walk the talk by putting a beleaguered nation back on track so that state governors can settle down for real governance? Only time will tell.

POLITICS

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Power of incumbency is gone in Nigeria –Leye Odunjo Hon. Leye Odunjo is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. A two-term member of the Ogun State House of Assembly and former governorship aspirant of the party, Odunjo, in this interview with LEKAN ADEJUWON, speaks on why the PDP lost the 2015 general election, the problem with the party’s leadership and way forward. Excerpts:

hat is your candid assessment of your party’s loss of power to the All Progressives Congress in the last election? I want to strongly tell you that losing the election to the opposition was so painful but I want at the same time tell you that despite the pain, it occurs to me that we are really making progress in Nigeria. It has shown to us that if the masses or the citizens of this country do not want you in any elective position, they now know that they can use their vote to kick you out. Unlike before, in this country, an incumbent can never be defeated in any election, but today, if you x-ray what happened in the last election you will see that an incumbent can be defeated. There is no longer power of incumbency. There is nothing you can do to convince the people than to do exactly what the people wanted when you are in power. If you cannot convince the people this time around, forget it they are going to use their vote to choose whosoever they feel can deliver. Despite all the campaigns that PDP ran against the person of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the people still felt that they just needed that change. We need a change for this person to come on board. Buhari may not be the best replacement for Jonathan, but because there is no other person except Buhari, he was voted in. Other presidential candidates were nobody. They did not even leave their bedroom to campaign to the people. If we have had another person that was as strong as Buhari, I am sure Nigerians would have preferred that option. That is my own view of the last general election. Again, it has shown that voting power does not require any guns, all that it requires is the power of ballot papers which the electorate can freely use to vote their candidate into power. Members of your party have been trading blames over how President Jonathan was defeated. What, in your opinion, really led to your party’s electoral defeat? We have numerous problems at the national level. The major problem I see is that there was nobody who had the control, the will power to control the party. Everybody at the national level sees himself as the leader. Acts of indiscipline ruled the party at the

national level. Nobody was ready to obey the party executive; the NWC was not even ready to listen to the presidency. The presidency was also desperate to have its way. Everybody was just doing what they like and that was exactly what happened and that extended to state and local government levels. And that was why you see wrong choices of candidates all over the country including the states, especially in the National Assembly elections. There was imposition of candidates, leaders influenced the choice of some candidates because the candidates had some money. I think Nigerians have now learnt what democracy is all about. It is not all about money or how much you spend. People had already made up their minds before they got to the polling booths and they cast their votes for the people they wanted to represent them. It all depended on credibility of that person you are presenting; the clout and the acceptability of that fellow in the society, particularly among the youth. You must consider all of that. So acts of indiscipline finished or ruined whatever remained in the PDP during the last election and up till now the leadership has not really learnt their lessons. There is no leader that can control the excesses of the leadership of the party at the national level. Do you really believe that the recent Muazu must go’ campaign was what the PDP needed to put the party back on track? I don’t know what the governors had against Muazu and other, but I still feel that we need proper re-organisation in the PDP. Ii it is very key and I think our leaders should try as much as possible to have a rallying point, to have a leader that they will see as the rallying point; someone who will help the party. Let the governors also humble themselves because some of the governors don’t want to see any party members better than them. It is a very big problem. If they do not want to have somebody as the rallying point at the national level I smell total doom for the PDP. That may consume the party. If they want to reorganise and they think the way to reorganise the party is to kick out the National Working Committee of the party, I have nothing against it. If the NWC also sees that if

Odunjo

kicking them out will solve the problems of the party and they have the interest of the party at heart, they should also honourably resign and quit. Honestly, they don’t need to be told. The moment they lost the election, they should all voluntarily resign their position because it is all a shame. Look at what happened in the UK where after losing parliamentary election, the party leaders resigned. They should have done that in the interest of the party and let the financiers of the party put some people in place to run the affairs of the party temporarily; a set of people like a caretaker committee that will now reorganise and reposition the party. I think we need that. If the person chosen is not a governor, I want to appeal to the governors to respect the person as the rallying point for the party. PDP is a party I loved so much, I have been a member of the party since its formation in 1998 and I have never, for one day, left the party. I have always been a loyal member of the party but I want to appeal to PDP governors, our leaders at the national level, former and outgoing presidents to come together and speak in one voice to salvage the party. In Ogun State, the PDP suddenly went to sleep immediately after losing the election as nothing seems to be happening since then. Does it mean that the infighting rocking the party before the election is yet to abate? I think the leaders of the party in Ogun State should also be ashamed of themselves, and that includes myself as a party leader in the state. I was the Acting State Deputy Chairman of the party for some months; I was the state Vice Chairman, Ogun West, for the party for some time too before I resigned to contest for the National Assembly position. I want to tell you that I think, by now, the leadership of the party should know that there is no more time for them to continue in their on-going messy fighting. Immediately after the election and up till now, none of them has deemed it fit

to call any meeting or invited members of the party for meetings. Let us x-ray what happened in the last election. Let us fashion out the way forward. All our people were just left on their own. Nobody is talking to members of the part who had worked tirelessly for the party to see that we won in the last election. People voted for us but unfortunately it is left for the tribunal to decide but I want to tell you that even at that, members of the party across the local governments should have been invited for meetings to review the election. This is because members might have some vital information that might even help at the tribunal. Only recently I was told that the state chairman of the PDP is now in London. Yes, you can travel out, you need to go and rest, but don’t you think he should have held a meeting with leadership of the party? Issues are happening at the national level. There is nobody to brief the leaders of the party at the state level about the position of things up there. The national committee members in Abuja had not even deemed it fit to come home and brief us. So, in short, the party in Ogun State is not properly coordinated and members of the party are in disarray. One ugly development I suspected immediately after the election was the massive defection of PDP members to the APC in a manner that suggested that the PDP is not prepared to be in the opposition. Why is this so? I believe that those defecting from one party to the other are better described as political harlots. When they don’t get what they want in a political party, they jump to the next platform. They are doing that because the other party they are running to will accommodate them. It happens even when we were in government in Ogun State. I think a time will come in this country when defectors will no longer be recognised by the party they defected to because it has always been at the detriment of members of the party they defected to.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Talking Politics in the House, direct ‘Why reps exchanged ‘Fracas attack on Nigerian Parliament’ blows during —Olisa Metuh, PDP, National Publicity Secretary Thursday’s plenary’ “T “T House of Representatives member, Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura

he action that occurred inside the chamber of the House of Representatives was in reaction to the illegal and unconstitutional action taken by Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives, an action in his usual tradition of total disregard to the wishes of the majority members of the APC Caucus, the Party itself and the spirit of the Party. “We are aware of a letter sent by our Party, APC, dated 23rd June 2015, conveying the approval of the party’s principal officers vis a vis the APC House Leader, the APC Chief Whip, the APC Deputy House Leader and the APC Deputy Chief Whip for the House of Representatives. “This letter by the Party is in compliance with the expressed wish and mandate of the Majority Members of the APC

Caucus in the House of Representatives. “This action of the party and the APC House Caucus is in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the House rules and parliamentary tradition, practices and precedents in Nigeria and all over the World”

‘I’m not available to serve in Buhari’s govt now’ —Prof Charles Soludo, former CBN governor

“F

or sure, I wish the new government success and for the sake of Nigeria, everyone must contribute to assist President Buhari succeed. “I will contribute in whatever way I can. However, everyone can’t sit in government in order to serve: some will be there on full time basis while others can contribute from outside. For me person-

ally and at this point in time, I am not disposed or available for full time public service now; perhaps in the future it could happen, but not now. “For now, my hands are full with several other experiments I am involved with (especially abroad) in the private sector, charity, think-tanks, and the international community. “I am part of a major initiative in Africa’s mining and solid minerals sector, and this takes me through several African countries, etc. “I am having great fun exploring totally new vistas of opportunity that are central to Africa’s great leap in the 21st century. I read that President Buhari will give priority to solid minerals. “We can provide free advisory services and perhaps assist to mobilize investment in the sector or in any other areas if our advice is needed. In effect, there are several ways we can assist the government to succeed but not necessarily to take up full time appointment. No, not now!”

‘Our major challenge is funding’

—Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Michael Adeyemo

“T

he major challenge is the paucity of funds. Any political office holder will not be happy when funds are not available to pay its workers. One will not feel good. It is a big challenge to the smooth running of the system. Workers’ salaries should be paid as and when due. Also, you should have money to execute projects. There is no point appropriating funds for develop-

ment and the money is not available. The appropriation bill will remain a piece of paper that has no force of life. We hope with time, we will get over it. Moreover, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has promised to reengineer the finances of the state. And we believe things will improve. Once everybody is able to get their entitlement, there would not be any cause for wrangling or rancour.”

he barbaric attempt to physically assault a duly elected Speaker, seize the mace, the authority of the House, is a direct attack on the Nigerian parliament which embodies the supremacy of the people and our freedom as a democratic nation”. “What Nigerians witnessed in the House on Thursday clearly underscores the fact that the APC has exhausted its excuses and has now imported its internal contradictions into an independent arm of government as a way to further cover its lack of ideas for governance. “The brawling APC lawmakers ostensibly acted on instructions from the Presidency, an obvious indication that President Buhari is largely an interested party whose involvement is beyond mere body language”. “We state unequivocally that the onus lies on President Buhari to ensure that all democratic institutions are harnessed for effectiveness, a responsibility he has ap-

parently abdicated by allowing his personal interest to instigate division in the parliament, a tendency that poses great threat to the survival of our democracy and the stability of the nation.”

‘Nobody imposed Obasa as Speaker’ —Honourable Olusegun Olulade, member Lagos State House of Assembly.

“N

obody imposed Obasa on us. He is qualified to pursue his ambition just like every other person, but we have a party. “The party is supreme in every decision that needs to be taken, and once the party takes a decision on an issue, it becomes our collective decision.

“ So, it will be inappropriate for anybody to say that Obasa was imposed on us because at the end of the day, we all sat down together and agreed. “We all took the decision together, and even the other principal officers were elected through the same process, so it was not about imposition; it was our collective interest.”

‘PDP jittery in Bayelsa’

— Timipre Sylva, former Bayelsa State Governor

“T

he Dickson govern¬ment is so jittery right now. There is this desperation from the government. There is an ad-

age that the broom the husband used to beat the senior wife is on the rooftop to be used for the junior wife. “ I don’t understand why Dickson expects a different treatment from the one he favoured me with. He came here with Army, Navy, Air Force; they took over everywhere. “ They shut me out of Government House, broke into the stadium and ensured that as a delegate, I was not even allowed to vote. So, what does he expect? I am telling you that I have no doubt that we are going to win. Whatever jitters they have are their own problem, PDP is already a dead party in Bayelsa”.

June 27, 2015

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Ayetoro:

Living

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Where ocean surge threatens dreams

When a select group of Ilaje speaking people where called to move out of their ancestral home to a ‘land of promise’ near the shorelines of the Atlantic Ocean somewhere in Ondo state, the belief of the pioneers was that it would be a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. More than 68 years later, human activities, climate change, general neglect by successive governments have dashed the hopes of these settlers in today’s Ayetoro, writes YINKA ADEPARUSI.

Resident, Benson Aribo, standing in between pillars of what used to be the house of his uncle, Ehitologo, who was forced to move elsewhere due to the ocean surge.

“Get out, let’s go to the land that God chose for the believers....”

he first line of this anthem, 68 years ago, stirred unimaginable hope among a select group of Ilaje indigenes. The period was when the founding Apostles, as they are referred to by the first settlers in Ayetoro, Ilaje Local Government Area, bade farewell their former home. They left the place

as a result of what they termed inhuman practices carried out then by their former host and surrounding communities. They wanted to settle in a land where only the Christian God would be worshipped. When they moved into what is today Ayetoro, they believed that this may well be another Canaan land, flowing with milk and honey to which the founding apostles under direction of the Christian God has led them. More than six decades after, the average Ayetoro resident is not that sure whether their forebear heard God correctly on their choice of settlement.

Doris Biobaku, a Fisher and resident in the settlement, decries the challenges she and her fellow fishermen cope with while trying to make ends meet. “When the ocean overflows, everything goes out of order, even our catch sometimes spills back into the water, and when water enters the town there is no dry land, there will be no where to walk on, everything about the water gives us problem here. To take our boats into the water becomes problematic, so it always results in stop of activities. There is nowhere to go when the river goes rough, we just stand and look.” According to Dele Kudehinbu, the Principal Secretary of the community,

the situation “seriously has affected Ayetoro, apart from the fact that some of our houses have been lost into the sea, the sea incursion, coupled with the activities of the oil companies have deprived us of our mainstay which is fishing, because all the species of fishes have moved far into the deep sea that it is very difficult for someone with artisan fishing to go out and fish. It has affected us a lot both economically and in terms of our settlement, everything.” Residents who have houses near the shore are the worst hit by ocean surges. For some, it has become a seasonal battle against water taking their abodes CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

LIVING

June 27, 2015

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‘We don’t know what will happen in the next ten years’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Site of what used to be the chemistry laboratory at Happy City College, the only secondary school in Ayetoro now taken over by water.

Site of what used to be the physics laboratory at Happy City College now demolished as it was no longer suitable for learning because of the ocean surge.

away. Nicodemus Anifowose fought unsuccessfully against the tide that destroyed his house unttill his death. Now, his son, Oluwasegun, is doing the same. Pointing to his dilapidated building as he tried to pick pieces together, Oluwasegun lamented, “This house belongs to my father. This house was about 20km from the sea but now the house is closer to the sea. This was a room and a parlour, now the room has collapsed. We are trying to build another building now. We don’t have much money but we acquired a loan to build the house.” Nearby neighbour, Samagbeyi Olusola, who just returned home from the National Youth Service Corpse, NYSC, also struggles to come to terms with the state of his environment.”It had not got to this stage when I left, but it happens every day and the matter is getting worse by the day. We don’t have any other place to go and no other place we can ship in our shelter as it stands. “You can see the wave, it is like every day, at times it will bring the mud to fill the whole place, before you know what is happening, it wipes everything off, including the houses and it is not only in this place, more than 20 houses.” He described what the house owned by his father used to be. “When it was built, it was very okay. People around here loved it. (Now) if you look at the environment very well, you will find out that the sea has claimed a lot of places including the house, it has divided the house into two so much that the occupants can’t stay inside anymore. Imagine when residents come home for Christmas and New Year but couldn’t stay in their houses,” said Olusola. The thing is, when water threatens land, it threatens everything, including education. Like many that grew up in the area, Benson Aribo, a business man who plies his trade across water remembers vividly, the settings of classrooms that existed at the old Happy City College, the only one in Aiyetoro which was established by the community itself, before parts of the structures were

washed away by the strong tide. Standing very close to the water beside old blocks that made up the school, the location wakes up touchy memories

pening now. In the next ten years, we don’t know what will happen,” Aribo said. Ayetoro is a settlement of about

Kudehinbu

Oba Akinruntan

in Aribo. “I can remember very well, this place used to be our chemistry laboratory at Happy City College and the other side was the physics laboratory. We would have our practical sessions here, but now the water has destroyed everything. When I was a kid, the sea was very far from us, but seeing what is hap-

32,000 Ilaje-speaking people. The people still remember the promises that led them to their current home. Now 68 years old, and despite the years gone by, the legend is still well preserved. “What we refer to as the foundation of Ayetoro community of today is was a religious movement of some people, our forefathers. They decided that they have to be

the sea has claimed a lot of places including the house, it has divided

the house into two so much that the

occupants can’t stay inside anymore.

Imagine when residents come home for Christmas and New Year but couldn’t stay in their houses

together in order to practice what they believed in. They were against worshipping of idols and sacrificing human beings to gods,” said Kudehinbu, the Principal Secretary of the community. “So they decided to stay in a place and fight these things out. Many of them were imprisoned but they continued till 1947, when somebody was inspired that God said they should move from the land of ‘Egypt’ and come to the land that God has given to them.” Ayetoro from the onset was set out to be the Biblical Canaan land for the Ilajes that settled. Nonetheless, as the socio-economic landscape took the form of a promise land at the initial stage, alleged human activities most especially the exploration of oil in the NigerDelta, an economic activity that forms the backbone of Nigeria’s economy since it gained independence in 1960, and other changing climatic conditions threw the town into environmental difficulties. The incessant ocean incursion that continues to engulf the land has meant that sustainable economic activities meant to sustain living is not feasible. The promises the founding prophets of Ayetoro gave to the people were to build houses, provide food and water. Practicing what is closely related to a communal system of government then and led by a spiritual leader, they were able to pull their resources together, built houses for all members, also fed them from a common purse. These were achieved through money generated from establishments of cottage industries like tailoring, carpentry and other small scale businesses, while at the peak, they took advantage of the coast to venture into fishing in the water that now frightens them. “We decided to go into mechanised fishing that is with trawler. We had carpenters that could build trawlers. They build about seven trawlers that go into the deep sea to catch fish and then we sell. In 1972-75, we built the largest CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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LIVING

June 27, 2015

‘This was meant to be our promise land’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

Part of Oluwasegun Anifowose’s family house destroyed by ocean surge. Doris Biobaku and many of the people in Ayetoro depend on fishing to make ends meet.

trawler in the West African sub-region. This development attracted the then state government to come and see how we have been able to develop and feed large number of people who are members of the community and provide accommodation, clothing and feeding for them,” Kudehinbu said. Till date, many in the community still fend for themselves from fishing, however, with the current situation, fishing has now become a difficult means of living as a fisher’s catch are either scanty or reduced to crabs, crayfish and other smaller aquatic animals. The Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, who doubles as the overall head of Ayetoro, still has a grip on history of how the town helped open up and brought considerable development to other towns in his Kingdom even as Ayetoro now looks like a shadow of old itself. Oba Akinruntan maintained that “Ayetoro is the pride of Ilaje land. Ayetoro brought civilisation to Ilaje, it is the truth and the Bible says ‘the truth shall set you free’. It is that civilisation that we met and grew into. It was the boat of Ayetoro that first ferried us to Sapele, it was the same boat that ferried us to Lagos.” Kudehinbu explained more: “Then the Ilajes were not known to other Yoruba sub-tribes, but because of the development that was taking place in Ayetoro, the Ilajes were known all over the places. We also went as far as helping other theocratic settlements like Ugbonla, Ori Oke Iwa Mimo, Zion Pepe. We went there to help them to do some communal work that ought to have attracted a lot of money to implement. The people of Ayetoro were respected for this. The transportation in Ilaje before Ayetoro came around was very difficult. “Ayetoro was able to make water transport very easy. Aiyetoro community was the first to get electricity in the old Ondo State, which is Ondo and Ekiti; we were the first to be enjoying electricity because we bought our generating set

A dredger that has been abandoned for more than 5years by contractors who are supposed to carry out shore protection project at Ayetoro, on site with other equipment.

Abandoned pipes and floaters.

in 1953, and we were providing electricity for the whole town, day and night, 24 hours.” In their pressing concern, residents, over the years have maintained disquiet about their environmental misfortune. After years of wailing and protest, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Niger Delta Development Commission for the first time awarded the shoreline protection project contract in 2004 to Gallet Nigeria Ltd. The contract

was later cancelled around 2006 and reawarded to Dredging Atlantic. Almost ten years after the first contract was awarded, a visit to the area shows little or no significant work has been done, with sand materials, pipes and dredgers rusty due to inactivity, thereby leaving the land ever vulnerable to being totally overrun by water as the stretch of land gets narrower by the day. The seashore project will go down in history as one of many shoddily-han-

dled multimillion naira projects in Nigeria, some of which may never reach completion stage. A livid Kudehinbu believes the poor handling of work is not unconnected with the long history of government and officials in authorities condoning irregularities. “There is a common parlance that corruption in Nigeria today has become very endemic that it has come to stay with us, because if you are given a project to do and those who gave you the project cannot monitor you very well then it will be difficult to do the project. They will even be telling the government that it has been done and government officials will come and say that it has been done. “Because we have seen in the paper where they write that Ayetoro sea protection project has almost been completed but nothing has been done. Corruption in the high places, those who gave out the contract, those to execute the project, they are all involved in this thing. “Even the Chairman of Dredging Atlantic has not visited the site since it has been awarded. We have written several letters. When a contract is awarded to a company, you are supposed to come to the site and introduce the owner of the company or their managing director to us but he has not visited the site since then. We complained to NDDC officials, several times. But he said he will be attending meeting with us but ever since, he has been sending representatives. At times, some of the questions we would ask they would not be able to answer us, so we address them and they will go back to report to the chairman of the company. It has been on and on like that.” Oba Akinruntan believes strongly that the future remains bright for Ayetoro while admonishing the people to hold onto the faith and belief through which the community was established. “That spirit of God through which Ayetoro was founded upon is what I want the people to follow. It is on that foundation that we shall build upon and that foundation is upon the rock,” he said.

LIVING

June 27, 2015

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Mysterious death of pregnant women worries community In Elepete, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun states, sudden and mysterious deaths associated with pregnant women raises fears and anxiety among residents, writes PATIENCE OGBO

r. Alex Egbon had planned an elaborate naming ceremony for his fourth child. But the birth of a new baby which is supposed to be a joyful occasion for a family has however brought pain and anguish to the Egbons. The Egbons’ joy was cut short as the mother of the baby Christian was unable to attend her daughter’s naming ceremony. Christian 32 lost her life shortly after she gave birth to her fourth child. While her death is still fresh in the mind of many in her community, it is strange that Mrs. Egbon, a teacher with Sky-Light school, is the third in the last one month to die during child birth at Elepete, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun states, causing residents to worry about these strange deaths from child birth. Since Mrs Egbon’s death at the Ikorodu General Hospital on June 4th, residents have resorted to fasting and prayers, while others have taken to ritual sacrifices in a bid to appease the gods of the community to stop further death of pregnant women and their children as they fear that the community is under a curse and other pregnant women and children may fall victims to the mysterious “killer”. While some residents are attributing the mysterious death of the women to the electrocution of a private electrician simply identified as Lucky a father of five who died while fixing a faulty electrical pole in the community, others are however placing the blame on bad roads and the unavailability of hospitals in the community. Residents said probably, Lucky’s sudden death while working for the community might be responsible for the mysterious deaths and they have offered sacrifices to appease his spirit to no avail. Our correspondent visited the community on Saturday and spoke with two of the husbands of the women that lost their lives during childbirth. Mr. Egbon narrated how his wife died. “That fateful day, my wife said she was having pains in her stomach. I knew her delivery date was near so I rushed her to the Ikorodu General hospital. She eventually had the baby and she told me to bring pepper soup for her. I rushed and brought the pepper soup and she ate. Shortly after, she said she was dizzy. I called the doctor and he told me that my wife was losing too much blood. “The doctor told me they had to remove my wife’s womb to stop the bleed-

Late Mrs Christian Egbon

ing. I consented to it and they wheeled my wife to the theatre. The doctors told me they had to transfuse blood into her. He later came out of the theatre to inform me that the blood they were transfusing through my wife’s vein was gushing out from her virgina. He gave me a list of drugs to buy. I hurried to get the drugs. I was far at Mile 12 Area but I had this strange chilly feeling. At that moment, I received a call from one of my relatives to come back to the hospital. I rushed back and at that point I saw the nurses wheel-

ing a body on a stretcher. My relative hugged me and told me my wife had died. I broke down in tears. This is one week after her demise. We are having a low key naming ceremony. My wife was a good woman and we miss her”. When our correspondent visited Mr. Waheed the husband of Shakirat who also lost her life, Mr. Waheed was too distraught to speak with our correspondent. Saturday Mirror learnt that he lost his wife and their new baby shortly after delivery.

have begun a series of prayer and fasting to stop these mysterious deaths . W e brought some pastors together and we have been praying . J ust as we are engaging in spiritual warfare , we can also attribute the deaths to the unavailability of a good hospital nearby

A fellow trader where Shakirat sold building materials said Shakirat bled to death. “We are shocked that she died. That day, May 15th, she was the one that went to the hospital herself after she felt contraction. She told me she was going to her clinic at Mowe a very far distance from here. Later we heard that she gave birth to a baby girl. We were expecting her to return home with the baby but we got the sad news that she started bleeding. She died shortly after and her baby also gave up the ghost a few minutes after she died”. Saturday Mirror spoke with the Chairman of the Elepete Community Development Association Pastor Olatoye Okesunya and he narrated how the other women died. “Early in May, I got a report that one Mrs. Wasiu Sunny bled to death after she gave birth to a baby girl. There after I received the sad news that a woman with fibriod also died. We have begun a series of prayer and fasting to stop these mysterious deaths. We brought some pastors together and we have been praying. Just as we are engaging in spiritual warfare, we can also attribute the deaths to the unavailability of a good nearby hospital. I want to use this medium to appeal to the government to build a good hospital in our community. We have the land. There is no good hospital around here. “The one at Igbo-lomu community which is close to us is not a standard clinic. There are no doctors and the few nurses are not always around. Our women and the sick had to travel long distance to attend the Ikorodu General Hospital. The roads in our community leading to any decent hospital are in bad shape and this discourages women from attending regular ante-natal clinic. We are mourning but we want government’s intervention in the area of good roads and a standard hospital so that these ugly incidences will not befall us again”. Mr. Jide Omoyale, the Secretary of the CDA, said he has resorted to prayers for his wife to give birth safely. “My wife is pregnant and we are praying and fasting. I believe nothing will happen to her. I don’t want to live in fear of what is happening. I appeal to government to give us good hospital and motorable roads so that our women and other members of the community will receive good health care,” he said.

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

Relationships

Should you be insecure if your partner gets too close to your ex? P.32

Fashion

Fringe beauty P.28

Sex talk How do men differ from women sexually? P.32

i y e S g high n i y fl ...

ENTERVAGANZA

June 27 , 2015

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Celebrity

When Jesus comes, secular artists will not be called —Timi Adegoke Timi Adegoke is the organiser of Nigeria’s biggest gospel music awards, Crystal Awards. As this year’s edition gears up to hold next month, he told OSEYIZA OOGBODO how Crystal Awards began and the challenges he’s facing. Why did you conceive Crystal Awards? God gave me the idea of a platform to reward gospel artists many years ago. I documented the idea and kept it. But in 2011, it came back again. I was in South Africa, so I called my wife who was in Nigeria, that she should look for the document where I wrote the vision of gospel award. She found it and I put the phone on speaker that she should read the material. She read it and that was how it started. No corporate organisation will put its money down for anything gospel, it’s a total waste. But for me, it is not a waste, so in 2012 nothing happened. But before the close of 2012, I already registered a website, and what was there? It was what we wanted to do and by 2013 the frustration was there again. By the end of January, there was no sign that we were going to have it. So I went to a place at GRA Ikeja to ask them if they do short code, they said it’s part of what they do, I asked how much they do it, they told me, I gave them a cheque and they gave me a form to fill, I told them we are doing it this year, they said how, I said since we have found a an organisation that can do the voting for us, we are doing it and we fixed a date for the nomination party. They said no one has ever done a nomination party, there was no cash, and we did it, no cash, low turnout, but on the big night of the awards proper, the place was jam packed, it was at the Muson Centre. The second one, we did the nomination party at Ivory Health Club, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, it was packed full, they were calling people to come and repark their vehicles outside. On the big night again at Muson Centre, everywhere was packed full. What else do you want? It is just to see the big picture and run with it. Do you now have corporate sponsorship? We are yet to have one. The other time I

was telling my brother that we have fixed a date and we have committed God and He must prove himself. What we do is to set up a committee. There is no gospel song that comes out that we don’t get, and we give them all to the committee. When we get the materials we give them to the academy that judges, it goes through the process, they give us the outcome, we go through the list. I have tried many times not to ever question them if they say this song is not going through, it means it is not going through, I know my job, I won’t do their job for them. Who are the people on this board? No, we don’t want to reveal them because the artists will start visiting them and try to influence their decision. They are around but you will never know that these are the people that do it. But we don’t want to reveal them, but if we are changing team, we may say these are the people on the team we have been using, and if you are going to them that you want to influence them, then you have failed. This year for instance, we don’t want to vote, we are giving it to the same committee, it is the second phase of their work, go through it and tell the winner in every category. We will now seat again, we have another board that will see to it and confirm to us the winners, they would look at your road tours, the number of times you have appeared in concerts, we have to consider a lot of things. Not because you produced a full album. How are we sure some artists would not be locked out, how are we sure there is going to be fairness in your selections? Definitely some artists would be knocked out. There are artists in different categories and only one would win in each category. We have a joker for this year and we are not revealing that now.

How are we sure the same winner would not keep winning because he has been wining before? When they say you have won, nobody would question it. Crystal is unique, different from any other award, no sentiment. We are not here to favour anyone, we won’t kill the vision with a wrong decision, no matter how big you are, if you are not said to be the winner, then you don’t win. You are so passionate about these gospel artists, but some of them are really lacking in morals. What do you feel about this? I expect a change. What you feel is what I feel. That’s why I addressed them all through a speech at Crystal Awards 2015 nomination party recently, and I believe with my speech, a change will come. I believe they will start reprogramming their mentality. It is part of the problem that we have, it is a mindset thing. Somebody just bought a car as a gospel artist and his shoulder would swell. What happens when he gets an aircraft? He would never come down, he would start flying. Do you think your to them on pride is enough to effect the needed change? It’s a starting point, but it would go a long way. If we want to pass the message round the radio stations, we can package it, and even if it will cost us, we won’t mind. When Jesus Christ is coming back, it is the musical instrument that will announce it, the secular artistes would not be around there, they have no business there, they have their earthly rewards. I don’t want to say more than that. We that He has called to do His work, we must know how to do His

work. If it is about making money, I won’t be here. We are spending in the millions, even though I know I’m not selling tickets. Is it not with the hope of making money that you are doing all these? It is not. He will bless our work, no doubt, but I’m not doing it for money. I know that one day, He will bless the work, this work has already been blessed, when you now sit down in your house and someone says come and pick a million naira cheque, it means the work is blessed, but it is not about the money. Do you appeal for support? Yes, we appeal for support. From Christians, from those who go to church, what God is doing with us, if we take over the airwaves, it is your joy as a believer when what you are hearing on the radio is gospel music, and that is the dream. Who’s your best gospel artist? We don’t have a best gospel artist. I don’t like the term, best gospel artist. We have best new artist, best video, best male vocalist, best female vocalist, but I’m not going to say this is the best gospel artist in Nigeria. No one is best except God. Which of them is your favourite then? I like all of them. They are fantastic guys, fantastic artists, they have wonderful albums, but no one is interested in their work, even in their churches. But the day they hear he has won an award, they would say yes, he has arrived, let’s give him some money to shoot the next video. When we started Crystal Awards, no one listened to us, yet this is the third edition.

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June 27, 2015

Korede Bello like Michael Jackson?

t’s no longer news that Korede Bello, and his boss, Don Jazzy, have released the video of the extremely popular song, God Win, which is still increasing in popularity by the day. The video has however, probably without meaning to, exposed Bello’s resemblance to the late megastar who referred to himself as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In many scenes of the video, while watching Bello do his thing singing along to God Win in the video, one can almost feel that it’s Jackson one is seeing. Jackson and Bello have almost the same facial features. They have almost the same sort of hair style. Even their body shape is almost the same, and last but not the least, their singing voice is almost the same, a treble-falsetto pitch that’s extremely hard

… as God Win video taints him and Don Jazzy to imitate by their fellow singers. Talent-wise, they are both extremely talented, and just as Jackson became very controversial after attaining unprecedented stardom, Bello also seems on course to becoming as controversial as his almost-lookalike. One of the reactions that God Win’s video has elicited is that Bello and Jazzy’s style of dancing n the video is one of the gay styles of dancing, and we all know that gay activity is forbidden by law in the country. But be it true or not, that their style of dancing is gay, thereby implying that they might be involved in gay activity, one thing is indeed true: there’s no smoke without fire.

From London, Aries brings beauty pageant, award to Nigeria

t’s said that the Nigerian entertainment industry is growing on a consistent basis. Proof of this includes the number of Nigerian entertainers signing endorsements, Nigerian entertainers dominating continental and international awards, massive improvement in the technical aspects of the industry, and

Osungboun

many other suchlike achievements. Now, the very latest proof is that Aries Entertainment and Promotions which has its headquarters in London, and is owned by a Nigerian, Adebisi Osungboun, has decided to contribute directly to the Nigerian entertainment industry by holding its annual awards, and a beauty pageant too, in the country. Aries has however been promoting Nigerian entertainers and entertainment in Europe through shows and its magazine, Aries International. And now in Nigeria to put finishing touches to the holding of its 2015 awards and beauty pageant in Nigeria, Osungboun, Aries’ founder, boasted to E-News that its two-in-one Nigeria event will be the talk of the town. “I hereby say it with all confidence that Aries’ beauty pageant and award scheduled for December at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos is going to shake the entertainment industry and Nigeria by extension to its foundations. “This is the singular reason I’m in Nigeria currently from my London base to oversee all the necessary details of the pageant and award and I must say I’m very pleased with the cooperation I’m getting from practitioners of the entertainment industry here that we’ve to work with.” Concluding, he said girls who might be interested in becoming Miss Aries must be ready to work hard as the eventual queen will work hard in advocating of health issues like cancer, tuberculosis and suchlike.

Jazzy

Bello

Mursty Adinoyi insists on celebrating Nigerians worldwide

elebrated TV producerpresenter, Mursty Adinoyi, whose programme, Hitlist N Cruzin, is one of the most popular presently, has insisted to E-News that HNC is all about celebrating Nigerians. “I came up with Hitlist N Cruzin to celebrate Nigerians, and that’s what I’ll keep doing with it. Right now, we celebrate at least one Nigerian every week by taking the lucky winner of our weekly quiz on a shopping cruise where he or she buys whatever he likes at our expense. “That’s what we do, and it’s what we’ll keep doing, by celebrating more and more Nigerians wherever they might be in the world, and we’re making plans every day so we can achieve that objective. So if you’re a Nigerian, we want to celebrate you, so participate in our weekly quiz so we can celebrate you.”

Adinoyi

June 27, 2015

CLASSICAL LYRICS

E-NEWS

Seyi Shay’s international deal

… superficial or substantial?

aying that Crazy singer Seyi Shay is flying really high at the moment is not an understatement. On the back of being nominated for two categories of the MTV Africa Music Awards, she has disclosed that she has signed a recording deal with Island Universal Records. The signing took place in London and she was so excited by it that she announced it to the whole world through Instagram, saying, “this is what most of us work so hard for. We spend most of our lives chasing this one opportunity to reach the world through a giant platform like this.” Even as it’s understandable that Shay is very excited by the deal, one cannot but wonder that her excitement is so much, considering that this isn’t supposed to be her first international deal, since she was a member of Girls Aloud before, and it was a group that was believed to

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be managed by the great Beyonce’s father who plotted Beyonce’s rise to stardom. Also, it has to be questioned if the deal is truly substantial and not superficial like the international deals Nigerian artists have been signing in recent times. D’Banj in particular has signed at least two international deals, but they don’t seem to have done him any world of good. He reportedly signed with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music, but nothing is being said of it again. Then he surfaced with another one, purportedly with Sony Music, but it still doesn’t seem to have enhanced him and this shouldn’t be the case, as artists who sign such prestigious deals are guided to do the right music. P-Square also signed a deal with Universal Music Group, but if they were asked to list their gains with Universal, it might just be difficult for them to do so.

Shay

When EbonyLife TV hosted Jega A frica’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network, EbonyLife TV, hosted young leaders and professionals to an exclusive meeting with Professor Attahiru Jega, ex-Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last Saturday, and the event lived up to all expectations. The venue brimmed over with invited guests drawn from a pool of leading young professionals from various occupational sectors who came to converse with the respected professor about his experience as Nigeria’s most powerful electoral official. The master of ceremony was Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, aco-host of the highly rated The Spot on EbonyLife TV and host of Nigeria’s most-watched youthoriented television show, Rubbin’ Minds. Nikki Laoye, recording artiste and project manager at Wahala Media Entertainment, did a sonorous rendition of the Nigerian national anthem, to set the stage for what, characteristic of EbonyLife TV activations, turned out to be an amazing and rewarding event. Executive Chairman and CEO, EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, gave a powerful opening address on the event. With great introspection, the Queen of Chat welcomed everyone and summarized the 2015 electoral dispensation with passion and magnanimity.

Jega (left) and Abudu

Yemi Adamolekun of the Enough is Enough fame gave a rousing opening remark as the conference kicked into the reading of Professor Attahiru Jega’s highly inspirational citation, followed by a brief comment by Jega. The televised event, which then burst into an exciting gale of questions and answers between Professor Jega and the guests, reached a crescendo with the presentation of an award to the Professor. The award celebrated Professor Jega as “a Champion of our

collective aspirations for free, fair and violence-free elections.” And explaining why Jega was chosen to be hosted, Mo Abudu explained that “it’s important for young Nigerians to ask questions. The Nigerian youth were a big part of the last general elections. We want Nigeria’s future leaders to grasp not only the importance of the elections and its ramifications for the country, but to begin to build upon it by truly understanding the legacy left by Professor Jega.”

Aye Dun

Artist: Wande Coal featuring Skuki

Intro Black Diamond… Na who, na who, na who na who Do the beat oh … Shizzi Skuki and Wande Coal oh yeh Chorus (Skuki) Aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je rinrin are lo Ah, com’on, aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je sin eyan wa’aye o Verse 1 (Wande Coal) I remember back in the days, WC, I remember when I was in the street Just tryna hustle just to get this dough Yah, yah … I remember I’ve been steadily making hit On the street, that time before they find me Before I got signed to that Mo OK … I remember that was only a phase, I’ve been a slave Now look at me am the CEO, that’s my name ****** dream See as we dey gbadun this life … Skuki Now everybody want a piece of the cookie, true gee When they see me, always spend that cheddah, always spend that cheddah Ok, they caught me killing it, RIP,WC … ain’t nobody like me If you try to find you never can see … chilling with Skuki Bridge Aye dun je ju iya lo, ori mi lori street mo’n gbadun lo … eh eh Aye dun je ju iya lo, ko yeki baba mi je’ya ki emi omo tun gbe Chorus (Skuki) Aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je rinrin are lo Ah, com’on, aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je sin eyan wa’aye o Verse 2 (Wande Coal) Ma’n ji’iya, ko yeki baba mi je’ya ki emi omo tun gbe Yeh yeh … ma’n ji’iya Ko yeki baba mi je’iya ki emi omo tun gbe, jare Am balling, now you see me am fat, am free am smile, am buying in, am buying out Nobody can see me, the money too long oh … eh yeh, the money too fat oh The money too big like me ... ahah Chorus (Skuki) Aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je rinrin are lo Ah, com’on, aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je sin eyan wa’aye o Hook (4x) Let it rain on me, let it rain me Showers of blessings, rain on me Outro/Chorus Aye dun je ju iya lo, ori mi lori street mo’n gbadun lo … eh eh Aye dun je ju iya lo, ori mi lori street… eh eh Oh ske ske ... Shizzi baba Aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je rinrin are lo Ah, com’on, aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je sin eyan wa’aye o Aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je rinrin are lo Ah, com’on, aye dun je ju iya lo, Baba jo ma’je sin eyan wa’aye o

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E-NEWS

June 27, 2015

The coloured hair girls

Alade

aking headway in the entertainment industry is not an easy task. It’s so difficult to become a successful entertainer that many entertainers aspiring to success become frustrated and change their views along the way. The legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is one such entertainer. Many people don’t know it, but there was a time Fela, already a musician, never even smoked cigarettes, how much more marijuana which he later became known with as a chronic marijuana smoker? In those days before he began smoking cigarettes and marijuana, he never used to take alcohol as well, but soft drinks. Anyway, Fela started taking alcohol and marijuana out of frustration that he wasn’t doing well as a musician. And part of his later attraction as a popular musician was his smoking. It got him a lot of admirers, and realizing it, he made it part of his image and it made him distinct. The long and short of this is that entertainers get to a point whereby they really want to stand out among their colleagues and attract attention to themselves and they resort to sometimes seemingly crazy tactics to do so. And that definitely is Denrele Edun for you. Desperate to become popular, realizing that his other strategies were failing, he went for a style of dressing that made him seem like a mad man. Society initially condemned him, but they kept talking about him because he persisted, and now he’s known all over Africa. And after playing in the entertainment game for some time now, and realizing that they will have to go the extra mile, four of Nigeria’s most promising female singers, Cynthia Morgan, Yemi Alade, Seyi Shay and Victoria Kimani, have employed a not-too-crazy tactic to get themselves noticed. The four now wear loud colour hair styles that would make anyone spot them from quite a distance. Morgan is like the trailblazer among the four. Suddenly, she went from her usual black hair to red hair and when her name was mentioned, people would say ‘the girl with the red hair’ or ask ‘if it was the girl with the red hair.’ Donning red hair has actually worked for Morgan’s brand. Though her songs and videos are averages, her red hair has helped her music circulate more, believe it or not, and has even helped her start getting shows she wasn’t before because show organizers know that when she steps on stage with her red hair, she’s known. And seeing that Morgan was stealing a lot of thunder with her red hair, Johnny singer, Yemi Alade, concluded

Morgan

Coke

Kimani

that she had to employ the same ploy fast, but she knew she couldn’t go the red hair route so she opted for blue instead. Blue is of course another loud colour, so instantly she appeared in public sporting blue hair, people started talking more about her immediately and she now stands out easily anywhere she is because she’s probably the only one with blue hair in the entertainment game. Like Morgan and Alade, Seyi Shay too is presently using a bold hair colour to sell her brand. She favours the white blond colour, and when you see her anywhere, you just can’t help but notice her hair. Also like Morgan and Alade, more people now know her because of her hair colour change and she’s smiling to the bank as well. On-air personality, Stephanie Coker, went down the green lane when she premiered her bold colour hair back in May. She went green because she knew full well that Alade, Morgan and Shay had staked their claim to some other colours, and if she chose any of theirs, she

Shay

would be labelled a copycat. So she went for green hair, trended immediately, and she must also be very happy with herself now for applying the strategy which had worked very well for others. Finally, we come to Show singer, Victoria Kimani, who has now gone for orange hair. There’s no need to wonder why she went for it. It’s not because she wants to be seen as fashionable. No. The only reason she’s done it is because she’s struggled for some time with her music career, and now that things want to start looking up for her musically, she has to push herself further with a notice-me strategy. So when you see these girls who are sporting these gaudy hair colours, don’t think they are unserious or have a screw loose upstairs because they are just trying to survive and make another buck.

June 27, 2015

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Dazzling Mirage screening to promote sickle cell awareness A

s part of activities to commemorate the 2015 World Sickle Cell Day, the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, in collaboration with Channels TV, Silverbird Group and Mainframe Productions, has organized free screenings of the epic movie, Dazzling Mirage, in Lagos and Abuja. According to SCFN, the movie is a different and more creative means of raising awareness and educating people about sickle cell disorder as what better way is there to educate people than through story telling? The 2014 drama film, produced and directed by Tunde Kelani, is an adaptation of a novel of the same name by Olayinka Abimbola Egbokhare. It weaves the story of a young lady with sickle cell disorder

around the various medical, social and emotional challenges with which she is faced, anchored on a message of hope. Speaking further, SCFN said, “Nigerians need to know more about sickle cell because Nigeria is the country with the highest number of people with the condition in the world. Note that persons with sickle cell disorder, experts and dignitaries will be present at the screening and there will be opportunity for discussion on sickle cell before and after the movie.” While the first screening held at the Silverbird Galleria, Lagos during the week on Thursday, the remaining two will hold simultaneously by 2pm tomorrow at the National Sickle Cell Centre, Idi Araba, Lagos and at the Silverbird Cinemas, Central Business District, Abuja.

DJ Cuppy inspired by Africa

Stephanie Okereke in D the family way Kelani

here’s no doubt that A-list actress, Stephanie Okereke, is presently feeling an euphoria like no other. She hasn’t really trended in quite some time, but she’s trending presently she’s pregnant. And since no woman feels really complete until she’s had a child or two or more, Stephanie must definitely be

happy that she’s finally treading the path many other women have trod before her. Disclosure of her pregnancy therefore increases the number of female celebrities who are expecting the fruit of the womb. Prominent on this list are of course Tiwa Savage and Omawumi. Savage, in her own case, as per her usual style, has capitalized on her pregnancy to attract publicity to herself, and she held her baby shower recently with massive fanfare on billionaire Femi Otedola’s yacht. In her own case, Omawumi is not making much noise about her condition, and has in fact been a bit silent of late.

J Cuppy is back with the second edition of her wellknown compilation, House Of Cuppy. House Of Cuppy II, which is inspired by Africa, features songs from artists that include Olamide, Seyi Shay, AKA, P- Square, Yemi Alade, and the voice of actress Funke Akindele. Differing from last year’s House Of Cuppy which was inspired by the Dauphine of France Marie Antoinette, this year’s HOC testifies to Cuppy’s ability to concoct a compilation with a rich and unique African tone. So if you are one of those who really want to know whether Cuppy is worth all the hype surrounding her as a superstar DJ, just get HOC 11 so you can properly access if she acquitted herself appropriately on the wheels of steel.

Cuppy

Simi takes no risk with JAMB Question video

Okereke

romising singer, Simi, is doing quite well presently with her song, JAMB Question, which has opened more doors for her since its release. And capitalizing on its success, she has released its video, and she ensured that the video would live up to the song’s success so far by shooting captivating visuals that will only enhance the song further. She also had promising rapper, Falz, in it as her

co-star, making it obvious that she wasn’t ready to take any risk with the video’s chances of being successful. And considering that the videos of many songs that became popular before their videos were released receive lethal criticism because people would say the videos were not what they expected, Simi’s JAMB Question scales that hurdle quite easily.

Simi

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June 27, 2015

StyGlleam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

Comfortable casuals by

oday’s casuals are beyond T ee shirts, tank tops and mere pants. They ar e chic, classy designed for and women who ar forward, upbe e re volutionary, fa at and edgy. shion And Gogo Maj of famous de in, daughter signer Folake M aj in much more. ‘M , these wears y kind of casu are even als is not just wear outfits, ready to they are to em phasise comfo all manner of rt and allow personal expr essions. The for practically y are designed every body ty pes and wears bright, fresh go with youthful colour s from fabric old vintage co s like Ankara, tton aso-oke, lace and Swar for instant gl ovski stones amour,’ she sa id.

STYLE & GLAM

June 27, 2015

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Fashion

Fringe

Fashion

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n frenzy

June 27, 2015

beauty

n frenzy

STYLE & GLAM

omehow, fringe hairstyles never fall off the fashion radar. With short-crops, long curls and sexy updos, a fringe style offers a fringe style offers a perfect complementing look to the wearer always. You may however need these guidelines before choosing the fringe to update your look: • For a square shaped face, add a few small layers to the front of your face to soften the edges for a more rounded look. • Oval faces suit any style of fringe, length, shape and heaviness, you can have as much fun as you like. • A heart shaped face needs a fringe that will soften the long, prominent chin, so you need a blunt, heavier, sharp fringe to make the face appear more in proportion. • If your face is long and pointy, add a side fringe that is slightly angled to soften the face shape. You can even put the hair in a side parting to shorten the length of the face. • The same goes for a round face; it will add a little length to the face. If a fringe is on your todo list, why not?

Fashion Guest

STYLE & GLAM

June 27, 2015

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My mood 10 myths about sugar determines my style –Yinka Davies Outstanding for her spontaneous creativity and classic acts, Yinka Davies, Nigeria’s own soul diva spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on her childhood and style. Where do you get all the energy you display anytime you are on stage despite all? It is natural and it doesn’t start today. I have been at this since childhood unknowingly. As a child, I lived with my grand mother along with my other siblings. In the evenings, we would all gather to sing and entertain her after which she would take over and tell us some tales. This was fun and I discovered that I enjoyed it. Little did I know that my attention was being drawn to this part of me. As I grew, I could recollect how I used to run away from home to enjoy the wonders of theatre at Orile Iganmu. That was where I used to watch many artistes performed. As I watched them closely, my passion for music grew and the energy to act my songs grew too. And you know what? I enjoy every move of each day more than the previous ones. One thing that is constant is my love for music and entertainment generally. What determines your choice of style? It is my mood. There are times I would not even apply any make-up, do my ear or wear earrings and there are other times that I would take my time to pay attention to every little details. It all depends on my mood. What’s that fashion item you cannot do without? I love black and chiffon although I now wear other colours.

he World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that we should only be getting less than 10 percent of our daily calories from sugar. In 2014, the WHO even proposed slashing that recommended rate to less than 5 percent. Clearly, we need to pay attention to sugar and our consumption rate. But first, we need to learn the truth about our favorite sweetener.

One can easily limit sugar intake

NO. Sugar and sweetness can actually be more addictive, rewarding and attractive than drugs such as cocaine. Sugar is actually an addictive substance. Animal studies show sugar consumption causes bingeing, withdrawal and craving. Regularly eating sugar also makes it easier to become addicted to another drug. When humans were studied, consuming fructose caused the brain’s reward center to light up. However, much like a drug, over time the subjects needed to consume more and more fructose for the reward center to light up as brightly

Added sugar is bad for you

YES. Added sugars are particularly worrisome. Added sugars are sugars or syrups that are tossed into our food and drink during processing or preparation. They can be natural (e.g., honey) or chemically manufactured (e.g., high fructose corn syrup). They’re troubling because they don’t provide any nutrients -- just excessive calories. That’s why it’s better to buy the no-added-sugar version of the product and add a little sugar than to buy the “regular” or fully sweetened version.

Artificial sweeteners are healthier than sugar

NO. Many health-conscious people favour artificial sweeteners for their food, figuring they’re a better bet because they don’t contain any calories. It’s true you’re avoiding calories when you stick with artificial sweeteners, but the jury’s out on whether they’re healthier for you. While some nutritionists deem artificial sweeteners safe, experts say their long-term effects still aren’t known. For one thing, artificial sweeteners don’t signal “energy” to the brain the way regular sugar does. So in the end, it may be best to simply eat less real sugar than swap it out for artificial sweeteners.

Sugar-free diets are the healthiest

NO. Foods that boast of being “sugar-free” typically really aren’t. That’s because while the sugar has been yanked, it’s been replaced with an artificial sweetener. That sweetener could be the pleasant-sounding honey or agave nectar;

chemical-sounding sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol; or noncaloric sweeteners like saccharin and sucralose. Unfortunately, many of these alternative sweeteners are still high in carbohydrates and/or calories. Experts say the wisest strategy is to eat unprocessed foods, adding as little sugar as possible.

Don’t eat too much sugary fruit

No. It’s true there’s a lot of sugar in fruit. But it’s natural sugar, or fructose, which is far healthier than added sugar. Fructose isn’t the only thing you’ll find in that peach or pear, though. Fruit is also filled with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients that are great for your body, helping it fight disease, stabilise your blood sugar and more. Fruit is also considered a low-density food, which means it makes you feel full and satisfied.

Sugar causes tooth decay

YES. If your teeth come in contact with sugary foods and drinks, decay can result. But that’s only if those sugary substances sit on your teeth for a long time. Further, your teeth can also be damaged if all sorts of other foods are in contact with them for prolonged periods -- fruit, for example, or bread or oatmeal. Even healthy vegetables can wreak havoc on your teeth. To prevent tooth decay, then, it’s best to brush your teeth after eating.

Sugar causes hyperactivity

NO. There have been extensive studies about the relationship between sugar and hyperactivity, and no link has been found between the two. A group of researchers further reviewed several reputable studies and concluded that sugar in children’s diets doesn’t affect their behavior.

Sugar causes obesity

NO. If you eat a lot of sugary foods, like cake and cookies, and drink sugary sodas and juice, you will gain weight. But that’s because you’re ingesting a lot of calories, period, not because sugar is inherently fattening. If your overall calorie count is within a healthy range, eating sugar is not going to create love handles or a jelly belly.

Sugar causes diabetes

NO. One of the more prevalent sugar myths is that it causes diabetes. This misconception likely occurs because diabetics’ blood sugar levels are often out of whack, so they have to watch their sugar intake. But in general, there is no direct cause and effect between sugar consumption and the development of diabetes with one exception: People who regularly down lots of sugary drinks are more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes. Of course, many people who guzzle sugary drinks are overweight and eat poorly, two factors that can cause Type 2 Diabetes, but studies show even those who are trim and eat healthily are more likely to develop diabetes if they’re also drinking lots of sugary drinks.

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Male Essentials S

June 27, 2015

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

Six fashion tips for the working man

ome companies require their employees to follow a very strict code. Back a while ago, a 46-page long dress code released by a Swiss bank went viral and was seen the paramount of excellence when it comes to dress codes. Some people found it exaggerated, others found it useful. In the end, however, most “dress codes” are just basic common sense dressing up notions, especially for people who work in offices or other types of business or corporate environments. Even so, many men who work in offices still make many faux-pas that prevent them from having a positive image in the company. The saddest part is that most men who are trying to get dressed up as well as they possibly can in the morning (especially young men who lack experience) are not familiar at all with some very basic business/office fashion tips. And this is where we come in. In this guide, we will explain six essential fashion tips that will help any man improve his aspect. The reason why it is important to know and follow these rules is because most men who work in offices can and want to be promoted, but a boss will never promote a slob. 1. Match your belt with your shoes The number one rule when it comes to conservative dress spaces, such as offices or corporate places is that your belt must always match your shoes! When you are going shoe shopping, in case you have a belt, you can take your belt with you and put it next to the shoes you are planning to buy, to make sure they are the same color. Of course, wearing black is a safe bet (in this case, make sure the textures are similar, and never wear something too shiny, as those pieces are reserved for the evening), but if you are going for brown or other colors, you must always make sure the belt matches your shoes exactly! Other things don’t necessarily need to match, but they do need to go in terms of color. Learning about the color theory and how to mix colors can help you step up your game and make take your style to new heights. 2. Tie your tie correctly When it comes to tying a tie, the knot type is not as important as the tie length. Of course, some knots are more appropriate for the office, such as the Pratt, the Windsor or the Half Windsor knot, but basically almost any conservative knot will work in an office. Once you know how to tie a proper knot, the essential thing to look out for is how long you tie your tie. The rule is that your tie should touch your belt line; it should not be lower or higher.

If you find yourself tying your tie and notice that you did not pull on it enough on one end or the other to make it this length, you need to redo it. As an extra style tip, larger men look better in wider ties, while men with thinner frames look better in thinner ties. 3. Get fitted clothes It is very important to wear clothes that are in your size. Clothes that are in your size will feel comfortable and

will look very well. A jacket, a pair of pants and a shirt must be tight enough to touch your body, but loose enough to allow you any kind of movements and not to strangle you. If you feel you have an uncommon body shape, you can buy a larger shirt, jacket or pair of pants and have them tailored by a professional. Tailors can really do wonders and getting your clothes tailored is a great investment that is worth the money. Speaking of fit, while you must al-

ways make sure the jacket does not have too much room; you must also pay attention to the collar of your jacket and to the collar of your shirt. These two need to touch and no space between them is allowed. Moreover, you need to make sure your pants, when you are putting them on your waist, do not have more than one pleat at the bottom. A few decades ago, two was also good, but now this looks just outdated and costume-y. 4. Wear dress shirts A big faux-pas many men make when they are wearing shirts is that they believe that any shirt is a dress shirt. And this could not be further away from the truth. A dress shirt is a shirt that features no pockets, no loop at the back and features seven or eight buttons. 5. Know when and what to button Those who work in offices or in a business environment and who are not very informed when it comes to matters of style, might have noticed that sometimes men wear their jackets open and sometimes buttoned. What is going on there is that there are basically two rules you need to follow: a) If you are wearing a jacket that has two or more buttons, you need to always unfasten the lowest button. This rule also applies to vests, but it is not so mandatory. b) When you sit down, you should always open your jacket and when you stand up, you should always fasten it again, leaving, of course, the lowest button unbuttoned. 6. Wear the right socks One of the most common fashion mistakes men in general and men who work in businesses make is that they wear the wrong kind of socks. And the wrong kind of socks are white socks! Never, ever wear white socks if you are not at the gym, on the track or doing any kind of physical or sports activity. For a safe bet, you can go with black socks, but gray and brown can also work well. If you are more adventurous, you can wear colorful socks as well. To get ahead in the business world, one must always be on top of his game when it comes to his appearance, and following these tips will do just that for you. From head to toe, you must always be polished and ready to close a million dollar deal! Your looks are a key factor that does not only reflect in others’ opinions of you, but it also impacts the way in which you see yourself, and therefore, your attitude. Looking great will result in feeling great, so there is no reason not to want to look your best!

June 27, 2015

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Should you be insecure if your pa H

Delicate situation

mmm…secrets and scandals right? You may be right about that. But then you may also be very wrong. But like it’s been said in several popular songs, if there are no secrets, there will be no scandals. Most times relationships end with acrimony and we mostly don’t even want to be reminded of that person. Relationships are tricky enough with just two people involved so imagine how delicate the balancing act becomes when your ex is still in the mix. An ex is the last person we want to have hovering around our new relationship. And whether it’s because of mutual friends, work, children or difficulty letting go, exes are a fact of life for many couples. The truth is that even if you try to forget differences and remain friends, it is really very dicey and almost impossible to allow your new partner be too close to an ex though being civil with an ex is good if you can cope with it. Of course, in an ideal world it’s nice to think of staying on good terms with those you’ve once had a relationship with and allowing them to become close friends with your current partner will not be a big deal. That’s got to be better than holding grudges and bearing malice while vowing revenge for a love gone sour. But if we really want to be realistic in this hobbesian world of ours where everything is solitary, poor, nasty and brutish, allowing your current partner becoming friends with your ex-partners is actually quite dangerous, perhaps because it is so difficult for an ex not to be sneaky in divulging a secret or revealing an opinion that may not be flattering to us. So can an ex, who knows so many intimate things about you, be ‘just a close friend’ to your current partner without you feeling a little insecured? Surely, no matter how understanding our current partner is, there can’t be many who wouldn’t feel extreme disquiet at the spectre of a previous partner lurking in our background. Any fledgling relationship trying to cope with being a threesome surely faces an

uncertain future is my take on this no matter what anyone else says or believes. You just can’t change my mind on this. But of course in some instances you have no choice but to make the best you can of your relationship with your ex. If you’ve had children together, then your partner may need to work together with the ex to make sure your relationship benefits them, but that shouldn’t jeopardise your chances of future happiness with a new partner. I know it seems as if my reaction to the discussion may be a little drastic or an overreaction and that there may actually be a lot of good if my ex is close to my new partner, but my fear is basically hinged on the fact that “hell hath no fury than a woman scorned”. A lot of women have the urge to question the strength of a new relationship vis-à-vis what they may have experienced with you in the past and the unhealthy baggage being carried by your ex flame shouldn’t be dumped on your new beau. And if we really want to be truthful, we will know that it’s hard not to be worried sometimes. But we should also be careful not to be too paranoid about our insecurities or allowing them influencing our new relationship. Finally, how can a man keep perspective of the situation and not be unduly insecure about one’s partner getting too close to an ex or even getting unduly jealous of any relationship that may develop between the new partner and the ex when the ex is really supposed to be a faint shadow of a memory in one’s past? As I’ve already said on another article in this same column, every man indeed sees his ex as a hunting ground he can always go back to and if we’re to be truthful to ourselves, assuming the situation arises, he most likely will not hesitate to dip his hands back in the proverbial cookie jar because there’s really all that latent emotion and affection that was once shared, lurking below the horizon of new found civility that cannot be wished away with words of reassurance that there can never be anything again like a sexual liaison between them.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

How do men differ from women sexually?

• •

Women want to connect first, and then have sex. For men, sex is the connection. Women want to talk first, and then have sex. For men, sex is the language of intimacy.

irds do it, bees do it, and men do it any odd time. But women will only do it if the candles are scented just right -- and their partner puts them in the right mood. A stereotype, no doubt, but is it true? Do men really have stronger sex drives than women? Well, yes, they do. Study after study illustrates that men’s sex drives are not only stronger than women’s, but much more straightforward. The sources of women’s libidos, by contrast, are much more difficult to pin down. It’s common wisdom that women place more value on emotional connection as a spark of sexual desire. But women also appear to be heavily influenced by social and cultural factors as well. According to sexperts, sexual desire in women is extremely sensitive to environment and context. Here are seven patterns of men’s and women’s sex drives that researchers have found. Bear in mind that individuals may vary from these norms. 1. Men think more about sex. The majority of adult men under 60 think about sex at least once a day. Only about one-quarter of women report this level of frequency. As men and

women age, each fantasize less, but men still fantasize about twice as often. In a comprehensive survey of studies comparing male and female sex drives, social psychologists found that men reported more spontaneous sexual arousal and had more frequent and varied fantasies. 2. Men seek sex more avidly. Men want sex more often than women at the start of a relationship, in the middle of it, and after many years of it, researchers concluded after reviewing several surveys of men and women. Men also say they want more sex partners in their lifetime, and are more interested in casual sex. Men are also more likely to seek sex even when it is frowned upon or even outlawed: • About two-thirds of men say they masturbate, even though about half also say they feel guilty about it. By contrast, about 40% of women say they masturbate, and the frequency of masturbation is smaller among women. • Prostitution is still mostly a phenomenon of men seeking sex with women, rather than the other way around. • Nuns do a better job of fulfilling their vows of

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RELATIONSHIPS

June 27, 2015

onships

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JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

artner gets too close to your ex? It depends on how close...

This column is x-rated chastity than priests. Researchers cite a survey of several hundred clergy in which 62% of priests admitted to sexual activity, compared to 49% of nuns. The men reported more partners on average than the women. 3. Women’s sexual inclinations are more complicated than men’s. What turns women on? Not even women always seem to know. Researcher showed erotic films to men and women. They asked them about their level of sexual arousal, and also measured their actual level of arousal through devices attached to their genitals. For men, the results were predictable: Men said they were more turned on by depictions of male-female sex and the measuring devices backed up their claims. For women, the results were more surprising. Women said they were more turned on by male-female sex. But genitally they showed about the same reaction to male-female, male-male, and female-female sex. 4. Women’s sex drives are more influenced by social and cultural factors. • Women’s attitudes towards (and willingness to perform) various sexual practices are more likely than men’s to change over time. • Women who regularly attend church are less likely to have permissive attitudes about sex. Men do not show this connection between church attendance and sex attitudes. • Women are more influenced by the attitudes of their peer group in their decisions about sex. • Women with higher education levels are more likely to have performed a wider variety of sexual practices (such as oral sex); education makes less of a difference with men. • Women are more likely than men to show inconsistency between their expressed values

This column is x-rated about sexual activities such as premarital sex and their actual behavior. 5. Women take a less direct route to sexual satisfaction. Men and women travel slightly different paths to arrive at sexual desire. Women’s desire is more contextual, more subjective, more layered on a lattice of emotion. Men, by contrast, don’t need to have nearly as much imagination. Sex is simpler and more straightforward for them. That does not mean that men do not seek intimacy, love, and connection in a relationship, just as women do. They just view the role of sex differently. Women want to talk first, connect first, and then have sex. For men, sex is the connection. Sex is the language men use to express their tender loving vulnerable side. It is their language of intimacy. 6. Women experience orgasms differently than men. • Sexperts say men, on average, take four minutes from the point of entry until ejaculation. Women usually take around 10 to 11 minutes to reach orgasm -- if they do. • 75% of men report that they always have an orgasm, as opposed to 26% of the women. 7. Women’s libidos seem to be less amenable to drugs. While men’s sex drives are seemingly more directly tied to biology when compared to women, it may be no surprise that low desire may be more easily treated through medication in men. Men have embraced drugs as a cure not only for erectile dysfunction but also for a shrinking libido. With women, however, the search for a drug to boost sex drive has proved more elusive.

here are people who after dating/courtship marry different people and still be friends. One thing people must understand is that not every relationship must end in marriage. If only a man and a woman who are attracted to each other can have a decent relationship of not involving sex, then people will not be feeling so bad and cheated when they seperate. People always get in tangled with sex even in a relationship that means nothing to them and by the time one partner gets tired and want out, the other person feels bad and cheated. For today’s topic, if it is in a situation where a man and a woman had a decent relationship that never involved them having sex, they split and marry someone else, you will discover that when ever they meet, they will always feel respect for each other and in this case, nothing stops them from relating with each other. You do not have to feel insecure but just be vigilant. Insecurity should not come in here because, if when these two people who are not married to different people were courting each other, they never messed up by having sex, they will even respect themselves more now that they are married. You will also discover that most times, men and women who are strictly friends benefit from each other very much. Yea, if you happen to have a man or woman as a friend and you are not the type that has no issues about dreaming of sleeping with him/ her, you tend to understand exactly what good friendship means. There is always this mutual understanding and respect and you tend to understand each other pretty much. When the other person is having problems, it is always easy to relate and get your problems solved by the other friend. If your partner is close to his/ her Ex, what you do first is to find out what kind of relationship they had before you met. Why did they split? Did they split amicably or quarrelled bitterly? Who dumped each other? Some answers to these questions will help you know if be-

ing close to his/her Ex. means anything serious this time around or they are just hello—hello friends. In a situation where the person you marry was forced and taken away from his/her Ex, i bet you there is need for you to now worry. Listen folks, this type of marriages where you mama, papa, culture and all those crap forces you to marry whom you do not love hardly last. If you pull a young lady away from the man she was in love with and force her marry another person just because you feel the one she love is not suitable for her, any day she runs into her Ex. the husband is in hot soup. Do you blame her? After all, she was forced to marry someone she did and still does not feel deep love for. Same is applicable to men. Infact, men fall to this easily. Once it is a woman they love so much and one family bullshit forced him to marry another person, once he runs into that old flame, he is bound to rekindle it secretly. Men are known to be allowed to have secret...this days it is even open extra marital affairs. Just try to stop them and you will be thrown out that house. So here now, if you are married to such a man and he suddenly starts getting close to an EX. he was forced to abandon who happens to be still single, it is only by the hammer of God that can stop him from having an intimate relationship with her. Women most times can control themselves due to the societal shame of a woamn being married and still dating other men but men hardly control or draw a line here. So it depends on the cricumstances of what happened with you and your EX. before you part ways. Let me also say here that it is better to avoid getting close in the first place with your Ex. because, most men hardly know when to draw a line here. Most men also can hardly differenciate between a friend and a lover when dealing with women so just do not get close at all!!!! The deed was already done...you parted ways... found new partners..so deal with your mistake and face the consequences!!!

June 27, 2015

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Woman ‘Maturity is an advantage in marriage Mrs. Adeola Azeez is a motivational speaker and a seasoned correspondent banker with over two decades of experience in the banking sector. The consultant and Deputy Representative of Deutsche Bank, in this interview with YEMISI ADENIRAN, gives a recipe for good and longlasting marriage. Excerpts:

What was growing up like? I was born in London; my parents met and got married in London. I would say growing up for me in England was like growing up like a normal child. My mother and my father were working in London then and I know that I had a nanny who was looking after me. I came to Nigeria when I was about two or three years of age when my parents relocated to Nigeria. My growing up was very exciting because I was the first child of my father and mother. Being a first child of parents that respect African

values and norms, I was made to reflect everything they wanted to reflect in terms of good behaviour, manner, respect for elders, morals and so on. Were your parents very strict with you when growing up? As at when I was growing up, I believed they were. Of course, with time, as a grown up, I had a change of heart. I realised that they were only teaching me the right values which is what I am doing to my children now. Incidentally, they also think I am very strict and trying to overdo things. But

really, I am proud to say that I am a product of a very good home. I am proud of my parents and I sing their praises every day for bringing me up well. What kind of a girl were you when growing up? I went to an all girls’ school and would say I was a very outgoing and friendly girl. My parents were also very free with us despite their strictness. I was not a problematic girl, I was an obedient child. How did your boyfriends express their love for you when you came of age?

I can’t remember being wooed by any man. Most of the relationships I had started as friendship because I always enjoyed the company of people. Anytime I am discussing with people - men or women - I found out that they always found me engaging and I thanked God for wisdom, knowledge and experience. My relationship always started from the impression people get from me. How did your husband propose marriage to you? In fact my husband’s case is a different

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Some of the young ladies getting married today are not even mature enough to know

how to handle challenges in marriage, and as a result, they believe that the easiest way to do it is to go back.

one. I always burst into laughter anytime I remember how we met. My husband and I met at a Texaco Petrol Station in Aguda, Lagos. On that day he was buying petrol and I was also buying petrol. In fact on that day I was going to my boyfriend’s house. He (my husband) keeps staring at me and I said within my mind: “Can’t this one look at someone without being obvious?” While staring at me I was pretending to be reading a book. He bought his petrol first and I thought he had gone but I discovered that as I was buying my own petrol, he approached me. He said he thought that he knew me. He asked: “Did you go to UNILAG?” I said, yes. Then he asked: “Were you in Art Block?”, I said yes. He asked again: “Did you read Philosophy? I said yes. In the course of our discussion, I realised that he finished in 1982 while I finished in 1983 and it was amazing that we never met throughout my undergraduate days at UNILAG. On that day we exchanged cards and few days later I saw him in my office on a visit and that was how we started our relationship. Apparently he had done his homework knowing that my parents did not approve of the relationship with my boyfriend at the same time. So, the day he proposed to me, he didn’t even ask me: “Can we date?” He asked me: “Can you marry me?” What was your response? I said to him; ‘Se bon se n marry ni yen (Is that how someone gets married?). I said to him that I had a boyfriend. I didn’t take him seriously because I could not imagine someone just coming to say I want to marry you without first dating. But anyway the rest is history. He persevered a lot and I guess he knew what he wanted and when he saw me he wasn’t ready to allow me to go at all. He would come to my house and sometimes when he came, he would meet my other boyfriend. He will just say to me: “I came to visit you,” and after our discussion I would see him off. Whenever my boyfriend asked about him, I would tell him that he was just a friend. What finally attracted you to your husband and how did you settle for marriage? We got married on January 8, 1994. He didn’t pressurise me to go into his house like most boyfriends would do. He didn’t rush to basically take me to bed or whatever. He was just so steadfast and committed and it got to a point that I started feeling in my heart that he is gentle and peaceful. I remembered the first time I went to his house, he was very clean. He is meticulous, very clean and I tell you that won my heart. He was also very domesticated and he has a very good maintenance culture. The love came later because for me qualities were very important. I must be sincere, he loves me a lot. My mother always said that it is good to marry a man that loves you. The only thing I wish my husband should have but he didn’t have is that he was a Muslim while I was a Christian but at that point religion didn’t matter to me. What is the secret of the success of your

marriage? Every marriage has its challenges and when I look at the challenges we have had in the past, I thank God for helping us in the last 20 years that we got married. We have a lot of challenges but no challenge was too much for us not to solve. I guess what helped us was that both of us married as a mature persons. I was 33 years old while my husband was 34 when we got married. God has been so gracious to us and we handle issues with maturity. How do you manage your home and successful banking career? I thank God that I have a very supportive husband. If my husband doesn’t allow me to do what I like to do within moderation I will not be where I am today. I am an extremely busy woman at work and in other organisations that I belong to. I believe in making positive impacts in people’s lives. But at the same time I had it at the back of my mind that my home must not suffer. I believe that the needs of my husband, children and parents are very paramount to me. So, having to share my time between my work, my other responsibilities with some of the organisations I chaired, my husband and my children, it takes a sensible and well organised woman to balance things. What do you think is responsible for breaking of marriages in Nigeria? Marriages in Nigeria are going through a lot of tough times in the sense that there are all kinds of pressure arising from societal, financial, family problems among others. I also think that most of the couples getting married are too young and most of them have gotten into these marriages by pressures being put on them by their families. Some of them have no business at all in getting married because it is either they have been abused in one way or the other or they don’t really have the closeness and love that is fundamental to sustain their marriage. The beginning of a marriage is love and it is love that usually sustains marriage and makes couples to be used to each other many years after the day of their wedding. Also some of the young ladies getting married today are not even mature to know how to hold challenges in marriage and as a result they believe that the easiest way to do it is to go back. What’s your advice on how best to sustain marriages? I would advise young people that they must marry a soul mate and a friend. They must know that if they go into a marriage they must be ready to stick to the marriage vows. They will not just say the marriage vows for the sake of saying it but they would sing it through their marriage. It is very important that you marry your friend. I married my friend. In fact, I married him as a friend before the love came in. I realised that he was a nice and unusual man. My husband is very domesticated and very patient. He has taken me for what I am and I have taken him for what he is. I am going nowhere, he is going nowhere.

Keeping ABREAST

9 essential beauty products you didn’t know you needed

here’s the moisturiser, the mascara and the lip gloss, but is your beauty routine missing some serious gaps? Beauty experts share the new must-haves in skin, hair and body care. 1. Anti-aging facial serum If you’re over the age of 25, it’s time to start using an anti-aging moisturiser. It will help repair and improve skin’s texture, elasticity, color and more. 2. Hand cream with SPF You know how they say that the hands always give away a person’s real age? Well, if you keep your hands moisturised with a cream, you just might be able to delay the signs of aging. 3. Restorative nail treatment Between polish, gel treatments and harsh polish removers, your nails can take quite the beating. Prevent breakage with restorative nail treatment, which helps nails “breathe” in-between manicures. 4. Reusable sponge makeup applicator There’s no need to rely on your fingers! This must-have tool allows you to use less product and guarantees that your foundation or tinted moisturizer won’t look streaky when you apply.

5. Silk pillow cover Does your pillow case really matter? When it comes to hair and skin care, the answer is: Yes, absolutely! A silk pillowcase will help reduce frizz in your hair and reduce creases that can turn into wrinkles on your face. 6. Clarifying shampoo and conditioner Everyone talks about detoxing when it comes to meals, but what about your hair routine? Detoxifying Shampoo and Conditioner will make your hair products work even better by clearing your hair of build-up over time. 7. Scalp exfoliator If you think this sounds like a product for people with dandruff, think again. An exfoliator like will scrub away dirt, oil, dry flakes and build up. Not to mention, the scrub will restore your scalp’s natural balance to stimulate hair growth. 8. Body moisturiser When it comes to moisturiser, it’s actually best to apply while your body is wet so that it can retain the lotion. 9. Facial mask You may have seen the selfies of beauty bloggers and celebrities wearing face masks — but it’s much more than just an Instagram trend. Oxygen face masks in particular will make tired and dull skin appear more refreshed and bright.

Parenting

June 27, 2015

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

How to be your daughter’s best friend

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

Avoid critical remarks Some girls often complain about their mothers’ making critical remarks about them. Although its a mother’s prerogative, if not her obligation, to make sure her daughter looks her best, she is expected to be mild in her comments on their appearances. One good way to go about your observation is to let them see the good part of your remarks and not only the critics. For instance, if a mother prefers that her daughter change a particular dress probably because it makes her look much of a whore, she should employ a permissible language otherwise, the girl might be put off or see her as wicked and an old school. You must try as much as possible not to be harsh and mean in your criticism, that way, she would appreciate you and your advice. Be careful not to despise the power of praise.

Listen and respect what they have to say Whenever there is an issue

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

Give her free ways Let her visit friends especially those that you know she really likes. Don’t choose friends for your daughters because these friends are those they share their intimate feelings with when they find them too confidential

ParentingUpdate P

resident Barack Obama is opening up about fatherhood, saying being Commander-in-Chief has helped him to become a better dad. Obama calls the White House a “bubble that’s hard to escape.” “That’s what makes the people with whom you surround yourself in those rare private moments all the more important,” he writes. The dad to Malia, 16, and Sasha, 14, says the women in his life are his “sanctuary” and have shaped him the most. Citing the long hours and travel he logged while working as a law professor and Illinois State senator, Obama writes, “Being in the White House has made our family life more ‘normal’ than it’s ever been.”

to share with you. Not only that, encourage her friends to keep coming and don’t always appear too harsh when her friends her around looking for her, it destroys their friendship eventually because they would end up talking about how unwelcoming you were when they visited your daughter. When you see a friend with a bad trait, don’t chase them yourself, talk to your daughter about him or her later instead of calling your daughter to the room when the friend is still around. Talk to her about the friend you don’t like and give reasons for your disapproval, you would be surprised that your daughter would come home one day and say “ Mom, I’m no longer friends with so so person, I found out that he pretends.” That’s because she has taken time to study him after your comment.

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

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

Tiny Feet

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

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

White House a good place to be a dad –Obama

The move to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue marked the first time since his daughters were born that “we’ve been able to gather as a family almost every night,” says Obama. The president says he’s been able to make it to dance recitals, tennis matches and other activities his kids are involved in. “Sasha let me coach her basketball team — the Vipers. They won the title,” Obama, 53, boasts. “I even experienced what all dads dread: watching my daughter go to her first prom. In high heels!” While Obama says “it’s not always easy” being dad to a pair of teenagers, he insists it’s “pretty good to live above the store.”

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LIVING

June 27, 2015

‘My kidnappers fed me like a dog’ Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade, the Parish Priest of St Benedict’s Catholic Church, Ido Ekiti, kidnapped by a three-man gang at about 7.30 pm at Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State on June 9, regained his freedom after spending exactly a week in the kidnappers’ den. He relived his experience with ABIODUN NEJO in Ado Ekiti.

ow was life in the kidnappers den in your one week with them? Actually, I was locked inside a very dark room. If not for God, they may have left me there to die. I do not think anybody would have been able to locate me if that had happened. If at all they would be able to locate me, it could have been the smell of my corpse. I was not privy to whatever was happening outside the dark room, but I observed on Monday afternoon that there was tension in their camp. That Monday afternoon, there was serious tension. I begged them that afternoon to do me a little favour: to open the door for ventilation so that I could breathe in fresh air and not die inside the dark room. They heeded this and because of the opening of the door a little I was able to notice their movement and discovered that there was trouble. The tension happened all through that Monday and as God would have it, in the evening, one of them came to me and said: “Father, some people are fomenting trouble at the gate, we want to go and attend to it. He opened the door a little further and said I have opened this door so that you would be able to receive fresh air. He didn’t say more than that, but I was in the dark and couldn’t say anything so I couldn’t have attempted anything that night.I waited to see what would happen the following Tuesday morning, not that I knew whether they were around or not. But I decided to take the necessary risk and the risk led me out of the camp. I found myself by the road side. The Okada Man that assisted me to the next town, which is Iludun, I asked of his name and he said his name is Emmanuel from Ijelu. And my own name is Emmanuel. When I returned, the Bishop made me to realize that on Sunday before my arrival, during the mass with my people, they asked one of the children to pray for my freedom and the little boy who came out to pray is named Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God is with us. So, these are indications that God is involved. So what is your impression of the activities of your abductors? What happened to me can happen to anybody. This is our society, we pray that God would uproot evil and plant good. Good things are here, but it is like we are not allowing them to flourish. The news came in the week that the aged and former Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof Albert Ilemobade, was kidnapped and it shows that the abductors have no respect for age and reputation. We can use the contribution of the media to improve things in our society. In my own little world, I have become popular, everyone has known who Father Emmanuel Akingbade is, they want to speak to me, listen to me,

shake my hands and I am even afraid. That is made possible because of the contribution of the media. This society is for all of us. We pray to God to give us a better society. It was an experience of one camp, two worlds, I was in my own world in the dark room where I was locked and there was another world among the abductors. Most of the time, I was the one making effort to speak with them. Asking them for what I want: “Please I need water, please help to open the door for ventilation”. And from their own conversation, I discovered that they too were human beings like us, for example, they have their own girl friends and they called them and discussed with them. They told them were at work. They always told their people on phone that they were in business, “I would see you tomorrow or next” and things like that they say to them. How were you fed? The kidnappers tried in the area of feeding. They gave me bread, pure water, spaghetti and indomie. They also gave me Eba. The only proteinous food I ate there was frog. They were prepared to feed me three times a day, at least two times. Initially, they fed me like anybody would feed his dog. They fed me with the cover of plastic buckets. They gave me too much of rice and I had to let them know that I only needed to eat small food. The best meal I had there was eba and that was on Saturday. I would have loved to eat more of that Eba but they gave me small. Perhaps your kidnap gave you insight into their style of operation... I got to understand that they have departments. They spoke Yoruba. Those who were with me in the dark room were three, their main function was to ensure that I did not see light, did not move from where I was kept to another place and as well ensure I was given whatever I needed. There was another group which members were always outside. They visited at night, only twice. I think on Wednesday and Friday. Three of them were with me throughout the ordeal. Then there were the negotiators. Two came on Wednesday night and one came on Friday with another person. They didn’t mask, but they had their own way of making sure we did not see eye to eye. But what could have made you their target? I am sure they didn’t come for Rev Father Emmanuel Akingbade because they didn’t know me. According to the man working in the living room, when they came, they first asked him: Are you the Rev Father?’ and he said no, and they asked “where is the Rev Father?” They put a gun to his head and he led them to my room following which I was abducted. They asked of my name on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, they

Rev. Fr. Akingbade

asked me the type of car that I rode, the colour and others. So, put together, they didn’t come for me as a person, they just wanted to kidnap a Reverend Father and I happened to be one. Did your incarceration affect your worship? For us Catholics, the powerful instrument of prayer is the Rosary. You know Mary, the mother of Christ, that means the mother of all sorrows. In my own case in the den, I had to make my Rosary. At first, I was using my fingers, but at a time, I discovered I wasn’t doing it well, I was skipping my fingers. So, I thought of how to make a Rosary right there in the room where I was locked and the only thing that was available was the rag with which they covered my face. So I had to tear from the rag and used it to make the Rosary. A Rosary should have a crucifix, and other features, so I made the Rosary with the rag and improvised all its features and use it to do the prayers. And I strongly believe that if anyone finds himself in trouble, if he comes to the Bishop and asks for this Rosary and prays with it, the trouble would be over. So, once I made this Rosary, I was determined not to leave it there if I made it back alive. I was determined to leave everything but this Rosary. This was the only instrument of prayer that I used while there. As I was saying the other time, while praying with the Rosary, I had an encounter with God that was almost like the story in the Acts of Apostles Chapter 12, from verse 1 to 19. That Biblical story is just the summary of my story. What do you think is responsible for the spate of kidnapping these days? I think what has led to rampant kidnapping is because they have made bank robbery so difficult. The banks no longer keep huge money that could be stolen. So they shifted to taking people and weighing their worth. In my own case, when they wanted to announce the ransom, two of them came, one of them first said N100 million, but his second said N200 million. These people also have their agents and they usually assess what the public or constituency of their catch is doing, how they feel. So, they thought this is a very big catch, everybody is disturbed and if everybody is disturbed, then N200 million shouldn’t be too much to produce. Every generation has its own problem. Abroad they have their own

problem. But the problem I think we have with this our own generation is that we appear not to be making progress in the area of tracking criminals. What we were made to understand over there is that you could run but you won’t be able to hide because they have a way of tracking and getting criminals but here it isn’t like that. Some people that were earlier kidnapped have been paying ransom. So it has become a business. The way out is for everyone to be on the alert and use every means to support security operatives in tracking down criminals. For instance, it is possible to have cameras all over the places and also use some other technological devices for security purposes. So, all those security devices that are being used in advanced countries to track criminals can also be used here too. So that even if a murder occurs and the culprit escapes from the crime scene, he can still be caught with such security devices. Is there a way you can trace the location where you held? I know the place where I was kept because when I escaped, I had the opportunity to see the signpost of the place. It is Government College, Isan-Ekiti. The place is fully completed and very wide. The kidnappers had the keys to the doors of the rooms there. At least in the apartment where I was kept, I saw the keys to the toilet and that of the room in which I was kept. When they took me in, the gate of the compound was open. They didn’t break in. They carried me in. And when I was coming out, the padlock of the room wasn’t locked, I just removed it and went out. I was kept at Government College in Isan-Ekiti. It was a completed building with all the facilities. Even with mattresses. When they took me in, the first night I slept on a new mattress with a pillow, with nylon still on it. I felt it with my hands. In the dark room I was kept, I was wondering in my mind that the people must have meant serious business and planned well for it. If they could have a mattress and pillow and all that. But when I came out, I discovered that it was a fully completed government facility. And what is your assessment of the role of mass media in this? When I was there,I didn’t have the opportunity of reading newspapers, but I remember that either on Wednesday or Friday, my abductors came to me to say that the news that the church was making in the media, especially on the pages of the newspapers was annoying, so because of that, I got to know that something was happening outside. And what was happening was the contribution that the mass media has made. But I thank God that everything went well and today, the joy has come. It has been a long story that one would continue to narrate, but it has been a story from darkness to light and for us Christians, it is a story that has given meaning to our faith. Silver or gold we do not have and when you find yourself in the hands of those that are interested in silver or even gold, then that necessarily creates a serious problem. As a priest who knows about the working of the Lord, I knew quite well that the journey was going to be a very long one. The people outside went into prayers and I had to align myself with the prayers that the people were making. This is our faith; when God wants to answer peoples’ prayers, if need be, somebody has to make a mistake so that something positive would come out of it.

June 27, 2015

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‘My husband sprinkles his urine and water on the floor’

• When I confronted him on the issue, his reply was that it was for the peace and progress of the family —Wife

‘He destroyed our marriage when he quit his job to serve God’

•He sowed most of our properties as seeds to the church including the family car. His loss of job incapacitated him financially. If not for my family’s assistance, the situation could have been worse —Wife

Stories by: Muda Oyeniran

rs. Olabisi Oyewole has told the Iyana Ipaja Customary court that the marriage between her and her estranged husband, Mr. Morakinyo Oyewole began to experience problem in 2002 after he quit his paid job at Leventis Motor as a Maintenance Engineer for God’s work because he believed he was called by God to serve Him. Mrs. Oyewole who is the petitioner in the case thereafter wants the court to dissolve the marriage which has produced two children. She also asked the court to grant her the custody of the two children as well as to order her husband (who is the respondent) to be responsible for the education and feeding of the children “Since he quit his paid employment in 2011, things were so bad, that I encouraged him to get another job, which he did with Eleganza Industry Lekki, but he worked for a month only and resigned. He sowed most of our properties as seeds to the church including the family car. His loss

of job incapacitated him financially. If not for my family’s assistance, the situation could have been worse”, she explained According to her, things went bad to the extent that her brother who owns a school at Ikare had to take up the schooling of their children by giving the children admission to his school. Aside this she said her husband became so irritable that he beats her at the slightest provocation. According to her, when their children came back to Lagos for holiday in 2013, the elder child complained of certain things which made her to take the child to a white garment church and the child told her daddy about it. “He beat me mercilessly because of this incident that I had to pretend that I had fainted. When I had the opportunity to escape from him, I ran away leaving the children with him. I thought he would look for me but he failed to do so. When it was time for the children to go back to their school at Arigidi- Ikare, he took them to Arigidi near Ikare so as not to disturb their schooling. She disclosed to the court that all efforts made by her fam-

ily members to resolve the matter failed. “On one occasion, I and my mother went to Ibadan to intimate my husband’s mother on the situation of things. When she was told about the problem, she told us to sing thirteen songs together which we all did and she thereafter told us to go in peace”, she added The sister of the petitioner, Mrs. Adebayo told the court that the couple was too naïve about the respondent’s situation as the couple failed to realize that what the respondent needed was medical help. “When the petitioner was made to realize this fact, she did not receive the cooperation of the respondent and that of his family. This problem has not made the petitioner to enjoy her marriage since 2002”, she added In her remarks, the Court President, Mrs. Salewa Banjoko said it was evident that the marriage between the couple had broken down due to the reasons adduced above. She thereafter ordered the dissolution of the marriage adding that both parties were free to cohabit with any partner of their choice without any hindrance or molestation from either party

42 year-old trader, Mrs. Sarah Modupe Oloruntoba of No 2, Ikumapayi Street, Meiran has dragged her husband, Mr. Isaac Oloruntoba before the Iyana Ipaja Customary court over allegation that the latter was diabolical and fetish. Mrs. Oloruntoba who is the petitioner in the case wants the court to dissolve the 29 year marriage which has produced five grown up children as well as compel her husband to take responsibility for the upkeep (feeding and education) of their last child who is 16 years-old. According to her, the respondent(Mr. Oloruntoba) sometimes brings strange water to the house which he sprinkles on the floor every night adding that he also sprinkles his urine on the floor without informing her of his intent before carrying out the action. “When I confronted him on the issue his reply was that it was for the peace and progress of the family”, she stated Not satisfied with the reply, the petitioner told the court that she had to leave her matrimonial home on February 27, 2015 She also described her husband as a habitual drunkard saying anytime he was drunk he caused trouble in the house. “Whenever he is drunk, he would accuse me of

stealing his money and whenever I get angry, he would promise me that he would stop drinking beer, but soon afterwards he would go back to it”, the petitioner added. The petitioner also accused the respondent of not caring for her and their children saying the respondent had not been alive to his responsibilities since they got married. According to her, she had supported him through thick and thin and she never complained about his inadequacies but rather she usually augments the family income. “I usually contribute to the upkeep of the home and I don’t disturb him whenever he doesn’t have. But since he got a good job in 2011, I expected him to be giving me monthly allowance or to give me bulk money for business but he failed to do so. He sometimes gives ridiculous amount like N200 or N500 to the family”, she explained He said he does not love the respondent anymore because of the aforementioned reasons even as she urged the court to dissolve the union. However, the Court President, Mrs. Salewa Banjoko appealed to the petitioner to exercise patience, saying through the court’s mediation effort, it was discovered that their children do not want the marriage dissolved

‘I got to know from her text messages that she was having an extra-marital affair’

• My husband has not been fair to me, he met me a virgin and no man had ever slept with me except him —Wife

37 year old businessman has dragged his wife before a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Agege, Lagos, seeking the dissolution of their five year old marriage over infidelity. The petitioner, Tope Fasanmi, who gave evidence before Agege customary court accused his wife, Zainab, 32, of assault, brutality of house-maids, lack of respect and threat to life. He told the court that their relationship, which was blessed with one child, aged five, became sour in 2007 when his wife

failed to show up at their marriage registry. “My wife is wayward, she doesn’t respect me or my family and she had threatened to kill me with a knife during one of our usual quarrels. “The first two years of our marriage, I was the one cooking in the house; she doesn’t cook, neither does she know how to take care of the house. “Also, any time we are fighting, which is normally caused by her, she always tells me that I am not the one she should CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

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DIVORCE COURT

June 27, 2015

‘My husband smokes indian hemp’

• My husband is always mentally disturbed after taking hemp and he always descends on me, beating me —Wife • I have never taken Indian hemp before but I take alcoholic drinks moderately, not excessively —Husband

business woman, Celestina Falaye, 33, pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her marriage, citing her husband’s heavy drinking and hemp smoking habit. Celestina told the court that her husband drank a lot of liquor and smoked Indian hemp, after which he often misbehaved. “My husband takes alcoholic drinks excessively and gets drunk after which he falls inside gutter, misbehaving and disgracing me. “Neigbours will be calling me to come and carry my husband that he has fallen inside gutter”. Celestina said that after smoking Indian hemp, her man would always start acting strangely. “My husband is always mentally disturbed after taking hemp and he always descends on me, beating me”, she said. The petitioner said that she established a business for her husband, who was jobless but that the business collapsed after just two months. “I opened a bookshop for my husband but he mismanaged it — the capital and profit were spent on beer. He is lazy and does not want to work. “He depends solely on me for feeding, paying the children school fees and paying house

rent”, Celestina said. The mother of two begged the court to dissolve the twoyear-old marriage, saying the love she had for her husband was gone. However, the respondent, Segun Falaye, 40, denied some of the allegations but accepted some. Falaye said he was used to drinking but that he was not always drunk. He denied ever taking Indian hemp. “I have never taken Indian hemp before but I take alcoholic drinks moderately not excessively”. Falaye said that he used to pay bills when he was working but now that he had no job, he could not steal to fend for his family. He said that his wife wanted to turn him into a house boy. “She controls and commands me as if she was talking to her baby all because she pays our bills”, Falaye said. He described his wife as an aggressive fellow. “My wife is aggressive, she gets angry easily and always and she slaps me anytime we have misunderstanding and tells me that I have no say”. He, however, begged the court not to grant his wife’s demands as he was still in love with her. The President of the court, Mr Ruphus Adeyeri, adjourned the case for judgment. (NAN)

‘I got to know from her text messages that she was having an extra-marital affair’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 have married but her banker friend,” he said. Fasanmi, who lives at 8, Metal Box Road, Ogba, also told the court that his parents-in-law were the ones misleading his wife. “Anytime I plan with my wife, I always receive phone calls from her dad on what my wife and I discussed and at times, my father-in-law always stopped my plans, which I didn’t like. “All my wife’s friends are divorcees, and all my efforts to stop her from keeping them have proved abortive as I could not control her. “My wife was too harsh to all the house-maids we have had; she used to beat them anyhow and I hate maltreating people, especially the less privileged.

“I got to know from her text messages that she was having an extra-marital affair with someone and it was through that message that I got to know that her mum was aware of the illicit relationship.” In her defence, Zainab, a trader who lives at No. 2, Igbowu St; Mushin, told the court that her husband wanted to leave her because she had stopped giving him money for his business. “I have been with him through thick and thin; I have been an honest wife, faithful and always ready to listen to him. “My husband has not been fair to me, he met me a virgin and no man had ever slept with me except him.” The court President, Bola Giwa adjourned the case for further hearing. (NAN)

‘He cooks his own food to spite me’

• He started buying foodstuffs from the market. So we started fighting over who to use the stove first. He was cooking his food on his own and I was cooking mine too. It made me very sad that a husband and wife were cooking and eating separately in the same house —Wife

housewife, Mrs. Adama Ruth has dragged her husband, Mr. Abah Abel before the Agege Customary Court over allegation of constant embarrassment being meted to her by the latter since they separated in 2011.

The petitioner who described her husband as a difficult man to live with said the man started rejecting her food six months after their marriage in 2009. “He refused to eat my food for six months in the first instance for four weeks and i begged him to tell me my offence but he refused. Even when I was heavily pregnant with our child, I begged him to tell me what I did wrong but he refused despite my condition”, the petitioner explained

According to her, the respondent later began to prepare his own food in the house to spite her. “He started buying foodstuffs from the market. So we started fighting over whom to use the stove first. He would be cooking his food on his own and I would be cooking mine too. It made me very sad that a husband and a wife were cooking and eating differently in the same house. This was why I left him in 2011”, she added Aside this, she accused her husband of beating her constantly saying he caused injury to her eyes during one of his frequent beatings. The petitioner also told the court that the respondent has not been taking adequate care

of their six-year old daughter who is the only child of their union. “He does not care about her feeding and school fees”, she stated However in his testimony in court, the respondent said he did nothing bad to his wife before she surprisingly left their home. “I was in my office when she brought taxi to park her things from the house. She left out of her own volition”, he said In his remarks, the court president, Mr. P.A. Williams adjourned the case till July 23, 2015. He also ordered the respondent to bring a sum of N15, 000 to court on the date for the upkeep of the child for three months at the rate of N5, 000 per month

40 40

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June 27, 2015

People

Olowu of Kuta:

Keeping faith with tradition Olowu of Kuta, His Majesty, Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude , recently marked his third coronation anniversary where he spoke about his new role as chairman of the Supreme Council of Owu Obas and why Obas should keep polygamous families. By John Olaniyi

an you share the story of your ascension to the throne? Though I grew up in the North, Maiduguri, Zaria. We have four Ruling Houses and where I come from is the most senior. When I was younger, like other Princes, I was aspiring that one day, I would become a king but I never knew it would come this early.Destiny thrust this post on me when I was hoping my boss, general Babangida would get me Federal appointment. But God gave me life time appointment instead. That made him, Babangida to write when I was made king.When the late monarch passed over, our ruling house was next to fill the stool and our leaders called for nominations.80% nominated me and 20% wanted another person. Those that that were not even eligible from other ruling houses also contested. Because of my closeness to Gen. Babangida, I was branded a PDP man. They said I would kill ACN if I clinch the crown. But I told them I was not a card carrying member of PDP but that I am IBB.Aregbesola refused to be swayed and that marked the beginning of our relationship. Our people are today happy and we have been enjoying their supper since I became king. My boss’s (Babangida) support was very crucial to my ascending the throne. As a cosmopolitan man now having to reside in a settlement your domain, how has it been? I look at my kingdom as a small London. What I would missed from having to live among people is being shore up by influx of people here. Friends like you and my subjects are always around me. The way I relate is also helping me always have people around me. I delegate responsibilities and not authority. I go and come back when it is time to return home. But I must admit the two are not the same life here in my little London and outside this place. Is there any relationship between your town, Kuta and Kuta in Kogi state? No, or maybe I have stumble on the history. People in Kuta in Kogi must be Nupe by tribe. But our own Kuta is an Owu settlement. We have been here since 1425. We have heard many things as being responsible for the disintegration of Owu kingdom. Can you share some of

those things that led to disintegration of that kingdom? We have 37 Owu communities in Nigeria and about six in diaspora. Orile Owu or you call it Owu Ipole is the ancestral home of all Owus. It is the headquarters. Coincidentally, my progenitor migrated from Orile Owu around 1425 and settled here. Some of his brothers joined him here too. But the disintegration occurred in 1420. Alaafin, Ife and Ijebe joined hands to fight Olowu. Check history, Owu was the first kingdom in Yorubaland. Check Johnson and Johnson and other archival documents. But my forefathers lost that empire to Alaafin because of impatience, high handedness. As you are aware, Owu was the first empire formed by Oduduwa. “Owu la koda”. After the disintegration of Owu, some people also joined us in Kuta here and they so moved to Erunmu.That is were the likes of Oyelese hailed from. He is an Owu man. Then one of the late Olubadan, Olugbode was also an Owu Kuta man. So so moved to Ibadan in Olugbode compound, some moved to Ijebu, some to Abeokuta, some to Epe. So that was how they scattered. But during the life time of late Balogun of Owu, Akin Olugbade, who suggested that all Owus should come together. That was over 20 years ago and we formed Royal Union of Owu People. So since then, we gather annually to deliberate. Last year , I hosted them, this year I am hosting them also for two days. During the meeting, we usually deliberate on issues that concern us as a group of people. We are the Jews of the Yoruba race. We have Owu Obaloyin in Kwara so also Owu Isin. Aregbesola ( Osun state governor) was even telling me recently that he and a professor have discovered some Owus in the East. We are making efforts to meet these people. Are you the chairman of contact committee for the annual meeting of Owu people? No, I am the chairman, Supreme Council of Owu Obas, I have a not too large community but I am senior in the hierarchy of OSU Obas. Specifically, what are your roles? My roles include but limited to uniting and to harness and formulate policies and identify directions we should go as a group of people. To God be the glory, I have been playing my roles very well. First week of July, all Owu Obas will be meeting here and

Oyelude

that is part of effort to forge common course and unite our people. What was the cause of the crises that eventually disintegrated Owu kingdom? Was the crisis caused by Atare (alligator pepper)? From the information I got from the British archive, before the disintegration, Olowu was only next to Ooni.So he was so powerful. At that time, he sent some of his men to collect royalty from Alaafin, but the then ruler in Oyo could not afford his demands, so Olowu told his men to march Alaafin down to Owu. With supernatural powers he had, Sango, the brother to the then Alaafin came and produced all the demands of Olowu. Sango came and sprayed guinea corn and produced all what Olowu had demanded. Because of the shame of being seized, then Alaafin declined returning to his stool and Sango became new Alaafin. Olowu later demanded for tribute from Alaafin Sango. And because he resisted being treated like his brother and issues starting cropping up. Ife saw that opportunity and also the Ijebus. They waged war against Owu and defeated it. Is any federal presence here, like institutions? No, we have a road in front of our mosque here to Federal Poly, Ede. It is about 20 minutes, but there is bridge that must be done. My grand father started the call on government to do the road since 1958, but unfortunately, it has not being done. If the road is done, it will further open up this town. We will want Federal Government come around

and help us. We have land in abundance. We gave Osun state government about 1,000 hectares for its O,Reap programme. I am also talking with the national museum about some of our sites with potential to bring in tourists. Owu is an ancient town with rich history. Where our forefathers descended to the ground is a sacred place. I have invited officials of Ministry of Culture and those of National Museum to look at the site. You often appeared in traditional attire, do you at times wear casual dresses? I mostly wear traditional dresses because of the demand of my office as a royal father. But whenever I am out of Nigeria I wear anything that makes me comfortable. Even here in my palace here, I put on casual wear whenever I want to exercise, but there was a day I was in casual wear, I was walking round the palace in company of my people. Shots were taking and sent to Facebook. Unfortunately, my boss, Gen Babangida was online at the time and saw it. He immediately called me and said “sir you are not supposed to be wearing dress like this. Please go and change into something that befits your office.” That day, he was a bit annoyed but I tried to explain to him but he insisted that I must not be seen in such dresses. He scolded me a bit that day. You have been making glowing remarks about former Head of State, Gen. Babangida since the beginning of this chat, what kind of a person is he? Huh! He is a prophet. He is humane, kind and intelligent. He loves this country dearly and will ever be ready to defend it. He is a detribalised Nigerian and will always be willing to help anyone in crisis. Some of us that are close to him know he is not what some people are claiming he is. I know him very well and can speak about his person. I am his core boy but interestingly, the day I became Olowu, he stopped calling me by my first name. Before then, Gen. Babangida used to call me Kunle. I am his core boy. As a royal father, what is your view about polygamy? Many royal fathers are obviously drifting from the culture of having many wives. Any royal father that has just one wife is not worth his salt. It is either he is poor material-wise or he is poor in ideas. As a Muslim, I have freedom to marry as many as four wives. Also, as a traditional ruler, I have freedom to marry as much as I want. If our fore fathers have married just one wife, royalty would have long being wiped off from their lineage. It was because our forefathers have many wives that made some of us to have opportunity of being born into ruling house. Polygamy is part of our culture and Obas must protect it. Thank God I am not poor, I am a Muslim and I am a traditional ruler, so I remain an advocate of polygamy in palaces.

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June 27, 2015

Doctor Talabi has answers to your health questions

Sickle Cell Anemia: Who holds the exit key?

Write him today at prettyprevent@gmail.com or text 09099346165 (sms only pls)

affected by sickle cell disease.

Causes: For an individual to be affected, he or she must inherit one abnormal gene from each of the parent. This abnormal gene could be S, C, D or other variants. Leading to combinations such as SS or SC.Individuals who inherited the gene from just a single parent are said to have the sickle cell traits and are known as carriers. This could be AS; AC etc .But the most severe form of sickle cell disease leading to sickle cell anemia is the SS hemoglobin genotype.

Symptoms:

ecent advances in medicine hold a very big promise for people with sickle cell disease. New treatments promise to reduce or eliminate their pains, give them a more qualitative life and reduce the incidence of morbidity and mortality in them. For example, life expectancy in sicklers which hitherto was less than 20 yrs in the seventies has now moved up to the fifth decade .This is good news! But sickle cell disease is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most understood genetic diseases, most predictable and most preventable. As such, the focus of the human race should be more on total eradication .Hence the question, who exactly holds the key to its eradication? Scientists? Doctors? Or just You and Me?

What is Sickle Cell Disease? It is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin formation, characterized by abnormal red cells which lack the capacity to adequately carry oxygen. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. These abnormal hemoglobin cells, unlike their normal counterparts are crescent shaped, much like the sickle used in harvesting. As a result, they find it difficult to pass through tiny vessels. Also because of their shapes they are fragile and break easily, which reduces their life span to a mere 20days as compared to the normal red cells that last

from 90-120 days.This is because in sickle cell disease, red cells are continuously destroyed at a rate mush faster than they are produced leading to a constant state of anemia(low blood level).It is a disease almost peculiar to blacks, with 70% of cases occurring in Africans resident in Africa or elsewhere. It is also linked to malarial infection in that; countries with malarial endemicity are almost exclusive preserves for the sickle cell gene. The gene in its carrier form is believed to confer some immunity against malaria infection hence its perpetuation in black generations. In Nigeria for instance it is estimated that 2% of newborns are

The symptoms of sickle cell result from different acute disease states known as crisis. There are four of them, each resulting from the effect of the abnormally shaped red cells: Vaso occlusive Crisis: perhaps the most common, this crisis occurs when red cell clump together in small blood- carrying vessels and are unable to dislodge leading to pains, which may range from mild to severe Acute Sequestration: here the abnormal red cells in circulation overwhelm the spleen whose function it is to filter and eliminate red cells that are no longer useful. As a result the spleen is filled with stagnant blood ,thereby depleting the central circulation, and producing a picture of someone who had lost plenty of blood through bleeding Hemolytic Crisis: in this crisis there is excessive destruction of red cells leading to accumulated waste products in circulation .One of such is bilirubin which colors the eyes of the victim, leading to yellowness of the eyes (jaundice) Aplastic Crisis: the production pump in the bone marrow sometimes shut down, further depleting red cells; good or abnormal in circulation. It should be noted that these crises are mostly triggered by an ongoing infection, and when the individual is dehydrated or stressed Aside from these symptoms. There are also symptoms of complications such as Stroke-sickle cell is the commonest cause of stroke in young peopleother complications are heart failure, osteomyelitis, renal failure, leg ulcers etc.

Treatment: Management of sickle cell anemia includes: Antibiotics: to treat infections Fluids: to rehydrate Blood transfusion: to replace lost

volume and inject healthy cells Bone marrow transplant: to replace a diseased marrow with that of a healthy donor, who must be a close relative. Hydroxyurea: a relatively new drug, whose function is to increase the quantity of fetal hemoglobin in circulation. The more the fetal hemoglobin available, the better for the sickle cell patient.

Prevention: The prevention of sickle cell anemia itself simply lies in avoiding two people, each carrying the defective hemoglobin S, from getting married. The chances of having children with sickle cell disease in these people ranges from 25-100%. Therefore the only way to avoid this occurrence and in fact to stop sickle cell disease the world over is to prevent this kind of marriage as much as possible through premarriage counselling. Couples should endeavor to have their genotype checked prior to having a relationship and not prior to marriage. Genotype check should come long before love becomes blind. In situations where the knowledge comes to light after marriage, there is room for prenatal screening while the woman is pregnant, to check for the genotype of the fetus. If it is the SS genotype, the couple is given the option of terminating the pregnancy. Though this comes with a lot of controversies, it is still a good preventive option For people with hemoglobin SS genotype, measures are taken to prevent or at least reduce the frequencies of crises. Such measures include daily intake of folic acid and anti malarial, liberal intake of fluids and prompt treatment of infection or any other trigger factor for crisis.

Conclusion: Scientists are still working round the clock to find better solutions, including raising the level of fetal hemoglobin, making bone marrow transplant safer and more successful, and exploring newer drugs that will reduce the clogging of sickled cell in vessels; it is our prayers that they succeed, for the sakes of our friends who are enduring the illness through no fault of theirs. However if we went back to our question; who actually holds the key to the eradication of sickle cell anemia? Scientists? Doctors? Governments? Or just you and me? I will stake my bet on you and me! You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. every Wednesdays and Fridays(4-8pm)

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Agodi Gardens: Bright new wonder From a near over grown forest with starved wildlife, a new resort is berthed promising ecstatic experience in tourism. Just visit Agodi Gardens.

badan the capital of Oyo State is seen more or less as the political capital of the South-West on account of its being home to prominent politicians from the region at one time or the other. However the city is not known for politics alone, it is home to many tourist centres that include the University of Ibadan Zoological Garden, Bower’s Tower and the Agodi Gardens. For many tourists coming to the city, the Agodi Gardens, located on Parliament Road, and less than 200 kilometres from the state secretariat, is one of the tourist centres that will ring bell in the ear. The gardens with large expanse of land which once played host to different animals and birds and was the first point of call during festive seasons, had become a shadow of itself. But after about 18 months of remodelling and upgrading of facilities, the Agodi Gardens now named Agodi Resort and Conference Centre has now been turned into one major hub of tourism. For a first time visitor to the Gardens, he or she would but be enamoured by the range of recreational facilities put in place not only for the children but the adults also. With lush green grass, Agodi Resort and Conference Centre has become a Disney land of sort for fun seekers. Governor Ishaq Ajimobi, state governor of Oyo State, had realised that there is a huge potential in investing in the resort. Recently leading top government functionaries and fun seekers that include school children to declare it open for the festive period said that he discovered the abandoned Gardens while passing by on a fateful day. The place, according to him, was like a forest, as weeds have overgrown the entire landscape with the remaining few

animals in the zoological unit seriously starved. “I was just passing by one day and I asked what was in the bush. In fact it was a forest. What struck me was that the place was so desolate. The animals were hungry. They were not well fed. Everything was just bad. Then ideas started flowing. I know there are places like this in South Africa, Dubai and everywhere. Why can’t we make ours so? “I called my people and eventually approached a young man who said he

could do it like those in other countries.” he said. Ajimobi added that the resort centre has become the flagship of his administration policy on tourism and as means of generating money for the state. The resort centre is being managed by JD Capital under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. Mr. Makun Soyinka, who represented the Managing Director of the partnering firm, Mr John Darlington, said his firm

With lush green grass, Agodi Resort and Conference Centre has become a Disney land of sort for fun seekers

accepted to work with the government based on the governor’s vision to restore the state’s old glory and monuments of which Agodi Garden is one. “The first step in this rebirth process is the re-branding and creation of a brand identity for the garden. This has commenced with the renaming of Agodi Gardens to “Agodi Resort & Conferences”, he said. Soyinka then appealed to corporate organizations, particularly those with presence in the state, to support the company to achieve the lofty dreams of making the resort one of the best in the company. The resort was reconstructed by AM & Sea Ltd with its Managing Director, Mr Adegbemisola Adio-Moses, stating that in executing further works, the firm has entered into partnership with a South African development group to ensure that Ajimobi’s vision for the garden is accomplished.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

LEISURE

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Civil Service Katsina owes retired council workers N6.2b in gratuity – Masari G

overnor Aminu Masari of Katsina State said retired local government workers were being owed N6.2 billion in gratuity. Masari, who made this known during his maiden press conference in Katsina

on Thursday, said the discovery was made by Transition Committee. He said his government would publish all the findings of the committee for public information. The governor also said

the N3.7 billion, which the immediate past Governor, Ibrahim Shema, claimed to have left in the coffers was in the SURE-P account and not the state government account. He said: “The past admin-

istration left only N9.9 million in the state government account. “They claimed to have left money in the state coffers, while the state owed retirees N6.2 billion. “So, it is better not to leave anything than to accumulate huge amount of unpaid gratuities.”

Masari further said the state had $78 million debt to contend with. “Borrowing is not a fault, but how the money was spent is the major issue because even the strong economies in the world do borrow money to finance their expenditure,” he said. He said government had

revoked all houses and hajj seats allocations to ensure fairness among people of the state. Masari restated the readiness of his administration to operate an open door policy by designing policies that would enhance the living conditions of the people.

No university has approval to award Animal Science degree – NUC

L-R: Lagos State Joint Public Service Negotiating Council Secretary, Sunkanmi Olubadejo; Vice Chairman, Engr. Muali Subair; Chairman, Mr. Femi Oyenubi and Ms. Sesan Ismail, after the Election of this new executives of the association in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

rof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, on Thursday said “no Nigerian university has the commission’s approval to run or award degrees in Animal Science”. The information was contained in NUC’s weekly bulletin made available to the News Agency of Nigeria

NEMA assures of effective crises management through information

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday assured the Centre for Crisis Communication of its maximum support toward crises management through enhanced and effective management of information. The Director-General of the agency, Mr Muhammad Sani-Sidi, gave the assurance in Abuja when a delegation from the centre paid him a courtesy visit. Sani-sidi explained that the visit could not have come at a better time given the country’s current security challenges. He said that information was very crucial in disaster management and that Nigerians needed timely and accurate information on impending di-

sasters. ``It is a welcome development and we must all support it; we must make sure it succeeds because information is key and critical to what we are doing as an agency. ``Whatever you do, no matter the effort you put in, if you are not being heard, it is as good as nothing. ``We believe in the power of the media because Nigerians need to be informed about what is happening; they need to have accurate and timely information on disaster management, early warning system now that we are approaching raining season. ``This is a platform that would inform Nigerians accurately and in a timely

manner to encourage you to make sure that platform is sustained. ``We will give you maximum support. As an agency we will be part of it and do not mind domiciling this office in NEMA because this is where we should have an information centre because NEMA is central to disaster management.`` Sani-Sidi said that NEMA was collaborating with the National Orientation Agency, security agencies, response teams and other stakeholders to inform and assist Internally Displaced Persons. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the centre, Mr Yusuf Anas, said that the visit was to seek collaboration with NEMA in

the area of crises management through enhanced and effective management of information. Anas said that enhanced and effective management of information would better educate Nigerians on crises situation in the country and the efforts made by the government and several stakeholders to mitigate the situation. ``The Centre for Crises Communication is going to seek to collaborate with NEMA in the areas of crises management through enhanced and effective management of information. ``In that regard, the centre will seek to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Agency in areas of training, research, as well as media communication and strategy. ``We want to seek your

indulgence to afford us that collaborative approach with your agency so that we would also be able to key into some of the very important efforts your agency is doing in providing succor to Nigerians. ``The centre will also want to be able to provide some weekly or monthly media review to the agency. ``We would help you in trying to understand the perception of the media and the public of how you are doing in the realm of public information.`` The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Centre for Crises Communication is a NonGovernment Organisation (NGO) that provides critical stakeholders with needed support and intervention in crises management.

in Abuja. The bulletin said Okojie disclosed the information when he received a delegation from National Institute of Animal Science. The publication stated that Okojie told the delegation that the NUC recognised only Bachelor of Agriculture as the approved programme nomenclature in Agriculture in the Nigerian university system. He said: “B.Sc. Animal Science is unknown to NUC and the National Youth Service Corps as NUC has not granted approval to any Nigerian university to run and award degree in Animal Science.” He then urged NIAS to urgently harmonise its programmes. The bulletin also said that the NIAS President, Prof. Israel Adu, had earlier told the NUC boss that there had been lingering segregation among graduates of Agricultural Science. Adu said: “Only graduates of Crop Science are given the privilege to become Agricultural Officers and also rise to the position of Permanent Secretaries and beyond in their career. “Other graduates in the same field with professional orientation are limited to the position of Deputy Directors.” Adu appealed to NUC to help in reconciling the disparity to avoid further segregation.

Sport Keshi, Enyeama query: Erico, Chukwu ask NFF for pardon Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Ifeanyi Eduzor

ith the recent face-off between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi and team’s captain, Vincent Enyeama still raging, former national team handlers, Christian Chukwu and Joe Erico, have appealed to all the parties to exercise restraint in the interest of the country’s football. The NFF last week accused Keshi of applying to handle the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire which they see as a breach of contract when he is still having a two-year contract with Nigeria while Enyeama was summoned to appear before the NFF Disciplinary Committee for his refusal to answer a query issued to him for making uncomplimentary remarks about Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna after their 2017 Nations Cup qualifier against Chad. While Keshi has denied ever applying for the Ivorian job eventhough his name was on the shortlist, Enyeama failed to appear before the disciplinary committee fueling rumours that he might be sanctioned by the football ruling body for act of indiscipline. But in a telephone interview with Saturday Mirror, Chukwu noted that while he will never support insubordination by either Keshi or Enyeama, there is the need for both parties to find a way of settling the matter amicably considering the implication of the disagreement on the country’s next qualifier against Tanzania in September. “It is really disgusting that this type of problem is coming at a time when all resources should be geared towards ensuring that Nigeria qualifies for the next Nations Cup. “There is the need for amicable settlement of all the issues involved because allowing the matter to linger will definitely affect our next qualifier against the East African nation of Tanzania,” Chukwu said. According to the former Harambee Stars of Kenya coach, it is morally wrong for Vincent Enyeama to have complained openly about Kaduna because as the skipper of the team, any action he takes will affect the general morale of the players. He noted that although it is true that he might have some reservations about the venue but as the captain of the team, there are more matured ways and channels to make his grievances known instead of coming out in public to do so. Chukwu stated that although he has not heard Enyeama’s side of the story but if it is proven that he tore the query issued to him by the NFF, he should be ready to face any punishment meted out to him because having played football at the highest level, he is supposed to be disciplined and respect the country’s football administrators. “I want to say that it if it is true that Enyeama tore the query issued to him by the NFF, he should be held liable for his action because he signed a code of conduct with the football house and there is nothing wrong with NFF issuing him a query because such behaviour if proven amounts to insubordination. On the issue of Keshi applying to handle Cote d’Ivoire when he still has a contract with the NFF, Chukwu explained that since Keshi has come out to deny the allegation, the football house should accept his explanation and allow the coach to continue with his job so there will not be any distractions as the country continues preparation for the next qualifier against Tanzania. Speaking in the same vein, former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Joe Erico, maintained that he had expected Keshi to call it quits with the national team immediately he won the Nations Cup in 2013 arguing that if he had done that, all the issues being raised about his commitment to the Super Eagles job would not have arisen. Erico insisted that he does not believe that Keshi applied for the Cote d’Ivoire job knowing full well that he still has a contract with the NFF and since he has come out to refute the story, the NFF should take it as a non issue. The former NEPA of Lagos FC coach cautioned Enyeama to learn from the current imbroglio and avoid making unguided utterances considering his position in the team, even as he appealed to the NFF and the duo to sheath their swords in the interest of Nigerian football.

SPORT

June 27, 2015

Cech undergoes Arsenal medical

Ronney eyes title challenge

ayne Rooney believes recruiting the right players this summer can see Manchester United challenge for the Premier League title next season. United have already signed Dutch winger Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven on a fouryear deal. They are keen to bring Sergio Ramos to England from Real Madrid and it was understood there has been initial contact between the sides on a possible transfer. And should United’s first interest in Southampton’s Morgan Schneider result in a transfer, Rooney’s assessment could prove accurate. Louis van Gaal’s side finished fourth and claimed the final Champions League place in 2014/15 but only after a stuttering start. Just three wins in their open-

ing 10 games had his team sitting 10th in early November and Rooney thinks a better start in the next few months could make a difference. “If you look at the first 10 to 11 games, we only had around 13 points and if you look at where we finished, I think it shows we could have been up there with a better start. “We’ve dominated and outplayed most teams but haven’t taken our chances to win those games. It could have been a different story if we had. “With a couple of signings in the summer we will have a good chance of doing that. It would be good to win as many cups as possible. “A club like Manchester United should be winning trophies and hopefully next season we can put that right.”

Alba: I want to retire at Barca

Alba

ordi Alba says that he is happy with life at Barcelona and intends to stay with the club until the end of his career. The 26-year-old, who came through the ranks of Barca’s famed youth academy, returned

to Camp Nou in the summer of 2012 after spells with Cornella, Valencia and Gimnastic and has since developed into a key player. Alba was an integral part of the squad who won the treble in 2014-15 and he is hungry for more success. “I want to play for Barcelona for many, many years,” the Spain international told reporters. “When I was young, I had to leave but I finally came back to where I wanted to be. “I have learned a lot in these three years and we have won several titles. “You never know what the future has in store but, if possible, I’d like to hang up my boots at Barcelona.”

Ramos will stay at Madrid, says Armstrong

panish football expert Gerry Armstrong believes that Sergio Ramos will stay at Real Madrid this summer. Initial contact has been made between Manchester United and the Spanish club over a potential transfer for the 29-year-old centreback. Several reports in the British media have suggested that Manchester United is ready to offer £35m for the player while Spanish newspaper AS reported that United are willing to offer Ramos 12m euros a year to move to Old Trafford. Armstrong did confirm there has been a fresh round of negotiations between the player and Madrid president Florentino Perez, but feels no transfer will take place.

Rooney

He believes Sergio Ramos is just using Manchester United to get an improved contract at Real Madrid. “They’ve been at loggerheads but in the past 48 hours there has been a conversation between the president, Florentino Perez and Sergio Ramos.

helsea goalkeeper Petr Cech underwent a medical at Arsenal yesterday ahead of his proposed move to the Emirates. The clubs have settled on a fee and the 33-year-old has agreed personal terms. The Czech Republic international will be Arsenal’s first summer signing. Belgium international Thibaut Courtois, 23, became Chelsea’s first-choice keeper last season, leaving Cech with one year left on his contract to look elsewhere. He played 16 times for the Blues last season and has been at Stamford Bridge 11 years.

He has made more than 300 Chelsea appearances and won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League title. He joined the Stamford Bridge club from Rennes in 2004. Cech’s agent said last month the player had been given permission to speak to other clubs, despite manager Jose Mourinho wanting him to stay at Stamford Bridge. FA Cup holders Arsenal have been alternating between goalkeepers Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina.

Beckenbauer urges Guardiola to win trophies

ayern Munich icon, Franz Beckenbauer has told coach Pep Guardiola that he must win trophies if he wants to be loved. The former Barcelona boss revealed on Tuesday that one of his main goals in life is to be admired and revered for his work and Beckenbauer has no doubt that Guardiola can earn that adoration at the Allianz Arena. “Love is the biggest thing one can achieve. He will get the fans’ love when he wins trophies,” the club legend said. “If he does not win any silverware, which I cannot really see happening, love will become just affection.” Bayern have dominated the Bundesliga under Guardiola in the past two seasons, securing the title well before the end of the campaign on both occasions, yet Beckenbauer feels that they could face a tough task to extend their reign in 2015-16. “The Bundesliga will be much tougher than in the past two seasons, when Bayerrn were well on top,” the World Cup winner added.

C Ramos

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

helsea winger Mohamed Salah wants to rejoin Fiorentina on loan but the 23-year-old Egypt international, who thrived at the Serie A club in a six-month loan last season, would like the terms of his next loan improved if he is to move there for a second spell. Sky Italia understand Salah wants £2.1million in wages for the year. Inter Milan are prepared to offer Salah £1.9million while he currently earns £1.6million at Chelsea. Fiorentina have proposed to the Blues that they take Salah for a whole season for a fee of £1m, after the player scored nine goals in

Cech

Man U targets Schneiderlin

anchester United is interested in signing Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin this summer. The 25-year-old is currently involved in negotiations with Saints over his future and the club is expected to allow him to leave for a fee not less than £25m. The France international, who was the subject of intense transfer speculation last summer, is one of the most coveted central midfielders this summer. It is believed Tottenham have had a long-term interest but Schneiderlin has previously stated he will only move from Southampton to play Champions League football, and Arsenal is another club reported to be inter-

Schneiderlin

ested in the midfielder. Schneiderlin is purported to have told French radio earlier this week: “The negotiations are ongoing and should be completed in the coming days, hopefully before the resumption of Southampton’s pre-season training next week.”

Salah keen to join Fiorentina

Salah

26 appearances from January to May last term, and the Blues are now discussing the deal. Chelsea signed Salah in January 2014 on a five-and-a-half-year

contract from Basel, but has not found a place in Jose Mourinho’s plans, making just six Premier League starts and 19 appearances overall. Fiorentina recently appointed the former Swansea boss Paulo Sousa as their new head coach after sacking Vincenzo Montella, despite finishing fourth in Serie A. Salah began his career with El Mokawloon in his native Egypt before joining Basel’s academy. He made 83 appearances and scored 13 goals for the Swiss side.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

June 27, 2015

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Tel: 08023367071

Ibadan golf club host R&A international tourney

uoyed by the successes it has recorded over the past months, the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) has now moved to consolidate on those successes with the R&A sponsored one-day junior competition billed to tee off today at the Ibadan golf club. The event which is expected to attract kid golfers from across the country is part of NGF initiative aimed at growing the sport in the country. NGF Vice President, Kunle

y k c i N s e k a t g n u Yo r a t l a o t Pike A

shley Young has celebrated his standout season for Manchester United by finally tying the knot with childhood sweetheart Nicky Pike - four years after the couple had originally planned to marry. The England winger left friends and family shocked when he called off the £200,000 ceremony out of the blues just 48 hours before the big day in 2011. But at the second time of asking the couple, who began dating when they were still at school, got hitched in a secret wedding at the plush Stoke Place Hotel in Buckinghamshire. Young impressed under Louis van Gaal last season and was one of Manchester United’s best performers. The couple, who have two children together, nine-year-old son Tyler and younger daughter Ellearna, reconciled four months after Young got cold feet first time around after calling off the do that was booked at five-star hotel

The Grove in Hertfordshire. Young’s former Aston Villa team-mate and cancer survivor Stiliyan Petrov was in attendance as was Fabrice Muamba, who famously suffered a cardiac arrest during a match while playing for Bolton in 2012. Petrov, who retired from the game in 2013 due to his ongoing battle with leukaemia, took to Twitter to share a picture with the happy couple and wrote: ‘Congratulations Mr and Mrs Young. Former Bolton midfielder Muamba, who would have played with Young for England U-21, was also active on social media and shared a picture alongside Petrov, writing: ‘Champion on the dance floor @StanPetrov19.’ Young’s marriage to Price, who he has been romantically involved with since the pair were just teenagers, has capped a wonderful season for the England international. The 29-year-old was seen as no more than a squad player at the

start of the campaign having fallen out of favour with supporters and management at Old Trafford last season. But Young’s United career has been rejuvenated under boss Louis van Gaal and he was one of the most consistent performers last season. Born and raised in Hertfordshire, Young’s father was from Jamaica. Young started his career at Watford, making his first senior appearances in 2003 under the management of Ray Lewington. He became a first-team regular in 2004–05, and was one of Watford’s key players in their promotion winning 2005–06 season. Young continued to play well for Watford in the Premier League, and in January 2007 he transferred to Aston Villa for a fee of £8 million, rising to £9.65 million with add-ons. He established himself in the first team at Villa Park before moving to Manchester United for an undisclosed fee.

Dada, who described the Ibadan event as a step in the right direction said NGF will continue to do all it can to grow the game in the country. It would be recalled that the new NGF initiative championed by Emma Ekong, the lady in charge of junior golf in the federation has already prosecuted the Awa Ibraheem Teen Match play in Ikeja last year and the the maiden Lagos International Junior Competition which held in February also in Ikeja.

Kalio wins Heineken/SPG Golf tourney

alio Isoboye has emerged the overall winner at the just concluded Heineken sponsored SPG Open golf tourney which took place at the prestigious Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Uyo in Akwa-Ibom State. Isoboye won the male overall best gross while Susan ColeKotas won in the female category. In the same competition, Alex Shaiyen won in the veteran male category while Edidiong Idiong and Anka Sanni emerged the best in the male category B and C respectively. The 2-day tournament saw over One hundred golfers drawn within and outside the country. Senior Brand Manager Heineken, Mrs. Ngozi Nkwoji, while commending the golfers for their performances and sportsmanship disclosed that the brand remains a friend of the game, hence its continued sponsorship which is an attestation of its resolve to strengthen and promote golf in Nigeria.

“Heineken, a world class beer is always glad to associate itself with the game of golf, an international sport. We intend to help build the image and standard of the sport through our continuous support,” she added. She further said that the tourney has also created the platform that can compete with international open worldwide. “We will continue in our quest to encourage the government and other stakeholders to key into the vision of building golf and other sports in Nigeria”, she added.

Kaymer hopes to bounce back

artin Kaymer will look to bounce back from a disappointing defence of his US Open title last week by giving home fans something to cheer in the BMW International Kaymer, who led from start to finish on his way to an eight-shot victory at Pinehurst last year, missed the halfway cut at Chambers Bay by a single shot, with most of the damage done by a triple-bogey seven on the 10th in a second round of 74. But making an early exit at least allowed the 30-year-old more time to travel to Munich to pre-

pare for an event which provided his second European Tour title in 2008. “It is special when you play in your own country,” Kaymer said. “Obviously for me, the expectations are quite high from the spectators and as well as from yourself because you want to perform a little bit better than other weeks. “And that will be the fine line, the thing that you need to learn as good as possible to still perform and not be focused too much on if you want to perform well. You need to put that pressure away a little bit if you can.”

SPORT

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

I have not resigned, says Blatter

Nigeria U-23 players celebrate after scoring a goal in a recent match

2016 Olympics: Rivers to host qualifying matches

Dennis Naku

Port Harcourt

ivers State has been granted the hosting rights for the 2016 Olympic Games qualifying matches scheduled for the 18th and 19th July, 2015 by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). While the Super Falcons will slog it out with Equatorial Guinea on the 18th of July, the U-23 nation-

al teams will face their counterparts from Congo on Sunday, July 19th. To ensure a successful hosting, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has set up an 11-man committee to be chaired by a former commissioner for sports, Hon. Boma Iyaye. Other members are Eddy Mark; a former Green Eagles Star, Adokiye Amiesimaka, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and

Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah; the NFF Chairman in Rivers State; the Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Rivers State, Albert Chinwo. Others are ex-Nigeria International, Mercy Akidi; a representative from the Department of State Security and a representative of the Nigerian Police while the permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Sports is to serve as secretary of the committee.

... as Awoniyi, others beat Siasia’s deadline

he four invited home based Flying Eagles players invited by Coach Samson Siasia to the national U-23 men’s football team, the Dream Team have arrived camp beating yesterday’s deadline given by the coach. First to hit camp was winger Godwin Saviour who arrived the Serob Legacy Hotel at about 8pm on Thurs-

day as his teammates were about taking their dinner. Then on Friday, it was striker Taiwo Awoniyi who arrived camp at about 10.15am looking trim and getting set to go, not long after the U-20 captain defender Musa Mohammed stormed the camp in his all jean dressing, then as the team was getting set to take their lunch, in came goalkeeper Dele Alampasu.

With the arrival of the four players, the camp is now in full swing as preparation for the 1st leg U-23 Africa Championship qualifier game against Congo hots up. Coach Siasia has meanwhile released players to play for their clubs in this weekend’s Glo Premier League, expecting them to return to camp on Monday.

IFA President, Sepp Blatter says he has not resigned his position. The 79-year-old Swiss was thought to have ended his 17-year reign on 2 June amid claims of corruption in world football’s governing body. But, according to Swiss newspaper Blick, Blatter told a party at a Fifa museum: “I did not resign. I put myself and my office in the hands of the Fifa congress.” Blatter is thought to be considering standing for re-election as president. Two criminal investigations into alleged Fifa corruption began in the week that Blatter was elected for a fifth term in charge. Four days after being voted president, Blatter who is reportedly under

Blatter

Mo Farah to keep Salazar as coach

ouble Olympic despite allegations the champion, Mo Far- coach practiced doping Premier league action techniques on him as a ah has announced he will continue to work teenager. Rupp, the 2012 Olympic with his coach Alberto 10,000m silver medallist Salazar. behind Farah, spoke afOn Thursday, Salazar ister winning his seventh sued a 12,000-word denial consecutive United States that he had violated antititle over the distance on doping rules. “As someone I’ve worked Thursday, which secured with for many years, I feel his place at the World I have to believe in Alberto Championships in Beiand the evidence he has jing in August. The 29-year-old said he provided,” said Farah. thought “the truth would “As is normal at this prevail”, adding it had time of the year Mo is currently training at altitude been “difficult to focus” allegations under the guidance of Brit- following ish Athletics as he prepares made in a BBC documenfor the August defence of tary in collaboration with US journalism website his world titles in Beijing. Two-time Olympic and ProPublica that Salazar world champion Farah’s violated various anti-dopAmerican training parting rules and used testosner Galen Rupp said ear- terone medication on a lier he is backing Salazar 16-year-old Rupp in 2002.

Boxers storm Lagos for Minimah tourney

Ifeanyi Eduzor

arely 24 hours to the commencement of the maiden Kenneth Minimah National Men and women Boxing Championship holding at the indoor Sports hall of the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos, Boxers from across the Country have started trooping into Lagos ahead of the June 28 arrival date of the tournament. With the event also serving as the national trials for the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, one of the boxers, Ikechukwu Igweme, from the South East

who is fighting in the middle weight class, said he decided to storm Lagos ahead of the arrival date in order not to take chances. Also speaking is the Ladies Champion, Kehinde Obare who just returned from the United Arab Emirate where she went for a medical treatment following the Injury she sustained while representing Nigeria at the 2014 Common Wealth Games in Glasgow Scotland who said she is ready for the Championship. Still as strong as ever, Kehinde Obare stressed that she wants to use the trials to prove that she is fully fit to take on anybody in her weight category and thanked

investigation in the United States said: “While I have a mandate from the membership of Fifa, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football. “Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as Fifa president until that election.”

the Boxing Federation President, Kenneth Minimah for the trials. Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Nigeria Boxing Federation, Olusola Luke, who confirmed the early arrival of boxers, has expressed fears on the number of bout to be staged following the number of entries received so far. According to him, despite the reduction of men’s bouts to ten weight categories and six weight categories for the women, the number of entries received is already alarming as every boxer wants to be at the forthcoming 2015 Congo Brazzaville All Africa Games and that has put the Boxing Secretariat Staff on their toes.

•Minimah

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 27, 2015

Police hunt killers of 20-year old man

...As cult group loyal to suspect lay siege on settlement P olicemen attached to the Homicide Unit, State Criminal Investigation Department, Lagos State police command, have began a manhunt for a 22 year old man identified as Anu Olokodana over the murder of a 20- year- old allegedly killed during a birthday bash at a swimming pool in the state. It was gathered that the deceased, Adeleke Awosiga, was killed at a birthday party organised by his friend one Anu Olokodana, popularly known as TFire, following a disagreement between them at the party. Sources said the deceased and his assailant were childhood friends but were at loggerheads as Olokadana, had been persuading the deceased to join his cult but the deceased declined. Our correspondent gathered that Olokodana had invited friends including the deceased to a hotel at Isheri, penultimate Saturday, to celebrate his birthday where they drank and danced to their satisfaction. It was gathered that trouble started at about 4.30am when the celebrant’s girlfriend one Rashida Musco Oponmija, was dancing with another boy and the deceased requested to dance with her but she declined and replied ‘are we mate?’ The deceased felt insulted and replied that he was older than her. According to our source, the incident generated an argument and one other person identified as Iyanu Liasu, slapped the deceased and they fought. Sources said the deceased and Liasu were pushed out of the dancing hall while some other friends went out to settle their differences and they were later allowed to go back to the hall. It was gathered that the deceased along with other friends left the dancing hall to the hotel’s swimming pool and when the party was over the deceased had come out of the pool and asked his friend one Damola, to go and bring his clothes where they kept them. But when Damola, returned Adeleke was nowhere to be found. Another source said that at that point, the celebrant had challenged the deceased over the old disagreement and the celebrant’s friends including another one simply identified as Favour, who belong to the same cult group had

Olokadana

pounced on the deceased and held him. “Anu then twisted his neck, he died and was pushed into the swimming pool”. It was gathered that the whole place was immediately deserted leaving few friends of the deceased who recovered

Late Awosiga

the deceased from the swimming pool. Sources said the deceased was rushed to a nearby hospital with the help of policemen who were on patrol but he was confirmed dead and the corpse was taken to the General hospital Yaba mortu-

ary where it was deposited for autopsy. The suspect Olokodana, and his girlfriend Rashida, are said to be on the run and efforts by the police and other resiCONTINUED ON PAGE 50

Man kılls father over refusal to buy him motorcycle James Abraham Jos

he Plateau State Police Command , yesterday, paraded a man for killing his father over faılure of the deceased to buy him motorcycle as allegedly promised. The polıce also paraded one Surelere Rapheal who severed the finger of his nine years old daughter , Tutu Raphael on the allegation that the young girl stole his N1, 500. The State Police Commissioner, Nasiru Oki, while parading the accused amongst other suspects at the state police headquarters ın Jos yesterday saıd that the culprıts were to be charged for culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy in court . He said, “Plateau state police command in its resolve to rid the state of crime and

criminal activities have arrested some murder suspects and some other individuals for various offences ranging from criminal conspiracy to armed robbery and car snatching “. According to him, “on the 2th of May 2015 at Doruwa Vwang village at Shendam Local government Area of the state, one Ponjue Domsing killed his father Mr Domsing as he opened fire on him with a dane gun for refusing to buy motorcycle as promised. “The investigation has been completed and the suspect will soon appear in court when court resumes from strike “. “Also on the 4th of May 2015 there was a report from Bukuru Division that one Christopher Vincent was stabbed to death by Mondam Pam who dumped his corpse by the roadside along Zawan road. “The Police detectives through diligent investigation arrested the deceased girlfriend - Magdaline Fidelis on informa-

tion for conspiracy and on interrogation confessed to the Police that the deceased was killed by Monday Pam over misunderstanding between them in her house on who is her lover , when Monday Pam was apprehended , he owned up to the crime on interrogation , the suspect will appear in court soonest “Also the Police commissioner said on the 23th of June, at about 800hrs , Police detectives at Laranto Division through information and diligent investigation apprehended one Surelere Rapheal who severed and cut off the finger of his nine years old daughter, Tutu Raphael on the allegation that the young girl stole his one thousand and five hundred naira 1,500, the severed finger of the girl has been recovered as an exhibit , while the girl is being treated at Ola hospital Jos , the suspect on interrogation confessed to the crime , and he would soon appear in court after investigation”.

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CRIME WATCH

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

UK court jails Nigerian who stabbed mum to death

Nigerian-born has been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his mother in Britain. The convict, Emmanuel Kalejaiye, stabbed his mother, Tolu Kalejaiya, more than 40 times at their home in Wickford, Essex, in September 2013. The 22-year-old who is suffering from mental illness after hacking his accountant mother to death dressed up like her to deceive their neighbours . A jury found the Essex University student not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, due to mental health issues after a trial in April last year. He has since been in a secure hospital for psychiatric assessment to decide whether his mental condition rendered him a danger to the public. On Friday, the case returned to court and he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years and three months. Judge Christopher Ball said: “This was an horrific killing. You drew up plans to kill her, over weeks, if not months, and to dispose of the body.” The judge added that mental illness played a part in the killing and said Kalejaiye would receive treatment in jail. During the trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, the jury heard Kalejaiye had written out a detailed plan including notes on how to walk in high heels and had receipts for pink Primark women’s clothing. Police found a bloodied pink hoodie and pink trousers, which Kalejaiye had bought from Primark a month earlier, as well as scraps of paper detailing an alleged murder plot. It was said he laid cardboard and plastic down on the floors and wore the pink outfit to move his mother’s car to deceive neighbours into thinking that she had left for work. The jury heard how Kalejaiye, who was born in Nigeria but moved to England as a small boy, stabbed his mother to death on the morning of September 26, 2013.

Late Kalejaiye

Receipts found at the house showed the murder weapon came from a knife block bought by Kalejaiye at Lidl just a month before the brutal stabbing. Mrs Kalejaiye, who worked as an accountant for Camden Council, and hailed from Abeokuta, suffered more than 40 stab wounds to her head, face, neck, upper limbs and hands during the frenzied knife attack.

Emmanuel Kalejaiye

they revealed that they belong to the same cult group with Olokodana and they were sent by him to find out what the family of the deceased were planning,” our source said. The suspects had since been transferred to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) Panti, for a discreet investigation. Head of the family of the deceased Evangelist Adeyemi Awosiga of the Celestial Church of Christ Mowe 3, condemned the act and called for justice. “It is wrong for anyone to terminate another person’s life just like that. The

family is in grief, all we want is justice. The suspect must be made to face the wrath of the law,” he stated. Mrs Ololade Awosiga, the deceased”s mother while weeping profusely said “I am making a special appeal to the Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode and the Commissioner of Police Cornelius Aderanti to intervene and use this incident as a special case to ensure that justice prevail as it will serve as a deterrent to other youths in the state”. Meanwhile, the suspected cult gang it was learnt in a show of supremacy and in solidarity for their wanted leader have subjected residents of Cele,

Late mother, Tolu Kalejaiye

Police hunt killers of 20-year old man CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

dents to trace them have failed. It was learnt that two suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the incident. According to residents, the suspects were on a spy mission at the Awosiga’s family compound where youths were gathered mourning the deceased. A source said “Since they were not familiar faces we challenged and requested to know their mission but they were unable to explain. “We apprehended them and took them to the Mowe, police station where

Ibedu and its environs to intermittent attacks. A resident who begged not to be named due to reprisal attack said, “the terror group numbering about 30 masked and armed with weapons had stormed the area at about 8pm specifically penultimate Monday where they ransacked shops, residence and robbed people of their belongings. “They were conveyed to the area in three buses where they robbed residents of their valuables including money, mobile telephones .Those that resisted or had nothing to offer them were severely injured”.

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Crime Watch

June 27, 2015

Murder of ex-Custom officer’s son:

Police declare business man wanted

he Nigerian Police have offered reward for the arrest of one Osaretin Enabulele popularly called Euro over the death of the son of an ex Customs Officer Enere Utonga. Though the police did not specify the nature of the reward, the Force declared Enabulele wanted in a Special Police Gazette Bulletin Force Directive C.I.D No 48 issued by the authority of the Inspector General Of Police CR :3000/HCD/06/05/15 stating that the suspect is wanted by the office of the Commissioner of Police Homicide Section Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department Annex, Alagbon Ikoyi Lagos for the offence of conspiracy and murder of Utonga on July 19th 2014. The statement read “Method used in committing the offence is that the suspect with four others went to the deceased house at number 10c Ajanaku Street off Salvation Road Opebi Ikeja Lagos and kidnapped the deceased and on the way to their destination, the deceased died on the road inside the vehicle “. According to the police, Enabulele’s last known address was number 4, Ehigie Street off Aiaohan Street, Dumex Road Benin City. The bulletin describes Enabulele as a 34 year old importer of Bini tribe . The suspect has long broad

Enabulele

nose, large mouth, brown eyes with thick lips and good teeth. Further description of the suspect shows that he is 5ft 3inches heavy built with round face, dark skin hair, small

forehead. The bulletin further stated that the warrant of arrest for the suspect has been obtained from a Magistrate Court in Lagos and urged members of the public to look out for the suspect.

NDLEA arrests man for sponsoring drug couriers overseas

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Tuesday said it has arrested a suspected drug baron who specializes in sponsoring drug couriers to China, Malaysia, Turkey, Italy and other foreign countries. Addressing journalists at the Agency’s office in Ikoyi, the Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said the suspect, Sylvester Chukwunwendu, 37, was also a producer of methamphetamine in Anambra State. Giade said Chukwunwendu was arrested in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State based on intelligence report received by the Agency on April 23, 2014. The suspect was said to be deeply involved in unlawful exportation of illicit drugs and running a methamphetamine production laboratories in his house at 2, St. James Close, Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos. Chukwunwendu, also known as Blessed, was alleged to be the owner the laboratories and leader of an international drug trafficking organisation that recruits and sponsors drug couriers to foreign countries. Giade said sufficient evidences had been gathered to ease the prosecution of the suspect.

Giade

His words: “The Special Enforcement Team of the Agency has concluded a model investigation of an International Drug Trafficking Organization, after 13 months intense surveillance on the suspect before he was finally arrested.” Giade said the suspect hides under the cover of different business in running his drug business with international affiliation. Some of his companies include Blessed Benita Global Limited, Ideal Motorcycle Company Limited and God’s Special Enterprise Limited. “Some of his couriers to China, Malay-

sia, Turkey and Italy were usually paid an average of $5,000 per trip,” noted Giade. It was further gathered that the suspect hired one Raphael, who is a professional methamphetamine cook, to work for him. The Raphael is paid N500,000 for his service and N700,000 for the purchase of precursor chemicals per production cycle. Items recovered from the suspect residents included 2.615kg of liquid methamphetamine found inside a yellow plastic jug, 250grammes of crystallized methamphetamine concealed in a white polythene bag and some laboratory equipment. Also recovered are two Nigerian international passports and one from Ghana, all bearing Chukwunwendu’s photographs with different names. There are also one measuring scale, six heating filters, six giant conical flasks, industrial tubes and cups of sodium hydroxide. Giade revealed that in another development, 23kg of methamphetamine was intercepted along Badagry Expressway, Lagos, en-route Cotonou. The suspect, identified as Azubike, is standing trial at the Federal High Court Lagos in respect of the seizure. Azubike in his confessional statement said he was sponsored by Sylvester.

Gunmen kill two policemen, abduct two Lebanese in Bayelsa

unmen on Wednesday killed two policemen and abducted two Lebanese in Onuegbum, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The slain policemen were attached to Pache Construction Company, employers of the abducted Lebanese. The gunmen, numbering about eight, according to witnesses, arrived in the community at about 12.20pm in two speed boats through the waterway. The gunmen reportedly besieged the sand dredging site and shot repeatedly into the air to scare away passersby and other workers in the area. The two policemen responded with gunshots but were killed by the volley of bullets released by the armed men. Spokesman for Bayelsa Police Command, Astimin Butswat, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria. Butswat said the corpses of the policemen had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre for autopsy. He also said the two abducted Lebanese had been identified as Sarki Abi Chmouli and Ibrahim Abi Pherem. “We have alerted the marine component of the Police, the Joint Task Force and the Navy,” Butswat said.

Politician arrested for stealing INEC materials in Delta

leader of the Delta State chapter of the Labour Party, Esiri Onoduwereho, was on Thursday nabbed by men of the State Police Command for allegedly duping some staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission of vital documents relating to the just concluded elections in the state. The stolen documents include result sheets and other administrative papers. Detectives, however, pounced on Onoduwereho while cooling off in one of the hotels in Asaba, the state capital, where he allegedly hid himself after committing the crime. The state Police Commissioner, Alkali Baba Usman, who paraded some suspected criminals at the command headquarters in Asaba, confirmed the development. Usman said investigation into the matter was on. It was gathered that Onoduwereho posed as an agent of the party and thereafter applied for the Certified Copies of Results for Tribunal purposes at the commission’s office in Asaba before nemesis caught up with him. The alarm raised by the staff of the commission attracted the security agents who recovered some of the documents from his hideout. The matter has reached an advanced stage at the office of the Officer in Charge of General Information, Criminal Investigation Department of the command. INEC officials accorded him such privilege because the party leader has long before now familiarized himself with the commission as a principal agent of the party. The executive leaders of the party in the state swiftly said “the matter is purely police issue”.

June 27, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Starting a noodle making factory

nstant noodles as part of our dietary staple have come to stay in Nigeria. It is a meal that can be prepared just in few minutes. The high demand for food due principally to the increasing population and urbanization, need to waste less time in meal preparation for bachelors, spinster and the working mothers and the changes in feeding habits and way of life have combined to make the eating of instant noodles very popular. Instant noodles have repeat sales tendency and the transportation cost per Naira value of the product is low. So apart from producing to satisfy local demand, one can embark on export to earn scarce foreign exchange. Currently in Nigeria, there are very few producers. So there is more than enough room for new entrants to make decent profitable investments in this area. Raw Materials The major raw material is wheat powder having ash content of between 0.5 and 0.4 percent. Others are carbonic salt, common salt and lard (oil). Carbonic salt water gives the noodles special stickiness, elasticity, smoothness and taste while lard is for frying. Common slat helps make the noodles homogeneous, regulates the stickiness and adds salty taste. Other flavouring or seasoning additives include onion powder, MSG, Hydrolised vegetable protein (preferably soybeanbased), chilli powder, phosphoric acid salt, starch powder and so on. The noodles can be fortified by adding industry-approved quantities of such vitamins as B and D. The flavourings (called soup) are usually packed separately in small cellophane before being enclosed in the packaged fried noodles. For packing, one needs polycellophane (300 mm x 190 mm), carton boxes (which may contain about 30 pieces) and packing tape. From the foregoing, it can be that virtually all he raw materials needed can be sourced locally.

Equipment The machinery and equipment needed are Noodles making machine Measuring and cutting equipment Fryer Cooling equipment Accessories- steam boiler, edible and heavy oil tanks, kneader base, chimney and furnace materials. The first four items will be imported and come in one block. Utilities like electricity (150kva), heavy oil (40kg) and steam (200kg) are needed. A standby generator of appropriate capacity is a must to ensure power supply. Production Process Nine distinct processes are involved in the production of noodles and these are briefly described below. Wheat powder and additives are dissolved in carbonic salt solution for about 10 to 15 minutes making sure that the quantity of water and salt is such that the required viscosity is maintained as this is influenced by atmospheric temperature. The noodles are now cut and the weight calculated bearing in mind the dough thickness, weight and the conditions under which the dough was made. The cut-measured noodles are now steamed. During this process, the protein in the dough changes to alpha-protein because of heat. This makes the dough strips stickier and smoother in just one minute and under the steam

Noodles measuring and cutting machine

pressure of 1.5-2.5kg/cm3. On getting out of the measure cut machine the noodles curl and are now put in cases in order to prevent deformation during frying. The cased noodles are fried. This process eliminates moisture, secures a permanent form for the noodles and promotes the process of alphanisation. This takes 1 to 1.5 minutes at a temperature of 140oC-150oC. The fried noodles are cooled by air in order to solidify the lard (oil) used in frying which has now fixed on the surface of the strip noodles. After this they are packaged in polycellopahne bags measuring 300cm x 190cm before being packed in carton boxes containing 30 packs of noodles. The cartons are cello taped and the instant noodles are ready for the market after they have been

inspected as to form, quality, colour and weight. Labour The total number of people needed to run one shift of production is 18 and includes workers of various skills. Being a food processing business the promoter should ensure proper hygiene and adequate recruitment and training of the relevant skilled line staff. Implementation Implementing this project will take the following steps. These are: •Commissioning the preparation of a comprehensive feasibility study •Acquisition and development of the project site •Erection of the factory and

buildings •Sourcing for funds •Purchasing project vehicles •Recruitment and training the relevant staff •Purchasing and installing the machinery, equipment and necessary utilities •Test running and commissioning of the factor for commercial operation. Food processing is the industry of the future particularly in a country where the relevant industrial raw materials are abundant. This project is highly recommended to serious industrialists as it will attract financing from the industrial development banks for its establishment because of its profitability, innovativeness, value added advantages, future prospects and overall effects in the development of the economy.

PROJECT COST

It is estimated that the sum of N38 million will be adequate to set up the project. This comprises of N’000 Pre-investment expenses 750 Land and buildings 9,900 Machinery and equipment

13,482

Utilities (transformer, vehicles, gensets etc)

7,250

Working capital 3,500 Contingency 2,388 Noodles making machine

Total 37, 270

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REGIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

South EAST

BVN: Anambra workers seek extension on deadline T

he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Central Bank of Central (CBN) to extend the June 30 deadline set for bank customers to obtain their Bank Verification Number (BVN). The NLC Chairman in Anambra, Mr Jerry Nnubia, made the call in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Awka.

Nnubia said that findings within the union had shown that most workers in the state had not been captured in the exercise. He said adhering to the June 30 date would amount to shutting members of the union from the banking system as most workers in the state were yet to register. Nnubia decried the number of branches of

the banks where BVN were been done compared to the number of branches in the state, and called for more decentralised capturing points. He urged the Anambra and other state governments to help workers partake in the exercise by declaring half workdays so that they could go to less congested areas to obtain BVN.

The chairman noted that workers could not afford the consequence of being shut out of the banking services. He said denying them banking services could cause financial crunch for their families. ``We request for an extension of the deadline, so that workers can have the opportunity to regularise their accounts with their

banks and don’t have their cash blocked. ``We appeal to governments to give workers like half day concession so that they can have time for the exercise, it is very important for us to be cap-

Female lawmaker vows to encourage private bills in Ebonyi Aliuna Godwin Abakaliki

L-R: Secretary, International Youth Council, Mr. Abdus-Sabur Oliyide; Chairman, Comrade Jeskaya Okorie and Director, Entertainment and SocioCultural Committee, Comrade Ihuoma Celestine, during a news conference on the forthcoming International Youth Conference in Abuja, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

female lawmaker in Ebonyi state House of Assembly, Hon. Augusta Chika representing Ohaozara East constituency yesterday reiterated her commitment to support and ensure that private bills are encouraged in the state assembly. Mrs. Augusta made this known while briefing journalists in Abakaliki assured of her preparedness to facilitate loans for the youths and women of her constituent to go into intensive farming just as she declared her commitment to ensure that poverty is alleviated among the people of her constituent. She said:”I will do my best to ensure that our youths, women are encouraged to go into intensive

Police arrest notorious child trafficker Chris Njoku Owerri

he fight against child trafficking and illegal baby factory is not yet over in Imo State as police, yesterday, arrested a notorious human trafficker from Abia State, Chief Emmanuel Eke, who sold a baby boy delivered by a 20 year-old girl, Miss Ibuchi Okafor for N500,000. Chief Eke from Mbutu in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State was arrested at his residence in council area where he

• Baby sold for N500,000 • Deaf and dump pregnant girl also arrested delivers and sells babies to yet to be identified dealers in human trafficking. The bubble busted when Miss Okafor of Ihioma in Orlu LGA of Imo State with advanced pregnancy absconded from home many months ago, returned without her baby. On suspecting that she might have sold the baby, the parents reported the case to the police who interrogated Miss Buchi and in the process

discovered that she was delivered of a baby boy at the home of one Chief Eke who later sold the baby to unknown buyer. Parading the suspects at the state Police Command Headquarters, Owerri yesterday the Commissioner of Police, Austin Evbakhavbokun told newsmen that upon follow-up, operatives stormed the home of Chief Eke where other pregnant girls believed to be producing babies for sale were also arrest-

ed. Among those arrested include, a deaf and dump, Miss Blessing Nwabekee, who could not state her age and address, Miss Nkasiobi Uchenna (23) of Nkwuegwu, Umuahia of Abia State, Miss Ela David(24) of Isoko in Delta State, and Miss Oluchi Victor(25) of Isiala Ngwa, Abia State said to be contracting ladies for Chief Eke. According to the police boss Chief Eke in the corse of investigation

tured,’’ he said. He called on the banks to provide more capturing machines in more branches so that the process could be faster and more people to register. (NAN)

confessed to have sold the baby boy delivered by Miss Ibuchi to yet to be disclosed buyer at the cost of N500,000. He disclosed that the child traffickers had discovered a new tactics whereby they lure pregnant girls from the state to neighbouring states to deliver them of their babies and later arrange for buyers. He appealed to those involved in the illegal deal to desist before the long arm of the law catches them.

farming as well as private businesses to the extent that they will be able to contribute to the development of their communities. “I’m going to look for away to facilitate loans to enable them start off, especially the people of my constituent. “I wish to state emphatically that I’m going to support and ensure that private bills that are of great value and can contribute to the progress and success of the society are encouraged in Ebonyi state House of Assembly, especially in this fifth assembly. The lawmaker noted her commitment to always contribute her quota to ensuring that the fifth assembly maintain peace and order as well as promote cordial relationship between them and other arms of government for the interest and progress of the state. She recalled that the immediate past 4th assembly were characterized by violence and crisis which according to her resulted into burning down of the assembly complex by hoodlums just as she applaud the governor Dave Umahi for his humility and doggedness to develop the state amidst the financial crisis and high depth profile that rocked the state. Mrs Augusta further commended the governor for his willingness to partnering with the state assembly to fight corruption, especially in the local government areas were over one billion naira were carted away by some of the council area chairmen during the eve of the last state assembly elections.

REGIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

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UNICAL Alumni makes case for new VC SOUTH SOUTH

Richard Ndoma Calabar

xecutive members of the alumni students of University of Calabar on Friday, urged the Federal Government to appoint one of its members as the next Vice Chancellor of

the university. National President of the association, Barrister Ugorji Nwabuezi made the call yesterday, when the executive members of the association paid a courtesy visit on the chairman of Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of

Journalists NUJ, Pastor Ndoma Akpet, who is also an alumni of the institution. According to him, ”For the 40 years of the institution`s existence, the UNICAL has never produced a Malabite as Vice Chancellor. “This is unacceptable

to us as the life span of the present Vice Chancellor expires, an allumni should be appointed as the VC.”. The legal luminary posits that the essence of the visit to NUJ chairman is to find a synergy between the executive of the alumni and the media so as to mobilize ex-students of UNICAL across the globe for the development of their alma mater.

Reacting to the statement, the Cross River State Council Chairman of the NUJ, Pastor Ndoma Akpet, urged the alumni of the University, who are qualified to contest for the position of Vice Chancellor or, show interest in the race for the exalted office. The state NUJ boss advocated for deliberate policy that indigenes of the state be given a fair share in terms

of admissions and recruitment of staff into the university. Pastor Akpet urged the ex-students to heed to the “home coming” call so as to come and help in providing facilities for their alma-mater. Chairman of the NUJ, Cross river State chapter was honoured with an honorary member of Alumni of the university by the association`s executive during the visit.

Nigeria Army deserter held for robbery, kidnapping Sebabastine Ebhuomhan

Edo State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Osarodion Ogie (left); Chairman, Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission, Mr. Vincent Uwadia and others, during inspection of road projects in Abudu, Edo, Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

A’ Ibom gov seeks FG’s assistance on erosion menace G

overnor Udom Emmanuel has sought Federal Government’s speedy intervention to arrest a landslide threatening to severe Calabar-Itu Highway at Enen Atai Itam Village in Itu Local Government Area. The highway constructed by the erstwhile military administration in the 70s is almost severed by the landslide threatening the road on both sides. Emmanuel, who was conducted round the

scene of the landslide by the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Work, Dr. Ifreke Ekpa lamented the threat posed by the menace to human and economic life between Akwa Ibom and Cross River States as vehicles ferrying goods and services daily ply the road. The governor, who was accompanied by the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, Secretary to the State Government, Sir

Etekamba Umoren and some permanent secretaries however advocated the need for the Federal Government to extend a hand of fellowship by entering into Public-Private Partnership (PPP) modality to construct and maintain the road serving as economic nerve centre of the area of the SouthSouth Region. “This is the busiest road in this part of the region witnessing huge commercial activities. This is a federal road.

Where the resources of Akwa Ibom Government could not afford the construction of the road, Federal Government has to do something urgently to aid us. The ecological funds are not coming”, Emmanuel stated. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Ekpa who said the ministry has embarked on speedy remedial work on the road hinted that the landslide was 25 metres from the median road surface.

hat could be more dignifying and glorifying than for a trained citizen to defend his or her Motherland in time of danger? This is hardly the case with Lance Corporal Adenowo Adegoke an alleged army deserted who was arrested last Thursday for alleged multiple acts of malfeasances at a time when his fellow soldiers are defending the sovereignty, of Nigeria against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North east. Adegoke, who allegedly escaped from the Nigeria Army when he was posted to Borno State fight Boko Haram insurgents, ended up in Edo State with his military rifle that had 38 live ammunitions, uniforms and other military materials, where he organized a group of dare-devil armed robbers who have been terrorizing the people of the state capital by series of robberies, raping, kidnappings and killings now prevalent in the ancient city. He however ran out of luck on Thursday when men of the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, under the leadership of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Samuel Damilola Adegbuyi, arrested him along with two members of

his armed gang . According to the Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Stephen Onwochei, the suspect was until his arrest, serving with the 29 Battalion of Nigeria Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State from where he was posted to Borno State six months ago before he allegedly bolted with the military paraphernalia. The police spokesman added that Adegoke’s group was terrorizing the Upper Mission, Benin Bye-pass, Ikpoba Hill, Ute, Aduwawa and Eyaen parts of the capital city before police swooped on them. Adegoke was arrested along with his fellow robbers, Kayode and Sunday Okafor, who was also found to be in possession of a police rifle that was allegedly snatched from a police man on duty. The police promised to arrest other members of the gang. However, effort made to confirm from the authorities of the 4 Brigade Command of the Nigeria Army in Benin City, after a confessional parade by the alleged deserter, Adegoke, whether he was truly serving with the Nigeria Army could proved abortive as a source which craved anonymity, said they were yet to verify from the Nigeria Army record.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

June 27, 2015

Gunmen kill at least 28 people in attack on Tunisian beach

unmen opened fire on a beach popular with tourists in Tunisia on Friday, killing at least 28 people, the country’s interior ministry said. Tunisia’s Interior Ministry told NBC News that most of the victims were foreigners and that at least six people had been injured in the attack on the beaches of Sousse. The ministry said that one gunman had been killed and a second captured following a securityforces operation in the popular seaside resort. The deadly assault came just hours after an apparent terror attack on a factory in France. French President Francois Hollande telephoned Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi to express solidarity in light of the Sousse attack, according to Hollande’s office. The nationalities of the victims were not immediately clear, but Sousse is popular with German and British nationals. The U.S. Embassy in the capital Tunis said that “as far as we know” there were no U.S. nationals among the victims. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the “cowardly assassination attack against tourists”

Bodies lie on a beach in Sousse after gunmen opened fire on tourists at two hotels, killing at least 28

but said he did not know if any of his countrymen were among the victims. Gary Pine, a product manager from the U.K., told NBC News he was one of dozens of vacationers on the beach when the attack took place not far from his hotel, the El Mouradi Palm Marina. He said he initially thought he was hearing firecrackers but that “it was only when you could hear the bullets whizzing through the air that we realized it was gunfire.” His 22-year-old son saw one person get shot, Pine added. He said guests started run-

ning off the beach and were told to go to their rooms by hotel staff, he said. Some guests ran back out onto the beach to get their room keys, he British holidaymaker Karen Hillman said she was near her hotel’s pool when other guests started rushing toward the building “like a stampede.” She said: “Everyone was told to get inside the hotel and into the rooms.” The entertainment manager at the hotel, who only gave his first name, Hamouda, said guests had told him two gunmen “came from the sea” and attacked the beach. He con-

Emotions running high: A woman launches a furious attack on a man apparently arrested over the shootings

firmed that staff had told guests to hide in their rooms. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which occurred during the holy month of Ramadan. Sousse, some 150 kilometers from Tunis, is a popular resort for both Tunisians and Europeans. The violence had an almost immediate impact on the country’s tourism industry, which has been struggling in wake of a deadly terror attack in March which left several tourists dead. Belgian airline Jetair-

fly said on Twitter that one of its Boeing 737s en route from Brussels had turned back «due to current terrorist attack.» The aircraft had been due to land in the Tunisian town of Enfidha, about 25 miles north of Sousse, before it turned around more than halfway into its journey. In March, an attack on Tunisia’s National Bardo Museum left 22 people — mainly foreigners — dead. ISIS purportedly claimed responsibility for the assault, in which

Japanese, Polish, Italian and Spanish nationals were killed, before two of the assailants were died in a firefight with police. Tunisia has been held up as a rare example of democracy being successfully delivered after the Arab Spring of 2011. The country’s warm weather, beaches, historic culture and nightlife have made it a popular holiday destination for Europeans, with 7 million tourists arriving each year, according to Lonely Planet.

…Tunisia, France, Kuwait attacks follow ISIS call for Ramadan ‘Month of Disaster’ O mujahidin everywhere, rush and move to make Ramadan a month of disaster…embark and hasten towards jihad – ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani

errorists launched horrific attacks across three continents Friday, killing dozens of people just days after ISIS urged supporters to unleash “a month of disaster” during the Muslim holy period of Ramadan. A man was decapitated in an apparent Islamist attack on a U.S.-owned gas factory in southeastern France, while 25 worshipers were killed and 200 wounded during Friday prayers at a Shi’ite mosque in Kuwait. In Tunisia, gunmen sparked panic at a beach resort, opening fire and killing at least 28 people — mostly foreigners. While ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack

in Kuwait, there were no immediate claims of responsibility for the other assaults. Governments around the world condemned the attacks and went into high alert. Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron called an emergency security meeting of officials in London, while France stepped up security at key sites and held a similar summit of defense chiefs at the Elysee in Paris. While there was little to suggest any co-ordination between the atrocities, experts noted how they came shortly after ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani called on supporters to step up their activities.

“O mujahidin everywhere, rush and move to make Ramadan a month of disaster,” he said Tuesday, encouraging Islamists to “embark and hasten towards jihad.” Charlie Winter, of London’s Quilliam Foundation, said: “Whether or not there is any link at all between these attacks, they are likely to be inspired by the same ideals.” In the Tunisia beach massacre, vacationers — including Western tourists — fled for cover after gunmen opened fire. Gary Pine, a product manager from the U.K., told NBC News that he initially thought he heard firecrackers but that “it was only when you could hear the bul-

lets whizzing through the air that we realized it was gunfire.” His 22-year-old son saw one person get shot, he said. French Minister Bernard Cazeneuve named a suspect in the gruesome factory attack as Yassin Sahli, who had been under surveillance from 2006 to 2008 on suspicion of having become radicalized. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the “appalling” acts of violence “in the strongest terms” and said those responsible must face swift justice. “The Secretary-General affirms that, far from weakening the international community’s resolve to fight the scourge of terror-

ism, these heinous attacks will only strengthen the commitment of the United Nations to help defeat those bent on murder, destruction and the annihilation of human development and culture,” his spokesman said in a statement. French President Francois Hollande called his Tunisian counterpart Friday, the Elysee said, and the pair expressed mutual solidarity in the face of terrorism. German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the Tunisia attack “a cowardly assassination” of tourists,” while the U.K.’s Cameron also offered condolences to the affected countries and promised “solidarity in fighting this

evil of terrorism.” He said: “Islam is a religion of peace” but terrorists acted from “a twisted and perverted ideology we have to confront with everything we have.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the chorus of condemnation, saying that “the brutal murders in France, Tunisia and Kuwait again underscore that the enlightened world is struggling against dark forces.” “The fight against the murderous terrorism of extremist Islam requires unity, the beginning of which is the unequivocal condemnation of the murderers and those who support them,” he said in a statement.

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The roads that lead to Apapa, Wharf and Tin-can Island actually belong to the Federal Government and the link bridge has been under construction in the last six years. I appeal to the Federal government to make sure that the contractor comes back to site. — Gov. Ambode of Lagos State, during a tour of Apapa area of the state as part of efforts to find a lasting solution to the gridlock in the axis.

Saturday, June 27, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

A tribute to the Lord Jesus Christ (2)

he assignment for which Jesus came to establish himself on this earth is simply the taking away of our sins, that we may have everlasting life. In doing so, Jesus spoke about his Father and other issues such as the wages of sin, the need for righteousness, the joy of forgiveness of one another and the remembrance of constant prayer. The observance of these and many more admonitions, in addition to those laws of Moses are key to eternal life. Jesus took time to establish that this present life is not as significant as the one in Heaven and it is his prayer that after this forgiveness that he has brought, no one will miss Heaven. He reminded everyone about the Judgment Day. And before he paid the Supreme Price of death, He anointed the disciples to continue with the charge and proclaim the fact of his coming back. The hope of Jesus is to see every child of God on the right side on the Day of Judgment. He gave his life in the hope that we all follow his teachings, so that we may not miss each other in Heaven. That Jesus gave his life is understandable. What is in all of these may not even be the price that Jesus paid, but the fact that even after the death of Jesus, he made so much impact to maintain a total level of loyalty among his Apostles. When they were confronted to deny his teaching several years after his death, they refused to deny Jesus! They again paid the Supreme Price of agonizing death! How will one explain that Peter, after he was tormented by his tormentors to deny Jesus and his teachings or face death, opted to die? In his last words, he said to his tormentors, “I feel unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died?” Professor John Schmacher researched the lives and times of the Apostles and recounted the history of their martyrdom in a detailed work referenced by my father in the Lord, Professor Grant Jeffrey. And in addition to my complete work in this area, referenced from my book in print, titled ‘The Apostles in Loyalty: An Empirical Evidence of Jesus Commanding Capacity After Death,’ there appears nothing left to add about the extreme loyalty of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many of those Apostles wrote most, if not all, of the New Testament. They were confronted with death or life if they denied our Lord Jesus Christ. They opted to die like their master. Below is a summary of how they all ended. Mark wrote the New Testament book of Mark. He died in Alexander in Egypt.

CFR

If the price to pay for receiving Him is death, there are precedents. It will be glorious to die for Him. What is more important than the everlasting attraction of the Glory in life after death?

When he refused to deny Jesus, he was dragged by horses through the streets. He was only released after he was confirmed dead by his enemies! Peter wrote both First and Second Peter in the New Testament. He was crucified upside down on an X- shaped cross. In his last words, he told his tormentors, “I feel unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.” Barnabas wrote the epistle of Barnabas. He preached throughout Italy and Cyprus. Barnabas was stoned to death at Salonica. Andrew the brother of Peter was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After several soldiers whipped him, they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. According to his followers, when he was led to the cross, Andrew said, “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.” He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died. James the Just was the leader of the church of Jerusalem. He was thrown from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple – a drop exceeding one hundred feet, after he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he had survived the fall, his enemies beat him to death with a fuller’s club. This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation. James the Greater, son of Zebedee was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him

to lifetime ministry. As a strong leader of the Church, James was beheaded in Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched him in amazement as the Apostle defended his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at the trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to be beheaded as a Christian. The Apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish a church. Matthias the Apostle, who was chosen to replace the traitor, Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded. Jude was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Jesus Christ. Bartholomew, also called Nathaniel, preached about the life, times and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, where he was flayed to death with whips. Matthew wrote the book of Matthew in the New Testament, suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia and was killed with a sword. Luke wrote the Gospel according to Luke in the New Testament. He was hanged in Greece as a result of his preaching to the lost. Apostle Paul wrote so many books in the New Testament. He was tortured and then beheaded by Emperor Nero in AD 67. Paul was in long term imprisonment, which allowed him to write epistles to the church. These letters, which teach many founda-

tions of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament. In all, only Apostle John survived the persecution of the Disciples of Christ. The survival of John was miraculous, as he was first placed in a huge basin of boiling oil in the wave of the persecution in Rome. John was later sentenced to the Mines on the prison island of Patmos, where he wrote the prophetic book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. He became the Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey, where he later died of old age. Jesus came to deliver the message of life after death. He paid the ultimate price for doing so, which is agonising death! Those that worked with him continued the same message. They refused to deny him. They also paid the same price of agonising death for doing so. The interesting thing is the fact that the message is still here with us and has never departed. The only thing for us is to follow the message. Those who follow never deny and are happy to pay the price of doing so. It is left for us to conclude that the earth is nothing before Heaven, and that the ultimate is to end in Heaven. Heaven is so real! Otherwise, the Apostles would have opted for the earth while denying their master. The joy today is that we didn’t miss the message of Jesus about the glory of eternal life and joy everlasting. The Prophesies of the birth, life, time and resurrection of Christ have all come to pass from empirical evidence. It appears the only one left of the prophesies is the second coming of Jesus. The Bible is clear about this, that the time and day no one shall know, not even the angels in heaven. Since all the prophesies have come to pass, the last one about the second coming of Jesus is too sure to come to pass as well. If the price to pay for receiving Him is death, there are precedents. It will be glorious to die for Him. What is more important than the everlasting attraction of the Glory in life after death? Now you can enjoy the earth without paying the price of death, since Jesus and his apostles had died for our sins. What then could hold you back in receiving him? What a glorious day when he returns! What a conclusion of the entire prophesy! What a time to spend in Heaven where there is no sin! It will be the very first time we truly enjoy ourselves with the Creator and his son, a permanent memory we will all keep. I only hope you will be there. I pray we do not miss each other in our permanent glorious home. I will certainly look out for you.

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