Vol. 5 No. 51
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015
SPORT
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National Mirror Online
INVESTIGATION
U-23 Nations Cup: Counting Nigeria, Algeria in the dead by the gun epic final
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@NationalMirror
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POLITICS
P.46
Appeal Court upholds Akpabio’s election
I’ll reveal officials who return loot P. 6
–Buhari
‘No going back on anticorruption war’ P. 8
President Buhari with family members of Late Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe during the 15th Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture series at the International Conference Centre Abuja, yesterday.
Why Dasuki gave me N670million –Obaigbena P.7
US denies issuing security alert to Americans in Abuja ex S alk T
Om ow u P.1 nm 9 i
P. 8
Are you having too much of a good thing?
P. 34
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Top Stories
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INSIDE
Entervaganza
The Saturday Mirror Magazine
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Fashion Frenzy Plus-size tricks
Relationships What if your partner is financially handipped?
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Mo’Cheddah
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... pop queen
divorce court
‘My wife is having affairs with many men’
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Dear Bukola
‘My husband strays’
Page 31
SOCIETY Mirror Katherine Keshi’s unfilfilled Page 25 dreams
Fashion frenzy Plus-size tricks
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What if your partner is financially handicapped? Male
Angle
Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com
Avoid demanding women
Angle Don’t give him a dime!
Page 34 Female
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Plateau building collapse: Survivors tell tales of horror
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Sex talk
Are you having too much of a good thing?
YEMISI ADENIRAN 08029894772 email: ydiran@yahoo.com
ELEBRITY
Why people think I’m arrogant —JJC Page 22
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
erhaps, if anyone had had the premonition that the storey building hosting Abu-Ni’ima Islamiya Primary and Secondary Schools at Gyero Junction, Bukuru in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State was going to collapsed, they wouldn’t have turn out for studies that fateful Sunday. The tragedy which occurred on Sunday at about 4:30pm, claimed 10 school children between the age of 5 and 9, who have since been buried according to Islamic rite. It was gathered that the building was uncompleted and substandard, and the heavy down pour that took place during the period of the incident was said to have contributed immensely to the collapsed of the building. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which arrived at the scene shortly confirmed that four school pupils died, and five were injured, but sources within the community were optimistic that the figure will rise as they were still struggling to rescue the children. However, Alhaji Danlami Muhammad, who lives in the community said: “I cannot give details of the casualties as at now because we are still trying to rescue them.” Alhaji Muhammad said about
40 children were inside the building when it collapsed, adding that, “the number could have been more but for the rain that prevented some of the children from attending, that was what reduce our pains” Muhammed, who sustained fracture in the incident said the school was a secondary school, but used on weekends to tutor children on Islamic studies. North Central Zonal coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Abdulsalam, added that several other pupils were wounded with various degree of injury. He said that when the incident happened “four children were confirmed dead while twenty five others sustained injury, and were taken to the specialists hospital but yet another died, bringing the number to five. The Chief Medical Director of Plateau Specialist Hospital, Dr. Philemon Golwa, confirmed that 28 victims were brought to the hospital while two died. A survivor, ten year old Mamunat Mohammed recounted the incident from her hospital bed. “We were in class on Sunday evening receiving Quranic lessons when we heard a loud noise, and then I found myself on this hospital bed. My waist is broken and my legs ache,” she added.
Mrs. Zuwabia Ibrahim, mother of a victim, said her daughter, Amina Ibrahim, 10, left home at about 4pm on Sunday to attend Quranic lessons not too far from her house in Bukuru. According to her “about one hour thirty minutes later, we got a call from our friend that the school my daughter goes to receive Quranic lessons had collapsed. I immediately called my husband, and we rushed to the scene and was told that our daughter was alive and had been rushed to the hospital but badly injured. I thank Allah for saving my daughter.” Meanwhile, Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong, who visited the scene condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the accident. Also responding, a teacher, who survived the incident, Useni Ibrahim, said: “Though the building is uncompleted, I will not say the teachers were careless because we have been using it for a long period of time. “There was no sign that the building was going to collapse. The whole thing started as a joke and when I saw it, I quickly asked the children to run out but before they could move out all, the build collapse and felt on some of them.
NAFDAC destroys N250m worth of fake drugs in Oyo
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n its crusade against the menace of counterfeit drugs and other regulated products, the National Agency for Food and Drug A dministration and Control (NAFDAC), has destroyed fake drugs worth over N250 million in Ibadan, Oyo State capital. Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who was represented by the Director of Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, while carrying out the exercise in company of security agencies at a dumpsite in Moniya, said the product being destroyed are made up of fake, expired and counterfeit drugs seized by various NAFDAC establishments in Southwest States of the country. Orhii said that the food products, cosmetics and other regu-
Orhii
lated products were seized from manufacturers, importers and distributors. He said the exercise had be-
come necessary to prevent the offensive products from making re-entering to the market, and to raise public awareness on the dangers of counterfeit regulated products. “The estimated value of the products being destroyed is N250 million. No doubt, drug faking has become an act of economic sabotage and also terrorism against public health. Since the entrance of the present management of NAFDAC, the Agency has taken a proactive approach towards fighting this menace,” he said As the Yuletide approaches, Orhii advised the public to be watchful of drugs, food and other regulated products they purchase, adding that they should not hesitate to report any suspicious activities within their environment to the nearest NAFDAC office.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Starter
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Open defecation: How can we end this unsightly practice?
Health experts in the country and at the global scene in the last one decade have raised worries over the increase in the practice of open defecation. Along the highways; on the edges of the streets; in uncompleted buildings; on open waters; even within residential areas, people show little shame or no inhibition when they bend over to offload human waste or just strip down to let fly urea. With reports tracing 80 per cent prevalent ailments to open defecation, relevant authorities may do well to stop this harmful practices, writes NICK UWERU.
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ouse No 13, Alagbado, Eiyenkorin, in the outskirt settlement of Ilorin, to a first timer, has all the trappings of modern building. It is a four bedroom bungalow, tastefully built with well vibrated blocks, complete with well designed columns to enhance its aesthetic value. But as far as common utility such as the toilet, House No 13 is no better than the home of a cave man. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Starter
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‘80 per cent of common ailments caused by open defecation’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
Its 13 tenants engage in what is known as ‘shot put’; they seek out a private space, defecate on a sheet of paper and lob it as far away into a nearby bush or an uncompleted building in the area. There are many houses like House No 13 in Alagbado area, a reason why there is pervasive stench of faeces in the area during the raining season. “There are also incessant cases of cholera and other communicable diseases in the area at this period,” explained Aina Suraju, a retired nurse and owner of a local dispensary in the area. Musa Arikeuyo, land lord of House No 13, in the last one month has been paying repeated visits to the local health inspectorate in Ilorin after the Community Development Association, CDA, in Alagbado had requested it to come to their aide in the area. House owners in the area who did not build toilets in their houses are now under sanction. Arikeuyo, apart from paying a fine of N10, 000, is expected to brief the inspectorate of progress in his efforts to build a toilet in his house. Arekeuyo may complete his toilet soon and give respite to his tenants; there is little indication that the Alagbado area would be free of this malaise of open defecation soon. This is because as Alhaji Jamiu Alaba, chairman of the CDA puts it, people in this part of Nigeria are used to using the open ground to ease themselves when pressed. “It is more of a cultural thing. There is need for orientation and enforcement by relevant authorities,” Alaba said. The CDA chairman is however widely off the mark in situating the problem in just Alagbado, Ilorin. As a practice of passing urine or excreta outside or in public by persons, WHO estimates that about 1.1 billion people in the world defecate openly on account of lack of access to public toilets. In Nigeria, an estimated 33 million people are estimated to be engaged in open defecation. Breaking the figure further, nine out of 10 people, who defecate openly live in rural areas. The practice is done openly in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces. It is however noted, too, that the number in urban areas is gradually increasing. This practice is made worse by street urchins, miscreants and homeless people that troop the city centres daily to eke out a living. Most of them sleep in open places like markets, places of worship and motor parks. Research also show that young children bear the brunt of these public disgrace because they tend to crawl on the ground, walk barefoot, pick and put things in their mouths without washing their hands. It is also common knowledge that young’s girls in rural areas drop out of school because of the lack of facilities for their convenience. According to Bernard Ayuba, a medical practitioner with a private clinic in Masaka, Nasarawa State, stated, “Defecation
People defecating in the open.
in public places is a common thing with Africans. It is not peculiar to Nigerians, though. If you are driving along the expressway, you will see people defecating in bushes, along the major high ways, farms, uncompleted buildings, market places, behind churches and mosques.” The reasons for this conduct, apart from being an entrenched practice from home may also be purely attitudinal and also as a result of lack of readily available toilet facilities. Bala Ibrahim, a trader, for instance, said he doesn’t have any problem with defecating in open places because government did not provide public toilets. He said: “Since I don’t do it close to other people’s houses, I don’t see anything wrong with it. Our parents used to do it. In my village in Gaya, Kano State, we don’t have a toilet in our house, we go to the bush to defecate, so, I don’t see anything wrong with this. I don’t do it where they put warning signs, it is only in isolated places”. Jack Midam, a mobile phone card seller in Abuja, further harped on the need to provide free toilet facilities in public places. He recalls once that the only time he used a toilet during the day was when he suffered stomach upset. “I was made to part with a N20 fee.” According to him, the only public toilet he knows is in Area 10 and inside the Model Market. “You have to pay to use the facilities. So, instead of paying to urinate, we just do it in open space. I know it is not healthy but what can I do? I can’t hold it till
I get home in the evenings, besides it is government’s fault for not providing us with public toilets,” Maidam said. Health experts link major health complications to the prevalence of open defecation. It has led to increase in cholera, typhoid and other diseases. The Federal Ministry of Health, FMH, for instance, estimates that 80 percent of communicable disease happens as result of open defecation. Between September and October 2013, for instance, there were 2,771 cases of cholera with 124 deaths recorded, said FMH. It also added that that a child dies every two-and-a-half minutes from diseases linked to open defecation. Making further clarification, Hajiya Rakiya Datti, deputy director, Niger State Ministry of Health, said that over 80 per cent of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, polio and Ebola are contacted through open defecation. She said children who were vulnerable die daily from the outbreak of cholera, diarrhoea, polio and Ebola, which were transmitted through water and air. She added that if open defecation is not curbed, there would be continuous spread of diseases. “There will be infection and re-infection even when government puts more efforts to curtail it,’’ she said. But government and other stakeholders in the health sector have been aware of this danger. The question is, how far have they gone in cutting the trend? Within eight years of intervention in
its Community-Led Total Sanitation programme, 13,000 communities in Nigeria had attained Open Defecation-free status, so says the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund. Kanaar Nadar, UNICEF’s Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja at a national stakeholders workshop on Draft Hygiene Promotion Strategy and Guidelines. Nadar said: “From our report on pre-intervention activities in 2008 and now, we have seen that out of 200,000 communities in the country, 13,000 are open defecation free. “It is however important that Nigeria scales up access to sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent possible outbreak of preventable diseases in the country.” Nadar said Nigeria could achieve its target of meeting the National Roadmap of Ending Open Defecation by 2025, if it put policies in place to encourage behavioural change in sanitation and hygiene. He said a survey carried out by UNICEF in some selected communities in Nigeria showed that there was gap between knowledge and attitude in hygiene promotion practice. According to the UN official, the gap can be reduced with the propagation of proper hygiene promotion messages in the media. Nadar noted that in the past, Nigeria had sanitary inspectors who carried out CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Starter
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‘Government should do more on enlightment, awareness’
enforcement of hygiene practices. He stressed the need to encourage such practice to reduce possible outbreak of preventable diseases. CLTS, Nadar said, is an approach aimed at promoting collective behaviour change in communities. He added that CLTS focuses on instigating change in sanitation behaviour rather than constructing sanitation infrastructure such as toilets. “When toilets are built, the communities should know the importance of using them,” he said, adding that Nigeria needed to scale up its hygiene promotion strategies to become social norm among the populace. The chief of WASH noted that due to the disproportionate distribution of wealth in the society, poor persons were 36 times more likely to defecate in the open than rich individuals. He stressed the need for stakeholders at the workshop to develop simple, better, cost-effective messages that would enable more Nigerians change their behaviour in the promotion of hygiene promotion. Samuel Ome, the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace good hygienic practices at all times. Ome recalled that the Federal Government was a signatory to the Ngor Declaration from the just concluded African Sanitation Conference in Dakar and the newly
adopted Sustainable Development Goals. According to Ome, these policies were aimed at scaling up sanitation and hygiene through deliberate removal of barriers to sanitation and hygiene problems. But others aver that more still has to be done on the matter to further reduce open defecation practice in the country. Datti, deputy director at the Niger State ministry of health added that promotional campaigns and programmes would serve as key to an end to open defecation but creating toilets should be the primary concern of every house builder. She said “it is the responsibility of the Urban Development Board to ensure that toilets are incorporated in the master plan before any building can take place. Datti, however, urged the Federal Government and state governments to provide adequate facilities in public places for easy access so as to reduce open defecation in the country. She also urged private ventures to go into the business of building public toilets that would be monitored by states’ environmental sanitation officials to ensure that they were hygienic and safe for use. She said “the Build, Operate and Own (BOO) toilet is a source of income to individuals, the government should emphasis on this theory so as to bring about development. “Environmental health officers, sanitary officers should also have a role to play
in the BOO. “Officers should go to communities to enlighten the people on the dangers of open defecation. “There should also be law enforcement with appropriate sanction at the federal and state level on open defecation to ensure people adhere to it.’’ But others say that it is only the government that can stop open defecation by outright banning or by constructing public conveniences. The facilities could be run be run on token charges for maintenance. Public places like motor parks, markets places as well as parks and gardens must have public toilets. Government must also create awareness among the populace on the need to imbibe clean sanitary practices. Mr Inuwa Ali, another health official stated that the government is aware of the danger posed by public defecation especially in places that have drinking joints (beer parlours), open parks, dark alleys and On government efforts to curb this menace of public defecation, the director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Mrs Aisha Adebayo in Abuja stated that they have provided for public conveniences for people in strategic places and that more are on the way. Bisi Agberemi, a UNICEF Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, quoting the 2013 National Demographic Health Survey shows that only 28.7 percent of Nigerians had access to basic sanitation facilities.
This, he said, needed to be scaled-up through continued sustainability of practices, such as hand washing, to achieve an open defecation-free Nigeria. He, however, called for the review of obsolete public health laws and implementation of policies to meet the 2025 target. The specialist also called for increased funding of sanitation issues, saying that awareness should be promoted at all levels of government. He said “we must all work together to advocate for the harmonization of sanitation policies and cultivate the attitude of cleanliness at all times.’’ Micheal Ojo, WaterAid’s Country Representative, said cycle of illnesses still persisted in communities lacking sanitation facilities. He said that access to safe water and secured toilets were necessary for all, saying that “defecating in the open is like we are infecting ourselves. “In communities where there is open defecation, there are diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera and gastroenteritis, killing children under five years.’’ Ojo said open defecation was still causing Nigeria to lose millions of naira annually, saying the issue needed to be dealt with to secure the nations’ future. The country representative stressed the need to have a national road map which would also involve state governments to address the issue before 2025.
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NATIONAL NEWS
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Buhari: ‘I‘ll reveal officials who returned loot soon’
• Says premature disclosure may put bigger looters on the run to interface with initiatives Nick Uweru
P
resident Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, explained why his administration is yet to release names of corrupt former officials in the last administration who voluntarily surrendered monies allegedly looted in office. Speaking in Abuja at this year’s edition of the annual Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation Lecture, President Buhari
said “any disclosure now may jeopardize the possibility of bigger recoveries”. Buhari said, “As I stated recently, a good number of people who abused their positions are voluntarily returning the illicit funds. I have heard it said that we should disclose the names of the people, and the amount returned. “Yes, in due course, the Central Bank of Nigeria will make information available to the public on the surrendered funds, but
I must remark that it is yet early days, and any disclosure now may jeopardize the possibility of bigger recoveries. “But we owe Nigerians adequate information, and it shall come in due course. It is part of the collective effort to change our land from the bastion of corruption it currently is, to a place of probity and transparency.” President Buhari spoke during his keynote address at the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture. Titled, ‘ In-
corruptibility: A spiritual premise for material wellbeing’, the president stated that the theme of his talk tied with his vision on corruption. “The topic of discourse at this session, which is corruption, significantly ties into my vision for our great country, Nigeria, that we must kill corruption before corruption will kill us. My being here to deliver the keynote address at today’s session is instructive on the resolve of this government
President Buhari receiving Fellowship Plaque from Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari during the 15th Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Lecture series at the International Conference Centre Abuja on 11th Dec 2015
that are fundamentally patriotic and assisting in our path to socio-economic and political recovery. The president further stated that the image of Nigeria as corrupt nation is further amplified by ratings of global corruption watches. For instance, the President recalls that Transparency International has shown little improvement in how things are done in the country. He also stated corruption cannot be fought as a lone battle. “Any effort to try to deal with corruption without a convinced populace will end as spasmodic, ephemeral exercise, lacking the appropriate social impact. When we are talking about corruption conventionally, it is a manifestation of the human mindset. It is the human beings that manifest corruption. “To win the war on corruption, therefore, begins with the people accepting that there is an error to be corrected in their lives, that there is a need to refocus and re-orientate the values that we cherish and hold dear. It requires
Ex-naval officer accuses EFCC of shielding corrupt government officials
Obiora Ifoh, ABUJA
A
retired Navy Captain Jerry Ogbonna has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] of shielding corrupt officials of Department of Petroleum Resources [DPR] from probe. The retired naval officer has also denied any involvement in the alleged N45 millions fraud for which the anti-graft body had allegedly declared him wanted.
”My attention was drawn to the publication stating that the matter came up in Ikeja High court where I should have been arraigned. I was not summoned or invited for any case. I am referring to the publication that EFCC has filed a case against me at the Federal High Court Ikeja.” The naval officer said that though he was mobilized to the tune of N90 million by the Ministry of petroleum Resources for a contract of lease
helicopters for the agency but denied ever being involved in any fraudulent payment. He accused the EFCC of turning their search light on innocent Nigerians while at the same time, shielding officials of some government agencies who have cases of corruption reported against them, stating that the anti-graft agency has turned itself into “debt collectors” for some commercial banks in the country. “In the contract with
Ministry of Petroleum I have followed all due process at every stage of the contract. “What EFCC should be investigating is why N2.5 Billion was disbursed to the Ministry of Petroleum between 2012 and 2014 from Ministry of Finance for this project and all the funds were stolen except the N90 million which was paid to my company . “I call on the President to institute a probe into this contract for the lease of 3 helicop-
ters for anti crude oil theft. I have all the evidences with me. EFCC is chasing after the wrong person. The President should appoint independent people to probe this contract and recover monies disbursed to DPR” Efforts to get the reaction of EFCC to this matter did not yield any fruit as its spokesman, Wilson Uwagierin, neither picked his calls nor responded to an SMS sent to him regarding the matter, by this reporter.
change of mindset, change of attitude, and change of conduct,” the president said. Buhari further added that the fight against corruption is not personal. “It is about building a country where our children, and the forthcoming generations, can live in peace and prosperity. When you see dilapidated infrastructure round the country, it is often the consequence of corruption. Poor healthcare, collapsed education, lack of public utilities, decayed social services, are all products of corruption, as those entrusted with public resources put them in their private pockets. That must stop, if we want a new Nigeria. And that was why I said at another forum that people need not fear me, but they must fear the consequences of their actions. Corrupt acts will always be punished, and there will be no friend, no foe. We will strive to do what is fair and just at all times, but people who refuse to embrace probity should have every cause to fear.” The president urged Nigerians to see the fight against corruption as a war they must join in waging. “Look at the corruption problem in the country, and tell me how you feel as a Nigerian. Our commonwealth is entrusted to leaders at different levels of governance, and instead of using the God given resources to better the lot of the citizens, they divert them to private use. They then amass wealth in billions and trillions of naira, and other major currencies of the world, ill gotten wealth which they cannot finish spending in several lifetimes over. This is abuse of trust, pure and simple. When you hold public office, you do it in trust for the people. When you, therefore, use it to serve self, you have betrayed the people who entrusted that office to you,” Buhari said.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
NATIONAL NEWS
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Why Dasuki gave me N670million –Obaigbena
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he Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Thisday newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, has said the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, paid him N670 million as compensation for attacks on his newspaper’s offices in Abuja and Kaduna in 2012. He said he also received compensation for the illegal seizure of newspapers by men of the armed forces. Mr. Obaigbena made the disclosure while responding to an invitation by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) in connection to the ongoing probe into the usage of $2.1 billion arms procurement fund by the office of the NSA under Mr Dasuki. Mr Dasuki, alongside so top officials of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and other former senior officials are currently being investigated for the alleged diversion of the fund. Mr Obaigbena is the second owner of a mainstream media organisation, after the founder of DAAR Communications, owners of Africa Independent Television and Raypower radio network, Raymond Dokpesi, who have been mentioned in the investigation. Mr Dokpesi, who is still in EFCC custody, is facing a six-count charge of fraud and money laundering in a federal High Court in Abuja. CHANGE OF NAME
Formerly known and addressed as DENWUDE ABEL, now wish to be known and addressed as UDEH OKAFOR. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME ADEMUYIWA: I, formerly known known and addressed as ADEMUYIWA ADEKUNLE EZEKIEL, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADEMUYIWA ADEDOTUN ARIMIYO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.
CONFIRMATION OF NAME
This is to confirm that I, OMOAKA HAKEEM PEACE is one and the same person as OMOAKA HAKEEM. That in my GTBank account No. 0007861333, my name appears as OMOAKA HAKEEM, while in my other documents it appears as OMOAKA HAKEEM PEACE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned to take note.
In a letter, dated December 9, 2015, addressed to the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Obaigbena explained that he was in the United States and would honour the invitation in person as soon as he returned to the country. He, however, stated that he thought it necessary to issue a statement prior to his return. He denied to have ever received any suspicious funds from the office of the NSA adding that all funds he received were “payment for compensation to mitigate” terror attacks on the head office of his newspaper in Abuja and another attack on the newspaper’s office in Kaduna. “N100,000,000, N100,000,000 and N250,000,000 respectively received in August, November and February 2014 as compensation to mitigate the dastardly Boko Haram twin bombing of the Thisday newspapers offices in Abuja and Kaduna on Thursday April 26, 2012, during which four innocent Nigerian lives were lost, our building destroyed and we lost full colour Goss printing towers and three (3) prepress Computer-To-Plate and auxiliary equipment CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EKPAH EBONG JANET, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UNAM JANET. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note CHANGE OF NAME
I, formerly known and addressed as MR. OGUZIE SYLVESTER now wish to be known, called and addressed as MR. MBAKWE SILVER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME OLUWAGBENGA: I, formerly known and addressed as GLORIOUS OLUWAGBENGA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLAFEMI BENJAMIN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME That on some of my documents, my name appears as IMAOBONG DICK, while on some, it appears as JUSTINA SUNDAY MFON and MFON AKPAN IMAOBONG. That I am the one and same person bearing all the names mentioned above. All former documents bearing all the names are mine and remain valid. General public
and other (in)valuable property valued at over N2.5 billion having lost our printing facility to terrorists due to inadequate protection by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he wrote. Mr Obaigbena added that he was compelled to make the request after the federal government spent N3 billion in reconstructing the United Nations office that was bombed by Boko Haram in August 2011.
He further wrote that he received additional N120 million in March 2015 on behalf of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and 12 newspapers who asked to be compensated for the “unlawful seizure and stoppage of circulation by armed soldiers in Abuja and several cities.” Mr. Obaigbena explained that as the Chairman of NPAN, he did that to forestall a planned class action the newspapers were going
to institute against the government. He explained that on both occasions, former President Goodluck Jonathan initially refused to accede to the demands so as not to create a precedence but later approved the payment after he (Obaigbena) confronted him with the effort the government had undertaken to reconstruct the UN building. “On both occasions, President Jonathaan said he did not wish to lay pre-
cedence and in our case, he specifically said there were many victims of Boko Haram, I had to confront President Jonathan on the Issue when I learnt of the approval for the reconstruction of the Abuja United Nations Building, since we were the second major organisation that would be attacked by Boko Haram after the UN attack. He therefore directed me to meet with the National Security Adviser who processed the three payments in question.”
Treasurer, Nigerian Society for Information, Arts & Culture (NSIAC) Mr Ogie Alakija, (right) presenting a plaque of honour to Chairman, Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko CFR, at a ceremony by NSIAC to induct Dr Otudeko into the NSIAC Roll of Honour, in Lagos, yesterday.
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he president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Friday assured that the senate would not censor the media. This is contained in a statement by his Media Assistant, Bamikole Omishore, made available to the newsmen in Abuja. The statement said that Mr. Saraki gave the assurance when members of the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN) led by its president, Olufemi Awoyemi, visited him. It said the group’s visit was in connection with the widely criticized ‘’Frivolous Petitions Prohibition Bill 2015’’ popularly tagged ‘’Anti-Social Media Bill’’. Mr. Saraki told the group that he would not support
Senate will not censor media –Saraki
any form of censorship of the media, saying that the 8th Senate remained committed to the principles of fair, responsible and open engagement. “The Senate has no intention to pass any legislation to control or gag the press,” the statement quoted him as saying. He, however, charged the group to do its part to ensure that international best practices were adopted, while also abiding by the ethics of journalism. Earlier, Mr. Owoyemi,
according to the statement, said that a section of the Bill aimed at criminalizing false statements and use of unsupported petitions on social media. The group assured the president of the senate that the association comprised credible publishers of online platforms and newspapers with online presence. “In OPAN’s assessment, the legislature remains critical to how Nigeria quickly harnesses the potentials of online technology and use of social media as a critical
component of citizen engagement. “To achieve this, OPAN Nigeria sees a link between constitutionally provided freedom of expression and responsible conduct and engagement by users and publishers. “We aim to ensure responsible conduct across digital platforms which in some cases were as simple as recognizing the variants in existing laws around newspaper, radio, television and digital publishing and broadcast,’’ Mr. Owoyemi said.
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NATIONAL NEWS
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Power sector recorded growth only in last two years –Fashola Nick Uweru
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abatunde Raji Fashola, Minister, Power, Works and Housing, has explained that the power sector only saw growth in the last two years because of the privatisation of the sector by the out gone administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. The former Lagos State governor made this disclosure at his maiden media briefing on the state of things at the ministries. The minister while trying to explain why electricity tariffs re-
main high said that it was regrettable that privatisation in teh power sector occurred earlier. “I believe we would be in a better place if we had implemented the Electricity Reform Act in 2005 or shortly thereafter when it was passed. But we sadly did not do so until 2013 when the privatization was finally completed, which means we lost 8 (eight) years, and we have progressed only for just about two years, since the private companies took ownership,” Fashola said. Comparing the current high tariff in the
electricity to the initial cost of telephony at the advent of GSM, Fashiola said: “Now let us think of where we were in 2003, two years after privatization of the telecoms sector and the coming of GSM. How many people could afford a telephone? Remember that we were all being billed per minute even if we spoke for only 10 seconds. We complained that the tariff was high but today, per minute billing is now history, replaced by per second billing and all sorts of promo to give customers a choice. One yeas after GSM came cities like Ibadan,
Zamfara, Ebonyi, Bayelsa and Zaria were either not connected or struggling to be connected as we are with electricity today. Nobody could do more than talk and text on the phone at the time. Today we send pictures, watch Tv and movies on our phone and do banking and other businesses and the scope is still growing. “This is what will happen on a large scale, when (not if) we diligently pursue the privatization of power. “Today, we are at a point when government spending on all aspects of power has been significantly reduced on distribution
Hon. Minister of Power , Works and Housing , Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN (2nd right) , the Hon. Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri (2nd left) , the Permanent Secretary , Works and Housing , Engineer Abubakar Magaji (right) and the National Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Colonel Micah Gaya (rtd.) in a group photograph shortly after being decorated with the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration Emblem 2016 by Col. Gaya at the Honourable Minister’s Office ,Ministry of Work’s Headquarters, Mabushi, Abuja, FCT on Wednesday, December 9, 2015.
US denies issuing security alert to Americans in Abuja
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he United States Embassy in Nigeria, yesterday, disowned a text message circulated through various channels that the embassy had issued a security warning to American citizens in Abuja. A message circulated on Thursday claimed the American Ambassador to Nigeria had called and emailed all Americans in Abuja to tell them to stay indoors, following information that three cars loaded with bombs
were primed in some undisclosed locations in the capital city. The message, which was also shared on WhatsApp and social media, stated: “Please, stay safe especially those in Abuja. I just got this now from a friend and I see no harm in sharing. “For those who stay in Abuja or those who have relatives there, please read this. “American ambassador called and emailed all Americans to tell
them to stay indoors. Three cars in Abuja loaded with bombs are planted in different areas. We are yet to know their targets. Pass the message please.” However, the U.S. Counselor for Public Affairs in Nigeria, Victoria Sloan, said the U.S. Ambassador would not make calls on such a serious issue if true, but would rather send an official mail to staff which would eventually be uploaded on the em-
bassy’s website. “The ambassador did not send the message, the mission or the US government did not send the message. “When we observe something, we check and put on the consular internet. “Help to refute it and let your readership, listenership know it’s not true,” she said at the ongoing State House Press Corp retreat, holding in Kaduna.
and generation, except for some projects started under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP). “The spending of government is now largely focused on transmission network and gas supply while Gencos and Discos focus on producing power and distributing it.
“We intend to strengthen this part of our responsibility so that we can hold the Gencos and Discos to their contracts with citizens,” Fashola said. But before we do that, we must play our own role of providing gas and expanding the Transmission Network.
No going back on anti-corruption war –Presidency Rotimi Fadeyi
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he Presidency yesterday said that there is no going back on the war against corrupt by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking at a three-day retreat organised for State House Correspondents in Kaduna, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said the anti corruption war may offend many people as the President would step on big toes. According to him, the success of the anticorruption war would depend largely on the media. Speaking further at the event hosted by the Kaduna State Government, Shehu maintained that the media need to expose wrongdoing in order to rid the nation of corruption. According to him, this was very important because the power of the media lies in its ability to expose wrongdoing of those trying to pull the nation down. “President Buhari has embarked on an anti-corruption campaign that is bound
to offend many. Big toes will be stepped on, personal interests will be cast aside. As the popular saying goes, when you fight corruption, corruption fights back” “President Buhari has embarked on anticorruption war and we need the media to expose wrongdoing, “The power of the media lies in their ability to expose wrongdoing. This power to expose is a far more effective deterrent in many countries”, Shehu said. He , however, urged the media to be accurate and thorough in reporting and should not rush to break the news. Also speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) inherited a government that was at the tip of collapse. According to the governor, it was unfortunate that the past administration ran the government aground. He, however, said the Buhari- led administration would do everything possible to put the nation back on track for a better society for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Murder of Onisa of Ilora: Detectives quiz 10
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omicide detectives from Zone XI of the Nigeria Police have waded into the alleged murder of a High Chief of Ilora, Chief Lawrence Itiade Owoade, the late Onisa of Ilora in Afijio Local Govrnment Area of Oyo State. The detectives, who stormed the ancient Ilora town recently arrested at least 10 suspects including two traditional worshipers simply identified as Sunday Aserifa and Ifalose, who allegedly partook in the burial of the late Chief Owoade, who was allegedly found hanging from the ceiling of his living room. But the Zonal Police Spokesman, ASP Sola Babalola, said he could not confirm the number of suspects invited for interrogation as the matter was still being investigated. Babalola said: “I cannot identify those invited as our officers might invite more suspects. We are still investigating the matter.” It was gathered that the Ifa worshippers were allegedly invited to remove the body of the late High Chief and perform some rites before his burial. Others who appeared before the Police in Osogbo on Friday for questioning on the alleged murder included the six chiefs, Chief Kilanko Ajayi, (Jagun), Chief Ademola Oladipo (Otunba), Chief J.O. Oyaniyi (Balogun), Chief Motunrayo Oke (Odofin), Chief Olatoke Ajenifuja (Iyalode) and Chief Amidu Adeleke, the newly installed Onisa, who replaced the late
Chief Owoade. Chief Owoade who was a high Chief in Ilora and second in rank to the Monarch, The Akibio of Ilora was found hanging on the ceiling of his one storey building on Farm Settlement Road, Ilora on Thursday, 20th November, 2014. The late Onisa was hurriedly buried on the same day without a post mortem examination on the cause of his death by a qualified Medical Doctor. He was installed as the onisa on 24th of april, 2006 by the late Akibio of Ilora, Oba Olayiwola Olawore after the demise of chief Ajibade Adesina, the then occupier of the post. It was gathered that the recent Police investigation was triggered by the petitions from members of his family who alleged foul play on the death of the late Head of the kingmakers in the ancient town. In one of the petitions signed by his wife, Mrs. Oyenihun Owoade, a business merchant in Ibadan, “the manner and the way my husband, a high Chief in Ilora was murdered and the way he was hurriedly buried heightened our suspicion that the chief did not commit suicide.” According to family sources, Chief Owoade, a successful poultry farmer and a business man with landed properties in Ilora and Ibadan was found hanging in his house on the fateful day by the manager of his poultry farm and his driver who came to report for work.
GIS Trains 100 graduates on wealth creation Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo.
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o fewer than 100 Nigerian graduates have been trained and empowered on how to create wealth through the Graduate Internship Scheme ,GIS, of the federal government. The 3-day training, according to a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo by an official of the Scheme, Mrs Halima Iliya, the plight of the graduates was also addressed while their job-placement opportunities had increased through the one year internship scheme. According to the Project Director of the Scheme, Mr. Peter Papka, the training centered on Career Development and
Entrepreneurship Skills which had assisted in exposing the interns to possibilities open to them in the labour market. While congratulating the Interns for their steadfastness during the scheme, Papka encouraged them to continue to build and develop themselves. Papka assured the interns that the skills and experience they have acquired through GIS have placed them in a position to contribute meaningfully to national development. He said: “I wish to note that GIS is one of the many success stories of government’s effort to reduce graduate unemployment. On your part, you must ensure that your internship adds value not just to your immediate employers but to the nation as a whole.”
SOUTH WEST
Synagogue building collapse:
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Court orders substituted service on contractors Matthew Irinoye
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Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday ordered that a substituted service be served on the contractors that supervised the collapsed guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN). The court presided over by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, directed that substituted service of the court process in the charge be served on the contractors by pasting same on the front door of their addresses at 34, Akindele Street, off Kollington Bus-Stop, Alagbado, Lagos State, and 42,
Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos respectively. The judge also ordered that photographic evidence showing the Sheriff of court pasting same should be tendered before the court. The contractors; Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun are the 4th and 5th defendants in the criminal charge initiated by the Lagos State government against The Registered Trustees of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Hardrock Construction Company, and Jadny Trust Ltd, are 1st-3rd defendant in the charge respectively. Earlier, before court’s order, counsel to the state government, Mrs. Idowu Alakija had told the judge of
the existence of a “motion exparte” dated December 11, 2015 and filed on the same date. Alakija said that “We have been able to serve the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants and there is proof of service to that effect. “But we have been unable to effect service of court processes on the 4th and 5th defendants. There is a motion exparte and we pray your lordship to allow us move same. “It is seeking an order to serve the information on the 4th and 5th defendants by substituted means by pasting on their addresses. “The affidavit evidence to show that it has been impossible to serve the 4th and 5th defendants are before this court.”
The State Government had charged the defendants - Registered Trustees of the church, Hardrock Construction Company, Jadny Trust Ltd, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun over their indictment and subsequent recommendation for prosecution by the Coroner Inquest it set up to investigate the cause of the collapse leading to the death of about 116 people mostly South Africans in September 12, 2014. The defendants were to be arraigned before court, on 111 count charges bordering on failure to obtain building approval contrary to section 41 of the Urban and Regional Planning Law of Lagos State 2010.
L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), Executive Director, Falcon Corporation, Mrs. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo; Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Mr. Olawale Oluwo; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Chairman, Eko Electricity, Mr. Charles Momoh and others, during the inauguration of the Lagos State Power Committee, at the Conference Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, on Thursday, December 10, 2015.
Students docked for attacking teachers, mates in Osun Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo.
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sun state Police Command, yesterday arraigned six students of St. Marks Anglican High School and Adenle Middle School, Osogbo before an Osogbo magistrate court for allegedly attacking teachers in their schools with dangerous weapons. It will be recalled that some students of the said schools, believed to be members of a cult group and some of their sponsors wielding dangerous weapons, had on Friday, December 4, 2015, launched attack and unleashed mayhem on teachers and students in
the said schools. The students, who were arraigned before Magistrate Adejumoke Olowolagba, were accused of causing breach of peace by disturbing school activities on December 7, 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo. Those brought before court, who were said to be 18 years of age are; Adewunmi Olusegun, Ajibola Toheeb, Ganiyu Sodiq, Adegbite Femi, Atoyebi Nurudeen and Adepoju Yusuf. Their charge sheet read: “That you and others now at large on 7th day of December, 2015 at St. Marks Anglican High School, Osogbo in the
Osogbo Magisterial District did conspire together to commit misdemeanor to wit conduct likely to cause breach of the peace by disturbing the school activities.” “That you and others now at large at the same date, time and place aforementioned did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by disturbing the school activities with sticks and cutlasses.” Taiwo Adegoke, the Police Prosecutor in charge of the matter, said the accused with their acts, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517(d) and 249(d) of the Criminal Code Cap 34,
Vol. II, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003. The six accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge pressed against them. Magistrate Olowolagba then committed them to bail, saying they were presumed innocent of the offence, until the prosecution proved otherwise. The accused, who were committed to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in the like amount, must also provide one surety that must provide tax clearance certificate. The case was adjourned till 15th February, 2016 for mention.
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
POLITICS
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
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Is anti-Social Media Bill dead on arrival? Lekan Adejuwon
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nprecedented, so it seems, the magnitude of public outrage that trailed the anti- social media bill which last week, passed through the second reading on the floor of senate under the leadership of the embattled senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki even as pundits have declared the proposed bill, dead on arrival Many have criticized the nations’ upper legislative chamber which, in the past six months of its inauguration has failed to address the myriads of problems affecting the ordinary Nigerians, but went ahead to propose what has been described as a clear ant-people legislation with its bid to censor the online and social media.] The bill is titled: “Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Indeed not a few observers have expressed shock and disbelief recently when a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Senator Ibn Na’Allah proposed a bill seeking to criminalize two types of behaviour. First, it proposes a sentence of up to two seven years in prison or a N5m fine for anyone who intentionally propagate false information that that could threaten the security of the country or that is capable of inciting the general public against the government through electronic message Second, the bill seeks to criminalise anyone disseminating via text messages, Twitter, Whatsapp or any other form of social media an ‘abusive statement’ intending to ‘set’ the public against any person, group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law” The penalty for this, according to Na’Allah, is up to two years or a N2m fine or both. “You can’t write false stories just because it is social media,” he told the BBC Hausa service. The speed at which the controversial bill was passed through the second reading by the senate has further fuelled widespread cynicism from a cross section of members of the public who are already insinuating that the lawmakers may have taken the country back to its inglorious years of the obnoxious Decree 4 of 1984 through the back door. However the obvious grave implications of the development on the image of the barely six month- old President Mohammadu Buhari’s government, may have led the President to issue a statement distancing himself from the proposed law while insisting that he would not assent to any bill that is inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution. .Speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President reiterated his
Ibn Na’Allah
commitment to the protection of free speech in keeping with democratic traditions ”The President said free speech is central to democratic societies anywhere in the world. The President explained that without free speech, elected representatives won’t be able to gauge public feelings and moods about governance issues’ Continuing, Shehu said; ‘The President acknowledged that people in democratic societies are so emotionally attached to free speech that they will defend it with all their might’ The question on the lips of many analysts has been, are the APC lawmakers and their collaborators on their own with Buhari’s open condemnation of the proposed bill? Coincidentally, the move by the presidency to distance itself from the proposed repressive bill has come with barrage of criticisms from individuals, groups and organisations. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Nigerian Press Organisation as well as a coalition of civil society groups, comprising the Institute of Media and Society (IMESO), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the International Press Centre (IPC), have condemned the proposed Social Media Bill, which is before the Senate. NLC, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Acting President, Peters Adeyemi, said attempt by the Senate to gag Nigerians and prevent them from speaking their minds on issues was designed to scuttle the nation’s democratic governance. The congress said the bill, titled: “Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and Other Related Matters Bill”, sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah (All Progressives Congress, Kebbi South), was unacceptable
to workers and should “not be allowed to see the light of day”. Adeyemi said the bill was a sad reminder of the military era when journalists were arrested for writing what the military junta considered spiteful. He added that it was contrary to the provisions of the constitution and other international conventions on free speech. The statement said: “The bill is coming at a time we expect our legislators and indeed, all Nigerians to recommit themselves to actions and legislations that can contribute to deepening democracy as well as fight against corruption in our country. “The bill, which proposes an option of N4 million as fine for those claimed to have made false newspaper, radio or television statements and N2 million for those claimed to have made false phone text messages or statements on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or WhatsApp is a sad reminder of the military era, when journalists were mindlessly hurled into jail for writing what the military junta considered spiteful. A former minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, added a tinge of comic relief to the proposed bill in her Twitter handle when she scoffed at the proposed law and said it would be impossible to enact. “I laughed in Wazobia as I read that Senate is enacting a Social Media Act. Let all those who know it is “IMPOSSICANT” join me to LoL, biko!” Ezekwesili said. The former minister believes that the passage of the bill into law will be impossible because Twitter and some other social media platforms cannot be summoned by the government. Her comment was followed by the siege on the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday by members of the civil societies The group which began their protest from Unity Fountain in Abuja displayed different inscriptions like “No to social media bill”, “Freedom of speech is fundamental human right”, Nigerians say #notosocialmedia bill#” etc. “We ask this for a number of reasons, the most important one which is that by criminalizing free speech, this bill directly contradicts Universal Declaration of Human Right (UDHR) and the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.” As if these were not enough, a groupSocio-Economic and Accountability Project SERAP, has during the week, internationalised the campaign against the proposed anti media law by dragging the Nigerian Senate to the United Nations SERAP has sent an urgent appeal to Mr. David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The letter urged the UN official to “ use your good offices and position to urgently request the National Assembly of Nigeria, specifically the Senate, to withdraw a bill which if passed into law would undermine
the internationally recognized right to freedom of expression and press freedom on the internet in the country.” To show the veracity of the appeal, the group copied Mr Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.. In the urgent appeal dated 3 December 2015, and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation said, “We are seriously concerned that the National Assembly of Nigeria will any moment from now, pass a bill to jail for two years and fine anybody or group of persons who send any alleged false text message or post false message on the social media against another person.” However, in what appears a discordant tune by the National Assembly, the House of Reps on Thursday, also expressed its disapproval of the proposed bill This view was expressed by the chairman House Committee on Media, Abdulrazak Namdas last Thursday. The lawmaker expressed the disapproval while speaking to State House correspondents after a dinner hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari for members of the House of Representatives at the State House Banquet Hall on Wednesday. “As Chairman, House Committee on Media, I must say that we cannot close space for free speech. “We would like to ensure that there is free speech. And the only thing we try to enjoin is that journalists, who are trained, who know the ethics of journalism, should also join the social media activity so that we can differentiate between the grains and the chaff. “I think that is most essential, but we should not leave it for just those who think they can just post anything. “Ideally, I think it is very important that we allow free speech. With time we will get to the level that we can regulate. “For now I think Nigerians will rely on them. “We came on the platter of change and it was this social media that brought us to power and we are making effective changes on that; I think we should live with that.’’ Meanwhile the senate, obviously overwhelmed by the public outcry against the proposed bill may have soft pedalled on the controversial bill The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani said the bill which has passed Second Reading in the red chamber may not see the light of day if it is not in the interest of Nigerians. According to him, The Senate is not averse to the withdrawal of the proposed media bill if it is not in the interest of Nigerians.. He said he was deeply concerned that issues about the bill would give Nigeria a bad name and the credibility of its democracy would be doubted. The Senator spoke on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, on Wednesday in Abuja. He said; ‘There is nothing wrong if the senators will say okay, we understand such fears now and the senate as a democratic institution takes a reverse. But it has to move through the parliamentary procedure for such to take place
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
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APC using incumbency power to punish PDP –Otegbola Chief Ayodeji Otegbola is a Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) leader and a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1992/1993. The Awori-born politician in this interview, lamented the loss of PDP during the last general election, his views on Yewa Awori agenda and other issues. LEKAN ADEJUWON reports.
S
hortly before the 2015 election, I recollect you expressed to me, a strong reservation about goings on in the PDP and predicted that if certain measures are not put in place, the party might lose the election. But at the end, PDP not only lost at the centre but also in your state, Ogun State. Would you say you are vindicated by the turn of events? I am more than vindicated. I think PDP should have learnt a very serious lesson from the happenings before the election this year. A party that has been in government for the past 16 years which should have gotten all the necessary experience and administration to organise a huge party like the PDP went in disarray because of dislike of one national party chairman. It was Tukur’s incident that broke PDP into two and we have never recovered since then. Yes I am vindicated and I am repeating it that unless we do something very quickly, we might have to wait for more years before we can come back to power and there is a lot that needed to be done and we should start now. But is it right to put the whole blame on the footstep of one person, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur? I am not putting the whole blame on Tukur.I said it was Tukur’s posture that divided the party and we are wrong to even let that divide us. We should have put everything about Tukur which is not good aside and concentrate on uniting the party. The situation in some of the states were actually caused by the NEC because where they are supposed to take a position, they didn’t take it and whenever they take such decision, it would not represent the feelings of the people and yet they still go ahead. Take Ogun State for example, it (crisis) was far too long and NEC did nothing about it. Either because they favour one section for the other section not to feel offended or simply did nothing. One would have thought that at the time when things were going wrong they should have dissolved the executive and appoint a caretaker to take charge so
Otegbola
as to mobilize people towards the election, they didn’t do all that. I am not blaming Tukur but the appointment of Tukur divided the party because some people don’t like him and some people liked him. The PDP suffered it and up till now, the wound has not been completely healed. Is that enough reason why part elders like you have remained silent because these days not much has been heard from the founding fathers of the PDP? Even if you talk in those periods, they don’t listen. Myself, Jubril Martins Kuye and Alhaji Sule Onabiyi made frantic but fruitless efforts more than seven occasions to have a discussion with NEC of the party. We would go all the way from here to Abuja, we would spend all our money and stayed overnight trying to see them. We will probably see a fraction of them, one or two at a time. At a point, we thought they have a magic wand and so we waited and see even now that everything has dawned on us. By now there should have been a central body which should have give direction to states as to how to mobilize ourselves, how to regroup and look at the reasons why we failed, abandon those bad reasons and acquire those things that will make us grow. So everybody is now watching from the sideline. Nothing has been done and yet, APC is bashing PDP right left and centre. Now they are using the incumbency power to select whom to be prosecuted and when you look into it, I don’t blame the APC in doing so because, may be, sometime before, PDP had done the same. Selecting members of the opposition party for prosecution and leaving those belonging to the party as a sacred cow. Now, we are no longer a sacred cow, APC is now in charge and we are now suffering from the repercussions of what we might have done in the previous regime. We still are not ready and
I have not seen any plans being made to at least, approach a semblance of a party that wants to get back into power. I must say and very sincerely that our publicity secretary has been doing a lone ranger job in pointing out constructively things that APC are not doing well but he needs a coordinated approach. I think Metuh was doing exactly what Lai Mohammed was doing when APC was the only opposition party. For about three or four years, there was no other voice apart from Lai Mohammed. That is what we seeing in Metuh now. But a semblance of what looks like a genuine reconciliation was put together by Dr Raymond Dokpesi recently where he apologized to Nigerians on behalf of the PDP, but the leadership of the part distanced themselves from the move saying PDP has done nothing to warrant apologizing to the nation. What is your take on the matter? I don’t think we need to give a collective apology. Some members of the PDP must have done wrong. They are being punished but to now say that PDP are apologizing. Are we branding ourselves as culpable of all offences levelled against us? No; individuals, may be, and either they apologised individually or get punished individually. But all we need to do is to look at what has gone wrong in the last administration, change it in a way that people will appreciate us but the way APC is going in another year or two, they may not be the peoples favourite as they are now and unless we have an alternative to give, when people realise that APC is incapable of doing all those things it promised to do, we might not be in a position to take over from them as alternative party because we are not organised and we need to be organised. Many have criticized the APC new
administration in the past 7 months for the terrible state of the country and that the party was only interested in getting the PDP out of office without any concrete plans to govern. Do you feel so? I agree entirely on that. At the time they were campaigning they had no time to sit down and go through their programmes and how to achieve their purpose. They just want to get the PDP out and in the process they promised everything including those they could not do. They said in 3 months Boko Haram would be eradicated, it is still there, they said they would employ 10 million people every year, we have not seen the impact of this promise on the unemployed Nigerians. So, for every other promise made, yet they have not been able to manage their success. And the lethargy of calling Buhari’s government as slow and steady but his government is slow, slow and slow and the programmes he put forward does not justify the six months of waiting for the appointment of ministers. I think if PDP were organised, this is the time we should rein it on APC that they were only shouting for power but they don’t know what to do with it. Let us come back to Ogun State politics, during the last election, you were in a bit of dilemma when as a PDP leader, who has been clamouring for a Yewa/ Awori governor over the years. A rival party suddenly picked an Awori person as its governorship candidate. How are you able to manoeuvre yourself in the mist of supporting your kinsman at the expense of your party? I am a strong party man. I can never do any anti-party stuff. If my son was contesting against the party that I represents I would support my party because I owe allegiance to that party. The idea we had in Ogun West senatorial district in which by the grace of God I was the leader, was to produce a Ogun West governorship candidate. It was also a mutual agreement that Yewa which is an integral part of Ogun West should produce a governorship candidate and Awori which was where I came from should produce the senatorial candidate within the party and that was what I sat down and formulated with other leaders of the party. Then, for an Ota indigene to whom I also owe allegiance to bring a candidate two months to the election and expect me to now decamp or go against the rule of the party and went ahead to support an Awori person, would be a disservice to my party, and would be a slur on my integrity which I had built over years without blemish. I sponsored, supported and financed the candidature of a Yewa man as governor and I followed him through and through to the end. and at a time an Awori person came him that he wanted to be governor, to my mind, it was absolutely a ploy by Segun Osoba to dislocate the support of the Ogun West people against the ambition of an Egba man in person of Amosun for him to have an upper hand because I don’t see the impact an Awori man would have two months to the governorship election.
DECEMBER 12, 2015
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TALKING POLITICS
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‘Social media has been used to ‘Social media should prepare for severe sanction’ castigate politicians’ — Senator Balla Ibn Na’Allah, APC, representing Kebbi South
“W
here any person through text message, tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media posts any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2,000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment. “Not withstanding anything contained in any law, it shall be an unlawful to submit any petition, statement intended to report the conduct of any person for the purpose of an investigation, inquiry and or inquest without a duly sworn affidavit in the High Court of a state or the Federal High Court confirming the content to be true and
correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act. “Any petition and or complains not accompanied by a sworn affidavit shall be incompetent and shall not be used by any government institution, agency or bodies established by any law for the time being enforced in Nigeria.”
‘No anti-social media bill before Senate’ — Senate President, Bukola Saraki
“I
think there is need to let you know that those that led the protest, we have received their letters, we have told them to be rest assured that by the time it goes to committee work, and go to public hearing some of these things will come up. ‘But you must understand that when those bills come to the floor of the Senate, they come as arguments on the principle of the bill, and the principle of that bill was Frivolous Petition, nothing to do with social media. But later on, we did find out that there was a section in it about social media.
Senator Biodun Olujimi, PDP, Ekiti South
“T
he major problem people do not have any laid down rule as to what to do on the social media and they call themselves pressmen. “I have been a journalist all my life and the major and important
‘Sahara Reporters, others must be made to face full wrath of law’ —Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West
“I
f there are no measures put in place, this particular SaharaReporters and others have the capacity to drag democracy into
“That will go away when it comes to third reading. When you start the third reading, where you consider
‘Senate ‘ll go ahead with anti-social media bill’ —Senate spokesman, Aliyu Sabi
“T
he senate is committed to freedom of speech and a fully inclusive and participatory democracy. The process of passing a bill is comprehensive and provide for inputs to be taken from all and sundry. “The first stage is merely to read the short title of the bill. The second stage is purely to debate the general principles. “The next stage is committal of the bill to appropriate committee or committees for further detailed legislative action where the details, intendment and clause by clause implications of the bill are dissected by the committee. “This stage also involves public hearing in which members of the public, civil society, non-governmental organizations and all interested parties for or against the bill have the opportunity to shape and
influence its content. “The outcome from this committee stage is what will be finalised and then represented to the chamber for clause by clause consideration and approval or disapproval by the senate. “Thereafter, if the bill is approved, then the clean version of the bill is forwarded to the house of representatives for concurrence or otherwise. “All those spreading hate campaigns as a result of the anti-frivolity bill, hauling insults at and making derogatory comments on senators of the federal republic of Nigeria and the institution of the Senate are advised to key into the elaborate legislative process that a bill must pass through before becoming law if they are interested in shaping the outcome of the bill.”
tenet of that profession is that you must be fair to all concerned. But on this issue of social media, nobody is fair to anybody; in fact I have read stories about myself where I never participated in anything that was reported” “They used the social media as a medium to castigate anybody that was in politics and anyone that was in the ruling party. It was our turn the last time and now it is the turn of the ruling party. That is the way it has been. When you are in office, they must have something against you. “But the most annoying one is castigating the entire Senate and bringing it to disrepute. We must be able to fight that and we must look at the laws and do something concrete.”
crisis because they have become very reckless. “They make laborious statements that have no content of fact at all and because of the Nigeria’s perception it is very important that we check their activities. “While I celebrate the social media as major actors, this Senate should not be blackmailed or cowed because of the social media. You will read time innumerable, Sahara Reporters casting aspersion on the integrity of the Senate. The Senate is a sacred hallowed chamber. “Sahara Reporters operate from New York and this Senate must write the US government to draw their attention to the clandestine operations of Sahara Reporters.”
‘People should not publish anything unchallenged’ —Senate Leader, Ali Ndume
“I
t is not only SaharaReporters. People just wake up because of the advancement in ICT and start writing whatever without being held responsible.” “We are a law making body and we have a responsibility to make laws that hold people responsible for actions that they take. People should not just publicize anything without being held responsible.”
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December 12, 2015
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
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Counting the dead by the gun (II)
Murdered ‘Apo 6’ traders
In continuation of his investigation, Sebastine Ebhuomhan shows in this report how poor welfare, corruption and impunity fuel arbitrary killing; the collateral costs of extrajudicial killing on the nation’s economy and how the impunity can be reduced. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
O
n August 13, 2015, DSS operatives from Benin City stormed Christopher Irabor’s home in Uwene quarters of Illeh village in Ekpoma in search of Omozokpia, his son. They were investigating an alleged internet fraud. It resulted to the death of Mr Irabor, a potter in the School of Medicine of Ambrose Alli University. Irabor’s widow accused the DSS of invading their home, shooting her husband and taking away another son. The DSS countered that the operation was legal. It explained that its officials used force because he refused to open his doors and tried to seize an official’s gun when his room was forcefully opened. During a fact-finding mission to Ekpoma, the Coordinator of Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSOs), Omobude Agho asked, “When will extrajudicial killing reduce or stop in Nigeria? As we are handling one case another pops up. The cases are becoming increasing by the day without anyone being held accountable.” The Nigeria Police Force professes friendship. “Police is your friend,” a mini-poster overlooking Ogida DPO’s head proclaimed. But her critics have argued that the police merely symbolize that red scarf around gun nozzles—spilling innocent blood. The police have been accused of killing tax payers whose taxes fund the force. Yet, the police are gravely limited in personnel, resources, tools, funds, welfare and motivation, within which officers do utmost best to safeguard lives and properties. The police also operate under inconceivably high provocation daily. With a total of 370, 000 personnel (according to a Federal House of Representatives motion), the Nigeria Police Force has a protective ratio of a police officer to 459 citizens at an estimated national population of 170, 000,000. This leaves the police below the recommended global practice of an officer to 50 people. In an interview at a European Union (EU)-funded United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)-organised workshop on Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 in Kaduna, a Judge of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Justice Angela Otaluka says, “Beginning from arrest, detention, bail, police are always involved. Probably, they would have been able to give us reasons for one or two things that we are discussing: why things like extrajudicial killing happen. We know that such things do happen and for whatever it is, they have no good reason to take life unconstitutionally.” Investigation shows responsible officers are in police rank and file even as some others virtually beg, coerce, intimidate, threaten and kill for food, money, promotion etc. at checkpoints, stations, courts, offices and homes. This latter class reason and dress poorly in mufti and slippers. It portrays hunger, greed, envy, evil and frustration in protruding belly or withered skin. Police personnel earn poor pay. They are short-changed in bottom-top cycle. Investigation shows that while Constable and Corporal earn N40, 000 and N45, 000 enhanced salary per month, N65, 000 and N70, 000 are allegedly ascribed to them. In spite of these limitations, the law empowers police to use “reasonable” force to subdue criminal suspects and accused persons. Section 271 of Laws of the Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, Vol II (as applicable to Edo
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
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‘Review police recruitment process’
Distressed Chibuike Edeh’s mother taking the death of her son to Gov Oshiomhole
responsible officers are in police rank and file even as some others virtually beg, coerce, intimidate, threaten and
kill for food, money, promotion etc. at checkpoints, stations, courts, offices and homes State) provides, “When a peace officer or police officer is proceeding lawfully to arrest, with or without warrant, a person for an offence which is a felony, and is such that the offender may be arrested without warrant, and the person sought to be arrested takes to flight in order to avoid arrest, it is lawful for the peace officer or police officer and for any person lawfully assisting him, to use such force as may be reasonably necessary to prevent the escape of the person sought to be arrested, and, if the offence is such that the offender may be punished with death or with imprisonment for seven years or more, may kill him if he cannot by any means otherwise be arrested.” But the wrong use of firearm is costing the police and Federal Government huge loss of lives, properties and funds. At another EU-funded and UNODC-organised workshop on Access to Justice in Abuja, Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase warned that officers will henceforth be held accountable for their actions. He disclosed that the police have paid over N1billion compensation in three years to citizens whose rights were breached under Force Order 237. “The content of that Force Order has been construed as both controversial and the progenitor of human rights abuses by the NPF. There is a virtual policy vacuum in respect of how and when firearms may be deployed and the circumstances governing the use of force by officers of the NPF,” Arase states. Financial experts say N1bn could pay the salary of more dutiful officers. Security experts add that it could provide more tools
to aid police to meet the global standard. At N5m per unit, N1bn will provide 200 units of brand new Toyota Hilux patrol vans to enhance the capacity of Nigeria Police Force. With about N50m compensation to pay to Ms Odeyemi’s family, N6.02m to Ugolor, estimated N150m to victims in OPD-prosecuted cases and other similar huge compensations to many victims across the country, the police may be forced to pay billions to settle claims than improving personnel welfare. Indeed, Arase explained the staggering cost of arbitrary killing of citizens by police personnel on national economy. What the IGP did not answer in an emailed reply of November 21st from the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole is: what happened to police officers indicted for summary killings? This investigation showed, however, that police officers involved in arbitrary killings and mediocre investigations are either promoted or rewarded with soft landings. In a classic example, the futile investigation of Oyerinde death, an exercise that has already cost the police some yet-to-be-paid N6.02m Appeal Court-ordered compensation, the head of an IGP special taskforce earned promotion from Deputy to Commissioner of Police. Tackling extrajudicial impunity Experts insist that if governments, institutions and citizens tackle summary killing at every level, it will reduce jungle justice. “I’m challenging President Muhammadu Buhari to put an end to this warfare that has been declared by the military and police against the people of this nation,” says No-
bel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who recalled a video in which a uniformed soldier stabbed a civilian to death with a knife in Lagos. A lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi suggests, “Extrajudicial killings can be reduced if citizens make quick reports of the incidents; if police arrest, arraign and prosecute suspects; and if courts convict guilty persons. We have cases where even policemen were convicted and sentenced for killing citizens.” Afolabi argues that it is murderous of a security officer to kill a felon under his custodial protection. He urges the National Human Rights Commission to defend cases of summary killings for poor victims on pro bono while Ugolor calls on state governments to establish office of public defender for extrajudicial impunity. Indeed, the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, presided by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa with Justice Ayobode Lokulo-Sodipe and Justice Tom Yakubu on November 8, 2013, unanimously dismissed the appeal of a police officer against death. It affirmed the death sentence of Justice Roseline Amaize of Edo State High Court on Sergeant Kalejaiye Ola on May 23, 2011 for the summary killing of Paul Erimafo on June 23, 2003. The All Federation Weekly Law Reports (FWLR) of October 27, 2014, Part 752 1630— 1819 referenced the case: CA/B/223c/2011. Similarly in Adegboyega Ibikunle v The State, a police officer was prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to death for summarily killing a citizen. In the latter judgment, Onnoghen, JSC recommended, “There is the urgent need to revisit the criteria used in recruitment of policemen. The instant extrajudicial killing by a member of the Nigeria Police Force is one too many. He was not only overzealous but also extremely reckless in his actions on the day in question… It is the unfortunate acts of policemen like the appellant that have made it near impossible for Nigerians to really consider the police as their friend… Such characters as the appellant still occupy positions within the Nigeria Police and they
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18
ELEBRITY
c
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l
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I’m arrogant
JJC is one entertainment personality that needs much introduction, having attained massive success in music both in and outside Nigeria. Having grown up in the UK and lived there most of his life, he’s back in Nigeria now, and he tells OSEYIZA OOGBODO how he’s faring in his new environment.
b
i
t
y
—JJC ready for us. My team and I are so prepared to give them what they least expected. I feel so happy. My music is doing well, my family is doing well. Two years more, I will be 40. But I don’t intend retiring yet. God is the planner and my life is like a Nollywood movie, while God is the director. I turned my passion into my profession. Something I’ve always loved doing as a little boy. Something I always do for fun, now I am using it to make money and inspire a whole generation of people. I always feel happy because I know I have achieved something. Even if I’m not big, I know I’ve inspired and created big artists in the world, not just in Nigeria.
You came into the Nigerian music industry knowing it’s fiercely competitive. What gave you the confidence to do so? It’s because I’m very different and my orientation in life is different. I grew up in the UK where I learnt a lot about music at a very young age. I got signed by Sony Music while I was 22. I was also writing songs for record companies. Every day, I had to write new songs. Which means I had to come up with concepts, new ideas and something people can relate to and impact their lives. I brought that part of me back into the Nigerian music industry. Majority of Nigerian music is based on dancing, and there’s not really a lot of message. That is where I stand out, because lots of my songs have messages that impact lives.
You’re very close to 40. Why are you still single? Different folks, different strokes. I’ve been in love with the idea of love, but it’s very hard to attain if you are not focused. To be in love, you need to put in lots of hard work. I have been selfishly in love with my music career. That’s one of the biggest problems I’ve had in my relationships. My last relationship met with a brick wall because I intended to come to Nigeria in 2011 to pursue my career. In other words, music has cost me my love life. People in our kind of career find it hard to find a companion. I’m hoping that I’ll find the right person but it’s hard within my circle.
Do you see yourself as one who could join the trend to make more money? Not everyone in Nigeria likes my music, because they assume I don’t do the kind of music people really want to hear, dance music. I did venture it and had lots of fun. I expressed myself in my own capacity. You have been in Nigeria for a while, what are the challenges you are facing compared to while you were in London? My biggest challenge coming back to Nigeria is the fact that I didn’t grow up in Lagos. I didn’t even grow up in Nigeria. Even though I come back to Nigeria once in a while to promote my music, I don’t really know a lot of people in the industry. I have also come to notice that people do things based on ‘we-we’ levels. It is all about who you know or who you grew up or schooled with. Everybody has their own struggle and mine is totally different. I felt like a fish out of water when I moved back to Nigeria. Lots of people know me, but I didn’t know lots of them. A lot of people thought I was arrogant,
r
but they don’t know the real me. Secondly, I have lived in the UK all my life, and for people who live outside the country, when you come in, people would expect you to come in with a whole lot of money. But in my case, I have lots of responsibilities. I didn’t bother about the money, but I just had to continue my music career over here in Nigeria after my family gave me their consent. At first, I was so depressed and almost ran back to the UK, but I thank God, I stood still and weathered the storm. It has not been an easy journey at all, but I’ve got to know who my real friends are and those who are truly there to support me. What gave you that hope to hang on? I believe that life is the survival of the
fittest. Only the strong survive in tough situations. I have been in the industry for over 17 years. I am sticking to my love and passion. I am not like a typical artist. I do a whole lot of stuff in music. I edit, direct, shoot videos, so I believe that hard work will see me through. Currently, it’s not really paying me to do my music in Nigeria. It’s costing me more. But I’m hoping that it pays me very soon. Everybody’s breakthrough point is coming, I see mine close too. How do you feel being back home? Right now, I feel I’m finally home. I have been home since 2011, but this year, I feel like I have finally been accepted. The major cities in Nigeria should get
So, right now, you’re just having fun? Yea! I would say so. I am focused on my career because music makes me happy but my relationship doesn’t. My partners always groan over my love for music. I pray I get to a place in my career where I can relax and have a good relationship. Fortunately for me, I had kids when I was quite young. I have three kids. My first daughter is already 18. That’s why I’m more relaxed. My kids come first in everything. My youngest child is already 10 and they give me all the love and support I need to face my music. Aside music, what else do you do? I direct music videos. I used the name Skillz for that. I did that for a good part of 2011 and more in 2012. I also manage and develop artistes to maintain and pay my bills. All I do in life revolves around entertainment. Unfortunately, for me, I don’t have any other passion outside the music industry.
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Exposed! Why Wizkid fought Saeon tooth and nail
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hen in late 2014 beef suddenly broke out between established singer, Wizkid, and upcoming singer, Saeon, what people really wanted to know was why they were fighting. Though the apparent reason, as forwarded by Saeon was that she was at daggers drawn with Wiz because she paid him the whopping sum of N1.5m to feature him on her song, Boogie Down, and he refused to tweet the link to the song, even after she requested him to please do so. As expected, a lot of reactions trailed their beef, especially after Wiz came out to say that he doesn’t just tweet for anybody but his friends and that Saeon wasn’t his friend. Maybe because Wiz is so popular because a lot of people really do like him, he came out the better in his Saeon faceoff, with many people supporting him that he didn’t have to tweet the song, that it wasn’t part of his agreement with her that he must tweet it, and that he has every right to not tweet what he doesn’t want to. Heavyweight celebrities jumped behind Wiz and tore Saeon apart for her action which they felt was an unnecessary exposure of the industry’s trade secrets. According to MI, Saeon had no right to make known what she paid Wiz for the collabo as business is business. So, eventually, the matter died a slow death with nobody jumping behind Saeon to say that when someone pays all of N1.5m for someone else’s support on a project, the least the person who got paid could do was to just support the project all the way. But the big question has remained all this while. Why did Wiz refuse to tweet the song link? Did he do so out of fear or wickedness or something else? Entertainment analyst, Saucy Gezzle, has now come out to reveal why Wiz didn’t tweet the song. According to him, Wiz didn’t tweet the song because he wasn’t pleased with it. “Normally, when Wiz features on a song, he kills the artist who features him. His voice will be prominent on the song and it will almost seem like he’s the song’s owner. But in the case of Boogie Down, his role was limited to just the chorus, and at the end of the day, he was reduced to looking like just a backup singer, and probably feeling the impression wasn’t good for his brand, he decided not to support the song’s promo,” Gezzle explained. And despite all her hullabaloo over Wiz’s refusal to tweet it, Boogie Down remains Saeon’s most successful released song till date, because of Wiz’s presence on it, so Saeon’s N1.5m to Wiz wasn’t a waste, as she almost made it seem.
Wiz
Saeon
A tale of Omowunmi Akinnifesi and Emma Nyra T he current looks of ex-Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Omowunmi Akinnifesi, and promising singer, Emma Nyra, are definitely something to talk about, when you compare the two. Akinnifesi became known in the nation many years before Nyra when she won the MBGN crown in 2005. Nyra only became known in 2012 when Iyanya featured her on his smash hit, Ur Waist. Both of them became celebrities sporting slim physiques that are generally preferred by most people for the female gender over the plump ones. It’s therefore astounding to note that while Akinnifesi who hit the limelight ten years ago is still doing her best to maintain her initial shape, even after becoming a truly household name, Nyra, who is still struggling to really become known, is losing her shape. The two attended the Corporate Elite concert which held in Lagos last weekend and a look at their pictures from the event
Akinnifesi
Nyra
tells the tale better. Akinnifesi is almost the way she was ten years ago while Nyra is blowing up like a balloon.
Oh well, both of them know better why they are respectively maintain and losing their shapes.
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
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CLASSICAL LYRICS
D’Banj’s boy, Deevee, drags him and Olamide in the mud
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he news currently in town about popular rapper, Olamide, is not a really good one. According to widespread reports, he has been accused of copying the lyrical ideas of D’Banj, his senior colleague whom he’s worked with both in the studio and on stage. The accusation was made not by D’Banj, but D’Banj’s producer, Deevee, who even apologized to D’Banj for the disclosure, saying that he’s been keeping quiet about Olamide’s alleged copying of their own creative efforts for a very long time now, but he can no longer keep quiet about it and is ready to face any consequences of his disclosure. Through a series of tweets, he asked Olamide if he was losing the necessary
inspiration to come up with song lyrics of his own and came right out to say that any time Olamide comes to their zone, they end up hearing him using their concepts in his songs. Needless to say, Deevee’s accusation is already leading to a lot of raised dust and divided opinions. Some are saying that he and his boss, Deevee, are accusing Olamide unfairly in order to get attention. Being that it can be said that Olamide is enjoying more acceptance than D’Banj right now, the accusation, whether justified or not, is also tainting D’Banj, even though Olamide is Deevee’s target. Oh well, when the guilty are being punished, the innocent ones too bear part of the brunt. D’Banj
Olamide
Iyanya flayed over video post Youngest Old Man marries today Osahon Julius Yenagoa
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Iyanya and the girl(s)
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hen Iyanya posted a video online, of him dancing with some girls, he did so obviously with the intention of entertaining his fans so that they’ll remain loyal to him. Sadly for him, though, those same fans came at him instead, flaying him over the video which they feel is not worth their while. “What legacy are you leaving? What are the youths going to learn from you? Heartbreaking,” one of them commented. The ire of the fans was actually drawn by one of the girls whom they said need-
lessly exposed her bosom. And they made their opinions known about the brash nudity. “Please am I supposed to be interested in the dance or her boobs? Which one?” another one commented. “Please she should cover the upper region. It’s a private part also.” “It’s really pathetic. I can’t even wear my boxer shorts in front of my siblings, yet a lady who is supposed to be modest is not even wearing a bra in public,” was yet another comment. Clearly, this is one Iyanya post that didn’t strike the right chord with his fans.
he ancient capital of the old Benin empire, ‘Benin city, will today play host to hordes of Nollywood artists, comedians and music stars as Roland Igbadumhe, popularly known as Youngest Old Man, ties the nuptial cord with his heartthrob, Gladys Inegbenosun. The special wedding which is expected to kick start with visits to orphanage homes across the three senatorial districts of Edo state, according the youngest old man, who is also the Special Senior Adviser, SSA, to the Edo state governor on Entertainment, will give guest another opportunity to enjoy the hospitality of the host state. Youngest old man met the delectable Ubiaja-Esan born and London university trained damsel about five years ago and the relationship has waxed stronger and stronger ever since, before they finally agreed to tie the nuptial in Benin. While the traditional wedding is expected to hold at the palatial mansion of the bride residence in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) of the city, the reception is expected to hold at the Gloria Garden, also in GRA, Benin city. Notable hollywood expected to grace the occasion include Mercy Johnson, Eni Edo, Lagos lawmaker and nollywood most handsome man, Desmond Elliot, Esan born actor Actor and Director, Charles Inojie, Edo pride, Lancelot Oduwa-imasuen, Kanayo O Kanayo, Oge Okoye, Francis Odega, Aki and Pawpaw, Mama Gee, among others. While Comedians and actors, Basorge Tariah junior and Okey Bakassi, will be the Master of ceremony, MC, notable comedians like Delta born, I Go dye and I Go save, Maleke, Gandoki, Youngers landlord, Simcard, Gandoki, and may other will add
Gladys and Youngest
spice to the ceremony expected to be hosted by the Edo state governor and youth mobilizer, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. According to the Etsako-born comedian who cut his teeth at the median edition of Opa Willaims’s comedy series ‘Night of a Thousand laugh’ there will always be significant memories to behold in Edo State; in view of the empowerment and the developmental strides imparted in the State by the Comrade governor. He said never in the history of the state has dynamic youths been given the opportunity to serve closely, with the Governor as it is witnessed today, adding that remarkably in the last 3 years each of the special advisers to the Comrade Governor of Edo State has quick bachelorhood, thanks to the empowerment of the comrade governor. The elated comedian who lifted by the benevolent of the Edo state Governor, eulogies him for the opportunity and privilege given him to serve the state; describing him as “ a father, mentor and role model.”
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Bollywood star acquitted of murder
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court in India has acquitted Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan, of murder charges, quashing a fiveyear sentence earlier handed by a judge in a lower court in May. The movie star was accused of crashing his car into a group of homeless persons near his home in 2002, killing one of them. During trial, Mr. Khan denied being behind the wheel during the incident. He said his driver was the one driving,
while prosecutors said he was the one driving after a night of drinking in the city of Mumbai. The driver also told the court that he was the one driving the Toyota Land Cruiser on the night and that the accident was caused by a tyre burst. The appeal court on Thursday agreed with the defence, saying the prosecution has failed to convince it that Mr. Khan was the one behind the wheel.
Juliet Ibrahim lashes women
Khan
Van Vicker to judge dancers
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Vicker
ontemporary African dance will be the theme of this week’s Dance With Peter as three of the ten remaining dancers will exit the competition. Wale Rubber said the focus this week was meant to showcase the rich African culture through dance and examine the ability of the housemates to switch and adapt to African music and dance. He added that the judges would be looking out for unique skills, techniques, and versatility and they would be aided by Van Vicker who is expected to be the guest judge. “I came here to be entertained and have fun. I just want to see raw dance talents from the contestants,” Vicker said.
Olus drops Yuletide song
U Ibrahim
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ne of West Africa’s most successful movie stars, Juliet Ibrahim, has posted a tweet in which she attacked her fellow women. Baring her mind on the issue of why men cheat in relationships, she absolved such men of blame and laid all
the blame instead on her fellow women. Her tweet, which says it all, is below. “Wondering why a man will cheat? Simplest answer among all others: because there’s always a woman out there willing to cheat with him #facts.” Do you women agree with her?
pcoming indigenous act, Seyi Adeneye, who goes by the stage name, Olus, has released his first song, Odun Ti Dey, for the public’s listening pleasure. After years of underground rap battles and rhyming competitions, Olus has burst onto the scene with a classic tune to celebrate the festive season. Translated to English, Odun Ti Dey means ‘The festivities have arrived’ and it features and is produced by Mallam T Bass. Olus shows his lyrical prowess as he delivers hard-hitting yet playful rhymes that key in to trends and phenomena for an average Nigerian celebrating this Christmas season, the overall tempo depicts taking the holiday slowly and enjoying it as each day passes.
Olus
The video directed by Dmitri was shot across Victoria Island and Ikoyi and it depicts scenes from very popular and memorable locations around Lagos, especially the Zenith Bank roundabout in Victoria Island which gets decorated in the Christmas theme during the Yuletide period.
EVENTS
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Again, Corporate Elite Concert draws the stars
Last weekend, the ninth edition of the Corporate Elite concert held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, and it’s still the talk-of-the-town as numerous A-list celebrities attended it. International music stars, 112 and Jagged Edge included, were among its stellar lineup of performers. Niyola, Alexxx Ekubo, Sound Sultan and Cobham were some of the Nigerian celebrities in attendance.
Alexxx Ekubo
Cobhams
Emmanuel Ikubese
Mo’ Cheddah
Niyola
Osas Ighodaro
Sarah Ofili
Skales and Tekno
Sound Sultan
Lillian Afegbai
Pryse
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Style & Glam
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le StyGlam and
with Yemisi Adeniran
(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com
s e i r o s s e c c a g n i r u Allfrom S Didi
tatement and glamorous neck pieces, earrings and bracelets are good company of every stylish woman especially at this period. When they come in big and bold patterns, they become stunning and irresistible for the daring ones. Tagged Alluring by Didi creations, the collection is a must have for the daring female who likes to stand out from the crowd. She said: “The designs were inspired by the African woman, especially the Eastern and Southern African women, who delight in adorning statement accessories. They were created using the finest beads, crystals, gems and stones.� One good advice for anyone who wishes to adorn herself with one this season is to ensure a clear skin and enough space on the neck side to project the beauty of the accessories well.
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Style & Glam
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Fashion
Plus-size
f you are big, you are like the butterfly that is able to extend its tentacles through its wings. Meanwhile, the butterfly is more beau enlarged because that is the time it has to tiful when it is show off its nature-given beauty. If you are therefore on the plus side and you are you sure must get this copy. What to get feeli ng inadequate, in this piece is that you must henceforth begin to appear colourful and show off your your maker. You must begin to endear your curves as given by self to your beholders in the best way poss ible. Your choice of fabrics and the way you must have underlying features of feminine combine your outfits and colourful aesthetics that will flatter your plus form. You must also include oriental influence, struc tured and elegant pieces with damask, lined lace, batik and other beautiful fabrics in Apart from brightly coloured pieces that your collection.. you have been advised to get, you must be free to experiment with endearing styles lengths, exaggerated sleeves and cinched like low necklines, floor waist lines. To crown it all, you must make your everyday wear to give a “get up and go� look and instr uctions to your beholders. Instead of feeli must begin to intimidate others around. Chec ng inadequate, you k these models out.
Fashion
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
n frenzy
tricks
n frenzy
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
SOCIETY Mirror
Katherine Keshi’s unfulfilled dreams
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emeteries are full of unfulfilled dreams, countless echoes of ‘could have’ and ‘should have’; countless books unwritten and countless songs unsung. And just like many who had gone before her, Katherine, the beautiful wife of erstwhile Super Eagles gaffer, Stephen Keshi also went into her grave with unfulfilled dreams. Three days ago, Katherine bid the world goodbye after a long battle with cancer. She actually died in United States where she and hubby reside. Until her death, beautiful Katherine was longing to see her grandchild courtesy her lovely daughter, Ifeyinwa. It would be recalled that few months back Ifeyinwa was joined together with her charming husband in a star-studded marriage held in Benin. Those who attended the gig would still recall how Katherine was all smiles as she sauntered round the wedding hall in the company of her illustrious husband. And after the event, she started building her dreams and one of such is to see the children of her beautiful daughter, but death would not allow her. Keshi and Katherine were
married for 33 years before death snatched her away at 54 years old. Their coming together could be described as love at first sight as they didn’t date for long before they headed for the altar. Even at that, the couple lived together like a perfect couple, managing their affairs successfully away from the prying eyes
of the media. What we gathered helped their delightful union was Katherine’s cooperative habit. She was said to be the pillar behind her husband flouring career, and even her husband attested to this when he said, “She is my silent motivator and my manager. She has managed me very well and will continue to manage me.”
ASCON Oil boss, Grace EnmohOlowofoyeku suffers devastating blow
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t times, it’s said that the most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. And if there is any perfect example of this in the society circle then it’s no other person than Grace Enenmoh-Olowofoyeku, the GMD of ASCON Oil.
Grace has tasted both the good and the other side of life. Though she heads a money-spinning business, she has also had her own share of sadness. Until recently, she was a widowed wife and heartbroken lover. For close to a decade, she mourned the demise of her true love, her late husband, Engr. George Enenmoh, who died in a fatal plane crash.
But not quite long, she found the courage to move on with her life by giving marriage another shot. After years of loneliness, Grace later found love in the arms of Bankole Olowofoyeku, an accountant, the man who brought back gleams and glitters into her loving life. And like a fish that has no hiding place; it did not take long before the news of their nuptials swirled around. But while many were thanking God for her new lease of life, reports filtered in that the dark skinned woman has suffered another fresh blow. Recently, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) directed her oil company amongst four others to stop supplying aviation fuel, known as Jet A1 to airlines due to lack of depot facilities. And since then, we heard she’s been so devastated about this development.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
with Deola Adeoti. Tel: 07055695565, mofat07@yahoo.com
Roli Uduaghan’s new adventure R oli Uduaghan, the ebony wife of Delta State Govenor, Emmanuel Uduaghan is a woman of sobriety. When 2015 election was approaching, the woman of virtue started planning for life after the government house. Her husband’s second tenure expired on May 29, 2015 and Roli did not wait until then before she started something new. While other first ladies were picking up forms to contest for the senate, Roli was preparing herself for a career in the vineyard of God. The highly intelligent fifty something year old has built her own Church, Great Commission Assembly, situated off Okpa Anam Road directly opposite the newly constructed Asaba General Hospital. The Church Cathedral is so big that it can comfortably contain thousands of people in the main auditorium. The Church also has a very massive parking space. Painted light green, the church is at the moment gaining serious followership in the Asaba.
Mrs. Uduaghan is now being addressed as Pastor Mrs. Roli Uduaghan and from the way she dishes out her sermon, it testifies to the fact that she had taken her time to study the trade properly. Sources informed us that the church congregation is full of families of top politicians. After every Sunday Church programme food is served among those in attendance as well as cash to families who are in dire need.
Gumsu Abacha, Bayero Fadil’s undying love
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ow many celebrity couples do you know with undying love for each other? Let’s save you the stress. Beautiful couple, Gumsu Abacha, the daughter of late military Head of State, Sani Abacha and her billionaire husband, Bayero Fadil, are one of them. Since they got married in 1999, the pair has continued to wax stronger in love and understanding. They love to call each other lovebirds - Gumsu calls him, her “yori yori of life” and yes they spend lots of time in each other’s arms. Bayero treats his wife like a princess; everyday to them is Valentine’s day. He sends her flowers all the time, he sends her flowers everyday and buys her teddy
bears too.....even on vals’ day she got a black diamond encrusted ring. Few days ago, the unrepentant love-struck Beyoro was caught in the act again as he sent his wife flowers in appreciation of their union. After receiving the gift, the wife said: “This is what he surprised me with tonight. God bless my husband. God bless our children. God bless our marriage and our home. Amen.” Besides the gifts and affection, another thing is, they love holidaying together, they were recently in Paris to spend some time with each other and a few months ago, they were in Sandton, South Africa. The lovely couple lives in Cameroon and is blessed with five children.
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Fashion
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‘Nigeria’s local fabrics How well do you are the best’ Busayo Somide-Omosulu is the Chief executive of Aujourd’hui Couture, a fashion outfit in Lagos. She spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on her view on the industry. What new concepts are you bringing into the fashion industry? I am talking with fashion designers abroad and we are coming to some sort of partnership. I would say we have a lot of fashion designers that are doing great things and great jobs. They are good but new things need to be done in terms of local fabrics. I use more of local fabrics and do adire as well. I do tye-and-dye new concept. In the fashion industry, I won’t say something is new because most of this concept we are seeing have been there way back they just repackaged and rebranded them. However, I am looking at taking the fashion design to the next level by partnering fashion houses abroad, giving our designs that African outlook. I know many of them have people doing African design but doing it in another design. As a gospel artiste, what really inspires your songs? What actually drives me is the state of church at the moment. Many have deviated from the foundation set by Jesus for us. The church has gone back; the church does not care about salvation, about holiness, for the Lord’s return. So the church is going back to the world. It’s like the world has overtaken the church. So what inspires
know germs?
me is the spirit of God to announce to the world that Jesus is coming back, that we should go back to the basis.
What are gospel artistes doing that you are not comfortable about and would end if you had the power to do so? Well I am not coming into gospel music world to stop something per se, no. I am not a judge to condemn what an individual or group is doing. I am not coming to stop anything. But I am coming by virtue of the Spirit of God, the divine inspiration of God, to encourage as many that may be laid back or that feel gospel music is not paying off. The truth is that foundation of singing gospel music is not about making money; it is to preach the gospel. So if there is anything I’m bringing into it, it would be preaching the gospel, make it gospel proper, tell the virtues of God like one of my tracks, “Gudugudu meje” extols the virtue of Jesus Christ who laid down His life for us. What is your philosophy of life? It is that everybody should understand that there is a superior being in the person of God that watches over all we do. And thus, we must try to live peacefully with one another.
What’s the germiest thing in your house? Your kitchen sponge: Wiping down counters and washing dishes is supposed to get things clean, right? That’s true as long as you don’t let that rag or sponge get too nasty. You’ll end up spreading more germs that way. Sponges pick up bacteria if they’re not cleaned right. Zap a wet one in the microwave for two minutes every day and replace it every two weeks. Better yet, use cloths, towels, and rags that you can toss in the washer or clean with bleach. You can only get sick from germs floating in the air Not true! When somebody sneezes, that’s just the start of the trouble. Besides the germs in the air, you can also get sick if you put your hand on something the germs land on, like a doorknob or elevator button, and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth. How fast do germs travel? 100 mph: If you went that fast in your car, you’d be going way too fast to be safe! Since sneezing is legal, your best defense against flying germs is to stay at least 6 feet away from someone who’s sick. You’ll lower your chances of picking up their bugs. Your cellphone or your toilet seat: Which one has more germs? Your cell phone! Are you surprised? That thing you carry around and hold up to your mouth all day has 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. The reason? You don’t clean your phone like you clean your toilet. But don’t worry about it too much. Those are your germs on the phone, so you won’t get sick as long as you don’t share it. So do you share your phone? Watch out there! How many germs do you spread in a single kiss? 80 million: Yes! It takes just 10 seconds of locking lips to trade them with your partner. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get sick. If you pucker up with someone several times a day, you’ll end up sharing similar germs. Does Chlorine keep swimming pools germ free? No. Most germs die in an hour if the chemicals in the pool are at the right levels. But some can live for days. And if you swallow even
a little of that water you could get sick. Do your part. Keep urine, faeces, dirt, and sweat out of the water. Shower before you take a dip, and don’t go in if you have diarrhea. What’s the best place to cough if you don’t have tissue? Your elbow. Your upper sleeve will also do if your elbow isn’t covered. But the best way to keep germs to yourself is to put a tissue over your mouth and nose. Throw it in a waste basket and wash your hands well when you’re done. Are germs alive? Yes! They’re itsy-bitsy -- way too small to see -- but these invaders are living things. They can get into plants, animals, and people, and some can make you sick. There are four main kinds of germs: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and one-celled things call protozoa that love water. Is it okay to eat food that falls on the floor? No. You may have been following the “5-second rule” that says you can pop food into your mouth if you pick it up from the floor immediately it drops. Turns out it’s better not to. Germs get on food as soon as it hits the floor. It’s hard to know if they’ll make you sick, but why take the chance? When in doubt, toss it out. How often do you need to clean your kitchen sink? At least once a week. There’s a bunch of germy stuff there. Wash it once or twice a week with a cleaner that gets rid of germs. Be sure to get the sides and the bottom. Pour a teaspoon of bleach in a quart of water. Toss it down your drain once a month to clean it. Don’t forget the sink strainers. Pop them in the dishwasher every week. Is anti-bacteria soap the best weapon against germs? No. There’s nothing to show the fancy stuff does a better job than plain old soap. Choose liquid over solid, though. Germs can grow on a bar of soap. How long does it take to wash your hands? 20 seconds: A quick rinse won’t cut it if you want to get rid of germs. Use warm water and soap and rub your hands together. Need an easy way to remember how long to wash? Sing “Happy Birthday” twice and you’re done.
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WOMAN ‘Challenges are guaranteed in marriage’ Princess Folashade Olabanji-Oba is a real estate consultant and founder, Shelter of Grace. She tells Yemisi Adeniran all about her organisation and her love for philanthropy.
What kind of girl were you when you are small? I was like every other girl, I love dancing, listening to music but I loved my books. Because I was in boarding school from my nursery, primary to secondary school, I always looked forward to coming home for holidays, to help my mother in her retail business. She was into textiles and once I come home, she would make sure I woke by 4 am, dressed and ready to follow her to the market. Most times, I stayed there till in the evening before coming back home; she wouldn’t leave me at home. She would always want me to have quality time with her at home. As a small girl, what did you aspire to be? I wanted to be a lawyer. As a little girl, I liked to feel I was representing everybody’s interest. I liked to share and take care of people and though I was very fragile, I didn’t like trouble. I felt people listened when I talked. Then I left secondary school and got admission to study Law. My mother felt I was too young, and should go for my ‘A’ level. Fortunately, I ended up studying business administration. My mother was really interested in me being an entrepreneur and always said I have sales skills. Everybody was comfortable with her, they could buy things from her and always trusted her judgment. She felt I had the same gift. Later, she ventured into real estate, which I am also doing now. What was your growing up like? My growing up was fun. Anytime I think about it, I smile. Till today, I crave what I enjoyed as a baby. I was blessed with a wonderful father and a most loving and caring mother. Thing were not always rosy but we got along alright, because they understood that the children come first. Interestingly, my father was a semi-literate, while my mother was illiterate. They were bent on giving us quality education. My mother used to express frustration that she didn’t go to school; that of all her siblings, she was always sickly. She is not someone to compromise
however. Before you can get anything from her, it must be for school for her to give you any attention. She would call us pet names and praise us every morning. She boosted my confidence so much. Though I was a very shy girl, my mother would always encourage me to quit being shy, saying I am beautiful inside and outside. Though she wanted me to be bold, the way she raised us made me to be afraid of her. Till the day she died, I couldn’t look straight into my mother’s eyes despite the love and respect I had for her. My father was a disciplinarian, who would spare no time to ensure I turn out
alright. Sometimes, my mother would feel like my father was being too harsh on me, but he raised me like a little boy, because he wished I was a boy. He wouldn’t drop a standard despite the fact I am a girl. Before he died, my father, who claimed he felt like a fool when God gave me to him, confessed that there is a better plan for me. Till his death he was so proud of me. Later I found out he loved me. He just did not want me to be over pampered and spoilt. My mother had me very late, and there was that tendency for her to spoil me, but she didn’t. Tell us how you got engaged?
My husband was my brother’s friend. Anytime, he visited my brother, he would tell me: Please, help me get a good wife like you. Whenever I asked him what he seeks in a woman, he would reply that he needs a good wife material like me. He now said what about me marrying him, to which I replied that he was too hard and that I can’t marry somebody like him. I told him I like soft-spoken, gentle guys. However, he always made me laugh. One day, he looked at me and said he wanted to tell me something. He wouldn’t look me in the eye, however. The following week, four of his friends
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challenges are guaranteed in life, but the attitude you have towards them determines the altitude you get to called me saying they wanted to take me out for dinner. I didn’t have any choice than to go with them. He was there smiling at me. One of his friends said they had a message for me from one of their closest friends who loves me so much. They said he secretly adored me and always singing my praises. They said he could not sleep even and wanted to marry me. How did you react? I was shocked and wondered who the person might be, and why he could not confront me personally. So, they called his name, that is my shy friend’s name , which surprised me, him being there and all. He sat there looking, and I said, but this is him sitting down here; does it mean he cannot talk for himself ? I looked him straight in his eyes and asked him, Why can’t you talk for yourself ? He replied that they were asking me and that I should answer the question, not look at him. However, I still looked at him and asked him, Is it true you sent them to talk to me? His response was that he did not know, and that I should answer the question they asked me. I told that I won’t answer the question until he uses his mouth to tell me himself. It was then he opened up, saying he loves me. He demanded my immediate response however. I laughed and looked straight into his eyes and told him he is a big-for-nothing guy, that after all his boasts he could not even talk to a lady. And we laughed. Later, when getting into the car with his friends, he came out to yet again ask whether I would marry him, to which I responded in the affirmative. I think it was tough for him to ask me because he used to say ‘Omo Mushin do not know how to love’. Besides, he was raised by a single mother. I told him I was afraid though, because he is never serious about anything, that he jokes a lot. What made you to finally settle down with him? I think because he always makes me laugh. I used to call him a comedian, while he would call me Iya Jesu, lets pray. Obviously, I like to serve God. I think he used that to sweep me off my feet. Being a philanthropist and politician, how do you manage your family? It is difficult because they all need more than 24 hours a day. He will just say that to God be all the glory. There are some days I think I could spend more time with my family, also there are some days I think I should spend more time out there, but it is about balancing and I do what I do because I love to do it. However, we must never forget why we do it and the primary purpose we are here is to love one another as God first loved us. And in whatever capacity we are endowed, let us make sure we are a blessing, and live a life of blessing. Some-
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
times, you feel you are running alone, and most times don’t even have time for yourself. But you must find a way of taking care of everything. What is Shelter of Grace all about? It is an empowerment and training center, a voice for the voiceless, especially women. It is however not restricted to women because we have a lot of men that we have trained in different fields like, agriculture, fish farming, mechanics, shoes making and so many other things. What do you think is responsible for broken marriages in Nigeria? I think it is luck and marrying the right spouse. That is something everybody should pray for, especially for your children from when they are little. It is a make or break issue for most people in life. One of the best things you can do for yourself when you meet anybody, apart from all the pretty faces, is to intimately know the God you serve. You must marry somebody with the fear of God; challenges are guaranteed in life, but the attitude you have towards them determines the altitude you get to. So, it is very important that you agree on how you plan your life. You cannot be going to Abuja and marry somebody in Kano; you people will not be going in the same destination. You must make sure you have a true life partner, with complementary vision and mission. How best can marriage be sustained? Let’s always put God first. Moreover, we must curb greed, because there is so much competition all over the world. And a lot of our young girls want it all in one day; they don’t have time to go through the process. Once you pick a partner believe in one another, above all put God first in everything you are doing. After studying Business Administration; why did you decide to go into politics? After studying Business Administration, I studied Real Estate and Mortgage Banking, which is what I am still doing now. As a Real Estate consultant and developer, the politics came out of my desire to serve God. It started like a ministry and I made up my mind that I want to give my life to God and live the Christlike life as much as I could. At the time I made that call, so many things were not right in my life, and so when anybody asked me, I would tell them all I want is inner peace. For me peace is priceless, but the peace I so much crave comes from knowing and loving my God and giving him all no matter the challenges I going through. I know he is bigger than my problems. I realised I can reach out to the children and thereafter started reaching out to the community. Funnily enough, I ventured into politics because of voluntary services, I just wanted to be of help and I am glad somebody gave me that opportunity.
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Keeping ABREAST
Cohabitation not predictor of divorce –Study
• Premarital cohabitation has risen nine hundred percent in the past fifty years, with seventy percent of women ages thirty to thirty-four having lived with a male partner prior to marriage
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re you living with your romantic partner but not married? Did you know that it was once believed that living together before marriage was a predictor of divorce for those couples who did eventually get married? If you have been criticised about your living arrangements by family members or anyone else, read this article, and maybe forward it to them. Research over the years has shown that cohabitation prior to marriage leads to a greater likelihood of divorce. Many also have religious views that discourage couples to live together unless they are married. Even so, many couples find themselves living together before making the big commitment to each other. Many believe that choosing to move in together cuts costs and keeps beds cozy without the stress of having to say “till death do we part.” In fact, premarital cohabitation has risen nine hundred percent in the past fifty years, with seventy percent of women ages thirty to thirty-four having lived with a male partner prior to marriage. Is premarital cohabitation really a likely predictor of divorce? While these rising rates of cohabitation may be alarming because of older research that showed how premarital couples living together were more likely to wind up divorced, research is now showing that cohabitation may not be such a bad idea after all. Many couples who move in together prior to marriage wind up staying married after all. New research sheds different light on previous findings regarding premarital cohabitation. Sociologist Arielle Kuperberg, from
the University of North Carolina (USA) has studied the correlation between premarital cohabitation and divorce. Her research has debunked some of the former findings in the field regarding a documented correlation between premarital cohabitation and divorce. Kuperberg has found that in many of the previous studies that examined the correlation between premarital cohabitation and divorce, researchers used the age of marriage in their data, as opposed to the couple’s age when they moved in together. As a result, the risk of divorce was likely overestimated in prior studies, because in her studies, the risk of divorce appeared to have more to do with the age of commitment than whether or not a couple was living together before tying the knot. For some women who had a higher than average risk of divorce due to factors such as having a premarital birth or more than the average number of sexual partners, premarital cohabitation was found to be less likely to lead to divorce than moving in together following marriage. So what is the real predictor of divorce, if it is not premarital cohabitation? Kuperberg has found that premarital cohabitation has less to do with divorce than does the age that couples commit to each other. She notes that when couples who are younger commit to each other, because they are less mature and less experienced, they are less likely to stay married. Regardless of whether a couple gets married or moves in together, if they do so at a young age, especially before twenty-three years, they will see a higher likelihood of divorce.
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Parenting
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Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression
How much television should your children really watch? There was a time when homework was given first priority, and everything else followed. However, nowadays, it seems that the only time children do their homework is when nothing good is coming on television – or, of course, when parents insist that they do their homework. Television is affecting sleep, studies, mealtimes…. If your child’s favourite programme is on, she will only go to bed when it gets over. Besides, trashy programmes that might affect young, impressionable minds give parents sleepless nights. So how would you tackle this problem? If you have realized that you cannot stop your children from watching TV, here are tips that at least help you to get the best out of the ‘idiot’ box.
programmes and timings. Sit with her while she makes a study plan and tell her that this plan will have to be adhered to. Let her choose for herself when she wants to study and when she wants to watch television. You will, however, have to hold her to it. The minute you slack off, so will your child. • Choose the programmes your children should watch, of course keeping in mind their likes and dislikes. As far as possible, avoid the overdose of sex and violence that is integral to many TV programmes. It adversely affects impressionable minds. You should be able to clearly underline the programmes not meant for children, at least in the initial years. This task is not easy, but one can make a dent when the children are in their formative years.
Make it a Family Decision If you tell your child “No watching television after 9:30 at night,” you can be sure that’s one rule that’s not going to be adhered to. You should involve your child in the decision as well. Have a family meeting and say “There’s a problem. How are ‘we’ going to solve it?” • Children, especially the school-going kind, should never be allowed to watch TV after ten’ o’clock in the night. Not only does it affect the eyesight, but it also disturbs the morning routine on the next day. Inculcate the `early-to-bed’ `early to rise’ habit in your little ones. Choices Give your child the choice of
Watching ‘Trash’ Children may be drawn towards programmes with violent or horror themes. You may find it unsuitable, but arguing will get you nowhere. You could, instead, sit with your children and discuss the programme after it is over. • Let TV time be family time. While answering your children’s queries about television, try to understand their thinking processes. Not only will that establish your rapport with your children, but it will mean quality time that will be cherished throughout life. Let Children Think for Themselves Don’t impose your opinions.
ParentingUpdate
O
ne of the Catholic Church’s senior cardinals has suggested birth control could help tackle climate change. Cardinal Peter Turkson, from Ghana, claimed a warmer planet would create food security problems in a world with a rapidly increasing population. To help alleviate food shortage problems, he suggested natural methods of birth control could be practiced. He said, “This has been talked about, and the Holy Father on his trip back from the Philippines also invited people to some form of birth control, because the church has never been against birth control and people spacing
Tease them into expressing their own. Ask them who they thought the ‘bad guy’ was, and why. There is an inbuilt moral lesson to be learnt from most programmes – the bad guy never wins. Turn this to your advantage. Ask your children if they think it’s fun to beat up someone, and what they thought was right and wrong. A Critical Eye While watching a movie you could pass comments on how unbelievable and unrealistic certain aspects of the plot are. This will help your children develop a critical eye and spot an absurdity when they come across it. • Ask them questions related to their favorite programmes. TV can be a learning experience if TV watching is made interactive by nature. For instance, while watching a science quiz/mythological serial/chat show, ask them to relate to their classroom experiences Educational Programmes Encourage your children to watch educational programmes on television. They would be interested in watching Discovery Channel and the like if you inculcate an interest in such channels. If a programme on bees is coming up, you could give your children some fascinating facts, perhaps show them a book or article on bees. This will build their interest.
characters. Encourage them to sketch these favourite characters. You never know what undiscovered creative talents are hiding behind their mischievous exteriors. TV time should never be overlapped with meals Doctors often warn against watching television during dinnertime. Watching TV while eating can cause severe and chronic indi-
gestion. It can also lead to obesity as children sit glued to the TV set. Moreover, they do not enjoy food while concentrating on their favorite programmes. They have to be taught to ration their TV viewing. Otherwise, they will never enjoy other forms of entertainment like reading, outdoor games and sports, swimming and various performing arts. Children have to be consciously introduced to these avenues.
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Catholic Church talks birth control
out births and all of that.” Cardinal Turkson, who is the President of the Pontifical Council on Justice and Peace, added that “having more mouths to feed” is a challenge for humanity to be more productive. “So yes, [climate change] engages us in food security management, so we ensure that everybody is fed and all of that. The population that is critical for the realisation of this is still something we need to discover, yet the Holy Father has also called for a certain amount of control of birth.’ However, he reiterated the Church’s stance that artificial forms of birth control still did
•Senior Papal adviser claims ‘natural’ birth control could offer ‘solution’ to spiralling population
not have the blessing of the Vatican. He spoke in Paris, where he visited world leaders who have been at a summit the past two weeks to try and form a binding agreement to curb carbon emissions. More than a hundred countries, including the European Union and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states have backed plans for a legally binding deal that sets out a long-term approach to tackling climate change.
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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 husband strays Dear Bukola, am a mother of three. My husband finds it difficult to be faithful to me, even in times of financial difficulty when he really shouldn’t have money to waste on other women.
I
Dear cheated, hat I need you to know first-hand is that men who are habitually unfaithful need not have money in their account before they cheat on their spouse. This explains why your husband still finds it difficult to be faithful even when in financial difficulty. Sometimes, men just can’t stop cheating probably because they derive pleasure in it or because it has become a part of them. I think this is what is happening with your husband. Now what you need do is to think of your health and happiness. A man that cheats on you at will does not deserve to take your happiness away from you. You also must safeguard yourself from likely sexually transmitted disease(s) by making sure he does not have sex with you without protection, at least until you are sure he is faithfully committed to you. That’s in your own regard. Now for your husband, try as much as possible to let him know how much he hurts you
W
My colleague is unnecessarily friendly Dear Bukola, am a month into this great job and everything is perfect except for one thing; there is this colleague of mine who makes me feel very uneasy. She acts like she is friendly and all but I have a strong feeling that it is all a ploy to get into my business in order to start spreading tales about me. How do I get rid of her?
I
Dear Uneasy, ou know I smiled after reading your mail because I don’t quite understand why you feel this way. I think to a large extent you may just be paranoid because you’ve spent just a month in this organisation. That colleague of yours may simply like your person and want to be your friend without any hidden agenda. Why on earth do you
Y
Dear Bukola, just got admitted into the University of my Dreams but it all counts for nothing at the moment because I really don’t have anyone to share this good news with. If I had gotten the news a few months back, I would have rushed to the phone to inform my best friend about my good fortune but alas she is gone. She died in a horrible accident on her birthday. We were so close. We had been neighbours forever and I could share anything with her. I never viewed her as a girl and she didn’t give a hoot that I am a guy. We always talked about all kinds of stuff; from the serious to the mundane. Now, I feel as if the best part of me is gone. Will I ever get over her death? And will I be able to find a nice and decent friend like
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think she has an ulterior motive? Also, I wonder if there’s anything you are trying to hide? Do you have anything you don’t want people to learn about? It is always a bit difficult to work in an organization and not find someone that would want to be your friend, you have to understand this. However, if the issue is that you really don’t like her person (i.e., you are not being paranoid) and you believe that she is just being unnecessarily friendly, there are ways you can avoid her politely. Restrict your conversations with her to work and work alone. Don’t divulge any personal information to her. If you do this for some time, she will read in between the lines and let you be…. Afterall, you have the free will to decide who you want to be friends with. Cheers.
by not staying faithful to you. Marriage is a ‘till death do us part’ thing so he shouldn’t allow strange women take him away from you. I wonder if both of you are the church-going or religious type? If not then you should start praying for him. Sometimes you need to be spiritually-inclined before you can win your husband back from the claws of another woman (or women). So, start going down on your knees in prayers because it is only in that position you can win this battle. Lastly, you should ensure you look good always. Men are moved by what they see. If he does not see a woman that arouses his sexual urge, he may look elsewhere for it. Your hair must be neatly done; dress well for him even when you are at home without any plans of going out, your personal hygiene must be at its peak. That you are a mother of three shouldn’t stop you from flirting with your husband. The children should also not stop you both from being as intimate as possible. From experience I know women get overwhelmed with child care, please let your case be an exception. He is your man, so he is worth fighting for. If he notices all these, hopefully he will look forward to spending more quality time with you. Keep being a good woman, I assure you, you will laugh last.
My boyfriend doesn’t care enough Dear Bukola, y boyfriend never calls me. Even if it takes a month for me to call, he still won’t make the first call attempt. As soon as he knows I am the one on the other end, he starts asking that I should send him credit. I am beautiful but have knock knees. I don’t know what to do please help. Eager to please.
M
Dear Eager to please, s much as I try not to be judgmental, I think you should know you are not in the right relationship. If you are dating someone that doesn’t call you for up to a month, then I guess it shouldn’t be called a relationship. I wonder what kind of man asks a woman to buy him credit despite the fact that she
A
is the one doing the calling. Please, your issue has just one simple solution; let the man off. If he really sees you as his girlfriend, he will call you no matter what. You would be surprised to know that he may have another girl he calls as often as possible. He’s just not really into you. A man that really cares for you won’t go a day without hearing your voice (except of course you both understand why)….. Take note of that! You wrote that you are beautiful so I wonder why you are clinging to a man who doesn’t know your worth. Lastly, that you have knock knees has nothing to do with how acceptable you should be. There are enough knockkneed women out there living a wonderful life with a loving partner. Let go of this man so that true love can find you. Cheers!
My best friend is gone! her again? Dear grieved, irstly, I congratulate you on your admission into the University of your dreams, how great that is! I am very happy for you. However, I am sorry about the loss of your friend, the tragic way she died and the situation you are in right now. It is usually not easy losing someone who means a lot to us because just like you wrote; it makes us feel like a part of us is gone. The
F
good thing I want you to know is that nothing happens without God’s knowledge. Her death did not just happen; it is because it was meant to. See the brighter side of the picture. If she had not died, something worse may have happened to her…. Most times things don’t just happen the way we want them to still, we have to accept it because that’s the only way we can have peace. Find solace in the fact that your friend is in a better place, free from all the troubles of this world. If she were to have the opportunity to talk to you right now, I am
sure she would say something like; ‘Be happy about your admission for I am equally happy for you. Go on with life, live it to the fullest and accept that I am gone’. Because you were best of friends, being unhappy would make her unhappy too. I guess you do not want that right? Know also that time heals best… gradually you would get over her death. Life has just begun for you, sooner than later, you would meet an equally great friend that you can share your hopes, dreams and aspirations with. Please grieve no more!
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Mirror
DECEMBER 12, 2015
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How Underwear Bomber was trained by Al Qaeda
• Jihadists release bizarre video that shows Umar Farouk Abdulmuttallab being mentored by Anwar al-Awlaki and jumping out of a pick-up truck while brandishing a toy gun • Abdulmuttallab is serving life in prison without parole after attempting to detonate a device hidden in his underwear whilst on board a plane on Christmas Day 2009
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l-Qaeda have released a new video showing unseen footage of the ‘underpants bomber’ Umar Farouk Abdulmuttallab, undergoing jihadi training in Yemen.
The young jihadi is shown being indoctrinated by the notorious American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, the spiritual leader of al-Qaeda Yemeni franchise, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP.) Umar Farouk is serving a life sentence in prison without parole after he attempted to detonate an explosive device hidden in his underwear whilst on board a commercial plane from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. Notorious American cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, is shown in the video giving guidance to Abdulmuttallab, telling him, “Allah help you. Don’t forget your prayers, especially the two prostrations of the Prayer of Need.” The fresh propaganda video includes old footage of the Nigerian jihadi participating in an ambush drill, most likely in a remote part of Shabwah province in Yemen. Umar Farouk and two other recruits are shown jumping out of a pickup truck and pretending to open fire with toy handguns in a mock raid. The narrator of the video makes a direct reference to the influence of Anwar, describing how ‘Sheikh Anwar’ had “succeeded in implementing the group’s goal on the ground by guiding young Muslim people in the west’s Crusader states to bear arms in support of the Muslim world’s cause.” The scion of a wealthy Nigerian family, Umar Farouk Abdulmuttallab attended University College, London, where he was president of the student Islamic society. Abdulmutallab left Britain where he was working on a Master’s Degree in engineering and headed for an Al-Qaeda training camp in Yemen and cut off contact with his parents. They received a final text from him when he was in Yemen, and then they couldn’t get a hold of him again. So on Christmas day in 2009, he flew from Nigeria to the United States via the Netherlands. At Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, he transferred to a Detroit-bound flight. All the while, he had explosives hidden in his underwear. According to FBI reports, He had been instructed to detonate the bomb over a populated area to maximize the death toll. As the huge jumbo jet carrying over 300 people was approaching Detroit, Abulmutallab disappeared into the restroom to wash himself, an act which was later said to have been a ritual for his passage into the next life. When he returned to his seat, he told the guy sitting next to him that he wasn’t feeling well. And pulled a blanket almost completely concealing himself up to the chin. Using a plastic syringe, Abdulmutallab injected a
mixture of liquids and solids into the explosive chemicals already packed into his underwear. But Instead of exploding, the bomb burst into flames, setting his clothes and the blanket on fire, seriously burning him. According to FBI agent, Ted Peissig, “When the bomb ignited, the plane was over
caused the disruption in the sequence of events in the explosion,” recalls Peissig. His family later released a statement saying that they were “grateful to God that the unfortunate incident of that date did not result in any injury or death.” Only Umar Farouk was hurt in the failed plane bombing, with the terrorist suffering
Anwar
al-Awlaki
is shown in the video giving guidance to
Abdulmuttallab, telling him, “Allah help you. Don’t forget your prayers, especially the two prostrations
Prayer Need
of the of
Abdulmutallab and al-Awlaki
Woodhaven, Michigan, a populated area downriver from Detroit. “So not only the potential casualties of three hundred or so people on the plane, that if it would have come down, then you’ve got that catastrophe on the ground as well. Fortunately, catastrophe was averted, all thanks to what FBI agents describe as “his obsession to detail.” The agents say he wore the underwear bomb for three weeks straight to get comfortable with it and make sure it would not be detected. They say he removed his specially modified underwear only to shower. “So basically for three weeks, he wore this garment, these underwear with this device in it. We think ultimately that is probably what
bad burns to his groin after he tried to trigger his bomb in his underpants. After the plane landed, Abdulmutallab was whisked off the it and rushed to the University of Michigan Hospital, with serious burns. When he appeared in court, Umar Farouk chose to dismiss his lawyer and represent himself. On the first day of his trial, he told the court: “Mujahideen are proud to kill in the name of God. And that is exactly what God told us to do in the Koran... Today is a day of victory.” The following day, the bomber made a U-Turn and pleaded guilty to all the charges. Social media posts were later uncovered revealing the troubled mind of the wannabe bomber, who often wrote about his loneliness and desire to get married. The newly released video provides fresh evidence that notorious radical, Anwar al-Awlaki, played a central role in training and inspiring young al-Qaeda recruits in terror camps in Yemen. Much of the hour-long video promotes the
career of the late cleric, who is seen in old archival footage. It also features Ibrahim al-Qosi, a senior AQAP figure, who spent time in Guantanamo Bay. So who was Imam al-Awlaki? Born in America, Anwar al-Awlaki was an imam of Dar al-Hijrah Mosque in Northern Virginia at the time of 9/11. He openly condemned the terror attack at the time. He moved to the UK in 2002 and regularly gave talks at mosques, urging Muslims ‘never to trust the non-believer.’ By 2005, al-Awlaki had moved to Yemen and was arrested in 2006. He was held for 18 months without being charged. By the time of his release the following year, the New Mexico born cleric moved to Shabwah province and is thought to have become directly active with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He and his son were eventually killed in a deadly US drone strike in Yemen on 30 September 2011. It was ten days later before al-Awlaki’s death was confirmed by AQAP, who posted a tribute to his ‘martyrdom.’ ‘America killed Sheikh Anwar, may Allah have mercy on him, but it could not kill his thoughts. The martyrdom of the Sheikh is a new and renewing life for his thoughts and style,’ the statement said. Despite their deaths, al-Awlaki’s legacy remains strong with dozens of his YouTube videos still being watched and used to radicalise impressionable people across the world. Numerous high profile terrorists including the Boston Marathon bombing brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, are thought to have been inspired to carry out their horrific act of terrorism after watching the videos of ‘Sheikh Anwar.’ (Mailonline. com)
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Mirror
‘Citizens try patience, fortitude of policemen’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
need to be deterred from the now notorious act of extrajudicial killings.” While Mrs Kolawole says that arbitrary killing is reducing, she fails to show how, other than subjecting suspected killers “within the rank of constable to Inspector through what we call orderly room trial” before dismissal and prosecution. Regrettably, she could not disclose what the police have paid on extra-judicial killings or how many accused police officers were successfully prosecuted since May 29, 1999. Reassuring, the Director-General of Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Professor Adedeji Odekunle says it will no longer be business as usual because the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 will bring arbitrary killers to justice. “What hitherto operated was orderly room trial. But that is not enough for instances where the lives of citizens are involved. Anywhere there is an infraction of the Criminal Code the police must see whatever punishment they meet out as additional to that prescribed by the ordinary laws of the land,” he states. Under ACJA, police power for bail is underlined; an arrest is documented; a suspect is granted bail free-of-charge; a suspect states why he does not want bail; a magistrate reviews the case of a suspect denied bail within a month; while the Chief Judge reviews any detention beyond one month. “If the magistrate misses it, the case will be reviewed by the Chief Judge. That will lead to an enquiry by the court. That was not available before,” Odekunle, SAN, declares. The police might have been the butt of jokes. There is yet a need to review the salary, allowance and welfare of the personnel. Furthermore, the Police Act, the Fire Arms Act, and the Criminal Code should be reviewed. As Magistrate S. V. Legg of Edmonton Canada sympathised in 1965 at the Alberta Police Golf Association annual banquet, “I have often wondered if I were in the same position as the policeman, whether I could restrain myself as well as he does. I expect not. I am sure that there is not a policeman anywhere who has not had his patience, ingenuity, fortitude and even his faith in human nature put to a severe test while carrying his sworn duty.” Arbitrary killing in other countries Kenya has a high rate of extrajudicial killing related to terrorism. In 2008, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights released a report, The Cry of Blood. It accused police of killing and enforcing disappearance of more than 500 men and classified the deaths as crimes against humanity. In November 2013, Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) and the George Soros-funded Open Society Initiative released another report, We Are Tired of Taking You to Court: Human Rights Abuses by Kenya’s Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, accusing Kenyan Government of running a police death squad that summarily kills people in Mombasa, a hotbed of Al-Shabaab recruitment. The groups are presently pressing the United States and the United Kingdom to suspend training and funding aids to Kenya Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU).
Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, leading a protest against rape
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014 listed principal problems in South Africa to include police use of lethal and excessive force. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Amnesty International and other NGOs further indicted the police for lethal and excessive force including torture that led to numerous deaths and injuries. Initial reports of impunity for mob violence and politically motivated killings by ANC and opposition parties have since given way to investigation and prosecution of abusers, especially with the recent trial and conviction of xenophobia attackers and eight policemen that killed a Mozambican taxi driver, as examples. Government record showed South Africa has high crime rate. There were 47 murders per day during the 12-month period ending March 31, 2015. NGOs estimated conviction rate for all crimes reported was less than 10 per cent. According to the 2013-14 IPID annual report, 624 persons died in police custody during the 12-month period ending March 31; IPID recommended prosecution in 91 of the 624 cases. During the period, IPID received 5,745 complaints, ranging from killings to assault, and recommended prosecution in 1,470 cases. The National Prosecution Authority prosecuted 16, declined to prosecute 41, and did not finalize 1,413 by year’s end. IPID referred 884 disciplinary cases to the South African Police Service (SAPS) while 135 referred cases resulted in convictions. According to the same Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, there were no reports of UK Government or its agents committing unlawful killing besides the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigating 10 cases during the year. How was this achieved? The UK law prohibits torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and arbitrary arrest and detention. The police must execute a warrant issued
A car jacker getting jungle justice in Lagos
by magistrate or judge to arrest a suspect. A senior police official must authorize detention without charges for more than 24 hours. A magistrate must authorize detention for more than 36 hours up to 96 hours. Lastly, police may detain terrorism suspects without charge for up to 14 days. To secure more lives, England and Wales police agreed in August on a new code of conduct to record every stop-and-search action after it was found that 27 per cent of such actions did not meet “reasonable grounds for suspicion.” According to the Senior Political Officer of the Switzerland Embassy in Nigeria, Pascal Holliger, “There are no extrajudicial killings in Switzerland or in most other European countries.” Mr. Holliger explains. “Police is the only agency deployed. If someone is killed by security forces and excessive use of force is proven to have been used after investigation, the officer is liable for disciplinary action and criminal procedure in a court of law.” The United States Government, like Nigeria, does not keep a comprehensive record of people killed by police, despite President Barack Obama’s call for “appropriate oversight.” The Counted, The Guardian investiga-
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tion, found that the United States police had killed 547 people by the end of June; a rate that would result in 1,109 fatalities by the end of 2015 at an average of three people per day (with Black Americans twice as likely to die). Though incomplete and unreliable data makes it difficult to understand the scope of extrajudicial killing in US territory as much as obtaining a policy solution, it does not stop the government from prosecuting suspects, however. Rule of law, rights, justice In verse 24, chapter 5 of the Bible (KJV 2000), Prophet Amos recommended justice and righteousness for prevention of the evil of violating God’s law. It follows that rule of law; human rights and justice are the essentials of human love, unity, peace and development. To mitigate arbitrary killing, recruitment processes that allow questionable characters into armed forces must be reviewed. Physical, psychological, emotional and medical testing of applicants as well as corrective knowledge and competitive welfare package should be developed to motivate the personnel of security agencies. Psychiatric examination, anger management, evidence-based investigation, standardized extraction of confession, community policing and anti-corruption checks should be entrenched in the police force in addition to the reward of excellence, punishment of mediocrity, deployment of cameras, fingerprint data facilities, audit of arbitrary killings, inquest into new cases as well as prosecution and conviction of accused will serve as deterrents. Mr Arase’s recent splitting of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) into two units of operation and investigation is commendable. The reform will help to check human rights abuses. Having commanded the 14 components of Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) including SARS, Arase knows that arrest, investigation and prosecution of suspected robbers, kidnappers, assassins, murderers etc. provide platforms for violation of human rights by the police. Recently launching the Complaint Response Unit, an online platform for tracking feedbacks, Arase promised to profile police weapons to reduce use of lethal weapons. It is time Arase and heads of other agencies began to remind their personnel that manufacturers of alcoholic drinks like Nigeria Breweries Plc. Guinness Nigeria Plc. and others waive profit to promote responsible drinking as a part of corporate social responsibility. Henceforth, armed security agents should lead by example by drinking responsibly. Beyond the necessary reform to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s accountability on reports of proven human rights violations by Nigeria Armed Forces, government should exercise the will to prosecute extrajudicial killers. “Any security agent or citizen that arbitrarily kills another must be arrested, prosecuted and convicted. Not mere transfer or dismissal. That is a major way to deter others,” Mrs Rotimi concludes.
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Angle
Male
Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com
What if your partner is fin Y
Avoid demanding women
ou’ve just met a new catch and it’s your first date together. And as a man, you’ve really gone all out to impress. You know how’s it’s done in this part of the world. It’s all about creating a very good impression to unconsciously convince the lady with very minimal effort that you’re the Real Deal. Well-groomed with a glossy look that can grace the pages of a fashion magazine. The feeling is as if you’re walking on air. And if you really want to go all out, an eatery is out of the question. A dinner in an upscale restaurant with a film show or a little dancing at an equally upscale discotheque thrown in will not be too much to imagine. I do not want to believe you are a novice in the modern day heterosexual relationship rituals to imagine this imagery above, because most young ladies these days expects that swag from their beau and telling it as it is will not change anything. This is a typical example of how some of these relationships starts. Most men do not begin with a reality check. When you start with creating an impression that your dad is either King Midas, King Solomon or Bill Gates, then you have a big problem on your hands. Most times we are the creators of the demons we are dating. Then we run to church to exorcise it. Please let no one complain of having a problem dating a financially demanding partner because we are the creators of who our partners most times end up becoming in the relationship. But on the other hand, it may not even start like that. Recently, I got chatting with two different young ladies in a group I belong to on a platform on social media and I cannot say I was surprised at the words spewing from them on not just romance without finance, but the mentality of justifying being financially demanding in a relationship. They claimed that bringing something to the table such as sex also demands a corresponding amount of gratification from their partner. This assertion may be true to an extent, but my question is that should that gratification be only or mainly financial? I may be going out on a limb
here but I believe, being from the old school of thought of relationships meaning something else, that there are more important things in a relationship like love, friendship, communication, and emotional and psychological commitment before the issue of finances should even come up. I know that we are basically different and unique in our different ways and we all have personal demons we are fighting and most of these personal demons can be related to financial security. The general belief these days that there is no lady that does not need something from her boyfriend may be true if the truth be told actually, but what disturbs most men and what we generally consider is the frequency and usually the value or amount involved. This is what for us determines whether a lady is financially demanding or not. I know for a fact that some men are also financially demanding too but it is really not a general rule for men. A lot of young women who are financially demanding in a relationship believe they’ve hit the motherlode of all good fortunes. This may be true for a while, but the truth is that men know that a woman who is financially demanding from the beginning is definitely showing signs of being demanding in other things that these men may not be able to fulfil at a particular time or be able to cope with. It is therefore no surprise that these young ladies unceremoniously gets dumped by men after they may have been used because it becomes a business of some sort for everyone concerned. Having said all these, I will say people should steer clear of dating financially demanding partners because these partners will not invest anything meaningful in the relationship. The relationship is only seen in most cases as a means to an end. It hardly ever ends well. My advice has always been if you can’t cope, then the best thing to do is not to continue with the relationship. Some ladies will even as well tell you that they are using that as a test of your sincerity and commitment if you refuse to give and they will start calling you names though it is almost always a lie believe me when it comes to the test.
SEX TALK
This column is x-rated
Are you having too much of a good thing?
• Is twice a day too much sex – when you love and desire your partner? • Is twice a week too little – when you are stressed, aching, sick or low on stamina? • Is twice a month acceptable – in a long-term relationship between two aging partners? • Is twice a year better than nothing - when you are 85 and your wife is 80?
S
o how much sex is not enough? Perhaps the answer is one time less than what you want. How much is too much? Maybe one time more than you desire or have strength for. Are we supposed to believe that our desire for sex remains constant throughout our lives? In truth, the amount of sex we have is determined by many things: how we’re feeling, our relationships, access to a partner, our health and how much we feel like compromising in a given moment. The only practical yardstick to determine whether you and your partner are having “enough” sex is how both of you feel about it.
One of the major factors that determine approximately how much sex is “normal” is your age. Much younger people, especially young hormonal boys, want sex many more times than they are usually getting. Their sexual appetites far exceed what would be considered normal. Newly married couples or couples that have just gotten together are more likely to have more active sex lives. It is “normal” for these couples to have sex at least once a day. However, it may be more or less. Their “normal” is much higher than couples that have been together for a while. People in their forties will have less sex than people in their twenties but still more than older couples. Their frequency is more likely to be a few times a week
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Female
Angle
YEMISI ADENIRAN 08029894772 email: ydiran@yahoo.com
nancially handicapped? Don’t give him a dime! T
This column is x-rated Ejaculation for a man over 30 should be twice a week. For a man over 50, once a week is good. For those who are 60, twice a month is okay. Sex once a month is good for those over
old.
70 yrs
For teenagers and below 30s, two to three times a day is fine
-Sex re-
searchers or a few times every few weeks. Then you have people in their fifties and higher that are likely to still have sexual desires but are much more diminished. They may have sex a few times a month and that is considered their “normal”. The amount of sex you have also depends on the stage of life you are in. Young people without any major responsibilities are likely to have more time for sex but less opportunity. If they are serious students, they may
This column is x-rated be busier with school work and have less time but more opportunity. Couples that have married, gotten their first big jobs, and started families are extremely busy and may be too tired to have sex all the time. Couples who have established their careers and have kids that are grown still have strong desires and more time to indulge them. Older couples definitely have the time but their desires are not as strong, so are less likely to have sex. There are numerous factors that can affect your sex life besides just age and stage in your life. Factors such as stress, diminished desire, and illness can affect your frequency as a couple. The important thing to remember is there is no across the board number that is “normal”. What should be considered normal is what is right for you and your partner. No matter what your number is, as long as both parties are satisfied there is no need to worry about normalcy. If you are having too much sex, your system will tell you so in a variety of ways you cannot possibly miss. 1. Getting sore-Perhaps the most annoying effects of too much sex is the soreness. The friction that is created during sex can be totally nice. But too much friction--especially dry friction--can cause you to become sore during and after sex. The best way to save your genitals from friction is to take a break or make sure to keep plenty of lubricant on hand. 2. Dopamine overdose- Dopamine is one of many hormones that the brain produces during sex. To be continued next week.
he error most ladies make today is their misconstrued meaning of love. This, unfortunately, regularly cause frictions in their relationships. The fact that it is generally believed that love is blind does not mean that the players especially the woman should be blind to some warning signs about a relationship. The reason is simple. Whatever you would not resist while just dating or courting, will definitely be hard to resist when you finally get married. For crying out loud, just why would any reasonable woman think of dating a man that is financially crippled? Agreed, bad times are unavoidable but what many fail to consider is that before some periods would pass for bad times, there definitely would have been days that were glaringly good. So, when the tough times come, it is easy for one to try and give some support. In a case, however, where the man keeps asking and demanding for money for all kinds of reasons and projects, it becomes mandatory for the concerned woman who is in her right senses, to stylishly take to her heels. People who are in love support each other through thick and thin, through good and bad financial times. This is because love is all about “give and take” and not “give and give” or “take and take”. It is not a healthy relationship at all if he will continue to need my help where money is involved. Simply put, such a man is nothing but a user, a gigolo. Even the holy Bible frowns at it which is why it says a man who is not able to cater for the needs of his loved one, is an infidel. Away from being biblical, such a man places no value on himself, has no dignity or respect for himself at all. That is why I say such a relationship can be nothing but a nightmare. A loving man is in all ways is sensitive to her partner’s needs. He wants to rule his home, he wants to command respect and one major way that a man can earn good respect from a woman is to be financially responsible. These days however, there are more gigolos than anyone can imagine. Peradventure you are not sure of your date’s status where financial responsibility comes to play; the following tips will help you out. He is not on the same financial page with you. If you disagree about almost all financial goals, choices, and commitments, then you have a case in your hands. When you quiz him about his personal budget and it is clear that he does not have one. When you suggest that budgeting is a good thing and tries to show him how to prepare a financial budget but he act disinterested or feign interest and never go any further. If he seldoms pick up bills. Rather than pay off house rent, food, hospital, Nepa and other bills each month, he pays the minimum or give excuses to avoid them. This is a regular occurrence because he never seems to have enough money to pay his bills. If he is often out of work. If he is the type that blames other people, the high unemploy-
ment rate or other circumstances beyond his control for his lack of employment, there is a problem. Again, if he often say that it’s just a temporary situation, but then, he doesn’t seem to keep a job for very long, you had better move on with your life because such a man can never add any value to your pretty life. He excessively spends money without regard to income. If he seems to be living far beyond his ability or keeps an expensive lifestyle that his income cannot cater for, he will definitely be a burden on you . When he wants something, he buys it without regard to what it costs or how he will pay for it, then, you must begin to look elsewhere If he is tight-lipped about his financial situation. In successful marriages and even promising relationships, partners talk about anything and everything. There are no secrets. If he doesn’t want to talk about a financial situation or life goals, that’s a red flag. If he keeps borrowing. Since you started dating, if he has asked to borrow money from you repeatedly, then you may have to dig further into his financial philosophy. For example: A man who wants to make a good impression is rarely going to borrow money from the woman he’s trying to impress. When you see bills left carelessly on his desk or anywhere in his home. Neglecting to pay bills indicates a lack of concern for financial credibility. He still lives in his mother’s house. A responsible man does not take pride in living under his parents’ roof once he begins to earn an income no matter how small. He would not even bring serious dates to his parents’. But while there may be some unavoidable reasons for this arrangement at times, it’s important to find out otherwise, this development is nothing but a warning sign of a financial weakling. He or she has been in some school or a training program for a disproportionately large amount of time and you’re beginning to wonder if your date will ever graduate. You should check the whole idea up otherwise, you may just be pitching up with a fraudster. If you pay the bills most times. The African culture does not approve a situation where a woman picks up bills when she is out on a date with a man. Well, you may do this occasionally but you shouldn’t make it a habit. If the guy you’re in love with often asks you to pay the bill, it’s a red flag. The worst thing that can happen to a woman is to marry a person who doesn’t have a financial plan, good financial practices or a financial philosophy that can make her feel at peace with her life. A woman needs a man whose financially strong. No wonder that artiste sang No Romance without finance. If the world today keeps clamouring for a woman that will not be a liability on her husband, I wonder what any woman will be doing with a financially incapacitated man. I just wonder. So ladies, don’t allow yourself to be played. Stop giving him money. I wouldn’t work either if someone gives me everything I need. Honestly, I wouldn’t.
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
divorce court
‘My mother-in-law said I’ll die like a fowl’
• Anytime I have a misunderstanding with my wife, my mother in-law comes to fight me with dangerous weapons. I will be physically abused and my clothes torn by both of them. My mother in-law usually curses me that I will die like a fowl —Husband • He doesn’t respect my parents and he has not been taking good care of me. I am no more interested in the marriage. I want to go back to school —Wife
A
fter an off and on 8-month marriage between one Mr. John Obah, 37 and his 21 year old wife, Gift, the couple is now free to go their separate ways. Their union has been dissolved at the Ikorodu customary court, Lagos, over the constant harassment from the husband’s motherin-law.
‘My wife doesn’t trust me’
• Whenever she comes across condoms in my car, she concludes that I am cheating on her —Husband • Strangers drive him home when he is drunk. In all sincerity, I no longer love him —Wife Stories by Muda Oyeniran
A
man, Mr Tajudeen Adenekan, 53, has told the Igando Customary Court, Lagos, that his wife, Kuburat, called his mother a harlot, and therefore, sought the dissolution of their 12-yearold marriage. Adenekan, who has five children by his wife, also alleged that Kuburat unduly accuses him of infidelity.
“Whenever she comes across condoms in my car, she concludes that I am cheating on her. “For the past four years, I have been the one cooking and washing the children’s clothes, “he said. The petitioner told the court that his mother-in-law was aware of her daughter’s “uncaring attitude“. “Since my mother cared for my wife after she had one of our babies, she had resorted to calling my mother a harlot whenever
we quarreled. “She usually calls my father an imbecile and always threatens to deal with me, “he said. He said that Kuburat once locked his 10-year-old niece outside till 10.00 p.m “for no reason“. The respondent, Kuburat, 33, said that she was tired of the marriage as she denied calling her in-laws names. She argued that her recent visit to her mother-in-law attested to the cordial relationship between them, adding that she also want-
ed the marriage to end. “Tajudeen drinks to stupor. He gets drunk to the extent of urinating and excreting on his body. His conduct embarrasses me, and whenever I try to caution him, he feels offended. “Most times, strangers drive him home when he his drunk. In all sincerity, I no longer love him”, she said. The presiding Court President, Mrs. Francisca Johnson, adjourned the hearing for judgment.
‘She threatens me with acid, knives and broken bottles’
A
n Igando Customary Court sitting in Lagos has dissolved a 25-year marriage between Mr Bolaji Adigun and his wife, Kafayat, over threat to life. The petitioner, Adigun, 56, had filed a divorce suit alleging that Kafayat threatened his life with acid, among other things. Giving his verdict, the court president, Mr R.I. Adeyeri, said, “Both parties are no longer husband and wife; they are free to go their separate ways”.
• Anytime we had a misunderstanding, she would pick up a bottle to stab me —Husband · I always used the weapons to protect myself from him. I didn’t mean to hurt him —Wife The petitioner had claimed that his wife threatened to bathe him with acid or stab him with a broken bottle or knife. “There was a night she wanted to pour acid on me when I was asleep but God saved my life and I quickly ran out for my dear life. “Anytime we had a misunderstanding, she would pick up a bottle to stab me.
“She once chased me out of the house almost naked,” he said. The petitioner also accused his wife of moving with friends who influenced her negatively and made her take to alcohol. Adigun said that Kafayat was also hostile to her stepchildren. However, 48-year-old Kafayat, a businesswoman,
claimed that the acid was fake. “I always used the weapons to protect myself from him; I didn’t mean to hurt him,” she said. She also denied keeping bad friends, drinking much alcohol and being hostile to her stepchildren. The mother of two had prayed the court to save her marriage, insisting that she still loved her husband.
John Obah, a trader, reportedly approached the court asking to divorce his wife over allegations that his mother in-law always came with dangerous weapons to fight him each time they had misunderstanding. “My wife often goes to her parents’ house and stay overnight for three times in a week. Anytime I have a misunderstanding with my wife, my mother in-law usually comes to fight me with dangerous weapons. I will be physically abused and my clothes torn by both of them; my mother in-law usually curses me that I will die like a fowl. Upon the incessant threat from my mother inlaw, I changed the padlock to the house but they still came to burgle it. Anytime she demands for money and I don’t give it to her, her mother will come to insult me. Although our disputes were later settled by my father in-law but I don’t think I can cope with their continuous trouble making.” Refuting the allegations leveled on her, the estranged wife, and a mother of one, said her husband battered her so much that she usually runs to her parents’ house for safety. According to her, “He doesn’t even respect my parents and he has not been taking good care of me. I am no more interested in the marriage; I want to go back to school.” Presiding over the case, the court’s President, Mr. Olu Adebiyi, in his judgment, granted the couple divorce and warned them to refrain from harassing and molesting each other. He also ordered the petitioner to pay the sum of N5, 000 to the respondent for the monthly upkeep of their only six-month child and that the child should be in the custody of the mother. He also warned the mother in-law to steer clear of the petitioner’s ways (NAN)
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
‘She is having affairs with many men’
divorce court
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• I saw her enter into a house with a man hugging and kissing, but she is now fighting my first son for telling me that she is dating the man —Husband · My husband was the one cheating me. I once heard his conversation with a lady he impregnated that he would send money for her ante-natal —Wife
A
n Igando Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved a six-year marriage over alleged attempted incest, heavy drinking and adultery on both parties. The Petitioner, Ajibode, 53, had filed a suit seeking the dissolution of the marriage over wife’s infidelity and excessive alcoholic consumption. He told the court that his wife was a slut, who was in the habit of cheating him. “My wife is having affair with many men, I saw her enter into a house with a man hugging and kissing. “But, she is now accusing and fighting my first son for telling me that she is dating the man,’’ he stated. Ajibode described Rebecca as a drunkard, saying that she often gave their son alcohol to drink and both would start misbehaving afterwards. He accused Rebecca of always maltreating her step children. “Rebecca detests her step children, she does not give them food and she once poured hot water on my first son and also beat my second son to stupor.” He said that Rebecca was a troublesome woman and that due to this, “I had to leave the house for her and moved to my brother’s house’’. The petitioner said his estranged wife also colluded with his tenant, a herbalist, to sell his house.
“That day, I saw three people in my compound inspecting the environment. I accosted them and asked them what they were doing in my compound. “One of them said he came to show his brothers the house he wanted to buy from my wife and my tenant,” he said. He begged the court to dissolve the marriage as he was no longer interested and that he had fallen out of love. Rebecca, 33, a food vendor, denied the allegations but accused her husband of infidelity. “My husband was the one cheating me, I once heard his conversation with the lady he impregnated that he would send money for her ante-natal.’’ She explained that Samuel had tried many times to sleep with his own daughter and that she was always the hindrance. Rebecca said further that Samuel usually did not drop enough money for feeding and that was why she did not give her step-children food. The mother of three, however, begged the court to save the marriage because she was still in love. After listening to both parties, the President of the court, Rasak Adeyeri, had no option than to dissolve the union for them to go their separate ways. “Both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways,” Adeyeri ruled.
‘My wife is a professional prostitute’ • About eight years ago, I lost my job but my husband, was not giving me money, so I became a harlot. It is true that I flirt around, but my husband showed me the way —Wife
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t a Customary Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State recently a 36-yearold housewife, Eniola Ogbonna said she took to prostitution so as to be able to feed her children when her husband, Hanni Ogbonna, filing for divorce, refused to take care of his responsibilities. The complainant, Hanni, had while making a case for divorce, described his wife as an adulterous person. He said, “We have been married for 12 years and we have four children. My wife has become an adulterous person. She has no time for the children because of her promiscuity. “I have long waited for her to change her attitude, but she refused. All these are giving me unrest. That is why I have come to seek divorce,” he noted. The mother of four, who begged the court not to grant the divorce for the sake of their children, narrated how she found herself in prostitution. “About eight years ago, I
lost my job but my husband, was not giving me money, so I became a harlot. It is true that I flirt around, but my husband showed me the way. “He was always discriminating between me and the senior wife in the provision of money for our children “Whenever we had a quarrel, he would always beat me. Even with all these, I do not want a divorce because of my children,” Eniola pleaded. The Court president, Chief Popoola Bolarinwa ruled that since it was the complainant that insisted on the break up, the court had no reason to oppose his wish. Bolarinwa said, “The complainant has insisted on divorce and rejected the appeal by the court to make reconciliation. “The defendant is an unrepentant prostitute, who is not willing to change. “We hereby dissolve the marriage,” the Court president ruled. (NAN)
‘She steals my money everyday’
• Two of our children lied that they got admission into the Lagos State University, Ojo They collected money from me for three years. I discovered later that I was duped and that their mother knew about it —Husband · I have lived my life serving him. I loved and cared for him. I obeyed his orders. I was the only one taking care of him when he had stroke. Now, he does not want me again. But, I support the dissolution —Wife
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n Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved a 26-year marriage over stealing and being troublesome by the woman. The Court President, Mr. Joseph Adewusi, held that the union of Alhaji Rasheed Gbadamosi and his erstwhile wife, Bamidele, broke down as a result of lack of transparency on the part of the woman. He referred custody of the only underage child produced by the union to the Family Court. “In the interim, the child remains with her mother. The father is ordered to be giving N5,000 monthly for the child’s upkeep, through this court.
“The other three children are to decide who they should live with,” Adewusi ordered. He also ordered the man to compensate the wife with N50,000. Rasheed, a resident of 6, Ayinla Akinsola Street, Iyana Ipaja, had told the court that Bamidele’s attitude had negatively affected his health. “She has been a thorn in my flesh in the past 26 years. She steals my money almost every day,” he said. The petitioner also told the court that Bamidele colluded with the children to dupe him in the guise of schooling. “Two of our children lied
that they got admission into the Lagos State University, Ojo. “They collected money from me for three years. I discovered later that I was duped and that their mother knew about it. “I gave her N400, 000 to secure an apartment for her and move out of my house, but she did not leave,” the petitioner said. Responding, Bamidele, 50, denied the allegations. “I have lived my life serving him. I loved and cared for him. I obeyed his orders. “I was the only one taking care of him when he had stroke. “Now, he does not want me again. But, I support the dissolution,” she said.
‘My wife beats me anytime she’s drunk’
N
o longer able to condone his wife’s penchant for drinking and engaging him a physical combat, a Lagos-State businessman, Rasheed Ogunwande, had made an impassioned plea at a Yaba Customary Court to dissolve his 10-year marriage. The 43-year old complainant, Ogunwande, who resides at 10, Araromi Street, Onike, in Iwaya area of Lagos, told the court
that his wife, Ajarat, was always threatening his life whenever she’s under the influence of the bottles. “She threatens my life anytime she is drunk. She is also fond of fighting me and raining abuses on me whenever she is in her state of stupor. My wife drinks alcohol as if it is water and gets drunk easily. She is a disgrace.” Ogunwande, therefore, urged
the court to dissolve the 10-yearold marriage already blessed with three children. He said the love he had for her had turned sour. The President of the court, Mr. Rahim Daodu, who said the respondent had refused to appear in court, ordered the court’s registrar to summon her to appear before him. He however adjourned the case for further hearing. (NAN)
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Global warming and your health (II)
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here are some things we hear going on around the world and we are like ‘’what are these people saying?’’ Here in this part of the world, we seem to have enough problems of ours; fuel queues, epileptic electricity supply and economic limitations. So we tend to ask: Which one is global warming again? As for these white people, what do we have in common anyway? Well, maybe terrorism! We are currently battling Boko Haram in our own backyard and they are killing our compatriots in large numbers .So we can easily relate with that. But global warming! How on earth does that concern us? Which part of the earth is warming up? For us, global warming may affect all the big nations and the big big people who ‘‘don belleful.’’ Not the common man! Definitely, not the farmer who is trying to simply make his crops grow or the fisherwoman whose main need is a river to fish from. ’Abeg talk better tin’! How wrong we are! Perhaps a glimpse into what global warming is all about may help in dispelling some, if not all, the notions we hold currently CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK Rise in sea level/Flooding: Another effect of excessive rainfall and melting of glaciers is a rise in the level of major Seas and increased incidence of flooding as is being witnessed in some parts of Nigeria .Flooding displaces people from their homes, and literally washes away their very survival. Drought: The heat and dryness associated with global warming may dry up small rivers and force fishes to migrate to farther waters. This makes it difficult for those whose livelihood is fishing-like our brothers in the Niger Delta- to survive. In addition, it hardens the soil and makes planting difficult. As a result of all these; competition for resources may become rife and dire as people migrate from less favourable to more pleasant places leading to conflict, wars and famine. How does it affect our health? Increase in mosquito-related infection: Changes in seasonal rainfall have been found to be favorable to breeding of mosquitoes. Therefore, their population
increases .Now that is saying something. In Africa, the fear of mosquito is the beginning of wisdom. It is a parasite that has taken its toll on resources and human life. One, which Africans and Nigerians are fighting tooth and nail to eliminate. If the battle against mosquito is by any means lost, it will worsen infections with Malaria Yellow fever And Dengue fever Rise in respiratory infection cases: The resulting heat wave can also lead to breathing problems especially in people with allergic respiratory diseases. It generally leads to increased occurrence and worsening of respiratory infections such as Tuberculosis in more members of the population Cholera: This bacterium known to thrive in warmer waters may readily occur in austere weathers. It is a deadly disease that leads to a profuse diarrhea, which can easily lead to death if not promptly and adequately managed. Kidney stones: Incidence of this also increases due
to warmer temperatures, leading to dehydration, stone formation and all its consequences. Other diseases such as Ebola and Bird flu due to favorable atmospheric conditions will also rise in prevalence .In addition hunger, malnutrition and their complications will become more common, affecting especially the weaker members of the population such as children, the elderly and the women. In a simple language, global warming is a threat to our health and that of the future generations What can you and I do? We sell crude oil in Nigeria and use more cars than most other African countries. Therefore the fight against global warming will not be an easy one for us. Still we must join the rest of the world in using cleaner energy sources and limiting our contribution to air pollution. A lot depends on our government in this regard. In generating electricity and powering heavy machines, government can consider clean energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal. These are energy sources that are already being put to good use in other countries.
But it doesn’t mean we have no role to play as individuals. We can contribute by: –Stopping indiscriminate felling of trees and deforestation which releases naturally occurring greenhouse gases –Using more fuel efficient cars which burn less fuel, saves cost and limit carbon dioxide emissions, if we can afford to –Using home appliances like refrigerators and energy saving bulbs with safer emissions –Getting converted and telling others about the real threats of global warming –Putting pressure on our government to go ‘clean’ Conclusion: Global warming poses a genuine threat to many facets of our lives including our health. If for nothing else, we should pay attention and begin to take actions, for the sake of the coming generations. Otherwise, they may look at what is left of the world bequeathed to them and conclude that a selfish generation once lived. You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)
Sport
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
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Ifeanyi Eduzor
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igeria which is still basking in the euphoria of winning their fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup will have opportunity of adding another silver ware to its collection when the country’s U-23 team battle their Algerian counterparts today, for the 2015 AFCON U-23 crown. The final slated for 8pm Nigerian time will be played at the 60,000 capacity Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium, Dakar, Senegal. Both teams have already qualified for next year’s Rio Olympics by virtue of reaching the championship game final. To get to this level, Nigeria edged out host nation, Senegal by 1-0 in the first semi-final, while Algeria outscored South Africa 2-0 in the second semifinal match to book a place for today’s final match and qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 35 years. ‘Les Fennecs’ only participation was in 1980 olympics in USSR and striker Oussama Darfalou and Mohammed Benkhemassa scored in either half to book a place at next year’s multisport event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil alongside Nigeria. This will be the third time both teams will clash in this tournament since the inaugural competition in Morocco in 2011, which was won by Gabon. Nigeria thrashed the North Africans 4-1 four years ago in the same competition before they drew 0-0 in their Group B Game in Senegal. Today’s final is expected to be explosive considering the pedigree of the two nations in African football. While Nigeria is ranked 66 by World Football governing body, FIFA, Algeria is ranked 28 making them one of the best teams in the continent. Apart from the game being explosive, it will also re- enact the soccer rivalry between the two nations since their first meeting at the international level in an All African Games qualifier on January 10, 1973 which ended 2-2. Although the North African country is rated above their West African counterparts by both CAF and FIFA but the Nigerians have proved that they can hold their own against any opposition and it is expected they will exhibit the same level of composure they displayed in their group stage game against the team from the Maghreb region.
Action recorded during the Group B match between Nigeria and Algeria at the on-going U-23 Africa Nations Cup in Senegal.
U-23 Nations Cup: Nigeria, Algeria in epic final
It is expected that Coach Samson Siasia players who despite rumours of unpaid allowances before their semi- final game against Senegal were able to hold their own against the host nation will apply the same tactical approach to ensure they survive the North African challenge and lift the trophy for the first time since its introduction in 2011. While there is no arguing the fact that today’s finals will be very tough and difficult to predict considering the performances of both teams since the commencement of the championship, it is only the coach with the best technical approach
that will carry the day and lead his team to Brazil as African champions. As is expected at this level of the competition, both coaches have expressed confidence that their players are capable of winning the final match which they believe will be tough. Speaking on today’s finals, Coach Samson Siasia stated that although the Algerians are one of the best teams in the competition with good strikers and defenders but he has the players capable of causing pains to the North Africans. “Algerians are very good and their players have character but we also have quality players in
our squad who are capable of not only caging them but can also score the goals that will give us victory. “It is true that our game with them during our last group match ended goal less but they are going to see a more improved Nigerian side who will not give them room to operate”, Siasia boasted ahead of today’s all important finals. Also speaking on today’s match, Algerian tactician, Pierre Andre’ Schurman believes his wards are capable of beating Nigeria in today’s finals. Speaking shortly after his team demolished South Africa 2-0, to qualify for the finals, he
noted that his players will apply the same mentality in their game against Nigeria even as he acknowledged that the match will be a tough one. “We have watched Nigerians play and I believe they are a good side. The game between the two countries will be tough because Nigeria has good players, but this notwithstanding, I hope to come out victorious”, he concluded. South Africa will face host Senegal for the continent’s final ticket for the Olympic Games in the third place match. The two sides met in the tournament opener with the host winning 3-1.
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MIRROR SPORT
CAS upholds Platini’s suspension
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ichel Platini’s 90-day suspension from FIFA remains in place, following a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The ruling however also ordered FIFA not to extend the suspension beyond its current run-out date of 5 January.
Platini
Ozil is like a musician, says Wenger
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esut Ozil has been likened to a musician with perfect timing by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who says it makes the midfielder a pleasure to watch. The German World Cup winner has been in inspired form for the Gunners this season, scoring four goals and racking up 12 assists in the Premier League so far. That latter figure is more than he managed in his two previous campaigns at the Emirates and twice as many as his nearest challengers throughout the League in Gerard Deulofeu, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Riyad Mahrez. “Mesut is like a musician
The Frenchman, 60, had lodged an appeal with CAS to lift the suspension but the court upheld the sanction imposed by FIFA’s ethics committee. That same committee is to hear a disciplinary case against the Frenchman next week over a £1.3m payment he received in 2011 from FIFA, signed off by the world governing body’s president Sepp Blatter. Platini insists payment was owed from an oral agreement he made with Blatter when he started working as FIFA’s technical advisor in 1998. Friday’s decision means Platini will not be able to attend today’s draw for Euro 2016, which takes place in his home country. FIFA’s ethics committee hearing next week could impose lifetime bans on both Platini and Blatter if corruption is proved, and shorter bans for lesser offences. Both Blatter and Platini deny any wrongdoing.
Ozil
who always plays the right note, and at the right moment,” Wenger told the club’s official website. “His timing is perfect; when he has to give the ball, he gives the ball. It’s just a pleasure to see.
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Lifestyle
Ana Ivanovic poses in traditional Indian attire B
astian Schweinsteiger’s travels earlier this week ended in disappointment but his other half, Ana Ivanovic was certainly having a better time of things in India. The German midfielder suffered a humiliating exit from the Champions League after Manchester United were beaten by Wolfsburg; on the other side of the world Ivanovic was gearing up for the latest instalment of the International Premier Tennis League. The Serbian stunner, who has been with World Cup winner Schweinsteiger since September 2014 with the couple getting engaged earlier this year, arrived in Delhi after stints in the Philippines and Japan earlier this month. Ivanovic, who is representing the UAE Royals during the second season of the professional tennis league, took the opportunity to experience the Indian culture as she was pictured wearing traditional sari dress. The world No 16 took to Instagram to share the picture with her 682,000 followers and wrote: ‘Greetings from India. I arrived in Delhi and of course I had to try the traditional Indian sari while I am here. What do you think guys?’ Earlier on Thursday Ivanovic tweeted her excitement ahead of taking to the court: ‘Good morning Delhi. I am so excited to
play here with the International Premier Tennis League later today. Who’s coming to watch?’ Ivanovic’s UAE Royals took on Legendary Japan Warriors on Thursday in the first match in Delhi before they face Micromax Indian Aces on Saturday before the season heads to Dubai and Singapore later this month. The International Premier Tennis League, started in 2014, features a host of tennis’ top players lining up for five Asian teams; UAE Royals, Legendary Japan Warriors, Micromax In-
dian Aces, Singapore Slammers and Philippine Mavericks. As the curtain draws on 2015, Ivanovic, who won her one and only Grand Slam in France in 2008, is targeting another next year. ‘I have won one and also been world No 1, but at the end of the day, people remember you for the titles you won, not so much about your ranking,’ Ivanovic told The Indian Times. ‘Any grand slam would be great, but I would like to win the Australian and Wimbledon open.
SPORT NEWS
Lafit Gym set for fitness challenge Ifeanyi Eduzor
A
s part of its efforts to promote health, fitness and wellness in its community and environs, one of the leading fitness gyms in the country, Lafit Gym is set to organize an end of year fitness challenge. The competition tagged” Gbagada Fitness Challenge” which will take place at the Gbagada General Hospital, Play Ground on Saturday December 19th and 26th as well as 2nd January 2016 with the final coming up on Saturday, January, 9 at the same venue will see participants score points in events such as 6km Run, Burpees, Jumping Jacks and Tire Pull amongst others. Organiser of the championship, Eric Brown explained that those with the highest number of points will qualify for the next round until the finalists emerges
just as he stated that the overall winner will go home with N 50,000 while the first and second runners- up will be N25,000 and N15, 000 richer. According to him, the championship which is open to both male and female athletes including those who are not regular sports men is not about winning but about the competitiveness aimed at improving the fitness level of the participants and will start from 7am- 9am each day. “We at Lafit Gym offer quality fitness programs and wellness counseling services to educate support and empower individuals to improve and maintain their overall health and well being through healthy lifestyle choices and exercise ad that is we are organizing the championship to promote good health and fitness among people living in our host community and its environs. “The championship is not about winning but about com-
petitiveness which encourages people to improve their fitness and take it to the next level. He advised those interested to be part of the championship to collect their forms from their office opposite Gbagada General Hospital Complex and return completed forms on or before December 17, to be eligible to participate in the tournament.
Members of Lafit Gym performing aerobic.
Daily Sports, Nigeria’s first online sports paper, makes debut
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aily Sports, Nigeria’s first online sports daily, debuted on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. A statement issued in Lagos by the publishers described Daily Sports as a leading online daily newspaper dedicated to the effective coverage of sports, sports people and sports-friendly corporate organisations and their invaluable contributions to sports development. “Known for breaking news and daily updates from around
the world, Daily Sports has been test-run to critical acclaim since September, 28 2015 and boasts diverse online readership that cuts across various age groups and status. This is because Daily Sports covers a wide range of sports ranging from Football to Athletics, Basketball, Tennis, Golf, Table Tennis, Boxing and Grassroots Sports,” the statement signed by Daily Sports Corporate Affairs Manager, Ms Betty Osagie, said. “Daily Sports parades a team
of accomplished sports writers led by Isaac Umunna, who brings to the job almost three decades as a Sports Reporter and Editor. It subscribes to the highest journalism standards and is fast becoming a reference point in sports journalism,” the statement said. It advised sports lovers, wherever they are, to log into www.dailysportsng.com everyday for exclusive stories and daily updates from around the world.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
MIRROR SPORT
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Toure named BBC African Footballer of the Year
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an Chester City and Ivorian midfielder, Yaya Toure has been voted the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2015. The 32-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder becomes only the third player, after Nigerians Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay
Toure
Okocha, to receive the honour twice. Football fans voted for Manchester City’s Toure, who first won it in 2013, ahead of Yacine Brahimi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Andre Ayew and Sadio Mane. “I am very proud. To receive this dedication from the fans is unbelievable,” Toure told BBC Sport. “Also I want to pay tribute to the other nominees. African football is growing up, becoming much better and we have fantastic young players coming through now.” He added: “I am delighted and very happy. And as an African player, I want to lead all my younger brothers to be successful in the future.
FEPSGA Games: National Health Insurance emerges best team Ifeanyi Eduzor
T
he National Health Insurance Scheme has won the trophy for the best behaved agency/ most popular team at the just concluded 34th edition of the annual Federation of Public Service Games held in Owerri, the Imo State capital. Apart from being adjudged the best behaved team, the agency also won many medals to show for their efforts, making this year’s edition the most memorable for the organization since it started participating in the games that brings together civil servants who compete among themselves in a friendly atmosphere.
Team Manager of the agency and National Public Relations Officer of FEPSGA, Nasir Wasagu told Saturday Mirror that the award is not only well deserved but will spur the team to challenge for honours in the forthcoming maiden West African Public Service Games to be hosted by Nigeria. According to Wasagu who also emerged as the best official at the games, his team will not only retain the award in subsequent editions but will also improve in their overall performance on the medals table. “We are happy that we emerged as not only the best behaved team but also the most popular team at the Games. This is a sign of our professionalism and we hope to sustain it in subsequent editions.
Etisalat wins corporate soccer tourney
E
tisalat Nigeria has emerged champion of the 2015 Corporate Soccer Competition held Sunday at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos. They defeated Chevron 5-4 via penalty by shootout to successfully defend the trophy it won last year. In the third place match EMPTS recorded a 2-1 victory over DHL to emerge as the third best team in the competition. The annual Corporate Soccer Nigeria-organized event for corporate bodies was witnessed by MD/CEO Etisalat Nigeria,
Mr. Steven Evans, and Manager, Lafarge, Aurelius Bowyer. By this victory, Etisalat will represent Nigeria at the Confederation of Africa Football Corporate Soccer (CAFCO) next year in South Africa. The telecommunications company also represented Nigeria at the same competition last year in Ghana where it won the trophy. Managing Director, Corporate Soccer Nigeria, Onome Obruthe, expressed delight at the turn out of this year’s competition.
L-R: Managing Director, Seven-up Bottling Company, Mr. Sunil Sawhney; former Super Eagles captain and Pepsi Ambassador, Austin Okocha; Head of Marketing, Seven-up Bottling Company, Mr. Norden Thurston and Mr. K. Patel, at the Pepsi co-sponsored Corporate Elite recently in Lagos
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Action recorded at the on- going U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal
U-23 Nations Cup
Bosso charges U-23 Eagles to go for trophy
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ormer Flying Eagles coach, Ladan Bosso has described as worth fighting for the trophy of Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal. Nigeria’s U-23 team will confront Fennec Foxes of Algeria in the final today at the 60,000 capacity Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar. The nation’s representatives edged out hosts, Les Lionceaux de la Teranga of Senegal in the semi-finals while Algeria overpowered South Africa to pave the way for the Afcon U-23 epic final.
Bosso said though the Olympic ticket is crucial, the championship top prize will be a huge plus on the team overall performance at the Afcon tourney in Senegal. “The Olympic ticket is unarguably the most important prize but winning the championship trophy is another advantage, bonus and plus to coach Samson Siasia and his charges. “I strongly believe we can win the championship trophy as we showed despite the shortcomings we went through to defeat hosts, Senegal in the
semifinals. “So the trophy is worth fighting for in the long run as it’s like one is a goal up in a match; the second goal is always considered as an insurance goal so they must go for it, “ said the former Kano Pillars and Abia Warriors head coach to supersport.com. The two finalists have already qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil while the losers’ match winners between hosts, Senegal and South Africa will claim the third automatic slot.
League election: Igbokwe petitions NFF, electoral committee on zoning
Ifeanyi Eduzor
V
ice-Chairman of NFF Organizing and Disciplinary Committee, Bar. Iyke Leo Igbokwe has petitioned the NFF and the body’s electoral committee with regards to the equitable representation of the six geo-political zones in the NFF executive committee during the forthcoming elections into the League boards. “I find it most necessary to personally write you and offer my free patriotic advice on the distribution of the chairmanship positions of the three remaining League boards; National League, Women League and Nationwide League respectively in the forthcoming League board elections in line with Act 33 of the 2010 NFF statutes which provides for equal distribution of the fifteen NFF executive committee positions amongst the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Pinnick
“I want to recommend the distribution and zoning formula of the League board chairmanship positions that will best give effect to the intents of Art. 33 and save our League boards from post-election crisis as was witnessed in 2011”, he pointed out. Writing under the headline, ‘Advice on the zoning and sharing of the remaining three league board chairmanship positions’,
Igbokwe advised that contestants from South-South that produced the NFF President should be barred from the elections. “The NFF electoral committee should bar candidates from any zone where the President of NFF comes from contesting any of the League board chairmanship positions as that has been the practice from the Sani Lulu and Aminu Maigari NFF administrations. He noted that the zone that produced the NFF President has never produced three NFF executive committee members, saying that even in the Aminu Maigari regime, his North East zone produced just one executive committee member which was Aminu Maigari himself. But in the present NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick, his South- South zone has already produced two board members; Pinnick and Barr. Chris Green. He proffered a formula that will give all the zones a sense of belonging.
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DECEMBER 12, 2015
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Crime Watch
43
Police arrest undergraduate for stealing from women after raping them
• I got them on Instagram I told them I will pay them money when we have sex. But I take them to hotel and afterwards steal their phones when they are sleeping and run away —Suspect • He drugged me with Vodka, raped me and stole my money and phones worth about N70,000 —Victim Patience Ogbo
P
olicemen attached to the XSquad Unit of the Lagos State Police Command are investigating a 300 level student of the University of Ilorin, identified as Adeposi Adeyanju (aka Frank) for allegedly luring ladies to hotels where he rapes and steals from them. According to the police, the student, who claimed to be in the Department of Physical Education, had raped about ten ladies and stolen from them after recording them in a video. But luck ran out on him when his victims set him up and he was subsequently arrested. The police said the suspect allegedly posed as a recruitment manager on social media platforms where lured ladies. The suspect, after raping the women, stole their property worth about N1million and threatened his victims that he will leak the sex tape on social media if they moved against him. One of the ladies, who simply identified herself as Tayo, said, “A friend of mine introduced Frank to me. My friend gave me Frank’s pin number and that was how we started chatting. He asked me to be his girl friend. He said he is a recruitment manager and that I will not regret dating him. He later took me to a hotel at Yaba area where he drugged me with Vodka drink and raped me. He stole my money and phones worth about N70,000 and abandoned me in the hotel. When I woke up, he had gone. I have been trying to get him but he blocked me from contacting him.”
Adeyanju, a.k.a Frank Another victim, who simply identified herself as Morenike said, “ He has an Instagram account where he used my photograph for his nefarious activities. He is everything on social media. He claimed to be
a recruitment manager that recruits ladies for ushering job. He also lures ladies that he will pay them N100,000 for sex. But after luring ladies to hotel, he drugs them and videotapes it. He threatened me that if I don’t
part with money, he will upload my video on YouTube. He stole my phones and gold necklace worth N200,000. He was exposed after one of my friends told me that he met a guy on Social Media and he promised her a job if she could meet him in an hotel. I sensed it was the same guy so I told her to play along. He told my friend to meet him at Ikeja Under Bridge. I decided to go with my friend and behold, it was the same guy. As he was chatting with my friend, I walked behind him and held him. One of our friends who was with us ran to the Area F police station and called policemen. That was how he was arrested.” The suspect has been transferred to the XSquad Unit at the Lagos State Police Command for thorough investigation. More ladies said to have fallen victims have thronged the police command to record their statements. The suspect, in his statement, said. “These ladies are call girls. I got them on Instagram. I told them I will pay them money when we have sex. But I take them to hotel and afterwards steal their phones when they are sleeping and run away. I was only doing it for fun and to get money. I started deceiving girls since April and I only stole their phones and jewelries which I sold to a merchant at give away prices. I feel bad about what I have done. I will return the money and other property I stole from the women.” The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatia Owoseni, while parading the suspect at the police headquarters on Friday advised social media users to be careful not to fall victims to fraudsters.
12 cultists nabbed for beheading man Patience Ogbo
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olicemen attached to the Special Anti- Robbery Squad at the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Panti, Yaba Lagos, have arrested twelve men for allegedly beheading one Afeez Obokwu . Obokwu’s headless body was recovered from the Highway at Oyingbo Railway area sometime in May. The police recovered the severed head at the Otto Ilogbo area at Ebute Metta area but the suspected murderers went into hiding. The suspects who have been on the wanted list of the police were arrested following a tip off by members of the
public. The police gave the names of the suspects as Kazeem Ajani ,Suliamon Bello, Idowu Morawo, Abiodun Adeleke,Taiwo Jayesimi,Aberdeen Sanjowa,Abubakar Umaru,Ogunlade Dayo, Sodiq Olalere,Lekan Ajayi , Jamiu Wahaab and Kudus Olatunde. According to the police, the suspects are serial killers, adding that the police have arrested and charged some of them to court but were released. From investigation, the suspects belong to two rival cult groups called the Otto boys with allegiance to the Eiye cult and the Apapa Boys with allegiance to the Aiye cult with their base at the Ebute Metta area of the state. The suspects in thier confessional
statements to the police revealed that they have participated in various killings in the state . Narrating how they beheaded their victim, one of the suspects ,Taiwo, said his gang members killed four persons in a supremacy fight and beheaded one of their victims. Taiwo, popularly called ‘Figo’ narrated. “Sometimes in May,there was a crisis between the Otto Boys and the Apapa Boys. I belong to the Otto Boys . The leader of our gang is called Dangbe. On that particular day in May this year, our gang killed four rival cult members of the Apapa Road gang. We went to Apapa road and engaged them in a shoot out. We killed four of the Apapa Road cultists. They are Akin, Fatia , Afeez Obokwu and
Eleto. We cornered and used cutlass to behead Obokwu. The Apapa boys also killed some of our boys named Abeeb, Tunde,Gani and Baba Benti .It was a gang war of supremacy between our gang and the Apapa Road Boys” In his confession to the police, one of the suspects Aberdeen said “ I am popularly called Owo .I belong to the Otto Boys cult. I have been arrested and charged to court .My gang members one Kiso,and Woma followed me to attack motorists during traffic hours on November 11th. We carried guns and dangerous weapons we used to smash windscreens during gridlock. We sold the stolen goods to one Abubakar. We stole phones ,laptops and other appliances so we can have money to eat “
Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com
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Crime Watch
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
Sales reps arrested for stealing exotic wines
Rapist policeman, sentenced to 263 years in prison T
Patience Ogbo
•…for sexually assaulting 13 black women while on-duty, including teen girl and grandmother
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former Oklahoma City (USA) police officer has been found guilty of attacking at least 13 black women — including teenagers and a grandmother — in the neighbourhood he patrolled. Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted by a jury of eight men and four women on Thursday evening after four days of deliberations. Holtzclaw broke down in tears as he was found guilty on 18 counts - including rape, sexual battery and forcible oral sodomy - against eight of the women who testified against him. His supporters also sobbed as the judge went through the verdicts on what happened to be his 29th birthday. Some of the victims’ supporters reportedly sang Happy Birthday to him as they gathered outside the courthouse. Holtzclaw’s defense attorneys tried to comfort him as he nodded his head up and down while shaking his head in disbelief. As he stood up to be handcuffed by court officers, he shouted: ‘I didn’t do it.’ He was found not guilty on 18 of the charges, but still faces a recommended 263 years in prison. Holtzclaw, who turned 29 Thursday, could now spend the rest of his life in prison. He was
Holtzclaw
remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced in January. The Oklahoma City Police Department welcomed the verdict and called Holtzclaw’s case the worst in nearly four decades in law enforcement. The mother of the youngest accuser clapped as the verdicts were read out. She said she went to the courthouse to hear the verdict, but found the doors locked but was able to race home in time
to see it on TV. The grandmother whose allegations led authorities to launch an investigation was in the courtroom at the time. She was the first to testify, telling the court Holtzclaw pulled her over as she was driving home late at night and ordered her out of her car. He then told her to sit in the backseat of his squad car, where he stood over her and told her to
Tom, said he was also a former militant. Fielding questions from detectives at Igando division, Patrick said that he only knew the name of the area, but not the particular bank they would be attacking. He confessed to have taken part in the FESTAC town robbery, where dynamites were used to blow up banks before robbers in military uniform entered the banks and carted away millions of naira. A mother and her child were killed by the robbers’ stray bullets. A police source said: “On Tuesday, about 6a.m, policemen from Igando Police Station were on ‘Stop-and- Search’ duty when they sighted three motorcycles. Two of the motorcycles had two passengers and golf bags. The police flagged down them down, but two refused to stop. The policemen were able to arrest the motorcycle which was in the middle.
“The golf bag was searched. One AK49 rifle, 81 rounds of ammunition and six magazines, two mobile policemen uniforms, two mobile police caps, two military belts and one camouflage uniform were found inside the bag.” The source explained that the suspects were taken to Igando Police Station, where Patrick confessed that Okoro was just a charted motorcyclist. During interrogation, Patrick said that he was related to Ateke Tom. “He said he was a former militant. He said that he had been arrested before and taken to SARS in Lagos. He was charged to court by SARS, but granted bail by the court three months ago. He said that they just arrived Lagos State a few minutes before our men arrested them,” the source said. The source confirmed that Patrick was earlier arrested for robbery but got bail from the court because no gun was found on him. Patrick also told
perform oral sex. She notified police officers hours later, launching a case in which 12 other women eventually came forward. The woman was tearful after the verdict and prayed with supporters outside the courtroom. The victims say they met Holtzclaw while he was on duty, and prosecutors say the ex-officer intimidated them into not reporting his crimes. Since the trial began November 2, many of the women’s descriptions had traced a similar arc: The officer stopped them while out on patrol, ran background checks for outstanding warrants or conducted searches that turned up drug paraphernalia, then forced them to have sex to avoid arrest. Most said they never reported the assaults to authorities for fear no one would believe them. “What’s the good of telling the police? What kind of police do you call on the police?” asked one woman, who sobbed as she testified that Holtzclaw pulled down her shorts and raped her on her mother’s front porch when she was 17. An expert testified that the girl’s DNA was found inside the crotch of Holtzclaw’s police uniform. Another victim was a fifty-something grandmother.
Bank robbers arrested minutes after arriving Lagos
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etectives attached to Igando Police Station on Iba Road, Lagos State have arrested two men who allegedly had just arrived from Niger Delta via waterway to carry out a bank robbery. The suspects, identified as Chinedu Okoro and Keme Patrick, were apprehended on earlier in the week. The suspects were arrested after their motorcycle was flagged down by policemen who were on routine patrol duty. Two other motorcycles, carrying about two passengers, refused to obey the policemen and disappeared. Preliminary investigations showed that Okoro is just a hired motorcycle rider while Patrick just arrived from Delta State, with others now at large, to carry out bank robbery. The bank robbery is supposed to take place at Abule- Egba yesterday. The suspect, who claimed to be a cousin of former leader of the Niger Delta militant, Ateke
detectives that he and other gang members were supposed to meet at Abule-Egba to fine tune the robbery which was supposed to take place on Friday, before they were arrested. According to him, the three motorbikes were all heading to Abule-Egba. The police source added: “They are supposed to meet at Abule-Egba, where they would carry out the bank robbery. Patrick said he did not know Abule-Egba. “He said the two motorbike riders and their passengers were part of their robbery gang. He said that they are the people that know the bank that would be robbed on Friday morning.” When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, confirmed the arrest. He said: “Two bikers were arrested with AK 47 rifle. But we have not determined the motive for carrying arms.”
wo sales representatives with the Adide Supermarket are in police custody for allegedly stealing exotic wines . The sales representatives attached to the supermarket branch at Ogba Agege in Lagos were exposed by undercover operatives attached to the Pedro Police Station. It was gathered that the management of the supermarket discovered that exotic wines were stolen from the supermarket and they sacked one Stanley a sales Representative for allegedly stealing the wines. Following the sack, the management of the supermarket discovered that more wines were missing and they reported the case to the police. According to sources from the supermarket, the police team went under cover and one of them started working in the supermarket as a sales Representative. Shortly after the police went under cover, two sales Representatives identified as Chima Igba and Vincent Ikale were arrested for allegedly stealing the exotic wines and selling to a nearby supermarket at a give away price. The police also discovered that the suspects have thier personal electronic shops on the same Street where the supermarket where they work is located and following investigation, it was discovered that the suspects allegedly stock their shops with proceeds from the sales of exotic wines they stole from the supermarket. Narrating how they allegedly stole the wines, the suspects in their confessional statements said they were lured by greed to make quick money . Chima one of the suspects said other suspects lured him to steal. He said they stole the wines by scaling cartoons of the drinks over the fence. “ It was my colleagues that introduced me to this crime. I was deceived that we will make quick money. We usually scale the wines through the fence. I have an electronic shop and I want to expand my business. Bad friends pushed me into this crime “. A source said “,the sales Representatives were exposed after they approached the undercover policeman to join them to steal the wine . They we were arrested at the scene of the crime trying to scale the fence with the drinks’”.
Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
DECEMBER 12, 2015
8 APC members, tipper conductor die in auto crash in Ebonyi Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI
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ight suspected members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi State chapter, including a conductor of a tipper lorry, were yesterday crushed to death at Ezzamgbo Junction in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The eight victims were said to be supporters of APC House of Representative candidate in the last general election, Mr. Uche Nshii, who were heading to Enugu State to witness the Ebonyi governorship Appeal Court ruling. It was gathered that the tipper driver and one occupant of the APC branded car were said to have been critically injured and were currently receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki. The APC branded Sienna vehicle rammed into the tipper along the ever busy junction. An eye witness, who spoke to Saturday Mirror narrated that the accident occurred at about 8:10 am when the Sienna Car going to Enugu suddenly dodged a bike rider, plying one-
way, but could not control the speed which forced him to jump the dual carriageway to hit the tipper driver on the other lane. The source further stated that the nine passengers died on the spot while the tipper driver was rushed to the hospital. “The APC branded Sienna vehicle was from Abakaliki to Enugu with nine passengers. The accident occurred at the dual carriageway at Ezzamgbo junction when the driver of the APC car was trying to dodge an Okada rider plying one-way, but in the process jumped the pavement of the double lane and hit the tipper going to Abakaliki.” He added that it took the intervention of sympathizers who used axes and other sharp objects to cut the body of the APC car to force out the remains of the victims. The source further added that several ambulances carried the corpses to an undisclosed mortuary. It was gathered that the APC victims were members of Labour Party, LP, who recently dump the party for reasons best known to them.
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Appeal Court upholds Umahi’s election Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU
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he Appeal Court sitting in Enugu yesterday upheld the election of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. The court dismissed for lack of merit the suit filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Edward Nkwegu. Delivering the judgment, Justice Oyewole J. O. K, who read it on behalf of other Judges, explained that the five reliefs sought by the applicant lacked merit. It was a unanimous judgment. The governorship Election petition tribunal had in October this year in Abakaliki dismissed the
petition filled by Chief Nkwegu challenging the declaration of Chief Umahi as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for lacking in merit, and the inability of the petitioner to prove allegations of corrupt practices and criminalities as contained in the petition. Dissatisfied with the judgment of the tribunal, the petitioner proceeded to the court of appeal sitting in Enugu to challenge the verdict. In the appeal filed by his counsel, Chief U.N. Udechukwu (SAN), Nkwegu prayed the Appeal Court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal, describing the verdict as a
grave error of law. He urged the court to annul the election of Chief Umahi with fresh election conducted, adding that the governorship election was marred by widespread irregularities. But Counsel to Chief Umahi, Arthur Obi Okafor (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit. He said Chief Umahi was validly elected with the election in substantial compliance with the electoral act. Speaking to journalists at the Appeal Court premises after the judgment, Umahi stated that, “I thank everyone that is here. We are grateful to God for His mercies. “We thank God who has constantly frustrated the
machinations of the enemies and detractors of Ebonyi State. “The learned judges said the appeal was functionally useless. We should continue thanking God as the Bible tells us that because of God, we will always overcome. This victory is of God and no man can set it aside. “Our detractors have been going about looking for whom to bribe. We have confidence in God and the judiciary. Any where they take us to, victory will still be ours. They are so ashamed of what we are doing in Ebonyi, and would continue to live in shame. “I am impressed by the judges, they were wonderful. I thank all our lawyers who defended us.”
Onitsha Chamber demands return to 2nd Niger Bridge site Eric Elezuo
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he Federal Government has been urged to direct Julius Berger Construction Company to return to site to continue work on the Onitsha Second Niger Bridge abandoned after President Muhammadu Buhari took over power. Mr. Uchenna Apakama, President of Onitsha Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), who made the call yesterday, during the 26th Annual Luncheon and Award Ceremony of the organised private sector, said that those of them at the Onitsha Chamber were convinced that the all important Second Niger Bridge was not abandoned. He said: “It is very unfortunate that the bridge has become perpetual political issue with many past administrations in the country, despite its
critical position in the socio-economic development and security interest of not only the South East and South South, but also the entire nation.” Apakama also called on the Federal Government to conclude the process of concession of the Onitsha River Port without further delay, expressing sadness that since 2012, when the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan re-commissioned the port, it has remained moribund. The perpetual neglect of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, which has become a death trap, equally attracted the attention of the Onitsha Chamber, with Apakama calling on the Federal and state governments to fix the road, especially the Umunya to Awkuzu portion which he said will become a nightmare for thousands of road users during the Yuletide.
I-G Solomon Arase (right), with CP Hassan Karma of Anambra, during I-G visit to Awka Headquarters of the Command Yesterday.
… Sacks Ohuabunwa •Kalu, others hail verdict
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he Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Thursday, nullified the election of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and ordered a rerun election within 90 days. Former governor of Abia State and candidate of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) in the March 28 election, Dr. Orji Kalu, had challenged the result of the Abia North senatorial poll, alleging unprecedented irregularities. Accordingly, Justice I. G. Mbaba directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to determine the authentic winner because the initial process was fundamentally flawed in all respective mat-
ters concerning the exercise, pointing out that the tribunal on Abia North Senatorial District poll erred in its verdict by upholding Ohuabunwa’s election. Reacting to the ruling, Kalu said: “This is victory for democracy aimed at the restoration of the people’s will, which was trampled upon through the abuse of fleeting power by those who thought they could mortgage the conscience of Abians. What the Appeal Court has succeeded in doing is the liberation of Abians from the shackles of authoritarianism and the associated power rascality. “Abians and I are now going to win, by God’s grace, by a landslide margin much more than we did in the last election which outcome was brazenly manipulated against the wish of our people. This same thing happened in 2011 when my mandate was recklessly upturned by persons who had special relationships with the immediate-past president of the country. “We are ready for the rerun. I congratulate the Appeal Court on this decision. It is a testament to the robust vibrancy of our judiciary, which remains the last hope of the oppressed. This, again, is victory for Nigerians
generally, Abians particularly and democracy,” Kalu declared. Meanwhile, people in Aba, Umuahia, Bende, Okigwe, Isiukwuato and other major cities in the state trooped out to the streets jubilating over the judgment. Almost all the beer parlours and other social centres were filled with patrons celebrating the latest development. Some of them wondered why the court did not go ahead to declare Kalu the winner. Kalu, in response to telephone interviews on Thursday, said he preferred a rerun to outright declaration of him as the winner. “The rerun will enable us to establish our strength, show our might and also test our popularity and acceptability once more. I prefer it to any other thing,” Kalu affirmed. Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of Abia Youth Vanguard (AYV), Maxi Alex Ugo, has applauded the judgement of the court of Appeal sitting in Owerri on the nullification of the election of Ohuabunwa. He acknowledged the forthrightness and patriotism of the three-man appellate panel led by Justice I. G. Mbaba in upholding the will of the people.
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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
DECEMBER 12, 2015
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I told Gaddafi to flee Libya before he was murdered —Tony Blair ‘Gaddafi’s demise means other rogue leaders like Bashar al-Assad will never give up their chemical weapons’
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ony Blair has revealed he repeatedly urged Colonel Gaddafi to flee Libya for a ‘safe place’ before he was killed - but denied he was trying to save his life. The former prime minister telephoned the dictator three times in 24 hours as his regime was on the verge of collapse in 2011, even though he had been out of power for four years. Mr. Blair, who left Downing Street and quit as an MP in 2007, said he was ‘acting as a concerned citizen’ and had asked David Cameron and Hillary Clinton for permission. A transcript of one call read to a committee of MPs revealed he told Gaddafi: “If you have a safe place to go you should go there, because this will not end peacefully unless that happens. You have to leave the country.” But Mr. Blair denied he was trying protect the despot from harm and said: “My concern was not for his safety. I was not trying to save Gaddafi.” The ex-Labour leader was being questioned about his relationship with Gaddafi before he died in 2011 and their 2004 ‘deal in the desert’, when the dictator agreed to give up his chemical weapons. It also sealed millions in trade and oil deals between the two countries, but Mr. Blair denied it also paved the way for the release of Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al Megrahi, and a promise not to pursue the killer of PC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984. His comments came as the ex-premier gave evidence to the cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee’s investigation into the UK’s policy towards Libya. Mr Blair met Gaddafi in his desert tent in 2004, as the North African country began its return to the international community after years of isolation for supporting terrorism, including sending shipments of semtex to the IRA. They met more than once a year until Mr Blair left power in 2007. As part of the ‘deal
in the desert’ Gaddafi renounced weapons of mass destruction, bringing to a halt programmes to develop nuclear and chemical arms. But Mr Blair denied that in the meeting with Gaddafi he agreed to help free Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi or not pursuing the killers of PC Yvonne Fletcher. Mr Blair said: “It was important to bring them in from the cold. The prize was to take Libya from being the sponsors of terrorism to fighting it. “We did not lay these issues aside. We did not hold back on Lockerbie or Yvonne Fletcher for a better relationship. Quite the opposite.” He added: “They were absolutely in my mind but the game was worth it.” Giving evidence to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Blair said he believed his decision to engage with Libya remained ‘important’ in the present day, because ISIS have gained strength there. He said: “Otherwise, we would have had a situation where Libya was continuing to sponsor terrorism, was continuing to develop chemical and nuclear weapons and would have remained isolated in the international community “I think it is important that we brought them in from the cold, as it were, and important also in today’s context because I think - particularly if we had still had the residue of that chemical weapons programme in Libya today, given the state of Libya today and given the presence of Isis there - it would have constituted a real risk, even today. “It was always one of those decisions that was difficult because of the nature of the regime and the individual we were dealing with. “But on the other hand, I think it was worthwhile, because of the protection of our security and because of the broader interest of trying to engage a country like that in a process of change.” He also admitted that
Mr Blair and Gaddafi embracing after a meeting in Sirte, Libya, in May 2007
Colonel Gaddafi’s demise means that other rogue leaders like Bashar al-As-
sad will never give up their chemical weapon. The former PM con-
firmed he continued to make visits to Libya after leaving office in 2007, saying
he felt it was “important to see if it was possible to get them to do the political and economic reform that followed their switch from the position on security.” He added: “I’m not sure it was very easy to do that, but it was worth trying in my view.” Mr Blair said he would talk with Gaddafi about the Palestinian issue and Africa as well as the prospects for Libya to open up its economy and make political change. “The tragedy of Libya is that the potential of the country is enormous,” said the former PM. “It’s got some incredible assets. It’s potential in energy is huge, and so it is in tourism.”
Europe’s most wanted man escapes to Africa
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aris massacre gunman Salah Abdeslam has fled to Africa, police believe. The ISIS fugitive is thought to have escaped to Morocco after the attacks that killed 130 people. Police in the North African country have issued arrest warrants for Europe’s most wanted man and his accomplice Mohamed Abrini after a tip-off from security agencies. Officers released pictures of the terror suspects and urged people with information about their whereabouts to contact the authorities. A source working for the Paris prosecutor said: “It (Africa) would be an obvious place for them to escape to.” French investigators confirmed they were liaising with Moroccan authorities. Abdeslam, 26, was previously thought to have fled to Syria, but French President Francois Hollande later said this was a ‘rumour.’ Abrini, 30, a Belgian of Moroccan origin, was seen by police on CCTV with Abdeslam on November 11 at a fuelling station north of Paris, near the motorway to Belgium. The Renault Clio in the footage was used in the attacks. Belgian police describe Abrini, who has fought in Syria and came from
Abdesalam
the same area of Brussels as Abdeslam and the mastermind, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, as ‘dangerous and probably armed.’ Abdeslam is suspected of having rented the VW Polo and Renault Clio cars used in the attacks. Investigators say he went to Belgium from France the day after the attacks despite being stopped by police and released on the way in routine road checks before his name was circulated as a suspect. His brother Brahim died in the attack. Fears that Salah was back in Belgium and might be plotting attacks prompted the closure of Brussels underground rail lines, schools, shopping centres and other public places on November 20. The shutdown was partially lifted five days
Abrini
later. French police are examining a suicide belt dumped in Montrouge on the southwestern fringes of Paris, where phone traces suggested Salah was present on the night of November 13. Investigators are trying to establish whether Salah was supposed to carry out an attack in Paris’s 18th district, the prosecutor said. In its statement, Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack there that did not happen. The last person known to have seen Abdeslam, Ali Oulkadi, said he gave him a lift across Brussels on November 14 and when he dropped him off Abdeslam said: “You’ll never see me again.”
Some media relayed speculation at the end of November that Salah Abdeslam may have already fled to Syria. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls treated this as ‘rumour’ on December 1. Belgian and French police are seeking two others who used forged Belgian ID papers under the names of Samir Bouzid and Soufiane Kayal. Belgian police said Salah Abdeslam made two trips to Budapest in a rental car during September 2015 and that the two men were spotted in a car with him at the border between Hungary and Austria on September 9. A Belgian prosecutor statement contained a somewhat fuzzy photo of the two seemingly taken from CCTV footage. Belgium said they may be armed and dangerous. The Kayal identity papers were used to rent a house in the Belgian town of Auvelais that police raided on November 26. The Bouzid identity papers were used four days after the November 13 attacks to wire 750 from a Western Union outlet in Brussels to a woman in France named Hasna Ait Boulahcen who was killed in the police raid on the St Denis flat.
Quote of the day Any dialogue with the Federal Government without Nnamdi Kanu is nonsense. We demand that he be released and he will lead the dialogue. —Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net
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University of Cambridge: 800 years of educating leaders (IV)
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s the tradition has been since 1209, the University of Cambridge’s commitment to the training of tomorrow’s leaders is unequalled. This responsibly has been bequest to the Judge Business School in the training of business leaders. A specially designed programme, known as the University of Cambridge Advanced Leadership Programme, is in its tenth cohort. Keeping up the tradition of a global academic leader, the University, in any given year, selects a small group of candidates for leadership engagements. The selection is usually in conformity with the new improved admission system of the university, in line with the tradition of admitting about 4% of the total number of candidates seeking admission in any given year! And very much on hand to supervise the selection process is the programme’s Director of Administration, Allison Wheeler-Heau, and her term. Allison, an Amiable by nature, did a very good job, as usual, in putting together Cohort 10 or The 2015 Class. The appointment of Professor Peter Williamson as the Director of Academics is in line with the university’s tradition of providing star faculty for over 800 years. Peter is a professor of International Management of the Judge Business school and he is of the Jesus College of the University. He has studied China for 30 years. An author of many books, Peter effortlessly traced the historical trajectory movement of the Chinese economy and dataries the perspective of engagement, since the 12 Century, of the undisputable leadership of China with its 400 million people leading the world at that time. And just before the industrial revolution, which positioned the western world to the position of leading the global economy, and the collapse of the world economy with the recession of 2008, it is interesting to see that China is positioning to come back to her previous position. In my mind, a critical challenge is posited to any contrary view, with the impressive cash investment of over 1.2 trillion dollars in America treasury bonds. If that is of no issue then, the critics of China’s new world order must be ready to provide an alternative to the dragons at our doors coming from China. According to Peter, cost innovation is a great challenge to the breakthrough innovation of the western world. I have summarised my experience of Peter’s class in another work as follows: The ‘Inside China’ class of Peter Williamson was a great insight to paradigm shift in the new global business world order. Of a truth, ‘the dragons are here doing
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critics of China’s new world order must be ready to provide an alternative to the dragons at our doors from China! nothing’ is not an option! As the climate of world business and geo political movement continues to unfold very dangerous phenomenon in the search for economy out of recession solution, the ALP will continue to help with new agenda for today’s senior management, the much needed capabilities to redevelop how to navigate a rather complex engagement. My Cambridge ALP experience is priceless -Jimoh Ibrahim, Group Managing Director, Energy Group. Cohort Ten drew participants from Britain, Nigeria, United States, Germany, Japan, Gambia, France, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Portugal, EU, and other countries. It was a class of twenty two people from about thirty five countries of the world. Generally, they are a group of very promising leaders, who by their engagement in the development of mankind are likely to take the world by surprise as events unfold. Some of them are business leaders, professors in their chosen fields, regulators, first class aviation leaders, manufacturing captains, impressive bankers and developing academia. They make inspiring contributions to discussions on China and the challenging wicked problems in Japan, Nigeria, India and Russia. In the first week, discussion centered on the eco system and challenges to business. There were also detailed discussions on the dilemma of engagement of GE in India and their
ultra scan machine. The strategy of corporate social responsibility was also discussed in detail. MTN was discussed along the lines of institutional void and the imperatives of the new fine regime in Nigeria. Specific corporations were analysed on many considerations. Alibaba of China got prominent mention. As discussed, Alibaba was already recording nine billion dollars in gross sales before the close of business! Jack Ma, Executive Chairman of Alibaba has said that: “Alibaba is not the creation of few technology innovations or whiz kids. We have developed an eco system that has been built by tens of millions of participants.” The ability of the candidate to respond to the dragons in China and cost innovation was tested at various discussion groups. Instant Innovation Development took up the second week for longer hours by the Dean of Judge Business School, Professor Christophy Loch, a celebrated name in innovation across the world. University of Cambridge leveraged on her connect and develop theory and engaged very key speakers to train the candidates. Experienced lecturers were drawn form a very long list of experts. They include Baom Wilson Dinton, Professor Iveran Tselichtchev, Mohammed Zaki, David Stillwell, Simon Taylor who entranced the class on ‘The Global Economy; Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.’ With a brain
that produces data every second, the class was indeed offered many serious moments of reflection. Others include Phil Male, Professor Jaideep Prabhu, Michael Ramage, as well as Adeoluwa Onagoruwa, who took time to look inside Africa. In the first week of engagement, issues like leadership and unclear strategy were resolved. In years to come, participants will not forget their practical experience on issues of engagement, most especially in an emerging economy and beyond. The wicked problem of aging population in Japan, alongside the impressive cash position of Japan remains the very best investment outlook in the global community. Regrettably, the Japanese language came on hand as the first problem encountered in the decision for instant investment! The class laid a foundation for the teaching of Japanese. At least, we can now boast a few words of Japanese… soko, soko! As the class of Cohort Ten wound up in the third week, the consensus was that it will now be part of the history of the University of Cambridge that the following ladies and gentlemen were recorded to be in attendance: Allyson Woodford Black, Penny KF Cain, Ingbert Faust, James Hopkins, Jimoh Ibrahim, Muhammadou M.O Kah, ,Samson Lau, Raymond Liu, Lee Chor Pham, Ifuan Md Nor, Mark Norris, Peter Obi, Tim Passingham, Claude Sammut, Tiago Sopas, Katheryn Stonestreet, Jorge Toledo Bisey Uirab, Dayo Olaniyan, Allison Wheeler-Haeau, Peter Williamson, Hannah Winchester and Claire Wright. No one will easily forget Hannah Winchester’s gentle email remainders. Claire Wright will never let go any attempt not to align with the programme direction, while Allison Wheeler-Haeau simply maintained leadership by example! The University of Cambridge, in the last eight hundred years, has not moved away from its history of greatness on which her foundation of knowledge is built and it will not in the next one thousand years to come! Who can forget icons of the University such as Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, David Sainsbury, Lezek Borysiewicz, Prince Charles, John Harvard, Charles Darwin, Hugh Laurie, Alan Turing, Stepghen Fly, Eddie Redmayne, Inge Lehmann and very many more. The Cambridge Advanced Leadership Programme is another model in the strategic engagement of connecting the future by training tomorrow’s leaders today. Cambridge simply fills all vacuums!
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