Vol. 6 No. 01
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2016
NEWS
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National Mirror Online
TOP STORY
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NEWS
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Danjuma heads Corrupt Nigerians Presidency North East plan to eliminate denies hijab ban rehabilitation team Buhari –Fr. Mbaka
Buhari to Nigerians:
I’m aware of your hardship P. 6
Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (middle), carrying the Baby of the Year, during the presentation of gifts to the baby (pictured right) born 12:01am at the Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos, on Friday, January 01, 2016.
...as NLC says 2015 trying for Nigerians P. 6
Warns against fuel subsidy removal A’Court Rulings: Ikpeazu, Alhassan head to S’Court
Fu nk e P.2 1
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Sealxk T
Are you a sex addict?
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JANUARY 2, 2016
MEDVIEW AIRLINE NNPC CBN MTN NIGERIAN RE-INSURANCE AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY ADO-EKITI NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (NCC) SPDC KANO STATE GOVERNMENT FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT) AKWA IBOM STATE GOVERNMENT ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNMENT YOBE STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ZENITH BANK PLC GLO FED. COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), AKOKA EKITI STATE GOVERNMENT UNILEVER FIDEI POLYTECHNIC, GBOKO FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT. NESTLE GLOBAL FLEET GROUP BORNO STATE GOVERNMENT BENUE STATE GOVERNMENT BIBLE SOCIETY OF NIGERIA CHEVRON RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT INTEGRITY MULTI-MEDIA ACCESS ADVERTISING LTD. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & TRAINING AIRTEL NASARAWA STATE GOVERNMENT TRANSMISSION COMPANY OF NIGERIA MHIS OYO STATE GOVERNEMNT NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION & SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA) ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE SHAGHAI UNIVERSITY OF MKAR DMO - DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS) REDGECKO PR LIMITED ENERGY BANK, GHANA NEWSWATCH MAGAZINE THE PREMIER UNIVERSITY SAO-TOME
ACORN PETROLEUM OASIS INSURANCE TETFUND FED. MIN. OF TRADE & INVESTMENT KWARA STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION KOGI STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION FEDERAL UNIVERSITY, GASHUA YOBE STATE GOVERNMENT ABIA STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN NOVITAS KATSINA STATE GOVERNMENT ACCA NIGERIAN INSTIUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES NIGERIA SECURITY, PRINTING & MINTING PLC FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY MINNA GUARANTY TRUST T BANK (GTBank) DELTA STATE POLYTECHNIC NJC NIGER STATE GOVERNMENT GOMBE STATE GOVERNMENT EDO STATE GOVERNMENT. NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE FEDERAL CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (FCDA) MASBI INTERBIZ VENTURES NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULTURAL ORIENTATION (NICO) MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER FIBRE FACE COMMUNICATIONS FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AGF OFFICE PDP APC PRINT COMMUNICATIONS MAY-M GLOBAL MEDIA YAKPE VENTRUES INEC NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL NATIONAL JUDICIAL INSTITUTE OFFICE OF SGF NUC FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FEDERAL MIN. OF AGRICULTURE NIGERIA INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES
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FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AVIATION FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS NIGER DELTA UNIVERSITY ST. GREGORY COLLEGE, OBALENDE MEDICAL & DENTAL COUNCIL BENI HOTELS DON KING NIG LTP HEALTHY LIVING COMMUNICATION GRACE SCHOOLS, GBAGADA COMMUNICATION & MARKETING REASEARCH GROUP COMMPACT COMMUNICATION LTD COMM EXECUTIVES HOTEL LASUTH FIRST MARKETING SERVICE LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY LIBRARY AL-HIKMAT COLLEGE KENOLNIGLTD ALPHAK-AVIATION & ALLIED LTD BASMAK CARGO SERVICES LTD NATIONAL UNION OF LOTTERY SPLENDOUR HOTEL & SUITES ALLIED SOFT LTD VERITE MICROFINANCE BANK CENTRE FOR BLACK & AFRICAN ARTS CIVILIZATION FEDERAL FIRE SERVICE LABASH GLOBAL LIMITED INLAND CONTAINERS NIG. LTD DANSTARS INT. LTD LORD CHOSEN CHARISMATIC CHURCH ALL OUR ESTEEMED SUBSCRIBERS ZEE VIRTUAL MEDIA PERSPECTIVE INSIGHT COMMUNICATIONS STARCOMS MEDIA LTD. MAXI MEDIA MEDIA FUSE SOULSIGHT LTC ACCESS BANK PLC UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS FCMB BANK OF INDUSTRY (BOI) UNIVERSAL McCANN SO&U UBA LNG LIMITED MEDIA COM NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ADLOGIC MEDIA NICON INSURANCE NICON HOTELS ABUJA
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JANUARY 2, 2016
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Will Buhari break fuel scarcity jinx in 2016?
During the 30 months or so of the Nigerian Civil War, a rag tag Biafra Republic, under constant shelling from federal troops, blockades from world superpowers led by the US, the defunct Soviet Union, and Britain, managed to prospect, drill and refine oil to sustain its war efforts. In the Niger Delta, coterie of oil thieves burst crude oil pipelines, channelling the precious fluid to well hidden makeshift refineries where petroleum products like petrol, diesel and even kerosene are refined, then resold into the Nigerian market. These feats were and are still achieved under extreme circumstances. But in a converse scenario, Nigeria, largely at peace, with four ultra modern oil refineries that could well sustain local fuel consumption, is unable to satisfy its local demands. Instead, the country resorts to resource-guzzling importation. The recurrent fuel scarcity in the last seven months has shown that something fundamental has to change in the country’s handling of its fuel supply, writes NICK UWERU.
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here is a common lore about Peke, an outskirt roadside settlement in Ilorin. Long distance travelling motorists to the North along the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway who know it say that Peke is a no man’s land of a sort. Except for the single lane stretch of pothole ridden highway from Eiyenkorin to Jebba, then onward to the North of the country, there is little or no government presence like the police, a CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Starter
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‘Scarcity caused by fuel supply diversion’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
government dispensary or a school in the area. This is why it is home to all manners of illicit trades. In the last six months, Peke has been the hub of black market fuel sales. It is now customary to see long stretch of petrol tankers by the roadside offloading their contents originally meant for the regular filling stations in the township. The product find their way to the ‘curriers’ who sell fuel in small jerry cans of five litre, ten litres, 25 litres and so on, depending on what is demanded by the buyer. Before May, this year, road side shacks in the area were long since abandoned. But with the advent of fuel scarcity and now thriving fuel black markets across the country, the crudely erected edifices have all come alive with the bubbling trade in petrol. “Peke is where to make brisk business,” explained Valentine Thomas, a teacher based in Abuja but was in Ilorin for the holidays. He has been to Peke three times to refuel his car at N850 for five litres of petrol on each occasion. “The thriving fuel retail business in Peke while the filling stations remained shut in Ilorin township best explains just how acute fuel scarcity is in the country,” stated Thomas. Had many access to Achilleus Chud Uchegbu, a journalist and editor’s facebook wall some five days to Christmas, they would have be long forewarned of the crunch that awaits them in the Yuletides and into the New Year. Earlier last on 19, December, the journalist narrated his ordeal from Owerri to Lagos. “I drove from Owerri to Lagos. I bought petrol at Irete, Owerri at N140 per litre. At Ore, it was N130 per litre with questionable meter. At Ibafo, it was also N130/litre. These Says something of what awaits travellers during this Xmas period,” said Uchegbu. To say the least, the acute fuel scarcity not only ruined the Yuletide celebrations but also the crunch further heightened the spectre of a bleak new year. What with its ripple effect on commodity prices, costs of transportation, and utility services in the country, the acute pain and anguish in the public sphere can only be imagined. For instance, Nigeria’s statistical bureau, the NBS, estimates that inflation—a situation where more currencies are spent on fewer goods and services— has since risen by one or two notches. But of course, intermittent fuel scarcity is no longer strange in the country. But the fact that the situation lingers on with apparent ferocity despite efforts by federal government to tame it is what is worrisome, making some wonder if the country may not be jinxed on the matter. Successive governments have thrown several measures at the problem only for fuel scarcity to return almost at the point when the public believes it has seen the last of it.
Fuel curriers at work
Earlier in the week for instance, Ibe Kachikwu, minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, directed the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA to embark on renewed special supply intervention measures to ensure a country-wide availability of petroleum products ahead of the festive period. NNPC, in turn, ramped up additional supply of fuel through massive truck-out to guarantee product penetration to the nooks and crannies of the country. Since Sunday till the eve of Christmas, the supply went on. The Corporation stated that daily fuel truck out to locations such as Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Ibadan and Jos have been increased significantly to enhance free flow of products across the country. The NNPC stated that it is consolidating its strategic alliance with some major depot owners and oil marketers with strong regional logistics outlay in those areas to ensure maximum infiltration of products especially in the hinterland. The minister did not stop at that. He also ordered NNPC staff to filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the distribution system. In his words, Kachikwu said that there was need for effective monitoring of the supply because of incidence
of hoarding by fuel marketers. With fuel hike still on despite the effort can only be alarming and calls for a review of what has been assumed largely as the cause of the crunch. Of course, the authorities have made different explanations on the reasons why there are long queues in the filling stations. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, spokesman for the federal government insists that the scarcity was brought about by failure of the last administration to make subsidy provisions for the oil marketers. His response has made the public more incensed. Not a few recalled that All Progressives Congress, the ruling party, while it was in the opposition claimed that there was never any subsidy payment by the previous administration. They alleged at the time that fuel subsidy has always been a ruse for diverting government money to private pockets. Not a few also recollected Lai Mohammed’s comment last December promising that this year’s December would not witness any fuel scarcity or economic hardship. Then there is the recent call for the removal the said subsidy by a no less personality than Bola Tinubu, an APC national leader. For many, analysts, the seeming contradiction in the policy statements in the ruling party may well indicate that federal government may not have ready solution to the fuel scarcity problem in the long term. Most Nigerians are particularly be-
fuddled as to why the country ranked as the sixth largest oil producer in the world could suffer from the acute want of the refined products to power its economy. This is especially so when renegade groups have demonstrated capacities to drill and refine oil under extreme circumstances. During the 30 months or so of the Nigerian Civil War, a rag tag Biafra Republic under constant shelling from federal troops, blockades from world superpowers led by the US, the defunct Soviet Union, and Britain, managed to prospect, drill and refine oil to sustain its war efforts. In the far flung Niger Delta, coterie of oil thieves burst crude oil pipelines, channelling the precious fluid to well hidden makeshift refineries where petroleum products like petrol, diesel and even kerosene are refined then resold into the Nigerian market. These fits were done under extreme circumstances. Ben Bruce, a Senator from Bayelsa, believes that rather than government clampdown on illegal oil refineries in the creeks in Niger Delta, federal government could take another approach. “Government could license them for instance and make them operate under strict supervision,” he said. The argument may have its merit especially given that Nigeria, in peace time, with four ultra modern oil refineries that could well sustain local fuel consumption is unable to satisfy its local CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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‘Refineries must function at full capacity’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
demands. Instead, the country resorts to resource guzzling importation. The story of fuel scarcity in the last seven months has shown that something fundamental has to change in the country’s handling of its fuel supply. With four refineries and about 37 billion barrels crude oil reserves, Nigeria should ordinarily have nothing to do with petroleum products importation. But that has not been the case for many years as a result of some factors. First, the nation’s refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Warri, Delta State and Kaduna State have not always been in their perfect operational states. It was learnt that the plants have not always been maintained on record time, thus exposing them to frequent breakdowns. Second, the increased vandalism of both crude oil and petroleum products pipelines has not helped matters. Indeed, it has at various times crippled the supply of crude oil to the refineries for processing as well as seamless distribution of petroleum products to depots. Consequently, successive administrations of the nation had no short term option than to embark on massive importation of products, especially petrol to meet domestic demand which stands at about 40 million liters per day. The quest for massive importation culminated in increased subsidy burden on the Federal Government. For instance, between February and March, this year, government subsidy on petrol alone increased by over 65.2 per cent as a result of the rise in crude oil prices from $50 per barrel to over $60 per barrel during the period. A breakdown showed that government which incurred a subsidy bill of N487 million per day in February needed to pay N1.4 billion per day in March, 2015. This was mainly because its subsidy per litre had risen from N12.18 per litre to N35.22 per litre following the marginal surge in crude oil prices. The increase in crude oil prices meant that the Federal Government had to pay more for imported petrol since refiners who incur additional cost in the process of procuring and refining crude oil had to pass the high cost to buyers. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA that confirmed the situation in its template puts the landing cost, including cost and freight, traders margins, lightering expenses, Nigerian Port Authority, financing, jetty depot thru put charge and storage which was N83.69 in February at N106.73 per litre. The agency puts distributors’ margins, including retailers, transporters, dealers, bridging fund, marine transport average and admin
An illegal oil refinery
charge unchanged at N15.49 per litre. This amounted to a total cost of N122.22, showing an increase of N23.04 higher than the February, 2015 total cost. The PPPRA puts the depot price and subsidy at N77.66 and N35.22 per litre respectively. Investigations showed that the Federal Government subsidy burden was worsened by the devaluation of the Naira, meaning that marketers of petroleum products needed more local currency to import fuel. President Mohammadu Buhari, however, believes that next year would be better after the passage of the unprecedented N6 trillion 2016 budget. For many, this may be a hard sell. This is because the budget, as it were, is silent on any subsidy for petrol. As explained, fuel subsidy by government allows petrol marketers to sell fuel at affordable prices after government pays its landing and transport costs into and around the country. Perhaps envisaging this, NNPC, last week promised that price of petrol may be less than N87 per litre in the new year. According to the NNPC, the current pricing template for petrol, which was prepared by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, contains significant inefficiencies that should be reviewed. The corporation’s Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Mr. Bello Rabiu, told journalists in Abuja last
week Friday that going by the fall in the price of crude oil, it was important to consult relevant stakeholders in order to produce an adjusted template. Rabiu said consultation with stakeholders was to negotiate and reduce some of the costs associated with the importation of petrol, adding that the government had the target of reducing the amount charged for logistics and distribution margin on every litre of premium motor spirit consumed in Nigeria. The GGM was affirmative that the adjusted template would surely have a considerable reduction in the pump price of petrol when it is completed before the end of the first quarter of next year, stressing that when this is achieved, there would be no need for subsidy as the import price of PMS would have reduced considerably. Rabiu said, “We are engaging industry stakeholders to review the PPPRA template that actually drives the cost of importation. This is because the actual cost of PMS minus the retail price of the product is subsidy. So if the cost falls to N80 per litre today, then where will the need be for subsidy? If the cost is less than the current retail price of N87 then it means there is no subsidy. “So we are looking at the template to have it reviewed considering the realities on ground now in the sector. What if after the review we are able to take away about
N10 from this current template, which today puts the cost of petrol at N91.52 litre, then it means the cost may come down to around N82 per litre. “That is why we said there is no need for subsidy in the 2016 budget. We say this because we know that the price of crude oil will not go so high in the next 12 months because of the high level of saturation in the market. So as soon as it is appropriate, we will announce a new price for PMS.” Bello stated that the adjusted template would be used subsequently to modulate prices down or up on a periodic basis if required, adding that if oil prices continue to fall and inefficiencies are eliminated within the template, there will be surely negative subsidy. The negative subsidy, he said, shall be remitted to the Petroleum Support Fund in line with the current PPPRA guidelines. He said, “The savings under such a regime could be domiciled in the PSF as a buffer to und future subsidy (if any) that may arise during high oil price regime or invested by the industry in supply and distribution efficiency improvement projects such as decongestion of Apapa area, Single Point Monitoring in Port Harcourt and Warri, complimentary rail services, inland waterways, and so on,” he said. Can the country dare hope that this may be the last episode of fuel scarcity in the country? Only time can tell.
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NATIONAL NEWS
JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Buhari to Nigerians:
I’m aware of your hardship
... as ex-President Jonathan urges unity in New Year P resident Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, assured Nigerians that his residence in the presidential villa has not alienated him from the everyday ordeal of the common man on the street. He assured that his administration was determined to make things better in the shortest possible time. This statement came as his immediate predecessor, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan felicitated with Nigerians through a press release urging Nigerians not to lose hope but have faith that Nigerian will survive the current economic downturn. President Buhari made his speech as part of his New Year message. The President said he is aware that Nigerians had experienced a number of signif-
icant hardships over the past months. He, however, stated that these challenges were temporary as his administration was working hard to make things better for all Nigerians, irrespective of their socio-political backgrounds. “I am aware that Nigerians have experienced a number of significant hardships over the past months. ``Living in the State House has not alienated me from your daily sufferings. ``I am aware of the lengthy queues at fuel stations and of the difficulties businesses have faced in acquiring foreign exchange. ``These challenges are only temporary; we are working to make things better.’’
Buhari pledged to continue to do his utmost best to keep to every promise he made to Nigerians during the election campaign. He said that he would be totally committed to being that kind of leader. He promised to continue to initiate positive and enduring change for the betterment of the nation in spite of distractions in some quarters. ``When I presented myself to you as a presidential candidate and asked you to vote for me, I wanted to be a leader who keeps his promises. ``I wanted to be a leader who restores the people’s hope in those elected to serve them. ``I wanted to be a leader who initiates positive and enduring change. ``I am still totally committed to being that kind
of leader. ``Unforeseen circumstances and other distractions notwithstanding, I shall still do my utmost best to keep every promise I made to Nigerians during my election campaign,’’ he added. Buhari further stated that Nigerians would in due course begin to enjoy the fruits of his administration’s ongoing work. According to him, the effective and efficient implementation of the 2016 budget proposals will address many of the socio-economic issues that are of current concern to Nigerians. ``One area in which Nigerians, especially those in the northeast, have already begun to experience major change is in the war on terror.`` The President, therefore, commended the
Armed Forces for significantly curtailing the insurgency which had ravaged the northeast of Nigeria over the past few years. He, however, stated that there was still a lot of work to be done in the area of security. On corruption, the president said his administration’s ongoing crackdown on corruption would continue to be vigorously undertaken. He urged the courts to support these efforts and help in the recovery of stolen funds by speedily concluding trials and showing that impunity no longer had a place in the country. ``We must reduce our country’s reliance on oil. We must diversify our economy. And we must do all we can to promote job creation. ``Our challenges are many but our determination to succeed is strong and unshaken. ``So too is our confidence in God. I wish you all a very Happy New Year,’’ the President said. Meanwhile, former President Jonathan urges that Nigerians remain steadfast in the indivisibility of Ni-
geria as country believing that things can only get better for Nigerians. This was contained in his New Year wishes to Nigerians. “I would like to wish all Nigerians a Happy New Year. We are all brothers and sisters born from the womb of one Nigeria and as I have said previously, we would not be Nigerians if God did not will it. “Having found ourselves as Nigerians by the divine providence of God, let us celebrate our Nigerianness and make 2016 our turning point year in which we embrace each other and work as a team to advance the frontiers of Nigeria in every field of human endeavour. “In the 80s, our people sang and danced to the hit song ‘Nigeria go survive’. I am convinced that in 2016, Nigeria will not only survive, she will also thrive and help drive the peace, prosperity and unity of all her people. This is something we can all look forward to in the New Year and beyond,” the ex-president said.
Don’t tamper with fuel subsidy, NLC warns Buhari
•Says 2015 trying for Nigerians
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L-R: National Patron, Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) Iyom Josephine Anenih; Treasurer, Mrs. Ezinne Agbiogwu; Vice-President , North, Hajiya Hafsat Mohd-Baba;Vice-President, South, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor; President Muhammadu Buhari; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hajiya Khadijat Buka Ibrahim; WIPF President, Mrs Ebere Ifendu; Secreetary, Hajiya Fatima Saleh; CEO, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mrs Olufunke Baruwa during the visit of Women in Politics Forum to the presidential villa in Abuja, yesterday PHOTO: NAN
...president makes u-turn on hijab ban Rotimi Fadeyi
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eacting to outrage from Muslim communities over what was construed as a hint towards banning the wearing of hijab, peculiar among devout Muslims, President Mohammadu Buhari has denied ever making such plans.
While speaking on the maiden Presidential Media Chat on whether to ban the use of hijab as measure to
curtail suicide bombing in the North, the President had said: “the hijab would have to be banned if these bombings continue.” But reacting through Garba Shehu, special assistant on Media and Publicity in the Presidency after reactions to the statement, President Buhari denied making such insinuations. Giving clarification on the pronouncement of the President on his maiden Presidential Media Chat on Wednesday, the Shehu said the speculations are
unfounded, stressing that the Buhari administration would always respect the rights of Muslims to protect their modesty and allow religious freedom as it affects everyone. While admitting that the Hijab was being abused by terrorists to carry out suicide attacks on innocent people, which violates the teachings of Islam, Shehu said the President would not take any decision on the issue without due consultation with all the stakeholders. “Everything will be done
to balance national security requirements with the rights and obligations of citizens under their religions as protected by the constitution,” Shehu said in a statement issued yesterday. According to him, the increasing abuse of the Hijab by terrorists to perpetrate criminal mass murder and other atrocities is a reality, stressing that the government would address the security challenge in consultations with Muslim leaders with a view to finding a workable solution.
he Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has reviewed the year 2015 and described it as not only eventful, but challenging for workers, just as it outlined its expectations and fears in the New year, 2016. It made this pronouncement and also condemned government’s plan to withdraw subsidy on petroleum products as part of plans to deregulation the downstream sector of the oil industry. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said this in his New Year message to Nigerians, saying workers would resist the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu’s desire to increase fuel prices in the name of “price modulation”. Despite the minister’s recent statements, Mr. Wabba said the workers
would hold President Buhari to his words that “there is indeed no fuel subsidy to be removed”. Ayuba said that that 2015 was particularly a trying year economically as a result of falling crude oil price, compounded by massive corruption and maladministration by the Jonathan administration. Mr. Wabba said the situation was worsened at the state levels as state governors across political parties further incapacitated workers and Nigerians through reckless plundering of state resources. He said the situation was so bad that by May 29, 2015 handover date, most of the governors could neither perform the ceremonial handing over, nor pay workers’ salaries for between three to nine months.
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JANUARY 2, 2016
NATIONAL NEWS
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A’Court Rulings: Ikpeazu, Alhassan head to S’Court Nick Uweru
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overnor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Aisha Alhassan, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Taraba State, will proceed to the Supreme Court to protest Thursdays Appeal Court rulings in Owerri and Abuja, respectively which nullified their victory in the 2015 governorship polls. Ikpeazu, at the Election Petition Tribunal, had won the case instituted by Alex Otti, his opponent from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, while Alhassan had won at the Tribunal, too, sitting in Abuja. But with recent rulings by
the appellate courts, the duo of Alhassan and Ikpeazu have had their victories annulled. The counsel to Mrs. Alhassan, Mahmud Magaji, stated that the candidate from Taraba would be proceeding to the apex court to upturn the judgment. Magaji stated this while briefing journalists after the ruling in Abuja, Friday. Mr. Magaji said his client’s submission remained that Governor Darious Ishaku, the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, was not validly sponsored by his party, as required by Section 177 of the constitution. “It gives room for us to test the judgment so that we can expand the juris-
prudence of the electoral process,” Mr. Magaji said. “Their lordships have gone through our various speeches and have come up with their own ruling and we feel that we have the right to proceed to the Supreme Court.” Reacting to the comments by Mr. Magaji, the counsel to Mr. Ishaku, Kanu Agabi, said his client would not undermine the right of the APC and its candidate to seek further appeal. “The right of appeal is what brought us here and the right of appeal is still
what will take them to the Supreme Court, so I cannot underestimate the value of their appeal,” he said. A five-man panel of judges, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, had described as “unattainable” the decision of the Taraba state election tribunal which declared Mrs. Alhassan winner of the April governorship election in the state. Mr. Aboki, who noted that the APC had no right to question the candidature of Mr. Ishaku in the election, added that section 140 of the constitution only ex-
pect the tribunal to nullify the said election if the candidature of its winner was in doubt. He added that according to Section 140 of the constitution, the tribunal was wrong in declaring the person with the next highest vote winner of the election. Ikpeazu, yesterday, had also reacted to the court decision stating that though he is yet to receive the full details of the court ruling, he is optimistic that the apex court would upturn the judgement. He indicated that but for the holidays, his
legal team would have proceeded to court to challenge the appeal court ruling. The Appeal Court Otti, the winner of the Abia State Governorship election. The court in its ruling on Thursday ordered the swearing in of Mr Otti, as governor of Abia State and asked Mr Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate the office. Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared winner of the election held in April by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Buhari signs 2015 budget implementation extension into law
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resident Muhammadu Buhari, has signed an amendment to the 2015 budget act which authorised the executive to extend the implementation of the Capital vote component in the act beyond Dec. 31. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters ( Senate ), Senator Ita Enang, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday. Enang explained that his clarification became necessary in view of the fact that legislators, institutions and other concerned agencies had been contacting him to know the true status of the Act, which was forwarded to Buhari last week. “His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, has assented to the 2015 appropriation amendment Act passed by the National Assembly on December 22 , 2015, extending the 2015 financial year to March 31, 2016 in
respect of capital projects” ``The Act to amend the 2015 Supplementary Appropriation Act specifically authorised the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, N556.9bn meant for Capital Expenditure in the 2015 budget to enable the appropriate government agencies carry out massive infrastructural projects during the dry season,’’ the statement said. The Senate had on Dec 22, amended the 2015 Supplementary Appropriation Act to enable the Executive arm of government, to implement the N557 billion Capital expenditure component in the 2015 Budget up to March next year. The ammendment was perfected at plenary shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari, presented the 2016 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly.
Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos and The Diocesan, The Most Rev. Dr. Ephraim Adebola Ademowo(middle) and other parishioners during the First Service of the Year at the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, Lagos, yesterday.
There are plans to eliminate Buhari –Fr. Mbaka …. says Jonathan killed Nigeria
Emmanuel Ezeh
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harismatic Enugu priest, the Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, yesterday disclosed that there are plots by some corrupt Nigerians to eliminate President Muhammadu Buhari. It could be recalled that Mbaka in his 2015 New Year message entitled ‘From Goodluck to Badluck’, prophesied that former President Goodluck Jonathan would be booted out of office. Eventually, his message
of change, which received criticisms from some quartres came to pass. Speaking yesterday at his Adoration Ministry Enugu, Mbaka said there are desperate plans to assassinate Buhari in order to end the war against corruption. He, however, said the plans would fail. The cleric equally accused Jonathan of killing Nigeria after which he handed over the skeleton to Buhari’s government. His message reads in part: “No matter how malignant the problem is, God says He will be in charge;
fellow Nigerians, let us wait upon God; I have a new message; I’m blessing and covering the message we are giving now in the prophetic name of Jesus; Father speak now as your servant listens. “In 2013, there was a prophecy that there was going to be an oil doom after several years of oil boom, and when that message came out of this ground, many started calling me a prophet of doom. “How can there be oil doom in oil boom? And the oil price continued to climb, but the message said people
should start to gather as in the days of Joseph, that the people in government should continue to gather, let them stop squandering our wealth; but they never listened; throughout the six years we passed in the past administration, God blessed our oil with high prices, over N140 per barrel, but the message kept coming, don’t mind the oil boom, there is going to be oil doom, our politicians stop embezzling our wealth but they said the money will continue to come, our oil will continue to flow.”
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NATIONAL NEWS
JANUARY 2, 2016
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Rebuilding North East: Danjuma heads committee Nick Uweru
P
residentT Muhammadu Buhari says that a committee to rehabilitate infrastructure and resettle Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the North-East sub-region is soon to be formally inau-
...Dangote, too, part of effort
gurated. The committee, to be led by a frontline statesman, Lt.-Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) will also include Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, GCON. Speaking at the State House, Abuja in response
to a goodwill message delivered to him by a group, Women In Politics Forum (WIPF), President Buhari announced that all forms of assistance and aid in this respect generated locally and from foreign countries as promised by the Group of Seven of In-
dustrialized Countries,G7 will be channeled through the committee when it is inaugurated. He said that he had compiled a list of damaged infrastructure,including schools and bridges and handed it to the leaders of the G7 and the Unit-
L-R: Bishop of Tinubu, Rt. Revd. Oladapo Babalola; Prelate, His Eminence Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu-Uche; Bishop of Evangelism and Discipleship, Rt. Revd. Edoka Amuta and Presbyter, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Very Revd. Stephen Adegbite, at the New Year Service in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN
Don’t scrap amnesty programme —ex IYC president urges FG
...as ex-militants hail Semenitari’s appointment as NDDC MD Nick Uweru
D
r Chris Ekiyor, former President, Ijaw Youth Council, has appealed to the Federal Government not to scrap the amnesty programme in 2016. This call comes as ex-militants under the aegis of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitator, NCNDE-A, have described the newly appointed Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mrs Ibm Seminitari, as the region’s best hand, most qualified and trusted. Ekiyor, the former IYC leader told the media on
Thursday in Port Harcourt that the action could ``lure the ex-militants into temptation.’’ He urged the government to take a holistic view of what the programme had achieved since its inception and what could happen if it was scrapped. ``If the federal government says it has successfully implemented the amnesty programme, how has it impacted on the beneficiaries? ``Is it by the monthly stipends they receive? ``Out of the 30,000 exmilitants pencilled for training by the federal government, less than 15,000 have been trained;
is the government going to abandon the remaining 15,000? ``The initial design of the programme was to empower the beneficiaries and make them economically viable,`` he said. Ekiyor said that some of the beneficiaries, who were still undergoing training at home and abroad, would be abandoned in their various institutions if the government stops funding the programme. In a related development The National President of the group, Mr Israel Akpodoro, revealed this in a telephone chat with our correspondent over the weekend stressing that the Seminitari who was
a former Commissioner for Information in Rivers State has paid her dues professionally as a journalist and politician to the Nigerian State and therefore deserves her current appointment. According to Akpodoro, the NDDC needs someone like Seminitari who was the Publisher of the Business Eye Magazine to manage it noting that as a publisher and administrator she has seen it all and therefore has all it takes to bring the developmental vision of President Muhammadu Buhari, to bear on the Niger Delta region in her capacity as the manager of such federal government’s intervention agency.
ed States, adding that “I didn’t ask for a Kobo (in cash). It is up to them to choose what they will undertake. Already, some of them have sent teams to verify our assertions.” President Buhari decried the impact of the Boko Haram violence on women and children declaring that they are its worst victims. “In the North-East, what I saw for myself and on those clips is a source of concern for people with conscience. They are mostly women, and children who are orphaned. Some of them don’t even know where they come from. This is the pathetic situation in which the country has found itself.” He said that the fight for the return of the Chibok girls is ongoing and “continues to be a most worrying issue” to his government, emphasizing that the administration will do all within its powers in making the best efforts to secure their freedom. The President acknowledged the case made by the WIPF for better representation of women in his government and assured that women would fare well in the composition of parastatals and their boards in the first quarter of this year. He also defended the
records of the administration in response to criticism that it is slow, arguing that steps must taken with caution to avoid mistakes. “People say we are slow. We are trying to change structures put in place by our predecessors in office for 16 years. If we hurry it, we will make mistakes. That will be a disaster.” President Buhari assured that the country has a budget proposal for the new year that is good for employment and manufacturing. “By the end of the second quarter, the full impact of these positive measures will be felt,” he told the visiting women. The WIPF, made up of women leaders from 26 registered political parties led by Barrister Ebere Ifendu of the Labour Party expressed their full support for the government’s war on corruption and insecurity. They asked the administration to usher in laws to promote gender equity as well as action towards the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act. The Women’s group made the record of being the first organization to be received by the President in the New Year.
Ambode celebrates first baby Sekinah L awal
W
ife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, visited three general hospitals in the state, Friday, to celebrate the 2016 First Baby of the Year. At the Lagos Island Maternity, she congratulated the mother of the first baby of the year, Mrs. Oluwakemi Okunnowo, who was delivered of a baby boy at 12:01am, weighing 3.2kg. Ambode also visited
Epe General Hospital and Ibeju-Lekki General Hospital. She commended all the Medical Directors and health officers for their contribution to maternal and child health in the state. The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris assured all of the commitment of the Ambode-led administration to continue in the line of giving Lagosians the best in terms of quality healthcare
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JANUARY 2, 2016
We will not sack — Ogun govt
T
he Ogun State Government has promised not to reduce its staff strength in spite of the prevailing economic challenges confronting it and the country. The assurance was given by the Secretary to State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, who addressed journalists in his office on Tuesday. Mr. Adeoluwa said rather than lay off workers, the state government would increase its revenue base to augment the shortfall from the Federal Government Allocation. He said government has been able to meet up its financial obligations to workers largely due to its fiscal discipline and unshaken commitment to their welfare. “We have a Governor who believes that everything is about the people. Our Governor puts the welfare of the people at the forefront. There can’t be downsizing of the workforce,’’
the scribe said. Mr. Adeoluwa maintained that the outgoing year witnessed gross financial decline occasioned by huge reduction in federal allocation to the State because of the sharp drop in the price of crude oil globally. “We didn’t know that things would be worst in 2015. We began to see decline in our financial status so much so that States had to be bailed out by the Federal Government. The Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has been able to manage the State’s finances and weather the storm because he prioritizes payment of workers’ wages and salaries’’, he said. While projecting into the coming year, Mr. Adeoluwa said the Ibikunle Amosun – led Government would not disappoint the people who freely gave him their mandate for another term in 2015. He said “better days are ahead in the coming year’’.
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Lagos Assembly pardons impeached deputy governor T
he Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday annulled the 2007 impeachment of a former deputy governor of the state, Femi Pedro. The resolution followed the adoption of the recommendation of an eight-member Ad Hoc Committee constituted on July 2, to review the circumstances that led to Pedro’s impeachment. Mr. Pedro, who was deputy to former Gov. Bola Tinubu, was impeached for gross misconduct on May 10, 2007, days to the end of the administration. He had urged the House to revisit his impeachment in a letter sent to the 8th Assembly on compassionate grounds. The House, after considering the ad-hoc committee report on Thursday, passed a vote of confidence on Mr. Pedro, saying the allegations leading to his impeachment were
not connected to criminal charges. The committee, headed by the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, in its report had said: “In line with Rule 51 (6) of the Business Rules and Standing Orders of the Lagos State House of Assembly, the committee recommends that this House should, by a substantive motion, review the impeachment passed on Otunba Femi Pedro on Thursday May 10, 2007 by the 5th Assembly. “Pardon him and pass a vote of confidence on him as a fit and proper person that can be entrusted with political and administrative responsibilities.’’ Discussing the report at plenary, Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman, House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, urged the Assembly to reverse the impeachment of the ex-deputy governor for him to live a normal life.
Mr. Olowo said that Mr. Pedro shown remorse and needed to be forgiven. “To err is human, to forgive is divine. Pedro has shown much remorse and obedience; let’s pardon him to have his sanity back. “Pedro has passed through much psychological trauma,’’ he said. Mr. Olowo said the purpose of the impeachment then was not based on fraud or criminal tendencies. Contributing, Segun Olulade, Chairman, House Committee on Health, commended the ad-hoc committee for its recommendations. Mr. Olulade also commended Mr. Pedro for withdrawing court cases challenging his removal, to allow the Assembly wade into the matter. According to the lawmaker, Mr. Pedro should be forgiven and allowed to contribute to the society. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho
(APC- Mushin I) said: “I am in agreement with the report of the committee; all the allegations against Pedro were not criminal. “The former deputy governor has displayed a lot of maturity and honourable behaviour. His name has to be cleared. He is a man of integrity and we should clear him of the allegations.’’ The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 36 members of the House were in support of the pardon while only one lawmaker voted against it and another abstained. The Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, said that the House decided to pardon Mr. Pedro because he had shown remorse. Mr. Obasa said since Mr. Pedro was not convicted of any crime by any court of law, the Assembly had decided to pardon him and undo the impeachment served on him in 2007. (NAN)
…promises workers free phone calls in 2016
T
he Ogun Government has concluded arrangements to connect civil servants to Free Voice Over Internet Protocol to enhance productivity and hitch-free communication in the discharge of their official duties. The government is also set to establish a data centre across the three senatorial districts in the state to give room for rural participation in governance. The Director of Information Technology in the Bureau of Information Technology, Olatundun Adekunte, made this known while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta. She explained that the device would be put in place at the Oke-Mosan Government Secretariat in the state capital to allow civil servants access free calls during official working hours.
Adekunte also said that arrangements were being made to procure mobile phones and other accessories for the workers. “There is an existing network for communication, though restricted to few individuals. However, come 2016, all civil servants in the state will be connected to the network. “This is aimed at making communication amongst the workers more effective and thus increase their productivity,’’ the director said. Adekunte said the data centre, when established, would give room for rural participation in governance. “This development will allow the rural dwellers have access to internet and online media to ensure their active participation in governance through a highly effective feedback mechanism,’’ she added. (NAN)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right), Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (right) and Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Senator Olamilekan Solomon (3rd right), acknowledging cheers from fun lovers and residents of Epe, during the One Lagos Fiesta, at the Epe Recreation Centre, Epe, Lagos, on Tuesday, December 30, 2015.
…passes appropriation bill T he Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the N662. 588 billion budget for the 2016 fiscal year in the state. The approval by the lawmakers followed the adoption of the recommendations of the House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning during the plenary session. Rotimi Abiru, the Chief Whip, moved the motion for adoption, while the Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Dayo Saka-Fafunmi, seconded it. The House approved the sum of N275. 655 billion from Consolidated Revenue for recurrent expenditure, as against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s
proposed estimate of N278. 90 billion. It also approved the sum of N386. 933 billion from Development Revenue for capital expenditure, as against N383.67 billion proposed by the governor. The approval showed a reduction of N3.3 billion in the governor’s proposed recurrent expenditure and an increase of the same amount in the capital expenditure. In his comment, Mr. Saka-Fafunmi commended the committee for its scrutiny of the budget. The lawmaker cautioned against spending of money that the state did not have or approve. Setonji David, Chairman, House Committee on Physical Planning and
Urban Development, also commended the committee, but said he expected more funds would be allocated to infrastructure development, for more road construction in the state. The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, who read the breakdown of the budget, directed the Clerk of the House, Ganiyu Abiru to communicate the approval to the governor. Mr. Obasa, who assured residents of improved welfare in the new year, commended members of committee for their efforts. “Residents should look forward to positive developments and positive changes,” he said. Mr. Ambode had, on Dec. 17, presented the budget estimate to the Assembly
for approval. Meanwhile, the House also passed a bill for a law to amend the Lagos State University (LASU) Law, 2004 after a debate. The House approved a tenure of five years for the Vice-Chancellor and other Principal Officers of the university, such as Deputy Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar and the Librarian. The House also passed a bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and for a Board to manage the fund. The speaker directed the clerk to send copies of the bills to the governor for his assent. The House, thereafter, went on a five-week recess, to resume plenary on Feb. 4, 2016. (NAN)
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Bello presents N74.7bn budget to assembly
G
ov. Abubakar Bello of Niger on Thursday, presented the 2016 Appropriation Bill of N74.74 billion to the state House of Assembly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the recurrent expenditure stood at N39. 5 billion representing 52.85 per cent while capital expenditure was N35.2 billion indicating 47.15 per cent. Bello said that the budget would cater for the most pressing needs of the population through the creation of jobs. “ We budgeted to spend N4.29 billion on Education, N3.59 billion on infrastructural development, N2.61 billion on health, N2.53 billion on agriculture and rural development and N2.38 billion on water resources,” he said. Bello said that the budget would be financed through statutory allocation, Value-Added Tax (VAT), Internally Generated Revenue and capital receipts. He called on the assembly members to support the administration’s efforts to improve the living standard of the citizens with its policies and programmes. Responding, the Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, said that the members would support the government in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people. He said that the assembly would carry out oversight functions on all government institutions and parastatal agencies in order to ensure full implementation of the budget in 2016.
NORTH
JANUARY 2, 2016
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Katsina govt set to revive moribund industries
T
he Katsina State Government has set up machinery to strengthen Public Private Partnership (PPP) to revive state-owned moribund industries. Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, the state Commissioner of Commerce and Industries, disclosed this to newsmen during the week in Katsina. He said that the mea-
sure was aimed at improving internally generated revenue for the state and reduce overdependence on federal allocation. Yusuf said that the revival of the moribund companies would also provide employment for the teeming youth in the state. The commissioner said that the state govern-
ment had entered into an agreement with private investors for the revival of Kankia Metal Works; Funtua burnt bricks and Daura tannery. Yusuf disclosed that the burnt bricks were expected to provide job opportunities to about 300 casual workers on daily basis. He called on wealthy individuals to set up in-
Gombe Police Command lost 33 officers in 2015
dustries in the state so as to complement government efforts in reducing unemployment among the youths in the state. The commissioner assured that the state government would provide conducive environment as well as provide assistance to people willing to establish companies and industries in the state. (NAN)
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, addressing members of the civilian JTF after donating N20 million cash to them in the state capital, recently.
Bauchi govt. to create films, videos censorship board G
ov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State has directed the State Ministry for Culture and Tourism to set up a films and videos censorship board. Abubakar gave the directive in Bauchi when members of the Hausa Musicians Association of Nigeria led by its Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Ningi, paid him a visit. Abubakar said the
board would coordinates the activities of artists, especially the films and videos being circulated in the state. He also directed the ministry to officially register the association to enable it carry out its functions. Abubakar traced the roles played by musicians during political struggles during independence period.
He assured the association of the government’s assistance to give musicians sense of belonging considering their roles in educating and entertaining members of the society. Abubakar, who donated Honda 2004/2005 model to the chairman, urged the association to submit their demands in writing to the state government for consideration. He said he had directed
his wife to attend the three days World Musicians Day organised by the association holding in Bauchi. Alhaji Haruna Ningi, Chairman of the association, had told the governor that Hausa musicians had to form the association due lack of coordinating body. Ningi said the association was yet to be registered and called on the governor to facilitate its registration.(NAN)
N
o fewer than 33 police officers serving with the Gombe State Police Command lost their lives in 2015 in the course of performing their duties. The Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr Austin Iwar, disclosed this in Gombe on Thursday during his meeting with the officers of the command. It was part of the command’s activities to mark the remembrance of its falling heroes. “The officers died while fighting insurgency or while providing protective services to the citizenry. “They remain foremost in our minds because so many of us knew them and worked with them; they are part of a long legacy of bravery. “But no matter how they died, they died having bravely answered the call of duty. “On the days they paraded for duty, they answered yes to every assignment no matter the danger. “It has been said that all great things are simple and most can be expressed in a single word. Iwar said the officers they were remembering embodied the true meaning of what it meant to be a police officer.
Dutse Federal University holds 1st convocation Jan.16
T
he Federal University, Dutse in Jigawa, says it would hold its maiden convocation on Jan. 16, 2016. This is contained in a press statement signed by the Registrar of the institution, Alhaji Yusuf Adamu, on
Thursday in Dutse. The statement explained that 71 graduands from two faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, and Sciences would participate in the convocation. It added that the Aku Uka of Wu-
kari, Dr Shekarau Angyu, would be officially installed as the Chancellor of the university during the convocation at the permanent site. It said that deserved eminent personalities across the country would be awarded of honorary degrees.
According to the statement, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Jibrilla Amin would hold a pre-convocation media briefing. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that that the first set of students were admitted in 2012.
JANUARY 2, 2016
POLITICS
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2015: Dramatic year for PDP Lekan Adejuwon
T
he year just ended has been a dramatic turning point in the fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, not on account of its unquestionable winning ways in the past, but for a number of reversals it had suffered since March 28, 2015, when the former ruling party lost to the All Progressives Congress APC. The shocking electoral defeat of the party in the eyes of many observers has also put a lie to the prediction made by a former national chairman of the party, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, who predicted some years ago that the PDP would rule Nigeria for 60 years. But more shocking was that immediately PDP lost to the former opposition party, many of the party’s faithful were leaving the party in droves having being in the corridors of power in the past 16 unbroken years. Barely two months ago the party lost Kogi State to the APC during the controversial Kogi State governorship election held on November 21 and going by the various courts ruling decided against the party, observers say the PDP may as well prepare for more crushing defeat in the weeks ahead. Again, one of the principal officers of the party and a critical stakeholder in the running of the affairs of the party was last week, sacked by the court. It was to the shock of many watchers of political events in the polity, when Ahmed Gulak, Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan last October, dragged the party and Chief Uche Secondus to court over the emergence of the latter as the interim chairman of the party. But a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, recently sacked Secondus as the acting chairman of PDP. The court presided over by Justice Hussein Baba, had ordered Secondus to vacate the chairmanship seat of the party within 14 days. Justice Baba held that Secondus assumed the headship of party through an illegitimate process, agreeing with the plaintiff that the position of the acting national chairman of the PDP was originally zoned to the NorthEast geo-political zone of the country and therefore, cannot be occupied by Secondus. The court thus directed Secondus to within two weeks hand over the leadership of the party to the plaintiff or any other member from the North East who is worthy to pilot the affairs of the party in an acting capacity. The court in sacking Secondus, contended that by the provision of the PDP constitution and its zoning principle, Gulak was the proper person to replace the last chairman of the party, Adamu Muazu. Who hailed from the North East geo=political zone. The embattled PDP in a swift reaction,
Secondus
however, vowed to appeal the judgement as well as file for a stay of execution. In a statement by the party’s legal adviser, Mr Paul Isaiah said; ‘We are going to appeal this judgement ‘Apart from the appeal, we are going to file a stay of execution of the judgement because the National Convention of the party is in March next year” The position of PDP National chairman since its inception in 1998 had been a hot seat for the occupants many of whom have been consumed by contending high wire power play of the party apparatchiks But somehow, the umbrella party has been able to curtail the implosion using the incumbency factor and lack of serious opposition. It is on record that PDP has turned out the largest number of party chairmen as a result of the proverbial ‘banana peel’ which became the Achilles’s heel of the likes of Sunday Awoniyi, Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade, Audu Ogbeh,Vincent Ogbulafor, Bamangar Tukur, Adamu Muazu and lately, Uche Secondus. Many believed that the current crisis in the PDP began immediately after the crushing defeat of the party during the 2015 general elections. This is because, hardly had the party suffered its major electoral defeat when some members of the party started trading blames accusing the National Working Council NWC of the PDP for the defeat thereby calling for the resignation of the then national chairman, Muazu. The embattled former Bauchi State governor put up some initial resistance saying he would not quit until the expiration of his tenure in March next year, but when the heat became tougher for him, Muazu quit the position unceremoniously.
With Muazu’s exit, the mantle of leadership eventually fell on his deputy and Rivers State-born Secondus whose assumption of office in acting capacity was in furtherance of Chapter V1 45 (2) of the party’s constitution which states clearly that; “In the case of the resignation of national chairman, he shall hand over to the deputy national chairman who shall without prejudice to Section 45(6) of this constitution act as the national chairman pending the election of a replacement” However, one issue of contention which some have described as the staying power of the PDP is the zoning formula, but unfortunately, the principle appears to be tearing the party apart. For instance, the party NWC has zoned the chairmanship of the party to the North East, a privilege enjoyed by both Tukur and Muazu. However, 6 months after assuming office, Secondus, whose zone does not qualify to hold the position, decided to stay put perhaps in deference to a section of the same constitution (Section 45(6) which says; “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the executive committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officers that resigned originated from pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy” Catching on this premise, Gulak and a group of other aggrieved PDP members would not fold their hands to a breach in the party’s constitution and therefore decided to fight back. Gulak thus approached the NWC notifying it of the party’s disobedience to the PDP ‘s constitution, but it was the blatant refusal of the NWC to address Gulak’s request that made him to head for the court. The court had last week, ruled in his
favour when it sacked Secondus as the party’s acting chairman. But Secondus has since filed a notice of appeal through his counsel, Emeka Etiaba, who also represents the party. In the suit, Secondus urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgement of the lower court and strike out the suit since according to him, the subject matter of the suit relates to matters that border on the internal affairs of a political party for which a court of law lacks jurisdiction. But in his defence, Gulak maintained that he took PDP to court so that the branding efforts by the leadership of the party ahead of the 2019 election would not be in vain particularly if its NWC was not properly constituted. He insisted that lack of internal democracy and impunity within the party were responsible for the party’s failure in the last general elections. “I am from the North East. Having exhausted all internal mechanisms to ensure that the constitution al provisions are adhered to and complied with and having also neglected, failed ad refused to comply with the provision of the constitution, I decided to file an action in court “This is challenging the continued existence of NWC without being properly constituted “That is my case in court and it is on behalf of me and the entire North East” Gulak said. Gulak further lampooned the PDP for ‘neglecting the North East’ from the scheme of things, an allegation that many say, may polarized the party even more. His words: ‘We as a zone, will not accept that we are not part of the PDP, we as a zone cannot be ignored by Secondus and his members ‘We as a zone like all other zones, must be part of mechanism and operations of the PDP. The North East zone, after the elections has two PDP satate, the South West has two two PDP states; the South-South all PDP; the South-East all PDP except Imo State; North West has no PDP and it is part and parcel of PDP because it has the National Treasurer and National Organising Secretary. The entire Nort East has nobody in the NWC and as such the constitution does not envisage that. We should not be shortchanged”. He warned. Gulak may as well be speaking for himself even as the PDP’s only reaction was to ignore the series of allegations but maintained that the party cannot be pushed around. According to National Secretary of the party, Prof Wale Oladipo, it would be wrong to stampede Secondus out of office “There is no time limit for such a situation as this. So, there is no vacancy for anybody to come and occupy until the NEC decides on what to do” Meanwhile, concerns have been raised at the deafening silence from the prominent elders and founding fathers of the acclaimed Africa’s largest party if only to douse the tension within the warring factions. Nevertheless, some have argued that the PDP, like the proverbial cat with nine lives, has the wizardry to always settle its internal crisis in a ‘family way’ and that the current crisis will also pass away.
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APC is 60 percent PDP -Ogunlewe Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe is a former Minister of Works and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State. The politician, in this interview with journalists, speaks on President Muhammadu Buhari’s pedigree, the 16 years of PDP and other national issues. LEKAN ADEJUWON brings the excerpts:
B
efore the general elections, some Nigerians were of the impression that APC has something better to offer Nigeria which may have informed the massive votes for President Mohammadu Buhari in 2015. But seven months in the saddle Nigerians are becoming impatient? Buhari just came at the right time, not because he has a very good programm, to my knowledge, but his character his pedigree, work for him, likewise his place of origin worked for him. The Northerners believe it was part of their turn, that Goodluck Jonathan was spending and he had already spent six years out of it, why can’t the presidency return to them?. I was privileged to be part of a meeting in 2011, where the Northerners were complaining that they were finding it difficult to campaign for Jonathan in the North, so, it was not strictly the policy or program of Buhari that worked for him, probably it was his place of origin, his integrity, and his pedigree that worked for him than his programmes. Since your party lost the presidential election, you have been losing members to the ruling party APC. Though, there are moves to reposition PDP for better performance, but with the recent ruling of the court sacking your acting National Chairman, Uche Secondus, is that not a set back for your party? Secondus was acting, and the party constitution does not allow him to be in that acting capacity for more than three months, and the post of National Chairman has been zoned to North East, why should he then stay put in office longer than the period the constitution allows, and has not even called the National Executive Council (NEC)meeting, the highest ruling body of the party, not the National Working Committee (NWC), so ab initio he was wronged to have over stayed in office, I believe what he should do is to allow the North East that has about 22 people jostling for the post, he should have allowed one of them. Among those jostling for the post is a sitting governor Dankwabo, he can invite them and let them produce a candidate
Ogunlewe
among them to be chairman, who will now prepare us for the national convention. .The ruling party lay claim to the fact that the 16 years of PDP in government was a waste, and that the party has taken Nigeria backward, I know you will disagree with their position, but what are those significant things your party achieved while in office? How can you say a government of 16 years that included almost 60 percent of members of your party leadership was a waste?, that is exaggeration, and we should not dwell on that, who are members of PDP at that time when they say the party rule of 16 years was a waste that are not members of APC now, who are they now alleging? Are they not their members, let them state what they want to do. They are not starting from zero level. There was no GSM 16 years ago, what was the price of litre of petrol 16 years ago, what was the exchange rate dollar to a naira 16 years ago? what is the exchange rate now?. What was the level of our education? How many universities did we have now? How many educational institutions did we have? How many hospitals do we have? You see, there are so many indices that they can now work on. What was the student population? How many of them get to university level? How many are graduates now? They should go and check the statistics, it is not going to be zero, all these things they do, it gives them challenge to work harder, they should now work harder. How many stadia do we have? How many newspaper houses do we have in 1999? How many do we have now? All parameter they can use in Nigeria. It can never be zero, as if we have not done anything since 1999, it is just political, and it doesn’t pay them to be saying that,
because 60 percent of their members were PDP members before. You have be minister for Works in this country, but this new government decided to merge ministry of Works, Power and Housing together, some are of the view that it is odd for one man to preside over man those three key ministries, but as a former Works minister, what is your assessment? There is no problem at all as far as I am concerned, the engine room of every ministry is the structure of the ministry, the bureaucrats are there, the technocrats are there, the civil servants are there, they have all the documentation, it is just for them to advice you, once you are able to harness the advice properly, formulate policy for implementation, you don’t have any problem. What about Mr President, What about the state governor? The governor is the commissioner for all the ministries. The president is the minister of all the ministries, so how does it work? Even if there is going to be minister for all the ministries, the structure is there, you are not going to do any of the ground work, policies are there, options are there, honestly there is absolutely nothing new that you can add now that has not been examined before, it is only for you to take the appropriate quality decisions on behalf of your party, after all, these policy options which one does your party agree with that is what you implement that is all, he is not going to do anything extra ordinary there that is not already in the ministry, What is there is for you to pick the one that suits the policy of your party. It was alleged that most roads you ought to have fixed when you were minister were left undone especially
all the federal roads in the South West, for example, you are expected to fix the Ikorodu-Shagamu road, which is an alternative to Lagos Ibadan express road? It is a contentious issue. The impression of everybody in Nigeria is that they constructed Lagos Ibadan express road as alternative to Ikorodu /Sagamu road, that the federal government will not be able to spend money on the two at the same time, so what do you do, and it is a federation, as you are working on Lagos /Ibadan road, they want you to work on Maiduguri/Sokoto road, they want you to work on Aba/Onitsa/Owerri road, to work on road for each zone, and as a minister, you don’t have capacity to defend your zone alone, because the appropriation lies with the National Assembly, and it is what the National Assembly approve for you that you will spend. No National Assembly will agree that, because you come from a zone, all the roads in your zone must be executed, it is not possible, they will share the money into six zones, and each zone will face the road that is its priority. Our priority in South West at that time was Lagos/Ibadan express road. Again, during your tenure, toll gates were removed, but the new minister has declared the re-introduction of toll gates, is that not policy somersault? No, no, no it wasn’t, we had a problem at that time I was minister for Works, the toll gates that were existing, we didn’t have a corresponding agency that could negotiate outside government, all the money collected at the toll gates were going into federation account, so the money was not available for road maintenance, and that was why we created Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). It is now there to go into partnership with any private sector to maintain the road, build the road and collect toll. So, the toll will not be collected by government. It will be collected in a partnership, so, it won’t go into federation account, but if you say the federal government is going to collect the money, then it will go into the federation account. So, they must maintain partnership with the private sector, which now collecting the money and maintain the roads or build additional roads. Dr Olisa Agbakoba recently said Buhari is working hard to make the country better but all his efforts are being frustrated by the elites who doesn’t want to embrace his change mantra, do you agree with his position? But that is why Nigerians voted for him, they believe he has the audacity to confront anybody, he should not be afraid, he should defend his mandate, people did not vote for him so that he will disappoint the majority of the voters, he got over 15 million votes, he must defend the spirit of that mandate, and he is an old person, whatever they want to do, let them do it. You know it is when you are after them (the elite) that, they will now fight back, leave them. They have done their own, he should do his own with the money available and people will commend him, but if he struggles with the elite, he won’t be able to satisfy the masses, he should be the defender of the masses, God will crown his effort against the elite. The elite are very difficult to manage.
JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
TALKING POLITICS
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‘Arms purchase under ‘Investigating Jonathan has Jonathan, open to corruption’ complex undertones’ — President Mohammadu Buhari
— Festus Keyamo
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he process of procurement of arms under the immediate past administration was open to corruption and shady deals. ‘They just put foreign exchange in a briefcase and travelled to procure equipment for the military. “That is why we have found ourselves in the crisis we are now facing.”
‘Don’t single out Jonathan for probe’ — Annkio Briggs
“I
read it in the papers and according to what was reported, they called him a nickname and they concluded that, that nickname is Jonathan. “Let us be careful, did they call Jonathan to the UK court? Somebody called his name there, did they call him to come and testify? Was (former president Olusegun Obasanjo)’s name mentioned in America? “Someone is in jail now over payments in the Halliburton scandal. Was Obasanjo’s name not called?Was another party leaders’ name not called? What has happened to them? We should now accept that because his name was called, he is guilty? “So, if he is guilty, where is his own punishment? “Or is it because Jonathan is from the South-South, so we have to accept everything about him? I think that we should stop deceiving ourselves, in terms of how Nigeria is governed’ “We should stop deceiving ourselves that we are fighting corruption. We believe that we can live together, we should ask ourselves,
“T
he issue of investigating and prosecuting Jonathan is a complex one, it is not a straight forward issue. “On the face of it, since all of these peple who are indicted one way, or the other, were working directly with the then President Jonathan and they all took instructions from him, legally speaking, or like we say, ordinarily, he should be invited, questioned and if possible, prosecuted. “But it is not as straightforward as that. The reason why I say so is that in
Jonathan’s case, there appears to be some kind of international understanding that he should not be ridiculed. The reason being that most African leaders in the past (I say most, because not all of them) some of them have successfully handed over in the past when they lost elections. “But most of them have developed the habit of clinging to power even when they lose elections. “Most African leaders manipulate elections to sustain themselves. They do this not only because of any peculiar reason, they do this because of the fear of life after power. “Therefore, the world and Africa have always encouraged presidents, who have lost elections to to hand over peacefully and in return, there is some kind of behind-the-scene international understanding that such African leaders should be given their pride of place in history to encourage others to toe the same line with honour when they lose elections. “In Jonathan’s case therefore, any attempt to humiliate him publicly will discourage other African leaders who lose election to hand over powers because they will easily refer to his case.”
‘Former president should be held responsible’ —Dr Junaid Mohammed
“I
t is a major international scandal, national disgrace and embarrassment” “Given the fact that Jonathan was the one in charge, whether effectively or
how can we live together? ‘That is the question we should ask ourselves. This country does not belong to only one people. So, I don’t have to accept every injustice that is meted out just because I am in Nigeria or just because I am in the Niger Delta. “I think people should be fair in everything that is being done in this country.”
not is beside the point, if he is found to have been complicit in the bastardising of our national treasury, he should be called in to answer questions whether the EFCC goes to him or he is physically called in to the agency’s office. “The fact that the office was bastardised by by this Dasuki fellow and other people to be awarding contracts and financing the campaign systems of the Peoples Democratic Party shows that there was something fundamentally amiss and we now have to dig to the very bottom and we cannot get to the bottom without questioning Jonathan” “Jonathan as the Chief Executive Officer of the country at the time should be held responsible for the alleged atrocities that went on in his government.”
‘Jonathan cannot escape culpability’
‘Gulak should get over bitterness of sack’
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“W
—Ahmed Gulak, Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan onathan as the number one citizen of the country must account for the actions of officers he appointed, whether he is aware or not of their actions. “The ex-president should be liable for the looting of arms purchase fund because the buck stops at his table. “Jonathan was misled, cajoled and messed up and kept in complete darkness by a cabal in his government. “The former President cannot escape culpability for over the $2.1 billion arms deal found.”
— PDP’s governors in reaction to Gulak’s statement on arms deal
e hope that the statement credited to Mr Gulak is untrue, that he was misquoted, but if it is actually what he said, then, it is regrettable” “This is a man that pretended that he was ready to die if Jonathan did not contest the 2015 presidential election having nothing to contribute on the attack by the APC on the former president and PDP’. “One would have expected that Gulak would call for an inclusive, investigation of the purported arms deal rather than
this mercenary statement by him’ ‘Come to think of it, Gulak is yet to shake off the bitterness of his sack by President Jonathan in 2014 given his overreaching himself as he is doing now’ ‘Gulak was a loose cannon during his time in office, a situation which led to the estrangement of most governors including the five governors that eventually decamped from the PDP to the APC” “Gulak is free to leave the PDP for APC given his opportunistic inclinations rather than causing disaffection within the PDP”
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
JANUARY 2, 2016
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Traders mourn dullest festive season ever
Traders lament that they were turned to mere hapless observers or mirthless bench warmers during the festive season, as they watched cash-strapped customers flood their shops only for window shopping. Instead of patronising them, customers generally fed their eyes and appreciated the goods, making the sellers to sadly go home empty handed, reports JULIET UMEH
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o time of the year is activity-filled as the Christmas period in the home of the Chief Christopher Oluranti, a retired engineer. As the end of the year approaches, precisely as from the beginning of December, the tail month of the calendar, everybody in the peaceful middle-class family looks forward to Christmas. Their mother, Bisi, 68-yearold retired nurse’s discussion mainly revolves around “how do we decorate our home, whom are we presenting gifts this Christmas, when are other children arriving from UK and the states, what is our budget for Christmas, what should we buy and where do we buy them?” Christopher, the father of the house and bread winner, is also a lover of Christmas
because the time gives him the chance to be ‘kind’ to everybody, to show love like Jesus Christ and to joyfully celebrate with others in the family and in the environment. Says Christopher, “The period makes me reflect more on the splendid story of Jesus and his unrivalled significance as the saviour of the world. Christmas, of course is the greatest and the most popular Christian festivity.” But Christopher’s thoughts about Christmas may be too too traditional. These days, many think of other benefits Christmas can fetch them apart from the birth of Christ. No doubt, Christmas is a festive occasion with a basis in the Holy Bible. But it has almost lost its religious significance to
commerce. In many nations of the world such as United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany, China, France, Japan, Christmas strongly determines the destiny of national economies because it boosts international trade and export of items like plastic trees, tinsel, twinkling light and other Yuletide trinkets. Even some parts of the Moslem world are Christmas-friendly. Apart from countries like Brunei, which banned Christmas festivities, many hotels and departmental stores in many largely Muslim cities of the world were well-clad with Christmas lights and decorations this past Yuletide. Some even had events where Father Christmas was a key figure, especially shows for children. Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, like other cities of its type, gains from the wealth of Christmas, even though it doesn’t boast manufactured Christmas goods industries. But as early as the first week of December, most streets were flooded with imported Christmas decorations and goods, many shops got stocked with manufactured goods such as electronics, textile and drinks. Popular traditional markets such as Ebute Ero, Oke Arin, Mosafejo, Oshodi; Mile 12 and Idumota on Lagos Island recorded
a deluge of patrons. The departmental stores and shopping malls at Ikeja, Victoria Island, Victoria Garden, Lagos Island displayed beautiful Christmas decorations on store fronts. Some had season’s sales that attracted discounts and slashes in prices. But that was as far as the fun went, according to traders. Many traders are in currently in a foul mood, complaining like colicky babies, that sales are low, business bad and net profit poor. Many, as a result, have become victims of painful disappointments, discomforting headaches and crashed dreams, making most traders to now wear sad faces and miserable looks. Onyedika Onyema, a businessman in Balogun Market, Lagos, was moody and his countenance betrayed no joy when Saturday Mirror visited. Sitting in front of his spacious shop, this dealer in ladies’ dresses sat dejectedly like a wife rejected by her husband. His troubled mood, after much probing, was traced to poor sales his business recorded this past season. “My business isn’t making the expected returns in this period of the year. Even if we are CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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‘Last Christmas was not so merry’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
not sure of bountiful sales every time of the year, festive periods are different. Unfortunately, that has not been the case this year,” he bitterly explained. Making a historical comparison between 2014 and 2015 sales, he said, “I opened this shop since 8 o’clock, I’ve not sold anything. We were complaining that sales were bad in 2014 because of the hues and cries of coming elections, but 2015 sales are nothing to write home about. While the campaign was going on then, the politicians were busy promising us heaven and earth, telling us that there will be change, but we didn’t know it is change from better to worse.” If Onyema had a grudge with poor sales, a buyer, Mrs. Yemisi Odutola contended with ‘hopelessness’ because she had insufficient funds to buy her needs, such as new clothes, which adults and infants cherish and consider as vital symbols of a happy Christmas. “What I budgeted was far lower than what obtained in the market. Some of the dresses I got at N5, 000 last year, were now costing between N7, 000 and N9, 000. Normally, I buy two dresses for each of my kids every December, but last December, my money could only do one dress each and there was nothing I could do about it,” Mrs. Odutola lamented. Yet, for Mrs. Odutola’s children, who had at least one new dress to wear on Christmas Day, life was much better than it was for Madam Chinenye Okoro’s children. Madam Okoro’s challenge was quite different, because her husband, who could have assisted her financially, hasn’t received his salary in the past three months; therefore her children were denied new clothes because their parents could not afford them. The misfortune of their father, which he bears with calmness, has made their stoic mother, a petty street trader, to become their home’s breadwinner. However the complaint over high prices of textiles is not only that of the buyers like Madam Okoro, but the sellers like Mama Bola, as she is popularly called in Balogun Market, Lagos Island, where she sells assorted lace in a plaza. Hear her: “I am supposed to be counting money, but here I am idle. You people should help us to tell President Buhari that we are suffering in this country. There’s no market, no food. See our plaza, a whole festive period like this, no sales. Is there any kind of Ankara and lace materials that we don’t have here, but people are not coming to buy. Also furiously lamenting the lull in business was Patience Orji, a trader at Idumota, Lagos, who deals in George wrappers, but also sells lace, guinea and voile: “The sales of 2015 were just too poor. The quality of George we sold for N8, 000 in 2014 is now N10, 000 and a lot people are complaining that there’s no money. By this time last year, people were everywhere buying things, but this year is entirely different. Even roadside sellers who charge low prices are complaining, let alone we shop owners. Last December, there were days we didn’t sell anything from morning till evening, but it’s not supposed to be so.” She continued: “Hardly did people buy children’s wear last Christmas. You
discovered that some people who have about four or five children, just managed to get one for them to wear on New Year ’s Day instead of buying two dresses for their kids. Even to travel to the village was a big problem because of fuel scarcity. A lot people did
above it, unfortunately they are shocked at the new prices and they run away on hearing the prices. So because of the rise in dollar rate, which is N260 to a dollar, some of the clothes we sold at the price of N4, 000 last year became N6, 000.
With the high prices of many goods relevant to happy celebrations, not a few Nigerian families were denied merry-making activities this past Yuletide. So when many said “Merry Christmas” this last Christmas, they were feeling far from merry! not travel home, because for some families, transport alone would have gulped like N30, 000, apart from other expenses that are not envisaged,” she explained. But Mama Bola, a big-time trader, commenting on the rise in prices of goods last Christmas time argued: “It’s not our fault; the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar is too high. It is N250 and what can one buy with it. So if you finally buy anything, it will be there with you. Assuming the exchange rate is a little lower than N200, there wouldn’t be problems. However, with N250 to a dollar, there was little one could do, as our businesses are transacted in dollars.” Onyeama, also like his colleague in business, Mama Bola, laid the blame for the high price of goods this festive season on the hostile foreign exchange regimen. He said, “Of course, prices increased because of dollar rate and when people come into the market bearing in mind that it is still the same price they got last year or a little
“When people come they will haggle and demand for a reduction in price. We, the sellers, don’t derive joy in increasing prices; the high rate of dollar now is making goods expensive. In December 2014, the dollar was still less than N200, but it was not so in 2015 December. So it is not possible you sell at the price you sold last year. The dollar rate is giving us headache and it keeps increasing every day. Last week, the dollar was N257 and today it is N259. It is getting higher by the day, and really making business tough.” Nonetheless, the scene at major markets last December was an interesting drama of mammoth buyers flocking to different directions and crowd of persuasive sellers advertising wide varieties of merchandise begging to change homes and ownership. But, according to Onyema, “Most of those people were window shoppers. They were in the market for just for sight-seeing. A lady may just come in to buy a dress, but you discover that about seven people are
with her for sightseeing.” At Oshodi Market in Lagos mainland, the prices of children’s wear and ladies’ shoes had increased by at least 25 per cent from what they were some weeks ago. A pair of kids’ shoes, which sold for N3, 000, was going for N4, 000, while the price of children’s dresses were between N7, 000 and N8, 000 from N5, 000 they commanded a few weeks before Christmas. Like Balogun and Idumota traders had pinpointed, Mrs. Busayo Fayemi, a children’s clothes dealer at Oshodi Market, attributed the price change to increase in exchange rate of the dollar vis a vis the naira. “The exchange rate has increased from what we used to buy. More so, most of us buy from the black market. The difference between it and official rates will definitely reflect in the prices of goods we sell,” Mrs. Fayemi declared. Many visitors to popular traditional markets that sell goods free from foreign currency transactions such as foods produced locally were dismayed by increase in their prices. At Mile 12 Market, a popular food market in Lagos, Saturday Mirror’s survey found a basket of tomatoes going for N8, 000 as against the normal N4, 000. A basket of pepper cost N6, 000 as against N4, 500 per basket. A bag of onions sold for N15, 000 and a basket of potatoes was N7, 000. In Otto Market, Lagos lsland, a big bag of beans went for N22, 000 as against N20, 000, while a small bag went for N15, 000 as against N13, 000 previously. According to Onyedika Onwa, a dealer in food stuff in Otto, “The cheapest rice now is N10, 000 per bag against N9, 500. The scarcity of fuel was the culprit in this case. Business was not also so interesting and rewarding for Christmas hampers and gifts dealers. Mr. Sampson, a popular hamper dealer in Idumota, Lagos, said, “A lot of the people who patronized us in 2014 said there was no money for such frivolities in 2015.” Expectedly, Christmas cakes, puddings, cards, trees, music and carols were missing in many homes. With the high prices of many goods relevant to happy celebrations, not a few Nigerian families were denied of merry-making activities this past Yuletide. So when many said “Merry Christmas” this last Christmas, they were feeling far from merry!
Entervaganza
The Saturday Mirror Magazine
Funke Tiwa Genevieve
Relationships Are Nigerian men romantic? P.34
Sex talk
Sex addiction versus love addiction P.34
Fashion Frenzy Have a flashy New Year! Have a flashy New Year! P.24
Omotola
mi e Y
Showbiz women of 2015
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08036961187 kingseiza@gmail.com
with
Oseyiza Oogbodo
Davido, Dele Momodu battle over seven-month-old baby
Davido and Sophia
Sophia and Imade
Momodu
wo of Nigeria’s top celebrities, Dodo singer, Davido, and Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu, were this week embroiled in a bitter, surprising battle over the custody of a seven-month baby, Aurora made Adeleke, who is Davido’s child birthed for him by Momodu’s cousin, Sophia. According to Momodu and Sophia, Davido and his family kidnapped the child and prevented Sophia the mother from seeing her again. They then planned to smuggle her out of the country but their plan was foiled by Momodu who informed the immigration officers at Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos who subsequently prevented them from travelling with the child because the biological mother was absent. The disclosure of the bitter blood between the Adelekes and the Momodus has since led to a disgraceful online war with both parties saying whatever they feel will help them gain the sympathy of the general public so as to win the fight over the other. According to the Adelekes, Sophia is not a good mother, she takes marijuana and traces of it were found in Aurora. Davido also claimed that Sophia is diabolical and she took advantage of the fact that he’s a bit younger than her to manipulate him. This claim has been strongly denied by Sophia, though, and Davido, after attacking Momodu online for interfering in his family business, has reportedly apologized to him. A very serious issue, its severity is made obvious by the Momodus’ December 30th petition to The Director General National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Abuja. “Dear Madam, we act as Solicitors for Miss. Sophia Ajibola Momodu (hereinafter referred to as our client) whose instructions we have to forward this petition to your esteemed Agency. Our client, a 27-year-old, is the biological mother of a baby girl with name, Aurora Imade Adeleke, who was born on the 14th day of May 2015. The baby’s father is Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke (aka Davido). The father and mother are unmarried. “On the 11th July, 2015, our client was tricked to visit the house of Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke’s half sister, Miss Ashley Coco Adeleke, with her baby, Imade Aurora Adeleke. After getting to the house on Baderinwa Alabi Street, Lekki Phase I, Lagos, our client’s baby was forcefully taken from her and she was thrown out of the premises with the threat that she would be decisively dealt
with if she ever bothered to return there. There were armed policemen in the premises and our client’s survival instinct prevailed on her to make her leave her breast suckling baby behind, with so much pain in her heart. By daybreak on the next day, our client was again at Ashley Coco Adeleke’s house to take her baby, but she was prevented by armed policemen from gaining access into the house. “She was again threatened and warned never to return for the child. Since July 2015, our client, who has now become so disorientated, saddened and confused has been going to family members, including her cousin, Mr Dele Momodu, and other well meaning Nigerians to intervene and allow her get her baby back or at least allow her to be able to have access to and care for her daughter. This was frustrated by Coco Adeleke, David Adeleke and their father, Mr. Adedeji Adeleke. “These people boasted to our client and all her family and friends that our client is a nonentity and of little substance in Nigeria. They also claim that they have the financial wherewithal and political and security clout to deal with her and her family anyhow and without any consequence with the aid of their brother and uncle, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, and other friends Mr Deji Adeleke purportedly has in government. “In a bid to justify their actions, Mr Deji Adeleke and his daughter, Ashley Coco Adeleke, have been spreading several malicious and unfounded allegations about our client. While the attempts at finding a peaceful and lasting solution were still ongoing, on Tuesday the 29th December 2015, Ashley Coco Adeleke and her father, Mr Deji Adeleke, tried to travel to Dubai with our client’s baby. The baby was meant to be flown out of the country with Nigerian and American passports. Prior to that date, our client and her cousin, Mr Dele Momodu, had gone to alert the immigration services at the Murtala Mohammed, Ikeja International airport of the likelihood of Ashley Coco Adeleke travelling with our client’s baby by pretending to be the Mother. Our client believes that her baby’s American passport was hidden and is now likely to be in possession of Mr Deji Adeleke or Ashley Coco Adeleke. “It appears that the assistance of Emirates Airline was sought as the baby’s American passport was not produced in breach of aviation regulations. Neither was a letter of authority from the mother to confirm her consent to the trip produced despite the airline being alerted. When Mrs. Modupe Mofikoya, the immigration officer who at-
tended to the Adeleke travelling party accosted Ashley Coco Adeleke and asked for the mother of the baby, Ashley Adeleke claimed that she was the mother. “Immediately, the immigration officer on duty collected her Nigerian international passport, she quickly absconded from the scene with the baby and her father, Mr Deji Adeleke, showed up shortly afterwards to try to clear his daughter’s mess. Our client with the help of her family members, including Mr Dele Momodu, determinedly resisted the attempt by Miss Ashley Coco Adeleke and her father, Mr Deji Adeleke, from taking Aurora Imade Adeleke from Lagos yesterday. Our client believes that the pair are trying to take the child to America and thus put her out of the reach of the biological mother. At the moment, Miss Ashley Coco Adeleke and our client’s daughter, Aurora Imade Adeleke are still in Lagos and two of their respective international passports are in the custody of the airport immigration services. “Our client’s fear now is that Ashley Coco may use her Nigerian passport and Aurora Imade’s American passport to travel through other Nigerian or West African airports. We know that the actions of Mr Deji Adeleke and Miss Ashley Coco Adeleke contravene many provisions of the law. One is Section 13 of the Childs Right Law 2007 of Lagos State (as adapted from the Federal Act), which guarantees Aurora Imade Adeleke’s right to parental care and protection. That law also forbids separation of a child from her parents. Another is Section 24 of the same law, which also prohibits abduction of a child from the lawful custody of her parents. Neither Mr Deji Adeleke or Ms Ashley Coco Adeleke has any lawful right to the custody of Aurora Imade Adeleke. Even the unmarried father, Mr David Adedeji Adeleke, only has limited rights to the child and certainly not to the exclusion of our client, the natural mother as the Adeleke’s are trying to do. “We are of the sound view that your Agency is the most viable organisation that can intervene in the plight of our client and save her from the untold trauma that she is going through in the hands of Mr Deji Adeleke and Ashley Coco Adeleke, who has her own child that she keeps with her. We have advised our client about the statutory powers of your Agency to potently investigate and enforce all the provisions of the law that deal with abduction and trafficking in persons. We urge you to use your good offices to intervene in the case of our client and protect a baby who should still be under her mother’s care from being abducted and smuggled abroad.”
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Entertainers to watch out for this year
Shay
Small Doctor
Wizkid
Wizkid A lot of eyes will be on Wizkid this year because he made some international impact last year that people will be expecting him to surpass this year. Among his unexpected international achievements was recording the remix of his smash hit, Ojuelegba, with heavyweight rapper, Drake; American star, Alicia Keys, dancing to his songs; and legendary American R&B maestro, R Kelly, featuring him on his song, I Just Want To Thank You, one of the songs on Kelly’s latest album, The Buffet. So what does he have in store for 2016? We just have to wait to find out. Seyi Shay Last year was a very big one for Seyi Shay. She got nominated for the MTV Africa Music Awards and signed on with a London-based record label. She also released her debut album, Seyi or Shay, and she was everywhere relevant so her fans will definitely expect her to surpass her 2015 achievements. Makinwa
Small Doctor Though he calls himself Small Doctor, this singer’s exploits are now big in the industry. From being an underground sensation, he’s now a genuine force to reckon with, and much more is expected of him, so the industry will be watching him to see if he can stand the heat by remaining consistent this year.
Bankole
Kehinde Bankole Kehinde Bankole is a very hardworking actress who has been in both soaps and movies. Though she’s very well known, she’s yet to really get to the top, and this might just be the year she does that.
Toke Makinwa 2015 is one year Toke Makinwa might want to forget for a certain reason: her marital problem. Having seemingly moved on with her life, the spotlight will be focused on her this year to see what she has to offer her legion fans both professionally and personally.
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
CLASSICAL LYRICS
Entertainers to watch
Alade
Savage
Tiwa Savage Without a doubt, Tiwa Savage is on entertainer to watch out for this year which is seen as the year of her return after her maternity hiatus. She’s back already, and has even dropped her sophomore album, R.E.D, but this year will determine if she’s back for real or if her return will be ignored by the industry. Yemi Alade There are many views about Yemi Alade. Some believe she’s the genuine article while some say she’s a flash in the pan. One thing is certain, though. She benefitted most from Tiwa Savage’s absence. Now that Savage is back, we are waiting to see if she can raise her game to combat the expected challenge Savage’s return poses to her. Genevieve Nnaji 2015 was the year Genevieve Nnaji made an unexpected move to save her acting career by producing her own movie, Road To Yesterday. With that move of hers, it’s obvious that she’s not ready to give up her place in Nollywood easily without a fight. So what are her planned moves to help her return to Nollywood’s pinnacle this year? That’s the big question. Olamide Olamide was just unstoppable in 2015. He rose even higher in 2015 than previous years. The challenge for him now is to surpass his 2015 achievements. Can he do that? Can he even finally win the international awards that have eluded him so far? Over to you, Olamide.
Genevieve
Olamide
Kiss Daniel Woju singer, Kiss Daniel, is one artist whose success is still like a fairy tale. Almost like suddenly, he became a national sensation in 2014 and remained so in 2015. With his latest single, Good Time, released in December 2015, everyone’s watching to see if Good Time will continue his good run for him this year.
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JANUARY 2, 2016
news
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out for this year
Daniel
Gold
Omotola
Bello
Akindele
Adekunle Gold Like Kiss Daniel, Adekunle Gold too shocked everyone when his song, Sade, became a smash hit. And while people were still wondering if it was just a lucky occurrence, his follow-up single, Orente, did even better than Sade. His last 2015 single, Pick Up, is also doing very well, so this is one year that everyone is on the lookout to see what Gold still has to offer. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde In her hey days, she was Nollywood’s joint-top actress with Genevieve Nnajji. She and Genevieve rose together as Nollywood’s most-sought-after actress and subtly relinquished their stranglehold at the same time. But their achievements then still remain unsurpassed so they are still highly respected. So every year, people wonder what they are going to do to shake up the industry. And for Omotola, this year is no different in that regard. It’s expected of her to stun the industry again by making a glorious comeback. Will 2016 be that comeback year? Let’s wait and see. Korede Bello Korede Bello is one entertainer whom really big things are expected of. Having proven himself as a musician who really has a lot to offer, by not following the trend of party lifestyle songs, but decent, family friendly songs, and he’s making more impact than the singers who glorify drinking and partying, his 2016 moves are ones that people are really watching out for. Funke Akindele There was a time that Funke Akindele, better known as Jenifa, was so hot that some people even got tired of hearing about her. Her core fans though, are not tired of her, and they in particular will be hoping that she has some solid strategy lined up for 2016 that will make her as hot again as when her movie, Jenifa, was the hottest in the country.
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EVENTS
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OLIC 2 rocks Yuletide When Olamide In Concert 2 held last weekend in the spirit of the Yuletide season, it was only natural that the celebrities should attend it in large numbers as Olamide is one of their own. And among those celebrities who supported his concert with their presence were Eva, Adunni Ade, Harrysong and Sexy Steel.
Adunni Ade Capital FEMI
Princess
Emma Nyra
Sexy Steel
Chidinma
Stephanie Coker
wedding
Harrysong
Eva
L-R: Deacon Matthew Bamigboye, Mrs. Funmilayo Shogunle, Mr. Gbenga Bamigboye, Mrs. Aramide-Tosin Bamigboye, Mr. Shogunle Olawole of Energy Press Limited, and Deaconess Bamigboye at the wedding between Gbenga and Tosin at Winners Chapel, Irawo, Ikorodu, Lagos recently.
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Style & Glam
JANUARY 2, 2016
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le StyGlam and
with Yemisi Adeniran
(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com
y l e e r f g n i w Flo
F
ashion is not something that exists just in a pretty face. Fashion is all encompassing. It is in creativity as well as in how a fashion ista carries herself. This is where glamour and style come to play and this is exactly what prince Emman Usanga, the Chief Executive Officer of Vendrika Fashion Gallery seems to be portraying in his ollectio n for this New Year. ‘ Fashoin is in the mind, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live and it is to give comfort,’ he says. The flowing style has all these attributes and even more. And for this particular year, you actuall y need to have something to flow freely in, so, keep flowing.
with
Vendrika
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Fashion
I
t’s a brand New Year and it s important that you look good and prim today and always. If this is part of your resolution this year, then you’ll be happy to hear that this season’s hottest catwalk trend of LBD (Little Bright Dress), are just right for you. It is not just for the young, sophisticated women can wear them as well. More than other little numbers, if you will make them come in bright outfits, they will not only give you a cute look, they will get you all the attention too. But if you are not made for a too bright appearance, you may make yours come in accessories. Zoom into a bright number this year and you’ll be surprised at its magic touch. Happy New Year!
Have a flashy N
Fashion
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JANUARY 2, 2016
n frenzy
New Year!
n frenzy
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SOCIETY Mirror
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with Deola Adeoti. Tel: 07055695565, mofat07@yahoo.com
Mohammed Babangida Prof. Jerry Gana’s new love rekindles love with ex- S wife Umma Wali
W
hen two lovers fight, don’t expect their quarrel to rage on for long. There is this inexplicable chemistry that will always bring them back. That is the philosophy of love. This sentiment has proved to be true in the lives of Mohammed Babangida and Aisha Umma Wali. Insiders are saying that the second marriage of Mohammed Babangida to Aisha which crashed two years ago will soon come alive. According to tattlers, Mohammed has been sending emissaries to his childhood sweetheart, Umma to plead in his behalf so that she will come back again into his life. Their marriage was annulled in 2013 when Umma, allegedly filed for divorce on the grounds
of irreconcilable differences and broke Mohammed’s heart. Mohammed is the first son of General Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s former Military ruler, while Umma is the daughter of Ambassador Aminu Wali. The marriage between Mohammed and Umma held in 2008, amidst a series of elaborate ceremonies which spanned several days in Minna and Kano. Close friends of Umma disclosed that she was made to contend with mysterious forces that defied solution when she was married to Mohammed and she had no choice but to run. Presently the news is hot that Mohammed has made up his mind to reconcile with Umma and plans to do so before or after his 43rd birthday which comes up in February.
he new Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi Enitan Adeyeye is a man of many parts. Apart from his royal status, he’s a good husband, father and a businessman to the core. Known for his wide investment in real estate business, the 40-year old real estate magnate has added a new frontier to his business with the creation of a luxury, eco-friendly resort in Lagos, the hub of jollification. Named Inagbe Grand Resort, the resort is nestled between the Lagos lagoon and the magnificent Atlantic Ocean. At the moment, the recreation center which is referred to as one of the most tranquil locations on the Lagos Island for vacation and relaxation is now the happening place in Lagos. Recently, award-winning actor and producer, Kunle Afolayan was seen filming his forthcoming movie, ‘The CEO’ at the resort. And apart from him, sources informed that the resort has now become a Mecca of sort
for fun-seekers across the aquatic ocean. Oba Adeyeye is also the Managing Director of Howard Roark Gardens Limit-
ince Professor Jerry Gana served as information minister under the regime of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, little is heard of him. Though the former lecturer is said to be active politically in the north, many are still interested in knowing the up-to-date details about the politician who was once a permanent feature in Nigerian government. While you may also be wondering on his whereabouts, ‘Society Mirror’ has it on good authority that the close pal of many past presidents of the federal republic of Nigeria, Prof. Gana, has now ventured into real estate business. We were told that he has a young man who is well-experienced in that line that is fronting for him. And we also heard he is really
making a large chunk of profit from the investment. Unlike some real estate managers who lack the connection, the professor is said to be reaping bountifully from his massive political links.
Stanbic IBTC boss, Ooni of ife lavishes millions Atedo Peterside shrugs off worries on private resort E T ed which is undertaking multi-million naira Jacob Mews Estate project in Yaba and the Lakeview real estate development in Lekki.
mbattled banker and chairman of Stanbic IBTC, Peterside Atedo has little or no worries at the moment despite the banking crises starring at his face. The bank gaffer who is currently in court to challenge his suspension by Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria over account irregularities in the bank’s 2014 financial statement looks unperturbed and seems to have put behind the news of his sack. Few days ago, the astute businessman was seen rocking a party and catching his fun at the premiere of Mo’ Abudu’s movie entitled ‘Fifty,’ held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Dressed in his trademark Bayelsa raiment and a match black cap, the maverick banker was all smiles in the company of his lovely wife. Both couple had a
swell time together, sharing banters with each other as well as with old friends, some of which include former guber aspirant, Jimi Agbaje, Chairman UBA group, Tony Elumelu, Donald Duke, Aliko Dangote among others.
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Fashion
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Guest G
‘Youths should pray for What do you know contentment in year ‘2016’ about your bones? Banke Bamidele is a young fashionista inher 20s. She is excited about this festive season but has a word of advice for her female counterparts. “ Let’s be contented with whatever we have, tomorrow will definitely be better,” she tells YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview.
What informs your way of dressing? My mood. There are times I love to appear in traditional outfits and there are times, I choose to go the western way. But I love to carve something unique for myself. The kind of event I am also billed to attend also dictates the way I appear. Overall, I love to appear simple and beautiful.
Money can never be enough for anybody in life. That is why I always say contentment is the best virtue that everybody should strive for. For me I am contented with whatever God has given me through my parents and loved ones. That is one gift that I am happy God has endowed me with and I cherish it.
How would you describe this festive season? It’s been fun for me, I may not know of others. Iam happy that God has kept me and my entire family, my friends inclusive. I am glad to be alive and bubbling.
But many youths especially ladies of today are not easily contented. What do you have to say? I can only implore them to make it topmost of their New Year resolution for year 2016. Contentment is the best virtue in life, let’s be contented with whatever we have, tomorrow will definitely be better.
Don’t you have any complaint about this lack of money that many are talking about?
Babies have more bones than adults True: When you’re born, you have about 300 bones. By the time you’re a grownup, you’ve only got 206. The reason: As babies grow, some of their bones fuse together. Some infant bones are made entirely of soft, flexible tissue called cartilage that’s slowly replaced by hard bone as the baby develops. Where’s your funny bone? In your elbow: Don’t let the name fool you. It’s no laughing matter! If you’ve ever hit your elbow in that certain spot, you know it can cause a weird tingling or a dull pain. Your funny bone isn’t a bone at all. It’s a nerve that runs down your upper arm to the inside part of your elbow. When do your bones stop growing? Your 20s: They usually stop growing by the time you’re a young adult, but they keep changing. As you age, bones lose density and get thinner and easier to break. You can help keep them healthy by getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D, and by doing exercises that keep you on your feet. Bones make red and white blood cells True: Bones have a few different jobs. They give our bodies structure and allow us to move. They protect our organs from damage -- your skull protects your brain and your ribs protect your heart, lungs, and liver. Your bones also make red blood cells, which carry proteins and oxygen to tissues, and white blood cells, which help fight infections. Which bone gets broken the most often? Collar bone: It’s also called the clavicle, and it leads the list of fractures. You can break it if you fall on your hand or arm or get hit in the shoulder. Breaks in the hands and arms are common as
well, because you often use them when you try to stop a fall. Do the bubbles in soft drinks harm your bones? No Way: Let’s put this old wives’ tale to rest. The carbonation in sodas won’t hurt your bones, but that doesn’t mean drinking them is a good idea. Some studies show that the caffeine and phosphorus in colas can weaken them. If you want a drink that’s good for your bones, go for milk or something with extra calcium, like fortified orange juice. How many bones in your body are not connected to others? Only one: The hyoid, a U-shaped bone at the base of your tongue. It’s the only bone that isn’t connected to another one. Is smoking bad for your bones? Yes: It’s well known that cigarettes hurt your lungs, heart, and overall health. But they’re also bad for your bones. Nicotine and other chemicals in them make it harder for your body to take in the calcium your bones need to stay strong. Cigarettes lower your vitamin D levels, too. Which toe has fewer bones than your other toes? Your big toe: Most toes have three tiny bones, but your big toe only has two. You also have three bones in each of your fingers, but only two in each of your thumbs. Where’s the smallest bone in your body? Your ear: A tiny bone behind your eardrum is the smallest one in your body. It’s called the stirrup, and it’s only 2.5 to 3.3 mm long. That’s not much bigger than a fruit fly. The longest and strongest bone is your femur, which goes from your pelvis to your knee.
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WOMAN
‘Only the woman can make marriage exciting’ Pastor Mrs. Elizabeth Ezike is one of the pastors of City of Signs and Wonders Assembly Inc. She spoke with JULIET UMEH on the secret of her marriage of 29 years, the mystery that surrounded her birth and her call to ministry. Excerpts: How would you describe your growing up? I am from a Christian home. Although my father had only my mother as his wife, he once lived with a woman who was widowed to him by reason of the death of his elder brother. The brother died during the civil war. As culture demanded then, my father took over the wife and raised three kids for the woman. Then somebody advised my father to have his own wife so as to have children of his own. That was when he decided to marry my mother. But his brother’s wife was not happy that another woman was coming into the family. When my mother finally came, she put up a serious fight with her so much that all the six children my mother had before me died during the civil war. This development made my mother to leave my father and run away. While she was trying to elope, however, an angel, according to her, came in the image of an old man and told her not to go because he would visit her. My mother returned home and that was how they had me as their first child. And there were so many mysteries about me. The same woman wanted me dead but because God’s hand has always been on my life it was not possible. How did you know that the woman wanted to kill you? I was told that while I was still a foetus inside my mother, the woman planted a charm for my pregnant mother but thunder carried her and her child and placed them on the charm. My father took her to a place where she was treated of the thunder strike. Along the line, all the children she had for my father died. At last she was left with my mother alone who took care of her at her old age. It was I and my sisters that took care of her burial when she died at the age of 95. I want to tell people that it does not pay to be wicked because no one can tell who her helper will be to-
morrow. As a growing girl, my mother was so strict and this made me unhappy. I thought she hated me, I didn’t know she was protecting me. Her high- handedness disallow me from engaging in any illicit relationship with any boy. I afterwards vowed never to allow any man touch me until my wedding day. I decided that it was the man I married that would deflowered me and that was how it happened.
At what age did you get married? I got married in JSS 3 at the age of 19 while my husband was 28 years. That’s strange. How were you able to cope? I was young and we love each other. After our marriage, I continued my education, but two years into the marriage, he visited me in school and after that visit I got pregnant and I got my first child at the age of 20 years. Now I have three boys and
three girls. I’m today living happily with my husband and children. All the children are in school since I couldn’t finish mine. Two of them are already out of the university and one is abroad. Did you dream of becoming a pastor while growing up? I didn’t plan to be a pastor. But as a child, I had this grace to fore-see the future. I always saw things before they happened which was why people called me a witch.
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The main secret of my successful marriage is endurance and humility. Whatever I know that will provoke my husband, I avoid it. He is quiet but hot tempered. So, whatever will provoke him I avoid it. I tolerate, endure and obey him. How did you know that you were called and what’s the experience like? While I was growing up, prophecies came that I had a call by God into the ministry. I was into some business then but at a time, the business stopped moving smoothly. Meanwhile, whenever I went for prayers for my business to move, the men of God, instead of talking to me about my business would be talking about my call to serve God. At a time, it started manifesting even when I was yet to answer the call that whenever I laid my hands or rub my hand on someone who was ill, the sickness would disappear. At a time, my business stopped entirely and I began to run around. Then, I noticed that it was the hand of God and a prophet emphatically told me that without surrendering to the will of God that I wouldn’t make it in life. That was when I went to a pastoral school. When I was to go to the school, there was no money, but immediately I entered the school, God gave me favour. After the school, I was ordained as a minister. The day of my ordination, I got about N200, 000 cash from people. I invested the whole money in business, again, everything collapsed. When that money got wasted, I decided to look away from business and go into fulltime ministry. I was ordained on February 2012. Since then, God has been seeing me through. How do you strike a balance between the responsibility attached to a ministry and your home? I love the way God planned my call. I said that because the call came when I was still having my children. By the time I made up my mind to answer the call, my children are grownups. My first and second daughters are of age including my sons. The youngest of them is about seven years old now, so the older ones are taking care of the younger ones. The good thing about it all is God has helped me to give them good training in such a way that you wouldn’t know I wasn’t in the house if you enter my home when I am not around.. But I make sure I provide all they need before I leave home in the area of their education and feeding. And whenever I’m opportuned to be with them I do that. I do not allow the ministry to disturb my marriage and my marriage to disturb my ministry, so there is a balance. Do you have any regret concerning the call? I am so happy about it. I will advise everyone whether called or not to come close to God. I have tasted it, there’s nothing sweeter or more beautiful than God. From now till I die, I will forever serve God. Do you have any plan to open your own church? I don’t have such plans for now. This is because I am not into ministry for selfish interest or for material gains. I am into this
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ministry for people’s salvation, deliverance, and healing and I cannot go if God has not permitted me. I can only move by His instructions. Even if I have grace more than any other person which I am praying to have, I will not go and open my own unless God insists. How long have you been married and what have kept both of you going? Our marriage is now 29years. The main secret of my successful marriage is endurance and humility. Whatever I know that will provoke my husband, I avoid it. He is quiet physically but hot tempered. So, whatever that will provoke him I avoid it. I tolerate and endured and obeyed him. How did you meet him? I and my husband knew ourselves when we were still kids and we also lived together in a city. My mother and my husband’s sister were tight friends. As a child, I used to play with my husband; sing and dance with his name and he will be trying to beat me. Sometimes, when he tried to beat me I would run to my mother and when he came close my mother would say please ‘don’t beat her she is your wife’. He was a very shy boy and then he would go back because of what my mother said. Later, he left for years to learn a trade in another city. When he wanted to marry, they recommended a wife for him but when he saw the person; he said he didn’t like the person. When he came to tell his sister that he didn’t like the girl, they brought him to our shop to be entertained because my mother had a shop then. That was where we met again. After we were introduced to each other again (because we didn’t know each other again), he was surprised that I was already a big girl. The next day, he came around to profess his love for me and on my part, I liked everything about him. That was how we fell in love with each other. The rest of course is story like they usually say. What factors do you think are causing divorce in our society today? Every woman should be a virtuous woman. A virtuous woman is not known when things are moving well, she is known when things are critical, when things are difficult. There will definitely be crises in a marriage but a virtuous woman will know what will make a home to break and will do all to avoid or stop it. Two wrongs cannot make a right. When you are married to a husband that doesn’t appreciate you, you don’t need to give up the good works, just have it in mind that whether you have a child in that marriage or not, God is going to bless you. No marriage is sweet but a woman who loves her marriage will ensure to make it fun. You must carry the burden on your shoulder. There’s nobody that laboured in marriage that will not receive the reward. I believe I am reaping the reward now and I will reap more reward.
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Keeping ABREAST
Why are you more tired than your husband?
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t the end of a busy week, do you ever find yourself arguing with your husband about who’s more exhausted? Though it won’t make you feel better in the long-term, take comfort in the fact that you probably are more tired than him. That’s because, according to research by the National Sleep Foundation, women are worse sleepers than men. Its recent survey found 63 per cent of women experience insomnia a few times a week, compared with 54 per cent of men. This difference - termed the gender sleep gap - may be partly because women are biologically programmed to be lighter sleepers. Waking up easily is a form of being on red alert so that a mother can spring into action should her baby cry during the night. What makes it even worse is that women tend to need more sleep than men, at least an extra twenty minutes, according to Professor Jim Horner of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre. “Women tend to multi-task and so they use more of their brain than men. Because of that, their need for sleep is greater,” he says. So, what are the main causes of the gender sleep gap - and how can women overcome them? Dieting: Men may be looking after their figures a little better these days, but women still make up the majority of dieters. So women are more likely to be fighting latenight hunger pangs that can prevent them from getting to sleep - and they may lie awake for longer rather than raid the fridge. Dieticians advise including carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (GI) - foods that release energy more slowly - as part of the evening meal. They suggest that calories with a low
GI will help keep blood sugar levels stable. Low GI carbohydrates include wholegrain basmati rice, beans and potatoes. Heartburn: Pregnant and menopausal women are more vulnerable to heartburn than men. The condition - in which stomach acid splashes back up into the oesophagus is a particular problem at night. During the day, acid may briefly enter the oesophagus, but is quickly pulled back to the stomach by gravity. But at night, when you are lying flat, acid tends to rest in the oesophagus for longer, causing more pain and damage. Avoiding alcohol, chocolate, coffee, fizzy drinks, citrus fruit and spicy or fatty foods may help. So also eating smaller meals and having your evening meal three to four hours before bedtime. If this doesn’t work, over-the-counter antacids can be taken to neutralise stomach acids. Worrying: Once woken up, women find it much harder to get back to sleep than men, according to research at the University of Surrey. The study found 18 per cent of women had a bad night’s sleep at least five days a week, compared with only 8 per cent of men. Most reported having difficulty sleeping because they were worrying. A warm bath before bed is relaxing, and also means you’ll experience a drop in body temperature when you get out of the water, which helps the brain prepare for sleep. Heavyweights: We all change sleeping position about 20 times a night, but men seem to shift around more than women. Since men tend to weigh more than women, their movements are more likely to result in their partner being woken up. Getting a bigger bed may help. Being heavier, men are also more likely to snore. If night-time noise is ruining your rest, the only solution may be to banish him to the spare room!
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Parenting
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Keeping children safe from abduction Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression
T
he holidays should be joyous and a time of relaxation and fun for children and families. Unfortunately parents and caregivers do not get a holiday from keeping children safe. Holiday shopping and holiday travelling are two common events where abductions occur quickly. There are more crowds during the holidays and greater distractions, so parent need to stay on guard and teach children safety rules. When heading out for holiday shopping or holiday travel, parents and caregivers need to take the time to instruct children what to do if they get separated from the adults in their group. Separation causes confusion and fear and children will react better if they have been taught what to do beforehand. Children can remain safe by avoiding potential dangers and by not panicking. Parents should be diligent about keeping children with them at all times. This means never leaving them unattended while shopping or at rest areas. Supervise children while at restrooms or at any area of a public facility. It is important to instruct children where to meet should
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they become separated from others in the group. Children should be told about safe people that they can turn to in times of trouble or if they get separated such as uniformed security people, police officers, a mum with other children or a salesperson. Children should be told to stay put if they become lost. Parents and caregivers should know that there is something that may put children at risk such as dressing children in clothing that has their name on it. If an adult is going to an event that they know ahead of time they will be easily distracted they should make arrangements for a babysitter or for children to remain with grandparents or other family members. Never drop older children off at a shopping mall or movie without a clear plan as to when you will be picking them up and where. Tell older kids what to do if their plans change such as notifying you by phone before doing anything different. Children traveling alone during the holidays are at high risk for stranger abduction. There are safety precautions that can be taken to insure these children are safe. Make sure that when you place the reservation
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Parenting
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that you inform the person accepting the reservation that the child will be traveling alone so they can make proper arrangements for safe travel. Make a point to secure a nonstop flight or the most direct route of travel. Avoid booking the last flight of the day if at all possible. Prepare the child ahead of time by visiting the airport, bus terminal or train station before the travel day so they can become familiar with the atmosphere and procedure for checking in. Always remain at the station, airport or terminal until the child has safely departed in case there is a delay or cancellation. All children travelling alone or with adults should have proper identification on them as well as parents or guardian contact information on them. Have a back-up plan just in case the people that are supposed to meet the child are delayed. Who else can meet your child? Ask children to not be too friendly to strangers or to other passengers or to tell anyone personal information. Give the child plenty to do during travelling so the child will not be bored and likely to talk with strangers. Parents and caregivers can
practice safety skills with children when ever an opportunity arises by playing the game “what if ”...for instance...”What if you become separated from me what would you do?” See if the child tells you that they will stay put and wait for you to find them. Remember that holidays can be hectic and busy times where it
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can be easy to become distracted while out shopping or traveling. It is important to be prepared ahead of time by knowing what to do and how to prepare your child before the holidays get here. Keeping our children safe should always be first in our minds even during the holidays.
Tiny Feet
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NAME: Arafat Akinbayode BORN TO: Mr. and Mrs. Akinbayode AGE: 3 months BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 Kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com
Speeding up labour increases Update risk of autism –Study
study by some autism experts has come up with a finding that autism might be linked with inducing and speeding up labour.. According to the authors, it’s possible that labour-inducing drugs might increase the risk of autism or that the problems that lead doctors to induce labour . These include mothers’ diabetes and foetal complications, which have previously been linked with autism. The researchers examined eight years of North Carolina birth records, and matched 625,042 births with public school data from the late 1990s till date. Information on autism diagnoses didn’t specify whether cases were mild or severe. Labor was induced or hastened in more than 170,000 births. Overall, 5,648 children developed autism — three times as many boys as girls. Among autistic boys, almost one-third
of the mothers had labour started or hastened, versus almost 29 percent of the boys without autism. The differences were less pronounced among girls. Oxytocin and prostaglandins are used to start or speed up labour but the study doesn’t identify specific medications. The strongest risks were in boys whose mothers had labour started and hastened. They were 35 percent more likely to have autism. Among girls, autism was not tied to induced labour; it was only more common in those born after labour was accelerated; they were 18 percent more likely to have the developmental disorder than girls whose mothers had neither treatment. Symptoms of autism may involve communication problems including avoiding eye contact and unusual repetitive behavior including arm-flapping. Causes are uncertain but experts believe it probably
results from a combination of genetics and other factors. These may include mothers’ illnesses and medication use while pregnant, fathers’ age at conception, and problems affecting the fetus during childbirth — all suggested but not proven in previous
research. The authors, however say the results shouldn’t lead doctors to avoid inducing labour or speeding it up since it can be life-saving for mothers and babies Culled from www.yahoo.com
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JANUARY 2, 2016
Mirror
Pain, anguish as heavy duty vehicles return to highways
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Heavy duty vehicles were recently taken off Lagos roads in the day time because of the nuisance they constituted in various areas in the mertropolis such as Mile 2, Oshodi Expressway, Apapa, Orile, Ijora and many other places, making vehicular and human movement very difficult. What however, seems to be baffling is that those vehicles have reappeared, writes ERIC ELEZUO.
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ot long ago, the menace of trailers and tankers on Lagos highways was a major concern, especially around Mile 2 axis, stretching to Apapa, Oshodi, Orile and many other routes. Many had believed that prompted by the departure of Former Governor Babatunde Fashola, the insensitivity that characterized the city had returned. Before now, the media was inundated with stories of hazards of these heavy duty vehicles, of how they flagrantly disregard the law and take advantage of freeways for parking and other untoward activities. An attitude which many wondered about, knowing there are laws, extant or otherwise, which regulates the parking and movement of heavy duty vehicles in the state. One of such laws stipulates that parking of such vehicles should be at a designated area in the outskirts of the metropolis while its movement within the city should be in the nights, anytime after 10pm. However, the regulations seems to have fallen on deaf ears as the heavy duty operators have thrown caution to the winds and resumed to their menacing ways of doing things. Not only have the drivers and owners of heavy vehicles returned to the areas where they known, but have spread their tentacles to other areas which had hitherto felt the pangs. One of such areas is the Badagry Expresssway. This route had in the past experienced a lull in traffic movement but not a stand still parking that permanently obstructs the movement of other vehicles. From the first gate bus stop through to Agboju, trailers, tankers and their likes in the heavy duty vehicles category line up the road, reducing movement to only just, thereby giving motorists and commuters a hectic time in accessing routes. That is not all, the line resumes at the Alakija end and stretches to Abule Ado bus stop with a stringent bottle neck at the Fin Niger bus stop. One of the tanker drivers, who spoke with a northern accent, and manages an NNPC inscribed tanker told our correspondent carelessly, when he was asked why they choose to park along the expressway, “Abi where I park dey disturb you”, and walked away dismissing further questions with a wave of the hand. As far as he
was concerned, he had not done anything wrong, as according to him, where he parked only affected vehicular movement, and not human movement. However, a pedestrian who overheard him, was filled with chagrin, questioning the rationale behind his answer, since whatever affects vehicular movement affects pedestrian movement as well. “it is unfortunate that this mallam will reply this way, or what is the difference between this entire situation; whether it is affecting vehicles or persons. Who operates vehicles? Is it not human beings? He queried. The menace created at the Badagry Expressway axis is a child’s play compared to the ‘insensitivity’ and outright lawlessness being perpetrated by these drivers in other parts of the metropolis such as Orile, Constain, Apapa, Ijora and many other places. This attitude has defiled all known efforts put so far by the government, even as the situation has been described as a fly perched on the scrotum which requires caution to be dealt with. The trucks are known to be an integral part of the society, and to a large extent, the economy. As a result, it was becoming increasingly difficult to check the operators without hurting the economy as they can threaten to down tools or even down tools at the slightest provocation. According to an oil and gas dealer, “Experience has shown that each time they go on strike, the populace encounters heightened tension.” He added: “These tanker drivers and their owners have become a big nuisance, both to the economy and themselves, as every activity of theirs have proved to be detrimental to everyone. That informs why it has become increasingly difficult to call them to order,” he said. This attitude has made the drivers and tankers lords of the roads, as they indiscrimatelty park wherever they deem fit, anytime they like, prompting citizens to raise concern in the capability of the government of the day to really check their activities. A commuter once hinted, while passing through the thick impassable hold up, that ‘there is no government in Lagos State’, an indictment on the ineffectiveness of the Akin-
wumi Ambode-led government. Another concern raised by a cross of Nigerians is the capability of bridge, especially the Eko Bridge, to stand the test of constant weight of the heavy vehicles on it. An Civil Engineer, Michael Badmus, told Saturday Mirror that though bridges are made to carry any weight, they are not spefically designed to hold weights as a permanent entity, saying that “wear and tear” can occur thereby leading to a collapse, “which may come at unawares”. He said: “The constant weight of these heavy duty vehicles is a disadvantage to these bridges, as they can easily collapse. The collapse, if it eventually happens, will be colossal as the devastation cuts across every sector; human and economy, including infrastructure. It is high time therefore, the authorities stamped their feet and get them to a designated centre,” he said. The hazards these vehicles and their owners have created in recent days have been anything but palatable. There have been excessive traffic build up in areas across the town because of the way and manner they have conducted themselves; with impunity. The average Lagosian has therefore wondered who is in charge in the administration of the state; the Ambode government or the heavy duty vehicle operators. The buildup has stretched from Mile 2 to Orile through to Constain, up to Eko Bridge and many other parts of Lagos, remote or metropolis. It is even worst in areas where there are tank farms such as Apapa and Ijora. Here, vehicles are as static as Rock of Gibraltar, or the colossus, which is unmovable, thereby totally restricting vehicular and human traffic. Most residents have blamed the government has blamed the government of the day for the return of the trailer/tanker menace, citing what they called the ‘weakness’ of the present governor to read the riot act as the former administration did. “People were clamouring for change’, and now, here is ‘change’. This is what we thought was a thing of the past, now rearing its ugly head again. It is sad that the governor is yet to find answers to these problems,” a commuter lamented.
Yet another commuter, who was screaming unendingly inside the popular LT bus heading to CMS from Mile 2, lamented the loss of a business opportunity, as according to him, a certain customer could not wait for him as he was stranded in then traffic jam for hours unend. The man, who was short of attacking the driver, for not being pro-active enough to find another route to beat the hold up, heaped abuses on whoever he remembers; the government, the bus drivers, the heavy duty vehicle drivers and even fellow passengers. It took the eventual silence of everyone inside the bus to calm him down. And quietly sulked! However, a government source, who craved anonymity, has said that the return of these heavy duty vehicles to the roads has nothing to do with government’s insensitivity or weakness, adding that the present problem is not unconnected to the present fuel scarcity. He said that those trucks are waiting to load fuel for onward distribution to other parts of the country. “These trucks are lined up awaiting their turn to load fuel for onward distribution. Their presence has nothing to do with government, but the government is doing everything possible to relocate them to a permanent site, where they could stay until it is their turn to load without constituting a menace to road users and the generality of the public. More so, the law on movement of these vehicles from 10pm is still in force,” the government source said. While the masses continue to trek to their various destinations, and in most cases pay exorbitant fares to get to their destinations, the trailer/ tanker drivers are having a field day, displaying impunity at the highest level even as they deliberately obstruct the entire lanes without a care for what anyone thinks or do. A cross section of motorists and commuters, who spoke to Saturday Mirror, are of the view that the earlier the government steps up its game, the better for all and sundry, saying it is too early to lose credibility as a government. It is still left to be seen how Governor Ambode will rise to the occasion, and put a complete end to excesses of these enemies of humanity, and put an end to suffering of the populace.
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ew Year’s Eve is supposed to be a night filled with champagne, romance and excitement. Or prayers if you are that inclined. But in reality, the night will be remembered by many for its overcrowded bars, expensive drinks and transport chaos. Even for people with the best laid plans, the last night of 2015 was likely to disappoint, according to psychologists. That’s because people are more likely to be unhappy with an event when they have high expectations and strict plans. This is according to a study last year by British scientists who attempted to create a formula for happiness. They found the ‘ebb and flow’ of mental happiness - the way our mood shifts moment-to-moment - is hugely impacted by our expectations of life. Researchers created a formula (pictured) for happiness. Although the formula is complicated, but simply it looks at the event (t), how important or significant the event is (w) and when the event occurred (y). EVj is the reward for taking part, and RPE is the reward compared to the expectation Although the formula itself is complicated, put simply, it looks at the event (t), how important or significant that event is to that person (w) and when the event occurred, also known as the ‘forgetting factor.’ The ‘forgetting factor’ in particular looks at what has happened in the past to determine the current expectations. EVj is the average reward from taking part in a certain event, and RPE is the reward compared to the expectation the person had beforehand. Dr Robb Rutledge of University College London said his team was surprised to find just how important expectation is. He said: “It is often said that you will be happier if your expectations are lower. We find that there is some truth to this - lower expectations make it more likely that an outcome will exceed those expectations and have a positive impact on happiness.” The equation accurately predicts how happy people will say they are based on recent events. The formula was put together by studying 26 people who completed a decision-making task in which their choices led to monetary gains and losses. They were repeatedly asked how happy they were, and their brain activity was measured using MRI scans. The scientists used the data to build a computer model, which was tested on 18,420 people using a Smartphone app. The results confirmed that people who started off with lower expectations were happier when they had better results. Similar results were found in a 1999 study called ‘The Pursuit And Assessment Of Happiness Can Be Self-Defeating,’ by Duke University. In the weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve, the researchers asked 475 people about what they planned to do or see in the New Year. They contacted the same people several weeks after New Year’s Eve to find out their happiness levels. The study found that an 83 per cent of those they surveyed ended up being disappointed with their New Year’s Eve celebration.
Mirror
JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Was your New Year’s Eve awful?
• Psychologists say high expectations cause people to be disappointed • Study found people are happiest when they don’t plan their night • This is because their low expectations are more likely to be exceeded • A separate study by Duke University found 83 per cent of people are usually disappointed with New Year’s Eve
Were you in church?
And the people who were most disappointed were those with the highest expectations. In a related study, researchers from Germany also found the articulation of vowels influence how we feel. During tests, they tracked participants’ emotions by measuring changes in facial muscles linked with smiling and frowning, and found the most positive letter is ‘i’ and the most negative is ‘o’. The team, led by the Erfurt-based psychologist Professor Ralf Rummer, was able to demonstrate the articulation of vowels systematically influences our feelings and vice versa. The scientists focused on the sound of the long ‘i’ vowel and that of the long,
closed ‘o’ vowel. In the first experiment, the researchers asked participants to watch film clips designed to put them in a positive or a negative mood, and then asked them to make up ten artificial words and to speak Did you spend New Year’s Eve in a bar? them out loud. those making ‘o’ noises. They found the artificial words that conThey believe that the tendency for ‘i’ tained significantly more I’s than O’s when sounds to occur in positively charged the test subjects were in a positive mood. words, such as ‘like’, and for ‘o’ sounds to In a second experiment that looked at occur in negatively charged words, such as the link between the sounds, mood and peo- ‘alone’, in many languages appears to be ple’s facial muscles. linked to the corresponding use of facial They found that participants making muscles. the ‘i’ sounds found things funnier than
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
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JANUARY 2, 2016
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Dear Bukola
Having problems with your marriage, family, relationship, career or life generally? Help is at hand with Bukola Oyetunji, Relationship Expert, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author of Stranded With a Status and One Good Spouse Deserves Another. www.bukolaoyetunji.blogspot.com, Follow on twitter @bukolaoyetunji
bukola.oyetunji@gmail.com. +2347012974472
My guy is 15yrs older
Dear Bukola, am in love with someone. He is fifteen years older than me. And he is proposing to me. What should I do? I love him so much. Anonymous
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He took my virginity, but he has a son Dear Bukola, had sex for the first time at the age of nineteen with a guy called Charles. I love him but he has a son with a girl. I am dying. Please tell me what to do to forget him? Anonymous.
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Dear Anonymous, ou did not state in your mail how long ago you had sex with Charles or how long your relationship with him was for (If there was any). Without that information, I may not be able to give you adequate advice but I’ll try my best. Now you wrote that you had sex with the man when you were nineteen for the first time, I believe this means he was the first man you ever knew (i.e., you lost your virginity to him). Because your mail is scanty however I assume you knew he had a child with another girl before this happened. Of course you love him and there are so many things we do for love…. This also may be one of those things. This is why I wonder why you love him but want to forget him because he has a child and woman in his life? Though I don’t know
Y
Dear Bukola, am dating a girl whom I love so much but she has never told me even for a second that she loves me
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Dear lover boy, ometimes the major problem with our relationship is that we love those who do not love us and reject those who do. Misplaced
S
your age right now but I guess you are at the age where you feel you should take some decisions especially as regards your future relationship so I think you should know some certain things… firstly, if you are really in love with a man and the feeling is mutual, the child he has with another woman shouldn’t be a problem. It can only be a problem if the woman is not just a ‘baby mama’ but is directly or totally involved in the life of the man. It can also be a problem if the man still has some very strong feelings for the woman. Lastly, it can be a problem if there is any evidence that the woman in question hasn’t moved on with her life or is still hoping to eventually settle down with the father of her child in marriage. All these are very important issues you need to look into before taking any decision. Secondly, if you think you can cope with having the child around if you and Charles end up together, I see no reason why you should try to forget him. There are so many women married to a single father out there that before you know the child was not actually borne by them, you would have to do some investigations….
They are mature and kind enough to treat the child like their own. If you can be as mature as that, you may consider staying in a relationship with the man. The most important things you need to put into consideration are; ‘is the man in love with you’ and ‘can you handle the presence of another woman’s child in your life/marriage?’ If your answers to these questions are NO, you need to make up your mind about the relationship. That he is your first love does not mean he has to be your last. Make up your mind that you want to have a peaceful and loving marriage in the future with someone who would love you with all their heart. That a man took your virginity does not mean he will love and respect you for it. It also does not mean he will give you the happiness you want. If you think you are not getting the fulfilment you want from the man, let go of all the feelings you have for him…. You just need to make up your mind and pray for grace and strength. With time, you will meet a great man that will love you like that is what they were created to do. All the best love.
Dear Anonymous, he major question I wish your mail answered is if this man is in love with you as much as you are in love with him. However for him to have proposed to you, I believe he has to be in love with you. Like I always tell single people, age isn’t a problem when it comes to love. If you are really in love with him, you will both live a beautiful life as a couple. I know some women who are in search of what you have with all their might. I think reason for this is because they believe a man who is very much older than a woman will take care of her better than a man who is in the same age group with them…. Different strokes for different folks. The first thing that matters in a relationship (love) is present in yours and I am happy about that. Before you make up your mind though, I hope you have a good relationship together? By this I mean are you both friends and not just lovers? Do you have a common ground? When you are both together do you have things you talk about that makes you want to be in the company of each other for a long time? Does he treat you like a mate and not just like a baby? In the next 50 years do you see yourself with him? If you answered yes to all these questions, there is nothing stopping you from accepting his proposal. Lastly, prepare your mind that in some situations the age difference may pop up as an issue. Please be mature enough to handle those issues. Accept also that you both may have different points of view or opinions about some issues, be ready to encounter this once in a while. If you are going into this marriage and you want to be happy, be prepared to reach a compromise with your spouse once in a while. I have seen happy marriages where the age gap is wide so if you accept your man’s proposal and you prepare yourself psychologically, I believe yours won’t be different. Take care dearie.
T
My girl does not express love affection or love slows down our relationships all too often. I wonder if the girl you claim to love knows you have these feelings for her. Have you ever taken your time to express yourself to her? If you have not done this, she
may not be able to reciprocate the feelings as expected. If on the other hand you have told her how you feel and she hasn’t told you she loves you, you may have to look elsewhere because it may never happen. I don’t know
the circumstances surrounding these feelings but if you think you stand the chances of getting her to love you back and there is time on your side, you can hope but if not, please move on with your life.
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Male
Angle
Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com
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Men are from Mars!
his is a tough question to answer. I think that it’s very normal for the feeling of love to wax and wane as time passes, and the relationship becomes challenged by life. Mental and physical health often affects sexual interest and libido. When people say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, methinks they are really talking about disparages between how both sexes see love and romance. Men, especially from this part of the world can love without dealing with the romantic aspect of it. I think that love and romance are different sides of a coin. They can be together but indeed they are separate from each other. I think it’s possibly easier to get the ‘romantic spark’ back into a relationship than to automatically recreate a new loving relationship feeling if the love is truly gone so I believe there can be one without the other to make a relationship work, but it is better to have the two together. To me love is what got you into a relationship in the first place and not romance. Romance came afterwards. When we take a critical look at the above topic we’ll find out that we all are actually researchers in this knotty question all our life and most of us are even confused on what we mean when we talk about love or romance. Firstly, while growing up at a very tender and impressionable young age trying to follow the programmed prescription of Hollywood and Nollywood while seeking “the one” and living happily ever after. Then getting to that point in life after a few heartbreaks when we know that confronting fantasies, failures, possibilities, disappointments and false starts, have disillusioned a lot of us on the concept of what true love is and how romance doesn’t necessarily transmit to true love. The fact that we say ‘romance’ when we mean ‘love’ shows us that underneath our language there is a psychological muddle. We are confusing two great psychological systems within us, and this has a devastating effect on our lives and our relationships. Now this brings us to the point where we need to differentiate between the two. Not to be too dramatic with words here, or to use too much grammar, I’ll like to just say that one is a passion while the
other is as a result of chemistry. For me romance is definitely a passion while love is the chemistry between two people. Love is experienced in the small tasks we do together. The quiet conversations we have together when the day’s upheavals are at rest and the soft words of understanding not even said when we look at each other from across the room. It is the daily companionship, the encouragement offered in a difficult moment and even the small gifts when least expected. Love is the spontaneous gestures in life we offer our partner. Love is therefore the one power that awakens the ego to the existence of something outside itself. Love, in other words, is transcending the ego to connect with another. If we care or dare to look at what those who have thought deeply about love have written, we may learn that romance is potentially transformational but never lasting. It is said that the passion of romance is always directed at our own projections, our own expectations, our own fantasies. It is an appreciation not of another person, but of ourselves and I believe this is so. Though romance does not have to be about sex or to be hot and heavy every day for the rest of your life, the consistency in which you consider your partner, and the want to do things that are nice or perhaps unexpected to make them smile and feel sexually good connotes what romance is or what it entails. This is why men will bring their wives flowers for no really known reason to them, or why wives will text their husbands at mid-day just to say I love you. In conclusion, should love be without romance, I’ll say that it is important to have both because life includes stresses that can cause bad days, arguments, sadness, frustration and worry. Stresses that are a normal part of life can easily have a negative effect on your relationship and sometimes drive two lovers apart. What romance does is to assist in anchoring the relationship and building strengths between two people who may be in love. It is much easier to stay with someone and work through stress and life’s situations when you have had pleasant, happy, romantic moments with them through the relationship.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Are Nigerian m
SEX TALK
This column is x-rated
Sex addiction versus love addiction
40 questions for self-diagnosis
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he following questions are designed to identify possible signposts of sex and love addiction. If you can answer yes to even just a few of these questions, it is very likely that you are an addict! • Have you ever tried to control how much sex to have or how often you would see someone? • Do you find yourself unable to stop seeing a specific person even though you know that seeing this person is destructive to you? • Do you feel that you don’t want anyone to know about your sexual or romantic activities? • Do you get “high” from sex and/or romance? • Have you had sex at inappropriate times, in inappropriate places, and/or with inappropriate people? • Do you make promises to yourself concerning your sexual or romantic behavior that you find you cannot follow? • Have you had or do you have sex with someone you don’t (didn’t) want to
have sex with? • Do you believe that sex and/or a relationship will make your life bearable? • Have you ever felt that you had to have sex? • Do you believe that someone can “fix” you? • Do you keep a list, written or otherwise, of the number of partners you’ve had? • Do you feel desperation or uneasiness when you are away from your lover or sexual partner? • Have you lost count of the number of sexual partners you’ve had? • Do you feel desperate about your need for a lover, sexual fix, or future partner? • Have you or do you have sex regardless of the consequences (e.g. the threat of being caught, the risk of contracting herpes, gonorrhea, AIDS, etc.)? • Do you find that you have a pattern of repeating bad relationships? • Do you feel that your only (or major) value in a relationship is your ability
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
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men romantic? T
This column is x-rated to perform sexually, or provide an emotional fix? • Do you feel that you’re not “really alive” unless you are with your sexual/romantic partner? • Do you feel entitled to sex? • Do you find yourself in a relationship that you cannot leave? • Have you ever threatened your financial stability or standing in the community by pursuing a sexual partner? • Do you believe that the problems in your “love life” result from continuing to remain with the “wrong” person? • Have you ever had a serious relationship threatened or destroyed because of outside sexual activity? • Do you feel that life would have no meaning without a love relationship or without sex? • Do you find yourself flirting or sexualizing with someone even if you do not mean to? • Does your sexual and/or romantic behavior affect your reputation? • Do you have sex and/or “relationships” to try to deal with, or escape from life’s problems? • Do you feel uncomfortable about your masturbation because of the frequency with which you masturbate, the fantasies you engage in, the ‘tools’ you use, and/or the places in which you do it? • Do you engage in sex in ways that bring discomfort and pain?
This column is x-rated • Do you find yourself needing greater and greater variety and energy in your sexual or romantic activities just to achieve an “acceptable” level of physical and emotional relief ? • Do you need to have sex, or “fall in love” in order to feel like a “real man” or a “real woman”? • Do you feel that your sexual and romantic behavior is not giving you what you would accept as fulfillment? • Are you unable to concentrate on other areas of your life because of thoughts or feelings you are having about another person or about sex? • Do you find yourself obsessing about a specific person or sexual act even though these thoughts bring pain, craving or discomfort? • Have you ever wished you could stop or control your sexual and romantic activities for a given period of time? • Do you find the pain in your life increasing no matter what you do? • Do you feel that you lack dignity and wholeness? • Do you feel that your sexual and/or romantic life affects your spiritual life in a negative way? • Do you feel that your life is unmanageable because of your excessive dependency on love and sex? • Have you ever thought that there might be more you could do with your life if you were not so driven by sexual and romantic pursuits?
Female
Angle
YEMISI ADENIRAN 08029894772 email: ydiran@yahoo.com
Turn a new leaf guys!
rue romance is doing something special or unexpected for someone you love, even though you don’t have to. Romance isn’t a greeting card, it isn’t Valentine’s Day, it isn’t a box of chocolates, and it certainly isn’t a dozen roses (unless you like those stuffs). Real romance is not what modern society has been taught to think it is. It isn’t manufactured. It is completely individual. Romance is for showing the person you love that you’re thinking about her. It shouldn’t feel forced. There are no limits to romance; it can be shown by a handwritten note, by going for a walk, or even by making someone a special meal. Romance is something simple and sweet that reminds your partner why she fell in love with you in the first place. So, how on earth can we separate love from romance? Love in other words is romance while romance is also love. Unfortunately, most couples, especially in this part of the world, often deny each other of the fun that romance adds to love. Men especially often stop being romantic as soon as they are legally married and their wives start having children. They forget all about those fun times they used to orchestrate while trying to woo their babes. This, of course is certainly wrong! Woman, according to a foreign artiste in his song “needs the love just like you,(men) do”. He continued by saying men should stop kidding themselves into thinking that she doesn’t. It is important that you love and cherish your wife or spouse as the case may be with romance. Although most Nigerian men are not romantic like their counterparts in other developed worlds who for instance will take their time to get out of the cars to open the door for their wives or propose to their lovers on their knees, the situation can still be made better. Romance is an act of love and until our men here accept this whole-heartedly, they may remain very backward where romance is concerned. Nevertheless, here are ten “acts of love” that you can make do with to create magical moments in your relationship. And talking seriously, they are stuffs that women call real romance. It’s a top secret in your very interest. 1. Make your morning time special by bringing her a cup of coffee while she is still in bed. If you’re willing and able, you can also serve her breakfast in bed. It will make her feel cherished. I can assure you that her response to this will gladden your heart. 2. Make hugging and kissing your normal way of welcoming each other after each work-day when you get home. Let it be a 10 second hug and kiss. You will both feel more deeply connected throughout the evening. Remember, how-
ever to touch your partner affectionately throughout the day once you are both at home and not just when you decide to be romantic. 3. Plan a romantic rendezvous during the week or weekends. You can get a room at a local hotel or plan to have the house all to yourselves. Just the anticipation of being together in this way will add spark to your romantic life. 4. Always take the time to give her 100% of your attention when she wants to talk to you. Put down the remote control or whatever you’re reading, face her and say “What would you like to talk about?” It will make her feel loved and important to you. 5. Pay compliments and not just criticise. It feels good to have your man say you look wonderful, beautiful, sexy or great. Women always have doubts about their looks and hearing that they are attractive to their men is a very important part of creating a romantic relationship. 6. Leave good parting words. Before you leave in the morning tell her that you are looking forward to seeing her when you return. Never leave the house without acknowledging her or saying, “I love you.” 7. Come home with little “surprise gifts.” The next time she is feeling down, give her one of the gifts. This is a wonderful and uplifting act of love and it will be remembered for a very long time. 8. If she has a rough day, offer to take her out or make dinner for her. If she is the one usually doing the cooking this will be a welcome change and a sign of your appreciation. It will definitely be a great way for her to unwind from a tough day. 9. Be spontaneous. Offer to and rent a convertible and kidnap her for a drive to the beach for lunch or dinner. This is a wonderfully romantic and very simple thing to do. If you want to be a little more extravagant, you can choose to spend the night at a hotel around there and drive home the next day. 10. Be dramatic with roses. This one is terribly romantic, so don’t try it unless you’re ready for a passionate evening. Get your partner two or more roses. Take one of them and pull off the petals. Drop the petals on the floor leading to the bedroom and place several petals on the bed. Put the other roses in a vase on the nightstand. Your partner will never forget your thoughtfulness.( You won’t believe that it was adopted in one of the Yoruba movies lately which means it is not a far away possibility. You can also do it, just learn. Taking the time to create romance in your relationship is paramount to creating a fulfilling love life. Even if you think your ideas are silly, your partner will be thrilled that you took the time to do something loving for them. Remember, it’s the thought that counts. So, dear men, turn a new leaf this New Year, get romantic!
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JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
divorce court
‘My husband impregnates everything in skirt’
• Four women had four children for my husband in the last three years and he also has numerous girl friends. I know some of them because they live on my street. I was in the church sometime in 2009 when a woman came with three children, claiming they belonged to my husband, who she said, had neglected her —Wife
A
51-year-old woman has pleaded with an Agege Customary Court to dissolve her 22-year-old marriage over alleged adultery and threat to life. The petitioner, Titilayo Oluokun, a prophetess, who lives at 8, Aina Aladi Street, Agbado, Lagos, told the court that her husband, though a pastor, goes after “everything in skirt”. “Four women had four children for my husband in the last three years and he also has numerous girl friends; I know some of them because they live
‘My husband is a regular customer at beer parlours’
• He will drink and will not leave the place until the beer parlour is ready to close for the day —Wife Stories by Muda Oyeniran
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civil servant, Funmilola Oshingbinle has pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her 10-year marriage, alleging drunkenness and threat to her life. Funmilola told the court that her husband, Paul, was a drunk that never cared for his family. “My husband is a regular customer at the bars; he will drink and will not leave the
place until the beer parlour is ready to close for the day,’’ she said. The complainant also accused her husband of threatening her by always hitting her with dangerous weapons which always left scars on her body. “My husband always attacked me with dangerous weapons whenever he wanted food or sex. “If I tell him I am not in the mood or the food is not ready yet, he will pick a pestle, knife or other weapons and hit me,” she said.
Funmilola begged the court to dissolve the union saying she could no longer tolerate his conduct. “I am still a young woman, I do not want to die from his beating; my husband will kill me if I continue to live with him,” she said. The respondent, Paul, who is also a civil servant, accepted some of the allegations, but denied the others. He told the court that he never threatened to kill his wife, but admitted beating her only because she was not submis-
sive and respectful. “My wife does not regard me, she talks to me anyhow and I cannot take such. So I deal with her to make her come to her senses,’’ Paul told the court. He said that for about a year, he and his wife had not been on good terms, and she had not allowed him to make love to her. Paul, however, told the court that he was not ready for the divorce as he still loved his wife. The court president, Mr R.I. Adeyeri adjourned the case for further hearing.
on my street. “I was in the church sometime in 2009 when a woman came with three children, claiming they belonged to my husband, who she said, had neglected her. “It was a thing of shame because I am the founder of the church and also a prophetess, while my husband is one of the pastors. “I gave the woman N20, 000 and begged her; I told her not to come to the church to disturb me again and when I told my husband, he only thanked me,” she said. The mother of two children aged nine and eighteen, told the court that she once brought her husband before another customary court and the case was settled there. She said in the other customary court in 2011, her husband was asked to write an undertaking that he would not impregnate any other woman again. “To my surprise, he impregnated two women after that and I knew I had to call it quit with him. “He beats me at every slight provocation and even threatens to kill me; he does not give the children money for feeding or pay their school fees. “I got him arrested sometime last year because he wanted to stab me and at the police station, he was asked to move his things out of my house,” she said. The prophetess told the court that her husband has been living in the house which she built. She urged the court to dissolve the marriage and give her custody of the children. Her husband, Adewale, did not appear in court and had also been absent in the last two sittings.
‘I caught him inside our neighbour’s bedroom’ • I caught my husband hiding behind the door of our neighbour’s bedroom, when I went there to pick my purse that I forgot in the room earlier that day —Wife • My wife saw me in our neighbour’s room, but I only went there to collect something —Husband
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42-year-old housewife, Omolabake Bashorun, has told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that she caught her husband inside their 60-year-old woman neighbour’s bedroom. Mrs. Bashorun, a mother of two, disclosed this while begging the court to dissolve her 18-year marriage with her 43-year-old husband, Tunde Bashorun, a businessman. The woman said that she does not want to die young and that she was no longer interested in
the marriage. “Since the day I caught my husband inside our neighbour’s bedroom, he has been threatening to kill me. “I caught my husband hiding behind the door of our neighbour’s bedroom, when I went there to pick my purse that I forgot in the room earlier that day. “Our neighbour, a 60-year-old woman and I are very close; I enter her flat anytime of the day. “On that fateful day, I knocked her door to pick my purse. I could not enter because she had
locked the door from behind; so she told me to come back, that she was sleeping. “I insisted because I needed my purse to pay for what I just bought, so I forced myself inside the room and I saw my husband hiding beside her door, sweating,’’ she said. She added that since that day, her husband’s behaviour changed; he had turned her into a punch ball and always threatening to kill her. “After beating me, he will pick a cutlass, a pestle or a
knife, threatening to kill me, if I refused to pack out of his house; that he was tired of me and that he had found new love. “My screaming always attracted our neighbours, who usually rescued me. “He also called my relatives to come and take me away; that if they did not do so on time, it is my corpse they will meet,’’ the estranged wife said. She added that her husband no longer slept on the same bed with her, that he preferred sleeping on the floor or going to their
neighbour’s room to sleep. Mrs. Bashorun added that her husband also transferred the aggression to his children, as he was no longer responsible for their upkeep. “He stopped paying their school fees and refused to buy them clothes; instead, he would go and collect used clothes from his friends’ children and bring them home for his children,’’ she said. The respondent, Mr. Bashorun, did not deny the allegation CONTINUED ON PAGE 37
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divorce court
JANUARY 2, 2016
‘He pays me N200 for sex’ T
here was drama at the Agege Customary Court when Rachel Raheem, a 28-yearold woman accused her husband, Aliu Raheem, of always beating her and fond of stripping her naked in public. Rachel, who resides at 84, Egbabo Street, Agege, said her husband cheats on her with other women and beats her up whenever she dares to complain about his action. She said her husband sometimes bring strange women to their home for s*x even in her presence. Rachel, who claimed to have lived with Aliu for 11 years claimed he is fond of giving only N500 for her feeding allowance and increasing it by N200 whenever he is expecting sex from her.
Rachel, who is seeking a divorce, said she was surprised when he got married to another lady secretly, and the lady delivered a baby shortly after I gave birth to my second child. She also alleged that her husband chased her away from their home when she travelled to Abeokuta, Ogun State to report Aliu’s actions to her mother-in-law with the hope of finding lasting solutions to their marital problems. In his defense, Aliu Raheem said Rachel lacked care for him and the children. He informed the court that she is fond of coming back very late from the market which makes it difficult for him and the children to eat on time. He denied ever beating his wife but admitted to slapping her once when he could not bear her constant bickering.
19-year-marriage dissolved over bride price
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n Ikole-Ekiti Customary Court on has decided to dissolve a 19 year marriage between Olawale and Mary Adeniyi over the inability of the husband to pay the bride price. Mary Adeniyi accused her husband of inability to pay the bride price, lack of care for the family, constant fighting and threat to her life. Mary, who has now re-married and known as Mrs. Oguntuase, told the court that the union between her and the former husband was a mere association and was blessed with three children.
She accused her former husband of chasing their eldest child with a cutlass when the child demanded for her school fees from him. Adeniyi denied all the allegations levelled against him, saying that the plaintiff had always sought for an excuse to leave him despite all he had done for her. The President of the court, Mrs. Yemisi Ojo, dissolved the union and directed the two parties to be jointly responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the three children. (NAN)
‘I caught him inside our neighbour’s bedroom’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 that his wife met him in their neighbour’s bedroom, but said that he went there to collect something. “My wife saw me in our neighbour’s room, but I only went there to collect something,’’ he said. He submitted that he only beat his wife whenever she erred, adding that she was fond of reporting him to his friends and neighbours anytime they had a misunderstanding. “My wife always reports me
to third parties, which I detest so much that I usually beat her to make her change,’’ he said. Mr. Bashorun said that he always give his children food money, bought them new clothes and that he was still paying their school fees. He appealed to the court not to dissolve the union, saying that he was still interested in the marriage. The Court President, R.I. Adeyeri, however, adjourned the case for continuation of hearing.
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‘I caught my wife and lover in our house’ •
She was not expecting me to come home at that time, else she would not have invited her lover —Husband
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n Orile-Agege Customary Court in Lagos on Wednesday dissolved a 20-year marriage of a pastor who had accused his wife of adultery, stealing, and threatening his life. Olufemi Adewumi, 44, who lives at 12, Ajiboye Close, Ile-Iwe, Agbado Oke-Odo, Agege, came to the court on December12, 2013, seeking the dissolution of his marriage to Fatimo, his wife. Ruling in the case, the Court President, Adegboyega Omilola, said that the marriage had broken down irreparably. “Since the inception of the hearing, the woman failed to appear before the court; a court
summon was served to her, but she failed to come. “The court cannot continue to wait for the woman that failed to honour the court. “So, the marriage is dissolved today. You have ceased to be husband and wife, you shall go your separate ways unmolested,” he said. Mr. Omilola granted custody of their two children, aged 12 and 15 years, to the man. “Take care of the children and ensure you see to their well being,” he said. The pastor had told the court that his wife was adulterous and kept bad company.
“I caught my wife and one of her lovers in our house sometime in 2013. She was not expecting me to come home at that time, else she would not have invited her lover,” he said. The petitioner had also told the court that his wife kept bad company and he tried in vain to keep her away from her bad friends. He said that money also got missing in their room on some occasions and described his wife as a fetish woman who threatened his life. “I want the dissolution of the marriage and custody of my children,” he had said.
‘My husband starves me sexually’
• I am fed up. We no longer stay together and the bond of love between us has disappeared —Wife • I once caught her red-handed with her lover on our matrimonial bed. She has been involved in all manner of atrocities. This is why I called it all off with her —Husband
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ne Latifat Adeleke, a mother of two, Wednesday, sought for the dissolution of her nine-yearold marriage to her husband, Adetola Adeleke, at a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo state, over alleged sexual starvation. In her petition to the court, Latifat, a trader, alleged that Adeleke, a spare parts dealer, aside from neglecting his traditional responsibilities of catering for her and the two children, had no time for her sexual desire. “Adeleke has over three to four years now, failed in his responsibilities as a husband towards me and as a father to his two children. The worst of all, my Lord, is that he has kept away
from having sexual intercourse with me which greatly saddens my heart. Adeleke has completely denied me sex. “I am fed up. We no longer stay together and the bond of love between us has disappeared,” Latifat declared. On his part, her husband denied all the allegations levelled against him by his wife. He told the court that he was happy to part ways with Latifat. According to the father of two, his wife was adulterous, extravagant and a party enthusiast. Adeleke said, “My lord, this year alone, Latifat has dubiously obtained close to N300, 000 from me in the name of celebrating birthday for our children. “I once caught her red-handed with her lover on our matrimo-
nial bed,” the defendant added, stating that when he asked his wife if what she did was right or not, there was no remorse, even when it actually happened in their matrimonial home. Speaking further, Adeleke told the court, “She has been involved in all manners of atrocities; this is why I called it all off with her. “Please, my Lord, I don’t want her to take custody of the eight and six year-old children, because she doesn’t stay around; Latifat keeps going to parties.” The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, after listening to both parties, directed that the duo produce evidence to support their claims. Odunade, however, adjourned the case till January 27, 2016 for mention. (NAN)
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Moderation, key to good health I t is that time of the year when all we do is have fun and make merry. Now talking of fun, people have fun in various ways, ranging from the plain simple to the bizarre. For some, sitting at home watching an interesting TV program and eating sumptuous meals is all they need. For others, a little more than that is required. Yet still, there are others whose definition of real fun is to drink themselves to stupor and drive under the influence of alcohol from one joint to the other in a bid to catch more fun. Whichever group you belong, lets quickly remind ourselves of a few things we have to watch out for in the New Year. The Kids:
Do you still have a Christmas tree set up in your home? I am sure it is decorated with those tiny bells and multicolored lights. That’s just fine, as it adds to the glamour and thrills of the season. But watch out for your infants and ensure they don’t swallow those tiny bits of decorations. Children get attracted to toys and when it is tiny enough the natural direction it goes is into their mouth, nostrils or ears. How else will they know what it is! Around this time, foreign body insertion is one of the things that take kids to the emergency room and that is one place I am sure you don’t want to visit this season. It is just too disrupting of fun time; if you know what I mean, So be vigilant! And while at it, remember also to keep them away from the hot vegetable oil and that kerosene in the soft drink bottle.
Heart attack:
For some strange reasons, scientists have documented evidence to show that cardiovascular accidents or heart attacks tend to occur more around Christmas. Is it the excitement or excessive intake of alcohol? The tendency to throw caution to the wind and eat many heart-unfriendly things? Or even the fact that we forget to take our usual pills around this time. Whatever may be the reason, if you are on medications for a heart condition or you are just hypertensive, please take time out to
swallow your drugs. And when family meetings get too brutal, simply excuse yourself and don’t put your ‘heart’ in it.
Alcohol:
Those that drink may argue that little quantity of alcohol is good for the heart. But what is little, what is large? Alcohol’s overindulgence for one is toxic to the body. It compromises the liver and worsens existing liver diseases. It sometimes depletes blood sugar and tips the individual to hypoglycemic coma. When an individual drives while intoxicated, the probability of crashing also increases significantly. The collateral damage in terms of morbidity and mortality and economic strain on the family is quite substantial.
Mental stress:
This comes in various forms; Aunty Caro is back in the village for the yearly family reunion with all her troubles. Because she comes home once a year, you can label her one year one trouble. She wants to reorganize the whole family now that she is around. Not only that, she wants to tell you exactly how you should run your life just as she used to do when you were young. If you remind her that you are no longer a baby and in fact you are now married. She would gladly ask to see your wife and then tell her how to run her own life along with yours.
Families are just that...Families! They could be pleasant and stressful at once to be around with. Just ensure you avoid unnecessary stress that may affect your health. Do not bow to undue pressure to spend more than you can afford. For when festivities are over and it is time to pay school fees in January you may end up getting more stressed mentally. I have even heard of some of our brothers and sisters who spend all the money they made from the beginning of the year to travel home for festivities, only to call those in Lagos to send transport fare to enable them escape from the village and return to Lagos empty handed. Then in earnest they quickly join the rat race again and start working, in a bid to take more money home next December.
Food stress:
This sounds funny! What is stressful about eating? You may ask. Well nothing really. It is good to eat well and make merry. But we must not eat our lifespan away. Moderation is key here. We should not eat simply because it is available. It is not only the quantity of food we eat that is important but the quality. It is at a time like this that people add some inch here and there to their waistline. Also, every weight loss regimen is usually thrown out of the window until after the celebrations. By which
time the weight has been packed up so high that the task of losing it again becomes herculean. Excessive weight gain is very unhealthy to the body, just to sound nice. But really, it encourages cancers, diabetes and arthritis. Let’s simply avoid those killing fats, fry our food less and eat more of fish than beef. Chicken? Of course we can eat them! Unfortunately, it has to be in moderation too.
Conclusion:
A: These doctors sef ! Don’t eat this don’t eat that! Should we go hungry for the sakes of leaving healthy? B: I wonder o A: I think I need to avoid my doctor as much as possible, abeg! B: That’s easy, we’ll just stay healthy A: Yeah, that’s what we would do B: But I think one would need to cross-check regularly with the Doctor to ensure that the desired health status is maintained A: Aah aah Doctor again!!!
Sport
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
JANUARY 2, 2016
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5 Nigerian stars who never won the CAF Award
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he Confederation of African Football recently released the list of the 10-best African players based outside of Africa ahead of the announcement of African Player of the Year award for 2015. Despite the best efforts of Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and Vincent Enyeama over the course of the last 12 months no Nigerian international made the shortlist. In fact, the last time a Nigerian won the award was way back in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu still wore Arsenal colours. Have Nigerian players not been good enough since? That is the question many have been asking in this report, Pius Anakali reports on the list of five best Nigerians football stars that has never won the CAF Awards.
Okocha
Austin Okocha Easily the greatest Nigerian and African never to win the CAF Player of the Year award, Okocha was not only denied, he was robbed. His talent was undeniable and for over a decade, he was the driving force for everything good about Nigerian football both at home and abroad. Europe recognized his feats with two BBC Best Player awards. In Africa however, two third-placed finishes in 2003 and 2014 to go with a largely surprising second-place finish in 1998 is what the former midfield wizard can look back to after an inspiring career.
Vincent Enyeama No goalkeeper in the last two decades has made the final shortlist of three before Enyeama arrived on the scene. After winning the CAF Champions League best player enroute to helping Enyimba FC win an elusive continental title, no one was surprised when the former Nigerian skipper emerged as a finalist in 2014. After earning the Best Gloves award in 3 different countries and lifting the AFCON trophy with the Super Eagles, what is surprising is that he ended third behind Yaya Toure and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Amokachi
Enyeama Finidi
Finidi George It’s incredible how Nigeria’s greatest Number 7 never made the top 3 list of Africa’s finest, much more going home with the Africa’s Best gong itself. At his peak, ‘Finito’ was regarded as the most accomplished player in the world at what he did. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona queued up for his signature. But Africa never considered him good enough.
Daniel Amokachi The 90’s were Nigeria’s golden years at the CAF Awards. Nigerian stars picked up 5 of the 7
awards available between 1993 and 1999, with the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu (twice), and Victor Ikpeba taking their turns at the CAF gala night. 1996 was Amokachi’s year but he couldn’t share the spotlight with the hugely talented Kanu and finished 3rd in the polls.
Mikel Obi John Obi Mikel came second to Yaya Toure in 2013 after enjoying an incredible season with Chelsea. The Champions League winner was defeated by over 100 votes and has not gone close since.
Mikel
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MIRROR SPORT
MirrorGolf With Pius Anakali
JANUARY 2, 2016
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Tel: 08023367071
Uwadia wins Junior Masters tourney
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nita Uwadia, has emerged champions of the Nigerian Golf Federation (NGF) Junior Masters championship to become Nigeria’s number one in the latest order of merit ranking among boys and girls from 18 years and below. Speaking at the closing ceremony, the teenager said that she appreciates the rapid growth of golf at the grassroots. According to her, “I’m glad winning this tournament and I’m glad golf is improving rapidly in Nigeria; it was not like it is now five years ago, it’s amazing the guys are playing very well.” The All African Games golf gold medalist also commended the NGF for the opportunity provided her to prove herself,
while urging the Federation not to relent on its oars in its bid to move golf forward in Nigeria. In same vein, the President of NGF, Mohammed Jibril Nazifi, represented by the Vice President, Kunle Dada applauded the scintillating performance of the kids, just as he assured them the Federation will make efforts to take golf to the next level in the country. “I’m proud of the champion, Anita, who has been bringing laurels to Nigeria in golf and the parents too for their supports and also other players for their wonderful performance. I want to assure you that NGF will not relent in ensuring golf is taken to the next level in Nigeria,” Dada said.
Egbakumeh rules Ikeja kids tourney
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eenage golf star, Osiregbeme Egbakumeh, has emerged the champion of the 2015 Ikeja Children’s End of Year kitty competition which held at the Ikeja Golf Club, Lagos recently. To achieve the feat at the oneday event, Egbakumeh garnered 46 gross over 9-holes. Speaking at the occasion, the kid-golfer expressed delight winning the event, “I’m very happy I won the competition today; I thank God.” Also in the 5-Holes category, Atinuke Siwoku, won with 49 gross, Fiyefoluwa Obifarinde won the 4 holes category with 36 gross, while Lanre Siwoku, completed the list of winners in the 3-holes category with 23-gross score. Commenting on the event, the Chairman Organising Committee, Chichi Alamu commended the kids for putting up a brilliant performance
while the event lasted. “I’m very happy at the wonderful performance of the kids. This is how they will grow up and become better and bigger stars in golf. We will continue to organise grassroots events to encourage the kids and discover hidden talents,” she said.
Mr. O.A. Koleowo; representative of Ministry of Justice, Ogun State, Hon. Moroof Afolabi Afuwape, the State’s Sports Commissioner and Dr. Bolu John Folayan; MD/CEO, Newswatch Magazine, during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Ogun State School Sports Festival (OGSSFEST) in Abeokuta.
Ogun launches schools sports
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gun State is set to bring back her glorious yesteryears in sports, following the launch of the Ogun State Schools Sports Festival (OGSSFEST) in Abeokuta on Wednesday. Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the government and the consultants on the project, Youth and Sports Commissioner, Hon. Moroof Afolabi Afuwape said the Amosu administration was committed to making the state ‘the factory of sports stars in Nigeria’. “The administration has upgraded the sport infrastructure in the state to first-class status and no state in Nigeria boasts of what we have at our stadiums and
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Egbakumeh (centre)
orona Schools celebrated its 60th anniversary gala with the launch of its Commemorative edition of the Monopoly Game. The event which held at the Muson Center had past and present students in attendance. The special guest of honour was the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), his wife Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo and the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode who was represented by the Special Adviser on Education Obafela Bank-Olemoh. Dignitaries from the educa-
we have the technocrats. What remains for us is to bring in the private sector to drive first-class competitions. The GT Principals Cup and OGSSFEST are the pioneering efforts in this regard,” he said. The commissioner said the government believes success in sports is connected to age and that sports super stars needed to be caught and nurtured very young. “It is of no use discovering a football, tennis or athletics star in his or her late 20s. Most sports thrive on ‘catch them young’ and now that sports is big business, we also see OGSSFEST as a way of fighting crime and unemployment in the land,” he explained. Afuwape called on corporate organizations and philanthro-
pists to embrace OGSSFEST. “We urged them to embrace OGSSFEST, not just as corporate social responsibility but in order to reap heaps of marketing advantages as over 4,000 kids will participate in the yearly competition.” In his response, the Managing Director of Newswatch Times Magazine, Dr. Bolu John Folayan, said the competition would be the first of its kind in Nigeria and perhaps in Africa. He said a consortium of sports marketing and sports media experts are coming together to complement the state government’s initiative, not just to discover the stars of tomorrow but to also nurture them to stardom and make them financially self-sustaining.
Corona Schools celebrate 60th anniversary tional sector, top government officials like Mr. Teju Oyelakin and Mrs. Dakore Akande who are also Corona Alumni were present. Speaking at the event, the Special guest of honour the Vice President of Nigeria Professor Osinbajo went down memory lane to when he was a student of Corona in the 6o’s. He highlighted the core values of the school which was to deliver world class education to children, inculcate high moral and ethical values and prepare students to be good
leaders and global citizens. Also speaking at the event was the Chairman Governing board Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman who spoke about the exciting journey the school has embarked on for the past 60 years and its achievements, Mrs. Olufunto Igun Chair Corona Trust also spoke about the vision of Corona schools that was to transform the educational sector in Nigeria. The high point of the gala was the unveiling of the first ever African Monopoly school edition.
SPORT NEWS
Wrestling: Power Lee receives royal blessing Ifeanyi Eduzor
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he Odiologbo of Owhe Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Highness Okpuzo Romanus Ejirememe Inana 1 has commended PWA African heavyweight wrestling champion Power Lee for bringing glory to the country through the mats man game even as he charged him to ensure a successful defence of the title later in the year. He stated this when the champion officially paid homage
to him in his Palace at Owhe Kingdom to officially present the belt he won last September against Cameroonian champion to the monarch. According to the monarch, Power Lee by winning the title in far away Cameroon has not only put the name of the community and the country in the global sporting map but is an indication that with adequate support, he will rule the World in the mats man game. The Odiologbo while blessing the champion whose real names are Godspower Ikpide,
prayed that God will enable the prized fighter go from strength to strength as well as record success in his chosen profession with a promise that he will be at the ring side during his forthcoming title defence against Marvelous Buffalo of Angola slated for March 6th, 2016 at the Asaba Township Stadium. Earlier in his speech before presenting the belt to the monarch in the presence of his Palace chiefs which includes; W.D. Kokoruwe , J.A.O Ebire, Bhatson E. Oloko, C. Onowwharua, Joseph Owhefere, A. Egwerome, Job Owhefere, Napoleon Inana, Emmanuel Oziwefe and Chief Ovuakpore, the champion noted that he came to the Palace to
His Royal Highness, King Romanus Ejirememe Inana 1, the Odiologbo of Owhe Kingdom and his Chiefs with the PWA African Wrestling Heavyweight champion, Power Lee when he paid a courtesy visit to the monarch in his palace recently.
receive royal blessings as well as show them what their son is capable of doing in the ring which he said started about 28 years ago when he represented Owhe Kingdom during traditional wrestling contests before leaving for Lagos for greener pastures. Introducing Power Lee to the
King and Palace Chiefs, Chief Job Owhefere, the chief representing the community he hails from, described the NO 3 ranked USA based AIWF World Wrestling body as a patriotic son of the community who has brought smiles to the faces of all Nigerians through wrestling.
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MIRROR SPORT
JANUARY 2, 2016
United fans are the best —Van Gaal
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ouis van Gaal believes the supporters at Manchester United are the best he has dealt with out of any club he has managed. The Dutchman took over as manager at Old Trafford ahead of the 2014-15 season but has struggled to take United back to the top of the Premier League table. His side finished fourth last season and qualified for the Champions League but were knocked out in the group stages. Van Gaal’s men are sixth at the halfway point of the 201516 season but are on a run of six games without a win in the league. Despite being booed on several occasions this season, Van Gaal praised the United faithful after their support in Monday’s
Van Gaal clash against Chelsea. “I have had problems with other clubs that I managed, but I have to say the best fans are the Manchester United ones,” he said. “In a difficult situation they continue to applaud the footballers and that is simply fantastic.” United will be looking to end their winless run when they host Swansea City on Saturday
Cech hopes to preserve record against Messi
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etr Cech is hoping to prolong his run of clean sheets against Lionel Messi but says his priority is helping Arsenal beat Barcelona in the Champions League. Arsenal face defending European champions Barca in the round of 16 with Arsene Wenger looking to get the better of the Catalan side for the first time in the competition. After a draw and a defeat to Barca in the 1999-2000 first group stage, they lost to Frank
Cech
Rijkaard’s side in the 2006 final and were then eliminated by Pep Guardiola’s team in both 2010 and 2011. Wenger’s men claimed just one win in those seven encounters, but former Chelsea goalkeeper Cech can at least draw on his record against Barca’s leading star. The Czech Republic goalkeeper has faced Messi in eight games in his career so far, but the Argentina forward has never scored a goal against him. “Not many people can say they’ve played eight games or how many minutes against Messi and he hasn’t found a way to get past me,” Cech said. “But if he scores and we progress to the next round then it’s not really important. “What’s important is for us to make sure that we give ourselves a chance to progress to the next round.”
Silva: We will win CL for Ibrahimovic
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aris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva has vowed to do his utmost to deliver the Champions League before Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves the club. Laurent Blanc’s side have established domestic supremacy since Qatar Sports Investment became majority shareholders in 2011 and claimed the club’s first treble of Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue last season. PSG have yet to conquer Europe, however, having been knocked out by eventual winners Barcelona in 2014-15, meaning Sweden star Ibrahimovic remains without a winners’ medal to add to a remarkable career collection. With the 34-year-old tipped to leave the Parc des Princes at
the end of his contract in June, Silva is determined that this will be the year for PSG to end their wait for continental glory. The Brazilian told Omnisport: “Zlatan has a particular personality. At each training sessions he wants to win. That’s something positive. And the other thing [that strikes me] when I look at him is that it’s all about his personality.
Ibrahimovic
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Students of Del Basketball Academy in one of their training sessions.
Del basketball academy sets new agenda Ifeanyi Eduzor
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roprietor of Del basket ball academy, Dele Simon Awonuga says that the academy is poised towards producing more talented players that will do the country proud in future. He told Saturday Mirror during the 2015 end of the year clinic organized by the academy at the Oworonshoki play ground that the academy since inception has been consistent in its grassroots development programme, noting that its recent partnership with “Temson Sports” is aimed at repositioning the academy towards producing future champions in the slam and dunk game.
Awonuga noted that the high number of youths that participated in the clinic which was put at 80 is an indication that the academy has come of age just as he posited that the partnership with Temson Sports will be sustained. “I am very happy that the just concluded clinic attracted about 80 youths which includes participants from Edo State and those who have not played basketball before. We are encouraged by this development and will continue to improve on it”, he assured. Chairman of Temson Sports, Vincent Somade stated that the decision by his company to partner with the academy was to take grassroots
basketball to greater heights. “We at Temson Sports boosts of many years of experience in sports promotion and management and we are partnering with the academy to not only contribute our quota toward grassroots basketball development but to give kids opportunity to learn the basic principles of the game”, he concluded. In his closing remarks, secretary of Oworonshoki community, Segun Babatunde commended the academy for giving youths in the area and its environs the opportunity to learn how to play basketball even as he advised the players to shun drugs and other social vices to enable them excel in the game.
Ighalo tops Sky Sports power rankings
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atford’s Odion Ighalo has topped the Sky Sports Power Rankings after scoring in the Hornets’ 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on Monday and 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Boxing Day. Tottenham were the only team to have more than one player in the top 10, with Harry Kane at No 2 and Dele Ali at No 7 after Spurs won both of their Christmas fixtures against Norwich and Watford. Matchday 18 and 19 were combined for the latest Power Rankings edition, which saw Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez drop to No 4, following three weeks at No 1. Mesut Ozil rose five places to No 3 after scoring in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at the Emirates on Monday - a win that ensured the Gunners as
Premier League Fixtures
W/Ham v Liverpool Arsenal v Newcastle Leicester v Bournemouth Man Utd v Swansea Norwich v Southampton Sunderland v Aston Villa
Ighalo Premier League leaders heading into 2016. Bournemouth’s Adam Smith dropped one place to No 5 after the Cherries’ defeat to Arsenal, but the 24-year-old defender helped Eddie Howe’s men keep a clean sheet in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Boxing Day. Stoke forward Marko Arnau-
tovic fired 84 places up the charts to No 6, scoring in Stoke’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United and 4-3 win against Everton over the festive period. Kevin De Bruyne also soared up the Power Rankings, rising 81 places to No 8 after scoring in Manchester City’s 4-1 demolition of Sunderland on Boxing Day.
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
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Crime Watch How drug traffickers recruit couriers on Facebook
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rug cartels have invaded Facebook and other social media platforms for the recruitment of traffickers, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said. In a statement this week, the NDLEA said it foiled an attempt by a drug trafficking organization to recruit a 37-year old lady, Gloria Ezeabata, on Facebook as a drug courier under the guise of marriage proposal. The lady was to smuggle 1.325 kilogrammes of methamphetamine to Malaysia through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, when she was apprehended. The agency said it also arrested the mastermind of the alleged drug cartel. “The agency has uncovered a plot by drug trafficking organisations to use the social media for recruitment of drug mules,” said Roli Bode-George. “After a painstaking surveillance, we have successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs to Malaysia by a courier recruited online via Facebook. Members of the public should be wary of these antics, ascertain a wholesome relationship and report suspicious cases to the Agency. “Some of the tricks to watch out for include marriage proposals to unsuspecting female victims, unsolicited generosity like cash and other gift items as well as offering all-expense paid trip to Asia, Europe, America and South Africa.” The NDLEA boss commended the swift intervention of the Agency that led to the arrest and subsequent prevention of the suspect from smuggling drugs to Malaysia where a Nigerian was recently sentenced to death for drug trafficking. “The mode of recruitment is also instructive because of its mass appeal to
Philip Maduabuchi Akpaka
Ezeabata Uju Gloria
youths. I expect lovers of social media to learn from this arrest. Meanwhile, we are working hard to dislodge drug cartels and halt their sinister plots,” Mrs. Bode George said. Ahmadu Garba, NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, said Miss Ezeabata was
arrested following the discovery of methamphetamine in her luggage. “Gloria was arrested during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline flight on her way to Malaysia at the departure hall,” said Mr. Garba. “Substances that tested positive for
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methamphetamine weighing 1.325kg were detected in her luggage. The drug was concealed in 26 packs of Indomie noodles in a bag of foodstuff containing plantain, pepper, melon and other spices. “Further investigation led to the arrest of one Mr. Philip Maduabuchi Akpaka who allegedly coordinated the travel arrangement for Gloria and gave her the bag containing the drugs.” In her statement, Miss Ezeabata, who works with an accounting firm in Lagos, admitted having a Facebook relationship that got her involved in drug trafficking. “I met a man on Facebook some months ago who lives in Malaysia. He told me while chatting online that he is from my State, Anambra in South East Nigeria. “After some months, he proposed to marry me and I requested that he comes to Nigeria to meet with my parents as our custom demands. He promised to fulfill every marriage rite.” Months later, according to the lady, her lover invited her to Malaysia on an all expenses paid trip. “After several appeals, I decided to visit him,” the suspect continued. “The day I was to travel, he told me to take along a bag of foodstuff sent by his mother from the village. I was given the bag at the airport but in the process of checking it in, drug was discovered inside packs of noodles in the bag and I was arrested.” Mr. Akpaka, 39, admitted to preparing the travel documents of Gloria on the request of his friend based in Malaysia. “I am a transporter. My friend in Malaysia asked me to prepare travel documents for Gloria. He also asked me to give a bag to Gloria to take to Malaysia.” (PREMIUM TIMES)
Why I find it easier to operate in Ghana than in Nigeria — Robbery suspect
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trans-border robbery suspect has told the Lagos State Police that it was easier for him to operate in Ghana than in Nigeria because citizens of the latter are more security conscious. Dennis Wasami, 32, was arrested by men of the Rapid Response Squad in his hideout at Agbonle Orile on Saturday, the police said in a statement. The suspect was held in Kirikiri prison last year after he was arrested for a burglary incident in Festac Town. “I was an expert at break – in- robbery,” Mr. Wasami said in his confessional statement after his arrest. “I operated in Ghana, along West Africa coast breaking into people’s houses and making away with their properties and personal effects like mobile phones, laptops, jewelry and other personal effects.
“I used to bring the stolen items to Nigeria to sell. I have a ready market for them in Lome and Lagos. “My major operations were in Ghana because Ghanaians are not security conscious unlike Nigeria where security is tight. In Ghana, nobody would challenge you. All the items that I stole are from Ghana. I did sell some at Lome and some in Lagos. I have a large number of people that buy the stolen goods from me in Lagos.” Following his arrest last weekend, the suspect stated that he had turned over a new leaf after his four month stay in prison last year. According to him, he now works in Lagos Island where he earns a livelihood from connecting buyers of children’s clothes with sellers and getting a commission. “Those two machetes found inside my
apartment in Agbole Orile belonged to Area Boys operating in a garage nearby,” he said. “They kept them there for whenever there is crisis among them. These boys are called Spartacus. They are trouble makers. They are always at the junction. I don’t know anything about it and I never knew they were there.” On how he moved to Lagos, Mr. Wasami said it was after he dropped out of Sapele Technical College in his native Delta State. “I came back to Lagos to learn music at PEFTI and Sound Engineering at LifeLine Studio, Alade Estate, Allen in Ikeja. After this, my father opened a shop for me, where I was managing before things were a bit difficult for me,” he said. “Shortly after this, I decided to go into house breaking and stealing to survive, and I was into this for about six years. I
have operated in more than five houses in Lagos here. All the houses are in Festac area because I know much about the area very well. “Amongst those I sold the items to one were Qudus, I.K, Hapier, Stanley and Kelvin”, he said. “If I have a large quantities of items I want to dispose. Qudus was always the right man for me to call. He would come to me, collect the items, sell them and return the money.” “Another accomplice simply identified as I.K, buys stolen items in large quantity too from me. He once had a shop in Church Street junction, Oshodi but presently, he has relocated to China. “My last operation was in Festac. It was the one that led to my arrest and CONTINUED ON PAGE 44
Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com
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Crime Watch
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
JANUARY 2, 2016
Kidnapping: Rivers police rescue two victims
Man, 60, arrested in Ogun for defiling 12-year-old girl T A
60-year-old man has been arrested by Ogun State Police Command for allegedly defiling a 12-yearold girl in Abigi community located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the State. The Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed this to journalists, said the suspect committed the crime on Saturday. “The police operatives attached to Abigi Division of the Ogun State police command have arrested one Adewale Enoch, 60, for having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl, 12, on 26th December at 1540hrs,” he said. Mr. Adejobi added that the suspect’s act was reported to the police by the father of the victim and the police arrested the man at Moborode Area, Abigi in Ogun Waterside Local Govern-
ment of Ogun state. He said the commissioner of police, Abdulmajid Ali, had directed that the case be transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further Investigation and prosecution, as the command has credible evidence to arraign the suspect. “The police boss also appealed to parents and guardians to monitor their children or wards as all hands must be on deck to eradicate this criminal, barbaric and inhuman act in our society,” the police spokesman said. He said the commissioner vowed to leave no stone unturned in the fight against child abuse, gender violence and other social vices that can expose our children to moral dangers.
Defiler
Conflict Resolution Unit of the Corps handled 161 cases covering land, marital, business transactions, relationships, communal and landlord/tenancy disputes. Adewoye said: “We completely resolved 104 cases out of the 161; 55 cases are pending, while two had been closed. “Furthermore, the Anti-Fraud Section handled 93 cases in 2015; three cases were on land disputes, 19 on job racketeering. while 71 are still being handled.” The commandant warned
criminals and vandals to keep away from the state, emphasising that all the security agencies in the state were working together to ensure the safety of lives and protection of properties. Adewoye said: “For the New Year celebration, we have deployed officers and men to strategic locations across the 33 local government areas in the state, especially recreation centres, motor parks and praying centres.” While wishing residents of the state a prosperous 2016, he
NSCDC secures conviction of 10 pipeline vandals
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he Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says it successfully convicted 10 oil pipeline vandals out of the 37 suspects arrested in 2015. The State Commandant of the corps, John Adewoye, disclosed this while presenting a crime assessment report for 2015 at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan on Wednesday. Adewoye said those convicted were sentenced to different jail terms ranging from three to seven years. He also said the Peace and CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43
Why I find it easier to operate in Ghana than in Nigeria
— Robbery suspect
consequently my imprisonment at Kirikiri, Since I came back, I have never gone into breaking in and stealing.” Meanwhile, operatives of the Police have begun a manhunt for the buyers of the suspect’s stolen goods, the police statement said. The operatives are on the trail of at least three buyers mentioned by the suspect who is currently helping the police with information, it added. Joe Offor, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed Mr. Wasami’s arrest to journalists and reiterated the commitment of the police in the state to reduce crime to its barest minimum.
Patience Ogbo
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omicide detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Panti Yaba, have opened investigation into the alleged murder of a Lagos based business man one Solomon Okafar who was allegedly beaten to death in his apartment in Lagos by yet to be identified persons. Saturday Mirror gathered that the investigation follows a petition by the deceased’s elder brother, one Henry Okafor, to the Lagos state Commissioner of police Mr. Fatia Owoseni allegedly that his three siblings identified as Ngozi, Nkechi and Ekene Okafor who were living with the deceased with others at large connived amongst themselves and murdered the deceased in his apartment at
called on all residents to be their brother’s keeper by volunteering useful and prompt information to security agencies to help nip crime in the bud. Adewoye also urged the people to be careful in handling naked fire in order to prevent fire disaster, especially during this dry season. “We must remember to switch off electrical appliances, be careful with gas cylinders, keep matches away from children and be wary of bush burning,” he said.
he Rivers State Police Command said it had rescued two persons kidnapped by gunmen at Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Wednesday. The command`s Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad, a DSP, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the rescued victims are Jackson Sunday and Mary Monday. The statement said the victims were safely rescued during the operation. It said an Ak-47 assault rifle, one locally made pistol, 20 rounds of ammunition and a Nissan Jeep were recovered, while three suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded during the operation. It said the operation was carried out by the command’s Tactical Unit at about 4.30am on Wednesday and that the Jeep belonged to one of the rescued victims, Jackson Sunday. The statement also said the victims were kidnapped on different days at Rumuodara and Rumuigbo areas of Port Harcourt. The command, according to the statement, enjoined the people to continue to trust the ability of the police to tackle any security challenge and be security conscious.
Police probe death of businessman Number 19 Dayo Ojutiku Street, Ikate Lawanson, Surulere on February 24th. The petition stated, “I was in Ebonyi State on a business when I received the sad news that my younger brother Solomon was dead. I came down to Lagos on March 1st and upon enquiry about the circumstances of my brother’s death, I was informed by one Ngozi Bishop who was at the scene of the assault that my brother had a misunderstanding and a quarrel with the other siblings with whom he lived in the same house and they invited someone to beat him to stupor. Nkechi and Victor absconded after the fight. Solomon died the same day as a result of the fatal injuries he sustained from the assault.” He also alleged that the ac-
cused hid the body of Solomon in an unknown site. Showing our correspondent a copy of the Solomon’s obituary, Henry alleged that the siblings claim in the obituary was fake. The public notice shows that the deceased was buried in his home town at Asaga Arochukwu Ohafia local government area in Abia State on March 13th .However, Mr. Henry is alleges that the burial is a fraud as neither him nor any of their relatives saw the remains of Solomon. He said the suspicious burial prompted him to instigate an investigation on the matter. “As the eldest brother, I did not see Solomon’s corpse. None of our relatives saw his corpse and he was not buried in our village as the obituary announced. It is all a fraud because no burial
of Solomon took place in our village. We don’t know where they have taken his corpse to. Nobody in my village witnessed Solomon’s burial. The killers are hiding his death so that they will not face the law. They have sold his property and rented out his apartment,” he claimed. Saturday Mirror gathered from a source that the case was initially reported at the Lawanson police station but no arrest was made which prompted the petition to Lagos State Commissioner of police. It was learnt that homicide detectives have arrested Ngozi Okafor following the petition. Ngozi is believed to be the prime suspect while the police are on the manhunt for Ekene and Nkechi the other siblings said to be at large.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Minister pledges to upgrade FGC Okigwe Eric Elezuo
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he Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, has pledged to add value and improve on the quality of education in the country. The minister made this known while inspecting the Federal Government College, Okigwe, on Thursday. Anwuka, represented by his Special Adviser, Prof. Godswill Obioma, said he was on familiarisation tour of Federal Unity Schools in the country to get acquainted with completed and ongoing projects as wells as their challenges, with a viewing to tackling them. While highlighting the importance of education in human and national development, the minister noted that the ministry would ensure that quality was restored to the education sector. He regretted the inadequate water supply in Okigwe Federal Government College, and promised to ensure that water reticulation was carried out in the school to ease the suffering of the students. ``Adequate supply of water is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the present administration and the ministry will follow due process to actualise the goal. ``We will equally look into the abandoned projects in the school to reactivate them. There are some ongoing critical projects in this school. ``I have instructed the principal to bring a report of this and other challenges and we will ensure that the project is included in the SDGs of this administration,’’ he said. The minister commended the principal and management
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of the school for their dedication to duty and urged them not to relent. Earlier, the Director and Principal of the College, Dr. Julia Ezemoka, expressed gratitude for the visit and listed the problems being faced by the students as lack of water supply and called for effective water reticulation to the hostels. She said the school had excelled academically since its inception in 1977 as it took the 5th position in the 2015 WASCE result as well ranked fifth among the 104 Unity Colleges in the country. ``FGC Okigwe recorded 93 per cent in NECO and 92.44 per cent in WASCE, and has reduced the rate of bullying in the hostels with the help of parents. ``Some of the measures put in place by the school to ensure academic excellence include early morning lessons in Mathematics and English for SS3 students. ``The PTA has been supporting and contributing toward the growth of this school by engaging and paying of over 50 part-time staff of the college,’’ she said. The Coordinator, Federal Quality Assurance, Imo State, Mrs. Ifeoma Felix-Udenze, underscored the importance of qualitative education, and the need to maintain standards in schools. She appealed to the minister to fast track the water reticulation in the school, saying it has lingered for years. The PTA Chairman of the school, Dr. Moses Ajoku, appealed to the minister to rectify and regularise the appointment of the over 50 part time staff of the college engaged by the association.
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Obi, Umeh fight deepens over Ekwunife’s re-election T
he former governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi has rekindled fresh battle against the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh vowing to work for the victory of Senator Uche Ekwunife whose election into the Anambra Central Senatorial District was nullified. Chief Obi said at a Stakeholders Meeting of the District on the occasion of Town Hall Meeting/Breakfast organized by Senator Ekwunife at Marble Arch Hotel, Awka that it was high time Ndigbo played mainstream politics to be able to jostle for collective benefits due them. Speaking at the Forum, former Governor Obi who
hailed Ekwunife for securing juicy Senate Chairmanship on Petroleum Downstream Sector pointed out that the state deserves best candidate to the National Assembly who should be notable actors instead of spectators to be able to get the fair share of Ndigbo from the National Cake. “We need somebody that is strong at the Centre. Umeh will be a spectator at the Senate. Senate does not need multiple title holders or long traditional cap wearers who rather than stay in Abuja runs down to the state every weekend. Umeh has worn long traditional cap for years without achieving anything. I am not contesting for any position but what I do is where there is good leader, I give my total support. We need
somebody who is strong in the caliber of Uche. Those who caused the nullification made a great mistake.” He expressed worry that the Court of Appeal faulted only Uche Ekwunife’s nomination whereas same party and primary conducted for her fellow Senators, Andy Ubah (Anambra South) and Stella Oduah (Anambra North) were upheld by the same Court of Appeal. Chief Obi believed that Ekwunife is a better candidate and deserves to return to the Senate to be able to recover the Senate Chairmanship post on Petroleum Downstream adding that when he was a governor, Ekwunife helped to facilitate N2.1 billion projects for the state. Earlier in her welcome address, Senator Ekwunife
noted that she is a better candidate for the seat, having been a former House of Representatives member for Aniocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Federal constituency for two terms of 8 years, and stayed in the Senate for 6 months, adding she would be a ranking Senator if re-elected while Umeh would go as an antagonistic lone voice without supporting party base. She stated that she had within the brief stint of two active months out of 6 stormy Senate session been able to move motion against incessant harassment of traders by Customs officials, bill on Independent National Electoral Commission to handle local government elections to ensure financial autonomy of the electoral body.
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State presenting the budget to the state house of assembly, recently.
Ohaneze warns Army against Appeal Court sacks Abia gov, declares Otti winner E E molestation of Ndigbo ric
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haneze Youth Council has condemned the alleged molestation of Igbos travelling home at the Onitsha Head Bridge, Anambra State by soldiers from the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army. A statement by the National President of the Council, Mazi Okechukwu, said: “The officers and men of the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Onitsha appear to have a different agenda in that town. They appear to be there for (alleged) ethnic cleansing. “In the past one month, these soldiers have (allegedly) killed more than 20 unarmed Igbo youths. This time around, they waylay
Igbos returning home for Christmas and New Year holidays and rough-handle a lot of them. “We can no longer tolerate this brazen act on our own land. We are neither at war nor a conquered people. Mr. President should intervene in this matter before it turns into another thing. We have the right to protect the dignity of our people. “The army is provoking us by their brazen acts in the South East and South South. We hope there is no cabal in the Nigerian Army that is pursuing an ethnic agenda and cleansing against Ndigbo.”
A
lezuo
n Appeal Court, sitting in Owerri, has declared the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Alex Otti, the winner of the Abia State Governorship election. The court in its ruling on Thursday ordered the swearing in of Mr. Otti, as governor of Abia State and asked Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate the office. The court faulted the judgment of the Abia Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the election of Mr. Ikpeazu. It also faulted INEC for declaring the PDP candidate winner of the election in the first place.
Mr. Otti had proceeded to the Court of Appeal after the Abia tribunal gave its judgment on November 3, saying the PDP validly won the election. In that 85-minute judgment, delivered by its Chairman, Usman Bwala, the tribunal said the petitioners, Mr. Otti and APGA, failed to prove their claim to have won the election “beyond doubt”. Mr. Bwala said the petitioners had, on one hand urged the court to nullify the election on grounds that it was marred by irregularities and massive fraud and on the other hand, sought that they should be declared winners of the same election. He said the petitioners reckoned with the card
reader as a means of accreditation during the election of April 11, but failed to agree with use of voter’s register. The tribunal further refused to grant the petitioners’ request to uphold the cancellation of the results of the election in Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa North local government areas of the state. Mr. Bwala said the State Returning Officer, Benjamin Ozumba, was not allowed under the law, to cancel the said results in the first place, hence the subsequent reversal by him had no effect. He said the onus lay heavily on the petitioners to prove beyond doubt that they won the election as they claimed in their peti-
tion. The tribunal chairman, therefore, dismissed the petition because of the failure of the petitioners to convince the tribunal beyond doubt that they won the election. Mr. Otti had urged the tribunal to annul the declaration of Mr. Ikpeazu as governor, saying the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. He, however, urged the tribunal to declare him (Otti) the winner on account of the lawful votes cast during the election. He also asked the tribunal to uphold Mr. Ozumba’s cancellation of the results for Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa North LGAs.
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NEMA urges A/Ibom govt to expedite action against flooding
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ational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has urged Akwa Ibom government to take adequate measures to prevent flooding in the state. The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Muhammad Sidi, made the call on Thursday in Uyo during the distribution of relief materials to victims of flood and communal crises in parts of the state. He said that sand filling of some waterways, blocking of drains, building on water plains and poor sanitation on the part of residents could cause flooding. Sidi, who was represented by Mr Benjamin Oghenah, NEMA zonal coordinator in the SouthSouth zone, urged the people of Akwa Ibom to desist from such practices. ``As we commend efforts of the government, we all must collectively inculcate risk reduction strategies. ``I wish to advise that enlightenment campaign on the handling of domestic fires be intensified to guard against unnecessary loss of lives and properties,’’ he said. Earlier, the state deputy governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, had commended the Federal Government for collaborating with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). He said: ``I wish to also thank NEMA for this gesture which coincided with the yuletide season which is marked by gifts. ``I urge the recipients of these items to see this as yet another hand of fellowship from a caring government to enable them celebrate both the Christmas and New Year. ``For me, I wish to see this singular act as part of government’s efforts at poverty alleviation. ``I urge all the recipients of these materials to make the best of this opportunity to better their lots.’’ Ekpo commended the federal government for bringing succor to victims of flood disaster in the state. (NAN)
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JANUARY 2, 2016
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Police rescue two kidnap victims in Port Harcourt
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he Rivers Police Command said it had rescued two persons kidnapped by gunmen at Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government Area of the state. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the rescued victims are Jackson Sunday and Mary Monday. The statement said the victims were safely rescued during the operation. It said an Ak-47 assault rifle; one locally made pistol; 20 rounds of ammunition and a Nissan Jeep were recovered, while three suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded during the operation. It said the operation was carried out by the command`s ttactical unit at
about 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday and that the Jeep belonged to one of the rescued victims, Jackson Sunday. The statement also said that the victims were kidnapped on different days at Rumuodara and Rumuigbo areas of Port Harcourt, respectively. The command, according to the statement, enjoined the people to continue to trust the ability of the police to tackle any security challenge and be security conscious. 3)NEMA urges A/Ibom govt to expedite action against flooding National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has urged Akwa Ibom government to take adequate measures to prevent flooding in the state. The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Muhammad Sidi, made the call on Thursday in Uyo during
the distribution of relief materials to victims of flood and communal crises in parts of the state. He said that sand filling of some waterways, blocking of drains, building on water plains and poor sanitation on the part of residents could cause flooding. Sidi, who was represented by Mr Benjamin Oghenah, NEMA zonal coordinator in the South-South zone, urged the people of Akwa Ibom to desist from such practices. ``As we commend efforts of the government, we all must collectively inculcate risk reduction strategies. ``I wish to advise that enlightenment campaign on the handling of domestic fires be intensified to guard against unnecessary loss of lives and properties,’’ he said. Earlier, the state deputy
governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, had commended the Federal Government for collaborating with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). He said: ``I wish to also thank NEMA for this gesture which coincided with the yuletide season which is marked by gifts. ``I urge the recipients of these items to see this as yet another hand of fellowship from a caring government to enable them celebrate both the Christmas and New Year. ``For me, I wish to see this singular act as part of government’s efforts at poverty alleviation. ``I urge all the recipients of these materials to make the best of this opportunity to better their lots.’’ Ekpo commended the federal government for bringing succor to victims of flood disaster in the state. (NAN)
Wike visits abandoned project sites in Port Harcourt, directs immediate resumption of construction work
Era of abandoned projects gone in Rivers, says Wike R
ivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that under his leadership, the era of abandoned projects is gone for good. Commissioning the completed Abuluoma-Woji road with Bridge in Port Harcourt yesterday, Governor Wike stated that no local government area in the state would be neglected in the renewal programme of his administration. He said, “I will never do any project that will be abandoned. No part of the state will be neglected in the infrastructure renewal programme of my adminis-
tration”. The governor urged communities to always provide a peaceful environment for contractors to complete ongoing projects. He appealed to the people of the state to support the administration’s execution of projects for the benefit of the state. “You can see the level of development in the state. That is why you should always give your mandate to those who will use it to implement projects for all the people irrespective of political affiliations. “We have shown that it doesn’t matter what po-
litical parties you belong to. Once a government is formed, it works for everyone”, Governor Wike said. Governor Wike said that aside from the Abuluoma-Woji road, his administration will in 2016 commence the construction of a Fly-Over on Peter Odili road. In his address, Rivers State commissioner for works, Kelvin Wachukwu, said the 1.672km road was inherited at the earthwork and filling stage before Governor Wike carried out the completion of the road, sidewalls, median, toll point, and 275 metres
bridge. He said the immediate past administration initially awarded the contract for N3.5billion, but due to change of scope of work and variations, it increased the cost to N13.6billion in 2014. Caretaker Committee chairman of Port Harcourt local government area, Mr Samuel Ejekwu, praised Governor Wike for completing the road which will ease the traffic pressure on AbaPort Harcourt road, Dr Peter Odili road and also enhance free flow of traffic in Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt and Eleme.
Bayelsa: Police promote 15 officers
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he Police Service Commission has promoted 15 officers serving in the Bayelsa Police Command, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Nasiru Oki, has said Addressing the newly-promoted officers shortly after decorating them with their new ranks, Oki urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them and work harder in the coming year. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 14 Assistant Superintendents of Police were elevated to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, while one Superintendent of Police was promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police. Oki said promotion comes with added responsibilities and that the command was poised to combat crime in 2016. “We expect you to work harder as we are faced with a mono crime situation in Bayelsa, which is kidnapping, and when you are in a state with only one crime, you have to tackle it,” the commissioner said. He further urged officers and men of the command to work harder and achieve a crime-free Bayelsa in 2016. Speaking on behalf of the newly-promoted officers, Mr Asinim Butswat, who is the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, said the promotion would encourage them to work harder for enhanced productivity.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
JANUARY 2, 2016
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Finally, Bill Cosby criminally charged for sex-assault • Freed on $1m bail E
mbattled comedian, Bill Cosby, was freed on bail earlier this week on a felony sexual assault charge — facing the first criminal charge against him after a series of rape accusations began mounting last year. Cosby appeared in a suburban Philadelphia courtroom and was ordered to surrender his passport after posting 10 percent in cash of a $1 million bond. Earlier, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced it had filed an aggravated indecent assault charge against Cosby stemming from an alleged 2004 incident involving an ex-Temple University employee. The powerful entertainer arrived at magistrate court wearing a hooded gray sweater and holding a cane. He stumbled slightly after exiting an SUV and had to be held up by two people. He made no comment as he entered and later exited the building. A preliminary hearing was set for Jan. 14. “Upon examination of all of the evidence, today we are able to seek justice on behalf of Mr. Cosby’s victim,” Montgomery County District Attorney-elect Kevin Steele said at an initial news conference announcing the charge. If found guilty on the sexual assault charge, a second-degree felony, the once-beloved TV father figure faces up to 10 years in prison and would have to register as a sex offender. Andrea Constand, the former Temple University employee, told policeCosby drugged and violated her at his home in Cheltenham Township, near Philadelphia, in January 2004. She was identified in the affidavit of probable cause against Cosby. Constand, 42, was not specifically named as the victim during the news conference, but Steele said that the woman “has indicated that she is willing to cooperate with us going forward.” The 78-year-old “Cosby Show” star previously said under oath that he had consensual sexual contact with Constand. But a former dis-
Cosby going into the courtroom
trict attorney declined to charge Cosby in 2005. The following year, Constand settled a civil lawsuit against Cosby on confidential terms. Montgomery County prosecutors had until a January 2016 deadline to file criminal charges against Cosby because of the 12year statute of limitations for felony sex assault. More women came forward last year to claim the married comedian drugged and raped them or touched them inappropriately in past decades. The over 40 accusers have included aspiring actresses and supermodels Beverly Johnson and Janice Dickinson. A lawyer for Dickinson said news of Cosby’s arrest was “a highly significant chapter in his accusers’ long journey toward justice.” “Though he is a very wealthy and famous celebrity, Mr. Cosby should be subject to the same criminal and civil laws as everyone else,” said Dickinson’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, who is also a legal analyst for NBC News. Cosby has not previously been charged with a crime. His lawyer has called the allegations “ridiculous” and said it’s “completely illogical” that no one would have made reports to police. Cosby’s attorneys on Wednesday called the criminal charge baseless. “The charge by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office came as no surprise, filed 12 years after the alleged incident
and coming on the heels of a hotly contested election for this county’s DA during which this case was made the focal point,” Cosby’s attorneys said. “Make no mistake, we intend to mount a vigorous defense against this unjustified charge and we expect that Mr. Cosby will be exonerated by a court of law,” the attorneys said. Steele recently won an election against Bruce Castor, the ex-prosecutor who declined in 2005 to charge Cosby, and the case became an issue in the campaign, The Associated Press reported. Steele said Cosby knew the victim when she was the coach of Temple University’s women’s basketball team. She considered him “her mentor and her friend,” Steele added. But after looking at new evidence presented earlier this summer, Cosby had twice made unwanted sexual advances toward the woman, according to prosecutors. Steele said during one incident, Cosby urged her to “take pills that he provided to her” and to drink wine. The effect “made her unable to move or reject his advances,” he added. A transcript of Cosby’s deposition in the Constand case, first reported by The New York Times in July, revealed that the comedian acknowledged he had reached into her pants and fondled her. “I don’t hear her say anything. And I don’t feel her say anything. And so I con-
tinue and I go into the area that is somewhere between permission and rejection. I am not stopped,” he said, according to the transcript. He claims she had groped him in return, but she ultimately rejected him when he tried to have continued sexual contact. “The victim did not con-
sent to any of these acts and reported that she was unable to move or speak and felt ‘frozen’ and ‘paralyzed,’” the district attorney’s office said. In the deposition, Cosby says he gave Constand three half-pills of the cold and allergy medicine Benadryl. Steele said Wednesday that he gave the victim “three blue pills,” but could not say whether they were Quaaludes, as investigators have previously noted. Only Cosby can truly know what they were, he added. The prosecutor acknowledged that his office acted now because time was running out to charge Cosby in the case. “Reopening this case was our duty as law enforcement officers with a sworn obligation to uphold our Constitution and to uphold the law,” Steele said. Constand, who now works as a massage therapist in her native Canada, is “gratified” with the response she was receiving Wednesday, her attorney told NBC News.
“She is receiving numerous communications from women with heart-wrenching accounts of their own experiences,” Dolores Troiani said. “Naturally it is troubling that it took until the 11th hour for this day to arrive. She is hopeful that her patience has encouraged other victims to come forward.” The charges add to the towering list of legal problems facing the actor, including defamation and sex-abuse lawsuits filed in Boston, Los Angeles and Pennsylvania. But as for criminal chargers, many of the alleged assaults date back decades, and the statute of limitations has expired in nearly every case. Cosby’s lawyers this month said they will fight an attempt to require his wife, Camille, to give a sworn deposition in a defamation lawsuit filed by seven women who have accused him of sexually assaulting them decades ago. In December, Cosby filed a countersuit against those seven accusers, accusing them of defamation and claiming they purposefully derailed an upcoming television opportunity.
South African king jailed for arson, assault
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South African traditional king, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, has started serving a 12-year jail sentence for crimes including arson, kidnapping and assault. A spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services, Manelisi Wolela, said on Thursday. Officials described the case as the first of its kind since the country became a democracy in 1994. King Dalindyebo, 51, rules over more than 100,000 AbaThembu - an ethnic group that the country’s first black president Nelson Mandela belonged to - in Eastern Cape Province. Dalindyebo was sentenced in 2009 for crimes including assaulting, kidnapping and burning property of people who refused to obey his orders. Some of the victims were allegedly beaten up because their relatives had not presented themselves before the royal court.
Dalindyebo waged a lengthy court battle to avoid jail. “He finally handed himself over to a prison in Mthatha in Eastern Cape just before midnight on Wednesday,” said Wolela. Wolela added that the monarch was then moved to another prison in East London. In power since 1989, Dalindyebo is one among 10 traditional kings whose duties include presiding over ceremonies and mediating in local disputes. The flamboyant king has made headlines by calling President Jacob Zuma corrupt and defecting from the ruling African National Congress to the main opposition Democratic Alliance. Charles Nwaila, Director-General at the Department of Traditional Affairs, said Dalindyebo’s sentence ``is an individual case”, which is not expected to affect the reputation of the institution of kingship in South Africa.
``The lesson is that we must be cautious and obey the law, irrespective of our positions. ``The AbaThembu royal authority does not rest only with the king, but with a royal council tasked with choosing the most suitable person to rule and with advising him,” Nwaila said. Similar structures are in force in all South African kingdoms. The national legislation stipulates that royal authorities may remove kings on certain conditions, including a jail conviction of more than 12 months without bail. The AbaThembu royal council will now consider whether to temporarily or permanently replace King Dalindyebo, Nwaila said. If it decides to substitute him with a new king, it will need to get authorisation from President Zuma, who would withdraw Dalindyebo’s certificate of recognition and grant it to the new ruler.
Quote of the day Why should NLC base its decision on the fact that opposition politicians who encouraged the mass action against the former administration (PDP) not to remove fuel subsidy are now agitating for its removal? Must leadership of NLC expect Nigerians to continue to support the perpetuation of wrongs of the past while Nigerian masses are dying? —Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy, VATLAD, condemning the the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, for opposing the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.
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Oil versus Nigeria: A clustering disaster? SATURDAY, JANUARY 02, 2016. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net
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ost overrun, schedule delay and benefit shortfall now characterise the affairs of the public sector in Nigeria, arising perhaps from the cumulative effect of state failure and strategic misrepresentation by the various spokesmen of government, even as the price of oil, Nigeria’s major source of income, continued to plummet. These, certainly, are not the best of times for managers of the economy. Systemic failure may delay government efforts in getting to the root of the matter and the dynamics of strategic innovation of the economy may remain the dream of the century for Nigeria. The economy is confronted with higher volume of oil supply from non OPEC members against lower global demand. The consequence is a fall in price, translating to low revenue and weak currency, which also may trigger inflation as a result of escalating geometrical decline in the value of the Naira. The general question out there is: What can we do to arrest the situation? Some are suggesting agriculture. A very good suggestion, no doubt. But agriculture is a long term solution that may not arrest the present situation, which requires increased inflow from foreign exchange or domestic income, any of which will increase the chances of meeting government obligations. A very good example of cost overrun and schedule delay in government projects is the Abuja Airport road, which was awarded by the Yar’adua administration for completion within two years. Eight
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agriculture is a long term solution that may not arrest the present situation, which requires increased inflow from foreign exchange or domestic income, any of which will increase the chances of meeting government obligations years later, with 100% cost overrun, the project is still not completed. Another good example is the LagosIbadan Expressway, privatised but forcefully taken over by Jonathan, and awarded for several billions of Naira when the price of oil was $120 per barrel. It’s already recording cost overrun of over 500% and it’s still not completed. The demand for oil will continue to go down in years to come, barring geomorphologic factors. The OECD alone is capable of meeting the global demands without supply output from OPEC. This translates to supply in excess of global demand! International conspiracy to
equate the price of oil to the price of water is clustering. U.S. oil production will rise to 11.6 million barrels a day in 2020, from 9.2 million in 2012, as America taps rock and shale layers in North Dakota and Texas with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. This is according to the International Energy Agency (IAE), the Paris-based adviser to 28 energy-consuming nations. The report did not specify an output level for 2015. Over the same time period, Saudi Arabian production will fall to 10.6 million barrels from 11.7 million and Russian production will slip to 10.4 million barrels
from 10.7 million barrels. The figures include natural gas liquids, condensates and crude. According to the IEA, U.S. output will plateau after 2020 and the nation will lose its top ranking at the start of the 2030s. “We do not expect this trend will continue after 2020s,” says Fatih Birol, the agency’s chief economist. “It will come to a plateau and decline as a result of the limited resource base of light tight oil.” This position is not correct to the extent that discovery of oil is going on, on a daily basis, and 2020 cannot be a cut-off year in this grand plan of America to take over oil supply. The good news for the government of Nigeria is in the fact that because of low oil prices, a lot of investment is winding up in the production department of the oil sector. What to expect in 2016 is an increase in demand of about 1.25 bpd above the 2015 demand. The meaning of this is that a total of 30.82 bpd will be demanded from OPEC in the year 2016. The decrease in production will be around 0.25 bpd. This will definitely improve the price of oil beyond $30 dollars. One can only hope that political bias and unnecessary optimism will not be the major factors in estimating the cost of government projects, and that the monster called strategic misrepresentation will be given no room in national planning! To be continued next week *Jimoh Ibrahim is a postgraduate student of the University of Oxford Major Programme Management.
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